Chapter 39 Lit Something Inside Him
LIT SOMETHING INSIDE HIM
“This is going to be awesome!” Archer shouted from the back seat of Jayce’s car almost three weeks later. Not the first time the words were said, but the octane was rising each time.
“My ears might bleed now,” Farrah said. “How many more times are you going to say that before we get to Charlotte?”
“How much longer is it?” Archer asked.
“Less than an hour.”
“Two more times,” Archer said, giggling. “Because I’m excited.”
Jayce turned to look at Farrah. “I was too at that age. Come on. Did you ever go to any sports camps?”
“I did,” she said, grinning. “When I was older than Archer though. And yes, it’s exciting.”
“My parents are happy I’m gone for the week,” Liam said next to Archer. “I don’t think my mom is going to miss me.”
“I’m sure they will miss you,” Farrah said, her eyes sparkling some. “It’s only a week and you’ll be home next Saturday.”
“Liam’s parents are picking us up, right?” Archer asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Are you and Jayce going home after you drop me off?”
“No,” he said. “We are staying the night here and then going back in the morning.”
Not that the two hours home was a big deal, but it’d be nice for the two of them to have some fun away from home.
He’d gotten them a hotel and he’d take her out tonight for a nice dinner, show her around the place he’d made home for over a decade.
Their fight weeks ago was a thing of the past. It had to be.
No one had a perfect relationship and it was crazy for him to think he would with Farrah.
They’d talked for almost two hours and worked it out. Were they both still raw and maybe a bit hurt? Yeah. That was normal. But by the next morning all was well.
And when Archer returned days later, he’d kept a smile on his face as he listened to how much fun the kid had with his father, trying to control the frustration over knowing it wasn’t genuine on Tucker’s part.
Farrah was right—as much as he hated to admit it—that speaking up and making a stink wasn’t going to change the outcome. Biting your tongue might hurt your mouth, but it could save pain to those around you. That was worth more in the end.
“What are you doing tonight?” Archer asked. “Can Liam and I come too?”
He laughed. “I don’t know what we are doing other than getting dinner, and no, you can’t come because once we drop you off, you’re locked on campus for the week. A prison to conditioning, body control, and coordination. Which one of you is going to trip on your laces first?”
Archer was giggling loudly. “Not me. I never trip.”
“Don’t be so sure,” he said. “You boys are going to work hard. Harder than you’d ever played before. Hours of shooting, dribbling, passing, defense. That and much more. I remember it still and falling into my bunk exhausted.”
“We’re staying in bunk beds?” Liam asked. “I want to be on top. We are together, right?”
“You are,” Farrah said. “We made sure of it. I’m not sure if it’s bunk beds or two twins in a room. You’re staying in dorms, so my guess is it’s two separate beds. And don’t expect nice rooms like you’ve got at home. You might be in a basement.”
“No fair,” Archer said. “No one told us that. That stinks.”
Jayce laughed. “You’re not going there for comfort. And when you’re in college, you don’t spend much time in your room either. There are a lot of other places to move around.”
“How is the food going to be?” Archer asked. “Will I get pizza and burgers?”
Farrah turned to look at him and wiggled her eyebrows.
“I’m not sure what you’re going to get, but don’t expect it to be like home or a restaurant.
You won’t starve and you’ll have choices.
Remember about the peanuts. Look and ask though they are aware.
You’ve got to have a special band on your wrist.”
“Only me?”
“Yes. It shows you’ve got the allergy so the staff know and those in the kitchen are aware, though I was told that no meals have peanuts in them other than peanut butter sandwiches as an alternative or snack. They are clearly labeled, wrapped up and prepared at a different station.”
“I’ll be fine,” Archer said.
“I know you will be,” she said, turning her head to look at her son.
In just four months of being part of their lives, Jayce had gotten a crash course in parenting.
The worry that never shut off, the joys that came out of nowhere, the frustrations that tested every ounce of patience, and the headaches that somehow still made him smile.
Not to mention the earplugs he’d have to start buying.
It opened his eyes to everything he’d once taken for granted, everything he’d unknowingly put his own parents through. And instead of scaring him off, it lit something inside him.
He wanted more. He wanted it for himself.
The midnight wake-up calls. The tiny, wobbling steps across the floor. The firsts and the failures, the scraped knees and the small victories.
He didn’t want to swoop in halfway through a story, he wanted to be there from the very first page.
To nurture, to guide, to protect. To give and receive the kind of unconditional love he was only just now realizing was the truest thing he’d ever felt.
“Have fun, but stay out of trouble,” he said.
“Did you get in trouble at camp when you went?” Archer asked.
“Nope. But I had a lot of fun and that’s what it’s about.”
Archer and Liam went back to talking to each other the rest of the ride, letting him and Farrah listen and keep their laughter at bay from the things the two boys were talking about.
When they pulled onto UNC, he followed the signs to where they had to park, got out and gathered the kids’ luggage and bags, and walked with them to the registration.
“Stay close to us,” she said. “And stick together the whole time, do you hear me?”
“Yes, Mom,” Archer said.
“My mother told me the same thing,” Liam said.
“Can I call you when I want?” Archer asked.
“If you’re allowed, but I’m sure you’re going to be too busy during the day. Remember, I’m at work too. And there are rules on phone use while you’re here. You might have to keep it in your room.”
“I know,” Archer said. “You told me.”
They got in line and waited, Jayce looking around at the chaos but not affected either. He was used to things like this. Or was at his last job.
After twenty minutes, the kids were getting checked in when he heard his name.
He turned. “DeVone,” he said, moving toward the tall man. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m going to be an instructor for the week. My nephew is here and talked me into it. What about you? You don’t have any kids, at least not that any of us knew of.”
“We are dropping off my girlfriend’s son and his friend. Farrah, this is DeVone Smithers, he’s an assistant coach with the Hornets. And this is Farrah’s son, Archer Lane, and his friend, Liam Mathers.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said, shaking his hand.
Archer and Liam did the same. “What age group are you working with?” he asked.
“Sixteen and up,” DeVone said. “My nephew is fourteen, so best not to work with him, though I know he’ll be letting everyone know.”
“You’re just keeping an eye out for future recruits,” he said, slapping DeVone on the shoulder.
“That too. There will be a few UNC players here for the week too,” DeVone told the kids. “And maybe some guest Hornets toward the end of the week.”
“Oh, my God,” Archer said. “Jayce knows lots of players. He got me a personally signed birthday gift from Nino Meyers.”
“I’m sure he did,” DeVone said. “You in town for the night? Meeting up with anyone?”
“We are here for the night, but I hadn’t planned on meeting anyone.”
“I get to sneak off tonight since it’s just registration day and getting the kids settled. I won’t start and stay until tomorrow. Why don’t I get a couple of people together and we’ll go out to dinner with our wives and girlfriends?”
Maybe he wouldn’t mind showing Farrah off some.
In his mind, he had one of the hottest chicks around on his arm, with the best personality ever.
Could be he wanted a little approval from people to know he landed on his feet damn well too.
Which felt small in his mind, but he couldn’t help himself.
“I’m good with whatever you want to do,” she said, putting her arm through his.
“You’ve got my number, DeVone. Reach out with what you’ve put together.”
“Will do. Even if it’s just me and Katrina, it’d be nice to catch up.”
They brought the boys to their room after, helped them unpack, showed them where the bathroom was and anything else they needed, then deposited them out on the front lawn in the group they’d belong too.
There was only an hour left of check-in and the kids would start to get shuffled off and shown where everything was on campus.
“I’ve got two bands,” Archer said, holding up his neon green one that matched Liam’s, then the white and red one for his allergy.
“That’s right. Those bands don’t come off and that is how each counselor keeps track of who belongs to them,” he said. “Like a dog. You’re their pets for the week.”
Archer giggled and nudged Jayce with his arm, then barked.
“Don’t get him worked up,” she said. “Oh Lord.”
“Mom doesn’t know how to have fun like the rest of us.”
“Don’t be so sure of that,” she said. “Come give me a hug.”
“Mom!” Archer yelled. “No. There are too many people around.”
She rolled her eyes. “How about a fist pump?”
“Sure,” Archer said, touching his knuckles to hers, then turning and doing the same to Jayce.
Jayce squatted down, and whispered, “It’d make your mom feel really good if you gave her a tiny little hug. It’s about her and not you.”
Archer looked at his face, then turned and walked over to Farrah. “One tiny hug, Mom. You can’t hold on too long.”
She laughed. “Just a quick one.” She squatted and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, then stood back up quickly. “See, not too bad.”
“Bye, Mom.”
“Bye,” she said, waving to her son and turning to leave.
“You’re getting a lot of stares,” he said. “From the older boys. Bet I know what they are thinking.”
“Stop,” she said, laughing.
“What? I know if I were them I’d be thinking it. Lucky me, you’re mine.”
“Yours?” she asked when they got on the pathway to move back to his car.
“Yep,” he said, the P popping at the end. “Problem with it?”
She put her head on his shoulder and moved closer, him wrapping his arm around her waist for a snuggle. He was trying to distract her from the fact she had just dropped her son off with strangers for a week. It wasn’t the same as leaving Archer with his father.
“No,” she said. “And thanks for telling him to hug me.”
“You know he wanted to,” he said. “He just needed the nudge. He’s going to be fine. You were.”
“I was, but I was older and had more friends with me. So many other parents weren’t willing to send their kids just yet. If Liam couldn’t come, Archer wasn’t.”
“I’m sure more will go next year once they find out it’s not that bad,” he said.
“You’re probably right.”
“Are you going to be okay? Do you want me to stay in Charlotte so I’m close to him?” he asked. He’d already mentioned it to his parents, that he could work remotely if Farrah felt uncomfortable with leaving Archer.
“That’s very sweet, but I’ll be okay. I appreciate it though. It’s only two hours and once I hear from him tonight and in the morning, it will be better. He’s going to have the time of his life. I could see he wanted me to leave an hour ago.”
Jayce laughed. “Caught onto that, didn’t you?”
“Hard not to when I know my kid so well. We can’t check into our hotel yet, but I’m starving.”
“Then let me feed you. Are you sure you’re okay going out tonight with other people?”
“And miss the chance to meet some people you worked with or some players? No way. Then I’ll have something to brag about to Archer for once.”
“Should have known,” he said, smirking. “But not sure it’s going to be anyone other than DeVone and Katrina.”
“Then it’s just a friend of yours I’ve yet to meet, so yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”
“I actually am too. Just don’t get it in your head that you think I’m going to want to come back.”
“I won’t. I promise. I believe you.”