December 14th
Take it back.
Damon
After Chase throws yet another pass to every receiver but me, I march up to him and yell, “What the hell’s going on? We have a big game coming up in a few days, and your best receiver should be getting the most reps.”
“Whatever,” is all he says.
But when I tilt my head at him and gesture with my hands, he adds, “I’m just giving the other guys some more throws. Big deal. Besides, you have an awfully lot on your mind.”
“What are you talking about? I took both my finals this morning and turned in my essay. I’m actually done with school for the semester, and I can focus on nothing but our next game.”
“And not the bullshit with Ainsley?” He raises a defiant eyebrow in my direction.
And that pisses me off. I take two quick steps toward him and grab the front of his jersey in my fist. “Don’t you dare say that. Take it back.”
He shoves me away. “Sorry, but I won’t.”
“I caught everything you threw within my reach and even some you didn’t. Course you only threw me eight passes. The other receivers got about twenty.”
He just shrugs.
“You’re supposed to be my best friend, Chase. My support. Not to mention my teammate. But, hey, I’m glad I found out now that you’re really a dick.”
“Better than being an idiot.”
“Take it back,” I say again, getting in his face.
But he just stands there, wearing a stubborn look. “Nope. And there’s no reason for me to pass to you when I know your mind isn’t in the game.”
“Based on the passes you threw, it seems like it’s your mind that’s not in the game,” I counter.
“I just can’t believe you,” he says.
And I can tell he’s pissed.
“And I can’t believe you. I’m also telling my sister about how you’re behaving.”
“Don’t you dare!” He comes after me and pushes me.
I push back harder, knocking him over. I mean, I’ve got two inches and twenty pounds on him. And a longer reach.
“Stay there,” I say when he holds his hand out for me to help him up.
And then I walk away.
No one dares to speak to me in the locker room. They can tell I’m pissed.
Treyvon bumps my shoulder, but when I give him a glare, he holds his hands up and backs away.
I was going to shower, but I feel like I didn’t get in the kind of practice I needed, so I go over and ask our backup quarterback if he has time to throw to me.
“Sure,” he says. “I’d love to get some more reps in. Did you see the Chicago game yesterday? I can’t believe their quarterback is now out for the season, just as they clinched playoffs. I always want to be ready to go if my number is called.”
“Good for you,” I tell him as we make our way to the indoor training facility.
Chase is still here, laptop on his knees, looking at film or plays or something. I ignore him and roll a basket of balls over to Hunter.
“Anything you want to work on?” I ask him.
He nods. “Sideline throws.”
“Just tell me where you want me to be, and I’ll be there.”
And … I am.
I’m actually impressed with myself.
And it may be because I’m trying to prove a point.
I know Chase is watching.
And I might be overly praising the backup. Telling him how amazing he is. What a great toss it was.
Finally, Chase slams the cover of the laptop shut and marches away.
When he turns and looks back, I catch his eye and give him a smug smile and a shrug.
I can’t help it that I’m good.
That I’m thrilled about having a baby with Ainsley. Sure, I wish I had known sooner, but I’m thankful for what she did.
And I don’t care what Chase thinks about any of it.
I’m still staring at him when he drops the laptop, rushes toward me in a flash, and tackles me to the ground.
We’re wrestling, and I’d say there’s more slapping going on than actual punching. I feel like we’re scuffling over something stupid, like we used to when we were kids.
But this isn’t stupid.
I push him off me, leap up, and walk away. “I’m not doing this with you,” I say sternly. “Get over it.”
“What’s going on with you two? Did you sleep with his girl or something?” Hunter, the backup QB, asks me.
“His girl is his wife, who happens to be my sister. So, no, I did not.”
“Oh, sorry,” Hunter says. “I think I knew that.”
“Thanks for the practice, Hunter. You’ve really improved this year.”
“Thanks, man,” he says.
I’m in the locker room, showered and changed, when my receivers coach says to me, “Coach would like to see you in his office.”
“What for?” I ask.
“I think you know what for. Anything you want to tell me before you go?” he asks.
“Nah, I’m good,” I reply.
I go to Coach’s office and find Chase already sitting in there.
Coach motions from behind his desk for me to take a seat. I squeeze past Chase and take the only available spot—next to him.
“You two are best friends,” Coach opens with.
I shrug. Because maybe not anymore.
Which is going to make Christmas with the family tough.
Chase just sits there with his arms crossed in front of him.
“I need you two on the same page. It’s obvious, based on your lack of throws to Diamond here, you’re mad at him, Chase. Question is, why?” Coach asks.
Chase doesn’t say a word.
So, I offer, “Chase is upset with me over my decision regarding a very personal matter. I didn’t get involved when he severely screwed things up with my sister years ago. I didn’t let it affect our friendship. Apparently, that courtesy doesn’t go both ways.”
“He’s just so dumb!” Chase blurts out.
“And you weren’t, Chase? You basically didn’t speak to the girl you were madly in love with for, like, two years! And I’m the dumb one?”
“Stop turning this back on me.” Chase glares at me.
“Pot, meet kettle,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Anything you say here will be held in the strictest confidence,” Coach interjects. “If you’d like to discuss.”
“I wouldn’t,” I say. “We, as a team, don’t need any distractions.”
“So, this is something you think would be a distraction?” Coach asks, looking worried.
“Not for me. But I’ll level with you since you will keep it under your hat until we’re ready to announce it publicly. My girlfriend and the love of my life is pregnant. Due in February. I just found out about the pregnancy this past weekend.
“She had planned to tell me as soon as she found out this summer, but the day she was going to, I told her about your chat with the team—about how you wanted no headlines and no drama. And she was worried that if she told me, there might be drama.
“She gave me a really incredible gift. She allowed me not to be distracted. She wanted my focus on football. And since we were at different schools, she decided she wouldn’t tell me until the end of the season. Of course, we kept winning.”
“Thank goodness for that,” Coach says.
“She is also going to live in Kansas City with the baby for the next two years. Her dream job, one that will set her up for future endeavors, is there—not to mention all the family we have in the area to support her. We’re going to make it work.
We’re currently building a new home, and if and when I get drafted, we’ll move as a family.
“Chase thinks I’m an idiot because … well, I don’t know exactly. I guess he thinks I should be mad at her. But right now, the only one I’m mad at is him. For the way he’s reacting to this. To be honest, I wish I hadn’t told him.”
I pause and look at Chase, then turn back to Coach. “If it’s okay, I’d like to be excused. It’s been a long day.”
“Of course,” Coach says, standing up, shaking my hand, and then and pulling me in for a hug. “Congratulations, Damon.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“And I’d like to meet this girl soon. She sounds like a keeper.”
“She is.”
I leave the facility instead of staying for dinner and jog to the condo building, where I find my sister in our big shared kitchen.
“Hey,” I say, watching her put a pot on the stove.
“You’re home early,” she says.
“Yeah.”
“Cool. Will Chase be home too?”
I close my eyes and shake my head. “Don’t know. Don’t care.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Chase is mad at me. He wouldn’t throw the ball to me today, and when he did, they were shitty passes. It’s like he doesn’t want to win anymore or something.”
“What?! Why?!”
“He can tell you about it if he wants. I don’t care. I’m just going to make some food. Eat and study some film.”
She tilts her head and looks at me. “I was just getting ready to make myself a taco bowl. Want one?”
“I’d love that actually.”
And I don’t know why, but her act of kindness chokes me up. Tears fill my eyes. She rushes toward me and hugs me.
And that causes me to spill my guts. “He’s mad because he thinks I’m stupid about Ainsley. I can’t undo the past. I can only focus on the future. I also maybe brought something up about you.”
“What did you say?”
“I said that I didn’t give him shit about being a dick to you for two years, even though he was still in love with you. And that it hurt me because I hated seeing you hurt, but I wasn’t going to allow it to ruin our lifelong friendship, you know?”
“I know. And you supported me through it all,” Dani says.
“Because I love you,” I tell her.
“And Chase,” she adds.
“Yeah. His not being on my side hurts. A lot. We actually got into a scuffle, like when we were kids. Got called to the coach’s office.
I told the truth. Coach said he’d keep it confidential.
I planned to tell our close friends, like Treyvon and Eddie, but not the team until … well, until the season is over.”
“Hopefully, that won’t be until mid-January,” she says.
“Won’t happen if your husband won’t throw the ball to me,” I reply.
Dani goes to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of champagne. “I’ve been saving this. And I think, tonight, you could use it. In fact, get Ainsley on the phone. I want to toast to her. To the two of you. Well, really, the three of you.”
While she opens the bottle, I get Ainsley on a video chat.
“You’re calling early! Everything okay?” she asks.
“Yeah, came home to have a quiet place to study film. Dani’s making taco bowls for the two of us, and she suggested we share some champagne.”
“Because I’m so excited to be an auntie!” Dani yells. “And I’m making him drink with me.”