Chapter 47
Fin
Monday night, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, our team and coaches were ushered through a secure entrance and walked through long corridors.
As we approached the convention center floor, the low din of the crowd grew louder.
Coach Tilson led the charge as the entire team made our way up on the stage. NFL hosts and analysts introduced us.
One voice boomed through the PA system. “Welcome to the stage the Lexington Coopers.”
I stood in awe of the sight. There were reporters filling every inch of the floor. Farther back were screaming fans. The whole thing felt surreal.
Super Bowl Opening Night began hours earlier with the appearance of NFL legends and Super Bowl MVPs.
Around the floor were activities for fans and players alike.
The real reason for our being here was the twelve AFC podiums with the names of players and one for Coach Tilson at various places around the room.
The players without a podium were to walk around for an hour and answer questions from the magnitude of journalists. This celebration used to be called media day. However, for the last ten years, it has been this star-studded prime-time event—Super Bowl Opening Night.
The lights and cameras were blinding and the roar of the fans reverberated through the center.
Behind barricades, fans cheered and screamed our names.
Troy and I looked at one another with a grin.
While I had more years in the league, this was a first for both of us.
Scanning the crowd, I was amazed to see Lexington’s amber worn by so many.
Troy Dennison, Malik Johnson, JD Downing, Kylon Lewis, Kai Flores, Dijon Ortiz, Jamir Bennett, Todd Wood, Marshal Holt, Pat Starks, Coach Tilson, and I moved to our designated podiums.
Reporters were already gathered around mine. “Griffin Graham, I’m Jackie Avery from local Fox 11. After so many years in the league, what does it mean to be here, on the world stage?”
“It means everything to me.” I looked around at the crowd. “I want to savor every moment.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “How do you feel about being back at SoFi Stadium?”
I laughed. “It’s a fantastic facility.”
“You know what I’m asking. You spent a season here.”
That was a road I wasn’t going to travel. “I’m happy to be here again as a member of the Lexington Coopers. This team is special.” I turned toward the crowd and raised my voice. “And we’re going to win.”
The fans cheered.
The questions continued.
“Are you going to play on Sunday?”
“How does it feel to play behind someone as young as Troy Dennison?”
“Would you have liked playing against your brother and the Vikings?”
“What is it like dating the owner of the team?”
On that one, I smiled and shook my head. “Maeve Hubbard is a fantastic person inside and out. Her love of the Coopers is evident in everything she does.”
“Do you talk football in private?”
I grinned. “We talk about all sorts of things.” I winked. “Next subject.”
Once our time was up, we were escorted back into the guarded hallways and exited, climbing back on our bus.
Back at our hotel, we all went into a large ballroom.
Each player had a table. More journalists were present as we found our table with our swag bag.
It was filled with Coopers Nike apparel including special-edition Super Bowl appearance hats, quarter-zip shirts, and more.
“Some of us are headed out to the patio firepit,” Matt Spencer said to me. “Do you want to come with us?”
“I’m bushed. I think I’m headed up to my room.”
“Enjoy tomorrow.”
“Our last day of freedom,” I said with a grin.
It was after ten when I opened the door to my hotel room. The lights of Los Angeles glistened below. On one of the bedside stands, the small light on the hotel phone blinked in the darkness. Picking up the receiver, I pushed the button to hear my messages.
“You have one message. Message one. Room 1625.”
Alarmed, I looked at my cell phone. There were no missed calls or text messages. Nevertheless, I knew the voice on the message.
Something was wrong.
Vee wouldn’t call me to her room if there wasn’t.
Leaving my swag bag on the floor, I hurried out of my room and took the elevator up two additional floors. The doors opened to multiple armed police officers and security.
“I’m sorry, sir,” one said. “This floor is restricted.”
My pulse kicked up to an unhealthy level. “I received a call—”
“You’ll have to leave.”
“Did something happen?” I looked frantically around. “I’m supposed to go to room 1625.”
“Sir—”
“Fin.”
I didn’t recognize the voice, but I did the sight of the blond woman. She was Vee’s cousin Leigh. She came closer. “It’s all right, Officer. He can come back.”
The officer motioned with his chin.
“Leigh, thank you. What the hell is happening?”
Leigh hurriedly led me down the hallway. “Vee can tell you.”
An armed guard stood on each side of the slightly ajar door to 1625. I pushed the door open, frantically searching the numerous faces within. Relief washed through me as I found Vee sitting on a couch near her aunt. As soon as she saw me, she stood.
None of the other people registered as I moved through them.
“Fin,” she said, my name muffled by my embrace.
As I held her, I looked beyond our bubble to the familiar faces. These were the people we’d spent part of Christmas with. The suite was filled with Vee’s family. “What the hell happened?” I asked again.
“Vee is safe,” her uncle said in a calming voice.
Grasping her shoulders I held her at arm’s length and studied her beautiful face. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. “Are you okay?” I asked in a gentler voice.
Nibbling her lip, Vee nodded and reached for my hand. “Come with me, and I’ll tell you what happened.”
She led me into a bedroom and closed the door.
“Why are all the police here?”
Vee sat on the edge of the bed and patted the mattress at her side. “Tonight, we had a cocktail gathering for sponsors. It was here in the hotel. As it was ending, a deliveryman entered with a bouquet of roses.”
“Amber roses?”
She nodded.
I clenched my jaw.
“The card was for Aunt Rachel.”
Okay, at least it wasn’t for Vee.
“She opened it and rushed from the room. I followed.” She clenched my hand.
“Everything is supposed to be restricted. No one is supposed to get past the barriers. Virginia was at the gathering watching me. She followed Aunt Rachel and me out to the lobby.” Vee took a breath.
“The truth. That’s what the notes have said. ”
“What truth?”
Vee closed her eyes and her nostrils flared. “Fin, it was Bre. She killed Dad. He spent Sunday night with her. She’s been after him for years.”
“How do you know this?”
“When Dad was in grad school, he got a woman pregnant, an undergrad.”
“Are you sure?”
Vee nodded, nibbling her lip. “It all came out tonight. I didn’t know. Aunt Rachel said she found out when she heard Dad and Grandpa Carroll arguing.”
“A long time ago.”
“Yeah. Grandpa had only been in the NFL for less than ten years. He didn’t want a scandal with his son. He told Dad to pay for an abortion. It’s been a buried secret forever.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “What does this have to do with Bre?”
“The woman didn’t have an abortion. Unbeknownst to Dad, to anyone, she gave birth to a girl.”
I blinked, trying to make the connection. It couldn’t be.
“Fuck, Bre?” I questioned.