23. Joshua
Chapter 23
Joshua
“ H ere we go,” Coach Murray says, leading me up to the press area at Space City Arena. Our home turf.
Well, not mine. Not anymore.
We both take our seats at the front of the room. There are cameras and reporters filling every spot in the room. Since the news broke over the weekend, I’ve done my best to ignore making any comments.
I focused on Mom and Oliver. And this morning I dropped them both off at the airport. They were so happy to get to spend time with me. And to meet my girlfriend. Who after they left, has yet to say a word to me.
Okay, I know she’s not my actual girlfriend but after an entire weekend of pretending to be all about me. She just shutdown. Keeping her distance and focusing solely on the kids.
Which is her job –I know that. I’d just like a little credit here that I’m busting my ass to try to make this the best situation for everybody involved. Despite it being a very shitty one.
“Riley Jost with SportsNet,” a man rises from the right corner. “Coach Murray, can you tell us why of all the players on the roster you’d get rid of a player that is carrying this team in assists? As you know, he has one of the highest assist averages in the league. That’s a team player if I’ve ever seen one. Why the trade?”
Thank you, random reporter dude. See? He gets it. I feel so seen.
Coach grabs his mic and drags it closer to him. “You know that’s not how these deals work, Riley. GMs make trades. These kinds of things happen months in advance. Sometimes way before the playoffs are even considered. So are we sad to see Hicks go? Absolutely. He's a hell of player. But it’s just as much out of my hands as it’s out of his in this particular case. Next question.”
Ouch, Coach. I’ll miss you too. Jeez.
A woman rises from her seat, “Shirley with the Houston Pulse. Mr. Hicks, how do you anticipate this move to Georgia to pan out?”
I clear my throat, “I can only hope for the best, Shirley. The Heatwave was my first time. And the Thunderhawks won’t be my last. I’ll just have to adjust to new personalities. New coaches. It may take some getting used to but I’m sure it’ll all be for the best.”
“Mr. Hicks,” a gentleman from the very back of the room stands. “How does this move affect your most recent venture into the realm of instant fatherhood?”
Oh, shit. That wasn’t on the docket to discuss.
There are gasps all around the room. I look at Rina in the back of the room, mouthing “no comment.” And making an X with her arms.
“Um… well…” Ah, hell. Here goes nothing. “I love it. Yeah, it was more unexpected than the trade. I could kind of sense the trade happening but fatherhood… yeah, that I didn’t see coming at all.”
The room seems to take interest in my personal life, because about six reporters all stand to their feet shouting out questions.
“One question at a time, please, folks,”Coach Murray says into his mic.
“Hicks, are the children yours?”
“Are you the father?”
“Whose kids are they? One of them is a teenager not much younger than yourself.”
“One question at a time,” Coach repeats into his mic.
“Uh… no comment,” I say. Probably a little too late. Rina throws her hands up in the back of the room. She makes her way to the front and grabs a mic.
“Alright, well that’s all the time we have for questions right now. I’d like to thank Coach Murray and Joshua Hicks for coming out today. And for each of you that are here.”
“One final question,” a woman rises from her seat in the very back. “How do you feel that your nanny has been selling information to gossip sites and paparazzi?”
I pull the mic toward me. “What are you talking about?”
“Your nanny, Cassidy Jones,” the woman says. “How do you feel about her using your fame in order to make money off of you and your personal life?”
She wouldn’t.
“It’s not true,” I say into the mic.
I shake my head as I rise from my seat and follow Rina out the door.
“What was she talking about?” Rina asks me. “Cassidy selling information to the media about you?”
“It’s not true. Just some reporter trying to stir up trouble.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. What motive could she possibly have to do that?”
“Okay,” she says, suspiciously.
“How’s soccer dou–dude?” I ask, glancing at her ring.
“He’s fine,” she says as we walk down the staff corridor.
“Shouldn’t you be on your honeymoon?”
“He’s in the middle of a season.”
“So…”
“So nothing, Hicks. Worry about your own stuff,” she glares at me.
“Okay, Rina. Good talk as always. See you around.”
“See ya,” she says, stopping at her office and shutting the door behind her.
Walking back to my car, I wonder what that reporter was even talking about. There’s no way Cassidy would sell information about me.
She covered for me with Mom and Oliver. She takes care of my siblings like they’re her own.
So why would somebody make something up like that?
I shut the door to my car.
She wouldn’t do that… right?