Junior
Year
Box Set
____________________
Copyright �2021 G. Younger
ISBN-13: 978-1-955699-01-3
Junior Year: Fall
Copyright �2019 G. Younger | ISBN-13: 978-0-9988371-0-9
Author: Greg Younger
Chief Editor: BlackIrish, XofDallas, and Bud Ugly | Editors: Askepot, Zom, Jim7, and TheMikeBomb
Junior Year: Winter
Copyright �2020 G. Younger | ISBN-13: 978-0-9989413-0-1
Author: Greg Younger
Chief Editor: BlackIrish, Bud Ugly, and XofDallas | Editors: Askepot, Jim7, Zom, and TheMikeBomb
Junior Year: Spring
Copyright �2020 G. Younger | ISBN-13: 978-0-9989413-1-8
Author: Greg Younger
Chief Editor: Bud Ugly and XofDallas | Editors: Zom and TheMikeBomb
Junior Year: Summer
Copyright �2020 G. Younger | ISBN-13: 978-0-9989413-2-5
Author: Greg Younger
Chief Editor: XofDallas and Bud Ugly | Editors: Bud Ugly, TheMikeBomb, and Zom
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
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All characters depicted in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Visit the Author�s website at:GYounger.com
Dedication
This book is dedicated to XofDallas (or X to his friends), who is self-described as �when not fire spinning or otherwise terrorizing people at Renaissance Festivals and camps, likes to spend time suggesting story and plot ideas to Greg. He also attempts to muzzle some of your humble author�s crazier ideas and keep his feet somewhat grounded in reality.
X uses his remaining spare time [doing something] in the soup, which is loads of fun, is mostly harmless, and frequently improves the flavor of the soup!�
He does all that and more for me.
More Books by G. Younger
Stupid Boy Box Sets (All available on kindleunlimited)
This volume includes the four books of the freshman year of the Stupid Boy series.
This volume includes the three books of the junior year of the Stupid Boy series.
Next Box Set in the series. This volume includes the four books of the senior year of the Stupid Boy series.
A Better Man (Continuation of Stupid Boy)
David has now entered college, and it hasn�t gone as planned.
It�s summertime and David makes plans for the upcoming season.
(Coming Soon!) Book 3
Are you ready for some football?
The Adventures of Jermey Tucker
Jeremy Tucker thought he lived in the most boring town in the world. This quiet little town was about to change and all because he put an ad on craigslist.
Starbound by Magic
Sexy Warlocks + Paranormal Romance = Happily Ever After � Right?
Quick Links to Books:
Junior Year: Fall
Junior Year: Winter
Junior Year: Spring
Junior Year: Summer
Junior Year: Fall
Table of Contents
Interlude
Chapter 1 � My New Reality
Chapter 2 � A 50-50 Chance of Survival
Chapter 3 � The Games That Play Us
Chapter 4 � Things Your Momma Never Warned You About
Chapter 5 � What Comes After the Blues
Chapter 6 � Learn from the Plain People
Chapter 7 � How Did Things Get So Bad?
Chapter 8 � I Just Realized Something
Chapter 9 � They Were Surprised I Did It
Chapter 10 � This is Our House!
Chapter 11 � The Worst Day Since Yesterday
Chapter 12 � Searching for Something More
Chapter 13 � I Wish I�d Never Done That
Chapter 14 � Know This, We�ve Noticed
Chapter 15 � We Bounced All Over
Chapter 16 � Alpha Male Unleashed
Chapter 17 � Learning to Skydive
Chapter 18 � Some Roads Lead Nowhere
Chapter 19 � Somewhere Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
Chapter 20 � The Covered Bridge
Chapter 21 � Beloved Cubbies
Chapter 22 � Our Fearless Leader is Worthless
Chapter 23 � Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly!
Chapter 24 � A Party You Don�t Want to Miss
Chapter 25 � Don�t You Want to Share the Guilt?
Chapter 26 � I�ll Do Whatever She Wants
Chapter 27 � Add This to the List of Firsts
Chapter 28 � You�ll Never Look at Me the Same
Chapter 29 � The Trick is to Keep Breathing
Chapter 30 � How�s Your First Scandal Going?
Chapter 31 � No Practice, No Play
Chapter 32 � Hell Hath No Fury
Chapter 33 � I Got the F-ing T-Shirt
Interlude Bo Harrington
I�ve only known David for a relatively short time. I was between jobs when Joe Phips, University of Florida�s receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, called me about a prospect he�d met over the weekend. When he told me the kid was a high school freshman, I said there was no way in hell I�d waste my time and energy on some rich kid whose parents thought he was special.
Joe told me to call Don Berta, University of Kentucky�s recruiting coordinator, because they�d offered the kid. I have to be honest, I almost didn�t make the call. Joe also sent me film. If I hadn�t just wrapped up working for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, helping one of their backup quarterbacks fix a problem with his throwing motion, I would never have made the call.
When I called Don, he had quite a story. This raw kid, who�d just started his first varsity game, walked into a recruiting visit where the top quarterback prospect in Kentucky was attending. David had outthrown him. He also said this kid was a leader that other players instantly liked. He�d been instrumental in getting the majority of the recruits to accept offers to Kentucky�s nationally ranked recruiting class.
That comment was enough to get me to watch the videos Don had sent over. It showed both his workout at Kentucky and the game films of his high school games. Even when he played fullback, it was obvious this kid had talent.
The reason for the calls, and what jumped out on film, was that David was playing in an offense that was terribly unsuited for his skill set. I was directed to call a local businesswoman, Mrs. Sullivan, who would eventually help form the Lincoln High Booster Club. I did so and quoted her my fees. She said that she didn�t believe David�s parents were in a position to pay that much, but she would see what could be done. I then called Coach Lambert to make sure I wouldn�t be stepping on any toes. I had him call Coach Matt Styles, the head coach for Kentucky, because I�d assisted them during spring practice. Coach Lambert was on board after that and called Mrs. Sullivan to put his stamp of approval on my helping. Later that day they agreed to have me come work with David.
I�d told Mrs. Sullivan that I would come in for a week and see if I could help. I didn�t want to waste my time or her money if David wasn�t someone I wanted to work with. I also told her that if I stayed, I might have to leave for another job�which is what ended up happening.
I�ve worked with a lot of quarterbacks at all levels, mostly college and pro levels. I can think of only a handful that work as hard as David does. When I first met him, he checked off all the physical attributes you want in a quarterback: he was tall enough to see over the offensive line, was in great shape, and was so raw he hadn�t learned any bad habits yet. He passed the �eye test.�
Much more significant, from my perspective, when it came to learning from me, David soaked up knowledge like a sponge.
Something else he did that simply blew me away was to have his own lawyer. I�d never had a quarterback question my help. He was savvy enough to make sure he wasn�t breaking any rules. David also realized that my coaching wasn�t cheap. I think he worried he might be beholden to someone for them paying for it. His lawyer was able to tell him that there were no strings attached.
When I finally had to leave, I gave him a training guide and coaching videos. I figured he�d never even look at them and that would be the last I would see of David Dawson. Man, was I wrong.
◊◊◊
I think back, and it seems like only yesterday that I met this kid. The two of us have gone through a lot together. He has actually become one of my biggest successes. David fits the mold for what you find in successful high-level quarterbacks.
It was more recently, though, when reviewing some stats pages I�d been working up, that it really came home to me how many key attributes he has in common with the NFL�s top quarterbacks.
In a recent draft, there were 15 quarterbacks taken, the most ever. An NFL team asked me to help them look at these quarterbacks in greater depth than the typical measurements of height, speed, arm strength, and the like. They gave me the opportunity to interview all 15 of them and tasked me with determining what particular life experiences appeared to be predictors of success.
When it comes to the quarterback position, you hear the word �intangibles� a lot. Yet we rarely discuss where they come from, or how a quarterback goes about acquiring them. Some are obvious; for example, they all tend to work hard and love football. But what helps make them that way? What I found surprised me:
13 of the 15 quarterbacks selected grew up in two-parent homes, with the majority of parents having college degrees.
13 of the 15 lived in homes that were at least average, if not above average, in value for the area they lived in.
The average age at which they started playing the position was nine. Only two took up the position in high school.
12 of the 15 received individual quarterback coaching outside of their local high school coaching system. Most traveled great distances and paid significant amounts to get coaching, and attended camps and seven-on-seven competitions.
My analysis showed that the top-tier quarterbacks had a lot in common, and it centered on resources. They had family support, and most lived in upper-middle-class homes. Having resources meant they had the means to obtain specialized and/or individualized coaching. While I�m not saying that you have to have all of that to succeed, I�m also not saying they guarantee success. The 15 guys drafted all had in common traits you might expect, such as having an incredible work ethic and ability; these were part of what made them successful.
But what I also found was that they were problem-solvers. When one of the quarterbacks couldn�t find a seven-on-seven league in his area, he formed one himself.
In David�s case, what was clear was that he has a good support system in his family. He has the physical attributes and work ethic. That�s where the comparisons end. David Dawson is not just a football quarterback. He has taken his whole life to the next level. What kid do you know goes out and gets a part-time job modeling and makes the money he needs, without parental help, to go and get the outside coaching he needs to be an elite quarterback? What kid knows to surround himself with people that can help him achieve great things? My opinion is that a lot of that is the way he was raised.
For example, there�s his uncle who sat him down and helped him figure out what his life goals were. When I was a freshman, I was a lot more worried about losing my virginity than having life goals.
What David also did that was highly unusual for a high school freshman was to take those goals and begin to work towards them. To this day, he has an uncanny ability to set a goal, focus on it and work on it, marshaling the people and assets he needs, until he achieves it. That is what sets him apart.
◊◊◊
So, I�ll catch up on what happened over the summer. During spring break, I arranged for him to be evaluated at STIC (Sports Training Institute of Chicago). That�s where I send my other quarterbacks to find out how they�re really doing physically. The staff gives them a complete checkup to determine what needs to be worked on. That can range from proper nutrition to health issues including past injuries. Then they evaluate the mechanics of how they run, jump, and throw. Their goal is to prevent injuries and get an athlete in the top physical shape.
Then, when David and I met up at Ohio State, it was evident that he�d been working hard. I wanted to see how he stacked up against other quarterbacks. Ohio State�s camp attracted some of the best in the country. I guess I shouldn�t have been surprised, but he was significantly better than I expected.
At the camp, he found out about Elite 11. It�s a quarterback competition designed to find the best quarterback in the country. I purposefully hadn�t told David about it. My take is that many times these camps aren�t good for kids. They tend to turn them all into the same thing: they�re taught to throw the same and react the same way. In short, they become little quarterback robots. I didn�t want that for him. The kid was too much of a free spirit to try to shove into a predictable box.
I was torn when he found out about Elite 11 and then stayed over to compete at their regional camp held at Ohio State. In retrospect, I should have had more faith in David. He flourished in the competition. In Elite 11, they tell you that you aren�t competing against each other, you�re competing against yourself, and the goal is to become the best version of you. David took that to heart. He watched the other quarterbacks and incorporated the best in each of them into his game. It was fun to watch the light bulb go on when he figured something out.
I�m not saying this because I�m his coach, but he was the best quarterback there for the Elite 11 tryout. I was surprised that he wasn�t a shoo-in. The selection committee struggled to accept him because they�d traditionally only had seniors make the finals. David forced the issue, though, and they picked him to be one of the quarterbacks invited to the Nike campus to compete in the finals.
In between the regional camp and the finals, we attended Alabama�s football camp. David again set himself apart, so much so that they offered me a job as their quarterback coach. I explained that I had a duty to finish with David. He�d hired me for the summer to go to the various camps and coach him. They agreed I should honor my commitments, which made me happy.
When we went to Elite 11, David finally believed that he was the best quarterback in high school, regardless of class. All the work came together at the right time. He was clearly the best. To this day I can�t believe they
The next camp we went to proved to be another life-changing event for me. Once again, it was due to David. For the second year in a row, we attended the invitation-only Elite Camp in Houston, TX.
Last year at the camp, I paired David up with Bud Mason, perhaps the best quarterback coach I�ve ever met. Bud is a crusty old guy who may have coached in the NFL longer than I�ve been alive. This year, Bud surprisingly wanted to have David again, something I�d never, ever, seen him do. David confounded Bud with his �controlled chaos� approach to football.
I wanted David to work with Bud because Bud would teach him when to cut loose and when to rein it in. The mental control and the knowledge David gained took his whole game up yet another notch. It just seemed that every time I thought David might be hitting the ceiling, he�d open the door to a new higher floor.
I think I got distracted and forgot to tell you how David affected my life a second time. The little shit strolled into our apartment in Houston and said, �Hurry up and take a shower. I got us dates.� He�d gone to the pool to relax and swim some laps and met a mother/daughter combo. I didn�t believe him at first, but he seemed so confident about it I decided to see what he�d gotten himself into. Turns out it was me that got into something. That was the night I met Tanya Masters, who I hope someday will be my wife. She was in Houston on business and with her daughter Jordan.
It�s funny (and somewhat ironic) that David and Jordan didn�t get along, and for good reason: Jordan�s a brat. Before I go, I should fill you in on what happened after David left camp and I took the job at Alabama. David had spent the summer with Tami, who I assumed to be his girlfriend. You could just look at them and see they had a special connection. He was just better when she was around. I heard they had decided that they weren�t really going to try and make a go of it. I heard later that she broke his heart.
That wasn�t the only emotional hit that he took that summer. His best friend was killed when he tried to rescue a fellow student in a swimming accident, and they both drowned. Knowing the kind of person David is, I�m sure he was devastated. I�m equally sure that with his family around him, he�ll get through it just fine.
David�s a special kid. As far as football goes, he�s in a class by himself. If David continues to develop and doesn�t get hurt, he has a real shot at being a top collegiate quarterback and then going on to a long career in the NFL. I personally think that he can do almost anything he puts his mind to. I can�t wait to see how his life unfolds. I hope that you�ll see him in an Alabama uniform soon. Roll Tide!
Chapter 1 � My New Reality Sunday August 23
I woke up to someone getting into my bed. I tried to figure out who it could be when I heard the sound of thunder rumbling. Then I felt a paw on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw that Duke, my Labrador retriever, had a worried look. It was a toss-up as to which he feared more, the vacuum or thunderstorms. Duke knew he wasn�t allowed on the bed, but I rubbed his ears and he snuggled up to me. A moment later, it began to rain.
�I don�t think we�re running this morning,� I said.
He seemed to understand and was soon in doggie dreamland. I envied him because I was now awake. It gave me a chance to think. I rolled out of bed and put on some water to make tea. I looked out my window, saw the mood of the weather, and had a half smile. It was perfect for how I felt. The good news was at least now I knew. Tami and I, as a couple, were never going to happen. Well, that might not be true; there was always �someday,� that mythical place and time when everything was possible. It was the Disneyland we all created in our minds, that
I�d been fooling myself for long enough. If Tami really had loved me, it would have been enough. I thought we�d proven that over the last eleven years. I watched as lightning raced across the sky and momentarily made everything clearer with its brightness. In that moment of clarity, I realized I couldn�t continue to allow Tami to run my life. I needed a clean break so I could move on. I would no longer allow myself to be hobbled emotionally by my desire to be with her. I was stronger than that. My pursuit of her had been a colossal mistake, but she had always been my blind spot. At that moment, I was disappointed that I�d shown so much weakness. Like so many worthwhile lessons, you have to learn them the hard way. No one could have warned me, and I wouldn�t have listened anyway. In a way, I should have thanked Tami for teaching me a valuable lesson.
Whenever I felt like I had steered the proverbial boat of my life into the rocks, I reviewed my life goals to correct my course. I got my tablet out and pulled them up.
Financial Stability
Physically Fit
Solid Moral Foundation
Healthy Sex Life
Reviewing the goals, I didn�t see anywhere where it said anything about finding my life partner. Uncle John had explained that as I got older, my goals would change. I thought about my summer activities. The two main areas I�d focused on were football and Tami. Uncle John had taught me that my life goals were like a business plan for a company: if you were busy doing activities that didn�t align with your goals, you were wasting company time and resources.
Football had a slim chance of making me financially secure. All it would take would be an injury or some bad breaks and I would never make it to the NFL. It might open the door to scholarships for college, but did I really need the money for that? Would I be better off paying my own way and focusing on academics exclusively? Being a Division One college quarterback is a full-time job, and would eat up a tremendous amount of my time and energy. Did I seriously consider that route would get me to where I wanted to end up? The short answer was obviously �yes.�
Looking over the rest of the list, football would obviously fit into the Physically Fit category. Being a leader required a Solid Moral Foundation. I guess you could make the argument that it contributed to a Healthy Sex Life. It was true that girls like jocks.
Then I considered Tami. If she became a doctor, it was a toss-up whether that would help her financially. She could end up racking up significant student loan debt if she didn�t get scholarships. The sad truth was that most doctors were not very business savvy, and if they went into private practice, many didn�t make the kind of money people assumed. With the changes in health care, it looked like those margins had gotten tighter. It was very much like teaching: you didn�t go into it unless you had a passion, because you wouldn�t get rich doing it. I foresaw that in the future it would be the very same way for the average doctor.
Then again, if Tami and I were together, we could achieve anything. I would never let her fail on the business side. If my goal were financial security, I would make sure either I helped her become successful financially or found the right people to make it happen. This would free her up to do what she loved.
The main argument against my prediction was Tami wasn�t average. It wouldn�t be a surprise if she could do it all.
I reviewed the remainder of the list and realized it wasn�t worth worrying about. The good thing was that Tami and I had reconnected. It just hadn�t turned out like I wanted. I couldn�t figure out what my next steps needed to be right now, but I needed to get my life back on course. Every time I had come off the rails, I had gotten my life back on track. Be it drugs and alcohol, almost dying, or losing Tami, I would come back stronger. I needed to determine which lessons I needed to learn and move on from here.
I looked once more at my goals and decided I needed to add two more. A conversation I�d had with Beth over Thanksgiving had helped clarify this. She had asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I explained how I wanted to live a life with no regrets, one in which if a chance to try something new or different came along, I would go for it and not let my fears hold me back. At least I would never look back and say, �I wish I�d done that.� Something else I�d told her was that I wanted to make a difference. It was important for me to do something that helped other people.
5. No Regrets
6. Make a Difference
My water was ready, so I made my tea. As I took the first sip, I thought about my new reality. Football two-a-days started tomorrow. Many players dreaded this time of year, but I couldn�t wait. It signaled the beginning of the season we had prepared for all summer long. We had to be ready; every team on our schedule would be gunning for us since we won State last year.
Part of the perks of our success would be unveiled today. The Lincoln Field House was being dedicated. The project had been completed in record time. I couldn�t wait to be able to use the facilities. Looking out my window at the rain, I could see that today would be a perfect day to use the track in the field house.
All of that was great, but what about my personal life if Tami wasn�t going to be in it? Did I want a girlfriend right now? If I did, Pam was supposed to be back today, and I really missed her. She had become one of my best friends in a surprisingly short period of time. There was another flash of lightning; of clarity, really. In truth, I didn�t want a girlfriend.
I let that thought sink in and churn in my mind like the dark storm clouds visible out my window. Did I need a girlfriend to validate who I was? No. Did I need a girlfriend to love me? No. Did I need yet another girl to disappoint me? Did I even need to answer that?
I let my mind race while trying to come to grips with what really mattered to me. Was someone to love and share with really what I needed? Or was now the time to be selfish and achieve my dreams? There was a lot on my plate the next few months: football, modeling, and my movie debut. Did I want a girl in the mix to complicate things?
I don�t know how long I stood and watched the storm, but it finally began to pass. I realized my tea had gone cold, and I shook my head to try to clear it. Then the clouds seemed to part, as if on cue, and a ray of sunshine appeared. I took it as a sign that the darkness that had hovered over me would also pass. I needed to cling to that beacon of hope the sunlight represented, and get on with my life. I smiled, realizing I was ready to face the rest of my life. I vowed not to look back.
◊◊◊
Mom and Dad were in the kitchen drinking coffee and reading the Sunday newspaper when I came down.
�Let�s go to Granny�s for breakfast, my treat,� I suggested.
�You think we might get a cinnamon roll?� Dad asked.
�When have we not gotten a free cinnamon roll?� Mom asked.
Poor Dad hadn�t thought this through. Once Mom and I had him in the car and then fed, he had the pleasure of going to church with us. I�m not sure the congregation was pleased when Dad fell asleep and started to snore, though. He blamed it on the cinnamon rolls.
◊◊◊
As I walked to my car to go for a drive, my phone rang.
�This is David.�
�Hey stranger, feel like spending some time with me today?� Pam asked.
�Is the official cooling-off period over for your dad?�
He had sent Pam and her mom on an extended vacation over the summer because he had caught Pam and me in their basement. Since we wouldn�t promise to stay away from each other, she got to go on a trip.
�We talked about you at length last night. I think Mom has talked some sense into him, so you�re allowed to see me again,� she said.
�Have you had lunch?� I asked.
�Nope, you want to come over and eat?�
I burst out laughing.
�You must think I have a death wish. I plan on doing the typical bad-boy drive-up-and-honk routine.�
�I think for both our sakes you need to face the music, but I promise we can go somewhere else to eat,� Pam said, and then began to talk in her sexy voice. �I might be convinced to play with your �little man� if you treat me right. It�s been a while for me. Someone was too chicken to come out to California.�
She had invited me, but we had agreed that her dad would probably not appreciate our circumventing his forced separation of the two of us. I missed my feisty surfer-girl friend.
◊◊◊
I drove the Charger to Pam�s. It felt a little weird that Tami didn�t drive me, but I didn�t want her leaving to affect my feelings about driving this car. She had carted me around most of the summer in it, and I think she liked driving it more than I did. Before I could knock, Pam�s dad Cal opened the door and stepped outside.
�Show me your new car,� Cal said as an excuse to talk to me alone.
I tossed him the keys.
�Why don�t you take me for a ride?� I asked, and he smiled at the double meaning.
We got in, and he started the Charger. Cal grinned when he heard the throaty rumble of the monster 707-horsepower supercharged HEMI V8 Hellcat engine. Range Sports had partnered with Dodge and tricked the car out. They had it custom painted orange and blue, our school colors, and put my number 11 on the hood. I�d received the first one off the production line. Over the summer they had introduced the Range Sports version in different markets where professional athletes received cars to promote their product. Sandy said sales were brisk, and Dodge was happy with the results.
Cal drove us over to the state road that ran through town and opened it up. I shook my head when the flashing blue lights came on behind us. Cal had the grace to look embarrassed. I grinned when I saw it was Billy, my friend on the police force. He eyed the car as he walked up.
�Hey, Cal, you know how fast you were going?� Billy asked.
You�ve got to love a small town where everyone knows who you are.
�Not exactly,� Cal confessed.
�You were doing seventy-two in a forty-five speed zone. Three more miles-per-hour and you would have hit the magic number of thirty miles-per-hour over the speed limit.�
�Should we go back and try again so we can win the prize?� I asked.
Cal gave me a dirty look, but Billy laughed.
�You know, David, if you let me drive this beast, I might be inclined to let Cal off with a warning,� Billy offered.
�I wouldn�t try to bribe you,� I began, but Cal jumped in.
�Yes, David will let you drive his car,� he told Billy and then turned to me. �I don�t need my insurance rates going through the roof. Plus, I have two teenage girls on my policy, one of whom you seem to want to take out later today.�
�We could call it a safety check if that would make you feel better,� Billy reasoned.
I gave him permission, and we were soon back on the state road. Billy had a lead foot. I laughed out loud when we saw another set of blue lights flashing; a County Sheriff had spotted us. It seemed my car was a magnet for speeding tickets. How Tami managed to go the whole summer and not get a single ticket, I�ll never know.
�Well, look what we have here,� the County Sheriff said. �Let me guess, safety check?�
�Hey, Bob. I had to make sure David wasn�t going to kill himself in this thing,� Billy said.
�Did you feel safe the way Billy was driving?� the County Sheriff asked me.
�I did tighten my seatbelt up a bit,� I admitted.
�I�m thinking the county might need to do its own safety check.�
Billy called shotgun, so Cal and I had to sit in the back. After another death-defying ride, we arrived back at the County Sheriff�s car. I wanted pictures, so I had Cal stand between the two police officers next to my car. They thought it would be funny if they had me �assume the position� over the hood of my car, and took turns frisking me while the other took pictures with my phone.
After we dropped off the County Sheriff and Billy, Cal drove us toward his home. I had a huge grin on my face. Billy had forgotten to give Cal a warning.
�I better not hear a peep about what happened today,� Cal said as he scowled at me.
I don�t know what he was thinking. I had been busy posting the photos on my social media account and sending out notices. His phone rang, and being totally irresponsible, Cal answered it while he drove.
�What do you mean, what am I doing? Uh huh,� Cal said and gave me a hard look.
I gave him my most angelic face, which never seemed to work. Cal hung up, and my phone rang. I said, �Answer,� and the call went through my Bluetooth to the car speakers.
�David, do I need to come get you?� Mom asked.
�No, Cal was driving,� I said, and saw him cringe as he was thrown to the wolves.
�They were only doing a safety check on David�s car,� Cal assured my mom.
�Sure they were. You two stay out of trouble,� Mom warned, and then hung up.
�That went well,� Cal said.
�Oh, she�s not done with us. Mom was just making sure we weren�t in any real trouble. We�ll be hearing about today for years to come,� I predicted.
�I�m just glad Cora didn�t see the pictures,� he moaned.
�Not so fast. Devin �liked� my post,� I told him.
His phone began to ring. I grabbed it out of his hand, went to his settings and allowed the car to answer it.
�Hey, Daddy,� Cora�s voice said over the car speakers.
�I�m driving right now. I�ll have to call you back,� he said.
�Hey, Cora. How do you like the ranch?� I asked while ignoring the look Cal gave me.
�It�s fine. What were you and my dad doing?� she asked.
�Your mom and Pam got home, and he decided to make a run for the state line. My guess is your dad liked being a bachelor more than he realized.�
�Don�t listen to him. I�m thinking his lunch date with Pam may get canceled.�
�Okay, you boys have fun. I�ll call you and Mom in a little bit,� Cora said and then hung up.
When we pulled into the drive, Cal jumped out, and Pam came running out of the house. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then we were pulling out of the driveway.
◊◊◊
�Where to?� I asked.
�Monical�s!�
I had to admit, she had good taste in food, even if it wasn�t on my diet. I could probably suffer through eating a pizza. Pam had me take the long way around so she would be seen in my muscle car with the windows down and the music blaring. I tried to keep it under the speed limit, but this car was made to run.
Over lunch, we caught up. She�d enjoyed Range Ranch and loved Sandy, Devin Range�s sister. Pam said she was surprised at how happy Cora was. Pam�s trip to California had been hard on her. Her ex-boyfriend was now dating her ex-best friend, and Pam had a hard time accepting that gracefully, even after their not being together for over a year. I held her hand and moved to her side of the booth so I could wrap my arms around her.
I then told Pam about my football camps and how well I�d done. I shared with her about Jeff�s accident and his death. It was her turn to comfort me. Finally, I told her about Tami, and my desperate plan to give her a promise ring. Pam laughed at me when I told her about all the candles and how bad my apartment smelled.
�I know what we need to do. We need to spend some of your money, Rich Boy,� Pam teased me.
�What did you have in mind?�
She got a gleam in her eye.
�Do you trust me?� she asked.
�Hell, no!�
�Come on, you know you like me. I promise we won�t spend all your money and it won�t all be on me. I saw something in LA that all the cool kids have, and I know how important it is for you to be cool. I just want to make sure you�re cool enough to hang out with me.�
�I think there�s a song about the
�Baby, that�s what I�m here for. With me on your arm, you�re automatically a �Cool Kid�!� Pam explained.
I shook my head and paid our bill. She was excited that we were going shopping. I hoped her idea was something I would like, too.
◊◊◊
When we got to the mall, Pam literally grabbed my hand and dragged me to the cell phone store. I just shook my head when she made me give her my phone. She found a college guy to help us. I�d been waiting for the cute college girl to be free, but Pam made me approach the guy when he was done waiting on another girl.
�Welcome. What can I help you with?� the guy asked.
�He needs a new phone. Make that two, because my phone is getting old,� Pam said as she blushed.
�Nope, not happening,� I said.
�I thought you liked me. Plus, your old phone is small.�
�I didn�t say
When the salesman brought out the latest version of their best phone, he showed me all the differences between my old phone and the new one. Feeling generous, I ended up buying a new recruiting phone as well.
I made arrangements for Kendal to come in so she could swap the old phone out. Our salesman assured me he would copy over all the contacts and apps. When Kendal came in, she took care of signing the new contract. We set it up as a business plan so it would be paid for out of my company, and everyone would get unlimited minutes and data. While waiting, I thought about it and got a phone for Lily, too. She had worked for almost nothing, and I figured a company phone was something that she needed to do all my tweets and other social media.
As we were about to walk out, something caught my eye. It was the new smart watch. I ended up buying myself one. There were a lot of different choices. I bought the sporty one that would hold up when I ran and sweated. Pam would work on her mom and dad to get a new phone. I had faith that a teenage girl could get what she wanted from her dad. I was glad I�d said no. I wouldn�t try to buy anyone�s love.
◊◊◊
�David, I know you�re still hurting about what happened to Jeff. Have you been back to the lake since the accident?� Pam asked, and I just shook my head no. �Take me out there so I can say goodbye to him.�
We were quiet on the ride out. She took my hand and led me to the water�s edge.
�When I was twelve, I lost my friend Jake while he was surfing,� Pam said. �One minute he was there, and the next he was gone. The undertow took him. I was devastated and blamed myself for letting him die. My dad never allowed us to surf without a partner, but I always thought he was just being overprotective. I mean seriously, we were raised at the beach. We all called Jake �Otter� because he would always swim underwater and pop up next to your board.
�I was so shaken-up they couldn�t get me to go into the water again. One day my dad forced me to go to the beach with him. He took a picnic lunch and sat me down. Dad explained that I needed to create new memories to associate with going to the beach. He said it was okay to never forget about Otter, but I needed to also remember all the times I�d had fun there. I also needed to remember having lunch with my dad.
�I want to do that for you, give you a good memory so you can start coming back to the lake,� Pam said.
She smiled at me and began to get undressed. When Pam was naked, she kissed me, then ran into the lake and started to swim out to the raft. I watched as she pulled herself out of the water and gave me a little wave to get my attention�as if she didn�t already have it. I was enthralled as the water glistened on her sun-kissed skin. She saw me staring and crooked her finger to indicate I should join her.
Tami might call me a �stupid boy,� but I wasn�t a complete dummy. I got undressed and joined Pam on the raft. She lay down and looked me in the eyes as I climbed on top of her. I leaned forward and kissed her as I covered her body. She reached between us, found my member, and pulled it to her entrance. She was ready, so I sank into heaven. It was as if God had created Pam just for me. We fit together so nicely. I�d really missed my friend. Pam had told me she wasn�t ready for a commitment, and I sure as hell wasn�t ready, but we were more than friends. I think I�d gotten it wrong when I said I preferred to just have sex. I could tell she was doing this out of love. When I finally found my release, it was as if she had lanced a boil and the awful incident that had happened here wasn�t quite as awful anymore. Pam was right. I needed a new memory so I could enjoy the lake again.
◊◊◊
I felt like driving and knew exactly where we would go. We had county parkland not too far from where we were. There was a winding road through the park that many motorcyclists found enjoyable. There was about a ten-mile stretch that hardly anyone ever used. I wanted to see how my car really handled.
I eased out of the road that led to the lake and checked both ways. A little smile touched my lips, and Pam looked at me funny.
�Hang on,� I announced and punched it.
Something I loved about the Charger was when you told it to go, it went. I felt myself being pushed into my seat as we fishtailed onto the county road that led to the park. Pam�s eyes got big as I glanced down at the speedometer; it read seventy almost instantly. I held that speed until we found the park entrance and then slowed enough to keep all four wheels on the ground as I turned onto the park�s road.
I jammed the accelerator to the floor, the tires broke loose just enough to cause them to smoke, and then it was as if we were shot out of a cannon. You know your passenger is nervous when they put their hand on the dash and their knuckles turn white. The Charger had a distinctive whine as it came up to speed. I drove down the center of the two-lane road as we twisted and turned under the canopy of oak trees. I glanced down at the speedometer and saw we were doing one-forty. Tami would cry when she heard and hadn�t been with me. Rumor had it that this monster could push over two hundred. I wasn�t quite that adventurous today.
This was what the Charger was made to do. It responded like a dream in the turns and never gave me a moment�s concern. Gawd I loved this car. We ate up the ten miles in a flash as we rocketed onto a country road that took us to this remote area; the only way in or out was through the park. The farmland was bordered on the other side by the river. The families back here were very religious, Mennonites, and all their kids were homeschooled, so I didn�t know them very well.
As we came out of the park and into the farmlands, it looked like one of the farms was having a party, so I slowed down. I didn�t want to hit anybody while traveling at near warp speed. I found myself applying the brakes when I saw a girl in cutoff jeans washing an old pickup truck. Unlike the Amish, the Mennonites had modern amenities. From this angle, I definitely needed to slow down and take stock of the situation. She heard the rumble of my Charger and turned around. I found myself pulling into the farm to stop and chat. Pam just shook her head at me, and I smiled at her in return. I guess it was pretty gutsy of me to stop to chat up another girl while I was with Pam, but this one was worth it.
The girl washing the car wore a t-shirt that was a little tight, but I wasn�t complaining. As I pulled in, I recognized where I was. This was the Pearson farm. The last time I had been here had to have been three years ago. Roc Pearson was a couple of years younger than me and had played on my Little League baseball team. He�d had his birthday party on the farm, and invited the whole team. I remembered he had a sister, but couldn�t remember if she was older or younger. This had to be his sister, and for the life of me, I couldn�t remember her name.
I felt sorry for Roc and his sister because their mom insisted that they be homeschooled like the rest of the area children. The Mennonites had the younger women teach the kids. Roc only got off the farm to play baseball. I hadn�t seen him since then. I pulled up and got out of my car. Pam, of course, got out because she wasn�t missing the show.
�You want to wash mine next?� I asked.
She gave me a hard look and then recognized me.
�David, is that you?� she asked.
�Good to see you. I almost didn�t recognize you.�
We were checking each other out when I heard the distinctive sound of boots as they crunched gravel. My head snapped around, and I saw Roc walk steadily towards us from the barn. He had the same expression on his face that Brock and Bryan Callahan had when I checked out their sister Brit.
�Mister, you might want to be stating your business,� Roc said.
His sister backed up to me and stood between her brother and me.
�Roc, settle down. You remember David Dawson,� she said.
Roc had grown up. He was a couple of inches shorter than me; I would guess six-two. He had a skinny waist and a very developed upper body, which had to be from tossing bales of hay. If the girls at school saw him, he would be in high demand, because he was a good-looking boy. When Roc saw it was me, his whole attitude changed.
�David! What are you doing out here?� he asked.
�I heard your sister washed cars. I came out to get mine done.�
�Bullshit, she�s terrible at washing cars. I bet you were checking her out,� he teased me.
I put my hands up in surrender. His sister�s head snapped around to see what my response was. She got a big smile on her face when she saw I had stopped for that very reason. I decided to change the subject.
�Guys, I�d like to introduce my good friend Pam,� I said.
Poor Roc must have been on the farm too long because I thought his eyes would pop out of his head. Pam knew the effect she had on the males of our species and just smiled at him.
�Hey, Pam, ignore my dorky little brother. I�m Zoe, and he�s Rockefeller, or Roc for short,� Zoe said.
�You�re going to be a freshman this year, if I remember correctly,� I said, and Roc nodded in confirmation. I turned to Zoe. �What grade are you in?�
�I�m a junior, and you?� she asked.
�I�ll be a junior this year, as will Pam. Are you guys going to be homeschooled again?�
They both nodded and didn�t appear happy about it. It was such a shame Zoe wouldn�t be going to school with me. I felt bad for Roc, too. I remembered spending the summer at my Uncle John�s farm. It could be lonely. Then I had an idea on how to get Zoe to go to school at Lincoln High with me.
�Roc, why don�t you see about playing football with me? Do you think your parents would let you come to Lincoln to play ball?� I asked.
He seemed to brighten up. Then Zoe scowled.
�You�re not leaving me here by myself,� she told Roc.
He was obviously crestfallen. I turned to her.
�Why not join him? I�d be happy to introduce you to my friends. I�d probably have to borrow Roc�s shotgun to keep the guys away, but I think you�d like it.�
Pam gave me a look as she seemed to figure out my plan.
�I don�t know. We could ask,� Zoe conceded.
I went with them as they found their parents. As I suspected, all the farmers back in this area were having a hog roast. Of course, Pam and I were invited to stay and have a late lunch. I took Pam around, and we met everyone. We then filled our plates up with all the food everyone had brought. We found an empty picnic table under a large maple tree and ate. This had turned into an almost perfect day.
◊◊◊
While we finished eating, Roc and Zoe were having a conversation with their parents. I figured it would be best to stay out of it.
�So?� Pam said.
I gave her my confused face. I didn�t give anything away about my attraction to Zoe. There was just something about a farm girl that turned me on. While she didn�t quite hold a candle to Pam�s California-surfer-girl look, she was very cute in her cutoffs and tight t-shirt. Her innocence and her upbringing were also attractive to me. I�m sure that would surprise some people, knowing my history with girls. I think most guys would admit they would love to date someone like Pam and then marry Zoe. I know it wasn�t necessarily right, but I try to be honest.
�Don�t act stupid, you know what I�m asking,� Pam said.
�Actually, there are several things you could be asking. Maybe you could help narrow it down for me.�
�What�s up with you and Zoe? I saw you making arrangements so she�d go to Lincoln.�
�You saw how much they hate homeschooling. I was only trying to help them out. Plus, Roc was always a good athlete. I think he�d enjoy playing freshman football,� I said.
Pam gave me a look, one that told me I better come clean.
�You saw her in those shorts,� I whined.
�Are you telling me she has a better butt than I do?� Pam asked as her eyebrows climbed into her hairline.
�Pam, you have a world-class butt. I would pull over for you any time, any place,� I assured her.
Pam looked at me skeptically. I prayed I had dodged that bullet. Then she gave me a serious look.
�David, we�re friends, right?� she asked, and I nodded to her. �Tell me what�s going on. I can tell you�re not happy. Talk to me.�
�Honestly, I�m a mess, but I�ll get over it. Growing up I had three best friends: Alan, Jeff, and Tami. In only a couple of weeks I lost Jeff and Tami broke my heart. Jeff was always the quiet one who steadied us. You know Alan, he�s a spaz on steroids sometimes. Tami was our den mother, and I was, well, you know me. Without Jeff and Tami around, I might actually end up killing Alan,� I said as Pam just shook her head.
�We all grew up together,� I continued. �I never imagined having to face life without them. I could always count on the four of us being together.�
I suddenly found I couldn�t talk. My throat seemed to tighten up, and I was on the verge of breaking down when a voice in the back of my head said, �oh, grow a pair and move on.� The voice was right. I would always remember Jeff and honor his life. Tami I loved enough to let go. I wished her the best in whatever she did, but quite frankly I needed to move the hell on. Then something funny happened after I gave myself a mental beatdown: I felt myself relax.
My new reality needed to be me moving forward. I had a lot to accomplish this year. We would win our second State Championship in football. I would continue to get good grades and do what was needed to be prepared for college. The SAT test could be taken in the spring. I planned on being ready to do well on that.
I also wanted to explore baseball seriously. That had been my game growing up, and I needed to see if I could play it at a high level. I�d always dreamed of playing shortstop for the Chicago Cubs, and when I helped them win a World Series, that would really be something. Of course, Tami had explained that it would only happen if she played second base and carried my lousy butt.
If my boyhood dream of playing baseball didn�t pan out, I would get serious about football. Not that I hadn�t been developing my skills, but I had neglected the next step: figuring out where to go to college. I�d formulated a plan to tackle that. The key was that I wanted it to be fun, too. I wanted to play ball in college with Tim, Ty, Jim, and Wolf. If the planets aligned, I would like to play with Bill at USC. My idea to include Tami in my decision was now abandoned. If she planned on moving on, I would let her.
My movie would be out around Christmastime. The studio had been in touch with Kendal to block off my time right before and after the release. They wanted me to go to both LA and New York City and do the talk-show circuit and press tour. Range Sports wanted me at the same time, but Kendal told me Sandy understood I had other commitments.
Kent, Craig Wild�s publicist/agent, had been in touch with Kendal about the next two movies in the
Some of the numbers they had bandied around made me nervous. Kent had explained that Sandra Bullock had received $20 million up front for her film
The downside was that if it were a flop, points wouldn�t help very much. John Travolta made a movie called
By the first of the year, I might be well on my way to being able to retire before graduating high school. The only catch in my plans for making �walk-away money� was the following week,
I finally looked at Pam, and she gave me a funny look in return.
�How do you do it? How do you get past a broken heart?� she asked.
It took me a moment to get back into our conversation.
�You�re asking me that?� I asked, and began to laugh.
�No, seriously, how do you do it? I know Tami left yesterday. When I moved here from California, I just curled up in the backseat of our car, crying my eyes out. Seeing them together this summer, it felt like my heart was breaking all over again. I know you�re hurting inside, but to the world, you look like you�re fine.�
�Oh, Baby, come here,� I said, pulling her into my arms. �Let me ask you a question. Do you plan on having him in your life again? Even if he begged to come back to you, would you take him back?�
Pam shook her head after she considered my question.
�Then why give him the power to hurt you any more? He doesn�t matter. He made his choice to move on. Now you need to do it, too,� I told her.
�I can�t help it, I still love him.�
�And I still love Tami. I�ll always love her; that�ll never stop. The thing is, you have to live your life for
�Are you offering to date me?� she asked.
�If you�d asked me at the end of school last year, the answer would have been �yes.� You�re smart, sexy as hell, and the best part is you�re not afraid to tease me and keep me off-balance. The clincher is I like you as a friend. I think, for right now, it�s best for me to back off on dating and focus on other areas of my life.�
�I thought you liked me,� she teased.
�I like you just fine,� I said, leering at her.
�Now, back to my original question, do you like Zoe just fine also?�
�Don�t know, but I would like to get to know her.�
�You�re so bad,� she teased me.
�I�d bet my last dollar that Zoe isn�t like that. If I were looking for sex, she wouldn�t be on the list.�
�Why?� Zoe asked, scaring the hell out of me.
Pam�s shoulders were shaking. The little shit had set me up. Someone was getting their bottom spanked. I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders.
�Zoe, it has nothing to do with how you look. It has to do with me respecting you and your beliefs,� I reasoned.
�So you think because I�m Mennonite, I�m not interested in guys?� she asked, clearly irritated.
I raised my hands in surrender. Mennonites were part of what was called Anabaptists. The Amish were probably the most well-known branch of this Christian movement. While the Amish are readily recognized by their dress and horse-drawn carriages, the Mennonites dressed like the �plain people,� which made them indistinguishable from everyone else. They tended to live in close-knit communities, and our local Mennonites all seemed to live on the farms between the parkland and the river. It kept them isolated from everyone else.
�I may be a �stupid boy� and say dumb things, but I want you to know I�d prefer to get to know you before you talked me into going to bed with you,� I said.
�I�m going to seduce you? Who do you think you are?� she asked, and it seemed she just got madder.
I had dug myself a hole, and there was no getting out of it. I started to get a little irritated. I had tried to be a nice guy, and Zoe had treated me like dirt.
�You know what, you�re right. Who the hell am I?� I said, then turned to Pam. �Let�s get going. It was clearly a mistake to stop here.�
I got up to leave, and Zoe stormed off. Pam shook her head sadly.
�I think you have a new fan,� she told me.
�Are you kidding me?�
�Nope, she likes you.�
Yep, guys are from Mars and women are definitely from another planet. There was no way Zoe was into me.
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When I got home, I called Jim, Wolf, Tim, and Ty and asked them to come over to my house. I told my parents I wanted to talk about visiting campuses for unofficial visits this fall and thought it a good idea to take my core guys with me. Mom reminded me that Alan might want to go also, so I called him, and he agreed to come over.
Mom must have called some other people because Kendal and a guy I�d never met before showed up unexpectedly. He reminded me of someone.
�David, I�d like you to meet your new personal assistant and recruiting coordinator, Brandon Rigby,� Kendal said.
�You related to someone?� I asked because Kendal worked for Rigby, Thompson and Associates, and Don Rigby was one of the managing partners.
�My uncle is Don, so I guess I am,� Brandon said with a smile. �You mind if we sit down for a couple of minutes before this gets started?�
�Let me get my mom and dad, and we can talk,� I said.
�Actually, since I�ll be working for you, I�d prefer it if just the two of us talked first. I would love to meet your parents before I leave, though.�
I agreed, and we went into my parents� office and shut the door.
�I wanted to make sure you were comfortable with me as your assistant. When I heard about the job, I wasn�t thrilled to be working with a high school kid. Uncle Don told me to straighten up and talk to Tom and Kendal before I made an ass out of myself. I�m glad I did because when I was through talking to them, I was impressed. I hope we can get along and I can help you out. Before we go back out, is there anything you want to know about me?� Brandon asked.
�How are you qualified to be my personal assistant and recruiting coordinator?� I asked, not sure yet if I liked Brandon or not.
�In high school, I was a top 150 recruit; I played cornerback. So I know the recruiting rules. I ended up going to Harvard and bypassed playing football because my dad wanted me to join the family business. He owns a law firm in New York City. In May I took a leave of absence and went to Europe for the summer. I needed to figure out what I wanted to be, not what my dad wanted.
�My dad cut off my credit card a week ago and sent me a plane ticket for home. I wasn�t ready to go back to school, so Uncle Don told me about this job. I can do this and take some general classes at State towards my degree,� Brandon said.
�I have a couple of quick questions. Do you work for me, the firm, or my mom?� I asked.
�I�m paid by Rigby, Thompson & Associates, and you�ll be paying for me out of your company, so technically, I�m employed by them to work for your dad, but I�ll report to you and liaison with Kendal,� Brandon answered.
�That didn�t really answer my question,� I said.
�It was a polite way of saying that I�m obligated to tell your dad if you get out of line, but I hope to never have to,� he said.
Okay, he wasn�t going to be my buddy, which was probably for the best, since he�d called me a �kid� earlier.
◊◊◊
While everyone got situated in the living room, I retrieved my mom�s laptop, plugged an HDMI cable into it, and hooked it up to the 72-inch big-screen TV, my dad�s newest pride and joy. I used the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to bring up the college football schedule for the coming year. I also opened a spreadsheet so we could keep track of the games we wanted to go see.
�What I wanted to get everyone together for was to start getting serious about where we�ll end up going to college. Jim�s a senior, and I want to play ball with him, so we can�t put this off any longer. We�ve been to both Kentucky and Northwestern. My mom still has photos from the Northwestern trip, so the first thing we have to agree upon is that what happens on a recruiting visit, stays on a recruiting visit,� I said to some chuckles in the room.
�I�ve hired a recruiting coordinator to help us through the process. Brandon Rigby has gone through this process himself. Why don�t you tell everyone what we should be looking for on a trip?� I suggested.
�First of all, you get five official visits to campuses. An official visit to a college campus is paid for by the college. The college can pay for transportation, room, and meals while visiting, and reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to one home football game.
�Unofficial visits are a little different. The athletic department is allowed to give you each up to three tickets, but no other perks or gifts.
�I would suggest that for unofficial visits you make the travel close enough so that you can drive. I would keep the official visits for the trips you would need to fly to. That�ll save you the cost of airfare. Another suggestion is that you go only when you have home games. I tried the away game and then travel to a campus bit, and it makes for a long weekend. Plus, you�re not going to want to do it every weekend.
�For the juniors, I�d recommend you save your official visits for your senior year,� Brandon said.
�What can we expect on a visit? And what�s different with an unofficial visit?� Ty asked.
�Good questions. The only difference between an official and unofficial visit is you pay for the trip, hotel room and food. Everything else is pretty much the same, but they may give the official visitors preferential treatment.
�All colleges do their visits a little differently, but you can expect them to be mostly the same. You�ll arrive either the night before or the morning of the game, and they�ll show you the athletic facilities. You�ll get a tour of the campus. Someone will be introduced to you as your chaperone. This is usually a player who plays your position, and with whom you can talk frankly about what it�s like to go to college there. Of course, you�ll watch the game. The evening activities are a little looser. I strongly suggest you not drink, because Sunday is almost always breakfast with coaches and recruiting staff and then they�ll evaluate you. Trust me, being hungover is not the way to make an impression,� Brandon shared.
Brandon took over running the laptop as we picked the colleges we wanted to go see. Jim got the first picks because he was the lone senior. He cherry-picked Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and USC first, and then added Northwestern�because his sister went there�Michigan, Michigan State, and Missouri. I added Oregon, Florida, Florida State, Stanford, and Kentucky. Others added Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, Auburn, and Georgia.
�I want to use my Mom veto power,� Mom said. �Florida and Florida State are off the list. I watched an episode of
She gave me a dirty look because I was shocked that she watched ESPN. Then she continued.
�They did a show on crimes committed by male college football players and basketball players between 2009 and 2014. Ten big-time programs were featured. Florida led the way with 80 athletes named as suspects in 119 crimes. FSU was number 2 with 66 athletes and 107 criminal incidents,� Mom said.
I was amazed that she�d even watched the show, let alone remembered the stats. Anyway, she continued with her reasons for the veto.
�I also read where several FSU players were arrested in separate instances this summer, two of which involved hitting women at bars. One player was caught on the bar�s security system punching a woman. He was a freshman, and they kicked him off the team. Because of all the problems, their head coach had to ban the team from going to bars.�
�That being said, the numbers in the state of Florida might be inflated compared to other areas, because state laws vary in how much information a police department has to release about an incident. I know for a fact that Notre Dame students have unusually good protection as far as what can be released about them,� Kendal said.
We then made a list of open dates and the possible games we might see. Everyone voted, and we came up with the following schedule:
September 5 � Stanford at Northwestern
September 12 � Oregon at Michigan State
September 26 � BYU at Michigan
October 3 � Alabama at Georgia
October 17 � USC at Norte Dame
October 31 � Rutgers at Iowa
Jim planned on making his official visits for three of the first five games. He would make visits on his own to Ohio State and Alabama. Jim had gone to a lineman camp this summer and was rated one of the top five tackles in the Midwest. All the schools we were going to had offered him an official visit�it wasn�t something that you could just call up and request.
We had a long discussion about Alabama at Georgia. The guys were torn between going to that game or going to the Iowa at Michigan game instead. We would need to fly to Atlanta. They calmed down when Brandon found a special on flights for $49 each way on Southwest. I would make sure Brandon upgraded us, on my dime, because Southwest had festival seating. An upgrade would assure you got on first and got to pick your seat. At least the first row and exit row had enough room for my legs, and I suspected Jim and Wolf would have similar issues flying coach.
Brandon said he would start to organize everything and got everyone�s contact information. I found out that Lily had given Alan access to my social media accounts because five minutes after the meeting, it was posted everywhere. A grin crept onto my face when the recruiting phone started to go off. Kendal rushed over and dropped it in Brandon�s lap.
�Good luck,� she said and waltzed away.
�Welcome to the team,� was my only advice.
I figured better him than me.
◊◊◊
Chapter 2 � A 50-50 Chance of Survival Sunday August 23
Mona invited herself over. I told her if she could get past my guard dog, she was more than welcome. I swear Duke would help a thief find all the good stuff if they scratched his ears. Scratch his back, and he would go home with you.
�How�s my favorite head cheerleader?� I asked as I gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. �Make yourself at home.�
�I�ve come to make you a deal,� Mona said.
�Okay, what can I possibly do for you?� I asked.
�You can date me.�
�Not that I�m saying no, but why would I want to date you when I�m a free agent?� I teased her.
�Dating the head cheerleader has benefits for the star quarterback. The first is I know you aren�t interested in a girlfriend right now. By declaring me as your girl, it�ll take the pressure off of you. I would even be willing to waive exclusivity in our arrangement. We could do something similar to what you and Peggy Pratt had,� Mona said.
�What if I want to be exclusive?� I asked.
�Don�t tease me, David. We both know you could never keep up your end of the bargain.�
I could tell I�d made a misstep. I did like Mona but was very sure I didn�t feel the same for her as I had, or still did, for Peggy.
�Sorry, I didn�t mean to be a jerk. Tell me what you want,� I said.
�I want you to help me become Homecoming� queen. The last two have been people you were tied to, and I know you got Peggy elected. I want to have my turn.�
Someday I would look back at what Mona just said and laugh. I didn�t think being Homecoming queen would mean a whole lot after we left high school. I envisioned her filling out her application for a job and listing that and �head cheerleader� as experience.
�What if I just put out the word you were to be elected?� I offered.
�No, I want the whole deal. I want to date the quarterback, be Homecoming queen, and win State. I want my senior year to be something I�ll always remember,� she said.
�Isn�t that a little clich�? The head cheerleader dating the quarterback?� I asked, and she just stared at me like I was mentally deficient. Well, they did call me �stupid boy.� �Tell me more about the benefits.�
Mona leaned over and kissed my neck, and then moved her lips up to nibble on my ear.
"Okay, okay!" I laughed.
I loved the feel of Mona�s mouth on me. I gave her a big squeeze, and she pressed her body into mine and pushed her groin against my thigh.
"Come here!" Mona said with a mischievous grin and pulled me to my bedroom.
She opened the door and quickly swung me into the room, kicking the door shut behind us. She pushed me backward onto the bed and jumped on me; her mouth feverishly found mine.
"Wow, what�s gotten into you?" I asked.
Her only response was to keep kissing; she kissed my neck, my chest, and my stomach, while her hands went to work to unbutton my pants. Mr. Happy wrested control of the body from the big brain and caused me to moan in anticipation as I slid my hands up and down her taut teenaged body.
Mona freed my member and began to stroke it with one hand, using the other to pull my pants down. I lifted my butt so she could get them off. Mona smiled at me when I was finally naked. Her eyes roamed my body. Then she dropped to her knees at the foot of the bed, between my legs, and kissed down the flat of my stomach to my inner thigh. She licked my length and finally my sack.
Gawd, Mona could turn me on! I moaned in pleasure. It occurred to me I hadn�t showered since having sex with Pam, so I hoped the lake water had washed any residue from my body. If she noticed, it didn�t seem to stop her from sucking me. Mona bobbed her head up and down, taking me deeper with each attempt. Then she took as much as she could comfortably and sucked hard.
I cupped her cheek with my large hand and guided her up and down my member. I found a spot on the ceiling and concentrated hard to not get off too soon. I loved the skill Mona had brought to the game. I always enjoyed sex with her. That was never an issue, but I enjoyed sex with Pam too. I honestly would rather spend my time with Pam. It was just neither one of us was in a place to be more than a friend. With Mona, there would never be more than this. Yes, she was a friend, but she was never going to hold a special place in my heart like Pam potentially would.
"Oh, yes!" I groaned as I exploded.
I must have blacked out for a moment because suddenly I opened my eyes and a smiling Mona looked down at me.
�So, will you date me?� she asked.
�Hell, yes!� I said, and immediately regretted it.
◊◊◊ Monday August 24
I woke and was greeted by my trusty hound looking me in the eyes. He was absolutely not allowed on the bed, but I guess it was my fault because I had allowed him up when he was frightened by the thunderstorm yesterday. When Duke saw I was awake, his tail thumped against the bed. I gave him a stern look.
�What do you think you�re doing?� I asked.
He answered by licking me in the mouth!
�Yuck! Off! Get off the bed right now!� I ordered.
Duke thought I was playing and swatted me with his paw. I grabbed his collar and led him to his crate. I had to stuff him in and latched the door as I went to get dressed. I�d read an article that said it takes twenty-some straight days to make something a habit when training your child, so I figured the same applied to Duke. Apparently, it only took one day if they really liked something, like sleeping on my bed. I heard him complain and rock his crate as I shaved and brushed my teeth to get rid of any remnants of dog kiss.
I didn�t plan to run today because it was near certain that Coach Hope would run our butts off on the first day of practice. This was always my favorite time of year. I didn�t have any injuries and felt great. Plus, this was when every football player across America thought they were going to have a great season. The first day of practice was always filled with optimism. I decided to go ahead and dress for practice, instead of waiting until I got to the locker room. I put some street clothes into my duffle bag and set my slightly upset dog free.
If you ever want a Lab to come to you for affection, just ignore him. Duke was a people-pleaser to the nth degree and couldn�t stand it if you pushed him away. I rolled my eyes as Duke acted cute and nudged my hand so I would scratch his ears. I couldn�t stay mad at him, so I complied. I had to chuckle when I realized he had me trained pretty well. Who was in charge here, anyway?
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, Duke became alert. This told me the Callahans� cat, Precious, was lurking somewhere outside. Precious was the terror of the neighborhood who had somehow adopted my pup. She seemed to keep an eye on him but made a point of stalking him and putting him in his place on a regular basis. Duke was almost quivering with excitement when I opened the back door. He went from zero to sixty in a second as he bounded straight at Precious, who had her back turned to him. I tried to grab his collar to save him, but he wasn�t passing up this opportunity to roll his friend/nemesis.
Ever watch National Geographic where the lion stalks its prey only to have events turned on him? Precious had laid the trap perfectly. When Duke was only a couple of lopes from success, she flipped around and let out a yowl that froze me in terror. Your typical house cat did not sound like a bobcat in attack mode. Duke realized his mistake and tried to dodge the leaping feline, but went sprawling. Precious sailed over him, which saved Duke from certain death, or that�s what it looked like. He got up with as much dignity as possible in a situation like that, and Precious walked up to him and rubbed up to his side.
I shook my head as they bounded into the back yard so Duke could take care of his initial business and then do his main job: squirrel patrol. I let them chase each other and run off some energy before calling Duke and sending him in to get his morning loving from my mom and dad. I about shit when Precious darted into the house after him. I reached down to stop her, but she took a swipe at me, and I jerked my hand back. She was out of sight before I got to the kitchen. My mom was going to be pissed.
�David Allen Dawson!� Mom yelled.
I grabbed a towel to protect myself with and quickly walked to my parents� bedroom. I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing when I saw Duke had claimed my mom�s pillow and Precious had my dad�s. Both my parents had a healthy respect for the damage Brit�s cat could do and were pressed against the wall.
�Get that cat out of my bed!� Mom ordered.
I tossed the towel to Dad.
�Throw it over her and then you can pick her up,� I suggested.
Who would have believed your own parent would say such things about you? Ever since I saved Precious from the mastiff, she�d been okay with me. Well, �okay� might be too strong a term; she tolerated me. I told Duke to get off the bed, then reached down and Precious let me pick her up. She eyed my dad and hissed. For some reason that cat hated men. I suspected Brit�s brothers had done something or somethings awful to her, which pissed me off. She might be the cat from hell, but she was still a pet, and someone loved her. Duke and I took Precious home while my parents got their day started. Brit answered the door and smiled when she saw what I had in my arms.
�What did she do this time?� Brit asked.
�She followed Duke into our house this morning and chased my parents out of their bed,� I said with a big grin.
I needed to wipe the amused look off my face before I got home, or Mom would skin me alive. I started to leave, but Brit touched my arm to stop me.
�I need to ask you something,� she said and looked down nervously. I just waited her out. �They�re having cheerleader tryouts today. I�m on the fence as to whether or not I should go out. My brothers are against it. They say you only date cheerleaders, and that there�s no way they�d allow that.�
I cocked my head in confusion. Did she want to go out with me, or be a cheerleader? I reached out and caressed her chin so she would look up at me. Brit blushed as she looked me in the eyes. While attractive, in a blonde, big-breasted Nordic Goddess sort of way�which I was totally into�I had never made a move on her because I knew her brothers wouldn�t approve. They would be blocking for me, after all, because they had been penciled in as starters on the offensive line.
�First of all, I�m dating Mona.
�Oh, I didn�t know about you and Mona,� Brit said, her voice trailing off.
�She asked me out last night, so there was no reason you�d know.�
Of course, there was the announcement she�d made on social media. I had gotten a few text messages about it already. I had been worried about Pam�s reaction, but she sent me a congratulatory message, confirming we were just friends in her eyes. To be honest, I didn�t really consider Mona and me as a couple. I looked at it as an arrangement where we both benefited. Brit was a perfect example. While I would normally be flattered and really into her, it was too soon after Tami left me again for me to want to get serious with someone.
�Thanks for not letting me make a fool out of myself. Your friends were right, you�re a nice guy,� Brit said and closed the door.
◊◊◊
�You keep that scary cat out of my house,� Dad told me when I got home.
�Blame Duke! He let her in. I was the good son who took her back outside,� I explained.
�Ow!� I complained, rubbing the back of my head where Mom hit me as she entered the room.
�What did I tell you about letting that cat in my house?� Mom asked.
I pointed at Duke, and he just wagged his tail. I suddenly realized my parents were scared of my little Precious
�Don�t even think it, Buster,� Dad said with a satisfied smile on his face.
�All right!� I said in surrender.
�What are you cooking us for breakfast?� Mom asked.
I knew better than to argue at this point and made omelets to order. I would bet that I�d get hit more at home today than I did on the football field.
◊◊◊
Our new locker room was in the Lincoln Field House. I was impressed by the size of the lockers each of us had. Everything looked shiny and new. Of course, by the end of the day, it would smell a lot different. Coach had arranged it so players were roughly put together by position. I smiled when I saw Mike waiting for me. His locker was next to mine since he�d be my backup this year. I had just put my duffle bag away when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and suddenly was looking at my twin. Mike and I looked at each other, and the guy smiled at me.
�David Dawson, it�s good to finally meet you. I�m your uncle, Phil Prince.�
I stared at the poor kid, who broke out into a big smile. I got a closer look at him, and he was obviously younger than me and not as big. I would guess him to be five-eleven, and maybe 170. I had a million questions going through my head. Did Phil have any brothers and sisters? Did he know of any other aunts and uncles I might have out there? Uncle John had alluded to there being more than one indiscretion by my grandpa. Why was I just now meeting him? Why did he show up here and for practice today? He couldn�t have been from here, because our town was too small for a dead ringer like Phil to be running around town and no one mention it. What did Phil expect from me and my family?
Mike nudged me, and I snapped out of it.
�I�m sorry, you took me by surprise. There�s no mistaking the Dawson resemblance. If you�re my uncle, I take it your dad was Davey Dawson,� I said.
�Yes, he was my dad.�
�Okay, I had no idea,� I said, unsure how to handle this. �Could we get a picture so I can send it to my dad and uncle?�
�Sure!� Phil said.
I reached into my locker, grabbed my cell phone, and had Mike take a picture of the both of us. I sent a text to my dad and uncle. I didn�t want them to find out about this from anyone else.
�Move it! I expect everyone to be on the football field in five minutes,� Moose told us.
�Call me �Prince,� all my friends do. I can�t wait to tell my mom that I finally met you. Maybe we can get together after practice,� Phil said.
�Yeah, I�d like that,� I said.
As we walked out, everyone looked at Phil and me. I saw Roc Pearson, the formerly homeschooled guy I�d run across yesterday. I was glad he and his sister would go to public school this year. I waved at him, and he came over. Roc had three guys with him. Two of them looked like mountains, and the other was a skinny kid.
�My man, I see you worked it out to be able to play,� I said, giving him a fist bump.
�I didn�t know you had a little brother,� Roc said.
�Actually, I just met him. This is Phil, my uncle,� I said.
Phil seemed to get a little taller and was walking on air when he heard what Roc had said. I was conflicted. What did I know about this kid other than that he looked like me? If Phil really were my uncle, I would want to get to know him better. Family was important to me, and if he was my grandpa�s son, he probably had some resentment about not being included in our family. It had to be hard to grow up in a one-parent home. I wondered if Grandpa Dawson had provided for his other children. I figured it would be best to be open and friendly until I had more answers.
It was funny how ten minutes ago my sole focus was football, but now that was the furthest thing from my mind. Coach Hope made sure to bring me back to what I was supposed to be doing.
�Dawson, Ball, Foresee, get your butts up here,� Coach said, and the three of us came to the front. He turned to the team as he continued. �As of now, these three are your team captains. At the end of two-a-days, the varsity will vote to either confirm or replace them. If you have any questions, either find one of the coaches or one of these three.
�Now, before we get started, I want to announce some changes to the coaching staff. We have created a new position on the staff: student assistant. Many of you know him. Alan Douglas, come up front so everyone can see you. Just so we�re clear, the fact that Alan�s a student does not mean he doesn�t have the authority of any of the other coaches. I want to thank Alan for the work he did to help you get ready over the summer. We were impressed with his work, and he has an interest in coaching. We felt he�d be a good addition to the staff. Alan will be a big help with the new software we�ll be using to help you learn plays and scout other teams.
�Next, I want to bring up the defensive coaches,� Coach Hope said as Moose was joined by two young guys who looked familiar. �Most of you know Moose. He�s been put in charge of the secondary. Our new Defensive Coordinator is a personal friend of mine and coached for me during my time as head coach at Beverly. Last year after I left, he stepped in and became the head coach. Our booster club raised the funds necessary for us to attract one of the brightest defensive minds in high school football. I would like to introduce Coach Zoon.�
He appeared to be in his late 20s and had the same bearing as Coach Hope. I guessed that he may have served with Major Hope when Coach was in the Marines. Coach Zoon just gave off that vibe; kind of like you can generally spot a cop, even in everyday clothes. There�s a way they carry themselves and seem to be more observant than other people.
�Next we have Coach Stork, also formerly of Beverly. He�ll be in charge of the defensive line, linebackers, and coach the freshman team.�
He looked fresh out of college and was a big boy. Coach Stork had obviously played some college ball.
�Now I want the offensive coordinators to come up. Coach Diamond will continue as our Offensive Coordinator and will be in charge of the skill positions. Coach Stevens is returning as our Offensive Line, Special Teams, and JV Coach.�
�Today is about conditioning. Last time we did this, it was for team-building experience, and if I remember correctly, a couple of smartasses worked as a team to get the freshmen and sophomores off easy. That is not happening this time, gentlemen! Mr. Dawson, get up here!� Coach Hope barked.
�What is our goal for this year?� Coach Hope asked.
�To win State, Sir!� I barked back.
�To do that do I need you to give me your best effort in everything you do?�
�Yes, Sir!�
�Do you think you�re the best athlete on this football team?� he asked.
I thought about it for a moment, trying to figure out what Coach might be asking me. Did he expect me to give a team-oriented answer, or did he just challenge me? I decided he wanted to make an example out of me, so I answered truthfully.
�Yes, Sir!�
Coach turned to the team and looked at all of them in turn.
�Do any of you think you can outrun Mr. Dawson?� he asked.
Ty, Ed, Mike, and Jake all raised their hands. I was worried about Ty. He might have a step on me.
�Mr. Dawson, are you willing to put your money where your mouth is, so to speak?� Coach Hope asked.
�Coach, I can beat any or all of them, so I�m up for the challenge,� I shot back.
Coach Diamond brought out a duffle bag and handed it to Coach Hope. Coach Hope gave me an evil grin.
He pulled out a pink skirt and matching t-shirt.
�Would any of you like to see Mr. Dawson wear this outfit all day tomorrow?� Coach Hope asked.
Wow! I thought these guys were my friends.
�I don�t think they like you much, Mr. Dawson,� Coach Hope said, and I had to agree. �Would you like to get a little payback?�
�Yes, Sir!�
I think some of them regretted joining in on the jeers. Tim and Jim, in particular, looked worried. They knew if I got serious about it, I could do some damage.
�Good, so you aren�t going to go easy on them?� he asked.
�No, Sir!�
�Lead them in
�You heard Coach! Jim, Tim, line them up and let�s get started,� I directed.
I hid a little smile when all the coaches found a shady spot, kicked back and watched as I ran the routines Cassidy had taught us. Cassidy Hope had grown up on Marine bases almost all her life. She had learned the exercises they used to turn recruits into Marines. Most of us had been doing what Cassidy called
Since morning practice was scheduled for three hours, there would be two more hours for Coach�s evil plan to unfold. When we finished, he sent us to get water and then had us do some stretching to warm down. I noticed that my uncle had lost his breakfast two-thirds of the way through. I was happy to see that Roc looked to be in shape, and the guys he had brought from the farm seemed okay as well. It was now time for Phase II of our first day of conditioning.
�Mr. Dawson, I want you to take them on a thirty-minute run. If any of them beat you, I have a skirt you can wear. I want you to go as far as you can in that timeframe. However far Mr. Dawson runs is how far you all have to run,� Coach Hope announced to groans from most of the team.
We walked over to the track, and Coach gave me front inside position. Coach Stevens blew his whistle, and I settled into a solid pace. I wasn�t surprised when Tim eased up beside me as we ran. There was a lead group of about ten guys that were with me for the first eight laps (two miles). I glanced over at Tim.
�You ready?� I asked.
�Aw, shit, David!� he complained as I began to push a faster pace.
Over the next eight laps, I lost all but two runners. One I didn�t recognize, and the other was, surprisingly, Roc. The guy I didn�t recognize was a smaller boy who looked suspiciously like he might be one of the members of the cross-country team. I suspected he was a ringer Coach Hope had brought in.
What confounded them was that I used my speed-training drills where I would run at a steady pace for some time, and then increase the tempo by ten percent. I would then slow back to my usual pace. If you hadn�t practiced it, your legs would soon be gone. It was designed to push your limits and improve your speed. At the twenty-five minute mark, Roc was done and cross-country boy was breathing hard. That was when I began to really push it.
According to the unwritten rules, if you were a slower runner, you had to stay out in the outer lanes, so by now, the whole track was littered with football players in various forms of distress. Cross-country boy lasted two laps at my new pace before he collapsed on the side of the track. Coach Hope just shook his head when I came around alone. I�d forgotten to ask what I got, besides some payback, if I won.
I expected we had more conditioning in store, and I suspected it would be sprints, so I eased back and ran the last few minutes at a leisurely warm-down pace. I got water and stretched while everyone else finished. I was proud of Jim and Tim when they went back out on the track after they finished and helped the guys who struggled. When everyone was done, Coach Hope announced forty-yard sprints.
They had it set up so we would run two timed sprints. The top eight would then run two more. The top four another two, and then the top two would run head-to-head. As I predicted, Ty and I were in the finals. His best time so far today was 4.55, while mine was 4.62. I worried that I would lose, and everyone gathered around to watch just that. Moose got everyone fired up.
�I know you�re tired. Your legs have to be hurting. I want to remind you of something: Fourth Quarter, Baby! We�re down by a score and need you two to get us home. Are you going to run your best time of the day?�
�Yes, Sir!� we both yelled and lined up.
I took a couple of deep calming breaths to help me relax. It was counterintuitive, but the more relaxed you are, the faster you can run. On the whistle, Ty got a slight jump on me. I watched him dig hard to beat me. I focused on my form and what I had been taught by my speed coaches. I had a longer stride, and my training kicked in. Soon I was even with Ty. I knew I had him when he glanced over. With ten yards to go, it was all over, and Ty knew it. Coach Hope made a point to high-five me.
I had matched Ty�s best time of the day at 4.55, a personal best for me. At the Elite 11 Camp, I had run a 4.69. I attributed the improvement to my working out with the weighted vest Bo Harrington had given me. Running in just shorts and a t-shirt made me feel like I was flying.
When we were done, I was exhausted. I almost dreaded seeing what the coaches had in store for us at this afternoon�s practice.
◊◊◊
After I showered, I checked my cell phone. Eighteen messages. I needed my personal assistant to take care of something like this. I saw he had called, and so returned his call first.
�This is Brandon,� he answered.
�Hey, I saw you called.�
�Yes, thanks for calling me back. Kendal received an offer for you to do a movie over Christmas Break called
�Tell Kendal to bite me and remind her we have to do the publicity for
�It lasted one season. The ratings dropped the second half of the season, and the cost of the special effects caused the cancellation. Rumor has it that one of the executives said the guys in the show weren�t good-looking enough to maintain the ratings,� Brandon said.
�That must be why they want me,� I said, tongue firmly in my cheek.
�Uh, sure,� Brandon said, not catching the sarcasm in my answer.
�Why don�t I have to audition for the part?� I asked.
�Kendal said one of the leads wrote it in her contract that you had to appear in the film. She also said it was Halle James. Kendal said Halle worked with you on the
Halle had a special place in my heart. In many ways she was like Kara Tasman: if either one of them were around, I would move heaven and earth to date them. Halle was the daughter of movie star Rita James. Halle�s brother was Trip; he and Craig Wild, the lead in
Brandon and I wrapped up our call as I reached my car. I put my cell phone in the car cradle and used the Bluetooth connection to call Mona next.
�Hey, Boyfriend,� she answered.
�Easy, Killer,� I shot back, which caused her to laugh at me.
�Are you taking me out tonight?� she asked.
�If you want to meet my new uncle, we can.�
�What are you talking about?�
I explained how Phil Prince had shown up at practice and claimed to be my uncle. Mona was curious and couldn�t wait to meet him.
◊◊◊
When I got home for lunch, both my mom�s and dad�s cars were in the driveway. I had noticed ten of the calls were either from them or my Uncle John, so it would seem my text had knocked over a hornet�s nest. I walked in, and Mom put a plate of poached chicken breasts, sliced tomatoes, and broccoli in front of me. I craved some carbs, so I put a potato in the microwave to cook.
I told them what I knew about Phil and how he preferred to be called �Prince.� We all agreed that that wasn�t happening.
�He suggested we get together for dinner tonight,� I wrapped up.
�Your uncle and brother are joining us. Everyone wants to meet Phil,� Dad said.
�I�ll call Brandon and have him set something up for everyone tonight. Is Aunt Bonnie coming also? I need to know for the reservation,� I said.
�Planning on something fancy? I would think Monical�s would be fine,� Mom said.
�I hate to say this, but I�m trying to stay on my high-protein diet as much as possible. If there�s pizza around, I�ll want to stuff myself. I was thinking a steak sounded good,� I said.
�If we�re doing that, why don�t I have your Uncle John bring steaks, and we do them on the grill? It would be more relaxed,� Dad suggested.
�Sounds good; I�ll talk to Phil before practice to get a head count. I almost forgot, Mona will be coming over for dinner,� I said.
Crud! Mom�s head snapped up at that news. I swear she�s the biggest bloodhound when it comes to relationship gossip concerning her sons. Now that my Casanova of a big brother was no longer at home, I, unfortunately, was the sole source of her entertainment. I tried my big-boy-now stare, but she was having none of that.
�Why would Mona be coming over for dinner?� my mom innocently asked.
�She and I are dating,� I said with a sigh.
My dad bit his lower lip as he watched my mom pounce.
�What about Tami? I thought you gave her a promise ring. I even saw her wearing it on a necklace.�
�Apparently it doesn�t mean anything to
My mom flushed, and Dad was suddenly finished eating and had to go call my uncle about some meat. I really wished I had gone with him.
�David, is Mona someone serious?� Mom asked after she took a moment to calm down.
�I made her a deal. Mona wants to be Homecoming Queen, and I want a cover to give me time to get over Tami.�
�You didn�t answer my question. Is she someone serious?�
�Define �serious.� I don�t know. Besides Pam and Tracy, I would say I like Mona the best as a friend. I would think that would be a good start. She�s fun, and we converse fairly well. I�ve been told I only date cheerleaders, so she has that going for her,� I said with a smile.
�Do Mona and I need to talk?�
I understood what my mom was really asking me. If a girl might someday be more than just someone to date, Mom was famous for what Greg and I called, �putting her to the question.� I think we were more nervous when she got up close and personal with one of our dates than they ever were. Somehow, we took the brunt of the interrogations. I would bet with my extended family here and my new family, it could be quite painful.
I just smiled and shook my head. I figured I had a fifty-fifty chance of surviving tonight.
◊◊◊
The afternoon practice was geared toward fundamentals. Preseason practice had been shortened by the HSAA starting this year, due to concerns for player safety. Hence, we only had two weeks to get ready for the first game. Of course, Coach Hope had run our butts off. I felt rather sorry for the players who hadn�t participated in our summer workouts because they struggled.
Before practice, I talked to Phil and filled him in on the plans for dinner tonight. I didn�t want to freak him out too much by not being prepared to meet the whole Dawson clan. Phil called his mom and confirmed the three of them would be happy to attend. I was curious who the third was, and he told me his dad. I don�t know why I would expect his mom to be single, but I had. I admitted to myself I would expect the mother of my child to not be with other men. It was my good fortune that neither my mom nor Tami was around to read my mind on that one.
After practice, I went straight home, following Mom�s orders, to help get ready. I found Peggy in my apartment, cleaning. She had just been here on Friday, her regular day. She was five or six months into her pregnancy and looked exhausted when I walked in.
�What did Mom do to you?� I asked.
�Nothing, I�m having a bad day is all. I ache all over, and my feet are killing me.�
�Stop what you�re doing and go take a hot shower. When you come out, I�ll give you a massage,� I ordered her. �Do you prefer the vanilla or lilac massage oil?�
I could tell Peggy wanted to, but something was holding her back. Finally, she seemed to relax and went to take her shower. While she did that, I terrorized my hound with the vacuum cleaner (i.e., I turned it on). Duke ran into his crate in a flash. I just shook my head at what a baby he was sometimes. I had to remember he wasn�t yet a year old, even if he looked like a small pony. His daddy was a big boy at nearly 90 pounds. Duke already tilted the scales at 62 pounds and was growing like a weed.
When I finished with the vacuuming, I found a big fluffy beach towel to put on my bed. I didn�t want to get massage oil on my comforter. Peggy came out, and I was surprised when she acted bashfully. Then it hit me: she was worried about me seeing her baby bump and expanded hips. I gave her a leer and waggled my eyebrows.
�You have never been more beautiful to me. May I kiss you?� I asked.
I must have said something wrong because Peggy burst into tears. Angie had done some crazy things like this when she had both Kyle and Nate. I had watched how Greg handled this. He didn�t say a word, just took Angie into his arms and let her cry it out. I put my arms out, and Peggy rushed into them.
Talk about horrible timing. When Peggy finally stopped crying, I turned and saw Mona leaning against my bedroom door with a neutral expression on her face. I guess if you just started dating someone and found a naked pregnant gal that your new guy had a history with crying in his arms, you might have an issue or two. I winked at Mona and rubbed Peggy�s butt. Either Mona accepted it, or we were done before we started.
�Hey, Peggy, how�ve you been?� Mona asked.
Peggy jerked her head off my chest and gave her a sheepish look.
�You want next? I�m giving out massages,� I offered.
�Sure, why not,� Mona said, which caused me to smile.
By the time Mona came out of her long hot shower, Peggy was putty in my hands and moaning. If you had only heard her, you would make some inappropriate assumptions.
�I hope David makes me feel as good as you sound,� Mona teased Peggy.
�Just wait, someday you�ll be pregnant and ache all over. You�ll be lucky if Magic Hands is around to make you feel better. Uh, yes, right there,� Peggy groaned.
When I finished with Peggy, Mona lay down next to her, because my first victim was sound asleep. Mona�s massage was a little more sexual. I think it might have gotten out of hand if my mom hadn�t called us to dinner over the intercom. Of course, I insisted that Peggy join us because Uncle John must have brought half a cow for us to eat tonight, so we had plenty of food.
◊◊◊
I hadn�t considered what it would look like when I was the last one to join our expanded family get-together with two girls on my arms, one of them obviously pregnant. The kicker was they both looked like we had just had sex, or that was what Angie told me afterward. I guess I could see her point, since they were both freshly showered, with damp hair, and were both very relaxed. Mom gave me a look that told me I was lucky we had guests, or she would have made some comments.
My new uncle Phil had a big smirk on his face. Looking at his mother, I figured she must have been young when she had him. His stepdad was older, closer to my parents� age. Phil�s mom had a shocked look on her face. I pointed at Peggy�s baby bump.
�Not mine,� I blurted out, which got Angie and Bonnie to laugh.
Phil brought his parents up and hesitated. It was easy to see he was nervous, so I took over the introductions.
�Hi, I�m David, and this is my good friend Peggy Pratt,� I said, pointing to my cute redheaded housekeeper. �This is Mona Wingman, my girlfriend and head cheerleader at Lincoln High.�
�You�ve met my son Phil. I�m Victoria Wesley-Prince�I�d like it if you called me Vickie�and this is my husband Carl,� she said.
I shook their hands. I couldn�t get over how young she seemed. Vickie had to have been my age or younger when she had Phil. That would have made Grandpa Dawson close to fifty at the time. I had a hard time wrapping my head around an attractive woman like Vickie sleeping with a man more than twice her age.
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Duke give a soft warning growl. He only did that when one of the kids was abusing him. I saw him lying down on the edge of the patio, and Mac sitting next to him with a hand full of dog ear. I quickly walked over and rescued Duke, and Mac began to cry because I had stolen her toy. Of course, Kyle then wanted to be held too. I scooped him up. These two little rug-rats were growing like crazy. I kissed Mac on the forehead to get her attention; she immediately stopped crying when she saw that her Uncle David was holding her.
I turned around, and Peggy, Mona, and Phil had followed me. I then heard Nate start to fuss. Angie was busy in the kitchen, so I handed Kyle to Peggy and Mac to Mona. I�m not sure who was more unsure of the sequence of events, Mona or Mac.
�She won�t break,� I assured Mona as I picked up Nate out of his car seat.
He made a happy gurgling sounds, and I put him into Phil�s arms. Phil looked like I�d handed him a live hand grenade.
�Nate, meet your new great-uncle Phil,� I said.
�What do I do?� Phil asked.
�Just talk to him. He needs a little attention,� I said.
Nate was pretty good with strangers, so I wasn�t too worried he would throw a fit. I think everyone watched Phil and Nate. Phil took Nate over to his mom to show her his grandnephew.
It was a beautiful summer evening, so we ate outside. Mom had set up several tables, and she directed the guys to one. I was sure this was planned so that my dad, uncle, brother and I could get to know Phil and his stepfather better. Phil made a point to sit next to me instead of his stepfather. Uncle John�s eyebrows scrunched up for a moment, but then his face changed to a practiced blank look. I knew something was up because he had used that face on me many times. It was his professional psychologist face.
I cut into my steak and found it to be a little raw. With good-quality fresh meat, like my uncle�s Angus steaks, I liked it cooked medium-rare instead of my usual preference for medium, but this was rare.
�Excuse me, but I need to cook this a little bit more,� I said, getting up.
�Me too,� Phil said, and he followed me to the grill.
I put our steaks back on the grill and could tell Phil wanted to say something.
�What�s up?� I asked.
�I realize we don�t know each other very well, and I�m only a freshman �� he trailed off.
�I won�t hold that against you. I was a freshman once also,� I said. �Look, I know this is all new to you.�
�Actually, it�s not. I�ve known about you all my life,� Phil said, which shocked me. �One of the reasons my dad took the job at the university was because I wanted a chance to get to know the rest of my family, especially you.�
�Did you know my grandpa?� I asked.
�Of course I did. He loved my mom and me, but we always knew we couldn�t meet you. He told me he had too much respect for his wife. I was always a little jealous that my real dad had another family and couldn�t be with us all the time. I think when Mom met Carl, it was probably for the best. At least with him, I got a full-time dad, but that didn�t stop my real dad from seeing me. Mom says he set up a college fund for me because he believed in a good education.
�When he died, I wanted to meet the rest of my family, but my mom was against it. She was afraid of how you�d treat us. But I watched you play football and the interviews you did. I convinced her you were a good guy, and if you were, I knew everyone else would be. Now that I�ve met you, I hope we can be good friends,� Phil said as he looked down at his shoes.
I saw a nervous kid who yearned for acceptance. He was at that age where he wasn�t yet quite sure of himself. I recognized it because Uncle John had pointed it out in me when I lived with him for the summer. With some guidance, Phil would grow and get past this. Football would be a good start. I wasn�t ready to commit to being his friend just yet; I hardly knew him.
One of my life goals was to be better at saying �no.� In a lot of ways, I was a people pleaser. Most of us are. We want to be accepted by people. If I wanted to be a better man, I needed to be able to be honest with someone and say �no� when I wasn�t willing to do something. I wasn�t willing to accept Phil as a good friend just because we shared DNA. If my word would ever mean anything, I couldn�t make a promise like that, and then if he turned out to be a jerk, walk away. Well, I could, but it was the
�Tell you what. Let�s get to know each other and see what develops. I mean, heck, you might find out I�m a jerk,� I said.
◊◊◊
I thought the first meeting had gone well. My mom talked to Peggy and Mona, and they went home because Mom called a family meeting. We hadn�t had one of these in a while. The last two had been because of the stalker, and then we had one because my relationship with Tami had changed. I guess uncovering one of my grandpa�s love children was a sufficient reason to have one.
�I�ve got some concerns,� Uncle John said, shocking us all. �Phil was mirroring David all night.�
My dad was the only one who didn�t have a confused look on his face.
�I thought I saw that too,� Dad said.
�What are you talking about?� Greg asked.
�Mirroring is the behavior in which one person imitates the gestures, speech pattern, and attitude of another. It�s used to build rapport. It�s actually taught as a sales technique. People tend to like someone like them. That�s why you will see cliques form of people who look and act like each other. I�m not sure if it was intentional or not, but Phil is trying to be just like David,� Uncle John said.
�I think he was just worried about being accepted,� I said.
�No, this was more than that. Phil was actively trying to win you over,� Dad said.
�He did say he wanted us to be good friends,� I admitted.
�I�m not trying to imply anything sinister here, but he�s obviously infatuated with you. In fact, this will be good for you. As you have more success, people will be attracted to you. It�ll help you recognize when someone is genuine, and when someone�s currying favor. The easy part is recognizing when someone is doing it. The hard part is figuring out if they have ill intent or not. I think for now we accept the Princes at face value, but you need to be aware in case there�s more to this,� Uncle John said.
◊◊◊
Chapter 3 � The Games That Play Us Wednesday August 26
Practice settled into a familiar rhythm, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only problem I had was Coach Hope wouldn�t let me play defense or special teams this year. Also, the little jerk, Ty Wilson, turned out to be very good at returning kicks. He and Ed would do a good job, so I was willing to let that one slide. I really wanted to play defense, though. Coach Hope and Coach Diamond were busy working with the freshmen and JV, so I sauntered over to the defense.
Moose was busy working with the secondary. I figured I had my best shot with him, so I joined their drills. It took all of two minutes for Coach Zoon to see me.
�Dawson, get over here!� he ordered.
I wondered if he had been a drill sergeant in the Marines. I jogged over to him, and he got in my face.
�Did I give you permission to disrupt my defensive drills?� he asked.
�I wasn�t being a disruption,� I defended myself.
�Really? We only have a couple of weeks to get ready for our first game. There are only so many reps in practice. You joining a drill takes away the opportunity another player has to get better. If you personally don�t have anything better to do, I think you need to run so you�re in good enough shape to handle the upcoming season,� Coach Zoon said.
Coach Hope found me fifteen minutes later running forty-yard dashes, with Alan holding a stopwatch like a drill sergeant. Of course, everyone noticed but was smart enough to keep their mouths shut.
�Are you about ready to get back to work running the offense? How about we see how good Coach Zoon is and we run a scrimmage against him?� Coach Hope said, which made me smile.
�Yes, sir!� I said and jogged over to where the scrimmage would be played.
I quickly realized I�d been set up. I would face the number 1 defense, which meant my normal offensive line was on the other side of the football facing me as they played defense. I did notice Yuri had taken my spot at linebacker. That was a pretty big deal for a new player to step in and be on varsity from day one.
I looked at my line and noticed the two guys Roc had brought with him. The two mountains turned out to be Milo and Johan Bauer. Johan stepped in to play center. He was a junior, and when I called him a mountain, I meant it. He was six-two and weighed 280 pounds. His �little� brother Milo was slotted in at right tackle and was a freshman. His measurements were six foot even and 265 pounds. I had seen them in drills, and they held their own and were as strong as oxen. I was glad to see that my regular right tackle, Neil Presley, had taken over Jim�s spot at left tackle. My guards were starters on the JV team. Wolf and Jim would give them fits.
�Can we go live, Coach?� Tim asked.
�I don�t want to hurt any of you,� I shot back to my co-captain.
�Against my better judgment, this is a �live� scrimmage. Just no cheap shots,� Coach Hope told us.
Finally! I had permission to hit someone. Coach Diamond took one look at the grin on my face and gave Coach Hope a hard look. Coach Hope just shrugged, and we huddled up. Coach Diamond called our new triple option play. In our standard option, I had the fullback run up the middle. If there were no opening, I would move down the line and read the defensive end and either keep the ball or pitch to the tailback.
In the triple option, we added another back to the mix. Instead of lining up in a twin backfield, there were three running backs. The fullback lined up a step behind me, plus there were two halfbacks lined up just outside the tackles and a step off the line. One of them would go in motion towards me pre-snap. On the snap, I could either hand off to the fullback up the middle or the slotback coming across the formation who would then race to daylight. My other slotback would be in position to follow me for the pitch if I kept the ball and did my read on the defensive end.
Sound confusing? Imagine trying to defend it while I played �hide the football.� It really made the defense stay at home. If you didn�t account for all four of us, and pursued too hard, we could break a long one. In theory, we had the potential to score every time we touched the ball, if I read the defense correctly.
On the first play, Coach Zoon stuffed the middle and had the defensive ends pinch hard to force the ball out of my hands. I smiled when Brock Callahan charged at me. He squared up to make the tackle, and I popped him in the chest and spun out of his grasp. As I came down the line, Tim burst toward me from his linebacker position with serious intent in his eyes. He planned to show me who was boss by putting me on my backside.
Tim had me dead to rights until I stopped on a dime, grabbed his outstretched arm, and used his momentum to pull him past me. Yuri took that moment to bury me�right after I pitched the ball. I popped up and laughed at my two friends. What Yuri missed was I had tossed the ball to Ty just as Yuri hit me, and Ty was now standing in the end zone. I thought Coach Zoon was going to have a seizure or his head would explode. Suddenly I was glad they wouldn�t let me play defense.
Over the next thirty minutes, I had the most fun I�d had in a long time. Playing the triple option is a lot like keep-away. Ty, Ed, Mike, Jake, and I had been practicing this particular little game all summer. Coach Zoon was a good coach and soon had his charges slowing me down. Then Coach Diamond let me start passing. If I could take backups and JV players and kick the crap out of our defense, we were either going to be unstoppable, or our defense sucked. I hoped for unstoppable. I laughed when Coach Zoon got so frustrated he threw a football at me. On that note, Coach Hope ended practice for the day.
◊◊◊
After practice, Alan told me Coach Hope needed to talk to me. The new coaches� offices in the field house were a major improvement over what they�d had before. Everything was painted orange and blue with our bulldog logo. I walked in to find Coach Zoon waiting for me. I wondered if he planned on doing me harm.
�Shut the door,� he ordered.
It seemed to me that was the only tone of voice he had, one of command. When I did shut the door, Coach Zoon pointed to a chair and sat on the edge of Coach Hope�s desk.
�Tony told me how special you were when he offered me the job. I�d seen all the hype from the Elite 11 results and saw what the scouting services said. Quite frankly, I was positive you were all flash and no substance,� Coach Zoon said without taking a breath. Then he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. �I put Tony up to the first-day running exercise. I expected you to either back down or fail. I even invited my sister�s kid to run against you.�
�Let me guess: cross-country boy,� I said with a smile, and he just nodded. �Did Coach Hope tell you I trained with our girls All-State cross-country runner?�
�No, he failed to mention that. I�ve since found out about how much time and effort you put into the game. I figured with everything else you do, you simply relied on your talent and didn�t really put the time in. I wanted you to know you�ve proven me wrong every step of the way, and I�ve become a fan. Before you get your hopes up, there�s no way I�m letting you play defense. What you can do for me is score more points than the other team; that would help me out a lot. Knowing you can score at will allows me to be more aggressive and not afraid to give up a score.
�I also know you�re a leader. I can tell you�re tough enough to handle it, so if I throw a football at you, it�s not because I�m mad at you. The team needs to see I care so much I�m willing to step over a line every now and then on their behalf. Believe me, you were destroying us, and they needed to see it. I just wanted to make sure you didn�t take it the wrong way,� Coach Zoon said as he offered me his hand.
�I�m good. If you want, I can help you with your technique, �cause you throw like a girl,� I said with a straight face.
�Forget everything I said. Get the hell out and tomorrow we�re going to kick your ass,� he said as he pointed at the door.
I quickly wiped the grin off my face when I ran into Coach Hope as I left.
�What got him all riled up?�
�I told him he threw like a girl,� I said.
�I�d be careful about smarting off to him. I�ve experienced some of his revenge, and he can be creative.�
I just smiled.
◊◊◊
I called Mona to see what she was up to. I hadn�t had sex since Sunday and thought I had a new girlfriend of convenience. I figured sex to be just part of the deal.
�What are you doing?� I asked.
�I�m at Tracy�s with all the varsity cheerleaders, swimming. Why don�t you grab your suit and come over?�
I hung up and raced home. I told Mom I loved her, but cheerleaders were in bikinis at Tracy�s. I left her shaking her head. I took Duke with me because he liked all of them. They took care of him during baseball season. When Mary Dole, Tracy�s mom, opened the door, Duke made a beeline to the pool area to get some loving. I walked out to Tracy and Pam rubbing his ears. They made over him like he was a big deal.
I scanned the group and was happy to see Zoe with her curly blonde hair slicked back from being wet. I was also pleased to confirm she had a killer body. Then I had to do a double take. I thought I saw my good acting friend Halle James. There was no denying she was Rita James�s daughter. Halle smiled at me when she saw the confused look on my face.
�Hey, Handsome, did you get a call about a movie?� she asked.
�Huh? Yeah, my agent is getting everything set up,� I said distractedly.
Then I cocked my head and remembered what
�Mom wanted to get us out of LA for a while, and the most normal person I knew was you. Mom agreed some normal would do us all a world of good. When we get settled in, I want you and your family to come over for dinner some night.�
�I�d like that,� I said as I watched a dark-haired beauty walk up and put her arm around Halle.
�Are you going to introduce us?� she said in a scratchy voice that sounded like someone had yelled too much.
I checked her out, and there was something about her that screamed �trouble.� If I thought Tami had me wrapped around her little finger, it scared me to imagine what this girl would do to me. Our eyes locked and Mona mumbled, �Oh, Shit!� Mona walked up and jabbed me in the ribs to get my attention. When my eyes didn�t focus, she pulled my head down and kissed me, marking her territory. I don�t think the new girl cared.
�David, this is Brook Davis. Brook, David Dawson: star football player, model, movie star, and all-around good guy,� Halle said.
Before Brook could say anything, Zoe came up and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
�What was that for?� I asked.
�For getting Roc and me out of homeschooling. You have no idea how much I hated that,� Zoe said. �Are we still on for you showing me around school Tuesday?�
�Of course I will. I also promised to introduce you to my friends.�
�Will you introduce me to your friends too?� Brook asked.
�Honey, I think you�d kill David�s friends,� Halle said, and I nodded in agreement.
I looked back and forth at the three new girls on the varsity squad and wondered what had just happened. Less than a week ago, I had been pining over Tami leaving me. All thoughts of Tami had left my confused head as I looked at each girl in turn, and what I saw, I liked.
My little head was thinking so hard that I felt a little light-headed. I wasn�t even remotely close to being ready for any one of these ladies. I mumbled something and let Mona lead me over to the pool, where she promptly pushed me in. I surfaced and was going to yell at Mona because I had my new phone and watch on, but Pam was there to give me a kiss. Served Mona right!
I got out and was instantly glad I had gotten the sports protective case for my phone and had picked the same version for the watch. They had both survived me getting wet. I went and changed into my swimsuit, found Mona, picked her up, and we both went into the pool. It was game on!
◊◊◊ Thursday August 27
I was in the hall going to the locker room when the gym door flew open, and Brock Callahan crashed into the wall, followed by his brother Bryan. Bryan had tears streaming down his face and let his fists fly.
�You Son of a Bitch! We moved here because of this shit! I can�t believe that after everything I went through, you�d pull something like this!� Bryan screamed.
I ran to break it up and almost got clocked by Bryan, who was out of control. Brock was curled up in a ball as Bryan pummeled him. Some of the worst fights are between siblings. I grabbed Bryan and pulled him off his brother.
Then I heard Coach Stevens explode in the gym.
�What the HELL?! You, get your clothes on! You, line up against the wall!�
Bryan tried to get at Brock, who was crying now. It�s never a good sign when a seventeen-year-old lineman is lying on the floor, crying. The locker room door opened and one of the freshmen stuck his head out to see what had just happened.
�Get back in there, and I better not see that door open again,� I barked at him. �Get ready for practice.�
�David, let me go,� Bryan said.
The fight seemed to have gone out of him, so I did, and he went to his brother and pulled him into a hug. They both had tears running down their faces. They clearly weren�t going to get into any more trouble fighting, so I wandered into the locker room. I figured whatever had happened in the gym, I didn�t want to be involved. I didn�t see any of the linemen in the locker room, and all the coaches were missing in action. I decided to act like the team captain and get practice started.
�Let�s hustle up! Everyone on the football field to do warm-ups in two minutes,� I called out.
I had found some stragglers who I encouraged to get a move on when Alan found me.
�Coach Hope said to get them started,� Alan said with a little quaver in his voice.
It was one thing to be a coach during summer drills and be an assistant with the support of all the other coaches; it was a whole different animal when you were �the guy.� I smiled at him. I had led warm-ups since last year.
�Here�s what you do,� I told him as we walked out. �Blow your whistle and tell them to line up. Then tell me to lead them. If we don�t see any other coaches when we�re done, we can break them down by position and let one of the starters run them through the drills. Sound good, Coach?�
Alan did what I suggested, and I was proud of the team for not giving him any grief. Coach Hope came out and saw we were at least trying to be productive. He talked to Alan for a few minutes and then went back inside. I drifted over to Alan to see if he had some scoop as to what had happened.
�The linemen were involved in some kind of hazing incident. Coach Hope and the rest of the staff are dealing with that right now. It sounds bad,� Alan said.
I was instantly mad. We had worked too hard for some crap like this to be happening. Last year we lost most of the juniors and seniors due to steroids. If these guys had messed up our football season, I would kill them all. Alan saw my approaching explosion and did the right thing.
�Dawson, hit the track and run until you calm down.�
Alan knew me too well. I needed to think this through, and running was the best way for me to do that. Plus, every time he chewed me out, it built his street cred as a real member of the coaching staff.
◊◊◊
Afternoon practice had been canceled, so Alan went home with me for lunch. The coaching staff had kept him in the dark about a lot of what had transpired. Something the twins said had me curious.
�Do you know why the twins moved here?� I asked.
�No, why?�
�Bryan said they moved here because of something that had gone wrong at their old school. That made me wonder if the coaches ever talked about them being involved in hazing,� I said.
�If it was a big deal, why don�t we Google it?� Alan said as he grabbed my tablet.
I was a little irritated that he knew my password. Tami must have told him.
�Where are they from?� Alan asked.
�Somewhere in New Jersey,� I said.
Alan did a Google search for �New Jersey Hazing Scandal� and had two hits. One was about an assistant coach who had provided steroids to his team and was fired. The second made my blood run cold. The headline read �Seven Football Players Arrested in Hazing, Sexual Assault Case.�
�Aw, shit,� Alan said, and I had to agree with his sentiment.
He opened it up, and we both read it. Seven players had been arrested, four of them for sex crimes. During a two-week period, freshmen had been hazed by the seven team members. Four players were held against their will and improperly touched sexually. When I read that, my stomach turned. I started to think my gut reaction not to enter the gym may have been the best one I�d made to this point in my life. There were two different ways it could have gone: I would have been associated with something like this, or I would have been arrested for killing my teammates.
The story got worse from there. The school had canceled the rest of the season. I was frantically thinking of where I might transfer to if that happened. School started on Tuesday of next week. Wesleyan had already begun their classes, but I would bet Teddy could get me in on short notice.
�Read this one,� Alan said, showing me another story.
It laid out the case as to why the football season had been canceled. There were two significant differences between what happened here and the New Jersey case. The first was that there were admissions that the hazing in New Jersey had gone on for years and that the coaching staff knew about it, as evidenced by the incidents happening over a two-week period. The second that the article mentioned was the four players who had been sexually assaulted had been held down, and fingers had been inserted where they shouldn�t be.
I was certain our coaching staff would take this very seriously, and I couldn�t imagine Tim and Jim allowing anyone to shove a finger up a freshman�s butt. With that in mind, I got up.
�Come on,� I said.
�Where are we going?� Alan asked.
�The twins live next door. I need answers.�
We walked to their front door and knocked. Brit answered holding Precious, who saw Alan and hissed. Poor Alan might have peed himself a little bit. Brit and I both grinned.
�I assume you�re here to talk to my idiot brothers,� Brit said.
�Yep. Can we come in?� I asked.
�Sure,� she said and then led us to the family room.
They both looked up and glared at me. Brock held an ice bag to his right eye, and the rest of his face looked puffy. We took a seat to talk to the boys. They weren�t only twins; Brit made them triplets. She sat next to me on the love seat, apparently planning to sit in on our talk. It was clear her brothers weren�t happy with that, but Brit held Precious, which was equivalent to a loaded gun, in my opinion.
�Tell me what happened in New Jersey,� I said.
Neither brother would meet my eye. I was surprised when Brit started talking.
�During fall practice, it was tradition that the seniors would haze the incoming freshmen to make them part of the team. It was normally harmless stuff and done as fun. Last year my brothers told me it felt different. They noticed the freshmen were actually scared and would run screaming to the locker room when a particular group of seniors would show interest in them. Then �the incident� happened.
�Brock walked into the locker room and found the seven guys who ended up being arrested had the freshmen cornered in the shower. They were doing things,� Brit said as her voice trailed off.
�Four of them had Josh held down, and they told me to leave the locker room, or I was next. I told Bryan what was going on. He rushed in to stop them. I, I, I did nothing,� Brock said, as fresh tears started to stream down his face.
�Did they hurt you?� I asked Brock.
Brock wouldn�t look at me, but he nodded yes. I felt my lunch start to come up and rushed to the bathroom; I barely made it. I rinsed out my mouth, slowly made my way back, and sat down.
�I�m so sorry that happened to you,� was all I could think to say.
�What happened today?� Alan asked.
�We were goofing off yesterday, and I suggested we initiate the freshman linemen. I told them some of the goofy stuff we had to do as freshmen and everyone thought it sounded like fun. We told the freshmen they had to get there early today,� Bryan said.
�What did you make them do?� Alan asked.
�Things like put your forehead on a baseball bat and spin around until you lose your balance. Nothing bad.�
�Until the elephant walk,� Brock said to interrupt his brother.
�What�s that?� Brit asked.
�You have them get in line on all fours. Then you take tape and put it on the butt of the guy in front of you and then on your nose. They make you crawl around, and it looks like a group of elephants,� I said.
�Bryan suggested they do it in just their jockstraps. I came in, saw what was going on, and lost it. It was too much like what happened at our last school. I couldn�t believe my brother would do something like that after what had happened to me.
�We moved here so we could play football. Everyone blamed me for telling what happened, and I couldn�t face going to school there again. Now I have to face it all over again here. And I was starting to like Lincoln,� Brock said.
�Don�t jump to any conclusions yet. Let�s see how this plays out before you do something that extreme,� Alan said.
�I agree,� I added.
We talked for a few more minutes. I froze when Precious wiggled out of Brit�s arms and landed in my lap. I scratched the cat behind her ears, and she curled up and purred. Brock and Bryan stared with their mouths wide open. I think Precious sensed it, because she let out a little growl that made me snatch my hand back, and I realized the terror cat was sitting on the family jewels. Thankfully, Brit took her back.
◊◊◊
Alan and I made our next stop at the Arby�s drive-through; we got roast beef sandwiches and seasoned curly fries since I was hungry again. I liked to dip the fries in the Horsey Sauce. The horseradish cleared my sinuses and gave the fries a zip in flavor. Alan said I was gross.
Once I�d filled up on diet-questionable food, we went to the school to talk to Coach Hope. We found the coaching staff in one of the conference rooms, arguing.
�We should just kick them off the team,� Moose bellowed.
�That�s too harsh. No one was hurt,� Coach Stevens countered.
�We don�t need them on the team if they�re going to do something like that to their teammates,� Moose countered.
On that happy note, Alan and I walked in.
�David, this is a closed meeting,� Coach Zoon barked at me.
I gave the man a hard look and then locked eyes with him. I think Coach Zoon was used to players just bowing to his wishes. I was team captain and took that position seriously. I pulled out a chair and sat down. Symbolically I had just told everyone I deserved a seat at the table.
�And yet you�re making a decision that affects the whole team, and I�m Team Captain. I�ve gone along with every decision that�s been made to this point, and I�ve been a team player,� I said as I looked right at Coach Hope to remind him of the bullshit that happened last year. �If you think for one minute I�ll stand by and allow you to kick my offensive line off of this team, you have another thing coming. I was lucky I wasn�t injured last year. I take that back. I
I took a deep breath. I really didn�t want this to be confrontational. I wanted us to come to an agreement. To do that I needed to dial it back a little bit.
�Moose, I love you, man, but your solution is always to give up on kids. I believe in tough love. I think you all know who my mother is,� I said, and the ones who had been around for a while all nodded. �But from what I�m hearing, this was a one-time event and doesn�t rise to the level of kicking anyone off the team. Should they be punished?
�You finished?� Coach Hope asked.
�Yes, sir,� I said.
�You trust me to take it from here?�
�Yes, sir,� I said, and left.
I was happy to see Alan didn�t get up. He�d fill me in later.
◊◊◊ Friday August 28
My supposed best friend refused to tell me what the coaches decided. I was in shock because this was Alan we were talking about. He was the biggest gossip this side of the Mississippi. I think he forgot who was his best friend since kindergarten and who helped him get his coaching job. Where did Alan get off thinking he could keep something like this from me? Actually, I was proud of him. His being nosy and having a big mouth were the two parts of his personality I really wished I could change.
So I was in the dark when we all went to warm up.
Coach Hope had us gather around.
�I deplore hazing. You might not believe me, with my military background and all that happens in boot camp. The difference is we need to get through to young kids and break down any misconceptions they may have, and then we build them into men. Everything in boot camp is done with that purpose in mind. Hazing is simply degrading because it serves no purpose.
�These are your teammates!� Coach Hope yelled, which startled everyone.
�I take responsibility for this,� he said, shocking me. �I should have made it clear this would never happen under my watch. I assumed the leaders on this team knew better.�
My face flushed red in anger, and Coach Hope caught himself.
�David, get up here,� he said, and I walked up front.
�I apologize. I shouldn�t have included you in my last statement. I want everyone to know that David took the time to talk to the coaching staff and remind us of a few things. I have a feeling if he hadn�t shown us his continued leadership, what I�m about to say may have been a lot worse. Jim and Tim, please step forward.�
They both came up front with grim expressions on their faces.
�I was reminded that leaders don�t tear their teammates down,� Coach Hope continued. �As of right now, you two are no longer team captains.�
They both nodded and turned to go back to where they had come from, but Coach Hope held them back. He then invited the rest of the line forward: Bryan, Brock, and Neil. Alan came forward with a Costco-size pickle jar with folded pieces of paper in it and �Punishment Jar� written in permanent marker on the front.
�Each of you will pull a piece of paper, and then you�ll do the punishment as a group,� Coach Hope announced.
He held it out, and Jim went to pull the first one, but I stopped him.
�We�re a team. If one of us does it, we all do it,� I said, then reached in and pulled the first one.
I read it: �Five one-hundred-yard bear crawls.�
I looked at Coach Zoon and shook my head. I could tell everyone was unhappy that I�d included them in the punishment. I turned to Coach Hope and shook my head again.
�It says, �Take Cassidy Hope Out on a Date�!� I said with a straight face while pointing at Coach Zoon.
It took all of half a second for Coach Hope to figure out I was kidding. That half-second was all that saved me, or he would have caught me. It wasn�t fair when Coach ordered the team to help catch me. For some reason, we got an extra pull at the jar, but the somber mood had been broken.
We spent the morning session doing punishments, which turned out to be creative conditioning drills. I was right. Coach Zoon didn�t really try to kill us, but no one would ever get caught hazing anyone anytime soon, either!
◊◊◊ Saturday August 29
The HSAA allowed teams a certain number of practices before the first game. Since we�d skipped one, the coaches decided we would catch up on Saturday morning. The guys grumbled because this was the last Saturday before school started on Monday. Plus, it was an absolutely perfect summer day. Tracy had invited several of us to her lake house for the weekend.
Mom was poaching chicken breasts for me and had a plate of bacon on the table when I came in with Duke. I got a bowl out and started to prepare eggs while Dad made the coffee.
�Hey, I won�t be home tonight. I�m going to Tracy�s lake house.�
�Who all will be there?� Mom asked.
�Tracy invited the varsity cheerleaders and then some of the guys. It should be about twenty people,� I guessed.
�Will Mona be there?� Mom asked.
�She�s the head cheerleader, so I think she�s going. I haven�t talked to her, though.�
�I won�t allow it,� Mom said.
Both Dad and I stopped what we were doing and turned to see what the issue was. Neither one of us said a word, which was the Dawson way, but it pissed my mom off. She just gave me a black look and finished adding the seasoning for the chicken breasts. I looked at Dad, and he just shrugged. He wasn�t going to intervene.
�May I ask why?� I asked.
�Let�s see � I�m your mother, you live under my roof, you�ll abide by my rules,� she counted off on her fingers. �I�m not comfortable with my teenage son spending the night with his girlfriend.�
�Since when?� Dad asked.
God love him, but damn! When Mom got into one of these moods, just let it go. There would be other weekends for me to go play.
�You, to the office!� Mom said as she pointed at my Dad. Then she turned back to me. �You�re grounded until further notice! Give me your keys, phone, tablet, and wallet. You�re not allowed to leave the house this weekend.�
�But I have football practice this morning,� I said.
Mom pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
�Coach Hope, this is Mrs. Dawson. David won�t be coming to practice this morning. He�s grounded � I�ll tell him,� she said and hung up. �You have to pull from the Punishment Jar on Monday.�
Mom then left to deal with my dad. I went to my apartment and got everything she asked for and then made breakfast. I can�t remember the last time nothing was said at a meal in our house. Dad was seriously pissed and left the house as soon as we were done eating. Mom wrote me a list of chores to do around the house. I wasn�t going to �sit around moping��her words.
◊◊◊
I was on my hands and knees pulling weeds when my mom came out and handed me my phone.
�This is David,� I answered.
�Hey, it�s Kendal. We got the contract for the movie. Can you come down with your parents and sign it?�
�Are you and Tom happy with it?� I asked.
�If you mean are we happy that you�ll be making a butt-load of money for six weeks of work, then yeah. For a secondary character, you�re going to make more than you did for
�Call my dad and tell him I said to sign it. Do you have his cell?� I asked.
�Yeah, is everything okay?� she asked.
�Everything�s just fine. Thanks for taking care of me,� I told Kendal.
Mom stood there with her hand out for the phone.
�I need to call Tracy and let her know I won�t be there,� I told her.
Mom just nodded, so I called Tracy. I asked her to call Mona and let her know, too, since I was only allowed one phone call from prison. That got my phone snatched out of my hand, and Tracy hung up on.
◊◊◊ Sunday August 30
Mom and Dad had a huge fight. Duke and I escaped to my apartment to stay out of the crossfire. I was confused when Dad packed a bag and left. An hour later Mom came up to my apartment with all my stuff. She laid it all on the coffee table and sat down.
�Your father made a confession yesterday. Phil Prince isn�t your uncle, he�s your half brother,� Mom told me and put me in a state of shock. �Your grandfather stepped in and supported Phil and his mother. That�s why Phil thinks Grandpa Dawson is his father.�
I was stunned. That would mean Dad had cheated on Mom, because Phil was younger than Greg and me. I would never have expected my father to step outside his wedding vows. Dad was the most devoted man I knew. I hoped to have a marriage as good as my parents had. I�m sure I wondered about the same things my mom had. I sat next to Mom on the couch, and she pushed me away, which hurt more than anyone would ever know.
I got up and walked into my bedroom.
◊◊◊
Chapter 4 � Things Your Momma Never Warned You About Monday August 31
I set a new record at Lincoln High: I got a three-day suspension before school even officially started. I guess I had better explain that one.
I got up and didn�t feel like running. Duke was disappointed when I wouldn�t let him go upstairs and get his morning loving. I was almost afraid of what Mom would do to him. Dad hadn�t come home last night. He called me and told me he would be staying with Uncle John for a while. I just hoped he wasn�t going to be exiled for three months like I had been. I got the unenviable task of calling Greg to fill him in.
I wasn�t surprised when Greg showed up for breakfast.
�How�s she doing?� he asked.
�I�d recommend that you stay far away until she comes to you. I tried to comfort her last night, and she pushed me away. I honestly have no idea what�s going on in her head right now.�
�How�s Dad?�
I just snorted and shook my head. How did Greg think he was? Mom had banished him to Uncle John�s farm.
�Sorry, I wasn�t thinking,� Greg said. �How are you doing?�
�I got grounded for asking to go to Tracy�s lake house for the weekend. My dad fathered me a little brother who follows me around like a lost puppy. My mother can�t stand to be around me. She wouldn�t even let me go to football practice this weekend, which got me into trouble. So everything�s great,� I said.
We ate breakfast, and Greg caught me up about his family. He had me smiling by the time I left for school.
◊◊◊
On the ride to school, I received a text with a picture attached. The phone was in the cradle on my dash, so I tapped on the link for the photo and smiled when I saw Mona had sent me a naughty picture from the weekend. When I pulled into the parking lot, I took a closer look at the photo. It seemed a little risqu�, even for Mona, because it showed her with her legs spread. I peered closer and decided I needed a bigger image to see better, so I got my tablet out.
I blew up the image, and my blood ran cold. Someone had snapped the picture after leaving a deposit in Mona. There was a reflection in the photo, so I used my fingers to blow up that part of the image and saw Mike�s smiling face. I got out of my car with the intent to kill him. The Alpha Male in me was running the show as I came up to the front door and saw Alan first.
�Have you seen Mike?� I asked.
�No, I don�t think he�s here yet. Why, what do you need?�
I ignored him because I saw the varsity cheerleaders and walked to them with a purpose. I got my phone out and brought up the picture. I walked up to Mona who smiled at me as I shoved the photo in her face. Realization dawned, and she went white. Mona knew how I felt about this.
�David, I can explain,� Mona said.
�No need. Do us both a favor and stay the hell away from me.�
�David,� Tracy said.
�You, too; you taught her how to hurt me.�
Tracy�s eyes got big. I wasn�t sure if she knew what Mona had done or not, and quite frankly, I didn�t care at that moment.
�David,� Pam said.
�Screw you, too, for letting it happen,� I said. I spun away from the cheerleaders and spotted Mike.
He was in the parking lot with his girlfriend Gina, the girl
�Oh, shit,� he mumbled as I got closer.
�What�s going �? DAVID!� Gina screamed as I used the side of my foot to hit Mike in the nose.
Wolf and Jim saw what had just happened and tried to stop me. I punched them both when they tried to grab me. They were lying on the ground when I turned back to finish off Mike. Gina hovered over him. I gently pulled her away from Mike and showed her my phone. Jim and Wolf got back up.
�Back off; this is between Mike and me. I�ve given you fair warning,� I told them and hoped I wouldn�t have to follow through on my threat.
Then the crowd parted, and Cassidy stepped inside the circle.
�What do you think you�re doing?� Cassidy asked.
�Mike sent me a text this morning,� I said and showed it to her.
�Are you done kicking the crap out of him?� she asked.
�Not by a long shot. I plan on breaking every bone in his body.�
�You know I can�t let you do that.�
�Cassidy, I�m not playing. I�m going to mess him up,� I said.
She nodded sadly, then launched herself at me. Cassidy wasn�t playing, either. I would like to describe my valiant effort as Cassidy and I battled all over the parking lot as if we were in a Bruce Lee epic thriller. I would like to say I at least held my own. I would like to say I wasn�t unconscious, but that would have been a lie, too.
◊◊◊
I came back around as the paramedics loaded me into the ambulance. Gina and Cassidy were crying. I felt terrible because I�d caused that. Mike had sat up, and a paramedic checked him out. They had strapped me to the gurney or I would have been after Mike again. Coach Hope pushed me back down, and after I�d been loaded into the ambulance, he joined me.
�What the hell just happened, and why the hell were you not at practice on Saturday? What is going on with you?� Coach Hope asked.
I took a deep breath and explained about who Phil really was, and the reaction at home. I then told him what Mike had done, and showed him the picture that had been sent to me. I�ve seen Coach Hope mad. I thought I had seen him at his worst, but seeing the graphic display Mike had sent me topped that. It took me a moment to grasp why it affected him so much, and then I remembered Cassidy. Coach Hope was the father of a teenage daughter. He didn�t say anything to me the rest of the ride.
When I got to the emergency room, I received a full physical. The doctor explained to me that being choked out as I�d been wasn�t beneficial for the brain, even if the blood supply had only been cut off for a moment. They wanted to do further tests on me, but my parents weren�t answering their phones. I had them call Tom Dole, my lawyer. He and Kendal had power of attorney over me for when I traveled. Tom came down and signed the forms so I could get the tests done. I seriously considered whether I should get emancipated or not. Maybe I would just move to LA and leave all this shit behind.
◊◊◊
They moved me to a regular hospital room around lunchtime. I must have kick-butt insurance if they wanted to keep me overnight for observation. I was surprised when Coach Hope and Cassidy showed up to see me. I gave her a weak smile.
�Thank you. I was really going to hurt Mike,� I told her.
�I know, and normally I�m up for kicking a guy�s butt, but you planned to really do some damage. I couldn�t let you do that,� Cassidy said.
�Is he okay?� I asked.
�He�s just bruised up. The training staff patched him up,� Coach Hope said. �You two got three-day suspensions for fighting. I�m not sure what we�re going to do at quarterback if my first and second strings are out of action.�
�Please, a trained monkey could run your old offense,� I teased him.
Cassidy giggled because her brother Brad used to run it. It consisted of simple handoffs, and then you played defense. If the two of us really did go down, that was going to be his only option.
�Since you�re already here �� he teased me.
�Careful, Cassidy has met her weekly limit on hurting boys. You wouldn�t have anyone to protect you,� I shot back.
�Who do you think trained her?� Coach Hope asked.
I just winked at Cassidy, who seemed happier now than when she came in.
�Do you think you and Mike can get past this?� Coach Hope asked, getting serious again.
�No,� was my one-word answer, and I knew it was the truth.
�I was afraid of that. We need him as your backup, though. Maybe we move him to defense,� Coach Hope said.
I thought about it for a minute and nodded my assent. Coach was bending over backward for me. If he hadn�t seen the picture, I�m not sure he would have talked to me about Mike and me getting along.
We were interrupted by my mom, who finally showed up. Coach Hope and Cassidy said their goodbyes. He had to get back to run practice, and she had her
�What happened? The messages said you had been in a fight,� Mom said.
�Just go home, Mom. I�ll have Tom or Kendal come and check me out of here tomorrow.�
�David, I�m your mother.�
�You explained that to me when you grounded me for asking to go to a party this weekend. A party that, if you had allowed me to go to, I wouldn�t have lost half my friends and gotten into a fight today. You�re such a good mother? Well, your son�s been in a hospital for over six hours before you decided to show up. If you want me to move to Uncle John�s too, just say the word.�
�Where�s your father?� Mom asked.
�You�re asking ME?� I asked, and she slapped me.
I rolled over and put my back to her. If I said something right now, I doubted we would ever talk to each other again. When Mom finally left, I rang the nurse.
�I�m out of here. Where are my clothes?� I asked.
�Mr. Dawson, your doctor hasn�t released you yet.�
�Fine, I�ll walk out like this,� I said with my rear hanging out of my gown.
She got between me and the door.
�Please, let me get your doctor first,� she begged, and then guided me back to my bed.
While the nurse left to get the doc, I called Tom. I explained my need to leave. He arrived at about the same time the doctor did. The doctor wasn�t happy that I had called my lawyer. This was going to be an expensive day, if Tom charged me by the hour, but he was worth every penny because I walked out the front door an hour later.
◊◊◊
Tom took me to get my car. I called Brandon and had him reserve a room at a local hotel that accepted pets. I drove home and packed a bag and Duke�s crate. Mom came out of the house on my last trip.
�What are you doing?� she asked.
�Your house, your rules,� I said, and got into my car and left.
Duke and I had just settled in our hotel room when there was a knock at the door. I peeked through the little peephole and saw my mom. There was no point in not letting her in; she would most likely just call the cops and have me hauled home. I let her in.
�David, I haven�t been myself for the past few days. When I realized I�d slapped you while you were lying in a hospital bed, I knew I�d lost control of myself. Baby, I�m so sorry. I sometimes forget you�re my little boy and I love you. I love your father, too, but I don�t know how to tell him. I�m afraid things have gone too far for us to forgive each other right now,� she said.
�If I sent you and Dad to Vegas for a week, do you think you could work this out?� I asked.
Mom had mentioned she wanted to go someday. I figured this was something they both needed right now. It also got them out of my hair for a week. A win-win, if I were keeping score. I called Dad and told him about my plan. He wanted to talk to Mom. When they were done talking, she agreed and said Dad was coming home tonight. I called Brandon and had him set everything up. I gave Mom his number so she could tell him what shows she would like to see. Mom told me I was moving back home, so I loaded up my trusty hound and drove home. Duke would be happy to get back because he heard every noise anyone made in the hall.
◊◊◊
When I got home, Mona, Pam, and Tracy were waiting for me. I thought about telling them to go to hell, but if I had learned anything from my time with Peggy, it was to hear them out. Of course, there also was Tami rattling around in my brain to remind me never to go with my first instinct. When we got into my apartment, Mona lost it, grabbed me, and sobbed.
I looked at the other two girls over Mona�s head to try and figure out why she was acting like she was. I mean, I expected some crying, but this was full-on bawling, and I didn�t see it ending anytime soon. I picked her up, carried her to my bedroom, and laid her on my bed.
�I need to talk to Pam and Tracy. I�ll be back in a few minutes,� I said as Mona clutched my pillow like it was a life preserver.
�What�s that all about?� I asked as I tried not to let my irritation come through.
I had flashbacks of Mike�s older brother and what a jerk he�d turned into. I wondered if I would ever get over Mike sending me the text to rub his conquest of Mona in my face. I had no idea he was such a douchebag.
�Mona got drunk, and Mike took advantage,� Tracy said.
�What are you talking about?� Pam asked.
�Are you telling me that Mike got her drunk?� I asked. �Mona always plays hostess and NEVER drinks.�
�She�s told me everything, but I caught Mike right after � you know. Mona was obviously upset, so I tore into him. He told me what a lousy lay Mona was, that she just lay there. I told him he must be the worst lay at Lincoln High because she went wild when you were with her. Mike got pissed off and said I was going to regret what I said, and left the party,� Tracy filled us in.
�So, he basically raped her and then texted David the picture of his conquest. Cassidy should have stayed out of it and let you kill him,� Pam said.
�No. Cassidy kept me from going to jail,� I said.
�Did Mona ruin things for you two?� Tracy asked; she knew I felt about my relationships.
Knowing that Mike took advantage of her didn�t get the image of him having his way with her out of my head. I guess only time would tell, but for right now, I wasn�t interested in being anything other than a friend. I suspected that for the near future, even that would be hard for me. I felt betrayed that Mona wouldn�t fight him off. A simple �no� would have stopped this. That is if she were capable of saying anything at the time.
�I think she did. I need to take her home and talk to her parents,� I said.
�Do you think that�s a good idea?� Tracy asked, looking concerned.
�You saw her. She�s a mess, and her parents would never forgive me if she hurt herself,� I said, which caused Tracy to flinch.
�Do you want us to go with you?� Pam asked.
�No, after I talk to them, they may never want to see me again. Mona will need you guys to support her.�
�I do have some good news,� Tracy said. �Gina also got a three-day. She kicked Mike in the nuts after you were carted off.�
That brought a small grin to my face.
�I hope Wolf and Jim didn�t get suspended, too,� I said.
�No, just you, Mike, Gina and Cassidy,� Mona said.
�Cassidy? Why did she get suspended?� I asked.
�Why do you think, dumbass? The two of you squared off like you were going to do a cage match, and she took you out,� Pam said with a grin. �If I didn�t like you, I�d have to dump you as a friend because a little girl kicked your butt.�
�Cassidy did make it look easy. If you hadn�t put three varsity football players down before she got to you � well, I would have to agree with Pam,� Tracy piled on.
�Hey, I�m sorry I snapped at you both this morning,� I said.
�We�re good,� Pam said. �We were as shocked as you must have been when we saw the picture.�
�So, we�re still friends?� I asked.
�Of course we are. Mona told us why you were dating her. Tracy and I will make sure you�re safe,� Pam teased.
She was right. I needed some cover to get my head together before getting any closer to Zoe, Halle or Brook. Something told me I didn�t want any of them to be a rebound romance. One of them could be �the one.� I needed to put Tami behind me and move on.
◊◊◊
I took Mona home, and her dad met us at the front door. I caught the look in Mr. Wingman�s eye when he saw his daughter in that state, and that look promised my imminent death. I pushed Mona into his arms, and her mom appeared.
�I need to talk to you,� I said.
Mona clutched her dad, and we went to the living room.
�What did you do to her?� Mr. Wingman asked.
�As you know, Mona was at Tracy�s party at the lake house. There was some drinking, and she had sex with Mike Herndon. It wasn�t consensual, but the alcohol puts everything in a little bit of a gray area,� I said.
�What the hell is that supposed to mean?� Mr. Wingman asked.
�I wasn�t there, but Mona normally doesn�t drink. From what I heard, she had a few too many drinks before Mike took her to a room and had his way with her,� I said.
�Is this true?� her mom asked, turning to Mona.
�I remember drinking too much, and at some point being with Mike,� Mona mumbled.
It was plain to see she really didn�t want to talk about it with her parents. I didn�t really blame her. It turned out that the stories of dads with shotguns were true. I discovered the reality of the urban legend when her dad calmly got up, and Mrs. Wingman took over comforting her daughter. A moment later he stood in the door with his gun.
�Where does Mike live?� he asked.
I moved in a flash and took the gun away from him. Thank God Cassidy�s training wasn�t a complete waste. I checked the chamber, and the gun was empty. At least Mr. Wingman wasn�t a total fool. I handed it back to him. I could tell he wasn�t going to do anything stupid tonight.
�You need to take care of your family tonight. Invite the Herndons over for a talk tomorrow,� I suggested. �I should get going.�
I let myself out. It had been a hell of a day.
◊◊◊ Tuesday September 1
Dad woke me up before he and Mom left for Las Vegas.
�Get dressed. I want to talk to you before we leave,� Dad said.
I threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and found Greg and Dad in my living room. Greg made us all tea. It looked like Dad wanted to tell his side of the story without my mom present. I looked at Greg and could see the tension in his face. I understood how he felt because we�d been raised to believe that doing something like this was unacceptable. It pained me to see what my father�s indiscretion was doing to our family. The part none of us had addressed yet was Phil. It was one thing if he were an uncle; it was another if he were my brother. I don�t really know why that made so much difference to me, but it did.
�Tell me about your fight,� Dad started off.
�Mike sent me a text with a picture attached of Mona after he had sex with her. I took offense to it and was in the process of kicking his butt when Cassidy put a stop to it,� I said, quickly summing up.
�Is Mona under eighteen?� Greg asked.
�Yeah, why?� I asked.
�You do realize that you could be put away for having kiddie porn on your phone,� Greg said.
�What?� I asked, and got worried.
�Yep, they take that kind of shit seriously, especially if you�re in the public eye. I�d hate to see you doing time just because some state�s attorney wants to make a name for himself,� Greg said.
�Listen to your brother and delete it,� Dad said.
I got both my tablet and phone and deleted the image. I would have to go through the rest of my stuff and see if there was anything else that was questionable.
�How�re things with you?� Dad asked Greg.
�Good. We�re a little freaked out about the news on our new brother,� Greg said to steer the conversation towards what we both wanted to talk about.
�When you guys were younger, I used to help my dad with his political campaigns. Vickie�s parents were working on the campaign. Her dad was your grandpa�s campaign manager. I hadn�t seen Vickie in a few years. I used to have the biggest crush on her, despite her being quite a bit younger than I was. Vickie was just someone I was instantly attracted to.
�There was nothing between us. I mean, you guys were like four and one at the time, and you know how much I love your mother. Your grandpa won reelection for like the zillionth time. He had a big party out at the farm. Your idiot uncle got me to do tequila shots. He was actually the one flirting with Vickie. I made some stupid comment about how I had always been in love with Vickie, and John pushed her into my arms.
�Honestly, boys, I could give you a million different reasons as to why it happened. No matter the excuse, Phil is the result of that night. They say it only takes one time, and they�re right. It wasn�t even that enjoyable because I felt guilty while we did it,� Dad said.
�Why does Phil think he�s grandpa�s son?� Greg asked.
�Vickie and your grandpa worked that out. My dad had � let�s just say he knew how to handle it. I was scared to death of what your mom would say. I wish I�d talked to her when it happened. She�s feeling hurt and betrayed for something that happened nearly fifteen years ago. She has to question everything that�s happened in our marriage because I was, was � too dumb. It breaks my heart to see what I�ve done to her and to you guys.
�The worst part is I never was in Phil�s life. I knew your grandpa took care of Phil financially by providing support, and he created a college fund for him, but I was never there for him. I turned my back on my own son, and surprisingly, that�s what your mom is probably the maddest about.
�Let me give you guys a piece of advice: whenever you�re doing anything that feels wrong, stop, and think of the consequences. I guarantee you that someday you�ll be faced with a situation that makes you nervous. Listen to that little quiver in your gut and do the right thing. I wasn�t raised to do what I did. I knew it was wrong and did it anyway,� Dad said.
�Do you think this trip will help?� I asked.
�I plan on doing whatever it takes. The good news is your mother and I love each other. We�ve been together for over twenty years, and we�re as in love with each other as when we first met.�
What a mess. Greg and I wished Dad luck. After Dad left, we talked for a moment.
�Do you think they�ll be okay?� Greg asked.
�You haven�t been around Mom for the past few days. I�ve never seen her like this. She actually slapped me. She�s going to have to get past a lot of anger, or they aren�t going to make it,� I said.
�I hope she remembers how much we all love her,� Greg said.
Me, too.
◊◊◊
Duke and I went for a run since we didn�t have anything to do today. When I got home, I had company in the form of the two other troublemakers who got suspended, Gina and Cassidy.
�Ladies!� I called as Duke and I bound up the stairs of my apartment.
I caught them going through my t-shirts.
�Hey, you have to earn those,� I teased them.
�My sister would disown me, and Cassidy�s dad would have something to say,� Gina giggled.
The toll for taking a t-shirt was a roll in the hay, or was that what I paid? I never figured that one out.
�You want a whole new wardrobe?� I asked.
�What would I have to do for that?� Cassidy asked.
�It sounds like more than we�re willing to give up,� Gina teased me.
I winked at them and called Michael Reese, the VP of Marketing for Jade. It had been a while since I�d taken advantage of being the �Face of Jade.� The last time I had gone nuts had been with Peggy. I figured I owed Gina for hooking her up with her cheating jerk of an ex-boyfriend, and Cassidy helped in so many ways it wasn�t funny. I wanted to treat my pals to the newest clothes a hip teen would need. Of course, I wasn�t really hip, but Jade�s ads said that they were, so I figured the girls would like it.
�Hey, Michael, it�s David Dawson.�
�David! I need you to do a quick shoot for me.�
I laughed. Michael always tried to get me to do a quick shoot. I�d told him no modeling during football. I guess I did have a couple of days off and did want a favor.
�I�ll do it today, but I�m going to be a complete prima donna,� I said, which made him laugh.
�All right, I�ll play along. What could you possibly want that would put you in the �prima donna� category?�
�I have two hot new models that I must work with. All three of us will need new wardrobes for the shoot today,� I said.
�Are they under contract with Ford?� Michael asked.
�No, they�re with Rigby, Thompson and Associates on developmental contracts. I discovered them at my high school. One of them is the sister of Kara Tasman. The other is the super-athletic girl-next-door type. I think you�ll love them.�
�Do you have headshots you can send me?�
�Nope, this will be their first gig. Remember, I said they were in development.�
�How bad are they, and will I get anything usable if I do this shoot?� Michael asked.
�I�ll guarantee the shoot,� I told him.
�Sorry, I was being a bit of a jerk. If you have a bad outing, it won�t be the end of the world. I�ll sign off on it, but if it really sucks, you�ll owe me,� he said and hung up.
My next call was to Kendal. We needed to get Cassidy and Gina under contract. Kendal called me a bad name for not setting up everything through her to begin with. When it began to look like I was going to pull it off, I looked at the girls, who�d been trying to follow along as I made my calls.
�Here�s the deal: you both get new wardrobes from Jade,� was all I got out before being tackled by two squealing girls.
�There�s more,� I said, and then waited for them to quit bouncing up and down. �You both are going to do a photo shoot with me and get paid as professional models.�
�Kara is going to be so jealous,� Gina said.
I called Brandon and had him get the girls� sizes, then sent him to the local Jade store in the mall to get our clothes. Michael would call ahead, and the clothes would be waiting for him. I then called Mr. Hill and told him what we were doing and that I needed the best hair and makeup people he could get on short notice. It wasn�t that Cassidy and Gina weren�t good-enough-looking to model; they were. My concern was that I�d asked a lot of Michael to pay for a photo shoot that was more of a fun outing for my friends. The right hair and makeup person can change a cute girl into someone gorgeous. I wanted them to feel good about today.
I took the Charger and picked up Kendal at her office. We then had to swing by the high school and then Gina�s house to get one-day contracts signed by their parents. It was easy to tell that the girls were getting nervous on the ride to Hill Advertising because it got unusually quiet. I glanced over at Kendal, who was riding shotgun, and motioned with my head that she needed to talk to them. She turned around, and the three of them had a quiet conversation as I concentrated on driving.
We arrived and walked up to the receptionist. The receptionist eyed me and one of her eyebrows raised up, I think because I was still in my running clothes and hadn�t showered yet.
�Mr. Dawson, Miss Hope, and Miss Tasman to see Mr. Hill,� Kendal announced.
�One moment while I get someone to escort you back. In the meantime, is there anything I can do for you?� the receptionist asked.
Kendal gave me a look that dared me not to make any stupid requests. I just smiled.
�Has my assistant arrived with the clothes for today�s shoot?� I asked.
�Mr. Rigby is in the back getting everything organized.�
They had a new girl take us back to the studio. I missed the old one already. She�d been fun because she wasn�t very bright and was very eager to please. I had fond memories of her getting Kendal a sippy cup for her coffee.
While the girls were sent to the hair person, I took a shower. I came out in only a towel, forgetting for a moment that Cassidy and Gina weren�t used to this. I had just fallen into the habit of what I usually did at a shoot. You needed to change clothes as quickly as possible, and the other models did the same, so a little nudity was no big deal. I found myself a little embarrassed when my friends seemed shocked to see me like this. I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I reminded myself that they had seen me in my swim trunks, and I currently had more covered than that. I went to wardrobe and found a pair of boxers and a bathrobe so I could get my makeup done.
Kendal worked with Brandon and explained everything that transpired at one of these shoots. One of Mr. Hill�s staff photographers came back and took headshots of Gina and Cassidy to send to Jade. Jade would review the photos and suggest how the girls should be made up for the shoot. I think Michael wanted to see what he had to work with. If he wasn�t happy, I expected him to let them do a few shots, and then I would end up doing the rest alone. My biggest concern was they were both only five-five. Most models were five-ten; and at six-four, I was almost a foot taller than Gina and Cassidy. A five-ten model would wear high heels and be the right height for me.
I finished with makeup first, so I went out and began working. Jade had sent over a shot list, and they had new clothes they wanted to add to their website. I had worked with this photographer before, and she was good. We fell into a comfortable rhythm and knocked out the web work.
Kendal brought the girls out, and I smiled. Gina and Cassidy had been transformed from cute teenage girls to models. Both girls had new hairstyles that made them look sophisticated. Gina reminded me so much of Kara it was scary. Gina had the same dark complexion and straight black hair. The only differences were Kara had those steel-blue/gray eyes that jumped out of a picture, and she was taller and more endowed. Gina looked like a younger version of her supermodel sister.
Cassidy had been transformed from a rough-and-tumble tomboy to stunning. They had given her a perm to give her hair more body, and whoever did her makeup had enhanced her beauty but not gone overboard, which sometimes happened on a photo shoot.
The photographer took some test shots and made a few suggestions to the makeup gal. The girls were both back shortly and ready to get started. Gina and Cassidy were both really nervous. I hugged them both and assured them I was there to help them. Not surprisingly, Cassidy had the most confidence. Gina struggled. The photographer stopped us because Gina wasn�t working out. Kendal saved the day.
�David, make out with her,� she said.
Kendal was right. I needed to get Gina out of her own head and make her forget all the lights and the cameras. Gina yelped when I pulled her into my arms and kissed her. She tensed up and didn�t relax, so I shocked her by cupping one of her breasts. It took a few minutes, but she finally began to go from tense to aroused. When I finally stopped kissing her, I spun her around and whispered in her ear, �Smile.� Gina did, and I saw the photographer nod her approval.
I was correct in my guess that Jade wouldn�t take a lot of shots with the girls. I understood because Jade was very much like Abercrombie in that they had a certain high-fashion look, and Gina and Cassidy were more the girl-next-door type. On the other hand, Mr. Hill loved them. He had a real demand for their type with his flyer ads.
Kendal, Brandon, and Mr. Hill sat us down after the shoot was done. The girls had a great time, and they were even more excited when they saw Brandon had several Jade bags with their names on them.
�How would you girls like part-time jobs modeling?� Kendal asked.
�David got his start doing newspaper insert ads for me,� Mr. Hill said. �I could promise you work one to three times a month to start. If you catch on with my clients, we might be able to get you more jobs.�
Cassidy and Gina both looked at me.
�Today was new and fun. Modeling can be a hard business if you ever decide to go further. If you don�t believe me, ask Kara. In fact, you should talk to her before you agree to anything. To be a good model, you need to have focus and pay attention every moment you�re in front of the camera. It�s hard to do the same pose with different clothes for the hundredth time. You have to power through and have the same energy and the same enthusiasm for each and every shot. If you don�t, your work will suffer, and they won�t ask you back.
�What Mr. Hill is offering is a tremendous way to get your feet wet and figure out if you want to go further. Plus, where else can you make as much money in a couple of hours?� I asked.
�Porn,� Brandon said.
�What did you say?� Kendal asked.
�You know, my former assistant might have a good idea,� I said to turn the focus on me because Kendal was not amused.
�What do you mean, �former assistant�?� Brandon asked.
�What he means is if you make comments like that � we�ll talk about this in private,� Kendal said as she caught herself.
I�ll give her credit, she was learning. �Praise in public and reprimand in private� was the golden rule of handling employees.
Kendal made arrangements to meet with Coach Hope and Mr. and Mrs. Tasman. They would need to sign the contracts and would have to be supportive of the girls to be able to make this happen. I walked around and thanked everyone who helped with the shoot today. You never knew when you might work with some of the people involved again, and if they liked you, everything seemed to go much better.
◊◊◊ Wednesday September 2
I got up this morning and let Duke out in the backyard. Pam called me just as Precious and my boy went squirrel hunting.
�Hey, Studly. Want some company after school?�
�My parents have gone to Las Vegas, leaving me home alone, and I get scared,� I said in a little boy�s voice.
�You poor thing. I�ll hurry over and see if I can help you from being frightened.�
�Maybe we could play doctor!� I suggested.
�I could be your naughty nurse, and we could examine the patient,� Pam said, which made me laugh.
�I think we better not bring in others to play just yet. I haven�t broken you in yet.�
�That kind of worries me, but I think I might enjoy the experience,� she said as I looked into the backyard. Duke and Precious were missing.
�Hey, I�ve got to go. Duke was supposed to be in the backyard, but he took off. I�ll see you after you�re done with practice,� I said.
�Text me when you find him.�
�Will do,� I said and hung up.
I called my dog, but there was no trace of either Duke or Precious. I walked up and down our alley and then got worried. Duke had never left the yard before, let alone gone missing. I needed to tell Brit her cat was missing, too.
Brit and I covered the neighborhood to try and find our furry friends. I mean, how far could they have gotten? I finally got in my car and made a larger circuit. That was how I spent my day. Toward four o�clock I started to really worry. I stopped at the local vets and animal shelters to see if they�d been found. Then Brit sent me a text to come home.
I was never so happy to see Duke and Precious. They were filthy dirty and smelled to high heaven, but seemed to be alright. I refused to take Duke into the house. He wasn�t happy when he got a hose bath in the backyard. I got the worst of it off and then took him to my apartment, put him in the shower, and got him the rest of the way clean. Duke was okay with showers, but he loved being towel-dried.
Duke seemed to stay just a little closer to me once he got home. I wished the two escapees could talk. I was sure there was a story there.
◊◊◊
Pam showed up shortly after I got Duke squared away. He must have had a full day because he crept slowly to his crate and fell asleep. I ordered Chinese for the two of us since I didn�t feel like cooking.
�This whole situation with Mike is messed up,� Pam said to let me know what was on her mind.
Earlier this summer, we had asked two players to leave the team because they wouldn�t take �no� for an answer. We let another two skate even though the girl was drunk and, in my opinion, wasn�t able to give consent. The two that had quit the team were still working out with Cassidy. Both hoped to rejoin us next year. Was Mike guilty of taking advantage of Mona if she never said �no�? When he sent me the text, it made him a jerk and a former friend, but did he deserve to lose his spot on the football team?
Pam was here because she wanted to protect her fellow cheerleader. I was here because of my role as captain of the football team. I was friends with most of the cheerleaders, so were we really two different teams? I hoped not.
�Mona and her parents had Mike and his parents over last night. The discussion got heated, and her dad is talking about not letting her be a cheerleader anymore.�
I just nodded. What father would want his daughter to go through something like this? I was a little disappointed that instead of trying to work this out, he would circle the wagons and bury his head in the sand. I would also bet his wife hid his shotgun because it sounded like Mike survived the night.
�Look, Mr. Wingman is going to puff up and tell her she can�t do this or that. He might even get away with it. There�s nothing you or I can do to fix this. Sure, we could storm over there and tell him how wrong he is, but � he � is � her � father. Mr. Wingman is going to do everything he can to protect his baby girl.�
�What about Mike? What are we going to do about him?� Pam asked.
�I wish I knew. If I found him in a dark alley alone right now, he very well might not make it out,� I said, getting angry again, but then took a moment to calm down. �I can see how Mike could have pushed her into having sex and Mona being too drunk to object. Was it against her will? I�m hoping so, but the truth of the matter is she didn�t object. What I have a real problem with is how Mike disrespected her when he sent the text to me. Did he send it to anyone else?�
�Not that anyone�s admitting to. Do you still have it? Can I see it?�
�No, my brother advised me to delete it because she�s underage. I can�t risk something like that,� I said.
�I hadn�t really thought about that. So, what�re we going to do?�
What was I going to do? The last thing any of us needed was for this to create a rift in the team. We had experienced that last year, and that had been a disaster. We ended up losing most of the seniors and juniors. I had looked forward to this season because I loved the game and saw a clear path for us to repeat as State Champs. Mike, in one moment, had taken a lot of the joy out of it. Someone who I thought was my friend had deliberately hurt me.
Something that came with being a leader was you would always be a target. A good example was the game kids played at the arcade where the little furry guy popped up. I think it was called �whack-a-mole.� When one stuck its head up, a child would beat it down. The more I excelled, the more there would be people who would try to beat me down so I wouldn�t stand out. I was tougher than that, though. I knew I wasn�t equal, regardless of how arrogant that sounded. I worked harder than anyone else and sought out the best people to help guide me. I wasn�t equal, because nothing would stop me. Not Mike, not Coach Hope, not anyone.
�We�re going to go talk to him and his parents,� I said.
Pam�s eyes got big. I could tell she didn�t think I would say that in a million years.
�I think we need Coach Hope to be there when I talk to them. If I were in his shoes, I�d be pissed if one of my players went behind my back,� I said.
�Should I invite Coach Lowden?� Pam asked, referring to her cheerleader coach.
�That would probably be a good idea. Why don�t we go to Coach Hope�s house and meet? That way it�s at a somewhat neutral location,� I suggested.
◊◊◊
It took some doing, and a couple of the people were skeptical, but we managed to convince them all to at least meet.
By the time Mike and his family arrived, Pam Lowden had joined Pam and me. Under other circumstances, as Cheer Captain, Mona would have been there, but I guess I had put Pam in that role temporarily. Mike wouldn�t look at me, and it was apparent his nose was broken by the nose splint and his two black eyes.
�Coach, Mrs. Herndon, Mike, thanks for stopping by. I think we need to clear the air and talk about what happened with Mike, Mona, and David,� Coach Hope said to get us started.
The �coach� Tony was talking about was Coach Herndon, my baseball coach and Mike�s dad.
�How is David involved? I thought this was between Mike and Mona,� Mrs. Herndon asked.
�Mike took advantage of one of my cheerleaders,� Coach Lowden spat.
This didn�t sound good.
�Mike, what did you do? Wasn�t it a he said/she said situation?� Coach Herndon asked.
�Dad, it was just a misunderstanding that got out of hand. She never told me �no,�� Mike said.
�Did she say �yes�?� Pam asked.
Mike refused to answer. I hadn�t said a word to this point. Mrs. Herndon stared at me and clearly wondered why I had kicked her boy�s ass.
�David, why were you upset with Mike? I thought you guys were friends,� Mrs. Herndon said.
�I thought we were, too. Of course, that was before he had sex with my drunken girlfriend and then sent me a picture of them,� I said.
�Someone needed to take you down a notch,� Mike blurted.
�What did you hope to accomplish with what you did?� Coach Hope asked Mike. �Did you think if you could piss him off enough, David would kick your butt? Did you think he might quit the football team? What was your plan, Mike?�
�I didn�t think he�d know it was from me. I still don�t know how he found out,� Mike almost whined.
�Your face showed in the reflection in the mirror,� I said. �I had no idea you disliked me so much. And that doesn�t even begin to address what you did to Mona.�
�David, I don�t dislike you. It was stupid and got out of hand. I knew when I saw you coming for me in the parking lot that I deserved whatever you did to me. David, I�m sorry. If I could just take it all back �� Mike said, and then got a faraway look in his eyes. �You warned us. You told us that one mistake could change our lives.�
Mike started to tear up, but visibly gathered himself and said, �Coach, if you think it best, I�ll quit the team.�
As everybody digested that declaration, Pam joined the conversation in a big way.
�Mike, you need to apologize to three other people: Gina, who David set you up with because he thought you were a nice guy, is hurting right now; Mona, who you took advantage of, and then sent a picture of what you did, is devastated; and finally, Cassidy, who saved your butt and has been suspended for helping you,� Pam said.
Mike just nodded.
�So, is Mike off the team?� Mike�s dad asked.
�No. I mean, if my opinion matters here,� I said, looking at Coach Hope. �In my heart, I believe Mike took advantage of Mona, but none of us were in that room. If her family files charges, or if someone comes forward confirming our suspicions, that�s a different story. As much as it pains me to even look at you, I can�t in good conscience see you kicked off the team for being a jerk.�
�Regrettably, I agree with David,� Coach Hope said, and then sighed. �There�s something I want to make crystal clear: if I have even a whiff of you causing any further problems, I will kick you off the team. I�m also a father of a daughter. I can�t imagine what Mona and her family are going through. Just so you know, Cassidy has been given strict instructions not to save you from David, or from anyone else, if you do something like this again. And if Mona decides to press charges, you�re gone. Are we clear?�
�Yes, sir,� Mike said.
Mike and his family left, as did Coach Lowden. Coach Hope wanted to talk to me before I took off, so Pam left us to find Cassidy. I told her to ask Cassidy about her new clothes and about being a model today. I figured that would keep them busy for a while. I�d had Kendal send the girls copies of some of their pictures so they could show their friends and family.
�For now, I�m not sure how Mike will fit in on the team. We need to see if he can get past this and be a real teammate, or if he�s going to be a problem,� Coach Hope said.
I think Coach was taking my measure to see if I could play with Mike or not. I really wanted to object, but Coach was right. In the playoffs, and especially in the Eastside game last year, Mike had been a beast. Having someone who wasn�t afraid of contact, and had the skills of his older brother Luke�who was All-State his senior year�would make a big difference for us.
I had to look past what he could do for the team, though. It made my stomach turn because I felt that was the wrong reason to let him back on the team. I kept going back to what he said about one mistake changing his life. God knows I didn�t want to forgive him. I certainly wasn�t going to forget. Something they teach us about God�s grace is that he will forgive us if we ask. Mike had shown contrition for his actions. If God could forgive him, how could I not? The simple answer was because I was human.
I needed to be the bigger man.
�All right,� I said softly as I decided to give Mike a second chance.
�David, just because Mike�s on the team doesn�t mean we won�t be watching him. I plan on talking to his parents, too. He�ll have to earn his way back from this. I don�t plan to make it easy for him, but if Mike keeps his nose clean and is a team player, he can work his way back.�
�I agree, Coach. No one said you had to like the people you worked with,� I said. �Lord knows, there are some guys who�ll never be my friends.�
I knew that as I went up in levels, not everyone would be happy with me. I already suspected college would be much more businesslike, and likely much more dangerous in a social and emotional sense.
◊◊◊
Chapter 5 � What Comes After the Blues Thursday September 3
For me, this was the first day of school. I pulled up just as Mike did. I thought about sitting in my car until he�d gone in, but decided I might as well tackle this now. He didn�t see me until I stepped right next to him.
�Oh, shit!� Mike said as he jumped when he saw me.
�Relax.�
We walked in without saying a word to each other. Mike kept glancing at me, as did half the people who hung around the front of the school. I think we disappointed them when we didn�t throw down right there. Pam saw us and rolled her eyes at me, but wasn�t willing to walk in with us. When we got inside Mike touched my arm, which caused me to stop and look at him.
�Thanks,� was all he said, and we went to find our lockers.
I got out my information packet and found my locker and combination. I located it and my day got better when Brook Davis had the locker next to mine. Then I remembered lockers were assigned alphabetically�Davis, Dawson. I checked her out. Brook had on jeans so tight she
�Did you wear that for me?� I whispered.
Brook squeaked and spun around and saw it was me looking down at her. I was amused when she blushed. I let my forehead drop down and touch hers. I wanted to kiss her, but not yet. If I fell for her this easily, I was a goner.
�What if I said yes?� she asked in her sexy, raspy voice.
�I would say I�m jealous because you�re not wearing my shirt.�
�Oh, my,� she said as she bit her lower lip.
Brook was saved when I was hip-checked. I looked to see who the culprit was and saw a smiling Tracy.
�Pam sent me to tell you good job with Mike this morning. You might want to go and talk to Mona,� Tracy said, reminding me I had a girlfriend.
I set Brook free, but she wasn�t going anywhere. There was definitely an attraction between us. The first bell rang, and I pulled my class list out of the folder the school had sent out in the mail. It had the usual stuff in it like the school rules, your locker assignment and combination, and of course your class schedule:
PE � Mr. (Coach) Diamond
AP Trigonometry � Ms. Lowden
AP English � Short Stories � Mrs. Hedge
Art � Life Drawings II � Ms. Saunders
Lunch
AP American History � Mr. (Coach) Zoon
AP Physics I � Mr. Hicks
World Geography � Mrs. Keller
I did a double take because this wasn�t the class list I�d signed up for last spring. I�d specifically decided not to take any AP classes. As it was, I would miss a couple of weeks at the end of the semester for the new movie I would be making with Halle. I didn�t need college-level classes to complicate my already busy schedule. The first person who came to mind who would do something like this behind my back was Tami. I suspected her collaborator was Alan. I would need to have a talk with the two of them.
My first class was PE where I saw Mike talking to Jim, Wolf, and Ty. I found Coach Diamond, and he assigned me a locker so I could store my street clothes. I hadn�t talked to Wolf or Jim since I punched them, so it worried me a little that they might be pissed at me. My locker turned out to be right in the middle of where the guys were talking.
�You�re a dumbass,� Jim told me.
�Really, what makes you say that?� I asked.
�If you had let Wolf and me stop you from killing Mike, a girl might not have embarrassed you,� he said to the amusement of everyone else.
�Funny guy. I think that girl could have kicked all our butts combined. There�s no shame in having Cassidy Hope take you down.�
Jim and Wolf had dated Cassidy and were well aware of what she was capable of.
�I still need to thank her for that. It looked like you were getting ready to give me a serious beatdown,� Mike said.
�David, just so we�re clear. I�m a lover, not a fighter,� Ty said.
We found Tim already in the weight room. Wolf and I paired up like we had last year. Tim and Jim decided to lift together, leaving Ty and Mike as a team. We had lifted all summer, so we knew our routines. It felt good to lift again after a three-day layoff.
◊◊◊
By the end of the day, I wondered if the three new cheerleaders were stalking me. Zoe was in all my AP classes. Her mom had done well in preparing her for public school. Art and Physics I had with Halle. In History and Geography, I was joined by Brook.
Lunch was interesting. Alan and I found a table first. Mona sat next to me, and Halle, Zoe, and Pam sat across from us. Brook came up and saw Alan sitting next to me.
�Move it,� she ordered.
Alan looked at me, just shook his head and moved over. When Gina got to the table, she saw me surrounded.
�Dead man walking,� Gina announced.
I had to agree.
Phil entered the lunchroom and looked like he was surveying the room, trying to find somewhere to eat. I stood up and motioned him over. He was with Yuri, and I waved him over too. Tracy, Sammie, and Kim joined us as we filled up our two tables. I introduced everyone to Alan, Phil and Yuri.
Phil had gotten his hair cut like mine. If he was going to be a mini-me, I needed to start calling him and telling him what I planned to wear the next day. I wasn�t sure if it amused or irritated me to have my half brother try and copy me. I would never have done that with Greg. Then again, Greg wasn�t as cool as I was.
I thought I would give Gina a little payback for her earlier comment.
�Did Gina show you her pictures from her fashion shoot yesterday?� I asked.
�I, uh, didn�t bring them,� she answered.
�It�s a good thing I�m your friend,� I announced and brought up her pictures on my tablet. Everyone gathered around so they could see.
I had created a slide show and put it to James Blunt�s song
�Don�t let all this other stuff get you down. You�re a sexy woman,� I said as I held her.
I thought she was going to get choked up, but she got it together and then told everyone about our day yesterday. Gina then told them about how I�d gotten her and Cassidy clothes. I was happy to give my friend a little boost since I knew she was hurting because Mike had cheated on her. I honestly hadn�t come to grips with it either. Mike and I were no longer friends. As far as Mona was concerned, I needed to talk to her. I was almost positive that I was done with the faux-girlfriend bit, but I�d made a commitment to help her achieve her dream to be Homecoming Queen.
◊◊◊
At practice, Coach Hope announced we were going to have an Orange and Blue game, and Mike and I got to pick the teams. To make it more interesting, we would also get to choose our coaches. The only rule was you weren�t allowed to take both the first- and second-string player at any position. They wanted the game to be as competitive as possible. Our first pick also had to be a coach to assist us, but we were allowed to take other coaches at any time.
Coach Zoon did the honors of the coin toss.
�Mike, you have the honors. Call it in the air.�
�Tails!�
�Tails, it is,� Coach Zoon called after he checked the coin.
�With my first pick, I select Coach Hope,� Mike said with a satisfied smile.
I had more devious plans and needed an accomplice, not a coach. I also wanted to stick it to Coach Zoon.
�I pick Coach Douglas,� I said.
Everyone looked at me, and Mike had a big smile on his face. I had just picked my best friend to coach us.
�I take Coach Diamond with my second pick.�
�Since the offense and defense all start with him, I pick Tim.�
Alan grabbed my arm.
�I need a moment to confer with my idiot friend,� he said.
Alan and Tim joined me on the side of the room.
�I can�t coach this alone,� Alan warned.
I grinned and pointed at Tim and then at me. Tim was the leader of our defensive team, and I could run the offense.
�Coach Hope is going to flip out if you don�t at least take Coach Zoon,� Alan almost pleaded.
�We don�t need no stinkin� coaches,� Tim said with a big grin. �Take Jim and Wolf next. Defense starts in the center.�
We came back, and I bowed to Mike who had the next pick.
�I take Coach Zoon.�
�Jim.�
�Ty.�
�Wolf.�
�Jake.�
�Bryan,� I picked.
�Ed.�
�Brock.�
�Bert,� Mike chose.
I now had the front four on defense and was only missing Neil for a full offensive line. My other possible choice would be Yuri to complete a front six of starters on defense. I called a time-out so we could discuss our strategy. Mike was busy talking to all the skill players. I explained my dilemma.
�Coach only said you had to take the second stringers, he didn�t say you had to play them,� Alan said, and we all looked at him, confused. �David, you play linebacker.�
I liked how my new head coach thought. I should have staged a coup before this and put him in charge. We came back, and I picked Neil.
Mike got smart and took Yuri. I again surprised everyone when I picked my half brother Phil, and then with the next pick, I selected another freshman, Roc Pearson. These two were going to be my wide receivers. I also picked up Moose and Coach Stevens as my last two picks. When we were done, Coach Hope told us we had to use the playbook. I think he was worried I would try and change the offense. I would
◊◊◊
When I got out to my car to go home, I found Halle had waited for me.
�Give a girl a ride home?� Halle asked.
�Of course,� I said, and opened her door for her.
�Always the gentleman.�
�Where to?� I asked.
She gave me the address.
�Do you know where that is?� she asked.
�I do; a friend of mine used to live there. I hadn�t realized the Hollidays had sold their mini-farm. It�s a beautiful piece of land. Do you have horses?� I asked.
�Mom has been talking about getting some if we stay.�
�I didn�t expect that was possible. I figured you�d head back to California when Trip got better,� I said.
�We might, but my mom is looking for a place more laid back, and where I can go to school and be normal. I guess I talked about you a bit, and Mom decided to move us here. I hope that�s all right with you,� she said.
Her admission had me a little on guard. The last we had talked, we were just going to be friends. There was no doubt I was attracted to her, and the more I had gotten to know her, the more I liked her. The last I had really talked to Halle was when she visited me in New York. I wondered what had changed. I didn�t get a chance to ask her because we pulled up to the farm.
�Come in. I want you to meet my mom,� Halle said.
Rita James was an icon in the movie business. I would do just about anything to meet one of my favorite actresses. I didn�t want to come across as a typical fanboy, so I took a deep breath and followed Halle to the front door. I was surprised when it was locked. I knew I had left my parents� home unlocked when I left this morning. It was probably a bad habit I needed to break. We simply never had to worry about things like that. I expected that in Hollywood, it was different.
When Halle got the door opened, we were met by a man that I can only describe as dangerous. He was six feet tall and looked like he could crush rocks with his bare hands. I would guess him to be in his late thirties. He had sandy-blond hair and blue eyes that missed nothing. The man moved like he had trained in some form of martial arts. I recognized it in Cassidy when she stalked me at the dojo. I hadn�t realized I�d gone into a defensive stance and placed myself between the man in the entry hall and Halle.
Halle moved to go around me, but I put my hand out to stop her. She suddenly recognized what was going on and put her hand on my shoulder.
�David, this is Fritz. He�s responsible for Mother�s security,� she said, and then addressed Fritz. �This is my overprotective friend David.�
�David Dawson?� Fritz asked in what I assumed was a German accent.
�Yes, sir.�
�May I see some ID?�
I relaxed when he rolled off the balls of his feet and stood flat-footed. I handed him my driver�s license. Fritz nodded and handed it back.
�You are on the approved list. I would like to talk to you before you leave,� Fritz said, and then disappeared into the house.
I looked at Halle, and she smiled. I followed her into the family room and found Rita James waiting for us. She was a vision. Rita wore cream-colored silk slacks and a white long-sleeved button-up blouse with mother-of-pearl buttons. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid and then put into a bun on the back of her head to show off her exquisite neck. I noted her makeup was perfect. I don�t think I�ve ever been in the presence of anyone more poised or put-together while not on a set of some kind. I understood why Rita was compared with the old-time actress Grace Kelly. When she smiled at me, I would have done anything for her.
�Who�s your friend?� Rita asked, and I could see by the recognition in her eyes that she already knew who I was. She was simply being polite and allowing her daughter to introduce us.
�Mother, may I introduce you to my close friend, David Dawson,� Halle said as a formal introduction.
Rita reached out and shook my hand.
�My son and daughter speak highly of you. I�m looking forward to working with you,� she said.
I looked confused.
�Aw, my daughter didn�t tell you. I�m the financial backer, producer, and will be acting in
The light bulb came on as I figured out why I hadn�t needed to audition for the role.
�I want to thank you for taking a chance on me. I�ll work hard to show my appreciation,� I said.
Both Halle and Rita laughed. They laughed even harder when I was utterly bewildered by their response.
�If we were in Hollywood, your offer to show quote-unquote �appreciation� would have meant something different,� Rita clued me in.
�Oh, OOOOHHH,� I said, late on getting it, and joined them in laughing. �I guess if that�s a job requirement ��
�David!� Halle complained.
�I�m sorry, I was just teasing. If I stepped over any lines �� I started.
�Are you sure he can play a stuck-up jock?� Rita asked.
�Hey, cheerleader-type, go get me a Coke while I hit on your mom,� I told Halle.
Halle�s eyes got big, then she realized I was playing along with her mom. I told them my parents were out of town, and they took pity on me and fed me. Rita turned out to be a lot of fun. She told me stories about the famous people she had met and worked with.
Halle gave me a quick kiss and sent me home. I was almost to my car when Fritz appeared out of nowhere. I mean literally, one minute he wasn�t there and the next he stood next to me. I almost hit him; he surprised me that much. Fritz asked me where I worked out, so I told him about Shiggy�s Dojo. That reminded me I needed to get my butt back to training with Cassidy. It was like anything else, you only got out of it what you put into it.
◊◊◊
When I got home, Mona was in my apartment. I was starting to wonder if I should just get a new lock because every girl I knew must have the code to get in. I had to let Duke out and take him for a walk, or he�d be up all night. I also needed to run off some of his adolescent energy. We decided to head to the park.
�Where were you?� Mona asked.
�Halle needed a ride home, and I got to meet her mother. I found out she�s involved in the next movie I�m doing.�
Mona looked nervous. I think we both knew how fragile our dating alliance was, especially after the Mike incident. I handed Mona the tennis ball I had grabbed before we left. She let Duke off his leash and threw the ball. Sucker! He, of course, came back with it and it was slimed with puppy mouth. Mona was a champ, though, and threw it again.
�Halle and I met during the shooting of
�Bullshit, you�re not fooling me. She�s hot, and I saw the tabloids. There was more there than just you two being friends.�
�Can I tell you something and it just stays between us?� I asked, and she nodded. �Halle and I only kissed. I don�t think she has ever, you know��
�Are you telling me I have
It took me a second, but then I realized she was talking about Zoe, which caused me to smile.
�Shhhhit! You�re going to be the death of me,� Mona said.
�Why, what did I do?�
�Oh, let�s see,� she said as she threw the ball for Duke and started listing off my problems. �You get your heart handed to you by probably the dumbest smart girl I know in Tami. You have my resident crazy girl in Tracy, who thinks you hung the moon and is secretly in love with you. I have a surfer girl in Pam, who thinks you two are just friends, but everyone knows there�s more. Zoe and Halle, my two virgins, would give it up to you. Then I have my problem child, Brook, who�s determined to steal you from me.
�When you finally get your head out of your ass and quit singing the blues, I might have actual bloodshed during a game. They�ll be clawing each other�s eyes out to see who gets first shot at you,� Mona explained.
I gave her a leer.
�You mean Brook wants to do something naughty with me?�
�If I hadn�t had a talk with her, she would have moved in with you by now.�
I smiled and then got a serious look on my face.
�We need to talk,� I said.
Mona must have expected this because she didn�t even flinch when I said it.
�We never agreed to be with just each other,� was her opening gambit. �Mike�s not a nice guy, but I�m not completely innocent in all this. I�ve been attracted to Mike for a long time. I could have said �no.��
Mona had finally confirmed what I�d thought. There hadn�t been the outrage there was this summer when something similar had occurred. If Mona hadn�t been okay with what had happened, Mike would have had his family jewels handed to him. What pissed me off was his personal attack by going after Mona. Mike knew what he did, and now I knew Mona was not averse to it happening.
The Alpha Male in me reared his ugly head, and now I wanted to find Mike and tear his head off. Mike had been the Big Man on Campus since middle school. He could have had any girl he wanted. I�d heard from Tami that she thought Mike had a cute butt. Maybe if his butt had some dents in it, it wouldn�t be so cute. The other person hurt in all this was Gina. I considered her a much better friend than Mike ever was. At this moment, I regretted agreeing to allow Mike to remain on the team. Deep inside I�d known it was a mistake at the time.
Now I had to decide what to do with Mona. The obvious answer was that this faux-girlfriend bit was bullshit. I should never have done that. I didn�t need a false front to protect me. I was strong enough to say I wasn�t ready to be in a relationship right now. I also didn�t need to lie to my friends.
�I�m out as far as being your boyfriend. If you want to date Mike, feel free,� I said with a little more heat in my voice than I�d intended.
�Hang on. I never said I wanted to date Mike.�
�Sorry, I didn�t really mean that, but the fact is I don�t want to date you anymore.�
�What�s your deal? Peggy put up with you sleeping around, but if the shoe�s on the other foot, you have a problem? What the hell, David?�
�My
My words took the steam out of her.
�I still don�t get what I did that made you so mad,� Mona said.
�Take us out of the equation. Another person was hurt by what you two did,� I said.
�Gina.�
�Yes, Gina. The poor girl was happy dating Mike until you decided to, well, you know,� I said, trying not to get too graphic. �Did you think it okay to help him cheat on her?�
Mona wouldn�t look at me for a minute. Duke came back, and she tossed his ball. Then she looked at me and nodded.
�I get it. You�re right, it was a pretty shitty thing to do. Is Gina okay?� Mona asked.
�No, she is most definitely not okay. That�s why I have the rule about not dating anyone who�s with someone else. First, I�m not that guy. Second, it�s a sure way to ruin friendships.�
�So, no more faux relationship?� she asked.
�No more lies,� I said.
�Does that mean you want to be my real boyfriend?� she asked.
I will never understand women. My confusion caused Mona to laugh. It took me a moment to realize she had just pulled my leg, so to speak. We both laughed at that. I pulled Mona into my arms and gently kissed her. While I didn�t want to date Mona, Mr. Happy still liked her.
�My first time was on the little island. There�s an area where no one can see us. Want to help me recreate some memories?� I asked.
Mona glanced around, nervous someone might see us. Before she had a chance to chicken out, I took her hand and led her through the bushes into the private area that had a picnic table. The only people that might be able to see us were any who happened to be on the other side of the lake, but there were no paths in that area, so I was reasonably confident we wouldn�t be seen.
�I don�t know,� Mona started, but I kissed her to slow down her saying flat out �no.�
Duke came over and showed us he had his ball.
�Park it,� I said and pointed under the picnic table; he crawled under and lay down.
Mona stopped kissing me, and I spun her around so I was leaning against the picnic table and she was wrapped in my arms. I wanted her to see how secluded this spot really was. I leaned down and kissed her neck.
�I�ve never done it outside before,� she confessed.
I chuckled and reached up and tweaked her nipples, which made her jump.
�Stop!� she said, then reached back and found my hardening member.
I enjoyed what Mona and I did between the sheets. I even liked her as a friend but had no feelings beyond that. If she didn�t want to have sex with me, that was okay. Thinking about it, this was probably a mistake.
�Tell me about your first time.�
I smiled as I remembered.
�I�d asked my brother to help me with girls. Greg was seeing Cindy at the time, and she agreed to help. I think she saw me as her very own Ken Doll to dress up. Cindy sorted through all my clothes and threw out most of them, then we went shopping, and she basically did a makeover on me.
�Then Greg sent me on my first practice date,� I said.
�Who was it?� Mona asked.
�She was a freshman, too, and still goes to Lincoln. We only had the one, ah, date. She told me afterward she wasn�t allowed to date until she was older.�
�So, tell me about the date.�
�Greg and Cindy told me what to do and what not to do on the date. Cindy even practiced with me on how to ask a girl out. If it hadn�t been for their help, I would never have had the confidence to approach her,� I said.
�So, tell me how you asked her out.�
�I did it at lunch. You know how the freshmen hang out in the hall. I looked around and was checking out the girls who I might practice on when she made eye contact with me. I sucked it up and walked over and asked her. I was shocked when their plan for me worked,� I said.
�What was the big plan for the date?�
�Since I didn�t have a car, we needed to do something where we could walk. Greg and Cindy told me to take her to the ice cream parlor by the park. If everything was going well, I planned to take her for a stroll through the park. Greg told me about this little area, but none of us thought it would get that far.
�I guess asking her out was a big deal, because I was the first one to ask out one of my fellow freshmen. She made a point to tell everyone we had a date. I almost skipped out when I saw the crowd gathered in front of the high school waiting to see me pick her up. Greg had warned me, though, that I had to be nice to her no matter what. He said my reputation would be shot and I wouldn�t ever date again.�
�You thought having sex with her would cement your reputation?� Mona teased me.
I leaned down and nipped her ear. She gave Mr. Happy a warning squeeze.
�I�ve had no complaints,� I said in a cocky tone.
Mona twisted in my arms so she faced me. Her right hand came up, and she played with my hair and gave me a sexy little smile.
�Tell me how you seduced her.�
�I followed Greg�s script, and we ended up on the bridge. He said it would be a good spot for a first kiss. Neither one of us had done much, but Cindy said I was a good kisser.�
�What! You kissed your brother�s girlfriend?!�
�Uh, yeah, she sort of trained me, to do � things,� I said.
�You�ll have to tell me about that later. So, when you got your date here, what were your slick moves?� Mona asked.
�I figured we�d just kiss, but she had other ideas. She basically,� I paused and looked down, �took advantage of me.�
I mumbled the last part, but Mona caught it. She stepped back and started laughing at me.
�You�re telling me that the freshman stud who dated Tracy Dole, and then the three hottest senior girls, let a freshman girl have her way with him his first time? Holy Shit! This would be such good gossip, but no one would believe me,� Mona said.
She saw me smile and thought I had just pulled her chain. I held up my hands to fend her off.
�No, no, no! It really happened that way,� I said. �Greg was floored when he found out. I just wished she could have dated. If I�d known, I would have rather had Suzanne be my first.�
�Wait! Suzanne was your second?�
�Come on, you were there when Tracy went after me. It was all because Suzanne showed an interest in me,� I said.
Mona thought back, and then the light bulb came on.
�I remember,� she said, and then suddenly hit me. �You dawg! I never believed Tracy when she said the reason Suzanne was being so nice was that she got laid. Now that you�ve confirmed it, it all makes sense. If I�d known Suzanne and Cindy had trained you, I would have gone after you myself.�
�You didn�t stand a chance. Tracy had me wrapped around her little finger before I knew what happened,� I confessed.
Mona glanced around again.
�I�m not getting undressed in public, but if you want �� she said as she cupped my sack.
I just nodded, and she undid my jeans and pushed both my jeans and underwear to mid-thigh. Mona pushed my length up against my stomach and squatted down and began to make love to my jewels. I leaned my head back and saw the fading sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees protecting this little refuge from the rest of the world. Mona took her time and worked her way up my shaft with little licks and kisses. She about drove me crazy. The little minx was playing with me. I filed that away for future reference.
Mr. Happy started to leak with desire. I let a little moan escape when she finally took a couple of inches in her mouth and gently suckled on my member, almost causing me to erupt. She backed off when she felt me throb in her mouth, causing me to let my breath out, which I didn�t realize I�d been holding. I wanted to just grab her ears and ravage her but controlled myself and let her lead.
Mona let her teeth touch my member, which caused me to look down at her. She waited until our eyes locked and then began to suck me in earnest. We stared into each other�s eyes. I think she wanted to see my expression when I climaxed. It got hard to hold eye contact because Mona was turning me inside out. I appreciated her efforts because, to be frank, I was horny as hell. I think we both knew I wouldn�t last long. Not with what she was doing to me, as she was seriously doing her hoover imitation. I tried to reach for her breasts, but Mona swatted my hand away. I guess this was about me receiving pleasure. That was okay with me.
I debated if I should warn her or not. I decided to do the right thing.
�AAIIIIEEEEE!� I cried in warning.
Mona jerked me out of her mouth and pointed my member away from her as she continued to stroke me. It was a good thing she pulled off because even I was impressed at the deluge of bodily fluid that shot onto the grass. It had been too long since I had done this.
We heard a whoop and clapping coming from across the lake, and we saw a college-age couple give us thumbs up. I looked down at my security system, and he just looked up and thumped his tail against the ground. If it had been a squirrel, Duke would have alerted us right away. Mona scampered into the bushes, leaving me with my manhood hanging in the breeze. I quickly stuffed it back into my pants and went looking for her.
�I�m so embarrassed,� she whined.
Mona punched me when I just shook my head. I wrapped my arm around her waist, put my hand in the back pocket of her jeans, and we walked toward my place. The two of us enjoyed the sunset as we walked through my quiet neighborhood. The noise of yard work, or people cooking out, that we�d heard earlier had now gone. We had school tomorrow.
�You still breaking up with me?� Mona asked.
�There�s nothing to break up. We both know that we were never together. If we had been, you�d never have let Mike take advantage of you.�
When she recognized I wouldn�t be moved by sex, Mona kissed me goodbye in the driveway, got in her car, and drove home.
◊◊◊
Chapter 6 � Learn from the Plain People Friday September 4
I came downstairs and noticed Angie�s van parked in the driveway. Being nosy, I stuck my head in the back door to see why she was here. Duke got goofy when he saw some of his favorite people here: Mona, Tracy, and Pam, all drinking coffee at our kitchen table.
�Where are Greg and the munchkins?� I asked.
�He�s dropping them off at daycare,� Angie said, and all four girls just stared at me.
I started to see why it was disconcerting when the Dawson men went quiet. It was even more so when you knew all four of these girls would talk your arm off if given half a chance. I could tell they were dying to have me ask why they were all in my kitchen but decided to make a tactical retreat. I was disappointed when Duke decided he would rather get his ears rubbed than go running. When I opened the back door, Precious, the neighbor�s evil cat, looked up at me as if to ask where her buddy was.
�He�s in there,� I said, and she seemed to understand what I was saying.
Precious waltzed in like she owned the place. As the door closed, one of the girls said, �Look, a kitty!�
�HOLY CRAP!�
I just shut the back door and took off running. I set a brisk pace in case any of them decided to follow me.
◊◊◊
When I got to math class, Tracy was waiting for me.
�Look what I got.�
She showed me her new phone and smart watch.
I felt my smart watch vibrate. I looked down, and there was a little heart with �T.D. + D.D.� in the center of it. I sent her back the scared emoji.
�What are you guys doing?� Zoe asked.
Tracy showed her the new toy we were playing with. Zoe got a tight look around her eyes. I felt like a shit. The new smart watch wasn�t cheap. The least expensive one I�d seen came in at $250. That was a lot of money for a farm kid. It was a lot of money for
�I�d wait until the prices come down. I�m sure it�s like everything else, and competition will enter the market and make it both better and cheaper. Also, you can do everything it can with your phone,� I said.
�Thanks, that�s good advice,� Zoe said and then found her seat.
�Why did you say that?� Tracy asked.
�She can�t afford one,� I whispered.
I think Tracy got it that not everyone had a lawyer as a dad. Of course, that didn�t stop her from sending me goofy messages all through class. It had a freehand feature that allowed you to draw pictures and send them. Tracy must have thought that was more fun than a regular text message.
◊◊◊
Tonight was the Orange and Blue game. Coach Hope had said we would run it like a regular football game, and that my team had to use the visitors locker room. Poor Alan was about to have a meltdown. He had never played competitive sports before (brief appearances at Little League notwithstanding), so this was a whole new experience for him. I smiled when he snapped at me as I walked in.
�Why weren�t you here early?� Alan asked.
�Easy, boss. I�m here now.�
�Okay, what should I be doing?� he asked.
�Didn�t Moose or Coach Stevens tell you?�
�No, they�re no help. They keep looking to me and saying I�m in charge. I think Coach Hope put them up to it,� Alan complained.
I walked Alan into the visiting coach�s office where Moose and Coach Stevens were cracking jokes. When they saw me with Alan, they both grinned.
�You picked us last,� Moose accused me.
�No one else wanted you,� I shot back. �You guys want to stick it to Coach Zoon and Coach Hope?�
Coach Stevens rolled his eyes and Moose looked like he might get a migraine, but they agreed to help Alan. Like I suspected, they were just giving him a hard time. I found Becky, one of our trainers, taping ankles. I got mine done before a line started to form. Something that would be sure to give me a bad day would be to sprain my ankle in a scrimmage.
Since I was early, there was time for me to see if the Booster Club had a food tent. With Mom and Dad gone, I hadn�t eaten anything for dinner, so I was hungry. I was surprised to see they had installed the temporary stands we brought in for big games. It also seemed a little crowded for so early. When I walked into the food tent, it was packed with recruiters and press. Of course, Jeff Delahey, our local print sports reporter, saw me and motioned for me to come in.
�If it isn�t Elite 11 Co-MVP, David Dawson!� he announced.
I decided right then that he wouldn�t get any preferential treatment this year. I was soon swarmed by reporters all wanting to get an exclusive. I held up my hands to slow them down.
�Hold on, stop! Let me get something to eat and then we can do this,� I announced.
It was remarkable that the college recruiters made a path for me so I could talk to Mrs. Sullivan, the president of the Booster Club.
�We have hot dogs, burgers, chicken, and brats. What do you want?� she asked me.
I saw the chicken floating in barbecue sauce. I pointed at the chicken, and she sent me to find a table. Mrs. Sullivan would fix me up, so I went over to where Jeff sat and plopped down next to him. Typically, we would draw four or five reporters for a game. Tonight, there had to be twenty. I was surprised to see a few from the recruiting websites. We even had one from Chicago.
�I think you might have some competition tonight,� I commented to Jeff.
He didn�t get a chance to say anything because the flood of questions started. Jeff smirked when I launched into my �aw shucks� routine. I made some bad jokes about how I was sure Lincoln would win tonight and identified our better players in Ty, Jake, Ed, Wolf, Tim, and Jim. Somehow, I forgot to mention Mike.
Mrs. Sullivan stopped the questioning when she brought me three chicken breasts with no barbecue sauce and steamed broccoli. Someone had clued her in that I was on a strict high-protein diet. After I ate, the questions began again. This time Jeff took charge.
�How are you doing with this being the first game you�ll play without your starting wideout and best friend, Jeff Rigger?�
I hadn�t been expecting that question and fell out of my usual press persona. I focused on the tent roof because I wasn�t able to look Jeff in the eyes. I was afraid my emotions might overcome me.
�Jeff represented everything that football and organized sports can do for you. I grew up with Jeff, and he was one of my best friends. He was a skinny, tall geek who seemed to keep us out of trouble. He was the level-headed one of the bunch. I talked Jeff into going out for football. I watched as he grew up before my eyes and became a confident young man who was going places.
�On the football field, we�ll miss Jeff for both his play and his leadership. One of our goals tonight is to identify his replacement.
�I wasn�t surprised when I heard Jeff had given his life trying to save a fellow student. That was Jeff in a nutshell,� I said, and then got choked up. �I�ll never forget my friend and teammate. He was the best of us and had so much potential. I know I�m not supposed to talk about my faith, but if it weren�t for prayer, I would have been lost. Jeff Rigger will be with me tonight in my heart.�
I had to stop and gather myself. Jeff�s question had caught me unawares, and the feelings had come rushing back. Thankfully, Jeff switched to football-related questions. I told him about Coach Diamond�s new offense and how I didn�t think anyone could stop us this year. I wasn�t bragging. I really felt that only we could stop ourselves. Every play had been designed with a purpose in mind, and that purpose was to gain big chunks of yardage, if not score. At the end, I asked Mrs. Sullivan to come over.
�I want to introduce you all to Mrs. Sullivan, the president of our booster club. She has led an incredible team of people who�ve worked hard to improve the facilities here at Lincoln. The new Lincoln Field House is amazing, and we have state-of-the-art equipment to go with the facilities. On behalf of the students at Lincoln High, I want to thank you,� I said and gave her a hug.
I had to hurry back to the locker room because it was almost time for us to warm up. We were going to have a big crowd tonight. It seemed the town was treating this like a real game.
◊◊◊
For the freshmen and sophomores, this was a big game. They would get some playing time at the varsity level. As I expected, they were nervous, so I sent Wolf in to get them together, and he told them stupid jokes until they calmed down. I, on the other hand, wasn�t nervous at all, which surprised me. Usually, I�d have been puking by now, but somehow this felt more like practice to me. It was hard to get excited about hitting your fellow teammates. There was one exception, though: Mike. I planned on putting him down hard and often tonight.
I had Tim and Jim scheduled to lead the team out for warm-ups. They had taken the demotion from team captains hard. This was my way to let them know I still supported them, even if I felt their hazing of the new linemen was childish. I agreed with Coach Hope that it needed to be nipped in the bud, though.
The blowback had been worse for Jim. He was in his senior year, and recruiters were looking at him hard. Jim was currently ranked the fourth-best lineman in the Midwest after he�d gone to several lineman camps over the summer. I�d been asked about his character more than once by recruiters. Getting reprimanded for hazing and removed as a team captain did not make the sort of impression on colleges that you�d want. The big-time programs were under a lot of pressure to get it right, and a troublemaker was absolutely not the kind of guy they wanted in their locker room.
I was doing my usual routine of listening to hard rock music before the game when my phone chirped. I had a text from Brandon, my new personal assistant/recruiting coordinator.
�
Other times I would have ignored him this close to taking the field, but something told me I needed to answer him.
�Sorry to ask you to call me right before a game,� Brandon said.
He had played football and knew I didn�t want a disruption in my pregame rituals. Every player had a way to get ready for a game. Some were very particular in what they did.
�I figured it had to be important or you wouldn�t have sent the text,� I said to ease his mind.
�I should have anticipated this, but honestly didn�t think we would get so many requests this early.�
�What are you talking about?� I asked.
�Recruiters want to schedule you for campus visits and also in-home visits. Bo Harrington said you needed help to schedule everything. He suggested that you limit what you do this year to only the schools you�re serious about. He would like to sit down with you and your family after the game.�
Bo had taken the quarterback-coaching position for the Crimson Tide, and could no longer coach me one-on-one. I�d put out a call to Bud Mason, the former Oakland Raiders quarterback coach and offensive coordinator who�d coached me at Elite Camp in Houston, to replace Bo as my off-season coach. Coach Mason told me he was happy in retirement, but would consider it. He had agreed to review my game films and give his observations each week.
�I can�t do anything this weekend. My parents are in Las Vegas, and we�re going to the Northwestern-Stanford game tomorrow. My mom would like to meet the coaches before I make a decision. She�s already met the Northwestern coaching staff, so we�re okay with them. I�d hoped she could meet the Stanford staff, but we can probably do that when I�m in LA shooting the movie after the season.�
Mom and Dad were familiar with Stanford since she had gone to their cancer center. They hadn�t met the coaching staff, though. Mom had said she wanted to spend some time in LA while I did my new movie, and I wanted them there for the release of
�Sounds like a plan. I understand that some of the other guys will be meeting with schools tonight and won�t be able to go to your party,� Brandon said.
Ah ha! My sister-in-law and the cheerleaders planned to throw a party at my place while my parents were gone. I hoped Precious had done some major damage this morning.
�Let me ask you a question: could this have waited until after the game?� I asked.
�Sorry, I wasn�t thinking. I�ll try not to bother you before a game again.�
I hung up, and it was time to get ready for the game. Tim and Jim led us out, and we stretched and got the blood pumping. When it was time to throw, I took a moment to take in the atmosphere. The marching band was entertaining the fans by the hospitality tent. It looked like we would have at least as many people for our scrimmage as we would for a game. Of course, I shouldn�t have been surprised, because our little town was football-crazy.
Off to the west, storm clouds were pushing in. I just hoped we could get the game in before it rained. The weather report predicted overnight showers, some heavy.
We returned to the locker room to hear Alan give us his pearls of wisdom. To his credit, he kept it short. Alan might be a spaz at times, but he could focus. He was also almost as competitive as Tami and me. Alan was the thinker of the group. When we played video games, he would spend hours figuring out all the little hidden places so he could ambush us. If Alan brought that focus to coaching, he would be a great asset.
Alan sent me out alone for the coin flip. Mike, Ty, Jake, and Ed met me at midfield. It was weird to see them across from me.
�You�re going down, Dawson!� Mike challenged me.
I looked at Ty, and he just shook his head. Ty knew it wasn�t a good idea to get me riled up. If any of the others had said it, I would have just laughed, but Mike wasn�t on my favorite-person list. The hairs on the back of my neck raised up as I got mad. I didn�t say a word as the ref did the coin toss. They won and decided to defer to the second half. I took the ball. Usually, you would shake hands, but I just turned my back to them and walked to our sideline to get ready. I think Mike had done me a favor because I leaned over behind the bench and threw up. Now I was ready! All I needed was to hit somebody, and I�d be good.
On the kickoff, the Lincoln cowbells were ringing to announce the start of the game. Their kicker put the ball out of bounds, which gave us the football on the 35 yard line. Alan gave me the first play before I went out.
�Z98 Play Action W,� he told me.
I had expected we would run the option since that�s what we usually ran to get the jitters out of everyone. Alan had instead called a play-action pass to Wolf. With our new formation, I would line up under center with a fullback behind me. Two tailbacks would be lined up behind and slightly outside of the tackles on each side. We would then have one receiver wide to each side. Alan was trying to catch them off guard as they tried to stop the expected run. I liked how he thought. I just hoped I didn�t overthrow the ball.
�Blue! Set. Hut, Hut!�
I faked the handoff to the fullback and started down the line as if I were running the option. I looked for Wolf and saw that Coach Zoon had cheated. Instead of our standard defense, he had a corner and safety on Wolf as a double team, and underneath help from a linebacker. The play was supposed to be quick because on a run, my read was the defensive end. I was supposed to throw before the defensive end had a chance to get into my face. With Wolf covered, my only option was to run the ball.
That was when I peeked over to the back side and saw Roc streaking down the field with the much smaller Ed chasing him. Something that Bo had hammered into me was footwork. Throwing the ball started with your base. Last year I would have used my arm strength and just thrown the ball to Roc. If I followed Bo�s advice, my accuracy went way up. The defensive end would get a free shot, but I took the time to throw the football correctly. The upside of playing your own team was they were conditioned to not try and hurt me. When he saw he wasn�t going to stop me, he just gave me a shove instead of planting me into the turf.
Roc�s loping style of running ate up a lot of ground in a hurry. Ed, to his credit, closed the gap as Roc reached up for the football and pulled it in. Ed tried to make the tackle, but Roc powered out of it and was gone. I got up and pumped my fist in the air as I realized that on the first play Roc had ever had in front of our fans, he had ripped off a 65-yard score.
On the ensuing kickoff, Ty showed why I was so excited to have him on our team. He took the ball at the 4 yard line and followed his wedge blockers. Tim, our best tackler, split their wedge and had Ty dead to rights. Then it was as if someone had smashed the �B� button on the controller because Ty made a nifty spin move that left Tim doing alligator arms as he tackled thin air. Everyone had let up because they assumed Tim would get the job done. Our hesitation cost us as Ty raced 96 yards for their first score. It was now tied 7�7.
Before we went back in for offense, Alan took me aside.
�Run it down their throats. Don�t run yourself unless you have to. Feed the fullback and run it between the tackles. Let�s use our line to wear them out.�
I trotted out and found we had returned the ball to the 22. My half brother Phil had managed to work his way onto the freshman team as a fullback. I think it was because that was what I�d played when I first suited up freshman year. The only hitch in Alan�s plan was the Bauer brothers were put in as tackles on defense. Bryan and Brock had their hands full with the two farm boys who had joined the team.
The first few plays went our way, and Phil ripped off a little over five yards a play. Then Phil seemed to tire, and when you got tired was when bad things happened. Johan Bauer, the older of the two, fought off a double team by Tim and Bryan and crushed Phil. His helmet was right on the football. Yuri did his job and filled the hole behind Johan, and was the recipient of Phil�s fumbled gift on our 46 yard line.
Mike did a double take when he saw number 11 lined up at linebacker. I don�t think he expected me to play defense. Wolf and Jim were in front of me, and Bryan and Brock were lined up at defensive ends. Our front six were all starters, except for me. Alan�s plan was to run-blitz to disrupt the rhythm of the triple option. He wanted to make Mike beat us with his arm.
I smiled when Ty went in motion to my side. Coach Diamond knew who his stars were, and Ty was one of them. I cheated up because it looked like they would run the jet sweep to my side. Mike would fake the handoff to the fullback, and the motion man would be at full speed when he reached the center of the backfield. Mike would toss it to him, and Ty would race to break contain on the outside. The key block was Jake at the other tailback position. His job was to double-team the defensive end and, if the tackle had him, to slide off and take on the linebacker.
The play went off just as I imagined it would except Brock was too quick for their tackle and Jake couldn�t handle him by himself. That forced Ty to have to lose ground in the backfield to get around Brock. That gave me a chance to sprint down the line. Ty, of course, saw I was a step behind him, but he had to come to me to cut upfield. Usually, Ty could outrun everyone, but he ran out of real estate and had to either cut up the field and get hammered by me or run out of bounds and lose yardage. If this had been an actual game, Ty would have fought for the yard. I was happy not have to tackle him because we both had run full out and it would have been a hard hit.
Coach Diamond decided to run the same play to the other side of the formation. While Tim wasn�t as fast as I was, he knew how to play the position. Tim slipped around Bryan and met Ty five yards deep in the backfield. On third and long, Alan cut us loose, and Mike had to hurry his pass and only got a short gain. Tim and I had him, but we just tapped his helmet to let him know he should have been sacked.
I was amused when it pissed Mike off. I think he thought he would have the advantage because he had picked all the skill players. I had lived through shaky line play and was lucky to never be seriously injured. That was why I drafted the line first. A good offensive line that opened holes would make even a mediocre back look good. Mike had just found out that even a potential All-State running back could be reduced to a mere human without a line.
Our next drive was steady pound-�em football. Alan used that big brain and rotated in fullbacks so they didn�t tire out. While the two Bauer brothers were a load on the defensive front, they hadn�t worked out with us since last season. As soon as the ref would place the ball, I had my guys rush up, and we would snap the football. After three first downs, Coach Zoon started to have his safeties cheat up to put eight men in the box. That was what Alan had wanted. It was almost child�s play as we ran the same play and I faked the handoff. Wolf had run a post right where the safety should have been.
The rest of the first quarter was much of the same. I loved the new offense. It was designed for big plays, and we had our share. I was happy to see that Mike and his team couldn�t be held down all night either. Their second score came on an option where I guessed wrong, and Ed took it to the house. Ty also had a long score. At the end of the first quarter, it was 35�21. Most games didn�t have that much scoring for a full game. I had thrown five touchdowns, and I don�t think our fans ever sat down. I hadn�t seen this much excitement since our championship game.
On the first play of the second quarter, I pulled the ball from the fullback and ran the rest of the option. It seemed the defense didn�t realize I had the football because I found myself in the second level before anyone even acknowledged me. With us up 42�21, Coach Hope had seen enough of the starters and let the freshmen play the JV.
In the second half, they had the number 1 offense play the number 2 defense, and we ran situational plays with the coaches out on the field. I appreciated that Coach Diamond let me showcase my skills with all the recruiters there. I was surprised when they pulled Tim out at center and put in Johan Bauer. Roc got to play some varsity wide receiver. It looked like a couple of guys had played their way into positions. On defense, the Bauer brothers were inserted at defensive tackles, replacing Wolf and Jim. It was good to see we had finally developed some depth so that key players didn�t have to be on the field all the time. Over the course of the season, it would cut down on injuries.
Not everything was perfect, though. We had a lot of work to do if we wanted to repeat as State Champs. Our defense had me worried. I didn�t want to have to try and outscore everyone we played. I guess that sounds dumb because that is the object of the game. What I meant was that I hoped our defense could at least slow the other team down.
◊◊◊
After the game, I was grateful when Coach Hope refused to make any of us available to the press. It was just a scrimmage, after all. While I was getting dressed, Alan asked me to join him in the coaches� conference room. When I walked in, they had our game software on the big screen, and they were talking to someone on a conference phone. I spotted Bo Harrington in the back.
�Hey, Coach, how�s Alabama treating you?� I asked.
I walked over and shook Bo�s hand, and he handed me a card with writing on the back. I looked up at him when I saw it was a phone number and address.
�That�s my direct number and private office address. I thought you might need it if you had something you needed to talk to me about that wasn�t Alabama-related. Keep that private, because we only give out the main office phone number and address to everyone else,� Bo said.
�Thanks.�
I would give it to Brandon to put with all my other recruiting contacts. Of course, technically Bo was talking to Coach Hope, and I had just bumped into him. I decided it best to ignore that he was in the room from that point forward for this meeting.
�Hey, David, it�s Coach Mason.�
�Wow, that was fast. I didn�t realize they could send you game film so quickly,� I said.
�They only sent me a couple of plays so far. I�ll go over the rest over the weekend. I wanted to see if you actually listened to me or not, so Coach Hope sent me a couple of plays. I wanted to talk to you while the game was still fresh in your mind,� Coach Mason said.
They had cued up the first offensive play we scored, the one where I had thrown the touchdown pass to Roc. Somehow Coach Mason had control of the video. This was possible because the software Alan had found us was cloud-based.
�I�ve already talked to Coach Diamond and Coach Zoon about what you need to fix as a unit from what I saw in the first few plays. Like I said to them, I�ve only seen a few plays so far,� he said to bring me up to speed. �When I saw this play, I wanted them to bring you in so I could talk to you.
�If you do what you did on this play in a real game, you�ll get yourself killed. I know you think you�re indestructible, but you need to avoid the unprotected contact. I would much rather have seen you knock the defensive end on his butt. Better yet, pitch the damned ball, or slide! You might get away with this shit in high school, but as you go up in levels, it�s plays like that that will end your career. If you don�t learn to protect yourself now, you�ll never survive to be the pro that I know you can be.�
I looked at the coaches, and they were all were amused at how Coach Mason was tearing into me. I wasn�t fazed in the least. He had gotten on me worse than that on a number of occasions.
He ran the play so I could see exactly what had happened. I cringed when I saw it on film. Coach Mason was right, I�d gotten greedy and should have pulled the ball down when Wolf was covered and ran the ball. Even if I had knocked the end on his ass, I had time to launch the ball to Roc. Ed had made the mistake of thinking he had deep help and let Roc run by him. The safety had blown his assignment. I was sure Coach Zoon and Moose would get that fixed. I watched the actual throw and was happy with my footwork and placement of the pass.
Coach Mason took fifteen minutes to educate me on the nuances of the play. I think all the coaches in the room learned something new. I felt good that he would help me, now that Bo had taken the Alabama job.
◊◊◊
When I was finally done with the coaches, I came out, and everyone was gone except for my farm boys: Roc, Johan, Milo, and Derek. They didn�t look happy, and when I looked outside it was easy to see why. The rain had settled in as expected. Mother Nature was out in full force, with winds and lightning. I was glad we had missed the weather while we played. When they saw me, they all looked at me expectantly.
�Can we get a ride?� Johan asked.
�Where�s your sister?� I asked Roc.
�Not answering her phone,� he grumbled.
I looked outside again and wished I had parked closer to the school. I would be soaked by the time I ran to the Charger. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as I weighed the benefits of making the dash or waiting for the rain to subside. I was a little worried about my house. While I was sure Angie and Greg wouldn�t let the party get out of hand, that didn�t mean my apartment wouldn�t be packed. If the cheerleaders were left alone, I might not have any t-shirts by the time I got there.
Then a brilliant idea struck me!
�Who wants to go get my car and pull it around?� I asked.
When all their hands shot up, I had second thoughts. The Charger wasn�t a pickup truck. I decided I�d better drive it and ran to the car. I hit the key fob and raced the last few feet, then piled into the front seat, soaking wet. I was contemplating what the water would do to my leather seats when the other three doors opened. The guys had decided to follow me. That was when there was a blood-curdling scream.
Johan, being the oldest, had claimed shotgun. We both looked in the back seat and discovered a very naked Janet Duke, junior cheerleader and the girl who had broken my heart in middle school, trying to cover the critical parts. The other three guys had the back doors open, and the wind and rain were soaking my back seat.
�Get in the damn car!� I ordered them.
�But there�s a naked girl in your back seat,� Milo said, to state the obvious.
�If you don�t get in the car, I�ll leave you!� I yelled at them as I watched my interior get soaked.
The Charger was a four-door, and the back seat was comfortable for three. Jan squeaked when they piled in and found herself between Roc and Derek. If I hadn�t been so pissed about the water in my car, I might have laughed. Poor Roc and Derek looked like they might spontaneously combust from embarrassment.
Johan turned to me, and then back to Jan, and back to me again to give me a head bow.
�Thank you for getting us out of homeschooling and allowing us to learn about life from the plain people.�
�The plain people
�A little help, David!� she demanded.
For the life of me, I just didn�t understand why Jan would get naked and hide in my car. Okay, I wasn�t
�You can come up and sit up front,� I offered.
I don�t think Jan realized the show she provided the poor religious boys in the back seat as she quickly wiggled out from between them and then sat beside Johan and me. If anything, she had made it worse, because now she was perched so all the guys had a better view. I was sure they�d all seen naked girls. Roc had described everyone skinny-dipping in the river as they grew up. The difference here was that, besides Pam, Jan could make a good case for being the hottest junior at Lincoln High. Jan looked at Johan.
�Give me your t-shirt!� she ordered.
Johan was such a dumbass. I would have to explain to him that if a girl willingly got naked, and all the guys could see, he shouldn�t end the show.
I started the car.
�Seatbelts,� I reminded the guys. �Jan, sit in Johan�s lap.�
�Shouldn�t she trade off?� Milo asked tentatively.
I just looked at him in the rearview mirror. All I needed was to get Jan started. After what I had heard the Callahan twins had done with her, it wouldn�t be a surprise if she would decide to go too far. I absolutely did not need to get their community pissed at me. It was bad enough I had talked Roc and Zoe into going to public school. That was also why I would take them home instead of to my house for a party.
The ride to the farms was quiet. Only Roc knew me at all, and it had been three or four years since we played Little League together. What they didn�t realize was I was pissed and had pulled a Dawson and gone quiet. Jan had always seemed to do the wrong thing with me. In middle school, she had used me as a pawn to win Justin back. Over the summer, Jan had brought drugs into our group. I suspected that her friend and fellow cheerleader, Ella Keen, had been high when she drowned and had pulled my best friend down with her. This last stunt had me livid.
When we finally dropped off the Bauer brothers, I made her give Johan his shirt back.
�But I�ll be naked,� Jan complained.
�Believe me when I tell you it�ll be much better for everyone if Johan walks in the front door with his shirt on. I don�t need to explain to his parents what he and his little brother saw tonight.�
Jan gave it back to him and then she shivered as we pulled out onto the country road.
�Where are your clothes?� I asked.
�Mona has them.�
The plot thickened. Why was I not surprised that Mona had Jan�s clothes? It had stopped raining, so I pulled over and popped the trunk. I had a blanket in the back for Duke when he got dirty and I didn�t want my seats messed up. I was sure it smelled like dog, but Jan was grateful to cover up and get warm.
�This didn�t go exactly how I planned,� Jan admitted. �Honestly, I couldn�t have thought of a worse outcome.�
�I could have given Coach Hope a ride home,� I suggested.
She rolled her eyes at me.
�He�s kind of cute for an old guy,� she shot back.
�The day after graduation I�ll put in a good word for you.�
Jan snorted at that one.
�I�m sorry,� she offered.
I thought about it and remembered one of my goals in life: to live a life without regrets. I had the power to choose to be pissed about this or could let it go and go with the flow. I was sure every teenage boy would want to find a naked cheerleader in his backseat.
�So, what grand plan had you and Mona cooked up?� I asked.
Jan looked out the passenger window as we wound our way through the park.
�We thought it�d be funny, but if I�m being honest, I wanted to get your attention. Mona told me that the two of you aren�t dating anymore. I wanted to let you know I�d be interested in going out with you,� she said, then turned to look me in the eyes.
I slowed down because Jan needed my attention. I pulled into a little cul-de-sac where they had some picnic tables. The furthest thing from my mind was having sex with Jan. There was just too much bad blood for me to go there, but that didn�t mean I couldn�t be a decent human being. I saw her stiffen because she assumed I�d stopped for another reason. I simply didn�t want to be distracted on a dark country road while the pavement was wet. Even without drinking, that was a recipe for disaster.
�What was the best-case scenario you had hoped for?� I asked.
�That you fell in love with me and we had three kids and you treated me like a princess and �� I stopped her by laughing and holding up my hands.
Jan smirked at me to let me know she had just pulled my leg.
�Okay, dial it back a little bit and try again,� I suggested.
She bit her lower lip and then looked me square in the eyes.
�I�d like to be closer to you. I realize you have every reason to not want to be my friend, but I�d like a second chance. You do know that in middle school I picked you to go out with because I liked you, right?� she asked.
I hadn�t ever considered that, and I guess Jan saw it in my face. She reached across the console and grabbed my hand.
�Wow, I really was a bitch, wasn�t I?� she asked, but never gave me a chance to answer. �You were the one thing I regretted the most after Justin took my virginity and then bragged about it. I�ve had a few years to look back and, if I had a do-over, I would never have gone out with him again. As I get older, I see how stupidly I acted.�
�I took it kind of hard,� I admitted.
�I heard, and I�m sorry.�
I really didn�t want to talk about one of the most painful memories of my life. I did have one deal-breaker that Jan and I needed to discuss: drugs.
�We have one serious obstacle to get over.�
�I know. Me getting high,� she said, showing me that women know everything we think.
�I was just trying to fit in,� Jan continued. �After what happened with Ella, I�ve thought hard about it and would be willing to quit. I also understand the broader implications and responsibilities you carry around. Tami had a long talk with me and pointed out some things that should have been obvious to me.�
I had a momentary twinge when I heard Tami�s name. It seemed there was no way I would ever get away from her. At least Tami had the common sense to point out to Jan why I couldn�t be around anyone who did drugs. I represented too many people to be associated with that lifestyle. I had gotten high before and enjoyed it. I understood the attraction of smoking some pot and kicking back and forgetting about � everything. It was something I had made a choice to no longer have in my life. Uncle John had confessed that he had done drugs when he was my age and even in college, but had eventually grown out of it. His explanation was simple: if I wanted to be treated like an adult, first I would have to act like one.
With my movie deal and modeling, I had an All American Boy image. When I talked to the press, I went into an �aw shucks� routine to highlight my values. I was becoming a role model, and while I sometimes showed my rowdy side, I never crossed certain lines. I didn�t want to become the punch line of some joke. While most guys would never have to worry about that, I would. Heck, if I committed to a big-time university to play football, they would want their quarterback to be a poster boy who got fans into the seats.
Jan and I opened up with each other after that and had a long talk. If I hadn�t needed to get up in the morning and go on my first recruiting trip, we might have talked all night.
On the drive home, Jan admitted the party was at Tracy�s. They had everyone tell me that it was at my house as payback for letting Precious in the house. I guess the cat got scared and disappeared for the day. After school, Brit had gone to my house, and the troublesome feline had decided she wanted to go home. When we pulled up to Tracy�s, Jan used my phone to text Mona. Mona came out and smiled when she saw we were getting on. Who knew, maybe Jan and I would end up as friends.
◊◊◊
Chapter 7 � How Did Things Get So Bad? Saturday September 5
Today marked the first day in which the guys and I started to get serious about the recruiting process. Our first step was to go to the Stanford�Northwestern game. We were interested in both schools for similar reasons. Academics were high on my list, and both had a lot to offer in that regard. I also felt that I wanted to play in one of the power conferences because it would put me in a position to play for a National Championship. Last year the ACC, Big 10, Pac-12 and SEC were all represented. I predicted a similar mix would make up the list of four teams this year, with an outside chance that Notre Dame might finally become relevant in the National Championship discussion again.
We had debated whether or not to skip another trip to the Northwestern campus, but when we looked at the schedule, they were the only team within driving distance that was playing an opponent we wanted to see. Stanford was ranked number 21, and Northwestern had a good team.
We all planned to meet at the high school and then caravan to Evanston. Brandon, my new PA, had organized everything. He had coordinated with the guys and worked with Northwestern to get us tickets and hotel rooms. By NCAA rules, a school could give a student-athlete on an official visit three tickets to a game, plus airfare, food, and lodging. On an unofficial visit, you could only receive three game tickets. I reserved my extra two tickets for Brandon and Alan. Jim planned to take his mom and dad, and they had purchased an extra ticket so his sister Suzanne could go. She had hooked me up with her roommate last year. I didn�t plan on a repeat performance, because I had forgotten most of the night after I�d done beer bongs and Goldschl�ger shots. I wanted to at least remember what happened this trip.
Alan had been very persuasive when he suggested that we go to Granny�s for breakfast before we met up with everyone. He could talk me into anything I really wanted to do. I hadn�t had a cinnamon roll in ages and needed my fix. When we arrived at the restaurant, I was surprised to find Tami waiting for us. Alan wouldn�t look at me, so I knew he was responsible for this. Tami just cocked her head and dared me to object. I simply smiled and walked past her to Granny, who had spied me as I came in.
�David! Welcome! Come meet some of your fans. Your game last night has been a hot topic of conversation,� Granny said, and she guided me through the restaurant.
I spent the next ten minutes going from table to table with Granny, meeting her customers. Most of them I knew because we were a small town. The benefit of the meet-and-greet was it gave me time to come to grips with Tami going with us. She and Alan were two of my best friends, after all. I really would like to go to college with them, even if she and I were not together. When I finally joined Alan and Tami at the table, there was already a plate of hot, just-out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls there. I focused on putting some butter on mine so it could melt before I ate it.
�Alan tells me you had a good game last night,� Tami said.
I had my mouth full, so Alan talked for me.
�He was showing off last night because there was a bunch of recruiters in the stands.�
I swallowed.
�No, I did it for you, so you could claim to be an undefeated head coach.�
Tami watched as Alan and I traded jabs at each other as we ate our breakfast. I noticed she had my promise ring on a silver necklace. She winked at me when she caught me looking at it to let me know she�d seen me check it out. To say I was uncomfortable with Tami going with us to Northwestern was putting it mildly. It had only been a couple of weeks since Tami had told me she wanted to date other guys. I would have to have a long talk with Alan about him inviting her without talking to me first. It could�ve been she had invited herself, but a heads-up would have been appreciated.
We finished our breakfast and drove to the high school. Tami had called shotgun, and when we came to a stop, Alan jumped out of the car. Tami reached over and touched my arm to stop me from getting out. It was as if she and Alan had planned this.
�Hang on. I think we need to talk,� she said.
�Why are you here?� I asked.
�Are we not still friends? I thought our plan was to go to college together,� Tami said reasonably.
We had planned to go to college together, but that was before. While I had no objection to Tami attending whatever university she wanted, I no longer felt she had a say-so in where I went. In my mind, I had removed her from the equation. We both needed to move on with our lives, even if seeing her reminded me that I still loved her, which in turn took a lot of the joy out of the trip.
�Okay.�
Apparently, I pissed off Tami with my one-word answer.
�Why do you have to be like this? We�ve been best friends since I moved here over ten years ago. I still have plans for us when we grow up and decide to move to that phase of our lives. You made it clear that you care for me when you gave me this ring. At some point, I plan on collecting on the promise it represents.�
�A phone call or a text would have been nice. This is almost sneaky,� I said as Alan and Brandon got in the back seat.
�Out, both of you,� I said to Brandon and Alan. When they stepped out of the car, I turned to Tami. �So, what�s the deal?�
�I figured if I asked, you�d say �no.� It�s always been easier to ask for forgiveness than permission with you. Frankly, I didn�t think I�d need permission to go look at colleges.�
This opened up a whole new set of issues, but everyone was waiting for us. As time dragged on, Tami got a nervous look as if I might actually kick her out of the car. It was tempting to make her ride with someone else, but I knew word would get back to my mom. I would rather suck it up and deal with this than fight any more with my mom.
�I understand why you�re here. What has always been my problem is when I feel like I�ve been manipulated. I�m sure you talked Alan into helping you. It�s the same old crap. You�re always doing an end-run on me,� I said, glaring at her. �Since when have you been afraid to ask me anything? For that matter, if you thought I�d say �no,� why�d you force it?�
�I�m afraid to ask you because this is how you react,� she said.
�In the future can you just talk to me? Our friends don�t need to be in the middle.�
�I agree, and I�m sorry.�
I rolled down the window and told the guys to get into the car.
�Nice,� Brandon said when got in and saw the backseat of the car.
�Check this out,� Alan said as he flipped down the tray in the seat back and showed Brandon that there was a tablet built in for each of them to use.
The guys in the back geeked-out over all the features Range Sports had added to my Charger. Alan pointed out the Wi-Fi and showed Brandon how to use the car to answer his phone or make calls. I focused on not talking to Tami. She let me think about what she�d said as we drove to Evanston.
When we were about halfway, Brandon gave us our itinerary for the weekend.
�I�ve arranged for you to meet with both the Stanford and Northwestern coaching staffs before the game. We�ll do the tour of the Northwestern facilities first. Then, while the tour of the campus is happening for everyone else, you and Jim will meet with Stanford. They�d like to work you out so they can see the two of you in person.�
�Why just the two of them? Why not Tim, Ty, and Wolf also?� Alan asked.
�They want to give the other guys a year to develop. The quarterback position is critical, and they need to see if David is everything they think he is. Jim�s a senior, and they have a high interest in him after what he did at the summer lineman camps.
�This is also not a home game for them, and they don�t want to be poor guests. We arranged to have the workout done off-campus,� Brandon said.
�Will Tami and Alan get a chance to talk to academic advisors?� I asked.
�Yes, that�s been arranged. The advisors will also help them with their applications. Both Alan and Tami have the grades to get in without a problem. I hadn�t realized you all did so well, grades-wise. When do you plan to take the standardized tests?� Brandon asked, referring to the ACT and SAT college entrance exams.
�In the spring,� Tami said as she joined the conversation. �Have you looked into tutors for the exams?�
�Uh �� Brandon stammered.
�I think that was directed at me,� I said to let him off the hook. �I believe in working with others to make me better, whether it�s academics or athletics. I hadn�t gotten a chance to talk to you about that. I think we can set something up for my friends at Lincoln and Wesleyan, so everyone has a good chance to go where they want to. I might need help because I�ll be in LA at the end of the year for my new movie and the release of
�That makes sense,� Brandon said as he took notes on his phone.
�What about the game and the rest of the day?� Alan asked.
�I got twenty tickets. We had to pay for Tami, Jim�s sister, and Ty�s two brothers. I went ahead and paid for those. We can bill them for what they owe us,� Brandon said.
�I�ve got Tami. Plan on covering all her expenses when she travels with us,� I said.
�What about me?� Alan asked.
�Send his parents a bill,� I teased, winking at Brandon in the rearview mirror.
He took notes and Alan looked worried. I just let him think I wasn�t paying for him. Alan looked at Tami, and she gave it away.
��Stupid boy,�� Alan mumbled.
�What did you say?� I asked.
�Nothing,� he shot back.
�After the game, there�ll be something for the players only. Everyone else is free until the next morning. There�ll be a breakfast, and then you�ll work out. It�s my understanding that two other quarterbacks will be here this weekend, Felix Johnson from Miami, Florida, and Ben Luck from Springfield, Missouri,� Brandon said.
�Flee! I hope he brought Candy,� Tami said.
Flee had been at my camps at Ohio State and Alabama. He had also made it to the Elite 11 competition. His size was an issue for many of the programs he wanted to play football for. I was glad Flee had picked Northwestern as a possible destination. He would be a good fit for their style of play. I also knew Ben. He had been one of the quarterbacks in my group at the camp in Houston. While Ben had been one of the better quarterbacks, I felt Flee was the better player. It would be interesting to see what they both did in their workouts for Northwestern.
�Offers will be made after the workouts,� Brandon said. �Of course, you already have one from them, from when you came to a game last year.�
As I drove, Tami and Alan talked poor Brandon�s ear off. I�d picked up on Brandon saying that Tami and Alan wouldn�t go to the after-game festivities. I had been worried about Tami, and me potentially having to watch as a college guy picked her up. I was nowhere near ready to experience that. It was one thing to theoretically talk about Tami wanting to date other guys; it was quite another to watch it.
◊◊◊
We stopped at the hotel first to get everyone checked in. I was surprised that Tami was rooming with me. Alan and Brandon had a room. When we unpacked, I questioned Tami about it because there was only a king-size bed.
�What�s going on?� I asked.
�If you hadn�t noticed, this is a big game for Northwestern, and there wasn�t another room available. I had to choose between rooming with you or with Brandon. While he�s cute, I prefer your company,� she explained.
Tami could tell I wasn�t ready for this and came over to me and gave me a hug.
�I�m sorry,� she began. �I know this is hard on you, but you need to get past it. At some point, you might even see me with a guy.�
�Why are you really here?� I asked.
Tami could have visited Northwestern any weekend she wanted to. She had a car, after all. It wasn�t as if she had to come with me.
�How are you doing, knowing you have another brother?�
I guess my mom had talked to her because I hadn�t revealed that tidbit of information to anyone outside the family. As far as anyone knew, including Phil, he was my uncle. I hadn�t heard from my parents since they�d gone to Las Vegas to talk through their issues. When Mom found out about Phil, she was madder than I had ever seen her.
I�d been shocked to discover my dad had strayed from his wedding vows. He was the one Dawson I thought would always be faithful to his spouse. I figured it was just a matter of time before Greg and Uncle John slipped. I was somewhat surprised Greg hadn�t already. I thought his chances of staying faithful were going up because of Kyle, Mac, and Nate. Combine that with Angie being a total babe, even as a MILF. I worried about my brother still, because he�d been used to a variety of women while in high school. Greg also seemed very interested in hearing about my exploits.
I always felt I was more like my dad. I wanted a woman to love, and it would be just the two of us. When I found out he had a son out of wedlock, I didn�t really know what to think. For the first time in my life, I felt disappointed in him. Not necessarily for cheating on Mom, but more for how the whole situation had been handled. I could never have a son and not be part of his life, and I�d thought my dad was the same way. I never doubted he loved Greg and me. How could he turn his back on Phil all these years? I was also disappointed in my grandpa for helping cover it up.
�Did you talk to my mom?� I asked.
�Yes. Don�t worry about her. She�s working through it and still loves your dad. She also recognizes she mistreated you and is sorry.�
I realized I was still angry with my mother. She�d forced me to stay home from the party where Mona had ended up in bed with Mike. Everything considered, I was better off knowing what a complete ass Mike was, and that Mona would do what she did. But I still had a hard time with how Mom had handled it. Something I�d thought I could count on was complete honesty with my parents. Any and all topics were fair game. We had very frank discussions within our household, but my new half brother, and everything he entailed, was an entirely new ballgame.
I felt that a level of trust had been broken. It made me sad to think my mom would keep Dad�s affair from me. I somewhat accepted her irrational behavior. This was the �mother-of-all-reasons:� if she�d just told me why, instead of playing �because I told you so,� I could�ve accepted it. Finding out the real reason later had changed my relationship with my parents. Trust was a big deal for me. I hadn�t had the best luck with relationships; it was the one facet of my life I couldn�t seem to get right. I had only now realized that I felt the same way about my relationship with my mom as I did about my relationship with Tami. While I loved them both, our relationships had fundamentally changed.
I thought about that last statement. I recognized that my dad�s infidelity was a big deal and understood my mom not wanting to talk about it. They needed to work that out themselves. My problem was that I felt Mom took it out on me. It was as if she fell into frustrated-parent mode. Mom had found it easier to boss me around than talk to me. Mom and Dad had never been those parents that would tell you to do something just because they said so. We had in-depth conversations, not platitudes or superficial one-liners.
This led me back to the conversation I was having with Tami. In the past, I would have shared with her everything I was going through with my parents, but she was just a friend now. I wouldn�t tell anyone else about my father�s infidelity. It wasn�t my place to share that kind of information. So I wasn�t going to talk to Tami about it. If my mom wanted to tell her, fine.
�I guess it would�ve been nice if she�d told
I could see Tami debate whether she should tell me or not. I turned my back on her and finished unpacking.
�How did things get so bad?� Tami asked.
Was she serious?
�It started when you decided to change our relationship.�
I shook my head and walked out the door, leaving her to her thoughts, and took the elevator down to the lobby to wait for everyone.
◊◊◊
Candy was waiting in the lobby, and she was alone. Most of the rest of our group was already downstairs. A bus had been arranged to drive all the recruits and their families over to the stadium. There were others that I assumed were also there to catch the bus. I snuck up behind Candy, wrapped her in my arms and kissed her neck. She twisted around and kissed me, and it was more than hello.
�What the hell, Dawson?� Flee said as he and his mom walked up.
I reached for him and hugged him also. He had to fight me off when I tried to kiss him. When I was done, Mrs. Johnson, Flee�s mom, held out her arms.
�Do I get one too?� she asked, which caused me to blush.
She didn�t give me a choice and gave me a big hug. Thankfully, she just kissed my cheek.
�I want you to meet my teammates,� I said, grabbing Candy�s hand. Flee just rolled his eyes as I dragged her across the lobby.
I�d had several conversations with other quarterbacks about Flee�s girlfriend. Everyone agreed he was outclassed. The jokes about her being a stripper weren�t just because of her name. Her body reminded me of what Pamela Anderson would have looked like as a teenager. The only difference was I was pretty sure Candy�s breasts were real. So why was she with Flee? Their best guess was that he must be packing a monster in his trousers. I had roomed with him and knew that wasn�t really the case. I happened to think they loved each other.
When I walked up with Candy in tow, everyone turned to stare at us.
�He�s been here thirty minutes and already found the best-looking girl in Evanston,� Wolf said.
�Hey, Candy,� I heard, and turned to see Ben Luck and his family walk up.
She hugged him also, but he didn�t get a kiss, I was happy to see.
�If I�d known you were going to be here, I would have skipped,� Ben said to me.
�I agree,� Flee joined in.
�I want you guys to meet my teammates,� I said, and then turned to my guys. �This is Candy, who for some reason loves this scrawny Elite 11 quarterback, Flee Johnson. Someday she�ll come to her senses and leave him for me, but for now, I suffer. This is Ben Luck, another quarterback I met at a camp this summer. I�d like you to meet Jim Ball, my left tackle, and currently rated one of the five best linemen in the Midwest. Ty Wilson just transferred to Lincoln and is the best running back you haven�t heard of yet. This is Tim Foresee, our defensive captain and a heck of a linebacker. Finally, this is Wolf Tams. He�ll be playing on Sundays as a tight end.�
The guys all puffed up when I introduced them, and their parents smiled as well. I then introduced everyone else.
�Aren�t you going to introduce yourself?� Flee asked, and then did it for me. �This is David Dawson, the number-1-rated player in all of the junior class, according to all the scouting services. He was also the Co-MVP at Elite 11, and if you ask me, he was robbed. If he�d been an incoming senior, David would have been the MVP hands down. He�s also about to get his butt kicked if he doesn�t stop hitting on my girlfriend.�
I hadn�t heard about the ratings. I knew they had me as the number 1 quarterback, but usually there was some freak who played defensive end or linebacker who slipped into number 1 overall. Quarterbacks rarely were in the top five.
�Don�t even try. David is our designated fighter,� Jim said.
�I had to learn for my movie,� I said as I waggled my eyebrows at Candy.
At some point I would have to slip in that I was a model to remind her of everything she was missing. Of course, she�d seen my routine before and wasn�t falling for any of it. Flee was used to her getting hit on. That was just something that came with dating someone like her. The bus pulled up, and Tami grabbed my arm.
�Come on, Romeo, before she thinks you�re serious,� Tami said.
◊◊◊
I was impressed when the bus stopped and Coach Patrick, Northwestern�s Head Coach, greeted us each by name as we got off. He took us to a meeting room where, besides the guys I had met, there were probably fifteen other recruits and their families. That meant that there were over seventy people in the room. Coach Patrick took the podium to greet us.
�First of all, thank you all for your interest in Northwestern football. If you weren�t sure, I want you all to know that we had over a hundred and fifty requests from athletes around the country who wanted to attend today�s game. You were selected for this weekend because we think you all would be a great fit both academically and athletically here at Northwestern. We would like you to use this opportunity to find out what makes Northwestern unique, and hopefully, by the end of this weekend we can find common ground and commit to one another. Nothing would make me happier than if all of you eventually played for the Cats.
�Before we get to the football part of the discussion, I wanted to point out a few academic achievements we�re proud of here at Northwestern. The NCAA has mandated that member universities take graduation seriously. To that end, we have to submit our graduation numbers, and a report is produced each November. Our preliminary figures show that 97 percent of athletes graduated at Northwestern.
�That�s not all. The National Collegiate Scouting Association, or NCSA, helps student-athletes and their families navigate the cutthroat, competitive, and often confusing world of college recruiting. One of the tools they provide is a Power Ranking, which uses metrics like graduation rate, U.S. News & World Report ranking, and other criteria to show where you can get the best education. Northwestern ranked number 7 last year,� Coach Patrick shared.
Brandon leaned over and pointed to his tablet. Stanford and Notre Dame were ranked one and two.
�Northwestern is on the rise as far as football goes. After we beat Stanford today, who many predict to win the Pac-12, we should jump into the top twenty-five in the polls. If we play like we know we�re capable of, we should challenge for a slot in the Big 10 Championship game. If we win that, we have a shot at making the final four and playing for a shot at the National Championship.�
I was sure that a hundred teams were thinking the same way today. Everyone�s record was 0�0, and you controlled your own destiny. I loved this time of year. Anything seemed possible. Heck, Northwestern
I half-listened to the sales job. I had to chuckle when we were told about the traditions at Northwestern and then their mascot Willie the Wildcat came in. I�m sure Ty�s little brothers thought he was cool. He reminded me of the coyote in the old Road Runner cartoons. Even though they had similar names, the Northwestern Wildcat had been introduced in 1930, so he was the original.
After Coach Patrick finished his talk, we were broken up into groups of four or five and given a chaperone for each group. Ben, Flee, and I were grouped together because we were quarterbacks. Our chaperone was Gus Lawrence, a sophomore quarterback. We were given a quick tour of the facilities, and I was surprised when he told us the next stop on the agenda.
�Next we meet with the press,� Gus announced.
�Why?� I asked.
�It�s all part of recruiting now. The Big 10 even announces which recruits are on each of the campuses each week. They will want to post your pictures and get brief comments about your visit. The fan-based recruiting websites also want information,� Gus explained.
�Welcome to big-time football,� Brandon told me.
We were paraded out in front of a wall with the Northwestern logo and had our pictures taken, both individually and as a group. We then split up, and each sat down with a reporter. I smiled when I saw mine was Margaret Chin. She was a sideline reporter for ESPN, who was carrying the game today. The other guys were sitting down with print reporters. I hadn�t prepared any talking points for a filmed interview. Also, Brandon wasn�t up to speed on that aspect of his job. While I knew it wasn�t live, and they would edit what I said into a short sound bite, I didn�t want to come across as a bumbling idiot, either.
ESPN had set up an interview area complete with three cameras, lighting, and sound. One camera was positioned to get the establishment shot; that was where you would see us both facing each other as we talked. The other cameras were focused on each of us individually. They wired me for sound, and I sat down across from Margaret. She was on her tablet and completely ignored me until someone announced they were ready. The lights came on, and she looked up and smiled at the camera facing her.
�I�m with David Dawson, the number 1 recruit in the junior class and Elite 11 Co-MVP. How does it feel to be number 1?�
�I think it reflects more on the team I have around me because they�re the ones that make me shine.�
�I�m sure they do,� she interrupted me. �But your team wasn�t there when you were named Co-MVP at Elite 11.�
�It was my team that helped me prepare. They took time out of their summer to help me learn plays and get ready. My teammates were with me on that field in all the preparation they helped me put in. I couldn�t have done it without them.�
�David, you committed to State your freshman year and then withdrew the commitment. Now I see they aren�t even mentioned in the list of teams you�re showing interest in. What happened?�
I�d committed to State to save Luke Herndon�s scholarship. At the time, I hadn�t thought through the consequences of my actions. Something my uncle had taught me was to be a man of my word. I needed to stand up and deliver on my commitments, even if it wasn�t in my best interest. In retrospect, I should never have allowed State�s coach to blackmail me into it. When I finally decided on a school, I intended to keep my word. What let me off the hook was that the commitment was made to the head coach who�d been fired.
Then I stopped to think about the question. What was I missing here? It was rather aggressive. Usually, the initial questions were cream puffs. I would need to be careful.
�I grew up watching State play, and several of my teammates were offered scholarships and accepted. Unfortunately, they had a coaching change, which caused me to reevaluate and open my recruiting back up. As far as the websites go, I wouldn�t put too much stock in that right now. I�ve just started the process, so I�m open to nearly everyone,� I said.
�Is that why you had Kentucky as your favorite? But you recently downgraded them to be equal with everyone else. Did something happen with your recruiting?�
I had promised Coach Styles that Kentucky would be my High-Interest school until the start of my junior year, and then would become Medium Interest like everyone else.
�No, Kentucky is still in the mix. I attended a camp there and really liked what they�re doing. They were the first to offer me a scholarship. That means a lot to me.�
�You have garnered several early offers. The list is a virtual who�s who in college football. Besides Kentucky, you�ve received offers from Northwestern, Ohio State, Alabama, and Oregon. Did any of them stand out?� Margaret asked.
�They all did, and when the time comes, it will be hard to pick from that group and several more I plan to visit and evaluate.�
�When can we expect a decision?� she asked.
�The earliest would be the fall signing period of my senior year. I wouldn�t be surprised if I waited until the spring of next year. This will be an important decision for me, and I need to take my time and make the right choice.�
�Okay, I think we got it,� she said to end the interview. Then she smiled at me. �Could we do one more? I want to do a filler piece about your other activities.�
�I assume you want to talk about modeling and acting,� I said.
�Yes. Do you mind?� Margaret asked.
Most reporters would have just ambushed me. I appreciated that Margaret had given me a heads-up about the topic of conversation. I quickly ran through what I should say to plug everyone I was beholden to.
�I�m with David Dawson, currently the number 1 recruit in the junior class, and wanted to ask him about something other than football. This winter you have a movie being released,
�By chance, actually. I�d been asked to escort a girl who was a friend of my best friend to her cousin�s engagement party. It turned out to be a big deal, and we were interviewed on one of those gossip shows. Sandy Range, of Range Sports, saw me and requested I be the face of their new Youth line of clothing. From that interview, Ford Models signed me to a contract, and I became the face of Range Sports. Since then I have modeled for several other clothing companies, including Jade and Dakora.
�My role on
�I hear that you�ve already been signed for your next movie based on what you did in
�I worked with Halle James on
�Are you and Halle dating?�
I smiled.
�No. I�m currently single. I�ve been holding out for Hannah Minacci. She promised me a prom date, but she seems to have backed out at the last minute due to scheduling issues.�
�Have you even met her?� Margaret asked with a lot of doubt in her voice.
�I did a PSA with Hannah and Adrienne for a group of nonprofits concerning unwed mothers.�
�You also know Adrienne?�
�Yes, she is a friend, mentor, and also one of my agents. She has semi-retired from modeling and started her own agency, AT Modeling. I met her at a Ford event in Chicago.�
�Has all this changed how people treat you?�
�Not really. I live in a great town where everyone has known me since I was little. I�m lucky they treat me like everyone else.�
�Thanks, David. I think we have enough for a short filler piece for during the game. When you start to narrow down your college choices, give me a call. I�d like to follow what you do, and hopefully you�ll let me report it,� she said, and then hurried off.
◊◊◊
The game would be starting soon, so we all exited the stadium to enjoy the pregame festivities. We stopped at one of the tents set up for alumni and recruits and got some brats. Kickoff was at 12:00, so there weren�t a lot of people at the tent to talk to. I found the rest of the guys and went to talk to Jim.
�So, what do you think so far?� I asked.
�It�s okay,� Jim said.
I could tell he wasn�t excited. There were a lot of people around, so I decided not to press the issue to see what was wrong. I felt someone tap my shoulder and turned around to find Suzanne standing there. I�d learned my lesson from last year and didn�t put her in a lip-lock. I did hug her, though. She took my hand and pulled me out of the tent so we could talk.
�I see Tami�s here. What�s going on with that?�
�I was as surprised as you are. She showed up this morning. Alan must have made arrangements because they had a game ticket for her.�
�Are you guys okay?� she asked.
�Sure.�
Suzanne hugged me because she knew I wasn�t okay with it.
�You planning on visiting me this weekend?� she asked.
�Are you dating anyone?�
�Maybe,� she said with a smile.
�Then no! I also don�t plan on letting your friends get me drunk and take advantage of me, either.�
�Please! Word�s out that you�re on campus. I have orders to bring you over tonight,� she said with a big smile.
I missed hanging out with her. We caught up, and Suzanne told me she had met a guy at a party when she got back onto campus. She was also excited about her classes. She�d gotten most of her prerequisite courses out of the way and was starting to take her business classes. Northwestern had an excellent management program, which was one of the reasons I�d picked them as a possible college destination.
Gus came out and found us, and we all went back into the stadium to watch the marching band perform their pregame show. Looking around the stadium, it seemed it had to be the smallest in the Big 10. It held about forty-five thousand and was maybe half full. The Northwestern marching band was purported to be the �Finest Band in the Land.�
After the band played, the teams came out and began to warm up. It was a perfect day for football. I was glad to see the stands start to fill up. By game time, I would guess the stadium was almost 90 percent full. I would�ve thought that an opponent like Stanford would have been better attended.
I figured Stanford had a decided edge because Northwestern was starting a redshirt freshman at quarterback. He�d be making his first start, and it wasn�t against the standard cupcake that most Big 10 schools faced in the opener. The kid had been a four-star recruit, though, and had all the tools to be a good quarterback once he got settled in.
Stanford had their own issues. First, the game was effectively a nine a.m. kickoff for them. They also might look past Northwestern in the opener like they had Washington a couple of years ago. I felt, though, that Stanford�s front seven on defense was superior to Northwestern�s offensive line and should take care of business today.
I had been expecting a high-scoring game, but instead, a defensive battle broke out. I was surprised that Northwestern�s defense was able to contain Stanford�s potent offense. If that continued, Northwestern had a chance. After the first quarter, each team had managed a field goal. By halftime, it was 10�3 in favor of Northwestern. Their new quarterback broke contain and ran for a 42-yard score to put the Cats up.
I expected Stanford to regroup at halftime, but neither team seemed to be able to do anything in the third quarter. The difference in the game turned out to be Stanford turning the football over two times, and Northwestern�s defense playing much better than I expected. The final score was 16�6.
◊◊◊
Chapter 8 � I Just Realized Something Saturday September 5
After the game, Jim, his dad, Brandon, and I split off from the group to go to Evanston High and meet the Stanford coaches. We returned to the hotel so I could change into my shorts and get my cleats. On our trip to the workout, Brandon gave us background information to prepare us to meet Coach Jackson and his staff.
�Their head coach is young at 43. This is his fifth season at the helm, and he had been their Offensive Coordinator before that. Previously he coached in the NFL for several years. In his first four seasons at Stanford, he has a record of 42�12, and they�ve been invited to four straight bowl games. They were invited to the Rose Bowl twice, and have finished first in the Pac-12 North division three times and second once.�
�Sounds like they�ve established themselves as one of the top-tier teams in the Pac-12,� Jim�s dad commented.
�They�re also the best-of-the-best academically, outside of the Ivy League. An argument could be made that they are the best. They�re also very challenging to get into. Less than six percent of applicants are accepted. Football would be a ticket to a world-class education,� Brandon said.
�What are your thoughts about them being a destination for Jim and me?� I asked.
�The negative is that it might be a stretch for Jim academically. Plus you�d move halfway across the country, and it would be hard for your family and fans to come see you play,� Brandon said. �The positives would be their great combination as far as academics and athletics. The weather�s also much better. Culturally, it�s a much more diverse campus than you�re used to at Lincoln High. There�s a more cosmopolitan student body; I mean, everybody there is smart. Their offense is more of a pro style. A recent graduate is Andrew Luck, and last year they had an offensive tackle taken in the first round of the NFL draft, and a total of four drafted.�
When we arrived at Evanston High, their head football coach met us. He told us that Stanford�s group was running late. He talked to Jim�s dad as Jim and I stretched and then did some running to get ready. We�d worked up a good sweat by the time the Stanford contingent arrived, twenty minutes late. If you�re from the Midwest, you�re always on time, if not early. Coach Jackson walked over to thank the high school coach for letting us use their practice field. While he was doing that, his staff met Jim and me.
We split apart because they would want to see the two of us do different workouts. I met their offensive coordinator, Coach Bloomberg, and their coach in charge of quarterbacks and wide receivers, Coach Pichette. I also met two of the young receivers who had made the trip, John Glass and Terrance Carson. Before we could do anything, they had two guys in charge of taking video of the session that needed to set up their gear. Jim and I were hustled into the high school where we were measured and weighed. They did that because the information put out to the public was rarely correct. I knew for a fact that Flee was nowhere near five-eleven, which was down from six feet claimed earlier this summer.
I drew the line at running the 40 for them. I had proven my time at every camp I�d gone to over the summer. I was willing to throw for them and told them so.
�Hey, David. We like to get our own measurements and times. How about you run the forty for us?� Coach Jackson asked.
�Wait a minute. I ran the forty at Elite 11 in front of all their coaches, the other players, Nike and ESPN. If you go watch the episode on your DVR, you can get my time.�
I usually was pretty laid back, but I wanted to get on with it. Between Stanford showing up late, Tami inviting herself on the trip, and my parents� situation, I was not a happy camper. The not showing up on time bit was a power play. I�d made the effort and met my commitment.
�Are you normally this confrontational?� asked Coach Jackson.
I just gave him the Dawson stare and decided: screw it!
�Are you always late?� I shot back.
�I had some matters I needed to deal with,� Coach Jackson started.
�And those matters were more important than making a good impression on a recruit who was courteous enough to keep his commitment, on a weekend he was visiting ANOTHER school. I understand that
Inside my head, I was screaming at myself to shut up. This was where my mom came through, and I sometimes said too much. That was why I was better with the Dawson stare and keeping my mouth shut. It was also why I warned people that if I went quiet, they should give me some time to get my temper under control so I wouldn�t react as I just did. Brandon did the smart thing and ran up, grabbed me around the waist, and pulled me away from Coach Jackson. I was told later it looked like the two of us were about to come to blows.
Brandon sent me to go calm down while he tried to smooth everything over. He found me ten minutes later running on the track. I noticed Coach Pichette had come to watch me run.
�You ready to throw for them?� Brandon asked.
I just nodded and jogged to where everyone waited. Coach Pichette smiled at me, and I kept my stone face but winked at him to let him know I was okay. Every opponent that had ever pissed me off had found that it was a mistake. I found the zone where I simply blocked everything else out and played at my best. What Stanford saw that afternoon was a textbook session on how to throw the football. From the first throw, I could tell I was on. My footwork had me gliding and in position for each throw. I showed them everything I had over the next hour.
Halfway through, several more players showed up, and we ran seven-on-seven drills. Everyone had warned me that college ball was much faster, and you had to be decisive because the window for a play was much smaller. It didn�t matter. I had a chip on my shoulder, and no one was going to beat me.
Coaches Pichette and Bloomberg dropped right into coaching mode and helped me. I might have been pissed, but I have always prided myself on being coachable. That didn�t mean that I didn�t challenge them on a few things. Some of the best had coached me. Those included both Bo Harrington and Bud Mason. I didn�t pull a prima donna and think I knew what was best. My questioning did make them aware that I knew what I was doing. I wasn�t an expert yet, but I did have a thirst for knowledge of the game, and if I�d been told to do it another way, I wanted to understand why Stanford did it differently.
The whole time Coach Jackson just stood back and observed the goings on. He finally called a halt when I burned their defense on one of my teardrop bombs that turned a fifty-fifty ball into one where only my receiver could catch it.
I ran downfield to congratulate John and Terrance.
�Thanks, guys. You made me look good out there,� I said.
�That was a lot of fun. I wish my high school quarterback could have thrown like you did today,� Terrance said.
�You don�t realize what a compliment that is. His high school quarterback was Connor Cook,� John said.
Connor Cook was the starting quarterback for Michigan State. He was a near lock as a first-round draft choice and would be in the running for All-American and the Heisman.
�You can stop blowing smoke up my ass,� I teased them. �Next you will be saying I�m better than Tom Brady. Connor Cook, yeah, right.�
�We were instructed to be nice to you,� Terrance confided.
�Do you give all the recruits that line of bull?� I asked.
�No. We heard the hype before we got here, and you did the best I�ve seen at one of these tryouts.�
Coach Jackson interrupted our lovefest, and he and the two coaches that had been working with me sat down and talked. They explained their offensive philosophy of keeping the offense simple but making it appear more complicated to the defense. They wanted to probe the defense to see how they would react to different situations and plays. Coach Jackson felt his pro-style offense was already showing up in the NFL. He didn�t believe in running his quarterback but felt with my mobility I would add a dimension that forced the defense to account for me.
I got to know Coach Jackson better; he was a nice quiet guy. I wondered if Stanford would be able to keep him, or if he would eventually move up to the pros. By the time we were done, I was more comfortable with him and was the recipient of an offer of a scholarship to play football for Stanford.
On the ride back to the hotel, Jim and I compared notes.
�Did you get an offer?� I asked.
�No, they need to check to make sure I can get in,� Jim said.
�I�d think they�d have all the information worked out by now,� I reasoned.
�I think they have some other linemen they want to look at before they make me an offer. While they liked how I moved, and my potential, they consider me a project because I�m only 250 pounds. I�ll need to add 40 to 60 pounds to my frame; they told me if I redshirted, I�d have a chance to play after a year of bulking up.
�Did they make you an offer after you had words with their coach?� Jim asked.
�We just got off on the wrong foot. I hate it when people show up late.�
�It�s one of my pet peeves, too. I�m okay with a couple of minutes, but they were nearly a half-hour late. Did they ever tell you what hung them up?�
�No, just some lame excuse about other commitments. It tells you that you aren�t a priority. Almost makes you want to play for the competition and show them that we were a priority.�
�Bill does brag about the weather and the women at USC,� Jim said.
�I hear that, but did you see what the USC coach said? The media reports said he was drunk when he said Oregon and others had worn �fancy pants� uniforms at the Pac-12 media day.
�Bill told me it was worse than that. He said the athletic director had to pull the coach off stage. I guess the coach said that they were f-ing ready to fight, and followed it up by saying Oregon, Notre Dame, and Arizona State all sucked,� Jim said.
�What does Bill think about it?�
�He said that Coach Sterns had to apologize, and they all think he�s on double secret probation right now. Bill said he hasn�t seen him be anything but professional. Right now, they�re laser-focused on the mighty Arkansas State Red Wolves. Bill said they should win by about ten touchdowns.�
�Maybe not that much, but that does sound like an easy one for their first game. I bet Bill gets on the field for that one.�
�He�s working his way up the depth chart. He should play a lot this year,� Jim predicted.
We got back to the hotel to shower and get ready for the evening activities. Jim and I planned to hook up with the rest of the recruits for dinner and festivities afterward. Brandon told me that Tami and Alan were going with him to a party Suzanne had told them about. I made sure Brandon understood that I expected him to keep an eye out for my friends. While I wanted them to have fun, I wanted to make sure they were safe.
◊◊◊
We walked from Ryan Field to Lou Malnati�s Pizzeria. The guys had waited on us after the tour of the campus. I felt like a hypocrite because I�d just bitched about Stanford being late, but no one had set a time for us to go to dinner. Then I remembered that I�d agreed to pick up the tab for the Lincoln guys, and Brandon would figure out what everyone owed when we got back. That would make them want to wait since they were broke high school kids.
The walk gave me a chance to get a better feel for Evanston. It definitely was not my little town. Instead of all single-family homes, there were many multistory apartment and condominium complexes. The single-family homes didn�t seem to have much in the way of yards, either. Like Lincoln Park, where Harper lived, it felt like the people were generally either college students or young professionals. I could see the attraction of living here before you had kids. Duke would both love it and hate it. He would enjoy meeting all the people but would hate that he had to be put on a leash. It would be the same way with kids. We would have to put Kyle and Mac on leashes to keep them out of the street.
On the way over to the pizza place, my guys hung back so Jim and I could fill them in on our experience with Stanford and the other guys could tell us about their tour of Northwestern. Flee and Ben joined our group. I was glad to see Gus, our chaperone, was talking to his teammates.
�Did you get offers?� Ty asked.
�Did you talk to Northwestern already?� Ben asked.
Ben and Flee weren�t aware that I already had an offer from Northwestern and that Jim and I had worked out for Stanford while they were on the campus tour.
�We met with Stanford. David got an offer, but they wanted to wait to make me one,� Jim said.
I was glad Alan wasn�t here. He would have grilled Jim as to why he wasn�t offered and embarrassed him.
�I didn�t think the visiting team would meet with a recruit at an away game,� Flee said.
�Recruiting never stops. I talked to a coach at Missouri while we waited,� Ben said.
Ben was from Springfield, Missouri, and the state�s university was after him to go there. Flee, on the other hand, was still not getting any significant interest because of his size. He�d done well at the Ohio State and Alabama camps. They politely passed because they could pick from the best and didn�t need to take a chance. I felt Northwestern would be a good fit for him. They were in a power conference, and he could showcase his abilities.
I almost wished that Flee had come another weekend than this one. I didn�t need the Northwestern staff comparing me to him. Not that I thought I was that much better than Flee, but I was more the prototypical quarterback that colleges wanted. I knew that if they gave him a chance, they would be happy when he was at the helm of their offense his junior and senior years.
�How did you like the campus?� I asked, to change the subject.
�It�s okay,� Tim said, without much enthusiasm.
�Sounds like you didn�t like it,� I said.
�That�s not it, really. I just didn�t feel like I�d fit in,� Tim said. �They were a little snobbish, is the best I can explain it. When we told them where we were from, they looked at us as if we were a bunch of backwater hicks. Then this girl made a comment that Northwestern grads ran businesses while everyone else served them their fries. I liked the football players, but the students all seemed to think they were better than us.�
I was a little surprised they had run into that here. I�d experienced it when I was in New York, but Chicago people always seemed much more open and accepting. Maybe it was that they were just more polite and hadn�t expressed their true feelings. A New Yorker wouldn�t think twice about telling you to f-off, while you would have to upset someone from Chicago before they�d tell you where to get off.
�I didn�t get that feeling at all,� Flee said.
�Says the big-city boy,� Ben said. �I got the same vibe. It wasn�t everyone, though.�
�It is different here,� Jim said as he waved his hand to indicate our surroundings.
When we got to the restaurant, the offensive and defensive recruits split up. I ended up eating only one slice of pizza, sticking to wings and salad instead for the most part. I was afraid if I ate much of their pizza, I wouldn�t be able to stop before I weighed 300 pounds. You had to eat it with a fork, it was so thick.
After we ate, we broke up into even smaller groups. Gus got the other quarterbacks together, and we went to a party at his apartment. I reminded my teammates to go easy tonight because they had to work out for Northwestern in the morning. Gus lived in a ten-story complex, and I realized this really wasn�t back home when we took the elevator to the eighth floor. We walked into the apartment and were the only ones there.
�You guys want a beer?� Gus asked.
�No thanks,� I said, and Flee and Ben followed my lead.
Of course, that didn�t stop Gus from having one. He turned on his stereo to a top-forty station so we would have some background noise and then proceeded to sell us on Northwestern. I felt like I�d been tricked into going to an Amway presentation. I guess I was expecting something more in line with the party from last year where I got blind drunk and ended up getting laid. If I got laid at this �party,� I would go straight home and check myself into the mental health facility Tracy frequented. I finally had had enough.
�Can I ask a question?�
�Sure, David, that�s what I�m here for,� Gus said.
�Is this your first time being in charge of recruits?�
He blushed and, before he got defensive, I jumped back in.
�I bet you were told to sell us on Northwestern and to keep us out of trouble.�
He mumbled something that I assumed was confirmation.
�While this has been fun, I was hoping for something a little more entertaining. Like something where there are girls,� I suggested.
To his credit, Gus recovered quickly and took us to an actual party. I looked around and saw a girl holding court with about eight guys. I smiled when I recognized her. It was Chris, the girl who�d kidnapped me last year. She had arranged for her girlfriends to have their way with the guys I had brought with me. I would bet she had the group that surrounded her all panting after her. Chris was a major tease. I decided to ruin their fun and capture her for myself.
�I�m going in,� I told the other quarterbacks.
�What?� Gus asked.
�See that girl surround by all those guys? She must be the hottest girl here, and she�s deciding who�s taking her home tonight. I think she needs to meet me so she knows who that should be.�
The three of them looked at me and then Flee grinned. He had been around me enough to know I was probably pulling their legs, but he thought it was funny, and so played along.
�Yeah, that�s David for you. When we were at Alabama, there was this hot chick that everyone wanted. Mr. Smooth here quietly swooped in and stole her from everybody. This boy has some skills.�
I started over to where she was holding court and left Ben and Gus open-mouthed as I edged my way through the crowd, put my arm around Chris and kissed her. I held my forehead against hers and looked her in the eyes as she slowly recognized me.
�Hey, Baby. I see you�ve been teasing boys again. Do I need to take you back to the room and give you a spanking?� I asked.
Chris tried to push me away, but I hung on and smiled at her. I never let my eyes leave hers, and could hear the other guys grumbling as they all wandered off. I was surprised none of them challenged me. I grabbed her hand and led her back to where I�d left the other quarterbacks.
�Flee, Ben, and Gus, please meet Christen,� I said by way of introduction. �Flee, Ben, and I are here on a recruiting visit. Gus plays quarterback for Northwestern. Do you have any friends here that might be interested in meeting my new friends?�
Suzanne had warned me off Chris last year. I ended up hooking up with Lydia, Suzanne�s roommate. Christen had two wild friends, but I couldn�t remember their names.
�I have a girlfriend,� Flee said, looking for a way out.
�I could call Maya and Savanah,� Chris said.
Now I remembered; those were the other two Suzanne had warned me about.
�Perfect,� I said with a big grin.
As soon as Chris finished calling the two girls, I pulled her out on the dance floor. If I was going to be sober, I was going to have fun. Chris turned out to be a terrible dancer, but once I started dancing, I had girls willing to join me. The problem with dancing at a party is it gets hot. I�d sweat through my shirt and needed water to rehydrate. When I came off the dance floor, I found Flee all by himself.
�Where did everyone go?� I asked.
�Gus and Ben left with the two girls Chris called. Chris took off with some college guy. It�s just you and me.�
I looked at my watch, and it was close to midnight.
�Let�s get out of here. We need to be up early. I want to run before we go over to Ryan Field.�
On the way back to the hotel, I stopped and bought water. I chugged one right out of the display, which made Flee not want to be seen with me. I met him outside, and we walked back to the hotel.
◊◊◊
When I walked into the hotel room, a baaaadd smell hit me full force. Someone had had too much to drink and had puked. Of course, my gag reflexes kicked in, and I ran to the bathroom and closed the door. I tried to be quiet so I wouldn�t wake Tami up. If the smell was any indication, Brandon hadn�t done his job of keeping her out of trouble. After I closed the bathroom door, I turned on the light and saw the source of the smell. Tami must have tried to puke in the toilet and missed.
Puke was my kryptonite. If I saw it, I would join whoever had barfed. I had just drunk two large bottles of water, and they soon came back up with the remnants of my dinner. I didn�t plan on sleeping with the stench, so I got a towel and used it to clean up the mess. I gagged the whole time. Once I finished cleaning up, I took a long shower so I would feel clean again.
I slipped on a pair of shorts because I didn�t plan on sleeping naked with Tami in my bed. I brushed my teeth and flossed. When I threw the floss into the garbage, I saw it. It felt like someone had just punched me; I found myself collapsing onto the floor and couldn�t catch my breath. In the garbage was a wadded-up tissue with a used condom in it. Only someone you love can hurt you this much. I had to close my eyes and will myself to breathe.
Then I slowly got mad. Tami had told me of her desire to experience life, and that was the biggest reason why she and I couldn�t be together now. How could she bring back someone to my room and do him? Did Tami really take me for granted that much? Did she think I would put up with this?
I stood up and opened the bathroom door to let the light show me what was going on. There was someone in bed with Tami. I couldn�t see who it was, because the comforter was pulled over them both. I walked out, braced myself, and then pulled it off. What I saw I would never be able to get out of my head: lying there were the naked bodies of my former best friends, Tami and Alan. I�m not sure what I had originally planned to do. Sending the guy to the hospital was the probable outcome, but when I recognized Alan, the fight went out of me. All I knew was I needed to get out of that hotel room and think.
Alan had grown up in the last couple of years. Gina had taught him a lot when they dated, and he acted much more confident around girls. Tami had gone for Trevor, who was a nerd. In a weird way, she and Alan might make sense�if they were anyone else.
I got dressed and packed. I didn�t plan on coming back. That was when I spotted the promise ring I�d gotten Tami. That promise was now gone. I took it off the necklace and put it in my pocket. I�d asked for a six a.m. wake-up call. I figured Tami should see it missing when she woke up in the morning and figure out what it meant.
As I walked out the door, I realized I�d lost all my childhood friends in only a couple of weeks. Jeff I had no choice in, but the other two were dead to me. I made it to the lobby and collapsed in a chair. I felt my hot tears run down my face. I probably made a spectacle of myself, but I didn�t care. I asked the guy at the front desk if they had a room, and he found me one. My next option would have been to impose on Suzanne. I really didn�t want to have to explain myself to anyone right now.
◊◊◊ Sunday September 6
I only got a couple of hours of sleep, but it gave me time to think everything through. I�d found a service that allowed you to call and leave a voicemail on someone�s phone without it ringing called �Slydial.� I had to pay for it, but it was worth it. I left four voicemails that morning.
The first was to Brandon.
�Good morning. After what I walked into last night, after you assured me you would make sure Tami and Alan were kept out of trouble, I have serious doubts about your continued employment as my personal assistant. I�ll be going home this morning and would suggest that you figure out alternate transportation.�
The next was to Gus.
�Just wanted to let you know that I won�t be attending the workouts this morning. Please tell everyone that I still appreciate the offer, but I had something come up.�
I then called Alan.
�I hope it was worth it.�
Finally, I left one for Tami.
�Message received. I�ll miss you.�
◊◊◊
I was smart enough not to go home. If I did, they would find me there and browbeat me until I surrendered. That was not happening this time. I instead drove to Uncle John�s farm. Aunt Bonnie left us alone, and the two of us talked for most of the day. I spoke with him about Alan and Tami, and he agreed I needed to keep negative things out of my life. I didn�t need them pulling me down.
I then talked about my feelings about the situation with my mom and dad. He winced when I shared with him my thoughts about the likelihood of either him or Greg ever being faithful. I felt like a shit for voicing what I expect everyone thought. Uncle John just absorbed everything that had been building up in me.
He got me to talk about Jeff. That was when I sort of fell apart. I don�t know how it happened, but I woke up in his guest bedroom, curled up in a fetal position, and it was dark out. I sat up suddenly and was startled when a voice greeted me from the dark.
�Thought you could hide from me, did you?� Tami asked.
This weekend just kept getting worse. I now couldn�t trust my uncle. I got up and started to walk out the door, but Tami stepped in front of me.
�I know you�re hurt and mad. I know what you saw was bad, but Alan explained to me what happened. Alan and I had way too much to drink last night. Brandon got us home, and we were fully clothed when he left us. All I can say is we were drunk, and somehow we kissed. Alan surprised me in that he knew what he was doing. I won�t go into details, but he tells me nothing happened.
�I believe him, or at least I hope I can. When I woke up, I thought Alan had had sex with me,� Tami said, and then wrapped me into a bear hug.
I reached over and flipped on the light switch. She looked like hell. Tami must have been crying all day. As much as I wanted to push her away, I couldn�t. I wasn�t made of stone, even though I needed to be right now. I wasn�t sure whether I believed her or not. There had been a time when I felt I could�ve trusted her with my life. I also knew Alan. There was no way he had sex with Tami if she was asleep. He just didn�t have it in him, no matter how drunk he was. If it happened, it was with Tami�s consent.
Then it hit me. I wasn�t mad at Tami or Alan anymore. I just didn�t care. My nature was to reach out and help someone in need. My holding her in my arms was only that. Whatever love I�d had for Tami had been burned out of my heart after what I saw this morning. I wondered if I should thank her. I had gone back and forth on this issue for over a year now. A small smile crept onto my face.
�What are you smiling about?� Tami asked.
�I just realized something. I may love you, but I�m no longer
◊◊◊
Chapter 9 � They Were Surprised I Did It Monday September 7
Today was Labor Day, so I didn�t have anything I had to do. Tami had been shocked by my revelation last night that I was no longer in love with her, and for the first time in my life, she didn�t have anything to say. She�d left me so I could get back to sleep. I woke up to daylight and went downstairs, looking for my uncle. He and I had to have a talk. I found Aunt Bonnie.
�You want some breakfast?�
�Where�s my uncle?�
She gave me a tight smile.
�Check the south forty. John said something about a float not working on one of the watering stations,� she said.
I walked out to the barn, found the spare four-wheeler and drove to the water station to locate my uncle. He was covered in mud. It looked like the float hadn�t turned off when the trough was full. The system wasn�t complicated, but when it overflowed, it could be hours before you found the problem. Uncle John had a virtual lake he had to wade through to get to the broken part. He heard me pull up and held up his hands in surrender.
�I didn�t call her,� he said in the way of a greeting.
�I thought what we talked about would stay between you and me.�
�David, you know our family. You can�t honestly think I would keep what you told me from your father. Just like if Nate, Mac, or Kyle told you something that you felt Greg needed to know. You�d tell your brother.�
I hadn�t thought of it in those terms. I was suddenly worried about everything I�d told Uncle John the summer I�d stayed with him. I pushed that aside when I realized that if he had told my dad everything, there was nothing I could do about it. If my dad knew all the details about my drug use, he hadn�t brought it up.
�Then who told her?� I asked.
�I would think that was obvious.�
He was right. It had to be my mom. Mom was closer to Tami than she was to me, right now (again). We�d had some heated discussions about that very topic. I just added it to the list of issues I had with my mom at the moment. From time to time, I wished I could cut her out of my life like I could Alan and Tami, but you didn�t get to pick your family. If Mom felt my reaction was unjust, then she didn�t even care how much Tami had hurt me. Intellectually, I could see what happened. The problem was, this wasn�t some intellectual exercise. I wasn�t sure if it was a defense mechanism or not, but I had become numb as far as Tami was concerned. What I�d said last night was the truth: I was no longer in love with her, regardless of whether it was a misunderstanding or not.
We always have a choice in how we handle things. That was something I had learned during my summer on the farm. I could wallow in my self-doubt, and howl at the moon about what Alan and Tami had done, or choose to put it behind me. While they had been my best friends since, well, since essentially forever, they had shown by their actions that our relationship had changed. They�d both known how I would react. The capper was to do it in
�Your parents are coming home today,� Uncle John said to pull me back from my dark thoughts.
My phone ringing interrupted our conversation. It was Brandon, another person I wasn�t too pleased with.
�Northwestern called and wondered if you�d come back and work out today. I told them I�d ask. They�re very serious about you going there.�
Even though I really didn�t want to, I had made a commitment to them to visit. Something that sucked about being a man of your word was you sometimes had to do things you didn�t want to.
�Set it up. It�ll take me a couple of hours to get there.�
�I�ll meet you there. I think we need to clear the air as well,� Brandon said.
�I agree. Talk to you later.�
I took a moment to clear my mind and then drove back to the house. Aunt Bonnie had a big steak and scrambled eggs waiting for me. Angus beef is, in my opinion, the best around. I was halfway through with my breakfast when Tami reappeared. She looked better, but she had a hard time looking me in the eye. We ate in silence while Aunt Bonnie made herself scarce. Finally, Tami had to say something; she knew I wasn�t about to start the conversation.
�I�m at a loss as to how to fix this. I don�t know why it happened, and I don�t think you really care if we had sex or not.�
�No, it really doesn�t matter. I get that you didn�t do it to hurt me, but it happened.�
�Did you take my promise ring?� she asked.
I just nodded.
�Since you said you�re no longer in love with me, can I have the ring back?� she asked.
I pulled it out of my pocket and let it clatter on the table.
�Tami, the ring no longer means anything to me. Do with it what you want.�
The look on her face told me that that comment hurt her. It wasn�t my intention to make her feel bad, but I wasn�t going to just roll over and let her decide what we meant to each other ever again. I think Tami finally realized that and got up and left the table.
I went upstairs and got my stuff. I thanked Aunt Bonnie for her hospitality and drove back to Evanston.
◊◊◊
Brandon and Gus were waiting for me when I pulled in. Gus took me to the locker room where I got into my shorts and t-shirt to show them what I could do. I did everything they asked of me during the workout.
This part of my life always seemed to work. Between the sidelines, I was in control of almost everything. If only my personal life were this easy. What I found amusing was people always thought I would falter when it came to athletics. They didn�t see the amount of preparation I put in and the caliber of coaching I received. The only two things that could cause me to fail were myself or an injury. I knew I wouldn�t allow myself to cause my failure, so unless I got hurt, I would always perform at a high level. What I needed, more than anything else, was more live game experience. I could practice and get to the point where it was second nature. What I needed was to actually do it during a game. They say that no plan survives the first encounter in a battle. It was the same in football. I now had nearly two years of experience as a starter under my belt. I felt like I was going to have a breakout year. I think the Northwestern coaches felt the same way.
Brandon and I met with Coach Patrick after I had showered.
�First of all, thank you for coming for another unofficial visit. I wanted to let you know that we made scholarship offers to Jim, Tim, Wolf, and Ty. The offers were based on what they�d done on the field last year, their workout yesterday, and the potential we see in them. It had nothing to do with you possibly coming to Northwestern.�
I wasn�t sure I believed him but was happy to hear they were all offered.
�What about Flee Johnson and Ben Luck?� I asked.
Bo Harrington had told me to check out my competition before I made my final decision. If I decided to go somewhere like Alabama, I might end up never seeing the field, simply because of the caliber of quarterbacks they recruited. While I felt I could stand up to any competition, it was good to know what their plans were, and Coach Patrick knew it.
�We offered Ben and decided to wait on Flee.�
�In my opinion, that�s a mistake.�
�Really?� Coach Patrick said with some amusement in his voice.
�I�ve spent the summer going to camps, and I saw Flee at Ohio State, Alabama, the Elite 11 selection camp, and then at Elite 11, and then the Elite Camp in Houston. Ben was with us in Houston and was at the regional selection camp for Elite 11. While Ben�s a solid quarterback and would make a good addition to your team, Flee has the higher ceiling. If things break right, he could be playing on Sunday. If you don�t believe me, call Bo Harrington, who was my coach over the summer and is now the quarterback coach for Alabama, and ask him his opinion of Flee. Don�t make the mistake of thinking that he�s too small to play at this level. If he ends up in the Big 10 somewhere else, you�ll regret not having him on your team,� I said.
�Any other players we should have on our radar?� Coach Patrick asked.
�There is a kid at Wesleyan, Damion Roth, who�s a freak of nature. I caution you, he might be a disruptive presence in the locker room. On the field, though, he might rewrite your record books. Two other uncommitted receivers you want to check out are Terry Halsted from Syracuse, New York and Jim Butler from Dallas, Texas.�
�Let�s put our cards on the table. I want you to come to Northwestern. I think we�re a good fit for you, both on the field and in the classroom. While I�ve never promised anyone playing time, from what I�ve seen both on tape and today I�d be hard-pressed to leave you on the bench. You might want to consider taking a redshirt year to get settled in. What do you think our chances are?�
�Coach, something you�ll find out about me is I�m a straight shooter,� I said and saw the disappointment in his eyes. �Northwestern has a chance, but it�s too early for me to say. You have a couple of strikes against you. If I decide that I want to play at the highest level, I don�t think you�re it. Your stadium only holds a little over forty-five thousand, and you couldn�t sell it out even with a team like Stanford as your opponent. The Chicago area just has too many other options for you to be a priority. Whereas Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Alabama all have enormous stadiums, rabid fans, and college football is king.
�The other issue I have is the last time you had a quarterback taken in the first round of the NFL draft was Otto Graham in 1944. You have only three or four players currently on an NFL roster. That tells me that you�re either not recruiting the kinds of players it takes to win a National Championship, or worse, they�re not being coached to get to that level,� I said.
Brandon had given me the stats. He felt the real prize this weekend was the opportunity to meet with Stanford. While Northwestern was close enough my family could make all my home games, I really didn�t think they would be my final destination. While I didn�t want to burn any bridges, I wanted to let Coach Patrick know that he shouldn�t hold a scholarship for me if he found his quarterback.
◊◊◊
Brandon had rented a car to take Alan and Tami home. It was cheaper to return it in Evanston, so I followed him to the rental place and gave him a ride home.
�I think you were a little too direct with Coach Patrick. The shot about Northwestern not coaching them up was a little harsh,� he said.
�I can see your point, but what I said was true. I think it has more to do with the caliber of kids he�s recruiting. Maybe the correct answer is the caliber of kids he is getting yeses from. Notre Dame and Iowa both recruit Chicago hard. In-state schools are also picking off the best prospects. There are years when Northern Illinois might be the best team in the state.
�I also understand that it takes time to turn a program around. Northwestern has never been a top-tier team, and until Coach Patrick came, they weren�t even respectable. But he�s had time to establish himself, and I think he should be pulling better recruiting classes. The other issue they have is they�re not that easy to get into,� I explained.
�Don�t you think he knows that?�
�Yes, but I was letting him know I knew. If Coach Patrick expects me to go there, he needs to find a way to get quality recruits to help me out. I can�t do it all myself.�
�Was that why you told him about the other receivers you had met at camps?� Brandon asked.
�Think about it: if I had those three join my core group, we�d have the makings of a pretty good offense.�
Brandon shook his head. I think he realized that Northwestern was never going to convince those guys to go there. If they couldn�t, it just proved my point. I decided I wanted to find out what happened last night. So I asked him.
�We all went to a party, and I got distracted,� Brandon said, and I could guess how. �When I found them, they were drunk. I was worried about even getting them back to the hotel in their condition. Alan insisted on helping me get Tami to her room. When we got there, she went straight into the bathroom and puked. Alan joined her. To be honest, I didn�t want to deal with vomiting drunks and left them in your room.
�I�m not sure what happened after I left, but Tami was really pissed at Alan, to the point where I�m a little concerned about what might have gone on. I�d hate to speculate,� Brandon said.
�All I�m going to say is you should have never left them together. It hasn�t been that long since you were going to college parties. I�m sure you knew what could happen with two drunken people thrown together in a hotel room. I quite honestly expected more from you.�
I realized that I had changed. Before this weekend, I would never have been so forceful with people. I sensed that I was being a little too aggressive and really should dial it back some. Brandon was right. What I said to Coach Patrick was uncalled for. I�d seen my mom in action and cringed when she was too direct with people. The positive side of it was everyone was clear on where they stood. The negative side was people sometimes didn�t want to deal with her. I needed to find a happy medium.
�Hey, sorry about that,� I said. �I�m just not happy that I potentially lost my two best friends this weekend. You had no way of knowing what they would do. The responsibility lands on their shoulders. No one forced them to drink so much.�
�Looking back, I should�ve known. If you give me a second chance, I�ll do better,� Brandon said.
�I�ve been heavy-handed all weekend. Please don�t think that I quit working with people if they make a mistake. Heck, Kendal�s still working for me, and she tattled on me to my mother.�
At least that got a weak smile out of Brandon. It was hard enough that he worked for a teenager. He didn�t need to worry about his job being in jeopardy anytime something didn�t go my way. I also wanted him to call me on my mistakes, like how I treated Northwestern�s coach. I didn�t need my personal assistant to be a yes-man.
I dropped Brandon off at the high school so he could get his car. On the trip back we had talked out our issues. That was good and necessary since we were scheduled to make several more recruiting trips.
◊◊◊
When I got home, my missing parents were there. Greg and Angie had already left. They had watched Duke for me while I was gone. He was an absolute wild child. By the way Duke greeted me when I got home, you would have thought I�d left him for a month, not a couple of days. Once I�d finally given him a year�s worth of loving, I braced myself to hear how their week had turned out and walked into the kitchen.
�Everything�s fine. Now tell me what happened with you and Tami,� Mom said.
I looked at Dad, and he just shrugged. �Everything�s fine� hardly told me anything. I knew better than to not answer my mom, though. I told them about Tami showing up and inviting herself to Northwestern, and explained that Alan and Brandon had known about her joining us and how irritated I�d been to have it sprung on me. Then I got to the hard part and told them what I had found when I returned to my room. I gave them all the pertinent details so as not to have to suffer through an inquisition. I might have left out the part where they were naked and used a condom. I also didn�t say anything about taking the promise ring because I didn�t think I wanted to admit to that. I did tell them how I felt about what happened. It was usually in the area of feelings that Mom pounced on me.
I told them about how I had acted with both Stanford and Northwestern. I confessed to threatening to fire Brandon and how I had fixed that. I wasn�t surprised when they just nodded when I finished telling my story. I guess Uncle John had really filled them in. Then it was their turn to get me up to speed.
�Your dad and I worked out our differences. We planned on talking to Phil about who his father really is, but we talked to Vickie, and she asked us not to.�
�Are you okay with that?� I asked my dad.
�No, not really. I�ve stayed quiet about it for far too long, but I have to respect Phil�s mother�s wishes. I hope you understand that it�s not just my decision, it never has been. That�s why I was never involved in his life. I appreciate that Vickie has brought us together as a family, and I get to see and get to know him. She isn�t ready to tell him she�s lied to him all these years,� Dad explained.
�I�m sorry to hear that. I would have a really tough time knowing I had a son I couldn�t have in my life,� I said.
�I hope you can keep this between us,� Dad said.
�Of course. How was Greg with it?� I asked.
�He understood. I think he felt the same way you do,� Dad said, and then got up and sat next to me and took my hand. �John told me what you said about how disappointed you were in me. I�m sorrier than you�ll ever realize. You deserve better from me, and it breaks my heart that I let you down. All I can do is try and be the man you expect me to be. You have to realize, though, that I�m only human. I never plan to disappoint you again, but if I do, I want you to know that I love you.�
I felt my throat tighten up, so I just nodded to him. I loved my parents and knew that they loved me too. I wasn�t na�ve enough to think everything would be solved with just a trip to Las Vegas. I could hope that over time we would get back to where we had been as a family. Some way Phil and Dad would work it out.
�Mom, I need to say something,� I said, and she locked eyes with me while Dad sat back in his chair. �Something we haven�t talked about is your talk with Tami. I was blindsided with questions about Dad and Phil. She told me you talked with her about it.�
�David, we�ve talked about this. Tami and I are friends. I needed someone to talk to,� she said.
�Bullshit!� I said.
Dad�s expression told me wanted to be anywhere but here. My mom�s face flushed, which I was sure matched mine.
�You better explain yourself very carefully, Young Man,� Mom said in her serious voice.
�Tami�s a seventeen-year-old girl. She has zero life experience, and I thought you two were just friends. I would expect you to have talked to Mrs. A. That would make perfect sense. I�m your son, and you didn�t want to talk to
�The other issue is I went to Uncle John�s for a reason. I didn�t want to be found by Alan or Tami. It seems it only took one phone call for you to rat me out.
�Both issues come back to the same key question: who do you want to be in your life for the long haul?� I asked.
�David, I expect you will both be in my life for the long haul.�
�Let me be clear: while I love Tami, I am not
�Let me tell you, I was more than a little surprised. I�ve had some serious trust issues related to her. It never occurred to me to keep secrets from either of you. However, because I now know that you�ll run to Tami about it, there are now some things I�ll not tell anyone. That includes you, Dad.
�We�ve talked about this in the past, but this goes beyond that. What should have been
�Are you saying you don�t trust Tami to keep a confidence?� Dad asked.
�That�s not really the point. The point is that you don�t take me into account when you decide what to share. Sending Tami to Uncle John�s was a fundamental breach of trust.�
�David, you need to realize that sometimes I will do things because I know what�s best for you,� Mom said.
�Fair enough.�
Both Mom and Dad had to recognize that I wasn�t happy. I also knew my mother didn�t take this seriously by the way she reacted. I could hardly wait for round two.
◊◊◊
As I was going to bed, my phone rang. It was Alan. I rejected his call.
◊◊◊ Tuesday September 8
When I got to school, everyone was buzzing. Friday would be our first game. We were playing Washington, Ty�s old school. When I saw him in the halls, there was a visible extra bounce in his step. I smiled when Tracy and Pam rushed up to me.
�David, you have to see this,� Tracy blurted out before we could even say hi.
It had to be good because Pam was about to bounce out of her skin. Tracy had a video on her phone that had both of them excited, and I suddenly became nervous about what they had to show me. Tracy gave me a hip-bump, and I relaxed.
�Washington had a booster fundraiser Monday night. Coach Crouch had some choice words about Lincoln. He talked about you and Ty. You have to hear what he said,� Tracy said and then hit the play button.
I watched the video that must have been taken on someone�s cell phone. I smiled when Washington�s coach started a rant on Lincoln and how they were going to beat us this week. After listening to it, I knew that Coach Crouch had no idea that he was being recorded. I suddenly had a great idea.
�Who�s seen this?� I asked.
�Just my dad and the three of us. Why?� Tracy asked.
�Where did you get it?� I asked.
�One of the lawyers at Dad�s office was there, and his wife recorded it. What are you planning?� Tracy asked.
I gave them an outline of an idea and my two evil girlfriends got excited. I put them in charge of it and knew they would come up with something good. Coach Crouch would regret shooting his mouth off if I had anything to do with it. Wait a minute. I would have something to do with it!
◊◊◊
I found a new use for my smart watch. We had a quiz today, and I felt it vibrate on my wrist. I looked down, and there was a message from Tracy.
I sent back the correct multiple-choice answer.
This was so bad. I figured it would only be a matter of time before the teachers figured out we could send messages via our watches. My watch vibrated again, and she had sent me a little heart. I almost gave us away when I scoffed and looked at her. That got a glare from our teacher, so I turned back to my desk and finished my quiz.
I�d been playing with my toy, and it was like my new phone in that I could receive and send text messages and even ask questions of the intelligent assistant. I found I preferred to listen to music and take phone calls on my phone, but I was able to check who calls were from just by glancing at my watch. That saved me from having to pull my phone out if I didn�t want to talk to them. I could simply decline it on my watch.
I wondered how long it would be before I�d be able to wear something similar during a football game. It would be a great way to send in plays from the sideline.
◊◊◊
Alan was in all my AP classes, and I had ignored him so far. Tami must have warned him to keep his distance. I imagined that eventually, we would be friends again. I was sure Tami realized that. The three of us had too much history. But it would be a long time coming. If I could be around Mike during football, I could handle Alan as one of my coaches. That didn�t mean I was ready to hang out or play video games with him, though.
At lunch, I was on my way to our usual table when I was stopped by Brook, one of the new cheerleaders. Mona had warned me that Brook was interested in me. I chuckled because it was so like high school. So and so likes you; do you like them? Then again, it
�You�re eating lunch with me today.�
I just shrugged. Why not? I glanced over to my regular table and Mona didn�t look happy. I figured after what she did with Mike, I no longer owed her anything. Pam, Tracy, Gina, and Cassidy all had their heads together, plotting something. The guys just ignored us.
I�d started to bring my lunch this year. The cafeteria either breaded, fried, or smothered their mystery meat in gravy. Today I brought a salad with shredded chicken on it. Mom had made it, and she�d added raw broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower to the lettuce to give it some flavor and crunch.
�Are you going to eat that whole thing?� Brook asked when she saw the size of my salad container.
�Yep.�
I watched in horror as she stabbed a bite out of my salad. Brook was a food thief!
�Not bad. I think you need to bring me lunch every day. It�s better than what they serve here,� she said as she pointed at today�s offering.
I certainly did not need another girl who thought she could boss me around. I took a mouthful of my salad and took a moment to check the new girl out. Brook was what you expect a teenage cheerleader to look like: she was athletic and cute, just my type. What wasn�t going to work for me was she seemed bossy. I had a feeling she was used to getting her way.
�So, what do you want, Brook?� I asked.
�I just moved here and have been checking out the local talent.�
The way she said it made me think she was looking to get laid. With my recent string of luck, I didn�t need any more trouble, and Brook looked like trouble with a capital �T.� She gave me the same vibe I got around Cora, Pam�s sister. I looked closer and noticed that she was wearing pricey clothes. Doing fashion shoots, you begin to pick up on that sort of stuff. I could tell someone who knew what they were doing cut her hair, and she also had on quality makeup. If I didn�t know what to look for, I would�ve guessed she didn�t have any on. All that told me that Brook came from money. The average teenager wouldn�t have been so well put-together.
�I�m sorry, but what do you mean by local talent?�
�I�m used to dating older guys, but when I moved here, I thought I�d see if any of the high school boys would be worth dating. So far I�m not impressed.�
�Really?� I asked.
�There seem to be only two guys who are single who I�d want to date. I let one take me out this weekend, and, well, he just didn�t measure up. Everyone tells me you�re the real deal and I shouldn�t have wasted my time with the other guy. So I thought I�d give you a chance to ask me out,� she concluded.
I gave her high marks for being confident, which made me like her even more. I was curious as to who she had gone out with over the weekend, though. The only name that I could come up with was Mike, and I had no desire to have his seconds. At the same time, something about Brook that had me interested. The real problem was I didn�t need a girl to verbally spar with right now. I could already tell she�d be high-maintenance.
�Let me save you some time. First, I don�t appreciate being
She raised her eyebrows and bit her lower lip. Brook looked like I�d either said the dumbest thing in the world or she thought I was funny. I�d been called a �stupid boy� by the best of them, so Brook didn�t faze me. I just started eating my lunch.
�Okay. I can see you�re not interested. I thought I�d find sterner stuff with you, but obviously, your reputation as a ladies� man is overblown.�
�Now that is something we can both agree upon.�
Challenges like Brook�s usually would have gotten a rise out of me, but I�d been burned too many times. The last three girls I�d been interested in had picked another guy over me: Peggy had gone for Mitch; Harper wanted the guy she had a crush on when she was younger; and now Tami had gone for my ex-best friend Alan. Well, the last one was a stretch, but she had chosen to play the field over committing to me. If I didn�t get horny, I might actually swear off women.
Brook got up to leave.
�This isn�t over,� she said as her parting shot.
That was what I was afraid of.
◊◊◊
After football practice, Cassidy and I drove to the dojo. Shiggy finally had to stop us because we were �scaring� his beginners class. We had been going after each other, and neither one of us was giving an inch. When I first started, she could take me down at will. At least now I could fend her off unless she got serious. I think she was more amused than anything else that I would take her on. We both were gasping for breath when we were done.
�That was fun,� I moaned.
�You�re getting better. You�re starting to get it instead of just reacting. When you begin to do it without thinking, you�re going to be hard to handle,� Cassidy said.
�How long will that take?�
�You�ll get there,� Cassidy said.
She had about ten years of experience on me. Shiggy had asked her if she wanted to compete in a tournament to see how good she really was, but Cassidy had declined. She wasn�t interested in doing hand-to-hand combat with rules. My little ninja took what she did very seriously. I thought it was probably for the best, because if Cassidy could kick my butt, and I was a foot taller and outweighed her by over eighty pounds, I was afraid of what she would do against other girls her size. Someone would get hurt, and I was sure it wouldn�t be Cassidy.
�Want to come home with me?� I asked her.
�I don�t think you�re ready to take on my dad.�
�I was asking you to come over for dinner. Call your dad and invite him.�
Her brother Brad had moved out to go to college. I remembered when Greg and Angie had moved out of the house. It felt weird to be the one left behind. We went to the locker rooms to shower and change into street clothes. Cassidy took my arm as we walked to the Jeep. I tended to drive the Jeep to school because I didn�t want anything to happen to the Charger. I�d seen how other teens drove and didn�t need someone hitting it.
�Daddy wanted to ask what you�re having tonight.�
Cassidy must have called him while she got dressed.
�Tell Coach that it�s a home-cooked meal and to get his butt over to my house,� I said.
�He was just kidding. He�ll meet us there,� Cassidy said, and then changed the subject. �What happened this weekend? Northwestern talked to Daddy and told him they offered everyone. They also said you skipped your workout. Was something wrong?�
�It was something personal. I did my workout on Monday.�
�Do you plan on going there?� she asked.
�Probably not. I�m not sure where I�ll end up yet.�
�Do you have another trip planned for this week?� Cassidy asked.
�We�re going to Michigan State. They play Oregon this weekend.�
�Can I go?�
�You want to go on a recruiting trip with me?�
�In fact, a lot of people would like to go on your trips. I heard you took Tami last week. I was wondering if I could go with you on one.�
�Wouldn�t your dad be worried?�
�Did you take advantage of Tami last weekend?�
�No.�
�You think you could keep your hands off of me?�
�Maybe,� I said, and waggled my eyebrows.
�Then it�s settled because I can maybe keep my hands off of you.�
�Let me make a call and get extra tickets. You might want to invite your dad, too,� I suggested.
When we got home, Cassidy announced I had invited her to go to East Lansing with me. Coach Hope wasn�t amused. I called Brandon, and he had already arranged for extra tickets. I found out that Tami had invited the Wesleyan girls to go with her. I hadn�t told Brandon to stop her from going on our visits, so when she called, he had gotten them tickets and reserved a couple of hotel rooms for them. My parents were also going and wanted to attend the rest of the visits. Coach Hope planned to beg off, but when Cassidy told him she wanted him to go, he relented. This seemed to be taking on a life of its own. I wondered how many people would be traveling with us by the time we went on our last recruiting visit this year. I was starting to feel like that guy on HBO who had the show
I did have a quick conversation with Brandon about Tami. He now had to call me first. My mom and I were barely speaking, so I didn�t dare cancel on Tami this weekend.
◊◊◊
I was sketching Duke for my art class homework when I heard my door open. Being the world-class watchdog that he was, he just let his tail thump on the floor to welcome the bad guys in. I wasn�t surprised when my mom came up the stairs.
�I take it you aren�t happy with me,� she started.
I guess we were going to clear the air. Ding, ding, ding � get ready for round two!
�I�d say that would be a fair assessment. I understand that I�m your child and you�re the parent. I also understand that what was going on was between you and Dad. What I don�t understand is why you suddenly treated me like I don�t matter.�
�What makes you say that?�
�Mom, you ordered me not to go to a party, because you said so! You, Dad, and I have had conversations about how much I�m growing up. I do things that you would never trust an average teen to do, like travel around the country to do movies or model. I also come to you with what�s going on in my life, and we have conversations that frankly aren�t normal. We�re open and honest with each other. It took a lifetime of trust to get to this point, and then suddenly we aren�t discussing what�s bothering you. It�s like I�ve been tricked into sharing everything with you, but it�s not a two-way street. When you had a problem with Dad, you closed down and then lashed out at me,� I said.
�You�re right. I am the parent, and there will be times when I don�t tell you everything.�
�It�s good we cleared that up then,� I huffed.
�Don�t act like a petulant teenager. You�re better than that,� Mom chastised me. �What happened with your father hurt me very deeply. I wasn�t ready to talk to you about it.�
�But you were ready to discipline me for no real reason. And then I�m supposed to bare my soul whenever I have an argument with Tami. You also told Tami what was going on, didn�t you?�
�No. Tami�s too young to talk to about something like that,� she said, and then switched topics. �I talked to Tami about what happened this weekend.�
�Are you kidding me? You want to talk to me about my relationship, or more accurately, my lack of a relationship with my former friend? I bet you have information that�ll make all this better. Let me rephrase that: make it better for Tami,� I said.
Yep, I was taking these types of conversations too far. My mom turned beet red, and I think a vein in her forehead throbbed.
�David Allen Dawson! I don�t know what�s gotten into you, but I have had enough! Do you hear me?� Mom screamed.
When she got like this, there was nothing I could say to make it better. Actually, talking was not a good idea. I just took several deep breaths, tried to relax, and then nodded.
�I expect you to call Tami and Alan and apologize to them. You have jumped to conclusions once again, and you need to make it right,� she ordered. �I expect more out of you, and if you want me to continue to treat you like a young adult, you better get this straightened out. If I hear you�re still acting like an ass, I will ground you until you do. That means no football and no trips for any reason. I don�t care if you can�t do a movie or model. You will be sitting your butt right here until I�m satisfied you have made up to both of them and you mean it. Do you understand me?�
I looked hard at Mom and debated whether to tell her ALL the details. I�d glossed over a few minor facts, like finding the used condom. I got up to go looking for my dad. I wasn�t going to take this lying down. There was no way she could force me to be friends with Tami and Alan. I should have taken pictures so she would understand, but I�d been warned about having photos of nude teens on my phone. I found my dad in the kitchen, reading the newspaper.
�Dad, you have to help me,� I started, but he put his hand up.
�You�re not going to play one of us off the other. If your mom has decided something, then I�ll back her up.�
�You have got to be kidding me! We don�t have real discussions anymore? I�m ordered to ignore that Tami and Alan made out and, from what I could see, had sex!? I have to apologize to them?� I asked.
He just stared at me. I hate Dawsons sometimes.
�Fine! I quit!� I said, ready to storm out, but my mom had the back door blocked.
�What do you mean, you quit?� Mom asked.
�I quit everything. I�ll drop out of school and get a job. Maybe I can be a night clerk at the Quickie Mart. What I will never do is apologize for something I didn�t do. It is obvious that you like Tami more than me. I might be better off getting emancipated.�
�Go ahead, but until you are, you live under my roof, and you will do as I say. As of right now, you will go to school, and you will come home, and you are grounded.�
I could tell my dad wasn�t aware of what had happened because he looked at both of us in stunned silence. I just threw my hands in the air and went back to my apartment. I called Tami to explain precisely why she and I would never be friends again.
�Hey, David, I was just thinking about you,� she said.
�Were you thinking about how you could crush every dream I ever had? Wasn�t it enough to tell me you wanted to sleep around instead of being with me, so you had to show me with Alan? Then you felt it necessary to have my mom ground me because I refused to apologize to you! Do you hate me so much, or is it you just need to control me? Screw you! Screw Alan! Don�t ever talk to me again!� I said and hung up.
My phone began to ring. Tami. I turned it off.
◊◊◊ Wednesday September 9
I got up and ran as I usually did. Usually running helps me to sort out everything. This time I just got madder. By the time I was done, I had plans to get emancipated. I was almost eighteen anyway and could earn my own money.
When I walked into the house, I gave Dad my car keys, phone, and debit card. I was sure they would have demanded that to make sure I couldn�t take off. I didn�t offer my new watch. I could still make calls with it. Not a word was said at breakfast. Poor Dad was caught in the middle of all of this. Typically, I got mad and then was over it. This time was different. Ironically, I was too much like my mom.
At lunch, I called Kendal to get the emancipation paperwork started.
�I can�t,� she said. �Technically, we work for your dad. He signed the contract.�
I wanted to be mad at her, but she was right. I gave up and accepted that I wasn�t going to play football anytime soon. That was when Alan walked straight up to me.
�Dude, punch me if you have to, but I will not be responsible for you not playing football. I would be lynched. Tami told me what your mom said. I will swear you apologized. Tami talked to your mom and told her you already did it,� Alan pleaded.
My two friends had gone to bat for me. I really wanted to reject what they did, but I wanted to play football, too. Just a few weeks ago I would never have accepted it and wouldn�t lie to my mom, but that was precisely what I was going to do. I guess I was becoming a typical teen.
�Thank you. I was prepared to sit it out. I appreciate what you and Tami are doing for me. If she makes you happy, then go for it,� I said.
�Dude, really, nothing happened!�
�Alan, do you want me to punch you?� I asked, and Alan�s eyes got big. �I never want to hear about what happened that night. If I do, I will react badly.�
He got the message and left me alone.
◊◊◊
After practice, I drove home for dinner. I might not be grounded, but I had nothing to say to my parents. Finally, Dad had had enough.
�How was your day?� he asked.
I acted like I thought he was talking to Mom and continued to eat.
�Your father�s talking to you,� Mom said.
�Sorry, what?� I asked.
I had fifty comebacks that I wanted to say but decided this battle wasn�t worth it. I wanted to say, �So
Dad repeated his question.
�Nothing really happened. It was fine,� I said.
�How did Alan and Tami take your apology?� he asked.
�They were surprised I did it.�
I couldn�t help myself, but no one seemed to want a repeat from last night, so it was dropped. Mom and Dad told each other about their day. I just wanted to escape, but dinner time was family time. I had to sit through the whole ordeal. Dad gave me back my keys, debit card, and phone. I assumed that meant I wasn�t grounded, but nothing official was said.
◊◊◊
When I finally escaped, I went up to my apartment and turned my phone on. I had 24 messages. They all seemed to be from Tami, so I deleted them all. My phone rang and startled me. I looked down and saw it was Halle.
�How�s your art project going?� she asked.
�Fine. My subject is stretched out, holding a good pose,� I said as I watched Duke sleep.
�Let me guess; Brook?�
�No. I�m not sure that would be a good idea. She�s more than I can handle right now.�
�Can you come over and help me with my drawing? I can�t seem to get it right.�
�I wish, but I just got off being grounded. I don�t think I should leave the house. You could come over here, though,� I suggested.
Fifteen minutes later, I helped Halle upstairs with her easel and drawing book. I showed her my drawings of Duke. Then she showed me what she�d been drawing. Halle didn�t need my help. She was much better than I was, and I would suspect she was better than anyone in our class. I looked at her, and she blushed.
�Would you pose for me?� Halle asked.
I hadn�t thought of this one yet. I would have to try it as a pickup line.
�How do you want me?� I asked.
I�d expected something sexy, but she surprised me.
�Could you put on a football jersey and sit on the couch and watch TV? Maybe your dog could rest his head on your lap.�
�I�ve been teaching him not to get on the couch, but I could get him to lie at my feet,� I suggested.
�Let�s try it and see.�
�Duke, come,� I said, and he came over to me, and I rubbed his ears. �Now park it.�
He did a circle and parked it, right on my foot. Halle walked around us and found the angle she wanted and moved the easel. I watched TV while she drew. Being a live model for someone drawing was harder than my usual modeling work. The photographer captures a moment, and then you�re onto the next shot. For Halle, I had to stay still. As I sat there, I started to remember how much I liked this girl. Back when she showed up in New York, I had decided (to myself) that if Halle or Kara were ever to be in one place near me for any length of time, I would date them.
I was contemplating why I hadn�t made more of an effort when thoughts of Tami came flooding back. It wouldn�t be fair to Halle to have to deal with my angst right now. If, or now it seemed more like when, we got together, I wanted it to be more than just a rebound relationship to get over the love of my life.
I was brought back from my reflections when the flash from Halle�s phone went off as she took my picture. She walked around us and snapped several more and then took close-ups of both Duke and me.
�All done. Want to see it?� Halle asked.
On the sheet of paper, she had three pencil drawings. One of Duke, another of my face, and the final one was of the complete scene.
�I�m going to do a watercolor for my final project,� she said.
I hadn�t even thought about what I wanted to do. I turned to look at Halle, and apparently, my concern about my project worried her.
�You don�t like it?� she asked.
�No, no. I was thinking about my own project and that I haven�t thought about what I�ll do. I�m actually jealous of your talent. This is very good.�
I pulled her to me and gave her a kiss to show her I really did like it. Halle molded herself into my arms, and suddenly our friendly kiss became much more. She just felt right in my arms. I hesitantly pulled away.
�We can�t,� I whispered.
I took her by the hand to the couch and shared with her my history with Tami, and everything that had happened, including what happened Saturday in the hotel. Halle quietly listened to everything I told her.
�You�re right. I�m not looking to be your rebound girl. We could have gone to several different places for Trip�s treatment, but I wanted to come here because of you. My mom wasn�t sure, but Trip told her how you were with me; how you were a gentleman and never pressured me to do more than I was ready for. He also told her how you protected me,� she said, and then giggled.
�Then Mom saw your picture. Trip had one of you in just your boxers before they put all the tattoos on you. He bribed the makeup person to get it. I think my mom has a thing for you,� she said, which caused me to blush.
Despite being almost forty, Rita James could pass for twenty-five. She was way out of my league. Rita had reportedly dated some of Hollywood�s top actors, most of whom were younger than she was. I really hoped Halle was pulling my leg because, after Hannah Minacci and Adrienne, Rita would be third on my �free pass� list. Rita had never married, and rumor had it that Trip and Halle had different fathers, both of whom were household names. I have to admit that beautiful people make gorgeous children. Trip was the prettiest boy I had ever seen and had scared me more than a little when he flirted with me. Halle was nearly a clone of her mother. She was just a little shorter and had bigger breasts and a fuller booty.
�After Mom saw your picture, she asked to see your dailies. She said you were a diamond in the rough and that, with the proper training, you could be a star. Mom agreed to move here because you were both a good guy and would be a good match for me.�
�That sounds a little calculating,� I said.
�David, she�s Rita James. Of course, to me, she�s my mom, but she has to be careful. Hollywood�s not nearly as nice as people think. She�s had to work hard to get to where she is and survive. Mom�s also very protective of Trip and me. I�m lucky to have her help guide me in my career. I had to fight her to allow me to act. The movie we�re doing is my first lead role, and because of that my mom has gotten involved.�
In her words, I had a memory of what my uncle had warned me about. When my movie was released, would life really change that much for me? Would I have to question everyone that came into my life? Would I have to worry about their true motives? I really hoped not.
It was getting late, and Halle got a text from her mom, so we called it a night. For now, we agreed to be friends. I think we both knew that eventually there would be more.
◊◊◊
Chapter 10 � This is Our House! Friday September 11
Tonight was our first home game. We were facing Washington, Ty�s old school. Last year, their team had what I felt was the best talent in the conference. When we upset them, their season came crashing down, and they hadn�t made it to the State Playoffs. On Tuesday, Tracy and Pam had shown me a video taken at a booster event that I was sure Coach Crouch would never want to be seen outside of friendly circles. It reminded me that with all the new cell phones, anything I said or did could potentially be videotaped.
The video had some explosive stuff on it. I felt it would be best shared with the team right before the game. If the guys weren�t in the mood to kick Washington�s butt before they saw it, they would be afterward. Tracy and Pam worked with Mrs. Sullivan to hold a team dinner at the hospitality tent before the game. I�d called my uncle, and we had donated a cow to feed everyone. Being the part-owner of a farm had its benefits.
Jeff Delahey, my favorite reporter, was also invited. I owed him for the advice he had given me concerning the steroid scandal last year. They had us come in early, before the other press and the recruiters usually showed up.
When I walked into the tent, Mr. Palm, our Vice Principal; Mr. Hicks, our Athletic Director; and Mr. Spooner, the school district�s attorney, were all in the back of the room. They were sitting with a man and a woman that I had never seen before, both in suits. I sat at the table with Tracy and Pam. Coach Hope got up and said a few words before we ate.
�The Booster Club was kind enough to offer us dinner before the game. Would Mrs. Sullivan and the rest of the Boosters please stand?� Coach asked, and we all clapped for them.
�Tonight is the first step towards repeating as State Champs. Everyone will be gunning for us, so we have to be even more prepared. I�m proud of the effort you�ve all put in. While we aren�t perfect, and we have a long way to go, I think we�re ready for Washington. Now enjoy your dinner, and when we�re done, we have something we want to show you,� Coach concluded.
I had an empty seat next to me and saw Alan come into the tent and look around. I waved to him, and he sat next to me. We didn�t speak through dinner, and I know how hard it is for Alan not to talk, but it was a start for us to rebuild our friendship. When dinner was over, Tracy got up, and everyone turned to the enormous TV she stood next to.
�Monday night the Washington Booster Club had a fundraiser where Coach Crouch talked. What I�m about to show you are excerpts from his speech. For interested parties, we have thumb drives with the whole, unedited version,� Tracy said, as Pam handed out thumb drives to Jeff and then everyone sitting at our school officials� table.
Tracy hit the play button, and the TV screen showed Coach Crouch step up to the podium to the applause of the Washington Boosters. He seemed very relaxed, and I wondered if he�d been drinking.
�Didn�t the Boosters do a great job tonight?� he said to more applause. �We�re going to have a great year this year, due to the help you all have provided. Instead of having to rebuild, you�ve gone out and helped us be even better than we should have been last year.�
Washington had six kids transfer to their school district who were now starters on their roster. While Coach Crouch had not come out and said it, the implication was that their booster club had arranged for them to go to Washington. The tape jumped ahead to what appeared to be a question-and-answer session.
�How badly will the loss of Ty Wilson hurt us?� someone off screen asked.
�We won�t miss him at all. Ty was only good because of our system of football. At Lincoln, he�ll just be average, at best. I�d be surprised if he even gets much credit for what he does because of that glory-hound they have as a quarterback. Ty made a big mistake by not staying put. With my coaching, I could have helped him get a scholarship. I even had it worked out where he�d be All-Conference as a junior. My brother-in-law runs that, you know. We laugh about the votes that come in from the schools and coaches, and he just throws them away. All-Conference should only be seniors since they deserve it.
�Speaking of Lincoln High, we play them this Friday. I want to see a large contingent come out and watch us pound them. We plan on hitting their Mister Everything each and every play, regardless of whether he has the ball or not. I guarantee he�ll not play another down of football after we get done with him. We�re going to go into their house and embarrass them in front of their fans. The best part is the game is televised. Everyone will see that Washington is the best team in the state. I almost wish I could suit up,� Coach Crouch stated.
I certainly wished he would. Coach Hope got up to a stunned room.
�Officials for the High School State Association are in the back of the room. They have assured me that the officials tonight will protect our players from illegal hits. If it does happen, let the coaching staff handle it. Did you hear that, Mr. Dawson?� Coach Hope said, which caused everyone to laugh.
�I�ll just send Cassidy after them,� I shot back.
�I think that�s an even worse idea. Now go get ready for the game,� Coach ordered, and we all went to the locker room to get dressed.
◊◊◊
The locker room was quiet, but I wasn�t worried about the guys being nervous. They all seemed to be focused. While we were in the locker room, the offensive line came up to me; Jim was their spokesman.
�We have your back. If they take a cheap shot, we�ll take care of them.�
�I don�t plan to let them. I�d rather deliver the blow than get clocked. If one of them gets free, just yell,� I said with a smile before finishing, �You guys are great, but you�re not perfect, so it�s gonna happen.�
I found Ty and smiled at him.
�Welcome to Lincoln football. You ready to prove that ass-clown wrong?� I asked.
He broke up laughing.
�You dumbass! I was getting my mad on, and then you have to make me laugh. Let�s do this,� he said, and the two of us walked out to warm up.
If I thought we had a crowd for our team scrimmage, this was unreal. If this continued, we would need to get more bleachers brought in. The stands were full, and there was standing-room only along the edges of the field. An area had been blocked off for press and recruiters. I saw gear for every team in the Big Ten and several other schools we had contacted, including Notre Dame, Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, and Oregon.
Ty had been selected to be my other team captain this week. After the hazing incident, Coach Hope had decided to have me be a captain all year and then rotate in teammates for each game. Right before the kickoff, we walked out to the middle of the field for the coin toss. A cameraman from Fox came out to catch the action because we were on their Sports Network as the regional game of the week.
I was impressed when they had the official mic�d up so the crowd could hear him. Some improvements had been made that I wasn�t aware of.
�Washington, you�re the visitor and will call the toss. This is heads, and this is tails,� the referee said, as he showed us each side of the coin. �Call it in the air.�
�Heads!�
�It is tails,� the ref called.
�You�re going down!� the Washington player shouted, pointing at me.
Ever do something that you would regret later?
�This is OUR HOUSE!� I shouted, and it boomed all over the stadium. �You will learn what that means! Give us the ball.�
I had been instructed to defer to the second half, but I wanted to start the beatdown as soon as possible. Our fans went nuts, and between the cowbells and the cheers, you couldn�t hear yourself think. I would be willing to bet that we were louder than it had been at the Northwestern game because the stands were closer to the field. I glanced over at Coach Crouch, and he didn�t look entirely well. I had just announced to the world that we knew about his little talk on Monday.
On the kickoff, they were smart enough to kick away from Ty, but Ed caught it and pitched the ball to him. Ty waited for the wedge to form, but he was too eager and tried to force a hole, and Washington contained him. On our first play from scrimmage, we came out in our new formation with me under center. Mike was my fullback, lined up directly behind me. Ty and Jake were lined up slightly behind and next to him as my tailbacks. Roc and Wolf were playing wide receiver.
From that formation, I could either pass or run without a problem. The first play from scrimmage was an option that was set up so that Ty would end up getting the football. On the snap, Washington jumped eight guys into the box. That was where they brought one of the safeties up for run support. I smiled when I saw that left Wolf one-on-one with a cornerback. This was unfair on so many levels. Wolf was nearly six-five and weighed close to 240 pounds. He was being defended by a kid who was maybe five-nine and weighed 165 pounds. For a big guy, Wolf was surprisingly fast.
I faked the dive to Mike to hold the safety and allow Wolf to make a move on his guy. I stood tall and threw a pass to Wolf as he got free of his defender. The safety that had snuck up to help against the run had no chance. Wolf would have scored, but I put the ball too close to the sideline, and he stepped out of bounds after a gain of fifteen yards.
Luckily for me, I�d seen the defensive end coming for me after I threw the football. I was in no mood to play games, so I lowered my shoulder and laid him out by getting low and helping him fly over me. The crack of our pads could be heard over the roar of the crowd as Wolf made the catch. I walked over to their downed lineman and leaned down so he could hear me.
�I can do this all game long. Do you think you can handle me kicking your butt on every play? If so, keep up the cheap shots,� I warned him.
The next few plays seemed to go all wrong. Jim jumped offsides, Johan held, and Ed went in motion and started towards the line of scrimmage before the snap. We found ourselves first and thirty. I finally had had enough.
�Huddle up! Get your heads out of your asses and focus. I don�t care if we get the first down. I care that you do your jobs. Understand?� I asked.
�Yes, sir!� they barked back at me.
We picked up twenty of the thirty yards and then sent the punt team out. Everyone was shocked when our new punter�Derek Hofmann, one of our new farm kids�boomed a fifty-yarder that looked like a pro had done it. The Washington return man could only make a fair catch.
Our defense rose to the challenge and forced a three-and-out. Ty pedaled back to return the punt, and this time followed his blocking and put us on their 22 yard line. We ran the option again, and I tossed the ball to Ty who cut upfield. Something that Coach Diamond had added to our blocking scheme was that the backside tackle was to release his man and block the safety downfield. If we broke through their first line of defense, this block could mean the difference between a nice gain and a score. Jim was on the back side, and Ty saw him zero in on the safety that was tracking him. Ty cut back, which turned the safety so Jim had the angle and then lowered the boom. The safety crumpled like a rag doll, and the trainers for Washington were running out onto the field before Ty had even scored.
They ended up having to take care of another player. Their defensive end hadn�t learned his lesson, and I had taken him out. It turned out their safety had only had the air knocked out of him and later returned to the game. Their defensive end was checked for a possible concussion. Before I could go congratulate Ty, the white-hat referee stopped me.
�I understand your need to protect yourself, but if you start hurting their players, I will kick you out of the game. Are we clear?� he asked.
�Yes, sir,� I said.
Washington was able to move the football on our defense. They scored on an eleven-play drive to tie the score at seven each.
Washington turned out to be better than we�d anticipated. Their six new players made a big difference in the game. It was apparent that our defense had a long way to go. By the end of the first half, they had scored on three of their first six possessions. Coach Zoon and the rest of our defensive coaches had gone to the video room with Alan and Coach Hope to try and figure out how to stop them.
On offense, Coach Diamond had them so confused that just about anything we ran either picked up big chunks of yardage or scored. We had scored on three of our six possessions also. Wolf had caught one touchdown pass, to add to Ty with one, and Mike had the last one to make it 21�21 just before halftime.
I�d been hit on almost every play, as their coach had promised in his video. It had slowed down towards the end of the half when the referee had started to flag them each and every time they hit me late. Giving up fifteen-yard penalties back-to-back-to-back was a recipe for disaster. I�d gotten my licks in too, but felt the abuse my body was taking. Our training staff had made me take my gear off so they could check me out.
I would have some bruises come Monday, but nothing was injured. Coach Diamond came in to check on me and got a full report from Mr. Hasting, our head trainer, before he came in to talk to me.
�We need to make some changes in the second half,� Coach Diamond said.
I was about to jump on him for taking me out of the game�that was always the fear when you were on the trainer�s table�when he continued.
�I got a voicemail from Coach Styles. Listen to what he has to say,� he said, pulling his cell phone out and playing a voicemail.
�You�re going to kill him if you keep letting them hit David,� Coach Styles said. �Move him into the shotgun so he can see the field better. All your plays can be run from the gun, but he�ll be able to avoid the worst of the contact.
�While you�re at it, cut him loose and throw the damn ball! They can�t defend that Tams kid. If David gets in trouble, then flair out Herndon and he can pick up some yardage. If Washington has to cover the pass, they can�t sell out and run-blitz and hit our boy. I need him in one piece when he comes to Kentucky. Talk to you later,� Coach Styles said, and hung up.
�What do you think?� Coach Diamond asked.
�Do you even need to ask? Any quarterback would love to throw the ball on every down. What�s Coach Hope going to say?� I asked.
Coach Hope was more a defensive-minded coach. In his perfect world, we would be like the old Big Ten teams and gain three yards on each play and grind it out. Then they would win the game six to three on a last-minute field goal. The mindset was to keep their opponent�s offense off the field as much as possible to allow your defense a chance to be fresh come the fourth quarter. If I went pass-happy, we would be scoring quickly.
�Coach Hope has bigger issues right now. I wouldn�t be surprised if he played you on defense on spot plays in the second half.�
Could this day get any better? If I could be on the field for every play, it would make me a happy boy. I got dressed, and we walked out to start the second half. I looked in the stands and found Coach Styles and Don Berta, the recruiting coordinator from Kentucky, there and waved to them.
The second half started, and Washington began to drive on us again. We had made adjustments, and their five and six yards-per-play dropped to three and four; still not great, but better. They crossed our 50 yard line, and we finally had them in a third-and-four situation. If Coach Diamond hadn�t warned me, I would have missed the call. Coach Zoon sent me in to play strong safety. I�d never played the position before, and the only advice Tim gave me was not to let any of them get past me.
From the safety position, I was able to see the whole field. When I played linebacker, I was closer to the ball and focused on the quarterback. When they lined up, something about their wide receiver seemed funny. On the snap, he simply stood there, and Washington�s quarterback faked a handoff to the fullback up the middle. On each play, the quarterback runs a fake as if he still has the football. The idea is it might distract one of our players and make him hesitate. I saw their quarterback peel off and head towards the receiver who had been standing around. That receiver was running full speed towards their quarterback. Our defense committed to stopping their quarterback and pursued hard. I could see they were going to run the reverse, so I sprinted to where their receiver planned to be. When the ball was pitched to the receiver, Tim tried to recover but ended up on his butt as his feet slipped out from under him. Their receiver put on an extra burst when he saw the green grass to the end zone. He began his cut upfield when I hit him. We landed at Coach Crouch�s feet, and I got up and stared at the coach.
�Our House!� I shouted as our fans cheered the turn of events.
Their punter came in and pinned us on the 3 yard line. Now their fans were getting into it. Conventional wisdom says that in this situation, you run the safest play you have in order to pick up a couple of yards to get some breathing room and prevent a safety. Washington had their linebackers line up in the gaps, and it looked like a full-out blitz. Their coaches began screaming from the sideline when I dropped back into the shotgun. I had Johan snap the football before Coach Crouch could get a timeout called. I�d seen Roc�s cornerback start to creep towards the line to blitz, so I just threw the ball in his general direction as I was buried. There was a deafening roar, and the celebration by the Washington players told me something bad had happened. As I jumped up, I saw their corner had picked it off and walked in for an easy score.
What I had thought would be an easy win for us turned into a street fight. Neither team would back down, and the hits were incredible. As we headed to the fourth quarter, we managed to score again but missed the extra point. We were down 28�27. Washington smartly decided to run the football and eat up as much time as they could. Eleven plays later, we finally stopped them, and they kicked a thirty-two-yard field goal to make it 31�27.
With less than five minutes left in the game, we finally got our offense rolling. I marched us right down the field. From their 27 yard line, I was flushed from the pocket. Washington was so focused on covering our receivers I was able to sprint ten yards down the field before anyone saw me. Both their linebackers tried to cut me off, but I was too fast for them and evaded them. Their defensive backs came to their senses, so I still had a gauntlet of defenders to get through. They were smart in that they forced me towards the sideline. The smart move would be for me to step out of bounds. Instead, I cut upfield and was met by three defenders at the 3 yard line. I crashed into them and forced the pile towards the end zone. When I got up, the line judge indicated a touchdown.
There were two and a half minutes left on the game clock, and we were up 34�31. I�ll give Washington credit, they never gave up. They drove down the field and kicked a field goal with twenty-eight seconds left on the clock. The game was tied 34�all.
Coach Crouch may be a jerk, but he was a smart coach. He kicked the ball out of bounds on the kickoff. Even though it gave us the football at the 35 yard line, there was no way they would give Ty a chance to run one back on them. Before we went out, Coach Hope and Coach Diamond gathered us around.
�The smart play would be to run out the clock and win it in overtime,� Coach Diamond said.
�No, we�re going to take a shot at winning this now,� Coach Hope said. �David, call the plays when you�re at the line. The clock stops when we go out of bounds, incomplete passes, or first downs. We have one timeout left. Try to save it so we can get the field-goal team out there.�
�If you get in trouble, throw the ball away. We can�t afford a sack. If that happens, we play for overtime,� Coach Diamond gave his final instruction, and then gave us the play to run.
I had the offense huddle up so I could talk to them.
�No holding! If someone gets past you, sing out so I know to get moving. Get out of bounds if you can. If you can�t get a first down, then everyone hustle to the line. We�ve practiced this. This is Our House! No one is going to win when they come to Lincoln. On two, break!�
The play Coach Diamond called was to have Mike go into motion and line up behind Roc, and then Ed would go into motion right before the snap and end up behind Ty. This put four receivers on the left side of the football and left Wolf all alone on the right. With the stacked receivers, it was harder for Washington to cover them as we flooded the zone.
The hope was that Ty and Ed would be covered by linebackers and could use their superior speed. Washington had come out in their base defense because they expected me to just kneel down. If they had thought that we were going for it, they would have had more defensive backs on the field.
On the snap, Ed was at full speed and cut straight upfield. I hit him five yards down the field, and he used his speed to pick up enough for the first down. I sprinted to the line and called the same play. Washington was caught with too many men on the field on the snap as they tried to swap out a linebacker with a defensive back. Unfortunately for us, Wolf dropped the pass.
We were on the 50 yard line after the penalty, with fourteen seconds left. Coach Diamond swapped out Mike and Ed and brought in Jake and Bert to give us fresh legs. When we got into the huddle, I shared my plan.
�We need to pick up twenty-plus yards to give our kicker a chance. I�d feel better with thirty. Now let�s go get it done.�
The next play was intended to pick up ten yards and relied on Wolf being one-on-one with a smaller defensive back. Washington was smart because as soon as the pass was targeted at Wolf, they tackled him. I just threw the ball out of bounds. It was better for them to take a fifteen-yard penalty than to allow our best receiver a chance to score. The play had only consumed four seconds. We were now on their thirty-five with ten seconds left. With the timeout, we could get off one, maybe two, more plays.
On the next play, Washington blitzed, and I was blindsided, though I managed to hold on to the football. Coach Hope ran onto the field to get the timeout called. We only had three seconds left, and we were out of field goal range. The discussion on the sidelines was brief. We had nothing to lose by going for it, so Coach Diamond called for the Hail Mary, where all the receivers would head for the end zone.
When we lined up to run the play, Washington only had three linemen to rush. That meant they had eight defensive backs in the game. My five receivers would all be covered, and they would have three more to stand in the end zone and prevent the score.
On the snap, I dropped back and was surprised when Washington ran a line stunt, and one of their down linemen flushed me from the pocket. Everyone was covered, so I rolled right and was almost to the line of scrimmage, having half-decided to just run it and see what happened. Then I saw Roc cut hard at the 10 yard line and get some separation. I threw the ball towards the goal line.
That was when Washington made their mistake. They bunched their defenders behind him. We�d been taught to have someone in front as well to make it much harder. If they had done that, the chances of Roc catching the ball would have gone down considerably. It would have forced the football version of a jump ball. Roc caught the ball on the 2 yard line and lunged for the goal line. He was hit, and I saw him reach for the score when the ball was knocked loose. The crowd for each team went nuts, thinking we had either been stopped or we had scored.
One line judge held his hands up, and the other made no indication. The referee got all the officials together and discussed it. I would later see on TV that Roc hadn�t scored. The Washington defender had knocked the football out of his hands six inches from the goal line. It was a good thing there was no review allowed in high school because the referee stepped out of the huddle and indicated touchdown! We had won 40�34.
Washington was not happy. They refused to shake hands after the game and ran into the locker room. I was surprised at their lack of sportsmanship.
Fox Sports caught me before I got off the field. I smiled when someone put on the song
�How does it feel to win a game in that fashion?� the reporter asked.
I hated questions like that. It felt great! I timed my response for when the song hit the chorus of
�They came into
I was swarmed by my teammates, and the reporter gave up trying to interview me. The locker room was a madhouse. You would have thought we had won State. They started chanting �Our House� until Coach Hope quieted us down.
�Good game! The game ball was easy to decide tonight. We put the game in his hands, and he delivered: David Dawson,� Coach Hope announced as he handed me a football.
This was why I played football: the way you felt after a hard-fought game�there was nothing like it. Jim found me after I�d taken my shower, gotten treatment from the training staff, and was getting dressed.
�Are you going out tonight?�
�No, I�m beat. Plus, we have to get here early so we can be in East Lansing on time.�
�Mona sent me in to make sure you were going to her party tonight. She said it would be worth your while. I can only imagine what that means,� Jim said with an appropriate leer.
I almost caved in, but really did need to get some sleep or tomorrow would be a struggle. I thanked Jim and told him I would see him tomorrow.
◊◊◊ Saturday September 12
We took Mom�s car since it was much more comfortable for my long legs. Brandon had stopped at the local 7-Eleven and picked up various newspapers. Jeff Delahey had broken the story about what Coach Crouch had said at Washington�s fundraiser. Over the next week, Jeff would run more stories as he dug deeper into the matter. The one that caught my interest in today�s paper was where he talked to each person who voted for All-Conference and found the selections would have been very different if Coach Crouch�s brother-in-law hadn�t rigged the voting.
Two other stories seriously plagued the Washington program. The first was targeting opponents. This was unacceptable at every level of football. The second was the six transfers. The powers-that-be made it clear that if the six players stepped foot on a football field, and it was later found there had been some form of inducement, Washington would have to forfeit those games.
When we got to the high school, we had the usual fire drill as to who rode with whom. Mom drove our car, and Brandon claimed the front seat. Dad rode with Coach Hope and Cassidy rode with us, because she said this was her weekend with me. Before she was allowed in the car, there were explicit ground rules laid down. It all boiled down to we had to watch out for each other, and there was to be no drinking or funny business between us.
I was still tired, so I laid my head back and closed my eyes to get some much-needed sleep. I half-listened as my mom put Brandon to the question. By the time she was done, she knew everything about him. He also filled her in on my recruiting. Brandon told her interest was already high, but after the televised game it would go through the roof. My touchdown throw, with time expiring, had made SportsCenter�s top ten list. It must have been a slow night, in my opinion. Brandon showed her that the recruiting phone had received several hundred text messages since last night. He warned her that not everyone played fair, and we should expect some illegal inducement offers. I would need to be careful, or I might lose my eligibility. Bo had also alerted me to that danger during the summer.
◊◊◊
When we got to East Lansing, the whole town was abuzz for football. We checked into our hotel so we could focus on our weekend. ESPN had picked the Oregon vs. Michigan State game as their College GameDay location. We drove by Spartan Stadium, and it was already packed. We had been directed to go to the Duffy Daugherty Football Building across from the football parking lot. We walked in and found the place was like a museum for Michigan State football. We were given a tour of the building, and then we met the other recruits and their families.
Tami and her Wesleyan contingent showed up. She had Harper, Missy, and Lisa with her.� Alan had also made the trip. Maybe they could hook up again. I might not be as entirely over it as I�d tried to convince myself I was. I suppressed a grin when Cassidy grabbed my hand to remind me that I was with her this weekend. She had seen how Missy, or was it Lisa, eyed me. Harper and I hadn�t really kept in touch after my trip to Chicago.
We were all ushered out to an open area, adjacent to the building, where they had a raised dais and microphone. A guy in Michigan State gear got up to speak. He had several people in football jerseys off to the side.
�I�m Coach Bailsman, recruiting coordinator and quarterback coach for Michigan State. I want to welcome everyone for coming for a visit this weekend. We want you to enjoy the pregame festivities and experience what it�s like to attend a Michigan State football game.
�After the game, we�ll give you tours of the facilities and campus. A few of you have requested information on our Honors College program. That�s not something we often see,� he joked, �but we strongly encourage it. We have a special tour set up for that group. After the tours are done, we�ll return here and give you a chance to talk to position coaches so that you and your families can get all your questions answered. Then the recruits will venture off with their chaperones to explore what Michigan State has to offer. Moms and dads, don�t worry, we haven�t lost one yet.
�Sunday we�ll have breakfast and then have the workouts. You�ll get an opportunity to meet with the coaches once again. Are there any questions?� Coach Bailsman asked.
I started to see a pattern as far as activities on a visit. I thought Louisville had a better format. They hired escorts to make sure the players had a good time, if the reports were accurate. I�d yet to see that approach used elsewhere.
�Normally, I don�t single out a recruit on a visit, but we have someone special with us today,� Coach Bailsman said, and I looked around to see who was here. �I wanted to let you know that the number 1 recruit in the Junior Class, and Elite 11 Co-MVP who led his team to a last-second victory last night, is with us. Of course, I�m talking about David Dawson.�
My teammates all knew how much I hated that kind of thing, so they started chanting �Our House!� to embarrass me. There was already a video out that had gone viral showing my declaration, followed by my backing it up on the field. The problem with being singled out like that was you had to be on your best behavior. I couldn�t just be one of the guys after that. If I did anything questionable, like drink or have sex with a college coed, it would be talked about. Being a leader had its drawbacks, but if that was the price I had to pay to get us to a State Championship, I would gladly carry the load.
We were then introduced to our chaperones for the weekend. I was further embarrassed when I received one of my very own. Chip Ellis was a redshirt freshman quarterback. It seemed Michigan State had rolled out the red carpet. If this kept up, the other recruits would start to resent me.
�Everyone that�s with David, please gather �round,� Chip called out.
Of course, I expected Cassidy and Coach Hope, my parents, and Brandon. I didn�t expect the Wesleyan girls and Alan to join us. My mom stared me in the eyes, and being in no mood to restart that fight, I just smiled.
�We have some time before the football game, so I thought I�d take you to my fraternity. They�re having a pregame event for alumni and parents. So the girls should be safe,� Chip said.
I won�t repeat what the Wesleyan girls said, but I was happy when my mom gave them �the eye,� and they fell back into line. Poor Chip was blushing. While we walked to the fraternity house, Chip played tour guide and pointed out the different sights. I liked the feel of the campus and town. It didn�t seem quite as crowded as Northwestern had been. We eventually came to a large house that was vaguely Tudor style in design. It had brickwork on the bottom floor and light-colored paint on the second story. All that was missing was the decorative boards. The sign out front said Lambda Chi Alpha�Founded 1927.
We walked into a dated interior. The entry hall had green and brown slate flooring and a large crest for the fraternity. We were ushered into a formal living room that had mismatched couches that looked like something out of my Grandma Felton�s house. Chip left us to do something.
�If this is what a fraternity looks like, you�re not joining one,� my mom informed me.
�Do you think they get their furniture from Goodwill?� Harper asked.
�Actually, you�re not too far off on that,� said a guy who had to either be an alumnus or someone�s father. �They�ve been raising funds for a new fraternity house. This one has seen better days.
�You must be David. Why don�t you all join us out back? They have some doughnuts and coffee we brought with us. We don�t trust them to make coffee here.�
Dad and I were happy boys when we saw they had a full box of Bavarian Cream doughnuts. We did our circuit to meet everybody. It was evident that Chip had brought us with the intention that if I came to Michigan State, I would rush Lambda Chi Alpha. Cassidy amused Tami because she never left my side. If you had just met us, you would bet that we were a couple. Tami knew that Coach Hope wouldn�t allow it, and she kept watching him and his daughter to see if there was going to be any fireworks. I knew that Cassidy was still getting over the loss of Jeff, so wasn�t worried that anything would get out of hand.
After we had our doughnuts, we were whisked off to the stadium. Chip had a list of tailgate parties he was supposed to take us to, which turned out to be hosted by alumni boosters. The first one we stopped at was sponsored by a real estate company. Chip introduced me to the man throwing the party. When I shook the man�s hand, he palmed a hundred-dollar bill into mine.
�Excuse me, sir,� I said, pretending to pick up the bill. �I think this is yours.�
I wanted it to be clear that I wasn�t willing to take money to come to Michigan State. I was also a little annoyed that he thought a hundred dollars would get the job done. I had read where this was a common practice at a lot of universities. Of course, Michigan State and all the other universities had no idea that this was going on. The article I�d read said that many of the players appreciated the �hundred-dollar handshake.� If you were poor and only received a scholarship, you didn�t have any pocket money. That was one reason the Northwestern football team had tried to unionize. College football was a big business, and everybody but the players made money on it.
�Consider it found money,� he told me.
�I�m sorry, sir, I can�t. I care too much about my eligibility.�
�Then give it to your girlfriend,� the man suggested.
Cassidy had no such qualms and snatched the hundred-dollar bill out of my hand. It was probably a good thing her dad wasn�t paying attention. I think Chip was listening because there were no more offers of money made the rest of the day. Cassidy, on the other hand, admitted she made over $500. I wondered if the other guys had been offered money.
◊◊◊
We finally met up with the rest of the guys. I could tell my teammates liked Michigan State so far. When we walked into the stadium, it was almost twice as big as Northwestern�s. Spartan Stadium held 75,000 people and was sold out because this was a clash of two top-ten teams. Last year, Oregon had won their game and established themselves as the legitimate number 1 team in the land. Of course, their star quarterback had departed as the second one taken in the NFL Draft. This year, with home-field advantage, Michigan State was a four-and-a-half point favorite. They featured what many thought was the number 1 quarterback prospect in college football. I expected a good game.
While the teams were warming up, Brandon got a text.
�Come on, we need to take a walk,� he told me.
I was curious because I had no idea what Brandon was up to. I followed him through the stadium, and we were met by a guy in an Oregon polo shirt who must have been one of their student support staff. He got us on the field and, we wandered over to the Oregon side and �bumped� into Coach Malinowski, their quarterback coach.
�I heard a rumor that you were here. I saw you had a heck of a game last night,� he said in greeting.
Brandon had told me Oregon had sent a coach to watch the game last night.
�Thanks. We did okay, but we have a bunch of stuff we need to work on,� I said.
�While you�re here, would you like to meet a few people?�
�I really shouldn�t. I don�t want to mess up my visit with Michigan State. Good luck today,� I offered, and we started back to our seats.
�Why�d we do that?� I asked Brandon.
�Because they need to know you�re serious about possibly going there. There are also only a few schools that have turned out first-round quarterback prospects in the last few years. I�m just keeping your options open.�
I wasn�t sure if deliberately bumping into them was a sound plan. Brandon and I would need to talk about that when we got home.
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The Oregon/Michigan State game was everything it had been built up to be. Oregon�s new quarterback stepped into his first game and performed well. He threw two early interceptions, but then seemed to settle into the job. Michigan State�s quarterback could have been better, in my opinion. His footwork was lousy on a few plays, especially when he was flushed from the pocket, but he led them to a 31�28 victory.
After the game, we received a tour of the athletic facilities and met with our potential position coaches. Then we took a tour of the campus. Alan, the Wesleyan girls, and I met with representatives of their Honors College. You had to be in the top five percent of your high school class and receive at least a 30 on your ACT or a 1360 on your SAT critical reading and math sections to even qualify. I wasn�t really interested until they explained the benefits: you didn�t have to take the standard curricular requirements, and you had smaller-sized classes that went into more depth. The courses were also all taught by professors so I wouldn�t get stuck with a grad student teaching my classes. I would receive comprehensive advisor services from both faculty in my major and Honors College staff. I would also get priority registration. There were other perks, but I would at least consider the Honors College.
Chip wanted to take me to a party at his fraternity, but I begged off. I ended up spending the evening with all the parents and Cassidy. We went to a nice dinner and then to a concert the Michigan State Jazz Band put on.
◊◊◊
When we got back to the hotel, I saw my cell phone had received several calls over the last half hour. I�d left it on the charger. I listened to the first message from Harper and went searching for Cassidy and Coach Hope. I found them in their hotel room.
�I need your help,� I started when they let me in. �One of my friends from Wesleyan went to a fraternity party and is missing. They think she�s been taken to a room by one of the fraternity members and they can�t get upstairs to look.�
We ran downstairs and to the parking garage. Coach Hope opened the trunk of his car and pulled out two metal batons which were about two feet long with leather grips. He handed one to Cassidy.
�Don�t I get one?� I asked.
�No. You can really hurt someone without proper training. Cassidy will only use the appropriate amount of force,� Coach Hope explained.
Cassidy reached into their bag, pulled out some industrial-strength-looking zip-ties, and handed them to me.
�In case we have to tie them up,� she said, as if this was something she and her dad did all the time.
I decided to just put them in my pocket. I would have to reevaluate little Cassidy some other time.
We got into the car and drove to the fraternity house. It looked like a run-down version of the frat in
�They have Missy! You have to help me get her back,� she said, worried for her twin.
�The three of us are going in. You stay here, is that understood?� Coach told the guys. �If the situation gets out of hand, call the police.�
I followed Cassidy and her dad into the house. There was a serious party going on. Everyone seemed like they were having a good time. We saw the stairs across the party.
�Make a hole!� Coach barked.
When a Marine, even one that�s retired, tells you to move, you move, no matter how drunk you are. There are just some things that you don�t mess with. When we got to the foot of the stairs, one of the fraternity brothers stepped in front of Coach Hope.
�Fraternity members only allowed upstairs,� he said.
I thought Cassidy was dangerous. It happened so fast I wasn�t sure what I witnessed. All of a sudden the kid was on his knees with his arms behind him. Coach Hope looked at me, and I pulled out a zip-tie and tied it around his wrists. I got down in his face so he could hear me as I pulled out my iPhone and found a picture of Missy.
�Do you know where this girl is?� I asked.
�Screw you! You don�t know who you�re messing with,� he blustered.
Cassidy made one of her martial-arts moves where she finds a pressure point. Believe me, it hurts. After he had stopped twitching, the frat brother looked more cooperative.
�I can let her loose, with him backing her up. They�ll go door-to-door and cause mayhem. I�m sure you�ll be really popular when we tell them you could have stopped it. Now, where is she?� I asked.
�Last door on the left,� he said. As Cassidy and Coach Hope shot up the stairs, he added, �This isn�t over!�
I just shook my head and turned to see Lisa and Tami run up the stairs. Shit! Technically, Coach Hope didn�t tell them they couldn�t come with us, but now I had to worry about protecting them too.
By the time I caught up, it was all over. Missy was either very drunk or drugged. I was glad that Tami was there to check her over. Missy had lost only her shirt, so no permanent damage had been done. One frat boy was face down on the floor and not moving. At first, I thought they�d hurt him, but then I recognized the armbar Cassidy sometimes put on me. I brought out another zip-tie, and Cassidy secured him.
Lisa and Tami helped dress Missy, who was now crying.
�He wouldn�t stop!� she told us.
I took one look at Coach Hope and stepped between him and the guy on the floor.
�Don�t. Cassidy or I could get away with it because we�re minors. You�d be in a world of hurt if you did something stupid,� I said.
His lips got tight. I expect I would react the same way if I had a teenage daughter. Hell, if they left me alone with him, I would have seriously hurt him. He had gone after one of my girls. Deep down, the main reason I hadn�t gone out tonight was I couldn�t stand the thought of watching them get drunk and then hit on by college guys. I would have ended up in a fight. Instead, I �enjoyed� an evening with everyone�s parents.
It was no surprise when the police showed up. I let Coach Hope handle it. For once I was in no mood to deal with the police. Lisa and Tami went to the hospital with Missy to get her checked out. I had to give the police a brief statement and then slipped out when they were busy talking to some other people. I needed to get some sleep before tomorrow�s workouts.
As I lay in my bed contemplating what had happened, I vowed that there would not be a repeat of this weekend. Tami and her friends could arrange their own trips!
◊◊◊
Chapter 11 � The Worst Day Since Yesterday Sunday September 13
After our workouts, Wolf, Jim, and I were offered scholarships. For Ty and Tim, they wanted to see what they did this year. I could see myself playing college ball for Michigan State.
When we were finally done talking to the coaches, I went to the car to go home and found Mom and Dad in it, but no one else. It seemed Brandon and Cassidy had been told to get rides with others in our group. That could only mean my mom wanted to talk to me. I knew this because she told me.
�We need to talk through some things,� Mom informed me as soon as I got in the back seat.
Dad concentrated on driving. He didn�t plan to play referee. I figured Mom had already gotten to him, so I didn�t expect much help out of him anyway. Plus, Dad still had his own issues to work out with her. If I were in his shoes, I would keep my head low, too.
�What did you think of Michigan State?� Mom asked.
This was just the first probe into enemy territory. Mom wanted to see if I would communicate with her at all, so she threw me a softball. If I gave her a one-word answer, Mom would just launch into lecture mode, and over the next few hours in the car I would listen to every sin I�d committed since birth. Even if I participated in the conversation, I might still hear about it.
My third option was the filibuster. I could babble on about Michigan State and how great I thought they were for the rest of the trip. I decided to go that route because I really didn�t want to talk about what my mom wanted to: Tami. I�m not sure when Mom had become such a staunch supporter of my ex-best friend, but there was no denying that she had. I think she always secretly wanted a daughter. I�d hoped Angie would fill that role, but apparently not.
So, I launched into a spiel about the virtues of the Spartans, all of which was basically true. I liked the campus, it was still close enough that my parents could come and see my games, and I was intrigued by their Honors College. They also seemed to be a team on the rise.
Where I lost credibility was when I started talking about Lambda Chi Alpha and how they might be the fraternity for me. I think my dad gave it away by snorting when I mentioned I might like to live in the house. He knew that as soon as I was able to get out of the dorms, I would be in a place of my own in a flash. I had no desire to live with forty other college guys. Heck, I would just about die if my brother roomed with me. How would I handle a bunch of drunken fraternity brothers who wanted to party when I had to either work out or study? While I might join a fraternity for the social aspects, there was no way I would live in the frat house.
�Okay, I get it. You like Michigan State. That wasn�t what I wanted to talk to you about,� Mom said to stop me.
�But I haven�t even talked about the intricacies of their offense and how I think I might contribute,� I said, trying to get back to my filibuster.
�I�d like to hear all about that,� my dad lied.
At least he tried to cover for me.
�I don�t think so,� Mom said, shooting down my attempt to derail her from her intended purpose. �How has it become so bad with you and Tami?�
�Oh, I don�t know. Could it have anything to do with her telling me she wanted to date other guys, and then jumping my best friend?� I asked without thinking.
�David, everyone knows nothing happened!�
�Bullshit,� I mumbled.
�What did you say?� Mom asked.
�I said bullshit! You weren�t there to see what I saw. Even if nothing happened, they ended up in bed naked, and things progressed far enough for a condom to be used.�
From her expression, my mom hadn�t been told that little factoid. I�m sure Tami had spun a tale of how I�d misunderstood what had happened. Granted, I had also left that out, but I had suffered through the whole forced-apology fiasco.
�Why didn�t you tell me about that?� Mom asked.
�Because you no longer want to talk to me, you just want to tell me what to do. I suppose I�m grounded again because Tami and Alan did something and I didn�t approve. I think the real question isn�t what�s wrong between Tami and me, it�s what�s wrong between
�I used to feel like I could tell you anything, and you�d help me work through it. It was the family against the world. Now you ground me for any perceived slight, or if I challenge you on anything. If I�m going to be your personal whipping boy, count me out.�
�Is that what you really think?� Mom asked.
I would never answer that question. I actually did something smart and just went quiet. Mom realized there was no point in continuing the conversation. It turned into a long ride home.
◊◊◊
We came home to a full house. Greg and Angie were there with Kyle, Mac, and Nate. I wasn�t surprised to see Uncle John and Aunt Bonnie, but I was surprised when my two grandmas were there, too. It felt good to come home and get swarmed by three babies and my wild child, who forgot there were babies and knocked them down with his tail. Nate needed some loving, but Kyle and Mac told Duke �no,� and he minded them. I needed one of them around to help me control him. Duke seemed to understand that they were babies, and he was very gentle with them, most of the time.
�You get yours, and I�ll take the boy,� Grandma Dawson told Grandma Felton. �Come on, David.�
I almost laughed when my mom about opened her mouth but decided to shut it as Grandma Felton dragged her into the office and closed the door. I grabbed my bags and hound, and we accompanied Grandma Dawson to my apartment.
�This war between you and your mother has to stop,� Grandma Dawson said as soon as we made it upstairs.
I started to defend myself, but she gave me a look that I�d never seen from my grandmother before. I�d never seen her mad at me, but this time she was thoroughly pissed-off. My first instinct was to apologize, but I kept my mouth shut.
�You fighting with your mother is both childish and immature. She has just been humiliated and found out that her husband is capable of cheating on her. Before you start in on how she should have talked to you about it, don�t even bother until you�ve lived it. I know, because your grandfather did it to me repeatedly during our marriage. Everything your mother thought she believed about your father is now in question. At every turn, she�ll think she hears whispers of people talking about how foolish she was,� Grandma said, and left that hanging in the air.
I saw a tear form at the corner of my grandmother�s eye and then trickle down her cheek. In that moment, my heart broke to see her in pain. She�d had years to come to grips with Grandpa Davey�s infidelity. That it had never occurred to me that Grandma had a problem with it made me ashamed of myself. It had never been a secret that I had other aunts and/or uncles out there. That was why it had been so easy to buy that Phil was my uncle and not my half brother. I�d simply assumed that my grandmother had been alright with him stepping out on their wedding vows. I had a whole new respect for my grandmother. She had endured because she loved him. I also saw the pain that it caused.
No one wants to have the stark mirror of reality shoved in front of their face. The visage looking back appalled me. All I�d done was look at how this affected me. Yes, my mother had mishandled things, but who could blame her? It wasn�t as though there was a playbook that told you that if this happened, you should do that, and everything would be better.
As I stepped back and looked at it again, it became clearer how the pieces fit together. Over the years, as Tami and I grew closer, it had been assumed we would end up together. Greg was to marry Beth, and I was destined for Tami. Even Tami and I had believed that until recently. Well, she still might believe it, but I didn�t. Mom had reacted when I told her that I was going out with Mona. Mom had to see the parallels between the revelation that Dad had cheated on her and me stepping out on Tami. That was when she grounded me and had not allowed me to go to Tracy�s party at the lake house.
Then she�d come back from Las Vegas and just forgiven my dad and found I had no forgiveness for Tami. I was sure Mom looked at it and wondered if she�d made a mistake. If I couldn�t do it, then how had she? My mother was nothing if she wasn�t stubborn. She knew deep down that I�d made a mistake. Tami and I had parted so that she could get life experience and have no regrets when we finally got together. At some point, it was bound to happen that Tami would hook up with a guy. Hell, it had occurred with at least two different guys when she was in the UK. My mom knew that the problem I had was that I knew this guy. Heck, this guy had been my best friend. If Mom could survive having my new half brother shoved in her face, then she must have felt I should survive seeing Tami and Alan together.
I could see her logic and even understand it. The problem with that was I wasn�t my mother. Her choice to remain with my dad was her own. This was
I thought about my life and how it would be if I let what was going on with my mom continue, and felt myself choke up. Something I did know was that I loved my mom and she loved me. She had made a decision that our family, not just my dad, meant enough to her to accept what had happened and move on. What was I willing to do to make peace with her? I was caught between growing up and being my own man and being my mom�s little boy.
I ended up having a very long discussion with my grandmother. When we were done, we had a new, deeper relationship. She had always been just Grandma to me, but now she was much more. She was now someone I could go to for advice and love. It was one of those things you never realized was missing in your life until you found it. My grandmother was a very astute woman and had insight that made me understand why my grandfather had loved her so much.
We ended up talking about much more than my current problem with my mom. Once Grandma was certain we would be okay, she told me about herself and her life with my grandfather. She told me that one day I would get into politics and she�d help me. Grandma said I had my grandfather�s gift with people and should be of service to others. I wasn�t sure about that, but now knew I had someone I could absolutely count on. In the end, that was what mattered to me.
◊◊◊
When we finally came down, Greg, Dad and Uncle John were making dinner. If Uncle John was involved, we would be having something on the grill. He had planted a late batch of sweet corn, so we were going to be the beneficiaries of his forethought. While they cooked, my mom and my Grandma Felton came out of the office. Mom indicated she wanted to talk to me alone, so I went back into the office with her. Before I�d talked to my Grandma Dawson, I would have dreaded this, but now I was surer of myself and how I felt. I knew everything was going to be alright when she hugged me.
We said, �I�m sorry,� at the same time.
�Jinx,� she said and then laughed as she punched my arm.
�Can we just forget about the last few weeks?� I asked.
�The being mad at each other part I would say yes to, but I need to stop dictating to you. I was reminded of how I reacted to that when I was your age. You�re my youngest, and I sometimes forget that you�re growing up. You have to also accept that there are things I�m not willing to talk about. What happened between your father and me is private. What happened between you and Tami, I should treat the same way,� she said.
�I can live with that. I don�t ever want to fight with you again like this. I love you, Mom.�
�I love you too, David,� she said as we hugged again.
�Are you and Dad okay?� I asked.
I watched as my mom broke down in front of me. I pulled her into my arms as she made a sound that wrenched my heart out of my chest. Then she beat her fists against me.
�It hurts, it hurts so much. You have to promise me something: you have to promise to never be with a married woman. If it causes this kind of pain, I could never live with myself knowing you did that.
�Oh, David! How could he? How could he step out on his sacred vow to me? We promised each other we would forsake all others. Promise me! Promise me right now!� Mom ordered.
�I promise. I will never help anyone break their wedding vows, including my own,� I said as hot tears streamed down my face.
All I could do was hold her as she cried it out. Dawson men aren�t built to handle crying women, but I could tough it out for my mother. Mom hadn�t let me in until that moment. I had no idea how deeply she�d been hurt when she found out my dad had a son with another woman.
I felt guilty about bringing Phil into our home, even if I didn�t know he was my brother at the time. Of course, this wasn�t his fault, but until my mom was okay with it, I wouldn�t invite him back. I didn�t need to bring the tangible reminder of my dad�s infidelity into our home ever again.
Mom finally was able to get herself back together.
�So, did your grandmother set you straight?�
�Did your mom do the same?� I asked, and she just smiled.
It was apparent that neither of us was ready to talk about what had been said behind closed doors. We seemed to agree to keep it that way, at least for now.
◊◊◊
I needed to get out of the house for a little bit, so I got into my Charger and went for a drive. I found myself at the entrance to the park with the winding road that led to the Mennonite farms. I punched it, the beast under the hood gave a roar, and I was slammed into my seat as the car rocketed down the road. There was nothing like the feel of power as the Charger did what it was designed to do: go extremely fast.
In what felt like only a moment I shot out of the park onto a country road. I smiled when I saw the Pearson farm coming up and slowed down. I decided to pull in and see what Roc and Zoe were up to. Zoe came out of the barn, and it looked like she�d been working.
One of my fantasies was the Farmer�s Daughter. It was right up there with the Naughty Catholic Schoolgirl. Seeing Zoe in her boots, tight jeans, t-shirt, and a John Deere baseball cap was a real turn-on. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail to keep it out of her face, but all it did was show off her long neck. I looked into her brown eyes and could see myself getting lost in them. Of course, Zoe had no makeup on, and the flush in her cheeks came from honest work. I tried not to be too obvious as I checked her out.
�Hey, what brings you out here?� she asked.
�I just got back from Michigan State and needed some time to myself, so I decided to take a drive.�
�Do you want me to go get my brother?� Zoe asked.
�No, I came to see you.�
Sometimes my bullshit works. From the embarrassed look I got, it seemed I had said the right thing. Maybe Pam was right, maybe Zoe liked me.
�What were you doing?� I asked.
�I was taking care of the horses. Want to help me?� she asked.
�Sure, why not,� I said and followed her into the barn.
The sounds and smells gave me a momentary flashback to my summer with my uncle. I felt at home, suddenly. I volunteered to muck out the twelve stalls. Zoe showed me where to take the soiled straw. They had a couple of compost piles going, and it was obvious which one was the newest. Over time it would break down and be used as a natural fertilizer.
Mucking stalls wasn�t hard work and didn�t take any thought. I needed the mind-numbing repetitive time to get my head straight. This was almost as good as running. When I finished with that task, she had me fill the feed stations in each stall. I then checked to make sure they all had water. While I�d been doing that, she would take a horse to the wash station and get him clean. They looked like they had been into the pond and gotten muddy.
After I finished with the feed and watering, I went to help her.
�What can I do?� I asked because I wasn�t sure what needed to be done.
�Get the sweat scraper and get the water off of him,� Zoe said.
The sweat scraper looked like a bent window squeegee. She showed me how to use it to get off the excess water. While the horse was being washed, she had him in a synthetic halter so she wouldn�t get his leather one wet. Zoe showed me how to switch the halters, and then she had me lead him to his stall where his dinner was waiting. We then got the next horse.
By the time we had done the last three, I was confident in my ability to wash a horse. I then cleaned up the wash station while Zoe checked on her charges. Zoe and I made a good team. She was good with the horses, and while we worked, her focus was on them.
�I need to check the fence by the pond. Somehow they got into it today,� she said.
�Fences I know. I helped my uncle redo all his fences on his cattle farm.�
We walked the pasture fence lines and soon found how they had gotten into the one with the pond. We went back to the barn and got the tools I needed, and Zoe held the pieces in place as I fixed them.
�Can I ask you how being a Mennonite is different from being a Christian?� I asked.
�Mennonites believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Our beliefs stem from the Anabaptists. Anabaptists are Christians who believe in delaying baptism until the candidate confesses his or her faith. It doesn�t mean anti-BaptistBaptist, but rather rebaptizers. When our religion was founded, the authorities started to arrest the rebaptizers. We believe that Jesus taught peace, so we didn�t resist.
�From the first group of thirteen Anabaptists, other religions were founded. The most recognizable are the Amish. Unlike them, we�re allowed to wear normal clothes and drive cars. But we believe in service to our community and nonviolence. That�s the quick version of what it means to be Mennonite,� Zoe said.
I glanced around and took a deep breath. It was so peaceful on the farm. Zoe cocked her head and looked at me.
�I can tell something�s bothering you. Would you like to talk about it?� she asked.
�No, not really,� I said.
�Would you allow me to pray with you?� she asked, which caught me off guard.
While I had never been one to hide my faith, I�d never really put it out there, either. I just nodded, and she took my hands and bowed her head. I joined her and prayed that the rift that had developed in my family would be healed. When we were done, Zoe held my hand as she walked me back to the barn. I admit I took my time to get back and just enjoyed her company.
We put the tools away and rechecked the horses, and then she walked me to my car.
�You�re welcome to come help me do my chores anytime,� Zoe said.
�I�d like that,� I said, completely serious.
The farm had a real attraction for me. As I looked closer at Zoe, I felt an allure there also. It was different from what I usually felt with a girl. While there was a sexual attraction, there seemed to be something more. I couldn�t really put my finger on it. Zoe squeezed my hand, and then let it go so I could leave. I wanted to kiss her, but something stopped me. I didn�t want to rush whatever it was I felt. All I know is that spending a couple of hours with her on the farm had drained all the stress out of me. I felt better than I had in a long time. Maybe even before Jeff�s accident.
◊◊◊ Monday September 14
When I pulled into school, Tracy and Pam were out front hanging out with Brook. For some reason, Brook made me nervous. Maybe it was the predatory way she checked me out. While walking up, I saw Tracy pout.
�What�s wrong with her?� I asked Pam.
�You forgot her birthday,� Brook supplied.
I felt like shit. I�d never missed Tracy�s birthday since starting high school. Her birthday my freshman year had actually been our first unofficial date.
�What can I do to make it up to you?� I asked.
�You could buy me a Mustang,� Tracy suggested.
For her sixteenth birthday, her parents had bought her a Mustang. Tracy had sold it to pay for the accident she�d had that destroyed the ice cream stand.
�I think I saw a black one at Toys �Я� Us,� I said.
That made Pam laugh. Tracy tried to give me her sad eyes, but I wasn�t buying it, neither figuratively nor literally. Her dad made more than enough to buy her a car if he wanted to. I wasn�t suddenly going to start spending money on my friends. It wasn�t like there was a ton of money in my bank account right now anyways. I�d put a big chunk of it into the farm and would get another big payout of my movie money on the release. Then there was all the residual money from ad campaigns and the photo-rights royalties. Dad had arranged that money to go into �David�s college fund� and the �buy a big-assed house� fund. They had that money locked down where I would never see it until I either used it for its intended purpose or turned 25. How they talked me into that, I�ll never know.
�Why don�t you take her out?� Brook suggested.
�I�d like that,� Tracy said.
�Do you want to plan it or should I?� I asked.
�I�ll plan it,� Brook offered.
We all looked at her and Tracy shrugged.
�Okay,� I said as the bell rang.
I put my arm around Tracy, my hand found its way into her back pocket, and hers did the same in mine. It felt familiar and comfortable as I remembered how we used to be when we went out. Several people did a double take when they saw me walk her to her locker. Brook and Pam didn�t help when they acted like teenage girls and squealed when I kissed Tracy goodbye. I shook my head and hoped they weren�t getting any ideas.
◊◊◊
I finally caught up with Tami at lunchtime, and we video chatted.
�How�s Missy?� I asked.
�She�s still shook-up, but she�s fine. You showed up in time before anything really happened. She wants to thank Tony, Cassidy, and you for coming to her rescue.�
�I want to ask you a favor: can you stop coming with me on my recruiting trips?� I asked.
Tami snorted and gave me a weak smile. I held my breath. I would play nice to get my way on this. Having her along had been a nightmare.
�I figured that was coming. You�re having a hard time with what happened on the last two trips. You find Alan and me in bed, and then you have to rescue Missy. Both were alcohol-related with girls you care about.�
I wasn�t surprised Tami was spot on. She knew me better than almost anyone else besides my mom.
�That, and I need to treat these trips like they�re business trips. If I fall in love with a college, I�ll let you know. So far, I�ve taken Northwestern off my list, but I would consider Michigan State. Over the summer I liked Ohio State and Alabama. If I find one that I think you�d like, I�ll let you know that, too.�
�I�d like that.�
�Thanks for understanding,� I said, and then hung up.
Now if I could get rid of the parents, we could have some fun on these trips. A guy can dream, can�t he?
◊◊◊
The film session from the game with Washington was brutal. We�d made mistakes that we hadn�t made since the first of the summer. One of the issues was the two new linemen we had added, Johan and Neil. Johan had replaced Tim at center. While he had a lower center of gravity and was a rock in the middle of the line, Johan wasn�t nearly as mobile as Tim had been. Washington had played a four-man front, which left Johan uncovered. On run plays, he was responsible for getting off the ball and blocking a linebacker if we weren�t double-teaming one of the tackles. Johan was also responsible for helping out anyone that needed it on a pass play. He was the tip of the spear that formed my pocket. What he seemed to be doing was lunging to make blocks instead of moving his feet. When you lunge, you�ve lost your base and leverage. Coach Stevens, our offensive line coach, felt he could fix Johan�s technique.
The other lineman that had problems was Neil Presley, our right tackle. Neil�s issue was one of consistency. He was the only sophomore who was starting, and his inexperience was apparent. Neil showed enough good plays that the coaching staff felt he could do the job.
Then there were a lot of mental errors made by the skill players. Mike and Bert hadn�t really done what was needed as the fullback lined up next to me. On the option, they were the main players to handle the load for inside runs. When they were given the ball, they seemed to run into the pile instead of finding the creases and exploding into the hole. I was disappointed that they weren�t willing to stick their noses in there and pound out yardage. They also weren�t following through and making the defense think they had the football on fakes. Their job was to fake and then find someone to block. I thought Coach Diamond was going to bust a blood vessel in his head when Bert actually fell down instead of making contact with a blitzing linebacker.
Ty had had a good game, and after watching what he could do, Coach Hope moved him to fullback. I was surprised when my half brother Phil was promoted to varsity to back up Ty. Mike and Bert were sent to the defensive side of the football. Mike wasn�t happy. Personally, I wouldn�t miss him. Another change was our JV quarterback, Trent Buchannan, was designated my backup. That almost made Mike�s head explode. Coach Zoon had to take him out of the film session, and there was shouting in the hall.
On defense, Coach Zoon only showed a couple of plays. He wanted to keep it positive and showed them what they did right. Coach Zoon singled out Milo, the only freshman starter, and the first-rate job he did alongside his brother at defensive tackle. He also showed a couple of plays Yuri had made at linebacker. Finally, he showed me tracking down the reverse. He showed Tim falling on his butt several times, as he kept running the video back and forth. That had lightened the mood.
We all groaned when we saw Cassidy show up because it was time for
◊◊◊
After the football session, Cassidy and I drove straight to the dojo to work out.
�Show me how to use the baton you and your dad used at the party,� I said.
Shiggy had bamboo weapons in the back, and Cassidy brought out a couple to use as demonstration props.
�Before we get started, why didn�t you have the collapsible ones?� I asked.
There are batons that you snap open with a flick of your wrist. They can be stored on your belt and not get in the way. What Cassidy had used seemed bulkier to carry around.
�I�m impressed. You�re starting to ask better questions,� Cassidy said. �The main reason we use a solid baton is that the collapsible ones have been known to close up if the tip�s hit hard enough. That leaves you with just the grip in your hand. The second reason is that a solid baton is heavier and can do a lot more damage. If we�re in a fight, what�s our goal?�
�To end the threat as soon as possible,� I said from rote.
�The difference is I can break someone�s arm instead of just bruising him. I could also potentially kill my opponent. That was why Daddy wouldn�t let you have one. If you haven�t trained, you could really hurt someone and not mean to. Our goal was to subdue the fraternity boys, not kill them.
�Now let�s begin,� she ordered.
Giving Cassidy an additional two-foot reach was totally unfair. I quickly also found out that the practice baton hurt. Then the tables were turned. I got in one good whack, and Cassidy decided to demonstrate how to counter everything she�d taught me. My little ninja warrior kicked my butt. Shiggy threw us out again for being too rough.
After nearly a year of training, I�d observed that Cassidy would give me a butt-kicking every so often. I admit to being competitive. I would work hard to get to the point where I could hold my own with Cassidy. Frankly, most guys wouldn�t put up with a girl ten inches shorter and weighing ninety pounds less than they did getting the better of them in what amounted to a fight, especially if they thought they were a top athlete. For some reason, I never felt any humiliation. I considered Cassidy to be my teacher. So, when I would finally catch up, she�d kick my butt to show me how much more there was to learn. Her teaching technique worked for me, and even I could tell I was much better than I�d been just a few months ago.
On the way home, she broached the topic I had anticipated and dreaded ever since we lost Jeff. They�d been dating when he had his accident, and I thought they might have been one of the few high school couples that might have made it for the long haul.
�Do you like me?� she asked.
�Cassidy Hope, you know I love you.�
�I love you too, but do you love me enough to go out with me?�
I had to pull the car over because I felt Jeff on my shoulder, listening in. There were moments when the emotion of the loss still overwhelmed me. I would catch myself thinking I needed to tell him something or he would really like that, whatever that was. I was used to sharing everything with my lost friend, and I missed that.
There were three girls in this world that if I ever got serious with, it would be all over. Tami was a given. The second was Beth Anderson. Cassidy was the third. A case might be made for a few others. Kara came to mind, as did Suzanne. Hell, what did I know? I most likely hadn�t met �the one� yet.
I think Cassidy was surprised when she saw a tear trickle down my cheek. I didn�t want to mess this up, because I really cared for her.
�I�m sure that your dad would object. We both know that, if we wanted to, we could convince him that we could make it work. I think he objects now because he recognizes that if we ever did get together, he could never keep us apart. You�ve gotten into my heart, and we�ve become very good friends in a short amount of time. My biggest problem right now, though, is it would feel disloyal to Jeff,� I said.
�You do realize that Jeff would just want us to be happy. He understood you and I have a special connection. I just wanted to know if you would ever consider us as a couple.�
�Of course I would. I�m just not ready for that, right now,� I said. �Cassidy, if you told me that you needed me right now, I�d set all my personal issues aside and be there for you. I just don�t think that now�s the right time for us.�
She leaned across the center console and kissed me. We both felt it. I think it was good that Cassidy pulled away.
�Like I said, I just wanted to know. I miss him, too,� she said, referring to Jeff.
�Friends?� I asked.
�Friends,� she answered.
◊◊◊ Tuesday September 15
I came out to run and saw our blue jay problem taken care of. The territorial birds had terrorized Duke all summer. One of them made the mistake of trying to run off Precious, Brit�s cat from hell. The blue dive bomber made his pass only to find himself in the jaws of the neighbor�s cat. Precious had to have leaped six feet off the ground to snatch the bird out of the air. I was a little appalled when she brought it to me and put it at my feet.
�Why can�t you give this to Brit? I don�t really want a dead bird,� I said, trying to reason with the feline.
Precious just looked up at me like she expected me to do something with it. Duke made the mistake of being a little too curious about Precious�s kill and got his nose swatted for his troubles. There was the evil cat I had learned to love. I opened the garage, found a rag, and picked up the bird so I could dispose of it. That seemed to satisfy Precious because she and Duke ran into our backyard to roughhouse.
◊◊◊
I came to school to find every guy in a circle around something. It was weird because they were all quiet. If it had been a fight, they would have been yelling encouragement. I walked up and about made a run for it. Standing in the center was Brook Davis, wearing what I would describe as Eurotrash porn garb. She had on bell-bottom sweat pants that were so thin that you could tell she didn�t have any underwear on. They weren�t snug like yoga pants, but every movement of her tight little booty was easy to see. Brook also had on a sports bra that lifted and separated her breasts, with a tank top so snug I don�t know how she got into it. I swear you could make out the outline of her areola, and there was no guessing about her nipples.
I checked her out closer and saw she had dressed to attract attention today. Her makeup was a little heavier than what she usually wore. Lisa Felton had some serious competition for most sexually arousing female at Lincoln High. For some reason, Brook was able to pull off her look without appearing totally trashy. She just had a way of carrying herself that spoke of class, regardless of what she had on.
�I�m trying to find a real man who isn�t afraid to have fun. I went out with Mike, and he came up short�in a lot of ways,� she said as every eye turned toward my nemesis.
I�d heard the rumors that he�d bragged about bagging Brook. It sounded like she�d heard the same rumors. Mike stumbled back as if she�d slapped him. It had been a bad couple of days for him. He�d been kicked off the offense in football, and now his manhood had been called into question. I didn�t blame him when he made a hasty exit.
�If only there were someone who could measure up �� Brook said, laying down her challenge.
The problem with teenage boys is their lack of confidence. If she�d done this on a college campus, guys would have swarmed her. As she scanned the crowd, you could see boys eliminating themselves one at a time. If Mike hadn�t measured up, and he was one of the more attractive guys at Lincoln, then, how could they?
If you�re tall, it has its advantages, but not today. Brook�s eyes locked with mine and she began to walk towards me. I smirked when the crowd parted like the Red Sea, and Brook ended up right in front of me.
�How about it, Dawson, you man enough to have some fun with me tonight?� she asked.
I think every guy had the same idea of �fun� in mind, but I caught the glint in her eye and knew she wasn�t talking about sex. Mr. Happy was 100 percent sure I was wrong and made a play for taking over the body. I had to fight him down, or he�d have gotten me suspended again for sure.
I was on the verge of turning her down when I remembered my commitment to live a life without regrets. I knew I�d kick myself later if I didn�t at least find out what she had in mind.
�Meet me after football practice,� I said.
That caused all the guys to start to talk at once. Out of nowhere, Pam and Tracy appeared and separated Brook and me. Tracy led me into the school while Pam led Brook towards a different entrance.
�I think I�m in trouble,� I confessed.
�Buddy, you�ve no idea,� Tracy warned me.
◊◊◊
At lunchtime, the cheerleaders and my female friends took over our table, and the boys were told to get lost. Brook was among the other cheerleaders; amazingly, she hadn�t been sent home yet. All I could think of was she must have had all male teachers this morning.
I walked over and sat down next to Alan. I wasn�t talking to him yet but didn�t want him to feel ostracized like poor Mike, who sat at a table by himself. I heard Mike had made a date with Piper, one of the JV cheerleaders, but she had publicly told him she�d changed her mind after what Brook had said.
�Are you and Brook going out now?� Yuri asked.
I had a little inner smile when he didn�t spout off some sexist remark. Yuri showed that hanging out with me last year had rubbed off. We�d had several conversations about that very subject.
�No, she just wants to go do something fun tonight.�
�Yeah, right,� Alan snorted.
That got all the guys laughing. Who could blame them? I just let their taunts wash over me and winked at Yuri, who just nodded.
�I bet Brook plans to go do something fun that isn�t just sex,� I added.
�Notice that he didn�t rule it out. I know I�d have some impure thoughts if I was on a playdate with her,� Jim said.
�I like the �playdate� jab,� Ty said. �We all know that David�s a �Player.��
Everyone groaned as I sat up straighter as if claiming the �Player� tag.
�What? I thought that was pretty clever,� Ty complained.
The debate then took a turn I wasn�t happy about. The guys all rated my success and failures with women and whether I deserved the �Player� moniker. I ruined their fun when I turned the tables on them and exposed their own failed attempts with the stronger sex. It occurred to me we needed to up our game, and the best way to do that was by example. It had been a while since I felt like going out and playing.
◊◊◊
Our game this week was against Bloomington, a much larger school. Someone needed to talk to our athletic director about scheduling some cupcakes! I�d looked on the website for upcoming games, and there wasn�t a weak nonconference opponent on the schedule. Our traditional end-of-year travel game now showed TBD (To Be Determined). When I asked Coach Hope about it, he said that we were in negotiations to play a team from out of state. I had a bad feeling about what they had planned for us.
When practice started, Coach Stevens announced that Johan would move from center to left guard next to Jim, and Brock was shifted to center. At first, I was worried that Johan wouldn�t be able to run the plays where the guard was asked to pull, and either run the trap or be the lead blocker on a power sweep. I soon realized that if he had a big defensive lineman in front of him, Johan was a bulldozer. He was a big, strapping farm boy who was used to using his brawn to move things. With him and Jim on the same side of the football, and if we threw Wolf in at tight end, we could run power football to the left side all day long.
Brock was quicker and could get on the linebacker better. Later in practice, when Coach Zoon started to run line stunts at us for pass plays, Brock really showed his worth. His added mobility allowed him to help out wherever he was needed. I think we were all happy with the results.
Ty just made me smile. He had a feel for running between the tackles. Where Mike and Bert seemed to attract tacklers, Ty was able to see the play develop in front of him and recognize where the crease would be. I loved to watch him take his time as he moved to the line of scrimmage, and then he would explode when he saw an opening. Ty also had thick thighs that allowed him to break arm tackles. He was turning two- and three-yard runs into five or six, and if the linebackers missed, he was gone.
Coach Zoon also let me play some safety. He wanted me to be available at critical points in games or obvious passing situations when we dropped into our nickel coverage, where we replaced a linebacker with a defensive back.
I was sure the coaching staff wasn�t done making changes, but so far everything was looking up.
◊◊◊
When I walked out to my car, Brook was there waiting for me. She�d put on jeans, a pink t-shirt, and Lincoln High baseball cap, with her hair in a ponytail. I read the t-shirt and laughed. It read: �I heard you were a player. Well I�m the COACH!� Someone from our lunch table had opened their big mouth. I was impressed she was able to get it made in time for our outing.
�Where to, Coach?� I asked as I got closer.
�Give me your keys,� Brook ordered.
The only other people who had driven my Charger were Tami and Chuck. For some reason, I didn�t hesitate to toss her the keys. I wondered why as I got into the passenger seat but soon forgot all about it when Brook smoked the tires as we left the student parking lot. She laughed hysterically while I white-knuckled the dash. This girl was crazy!
Brook had the windows down and the rock music blaring as we blew past an obvious speed trap. She just waved at them and kept going. I was shocked when they didn�t pull out to chase us. Brook must have met the local police before.
As she drove, it became apparent that she could handle the car. Brook wasn�t joyriding, she was focused on what she was doing. I wasn�t really paying attention to where we were going, so was caught off guard when we pulled into a little airport at the edge of town. I became nervous when I read the sign in front of the building. It said �Bulldog Skydiving.�
�Have you ever been?� she asked.
�No,� I said, contemplating whether this was a good idea or not.
There was a difference between living a life with no regrets and dying. I decided I wouldn�t tell my mom about it and got out of the car.
�I haven�t either. It�s on my to-do list, though. I thought you might enjoy it.�
I cocked my head and had a whole new appreciation of Brook Davis. I could tell that if I hung out with her, I would get to try new adventures that I would never do if I were focused solely on school and football. I hadn�t realized I�d stopped, but when she grabbed my hand, I followed her into the building.
�Hey, Brook, is this David?� asked a good-looking young guy who was either in college or just out.
�He is. David, I�d like you to meet Ben. He and his sister will be taking us up today. They wouldn�t just let us jump out of a plane, for some reason, but we can do it in tandem with a jump instructor,� Brook explained.
�How safe is this?� I asked.
�We haven�t killed anyone lately,� a voice said behind me, and I turned to see it was Ben�s sister Jenna. �Brook, you didn�t tell me he was cute.�
They apparently all knew each other. I didn�t have time to think about it because Ben and Jenna wanted to get the jump in while there was good sunlight. They dressed us in jumpsuits and goggles. I wasn�t sure what good the goggles would do if we crashed, but I played along. Then I remembered my GoCam. I wanted to video my jump.
�Attach it to your wrist and point it at you. When you jump, hold your wrist out, and you can catch all the action,� Ben advised.
When I came back in, Ben had us sit through a safety video and we had to sign a waiver. We then were each put into our harnesses, hooked to our respective instructor, and practiced moving around. It wasn�t as easy as it sounds. It reminded me of a three-legged race we used to do in grade school. They explained that when we landed, we would put our legs out in front of us and drop on our butts. Ben told us that, until we learned how to land, that was the safest way to prevent leg injuries.
�I think you�re ready,� Ben said.
The pilot had finished his checklist and was ready for us. He ran through safety issues. We were shown a ledge attached to the wheels. We would sit down at the door of the plane, facing the back. When the door was opened, I was to swing my feet out and put them on the ledge to stabilize myself. When Ben was ready, he would roll out of the plane behind me to start the jump. We were told we had to have our seatbelts on until we were ready to jump. On takeoff, I finally relaxed and began to enjoy the experience. I peered out the window and saw that there was a little bit of cloud cover.
�Are you ready for this?� Brook asked.
�This is great. I would�ve never thought to do something like this,� I shouted over the noise of the engine.
I was caught up in the moment and had the nervous feeling in my stomach I get before a game. I was glad I hadn�t eaten yet. I couldn�t believe how high we were climbing. We looked out over the farmland, and it looked like a miniature toy set. From where we were, we looked out over the scattered clouds below us. Ben motioned for me to come forward and I sat down on the floor with him, facing the back of the plane. He hooked us together, and we put our goggles on. On the other side of the aircraft, Brook was doing the same.
I took a deep breath as the doors were popped open and we were buffeted by the wind. Ben tapped my shoulder, and I put my feet on the little ledge. Then he got his leg through the door and we rolled out. There�s a rush of adrenaline when you do something like this. We seemed to tumble through the air for a full rotation. It gave me a chance to see Brook exit the plane above us. Then as we rotated so I could see the ground, Ben popped a little chute that stabilized us.
It was hard to hear because of the roar of the wind as we fell. I felt my cheeks pressed into my face and they rippled from the force of air as we descended. It reminded me of the videos I�d seen of astronauts training for zero-g. It�s hard to describe the absolute freedom I felt as we crashed towards the earth. When I watched the video later, I had been yelling all the way down and had an ear-to-ear grin on my face. This was better than falling off my Jet Water Board.
Then Ben pulled the ripcord and we were jerked as the parachute deployed. The sound level went down, and we began to glide.
�Yes!� I shouted.
�We have another convert,� Ben said.
Brook flashed by us, and we heard her scream as she and Jenna shot past. Then their chute deployed, and we heard Brook shout, �Hell No!� Both Ben and I began to giggle. It triggered one of those episodes where you couldn�t stop. We giggled like schoolgirls the rest of the way down.
I loved the view, looking over the football field and the park by our house. I felt alive and ready to take on the world. Ben guided us back towards the airport, and when we got about twenty feet from the ground, he told me to raise my feet. I saw Brook land right before us as we gently made it to earth. Ben unhooked me, and I jumped up and ran over to Brook, who was still sitting on the ground.
�That was so much fun!� I said, bouncing around her like Duke does when he�s been stuck in his crate all day.
Brook scowled at me, but my exuberance was infectious, and soon she had a big smile on her face. When she stood up, I picked her up and swung her around.
�Thank you! I�ll go on a playdate with you anytime,� I announced.
�Put me down, you goof!�
I set her down, and she shook her head. Then she slapped my arm.
�You�re it,� Brook said as she took off.
It took me a moment to figure out what she�d just done. I could have easily caught her, but I enjoyed the chase too much. When I finally tackled her, I pulled her down but rolled so she landed on me. Brook�s face was flushed, and she was breathing hard. The next thing I knew she had me in a major lip-lock. I let her grab my wrists and hold them over my head as she had her way with me. If we hadn�t had company, I would have started ripping our clothes off. We heard Ben and Jenna clear their throats, which slowed us down.
�You need to turn in your gear before it gets damaged,� Ben said.
We got up, and Brook grabbed my hand and led us into the building. The spell had been broken, for now, but Brook and I would have adventures in the future. I hoped we might follow through on the promise that the kiss had uncovered.
◊◊◊
Chapter 12 � Searching for Something More Wednesday September 16
�David Allen Dawson!� Mom yelled over the intercom.
�I think we�ve been summoned,� I shared with Duke.
�Coming,� I said into the intercom.
I�d uploaded my GoCam video into my Dropbox account for storage last night. The plan was to edit it into a short video. I woke up to find Lily must have been bored last night because it was posted this morning. I discovered this on my run when my smart watch blew up with social media and text messages. It was now time to face the music.
I knew better than to drag this out, so I hurried up and ran down the stairs and into the house. On my run earlier, I got a chance to see what Lily had posted. There were two videos: the first was of the jump, and it was awesome, if you asked me. The second had been tagged
When Brook pinned my hands over my head, the GoCam on my wrist was pointed right at us. I couldn�t have had a better view of our lip-lock if I�d planned it. The video showed we were both flushed, and the hard breathing looked a lot like passion. Brook�s face showed her obvious lust. I had a foreboding feeling that this might get out of hand. It had already started to be retweeted, which meant that someone forwarded your tweet to all of their followers. All it would take was for someone like Adrienne, or even worse, Halle�s mom, Rita James, to retweet it. That was when something like this would go viral, and you�d find yourself on
I had a feeling that wasn�t what my mom was worried about. I walked into the kitchen and saw both my parents looked unhappy. Since they had come back from Las Vegas, my dad was no longer an innocent bystander. For some reason, he took my mom�s side on everything. I prayed his penance would end soon because guys needed to stick together.
�I�m sorry,� I offered.
I don�t know why I even tried. That approach never worked.
�What were you thinking?� Mom asked.
�I understand. I obviously wasn�t.�
�Don�t get smart with me, mister,� Mom said.
�Yes, ma�am.�
�You could have gotten killed doing a stunt like that,� Dad said to join the party.
It was never a good idea to respond to an accusation that involved the possibility of getting killed. Nothing you had to say would appease your parents. It was much better to try the hound-dog look and bow your head. I�d had acting lessons, after all, and would have given myself an Academy Award for my performance. My only problem was I faced my mom, who had the uncanny knack of being able to read me. Dad bought it completely. Mom covered her mouth, and I heard a snort. Crud!
�Bullshit!� Mom barked at me.
Dad looked at both of us and just shook his head. He wouldn�t venture back into the deep end, now that Mom and I had locked horns.
�You saw the video. It was the most fun I�ve had in a long time,� I protested.
�I saw that. Next time you get an idea like that, think again,� Mom ordered. �Who was that girl you kissed?�
�Brook. It was all her idea,� I said.
I figured Mom wouldn�t be too hard on her. I didn�t even feel guilty about blaming her. I needed to get my mom off my ass, or I�d get grounded once again.
�I bet I can guess how she convinced him,� Dad mumbled.
He got �the look� from Mom. I would have to thank him later. He didn�t have to distract Mom. The only reason that didn�t make me feel sorry for him was I suspected he would get make-up sex at some point. I know, I shudder to think about it, but for some reason, Dad liked that. Why else would he do it?
�I want to meet Brook,� Mom said, and that scared me again.
�Yes, ma�am,� was my automatic response.
What had I just done?
◊◊◊
When I got to school, Brook was waiting for me in the parking lot.
�Why did you post us kissing?� she asked.
�I didn�t. I uploaded the video and planned to edit it today. Lily must have found it and posted it. I forgot to turn off the video camera after we landed,� I explained.
Brook looked at me like she could read my soul, then spun around and marched off. I was smart enough not to chase her. She needed to cool off, or I�d be in trouble. My cell phone rang, and it was Kendal. I braced myself and answered it.
�What did you do? My phone started ringing at seven this morning. Apparently, Michael Reese and Tyler think that everyone should be out of bed at eight o�clock eastern time,� Kendal whined.
Michael was the vice president in charge of marketing for Jade, and Tyler was Adrienne�s life and business partner. They both followed my social media accounts.
�It�s no big deal. I kissed a girl,� I said.
�Is that all? Because they both want you to come to New York and model full-time. Tyler quoted me a ridiculous number and explained that you needed to make money now while you�re a hot commodity.�
�We heard the same stuff from Ford. I wouldn�t do anything like that until after graduation. It would have to be life-changing money to convince my parents that I wasn�t going to college. They wouldn�t agree to me dropping out of high school.�
Kendal knew all this, but it must have been an impressive offer if she called me. We talked some more, and I told her if she was able to convince my mom and dad, we would talk. I really just wanted to play ball and enjoy high school. How could one kiss change things so much?
◊◊◊
At lunch, Lisa Felton got me sent to the Principal�s office. I had been minding my own business in the lunch line to get a salad to go with my sack lunch when she walked up and kissed me. Before I quite realized what was happening, Mr. Happy had taken control of the body. I pinned Lisa to the wall by the cashier. Coach Hope separated us, and we looked up to see the whole lunchroom staring at us. Lisa found Brook and winked at her. I felt like a pawn in their little battle of who was the sexiest girl at Lincoln High.
I was lucky to end up only getting detention for the rest of the week. I shudder to think what would have happened if my mom had been called.
◊◊◊
In art class, I usually sat between Brook and Halle. Today Brook sat on the other side of the room.
�How mad is she?� I asked.
�What do you think, �stupid boy�? You posted your first kiss with her on social media. She�s worried that if you ever have sex, you�ll start a website,� Halle said.
�Would that be a bad idea?� I asked.
Halle just rolled her eyes at me.
�Can I come over tonight? I need to work on my art project.�
�We won�t have a lot of time. Cassidy and I don�t normally get done with our time at the dojo until around seven-thirty or eight. Would a couple of hours be enough?� I asked.
�I�m sure it will be. I�ll just come over and study until you get home.�
�Talk to my mom when you get there, and she�ll let you in.�
�I�ve got the code,� she said.
I was about to ask how the heck she had it when class started. Somehow, every girl I knew seemed to have the code to my apartment. I�d changed the passcode several times, but they seemed to know what it was somehow. I wondered if my mom shared it with everyone.
◊◊◊
�Duke!� I yelled as I came up the stairs.
I found him on the couch with his head in Halle�s lap as she read a book we�d been assigned in English. Duke knew he wasn�t supposed to be on the couch, and when he heard me, my hound bolted to his crate to hide. Not that I would lay a hand on him, but Labs are people-pleasers, and he got upset when he got into trouble. I knew that once Duke saw I wasn�t going to do anything, he would be back out, wanting to be reassured that he wasn�t really in big trouble.
�I need to take a quick shower,� I said and left Halle in the living room.
Cassidy had used the batons on me again tonight. Shiggy obviously didn�t think I had gotten enough of a beating, so he�d joined in. He tended towards more traditional uses of the weapon. Cassidy had learned the down-and-dirty ways to subdue someone. Shiggy�s approach was more graceful, but every bit as effective. He couldn�t argue with Cassidy�s results. They took turns supposedly �teaching� me. I wasn�t a complete novice, though, and I had reach and power over both of them. I had a little smile when I got the better of them a time or two. They both made me pay for my insolence, but I knew they were happy to see me progress.
While drying myself off, I heard the microwave ding, and something smelled good. I came out to find a plate of potstickers and egg rolls.
�That smells amazing,� I said.
�Mom had some people over, and this was left over. She told me you�d probably be able to save her the trouble of throwing them away.�
Halle had brought sweet-and-sour and hot mustard sauces for the egg rolls. She also opened a container of the black vinegar with green onion for the potstickers. I�d eaten only a couple of hours before, so of course, I was hungry. From the look Halle gave me, I think she was impressed when I was able to eat it all.
�How do you want me?� I asked, now ready to be her model.
�How about you lean against the wall and put your leg so your foot�s about six inches up the wall and flat against it?� she asked.
This was the lazy cowboy pose. I�d done this hundreds of times. Usually, it involved a shirt unbuttoned to expose your chest and stomach. I pulled my shirt off, thinking that was what Halle wanted. I saw her lick her lips, but she kept it professional. Halle came up close so she could see my body better. Then she stopped and looked at the area around my navel.
�Do all guys have that little v-shaped ridge?� she asked, pointing.
�I�m not sure. Can�t say I�ve ever really looked. You want me to check out the guys in the locker room and report back?� I asked.
�Would you?�
�No!�
�How far does it go down?�
I may be slow, but I�m not stupid. Halle wanted to check out my body, all in the name of art, of course. Halle probably didn�t know that I wasn�t body-shy. I couldn�t be and be a model. I unbuttoned my jeans and pulled them off, which left me in just my boxers. I took her sketchpad and pencil out of her hands and tossed them on the couch. I then grasped her hands and led them to the waistband of my boxers. Halle got the idea and worked them off my hips.
When I was naked, she stepped back and looked at my groin area. She reached and ran her fingers up and down the v-cut that separated my groin from my thighs.
�Why don�t you have hair down there?� Halle asked.
�I had to cut it off for a photo shoot, and ever since kept it that way because I like how it looks.�
�Can I?� she asked as she reached for Mr. Happy.
He must have woken up because he began to grow in her hand. Halle�s eyes got big when he finally stretched out to say �hi.� She gave my phallus a tentative squeeze. I had to remember that Halle was a virgin. I needed to help her rid herself of her v-card. I�d made myself a promise I would never allow a girl to withhold sex to �save it for marriage� ever again. Peggy had taught me that lesson the hard way.
I began to undress Halle, and she didn�t stop me. When I finally had her naked, I couldn�t get over the remarkable resemblance to her mother. Rita James was our generation�s Grace Kelly; she simply oozed sophistication and innocence. She looked like a china doll that you were afraid would break. Halle looked like her mom, except her breasts were more prominent, and she had more of a booty. Believe me, that was not a complaint. Halle James took my breath away.
We may have stared at each other the rest of the night if she hadn�t run her fingers up my chest and grasped the back of my neck. I shuddered at her touch, and she pulled me down to kiss her�Halle was five-eight to my six-four. When our lips touched, there must have been static electricity in the air, because we both felt the jolt. For all her tentative moves, I discovered that Halle had been kissed before. She was quite good at it, actually. I picked Halle up and deposited her on my bed.
I couldn�t decide whether I wanted to play with her breasts or bury my head between her legs. I had caught the first whiff of Halle�s arousal. This wasn�t the time to take any shortcuts, so I crawled onto the bed and covered her body. I had an inner chuckle when she spread her legs. I guessed she thought I would take her right now. I was nowhere near ready to take her virginity. Little Miss Halle had to be broken to my will. I wanted her to remember her first time and compare all others to it.
Worshiping her body wasn�t a problem, the desire to jump ahead to the main event was. Halle decided not to be a passive participant, and reached between us and grabbed my package.
�You have a big one, don�t you?� she asked.
�It seems to do the job, but you might be right. I�ve been told he�s bigger than average, and thicker,� I said, not trying to brag.
�Did you say �he�?� Halle asked. �You�ve named him, haven�t you?�
I blushed.
�Come on, you have to tell me,� she said.
�I call him �Mr. Happy.� The little bastard has a mind of his own. We have conversations, and I�m embarrassed to say he talks me into things,� I confessed.
Halle pushed me off her and kissed the mushroom head.
�Hello, Mr. Happy. What evil plans do you have for me?� she asked as she slowly stroked me.
�He wants me to do you hard right now. I think we�d be better served ignoring him for now. Maybe next time we can let him be in charge,� I suggested.
�You�re confident enough to think there�ll be a second time? You might be terrible in the sack, and I might not want you anywhere near me again,� she teased.
I decided we didn�t need to spend our time talking and kissed her to shut her up. Halle was quickly on board with my plan. I took my time learning her body. Halle�s neck was really sensitive. I was cautious not to leave any marks. I loved her breasts. She was a full �C� cup and had big, firm nipples, which I sucked into my mouth and chewed on. Halle had two handfuls of hair as she guided my efforts. For a sexual novice, she sure knew what she liked. For me, that was a giant plus. I wasn�t looking for someone to just lay there and make me guess whether or not they liked something.
I kissed my way down her stomach. I liked that Halle had full bush on top, but had shaved her nether lips. I preferred to lick smooth lips. So many girls removed everything nowadays that I liked Halle�s look. She had obviously trimmed so she could wear a bikini, but she looked like a woman.
I ran my tongue between her lips, working my way down and finding her entrance to nirvana, and confirmed that she was an intact virgin. I wanted to make sure Halle was ready because this might hurt her a little bit. I attacked her sex with the gusto that it deserved. I had a great view of her breasts and the expression on her face. I wanted to remember the moment I made her climax the first time. Halle looked cute as she panted, and I focused on her pleasure. My little goddess�s breath caught, her eyes closed tight, and she bit her lip. I felt Halle�s body tense and shudder as she got her cookie. I waited for it to finish and just took in the joy as her eyes opened.
�Come here,� Halle ordered.
I crawled up until our lips met. She kissed me. I used to say that Tracy kissed me hard enough that I forgot my name. Halle wasn�t far behind. She finally let me go.
�I�m ready,� she announced.
I reached for my bedside table, retrieved a condom, and put it on. I also grabbed my bottle of lube and coated the condom. I figured more was better when you planned to deflower a young woman. Halle looked nervous as I covered her. I wanted her first time to be with me on top and looking into her eyes. Mr. Happy had a mind of his own and found her entrance without any trouble. I saw the trust in her face as I pushed forward and felt Halle�s hymen break.
�You okay?� I asked.
�That stung.�
I gave her a moment.
�Tell me when you�re ready.�
She nodded, and I pushed forward until I was all the way in. That was the other advantage of extra lube: I didn�t have to work to hit bottom.
�Damn, David! I feel stuffed,� Halle moaned.
Some girls just take to sex. Halle James was a natural. I began the old in-and-out, and she joined right in. We reveled in the pleasure we gave each other. I was scared thinking about how good it would be once we got to know each other�s bodies. Halle had a crashing orgasm, and� I was right there with her. She may have beaten me there, but I made a couple of powerful strokes, and the combination of her velvet tunnel and the expression on her face was enough to get me off.
I finally pulled out of her and rolled onto my side. Halle snuggled up to me and kissed me.
�Why did we wait?� she asked.
�I was stupid.�
�So that�s why they call you �stupid boy.��
I simply smiled at her and nodded my head. I knew I was ready to get back out there. Tami was now in the past. I needed to live my life, and couldn�t imagine it getting much better than what I had just had with Halle.
◊◊◊ Thursday September 17
When I came down to run, Precious was waiting for Duke, and they ran into the back yard and romped around. Duke was now almost fully grown and could easily hold his own against the cat from hell, and she seemed to realize that. It was funny to watch them stalk and pounce on each other. I was about to break up the fun and put Duke on his leash when suddenly a girl screamed, �Buster, No!�
What I saw chilled my blood. Charging up our driveway and dragging a young girl was the biggest pit bull I�d ever seen. I had visions of this monster tearing up both Duke and Precious without even trying. Against my better judgment, I stepped between the charging beast and his prey.
�Sit!� I commanded and did my dad�s foot stomp.
I admit I nearly pissed myself right before he sat and wagged his tail. I looked back, and both Duke and Precious were pressed up against the back of my legs as they peeked around at Buster. So much for them protecting me!
�He really is very friendly,� his young mistress told me.
I leaned forward and offered him the back of my hand to sniff. When all he did was check it out, I tentatively reached down for his leash, which his mistress had let go of to save herself from being dragged up the driveway. I wanted to have control of him in case he made a lunge at my two charges.
Now that I had control of him, I turned to the girl Buster brought into our yard. She looked like she was in middle school and couldn�t have weighed more than a hundred pounds. There was no way she�d be able to control this dog that looked like he was made of solid muscle.
�Does he do this often?� I asked.
�My mom said he needs exercise, but I have a hard time controlling him. I�m Rachel,� she said.
While we were talking, Duke had gotten brave and greeted Buster. There was a lot of tail-wagging, so it appeared that we were safe for now.
�I�m David. I was just about to go on a run. Do you want to take Duke and I take Buster?� I offered.
�I don�t want to slow you down.�
�I usually do a mile warm-up before I get serious. How about we try that and then see how you and Buster are doing?� I suggested.
Precious wasn�t as trusting as Duke and ran home. I put Duke on his leash and handed it to Rachel. We started off at a slow jog and then gradually increased our pace. Duke was used to this by now and seemed to mind Rachel better than he did me. Buster had to be reminded that he needed to stay with me. When he saw a squirrel, he about ripped off my arm. Buster needed a training collar because his regular collar was either going to choke him out or kill me. By the time we had made our mile circuit, he had begun to realize who was in charge and was running with me. Buster was done when we slowed down.
�Thanks. I don�t think I could�ve handled him,� Rachel said.
�Have your mom get Buster a training collar.�
�You mean a choke collar?�
�No. They make collars with prongs on them. It won�t choke him, but it�ll get his attention and not hurt him. Duke has one, but his isn�t big enough for Buster or I�d lend it to you,� I said.
�If I get him one, will you let me run with you in the mornings?�
�Sure. I have to finish my run. You probably need to get Buster home and get him a drink,� I said, and started my run again.
Duke gave a nervous glance back to make sure Buster wasn�t following him. I really didn�t blame him, because that was a big dog.
◊◊◊
Brook met me in the parking lot again. It gave me a sense of d�j� vu. I waited to see what her response would be today.
�My dad talked to me today,� she said.
I thought that was nice, but there had to be more to that little announcement.
�Okay.�
�Dad said you�re famous or something. I guess I kind of knew that, but he said that you kissed me and leaked it to the press because of who I am,� Brook said.
I joke around about being someone because of modeling and the movie. It�s just my way of using humor to get a grasp of my situation. If you can�t joke about yourself, you have a problem. I knew the game of self-promotion. Heck, I�d gone on faux dates with celebrities. That had all been done to further both of our careers. I�d never leaked a photo just to increase my popularity. Well, that might not be true; I had shown off the video of Adrienne and me kissing to my friends and a few others. Was I really so shallow that I would kiss Brook just to get noticed? No. Tami had set me straight on the glory-hound stuff and being conscious of how I appeared when dealing with others. Plus, who the heck was Brook if she thought she could add to my already unbelievable fame? More questionable humor, I reminded myself.
�I hadn�t thought of that,� I said, looking down, embarrassed. I looked up. �Gosh, Brook, I�m so sorry if I gave you that impression. Honestly, I didn�t realize the camera was still going. I planned to show everyone us skydiving. It was the most fun I�ve had in a long time. Lily has access to my video storage account in the cloud. She put the two videos together and sent them out before I saw them.
�While I didn�t actually do it, I should�ve considered your feelings and pulled it down. I�ll do that right now.�
I pulled out my tablet, and Brook stopped me.
�You didn�t do it because of who I am?� she asked.
I must have shown my confusion; I really didn�t know what she was talking about.
�You didn�t know my family is wealthy?� she asked.
�That�s nice,� I said, still bewildered.
�My mom and aunts and uncles hold a large interest in L Brands, the company my grandmother founded.�
�Brook, I don�t follow,� I said.
�L Brands� had no meaning to me.
�Have you heard of The Limited, Victoria�s Secret, and Bath and Body Works? They�re all under the L Brands umbrella. A few years ago, we sold a majority share to a buyout firm, but our family still holds seats on the board,� she clued me in.
�Oh, so you could get me a shot at working a Victoria�s Secret gig?� I asked excitedly.
I didn�t expect her to punch me in the arm.
�Jerk,� she hissed.
I bounced around her.
�If only I�d known! What else can you do for me? Want to go to Homecoming with me?� I asked.
�See! This is why I never tell anyone this stuff,� Brook whined.
�What would it be worth to you if I kept your secret?� I teased her.
�You are a �stupid boy,� aren�t you?�
�Yep. What else did your old man accuse me of?� I asked.
�I think he�s going to have you checked out,� she said, not looking at me.
�Have him call Teddy Wesleyan or Beverly Mass. They both had me checked out. It�ll save your dad some time and money,� I suggested and gave Brook their numbers.
�You�re serious, aren�t you?�
�Sure. I don�t have anything serious to hide. If your dad needs me to get him my juvenile records, let me know,� I offered.
�You have a juvenile record?�
�Not really. They never convicted me of anything,� I said.
�My dad�s going to have a heart attack! I thought you were a good boy. I defended you to my father this morning.�
�Doesn�t my bad-boy side make me sexier?� I asked and waggled my eyebrows.
Brook was such a worrier. I was great with fathers! Well, as long as he didn�t talk to Cal. After all, Cal did try to kick my butt when he walked in on Pam and me. I hoped Brook�s dad didn�t do too thorough of an investigation. I wasn�t really proud of that one. Oh, and I forgot about Tom Dole. He might not be the best character witness, either. Tom wanted to put me on playing cards like they did for terrorists so other fathers could be warned about me. Maybe I wasn�t so great with fathers.
�Shut up!� Brook said as she tried to stomp off.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her to my chest and kissed her. When we finally broke our kiss, she gave me a hard look.
�Just because you�re a good kisser doesn�t get you out of trouble with me.�
�We should do it again then. I obviously didn�t do it right,� I suggested.
�I should�ve listened. Everyone warned me,� Brook moaned as she turned and left me in the parking lot.
We would be fine. I had begun to like feisty Brook Davis. She would be a lot of fun to hang out with.
◊◊◊
I walked up to the school and saw Brook walk up to all the other cheerleaders and say something. They all turned and looked at me. That didn�t bode well. I turned to avoid them and about ran over Alan.
�What�re they looking at you like that for?� he asked.
�Brook�s still mad about the kiss tweet,� I answered without thinking.
Now I�d done it! I�d talked to Alan. To be honest, I missed my friend, even though I suspected he�d slept with Tami. Was I ready to forgive and forget? Forgive, maybe, but I would never forget. It made me a little sad when I realized that I�d lost my three best friends.
�I think you might have a serious issue, if their looks tell me anything.�
�Yeah, let�s get out of here before they decide they need to talk to me about it,� I said, and we walked into the school.
Once we got inside, Alan pulled me into an empty classroom and closed the door.
�I�ve thought a lot about the weekend when, well, you know,� Alan said, and I knew what he meant. �I wish I could take it all back because I see how much it hurt you. I have no excuses for what happened, and hope that someday you can see that I love you, man.�
When we were in grade school, Jeff had found a commercial made by Bud Light where a father and son were fishing. The son gives his dad a long speech that ended in �I love you, man.� The father tells the son he isn�t getting his Bud Light. We thought it was hilarious. Of course, we were like ten at the time.
�Alan,� I said in my most serious voice, �you�re not getting my Bud Light.�
It took Alan a second to put it together, and then he busted out laughing. The stupid stuff we thought was funny back in the day still made us both laugh. That was the thing with best friends. There were memories that only we shared that tickled us. Alan finally got control of himself and gave me a sheepish look.
�I really am sorry. Do you think we can be friends again?� he asked.
�Yeah, but don�t push me. My emotions are still a little raw from seeing the two of you together.�
�But nothing happened,� Alan protested.
And there it was. The fun I remembered with my ex-best friend evaporated in an instant.
�Enough happened for the two of you to get naked,� I shot back, then took a moment to collect myself. �Like I said, don�t push it. I don�t want to hear a bunch of excuses, because I saw the end result.�
Alan blanched at my sudden aggression and simply nodded. The bell rang, so we went to our lockers so we could get to our classes.
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Waiting for me at my car after football practice were Brook and Cassidy. Cassidy I expected, because we planned to go to the dojo and let her whack me with batons again. Brook was a surprise. I decided to keep her off-balance, so I walked up and gave her a kiss. There was something there between us, and we didn�t stop until Cassidy cleared her throat. I let go of Brook and then pulled Cassidy into a kiss as well. Cassidy was shocked at first, but she was into it once we got started.
�What do you think you�re doing?� a male voice asked.
I turned to see Coach Hope right behind me with a scowl on his face. I released Cassidy like she was radioactive and then pushed her between us.
�Hi, Daddy! David was just thanking me for teaching him,� Cassidy said.
While Cassidy distracted her dad, I took the opportunity to use my key fob to unlock my Jeep and get into the driver�s seat. Brook was faster than Cassidy and got shotgun. I pulled out of the school parking lot with Coach staring daggers into my retreating taillights. I hoped he calmed down before he saw me again.
Once we had made our escape, I turned to Brook to figure out why she was with us.
�Do I need to drop you off somewhere?� I asked.
�Cassidy told me you go to the dojo several times a week. I thought it would be fun to learn how to protect myself. Cassidy said they have a beginners class that�s available while she works with you.�
At the dojo, I introduced Brook to Shiggy and got her signed up. He suggested she watch the beginners class for the first day. While Brook did that, Cassidy decided to have us work on our forms. Her dad had made a rule that she was not to potentially injure me the day before a game. I liked to do forms because it stretched me and I could lose myself in the physical activity. Cassidy wanted me to focus and clear my mind of everything else. The mental exercise was as important as creating the muscle memory. It also helped me with football. With Cassidy�s training, I was able to get into the zone much more readily on the field and block out the circus that surrounded our games now.
The time at the dojo flew by, and before I knew it, Cassidy reached over and swatted my butt to get my attention. I heard Brook giggle when she saw my startled look from the sudden contact. Shiggy was with her and just shook his head.
�How was your first day of class?� I asked Brook.
�Exhausting. I�m also starving. You need to feed me,� she said.
I rolled my eyes because she was full of it. I�d seen her lounging around and watching the first class. How exhausting could that be? I could already tell that Brook was going to be a handful. I also thought she might be able to read my mind. We had the ingredients to make chicken enchiladas at home.
�How does Mexican sound?� I asked.
�Great!� Cassidy said.
�I�ll make dinner. Call your dad and see if he wants to come over,� I told Cassidy.
He had dinner about once a week at our house, now that Brad had gone off to college. Neither Coach Hope nor Cassidy was what you�d consider much of a cook, so they jumped at the chance to eat a home-cooked meal. Cassidy went to call her dad when I saw Shiggy lurking.
�You can come too,� I said to him.
He just smiled at me and went to take a shower and change. That left Brook and me alone.
�Do you always have people over for dinner?�
�Sometimes. With my brother and his family out of the house, it�s nice to have company. Plus, I cook better for a crowd than for just myself,� I explained.
I was on my own tonight. Mom and Dad had started to have date nights, and tonight was one of them. I really didn�t like to come home to an empty house. We waited for Shiggy after Cassidy confirmed that her dad would join us. Cassidy claimed shotgun on the ride to my house. When we got there, Coach Hope was waiting for us.
�It�s a nice night. Why don�t we eat outside?� Coach suggested.
We had a patio table big enough for everyone to eat at. Shiggy and Coach wiped down the table and got everyone drinks while I was in the kitchen making dinner. Brook and Cassidy were my helpers. I made corn and flour tortilla enchiladas in separate baking dishes. Brook took on the task of making cheese quesadillas. I showed Cassidy how to make guacamole. I prepared a salad while they were working on their dishes. Then I created a simple dressing out of sour cream and salsa for the salad.
The girls helped me bring everything out, and we had a nice dinner together. I watched Brook as she took it all in. I think she�d been taking my measure the last few days, and when she saw everyone having a good time, Brook seemed to relax. I don�t know what she thought, or what her dad had warned her about, but she appeared to be in a better frame of mind once dinner finished.
When everyone else left, Brook helped me get everything into the dishwasher. We just chatted like an old married couple. It looked like she wanted to say something, so I let her find the right time to say it.
�You�re nothing like I expected,� she finally said.
�How�s that?� I asked.
�I�ve been dating older boys for quite some time, because guys my age just seemed to be � well � boys,� she said, as if that explained everything to me.
This was something that I wasn�t sure I liked about Brook. There were little clues that told me that she went through guys quickly. It wouldn�t surprise me if it turned out she had more sexual experience than I did. I got the impression Brook was a party girl who wasn�t opposed to one-night stands. That was one of the reasons I hadn�t tried to sleep with her yet. While I wasn�t opposed to a one-night stand with Brook, I wasn�t sure that was what I wanted. My greatest fear was I would just be another notch on her lipstick case.
I mentally kicked myself. What was I thinking? I was a teenager and single.
�So why are you slumming it with Mike and me?� I asked.
It still bothered me that she went out with Mike. The thought of them together made my blood run cold. She evidently didn�t appreciate what I had just said.
�You really are a jerk sometimes.�
I couldn�t deny that. There was a lot about Brook I liked. She was physical in the sense she wasn�t afraid to do things like go skydiving or take classes at the dojo. She was a lot of fun to be around. Brook was also someone who wanted to be the center of attention, and the main attention she wanted to attract was from boys. My natural dominance instincts would kick in if we ever hooked up. I wasn�t sure if Brook was worth the trouble.
�I can be, but that didn�t answer my question. You�ve commented before on what a bunch of immature boys we all are. I�m just trying to figure out why you�d want to hang out with high school boys when you�ve deemed them to be inferior. I�m sure you could find some college guy that�d be a lot more fun.�
�I think I want to go home,� she said.
I grabbed my keys for the Jeep and tossed them to her.
�Just give me the keys tomorrow at school,� I said.
Brook was shocked that I hadn�t bent to her will. She got a determined look on her face and walked out the back door. I heard my Jeep start and leave the driveway.
Brook Davis confused me. I wasn�t sure if I should like her or not. I was sure that it would be interesting to find out, though.
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Chapter 13 � I Wish I�d Never Done That Friday September 18
Today we played at Bloomington. This was going to be a test for us because their school was nearly twice the size of ours with 1,500 students. Because of the interest in the game, they had moved it from their football field to one of the local colleges. Coach Hope told us they did this once a year and it would give us the opportunity to play on artificial turf. If we made it to the State Championship game, that would be played on a similar surface.
On the ride to Bloomington, we all enjoyed subs the Booster Club had provided. Everyone was in high spirits and joking around. That usually was a good sign that the team would be ready to play. Tim had to sit with Coach Zoon as he showed him game film of Bloomington�s first two games, which they had won handily. One of their opponents had been Springfield, who had won the largest school division of State last year. All the preseason predictions had said Springfield was the team to beat. Bloomington had rolled them 35�10 in a stunning upset last week.
Coach Diamond was showing me my reads. I loved the new software Alan had found. He and his helpers were a big reason we were prepared each week. It was no easy task to load all the video and then categorize it to make it useful. As we watch their defense, I was reminded that we were going to have our hands full. They were quick to the ball, and their defensive line was huge. I felt like Jim and Johan could hold their own, but I had concerns about the rest of them.
�What would you think of putting Wolf back at tight end and running Ty at them?� I asked.
�I was thinking that, or we pass the ball,� Coach Diamond said.
Of course, I liked his passing idea, but we had one of the best backs in the state. Ty was on pace to break the school�s season rushing record.
�Let�s try running the first series and see if it�ll work. Running north and south will negate their speed. If Ty can break through the first line of defense, he can have a big day,� Coach Diamond said.
He soon had Ty, Jim, and Johan join us to discuss his plan to use our strength to punch holes in the Bloomington defensive line. The three of them suddenly got serious. They had just become the focus of our offense for this game. That responsibility could weigh on a person.
�I could always just pass the ball all night,� I teased them.
They knew I would love to do just that, and it broke the tension.
◊◊◊
When we pulled up to the front of the stadium, we all saw it was the biggest one we had played at during the regular season. When we won State, that stadium held nearly sixty thousand, but there were fans from six different teams in attendance since they played three games that day. We played in the 5A classification, the next-to-largest, while Bloomington was in 6A. Coach Hope got up to talk before we got off the bus.
�You are about to play before twenty thousand people tonight,� he said and then paused to let it sink in. �Jeff Delahey called this �the game of the year� in his article this morning. It will also be the second game in which we�ll have been televised. I�m sure that all sounds a little daunting, especially after what Bloomington did to Springfield last week.
�I want you to know that I�m not worried. While I expect that Bloomington is probably the best team you�ll play this year, I think you�re better. They may be bigger, faster, and have more division one prospects. What they don�t have is our heart. They haven�t put in the effort and aren�t as well-conditioned as we are. They may get up on us, even by a couple of scores, but we will win.
�So just treat this like any other game, and do your normal routines,� Coach Hope said, and then let us off the bus.
I had to laugh when Coach built the game up and then said it was like any other game we would play. He was funny and didn�t even realize it.
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In the locker room, everyone seemed to be okay. We had been here before. We were all a year older, and the experience of playing a team like Springfield came through. I was happy to see the juniors and seniors walking around to make sure the freshmen and sophomores saw how we should prepare. I had my headphones on, playing heavy metal. It always got me in the mood to cause mayhem. When it was time to go out, Alan came over and tapped me on the shoulder. I took out my earbuds and put everything in my locker.
Tim and Wolf were named my co-captains for this game. We led everyone out, and the two of them got the team lined up and stretching. I took a moment to soak up the scene. I couldn�t believe how many people had come to the game. Our half of the stadium was a nearly unbroken sea of orange. I must have missed the memo that was sent out to get our fans coordinated. The Bloomington side was emblazoned in purple and gold, their school colors.
Brandon, my assistant, had informed me that thirty-eight colleges had told him they were sending recruiters to watch the game. He said they wanted to see firsthand how I handled the pressure of a big game. They also thought that this would be a chance to watch me against superior talent. I disagreed with their assessment because I thought our guys were as good as if not better than anyone else. That said, we were supposed to be the underdogs. That gave us a huge advantage, as far as I was concerned. We wouldn�t have to worry about losing the game; all the pressure was on them.
I focused on getting ready as we ran our pregame drills. I felt good throwing the ball. So far this year I had avoided getting dinged up. I made a point of not showing Bloomington all my passes. In the first two games, I hadn�t really uncorked a long one. In practice, Roc and I had goofed around, and I threw one that traveled over sixty yards in the air. Roc seemed to have a knack for catching long passes. He would get better as he became stronger, but his long, loping glide made him sneaky-fast, and he had enough aggression to fight and win against most defensive backs.
We went back into the locker room, and I began to visualize success. Shiggy had helped me with that in baseball. He was a big believer that it helped with batting. I agreed with Shiggy and had made it a part of my pregame routine for football. Coach Hope gave us a rousing speech, and Tim, Wolf, and I led the team out on the field to a chorus of cowbells. I think every one of our fans had one of those blasted things. Once we were on the sideline, Coach Diamond came to find me.
�One second, Coach,� I said, and threw up behind our bench.
My teammates thought my nervous stomach was hilarious. They knew if I puked before a game, we would win, so it fired them up. Of course, doing it on grass was vastly different than artificial turf. The cheerleaders all gave me dirty looks and moved down some. I grabbed a water bottle and cleaned out my mouth. It was now time to do the coin toss.
When we walked out to do the coin flip, Bloomington had sent out five guys who all looked like they were college linemen. It turned out they were their offensive line. I liked that they would honor them and make them team captains for the game. I would need to talk to Coach Hope about that. Something else that impressed me was Bloomington wasn�t a bunch of posers. Usually, some ass-hat would make stupid remarks that would piss me off. I had become accustomed to that and used it to fuel my play on the field.
Bloomington ended up winning the toss and taking the football. Most teams wanted the ball to start the second half. The reason was that at that point you would know how the game was going and if you were up or down. It also gave your offense a chance to make adjustments at halftime, and that often resulted in a better drive than early in the game.
Our new kicker, Derek Hofmann, put it through the end zone, so there was no return. Bloomington�s game plan became apparent early. They intended to use their size to run the ball down our throats. Our two new defensive tackles, Johan and Milo Bauer, were up to the task. The two big farm boys may have been smaller, but they were as strong as oxen. Coach Stork had worked with the defensive line and taught them to dig in and keep the linemen off of our linebackers, which allowed Tim and Yuri to fly around and make plays.
Bloomington was able to move the football, and I had a bad feeling we would wear down. It was like a prize fight, and early body blows would take their toll in later rounds. Then I watched as Tim got tied up with a lineman, and another hit his legs. I knew as soon as I saw it: Tim was hurt. The Bloomington running back got free and scored, but there was a flag down. They had been caught with the illegal hit on Tim.
Our training staff ran out onto the field, and I watched as they checked his knee. The stadium was quiet as they brought the ambulance right out onto the field. I felt a cold rage start to build within me. Tim had worked so hard, and in an instant, his hopes of playing football in college could be over. Coach Zoon and Diamond pulled me to the sideline.
�David! David!� Coach Zoon yelled to get my attention. �Focus!�
I finally looked at my two coaches who had concern written all over their faces.
�Worry about Tim later. He�d want you to win this game,� Coach Diamond said.
I bent over and felt like I was going to throw up again. Tim and I had become much closer over the summer. The coaches were right, I needed to get my head back into the game, especially if I was going to make them pay.
The fifteen-yard penalty stopped their drive, and they had to punt. Bloomington pinned us inside our 5 yard line at the 3. Coach Diamond gave me the first play, and I smiled. We lined up in our triple-option format with Ty standing next to me in the shotgun, and Wolf and Ed lined up a step back and outside our tackles.
�Down! Set! Hut, Hut!� I called out.
Bloomington was in full run-blitz mode to try and stuff Ty in the end zone so they could get a safety. I pulled the ball from Ty�s stomach and trusted he would pick up anyone that came free. Roc had given a halfhearted break off the ball and sold the run. A lot of receivers give away the run by not acting the same as when they know the ball might come to them. Then Roc took off like a shot. Their safety drifted over to cover him, but I followed through like we were running the option. The safety hesitated, which gave me the window I needed. I planted my feet and threw the football as far as I could with plenty of air under it to let Roc catch up to it. I had learned that from Bill last year. All I needed to do was give my receivers a chance to go get it.
I, like everyone else in the stadium, held my breath as the football seemed to sail forever. Roc reached out and gathered it in stride. The safety didn�t have a chance. The cowbells erupted, and you couldn�t hear yourself think. The whole offense sprinted down the field to congratulate our freshman receiver. I would have to send Bill the video to let him know that, even though we missed him, his replacement was doing just fine.
When I came off the field, I expected Coach Zoon to put me in for Tim. I was surprised when Mike was sent in to replace my friend. On the next drive, Bloomington discovered that Mike liked to hit their running backs. What confused me was last year he had been a beast at running back at times, but this year he had seemed to shy away from contact.
Bloomington�s running game began to work, and they crossed the 50 yard line. On a third and short, Yuri put a tremendous hit on their tailback, and he fumbled. When the pile had been unstacked, Bloomington had recovered, but they had to punt again. Their punter put it out of bounds at the 8 yard line. I started to not like him.
This time we lined up in our normal formation, except Wolf moved out to a wideout, and Ty moved to one of the halfback positions just outside the tackles. Jake was my fullback next to me.
�Down! Set!� I called.
On �Set,� Ty came in motion. His path would put him in front of me.
�Hut, Hut!�
Jake headed the same direction Ty was going. I tossed Ty a little shovel pass, a short pass in the backfield close to the line of scrimmage. I sprinted to try and get into position to help Ty if I could. Jake helped Neil, our right tackle, block their defensive end. Ty ran wide to allow Wolf a chance to block their cornerback on that side. I tracked down their linebacker on that side, and Wolf and I made our blocks at about the same time. All Ty had to do was get past their safety. From my position, sprawled on the field, I saw Ty high-step like Walter Payton used to do with the Chicago Bears. That slowed him down, and I was cursing him in my head when, out of nowhere, Jim showed up to the party and buried their safety.
You often see spectacular blocks on punt returns because the defense is focused on the ball carrier. I was thankful to see the safety turned into Jim as Ty made a move, or it would have been a clip. Jim hit him with his shoulder right in the middle of the poor kid�s chest. Jim�s hit actually lifted the kid off the ground and sent him flying. We would watch that block in next week�s game film again and again. Ty knew exactly what to do from there, and no one on Bloomington had the speed to catch him. We were up 14�0, and I was 2�2 and 189 passing yards with only five minutes gone in the first half.
Bloomington proved that they were a good team the next series and drove the football eighty yards to score.
�
I about had a heart attack when they set off a cannon when they scored. That was a heck of a lot louder than cowbells. I could imagine the Booster Club going out to get one for our next game.
Neither defense seemed to be able to stop the other for the rest of the half. Coach Mason, my quarterback coach at camp and former Oakland Raider coach, would have loved our offense. He believed in stretching the defense with the long ball. Wolf, Jake, and Ed all caught long touchdown passes. At halftime, we were up 35�21. I would bet Bloomington now wished they got the football first in the second half.
During halftime, Alan found me, and he was really excited.
�You have a shot at setting a national single-game record for passing yards.�
�Okay, I�ll play along. How many yards is the record?� I asked.
�Will Grier, who�s now on Florida�s roster, threw for 837 yards in a game his junior year.�
�Holy crap! That�s more than many quarterbacks throw in a year,� I said, and then wondered why Alan was excited. �How many have I thrown for so far?�
�423!�
�No way,� I said.
�Way! We don�t have a single rushing yard. We�ve done it all passing,� Alan told me.
�Don�t tell anyone. There�s no way we�ll pick up over 400 more yards in the second half,� I predicted.
I just shook my head and realized we were putting on a pretty good show for the recruiters if we put up those kinds of numbers. I did a little quick math, and we�d had to gain over 84 yards a possession to reach 423. I thought back and realized Bloomington�s kicking teams had never given us a break on field position. I surely wasn�t going to focus on that. We still had a game to win.
I was proven wrong. The second half was a wild shootout. I threw my first interception on the opening drive, which turned into a pick-six. Then Bloomington kicked a short kick to avoid Ty and Ed. Bert got walloped and fumbled the ball to them. Bloomington decided to throw the ball and quickly scored again to tie it at 35�all.
We were up 77�70 with under three minutes to go and Bloomington in possession of the football when the officials stopped the game. I thought someone had called a time out when there was an announcement over the PA system.
�Ladies and Gentlemen, we have all been privileged to witness history today! Lincoln High�s David Dawson has just set the national single-game passing record with 848 yards!�
I thought I was going to go deaf from the cowbells. I was presented with a football. This was my worst nightmare. As hard as I try to keep the focus on the team, I go and do something like this. It really did take a team to put up that kind of offense. Plus, we needed a lot of luck. I trotted over to Coach Zoon after I handed the football to Alan for safekeeping.
�Put me in, Coach. Let�s end this and go home with a victory.�
He sent me in to play safety. Our defense finally stiffened, and Mike picked off a pass to end it. Coach Hope put in my backup, Trent Buchannan, and let our running backs loose. By now Bloomington�s defensive line was too tired from chasing me all night to stop them. We were able to run out the clock, and it was Miller Time. Of course, that�s just a figure of speech, since I didn�t drink in season.
After the game, Alan showed me the stats. I had thrown the football 89 times and completed 76. That was simply insane. The sad part was we needed every bit of it. Our defense had to improve because there was no way we would ever have a game like today again.
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When I got into the locker room, there was a message on my cell phone from Brandon, who called me a bad name. It seems he, being the keeper of the recruiting phone, was buried in calls. I sent him a text to just shut the damned thing off since that was what I would do.
I�d just come out of the shower when Moose found me.
�You�ve been summoned,� Moose said with a smile.
�Okay?� I said to make it a question.
�The press wants to talk to you.�
This was a college football stadium, after all, and it had a press room. I walked out in time to see Bloomington�s coach finish up his session. It could have been that or that the reporters all clamored to ask me questions when they saw me come into the room. He just smiled at me and shook my hand.
�Good game, son, and good luck,� their coach said as he walked off stage.
I smiled when Tracy came on stage with Coach Hope and me. We sat down behind several microphones and recorders. I guess she was still my press secretary. Brandon was in the back of the room, surrounded by recruiters. Better him than me. Tracy took charge.
�Okay, settle down. We�ll be answering one question at a time. If you get out of hand, you�ll be asked to leave,� she announced. �Before we start, I want to give you some stats.�
I zoned out as she did that part. Once Tracy was done with the stats, there was a clamor among the reporters as to who got to go first, but to her credit, she picked Jeff Delahey, the local sports reporter that covered Lincoln High.
�Do we have a deal?� he asked me.
Jeff was telling me he didn�t want to hear my �aw shucks� routine. I nodded, but if he asked something that irritated me, I would give him my �thanks to God� answer.
�Did you have any idea you were close to the record?� he asked.
�At halftime, Alan Douglas, our student assistant coach, told me I had a shot. I honestly wasn�t trying to break the record. All I wanted to do was beat Bloomington. I have to say, they never gave up and gave us a heck of a game. I wouldn�t want to play them again.�
He gave me the evil eye because he thought I always gave the other team too much credit. I just shrugged, because anyone that could put 70 points on you would beat you every single time. We�d been fortunate to win this one.
�What do you have to do to get better?� Jeff asked.
The whole room laughed, but I took his question seriously.
�We need to take this game and throw it out. This was a fluke, and if we think we�re really this good, we�ll soon be shown that we aren�t. I�m sure when the coaches review the film they�ll see we blew assignments, didn�t get off the ball, and other stuff that doesn�t come to me right now. I�m confident that Coaches Hope and Zoon will figure out what we need to do defensively also. The offense didn�t do them any favors. We need to give them longer drives so they can catch their breath and be more effective.�
�Are you saying the defense�s poor performance was the offense�s fault?� Jeff asked.
�First of all, I think our defense played a heck of a game. They ran into a Bloomington team that was bigger, stronger, and faster than we were. They did enough for us to win. If it weren�t for my pick-six at the start of the second half, this game would have been much different. If I had taken us down for the score, we would have been up three scores, and we could have run the football more. Instead, I opened the door for them to get back into the game, and they showed me why I think they�ll win State in their division this year.
�I also want to point out that the heart and soul of our defense was hurt in the first series. Does anyone know how Tim Foresee is doing?� I asked.
�Early indications are that he�ll need surgery,� Jeff told me.
�That�s the second key player we�ve lost this season. My best friend Jeff Rigger was lost to an accident before we even got started. We dedicated the season to him. If Tim Foresee is also out, we�ll add him to the dedication. Both were key members of this team, and it saddens me that they won�t join me on the football field again this year. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tim and his family.�
Then the floodgates opened, and I got questions like �How do you feel?� Jeff rolled his eyes as I did what I was supposed to and gave them the tried and true lines like, �We play them one game at a time.� Thankfully Coach Zoon stuck his head in the room and told us the bus was ready to leave. Coach Hope never even got a question sent his way. I think he was okay with that.
◊◊◊
On the bus ride home, everyone was in high spirits. The rest of the team hadn�t heard about Tim yet, and I didn�t want to be the one to give them the bad news. Actually, it was secondhand news, so it would better to find out for sure before I shot my mouth off. The goofs started singing songs that I was embarrassed to admit knowing, and of course, I joined in. They sang the theme songs from
We were met by a parking lot full of fans, all of whom had cowbells. The local TV station was there as well, and they cornered me again to give them twenty seconds of filler.
Greg sent me a text that said Monical�s was staying open so we could go have pizza. When I told everyone, there was a cheer, and we started that direction. Brook was in the parking lot with Halle and Zoe.
�You have my car keys?� I asked her.
Brook had avoided me all during school today. She gave me a weak smile and tossed my keys to me.
�Come on, I�m buying,� I told the girls, and they got into the Jeep.
�So, are you some sort of superstar now?� Brook teased me.
�Yes, ma�am. You�re riding with the best quarterback in the nation,� I said as if I believed every word of it.
Halle was sitting beside me and apparently designated to smack my arm when I got too full of myself. When we got to Monical�s, it was a zoo. People were lined up to get in. I remembered what Tami had told me and got into line.
�What are you doing?� Halle asked.
�Waiting to get in.�
The three girls looked at me like I was crazy, and then they thought about it and joined me in line. Monical�s opened up the banquet rooms, and soon everyone was able to get in. The girls were smart enough to listen to the comments people made when they saw me in line with them. I watched as the football players and other cheerleaders all just walked in like they owned the place. I was glad to see the coaching staff join me in line. I wasn�t surprised when I ran into several recruiters, including Bo Harrington.
�Well, looky here. If it isn�t the newly minted national record holder and the number 1 target of the mighty Crimson Tide,� he teased me.
�I think Coach Diamond got your memo about me throwing the ball more.�
�I was glad to see you in the shotgun at least. Did they even touch you tonight?� Bo asked.
�I got put on my backside a couple of times, but the equipment did its job.�
Bo had gotten me a flak jacket and other gear in my freshman year to help protect me.
�I hear you have a big game yourself tomorrow. Are you going to beat Ole Miss?� I asked.
�I think they�ll be a handful, but I�m confident we can get the job done,� Bo said. �Have you decided when you plan to come for a visit? We�d love to have you.�
�Not before he comes to Michigan,� Coach Haber, the head coach from Michigan, said.
�He�s right. We�re planning on going to Michigan next weekend to see them play BYU,� I said.
All of a sudden I found myself surrounded by recruiters. Bo made a loud whistle to get everyone�s attention.
�Settle down! We all know the rules. If you bump into him it�s one thing, but to swarm him will only piss him off,� Bo said.
I nodded, and they backed off. Brook grabbed my hand and pulled me into Monical�s. The line had finally moved. I went to the back and ate a couple of pieces of pizza and downed a Mountain Dew. When I was done, I walked out into the main restaurant area and talked to everyone. I was glad to see Brandon and Tracy talking to the recruiters after I was introduced to them and had moved on. I spent the most time with families with young boys who had dreams of being the starting quarterback for Lincoln High. I couldn�t get over how many of them had on jerseys with my number 11 on it. The local sporting-goods stores were making a fortune.
I finally found my family talking to the Notre Dame quarterback coach. I just waved and kept moving. I would see them later this year when they hosted USC. I saw Wolf�s family talking to a group from Michigan. They and Stanford would be my top two choices if I were a tight end; they utilized them better than anyone in the nation. A lot of that might have to do with the Michigan coach coming from Stanford. Bo seemed to have Jim�s and Ty�s parents cornered; that made me happy. Bo was making a big push to get me to go to Alabama, and apparently, he had listened to me: I�d said more than once I would like to play with my friends. I found it amusing that Northwestern wanted to wait and see with Ty. Bo�s interest might have had something to do with Ty catching eight passes for 183 yards. A running back who could catch the football was a very sought-after commodity at the next level.
I hit a wall and just wanted to go to my apartment and get a good night�s sleep. I made sure the girls I�d brought had rides home and said my goodbyes. Tracy made a point to remind me I was taking her out tomorrow for her belated birthday.
When I got home, I found Peggy Pratt in my kitchen. I gave her a curious look.
�Babysitting,� she said.
�How is my baby? Did you let him out?� I asked.
�He insisted I put him in his crate. He�s in your apartment.�
�Thanks. I�m beat. Greg and Angie should be home soon.�
I went up to my apartment and found Duke sound asleep in his crate. He was funny in how he had to have a set program. I took another hot shower and let the tension from the day flow off of me and down the drain. I fell asleep in no time.
At some point, someone joined me in bed. The smell of her hair told me that it was Peggy. She wrapped her arms around me, and I fell back to sleep.
◊◊◊ Saturday September 19
I woke up to Duke wanting out of his crate. Someone must have slept through their last trip outside last night. I didn�t want him to wake Peggy, so I found a pair of shorts and let him out. As soon as I opened the door, Precious pushed us out of the way and disappeared into my apartment. Duke and I took a tentative check to see why Precious felt she needed to be inside and found Buster on his back, getting his belly rubbed by Rachel. It kind of ruined his big tough act.
Duke is typically the first one in line for a belly rub, but he had other urgent matters he needed to attend to.
�Hey, David, I got Buster his training collar.�
I checked it out and smiled when I saw she�d put in on inside out with the spikes pointing out. I showed her how it was supposed to go.
�Now try it. Walk Buster to the end of the driveway and back and make him heel,� I said.
Buster wanted to go play with Duke, so when Rachel gave the command to heel, he wasn�t planning on minding. She gave the leash a little jerk, and for Buster, it was like a Scooby-Doo moment: �Ruh Roh!� With the collar, Rachel was able to get him to heel and follow her lead down-and-back on the driveway. He even sat when she told him to without having to tug on the leash. Buster had obviously been trained but needed to understand that Rachel was the boss.
�Are you going running today?� she asked.
�I usually don�t run on Saturday, and Sunday is hit or miss. It normally depends on how dinged up I get playing football,� I said.
There were other factors for the Sunday run, but I didn�t figure Rachel was old enough for me to explain why I might be otherwise busy.
When Duke finished with his backyard patrol, I called him because we had a kitty to find. I hoped that the cat hadn�t decided to hide. When we got upstairs, it didn�t take me long to locate Precious. She was curled up on the bed, letting Peggy scratch her ears.
�I didn�t know you had a cat.�
�I don�t. That�s Precious, the cat from hell, who belongs to my neighbor, Brit.�
�She seems like a nice kitty. Why did you call her �the cat from hell�?�
I told Peggy some Precious stories and how she hated men because Brit�s brothers had abused her as a kitten. While relating my stories, I sat down on the side of the bed and began to massage her feet. Peggy looked sexy in my t-shirt with her red hair a mess from sleeping. She was starting to show her pregnancy. When I switched feet, her legs came apart, and I saw she didn�t have any panties on.
I made an executive decision, spread her legs more and crawled up and began to lick her sex. I heard a little gasp of pleasure. I froze for a moment when Precious decided to get off the bed by walking down my back before jumping off. I was glad when I wasn�t bleeding.
�I want you inside me,� Peggy ordered.
I lost my shorts, and she rolled onto her side. I got behind her and slid in. For now, this was the most comfortable position for Peggy. I was nervous about how vigorous I should be with her being pregnant. I kept everything slow and loving until Peggy couldn�t take it anymore.
�DO ME!�
�Are you sure? What about the baby?� I asked.
�The baby�ll be fine. Now get busy.�
Every time I had sex with Peggy, it was special. I�d had a crush on her ever since she�d dated my brother. I still worried that I might damage the baby but picked up the pace as she ordered. I reached around and began to massage her button. Peggy hunched forward and screamed my name.
�DAVID!�
I would need to get a sign like McDonald�s: another happy customer served. I especially liked repeat business. I kept going through her orgasm, which triggered another. The second one was all I needed to join her. I wish guys could orgasm like women do. It would be great to be able to have two or three right after one another, in my opinion. Peggy seemed to really enjoy it, if the look of bliss on her face was any indication.
Peggy had to get going, so she took a shower while I relaxed in bed. I was feeling lazy today and wished I hadn�t agreed to take Tracy out tonight. I imagined sitting in front of the TV all day and watching college football. I thought about the best place to go watch the games, and I remembered the setup Pam�s dad Cal had in their basement. He hadn�t threatened to kill me for at least a month, so I wondered if it would be safe for me to watch the games there. Cal had it set up where you could watch seven games at a time.
I called Pam, and she decided it was an excuse to have an afternoon party. I would let her sell that to her parents. Pam instructed me to invite a few guys over. While I figured out who to call, Peggy came out and kissed my cheek as I talked to Tim. He wasn�t really up to going out. He said he wasn�t sure when he would have his surgery because the swelling had to go down first. Peggy left while I finished up talking to him.
◊◊◊
Pam neglected to tell me her parents were away for the day. We went downstairs, and she showed me how to work the seven TVs. Cal had a gigantic center TV and then three smaller ones on each side. They had a dedicated tablet to control everything. I put number 14 Georgia Tech vs. number 8 Notre Dame on the center screen. Cal had the Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC TV packages. Most schools were playing nonconference games, but there were a few I wanted to see: number 15 Ole Miss at number 2 Alabama, Stanford at number 6 USC, number 19 BYU at number 10 UCLA, and finally Nebraska at Miami (FL).
I�d invited Alan, Jim, Ty, Wolf, and Jake. Alan and I settled in and critiqued the games while everyone else had a good time. Pam had invited all the cheerleaders. We were at halftime of the second games when Brook and Tracy came over and each sat on one of my legs.
�Time to go,� Brook told me.
I still hadn�t been told what I was supposed to be doing with Tracy tonight. Brook had planned it all. The extent of the planning became clear when I saw a garment bag with my clothes the girls had picked out. I went up to Pam�s room, showered, and found what I was wearing. Someone had picked out Jade slacks and t-shirt and a Dakora jacket. I came downstairs, and Halle checked to make sure I was ready. Tracy and Brook were wearing little black dresses. I guess I didn�t realize that Brook was going with us.
�We must be going somewhere nice,� I said.
�We�re going to my grandma�s birthday party. When I told them you�d forgotten Tracy�s birthday, Grandma insisted that you bring her,� Brook said.
Tracy squeezed my arm to tell me she wasn�t mad I�d forgotten. I let the little dig go, and we were soon in my car.
�We need to swing by State to pick up my date,� Brook said.
I wasn�t sure how I should react to Brook. Was I mad or relieved that she had a date? Then it hit me: Brook was the female version of me. This was how the girls I dated must feel when they saw me on a date with someone else. That revelation made me relax. There was no way I would date someone like me.
◊◊◊
When we hit State�s campus, Brook directed me to the AGR fraternity house. I pulled up and honked.
�You�re a barbarian sometimes,� Brook grumbled.
She got out of the car to go to the front door. When she was gone, I turned to Tracy to grill her.
�What�s going on tonight?� I asked.
�Just what Brook said, we�re going to her grandmother�s birthday party,� she said, and then smirked. �You did remember to get her a gift, didn�t you?�
�How was I supposed to know I needed to buy a gift? I can�t even imagine what her grandmother would want,� I complained.
�Maybe you should get her what you got me,� she teased.
�I don�t think Brook would appreciate me turning her grandmother over my knee and spanking her.�
Tracy waggled her eyebrows; I expected she would probably like getting spanked. Before we could take this conversation any farther, Brook returned with her date. I had to bite my tongue because I knew this guy. He had been Lydia�s date at the dance Paige took me to. Lydia was the girl who I hadn�t liked right away because she had a sharp tongue, but once I got to know her better, I�d discovered she was actually very intelligent and had a wicked sense of humor. Lydia had been there with this Ken Doll who was obviously just arm candy for the dance. I couldn�t remember what his name was.
�Ken, this is Tracy and David,� Brook said.
�Hey, I know you from somewhere,� Ken said.
It was all I could do not to laugh. How perfect was it that his name was Ken?
�Yeah, I met you and your girlfriend Lydia at a dance last fall,� I said. �How�s she doing?�
�She�s good,� Ken said.
Tracy reached over and punched me in the side. At the same time, Brook asked the burning question that was on her mind.
�Who�s Lydia?�
Ken looked confused for a minute, and then it began to dawn on him. I almost felt sorry for him.
�A girl I date now and then.�
I was impressed with Brook�s interrogation technique. She and Tami could certainly trade tips. Brook would be scary if she ever got my mom to tutor her. It didn�t help that Ken wasn�t very bright. By the time we arrived at the party, we had found out that Ken and Lydia were indeed a couple. Tracy and I kept quiet and enjoyed the show.
◊◊◊
When we pulled up to the estate, it reinforced what Brook had said about her family having money. I was pleasantly surprised when they were completely normal. Yes, Brook lived in a house that rivaled Teddy Wesleyan�s, but most everyone was in jeans. There were several dressed up, but it was split. And her grandmother was a hoot.
I was also impressed that instead of a catered affair, everyone had brought potluck. Brook�s dad was grilling steaks and chicken. He even had a smoker that had ribs in it. He was proud of his new smoker and showed me how it worked. When it was finally time to eat, I knew I was going to have to invest in one myself. He made the best ribs I�d ever had.
Brook�s aunt had made sheet cakes with a homemade cream cheese icing. I had to get the recipe. She used one box of cream cheese and a quarter stick of butter. She microwaved that for thirty seconds to get it soft and then added a cup of powdered sugar. She mixed it until it was smooth and then put a large can of pie filling into the icing and folded it in. She had used blueberry but assured me that most any pie filling would do. I tucked that one away for the next time I made a cake.
Brook and Tracy had abandoned me right after we arrived. Ken made the best of it by hitting on Brook�s cousins. I had a feeling that if Brook caught him at it, he might not live through the night. I decided to walk the grounds. They had a walking trail that wound around the estate.
�You must be David,� I heard from behind me.
�Yes. Brook and I go to school together,� I said, recognizing Brook�s mom.
�Walk with me,� she said as she took my arm, and we began our leisurely stroll.
Mrs. Davis must have been young when she had Brook. She wore jeans and looked comfortable. I wished Brook would have told me so I wouldn�t feel overdressed�not that it mattered, I guess, since Brook had picked out my clothes.
�What do you know of Ken?� she asked.
I smiled at her and shook my head.
�Not talking, are we?� she asked.
�No. I trust Brook to figure it out.�
�Smart man. So, what are your intentions towards my daughter?�
�I think that�s fairly evident since I brought a date. I�d like to be friends with her,� I said.
�Nothing more?� Mrs. Davis asked.
I stopped and looked her in the eye, and she smiled.
�I thought the father was the one to give potential boyfriends the third degree.�
�I will say I was a little nervous when I saw, what was it called? Oh yes, �the kiss.� On top of that, all I hear is �David this� and �David that.� It makes a mother wonder. I�ve never seen a guy get under her skin so much.�
�You do realize that Brook would kill us both if she knew we were talking like this.�
�You might have a point, but I want to know all about you,� Mrs. Davis said.
�Only if you tell me all about Brook,� I shot back.
I�m not sure who got the better deal. I told Mrs. Davis about my family. She hadn�t realized I was related to Davey Dawson. Her father had been one of his major donors. She, in turn, told me about Brook. They had moved here over the summer. Brook�s dad was a political science professor at State.
◊◊◊
When we got back to the party, I received a text from Tracy.
�
I didn�t even know there was a cabin. Mrs. Davis told me which trail to take. The trail led into the woods. There had to be motion sensors because as I walked along the path, LED lights would come on to illuminate the pathway. When I exited the forest, many lights came on to show me cabins right out of a fairy tale or a Hobbit movie. The lawn around them was lush and green, and behind them was a lake with a humongous old oak tree that had a rope hanging from one of its massive branches. I imagined hours of fun swinging out into the water.
I figured out which cabin it must be because the lights were on. I knocked, and a concerned Tracy answered the door. Instead of letting me in, she pushed me outside.
�Brook has Ken tied up in there,� she said, and now had my full attention. �She caught him kissing her cousin. She wants you to help punish him.�
�I�m not sure I want to be involved in kidnapping,� I worried. �Plus, while I think Ken has no character, that doesn�t mean I�m willing to give him a beatdown.�
�She wants you to show him what a real man can do in bed,� Tracy said.
I looked at Tracy like she was from another planet. Where do girls get these ideas? It had to be their way to tear down the male ego. I just shook my head.
�Before you say no, hear her out,� Tracy said as she guided me to the door. Once I was there, she turned to leave. �I�ll be at the main house when you�re done.�
I pushed the cabin door open and walked in.
�We�re in here,� Brook called out.
I followed her voice to a bedroom where I found Ken naked and duct-taped to a chair. He started to wiggle and moan pitifully when he saw me.
�This is such a bad idea,� I said.
�Ken deserves it. He�s is the biggest horndog I�ve ever met. He was trying to get into my fourteen-year-old cousin�s pants.�
I gave him a hard look. There were just some things I wouldn�t tolerate. One of them was an older guy preying on much younger girls. I also couldn�t stand a cheater. I�d had a front-row seat to what that did to a family. I walked up to Ken and ripped the tape off his mouth.
�I�m going to kill you, bitch! When I get loose, ahhhhk!� he screamed as I found the nerve in his shoulder that Cassidy had shown me.
He was suddenly focused on me and breathing hard. Cold hate was simply radiating from him. Meanwhile, Brook had gotten her phone out and was recording us.
�Is Lydia aware that you prey on underage girls? Is this something you do often?� I asked.
�Screw you! She was old enough. She just needed a real man to show her a good time. Lydia is lucky to have me. Plus, what she doesn�t know won�t hurt her,� Ken said, and then sneered at me. �Brook said she�d get you to show me how a real man has sex. I�d like to see how a high school kid thinks he could outdo me. I dare you. You know you�ll never measure up.�
I put the tape back over his mouth. I�d heard enough. I got out my phone and called Paige.
�Hey, it�s David Dawson. Can you give me Lydia�s number?� I asked.
�That�s rude. You call me for another girl�s phone number?� Paige said.
�Something happened to Ken. I need to talk to her.�
�Is he okay?�
�Yeah, he�s fine. Can you get me her number?� I asked.
She did. I had a thought before calling Lydia. I pulled Brook out to the living room to discuss my idea before making the call. I really didn�t want my first time with Brook to be revenge sex. That was if we ever really did get together. I also didn�t think it would really bother Ken if I did have sex with her in front of him. He might get off on it.
I did have one major concern, though.
�Did Ken willingly allow you to tie him up?� I asked.
�Yes, he did, and he took his own clothes off. He thought it�d be hot to see Tracy and I have sex together, but I told him that we didn�t trust him to stay in the chair. Tracy will back me up on that,� Brook said.
�I hope so. If Ken becomes a problem later, you two better have your stories straight.�
I then explained my plan to Brook. I think she was relieved she wouldn�t be the center of the show. I wasn�t even sure there would be one. I hadn�t talked to Lydia yet to see if she wanted that kind of revenge. If she did, I wasn�t a hundred percent sure I could do it. Okay, I was ninety percent there. Lydia was hot, and I would have to be sure they were through before doing anything.
�Lydia?� I asked.
�Paige said you�d call. What�s going on with Ken?� she asked.
I told her the whole story and had Brook send her a text with the video attached. Thirty minutes later, Lydia, Paige, and two other girls showed up. I pointed to the bedroom. Of course, none of us were going to miss this. When Ken saw Lydia, the color in his face drained away. She ripped the tape off his mouth.
�Babe, it�s not what you think. Untie me, and we can go somewhere and talk,� Ken reasoned.
Somehow, I felt he had practice at calming down irate girlfriends.
�Why are you tied up and naked?� Lydia asked.
�You know how girls are attracted to me. Sometimes I have to let them get a little �Ken action� to calm them down. Help me out with this, Lauren,� Ken pleaded.
Everyone turned to the girl standing next to me. Lydia�s eyes locked on her sorority sister and I felt the girl tremble. Lydia was someone I wouldn�t want to mess with.
�Yeah, Lauren, help him out,� Lydia said.
The girl stumbled, and I grabbed her.
�I�m going to be sick,� she announced.
Brook pointed to the bathroom, and I stepped back. There was no way I wanted to be anywhere near Lauren when she barfed, or I would join her.
Lydia kicked us all out of the room and slammed the door. By the sound of things, it didn�t seem like she was buying Ken�s bullshit. Then it escalated.
�YOU SON OF A BITCH!� Lydia screamed, and we heard what sounded like a slap or a punch and someone falling to the floor.
I was afraid Ken had gotten loose and slugged her, so I burst into the room to stop him. What I saw instead was Lydia shaking her hand. It appeared that she�d punched him in the nose, if all the blood was any indication. I went over, picked up Ken and the chair, and sat them back up. While I did that, Lydia had gone to her sorority sisters, except for Lauren, and they were all comforting her. Brook brought me a washcloth, and I tried to get the bleeding to stop. When he was finally cleaned up, I joined them in the living room.
�I�m going to cut Ken loose,� I told them. �I might have to beat his butt if he gets out of hand.�
�No!� Lydia said. �I want you to do what Brook planned, but with me.�
She could see I wasn�t going to do it.
�If it isn�t you, then I�ll find someone else. He�ll never learn his lesson, and the next girl might be hurt worse. She might not find out until they�re married, with kids. Ken has to know there are consequences to his actions,� Lydia said.
�Think about it before you do something like this,� I warned.
Lydia locked eyes with me as she began to take her clothes off. She had long curly brown hair that hung halfway down her back. She was cute, but her mouth was a bit too wide to make her more than pretty. Lydia was also only a little over five feet tall. When she was down to her bra and panties, I was sold. She had been hiding a solid �C� cup that was nothing short of amazing on her small frame.
What tipped the scale was remembering my commitment to try new things. If I thought that Ken and Lydia had a chance to get back together, I would never do it. It was clear from her determination that she wanted to do this. Frankly, I had minimal sympathy for Ken. I stripped down to my boxers, which might have been a mistake in a room full of college girls.
�Lydia, no! Not with him,� Ken began, but Lydia had heard enough and taped his mouth shut.
I had Lydia strip off her underwear and lay on her stomach on the bed. I gave her a massage, knowing she�d be tense.
�Oh Dear God!� she cried out as I gave her the first orgasm.
Ken�s whimpers had become pitiful. I put on a condom and took Lydia from behind on her stomach. Damn, she was tight, and she was an active, adventurous lover. A brief thought occurred to me: why would Ken ever cheat on Lydia? If I had her as my girlfriend, I would never stray. She was vocal and told me what she liked. When I got close, I warned her.
�Do it in my mouth! I want to taste you,� Lydia demanded.
I jerked out of her and tore off the condom. I then presented my bobbing member to her, and Lydia grasped me and stroked me with me pointed at her mouth. I bellowed as I unloaded what seemed like a week�s worth. Lydia got out of the bed, walked up to Ken, and then opened her mouth to show him. She then spit it in his face. I recoiled when I saw the mess had splattered all over his face and began to drip onto his chest. Ken wore a look of horror that would be etched into my memory forever.
�You got your wish: you got to see a real man have sex,� she hissed, and then grabbed Ken�s face to make him look at me. �David�s still hard, and his is bigger than yours. After being with him, I would never come back to you.�
All the fight had gone out of him. Lydia marched out of the bedroom with her bra and panties in her hand. I put on my boxers and then let Ken go. He went into the bathroom to clean up.
I reflected on what I�d just done and wasn�t proud of myself. Just because something was new or different didn�t mean I had to participate in it. No matter how I justified it, no matter how much of a dick Ken had been, I�d still hurt someone when I didn�t have to. That wasn�t the guy I wanted to become. I went into the bathroom to find Ken staring at the mirror.
�I suppose you�re here to gloat,� he said in an almost dead voice.
�No. I came to apologize. I should never have done that.�
He looked at me and could see I was sincere. The scowl on his face softened.
�I deserved it. I would have done the same if I were in your shoes,� Ken said.
Somehow that made me feel worse. I never wanted to become a Ken.
�I�ll give you a ride home when you�re ready,� I said and left him to his own thoughts.
I came out of the bedroom to find my clothes and found that Lydia and her friends had left. Lauren was sitting on the couch with Brook.
�I take it you need a ride.�
Lauren simply nodded, not even looking up. I got dressed, Brook took my hand, and we walked back to the house.
�Did she really?� Brook asked.
I just nodded. Lydia must have told everyone what happened. I could never have thought of anything more degrading than what she had done to Ken in the end. If I were him, I might have actually hit a girl over that one.
�I thought I would feel better afterward,� Brook said.
�I know what you mean. I wish I�d never done that.�
Brook stopped me and gave me a serious kiss.
�I�m so glad you said that,� she said, and then we began back along the path.
We left shortly after that. The car ride to State was strained. Lauren and Ken both got out at the AGR house. Tracy wanted details on the trip home, but I told her to talk to Brook. I was glad it was Tracy with me because we were good enough friends that she gave me my space. When we got to her house, she kissed me goodnight.
◊◊◊
Chapter 14 � Know This, We�ve Noticed Sunday September 20
Sunday afternoon I took a drive to clear my head. I wasn�t surprised to find myself at Zoe and Roc�s farm. I smiled when she came out of the barn.
�You here to help me?� she asked.
�Sure.�
I went into the barn and began to muck stalls. When that was done, Zoe had me get out the rototiller and use it on one of the gardens while she scrubbed the stall floors before we put straw down. Doing farm work seemed to calm me. I enjoyed working with Zoe. While we worked, we were focused on the task at hand. She wasn�t like other girls in that she didn�t want to talk the whole time.
�Want to go for a ride?� Zoe asked when we were done.
�I�d like that.�
I helped her saddle two horses, and we rode back towards the river. It was a perfect Indian summer day. When we got close to the river, we could hear squeals and laughter. We found all the kids that lived back here swimming. Johan and Milo were tossing the younger kids into the water, to their delight. Roc got out of the water to greet us.
�Now I see why my sister didn�t want to come swimming with us,� he said with a big smile.
I looked over at Zoe, and she blushed. I smiled at her, which made her blush more. She urged her horse on, and I followed, to the laughter of Roc and the other kids. Riding behind Zoe gave me the perfect view of her muscular butt. She led us to a rise that overlooked the river.
�I�ve always thought this would be a nice place for a house,� she shared.
We got off the horses, and I got the full impact of the vista. The rise was high enough that it wouldn�t flood, and it looked out over the river into the forest beyond. A cow mooed in the distance, and we found each other�s hand. I pulled Zoe to me and smiled. She gave me an expectant look and then closed her eyes as if anticipating a kiss. I couldn�t disappoint her.
Zoe was obviously inexperienced but eager to learn. I introduced a little tongue to up the ante. She took to kissing like a duck to water. She surprised me with her passion. I was shocked almost beyond belief when Zoe unbuttoned my shirt and ran her hands over my chest and stomach. She pulled away and looked me in the eyes.
�Can I trust you?� she asked.
�Of course.�
She blushed and looked away.
�Zoe, I can tell that you want something. Just ask, and I�ll do whatever you want,� I assured her.
She wrapped her arms around me and buried her head into my chest.
�Could you get naked so I can see you?� she asked.
�But you want me not to do anything else,� I said, finishing her thought.
�Yes.�
I took off my cowboy boots and then my jeans. Zoe took a step back as I pulled down my boxers. She covered her mouth and looked at me. I slowly turned around so she could see me from every angle. Of course, my display had me halfway aroused.
�You can touch me if you want,� I said.
Zoe�s eyes darted up and saw me grinning at her. She stepped forward and ran her hands over my sides and then everywhere above my waist. This reminded me of when Tami had convinced me to play doctor when we were younger. I was surprised that Zoe hadn�t done something similar growing up. She was acting tentative, so I grabbed her hands, put them on my butt, and leaned down to kiss her. Once she had me like that, she wasn�t letting go. I enjoyed her massaging my butt. The stimulation was enough for me to go from half-hard to a full-on boner. Zoe felt it pressed up to her stomach.
I was shocked when she reached between us and grasped my member.
�Stroke it up and down,� I suggested.
We returned to kissing, with her grasping my butt with one hand as she gave me a hand job with the other. I broke my promise and cupped one of her breasts and felt her up. Zoe moaned into my mouth, and her grip tightened on my package. My sack started to contract, so I broke our kiss.
�I�m going to lose it if you keep that up. Is that what you want?� I asked.
Zoe just nodded, and I turned to point myself to the side so it wouldn�t get on her clothes. She kept stroking me and stared down between us as I reached the brink and found my release. Zoe was mesmerized by the show. When Mr. Happy finally quit jerking in her hand, she looked up at me in wonder.
�Would you like me to help you do the same? I�ll get dressed if you want,� I offered.
She shook her head.
�Are you sure? I�d love to help you,� I said.
Zoe bit her lower lip. I began to unbutton her shirt, and she didn�t stop me. She had on a sports bra that I quickly removed. I was amazed by how well-endowed Zoe actually was, at minimum a �D� cup. I had visions of holding her breasts together as Mr. Happy slowly moved between them. I fell to my knees and began to worship her breasts. I�d always considered myself an ass man, but Zoe quickly made me a dedicated breast man.
Her nipples responded to my attention, and she was clearly discovering the joys of sex. I would have liked to play with her breasts all day, but I�d made her a promise. Zoe gasped when I stopped, and her mouth opened when I looked up at her and undid her jeans. I had to take off her boots to get her jeans off. Zoe was about to stop me, but I grasped her panties and pulled them off with practiced ease. I arranged my shirt as a makeshift blanket and laid her down. She had a thick bush.
Zoe let me push her legs apart and lower my head to her sex. I found it different eating a hairy peach, but I wasn�t complaining. It didn�t take long before she had an earth-shattering orgasm. I pulled my head from between her legs and took in the sight of my farm girl as she recovered. I knew that if I pushed it, we would be going at it like bunnies, but she had trusted me. I instead lay down beside her and pulled her on top of me. I kissed her forehead, and she rested her head on my shoulder.
I gazed up at the clouds and imagined a life with Zoe. It would be a life on the farm and service to others. I imagined us having a brood of children growing up in the outdoors. It would be a simple, uncomplicated life, one full of love and fulfillment. I gently stroked Zoe�s hair. I would have to be careful with her, or I would fall in love. That had been my problem too many times.
Zoe finally looked at me, and we kissed. She giggled when she felt me get hard again, but it was getting late. We got dressed and rode back to the farm. I helped her take care of the horses and then left.
On the drive home, I realized how much my time with Zoe helped me. The way I had acted last night wasn�t me. It made me think of Mike and the thoughts of revenge I had for him. All that negative energy seemed pointless. While Mike and I would never be friends again, it was a waste of energy to wish evil on him. There was much to be said about forgiving, but not forgetting. The forgiveness was really for you; it allowed you to move on. I felt sorry for Lydia. She would carry the guilt of what she did the rest of her life if she didn�t forgive herself and Ken for what had happened.
Zoe reminded me of my faith and how important it was in shaping me. I was glad I had apologized to Ken. The whole episode showed me I had a long way to go, but I knew I would eventually get there. I just hoped that each life lesson wasn�t so dramatic.
◊◊◊ Monday September 21
When I got to school, Halle, Brook, Zoe, and Pam were all waiting for me. They all looked at me expectantly, and I panicked. Who did I say hi to first? Did I dare kiss any of them? I held up my hand to stop them and suddenly had a brilliant plan: I called Beth.
�Who died?� Beth asked when she answered the phone.
�I don�t know, why?� I asked.
�Someone had to die for you to call me this early.�
�Oh, sorry. I�ll call back,� I offered.
�Don�t you dare, �stupid boy.� Why did you call?�
�I have four women waiting for me on the school steps, and I�m not sure what to do.�
�Oh, this is worth waking up for. Tell me about them,� Beth said.
�You met Pam this summer. I think we�re friends who have benefits now and then. Halle is the actress I met last spring making my movie. We had sex for the first time last week. Brook is new to our school and is a lot of fun, but she might be too much fun. Finally, there�s Zoe, who�s a farm girl and was homeschooled until this year,� I explained.
�Do any of them think they�re your girlfriend?�
�Probably not.�
�What does that mean?�
�I don�t know,� I whined.
�Do you not like any of them?�
�They�re all very nice,� I said.
�Why did you call me?� Beth asked.
�Could you talk to them?� I begged.
I think she dropped the phone. There was a lot of laughter. So much for my brilliant plan. I heard her catch her breath and pick up the phone.
�Are they near?� she asked.
�Yes.�
�Go to them and hand one of them the phone. I�ll solve this for you,� Beth said.
I felt a lot better. Beth had always been on my side. Something in the back of my mind told me I should just walk over there and act like nothing was going on, but I trusted Beth.
�This is for one of you,� I said and tried to hand the phone to Pam.
Brook snatched it from my hand.
�Hi,� Brook said.
�Oh, uh-huh � hmmm, yes � okay, yes � no, he�s a dork � right, �stupid boy�
Brook handed me back my phone, and the four of them walked into the school, leaving me on the front steps wondering what had just happened.
◊◊◊
During PE, Coach Hope found me lifting with Wolf.
�Dawson, in my office,� he barked.
I turned to Wolf, and neither of us knew of anything we�d done wrong, so I simply followed him to his office. Waiting for us was Vice Principal Palm and Mr. Hicks, our athletic director, along with the rest of the coaching staff. I sat down and waited for what was to come next.
�We were informed yesterday that the game film from Friday night�s game had been reviewed,� Mr. Hicks said. �We have confirmation that you set a national single-game record with 848 yards. You also set state records for attempts and completions.�
�That�s great, but why�s everyone here?� I asked.
�Because this has caught the nation�s attention and we�ve been flooded with media requests,� Vice Principal Palm said.
�I don�t want this to disrupt the team,� Coach Hope said, which I agreed with. �We�ve decided to have a press conference on Wednesday. Alan suggested that we let Tracy Dole help with that.�
�Tracy helped a lot during my freshman year. She has a knack for keeping reporters in line,� I said.
�That�s what I was told, and I�ve seen her in action a couple of times. I�ll get it taken care of,� Coach Hope said. �On Friday we�re having a pep rally, and Governor Higgins has volunteered to give you your national award.�
�ESPN has called, and they want to arrange a featured game to replace our last game of the year. The game would be nationally televised and played at a neutral location,� Mr. Hicks said.
�Hang on. That�s right before the state playoffs. When they set up those games, it�s usually between national powerhouses. Some of those schools could give some college teams a good game. I�d be afraid of injuries,� Coach Hope said.
Everyone agreed, and Mr. Hicks told Coach Hope that before he scheduled the game, he would get Coach�s approval. He would also pass on Coach�s concerns to ESPN. I wasn�t sure I trusted Mr. Hicks, but I did trust Coach Hope to make sure it didn�t get out of hand.
Coach Hope held me back when the meeting broke up.
�I�ve never had a player as highly rated as you are. We�re getting swamped with requests for your grades and game film. I thought it might be easier to just post your grades and film on a website, but to do that requires your parent�s permission. Do you have a problem with that?�
�I don�t. I�ll have my dad stop by and sign whatever you need. Talk to Brandon about video. He and Alan have put some different videos together. We might also feature other players like Jim, Ty, Wolf and anyone else who�ll try to play at the next level. You might also call Bo Harrington. He helped me a lot, and I�m sure he�d give you some ideas. Coach Styles, from Kentucky, also offered to help me with recruiting,� I said.
I gave Coach Hope phone numbers and returned to class. The circus had begun, and we had only played two games. We played our archrival Eastside this week. I was sure they would be gunning for us. Last year there had been a brawl in the parking lot, and Coach Hope�s kids were right in the middle of it. I�d bet there would be extra security this year.
◊◊◊
During lunch, Kendal called me.
�I have movie news!�
Someone sounded a little too happy.
�It must be good. Lay it on me,� I said.
�First is, the �Official Trailer� will be introduced at Comic-Con in Tampa, Florida this weekend.�
�As opposed to the current trailer that�s all over the Internet?� I asked.
�Exactly! I thought it was pretty funny, but they know how to market the movie. Starting next week, you�ll see the ad-buys begin, and you�ll be on TV. They�ve also changed the release date. The evil empire decided to release a week early, so
�That might be good for us,� I said.
�Everyone�s excited. I�ve asked the studio to get me revised press junket information so we can work it into your shooting schedule for the new movie. I called them and gave them a heads-up that your time is rather constrained right now.�
If demands on my scant free time weren�t bad enough with the governor�s visit, I would now have to deal with my face being plastered all over TV between now and Christmas. I felt sorry for the rest of the cast. They would all be in Florida this weekend. I had gotten out of all of that rigamarole because of football.
◊◊◊
Cassidy, Brook, and I drove to the dojo after football practice. Brook wouldn�t give me a clue as to what Beth had told her. She would just give me a mysterious look and make vague references that I�d find out soon.
When we entered the dojo, I spotted Fritz, Rita James�s security person. I had directed him to the dojo so he could train. He came out with Shiggy.
�This is my best and her student,� Shiggy said. He introduced Cassidy to Fritz and then went to teach his beginners class.
�I�d like you to spar with David so I can get a feel for you,� Cassidy said.
�Are you sure he�ll be okay?� Fritz asked.
�Just don�t do any permanent damage,� Cassidy said, which had me worried.
We got on the mat and Cassidy ordered us to begin. Fritz was sneaky-fast, and I think I surprised both him and Cassidy because I surprised myself when I survived his initial attack. Cassidy had drilled me on how to protect myself, and I was enough of an athlete to move out of the way. On the second pass, Fritz upped his game, and it was obvious he outclassed me by a wide margin. He had years of experience on me, whereas I had reach on him and was a little quicker than he was. I also had better stamina. If I could keep the match going, I might have a chance. Cassidy stopped us.
�I think we need to equalize the two of you a bit,� she said and handed me a baton.
I dropped it and looked awkward. Fritz smirked and attacked. It was really his fault. I just tried to defend myself, but I knocked him out with the baton.
Cassidy and I looked at each other. Of course, the beginners liked to watch us, and when we got too rowdy, Shiggy would have to make us stop. I guess their gasps had Shiggy running to us as soon as Fritz hit the mat.
Fritz had tried to do a leg sweep, and with my extra two feet of reach with the baton, I attempted to block his faked punch. As he dropped to do the leg sweep, the baton had caught him in the temple. If it had been a metal one, I might�ve killed him. That would leave a mark.
Shiggy sent Cassidy to his office for his first aid kit. She quickly returned with the kit, and Shiggy got a small plastic pill and cracked it. It was smelling salts; he put the pill under Fritz�s nose. Fritz came to and tried to sit up.
�You�re okay. Just give it a minute,� Shiggy said.
Fritz said something in German that was probably a cuss word. Shiggy helped him sit up and then Fritz looked for me.
�I haven�t been knocked on my butt like that in over ten years. That�ll teach me to be overconfident.�
�I�m sorry I hit you so hard,� I apologized.
�No, that was on me. I got too eager and made a dumb move. I�d like to work with you two and get back to fundamentals. I�ve let my training slide.�
�What do you think, Cassidy?� Shiggy asked.
�No. David isn�t ready. I would ask that either my dad or Coach Zoon join us to spar with Fritz. If David and Fritz spar, we can expect more of the same.�
Cassidy left to make a phone call, then came back and she and I began to work with batons while Fritz watched. I respected that he never made a comment while we were sparring, but would discuss moves with Cassidy when we took a break. About thirty minutes into the class, Coach Zoon showed up. Cassidy took the lead and directed us in what we were learning.
Coach Zoon and Fritz took each other�s measure, and I was glad they were there. Watching the two of them showed me what I might be like if I worked at this for many years. They were never out of position, and they were so powerful when they struck. I could see where I held back, afraid I would hurt Cassidy. These two warriors trusted in their training and went full-tilt on each exercise. I really wasn�t ready.
◊◊◊
When we got home, there were a lot of cars at my house, so I had to park on the street.
�Go take a shower and then come down,� Brook told me as she and Cassidy went into the house.
After I took my shower, I walked in the back door to see my house filled with girls. The first person I saw was Pam, who met me at the back door.
�What�s going on?� I asked her.
�Beth is getting everyone organized,� Pam said.
�What do you mean?�
�They told me Tracy had a calendar that they scheduled dates on. This way you won�t have to worry about anything,� she said.
That was not happening. I walked into the kitchen and saw Mrs. A and my mom talking. I gave Mom a hug.
�There�s a chef�s salad in the refrigerator for you,� Mom said.
I pulled it out and found some ranch dressing. Cassidy smiled at me, and I made plates for her and Brook. Mom had made homemade chicken noodle soup, so I threw that into the microwave. I sat down with the two girls at the kitchen table and began to eat. Beth walked in, and I got up and kissed her. She sat down while we ate and talked about her classes at Purdue. The guy Beth had dated last semester had gone back with his ex-girlfriend from home over the summer, so she was single again. When we were done eating, she took us into the living room. Besides the four girls from this morning, there were Tracy and Mona. Beth got up to talk.
�During David�s freshman year, there were three of us that dated him regularly. We found that the best way to handle everything was to schedule it,� Beth started.
�No,� I said.
That simple declaration caught all the women and girls off guard. Mrs. A and my mom had big smiles on their faces. Beth and the other girls seemed confused. I think they were all used to dictating my every move, and that I would go with the flow.
�What do you mean by �no�?� Beth asked.
�Beth, I love you to death, but you misread what I wanted you to do. It�s not your fault, because I was used to being led around like a love-sick puppy,� I said and looked around the room at the confused faces. �I guess I better tell you all that I care about each and every one of you. It wouldn�t be a leap to say that I love each of you.�
Then I remembered that my mom and Mrs. A were in the room. It might be best not to go into specifics. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
�I�m sorry, I�m just trying to organize my thoughts,� I said. Beth smiled at me, and I felt her love and support. She gave me the courage to go on. �Over the past few weeks, I�ve had a chance to really examine myself. What I found didn�t make me happy, and it showed me that I have a long way to go before I become the man I want to be. My uncle helped me create a set of goals to live my life by. Before football started, I�d hit a low point. I�d just lost my best friend to an accident, and I�d put myself out there once again, only to find that the other person wasn�t ready to commit.
�I think Tami knew I wasn�t really ready. The curious thing was I looked at my goals, and nowhere was there finding a life partner on the list. Uncle John told me that my goals would change as I grew up. All I have to do is look at my brother and see how true that is. I�m a junior in high school, and I�m supposed to be learning about love and heartbreak. I�m also supposed to have fun.
�I have so much going on in my life right now it�s ridiculous. Heck, last Friday night I shot myself in the foot by setting some stupid record. Because of that, Governor Higgins is giving me some award at our pep rally on Friday,� I said.
�Did you just say you�re receiving an award from the governor on Friday?� my mom asked.
I rubbed my forehead to stave off the headache that was sure to develop. This was the first the cheerleaders had heard of this, too. They had to get ready for a pep rally, which got them all talking at once. I finally whistled very loudly to get them all settled down.
�I�m not sure if I was supposed to tell anyone about that yet, but I�m sure you can all keep a secret,� I said, which made everyone laugh because there was no way to keep this quiet. �There�s more. Wednesday there�ll be a big press conference to talk about the record. Because we did so well, ESPN has hijacked our last game of the year, and we�ll be playing some nationally ranked team at a neutral site.
�If you think that�s bad, wait till the movie comes out. The new trailer for the movie will be introduced at Comic-Con in Tampa, Florida this weekend. That�ll kick off the advertising for the film. My life will only get more complicated over the next few months.�
�Poor baby,� Pam teased.
�Now let�s get back to my original point. I was talking about my goals and how a relationship wasn�t part of them. I mistakenly thought I needed someone in my life to make me complete in some way. Not that at some point, way into the future, I won�t need that. What I figured out was that I have to be happy with myself before I can seriously commit to someone. Right now I plan to date several different girls. What I hoped Beth would do was explain that, even though I might not pick anyone to be �the one,� I am capable of having a good time with several girls,� I said.
�Was that one at a time, or all at once?� Beth asked.
�BETH!� Mrs. A screeched.
�Careful how you answer that,� my mom warned.
�I may have phrased that wrong,� I admitted.
That got me out of trouble. I should have just said all that this morning, but I had a brain cramp or something. I sat down next to Beth, and then Pam sat on my lap.
�Hi, David,� Pam said with a cheeky grin.
Beth rolled her eyes at me.
�Hi, Pam,� I said.
�I want to be your date to Michigan this weekend,� she said.
�I�m not doing that anymore. This weekend is just the guys. Our parents aren�t even going.�
�Did the Wesleyan girls ruin it by what happened on the last trip?� Pam asked.
She alluded to us having to rescue Missy at the fraternity.
�No, they didn�t. We decided that we needed to focus on the visit, and with everyone coming we weren�t doing that,� I lied.
Rescuing Missy had been the straw that broke the camel�s back. With everyone else there, I was more worried about them than I was about the football program and campus. I wanted to go to Michigan and have some fun. I didn�t want to go on a raid of a fraternity house in the middle of the night or find my two best friends naked in my bed.
Pam leaned forward and blew her hot breath on my neck, which woke up Mr. Happy.
�So, you never answered Beth�s question,� she said.
Beth covered her mouth and tried not to laugh. Tracy saw my expression, came over and rescued me from Pam.
�We need to get going,� Tracy announced.
When Pam got off my lap, I jumped on Beth and tickled her. We ended up almost breaking the coffee table when she pushed me off of her and I grabbed her as I rolled off the couch. I bench-pressed her when she tried to give me a hickey. Mom quickly stopped us before we destroyed her living room with our roughhousing. I think that was a direct quote.
◊◊◊ Tuesday September 22
Brook waited for me after practice.
�You ready for another adventure?� she asked.
If it was anything like skydiving, I was more than ready.
�Sure,� I said as we got into the Jeep.
Brook directed me to the state road out of town. On the ride, she wanted to talk about Saturday night.
�I was pissed when you didn�t want to have sex with me to get revenge on Ken.�
I felt my temper flare.
�Hang on, that turned out to be a terrible idea. Afterward, I felt awful about even being a part of it. Plus, the first time I have sex with you will not involve other people. It�ll just be the two of us,� I said.
�I�m not sure I want to have sex with you. From what you said last night, I would just be part of your harem. I�m not some booty call!�
I bit my tongue and went quiet. I think that was precisely what Ken had thought.
It was probably good that our ride was so long. It gave us a chance to cool off. She made me pull into McDonald�s. I tried to avoid fast food, but my stomach felt like it was ready to chew its way out to find food. We ate as we finished driving to our destination. It turned out to be a motocross track.
I�d always wanted a motorcycle! I probably looked like the Joker, my smile was so big. Currently racing were little kids who must not have been more than ten. Their dirt bikes roared as they jumped the hills on the course. Brook had to pull me away to go get signed up and into the proper gear.
We walked into the office, which was a combination motorcycle shop and where they managed the track. The girl behind the desk told us that they rented gear and bikes. She took one look at me and shook her head.
�I don�t think we have any rental gear that�ll fit you.�
�I don�t think I want to wear rented gear either,� Brook said.
The girl took us over to where they had motocross gear. Bright yellow racing pants were all that they had that were long enough. The girl went into the back and found a matching jacket. While that was going on, Brook found their leather section.
�David,� she called across the store as she held up some leather pants.
I walked over, and she handed them to me.
�Go try these on,� Brook ordered.
I figured I would humor her because she had brought me to this little spot of heaven. I went to the dressing room and learned that putting on leather pants wasn�t like putting on regular pants. I had to work to get them on. I think the legs were designed for someone smaller than me, even though they were my size. They didn�t give like jeans would have. When I finally got them up, the issue became getting them buttoned up and the fly zipped. I worked at it and finally got it done, but my family jewels gave me a warning that they were not staying trapped like that for very long.
I came out, and Brook shook her head.
�Take your t-shirt off so I can see.�
I took it off, tossed it to her and did some of my model poses.
�Mom, get out here,� the girl called.
�What�s so important that you have to yell?� her mother said, and then saw me. �Oh!�
I glanced over at a mirror and did a double take. I felt these pants were tight, but they looked like a second skin.
�We�ll take them,� Brook announced.
�He needs a leather jacket to go with it,� the mom said.
The girls grabbed one off the rack, and I tried it on. The sleeves were too short. They didn�t have anything that would fit. If the arms were long enough, the jacket was too big.
�We could special order and get everything to fit correctly,� the girl offered.
I looked at Brook, and she nodded.
�If I�m doing this, so are you. I want to see you in tight leathers,� I said and waggled my eyebrows.
She licked her lips and just nodded. When the girl came out, her mom opened up a catalog that might have been four inches thick. I didn�t have time for this. I wanted to ride.
�I�m going to change into the gear so we can ride. Can we pick out clothes later?� I asked.
�You�ll need help getting out of those pants,� the mom said as she followed me into the dressing room.
I figured she was just being a perv, but she was right. Once I got them over my hips and my underwear firmly back in place, she had to peel the leather pants off like it was a snake skin. I ended up lying on the floor while she grabbed the waistband and pulled. They ended up coming off inside out.
When someone does you a solid like that, you learn their name. Ellen and her daughter Betty were the two helping us. Ellen had already seen me in my boxers, so I let her measure me. I put on my motocross pants, and Ellen went out to get my t-shirt from Brook. I finished getting dressed and thought I looked like a big banana in my yellow outfit.
Brook reminded me to get my GoCam. I wasn�t sure I wanted video evidence for my mom to see, but Brook insisted. Betty took us out to the track and showed us the bikes we would be using. They were Yamaha YZ250Fs. They were bigger than what the younger kids were riding. Betty made us run around a short track before she let us loose on the main one. By now, most of the younger kids were done and having snacks and drinks.
I planned to take it easy the first time around, but Brook took off like her butt was on fire. Like a complete dumbass, I followed her. On the track, they had two paths when it came to the bigger jumps. One was flat and safe; the other had the big hills. As we screamed out of the corner, we came upon the first jump. There was a small kid in the safe lane, and Brook braked so she didn�t run him over. I was playing catch-up and came out of the corner to find them bunched up in front of me. I couldn�t get stopped, so I swung into the jump lane. I�m sure that, with practice, I would have known how fast I could take a jump like that and land safely on the next hill. All that came to mind was that I needed speed to get up high enough to land on the other side. I had visions of coming up short and smashing into the other hill. I was pretty sure that would hurt.
I rocketed up the hill and launched into the air. My life flashed before my eyes as my motorcycle took flight. It was apparent that I would outjump the landing hill as I continued to rise from the face of the earth. As I reached the apex of my trajectory, all I could think of was that I didn�t want to be seated as I landed because that would break my tailbone. I wanted my legs to absorb some of the impact, or I would kill myself.
As I rushed toward earth, I made sure my bike was straight and then looked up. To my horror, there was another jump.
�Oh, shit!� I yelled.
I barely touched the ground before I was once again rocketed nearly twenty feet into the air. When I hadn�t died, the little kid inside me came forth.
�Hell! Yes!�
As I came down, I found a turn with an embankment that I found I needed to get the bike around the corner. I made my way around the track, and where the younger kids were seated there was a triple jump. It became clear I was going too fast when I launched over the second jump and landed on the downslope of the third one. Okay, I was hooked. I tried to run the track at full speed for five laps. On the fourth lap, I passed Brook again.
When I finished, I knew two things for certain: the first was that if I did this very much, I would eventually kill myself. The second was I would do this again for sure. I couldn�t wait until I turned 18 and could buy a bike of my own. This was an adrenaline-junkie�s dream come true.
Brook finally came off the track. I was bouncing around with excitement.
�Did you see me?� I asked.
�What were you thinking? You could have killed yourself!� Brook said.
�Yeah, wasn�t it cool?�
�When you launched yourself on the first jump, all I could think of was what was I going to tell your mom.�
�Oh, she can NEVER know!�
�Then when you didn�t die and did the second jump, I figured you�d love it,� she said.
�Yes, but my mom can NEVER know!�
I cringed when Brook got an evil look on her face. I would be her slave forever!
Before we could talk more, the kids all came over and wanted to talk about the jumps. I took the GoCam off my helmet and let them watch the run from my point of view. They couldn�t wait until they were big enough to graduate to bigger bikes. They were running 80cc�s compared to my 250cc�s. I could see why you wouldn�t want to put them on the bigger bikes, but at the same time imagined them flying through the sky and having a wonderful time.
◊◊◊
After I had changed into my street clothes, I found Brook and Ellen talking about leather.
�There are several different types. Full-grain has been made from the whole hide, including the outer layer of skin. It�s tough, long-lasting stuff, but frequently has blemishes and marks from the animal�s life. Top grain would be the preferred material for most jackets; again, it�s the whole outer hide, but with the skin smoothed off to make an even surface. Genuine leather is an industry term for leather made from the inner hide. It�s thinner, cheaper, and less durable than top grain or full grain, but it has still been made from a whole piece of animal hide. Finally, there�s bonded leather, a cheap, low-quality material made from scraps of leather pressed down and chemically bonded together.
�Then we offer different types of hides. Steerhide is the skin of adult cows, which is the byproduct of slaughtering for meat. It�s tough, stiff, and requires an extended break-in period; but it provides excellent durability and protection. Bison performs much like steerhide, with a little added suppleness and a unique vein pattern that gives it a more prominent texture. Deerskin is a lighter material, often used for warmer-weather jackets. It�s not as damage-resistant as the other hides, but stretches well and doesn�t wear thin. Lambskin is the softest and smoothest conventionally used leather. It has an almost silky hand feel but isn�t as durable as other hides.
�There are also different treatments and finishes that can affect how the leather looks and feels. One steerhide jacket might be bright, glossy, and stiff, where another will be weathered, cracked, and softer. So long as you�ve got the material you want in a top or full grain, the rest is a matter of personal preference,� Ellen explained.
�What do you think?� Brook asked me.
�I like the smooth appearance, so I�d want the top grain. I would prefer either steer or bison, and I want it softer.�
The leather pants weren�t very comfortable. I knew if you wore them, they�d eventually break in, but I also knew that if they were stiff, I�d never wear them. Brook showed me her top choices. I was fine with both of them, so I let her pick.
◊◊◊
As we walked out to the parking lot, we found that everyone else had left. I was still a little bouncy from the adrenalin rush. When Brook glanced over at me right before we got to the Jeep, I saw desire in her eyes and attacked her. Brook was surprised, but she was no shrinking violet. She grabbed the hair on the back of my head, and we were soon in a passionate embrace. I shoved her up against the Jeep and grabbed her thighs so I could lift her up to my waist. She had no choice but to feel my desire as I ground into her.
Brook broke our kiss and began to frantically try to get my pants open. I pulled her shirt over her head and trashed her bra when it didn�t come apart fast enough. By then she had freed Mr. Happy. I put her back on the ground and reached for my pants to get a condom.
�Lose your pants,� I ordered while opening the foil packet.
Brook had her pants and panties around her ankles when I finished putting on the condom. I manhandled her and turned her to face the Jeep. She grunted when I forced myself in to the hilt in one mighty thrust. I grabbed her hips to keep her from falling down and began my powerful thrusting. Our coupling was frantic and wild. Brook brought out the animal in me. I pounded her relentlessly.
�Jesus you�re big,� she moaned. �Take me!�
I grasped the back of her neck and looked down at her upturned little butt. I had her face and breasts mashed up to the Jeep, so I reached down with my other hand and found her button. I used three fingers to rub Brook to her first orgasm. The walls of her tunnel grasped my member and milked it while she climaxed.
I jerked out, picked her up, and deposited her in the back seat. Her pants were still around her ankles, so I simply lifted them up and bent her in half. It raised her sex up so I could push into her. I found her entrance and began to thrust again. This time we could gaze into each other�s eyes, and I leaned down and kissed her.
Brook was made for this. She coaxed one of the biggest orgasms I had ever had out of me. I felt it build and build. I tried to hold back as long as I could but rapidly reached the point of no return. I�m sure she thought I�d had a brain seizure by the ridiculous face I made as I found my release. It was like football when you fall into the zone: everything went away except for the best orgasm I�d ever had.
Luckily for Brook, I leaned back instead of collapsing on her. I might have killed her because she wouldn�t have anywhere to go in the tiny backseat of the Jeep. I was panting like Duke after one of our runs when I looked down at Brook, who had a big smile on her face.
�What got into you?� she asked.
�What, don�t you do it like that every time?� I asked in feigned shock.
�Try never,� she shot back.
�You poor baby. You just needed a real man,� I teased her, reminding her of what Ken had said.
I also wanted to rub it in a little bit about her comments about older guys. I pulled out of her and got out of the Jeep to find our clothes. We got dressed. Brook wasn�t at all pleased about what I�d done to her bra, so I offered to replace it.
◊◊◊
On the ride home, Brook got quiet. I knew she wasn�t really on board with my declaration that I just wanted to have fun. That was much more of a guy thing, even though Brook acted like a guy at times. She was small and sexy and almost every guy�s ideal woman, but her attitude about sex fell more in the guy range. Brook seemed to be one of those girls who liked a variety of partners, if the rumors were true. She mostly went after college guys, because high school boys couldn�t handle a one-night stand and walk away.
I fully expected that we had just had our one time together and she would move on. At least I hoped so because I wouldn�t be able to tolerate being one of many men in her life.
When we got to her house, I pulled up and got out of the car to walk her to the door. I think that surprised Brook. Apparently, most guys she had been out with would have just pulled up and dumped her out after their fun.
�I had probably the best date of my life today. Motocross was something I�ve wanted to do for years. I�d like to pick our activity for next week,� I offered, to see if there would be another adventure date.
�I�d like that,� Brook said, then kissed my cheek and went inside.
◊◊◊
Chapter 15 � We Bounced All Over Wednesday September 23
The press conference was scheduled for last period. I thought it was genius for Coach to do that since we�d be able to cut it off so we could go to practice. I got a note that said it would be held in one of the meeting rooms in the new Lincoln Field House. As I made my way to the press conference, I ran into Brandon and Jeff, my favorite reporter, talking.
�This doesn�t look good,� I said.
They both looked guilty, as if I�d caught them doing something.
�Brandon was just giving me some scoop,� Jeff said.
�Was it that Eastside is so scared to play us they decided to forfeit?� I asked.
�Nothing like that,� Brandon assured me. �I�ll tell you after you�re done.�
I wondered why all the mystery. Tracy caught my eye. She�d made sure I was in my uniform. I walked in, and two things struck me: the first was the room was packed. It felt like a college press conference. The second was the wall behind the stage had been painted orange, and in blue lettering was �Lincoln High.� On the right side was our logo of a bulldog, and on the left was the outline of the state with �State Champs� and the year to represent last year�s accomplishments. I hoped to add two more to the wall before I graduated. On the stage was a table with microphones and a blue skirt. The school colors were evident. Now I understood why Tracy specified I wear our blue jersey.
�Did you read my talking points?� Tracy asked me.
I had to chuckle. I think she�d written down every clich� she could think of and gave them to me at lunch. Tracy had seemed proud of them, so I made sure to have read them and have them down, and planned to use them. I was sure this was going to be a long one. Coach Hope snuck up beside me.
�Do you think they�ll ask me a question?� he asked, making me jump.
�Did you get your talking points?� I shot back.
�Yes. Our new press secretary was most insistent.�
�Both of you hush. You�ll thank me for those later,� Tracy chastised us.
Tracy led us into the room at the appointed time. She was very insistent that we proceed in a timely manner. I agreed with her. It drove me nuts when people were always late.
�Welcome to Lincoln High. My name is Tracy Dole. If you need stats or additional information, please contact the office, and I�ll be informed. Before we get started, please turn your cell phones to silent, or better yet, turn them off. We�ll do this in a civilized manner. I will call on you one at a time. Everyone will get a chance to ask a question. If you jump the gun and shout out a question, the interview will be stopped and either the person that asked it will need to leave, or the press conference will be stopped. Is that understood?� Tracy asked, glaring at everyone.
I expected a few of them were going to challenge her once the press conference started. My bet was that we�d be down a reporter or two before this was over.
�You will identify who you are and what organization you represent before you ask your question. If we�re ready?� Tracy asked, and the cameramen all nodded, and a couple of reporters rushed up and put their cell phones on the table in front of us to record the interview. Once that was done, Tracy continued.
�We have Coach Anthony Hope. Coach Hope is in his second year at Lincoln High. He led us to our first State Championship last year. Also on stage is David Dawson. David is a three-year starter at Lincoln High. He was named Co-MVP at Elite 11 this last summer. He is the first junior to ever make the finals of that competition, which is designed to discover who is the best high school quarterback in the nation. David is currently rated as the number 1 quarterback and player in the junior class. As of this morning, he has received 28 offers, including such schools as Kentucky, Ohio State, Alabama, Stanford, Michigan State, and Oregon. Last Friday night he set the national record for passing yardage in a game with 848 yards. David is also a model and actor. His first movie,
The press conference was much as I expected. It made me glad when Coach Hope was asked some questions. He did well at handling the usual ones like �What�s it like to have David as your quarterback?� and turning them into an answer that complimented the whole team. Tracy must have worked with him, like she had me, on how to turn any question into a point you wanted to get out there.
Tracy had done her homework and made sure the local press and TV stations got to go first. Then the national press and TV got their turn, followed by the big markets, then the recruiting services, and then everyone else. Tracy actually kicked out ESPN two-thirds of the way through, when their reporter decided he needed to do a follow-up question when it was someone else�s turn. The reporters roared with laughter when she did it. The ESPN guy was classy about it and left the room. I made a point to meet with him before practice and answer his question. He apologized to Tracy, which made him go up a couple of notches in my book. I think he wanted to be able to ask questions in the future.
Towards the end, one of the Internet guys surprised me with a bunch of football-related detail questions, like how I picked up reads. It was evident we had a bunch of football junkies in the room as we began an extended discussion about the technical aspects of the game. I was thankful I�d gone to all those camps and listened to Bo Harrington and Bud Mason. Coach Hope just shook his head when we were done.
When I came out, Brandon and Jeff were waiting for me.
�How�d I do?� I asked.
�Thank you for not using the page of notes Tracy gave you,� Jeff said. �You�re getting better. By the time you hit the pros, you�ll be an expert.�
�So, what were you two whispering about?�
�There�s been more fallout from Washington. Their head coach and several of their assistants have been suspended because the HSAA found recruiting violations. Three of the players have also been suspended. Two have been given the opportunity to move elsewhere. The brother-in-law that had picked the All-Conference team has been fired. We might actually get a legitimate All-Conference team this year,� Jeff told me.
�Where are the two players going?� I asked.
Both Brandon and Jeff got big smiles.
�Wesleyan,� Brandon said. �And they�ll be eligible to play as soon as they register, which was today.�
�Teddy Wesleyan told me he�d build a football program. What he really needs is a quarterback,� I said.
I had a funny feeling that the other three would get their records cleaned up and find their way to Wesleyan too.
◊◊◊
Practice was fun. Coach Hope allowed any player to challenge for a starter�s position. I raised my hand first.
�Oh, Oh, Oh, Me, Coach!� I said, jumping up and down.
Everyone laughed at the look all the coaches gave me, even Alan.
�This I have to hear,� Coach Hope said. �But, before you get too excited, you will not be allowed to play special teams or defense.�
My face dropped, which made everyone laugh again. Then inspiration hit, and everyone laughed even harder when my face brightened. ALL the coaches suddenly looked nervous.
�I challenge Wolf Tam!� I announced.
�Don�t involve me in your devious plots. Pick on someone else,� Wolf complained. �Why not challenge Roc? Or better yet, Jim?�
I think Roc peed himself. Jim just gave me a �bring it on� look that I decided I didn�t want to deal with.
�Nope, I challenge Wolf,� I said with confidence.
Poor Trent turned white when he realized that if I played Wolf�s position, he would have to play quarterback. Coach wasn�t completely crazy. He�d only promised the first play.
The tryout was crazy. The defense thought it would be fun if I were no longer quarterback. Then they might win some of the drills in practice. It turned out I was either much better than Wolf, or they played him a lot tighter. I, of course, chose to believe I was just better. I�ll give Trent credit, he did throw me some impossible passes. Even Coach Hope groaned when I made some spectacular grabs.
Some other positions changed hands. Roc got beat out by Wolf. Roc, in turn, took down Ed at halfback. Wolf also beat out Milo at defensive tackle. Milo then challenged Neil at offensive tackle and won out. Mike was challenged by several people at middle linebacker, but to his credit beat everyone.
Alan was a little shit and used my social media accounts to put out a vague message that something happened at practice and I wouldn�t start at quarterback but would be able to play wide receiver. He forgot to warn Brandon. The recruiting phone blew up with colleges all over the nation wanting to know how badly I was hurt.
◊◊◊
At the dojo, Coach Hope showed up to partner with Fritz. We were still working with batons, and Cassidy had taught me a cool training exercise where it was her making strikes starting from the outside and working in. The cool part of it was we got into a rhythm, and it sounded almost like working a speed bag. There was a steady
At the end of practice, Coach Hope and Fritz sparred. Fritz had finally met his match, and it frustrated him to no end. Then he threw out a challenge.
�Give David batons, and I bet he can beat you.�
I had laid out Fritz by mistake just two days ago. I really didn�t want to accidentally hurt Coach Hope. That would be bad on so many levels.
�Daddy, no. David might hurt you,� Cassidy said.
�He�s gotten that good, has he?� Coach Hope almost sneered when he asked.
�No, sir. I agree with Cassidy. I don�t want to hurt you,� I said.
Looking back, Cassidy and I might have phrased our responses better. Coach took it to mean we thought with the additional reach, I would be able to handle myself against him. That was completely different from the truth that we were afraid I would mess up and do some damage. It wasn�t like our matches were filled with love taps. Cassidy explained that if it didn�t hurt, I wouldn�t learn.
�I�ll make you a deal: if you win, even once, I won�t stand in the way of you dating my daughter,� Coach Hope announced.
�Deal!� Cassidy announced.
I looked at her, and she was all smiles. What had Fritz just gotten me into?
Cassidy tossed me the batons, and I fumbled them, and Fritz began to chuckle. He agreed to play referee because Coach didn�t trust his only daughter to be fair. I think she was a little hurt, but she did seem a bit eager. From the start, Coach Hope used the same strategy as Fritz had and attacked. Fritz smiled when I survived Coach�s initial flurry. Coach Hope was stronger than Fritz and just as quick. I still had the reach and was a little faster. I had taken my coaching from Cassidy: I cleared my mind and just reacted to the attack.
On his next attack, Coach Hope used a move I�d seen in my movie training. That training had been all about throws and making it look spectacular for the camera. Coach planned to toss me halfway across the room. The only problem with his plan was that I knew the counter. I think it shocked him when I dropped my batons as he made his move. As he grasped me, I made sure he had me good and tight, and then sprung the counter on him. Coach Hope�s feet were suddenly twelve feet in the air. Cassidy gasped as I directed him straight down onto the mat. The last part was an accident; I was supposed to toss him so he could roll out of it and be okay. The straight down on the mat part was for real fights or fake wrestling.
Again Shiggy came on a dead run to our mat when he heard the sound of 240 pounds of solid muscle slammed into the mat. I had been a little overzealous, and you could probably feel the shock wave for several blocks. I�ve had the air knocked out of me before, so I knew what it felt like and didn�t want to be anywhere near Coach Hope when he was able to breathe again. It didn�t help that Fritz almost burst into tears, he was laughing so hard. The look Shiggy gave me made me wonder if I would have to put him down next.
I started to worry when Coach Hope went from bright red to a little blue. Then his body quit fighting its harsh treatment, and he sucked in a massive breath. We all recognized that Shiggy was pissed. When Coach could finally talk, both he and Fritz took responsibility. Shiggy still wasn�t having it as he went back to his beginners class, mumbling something about how he couldn�t afford the insurance claims.
�Should we go two out of three?� I offered.
Luckily Coach Hope and Fritz thought I was hilarious.
�I didn�t teach him that,� Cassidy said, which made them laugh even harder.
In my head, I explained it was just God-given talent. I knew better.
The laughing stopped when Cassidy asked me what time she should expect me Friday night. I decided it was better not to poke the bear any more and called it a night.
◊◊◊
When I was in the locker room changing, Fritz found me.
�Rita would like you to come over tonight.�
�Did she say why?� I asked.
�No.�
�Let me see if Coach will take Brook home,� I said and made the arrangements.
I followed Fritz to Halle�s house, got out of the Jeep and he was suddenly beside me. I swear he was a sneaky frickin� ninja.
�Jesus! You have got to teach me how to do that,� I said.
I walked in, and Halle saw me.
�Mom, David�s here!� she yelled.
�No need to yell,� Rita chastised her daughter. �Have you eaten?�
�I could eat.�
�Come on, then. We were about to sit down.�
We sat down, and an older woman brought out a spicy black bean soup. I appreciated that she brought me a bowl even though Halle and her mom got cups. For the main course, she delivered salmon with a creamy wasabi glaze and a side of chard. I�m not a big greens eater, but this was sweet which offset the bitterness of the chard. After dinner, we went to the living room to talk about what Rita had asked me over for.
�Adrienne called me today and wanted to provide clothing for our film. She said you had contacts with Range Sports, Jade, and Dakora. I didn�t realize you were such an entrepreneur,� Rita said.
I wasn�t sure if that was a compliment or not.
�Adrienne is one of my agents, and she organized a similar deal with my
�I see. Did you make any other money off of that deal besides the product placement?�
�I did a photo shoot for Dakora.�
�Do you think you could help Halle get a similar deal?� Rita asked.
�Has she done any modeling in the past?� I asked.
Halle jabbed me in the ribs.
�I�m right here,� she complained.
�Why do you ask?� Rita continued, ignoring her daughter.
�I ask because it would make a difference in how the shoot was organized. If Halle had never done one before, we�d need to find a photographer and other models that�re used to working with someone new. I�d also insist that Adrienne be at the shoot to help her. All of that would add to the cost, and Halle wouldn�t make as much money,� I explained.
�So, you�re saying that we need to have the right professionals to make everything go correctly,� Rita said.
�Exactly. As an example, I�m sure you�ve made allowances in the upcoming film because of my relative dearth of acting experience.�
�Did they do something like that for your appearance in
�Yes. There were two stunt people who worked with me for all the action scenes before the movie, and I also took acting classes at State to prepare. In fact, we used the script in class so I could learn my lines,� I explained.
�Do you think we might actually get a script?� Halle asked.
Rita�s calm exterior cracked for a moment at her daughter�s jab, but she quickly recovered.
�We�re having some issues with the script,� she confessed. �The movie�s in need of some cash infusion.�
I suddenly realized that Rita was doing all of this for the first time and without help. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called Tyler. I knew she would answer the phone.
�Hey, it�s David,� I said.
�What can I do for you?� Tyler asked.
�I�m sitting here with Rita James. Could you and possibly Adrienne fly out and talk to her about generating some cash for the movie?�
�Let me talk to her,� Tyler ordered.
I handed the phone to Rita, and she took it to her office so she could talk in private.
Halle took the opportunity to kiss me.
�Don�t be starting something you can�t finish,� I teased her.
�You wouldn�t dare. My mother might come in at any moment.�
I wish she hadn�t thrown down the gauntlet like that. Halle had on a skirt, so I dropped to my knees and stuck my head between her legs. I reached up, pulled her panties to the side, and gave her sex a lick.
�David!� she hissed as she grabbed the back of my head to hold it in place.
I think young Halle was sending me mixed signals. I was starting to get serious about getting her off when Halle�s phone chirped. Shortly after that, she pushed me away.
�My mom�s coming,� she whispered.
I pulled my head from under her skirt, and Halle took one look at my face and sent me to the restroom to clean up. While I was in there, I realized that Fritz must have seen us. I was a little pissed that he would be such a pervert to watch two teenagers have sex, but was grateful he�d given us the heads-up. Then I realized it wasn�t his fault we decided to have sex in the living room. I�d been told the house was monitored. Fritz must see things all the time as part of his job.
I felt sorry for Halle and Rita. If they needed this level of security, they would have very little privacy. You would have to trust your security people an awful lot.
Rita thanked me for introducing her to Tyler. Halle walked me out to my car to say goodnight. If I didn�t suspect that Fritz was watching, I might have started back up again. She did promise to come over to work on her art homework tomorrow.
◊◊◊ Friday September 25
Trust a politician to turn a simple pep rally into a media event. As I pulled into the school parking lot, there were two TV vans parked in front of the school. When I walked up to the entrance, Coach Zoon was there waiting. When he saw me, pointed at me, and motioned for me to come to him. Coach Zoon had been at the dojo last night and wanted all the details on my body-slam of Coach Hope. I offered to demonstrate the move, but he declined.
�Coach Hope wants to talk to you,� he said.
�This doesn�t have anything to do with Cassidy, does it?� I asked.
�I heard about that last night. Tony must have been crazy to agree to let you date his daughter. I know I wouldn�t,� Coach Zoon informed me.
�I think you would have to find a girl yourself first,� I shot back.
�Careful,� he warned.
�I�m not scared. Talk to Fritz or Coach Hope if you need to know what you�re tangling with.�
�You might find me a little tougher than either of them.�
I was so going to tell them about Coach Zoon�s boast! I simply smiled and followed him to Coach�s office.
�Dawson, get your butt in here!� Coach Hope boomed.
I walked in, and two state troopers were seated in front of his desk. He must have read my expression.
�That�s right. They finally tracked you down. You might as well confess now,� Coach Hope said.
I dropped my head and let my bottom lip quiver. The two state troopers sat up straight in their chairs.
�Cassidy, Coach Hope�s daughter, made me do it,� I said pitifully. I had to take a moment to compose myself. �She made me hurt him.�
�Hurt who, son?� one of the troopers asked.
�Coach Hope. We warned him,� I said, looking up and seeing Coach Hope give me a hard stare. �He�s been out of the Marines for a long time. He thought he was still tough. Cassidy made me show him he�s getting old and slow.�
Both troopers looked at me and then Coach Hope.
�He thinks he�s some kind of actor. Just ignore him,� Coach Hope said. I bowed and grinned at the troopers.
�Hi. I�m David Dawson,� I said, holding my hand out to welcome them.
�Captain Silva.�
�Lieutenant Jackson.�
�They�re here as part of the security detail for the Governor�s visit,� Coach Hope said.
�Congratulations on the record. We wanted to meet you since you�ll be on stage with Governor Higgins. I understand that you know him,� Captain Silva said.
�Yes, sir. He came to my uncle�s farm for his wedding. The governor knew my grandfather, Davey Dawson, very well.�
I must have been deemed to be okay because they sent me back to class.
◊◊◊
Finally, it was time for the pep rally. Everyone was in high spirits because we were playing our hated rival Eastside tonight. As I walked to the gym, all other sounds were drowned out by the clank of those damned cowbells. Whoever thought of that should be shot. The sad part was our fans loved them. The football team had been told to all meet in the locker room. As we waited, we heard the pep band play our school song. Coach Zoon came in.
�Okay, let�s go.�
I led the team in towards the end of the song, and everything was drowned out by cowbells clanging. The cheerleaders had made a corridor for us to enter the gym that put us in front of the podium. There must have been a thousand people there if you counted students, teachers, staff, reporters, and the governor�s security. Once everyone settled down, I decided to stir them up.
�OUR HOUSE! OUR HOUSE!� I began to chant, pumping my fist in the air.
That got the football team going, and then the cheerleaders joined in. I was impressed with how loud seven hundred and fifty students could be.
�That�s right! Eastside is about to learn what it means to come into OUR HOUSE!� Coach Hope�s voice boomed over the speakers.
�We need each and every one of you to help us tonight. We need the stands to be rocking. We need you to let Eastside know they are in BULLDOG COUNTRY!�
The students began to stomp in the stands and ring their cowbells. The guys were soaking it up as the student body let us know they were behind us. The pep band played the fight song again. I saw Governor Higgins shaking his head. I think the governor wondered how he would ever get everyone quieted down so he could give me the award.
When the fight song ended, I leaped up onto the stage that was three feet off the ground and walked back and forth, chanting �OUR HOUSE!� I motioned the governor over, and he got the idea and helped me do the chant. He took his jacket off, and the press had their photo op. One of his aides came out and handed the governor the plaque. He and I held it up as the chant continued. That was the picture on the front page of the newspaper on Saturday.
When the crowd calmed down, Coach Hope thanked everyone, and we were done.
�Sorry about that,� Coach Hope said to the governor.
�Nonsense! If I had more events like this, I would never make a fool out of myself,� Governor Higgins said.
�I�m sure you had a speech planned. Why don�t you do it at halftime?� I asked.
�That�s a great idea. Would you like to go to dinner with me?�
�I have a ritual before each game: I go to the hospitality tent and eat; the Booster Club feeds us. Why don�t you join me there at six? I�ll introduce you to everyone,� I said.
◊◊◊
I went home and took a nap. I woke up when I was jabbed in the ribs and cracked open my eyes to see my mom standing over me.
�When were you going to tell me?� Mom asked.
My first thought was Mom had found out about the motocross. Then I realized it was about the governor.
�Did you want to go to dinner with us?� I asked.
�What do you think I should wear?�
�How about what you always wear to one of my games? A jersey and jeans. Heck, I bet the governor would like a jersey to wear to the game. I could give him the one I wore when I set the record and sign it for him. I think it�s in my locker at school.�
That seemed to settle Mom down. She left me to get ready.
◊◊◊
When we got to school, I told my parents I�d meet them at the tent. I found the jersey I�d worn, signed it and put the record and the date on it. When I got to the tent, the governor had already arrived. He was surrounded by reporters, and I smiled when they didn�t even notice me come in. Most of the team was already eating. My eyes lit up when I saw they were serving Philly cheesesteaks.
When the governor�s session with the press was wrapping up, I stepped forward with my mom and dad at my side.
�Governor, I think you know my parents.�
I gave him the jersey, and he did wear it. I took him around and introduced him to all the players and Booster Club people, then introduced him to most of the college recruiters. The governor was pretty funny when he ordered the state police to arrest all the out-of-state ones.
I finally had to rush to eat a cheesesteak sandwich. I thanked all the cooks and went to the locker room to get ready. My dad was asked to act as the governor�s escort when I left. I was sure he knew what to do since Grandpa had been in politics all his life.
◊◊◊
As we came out for the game, the marching band began to play the school song. I led the team onto the field, and the cowbells commenced their clanging. Coach had given up on giving me two other team captains each week. He just announced that everyone knew who the captain was and was done with it.
I sauntered out to midfield for the coin toss and smiled when six Eastside players trotted out. The cheerleaders had coordinated with the band to modify the �Our House� chant. They slowed it down, and in between the words, they added drums, two long and three short beats. Of course, everyone on their feet stomped. The Eastside players were a little taken aback when the chant began. Our fans were in full voice even before the kickoff.
�Eastside, you�re the visitor. Call the coin in the air,� the referee said.
�Heads!�
�It is heads.�
�Let us play offense first,� I begged.
I was just messing with them because the smart play for Eastside was to do just that. I snickered when the guy who was supposed to tell the ref what they wanted had to turn to his coach.
�We will defer,� he finally said.
�Give us the ball!� I shouted and pumped my fist in the air.
The crowd erupted like we had just scored. This was going to be a fun game.
On the kickoff, Ty read his blocks perfectly and busted a long run to start us on Eastside�s 33 yard line. We came out to the huddle, and Trent didn�t look well.
�You okay, man?� Wolf asked.
Trent puked in the huddle. I slapped him in the back.
�Suck it up, Rock Star,� I teased, and moved the huddle over a couple of feet.
�Razzle Dazzle on two,� I called out because Trent was just trying to hold it together.
I lined up at Wolf�s wideout position and grinned at the kid across from me.
�I�m getting the ball,� I told him.
�Watch Dawson! Watch Dawson!� he yelled to get his teammates� attention.
�Down!� Trent croaked out.
I went into motion towards the center of the field.
�Set! Hut, Hut!�
I timed it so I was almost to Trent when the football was snapped. I ran behind him, and he handed me the ball. I had the full attention of the Eastside defense as they began to pursue me hard. I sprinted to run the jet sweep, or that was what it was supposed to look like. When I got outside the tackle, I stopped and set up to pass. All our receivers were bunched up on my side of the field.
All but one. Trent had run his usual fake and was running free down the far sideline I had started on. I lobbed a soft pass that he could easily catch and did a little dance when he caught it. The turf monster almost got him as he stumbled, but he gathered himself and sprinted into the end zone.
�Give me some cowbells, Baby!� Wolf yelled.
When Eastside got the football, it became apparent that Wolf made a huge difference on the defensive side. Coach Zoon let him play defense all night. I was a little jealous because he was in the Eastside backfield all game. They finally triple-teamed him, and that let Johan loose. I cringed when Johan sacked their quarterback. I was impressed the poor kid even knew where the huddle was after that play. Mike also played a heck of a game, and he and Yuri were all over the field making plays.
On offense, I handed off to Ty. He consistently ripped off runs of eight or more yards. When we figured out they couldn�t stop him, we slowed the game down and used all of the clock between plays. At halftime, we were up 21�0. We had them three-to-one in time of possession. They just couldn�t get it going.
In the second half, when Ty started to rip off runs of fifteen to twenty yards, we pulled him and played other running backs. My half brother Phil even got a few runs. Coach Zoon didn�t want to give up the shutout, so the first-string defense played the whole game. We ended up winning 35�0. After the opening play, I had only thrown the ball four times when we found ourselves in third and long. It was quite a difference from the week before.
◊◊◊
Waiting for me after the game was Cassidy. Somehow Coach Hope was right behind me. He gave me a look and then went back into the locker room. Message received!
�Are you sure we should be doing this? Your dad didn�t seem very happy about us going out,� I asked Cassidy.
�You won fair and square. Daddy�s a man of his word,� she said, which didn�t really answer my question.
Cassidy wanted to go to Monical�s since that was where the team was headed. We ended up parking across the street in the bank�s parking lot. Monical�s had the biggest line I�d ever seen there after a game. It looked like half the football stadium had shown up. Yuri was at the door and motioned for us to come in.
�We have the banquet room,� he told us.
I felt bad for all the people in line. It would be half the night before they got in. I went to the counter and caught the eye of the assistant manager who always hooked up my brother because she had a crush on him.
�You guys ready for more appetizers?� she asked.
�I don�t know, haven�t been back there yet. What I wanted to do is feed the people in line,� I said and handed her $300. �Could you make a variety of pizzas and serve each of them a slice and give them a soda?�
She smiled and nodded.
�Tell them it�s from the football team as a thank-you for their support tonight.�
Cassidy looked up at me and smiled as she took my hand. We made our way to the back. I found Ty and gave him a big hug.
�You killed it tonight!� I exclaimed.
I then went searching for Wolf. He had half the team around him as he told them some joke or story.
�Holidays are all designed to lighten your wallet. My dad says that as you get older, it gets worse. I have to agree. You work hard for your money, and yet women expect you to buy them stuff on all the holidays,� Wolf said.
Cassidy looked like she was about to jump in, so I grabbed her arm and shook my head. She gave me a look that you never wanted to see on her face. Cassidy was one of the few women who could make you pay for being a �stupid boy,� but I wanted to see where this was going.
�What about Easter? That�s a religious holiday.� Yuri asked.
Wolf dropped his head and shook it in disbelief. He was about to educate Yuri.
�Have you not heard of an Easter Dress? How many times do you think a woman wears it? If you don�t know, I�ll tell you: once! Of course, it comes with the hat, the purse, and let�s not forget the shoes. You also have all the decorations, Easter eggs, and the big meal. On top of that, they make you go to church!
�Then there are the holidays like Presidents� Day. Sounds innocent enough, doesn�t it? It�s a day off work, and the kids are out of school. What could be so bad? The bad part is it�s a long weekend! If you somehow get out of spending it with your in-laws, then it�s a family weekend. You�d think it would just be an extra day to kick back and rest, but my dad says it doesn�t work out that way,� Wolf said.
�What about Father�s Day?� Johan asked. �Isn�t that all about the guy?�
�David, have we failed them? Surely they�re being taught these things,� Wolf complained.
I was willing to play the straight man. I edged a little away from Cassidy as I poured gasoline on the fire.
�I know. I guess it�s left to us to educate them. After you tell them about Father�s Day, explain why men have to make 20 percent more than women.�
There was a downside to dating Cassidy: if she wanted to plant her elbow in your ribs, there wasn�t much you could do about it.
�Ah, good point. Now Father�s Day is supposed to be all about what the dad wants to do. Think about it. What would you want? First would be to keep some of your hard-earned money. More than likely the day would start out with some special sex from your loving wife, but that�s never going to happen,� he said, shaking his head.
�Why not?� Roc asked.
Wolf threw his hands up in disgust.
�Because you�re married, of course! Special sex only happens to single guys, and then it�s doled out only on special occasions, like Valentine�s Day, when you�ve spent an inordinate amount of money,� Wolf answered. �Now, where was I? Oh, yes. What we want versus what really happens. After the special sex, you think your wife would cook you a nice breakfast, and then she and the kids would go to her parents and leave you alone so you can take naps and watch the baseball game.
�What really happens is your wife is so thrilled that you�re going to the in-laws that she�s out of bed before you wake up. She then makes you go with them to celebrate her dad�s Father�s Day. Of course, she bought a gift for him that was paid for out of your hard-earned money.
�Now let�s talk about why men make 20 percent more than women. In this day and age, you�d expect that for equal work there�d be equal pay, but that isn�t really the case. The reason is that the man�s expected to pay for everything. If you don�t believe me, try going Dutch on a date. I�ll guarantee you that there won�t be a second date,� he said.
Even Cassidy nodded her head at that one.
�It doesn�t stop there. Think about it! If your girl were paying, you�d be going to the BK Lounge and ordering off the dollar menu. Instead, you have to take her to some fancy restaurant and then a movie. Of course, we�re dumb enough to think that if we spend enough, we�ll get laid. Better yet, we might get special sex,� Wolf said.
�What�s special sex?� Yuri asked.
Wolf looked at me for a little help.
�That would be anal sex,� I blurted, since nothing else came to mind.
Everyone, including Wolf, looked at me with wonder. Well, except for Cassidy; her expression was very different, but I quickly turned away from her.
�Please, teach them,� Wolf said with a smirk.
Crud! What was it Tami said about my first reaction? It was always wrong!
�Guys, anal sex isn�t all it�s purported to be. It�s rarely like what you see on porn videos. Women were created with a perfectly good and functionally built place to put your dick,� I started.
�Are you saying it isn�t great?� Wolf teased me.
He had me there. I tried a different tack.
�Think about it. First is the whole smell factor,� I said, crinkling my nose. �The anus is designed for stuff to come out of and not go in. There�s also no natural lubrication. Then there�s all the crying you have to deal with afterward.�
�So, if I�m hearing you correctly, if the girl prepares herself with an enema, and you use plenty of lubricant, the girl�s reaction is about the same as all the girls you have sex with,� Wolf said.
I let the laughter die down before continuing. I suddenly had a brilliant idea.
�You know, we should create the perfect holiday. We could call it �Special Sex Day.� We would have it on June 25th each year. It�d be like Christmas for guys. We could get t-shirts made and just put the date on them. That way, when you saw a guy with one on, you would simply nod and smile because you knew he�d gotten special sex on the holiday. Better yet, you might be at a party and see a girl wearing one,� I proposed.
�Yeah,� all the guys said with big smiles on their faces.
Cassidy had had enough testosterone-filled sexist talk for one night. She was a good sport, really. She had hung around Marine bases and football players all her life. Not much shocked little Cassidy.
◊◊◊
I was still hyped up after the game, so I took Cassidy to the park. Under the park lights, I showed her parkour, or freestyle, running. Peggy had taught me how to do it. Cassidy had a blast as we bounced all over the park. Then she stopped me.
�Show me what you did to my dad,� she said.
�We should do this on the mats. One of us might get hurt.�
�Wuss,� she called me.
I showed Cassidy some of the tosses they had taught me for
�We can�t,� she said.
She was right. I pulled her to my chest.
�I love you, Cassidy Hope,� I declared.
�I know you do, and I love you too. I promised my daddy that we wouldn�t have sex until I was your girlfriend.�
�I�m surprised he agreed to that.�
�He knows I had sex with Jim, Wolf, and Jeff. He�s just afraid that I�ll fall in love with you, and you�ll leave me,� she explained.
I thought about it and agreed. I would never want to hurt Cassidy, and wouldn�t want sex to not mean anything with her. I did love her, but more like a sister, for now.
�Come on, I�ll take you home,� I said.
�You know I do love you. I didn�t just say it because you did,� Cassidy said.
�Yes, and thank you for that,� I said.
I took her home and kissed her on the front porch. I chuckled when Coach flashed the front porch lights to let us know he was watching.
◊◊◊
Chapter 16 � Alpha Male Unleashed Saturday September 26
When I got up, Duke and I went to the kitchen and found Mom and Dad making breakfast. The tension had seemed to ease some in the past couple of weeks, and this weekend was planned for them to have some alone-time without me �under their feet.� I had no idea what that meant, and, to be honest, didn�t want to know.
�I visited Tim in the hospital yesterday. His surgery found more damage than they�d hoped. He won�t be able to play until next season,� Mom said.
I�d seen the hit, and it had looked bad to me at the time. When I got back, I would have to go visit Tim.
�How was he taking it?� I asked.
�He was on some good drugs, but it�ll set in soon. Tim told me to tell you that he expects to be back for next year.�
I kind of spaced out as I worried about my friend. Watching my parents cook, it seemed like they were making a lot, which had me wondering if Greg and his family were coming over. Then Alan came in the back door. He was followed by Ty, Jim, Wolf, and Brandon. Alan made himself at home and got everyone a glass of orange juice or milk. Brandon opted for coffee. Mom told the guys about Tim.
Dad outdid himself. He made Greek omelets with Greek sausage, tomatoes, and feta cheese. He got out the pancake griddle and fried Texas toast with butter to make it golden brown. I found the homemade rhubarb and orange preserves to top the toast. Mom made home fries, and there was a box of doughnuts. I was going to pass but found several Boston Creams with chocolate frosting, and I was soon off my diet as we all chowed down. That many high school boys can eat a lot. We all cleaned up and then hit the road. Since there were six of us, we decided to take two cars. Brandon and I volunteered to drive. Alan and Ty rode with me.
�Have you really had anal sex?� Alan blurted out.
I should have made him ride with someone else. This would be a long road trip if he was full of questions.
�Why? Were you thinking you might want to do it?� I asked.
�No, but I�d like to be ready if the need ever arises.�
�Since you�re my friend, I guess I could show you, but I don�t think you�d like it.�
I looked in the rearview mirror, and Ty had a big smile on his face.
�Why�s that?� Alan asked.
�Because I don�t think you�d be able to handle my massive shlong,� I said.
Alan was not amused, but Ty and I were.
�I�m serious!� Alan pouted.
�Actually, I�d like to hear this, too,� Ty said.
�You�re an anal virgin, too?� I asked.
�Screw you.�
�Yes, I�ve put my pee-pee into a tight little bottom before, and, before you ask, I will not give out names.�
�Okay, wise one, enlighten us,� Alan said.
�First, some health and safety tips. Always use a condom. You know what comes out of that hole, and there are more than a few bugs there that would not be good for you. Never go from her butt to her vagina; and if you do, put on a new condom. It�s warm and moist and the perfect Petri dish to grow all kinds of funky stuff. She�ll be really pissed if she gets some of said funky stuff growing down there. It will also put her out of action, which means she�ll cut you off. Finally, no ATM,� I said.
�What�s ATM?� Alan asked.
�Ass to mouth,� Ty answered.
�Yuck!� Alan said.
�I don�t think I�d kiss her after that,� Ty said.
�What else?� Alan asked.
�I�m going to assume you�ve had sex, so you understand the basic mechanics. The big difference is there�s no lubrication, so you need to use lube. I wouldn�t trust a lubricated condom to be sufficient. In fact, they say that too much lube is almost enough. Something else to remember is that the entrance is a tight little ring that�s elastic, but it takes time to adjust. I would suggest that you work to stretch it some by slowly adding fingers. This is a great way to lube her up. Once you�re ready, take it easy. This is not a case of you slamming home and doing her hard. Wait until she can handle it,� I said.
�Is it really good?� Alan asked.
I gave him a knowing smirk and wouldn�t answer him.
◊◊◊
When we were about halfway to Ann Arbor, we had to pull over for a potty break. Ty and Alan went to talk to Jim and Wolf, and soon the four of them were giggling like schoolgirls. When they were done, and everyone back in the car, Alan had a request.
�We need to go to a drugstore.�
I�d seen a Walgreens sign, so I pulled out of McDonald�s and pulled into the drugstore lot. Everyone piled out of the cars and went in except Brandon.
�What are they up to?� Brandon asked.
�They think they can talk some drunken college girl into having sex with them, and then get the girl to have anal sex.�
�Should we go supervise their purchases?� he asked.
�No, but if you don�t have any condoms, you might want to get some.�
�So, the plan is for a lot more fun than we�ve had so far.�
I just nodded. Brandon went in to make his purchase. I followed to make sure the guys didn�t bully Alan. Sure enough, I caught Alan right before he made to the checkout. He had a box of Magnum extra-large. I took him back and got him a better fit. He seemed a little ambitious when he bought a 24-pack, but a boy can dream, and I wasn�t about to tell him otherwise.
◊◊◊
Today�s game between BYU and Michigan was a real test for both teams. Michigan had started the season with a road game at Utah and had lost 24 to 17. It was the first game for Coach Haber, who was supposed to be the savior for the once-storied program. I was amused at the text messages the Ohio State contingent sent me in their enjoyment of Michigan�s misfortune. Michigan had bounced back and beaten both Oregon State and UNLV at home on consecutive weekends.
The big story was BYU. They had opened the season at Big Ten powerhouse Nebraska. BYU had lost their leader and starting quarterback to a season-ending injury. Their backup was a freshman, but not just any freshman: Tanner Mangum had thrown for nearly four thousand yards his senior year in high school. He was selected to the play in the Under Armour All-America Game where he was named a special-recognition MVP. Tanner had also been named Co-MVP at Elite 11 where he won the award with two other players. One was Jameis Winston, who was the first pick in the NFL draft this year. Tanner was also rated the number 3 pocket passer in his class when he graduated.
Tanner was Mormon, and instead of starting college he went to Chile on his mission. He had returned only a couple of months before the start of football and had enrolled at BYU as a 22-year-old freshman.
I�d caught the end of the Nebraska game when BYU was down 28�27. With barely any time on the clock, Tanner drove BYU to the Nebraska 43 yard line. It was one of those perfect moments you dream about as a quarterback. It�s your first college game, and you find yourself on the field. It�s fourth down with only one second left in the game. Of course, I usually wake up at that point, but Tanner lived his dream. He heaved a desperation pass toward the Nebraska end zone, and one of his receivers snatched the ball out of the air and got it across the goal line for a stunning victory.
BYU then played number 20 Boise State and gave them a 35�24 beating. It was then off to play number 10 UCLA where they played a great game but came up short, losing 23�24. Tanner had a shot at winning the game but was intercepted.
Both teams were 2�1, and this would be a good test for both. BYU remained in a position to make a run at the National Championship. If BYU could win this game, they would have an impressive resume. They won at Nebraska, beat one of the best of the Group of Five teams in Boise State, and lost by one at UCLA. If they could beat Michigan on the road, who knew? The only game on their remaining schedule they had to worry about was at Missouri. BYU at 11�1 would force the selection committee into a hard decision as to whether they deserved to be in the final four.
After a poor first game, Michigan had blown out Oregon State and UNLV. Their defense had only allowed 14 points in those two games. They only had three games left on their schedule to worry about: Northwestern, Michigan State, and Ohio State. I thought they would probably go 1�2 in those games and end up at 9�3 if they took care of business today. That was in no way assured because BYU was ranked number 22.
I was excited to see what would happen today. I also wanted to see the Michigan campus. This was one of a handful of schools that had a real tradition of winning. They had fallen on hard times recently, but that just meant I would be a football god if I were to help turn the program around. I thought they might now have the coach to do it.
Wolf was excited about Michigan because they were one of the few college programs that really knew how to use a tight end, his natural position. The only school that was better in that regard was Stanford, which just happened to be where Coach Haber had come from.
◊◊◊
Michigan had a well-laid-out plan for their athletic facilities. Everything was within walking distance in an area called the Stephen M. Ross Athletic Campus. For football, they had an outdoor practice field and two indoor facilities. We were directed to meet at the Junge Family Champions Center, which was attached to the Crisler Center where Michigan played basketball. Across the parking lot was Michigan Stadium. The plan was for all the recruits and their families to meet up and then do a quick tour of the campus.
When we walked into the Junge Family Champions Center, Wes Hunt was there. He was my Co-MVP at Elite 11 this summer. Wes was from Phoenix and had won the LA Regional to qualify. He had two of his teammates with him, and I smiled when one of them was Dan Berger. Dan had helped me win the seven-on-seven tournament and pissed Wes off in the process. Dan was his go-to guy, and I think Wes had planned to use Dan as his secret weapon. That hadn�t worked out, because I drafted Dan out from under him.
Wes was busy flirting with a girl in a Michigan polo shirt who seemed to be there in some official capacity. As I walked up, it was easy to see why he�d flirt with her. She was cute, so I decided to give Wes a little competition. I winked at Dan when he saw me walk towards them. I caught the girl�s eye, and gave her my million-dollar smile. Jim mumbled, �Here we go again,� and I could feel him roll his eyes at me.
�Wes, it�s so good to see you,� I said, catching him off guard. �I see that nasty cold sore has healed up nicely.�
That got the girl to do a double take as I turned to her.
�I need you to come with me,� I told her, taking her hand and leading her over to my guys.
I turned and gave the girl a dirty look.
�Now that was rude. You didn�t introduce yourself,� I said to try and get her name.
Pretty girls aren�t used to a guy not falling all over themselves for them. That was why acting like a jerk would get their attention most times. Other times this strategy can go south on you in a hurry.
�Violet,� she said hesitantly.
�Guys, this is Violet. She�ll be taking care of us today,� I announced.
That was when Wes and his teammates showed up. Wes and Dan knew me and my sense of humor. Wes and I had competed against each other over everything for a full week this summer, so it wasn�t a stretch that we would compete over a girl. Wes had another teammate with him who looked like he either played offensive or defensive tackle. The guy also looked pissed. I don�t think he approved of my poaching Wes�s conquest. Of course, seeing him give me a challenging look just made me smile.
�I don�t think we�ve been introduced,� I said, staring the tough guy in the eyes.
He gave me an evil smirk, which made me think he was going to try and crush my offered hand. I sighed and grabbed his hand so I controlled his thumb. When he tried to clamp down, I pushed my grip forward so I could bend his thumb back. I smirked when he jerked his hand out of mine. Wes knew what his teammate had attempted.
�Cut it out, Oliver. This is my good friend David Dawson,� Wes said, and then turned to me. �This is Oliver Williams. He protects my backside, so you play nice.�
We shook hands again without any ill intent. I then hugged both Wes and Dan to greet them. I introduced all three to all my teammates, Alan, and Brandon. I was happy to see Violet stayed at my side, and her eyes kept going back and forth between Wes and me. This might get interesting before the day ended. When Wes�s parents saw me, they treated me like I was their long-lost son. I�d gotten to know them at Elite 11, and they were nice people.
Violet touched my arm and said she would be right back.
�Do you know her?� Dan asked.
�No. I just saw Wes flirting with her, so I figured she had to be the cutest girl in the room,� I said.
�You�re so bad! What happened to that girl you were with this summer?� Mrs. Hunt asked.
I cringed internally but put the best spin on it I could.
�She goes to another high school, and we�re still friends.�
�You two made such a cute couple. I keep telling Wes he needs to find a nice girl and settle down. Maybe you two should go to college together, and you could help him,� Mrs. Hunt said.
Wes paled a little, but I let that one go. I was glad to see I wasn�t the only one who had a mom who mortified her son.
Violet had been checking her list of recruits, and it seemed we were all here. She was one of five tour guides. She mixed up our groups so that we got a chance to meet different people. I was happy to see that Violet put Wes and me together. We were joined by a mountain of a man from Detroit named Max Wilcox. Max played defensive tackle and was only a junior. The other player joining us was Jay Edwards, a junior linebacker from Dearborn, Michigan.
Michigan had a gorgeous campus. There were several buildings with old stone exteriors that resembled castles. Their law school reminded me of an old European cathedral. The student union building even had ivy growing on the walls. Then they had more modern-looking buildings that looked to be made of metal and glass. Even with the different periods, it all seemed to fit together. Violet told us they had 19 schools or colleges with 260 degree programs. There were over 43,000 students that attended on four campuses, which were the North, Central, Medical, and South campuses. While the Central and South campuses ran together, the North was on the other side of the Huron River.
Violet was an excellent tour guide and got into detail about the history and what there was to do. She looked at her watch and realized we were late getting back. We were supposed to be at the football stadium meeting with the coaches.
�Why don�t we run back?� I suggested.
The parents weren�t interested, and Violet agreed to walk back with them. Wes bolted and jumped out in front. He laughed when he saw me use a bench to launch myself into the lead. I took the four of us on a parkour run and used different objects in the quad to make it fun. We were all laughing, and everyone tried to do what I did. We came to a chain link fence, and I jumped on top of it and stood for a moment, then bounced down. Max was last, and he jumped up, but his feet slid off, and suddenly this 330-pound man-child dropped three feet, flat on his back.
I thought we�d killed him. I was afraid we�d have to carry him back.
�Fuuudge,� Max moaned. �That�s gonna leave a mark.�
We toned it down after that and just jogged back to the football stadium. I didn�t want to have to explain how one of them got hurt goofing off with me.
◊◊◊
One of the students associated with the football program was waiting for us. He hustled us in, and Wes and I were taken to meet Coach Hightower, who was in charge of the passing game, which included quarterbacks. As we came in, we were introduced to all the coaches. I think they only had one guy under the age of fifty. We were taken to a conference room, and Coach Hightower had us sit down.
�I think you know each other. What you�ll learn here at Michigan is that we are the home of champions. To get there, we compete at the highest level, and part of that competition is getting the absolute best players we can. Our philosophy is that success breeds success. That is why we wanted the two best quarterbacks in their respective classes to be here this weekend. We feel that if both of you came to the University of Michigan, you would both benefit from the experience and become better football players because of it.�
�Or one of us would win the starting job, and the other would never get the opportunity that he deserved,� Wes said.
�Sometimes the cream does rise to the top, but I expect with the two of you it would be hard to keep you both off the field.�
�So, are you saying that you wouldn�t pick one of us to start? We�d split playing time?� I asked.
�That sucks,� Wes said. �I�m by far a better pure quarterback than David is.�
He said what? The competitive monster raised its head at the challenge that had just been thrown down.
�Yes, you�re pretty if everything�s perfect, but as soon as you have to make a quick decision, you go to shit,� I said.
�You�re not good enough to carry my jockstrap.�
I knew that Wes was competitive, but it must have been eating at him that I was better. He surely realized they had favored the seniors at Elite 11. If it had been a fair competition, I was the one who had won the seven-on-seven tournament and had beaten the guys who were real competition. It was time to straighten him out.
�Is that right? I say we go right now and see who�s better. Winner gets first pick of college.�
By now we were standing, and our noses were only inches apart. I�d added the �first pick� part because Wes wanted to go to Alabama. If we weren�t in the heat of the moment, we would probably agree it was stupid for us both to go to the same school. Right now I wanted to be able to take his top choice away from him.
Coach Haber picked that moment to open the door. I guess he had gotten concerned when he heard the shouting.
�You�re on. They should have never let a junior into Elite 11. You hadn�t put the time in that the rest of us had. Then you go and play some lightweight and set the national passing record. How lame is that? As soon as you get to a real school, you�ll be unmasked for the fraud that you are,� Wes said.
�You�re all talk. Let�s settle this. Are you sure you don�t have a hangnail that you can blame when you go down again?� I asked.
That was when Wes shoved me. I got a big smile on my face because I�d gotten him to lose his cool. I was sent with Coach Haber, and Wes went with Coach Hightower.
�I don�t think I�ve ever had two recruits go at each other like that.�
�You never had the two best on a recruiting weekend, either,� I said. �Let�s show Wes who the best is so he can finally see that I�ve always been and always will be better than he is.�
�Can this wait until Sunday?� Coach Haber asked.
�I�ll end up kicking his butt before then. You�re better off letting us figure out who the top dog is now, or we�ll settle it on our own, and it won�t be pretty.�
◊◊◊
The showdown occurred thirty minutes later. It was just Coach Hightower, two student managers, and the two of us. Coach Hightower took us to the Al Glick Field House. They had a setup where there were targets for us to throw at. This favored Wes because he was better at just standing and throwing, but I wasn�t backing down.
�First we�ll have you run the forty-yard dash. When you�re ready, line up together,� Coach Hightower said.
�Don�t you want us to run them separately?� Wes asked.
�No. This is a head-to-head competition.�
I grinned at Wes�s discomfort. At the start line, Wes stood straight up. He obviously hadn�t worked with anyone on speed training. I dug my cleats in and started with my feet staggered and both hands on the starting line. On the start, I exploded out low and dug to get my speed up as I slowly came up. Once I was running full-out, I remembered to relax and concentrate on picking my feet up and putting them down correctly. I began to laugh after I�d finished and found Wes on the ground about five feet from the finish line.
�What happened to him?� I asked one of the student managers.
�He tried to dive to catch you. I wish that had happened tomorrow when we�d�ve had the video equipment running.�
I noticed Wes had a good case of road rash. Artificial turf was not something you wanted to dive on. The next contest was throwing the football at called-out targets. Like I predicted, Wes did well at this, going ten for ten. When my turn came, I sighed in relief when I matched him. Then we were tasked with hitting moving targets. This time I went first and hit nine out of ten. I�d left the door open for Wes. On the last ball, he got excited and overthrew it, which caused him to tie me. It all came back to my argument that he wasn�t good under pressure or in new situations.
�Looks like David has the edge. Let�s give you one more chance and see how you do on the deep ball,� Coach Hightower said. �Since you�re behind, Wes, you get to pick whether you go first and set the standard, or watch David.
�Okay, I want you to do a five-step drop, and then throw the football as far as you can.�
We were lined up at the 50 yard line. I could throw further than that. Wes dropped back, and his pass sailed to the goal line. One of the student managers put a ball towel down where it landed.
�Beat that! That was fifty-seven yards in the air,� Wes boasted.
�I�ll stick it into the back left corner of the end zone,� I told Coach Hightower.
�Bullshit!� Wes called, which made me smile.
I dropped back, and the ball felt good as it came out of my hand. I started my touchdown dance before the ball was three-quarters of the way there. I didn�t have to look when I heard Wes.
�Aw, shit!�
We both knew that Wes would never hold up his end of the bet. We also both knew that Wes still thought he was better than me.
◊◊◊
When we got back, warm-ups were beginning. They allowed all the recruits on the sideline to see how they ran their practices. Coaches Hightower and Haber found us.
�So, who won?� Coach Haber asked in front of everyone.
�Dawson,� Coach Hightower announced and handed Coach Haber a five-dollar bill.
�What did you win?� Alan asked.
�I�ll tell you later.�
It was one thing to show Wes who the top dog was; what I didn�t need to do was ridicule him in front of everyone. He and I were very much cut from the same cloth in that we were both super-competitive. Despite that, I liked Wes as a person. What had been said earlier was just two top dogs clashing to see who the dominant one was. Now that we knew it was me, I could be generous.
◊◊◊
We had great seats for the game. We were about ten rows up so we could see over the teams, and on the 30 yard line. While we got comfortable, four different reporters wanted an interview. They were from Scouts and Bleacher Report, two national recruiting websites; and Maizenbrew.com, a Michigan-centric site. The last one was from the Detroit Free Press, who represented the print media.
Once the media was gone, I wanted something to eat, so we all went to the concession stands. That was when Alan sprang.
�So, what happened with you and Wes? We heard you yelling at each other, and then you left.�
I wasn�t going to get any peace, or food, until I told him. Of course, everyone else wanted to know too.
�Wes and I needed to settle who the best is. I honestly don�t think what we did settled it, but now we can move on and enjoy the weekend,� I said.
�What did you do, have some kind of throw-down?� Ty asked.
�Kind of the quarterback version,� I said. �It was stupid.�
�He lost,� Jim said.
�Yep. I think David might have to go home with his tail between his legs and let his mommy comfort him,� Wolf teased.
I glared at them and tried to figure out what I wanted to eat.
�Just tell them already,� Alan nagged.
�I kicked his butt,� I said. �It�s lucky for him that his mommy�s here.�
You would think that as a reward for winning, they would buy. Instead, I found a barbecue called Red Rock, and we had pulled pork sandwiches. Alan was a big baby and made me buy everyone ice cream cones afterward. When we were done, we came back to our seats and saw the marching band doing their pregame show.
I have to hand it to Michigan, their stadium is imposing. It holds 109,000 fans, and when they get excited, it�s almost as loud as our fans. Okay, that might be a bit of a stretch, but our fans rocked at the last game.
The game didn�t end up living up to the hype. Michigan crushed BYU by a score of 31�0. Tanner Mangum looked like a freshman. He ended up with a quarterback rating of 12.2 and passed for 55 yards, and the team rushed for a total of 50 yards. I didn�t even know it was possible to only gain 105 yards for a game.
◊◊◊
When I got out of the stadium, there was a message for me from Uncle John concerning the farm.
�How�s it going?� Uncle John asked.
�If I said �it
�Regular balls, or huge bull balls?�
I laughed because our sense of humor was sometimes in the gutter.
�I need you to get me some information,� Uncle John said to get to the purpose of the call. �I want to change our line of credit amount with the bank, and they need to see your latest financials.�
�Do you need me to contribute more money?� I asked.
�No, but we may need to buy some equipment sooner than we thought. It would be better to leverage it instead of draining you of your cash reserve. God only knows if we�d ever need that. The farm can more than support what�s required,� Uncle John explained.
�Okay, I�ll talk to Kendal and get it arranged. Do you need it right away?�
�If you could, that would be best,� he said.
After I talked to my uncle some more about my troubles, he made some reference about it all being part of becoming a man. If this was what it was like to be an adult, I would gladly remain a kid for now.
I called Kendal and asked her if she had what I needed handy.
�I certainly wouldn�t carry your financial information around with me!� she said, laughing at me.
We agreed I would come to her office and pick it up tomorrow. Kendal said she wouldn�t be around because she had to work with Sarah Spence and Mr. Hill; Kendal had gotten Sarah some newspaper insert work. She told me to ask for Megan, and Megan would get me what I needed for the bank. I was impressed that someone would be there over the weekend.
◊◊◊
We were introduced to our chaperone, Rick Thomas. I was glad to see he and Wolf hit it off because Rick was a sophomore tight end. If Wolf ended up coming to Michigan, Rick would be a senior his freshman year, and would likely be mentoring Wolf.� I thought it was smart of the coaching staff to put them together.
Rick took us on a tour of all the football facilities. We then were guided to the football dorm to show us what the rooms looked like, and all the facilities there. We ended up eating at the dorm cafeteria. The food was surprisingly good. Rick introduced us to several of the other football players. Everyone was making plans to celebrate their victory today. Wolf was in an in-depth discussion with Rick.
�I�m not supposed to take you to a party like that,� Rick said, catching everyone�s attention.
Both Wolf and Rick became aware that we were all staring at them. Leave it to Alan to ask the question on everyone�s mind.
�Like what?�
�I told Wolf about a party I was at last weekend that was � wild. The coaches told us to make sure you had fun, but not too much, if you catch my meaning. I need to return you free of hangovers and any other damage for breakfast tomorrow,� Rick said.
�When you say wild �� Alan prodded.
It was nice to not be the target of his interrogations for a change. Rick looked frustrated.
�Okay, but you can�t say anything to anyone; I have a girlfriend I�d like to keep. It�s sort of a swingers group. The catch is, you have to bring a girl with you to get in. There�s no way we�ll find seven girls who�ll be willing to have random sex at a party,� Rick said.
For some reason, my guys all turned and looked at me and smiled. Oh, Hell No!
�Make that eleven,� Wes said as he and Dan, Oliver, and their chaperone joined us.
�No problem. The pied piper of college girls can find eleven without a problem,� Jim said with a big grin.
I�d pulled off a similar stunt at Northwestern last year. Of course, I was drunk at the time after doing beer bongs. I�d made a deal with the Northwestern football players that I would get women to come to their party if they would back off our dates. All I needed was a concentration of college girls with the right moral attitude. Surely it couldn�t be that hard.
�If I do this, I get first pick,� I told them.
They all agreed to my terms. The other chaperone was Derick Larson, a junior receiver. I quizzed both Derick and Rick to find out where we might meet single college girls. They both had heard that one of their teammates was having a bash, so we all decided to walk across campus and check it out. On the way, I got Wes aside to make sure his guys had protection.
�Why would we need that?� he asked.
His mom�s comment about me helping him find a girl made me wonder if Wes simply didn�t have any experience or what his deal was. That was crazy, though. He had to be the big man on campus at his high school. There must be girls lining up to show him a good time. If not, then he had to have had Health Class. They covered STIs when I took it. I turned to Dan, who had listened in.
�I�ll take care of it,� Dan assured me.
Wes confused me, but I was on a mission. I told the guys they had to at least try to find a date to the swingers party. I wasn�t sure how well they would do, but if they at least came up with a few, it would make it easier.
We heard the party before we saw it. If this happened at home, we�d be shut down before we got started. The music could be heard at least a block away. When we got close, I saw several football players in the front yard with beers. What I didn�t see were many girls. The football players recognized our chaperones and started talking to them. I saw a guy holding hands with a pretty dark-skinned girl who had the biggest eyes I�d ever seen. I walked up to introduce myself.
�Hi, I�m David. Would you help me?� I asked.
She turned to her boyfriend who looked at me curiously and shrugged.
�Maybe,� was her tentative answer.
�I�m looking for horny college girls for my friends and myself. Do you have any idea where I might find them?� I asked.
�You might try a bar,� her boyfriend said.
�Most of us are too young to get into a bar,� I said to shoot down that suggestion.
�The gymnasts are having a party. They�re always complaining that no one asks them out,� she said.
I had visions of limber pixies doing naughty things to me and smiled. I got directions to their party. It took me a few minutes to find everyone because they were all busy drinking beer.
That was when the world as I knew it went completely off-kilter: Alan had picked up a woman. It had taken him less than ten minutes, and he found someone willing to go to a swingers party with him. We are talking about my best friend who has unfortunate hair. Think crazed-poodle hair. He�s also a confirmed nerd and has the body to prove it. The girl Alan had with him was neither mentally challenged nor horribly disfigured. Every guy rates women within the first few seconds of seeing them. I would give her a solid seven. I smiled when each of my guys got a determined look. They were not going home to hear about Alan hooking up and them having to rely on me to get them laid.
When we arrived at the gymnasts� party, the scene was a little surreal. It was like a group of giants invaded a village of elves. Most of our guys were at least six feet tall, and nearly half were six-four or taller. The girls ranged from four-eight to five-five. The guys with them were also gymnasts and weren�t much taller. The good news was the guy-to-girl ratio at the party was about three to one in favor of girls.
The thing about gymnasts was that they were used to running around in tights that showed off their bodies. I was glad to see that most of them were wearing revealing clothes, be it skintight jeans or skirts that might not be legal in some states. When they moved, you would catch a glimpse of a butt cheek that told you they were either going commando or had on a thong. It didn�t take the horny guys long to start working on the girls. It seemed the girl at the last party had been right: the girls took an immediate interest in my boys.
In every group of girls, there is always the one in charge. I saw her watching the goings-on. I needed to win her over, or this little stop would be for naught. She looked like she was probably a senior and she had a scowl on her face. She was five foot nothing, with bright red hair and a chalk-white complexion with freckles. If she smiled she might be a six, but with the scowl, she was a four at best; that was why no one had approached her. Then a song came on that had a good beat, so I walked up to her.
�Want to dance?� I asked.
She turned her scowl on me, and I almost flinched. Only a woman who hates men can get that look.
�It�s just a dance,� I said in my defense.
She licked her lips and gave me a curt nod. The guys better remember that I got first choice. I would do the �take one for the team� bit only so far. Once we got into the swingers party, I would dump this sourpuss.
Alan and his date joined us on the dance floor, and soon we had a crowd. When I didn�t run away or try anything funny, the girl began to relax. When she found out I could hold my own on the dance floor, the hint of a smile came onto her face, which made her much more attractive. I personally had a fetish for redheads with freckles. I looked at her more closely and saw she had a really nice athletic body but didn�t have any boobs to speak of. My gymnast kept me on the dance floor as it slowly seemed to clear out. I glanced around, and the guys I came with were nowhere to be seen.
She saw my concern and grabbed my hand to lead me off the dance floor where she got me a bottle of water that I desperately needed. We were standing in the hall where the volume of the music was muffled enough that we could talk without shouting.
�Do you know where my friends went?� I asked.
�I think they�re either upstairs or down in the basement.�
It took me a moment, but I figured it out. It seemed we weren�t going to the swingers party after all. I was caught off guard when she pushed me up against the wall and tried to force her tongue into my mouth. It was kind of funny because of our height difference. At first, I wasn�t sure I wanted to do this with her until she grabbed me and squeezed my manhood through my jeans. I had to smile when I thought of the old joke of her being the right height to suck me as I used her head to hold my beer. She broke our kiss, and I tried to catch my breath as she deftly undid my pants and freed Mr. Happy. I wasn�t hard, but that didn�t stop her from taking me into her mouth.
I just leaned back against the wall and grasped her neck to guide her action. My unit started to thicken and lengthen as I began to move my hips to help her. I looked down as Mr. Happy became fully hard and I shuddered. This just seemed so wrong. If I didn�t know better, I would have told you a twelve-year-old was desperately imitating a vacuum cleaner. It was good that I had seen her in better light or I probably would have lost my erection. This girl was serious about what she was doing. She had both of her little hands wrapped around the base and stroked me as she fought to get as much of me as she could into her mouth.
�I�m going to explode,� I warned her.
She pulled off my dick as I began to erupt. The girl shrieked when I made a mess all over her clothes. She had no one to blame but herself, because she had my johnson in her hands and could have pointed it away from her. She gave me a hateful look, but it quickly softened.
�I need to change.�
�I need to pee,� I said.
�Come up to my room. I have a bathroom you can use, and you won�t have to wait in line.�
I followed her upstairs and saw her frown because the door to her room was cracked open. We heard the sounds of sex from inside. I don�t think she was pleased that someone had decided to use her room. She opened the door. There are just some sights that can never be unseen. On the bed were Wes and a male gymnast who was in the process of giving him pleasure, if you know what I mean. My urge to pee hadn�t diminished, so I quickly went to the bathroom to take care of business. I shook my head; this made a few things clearer about Wes.
When I came back out, Wes and his new friend were gone. I was still horny but didn�t see myself spending any more time with this girl. So I decided to see if she would be my plus-one.
�I hear there�s a swingers party. Would you go with me so I could get in?� I asked her.
�I just sucked you willy, and you�re asking me to go to a party where you can get laid?� she asked, which summed it up pretty well.
�Yep.�
The girl thought about it for a moment and then shrugged. I was glad Rick had told me where it was because I didn�t feel like hunting for him and the rest of the guys.
◊◊◊
I was glad I brought Sadie. Yes, we finally got around to introducing ourselves. Sadie had a car, and the swingers party was a ten-minute drive. While we could have walked, Sadie didn�t feel like it. On the ride over, she gave me some conditions.
�If I decide I don�t want to do this, you have to leave with me,� she said.
I didn�t really feel like I owed Sadie anything but didn�t want to have to find someone else to go with. When we got to the house where the party was purported to be, you would have never guessed one was going on. We walked up the sidewalk to the front door when a lady stepped out of the darkness, startling us. She was smoking a cigarette, which explained her lurking behavior.
�You need to go around to the side door,� the lady told us.
We walked up the driveway. The house was probably built in the 1950s and had two stories plus a basement. I knocked on the door, and a woman in her forties opened it. She had on a robe. I wondered if this was really for me. I didn�t think having sex with a lot of women my mom�s age was what I really wanted to do. She invited us into what was a combination mud and laundry room.
�I don�t think I�ve seen either of you here before. May I ask how you found us?� the woman asked.
I explained that Rick had told us about the party. Her face brightened at his name; he had evidently made a good impression. Then she gave us the house rules.
�If you want to have sex with someone, just ask. If they say no, then don�t make an ass out of yourself, just accept it. If you have sex with someone, you must wear a condom. If you don�t have any, there are bowls of them around the house. We accept donations for the food and drink. Most people give us twenty bucks,� she said.
The woman could tell I was hesitant.
�Don�t worry, I�m the only old broad here.�
I blushed. I pulled out two twenties, gave them to her, and the woman gave us a basket to put our clothes in. I don�t know why I was nervous about getting naked; it must have been because she was my mom�s age. I did manage to get it done, though, and she wasn�t bashful when she checked me out. I guess I expected a full-blown orgy to be in progress. What we found was soft music playing and nude people eating snacks and having cocktails. The good news was that our hostess was right: everyone else was either in college or recently out.
Looking around the room, I saw someone I recognized: Violet. I walked over to her and introduced her to Sadie. Violet, in turn, introduced me to Ben, the man she�d brought. I wasn�t sure how this worked.
�I would like to spend some time with you,� I said to Violet.
�Would you mind being with Ben?� she asked Sadie.
Sadie got a nervous look but calmed down when Ben smiled at her. I was a little shocked when we went upstairs and into the same bedroom. I was glad when Ben and Violet took the lead and began to kiss their chosen partner. Violet was a good kisser and soon had me forgetting there was another couple in the room. There was a bed and a couch, and Violet guided me to the couch.
Violet was more to my taste. She was five-eight and had a solid C cup with big nipples that just begged me to chew on them. Her hips were a little wider than I would have preferred, but she was cute. Violet had a tattoo on her lower back, what my mom called a �tramp stamp.� Mom had warned me about girls like Violet. I just hoped she was right!
When she had me seated on the couch, she grabbed a pillow and put it between my feet on the floor. Violet then knelt down and spread my legs so she could suck me. I looked up and saw that Ben had gone down on Sadie. I glanced over at the door, and there were two couples watching us.
I tapped Violet�s shoulder to get her attention.
�What�s the deal with the voyeurs?� I asked.
�Early on, some people like to watch. You�re a good-looking guy, and some of the women want to find out if you�re any good. Just ignore them for now,� she said as she found a condom and put it on me.
I leaned back as Violet straddled my waist and slotted Mr. Happy. I felt the familiar thrill as I slid home. Once Violet got started, she wanted it hard and fast. It was good that I had already climaxed earlier, or I would have lost it early on. Violet finally had an orgasm and put me into a lip-lock as she wrapped me in a bear hug.
�I�d normally want to continue this and get you off, but you have a line,� she said. �I�ll talk to you later.�
With that, she hopped off, and Mr. Happy waved at a cute black girl who had to be six-one. This girl looked to be made for sex. I glanced over at the bed and Ben must have had sex with Sadie, because he seemed to be taking a nap and she was nowhere to be found.
I took my time with the new girl and laid her down on the couch. She loved it when I toyed with her breasts, and I found that her nipples were supersensitive. I soon had her begging me to do her, so I put on a new condom and slid into luxury. Her hot center took me to the hilt on the first try. The girl let out a loud moan when my nuts came to rest on her butt. Then she used her muscles to squeeze my dong, which made me moan.
�You keep that up, and I�ll erupt,� I warned her.
�Get me there first,� she ordered.
I smiled and began to give her long slow strokes while I played with her breasts. The girl reached between us and rubbed her nubbin. We got a good rhythm going, and she wrapped her long legs around my butt to urge me on. We continued for several minutes when she appeared to be getting close. I then did my short, fast strokes followed by long, slow strokes technique. The variety seemed to work every time I did it.
�Yes. Yes! YES!� she screamed as her velvet vise grasped me.
I joined her, unable to hold out any longer. I felt my sack tighten and then released the hound. It was a good thing she was a big girl because I collapsed on top of her. God, she felt good under me.
Mr. Happy was still half hard, but I decided I need a break. I went to the bathroom and cleaned up. I worried that the couch might be stained, if the amount of girl-juice on my package and stomach was any indication. As I� walked back downstairs, I spotted Sadie in one of the bedrooms. She was having sex with an older guy who must have been the hostess�s husband. I quickly stepped out of the room since it made me think of my dad with a twelve-year-old. No one wants to see their parent have sex, especially like that.
I found a buffet, made myself a sandwich, and grabbed a bottle of water. I was halfway done with my snack when a bottled blond who needed her roots fixed headed towards me. Her rear and boobs had hand marks on them like she�d been treated rough. When the blond got closer, it looked like she had still-wet semen in her hair and on her face and breasts. This girl simply screamed trouble, and I was more than a little grossed-out. It looked like she must have taken on two or three guys.
�Want to have some fun, big guy?� she asked.
�Thank you, but I�ve already promised someone else,� I said, trying to be diplomatic.
The blond dropped down in front of me and tried to grab my member.
�No,� I said and stepped back.
God only knew what she�d been up to and where her mouth had been. Worse would be what I might catch.
�What do you mean, �no�?� she asked.
�Barbara Lynn, you know the rules,� our hostess said, appearing out of nowhere. �You�ve been warned. It looks like you�ve also broken the house rule and had sex without a condom. I�m going to have to ask you to leave.�
Barbara Lynn looked like she was going to protest, but our hostess had an edge to her that made Barbara Lynn think better of it.
I finished my sandwich and drink. I saw a college couple look my way, and the girl came over to me. She had large, natural breasts that swayed as she walked across the room.
�I hear you�re good. Would you like to show me?� she asked.
I had a twinge because of my rule about not sleeping with a girl who was either married or had a boyfriend. Obviously, her better half had sent her over here with the full knowledge of what we would do. She grasped my member and led me to a bedroom on the ground floor.
She pushed me on my back and put a condom on me. There was no foreplay, as she simply mounted me and began to use me as a human sex toy. Even though going to a swingers party and having random sex was a new experience, I wasn�t sure if I liked it. I preferred sex that had more of a personal connection, but I�d promised myself to try new experiences. I decided to just go with it.
That was when I realized what was off. I was normally in control. It felt like this woman was using me. While I�m not opposed to fulfilling a fantasy, I�m usually the one who decides what we�re doing. It�s a lot like dancing: someone needs to lead.
I was brought back to the present when she came like a screaming banshee. Holy Crap! She about burst my eardrum when she got off. I pulled out and left her to enjoy the afterglow of her orgasms.
I came out of the bedroom to find the black girl I�d had sex with earlier with a cute brown-haired girl with blue eyes that captivated me.
�There he is. You have to try him,� my lover said.
The new girl looked me up and down and then checked out my hard manhood. She had a feral look that told me I would enjoy this. We found a bedroom, and I decided enough with the quick sex and the women just using me. I slowed her down and gave her a massage to relax her. I�ve yet to meet a girl who doesn�t enjoy a good rub down. I just wished I had my massage oils so I could do the job right.
�Oh God, that feels so good,� she almost purred.
I spent a long time on her firm little butt. When I rolled her over, I continued to massage her but added my lips, tongue, and teeth. This girl was a wiggler as I focused on giving her pleasure. She had a sexy way of squirming under my ministrations. When I finally made my way to her sex, she about went out of her mind. She was one of those girls who, once she began to climax, did so again and again. She was the kind of girl every guy should meet at least once to make his ego feel good. I swear everything I did seemed to cause her to get off again.
I was sure her cries of pleasure could be heard all over the house. When I finally mounted her and began to do her in earnest, she was a writhing mess. I�d never had a girl who was constantly in motion. I have to admit, it was sexy as hell.
When we finally found our release, I didn�t stop but continued to caress and suck and lick the spots on her body I�d found that excited her. When I felt myself recover, I put on another condom. I rolled her over and took her from behind. It was all I could do to hang onto her hips and not have her buck me off. This girl made up for all the average sex I had ever had in my life. I wanted to pack her in my duffle bag and take her home with me. It wouldn�t be creepy if I chained her to my bed, would it?
At one point I slipped out, and when I pushed back in, she froze. I looked down and saw Mr. Happy buried in her behind.
�I�m sorry,� I said and started to pull out.
�No! Wait!� she said. �It�s been a while. Just give me a minute.�
I left half myself in her bottom and looked down to see her slowly push back against me and take me to the hilt. She felt great. When she was ready, she did me as much as I did her. She stuck two fingers into her sex and rubbed while I took her backside. She came once more, and I pounded her and unloaded again.
We rolled apart, and I removed the condom. We both just panted as we tried to catch our breath. The girl crawled next to me and put her hand on my chest so she could feel my heartbeat. I was done. I�d just had sex with four girls and a blowjob from another. I mentally checked, and this was my personal best. I�d been with four women at Prom my freshman year. I really felt if I tried, I might be able to do six. I would have to make that a goal for later.
◊◊◊
I must have drifted off to sleep because I jerked awake when someone kissed my cheek. I opened my eyes to see Sadie smiling at me.
�Go take a shower. It�s time to go.�
I did as directed. Sadie brought my clothes and put them on the sink while I got the smell of sex off of me. As I got dressed, I felt disappointment. I�d not gotten the girl�s name who I�d had sex with last. When I looked around at the few remaining partygoers, neither she nor the tall girl who�d introduced us was among them. I asked the hostess, and the woman said she didn�t know either of their names. Tonight had been the first time they had participated.
When I got back to the hotel, Sadie gave me a kiss and thanked me for an interesting evening. I went to my room and saw the time; it was 2:30. I called the front desk to schedule a wake-up call. We were supposed to be at breakfast at 9:00. I needed to be up and checked out by then.
◊◊◊
Chapter 17 � Learning to Skydive Sunday September 27
I met my guys in the lobby. Both Alan and Brandon were missing. On the way over to breakfast, the guys gave me the scoop on what happened last night.
�The gymnast I was with was so flexible. I didn�t know a girl could do the splits and you do her from behind,� Ty said.
�I was afraid I�d break mine, but she took it all. Damn, she was tight,� Wolf said.
�Mine was so small I could just pick her up and put her in any position I wanted. I have a whole new appreciation of small girls,� Jim added.
�Did you end up with the mean one?� Wolf asked.
I just nodded and gave them a cryptic look. The guys knew me well enough to know that I wouldn�t give out any details. I couldn�t help smiling when they told me about the fun they�d had. I didn�t dare admit I had gone to the swingers party or next trip they would want me to find one. I was just glad they had fun too.
◊◊◊
When we arrived at breakfast, Wes was already there. I went up to him and said good morning. I acted like I hadn�t seen what I had. I wanted him to know that I didn�t judge his lifestyle choices. Being in football, it was hard to admit you were gay. Wes would have to hide it, or he would be unfairly judged. It was the same reason I didn�t flaunt my religion. Even though people thought they were so enlightened and accepting, many really weren�t. All you had to do was look at how Michael Sam had been treated when he admitted he was gay. For me, it was Tim Tebow. Of course, I would never have to admit to being a virgin. In a lot of ways, it was more acceptable to be gay, at least in how the press treated ball players.
We met the coaches� families. The wives had made us breakfast. There were a variety of breakfast casseroles, biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos, and hash browns. I was happy camper when I found they had hot water and a variety of teas. I wasn�t a coffee guy yet but would have tea to get me going in the morning.
After breakfast, we had our workouts. Wes and I went toe-to-toe again. Some things would never change when you threw two top dogs in together. He was much better today, but so was I. In my mind I was the Alpha Male. While Wes gave me a good challenge, anyone that knew anything about football saw I was the better quarterback. Well, anyone but Wes, but I understood his need to believe he had redeemed yesterday�s failure. Being a quarterback, you had to have confidence in your abilities. There was nothing worse than a tentative one. That was a recipe for disaster.
By now both Brandon and Alan had shown up. Alan was a dead man walking because he had love bites all over his neck. When he got home, his girlfriend would take one look and know what happened.
After our workouts, we all met with the coaching staff. Brandon and I met with Coaches Haber and Hightower.
�David, I�m not going to mess around with this: we want you to come to the University of Michigan. We knew you were good from all the reports we had seen and game film we watched, but seeing you in person and how you handle yourself tells me that you�d be a leader who�d help us win national championships,� Coach Haber said.
�Do you plan to offer Wolf Tam, Jim Ball, and Ty Wilson?� Brandon asked.
�Each of them has shown us what we need to know to make the offer,� Coach Hightower answered for his head coach.
�Do you plan to take a quarterback in this class?� I asked.
�While I normally don�t talk strategy with a recruit, I will tell you that we try to take at least one in each class. We will offer Wes,� Coach Haber said.
I think he expected a negative reaction from me.
�Good. Wes would be a good fit for your offense.�
He would be a good fit at almost every college in America. Wes wouldn�t work out well if you ran the wishbone, but if you didn�t expect him to run the football, he would be successful.
After the meeting, I thought about the Michigan program. Was Coach Haber the guy to turn them around? I thought he might be. I was glad it would be another year before I had to decide. I put them in the same category as Florida. These were two programs that, if they got their act together, could be national powers again.
◊◊◊
On our trip home, I suggested we stop at the hospital and see Tim. It was hard to see a fellow athlete hurt as severely as he was. While Tim was upbeat and full of hope, his eyes told me he had some doubts. It would be a lot of work, but I knew that Tim would be back and ready to play next year.
The guys were quiet when we left. They all seemed to be lost in their own thoughts.
I got home and told my parents about my trip. I was surprised when Mom admitted that she and Dad were still having some problems, but they had worked on them this weekend. She told me they would probably not go to any more recruiting visits this year because they still had issues they needed to work out.
◊◊◊
I entered the lobby at Rigby, Thompson and Associates, walked up to the reception desk, and asked for Megan. Megan was a diminutive slip of a girl, barely over five feet tall, with black glasses but a sweet smile. The thought popped into my head that if ever there was a nickname for her, it would have to be �Mouse.� She greeted me with a smile and a warm handshake.
�Hi, David, I�m Megan. I understand you need a new income statement for your bank.�
�Yeah, Kendal said you would get it for me.�
She led me back to her office and sat me down next to her in front of a computer with a giant monitor.
�Okay, let�s pull your information up and see what we have.�
Megan typed in a string of commands and up popped a bunch of rows and columns of numbers. I looked at her and shrugged my shoulders. I had no interest in bookkeeping and was more than happy to have them do this for me.
�I�m sure someone understands that, but I sure don�t,� I admitted.
�Just watch,� Megan said with a hint of a smile.
She typed in a few more commands, clicked on the mouse a few times, and all of a sudden there were a number of colored pie charts on the screen. I looked at it for a second and then turned to her with my eyebrows raised.
�Is that my information?� I asked.
�This shows your income from modeling and movies as well as expenses, both in hard numbers and as a percentage of total income. It�s also shown by quarters for the previous year and a half.�
I�m sure my jaw dropped. The charts made this much more understandable. Kendal had always shown my dad and me reports that were rows of numbers. With just a quick glance I could see where all my money came from. It was interesting to see how it had changed over time. Modeling had gone from my only income to one of the smaller portions. Two sections that surprised me were photo resales and revenue from the leads I had created for both Ford and Adrienne. I received an override on that business, and it seemed to grow over time. The farm had started to pay off. The recent harvest and the cattle sales had hit this quarter. It turned out I was flush with cash right now.
�Can I see a hard copy of that? It�s amazing,� I said.
�Sure!� she said. �Give me another moment.�
The mouse rolled and clicked away again merrily, and a very pretty document titled �Income Statement� appeared. Megan clicked away again for a minute and then got up.
�Be right back! These documents can only be printed on one printer, and I have to go get the printouts.�
I watched her through her office glass as she went a couple of doors down, produced a key, and entered another room. Half a minute later she reappeared with some papers in her hand. She picked two out and handed them to me.
�There you go, a completely up-to-date income statement in five minutes,� Megan said with a smile.
�What are the other pages?� I asked.
�I just wanted to show you these, so you have an idea what we can do to help you understand your finances.�
She then showed me the printouts of the colorful pie charts. Megan took the time to talk me through them. She pointed out where the money came in and what I spent it on. Something became clear from the charts: for my long-term security, I needed to find other sources of income like the farm.
I got ready to leave.
�Not so fast, wait,� Megan said as she plucked the pie-chart sheets out of my hand. "These are confidential. See the coding at the bottom? Anything that comes out with this coding is considered confidential client information, and we don�t let hard copies out of the building without a signed release. The codes themselves show the date and time it was printed out and who�s doing the printing. It also shows how many pages of documents are being printed. See here, it says �page 4 of 8.� You�re going to take two pages with you, and here�s the release to sign for them. The remaining six pages are going into the shredder.
�This is called a Document Management System. It protects you and us because it�s your information, not ours. So, please leave these six pages here, and I�ll shred them before you�ve made it out the door. We don�t even keep hard copies, and no one not working on your account has access to these files.�
�So, how did you get access?� I asked because she didn�t work with me.
She blushed.
�I had to call Mr. Rigby this morning and ask to be added, and I had to tell him why.�
I smiled and shook my head. I guessed this kind of security had to be important, or they wouldn�t have it.
�Thanks for the income statements, then. It was nice to meet you, but I have to go,� I said.
Megan smiled and waved me off. The sounds of her paper shredder doing its job followed me as I stepped into the hallway. I smiled as I walked down the hall. Mouse, indeed.
◊◊◊
Somehow my car found its way to Zoe and Roc�s place. I pulled into the farmyard and saw two horses saddled. Roc walked out of the barn.
�You�re late,� he accused me.
�What do you mean? I never said I was coming over.�
�My sister had to do her chores all by herself. She even had to saddle the horses. You�re usually here a couple of hours earlier.�
I just shook my head. I didn�t realize that Zoe expected me at any particular time. She came out of the barn and had a look of relief when she saw me.
�I wasn�t sure if you were coming or not,� she said.
�Well, there is this modern convenience called a phone. I know you have one because I�ve called the house before,� I teased.
She walked up to me shyly, and her head dropped.
�I wasn�t sure if I should,� Zoe said.
Roc snorted and was rewarded with a glare that told him to run. He laughed all the way to the house. I took her hand and led her to the horses. We didn�t say anything as we got on, and she led the way up the country road. Zoe and I rode for about twenty minutes while I told her about our trip to Michigan. Then I slowed down when we came upon a �for sale� sign in front of a farm. Zoe noticed what I was looking at.
�The Nelsons are losing it to the bank. It was an egg farm, and they got hit with that bird flu,� she said.
An epidemic that had struck the egg industry. There was a time that the only eggs you could buy were free-range brown eggs because of the outbreak. Since then, egg prices had gotten ridiculous. I predicted that egg prices would remain high moving forward. Only the large farmers could afford to replace their birds and continue. I would ask my mom about this farm when I got a chance.
We rode a little farther until we came to an apple orchard. Zoe rode through the gate and took me to the back of the grove. There was a little clearing off to the side of a field next to a forested area. We got off the horses, and she took me to the edge of the clearing where there was a trail. Old walnut trees were scattered throughout the forest area. It felt like we had stepped back in time; this was what this area must have been like before it was all converted to farmland.
In only a few weeks the leaves would be turning. I would love to come back and see the riot of colors. It would be beautiful.
�This is where I come to think,� Zoe said.
�It�s so peaceful. We could be wood nymphs and frolic around naked back here,� I said.
I was trying to be funny, but Zoe took it in another direction. I liked the way she thought. I stood as she got naked and then put her boots back on.
�What are you waiting for?� she asked.
Girls are always right. What was I waiting for? I joined her, and as soon as I had my boots back on, Zoe giggled.
�What?� I asked.
�Tag, you�re it!� she said, and she ran down the path.
If we were just running, she wouldn�t have stood a chance. Naked running has other challenges for guys, especially when the teenage girl has large breasts that sway back and forth when she runs, and her tight little bottom is a gift from God. I soon found it was more fun to stalk Zoe, and she would squeal and run from me. Of course, she never ran very far.
I hadn�t had this much childish fun in ages. Of course, I finally caught her. My reward was kissing Zoe all over her body. I would have had my way with her, but my pants were too far away, and I didn�t have a condom with me. I instead taught her the joys of the sixty-nine position. When we had both relieved some tension, she curled up on my chest and almost purred in pleasure.
�I love our Sundays,� Zoe said.
�I do too. I think they keep me sane,� I said.
Then I got worried. Zoe was religious, and I wasn�t sure how the Mennonites felt about premarital sex. We were quickly working our way there, and what we had done so far would probably be frowned upon.
�Do you have a problem with the sexual things we�ve done?� I asked her.
�What we do is between us. I�d rather we didn�t share that with others, but if you�re asking if I�m okay with it, the answer is yes. I�ve never felt this way about another guy before, or felt I could trust him.�
�You do realize that I may never marry you,� I said with some concern.
I didn�t want her to confuse us having a little fun with love and commitment.
�I�m not sure I�d want to marry you,� she said.
I thought for a minute. Did I ask why or not? My first reaction was to ask. Tami said that my first reaction was always wrong, so I just let it drop. Why risk hurt feelings trying to fix whatever she felt was wrong with me? We were nowhere near the point where I had the kind of feelings for her that would warrant that discussion. I could live in ignorant bliss.
As we walked back to get our clothes, Zoe got a concerned look.
�Next week you have to stay for dinner.�
This must be the �get to know the family� dinner. I wasn�t scared. My mom wouldn�t be there to torment me. Zoe�s parents would be a piece of cake.
�I�d like that.�
�Really?� she asked and smiled.
�Yes, really,� I said, and kissed her forehead.
We got dressed and rode back to the farm. Roc must have owed his sister something because he volunteered to put the horses up. Zoe walked me to the car and kissed me goodbye.
Spending time with her was the perfect way to end my weekend. I was starting to really like her.
◊◊◊ Monday September 28
Walking out of my apartment to take my morning run, I could feel the first hints of fall in the air. Duke ran to the backyard where Precious was waiting for him. Mom had taken him to the vet for a checkup, and he weighed in at seventy pounds now. She�d bought him a new crate for my apartment and a doggy bed. I think Mom spoiled Duke more than I did.
I stretched in the driveway when Rachel and Buster came up. Rachel let Buster off his leash, and he joined the two rowdies in the back yard. I was sitting on the driveway when suddenly there was a cat in my lap. For being so tough, I had to chuckle that Precious was scared of Buster. Pit bulls had a bad reputation for a good reason: terrible owners. If you trained them and showed them love, they could be great pets.
I was about bowled over when Duke wanted to check on his friend. Right behind him was Buster. I stroked Precious�s fur to calm her as Buster came up to sniff her. Neither of us expected the big lick he gave her. That was too much for her dignity, and she decided to go home.
Rachel and Buster showed up most days and ran the first mile with me. Now that Rachel had the training collar, she could control Buster. She told me that she was in eighth grade and wanted to run cross-country when she got to high school. While we ran, she would ask me what I did, and she�d found out I knew Peggy Pratt, her hero. Peggy had apparently gone to the middle school and talked to the students about her pregnancy, and in the course of educating them about safe sex had talked about cross-country. Angie and the charity had arranged for the talks, and the schools where they had done them seemed very happy. The way Angie explained it, prevention was far cheaper than helping another girl who was in trouble.
When we got close to where we would split off, Rachel needed to ask me something.
�The girls in my class don�t believe that I run with you. Could I take a picture of us together?� she asked.
I remembered how harsh other kids could be in middle school.
�Would it help if I took my shirt off?� I teased her.
I�d seen how she looked when I took it off. I think Rachel had a secret crush on me. She blushed when I pulled it off, but didn�t hesitate to get her cell phone out to take our picture. On the first one she chopped my head off, so we had to snap another.
When Buster and Rachel left us, I lengthened my stride and fell into my rhythm. I was happy that I felt so good after the first three games. In past years, I would be nicked-up by now. Our offensive line had done a much better job this season, and Ty was a hundred times better at picking up blocks than Bert ever was. At the very least he would holler out if someone broke free. The unexpected shots really took their toll. If I knew a hit was coming, I could move or brace myself, but my best option was to turn and deliver the blow. Any of those options was better than being blindsided.
Looking ahead at our schedule, the only games that concerned me were the rematch with Springfield and the game ESPN was putting together. This week we played Lakeview, who had lost their first three games by a wide margin. Coach Diamond had said that he wanted to balance our attack this week.
In my personal life, I�d pretty much gotten over Tami. The main reason was the three new women. Brook was adventurous and up to anything physical; Halle was artistic and understood the movie business; and Zoe seemed to center me and understood my spiritual side. The one person I�d neglected was Pam. I vowed to make time for her this week.
Duke told me he was done when he tugged on his leash to start for home. There were times I wished he weren�t with me and I could just run all day, but I�d been warned about overdoing the distance running from the trainers at STIC in Chicago. For my sports, speed was more important. I had plenty of stamina, and the extra running wouldn�t make that much difference.
When we got home, I filled Duke�s big water bowl so he could get a drink and left him in the house. Duke would go and wake up my parents and get his morning loving. Dad complained that he wished they never had let him start doing that. When Duke was a puppy, it was cute. Now he was a horse, and it hurt if he stepped on you. Mom allowed it, so Dad�s complaints were unheeded.
◊◊◊
When I walked up to the front of the school, I saw Alan cornered by Stacy Clute, his current girlfriend.
�Explain to me again how you got those marks on your neck,� Stacy said.
�He did it,� Alan said, pointing at me.
I made a kissy face at Alan and flounced by. I wasn�t going to lie for him but would goof around. Stacy was smart enough to know I didn�t swing that way. It was more than a little irritating that Alan would blame his hickeys on me.
I soon forgot about Alan and the house of cards he�d created and found the object of my desire. She was with all the other cheerleaders, sitting back as Tracy told them some story. I walked up, stepped inside the circle�getting all their attention�and then turned to Pam.
�Hey, Baby, how you doin�,� I said in my best New York accent.
�Good, good. What you been up to, Hot Stuff?� Pam said with a terrible New York accent.
�Yous two should get a room,� Halle said, nailing her�s.
The theater kids were doing
�Let�s go, Doll Face,� I said, putting my arm out for her to take.
�Oooo, he�s so dreamy,� Brook said and faked as though she was going to faint.
One of the theater guys gave us two thumbs up as we strutted into the high school. The football players gave us fake golf claps, which I gracefully ignored. Pam gave them a little head bob, which would just encourage them. I would have to talk to her about feeding the peanut gallery. I walked her to her locker.
�Why don�t we go out this week sometime?� I asked.
�You still like me! Are we talking about a real date?� Pam asked.
�Whatever you want,� I said.
�Are you here this weekend?�
�No, and we actually have to fly out right after the game. We�re going to the University of Georgia,� I said.
Pam wanted my schedule for this week. When she heard that Brook had me Tuesday, and Halle Thursday, she decided she�d come over to my house and watch Monday Night Football with me.
�We could always watch it at your house,� I suggested.
Cal did have a nice setup for watching football.
�You may recall he punched you once,� Pam said to let me know what she meant by �watch the game.�
I didn�t realize she was such a fan of the game. I�d have to remember that.
◊◊◊
At lunch, Kendal called me and gave me an update on the movie. Most of the cast had been in Tampa over the weekend for Comic-Con, and the response there was very positive. The production company had made the ad buys to start the launch of
Then Kendal made my day.
�Devin has a new toy he wants you to test for him. It�s called a wingboard. It�s like a wakeboard, but instead of being pulled by a boat in the water, you�re pulled by a plane in the air. The only catch is you have to skydive off the board when you�re done. Devin said that it�ll be much more fun than a wingsuit,� Kendal told me.
She sent me a text with a link to the specifications and design.
I read the specs; it was an airfoil, similar to a stealth bomber. You strapped your feet to the top of it as you would a snowboard. They had a handlebar for you to hold onto. It had been designed to be like the wingsuit. The advantage it had over the wingsuit was that instead of a glide time of only sixty to ninety seconds, you could use the wingboard for as long as the plane had fuel or until you got tired. It had a video of the creator and their test flights with models. I was fully on board when they showed the wingboard doing barrel rolls with a robot at the controls. I felt I could do better.
The only hitch was that I had to was get qualified to skydive. Kendal had to have my dad sign some paperwork, so she said she�d get him to sign off on the classes. I hung up with Kendal and then ran into the lunchroom to find Brook.
�Guess what we�re going to do,� I said.
I must have been a little excited because I soon had our table surrounded. I let Brook tap on the video to start it. Granted, it looked a little silly with the model behind a toy airplane. She gave me a doubtful look until she saw it do a barrel roll.
�All we have to do is take skydiving lessons and get qualified. Then Range Sports will let us play with it and make a commercial,� I said, bouncing up and down.
�Did someone give him too much candy?� Cassidy asked, walking over to our table.
�No, he just found another way to kill himself. I can�t wait until he tells his mother,� Wolf said.
�I�d pay big money to be there for that conversation,� Tracy said.
They weren�t going to ruin my fun with details. Mom let me have a Jet Water Board, after all. This looked perfectly safe, compared to that.
◊◊◊
Kendal gave me the good news that my dad had signed the papers for me to take lessons to qualify to parachute. She must have mixed the release in with other paperwork because he hadn�t mentioned it. My first class was on Tuesday, so I sent Brook a text with the details so she could take the training with me.
Kendal forwarded me the qualifications for skydive certification. Tuesday we would take a four-hour class and then do three jumps with instructors. Wednesday we would do three more jumps and learn to pack our own parachutes. That would complete Phase 1. Over the next few weeks, we would have to do another nineteen jumps to complete Phase 2 training. Once we had 25 jumps under our belts, we would earn our USPA A-license. Then, having our own equipment, we could skydive almost anywhere.
◊◊◊
Tonight, Fritz became the instructor at the dojo. He introduced Cassidy and me to the Bo staff. The first thing he did was help us pick out a weapon.
�The rule of thumb is it should be a few inches shorter than you are. How tall are you, David?� Fritz asked.
�Six-four.�
�Then you need one that�s six feet long.�
Cassidy�s was five feet to fit her five-five frame. A Bo staff is a one-and-a-quarter inch in diameter length of wood that resembles a spear without the point. Because we were going to practice on each other, we had padded Bo staffs. When we got onto the mat, I figured you would use it like a sword or baseball bat. Fritz found me amusing.
�I want you to hold the Bo in front of you. Hold the staff in thirds, with one palm facing up and one palm facing down. This will be the position you will hold the Bo the majority of the time,� Fritz instructed.
I did as instructed, and Fritz corrected me in that he wanted my right palm facing up and left down.
�You�re right-handed, so holding the Bo like that will make your right hand the dominant or control hand.�
He showed me that my thumbs needed to curl around the Bo like I would grip a baseball bat.
�As you spin the Bo to do different strikes, you�ll loosen your grip, but you�ll keep the Bo staff in the base of the V created by your index finger and thumb,� Fritz said as he demonstrated.
He then showed us the narrow hold, which meant holding the Bo staff with about a fist length between our hands. Fritz demonstrated how he did what he called �rowing figure eights.� He then showed us how to go from that hold to one-handed, and then how to twirl it like a cheerleader�s baton.
We then worked on our stances. What I quickly figured out was that the skills I�d learned to this point with the batons and my other martial arts were easily translated to the use of the Bo staff. Fritz didn�t let us practice on each other, but gave us a demonstration. I could imagine this used in a movie role. The Sith Lord�s apprentice in one of the
Before we left, Fritz sorted through the practice staffs and found the heaviest six-footer. He told me he wanted me to practice swinging and spinning the Bo staff when I ran in the mornings. The heavier Bo staff was analogous to a weighted baseball bat. Once you got used to the weight, when you went back to the unweighted bat or staff, you were much quicker.
◊◊◊
When we left the dojo, I was starved. Next door, a new Mexican place had opened that was only carryout. I was surprised to see they had a line. I read their menu and they had a burrito they claimed was as big as your head. Of course, I was getting that. I thought Pam might want something light, so I got the deluxe order of nachos. Cassidy ordered two of the giant burritos to take home with her. I tried to feed her and her dad as often as possible because Cassidy didn�t charge me for lessons at the dojo. It was the least I could do to pay her back.
When our food came, it worried me a bit when I felt the weight of the bags. I now understood the line. You got a lot of food for a very reasonable price. I would have to let the guys on the team know because they always wanted to fill up but not go broke doing it.
When I got home, I went up to my apartment and found my trusty hound sound asleep in his crate on his new bed, and Pam stretched out on my couch in sweats, watching
�David! Get in here!� Pam shouted.
I wrapped a towel around my waist and hurried out to see what the problem was. She pointed at the TV, and I saw myself dancing.
�They showed a hilarious video of him dancing. This just goes to show you that white boys shouldn�t dance,� the gay guy in the back said. �But we have some exclusive video of David doing lip-sync in a bar.�
It showed me with my shirt off.
�He can dance for me anytime,� the small girl with curly hair shouted out.
�I hear he�s only like sixteen,� Aaron, the show�s host, said.
�I�d do the jail time,� the mean girl who�d gained weight said.
�So, what�s the verdict? Can he dance?� Aaron asked.
The voting was pretty much split guys vs. girls. In the end, I didn�t care what the guys thought. My phone began to ring as soon as the segment was over. It was Harper from Wesleyan.
�Hey, Dancing Stud. You were just on
�Tell him it�s on YouTube,� Tami said in the background.
�Did you hear that?� Harper asked.
�Yeah, I�ll have it put out on my social media in a few minutes. So, on my dancing ability, were you with the girls, or with the boys, on
�Do you need your ego stroked?� Harper asked and laughed. �Let�s just say the guys were jealous.�
After the Wesleyan girls had their fun, I began to get calls from all over the country. Some I was surprised at, like Flee and Candy in Miami, while others were expected, like Sandy Range. While I talked, Pam ate my dinner and had Monday Night Football on. Then our ad came on. It showed the four of us walk out of a fog and I thought we looked
They showed a clip of Ben and me doing one of our fight scenes, and then me as I kissed Elizabeth. There were a couple of other scenes that showed the rest of the cast, including Lori Winnick. Then it ended with me doing a dance on the bridge of our spaceship after we survived the attack. Pam gave me a funny look when it finished.
�You�re a real movie star,� she said.
I didn�t really know what to say to that. I think that when everyone had heard about me making the movie, they must have just filed it away as another thing David did. To see it on TV somehow made it real for her, as I would expect it would for others.
While that thought had gone through my head, Pam had given me a look that caused Mr. Happy to swell. Being a horny teenage boy, I turned my phone off and forgot about eating. Something more important had come up. I ran to the bedroom and got a condom and returned to find Pam lying back on the couch with a pillow under her head. I covered her body and kissed her. She broke our kiss with desire evident in her eyes.
�I need you now,� she told me.
I got off the couch, lost my shorts, and put the condom on. Pam was no help, so I grabbed her sweats and underwear and pulled them down to her knees. She squeaked when I lifted her legs, got on the couch, and pushed them to her chest. It was sexy as hell to see her fat little kitty displayed between her surfer-girl thighs. I lined everything up and plunged forward. This position made her tight. I made sure she felt every bit as I pushed in.
I felt the dominance that had been missing while I was with the couple at the swingers party. From this position, Pam was at my mercy as I towered over her. I got a feral grin.
�Tell me when you�re ready,� I told her.
She just nodded. I held her legs with one hand and used the other to rub the top of her cleft. It didn�t take long for Pam to begin to react in a big way. I wondered why I hadn�t been with her more. While we were good friends, this always worked for us. Pam finally found her release and begged me to stop for a minute. She was too sensitive for me to continue to rub her nubbin.
I gave her a moment and then began to do her again. By now Pam was opening up to my relentless thrusts. She loved it, and verbally encouraged me to faster and harder efforts. I chuckled. Ask any guy, I mean from the shyest nerd of a virgin to the biggest stud: they all believe they can do it hard. Yeah! I could do her hard! Pam had never before responded as she did this time. There was a rapid staccato as our flesh met and slapped together.
She screamed like a banshee, and I felt the walls of her tight little tunnel flutter. My sack tightened, and I felt the wonderful spasm. I leaned forward, and our foreheads touched. We both had big smiles on our faces as we tried to catch our breath.
�Damn, if I�d known doing a movie star was so good, I would�ve been like all those other airheads back home and tried to bag me one,� Pam announced.
I disposed of the condom and cleaned up. When I got back, Pam had gotten dressed. She had left me most of my burrito and half the nachos. I put them in the microwave to heat back up. I sat down on the edge of the couch to eat. Pam wrapped herself around me and watched the football game. When I was done eating, I found there were several messages for me to return.
Pam�s hands found their way under my shirt as I returned calls. She was evil, as she pushed one hand down my shorts and brought me back to life. Pam slowly stroked me while I talked. When I finally finished my calls, she had me lean back as she continued from behind. She seemed happy when I finally got off. I grabbed some napkins, cleaned up, and then finished making my calls.
When I was done, Pam had me held tight as I rested my back against her chest. I was later surprised to find she had fallen asleep. Her dad still acted a little funny around me, so I had to wake her up. Duke and I walked her to her car and said goodbye.
◊◊◊ Wednesday September 30
Tonight at the dojo, Fritz taught us how to defend ourselves while using the Bo staffs. Cassidy was much better at defending and then switching to the attack than I was. For me, it was more self-preservation than anything else. Even with the padded Bo staffs, it still smarted when you were struck. The Bo staff could cause a lot more damage than just a regular hand or foot strike because of the momentum you could generate. While I liked the batons, the Bo staff felt more substantial in my hands.
After my dojo workout, Brook and I drove to the airport to do our final three jumps for our Phase 1 training. We had found that learning to skydive wasn�t as much fun as we expected. For our first jumps, we each had two instructors jump with us. They had positioned themselves on each side to make sure you had the right form. I understood the concern, and even why they did it. They didn�t want you tumbling through the air and to your eventual death. What it lacked, though, was the free form of being able to zip around and try different maneuvers. Brook felt the same way, but the opportunity to do all that down the road made us agree to suffer through the training.
When we were done, Brook had some news.
�Our leathers are ready,� she told me.
It didn�t take much for her to convince me to drive to the motocross track and get them. I tried them on and noticed they had lined the pants in the crotch and thigh area. That would prevent chafing and make it easier to get out of them. I put on the jacket and looked at myself in the mirror. Everything fit me like a glove. I stepped out of the dressing room, and Brook�s expression confirmed that they looked good on me. I�d gotten a more aged leather finish because I didn�t want to have to break them in as you would dress shoes. My greatest concern was comfort.
Brook went and tried hers on, and when she came out, she astounded me. I thought her slutty sweats showed off her butt. I had been mistaken. She might not make it to the car before I attacked her. We decided to quickly pay and wear our new clothes home.
�I�m your biker bitch, right? Well, I have to ride your hawg!� Brook purred as we got near the car.
I�d driven the Charger, so there was more room in the back seat than in my Jeep. In a frenzy, I somehow got her leather pants off, got my leather pants over my hips, and put on a condom in record time.
�Give me your hawg!� Brook cried.
She took a sharp breath as I flipped her over. I wanted to see her butt as I took her. Our sex was like our relationship: it was physical and a rush. Not that we hurried once we got started, but it was more that everything seemed to be at a level of ten out of ten in everything we did. She liked that I would try things with her. I liked that she was as turned-on as I was. Brook Davis was a passionate woman who rocked my world.
What I enjoyed most about her was she pushed me to go on new adventures. When I made my goals, I had added that I didn�t want to have any regrets about missing out on anything. With her, it was always an adventure, and now that we were having sex, it was even better. There was something about doing something physical and being on a rush and then having sex. It was simply better. You seemed to feel more. Orgasms seemed more intense.
I still had doubts that she�d be faithful to me, and that big concern weighed in the back of my mind. For now, I was willing to risk it and just enjoy the moment.
Speaking about enjoying the moment, suddenly things felt a whole lot better. Luckily the big brain registered that something was wrong and just before reaching my climax, I pulled out. Sure enough, the condom had ripped. Brook wasn�t happy that I made a mess on her backside, but the alternative was worse. I expected that Brook was protected but didn�t want to press my luck.
�Put it back in,� Brook whined.
She must be close. I instead used two fingers to get her to the finish line. I had my duffle bag on the floor of the back seat and found a towel.
�It stinks,� she complained.
I just got dressed. Brook cracked me up sometimes. One moment she would be flying around a track on a motorcycle, and the next she would pull the rich-princess routine. Not that she was ever a bitch about it or showed off her wealth; there were just little clues that hinted that Brook came from money. A good example was the towel. Shouldn�t they all be clean?
�Afraid you�ll get cooties?� I teased her.
�If I�m ever going to get them, it�ll be from you.�
I pinned her to the back seat and gave her a raspberry on her neck.
�David!� she squawked.
I let her up, and we got into the front seat to go home. When we were pulling up to her front door, Brook had a good idea.
�We should wear these outfits for Halloween.�
I�d been thinking about when it would be okay to wear leather pants in my town without everyone wondering about me. They had seen me in other weird clothes, but this outfit might make them all talk. Then it dawned on me that Brook had, in effect, secured me as her date for the Halloween dance. She was devious. I simply played along.
�Sounds like a plan.�
Brook tried but failed to hide her look of self-satisfaction. Girls always thought they got the better of us.
◊◊◊
Chapter 18 � Some Roads Lead Nowhere Friday October 2
Today had been test day. I could never figure out why teachers felt the last day of the week was the day students would be most focused on their studies. Wouldn�t it be obvious we just wanted to get ready for the weekend? For my test in PE, I walked Coach Diamond around all the weight machines and explained what they did. I know what people think, and it�s true: being a jock did have the benefit of a sure �A� in PE.
Trigonometry was easy for me. I loved that they gave us multiple-choice questions. I think Ms. Lowden just wanted to use the scanner to grade the tests instead of trying to read our handwriting. That was when I found out how many people had smart watches in my class. The teachers hadn�t yet figured out that we could send messages with them. There were rules about your phone being turned on during class. The genius was that with the smart watch, all it took was a touch to revert it back to an actual watch. Afterward, I was told that you could also store the different formulas on your watch beforehand. That little factoid would have been too much temptation because memorizing the formulas was a pain.
I thought about why we hadn�t been discovered as of yet, and then it came to me: teachers wouldn�t spend that kind of money on a toy or electronic gadget unless they were really a techie. What I did know was that at some point we would get caught. After I received a message for the fourth time about needing help with a question, I took my watch off. The capper was the answer given was wrong. If anyone would be made an example of, it would be me. Moreover, I had actually studied.
My next two classes were English�Short Stories and Life Drawings II. Neither was geared towards taking a traditional test. In Short Stories I wrote a story about the day Precious and Duke ran away and the imagined fun they got into. In Life Drawings, I did a charcoal portrait of Halle. I liked it enough that I decided to use it as the basis for my final project.
At lunch, the guys wanted to talk about our trip to Atlanta to watch the Alabama vs. Georgia game. For Ty and Alan, this would be their first time flying. We would spend the night in Atlanta and then drive to Athens in the morning. It was only about an hour and a half away. I couldn�t resist booking rooms at the Ritz-Carlton. Every time I stayed at one of their hotels it had been a perfect experience, and I�d recommend them to anyone who wanted to splurge on themselves. It was my treat because I had talked them into flying out right after the game tonight instead of traveling all day tomorrow.
Early in the week, Tim told us he wouldn�t be able to make the game because of his knee, so I got the guys together and asked them whom they wanted to bring with us. They told me that because I was paying for the hotel on Friday night, I got to pick. I decided to bring my half brother Phil. I figured it would be a good bonding experience and really hadn�t spent a lot of time with him since Dad had told me he was my half brother. I was surprised when his mom said �no.� I couldn�t really blame her, because there would be no adult supervision on a college campus. Phil admitted to me that he got himself grounded when he complained too much.
My next choice was Jake. Everyone liked him, and he had made a positive contribution to the team. I�d thought about bringing Johan but was a little skittish about his religious aspect and the potential that what might happen would conflict with his beliefs. The other choice would have been Bryan or Brock, but I only had one ticket. How could I pick one twin over the other? The no-brainer would have been Mike, if we based it on performance, but I didn�t really feel like spending a weekend with him.
My afternoon tests were easy. American History was just memorization. AP Physics might have been hard, but I called Suzanne, and she helped me study. Finally, World Geography was about capital cities. Thankfully it was multiple choice, so you could at least eliminate a couple. Why I would need to know the capital of Yemen was beyond me, but somehow, I remembered it ended with a weird �a, so it wasn�t hard to pick Sana�a.
◊◊◊
Lakeview was our opponent tonight; they had lost their first three games. The problem with a game like this was it was hard to get excited about playing them. It wasn�t that they�d lost three games, it was that they had lost them by sizable margins. I felt very confident we would win this one easily. The only worry was the weather. The news forecasted showers on and off through Saturday. When I pulled into the school parking lot, it was just starting to rain. I put on my raincoat, grabbed my duffle bag, and went to the locker room to put it away.
I arrived early as usual so I could eat beforehand. I jogged over to the hospitality tent and found it full. Lakeview had gotten here early as well, and Mrs. Sullivan was being a good host and feeding the opposing team. It seemed that college recruiters and reporters were a bunch of wimps and didn�t want to get wet. I was happy no one recognized me with my raincoat hood up except Mrs. Sullivan.
She pointed to a table, and I walked over and sat down. She brought over two of my favorite dishes to eat: catfish, and ham and beans with cornbread. She joined me, and I got us glasses of iced tea. It was a nice change from the typical grilled food.
�This is new,� I said.
�We got a new food distributor, and he showed us some other options. We spent a little extra for the catfish, but the ham and beans are cheap and filling. The Lakeview kids hit it hard, but the recruiters wanted the standard fare of brats and hamburgers.�
We had a nice meal until Jeff saw us and sat down.
�Can�t you see that I was having dinner with my lady?� I teased him.
�Now that would be a story. I bet Mr. Sullivan would have something to say about it,� Jeff said.
�He might be okay if it were David,� Mrs. Sullivan said with a cheeky grin.
�Can I quote you on that?� Jeff asked.
�Of course you can.�
I shook my head �no� because who knew what Jeff might do. She took my plate and hers and left Jeff and me alone. He was busy showing me pictures of his newest grandson when Brandon showed up.
�I got us a party bus for the weekend,� Brandon blurted out.
�Maybe we should talk about this later,� I suggested.
�I�d love to hear about this,� Jeff offered as he got his phone out to record our conversation.
�Not happening,� I said and gave Brandon a hard stare.
�Next you�ll be telling about the cocaine and hookers,� Jeff said, and we both looked confused. �A reporter in Michigan was sent to a convenience store to do a story about the Lotto being at $500 million. She was live, and randomly asked a guy what he would do if he won it. He said he�d spend it on cocaine and hookers. Turns out he�s married, with three kids under the age of five at home. It was lucky for him that his wife had a sense of humor. So, tell me what you need a party bus for.�
�You do realize that he�s a reporter, right?� I asked Brandon.
�We�re going to the Alabama�Georgia game this weekend. I�m in charge of driving these knuckleheads around, and I figured it might be better to rent a small bus and have a driver take us. When I told the saleslady what I was doing, she said they had a new party bus. They offered it to me for the same price as a regular bus because they wanted to test it out,� Brandon explained.
�Does it come with cocaine and hookers?� I asked.
�No, and there�ll only be age-appropriate beverages provided,� Brandon said, which made Jeff laugh when he saw my shocked face.
Brandon was 21 and could buy us beer. Of course, it was no secret that I didn�t drink during the season, most of the time. Jeff realized that we would leave right after the game, so he needed to get his interview out of the way. He was sneaky in that he didn�t invite his brethren to join him. He would get an exclusive.
◊◊◊
The �off and on� part of the rain turned out to be only �on.� That didn�t stop our fans from coming out in force. The cowbells started clanging as we came on the field to get the game started. This time I won the coin toss, and we deferred to the second half. Before the kickoff, the chant started for �Our House.�
The kickoff was to tell the story for the rest of the game. Lakeview received the football at the 5 yard line, and their returner dropped the ball. Instead of picking it up, he must have panicked, because he downed it right there. On the ensuing play, they handed the football off to the tailback on a dive play to give them some breathing room. Wolf tackled the running back who then fumbled the ball. Yuri spotted it and ended up recovering the football.
Coach Diamond called for me to run the option play and keep it. He knew it would get the jitters out of my system if I hit someone. Jake came in motion from right to left before the snap. On the snap, I faked the handoff to Ty and followed Jake around the left end. Jim sealed the defensive end, and Ed managed to get in the way of the linebacker. Jake blocked the safety, which allowed me to walk into the end zone.
I wondered how many points we would be up by the end of the half if we scored this fast. By halftime, I had a different outlook when the score was still 7�0. Right before halftime, the managers had found gloves for the skill players. We had fumbled the ball four times compared to five by Lakeview. I was glad this game wasn�t on the televised schedule because if it had been, everyone would decide we were easy to beat.
Besides the football being slick, the turf hadn�t held up. Even with our longest cleats, no one could get traction. It was almost as if we were on ice skates. The final problem was, with all the mud, it was hard to tell which team was which. The coaches gave us some extra time to change uniforms. I took a quick hot shower to get all the mud off me. Even though we were all wet, muddy, and cold, we were having a blast.
We waited until the last minute to come out of the locker room to start the second half. At halftime, we�d provided dry footballs to the referees. We started our first drive knowing it would only be a matter of time before everything would be a mess again. Coach Diamond called a pass play to start the second half. Wolf did a little buttonhook for a completion.
I ended up throwing the ball nine straight times to move us down to the 5 yard line. Lakeview set up to defend the pass. Coach Diamond had called a play-action pass, so I just checked the call to the run play. Ty took the football and followed the block of Johan into the end zone to score.
At the start of the fourth quarter, we were up 21�0 on a short pass that Roc managed to turn into a long score. Our fans had to be miserable, but they hadn�t left yet. It was at this point Coach Hope started to insert the backups and told me to go sit on the bench.
At a timeout, they put on
The video made the ESPN Top Ten Plays.
ESPN:
We ended up winning the game 35�14 and were now 4�0. It was time to get out of Dodge and leave on a jet plane.
◊◊◊
I offered my travel companions the opportunity to upgrade from open boarding to business select, but they didn�t think the extra fee was worth it. Brandon was a seasoned traveler, so he didn�t hesitate when I offered. It got even more entertaining when the airline, of course, overbooked the flight. Since this was the last flight of the day to Atlanta, no one wanted to give up his or her seat. It was fun to watch the game of poker played as the boarding agents would up the ante on who would fly out tomorrow. When they finally offered two roundtrip vouchers, people began to fold and decided they could wait.
Brandon and I had big smirks on our faces when we boarded first. I didn�t want to think about my legs being crammed into a center seat towards the back. I think our flight attendants were half in the bag. Brandon was amused when one of them sat on my knee and greeted the passengers as they boarded. Alan took our picture, and I think he had it out on social media before he even sat down.
Brandon sat next to me, and a girl who had to be twelve at the most sat next to the window. Her siblings and parents were scattered all over the plane. I had no idea that Brandon was talking to his seatmate because I had other issues. My flight attendant had gradually worked her way further up my leg and now had her arm around my neck.
When the last person finally boarded, she got up and winked at me.
�Do you want to sit next to him? He�s between girlfriends,� Brandon said to the girl, and then switched seats with her.
I gave him a dirty look and then turned to my new center-seat guest, and she gave me a big smile.
�Hi, my name�s Danielle; you can call me Dani. Your friend says you need a new girlfriend. While I�ve never been anyone�s girlfriend, I�d be willing to be yours,� she said to the amusement of everyone around us.
I saw Brandon had his phone out and was videoing us, so he was saved from me telling him what I thought of his antics at that moment. I decided to ignore him and talk to my new girlfriend.
�Nice to meet you, Dani, I�m David,� I said. �I never have luck with women. Maybe you could help me out. As your new boyfriend, what would I be expected to do?�
�Well, first you need to hold my hand because I�m a little scared of flying,� Dani said as she grabbed my hand. �Then we need to take a picture so I can send it to Jill Stack. She�s this mean girl at my school who says no one will ever date me.�
I took my phone out and took our picture.
�Now you have to post it online and change your relationship status,� she coached me.
The people around me were enjoying this too much. I went online, posted our picture, and changed my status from �single� to �in a relationship.� Dani told me that she had to wait for her mom to log her onto her account before she could change her status. She did know how to tag the picture so our names were on it.
Then Dani began a litany of advice on how to be a better boyfriend. It was interesting to hear what a twelve-year-old thought. It all boiled down to I had to be her friend and do whatever she said. Sounded like sound advice.
When we finally began to back out from the gate, our two flight attendants got ready to read us the safety information.
�Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Southwest Airlines; after this flight, you will never fly with anyone else. Let me introduce my partner for tonight, the glamorous Tiffany.�
The flight attendant in the center of the plane struck a pose as if she were a Vegas showgirl.
�I am the fabulous Rebecca. Now I want you to all fasten your seatbelts low and tight to your waist as if it were my sports bra after tee many martoonis,� she said, which had us all laughing.
Rebecca continued a three-minute monologue that was informative and fun. Did you know that people leave dirty diapers in the seat backs? Believe me, I would be very cautious hunting for a magazine in the future.
After the flight settled in, I stretched out and fell asleep.
◊◊◊
When we got off the plane, I gave my new girlfriend my contact information. We waited for her parents and siblings to join her and then wished her well. I sent Brandon to get everyone�s bags. There had to be a price to pay for what he did. He took it well. Alan, the worrier, got into the cab line.
�I could eat something,� Wolf said.
�Why don�t we get our rooms and then see what we can find,� Jake suggested.
�I don�t feel like hunting for food. Let�s see what the hotel has to offer,� I said.
Brandon showed up with a cart with six bags on it. Alan had almost reached the front of the cab line. People gave us dirty looks as we joined him. I could feel the day catching up to me. We�d lost an hour traveling from the Midwest to the Southeast. My legs and back ached from taking a couple of sacks tonight. A good swim and soak in the hot tub sounded like just what the doctor ordered. Something I liked about the Ritz-Carlton was they were all about service. If you asked, they would try to make it happen, so even if the pool were closed, they would open it up for me.
Alan got us a van and we all squeezed in. After the cab driver loaded our bags, I tipped the cabstand guy so he would return our cart, then jumped up in the front and told the cabbie where to take us. Everyone was excited to be in Atlanta. We took the expressway to downtown and were quickly at the hotel. Brandon had reserved four rooms all side-by-side. The rooms were set up in pairs with a pass-through door that would connect the two rooms if need be. Brandon made the mistake of asking who wanted the other single. If it had been me, I would just have assigned them places, and if they didn�t like it, they could trade. Of course, I would have kept the single for myself. Ty ended up winning after a heated game of rock-paper-scissors.
I asked the desk clerk where we could eat. He said either room service or the hotel bar.
The pass-through doors were in between a single and a double room. That made sense if a family traveled together. I opened my door and found Jim and Brandon sharing a room. That meant Ty�s room connected with Alan and Jake�s room.
We all went downstairs, and the desk clerk directed us to the bar. It had a sophisticated red and black theme. We found a table in the corner big enough for all of us. The barroom was full of people either having a fun weekend or going to the game. There were a couple of tables of Alabama fans. At the bar, there was a young woman in a little black dress being chatted up by two older men with Alabama polo shirts. I looked at Brandon.
�Do you think?� I asked, and nodded towards the bar.
He grinned and shook his head at me. Leave it to Alan.
�What�re you talking about?�
I was saved when the server showed up, took our drink orders, and brought us menus. I glanced at the prices and saw it was $18 for a hamburger. I knew my guys weren�t used to big-city hotel prices.
�Get what you want. I�ll put it on my room bill,� I told them.
I didn�t want them to blow half their money for the weekend on a hamburger the first night. I had picked the hotel, after all. I�d have to think things through next time, because I didn�t want them to think of me as an ATM machine, either. What I did want was to expose them to new experiences and for them to have a good time. They ended up ordering burgers. I got a salad with grilled chicken on it.
When I finished with my meal, I told Brandon to hang out with the guys and sign for the check. The young woman at the bar was alone by now. I�d watched the two men buy her a drink and then leave with smiles on their faces. I wondered if she was the front person, or if they hadn�t worked out a deal. When I got closer, I saw the woman was younger than I�d first thought. I�d assumed she was in her late twenties but now estimated early twenties.
I sat down next to her, and she gave me a sideways glance. The bartender came over, and I ordered a hot tea. She gave me a curious look.
�I have to get up tomorrow,� I said.
�So why did you come over here to get your tea? I�m sure you could have gotten it at your table,� the woman said.
�I thought you and I might have a conversation.�
�Did your friends put you up to this?� she asked.
�No,� I said as the bartender brought me my tea.
He brought a selection of bag teas, a pot of hot water, and some lemon slices. I selected a mint-flavored tea bag and poured the hot water over it. I took in a deep breath to catch the aroma of the tea as it steeped. The young woman watched me as I took my time and finally tried it.
�So how does this work?� I asked.
�How does what work?�
I simply smiled at her. She glanced around and then looked back at me.
�Is it just you, or do you have a couple of friends? Unless you�d be interested in entertaining all six of us?� I asked.
�How many would you think would work out best? Did you want one for each one, or could someone maybe entertain two at a time?�
We negotiated a price. I ended up ordering four women, one for each room, and we agreed they would be there in forty-five minutes. That would give me enough time to go use the hot tub. I returned to the table.
�Are we all set?� I asked.
�Yeah, what do we want to do next?� Alan asked.
�Well, if you go up to your room, there will be a date for you in a little bit. You might want to make sure you have some cash to tip her and plenty of condoms,� I said.
There was dead silence; they all looked at me as if I�d said aliens had landed on the roof. I got up and started for my room. That was when they all started talking at once. I told them to hold their thoughts until we got to my room. As I changed into my swimsuit, I told the guys what to expect. I sent them out of my room, telling them if they had more questions, they were to ask Brandon. He gave me a dirty look when Alan followed him to his room.
◊◊◊
The woman from the bar found me soaking in the hot tub.
�We like to be paid up front,� she explained.
I pointed to my towel where I�d put the money. The woman counted it and put the cash in her purse.
�They�ll be at your rooms in five minutes,� she said and left.
I got out of the hot tub and went back to my room. I took a quick shower and put on a pair of shorts when there was a knock at the door. I had closed the door adjoining the room with Jim and Brandon. I didn�t really care to see my friends have sex. I about had a heart attack when I recognized my date. It was Candy, Flee Johnson�s girlfriend. We�d always teased him she must be a stripper. We hadn�t been too far off the mark.
Her big smile evaporated when she recognized me. I didn�t want to talk to her in the hall, so I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room.
�You can�t tell him. This was just a misunderstanding. I, ah, oh, this was my first time,� Candy rambled on.
I didn�t believe her for a second, so I just stared at her.
�I could trade with someone else,� she offered.
That was where she lost me. I found my pants, pulled out my phone and took her picture.
�I want my money back, and I want you gone.�
�What was the picture for?� she asked.
�If you give me any trouble, I�ll send the picture to Flee, and you can explain to him what you do behind his back.�
Candy went to the bathroom, and I heard her arguing with someone on her cell phone. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, and the woman from the bar was there with a mountain of a man. He had to be six-seven and almost 300 pounds.
�I�m sorry, but we don�t do refunds.�
I looked at the woman and then at her muscle. I didn�t need this headache.
�Fine. Take her and leave,� I said.
�I also need you to delete the picture you took,� the woman said.
I grabbed my phone, showed her the picture and deleted it. She seemed satisfied, and they left, taking Candy with them. I smiled to myself. The woman should have just given me back my money. I got ready for bed and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
◊◊◊ Saturday October 3
I woke up at my usual time and realized it was an hour later due to the time change. I had a few tasks on my to-do list to complete before we left. I packed my bag and got ready for the day. Then I went downstairs and asked to talk to the manager. A woman in her fifties greeted me, and when I said it was serious, she took me to her office.
I explained in detail what had happened last night. I also told her about the two men from Alabama that had talked to the ringleader.
�So, what did you want me to do?� the manager asked as she looked nervous.
�I�m not looking to cause you or the hotel trouble. I would personally like to keep the matter as quiet as possible,� I said, and she seemed to relax.
The last thing they would want was police involvement. I also knew the hotel would ignore hookers in their bars as long as there wasn�t any trouble. It seemed to me they had a slick system in place.
�So, why are we talking?� the manager asked.
�I want you to ban her and her associates for thirty days.�
�What prevents me from just ignoring this?�
�Because if the Ritz-Carlton gives its word, you�ll stand behind it,� I said.
�I�m sorry you had a bad experience, and thank you for being so reasonable in your request. I�ll make it happen. Is there anything else I can do for you?� she asked.
I thanked her. I then found a quiet spot to make a phone call I really didn�t want to make. Flee at first didn�t believe me. I sent him the picture I�d taken last night. My phone had a feature where it automatically uploaded my photos to the cloud in case I accidentally deleted them. I asked him not to call her for another hour or so because I wanted to be on the road before Candy found out I�d told him.
◊◊◊
When we got on the bus, we all laughed when we saw it actually had a stripper pole. The guys had smiles on their faces from last night. I was proud of Alan because he reminded them that what happened on these trips, stayed on them. He must be growing up.
As we drove to the highway, the bus driver asked if we wanted to stop at Krispy Kreme. He pointed out that they had their �Hot Donuts Now� sign turned on. We ended up with a couple dozen. When I bit into my first doughnut, it was a religious experience. It melted in my mouth. If I lived here, I�d weigh 800 pounds. As we left Atlanta, I had a new favorite doughnut.
◊◊◊
Our first stop at the University of Georgia was the Butts-Mehre building, which housed the practice facilities and coaches� offices. We were taken to the top of a staircase. The area below the landing was open, and they projected a video of Georgia football highlights on the wall. Alan pointed to the metal staircase leading down and how they had little letter G�s cut out. As we toured the building, you would look up and see the lighting was behind a giant black G with red and silver trim.
The lower level housed the players� headquarters. That was where the locker room, training room, weight room, meeting rooms, and players� lounge were located. The locker room opened out onto the practice field complex with four full-size football fields.
The second floor was where the coaches had their offices and meeting rooms. There was a trophy case there as well. The third and fourth floors housed the athletic department�s offices.
Alan fell in love with their video room. Our tour guide explained how they would have the whole game uploaded within fifteen minutes of the final gun. We had to drag Alan out and check his pockets. We were taken to a casual conference room with couches that overlooked the indoor practice facility. We met Darrel Rodgers, the Director of On-Campus Recruiting.
�Welcome to the University of Georgia. My staff and I�ve had extensive discussions with your coaching staff. Coach Hope has some great things to say about each of you academically, athletically, and character-wise. Based on those conversations, we have customized your visit to meet your specific needs. So, at this time, we�re going to split you up.�
Alan and Brandon accompanied me as I was led to the meet the offensive coaches. I ended up in a meeting room with Carl Freeman, Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach. What we learned was there were 38 alumni in the NFL. Two were quarterbacks: Matthew Stafford and Aaron Murray. They had said that my visit would be customized for me. Everything Coach Freeman talked about was how they could best prepare me for the NFL.
We were then whisked away to see a video of football highlights. The recruits who were on official visits were shown to the locker room, where they were presented with football jerseys. Then in rapid succession, we saw dorm rooms, met academic advisers, listened to a panel of football players tell us about Georgia, and finally, at three, we were set free for a couple of hours.
We were directed to the Hilton Garden Inn, located in the North Campus. We checked in and asked where we might get some filling food since the doughnuts were long gone. They sent us to the Mellow Mushroom. It was a pizza and hoagie shop. We ordered a couple of large pizzas and ate giant pretzels while we waited.
�So, what do you think?� I asked.
�I like it. It compares favorably with Michigan and Michigan State,� Jim said.
The other guys agreed, but we wanted to see more of the campus. They had kept us in the football facilities all day. While that was important, there was more to college than football. After we scarfed down a couple of slices of pizza, we walked the North Campus. We quickly figured out that we were not at Michigan or Michigan State. If you liked girls with long hair that was mostly dirty blond and were cute, then Georgia was for you.
We almost missed the 6:15 pickup for our trip to Sanford Stadium. They fed us dinner in the President�s Suite, and then it was time for the game.
This was a big game for both teams. It would go a long way in determining the eventual SEC Champion, and it had National Championship implications. Number 8 Georgia was favored at home over number 13 Alabama. Being in the stands, you could feel the rivalry. It was clear that the Georgia fans anticipated they would win decisively over their hated rival. I admit to getting caught up in all the rabid fever the Georgia followers had at the game. Ninety-two thousand fans can generate a lot of noise. I think anyone would be intimidated to walk in and play them at home.
To their credit, the Alabama Crimson Tide wasn�t fazed. The first quarter was a feeling-out period and ended with a 3�0 lead by the visitors. Three minutes into the second quarter, Georgia tied the game. Georgia had lost the last two meetings and wanted to get one in the win column. The last game they�d played was for the SEC Championship three years ago. The series was among the oldest in football, starting in 1895. Generations of fans on each side had grown up hating the other.
Alabama took the ensuing kickoff and put together an eight-play drive that resulted in a touchdown. Georgia had disaster strike on the next series. Georgia found they had to punt out of the end zone. The punt was blocked, and an Alabama player picked it up at the 1 and scored. Shortly after that, Alabama forced a Georgia turnover and found themselves on the Georgia 45 yard line. On the first play, they went for it and hit a long touchdown pass to go up 24�3. They had scored three times in under four minutes.
At halftime, the crowd convinced themselves that they could get back into the game. But in the second half, Alabama�s defense picked off a pass and ran it in from fifty yards out. Then another turnover gave them the football at the Georgia 38 yard line. It took four plays to score again, making it 38�3. Georgia did manage one touchdown, making the final score 38�10. The Crimson Tide was very much a force in the national race again. All they had to do was take care of their remaining schedule, which wasn�t a gimme in the loaded SEC.
◊◊◊
After the game ended, it was already 11:30. We had a chaperone who offered to take us to a party. I admitted I wasn�t in the mood to hang out with drunken football players after they�d just lost a game. I wished my teammates good luck and walked back to the hotel.
When I reached the lobby, I was surprised to see the woman from last night waiting for me with her mountain of a bodyguard. I didn�t expect I would have to kick his butt in such a public place, but I was on guard. He saw me first and pointed me out. She motioned me over. It was clear I wasn�t her favorite person right now. I decided to get this over with.
�Let�s go somewhere more private to talk,� the woman said.
�I don�t think so.�
I made a significant glance toward the mountain.
�Terry, go wait for me in the car. David and I need to conduct some business,� she said, and her bodyguard just nodded and walked out the front door. �Can we go to your room?�
�Give me your driver�s license,� I said.
�Don�t trust me?� the woman asked.
�Nope.�
She handed it to me, and I took a picture of it and then a picture of her. I sent myself an email with the subject line �If I Go Missing.� I smiled when her name was Natasha. Once I felt a little more secure, I escorted her to my room. We didn�t say anything until the door closed. I, of course, being a Dawson, waited for her to talk first.
�I think I made a serious mistake last night. It would have been cheaper to give all your money back. At first, I wanted to break every bone in your body for what you�ll cost me over the next month, but cooler heads prevailed. Terry pointed out you only got us a one-month ban. What I want is for you to get that lifted,� Natasha said.
�Your customer service leaves a lot to be desired. This might help you rethink how you deal with clients in the future. I can�t imagine the Ritz-Carlton wants you threatening their guests with your muscle.�
�I admit that last night was not my finest moment. Candy�s fairly new, and when she called, crying, I might have overreacted. She�s calmed down and understands why you had to tell her boyfriend. She knew going in that him finding out was a possibility. We tried to take precautions by flying her up from Miami to work the football weekend. While what Candy does on her own time is her business, the male ego won�t get over something like this. She�d like to talk to you, if that�s okay, so she can apologize.�
My confusion as to why Candy would need to apologize must have shown. Natasha helped me out.
�She knows you�re good friends with her ex-boyfriend. She understands it wasn�t easy to tell him.�
�I would hope he�d do the same for me,� I said.
�We need to work out something so I can get back into the Ritz-Carlton. They told me only you can fix this for me. Will you make the call?� she asked.
�No. I don�t see any upside to this.�
�I have to answer to people. They�re not as understanding as I am,� she threatened.
�I think you should leave,� I said.
Natasha smiled and made no move to depart.
�How would you like to spend the night with Candy? She tells me you always admired her but were a perfect gentleman. She admitted that she always wondered what you were like in bed. Candy said if half the stories were true, she�d enjoy it,� Natasha offered.
�What do you net out of the Ritz each month?� I countered.
�Why do you ask?�
�I can always get sex, and while Candy�s good-looking, I�m not sure I�d be interested. It must be a healthy amount of money if you made the trip to negotiate with me. I have two charities that could use the cash to do good work.�
�If I were to find someone who looked like Candy, and threw in some cash for your charities, would you help me out?� she asked.
I wasn�t opposed to getting laid, and Candy was hot. As long as it wasn�t her, I would be fine. I just didn�t want to ever hurt Flee�s feelings. I knew I would have a problem if he had slept with Tami the day after we broke up. I would never do that to him.
Natasha and I agreed. She made a call. When there was a knock on the door, she got up and answered it. The girl there handed Natasha an envelope. When I saw the girl, I realized she had to be one of Candy�s sisters, Raven or Crystal.
�David, this is Raven. She�ll be your guest for the evening,� Natasha said and then handed me the envelope. �Can you make the call so we won�t lose the evening at the Ritz?�
I took the money and put it in the hotel safe, knowing that if they wanted to, they could get it out without too much trouble. I called the Ritz and talked to the manager. Of course, they had no idea what I was talking about, but I�d been on speakerphone and Natasha was satisfied. She simply nodded to me and left the room with the phone already to her ear.
◊◊◊
I had never been with a hooker before and wasn�t sure what the proper procedure was. Did I just strip and point at my dong, or was there more to it? I�d read somewhere that you didn�t kiss them or go down on them. I wasn�t sure if I might find an unwanted surprise or not. Now that the moment had come, I wasn�t sure I really wanted to do this.
�First time?� Raven asked.
�Yes, as a matter of fact. Should we take a shower, or something, first?�
�That�s always a good plan. I�d also suggest condoms. Some women might be willing to go bareback, but that should be a red flag,� she said and then smiled at me. �Candy was right, you are good-looking. Come here and let me get you undressed.�
Raven helped me out of my clothes and then got undressed. She stepped back so I could admire her. Raven had straightened her long, black hair and it framed her cocoa-colored face and big brown eyes. I loved her full lips and, as I had with Candy, I imagined what it would be like to have them wrapped around Mr. Happy. She was tall at five-ten and had large, firm breasts with small nipples. I liked that Raven had pubic hair, though it wasn�t very thick. Her legs were athletic, and they went all the way up to her perfect heart-shaped butt.
She took my hand and led me to the bathroom where we spent time making sure we were both squeaky-clean. When Raven walked to the bedroom, she moved like a dancer. That had been one of the reasons we guessed Candy was a stripper. The other reason was she had a killer body, just like her sister.
I wasn�t quite sure what was supposed to happen. Well, that�s not true. I understood we would have sex. It was more I wasn�t sure
Raven grasped my member, gave it a few tentative strokes, and then put me into her mouth. My breath caught when she suddenly took all of me to the root. I felt her swallow, and let out an involuntary moan. I was quickly getting over my aversion to hookers. If they could do it like this, I might be inclined to try another one. Raven pulled off me and began to lick and suck the twins as she grasped me towards the tip and gently stroked me.
Raven took me off guard when she opened her mouth wide and put me back in. I must have had an amazed expression on my face.
�You liked that, didn�t you?� she asked.
�I don�t even want to know where you learned to do that, but kudos to whoever taught you,� I said.
At that point, I forgot all about Raven being a professional. She was now my teacher, and I was her willing student. She taught me a lot. Raven even showed me how to prepare a woman for anal sex. She took me around the world, and then we just had fun. She was used to doing it several times in a night, so my youthful exuberance wasn�t an issue.
Raven also taught me how to stimulate her G-spot while we had sex.
�Remember that a woman�s G-spot is normally two to three inches inside the vagina, on the front wall. In this position you can rub yourself against it,� she said, and then shuddered. �Yes, right there. Now, oh, Jesus!�
Once I found it, I began to imitate a horny bunny. My hips were a blur as I tried to get Raven off again. I had an ear-to-ear grin on my face when my neighbors started to pound on the wall. I looked at the clock, and it showed 3:35 am. We�d been going at it for almost three hours. I put my palm over her mouth to lower the volume. Raven rewarded me by biting my hand. I just suffered through it. Her legs lifted up, giving me an even better angle to rub her most sensitive spot.
She came hard and pushed herself up and off me.
�No more. I can�t take any more. I should never have taught you that,� Raven panted, and looked warily at Mr. Happy who was rock-hard and waving at her.
�What else can you teach me?� I asked.
�Nothing! Keep that away from me,� she moaned.
�But I haven�t gotten off yet.�
�You did! Like five times. You are not sticking that thing back in me anytime soon.�
I grinned and took off the condom. I rolled Raven onto her back, and she gave me the evil eye. She said no more, so I pushed her big breasts together and straddled her chest. Raven simply shook her head as I began. I was already close, so it didn�t take long. When I finally climaxed, it was a weak offering, and Mr. Happy went into a coma. It might be days before he would get up again.
I rolled off her and instantly fell asleep. One upside to hiring a hooker is that you don�t have to talk to them or cuddle afterward.
◊◊◊ Sunday October 4
�I found him. Go ahead and leave. I�ll get him there as soon as I can,� Brandon said.
I�d made sure he had a key to every room in case of an emergency. I didn�t appreciate it when he opened the curtains. A guy needed his rest! I heard a female moan and looked down. Raven�s face was on my stomach, and she must have drooled because it felt wet.
�What time is it?� I asked.
�Nine o�clock. You�re supposed to be at brunch with the head coach in forty-five minutes, and it takes twenty to get there. What happened? No, wait, I don�t want to know. Just get up and get into the shower. I�ll pack your bag so we can check out,� Brandon said.
I poked Raven who jerked awake and had that moment where she wasn�t sure where she was. Then she looked up at me and shook her head.
�We need to get up,� I told her.
I helped her to the shower, and we both began to wake up.
�I had fun. Thanks,� I said.
�If you�re ever in South Florida, call me. I�d love to see you again,� Raven said.
�I�d like that.�
Brandon pounded on the door, so we finally got the message. When I walked back out of the bathroom, the smell of sex about knocked me over. I had no idea how housecleaning would deal with this. I got dressed and left a tip for housecleaning in the bathroom. I then pulled off a couple of large bills and gave them to Raven. She smiled and thanked me. I almost forgot about the money in the safe. Brandon wasn�t happy when I had to run back to the room and get it. When I showed him what it was, he just shook his head.
◊◊◊
We were the last ones to arrive at Coach Start�s house. I had met a couple of the recruits who were here for the game, but now saw they had about thirty for the weekend. Alan found us and showed me the itinerary for the day.
10:00 Brunch
11:00 Back to Campus
11:30 Nutrition Presentation
11:45 Strength Staff Presentation
12:30 Sports Medicine Presentation
12:45 Meet Coaching Staff
1:15 Meet Head Coach
3:00 Head back to Atlanta for Flight
�Do you think we could just talk to the coaches and get on the road? I�m supposed to be at a family dinner tonight,� I said while mentally calculating travel time. I didn�t think we would be home until around eight.
Brandon was about to go talk to someone when I stopped him.
�I think everyone would benefit from the presentations. Why don�t you see if you can just get me out of it? I�ve already been exposed to this when Bo sent me to STIC in Chicago. You and Alan can make sure everyone makes it home,� I said.
STIC was the Sports Training Institute of Chicago. I�d attended to get specialized training for both football and baseball. They�d also given me a thorough medical evaluation, and recommended a comprehensive program for keeping me lean and fit. Pro athletes used STIC to keep them healthy and on top of their game. I was pleased with the results and didn�t feel the need to attend the presentations here.
Brandon left to work his magic as I walked around meeting everyone. When it was time for brunch, I saw one of the recruits get a big bowl of grits and then put two fried eggs with soft yolks on it.
�I�ve never seen anyone do that to grits,� I told him.
�It�s a Southern thing. My dad also cuts up his sausage and mixes it in. The yolks make it creamy. You should try it.�
I did, and it wasn�t bad.
◊◊◊
My talk with the Georgia coaching staff was not what I�d expected. While they thought I would make a great addition to their football team, they didn�t believe they had a legitimate chance to land me. The University of Georgia would make me an offer, but their focus would be on quarterbacks in the South with whom they felt they had already built relationships.
In a fit of immaturity, I told them not to bother with an offer. Not that I wanted Georgia to waste time chasing me, it was a feeling that they had in a way disrespected me somehow. If I ever ended up in the SEC, I would love to put a beatdown on them when we played.
I guess I never thought anyone wouldn�t want the number 1 quarterback to come to their school. I�d made the effort to fly in and see their university on my dime. Yes, I wanted to see Alabama play in person, but I�d picked the Georgia game for a reason. I could have chosen the Alabama games at Texas A&M, Mississippi State, or Auburn. If Georgia was lukewarm about me visiting, they should have told me.
Brandon ordered a car to take me to the airport. On the ride there, I calmed down. I�d known going in that not every school would be a fit. It also might not be me that decided. At least they�d been honest about what their plans were. But I would bet that if their fan base found out they would bypass better talent just to get a local kid, they might not be happy. I knew I wouldn�t be.
◊◊◊
I had dinner at the Pearson farm. Roc teased his sister about wearing a dress. I smiled when Zoe punched him in his chest. That had to hurt.
�Roc, leave your sister alone,� their mom called from the kitchen.
�She hit me,� he complained.
�And you started it,� his mom told him.
�I think your sister looks nice in a dress,� I told him.
�You think Zoe looks nice in anything.�
I smiled and nodded. She did look nice in jeans. Zoe reached out and squeezed my hand. I pulled her to me and kissed her.
�Eww!� Roc exclaimed.
I raised an eyebrow at him, and Roc decided he�d better retreat to the kitchen to help his mom. Whatever she was cooking smelled great. Zoe�s dad came into the living room. We sat on the couch, and he claimed his recliner.
�Thank you for inviting me to dinner, Mr. Pearson,� I said.
�We wanted to get to know the young man Zoe has been talking about nonstop for the past few weeks,� he began.
He gently interrogated me about my family and me. Mr. Pearson knew me somewhat from Little League, but that had been a few years ago. When he confirmed I wasn�t a gangbanger or mass murderer, I think he was happy that Zoe was happy.
Dinner was pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions. There was also homemade bread hot out of the oven. For dessert, we had homemade ice cream. I was ready to move in. Zoe and I cleaned up, and then she wanted to go for a walk. We went to the barn so she could check on her horses.
When she finished with the horses, Zoe cornered me against a stall door and kissed me.
�What time should I be over for dinner tomorrow?� I asked.
�Next time I�ll cook for you,� she said. �My mom�s a good teacher.�
�You�re pulling out all the stops. You wear a dress, kiss me, and now you tell me you can cook. You keep it up, and I might not be a gentleman.�
Zoe�s eyes got big.
�Someone might come out to the barn,� she warned me.
I reached behind her and started to slowly inch up her dress as I leaned down and kissed her neck. When I got the hem of her dress to mid-thigh, Zoe moaned.
�Someone might see,� she whispered in my ear.
�Would you like that?� I asked.
�No, I�d be so embarrassed.�
�Tell me to stop, then,� I said while using my other hand to caress her breast.
Zoe gasped when I turned us around and pinned her to the stall door. I dropped to my knees, lifted her dress, and buried my face between her thighs. Zoe grabbed the back of my head and ground her crotch into my face. I worked her panties to the side to allow access to her sex. I used what I�d learned from our last session to bring her off quickly.
When I completed my mission, it took all my willpower not to turn her around and take her right there in the barn, but I didn�t want her first time to be a quick romp. Zoe deserved something nice that she would remember.
�Zoe, I want to make love to you, but I want it to be special. Do you have an idea of how you�d like it to happen?� I asked.
�What makes you think I�m ready for that?� she said, and at first I thought I�d misread where we were at in the relationship, but then she bit her bottom lip, and I realized she was teasing me.
�Like I said earlier, all you have to do is tell me to stop,� I said, pulling her tight against me.
�That�s the problem. I never want you to stop. Let me think about it, and I�ll tell you this week at school what I want to do.�
We heard the sound of boots crunching on gravel. Roc walked into the barn.
�Mom says you should wrap it up.�
�Okay, I�ll be in in a minute,� Zoe said.
She walked me to my car and kissed me goodbye. Roc had waited for her, and he made gagging gestures that earned him another punch. He gave Zoe a glare, and she raced for the house. I knew Roc could have caught his sister, but he was just having fun teasing her. I was starting to have feelings for Zoe, which surprised me. I had really tried to keep it just fun, but she was working her way into my heart.
◊◊◊
Chapter 19 � Somewhere Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace Monday October 5
First thing Monday morning I was called out of PE to meet with my guidance counselor, Ms. Jaroslav. I�d never met her before, so had no idea what she wanted. They had her in a small office with an oversize file cabinet and a desk. I would go crazy in that cramped space if I were her. Ms. Jaroslav had my folder out and, when I walked in, she looked up from reading it. She appeared to be in her thirties and had a figure that looked like a mom. I wondered if she had any kids.
�I understand that you�ll be leaving school at the end of November and will miss the last three weeks of the semester. Is that correct?� she asked.
I�d thought all the arrangements had been made, so I was curious as to why she was asking me.
�Yes, ma�am.�
�We�ll need to help you compress your classes and arrange for you to take finals early,� she said as she pulled out a calendar. �The best possible day appears to be the Friday of Thanksgiving week. I�ll make arrangements to have your teachers come in to give you your tests.�
I wasn�t going to be very popular if my teachers had to come in during their vacation.
�Could maybe a proctor give me the exams? Maybe one of my coaches would do it,� I suggested.
Ms. Jaroslav gave me a tight smile.
�Let me worry about it. I just need to get your schedule for now.�
I guess I would let her do her job.
�Something else I wanted to talk to you about is the SAT and ACT tests. We plan to offer them at the end of January. I understand that you would like to attend the prep classes. You have three options: you can either take it during your lunch hour, after school, or on Saturdays,� she said.
�I have football practice after school, and my weekends are busy. I�d have to do it at lunchtime.�
Ms. Jaroslav shuffled through some papers and pulled out a form.
�Please have your parents fill this out and bring it back to me with a check to cover the expense for the class,� she said.
I took the form, and she looked at my folder again.
�Have you started to think about where you want to go to college?� Ms. Jaroslav asked.
�Yes, ma�am. I�ve had some scholarship offers,� I said.
She looked confused and flipped through my folder again.
�Did you apply for them without going through the school?� she asked.
�They�re athletic scholarships,� I explained.
Ms. Jaroslav gave me a funny look, and then it dawned on her who I was.
�I might have heard something about that. Sorry,� she said, and then seemed to recover. �If you want help with college applications, or for us to help find you grants, please let me know.�
I thanked her and returned to class.
◊◊◊
By lunchtime, several people had talked to Ms. Jaroslav and had gotten their paperwork for the prep class for the SAT and ACT exams.
�My sister said that the prep class was a big help on how to take the exam. She said they give you practice exams to help you determine where you need to focus your studies. Suzanne thought it helped her a lot,� Jim said.
�When are you going to take the class?� Cassidy asked me.
�I�ll have to do it at lunch,� I said, and then got worried. �When�ll we get the script for the movie?�
�Mom said this week,� Halle said. �We�re going to be swamped between now and the end of November. Did they tell you when you�ll take finals?�
�Ms. Jaroslav said the Friday after Thanksgiving. That�ll be the day before we win State,� I said.
�Me too. That�ll make for a long day,� Halle said.
�When d�you guys fly out to LA for your movie?� Alan asked.
�That Sunday,� Halle replied. �Speaking of movies, what�s happening with our movie,
�
�It looks pretty cool. There was an ad for it on the Syfy Channel,� Jim said. �Do you get to take a date to the premiere?�
I looked at Halle, and she just smiled at me. I wasn�t certain whether I got to, nor was I sure whether she would be my date. When I�d seen other red carpet events, it seemed the actors were interviewed alone. Then I had an inspiration.
�Hannah Minacci is my date,� I said.
All the conversation at the table stopped. There was everything from looks of disbelief to shrugs of acceptance. I was surprised that I kept a straight face. My friends knew I was full of it and just took my proclamation in stride. Then my phone buzzed. Alan had just posted who my date would be online. I needed to talk to Lily about her giving him access to my accounts. I figured Hannah would at some point fold under my relentless pursuit, and I would get an actual date. She simply needed to dump that baseball player.
◊◊◊
At football practice, the coaching staff introduced us to our next opponent, Mt. Vernon. They had a solid football team and a new coach. The game film showed that they were playing much better than they had the last two years. Mt. Vernon had managed to win all their games to this point, but just barely. They relied on their defense to keep them in games and then did just enough to win. If it was close at the end, we might have a problem, because Mt. Vernon didn�t appear to have any quit in them.
Something else they did was win the turnover battle. It looked like they coached their players to knock the ball loose. We would have to make sure we secured the ball to the whistle. Mt. Vernon was a physical team, and I suspected we would be in for a good game.
I was happy to see Tim at practice. He was on crutches but wanted to be involved. Coach Zoon had him work with Yuri and Mike to make them better linebackers. Tim told us after practice that he had started his rehab. His doctors had told him that he should be back for football next year.
◊◊◊
After the practice at the dojo, where Cassidy was learning to use the Bo staff much faster than I was, I stopped at the diner across from the hospital. I picked up fried chicken and all the fixings. Duke greeted me at the back door, and I let him out and took the food upstairs. Pam was studying, so I put the chicken on the counter and ran back down to get my dog. His nose was in the air sniffing when we came upstairs. I thought the chicken smelled good, too.
�I�m going to grab a quick shower,� I said.
Pam was rearranging the coffee table into a dining table when I made my way to the bathroom. When I came back out, I was surprised to see Halle and Pam waiting for me. Luckily for me, I�d ordered a lot of chicken. I�d planned to have the leftovers as a snack.
�I brought you the script,� Halle said, pointing to it on the end table.
�Thanks. What do you think of it?� I asked.
�It�s much better than what we got this summer. Mom�s happy with it now. She said to tell you she was sorry they hadn�t gotten it to you sooner.�
We sat down, and Halle joined us for dinner. I had to tell Duke to �park it� in his crate. He thought he could flirt with the girls and they would feed him. Duke was usually good, but when my niece and nephews were around, it was a losing battle. I would have to watch the trash because he was way too interested in the chicken. I couldn�t blame him, because it tasted as good as it smelled.
After dinner, Halle left, and I cleaned up. Pam put the table down and turned on the TV. She wanted to watch
The movie was taking creative license with the book it came from and would be different from the TV series. In the book and TV series, the story was based in a small New England town. The movie had it located in LA. The plot revolves around a young girl who moves to live with her grandmother. When she goes to high school, a girl bullies her. Another girl eventually steps in and defends her, and the two of them become like sisters. The lead character gets kidnapped and forced to join a club, which she soon learns is, in reality, a coven of witches and warlocks. She discovers that all their parents had created a coven when they were their age.
My part was that of the school�s star baseball player, another change; the book had called for my character to play football. I flirt with the lead character and do typical movie jock things. All was fine in my world until my body was found hanged by the neck in the school�s boiler room. The lead character doesn�t believe I committed suicide.
It was a relief to see I didn�t have many lines. My part consisted mostly of me doing physical stuff that�s more of the background of high school life. After my first read-through, I was much more comfortable with what was expected of me. Halle, on the other hand, was the lead, and she was on screen most of the time. I stopped reading after I got past my death scene.
Based on the script, I realized that I would have a lot of time on my hands in LA. Once I got the shoot schedule, I might find what else there was to do when not on set.
When I put my book down, Pam gave me a funny look.
�What�s up?� I asked.
Pam looked like she wanted to say something. I wondered if she was bothered that Halle had shown up and interfered with our time together. She shook her head and leaned against me.
�You like me, right?� Pam asked.
�Of course I do. You�re one of my best friends. Why do you ask?�
�I don�t know,� she said, unwilling to tell me what was on her mind.
I figured Pam would tell me when she was ready. I just put my arm around her and held her. When
◊◊◊ Wednesday October 7
I went outside to run, and it was chilly out. Duke went to the backyard and found Precious. I had to laugh at them play-fighting and rolling around in the leaves that had started to fall. Since it was about fifty degrees out, I made it a point to stretch more. While stretching, I saw Buster and Rachel walking towards me.
�Morning,� she called as she undid the leash for Buster so he could join his friends.
I saw Rachel stiffen up as she looked into the backyard. I turned in time to see Buster make a beeline for Precious. Oh, shit! Brit would never forgive me. I had my Bo staff next to me and picked it up. Precious hunched her back, hissed at Buster, and then yowled. The noise caused Buster to stop in his tracks. Hell, anyone would freeze if they heard that. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a brown flash as Duke tackled Buster to protect his friend.
I had never seen him so ferocious. Every time I needed protecting, he was behind me telling me to take care of it. It was as if they had planned it out as Precious jumped into the fray. Buster was a huge pit bull, and I suddenly had a vision of him killing both Duke and Precious. I never expected him to roll over on his back and surrender. As quickly as it started, it was over. I checked the combatants over, and everyone seemed to be okay.
We gathered up Duke and Buster, put them on their leashes, and began our run. I practiced with my Bo staff as we ran. I found my lower arms, wrists, and hands felt it after my morning run.
�You look like a baton twirler. Do you plan on going out for the marching band?� Rachel teased me.
�I�ll get you!� I yelled, and she broke into a sprint.
The little shit was fast. I could have caught her, but we were having way too much fun. Buster and Duke both enjoyed the chase. The only problem was Rachel was screaming as I ran after her. I�m six-four and have a big stick in my hand. She�s five-two and running for her life. We only made it five blocks before a police car pulled up. I had to laugh when Billy jumped the curb to put the squad car between my victim and me.
I think if they let him take the bullet out of his shirt pocket, he might have shot me. Billy jumped out of his car as if he thought we were on TV. I stopped and grinned at him. Rachel was of no help. She collapsed in a front yard, trying to get her breath back. I let go of Duke, and he and Buster joined Rachel on the lawn. Billy saw it was me and visibly relaxed but still had his hand on his gun.
�Are you going to shoot me?� I asked.
�I�m not sure yet. Were you trying to kill that little girl?�
�Only if I caught her, but she�s pretty fast.�
�What�s that in your hands?� he asked.
�It�s a Bo staff. I use it in my martial arts classes,� I said, handing it to him.
Billy hefted it and shook his head.
�You could really hurt someone with this.�
By now all the neighbors on the block were on their front porches to see what I was doing that would attract the police. Rachel came over and apologized to Billy. She said we were just playing. Of course, he wanted me to show him what I could do with my martial arts tool, so I demonstrated some of the flashier moves. Billy decided I wasn�t a menace, and let Rachel and me go home.
◊◊◊
In a small town, news travels fast, whether good or bad. If I ever did anything wrong, word of it would beat me home. When I got to school, Alan stopped me in the parking lot.
�I heard you got arrested this morning for trying to kill a little girl.�
�That would explain why I�m at school now,� I shot back.
�Everyone knows you can talk your way out of anything,� Alan smirked.
�Oh, yes, I�m the star football player, and the whole town covers up for me,� I said in a snarky voice. �That must have been why the cops suddenly showed up.�
�So, you did get arrested,� Alan pounced.
I rolled my eyes and lunged for him. Alan was prepared and ran into the school. I found him surrounded by, well, everybody. I ignored them all and went to class.
◊◊◊
In second period Trig, Alan was smart enough not to sit next to me. I found Zoe giving me funny looks.
�Yes, the police were called on me this morning,� I admitted.
�Really?�
�Yep. You might want to stay away from me. I sometimes raise a little hell.�
�What did you do?�
At least Zoe really wanted to understand what had happened, so I told her the whole story. She figured it was still okay to hang out with me.
◊◊◊
At lunch, we started our college test prep class. Ms. Jaroslav was teaching it, and the rest of the week we would take tests to see where we stood and what we need to work on to maximize our scores. The SAT had three parts: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing. The ACT had five sections: English, Reading, Math, Science, and an optional Writing portion. Today we were taking a test that covered both English and Reading. Before we started, Ms. Jaroslav had some test-taking tips.
�Read the instructions on the test cover and those for each test carefully. Take your time and carefully read each question. Do not get stuck on any one question. Answer the easy ones first, and then come back for the hard ones. On hard questions, eliminate any obviously wrong answers.�
Ms. Jaroslav paused to make sure she had our attention.
�Answer every question. You�re scored on the number of correct answers you give. You�re not penalized for guessing. So, if you get close to the end of the test-taking time, and you have some unanswered questions, make your best guess.
�Do NOT mark on your test after time is called. If you do, it will be collected and not scored,� Ms. Jaroslav said, and then paused. �Do you have any questions? If not, you may begin.�
The English portion started with several passages that you had to read. They would underline part of a passage and then give you four choices of how it should be written. The reading section was tricky. You sometimes had to go back and double-check the paragraph word by word. A lot of it was reading between the lines and understanding the underlying meaning.
When I�d finished the test, I was glad I was taking this class. While I felt I had done well, it had pointed out areas for me to work on.
◊◊◊
Brook and I were leaving the dojo to go do motocross again. Of course, it was only a matter of time before my mom found out about my skydiving classes and riding a motorcycle. She had always said that I couldn�t own one, so I figured I was on firm ground on that technicality. As far as skydiving was concerned, Dad had to sign off to get me into the class. It never came up in conversation at home, so I figured Dad must be just keeping it quiet. The truth, of course, was that my mom had her own set of rules, and my acting like a lawyer would never save me.
As we got into the Charger, my phone rang, and it was Angie.
�David, I need a babysitter right now. I have a group project and Greg�s working. Would you be able to come over for an hour?� she asked.
�Hang on,� I said and then turned to Brook. �Want to meet my niece and nephews?�
�Sure.�
�See you in fifteen minutes,� I said to Angie.
Mac and Kyle were peering out the window as we pulled up. They were worse than Duke. When Brook and I reached the door, we could hear the chaos on the other side. When it opened, I pushed Brook in front of me. Both Mac and Kyle took a step back and looked up at her, not sure who she was.
�Tell her what your names are,� I told them.
�Hi, I�m Brook,� she said as she got down on their level.
I was surprised when the two toddlers became shy. Normally they would meet anyone. Angie came out of the back with her book bag.
�No winding them up. I need them to go to bed tonight. Your mom�ll be here in about forty-five minutes. Thanks,� she said and kissed me on the cheek as she ran out.
I found Nate in his bouncy seat. It was like a small swing on bungee cords. It helped build his leg strength as he bounced up and down. I pulled Nate out of it so he could sit on my lap while Kyle and Mac sat on each side of me. Brook had her phone out and took our picture. Mac grabbed my sleeve to get my attention. She looked very serious, so I leaned down so to hear her.
�Unca David dance,� Mac whispered and pointed at the TV.
It took me a minute to figure out what she wanted. When I had filmed
�You guys want to dance?� I asked.
They both squirmed off the couch, and Kyle ran to the DVD collection and found my video. I put Nate into the bounce seat and then loaded the DVD.
�You do it!� Kyle yelled as he bounced up and down.
�Can you video this for me?� I asked Brook, who showed me she planned to.
Angie was going to kill me. As I danced around, imitating myself on the video, my two little mimics did a credible job for being almost two. I about fell down laughing when Mac did her imitation of Nicki Minaj in
When my mom arrived, Brook had joined the fun. At first, I was worried that Mom was going to be mad that I had them wound up, but she took her jacket off and joined us. Luckily, Greg got home first and smiled when he saw we had our own little dance party going on. Nate was in my arms as we bounced around to the music.
The fun part about winding little ones up is watching them just fall over asleep. It�s almost as much fun as dealing with drunks. Brook and I helped Greg get the little ones down.
On the drive home, I caught the end of the Cubs�Pirates game. The winner would be in the playoffs.
�I take it you�re a Cubs fan,� Brook said.
�Did you ever see that movie
�Yeah, the one with Marty McFly in it.�
�In it, they predict that the Cubs�ll make the World Series this year. I think it�s finally our turn.�
�Your brother�s kids are cute,� Brook said to change the subject.
�I need to spend more time with them,� I said, and then remembered something. �Send me the video from tonight. I�ll get it posted so others can see what little stars they are.�
Dancing baby videos went viral all the time. Kyle did this cute thing where he tried to shake his butt. Of course, I might have been responsible by telling him that he needed to shake his �moneymaker.� Mac, being a little older, was more coordinated. She tried to do everything Brook did.
We made plans to go skydiving Saturday morning. We had to get all our jumps in to qualify for our license. Brook gave me a quick kiss and jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped.
◊◊◊
When I got home, I did something that I�d been neglecting: calling my friends. The first call was to Tami. We talked about school, and then I broached a subject that was in the back of my mind.
�Can I trust you, or if I tell you something will you tell on me?� I asked.
�Oh, this is good. What have you done?�
�Answer my question first.�
�Of course you can trust me. Now spill it, or I�ll figure it out,� she threatened.
In the old days that might have been a credible threat, but Tami had been gone long enough that it wasn�t anymore.
�I�ve been bad,� I admitted. �I�ve been going on adventures I thought I never would, but have to say they�ve been fun. I guess what I need from you is your opinion on whether I�ve gone too far.�
�I find it hard to believe you�d go too far. What are you talking about?� she asked.
�Let me show you a video,� I said and started the one of me doing motocross.
�Two things come to mind: the first is you are
�There�s more,� I said, then showed her Brook and me skydiving, and then the video of Devin�s new toy, the wingboard.
�I can see you doing all these different activities, but you do realize you�ll kill yourself, right?� Tami asked.
�Maybe.�
She looked at me hard, and I felt like she was looking into my soul.
�Tell me the rest,� she ordered.
I told her about my last two recruiting visits. The first, I had gone to a swingers party. On the second, I had bought prostitutes for my friends, faced off their pimp, and spent the night with a prostitute who taught me stuff.
�Like what stuff?� Tami asked.
�Have you ever heard of the helicopter? That�s where you swing your dick around in a circle,� I said with a big smile on my face.
�As much as I�d like to see that, what the hell were you thinking?� she asked.
I guess I wasn�t.
�You do realize that in a few short months you�ll become a household name when your movie�s released. This is the kind of stuff that will cause you no end of trouble,� Tami warned. �David, raising a little hell is understandable. I can see you wanting to do fun things like motocross, but the risky sex stuff is going to bite you in the ass. I�m not going to lecture you. You need to decide for yourself about what you should or shouldn�t be doing. Just realize that at some point you�ll get caught, and it won�t be pretty.�
Tami was right, in that I had had fun with the swingers and Raven, but couldn�t see repeating it anytime soon. I guess if you had a bucket-list at my age, I could check those two off. Just how much meaningless teenage sex could I have? Shit! My �Man Card� just burst into flames!
�Can I make one observation? I think this all goes back to your mom ordering you around and not talking to you. I think this is your way of rebelling against how you were treated. I never knew you to keep anything from your parents,� she said.
I had said there would be consequences. I no longer felt the need to share everything. I was silently kicking myself because I�d told Tami.
�You may be right. I hope you don�t feel the need to tell my mom,� I said.
�It really upsets you that she talks to me about you, doesn�t it?� Tami asked.
�It really does,� I admitted.
�I�ll start telling her I don�t want to know. While I like your mom, I love you. No matter what happens in the future, please remember that if you need to talk to someone, I�m here for you. If I get too nosy, just tell me to back off.�
�That means a lot to me. I really don�t want to feel like we�re at odds. I hope we can be friends for the rest of our lives. I�d like us to be the type of friends that don�t have to hang out every day, but when we do catch up, it isn�t awkward,� I said.
�I think for now that�s the best we can hope for.�
After we hung up, I thought about where we were in our friendship. For the first time in a long time, I felt good about it. I didn�t feel the pressure that had always been there before. It honestly felt more like what I had with Beth. I could tell Beth anything, and she never judged me. I hoped that was where Tami and I were going.
◊◊◊ Thursday October 8
Today we had gotten smart about lunch. I ordered Chinese and got a variety of dishes. If someone wanted to join me for lunch, they paid me $5. Even Ms. Jaroslav thought it was a great idea and paid her money. It was better than eating lunch in the cafeteria, and it let us get to work on our next test.
Today we took the Math portion of the practice test. For me, it was much easier than the Critical Reading and English tests had been. In the fifty minutes given, I was able to complete the test, go back, and recheck some of my answers. Tomorrow would be the Science portion. Before I left, I asked what everyone wanted for lunch. They decided on a sub variety tray. Ms. Jaroslav volunteered to pick it up and keep it in the faculty refrigerator. I gave her money and went to my next class.
The leftover Chinese food ended up in the faculty lounge, and Ms. Jaroslav told me later that it was a hit. I was just happy I�d gotten to eat today. There simply wasn�t time for most people to go to the cafeteria and then make it to this class. All they had time to do was go to the vending machines and get something to drink.
◊◊◊
After football and dojo practice, I went to Halle�s to work on learning the script. She and I had several scenes together, and Rita wanted us to read through them. The other reason for my visit was that they promised to feed me, and every time I ate there, they fed me something good.
When I knocked, Halle answered the door in a swimsuit wrap. Not that I was complaining, but I was a little confused by her attire. It was early October in the Midwest, which meant it was a little too cold to be swimming.
�They installed the hot tub in the solarium this week,� Halle said.
Rita James had added a glassed-in sunroom off the side of the house. The plan was to use it as a four-season room and have a hot tub. Halle led me to the new solarium where I found Rita James in a white one-piece swimsuit, which caused the big brain to shut down. Then I felt arms go around my stomach, hands grab my chest, and I was pulled into a tight hug. I felt hot breath on my neck.
�Hi, Sexy,� a very male voice said.
Mr. Happy short-circuited, which caused me to jerk and spin away from whoever was holding me. Fortunately, I had been distracted, or I might have punched Trip, Halle�s brother.
�Dude, not cool,� I said.
Trip just laughed at me. I noticed he was wearing a speedo. The creep factor went up about tenfold. Halle came and rescued me from her brother. That was when I saw Fritz. He was at the outdoor kitchen, grilling something. I wasn�t ready to talk to Rita, for fear I�d start babbling as I drooled. Not the best approach to talking to a gorgeous woman. I was usually fine speaking with a beautiful woman, but Rita James was special.
�Need some help?� I asked.
�Can you make some potato cakes?� Fritz asked.
He already had it mixed. I just needed to fry them in a big cast iron skillet. Fritz was making German sausage and had a pot that looked like it had sauerkraut in it. He showed me how he wanted the potato cakes cooked. When we were done, we took everything to the table.
Over dinner, I learned that Trip�s rehab was going well. He had come home for the evening. He was starting to get a pass a couple of times a week but had to have Fritz with him. When we were done eating, Fritz took Trip back to the rehab facility.
Rita listened as Halle and I read our lines. Rita was happy with our work, so she left us to get dressed and make some calls. I waggled my eyebrows at Halle and remained in my California Bad Boy persona.
�Babe, let�s hit the hot tub,� I said.
�But you don�t have a suit,� Halle reasoned.
I just started to take off my clothes.
�David! What if my mom sees you?�
�Chill, Babe. We have plenty of time.�
She bit her lower lip and looked at my growing member as I finally got undressed.
�Want to see something cool?� I asked.
Halle didn�t answer me, so I showed her the helicopter. I was thinking this would be my signature naked dance move. Halle squeaked and ran for the hot tub as I flew towards her. I joined her and moaned as the hot water started to work its magic on me. Halle turned on the jets, and I made sure one was shooting right at my lower back. I was in heaven.
�Come here, Babe,� I said.
Halle slid across the center of the hot tub and sat on my lap. I kissed her and undid the top of her bikini. I let the strings fall from around her neck to expose her breasts. I cupped one of Halle�s breasts and gently squeezed it. I�ll be honest, I was thinking about her mom. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the fantasy. When you�re with probably the most-loved Hollywood actress, you want to bring your A game. Halle was the beneficiary of my efforts. The poor girl didn�t realize what was about to happen to her.
While I was kissing Halle, I�d finished getting her naked. I switched my focus back to her breasts and remembered how Halle liked them to be handled. I took my time to make sure they were fully appreciated. When I lifted her up and sat her cute little butt on the edge of the hot tub, Halle had passion in her eyes.
Our eyes locked.
�I am going to eat you until you either pass out or make me stop,� I said.
I gently spread her legs and lowered my head so I could bathe her sex with my tongue. Halle had her pubic hair trimmed back for the bikini. I gently licked her until her lips began to swell. I began to suck and nip Halle�s growing lips until they were fully swollen with desire. I then let my tongue split her lips and found she was very wet. I grazed her button and circled it a couple of times, then made a big O with my mouth, placed it over her sex, and sucked. While I did that, I let my tongue strum her nubbin. This caused Halle to have her first orgasm.
I backed off for a moment and kissed her. When she caught her breath, I attacked her peach. Halle must have liked what I was doing because she grabbed my ears and pulled my face tight against her womanhood. She about ripped my ears off when she rolled back to lie flat on the deck. I winced but continued my ministrations on my sweet Halle. I was such a bad boy, thinking of her sexy mother while enthusiastically eating her. Halle showed she was getting close again when her legs lifted over the edge of the hot tub, which tilted her back and up, giving me better access.
�I LOVE YOU!� Halle shouted to the heavens as she came.
That caused me to start giggling. I�d been there and done that. When Halle caught her breath, I began to tease her.
�Babe, all the girls love me. Do you love me more than Brook?� I asked.
�What? I didn�t, uh, oh shit,� she mumbled.
�Should we change our status online? Oh, I know, let�s go tell your mom!� I said, bouncing out of the hot tub so I lay on the deck next to her.
I crawled over her body and kissed her forehead.
�Do you love me enough to give me special sex?� I asked.
�What�s special sex?� Halle asked.
�Anal,� I whispered in her ear.
She threw a pretty good punch in my stomach. I collapsed on top of her.
�Get off me, you big jerk,� she ordered.
I rolled us both over so Halle was on top.
�Go fetch me a condom, Babe,� I ordered.
Halle grabbed my nuts, and I froze.
�Enough with the bad-boy routine. Kiss me,� she said.
�I love you too,� I said, which made her squeeze my sack a little tighter.
�Do you really love me?� Halle asked.
Whenever a girl has a firm grip on your jewels, you need to think very carefully before answering. A little white lie might be your best approach.
�Yes,� I said, then sighed when she released me.
�Go get your condom. I haven�t passed out yet,� she said.
I didn�t hesitate, but simply picked Halle up and sat her on the couch. As I walked up to her, I did the helicopter again, which made her smile. I leaned down and used my johnson to slap her button. She took a sharp breath and gave me a look like she couldn�t believe I�d just done that to her. I pushed into her. Halle locked her heels around my waist and used them to set the pace. She appreciated the new technique Raven had taught me when she climaxed. Halle didn�t appreciate it when I pulled my condom off and made a mess on her stomach.
�David! You are so gross sometimes,� she whined.
I got her a towel and then got dressed.
�So, do you still love me?� I teased.
�No,� she huffed.
I then explained to her the 48-hour rule, where the only �I love you� comments that counted had to be at least 48 hours after sex.
�If you tell me on Saturday, then it counts,� I said, and then began to kiss her neck. �I love you, I love you, I love you!�
As soon as we were dressed, Rita came back. She kept a straight face, but I suspected she knew what we�d been up to. I kept forgetting this whole house was set up with surveillance cameras. I helped her clean up all the dinner items and take them to the kitchen. When we were done, I told Halle that I had to go. I grabbed her hand at the door and made her walk me to the car.
�I think your mom watched us,� I said to warn her.
I thought poor Halle was going to die of embarrassment. I pulled her into my arms.
�What am I going to do?� she whined.
�Act like nothing happened. I don�t think your mom wants to talk about it any more than you do. Plus, I love you.�
�I love you too,� Halle said and then kissed me goodbye.
I needed to talk to Fritz about deleting that tape. I didn�t need it leaking out and everyone seeing me swinging my dick around.
◊◊◊
Chapter 20 � The Covered Bridge Friday October 9
Today was the last day of our prep class for evaluation testing. Ms. Jaroslav had picked up the sub tray and bought variety packs of chips. I was happy to see they had corned beef on rye and spicy brown mustard. It was rumored to be meatloaf day in the cafeteria, so everyone ponied up their $5. I actually made a profit. Pam didn�t have any cash on her, so I bought her a soda and let her have a sandwich. The girl was a P I G pig. She ended up eating three sandwiches. Pam must have a much higher metabolism than I had because she didn�t have an ounce of fat on her.
When we took the test, I noticed there were some physics questions we hadn�t been taught yet. I was in AP Physics this semester and would have to check to see whether those topics were covered. Otherwise, I did well. We would get our results back on Monday, and then they would customize our study plans.
◊◊◊
Mt. Vernon was easily our farthest destination to drive to in our conference. It was a small farm town which serviced their whole county. 83 percent of their students were from outside the city limits. We had gotten out of school early to make the trip.
Halfway to Mt. Vernon, we stopped at a VFW hall and found our booster club waiting for us. They had arranged to feed us before the game. The VFW had a buffet set up with fried chicken, fried perch, and they had a carving station with both turkey breast and beef. There was also a full salad bar, and the buffet had just about anything else you would want. I made a big salad and had them slice me off turkey and beef. For dessert, they had a make-your-own-sundae bar. I made sure every guy went to the boosters and thanked them for the meal. I didn�t remember there ever being anything like this my freshman or sophomore years.
When we arrived at the high school, our cowbells greeted us. There were four buses of students, band, and cheerleaders. We were early, so Coach let us go talk to the other students that were there. He put Moose in charge of making sure no one wandered off. I, of course, did.
I walked out onto the football field. You could see farmlands through a row of houses past the north end zone. Some of the neighbor kids had snuck out onto the field and were playing touch football. I asked if I could play. The group of 10- to 13-year-olds weren�t sure, but they let me join in. They made me play deep safety and center on offense. That was how Jeff Delahey and several of his brethren found me. The kids looked at me funny when a photographer started taking our pictures. One of them figured out who I was and whispered to the rest.
�Can you throw me a pass?� one of the brave ones asked.
�Sure, go deep.�
I spent the next few minutes tossing softballs to kids so they could catch it and dance in the end zone.
�You�re just a big kid, aren�t you?� Jeff asked.
�This is what it�s all about. This is the dream. Friday night and you�re running down the field and you score! That�s why I do this,� I said.
�Shouldn�t you be getting ready for your game tonight?� a reporter asked.
�Probably, but it wasn�t in me to resist playing a little football with these guys,� I said.
�But you�re supposed to be the number 1 prospect. Don�t you take this seriously?� he asked.
I looked at Jeff, and he rolled his eyes. Jeff knew I was either going to tell this guy what I really thought, or go into �aw shucks� mode.
�When football stops being fun is the day I quit. Believe me, I put in plenty of effort. I get up every morning and run and lift. I review game film and practice. After that, I do additional training. Go into both locker rooms, ask every single guy, and see if you can find anyone that works harder than I do. In the off-season, I get specialized training and search out the best coaching I can find. I also eat a specialized diet and take supplements to make sure I can perform at my peak. I�m a leader and a role model. So, if I want to spend fifteen minutes playing catch �� I said, leaving what I really wanted to say to his imagination.
�I don�t think my esteemed colleague would survive a day in your shoes,� Jeff chided him. �Are you taking tonight seriously?�
�Mt. Vernon is one of the best teams in our conference. I expect a tough-fought game, and we�ll be lucky if we get out of here with the win. You gentlemen are in for a treat when you see two undefeated teams clash in what I think will go a long way in determining the conference championship.�
�You forgot to thank God,� Jeff teased me.
�God is in everything we do,� I shot back.
Moose spotted me, and the look he was giving me told me that it was time to wrap this up and get ready for the game.
◊◊◊
When I came in, Mike had just finished being taped. I headed to Jill�s table, which he had just vacated. As I settled in, I glanced up. A red-faced Jim stormed in and literally lifted Mike off the floor by his neck and pinned him to the wall. If it had been anyone else, I would have separated them, but Jim could have lifted both Mike and me off the floor without a problem, and Mike wasn�t my favorite person.
�Did you think I wouldn�t find out?� Jim roared.
Jill looked at me.
�Shouldn�t you do something?�
�I think Jim has it under control,� I told her.
In the meantime, Mike had turned a dark shade of red and struggled to get free.
�You might want to set him down so he can answer you,� I suggested.
Jim turned to look at me, and I just held up my hands to let him know I wouldn�t get involved. Unfortunately, the coaches must have heard the commotion, because both Coach Hope and Coach Zoon burst into the room.
�Break it up!� Coach Hope bellowed.
Jim tossed Mike aside, and Mike crashed into the wall and crumpled to the floor.
�Check on him and get his story,� Coach Hope told Coach Zoon. �You, come with me!� he ordered Jim.
Jim followed Coach Hope out of the room while Jill and Coach Zoon checked on Mike. He was gasping for air and holding his shoulder. Jill probed the joint and Mike cried out. That didn�t look good. Mike finally got his breathing under control.
�What was that all about?� Coach Zoon asked.
�He�s just pissed I asked his girlfriend out,� Mike said.
I was off the table in a flash. Mike was going to die!
◊◊◊
The next thing I knew, I was waking up with Jill lifting my eyelids and sticking a flashlight in my eyes, which damn near blinded me.
�Stop!� I complained and twisted my head away from her.
Shit, my head hurt. Mr. Hasting, our head trainer, was on the other side of me and looked concerned. Above me, Coach Hope and Becky, our other trainer, were looking down at me. Hell, all I needed was for my mom to walk in.
�What happened?� I asked.
�Coach Zoon swept your legs, and you landed on your head,� Coach Hope said.
�He can�t play,� Mr. Hasting said.
I tried to sit up, but Jill pinned me to the ground. I was surprised she was able to do it.
�Don�t move,� she ordered me.
�We need to get David checked and then follow concussion protocols. If he passes each step without any problems, you won�t be able to have him on the field for five days. There�s no room for discussion on this,� Mr. Hasting said as he looked right at me.
�Aw, shit!� I said.
�Dawson!� Coach Hope chastised me.
Becky left the room and came back with my clothes. When I sat up, the room started to spin, and I suddenly didn�t feel well.
�I�m going to puke,� I warned them.
Jill grabbed a wastebasket, and I lost my supper. I heard Mr. Hasting talking to Coach Hope.
�David has several symptoms: sensitivity to light, dizziness, nausea, irritability, and I would assume a headache. We need to get him to an ER and make sure he doesn�t have anything more serious, like a brain bleed.�
�That�s just great. I lose three players and a coach before we even take the field. We�ll be lucky if we win tonight,� Coach Hope complained.
Jill helped me up, and I got dressed. As I walked out into the locker room, it was dead quiet. I looked at Coach Hope and could tell we had a serious problem.
�Gather around!� I shouted and immediately regretted it.
My damaged head felt like it might actually split open. I wouldn�t yell again for a while. My yell seemed to startle everyone, and they hustled to gather around Coach Hope and myself.
�Ty, Yuri, get up here,� I said, and they both came and stood by me.
�You two have to lead us tonight, and I want everyone to listen to them. You all have to pull together as a team. Mt. Vernon will see blood in the water, and they�ll think they can rattle you, but they don�t know what you�re made of. You�re the best damned team in the State. I wouldn�t trade a single player on their team for any of you. Well, maybe we could get something for Wolf,� I said.
�Bite me!� Wolf responded.
�Listen to your coaches and play all-out. I need you guys to win one for me. We�ve faced adversity before. We�ll face it down the road. What I know is that each and every one of you has prepared for this. Now I need to get out of here. They think Coach Zoon dented my hard head,� I said.
I let Mr. Hasting lead me out of the locker room and to his car. We drove to the local Emergency Room, and they confirmed I had a concussion and didn�t need any stitches for the head cut I�d received. The doctor gave me a sheet of paper that mapped my next few days.
It was pretty much what Mr. Hasting had told me. I would have to check in with the training staff. They did give me something for my headache, and Mr. Hasting took me back to the game. Mt. Vernon wasn�t equipped for our fan base, so it was standing-room only. I was still feeling a little light-headed, so I was escorted to the team bench. The crowd soon spotted me and roared while they rang those damned cowbells.
I looked up at the scoreboard and saw we were leading 21�10 at the start of the third quarter. Trent Buchannan, my replacement, seemed to have gotten over his jitters from earlier this year. Coach Diamond focused on running the option, and with Ty carrying the bulk of the load, we moved the football. Milo Bauer, a freshman, had been inserted at right tackle, and Neil Presley was put in at Jim�s position.
On defense, Moose took over for Coach Zoon and put Jake in to play linebacker. With his speed, he was quick to pursue the ball, but he didn�t have the instincts Tim or Mike had. Yuri took over the defensive play-calling. We were lucky Mt. Vernon hadn�t shown a potent offense. They�d won all their games via their defense and causing turnovers. Ty was perceptive and knew how to hang onto the football.
In the second half, Mt. Vernon kicked three field goals to make the final score 21�19. You could point to a game each season where your team came together. Last year it was the Springfield game when we beat a team we probably shouldn�t have. This was that game for us this year. I could see the pride and exhaustion my guys had as they came off the field. They had won a game, on the road, against a conference opponent that was undefeated. They were put at a disadvantage when three potential D1 teammates were taken away from them just before the game. I had never been prouder of them than I was right at that moment.
◊◊◊
On the bus ride back, Jim and I were required to sit up front with the coaches, including Coach Zoon. Mike had refused to get on the bus. His parents took him home after a heated conversation with Coach Hope. Jim and I were ordered not to talk about what happened to our teammates. There was to be a meeting when we got back to the school.
My head started to throb again, so I took some of the painkillers they�d given me at the ER, kicked back, and fell asleep.
◊◊◊
When we got home, my dad met us, and Jim�s parents were there. Someone must have called them. Coach Zoon led us into the Lincoln Field House and into one of the coaches� conference rooms.
�Where are your parents?� I asked Coach Zoon.
He just gave me a dirty look.
�Are you okay?� Dad asked.
�I just got my brain rattled. If it all goes well, I�ll be back playing next week,� I said, handing him my concussion protocol.
�Where�s Mom?� I asked.
�Did you really want her to be here?� Dad asked.
�Good call,� I said, and then Coach Hope entered the room.
�Before we get started, I have never had anything like this happen. I needed the bus ride back to come up with a plan that didn�t include me just removing you all from the football team. Luckily for you, I�ve had a chance to calm down. I think it�s best to first find out what actually happened. I want to start with Jim.�
�Last weekend we went to the University of Georgia on a recruiting visit. While I was gone, something happened to my girlfriend Piper. When I got back, I could tell something was wrong. She acted distant and didn�t want to talk about her weekend, so I asked around. I found out she�d gone to a party Saturday night. Everyone gave me vague answers when I asked what had occurred.
�I cornered one of my teammates on the bus ride to the game, and he told me Mike had done something. I called Piper and confronted her with it, and she admitted that Mike had put his hands on her and tried to get her to go out with him,� Jim said.
He was getting mad again. Jim�s dad reached over and grabbed his arm, and they stared at each other for a moment. Jim bowed his head.
�Coach, I�m sorry I lost it. All I could think of was what Mike had done to Mona. If he�d do that, what did he do with Piper? I didn�t get all the facts, I just reacted. If David hadn�t said something, and then when you came in, well, I might have done something terrible. Because of everything, Mike hurt his shoulder and David was knocked out. Whatever you decide, I won�t fight it.�
�I�m not going to draw this out. Tonight you served a one-game suspension. I want you to get yourself straightened out this weekend and come to practice with a new dedication. You have two strikes against you. Don�t get a third,� Coach Hope said.
�What about everyone else?� Jim asked.
�When Mike didn�t ride back on the bus with his teammates, he chose to no longer be on the team. I need to talk to David and Coach Zoon before making a decision on them. Now get out of here,� Coach Hope said.
When Jim and his parents had left, Coach Hope turned on us.
�God Dammit! What were you two thinking? Coach, you can
�Coach, can I say something?� I asked. �I didn�t really give him a choice. If he hadn�t stopped me, I would�ve gotten to Mike. Thinking back, the leg sweep was the only sure way to keep me from making a huge mistake. I brought this on myself. I want to thank Coach Zoon for not doing something worse, because he might have easily ended my football career if he�d taken my knee out. Ask my dad, he�ll tell you the best thing to do is to drop me on my head.
�Coach Zoon kept the situation from escalating, and I have no intention of doing anything formal. I was the one who put myself in harm�s way. I also knew that Coach Zoon has trained. This is all on me,� I concluded.
�You are sometimes the most mature immature person I know. If it weren�t for your speech before the game, I don�t think we would�ve won. But I can�t base my response on wins and losses.�
�Tony,� Coach Zoon said, �Mike confessed to going after Piper. That was what set David off. They had a history with a similar incident, and we gave Mike another chance. In my opinion, he failed that chance.�
Coach Hope suddenly looked very tired.
�David, go home and take care of yourself. I don�t want to see you at practice until you have a doctor�s clearance.�
Dad and I walked out of the field house.
�I�ll take care of your mother tonight. Go straight home and get some sleep,� Dad said.
�Sounds like a plan. Thank you for being there for me. I appreciate it,� I said, and hugged my dad.
◊◊◊ Saturday October 10
I woke up, and my head felt a lot better. Today I wasn�t allowed to do anything strenuous. If I didn�t have any symptoms, I would be able to at least go for a run tomorrow. Duke still needed his exercise, so I found his favorite tennis ball and threw it for him in the back yard. When he settled down, we went into the house where my parents were drinking coffee.
�Sit,� Mom ordered.
She checked the back of my head. There was a lump, but she seemed satisfied I would live. Mom then handed me the newspaper. I read the headline: �Lincoln�s QB Injured in Locker Room Altercation.� Reading the article, it was lacking any details. The only real story it had was that I�d received a concussion and may not be able to play next week against Springfield.
�I wonder how they got this so fast,� I said.
My phone rang, and it was Brandon.
�What happened to you? Your phone has been going nuts from both recruiters and reporters. What do you want me to tell them?� he asked.
�Hang on,� I said and then turned my phone onto speaker so my parents could hear him. �Repeat what you just said.�
He did, and I looked at my parents.
�I�m not going to talk to anyone about this,� I said.
As of now, the press did not know Coach Zoon had taken me down. If it got out, he might have a problem.
�Refer them to Coach Hope for comment,� Dad said.
�You better call him first to warn him. He won�t want to be blindsided by this,� Mom advised Brandon.
Brandon hung up, and we talked about it some more. Then my dad made a comment that hit home.
�This kind of thing is going to come up again. Not you being knocked silly, but where you�ll have to deal with the press. I talked to your grandma and uncle, and they�re sure it�ll only get worse once the movie comes out. We taught you to get good advice. It might be time you get someone to help you with press-related matters. According to your grandma, your grandpa always believed the most valuable member of his staff was his press secretary. We talked about doing this in the past. Do you think it�s time we bite the bullet and hire someone before your movie opening?� Dad asked.
�Maybe you should ask Rita James what she thinks,� Mom said.
I pulled out my phone and dialed Halle�s number. I was shocked when my mom snatched it out of my hand. I think she just wanted an excuse to meet Rita. I could only shake my head when Mom invited herself and Dad over for lunch.
Mom handed me my phone back when it rang again. This time it was Beth Anderson. I was completely confused as to why she�d be calling me this early on a Saturday morning.
�What�s up, Buttercup?� I asked.
�Did you forget something?� Beth asked.
�I don�t think so.�
�You have the band fundraiser this afternoon. They called me and told me you never signed up,� Beth complained.
Beth had roped me into the Bachelor Auction they did each year. The only reason I did it last year was that Beth had set it up, and she still cared about the band. This year they�d never asked me to help out, so I�d forgotten about it.
�They never asked, and before you browbeat me, when and where?� I asked.
�High school auditorium at one. You�re the best, David,� she said, and then hung up on me.
Five minutes later, my phone buzzed; Lily had broadcast a message that I would be auctioned off to the highest bidder. I had to give Beth credit for managing the auction from Purdue.
◊◊◊
I showed up right before the Bachelor Auction was to begin. I found who was in charge: a freshman named Chet. I think he was scared to talk to me. Of course, I took full advantage.
�Look, Chet, I have a lot to do today. Let me go first so I can get it over with.�
Each year since Beth left, the auction had gone downhill. When she did it, we did a little stage show, there was a real auctioneer, and we all dressed up. This year when I was announced, I came on stage wearing jeans, a Lincoln High sweatshirt, and a baseball cap.
�I, aahhh, well, aahhh, would, mmm,� Chet stumbled.
I think the poor guy was going to die of stage fright.
�Fifty dollars,� someone shouted out.
�Fifty-five.�
�Eighty!�
They had a spotlight on me, so it was impossible for me to see who was bidding. Chet stood frozen, so I took the mic away from him.
�Come on, ladies. This is for charity. I�ll match whatever�s bid for me,� I said.
�Two hundred fifty!�
That was an unheard-of number for a high school event. I looked but still couldn�t see who was bidding. Then one of the bidders walked up the aisle.
�One thousand dollars,� Brook Davis announced in her unmistakable voice.
I simply stared at her, and Brook got a big smile on her face. Chet grabbed the mic back.
�Sold!�
I jumped off the stage and followed Brook out of the auditorium. Waiting outside was a limo.
�We have to get going, or we�ll be late for the game,� Brook told me.
�What game?� I asked.
�Cubs�Cardinals.�
Brook had just become my best friend. I might even love her a little bit. We were going to St. Louis to watch the second game of the National League Division Series, and my beloved Cubs. Tami was going to be so jealous. I�d missed the first game because of our football game against Mt. Vernon. Brook almost ruined it when she handed me a Cardinals baseball cap. She saw my look of dismay and then opened up a bag to show me she had picked up my Cubs jersey and hat.
�You about killed me,� I admitted.
�Sorry, the expression on your face was worth it. We have to swing by my house and pick up my mom and dad.�
I was in heaven right now. Baseball had always been my first love, and the Cubs were my team. They were down in this series, 1 game to none. If there was ever a need for a �someday,� it was for the Cubs. Someday they might actually win it all.
◊◊◊
I admit it, I was as happy as a little girl who got a pony for her tenth birthday as I took in Busch Stadium. When we were in Little League, we had made the trip for a night game. We sat in the right-field bleachers, and it looked like it was raining. Busch Stadium is close to the Mississippi River, and what looked like rain was actually bugs attracted to the stadium lights. The combination of the heat and the water made it the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Our seats were in section 150, right behind the Cardinals Club seating, behind home plate. Brook and I appeared to be the only Cubs fans in the section, while her parents were die-hard Cardinals fans. We received some good-natured taunting.
In the first inning, the Cubs second batter hit a double, but they left him stranded on second base. In the bottom of the inning, the Cardinals leadoff hitter hit a homer to give the Cardinals a 1�0 lead. It was going to be a long night, having to listen to the Cardinals fans explain in detail how the hapless Cubs didn�t stand a chance.
In the top of the second, the Cubs leadoff hitter singled to center field. The next man up hit a ball to the shortstop, who flipped the ball to the second baseman to start the double play. The second baseman tagged the bag for the first out but threw the ball past the first baseman and into the dugout; that let the Cubs base runner take second. I think the Cubs surprised everyone when they sent the man on second to steal third base. The good guys now had a runner on third.
The steal seemed to rattle the pitcher because he walked the batter. Now there were Cubs on first and third. The next batter up bunted, and the catcher grabbed the ball and threw to first, where the pitcher was covering the bag. The man on third scored and the pitcher threw the ball off target to try to double up the man headed to second. When the ball got away, the Cubs runner took third on the second error of the inning. That was when the wheels fell off for the Cardinals. By the end of the inning, they had given up three hits, two errors, and one home run, and were trailing 5�1.
The Cubs picked up another run in the top of the third. In the top of the fifth, the Cubs pitcher was obviously tiring as he gave up two solo home-run shots that helped the Cardinals climb back into it, 6�3. That was how the game ended. I was in baseball heaven, all thanks to Brook Davis.
◊◊◊
On the ride home, I got to know Brook�s parents Ian and Ava better. Ian was a new professor at State, which prompted their move here. They had met at the University of Pennsylvania and fell for each other in their senior year. Ian then enrolled at the University of Chicago to get his Masters and PhD in Political Science. Ava found herself pregnant with Brook and became a stay-at-home mom.
I really enjoyed them. Even with Ava�s money, they seemed to be well-grounded. It wasn�t that they didn�t spend their money; they did. A good example was Brook being able to afford some of the activities she and I got up to on our adventures. Skydiving lessons added up when you had to do 25 to get your license. Each jump cost $300 to $500, depending on what we had to do. Brook also wore the latest fashion, but it wasn�t over the top. Sexy? Absolutely!
I guess I thought all people with money were like Teddy Wesleyan. I was happy to find a family that might have been my next-door neighbors.
I was amused when they gently interrogated me. I must have made a good impression on Ava at the party at their house because she admitted she was the one who told Brook to invite me to the ball game.
◊◊◊ Sunday October 11
I was up and did a quick run first thing. Duke was confused when we didn�t run our usual course, but I didn�t want to push the head issues. When I got home, I made myself busy by getting out the big stewpot and poaching chicken for the week. When I did it, I threw in big chunks of celery, onion, and carrots to make a chicken stock.
When the chicken was done, I skinned and deboned it. I had to rearrange the contents of the refrigerator to fit in the stewpot of chicken stock. Any grease would float to the top when the stock cooled. I would skim the fat off the top and then clarify it after church. The chicken meat I put into containers and stowed in the refrigerator.
Mom came into the kitchen and fixed us breakfast. Dad must have decided to sleep in because he was nowhere to be found.
�I met with Rita James yesterday. She�s really nice; I guess I didn�t know what to expect. We talked about several topics, including where you�ll stay while you�re in LA. I didn�t want you to have to spend a month in a hotel. She volunteered to let you stay at her house.
�Rita�s getting us in touch with someone to help you with your image and with handling the press. She said that there�s already been a buzz about you with the release of the ads for the upcoming movie. If it does as well as they think it will, you�ll become a hot commodity. She already has some ideas for you moving forward,� Mom said.
I told Mom about the baseball game, and then she changed the topic again.
�I looked into that farm you found near the Pearsons. The bank that has it is the one holding your loan on your uncle�s farm. The recent outbreak of avian influenza caused the previous owners to destroy all their chickens. The cost to start over was too much, so they did a deed in lieu of foreclosure. I met with an ag professor at State, and he agreed to go out this week and look over the facilities and see if it�s even worth it. Rumor has it that the bank is desperate to get rid of it, so we can probably get it at a deep discount.�
�Can I afford it?� I asked.
I�d had to invest 80 percent of my savings to buy into my uncle�s farm. Here it turned out I would have to put 25 percent down for an ag loan to purchase the property. Then I would need funds for the day-to-day operations. My other concern was that I had zero desire to run a farm. Getting the right management would eat into my profits. Mom would have to convince me this would work. Something I knew for sure was that, when it came to buying farms, Mom could be creative.
�Let me work on this for you. I think I can make this happen,� she said.
I had money coming in from the movie, so I wasn�t worried about the initial investment to buy the farm. The deal with the other farm was I had Mr. Hass and Uncle John to take care of the day-to-day. This farm was too far away from them for them to manage it effectively.
We finished breakfast and then went to church. Everyone wanted to know what happened in the locker room. I just said it was an internal issue and we�d worked it out. I don�t think many people were satisfied with my answer, but they weren�t getting me to talk about it.
◊◊◊
Fall was in the air. Some of the trees had started to show their colors as I drove through the park that bordered the farmland where the Pearson farm was located. I was a little anxious because today was the big day. Zoe and I had progressed to where she wanted to lose her virginity. For a guy, there�s a lot of pressure when you were a girl�s first. She would remember this for the rest of her life. I certainly remembered my first time. Looking back, it hadn�t been the best experience. Well, everything had worked out, but I wished I�d waited and been with someone with whom I had more of a connection.
With Zoe, I was never in a rush to move things along. I would have been happy if we just spent time together. I liked doing farm work with her and riding horses. She was easy to be around, and I never felt a need to do anything to either entertain or impress her. When we had finally kissed and then became more intimate, it had seemed to happen naturally. I don�t think she ever felt pressured. The most planning we had done was for today. Well, to tell the truth, I hadn�t planned anything. Zoe was in charge, as it probably should be.
My instructions were to show up, be dressed nice, and be prepared to take her out for a nice meal. I decided to have a little fun with it and wore my dress slacks the girls in Utah called my �fancy pants� because they contoured to my backside. I had on a Jade sweater. I�d decided against a sports jacket. When I pulled up, Roc was leaning against a pickup truck, waiting. I think he wanted to watch what was about to happen.
�I hear you�re taking my sister on a real date. Do I need to ask your intentions?� Roc teased me.
�Careful, she can probably kick your scrawny butt.�
�Sometimes he forgets that,� Zoe said, surprising us both.
�Oh, my,� I said as she made her appearance.
Zoe was in a Calvin Klein dress that was not yet available. The reason I knew this was that I�d seen photos of Kara Tasman wearing that dress. It was going to be part of their Winter Line. The dress was a play on the early-sixties dresses you would�ve associated with Jackie O: straight, clean lines that Calvin Klein had updated by adding a belt to give a woman more curves. Her makeup and hair had also been done. If I were to guess, I would suspect several of my female friends had helped her prepare for this evening. The top culprits on my list were Gina, Brook, and Halle.
The smile on Zoe�s face told me my reaction had been spot on. I walked up to her and offered her my arm, which she took. I escorted her to her door and opened it for her. She deserved the full treatment. As we pulled away, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Roc standing there with his mouth open.
�I think your brother thinks you�re hot,� I said.
�What makes you say that?�
�Did you see how he was checking you out?�
�You never looked away from me. How did you see that?� Zoe asked.
�As we drove away,� I explained, nodding at the rearview mirror.
�That little pervert. I think Roc needs a girlfriend.�
I wasn�t touching that subject.
�What�s the plan?� I asked.
�You�re taking me to dinner at the Covered Bridge. I�ll surprise you with the rest,� Zoe said as she grabbed my hand so she could hold it.
The Covered Bridge was just that, a covered bridge that was now a restaurant. The state had built a new bridge for the state road but left the covered bridge that was originally there. The current owners refurbished it into a restaurant. They were only open Friday through Sunday, and only had one seating per night. They had ten tables and a set menu. The family that owned it made up the staff, and the food was reputed to be excellent. He was a professor at State, and she was a banker.
I wondered how Zoe had obtained reservations. Rumor had it that the wait list to get in was three months long. The Covered Bridge was where you took your significant other for a special romantic occasion. When we arrived, people were waiting for the doors to open. I�d always thought it was for an older crowd, but there was a mix of people in their twenties and thirties along with the expected fifty-and-older couples. We were the youngest couple there.
While we waited, Zoe and I walked down to the river. The water was gently flowing, and fish would surface to feed on bugs as they fell into the water. I pulled Zoe in front of me and wrapped her in my arms from behind so we could both take in the sight. The only flaw that ruined the perfect setting was the sound of cars going over the new bridge nearby.
�David, do you think we�re moving too quickly?� she asked.
�Only you can answer that. If you�re asking if I like you, I do. I�m nowhere near ready for a lifetime commitment, and I�m not ready to settle down with a girlfriend. With that said, is there a possibility of us becoming more? I would say there could be.�
�I�ve always thought I would save myself for marriage,� Zoe said.
I understood that. She was brought up in a religious family. Then I thought about Peggy. I had waited for her because she wanted to wait for marriage. Then she slept with Mitch as soon as she broke up with me. I knew it was wrong, but I realized that if Zoe decided to wait for marriage, I wouldn�t see her for much longer. I would never pressure Zoe to do anything she didn�t want to do, but I wasn�t going to have another Peggy in my life, either.
�Zoe, I�m not here to change your mind. If you want to wait, then wait,� I said.
We heard the doors open and walked back to the restaurant. Each table had a view of the river. I was surprised when they had reserved a table that gave us the best view. When our server came to the table, I grinned because I recognized her. It was Karen, Gary Baxter�s girlfriend. During my freshman year, Beth Anderson had been infatuated with Gary. He ended up breaking her heart. Gary later dated Karen, who was the leader of the Chastity Club, a religious group at our school that preached abstinence. For some reason, I never was asked to join.
�Tonight we will begin with a farm stand mushroom and cheese tart. We serve this gorgeous mixed mushroom and Gruyere cheese tart with a green salad with warm walnut and pear vinaigrette dressing. The main course is prime rib with creamed horseradish sauce, garlic mashed red bliss potatoes, and asparagus with lemon butter. For dessert, you will have a white chocolate souffl� with raspberry sauce.
�For our diners under 21, we offer several nonalcoholic cocktails. I would suggest the salted Meyer lemon and sage press. It�s quite refreshing,� Karen said.
I looked over at Zoe, and she gave me a little nod.
�That all sounds wonderful. Thank you, Karen,� I said.
She was clearly surprised that I knew her name. She went to the next table and did her presentation again.
�How do you know her?� Zoe asked.
�Karen was a senior when I was a freshman. We never hung out, but I came to know who she was through her jerk of a boyfriend,� I said.
Zoe then got the whole story out of me. When Karen brought us our drinks, appetizer, and salad, she was still trying to puzzle out who I was. The cocktail was excellent. You wouldn�t think salt should be part of a drink, but it brightened the flavor of the Meyer lemon and sage. I would have to try it with a little vodka sometime. The appetizer was delicious, while the salad was salad.
Zoe and I had a wonderful meal, and we acted like old friends. We simply had a level of comfort with each other greater than one might expect. There never seemed to be any awkward pauses or uncomfortable questions, as so many first dates seemed to have. When the bill arrived, it was pricey for our area, but for something this special, I would come again.
I grinned when we left because I had paid cash and could tell Karen still didn�t know who I was.
◊◊◊
I figured out who one of Zoe�s helpers was when we next went to Brook Davis�s home. Zoe took my hand and led me into the woods to the fairy-tale-like clearing. There was candlelight coming from one of the cabins, and when we entered the setting was right out of a romance novel. There was champagne chilling in the living room and soft music playing. Candles lit the room, giving everything a warm glow. Whoever had planned it was smarter than I was because the candles weren�t scented. I think I�d about killed myself when I tried to be romantic with Tami.
�Would you like some sparkling cider?� I asked.
�Please.�
I opened the bottle, poured two glasses, and then made a toast.
�Here�s to fond memories. May you remember tonight the rest of your life, and have only kind thoughts of me when you do.�
There are times you need to be a man. This was one of them. Zoe needed me to take the initiative. After we drank our toast, I took her glass from her and set it on the end table. I turned to her and looked her in the eyes before I kissed her. That was what she needed. I recognized I was in for a good night when she pushed me back and kissed me with more passion than I�d realized she had. I was amused that Zoe had suddenly become so forceful. It wasn�t that she wasn�t an active participant in what we�d done in the past, it was just that she never seemed to initiate what we did.
Zoe broke our kiss and pulled back to gaze into my eyes. The smoldering look was enough to cause Mr. Happy to come fully awake. She gave me a mischievous little smile and got off me. She did a sexy little walk to the bedroom door and turned back to see if I was following her. Zoe wiggled her butt and walked into the bedroom.
I got up and followed her in. She was sitting on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed as she leaned back, propped up by her arms behind her. Zoe bit her bottom lip and checked me out. The bedroom had candles burning, and someone had put rose petals on the bed. The whole setup looked like it had come out of a chick flick. Zoe pulled one of her hands forward, revealing a remote control. She pushed a button, the music got louder, and then she switched songs. I laughed when
I stepped into the room, planted my feet wide, and began to do the striptease dance I�d learned as the lyrics described a bachelor�s come-on line.
I pulled my sweater over my head, and Zoe clapped and giggled as I rolled my hips and wiggled my butt at her as the song continued its suggestive message.
By now, I was down to just my boxers. Zoe was into it as I came close to her and gave her a lap dance. I had one hand over my head and the other behind my head as I leaned back, put my groin in her face and did hip-thrusts. The naughty girl grabbed the front of my boxers and pulled them down until my package was exposed. Zoe would be kicked out of a strip club if she tried that. My hip-thrusts slowed down as she grasped my member and then wrapped her lips around it.
I forgot about the song, closed my eyes, and slowly worked her face. Zoe used both her hands to stroke and twist my pole as she took the top third into her willing mouth. She popped the head out of her mouth and then began to suck and lick my sack. All I could do was moan my pleasure. She then held my member up towards my stomach and then proceeded to lick it. When I was wet, Zoe looked up at me with a mysterious expression. She held my eyes as she took me in her warm, wet mouth, and then surprised me when she tried to swallow me whole. Zoe gagged and had tears in her eyes as she pulled off me. A long strand of saliva was attached to the head and her bottom lip. Damn!
�You okay?� I asked.
Zoe ignored me and tried to jam me into her throat again, which met with similar results. My eyes rolled back into my head when on her third attempt she took all of me. On her next successful try, I couldn�t take it anymore and exploded. Zoe surprised me when she didn�t pull off but began to swallow. The feel of her throat as it throbbed added to my exquisite pleasure. My knees finally unlocked, and I found myself on my butt looking up at a smiling Zoe.
�How was that?� she asked.
�I loved that. Now it�s your turn,� I said and stood up. �Let me help you get out of that dress.�
Zoe stood up and turned around for me to unzip her dress. She carefully took it off and put it on a chair. She was naked underneath. All she had on was thigh-high stockings. I took in her nude form. Her large breasts were capped by her upturned nipples which begged for attention. I picked her up and gently laid her on the bed of rose petals. I joined her, and we quickly became entwined in a passionate kiss.
�David, I can�t wait any longer. Make me a woman,� Zoe begged.
I�d planned to give her the full treatment. I wanted to make love to her body, but this was her night. I got off the bed and found a condom to put on. I put my extra ones on the nightstand so if we went again, they were within easy reach.
When I got back onto the bed, I covered Zoe�s body. Her legs came open, and my hips fell into position. She wrapped her arms and legs around me. The feel of her stockings made for an added pleasure. Mr. Happy was like a bloodhound and soon nosed his way between her folds. I pressed forward and felt her hymen stretch and then break. I was suddenly halfway in the tightest vise I�d ever been in. Zoe cried out when I broke through. I held still as she gripped me tighter.
�Tell me when you�re ready,� I said.
She gave me a little nod, and I began to slowly worm my way deeper. I had thought Suzanne had been the tightest ever. Virgin Zoe was as if I had put a warm, wet vise-grip on my member. When I was finally able to get myself all the way in, Zoe grunted. I began to make a circular motion with my hips to try to loosen her up some. This caused my pubic bone to rub her in the right spot. She responded to the stimulation and groaned in pleasure. At least I wasn�t killing her.
I continued to grind her, and Zoe must have been very aroused before we started because she surprised me when she climaxed. I thought she was going to snap the big guy off when she clamped down and began to shake. Damn, Zoe was a wild ride. After her orgasm, her legs and arms released me and they flopped onto the bed. I waited until her eyes opened, and then I began to slowly move in her. I sat up on my knees to get a better view as I invaded her tight little sex.
�They said I�d probably not enjoy it the first time. I think they lied to me. I can�t imagine it being any better,� Zoe said.
I gave her a feral grin and began my long, slow strokes followed by short, quick ones. I�d found this varied approach would quickly cause any woman to reach her peak. Zoe�s eyes got big, and she became flushed. I leaned down and kissed her as she had another screaming orgasm. Her tight little body clamped hard on me, and that was all I needed. The only problem was she had such a grip on me, I couldn�t get my release. It became almost painful, so I pulled out of her to relieve the pressure.
Once I caught my breath, I got up and went to the bathroom to dispose of my condom. There was some blood on it, so I wet a washcloth and went back and gently used it to clean Zoe up. She grabbed me and pulled me into bed with her. I settled down next to her and did what any male does when he�s sated: I fell asleep.
◊◊◊
I woke to giggles and whispers in the living room. I got out of bed and put on my boxers. I checked my phone and saw it was almost midnight. I needed to get Zoe home. I got dressed and walked into the living room where Brook, Halle, and Gina were talking to Zoe. These were just the girls I suspected had helped her plan tonight.
They all turned and smiled at me, telling me Zoe was pleased with what had happened tonight.
�We need to get going before your dad sends out a search party,� I said.
Zoe looked at the clock and scurried into the bedroom to put her dress on. She had been in a robe I assumed Brook had given her. I was pretty sure her parents wouldn�t approve of me taking her home in that. I walked up to Brook and took her hand so she would stand.
�Thank you for making tonight special for her,� I said, and I kissed her.
I went to Halle and did the same. Zoe came out as I was kissing Gina.
�Tell your sister thanks for the dress,� I said.
Gina giggled when she realized I�d figured it out. I let her go, and Zoe flowed into my arms for another kiss. If we�d had time, I would have pulled her back into bed. We hurried to my car so we could get her home. I was amazed at the change in her. Zoe chatted with me with me the whole way home like a silly schoolgirl. When we pulled up to her house, she giggled and kissed me, then jumped out of the car and ran for the house. Her mother met her at the door.
As I drove home, the evening�s events replayed in my head. I realized that Zoe had found my heart. I think I was starting to fall for her. I cautioned myself that I didn�t want to quickly fall in love with her like I had so many other girls in the past. I wanted the next girl I fell in love with to be the real thing.
When I got home, the light was on in the kitchen. I walked in and found my mom waiting for me.
�Call Grandma Dawson in the morning. She has Cubs tickets for you.�
I stood in stunned silence. Could this day get any better?
◊◊◊
Chapter 21 � Beloved Cubbies Monday October 12
I loved being in school. Today was Columbus Day, just another excuse for us not to have to attend. Of course, my mom and dad went off to work. I�d called Grandma Dawson and found out that not only did she have tickets for the Cubs game, but the tickets were for the Budweiser Patio, located in the right-field bleachers. It was an all-inclusive food and beverage area on the right field line. The governor�s office had called her, and Grandma reserved three tickets for me. I said a silent prayer and thanked Grandpa Dawson because it was out of respect for him that they had called my grandma.
I thought about whom I should invite. Tami would want to go. She loved baseball. The other person who immediately came to mind was Brook. She had taken me to the game at Busch Stadium. I rethought Tami and decided to ask Tracy instead. Both girls said not yes, but �hell yes� when I called and asked if they wanted to be my guest today. My grandma told me we should arrive two hours early and get into the Budweiser Patio. I planned to soak up every moment I could, so we planned accordingly for the six o�clock game.
◊◊◊
Mom called me just as I�d gotten comfortable in front of the TV to watch a Netflix show. I rarely got time to watch a movie, so it was a real treat.
�I found a PR firm to represent you. They have a questionnaire they need to have filled out before they�ll consider you as a client. I did most of it, but you need to finish it. Some of the questions are very personal, and I thought you had better answer them,� Mom warned me.
She emailed the file to me, and I opened it and began reading it. The company was IDC�Public Relations and my would-be agent was Frank Ingram, who was a partner. I assumed he was the �I� in IDC. The file included a brief blurb about the firm. Their list of references included Rita James and several other well-known Hollywood A-listers. They also represented sports and political figures.
I read their list of services, and it certainly looked like they would be able to handle everything. Their corporate mission statement was full of the right buzzwords.
Established in 2000, IDC is a dynamic, rapidly growing public relations agency with deep digital capabilities that infuse our work in many specialty areas. We are excited by the changes taking place in our industry and feel that the future holds enormous opportunities for companies integrating digital strategies into their communications mix. We work every day to meet and exceed our clients� expectations, and we thank each and every one of them for placing their trust in IDC.
I perused their fee schedule, and they weren�t cheap. Standard services were bad enough, but I about choked when I read what they charged for a scandal. Of course, that was just a jumping-off point. I made a vow to keep my butt out of trouble.
I then opened the questionnaire and was glad my mom had started it. It looked like either Tom or Kendal had helped her with all my business connections and past jobs. There was also a section about sports and extracurricular activities, including hobbies. I was shocked when they wanted me to list all my past and current relationships. They also wanted all my social media, picture, and video logins and passwords. Finally, Mom had to sign a release for them to check my criminal and credit records. They would know me better than my own parents would when they finished. I was happy to see that the file also included a confidentiality document they and my mom had signed to protect me. I spent the rest of my morning filling in the blanks on the form.
I made a point to email it directly to Mr. Ingram. I didn�t want my mom to know some of the adventures I�d been up to such as motocross and skydiving. I especially didn�t need to give her a list of my past girlfriends!
◊◊◊
On the ride up to Chicago, we decided to stop at a truck stop to get something to eat for lunch. I had taken the Charger, and we were making good time. After the server had taken our order, the two girls cornered me.
�How many girls are you stringing along right now?� Tracy asked.
Of course, I played dumb.
�What do you mean? When have I ever strung someone along?� I asked.
�By my count, you�re seeing at least four of us. When are you going to pick one?� Brook asked.
I looked up at the ceiling and counted to ten before answering. I looked Tracy in the eye because she had known me the longest and we had a history.
�Where�s this coming from? Seriously, when have I ever not been up-front with the girls I date?�
�We�ve been talking �� Tracy started.
I raised my hand to stop her. In middle school and before, Tami had told me what to do. During my freshman year, I had let Suzanne, Cindy, Tracy, and Beth run my love life. Sophomore year Peggy had strung me along with the whole �let�s date� routine and then slept with Mitch. My life had been a serial rotation of the girls in my life telling me what to do. That was no longer going to happen.
�While I appreciate everyone talking about me, I will not be told what to do.�
�That�s not what we were going to do,� Tracy said.
�Bullshit, it was exactly what you were going to do. You and your little cronies all got together and decided it was time for David to settle down and date someone. What makes you think I don�t like being a free agent? Hell, in six weeks I�ll be in LA for nearly two months. Why the hurry?� I asked.
Brook and Tracy looked at each other. Something was going on that I wasn�t aware of, and it looked like they wanted to tell me.
�Spill it,� I ordered.
�I guess I�m being selfish, and want to spend more time with you,� Brook said.
While what she said sounded plausible, she was lying. Brook only had to ask, and I would spend time with her. She and I had a great time together! I loved our adventures. Plus, our personal time together was special, too.
The problem was that the same might be said about Pam, Halle, and Zoe. I wasn�t willing to give any of them up, nor to choose one over the others. If Brook pushed the issue, I would give her up. The other girls weren�t ready for a commitment. Pam and I had talked about this several times, and we wanted to be friends. Halle knew I had finally broken up, or whatever you wanted to call it, with Tami just a short time ago. Halle told me she didn�t want to be my rebound girl. The only one I hadn�t really talked with was Zoe. We had just been getting to know each other, so I doubted she was behind this. Finally, Brook never once gave me any indication that she wanted anything more than to have fun.
Something didn�t ring true. I gave both girls a serious look, and they wouldn�t meet my eyes. Apparently, they knew something, but whatever it was, it didn�t have anything to do with either of them personally. The only possibility I could think of was that Zoe might have stronger feelings for me than I intended. We had just had a romantic evening where she gave me her precious gift. I felt much closer to her than I had only twenty-four hours ago. But that really didn�t ring true because Zoe was not a timid girl. If she had something to say to me, she�d be the one to tell me.
Tracy saved them from me �putting them to the question.�
�Do you think my boobs are bigger?� she asked.
I burst out laughing as she pushed her arms together to make them look bigger. This was one topic of conversation I was willing to indulge in. Soon both Tracy and Brook had me distracted. I would file this conversation away for another day. Today we had a baseball game to enjoy!
◊◊◊
We arrived at Wrigley Field just before four o�clock. The parking lot on Sheffield Avenue charged me eighty bucks to park for the game. That was highway robbery. We found the Will Call window and picked up our tickets, which had a face value of $250. Each. I would have to talk to my grandma. I was sure her still being a major donor had a great deal to do with why she received the tickets. I might have to contribute this year.
When we arrived at the Budweiser Patio, we found we weren�t the only ones who had come early. There were about forty people already there. It was nestled in the corner bleachers where right field and the first base line came together. They had installed a seventy-five foot LED message board on the right-field wall. It was just under where there were three rows of bleacher seating, and then behind that was the party deck. There had been an uproar when the bleacher seating had been taken out. The Cubs advertised the Budweiser Patio as being similar to the rooftop experience you could have from the buildings behind the outfield.
I made my way through the crowd, introducing myself to everyone. Tracy and Brook had found a table, and they each had a beer in front of them. I figured they couldn�t get into too much trouble, so I continued to mingle. I found that the crowd was a mix of big donors and politicians. I smiled when I saw Jack Mass, Harper�s dad.
�Hey, Buddy. I see you�re tearing it up on the football field. You plan on winning state this year?�
�Of course. Where�s your better half?� I asked, referring to Cook County State�s Attorney Bev Mass.
He turned and waved to her. She�d been cornered by a couple of guys and looked relieved when she came over.
�David,� Bev said as she hugged me.
�Hey, where�s your Cubs jersey?� I asked.
�I don�t have one,� she confessed.
I grabbed her hand.
�Come on, I�ll buy you one before this gets too crazy,� I said.
I know. How dumb must I be to buy a jersey at the ballpark? Then suddenly it was all worth it. Signing jerseys was Brett Healey. He was the Hall of Fame and ten-time All-Star second baseman who played for the Cubs in the �80s and early �90s. My dad still told me stories about his historic game against the hated Cardinals. Cub fans knew Brett as a solid-fielding second baseman. In the ninth inning, the Cubs trailed 9�8 and faced the premier relief pitcher of the time, Lindy Baker. Brett, not known for his power, hit a solo shot to tie the game. In the top of the tenth, the Cardinals put two on the board. Then Brett came to bat again, and Cubs radio announcer Hal Petri described it:
The Cubs went on to win the game in the eleventh, as my dad described it.
So here was my dad�s all-time favorite Cub, signing baseball jerseys. I had to get Dad one. Of course, I might have to wear it today. I brought two of them up to Mr. Healey to sign.
�You play baseball?� Brett asked me.
�Yes, sir. I play for Lincoln High,� I said.
He signed both jerseys, and I handed one to Bev. I wasn�t thinking as I pulled off the jersey I�d worn today and put the signed one on. I heard a gasp, and then blushed when I realized I�d just given my former girlfriend�s mother a little show.
�Aren�t you going to change?� I asked to tease her.
�I think I�ll wait until I�m somewhere other than in the middle of a store.�
When we got back to the Budweiser Patio, the major donors all wanted signed jerseys, so the crowd thinned out. Bev was the hit of the party, and she bragged that I had bought it for her.
That was when the State Troopers entered the party. Governor Higgins and his wife Betty followed them a moment later. While the governor pressed the flesh, I found Tracy and Brook.
�Let�s grab our seats for the game,� I said.
These were not your typical bleacher seats. In front of them was a table where you could put your beer and food. We were seated in the front row, so we had an unobstructed view of the field. I saw Brook had some nasty-looking nachos.
�Where�d you get the food?� I asked.
�Get me a Chicago Dog when you go up,� Tracy blurted.
I guess they weren�t on their first beer. Brook made a general pointing motion towards the back of the patio. The good news was the food was free. I think you got what you paid for. They gave me a drink tray, and I piled hot dogs on it, along with three beers. I figured it was a special day and I would enjoy one while watching the game. I had settled in, eaten one of my hot dogs, and downed half a beer when a shadow fell over me.
�Are you sure you�re old enough to be drinking?� asked a female voice.
I turned and saw Betty Higgins and the governor standing next to us.
�I think it�s okay for something like this,� Governor Higgins said, shaking my hand.
�Governor, Betty,� I said as I stood and shook their hands. �These are my friends Tracy Dole and Brook Davis.�
The governor sat down next to me, and one of his aides brought him a beer and an Italian beef sandwich with sweet and hot peppers on it.
�Where�d he get that?� I asked.
�Peter, bring us five sandwiches,� Governor Higgins said.
�If you feed him, you�ll have to take him home,� Tracy said. �I think that�s why my mom cooks for him. I heard he took his shirt off for Bev Mass. I wonder what she fed him.�
�David, take your shirt off,� Brook teased me.
�Governor, I�ll have to apologize for my friends� behavior. I think they�ve had a beer too many,� I said.
Luckily, the governor was a good sport. He and I talked football, and I caught him up on my season. The governor then wanted to hear about my recruiting trips. I found him easy to talk to and that I liked him as a person. His wife was funny and told stories on Kurt. Yep, we were now on a first-name basis. I got really interested when they told me funny stories about my grandpa. I hadn�t known that my grandpa had taken Kurt under his wing and mentored him when he first got started. Then the conversation got serious.
�David, your grandfather meant the world to me. I�ve had conversations with your grandmother, and if you ever need anything, I want you to call me. Even if I can�t help you directly, I might know who to get you in touch with. I�m not just saying this, I mean it. I would never have gotten to where I am today without Davey Dawson�s help. I hope you feel the same way because I might need you to help me on the campaign trail,� Kurt said with a smile.
�I don�t know what good I would do, but all you have to do is ask,� I said.
We settled in and watched the game. The good news about having the governor sit next to you was that we were actually served, instead of having to run down drinks or food. I switched to Coke, but the girls continued to drink free beer. I was glad to see they didn�t go overboard but were having a good time.
In the second inning, the Cubs hit a home run to take a 1�0 lead. There was a seventeen-mile-per-hour wind blowing out, and anything hit towards the outfield just seemed to hang forever. The Cardinals answered in the fourth by putting up two runs, but their lead was short-lived. The good guys hit three homers to take a 5�2 lead. In the sixth, the Cards stormed back with the long ball to come within a run at 5�4. The Cubs hit two more home runs to take a commanding 8�4 lead into the ninth. The Cardinals showed why they had won the division and with a swing of the bat added two more runs.
The game ended 8�6 in a long-ball fest. The Cubs were built with Wrigley Field in mind. If they could continue to hit home runs, they would win the series.
There was no hurry to get out because everyone had stayed until the end. They had a photographer, so we had him snap some pictures. I had one taken with Governor Higgins, Bev Mass, and Senators Dixon and Caster. The senators had attended my uncle�s wedding. I gave the photographer my email address so I could save the photo.
◊◊◊
After the game, I was hungry and asked Jack Mass for a recommendation. Jack invited us back to his house. He called in an order for Chinese as we left the ballpark. Traffic was nuts, but we followed Bev and Jack, who knew the shortcuts, so we were soon at their Lincoln Park home. I�d seen it before, but Brook and Tracy wanted the tour. The Mass home was as spectacular as I remembered. It was a credit to his company, which had built it.
�How do you know David?� Brook asked as we sat down to eat.
�David dated our daughter, Harper,� Bev said. �Funny story. My husband met David when Jack had to bail Harper out of jail. Needless to say, he wasn�t a fan at first.�
�I�m surprised David let her get arrested. He�s usually very good at sweet-talking the police,� Tracy said.
�This was right after filming his movie. David had had his head shaved, and the tattoos still looked real,� Jack said while shaking his head. �I�d been led to believe he was this All-American boy. When I show up, here�s this freak who I think my daughter�s dating to pay me back for some perceived slight in her childhood. I expected he�d have a motorcycle waiting to take her home on. He was my worst nightmare when I first saw him.�
�My dad has said those same words many times,� Tracy revealed.
�I thought your dad liked me,� I said.
Tracy rolled her eyes.
�My mom LOVES him,� Tracy said. �But Dad, not so much, as far as boyfriend material goes.�
�What is it with moms liking him? I think they like him a little too much,� Brook teased.
�I know what you mean,� Jack said with a smile.
�Admit it. You wish David was still dating Harper,� Bev said in my defense.
Jack just threw his hands up in defeat.
◊◊◊
On the ride home, Brook quizzed me about my grandfather and how he knew everyone. I admitted that I was just getting to know the governor. I then told them about how Davey Dawson had been a political force up until his death a few years ago. I explained how my grandma had made a point to introduce me to both political and business people at my uncle�s wedding. It seemed my grandma wanted me to follow in my grandpa�s footsteps and run for office someday.
◊◊◊ Tuesday October 13
When I arrived at school, a bigger crowd than normal waited by the front door. It looked like most of the football team was there. I walked up and gave them a confused look, but Jim simply grinned.
�Wait for it,� he said cryptically.
Then Mike came walking towards the front door from the parking lot. I looked at Jim and worried he might want to go another round with Mike for hitting on his girlfriend. When Mike made it to the front sidewalk, Wolf pulled out an old-school boom box.
�This song is for you, Mike,� Wolf called out.
I had to bite my lower lip when the old-school song by Naughty by Nature started��
Mike�s face turned red, and he pushed through the team to get inside. Before we all followed him in, Jim stopped us.
�No one touches Mike first. If anyone does, they have to answer to David,� he said, volunteering me to be the bad guy.
I had a feeling they�d put the pressure on Mike to see the error of his ways, but if he threw the first punch, all bets were off.
◊◊◊
Throughout the day, I heard guys singing about Mike and O.P.P.
I�d never seen the team turn on someone like this before. The closest had been Bill Rogers when he came after Tracy. Boy, that was a blast from the past. I�d like to have another go at him when he got out of jail. I think this time would be different.
◊◊◊
Because of my concussion, I wasn�t allowed to work out with the team or go to the dojo. Bud Mason, my quarterback coach, thought it was a perfect time to video chat with him while we prepared for Homecoming and playing Springfield. Our athletic director must have had brain damage to set up this game because Springfield was one of the best teams in the state. They had lost their first game of the season to Bloomington, who we beat, but they had won all their games since.
Our game last year had been intense. Springfield was the eventual State Champion in the class above ours. From looking at their game films, we were in for a fight.
�You�re going to have to establish the run,� Bud said. �If you don�t, they�ll pin their ears back and blitz you right out of the game. I have some serious concerns about you having success passing. Their defensive backs are solid across the board. I want to show you three plays.�
He brought up the first one. It was against McNamara High, a solid school who was in Springfield�s conference. The play showed a wide-open receiver one moment, and a Springfield defender intercepting the ball the next.
�Look at the play from the offensive side of the football. They�re lined up with two receivers on the left side. The slotback is covered by the inside linebacker, an obvious mismatch. The quarterback makes the right read and throws the ball to the slot receiver when he makes separation,� Coach Mason said as he stepped through the video frame by frame.
�Now let�s focus on the outside receiver. The cornerback is five yards off, and when the receiver comes off the ball, he positions himself so the receiver has a clear path up the sideline, putting him between the quarterback and the outside receiver. Nothing out of the ordinary,� Coach Mason said.
�Wait, go back,� I said.
This was how we were taught to defend an outside receiver. You put yourself between him and the ball and used the sidelines as another defender. What I saw was the cornerback hadn�t turned the right way to run with him. I had been taught that if you were peeking into the backfield, you were beat. The cornerback had turned to watch the quarterback�s eyes as the corner ran with the outside receiver. As the quarterback made the correct read, the cornerback broke for where the ball was going to be. As I watched the play unfold, I could see where I would likely fall into the same trap. It was an ingenious defensive play.
�What would you do to counter it?� Coach Mason asked me.
�If I saw the corner turn like that, I would throw to the outside receiver,� I said logically.
From Coach Mason�s chuckle, I knew that was wrong. He let the play continue but focused on the outside receiver who looked like he was running free. But then I saw the safety had sprinted over and would have a nearly perfect angle to either disrupt the pass or intercept it. Whoever their defensive coordinator was, he was a genius. This went beyond anything I had seen in high school. If it hadn�t been for Coach Mason pointing it out, I would have never seen it. It just wasn�t in my experience to have thought it was possible.
�Let�s look at the next play. The slotback does a nice seven-yard up and then does an out,� Coach Mason said.
I watch as the defensive tackle dropped back and ran with the receiver, and then, when he reached five yards past the line of scrimmage, the tackle quickly turned and put his giant hands out as if he were a basketball defender. I was shocked at the speed with which he did it. The quarterback, thinking a smaller linebacker covered the slot, threw the ball in anticipation of the break outside. The defensive tackle snatched the pass out of the air and rumbled back upfield.
�Two factors made this work,� Coach Mason said. �First is the athletic play of their defensive line. The second is the blitz by the linebacker he replaced. The offensive guard wasn�t able to pick up the linebacker when his assignment dropped back. His momentary confusion allowed the linebacker to run past him and get into the quarterback�s face. This forced the quarterback to dump the ball off to his slot receiver, a play they�d practiced a hundred times. While he made the right read and throw, it turned to disaster because of the size of the defender. Personally, I think the big guy got lucky when he caught the ball, but I would bet that nine times out of ten he would knock the pass down.�
Coach Mason had a knack for helping me understand what I was watching. I watched the games Springfield played, and it became apparent that they were playing chess while everyone else was playing checkers. Something I learned from Coach Mason was the three Ps: Prepare, Practice, and Perform.
◊◊◊
I didn�t get home until late. Once practice had finished, the coaching staff found me in the video room talking to Coach Mason. He walked them through everything he had shown me and then continued to coach. I wasn�t surprised when they started taking notes. Coach Diamond almost looked sick.
Then Coach Mason showed why his more than forty-five years of high-level coaching experience was invaluable. He showed us how to prepare to beat Springfield. Like all plays, there were reads that tipped them off, and we had enough game film to make educated guesses. Simply put, Coach Mason was smarter than Springfield�s defensive coach was, or so I hoped.
They kicked me out when my mom called to track me down. Moreover, I was damned hungry. When I walked in the back door, my boy was all wiggles and needed some loving. There�s a saying that you should always wish you were as good a person as your dog thinks you are. If Duke�s response to me was any indication, I was due for sainthood any day now.
�Check your phone,� Dad said. �You have some people trying to track you down.�
I�d turned it off during my session with Coach Mason. He didn�t tolerate interruptions, like a cell phone, while he worked with me. For what I paid him, he could have my undivided attention without a problem. I turned it on and found there were messages from Ridge Townsend and Bill Callaway, my USC friends. Another was from Frank Ingram with IDC. I decided to make the business call first.
�Mr. Ingram, David Dawson returning your call.�
�I reviewed your application, and I would like to ask you a couple of questions to see how we can help.�
�Thank you, sir,� I said.
�The first question I have is, do you have video chat? I would much rather we speak face-to-face if that�s possible.�
I told him what I used, and he joined my chat group. I was soon talking to him on my tablet.
�Much better,� Mr. Ingram said.
I was surprised he was so young. I expected him to be older if he was a partner. Mr. Ingram appeared to be in his mid-thirties and what you would think of as a California guy: he had blond hair and a deep tan. I could imagine him comfortable either on a golf course or surfing. He was sitting in an outdoor restaurant with his sunglasses on the table. He wore a light blue fitted button-up shirt.
�I took the liberty of talking to Rita James. I hope that was okay?� he asked.
�Yes, that�s fine. I�ve asked for her guidance.�
�What do you expect we will do for you?�
I�d had a few days to think about this, and I thought IDC would be more help once the movie came out. I decided to play it close to the vest and see what Mr. Ingram thought.
�Rita told me I should look into help with my image. I�m fairly new to this, so I�d appreciate any help you can give me.�
�David, I know you�re more on the ball than that. Tell me what you want,� Mr. Ingram challenged me.
�I�ve had my friends help me up to this point. They�ve done a great job, but I�m concerned about when the movie comes out. I think there�ll be a window of opportunity that I need to take advantage of.�
�What about sports? What do you want from football and baseball?�
�I don�t really know. What are you getting at?� I asked.
�When you dream, what does the perfect world look like, sports-wise?� he asked.
�I�m like Bo Jackson and play both baseball and football at the highest levels,� I said.
�Is there room for modeling and acting if you do that?� Mr. Ingram asked.
�I originally started modeling because our family was tight on money. Then I found I really liked it. The movie I made was a lot of fun. I can see both as being vehicles to make me comfortable.�
He laughed at my last statement.
�After you�re done with sports, what�s the plan?� he asked.
�I don�t have much of a plan yet. I own a farm. I might settle down and raise a family.�
�Don�t you think you�d get bored? I�ve seen some of the videos, and get the feeling you like excitement and a challenge. I would�ve thought you had bigger plans,� Mr. Ingram said.
�My grandpa was in politics. My grandmother has suggested I go into that. I�ve also thought about going into business.�
�So, your image needs to remain the clean-cut young man with a touch of danger mixed in. Would it be okay if we portrayed you as being single?� he asked.
�Maybe you could get me to be the sexiest man alive,� I teased.
Mr. Ingram gave me a sad look as he shook his head.
�There�s only so much we can do.�
I started to like him.
�You know what I really want? I want to have Hannah Minacci go to the prom with me if only to see the look on my brother�s face,� I said with a huge smile.
�I like how you think. I�d be jealous if you pulled that off,� Mr. Ingram said and then got more serious. �I got the impression family is important to you. Will they be supportive?�
�We�re a close-knit group. I can count on them.�
�Good. I�d like to take you on as a client. We have a lot of work to do between now and when you come to LA. I have some ideas to raise awareness of who you are. My goal is to help you achieve your goals. Something else we must keep in mind is that we�re both in business. My services have to justify themselves. Put simply, I have to make you money, be that in your billable hours modeling or your football contract. Does that sound like something that would interest you?�
�Yes, sir,� I said.
�Great. I�ll get the contract sent to your lawyers. Could you do me one favor?� Mr. Ingram asked.
�Yes, sir,� I said.
�Call me �Frank.� We�ll become close, and I hope you�ll consider me a friend.�
�I can do that,� I said.
We said our goodbyes.
◊◊◊
I sent a text to Bill and had him jump onto video chat. I smiled when a familiar face greeted me.
�Sage! Long time no see,� I said.
Sage had been on my Range Sports photo shoot when we did Napa Valley. She had been a ballerina before becoming a model. Sage could pick her foot off the ground, put it on my shoulder, and use her foot to pull me into a kiss. GRRrrrrr. She was FLEXIBLE. I had hooked her up with Bill when he went to USC last summer. They�d hit it off and had been going out ever since.
�Hello, Handsome. Both Ridge and Bill went out to pick up dinner. When are you coming to LA?� Sage asked.
�End of November. I�ll be out there for two months. First shooting my new movie, and then the premiere of
Then Penny, Ridge�s high school sweetheart and the girl who tried to force me to do a threesome, stepped into view.
�David. How�ve you been?� Penny asked.
�Good, and you?�
�Not bad,� she said and then turned. �It sounds like the boys are back.�
�Ridge, Bill!� I called.
They both came in with bags in their hands. Penny and Sage took the bags and then went to the kitchen to give the guys some privacy.
�Did you hear what happened?� Bill asked.
Yesterday the news reports said that the USC football coach had been fired for being drunk one too many times. Plus, they were crushed by Washington on Saturday.
�Yeah. You play Notre Dame this week. How�s the team taking it?� I asked.
�After last week�s loss to Washington, we need to focus and turn things around against Notre Dame. It�s going to be tough, but I think we can give them a game,� Ridge said, and then smiled. �Guess who�s starting their first game?�
�Bill!� I shouted. �Man, that�s great news. You must be psyched.�
�You�re still planning on being there, aren�t you?� Bill asked.
�I wouldn�t miss it for the world. I can�t wait to tell the guys,� I said.
�We might be able to get to your game. I�ve been invited back for Homecoming, and Ridge told the coaches he could talk you into accepting an offer from USC,� Bill said.
�They have to actually offer for that to happen. If you guys come, we�re playing Springfield. It should be a good game,� I said.
�It�s not certain that we�ll be able to come. They don�t let us wander off to watch high school games when we travel, but we�ll work on Coach and see if we can make it down,� Ridge said.
The girls called them to dinner, and we promised, at the least, to hook up at Notre Dame.
◊◊◊
Chapter 22 � Our Fearless Leader is Worthless Thursday October 15
Today I felt no residual effects from my concussion, and according to my instructions, that set me free to do everything. That was good news, because I hadn�t been able to do anything but throw on the sidelines, and I was eager to get back to playing football.
When Duke and I came downstairs, Buster and Rachel greeted us. Duke ran to the back yard. As I began to stretch, I noticed that Precious was nowhere to be seen. She was usually waiting for us. I admit I had slowly become fond of the cat from hell. I would have to ask Brit what was going on.
When we started to run, I took a deep breath; there was a feeling of crispness and the scent of fall in the air. The leaves were in full color. This was my favorite time of year. It was cool enough I could run all day. I was in my own little world when someone jabbed me in the butt. I turned to see poor Rachel about ready to collapse. I�d forgotten she was with me. I pulled out my earbuds and smiled at her.
�Sorry,� I said.
�I would have slowed down, but you have Buster,� she complained.
Duke was the better behaved of the two dogs when we ran, so we had traded. Buster seemed to mind me better, and if he did decide to act up, I was strong enough to get him back into line without him dragging me across someone�s front yard. One day last week Buster had seen a squirrel and Rachel had gone for a ride. He could be a real bull when he got it into his head.
Of course, he tended to keep an eye on me because I ran with my Bo staff and would tap his butt with it if he got distracted. I had started to feel comfortable with the Bo staff. While using it still exercised my hands, wrists, and forearms, they no longer ached after I worked with the weighted rod.
�You did very well to keep up. You�re getting better,� I said.
Rachel gave me a dirty look, so I started to run home to drop her and Buster off.
�Jerk,� she mumbled.
I grinned as I picked up the pace. Rachel was game and tried to pass me. I let her get a little ahead and then increased my speed once again. For being in middle school, she was fast. She gave me the evil eye when I flipped around and ran backward. When we got to the end of the block, Rachel put on a burst of speed. I let her beat me to our front yard. When she started to collapse, I scooped her up and made her walk it off. Buster was done, too. I grabbed Duke�s leash, and we finished our run.
◊◊◊
Yesterday, the harassment of Mike had continued. Before practice, he�d had enough, and it looked like he was going to take a swing at Wolf when Cassidy stepped in. I don�t know what she said, but they both thought better of fighting. When I walked up to the school, Mike was just getting out of his car, and we both saw the football team waiting for him. This had gotten out of hand.
�Hold up, Mike,� I called out, and he scowled at me. �Settle down. Wait here. I�ll talk to the guys and get them to back off.�
He didn�t look happy, but he waited by his car. I strolled up and got everyone�s attention.
�I appreciate everyone coming together and letting Mike know that what he�s been up to is not acceptable. I think we all know this is not going to end well. While I�d love to kick his ass, I also want to play football. We�re hitting the tough part of our schedule, and we can�t lose any of you for doing something stupid and getting suspended. I�m asking you all to stop harassing Mike until the season�s over,� I said.
�Can I kick his ass after the season?� Wolf asked.
I was surprised Wolf seemed to be the most upset. He usually was more of a fun-loving kind of guy and would joke his way out of a confrontation. What I saw on his face was something new for him.
�While I don�t condone violence �� I started, but they all drowned me out with laughter and scoffs of derision.
I motioned for Mike to come forward. The guys gave him hard looks, but no one said anything. I had a bad feeling we wouldn�t make it through the season before something happened.
◊◊◊
Right before football practice, my phone rang.
�This is David,� I said.
�Hey, David,� Devin Range said. �I hear you received your skydiving license.�
Brook and I had completed our required twenty-five jumps. It had become much more fun towards the end when they allowed us to do solo jumps. And there were other parts of the training that were fun. You had to learn to handle different scenarios. An example was what you did if your main chute failed. We also did a low-altitude jump that was a rush. When the ground is that close, as you hurtle towards earth, it seems like it takes forever for your chute to deploy.
Brook had done some Internet searches and found two adventures we were going to try. The first was a wingsuit. You looked like a flying squirrel. She�d shown me some spectacular videos of people BASE jumping. Brook had me half-talked into flying to one of the locations to experience the thrill of screaming down the side of a mountain. I finally talked her into trying it out of a plane first. Even I wasn�t crazy enough to try it for the first time off the edge of a mountain.
The second was skysurfing. This was like snowboarding but in free fall. The videos looked like a total blast. I imagined doing almost everything I did on the Jet Water Board. It had the added bonus of not being tied to the Jet Ski. Of the two, I thought I would enjoy skysurfing more. The deciding factor was that I could do it right here.
�I did. When do you want to test out your new toy?� I asked, referring to the wingboard he�d had developed.
�We want to come and film you on it next week. Are you free next weekend?� Devin asked.
I pulled out my tablet and saw something new on my calendar. It said �Boys� Weekend�Turkey Season Opens.�
�I have something you and Lou might want to do with me on Saturday. It�s the opening of Turkey Shotgun Season. My uncle has a farm where we can go hunt.�
�That would work. We�ll film you on the wingboard Saturday afternoon and Sunday,� Devin said.
�I have a friend who took the skydiving classes with me. She�d love to try your new toy. Want me to ask her along?� I asked.
�Sure. It might be good to show a girl using it.�
�Also, do you have wingsuits and sky surfboards?� I asked.
I might as well get Devin to buy the equipment. He would let me have it after the shoot.
�As a matter of fact, Lou was talking to me about us selling those. I�ll see if he can get them together,� he said, sounding excited. �Be sure to get your friend under contract, and have her email Sandy with her sizes.�
As soon as we hung up, I called Kendal. She said she�d take care of it. She informed me my dad had signed the contract with IDC�Public Relations. Kendal told me she would let IDC know about the photo shoot. I made a mental note to remember that I�d have to keep them in the loop.
◊◊◊
It felt good to be back in a helmet and pads, running our offense. I�d spent a productive time preparing for Springfield�s tricky defense. Coach Mason had worked with Coach Diamond to come up with a game plan we thought had a chance to outfox them.
Coach Mason wasn�t a fan of the triple option but didn�t want to change the offense this late in the season. He did move the two halfbacks three yards further out from the tackles into more of a traditional slotback formation. This helped to spread out the defense. The way we had been lining up allowed them to bunch up the middle easily by putting eight men in the box. This meant that it was easier for the defense to guard against our run game. With our slotbacks moved further out, they would be forced to cover more of the field.
During practice, it became apparent that the new formation was working because Coach Zoon�s boys were having a hell of a time stopping us. Jake and Ed, our slotbacks, had a much easier time of it. They were both dangerous in the open space, especially if a linebacker had to cover them. When we added Ty to the mix, we were unstoppable. The key would be that our offensive line absolutely had to hold up against Springfield. If the line gave me enough time, I could get the football to our speed guys, and we would be able to defeat Springfield�s superior defensive schemes.
This approach was very much from the old Oakland Raider playbook. They believed in stretching the field with speed and forcing defensive backs to have to make plays. This put tremendous pressure on the defense because instead of a brawl, where you had to fight your way through multiple opponents, you isolated one or two defensive players. They had to be able to defend against your best athletes. It only took a slight mistake to suddenly allow a big play. Coach Mason was a big believer in the 20-plus-yard plays stat. The team with more of those plays usually won.
The key to this working was me. I had the arm strength and accuracy to be able to throw the long ball. Usually, that would be enough, but with Springfield, I had to be careful. It would be a game of cat-and-mouse. I just needed to be aware, so I didn�t get turned into the mouse.
◊◊◊
I�d decided to bypass the dojo this week. Actually, Coach Hope had ordered it. He didn�t want to take a chance with my concussion.
Tami had also sent me information on the recovery process. There had been an animal study where they had given rats concussions. One set of rats received a mild concussion daily for a month. After the month, it showed that those rats had noticeable brain damage. Another group received a mild concussion once a week. What they found was initially up to ten percent of the neural synapses either had degraded or were interrupted. After three days, the pathways would heal back to normal function. The conclusion was that even mild cases of concussion had to be given time to mend. Tami added that she felt further studies would show that was why football players had problems over time. Repeated daily head trauma in practice and games had a cumulative effect because the brain didn�t have time to recuperate.
Of course, she sent the information to both Coach Hope and my mom. I saw the logic in the study results, and that was why I hadn�t fought the trainers on getting back onto the field too soon. The whole experience had scared me a little bit.
What I did after practice instead was more fun than letting Cassidy kick my butt. I gathered the team and cheerleaders together, minus Jim and Mona, before everyone took off.
�It looks like everyone�s here,� Wolf said.
�I�ve gathered you all here to participate in my diabolical plan,� I started, rubbing my hands together. �Homecoming is tomorrow, and we need to decide who�ll be King and Queen."
Kim jumped up, sauntered up to me, and grinned. I guess my expression gave away my thoughts at that moment because everyone started to laugh. I held up my hand.
�Okay, new plan,� I said as Tracy did the same little walk.
I looked between the two of them and must have had a brain freeze. Either that or Mr. Happy seized control of the body.
�Hang on. I might have a new plan,� I confessed.
�I think our fearless leader is worthless,� Wolf announced.
�I want to hear this new plan of his,� Yuri said.
�Everyone vote for Jim. The girls can fight it out,� I said.
Mona would have to win on her own merits. Kim and Tracy gave the guys their best sexy looks. I had a feeling Mona was in trouble.
◊◊◊
Halle went home with me for dinner. I�d put a stew in the Crock-Pot this morning because it was the perfect meal for when it started to cool off. When I got home, Dad had arrived first and was making drop biscuits.
�Devin Range and one of his employees will be joining us to go hunting this weekend,� I said.
�You aren�t going to kill Bambi, are you?� Halle asked as she wrinkled her nose.
�No, David�s going to kill turkeys,� Dad said. �John says that we can smoke some of them for Thanksgiving. One of the other farmers put in a smokehouse and has been bragging about it.�
I rolled my eyes. I knew where this was going.
�So he bought one and is having it installed,� Dad said.
�I like smoked turkey,� Halle offered.
�You have to shoot your own,� I said, thinking that would discourage her.
�Can I come?� she asked, surprising both my dad and me.
�Hold that thought,� I said, pulling out my phone.
�Brook, do you want to go hunting with us this weekend before we go skydiving?� I asked.
�Sure,� she said.
�Okay, we�ll need to leave for my uncle�s farm after the dance,� I said. �Oh, and Halle�s going with us.�
�I can�t wait to see her hunting,� Brook said and hung up on me.
I turned to see both my dad and Halle staring at me. I almost blurted �it wasn�t me,� because I�d obviously done something wrong. Then it dawned on me: I had let the cat out of the bag.
�Oh, shit!� was my witty announcement.
�Did you say something about skydiving?� Dad asked.
�You signed me up,� I said, panicked.
�What?� Dad asked.
�It�s part of a photo shoot I�m doing for Range Sports,� I started to explain when my mom walked in the door.
Halle got up.
�I think I need to leave you so you can talk to your parents,� she announced.
Of course, that caught my mom�s attention. I jumped up and put Halle between my mom and me.
�I love you,� I said to my mom.
Halle broke away when she saw the expression on my mom�s face. Coward! Halle scampered out the back door. My mom gave me an evil look. Mom�s interrogation was interrupted when Halle stuck her head in the back door.
�Give me your Jeep keys,� she said.
I had brought her to my house and planned to give her a ride home. Halle didn�t need to witness what was about to happen, so I tossed them to her, and she made good on her escape.
The timer went off for the biscuits, so Dad pulled them out. I�d already set the table but hadn�t plated the stew. I prepared a serving for everyone, and we all sat down as if we were having our usual family dinner.
�How was your day?� I threw out.
�Pretty good, until I heard something about a photo shoot and everyone started acting weird. Is Devin trying to kill you again?� Mom asked.
�Lou has a new invention called a wingboard. They�ll be here next Saturday to shoot me using it. It sounds like it should be a lot of fun,� I said, putting the best possible spin on it.
My mom tilted her head to look at me and then turned to my dad. I swear the man has no backbone. She took a quick glance at him and then her eyes darted back to me. Mom wasn�t sure what a wingboard was, but she knew there had to be more to this. Then she got a cagey look.
�I�m sure they have a video. Show me,� Mom demanded.
I might try and sugarcoat something, but years of indoctrination had taught me to never to lie to my mother. I got my tablet and pulled up the video of the model test. As far as I knew, I would be the first one to ever actually use it.
Both Mom and Dad watched the video without comment. When it came to the part where it showed how you jumped off the wingboard and parachuted to land, they both stared up at me. When the video ended, my mom glanced at me and then gave me a hard look.
�What else have you been up to?� she asked.
�Good question!� Dad said with a big smile.
I gave them my �poor me� look and sighed. The German judge gave it an eight out of ten. I logged onto my Dropbox account and started the video of me doing motocross. I figured if I was going down, best to get it over with. When the video started, it was my dad who was pissed.
�What did we say about motorcycles?� he asked.
�That I couldn�t buy one, which is why we rented these,� I said.
�Who�s we?� Mom asked.
�Crud!� I said, ready to kick my own butt. �Brook Davis.�
�And how did all this start?� Mom probed.
�Brook and I go on adventures. We went skydiving on our first date,� I said.
�You did what?� Mom exploded.
I pulled up the video files and played her our first tandem skydives. Unfortunately, I played the whole video that showed �the kiss.� It was good that Greg and Dad had scared me about having images or videos of underage nudity or I might have accidentally shown my mom a video of me having sex. I seemed to be on a roll tonight.
My mom was starting to figure out the secret life I�d been leading. I think what shocked her most wasn�t that I was doing things that might get me killed, it was that she had no clue I was doing them. I had decided to not share everything with my parents anymore, but wouldn�t lie if directly asked.
�I have some questions,� Mom started. �How did you get them to let you skydive?�
�We said we were 18.�
Dad actually flinched.
�Have you skydived solo?�
This started a series of questions that ended up with me revealing that Brook and I had in fact gotten our licenses and that it entailed a minimum of twenty-five supervised jumps. Range Sports had insisted we do that before they would let me do the photo shoot. I think Dad appreciated that I didn�t expose his part in this and tell Mom he�d signed off on it. This was part of my �if it wasn�t asked, I wouldn�t tell� strategy.
Then the evening turned to the penalty phase. I debated about turning my father in when he suggested that he and Mom should volunteer to be chaperones at the Homecoming Dance. My look of horror was enough to get my mom laughing. Then they gave me the absolute worst punishment a parent can give a kid. Believe me, I would rather be beaten than receive this:
�We�ll have to think about what we�re going to do,� Mom said.
Aw, shit!
◊◊◊
Chapter 23 � Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly! Friday October 16
When I got to school, Mona was waiting for me in the parking lot.
�What happened to our deal?� she asked.
�You weren�t there. Kim and Tracy didn�t play fair.�
�They flirted with you!�
I nodded.
�Men!� she shouted and stomped off.
The rest of the cheerleaders had seen what happened and had some choice comments. I was ready to tell them to back off when Zoe walked up and kissed me.
�What was that for?� I asked.
�For asking me to be your date for the Homecoming Dance.�
I hadn�t asked her to the dance. Then I realized I hadn�t asked anyone. My first reaction was to push back, but then I remembered Sunday and just smiled. Zoe grabbed my hand and made me walk her to her locker. Halle and Brook were waiting for me.
�How much trouble did you get into?� Halle asked.
�I don�t know,� I said.
They all three looked at each other and then back at me.
�I received the dreaded �we�ll think about what will happen to you� punishment.�
�So, we�re still on for next weekend?� Brook asked.
�As far as I know.�
�What are you doing?� Zoe asked.
Brook and Halle explained about going turkey hunting and then the photo shoot.
�I want to go,� Zoe said.
I didn�t really believe that three girls would actually want to go hunting. I worried about what they really planned, but couldn�t think of a good reason to turn them down.
◊◊◊
Because I was leaving school three weeks before the end of the term to shoot my movie, I had to learn the material and/or complete any projects that were required for that period. In reality, it was really only two weeks because the last week was reserved for review and then finals. One of my projects was a painting for my Life Drawings II class.
I�d chosen Duke as my subject matter. I�d originally planned to use a charcoal drawing I�d done of Halle, but we�d learned some new techniques, and I wanted to try them with Duke�s painting.
Duke was very good at posing. I think most people would call it napping. He had �posed� for several pencil drawings until I�d found a pose I liked. I first tried to do him in charcoal, but the starkness of the black and white medium didn�t produce the effect I wanted. I then had done a watercolor, but it wasn�t sharp enough and didn�t have the definition I was looking for. I then switched to acrylics. They allowed me more detail.
Halle had helped me master a few techniques and offered many suggestions. She had an eye that I frankly didn�t have. When I was finished, she added Precious to the background. It was the touch of whimsy the painting had been lacking. It showed the evil feline stalking her unsuspecting prey, which modeled real life. You could just imagine the chaos that was about to happen. Technically, I shouldn�t turn it in, but ninety percent of it was mine. The other reason I decided to submit it for my class project was that I didn�t have time to paint another one.
Ms. Saunders had me bring my painting to the front of the class. She wanted to see my pencil drawings, charcoal, and watercolor as well. She used everything to talk about the process and allowed my classmates to comment on my work. Even I was a little nervous about having my creations critiqued. This was something I hadn�t mastered yet, and it was personal. Ms. Saunders had been teaching for years and was good at guiding the conversation so that it was learning experience rather than something negative.
I was a happy boy when she gave me an �A� for my project, which in effect gave me an �A� for the class. Ms. Saunders then hung my painting on the wall. I know it seems stupid because it looked like when you were a child and your parents put your �art� on the refrigerator, but I was proud of the painting and that she thought enough of it to put it on display.
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The temperature had dipped into the low 50s for tonight�s game. Perfect weather for football. On the way to school, I flipped through the radio stations and a song came on that made me stop and listen. It was by Joey and Rory called
When the song was over, the announcer told the story of the couple behind the music. Joey had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the song was her way of assuring her husband that he would be okay after she left him. There were days when the pain from Jeff�s passing was as fresh as if it were yesterday. Little things would remind me of my best friend. I hadn�t realized how much I would miss him until he was gone.
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I said a little prayer. I took a deep breath and got my emotions under control. I vowed that I would have the best game of my life in honor of my best friend. I pulled away from the curb and put some metal on to get me in the mood to crack some heads.
After I dropped off my bags at my locker, I sauntered over to the hospitality tent. I was the personification of the high school jock: I had on high-tops, loose-fitting jeans, my football jersey, and letterman�s jacket. I held my head high to show my confidence and walked with just a little swagger.
When I walked into the tent, I smiled to see Ridge and Bill were already there with their new head football coach. I saw Mrs. Sullivan and hurried over to her.
�I need your purse,� I said.
She gave me a funny look, but turned around and got it. After she handed it to me, I walked up behind Ridge.
�I see you came tonight so you could carry my bags,� I said as he turned and I put the purse in his hands.
He looked down and burst out laughing.
�Screw you, Dawson!�
I gave him a big hug and then turned to Bill.
�Suit up, Buddy. We need you tonight,� I said, pulling him into a hug.
Mrs. Sullivan rescued her purse and gave Bill a hug. I was introduced to Coach Enron, the interim coach for USC. We got in line for food, and I was happy to see they were serving steaks. Mrs. Sullivan had taken care of me and had a big salad, grilled vegetables, and an extra steak ready for me. I smiled when Ridge and Bill decided to eat the same meal. We found a table, and Jeff, my favorite reporter, joined us. I introduced him to everyone.
�Coach, why hasn�t USC offered David yet? Is there no interest, or do you think you�re set at quarterback?� Jeff asked.
I just ducked my head and began to eat. Ridge and Bill had heard my shots at USC for not making an offer. Jeff had heard me tell the press who was on my list.
�Last I heard, David wasn�t sure he would play quarterback. There was talk of him playing fullback, if I remember correctly,� Coach Enron said and raised an eyebrow at me. �I�ve heard he finally decided to play a little quarterback. I watched his game on the plane ride to Chicago, the one where he set the national record. It was more than enough to let these two talk me into coming to see him play in person.�
Jeff then got Ridge and Bill to tell �David stories.� Bill told him about his opportunity to start against Notre Dame. Then Jeff turned his focus on me.
�I was just told that your last game will be against King High School, who�s currently rated the fifth-best team in the nation. From looking at your schedule tonight, and that game, they should be your biggest challenge for an undefeated season. Is that something you think you can accomplish?� Jeff asked.
I suddenly had reporters putting their phones in front of me to record my answer. Coach Enron watched with interest to see how I would handle the attention.
�This is the first I�ve heard about a game against King. From what I know, they have a fine football team, and we�ll have our hands full when we play them. Springfield I do know about. I�ve watched game film, and they have the best defensive scheme I�ve ever played against. From watching how they�ve progressed since their first loss, all I can say is Bloomington got lucky to play them early, before they figured it out. Since then they�ve shut down the opposing offenses and have won easily,� I said.
Jeff rolled his eyes at me because I�d done my usual building up of our opponent.
�So, are you going to beat Springfield?� he followed up.
I got a pinched expression on my face and debated whether to let the cat out of the bag or not. Then I smiled.
�By three scores,� I predicted.
I caught Jeff flat-footed.
�Seriously?� he asked in shock.
�Hey, you�re the one who�s always complaining I never give you a straight answer,� I teased him, and then got serious. �Everything I said about Springfield is true. They�re bigger and stronger than we are at almost every position. Last year we gutted out a game that, quite frankly, we shouldn�t have won. The difference is that going into this game, we know we can play with them. Our sophomores and juniors have had a year to grow and get stronger. They now are juniors and seniors. We can stand up to them, physically.
�It starts with the players who made a commitment to work out and practice this summer. Our booster club and fans have done everything they can to support us. The coaching staff has worked just as hard to get us prepared. It�s like Superman. He had to first find out he had it in him to be a hero, and he then got his cape. Later he worked hard to learn to wear it. Finally, he could fly. Tonight, Lincoln High is ready to fly, and Springfield is going to find out they�re playing an opponent that�s hit its stride.
�You�ll see tonight that Lincoln High has become the team to beat for State. Up until now, we�ve been preparing. Tonight, we step forward and separate ourselves from the rest of the pack,� I said, and was surprised when my teammates got to their feet and started chanting, �Our House!�
They had filtered in to eat and caught me as I gave my speech. Jeff was shaking his head at me, and Coach Enron gave me a little smile. I would bet he�d have a problem if one of his players made such a bold prediction about their upcoming game against Notre Dame. What it did for me was to take my feelings from being internalized and throwing down the gauntlet by declaring my intentions. Suddenly I had a lot more on the line. I�d decided not to hide but put it out to the world that we were going to win.
Ridge grabbed me before I went to get ready to play.
�Jesus, Dawson. You�ve come out of your shell. Now go show me why there�s been all the hype. I saw a glimpse of it when we were at the USC camp. I can�t wait to see you play again. Good luck.�
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I entered the locker room, got taped, and found my usual pregame seat next to Jim and Wolf. My earbuds were in so I could listen to music and visualize what I would do on the field tonight. We then went out and warmed up. Tonight, Yuri and Wolf were co-captains, and they led the team through warm-ups.
It was a big deal for Yuri because he was only a sophomore, but he�d taken over the defensive play-calling after we first lost Tim and then Mike had quit. It was too much to ask Jake to step in to play linebacker and make the defensive calls.
I felt good throwing the ball. My body had been given almost a week of no contact, and there were none of the usual aches and pains you get during a season. Coach Mason had watched the video of my practice yesterday, and he harped on my release point. During warm-ups, I focused on making sure I was doing it right. I had Alan watch each throw. He had a running commentary on every little thing I was doing wrong. Normally that would irritate me, but tonight it just reminded me of Jeff and Alan when we used to hang out. My last three throws were rifle shots that almost took the receivers off their feet. I was ready!
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Yuri and Wolf joined me for the coin flip with Springfield. Springfield won the toss and decided to take the football in the second half. The kickoff sailed through the end zone, so we were first and ten on the 20. I walked out with the first play ready. I took a moment to think of Jeff and scan the stands, knowing he would have loved tonight. The place was packed with orange-and-blue-clad Lincoln High fans with their damned cowbells.
We had been picked as a high school game of the week on our cable provider�s sports network. It only covered the center part of the state. They were smart in that they presented three games for their subscribers to pick from. The subscribers then voted on which game they would like to see. Springfield was a much bigger city, and I expect they had voted to see their team play an away game.
As I approached the line, the crowd started the �Our House!� chant.
Springfield was in a four-three defense (four down linemen and three linebackers). When they saw us come out with our halfbacks moved out into the slot, their outside linebackers edged out to help cover them. This left four linemen and one linebacker to face our five linemen. We had prepared for this, and I stood up from under center.
�Omaha, Omaha!� I shouted as I paced back and forth behind the linemen.
I stepped back into the shotgun, and the outside linebackers edged further out to help cover the slotbacks. We had planned this play to be started on the ball. That meant a silent count, and everyone watched the center. When he snapped the football, the play started. This caught Springfield flat-footed because typically the quarterback either calls out a count or makes some sort of hand motion.
I faked the handoff to Ty, which caused the Springfield defense to react to the run. They were well-coached, and we had counted on that. They saw what I saw, that we had even numbers in what�s called �the box.� That�s where most running plays end up, between the tackles. If there were equal numbers of our linemen and their defenders in the box, it meant we had an advantage. Theoretically, if we blocked our assigned defenders, there would be no one to tackle Ty. That was why you would see defenses do what�s called �stack the box.� In essence, they brought in more defenders than we could block to stop the run.
Springfield did as we expected: they snuck up both safeties to help defend the run. Their sneaky defensive coordinator, in essence, had stacked the box with defensive backs. What they didn�t realize was we had a secret weapon in Bud Mason. He had coached offense at a high level for forty-five years. He designed the play so that both Jake and Ed, our slotbacks, ran straight up the field. This forced their slower linebackers to play as defensive backs. Vertical speed was a killer, and Springfield had just outsmarted themselves. Both guys blew by the linebackers, and it was an easy toss and catch to Ed for the first score.
Springfield came out and lined up in the power �I� with the tight end as an extra fullback. They were going to work at winning the time of possession and use their superior size to pound us into submission. They slowly worked their way down the field, gaining three to four yards on each play. When they reached the Red Zone, inside our 20, Coach Zoon switched up the defense. He put Johan in at nose tackle, lined up over the center, and now we were in a five-man front. As I had said in my interview, we were more experienced, and we were stronger than we had been last year. We stopped them at the 12 yard line, and they settled for a field goal to make it 7�3.
On the ensuing kickoff, Ed brought the football out to the 31 yard line. We lined up in a base formation, and I was in the shotgun.
�Down!� I called, and Wolf came in motion towards the center of the field.
�Set. Hut, HUT!�
I�d waited until Wolf had come across the face of the formation to a spot just outside Jim at tackle. What I had watched for was what the cornerback covering Wolf had done. If he stayed home, that meant they were playing a zone. Instead, he followed Wolf across the formation. This would give an extra blocker if we ran to the side of the field Wolf was now on. Their safety cheated up to help in case we ran to that side.
We ran a two-man option to the weak side. We had to hope Neil, at right tackle, could handle their defensive end. If he couldn�t, the defensive end would be in my face and cause me to have to pitch too soon. On the snap, Neil got off the ball well and held his block long enough. Little Ed did just enough to slow down the outside linebacker. I was impressed that Ed sacrificed himself. Ty and I turned the corner and headed upfield. Their cornerback was my first read, and he forced the football out of my hands. Ty took the ball as I flattened the smaller cornerback. The safety came forward, and Ty bamboozled him when he cut towards the center of the field instead of racing up the sideline. That was when Jim showed why he was considered one of the best linemen in the Midwest. He had sprinted upfield on the snap and was in position to block the backside safety. I was jealous when I heard the crack of the pads as Jim destroyed the poor kid. You don�t get many chances to hit someone that hard, and Jim took full advantage. He actually knocked the safety out of one of his shoes. Ty raced down the center of the field and scored to make it 14�3.
Springfield came out and tried to run the football down our throats. I give them credit for not panicking and sticking with their game plan. They were third and one, barely across midfield, when I spotted something I�d seen on tape. I had skimmed through their offense on the off chance I might play some defense. I sprinted to Coach Zoon.
�Pass, Pass, Pass!�
Unfortunately, the defense couldn�t hear me over the crowd noise. Coach Zoon spotted it once I pointed it out and tried to call time out. We watched as they executed their first pass play of the day to perfection. Their quarterback faked the handoff, stood up and hit their wide receiver on a slant. We had committed to stopping the short-yardage run. When our cornerback slipped, it was an easy score. They were now only down 14�10.
On the next series, their sneaky defensive coordinator got me. A voice in my head screamed that Wolf was too wide open. I hit a sprinting safety as if I intended to throw it to him. Shit! I hadn�t thrown an interception since the first game, and again this one was a pick-six. We were now down 17�14.
I came out the next series and showed why I was the top-rated quarterback. I was sure I made Ridge proud because I eviscerated the Springfield defense with my short game. I was seven for seven and threw to six different receivers as we marched down the field to make the score 21�17.
Springfield pounded the ball and scored with just over a minute remaining in the half to take a 24�21 lead.
I loved the pressure. Coach Hope wanted to take a knee and run out the half, but Coach Diamond and, to my surprise, Coach Zoon convinced him to let me loose. I would call the plays at the line. I had eighty yards to cover in a minute and five seconds. I had all three timeouts. I huddled up the troops to get everyone on the same page.
�We�re going to go back to the triple option. If you hear �Bulldog,� that means to spread out into the slotback formation. Hustle to the line and don�t assume I�ll call time. I want to catch them napping if I can. All calls are on me, so pay attention. We�ve practiced this, you know what to do, so let�s get this score,� I said.
As I�d guessed, Springfield brought in two defensive backs to replace their outside linebackers. There was a big difference between a rough-and-tumble linebacker and a light-hitting cornerback. I glanced over at the sideline and saw a big smile on Coach Diamond�s face. He saw what I was up to, and seemed to approve.
�Down. Set. Hut, Hut!�
I saw one of the cornerbacks blitz from the outside as I handed the ball to Ty. I wanted to try the middle of the defense first. He ripped off eight yards, and the clock showed fifty-three seconds. We rushed to the line, which surprised the defenders.
�Down!�
� I called, and Johan snapped the ball to me. I faked the interior handoff, and Ed had moved on the snap to run in front of me. Jake had also moved behind me. I had the option to hand Ed the ball on the jet sweep, or go the other direction and run the option with Jake. The play almost came apart when the Springfield defensive tackle slipped Bryan�s block. It looked like everyone was going to meet in the middle at the same time.
I improvised and took a step towards the onrushing Ed, and that turned the defensive tackle for Ed to get between us. Little Ed put a hit on their defensive tackle like he was a pulling guard. That would leave a mark. Bryan saw me coming and turned to help downfield. He picked up the middle linebacker, and I danced in the hole to give him time to make the block. I then used what my speed coach had taught me and exploded into the clear. The crowd responded as if it were a living entity; everyone came to their feet and rang their damned cowbells. I would have scored except for a turf monster that suddenly jumped up and caused me to trip and land face first. All I saw in front of me was green grass. I jumped up and called timeout with forty seconds left on the clock.
We huddled up.
�Next time leave running the ball to the professionals,� Ty teased me.
�Bite me,� I replied, and everyone laughed.
I think they enjoyed seeing that I wasn�t infallible. We were now over midfield and only needed another fifteen to twenty yards to get within field goal range.
�I plan to hang on to one timeout just in case we have to kick a field goal, so don�t let up, because we don�t waste our other timeout unless we have to,� I said.
I kept the team in the huddle until the play clock was under ten. I wanted to give them as much of a breather as I could. Coach Diamond had signaled in an unusual play. He anticipated Springfield to be sneaky, and I saw that in this situation it was likely they would try something.
When I broke the huddle, we rushed to the line and were in our slotback formation. We got set, and Johan snapped the football on a silent count. Springfield rushed to get into position, and I did a three-step drop. I peeked over, and their cornerback was looking into the backfield. That was what we were looking for. Jake ran a down-and-out from the slot, and I pumped the ball like I was going to throw to him. The cornerback jumped the route and abandoned Roc. When Roc found himself free, he lifted his hand like he was calling for the ball. I saw the safety timing it so he could pick me off. What they hadn�t counted on was Ty had run a wheel route behind Roc. I had to avoid a sack and make a move to the side as I�d been taught. I planted my feet, so I had a good base, and threw a perfect strike to Ty. Roc made a terrible attempt at a block, and the safety was able to push Ty out of bounds. That stopped the clock, so we huddled up.
�My bad,� Roc admitted.
�We can worry about that later,� I barked.
That surprised everyone and caught their attention. I needed them to focus.
�Jet sweep special on first sound,� I said.
The special meant that Wolf and Jake would switch positions. The play needed his size to help block. We waited for the play clock to run down and then sprinted to the line. We were in the triple option formation, with Wolf just off Jim�s outside shoulder. Not many high schools had a six-five, two-hundred-fifty-pound tight end who could block on their team. We played him at wideout because he also had speed.
�Down!�
Ty sprinted to Wolf�s side of the football as if he were doing a flare. Ed dashed over to me, and I handed him the ball. He followed Ty around the end. I scraped off Jim�s backside to pick up any interior pursuit. Roc did a much better job of blocking and tied up the cornerback covering him. Wolf pancaked his defensive back, and that allowed Ty to track down the safety on his side. Ed scooted around him and ran in for the score.
The only problem was there was a flag on the ground. Neil had gotten excited and clipped the other safety, which pushed us out of field-goal range. There were eighteen seconds left on the clock. We huddled up.
�Wolf and Roc, do fly routes. Jake and Ed, I want you to go ten yards upfield and then do buttonhooks. Ty, slip between the linemen and do a post. Expect them to blitz. On two,� I said.
�Down. Set. Hut, Hut!�
I dropped back and saw Springfield do a line stunt. The Callahan brothers picked it up. I zeroed in on Wolf, which caused the safety on his side to drift over to help his defender out. I switched to Roc and then planted my feet in the center and tossed the ball to Ty. He had to go up for the ball because I had put a little too much on it. Ty pulled it in on the 8 yard line as he went down. I called time to stop the clock with nine seconds left.
Coach Hope motioned me over. There was an argument about whether we should kick the field goal now, or go for it. I figured we had time to get two plays in.
�Make them stop Wolf,� I said.
The defensive back who was covering him was only five-nine. Wolf had eight inches on him and seventy pounds. I would bet on Wolf every time. I ran back to the huddle.
�Wolf, it�s on you. As soon as you cross the goal line, I�ll have the ball on your outside shoulder.�
We lined up. Wolf exploded off the ball, and I had it out of my hands. As Wolf broke the goal line, he turned, and the football hit him in the facemask. Three seconds had come off the clock.
�Boomer, Boomer!� I called.
�Boomer� meant we�d do the same play, and everyone rushed to the line. I didn�t want to give Coach Hope a chance to send out the field-goal team.
This time Wolf was ready and caught the ball. Our fans erupted in celebration as we took a 28�24 lead into halftime.
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At halftime, Coach Diamond received a call from Coach Mason. Coach Mason had figured out how to get the video stream from the game. I was amazed that someone his age could figure out technology. Coach Diamond handed the phone to Coach Zoon and then shortly to Coach Hope who talked to Coach Mason the longest.
We broke up into offense and defense and listened to what we should expect in the second half. We were warned that there would probably be more blitzes coming. I prepared myself to get hit more; so far, I�d been lucky. We then trotted out to play the second half.
Springfield got the football first to start the second half. They hadn�t changed much, but they did use the play-action pass more. I ran over to Coach Zoon.
�Let me play safety to help with the play-action. I can at least warn them when it�s coming,� I suggested.
He gave me one of those looks you see old people give young people that says, �Leave me alone, kid.�
Springfield pounded the ball at us, drove right down the field, and scored. We were now down 31�28.
On the following kickoff, they finally made the mistake of kicking to Ty. He�d gotten better at returning kicks. I�d talked to him about following his blocks. Ty admitted that he got excited and just tried to use his speed. This time he followed Ed up the field behind the wedge. There was a big collision as the two teams came together. Ed darted through a hole, and I was afraid it would close before Ty could get through, but he broke an arm-tackle and was clear of the pileup. I jumped up and started to bounce up and down as Ty tucked in behind Ed rather than jetting past him. The kicker rushed up to stop Ty, but Ed got in the way and gave Ty enough room to come into the open. It was a near thing, but Springfield wasn�t able to catch him. We were now up 35�31.
On the next drive, Springfield started on their 20 yard line.
�Dawson,� Coach Zoon called out.
I didn�t wait for him to tell me what he wanted but sprinted out to play free safety. I peeked over and saw Coach Hope�s shoulders shaking as he tried not to laugh at his disgusted defensive coordinator. With me at free safety, I could see the whole field. I saw how their linemen changed their stance and how engaged their receivers seemed when it was a pass play. I was able to warn my teammates when it was a run or pass before the snap. Springfield did manage to get a first down, but with my help, they had to punt.
We started our drive. Springfield did begin to blitz, and I was in football heaven. I dropped into the zone and exposed them every time they came after me. I simply saw the field better and was able to decipher the puzzle. Working at all the camps and Elite 11 had exposed me to a lot of excellent coaching. This time last year, I would have become rattled and gone into chaos mode. Now I was able to do controlled chaos.
By the end of the third quarter, we had pushed the score to 49�31. That was when we saw Springfield give up. They had given it a tremendous shot. I felt they were by far the best team we had played to this point, even if the score didn�t show it. I played one more series on offense and hit a pretty teardrop bomb to Roc, extending our lead to 56�31. After that, I was benched to prevent injury and to give our backups a chance to play against a quality opponent.
When the game ended, I pointed to the sky to acknowledge my best friend Jeff.
�That one was for you, Buddy.�
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I�d just come out of the shower when Alan found me.
�Coach Hope says you have to talk to the press.�
�It�s Homecoming,� I complained.
�Tell it to the boss.�
Alan was a jerk sometimes, but I was okay with that. We hadn�t been as close friends since the whole Tami incident, but thinking of Jeff had reminded me that we once were best friends. I put on my suit. I was wearing Dakora tonight. I actually liked this outfit. Some of their clothes were a little too metrosexual for my taste.
When I walked into our new press room, Springfield was still fielding questions. They typically let the visitors go first because they had to ride their buses home. My entrance got the place buzzing, so I walked up front.
�Which one of you is the defensive coordinator?� I asked.
A man who appeared to be fresh out of college raised his hand. I walked up and shook his hand, then turned to their head coach.
�I hate to say this, but once people figure out just how good this man is, you�ll lose him,� I said, then turned back to the defensive coordinator. �You have the best defensive scheme I�ve ever played against. I�ve been told that what I needed to do to improve was play against better competition. I want to thank you for making me a better player. I learned a lot this week while I prepared for your defense. I just wanted to make sure everyone knew how truly talented you are.�
�Sit down, David,� Jeff ordered me.
I sat down beside the Springfield coaching staff.
�You�re complimenting their defense after you just ripped them 56�31?� someone asked.
�Springfield played us at the wrong time. I predicted before the game that we would win by three scores. It wasn�t said to be arrogant or to denigrate Springfield. It was from watching practice. Everything we�ve been trying to do just seemed to come together this week. I also think we caught a break when I had to sit out from practice because of my concussion. It allowed me to put in the needed time on the Springfield game film. That was when I discovered their evil defensive coordinator.
�This man knows the game and has devised traps that had me scratching my head. If I hadn�t worked with my coaches to prepare, I�d have thrown more than one interception tonight. The preparations and coaching I received allowed me to see his tricks. Luckily, we were able to sidestep most of them. He did get me to bite on a too-wide-open receiver. As soon as I threw it, I knew he�d hoodwinked me into throwing into his trap. With his help, Springfield has a great chance of winning the 6A State Championship this year,� I concluded.
The Springfield coaches were gracious and said kind words about our team and me. I shook their hands, and they had to leave. Then Tracy and Coaches Hope, Diamond, and Zoon joined me on the platform.
Tracy eyed the reporters.
�Does anyone need to hear the rules, or are you all frequent flyers?� she asked.
�ESPN isn�t here, so I don�t think you need to kick anyone out,� Jeff told her.
Tracy gave them the stats for the game and told them they were up on our website if they didn�t get them all. She made a point to say I had zero tackles, which for some reason was funny.
I was becoming irritated with all the questions but didn�t let it show until someone asked me what I was wearing. I then perked up and went into full model mode. They all moaned when I walked in front of our table and did some poses as I acquainted them all with Dakora�s winter line. I was let go at that point so I could go have fun at the dance, or so I told myself.
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I walked into the gym, and the first thing I saw was that Halle and Brook were there with dates. Brook was with someone I suspected was in college, and Halle was with Bryan Callahan. I then saw Pam walk in with Brock Callahan. My stomach began to knot up. Tracy had followed me in, and she grabbed my arm when she saw me begin to move towards them.
�Hang on there, Cowboy,� Tracy ordered.
The look I gave her made her flinch. Then she turned me, and I saw Zoe. She was a vision in a sparkly silver dress. This was not the farm girl I was used to seeing. There was also plenty of cleavage. My desire to kick some serious butt was set aside for now. When Zoe saw me, her whole face lit up. I opened my arms, she fell into them, and our lips met. That was all it took for me to decide to deal with Brook, Pam, and Halle later.
They had a photographer, and Zoe wanted to get our picture taken. We hadn�t been able to do the �have our pictures taken� bit at her house because we both had to be at the game. I had to stop myself from offering to reposition the lighting because the photographer was apparently not a professional. Tonight was about fun and Zoe.
I smiled when Bill and Ridge arrived in suits. They looked good dressed-up. I wasn�t as happy when they both asked Zoe to dance before I got a chance with her, but she seemed to like the attention. Zoe didn�t have much experience with guys, and Bill and Ridge were both good-looking. Tim and Tracy joined our table. I was surprised he�d asked her to the dance, but I figured they must have hit it off. I was happy Tracy had found someone she seemed to like. Wolf and April joined our table to fill it up.
Zoe came back to the table after dancing with Ridge. I hid a grin because he was a terrible dancer. I�d gotten Zoe a glass of punch and turned to ask her to dance when Bryan Callahan showed up out of nowhere.
�May I have this dance?� he asked Zoe.
I stood up and glared at him. Zoe touched my arm.
�David, it�s okay. I�d be happy to dance with him,� she said, and he guided her out to the dance floor.
I sat down and decided that it wasn�t worth getting mad about. Ridge and Bill wanted to talk about the game. They were as bad as I was when it came to being a football junkie. I enjoyed our conversation because they understood what was really going on. I was in the middle of explaining my read progression on a play when Zoe came back and was immediately asked to dance by Yuri. I guess I wasn�t going to get to dance with my date tonight. Then Ridge said something that brought me back to our discussion.
�Coach was impressed with you tonight. He told me that I could tell you that USC has decided you�re worthy of an offer.�
�He�s just trying to pay you back for kicking his ass at football camp,� Bill said. �Coach couldn�t stop talking about how you played. You�re more than worthy of the offer. I admit that I was worried I�d made a mistake when everything was going down with our previous coach. We don�t know who�ll be in charge next year, but I love USC.
�I think you�d like it. For sure I like the weather better. The only thing I had to get used to was that USC is in the heart of LA, and it seems there are people everywhere. I miss the quiet at times. I�d love to have you around and play ball together again.�
�I�d love to go to school with you, too. USC is one of the schools I�ll definitely consider, but I won�t make any decisions until spring of my senior year,� I said.
�That�s a good plan. I committed to Alabama before I was ready, and it turned into a mess when I switched to USC. Don�t make a decision until you�re 100 percent sure,� Ridge said.
I looked up and saw Wolf lead Zoe onto the dance floor. I needed some air, so I got up and walked out of the gym. This reminded me too much of my freshman year when Cindy and Suzanne had their ex-boyfriends show up. I was glad Zoe was having a good time, but she was my date, and I like to dance. I didn�t come to be ignored.
I found Peggy Pratt leaning against the wall.
�Oh, David, thank God,� she said.
It was plain to see something was wrong. When I got close, Peggy reached for me. I took her hand, and then she leaned into me and groaned. I looked down, and the ground was wet.
�I don�t think you�re going to give your crown away tonight,� I said. �Do I need to take you to the hospital?�
�Yes, please,� she said, and I took her to the parking lot.
I�d borrowed my mom�s Cadillac because it was Homecoming. I�d learned my lesson when I took Angie to the hospital. I found a blanket in the trunk and put it in the passenger seat. I then called my mom.
�Hey, Mom. Can you call the Pratts and tell them that Peggy�s gone into labor? I�m taking her to the hospital and will meet them there,� I said.
�I thought you were at the dance.�
�I was. Peggy was last year�s Homecoming Queen. Her water broke outside the gym,� I explained.
�Okay. I�ll call Angie, and we�ll meet you there,� Mom said.
I hung up, and Peggy gave me a weak smile.
�What�s your date going to think?� she asked.
�I doubt she�ll even miss me. She was busy dancing with everyone but me tonight,� I said.
Peggy dropped it when she saw the look on my face. The more I thought about it, the more I realized finding Peggy was probably the best possible outcome for me. If I saw any of the girls or their dates, I�d probably regret what I would do. It was good that I had only been dating them. It would make it easier to walk away.
◊◊◊
David William Pratt was born at 11:59 and weighed seven pounds even. I�d held Peggy�s hand as she had him. Her mom and dad were out of town, so I stepped up and was there for her. He had a little head of red hair like his mother�s.
When I came out of the delivery room, I was exhausted. Watching Peggy have a baby was almost as much work as playing a football game. I needed to get home because we were going to Notre Dame tomorrow. I came out to the waiting room, and Angie handed me my suit coat and cell phone.
�This thing has been going off all night.�
�Why didn�t you answer it?� I asked.
She gave me a look, and I just shrugged. Usually, Angie would do whatever Angie wanted. If that meant answering my phone to be meddlesome, she would. I scrolled the list of missed calls and saw everyone I expected. I would deal with them later. I even saw a couple from Bryan and Brock. I would kick their asses when I got back from Notre Dame. Then there was one I didn�t expect from Cassidy Hope. I decided to call her back, so I selected her name.
�Where are you?� she asked.
Her tone of voice said she was worried, not demanding. I told her how I�d found Peggy outside the gym, and that she�d had a little boy.
�They�re all worried sick. You need to call them,� Cassidy said.
I knew who �they� were, and I wasn�t ready to talk to them. I needed to get out of town for the weekend to decide what I was going to do. It was apparent I didn�t have any claim over them, and they certainly didn�t have one over me. There would always be other girls.
�I�ll see them at school on Monday. If you want to call them, feel free.�
�Are you sure? They seemed pretty upset that you left.�
�Cassidy, don�t worry about it. Tell your dad I might be asking you out,� I teased her.
She made a rude noise.
�Hey, who won King and Queen?� I asked.
�Jim and Kim. Mona wasn�t happy,� she shared.
�Shit happens,� I said. �Thanks for being my friend.�
�I feel the same. Have fun this weekend.�
◊◊◊
Chapter 24 � A Party You Don�t Want to Miss Saturday October 17
Alan had slowly worked his way back into my good graces, enough to go on this trip. He had everyone meet us at Granny�s for breakfast. Alan had heard Zoe, Halle, Pam, and Brook make plans to find me in the school parking lot this morning. Tim was getting around better, so he rode with Alan, Brandon, and me. Jim, Wolf, Ty, and Jake were in the other car. Granny treated me like the conquering hero and took me around to meet everyone. Our town certainly had caught football fever with our win. It didn�t help that the morning newspaper picked us to win state after our performance last night.
After hot, handmade cinnamon rolls, country fried steak, and eggs for breakfast, I had a full tummy and was a happy boy. When Granny found out we were making a road trip to Notre Dame, she boxed up extra cinnamon rolls for the trip.
On the ride, Tim filled me in on what he�d seen after I left.
�When Zoe came back to the table and found you gone, she realized she�d made a mistake. Bill and Ridge were embarrassed that they had been a part of it, but Tracy told them they were fine. She was pissed at the four girls. Tracy sat them down and told them about what happened to you freshman year,� he said, and then smiled. �Dude, I didn�t realize you took both Cindy and Suzanne to Homecoming.�
Brandon didn�t have any idea what they were talking about, so Alan clued him in. He had Brandon log in to Facebook and showed him Suzanne and Cindy�s pictures.
�I talked to Bryan and Brock. They had agreed to go just to dance. They knew the score, and now they�re worried you�re going to kill them,� Tim said.
�They might find a certain kitty in their laps,� I said.
Again, Alan had to explain about the �cat from hell��Precious. That reminded me I hadn�t seen Duke�s buddy for a few days. I would need to check in with Brit to see why her cat hadn�t been waiting for us in the morning.
We arrived at South Bend, Indiana before noon. The game wasn�t until seven tonight, so we�d have plenty of time to see the campus and athletic facilities. The plan was to meet the coaching staff at the Guglielmino Athletics Complex, locally known as �the Gug.� We drove around the campus, and it was almost like you�d been thrown back in time. The campus had an old-world feel, and the Gug was much the same. Even though it looked newer, its design fit into the rest of the campus�s architecture.
We walked up to the front desk, and a young man in a Notre Dame polo shirt greeted us. Coach Brian, the head coach, soon met us. It tells you a lot when the head coach makes an effort to walk down and greet you. The only other place that had happened was Northwestern.
�Welcome to Notre Dame. I�m Coach Brian. I was just looking at the highlights of your game last night, and have to say I�m impressed.�
He then went up to each one of us, called us by name, and said something about our play last night. He recognized Tim and asked him about his rehab. I smiled when he called Alan �Coach Douglas.� Coach Brian even knew Brandon and talked to him about his college experience. What had me the most impressed was he saved me for last. Someone had done their homework. My teammates appeared to be as impressed as I was.
�David, it�s nice to finally meet you. I�ve followed your progress for the last three years. You played your best game last night. I agree with your assessment of the Springfield defensive coordinator. He�s a sneaky one, and is someone we have on our radar.�
Coach Brian went up even more in my estimation when he showed us the facilities. Of course, there was the sales pitch. Notre Dame was the smallest university we had visited. There were only a little over 8,000 undergrads. Even so, they rated as one of the top universities to go to, academically. They only accept twenty-one percent of their applicants. Being smaller and a good place to get an education all appealed to me as a small-town boy. That it was a Catholic university didn�t bother me. Their football tradition and the games televised on NBC were also major plusses. Being seen nationwide each week had huge advantages for after football, especially if I decided to settle in the Chicagoland area. They had a rabid Notre Dame fan base.
From just the first hour on campus, I knew this was one of the handful of places I could see myself going to college. If I had to pick a top five, it would be Alabama, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and USC, in no particular order.
We next were taken to the practice locker room, and it looked like an NFL setup. We were given Notre Dame gear to wear and then we did our workouts. Those consisted of the typical measurement and skill demonstrations. My teammates were split up and met with their potential position coaches. I met with Coach Easton, offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.
�David, I�m a little surprised you made a visit. My guess is you want to play in the NFL someday, and we currently don�t have any quarterbacks on an active roster. We do have thirty-seven players at the next level, so you can see we have the talent,� Coach Easton said.
This was a refreshing approach. It wasn�t like Notre Dame didn�t have some famous graduates. Joe Theismann and Joe Montana were probably the most recognizable. In the last fifteen years, Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen had played for the Fighting Irish.
�Maybe I could change that,� I suggested.
�I�m sure you could. I just wanted to make sure you know all the facts and build some trust. I�ll tell it to you straight: if you are our number 1 recruiting target for next year�s class, we�d be willing to not recruit any other players at your position if you showed us strong interest,� Coach Easton said. �You would also be given a shot to play right away.�
Several red flags popped up. The first was I�d been taught to doubt anyone who told you they told the truth, or in this case �tell it to you straight,� it was usually a precursor to a lie. His other statements almost made me laugh. I would bet there were twenty other number 1 targets on their list for next year. If he had just said quarterback, I might have bought it. Then he followed it up with two doozies. They wouldn�t recruit another quarterback, and I was to be given a chance to play. Everyone else wanted to redshirt me, and quarterback was too important a position not to have any others on hand. Then again, I might be getting jaded.
I did find out why we were separated from the rest of the recruits. They typically had twelve to fifteen recruits on a football weekend. They were hosting over fifty this weekend and felt they could talk to us before the game today, and the others later.
◊◊◊
Wolf, Ty, and I were offered scholarships. It was a surprise when Jim didn�t get one. Then again, many big Catholic boys played tackle. Tim was advised that they�d wait and see how his knee healed, and Jake was told no.
Our chaperone was Chad Kelly, a tight end from Mount Greenwood, a community on the south side of Chicago. Chad was the youngest of six from a good Irish-Catholic family. He was a freshman and had redshirted. You could tell from the outset that he�d been told to sell Wolf on playing for Notre Dame because he was instantly his newest best friend.
Tim and I hung back as Chad led us around campus to see the sights. Tim slowed me down so we were out of earshot of the others.
�I got a call from Brook,� he said.
�Why didn�t she call me?� I asked, letting my irritation through.
�Your cell phone�s turned off.�
�Sorry.�
�Bryan and Brock didn�t have dates for Homecoming. I guess the girls overheard them at lunch, and they made it clear it was only for the dance and nothing else. Brook said they keep calling to find out if you�re going to do to them what you did to Mike.�
�What about Brook�s date?� I asked.
�One of her cousins who goes to State.�
Now that he said it, I remembered seeing him at their family gathering. What I had learned was communication was what either made or destroyed a relationship. It would have been better if they�d told me what was going on beforehand. I wondered if it was all just a convenient story once they�d been caught. I quickly dismissed that for two reasons. The first was they hadn�t hidden it; they were with their dates at the dance. The second was if I no longer trusted them, it wouldn�t matter, I wouldn�t see them again.
Something I�d learned was that there would always be other women if I wanted them. I realize that sounded like a cocky jock, but it was the truth. Three girls at Lincoln came to mind who would go out with me in a heartbeat: Kylie, Cassidy, and Lily. If I�d given it more thought, I bet I could come up with some Wesleyan girls as well.
The truth was I liked Halle, Pam, Brook, and Zoe. We all had become friends, and the benefits were great. I wasn�t at a point where I wanted anything other than casual. Maybe in the spring I�d feel different and would reevaluate the situation then.
Notre Dame had some cool game-day traditions. The dorms all decorated their exteriors. One had a sign that was two stories high. Chad promised us the full game-day experience, but needed to show us the campus and wanted us also to meet with the academic advisors.
Since we were hungry, Chad took us to Reckers. It was a comfortable sandwich/pizza place with art deco-like furniture. I had a Caesar salad with chicken and a grilled portobello sandwich. While I ate, I called Brook, and we talked. The girls had heard about Peggy by then, so she understood why I hadn�t come back. I apologized for not calling sooner and told her I would talk to her and the others when I got home.
After we ate, Chad started the game-day experience in earnest. We were taken to see the Notre Dame Glee Club sing. Then the Irish football team walked from the Gug, past the Hesburgh Library and then to the stadium. It was a tradition that the team went to the Gug on Saturday afternoons for some last-minute meetings. They would enter the house that Rockne built through the tunnel gates.
We then were taken to Bond Hall where the marching band played. Chad then took us to the stadium where we met the rest of the recruits at a tailgate party. I spotted a player with a King High School jersey on. I made a point to meet everyone but saved him for last.
�David Dawson.�
�Todd, David,� he said as he shook my hand. �Wait a minute. You�re the Dawson we play in Indianapolis. I�m not sure if I should like you or not.�
�You seem to have me at a disadvantage. What position do you play?� I asked.
�Linebacker.�
Todd was a big boy for a linebacker. He was at least six-three, and I would guess around 240 pounds. I would later find out he was also a five-star recruit. A five-star recruit was rare, and many recruiting services threw around star ratings. The rating system went from two to five stars. Don�t ask me why there were no one-stars; it was just how they did it.
There was what was called a composite rating. They used a mathematical formula that takes into account a prospect�s ranking and rating listed in the public domain by the major media recruiting services. It converts average ranks and ratings into a composite index capping at one, which indicates a consensus number 1 prospect across all services.
The different recruiting sites broke down the top recruits in different ways. One of them has a Top 300. If you were rated in the top fifty, you were a five-star recruit. 51�300 were four-star, and if you weren�t on the list, you were either a three- or a two-star recruit. Other services only rated the top twenty-five to thirty prospects as five-star.
One of the websites describes a five-star player as one that has a rare talent:
A player who demonstrates a rare ability.
One who can create mismatches that have an obvious impact on the game.
A player who has the skills to take over a game.
One who could make a possible impact as a true freshman.
One who will potentially earn All-American honors.
One who will probably have a three-and-out college career with early entry into the NFL draft.
Bill had been a four-star recruit and was named the best player in our state his senior year. Jim was also considered a four-star recruit by the scouting services. When I found out that Todd was a five-star, he had my interest. Notre Dame had to be happy to have this much talent on campus.
Last year, USC had led the nation in recruiting. Alabama had been number 1 for five straight years and had to settle for second place. USC had pulled five five-star athletes into their class, and sixteen four-stars. The top team in the Big 10 was Ohio State, and they hadn�t signed any five-star athletes. Notre Dame was unable to entice any, either.
�So, you�ll be the one trying to catch me when we play,� I said.
�You can count on it. I�ll be your worst nightmare. You might want to get my number tattooed on your chest to remind you of who�s going to put you on your butt all game.�
I liked him. I would have to show him who would put whom on their butt. After we had some grilled pork chops, we went into the stadium. The marching band did their pregame show, and we settled in for the game.
We really didn�t know what to expect from USC. While this was a big rivalry game, they had lost their head coach on Monday. It looked like his drinking issues had caught up with him. The athletic director had done the smart thing and promoted an interim head coach from within.
On paper, Notre Dame should win the game easily. The Fighting Irish were ranked number 14 and had revenge on their minds after being routed by USC last year. I thought the Trojans would come out fired-up because the uncertainty of the coaching situation had been resolved for now. The only problem was their preparation had been hindered by the turmoil. I expected it would be a good game and looked forward to seeing Bill get the start.
From the beginning, the Notre Dame fans were loud and on their feet. I scanned the stadium to try to find an empty seat. This was college football like it should be. In this corner of northern Indiana, Fighting Irish football was king. The marching band formed a giant ND and awaited their team. The Fighting Irish were in their gold and blue uniforms, and the crowd greeted them, confident of a victory. USC then came onto the field in their distinctive crimson and white uniforms.
I could imagine both playing home games here, and coming in as the visitor. This was one of a handful of renowned stadiums in which to play college football. As a fan of the game, it was one of the places you had to go to see a game.
USC started the first series with a bang. Bill ran a jet up the sideline, and their quarterback hit him in stride in the opening between the cornerback and safety; Bill had found that opening for me many times. He was tackled on the 6 yard line. USC�s quarterback kept the ball the next play to score.
Notre Dame�s freshman quarterback dropped back and answered the call. He found a streaking wide receiver behind the USC secondary. Someone had made a mistake, and the score was tied at seven all.
On the next drive, USC kicked a long field goal to make it 10�7. Notre Dame�s run game ripped off two long ones against a porous USC defense to retake the lead 14�10. Finally, someone played some defense and USC was stopped. Unfortunately for USC, their special teams failed them, and the Fighting Irish blocked the punt to score. The first quarter ended 21�10.
At the start of the second quarter, Notre Dame was driving again. On the 1 yard line, USC forced a fumble to prevent the rout. USC had a good drive going, but the Fighting Irish defense made a stand and forced a punt. The return man almost broke it, and then the run game kicked in again. USC was able to slow the Fighting Irish down enough to only give up a field goal, making it 24�10.
I looked at the clock, and the half was running out. I had resigned myself to accepting that it wasn�t the Trojans� day. Then they did a nifty backward pass towards the sideline. The receiver set up and threw a long pass to a wide-open receiver on the trick play to make it 24�17. The Trojans got the football back, and they did a little screen pass that suddenly found a seam. Just like that, USC had come roaring back, and the score was now 24�all.
During halftime, the Notre Dame fans were a little stunned. They had this game in hand, but with two quick strikes, USC was back in it. It reminded me of what Bud Mason said: plays of twenty-plus yards demoralized your opponent. At the start of the third quarter, USC drove the ball the length of the field and took the lead 31�24.
I thought USC had turned the corner and might actually win the game. Both teams traded possessions in the third quarter. At the beginning of the fourth, the Fighting Irish got something going and scored to tie the game. Then the Irish paid USC back with their own wide-receiver backward-pass trick play. A couple of plays later it was 38�31 in favor of the Irish.
USC took a long shot downfield to try to get back into the game, but the ball was underthrown and was picked off. Notre Dame didn�t try to grind the game out and use their running game. They took a long shot down the field, and it was completed, setting up a field goal to take a 41�31 lead.
USC didn�t have any quit in them, but it was one of those situations where the quarterback had to throw the football when he was uncomfortable. Late in games, sometimes, you had to make plays. USC got unlucky, and a ball was tipped and picked off. I was screaming to throw to the other side of the field, but he couldn�t hear me. That ended the Trojans� comeback bid.
It had probably been the best game we had been to when you figured in the drama on the field and the fans. The Fighting Irish football players all went to the student sections and sang the alma mater. The Irish Guard performed their traditional victory clog for fans before they joined the band and left the field. I was glad some of the fans had clued us in and we stayed to see it.
◊◊◊
We had to wait for Chad to shower. He had told Wolf there was a party he didn�t want to miss, but to not tell anyone about it. I had clued in Todd, and he was with our group when Chad finally showed up. On the walk to the house, Chad filled us in.
�My girlfriend is down from DePaul for the weekend. She�s good friends with my sisters, and they�ve brought some of their friends. I, ah, well �� he stammered.
This sounded interesting. Chad leaned over to Wolf and whispered something to him. The expression on Wolf�s face was unreadable. This might be really good or really bad, I couldn�t tell. Chad tried to get Wolf to explain it to us, but he refused.
�I�ll let your girlfriend explain it,� was Wolf�s cryptic answer.
When we arrived at Chad�s house, it was full of green-eyed redheads with a few dark-haired beauties mixed in, running around and all looking cute. There had to be twenty women and then us. I liked these odds. I entered the living room to find ten girls in a circle around a table playing quarters with shots of whiskey. There was no way I was getting near that! I hadn�t had a drink in several months. I was a cheap date right now and would quickly be on my backside if I started doing whiskey shots.
I had to smile when my teammates went right to work on the women. Over the past few recruiting trips they had found their game. Little Alan had a sweet little honey talking to him. I decided to see what developed and wandered off to find a Mountain Dew. Wolf followed me into the kitchen.
�What�s up?� I asked.
�Chad�s girlfriend wants to pull a train,� he blurted out.
I had to blink a few times to get that to register.
�We�re talking about a girl having sex with multiple guys, one after the other?� I asked to make sure we were talking about the same thing.
�No, we�re talking about a choo-choo. Yes, Dumbass,� Wolf said. �What should we do?�
�If you decide to do it, I would double-wrap for protection,� I suggested.
�Not that! Should we do it?� he asked.
�You know me. I�d be out because she�s someone�s girlfriend. If she�s willing, and Chad�s okay with it, I�d say you have to decide if you want to try it. I know you�ve done some group stuff, but this would be a little different. It�s your call, Big Guy.�
�So, if you were me, would you do it?� he asked.
�If she weren�t drunk, drugged, or with someone else, I�d probably go for it.�
�Okay, I�ll tell the guys,� Wolf said as he hurried off.
Something in the back of my mind told me this wasn�t a good idea. I decided to go have fun and found some girls to talk to.
◊◊◊
It was announced that the sexual festivities were about to begin. I decided I didn�t want any part of it, but that didn�t mean I wouldn�t watch. The party moved to the basement, which was a little creepy. There was a funny smell that was a cross between normal basement moisture and sex. The outside walls were concrete block, and there was a single bulb overhead to illuminate the main area where the party would be. The basement was laid out with a queen-size bed in the center of the room and couches around the perimeter. A couple of small rooms with twin beds were also available. I looked at the bare mattress and was totally grossed-out by the stains on it. Needless to say, it turned me off to what was about to occur.
�Okay, boys,� Chad�s girlfriend said. �I want to see you all get naked, and we�ll do you in order of size.�
From the looks on their faces, some of my teammates hadn�t really thought this through. It was one thing to have sex with a girl on a recruiting trip. You might even make out with other people in the room. It was a completely different experience to strip down naked in front of a roomful of people.
I shook my head when Alan was the first one to remove his clothes. When they saw him get naked, the others followed his lead. No one wanted our coach to show them up. Then Clare, Chad�s girlfriend, went up and down the line and stroked everyone�s dick until they were hard. She lined them up in order. I�d never paid much attention to the size of my friends� penises before.
I would have assumed that Alan would be the smallest, because of his stature. I would have been very wrong about that. What surprised me even more was that Todd, at six-three and 240 pounds, was the smallest. I guess the theory about large hands and feet didn�t always hold true. Jim edged out Wolf for the largest. One other that caught my eye was Ty. It looked like he had a spike for a member. Usually, the head of your manhood was larger than or the same size as your shaft. Ty�s had a small head and then got thicker as it went towards the base. Shows you what I knew about penises. The other anomaly was Chad, whose dick had a noticeable bend in it. That couldn�t be comfortable for either the girl or him.
�This has always been a fantasy of mine. I never thought I�d do it, but my wonderful boyfriend set this up,� Clare said as she kissed Chad. �I�m counting on everyone to treat me right. I want to suck the guy who�s on deck while I�m being screwed. I want to feel you climax in me, so don�t pull out and think I want your stuff on my tits. If you all play nice, this�ll be fun for everyone.�
I felt like I had just thrown up in my mouth. There was no way I would go bareback with this girl, let alone stick myself into some other man�s goo. At least Todd would get to go first.
Clare quickly got undressed. If it weren�t for the immediate circumstances, I would have enjoyed spending some time with her. She had a nice body. Clare lay so Todd could stand and take her from the side of the bed, while Jake fed her his member from the foot of the bed. Clare wasn�t that bad looking. She seemed to have the same Irish heritage that Chad had. She had alabaster-white skin with freckles and a nice head of curly auburn hair. Clare�s breasts weren�t massive, but they were more than a handful. She looked like she had put on her freshman fifteen, but that just made her butt and thighs bigger. If I met her under other circumstances, I might go for her.
I flinched when Todd dropped to his knees and began to eat her. I think it surprised everyone in the room. Most of the girls at the party had come down to watch. I�m not sure Todd� earned any points with them or not, because I think they had the same concerns as me. When he had her wet, he stood up, slotted himself, and pushed forward. The contrast of his dark skin and her almost blinding white complexion was erotic. Clare moaned around Jake�s manhood to voice her enjoyment.
She let Jake pull out of her mouth, and you could see he was leaking. She reached up to pull Todd down on top of her. Call me weird, but my jaw dropped open when Clare put Todd into a lip-lock. My problem was that I wouldn�t feel comfortable unless I knew the men involved in something like this. Todd didn�t know Jake at all. For all he knew, Jake banged crack whores as a hobby.
Todd must have been excited because he began to make like a rabbit and then groaned. As he pulled out, Clare made a big production of showing everyone his issue as it leaked out of her. Someone had watched too many porn videos. Jake was more than ready and took Todd�s place.
I�d seen enough. Brandon stepped up, and Clare took him in her mouth. She seemed to enjoy her fantasy. To each their own, I guess. I didn�t have any room to talk, because I would let Hannah Minacci, Adrienne, and Rita James gangbang me. I felt Mr. Happy twitch when he had that image burned into his little head.
◊◊◊
When I went upstairs, most of the girls joined me. I was alone with twelve college girls. Someone put on music, and I found myself in the middle of the living room, dancing with six of them. The others started to hit the whiskey hard. Then the music switched to a slow song, and I laughed aloud when the girls did rock-paper-scissors to decide who would get to dance with me.
I rooted for the tall girl with a miniskirt and large breasts but was equally happy when the girl with the best butt won. She was about a foot shorter than I was, which allowed her to lay her head on my chest. I let my hands wander on her back, and when she put her hands on my butt, I figured it okay to reciprocate. She wasn�t in the same class as Brook, but I didn�t have anything to complain about. When the song ended, I saw Alan and Tim had come upstairs. I walked over and asked them how they liked it. They both looked at each other and shrugged.
�Why didn�t you do anything?� Tim asked.
�Because she was Chad�s girlfriend,� Alan answered. �David has rules about those types of things.�
Alan said it in such a way that made clear he didn�t agree with me. I�d never seen him act that snarky before. It made me remember what he did with Tami, and I suddenly had a different perspective of what had happened. I didn�t think Alan�s intentions were as innocent as he had led me to believe. In a flash, I wanted to beat the hell out of him. For once, he recognized the look in my eyes and took off.
�I never understood why you were friends with him,� Tim said.
�Some days I wonder myself,� I said. �So, do you think you want to participate in a gangbang again?�
�I really don�t know. Once I got past the nasty factor and just did it, I was okay. I would want to use a condom next time,� Tim admitted.
I didn�t want to say anything, but I�d be worried about picking up something. It really wasn�t something I would risk. Some of the crap you could catch would mess you up and even kill you. All the guys knew my stance on sex without protection. While I�d been lax a couple of times, I tried to always use one. My biggest concern was getting someone pregnant. As I became more well-known, I would potentially become a target. I could only imagine the mess that would result if Clare announced she was with child.
I looked around the room at the girls. Thinking about it, I really wasn�t interested in having sex with any of them. I told Tim I wanted to go to the hotel and get some sleep. He joined me, and we stopped at a taco place and ate ten each. Not the best idea, but we were happy when we finally got to the hotel and called it a night.
◊◊◊ Sunday October 18
Brandon rounded everyone up to catch the bus to Coach Brian�s house for breakfast. The coach had a nice family with eight children ranging in age from five to twenty years old. I found myself being sold on the virtues of Notre Dame Football by a precocious ten-year-old girl. She must have heard her dad give this talk a time or two. She was very passionate, and I tried not to smile because she might be a better recruiter than her dad. I glanced over her shoulder and saw her big sister watching us with an amused expression on her face. When the junior recruiter wound down, I promised to consider everything she told me. That seemed to satisfy the little girl, and she left, saying she needed to talk to some of the others who were there.
�After that sales pitch, how could you say no?� her sister asked.
�If I had to look her in the face when I declared my decision, I could never break her heart. Tell your dad he needs to have her sit in front of each recruit when they announce on signing day. I think she�s his secret weapon.�
�I�ll let him know,� she said. �Alice.�
�David,� I said as she shook my hand.
�A little birdie told me who you were. What do you think? Do we have a chance?� she asked.
�I hardly know you,� I said.
Alice blinked a few times, and then she realized what I�d implied. I had naughty visions of this
�What makes you think I�d be interested?� she challenged me.
Alice went up several notches in my book. I really couldn�t wait until I went to college and met girls who were smart, confident, and who challenged me. I leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn�t one of those tender little kisses that held a lot of promise; it was a full-on make-out-session kiss. We didn�t stop until we heard someone clear their throat. I looked over Alice�s shoulder and saw Brandon. Thank goodness, it hadn�t been her dad. All I needed was another coach forbidding me to see his daughter.
Alice seemed to come to her senses and shook her head at me.
�Did that answer your question?� I asked.
Her head darted around to see who all had seen us, and then she took off to the kitchen.
�I don�t remember ever seeing one run from you before,� Brandon said.
I just shrugged. I was sure she wouldn�t be the last.
�What do you think?� I asked him.
�I like it, but I�m not the one who�d have to go to school here. From what everyone has said, your teammates also like Notre Dame. If you all want to go to the same school, I think this fits the criteria: possible national championship; good academics; a national stage to raise awareness for after-college money; and close enough so your friends and family could come to your games.�
�I�m surprised they didn�t offer Jim.�
�Want me to talk to them about that?� Brandon asked.
�No. I think I�m done forcing schools to consider us all. Jim needs to do what�s best for him, and not what�s best for all of us. I admit, if he were to come here, it would influence my thinking, but that won�t be the only deciding factor.�
The coaching staff still had to run workouts for most of the recruits, so they cut us loose.
◊◊◊
I walked in the back door and was greeted by a happy boy. Mom kicked Duke and me out of the house to run off his nervous energy. I decided I needed to find out what was going on with his buddy and walked over to the Callahan house. I knocked on the back door, and Bryan answered. He took one look at me and slammed the door in my face.
�Dude, it was just a date to the dance. Nothing happened,� he said through the closed door.
�Get your sister.�
I heard the sound of retreating footsteps, and soon Brit came to the back door. When she opened the door, Duke nudged his way past her and into their house. At least he was too big to pull a Houdini.
�We came over to see what was going on with Precious,� I said.
�She hurt her paw, and the vet said she wasn�t to be allowed to run loose until it healed.�
Brit stepped back to let me in the house. We found Precious looking irritated as Duke gave her kisses. I pulled him back. The poor kitty looked pitiful with her paw bandaged. I reached down and picked her up, and she began to purr as I rubbed her chest.
�I still can�t believe she likes you,� Brit said.
�What happened?� I asked.
�I don�t know. Precious came home the other day and she was limping. Knowing her, she might have been in a fight.�
I handed her Precious and took Duke home. It was no surprise when Halle pulled into our driveway. I�d had time to think on the ride back from Notre Dame, and really didn�t see the benefit in causing a big stink about her having a date to Homecoming. If I wanted to be exclusive, I knew how to do that. I wasn�t ready for that kind of relationship.
�How was your trip?� she asked.
I led her up to my apartment and filled her in on the weekend. I told Halle that I liked it and it was one of my top choices. I also told her about receiving an offer from USC. She was more excited about that one than about Notre Dame. USC had the Roski School of Art and Design and also a School of Dramatic Arts that Halle was interested in.
We fell back into a comfortable conversational rhythm. She reminded me why I felt that there might be something more between us eventually. It didn�t take much convincing on Halle�s part to get me naked. As we made love, I looked forward to when we would be in California together to make our movie. I wanted to learn to surf. Halle told me that because of my role as a baseball player, I could get specialized training paid for by the studio. I would have to check into that.
Halle kept me in bed all afternoon. We never talked about the dance. I think it was apparent to both of us that we were okay, and by extension, the other girls were too. If Tami had sent Halle to me to do her dirty work, I would never have been mad at her. Next time Harper or Missy showed up, I would have to show them how to talk to me.
◊◊◊
Chapter 25 � Don�t You Want to Share the Guilt? Monday October 19
This morning Rachel had big news. How did I know it was big news? My first clue was that she was actually waiting for us when we came down to stretch. The second clue was when she began to fidget and bounce up and down. It was all I could do to ignore her as I prepared to run. Rachel�s excitement had Duke and Buster frisky, and they were tearing up the backyard as they played.
I finally stood up and picked up my Bo staff.
�What are you so happy about?�
�I came in fourth at regionals�that qualifies me for sectionals�if I do well there I get to go to state�my coach thinks I didn�t run my best race so she says I�ll be a shoo-in for state�I was disappointed none of my other teammates placed high enough to go but I can hardly wait to see how well I do! Isn�t that great?�
Rachel said all this in one burst of words. I had to concentrate, or I wouldn�t have been able to follow what she said. Rachel waited for my response as I froze for a few seconds, and then smiled. From what I gathered, she had placed well enough in her cross-country regional to move on to sectionals. Rachel squealed when I picked her up and put her on my shoulder. That got the two rowdy dogs to follow us down the street as I ran with her on her perch.
�David! Put me down!� she yelled. �I�m going to pee!�
Where do girls learn to say they�ll pee on you to get you to stop teasing them? They must have classes that also teach them �the look,� the pout, and the eye-roll, with the much more difficult sigh added for effect.
Rachel was a little chatterbox the whole time we ran. I felt sorry for Greg when Mac became a little older. What was I saying? Kyle was just as bad. I imagined when Nate began to talk as well. Angie might have to disown one of them.
◊◊◊
I planned my entrance at Lincoln High today. It wasn�t only girls who could do sexy. I wanted a few to realize I wasn�t without resources. The master, Adrienne, had taught me how to turn heads. I wore my handmade leather boots with the silver zipper on the side, AGed-15 jeans, and my Tommy Hilfiger fitted leather racing jacket. The jeans had strategically placed rips to show a little skin, which meant going commando. The sacrifices we have to endure for fashion.
My plan was all well and good except for one little detail: the girls had planned also. Sporty Brook wore her silk sweats that I was confident would trigger our school dress code policy as soon as she stepped inside. It wasn�t possible to have even a thong on and wear those pants. She also wore a tight V-neck t-shirt, and her bra enhanced her assets. Classy Halle had dressed in black slacks, a pink cashmere sweater and high heels that enhanced her already superior posterior. Farm girl Zoe wore her work jeans, a plaid button-up shirt, and cowboy boots.
All that was missing was surfer-girl Pam and Catholic schoolgirl Lisa Felton to complete my fantasy lineup. My California surfer-girl seemed to have been avoiding me for the last couple of weeks. I would need to find her and see what was going on. It wasn�t like her to not talk to me at least a couple of times a day.
I did my best cool-kid swagger and struck a pose in front of the three girls. I was stunned when they purposefully checked me out and then acted as if they weren�t impressed. Who were they kidding? I was David frickin� Dawson, star quarterback, fashion model, and movie star. I was giving them my best thousand-yard sultry stare when everything was ruined. Someone gave me a hip-check and about knocked me down. My archnemesis Tracy giggled and made me laugh. Curse that evil woman!
Tracy linked arms with my women and escorted them to the front door. I stood there, rooted to my spot, and admired the view as they walked away. The crowd of students clustered near the front door seemed to part like the Red Sea. I saw them each peek back to make sure I inspected their sexy little behinds. I bit my lower lip when they each put a little extra wiggle in their walk. Damn! We all knew they had me right where they wanted me. I don�t know why I even tried.
◊◊◊
My choice to come to school in model clothes was a mistake. Although Brook, Halle, and Zoe weren�t impressed, the rest of the female population noticed. The rip in my jeans on my left buttock seemed to be a magnet. At every turn, I found someone would either grab or pinch my butt. I had to enlist Tim, Jim, and Wolf to be my bodyguards until I got to gym class. There were boxers in my duffle bag that should help.
Coach Diamond sent me to the trainers to be checked out. I had a few dings, but nothing major. I went back out to the weight room to work out with Wolf. Today we did our lower body.
�I would just die if April said she wanted to do what Clare did Saturday,� Wolf blurted out.
I glanced around to see if anyone was listening to us.
�Why?� I asked.
His head snapped up and stared at me. He knew how I was and didn�t believe I�d asked that.
�I couldn�t let her do that.�
�Why?� I asked again, raising my eyebrows.
�What do you mean, why? I wouldn�t want a bunch of other guys pawing her.�
I agreed with him completely but was feeling contrary this morning.
�So far I�ve only heard a bunch of
He seemed confused.
�All I�m hearing is you talking about what you want. What about what she wants?� I asked.
�I�d have a real problem if April wanted to pull a train,� Wolf snapped at me.
�But you were willing to help Clare,� I said.
�That�s different,� he complained.
�Okay, explain to me why it�s different?� I asked.
�I was just one of many. Clare had sex with multiple partners, right in front of her boyfriend.�
There was so much I needed to teach my poor ignorant friend. Where to start?
�First off, you were next to last, correct?� I asked.
Wolf just nodded.
�Think about it. I bet you can figure out how many people you had sex with,� I said, and by the expression on his face, I needed to be clearer. �No condoms, remember?�
He gave me a sour look. Clare had made a point that she wanted everyone to leave a deposit in her.
�That�s not the same,� he complained.
�Denial is a river located in Egypt. It�s not, however, the state of refusing to admit the obvious truth, despite what some misinformed friend might tell you. Don�t listen to him. It�s a river. Really, it is,� I said.
�Screw you, Dawson,� Wolf said.
�Don�t make me pull out �I told you so,�� I warned him.
�Again: screw you.�
I just grinned at him, which caused him to give me the middle finger. Go figure. I had only tried to be a friend.
�Just saying,� I said to give him one more shot. �Now let�s talk about fantasies. Have you and April ever talked about what either of you might want to do?�
He wouldn�t meet my eye, so I wasn�t sure if he had or not.
�Let me throw one out for you that you might relate to: let�s say April wanted to have sex with two guys. Would you consider that?� I asked.
He and Jim had dated Cassidy at the same time, and I knew they�d had a threesome.
�If I were one of the guys,� Wolf snapped back.
�Don�t you think that�s what Chad was doing? I�m sure April would never suggest something like that, but if she did, and in some alternate universe you had a brain cramp and agreed, wouldn�t you want to be there to make sure she was okay?� I asked, and then let that sink in before continuing. �Besides the fun of a threesome for you, I bet you�d want to be there for her.�
Wolf gave me the same look my dad did right before he needed a beer. I let him wrap his mind around that before hitting him with the big one.
�Clare�s fantasy was hers. We can debate all we want about what we�d do if our girlfriend came to us and told us she wanted to do multiple men. Chad�s a bigger man than I am. I would never agree to it, but I think he realized Clare might do it on her own to satisfy her curiosity. He was able to help her organize it, and then be there to make sure she was safe.
�I�m a big believer in communication. If April felt she could tell you something like that, I would hope you�d listen to her and not make her feel bad about it. If you jumped on her, she�d never feel she could tell you something that would make you uncomfortable. Now, I�m not saying you should go along with her desire to do everything April wants, just like she needs to filter some of your dumbass ideas. I guess what I�m trying to tell you is that it�s okay to react the way you did, but you were only looking at how it affected you. You weren�t looking at it from her point of view,� I said.
�I still wouldn�t let her,� Wolf said with a sheepish grin.
�I wouldn�t either,� I agreed.
◊◊◊
After football, I went with Cassidy and Brook to the dojo. On the ride over, Brook made me call Zoe and clear the air between us about what happened at the dance. It was a quick conversation, and she apologized. I did the same about not calling back right away. Someone�Tracy�must have clued her in about me not staying mad if you gave me a chance to cool off, so she was fine.
When we began to practice, I found that the weighted Bo staff I ran with each morning helped with my quickness. Cassidy was still lightning fast, but I was able to hold my own. Afterward, I usually found Pam in my apartment. She wasn�t around. I was ready to call her when I received a text from Frank Ingram, my new PR agent, to see if I had some time. I brought up my video chat.
�Have you heard of catfishing as it relates to online social media?� Frank asked.
�Yeah, I think there�s a show on MTV about it.�
�There�s a new show that will compete against it coming out this summer. They want to show how hard it is for someone people assume is a catfish to get dates. The premise is that no one would believe they were actually on social media to find a date. I think you�d be perfect for it, and it would raise your awareness,� he said.
�Sounds like a huge hassle. Plus, my friends already think I�m a diva sometimes. Wouldn�t I look like a D-list wannabe who was desperate for celebrity?�
�We would make sure you didn�t come off looking like a Kardashian.�
�God, I hope not! I can see it now: David A. Dawson, the next David Hasselhoff.�
�Do you sing? We can see about getting you bookings in Europe.�
�Thanks. I�ll be the next big thing in Romania.�
�Come on. It should be fun,� Frank said.
Maybe for him, it would be. I caught enough hostility online. I could just see it if I joined one of the many other dating apps; I�d be the target of even more Internet trolls with beer muscles. I�d already seen how unsettling that was when Tommy Cox had stalked my family and me.
�I�ll think about it,� was all I was willing to say for now.
�Don�t think too long. They need someone soon,� Frank said, and then showed me my new website.
�I hope it�s okay, but we hired Lily to help us with you. She already knew all about you and seems to have good instincts about your promotion,� he said.
�You know, that sounds great to me. Lily�s been a big help.�
He then went into detail about his plans and preparations for when I was in LA for my movie release. He�d been in touch with Kendal, and they were arranging both auditions and appearances. This was all part of the package, and I resigned myself to letting them do their job and just put on a happy face.
When Frank hung up, I started to realize what I�d done when I hired him. The media circus was about to begin. It took me back to my uncle�s warning. It was too late to change my mind now.
◊◊◊ Wednesday October 21
After football practice, Brook and I were to meet with some people from Range Sports. We were told that one of the folks we would see was in charge of safety and wanted to assess our skill level as skydivers before their insurance would sign off on the shoot.
I arrived at school and was dressed to work out when Wolf stopped me. He had a panicked expression on his face.
�I have to show you something,� he said when we were alone.
I didn�t expect him to drop his shorts and show me his dick.
�Dude, I don�t swing that way,� I told him half-seriously.
Wolf didn�t even smirk, so he was really worried about something. I looked closer and saw a milky-looking liquid on the tip. My mouth fell open as I made the connection.
�Tell me it doesn�t burn when you pee,� I said.
He looked away from me. Shit!
�Come on,� I ordered.
I took him to the trainers� office and found Jill and Becky with their feet up on their desks and cups of coffee in their hands. They looked at us, and I smiled.
�You both will thank me later,� I said, which confused them. �Show them your package.�
Wolf made a move to bolt, but I grabbed his arm.
�Listen, dumbass. If one of them sees it, they�ll both want to see it. Trust me, this is your best option to lessen the embarrassment,� I said.
�Yeah, show us your penis,� Jill said with a big smile.
Wolf took a deep breath and dropped his shorts. Both women had big smiles on their faces, and then it dawned on Becky what the problem was. She got up to take a closer look. When she started to reach for it, I stopped her.
�Gloves,� was all I had to say for both of them to become concerned.
�When was the last time you had unprotected sex?� Jill asked.
�Monday.�
This got worse and worse. That meant Wolf had slept with April since he got home. Then I thought about my other teammates with girlfriends: Jim and Piper, Alan and Stacy, Tim and possibly Tracy. The last one made my blood run cold. The last thing she needed was to catch an STI after everything she�d gone through. Jake was currently single. I wasn�t sure if Brandon was dating anyone. I cringed when I thought of Kendal. She would kill me if they�d hooked up and he�d caught the clap on one of my recruiting trips.
�Who was that with?� Jill asked.
�I think I caught it on Saturday. I didn�t start showing symptoms until last night. I don�t think we need to worry about me being contagious before that,� Wolf reasoned.
�I hate to break it to you, but you don�t have to show any signs to pass on an STI. You might very well have passed it on right after you contracted it,� Becky explained.
Then the two trainers turned and stared at me.
�I was a good boy,� I said, raising my hands to ward them off of me.
�Drop your shorts,� Jill said to me in a stern voice.
They wouldn�t believe me, so I did. I made sure Becky had on new gloves before she examined me. While she did that, Jill took Wolf aside, and they discussed who all might be involved. Becky sent me back to PE to lift. When I got out of my shower, Mr. Hasting was in the locker room talking to Coach Diamond. It was a relief that for once I wasn�t in the middle of it.
◊◊◊
By lunchtime, everyone involved in Clare�s train was missing, as were Stacy, April, and Piper. I was relieved to see Tracy. The rumors flew, but none of them had guessed what was going on. Of course, everyone was certain I knew what had happened. It didn�t take a rocket scientist to deduce that the boys were all the ones who�d gone with me on recruiting trips. What confounded everyone was why Stacy, April, and Piper were missing too. Better yet, why was I still here.
I assumed they had all been taken to be tested and treated. I doubted anyone would figure out that that was what had happened.
Then I thought about the three girls. Alan had survived hickey-gate. I doubted Stacy would be as forgiving if he gave her an STI. I wondered if they called your parents for something like this. I was in my test-prep class when my mom stormed in. That answered my question. I just got up and followed her out of the school. When Mom had me in the car, she started in.
�I received an interesting call.�
�I hope they told you I wasn�t involved,� I said.
�They did, but I thought we might just get you tested anyways.�
Then she lectured me the rest of the way to my appointment with my family doctor. You would think that a seventeen-year-old would be able to see his doctor without his mom. Guess again! It seemed they wanted to play a little game called �Scared Straight,� because they showed me a series of pictures of the possible effects of unprotected sex. I think my nuts actually crawled up into my body when I saw what might happen.
Thankfully, the nurse walked my sample down to the lab, and they tested it while Mr. Happy vowed to never want to spend time with another woman. Bad things happened! If he wasn�t a believer, I was. Then my test results came back, and I was given a clean bill of health.
On the way back to school, I found out what my punishment would be for my fun with Brook the past weekend.
�Your father and I will go on all your recruiting trips from now on. You are also not going with anyone else. It sounds like you�ve all been irresponsible. All it would take is for something like this to get out, and you might do serious damage to your career as both a model and actor. I understand that most universities don�t want troublemakers on their teams, either.�
�What about Brandon? He organizes everything for me.�
�Brandon was supposed to be the responsible one who was to watch out for you. I talked to Tom, and Brandon was let go. I didn�t think I needed to be on your trips, but apparently, I was mistaken. You�ve made significant strides towards growing up, but it�s clear you�re not there yet. You brought this on yourself, so I don�t want to hear any complaints. Is that clear?� she asked.
�But I didn�t do anything,� I complained.
When would I learn to shut up?
�David Allen Dawson, do you want me to dig into what happened on all your recruiting trips?�
That would not only be �no� but �HELL NO!� I could foresee a long stint locked in my room if she found out about swinger parties and hookers. Believe me, if my mom decided to find out, she would. All she�d have to do was get Alan alone, and she would have him broken in five minutes. If Mom wanted to be cruel, all she had to do was put Tami on the case. She would get me to admit to everything. I now had the proper motivation to shut up.
�I love you,� I tried.
Mom accepted my offer of surrender.
◊◊◊
Before football practice, my friends about died. Coach Hope had the team meet in shorts and t-shirts in the film room.
�Everyone, settle down,� he began.
Coach had a duffle bag on the podium, and he reached inside and pulled out a lifelike representation of a penis. Of course, any roomful of boys would laugh if they saw their football coach pull a dildo out of his bag. There were some funny comments. The one that made me laugh was along the lines of you shouldn�t drop your soap in the shower with Coach around. That one got us all a look that had us a little nervous. I think we all realized we were dealing with a Marine.
He then pulled out a condom.
�I�ve been told that we need to have a talk about sex education, specifically the importance of using a condom during sex. I�m going to assume you�re all brain-damaged hormonal teens who don�t remember your talk in middle school.
�First, this is your penis,� he said as he held up the dildo. �This is a condom. Your penis does not go into a vagina without a condom. The proper technique is to actually open the condom wrapper. I�m sure some of you will forget this step, so let me repeat it: open the damned wrapper.�
Coach tore open the foil pack and held up the condom so we could all see it.
�Then you roll the condom over the shaft of your penis like this. Be sure to leave space at the tip for, oh, hell, just do what I say,� Coach finished.
Yuri raised his hand. Coach was surprised but pointed at him.
�Two questions: where do we get condoms, and where are the women who will allow us to use one on them?� Yuri asked.
�Ask David,� Coach said and stormed out.
All the little dumbasses looked at me. I just flipped them off.
◊◊◊
Brook and I skipped the dojo and drove to our local airport where we were supposed to meet someone from Range Sports. We found him in the building where we�d taken the skydiving classes.
�You must be Brook and David. I�m Don Maier. Range Sports has asked me to make sure you�re safe on your shoot on Saturday. Did you bring your jump logs?� he asked.
Don reviewed everything and seemed to be satisfied. Then he ruined our day.
�Neither one of you has enough experience to use a wingsuit. There are too many dangers for skydivers of your limited experience for Range Sports to sign off on it. Neither our insurance carrier nor I would allow it, even with a waiver.�
�What would we have to worry about if we were to wear a wingsuit?� Brook asked.
�When you first exit the plane, you have to be aware that a wingsuit is very different than regular skydiving. It�s more like gliding, in that you can get some lift. If that happens when you exit the plane, it could result in a tail strike.�
I winced at the thought of hitting the plane. My guess was that might be fatal.
�Then there�s the chance of a flat spin, or uncontrollable spinning. If you haven�t trained on how to stop that, you�ll have a problem deploying your parachute. There�s another issue called a burble, a vortex in the parachute deployment area; and twists, a spinning parachute. If your parachute malfunctions, you have to deal with all that extra material you�ll have from both the parachute and your wingsuit. Finally, you have to depressurize the wings prior to parachute deployment. Part of doing that is slowing down. Wingsuit jumps can hit speeds in the 220-mile-per-hour zone. If you�re going that fast, you very well might rip your parachute. You seem like great kids, and I would hate to see you hurt, so I can�t allow you to try the wingsuits,� Don said.
What Don didn�t realize was that to Brook and me, what he just described made us want to do it even more. I heard we could fly through the air at 220 miles per hour. Maybe I�d get a suit with a Superman logo on my chest. I�d also seen the videos of BASE jumps with wingsuits. I got a little hard at the thought of screaming just over the trees as I flew down the side of a mountain. I think if we had any mountains nearby, Brook and I would have hurtled off one by now.
Don then showed us the wingboard. It resembled a miniature stealth fighter. It was eight feet wide and had small winglets on the end of the wings to decrease drag, according to Don. In the center was a place for what looked like a snowboard. It would disconnect from the wingboard when you decided to use your parachute.
The wingboard would be attached to the back of an airplane by a towrope, much like water skiing. The only difference was that about eight feet before it hooked to the board there was another towrope that was attached to a handle. This was what we would hang onto for stability. It also had a button we would push to release the snowboard-like device from the wingboard.
Don pulled out a tablet and showed us a video of the tests they�d done. The only part that made me nervous was the takeoff. Unlike everything we had done up to this point, where we leaped out of the plane, with the wingboard you took off behind the plane like a glider. It looked an awful lot like trying to ride a skateboard, tied to a car, and going 60 miles per hour. Don explained our speed at takeoff would be 55 knots (60�65 mph), and then as we climbed, we would reach speeds of 80�90 knots (about 90�110 mph). Once we were at cruising altitude, we would be steady at 100�140 knots (115�150 mph). When we jumped off the wingboard, we would need to bleed off speed before we used our parachute.
It was that part, bleeding off speed, that he needed to teach us. The plan was for a tandem jump with a dual skysurfing board. That way Don could control the jump, and we would get a feel for it. Then we would do a couple of jumps solo, but Don would be with us in case we got into trouble.
All went well until the last jump. Brook glanced over at me with a mischievous grin, then pointed her board down and took off like a shot. A split second later, I did the same, except I tucked so I could gain even more speed. Brook glanced back to see if I had followed her, and was surprised when I came screaming past her. We heard Don call us bad names over the radio, but the chase was on.
That was when I decided to show off and did a barrel roll. Brook, not to be outdone, tried to do a loop. The only problem was that when she raised the nose of her skysurfing board, it started to bleed off her speed, and she effectively stalled out. I filed that away as a good lesson and thought it sucked to be her. I knew Devin would love this because of how much it resembled snowboarding. The only problem was that it was way too short of a jump. My altimeter gave me a warning noise to tell me I had gotten too low. I tipped the nose of the board up and then deployed the chute. I couldn�t wait to see the footage my GoCam had picked up.
Landing was not fun. The stupid board skimmed across the ground, and the chute got caught in a breeze. I ended up doing a face-plant. It seems that snow was much more forgiving when you did that, to my chagrin. I would have to edit that part out.
◊◊◊
We�d just pulled out of the parking lot when Brook reached for my shorts. She pulled them down, grasped Mr. Happy, and checked him out.
�What are you doing?� I asked.
�I wanted to see if you had any signs,� she said cryptically.
�I think if you need a sign, he�s standing up and begging,� I suggested.
�Not that sign.�
�I didn�t get a 666 tattoo for the sign of the beast, but we might discuss it if you want me to get one,� I teased.
Brook was busy examining my member and ignoring my smart comments. Then I realized what she wanted to know.
�You�ve had all your shots, right?� I asked.
Her head snapped up, and she released Mr. Happy as if she�d been holding a dead rat. I found a closed office complex and pulled around back. I grabbed Mr. Happy and waved him at her.
�Come on, baby. Be my little crack whore and suck my diseased staff.�
Brook�s eyes got huge, and when I grabbed the back of her neck, she was ready to scratch my eyes out. I burst out laughing. She had a confused expression on her face, and I took advantage and pulled her head into my lap. Brook found half my manhood in her mouth. She knew I would never knowingly give her an STI, so she began to give me head.
The Jeep was a terrible place to have sex. I pulled Brook out and turned her around so she faced the car. I just put on a condom, pulled her shorts aside and pushed my member into her moist center. Brook loved me to pound her from behind, so I obliged. The first time took the edge off.
Brook lost her clothes and enticed me into joining her in the back seat. I was more than willing and quickly had another condom on. This time I took my time to get her fully aroused. I loved her tight little body. I marveled at how she responded when I used my large hands to awaken her desire. I coaxed her onto her stomach and massaged her back and buttocks. Brook moaned as I teased her sex and then dropped down and ate her exquisite little mound. It was already red and puffy from our previous session.
When she began to push back against my tongue and whine, I pulled off and quickly replaced it with my member. Brook gave a satisfied grunt when I filled her. I leaned forward and kissed her on the back of the neck as I began to make love to my little adventure junkie. This was new for us. She soon was close and asked to be able to look me in the eyes. She flipped over, and I covered her again, putting my face next to her ear.
�You�re a special girl, Brook Davis,� I whispered.
She shuddered and climaxed hard. She wrapped me up in her arms and legs and held me tight. It allowed me to keep going through her orgasm, which rolled into another one, and another. Brook took it like a champ, and I finally felt my second climax arrive in my own earthshattering experience.
�Dang, I had no idea I could do that. You set the bar pretty high for next time,� she said.
�If we start to play �top that,� you�ll find I�m out of your league,� I shot back.
I pulled out of her and slapped Mr. Happy across her button. Brook jumped like I�d used a Taser on her.
�No,� she moaned as she tried to scoot away from me.
Unfortunately�or fortunately, depending on your point of view�the Jeep didn�t have enough room for her to escape me. I did it again, and I think she had a little orgasm. I reached for my pants to get another condom when she opened the other door and crawled out.
�Where are you going? I was just getting started,� I teased her.
�Keep that thing away from me,� Brook said, and then squealed as I followed her out the other side of the Jeep.
It took her a moment to realize we were running around naked in a parking lot. I scooped her up and gave her a raspberry on her left butt-cheek. She squirmed loose and grabbed her clothes. She kept a wary eye on me as we got dressed.
�I�m hungry,� Brook announced. �Feed me.�
Smart girl. I�d just had sex. Fill my stomach and the next thing you know I�d be in a coma, a very satisfied coma.
◊◊◊ Friday October 23
My recruiting-trip gang was not a happy bunch. Someone had let it slip out that they�d gotten the clap. Jim, Wolf, and Alan were now single after they�d had to have their girlfriends tested. Tracy and Tim never got a chance to get further than their date to Homecoming. For some reason, they were mad at me because they thought I should share the blame.
I explained that while I�d taken the heat for the sex-romp we�d had on our trip last year, I wasn�t about to step up and take some of the blame for what they did on this trip. Wolf came to my defense and told them that I�d warned him to double-wrap it before they joined in. I then told them my mom had taken me to get tested and the resulting punishment. They were a little embarrassed when they realized they hadn�t had to have their moms in the room while the doctor checked their privates out. They were also apologetic when they learned Brandon had lost his job. To be honest, I should have fired him when Alan and Tami ended up in my bed.
I think they were simply used to me taking the heat when we did bonehead things. I�d learned my lesson. If it were my fault, I would say so, but I�d be damned if I would take the blame for them getting gonorrhea.
◊◊◊
I only had five more weeks of school left. I found myself taking tests before everyone else had to, starting today. It was all part of the accelerated plan Ms. Jaroslav, my guidance counselor, had devised. I would take my finals the Friday after Thanksgiving, three weeks before my fellow classmates. That is, except for Halle, who joined me today. We were ensconced in an office where Ms. Jaroslav would watch us while we took our tests.
Halle had also helped me with the script for the movie. We found a little time each day to work at it, and then most Thursday nights I would go to her house for dinner. It gave her mom a chance to check our progress. She seemed impressed I�d learned my lines so well.
I�d missed last night�s dinner at the James house because it was my nephew�s second birthday. I talked Rita, Trip, and Halle into joining us at our house. The kids had gone into sugar overload. It was so bad that Duke showed me he wanted to go into our apartment and be in his crate.
The plan for the movie was for Rita and Trip to travel back to LA two weeks ahead of Halle and me. The rest of the cast would do their script walk-throughs and prepare for when we arrived. Halle was one of the stars and needed to be on set and ready come the Monday after Thanksgiving. I would have a couple of days to settle in before I had to be on set.
This would be a new experience for me because most of the shots would be done on sound stages at the studio. For my last movie, the majority of the shots were done on location, and only the ones that needed a lot of CGI (Computer Generated Imaging) added were shot in-house. Rita told me that word had gotten out that I would have free time, and Kendal should start to receive some calls about my availability. Personally, if I had to be there for work, I�d rather be busy.
◊◊◊
Tonight, we played Riverside at their place. Last year had been easy. We had won 45�10 without breaking a sweat. I admit I hadn�t really taken this week seriously, football-wise. I�d spent more time on the academic side of my life. It felt like a reward for taking care of business.
I always loved the drive into Riverside. Of course, the town had been built along a lazy river, and the main road into town took you over an old metal suspension bridge. It was one of the first of its kind in our area and a landmark. The other landmark was the courthouse on the edge of the town square. It had a large brass dome which had turned green over the years. The downtown was full of small businesses. They had been smart and become known for antiques. We had spent a weekend or two wandering through the stores. I especially liked the �Fudge Shoppe.� What kid wouldn�t enjoy a place where you could sample different types of fudge? Dad always felt guilty and bought a box of assorted fudge after Greg and I would decimate their sample platters. I think that was their plan all along.
We arrived about an hour before game time, and the stands were already filling up. I noticed it was mostly the orange and blue of our Bulldogs. I did my usual and wandered off before the game. I needed to do something to take my mind off what was to come. Of course, if I talked about football or played touch football, that didn�t count because it wasn�t me obsessing about Riverside.
I walked onto the field and found the cheerleaders sitting in the stands talking to each other. I spotted Pam and decided to talk to her to find out what was going on. I hadn�t spent any time with her for a couple of weeks. I didn�t expect the two of us to hook up; it was more that I missed our friendship. She was one of the few people that knew how to pull my chain in a humorous way. Pam cracked me up when she would start in on me about liking her, so I had to do such and such.
I think it startled her when I sat next to her and hugged her. She blushed when she saw it was me.
�That your girlfriend?� I heard and turned to see Jeff, my favorite reporter.
�Actually, they all are,� I announced, pointing to all the cheerleaders.
�Can we get a picture of you with all your women?� Jeff asked with tongue firmly in cheek.
The girls all sat around me while the newspaper�s photographer took a photo. I smiled when Pam sat next to me. I was disappointed when Jeff and some other reporters wanted to talk to me before the game, so I never did get a chance to speak with Pam.
◊◊◊
Playing Riverside felt like we were practicing against our JV team. I was sure after our second series that Coach Hope wasn�t going to let me play the second half, so I decided to have a little fun. We had just gotten the football back for our third possession, already up 14�0. We got into our huddle.
�Who wants to hog the ball this series?� I asked.
Jake raised his hand first. It was close between him and Johan. I hadn�t counted on our center wanting the ball. Coach Diamond had decided to run our triple option package in the hopes of eating up more clock. None of us really wanted to embarrass Riverside.
In the triple option, I decided who ended up with the ball. On this drive, Jake would get it every time. On the first play, he about broke it but was tackled after he picked up eleven yards. On the next, he ran for eight. It took five plays for Riverside to figure out Jake would get the ball every time. On the seventh play, Coach Diamond figured it out and pulled Jake from the game. When we ran the option for the eighth play, and I pitched it out of bounds to Jake, I found myself on the bench.
Jake went back into the game. The offense must have told Trent that Jake got the ball because he received it on a jet sweep and scored to make it 21�0.
On the next series, Coach Diamond made wholesale substitutions. My half brother Phil was even able to play some varsity football. If he would ever get into shape, he�d be a pretty good ballplayer. Phil thought that because he was related to me, he had natural talent. I�d tried to explain to him that if he ever wanted to be good, he would have to put the work in. The game ended in a 35�3 final that could have been 100�0 if we had wanted it to be.
The good news was that nobody got hurt on either team. When I found my seat on the bus, I thought about tomorrow. It was the first day of turkey season. Somehow Zoe had invited herself to go with Brook, Halle, and me. I suspected that the three girls didn�t want to hunt, but wanted to be there for the photo shoot and the making of the video when Brook and I tried out Devin�s new toy.
◊◊◊
Everyone met at our house when we got back. We planned to spend the night at the farms since we needed to be up before sunup to be in the turkey blinds. Dad said Devin had contacted Uncle John and would join us to go hunting. I was glad to hear Dad mention that Cora, Pam�s sister and Devin�s fianc�e, was in LA with her mother, looking at wedding dresses. I had half expected to see her this weekend.
I was surprised when the girls showed up with their own shotguns. Halle, Brook, and Zoe rode with me while Mom, Dad, Greg, and Duke took the other car. Angie had zero interest in anything to do with hunting, except she told Greg she wanted a turkey for Thanksgiving. I smiled when he was given his orders. I don�t think she realized that wild turkey wasn�t the same as the ones you buy in the store. Wild birds flew, so their breasts were leaner, which made a smaller bird.
It was late when we left our house, and I soon found I had three girls sound asleep in my car. Zoe sat in the passenger seat, so I nudged her. I needed someone to talk to, or I�d join them. I already knew that I would need a nap after we went hunting or I wouldn�t be worth anything later in the day.
�You have to keep me awake,� I said.
�Sorry, did we all fall asleep?�
�Talk to me. Were you guys serious about going hunting tomorrow?� I asked.
�I�ve been hunting since I was little. Brook wanted to try it, and Halle thought it sounded like fun. We�ve been getting together to practice. Brook is actually a good shot. Halle knows enough not to be a danger to herself. I wouldn�t stand in front of her, though.�
�That�s really good to know,� I said. �Where�ve you been practicing?�
�Out on the farm. We have clay pigeons. My dad has helped me teach them,� she said. �Do you have a lot of turkeys on your farm?�
�My uncle and Mr. Hass tell me they�re almost overrun with them this year. No one�s been hunting for turkey for the past several years. Mr. Hass said he counted twenty in his hayfield this week. Of course, we can�t shoot around my uncle�s cattle, but there�s plenty of land for us to use. There�s a large wooded area along the creek. We might see some deer in the morning. Be sure to tell Halle that they�re not in season.�
�If she managed to take one with bird shot, I think they might let her have it because it would have to be sick or injured,� Zoe said.
We got quiet for a minute then Zoe had a question.
�What happened last weekend? How did everyone but you get a sexually transmitted infection?�
�Let me ask you a question: if you had somehow contracted an STI and I knew about it, would you want me to tell one of the guys how it happened?� I asked.
Zoe thought about it for a moment. I could tell she rejected my notion she would ever get an STI, but she was able to get past it and then shook her head �no.�
�I think the question you�re really asking is was I involved in risky sex. While all sex has some risks, I try to be safe,� I said.
�What do you mean by all sex has risks?� she asked.
�Accidents happen. A condom might break. The birth-control pill isn�t 100 percent. There are lots of ways that sex can go wrong.�
She had a worried look.
�Zoe, if you�d be more comfortable, we can stop having sex. I�m not spending time with you just to get into your pants,� I said.
I meant it, too. With Zoe, it was about how I felt when on the farm with her. I felt at peace.
�How about for me?� Halle asked.
It seemed that our conversation was being overheard. I saw that Brook was awake as well.
�Yes, you, too.�
�How about me?� Brook asked.
�No. You�re too sexy to give up,� I teased.
�You don�t think Halle and I are sexy enough?� Zoe asked.
Oops. That joke backfired.
�He just thinks I�m easy,� Brook complained.
�Stop!� I ordered.
They were all tired, and so was I. If I weren�t careful, I would be in real trouble. They had guns in my trunk, after all.
�I enjoy our time together. Each of you is special to me. I admit to liking sex, and I especially like it with you girls. That doesn�t mean I�d stop being friends with you if we stopped having sex.�
Mr. Happy already had a list ready if they decided to bail on me. I admit to being a guy who was used to sex. If they chose to not have sex with me, I�d be friends with them, but I was honest enough with myself to know that I�d look elsewhere for an outlet. I didn�t plan to be a monk.
Cassidy was a great example of a girl I liked to hang out with, but there was nothing other than friendship going on. It wasn�t hard to see myself as friends with all these girls, the same way I was friends with Cassidy. I would hope if it turned out that way that we would be friends more like Tracy and me, where there was something that happened every now and then.
�I guess now that Zoe and Halle are no longer having sex with you, I get more,� Brook said.
Brook forgot that Halle had an older brother. I almost had to pull the car over. I now understood my dad when Greg and I would bicker in the back seat. Then they started giggling. I let out a disgusted sigh, which made Halle laugh.
�And the Oscar for best fake sigh goes to�drum roll�David A. Dawson in the
If I wanted this kind of abuse, I would have ridden with my mom!
◊◊◊
The girls and I ended up at the Hass farm while my family went to Uncle John�s. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
◊◊◊
Chapter 26 � I�ll Do Whatever She Wants Saturday October 24
I woke up to my bedcovers being ripped off my bed.
�Told you,� Brook said.
When I opened my eyes, the three girls darted out of my room. Apparently, someone had told them I slept naked, and I would bet my last dollar they wanted a show. All they had to do was ask. I looked at the clock, and it said 4:30 in the morning. I only got three hours of sleep.
I made my way downstairs to find my uncle and Devin at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and eating homemade biscuits with slices of ham on them. I decided I needed some of both.
�Sit,� Mrs. Hass ordered.
Then I heard the back door open and Dad, Greg, and Lou�Devin�s childhood friend and the man in charge of R&D at Range sports�walked in. Duke also came in and rushed to me. I think he thought I no longer loved him.
�Hey, Lou,� I said.
The back door opened again, and Mr. Hass, Frank Ingram, and Lily entered the kitchen. I didn�t realize my PR agent and his new employee would be here this weekend. We had a houseful for our turkey hunt. Then the three girls all came down.
I was impressed that Mrs. Hass had plenty of food and coffee. Lou had a surprise for everyone: he had a variety of turkey callers.
�We have cameras set up in all the blinds. Try out our new products and then tell us what works best,� Lou said.
After we were awake, Uncle John took half and Mr. Hass the other, and we split up. They had blinds set up at strategic locations around the farms. Uncle John had brought all the cattle up to the field by the barn for the day. He would keep an eye on them while we hunted this morning. I found myself in a blind with Frank and Lily. Halle, Brook, and Zoe insisted they be in one together. They made me a friendly wager they would bag more turkeys this morning. We all had visions of bagging a bird.
The state said our licenses were only good from a half-hour before sunup until a half-hour after sundown each day, and only for the weekend.
I sat quietly, just enjoyed the morning, and petted Duke as he laid his head on my thigh. It was cold enough that I could see my breath. When the sun began to come up, the birds woke up and begin to chirp. Lily had a handheld video camera out, scanning the scene. We were at the edge of the woods and overlooked one of the hayfields. Off in the distance, we heard our first turkey call. There was a faint �pop, pop, pop� of shotguns. I would guess that was a farm or two further north of where we were.
I took out one of Lou�s turkey calls and made some noise. Someone a few fields away did the same. I heard a �pop, pop� from whoever was hunting to our north. Then I about shot myself when I heard a turkey call right behind me in the woods. My caller sounded like a yelp. The wild turkey behind us made more of a �kee-kees� noise. When Duke heard the birds, he suddenly got interested. I grabbed his collar to make sure he knew to stay. I saw one in a tree, and then it dropped down to the ground, and I lost sight of it. Then seven turkeys slowly moved out of the low brush, not more than twenty feet from us. There were two toms and five hens.
I raised my shotgun. It was then that I saw Frank hadn�t raised his. I looked at him, and he shook his head. I remembered the first time I had shot a pheasant, I�d felt guilty. I lined up on the closest tom and squeezed the trigger.
I had taken four turkeys. The other three took flight and flew right at the blind where the three girls were hunkered down. I was impressed when it sounded like a simultaneous shot, and three turkeys cartwheeled out of the sky. One of my turkeys wasn�t dead, and Duke was about to come unglued. He was a retriever and needed to do his job. I let Duke go do what he was bred to do, and he bolted to where the live turkey was. He made sure it was dead and then brought it back to me. It was almost too much for my trusty hound. I had a big smile on my face as he gamely hauled the big bird to our blind. He got a lot of loving for that.
Duke dropped the bird when he was told to, and then I sent him after the other three. Lily had captured the whole event on video. Then I heard more shots. It sounded like every blind was shooting at something. Then I realized that the farmers north of us had pushed the birds to our farm. It would have been easy to take more birds, but four was more than enough.
When the excitement was over, we began our trip back to the farm. Duke rushed over to check my dad and then came back to me. When we got back to the farm, we found we had taken twenty-three birds. Mr. Hass told us we could take them to the local butcher and he would prepare them for us. The butcher would even smoke some of them if we wanted. I was okay to hunt but was a wimp when it came to butchering. I voted for taking them to town. Besides, twenty-three turkeys were more than Uncle John�s smoker would hold.
Zoe strutted up to see what I had. She scowled when she saw I had four. She had taken three, and Brook and Halle had each shot one. The most anyone else had gotten was two. Of course, when they saw the video of the seven turkeys that walked right up to us, my skills as a hunter were discounted. Halle said even she could have taken them if they walked up to her. I had to agree that her shooting hers out of the air was more impressive, but I didn�t tell her that.
When we were done, I told everyone I needed a nap. Duke wouldn�t go back to my uncle�s farm, so I let him join me. He was a good nap-taker.
◊◊◊
Brook came and woke me when it was time for our adventure. I took a shower and came downstairs. Duke had abandoned me to hang out with Zoe. She seemed to have an affinity for anything with fur, and they hit it off. She seemed to instinctively know all his secret places that needed to be scratched or rubbed. I could tell if I left him in her care for very long, I would be replaced.
I grabbed some leftover ham and biscuits for a quick lunch, and then we took the Charger to the airfield. I didn�t think it should really be called an airport, because it didn�t have a terminal or public flights. When we pulled up, it was apparent that Range Sports had taken over. There seemed to be three very distinct groups. Lou was with his engineers. They were all huddled around the wingboard, checking it out. I wasn�t sure if that was reassuring or not. Were they worried it might break like the jet water board had? That little accident about killed me!
The photographers and videographers made up a second group. I saw them attaching cameras to the airplane, helicopter, and chase car. It looked like they planned to film this from several different angles.
Then there was everyone else, which included my family. My mom had Don Maier, Range Sports� jump specialist, cornered. Devin had apparently made a hasty retreat. I figured I had better go save Don before he experienced my mom�s wrath. She saw me and the expression on her face said she wasn�t happy.
�They want us to sign a document that says they�re not responsible if you�re injured or die,� Mom said.
�Where�s Kendal?� I asked.
She was on the phone with someone, whom I assumed was Tom. She saw me and held up one finger to let me know she�d be done in a minute. I couldn�t see how I could help, so I left to get ready.
I found Brook already in her jumpsuit. I think she was as eager as I was to get this started. I put mine on, and Devin found us.
�Sorry for the delay. Our stupid jump-safety person won�t sign off on the shoot. He said the only way he�ll do it is if you sign a waiver to indemnify us when you die.�
�Come on, Devin. Surely Lou has this one figured out. You wouldn�t try and kill me twice, would you?� I asked.
Brook had been listening in and suddenly didn�t look as confident.
�I think David should go first,� she offered.
�Why thank you, Brook,� I said, acting like I wanted to be the first to try one of Devin�s new toys.
Devin just rolled his eyes at us. He could see Brook was a little worried and just wanted to watch me die. I didn�t blame her.
�We�ve tested it. Lou tells me we have all the bugs out of this one,� Devin assured me.
Somehow, I doubted that.
Brook and I were taken to meet with Lou and Don for one last safety talk. It was full of common-sense stuff like if I pointed the nose of the wingboard down, I would rapidly get closer to the ground. I reasoned the towrope would prevent me from hurtling to the surface of the earth where I would make a nice indentation. Don looked at me like I was crazy, and Lou got a pained look on his face. I think Lou hadn�t figured a seventeen-year-old would even think to do that. Well, he had thought I wouldn�t try to do barrel rolls on the jet water board, either.
Kendal and Dad found me.
�They refuse to insure the shoot,� Kendal said.
�That doesn�t sound good. What are they willing to do?� I asked.
�Devin has sunk a lot of money into research and development, marketing, and now today. He said it would be cost-effective for him to only allow you to fly the wingboard. He can�t risk letting Brook try it also,� Kendal said.
�You get to tell her that,� I said.
�No problem. Devin will reimburse her for her classes. He�ll also offer her what she would have made today to compensate her. He understands you both put in time and energy to get ready for this shoot.�
�What do I get?� I asked.
I figured if Devin threw enough money around, I might be willing to take it.
�He�s agreed to pay you a substantial bonus. If there�s an incident, you�ll be paid an additional penalty bonus.�
I looked at my dad. From his expression, the bonus must be hefty. Devin had to believe everything would work out or he wouldn�t have made the offer. If there was an incident, I expected Sandy would make sure I was taken care of.
�What do you think?� I asked.
�Your mom�s against it. Lou tells me everything should be okay,� Dad said. He then added, �It�s a lot of money.�
For me, it had nothing to do with money or safety. It had everything to do with the adventure. If this worked out for Devin, it would be the next big thing. Videos of wingsuit jumps were exciting, but the downside was they only lasted a short amount of time. If this was as much fun as I thought it would be, and it lasted much longer, Range Sports would make a lot of money. That was great, but there would be video of me doing it first. While it wasn�t a Neil Armstrong first, I would be able to say I was the first to do tricks on a wingboard. It made the little kid in me giddy with excitement. Dad should have known not to ask me if I�d do something that involved an element of risk. He should really listen to Mom more.
�Let�s do it.�
◊◊◊
I was with Lou on the airstrip when Lily and Frank approached me.
�Any last words?� Frank asked.
I gave him a look, and he realized what he�d said.
�I meant, well, shoot.�
�I�ll see you when I get back down,� I said, stepping into the clips for my boots.
Lou handed me the towrope handle.
�Ready?� the pilot asked through the earpiece in my helmet.
�Go,� was my one-word answer.
I was right: it did seem like skateboarding behind a car. The wingboard had three wheels, two at the edge of each wing and one in the nose. As we began to pick up speed, I worried this may be a fatal flaw in the design. If someone were to fall off, it would be like falling off a motorcycle. I suddenly wished I had on my leathers instead of my skydiving suit. I didn�t even want to think of layers of skin being peeled off if I fell.
I was so focused on the ride down the runway that I was caught by surprise when the wingboard smoothly took flight. I wasn�t sure what I expected, but it was much more stable than I�d thought it would be. Both Don and Lou had warned me to not do anything until we reached cruising altitude. This first flight was all about safety and to make sure I felt comfortable. There were three more flights scheduled in which I�d get the chance to try different maneuvers.
I glanced over and saw the helicopter just off the side and behind me as it captured everything.
�We�ve reached altitude. Begin your first test maneuver,� the pilot told me over the radio.
I leaned to the right, and the wingboard gently began to drift to the right. When I straightened up, the wingboard corrected itself and came back in line with the plane.
�It feels rock solid, and it self-corrected,� I said.
�Good. Now execute the second maneuver.�
Since I rode the wingboard like I was on a snowboard, I had to lean back, and it went left. Over the next thirty minutes, I made moves that were progressively more aggressive. I was impressed that the wingboard didn�t seem to have any flaws. Everyone had been worried that because of my size, it might destabilize. Of course, they told me that
Devin�s team gave me an hour�s break as they reviewed the film from the different cameras. Devin was about to jump out of his skin, he was so happy. I went into the hangar where they had some food set out and made myself a roast beef sandwich.
On the second flight, I still had concerns about the takeoff. The vibration about shook my teeth loose, but once we were in the air, everything felt solid. This time was more enjoyable because I now had confidence Lou hadn�t set out to kill me again.
There was just something about flying through the sky that got your blood pumping. I had the same joy I felt when I jumped out of a plane. I understood how astronauts felt when they had a completely different perspective of what the earth looked like from that far up. I had that same sense of awe but was closer to the ground. I was able to see for miles and miles.
Once we reached altitude, I began to have fun. I enjoyed going back and forth behind the plane as if I were waterskiing. I then tipped forward harder, and I found myself doing a barrel roll. I tipped back and did the same, but in the other direction. I wondered what would happen if I threw myself forward, like I did on the jet waterboard, to do a tight roll. Well! That was a mistake!
What Lou had worried about happened. I began to spin, and the rotations became quicker as I tucked to keep from being sent flying by the centrifugal force. Once it started, I wasn�t able to get it to stop. I don�t know if you have ever been rolled like that before. The closest thing I guess would be to put yourself into a tire and then let it go down a hill. A mild example would be to place your forehead on a bat and spin around it. Imagine that, but ten times faster.
Out of self-defense, I tried to stand up. My bootstraps gave way, and I was tossed from the wingboard. I began to tumble as I fell towards earth. I would have been okay, except I was disoriented as hell. I�ve seen the funny videos as people try to run after they take a spin with the bat. It was sometimes part of some team-building exercise that was intended to be funny. Let me say that it would have been funny if I hadn�t been hurtling towards the ground at an alarming rate.
There were ten different voices in my headset, all screaming instructions.
�All of you SHUT UP!� I heard Don, Range Sports� jump specialist, yell.
Thankfully, everyone listened.
�David, put your arms and legs out so you will slow your tumble,� he said. �Do it NOW!�
I did as I was told and it seemed to help, but I still felt like I was going to throw up.
�Shit!� Don said.
That didn�t sound good. I closed my eyes, and that just made it worse, and I was suddenly sick. I wished I hadn�t eaten that roast beef sandwich now because it was now plastered all over the facemask of my helmet. That made me gag again.
�David, roll over and face the ground,� Don said.
That was when my altimeter alarm began to go off. I had entered the altitude zone where it was dangerous. I had to roll over and pull my chute now.
�David! David, do it now!� Don yelled.
I rolled over and pulled the cord. Because I was disoriented, it was hard to find the brake cords and pull them down. Somehow, I got down in one piece. As soon as I was on the ground,������������� I ripped my helmet off. They found me on my hands and knees, dry-heaving. I finally rolled onto my back, and the world wouldn�t stop spinning. I just lay there and groaned.
A shadow blotted out the sun. I blinked and saw it was Brook.
�You about ready to go again?� she asked.
�Maybe in a minute.�
◊◊◊
It took several hours for me to feel anywhere close to normal. Someone had to hold my arm, or I would tip sideways until I wound up on the ground, moaning. Devin seemed a little jumpy when my mom was around. I thought she may have had words with him again.
When they played the video for me, I realized how close I�d come to dying. Brook told me I did twenty-eight rotations before I stood up and was flung from the wingboard. I�d curled up in a fetal position and began to drop like a tumbling rock. The helicopter followed my descent. My stomach was in my throat as I watched it play out on the video. When I finally spread my arms and legs, it helped stabilize my fall, but I was still on a collision course to the hereafter. I will always be indebted to Don. He talked me through it and saved my life.
Devin didn�t even hesitate when Kendal told him that she felt the �incident� clause had been triggered. He immediately said he would authorize the check. Frank about wet himself with excitement, once he was sure I wouldn�t die. Frank explained this was a PR gold mine. Honestly, I just wanted to go home.
◊◊◊ Sunday October 25
When Duke and I went out to run, we found Precious outside. Duke was excited to see his friend again and seemed to sense she had been hurt. He had to check her all over. I was amused that the cat let him. Normally Duke would have gotten his nose swatted. I was glad to be able to run on my own today because there was a bunch of stuff that I needed to think about.
I set a relaxed pace because I felt like I might run further than usual today and didn�t need to stress Duke out. I had my weighted Bo staff so I would work my upper body while I ran. It helped me to build up my wrists and forearms. It also improved my grip, upper arms, and shoulders. The twisting strengthened my core. Cassidy even commented that it had helped with my quickness.
Duke settled in for our long run, and I dropped into my thinking zone. I basically blocked out everything around me, and it allowed me to concentrate. Something I realized was that my wish for excitement came with a price. Yesterday I might have really hurt myself. I had been lucky to only have been dizzy.
Bo had warned me that schools would worry I might end my football career if they knew some of what I�d been up to. I had more than just sports to think about. If I were to get more involved in movies and/or modeling, I would be accountable to more than just myself. Someday I planned to have a family and children. I owed it to them to be in the best shape I could be in.
Then I thought about the four girls that I�d been spending time with. In some ways, it felt like �been there, done that� from my first year with Cindy, Beth, Suzanne, and Tracy. I had two thoughts: either I quit limiting whom I had sex with, or I simply lock one of them down. When the semester started, my objective was to forget about Tami and just have fun. Now I�d just gone to a dance and been jealous when I saw the girls with someone else.
Don�t get me wrong, I liked to get laid as much as the next guy. Something the recruiting trips had taught me was if I wanted to pick someone up, I could. So why would I let myself fall into any kind of relationship only eight weeks after my best friend told me that she needed to go out and get some life experience? Shouldn�t I do the same?
A plan started to form in my mind. In four weeks, I would be off to LA for two months. Why shouldn�t I use that time to explore what really was out there? The test would be whether or not I missed the girls I�d been seeing. Well, Halle would be around, but she�d be busy working. I would get a chance to experience everything Southern California had to offer.
I trotted up our driveway and looked at my smart watch. It said we had run 8.3 miles. Duke wanted in the back door to get a drink. I stretched, then went up and took a shower. The hot water felt good this morning. Almost dying yesterday had shifted my focus, and I found I enjoyed everyday things, like a hot shower or sleeping in my own bed.
◊◊◊
Going to church this morning, I felt a closer connection to my faith. I�d been a little adrift since Jeff had passed. From the time when I found out he was hurt, to right after he died, I had leaned on my faith to keep my head straight. Since then I hadn�t made it a priority. It was hit-or-miss whether I attended church each week. A solid moral foundation was one of my life goals. A big part of that was my faith.
After the sermon, Mom had stopped and talked to some of her friends. I wandered out to the entrance and read the bulletin board, where they�d posted a flyer saying they wanted volunteers for the youth group. While my commitments wouldn�t allow me to do it all the time, I wondered if I could do it a few times a month.
Mom came up behind me.
�Ready to go?� she asked.
�Yeah,� I said. �Do you think they�d let me help out with the youth group a time or two a month?�
�What do you think?� Mom asked.
She was right. It was a stupid question. I would add that to my list of things to do when I got back from LA.
◊◊◊
I pulled up to Zoe�s farm to see the driveway full of cars. I parked and couldn�t find anyone. Then I thought I heard laughter, so I followed the noise and found everyone in a field at the back of the property. I walked back, and Zoe saw me. She jumped the fence and met me halfway.
�Want to pick pumpkins?� she asked.
�I didn�t know you had any.�
�We put in a few acres each year, and we sell them at the vegetable stand for Halloween.�
�Isn�t it a little late to be selling pumpkins? Halloween is this week,� I said.
�We do it every year. All the money goes to various charities the church is involved with. We never have any problem selling out. People actually wait to buy theirs because they know the money goes to good causes.�
I had a great time picking pumpkins. The Pearsons even paid me with three little pumpkins. I knew some nephews and a niece who would get them as gifts. Greg and Angie would have a good time carving them.
As I drove home, thoughts of the afternoon reaffirmed why I spent time with Zoe. We had spent four hours together and just had a good time doing something that would help others. As we walked back to the house holding hands, we hadn�t needed to say anything. I felt at ease around her.
◊◊◊
When I got home, I stuck my head in the back door to call my trusty hound. He, of course, was waiting for me. Dad said he heard my car when I came home.
�David, come to the kitchen,� Mom called me.
I went inside and found her and Dad at the kitchen table, drinking hot cider. I got a cup and joined them at the table.
�We received a disturbing call from Cal Bell tonight,� she said.
I looked at both of my parents, and it felt like this was something serious.
�He says Pam�s pregnant, and you�re the father.�
I appreciated that my parents let me absorb that without further comment. I frantically thought back as to when it could have happened. I had tried to be careful and use a condom with her. Then it hit me: she had made love to me at the lake to help create new memories to replace the bad one from when Jeff drowned.
The thing was that I knew Pam was on birth control; at least, I thought so. Her parents had caught us in the act. What mother wouldn�t double-check to make sure her daughter was safe after that?
I took a deep breath. This was not Pam�s fault. I wasn�t going to be the guy that blamed the girl for not making sure she was protected. If Pam said it was my child, then it was. I knew it was my child even if she didn�t say it was. I looked up and took another deep breath.
�It�s mine,� I said. �I�ll do whatever she wants.�
My parents knew that meant I would marry her. My gut told me that Pam�s father didn�t want me anywhere near her. Pam wasn�t good at confrontations, and I suspected that if her dad worked on her, we wouldn�t be getting married. I fully intended to support my child. What I did have was money, and I wouldn�t deny him or her anything. I should be careful and add, within reason. Cal was a lawyer, after all.
�Should I go over and talk to her?� I asked.
�No. Cal said something else that�s disturbing: he said you raped her.�
◊◊◊
Chapter 27 � Add This to the List of Firsts Monday October 26
I was still in shock that Pam would accuse me of rape. It had to be her dad�s idea because we�d never even had rough sex. Furthermore, Pam wasn�t shy around me. We�d been friends for almost a year now. She knew me well enough to know that if she were pregnant, I�d support her. Pam knew my family, and how my brother had done the right thing and stepped up and married Angie. She also was aware of the charity I helped Angie organize for pregnant teens. The allegation simply mystified me.
The only explanation that made sense to me was that Cal, Pam�s dad, had to be the driving force. He had not been happy when we were caught having sex, so much so that he�d sent Pam and Lacy, Pam�s mom, on a vacation for the rest of the summer to keep us apart. If the baby had been conceived when I thought it had, it happened the day she came home. I could see where that might set him off.
I would think that being a lawyer, Cal would know that an allegation of rape would be hard to sell. First of all, the act that caused the pregnancy occurred two months ago. On top of that, Pam and I�d had sex at least a couple of times since then. He would need her to go along with the rape accusation for it even to have a chance of sticking.
There wasn�t much sense in worrying about it right now, but it did piss me off. I was sure that it was just a wild claim Cal had made in the heat of the moment when he talked to my mom. The problem was he�d said it. I left my apartment and found Rachel waiting and ready to run. I didn�t really feel like it, but I needed to keep a consistent schedule. Rachel also had sectionals this week, so I ran our usual mile and then quit.
I took my shower, got dressed for school, then down to the house for breakfast. Mom and Dad were cooking, so I sat down and waited.
�I think it would be a good idea to avoid Pam this morning,� Dad said.
�But I need to talk to her.�
�Yes, I agree, but it would be best to let everyone cool off first. I�ll see if I can get the Bells to come over for dinner and we can discuss this tonight,� Mom said.
�What if Pam comes to me?� I asked.
�Then talk to her, but don�t make her feel uncomfortable. She�ll be the mother of your child, and you don�t need for her to be mad at you already,� Dad said.
�You make it sound like I�ll piss her off.�
Dad looked at Mom, and they both nodded.
�I think that�s exactly what I meant,� Dad said.
I was smiling inside but didn�t need to encourage my parents. I simply nodded and ate my breakfast.
◊◊◊
When I parked my Jeep in the student parking lot, I took a moment to collect myself. My parents were crazy if they thought I wouldn�t talk to Pam. I was about to get out of my car when my phone rang. It was Frank Ingram, my PR agent. It must be the crack of dawn in LA. I wondered what would have gotten him up this early.
�Frank.�
�David, I wanted to catch you before you got your day started. I worked with Range Sports, and we have a couple of video packets that we�ll be releasing later today. I wanted you to be aware in case you had any press requests.�
�Can you send them to me?� I asked.
�Of course. If you do get any calls from the media, be sure to call me first, so we�re on the same page.�
�Why don�t you put together some talking points for me?� I suggested.
He laughed.
�I thought I was going to get to teach you about that,� Frank said. �I should�ve known you would already know about our dirty little secret.�
�Hey, before you go, there�s something you need to know,� I said, and then told him about Pam.
�I�ll be out on a flight later today,� Frank said, which made me nervous. �Don�t talk to anyone in the media until I get there.�
�Don�t you think you�re overreacting? High school kids have accidents all the time.�
�David, this is what you pay me for. You should�ve called me last night when you found out. This is the sort of situation that can cause you serious trouble if it isn�t handled correctly. All it�ll take is some bad press to snowball into a complete mess,� he said.
�I was planning to talk to Pam this morning and get this straightened out. I�m sure her dad�s rape charge is just him being a drama queen.�
�The problem is you have to take it deadly serious! Regular people have their lives ruined over something just like this. Let�s nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand.�
When I finally hung up, I was late for class and missed my chance to talk to Pam.
◊◊◊
I forwarded the videos to Brook, Halle, and Zoe. I probably should have viewed the videos first, but I was in a hurry to get to PE. Coach Diamond seemed to be harder on football players when they were late than he was on anyone else. He explained that we were supposed to show leadership. It was just as well that I hadn�t done my full run this morning, because I got sent out to run for the full hour. I vowed not to get pissed and instead to look at the bright side. At least I was able to get my run in today.
My next class was AP Trig. Zoe gave me a weak smile, which I didn�t understand until Alan went into full bulldog mode.
�Does your mom know you almost died this weekend?�
�Yes, she was there.�
�And she let you come to school?�
�Yes, Alan. My mom thinks school is a good thing and that I should attend every now and then.�
�Does she know about you riding motorcycles?�
Mom did. What I didn�t understand was how Alan knew. Then I looked over at Zoe, and she turned her head away from me. Okay, that would explain how he found out about the wingboard. The only place I had the video for the motocross was in my cloud storage account. Then it came to me. Frank had asked for all my social media, picture and video storage passwords. I suddenly wondered what all was on the videos I sent the girls.
Alan was irritated, but I ignored him as I brought them up and played them. Of course, I hadn�t noticed that Pam Lowden, my teacher, had entered the room.
�David, if you�re watching videos, do you want to share with the class?�
�No, ma�am,� I said.
�Up front,� Ms. Lowden ordered.
I began to play it for her. It started out showing me play football and baseball.
�That�s you, right?� she asked.
�Yes, ma�am.�
�I think the whole class should see this. Is this for one of your ads?� Ms. Lowden asked.
�I�m not sure what they�ll use it for. I haven�t seen all of it yet.�
It was just raw footage without any music or voice-overs. It showed me getting creamed on the football field a few times. Then there was footage of me as I was beaned in a baseball game. The next scene showed me as I made one of my colossal motocross jumps. Someone had video of Cassidy as she kicked my ass at the dojo. The next scene showed the jet water board as it broke. I winced when I saw that one. That was followed by the wingboard incident. I felt a little bit like I might throw up when it showed me finally landing.
The video switched to a more positive note. There was a clip from my music video as I ran. Then it showed me hit a home run, followed by a long pass for a touchdown. We switched to winter sports, showing me on a snowboard as I cut through virgin snow, and racing on a snowmobile. The next-to-last scene was of the four stooges, the young wolves, as I drove them off. The final scene was of me as Stryker from my upcoming movie. I hadn�t seen it with all the CGI added. It was damned cool as I looked out over a burning town with both of my guns drawn. It was so frickin� cold there was steam coming off of my head, and there was smoke coming out of the barrels of the guns.
�Was that really you? That wasn�t a stunt double?� Ms. Lowden asked.
�I saw him fall out of the sky,� Zoe said.
Of course, they showed me dry-heaving. Needless to say, we didn�t get much math done today.
◊◊◊
By lunchtime, the Lincoln High Gossip Network was in full swing. I�d forgotten to order lunch for my college test prep class, so I was in the lunch line. Alan was stuck to me like glue. Some days I missed Jeff like crazy. When Alan was like this, I was afraid I�d punch him. Then the lunchroom suddenly became quiet. I turned around to see why and saw Billy, our local police officer, was behind me.
�Can you come with me?� he asked.
�What did you do now?� Alan asked.
I ignored him and left with Billy. I didn�t want to feed the masses any more gossip than was necessary, so I figured it would be better to talk to Billy in the hall. When I stepped out of the lunchroom, there was a detective standing in the hallway, waiting for us. I assumed he was a detective because he was older and in a well-worn suit.
�Thanks, Billy, I can take it from here,� the detective said. �David, I�d like for you to come to the station and we have a talk.�
�How can I help you?� I asked.
�You tell me,� the detective said.
Cute. If he had something on me, he wouldn�t be so pleasant or playing any games. I decided to jerk his chain a little bit.
�I can�t just leave the campus. We have to go to the office to sign me out,� I said, and started in that direction.
�I don�t think that�s necessary,� the detective said.
�Am I under arrest?� I asked.
�No.�
�Then I�m not getting into more trouble just to help you somehow.�
I loved our school secretaries. They made him show them ID and sign me out. I now knew he was Detective Christopher Kitchens. While he did that, I sent a text to my mom and dad to let them know I was being taken to the police station for questioning.
When we arrived at the police station, I said �hi� to everyone there. They all knew me because they worked security at the games. The detective put me into an interrogation room and left me to stew. I knew the drill from the last time I�d gotten into trouble. They had made me sweat for a half hour and then started the interrogation. Since I wasn�t arrested this time, they hadn�t taken my cell phone. I called my mom.
�Where are you?� she asked.
�In an interrogation room.�
�We�re almost there. I�ve called Tom and put him on standby in case we need him,� she said. �Okay, we�re here.�
I soon heard my mom�s loud voice through the wall. The door opened, and the detective�s face was red.
�Give me your phone,� he ordered.
I quickly shut it down. My new phone was hack-proof. I had no intention of giving it up and having them try to find something to pin on me. I wasn�t really sure they could take it from me, but at this point I wanted to cooperate so this whole mess would go away. The longer it went on, the more damage it might do to my career.
I handed him my phone, and a moment later my mom and dad joined me.
�What�s this all about?� Mom asked.
I think the detective saw his plans to scare me and ask me some questions without anyone else in the room go out the window. He momentarily showed a sign of irritation, but quickly covered it up.
�I was hoping David could help me clear up a matter, so I brought him down to answer some questions.�
�Does he need an attorney?� Mom asked.
�No, but if he has something to hide, he might want to get one,� Detective Kitchens said. �You don�t have anything to hide, do you, David?�
�Of course I do,� I said, and the expression on the detective�s face was worth it. �I�m a teenager!�
Mom gave me a look that told me to stop messing around. I put on my best �little angel� face.
�Right,� Detective Kitchens said, and I was glad I wasn�t alone in the room with him. �Well, then, let me ask you some questions.�
Dad�s phone buzzed. He looked at it and excused himself.
�Do you know Pam Bell?�
�Yes,� I answered.
�What is the nature of your relationship?�
�We�re friends.�
�How good of friends are you?�
�I don�t understand the question.�
�Have you had sexual relations with Pam Bell?�
�Yes.�
�Pam claims to be pregnant. Is it your child?�
�I would have to talk to Pam to be sure.�
�She claims it�s yours.�
�If Pam says the baby�s mine, then I�d have to agree.�
�So, you�re admitting to having sex with her and getting her pregnant?� he asked, seemingly surprised. �Don�t you want any kind of proof other than her word?�
Dad came back in at that point, and he was pissed.
�This charade is over. I got a call that told me the press was gathering outside. I walked out, and the first question thrown at me was why David had raped Pam,� Dad said as he stared at the detective. �What I want to know is, how did they know he was here? And second is, how did they know you were trying to pin a rape charge on him?�
�I have no idea. Can you give me a moment?� Detective Kitchens said and then left the room.
�Call Frank. We need advice,� I said.
Mom talked to Frank, who had just landed, and he suggested that I make my escape out the back. I would get Billy to give me a ride and my parents would pick me up away from the press. The detective came back into the room.
�There�s more going on here than I knew about. I apologize for putting your son in this position. Get him a lawyer, and then I�ll arrange to interview him at the lawyer�s offices. Could we set something up for tomorrow?� he asked.
�Of course. Thank you for understanding,� Dad said.
The way I�d been treated told me two things: the first was whatever proof they had was weak, or Detective Kitchens would never have helped us. The second was we were in a small enough community that everyone knew my parents and me, and they knew I wasn�t about to take off. The police cars were kept in the back in a fenced-in area. Billy had me get in the back seat and lie down. I would have to add this to the list of firsts: I had never snuck out of a police station before. Mom and Dad were waiting at an office complex up the road. I thanked Billy and we drove to Tom�s office.
◊◊◊
�Let me get this straight. Pam Bell, Cal�s daughter, has claimed that you raped her,� Roy Thompson, a name partner of Rigby, Thompson and Associates, said.
As soon as we told Tom what had happened, he invited Roy and Don Rigby to the conference room. They both seemed worried because Cal was a lawyer on their staff. The potential for serious conflicts of interest arose because they represented me.
�We think that Cal has forced Pam into making the allegations. David never forced her to do anything,� Mom said.
�Is it your baby?� Don blurted out.
�Yes. Pam says it�s mine, and there is a possible opportunity about eight weeks ago when it might have happened,� I said.
�You�re dealing with two separate but related issues here,� Don said. �The first is the criminal matter. That�s not our specialty, and I�d advise you to find someone suitable to defend yourself. You being a high-profile person in the community means that shortly you�ll be on the front page of every newspaper across the Midwest. The state�s attorney won�t want to be seen as soft on crime and may charge David and let the system figure it out.
�The second issue is the baby. Pam may be looking for a payday. In the long run, it might be cheaper to marry her.�
�Do you have any suggestions as far as an attorney to represent David against the rape allegations? Detective Kitchens wants to interview David tomorrow,� Dad said.
�We only have a handful of lawyers in the county. We really don�t have any I would recommend for something like this. The only one I might suggest is Thomas Fox. The only problem is he�s wet behind the ears, and from what I�ve heard, plays it a little loose. If you needed an attack dog and weren�t worried about collateral damage, he�d be who I would suggest,� Roy said.
�That isn�t what David needs. Mr. Fox is a bull in a china shop, and this needs some finesse. We�ll make some calls. There are some excellent firms in Springfield,� Don assured us.
�We need to talk to Cal,� Roy said.
�You need to be careful with that. We represent David in other matters, and we have a duty to him as our client. Cal can�t be involved in any capacity other than as a father,� Tom said.
That comment made me nervous. If Tom had to remind Roy and Don that I was their client, it didn�t sound good for me. I would have to keep an eye on them.
Roy and Don left the room, leaving Tom and Kendal. Everyone just stared at each other for a moment.
�This is bullshit. There�s no way Pam is behind this. It has to be Cal intimidating her,� I said.
�Why would Pam go along with something like this? I thought she had a level head on her shoulders. Why wouldn�t she have just told you she�s pregnant?� Kendal asked.
�She�s acted strangely for a couple of weeks. I guess she�s been avoiding me. I had a weird conversation with some of the other cheerleaders. I suspect Pam has known or suspected she�s pregnant for three or four weeks,� I said.
�Cal has had it in for you ever since the summer,� Mom said.
�But that still doesn�t explain why she�d tell the police,� Kendal said.
�Pam has a problem with confrontation. I saw it when we were on our date at the Thunderbird. It was the same night Cora ran up the bar bill and tried to have me pay for it,� I said.
That was when Cora had become my PA and shortly thereafter ran off with Devin.
�I went to the restroom and came back to find a fraternity guy hitting on Pam. She just sat there and allowed him to put his hands on her. Even when I walked up, she didn�t say anything to the guy who was pawing her. I thought she�d invited his advances. Later, Lacy, Pam�s mom, told me that Pam freezes up when she�s confronted. The only explanation I can think of is that Cal has scared her into doing it,� I said.
I received a text.
�Frank�s here,� I said, and got up and then found him in reception.
I introduced him to Tom. Kendal had met him at the Range Sports shoot.
�I talked to one of the press who was at the police station. They were fed the story. She, of course, played it coy as to who had given out the information. It didn�t seem to come from the police. That leaves two possibilities. It either came from the state�s attorney�s office or someone from Pam�s camp. They�re the only ones who would have anything to gain from this,� Frank said.
�What should we do?� Dad asked.
�Get out in front of this. Right now, the press has very little to go on and will start digging. By this time tomorrow, we might have a full-blown crisis on our hands. I can�t stress enough how serious this is. If we let them set the narrative, David�s future might be in jeopardy.�
�Seriously?� I asked.
�David�s the ideal target for something like this, as far as the media is concerned. He�s a high-profile athlete who�s also a model and actor. This plays right into a scenario some in the media love to exploit. A rape allegation against him highlights gender/class/power/jock issues, in a small town where those issues may tend to be covered up. Combine that with someone spoon-feeding them information, and it�s the perfect story. They don�t even have to work to figure it out.
�This story writes itself, and the press has no interest in whether it�s true or not. What we have to do is make so much noise they�ll look like idiots if they don�t at least show some balance. Believe me, it makes a much better story to expose the All-American boy who has a secret dark side.
�I�m getting way ahead of myself, but if we play this right, it might be the best thing to happen to you. I just described the man that women will throw their panties at. It�s a hard balance to pull off, the good-slash-bad boy. It�s all too easy to slip too far to the bad-boy side, and then it becomes a liability,� Frank said.
Kendal waggled her eyebrows at me, which made me smile.
�Sorry, I got off track and time is limited, so I�ll get to the point,� Frank said. �When we have a new agent, we teach them about two cases that directly pertain to what you�re going through. The first is the University of Colorado rape story. This happened back in 2001. Two women claimed to have been gang-raped by football players and recruits at a party. In that instance, the media was given information by a PR firm that had been hired by the two women. This caused the case to explode in the eyes of the public, which ultimately had the university settle for nearly three million dollars.
�When the dust finally settled, the university was only found to have done one thing wrong: an assistant coach had made a phone call to the escort service on a university-supplied cell phone. Nevertheless, because of the work of the PR firm, those facts never came out. In the end, what sunk the university was a comment the head coach made. If you listened to the full comment, it made perfect sense and was well-thought-out. The problem was the media looks for sound bites. The sound bite, out of context, sunk them. In the end, the football coach lost his job. The Colorado legislature got involved, and the university president resigned. As a side note, the coach never found a job after that, and all because a sound bite was twisted to fit the narrative the PR firm had pushed,� Frank said.
�Did anyone get convicted of rape?� Dad asked.
�You know, I don�t know. The point I make to my new agents is that if we can control the story, we can satisfy our client�s needs. In this case, the two women, who were also students at the university, earned a nearly three million dollar payday,� Frank said.
�But I don�t want to make any money off of anyone,� I said.
�This isn�t about you making money right now. If we find the state�s attorney leaked the information about your questioning and the nature of it, we might go after him, but that�s the small picture. I would think you�d be more worried about your future income and visitation rights.�
�Why wouldn�t I be able to see my child?� I asked, suddenly concerned.
�If her father is as mad as I suspect he is, he would have no problem blocking access to the child. Pam may also use the baby as a bargaining chip as far as child support goes.�
I could see the wheels grinding in my mom�s mind. Cal would regret it if he tried to keep her away from her grandbaby. She wouldn�t give a damn what any court said.
I guess I wasn�t built to think in the terms Frank was laying out. I would never believe that Pam wouldn�t want me in our baby�s life. I also never imagined that she would accuse me of rape, though. I wondered if it was a Midwestern thing, where we thought the best of others. Pam was from California. I was afraid it was just that I was na�ve, and this was the start of a painful life lesson.
Frank then reminded us of the Duke University lacrosse case. This one had racial undertones as the girl was black and the boys were privileged white jocks. The prosecutor had fed information to the press that caused a media storm. It turned out the girl had made false accusations. The case ended in the resignation and disbarment of the lead prosecutor.
The three players accused were suspended from the team. Shortly thereafter, their coach was forced to resign, and the athletic department canceled the rest of the season. Everything was made worse when many persons involved in or commenting on the case, including the District Attorney, suggested that the alleged rape was a hate crime.
Duke and the city of Durham eventually reached out-of-court settlements with the accused players. As an interesting side note, the girl who made the accusations stabbed and killed her boyfriend five years later.
We then created a game plan. Mom and Dad would find me a lawyer. Tom offered them office space if it turned out they needed it. I suggested they call Bev Mass, Cook County State�s Attorney, and Governor Higgins. Between the two of them, they�d know who to hire.
Frank and I would work on the media. Frank planned to call his contacts through IDC�Public Relations and I suggested we talk to Jeff Delahey, our local sports reporter. He had treated me fairly when the steroid scandal happened. I promised him I would be open if anything else ever happened.
Frank also called his office to start to investigate the different players in this little drama. I now saw why Frank had put the scandal clause in his contract. This was going to cost me a fortune.
◊◊◊
I called Coach Hope and told him what was going on. Something I learned from the stories Frank had told me was that the head coach might be fired in a situation like this. I didn�t want that to happen, and Frank agreed to help Coach Hope and the rest of the staff with the media. Coach gave me the day off to take care of what I needed to do. I promised to keep him in the loop.
This time we were in Jeff�s office for the interview. Someone in management for the newspaper joined him. As we sat down, my phone rang, and it was my mom.
�Sorry, I need to take this,� I said and got up.
�I�m about to do my interview with the paper,� I said.
�We hired a lawyer for you, a Ms. Dixon out of Chicago. Both the Governor and Bev had her on their short list.�
�Is she related to Senator Dixon?� I asked.
�She�s his daughter. She wants to talk to you and Frank before you do the interview.�
Mom gave me her number, and I went back into the meeting.
�I hate to do this, but my lawyer wants to talk to me before she lets you loose on me.�
�She must have read my hard-hitting articles about you. If you want, you can use the room to talk,� Jeff said, and he and his boss got up.
When we were alone, Frank asked for the number.
�I think I can put her mind at ease. She�s worried you�ll say something to implicate yourself,� Frank said and then smiled. �This isn�t my first rodeo.�
I listened as Frank gave her his credentials and then outlined what I would say in the interview. He took some notes and then handed to phone to me.
�Hi, this is David,� I said.
�Ms. Dixon. Just say what Frank has told you. Only answer what is asked, do not embellish. Treat this as if you have just come home drunk and your parents� car is missing.�
That made me smile. I could play that role.
�No problem.�
�I�ve made arrangements to be in town tomorrow so we can talk and then meet with Detective Kitchens,� she said.
�Okay,� I said.
�One last thing: as of this moment, Frank and his firm work for me. We need to do it that way because it will render all communication between his firm and you as confidential or privileged under the umbrella of attorney-client privilege,� Ms. Dixon said.
�Does that mean you get to pay him?� I asked.
�Yes, but you�re not getting out of it. We�ll simply pass his bills through.�
I wondered why Tom or Kendal hadn�t thought of that. We wrapped up the call, and Jeff came back in alone and sat down.
�I�ll begin by reading a prepared statement,� I said.
�Just give it to me. That way I won�t misquote you,� Jeff said.
I looked over at Frank, and he just shrugged, so I handed it to Jeff. Jeff spotted my talking points and held his hand out.
�Let me see those, too.�
Frank just nodded his head and had me give them to Jeff. Jeff spent a few minutes reading both the statement and the talking points.
�So, you haven�t been charged with anything, you�ve only been questioned. What about the tip we received that you were being charged with rape today?� Jeff asked.
Frank handed me another sheet of paper. These were my talking points in case that was brought up. I passed it to Jeff, who read it and started to laugh.
�Do you have any other sheets of paper?� Jeff teased Frank.
�I might,� was his cryptic answer.
�Can I attribute to David everything in the notes you gave me?� Jeff asked.
�Yes,� I said.
�Just tell me this: did you do anything that�ll come back and bite you in the butt as far as Pam is concerned?�
�I wish I knew, but those notes have everything I can say right now. My goal is not to trash Pam, as she�ll be the mother of our child, if what her dad told my mom is true. Frankly, if Pam says it�s mine, I believe her.�
�Don�t you want a DNA test to confirm you�re the father?� Jeff asked.
�Did you need one for your children?� I asked.
�No, but what does that have to do with � Oh.�
�If I had to ask, it would tell Pam that I didn�t trust her. Even if it were someone else�s baby, I�d treat it like my own because Pam told me it�s mine. If she had any doubt, she would�ve told me. I�d hope Pam understands I would do what�s needed to support her and our child,� I said.
At first, Frank had been against what I said about not having to prove paternity, but he soon saw the light. I was amazed at how he could spin-doctor anything into a positive. He reasoned it showed I really cared. I just shook my head in disbelief that I might feel any other way. Frank told me I was actually in the minority on that point of view, as far as young men were concerned. When I thought about it, he was right. Mitch had run off to Arizona State as soon as he found out Peggy was pregnant.
Jeff then wanted to talk about football. We were to play St. Joe on Friday. It would be senior night, so I told him about Jim. We had already wrapped up the conference championship. The only way the game might help us would be in how we�d be seeded in the state playoffs. It was also Halloween, and Brook Davis was my date. I was pretty proud of myself for both asking someone and having a costume to wear. Frankly, I didn�t trust Tracy to figure out one for me. I still shuddered at the Superman costume she�d talked me into wearing.
Both Frank and I were impressed when we were done in less than twenty minutes.
◊◊◊
When I finally made it home, I�d just sat down to eat dinner when my dad jumped out of his seat and turned up the TV. My picture was on the screen. Dad usually would have it turned on so he could see the weather report. I think he just liked the weather girl.
�� Dawson, the starting quarterback for Lincoln High and currently rated the number 1 football recruit in the junior class, has gotten himself into some trouble. It seems he has been accused of getting a fellow classmate pregnant, and there are rumors that he may have raped her.�
The scene changed, and Detective Kitchens was caught as he walked from the station. He held up his hand.
�I�m sorry, but I can�t comment on an ongoing investigation.�
Then the picture switched, and we were all shocked to see Angie.
�Family spokesperson Angie Dawson had this to say.�
�Ms. Dawson, were you aware that your brother-in-law has gotten one of the cheerleaders at Lincoln High pregnant?� she was asked.
Angie scoffed.
�That wouldn�t surprise me. I think all the Dawson men can now claim at least one child out of wedlock.�
Mom and I looked at Dad, and he didn�t look good. They showed a reaction shot from the reporter and she was stunned.
�What about the allegation that David raped the girl?�
�That�s just silly. David would never resort to force. He�s one of the sweetest guys I know. I would also bet he�s excited to be a dad. He�s always treated our children as if they were his own. They all love him to death. He�ll be a great daddy.�
Guess which answer would be repeated on the evening news without the second one? Angie was so dead. I wasn�t sure who would kill her first, Mom or Dad. They had worked to heal the wounds my dad�s infidelity had caused, and Angie had shouted it out to the world. At least for a few minutes, my own problems didn�t seem so big.
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Chapter 28 � You�ll Never Look at Me the Same Tuesday October 27
I sent a text to Pam last night before going to bed. Everyone had told me not to, but I knew if we talked, we could work this out. I was surprised to actually get a reply. All it said was
During my run in the morning, I told Rachel that she might not want to run with me while this was going on because I�d been warned that the press might start to show up and make her uncomfortable. I told her that she should talk to her parents and get their permission, if she decided to continue. In fact, my mom insisted on it. I had to agree that Rachel was too young to have to face the scrutiny it would bring. She was a day away from running in her first sectional, and she didn�t need the added pressure.
When I got to school, there was a TV truck there, and several reporters waiting on the sidewalk at the front of the school. Both Frank and Ms. Dixon had instructed me to just walk past them without comment. I wasn�t happy when they bunched up to try to prevent my entry into the school. I continued to walk towards the school, and someone shoved a camera in my face and almost hit me. They were all shouting rapid-fire questions when a young woman stepped in front of me.
�Are you David Dawson?� she asked.
I stopped because it was a strange question. I nodded.
�May I see some ID?�
The woman was holding a manila envelope. I took a deep breath, pulled out my wallet, and showed her my driver�s license.
�Mr. Dawson, you�ve been served,� she said, handing me the envelope.
I was almost to the doors when I saw Billy and a young man in a suit waiting at the front door.
�Officer, do your duty.�
Billy had a pained expression on his face.
�David, you were just served an Order of Protection, or restraining order. It orders you to stay at least 100 yards or 300 feet away from Pam Bell, her home, job, school, and car. I�m sorry, but you�re not allowed to be at school while this in place. At this time, I must ask you to leave school grounds,� Billy said.
�And you are?� I asked the smirking suit.
�Thomas Fox. I represent Pam Bell.�
I looked at him more closely. My first impression of him was that he was utterly forgettable. You would never pick him out of a lineup. Mr. Fox was short, maybe five-eight, and if he were a girl, you�d say petite. I expected that he relished taking down a jock. I never imagined a lawyer showing up to make sure a restraining order was enforced. This seemed too personal unless Cal was really that angry and wanted to rattle me.
�I don�t think this will work out quite how you want it to,� I said as I walked away.
I could envision what would happen when the town found out that I wasn�t allowed to attend classes or play football. It might really get ugly if we lost in the state playoffs because a cheerleader�s dad and lawyer prevented the star quarterback from playing on a trumped-up charge.
Up to this point, I had been calm about what was happening. My mom wasn�t the only one who had a temper; I just customarily controlled it better. I�d blamed this all on Cal, but at some point, Pam had to take some responsibility. I sent her a one-word text.
�
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I drove to Rigby, Thompson and Associates because they had arranged with Ms. Dixon�s firm, Dixon and Dixon, to rent them space while she was in town. When I arrived, she and Frank Ingram, my PR agent, were talking over a cup of coffee.
�Good morning,� I said.
�I thought you were in school this morning,� Ms. Dixon said.
I handed her the envelope, and she read it. Then she passed it to Frank to read.
�Well, that�s a bit of dirty pool. It claims that your friend fears for her safety. We�ll need to get into court and get this revoked. I�ll make some calls and learn some information about the judge that granted it. It appears he simply rubber-stamped the Order of Protection. Based on what they filed, I think they realize their rape charge won�t stand up,� Ms. Dixon said.
�Why�s that?� Frank asked.
�There�s a different order for sexual assault called a �sexual assault civil no contact� order. It would have been harder to get past the judge because it�s a more serious matter. They would have had to give him more information. With what they did, he probably decided to be cautious and grant it. I would doubt they would fight me to get it removed. If they did, they would have to reveal information they plan to use in their civil suit,� Ms. Dixon said.
�Civil suit? Who said anything about a civil suit?� I asked.
�Why else would they be doing this? Yes, it will give them some satisfaction to tarnish your good name, but ultimately they�ll be looking for a payoff. The only way to do that is to get you to either voluntarily write them a check, or to sue you.�
�And how would they ever get me to write them a check?� I asked.
�What would you pay right now to make this to go away?� Frank asked.
�I see your point. I would have worked with Pam, until this morning. Being served, and then having the police waiting for me with a pack of reporters dogging me, was a complete setup.�
�They were trying to embarrass you and make you more willing to bow to their demands. I�ll start making some calls, and we�ll get the order removed so you can get back into class tomorrow,� Ms. Dixon said.
Then I had a bright idea. Of course, Tami had said I should ignore my first idea because it was always wrong, but this one seemed brilliant to me.
�I think we should leave it on,� I said.
They both looked at me and just blinked.
�This is a public relations war, or so you�ve told me. We need the community to support us. So far, they�ve sat back and enjoyed the little show. We need something that will get them to actively support me. Tell the town that their starting quarterback can�t play because of a trumped-up charge, and they�ll be up in arms. If they don�t believe us, let me miss this week�s game. If the team struggles, the fans�ll be in front of Mr. Fox�s office, and I�ll bet the order will be removed before the weekend�s out,� I explained.
�What�s he paying you for?� Ms. Dixon teased Frank.
�Besides my good looks and boyish charm?� Frank asked.
It was my turn to blink. Were these two � Nah.
�I can make this work,� Frank said as he got serious. �Did you read the article in the newspaper this morning? Your friend used almost everything we gave him. Do you think he�d like another interview today?�
�I think he would.�
�In the meantime, I�ll take over your social media accounts and start to build our story. We�ll also look to get the narrative out to the rest of the media. We�ll do a press conference later today after you talk to the detective,� he said, and then had one more thought. �Have you talked to your sister-in-law and explained to her that she�s not the family spokesperson?�
�No, not yet. I�ll take care of it.�
�I�ll call Detective Kitchens and have him here at one. Be sure to have your parents here, too,� Ms. Dixon said.
◊◊◊
I called Angie on my ride home. She promised not to talk to the press anymore. She admitted that Greg wasn�t talking to her because she�d embarrassed our dad. I wondered how long Phil would take to put it together. If he asked me directly, I�d tell him.
When I pulled into the driveway, there were reporters, photographers and camera crews in front of the house. I stepped out of the Jeep, and they rushed up the drive. I held up my hands. This had gotten old in a hurry. I wanted to snap at them but took a deep breath to calm myself.
�There will be a press conference later today. If you give me your cell numbers, I will send you all a text as to when and where.�
It was funny to see the change. They went from out-of-control three-year-olds to well-mannered young men and women. Watching them line up and give me their contact information reminded me that I should call Tracy and let her act as the press goddess. She knew how to keep them in line. I�d bet Frank could learn a thing or two from her.
When I went into the house, I let Duke out of his crate. He helped me make my favorite lunch: tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. The only way to have it is to put the soup in a coffee mug and dunk the grilled cheese sandwiches.
After I cleaned up, I took Duke out back with his favorite tennis ball. I have no idea how he knows which one is which because he has six different ones and they all look alike. Duke will root through them and find the one. I�ve once made the grievous error of grabbing the wrong ball. When I threw it, he just looked at me. From then on, I made him pick it out of his toy basket. Once he was happy, we went out back to play ball.
One of the local TV reporters had decided to see if she could get an exclusive.
�Mind if I ask you a few questions?�
�Related to my recent problems?� I asked.
�Maybe, but we could talk about other topics,� she offered as a compromise.
Duke came back up, dropped the ball in front of me, and then dropped down with his butt up in the air. He would try to snatch the ball as I reached for it and want me to chase him. Someone hadn�t run this morning and had a little too much energy.
The reporter reached down and then threw the ball. Duke gave me a look to say she threw like a girl. He acted as if it wasn�t even worth his effort to go get the ball. While Duke acted all pouty, I ran after him and grabbed his butt on both sides. I think dogs had it ingrained in them to react to that type of grab. It was how their ancestors would have taken down their prey. Duke yelped in surprise and realized I would beat him to the ball. I tossed the ball back to the reporter, and Duke made a spectacular jump to try to steal the ball back, but just missed. The game of keep-away was on. By the time we were done playing with Duke, he had a new fan, and I had to go to my interrogation with Detective Kitchens.
◊◊◊
Detective Kitchens entered the conference room and opened his briefcase. He pulled out a file and opened it.
�In our last conversation, you confirmed that you�ve had sex with Miss Bell and that you are the father of her child.�
�I said if Pam says she�s pregnant and that I�m the father, I believe her,� I said.
�How�s that different from what I said?� Detective Kitchens asked.
�Sir, I only have your word she�s pregnant and that it�s my child. I�ve not had a chance to talk to her. I sent her a text this morning asking that we talk, but she responded that she couldn�t. Then I was handed a restraining order this morning that prevents me from even going to school,� I said and was about to get on a roll, but Ms. Dixon grabbed my arm, our signal for me to shut up.
Detective Kitchens took all this in. When I mentioned the restraining order, he seemed interested. He didn�t act like he�d been aware of that.
�Have you seen proof that Pam Bell is pregnant?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�I�ll come back to that. I need to ask David some more questions. I promise I�ll answer you when we�re done,� he said to Ms. Dixon and then turned to me. �How old were you when you started to have sex with Pam?�
Ms. Dixon had prepared me for this question. The age of consent in my state was seventeen. Pam and I had started to have sex while we were both sixteen. Ms. Dixon had warned me that they might try to trick me into admitting to a smaller crime, like underage sex, and that would give them probable cause to widen the investigation.
�I�m sorry, Detective, but I�ll have to advise my client not to answer your question,� Ms. Dixon said.
�David, I�m just trying to determine the extent of your relationship with Miss Bell. How long have you known her?�
�She moved here last fall.�
�Were you romantically linked last fall?�
�I advise my client not to answer,� Ms. Dixon said.
�Very well. Have you ever had sex with Miss Bell while she had been drinking?�
I thought about it and didn�t remember if she had or not had any drinks when we�d had sex.
�I don�t think so. I don�t tend to drink because I�m an athlete. Pam will have an occasional beer, but if you�re asking if she was ever drunk, then the answer would be no,� I said.
�Have you ever had sex with Miss Bell when she had taken any drugs?�
�No. Absolutely not.�
�You�re an all-star athlete, model, and an actor. Your peers look up to you. Do you think Pam ever felt she had to have sex with you?� he asked.
�Sorry detective, but David would have no way of knowing that,� Ms. Dixon said.
�I know, but he might help me understand their relationship better,� Detective Kitchens said.
�Pam and I are good friends. When she moved here, she was upset because her best friend back home started dating Pam�s ex-boyfriend. I�d had my own girl troubles. Neither of us was interested in more than being friends. Well, good friends. We were sexually active, and either of us would initiate our times together.
�For example, when she came back from her vacation this summer, she called me. Pam isn�t the type of girl who�s out looking for guys to spend time with. As far as I�m aware, I�ve been the only guy she�s spent time with since she moved here. Pam�s done that because we both like each other and she trusts me. I�d never force Pam to have sex with me. As you said, I�m an all-star athlete who can find plenty of women to spend time with me. There�s no need for me to force anyone, especially Pam, who I consider to be one of my best friends,� I said.
�If you�re such good friends, how do you explain this?� Detective Kitchens said, and he pulled out a picture of Pam.
In it, she had a mouse under her eye and split lip.
�I have no idea. Who did this to her?� I asked.
�According to her father, you did, and then raped her. He paints a very different picture. Pam�s father says that he walked in on the two of you as you forced yourself on her this summer. When he asked you to stop seeing her, you refused, so he had to protect her and send her on vacation. When Pam got back, you were once again forcing your charms on her, which resulted in her getting pregnant.
�Her father said that when you were told of the pregnancy, you got upset. That was when you hit Pam and told her she had to get an abortion. How am I supposed to reconcile those two stories?� Detective Kitchens asked.
�You can ask me,� my mom said. �Cal is full of shit. Yes, Cal and Lacy caught David and Pam in the act. I was called to discuss the matter. Right at their dining room table, I asked Pam if she was forced and she said no. I also asked her if she planned to continue to have sex with my son, and she said yes. Cal didn�t want to hear that two seventeen-year-olds would have sex with each other. He got a hair up his butt and sent his wife and daughter packing. If you ask me, he�s being a hothead and decided to come after David.
�Something else you should know is that our family doesn�t believe in abortion. My oldest son found himself in a similar situation, and he married the girl. While I can�t predict what will happen with David and Pam, what I do know is that he�ll do everything in his power to protect both Pam and that baby. There�s no way he would hit her,� Mom said.
�I�ve heard that he�s hit other girls. The name I was given was Cassidy Hope,� Detective Kitchens said.
My mom, dad, and I all laughed.
�What�s so funny?� he asked.
�Cassidy Hope kicks my butt four days a week. She trains me at a local dojo. If I tried to manhandle her, I�d be walking funny for a very long time.�
�What about the pictures?� he asked.
�The last time I saw Pam was Friday night at the football game. When I saw her, the whole cheerleading squad was present. You know how you can verify that she was fine when I left her? Call Jeff Delahey at the newspaper. He had one of his photographers take a picture with Pam, all the cheerleaders, and me. You�ll see she was fine.
�After the game, I rode the team bus back to town and then came straight home. We were all going to my farm to go hunting. Turkey season had started, so we had to drive straight there. I had Halle James, Zoe Pearson, and Brook Davis in the car with me, while my brother and parents followed us in their car. Saturday morning, we went hunting. My agent, Frank Ingram, had video shot of the hunt.
�That afternoon I did a photo and video shoot for Range Sports. Sunday morning, I was home and went to church. During the afternoon I picked pumpkins with a Mennonite youth group. At no time did I see Pam, other than the football game.�
�Can you get me names of everyone at each event and a timeline?� the detective asked.
�Detective, it sounds like there have been some grave allegations made. We�ll get you the information you asked for, and I expect you will verify it. I think there�s reason to believe that the claims made against my client are baseless. I understand you have to do your job. What I want you to consider is that David is not the average person. Every day you allow false claims to hang over my client, it does damage to his image and reputation. We would ask that you work quickly,� Ms. Dixon said.
After the detective left, we all sat down, created a timeline, and noted who could corroborate it. Ms. Dixon wouldn�t let us send it over to the detective until she verified it herself.
Personally, I was ready to kick Cal�s butt. If I found out he�d laid a finger on Pam�as I suspected he had�I would lay him out.
◊◊◊
After meeting with the detective, we made a plan for school. Mom would go in and get my assignments and smooth things over. I called Coach Hope and gave him an update. He wasn�t happy when I confirmed that Pam had taken out a restraining order on me, or rather, I suspected her dad had. Coach was even more upset when I told him to get my backup ready because if Pam was a cheerleader at the game, I wasn�t allowed to be there.
I quickly scanned my mental checklist of what was going on this week and remembered Halloween, and not just Halloween, but also the dance. Brook Davis would not be happy when she heard I couldn�t go. I figured this was a great place to start Operation: Get the Community Behind Me. Was it mean to hang Pam out to dry? Maybe. Like I warned her new shark, they wouldn�t like how this turned out.
◊◊◊
Frank had arranged to have the press conference at a local hotel. I was surprised when he had several people there to help him. They had press packets with my prepared remarks, and someone had written up a bio about me. There was also a thumb drive with video and pictures of me. It was all part of the plan to spoon-feed the press our side of the story. I even noticed a whiteboard in the corner with a handwritten notice of free Wi-Fi. I knew from staying in hotels that that was above and beyond the norm.
�How much is the hotel charging us for the free Wi-Fi?� I asked.
�It�s not the hotel�s Wi-Fi,� Frank said.
I looked at my phone and saw �Hotel Lincoln Conference Room� as one of the links for Wi-Fi access, without any security. My phone had automatically linked to it because it was set up to switch to Wi-Fi to save on my data usage�which was dumb because I got unlimited data.
�Send me a text,� Frank said.
I did, and he took me to a laptop at a desk staffed by one of his people. On the screen, it showed my text message. Then she made a few keystrokes, and all my recent text messages and emails appeared.
�Is this even legal?� I asked.
�Sure, why not? It�s our network. Everyone knows they shouldn�t use free Wi-Fi in a hotel,� he said and saw the concern on my face. �I promise we won�t do anything malicious, like clear out your bank account. I can do that just by sending you our bill.�
�I guess I don�t understand. And why does it look like it�s the hotel�s Wi-Fi?� I asked.
�Does it? I told them to name it by the location so we�d know where we captured the information,� Frank said, and then smiled. �Look. It�s one of our dirty little secrets. What it allows us to do is get a better feel as to who�s on our side or not, and why.�
�I don�t think I need to know more. I�m in enough trouble as it is,� I worried.
�That reminds me, I need to get you a VPN to protect you. There are both software and hardware solutions. I think you need the software.�
�A what, a VPN?� I asked.
�Virtual Private Network. It secures your computer�s Internet connection to guarantee that all of the data you�re sending and receiving is encrypted and secured from prying eyes,� Frank explained.
�Like you.�
�Yes, like me,� he admitted.
Frank had one his helpers take my phone and install the software needed on both my phone and tablet.
While that happened, the catering people set up a spread at the back of the room. I started to understand why it cost so much to handle a crisis. I was almost glad Range Sports had to pay for them nearly killing me because I needed the extra money. Clearly, if this went on for any length of time, I�d be broke.
I got my phone back, and Frank had me send another text. We checked, and this one didn�t display on their laptop. That is, it did show that I was logged into a secure VPN, but it also indicated that the message was encrypted; it couldn�t be read.
◊◊◊
When it was time for the press conference, I for the most part just read a prepared statement. Ms. Dixon handled most of the question-and-answer session, while Frank gave background and did a video presentation of who I was. Frank had a laptop set up on the table that his staff kept sending updates to. Ms. Dixon finished with a flourish.
�What concerns me is, in our fast-paced environment, a lot of harm can take place to damage people�s reputation before the facts are out,� Ms. Dixon said. �Rumor goes worldwide before truth has a chance to put its pants on.�
Ms. Dixon said she expected the case would be straightened out �in a matter of days, not weeks.� She pleaded with the public not to�leap to conclusions before all the evidence had been presented.
�We completely agree that the allegations are grave, but at this point, that�s all they are, allegations. A tremendous disservice has been done to this young man�s reputation, and whoever leaked the information should be held accountable. Many people will never look at my client the same way again, based solely on rumor and innuendo. Once the facts get out, you�ll see the alleged charges have no basis in truth.�
After that statement, Frank stopped the press conference. He promised the media they would have more tomorrow, and we were hustled out of the room.
We drove back to Tom�s offices and used the conference room. My mom and dad were already there. We invited Tom and Kendal to sit in on the debriefing.
�Today was the beginning. I think we accomplished what we wanted, and our message was well received,� Frank said.
�They destroyed the buffet,� I said to lighten the mood.
I for one was already tired of the drama. I knew if I could just sit down with Pam, we�d work it out. For Frank and Ms. Dixon, this was a job. For me, this was my life. I needed to take control of this and get what I wanted.
�I want a meeting. For me, this can�t end soon enough. I don�t think anyone believes the police investigation is going anywhere. This is simply Cal showing he can hurt me. I doubt Pam has any say in what�s happened to this point. If she and I could talk, we could solve this,� I said.
�Has it been confirmed that Cal is not representing Pam?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�Well, ah, I think so,� Tom said.
My mom�s head snapped around. If Tom had been wringing his hands, the effect would have been complete.
�Who does this firm represent?� Mom asked.
�David,� Tom answered.
�Are you sure about that? I think you need to be clear before you join any more meetings. You are cognizant of the ethical issues involved in something like this?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�Yes. I will personally talk to Roy and Don. They were supposed to talk to Cal today and remind him that we represent you. I�ve just not talked to them yet. And yes, I understand the ethical issues involved. I�ll do everything I can to help David,� Tom said.
�We know you will,� Dad said.
�So, what�s next?� Mom asked to get us back on track.
�I sent over the timeline of David�s whereabouts over the weekend. I walked Detective Kitchens through it and gave him contact information for each person he might possibly want to talk to. I also talked to Bev Mass,� Ms. Dixon said.
Bev was Harper�s mom and the state�s attorney for Cook County.
�Bev said she knows the state�s attorney here, Scott Mason. She�s met him at some of the state conferences and education sessions, so she�s personally acquainted. I guess the governor called her and had a long talk. While they can�t get involved directly, she did feel strongly enough that she called Mr. Mason and conveyed her and the governor�s concerns to him. Mr. Mason told Bev that he had to follow the law and see where the case leads him, which was what he had to say. What he�s now aware of is that you�re not a typical jock he can make an example of.
�I would expect that the investigation portion of this case should wrap up either tomorrow or Thursday. We should know by Friday if the state�s attorney decides to move further on this. I would suggest we try to have an initial meeting with Pam and her family Friday after we find out where we stand on the criminal side,� Ms. Dixon said.
�On the PR side, we had the press conference, and from our research the room was split,� Frank said. �The local press is in your corner. They�ve gotten to know you and your family and believe your story. The national and regional media see blood in the water and are looking for something to jump out at them that they can tear into and run with.
�I fed them two things: the first is that David�s a good guy and not interested in a DNA test. The second part is how unfair the other side is being. We�re trying to show them that Mr. Fox is an opportunist and just out for recognition and a quick buck. Cal Bell is abusing his position as a lawyer and father to force his daughter into making unsubstantiated claims. He and Mr. Fox will try anything to tarnish David in their attempt at a scorched-earth attack.
�I made a point to direct the press to social media and have them see how unhappy the citizens are that their star football player won�t be able to play because of the restraining order Cal and Mr. Fox dreamed up,� Frank said.
�I hope you�re being careful not to get Pam caught in the crossfire. She is the mother of my child, after all,� I said.
�David, she�s already involved,� Mom reminded me.
�I understand,� I admitted. �It�s just hard for me to believe that Pam would do something like this. As far as Cal and Mr. Fox go, I�m about ready to get some payback. I have to keep telling myself that someday Pam and Cal will be in my life because of the baby, whether I want them to be or not.�
We bounced ideas around for another two hours, and when we started to repeat ourselves, we called it a night. What came out of it was we needed to wait and see.
We watched the early news, and my story was the lead. Detective Kitchens continued to be noncommittal. State�s Attorney Mason had made a brief statement that only confirmed there was an ongoing investigation. Then Mr. Fox made his first appearance. It was apparent the local press was out for blood, asking who it was who decided to put the restraining order on me. He hemmed and hawed about the safety of his client. I smiled when they exploded with indignation and wanted to know if he was single-handedly planning to cause us not to win another state championship.
Ms. Dixon and Frank Ingram were both puzzled by the focus on football. I just smiled and welcomed them to a small town, and described how we only had so much to do, and football was king. I predicted that Mr. Fox would be nervous come Friday.
◊◊◊
When I got home, I found my day wasn�t over. Mom had been by the school and talked to all my teachers. She had a stack of homework and reading assignments. Someone had opened my locker for her so she could get all my books. Mom had given them all my email address so they could send me updated requests. I hoped this wouldn�t go on long enough for that to be a problem.
My next task was to wade through all my phone, text, and email messages. I made a point to call Tim, Jim, and Tracy to give them updates. I also called Zoe, Halle, and Brook to let them know I missed them like crazy. Halle told me that her mom wanted to talk to me and invited me over for dinner on Thursday night.
My last call of the night was to Flee. He had left me a message that told me he had some big news.
�I got an offer!� Flee said, and I could almost see him doing a little �Snoopy Dance� of joy.
�That�s great, who�s the lucky school?�
�Northwestern! Coach Patrick came to dinner and made the offer. He told me you said they should take me over Ben,� Flee said.
Ben Luck was a good quarterback, but I thought Flee had a higher ceiling and had told that to Coach Patrick. At the time, I didn�t think he believed me, but I had gone to camps with both of them and knew if someone gave Flee a chance, he�d work his butt off to prove he belonged. You weren�t invited to Elite 11 if you weren�t among the best, and even though Flee didn�t get one of the coveted slots, he had beaten out several hundred quarterbacks to get there.
This was the perfect way to end my day.
◊◊◊
Chapter 29 � The Trick is to Keep Breathing Wednesday October 28
I woke to my cell phone ringing. I looked at the clock, and it said 6:15 a.m.
�Hello,� I croaked.
�David, it�s Bo,� said Bo Harrington, my former quarterback coach and now assistant coach for Alabama.
�You know, calling this early won�t get me to commit to Alabama.�
�I realize that, but I needed to tell you something. We received an overnight package from a lawyer�hang on, and I�ll get his name,� Bo said, and I heard papers being shuffled. �A Mr. Thomas Fox. Anyway, he sent us a picture of a young girl with a black eye and split lip, and suggested that we might want to stop recruiting someone who�s been accused of raping the young lady.�
�Fuck me!�
�I think that�s exactly what this was intended to do. I would bet that everyone recruiting you will get one of these today. I just wanted to give you a heads-up,� Bo said.
�Will this hurt me with Alabama?� I asked.
�No, but I know you and know that if you say you didn�t do it, you didn�t. I wouldn�t be surprised if some schools back off until the dust settles.�
�I guess I need to get on the phone and reassure people.�
�There�s something else you need to be aware of. This came directly to me and not to our football office. All our websites, my business cards and the like all have the main office address. This had my office number on it. I decided early on to only give that out to recruits I have a good personal relationship with, and the only one I�ve done that with so far is you,� Bo said.
�Thanks for the heads-up. I�ll keep you in the loop on this mess,� I said, and then hung up.
As soon as that was done, I called Kendal.
�You need to get your boy on a leash!�
�What are you talking about?� Kendal asked.
I explained what Bo had told me. It was evident to me that Cal had accessed my recruiting list and gotten contact information.
�I don�t understand how Cal could have gotten the list. It�s stored on our division�s server, which is separate from the rest of the firm. We did that because we also store your and other customers� photos, and I bet you know why,� Kendal said.
She referred to the time they�d given away my photos to clients and employees. I hadn�t been happy when I found out, but we worked past that. Then a horrible thought hit me.
�Kendal, are my modeling and acting contacts in the same place?� I asked.
�I need to find out. If Cal did access that server, he�ll be in a lot of trouble. What do you want us to do?� Kendal asked.
�I guess we�d better let Frank and Ms. Dixon know. It�s a good thing I don�t have school today because I�ll be busy smoothing this over.�
My next call was to Frank. He had one new piece of information to �brighten� my day.
�
He promised to get me talking points for when I called people. Frank agreed it had to be me to make the calls. They would all want to hear it from the horse�s mouth.
◊◊◊
I looked at the clock and decided that I should just go run. I put my earbuds in, gathered my trusty hound, and started to pound the pavement. It was the perfect time to run. It was cool out, and everyone had just woken up. Our streets were lined with old oak trees that formed a canopy over the sidewalks and pavement. They gave the neighborhood an established feel.
Then a thought hit me: I had to stop letting this consume me. I had a date with Brook Davis to plan since I wasn�t allowed to go to the dance. I�d always been at my best with the support of my friends and teammates. I needed to find a way to spend time with them.
Then I had a revelation: not once, since this had all started, had I felt the need to talk to Tami. I was of two minds: I was glad I�d gotten to the point where I didn�t need to rely on my friend to help guide me; I was also sad because it just highlighted how bad our relationship had become. For now, I didn�t intend to try to fix our friendship. I still had a hard time believing nothing happened with her and Alan. I�d seen far too much of the way that Alan acted on recruiting trips to believe he was too innocent or na�ve to have done anything other than kiss her.
I shook my head to keep from getting angry again. It was better to let some time, maybe a lot of time, go by so that my emotions wouldn�t feel quite so raw. I wondered if there really would be a
Then I thought about what Cal had done to me. My Christian charity had worn thin. I simply could not find any forgiveness in my heart for him right now. The sad part was I had rather liked him. I really liked his daughter. If it hadn�t been for her, I probably would have gotten in my car and dragged both Cal and Mr. Fox into a dark alley by now. I just couldn�t fathom how anyone would be so vindictive towards the father of their grandbaby. The only answers I came up with did not put Cal in a good light.
I let the run help focus me for the day. I dropped into the zone where I could figure everything out. Unfortunately, the answers weren�t forthcoming, so I focused on my breathing. I concentrated so I could relax and let the tension wash away. I said my little prayer: �God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.� I couldn�t change Cal, but I could change how I reacted to him. I needed to make him understand I wasn�t going to just lie down and accept his attacks unchallenged. Too many people relied on me for that ever to happen.
◊◊◊
When I stepped out of the shower, I started to plan my day. In my head, there was a to-do list, and at the top of the list was to talk to my friends. I was surprised when the first person I wanted to call was Tracy. She and I had gone through a lot, and I knew she�d tell me what was going on before I called Brook, Zoe, or Halle.
�How�s your vacation?� Tracy asked as she answered her phone.
�Sucks. All I�ve done for the past two days is deal with this stuff.�
�What did you do this morning to get my dad upset?� Tracy asked.
�I don�t know. I haven�t talked to him since yesterday.�
�I think Kendal called him. He was ranting about company exposure and how could they be so stupid.�
I decided Tracy didn�t need to know and changed the subject. She and Pam were best friends.
�How�s Pam doing?� I asked.
�Do you really want to know?�
�Tracy, what do you think? Pam and I have been friends for a year now, and not just friends. She�s carrying our baby.�
�I understand, David. It�s just, I don�t know. Pam won�t talk to anyone, and I can tell this is tearing her up. Everyone�s on her about the restraining order, and the comments are starting to get nasty. There�s been talk about kicking her off the squad so you can play.�
�I�ll get the word out for everyone to back off. Kicking Pam off the squad wouldn�t work anyways. The order says I have to stay at least 100 yards away from school grounds, so it won�t matter if she�s there or not. I need you to be her friend. Do you have any extra pepper spray or a Taser you could give her? I don�t want her to get hurt,� I said.
�I�ve already taken care of it. You�d be amazed at how the snapping noise of a Taser will get a crowd to back up. You need to talk to your friend Yuri. He�s been the most vocal, and if he doesn�t back off, I might zap him.�
�Let me call him before you do that. If he smarts off later today, you have my permission to make him flop like a carp out of water. If you do it, I want to see the video,� I said, which made Tracy laugh.
People didn�t realize that Tracy would throw down if you got her pissed. For that matter, so would Pam. Tommy Cox would attest to that. They had kicked the shit out of him when he�d puked on them last year. It had brought a smile to my face as they alternated between kicking him in the nuts and spraying his face with pepper spray. The poor bastard didn�t know which end to cover up. Personally, I would have covered my jewels. After all, I was a guy, and even blind guys get laid.
�If I can talk Mona into having a party Saturday night, will you come?� she asked.
�That would solve my dilemma with Brook. She�s my date to the dance, and we have our costumes ready. As much as I need to talk to Pam, can you talk to her and ask her not to go?� I asked.
�Will you pony up for the booze?� Tracy asked.
�No! I�m in enough trouble as it is. I�d be willing to contribute for decorations, food, and sodas,� I said, and then had an idea. �Tell Mona that I�ll take care of everything. She just needs to get me access to her place Saturday afternoon.�
�I�ll tell her,� Tracy said. �I�ve got to get going. Please tell me if you need anything. Pam may be my best friend, but so are you.�
�I would never put you in a position to test that friendship. Can you tell Pam that I�m not mad at her? I�m sure her dad�s behind the mean stuff that�s going on. Tell her I�ll do whatever she wants as far as the baby�s concerned. I mean
�You�d marry her?� Tracy asked, sounding shocked.
�If that�s what Pam wants, then yes,� I said. �Does that surprise you?�
�No, not really. I guess after what�s happened, I was afraid you�d be annoyed with her.�
�I�m guessing she thinks the same thing. Pam and I aren�t supposed to talk right now. I�ll do everything to help her with our child. I hope that she and I can raise him without a lot of drama,� I said.
I heard Tracy giggle.
�So, you think it�s a boy?� she asked.
I smiled. I guess it just slipped out that that was what I�d hoped for.
�Of course it is, I�m a Dawson,� I said as if that explained everything.
Tracy just laughed at me and hung up. I was sure that little tidbit would make the rounds today.
◊◊◊
I called most everyone and talked to each of them for less than a minute. The simple message was: �leave Pam alone, and Mona�s having a party Saturday night.� Well, she hadn�t actually confirmed that she would, but I had volunteered her house. I was sure her parents wouldn�t mind. The one person who didn�t answer their phone was Yuri. I left him a message that warned him if he acted like a little jerk, Tracy would Tase him. I made a mental note to have someone remind him but got busy doing working off my to-do list.
The next item on my agenda was to go to Tom�s office and make phone calls under Frank�s supervision. I started with all my moneymaking ventures. Kendal gave me a full list of names, and I sat in the conference room and talked to every one of them. I was happy to see that all the firms I represented were comfortable with me, for now. Dakora and Jade warned me that I had a clause in my contract that if I were charged, they could cancel it. I had Kendal confirm that and passed the information on to Don Rigby and Roy Thompson. I knew for certain that their primary interest was making money. If Cal shot the golden goose, they would take a hit financially.
After I made those calls, I�d had enough of playing nice. I stepped into Ms. Dixon�s office to talk to her. I explained what I thought had happened with the letters that were sent out, and why I thought the contact information for the recipients had to have come from Rigby, Thompson and Associates� files. I also explained the potential for me to lose income because of it.
�If we can prove that Cal Bell used company resources to hurt your business, we�ll have a major case against them. The problem is finding proof. I suspect they have a file or folder for each client on their server. Where I work, there�s software that shows who has accessed a file. The weakness in this kind of system is if there are hard copies of your records in the office. If that�s the case, they could be copied, and no one would be the wiser.
�As a client, you can demand to see who�s accessed your information. If they refuse, we can get a court order. At that point, I�d say your relationship will be severed, and you�ll get no further cooperation,� Ms. Dixon warned me.
�What should I do?� I asked.
�I would meet with them. If you want me to represent you at the meeting, I�d be willing. I think if they aren�t careful, they�ll have more problems than allowing Mr. Bell to access your information. This is a non-waivable conflict of interest. Mr. Bell should be �walled off� from the rest of the firm,� she said.
�What do you mean by that?�
�In my opinion, Rigby, Thompson should require him to leave the office, remove his access to the computer network and physical files, insist on no contact with any attorneys of the firm, and provide him a separate paralegal who�s also not allowed any access.
�Where I work, we sign a contract that explicitly says that I can be terminated for what it appears Cal has done. The reason they need to do this, from a business perspective, is the serious consequences involved. Failure to protect your interest will result in professional misconduct charges being brought against the firm and/or Mr. Bell. It�s worse for someone who knowingly breached the precautions set in place. I know it�s common sense, but this kind of thing happens more than you think.
�They�re playing with fire here. It�s common to see attorneys who fail to protect their clients� interests in situations like this suspended, fined or, in the worst cases, permanently disbarred from the practice of law, on top of sanctions such as dismissal of the case. Then the fun begins. Once they�ve been sanctioned, you file the civil suit. Of course, by then you�ve been damaged. It would be better for them to get their house in order,� Ms. Dixon said.
�How should we proceed?� I asked.
�That�s up to you, but I would suggest you let me have a private word with them before we burn any bridges,� she said.
�Can you give them a time frame, so that no more of my information is used against me?� I asked.
Ms. Dixon gave me a smile only a lawyer can. I felt the hairs go up on the back of my neck and was suddenly glad to have her on my side.
�I�ll let you use your best judgment,� I said, and she just nodded.
I gave her Bo�s phone number and address so she could follow up with him and went back to making calls.
◊◊◊
My next calls were to all the schools that had recruited me. I was surprised at how fickle the support was from some programs. Alabama and Kentucky backed me completely. Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State listened to what I had to say and confirmed their offers. USC, Stanford, Oregon, and Northwestern wanted to see how this all played out, but for now, I had a scholarship if I wanted it. Notre Dame pulled back their offer and said that they were worried about my character. Finally, Iowa canceled my weekend trip. They told me that if it all worked out, they�d like me to visit during basketball season. They had a no-tolerance policy against domestic violence. While I agreed with their stance, I felt they should have waited until I was at least charged, instead of just assuming I had done something.
Luckily, my dad had raised me to not burn any bridges, so I didn�t say what I really thought about a couple of schools.
I then stepped through the list of schools that had sent me information and had asked me to visit.
One school I took off my list was Missouri. For several months, black student groups had protested about racial slurs allegedly used by some white students on campus, as well as several other alleged acts of discriminatory behavior. Thirty black football players announced they would not practice or play until their university president was removed from office.
The primary reason I removed Missouri from the list was purely selfish: I was currently in the middle of my own scandal and didn�t feel the need to jump into another potential mess. The second reason was I totally disagreed with players walking off the football team. What floored me was their coach supported them. This whole incident would only destroy the team�s chemistry, and I would bet money their season would go into the toilet because of it.
I didn�t have a problem with them protesting or using other means to show their displeasure. It was the act of walking out on their teammates that bothered me. I felt that if the whole team had walked out, that would have been different. When it was reported that only the black players had taken a stand, that told me they hadn�t talked to any of the other players on the team. If you had an us-against-them attitude on your team, it was ridiculous, and you were doomed as a team. A teammate wasn�t defined by the color of their skin. A teammate was someone you worked with every day to make the team the best it could be. I�d learned that last year when Brad Hope pitted the seniors against the underclassmen.
Two schools I made a point to contact were Florida and Florida State. My mom wasn�t happy after she watched the ESPN show about athletes who committed crimes, and these two schools were the worst offenders of the teams that were looked at. The facts that it didn�t snow there and they had winning traditions were attractive.
Between calls, I read the different schools� fan/recruiting websites. The common theme was they didn�t want a player who hit and raped the mother of his child. I couldn�t blame them. I admit I�d always assumed the worst when I read reports like mine. I wouldn�t be so quick to judge in the future.
One blog entry on a recruiting website caught my attention, and I immediately sent it to Frank. He then posted it for everyone to see. I was glad someone had some common sense.
◊◊◊
I rode to the hotel for the afternoon press conference with my mom and dad. As we pulled into the parking lot, there were a lot of reporters and a crowd milling around the entrance.
�Dad, just valet park. I�ll pay for it,� I said.
�I�m not spending money just so you don�t have to walk a hundred feet,� Dad griped.
Boy, was that a mistake! I am David Frickin� Dawson. Girls like me. Not these! As soon as we stepped out of the car, a large group of women surrounded us.
�Rapist!�
That was probably the nicest thing said. Someone actually spit on me. Dad had to wrestle Mom back into the car. If he hadn�t, she would�ve been on the nightly news in a brawl. I pushed my way through the protesters to draw them away from my parents. I almost had my own Bernie Madoff moment when a photographer pushed me to keep me in the middle of the angry women. I had to cringe because this had national news lead written all over it, especially if I retaliated. I just walked around the jerk, and hotel security stopped the protesters and press from entering the lobby.
From the expression on the face of the hotel manager, we would have to move our next press conference. I wouldn�t blame him, because this had to be disruptive for his guests.
I hit the men�s room to wash my face and then went to find my parents. Dad had taken my mom in through the back door. She was seething when I found them.
�I have half a mind to go out there and wash all their mouths out with soap!�
I looked at Dad, and we couldn�t help ourselves, we started to laugh.
�You two idiots better watch yourselves,� Mom said, and then stormed off.
�I think I�m changing the code on my apartment door,� I said.
Dad just gave me a look that reminded me that every woman that I knew somehow had the code to get into my place. Mom would figure it out, and if she talked to Kendal, I would find my balls superglued to my thigh. I really was a �stupid boy�!
◊◊◊
Mom and Dad joined me with Frank Ingram, Ms. Dixon, and Tom in the small conference room.
�I wanted to pop in and give you an update on what the firm is doing,� Tom said. �Cal was confronted this morning, and he had evidence that he�d gotten all of David�s contacts through external sources, so we can lay to rest the idea he used company resources.�
I was about to call bullshit but restrained myself. Tom was in full lawyer mode, and what he said was to cover his firm�s ass. I knew because
�Roy Thompson has ordered that while this is going on, Cal will be banned from the building. He will have no further access to company files, either electronic or hard copies. Cal will also have no contact with anyone in the firm. We want to assure you that Rigby, Thompson and Associates fully backs you as our client,� Tom said.
�That�s good to hear. I would ask that you not just take Cal�s word about how he obtained the contact information he used to harm our client. I expect you to launch an internal investigation to verify that David�s information hasn�t been viewed by Cal or anyone else who shouldn�t have access,� Ms. Dixon said.
�I think we�re satisfied with what Cal has told us,� Tom said.
�I�m not,� I said. �I don�t trust Cal, and I want you to verify that my information wasn�t used to do the mailings.�
Tom looked worried but nodded his agreement to look into it. I decided right then that if I ever found out that Rigby, Thompson and Associates helped Cal cover this up, heads would roll. I took a couple of deep breaths to calm myself. I didn�t need to open my mouth and confirm I suspected them of anything.
�Do you want to tell them what else Cal is up to?� Ms. Dixon said, as she obviously knew something the rest of us didn�t.
�Cal told me that he would be on the Nancy Grace show tonight,� Tom said.
�That�s not good,� Frank said.
When your PR agent was worried, you should be too. Nancy Grace loved a scandal, and she frequently talked about �victim�s rights.�
�We have one other issue,� Ms. Dixon said. �David, who�s your girlfriend?�
That one caught me off guard.
�I�m seeing some people, but don�t have a girlfriend right now.�
�Can you explain your Facebook page?� she asked.
Ms. Dixon slid her laptop over to me, and I saw my status wasn�t single.
�Hmm,� I said, and then it hit me. �Oh, shit.�
��Oh, shit� is right. I hope to God you have a good explanation,� she said.
�I can do better than that,� I said.
I logged onto my cloud storage, selected the video and hit play. It was from the flight where I sat with the young girl who asked me to be her boyfriend. I�d updated my Facebook page so she could tell her friends. I just never thought to go back and change it. Frank downloaded the video and forwarded it to his staff to work on it for the press conference.
�Sorry, but someone pointed it out to me, and it didn�t look good,� Ms. Dixon said.
�And if it was pointed out to you, then the other side would have it,� Mom reasoned.
�Exactly,� Ms. Dixon said.
�Do you know what�s happening with the investigation?� Dad asked.
�Detective Kitchens is being closed-mouthed about it. He did assure me they were wrapping it up. We have another issue, though. Since David admitted the child was his, Mr. Fox has petitioned the court to freeze his assets until the matter of child support can be resolved. We will be heard tomorrow afternoon,� Ms. Dixon said.
�They can�t do that,� Tom blurted out.
�I don�t plan to let them. It�s just another dirty trick. What would be reasonable would be to have an independent accounting done to make sure you don�t ship all your funds overseas. Tom�s firm is already doing that. This is more of a nuisance tactic, and if Mr. Fox isn�t careful, he�ll piss off the judge,� Ms. Dixon said.
�He�s starting to piss me off,� I said. �Have you dug anything up on him?�
Frank pulled out a folder that was about an inch thick.
�The trick is to condense all this down into a sound bite. If you want to have fun at his expense, I have two items of interest: it took him six tries to pass the bar exam, and even though our Mr. Fox graduated from State, which is a great school to get your law degree, he finished 330th out of 342 in his graduating class,� Frank shared.
�Do you have anything on Cal?� I asked.
�David, don�t go there. He�ll be a grandfather of your baby someday,� Mom warned me.
�There is something that Ms. Dixon needs to be aware of: Cal left his firm in California under a cloud of controversy. I�ll let you read his folder later,� Frank said.
�What are you talking about? I helped interview him, and everything was fine. Can I see what you have?� Tom asked.
�Tom, I hate to say this, but David paid for the research, and it�s his property. It�s already extraordinary that he�s allowing you to sit in on these sessions. If it were up to me, you�d be excluded, and I think you know why,� Ms. Dixon said.
�I understand and appreciate David�s generosity. I don�t plan to take advantage of that,� Tom said.
�We know
Then Dad�s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and showed it to Mom.
�You better take that,� she said, and she didn�t look happy.
◊◊◊
Frank and his staff prepped me for the interview. I was surprised when Angie showed up. When she walked in, both my parents left. Frank told me he needed to rehabilitate Angie so that she couldn�t be used against me in the future. He wanted to feature the work she did for single moms, and my involvement in that. There was a lull, so I decided to go looking for Mom and Dad, but they were nowhere to be found. I called Mom.
�Hey, where�d you go?� I asked.
�The call was from Vickie Wesley-Prince. Phil saw the news and has questions. Your dad and I are meeting with her and her husband Carl to discuss what we should do.�
�How did she sound?� I asked.
�She�s not happy. Look, we�re there. I�ll talk to you at home,� Mom said, and then hung up.
When I walked back in, Angie wanted to talk.
�Are your mom and dad as mad at me as Greg is?� she asked.
I didn�t know how mad Greg was at Angie, but I had a pretty good guess.
�They�re not happy. Phil�s asking questions, and his mom didn�t want him to know that Dad is his father. Mom and Dad are meeting with Phil�s parents to talk about it,� I said.
�Shit,� Angie said.
�Yep.�
She looked upset, but clearly had more to say.
�I told Greg something about you. Greg said I had to tell you, or he would. I�m a little afraid of how you�ll take it.�
I just looked at her, which made her smile.
�You Dawsons really are all alike,� she said, then got serious. �When you and Tami were working things out, I told her what I thought of the whole situation. My advice to her was that she shouldn�t be in a hurry to settle down. Looking back, it probably wasn�t what you wanted me to say.�
I could guess, and really didn�t want to hear it. My relationship with Tami hadn�t turned out how I wanted during the summer.
�Why did you do it? And not just back then, but with the interview? I thought you were part of the family,� I said.
Angie looked away and took a moment to gather herself.
�Leave it to you to get to the heart of the matter. I didn�t set out to be mean. The interview just popped out, but since then I�ve had to face myself, if for no other reason than I think Greg is ready to kick me to the curb.
�You know my family life. When I got pregnant, they turned their backs on me. What I saw in your family was something I didn�t even realize was possible to have. You all are closer than is probably healthy. You talk about stuff that would have had me run screaming from the kitchen table in embarrassment if it had happened at my home. What amazed me was that you all took me in, as if I�d always been a part of your little clan. In many ways, I sympathized with Tami when you wanted to push her out. She�d been a part of something unique, and suddenly it was gone.
�One of my fears is that you all will find me out. I�m not like you, I need to have some things secret that I can�t tell the whole family. What I need to tell you to make this right, I can�t, for fear you�ll tell Greg,� Angie said as a tear formed at the corner of her eye.
�What you don�t know is that I�ve had the same issues recently. I was upset that my mom wouldn�t tell me why she was upset with Dad concerning Phil. I have my own secrets now, because of that. If you need me to keep something just between the two of us, all you have to do is tell me,� I said.
�Do you mean that? I�m serious here. Can I trust you?� she asked.
I didn�t answer right away, because my first loyalty was to Greg, just as I had found out that Uncle John�s loyalty was to my dad. What if Angie told me she was having an affair, or something worse? This all would go to my character. Was I really a man of my word? If I told her yes, I would have to mean it. The only way I would break my word would be if it put someone in danger or it would hurt the family.
�Yes, you can trust me. The only thing I ask is that you don�t abuse that trust,� I said.
�What do you mean by that?�
�Come on, Angie, use some common sense. If you tell me you�re banging your college professor, it would be pretty shitty to tell me and force me to stay quiet.�
She nodded and told me what was up.
�When I first met Greg, he was my ideal man. Self-assured, loved me, and made love to me better than I ever imagined anyone could. He was someone I felt I could make a life with. The only problem was Greg only dated someone for a couple of months, and then moved on. I decided to keep him,� she said, and let me take that information in and put two and two together.
�Shit, Angie! Does he know?� I asked.
�No.�
Then something struck me about what Angie said. Tami always called me a �stupid boy� because I missed the obvious concerning relationships. Well, she called me a �stupid boy� for many reasons, but in particular, I was terrible at picking up a secret crush. Once Tami pointed it out to me, then it was obvious. What Angie had said was when she
�There�s more, isn�t there,� I stated.
�You started to grow up,� she said, which made me take in a sharp breath and step back.
�I�m not going to jump you,� Angie teased.
�But, but, I would never ��
�Therein is my problem. Let me lay all my cards on the table. When I first met Greg, you were a little dweeb. A lovable dweeb, but I looked at you like his little brother. Then I saw you after Cindy had done her makeover. Cindy was a real bitch because she gave me every detail about how you were in bed. It wasn�t only the sex. I had Greg, after all, and could get him to up his game just by teasing him that someone told me you were better in bed than he was.
�What made me start to doubt my choice was when you started to model. It became apparent that you�d surpass your brother professionally. Then you became an actor, and then out of the blue, you were asked to buy into the farm. While Greg never said anything, I knew he envied your success.
�The final thing is how you treat my kids. They love their Uncle David, and I know you love them. You�ll make a great father. I just wish you were older. You�ll have to do a whole lot of growing up, and way too soon. It makes me sad to think of what you�ll face in a few months,� Angie said.
�I�m confused.�
�Me too. I would never trade Greg in for you, but somehow, I felt I�d been cheated when you began to blossom. All I can say is I�m sorry for what I said to Tami, and to the press. I think I just wanted to take you down a notch or two and make you normal like the rest of us. I didn�t intend to mess anything up for your dad. Greg is furious that I did it in such a public way. I knew your mom didn�t take the revelation of Phil well. I should�ve known better,� she admitted.
�Do you need me to talk to Greg?� I asked.
�No. All I have to do is hand him one of the kids if he gets too mad. We�ve gone through too much to chuck our marriage away because I said something stupid. Of course, I did do it on a grand scale.�
�Yeah, thanks, by the way.�
Angie just rolled her eyes at me. What she didn�t know was that I had already made a decision to be more careful when I was around her. She really wasn�t a Dawson in the true sense. I no longer had any idea how much I could trust her. The whole jealousy bit sounded like an excuse to me. I was also pissed she had laid on me that Kyle was her way to trap my brother. I think that was worse than if Angie had told me she had a lover. What was I supposed to do with this?
◊◊◊
The press conference was a success. I was a little irritated that Ms. Dixon used Mr. Fox�s class standing and the fact it took him six times to pass the bar. She did do it in a clever way, though.
�What evidence do they have concerning the rape of the mother of David�s child?�
�I�m afraid I can�t comment on that out of respect to Detective Kitchens and State�s Attorney Mason. What I can do is give you my opinion about the quality of the accusation. We are dealing with an enraged parent who is an attorney. He found himself a young attorney who�s desperate to make a name for himself but isn�t smart enough to figure out what to do on his own, so he�s let the father of the young girl talk him into making a fool out of himself,� Ms. Dixon said.
I thought we�d all agreed not to throw Cal under the bus, but I couldn�t exactly step in front of her and drag her off stage.
�Those are serious charges. Do you have any specifics?� was the follow-up question.
�Without getting into specifics, I want you to follow what has been released to the press. Someone had to leak the picture of the alleged abuse. It wasn�t the police or the state�s attorney�s office. The only thing he could think to do was smear a seventeen-year-old boy who�s a role model in the community. Then the genius decided it would be a good idea to get a restraining order, which prevents the same young man from playing football. I bet the community will be up in arms if they�re unable to win another state championship this year.
�This is the same mental giant who filed a motion to freeze my client�s assets so he could try and get his greedy little hands on them. Why would my client try to hide his funds, when he�s admitted to being the father? He�s willing to support his child, within reason. I can�t wait to see what someone who graduated 330th out of 342 in his law school class thinks is reasonable. For those of you who are math-challenged, that�s in the bottom four percent. It�s no wonder he had to set up shop by himself, no one would hire him. On top of that, he had to take the bar six times. That�s right, six times!
�That�s why I don�t think Mr. Fox could possibly be the brains behind this train wreck,� Ms. Dixon said.
After Ms. Dixon was done, Angie talked about the charity work we did. She also told everyone that she knew I would be a great father, and how much my niece and nephews loved me. While Angie talked about them, Frank�s staff played video of me playing with Kyle, Mac, and Nate. They made it look like old home movies.
Then it was my turn. The first question out of the chute came from a reporter from the East Coast. He went right for the throat. Thankfully, Frank had prepared me, and we put on a little show for him.
�I see on Facebook your status is �In a Relationship.� Our investigation has uncovered that it�s with a girl in middle school. Care to comment?� the reporter challenged me.
�I�m pretty sure that whatever I say, you�ll discount,� I said and then paused, and could see I was right.
I looked perplexed, and all the reporters in the room suddenly paid more attention. This was the moment I was to go down in flames, and they wanted to watch it happen.
�Is there some way I can show them what happened? There�s a video in my cloud storage that�ll clear it up,� I said.
One of Frank�s people hurried out and acted like they did something to his laptop. All she really did was allow its display to be shown on the big-screen TV so everyone could see.
�Okay, everyone close your eyes. I don�t want you to see my login and password,� I said, which made a few of them smirk.
Frank had even written out the dumb joke. He wanted to have me appear as a na�ve boy who couldn�t possibly deceive them.
I pulled up the video and played it. Frank had decided not to edit the video. What they saw was me being nice to a young girl and letting her talk me into being her boyfriend so she wouldn�t be bullied. Part of her proof was the status change on Facebook.
�Next time your investigation finds something, all you have to do is ask me. I�ll be more than willing to help you,� I said to the reporter.
Everyone in the room knew how the reporter got the information. Frank said he�d bet that the next piece of information that Mr. Fox put out would be checked before someone made an ass out of themselves. Frank planned to erode his credibility as a source.
◊◊◊
I missed Cal�s appearance on the Nancy Grace show. Frank�s people told me Cal made a claim that because I was famous and a football star, our prosecutor was dragging his feet on charging me. It was the typical small-town attitude to protect someone like me. It was a travesty of justice that his daughter, as the victim, had to face the ridicule and outright hostility that she was forced to suffer.
Tracy emailed me a video of the ridicule. Apparently, my friend Yuri didn�t get my message. He made a smart comment about Pam causing the team to lose me for the upcoming game. Pam reached into her book bag and pulled out the Taser. She pushed the button, and it started to make a snapping noise. I will give Yuri credit: he knew when to make a run for it. Pam gave a war cry and chased the poor boy down the hall. If he could run in an actual game like he did from Pam, he would be All-State.
All I can say was I needed a laugh.
◊◊◊
There was a reason I missed the Nancy Grace show. It came in the form of a Miss Brook Davis. She walked into my apartment as if she owned the place. I was again amazed that Brook got past the security code, because this was the first time she�d been in my bachelor pad. I took one look and saw she had on her silk sweatpants and a tight, armless t-shirt. It was the end of October, so it was a little chilly to have just that on. It was apparent the cold air had reached a particular part of her body by the way her nipples stood at attention.
�How�ve you been?� Brook asked.
I got up off the couch and kissed her. When our lips parted, our foreheads touched, and I smiled at her.
�However I was before, I�m much better now,� I said.
�That�s good. Tracy sent me over to make sure you were doing okay,� she said.
I was glad that Tracy and I had been able to be friends after all we�d gone through. I would have to thank her for thinking of me this way. Brook was exactly who I needed to see. I led her back to the couch so we could talk. Of course, Duke needed to say hi. When he had been assured she liked him, he came over and laid down on one of my feet.
�What�s going on at school?� I asked.
�Mona told me to tell you that you owe her for commandeering her house for a party Saturday night. She said you planned to set everything up. What are you planning to do?� Brook asked.
�Can you keep a secret?� I asked.
I knew full well she would tell. It wasn�t a real secret, so I expected her to tell everyone.
�Of course.�
�I called a couple of my friends at State who I took an acting class with last fall. I�m having them make Mona�s house into a haunted house. I called Granny, and she�s going to cater the party. I then called Lydia to find a good band to play,� I said.
�Is this the same Lydia who was engaged to Ken?� she asked.
I�d forgotten that Brook had met her. I met Lydia at a sorority dance, and at first hadn�t liked her. She had come off as the stereotypical queen-bee bitchy sorority girl. What I found was it was all an act. Lydia was incredibly smart and quirky.
Ken, on the other hand, personified the stereotypical dumb frat guy who couldn�t keep his pants zipped.
�Yes,� I said cautiously.
�How is she?�
�Good.�
I was a little nervous because Brook knew the revenge I�d helped Lydia extract on Ken.
�Are you getting a keg?� she asked to change the conversation back to the party details.
�Nope. If someone wants alcohol, it�s BYOB.�
�Okay, I�ll let everyone know.�
�Hey, it�s a secret,� I moaned.
�Come here.�
I looked at her, and something wasn�t right.
�Why?�
�Just come here. I have a secret to tell you,� Brook said and gave me a pouty face.
Mr. Happy voted that we go to her, so I leaned over. She reached up and caressed my jaw.
�Closer,� she said in a husky voice.
I expected a kiss, but Brook turned my head so she could whisper in my ear. I felt her hot breath, which sent a shiver down my back. I felt myself become aroused. I then heard a wet popping noise and felt a wet finger in my ear.
�There�s your secret,� she crowed in triumph.
�Brat!�
Brook screamed as I reached for her. She avoided my grasp and rolled off the couch. I tried to pounce on her, but Brook was quicker than I�d guessed and ran for my bedroom. She gave a little squawk when I caught her and picked her up and tossed her on my bed. Brook�s eyes got big when she saw the lust on my face, and she scrambled to the head of the bed to keep out of reach. I slowly crawled up on the bed, as if I were a big cat that had its prey in sight.
She gave away her mock fear when she giggled. I reached up, grabbed her hips and jerked her towards me. Brook was on her back, and she was flushed and breathing hard. I was on all fours and slowly worked my way over her. I never let our eyes unlock as I leaned down and touched my forehead to hers. She bit her lip right before I kissed her.
I pushed Brook�s shirt up and found what I expected: she didn�t have a bra on. I exposed both her breasts. I toyed with them as our kiss intensified. I lay down beside her, and our lips came apart. When she opened her eyes, I gazed into them and slid my hand into the front of her sweats. Brook took in a sharp breath as I put my four fingers together and rapidly rubbed them over her sex. She gasped as I assaulted her womanhood.
Brook tried to look down to see what I was doing to her.
�Nuh-uh,� I said, grabbing the back of her neck and forcing her to look into my eyes.
Her brow scrunched up, and she let out a little whine. Then her brow relaxed and her mouth opened as she began to pant her desire. My hand was a blur of motion as I pushed her to orgasm. I saw her upper chest, neck, and face become flush, and then she came. Brook grabbed my wrist to get me to stop as she shrieked out her pleasure. Our eyes never left each other�s.
As she tried to catch her breath, she began to laugh.
�Damn, David,� she gasped out. �I hoped to lure you into bed, but I didn�t expect to get off that hard.�
�I can do better,� I teased.
�Oh, no, you don�t,� Brook said as she shook her head. �You do that, and I�ll never make it to school tomorrow.�
I gave her an evil grin.
�Get naked.�
I guess she was willing to risk it because she got undressed awfully fast. I jumped off the bed and stripped. I knee-walked up to her face and presented her a very eager Mr. Happy. He drooled his hello. Brook kissed my member and then began to suck me to full hardness. I was torn between wanting to let her get me off or simply doing her. I picked plan B. I reached over to the nightstand and put on a condom.
Brook�s hot little body was made to be manhandled. I pulled her to the middle of the bed and pushed her legs towards her breasts. I grabbed her arms and had her hook them behind her knees, then pull her legs tight against the sides of her body. What that did was turn her pelvis up so I could pound her from above. I slotted myself and put both my hands on the bed next to her head. I then watched as I buried myself in her tight little tunnel. She stretched as I pushed downward until our pelvises met.
I held still for a moment to allow Brook to adjust to my size and then ground against her nubbin. Her mouth opened and I think her eyes rolled back into her head. She didn�t make a sound until I began to slowly work her over. From this position, I watched as I plundered her. Each time I hit bottom, she would yelp. I felt that if I continued it would become too much, so I just got busy and made like a rabbit.
Brook was insatiable. She was able to get four climaxes out of me before Mr. Happy tapped out. I had a funny thought. We usually had a very intense session in the back seat of my car after we�d done something fun like motocross or skydiving. While that was fun, and I had some of my best orgasms, this was much more enjoyable. Brook Davis was a sexual dynamo that had left me wanting for nothing.
◊◊◊
Chapter 30 � How�s Your First Scandal Going? Thursday October 29
I woke up and was disappointed to see that Brook had left me. Duke must have a sixth sense because as soon as I woke up, he was dancing at the foot of my bed. I took a quick shower to get the smell of sex off me and got dressed to run. I grabbed my Bo staff and Duke�s leash, and we walked out the back door. I groaned when there were reporters and a women�s group camped out at the end of our driveway.
I was surprised when the hair raised up on Duke�s back. My trusty hound normally liked everyone, but he didn�t seem to like this group. I had to agree with him when they started to shout questions or insults, depending on which group they were with. Duke did his business as I stretched. I looked around and concluded Precious had been smart because she was nowhere to be seen.
I was also surprised when Rachel and Buster jogged up the driveway. I raised an eyebrow because I had told her not to come over while this mess was going on. She gave me a sheepish look as photographers took our picture. Then one of the women started up the driveway.
�Get away from him! He�s a pedophile,� the woman said.
Rachel was startled when the woman grabbed her shoulder. I didn�t hesitate. I brought the Bo staff up and stuck the tip under the woman�s chin.
�Back off!� I said.
The woman let Rachel go, and several other women rushed up the driveway. That was when Duke and Buster begin to growl. That slowed them down. They froze when Precious made her appearance and voiced her displeasure. Even my head snapped around when I heard her bobcat yowl. That was when my dad stepped out the back door.
�You�re on private property. I would suggest you leave, or I�ll be forced to call the police.�
�He was going to hit me,� the woman who grabbed Rachel said.
�If I were going to hit you, I would have,� I said. I spun the Bo staff in a figure eight and then helicoptered it over my head before snapping it back between us.
My demonstration must have sunk in because they made a hasty retreat. Dad told us to come into the house. He wasn�t happy when Precious slipped in.
�What is that cat doing in my house?� Mom asked from the kitchen.
�Dad let her in,� I said.
Mom just glared at us, and Dad was being entirely unreasonable when he whacked me in the back of the head.
�David, make me breakfast while you explain yourself,� Mom said.
I began to cook when Duke nudged me. I looked down, and he was tattling on Buster for drinking all his water. He was such a baby sometimes. I got him a fresh bowl. Precious walked up to it, and both dogs decided they would wait. When she finished drinking, I scooped her up and put her in the crate. I didn�t want to spend the rest of the day playing �find the kitty.�
�I came down to find the press and the protesters waiting for me. Then Rachel got them excited, and I had to protect her.�
�I didn�t do anything. That crazy lady grabbed me,� Rachel said.
�So why did you come over this morning?� I asked.
�I won sectionals!�
�That�s great. I guess your coach was right. When�s state?�
�This Saturday. It�s being held at State. I was hoping you�d come,� she said.
We worked out the details, and I promised to come cheer her on. I fed everyone, and we planned out our day. I had to be in court at one for the hearing. Mom said she would come because Dad had already taken off too much time from work. I had to study and catch up with the schoolwork I�d skipped the last few days. I didn�t need to get behind; I was already going to miss the month of December.
◊◊◊
At one o�clock I was seated in court next to Ms. Dixon. Cal and Mr. Fox were sitting at the other table that faced the judge. The courtroom was full. Seated behind me were my mom, Tom, Roy Thompson, and Don Rigby. Cal hadn�t been happy when Roy and Don picked my side of the courtroom.
�I�ve read your motion, and frankly, I�m confused,� the judge began. �Mr. Fox, you need to explain yourself.�
�Your honor, we need to freeze Mr. Dawson�s assets because we feel he may either skip town or hide them before we can get a full accounting.�
�What say you, Mr. Dawson, are you planning on taking off?�
�No, sir. My mom wouldn�t let me,� I said, which got a chuckle from the crowd.
�Ms. Dixon, do you have an accounting of Mr. Dawson�s assets?�
�Yes, your honor. Rigby, Thompson and Associates maintain his books. Mr. Fox will be able to review them if we get to that point. We are hopeful we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement on the care of Miss Bell and Mr. Dawson�s child when it is born,� Ms. Dixon said.
�That makes perfect sense. I don�t need to deliberate any further. The request to freeze Mr. Dawson�s assets is denied. I feel you�ve wasted the court�s time with this matter. I further order that Mr. Bell pay all court costs,� the judge said, and then used his gavel to dismiss the motion.
Before we could leave, Ms. Dixon got a call from the state�s attorney�s office. They asked if we could meet with State�s Attorney Mason.
◊◊◊
Frank appeared as we walked out of the courtroom. He handed Ms. Dixon and me a set of talking points. There were reporters gathered on the front steps of the courthouse. Ms. Dixon read her notes and stepped in front of the microphones, while I stood behind her with my mom.
�As the judge said, Mr. Fox and Mr. Bell have wasted the court�s time with their most recent motion. It�s important to realize that we have not even seen a police report. My client has cooperated with Detective Kitchens, and to this point has not been charged with any crime. Everything that has been leaked has been hearsay and not grounded in fact. I expect that once the police have had the time they need to investigate this thoroughly, we will see that David has done nothing to warrant this witch-hunt. We fully expect that the allegations that have been made will be found either unreliable or simply untrue. We would appreciate the opportunity for you to view all the evidence before jumping to any further conclusions.
�Today, David Dawson is 100 percent innocent in the eyes of the law, and that will never change. He should be afforded the same treatment anyone else has, and not looked at differently simply because he is in the public eye and this makes for good copy. I think after their latest stunt, and the strongly worded rebuke from the judge, you can see how ridiculous and unreasonable they are being,� Ms. Dixon said, and we walked back into the courthouse.
◊◊◊
After the court hearing and interview session on the courthouse steps, we were ushered into Mr. Mason�s office. Detective Kitchens was also there. Mr. Mason wasn�t happy. I started to get worried. Everyone was introduced, and we then sat down.
�David, I want to personally apologize for what you have gone through this week. I hope you understand that we had to go through the whole process and keep it aboveboard. Quite frankly, I�m considering filing charges for a false police report in this matter. There is not a shred of evidence that shows you even had access to Miss Bell when the incident was supposed to have happened,� Mr. Mason said.
�Thank you,� my mom said. �Will you be making a public announcement to that effect?�
�That�s one of the reasons I asked you here. Normally we would just put out a press release, but I�ve been asked to make this more public. It also didn�t sit well with me what was said on TV last night. We may not be a big city, but we do follow the rules. Would you be willing to attend the press conference with me and Detective Kitchens?� Mr. Mason asked.
�Yes, sir, and thank you,� I said.
It would seem my friends in high places had come through for me. I owed the governor my support in the upcoming election.
◊◊◊
I think the hotel was happy we didn�t have our press conference there today. We had it at the state�s attorney�s office. Everyone got a chance to say their piece, and the press went away happy. They would be onto another scandal tomorrow, or so I hoped.
Thirty minutes after the press conference, we were in front of the same judge to get the restraining order removed. Ms. Dixon was in contact with Mr. Fox to schedule a meeting about the civil side of this issue. I was warned that this wasn�t over, not by a long shot.
◊◊◊
When I got home, I found Mom seated in the kitchen with the lights turned off. She looked dazed.
�Where�s Dad?� I asked.
�He�s with Vickie, talking to your half brother,� Mom said.
�So, they decided to tell him?�
�They decided they�d better before he finds out on his own.�
�How are you doing?� I asked.
She gave me a tight smile and sighed. Not good, so I changed the subject.
�They cleared me on the criminal side. Now I have to deal with Cal about support for the baby. I wish he would just get out of it and let Pam and me deal with this. I have a bad feeling he isn�t done with his bullshit,� I said.
�David, we need to get Lacy home to help clean up this mess. I want to call her and get her back from Utah,� Mom said.
Lacy was with Cora right now to help plan the wedding. I thought about it for a moment and had a different take on whether we needed Lacy.
�While Lacy would help restrain Cal, I think we need to see what he�s really up to. If Lacy gets involved, it might delay what he�s planned, and frankly, I want him to get it over with,� I said.
�As mad as he is now, please don�t give him a reason to be mad ten years from now. I hate to say this, but you need to be the better man,� Mom coached.
�Do you seriously think Cal will ever calm down? I�ve taken just about all I can handle from him and his creepy little sidekick. Cal isn�t thinking clearly, and his actions so far have shown he has little regard for how we feel about this. Cal�s a bully, and the only thing he�ll respect is if we stand up to him. I just want to see him make a serious misstep and then I�ll have no mercy on him. Let�s let this play out some more,� I said.
�Okay, but if this gets out of hand, I�ll step in, and Lacy and I will settle this. I will not allow some jackass to mess with my family, and you know that at some point Cal will cross a line with me. So don�t act all pouty when I go off on him,� Mom said.
I just nodded. Mom was on the verge of going biblical on Cal and Mr. Fox�s ass. I would kick back and enjoy the show when that happened.
�Will you be able to go with me to the meeting that�s scheduled for tomorrow morning?� I asked.
�I wouldn�t miss it for the world.�
�Thanks, Mom, that means a lot to me,� I said, and then had to tell her about Angie. �I have another problem I need your help with.�
Mom just shook her head.
�Bring it on. I�m in a mood to solve the world�s problems today.�
�When I spent the summer with Uncle John, he talked to me about being a man of my word. A lot of what he said made sense, and I try to make my word my bond. The problem is, I gave my word to someone, and they told me something in confidence that would really hurt someone else if they found out,� I said.
�I swear, you sound like all the lawyers we�ve had to talk to this week,� Mom said.
She looked at me and saw I was really torn about what to do.
�You know what? Your uncle caused this mess; he can fix it,� Mom said, and got up and took me into the office.
She put the phone on speaker and dialed Uncle John�s number.
�This is John.�
�Hey, your youngest nephew has a moral dilemma. He says you caused it, so you get to fix it,� Mom said.
I expected her to leave the room while I talked to my uncle, but I think she sensed some juicy gossip, so she didn�t.
�Hey, Uncle John, it�s David.�
�What�s going on?�
�Remember when we talked about being a man of your word? Are there exceptions to the rule?� I asked.
�Yes. If you�re talking to your mom, dad, or me, you can tell us anything,� he said.
�That sounds like something you�d tell me when I was six to get me to confess to something.�
�Maybe,� he answered.
�I don�t have a lot of patience right now. Just spit it out, already,� Mom ordered.
�If I tell you guys this, do you promise not to let it go beyond us?� I asked.
�No,� they both said at the same time.
�You do realize it�s stuff like this that makes me crazy?� I asked.
�Tell us, or I�ll let your mom loose on you,� Uncle John threatened.
�Angie told me the reason she told the press about me was that she secretly thinks she picked the wrong brother to be with.�
Both Mom and Uncle John started to laugh.
�I call bullshit,� Uncle John said.
�Was she trying to justify what she did?� Mom asked.
�Yes, but there�s more: Angie told me she got pregnant with Kyle on purpose,� I said.
That sobered them both up. I spent the next forty-five minutes being interrogated by my uncle and mom. Dad came home, and Mom kicked me out of the office. I wanted to hear what had happened with Phil but thought better of it when Mom gave me a look.
I was actually glad they made me tell them. Well, that was my story, and I would stick to it.
◊◊◊
I watched
I called Frank Ingram and told him what had happened. I got chastised for not telling him sooner. I wondered how many lessons I would learn this week. I needed my own film crew to follow me around for stuff like this.
◊◊◊
I drove to Halle�s house and found that she wasn�t there. Rita was the one that wanted to talk to me, and it looked like she wanted to do it without anyone else around. It was still hard for me to believe that I knew her. While Adrienne had been a fantasy of mine forever, Rita was different. She just seemed unattainable, for some reason. I�m not sure I could even explain why. The reality differed quite a lot from what I had created in my mind. Rita was very approachable, and all the wonderful qualities that came across in her movies were there in real life.
She led me to the living room and had tea ready. A hot cup of tea somehow felt right.
�How�s your first scandal going?� she asked.
�You make it sound like I�ll have many more.�
�David, it�s the nature of the business. I�ll say you picked a particularly nasty one to be your first. What you need to keep in mind is that eventually, this will be behind you.�
�My uncle says it�s part of growing up,� I said.
�Unfortunately, he isn�t too far off the mark,� Rita said and looked sad. �You�re lucky it�s happening now.�
I scoffed.
�I don�t feel lucky.�
�Okay, imagine this: your first movie�s in theaters, and you�re in Hollywood doing your press tours when this is announced. Instead of having your friends and family around you, and the support of the local press, you�re now laid bare before an international audience. That was what happened to me when it was leaked I was pregnant with Trip,� she said.
�You were about my age,� I stated, and thought about what she must have gone through.
�Fame is a double-edged sword. You can either rise up and face the challenge or let it slowly tear you apart. I�ve talked to Frank, and we have some ideas on how we can help you get past this when we get you to LA. That is, if you�re willing to be seen with an old lady like me?� Rita said with a mischievous grin.
�I wouldn�t have to date you or anything,� I said with a mock pout, and then brightened. �I�d be willing to do the whole Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore routine if I had to.�
I actually saw Rita James shoot hot tea out of her nose.
�Warn me if you�re going to say something like that again,� she said, as she got up to go get a towel.
�Do you think we should tell the kids together, or do you want to do it alone?� I asked.
I was rewarded with a towel in my face. Rita kicked me out and grumbled something about �ungrateful shit.� I think I�ve started to wear her down. It�s only a matter of time before the wedding plans can begin. I wonder what my mom will say when I don�t marry either Beth or Tami. I would guess that Rita James will be okay. I can�t wait to break the news to my brother. If he was jealous about my upcoming prom date with Hannah Minacci, he�d literally have kittens when I announced my engagement to Rita James. I might as well either go big or stay at home.
◊◊◊
Chapter 31 � No Practice, No Play Friday October 30
I�d been ordered to get dressed up today for the meeting with Pam to discuss the care of our child. Mom drove, but my dad didn�t come because he had to work. We went directly to Ms. Dixon�s temporary office she�d rented �for the duration.�
�I wanted to talk to you before we meet with the other side this morning,� Ms. Dixon said after we�d settled in. �I want you to be aware of what you�ll be up against. You might be looking at a quarter of your future income going towards child support. In your case, that could be substantial. Other options would be to make a lump-sum payment or a series of payments.�
�With David paying that kind of money, he should have full access to see his child,� Mom said.
�That�s a separate issue. There�s no guarantee David will have visitation rights. Part of the reason I believe they made the abuse and rape allegations in the first place was to put a cloud over his character and thereby affect his future access to his child. Even a charge which was later found to be false might have done some real damage to David�s chances of being granted access. Don�t be surprised if they try to use visitation as a lever to pry more money out of you,� Ms. Dixon said.
�I still think that if Pam and I could sit down and talk, this whole matter would be resolved in a short time,� I said.
�I�ll tell you one thing, I�ll not put up with any games. I will see my grandbaby,� Mom said.
�That is my goal. We�ll work towards getting David liberal visitation rights and keeping the child support to a reasonable level,� Ms. Dixon said.
I couldn�t believe how different my life was from my brother�s. When Angie became pregnant, her parents weren�t happy, but there was never a bunch of lawyers involved. This had started to get out of hand.
�Let me explain the process,� Ms. Dixon continued. �We�re meeting today to see if we can come to an agreement. If this falls apart, the other side will have to prove paternity. You�ve stated several times that you think you�re the father based on statements allegedly made by the mother. Paternity can be established in a few different ways. The first is that you can sign a form called an �Acknowledgment of Paternity.� Basically, it says that you agree that you�re the father. You and Pam will sign it and have it notarized, and we�ll file it with the state. When the baby�s born, you�ll be listed as the father on the birth certificate.
�The second method is you voluntarily have DNA testing done. Both parents and the child will submit samples, usually a simple cheek swab. This must be done after the baby�s born. If the results come back that David�s the father, it will be made official. If they come back as inconclusive or negative, David could still become the legal father by using the first method.
�The third method is through court-ordered DNA testing. If you defy the court order, there can be consequences. Worst-case scenario is you would be found to be the father anyway, and you could do some jail time.
�Quite frankly, if this attempt at negotiation doesn�t work out, I would suggest that we get our family-law practice involved. They will most definitely opt for option three because of the money involved. There will be a lot of fighting, you�ll end up in family court, and the net result will be that you�ll have to pay twenty to twenty-five percent of your income towards child support. I know that�s not what you want to do, so we have a big incentive to make this go away, and fast.
�The unfortunate part is they know this. If I read the other side correctly, they�re out for their pound of flesh, and the meeting today will be to provoke you into doing something rash. So, keep your cool,� Ms. Dixon said.
�From what you�ve said, I shouldn�t sign the Acknowledgment of Paternity. Will my public statements hurt me?� I asked.
�I�m glad you figured that out. I was dreading having to talk you into not just admitting you�re the father,� Ms. Dixon said.
�I�ve always qualified that with �if Pam told me� I was, I would accept her word. She hasn�t even talked to me yet,� I said.
�I suspect they think you�ll simply roll over and take whatever they have planned. We need the paternity to be in question to give us some leverage. You saying it doesn�t make it so, it has to be proven. Cal and Mr. Fox will push you to sign the acknowledgment. Once that�s done, they�ll have you backed into a corner, and will begin to work you over to up the support with the threat of never seeing your child,� Ms. Dixon said.
Mom and I looked at each other and had grim expressions on our faces.
�I have something else we need to talk about,� Ms. Dixon said. �I had a long conversation with Detective Kitchens. He said that he suspects that Pam�s father is the one who struck her. During the interviews, Pam was always in the presence of Mr. Fox, and she acted scared. The detective said that was the main reason he didn�t just arrest you on Monday. He felt she was being coerced.
�Detective Kitchens also confirmed that neither the state�s attorney�s nor his office leaked any information to the press. He talked to some people he knows, and they told him that everything came from Mr. Fox. Of course, I think we can safely assume that Cal Bell was behind it all. When I asked Detective Kitchens about that, he agreed. He said that during his dealings with Mr. Fox, he didn�t get any impression that Mr. Fox had the smarts to pull all this off.
�From what he told me, I�m concerned about Pam. Have you ever seen any evidence of abuse?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�No, but when she gets scared, she freezes up,� I said.
I then explained what happened when the fraternity guy had made unwanted advances on her. Lacy, Pam�s mom, had told me she got that way under stress.
�That might be a sign of abuse,� Mom said.
We spent a few more minutes discussing strategy, and then it was time for the meeting.
◊◊◊
When we got to the conference room, we found Mr. Fox and my other lawyers: Don Rigby, Roy Thompson, Tom, and Kendal. After we sat down, Don Rigby began to speak.
�Rigby, Thompson and Associates values both Cal Bell as one of our associates, and David as our client. Now that the ugliness of the criminal charges is over with, we would urge a quick and quiet resolution. We�ll do whatever we can to help both sides find common ground and reach a fair settlement.�
�That�s nice,� Mom said. �Where�s Pam?�
Mr. Fox gave everyone a feral grin. My mom looked to be about ready to tell him off. I then remembered that Ms. Dixon said I shouldn�t do anything to jeopardize our case by doing something rash, but she hadn�t given the same instruction to my mom. I put my hand on my mom�s arm, my better judgment winning out against my own wishes.
�Miss Bell had school today. This meeting is only to set some ground rules and to schedule the next meeting,� Mr. Fox said.
�Silly me. Here I thought we were going to actually negotiate in good faith,� Ms. Dixon said.
�Now, we don�t need to get off on the wrong foot,� Mr. Rigby said. �Cal assured me we�d be discussing a resolution to this today. What�s changed?�
�We�re coming into this negotiation lacking some crucial material. The first is that David has stated he is the father of the child. I would like to get him to confirm that in writing,� Mr. Fox said, and he pulled out a form from his briefcase.
He made a show of reviewing the form, and then nodded and pushed it in front of me. I didn�t even look down.
�I�m sure we can get someone to notarize it for us,� Mr. Fox said.
�Yes, that sounds perfectly reasonable. Kendal, can you get your notary stamp so we can make this document official?� Mr. Rigby said.
I looked at my mom and then at Ms. Dixon. I started to get the feeling that Rigby, Thompson and Associates didn�t need to be in this meeting if they were just in a hurry to sweep this all under the rug.
�While we wait for Kendal to return,� Ms. Dixon said smoothly, �what else will you need to continue negotiations?�
�We will need a full accounting of David�s assets and income.�
Mr. Fox�s hunger was evident as he thought of the payday he was about to receive.
�We were prepared for that request,� Mr. Thompson said, and he pulled a folder out and began to give it to Mr. Fox.
�Stop!� Ms. Dixon said with an edge to her voice.
Mr. Thompson acted as if he had been caught at something and jerked the folder back. Kendal walked in with her notary stamp and sat back down.
�First, I want it made clear that my client has not authorized Rigby, Thompson and Associates to negotiate on his behalf in this matter, nor has he consented to Rigby, Thompson and Associates acting as a mediator of anything relating to this. Further, this is not a mediation, so get that out of your head,� Ms. Dixon said, and she made a point to look Roy, Don, Tom, and Kendal each in the eyes to make sure none of them were mistaken in her meaning. �While I appreciate everything you�ve done, you�re not authorized to share anything with opposing counsel, or Mr. Bell, without my client�s consent.�
�I�m sorry, I was only trying to help move the negotiations along,� Mr. Thompson said.
�So, are you saying that what you said in court isn�t true?� Mr. Fox asked.
Ms. Dixon just ignored the cheap shot.
�I�d be surprised if Mr. Fox is authorized to negotiate anything without the Bells present. I would like to schedule a meeting tomorrow under the following conditions. David would like to get this resolved. He is willing to work with you to do so. Miss Bell must be present, and he needs to be able to confirm her wishes are being met. If the child is proven to be his, David will provide reasonable support. He may even provide support before testing is done, under certain circumstances. However, he will only do so if he is allowed either joint or superior custody. The last part is not negotiable,� Ms. Dixon said.
�First of all, we couldn�t possibly meet tomorrow without knowing and verifying all of David�s earnings and assets. I also need to check my schedule to see when we might possibly do this. I would suspect a week from Monday might be doable,� Mr. Fox said as he checked his calendar. �How does one o�clock work?�
�We will do it at one o�clock tomorrow, or we�ll just wait until the baby�s born, and you can try and pin it on David then,� Ms. Dixon said.
Every head in the room snapped around at that. Ms. Dixon had warned us she might do something like this, so Mom and I just sat there coolly as we stared at Mr. Fox. He looked at Mr. Rigby and Mr. Thompson for help.
�I think we can get Cal and Pam here to move this along. We would hate to see this drag out,� Mr. Rigby said.
�Yes, one o�clock tomorrow works,� Mr. Fox said.
When we left the room, I was seething. My opinion of Don Rigby and Roy Thompson had just taken a major hit. All they cared about was covering their butts.
◊◊◊
When I finally walked back into Lincoln High, I got a message to go see Coach Hope before going to class. I found him in his office.
�Hey, Coach, you wanted to see me?� I asked.
�Shut the door and sit down,� he said.
I did as directed and waited for him to tell me what was on his mind.
�Two points to discuss: the first is, don�t ever get into a mess like this week again. I think there must have been fifty calls a day from recruiters worried you�d suddenly started to hit women. When it was suggested that you hit Cassidy, I did have a good laugh,� he said, and then got serious. �If it had been true, you would have been in a world of hurt. I made certain to assure everyone it would work its way out, and you would be found to be the nice guy I know you are.�
�Thanks, Coach.�
�The second is I have to bench you for tonight�s game. No practice, no play.�
I sat there and the week finally got to me. This had to be a cruel joke. If it hadn�t been for the thought of being able to play tonight, the frustration would have gotten to me. I needed an outlet. I needed to be able to hit someone and not be thrown into jail.
�To hell with it, I quit,� I said and got up to leave.
�What did you just say?� Coach asked.
�I said I quit. I didn�t bring any of this shit onto myself. I followed the rules and did what I was told. What do I get? I�m punished. It would be one thing if I didn�t know the plays or hadn�t put the time in. I�ve done everything I can to help this team. �No practice, no play.� That�s just asinine. It�s as stupid as the �no tolerance for fighting� rule. I could walk down the hall, someone punches me, and I�m thrown out of school. No practice, no play. Explain that one to the team tonight,� I said.
�Where do you think you�re going?� Coach asked as I started toward the door.
�I might as well skip school and go get drunk. What difference does it make? The punishment�s the same.�
Of course, I didn�t leave school to get drunk. I did have a mom who would track me down.
I did see Pam towards the end of the day. She was in the hall, talking to Tracy. I walked straight up to her as everyone suddenly got quiet. Tracy saw the expression on my face and stepped in front of me.
�David, don�t do something stupid,� she said.
As much as I wanted to say what was on my mind, it would only hurt me in the end. I spun around and walked the other direction. When I got halfway down the hall, everyone started talking at once. Usually, when I get mad, I blow up and then it�s over.
At the end of school, I was at my locker, getting ready to go home. I�d given my word to Brook that I would take her to the dance. Then there was Mona�s party. I honestly wanted to bail on both of them but knew I wouldn�t. That�s when Cassidy Hope found me.
�My dad wants to talk to you,� Cassidy said.
�Well, I don�t want to talk to him.�
�I didn�t want to have to do this,� she said, then she took me to my knees.
Dang, that hurt. Cassidy might have just told me she�d kick my butt if I didn�t talk to her dad, instead of doing it.
�You ready to talk?� she asked and giggled.
�I think I can take you,� I challenged.
�Daddy said I couldn�t hurt you,� Cassidy said.
�What do you call this?� I complained.
�You�re not hurt, you�re just feeling sorry for yourself. Now if I did this �� she started.
�No! I�ll be good,� I pleaded.
Shiggy had taught us more pressure points. I learned that if you stuck your finger into someone�s ear, it hurts. I�m talking a lot! I think Cassidy thought she might see if my head really was empty.
�Wuss,� she mumbled.
�Bitch.�
�What did you say?�
�That I love you.�
I figured it worked with my mom. Cassidy bent down and kissed me.
�Come on, before you get any more of your silly ideas.�
I dutifully followed her to Coach Hope�s office. I wasn�t surprised when the whole coaching staff was there waiting for me. Coach Hope pointed at the empty chair in front of his desk as the rest of the coaches stared at me.
�I see you didn�t skip out and get drunk,� Coach Hope said.
�I think my mom scares me more than you do.�
�Good point,� he said, and then gathered himself. �First of all, you�re not quitting the team. If you try, I�ll tell Cassidy she
�Let me play defense. Put me in at free safety. I just want to contribute and hit some people,� I pleaded.
�What do you think? Should we let him play defense?�
There was a chorus of �no,� and then laughter when the coaches saw my dejected look. Luckily for them, none of them turned to stone. I wasn�t told what I would get to play, but at least I would be able to suit up.
◊◊◊
Frank called me and, we talked about the incident with Rachel yesterday.
�I talked to the executive producer of
�What a mess. I should have told you right away. I�m sorry,� I said.
�
�David, you have to be careful, because you�re now in the public eye. You�ll be the target of people like the woman from yesterday who have an agenda to push. She intended for you to do something stupid so she could use it to highlight her cause. Unfortunately, this kind of stuff will just get worse the more you become known.
◊◊◊
Tonight�s game was against St. Joe. Last year they had been reclassified from 6A to 5A, our school�s class, and joined our conference. St. Joe had a tradition as a football powerhouse, but they didn�t have it this year. I looked at this game as a tune-up for when we played in the one ESPN had arranged with King High School. I still didn�t understand why we had agreed to play King.
I drove home before the game to get my Halloween costume for the dance and to spend some quality time with my boy. He couldn�t find his favorite tennis ball, so we had to settle for chasing each other in the back yard. I would have to get Yuri to come over and work on his tackling because Duke had some moves when he was wound up.
As I drove the Jeep to school, I wondered what the cheerleaders would wear tonight. Two years ago they�d each dressed up as Catwoman, and last year it was naughty nurses. Brook and I had ordered leathers when we did the motocross course, and we�d been told to wear those. Halle had said that she and Stacy Clute would do our makeup. Stacy and Halle were two of the best artists at Lincoln High. I looked forward to seeing what they would create.
When I arrived at school, I went to the field house locker room and stowed my gear. A couple of the younger guys were there hanging out, so I invited them to come with me to the booster tent. Tonight was Senior Night. It was the last game that Jim would play at home unless we hosted a game here for the state playoffs. When we walked into the tent, we saw the boosters had put up posters of the seniors. They also had put together a very cool display frame. I looked at Jim�s, thinking it would hang on the wall in his man-cave someday. It had his jersey, his football picture, and places for his letter and his medal for when we�d won State. There was room for another medal if we won again.
�What d�ya think?� Mr. Sullivan asked.
�This is great. The seniors will go nuts when they see this. Where�d you get the idea?� I asked.
�We went to a trophy store, and they use this same format for some of their university customers. Do you really think they�ll like it?�
�Absolutely. You guys hit one out of the park with this idea,� I said.
�Come on. Let�s get you fed,� he said.
The boosters did themselves proud. Someone had made chili, and they had all the fixings to go with it. Then they did a bunch of appetizers. I had jalape�o poppers, mini meatball sandwiches, Buffalo wings, and for dessert, they made us peach fried pies.
I had just finished when several people sat down with me. I smiled when Bo Harrington (Alabama), Don Berta (Kentucky), Coach Bailsman (Michigan State) and Wes Casey (Ohio State) joined me at the table. There was one last seat at the table and Jeff Delahey, my favorite reporter, joined us.
�Who are you guys here to see?� Jeff asked as he ignored me.
�We have our eye on a couple of guys. I want to see Lincoln�s big tackle play tonight,� Bo said.
�Their tailback is pretty good. I want to see how he does tonight. We might make an offer if he has another good game,� Coach Casey said. �Then we always want to see their big wideout.�
�I wonder when they�ll get smart and play him at tight end?� Coach Berta asked.
I let them have their fun as they pretended I wasn�t there. I had a blast when they started to make fun of other schools that weren�t here tonight. The Big Ten recruiters roasted Michigan. According to them, anyone would have to be a dumbass to go there. Someone mentioned the muffed punt, which made me groan. Michigan had lost their game to Michigan State on a last-second failed punt attempt that resulted in a Michigan State touchdown. The reason I groaned was that I�d lost a game on a late fumbled snap my freshman year. I felt for the Michigan punter who messed up. I was sure that, given a chance, Michigan would have some good things to say about Ohio State and Michigan State.
◊◊◊
When we came out for the coin toss, I had Jim and the rest of the seniors as my co-captains. St. Joe came out, and the trash talk started.
�How about we make a side bet? If we win, we all get a piece of your baby momma. At least she won�t get abused with us.�
They thought it was funny. Jim grabbed me before I decided which one to kick the shit out of first. There were six of them. I would keep track of each one of these smartasses, and they would think differently by the end of the game. I gave them a feral grin that made them shut up and the referee step in between us.
�We�ll have none of that,� the referee said.
All through the coin toss, I glared at them. Now that the referee had protected them, they were back to acting like idiots, and all had smirks on their faces. We won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Jim had to pick me up to move me from the center of the field. I walked backward to the sideline and never took my eyes off them.
�What happened out there?� Coach Hope said.
�They said some things to David. I think they just motivated him to unleash the hounds of hell on their butts. You might want him to play some defense to get it out of his system,� Jim said.
Jim was suddenly my best friend in the whole world. Coach Hope saw me light up with a huge grin, and he just dropped his head and shook it.
�If I let you play defense, you have to promise no cheap shots. Everything has to be within the rules of the game. Do you think you can do that?� Coach asked.
�Yes, sir.�
�Oh, and you owe me one,� he said with a smirk.
I thought about it for a moment and tried to imagine what he might want, but at that moment, I couldn�t care less. I stepped forward and shook his hand. He had a deal.
Our kicker managed to kick the ball through the end zone, so St. Joe had the football first and ten at the 20 yard line. Because Jim was a senior, he started at defensive tackle, with Johan Bauer at the other tackle. With both of them in the game, I had no doubt we would control the center of the line. I didn�t see how their center and two guards would be able to handle them. Everything starts there, and it would force St. Joe to try to run outside. That was to our advantage because of our team�s speed. On top of that, it would free up Yuri and Jake at linebacker. The interior linemen couldn�t get off the ball if they had to double-team our defensive tackles.
I scanned the field to see if any of my targets were on offense. I spotted three of them: their quarterback, tailback, and one of their wide receivers. As they lined up, I was aquiver with anticipation as I prepared to release all the frustration that had slowly built up over the week. I felt myself drop into the zone and the sound of our crowd faded in my head. My heart pounded in my ears as I focused on the field. St. Joe lined up in a basic �I� formation with their quarterback under center and a fullback and tailback stacked behind him.
I saw Ed, at cornerback, take an extra step inside to support the run. The receiver he was to cover looked inside and shook his hand. Their quarterback nodded when he saw that.
�PASS, PASS, PASS!� I yelled as the football was snapped.
I watched as Johan exploded past their guard because they decided to double-team Jim. I will give their fullback credit, he at least tried to block our runaway farm boy. Johan hit his shoulder pads with his open hands and stood him up. Once the fullback was standing, he didn�t have the leverage he needed to stop the freight train. Their fullback stumbled back and landed in the middle of the quarterback and tailback as they were in the process of faking a handoff. Johan�s big paw reached for their quarterback, but he spun away as Johan became tangled in the pile and landed on both the fullback and tailback.
Ed cheating to help the run had cost him. The receiver he was supposed to cover sprinted up the sideline and had a step on him. My job was to make sure nothing got behind us, so I had broken into a full sprint at the snap of the ball to prevent an easy score. Once I saw Johan hadn�t taken out their quarterback, I put my head down and ran as fast as I could to support Ed.
�Ball!�
That told me the ball was in the air, and the receiver turned his head and reached forward. It looked like their quarterback must have overthrown it when he got excited. I saw the football out of the corner of my eye and made the split-second decision not to level my nemesis, but instead, make a play on the ball. I reached up with one hand and snatched it out of the air. My momentum carried me into their receiver-turned-defensive back. There was a tremendous collision as we were both running at full speed when we came together. Thankfully, we hit each other at an angle. If we had hit head-on, both of us might not have gotten up.
As I stood up, I tossed the ball to the side judge and trotted to the center of the field to huddle up the offense. It felt good to get the first hit out of the way. I was about killed as both Jim and Johan decided to almost tackle me, they were so excited.
�That just happened! He caught the ball with one hand and crushed their receiver. Wow! Just wow!� Johan said as he hugged me.
�Don�t kill him,� Brock said, and Jim and Johan let me go.
�Huddle up,� I ordered, which seemed to settle them down.
We were in their territory on their 32 yard line. This was an excellent opportunity to score and take an early lead. I looked up and saw Trent Buchannan, our backup quarterback, running out. Crud! I�d forgotten that he would start today because I hadn�t practiced all week. I wanted to throw a fit because I felt I was ready to have an epic game, but put on my big-boy pants and went to the sideline.
It was absolute torture to watch our offense go three-and-out and have to settle for a field goal. Granted, we were up 3�0, but I felt we should have scored a touchdown. I was further dismayed when I wasn�t allowed to go back and play defense on the next series.
Neither team did much the rest of the first quarter as each team traded punts. At the start of the second quarter, I got the call I�d been waiting for.
�Dawson, you�re in for Buchannan,� Coach Diamond called out.
As I ran out onto the field, it took the crowd a moment to realize I was in the game. Then the damned cowbells began to ring as if we�d just scored. It was almost deafening when we lined up for our first play. I called an option run play to the right. I�d seen the other three of my other tormentors: one was their linebacker, and another played defensive end. The third was their punter. I had no idea how I would get to their punter but vowed to find a way.
On the snap, I faked the inside handoff to Ty and went to my first read, their defensive end. Except I didn�t need to make a read: my quarry was in front of me. I just zeroed in on him and accelerated right through him as if he wasn�t even there. In football, they use the term �pancaked.� It normally is attributed to an offensive lineman when he blocks a defensive player so well that the defensive player ends up flat on his back. The term comes from cooking a pancake and the moment when you flip it and hear that splat and sizzle as the wet side hits the skillet.
That is what happened to Mr. Smart Mouth. I hit him just right so that he went from trying to tackle me to flat on his back in the blink of an eye. I had been on the receiving end of a block like that, and it had knocked the breath out of me. When we hit, the crack of the pads cut through the sound of the cowbells. I stepped over their prone player and scanned the field for their linebacker. He had a good angle on me, so I found Jake and tossed him the football as I was tackled. Jake picked up another few yards before he was brought down.
�You�re next,� I growled as I got up.
�Eat shit, Dawson!�
I was disappointed to see their defensive end get up without too much problem. The next play I called the option again. This time I faked the handoff to Ty up the middle but followed him into the hole. My target was tied up with Ty, and they blocked the hole, so I lowered my shoulder and stuck it into their linebacker�s stomach. Both Ty and I landed on him. This time I�d achieved my goal of knocking the wind out of him. I didn�t stay around to gloat but was happy to see their trainer run out to check on him.
My goal wasn�t to actually hurt them but to send a message. With that bit of unpleasantness out of the way, I focused on playing football. On the next play, I passed to Wolf and knew it would be our night. If you were knowledgeable about the game, you saw a clinic on what to do. I took the snap and pulled the ball up and back near my back shoulder so I was ready to throw. I glided back and kept my feet moving. Cadillac would have been jealous I had stolen his smoothness in the pocket. I waited for Wolf to make his move, and then pointed my lead foot at him and planted my back foot so I had a good foundation. The ball was out of my hand in a flash, and I released it just beyond my front foot. The nice tight spiral was eye-level so Wolf wouldn�t have to look down to catch it. He pulled it in and never broke stride. Wolf was pushed out of bounds after a nice gain.
The football gods must have been smiling down on me. Wolf ran over their punter who was standing on the sideline as Wolf was pushed out of bounds. All six-five, two hundred and forty pounds flattened the much smaller player. I only wished I had thought of that myself.
I guess Coach Diamond saw that I was on tonight and cut me loose passing the ball. The measure of a player is whether he can make those around him better. I could do no wrong. Roc looked like Jerry Rice on my Madden NFL Ultimate Team game. I would just loft him a nice long pass, and the kid would turn on the afterburners and run under it. Coach Bud Mason was right: vertical passes downfield were a defense-killer. You might have the best defense in the world, but the long pass bypassed the teeth of the defense. It put you one-on-one with a defensive back, and if you won that play, you could win the game. Our version of shock and awe put up twenty-eight points in the second quarter to take a 31�0 lead into halftime.
I was allowed to play one more possession, and this time hit Ed on a post pattern to push the score to 38�0. Coach Hope had seen enough and pulled most of the starters at that point. He put in mostly JV players and our backups. The final score was 45�28.
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I�d taken my shower, and Halle and Stacy, my art friend, had me trapped in one of the small film rooms. They applied my makeup for my Halloween outfit. I�d thought I was just going as a biker guy with my new leather pants and jacket. They had other plans. There was a knock at the door.
�David, you�ve been summoned to speak to the media,� Alan said through the door.
�Tell them he�ll be there in a minute,� Halle called back.
Stacy handed me a mirror. I had to admit, I looked scary. They had put on a foundation that made my skin look gray. Stacy had put blood-red eyeliner and lipstick on me. She painted in a red teardrop that made it look like blood had dripped out of my eye, and there was a smear of blood on the side of my mouth. They had spiked my hair, and Halle had sprayed in silver highlights. The capper was when they pulled out a football helmet with the St. Joe logo on the side and a rubber head in it. If you set it on a table, you could turn on a switch and the eyes would glow. I drew the line when they wanted to put red contacts in my eyes. I was only willing to do so much.
When I left the room, there was a line of football players waiting to be made up. I smiled when I saw Alan was a vampire and Jim was in a toga. Alan took Jim and me into the room where the press conference was happening. The St. Joe coach seemed to be about finished. I held up the helmet with the head in it, and he began to laugh, which drew everyone�s attention to me. I wasn�t an attention hound, mind you. I strode up to the table where their coach was seated and plopped the helmet down.
�I think one of your players left this on the field,� I said as the eyes glowed.
Even the most jaded reporter smiled at my antics. They sobered up when Tracy took charge of the news conference and warned me to be on my best behavior. Jeff Delahey was allowed to ask the first question.
�Now that your troubles seem to have been cleared up, how has it affected your recruiting?�
I sighed. This was my new reality, and I�d better suck it up and face it. Even though I�d not been charged, it would follow me around.
�I�m glad you asked that, and I�m sure everyone wants to know the status of the case. The state�s attorney and police found no evidence to support what was leaked to the media. I want to thank Jeff and his newspaper for providing pictures that proved that the last time I was with the young woman she was perfectly fine. From that point on, until I was questioned by the police on Monday, I had witnesses that placed me at my farm, doing a photo shoot with Range Sports, or working with a church group. Every bit of what I just said was verified by the state�s attorney�s office in their recent press conference, where they announced to the press that no charges would be brought against me.
�Tomorrow I�ll meet with the young woman and her family, and we�ll try to resolve my responsibility regarding the pregnancy. If it is my child, I�ll do everything I can to support him or her. I take that obligation seriously.
�Now to answer your question regarding recruiting. The schools that know me were all very supportive. Others were on the fence, and then a handful had a no-tolerance policy concerning domestic abuse, even when it�s not verified and even when no charges have been brought. I had planned to visit one of those schools this weekend, but they wouldn�t take the chance that the allegations might be true,� I said.
�Which school were you going to visit?� Jeff asked.
�I don�t think it would be right to point fingers. I feel that at least you should be given the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.�
Of course, all they would have to do was go onto one of my social media accounts and see my planned visits.
�But isn�t it true that over 95 percent of rape charges are found to be true? Shouldn�t a university protect itself?� Jeff asked.
I loved Jeff. He kept lobbing me softballs that I had been prepped to be able to answer.
�That sounds like one of those stats one of the women�s groups who protested would cite. From what I�ve read, that number is based on an anecdote of an anecdote, and may only be accurate for cases that go all the way through a trial and actually are decided by a jury. Other studies have concluded that anywhere between forty to fifty percent of initial rape allegations are found to be untrue. The two main reasons such false charges are leveled are either for revenge or for an alibi. The third most common reason appears to be financial.
�Not too long ago, Mark Sanchez had similar charges leveled against him, and it was found the woman in question told her mom he�d taken advantage of her. When all was said and done, he�d done everything in a textbook fashion�asking her several times if she was okay with what they were doing, if she wanted to stop, etc. Even then, the investigation was dropped only with the comment of �insufficient evidence� as the finding. I want to thank our state�s attorney, Mr. Mason, for not letting me twist in the wind like that,� I said.
�So what reason do you think was behind your charges?� Jeff asked.
�Well, I know her dad isn�t happy with us. Another reason might be money.�
�Can you understand why you might get painted with the same brush so many athletes are in cases like this?�
I smiled.
�Yes and no. I agree there are many entitled jocks who act in a loathsome fashion. There�s a reason athletes are stereotyped; unfortunately many do act as if they�re God�s gift. What I don�t understand is why that should apply to me. If there were even a rumor I let things go to my head and thought I deserved to be treated as special, I�d have to answer to my mother, and none of you can scare me near as much as she can. If you don�t believe me, ask her,� I said, which caused Jim, Tracy, and Coach Hope all to laugh.
�As a father, I would not be worried about David forcing anyone to do anything,� Coach Hope said.
�You�d let him date your daughter?� Jeff asked.
Coach Hope leaned back for a second, obviously trying to put his thoughts into the right words. �My daughter thinks the world of David. They�re very close friends. She�s never said anything that makes me believe David isn�t one of the nicest boys she knows, and I have to agree with her.
�But even though I think the world of David, I would not want him to date my daughter precisely because of media stuff like this. David�s not average, even for a top athlete. He�s also a model and actor. I think my daughter deserves to have a normal childhood and not be hounded by the likes of you,� Coach Hope said, and then changed the subject. �Now, I think we�ve wasted enough time on the events from this week. Let�s focus on football.�
The discussion turned to football. One of the writers seemed to be more knowledgeable than was typical. He started asking technical questions that were more suited for something I would talk to Bud Mason about. Questions like on play xyz what was my secondary read. Coach Hope shut him down because this was information other schools would love to have. It was bad enough they got to watch our game films.
I was then set free to go terrorize the dance.
◊◊◊
I arrived at the dance just as the band was ready to play. I was glad to see that most everyone took dressing up seriously. The cheerleaders all came as witches this year. The defense all dressed as werewolves. Most of the offensive players were vampires. I had to laugh at Wolf because he came as a hobo. He had been a hobo ever since I could remember. It was his go-to costume. It was also inexpensive to pull off.
I found Brook. She was my twin, except she had been talked into wearing the contacts. I would have to get a picture of the two of us together.
�What are we supposed to be?� I asked.
�We�re demons,� she informed me.
�Come, my Demon Queen, and dance with me,� I said.
I was prepared to not allow another night like Homecoming. I planned to dance with my date, not watch as others did so. Once Brook had me on the dance floor, she didn�t let me off. I had a great time because Brook had some moves. I should have expected as much, because she was a cheerleader, after all. The only things that I didn�t like were that leather doesn�t breathe, and makeup sucks when you sweat. I was very glad I�d had my leather pants lined so I wouldn�t be stuck in them, which was possible because they were custom-made to be very fitted. That translates to �tight.� It didn�t take long for me to lose my leather coat.
When the dance ended, I took Brook home. She understood that tomorrow was a big day for me.
Plus, I promised her I would take her to Mona�s and my party. All the girls tried to get details on what had been planned. Mona was our party queen and usually on top of the planning, but I�d taken it out of her hands. I just let it be known that everyone should plan to have a good time.
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Chapter 32 � Hell Hath No Fury Saturday October 31
The past week had worn on me. It had probably been one of the worst weeks of my life. Only a couple of other weeks might have challenged it. The avalanche and Lily almost losing her life jumped up as possible contenders. Then there were the two that had happened recently: Jeff drowning, and when I found Alan and Tami in bed together. Therefore, I guess you could easily put this in the top five, but with an asterisk since it wasn�t over yet.
I lengthened my stride as I ran and Duke looked up at me. I needed to run to organize my thoughts. I dreaded today. I was sure I was about to experience the ugliness that Pam�s father had become. It would take everything I had not to the throttle the bastard. He�d had the audacity to accuse me of domestic violence, and even the police suspected that he had laid hands on his own daughter. What sickened me was we had to go through this little opera of a meeting today.
It was a valuable life lesson that you really didn�t want to get to the point where you got lawyers involved. If for nothing else, the money I had already spent: Ms. Dixon alone had cost me nearly $30,000 this week just in billable hours. Add the services of my PR firm, hotels, travel expenses, food for reporters, and I was quickly into six figures, and the week wasn�t even done. Frank had warned me that a full-blown scandal would easily run me a half-million dollars. I wondered how others afforded something like this.
Frank had been tracking my Recognition and Q Scores. When he was first hired, my Recognition Score was a three. Since my recognition was so low, there was no way to get an accurate Q Score. Your Q score was your likability score. A good example was Jim Parsons, who played Dr. Sheldon Cooper on
I found my run didn�t have its normal calming effect. People would never look at me the same way ever again, and it was all due to one Cal Bell. The more I thought about everything he�d done, and the potential and actual damage he�d caused me, the madder I became. I normally got angry about something and quickly got over it. The repeated attacks this week made me realize that Cal didn�t intend to ever work things out. He was out to destroy me, and if I hadn�t had good support, he would have done just that.
I felt an inner fury I had never realized myself capable of. I felt sad when I realized Cal had pushed me to this point. This was a different kind of mad from what I experienced when I found Alan and Tami in bed together. That had been intense, but I had pushed past it. This was different; it reminded me of what I felt for Bill Rogers and what he had done to Tracy. I would never forgive him for his actions, but the difference was Bill hadn�t done them to me. Cal had attacked me directly. I felt the full brunt of his actions and doubted I would ever forgive him.
As I headed home, I realized I needed to get my emotions under control if I planned to be effective in today�s meeting. I needed to keep my wits about me and not let my feelings rule my decisions today. In the big scheme of things, Cal didn�t really mean all that much to me. The person who would be in my life was Pam, and frankly, I wasn�t sure how I felt about her right now. It would take us some time to repair the damage that had been done. I just hoped that she hadn�t been an active participant in all of this.
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I went to Rachel�s cross-country meet at State. They held it at the University Golf Course. As I walked through the crowd, it was funny to see twelve- and thirteen-year-old girls react to me. For the most part, they were giggling messes. A few gave me looks that made me nervous. I was glad when I found Rachel, and she was all smiles.
�You made it!�
�I told you I�d be here. Are you ready?� I asked.
�I was about to stretch. Can you help me?� she asked.
I smiled inwardly because I could imagine what the other girls would think. I simply nodded and helped her get ready. Rachel seemed to be nervous, and it was getting to her. This was her first really important meet, and she wanted to do well. I quietly talked to her about running her race, and not being caught up in anyone that took off at too fast a pace. I explained the necessity to avoid the bunch-up at the beginning. I had learned all this from talking to Peggy. She had told me that elbows tended to fly and people got tripped up in the chaos of the start.
Rachel�s coach came over and gave her almost the same advice. She must have taken our advice to heart because at the start she avoided most of the trouble. Two girls took nasty spills when someone stepped on their heels as everyone bunched up.
Rachel had a naturally long stride that ate up a lot of ground. For her age, she was fast. She had settled into a comfortable pace, but I could see it wasn�t fast enough. The race wound around the golf course, so I took a shortcut and caught Rachel at about the one-mile mark.
�Speed up!� I called out.
Rachel looked up in surprise and smiled. She picked up her pace and started to get out of her comfort zone. I ran along the edge of the course beside her.
�Don�t overdo it, but concentrate on your speed,� I said, and she nodded.
I let her go and then headed to the finish line to wait for her. Rachel ran a heck of a race and finished eighth. She had knocked twelve seconds off her personal best. I gave her a hug and then had to go. I had a one o�clock meeting that I dreaded.
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When I came home, I made a quick salad for lunch, and then Mom, Dad, and I drove to the meeting at Mr. Fox�s office. He had an office in one of those places where you shared office space with other people. Mom�s real estate company had started to utilize the concept. It was actually a smart business model. You only rented an office when you needed it. It had everything you wanted as far as furniture, Internet, printers, scanners, and copiers. It also came with a receptionist and conference rooms that rented by the hour.
Mom could run her real estate business with her laptop and cell phone. The only time she really needed an office was when she met clients. There were a few of these offices throughout the county so Mom could use one near where she planned to show homes.
Since it was Saturday, there wasn�t a receptionist. That forced Mr. Fox to wait out front for us. It pretty well ruined his cool, big-shot lawyer image. We found Ms. Dixon waiting for us. She gave me a tight smile.
�Remember to keep your cool,� she warned us.
Tom, Kendal, Don, and Roy joined us. I looked at Ms. Dixon, and she just shook her head at me. I got the message to keep my mouth shut. We hadn�t invited them. I think they were worried and wanted to play mediator to make sure this didn�t get out of hand.
Once everyone was seated, Mr. Fox, Cal, and Pam made their grand entrance. Pam wouldn�t even look at me, and as soon as she was in her chair, she stared down at the table. Her body language just screamed that she didn�t want to be here. For that matter, I didn�t either. I also noticed that Pam hadn�t worn any makeup, and her black eye was visible. Mr. Fox sneered at me when he saw I noticed, and I about ended his life right then and there, but my mom grabbed my arm when I stiffened. Cal had a big smile on his face when he thought they had scored points by getting me upset so easily. I took a moment to push my anger down. I vowed I would not give them the satisfaction of getting to me again.
�I want to thank everyone for coming today. I think we need to establish some ground rules before we get started,� Don Rigby said.
�Mr. Rigby, let�s make this simple: you and the rest of your staff sit quietly and observe,� Ms. Dixon said.
�But we�re here to help facilitate a satisfactory outcome for everyone,� Don sputtered.
�Don, we�ve hired Ms. Dixon to represent David in this matter. Let her do her job,� Dad said.
�Okay, Mr. Fox, let�s hear what you want,� Ms. Dixon said. �But since Rigby, Thompson and Associates have representatives here as observers, I also want it explicitly understood this meeting will not be confidential, and that anything said or disclosed here will not necessarily be treated as confidential and may be used in appropriate proceedings and venues.�
Tom, Don, and Roy looked startled at this, and Don looked like he was going to say something, but apparently decided it best to sit back and keep his mouth shut. He definitely wanted to be there. The sad part was, it was solely to protect his firm, and not to protect me, their client.
�Fine by me,� Mr. Fox said as he smirked.
I think he planned to shout the results of this meeting from the rooftops. Cal, to his credit, didn�t seem so sure of this revelation but didn�t say anything.
Ms. Dixon�s abrupt manner still had Mr. Fox a bit off-kilter, but this wasn�t Cal�s first big case. It quickly became clear that Mr. Fox merely served as window dressing. Cal ignored him and started to negotiate directly with Ms. Dixon. Over the next hour, it became clear that Cal expected that I foot the bill for all of Pam�s medical expenses during the pregnancy. He also wanted me to pay for any maternity clothes or any other items she might need. Once the baby was born, I would be responsible for child support to the tune of 35 percent of my income, a full 10 to 15 percent higher than was customary. I would also have no visitation rights.
Ms. Dixon calmly took all this in and started to probe Cal. Her questioning revealed that Pam was covered under their current medical plan.
�Mr. Bell, you need to be more honest in your negotiations, or we�ll do this the hard way, and you can take us to court. Of course, that means you won�t get a penny until paternity can be established,� Ms. Dixon asserted.
Over the next hour, I learned that lawyers could and would argue about anything and everything. Truthfully, I zoned out. I was half-listening when Mr. Fox interrupted.
�That�s not right,� he said, and then quoted a figure for something.
�Where did you get that figure?� Dad asked, perplexed.
�It�s right here,� he said and handed Dad a sheet of paper. Dad glanced at it, then looked at it closely, puzzled, and passed it to me.
�Have you ever seen this before?�
Cal lunged for the sheet, but I pulled it back out of reach and examined it. It looked like one of the spreadsheets I�d seen when we�d come to the firm to get the financial information to support the loan on my farm. Then I looked at the bottom, and my eyes froze. It had the same type of coding I�d seen on the backup financials Megan, one of Kendal�s helpers, had insisted on shredding in my presence at the end of that meeting.
�Dad, this is from the confidential financial information on my earnings maintained by Rigby, Thompson and Associates. There shouldn�t even be a hard copy of this generated�it was all on the firm�s computers�and I sure don�t have a copy of it.�
Cal started to come around the conference table.
�Let me have that back,� Cal said and held out his hand.
Ms. Dixon stood up and came around so she stood in his way with her arm raised. It was hard to believe such a diminutive woman could be so intimidating.
�Stop right now, or I�ll call the police into this little conference. From what David�s just said, this isn�t yours at all, it�s David�s,� she said and then turned to Don Rigby. �The question is, how did Mr. Bell and his attorney come to have it?�
Don, Roy, and Mr. Fox all seemed to shrink a bit under her glare.
�David, can I have that, please?� Ms. Dixon asked me, holding her hand out without even glancing away from Don. I handed the page to her.
Ms. Dixon turned to my dad.
�Would you please find the copier in this office and make three copies of this? And Kendall, would you please go with him to witness that�s exactly what he did and that this is the document being copied?�
She didn�t even look at Kendall as she handed the page to Dad, who gathered up Kendall with his eyes as he made for the door.
�Now, just a minute!� Cal yelled.
He started to come around the table again. Ms. Dixon whirled to face him.
�You�ll stop right there unless you want my second call after the one to the police to be to the State Bar Association to start disbarment proceedings against you!�
Cal reluctantly shuffled back to his seat and sat down heavily while attempting a glare at Ms. Dixon. It seemed to bounce off her like she was bulletproof. She sat there serenely until Dad and Kendall came back with the copies. Ms. Dixon asked Dad which was the original and had both Dad and Kendall initial it in red ink and the copies in blue ink, and then pulled an empty manila folder out and placed the original in it. Then she turned and handed it back to Don Rigby, and not to Cal.
�Mr. Rigby, I am returning to you a confidential financial document belonging to my client and maintained by your firm, Rigby, Thompson and Associates, in my client�s confidential records, which has been produced by the attorney for an individual with your firm who should not have had any access to it whatsoever. Moreover, it was produced in connection with a legal proceeding against your own client. I trust you�ll keep this document separate, maintain it, and not lose it or alter it in any way.
�I also formally demand a full investigation into how our opponent�s
�I am also informing you I intend to file a Grievance with the State Bar Association against both Calvin Bell and Rigby, Thompson and Associates, requesting disciplinary action, up to and including disbarment, against that firm and every member of the firm even remotely involved in this case or in David�s activities. I plan to drive to the state capitol this afternoon to personally deliver that Grievance and to discuss these events with colleagues who work for the Association. Don�t worry about what will be in it; I will enclose a courtesy copy with my formal demand for an investigation. They�ll be couriered to you this afternoon after I�ve left for the state capitol.
�Oh, and finally, just so we understand each other: these actions will be the
Tom and Kendal�s heads turned to Don and Roy, and they both blanched. Cal�s face turned bright red. We had them! Cal was a fighter, though, and came out swinging.
�I�ll tell you right now that little pissant will regret defiling my daughter,� Cal roared as he pointed at me. �I warned you to stay away from her, but you had to go and get her pregnant. I plan to destroy you, and it�ll be a cold day in hell before you ever get to see your baby. If I have to, I�ll put it up for adoption where you�ll never find it.�
�You shut the hell up!� Mom shouted.
Cal stood up to leave.
�Sit down,� I hissed, which caught everyone by surprise.
Cal glared at me, but he reluctantly did so.
�I�ve heard just about enough bullshit for one day, and I want some answers before we move forward. You,� I said, pointing at the Rigby, Thompson and Associates end of the table. �You�ve played enough games. If I remember correctly, Ms. Dixon
Don and Roy began to both talk at once.
�Quiet!� Ms. Dixon said. �This has just gotten very ugly for you, and you all know it.�
Wow, she was scary when she went into full attack mode. I smiled when I realized mine was the scariest lawyer in the room. She stared down Cal, and he looked away first.
�I will give you until one tomorrow to come up with something along the lines we�ve been discussing. In the meantime, I will also be in contact with Children and Family Services, and they will interview Pam without either of you present to see who has abused her. It�s apparent that she�s afraid,� Ms. Dixon said.
Cal�s body language suddenly changed. He was no longer the raging bully. Something had finally broken through his thick attack-mode skull, and he actually looked worried. Ms. Dixon continued.
�I think we all know this needs to end in a situation that is best for the child. That means that David and his family
�Hang on,� I said. �I have two conditions. I�ve had enough of you threatening to not give me access to my child. To be honest, I no longer trust you, so I want to have the main custody when the baby�s born,� I said.
�There�s no way in hell a judge would ever grant you custody,� Thomas Fox said.
Ms. Dixon smiled at that and turned to him.
�Given that we have stated this conference will not be confidential, and given that Mr. Bell has just threatened that the child will be put up for adoption where neither parent can find him or her, without the consent of either the natural father or mother, I think our getting awarded custody has just turned into a slam dunk!
�Now, you heard my client, and you�ve heard me. If this is what he wants, this is what he�ll get,� Ms. Dixon said.
�Hang on, I think something can be worked out,� Don Rigby said.
�You�d better hope so. I will delay filing the Grievance until Monday, but no later,� Ms. Dixon said as she smiled.
�Don�t you want to know if the child is yours or not?� Tom asked.
�Pam, is the baby mine?� I asked.
She just nodded.
�There�s your answer. I trust Pam to tell the truth,� I said.
�What�s the second condition?� Mr. Fox asked.
�That any agreement we sign
�Does everyone understand what we want?� Ms. Dixon asked.
Cal nodded, so she got up, and we followed her out. As she walked out of the building, she was on her phone; I don�t know with whom. She had evidently made preparations for the Children and Family Services threat. CFS was prepared to start their investigation as soon as she called them. Pam would be interviewed this afternoon if the call were made, but I couldn�t say where that was on Ms. Dixon�s list of things to do.
Mom wanted a phone number for Lacy, Pam�s mom. I gave her Sandy Range�s contact info, and she soon had Lacy on the line. Mom walked away for several minutes while talking on the phone. She came back and told us Lacy planned to be on the next flight back. It seemed Cal had left a few facts out of his conversations with Lacy concerning what was going on at home.
While Mom explained the situation with Lacy, I again examined the copy we�d made of the financial sheet. I called Ms. Dixon over.
�Look at this coding at the bottom. You see here?� I said as I pointed. �It shows the date the printout was made, and this is the code for the person requesting the printout. The date shown is the day before Detective Kitchens hauled me down to the police station for questioning. That would have been a Sunday. See this code: �CRB�? I�m betting that�s Cal�s user ID at Rigby, Thompson and Associates. The problem is, he�s never had anything to do with representing me or with my account, and from my understanding, Cal shouldn�t have been able to even see this document, much less print it out.�
She gave me a look over the top of her reading glasses.
�That�s good information to have. I�m going to do some thinking on how best to use it.�
�There�s something else,� I said. �You notice the coding has a pagination feature that shows how many pages are being printed out? This page says �374 of 4,268.� It would appear he printed out everything of mine they had stored electronically on their system.�
Ms. Dixon rolled her eyes at that one, then closed them for a second and shuddered.
�We�re lucky. Their own document management system is showing us how monstrous this breach of ethics is.�
She thought a few more seconds, and then looked at me.
�Will you trust me to use this when I think it�s most advantageous? I�d like to see if their investigation tries once again to sweep things under the rug. If they downplay the extent of the breach in writing, we can nail their coffins shut with this,� Ms. Dixon said.
◊◊◊
We went to our house to talk. I felt worn out from the emotional strain of the meeting. Ms. Dixon just smiled at me when we sat down at the kitchen table.
�Where did you come up with making the agreement transparent?� she asked me.
�I�ve been reading about a lot of similar cases, and it seems like someone always wants to make it sealed. Then the press has a field day as they try to guess what�s in the settlement. I just want there to not be any questions as to what�s agreed upon,� I said.
�I about fell out of my chair when you said you wanted custody,� Dad said.
�Why not? You heard him. He was out to destroy me and would do anything to make sure I didn�t ever see my baby. When I saw the expression on Cal�s face when they let it slip they had our confidential financials, I realized we had the opening to push for it, so I did,� I said.
�We need to stop this love-fest because this isn�t over yet. Cal might not be done with his tricks,� Mom warned us.
�Can you hold off on the disbarment?� Dad asked.
�Actually, I disagree, Dad,� I said. �I�m all for them having to pay the price for what they�ve done. I�d also like to push anything else we can come up with. I think the state�s attorney mentioned a false police report. Cal, Mr. Fox, and Rigby, Thompson and Associates need to be held accountable,� I said.
�David, for once I would advise you not to get your hands dirty in this. Up to this point, you�ve come across as the good guy. I think we hold this as the hammer to force an agreement on our terms,� Ms. Dixon said.
I looked at my mom because if anyone would want payback, it was her. She just shook her head at me, and I realized I needed to tone it down. It was like a football game when you had a team down and out. You didn�t have to keep pouring it on, or they might decide they have nothing to lose and do something stupid and hurt someone. I didn�t need to put Cal in a corner and then poke him. He had shown he would strike back without regard to the consequences. I had to let him walk away with some small amount of dignity.
�Alright, but if this goes south, I want to be ready to back up our threats,� I said. �I�ll let Cal walk away with some dignity, but only if we can be sure he�s really walking away,
�I wouldn�t want it any other way,� Ms. Dixon said with a smile.
�One more item,� I said. �Can we get them to pay all your fees for this fiasco?�
My mom and dad had no idea how expensive this all had been for me. I clued them in, and they both were suddenly very interested in my request.
�I�ll put it into our proposal. Since they caused this, they should pay for it. The good news is my firm hired your PR firm so you won�t have to pay for that, either,� Ms. Dixon said.
�And one last thing,� Mom said. �Let�s hold off on getting Children and Family Services involved. I don�t think Pam or her mom needs that hassle right now.�
Ms. Dixon nodded and then stood up to leave.
�Even if I�m not filing anything today, I still have a bunch of documents to prepare for contingencies for tomorrow. David, we�re not out of the woods yet, but our position is much stronger than before.�
◊◊◊
Greg and the kids came over to go trick-or-treating. Our neighborhood was much better for young children than around campus at State. Duke and I were put in charge of handing out candy. He at first wasn�t sure of the scary masks, but once my hound figured out that they were little kids, he thought it was great that people would come to his front door. Duke was in charge of making sure their candy was safe. I think he personally smelled every bag.
Kyle was dressed up as a tiger and Mac was a princess. Nate made a great pumpkin. I had to laugh when I saw Greg had on a pirate outfit. When they made it back, they were all exhausted. I was jealous when I saw all the candy the four of them had. I was surprised when Greg put the little ones down in beds here. It looked like he wasn�t going home tonight.
The good news was Greg brought all their candy down and dumped it on the kitchen table.
�What are you doing?� I asked.
Mom just laughed.
�You don�t think we�d ever let them eat all this candy, do you?� she said as she picked through it and got what she wanted.
�You guys used to steal our candy?� I asked.
�Oh, yeah,� Dad said, as he picked out what he wanted.
Duke nudged my arm. I saw that one of them had gotten a toy football. I tossed it to him and watched as he took his new toy and put it in his basket. I would have to check his basket and see if he had stolen any more of the kids� toys. Duke was protective of his stuff. He knew exactly where it all was. Mom had started to play a game with him where she would steal one of his toys and hide it somewhere. Duke had a great time hunting all over the house until he found it.
I broke down and snagged a Heath Bar and a Butterfinger, and then the doorbell rang again, so I was put back to work.
◊◊◊
I arrived at Mona�s and found all the cheerleaders helping the drama students from State finish decorating the house. They had gone all out, with a fog machine and creepy noises that were triggered when you set off a motion sensor. Tracy was in the kitchen making punch in a big witches� cauldron. They had dry ice, so it would bubble and look like smoke was rolling out of it.
In the dining room, Granny had put together a spread. She had finger food that looked like actual fingers. I saw a bowl of eyeballs and decided I might not be hungry. All I could say was Granny had outdone herself.
Brook found me as I checked out the food.
�Hey, I think there�s an empty coffin in the basement,� she teased me.
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her. That was when Halle and Zoe found us.
�Me next,� Zoe said, so I kissed her too.
�David�s giving out kisses!� Brook called.
Sometimes it�s tough being me, but someone had to kiss all the cheerleaders, drama helpers, and Granny. Yep. Even Granny wanted a kiss, to the delight of everyone. I have to tell you that if my grandma kissed me the way Granny did, I would be in trouble.
Shortly after I arrived, everyone else started to show up. I had a great time until a worried Mona found me.
�I think we have a problem,� she told me and showed me her phone.
It had a text message from her dad that said they knew there was a party going on. The text had a picture attached that had to have come from their security system. It warned that if she didn�t shut it down, there would be consequences. I sent them a text back that said there was no alcohol and we would clean up, and forgot about it.
About a half hour later, I noticed it had gotten hot in the house.
�Can we turn the air on?� I asked Mona.
�I tried, but the thermostat has me locked out,� she told me.
�Mona, the toilet doesn�t have any water,� Tracy said as she joined us.
�Did your parents get a new security system?� I asked.
�I remember my dad talking about something like that,� Mona said.
She had barely finished her sentence when the lights went out. I started to laugh. Her parents were trying to drive us out of the house. Most everyone had gone to the backyard already because the patio lights were on and it was much cooler outside.
Then what every teen dreaded happened: the alarm went off. Floodlights came on to surround the house. It had the desired effect as everyone began to take off. Mona watched in horror as her party emptied out. I found a security camera and bowed to my betters. That caused the alarm to turn off. I helped the cheerleaders clean up. I looked at the clock, and it was midnight. It was probably a good idea to end the party then anyway. Up until the end, everyone had had a great time. The best part was that almost everyone was sober.
The lights, water, and thermostat were all put back to normal. I had to hand it to Mona�s parents, they had warned us.
◊◊◊
Chapter 33 � I Got the F-ing T-Shirt Sunday November 1
I woke up to find Tami seated on the edge of my bed. I rolled over and found Duke stretched out next to me. When he saw me, his big tail began to thump against the mattress.
�Get down,� I said.
That just made his tail wag even harder. I acted as if I�d attack him and he just put up a paw and swatted me. I don�t think he was scared.
�I see he�s getting you trained,� Tami said.
Then I heard the thunder and knew why he had crawled onto my bed. I gave him a stern look and pointed. He did the slow death march off my bed. It was all I could do to keep a straight face because of his sad act. Tami took his place and put her head on my shoulder.
�When were you going to call me?� she asked.
I knew what she really wanted to know. I think she had sat on the sidelines, waiting for me to call to ask her to help me with my problems with Pam. This was probably killing her, but I didn�t want or need her advice. Today wasn�t
�What about?� I asked, playing dumb.
Tami rewarded my answer by sticking her index finger into my ribs. I jerked back and found myself falling out of bed. I grabbed her and pulled her after me.
�David!�
I was, of course, naked. Tami had already seen it all, so I just stood up, went to the bathroom, and took a shower. She followed me in and sat on the toilet.
�I guess it never occurred to me to call,� I confessed.
�I talked to your mom, and she said you had everything under control. I just stopped in to see if you needed to talk about it,� she offered.
I turned off the water, reached out, and grabbed my towel. As I dried off, I wondered what she really wanted. If I knew Tami, this was something about her. I wouldn�t be surprised if she came over to announce she had found someone. Nothing like getting kicked in the nuts when you were down.
�Why are you really here?� I asked.
�Can�t I just want to make sure my best friend is okay?� she asked.
�I call bullshit. Just tell me,� I said.
She got a sad look on her face and walked out of the bathroom. When I finished in the bathroom and came out to get dressed, Tami was gone. Maybe I had misjudged why she was here. I realized that I was indifferent about it. I guess I really was over her.
◊◊◊
The sky opened up, and it began to rain, so I passed on the morning run. Duke and I hurried to the house. It was remarkable how quickly he could do his business if he got wet doing it. I might have to turn the sprinklers on him if I were in a hurry. Mom and Dad weren�t up yet, so I made Duke stay in the kitchen with me.
I got ambitious and decided to bake a coffee cake. I found a recipe for a cream cheese and apple butter version. It had been some time since I�d had a chance to take my time and enjoy cooking. It was something I needed to get my mind off what would happen later today. I had a gut feeling that Cal and Mr. Fox weren�t done with their games.
I�d just put the coffee cake in the oven when there was a knock at the back door. I found a wet Tami, who looked pissed. When I opened the door, she pushed through. I handed her a towel from a laundry basket to dry off with, and then went back to the kitchen to put on coffee and hot water for tea. While I kept busy, Tami dried her hair and then had to love-up Duke.
�You hate me, don�t you?� Tami asked in a tentative voice.
I poured her a cup of tea, and then one for myself and sat down. We both had gotten to like it when we were each in the UK. It wasn�t bitter like coffee. I liked mine either plain or with a little lemon. Tami preferred some sugar in hers.
�No, I don�t hate you. I told you before that I hoped we would be friends. I�ve just been wrapped up in this mess the last week,� I said.
�How have we gotten to this point, then?�
I had several obvious answers jump to my tongue, only to die. Could it be Tami�s insistence we wait for the mythical someday, which would give her a chance to play the field? Could it have been when I found her and Alan naked in bed together? They might deny it until they were blue in the face, but more had gone on than they had admitted to. What I suddenly realized was our roles had reversed. I felt I was more of an adult than she was right now.
I�d been forced to grow up. Maybe that was a stretch, but I had taken on much more responsibility than Tami had. I was the leader of my football team, was now a partner in a farm, was the face of Range Sports and Jade, was an actor, and had two charities. People relied on me. While I still made mistakes, I owned up to them and figured out how to work them out. While I did all that, Tami got to be a teen and experience life.
I knew her issue was that I hadn�t come to her for advice when all this happened with Pam. Two considerations came to mind: the first was that this had nothing to do with Tami. My biggest issue was this really had nothing to do with Cal or anyone else but Pam and me. The second was Tami would have no idea what all was involved in this mess. I couldn�t imagine what advice she would give me that I wasn�t getting from professionals.
�Look, I know that you care for me, and probably should�ve called you. I don�t have an excuse for that,� I said.
Tami took a sip of her tea. I think she wasn�t ready for me to not be a total mess. I think she secretly loved it when she could swoop in and fix everything for me.
�How�re you doing?� she asked.
�I�m angry. Pam�s dad has tried every dirty trick he can think of, and if I hadn�t been a little bit lucky and gotten the right people in place, I might have been destroyed. I think we�ll get things resolved shortly and I can move on with my life.�
�David, you�re going to be a father,� Tami said as her eyes teared up.
That was when I got it, and suddenly my defenses came down. I felt my chest tighten up and it became hard to breathe. Throughout this whole debacle, I�d lost focus on what mattered. I would be lying if I said a little part of me didn�t wish that my child was with Tami. That had always been the plan. Tami was supposed to be my one and only, the girl I grew up with and planned to have a life with that was �us against the world.� While I liked Pam, she and I would never be more than friends.
Mom and Dad came downstairs and the timer for the coffee cake went off. Dad went to check it while Mom took one look at me and came over and wrapped me in her arms. This was the first time since this all began that I�d let my guard down and let the full import of what Tami had said sink in.
�Mom, I�m going to be a father. I�m too young,� I said.
�I agree, but there�s nothing we can do about that now. David, you�ll be a wonderful father. You�ll just have to figure it out. Of course, your family will be there to help you. If your dumbass brother can figure out how to raise three kids and go to college, I�m betting you can figure it out, too,� Mom said.
�But he has Angie,� I said.
�He also has you and your mom and me,� Dad said. �David, I think you�re forgetting that Pam will be involved as well. You two might not get married, but you�ll have something that will bind you together in a very special way. Your child will be a blessing that will fill your life with meaning you�ve not had up to this point. Everything will work out, and when you look back on it, you won�t regret having a baby.�
I remembered how I felt when Kyle was born, and the time I spent with him. I loved him, Mac, and Nate with all my heart. I knew my baby would bring even more joy to my life. Yes, my life would change, and I was too young. I had confidence I would make it all work out. I turned to Tami and smiled.
�Yes, I�m going to be a father.�
◊◊◊
As Mom and I went off to church, Tami looked like she had suddenly realized that our
I was a little worried about how my church would take the news from the week. I shouldn�t have been. Everyone greeted me warmly, and it felt as if they had circled the wagons and let me know I had their support. Some people tend to think that churchgoing people are rigid in their beliefs. While it would have been better if I�d told them that Pam and I were getting married, they didn�t turn their backs on me.
The way they accepted me made me realize how lucky I was to grow up in a small town. Yes, everyone knew you and all your secrets. The thing was, no one was perfect, and we all supported each other. When church was done, I felt ready to face what was to happen this afternoon.
◊◊◊
We met Ms. Dixon at the entrance to Tom and Kendal�s office. She had a large file box attached to a little dolly.
�Let me help,� I said and grabbed the handle.
It must have had rocks in it. It looked like Ms. Dixon had come loaded for bear today. We walked into the lobby, and the receptionist led us to the conference room. I smiled because it wasn�t like I�d never been there before. Ms. Dixon took over the head of the table and began to create different stacks of folders. She had me sit on her right and my parents on her left. Uncle John had taught me the power of sitting at the head of the table. It established dominance, and that was what we needed today. I planned to get this wrapped up by the end of this meeting. What was the saying about your plans and God laughing at them? I hoped that was wrong.
Next to arrive was the contingent from Rigby, Thompson and Associates, quickly followed by Cal and Mr. Fox.
�We can get started,� Don Rigby said.
Ms. Dixon ignored the fact that Pam wasn�t present. She turned her attention to Don Rigby.
�Do you have any preliminary findings on the security issues with David�s files?� she asked.
Roy Thompson pulled out a report and handed it down to Ms. Dixon. She turned to my dad.
�Would you and Kendal please go make copies? Initial the original and copies in different-colored ink, like you did last time.�
Dad and Kendal left the room. While we waited for them to return, Mr. Fox decided to start the negotiations.
�We�ve made some adjustments to our position,� he said as he pulled out some folders.
�I�m sorry, but one of our conditions was that all parties be present today. Where is Miss Bell?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�She wasn�t feeling well,� Cal said.
My mom pulled out her phone and made a call.
�Hey, Lacy, we were wondering when you and Pam would be joining us?�
Cal blanched when he heard that.
�No, the meeting�s today, and everyone�s here. Could you come right over?� Mom asked, and then hung up. �They�ll be here as soon as they can. She didn�t sound happy, because
�I thought we would spare Pam from sitting through another long meeting, and just bring her in when we were done negotiating,� Cal said as he recovered.
I should hire Cal as my PR agent because he could spin anything to sound reasonable. Heck,
Dad came back in with Kendal, and they initialed the original and the copies. Ms. Dixon handed out the copies and gave the original back to Roy.
�Can you explain what you found?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�It appears that Cal accessed David�s financials,� Don Rigby said.
�Did he access anything else?�
�Not that we�re aware of,� Don said.
Ms. Dixon pulled out the sheet of paper Mr. Fox had given us and slid it over to Kendal.
�Can you explain the annotations at the bottom?�
Kendal looked at it and then looked at Tom. He saw what Ms. Dixon was getting at, and his face flushed red.
�I�ll answer,� Tom said as he glared at Don and Roy. �The �CRB� is Cal Bell�s ID. The �three hundred seventy-four of four thousand two hundred and sixty-eight� indicates this is page three-seventy-four of
�This doesn�t matter, because anything discovered in a settlement discussion is not admissible,� Cal said.
�Oh, there are many, many ways around that rule, as you should well know, especially when I told you yesterday that these discussions were not confidential; that Rigby, Thompson and Associates� role here is that of an observer, and not as a mediator; and when your lawyer explicitly agreed to those conditions,� Ms. Dixon said.
I was shocked when the conference room became silent. With this many lawyers in one place, I didn�t think that was possible. Ms. Dixon would explain to me later that facts disclosed in the course of settlement negotiations typically were inadmissible to prove liability or to show that someone was lying on the stand. Even though that was the rule, there were several ways to get around it. For example, it wouldn�t prevent discovery of the same documents in the normal course of a lawsuit. Nor would it prevent such facts being used to show improper interference in a police investigation, which one might easily argue Cal had done here. Most important to Rigby, Thompson, Cal, and Mr. Fox, we could disclose everything to the media, because such disclosures would have nothing to do with admissibility in a court of law. They had to realize the media would have a field day with it.
Ms. Dixon reached out for a stack of documents and handed one to Cal.
�I am hereby serving upon you a
�How did you get all this done so quickly?� Cal asked in shock.
It was a Sunday afternoon, and she would have had to have prepared the documents, found a way to see the judge between the time she left us yesterday and now (likely at his home), and gotten him to sign the TRO and order a hearing.
�There are some benefits to being a United States senator�s daughter, and there are even more benefits to having a reputation for integrity, and for being really, really good,� Ms. Dixon said with a smile. �It may also be that the judge was upset with the less-than-completely-candid-and-forthright actions of you and your counsel in persuading him to sign the TRO against David last week; but then again, I didn�t ask.�
Then she looked directly at Mr. Fox and continued.
�Oh, yes. One exhibit to the Motion for the TRO is a copy of Mr. Fox�s letter to one of the college coaches recruiting David. It was mailed last Monday to that coach�s office address. The exhibit is supported by an affidavit from the coach, stating his office address is unknown to any persons other than his college�s personnel department, and that David is the only person that he�s ever recruited who has been given that address. All the coaches� mailing addresses are the same: a generic address for the football program is listed in all publications, but the private office addresses are never disclosed, as a matter of school policy. The affidavit also states David had told him he doubted he�d ever need that address, but that David would have his agent file it away just in case."
�As I recall, the letter in question did indeed attempt to persuade the coach that he should stop recruiting an accused rapist. That exhibit might have caused the judge�s eyebrows to go up a bit as well, now that I think on it,� Ms. Dixon said with a grin.
Cal and Mr. Fox both looked a bit sick when they heard that. She then turned to Don Rigby and handed him another stack of documents. He didn�t look much better.
�A similar subpoena and TRO are hereby served on your firm, requiring similar production and preservation of records. An expedited hearing on making these temporary orders a permanent injunction is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 10:00 in Judge Hitchens� courtroom, which is in the County Courthouse, Room 203. The courtroom is a public venue at which the media is allowed to be present. If this is not resolved today, you can bet it will be brought up at that hearing, and we will oppose any suggestion that the hearing be a closed one.�
Ms. Dixon then pulled out another stack of documents and handed a set to Mr. Fox and Mr. Rigby.
�This is an outline of what we�re seeking in terms of a settlement. We are willing to negotiate the fine points, but we would like to reach a point where we can agree on the basic terms and put together a letter outlining an agreement in principle to that effect by the end of the day. Our other requirement is we want a chance to talk to Pam and make sure she agrees. Let�s reconvene in one hour. You can then tell me how you want to proceed,� Ms. Dixon said.
◊◊◊
We went to the office Ms. Dixon had to wait for the meeting to resume. Ms. Dixon left us alone to go out and get a breath of fresh air.
�I�ve been in contact with Lacy,� Mom said. �She was unaware that all this was going on. She and Cora were busy getting wedding plans firmed up. Devin and Sandy Range assumed Lacy knew what was happening here. Lacy said that when she confronted them about it, they were embarrassed. Cora was being Cora and focused on only herself.
�It looks like Lacy will divorce Cal over this. When I called her, and he�d told her the meeting had been switched to tomorrow, that was one more nail in his coffin,� Mom explained.
�With Lacy back, will Pam be safe? She seems scared.� I said.
�Yes. Lacy made Cal move out when she got home. Once he was gone, she and Pam had a long heart-to-heart. Pam feels awful that she went along with what her dad made her do. Lacy is embarrassed as well, and hopes you don�t hold it against her,� Mom said.
�Did Pam explain how she got the split lip and black eye?� I asked.
Mom gave me a hard look. I think she had kept this part from me because she worried about what I might do.
�Pam told her mother that Cal had made her make all the charges against you against her will. While Pam didn�t say so, Lacy suspects Cal hit her. That was the main reason he had to move out,� Mom said, and then looked somber. �Trust Lacy or me to deal with this. You have too much at stake to add physical harm to Cal on top of everything else we have to resolve today.�
I thought about what Mom had just said. I would reserve judgment on whether or not I would track down Cal and give him a beatdown. There were some things you just didn�t do. Punching your daughter, your
�I talked to Ms. Dixon while you and your mom were at church,� Dad said. �When she gets back, we need to go over what I asked her to put together. Most of it you�re aware of, but we added one little wrinkle I hope you�re okay with.�
Before I could ask, Ms. Dixon came back in. Mom and Dad caught her up with what they�d told me.
�Take a moment to read the different agreements, and then we�ll talk,� Ms. Dixon said.
As I read through the agreements, several points jumped out at me. The first was that my mom and dad planned to take custody of my child until I either graduated from college or reached the age of 22. I guess my dad had read my fears of becoming a father at such a young age. I was relieved they would support me like this.
Second was that none of the three parties was allowed to disparage any of the others in any way, nor to file charges or lawsuit against them related to this debacle. So we didn�t have to worry about that, as much as it might feel good for me to go after Cal. Another was that I would be moving on to a new firm for legal representation, and Rigby, Thompson had to assist in that move. Yet another point was that Cal and Rigby, Thompson would be paying all my legal and PR fees.
My final takeaway was I didn�t understand why Rigby, Thompson and Associates would be forced to keep Cal on. So I asked about that part.
�Cal will have to make house payments and pay Lacy maintenance for Pam. This way he has an income that will enable him to do that, and he has insurance to help pay for Pam�s medical bills through childbirth,� Ms. Dixon explained. �More importantly, he�ll need the breathing space and the temporary financial security this gives him to find another job. Given a decent reference, and given the way Cal has shown he can spin anything, I don�t doubt he�ll be okay.�
She gave me a smile and continued.
�Stated another way, a cornered rat will always fight. A rat with a bolt-hole handy will always run. Your purposes are best served by this particular rat running, and not fighting.�
I thought about what Ms. Dixon had just said. I was smart enough to recognize that I didn�t need Cal or Mr. Fox�s head on a pike at this time. What I did need was to get this behind me. Uncle John had taught me that when you did a deal, everyone had to feel like they got something out of it. If that meant that Cal got to keep his job for a year, so be it. I didn�t want Lacy or Pam to suffer financially from this. From what I�d seen, if Cal were given the time, he would talk his way into another job. That is unless Rigby, Thompson and Associates torpedoed his efforts. I wondered if something similar had occurred in California. My PR agent, Frank Ingram, had said he had information on Cal that Tom Dole admitted they hadn�t uncovered when they hired Cal.
Something that stuck in my craw was that Thomas Fox wasn�t being punished in all this.
�Why can�t we go after Mr. Fox for his part?� I asked.
�I want you to think about something for a moment: if I had screwed up and handed the opposition the smoking gun that wrecked your case, would you be inclined to pay me?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�You scare me enough that I
I think she took that as the compliment that I intended it to be. The more I was around her, the more I realized that I hadn�t been represented by the very best until Ms. Dixon came on board. That wasn�t a slap at Tom or Kendal; Tom had been asked to take over the new Entertainment Division, and Kendal was right out of college. It was inevitable that there would be learning curves, like when they gave away my work product (photos) to clients, staff, and friends. That event had triggered the need for more security. The implementation of the software that tracked access to my files was eventually the other side�s undoing. Well, maybe not Tom and Kendal, but it was obvious someone had to have given Cal access to my files. Ms. Dixon seemed to think that was just something that should have always been in place.
�If I were Cal, I wouldn�t pay Mr. Fox a dime. It was through his negligence that Cal is on the hook for half of my fees and those of IDC. You saw Mr. Fox�s office, or should I say lack of one. If Cal doesn�t pay him, it will be a big hit on his bottom line. Combine that with all the social media you put out about him in regards to the restraining order, plus him losing this case, and you have the perfect storm for him going out of business. Who wants to hire or refer anyone to someone who doesn�t win, especially where the local state�s attorney actually gave a press conference to clear you of false charges? Trust me, he�ll be flipping burgers sooner than you think,� Ms. Dixon assured me.
Her last statement put a smile on my face. I was a teenager, after all, and had a need for instant gratification. The mental image of Mr. Fox in a fast-food uniform would satisfy that need for today.
◊◊◊
We walked back into the conference room. Something I noticed was that since we had been in last time, my picture no longer hung in the entry where their clients were displayed, nor in the conference room. It was a not-so-subtle shot that we�d parted ways.
Pam and Lacy entered the room, and I was surprised when Lacy sat Pam down next to me. Pam still hadn�t made eye contact with me, but when I reached under the table to hold her hand, she gripped it tightly. She then looked up at me and seemed like she was about to cry, so I stuck my tongue out at her, which surprised her. Lacy burst out laughing at me. Pam and I gazed into each other�s eyes, and I knew she�d be okay with her mom there to support her. I still had a burning hatred for her father because of what he�d put us both through, but Pam just wasn�t the type of person to be mean-spirited.
�I�ve read this, and I can tell you right now I have no desire to pay any of David�s expenses,� Cal said.
�I�ve had just about enough from you,� Mom said. �At some point, you�re going to have to grow up and realize that there are consequences to picking on two teenagers. I�m not a teenager, and you�ve crossed the line for the last time. David has tried to hold off his attack dog of a lawyer out of respect for you as an adult. What sickens me as a parent is how self-centered and childish you�ve been.�
�Back off, lady. Your son got my daughter pregnant as soon as she came back from her summer vacation. I tried to keep them apart because I knew that something like this would happen. At some point, he has to learn that his actions have consequences. If you hadn�t raised him to defy his betters, we wouldn�t be in this mess,� Cal said.
�You were there. Both David and Pam said they�d continue to get together with each other. At what point do you back off and let them decide for themselves? That�s right, for you it�s never. I would assume that�s why you punched your daughter, because she wouldn�t bow to your every demand,� Mom said. �Actions do indeed have consequences. Punching your own pregnant daughter, and then publicly blaming David for the black eye you gave her, has consequences too.�
Pam gripped my hand even tighter. Tears were starting to form in her eyes.
�Pam, did your dad hit you?� I asked.
�Don�t answer that!� Cal yelled.
�You shut the hell up!� Lacy yelled back.
Pam looked at me and nodded.
�I hate to ask this, but could you say it out loud?� Ms. Dixon said gently.
�Yes, Daddy hit me,� Pam choked out, and then broke down.
Lacy helped her up, and Lacy and my mom walked Pam out of the room. Cal sat in stunned silence. It seems he�d thought Pam would never say anything. I stood up, and both Tom and my dad jumped up and were on either side of me before I could get around the table. I let them escort me out of the room. As soon as the conference room door closed, we heard Roy Thompson and Cal start yelling at each other.
�You think you can keep him from causing mayhem?� Tom asked my dad.
�If David truly wanted to get to Cal just now, both of us together couldn�t have stopped him. We did, and I think this means he�s grown some inside.� Then Dad turned to me. �Come on David, let�s go find Pam and her mom,� he said, and Tom returned to the conference room.
As soon as the door closed, Tom�s voice joined in the shouting match. I noticed that Ms. Dixon hadn�t left the room. How dumb were those guys, to let her sit in while they screamed at each other?
We found Pam and our moms in Tom�s office. Pam saw me, jumped up and ran into my arms. This was, of course, my worst nightmare. A teenage boy never wants a sobbing girl in his arms. For once, though, I hadn�t caused it. Well, maybe the pregnant part I caused.
◊◊◊
I found out later, from Ms. Dixon, what happened when we left. Roy Thompson had explained to Cal that either he take the deal, or they would help sink him. Cal had shot back that Don Rigby had given him access to the files to begin with. It had devolved into a screaming match until Tom Dole rejoined the meeting.
Tom had gone to bat for me and told them all to accept the deal. Ms. Dixon didn�t tell us what he�d said, but a few minutes later she had the agreement in principle she�d given them, signed by all parties. She came out and found us in Tom�s office.
�It�s done,� Ms. Dixon said when she walked in, shaking her head. "Now I understand why Rigby, Thompson was so anxious to bury this and make it go away so quickly. Don Rigby, the firm�s managing partner, would be in just as much trouble as Cal for deliberately circumventing his firm�s own security procedures and giving Cal access to David�s documents. If this ever got out to the State Bar, he�d be facing potential disbarment himself. He acted to protect his own behind, not just Cal�s."
She shook her head again and continued.
�We�ll work out the details, but everyone has agreed to the terms we asked for. I just need to get your signatures on these documents.�
Ms. Dixon handed them first to Lacy, who signed, and then to my mom and dad. Then she had Pam and me sign to affirm our acceptance.
I sat there and wondered what I did after this? Was this like winning the Super Bowl, and you said you were going to Disney World? Maybe I should get a sweatshirt made as we did when we won State. I could see it now: �I Survived My First Scandal!� Honestly, I never wanted to go through something like this again. I didn�t need a t-shirt to remind me of that.
◊◊◊
Junior Year: Winter
Table of Contents:
Interlude
Chapter 1 � I Would Find Ways to be Me
Chapter 2 � Mmmm, Pork
Chapter 3 � Was it Something I Said?
Chapter 4 � I Can Do This All Day
Chapter 5 � Dr. Love
Chapter 6 � That�s Why We Play These Games
Chapter 7 � Nobody Taught Us to Quit
Chapter 8 � If I Weren�t Careful
Chapter 9 � So How Soon Can You Start
Chapter 10 � I Will Dare
Chapter 11 � Don�t Forget About Me
Chapter 12 � You�re a Manipulative Little �
Chapter 13 � A Bad Rendition of A Christmas Carol
Chapter 14 � Sometimes You Just Need to be the Hero
Chapter 15 � I Think I�m Going to Like it Here
Chapter 16 � This is Going to Hurt
Chapter 17 � Damn, David!
Chapter 18 � Searching for Clarity
Chapter 19 � Release the Hound
Chapter 20 � Don�t Say It Unless You Mean It
Chapter 21 � To Wish Impossible Things
Chapter 22 � You Gave Your Word
Chapter 23 � Man of My Word?
Chapter 24 � Don�t Take Me For Granted
Chapter 25 � Best Christmas Present Ever
Chapter 26 � I and Love and You
Chapter 27 � Three, Two, One � Launch
Chapter 28 � Just Enjoy What Comes to You
Chapter 29 � The Tale of Two Premieres
Chapter 30 � It�s All Fun and Games Until �
Chapter 31 � My Path in Life
Table of Contents:
Interlude
Chapter 1 � I Would Find Ways to be Me
Chapter 2 � Mmmm, Pork
Chapter 3 � Was it Something I Said?
Chapter 4 � I Can Do This All Day
Chapter 5 � Dr. Love
Chapter 6 � That�s Why We Play These Games
Chapter 7 � Nobody Taught Us to Quit
Chapter 8 � If I Weren�t Careful
Chapter 9 � So How Soon Can You Start
Chapter 10 � I Will Dare
Chapter 11 � Don�t Forget About Me
Chapter 12 � You�re a Manipulative Little �
Chapter 13 � A Bad Rendition of A Christmas Carol
Chapter 14 � Sometimes You Just Need to be the Hero
Chapter 15 � I Think I�m Going to Like it Here
Chapter 16 � This is Going to Hurt
Chapter 17 � Damn, David!
Chapter 18 � Searching for Clarity
Chapter 19 � Release the Hound
Chapter 20 � Don�t Say It Unless You Mean It
Chapter 21 � To Wish Impossible Things
Chapter 22 � You Gave Your Word
Chapter 23 � Man of My Word?
Chapter 24 � Don�t Take Me For Granted
Chapter 25 � Best Christmas Present Ever
Chapter 26 � I and Love and You
Chapter 27 � Three, Two, One � Launch
Chapter 28 � Just Enjoy What Comes to You
Chapter 29 � The Tale of Two Premieres
Chapter 30 � It�s All Fun and Games Until �
Chapter 31 � My Path in Life
Next Book in The Series
Notes from Author
Interlude Zoe Pearson
Growing up a Mennonite made it hard sometimes to make friends. People have many misconceptions about our religion, and those misconceptions make some of them wary of us. I guess before I go too far, I should clarify some things.
Let�s start with what we�re not. People seem to think Mennonites and Amish are the same. We�re not. We both come from the same Anabaptist branch of religion that was founded in the 16th century. There are differences in how we look at our Christian values. The Amish try to separate themselves from everyone else. They generally shun modern technology, keep out of political and secular involvements, and dress plainly. Mennonites, on the other hand, drive cars, wear regular clothes, and are actively involved in their communities.
Another common misconception is that we are some kind of cult or closed community. We do have a strong sense of family and community that comes with our religious beliefs. But at the same time, we welcome others to join us in our pursuit of finding God�s purpose for us. We believe in healing and hope, and we strive for grace, joy, and peace. I guess our main goals might be condensed to peacemaking, service to others, and living a holy, Christ-centered life.
Now let me explain what we are. We are Christians. We believe in the trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In many ways, we are like other Christian religions like Catholics and Protestants. We are Anabaptist, or as some call us, �rebaptizers.�
During the 16th century, those who founded our faith broke away from the state religion�s practice of baptizing infants. They reasoned that only adults could make the decision to follow Jesus Christ and volunteer to be baptized. So they �rebaptized� as adults those whom the Church had already baptized as babies. Back then it was considered heresy to rebaptize. Anabaptists were persecuted and even killed for that belief.
Because of the persecution, many fled Europe for the freedom of the Americas. Given that experience, it was only natural for us to congregate within our own communities for protection. That might be where people get the idea we aren�t like others. It�s not so different from other groups of people that live in communities. I would bet people can point to Chinatown or Little Italy areas in their city.
With that being said about how we are open and enlightened, I grew up feeling isolated. I lived on a farm with my brother and parents. I�m sure many farm kids feel the same. For us, though, there was only one way in and out of the group of Mennonite farms, and that seemed to add to our isolation. As with many small farms, money was always in short supply. That meant there were no trips to town for trivial things like hanging out at the mall or going to the movies. We found ways to get by. Of course, we canned much of our food, made our clothes, and learned to create gifts with our hands.
There were other kids close to our age we spent time with. They seemed to be going as stir-crazy as I was when David showed up at our farm. Roc had played Little League with David and his friends. I remembered David from when he came to one of Roc�s birthday parties. It was a huge deal because my brother was able to invite his whole Little League team.
David came right up to me and introduced himself. We were in middle school, and most boys had decided girls were weird, or that was what Roc told me. I don�t remember what we talked about. I think he spoke, and I stared at him because I wasn�t sure what to make of him.
Then several years later he drives up to the farm in a flashy car with a gorgeous girl next to him, and I�m out washing the truck. When he stepped out of the car, I about died. Pudgy little David had transformed into something that made it hard to even look at him and breathe at the same time. I didn�t realize real boys looked like that. To my horror, I was in my grungy car-washing clothes.
He confused me so much I remember yelling at him. I know, right? How stupid could I be?
Then he talks to Roc about coming out for football. In a blur of pure genius, David saved us from homeschooling. I have to thank my mother because as soon as word got out, all the other kids wanted to go to regular school. She smoothed the waters because she recognized how much Roc really wanted to play football.
I never expected someone would talk to Tracy Dole about me. She came out to the farm and talked to my mom and me about me going out for cheerleading. She explained it would help me make friends and that they needed me. I�m not sure if that latter part was true or not, but it turned out to be a lot of fun.
◊◊◊
For me, going to public school was a godsend. My mom understood we needed to fit in, so that meant a shopping spree at Walmart, her go-to store for most everything. She convinced the other parents they needed to buy new school clothes. It wasn�t like we didn�t have work clothes for the farm. People considered us different enough that we didn�t need to show up looking like poor dirt-farmers.
I wasn�t nearly as embarrassed the next time I saw David. He�d come to Tracy�s house to join us swimming. He was talking to Brook Davis, and I felt a surge of jealousy. I don�t know what came over me, but the next thing I knew, I�ve walked up to him and kissed him the cheek. When he asked why I�d kissed him, I thought quickly and said it was for helping us get out of homeschooling. Brook was eyeing him, so I got brave and asked him if he would show me around school my first day.
When school started, I was surprised to find David in all my AP classes. I mean, I realized he wasn�t stupid, but I had no idea how smart he really was. Maybe because of how outgoing he was, I just never recognized it before.
I soon found out there was a whole different side to David, the side I fell in love with. He�d shown up on a Sunday afternoon. I had chores to do, and he pitched in and helped me, to my surprise. Once again, I�d completely misread him. His friend Wolf talked about doing yard work at David�s, and I�d heard that he had a cleaning lady. I simply assumed him to be what I would imagine a teenage boy with money would be like, afraid of work. I should have known better by what I�d heard of his workouts. David never hesitated to help me muck out stalls and feed the horses.
I also found this chatterbox sometimes became silent and seemed to calm down, as best I could describe it. To see David�s quiet confidence as he moved from task to task made my chest tight. He even listened to me as I pointed out better ways to do things. He would just give me his little smile and do as I asked. I could envision us living on a farm and raising a bunch of kids. I expect every girl dreamed of finding a man like this. You just felt you could count on him and that the two of you would make a good match.
It also made me happy that David could ride a horse. He wasn�t an expert by any stretch, but horses are one of my passions. I was glad to find someone I could share that with. On one of his Sunday visits, I�d hurried up and gotten my chores done so we could go riding.
I took him to one of my favorite spots next to the river. I fully intended to make my case for him to date me. Everything was perfect as we got off the horses and enjoyed nature. Finally, I got up the nerve to kiss him; I�d never kissed a boy before. Fortunately, David knew what he was doing, and I just did my best to keep up with everything he taught me. I�d never thought of myself as a sexual person. My religion teaches that relations between a man and a woman are supposed to happen within the confines of marriage.
And David respected that. If he didn�t, I would have completely lost it when he got naked. Well, that wasn�t entirely true; I asked him to. He understood I wanted to learn, and he obliged. What happened next was a little embarrassing, so I�ll skip that. But when I went to bed that night, I was certain that David was going to be the one I gave my virginity to.
◊◊◊
My problem was that I wasn�t the only girl David was seeing. I expect if it had been anyone else, none of us would�ve tolerated it. David seemed to make it okay for him to be seeing Pam, Halle, Brook, and me. It did help that we all got together and talked about it. I found the others shared the same insecurities I had. The more I got to know them, the more my fears seemed to leave me.
I eventually did lose my virginity to him.� He made it special as he took me to a fancy restaurant and then to a romantic cabin.� He even did a sexy dance for me.� I couldn�t think of a better way or with a better man to experience it all with.
He hadn�t promised any of us anything more than spending time with us. He carved out time for all of us and seemed to do things we each enjoyed. Somehow, it worked. I expect that�s in part because we realized he wasn�t ready to take things further with anyone. To be honest, I wasn�t prepared to settle down, either. Not that I wanted to date anyone else, I just wanted to have some fun, and David seemed like the perfect guy for that.
Then everything took a dramatic turn. Pam found out she was pregnant. I think we all expected David would do as his brother had and marry her. It was what you did if you got a girl pregnant. I knew he would never consider not wanting to be a dad.
It might have worked out for the two of them, but Pam�s dad got involved. From what I saw, it was horrible. Poor David walked around with a haunted look when Pam wouldn�t even talk to him about it. When the entire mess ended, I was in shock when David agreed to raise their child, not Pam. I guess I never imagined that rearing a baby would be done by anyone but the mother.
Don�t get me wrong, I understood that Pam didn�t want to have to be responsible for raising a child while only a junior in high school. I certainly would have a hard time wrapping my head around it. But if confronted with that choice, I�m sure I would have ended up making a different decision.
While David struggled with his issues with Pam, I found Halle and Brook became closer friends with me. We all faced a life without David in it. I think the three of us were secretly happy Pam hadn�t staked her claim on him. She easily could have. The thought of him leaving us seemed to pull us closer together. We agreed that if he didn�t pick Pam, we wouldn�t pressure him with our own agendas. We would wait until he picked one of us to be his girlfriend. When he did, I knew the others would be disappointed that he chose me.
◊◊◊
Chapter 1 � I Would Find Ways to be Me Sunday November 1
After leaving Rigby, Thompson and Associates, where I�d just settled how Pam and I would handle the raising or our child, I needed to unwind. It had begun to rain, so I took it easy while I drove. The Charger wanted to be aggressive, but I didn�t want to push it in this weather. It was Sunday afternoon, so I found myself at the Pearson farm. When I turned in, Zoe waved to me from the barn. I pulled up as close as I could to try to stay dry, then dashed in and found Zoe wet, muddy, and pissed.
�I�m afraid to ask,� I said as I walked up to her and gave her a kiss.
She gave me a pained look.
�The adolescents decided to play in the mud and rain. I still have to catch two of them and then give them baths. Care to help me?� she asked.
My first thought was, �It sucks to be you,� but as I always say, sex changes things. You do things you would never dream of if they were for a girl who you�re currently sleeping with.
�Oh, Boy!� I said and bounced up and down as if excited.
Zoe didn�t buy it for a minute, but I saw her frustration. She handed me a lead, and we walked out into the rain. I was wearing my letterman�s jacket, jeans, and tennis shoes, not dressed for a trip through a horse pasture when it was only forty degrees out and pouring rain. One of the troublemakers had gotten smart and waited for us at the gate. Of course, Zoe clipped the lead on him and left me to search for the other one. I found him in a giant puddle, using his front hoof to splash mud all over his belly. He would get the gold star for the muddiest horse I�d ever seen. When he saw me, he headed straight for me. Forget that, I didn�t need to have him anywhere near. My mistake was that I usually carried treats for the horses in my coat pocket.
Zoe came back out and found me as I ran for the barn with her big brute right behind me. She wasn�t happy when I deftly stepped around her. The horse rubbed up against Zoe to try to see if I had anything for him. I wasn�t sure my escape was worth it when she turned around to face me, entirely covered in mud. I handed her the lead so she could clip it on his halter, but she huffed and threw it at me. Zoe left the horse and me to stare at each other.
�I think we better get you cleaned up,� I said.
He seemed to understand that his afternoon of play was over. I led him to the cleaning station and made sure the water was warm before beginning to hose him off. I had no idea so much mud could be on one horse. Finally, I got him cleaned up and started the other wayward bad boy�s bath when Zoe reappeared. She�d gone into the house, taken a shower, and changed. She saw I had this and left to feed and water the rest of the horses. When I finished, I helped Zoe finish her chores.
We did our work in silence. It wasn�t awkward, it was just us working. Zoe was good at what she did. She let me do my jobs and subtly checked to make sure I did my tasks correctly. I think that because Zoe had a little brother, she�d become good at how she handled her help. I treated how she dealt with me as her helper as a lesson on the right way to do it. When we were done, Zoe smiled at me.
�Thanks. I needed the help today with the brats.�
�Sorry about getting you slimed,� I apologized.
�He�s just an attention-hog. I haven�t spent enough time with him lately, and he let me know it today. I figured you could handle him once the two of you reached the barn.�
We chatted, and I told Zoe a little about today. I didn�t want too many details of what we had learned about Cal�s mistreatment of Pam getting out, so I just said we�d worked it out. Zoe said that Pam had told some of the cheerleaders that she thought she might be pregnant. I remembered a few cryptic hints that now made sense. Zoe was mad about the rape and assault charges Pam had leveled. But I explained that it was all Pam�s dad�s attempt to make sure she and the baby would be financially okay. It was all I could think of that honored the terms of the agreement we�d just reached, and that wouldn�t get Zoe to dig for more information.
At that moment, I realized I needed to talk to Pam if only to get a united front for when we were asked questions. While I was okay with telling most people that it was between Pam and me, there were some who would expect to be given a little more detail. Zoe, Halle, and Brook were at the top of that list.
We then began to make out. We didn�t get very far before Roc stuck his head into the barn.
�What �cha doin�?� he asked in a singsong voice.
�Kissing,� I responded in the same manner.
�Get lost, dork,� Zoe said.
�Mom sent me to tell you that dinner�s ready. Bring your boyfriend,� Roc said, and then skipped out as he sang: �David and Zoe sitting in a tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g!�
�Roc!� Zoe called after her brother.
She chased him into the house. I figured it looked like a good idea because the rain hadn�t slowed down, so I ran after them. We all came thundering in through the back door.
�You kids stop running in the house,� their mom called from the kitchen.
Roc and Zoe �yes ma�am�-ed her in unison.
We were sent to the dining room while she brought the food out. I�d picked a great night for dinner because there was pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions, plus homemade bread. After we prayed and began to eat, I detected a little tension between Zoe�s mom and dad.
�David, does your family bring food to the church potluck lunches?� Mrs. Pearson asked.
I looked around the table to see if I�d missed something. I really didn�t want to be caught in the middle of whatever was going on.
�Yes, ma�am. My mom usually makes a casserole,� I said.
�I make small individual lemon cakes. I normally make up a batch and put several in the freezer,� she said.
Both Roc and his dad looked nervous. Apparently, they had been into her cakes.
�I took them to the youth group meeting last week,� Mr. Pearson said.
�I discovered we were out of cakes this morning,� Mrs. Pearson explained. She ignored him and focused on me. �I asked my husband to go to the store because I didn�t have everything I needed to make more. I made him a list of the items. Since he had taken my last cakes, I told Isaac he could run into town and buy the handful of ingredients I was missing. Otherwise, we wouldn�t have anything for the potluck. He told me he had to go over to the Bauer farm before church.�
�Their tractor had broken down,� Mr. Pearson said.
�I explained to him that he needed to go and come right back. That was so I�d be able to get the cakes done before church,� Mrs. Pearson continued, never looking at him. �Isaac was gone nearly an hour, and I was about ready to call him to see where he�d gone to. I figured he�d gone to the Bauers� instead of coming right back. But then I heard the truck pull up, and Isaac came in with four grocery bags and dumped them on the kitchen table. I�d sent him for only a handful of items. So I was shocked when he told me he would be right back, turned around, and went back out to the truck.
�I opened the first bag, and there were two restaurant-size bottles of lemon extract. Do you know how long it will take me to go through that much extract at a half teaspoon at a time?� Mrs. Pearson asked.
I couldn�t help it, I cracked a smile. I pictured her making her cakes for the next twenty years.
�In the next sack were three dozen eggs and a pound of butter,� she said.
�They had a special,� he said in his defense.
�I opened the third sack, and inside were two large cans of Crisco. In the next bag after that were two more cans of Crisco. Four cans of Crisco is enough for me to make several hundred cakes. In the last sack, I found my list,� Mrs. Pearson said as she pulled it out with a dramatic flair.
Zoe�s dad cringed.
�David, my husband�s a smart man. He has a college education, and he can fix most anything. He�s able to run the farm and helps with the church. This same man has helped me raise two children. We have been married nineteen years, and he has watched me make my scratch lemon cakes for all of those years. How he would even think I could ever use so much Crisco is beyond me. I want you to look at this list,� she said as she handed it over to me.
I took my time and studied the list, and it took me a moment because it looked like everything was there. Then I saw where Mr. Pearson had made his mistake and broke out laughing. I looked up, and he had dropped his head, while Mrs. Pearson looked to the ceiling and rolled her eyes. She had numbered the list. I looked down and saw items five and six, five pounds of sugar, and five pounds of all-purpose flour.
�Say it isn�t so,� I said.
�Yep, twenty-five pounds of sugar and thirty pounds of flour,� she said as I almost fell out of my chair.
Zoe snatched the list out of my hand, and then she saw why I was almost ready to die from laughing so hard.
�You would have been proud of me. When you�ve been married as long as we have, you have to pick your battles. I just accepted it and put the list in my pocket. Isaac came back, plopped down bags full of sugar and flour, and then headed back to the truck. He announced he had one more trip to get the rest of the groceries. I looked at the list, and the last item was a bottle of Coke. I�d told him I didn�t want one of those big two-liter bottles because I didn�t want the carbonation to go flat. Instead, I asked him to get a six-pack. I knew he was about to bring in forty-two bottles of Coke, so I cleared a space on the kitchen table.�
I couldn�t talk, I was laughing so hard. Heck, I almost couldn�t sit in the chair! I laughed so hard tears came to my eyes.
Finally, I managed to get myself together, but even then, every few seconds, I had to stifle a giggle. God, it felt so good to laugh like that.
Mr. Pearson rubbed his forehead.
�Hey, I figured out I�d messed up, but by then the checkout girl was ringing it up, and a line had started behind me,� Mr. Pearson confessed. �Plus, I had to get to the Bauers� farm.�
�I think he did it so he�d never have to go to the grocery store again.�
I had to agree.
◊◊◊
After dinner, we played Monopoly, with me chortling occasionally and Mr. Pearson giving me dirty, martyred looks. It had been years since I�d played a board game with my family. I think it was something you stopped doing when you reached a certain age. I�d forgotten how fun and cutthroat the game could be. Zoe was a little shark, and I played the part of a wounded seal she devoured after we were the last two standing. In the end, she sat licking her chops, savoring her victory, and I was checking myself for blood.
After I helped her put the game away, she told her mom that we were going for a car ride. Her mom reminded her it was a school night, and we had to be back at a reasonable time. When she got into the car, she directed me to the abandoned farm down the road. We parked behind the machine shed.
�How is Pam going to take care of a baby and go to school?� Zoe asked.
�We agreed that I would have custody,� I said.
Zoe tilted her head as she thought about my answer and then nodded as if what I said made perfect sense to her.
�I still don�t know how you�ll do it, but it makes more sense for you to have the baby.�
I was curious as to why she would say that. Most people, I realized, would have thought Pam would be the logical choice to have primary care, and I expected Zoe to be among them. I had the impression that she planned to be a farm wife and raise a large family. I couldn�t imagine any scenario in which she would ever give up custody if she were a mother.
�Why do you say that?� I asked.
Zoe bit her lower lip and weighed her response. Zoe wasn�t the type to speak ill of other people, something I liked about her.
�Even with everything you do, I can�t see you turning your back on your responsibility. And I think you�ll make a fun dad. I also know that your family will help you,� she said.
The obligations that came with a child had me more than a little worried. I knew what the possible consequences might be from having unprotected sex, and I couldn�t blame anyone but myself. Zoe was right, in that I would step up and be the best dad I could be. I owed my parents a huge chunk of gratitude for their offer to shoulder the responsibility until I graduated from college.
Deep in thought, I stared off into the dark as I considered my future when Zoe leaned over and kissed my neck. I turned to her, and she captured my lips.
�Can we get into the back seat?� she suggested.
As an answer, I jumped out of the car and got into the back seat in record time. Zoe wasn�t far behind me. As soon as she got in, she started to take off her clothes. I got the idea and was quickly in the process of joining her. One problem with sex in a car was it was a pain in the butt to get undressed in a back seat when you�re six-four. But if you�re a determined teen about to have sex, you figure it out. I had my jeans and underwear down around my ankles when Zoe decided she�d been waiting long enough and kissed me.
What had my full attention was she had a death-grip on Mr. Happy as she stuck her tongue down my throat. Her firm breasts pressed into me, and I became a more active participant as I reached for her. Zoe pushed me back and looked me in the eyes.
�Can we try something I liked?� she asked.
�Of course.�
�Could we try to sixty-nine?�
Zoe had me lay down and straddled my head. This wasn�t easy on a back seat, but we managed. I took in a deep breath and enjoyed the smell of her arousal. I exhaled and then used the flat of my tongue to lick the length of her sex. She rewarded my efforts with her warm, wet mouth engulfing the first three inches of my member. Only a short time ago, Zoe had been a virgin, and we hadn�t had sex since then. I was happily surprised she would want to take charge like this.
I took my time to work to bring up her arousal. Zoe had smooth, tight lips that would open when she was ready. I used the tip of my tongue to pry those lips apart so I could get in deeper and encourage her passion.
While I did that, she gave me probably the worst blowjob I�d ever had. Zoe had taken the first few inches of my member into her mouth and then acted like it was a lollypop. This reminded me of the time Tracy had challenged me that she could make me climax simply by putting Mr. Happy in her mouth. She had won that challenge, and I had a feeling that Zoe might eventually get me off as well. For now, I ignored that and focused on making her get her cookie.
I worked to bring her off, and could tell I would soon reach my goal when she began to make grunting noises. I knew she was close when she abandoned all pretenses of giving me head and began to grind against my tongue. Then she came for me. I kept up the tongue action, but she pulled away. I wiggled out from under her and finally got my pants off, then found a condom and put it on. Zoe�s butt was pointed at me, so I covered her body and wedged my member between her thighs.
She arched her back, which caused her butt to rise up. I found her entrance and began to sink in. I remembered how tight she�d been the first time we had sex, and with her legs together, I had to work to get all the way in. When I finally felt myself become fully encased, I had to stop for fear of shooting off too soon. I was in teen boy heaven as the walls of her tunnel seemed to throb to the beat of her heart. If I�d gone bareback, I would have lost it.
When I felt my urge subside, I began to pump in and out of my hot farm girl. There�s just something about a girl who rides horses regularly; they have muscular thighs from gripping the sides of the horse and wonderfully firm butts. Zoe was no exception. Unlike her oral performance, she seemed to take to sex as she began to push back to meet my thrusts. Every time our hips came together, we made a smacking sound. Her velvet vise became too much for me, and I felt the pressure as I reached the edge.
�Here it comes,� I announced.
Our hips flew together, and it sounded like I was spanking her behind. I felt the walls of her tunnel grip me even tighter, and I lost it. I slammed home so I could feel every inch of myself encased in pure bliss. Zoe reached between her legs and stimulated her button. As my orgasm subsided, she brought herself off. If I hadn�t already climaxed, I would have been there again as her tunnel rhythmically gripped and released Mr. Happy.
I pulled out and placed the head against her rosebud as I caught my breath. Though I remained hard, I was satisfied. I�m not sure how it happened, but somehow Mr. Happy was a couple of inches into Zoe�s backside. She must have shifted because I hadn�t initiated anything. She let out a moan of pleasure I hadn�t expected. I worried she would have my jewels on a necklace for shoving my member in her bottom. The condom was lubricated with her juices, and I let nature take its course as I pushed forward. If I thought her kitty was tight, her rear was equally tight but felt warmer.
�Do me,� Zoe ordered.
The last girl I had been with who truly enjoyed me in her derri�re was Suzanne. I would have guessed Zoe to be the last person who would appreciate it. She was just full of surprises. I worried whether I could keep up once she fully realized her sexual potential. All I knew was that I wanted to do this with her repeatedly. The naughty nature of the act with someone as innocent as Zoe made it a huge turn-on for me.
She reached under herself and stuffed two fingers into her slit as she worked to bring herself off. I threw my head back and did what came naturally. Her hot little butt had me close again when she climaxed. I loved it when she came while I was buried in her kitty because the walls rhythmically grasped my length. When Zoe came with me in her backdoor, her anal ring snapped around my girth, and it became almost painful. I jerked out as my orgasm began and jerked off the condom and painted her upturned butt with my baby-makers.
I collapsed on her, she gave me a shove, and I found myself on the floor. Zoe began to giggle when she saw me below her. Grasping the back of her neck, I pulled her down for a kiss. I soon had a happy girl on top of me but started to feel claustrophobic, being pinned between the seats with Zoe on top of me. I might have freaked out if she hadn�t just had her way with me.
�That was a surprise,� I said.
�I want to try new things with you,� she admitted.
�Get your list together, and we can see if I can help you check them off.�
�Sort of a sexual bucket list. I like that idea. I�ll work on it this week,� Zoe promised.
She was serious. I was excited to think of a few ideas of my own.
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, I called Pam, and we talked about how we wanted to handle things at school. I told her what I�d told Zoe. While she didn�t like the idea that she might come off as a gold digger, I explained we would put the focus on her dad.
�David, can you be honest with me?� Pam asked.
�We�re having a baby together. If we plan to raise him with a united front, I would expect we�d need to be honest to make it work.�
She caught the �him.�
�Did I ruin our friendship?� she asked.
�I�d be lying if I said I was thrilled with you right now, but I understand you didn�t do anything malicious towards me. I do think you should get some help. You need to figure out what makes you so passive when someone pushes you too hard, if for no other reason than for your own safety. I could easily imagine someone taking advantage of you against your will, and you not being able to fight back,� I said.
�So you still like me?� Pam asked.
�Yes, I still like you,� I admitted.
�In the agreement, it said you had to take care of me,� she said.
I loved this Pam, the one that teased me and tried to talk me into stuff.
�I think it said I had to help with expenses for the baby,� I clarified.
�Oh,� she said. �David, I think the baby needs a new smartphone.�
I couldn�t help myself! I began to laugh at her antics. When Pam had come back from California, she had taken me phone shopping and tried to get me to buy her a new phone. I had resisted her then, as I fully expected her to talk her dad into buying her one. He hadn�t fallen for it either. Of course, Pam was just pulling my chain, but it did bring up an interesting issue. I didn�t want her to feel like she needed to come to me with hat in hand for money if she really needed it.
�The baby�s a little young yet for that,� I teased back.
�Oh.�
�I do think you�ll need money, though. Why don�t we go to the bank tomorrow and open an account for you? You can get a debit card.�
�Oh. You do know I was only teasing,� Pam said.
�Yes. It doesn�t change the fact that there�ll be things you�ll need. I don�t want you to worry about it. I�ll be here to help you in any way I can.�
�David.�
�Yes?�
�I�m so sorry.�
�I know,� I said.
�David.�
�Yes?�
�I love you.�
�I love you, too,� I said.
�David.�
�Yes?�
�Goodnight.�
�Goodnight, Pam,� I said and hung up.
◊◊◊ Monday November 2
This would be a huge week, football-wise. We would play King High School in Indianapolis in a nationally televised game on ESPN. Because the game would be played on a Thursday night, we would travel to Indianapolis on Wednesday and practice there. Bud Mason, my quarterback coach and the former offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders, would fly in today to help us get ready. I�d asked him several weeks ago if he would help our coaches put together a game plan that would give us a chance against King High School.
I had reason to worry about this game. King had been rated in the Top 25 nationally all year. I�d read the current ratings, and they had moved up to number 3. While we might be the best in our state, we didn�t have the depth of talent that you would find in some states. States like California, Florida, or Texas, who were at the top from a national perspective; or in, say, Ohio in the Midwest. King had a rich tradition of sending players to Division 1 colleges. This year�s team had eight seniors who had all received D-1 offers, compared to our one, Jim. They had one player, Todd Davis, who was rated five stars, which meant he was one of the top thirty or so players in the country. I�d met him on my visit to Notre Dame.
I was driving to school when my phone rang.
�Answer,� I said so my Bluetooth would have the Jeep connect to my phone.
�David, we have a problem,� Ms. Dixon said.
�What now?� I asked.
�Kendal handed me a phone this morning and wished me luck. I wasn�t sure what it was for, but it�s been going off all morning,� she said.
Well, shit. That would be the recruiting phone. After we fired Brandon, Kendal had gotten it back. I needed to do something with that because it would also be a big week recruiting-wise. No way did I want to pay Ms. Dixon to deal with it at her hourly rate. Maybe I could pay Lily more to help with that, too. I didn�t want to hand it back to Tracy, because she�d been worried it would be too much for her.
�For now, turn it off. I�ll ask my mom to swing by and pick it up. It�s my phone that�s used for football recruiting,� I explained.
�I�ve been reviewing everything Tom and Kendal do for you, and you�re going to have to hire some people to replace them. You need to hire a PA with a wide-ranging business background as a top priority. You also need an agent for the modeling side of the business. I talked to Tyler at AT Modeling, and they�re willing to take over that part of the business for you. Kendal told me you would prefer them over using Ford.�
Tyler was also an attorney. She would help me with the review of contracts. My only problem with her and AT was they wanted a premium to represent me. I would need to talk to them about � la carte services. In many cases, it would be cheaper to pay Tyler by the hour than give them a percentage off the top.
All this was happening too fast. I relied on Tom and Kendal for almost everything, business-wise.
�I�m pulling into school. If you need anything, call my dad. I have to go, but I want to thank you for all you�ve done.�
�No problem. Talk to you later,� Ms. Dixon said and hung up.
I parked the Jeep and found Alan had waited for me; I wasn�t sure how I felt about that. He saw my look and held up his hands.
�Don�t get mad. Tami called me and told me you planned to work things out with Pam and all the lawyers yesterday. I�ve been sent to find out if everything went okay.�
This was a very different Alan. He seemed much more restrained and even admitted that he�d agreed to be Tami�s pawn. I tried not to be too hard on him because we�d been friends since kindergarten.
�You can tell Tami everything�s fine,� I said.
�So the baby�s yours?� he asked.
This was the Alan I knew.
�Yes, the baby�s mine,� I said.
�Wow. Does Pam plan to keep it?� Alan asked and then blanched when he saw my expression.
It was hard to believe Alan would even suggest anything of the sort if he knew me at all. I took a deep breath because I could tell I had overreacted with him. I still wasn�t over what had happened.
�Alan, this is between Pam and me,� I said.
Alan looked stunned. I didn�t know why, so I just nodded and walked towards the front entrance. A cold snap had come through after the rain, so no one remained outside.
◊◊◊
My day sucked. The teachers gave quizzes in every class, it seemed. They weren�t happy with the football team because we would miss three days of school for our away game. The last two years we�d only missed a half day on Friday and played on Saturday. ESPN planned to treat this more as they would a college game and wanted both teams in for a Wednesday-afternoon workout, and then we would meet the press. Thursday we would have a morning walk-through, and then kickoff would be that evening. Our athletic director had decided that we�d come back home on Friday.
After school, Alan told me to go to the coaches� conference room. I walked in to find Bud Mason with the rest of the coaching staff. It made me smile to see the old warhorse. I owed Bo Harrington and him a lot for what they�d taught me about how to play quarterback. I just wished he were here and not in LA. It surprised him when I gave him a hug. I doubt many people had dared that over the years.
�Get off me,� he grumped but didn�t fight it very much.
�Do you plan to work with us during practice?� I asked.
�Yes. Go get dressed and have everyone meet us on the field so we can get started,� he ordered.
I smiled and almost skipped out of the office. Usually, we would have watched film this afternoon. I guess Coach Mason didn�t think we needed that today. Alan had said that Coach Mason helped all the coaches out by sharing his knowledge of the game. I entered the locker room and found everyone putting on shorts and t-shirts.
�Change of plans! Suit up,� I announced.
We were dressed in full gear and about to finish stretching when the coaching staff came out with Coach Mason. Coach Hope blew his whistle to get our attention.
�Gather around!�
When we were in a semicircle on one knee, he introduced Coach Mason.
�Coach Mason has been helping David and the coaching staff this season. He�s agreed to help us get ready for King High School. Instead of looking at film, we all agreed that we needed to practice. We�ll look at film on the bus ride to Indianapolis. Offensive skill players and defensive backs go with Coach Mason and Coach Diamond, defense with Coach Zoon, and offensive line with me.�
�David, I need you to play defensive back for me,� Coach Mason said, which caused a stir.
I just did what he told me. He had me line up tight to the line and put Wolf across from me.
�I think we can agree that David�s much bigger and stronger than most defensive backs. He�s also quick for this level. If we plan to beat King, we have to get off the ball. Their defensive backs aren�t David, but they�re bigger, stronger, and faster than anyone you�ve played this year. If you can beat David, you can beat them. Begin,� he ordered.
Wolf tried to bull-rush me and use his size and strength. That worked against much smaller defensive backs. I popped his shoulder pads to stand him up and then got into his body so he didn�t have leverage. Wolf never made it five yards down the field. Coach Mason didn�t say a word.
�Next,� he yelled.
Wolf was pissed as he had to head to the end of the line. Next up was Ty. I did the same thing with him. He tried to wiggle out away from me, but when he shifted his weight, I used it to unbalance him and put him on his butt.
�Jesus, David! This is only practice,� Ty complained.
�Only practice?!� Coach Mason boomed. �So you only go full-out in games? Get out of my sight!�
Coach Diamond took Ty off to the side and coached him up. I�d seen this same pattern at the Elite Camp. Coach Mason would oversee the drill, and then someone would spend time with the player who needed some one-on-one coaching. I guessed that he�d talked to Coach Diamond about this before we came on the field.
Roc stepped to the line. He didn�t fire off the ball as I expected. He spun as soon as I reached for him. It might have worked, but I simply reached over and shoved him into the turf. Coach Mason let me embarrass the rest of the team. I knew he wanted to get their attention, and that was why I�d been rough on them. When the last one took their turn and had either been held to the line of scrimmage, or put into the dirt, he stopped practice to coach us.
�Getting off the line of scrimmage and making yourself available for a pass is what separates good receivers from the average ones. The key to you beating King is getting off the ball clean and getting downfield. If they can tie up our receivers at the line of scrimmage, then they can pin their ears back and rush the passer. If you can come free and at least give David a chance, we can win. But if not, it�ll be a long night.
�Are you ready to learn some things that can help you beat David?� he asked.
You would think they didn�t like what I did to them! Bunch of babies.
�First, who here thinks David is cocky?� Coach Mason asked.
Every hand rose up, and a few choice comments were made. I vowed to not make this easy on them.
�It�s that mindset that he�s using to beat you. He thinks he�ll win, and so he does. You have to decide that you�ll win against him. Believe me when I tell you that David has your best interest at heart, and he�ll put your dick in the dirt to make you better. King High School will try to intimidate you and get in your head. I�m here to tell you that if you can get off the line against David, you can stick it to them. So quit letting David beat you. Every one of you can get off the ball against him, and I�ll show you how.
�The key is to be patient. Get your left foot up and your right foot back and get into a nice balanced position. Get up here, Roc, and show them what I mean,� Coach Mason said.
He had Roc get into his starting stance.
�The first move we�re going to work on is called the speed rush. We use this for defensive backs that are really aggressive. I think you all experienced that,� he said, and smiled at me. �When he comes straight at you, my counter is to step to the side and use your hands to help him along, and then speed release upfield.�
�Like Cassidy teaches in Tai Chi,� Wolf said.
�Exactly!� I said, becoming excited. �Coach Hope�s daughter teaches us not to take on force directly, but to redirect it.�
�Do it half-speed so everyone can see it,� Coach Mason said.
I came at Roc again, and he sidestepped me, pushed me to the side, and was off to the races.
�Okay, everyone try it one time at three-quarters speed,� Coach Mason ordered us. �David, this is a coaching moment.�
I just grinned and let them all beat me.
�They�ll mix it up when they get beat with that move. Instead of rushing in to make contact, they�ll be patient and use their quick feet to hold their ground. What they want you to do is to commit your move early, and then they�ll react. To beat this, you have to close the gap and go straight at them. Once you�re close enough, use the same move to push the defensive back one way or the other, and then release around them.�
They didn�t get it, but I had been to enough camps that I understood what Coach Mason was trying to explain. I had Wolf line up, and kept my feet moving so I could glide either left or right. Wolf made his move at the line like he had before, and I was able to slip over and get in front of him. I then switched with Wolf. On the snap, I ran right at Wolf, and when we started to come together, I popped his pads and stepped around him. It was fun to see the light bulbs go on for about half of them.
We ran that drill three times before everyone understood what was supposed to happen. Coach Mason also taught them what he called the �double jab move� for the more patient defensive backs. Ty had it mastered after the first try. You stepped in one direction, faked to the other, and then you used the defensive back�s bite on your fake to push him that way and get around him. It resembled a dance step: left, jab right and then left again. Ty had been using similar moves as he danced in the hole while running.
�Okay. Now I want David four yards off the ball. The techniques are the same, but you have to close the gap and then make your move once he�s right in front of you,� Coach Mason said.
Coach Mason had me go back to quarterback and put the whole thing together. He�d taught them how to create separation and get a step on the defensive back. When they started to put moves on our defensive backs and come free, I would feed them the ball. As I watched, they began to remind me of Bill from last year. Now if they could learn to catch as well as he did, we�d be unbeatable.
The difference between what Coach Mason taught us and Coach Diamond�s approach was that Coach Diamond relied on us to run precise routes to get open. Coach Mason wanted us to win the battles to get free. We would need both to beat King, but this gave us one more option to use. Everyone was excited when practice ended.
◊◊◊
After practice, I took Pam to the bank, with Cassidy and Brook riding along. Mom had stopped in earlier and set up an account for Pam. Pam needed to sign the signature card. She�d receive a debit card in a few days. We used the drive-through because the office wasn�t open, and she completed what was needed. We were then off to the dojo.
Coach Mason had arranged to stay at Coach Hope�s house, and the entire coaching staff planned to go over for dinner. It sounded like the perfect evening for a bunch of coaches to tell stories.
Fritz didn�t have anyone to spar with, because both Coaches Hope and Zoon were with Coach Mason.
�I think David�s no longer a danger to you,� Cassidy said. �He needs to spar with someone more his size.�
Fritz was six feet tall and weighed more than I did; he had maybe twenty pounds on me. We pulled out our practice Bo staffs and faced off. I�d run each morning with a much heavier staff than I held now, and my wrists, hands, and forearms were stronger.
Cassidy didn�t let me spar as much recently. She�d figured out that if I got ahold of her, all the fancy moves in the world didn�t matter, because I was much stronger than she was. With the grip I now had, it was almost impossible for her to get away without actually hurting me.
We got into our stances and faced each other.
�Protect yourselves,� Cassidy warned us.
Fritz and I both nodded to her.
�Begin,� Cassidy said.
I snapped the tip of my staff to the center of Fritz�s forehead. It should have been easy for him to either block that move or slide his head to the side. I was apparently quicker and stronger than I realized because I hit Fritz with a solid blow and he went down. His arms did this weird alligator-like flop, and he stiffened up for a moment.
�Shit!� I yelled.
Of course, Shiggy�s beginners class saw the whole thing. I think they�d gotten the wrong impression about martial arts. It was about self-defense and building your confidence, not about what I�d just done, even if it were an accident. Shiggy grabbed a wet towel and put some smelling salts under Fritz�s nose. He came around and shook his head.
�I forgot to duck,� he said.
�No shit,� Shiggy said. �Go get checked out. You can�t come back until you get the all-clear from a doctor.�
�I�m sure I�m fine. I�ve been hit harder while training,� Fritz complained.
�There are insurance issues that come up when something like this happens. Are you okay to drive?�
�Yeah,� Fritz said, and then turned to me. �That�s my fault. I should have been able to stop that. It happens, so don�t worry that you did anything wrong.�
�I should have taken it easy on you.�
�What does that mean?� Fritz asked, with an irritated look on his face.
�You�re getting older, and your reflexes aren�t what they used to be,� I said.
Fritz gave me a hard look and then saw I was teasing him. I would have to be careful the next time we sparred. That is if Cassidy let me.
My assumption proved correct in that Shiggy and Cassidy didn�t let me spar the rest of practice. She had me do my forms with my bare hands, batons, and the Bo staff. Shiggy then had me help him as a crash-test dummy for his beginners class. They were learning to do hip tosses, and he needed someone bigger for them to practice on. I was eager to help because they didn�t have the proper technique, and you might land awkwardly. It helped me practice the correct way to fall without getting hurt, a valuable skill when you played quarterback.
◊◊◊
After practice, we dropped off Cassidy and Brook while Pam and I drove to my house. Lacy was there, helping my mom make dinner. Ms. Dixon joined us shortly after Pam and I got home. Our moms had made a baked chicken breast with avocado and tomato, topped with melted Mexican cheese. For sides, they prepared wild rice and Brussels sprouts with bacon, onion, and green olives. The olives made the dish.
While Pam and I cleaned up, Ms. Dixon updated us on what she�d done today.
�The paperwork has been signed by the other side. I have it with me so we can get what we need signed now, and I�ll file the documents with the Clerk of the Court tomorrow.
�I just want to tell you how lucky you are to live where you do. If this had happened almost anywhere else, I would have expected you would�ve been charged, and this would have dragged out for months. It�s easier for the police and the prosecutor�s office to go ahead and charge you because of their caseloads and resources. It also didn�t hurt that the community knows your character and your family�s connections,� Ms. Dixon said.
Pam looked troubled by what had almost happened to me. I had no doubt that Ms. Dixon had nailed it on the head. Luckily, things hadn�t gone the way Cal had planned. I was sure that Ms. Dixon made those comments for Pam�s benefit. It was important that Pam realize how poorly this might have gone. I felt she needed to get help for her issues, or something worse might happen to her in the future.
�Your dad and I found a CPA to handle your books and those of the two charities. He�ll also take care of the day-to-day bookkeeping duties for you. We talked to Tyler at AT Modeling, and she�ll take over your Internet sales of photos, and the income for the client overrides you receive,� Ms. Dixon continued.
I was glad that was taken care of. I trusted Tyler to look out for me.
�Your mom suggested that we talk to Rita James about what you might need when you go to LA to shoot the movie. Ms. James said you�d need an agent who handles that part of the industry; neither Ford nor AT Modeling has the specialized expertise required. She said you would also need security, a driver, and a personal assistant. Ms. James can take care of security through the company she uses. She said her agent wouldn�t be right for you, but she would get back with some recommendations. We want to get you a PA soon, because of your recruiting.�
�I might have an idea for a short-term solution: I�ve a friend who�s helped me with my social media and websites,� I said. �I think she could help filter the calls, texts, and mail into something manageable for me. For the long run, I want someone I can rely on who has a broader knowledge base. I must have someone who can look at things like my financials and make sense out of them for me. Not that I couldn�t learn to do it, I simply don�t have the time.�
I needed to call Lily and see if she might pick up the slack for now. I didn�t want to rush into hiring a PA because of how much I had come to rely on Kendal. In many ways, it was too bad that my relationship with Tom and Kendal had ended. But I couldn�t see a way that I would entrust my business to them anymore. Best to make a clean break and build a relationship with someone else. I would be much more cautious in the future.
I�d found that my trust in people had been shaken this fall. It started when Mike had messed with Mona and sent me pictures because in his words, I �needed to be taken down a notch.� Then Alan and Tami had hit me in a profoundly personal way.
Then I�d found out what Candy had done to Flee. Even though we joked about her being out of his league, I�d never dreamed that she and her sisters were into that.
Of course, there was Angie, who�d had her first baby for the wrong, and secret, reasons, and then harmed my relationship with Tami, again for her own selfish reasons. And finally, there was Cal and Rigby, Thompson and Associates. Before this, I could not fathom that a father would go to such lengths. I began to realize why people with money protected themselves by investigating anyone that got close to them. I worried that if the movie were a success, I would need to do the same.
What kept me from being too worried were the friends I had and the town I grew up in. I counted on them to treat me like anyone else and let me not have to grow up too fast. Halle had told me stories about living in LA and being the daughter of Rita James. She�d had drivers just to take her to and from school. Her mom had it worse and never went out without some kind of security�even to the grocery store. The press constantly followed her, and it only took one crazed fan to ruin your day.
I knew that I�d need to find a balance. Uncle John was right. The movie would change my life, but I would find ways to be me. I planned to enjoy the experience to the fullest.
◊◊◊
Chapter 2 � Mmmm, Pork Tuesday November 3
I woke to find a prancing boy doing the potty dance. He needed to go now, so I took him down and let him out. My phone began ringing, so I hurried back upstairs, picked it up, and answered it.
�This is David,� I said.
�David, this is Coach Dallas from the University of Iowa football program. I�d like to schedule you for a visit.�
Frick! I�d picked up the recruiting phone by mistake. So long as I had this phone, I�d better change the ringtone to something different so I would never make that mistake again. My boy scratched on the door to let me know he�d finished and wanted back in, so I walked down the stairs as I thought about my answer.
�Honestly, I don�t know when I might arrange it,� I said as I opened the back door.
�We have two more home games on November fourteenth and twenty-first. Would either of those dates work?�
�Shit!� I exclaimed as Precious darted in the back door and ran up my stairs with Duke.
�Sorry, the neighbor�s cat just ran in the back door,� I explained. �If all goes well, I�ll be playing those days in the State Tournament.�
�I understand. Would you and your family have time to sit down with us when you go to Indianapolis?� Coach Dallas asked.
�I guess I don�t see the point. I�m a year and a half away from a decision and need to focus on what I�m there for. Plus, my interest in Iowa has fallen in the past week,� I said to let him know that when they canceled my visit, it hadn�t gone over well.
�That�s one of the things we�d like to talk to you about. Would you have time to talk after the game, or could we come to you on Friday?� he suggested.
This guy wouldn�t take no for an answer. I worried he could talk me into a commitment if he got my family and me alone. One of my life goals was to learn to say �no.�
�I think I�ll pass. Your program made it clear that you didn�t want me to visit with any clouds over my character. I think it says volumes about the type of support I�d receive if I joined you and someone accused me of something,� I said.
�You need to understand where we were coming from. Since then you�ve been cleared of all suspicions. That puts you in a much better light. I think if you gave us a chance, you�d find that Iowa would be an excellent fit for you, both academically and football-wise. Can I pencil you in for after the game on Thursday?� Coach Dallas asked.
I had to smile. I�d heard my mom when she went into sales mode and knew he wouldn�t give up until he had an appointment. At the very least, I admired him for his tenacity.
�No. I�ll wait to see if you can actually deliver the goods and win the Big Ten. If you can do that, and get into the National Championship hunt, it�ll clear up any suspicions I have about your program. I think that�s only fair, don�t you?� I asked.
Two could play at this game. I grinned when Coach Dallas didn�t have a snappy comeback.
�I understand,� he conceded. �We�ll be at the game. Maybe we�ll bump into each other.�
�Maybe. I have to go,� I said, and hung up.
As soon as I hung up, I called Lily. She agreed to take the phone from me. I told her to keep track of her hours because I planned to pay her for her time. I already paid her to help with my social media, but I wanted to be clear I wouldn�t take advantage of her.
◊◊◊
Duke and I couldn�t find Precious, so we left for our run. When we came back, Brit was waiting in my driveway.
�She�s in my apartment,� I said as I began to stretch after my run.
Brit followed Duke inside to find her wayward cat. I just shook my head when she opened the back door, and Precious was right there, acting like I�d trapped her inside. There were a lot of sad meows, and Brit had to love her up. Even Duke gave me a dirty look when our neighbors went home.
◊◊◊
I walked into the kitchen and found a large envelope with my name on it on the counter. I opened it, and inside was an invitation to Devin and Cora�s wedding. They would hold their nuptials on New Year�s Eve. Last year they�d had a huge party for all their key employees from all over the country. It made sense that they would do it at the same time to coincide with the annual event.
I started the coffee for my parents and put on a kettle of water for my tea. I put on another pot to make oatmeal. While everything heated up, I called Sandy Range.
�Good morning,� I chirped.
�Do you have any idea what time it is?� she complained.
�I figured that since you lived on a ranch, you�d already be up.�
�We pay people to do that,� Sandy said, and then sighed. �What do you want?�
Someone was grumpy.
�I wanted to confirm my invitation to Devin�s wedding.�
�There should have been a card and a self-addressed envelope with a stamp on it for you to send your acceptance. Didn�t you get one?� Sandy asked.
�Let me check,� I said and made rustling noises to irritate her. �Yep. Here it is. I think I want the beef. Fish or chicken is usually iffy at events like this.�
I think Sandy growled at me.
�I guess I should just fill this out and send it back,� I suggested helpfully.
�Would you?� she asked sarcastically.
�For you, anything,� I assured her. �What do they want for a gift?�
�Didn�t it also say where they�re registered? All you have to do is go to the website and check off what you want to give them. The store even wraps and delivers it for you.�
�That doesn�t seem right. I would think they�d appreciate something from the heart.�
�I think I�m about to hang up on you,� Sandy threatened.
�So, do you have a date for the wedding?� I asked.
She dropped the phone. I heard her scramble to pick it up.
�Are you asking me?�
�Yes, the question was if you had a date or not.�
�No.�
�Oh.�
�Well, are you going to ask me?�
�Oh, you want me to take you?� I asked.
�Not if I have to beg.�
�Yeah, why not? I think we�d have fun.�
I could almost hear the steam come out of her ears.
�Okay, I�m confused. Did you just ask me to be your date for the wedding, or not?� Sandy asked.
�I guess.�
She finally figured out that I was winding her up.
�There will be certain things you�ll be expected to do if you�re my date. You do know that Cora�s sister will also be there.�
I might have pushed Sandy too far. Who knew what she might come up with? I just hoped what she expected would be fun. Then there was the issue of Pam.
�I obviously didn�t think this through. Am I expected to bring my baby�s mama as my date to something like this? I wondered if I�m somehow going to be related to you through the baby. Wouldn�t you be some kind of cousin or aunt or something? Is it even legal for me to be your date?� I asked.
�It�s too early to talk to you when you�re being goofy. I�ll call you when it�s closer to the big event to explain everything to you,� she suggested.
My mom had made it down and overheard me teasing Sandy. Mom rolled her eyes at me and grabbed herself a cup of coffee. I said goodbye to Sandy and finished making breakfast. I added brown sugar and raisins to the oatmeal. Dad joined us, and we got our day started.
◊◊◊
Today Coach Mason taught the receivers how Bill had beaten me several times last year with a technique called the �swim move.� It was similar to what he�d taught us yesterday, but I felt it was more effective.
�I want your lead foot to step just outside of the defender�s shoulder pads. You should be in a position so you end up on his outside shoulder. Then with your outside forearm, you push his arm towards his body. This will keep his arm down. With your inside arm, you reach over his shoulder as if you�re swimming. Then when your arm comes down, put your elbow in his back. Make sure you clear your hips, and you�ll be past him,� Coach Mason explained.
�Bill used this move to get by me all the time. Here, I�ll show you,� I said.
I did it at half speed so they could see what I would do, and then did it at full speed. The advantage this had was it both held the defender�s arm so he couldn�t grab you, and it pushed him behind you. It also allowed you to get by the defender cleanly. When Bill did it to me, it gave him enough separation that even with my speed, I couldn�t catch up quickly.
Next, we practiced tap dancing to make sure the receivers each got a foot down before going out of bounds. He had the receivers do down-and-outs, and when they got within five yards of the sideline, I would throw the ball. We timed it so the ball would get there just as they approached the sideline. They had to tap their foot down to make sure they were in bounds when they caught the ball.
We spent three-quarters of practice working on those two basic moves. Coach Mason called the number one offense and defense together to practice pass plays. Coach Diamond gave us the play in the huddle, we came to the line of scrimmage, and I took a moment to see what defense they were in.
�Down,� I called, and Coach Mason blew his whistle to stop the play.
�Wolf,� he called out to get his attention, �what defense are they in?�
�Uh, this is our base defense,� Wolf said.
�What are you supposed to do on this play?�
�I�m supposed to do a down-and-up, and David will throw me the ball when I clear the cornerback and before the safety can cover me,� Wolf explained.
�If David�s flushed from the pocket, what are you supposed to do?�
�Uh, go long?� Wolf guessed.
�Is this defense a zone or man-to-man?� Coach Mason asked.
�Zone.�
�Where are the holes in this zone?�
�I�m not sure,� Wolf said.
�Do you know Ed�s responsibilities?�
Wolf looked at Ed in the slot next to him and shook his head.
�I�m not picking on Wolf to be mean to him,� Coach Mason said as he turned his attention to everyone. �We have the coaching software that explains each play, and one of your coaches talks about everyone�s responsibilities. Only two of you have been using it regularly. One is David. Can you guess who the other one is?� Coach Mason asked.
We all looked around, and I smiled when I figured out who it was: Yuri. He was scared that as a sophomore, he�d been put in charge of making the defensive calls. He looked a bit chagrined when Coach Mason confirmed it.
�Coach Douglas has loaded King High School�s offense and defense into your software. Coach Diamond has selected ten offensive plays, and I spent the day explaining what each position should do against their different defenses. I want you to log in tonight and spend at least a half hour learning what your responsibility is for each play.
�King has you on pure talent at almost every position. They�ve been ranked nationally all year long. They�re used to using their physical skill to dominate their opponents. You have two things they don�t. You have heart. David and the coaches have told me how you�ve worked as a unit during the offseason. King hasn�t played anyone with the heart of a champion. We all know that you will not back down from them. They may beat you on a play, but you�ll brush yourself off and come back at them.
�Something else I�ve seen is that you have brains you use for something besides keeping your ears apart. I�ve worked with the skill players, and they�ve all shown the desire to learn and get better. I know you can outthink King because they haven�t had to think on the football field. They react and attack. If I were their coach, I�d be happy with that because of their superior athletic skills. We have to think if we�re going to overcome them.
�I watched your game against Springfield last year. They should have beaten you, but you showed your heart. This year you played Bloomington, and they should have beaten you, but you outthought them. Against King, you�ll have to use both of your assets to win,� Coach Mason said.
◊◊◊
After practice, Brook was waiting for me, seated on the hood of my Jeep.
�I have something fun for us to do,� she said with a big smile.
She wouldn�t tell me what we were doing, but she did give me turn-by-turn directions. It turned out we drove to her house. When we got there, she handed me a duffle bag.
�Go get changed,� she ordered.
I opened the bag and found my leathers. I hoped that meant we�d be on motorcycles, but I remembered what my mom had told me. If I were ever to do something like that again, I had to call her first. I decided, why invite trouble? Best to wait and see what Brook had planned. I came out and found Brook in her leathers. She checked me out.
�Damn, Dawson. You look hot in those.�
�Turn around. I want to see your butt,� I teased.
She gave me a little smile and began to walk away from me. I walked up behind her and put both my palms on her butt. She just stopped and let me massage her magnificent behind.
�You won�t get to play with my new toys if you keep that up.�
I debated what that meant. It made me curious as to what Brook had bought for us to play on, so I reluctantly let her go.
�You are a �stupid boy,� aren�t you?� Brook asked and then darted away from me.
I think she was right.
Brook stepped over to the keypad on the garage and punched in a code to open the garage door. Inside were two four-wheelers. This didn�t appear dangerous, so I decided I�d made the right call by not calling my mom to get permission. She tossed me a helmet.
�Follow me,� she said.
We jumped onto our four-wheelers, and Brook took it easy as we crossed the lawn towards the trails in the woods. When she entered the woods, she opened it up and shot forward, with me right behind her. The only problem was that it had rained Sunday, and Brook�s four-wheeler kicked up mud, so I had to back off. It was evident she had practiced: there were tire tracks on the trails.
We had a blast as we raced around her property. Something that worried me was that we�d chewed up the walking trails. After we�d ridden for almost an hour, Brook darted off the path and rode to the cabins by the lake. I, of course, followed her and stopped next to her.
I looked at her, and she and her four-wheeler were relatively clean. On the other hand, both my machine and I were covered in mud from chasing her through the woods. I jumped off my four-wheeler. Brook squeaked when she saw my condition and made a run for one of the cabins. She�d almost made it when I put my hand on the screen door to hold it closed. I held my arms straight out and had her boxed in. If Brook wanted to get past me, she would have to rub up against my muddy body.
�Don�t you dare,� she warned me.
�I think you sprayed me with mud on purpose,� I said with a menacing look.
�Maybe,� Brook said, and then giggled.
I looked at my reflection and saw a mess. I�d have to figure out how to clean my leathers without damaging them. Her eyes got big when I began to strip them off. When I hopped around to remove my pants, she took the opportunity to run into the cabin. I wore only my boxers as I followed her in.
�Take a shower,� she said and pointed to the bedroom.
I did as directed, came out with just a towel on, and found Brook naked in the bed. Instead of starting our usual wild monkey sex, I slowly walked up to the bed and lost my towel. She watched my half-hard member sway back and forth as I stepped over to her. There was desire in her eyes as she took in my naked form. I was equally pleased with what I saw before me. Brook may have been small in stature, but she wasn�t a delicate little flower. She had an athletic build, and her �B� cup looked just right on her. She had a sexy, raspy voice that turned me on.
My member began to rise under Brook�s hungry stare. When I reached the bed, she rolled over, got on all fours, and met me at the edge of the bed like a sultry feline. She brought her face close to my package and licked it, an invitation that had Mr. Happy�s full attention. He stretched out to full length. I reached down and brushed Brook�s hair back so I could watch as she engulfed the first few inches. My hips gave a little twitch as I forced another inch into her mouth.
Brook looked up at me to make sure she had my full attention. When our eyes locked, she pushed forward and took all but the last inch down her throat. She gagged, jerked off my member and coughed.
�Holy cow, you almost had it,� I encouraged.
Brook grabbed my package and got a determined look. She licked it all over to make sure it was wet and then took me in her mouth again. I quivered in anticipation as I waited to see if she would try again. I didn�t have long to wait as she eased me into her mouth until the head touched the entrance to her throat. Brook then lunged forward and took me all the way until her lips met my pubic bone.
She held me there for a few seconds and then pulled off and gasped for breath. She then, quite literally, did me with her throat. It didn�t take long for me to get close to release.
�GrrrRRR, hffff,� comprised my incoherent two-second warning.
Brook pulled my member out of her mouth, and I shot an impressive jet into her right eye.
�Dammit, David!� she yelled as my knees began to unlock and I shot a blast into her hair, and then another one across her neck.
I just sat down on the floor and looked up as she sat back on the bed. Semen in the eye is not a good thing. It�s a real mood killer, and Brook looked pissed. I had a flash from the movie
�It hurts! What are you laughing at?� she asked.
�Come on. Let�s get your eye cleaned out,� I said, and helped Brook to the bathroom.
When she could see again, I put her in the shower to clean up. Of course, I had to make amends and help her wash her hair and get squeaky clean. She particularly liked the tool I used to clean her tight little kitty.
We got out of the shower, and Brook noticed the time.
�My parents�ll be home soon. We need to get back to the main house.�
I put my boxers back on and grabbed a towel to sit on. I didn�t feel like wearing my muddy gear. We raced up to the house, and I pulled my four-wheeler next to the garage so I could hose it down to get the mud off it. I was standing next to the garage in only my boxers with the hose in my hand when her parents pulled up. Ian and Ava got out of the car, and I acted as if it were perfectly normal for me to be in my boxers while washing their four-wheeler. Brook ruined it by looking guilty.
�Uh, I hate to ask, but why are you in just your underwear?� Ian asked.
�Brook told me that was the right way to clean the four-wheeler. She said that way I wouldn�t get my clothes wet,� I said as if I was that gullible.
�I did not, oh, uh, yeah, that�s what happened,� Brook said.
�I think something fell out of your fly,� Ava said as she pointed at me.
My head snapped down, and I saw she was teasing. I couldn�t help it, I blushed big-time.
�Maybe you should get dressed while Brook accompanies us into the house for a discussion. When you get done, feel free to join us,� Ian said.
I think her mom might be a mind-reader.
�No, you can�t just leave,� she said, as she hooked her arm under Brook�s and led her into the house.
Well, shit! The problem was that my clothes were in the house. I finished hosing the worst of the mud off the four-wheeler and then pushed it into the garage. All I could do was stand tall and walk to the house. I couldn�t leave anyway, because my keys were in my jeans. When I walked in the back door, Ava saw me and her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.
�My clothes are in there,� I said, pointing to the guest bathroom.
I ignored the muffled laugh from her dad as I waltzed through their kitchen to the bathroom. I debated whether I should come out or wait until they turned in for the night, but figured I might as well face it. When I came out, Ava pointed at a seat next to Brook at the kitchen table. I sat next to my coconspirator.
�How long has this been going on?� Ian asked.
I beat Brook to the answer.
�Today was the first day we tried four-wheeling.�
Ian gave me a hard look, and I think Brook had held her breath because she gave a giant sigh of relief when Ava started to laugh. Ian couldn�t keep a straight face any longer. They�d known that Brook was sexually active for a couple of years. I was sure they knew we were. Thankfully, Ian took his lead from his wife.
�It�s not every day we find a half-naked boy in our yard,� Ava said.
�He got muddy,� Brook offered.
�That would explain why his hair�s wet. It doesn�t explain
Brook was terrible at this; she acted as if she�d been caught in the act. I didn�t plan on pulling off any convenience-store robberies with her.
�So, how was your day?� I asked to change the subject.
�Really good, until we came home,� Ian said, to bring us back onto topic.
�I love you,� I blurted out.
Shit, that didn�t work any better than it did on my mom. Even Brook rolled her eyes at me.
�Do we need to have a talk?� Ian asked.
�No!� Brook and I said in unison.
As my punishment, Ava called my mom and told her how she�d found me when she got home. There was a lot of laughing on her end of the call. I got told I had to stay for dinner. I think it was to see how long Brook�s parents could torture us.
On my drive home, I reflected on how different Brook�s parents� reaction was from how Cal had reacted. It might have been a different story if they�d caught us in the act, but they knew what we�d been up to. When I arrived home, Mom just gave me a smirk, and I knew I would hear about it when she had a larger audience.
◊◊◊ Wednesday November 4
We only had a half day of school today. We found the Booster Club had sprung for two charter buses. Coach Hope split up the offense and defense to ride on each bus. On our bus, the cheerleaders were seated in the front, and then our coaches sat between them and us.
I grinned when Cassidy stepped between Wolf and me, and when she found the seat she wanted, she shoved me next to the window. She amused me when she stole my baseball cap, put it on, and then slumped down in her seat. It took Cassidy�s dad all of five seconds to figure out where she was sitting. He made her go sit with the cheerleaders. I admit to being a little pissed when she kept my baseball cap. I�d lost count of how many she�d stolen from me.
My half brother took Cassidy�s seat when it opened up. I had mixed feelings about that. I didn�t really know how to deal with him because of the problems he indirectly caused at home. It really wasn�t that hard to avoid him, with him being a freshman and me a junior. We rarely saw each other at school, and he practiced with the freshmen for football.
�Wassup,� Phil said.
I gave him a sideways look. He really couldn�t pull that off. He actually reminded me a lot of Greg. They both were about five-ten and had similar looks. No one could doubt Phil was a Dawson. All the guys teased that he was a mini-me. Of course, we all said it with our little finger waggling at him. He wasn�t sure if we were complementing him or making fun of him. All he had to do was think about it for like two seconds; what would be your bet if that came from a bunch of teenage boys?
�If you�re going to say that, you need to go a little more gangsta. Wassup with it, bro,� I said and gave him fake gang signs.
�Na, na, na. You gotta do a little head bob when you do it,� Ty said as he came up the aisle. �David, yo too white bread fo� all dat. Wassup wif it!�
�What he said,� Phil said.
Obviously, a bunch of small-town Midwestern boys were not going to pull off gangsta cool. Plus, I was sure �wassup� was a little dated.
�Yo G! That was PHAT!� Yuri said, funny as hell with his Russian accent.
�Why yo trippen�, foo?� Johan said from behind us.
I about fell out of my seat when I heard a Mennonite farm boy throwing out a phrase like that.
�Aw yeah! Back the hell up, G!� Jim said as Yuri tried to sit with Wolf.
�I got yo back, G!� Wolf said to Yuri.
�Shut the hell up!� Moose called back at us. �I�m not listening to you clowns for the whole bus ride. So knock it off!�
I turned back to Phil.
�I�m good,� I said in my most anal white-man voice, which cracked him up.
◊◊◊
�So, I guess you heard,� Phil said after we all got settled and were on the road.
�Oh, yeah. That�s been a hot topic of conversation at the Dawson household.�
�I�m sorry if it caused trouble.�
�It�s not your fault. I�m glad you know who your dad is. I�d just advise you not to throw it in my mom�s face. She�s a little touchy about the timing of everything. How�s your mom doing?� I asked.
�She wasn�t thrilled to hear it somewhat announced on TV. I think she�s fine now,� he said. �I still want to get to know you better.�
It really wasn�t his fault, and he was my half brother. I needed to make more of an effort.
�I�ll tell you what my big brother once told me: if you don�t act like a dork, you can hang out with me in Indianapolis. Let�s give this brother thing a test drive and see if we can get along,� I suggested.
Coach Mason called me to the front of the bus.
�I have to go watch film. Let me ask if Coach Hope can put us in the same room,� I said.
It was all I could do not to laugh because he looked like Duke did when I told him to �find the kitty.� He let me out to the aisle, and I strode up front. I stopped at Coach Hope before going on to sit with Coach Mason. I leaned down so only he would hear.
�Hey, could you let me room with Phil? I promised I�d spend some time with him.�
�That�s probably a good idea. With him in your room, there won�t be anything untoward going on.�
�Untoward� was such a good word. Coach was right because Phil�s mom made it clear he couldn�t hang out with me if we were going to do anything that might be R-rated. There was no way he could handle anything NC-17. I planned to make sure not to get out of hand on this trip. I�d just survived the week from hell and didn�t need a repeat performance so soon after that.
◊◊◊
We pulled up to the Holiday Inn Express across the street from Lucas Oil Stadium. Mom had told me that most of the parents were riding over on buses later today, and they would all be staying in our hotel. King planned to stay at the Marriott several blocks away. All we had to do was walk across the street, and we�d be at the stadium. Lucas Oil Stadium was the home of the Indianapolis Colts. I looked forward to playing in an NFL stadium. The closest I�d come so far was working out on the Houston Texans� practice facility for Elite camp.
Coach Hope gave us thirty minutes to get our rooms settled, and then we needed to get back on the buses to go across the street and practice. That�s right, we couldn�t be trusted to walk across the street. I kept my comments to myself.
Lucas Oil Stadium opened in 2008. It has a retractable roof that can be closed if there�s supposed to be lightning, or if the temperature fell below forty degrees.
The first thing we did was walk out onto the field. We were all impressed that one end zone had been painted orange and blue with �Lincoln High School� and our bulldog logo. The other end zone had been painted purple and white with their school name and a lion logo. I strolled out to the center of the field and slowly turned around to take it all in.
�Impressive, isn�t it?� Coach Mason said as he stood next to me. �In just a few short years, you could play here on Sundays.�
I looked around and wondered how ESPN expected to fill this place. It held almost seventy thousand people. I knew our fans traveled well, but they wouldn�t put a dent in this stadium. Coach Mason saw me lost in thought.
�Go get dressed. I think you�ll find it�s the same size as your field back home.�
�I know, but it just seems bigger.�
�Get used to it,� Coach Mason called out to me as I jogged to the locker rooms.
We got dressed and returned to the field to practice. The ESPN camera crews had shown up and started to film us. I had the advantage of my experience with the ESPNU staff when I was involved in Elite 11. So I wasn�t surprised when one of the cameramen found me and followed me around. They wanted to put a mic on me, and it surprised me when Coach Hope let them. He did warn me that if I embarrassed him, there�d be hell to pay.
Coach Mason had told Coach Hope to have us run sprints to burn off our nervous energy before we practiced. That proved to be smart because my teammates soon forgot about the cameras and where we were. Coach Hope made us run our asses off. When we were all sucking air, he started practice.
�Fourth quarter! Huddle up!�
We weren�t given a chance to catch our breath.
�Hustle, hustle, hustle! On David!� Coach Diamond called out.
We ran to the line of scrimmage, and I began to run our hurry-up offense from the shotgun. On the bus ride over I�d sat down with both Coach Diamond and Coach Mason. They told me what they wanted in practice. My orders were to keep a crazy tempo and not to throw anything long if I threw the ball. If I did throw long, I was supposed to dump it in the dirt or throw it to one of the defenders. They wanted King High School to see that the number-one quarterback in the junior class looked like a paper tiger. Sure enough, King was sitting in the stands, watching us. I did such a good acting job that the guys were getting nervous.
�Huddle up!� I called after throwing Yuri, our linebacker, a pass that bounced off his head.
Hey, I was supposed to mess up, I might as well have some fun. Yuri didn�t appreciate it, though. If it had been Kevin from my first year, he might have stuck the ball up somewhere I didn�t even want to think about.
�Settle down. This is just a show for our friends watching in the stands. Wolf, if you go long, do you think you can drop the ball like you do in games?� I asked.
�Screw you, Dawson.�
�Okay, the next three passes are coming your way. Make me look bad. On two, BREAK!�
Once my teammates were in on it, they did just that. I think I completed like one for thirty, with eight interceptions. You could see King�s players actually laughing at us.
◊◊◊
After practice, we all put on our football jerseys and found the rooms where we were to be interviewed. ESPN wanted us to say our name, what position we played, and what year we were. They�d use that as part of the intro. We were then split up to do one-on-one interviews with the different talent from ESPN. I was surprised to be taken into a Colts� media room where I found Tracy, Coach Hope, my parents, Ms. Dixon, Pam, and Lacy.
Coach Hope and Pam sat on each side of me. When we were seated, Tracy stood up and introduced everyone. This part would be tedious because she had to give out our bios and spell our names for the press.
�Many of you may have followed the difficulties that David Dawson went through last week. If you need to see the official record, you can obtain it on the County Circuit Court website. We also have video for those who want it. At this time, Pam Bell has asked to read a prepared statement. When she is finished, she will not take any questions,� Tracy said, and gave Pam a reassuring look.
Pam stood up and looked at the waiting reporters and camera crews nervously. But then she took a deep breath, looked down at the paper in her hand, and seemed to gather herself. She looked up at the cameras with a forthright expression.
�My name is Pam Bell, I�m a junior at Lincoln High School, and I�m seventeen. I�m speaking to you all as a result of the media circus that occurred over the last week. I asked to talk to you on my own initiative. With my mother�s consent, I�d like to try to clear the air, to get the facts public, and to dispel a lot of gossip and innuendo. And as well to express the fervent hope that you will all go away and leave us alone, now that this is all over.
�As I said, I�m a junior at Lincoln High. I�m a good friend and a classmate of David Dawson. We�re in many of the same classes together, and we also hang out together a lot.
�We have been sexual with each other in the past, and may be that way in the future, but we�re not boyfriend and girlfriend. The two of us are just good friends, with benefits. Every single time I have been involved sexually with David has been entirely voluntary on both of our parts. David has never forced me or pushed me to make love, and he has never, ever been abusive or violent with me in any way.
�As a result of this, and because we were not as careful as we should have been, I am now pregnant. David is the only one who could be the father of my baby. He has readily acknowledged this and has volunteered to help with medical expenses and to help raise the baby. Due to the strong family structure he has, we�ve agreed his family will be the baby�s primary caregivers. Regardless of what�s decided, we have both agreed we are too young to marry, and we may not ever be married to each other. No matter what, though, I plan to be thoroughly involved in raising our baby, and David is fine with that.
�Now, due to an unfortunate set of events shortly after I learned I was pregnant, there have been allegations that David raped or coerced me. There have also been accusations that he has otherwise been abusive or uncaring about the baby or me. I will tell you now that those allegations have absolutely no basis in fact and are utterly false. All those allegations have done is invite a media circus and the attempted intervention of various women�s rights groups. Those, in turn, have caused a great deal of pain for David and for me. Each of us separately, and both of us together, really would like to lay this matter to rest so that we can get on with our lives.
�I�m very appreciative of, and in general support, the work the various women�s rights groups do. For all women, girls, mothers, and families. I just want to say that their efforts are entirely unnecessary here.
�David�s work as a model and actor, and his ability to play quarterback at an elite level, automatically create a degree of interest from the media. I can understand that. Nevertheless, now that what has happened has been explained to you as plainly and clearly as I possibly can, I would also hope that you will respect our privacy. That applies to David and me, and our families�both existing and yet to be,� she said as she rubbed her tummy and smiled, to scattered laughter. �We ask that you move on from this story that, really, is over.
�Thank you very much for your time,� Pam said.
She stunned me when she bent to give me a quick kiss on the cheek and left.
Coach Hope made sure there were no questions about what she had said and got the interview focused on football. I had a newfound respect for Pam after she made her statement. I would later learn that she�d come up with the idea of making a statement on her own. She had first approached her mom and then my mom with the idea. Everyone involved in the dispute had read and signed off on the speech she had read. Ms. Dixon was very good at covering my butt, but Pam had insisted that she needed to get it on the record and do the right thing by me. Later on, Pam told me that that moment became a talisman for her. All she had to do was to remember the moment she�d faced all those reporters with her head held high. She could then hold her head up in the face of just about anything.
I�d been in touch with Frank Ingram, my PR agent, and he had sent me some talking points in case this was brought up. I knew that it would never really go away, but Pam�s statement seemed to satisfy the sports reporters, including even ESPN.
◊◊◊
For dinner, Coach gave us the option to either go out with our parents, or there would be a team outing. He said something about all he could afford was the BK Lounge, code for Burger King. I decided that I wanted something better than that, and this would give me a chance to show my appreciation to a few people.
I made a point to invite Ms. Dixon, Coach Mason, and Jim. Of course, I told Phil he could go. Jim took it upon himself to ask the offensive line to join us. Tracy stopped by to see what I was doing while I was on the phone, talking to my mom. Phil told her, and she said she�d tell all the cheerleaders. This had gotten out of hand. Of course, one of the offensive linemen told the starting skill players.
When we all met downstairs, we had almost seventy people when you included parents. I�d gotten a recommendation for a sports-bar type of place called High Velocity. It was only a few blocks from where we were. I realized this was what I needed a PA for. Kendal would have organized this whole event. We were fortunate it was a Wednesday night, or the folks at High Velocity would have had a line out the door. My dad took charge and organized it so we took over a section of the restaurant.
Mom and Dad ordered appetizers for our section of the restaurant while I walked around and talked to everyone and their parents. I was surprised when Phil joined me. When we were between tables, he asked me why I did this.
�My dad, well, I should say
�Oh, shit,� I said under my breath.
�What�s wrong?� Phil asked.
�I�ll tell you later.�
Seated at several tables that had been pulled together were all the ladies in my life and their parents. While the girls knew I dated others, I wasn�t sure if the parents were aware. Added to the mix were Tracy, Tom and Mary Dole, and Cassidy.
�I hope you�re all on your best behavior because you�re all in the presence of a star,� I said.
�Oh, my. What�s he done now to make his ego even bigger?� Ava Davis, Brook�s mom, asked.
I just winked at her and then turned to Rita James, who gave me a hard look.
�Who�s this you have tagging along?� Rita asked, to stop me from embarrassing her.
I made a decision that I hoped my family would be okay with.
�This is Phil Prince, my half brother.�
�How did that happen?� Mrs. Pearson asked.
�I think if you do the math, and think about how babies are made, it might come to you,� I suggested.
�Oh. OH! Sorry, that was impolite of me,� she said.
�Actually, we just found out, and I couldn�t be happier to have a little brother. I might have to train him to let him out in public, but he hasn�t embarrassed me yet today.�
�Just give him some time, and he�ll do just that,� Zoe said, and then blushed when she realized she was sitting next to her dad. �But they can be such a blessing.�
�We�re talking about Rockefeller?� Phil asked, and Zoe nodded.
Phil made a funny, snorting noise that made us all laugh. Poor Roc wasn�t here to defend himself.
�Do you know something I should know?� Mrs. Pearson asked Phil.
He got a worried expression on his face.
�You opened your big mouth. You might want to tell them something about your friend,� I encouraged.
Phil turned out to be not as gullible as I�d been at his age.
�I�m not telling any stories. You should tell me one about your family,� Phil said.
I thought about it for a moment.
�I can tell you one later,� I said.
�Oh no, you don�t. Pull up a chair and tell us your story,� Cassidy ordered.
My eyebrows raised up, and Phil and I found chairs.
�Okay, I have three stories: Dead Hog in the Road, Rampaging Deer, or Road Trip. Which do you want to hear?� I asked.
�Dead Hog in the Road,� Phil said.
Everyone seemed fine with his choice, so I began to tell my story.
�My cousins live in Florida. When I was eleven, we made a road trip to go visit them. Dad had this bright idea to borrow my uncle�s pop-up camper so we could save money. As a kid, that was great because I love camping. My mom, on the other hand, was less than thrilled to be stuck in a car with two boys, and then trapped in a tiny camper. Her words; and if you don�t believe me, go ask her about the horrors of having two boys that age. She can go on for hours,� I said as I rolled my eyes.
�I can only imagine,� Mrs. Pearson said.
The more I was around her, the more I liked her.
�Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah, the dead hog. On the second day of our trip, my dad got the idea that it would be more scenic to drive along the old state roads instead of the interstate. Personally, I think he was delaying our arrival. I love my Uncle Jim, but I think he loves himself more. That was another reason for the camper: my dad needed a place to get away from my uncle�s house. Greg and I would play with our cousins, so we didn�t have to deal with him as much.�
�You�re getting off track again,� Cassidy said.
�Oh, sorry. Anyway, we got off the interstate and drove through south Georgia. Greg and Mom were in the back, sleeping, so Dad put me in charge of navigating. A sign on the roadside promised the best pecan pie in the state. It was almost lunchtime, so I figured that sounded good,� I said.
�When he said pecan pie and lunch, he meant that was what he planned to have for lunch,� Tracy said.
I smiled and nodded.
�Stop right there. We don�t need to hear about pecan pies for the next half hour,� Cassidy warned.
�We can talk about the virtues of a good pecan pie later. Did you ever try one with an oatmeal crust?� I asked.
�David,� Cassidy said.
�They need to know that, if they want to make me a pie, I�d prefer pecan,� I said, and then returned to the story. �So, I directed my dad to turn off onto a country road that led to the small town with the diner where they had my favorite pie.�
I wanted to be sure that they knew what kind of pie I liked.
�We were driving on one of those old two-lane roads that was paved on one half and dirt road on the other. You had to pay attention when you drove on the paved side, which was what we rode on into town. When we saw a tractor up ahead, we slowed down to give him time to move over so we could pass.
�My dad questioned me about the route I�d put us on, and I told him that this would be worth it. We sped back up and could see there was something in the middle of the road. When we got closer, we saw that it was a dead hog. There were already vultures hopping around on the roadside, so you knew it had been deceased for a while. Even though it was December, it was in the mid-seventies.
�Dad began to slow down, but I told him that the car would clear it, so he straddled the dead hog and drove on. When we hit the edge of town, we found an old gas station, and Dad pulled in to fill up. We were both surprised to see a sign that said �Full Service.� They had the old-style pumps, and they didn�t take a credit card at them. It was nice to see some places still had customer service.
�Mom and Greg both woke up when we stopped. Greg said he had to use the restroom, and Mom wanted to know where we were. I told her about the pie I planned to have for lunch. She didn�t think much of my plan but was starting to get hungry. Then she crinkled up her nose and asked what that smell was.
�Dad and I turned back to try to figure out what she was talking about. At that moment, the gas station attendant walked out. He looked to be fresh out of high school. He asked my dad to pop the hood so he could check the fluids while he filled the gas tank. The guy then walked back and put the nozzle into the car. He bent over to look at something, and then he barfed on the trunk. You might not know this about me, but I�m a sympathetic puker. All I have to do is see someone gag, and I�m right there with them. It looked like he had the full serving of biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Dad saw me, reached across the car, opened my door, and shoved me out as I began to gag. I think he must have broken some child-abuse law; I found myself lying on the pavement.
�My mom is no-nonsense and got out of the car to see what might be wrong with the poor boy. He was backing up and pointing towards the camper. I�ll never forget the expression on my mom�s face as she covered her mouth in horror and ran for the gas station. I, of course, had to see what all the fuss was about.
�Have you ever wished you could unsee something? Well, I wish I�d never seen that. It seems that the post you crank down to raise the camper off the hitch hung lower than the car. The post had
�Greg came out, eating a doughnut. The so-and-so had used his Christmas money and hadn�t thought to share. Mom and Dad had rules about things like that. If you got something, you got enough for everyone. I realize it was wrong, but I pointed around the side of the car. Greg strolled over and looked at me with a confused expression, but I pointed again. He was curious and looked. I�ve prayed for forgiveness, but I�m not sure God believes I�m really sorry about what I did. Greg dropped his offending jelly doughnut on the ground and ran for the bathroom, but only made it a couple of steps before he threw up.
�Mom and I refused to get back into the car until Dad took it to the carwash and cleaned up the mess. My poor dad is always the one that gets a task like that. Frankly, I�m surprised he didn�t just leave us there. Years later, Uncle John still complains about finding hog hair lodged in crevices of the camper,� I finished and found blank stares looking back at me.
On cue, a server brought the tables three plates of nachos with all the fixings. I took one look at the messy appetizer, and an evil grin crept onto my face.
�Mmmm, pork,� I said.
Some people have no sense of humor.
◊◊◊
Everyone had a great time. High Velocity was perfect for a bunch of football players. They had sixty-five big-screen TVs showing sports. The food was good bar food. My mom and Phil�s mom even seemed to hit it off somewhat. I�d been worried when I had Phil tag along. They say you can�t pick your family, and it looked like Mom and Vickie were going to make an effort to work it out. I noticed my dad stayed far away from the two of them, clearly smarter than I usually gave him credit for.
When the bill finally came, I was relieved to see that I hadn�t been stuck with the entire tab. Most of the parents had taken care of themselves. It still totaled almost a grand, but I really did want to thank my teammates and the other people who�d helped me out over time. It was also good to know that the three plates of nachos hadn�t gone to waste. Phil had taken them and handed them out to our teammates.
When we got back, Coach Mason took me to his room, and we went over my reads. With him here, it was easier for him to explain what I was looking at. Anytime you had someone with his knowledge willing to teach you, you took advantage of it. When we approached midnight, we decided to call it a night.
When I returned to my room, Phil was still awake.
�I told Coach Hope where you were at curfew. Are you having sex with all the cheerleaders?� Phil asked.
�You do know that�s not something you should ask,� I warned.
He just shook his head.
�I can�t believe you�d rather spend time with Coach Mason than the girls that stopped by. I�d give just about anything to have sex.�
�Are you a virgin?� I asked.
I remembered when Cindy had asked me that very question. Phil blushed almost as much as I had. I wasn�t sure whether Lincoln High was ready for another boy from the Dawson clan to be set loose on the females. Between Greg and me, we had bedded more than our share. As I thought about it, I decided I wasn�t ready to take him under my wing, like Greg had me.
He still hadn�t answered me, so I just let it drop and got ready for bed. We had a big day tomorrow, and I needed to get my sleep.
◊◊◊
Chapter 3 � Was it Something I Said? Thursday November 5
I got up to do my morning run. I didn�t want to end up in a bad neighborhood, so I asked the girl at the front desk what direction I should go. She told me that if I ran towards where we�d gone to dinner last night, there was a state park called White River. Even though the Holiday Inn Express offered a complimentary breakfast, what they had available didn�t interest me, so she suggested a diner I could go to.
I began my run, and it took me by the football stadium. It was different from running at home. Everything was paved over, and a slight smell of exhaust fumes hung in the air. When she�d said �state park,� I�d expected something more like a forest. What I found reminded me of our park at home, except this one had large metal art scattered throughout it. There was also a zoo and outdoor stage for concerts.
I wasn�t alone in the park; there were other people out running. They looked like they were all older, and most seemed to be professionals. I had to laugh when this one guy was running with his shirt off. This must be a place to pick up girls because when I circled around to head back, he was chatting up a woman as I ran by. I took a closer look, and he obviously spent a lot of time working out. I still didn�t consider it a good idea to run this time of year without a shirt on. It was a little too cold for that.
As I ran, I started to notice that many of the women would make eye contact and smile at me. I was feeling adventurous, so I waited until I came across a cute brunette who appeared younger than most, and when she smiled, I stopped. She stepped in front of me and gave me a brazen inspection from head to groin to toe.
�I was going to go get breakfast. Care to join me?� I asked.
�You seem a little young,� she said.
�I�ll ask someone else,� I said and started to step around her. She moved to the side to block my way.
�I like a confident man. I guess I�ll let you buy me breakfast,� she said. She grabbed my hand, and we began to jog.
My �date� cracked me up when she checked out my butt as we ran to the diner. I�d been under the impression that only guys were that aggressive. Maybe I might like older women. I also realized that this was a better way to meet the type of woman who interested me than going to a bar. A woman who ran would be athletic and have a nice butt. I could get behind a firm bottom.
When we arrived at the diner, we sat down at a booth that overlooked the park. The server handed us menus and left us to get to know each other. I was interested in how this worked. After all, a little research might be useful in case I ever needed some company in a strange town.
�So, what do you do?� I asked.
�I just moved here from Dayton and started at Eli Lilly as a programmer. How about yourself?�
�I do some modeling.�
�Sorry, I need to change my answer. I�m a brain surgeon. Next, you�ll tell me you�re only in town for a few days, and we owe it to ourselves to spend some quality time together.�
�Does that usually work? Because I
�So you�re cheap as well. You won�t even spring for breakfast.�
�Hypothetically, if I were to pick you up jogging and treat you to breakfast, what would it take to spend some quality time with you?� I asked.
�Hypothetically, you�d need to come up with a better line than you�re a model. Maybe if you said you were a stock trader or insurance salesman, something normal. When you hit a girl with the whole model shtick, she�s going to get her guard up.�
�But what if I really were a model?� I asked.
�Then you wouldn�t be hitting on someone like me.�
�What if I told you I was a quarterback? Would that be any better?�
My date gave me an exasperated sigh. At least she hadn�t gotten up and run away.
�So, by now you know I�m a player just looking for a good time. If I were honest and said I was looking for a hookup, would that be any better?� I asked.
�Are you sure you�re interested in the type of girl who�d respond to that?� she asked.
�If it were just a hookup, and no one got hurt, I might. It would have to be discreet, though. I wouldn�t want the wife and kids to find out.�
�That�s probably a good idea. I�m sure my boyfriend would be a little upset too.�
�You don�t have a boyfriend,� I said with confidence.
�Just like you don�t have a wife and kids,� the woman said.
The server came and took our order. I flirted with her shamelessly while we ate, and she gave me pointers on pickup lines. We both knew this wasn�t going any further and didn�t even share our names or contact information. I did tell her to watch ESPN tonight, and she would see me play quarterback. I wondered if she would.
◊◊◊
When I returned to the hotel, Phil said that Coach Mason had requested that I meet him in one of the coaches� rooms at the football field. I was the last one to arrive and found Jim, Wolf, Ty, Yuri, Roc, Johan, and Tim with Coach. I didn�t expect Coach Mason to want this group all together, because Tim was injured, and Yuri played defense. Coach Mason saw my confusion.
�We have some time this morning, and I wanted to talk to all of you about your future. I�ve been involved in high-level coaching for many years. It�s true that if you have talent, the NFL will find you. The problem is that it�s much harder to get there if you don�t get the right situation in college. Moreover, it will affect your earning power both in and out of football if you don�t come out of the right set of circumstances. While I don�t want to make you think that you all have a shot at playing on Sundays, college football can open doors for you outside of the game.
�The reason you�re all here is I�ve watched tape of you playing, and you all have the skills to play college ball. I want to help you clarify what you should be looking for in a football program.
�Let�s talk about a couple of programs that make me wonder, and I would suggest you stay away from. The two I want you to consider are Rutgers and Georgia. I�ve gotten the reports from scouting sites like 247Sports and Scouts on state-by-state recruit density. That means the number of 3-, 4- and 5-star recruits you can expect a state to produce each year. If you take that number and divide it by the number of FBS schools in the state, you can easily see why some teams are successful, and others aren�t.�
�What�s FBS?� Yuri asked.
�The NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision, or FBS, formerly known as Division 1-A, is the top level of college football. The FBS is the more competitive subdivision of NCAA Division 1, which itself consists of the largest and most competitive schools. There are 10 conferences and 128 schools in the FBS,� Coach Mason said, and confirmed Yuri understood before he moved on.
�If you have balanced recruiting classes, you need to have 20 to 25 players join your program each year. Looking state by state, numbers one and two are New Jersey at 44 quality recruits per year and Georgia at 38 per school. Since it�s the only FBS school in that state, if Rutgers could lock down the talent in New Jersey, they should compete for the Big Ten title every year. But they don�t. Georgia baffles me. They�re in the SEC and have the fan base and facilities to compete for national championships. All I can say is they must not have the coaching to pull it off.�
I didn�t comment on what I thought about Georgia.
�Then, at the other end of the spectrum is Wyoming. That state produces a quality recruit only about once every two years. Yet they seem to consistently have solid teams.
�What I wanted to point out is there are natural recruiting bases for certain schools that should make them competitive year in and year out,� Coach Mason explained.
�I thought that states like California, Texas, and Florida had the most talent,� Jim said.
�They do, but they also have more FBS schools in each state. California and Florida each have seven FBS schools, and Texas has twelve. Even with all the in-state competition, they still could fill their rosters with homegrown talent,� Coach Mason said.
�Coach, while all this is great, not all recruits are created equal. I can see why you�re explaining this, but we have a game to play. Maybe you could get to the point,� I said with a smile.
I�ve worked with Coach Mason over the last two years to some extent, and he was great with details. The man had so many facts stored in his head that he could talk for hours. He stared at me for a moment, and at first, I thought I�d pissed him off, but then he realized what he�d been doing.
�Fair enough. Let�s start with Roc and Yuri. You�re both underclassmen who have the potential to develop into good-enough players to be recruited. Talk to David about how he prepared. You both need to go to football camps this summer. You�ll both learn, but also the right people will see you.
�Tim, you need to focus on rehab and only rehab. I don�t want to hear anyone tell me about you going out for baseball or anything like that. You need to get that knee back to even better than it was before the injury. You also need to put on at least twenty pounds of muscle,� Coach Mason said.
�Yes, sir. I talked to my parents about this, and they agree with you. My focus will be on my knee and nothing else. I�ve spoken with the head trainer at State, and he�ll help me with rehab and workout plans.�
I didn�t know that, but it made sense. Our State University made an effort to help area high school athletes.
�Johan, you just need to put on about fifty pounds of muscle and start to contact colleges. You can�t wait for them to come to you. Is this your first year of football?� Coach Mason asked.
�Yes, I was homeschooled before this year.�
�If you want, I can make some calls on your behalf.�
I don�t believe Johan had thought about going to college. He suddenly appeared more intense and nodded. Coach Mason turned to Jim.
�Do you have an offer from Alabama?�
�Yes, sir, I do,� Jim said.
�Call them today and accept. Alabama has the best offensive line in college football. They�ll redshirt you your first year to help you get there physically. While you�re big enough for high school, you�ll need to add muscle to withstand the punishment of playing college ball.�
Jim nodded. I think he needed someone to tell him what to do because he�d been back and forth as to where to go. If Jim accepted Alabama�s offer, that would be the first crack in my grand scheme to get everyone to go to the same school. For that to happen, we would all need to go to USC. In the end, it would need to be what was best for each guy. I expected Coach Mason would sit down with Jim and talk to him and his parents. He then turned to Ty.
�At every level, there�s a place for a running back who can catch the ball. You�re also a hard runner who can run between the tackles. I would focus on improving your receiving skills and speed. A fast running back who can catch the ball will normally be defended by a linebacker. You can be a difference-maker. From what I�ve seen, it�s just a matter of time for word to start to get out before recruiters will be knocking down your door. I would suggest that you be careful about where you play your college ball. You need to be in an offense that throws the ball to their backs. We can sit down and look at some possible places for you,� Coach Mason offered.
�Wolf, there are two colleges that really value a tight end: Stanford and Michigan. Of those two, you�ll get more exposure at Michigan. That�s because the media is biased toward teams located closer to the East Coast. Then there�s the academic challenge of getting into Stanford. If your main objective is education, you need to consider that.�
�I�d actually like to go to school with David,� Wolf said.
�Well, before you do that, let�s talk about David,� Coach Mason said, and then looked at me. �I�m on the fence as to whether David should play football or not. He might be better off if he played baseball.�
That rocked me back in my chair because it was the last thing I ever expected him to say. Coach Mason had told me on more than one occasion that I had the talent to not only make it to the NFL but to excel. He wasn�t the only one who thought that, if you considered my performance at Elite 11 and how I rated as the number-1 quarterback in the junior class.
I had grown up playing baseball, and if I were honest, it was my first love. People had recognized me for my football skills, though. And I had worked hard to get the right coaching and trained almost constantly to be the best football player I could be. Would I be crazy to play baseball? Did I have the talent to make it to the highest levels?
�David, if I had a son, I�d be hard-pressed to encourage him to play football. It�s a violent sport, and the chances of injury are significant. What I worry about for you is concussion. You�ve already had one this season. What I�ve seen in the NFL is that it�s much more common than anyone wants to admit. Once you�ve had one, it�s more likely that you�ll have more.
�I�ve seen the long-term effects of brain injuries from playing football. Too many players have had it cause long-term problems, and too many have had their lives shortened because of it,� Coach Mason said and then sighed.
�Okay, so much for the scary part. Let me tell you the benefits. Being the best-of-the-best at quarterback can give you a nice payday. The top quarterbacks make in the $20 to $25 million range. Average is around four million per year. The average NFL career is a little over three years, six years if you make the roster your rookie year.
�Let�s compare that to major league baseball. If you last your first three years on a major league roster, you can expect six more years or a total of nine. The average salary is just under four-and-a-half million per year. Top salaries are in the thirty-five million range.
�I think there�s a good case to be made for you to consider baseball. Longer career, higher average salary, much higher top-end salary, and the probability of injury is much lower. I�m not going to try to talk you out of playing football, because I believe you could be special. I just want you to slow down and consider your options. Heck, you might want to be a movie star,� Coach Mason said.
◊◊◊
After we talked to Coach Mason, we were sent to watch game film of King High School. It was a good thing we hadn�t done this on Monday. We watched them demolish their opponents on both sides of the ball. Our toughest opponent the last two years had been Springfield, and I would put money on King beating them by four touchdowns. We would need our best game to even have a shot.
When we came out of the film session, someone shoved a camera into my face, and I saw Margaret Chin, the sideline reporter I�d met at the Northwestern game.
�David, I�d like to ask you a few questions,� she started in.
�Can we do this somewhere other than in the middle of the hall?� I asked.
She leaned in close so only I could hear.
�I have a story I don�t want to get out, so I don�t want to take you to the media rooms. Could we use one of the coaches� rooms?� she asked.
I nodded and led her to the room where we�d met with Coach Mason to talk about our recruiting. When we were done, I had a little smile on my face.
◊◊◊
Coach Hope allowed us to go off and spend time with our families for a couple of hours. The ones that didn�t have families with them decided to go to the zoo. Coaches Mason, Hope, Zoon, Alan, and Moose had all gotten together to watch game film of King High School. While that sounded like fun, I needed to get away from football for a couple of hours.
I suggested that we go to the Canal Walk that looped through downtown Indianapolis. I�d seen where you could go for a gondola ride or rent paddle boats. You could also rent bicycles and pedal cars, which looked like golf carts. Half our group decided on water transport, and the other half picked the pedal cars. Tracy told me I was to be part of the second group. I agreed because I could see the potential for getting wet with the first group and felt it a little too cold for that type of fun.
We rented a four-person rig. I ended up in the back with Pam, and my mom and Lacy sat in front. There were pedals in the front and back for everyone, but somehow it seemed I was the one who did all the pedaling. Dad joined Tom, Mary, and Tracy in another rig. We enjoyed a leisurely ride along the three-mile trek through downtown Indianapolis.
While our moms talked, Pam decided that she needed to catch up and make up for not talking to me for a couple of weeks. I leaned back in my seat and pedaled as her monologue washed over me. I found she�d taken hold of my hand. Holding her hand felt right. I gazed at my California surfer girl and imagined what our child would look like. He would be a gorgeous little boy if he shared our looks. I smiled at Pam, and she looked nervous.
�What?� she asked.
�I still like you,� I said.
She had always seemed to ask me that, and I wanted her to know that we�d be okay. She turned away and suddenly became quiet. I squeezed her hand.
�Look at me,� I said, and she turned to face me. A small teardrop trickled down her cheek.
I leaned towards her, she leaned into me, and we kissed. It wasn�t a kiss of passion but rather a kiss of love and friendship. If we were to have a baby together, we needed to put what had happened behind us. While I still wasn�t ready for a girlfriend, I was ready for Pam and me to be good friends. I guess that as we kissed, I quit pedaling because we�d stopped and both our moms had turned around to watch us. They both smiled, and I could see that they also had tears in their eyes.
Great! That�s all I needed, a bunch of crying women on my hands. Pam laid her head on my shoulder.
�I always knew you liked me.�
◊◊◊
When we returned to the hotel, it was time to go to the stadium. The Booster Club had arranged a buffet so we could eat before the game. I put on my headphones and started to listen to my rock music that psyched me up to play. They had a variety of food, so I could try to keep it healthy. There were salad, pasta, and fajita bars where you could make your own concoction. I made a big salad, then went to the fajita bar and added chicken and beef to top it.
I found an empty table. My teammates knew my pregame ritual and left me alone. I was happily eating my dinner when someone sat down next to me. I turned and was surprised to see Jeff Delahey, my favorite reporter. Turning off my music, I pulled my earbuds out.
�How did you get back here?� I asked.
�I have my ways. Care to give me some pregame quotes?� he asked.
�Sure,� I said, and he pulled out his phone to record me.
�Tonight is a big game between two of the best teams in the nation. Since you�re not rated nationally like King is, do you even have a chance tonight?� Jeff asked.
�That�s why they have us play the game. If you asked the people that know these things, they�d tell you that King should handle us easily. They haven�t been challenged by any opponent so far this year. I think I saw where they�ve outscored their competition by an average of four scores each game. They have so much talent that we�ll have to play perfectly to give them a game.�
I gave him the �aw shucks we�re lucky to be here� routine, and he even let me mention God. When we finally finished, he gave me a smirk.
�Just between us, how badly are you going to beat them?� he asked.
I noticed he hadn�t put his phone away, so this was on the record. He and I had this fun little game we played, and I usually guessed pretty close. I just shook my head.
�Just between us,� I said, and raised my eyebrows. �Honestly, this will be the closest I�ll probably get to play against college-level competition until I actually get there. We�re in for the fight of our lives, and I plan to raise the level of my game. I�m confident my teammates have my back. Our coaches have done a tremendous job to get us ready, and I have faith in what we can accomplish together. I predict that we�ll win, but it�ll be a close one.�
Jeff put his phone away.
�Okay, now we really are off the record. How big will you win?�
�We�ll win by at least two scores. It�ll be tight early, and we may even get down, but in the end, our conditioning will carry us through. King hasn�t played anyone who simply will not give up. My biggest fear is that someone might get hurt.�
◊◊◊
We had an 8:15 ET kickoff. ESPN planned to use this game to highlight their sister station ESPNU and had them featured during the pregame telecast. I�d set the broadcast to record, and when I got to watch it, it was a little embarrassing when they talked about me. They set this up as the �David and Goliath� game. Yes, they portrayed me as David. If you watched what they said about our two teams, they compared our game to the college rivalry of Navy vs. Notre Dame. The Midshipmen had beaten the Fighting Irish once in the last 50 years, so it was possible. The last time had been in 2007 when Navy had broken a 43-year losing streak to win in triple overtime. Navy�s previous win came in 1963, with future Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Roger Staubach at the helm.
Fortunately, we hadn�t seen any of this, or we might have just gotten back on the buses and gone home. We came out for warm-ups, and I marveled that we would actually play on a field used by an NFL team. ESPN had been smart in that they put the fans for each team on the same side of the stadium. They�d split them at the 50 yard line. While we had traveled well, I would guess we had about seventy-five hundred fans; King must have had twice as many. It helped highlight the narrative ESPN had portrayed.
What King didn�t have was our damned cowbells. For once I was glad we had them because with them we made more noise than King�s fans did.
Shortly after we took the field to begin to stretch, King came out. My back was to them as I led my team in warm-ups.
I heard a familiar voice behind me.
�You�re going down, Dawson!� Todd Davis, their five-star linebacker, yelled.
I turned around.
�Sorry, Todd, but I can�t put small objects in my mouth, or I�ll choke!� I yelled back.
Oh, boy, that pissed him off. Even his own teammates laughed, probably because they�d seen him in the shower.
�Screw you!�
�No, thanks, I don�t want to get the clap!�
Okay, that was a cheap shot, but that did it. Luckily the King High coaches had seen what was about to happen, and two of them grabbed him before he could get to me. I bounced around like Tigger, from Winnie-the-Pooh, and motioned for him to join me on our side of the field. At that point, Coach Zoon grabbed my facemask and marched me back to where our team had started to run pregame drills.
�Did you forget you have a mic on?� he hissed.
I just grinned at him. I suspect Coach Hope had told him that he couldn�t actually hurt me or I might have been in trouble. While I threw passes, Wolf came over.
�Do you have a death wish?� he asked.
�Remember freshman year and how mad Kevin would get?�
Wolf just shook his head. Kevin had been a senior and played middle linebacker when we were freshmen. He hated offensive players with a passion, and I had taunted him in practice one day so I could win a bet. I�d done it to get him mad and make him lose focus. I would�ve won the wager, but I reminded Kevin that if he calmed down, he had the first team defense playing against our scout team. Once he did, I lost the bet. My goal was to get Todd so mad he lost focus. Of course, I didn�t plan to tell him he had the better team if he calmed down and just played.
�The only problem is, I think he�s bigger and faster than Kevin ever was,� Wolf reminded me.
He had a point. If he hit anything like Kevin did, I might have just made a mistake.
We went into the locker room and waited to be called out for the game. I had my earbuds back in when I felt my nervous stomach get the better of me. I ran to the toilet and lost my supper. When I came out, I saw a sea of grins. Everyone knew that meant I was ready. Coach Hope called us to gather �round, so I put my phone in my locker and took a knee.
�Most of you may not know that I�m a spiritual guy. I�m not trying to tell you what to believe or how to believe, but I wanted to share something with you. I open the good book daily to get inspiration. Sometimes that page will give me great insight. Today I opened it to a page that I think you need to hear about. This page, in the book of Samuel, tells the story of David, the son of Jesse. When Saul, the King of the Israelites, was on his deathbed, the Lord appointed the prophet Samuel to choose who would succeed Saul. David had seven brothers. Everyone expected one of Jesse�s sons to take power, with David the least likely of them. David was the youngest, the smallest, the weakest of the eight, but Samuel chose David to be the next king.
�You may wonder why I�m telling you about that. I�ll tell you why. He was the least likely candidate. There are a lot of people out there who think you�re the least likely team to be successful tonight. Samuel chose David because David had something his brothers didn�t. What he had was the heart of a lion. Okay, they�re bigger! They�re faster! They�re stronger! A bunch of their guys are going to Division 1 schools. We can see that, and so can everyone else out there. But nobody can see what�s in each and every one of your hearts! King High School is not going to know what hit them! We have to put our hearts on the line and believe that we will win. Show them what it means to tangle with the Lincoln Bulldogs! Show them the pride that we have, and show them that even if they may be bigger, faster, and stronger, they don�t have our heart! Now go get �em!� Coach Hope boomed.
We ran out of the locker room and down the tunnel. ESPN had someone with a headset that held up his hands. I think he wanted to time our entrance onto the field, but there was no stopping us. We ran past him, and our fans erupted and began to ring their cowbells. We got into a big mosh pit and began to chant �Our House.� Our fans joined in, and you could hear us even on TV. I�d never seen our team as fired up as we were in that moment. Coach Hope was right. King couldn�t match our heart.
We walked out for the coin toss. Jim and Yuri were my co-captains for this game, and the three of us met eight King players in the middle of the field. I grinned when I saw Todd. He walked up, and our noses almost touched.
�Okay, I won�t tolerate any funny stuff,� the referee said as he pushed between us.
�Hey, Todd,� I said and paused so everyone would hear me. �Your village called, and they want you back by midnight.�
�Did he just call him an idiot?� Yuri asked.
That was when a fight almost broke out.
�You�re a fag, Dawson!� Todd screamed.
�You wish I were!� I shot back.
�The two of you, back to your sidelines!� the referee ordered.
I grinned as I bounced over to our sideline, pointing at Todd the whole time. Coach Mason grabbed me when I got close to the sideline and pulled me over to the bench.
�I hope you know what you�re doing because that is one big boy,� Coach Mason said with a huge smile on his face.
I just smiled back. My team needed to see me in full Alpha Male mode. I needed to assert dominance over Todd. Right now, we circled each other to see who was the best. I knew this wasn�t over by a long shot. Before this game ended, one of us might not walk off the field under our own power.
We won the coin flip and deferred to the second half. Our kicker, Derek Hofmann, boomed the opening kickoff deep into their end zone. Their game films showed they always ran the ball out. Our players knew this and flew down the field. This was our chance to pin them back to start the game. We had the advantage of practicing with one of the best open-field runners I�d ever seen in Ty. When their return man made a fancy spin move, our team didn�t bite and crushed him on the 9 yard line.
Coach Zoon sent out Wolf and Johan to play defensive tackle. This was almost certainly the first time they may not have been bigger than their counterpart offensive linemen. King lined up in the �I� formation. We had watched how they would use that big offensive line and run the football down the defense�s throat on the first couple of series. So far, no one had been able to stop them.
On the snap, both Wolf and Johan exploded off the ball and stood up King�s offensive linemen. If you can get an offensive lineman to stand straight up, he doesn�t have leverage enough to block you. If you keep your head up, you can see where the ball is going, shed your block, and make the tackle. When Johan saw the ball would come toward him, he tossed the offensive guard to the side as if he were a rag doll. I could see the tailback do one of those stutter-steps where you could read his mind as he made it. He�d just thought, �Oh, shit!�
Johan put him down hard. On the next play, King did a little better, and Yuri tackled their tailback for a short gain, making it now third and ten. Coach Zoon unleashed Yuri and Jake at linebacker to stop an obvious pass play. Their quarterback made the right read and threw the ball out of bounds.
King�s punter stood on the goal line. When we lined up, we had Johan line up across from the center with Wolf and Jim on either side of him. Yuri and Jake slipped in between the three of them. Their center must have been nervous because he snapped the ball over the head of the punter and out of the back of the end zone. We were up 2�0.
King had never been behind in a game the entire season. Now we all would see how they would react. On the ensuing free kick, we returned it to our 35 yard line. Coach Diamond wanted me to get a hit in to calm me down, so he called an option.
I lined us up in the shotgun, with Ty next to Jake and me and Ed a step back and outside the tackles.
�Down!� I called out, and Ed came in motion.
I watched as their outside linebacker tightened up where Ed had just come from and looked like he planned to blitz. Todd, at middle linebacker, eased over in the direction Ed was moving, as did the other outside linebacker. I hoped Coach Mason caught that.
�Set. Hut, HUT!�
I slapped the ball into Ty�s gut but saw their defensive tackle had stood Brock up, so I pulled it out. Ty blasted into the defender, and the combined effort of Ty and Brock took him down. Usually, I�d go to my next read at defensive end as I worked my way down the line, but I saw their outside linebacker come crashing across. Instead, I followed Ty and slipped past their pile. That�s where Todd caught me. I instantly regretted riling him up. He blasted me so hard that I was surprised to still have the ball when I hit the ground. My friend and ex-teammate Kevin Goode had been the only other player to hit me this hard. If we hadn�t hit shoulder pad to shoulder pad, one of us would have been hurt. The sound of our pads popping cut through the crowd noise.
Somehow, I popped right up, tossed the ball to the line judge, and made it back to my side of the ball. I think my body was in shock, and I had one of those �Holy Cow� moments where you try to play it off. I huddled up to cover up that I might be hurt. My left shoulder was numb from the hit. Thank goodness it wasn�t my throwing arm.
�Are you all right?� Jim asked.
�Heck if I know. He hit me like a ton of bricks,� I said and dropped down to one knee as if I were about to call the play.
What I really did was try to get it back together. I looked over, and Coach Diamond had called the same play.
�Option right on two. Ty, you�re getting the ball,� I warned him.
He gave me a tight-lipped look and nodded. On the snap, I handed the ball off to Ty. He gained four yards to make it third and three. Todd hit Ty every bit as hard as he did me. Evidently, Ty was smarter than I was because he took himself out of the game to regroup. I shuddered when they sent Phil in to take Ty�s place. Todd would kill him.
Coach Diamond called the jet sweep where Ed would come in motion, and I would hand him the ball. He would be at full speed when he got the football. King played it well, and Ed only gained a yard, so we had to punt.
The first quarter ended with us trading possessions. I had yet to throw the ball. I found in the option that since I knew how hard Todd could hit, I tended to hang onto the ball to protect my teammates. A little grin showed on my face more than once when I hit Todd as hard as he hit me, and I�d see him stagger. Coach Mason was about to go insane that Coach Diamond would allow me to trade blows with Todd. I�m sure he knew as well as I did that one or both of us could end our football careers today.
We had just gotten the ball with only four minutes left in the second quarter when Coach Diamond gave the order to go into the hurry-up. I would make the calls at the line of scrimmage. Now, for the first time, I could throw the ball. On the snap, Wolf made a swim move on his cornerback who�d played him tight. As soon as Wolf came free, the ball was there, and he caught it. It was one of those bang-bang plays that if you didn�t practice it until it became second nature, you�d never complete it.
Wolf picked up eleven yards for our biggest gain so far this game. When we ran up to the line of scrimmage, I could see the hunger in the King players� eyes. They had been waiting for this. They�d seen us practice this yesterday, and we looked terrible.
On the snap, they sent Todd up the middle. I had Ty slip through the line and dumped him the ball where Todd had been. I let Todd push me to the ground, which drew a flag for a late hit. Ty had picked up eight yards, but we took the penalty instead. Todd was livid that he hadn�t gotten to me in time. He just knew I would fall apart if they could get me out of my comfort zone. They didn�t know that one of the reasons for my rating as the best quarterback in the country was that I loved to freelance.
While they sorted out the penalty, ESPN switched to Margaret Chin.
�Yesterday during practice, Lincoln ran the hurry-up offense you�re seeing them run now. They looked dreadful, and when I interviewed the coaches and players from King High School, they had seen the practice. This is what linebacker Todd Davis had to say,� she said, and then let the tape run.
Todd had a smirk on his face.
�Everyone talks about how David Dawson is the best quarterback. I saw him when I made my visit to Notre Dame. He has a world of talent and deserves all the accolades he�s received, but we�ll beat him. We found his Achilles heel. If you let him sit back in the pocket and get comfortable, he�ll kill you. What we saw today was if he has to hurry, he�s a different player,� Todd said.
While Todd talked in a small window in the corner, they showed me running for my life as Todd chased me. I hit Ed with a pass as he found his spot in the zone for when I scrambled. He picked up a nice gain. When the play was done, the interview continued on full screen.
�I sat down and talked to David Dawson about this,� Margaret Chin said.
�We had a little fun at King�s expense. Coach Hope told me to tank my performance yesterday. We hoped that King would think that was the worst part of my game, and blitz when we went to the hurry-up,� I said.
Up in the little corner of the screen, it showed King had sent Todd and one of their outside linebackers after me. I was scrambling around, leading them on a merry chase. This time King had covered all our receivers, so I stepped up and ran the ball. I don�t think Todd expected that I could outrun him. I would have scored if I hadn�t tried to get fancy and hurdle their safety as he attempted to take my legs out. It slowed me down enough for Todd to pull me down from behind after a nineteen-yard gain.
�I think that King has underestimated David Dawson,� Margaret Chin said. �Here�s what Coach Mark Trent had to say about David when he�d been named co-MVP at the Elite 11 camp.�
�What makes David so dangerous is he thinks on his feet, and the more chaos there is around him, the more dangerous he is.�
ESPN then switched back to the game.
We had just over a minute to go for the half and the ball at King�s 27 yard line. I had plenty of time to score. I sent Ty and Ed to Roc�s side of the ball and had them stack up behind Jake. That left Wolf as the lone receiver on my right. In this formation, we usually ran the wide-receiver screen and used Ed and Jake to block for Ty.
On the snap, Todd took a step back as if to go into coverage, but I didn�t buy it. The outside linebacker on the side where I planned to throw to Ty had darted across the line. If I threw the ball, there was a good chance he would intercept it. I hesitated, usually a bad idea. I turned around to see the cornerback who had covered Wolf almost on me. The jerk lowered his helmet, and I could see he planned to injure my knees. My training with Cassidy saved me as I switched the ball to my left hand and used my right to do a palm strike to the cornerback�s ear-hole. As I did that, I pivoted to get out of the way and protect my legs.
As I turned, I found Todd almost right on top of me, and he reached to slap the ball out of my left hand to cause a fumble. The cornerback�s momentum carried him into Todd�s legs. Todd�s knee struck the cornerback�s other ear-hole, and the cornerback�s forward progress rolled up Todd�s knee. There was a loud impact, and I cringed as Todd screamed in pain. I looked behind me, and the outside linebacker who had come across the line of scrimmage had me in his sights. I decided to use the pile of bodies next to me and jumped over them. Their other linebacker tried to do the same, but came up short and stepped on one of Todd�s calves. The linebacker who chased me twisted his foot, there was an audible pop, and then their outside linebacker screamed out in pain. Wolf was one-on-one with a safety, so I threw him the ball in the end zone. I threw it high so he could use his superior reach to pull it in for the score.
I waved frantically to the King sideline. This was what I�d feared might happen. They stopped the game to check on the three injured players. The cornerback was out cold, and I became worried when they brought out a backboard and a cart for him. I could see that both linebackers were in considerable pain. I stepped over to Todd and took his hand.
�You�re going to be okay,� I told him.
�I�m scared,� he admitted. �I might lose my scholarship.�
�You want me to talk to Alabama for you?� I asked.
�You�d do that for me?� he asked.
�Look, I�m a close friend with one of their coaches. I can�t promise anything, but I can make a call.�
�You suck,� he said as he gritted his teeth.
�And you swallow,� I shot back.
Yeah, we acted like we were twelve, but we were guys. I smiled when he flipped me off as they finally carted him off the field.
◊◊◊
When I made it back to the locker room, my phone rang. Usually, I would ignore it, but the caller ID said �Bo Harrington.�
�Hey,� I said.
�Take that damned mic off,� he ordered me.
Shit! I had just talked to Todd on national TV. I hung up, found one of the ESPN crew, and had them take it off me. I was sure Bo wasn�t mad, but I didn�t need to be seen making deals with Alabama. Heck, I wanted Jim to be able to get the scholarship he wanted.
We were up 9�0. There was no way that would be enough points. King High School averaged nearly forty-five points per game. They would come back with a vengeance in the second half. That is unless we could keep them off-balance. I expect Coach Hope felt the same way because he told Coach Diamond to let me loose in the second half.
We received the ball to start the second half. We had no delusions; a school King�s size had enough good players that the loss of three of them on defense didn�t hurt them as much as it would have us. Their backups would start on most teams.
We started on our 20 yard line after Ty downed it in the end zone. Coach Diamond called a pass play to start the half, which of course made me happy. On the snap, Roc beat his corner and used his long legs to gain separation from his defender. Coach Mason always said that the long ball was a killer. Roc caught his pass in stride and was too fast for the safety to come over and help. We were up 16�0.
We traded punts for most of the third quarter when King came alive. Yuri slipped on a sure tackle, and that provided the break their running back needed. He was off to the races, and we never caught him. That made the score 16�8 as they completed a two-point conversion.
On the next series, they finally sacked me. It was one of those where I got blindsided. If it hadn�t been for my training at the dojo on how to fall, I would have been hurt. I did fumble the ball which set up King for a short drive for another score and two-point conversion to tie the game up at 16�all.
As the fourth quarter started, Coach Diamond explained how they had set me up for the sack. He showed me they were also working on setting me up to throw an interception. We had the ball and decided to run it some to slow down their rush. We had a misdirection play that we�d used with some success in the past. I would start in the shotgun, and all the pass patterns and line blocking would look like the play intended to go right. I would take a few steps in that direction and act like I would throw to Wolf on the outside.
Jake would circle behind me as he ran the other direction. He would flash me a hand sign if the backside rush seemed about to get me. If they were, I would toss the ball to Jake. If not, I would pivot, and we would do a two-man option. This time he signaled I had a problem. I tossed him the ball and fell down to minimize the hit. Jake ran around the left end. King had drifted to the right, which gave him an opening for a nine-yard gain.
The next play we counted on the same type of rush, but up the middle from Todd�s replacement. This time we ran a trap play. Bryan pulled from his guard position and caught the middle linebacker unaware. Bryan put his shoulder pad into the defender�s armpit and planted him into the turf. Ty was into the safeties before anyone touched him.
Coach Diamond used King�s aggression against them as we marched down the field. Finally, I hit Ty on a little flare out of the backfield to score from the 6 yard line. We were now up 23�16.
We held King to a three-and-out. Their punter kicked a tremendous punt and pinned us back at our own 3 yard line. This put us in a dangerous position because if they could get a tackle behind the line of scrimmage, we could give up a safety or worse. Coach Diamond called for a goal-line formation with me under center and both Ed and Jake behind me with Ty in the Power-I. We even pulled in Wolf as an extra blocker. We planned to try to punch out a yard or two so we would have more room to work.
King brought in an extra lineman and bunched up to stop us. On the snap, I stuck my hand into Ty�s gut and watched as he was buried under a giant pile in the center of the field. King didn�t realize that the ball was actually in my right hand and rested on my butt. Roc acted like he would try to block his cornerback and fell down, to my dismay. In my head, I screamed for him to get up. It took all my acting abilities not to take off. I trusted that Roc would get his act together and get off the ground.
At that moment, their defensive end saw the ball. Having no choice, I began to run for my life as King figured out the ruse. As I ran, I looked downfield and saw Roc flying down the field. I remembered my training. The key to throwing on the run was your footwork. I slowed down and threw the ball as far as I could while focusing on my technique. Thankfully, the King defender didn�t blast me after I�d released the ball.
Roc was past the 50 yard line with both the safety and corner on each side of him. He reached for the ball, and the safety grabbed for his near arm to prevent the catch. Roc snagged the ball out of the air with his free hand and pulled it in. Roc tucked the ball and fought off the tackle from the cornerback. The safety tangled up with his teammate, and Roc stumbled too. I began to jump up and down and ran down the field as Roc gathered himself and ran in for the score. We were now up 30�16.
King ended up being the one that crumbled under the pressure. I threw two more long passes for scores to Roc to make the final 44�16. Roc had scored 4 touchdowns and had 13 receptions for 408 yards. That wasn�t bad for a freshman receiver, and he and I were named co-MVPs of the game. I really wished they had just given it to him because he deserved it. Yuri also earned recognition; he had performed great. He had fifteen tackles, three for a loss.
The three of us joined Coach Hope for an interview on the field with Margaret Chin. Both Yuri and Roc looked scared to death, so I hogged the interview. I suspect Margaret saw how frightened they were and let me answer for them.
�What do you think about your resounding defeat of King High School? Do you believe you should be rated in the top 25?�
�I think we got lucky and King underestimated us. I want to point out these two. They�re both underclassmen, and you saw what they�re capable of. I believe we can expect that Lincoln High will be a power in the years to come if we have freshmen and sophomores that can play like this. If they keep this up, we might even find them girlfriends,� I teased.
They both looked like they might die on the spot. I gave Margaret a deadpan look.
�Was it something I said?� I asked.
They both lunged for me, and I danced away, laughing, leaving Margaret stuck with Coach Hope as Roc grabbed me to slow me down and Yuri brought me down. The next thing I knew, I was under a pile of my teammates. Thankfully, Wolf and Jim saved me, and we all ran to the stands to thank our fans. This was almost better than winning State.
◊◊◊
After I showered and dressed, they had arranged an after-game press conference. There must not have been much going on as far as other local sporting events because the room was packed. They had the usual questions about what it felt like to win and be a top-rated player. I spotted Jeff Delahey and winked at him as I did my humble All-American boy routine. Then things took a turn.
�Bill Kelly, with Sports Illustrated. Can you tell us what�s your relationship with Alabama?�
�I attended a football camp there this summer, and they made me an offer. Bo Harrington was my personal quarterback coach until Alabama hired him to coach their quarterbacks,� I said.
Jeff had taught me it was better to get out in front of something and be honest because the cover-up was what sunk you.
�So Alabama hired your personal coach?� Bill asked.
The self-satisfied expression on his face told me this guy was a jerk. I needed to take control, or this would get out of hand.
�Of course they did. Do you even know who Bo Harrington is?� I asked.
�No. Should I?�
My turn to get a self-satisfied expression on my face.
�Have you heard of �� I started and then listed several college and professional quarterbacks. �Something they all have in common is that they were having some problems and Coach Harrington was called in to help them. He�s the guy you call if you want to get better. He helped me become Co-MVP at Elite 11.
�Believe me, Coach Harrington got the job at Alabama on his merit and not because of any relationship we had. In fact, I had no idea he�d been offered the job until he told me he�d been hired. So, can I pick up the phone and call him? Of course I can. Does what I have to say hold any sway over what Alabama does with other recruits? Probably not, but Coach Harrington will give me a listen and then investigate it for himself. The only �special� access I have is that we�re friends,� I said.
�Kyle Moore with the Indianapolis Star. You and Todd Davis seemed to go after each other both verbally and on the field. Are you always that competitive?�
�First, I want to apologize if I said anything to offend anyone during the game. ESPN put a microphone on me, and I simply forgot it was there. Guys trash-talk each other to get into their heads. I�m usually a target for such talk. Personally, I think most of it�s just stupid, so I decided to think of the most juvenile things I could come back with. My favorite one was the village idiot comment, but I�m afraid that may have gone over Todd�s head,� I said. I received the appropriate mild chuckles for my bad joke.
�But it seemed you two went at it on the field as well. I noted three times in the first half when you didn�t pitch the ball and seemed to go directly at him. Was there something going on?� Kyle asked.
�Can I tell you something and you not tell Todd about it?� I asked.
Kyle snorted, which got everyone else to laugh.
�On our first offensive play, Todd blasted me so hard I wasn�t sure if I was hurt or not. Then I handed off to Ty, and he had to leave the game after Todd hit him. I worried that Todd might kill some of us. So I decided that if he were to be involved in the tackle, I better be the one he tackled,� I admitted.
�You actually thought it would be better to let him tackle you than your teammates?�
�I�m pretty tough,� I said with a big smile.
�Chill, or I�ll have my daughter kick your ass,� Coach Hope said.
I meekly sat back.
�Yes, sir,� I said.
That resulted in a room of confused looks.
�See what I have to put up with?� Coach Hope said in an exasperated voice. �To think, he�s scared of a little girl.�
I just nodded and acted like I was looking for her. Sometimes my acting classes came in handy.
◊◊◊
After the press conference, the team loaded onto buses, and we drove to a pizza place. The Booster Club had arranged everything, and we had pizza waiting for us when we arrived there. The pizza place also had a huge arcade room, and the Booster Club gave us all tokens.
I was kicking some Donkey Kong ass when I felt arms go around my waist. I looked to identify the culprit and promptly died. Cassidy.
�I hear you�re scared of me,� she said.
I might act stupid, but I really wasn�t.
�Of course I am,� I said as I reached around her and squeezed her butt.
�My dad�s in the other room,� she warned me.
In response, I leaned down and kissed her. I guess I became lost in the moment because it startled me when I heard Coach Hope.
�Dawson!�
�She made me,� I said as I released her.
�Cassidy, did he force his affections on you?� he asked with a stern look on his face.
�Of course not, Daddy.�
He gave me a hard look.
�You can hurt him if you want,� he said.
I took a step back and bumped into Donkey Kong. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out all my tokens and gave them to Cassidy. She smiled at me and left to play pinball.
�You�ll never hurt her, will you?� Coach Hope asked when we were alone.
�No, sir. I�ll never hurt her, and I promise not to do anything you wouldn�t approve of. I�d hate to lose her friendship or your respect.�
Since I now had no tokens and didn�t feel like buying any more, I went back for more pizza. Mary Dole, Tracy�s mom, saw me and motioned me to come sit with her.
�Have you talked to Tom since the weekend?� she asked.
�No. I thought everyone needed some time.�
�I think he might leave the firm. He wasn�t happy when he found out what Roy and Don had done.�
�I really can�t say anything about that,� I said.
She gave me a sad look, and then her lips tightened.
�I hope this doesn�t hurt your friendship with Tracy. Both you and Pam are her best friends.�
�We�ll be fine,� I assured her.
I yawned. The clock had just passed midnight, and I needed my sleep. I found my dad, and he and Mom took me back to the hotel so I could go to bed.
◊◊◊
Chapter 4 � I Can Do This All Day Thursday November 5
There was a knock on my door, so I grabbed a robe and peered out the spy-hole. I frowned when I saw Jan Duke, my middle school girlfriend for all of two minutes. I wondered what she would want. To be honest, I almost didn�t answer the door.
I opened the door a crack, and she pushed in and looked around. As she passed me, I caught the scent of marijuana in her hair. If you�ve ever smoked it, you can recognize the smell easily. This was the last thing I needed tonight. I must have looked annoyed.
�No need to get your panties in a twist.�
�What do you want, Jan?� I asked.
�I thought you and I could have some fun,� she said as she came to me and tried to open my robe.
�Don�t,� I warned her.
�Come on, David. You know you want me. You�ve wanted me since we were in middle school,� she goaded, grabbing my robe and trying to open it.
�Jan,� I warned again.
�I�ll prove it. No guy can resist me,� she said as she began to undress.
When we were in middle school, Jan had been everything I thought I wanted in a girl. She was the prettiest girl in my class, the head cheerleader, and probably the most popular girl in school. When Jan had told me she was my girlfriend, I�d been dumb enough to believe her. I found out that she had just used me to make Justin jealous, and when he took her back, she wouldn�t even talk to me. I admit, a part of me still wanted her. He began to swell when Jan was down to her bra and panties. But then I came to my senses.
�Jan, please. Just stop. You and I are not happening,� I said.
�Why not?� she asked as she closed the gap between us.
I moved to grab her shoulders to hold her off, but she reached between us and grabbed my package. I closed my eyes and tried to push that middle-school crush out of my mind. Unfortunately, Jan turned out to be even better looking than I ever imagined. I debated whether to just do her and be done with it, or not. In a lot of ways, she reminded me of the infatuation I used to have with Lisa Felton. Once I�d had her, I found it was better than I�d imagined. I wondered if the same would be true with Jan.
Then I began to remember why I stayed away from her. Jan had become the class bike for the football team. No way would I be able to handle that. On top of that, there was the drug use. Like me, she�d been reasonably straitlaced until the eighth grade. None of us used before that, and she had been the one to introduce me to drugs and alcohol. What scared me was that Jan didn�t seem to have any limits to her behavior. She would be bad for me on so many levels.
I felt her begin to stroke my length, and then she dropped to her knees. I watched as she had a little smile on her face and looked me in the eyes. Jan began to move her face to my groin, and I reacted by bringing my hand up to her forehead to stop her. That was when I heard the electronic key activate, and the door swung open. Phil froze in the doorway as he took in the scene before him. To all the world, it looked like Jan had been blowing me.
Instead of leaving, Phil got a smile on his face, stepped into the room, and began to get undressed.
�What do you think you�re doing?� I asked.
�I�ve heard the stories. Your brother hooked you up with his girlfriend. I�d hoped it would have been one of your regulars, but she�ll do just fine,� Phil said.
It took every ounce of my willpower not to kill my half brother. I turned on him and looked him in the eyes, and he seemed to realize that he may have made a mistake. The expression on my face caused Jan to release Mr. Happy and run into the bathroom.
�Get dressed,� I ordered Phil.
I grabbed my cell phone and called my dad.
�I need you in my room right now,� I said, and hung up.
Phil looked worried as he put his clothes back on, and I gestured to have him sit on the edge of the bed. Jan poked her head out of the bathroom door, and I pointed at her. She scurried back into the bathroom, and I heard the door lock.
�David,� Phil tentatively began.
�I would shut the hell up if I were you.�
�But ��
�Shut it!�
I heard a knock at the door and opened it. Dad looked at me and cocked his head.
�You might want to close your robe,� Dad ventured.
I looked down and closed it.
�You need to have a talk with Phil. He interrupted me with a young woman and assumed he could simply join in. He mentioned that he wished it had been one of my �regular girls,� but Jan would do just fine,� I said.
Phil about had a mini-stroke because he had no idea that my parents and I had such frank discussions with each other.
�Who�s Jan?� Dad asked.
�She�s one of the cheerleaders. I dated her for like two minutes in middle school.�
�And you and she �?� Dad asked.
He was aware of what had happened and how I was.
�No. I was in bed when Jan knocked. I was about to send her away when Phil walked in on us.�
�But she was giving you head,� Phil blurted out.
�No, I wasn�t,� Jan said through the bathroom door.
Obviously, she was listening.
�What do you want me to do with Phil?� Dad asked.
�I don�t know. He�s your son. If you leave him with me, say goodbye to him, because he�ll disappear.�
Dad must have been pretty sure I wouldn�t actually kill him, but not a hundred percent. I expect he wanted Phil to see I was seriously pissed-off.
�Pack your things. You�re coming with me,� Dad said to Phil.
�But you�re not my dad,� Phil complained.
He couldn�t possibly have chosen anything worse to say, after what my dad had been through with my mom over this very topic. While my mom�s temper ranged all over the map, my dad had always been the calming voice in our family. Dad was the one to rein in my mom and, I hate to admit, me. But if you pissed him off, all bets were off. Phil was lucky I was there. My dad�s body began to coil up like an overtightened metal spring, and I reached out and used one of Shiggy�s pressure points to break Dad�s concentration.
�Dad, no!� I said.
The combination of the sudden pain and my voice caused him to turn to me instead of Phil. Phil realized he�d screwed up. I worried I would have to deal with him because I wasn�t sure he and Dad should be left alone. Then Dad showed me why he was my dad. He called Vickie, Phil�s mom. I don�t recall ever seeing a teenage boy crumble so quickly. It was clear from his reaction that when his mom found out, he was done.
I figured I�d better put on some clothes, so I grabbed my sweats and a sweatshirt.
�Dad, can you take him somewhere else? I have my own issues to deal with,� I said, tilting my head towards the bathroom door.
He nodded his understanding. There came a knock on my door. Dad answered it, and Vickie and Carl, Phil�s stepdad, were at the door.
�Get your things and come on,� Dad ordered.
Phil wouldn�t even look at me as his parents led out of the room. I didn�t blame him. I would�ve felt the same way if Greg had ratted me out like that. My dad would explain to him that he didn�t want to be around me when I lost my temper. Dad would also tell Phil that after I calmed down, I would probably not kill him. That didn�t mean that he and I wouldn�t have some words about making assumptions. If Greg had pulled that same thing, I would have probably just punched him and been done with it. He knew better. My problem with Phil was I didn�t think he understood.
After the door shut, Jan stuck her head out of the bathroom door to see if the coast was clear.
�Come on out and sit down,� I said, patting the bed next to me.
Jan tentatively came over and sat down next to me. I reached under her chin and made her look at me. She bit her bottom lip.
�Why didn�t you invite your brother to have sex with me?� she asked.
That was a strange question, so strange that I didn�t know how to answer her. It took me a moment to catch up. Jan hadn�t stopped when I told her to because she was used to using her body to get what she wanted. Apparently, she believed she could use sex to get whatever she wanted, and it would follow that I would share her with my brother.
I wasn�t necessarily opposed to casual sex; I�d proven that more than once. But something was wrong here.
�Did you want to have sex with Phil?� I asked.
�If you wanted me to, I would have.�
�That�s not what I asked. If you saw Phil in the lobby, would you ask him back to your room?�
�No, but that doesn�t answer my question. Why didn�t you share me?�
�I would never share you with anyone. If you�re with me, you�re only with me.�
I will never understand women. Jan began to cry and latched onto me. I couldn�t figure out what I�d said to make her break down like that. My first reaction was to kick her out into the hall, but Tami told me never to go with my first reaction. My second thought was to call Tracy, the craziest person I knew, and a girl. She�d know what to do.
When Tracy came to my room, she looked at Jan and saw the desperate expression on my face.
�Here,� she said, handing me her room key. �I�ll deal with this. Pam could use some of your company. You have my room for the night.�
It took me less than a second to figure out I would rather spend time with Pam than deal with this mess. I gave Tracy a big kiss and then ran out into the hall. When I got to Pam and Tracy�s room, I smiled to see the door was open, stepped in, and found the place empty. I did what Duke would do when I told him to �find the kitty�: I checked all over the bedroom and bathroom, and Pam was nowhere to be found. Then the door opened. Pam had a bucket of ice and two Mountain Dews. She obviously could read my mind.
She opened the sodas, filled glasses with ice, and poured me a drink.
�Is Jan crazy?� I asked.
�You need to stay away from her.�
�Oh, really? And who should I hang out with?� I asked.
Pam giggled.
�Tracy said she wasn�t coming back,� I said.
Pam smiled at me.
�You do still like me,� she said.
�Oh, yes. I still like you,� I growled, and pulled her in for a kiss.
This time I realized what I�d said. I missed my surfer girl and now baby mama. Suddenly, I had a brilliant revelation: she was already pregnant, so we had no need for a condom. I forgot my fatigue, and it didn�t take long before Pam and I made the beast with two backs. We both seemed to need the physical release.
◊◊◊ Friday November 6
Someone lied to me. I woke up to find Tracy cuddled up behind me while I held Pam close. I rolled over, and Tracy smiled as I pinned her under me.
�Morning,� Tracy said.
Pam absently reached for me, but couldn�t find me.
�Where�d you go?� she asked in a sleep-hazed voice.
Pam raised her head to look around and saw me on top of Tracy.
�Slut. You trying to steal my man?� Pam teased her best friend.
�I think he can handle both of us,� Tracy said, and then squealed when I pushed her t-shirt up and motorboated between her breasts.
Pam slapped my butt and got out of bed.
�She�s been whining about how horny she is. Help her out,� Pam said as she left to take her shower.
�I don�t have any condoms with me,� I told Tracy.
I had no idea Tracy was so powerful. She shoved me off her and grabbed her overnight bag to find a condom. Seems someone was a little Girl Scout and prepared, or was that the Boy Scouts? Tracy opened the foil packet and put the condom on me. I just grinned at her.
�You lazy little shit. You want me to do all the work?� she complained.
I knew that Tracy liked to be on top, so I didn�t take her protest seriously. She straddled my hips. I�d expected her to straddle my face, but she must have been wet because she just sat down on me and soon our pubic bones ground against each other. I reached up and pulled Tracy�s t-shirt over her head so I could watch her pendulous breasts sway as she rode me.
Tracy, being an evil bitch, could tell when I would get close and would freeze and just grin at me. She seemed to be in the mood for a marathon session. Pam came out of the bathroom, wearing only a towel. I reached out my hand.
�Come here,� I told her.
�Didn�t you get enough of me last night?� Pam asked.
�Never. I want to taste you.�
She smiled and dropped her towel. I had her face Tracy as she dropped her smooth mound over my mouth. The only downside was I could no longer see my hot ex-girlfriend�s breasts. I guess I would have to suffer and look at Pam�s exquisite bottom. I hoped that when she had my baby, that didn�t ruin it.
Tracy came hard, and I was close. I reached for her hips so I could hold her in place and do her hard, but she slapped my hands away and rolled off me. Pam yelped when I picked her up and lowered her onto my needy member. She took advantage of Tracy tapping out and began to ride me.
�Come here,� I said to Tracy.
She crawled over to me, and we began to kiss. Tracy always knew how to kiss me; I used to joke that she erased my mind when she did it. When Tracy Dole gave you a serious kiss, your whole world focused on just the two of you. Her kiss allowed me to hold out long enough for Pam to reach her orgasm, but once Pam began her release, I couldn�t hold back any longer.
I looked at the clock and saw I needed to get going. We were supposed to get treatment for any injuries before we rode the bus back home. Instead of going back to my room, I took the elevator downstairs and walked across the street to the stadium. My two favorite trainers, Jill and Becky, were just setting up.
�Strip,� Jill ordered.
So I did that, to the delight of them both. Then Becky crinkled her nose.
�Go take a shower. I can�t believe you sometimes,� she said, and I left to get cleaned up.
I came back out with only a towel around my waist and found Coach Hope talking to the trainers.
�We were just going to recheck him,� Becky said.
I had a bruise on my left shoulder where Todd had hit me on the first play. She began to poke and prod all my other scrapes and contusions and declared nothing serious was injured. While they checked me, several of the other players started to show up. While everyone else was getting checked out, I took full advantage of one of the whirlpool tubs, soaked, and let the jets work their magic on me. I felt almost human when I walked back to the hotel.
◊◊◊
I packed and got ready to check out. While I packed, I turned on the TV for background noise. I watched as Stephen Curry nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with slightly over a minute remaining in the game. The Golden State Warriors downed the Los Angeles Clippers 112�108 to improve to 5�0. Then they showed their Top Ten plays segment. I was in the bathroom packing my shaving kit when I heard mention of King High School. I hurried out to watch.
�
They showed us lined up on our own 3 yard line and our fake play. I watched myself take off running when King figured out I still had the ball.
I cringed when I saw myself run around in my end zone while carrying the ball with only one hand. Coach Mason would rip me a new one when he saw that. He�d shown me video of what happened when you didn�t take care of the ball. Then he showed me video of how it should be done. NFL quarterback Carson Palmer always had two hands on the ball. Defenses knew that turnovers won games. Our goal on offense was to end every possession with a kick, be it an extra point, field goal, or punt. You didn�t want to turn the ball over in your own end zone, and there I was running around with only one hand on the ball. I winced when I realized how easy it would have been to punch the ball free from my grip.
I smiled when Roc picked his skinny butt up off the turf and took off down the field. At least I did do a few things right. I watched myself square my shoulders and get my feet pointed towards where I needed to throw the ball. Little things like that set me apart from other quarterbacks. I uncorked a humdinger of a pass. It wasn�t one of those that hung in the air forever and gave the defense a chance to bat it down; it covered over fifty yards in a hurry. I was impressed with Roc as he fought off the safety, stuck his big hand up, and caught the ball one-handed, even as the defensive pass-interference flag flew. The impressive part was it was his left hand.
�
Roc hated it when someone called him Rockefeller. I turned off the TV, checked out, and put my bags under the bus. I had some time before we left, so I planned to go to the little diner I�d visited the day before for breakfast.
�Hang on,� a female voice called behind me.
I turned around and saw Jan.
�Come on. I�ll buy you breakfast,� I said.
She caught up with me, and we walked the four blocks without saying a word. We found an empty booth that looked out over the street. The server brought us menus and took our drink orders.
�You must think I�m crazy for how I acted last night,� Jan said.
�I can tell you�re not happy. Do you want to talk about it?�
�No, I just wanted to tell you I was sorry for last night. I don�t know what I was thinking,� she said. We fell into an uneasy silence as we looked over the menu.
After the server took our order, I decided to break the silence. I decided that our relationship couldn�t get any worse than it already was.
�What happened to you in middle school?� I asked.
�What do you mean?�
�I get the feeling something changed. You were the girl that all the other girls wanted to be. You were popular, funny, and smart. Then you suddenly started doing drugs, drinking, and having sex with almost everyone. I get the feeling that something significant changed.�
Jan looked out the window.
�I guess I just wanted to have fun,� she said. �If I remember correctly, you used to have fun too.�
�I guess I did,� I admitted. �My concern is you�re starting to get out of hand. I have no problem with most of what you do. What I do have a problem with is the drugs. I really have an issue with you taking them around my teammates. The last thing we need is to have to deal with that as a team.�
�I realize you don�t like it, but I don�t really want to stop,� Jan admitted.
�I�ve put up with you up to this point, but after last night, it has to stop. You�d been getting high before you came to my room last night. You threw yourself at me and then fell apart when I protected you. Maybe I need to get involved in your life before you do something you can�t undo.�
�And you�re so perfect that you think you can help me? What makes you believe that I have anything wrong with me?� Jan asked.
Then she continued with her rant.
�You sanctimonious jerk! I suppose you think you need to add to your little harem and I can be the charity case. Screw you. I�m just fine, and don�t need Mr. Perfect to tell me how to run my life,� she said and then burst into tears.
I slid out from my side of the booth, sat down next to her, and reached for her. But she pushed me away. I grabbed her and pulled her to my chest. Of course, the server decided to bring us our food at that moment. She gave me a dirty look and left. I simply held Jan as she cried it out. As I watched my breakfast get cold, I wondered what I�d gotten myself into. The last thing I needed was to deal with something like this right now. For whatever reason, Jan had come to me, so I felt some obligation to help her.
My first thought was she needed to be turned over my knee, and then I needed to take a firm hand with her. It was like when Duke learned something bad, and I had to break him of it. I felt I needed to do the same with Jan. Someone had to set limits for her, someone she�d listen to. I wondered if I needed to talk to her parents. After all, I�d already tattled on one brat in the last twenty-four hours. The problem was I didn�t know her parents. Come to think of it, that in itself was kind of weird. I think I�d met almost everyone�s parents on the football team and cheerleading squad. I hadn�t remembered ever seeing her parents at any of the trips to Monical�s, football games, or other places.
Before I committed to anything, I needed advice. I�d call Uncle John. I was sure he�d dealt with crazy girls in his past. My phone rang, and it was Coach Hope asking where I was because they were almost ready to leave. I paid our check, and we hurried to the bus.
◊◊◊
I was the last one on the bus. Wolf had saved me a seat, but I needed to deal with my half brother. He was seated with another freshman, so I pointed at Phil�s seatmate.
�Go sit with Wolf.�
�You don�t have to listen to him. Leave me alone, David,� Phil said.
Phil�s friend didn�t move, so I reached over and pulled him out of the seat.
�Dawson!� Moose boomed.
�I got this, Coach,� I said.
Phil�s friend decided he would rather sit with Wolf than deal with me. I sat down next to Phil and saw the pure hatred on his face. It brought a grin to my face because I had a feeling that when my son grew up, I would see that very same expression at some point. I was sure he was mad because I�d told on him. What he didn�t realize was he was lucky I had.
�How�s your mom?� I goaded him.
His face turned bright red and he began to shake. I was about ready to defend myself when the tears started to stream down his face. Instinctively I reached for him and pulled him to my chest like I had done with Jan earlier. Someone peeked over the seat, and I gave them a look that promised death if they made a comment. Phil suddenly became aware of where he was and pushed me away. I just let him gather himself.
Everyone around us was nervous as to what would happen next. The team captain didn�t sit with the freshmen. They were all aware that Phil and I were related and we had roomed together. I started to think it had been a bad idea to confront him on the bus with all his friends within hearing distance.
�We�ll talk when we get home,� I said, then got up and went to sit with Wolf.
The freshman who had been sitting with my half brother saw me and almost fell out of his seat to go back and join Phil.
�What was that all about?� Wolf asked.
�Family drama,� I said.
Wolf just grunted. Thank God he wasn�t a girl, or I would have had to explain all the details.
A few minutes later, Coach Mason called me to the front of the bus so he could break down the game with me while Coaches Diamond and Hope listened in. Alan must have been busy last night to get all the plays loaded into our software. If I�d had an inflated opinion of myself after the game, Coach Mason pointed out all my flaws and brought me back down to being a mere mortal. He did it with practiced ease that had me focused on what mattered, not my ego. For as long as I played the game, there would always be more things for me to work on. Actually, the better I got, the more I realized I didn�t know.
One of the smartest things I�d ever done was realize that I needed coaching. Over the last year, I�d been exposed to a lot of excellent quarterbacks. While I could be as cocky as any of them, I was smart enough not to believe all the hype. I think something that sets me apart was I was confident enough in myself to realize I didn�t know everything. Most adults would laugh at that because it usually took life experience to make that connection. I�d seen other quarterbacks with all the swagger and self-confidence believe that they knew everything. My uncle had cured me of that misconception. If it weren�t for first, Bo Harrington and now, Coach Mason, I wouldn�t be nearly as good.
Therefore, when my coach wanted to work with me, I made time for him instead of goofing around with my teammates. I knew that it would pay off on game day.
◊◊◊
When we arrived back at the high school, I grabbed my gear and found Phil.
�Tell your mom that you�re going home with me.�
�Why?� he asked.
�We need to clear the air and come to an understanding we can both live with.�
Phil didn�t seem like he wanted to, but he left to tell his mom and came back. While he did that, I saw Jan look at me as Halle came up to me.
�Mom wants you to come over for dinner tonight.�
�Why, that brazen hussy. Sending her own daughter to ask me out,� I teased Halle.
�You�re such a �stupid boy� sometimes. If you�re not careful, I�ll tell my mom that you have a crush on her,� Halle threatened.
�I hate to break it to you, but your mom knows that every boy has a crush on her.�
�So, are you coming to dinner or not?� she asked.
�Should I bring something? What should I wear? Would it be better if I made reservations somewhere?� I asked, acting as if I were utterly infatuated with her mom.
Of course, I was, but Halle didn�t need to know that. She kissed me to get me to shut up. She was used to everyone fawning over the great Rita James. Right now, I was more interested in Halle James.
�Do you think your mom would be upset if we skipped dinner with her?� I asked.
�Normally I�d say we could just go out, but she has someone she wants you to meet. As a matter of fact, your parents will be there, too.�
�I thought you were trying to talk me into coming to dinner.�
�You can survive dinner with our parents. I think Trip is getting a weekend pass from rehab. He seems to like you,� she teased.
�It�ll be your own fault when he steals me away.�
I heard a cough behind us that told me Phil was eavesdropping. I promised Halle I�d come to dinner and then took Phil home with me.
◊◊◊
When we got home, I was starved, since I didn�t eat my breakfast. Mom had some Italian beef in the freezer, so I pulled it out and put it in the microwave. While it heated up, my parents went to unpack and left Phil and me alone.
�You know you�re a bastard for what you did to me last night,� Phil started in.
�I can still kick your ass,� I threatened.
Poor Duke picked up on the hostilities and wanted me to love him. He definitely came from the lover-not-a-fighter school of thought.
�Mom! Call Duke,� I called out.
�Duke, come!� Dad called, and I watched him run to the stairs and disappear.
�You had no right to call in reinforcements. You scared of me?� Phil asked.
�Come on,� I said and led him to the backyard.
Phil suddenly wasn�t as tough-acting.
�I�ll even give you the first punch,� I offered.
Greg used to do that to me until I dick-punched him one day. That took the fun right out of being a big brother. I think we were like six and nine at the time. The sad part was I learned it from Tami when she got pissed at Alan, Jeff, and me one day. We must have told her that boys were superior or some such nonsense. She did a little happy dance as we rolled around on Alan�s basement floor. The funny part was Alan wasn�t afraid to punch girls, and we had to hold him back until he calmed down.
I underestimated how mad Phil was. He unleashed a haymaker at the side of my head. I stepped back, and I could feel the air as his fist whistled by my nose. This, of course, caused him to be overbalanced, so I simply used my palm to help him fall down. I let out a long sigh as he got back up with a determined expression on his face. This time he came at me like a tank and began to throw lefts and rights to my body. I blocked his punches with my arms.
I was content to let him punch himself out. From experience, I knew how tired you could get when you tried to pummel a heavy bag. Phil hadn�t landed anything that could cause any real damage. I planned to let him keep swinging until he was done, then put him on his ass again. Frankly, Cassidy hit me harder in practice, but that was because she knew what she was doing.
All was good until Phil tried to play dirty and head-butt me. Something that I knew when I went at it with Greg was that neither one of us would try something that could seriously injure the other. Nut-shots were never done with full force because you knew that at some point there would be retribution. Apparently, Phil, growing up as an only child, didn�t know the rules of brother-on-brother combat. What the attempted head-butt told me was that this was no longer a game.
Phil�s eyes got big when I slapped him four times before he could get off his next punch and then made an open-hand strike to his stomach. My half brother suddenly found he couldn�t breathe and collapsed on the ground. I knew that his body would figure out how to breathe before he died. Again, Cassidy had done it to me many times. My mom, on the other hand, had watched our entire confrontation out of her bedroom window.
I swear Phil acted like Precious when I left her in my apartment, and Brit saved her. Here I thought
�David Allen Dawson!� Mom yelled as she barreled into the backyard.
I was impressed: Phil had almost turned purple when I heard a huge intake of air.
�He fell down.� I offered the usual excuse Greg and I used when Mom caught us roughhousing.
�I think he had a little help. You�re bigger than he is and much stronger. What made you decide this was a good idea?� Mom demanded.
�He needed to get it out of his system. If he hadn�t tried to head-butt me, I wouldn�t have knocked him down.�
Phil shakily got to his feet and still looked pissed.
�You ready to go again?� I asked him.
He looked at my mom.
�She won�t help you,� I told him.
Mom actually laughed at that.
�If he�s dumb enough to take a swing at you, go ahead and let him,� she said and walked back into the house.
�What the hell?� Phil asked.
�What, you thought my mom would save you?� I asked as I danced around. �I can do this all day.�
After I�d playfully touched his nose a couple of times, Phil seemed to calm down enough to realize that I could have kicked the crap out of him. I was still starved, so I took him inside, and we ate Italian beef sandwiches. While we did, I explained the facts of life to him and how he should treat women with more respect. I told him that was the first thing Greg had taught me. Phil still thought that my call to my dad was extreme, but he understood that I would have punched him if I hadn�t.
We talked it out, and I felt better about us as potential friends. I had zero intention of teaching Phil to pick up girls. Not until I determined he could be trusted with the knowledge. I didn�t need a little douchebag mini-me set loose on Lincoln High. Greg would kick my ass if he found out I�d done that. I figured I would spend more time with him, though.
I took Phil home. His mom took one glance at him and his dirty clothes and looked at me suspiciously.
�I fell down,� Phil said, daring me to say otherwise.
I was positive his mom didn�t buy it, but that was for them to work out. Rather than get into the middle of that, I told him I�d see him Monday in school and left.
◊◊◊
Mom and Dad made me ride with them. This must be some kind of punishment for knocking my half brother down. It also meant that Halle and I would have almost no chance to have any alone time.
I winced when Fritz answered the door; he had a big, bruised knot in the center of his forehead. That looked like it hurt.
�Sorry,� I said.
�Did you do that to him?� Mom asked.
Crud! Me and my big mouth.
�I forgot to duck,� Fritz explained.
I received a look that told me I would be talked to when I got home. It seemed two physical altercations in one week might be two too many, in my mom�s opinion.
We were taken to the solarium, and I could hear a loud male voice and then laughter before we entered. I looked at Fritz, and he rolled his eyes. We walked in and found a good-looking guy with a short haircut who was in his late thirties or early forties. He was obvious as he checked out Rita. When we entered, he looked my mom over and gave her an appraising look. My mom is very good looking, but I�d never seen anyone put eyes on her like that, especially with my dad in the room.
He tore his eyes away from my mom, looked at me, and smiled.
�You�re better looking in person,� he said as he stood up and crossed the room to shake my hand. �I�m Saul Gessler. Rita asked me to fly out and meet with you and introduce you to the Gessler Agency.�
�Saul is one of the top five agents in Hollywood,� Rita said, and listed off who some of his clients were.
Many of his clients were action stars. Rita had mentioned that she would have her agent find someone for me. I didn�t expect he would fly out, but then again, this was for Rita James. Then Halle and Trip came in, and I watched Saul eye Halle. Halle noticed and plastered herself next to me, and when his eyes finally found hers, he flinched. I don�t think he expected anyone would object to him ogling them. Both my mom and Rita noticed, and neither of them appeared happy.
We had dinner with Saul, and he came across as loud, arrogant, and foul-mouthed, but I quickly realized he was very good at what he did. He had taken the time to call Frank Ingram, my PR agent; they had worked together for years. I was sure that was why Frank was also Rita�s PR guy.
Saul had a way of making you feel like you were the most important person in the room. He first won over my mom, and then my dad, before he even began to talk to me. I watched Saul in action and took in everything he did. I wasn�t totally sure whether my first impression was correct or not. There were times when I wondered if the arrogant, foul-mouthed agent might just be performing an act that people expected. Then again, Saul could be exactly the way he was acting.
When dinner was over, he stood up and shook my hand again.
�I�ll get with Rita and find out what your shoot schedule will be when you�re in LA. I�ll messenger over a contract to your lawyer on Monday. Good luck with football,� Saul said and was gone.
�That was impressive. He just assumed the sale,� Mom said. �I�ll have to try that sometime.�
�It surprised me when Saul insisted on being David�s agent. I expected he�d hand him off to one of his other agents. Having Saul as David�s agent will open doors for him. It�ll give David a lot of credibility,� Rita told my mom and dad.
I was sold, but my mom and dad wanted to know if he�d be appropriate for someone as new to the business as I was. Mom probably had visions of Saul�s office being in the back of a strip club or something equally sketchy.
Halle and I took a stroll and ended up in the library. It had a big leather couch. We were able to get a good make-out session going before I received a text from Fritz. I wondered if he enjoyed the show, but I appreciated the heads-up, as we barely had time to part before Rita stuck her head in the door.
�Your parents are ready to go,� she announced.
I stood up, and Halle quickly stood up and stepped in front of me. Rita blushed and promptly left the room. Halle broke into fits of giggles as I looked down and spied my problem. In my defense, any straight guy would have the same reaction if Halle thoroughly kissed them.
�You might have to help me with that,� I suggested.
Where do girls come up with those exasperated looks? It wasn�t as if I could magically make my boner go away. I readjusted myself so it wasn�t as obvious, and Halle led me out so I could leave.
On the ride home, Mom and Dad told me they were happy with Saul Gessler as my new agent.
◊◊◊
Chapter 5 � Dr. Love Saturday November 7
When I got up, I realized I didn�t have anything planned for today. I�d thought about another campus visit, but Mom had made it clear that I had to take her and Dad along if I did. Since I had a day to myself, I decided I would be a complete bum and lounge around in my sweats and watch football on TV. I took Duke outside and let him do his routine and have some time to harass Precious.
When I finally called him to go inside, I accidentally let the damned cat in with us. Of course, both Duke and Precious made a beeline for my parents� bed. I thought I should just turn around, get in my car, and make myself scarce for the day.
�David!� Dad called.
I opened the kitchen drawer and put on oven mitts. While Precious seemed to take to me better now, there was always the chance she�d decide to take my hand off. When I entered my parents� bedroom, Duke was lying next to Mom as she rubbed his ears. Dad was standing next to the bed with Precious eyeing him as her tail twitched. I reached for her, and she let out a yowl and popped the glove.
�Settle down,� I admonished her as I scooped her up.
She twisted in my grip, and now the claws and teeth were facing me. I did the only sensible thing: I tossed her to Dad. You know how when you drop a cat, it will land on its feet. Well, Precious twisted around and had her claws out as she flew at Dad. I think I discovered where I got my quick reactions, because Dad made this
When I got to the back door, I figured out I had a problem: both my hands were full.
�Dad! I need someone to open the back door!� I called up the stairs.
�Help him get that damned cat out of my house,� Mom ordered him.
Dad came down and glared at me. I decided I�d better not threaten him with the kitty. When he opened the back door, Precious began to struggle, and I accidentally dropped her. Instead of running, she turned and hissed at us. My dad might actually have peed a little. I introduced the bottom of my shoe to her chest and edged her out the door so I could slam it. Great plan, but she sunk her claw into my ankle as a parting gift.
�For shit�s sake!� I cried as I jerked my foot back.
�Serves you right,� Dad said. He turned to go take his shower, saying, �You�re taking us to Granny�s for breakfast.�
I could do that. I opened the back door and saw Precious sitting in the driveway. She eyed me as I quickly skirted her and made my way to my apartment to take my own shower.
◊◊◊
Granny took care of us as usual. Her special of the day was country grits. I�d been told about this on my recruiting trip to Georgia and was eager to try it. There were spicy sausage pieces in it, and it was topped with two over-easy eggs. You mixed all of that together. It sounded a little sketchy, but it tasted great.
While we ate, Greg called Mom. He needed someone to watch Kyle, Mac, and Nate. He and Angie needed a day away from kids to work on their marriage. Somehow, I volunteered to be the good uncle and watch them.
When we got to Greg�s, Nate was crying, and Mac was in a timeout. Greg handed Nate to me.
�She knocked him down. He can now stand up if he gets a grip on the coffee table,� Greg explained.
�Unca David,� Kyle said as he reached his arms up.
I picked him up, and he began to tell me an involved story. I looked at Greg to figure out what he was talking about.
�They went to the petting zoo.�
By now Nate had stopped crying, so I handed him to his grandmother. Mac had served her time and wanted to be held as well. Kyle and Mac both tried to tell me all about what they had seen. I thought they might like to see horses. I handed them to Dad and called Zoe to ask if I could bring them out. Mom said Nate was too young, but she thought that Kyle and Mac would love it. So we drove home, I transferred their car seats to my jeep, and I took them to the Pearson farm.
Roc greeted me when I pulled up.
�I see you�re getting in some practice,� he teased me.
I fetched Kyle and Mac from their car seats, and they each grabbed one of my legs and peeked out at Roc.
�This is Roc,� I said to introduce them. �We call him that because he has rocks in his head. Roc, this is Kyle and Mac.�
�Funny,� Roc said to me then he squatted down. �You want to see some horses?�
They both nodded.
�Okay, you have to take my hand,� Roc said, and I was surprised when they both reached for him.
They held his hands as the three of them walked to the barn where I found Zoe� saddling the horses. Roc talked quietly with my niece and nephew as he held them up so they could pet the horses. Meanwhile, I helped Zoe get everything ready for our ride.
�I thought we could take them down to the river,� Zoe said.
I was about to become the best uncle ever. Mac loved her ride. I don�t know what it is about girls and horses, but she never wanted it to end. Kyle had fun, but he seemed to have just as much fun with the kittens Roc showed him in the barn.
We had a great morning. Kyle and Mac wanted to stop at McDonald�s and get Happy Meals for lunch. When we arrived home, Duke met me at the back door. I could tell he wasn�t happy. When I entered the kitchen, my mom was down on the floor with Nate and rolling one of Duke�s tennis balls to him. Nate thought this was the height of hilarity. Duke nudged me to tell me to get his ball back.
�Sorry, Buddy. Looks like Nate has stolen your ball.�
�I had to swat his butt because he kept stealing the ball from Nate,� Mom explained.
�It is his ball,� I said with a smile. �I got them Happy Meals.�
�Good. We can feed them and then put them down for naps. I keep forgetting how much work taking care of a little one is.�
Her words made me wonder for about the hundredth time if it was fair to let Mom and Dad help raise my child. I then saw how her face seemed to radiate love for little Nate, and all my doubts vanished. They wouldn�t have offered if they didn�t want to help me. It was just one more thing that reminded me of how much I loved my parents.
◊◊◊
After the kids were put down for their naps, I stepped into the office to call Uncle John. I spent a half hour to catch him up on everything and to tell him about the game. He�d watched it on TV and said that the men at the diner could talk about nothing else. They all wanted to know when I would be there so they could congratulate me on the game�and pick my brain apart.
I then told him about Jan. He knew about what she�d done in middle school. It was one of the excuses I�d made for my behavior that he soon dissuaded me from. That was when he�d taught me that I was solely responsible for my actions, regardless of what others encouraged me to do. Besides being a farmer, Uncle John had his degree in child psychology and had even practiced for a time.
I was shocked when he didn�t think the situation was funny. Usually, he would make some grand statement about how what I experienced was part of growing up.
�Without spending some time with her, I can�t be certain, but she seems to be a young woman in crisis. She lacks meaningful limits, and she appears to lack a meaningful appreciation of the consequences of her actions. To me, this means she has never had to set limits or boundaries herself. I would surmise someone else used to set them for her, but that�s no longer the case. Do you know if her parents divorced?� Uncle John asked.
�In fact, that�s one of the strange things: I�ve never met them,� I said.
For the average person that might not be strange, but when you were from a small town, everyone knew everyone. While we did have new professors that taught at State, when they and their families moved in, if they became involved with the community, we�d meet them. As well, I had followed my dad�s lead and made it a point to introduce myself to most everyone I met. So, for me, it was strange that I hadn�t met Jan�s parents. She had lived here all her life.
�Okay,� Uncle John said and seemed to consider what to say next. �People learn different strategies to get folks to like them or to fit in. Once they learn these strategies, you�ll see them use them again and again. Let me give you some examples. Your friend Wolf uses humor; he�s the class clown. Tami�s the fixer. You�re the people-pleaser. Jan has learned to use sex to get what she wants and needs from others. Somewhere she had to learn this approach. For someone as young as she is, I would suspect some form of sexual abuse has occurred. Typically, someone who uses their body to make friends also has low-self-esteem issues.�
�What do you think set her off when I said that if she were with me, she wouldn�t be with anyone else? You know how I am; you�re the same way. We don�t share with others when it comes to our women. Her reaction seemed strange to me,� I said.
�I bet you feel the same way when a woman cries for any reason,� Uncle John said and then answered my question. �Jan wasn�t reacting in the way you would expect. What confuses you is you�ve never run across a woman like her before. It surprises me you haven�t had to deal with this yet. Your personality will attract certain types of women that you�ll have to be careful with. Some women need a strong partner to help control their life. When you told Jan that she�d only be yours, it was what she desperately needs, someone to protect and guide her. In return, she would need to serve you in some way.�
�I barely have time to do everything now with all of my commitments. There�s no way I�d have time to help guide her,� I said.
�David, it�s more than that, even. Jan needs someone to help her and keep her out of trouble. It would be a full-time job, and you�d have to commit to helping her make better decisions.� Uncle John asked.
�Would it be like training Duke not to beg for table scraps?� I asked.
�In a way, yes. The key to understanding the relationship Jan needs is tradeoffs. It doesn�t necessarily involve love or emotions you would expect in a normal relationship. She would need to support whoever helps structure her life in whatever manner she can. Jan would be obedient and have a willingness to do anything in service to this person. What she�d get in return is someone to set and enforce clear boundaries and provide protection as much for herself as others. Jan would also want attention and appreciation. Here�s the hard part: she would want to be used, to see herself as being useful, and to know she�s appreciated for her usefulness. Right now, the only way Jan knows how to do that is through sex. She�d have to learn other ways to be useful and to feel that she�s appreciated.
�For you, the biggest problem I see is Jan sounds like she�s unstable. Her inability to set limits troubles me. She�d also need a lot of attention. If you decided to help her, you�d be making a long-term commitment. In your case, it would be a major mistake for you to take on that responsibility. While this might be something you want to explore later in life, I expect with everything else you have going on, you couldn�t give Jan the time she needs. I�d suggest you find someone else to take on the role of her protector,� Uncle John said.
�Are you kidding me?� I asked.
�I�m dead serious. It needs to be someone who�ll take care of her. If you put Jan in the wrong hands, she could get messed up and hurt. It has to be someone with a strong personality who won�t back off. Jan needs someone to take her in hand and do what�s best for her, even when she fights it. And then they need to allow her to serve them in some significant way.�
�For a teenage boy, getting laid is pretty significant,� I suggested.
�For an old man like me, it is too, but getting sex is not a long-term solution. If you want, I can come over and talk to her. I could also talk to whomever you think might take her off your hands. She might need more than just someone to be her protector. She might have some deeper issues to work out,� Uncle John suggested.
�Of course I�d like you to fix this for me. I would have no idea what to do,� I admitted, and then thought of something. �Were you ever in a relationship like this?�
He became quiet for a moment. I waited him out.
�I was. Let�s just say I didn�t know what I was doing, and it almost ended in tragedy. Luckily, I had a professor who got involved and eventually took her off my hands,� he said, and then paused again to collect his thoughts. �I�m glad you came to me with this. I�ll make sure Jan gets the help she needs, but I�ll need you to assist me.�
�Okay. Let me see if she�ll allow me to help her, and I�ll let you know.�
I hoped my uncle was wrong, but he had more life experience than I did.
◊◊◊
I received a text from Cassidy that she was having a party. Of course, I said I would come. She sent me one back that I needed to show up early and help her set up. I sent one to Mona, because she was the queen of parties, and asked if she would help too.
When I arrived at Cassidy�s, she told me she wanted all the furniture moved. I rolled my eyes at her and then texted Yuri, Roc, and Phil, and told them to get their butts to Cassidy�s house. I picked those three for different reasons. Phil was obvious; Roc would need a ride from his big sister; and Yuri because I�d not hung out enough with my little Russian gangster. That�s wrong; he wasn�t little anymore. Between a growth spurt, Cassidy�s workouts, and football, he�d become a strapping young man.
Yuri still hadn�t found a girl who�d go out with him. His spectacular fail with Piper last year still haunted him. I�d tried to hook him up with a girl at lunch, but they had just become friends. Yuri had grown up in an old-school Russian household until he was twelve and his mom moved to the US. His mom had taken a job teaching at State last fall when I met Yuri. He grew up in a male-dominated home. A good example would be the U.S. in the �50s, but this was more than that.
Something Russian families had going for them was a robust extended family structure. Yuri�s father had been in the military and died in a training accident when Yuri was very young. He and his mother had moved in with his grandparents until they moved to the States. Yuri�s grandfather had passed over the summer, and his grandmother then immigrated to the States and now lived with them.
I�d met his grandmother, and she scared me a little. Yuri mentioned that she�d been through a lot. She had been a child during World War II. Her family was in Leningrad, renamed St. Petersburg now, when the Germans tried to take it. The siege of Leningrad proved one of the longest, most destructive, and most lethal sieges of a major city in modern history. It isolated the city from most supplies except those provided through the �Road of Life� across Lake Ladoga. More than one million civilians died, mainly from starvation. Many others were eventually evacuated or escaped, so the city became largely depopulated. This experience made Yuri�s grandmother a tough old bird, not to be trifled with. She didn�t stand on the usual social niceties, and she didn�t put up with anything.
Yuri, Phil, and Roc showed up. I was happy to see Zoe and left the three guys to be bossed around by Cassidy and Mona. I grinned when Yuri bristled at being ordered around by the girls. He was smart enough to know that Cassidy could and would kick his ass if he smarted off, so he kept quiet. Zoe and I were put in charge of ordering pizzas from Monical�s and having them delivered. I think Cassidy just wanted me to buy them.
While we waited, I flirted with Zoe. I had her cornered against the kitchen cabinets and ready to do something stupid when Mona walked in.
�You need to pay for the beer.�
�How come I�m paying for it?� I complained.
There are times my friends thought I was an ATM. If it hadn�t been Cassidy�s party, I might have fought it. Paying for pizza and beer was a small price to pay for all the training she�d given me.
�I hope they bought something nonalcoholic for the youngsters,� I said, nodding towards the three guys as they helped move furniture.
�Sure,� Mona said with a shrug.
That didn�t reassure me in the least.
�If not, someone needs to go get something. I personally don�t plan to drink tonight, and if I�m buying �� I said to let her know she needed to figure out an alternative.
She just held her hand out and looked expectant. I reached in my pocket and started to peel off some bills, but she just grabbed the whole wad.
�Hey!� I complained as she walked away with my money.
Zoe distracted me somehow, and I soon forgot Mona had cleaned me out of cash. We were interrupted again when Phil and Roc came staggering into the kitchen with a keg. I needed to get them into the weight room and fast. They placed the beer in the middle of the kitchen and then ran back to get everything else. Yuri carried in the tub, tap, and bags of ice. At least he wasn�t struggling.
�Let�s take this out on the back porch. I don�t expect Coach would be happy if we poured beer all over his kitchen,� I suggested as I picked up the keg.
Zoe held the door for us as we put the keg in the tub and filled it with ice. By then the other two had brought in more ice, beer cups, and bottles of Absolut Citron. They stuffed the bottles into the ice around the tub. I then stepped back, wrapped Zoe in my arms, and kissed the back of her neck as we watched the Keystone Cops try to tap the keg. They succeeded in causing it to spray beer all over themselves and Zoe. I wasn�t happy when she accused me of using her as a shield.
After Zoe stormed off, and I gave Roc an evil glare, I showed them how to tap the keg. It was one of the useful skills I�d learned when I was in middle school. I could also roll a killer joint, but I didn�t expect ever to need to do that again.
Cassidy came out as Yuri poured the first beer and took it from him.
�You three aren�t done,� she ordered.
I thought it was evil of her to drink it in front of them. Zoe came back in shorts and a t-shirt she had borrowed from Cassidy, with Kylie and Piper trailing along behind her. How Zoe squeezed into Cassidy�s clothes, I have no idea, but there was no way in hell she was wearing that with drunk teenage boys running around. Cassidy looked at my reaction and began to giggle.
�Told you,� Cassidy said.
�Is there something wrong?� Zoe asked.
�Zoe! What the hell are you wearing? If Mom saw you, we both would be dead,� Roc said as he stepped out the back door.
�Want to help me pick something out?� Zoe asked me as she ignored her brother.
�Not happening,� Roc said.
I was amused to see Roc boss his sister around. He didn�t even flinch from the death stare she gave him. I would have to talk to him about how to survive that particular look. They just stared each other down until Zoe nodded to her brother. Zoe really wasn�t the kind of girl to wear something like she had on. I appreciated she had put it on for me, but I was happy when she and Cassidy left to find something different for her.
The pizzas came, and I went to get some before they were gone. When I saw how many Zoe had ordered, I was no longer worried. Cassidy didn�t want a huge party. I was happy to see most of the cheerleaders showed up, including Halle, Brook, Pam, and Tracy. Most of the starters on the football team were invited. My younger guys puffed up when they realized they were at a party with older high school guys. It would be something to brag about when they got to school on Monday. I smiled when the JV cheerleaders arrived together. I missed my lunches with the girls.
Mona had left to get something for me to drink. When she returned, she grabbed the workers and directed them to bring in cases of soda. I noticed that no football players were drinking alcohol. Of course, that didn�t stop the girls. I predicted there would be some very drunk girls before the night was over.
I cringed when Jan and Ronda showed up. The last I�d seen Jan, she�d been pissed when I told her I didn�t want her doing drugs around the team. She saw me and turned to go another direction. Jan probably didn�t want to talk to me any more than I did her.
I had returned to flirting with Zoe when Halle came up to us and smiled at me.
�I�ll see you later,� Zoe said and got up and left.
Halle sat down next to me on the couch. She leaned in close so only I could hear her.
�I believe we have some unfinished business.�
That reminded me that we had made out last night, and I�d had to take matters in hand when I got home. I let her lead me upstairs to the master bedroom. When the door closed, she pushed me up against the wall and then dropped to her knees. Our eyes never unlocked as she deftly opened my jeans and pushed my pants and underwear down around my ankles. Halle then took six inches of my member into her mouth, and I groaned in pleasure.
I would like to say I lasted, but seeing her clothed as she gave me oral was erotic. It wasn�t that she wore anything special, like a Catholic schoolgirl uniform; Halle had on jeans and a Lincoln High football jersey with my number on it.
�Damn,� I whimpered as she pulled off and worked over my jewels.
Halle had me close in record time.
�I�m going to lose it if you keep that up,� I warned her.
She just grinned and resumed her work. Well, I�d warned her. She batted my hands away as I tried to grab her head. I began to erupt, which caused her to start to cough. She jerked off the end of Mr. Happy and pointed him away from her. I had the presence of mind to put my palm over the tip. I didn�t expect Coach Hope would appreciate that mess all over his carpet.
When I was done, I went to the bathroom to wash my hand off. Halle had followed me in and found Coach�s mouthwash.
�Come with me,� Halle said, and she led me out of the bathroom and back to the party.
I was disappointed our fun was over for now, but I smiled when she handed me off to Brook. It seemed they each had a plan for me and were taking turns. I appreciated that they didn�t make things awkward. Brook wanted to dance. Of course, I was all for that. We both got hot and sweaty. Brook finally wanted a break. She left to get a drink, and I smiled when Kylie Ruttier found me.
Kylie had been one of my favorite freshman cheerleaders last year. She was now on the JV team. Kylie had curly blonde hair, and the best way to describe her was frisky. Her bubbly, outgoing personality just made me smile. I don�t believe there was a shy bone in her body. If she hadn�t seemed so young and innocent, I might have hooked up with her. There was a real attraction, but I�d come to consider her a younger sister who needed my protection.
�Come dance with me,� she said.
I joined her on the dance floor, and a slow song started. I was suspicious someone had planned this. Kylie got up close and personal and began to sway her hips. That would have been fine, but the motion rubbed her tummy against Mr. Happy. It didn�t take long for me to get semihard from rubbing against her nubile teen body.
�When are you ever going to ask me out?� she asked.
�I thought you were going out with Nick?�
�That was last year.�
I was sure I could take Kylie upstairs and have my way with her. Was it fair to her, because this would probably just be a onetime thing? The teenage boy in me wanted to have sex with her, and consequences be damned. That was the problem, though: there would be consequences. Even though Brook, Halle, and Zoe weren�t my girlfriends, I liked them enough not to do someone else in front of them. I almost laughed when I realized how classy I�d become. Maybe I was a douche.
�Kylie, you know I like you,� I said, and felt her stiffen in my arms.
She knew what that meant, so I kissed her forehead. She looked sad.
�Hey, remember when I said you had to bring your potential boyfriends to me for approval before you dated them?� I asked, and she nodded. �I want you to meet someone I believe would be perfect for you. He�s a good guy, but he would need you to shape him into a good boyfriend. Will you let me set you up?�
A smile crept onto her face. I took her hand, and we began searching for my victim. I found Yuri, Phil, Ed, and Roc off in a corner, talking. The four of them instantly stopped when they saw I had a girl with me. I reached out, grabbed Ed�s arm, and pulled him and Kylie aside.
�Ed, this is Kylie. Kylie, Ed. Kylie, take him somewhere private and kiss him until he realizes you�re his girlfriend.�
Kylie seemed to check him out for the first time, and I could tell she liked what she saw. I figured she could take it from there. Kylie grabbed his hand, and Ed followed her like a happy puppy.
I guess what I�d done hadn�t gone unnoticed, because I soon had Yuri, Roc, Phil, Zoe, and Emma wanting to know what was going on. Emma was the head JV cheerleader and seemed to look out for all of them. The boys wanted me to hook them up as well. I thought about it for a moment and decided Dr. Love was in the house, and I would play Cupid.
I motioned over Carmela and Gabriella Hernandez. They were cousins and almost looked like twin Hispanic beauties. They had dated Wayne and Ray, but that hadn�t lasted when school let out for the summer. I introduced them to Brock and Bryan Callahan. My next victim was Ann Conway. She was the quietest of the JV cheerleaders and was shy because she wore braces. I introduced her to Jake. Faith Mackey was my next victim. She�d always been a serious young woman who needed someone to bring her out of her shell, so I hooked her up with Wolf.
The last JV cheerleader who wasn�t dating anyone was Piper. Her sister, Emma, dated Neil. Piper had dated Jim until he brought home an STI from our trip to Notre Dame. I reached a long arm out, snagged Roc, and pulled him and Piper aside.
�Roc, this is Piper. She�s an adorable girl who�s had some bad luck with guys. She needs someone who�ll honor her feelings. Piper, Roc is a great guy, but he�s shy and needs to be brought out of his shell. You can do that in your own time, but it�ll be good for both of you if it happens.�
I gave her a look, and she blushed when she figured out what I meant. Piper then turned to Roc, considered, and slowly held her hand out to him. Roc looked like he�d been hit squarely on the forehead with a two-by-four. He slowly took her hand, and she led him outside.
I smiled at my handiwork as the couples wandered off to get to know each other. But I now had two unhappy guys in my face. I pointed at Yuri.
�Give me a minute. I need to talk to you,� I said and then turned to Phil and pulled him away so we could have some privacy. �I can�t recommend you to any of the girls I know.�
Phil started to get pissed, but I held up my hand.
�Settle down. We both know that your comment to Jan was uncalled for. Until you show me that you can treat a girl like she�s a person, instead of a plaything, I can never recommend you.�
I guess I wasn�t surprised that he walked out of the party. He lived about eight blocks away, so I wasn�t worried about him getting home. I then found Yuri.
�I need you to do something for me, and I�m not sure how you�ll feel about it,� I said.
�Whatever you need,� he said.
I grinned because, in some ways, he would be okay with what I proposed, but in others, he might not be happy with me in the end.
�You know Jan Duke?� I asked, and he nodded. �I need you to take her on and get her straightened out. She needs to stop sleeping around and taking drugs.�
Yuri was a serious young man at times. He was also fearless. I remembered when Yuri had tried to fight me when he considered himself a tough guy. That was until I introduced him to Cassidy, who�d shown him that he wasn�t as tough as he thought. Yuri also had my back. The latest example was how he stood up for me with Pam. I could tell he would take his responsibility with Jan seriously.
�How am I supposed to get her to agree to all this?� Yuri asked.
That was a reasonable question, and I had thought about this. I gave Yuri a half smile as I reached into my pocket and handed him a three-strip of condoms. He looked at them and then smiled at the implication. I had a sneaking suspicion that Yuri was a virgin.
�Do you think she�ll go for this?� he asked.
I caught Jan�s eye across the room and motioned her over. She seemed nervous. I figured the direct approach was the best.
�Could you help Yuri out with a problem?� I asked.
She looked at him and then back at me, a little confused.
�Could you help him lose his V card?� I asked.
Jan made a big production out of checking him out. Yuri, being my Alpha Male-in-training, just grabbed her hand, and they ran upstairs. I was nervous about what might happen, but I was sure that Yuri would do his level best to screw the shit out of her. I thought that was precisely what Jan needed; that, and someone to help set some boundaries.
After I�d played Dr. Love and hooked my friends up with each other, I just sat back to see if what I considered obvious connections would actually work out. Several potential couples did make it to the dance floor. I noticed Tracy tapping her foot, so I asked her to dance.
I had a great time. A little sex, a lot of flirting, and by the end of the night, it looked like everyone had a good time. Well, not everything had been a success. Phil was still mad at me, but both Ed and Yuri disappeared and came back with huge grins on their faces. Jan and Kylie both had that after-sex glow to them as well. Roc and Piper didn�t look disheveled, but each of them looked like they�d found a friend, and they were holding hands when they left the party. I felt Dr. Love�s work here was done.
◊◊◊ Sunday November 8
While on my morning jog, I reflected on the last two weeks. I was glad that Cal had finally been pushed into a corner and backed off. Ms. Dixon had been a serendipitous choice to help me get through the mess. What amazed me was that if Cal had just backed off to begin with, his life would be very different. He wouldn�t be facing a divorce, losing a great job, or having to pony up for my defense expenses. Something I learned from this was that if you needed to get lawyers involved, don�t back down.
The other problem I had pushed into the background, because of football and the death of Jeff, was Devin Range. To this point, I�d played nice since New Orleans. I couldn�t care less that he and Cora ended up together. At the time, he�d fired me, but Sandy had worked with their Board of Directors to get me back under contract. Our agreement was that I wouldn�t have to work with Devin. At the time, I knew that would never be the case because Devin couldn�t step away from his business and let Sandy handle a photo shoot alone.
What irked me was that he hadn�t changed. I couldn�t trust him, and once that trust was broken, it was hard for me to forgive and forget. The sad part was that I liked Devin. Hell, Devin had some cool toys and let me play with them. Okay, the wingboard was a bad idea. I still got a little queasy when I remembered the death-roll I�d experienced. I should be dead after that one. But in the back of my mind, I could imagine more toys, and I would want to be the one to test them.
The way I viewed it was that Devin hadn�t suffered any consequences for his actions. If it had been Pam instead of Cora, I wouldn�t have an issue with stealing her back from Devin. The problem was Cora would end up being his first divorce. I just hoped he had a hell of a prenup, or she�d take him to the cleaners. I needed some way to balance the scales. If I could, I�d feel a whole lot better about being the face of Range Sports.
Two other tasks on my to-do list were to make calls to Todd Davis and Tami Glade. Todd was someone that I�d started to get to know, and he and I were going through a lot of the same stuff. It was also possible that we could end up at Alabama with Jim. I�d received a text from Bo that confirmed that Jim had accepted their offer. Jim wanted to wait until practice on Monday to announce it.
Tami was a completely different ball of wax. I worried that we were on the verge of losing our friendship. While I would never forget what she and Alan had done, I felt it was still possible to be friends. Alan, on the other hand, might not have a chance with me. He had changed over the last six months, and I didn�t like the person he was becoming.
Then I thought about my half brother Phil. If I ever wanted to be part of his life, I needed to make more of an effort. The only problem was, I wasn�t sure if I wanted to make that effort right now. Maybe when I returned from LA after the first of the year.
Finally, I wondered why I bothered to help Jan with her issues. I guess the best answer was that she was part of the team, so to speak. I might not be friends with everyone, but if they were in need, I�d help them. The big question was, did Jan really want my help? The way she broke down and cried in my room Thursday night seemed to indicate that she was hurting. I grudgingly decided I needed to follow through on this. I think a good first step was putting Yuri on the case. He seemed to be okay with how everything had gone last night if the grin on his face was any indication.
Then there was the coming week. We would find out how we were seeded in the State Football Tournament and who our opponent would be on Wednesday. The All-Conference Team would also be announced. After the way they�d treated underclassmen, I really didn�t care about those awards.
I smiled when I realized I was almost home. When my mind was traveling a million miles an hour, I completely forgot about my run. I would need to break out the weighted vest Bo had given me after the season so I could get serious about improving. If I wanted to get better, I needed to push myself.
◊◊◊
When I got back from church, I sent a text to Tami, and we jumped onto video chat.
�We all watched your game. You did well. Damion was jealous of the new kid who caught all the passes,� she said.
�You must mean Roc. You remember him. He played little league with us and was homeschooled. We went to his farm for his birthday.�
�You mean little Rockefeller? He�s grown up.�
�Zoe�s his sister,� I said because she knew Zoe and it would confirm who Roc was.
In the back of my mind, I was concerned that Tami was anywhere near Damion. I�d warned Teddy Wesleyan about him after his two instances of trouble with women at the Elite Football Camp in Houston, Texas. He was not the kind of person I wanted anywhere near Tami.
�You mean the Zoe you go out with?�
�Yes, that Zoe. I took Kyle and Mac to their farm yesterday, and we rode horses. Kyle almost came home with a kitten, but I was afraid of what Greg would do to me if I let him have it.�
�You�re growing up,� Tami teased me.
�Maybe.�
We talked about school and other safe topics before I mustered the guts to ask about Damion.
�You said Damion watched the game with you,� I said.
�I�ve been helping him since he�s a scholarship kid.�
�Do you remember what happened at the Houston football camp?� I asked.
�He hit on me at first, but I told him what you�d do to him if he pushed it,� Tami giggled.
For some reason, that didn�t make me feel better. She read my expression and changed the topic. From the look she gave me, I didn�t expect I�d enjoy this.
�There�s a video blog you need to see,� Tami said, and then sent me the link.
The title of the blog was, �
I watched the video with Tami, who thought it was funny. If it hadn�t been about me, I would have voted for total douchebag. It showed me in various interviews and my antics on the field as I danced around and taunted other players. The ones that tipped the scale were of me busting a pose in an interview and then the Halloween one. Even though they were done in fun, it�s a different story when a mirror is held up so you can see what others saw.
The blog included a poll, and it was running 82% towards my douchedom. I wondered if that was like a dukedom. Did I get a crown with that? Of course, that thought just highlighted that I�d been acting like a real douche.
�Do I really come off that bad?� I asked.
That made Tami laugh even harder. At least she thought it was funny and hadn�t ripped me a new one. I copied the link and sent it to Frank Ingram, my PR agent. He�d been unequivocal when he returned to LA that if I found anything like this, I needed to send it to him as soon as possible.
Tami could tell I wasn�t happy and told me to call her when I was in a better mood. She knew I wasn�t mad at her. I would have to thank her for pointing it out, as much as that pained me.
I called Todd. He�d seen a sports medicine doctor who worked for the Colts before going home. It looked like a slight tear to his lateral meniscus. They wanted to do surgery to clean it up and help it heal. They told him he could expect three to six months of rehab, and he needed to take it easy until then. All indications were that he would be able to play football at the same level after the recovery.
�Did you get a chance to see the play yet?� I asked.
�No. My parents told me they wanted only positive things around me to help my recovery.�
�You might want to watch it. The kid who hit you was knee-hunting on that play. He tried to take me out, but when I pushed him to get out of his way, he injured you.�
Todd was quiet for a minute. It was one thing to get hurt during a game; that was the risk we took every time we suited up. It was something completely different to know that someone was out to cause injury, and it ended up being your own teammate. Todd had been unlucky, but it pissed me off that his teammate had tried to hurt me.
�I hope you�re wrong, but that might explain why I wasn�t allowed to see the game film,� he said and then changed the subject. �Did you get a chance to talk to Alabama?�
�Only for a moment. Why, do you need me to make a call?� I asked.
�Maybe. My dad talked to their linebacker coach to update him on what the doctor had to say and that I�d be fine by fall practice. He wouldn�t confirm their offer. He didn�t take it away, but I�m worried. Competition for a spot on their team is fierce. They have several linebackers who�d jump at an offer if they wanted them. I�m afraid they may pass on me.�
�I�ll call my guy and see what I can do. If I end up at Alabama, I�d want you on my team. I�d rather not have to face you as an opponent,� I said.
�From the way you took us apart in the second half, I feel the same way. Why don�t you just accept their offer now and get it all over with?�
�Recruiting for them already, are you?�
�I�m not going there to lose.�
Todd was right. Alabama had the tradition, put players into the NFL, and would be in the hunt for National Championships. I agreed to help him and to stay in touch.
I then called Bo Harrington.
�Hey, I just got off the phone with Todd Davis. He said he�s worried you might not stick with your offer. Any truth to that?� I asked.
�Well, hello to you too, David,� Bo said and chuckled. �We did get some good news. I assume you saw my text that Jim Ball accepted our offer.�
�Jim�ll be great for you. As will Todd.�
�I�m not the lead recruiter for Todd Davis, so I don�t know what�s going on with that. Do you know how bad his knee is?� Bo asked.
�The doctors tell him he has a tear in his lateral meniscus and they plan to clean it up with surgery.�
�That�s much better than a repair. Todd should be fine,� Bo said.
Bo would know because he�d been around football long enough to see similar injuries.
�Look, Bo, I wouldn�t be asking if I didn�t believe Todd deserved a spot. I can attest that he hits like a ton of bricks.�
�Can I tell them that your recruitment might be coupled with his?� Bo asked.
I�d done this before when Luke lost his scholarship with State. I was a man of my word, and if I committed, I would go there.
�Bo, I take my commitment seriously. I have to be honest and say I�m not ready to pick where I go to school. But I can say that knowing that both Jim and Todd were on the team would be a huge plus in Alabama�s favor.�
�Alright. Let me look into it. We offered Todd for a reason, and I�ll see if something�s changed. I watched the game; he was the best player on King, and I see why he�s a five-star recruit. Now, when can we schedule a visit? You need to experience what it means to be an Alabama football player.�
�Pick out which game you want me to come see, and I�ll be there. Just remember that I have State Playoff games in November.�
�I�ll let you know what I find out. Go win State, so I have more to brag about.�
◊◊◊
Uncle John and Aunt Bonnie showed up midafternoon. I called Jan and invited her over. I was amused when she came over in record time. She wasn�t exactly happy when I told her she needed to talk to my uncle, but did it because I told her to.
While they did that, I watched the Vikings play a thriller with the Rams, which the Vikings won in overtime. After the game, Uncle John came out to talk to me.
�It�s like I expected. Jan�s father was the one who guided her until he left her and her mom a few years ago. He accepted a job in the Middle East and decided to stay. From what I understand, he was a strong figure in her life, and Jan was very much a daddy�s girl. I think she needs someone to fulfill that role for her. I told her it couldn�t be you,� he said.
�Thanks. I believe Yuri would be the best choice and had them introduce themselves to each other last night. I�ve been trying to change his thinking about girls, but he might be what she needs.�
�Have you talked to him?� Uncle John asked.
�No, not in detail, I haven�t. I gave Yuri the broad brushstrokes because I wouldn�t know what more to tell him.�
�Good. Invite him over. I need to talk to him before we go any further.�
Soon Yuri was over, and I sent him in to talk to my uncle. I was glad that I wasn�t in the middle of all this.
Mom made me make dinner while my uncle was behind closed doors with Jan and Yuri. I was surprised they were both still in there after an hour. I�d marinated steaks with some olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a little rosemary, and I had Dad put them on the grill. Then I made faux potato salad with cauliflower; saut�ed mushrooms and onions for the steaks; and blue cheese slaw. Mom had used the bread machine to make whole-wheat bread that would be ready by the time we sat down to eat.
When dinner was ready, the three in the office came out and joined us. No one seemed upset, so we just had a family dinner. I told everyone about the blog and my being crowned a douche. I would have thought my own family would defend me, but I was sadly mistaken.
After dinner, Yuri and Jan left.
�Is everything okay?� I asked Uncle John.
�Everything�s good. I told Yuri to talk to his family about Jan and to come to you if he needed help. They both have my number.�
I just nodded and went to my apartment with my trusty hound. I noticed Duke had his ball with him. We made a pit stop in the backyard so I could throw it for him. When we got upstairs, he showed me he needed fresh water by stepping on the edge of his bowl and spilling it all over the floor. Duke had graduated to a bowl several months ago, but I considered whether he should go back to his giant gerbil bottle. At least with that, he couldn�t spill it. He then conned me into putting ice cubes in his bowl. Duke had me so well trained, it wasn�t funny.
I was reading for my art class when he decided to be brave and join me on the couch. I tried to push him off, but that had the predictable effect it does on all Labs: if you push them away, they think you don�t love them anymore. You must instantly allow them on your lap for attention. I gave up and let Duke lie down beside me as I rubbed him all over and read my homework. Getting a dog had been one of the best things I�d ever done.
◊◊◊
Chapter 6 � That�s Why We Play These Games Monday November 9
I arrived at school, probably the most rested I�d been in weeks. Not going on a recruiting trip made me realize how much I�d run around this fall. I smiled when Tracy and Pam were waiting for me in the parking lot. I winked at Pam, then wrapped Tracy in my arms and kissed her with some passion. If we hadn�t had the history we had, I would love to be with her. She and I had made a good team, and the sexual side was top notch.
I laughed at Pam when we finally let each other go.
�Me next,� she announced and about knocked Tracy down so I could kiss her.
I wondered if the parking lot was considered school property because I was just about to break every PDA rule they had. While I kissed Pam, I heard Cassidy.
�Is he giving out kisses?�
�Oh, yes, and they�re good ones,� Tracy said.
�Quit hogging him. I want a turn before the bell rings,� Cassidy complained.
Pam pulled her face away from me and stuck her tongue out at Cassidy. I decided that I�d better protect my baby mama and let Pam go and pulled Cassidy in for her turn.
�David!� boomed Coach Hope�s voice.
Cassidy reacted by grabbing my head and holding it in place. I peeked over her shoulder, and Coach was stomping over. When he got close, I picked Cassidy up and held her like a shield between her dad and me. I noticed Pam and Tracy had bailed.
�Morning, Coach,� I said.
�Get to class, Dawson. You, come with me,� Coach told Cassidy.
�He was giving out kisses, and I wanted a turn,� I heard Cassidy say. I decided I might want to jog to class!
◊◊◊
The football team was called to the gym during first period. All the coaches were there, and we sat in the bleachers. I also saw some press in the gym for the announcement. Phil sat next to me, so I assumed he was no longer mad at me. Wolf sat on my other side.
�I see you have your mini-me with you,� he teased.
�Settle down,� Coach Hope called out. �We�ve received the pairings for the first playoff game. They�re making us go on the road to play Nazareth Academy. They�re a Catholic college-preparatory school. We�ll need to be focused to beat them, and we only have two days to prepare. So, I want you all to be ready to go this afternoon.�
We had all heard of Nazareth. They were supposed to be the best team in the northern part of the state. I was surprised we�d get such a good opponent for the first game. I guess I would never understand how they ranked the teams and decided who got the home game. As the top seed, we should have been at home throughout the playoffs, but that wasn�t how they did it.
�I also have the All-Conference Team. We had several players make first team. On offense, Jim Ball, Johan Bauer, Wolf Tams, and Ty Wilson were honored. Bryan and Brock Callahan were second-team winners. Roc Pearson was named offensive freshman of the year. On defense, Yuri Antakov, Johan Bauer, and Brock Callahan made first team. Bryan Callahan made second team. On special teams, Derek Hofmann was named first-team punter and placekicker, and Ty Wilson won for kick returns,� Coach announced.
Everyone�s eyes turned to me because my name hadn�t been called. I was surprised to realize this meant as much as it did to me. Despite my disappointment, I started to clap for the winners, and everyone joined in. I was glad my teammates had been recognized for their efforts. When the clapping had died down, Coach continued.
�The conference decided to do something different this year. They�ve named a Conference MVP, and that person is our very own David Dawson,� Coach said, and everyone began to clap.
I could tell the coaching staff had planned this little deception, and I decided there�d be payback at some point. Then Jim was called up front.
�We have some good news on the recruiting front: Jim Ball has accepted an offer to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide.�
Jeff tried to ambush me for an interview, but I hip-checked Jim in front of him. I wanted Jim to have his big moment.
◊◊◊
That afternoon we watched game film of Nazareth Academy, and I got an uneasy feeling in my stomach. They had two defensive ends who were undersized, but cat-quick. I watched as bigger, stronger offensive tackles were consistently beaten by these two terrors. It�s hard to run your offense if you have one, let alone two, defenders in your backfield and causing chaos. They�d lost three games to much larger schools but had been in all of them.
In a lot of ways, Nazareth reminded me of us last year. They were a tenacious group that never seemed to give up. The difference between last year and this, for us, was we now absolutely knew we would win, and we had a year of experience under our belts. We�d proven that we had the heart of a champion when we�d beaten King. That belief could carry you a long way and help you overcome any obstacle. That was why I knew we could overcome Nazareth Academy.
We only had today and tomorrow to practice, so the coaches took us out to the field. We ran around in shorts and t-shirts to walk through the plays we would focus on against our first opponent. I felt great because I�d had an extra day to recover. I�d needed it because of the pounding Todd had put on me.
When we were done, I felt we would be able to win against Nazareth without too much trouble. It would depend on how well we handled their defensive ends. If we couldn�t block them, it would be a long night for me. While I loved to create and avoid rushes, it wasn�t how you wanted to structure a game plan.
◊◊◊
After practice, Brook, Cassidy, and I drove to the dojo. In the school parking lot, I saw Yuri and Jan. It hadn�t taken him long to figure out that she could chauffeur him around. Cassidy and Brook played rock, paper, scissors to see who�d claim shotgun. I tossed Brook the keys when she won.
�You drive,� I said as I climbed into the back seat.
I had a message from Tyler to call her. She�d received my contract from Saul Gessler to be my acting agent. I�d gone with AT Modeling as my modeling representative in part because Tyler would be my entertainment lawyer and would review all of my modeling and acting contracts. Ms. Dixon was still on retainer for most anything else. If she couldn�t handle something, her firm was large enough to have whomever I might need for any particular facet of law. A good example would have been if the mess with Pam had dragged on and we would have gone to court. Then Ms. Dixon would have stepped aside, and a Family Law specialist would have stepped in. The great thing about it for Ms. Dixon was that her firm knew she was the one who�d brought me in as a client. As a result, she was in charge of my account.
I called Tyler�s number.
�AT Modeling, how may I direct your call?�
This was new.
�I need to speak to Tyler.�
�May I ask who is calling?�
�This is David Dawson. She left me a message and asked that I call her back.�
�One moment, please.�
I was put on hold and had to listen to bad classical music.
�David?� Tyler asked.
�Yes.�
�Sorry. We�ve recently grown, and we have new offices. I�m not used to the phone system yet.�
Tyler and Adrienne had run everything out of their condo. It sounded like their business must have picked up if they needed office space.
�I received the contract from the Gessler Agency, and it was your standard boilerplate contract that was designed to screw you,� Tyler said. �I want to rework it and give Mr. Gessler incentives in the form of bonuses if he can get you to certain levels of income. This way if he doesn�t work hard for you, then he isn�t into your pocket for much.
�I also talked to Kendal to get an idea of what your contract for the second and third movies in the
�What if he gets aggressive and loses me those movies? He shouldn�t have an incentive to sabotage me just to get me into something different so he can get a payday.�
�I�ll have to give that some thought. I can understand your concerns.�
�What about Kendal? Do I owe her firm anything for the movies?� I asked.
�No, they didn�t complete the deal.�
I thought about that for a moment.
�Tyler, I�m not comfortable with that. I know I should just pocket the money, but she was a big help to me. So was Tom, for that matter.�
�I take it you wouldn�t want the rest of the firm to benefit.�
�No, those assholes can � well, you know,� I said, stopping before I told her what I really thought.
�Maybe you can pay them directly somehow. I�ll ruminate on it and see. Perhaps you could send them on a vacation in lieu of cash,� Tyler suggested.
�I�ll let you figure out what works. I also trust you to do what�s needed for the contract. Send it over to my dad when you need it signed,� I said, and then we said goodbye.
I hung up as we pulled into the dojo parking lot. Yuri had a good idea, having Jan drive him. I just couldn�t imagine letting Cassidy drive the Charger, though.
◊◊◊
When I returned home, I called Frank Ingram of IDC�Public Relations, my PR agent.
�Hey, Frank. What did you find out about the blog?� I asked.
�The blog was established last week, and we haven�t figured out who owns it yet. We did robo-vote the site, and you�re now at 98% swagger. So, you�re no longer a douche. You want me to follow up and see who posted it?�
�No. I mean yes,� I said, changing my mind. �Someone took the time to do it and obviously has an ax to grind. I think we need to find out who.�
�Okay. I�ll put my gal on it. She can crack the website and figure out who�s behind it.�
�What can you tell me about Saul Gessler?� I asked.
�Did you sign with him?�
�Not yet. I wanted to ask what you thought of him. He said he�d talked to you,� I said.
�Hollywood is full of sharks, and Saul is the biggest and baddest of the bunch. He�s a pain in the ass, and also one of my good friends. Saul comes across as an arrogant prick, that if I were an actor, I�d hire. He�ll be
�He checked out my mom awful hard.�
Frank burst out laughing.
�That�s Saul. He may look, but he�ll never touch. His wife might have something to say about it,� Frank said, and then became serious. �I understand your concerns. Saul seems like the worst possible guy for your image. He�s loud, abrasive, a hard drinker, and just about everything you would expect from the clich� Hollywood agent�in public. Get him behind doors, and he�s a savvy businessman who has an instinct for this business. If Saul offered to be your agent, then he sees something in you.�
�So, you trust him? You�d leave your mom with him for an afternoon, and she�d come back unmolested?� I asked.
�Well, your mom
�You remember that I�ll be on a plane to LA in three weeks, right?� I asked.
�Yes, I do, and you�ll have no worries about Saul.�
Frank then caught me up on what he�d been doing for me. He�d updated my various social media accounts, adding a bunch of photos of me doing different athletic activities to highlight my talents to the movie industry. Frank explained that if I showed diversity, I�d be considered for a broader range of possible parts. In fact, he had done a lot of it based on what Saul had asked him to do. My eyes started to glaze over when Frank began talking about the different metrics of my potential fan base they were working with to drive my social media followers up.
When I hung up, I felt better about Saul, and knew that he and Frank would work well together. I�d let Tyler tangle with Saul and get our contract worked out.
◊◊◊
Pam usually came over on Monday nights, but she and her mom had planned a girls� night out. So I was surprised when I heard the downstairs door open. I could tell I was safe because my guard dog trotted to the head of the stairs, and his tail began to wag. Three little voices wafted up to me, and I smiled as Kyle and Mac were almost sent tumbling by an excited Duke. I had to go grab him. I about turned him loose when in came Angie with Nate in her arms. She and I hadn�t talked since she�d confided in me.
�Ice cream,� Mac told me as she pulled on my pant leg.
Mac was serious about her ice cream. Angie smiled at me.
�Your mom told them that you had ice cream. They wouldn�t settle down until they could see their Uncle David and eat all his ice cream,� Angie said as she handed me Nate.
�Nate, you want to help me?� I asked to his delight.
A baby�s laughter should be a cure for cancer. It just makes you feel better about your day. I thought I would introduce the little guys to one of the great joys in life, cookie butter. Trader Joe�s had figured out that if you combined almond butter with crushed-up gingerbread cookies, you had the perfect product. I�d discovered that if you put a tablespoon scoop into the bottom of a bowl and microwaved it for thirty seconds, it became warm gooey goodness. You then scooped in vanilla ice cream and stirred it around until the cookie butter swirled into the ice cream.
�Oh, my,� Angie groaned as she tried her bowl.
�Duke! Park it!� I commanded as he attempted to lick out of Mac�s bowl.
He knew he�d been bad and slunk into his crate and lay down. Kyle and Mac were seated on the floor as they attacked their ice cream. I held Nate and shared mine with him. He decided I wasn�t feeding it to him fast enough and shoved his hand into the bowl. I about dropped him when Mac tipped her bowl up to get the melted ice cream, and it ran down her neck.
Poor Duke couldn�t take it anymore and bolted out of his crate. He began to lick Mac from head to toe, and she went into a giggle fit.
�No, no,� she laughed as she tried to push Duke away.
Kyle was next.
�I guess you won�t have to give them a bath tonight,� I suggested.
�Gross. They�re covered in dog slobber.�
Angie collected all the bowls and put them in the sink for me. She found a dishtowel and wet it so she could clean up the little ones. Once they were cleaned, she took them downstairs and back into the house. I suspect Mom wanted to get Angie and me together alone in the same room to show us that we could do it without anything unpleasant being said.
I had some homework and reading to get done. In a way, I was glad Pam wasn�t here to distract me. Of course, that wasn�t really true. She did distract me in the best way.
◊◊◊
My cell phone buzzed. The caller ID said it was Yuri.
I didn�t want to answer it, because I needed to finish my reading. I also knew I�d better.
�What�s up, Yuri?�
�David, can you come over? Jan and your uncle came by. We were having a good talk, but my grandma insisted on being there, and then she insisted we all go over and meet Jan�s mom. It was educational,� he said.
Oh, brother, I thought. Yuri�s grandma scared me. She was like a force of nature, unstoppable once she got going.
�And everyone�s still alive and has all their body parts functioning?� I asked.
Yuri chuckled a bit, but it seemed like a relieved one.
�Yes. It was tense at first, but everything calmed down after a while. We even managed to get Jan�s dad on the phone. It looks like it all might work out okay, but now my grandma wants to talk with you personally.�
I shuddered. It was now a no-brainer that this was more of a mess than I wanted to be part of. It would�ve been worth it if I could bow out before getting in too deep, but with my Uncle John involved, it probably was too late for that. Frankly, with Yuri�s grandma involved, I was sure she�d track me down if I didn�t show.
�Any way I can get out of this?� I asked with a plaintive whine.
Yuri chuckled, but it sounded like a nervous one.
�Nope.�
I sighed in resignation. My hope had been this wouldn�t be necessary, but apparently, it was.
�I�ll be right over.�
I grabbed my keys and phone, jumped in the Charger, and drove over to Yuri�s place. They lived in an older Victorian house on the edge of town that his mom had bought when his grandma moved in with them. When I knocked on the door, Yuri answered. He looked a bit sheepish.
�Sorry, David, but my grandma insisted on talking with you if Jan and I are to happen.�
I just nodded.
�It�s okay, bro,� I said.
He led me inside to the living room, where his mom and grandma sat in deep, comfortable armchairs. Uncle John was seated on a window seat.
I glanced around. It was a cozy, comfortable room. Jan was perched on the arm of Grandma�s chair, and the two of them held hands. Or rather, Grandma seemed to have a hold on Jan�s. Jan looked like she was absolutely ready to bolt. I recognized Jan�s cheerleader travel bag at her feet. I looked at my uncle, but before I could ask him anything, Yuri got my attention.
�David, my grandma wants to �� Yuri began.
�Yuri, I talk David, you no need,� his grandma said, to interrupt him.
Then she turned towards me and looked at me intently. I tried not to blanch and met her gaze directly.
�David, Yuri bring this girl home, next day her, your uncle come, they talk. I stick nose in. They tell me you say she should be Yuri�s girl, she need order around, punish if needed.�
She looked at Jan, then back at me.
�We go with Yuri and your uncle, visit her home, talk to her mama. Talk to her papa on phone. Her mama, ah, I learn new word today. Resentful. Her mama resentful cow.�
Jan bit her lip and looked down. Her body trembled, and she looked like she was going to cry. Grandma looked up at her, then reached up with her free hand and patted Jan�s.
�Is okay,� she said gently to Jan. �Life not always what we want. Life always what it is.�
I looked at my uncle, and he wore the classic Dawson blank face. He seemed content to let Grandma run the show.
She turned back to me.
�Her house grand, her family rich, but her mama not act like mama at all. Act like roommate who hate her. Always watch TV or on computer. Her dad long way away, long time. Can�t come home. Can�t be papa.
�Yuri tell me you say Jan need ordered around, need boss, need punish if good for her. Need no drugs, no booze. Need be useful. She pretty girl, good for Yuri that way, need learn other ways be useful. Is work for her, work for us. Maybe good things come later, maybe not,� she said.
She looked at Yuri, then back at me.
�Yuri talk about you much. First mad, then �� she said as she looked perplexed for a moment, and then said something in Russian to Yuri�s mom. She replied in Russian, after which Grandma turned back to me.
�Then confuse-ed, now proud be your friend. You good to him, good for him. I watch you at games, booster tent, other place. You patron, boss, general; not only with friends�with school, with town,� she said. �Not from new papers, not from �� There was another brief exchange in Russian. �Not from in-her-i-tanz. Not from age. From here.�
She patted her heart.
�Here.�
She pointed her finger to her head.
�Here.�
She pointed to her groin and said something to Yuri in Russian. He smiled and turned to me.
�Balls,� he translated.
My face got warm, but I held her stare. She looked at me as if seeking confirmation of something.
�Question is, why? Why you do this for her? Why Yuri?�
I looked her squarely in the eyes.
�Because Jan is one of us. And because Yuri is also one of us.�
There was an almost imperceptible change in her face. It was almost like a recognition or affirmation, so I continued.
�I�ve watched you, too. You are strong; fierce, even�but you care. Your family is strong. Yuri gets much of what he is from you. If you agree, you�ll help both Yuri and Jan. Your family and Yuri will be very good for Jan. If you can do this for her, I think she will be very good for Yuri,� I said.
�How?� she asked.
�Yuri�s learning how to treat women but needs someone to help him more than I can. Jan will help him understand what he can and can�t do. She�ll help him fit in better with the fairer sex. For Jan, she needs someone to show her that there are other ways to get someone to like her � other ways than with sex or drugs. I believe she can help Yuri in other ways. Jan can gain a purpose and help him reach his goals. I think the two of them will make a great team if they learn to trust and work with each other. One thing that comes to mind is that Yuri�s going to start getting recruited for college football soon. He needs to put a program together for his own development. Jan�s pretty organized when she wants to be. She can work with the people who help me and learn to help Yuri with recruiters, and with the recruiting and skill-development programs that he�ll need. Who knows, perhaps Jan can learn Russian from you while you learn English from her. That way it wouldn�t be just her and Yuri. I think she has a lot to offer the family as a whole,� I suggested.
Jan looked up at this, with an intense, interested expression on her face. Grandma continued to gaze at me and seemed to come to a decision. She nodded her head.
The corner of Uncle John�s mouth twitched as if he wanted to smile, but he was soon giving me a blank look again. It really was unnerving when a Dawson did that. I didn�t like being on the receiving end of that look.
�Okay,� she said, and then turned to Jan. �You live here now! We your family!�
When Yuri�s mom started to protest, Grandma turned to her and said, patiently.
�You know how I grew up. You not know all I see as girl, as young woman. This okay,� she said, and then turned to Jan. �You in our family now. You do what Yuri say, you do what I say. Study. Help Yuri with, ah, what David say, program. Help me with English, you learn Russian. No booze, no drugs. You bad girl, we punish.�
Then she smiled gently. I was confused as to why Jan seemed now to be part of the family. I would have to talk to my uncle and uncover what had happened at Jan�s house. But I kept my mouth shut because my uncle and everyone else seemed to be okay with it.
�You good girl, we love you. We love you anyway, even when bad; but we punish because we love you. You part of family now.�
Then she tugged sharply, and a startled Jan slid off the chair arm and into her lap, where Jan was hugged fiercely.
�Okay, little girl? You okay to have new family, take care of you?�
Jan looked at her from inches away, startled. Then something seemed to melt in her. She buried her head in Grandma�s shoulder and nodded vigorously. A few seconds later, her shoulders started to shake. I realized she was crying.
Grandma looked at Yuri and me and made a shooing motion with her free hand. We quietly opened the front door and stepped outside onto the porch. Uncle John and Mrs. Antakov followed us out. Yuri looked at me apologetically.
�Grandma can be a little intense.�
I grinned at him as I shook my head.
�Yuri, you are the master of understatement!�
I turned to my uncle, and he gave me a weak smile.
�Jan called me last night,� Uncle John explained. �She wanted to thank me for talking to her. I could hear loud music in the background. I asked her if she was having a party, and she explained her mom was the one with guests over. Long story short, I thought it�d be a good idea to visit her home to see what was going on. Something didn�t feel right. I called Yuri because he�d agreed to support her, and I wanted her to have his backing if it was needed.
�When I came over to talk, I was introduced to Yuri�s grandma. She insisted that we take her along,� he said and gave me a cryptic look.
�What we found was Jan�s mom treats her more like a roommate than a mother. Not like a welcome roommate, either. Jan is ignored and basically on her own. As long as she stayed out of her mom�s way, there weren�t any issues. If she got her mom�s attention, all the attention she received was negative�basically, verbal abuse.�
�It turns out Jan was a �daddy�s girl� until her father went overseas, and her mom just plain resents the hell out of that, and out of her. It�s pretty clear her mom never wanted the responsibility of raising a child.
�At one point, between Yuri�s grandma and Jan�s mom, I was afraid someone would get hurt, but we finally got everything calmed down. We found out Jan�s dad had taken a high-paying job in the Middle East. Right before he was supposed to come home, he�d called and said his contract had been extended, and he had to stay.
�Both Jan and her mom felt abandoned. From what I could figure out, her dad was the glue that held the family together. He�d been the one to tell Jan �no� and to be the responsible parent. Without him in the household, Jan was left to fend for herself, but she�d never learned how,� Uncle John explained.
�So how did you work it out so Jan would move in with the Antakovs?� I asked.
�Yuri�s grandma wasn�t leaving without her, once she saw what was going on,� Uncle John said.
�Mom can get that way,� Mrs. Antakov said.
�Jan�s mom didn�t really care, but we called her dad to confirm it was okay. He had no idea things had gotten to this state, but he was tied to a long-term contract and couldn�t get home to help. I assured him that I felt the Antakovs would be good for her. Her dad ended up giving us permission to help Jan. He�s setting up financial help for the Antakovs� time and effort. He�s also going to email us a power of attorney that lets Yuri�s family make parental decisions on Jan�s behalf. Her dad also asked that I make sure Jan is taken care of,� Uncle John said.
�What do you think about all this?� I asked Yuri.
He gave me �the look.� I honestly thought only girls could do that. I might have to smack that out of him if he continued to give it to me. There had to be something in the �Bro Code� about it.
�I�m not sure you realize what you�ve done. Grandma takes this patron stuff seriously; it�s what was around her when she grew up. She always thinks long-term and family first. Grandma told me that I could do worse than have you to help guide me,� he said, and then gave me a hard look. �You do know most marriages in old Russia were arranged marriages, don�t you? Arranged at a young age, too! I may be stuck for good! Good thing you set me up with the hottest girl in school, though!�
He grinned as he mock-punched my arm. I grinned back. The little dumbass didn�t know what he�d gotten himself into.
�I knew Jan way back when, long before her dad left for the Middle East. There�s a lot more to her than you�ve seen so far, and a lot more to her than I suspect even
He just shook his head. I knew my uncle had everything in hand. I felt better knowing that Yuri�s grandma wanted to play an active role in all this. Jan wouldn�t get away with much with my little Russian-mafia wannabe. She would absolutely toe the line if Grandma had anything to say about it. With Uncle John overseeing everything, I was confident Jan would be looked after.
I said my goodbyes and drove home slowly, with the windows down, full of thought. I�d rarely felt anything as powerful as the emotion I�d encountered in Yuri�s home. The source of it all was a seemingly gruff little slip of an old lady who could only speak broken English.
What Yuri had said about an arranged marriage shook me up a bit. I wondered for a moment if I had really helped Jan or not. She had gone from her home, where she pretty much had free rein to do what she wanted, to being under the watchful eye of Yuri and his grandma. I guess my biggest concern wasn�t for Jan, because she did need the tough love and the support Yuri and his family would give her. My biggest worry was Yuri. I was sure he�d be okay with the sex. He was a teenage boy, after all. It was Jan. She was used to getting her way and knew how to manipulate guys with her body and drugs. I just hoped Yuri was sufficiently tough to handle Jan and the temptations. Heaven knows I�d fallen for her, and I hadn�t even gotten laid. I would bet he was just hardheaded enough to get the job done. If not, I could always kick his ass, or better yet, tell on him. I�d done it with Phil. Yuri might give me a better fight when he came for me.
◊◊◊
Chapter 7 � Nobody Taught Us to Quit Wednesday November 11
I had to hand it to our booster club, they had really come through the last two weeks with transportation. The charter buses were much better than riding on a school bus. I had my earbuds in and listened to my tunes as I closed my eyes and reflected on the last two days.
Saul Gessler had agreed to the contract Tyler had sent him. The only change he requested was a flat fee to finish negotiating my
My plan for going to LA for nearly two months was to see what I might put together on the acting front. I needed to know if I had a possible future or not.
I was smart enough to know that I couldn�t go through life relying on people I knew to find me jobs, despite evidence to the contrary. News articles talked about so many actors who struggled and were routinely rejected for parts. I guess what I wanted to figure out was whether I really had what it took, or if I�d just fallen into it and gotten lucky. Believe me, I was all for getting lucky, but didn�t want to rely on it.
Before I loaded onto the bus, I�d gotten a text from Frank that told me they�d found my blogger: it was Brandon Rigby. When he�d been fired, I worried that there might be some retribution. If he was anything like his uncle, I should have known I needed to keep an eye on him. It turned out that Brandon had been a busy boy: Frank�s investigator had uncovered three other blogs. Evidently, Brandon had taken photos on some of our trips. I thanked God that I hadn�t gotten naked in front of him. But he had posted a picture that showed Todd Davis participating in the gang bang with me in the background. I was impressed that Frank�s team was able to take the photo down as quickly as they had.
I called my dad and asked him to call Ms. Dixon and see about getting a muzzle on this rabid dog. So far, his attacks had been either funny or harmless. That is, until the one with Todd�s picture. I had a bad feeling in my gut about what might happen next. I was also glad that I didn�t have my hand out during our trips. Brandon had been with me enough that if that had gone on, he would have known about it. That would have really screwed me.
I shook my head to clear it. I didn�t need to worry about Hollywood or Brandon Rigby right now, I needed to worry about Nazareth Academy, and the first step to repeating as State Champs.
◊◊◊
When we pulled into the parking lot, Wolf nudged me.
�We�re here,� he said.
I looked out the window, and to the west was an angry wall of black clouds slowly headed our way. I hadn�t checked the weather, but if what was coming towards us hit hard, we would be in for a long night. What concerned me were the lightning flashes that lit the cloud bank. We could play if there were rain, but not if there was a chance of lightning.
�That doesn�t look good,� Wolf said.
�I�m sure this can�t last. They�ll want to get this game in because they have to have at least two full days off before our next game. They�d have to push back the second-round game to Sunday,� I reasoned.
As soon as I said that, a bright flash of lightning spidered through the clouds. I loved to watch a good thunderstorm, but not today. A few seconds later, we heard the roll of thunder.
�Way to jinx us,� Wolf said as he shoved my shoulder.
Coach Hope stood up at the front of the bus.
�Help the team managers get your gear inside before it starts to rain,� he announced.
We all filed off the bus and waited for them to open the underneath storage area where our gear was. That was when we heard leaves start to blow and were buffeted with a gust of wind. There was another flash and a much closer crack of lightning. The bus driver opened the under-coach bays for us, and we each just grabbed a bag; we would sort it out once we were inside. As soon as we made it inside, the wind really picked up, and the first big drops of rain began to fall.
The janitor met us and showed us where the locker room was.
�Just change into shorts and t-shirts. The Booster Club has arranged for something to eat,� Moose said.
The rest of the coaches were looking at a laptop along with what I assumed were the coaches from Nazareth Academy and the officials for tonight�s game. None of them looked happy, so I pulled out my tablet and looked at the weather. A severe thunderstorm watch had been issued for the next four hours. If that were the case, we might not kick off until ten tonight. It might be after midnight when we finished. I worried it would be hard to stay focused on the game if it were delayed that much.
We strolled to the cafeteria where the boosters had set up pizza and salad for us. There was another crack of lightning. The lights flickered and then went out. I heard girls squeal, so I knew the cheerleaders had joined us. I found them and noticed that Halle looked worried.
�You okay?� I asked her.
�In LA, we never really get storms like this.�
The rain started in earnest, and the wind buffeted the windows. The lightning was fierce and beautiful at the same time. Halle had her bag with her. I knew she kept a sketchpad in it because she was always doodling.
�You should draw this.�
The change in her demeanor came over her like a wave. She stepped closer to the windows and found a good seat. She now watched the lightning show from a new perspective. I got her some pizza and salad and then grabbed my own and found my guys.
�What was up with Halle?� Alan asked.
�She was just nervous about the storm. What�s the word on the game?� I asked.
�They expect we�ll only be delayed a little. We have to wait until the lightning stops for a half hour. Once that happens, we can warm up and then play the game,� Alan answered.
We finished our pizza, and the coaches told us to just stay in the cafeteria. It didn�t take long for the natives to get restless.
�Wolf, tell everyone some jokes,� I said.
Jim and Tim cringed because they knew how bad his jokes could be. Wolf stood up and got everyone�s attention.
�You guys want to hear the ten worst pick-up lines I heard David use on our recruiting trips?� he asked everyone.
I looked over and saw Pam wink at me, so I figured they all knew this was all in fun. Plus, I wanted to know what my worst pick-up lines were since I didn�t remember using any.
�We were at Northwestern, and we all saw this butt-ugly chick. Of course, David has no taste in women,� Wolf said.
�Hey!� Cassidy called out, and Wolf cringed.
I would bet that was the last disparaging remark he made about my women. It did get everyone to laugh.
�Anyway, he walks up to her and says, �On a scale from 1 to 10, you�re a 9, and I�m the 1 you need,�� Wolf said. That got him a chorus of moans.
�Did it work?� Phil asked.
�What do you think? David�s a model,� Wolf said and flounced around as if he were a bad runway model.
When he struck a pose, with his hands on his hips, I was amused. When he stuck his lips out and had the patented model thousand-yard stare, I about fell out of my chair. I jumped up.
�You have it all wrong,� I said. �You have to stick your butt out for the ladies, and your nose has to be up in the air.�
I demonstrated the pose and wiggled my butt. A phone camera flashed. Crap! Tracy had snapped the shot. I would have to do some serious groveling to keep her from sending it to everyone. Then around the room, phones started to ding. She had sent out a mass text with it attached. I felt sorry for Tom and Mary; they had invested eighteen years in their little darling, only to have her die. I sat down and pouted, which the group seemed to find even funnier.
�At Michigan State, David cornered this cute sorority girl. We all could see she was nervous that this letch wouldn�t leave her alone. He told her, �I�d like to point out that �beautiful� has U in it. But �quickie� has U and I together.� For some reason, she slapped him,� Wolf said.
�Did it work?� Phil asked.
Wolf just rolled his eyes at my half brother and continued.
�After going down in flames, he tried again with this gem: �Baby, if you were a fruit, you�d be a fineapple.��
Even I groaned at that one. That didn�t deter Wolf.
�David wasn�t to be discouraged. He had a few drinks, got a little tipsy, and tried again. �Hi, I�m wasted, but this condom in my pocket doesn�t have to be.��
�Seriously?� I asked.
�Did it work?� Phil asked.
�We were all worried that David had lost his touch. Then he came up with this: �If you were a Transformer, you�d be a hot-o-bot, and you�d be called Optimus Fine!��
That one was so bad Phil didn�t need to ask if it worked or not.
�By now we were worried that we may have found ourselves at a girls softball party because Casanova kept going down in flames. Us non-model types didn�t stand a chance if even our fearless leader couldn�t get lucky. I think word had gotten around about David because the girls all had a wary look about them. That didn�t slow him down. This next one actually got us kicked out of the party. �I�m not a weatherman, but you could expect more than a few inches tonight.��
�Hey, now,� I complained.
Moose found me wrestling with Wolf, who giggled like a schoolgirl as I gave him a noogie. I suspect the noise we were making had attracted his attention.
�Dawson!� he bellowed.
Why was I always the one who got into trouble?
�Get taped and then dressed. The worst of the storm has passed, and we�ll be starting in forty-five minutes,� Moose said.
Finally! Let�s play this game.
◊◊◊
When we came out to stretch and warm up, there was no one in the stands. They hadn�t allowed anyone in while there was a chance of lightning. It was raining still, so I imagined everyone was still in their cars. The temperature was in the low fifties, so I didn�t blame them. It was strange to see an empty stadium, though.
We took extra time to stretch and get ready. Cold and wet in combination made it easy to slip and pull a muscle. The good news was the field seemed to be in good shape. When I practiced throwing, I didn�t have any problems. The equipment managers broke out the gloves for the skill players. We would need them once the balls got wet.
As we warmed up, they opened the gates, and the stadium began to fill. I saw my parents come in. Mom carried a big towel, and she and Dad had rain ponchos on. Someone must have been handing them out because they were all bright orange with a bulldog on the front. The cheerleaders were wearing the same ponchos.
After we warmed up, we returned into the locker room to get dried off. I was a little worried because I felt fine. Usually, my stomach got nervous, and I threw up. Part of it was probably that I thought we should win this one, and part was the rain delay. The rest of the team appeared relaxed. This was much better than them being uptight. I felt like we would have a good game.
When we ran out for the coin toss, I was the only one sent out. Coach Hope hadn�t appointed anyone else as captains. Nazareth was fired up and dancing around. It reminded me of me when we played King. I just shook my head when one of them told me we were going down.
�What, no snappy comeback?�
I just grinned at them. The referee seemed relieved that I hadn�t taken the bait. I knew they�d heard what I�d said to Todd in Indianapolis, so I would guess they planned a comeback when I responded. Boys had been playing this game for years, and I knew that it would frustrate them more if I kept my mouth shut.
I won the toss, and we deferred to the second half. Nazareth accepted the kickoff and was able to get good field position. I started to worry when they seemed to have more energy than we did. It wasn�t that they looked better, they just appeared to want it more. They held their blocks a beat longer and fought for every inch of extra yardage. Nazareth also seemed to be in tempo as they drove down the field. I started to worry that we hadn�t taken them seriously enough. We eventually stopped them, and they settled for a field goal to take an early 3�0 lead.
On the kickoff, Nazareth kicked the football through the end zone, so we started our first possession on our 20 yard line. I could tell we were in for a long night on the first snap. Both of their defensive ends were in the backfield before I could even hand the ball off to Ty. I did the smart thing and just covered up and took the sack. A handoff in that situation could have resulted in a fumble.
The second snap was more of the same. I was able to dump the ball off to Ed, but he only made up what we�d lost on the first play. On third down, Nazareth unleashed their linebackers as well. I went into full scramble mode. This time I remembered to keep both hands on the football. It was good that I did because their middle linebacker tried to punch it lose. A seam appeared, and I stepped up into it. I decided just to take off and darted past the line of scrimmage. All I could see was the safety in front of me, and he looked scared. I made a move on him, and the turf gave way. I ended up two yards short of the first down, so we had to punt.
During the first quarter, we just couldn�t seem to get the ball moving. Nazareth, on the other hand, seemed to move at will until they got inside our 20 yard line, where our defense would stiffen. Ty finally put together a few good runs and then broke a sixty-yarder for a score. At the end of the first quarter, we were down 9�7.
The second quarter found me running for my life on every other play. It felt like the old days when our offensive line couldn�t block. The bad part was Nazareth put me on my butt a couple of times. That had been a considerable difference this year, and my body didn�t miss all the bruises I used to sport. Of course, I gave as well as I received, and both their defensive ends had a new respect for how hard I would hit back.
Jim and Neil were about at the end of their rope. They just couldn�t seem to corral the two speedy defensive ends. That was when Coach Diamond had a brilliant idea. We usually ran a trap play where the backside guard would pull and block the defensive tackle. The play was designed to be run inside. Why not run it so the guard would pull and block the defensive end? We would run the ball off-tackle. Brock and Bryan were more fleet of foot, and the play was designed to use the defensive lineman�s aggression against him.
Coach Diamond added a wrinkle. Ed would go in motion at full speed, and I would time the snap so that I could hand him the football on the jet sweep. My read was the defender that had him one-on-one. If I saw he kept up with Ed as he crossed the formation, I�d pull the ball and hand it to Ty who would run off-tackle. If the defender mirroring Ed were behind, I�d give Ed the football on the sweep. My action was to do the handoff and then curl the other direction with a fake. The final option would be for me to fake the handoff and then either run a counter around the other end or pass the ball.
We lined up, and on the snap, Ed�s man had him covered, so I pulled the ball back and handed it to Ty. I couldn�t help but grin when Nazareth�s defensive end thought he�d beaten Jim again and zeroed in on Ty. He never saw Brock. There are a few times in football when you catch a guy unaware and lay him out. Brock had to be delighted when he nailed one of the pests who�d been disrupting our offense. The poor kid was shook-up, but it had been a clean play, so he hadn�t been injured. Ty picked up five yards on his run.
I wholeheartedly agreed when Coach Diamond signaled in the same play but to the other side. This time we had Jake go in motion and his defender kept up with him, so I handed the football to Ty again. I will give Nazareth�s other defensive end credit because his head was on a swivel after he�d seen his buddy laid out. It didn�t matter, though. He had to either face Bryan and fight through his block to stop Ty or let him go to avoid the contact. Coming off the ball and engaging someone head-on is much different than allowing them to get a head of steam going and then facing them. Bryan had five yards to get up to full speed, and the defensive end was on his heels. Even with him being aware that Bryan was about to hit him, it didn�t make a difference in the outcome. Bryan put a tremendous shot on our biggest problem. Ty hit the seam, fought through an arm tackle by the linebacker, and was into the secondary where he was tackled by the safety.
We�d finally found a way to contain the defensive ends and began to march down the field. Ty was picking up four to six yards on every play. Nazareth decided to try something different: the man who would follow our motion held back to add a person at the point of attack. I read it and handed the ball to Ed, who picked up fifteen yards.
Nazareth�s next ploy was to shift their defensive backs towards our motion. That might have worked, but Coach Diamond�s genius had been to add my ball-fake to the backside. When I saw them start to shift, I simply kept the ball. In high school, you didn�t want a guy like me to ever get past the line of scrimmage. I was six-four, weighed two hundred and fifteen pounds, and was just as fast as Ty. Their shift put them out of position, and I did my usual fake trot and then exploded into a full sprint.
The fans saw it before Nazareth did and started to roar, and the damned cowbells began to ring. Once I was past the line of scrimmage, it was all over. I was fast enough that none of their defenders could catch me. We were now up 14�9, and that was how the first half ended.
As we came off the field at halftime, it began to rain hard. When we got into the locker room, the coaches checked the weather on a tablet, and it looked like we were going to have to play in heavy rain. The hope was that there would be no more lightning, or there would be further delays.
Beginning the second half, the weather made things miserable. When you ran, water would actually splash up because it couldn�t soak in fast enough. All that water began to loosen up the turf, and the field became a mud pit. I have to applaud our fans for sticking with us through this. I�m not sure that I wouldn�t have bailed.
The net effect was the game came to a grinding halt. Neither team could move the football, and the wind gusts made each punt an adventure. It was on one of Nazareth�s punts when it got interesting. Ty was back to take it, and their punter boomed one that flew high, and then the wind caught it. Ty signaled for a fair catch and parked where it should land. Another gust caught it as it came down and Ty had to scramble to catch the football. A Nazareth defender was right in front of Ty. The ball hit Ty on the helmet and bounced into the arms of the defender. I don�t know who was more surprised, but the defender recovered and took off running. Ty tackled him as he scored to make it 16�14.
Late in the fourth quarter, the rain stopped, and the winds calmed down. Nazareth drove the ball and was able to add a field goal to make it 19�14.
There were just under four minutes left, and the game was in my hands. Coach Diamond told me to run the hurry-up offense and make the calls at the line. We had practiced this, and when I reached the huddle, everyone looked at me with confidence. They knew I would bring us back. I called the first play, and we lined up with me in the shotgun. Ty was at my side to help block or be my dump-off receiver if I got into trouble.
�Down. Set. Hut, HUT!�
It seemed Jim and Neil had figured out how to handle the two defensive ends. They fired off the ball and used their size and strength to get into their bodies. If our guys could get a block on them, the smaller defensive players didn�t stand a chance.
I scanned the field and saw Roc get muscled by their cornerback and pushed towards the sideline. He stumbled but gathered himself and took off. I hit him in stride as he outraced the defenders. Our crowd went nuts. I think they had built up their nervous energy and finally had an outlet. That was until we saw the yellow flag. The line judge said that Roc had stepped out of bounds and as such couldn�t be the first to touch the ball.
Coach Hope went insane. I�d never seen him this mad on a football field before. He reasoned that the defender had pushed Roc out and he had come right back into the field of play. Coach Zoon and Moose had to restrain Coach Hope, but he lost the argument.
Nazareth changed into a prevent defense to stop us from another long pass. I�d learned to not force a pass and just take what our opponents gave us. I worked us down the field to just inside the 20 yard line. With the short field, Nazareth pulled their prevent defense and changed back to their base defense. They decided to blitz me.
On the first play, I found myself with a linebacker in my face. I threw the ball to Ty, who had looped towards the sideline. He picked up five yards and ran out of bounds to save me from calling a time-out. We were now on the 15 yard line with just under a minute to go. We had all our time-outs, but I didn�t want to use any if I didn�t have to.
On the next play, Roc flashed across the formation ten yards downfield. He had a step on his defender, so I ripped a pass to him, but he dropped it. The next play I was forced to dump because it was either that or take a sack. It was now fourth down, and only thirty-two seconds left in the game. I could still get a first down if we picked up six yards.
We huddled up for the next play.
�We need to pick up the first down. Get out of bounds if you can, if not, everyone call time out.�
I called the play, and we lined up with grim determination.
�Down. Set. Hut, HUT!�
The play was designed for Roc and Wolf to streak into the end zone, and Ed and Jake would each do a shallow down-and-out. I planned to throw the ball to Jake because he had better hands than Ed did. Ty would sneak out and set up in the middle of the field.
On the snap, Neil slipped and let his defensive end loose. Luckily, he was in the direction I faced, so I saw him coming. I made a nifty little jink move and rolled out to give myself room to throw the ball. Wolf�s man had let him go, and they had Jake double-teamed. I threw a high ball to allow Wolf to go up and get it and he snagged it in the back of the end zone. The only problem was that his lead foot was on the line, and the back judge signaled he was out of bounds.
I wanted to throw up. We had just turned the ball over on downs with only twenty-three seconds on the clock. Yuri looked grim as I came off the field.
�Get the ball back,� I told him.
Nazareth and their fans started to celebrate. I stood tall to set an example to everyone. I wanted to go hide because I�d let everyone down. They needed to see that leadership wasn�t only when you won.
They got into victory formation where the quarterback would take the snap and kneel down to run the clock out. I was glad that we had saved our time-outs because we might get a chance to force a punt. We used all our time-outs. After three straight kneel-downs, there were twelve seconds left on the clock. I expected Nazareth would run their punter out. If they did punt, their punter would kick it from inside his own end zone. Coach Hope decided we would go for the block and see what happened.
I was surprised when Nazareth�s quarterback came back out. Coach Zoon ordered the defense back onto the field. In football, twelve seconds can seem like a lifetime. It looked like they planned to let their quarterback run around until time expired. Even if he were tackled in the end zone and gave up a safety, we would only score two points, and they would still win.
On the snap, we chased after him. He avoided Johan and Wolf, and I watched in horror as the seconds ticked off. It looked like he planned to run out the back of the end zone. Yuri was almost there when the gun sounded. I took a deep breath and accepted our defeat. Yuri reached out to shake hands with the quarterback to offer his congratulations. The quarterback began to dance in celebration and tossed the ball to Yuri as a final �screw you� gesture. Yuri caught it, and the referee raised his hands in the touchdown signal.
�Oh, my dear Lord!� I screamed as I realized we had just won 20�19.
It took a moment for everyone to recognize what had just happened. Nazareth�s quarterback had neither downed the ball nor gone out of bounds. It was still a
Someone had filmed the final sequence, and it became a YouTube sensation. The body language of Nazareth Academy had gone from absolute euphoria to confusion to devastation. Ours was just the opposite. It was like watching someone hit a full-court shot to win a basketball game. I felt terrible that we never had a chance to shake Nazareth Academy�s hands. They had been a worthy opponent that had taken us to the final gun. Our celebration must have upset them because they ran off the field before we could do the postgame ritual.
All I could think as we walked into the locker room after the game was how we should have beaten them handily. It just reinforced the old saying about that was why we played the game. On any given day, the underdog could win. I just couldn�t believe that we had pulled a miracle out of our butts. I would bet we�d be ready for our next game.
◊◊◊
After the game, we found out that our next opponent was Beverly. We�d met them in the first round of the playoffs the last two years. We had each won one and lost one. The good news was that we would play them at home on Saturday. We also all knew that we�d be in for a tough game, and I think everyone knew we wouldn�t take anyone lightly from here on out. We had goals that included another State Championship. None of us wanted to have to pull off another miracle.
◊◊◊ Thursday November 12
Two games in a row I�d been banged up. I thought about the previous two years, and this one had been far better. Our offensive line had improved and kept me safe most of the year. I knew that when I chose a college, that would be a factor in selecting what school I planned to attend. Wherever I played, there would always be a chance of injury, but I didn�t want to tempt fate. Each level you went up, they were bigger, faster, and stronger, which translated to their hitting much harder.
If this was what I could expect, I needed to heed Coach Mason�s warning to not run as much. He was a big believer in pocket passers and thought the new style of scrambling quarterback who could also beat you with their legs was insane. All it took was an injury to your quarterback and your season would be in serious trouble. This was much more important at the pro level where there weren�t enough quality quarterbacks.
I walked downstairs for my morning run, and suddenly, Duke was on high alert. He actually had the fur go up on his back, which made me nervous. I suspected that Brit�s damned cat had staked out our back door. I edged it open and readied my Bo staff in case I needed it to ward her off. As soon as it cracked open, Precious bulled her way in and disappeared up the stairs. Crud! I was in no mood to play �find the kitty.� I�d decided to go ahead with my run and deal with her later when I began to open the door again. But Duke let out a deep warning growl, so I stopped.
His growl brought me up short because it wasn�t a playful one. Duke was serious about what waited for us outside. Whatever it was, I didn�t need Duke in the middle of it. I figured I would convince it to go away with my Bo staff.
�Park it!� I ordered Duke.
He ignored me because he was fixated on the unknown threat. I tapped him on the head; he looked up at me, and I pointed and repeated the command. He was shaking, he was so ramped up, but I was happy when he begrudgingly climbed up the stairs. Usually, he would go into his crate and lie down, but I was satisfied when he stopped at the head of the stairs and looked back. Precious peeked around the corner as well.
I opened the door, stepped out, and was confronted by the biggest raccoon I�d ever seen. His face was bloody, which told me he�d tangled with Precious. I was surprised she�d backed off; that certainly wasn�t normal for her. The dang thing turned and glowered at me. He wasn�t scared of shit.
�Get out of here! Shoo!�
This monster had to weigh at least sixty pounds. I was startled when he charged me but had the presence of mind to use the Bo staff to hold him off as I quickly gave ground. Duke was going nuts at my back door as he tried to get out of the apartment. The racket must have alerted my mom because she stuck her head out the back door of the house.
�David, leave that thing alone.�
�I�d love to, but I think it wants to kill me.�
The raccoon made a valiant lunge and got past my Bo staff. It was a good thing I�d done my speed work because I switched from slowly backing up to a full run. He was fast, I�ll give him that. He became less interested in me when I got serious and whacked him with the Bo staff. The raccoon shook his head in confusion and then darted into the neighbor�s backyard.
I ran back to my apartment because it sounded like Duke might break through the door. I opened it and grabbed his collar before he could bolt after the raccoon. The poor guy about choked himself out before he realized I wasn�t about to let go. Precious, on the other hand, gave chase. I would bet we wouldn�t see that crazy raccoon again. She came back and seemed very pleased with herself. I had to laugh when a frustrated Duke rolled her. You�d think he would learn. I guess he did because he bolted for the back door of the house, and Mom opened it enough for him to escape with his life.
Precious trotted to the back door, sat down, and looked at me. Her look was one of pure kitty evil intent. I decided I wouldn�t involve myself in her nefarious plans to off my pup and left for my run.
◊◊◊
I pulled into the school parking lot and saw Jan and Yuri. He was taking full advantage of her being old enough to drive. I had to bite my tongue when I observed what Jan was wearing. You have to realize that Jan was my class�s Tracy, or Cindy and Suzanne. She was a trendsetter, and other girls copied what she wore. I wasn�t happy with the new clothes. She wore an oversized sweatshirt and loose-fitting jeans. She saw me look at her, and the corners of her eyes tightened for a fraction of a second. I instantly knew what had happened. Either Yuri or his grandma had taken one look at her usual attire and made her dress in what amounted to a potato sack. If all the girls at Lincoln started to wear this, Yuri was a dead man.
�What did you do?� I asked Yuri.
He was clueless.
�Uh?� he asked and tilted his head to the side.
�Why�s Jan dressed like that?� I asked.
Yuri glanced back at her and blushed. To her credit, she stayed quiet and let me handle it, but the ghost of a smile did touch her lips.
�You said�� he began, but I raised my hand to cut him off.
�Why would you cover up someone like Jan?� I asked.
Jan had to turn her head away from me, or I think she might have laughed. Yuri seemed to struggle to figure out what the right response was, so I let him off the hook.
�I understand why you might believe this�d help, but this isn�t who Jan is. Sure, I�d agree that some of her outfits should be toned down. I also know what I said. Jan can be stylish without giving off an overtly sexual vibe. In the long run, both of you will be happier if you let her wear most of what she wants,� I told him.
�Why didn�t you say anything?� I asked Jan.
�He was being so forceful, it kind of turned me on,� she admitted, which caused Yuri to blush even harder.
�I might have to spank you when we get home,� Yuri said.
Jan�s eyes got big, and she gave him a fake shudder. I couldn�t help but bark out a laugh at her antics. Yuri was so in over his head.
�Shut up, �stupid boy,�� Yuri said.
�Hey, now. No need for name-calling,� I said with a mock glower, and then turned to Jan. �Go easy on him. I need him ready to play on Saturday.�
She nodded, then hooked her arm under Yuri�s and led him away. I wore a big grin on my face as I thought about how embarrassing your first girlfriend could be. I thought back on how mine had explained to my friends and my mom that I was generously endowed. Perhaps I should visit Yuri at home and see if he wanted to share his wiener size with his mom and grandma. What was the saying? If it doesn�t kill you, it makes you stronger. I might have to call bullshit on that one.
�Why are you so happy?� Tracy asked.
She was with Pam and Mona. I must�ve still had that big grin on my face.
�Young love,� I said cryptically.
�Jan and Yuri,� Pam guessed. �That�s one couple I would never have guessed.�
�He�s a bit of a Neanderthal, in a cute kind of way,� Mona said.
�If you mean he�s bullheaded and should be tased, then I agree,� Pam said.
I expected Pam was still pissed about everything he�d said to her about me not being able to come to school. I would have to warn him that Pam might yet want to apply some electricity to his nuts. He might want to make a preemptive apology to be on the safe side.
�I need your help with a couple of things,� I said, and got wary looks in response. �Yuri dressed Jan today, so be supportive of her.�
�Oh, dear. He surely didn�t,� Tracy said. �We may have to stage an intervention.�
I just shook my head.
�The other thing is, we�re trying to limit her alcohol and drug use,� I said and looked at Mona.
�Jerk,� was her one-word response.
�Hey, you�re the Party Queen, and seem to be one of the few who stays sober at the parties,� I said. While I explained that, I was eying both Pam and Tracy, who�d been known to throw a few back. �All I�m asking is that you all keep an eye out and help support her.�
�I�ll help,� Pam said. �After all, I can�t drink right now.�
I smiled, stepped up to her, and rubbed her belly. She gave me an exasperated look.
�You might want to get used to that. Angie said that complete strangers would walk up to her and want to touch her belly.�
That didn�t help, so I kissed her.
�Don�t start something you can�t finish,� Tracy teased.
Right on cue, the bell rang. Tracy and Mona pulled Pam away from me, and they all wiggled their butts and giggled when they saw the lust in my eyes. All that stopped me from going caveman, dragging them into an empty classroom, and having my way with all of them was that I figured they might actually kill me.
I heard someone chuckle, which startled me. It was Coach Hope.
�Get to class before you do something stupid.�
I shook my head to clear it and hurried off.
◊◊◊
All our teachers cracked down. They�d gone easy on us the last few days because of the first playoff game. I checked the calendar in my head and realized I only had a couple of weeks of school left. Time to knuckle down, get all my reading done, and prepare for finals the day after Thanksgiving. That following Monday, I would be in LA.
Something else I wanted to do was to lay the groundwork for next year. I was self-disciplined enough to work on my own. Of course, Coach Hope would get them working on next year, but I wanted to make sure he knew what Coach Mason had said. I knew that I wouldn�t be around after the season for nearly two months. If the guys were committed, they could make a lot of progress in that amount of time.
Uncle John had told me that when I learned to delegate, I would accomplish a great deal more than if I did everything myself. I thought there was no time like the present, so I talked to Coach Zoon after lunch. He taught my AP American History class. I asked if I might speak to him and Coach Hope during my last period when I had a free period. That period could be used for either tutor sessions or self-study, but I usually used it to watch game film.
At the appointed time, I found them in Coach Hope�s office.
�Come in, David. Have a seat,� Coach Hope said when he saw me at the door. �What can we do for you?�
�I wanted to talk to you about getting ready for next year,� I said.
Coach Zoon scowled, and Coach Hope broke out in a big grin.
�Tony told me that was what you wanted to talk about, and I didn�t believe it,� Coach Zoon admitted. �He bet me you really did, and now I have to go to the dojo and spar with you. He said you needed to show me your new move.�
�Did he tell you what it was?� I asked.
�No, he said I should be surprised. I have a feeling it won�t be good, so I�ll warn you right now I might get even,� Coach Zoon said.
�I taught Cassidy how to do it, so I think I�ll pass and let her train you,� I said with a straight face.
Coach Zoon turned to Coach Hope.
�How did you know?� he asked.
�Coach Mason had a talk with them while we were in Indianapolis. I figured he�d want to talk about it sooner rather than later,� Coach Hope explained to his friend. Then he turned to me. �Tell us what you�re thinking. I�ve got some ideas from last year, but I want to hear what you have to say.�
�Last year, we implemented the study groups, and everyone�s grades improved. When I was in Houston for Elite Camp, I learned that the NCAA has implemented stricter guidelines for football scholarships. You can probably guess who has a chance to get a scholarship. Could we ask Ms. Jaroslav, our guidance counselor, to check on the guys who might make it to the next level and ensure they�re on the right path academically?� I asked.
�That was on my to-do list,� Coach Hope said. �It reminds me, though, that a couple of the players were homeschooled. Johan Bauer�s a junior, and Derek Hofmann�s a sophomore. Roc and Milo are both freshmen, so they should be fine. I�ll have Ms. Jaroslav look into the NCAA guidelines to see what needs to be done in that situation.�
Coach Zoon wrote it down; I knew who Coach Hope expected to delegate that task to.
�Did Coach Mason give you a breakdown of what he told us?� I asked.
�Yeah, he was pretty funny. He said he expected that you�d remember it all, but you were a kid,� Coach Hope said.
I didn�t react, which made Coach Zoon grin. He knew the �kid� remark would irritate me.
�I thought we would do the same thing we did last year,� Coach Hope continued. �I�ll have the trainers put together individualized programs for both nutritional and weight-and-conditioning programs. There was a lot of improvement over last year.�
�I agree, but we need to tweak it,� I said.
�What do you mean?� Coach Zoon said.
�The best example I can give you is that Jim isn�t nearly big enough to play at Alabama. He needs to put on forty to fifty pounds of muscle without losing any flexibility or speed. He was lucky that Bo knew him, and recommended that Alabama look at him. Based on Jim�s weight, they probably wouldn�t have recruited him otherwise. There are a lot of high school left tackles who are three-hundred-pounders already. I believe we played against several of them.
�I want to see Jim succeed. If we contact Alabama, I�m sure they�ll help us with a plan to get him ready. They�re one of a handful of college programs that have the best offensive lines each year. What we learn from that could be used with the rest of our offensive line. Can you imagine what we could do if next year�s offensive line packed on even twenty pounds of muscle?� I asked.
�Yes. We got everyone into great shape, but no one blew up in terms of size.�
I kept my mouth shut because last year�s ass-hats had done just that. The only problem was they did it the illegal way.
�What else?� Coach Zoon asked.
�I suggest there are specific skills that need to be worked on. Overall team speed is never a bad thing. Can you imagine if Ty were faster? He might be able to catch me,� I said with a grin. �Being able to jump would help the receivers. Right now, we rely on Wolf�s height. Imagine if he were able to jump just a few inches higher. We�d never have to worry about someone getting high enough to stop him in the back of the end zone.�
�I see where you�re going with all this. Let me work with the trainers and the rest of the coaches. I�ll call Coaches Harrington and Mason and get their input. We should have everything we need equipment-wise with the new Field House and weight room. It�s just a matter of putting together a training program. We�ll sit down with each player after the season and get them on individualized programs while you go play in LA,� Coach Hope said.
�I�m sure all I�ll be doing is sipping cocktails poolside while I�m away. If you want, I can send you some pictures,� I teased.
�Get out of here. I might have to make an example of you and your smart mouth, and make you pull from the punishment jar,� Coach Hope said.
�By the way, I changed all the punishments to going out on a date with Cassidy,� Coach Zoon added.
I started to say something but thought better of it; I might actually want to attend practice tonight. Then I stopped as something struck me. I turned around, and both coaches wore curious looks as to what I might have to say.
�You already had all this figured out, didn�t you?� I asked.
Both coaches smiled, and Coach Zoon nodded.
�David, something you have to learn is to listen to your men. You want their buy-in. But you did add to what I�d already planned,� Coach Hope said. �You reminded me to look into the homeschooled players� transcripts. I was focused on football, not eligibility. You also brought up an excellent point about bulking up. I agree, a call to Alabama is a good start. We want to do it right so that we add the weight the right way.
�I also like that you�re proactive. I planned to attack this at the start of the year. You�re right in pointing out that a lot of development can happen in a month. I�ll make sure I get everyone together after the season and have a brainstorming session like the one we did when we set all this up. I might even throw you under the bus once or twice and tell them something is your idea if they don�t come up with it themselves. That way it�ll come from a fellow teammate, instead of the coaches.�
I thought about what he�d just said, and could see where he was right. Teens didn�t like to be told to do anything. If they all worked together to come up with the ideas, we should be more successful.
�That�s fine, Coach. If they get out of line, tell them I said Cassidy�d make sure they get with the program.�
�Will do. Now go get ready. We have a game Saturday, and I�d like to remove any doubt. Nobody taught us to quit, and I�m not about to let that happen. I suspect the last game was a wake-up call for all of us.�
◊◊◊
Coach treated practice like a Monday. We watched film of our last game. Well, just the final play. I expect everyone knew how close we had come to ending our season. Believe it or not, some idiot had driven by the Nazareth Academy quarterback�s home and shot out the front window. I knew exactly how the kid felt. My first year, I�d had the football bounce off my facemask late in a playoff game; that had caused us to lose. What people needed to come to grips with was that it was just a game.
Then the coaches broke us down into offense and defense, and we reviewed Beverly�s game films. Coach Mason had looked at them and pointed out several concerns and opportunities. As I watched the video, I felt a calmness come over me. We�d played them the last two years and had split the games. It appeared that nothing had changed since Coach Hope and Coach Zoon had been head coaches there. They played tough defense and were conservative on offense. The problem was I�d been involved in game-planning against them the last two years. There was no mystery here, and I knew how to beat them.
As I listened to Coach Diamond and Alan break down Beverly�s defense, and how we would attack it, I could tell they�d done their homework. It confirmed everything I thought. I vowed to light them up on Saturday. I didn�t want to be in a position where we needed a miracle to win.
◊◊◊
After practice, I skipped the dojo because I needed to give my body a break. I stayed after practice and let Jill give me a therapeutic massage. I almost cried when she did it, but I knew how much better I would feel tomorrow. She sent me to the whirlpool after she was done to let the hot water beat against my body and loosen me up even more. When the trainers were finally done with me, I felt like a piece of limp spaghetti.
I drove home and found Mom had made split pea soup. After I�d eaten a couple of bowls, I was ready for bed, but Dad stopped me.
�I wanted to give you a quick update on what Frank found out. His uncle rehired Brandon Rigby after Tom let him go, so he�s an employee of Rigby, Thompson and Associates. I talked to Ms. Dixon, and she�s sending them a cease-and-desist letter. I authorized her to get aggressive in the verbiage, but not to make any threats we aren�t willing to carry out,� Dad said.
�What do you mean, aggressive?� I asked.
�Well, Ms. Dixon was more than willing to just turn them all over to the State Bar, she was so disgusted. She said this was a good compromise to her approach, but if Brandon doesn�t stop, there will be consequences. Frank promised to keep an eye out to make sure nothing new surfaces and that everything gets taken down. The letter was messengered over today,� Dad explained.
�Thanks for coordinating that for me. I really appreciate the assist today,� I said.
Dad just smiled. I took my trusty hound up to my apartment and crashed.
◊◊◊
Chapter 8 � If I Weren�t Careful Saturday November 14
I woke up to my phone ringing. I wondered who would be calling so early.
�Hello,� I croaked out.
�David, did I wake you up?� a familiar voice asked.
�What? What time is it?� I asked.
�David, it�s Mr. Hill. I wondered if you could do a shoot for me this morning?�
I looked at the clock, and it was 6:30 a.m. Our game with Beverly wasn�t until 7:00 p.m.
�I�d have to be back for my football game no later than 5:00 tonight,� I said.
�Is that a yes?� Mr. Hill asked.
�I guess. What time do I need to be there?� I asked.
�Can you be here by 8:00? I�ll have you out of here by 3:00 at the latest.�
�Alright,� I said and hung up.
My first thought was to call Kendal, but she no longer worked for me. I still didn�t have a PA who had power of attorney to sign off on things for me. Either my mom or dad would have to come with me; I sure hoped they didn�t have plans. I threw on a pair of shorts and got Duke. He wasn�t happy that I put him on the leash, but there wasn�t time for him to mess around. I walked in the back door and found Mom and Dad at the kitchen table.
�Mr. Hill called this morning and asked me to do a photo shoot today. Could one of you show up around 3:00 and sign off on the work?� I asked.
�When are you going to get a PA?� Mom asked.
�I know. This is my fault,� I said.
�What does he need you to do?� she asked.
Sometimes it sucks to be a guy. My dad bit his bottom lip and scratched the back of his head.
�David Allen Dawson. Are you telling me you have no idea what Mr. Hill needs you to do today?� Mom asked.
�He just said he needed my help. I figured it was important,� I said in my lame defense.
�I�ll go with you. Someone has to make sure you�re not doing gay porn,� Mom said, which caused Dad to shoot coffee out his nose.
I swear she sometimes just says things for shock value, but she wouldn�t be my mom if she didn�t. I just rolled my eyes and went back to my apartment to take a shower.
◊◊◊
As we pulled into Hill Advertising, their parking lot was full. Mom and I walked in and found the lobby full of models. I stepped up to the reception desk and saw there was the same girl who�d been the receptionist the last time I was there. This time she looked frazzled, so I didn�t ask her to detail the Charger. She looked up and gave me a weak smile.
�Mr. Dawson, they�re in Studio A,� she said.
Mom and I walked into the back. Studio A was the biggest studio at Hill Advertising; it was twenty by twenty with a fifteen-foot ceiling. I spotted Mr. Hill. He was busy with several suits who seemed to be giving him a hard time. He saw me and motioned me to come over.
�I�m sorry he didn�t work out, but I believe you�ll like his replacement,� Mr. Hill said, and then turned to me. �This is David Dawson. He�s under contract with Range Sports, Jade, and Dakora.�
�David, sorry for the sudden call-in. Would you please take off your shirt for us?� one of the men asked.
Mom started to say something, but I just winked at her and took my shirt off.
�He looks a little young, but I think he�ll do on short notice,� another one said.
�I need a decision,� Mr. Hill said.
He seemed irritated, so I kept quiet.
�Okay. We need to get a contract signed. Who represents him?� the third man asked as if I weren�t there.
�I do,� Mom said.
I guess she could be my agent. Mr. Hill�s lip twitched, but he didn�t react otherwise.
�He�ll need a bonus, and his normal fee is quite a bit more than what we�d arranged for the other model,� Mr. Hill said.
They all suddenly looked at me, and I just smiled. Mom stepped forward, and they turned their attention to her.
�Shall we get this done?� she asked.
The three of them put their heads together and came to a decision.
�Yes. Let�s get the paperwork taken care of,� the first one said.
They took Mom to a table and handed her a contract; she took her time and read it thoroughly. I appreciated Mr. Hill insisting that I get paid more and was sure Mom had noticed and would make me some money. I watched her point at something and shake her head. There was a heated discussion. While that was going on, I talked to Mr. Hill.
�What�s going on?� I asked.
�
�What is
He gave me a quizzical look but decided I was serious.
�Oh.
�I should have known,� I said and rolled my eyes.
Mr. Hill didn�t comment. He wanted to talk about the shoot. He pulled up some of the photos they wanted to recreate.
�There might be some nudity,� he said.
�You think?� I said, flipping through the photos.
The good news was the male nudity was tastefully concealed. The women, not so much. One aspect of high fashion was that the clothes didn�t look like anything the average person would ever wear. The one photo that caught my eye was a group shot of two women and two men in black fishnet shirts. The weave was loose, and you could see the women were braless. What made the photo special was the auburn-haired goddess with blue eyes that seemed to pierce your soul and large round breasts which stood firmly on her chest. I instantly got an Adrienne vibe when I looked at her. Anything Adrienne-related had me half-hard in an instant. I really hoped that they�d hired the girl in the photo to recreate the shot.
�They want someone to be in almost all the shots, so I called you,� Mr. Hill said.
I was flattered Mr. Hill would pick me. Mom came back with a smile on her face.
�They didn�t want to give you resale rights,� Mom explained.
I didn�t get a chance to ask any questions. Mr. Hill had me in makeup and wardrobe and then on the set in record time. The rest of the morning was a blur. This was completely different from what I was used to. The guys from
The trick was the lighting. Outdoor shots were inherently tricky because of shadows. The photographer had his work cut out for him if he hoped to recreate the originals. He spent more time with the lighting grips than anything else. We sometimes took twenty shots before everything looked right. As soon as we were done, Mr. Hill�s team would put in an initial background to see how it looked. Some of the shots were going to be fantastic when Mr. Hill was done with them if what his quick mock-ups showed was any indication.
The suits would then be brought in, and they would have the original and new shot in split-screen. These guys knew what they were doing, and they would have long discussions with Mr. Hill and the photographer. If Mr. Hill could fix it, we were done and on to the next shot on the storyboard. If not, we were back at it until they were satisfied.
I was disappointed when I saw the model who would do the fishnet picture with me. While she was gorgeous, she didn�t compare to the original. Very few women who haven�t been enhanced have breasts like Kara and Adrienne. This girl had obviously had implants.
The day flew by, and it was almost 3:00 before I knew it. Mr. Hill sat down with my mom and me.
�Thanks for the save today. If they hadn�t liked you, we might have been out a lot of money,� he confessed.
�What happened?� I asked.
�The model that we planned to do the shoot with was invited to dinner last night to get to know everyone at
�Well, I�m glad I could help out. I�m just nervous what my new manager is going to charge me,� I said.
Mom looked at the check.
�I�ve been wanting to get a new car,� she teased.
�How much did I get paid?� I asked.
She showed me the check. I smirked when I thought she might have to settle for a used car, but it was still a nice payday.
�How do you want your pictures? Do you want them in just blue screen, or do you want me to put in backgrounds?� Mr. Hill asked.
Yet another thing that Kendal handled. I wasn�t even sure that I knew how she negotiated with the photo reseller websites. I started to wonder if letting her and Tom go was a mistake. Either that or I needed to hire someone to take care of that for me. It was becoming clear that a personal assistant wasn�t what I required; instead, I needed more of a manager-type person, someone to do more than keep me organized. I wondered if the ten percent I�d paid Tom and Kendal was cheap. I needed to consider who I might hire to do what all would be involved for them to do. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and hire Kendal again. Before I did that, I should talk to my parents.
�Can I get back to you on that?� I asked.
�Would it be okay if I played with them some? We�ve just bought this new software, and I could use something to practice on. My wife can help with some ideas. She might even want a few to sell,� he suggested.
�What would this cost?� Mom asked.
�For David, nothing. He just saved me a lot of money today if I haven�t mentioned that before.�
�Yeah. Go ahead and see what you can create. If we start to sell them, I can either give your wife a discount, or we can share in the profits,� I said.
�And that, young man, is why you�re a success in this business,� Mr. Hill said. �I�ll be in touch with your manager.�
I could see right now that I would end up paying Mom somehow. It might be like with Wolf and my dad. I would rather pay Wolf to do work around the house than be my dad�s slave labor. It would probably be easier just to write Mom a check.
I grinned when I thought about the trouble I was in with her for doing the skydiving and other playdates with Brook. Plus, when the guys came home with the clap. Maybe I would just give my mom money to get out of it. She still held the �sword of justice� over my neck, and it had yet to fall. The threat to go on all my recruiting trips moving forward was only the first of many repercussions I might see happening in the future. A new car might not be a bad idea. Then again, that wouldn�t give my mom the kind of satisfaction she�d get in doing the punishment herself. Maybe I would spring for good leather seats.
◊◊◊
By the time I�d arrived at the football field, I already knew who we�d play next. Central had defeated McNamara 21�17. All that stood between us and going to the State Finals were Beverly and Central. I thought both teams were very beatable. Then I mentally slapped myself as I remembered our last game. I needed to focus on Beverly.
Before going to get taped, I walked over to the hospitality tent to get something to eat. The boosters had done something different this time. Various food booths surrounded a huge tent that had tables and chairs set up so you could eat. A local radio station had a sound system installed; they were broadcasting live. The announcer encouraged their listeners to come watch the game and enjoy the pregame festivities. There was a booth where you bought tickets, and then you turned them in for a sample of each booth�s specialty. The proceeds went to the Booster Club as a fundraiser. I peeled off a couple of large bills and soon had a fistful of tickets.
As I wandered through, I gathered samples of just about everything. I smiled when they offered to take the food to my table. Several of the football players showed up and tried to steal my food. That was why I�d bought the extra tickets, though I found myself going through tickets at an alarming rate. I should have known to buy more. I spotted Mona and motioned her over.
�Here, go get more tickets,� I told her, handing her a couple more bills.
�What makes you think I�ll be your gofer?� she asked.
�Because you get to hand them out to whoever you want,� I said.
I knew she�d just been giving me a hard time. She bought the tickets and gave some to all the cheerleaders to hand out. I smiled when Brook took up station at the ice cream booth and handed tickets to any kids that didn�t have one.
Jeff Delahey appeared out of nowhere and stole my plate of chicken wings.
�Hey!� I complained.
�Word on the street is Coaches Diamond and Zoon have been offered jobs,� he said, making me suddenly forget about his theft.
�Seriously?� I asked.
�I heard Coach Diamond has been offered the head coaching position at Washington. Coach Zoon�s offer is still under wraps, but my source tells me that he�ll be the new linebacker coach at the University of Kentucky. I also heard that Tim Foresee received a scholarship offer to play linebacker from the University of Kentucky. That�s despite his injury.�
�Wow. That�s big news. When will they announce all this?� I asked.
�After the season. Can I count on a comment when the time comes?� Jeff asked.
�Of course. I hate that they�re leaving, but they need to look to their careers. I guess I�ve been lucky to have Coach Diamond for two years,� I said, and then figured Jeff might have more information. �Do you know who�ll replace them?�
�You didn�t hear this from me, but the defensive guy from Springfield you spoke so highly of is the top target to replace Coach Zoon. The only sticking point is money, but I�ve heard the Booster Club might be convinced to make up the difference. I haven�t heard a peep as to who might take over for Coach Diamond. My guess is Coach Hope already has someone but isn�t talking,� Jeff said.
I just sat there in stunned silence while I absorbed the changes that were coming. Coach Zoon�s departure really wasn�t a problem. Coach Hope�s passion was defense, so even if they didn�t get the guy from Springfield, we would be okay. What worried me was Coach Diamond�s replacement. I might be learning an entirely new offense again. Intellectually, I knew that was common during a quarterback�s career. Emotionally, I didn�t really want to change. A new offensive coordinator wouldn�t worry about my feelings. The best I could hope for was that they knew what they were doing and didn�t mess up our shot at a winning season.
�You ready to do your pregame presser?� Jeff asked.
�Sure,� I said, and he motioned everyone over.
The press soon surrounded me. I gave them the standard lines about how good our opponent was and admitted we were lucky to even be playing today. Quite honestly, I�d never seen anyone make the mistake the poor kid had made. It ranked right up there with the Michigan punter who had given the ball to Michigan State and lost the game.
�Any predictions?� Jeff asked as the last question.
�I think after last week I�m out of the prediction business. All I know is this team has more heart than any other I�ve ever been on. I believe Coach Hope had it right when he told me that nobody taught us to quit. I expect we�ll be ready. Beverly will be a real test for us, and I hope we pass it,� I said and stood up to walk out.
While I�d talked to Jeff, the crowd had grown. Mona stopped me, and I gave her more money. I would always donate to the Booster Club. This was my favorite way to donate: anonymous and able to see it put a smile on someone�s face. The small children who got ice cream showed I�d succeeded.
I checked my watch, and I had plenty of time. I went to get my ankles taped.
◊◊◊
For this game, the temporary bleachers had been installed. Our fans usually packed the place, but tonight it seemed like the whole town was in the house. There was nothing more exciting than playoff football. It was one and done. Someone would be eliminated and their dreams crushed, while the other would be one step closer to their goal.
Fox Sports was covering local football on their regional networks, and we were selected as one of their games. Another of their games that interested me was between Springfield and Bloomington. They�d played early in the season, with Bloomington winning. I wished I�d seen the rematch, because it was reported to have been a great battle, with Springfield turning the tables with their defense.
When it was game time, Yuri and I walked out for the coin flip. The team insisted that he and I would be the captains for the rest of the year. I would be willing to bet that no other team in the state had a junior and a sophomore as their team captains; that was typically reserved for seniors. We met Beverly at the center of the field, and there wasn�t any trash talk. You could tell they were a well-coached team. This was how I thought football should be played. Granted, I enjoyed some good-natured trash talk; it fired me up. But if I had a choice, I�d rather not.
We won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. Beverly took the ball. As we awaited the kickoff, I looked around and savored the moment. Fans for both teams were on their feet to cheer their team on. Our fans had their cowbells ringing, and the cheerleaders and marching band had started the �Our House� chant. This was why I played. It was this feeling, right now. I felt the hairs on my arms go up and got that queasy feeling of excitement. As our kicker ran up to the football, the noise hit a crescendo and then dropped off as it sailed through the air. I guess Derek felt it too because he boomed the kickoff through the end zone.
Our defense must have been feeling the excitement because they seemed to be nervous. Beverly took full advantage, marched down the field, and scored. I knew that Coach Zoon would get them settled down, and they would firm up. What surprised me was Beverly had opened up their playbook to accomplish the first score. They had actually passed the ball more than they ran it. Switching from a run-oriented offense to throwing the ball wasn�t easy. I wondered if they would continue.
We started on our own 20 after Ed downed the kickoff in the end zone. Coach Diamond had called the option as the first play. He knew I needed the contact to get settled.
�Down. Set. Hut HUT!�
The middle looked to be clogged, so I pulled the ball from Ty�s stomach and worked my way down the line to read where the defensive end was. Jim had worked on his footwork, and I saw him get into their defender and put him on his butt. That told me I would keep the ball, so I planted my foot and turned up the field. I knew that Ed would be a step behind me towards the sidelines. I focused on ball security and held it tight with two hands as I began to run upfield.
Their outside linebacker closed quickly, and I motioned to toss the ball to Ed. My move made the linebacker hesitate, so I tucked the ball under my arm and gave him a stiff-arm. That was when I exploded upfield. I suspect everyone thought I would toss the ball to Ed because they had to scramble to try to catch me. The crowd noise that erupted was almost palpable. I concentrated on what my speed trainer had taught me and ran with form. It was no contest as I sprinted eighty yards for the score to make it 7�all.
Beverly responded with another long drive and a score to go up 14�7. This was beginning to feel like it wouldn�t be the defensive struggle I had expected.
When we got the ball back, we switched to our passing game. Beverly played the Tampa Two defense. In a standard four-three defense (four linemen and three linebackers), the�middle linebacker is responsible for covering the short underneath routes. In the Tampa 2, the middle linebacker drops into deep coverage in the middle, essentially converting a Cover 2 into a Cover 3. This puts three defenders deep to protect against the long pass. Every player was now responsible for a smaller area on the field, and the deep routes were now covered. The other two linebackers and the two cornerbacks had to cover more ground. The key to this defense was discipline and team speed. It was designed with the West Coast Offense in mind, which employed the short pass.
Teams that had an accurate quarterback could exploit the soft spots in this defense. While there�are very�few weaknesses to the Cover Two, all�zone coverages have weak or soft spots. The Cover Two�left open the deep post patterns, seam routes, medium-range hooks, and was vulnerable to teams that like to flood a�zone. This was because of how much ground the safety had to cover. Deep passes could easily overload the area the safety was responsible for. It could be almost impossible to cover a deep half of the field if the opposing quarterback threw the deep ball well.
The Tampa Two attempted to plug up the weak spots in the usual Cover Two. The standard Cover Two had each linebacker and cornerback cover about a fifth of the field,�and the safeties cover half the field deep. But the Tampa Two pulled the middle linebacker into a middle-deep zone coverage as well to make it a�Cover Three in the deep zones. This allowed the safeties to cover less ground, so they could cover the traditional soft zone just past the corners more effectively.
A team with a strong run game or a great play-action game could seriously challenge the Tampa Two defense. If the safety had to stop and think for a split-second about a run, the soft spots behind the cornerbacks would open up again. As well, the middle linebacker had to honor the run which could leave the deep middle of the field vulnerable. That was why, on each pass play, Coach Diamond had changed Ty�s assignment. He now would run a play-action fake, and his job was to slip through the line and set up shop where the middle linebacker had been.
I had a simple one-two read. I would check to see if Wolf or Roc had cleared the cornerback, depending on which side of the field Coach Diamond chose to attack. If they were covered, I would dump the ball to Ty. Believe me, you didn�t want Ty in your secondary with running room. The two outside linebackers couldn�t help with Ty because Ed and Jake were assigned routes in their zones to keep them occupied. Beverly�s defense was too disciplined to cheat over and help cover Ty. If the linebackers had, I could dump the ball to either of my slotbacks.
With my quick one-two read, Beverly�s rush never had a chance to lay a finger on me because the ball was out of my hands too quickly. Coach Mason and Coach Diamond had inserted this play into our playbook just for this game, and it worked like a charm. It was only human nature for the Beverly defenders to work to stop this play, and they did try. But the middle linebacker soon found that if Ty had room, he could pick up a lot of yardage in a hurry. Our second score came the third time he touched the ball. The middle linebacker became frustrated and began to not drop back as quickly as he was supposed to so he could close the gap between him and Ty. That was when I sent Ed on a skinny post and hit him for our third score.
A middle linebacker didn�t have the skills a defensive back had, and that was what we wanted to exploit. When the safeties had to worry about us running receivers on skinny posts, they had to worry about supporting their middle linebacker. That opened up the deep ball on the sideline. Coach Mason and Coach Diamond had played chess while Beverly played checkers. They�d moved the Beverly defenders where they wanted them. By the end of the game, Beverly was so confused that we rolled them. Yuri had finally pulled his head out of his butt, and our defense had stopped them. The final score was 48�21, and we had a full week to prepare for Central.
◊◊◊
When the game ended, it was late, but that didn�t prevent us from going to Monical�s. A little pizza and conversation with friends was an excellent way to end a game day. Because of the late hour, we didn�t have to wait to get in. They had anticipated our arrival and had several pizzas ready when we arrived. I would�ve felt bad if we hadn�t shown up.
I did my usual meet-and-greet, ate some pizza, and called it a night.
◊◊◊ Sunday November 15
I finally decided who I wanted as my personal assistant/manager. Kendal had come to mind, but I still had a bad taste in my mouth about anything associated with Cal and what he�d tried to do to me. The other problem I had with her was that she didn�t have the business knowledge I needed. My new hire would be more than just my PA; I needed someone who had business savvy.
I�d even considered some of my friends. Mainly Pam, because I was sure that we�d have a close relationship moving forward. Another person I thought of was Suzanne; she was currently attending Northwestern to get her degree in business. The problem with both of them was they had other priorities right now, such as graduating from school.
I also considered Nancy. She was one of the sharpest women I knew. Same issue. She wanted to be a lawyer and would need more schooling to achieve that goal.
I was worried about my trip to LA. While I thought that Saul Gessler and Frank Ingram were pieces of the puzzle, I wanted someone to manage my relationship with them. I knew that they felt I had the potential to make money for them; well, Saul for sure. Money wasn�t always the best motivation. I wanted someone who would look at the big picture and help advise me about what was best for me over the long haul. Of course, Rita James was someone who I could bounce ideas off, but her primary focus had to be on her own career, Halle, and Trip. I needed someone whose focus would be solely on me.
I picked up my phone and dialed.
�Hello?�
�Hey, it�s David Dawson,� I said.
�Why are you calling me?�
�I was wondering if you�d be interested in a job. I�m in desperate need of someone with your skills,� I said.
�Why would I want to make a change? I already have a good job.�
I smiled because I hadn�t been hung up on yet.
�It�s simple: your skills aren�t being utilized in your current position. I can offer you a ground-floor opportunity that would allow you to work in diverse industries. And you would have the flexibility to run things however you want.�
�Would I have to take a pay cut?�
�I don�t know. What are you currently making?� I asked.
She told me, and I smiled again. Devin Range was a cheap bastard.
�Caryn, I can guarantee you�ll make more than that. We might also tie your compensation to how much my business increases under your watch. You can make as much or little as you want, based on how you help me build the bottom line.�
�I don�t know. I need to think about it,� she said.
�Why don�t we do this: I send you a plane ticket, and you spend Thanksgiving at our house? You talk to everyone and get a feel for the job. Frankly, I don�t know everything you�d need to do. I�d hope you could help figure that out for me,� I said.
There was a long pause.
�David, are you doing this to get even with Devin?� Caryn asked.
I decided that I needed to be honest with her. We didn�t need our business relationship to start off with a lie.
�Yeah. A part of me needs to balance the scales, so to speak. But that part of it is just a happy coincidence. Honestly, I need your PA skills in the worst way come the first of December. That�s when I go to LA to shoot my new movie, and my first movie will premiere after the first of the year. While I�m in LA, I want to see if acting is a viable career path for me, so I�d need your business skills to help me with that. I also have other business interests like the family farm, photo resales, and two charities I created.�
�Okay. That�s enough to get me interested and make it worth a trip to your home. I trust that you won�t breathe a word of this to anyone who might be tied to Range Sports,� she said.
I agreed, and I had a big smile on my face when she hung up. Now I had to tell my mom and dad. I probably should have done that before making the offer.
◊◊◊
Somehow, I found my way to the Pearson farm. I seem to have fallen into a routine. I might have to shake that up when I came back. Then again, my trips to their farm were always relaxing. I knew how hard farm life could be, but I could see myself as a gentleman farmer, especially if I had someone like Zoe as my wife.
As I pulled up, I saw two horses saddled up and ready to be ridden. I got out of my car, and Zoe came out of the barn.
�I hope you�re okay with going for a ride,� she said.
Seems I really was predictable. I wasn�t sure if that bothered me or not. Then she kissed me, and I forgot all about it. We rode the horses to the farm that was for sale. Zoe stopped at the edge of the woods and got off, so I joined her.
�There are a couple of bags in the saddlebag,� she said.
�What are we doing?� I asked.
�The walnuts have all dropped. We need to gather them before they soften and go bad,� Zoe said.
If walnuts were left on the ground for too long, they would mold. Zoe showed me how to pick out the best nuts. When they drop, they looked like green balls. The outer husk had to be removed to get to the nut. She gave me a hammer and chisel to knock the husk off. She would go bag up the walnuts and then dump them for me to dehusk. It was a lot of work for the little we collected. I would guess that when we were done, we each had about a five-gallon bucket�s worth.
When we returned to the barn, she dumped them all out at the horse-cleaning station and used the hose to clean the nuts. Zoe gave me the job of using a brush to knock off the worst of any debris left on the shells. She then had me gather them all up in buckets and put them into a dryer. Zoe told me that the nuts needed to be kept at 95 to 100 degrees for 3 to 4 days. After that, she would bag them up and throw them in the freezer.
It was a shame how many nuts would go to waste on the farm with no one around to take care of them.
�So, what do you plan to do with your bounty of nuts?� I asked.
�Put them in nice colored foil bags with ribbons on them and give them as Christmas gifts.�
I smiled at her ingenuity. She had spent an afternoon and had much of her Christmas shopping done. That was a much better gift than something you bought at the store. Little things like this were what attracted me to Zoe. Well, that, and she was pretty cool.
I wrapped her up in a bear hug and kissed the top of her head. Today had been another great day hanging out with Zoe. If I weren�t careful, I might end up with an honest-to-God girlfriend.
◊◊◊
Chapter 9 � So How Soon Can You Start Monday November 16
I got up and let Duke out to mess around with Precious. While I stretched, I realized I felt relief that I�d decided who�d be my new manager. It might not be a done deal yet, but in my mind, it was.
My good thoughts were interrupted by a weird yowl from Precious, and then everything became quiet. That was never a good sign. I walked around the side of the garage and found the cat from hell hanging from Duke�s ear. It looked like her claws had become tangled, and she was stuck. When Duke saw me, he trotted over, much to the dismay of the entangled kitty.
�Shit!� hissed from in between my lips.
I had a bad feeling that Precious wouldn�t be cooperative. Taking a deep breath, I carefully lifted Precious so she wouldn�t be hanging off Duke. I discovered her claws weren�t actually in his ear, but on his neck. Labs have two layers of coat. The soft undercoat is weather-resistant and acts as an insulating layer that protects the dog from extreme cold and from getting wet. The dense, straight outer coat is coarse and reinforces the hair coat�s waterproof quality. Precious had gotten her claw hooked into his undercoat. It took me a moment to free her.
Precious was so grateful to be free that she clawed the shit out of me. She was lucky I had laid down my Bo staff, or there might have been one less kitty in the world. She was smart enough to run home. I was sure she would tell Brit all about how Duke and I had mistreated her. Every time I thought Precious and I had come to an uneasy truce, she pulled something like that. Next time she pissed Duke off and needed to be saved, I might be a little slow to come to her rescue.
◊◊◊
When I made it to school, Pam was out front waiting for me. She seemed nervous, so I gave her my full attention.
�What�s wrong?� I asked.
She glanced around to make sure no one was listening to us.
�I�m getting fat,� she complained.
I swear, I tried.
�David!� she said, and her face scrunched up. �You can�t laugh at me.�
�I�m sorry,� I said and looked her in the eyes. �How can I help?�
�First, you can be supportive,� she huffed.
I thought the foot stomp was a little excessive.
�I know. You just caught me by surprise.�
�I need to buy new clothes.�
�That�s why I gave you the debit card,� I said, and then wondered. �Do you need more money put into the account?�
�No, but Mom said I couldn�t just spend your money without asking.�
�I gave you the debit card for exactly this kind of stuff. You don�t need to ask my permission to use it. If you want, I�ll call Lacy and tell her myself,� I offered.
�Would you go shopping with me?� she asked.
I had three thoughts fire through my head, none of them kind. Helping a girl shop for anything but sexy underwear or swimsuits was the last thing a teenage boy wanted to do. I couldn�t imagine anything that would be worse than being forced to shop for maternity clothes. Luckily, I remembered that Pam was my baby�s mama, and I might want her to talk to me again.
�I�d love to,� I said.
It was her turn to laugh, but she wasn�t about to let me off the hook.
�Good. You can pick me up at Tracy�s after you�re done at the dojo. Tracy said her mom would cook for you,� Pam said.
A meal cooked by Mary Dole might actually make this whole thing worthwhile. If I were lucky, the store would have a comfortable chair, and I could take a nap in it while Pam shopped. We hugged it out to confirm our plans. She grabbed my hand, and we walked to the front of the school. Alan saw us and clearly wanted to ask me about it, but he bit his lip and kept his mouth shut.
◊◊◊
In PE, I conned Coach Diamond into letting me get a massage. Jill wasn�t busy, so she obliged me. I think she liked to abuse my body, but I knew that the net result would do me wonders. Wolf came in and lay down on the table next to mine, and Becky began to work on him. He was such a wuss sometimes.
�If you take it like a man, you might get a happy ending,� I explained to him.
�Ow!� I complained. �That might leave a mark.�
Jill pulled down my shorts to check and see. Sure enough, there was a handprint on my left buttocks.
�You might have to rub it to make it better,� I suggested.
�Ow!�
She�d gotten the right side.
�He�s not very clever. You might have to spank his butt again to get his attention,� Wolf suggested.
Jill raised her hand again, and I bailed off the table.
�I wasn�t done with you, �stupid boy,�� Jill said.
�No, I�m all better,� I said and quickly left to go lift.
◊◊◊
The game film of Central showed a good, solid, well-coached team. They ran a base three-four (three linemen and four linebackers) defense. The key to this defense started at the nose tackle, who lined up over our center. He was a squat rock. His job was to make a huge pile in the middle. Their nose tackle was listed at five-ten and 285 pounds. He was surprisingly quick, and his short stature made it hard to root him out of position. His goal was to force you to double-team him, which would free up the two middle linebackers to run free.
I watched on the tape as he acted like an earthmover while he disrupted opposing offenses. One poor guy ran the trap against him and actually bounced off. Seriously. An offensive tackle pulled and got up to full speed, planted a solid block into this kid�s side, and bounced backward. Central�s nose tackle was a big rubber ball.
Our secret weapon was Johan. Our farm boy was the strongest center this kid had ever faced. If Johan were able to block him one-on-one, we could unleash Bryan and Brock on their middle linebackers. That assignment might be more daunting because they were used to blocking defensive tackles who were lined up right in front of them. Linebackers typically position themselves three to five yards off the ball. Coach Stevens would have his work cut out for him this week, teaching them to take angles to get onto their assignments.
Coach Mason had suggested that we split out our slotbacks further to force their outside linebackers out farther. If his plan succeeded, it would allow our interior linemen a chance to go five-on-five with the three down defensive linemen and two middle linebackers. Coach Mason felt that Ty could read where there was a hole, and we could pick up yardage with the interior run game. The goal was to feed them a steady diet of Ty, and that would start to pull the safeties up and/or the outside linebackers in. Either way would open up our play-action pass game. It would all hinge on me making the right reads at the line. It would be a busy week watching film for me to be ready.
Something else we would work on was motion. If the outside linebackers were in man coverage, then we would run them across the formation and create an unbalanced defense. If not, we could flood a zone and run a little flare to Ty as a delayed-screen-like action. On the other hand, we could go to the weak side with our two-man option game.
◊◊◊
When I was finished at the dojo, I dropped off Brook and Cassidy. Then I drove on to Tracy�s house, where Tom answered the door. This was awkward.
�Daddy, let David in,� Tracy said as she came up behind him.
�Sorry, come on in,� Tom said as he extended his hand.
I shook it and gave him a weak smile. Word on the street�okay, Tyler told me�was that AT Modeling had terminated their contract with Tom�s firm. It wouldn�t take long for people to start to figure out that Rigby, Thompson and Associates no longer represented me. It would also not take a genius to figure out why. Of course, I�d have to be very careful not to say anything. I expect Tom recognized the warning signs. Our town was small enough that there weren�t many secrets.
My biggest concern was that Kendal might end up out of a job. I�d talked to both Ford and AT Modeling about offering her work if she were to be let go. I would be fine with her as my modeling agent. Of course, she would have to move to either Chicago or New York. I suspect she would rather live in a big city than here anyway when she was young and single.
When I walked in, I smelled something wonderful. I followed Tracy to the kitchen, where her mom was cooking.
�David, come help me finish dinner,� Mary called.
Pam was sitting at the kitchen table.
�Come on. Once he gets in the kitchen with my mother, he�s useless,� Tracy told Pam.
The two of them left so that Mary could show off. She had decided to go with an Italian theme tonight. For starters, she�d made a pumpkin and barley soup and a wild mushroom bruschetta. For the main course, Tracy�s mom had made chicken with forty cloves of garlic and potatoes with truffles. The garlic roasted with the chicken and became soft, and you spread it over hot French bread. For dessert, she�d made a chestnut and chocolate pudding.
I was so happy after I ate that I let Tracy and Pam drag me to the mall to shop for maternity clothes. I thought Pam was going to cry when she saw the selection. There were a lot of outfits with big bows on them. I guess they thought those would hide a big butt or tummy. My California surfer chick was having none of it. She did pick up some stretchy pants and said she would buy the rest later.
Of course, being a guy, I had to fix this. I called Adrienne.
�Hey, stranger,� she answered.
�You need to talk to Tyler. She has people who answer the phone for her now.�
�I know, right? She�s becoming a big-time modeling executive. I have to schedule an appointment just to get her to go to lunch with me,� Adrienne complained.
�I have my own issues. Pam needs maternity clothes that don�t make her look like she�s frumpy or old. Do you know anyone who might help me out?� I asked.
�I might. Put her on the phone,� Adrienne ordered.
I turned to Pam.
�Here. Adrienne wants to talk to you,� I said.
She looked mortified.
�
�Yes,
Pam snatched the phone out of my hand. I walked away because there was a lot of laughing, and I had a feeling it was at my expense. Tracy found me looking at bras that had clips on the bra strap.
�Those are nursing bras,� Tracy said.
I closed my eyes and tried not to look mortified. This suddenly became very real to me.
�That was really cool of you to call Adrienne and have her help Pam,� she said.
�I just don�t want Pam to be made fun of.�
�Maternity clothes can be dreadful,� Tracy admitted.
�How�s Pam doing?� I asked.
While we did talk in Indianapolis, we hadn�t really talked about the fiasco. I suspected she wanted Tracy along to make sure we had a referee if need be.
�I think she�s horny,� Tracy said and giggled.
�And you�re not?� I teased.
Tracy just gave me a cryptic look. Pam came back to us and handed me my phone.
�She�s going to hook me up. She said that you owe her, though. It has something to do with allowing her to sell the first photos of our baby.�
I just rolled my eyes.
�Are we done shopping?� I asked hopefully.
They took pity on me, and I took them back to my apartment. Duke was happy to see his friends but needed to go outside. I let him out and then ran back upstairs, and Pam and Tracy were no longer in the living room. I found them digging in my dresser, going through my t-shirts.
�Hey, you have to earn those.�
They both gave me �the look.� Even Mr. Happy, ever the optimist, realized that this look meant I might not ever get sex again. I did the smart thing and backed out of the doorway and returned to the living room where my buddy, Duke, needed some loving. As I loved him up, I realized that getting Pam pregnant might mean she could take all my t-shirts, if she wanted to. She�d more than earned them. I wondered if that was how Greg felt when he found out about Angie being pregnant with Kyle.
I decided to watch Monday Night Football. They had a lousy game on, the Texans against the Bengals. After a half hour, I decided to check on the girls and found them lying on my bed, talking. Pam saw me and put her arms out.
�Come here,� she said.
I crawled onto the bed, lay down beside her, and she hugged me.
�I�ve missed you,� I said.
�Me too,� Pam said.
Tracy started to get up, but I reached across Pam and grabbed her hand.
�Thank you for standing by her. I knew I could count on you to be her friend when she needed one,� I said.
Tracy�s eyes misted up, so I leaned across Pam and kissed her. When our lips pulled apart, Tracy got out of bed and meandered to the living room. I still was leaning over Pam, so I turned, and she captured my lips. Things heated up to the point we found ourselves naked. I made a point to let Pam know that I found her sexy. She had just started to thicken around the waist and had the beginnings of a baby bump.
I reached for my condoms, but Pam stopped me.
�You can�t get me any more pregnant,� she reminded me.
We�d talked about this in Indianapolis, but I was in the habit of using one. Then again, who was I to argue? I covered her body and slowly entered her. Pam wrapped herself around me, and I made slow love to her. I really had to go slow because the difference between wearing a condom and not was dramatic. This way, I felt everything.
I believe we both needed a reaffirmation of our feelings for each other. We hadn�t really talked much since our night in Indianapolis. I hadn�t pushed it, because she acted a little nervous about her role in everything. Hopefully, tonight would assure her that I understood and still cared for her. I�d missed Pam and her quirky sense of humor. When I finally came, it wasn�t earth-shattering or epic. I wasn�t even sure whether Pam had gotten off or not; that wasn�t what this was about. We ended up just holding each other in comfortable silence.
�David?�
�Yes?�
�You�ll really help me through this?�
�Of course I will.�
�Okay.�
◊◊◊ Wednesday November 18
Our college prep class was canceled today, so we were able to catch up with our friends at lunch. Or at least I thought I might get a chance. Mike Herndon, of all people, stopped me before I made it to our usual table.
�Can we talk?� he asked.
I thought we should go out behind the school and have our talk but decided that could wait until after football was over.
�Uh, I guess,� I said and followed him to a table on the other side of the cafeteria.
We�d ordered Chinese for the prep class. I would call it in and pay for it over the phone, and they delivered it to the office each day. Several people came over to get their share before we were left alone. I noticed that no one offered to pay me today, so I would have to track them down later, or they could buy next time. I would bet none of them wanted to get in between Mike and me if something went wrong. Most everyone was aware of our altercation in the parking lot.
When things finally settled and we�d started to eat, Mike finally told me what was on his mind.
�Do you think the team will accept me again?�
My snap answer was no way in hell did we want him back. If it were purely a football decision, I could see him as a key player next year. Players with his size and speed could always help your team. As a sophomore, he�d been one of the hardest runners I�d seen at this level. He had the potential to be a better back than his older brother, who�d been All-State his senior year. It seemed he just didn�t put in the effort this year. His production had dropped off after we�d had our altercation over what he�d done to Mona. If we had Ty, sophomore Mike, and me in the backfield � it would be almost impossible to stop our ground game.
The problem was he�d turned out to be even a bigger douche than his brother had been. If the team hadn�t banded together against him, and if he�d not hurt Gina, I might have said yes.
�No, I honestly don�t think they can get past what you did,� I said.
�Is that just you, or do you believe the team feels the same way?� he asked.
�You do remember the whole �O. P. P.� episode?�
Mike bit his lower lip and looked away from me.
�That was what my dad said. He suggested that I talk to you to make sure,� he said, and then sighed. �I think I�m going to transfer. I�ve talked to my family, and they agree that if I plan to get either a baseball or football scholarship, it�s for the best. It�s time I made a fresh start.�
I just nodded. It probably was for the best.
�I hate to ask this because I can see how history seems to be repeating itself, but could you help me? I think I�d like to go to Wesleyan, and I know you have contacts there,� he said.
�The question is, do I want to use them for you?� I asked.
I don�t believe Mike ever expected I might possibly turn him down. His brother Luke had lost his football scholarship offer because he�d been involved in a fight with me. I�d helped get it reinstated. I expect Mike thought I would just roll over and do the same for him.
�You seriously won�t make a call for me?� Mike asked.
�Would you do the same for me?� I asked.
Mike thought about it for a minute.
�No, probably not. Will you do it anyway?� he asked.
I decided to step back and consider the bigger picture. With Mike gone, it would be better for the team. I was afraid of what they�d do to him after the season. I�d held them off to this point.
�Okay. I�ll make the call.�
Mike just nodded and stood up to leave. I don�t know what I expected. Maybe a thank you, but apparently, I wouldn�t get one. I thought about not calling, but then my uncle�s words about being a man of your word came back to haunt me. I figured I should just get it out of the way, so I called Teddy Wesleyan.
After I filled him in about Mike in general terms, I gave him Mike�s number. About all you could say was I made the call. Teddy said he would look into it and call Mike. I knew that Wesleyan could really use a quarterback. If Mike were able to throw the ball to Damion Roth, he would have a breakout senior year.
◊◊◊
After football practice and the dojo, we drove back to Brook�s house. Cassidy tagged along because she wanted to ride the four-wheelers with us. I smiled when I saw Brook had another one tucked away in the garage.
�I thought you only had two,� I said.
�Mom saw how much fun Dad and I had on them, so she wanted one. Except she putts around on it like an old woman.�
I showed Cassidy how to drive it.
�Now, just take it easy until you get the hang of it,� I cautioned.
Both Brook and Cassidy roared out of the side road towards the trails. Yes, I said �trails,� because Brook and her dad had been busy since the last time I was there. I took my time and put on my helmet and goggles. I fired my four-wheeler up and shot towards the trails, determined to catch up with the girls. As I came screaming up a hill, I remembered there was a tight turn at the top that then opened up into a little clearing.
I leaned hard into the turn and felt the tires bite into the ground and then slide as I powered into the clearing. That�s when I was shot. I caught a round in my upper chest, and then one that hit me in the hip, and another in my goggles quickly followed. I let off the gas and rolled off the four-wheeler.
The four-wheeler had a safety feature that if you fell off would automatically cut off the engine. The sudden quiet made me nervous because I wondered where Brook and Cassidy were. I laid by the four-wheeler and marveled at the beauty of this little clearing. The light diffused through the canopy of trees, and I could hear the rustle of leaves that had started to fall in the light breeze. The trees were a riot of oranges, reds, and yellows.
I looked down at my chest and was pissed to see there was paint on my leathers. Time to stalk my two friends down and make them pay. I raised my head to reconnoiter, and the front of my four-wheeler was hit, and I heard giggles. I noticed there was a compartment on the back of the four-wheeler that I hadn�t seen last time. Reaching up, I pushed the button to open it, and found a paintball gun. I snaked my hand in and pulled it out.
That brought a feral grin to my face; I was about to get even. I leaned around the corner and spotted Cassidy crouched next to a tree. She snapped off a round, but I had her dead to rights. I lined up the shot and � <click> � <click> � nothing!
�Shit!� I complained.
I hadn�t loaded it. That was when I was shot in the butt. Sneaky Brook had circled around and used Cassidy as bait.
�You surrender?� Brook called out.
I dove towards the back of the four-wheeler, peeked into the box, saw the paintballs, and grabbed the container. A split second later, a paintball exploded where my hand had been. I ripped open the package and promptly spilled the balls all over the ground.
�For shit�s sake,� I mumbled.
I scooped them up and loaded them into my gun. I spotted Brook and shot her.
�David! That hurt!� she whined and stood up.
I felt horrible.
�I�m sorry,� I said and stood up to go see if she was hurt.
It was like a scene from some action movie. I was hit with a hail of paintballs from both Cassidy and Brook. The thing was, they did kind of hurt. I turned and ran at Cassidy as I fired. I figured she would be the least proficient with the paint gun. What I forgot was she grew up around Marines. The little witch shot me in the balls. I collapsed in a heap and moaned.
�I get the kill,� Cassidy crowed.
Brook and Cassidy stood over me in triumph.
�Rub some dirt on it,� Cassidy chided me.
We had a blast the rest of the afternoon, flying around on the four-wheelers and shooting each other. Once I got the hang of the paintball gun, my training for my movie took over, and I was a deadly shot. Cassidy was just as good, and Brook wasn�t bad. It made it much more fun if you knew they would take you out if they got the chance.
We all came back to the house sweaty and covered in paint. I sure hoped that this stuff would wash off. Thankfully, it did.
We ended up having dinner at Brook�s, and then I took Cassidy home.
After I dropped Cassidy off, I drove home in a reflective mood. Cassidy and Brook were spending more time with each other and seemed to be bonding. Each of them was an embodiment of my more physical side, Cassidy with her conditioning bent and her skill in martial arts, and Brook with her adventurous spirit. At the same time, each of them had their own depths and qualities that reached far beyond the physical. Together or separately, though, thinking of them made me smile. It was a good thing.
◊◊◊
When I settled into my apartment, I found there were several messages on my phone. I took them in order of importance. The first one I returned was to Caryn, my potential PA/Manager.
�Hey, what�s up?� I asked.
�Cora�s a total bitch!�
I couldn�t help but laugh.
�You�re just now figuring that out? I was ready to trade for you in New Orleans.�
�I have my MBA from Berkeley, and she thinks I should run out and get her an Orange Crush because she had a princess craving. Despite what she thinks, I�m not her gofer. And Devin? Don�t get me started. He ordered me to go get it. I had actual work to do, and I had to drop everything to run to the Quickie Mart to buy the bitch a soda. Then they didn�t have Orange Crush!� she ranted.
�So how soon can you start?� I asked.
�You know what? You�re right. How soon do you need me?� she asked.
�Like, yesterday. Do you have money for a flight?� I asked.
�You�re serious?�
�Caryn, I wouldn�t have offered you the job if I wasn�t serious. I had a photo shoot last weekend and had to ask my mom to go with me. No joke, I need you. I�ll call Kendal, and you two can figure out everything she used to do for me before we head out to LA.�
�Where will I stay? Do I need to rent a car?� she asked.
�You�ll stay with us, and you can have my Jeep until we get you settled,� I said.
�This is happening so fast. Shouldn�t I give Range Sports notice?� she asked.
�I promise not to have my girlfriend make you do anything ever.�
I heard a slow release of air from her lungs.
�Okay, I�m in. I can afford to catch a flight. You can pay me back when I get there. Will someone pick me up at the airport?� she asked.
�Relax. If I have to hire a car, I will. Just let me know your flight information, and we�ll work it out.�
When I hung up, I did a fist pump. This was both exciting and scary. Caryn would be my first real employee. Yes, I paid Lily and Wolf, but they didn�t have to live off what I paid them. Actually, Frank Ingram now paid Lily. Wolf was more of an �as needed� helper.
My next call was to Kendal.
�Hey, Sexy,� Kendal answered.
�Have you been drinking?� I asked.
�Maybe. What�s up? You never call me anymore,� she pouted.
�I hired a new you, Caryn Buckley, and I need to hire you to get her up to speed,� I said.
�Why does that name sound familiar?�
�She was Devin�s PA,� I said.
�Finally! You�re getting your pound of flesh. I wish I were there when he heard. Is he pissed?�
�He doesn�t know yet.�
�Can I call him? I would love to do it for you,� she pleaded.
�No, I believe Caryn wants that honor. Don�t ruin her fun. Cora finally went too far, and I�m the beneficiary of that little fiasco.�
�I don�t think Devin realized what he had in Caryn.�
�Yeah, I agree. So, can you help me out?� I asked.
�In fact, our agreement was to get your team up to speed, so this is covered in the settlement.�
�Could you maybe pick Caryn up at the airport?� I floated out there.
�You�ll owe me, but I can do that for you. Do you have her flight information?�
�You�re the best, Kendal. She�s booking her flight now. When I get the information, I�ll text you.�
�Remember, you�ll owe me.�
I just shook my head. What could Kendal possibly want that could be that bad? I next called Saul Gessler, my movie agent.
�Hey, Saul.�
�David, I�m glad you called me back. I have some scripts I need you to read.�
In the background, I heard, �Saul, you have Chubby Feldman on line three.�
�Stacy, can�t you see I�m on the fucking phone with a client?�
�But you said to tell you as soon as Mr. Feldman called.�
�Sorry about that, David. It�s hard to get good help sometimes,� Saul explained.
�Tell Chubby I said �Hi,�� I said.
�You know Chubby Feldman?�
�Yeah. Craig Wild and I went to a party at his house. Chubby seemed like a nice guy. I especially liked his party hos.�
Charles �Chubby� Feldman was one of the hottest action directors in the business right now. I would kill to be in one of his films.
�I like you, David,� Saul laughed. �That�s good news because one of the scripts I sent you is his project. Read the scripts and call me. I have to take this other call.�
Saul hung up on me. If I didn�t realize my life was about to change, the next call confirmed it. I called Frank Ingram, my publicist.
�Frank, how�s it going?�
�I�ve got good news,� he started, without any preliminaries. �We have lined up interviews with
�Yeah, whatever,� I said, slightly stunned.
�Okay, I�ll confirm it.�
�Uh, Frank. I have a new manager, Caryn Buckley. Could you coordinate everything with her?� I asked.
�Look at you. You finally have people. I�ll talk to her to get it scheduled. They want to do it in the next couple of days to meet their deadlines,� he said and then changed the subject. �I�ve checked, and Brandon has pulled all his blogs and attack websites. I guess Ms. Dixon got the message across, but we�ll continue to monitor what�s going on.�
�That sounds good. Thanks, Frank. Oh, Caryn won�t be here until tomorrow, so just go ahead with scheduling the interviews and let me know.�
Frank then told me about what he and Lily had been doing with social media. He seemed excited about the increase in followers I had.
I finally begged off the call with Frank, since I had to study for the finals I would sit for starting a week from Friday. I had one last call to make, and I dreaded it.
�Hey, Angie. What did you need?� I asked.
�You�re invited to our party next Wednesday.�
That was the day before Thanksgiving.
�I have a standing date with Beth then,� I said to try to get out of it.
�Beth has a boyfriend. Anyway, Beth, Suzanne, and Cindy are all coming, and they specifically asked if you�d be here. Also, Greg said you had to come.�
I was a little disappointed to hear that my annual date with Beth was canceled. Mr. Happy would be devastated when I told him. I hadn�t seen Cindy in quite a while. I also always loved to hang out with Suzanne. It would be fun to hang out with my three favorite older ladies.
�Okay. I�ll be there.�
�Great. I�ll text you everything I need you to bring. Love you,� Angie said and hung up.
A few minutes later, I had a list that was a mile long. I sent a text back that I would just give her money. I didn�t have time to shop for her party. That would be Angie�s Christmas present this year.
◊◊◊
Chapter 10 � I Will Dare Thursday November 19
I was in my college prep class when I received a text from Kendal. It was a picture of her and Caryn at Morton�s, eating a steak for lunch. I quickly realized that I was paying for that lunch. They looked a little too happy, and I wondered how evil Kendal was going to be. She had way too much dirt on me that Caryn had no business knowing.
Today was Halle�s turn to arrange lunch, and I smiled when I saw Fritz bring in our meal. At least he no longer had the knot in the middle of his forehead. Halle�s cook had made panini sandwiches with prosciutto, brie, and roasted red peppers; an antipasti tray; and individual Caesar salads. If this were what we got when Halle was in charge of lunch, she would find it was her turn every day!
�Halle, this is great,� I said as I stuffed my face.
�If you like this, wait till you come to LA. Our cook there is out of this world.�
I was starting to get excited about my trip to LA.
�I need to talk to your mom,� I said.
�You mean you want to hit on her,� she teased.
�She seems to be immune to my charms,� I said and kissed her forehead. �Saul Gessler, my agent, is sending me some scripts to read. I�m not sure what I�m supposed to do.�
�You want to come over for dinner?� she asked.
�Can I bring a girl?� I asked.
After dodging her punch, I smiled.
�I have a new manager, and I want your mom to meet her. Caryn�s new to the business, so I thought she could learn while I do. Do you think that would be okay?� I asked.
Halle stuck her tongue out at me. I took that as a �yes.�
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, Caryn and my parents were sitting at the kitchen table. My mom gave me a bit of a glare, and I wondered why.
�Did you forget to tell us that you hired Caryn and that she was staying with us?� Mom asked.
I knew where Mom kept her stash of Oreos, so I opened the cabinet over the refrigerator and pulled them out. I saw Dad note where they were. It was a new bag, so I opened it up, put them in the center of the table, and smiled at Caryn.
�They haven�t been giving you a hard time, have they?� I asked.
�No, but after talking to Kendal today, I might have to reconsider working for you. And what the heck is this phone that keeps ringing?� she asked.
�Oh, that�s the recruiting phone. I thought someone else had it,� I said.
I thought I�d given it to Lily, and wondered how Kendal got it back.
�Someone called Tracy gave it to Kendal�s boss, and Kendal gave it to me. She thought it was funny. Bo Harrington said you have to call him back today. He said it�s important,� Caryn said.
Dad stepped into the living room and came back with a huge box. I looked at the return label, and it said it was from Saul. It looked like someone had killed a forest to print off the scripts he sent me. I pulled out my phone and dialed.
�What the heck did you send me?� I asked.
�Scripts. There�s a list on the top of the ones I want you to read first. Chubby Feldman wants to know what you think of his next movie. Move that one to the top. Get cracking. I need answers on these soon, like tomorrow,� Saul said.
�Saul, I have school and then a football game on Saturday. I also have to take finals in a week. How am I supposed to read all this?� I asked.
�I don�t care. Figure it out,� Saul said and hung up on me.
I looked at my parents and Caryn and grinned. I would wait to talk them into helping me. The recruiting phone rang, and Caryn gave it an evil look and tossed it to me. Caller ID said it was Bo Harrington.
�Hey, Bo. What did you need?� I asked.
�I just wanted to let you know that we confirmed Todd�s scholarship, and he accepted. His doctor�s report looks good.�
�That�s great news. Thanks for whatever help you provided to make that happen.�
�I have some other news for you. We�ve been given a preview of some of the football awards for high school. None of this final, but it looks like you�ll win the Gatorade State Player of the Year for football. Each state and the District of Columbia is awarded a State Player award in twelve different sports, with football being one of them. From that, they�ll name twelve National Players of the Year, and finally the Male and Female Athlete of the Year.
�Rivals has put you on their short list for either first- or second-team Junior All-American. They also have a Junior Player of the Year. Finally, USA Today has short-listed you to be on their All-American team. You�re one of only two juniors being considered,� Bo said.
�Wow. Those are some big honors. What do I have to do to lock the awards up?� I asked.
�Just win. If you run the table, I�m told you�re a lock. It doesn�t hurt that Coach Wilson is on both the USA Today and Rivals selection committees,� Bo shared.
Coach Wilson was the head coach for Alabama. I was sure that was how Bo found out about the awards.
�Bo, I won�t let you down.�
�It may help if you just gave me a verbal commitment today. That might just tip the scales in your favor.�
�Lock up Wolf, Tim, and Ty, and you have a deal,� I teased.
�I leave you with Coach Mason, and you become a diva. Next, you�ll be demanding that Alan be your offensive coordinator and your brother head trainer.�
�Come on, Bo. You know it�ll take all that and more. What else you got?� I asked.
Bo just laughed at me.
�I can�t wait until I talk to Coach Wilson. He�ll have a coronary when he hears all your demands.�
�Why don�t you just tell him I�ll commit in the spring of my senior year.�
�Fine, be like everyone else.�
�Hey, thanks for the help with Todd and the news. I have to get going,� I said.
After telling my parents and Caryn what Bo had had to say, I reminded Caryn that we had to leave for Rita�s house. I guess I wasn�t surprised when my parents joined us.
◊◊◊
Fritz greeted us at the front door.
�What are you bringing us for lunch tomorrow?� I asked.
�You really are a pain in the butt, aren�t you?�
�Don�t get me started,� Dad said. �How you doing, Fritz?�
�Good. Who do we have here?� Fritz asked.
�This is Caryn Buckley, my new manager,� I said.
�Welcome. Ms. James is in the solarium,� Fritz announced and led the way.
Rita, Halle, and Trip were all seated in comfortable chairs facing the beautiful forested area of their farm. The fall colors were the perfect backdrop. I introduced Caryn to everyone, and we took seats at the table so we could eat. Some smart comments were made about feeding a teenage boy, but I was above all that.
After dinner, I pulled out the stack of scripts Saul had sent me.
Rita sorted through the stack.
�So, what did you want to know?� she asked.
�What am I supposed to do with all this?� I said, waving my hand in the general direction of the papers.
�Read them and see if you�d want to do the movie.�
�I only have one problem: how can I tell if it would be a good movie for me?� I asked.
She pulled out two of them and dropped them in front of me.
�Let me ask you something: would you be interested in James Bond and
�What?� I asked in disbelief.
�Okay, this one,� she said, holding it up, �is the next James Bond movie. In it, they introduce a new character who is James� son. It�s a huge action movie with Chubby Feldman directing. They�re supposed to be auditioning for the role soon.
�If you get it, you might be working with me. I played Victoria Queen in
I just nodded. The film came out before I was born. Rita had to be in her late teens when she shot it.
�I heard that they were worried that Daniel Craig might not do the next Bond movie,� Trip said.
Daniel Craig was the current James Bond.
�That�s just negotiation talk. They�ll throw a ton of money at him, and he�ll be in. The upside is that if you get this movie and do well, you could do spinoff projects. The truth is that James Bond is starting to get a bit long in the tooth. Don�t get me wrong, but Daniel Craig�s almost fifty. James Bond is supposed to be cool, sophisticated, and make young girls drop their panties. I suspect that�s why they want to introduce a more youthful version.
�Don�t get too excited, though, David. The odds of you landing this role are slim. They�ll want someone more established to take this on. If�and that�s a
I think all I heard was �make young girls drop their panties.�
�This one is the young Han Solo movie in the
�With this movie, you�ll be up against a lot of �big name� actors that have been doing stuff for years. This was the role that made Harrison Ford a star. I�m a little surprised Saul was able to get his foot in the door for you. I don�t mean that in a bad way, but your film hasn�t even been released yet,� she said to dampen my excitement.
�So, you don�t think I have a shot?� I asked.
�I believe you have a better shot at getting the James Bond movie. They�ll need someone who�s both athletic and good-looking to play James� son. Have you ever seen Harrison Ford run? He has this weird shoulder roll and always looks awkward. You�d have to really act to pull that off,� Rita explained.
�So, if he has such a slim chance to get these roles, why would Saul send them to David?� Caryn asked.
There was my new manager, asking the question that was on the tip of my tongue.
�Imagine the press that will surround the process. Being considered for these two huge franchises will open doors all over Hollywood for you. They�re always looking for the next big thing, and there aren�t many young action stars who are go-to guys. Look at Shia LaBeouf from
�So you step in and get noticed for being considered for a couple of huge roles. You�re young, athletic, and test off the charts with teens and young women. Saul is positioning you to be something. That�s why you need to audition for those movies. If you get one of them, then you�re set,� Rita said.
�Okay, I get this is a big deal, but when am I ever going to get the chance to read all these? I actually have to still go to school and play a couple of football games,� I complained.
�Have people you trust read them,� she said and looked at Caryn and my parents. �And if you want, I�d be willing to read the ones they like, just to be sure.�
I could see Caryn relax. This was a whole new world for her, and I needed her help right away, now that I no longer had Kendal.
◊◊◊ Friday November 20
I came out of my apartment to find Caryn stretching in the driveway. Duke ran off into the Callahans� backyard to find his buddy.
�Your mom said you run each morning. I like to run with someone,� she said.
�I�ll take it easy on you,� I promised.
She just smirked. After we both stretched, I called Duke and put him on his extendable leash. Of course, he had to say �hi� to his new friend.
�You set the pace,� I said.
Caryn was a lot quicker than I expected but still slower than the pace I usually ran. I did my Bo staff exercises. I could tell that my hand, wrist, and forearm strength had really improved since I started those. In football that translated to better ball grip, which was a good thing.
I�d also started to hold my own against Cassidy with both the batons and Bo staff. Earlier in the week, she had decided it was time I receive my periodic butt-kicking to motivate me to improve. I surprised both of us when I could defend myself with the Bo staff. Of course, when I put it down, it was a completely different story. Let�s just say I was properly motivated.
�How did Devin take the news?� I asked.
�I told him that I wasn�t Cora�s gofer, and he responded that it was just part of the job. He was surprised when I quit. I didn�t bother to tell him that I already had a job with you.�
�Do you want me to tell him?� I asked hopefully.
�David, if I couldn�t tell Devin Range that I took a job with you, I wouldn�t be much of a manager for you.�
�You told Sandy,� I surmised.
I could tell by the way she looked that I was right.
�You big chicken,� I teased. �Plus, now I�ve been robbed of seeing the look on his face.�
�He really did piss you off, didn�t he?� Caryn asked.
�Yeah, he really did. I could�ve handled his attraction to Nancy if he�d just manned-up and told me what was going on. Instead, he tried to handle me like I was an employee. He gave me the whole �she misunderstood� routine. Then when I brought Cora, it was the icing on the cake.
�It�s a shame, too, because I like Devin. I simply could never trust him again,� I admitted.
�Welcome to growing up. You�re going to find that once you leave high school and college, in the real world it�s hard to find friends. Everyone seems to have their own agenda, and if it lines up with yours, great. If not, then they do their own thing. Most people are only interested in what�s in it for them,� Caryn said.
�You obviously didn�t go to the same high school I do. I think that�s true about any age, especially high school,� I said. �Did you really believe high school and college weren�t like that?�
�I had great friends in both. We looked out for each other. I just found that once I got a job, people acted differently.�
�Could it have been that you were the newbie, and people already had a life?�
She looked at me strangely, and then we ran in silence for a half mile.
�Kendal is really broken up about how her firm treated you. I think she�s looking for a job somewhere else. Would you consider hiring her?� Caryn asked.
�I like Kendal, but I�m not sure if I could afford to hire someone else or if I need another person. That doesn�t mean she wouldn�t make the short list if we find we need someone with her skills.�
�I�m sorry, that was dumb of me. I should have looked at it as purely a business decision. Our conversation this morning about friends and people you trust got to me. I could tell from talking to her yesterday that she would do just about anything for you.�
�If you hear she ever needs anything, please let me know. Kendal has become a friend. I�m still a little raw from what happened with her law firm. Unfortunately, Kendal was a part of that to a certain extent, even if she didn�t know what was going on behind the scenes. I need to give it a little time before I�d consider hiring her,� I admitted. �I did tell Ford and AT Modeling she�d be an asset for them if she ever put in a r�sum�, though.�
There was only the sound of our footsteps for a time.
�What do you plan to do today?� I asked.
�I need to become an official employee. Your dad is taking me to the bank so I can sign checks and get a company debit card. Your mom is going to help me find some office space. I guess there�s a place you can rent an office that you share with other companies, and it comes with a receptionist. Then I plan to read scripts.�
It sounded like a good start. Running with Caryn this morning had been a good idea. I�d gotten to know her better and gotten a nice run in to boot.
◊◊◊
Today it was Wolf�s turn to bring in lunch for the prep class. While I�d never had Crock-Pot spaghetti before, I had to confess it was filling. He admitted that ketchup was one of the main ingredients, which was just a little off-putting. While we were eating, I got a call from Frank Ingram, my publicist.
�I�ve scheduled your interviews for this evening. They�ll do them on video chat, so dress nice,� he ordered.
�You mean suit-and-tie nice?� I asked.
�How about a sports jacket and open-collar shirt? I�ve emailed you background information on each person interviewing you and your talking points. The purpose of these interviews is to introduce you to Hollywood. I talked to the PR team for
�The key to making this work is we need to be consistent in what we say. It�s my job to make sure your message is clear and to the point. Reporters want sound bites, not long-winded explanations. We want to control the narrative. Finally, we need to continually remind them of what we want them to know.
�Do you have anything new for me?� Frank asked.
I told him what Bo Harrington had said about football awards, but that it wasn�t official yet. I also let him know that Caryn had started work as my manager. He told me he would update my IMDb account.
�What�s that?� I asked.
�Internet Movie Database. It�s where people in the business can look you up; a one-stop location where they can see what you�ve done, who represents you, get a bio, and find a list of your skills. Basically, it�s your movie r�sum� and references. You can also see what projects are available and a lot more. If Caryn represents you, she needs to be on IMDb so people will take her seriously.�
I thanked Frank. I had a lot to learn about the movie business.
◊◊◊ Saturday November 21
I woke up to snow flurries. It was as though we�d gone from fall to winter in just twelve hours. The worst of it was the wind. It looked like it blew all the leaves off the trees overnight. It seemed like we usually got our first snowstorm the week of Thanksgiving; this was just a few days early.
My interviews with
�There were three TV shows that wanted you to play either the guy that abandons his pregnant girlfriend or rapes someone. I thought we might pass on those,� Mom suggested.
�Hey, for the right price�� I teased.
�I have one here for a soap opera. It�s a possible recurring role as Jesse, a troubled teen who takes his shirt off all the time, on
�And how am I supposed to do that and go to high school?� I asked.
�I think you should do this one,� Caryn said as she tossed what looked like five pages to me.
Ari had put a cover page on each script that gave his thoughts and details. One item he included was a quote as to what it paid. When I looked at the bundle of paper Caryn tossed me, I about choked when I saw the number. It was for a Japanese sunglasses company. They needed a young guy who could do martial arts. I didn�t have to read it, I was in.
�Set this one up,� I said and handed it to my dad.
�It says you�ll make that much for a one-day shoot?� Dad asked.
�I don�t even have to get naked,� I said, which caused Mom to glare at me.
She snatched the script out of my dad�s hands and looked at the front page.
�You dream that someday your children will make more money than you do, but this is ridiculous,� Mom said.
�I might have to marry him,� Caryn said.
�And so it begins,� I said and sighed.
Dad shook his head.
�If someone threw that much money at me when I was seventeen, I�m afraid of what I might�ve done. I realize you�ve made a lot of money with modeling, and you�re making good money on your first two movies. If you�re careful, you might be able to live off what you�ve already put into place with the farm and what you have in the bank. Don�t you dare let this go to your head,� Dad warned.
�But Dad, I will dare,� I said and saw the looks on my parents� faces. �Look, I�m getting an opportunity most people never even dream of getting. Now is not the time for me to be cautious. I need to go for this. I understand what you�re saying about not believing the press clippings. Despite my success in football, I haven�t gone crazy yet.�
�We know you haven�t, but this feels different. I�m afraid my brother was right, and life is about to change for you. Look at how Rita James has to live. You might have to have security around you 24/7. They just caught some weirdo on her property. I want you to embrace the possibilities and succeed, but I want you to be safe, too. Plus, I don�t want you to go down the path of people like Craig Wild or Trip James,� Dad said.
Craig Wild was the star of my first movie and had grown up in the business. Both he and Halle�s brother had problems with drugs and alcohol.
I was nominated to make breakfast. We�d listed the two scripts that Rita pointed out, the Japanese sunglasses ad, and two others as possibles. I let Caryn call Saul and give him the news. He told her he�d get working on them.
◊◊◊
We had a one o�clock game today, and what had started out as flurries turned into real snow. By the time I arrived at school, we had three inches on the ground. Duke was a total spaz. He loved the snow, and I had chased him around in the backyard before the game. The good news was that it wasn�t really all that cold. It was currently thirty degrees, and the wind had stopped.
I�d eaten lunch at home, so I didn�t venture out to the hospitality tent today. Instead, I was a good boy. I got taped, put my earbuds in, and listened to rock music to get ready.
The managers ran around and switched out our cleats. Coach Hope felt we would need longer cleats in case the ground became slippery. I�d also broken out my football gloves and fanny pack with a hand warmer in it. I was ready when the coaches sent us out for warm-ups.
Central traveled well. Their side of the field was packed. It could also be that they�d never made it this far in the state playoffs before. Our fans seemed to be waiting for the last minute to take their seats because of the weather. I really didn�t blame them.
After warm-ups, we began to run our pregame drills. After I tossed a couple of balls to loosen up, I started to throw in earnest. Throwing with gloves on is different from with bare hands. You just didn�t get the same feel of the ball. I was sailing the ball and overthrowing my receivers.
�Dang it!� I yelled when I overthrew my fifth straight receiver.
I stepped back from the drill and let my backups get their turns while I got my head into the game. In my head, I ran through the steps Bo Harrington had taught me. Three-step drop; stay on my toes; get my base right; step towards my receiver as I threw; and my release point should be a couple inches in front of my front foot. The problem was my release point: I was letting go of the ball early.
I got back in the drill and focused on my mechanics. I drilled Wolf for good measure.
�Asshole!� he called.
�Wuss!� I shot back.
We were good.
◊◊◊
Central won the toss and elected to take the football to start the game. They had a big bruiser of a running back who slowly brought them down the field, three to four yards a clip. What amazed me was that we were putting the wood to him. Someone would wrap up his legs and then someone else would finish him off. I�d had that happen to me, and when you have no momentum to offset someone running up on you, that�s when you get pancaked. I flinched each time this kid ran the ball and started to worry that he might get hurt.
That�s when I spotted something.
�Coach, put me in for Jake. I can get us the ball,� I said.
Coach Zoon looked at me, and I took that as assent. I sprinted out onto the field and told Jake to go back to the sideline. The coaches were yelling at me, so I made it a point not to look over at them. Hopefully, they wouldn�t call time out and force the issue.
I missed playing linebacker. I lined up next to Yuri, with Johan and his brother Milo in front of us. Central ran the same play. Milo grabbed one of his tree trunks of a leg to slow him down. Their running back twisted to put his body between me and the ball. I saw him prepare to take the hit, but I stepped to the side and snatched the ball out of his grasp. He would lower his shoulder to the oncoming tackler, and the ball in his hand would separate from his body. We were trained to protect the ball by tucking it hard against our torso and to have two hands on it if at all possible.
I ran right past the quarterback as he executed his fake. It seemed everyone was stunned for a moment as I sprinted the forty yards for the score. I handed the ball to the referee and jogged to the sidelines. Coach Zoon met me, and I winced for a moment, but he picked me up in a big bear hug and about snapped my back in celebration.
�If you ever do that again �� he began when he put me down.
�Yes, sir.�
I guess I was a good-enough actor because he didn�t seem mad anymore. I told him what I�d seen. Of course, I probably should�ve done that to begin with, but then I wouldn�t have gotten to play defense.
On the third play of Central�s next series, Yuri punched the ball loose, and Brock landed on it. Three plays later I hit a streaking Roc for the score. In under four minutes, we were up 14�0.
Central�s game plan was to run the ball, control the clock, and then play hard-hitting defense. They hoped to frustrate us and get us in a three-and-out. I had to give them credit because even down by two scores, they stuck with their running game. This time they�d driven to our 34 yard line before Jake was able to separate the ball from their running back.
We ran a simple dive play for Ty, and he showed why I was so excited that he had transferred from Washington to play here. Johan had his hands full with their squat nose tackle, but this time he got some leverage. Johan was able to move him to the side enough for Ty to find a hole. Bryan fired off the ball and got into the legs of his linebacker to slow him down. Ty was at full speed when he slipped through the gap the two linemen had created. Then he must have mashed all the controller buttons on his game console. Ty made this spin move where he juked one way and then spun the other that had their safety completely turned around as Ty jetted by him. The first quarter ended with us up 21�0.
The game then settled into a defensive battle when it began to snow in earnest. By the end of the half, we were almost ice-skating, because the wet ground began to freeze as the temperature dropped.
When we came out for the second half, Central lined up for the kickoff. The wind blew the ball off the kicking tee, and a gust of wind caused the ball to stand up on end and spin like a top. I personally had hated the cold ever since I�d been trapped in that basement when the avalanche happened. Everyone was wet, cold, and miserable.
With the wind, the passing game went out the window. We adopted Central�s strategy and just slowly worked the ball down the field with short to medium gains. Coach Diamond had us use up all of the clock for each play. We ate up nearly eight minutes before we had to punt. Both teams traded punts the rest of the game. I was never happier for a game to end than I was that one.
The good news was I was never touched all game, so I felt great. I felt even better after a hot shower. Before we left, Coach Hope had us gather around.
�I just got word. We�re playing Unity for the State Championship next week.�
Unity was the result of several high schools being combined downstate. I�d heard rumblings that they had a good team this year. I don�t believe anyone expected them to be this good. Everyone was fired up to be returning to the State Championship game. We were one game away from fulfilling the dream to repeat.
Coach Hope made some vague threats about what would happen if we lost focus on the ultimate prize and celebrated too soon. I don�t expect any of us wanted to be out in this weather. I knew Mom had put on a Crock-Pot of chili with my name on it, so I was more than happy to go home and keep warm.
◊◊◊
Chapter 11 � Don�t Forget About Me Sunday November 22
My wild child loved the snow. Duke was a one-year-old now and still acted like a puppy. He figured out there was ice on the driveway and would run full out, with snow flying all around him, and then slide. I admit it looked like fun, so I had to try it. Precious hated the white, wet, cold stuff. She had taken one look at Duke and me playing and turned around and went back home. Of course, Duke spotted her and had to roll her. The yowl had us both running for the back door.
We crashed into the mudroom.
�Dry him off and take off your shoes,� Mom hollered from the kitchen.
There was an old towel we kept there just for such emergencies. Duke loved to be dried. It was like he was being petted all over, and Labs love attention. He followed up being dried off with going to the kitchen and getting his love from Mom and Dad. Caryn must have still been asleep.
Mom had bought doughnuts, and I saw that Dad had all the Bavarian cream ones on his plate.
�Mom, make Dad share,� I complained.
He just gave me a smug look when she ignored me. I swear he�s three years old sometimes. He licked both of them.
�I�ll remember that,� I threatened him.
�David, you be nice,� Mom warned me.
My cell phone rang to save my dad. Caller ID said it was Zoe. She invited me to go to church with her and then to lunch at the farm. Mom was a little too eager to let me go. I suspected she planned to skip church today.
◊◊◊
Each church is a little different from the next. My church focused on your becoming the best possible version of yourself. Zoe�s church was more focused on service to the community. I believe they both had valid messages, but it explained why her congregation always seemed to be involved in a community project.
When we arrived at the Pearsons� farm, Mr. and Mrs. Pearson were bickering again.
�I never said I didn�t want your parents to come for Thanksgiving. I said I didn�t want your mom to help me cook this year,� Mrs. Pearson said.
�Last year was an honest mistake. You know Mom didn�t mean to do it,� Mr. Pearson said.
There had to be a story here. Zoe wanted to go check on the horses, but I begged off. She just rolled her eyes at me and left me with Roc and her parents.
�It wasn�t just the turkey; she tried to kill me,� Mrs. Pearson said, and then turned to me. �I love my mother-in-law, but she�s getting older. Last year we went to Walmart to pick up some last-minute items. I made the mistake of telling her that I felt like I had a headache coming on. My mother-in-law carries a purse that�s big enough to hide a small child. She rooted around in there for a moment, found a bottle of pills, and gave me one.
�Then I hear, �Oops.�
�Now that didn�t sound good. Then she followed it up with, �Did you swallow that?�� Mrs. Pearson said.
�Did you?� I asked.
�Of course I did! She�s my mother-in-law, and I�ve known the woman my whole life. Grandma Pearson was a nurse practitioner, for cripes sake. If she had wanted to kill me, she could have gotten it done before now. Then she asked, �Do you remember what color it was?�
�I told her I had no idea. My mother-in-law just looked concerned and said we should probably just abandon our shopping carts in the middle of Walmart and get me home. I don�t know about you, but that sounded to me like there might be a problem. So I asked her what the hell did she give me.�
I could tell Mrs. Pearson was getting worked up. Mr. Pearson and Roc were on the verge of laughing.
�So, what did she give you?� I asked.
�Grandma Pearson explained that the pill bottle she picked was called �the good pills.� She�d gathered up all the unused pills they had collected over time. She kept them in this bottle �just in case� they would ever need to use them again,� Mrs. Pearson said with the appropriate air quotes. �Grandma explained that I could have taken anything from pain pills to muscle relaxants to my father-in-law�s blood-pressure medicine. I asked her what would happen if I took his medication. She told me I would most likely collapse and pass out, and that with her bum hip, she wasn�t sure she could drag me to the car.
�That was when I started to feel a little light-headed. Then the world did this little spin, and I collapsed face-first in the middle of the produce aisle,� she said.
�Oh, my,� I gasped.
�His crazy mother grabbed my ankle and tried to pull me out of the store. I�d been to church and was wearing a dress that was now pulled up around my waist. My granny panties were exposed for all the world to see,� she explained while both her husband and son began to laugh.
�Didn�t your mother explain to you about underwear?� I asked.
My mom had always teased me about making sure I had on clean underwear in case I ever got in an accident and had to be taken to the hospital.
�I think God has a sense of humor. Luckily, one of the store employees grabbed one of those electric buggies and got me to the car. Grandma Pearson insisted that I didn�t need to go to the emergency room, that she could take care of me. The plan was to start the turkey when we got home. I�d prepared it, so I figured she could handle putting it in the oven.
�It was probably thirty minutes later when smoke began to billow out of the oven and every smoke alarm we have started blaring. By then, I was able to get to my feet and stagger into the kitchen. If I didn�t have a headache before, I had one now from the insistent beeping of the smoke alarms. Of course, I panicked when I saw all the smoke that was leaking out of the oven. I turned on the vent and opened a window so I could see what was going on. When I looked in the little window, the turkey was literally on fire. I tried to open the oven door to put out the flames, but couldn�t get it to budge. Somehow, my mother-in-law had turned the oven to �clean,� and it was the temperature of the face of the sun. On the clean cycle, it locks the oven door to prevent injury.
�My husband and Roc pulled the stove out and unplugged it. They had to take it out into the yard. When I was finally able to get the door opened, the turkey was burned on the outside and raw in the middle.�
�Dad always says that you can�t pick your family,� I offered.
�Exactly,� she agreed and glared at her husband.
I felt confident that she would keep her mother-in-law out of the kitchen.
◊◊◊
After lunch, Zoe�s parents and Roc left. Zoe wanted some alone time, and I was all for that. It hit me in the middle of sex that this would probably be our last time until I returned from LA. We both seemed to get the same vibe that we wanted to remember every second of what we did together. I changed my approach from �just sex� to something more passionate. If she were the one, I might describe it as loving, but I wasn�t ready for that term yet.
She definitely was reminding me that I shouldn�t forget about her. I know that was what I wanted to leave her with. Zoe Pearson had started to find her way into my heart.
◊◊◊
On the way home, I got a call from Brook.
�Hey, guess who�s renting a bunch of snowmobiles?�
�Seriously? When do you get them?�
�Tuesday. The weather�s supposed to settle in, and we could have another five inches tonight and tomorrow. Then Tuesday�s supposed to be clear. Mom and Dad are getting them for Wednesday when the family�s coming in, so we get to play.�
�How many are you getting?� I asked.
�Twelve. Mom said I could have a bunch of people out and we�d have dinner. Do you think you could find five other guys to come with you?�
�I�m sure I could. Who do you want me to ask?�
I�d learned that when they gave you a choice, you�d better clear it with them first.
�How about Tim, Ty, Roc, Wolf, and Jim?�
�I�ll make it happen. Tell your parents thanks,� I said.
I would have to make sure Wolf had some winter gear. My wardrobe had plenty from my time in Utah doing shoots for Range Sports. I knew that riding a snowmobile, you could get cold and wet if you just wore jeans. He could try on my gear. What didn�t fit we could hook him up with at the local sporting goods store. I should probably make sure all the guys had appropriate outerwear. Brook would likely take care of the girls.
I decided I�d better call Brook back.
�Hey, do these snowmobiles come with gear?� I asked.
�Worried you might get cold?� she teased.
�I have stuff, but I�m not sure about everyone else.�
�David, can I give you a tip?� she asked.
�Yeah, I guess.�
�Quit worrying about everyone else. I bet they can figure it out. This is something I had to learn. Even though I have the money to do pretty much what I want, I don�t want my friends thinking I�ll take care of everything. It�s not fair to me, and it�s not fair to them. If they don�t have the gear and get wet and cold, I bet it�ll be worth it to have fun. Would you let that stop you?� she asked.
�I get it. I sometimes assume I need to look out for everyone, but I really don�t. Thanks, Brook. I appreciate you straightening me out,� I admitted. �I remember wearing sweats over my jeans to go sledding. It helped some, but I had the best time.�
�Don�t worry about it. I�ll check and make sure there are helmets. I�m sure my parents will want them for Thanksgiving,� she said, and then her voice turned sexy. �What are you doing right now?�
�Driving to your house?�
�Good answer.�
◊◊◊
As soon as I pulled in the driveway, Brook came out of the house and got into my car. She pointed me to an access road that led to the cabins. I was glad she didn�t want to walk. We stepped inside and it was chilly, since they kept the heat down when no one was using them.
�Can you start a fire?� she asked.
I smiled when I saw the gas fireplace with an automatic starter. All I had to do was open the flue and turn it on.
�David, fire,� I grunted.
I was sometimes not as funny as I thought I was, or that�s what I�d been told. I personally thought people were jealous of my comic genius. Brook turned on some music and found me a Mountain Dew. There was a big fluffy rug in front of the fireplace. Brook sat down on it, and I joined her.
�Halle is such a bitch,� Brook moaned.
That was so unlike Brook that I laughed.
�Why is that?�
�She gets you alone for two months. You�ll forget all about me when you�re gone.�
�Brook Davis, I thought you were a stronger woman than that. I also thought you knew I wasn�t ready to make a commitment to anyone. You have nothing to fear from Halle,� I assured her.
�Bullshit, David. If it weren�t for your stupid �no girlfriend� rule, you can�t tell me that Halle wouldn�t have a serious shot at you. You�ll be living under her roof for two months. If I know that girl, she�ll be giving you morning oral each day just to make it start better. How am I supposed to compete against that?� Brook asked.
�Okay, let me take those in order. First of all, the �no girlfriend� rule isn�t stupid,� I said as Brook rolled her eyes at me. �Yes, Halle would have a serious shot, but so would you. Do I need to tell you all the reasons I like you? I shouldn�t have to because you know I care for you a lot.
�Yes, I�ll be living with Halle. Did you know that they have security cameras all over the house?� I asked.
�No.�
I didn�t tell her that Halle and I�d had sex and I was sure it had been caught on the security cameras at their house here.
�I�ll admit that if she gives me oral every morning, you might have a serious problem. You do know that the little head does most of my thinking,� I teased her.
Brook leaned over and put her hand on my groin.
�What are you thinking right now?� she asked.
�I�m thinking that you better bring your �A� game if you want me not to forget about you.�
�Shut up, �stupid boy,�� she said and then kissed me.
Brook was in a playful mood and pinned me to the ground.
�You have to do what I tell you since this has to hold me for two months.�
�Surely Tracy told you about all the sex toys I have in my apartment. I bet you can figure out how to open the lock and go satisfy your desires while I�m not here.�
�Shut up and make me a happy girl.�
We were naked soon after that. I took my time and brought my �A� game. I needed Brook to remember me as much as she wanted me to remember her. After spending time with Zoe, I had some serious staying power. We were each a wreck when we were done. I believe you could give that �two thumbs up� for mission accomplished.
◊◊◊ Monday November 23
I skipped my run this morning and made a pot of steel-cut oatmeal and chopped-up fruit for breakfast. As I worked on the morning meal, I recalled last night; it made me smile. Reflecting a bit more, it seemed each of my special girls, the ones I hated seeing with another guy, were making sure I didn�t forget about them in LA. What they didn�t seem to realize was I never would, and never could, forget them.
I was surprised when Caryn was the first one down this morning. She had taken a couple of days to adjust to the time change.
�Did you make enough for everyone?�
�Yes, ma�am. I wouldn�t send you out on a day like today on an empty stomach.� I turned just in time to see Duke head for the stairs. �Duke! Get back here. Let Mom and Dad sleep.�
I�d have to keep an eye on him because he loved to wake them up.
�So, what are you doing today?� I asked.
�I�m taking the scripts over to Rita James to peruse. Then I plan to spend the afternoon talking to Kendal and getting a handle on all your business ventures. She said she�d ask the accountant to come in and we�ll conference in Tyler. I hope to speak to your grandmother and uncle about the farm on Wednesday. Then I�ll catch a flight back to California and spend the weekend with my parents. I�ll see you when you get into LA. Rita said I could stay with her while you�re there.�
�Are you going to confirm with Saul which scripts we like?� I asked.
�Yes. I�ve already told him James Bond,
That was what we agreed on, so I was good with what she�d told Saul so far.
�As long as I�m not a rapist, emotionally challenged, or baby abandoner of some kind. If you find one where I get to make love to Hannah Minacci, I�ll pay to do that role. That reminds me, get on Frank about flooding her social media account with Prom requests. I think I�m starting to wear her down.�
�You live in a fantasy world. There is no way that you could get Hannah Minacci to even take your call, let alone go to Prom with you,� Caryn challenged.
I pulled out my phone and called Adrienne.
�Hey, boss. Can you do me a solid?� I asked.
�David, how did you get my cell number?� she asked.
�That new girl who answers your phones isn�t very bright. I explained I was a VIP model and needed 24/7 access to my agent. I might have sent her a few pictures.�
�Of you or me?� she asked.
�Adrienne, please tell me she�s gorgeous and bi. We could have so much fun,� I suggested.
�Someone has to turn 18 before I�d even consider that. Now, what do you want?�
�I need to talk to Hannah Minacci,� I said.
�There�s no way I�m giving you her number. It�s bad enough that you stalk her on social media. She�d never talk to me again if I did that.�
�Then, three-way us in.�
�Why?� Adrienne asked.
�I hired a new manager, and she doesn�t believe I can get Hannah Minacci on the phone.�
�David! You need to have a better reason than that,� Adrienne complained.
�What if I can get her in a movie?�
�My young friend, you are so full of it.�
�You�re so mean to me. Hang on, and I�ll three-way in someone.�
While I dialed, Mom and Dad came downstairs, to the delight of Duke.
�What�s he doing?� Mom asked Caryn.
�I said he couldn�t get Hannah Minacci on the phone. He wants to take her to Prom,� Caryn explained.
�Hey, Fritz, this is David,� I said when he answered.
�Halle just stepped out to go to school.�
�Actually, I need to talk to her mom. Is Rita around?� I asked.
�Hang on,� Fritz said.
�What�s up?� Rita asked.
�Hang on. I need to three-way this call to Adrienne,� I said.
�Adrienne, the model?�
�Yeah, hang on,� I said, and did my phone magic. �Adrienne?�
�Yes, I�m here.�
�Good, I have Rita James on the line. Rita, I need to talk to Hannah Minacci, and Adrienne said she might be able to get her on the line if I could find her a movie role. I thought we could write her into our movie,� I suggested.
Mom made me put the phone on speaker so everyone could hear.
�You got me on a call with Adrienne so you could flirt with Hannah Minacci?� Rita asked.
Mom glared at me, but I was on a roll.
�When you say it that way, it sounds kind of bad. If Adrienne could get Hannah on the line, I think I know how I can make this work,� I offered.
�This I have to hear,� Rita said.
�Adrienne, it�s your call,� I said.
�Okay, hang on.�
Caryn sat in what I was sure was awe of my skills. Either that, or she thought I was a complete nut. I probably shouldn�t ask her which.
�Hey, Stalker,� Hannah said.
�Hey, Prom Date, I need to know what color dress you�re wearing so I get the right corsage.�
Mom leaned over to Caryn and whispered.
�I taught him that. Just assume the sale.�
�I�m not so sure about that. Adrienne said you might have a movie deal for me,� Hannah said.
�Yes. We can talk about Prom later. I have Rita James on the phone. She has me in a movie coming up, and I wanted to pitch you an idea we just kicked around. I play a baseball player that�s in high school, and we need a hot teacher. Think Cameron Diaz in
�Well, I don�t know about the nudity and love scenes, but we might have something for you,� Rita said.
�Sorry, but I�m sure the nudity would increase sales dramatically. I don�t want us to rule anything out until we test it. We could do it both ways and see what works,� I suggested. �You ready to do a movie with me?�
�Is he telling me the truth?� Hannah asked.
�We might have a small role for you if you�re available,� Rita said.
�Okay. Call Adrienne and set it up,� Hannah said, and I jumped up and down and did a fist pump.
�Hannah, before you go. We need to lock down Prom. It�s only a few months off,� I begged.
�Why don�t you take my boyfriend and me to dinner when we�re in LA? If you can get him to agree, I might do it,� Hannah said.
Rita and Adrienne gave me some grief and then exchanged phone numbers.
�I need to start planning Prom. This is a done deal,� I said after we hung up. �We should call Greg and tell him.�
�Leave your brother alone,� Dad said.
�Be sure to call Tyler and remind her that I get a finder�s fee,� I told Caryn.
I was late for school, so I asked my dad to explain it to her.
◊◊◊
When I pulled into the parking lot, the first-period bell was already ringing. I ran straight to the gym to let Coach Diamond know I was there. Wolf and I shot the shit and lifted.
Yuri came in and started lifting as well. I looked over and saw him looking troubled, so I ambled over to talk with him.
�Great game on Saturday,� I opened the conversation.
He looked up at me with a frustrated face.
�Yes, after the first quarter! It took that long for me and the defense to get it together!�
I sat down and motioned for him to sit up from his bench press.
�Yeah, I�ve noticed that too.� I wasn�t going to sugarcoat anything for him; he didn�t need that and didn�t want that! �You�re just missing one thing, Yuri.�
He arched one eyebrow at me. I�d have to learn how to do that.
�The only thing you�re missing is self-confidence. It�s something you should have already, given your situation.�
�What do you mean, Mr. Quarterback?�
I rubbed my hands together, warming to the subject.
�Well, consider this for starters: you�re the defensive captain of a team whose next game is to repeat as state champions! No team gets to that point on offense alone. No team!
�Second, if you didn�t notice, the last game your entire defense voted for you to be the sole captain, both in the game and at the coin toss. Look at the guys you have on that defense. Do you believe they didn�t know what they were doing when they insisted on it?
�Third is to look at your track record over the last few games. Three playoff teams.
�In the first quarter, over three games, three teams scored a total of 23 points. In the second through fourth quarters over those same three games, those three
Yuri looked like he was going to counter that, but I stopped him.
�Yeah, I know I figured out that back�s loose ball-security. But it was you and your defense that caused two of his three fumbles, once you knew what to watch for, and both fumbles led to scores for us.�
I looked at him.
�Think about it. Your defense has a record any defense in the state would be happy with, and most would kill for. And you�re the unanimously elected captain of that defense. As a
I stood and started walking away, but stopped and looked back at him with a grin.
�So, defensive captain, if you have any more problems with self-confidence, just let me know.�
I turned and walked to the locker rooms. Damn, that felt good.
◊◊◊
After my shower, Coach Diamond stopped me before going to my next class.
�Stop by Coach Hope�s office before practice.�
�Anything I need to worry about?� I asked.
�No. Now get to class.�
I wondered what he needed to talk about, but quickly forgot when I arrived my AP Trigonometry class. Ms. Lowden gave everyone a quiz and afterward asked Halle and me to come to her desk. She wanted to make sure we were ready for our final on Friday. I was fine, but Halle seemed to need some help, so Ms. Lowden offered to tutor her to get her ready.
The rest of the day followed the same pattern. All my teachers wanted to make sure I was prepared for Friday. Coach Zoon and Mr. Hicks actually gave me study guides for their classes, which I thought would be a big help.
◊◊◊
After my last class, I strolled over to Coach Hope�s office, and he was just leaving it.
�Our meeting has been changed.�
I followed him towards the school office, and we soon found ourselves at the office of Mr. Hicks, our athletic director. My dad, Tom Dole, and Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan were already there. I didn�t have long to wonder what was happening, because Mrs. Sullivan, the head of the Booster Club, stood up and addressed us.
�I wanted to get the core group together and invited Mr. Hicks to attend to discuss some enhancements to athletics at Lincoln High. The first concerns fitness and conditioning. I�ll let Tony explain what he�s thinking.�
�I�ve been talking to Coach Mason, David�s quarterback coach, about getting the team ready for next year. David came to me and gave us some good ideas. I talked to Coach Mason about them, and he had an alternative solution. It�ll cost some money, so I called Mrs. Sullivan to see if the boosters would help.
�Coach Mason suggested I check out the National Strength and Conditioning Association,� Coach Hope said. �A rather legendary strength and conditioning coach named Boyd Epley founded it. He is considered the father of all the fitness programs found in football today. He was at Nebraska in the �60s and �70s and helped turn them into a national powerhouse.
�The NSCA offers different types of certifications. The one that Coach Mason recommended was the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, or CSCS. It�s for professionals who design and implement strength training and conditioning programs for athletes in a team setting. He suggested that Ms. Kim and Ms. Grimes get their certification. I talked to both of them, and they would both agree to do it. They are even willing to commit to stay here for at least two years after they get their certifications, assuming we pay for their training.
�In the meantime, we need something now. I�d like to hire someone to come in and help us implement a program for all athletes at Lincoln High. Then whomever we hire would come back periodically, check our progress, and make any tweaks that are needed. Of course, Ms. Kim and Ms. Grimes would be involved in all of this and eventually take over the program. Coach Mason tells me that this is the quickest way for us to get the results we need. He assures me that they can help players like Jim and Johan put on the bulk needed without endangering their health and without losing speed or agility. They can also help players like Ty with their speed work,� Coach Hope said.
I always believed in getting professional help when you needed it, so I was an easy sell. Mr. Hicks was worried about what all this would cost. I found it amusing when he was fearful that he might have to pay Jill and Becky more if they had certification. The condition that they would stay on for a specific time after they got certified would help, I thought.
The next topic made me perk up.
�I�ve been in contact with Coach Rector, the defensive coordinator for Springfield. As some of you know, Coach Zoon is leaving us. David can attest that Coach Rector is one of the best high school defensive coaches around. The only problem we have is that he�s asking for more money than there is in our budget for that position. He has agreed in principle if we can come up with the funds. He�s promised to stay at least two years and to groom his replacement when that time comes.
�I believe I have a solution to at least next year�s money situation. I�ve found a replacement for Coach Diamond, who�s leaving us to be the head coach at Washington, and this replacement has volunteered his time. Coach Mason has agreed to take over as offensive coordinator. I doubt David�s going to be happy with the change because Coach Mason has told me that he�ll no longer be running the ball,� Coach Hope said.
�I�ll just play defense,� I said.
�Dream on,� Coach Hope said, then turned back to everyone. �Please remember that nothing is finalized, and what I just shared with you is not for public consumption as yet.�
Mrs. Sullivan took over the meeting after we all agreed.
�The Booster Club has five facility projects that we�ve proposed for the coming year. I wanted to come to you to see how you thought we should prioritize them. The first project is seating for football games. We can currently accommodate five thousand fans, six if we add temporary end-zone bleachers. We�d like to double the amount of seating and would also like to build a much larger press box.
�The second project would be to replace the hospitality tents with a pole barn. Our idea is to include storage for tables and chairs, plus a permanent kitchen big enough to handle the crowds we�ve been getting.
�The third project would be to upgrade the baseball field. We talked to Mr. Herndon, and he suggested that we skim off the infield and put down the proper dirt and that the baseball mound be redone with clay. The stands have seen better days, and we�d like to add to and replace them.
�The fourth project is the swimming pool. It needs to be drained and resurfaced. I�ve also been told that the equipment should be upgraded. There are some options to significantly reduce the amount of chemicals we need to use.
�The final project is the track. We�d like to remove the old cinder track and put in a new state-of-the-art synthetic track surface.�
It didn�t take long to come up with a plan. The first project was the baseball field. They thought they could have it ready for baseball season. Then the football-related projects were given the next highest priorities. The pool and track would be tackled over the next couple of years. Mrs. Sullivan wanted to talk to me before she left.
�I was wondering if you might be persuaded to make a donation to the Booster Club. For the football projects, we want to put together plans to present to the school board, and we need working capital to do it.�
�Of course. How much do you need?� I asked.
She told me, and I sent Caryn a text to take care of it.
�My manager will send out a check today. If you ever need anything, let me know.�
�Thanks, and one more thing: are you going to save me a dance at the awards banquet?� she asked.
Our second annual awards banquet was scheduled for Friday night.
�Of course I will. I�ll see you there.�
I left to get ready for practice.
◊◊◊
Coach wanted to show us some film from our previous game. He highlighted the play in which Ty scored.
�I�ve had a chance to watch the previous game again and break it down. I wanted to show you this play because it highlights why we won. They had a human boulder as their nose tackle, but Johan was able to move him. No one�s done that all year. Controlling the center of the line was the key, and everyone needs to see how much Johan has improved this year.
�I didn�t want to just single out Johan�s center play because the whole offensive line did a great job. Last year we were a little shaky, but everyone has stepped up their play, and you�re becoming the strength of this team. I want to congratulate you and Coach Stevens. Good job.
�Now let�s look at Unity,� Coach Hope said.
We watched game film of Unity, and they were everything you would expect in a team that made it to the State Championship game. They were senior-laden and led by a quarterback who�d accepted a scholarship from Iowa the weekend they�d canceled my recruiting trip. I hoped the whole Iowa coaching staff showed up for the game. I wanted to show them what they�d passed on. It was exactly the motivation I needed.
The Lincoln Field House was purpose-built for a day like today. I almost felt sorry for Unity, because if they were practicing today, it was outside. We were able to do our run-through in shorts and t-shirts. Coach Hope told us that tomorrow we�d go full pads and keep it inside. If I played college ball in the north, I would make sure they had an indoor practice facility.
◊◊◊
After practice, I was walking to the parking lot with Brook, Cassidy, Pam, and Tracy in tow when Jan approached us.
�David, can I ask you for some help?�
I looked around at the other girls to see if they had any clue as to what she might want.
�Of course. Do we need to do it somewhere private?�
�No,� she said. �I�m Yuri�s girl, and I don�t want anyone to get any different ideas.�
Wow, this was new.
�What kind of help do you need?�
She wrung her hands a bit and then looked up at me.
�You thought I could help Yuri with school, and recruiting, and scholarships and such, and I don�t know where to even start,� she almost pleaded.
I had to smile at this, but made sure it was a gentle smile.
�You�re in the presence of experts, Jan, and none of them is me.�
I turned to the others.
�Tracy, could you do me the huge favor of taking Jan and teaching her the ins and outs of college recruiting, football camps, etc.? Pam, could you help her with stuff like learning about tutoring programs and academic monitoring?� I asked.
Oh, my. What is it with the look girls give you, especially in a group, that suggests you might actually be dumb as a post?
�Of course we can, �stupid boy.� Come on, Jan, we�ll talk while you wait for Yuri, and we�d love to speak with you more, in private, once you�ve got him home,� Tracy said.
I walked with Cassidy and Brook toward my car but caught sight of the three girls ambushing a completely unprepared Yuri as he emerged from the Field House. The poor guy didn�t stand a chance. Jan was going to be very, very good for him�if she didn�t kill him first.
◊◊◊
Cassidy was a happy girl. I�d driven the Charger, and it was her turn to drive. I�d gotten into the habit of having either Brook or Cassidy drive because it gave me time to make calls.
�Caryn, how�d it go today?� I asked.
�Saul called and said he got you the pilot on that reverse-catfishing show. Frank set up a profile for you on a social-media dating app. You need to log on and pick out potential matches.�
�I thought that had died a quiet death. Will I even have time to go on dates with these girls?� I asked.
Okay, I have retarded tendencies; hence, the nickname. Brook was already a little edgy about me leaving, and here I was in the back seat, and the phrase �dates with these girls� popped out of my mouth.
�The good news is that you only have to go on a date with one girl,� Caryn said, and then gave me the login information for my dating account.
Caryn said that she and Rita had agreed on a couple of other projects. It started to look good that my shoot schedule for the movie wasn�t very full. I would have time to do a few things while I was in LA. The two they picked out were TV shows where I�d make guest appearances.
When I hung up the phone, Brook suddenly had my full attention.
�What is this about dates when you�re in LA?� she asked.
�I, uh, have been asked to do a TV show. I�m supposed to find a date using this app and let them film it,� I glossed over.
�You have a dating account?� Cassidy asked.
�They set one up for me. I have to download the app and log in.�
We pulled into the dojo, and they both turned around to stare at me.
�We should get going, or we�ll be late for class,� I tried.
�I�m your teacher,� Cassidy pointed out.
�Quit stalling,� Brook ordered.
It took me a moment to find the app in the online store and then a little while to download. When it came up, I logged in. When Brook saw I was in, she snatched my phone out of my hand.
�That�s a good profile picture,� Brook said.
She showed it to me; it was basically just a casual headshot.
�Shouldn�t my picture be without my shirt? Girls need to see the whole package,� I said.
Both girls rolled their eyes. I took that as a �no.�
There were a few more pictures from different modeling gigs, mostly with Range Sports. It showed me as an athletic guy who had diverse interests. The bio was short and to the point.
David 17
I will be in LA to do a movie starting the first week of December and am looking for someone to show me around. If we have a good time, I will need a date for my movie premiere�Star Academy.
�This looks too good to be true,� Cassidy said.
�That�s the premise of the show. It�s supposed to be about people who seem like that, and how hard it is for them to find a date,� I explained.
�You may have a problem. You already have five girls who�ve matched with you,� Brook said.
I grabbed the phone back. The app was easy to use. You just swiped their picture if you were interested. Well, for a guy, it was simple: did you want to have sex with them or not? I was sure girls had a more complicated process. It took me ten seconds to go through all five and select one.
�Let me see,� Brook said.
Melissa 18
I love the beach and chocolate. I�m not interested in anything long-term, just want to go out and have fun.
Personal motto: Spitters are quitters.
�That�s just gross,� Brook huffed.
�She looks a little slutty,� Cassidy commented.
I�d heard enough and took my phone back so we could go let Cassidy try to hurt me in the dojo.
◊◊◊
On the way home, I stopped at the diner next to the hospital and picked up a box of chicken with all the sides. Mom had called and said she didn�t feel like cooking. When Cassidy saw what I was getting, she invited herself and her dad for dinner as well. When I arrived home, Duke was more than a little interested in what I had in all the bags.
I found Pam and Caryn talking when Cassidy and I came in.
�I hear Saul got you a job,� Caryn said.
Mom and Dad walked in.
�What job?� Dad asked.
�It�s a reverse-catfishing show,� Caryn said. �Did you check your dating app account?�
Caryn had to explain catfishing as it pertained to social media to my parents. She explained that it was when someone misrepresented themselves to someone else to get a date. MTV had a popular TV show where they uncovered people who set up fictitious accounts and tricked people into thinking they had found the ideal man or woman.
The show I was doing was the reverse. What if the perfect guy or girl put themselves out there? How would people react? Would they believe them?
�I talked to Brook, and we agreed that David shouldn�t be allowed to pick his own dates for this,� Cassidy said.
Dad picked that time to get out the plates and left me to face all the women in the room.
�Show us who you�ve picked,� Mom ordered.
I logged onto the app and saw I had several more girls hoping for a match. I scrolled to my selection and handed the phone to Mom.
�She�s cute, what�s wrong � �Spitters are quitters�?� Mom asked as she turned on me.
�What does that mean?� Caryn asked.
Dad about dropped the plates. Pam leaned over and whispered in Caryn�s ear.
�No, he really shouldn�t be allowed to pick, unless this is airing on
It took my mom all of thirty seconds to figure out how the app worked. There must have been several new girls to consider, because she, Pam, Cassidy, and Caryn started to scroll through them. I was right that a woman had a lot more criteria than a guy does. For a guy, it was either I�d do her or not. They made all kinds of catty remarks. The four of them rejected several girls. Dad distracted me by opening the chicken.
Then I heard them all giggle, and knew it couldn�t be good for me.
�Type in �Sup,�� Caryn said.
�Won�t that make him sound stupid?� Mom asked.
�He�s a guy,� Caryn said.
I had no idea my mom could type on the phone. She had the two-thumb method down.
�Look, she sent a message back,� Mom said.
Mom sent her my Instagram page link.
�Get her number, and I�ll call her when I get to LA,� I said.
Coach Hope showed up, and my dad and I ate with him. Thankfully, he wasn�t interested in my new dating app account. After dinner, I went to my apartment to study. Mom kept my phone, and the girls were having way too much fun messaging girls in LA. This was like the show. They were catfishing these poor girls by pretending they were me.
◊◊◊
I was almost done studying when Pam came upstairs with my phone.
�Your mom�s hilarious. She set you up with four dates.�
�That was fast.�
�You had like six hundred messages. You can thank me later for the girl I picked out for you,� Pam said.
�Don�t tell me that you each picked one.�
�Yep, and we made a bet as to whose date you�d like the best. So don�t even ask who picked who.�
I worried I would like my mom�s girl. Something about that just didn�t seem right.
�What about the one I picked?� I asked.
�She was a bitch. She would�ve irritated you in a hurry. That�s something else you can thank us for later.�
�Sounds like I need to thank you,� I said as I waggled my eyebrows. Changing subjects, I asked, �How�d things go with Jan?�
Pam looked thoughtful.
�It was good. Tracy�ll be able to help her a lot more than I can, but she�s really eager to do something for Yuri,� she said and then paused. �You know, I never really cared for her, but I also never really knew her. She looks like she�s finding herself. I think what she�s finding is a pretty good person.�
Then she looked up at me through her eyelashes.
�David?�
�Yes?�
Pam smiled. I opened my arms, and she snuggled up against me.
�Do you still like me?�
�Always.�
�David?�
�Yes.�
�Will you love our child?�
�With all my heart.�
�Okay.�
◊◊◊
Chapter 12 � You�re a Manipulative Little � Tuesday November 24
Winter was upon us. Wolf had been over and cleared the snow from the driveway and sidewalks. He also took care of a couple of my elderly neighbors� houses. Wolf was a good guy, and I was proud to call him my friend. I was surprised when Caryn came out to run with me. I was sure the California girl wouldn�t want to run in the snow, but then I remembered that she�d lived in Utah for the last few years. This was nothing compared to what she was probably used to.
As we began to run, I was amazed that the trees seemed to have lost all their leaves. The snow was still clean, and everything sparkled in the morning sun. Caryn set a relaxed pace because there were icy spots. All I really needed was to get the blood pumping and feel the cold air in my lungs to remind me that I was alive.
�I received copies of your interviews from Frank. They looked good, and both he and Saul are happy,� she said.
�You talked to them this morning?� I asked.
�No, last night after you�d gone up to your apartment.�
�I just kept to the script Frank gave me.�
�Yes, Frank was impressed with that. From what he said, it sounded like his other clients don�t seem to listen as well. He said that he�d set up some more interviews. I guess they wanted to see how you did before the media blitz starts,� she explained.
�Keep an eye on how much he wants me to do. My first priority is the release of
�Speaking of fun, I want to warn you that the TV show has access to your dating app account. Saul and Frank also can see your messages.�
�Please tell me that my mom didn�t say anything to get me into trouble.�
�No, she did fine. She found you four dates. I really liked one of them,� Caryn said.
�Let me guess. It wouldn�t be the one you bet on, would it?� I asked.
�Even if it were, I still consider her the best one, but I�ll let you decide.�
�Good plan. The last thing you want is for my mom to find out you�ve influenced me. She�ll get even, believe me.�
�She�s a funny woman.�
I kept my mouth shut. I hoped Caryn never got on the wrong side of my mom. She might not think Mom was so funny then. I could have her talk to Devin Range and see how amusing he thought Mom was.
�Any word on Hannah Minacci and my love scenes?� I asked.
�I thought you wanted her to go to Prom with you,� Caryn said.
�That�s a done deal. All I have to do is convince her boyfriend.�
�I want to witness that conversation. I can only imagine how happy he�ll be when you go into full flirt mode with Hannah, right in front of him.�
Oh, she of little faith. I just shrugged. My plan seemed to be coming together. Hannah Minacci couldn�t withstand my charms. I was a legend in my own mind.
◊◊◊
Halle and I found that in all the classes we had finals in, we were able to spend class time studying. Word must have come down from on high that all our teachers should help us get ready for the tests. Even in our college-test-prep class, we reviewed how to take a test. I made it a point to thank all my teachers, and Halle followed suit. Our teachers were bending over backward to make sure we could take time off to shoot the movie.
Halle told me that she might have to stay in LA a few more weeks than I did because she was in more scenes. The goal was for us to be able to get our parts done quickly. The rest of the actors were scheduled for an additional eight weeks. This was an incredibly tight schedule, but it wasn�t a big-budget film like
◊◊◊
After football practice, we skipped the dojo and drove straight to Brook�s house to ride snowmobiles. It had warmed up, so it wasn�t freezing. Everyone had a great time. I helped Ian, Brook�s dad, with the grill. He was a much better grill-master than Beth�s dad was. At least we didn�t have any fires.
While I supervised, I got a call from Todd Davis, the five-star linebacker I�d met at Notre Dame.
�Hey, Bo Harrington gave me the good news. I hear you�re now a member of the Crimson Tide.�
�Yeah, my surgery turned out well. They tell me I should be ready for football come fall. I wanted to thank you for what you did. I truly believe that they might have dropped me if you hadn�t made the call,� he said.
�No, I doubt that. You�re too good a player for them to take a pass on. I think they just wanted to make sure it wasn�t more serious.�
�Well, I disagree, but I wanted to talk to you about something else. I talked to Jack, the cornerback that caused all this. He admitted that he tried to take your knees out. The coaches aren�t happy because we know that if we get a reputation like that, it could come back and haunt us. I wanted to apologize on behalf of King High School. It would be a shame if you were hurt in a high school game,� Todd said.
�Every time we put on our pads, we take that risk. I can�t say I�m happy to learn that he intentionally tried to hurt me. The sad part is that you were caught up in all that, and it almost cost you. High school football is supposed to be fun.�
�I agree,� he said. �Hey, my mom�s calling me to dinner. Keep in touch.�
�Good luck, Todd,� I said and hung up.
◊◊◊ Wednesday November 25
I came down for breakfast and found Mom and Dad reading the paper. The Wednesday paper before Thanksgiving was always huge. It held all the ads for Black Friday, and also announced the All-State Football Team. My picture was in the center above the fold as it announced I was Player of the Year. Jim and Wolf also made first team All-State. Ty was on the second team, and Johan got an honorable mention.
Unity High School had three players on the All-State roster. Their quarterback made the honorable mention list. Take that, Iowa! They had a defensive lineman placed on the first team and a cornerback who earned honorable mention.
When I arrived at school, I made sure to congratulate all the players who were on the list.
◊◊◊
Coach Hope canceled practice so everyone could begin their Thanksgiving celebration early. I stayed with Coach Diamond as we talked to Coach Mason on video chat. He walked us through my reads for Unity and pointed out some of the schemes they ran out of different defensive sets. They were quick, athletic, and swarmed to the ball. Coach Mason suggested that we use that against them and run counter plays with the hope that they overran the ball.
Other plays that had a real chance for success were draws and trick plays where we enticed them in one direction and then went another. This is where we missed Mike. We could have tossed him the ball and had him run right, and I would fake left, but he could throw me the ball. Defenses rarely account for the quarterback once he has handed the ball off.
The only problem, as I saw it, was that film showed other teams doing precisely what we planned to do, and Unity seemed to beat all of them. I pointed that out. Coach Mason seemed to consider what I said, and then he told me he needed to review the films again. I trusted he would figure out what would work best.
◊◊◊
When I came home, Uncle John and Aunt Bonnie were in the kitchen talking to Grandma Dawson. I was surprised when I saw Uncle John and my grandma drinking scotch.
�David! Come here and give me a hug,� Grandma Dawson said.
�I�m her favorite,� I teased Uncle John.
�Don�t tell your dad. He seems to believe he�s the chosen one,� Uncle John said.
�So, is David really your favorite?� Aunt Bonnie asked.
�Sure, why not,� Grandma Dawson said.
I knew that would last until Greg showed up with babies for her to fuss over. I�d have my own soon to compete with my brother�s brood. We caught up on each other�s lives and were interrupted periodically as people came to get their smoked turkeys from our turkey hunt. Uncle John had picked them up from the butcher and brought them down.
Uncle John and Grandma told me about their talk with Caryn. Mom had taken them to look at the farm down the road from the Pearsons�. She�d told them about her research into its economic viability. The professor from State had said he thought egg prices wouldn�t decline to what they were prior to the bird flu epidemic. That disease had killed a lot of the laying chickens, driving up egg prices. This farm was an example of what happened around the country where the smaller farmers hadn�t been able to survive the loss of their chickens. The farm also had apple, cherry, and walnut trees that were cash crops before the farm failed. It had enough land for corn that could be used as chicken feed, and they also planted vegetables and melons.
�So, what do you think?� I asked.
�I don�t see how you can run something like this without help. Having animals to care for is a full-time job. Most of what�s done on a farm like this is labor-intensive. You�d need a manager who�s familiar with all the different aspects of the farm and is good at managing people,� Grandma Dawson said.
�I agree with Mom,� Uncle John said. �I expect you could do it cheap enough that it would be profitable, but it needs some TLC. When you�re talking about a farm, it can get expensive in a hurry. Your mom said the bank is considering auctioning the farm off. If that happens, they may break it up. Without all the parts, it wouldn�t be nearly as profitable.�
�If I did this, would you help me get it running?� I asked.
Grandma Dawson and Uncle John looked at each other.
�Don�t answer me now. Think about it,� I said and then smiled. �It would be nice to have my grandma closer.�
�You�re a manipulative little shit,� Uncle John said.
�
Mom came in the house and had the grandbabies with her. She�d agreed to watch Kyle, Mac, and Nate while Greg and Angie threw their party. Aunt Bonnie barked out a laugh when I took little Nate from Mom�s arms and handed him to Grandma Dawson. My mom gave me a look that sent Duke and me to the living room to entertain Kyle and Mac while she made dinner.
They wanted me to play the DVD with me dancing on it. It only took me about five minutes to get them all wound up. Even Duke thought he could dance. Grandma Dawson brought Nate in and bounced him on her hip to the beat of the tunes.
I was teaching them the baby twerk when my dad came home. Little Mac was a natural at shaking her booty. I felt sorry for Greg because she would be a handful when she started to date.
�Come on, Grandpa, dance with us,� I urged.
I convinced Aunt Bonnie to video four generations of Dawsons dancing. I was sure Frank could use it somehow. Plus, I wanted to capture the moment.
Mom ended our fun when she called us to dinner. Grandma Dawson handed me Nate, and I gave her a one-armed hug. Mom had made mac and cheese�the homemade kind, not the stuff in the box. I liked it better when she baked it and put breadcrumbs on the top, but she didn�t have time to do it that way. I didn�t get it often on my diet, but I loved its creamy goodness. Mom had also made chicken nuggets and green beans. Looked like this meal was geared to the little ones.
◊◊◊
I drove the Jeep to State. Caryn had caught a shuttle bus at one of the hotels, and it took her to the airport. I would have to remember they did that twice a day. I would prefer not to leave my car at the airport. This time it was easy to find parking because most everyone had gone somewhere for the holiday.
The first person I saw when I entered Greg and Angie�s apartment was Luke Herndon.
�Hey, David. Congrats on being the Player of the Year.�
�Thanks, Luke,� I said as I looked around to see who else was here.
�I also wanted to thank you for making the call for my little brother. He was able to get accepted to Wesleyan for the spring. We had Damion Roth visit, and he�s a heck of a receiver. Mike said they�d picked up a running back and more linemen. It sounds like they�ll be good next year. You might have to watch out,� Luke said.
�How is everything for you, Magic, and Kevin?� I asked.
The three of them led our team my freshman year, and now all attended State on football scholarships.
�Magic got a lot of playing time at corner, and Kevin�s marked down as the starting middle linebacker. I�ll be in the mix at running back,� he said.
Their starting tailback was graduating. Magic�s opinion was that Luke hadn�t shown what he was capable of. He felt that Luke might simply be satisfied with the status of being on the football team and everything that entailed. My guess was he was chasing tail instead of focusing on football. I wondered if that was his little brother�s issue as well.
My brother rescued me.
�Some people want to talk to you,� he said.
�I�ll talk to you later,� I told Luke, not really meaning it.
Greg took me to the kitchen where we found Angie, Cindy, Suzanne, Beth, and some random dude. Beth had her back to me, so I snuck up, wrapped my arms around her, and kissed her neck.
�Hey � oh � David!� she cried out until she figured out it was me.
I spun her around and planted a serious kiss on her.
�Hey, that�s my girlfriend!� the random dude said.
�Dude, not cool,� Greg said.
I quickly let Beth go.
�David, this is Carl,� Beth said.
�This is the David you told me about?� Carl asked.
�Yes, this is the David I told you about,� Beth confirmed.
He gave me a hard look, and I just held up my hands. I�d only kissed her; it wasn�t like I�d bent her over the kitchen table and had my way with her. Everyone in the kitchen waited to see what would happen. Carl pushed past me and left the room.
�Carl,� Beth said with some concern in her voice, and then chased after him.
Everyone watched her leave and then turned to look at me.
�What did I do?� I asked.
�Nothing,� Suzanne said. �They did the whole �sexual history� bit, which I believe is a major mistake.�
�How come he wasn�t mad about her and Greg?� I asked.
�What do you mean, �her and Greg�?� Cindy asked.
A big grin appeared on Angie�s face. Greg had helped me fulfill one of Beth�s fantasies. She wanted me to get a stranger off the street and let him do her while she was blindfolded. It turned into a threesome with me joining in. I was sure that none of us had talked about that night since then until I just opened my big mouth.
�I just assumed that Greg slept with her,� I blurted out.
�Nice one, dumbass,� Greg said.
�Soooo, how�s school?� I asked.
�He did sleep with her,� Cindy persisted.
Of course, Angie told them all about it. Both Greg and I were uncomfortable because of the Dawson rule about not sharing information about our sexual encounters. Both Suzanne and Cindy of course knew that and acted like it was a big deal that something slipped out.
As the night wore on, both Cindy and Suzanne started to do shots and flirt with me. The last I�d heard, Cindy dated a defensive end on the Ohio State football team, and Suzanne was seeing a guy she met in one of her study groups. I was happy to be their friend and dance with them, and might even kiss them like I�d done with Beth. But that would be it.
I had to use the restroom, and the one in the hall was occupied, so I used the master bath in Greg and Angie�s room. As I washed my hands, I heard girls giggling. I came out to find Cindy and Suzanne making out. They saw me as I came out of the bathroom and motioned for me to join them. What could a kiss or three hurt?
Suzanne had been known as the �Ice Princess� in high school. Part of the reason was that she�d been one of the best-looking girls in school and turned down almost everyone that asked her out. It wasn�t that she wouldn�t date, but that she was more interested in dating a normal guy. Normal guys didn�t ask out someone like Suzanne. The other reason was she had almost pure white hair and light blue eyes. She could have been used as a model for a Disney movie.
Since starting college, she�d put on a few pounds. But it didn�t detract from how she looked; it enhanced her. Suzanne now had more shape to her butt, and her breasts were bigger. She was thicker in the waist, but nothing out of proportion. She looked more like a woman now.
Cindy had always had the best butt in school. On a scale of one to ten, she was an eleven. I�d really liked Cindy except for one little flaw that was a deal-breaker for me: she�d always been all about Cindy. While she wasn�t as bad as Jennie Wesleyan, her selfishness showed up in ways I couldn�t handle. The worst example had been my freshman year when I took both Cindy and Suzanne to homecoming. Their ex-boyfriends had come back. Cindy had it bad for her ex and arranged to hook up with him. The only problem was that he just used her once again. Cindy never even thought how that had affected me at the time. We got past it, but I never forgot it.
�David, let�s have some fun like we used to,� Cindy suggested.
�You both have boyfriends. You know I would never do anything like that.�
�What if we told you we broke up with them?� Cindy asked.
�Then I�d say, what have we been waiting for?�
�We broke up with our boyfriends,� Cindy said.
�Is that true?� I asked Suzanne.
She bit her lip and nodded. Cindy smiled.
�Remember what we used to do to Suzanne?� she asked.
How could I forget? Cindy had taught me how to arouse a female body and used Suzanne as the crash-test dummy. She made the mistake of teaching me all these skills and then leaving Suzanne and me alone. Cindy�s parting direction had been to not listen to Suzanne if she told me �no� or to �stop.� When Cindy came back an hour later, poor Suzanne was a mess. She was such a mess that she took me behind the football stands and did me in the equipment shed.
Suzanne saw the look come over my face and started to get nervous.
�Hang on, you two. No fair ganging up on me,� she complained.
�Get her,� I said.
Suzanne didn�t really fight us too hard. As soon as Cindy went down on her, it was game on. This time my boxers were coming off. I put on a condom and pushed Cindy�s underwear to the side. I guess she had been thinking about us having fun because I easily pushed all the way in.
�Oh, God! I missed you. Do me,� Cindy said.
It was a crime against nature that her magnificent bottom was covered by underwear, so I ripped it off.
�David! Why did you do that? Those were expensive,� Cindy complained.
�I bet he�ll buy you new ones,� Suzanne said.
I reached down with both hands and squeezed her behind as I continued with long, steady strokes. There were some famous models I knew who would gladly die for Cindy�s butt. I pushed her face back into Suzanne�s mound, and she got the idea. Suzanne loved to receive oral. She looked me in the eyes as I ravaged her friend. I missed the three of us being together. It had been over a year and a half since I�d been with Cindy.
Suzanne began to get flushed, and I knew she was close, so I reached around and found Cindy�s button. I strummed two fingers back and forth over her sensitive organ. This was a new part of my repertoire. Cindy lifted her head up, and Suzanne looked frustrated, but Cindy was close. I started to pound her, and she came hard. I jerked out, dropped my mouth over Suzanne�s sex, and used my tongue to help her reach her climax. A threesome�s shortcoming is that it�s hard to satisfy both women equally. We were all three breathing hard, but I hadn�t gotten off.
I took off the condom and put a new one on. Suzanne had curled up on her side, so I got behind her and pushed in. I slowly moved in her so that she would build to another orgasm. Every few strokes, I would pull out and slap my member against her nubbin. It didn�t take long for Suzanne to have another orgasm. Then she had another and another. Cindy watched me as I abused her friend. Each time I got close to release, I would pull out and slap her sex with Mr. Happy. I could do this for days.
When she came again, I pulled out and put the head against her rosebud. Suzanne pushed back, and I was soon in her tight little butt. Suzanne and Zoe were the only two girls I knew who really liked me to do them in the backside. Cindy had never seen us do this before, and her eyes got big.
�Are you okay?� Cindy asked.
�More than okay,� Suzanne replied. �Quit messing around and do me,� she begged me.
I gave her what she wanted, but the pounding was more than I could handle. My orgasm had been building. When I finally unleashed, my package actually hurt. I came and came, and that sent Suzanne into her final orgasm of the night.
Cindy and Suzanne together might have been too much for me to handle on a regular basis. I was wiped out, despite having gotten off only once. Even though they almost killed me, I really did miss these two.
◊◊◊
I drove home and crawled into bed. I was almost asleep when I heard my apartment door open. Duke didn�t get excited, so he knew whoever it was. Through the darkness, I saw it was Beth. She didn�t say a word; she simply undressed and climbed into bed with me.
�You okay?� I asked.
�No. Just hold me,� she said.
Beth laid her head on my chest. We were both naked, but we were good-enough friends that we didn�t have to have sex to enjoy each other�s company. I just held her and drifted off to sleep. We�d figure it out in the morning.
◊◊◊
Chapter 13 � A Bad Rendition of A Christmas Carol Thursday November 26
I woke Thanksgiving morning to Beth riding my morning wood.
�Beth, we can�t,� hissed out of my lips.
�David, shut up. I need this,� she said.
I�m almost positive I could�ve climbed out from under her, but I had a moment of weakness. As my sleep-addled brain began to function, I realized I wasn�t wearing a condom.
�Beth, condom,� I warned.
�Shut it and let me worry about it,� she ordered.
Beth began to breathe hard as she rose and fell on my member. I missed my friend. There were so many reasons I wished either I was older or she was younger. If we were the same age and going to the same school, life would be simple. I would date Beth and make both our mothers very happy.
�I�m getting close,� I warned her.
�Hold off. Give me a minute.�
�Beth, I can�t last much longer.�
She slammed down and ground against my pubic bone. I roared as I came hard, so hard that I saw stars. Beth just wrapped herself around me and pinned me to the bed with me still inside of her. This was one of those times when I was going to stay hard. I captured her lips, and we kissed as I began to work my way in and out of her. I rolled her on her back to give me more control.
Beth bit my lip, and I jerked my head back.
�Hey!�
�My boyfriend is afraid that you have designs on me.�
I stopped my hips. She reached back and slapped my butt.
�Get to work. I�ve missed the hell out of you. You touch places that Carl can�t,� she said.
�Beth!� I whined. �I promised my mom I�d never do this. If I�d known that you and Carl were still together, we wouldn�t be bumping uglies.�
I stopped, and Beth looked deep into my eyes.
�Listen to me and listen carefully. Carl and I are barely a couple. We hang out, and we had sex once at the beginning of the semester. He came home with me because his parents are on a cruise. I�ve had sex with a couple of other guys while I�ve dated Carl. I�m sure he�s done the same.�
�That�s gross,� I said.
�Dork! He�s not into guys. His problem is that I�ve talked about you so much. Carl knows if you ever made a play for me, he�d be gone.�
I thought about that for a moment.
�What about Suzanne and Cindy?� I asked suspiciously.
Beth laughed.
�I warned those two sluts that you�d have a problem if they admitted they had boyfriends.�
�Are you serious?� I asked.
�Oh, yeah. They planned to seduce you last night. If you don�t make a big deal out of it, everything should be good,� she said.
�What do you mean?� I asked.
�Cindy and her boyfriend are coming to Thanksgiving at your house today.�
�Aw, shit. He plays defensive end for Ohio State.�
�I bet you can take him,� Beth teased. �I saw you take out Bill Rogers when he came after Tracy at school. Surely you can handle one �roided-out college football player.�
�If anyone even acts like they�re going to spill the beans, you�re all dead. I don�t need to be in a death match in the backyard right before we play for State.�
�I�ll protect you,� she said and began to rock her hips.
Beth�s movement encouraged me to get with the program and finish what I started. I would have to spank Suzanne and Cindy later.
◊◊◊
I�d ordered cinnamon rolls from Granny�s. She wasn�t open except for pickups this morning. When Beth and I arrived, we found something I never imagined I would see: Granny in a heated conversation with a customer.
�This is what your wife ordered. I�m sorry if you think it�s too much,� Granny said.
�That was before everyone canceled. We only want a small turkey.�
Granny just shook her head.
�I�m sorry, but if you don�t take this, I�ll have to throw it out. I cook everything fresh each day. We�re closed today; I have no use for it.�
The guy stormed out, and I could see Granny was upset.
�That was a nearly $750 order. They�ve been coming here for years, so I let them slide without prepaying.�
I noticed she hadn�t asked me to prepay for my cinnamon rolls.
�I�ll take it,� I said.
�David, no. I didn�t tell you all that just so you�d help me out. It�ll be okay.�
�Unlike you, I eat leftovers, and my brother seems to always be hungry too,� I said.
�If we call now, we can stop everyone from cooking all morning,� Beth said.
�You make the calls, and I�ll work this out,� I said.
�Are you sure?� Granny asked.
�Yeah, I�m sure.�
I should�ve asked what all they�d ordered before agreeing to take it. I pulled around back, and Granny and her crew started to bring out four-inch-deep warming trays. Mom was going to kill me. Beth kept her mouth shut, but I could tell she recognized my distress and thought it was funny. Granny gave me detailed instructions on how to warm everything up.
�I sure hope everyone�s hungry,� Beth said as we pulled into the driveway.
Mrs. A met me at the back door. I explained the situation, and she just shook her head. Greg came out and helped me bring everything in. Mom took one look at the stack of trays on her countertops, stepped over to the phone, and made a call. She made Greg and me carry all the food back out to the Jeep, and she got in the passenger seat. Mom and Mrs. A would just make what they�d planned to for us.
�We�re taking it to the hospital cafeteria. A couple of the families aren�t organized to have Thanksgiving, so we�ll let them and the hospital staff enjoy this.�
Mom showed me where to drive, and we were met by several staff members.
�Hey, Mrs. Dawson. This is really nice of you,� a large man said.
�Thank David. He made this happen.�
He shook my hand, and soon all the food had been taken.
�How did you know?� I asked.
�I heard everyone complaining that last year they ate turkey roll. The cafeteria has to be open, but most of the better food service staff have the day off.�
I was halfway home when I realized that I�d left cinnamon rolls at my house unsupervised. If I knew my family, they would all be gone by the time I got there. When I arrived home, my worst nightmare had come true. Dad redeemed himself when he opened the oven and pulled out two plates of rolls for Mom and me.
◊◊◊
People started to show up just before noon. Mom and Mrs. A planned for the big meal to be at one. Cindy came with her boyfriend. Beth had joked about ��roided-up,� but he looked like a cartoon character. I�d seen pictures from when she met him her freshman year. He�d been a top-level lacrosse player as well as a football star in high school. I estimate he was about six-two. When he first met Cindy, he was about my size; I would guess he weighed in at around 215 pounds. I estimated that in the last year and a half he put on fifty pounds, forty of those in his chest. He watched TV with the guys, so I was able to avoid him because I was helping to cook. I might have to go get my Bo staff if it looked like we needed to throw down.
Tami and her mom arrived. Beth grabbed Tami so the two of them could have some girl-talk. I would pay Beth later; I really didn�t want to have a confrontation today. But just when I imagined I�d gotten away from all potential problems, I found myself cornered.
�David, can we talk?� Carl, Beth�s date, asked.
I suspected this might get ugly, so I invited him up to my apartment. Beth saw us and started towards us, but her mom stopped her.
When Carl came into my apartment, he did what most people do and looked at all my pictures on the wall. I�d added the movie poster for
�Did you do your own fight scenes for the movie?� he asked.
�Most of them, and some stunts. I did skip one and was lucky I did. We shot the outdoor scenes in Canada during the winter. They had a stunt where I was supposed to be almost blown up. The idea was I would fly through the air and land on a soft pile of foam-like mattresses. The only problem was that it was so cold that the mattresses turned into concrete. It about killed my stunt guy. After that, I had to do my own stunts.�
�Like what?� he asked.
�Here, let me show you,� I said.
The studio had sent me finished footage of me swinging over the frozen waterfall. I put in the DVD and turned on my TV. What they did with computers now was almost scary. My scene had seemed to be high up on the face of the cliff. It really wasn�t that bad, but the finished product made it look like I was hundreds of feet off the ground. If that had been real, I would never have done it. They loved the shot because you could see my face. If they�d used a stunt double, they would have had to cut in my face, and the shot would never have looked as good as it did.
�Dear God! Were you scared?� he asked.
�Of course I was. They had me dangling from a harness, and I�d just seen my stunt guy get hauled off in an ambulance. I had to do it, or they couldn�t have gotten the shot. I just sucked it up and prayed they knew what they were doing,� I admitted.
�How long have you known Beth?� he asked, changing subjects.
�All my life. Our moms are best friends. For the longest time, they believed my brother Greg and she would get married. The only problem was that they didn�t handle the pressure well. Then Greg met Angie, who�s now his wife, so then our moms thought maybe the two of us would join the families together.�
I realized it was probably mean to lay that on him, but I wanted him to understand that Beth and I were close friends, not just acquaintances. He seemed to ponder that for a moment before he asked his next question.
�Do you think I have a chance with her?�
�In high school, Beth was the head cheerleader and Homecoming Queen. She could have any guy she wanted. What surprised everyone was that she wasn�t into the jocks like you�d expect. Beth had a crush on a guy in the band. She was heartbroken when she found out what a jerk he was, but I would say you�re more her type than I am.�
�Why won�t she be my girlfriend, then?�
�If I were to guess, it has a lot to do with the way you acted last night. Getting pissed off and storming out is exactly the wrong thing to do to get Beth interested. If she wanted an insecure jerk, she would date a jock. I believe ultimately, Beth wants what we all want: someone to be her equal. She wants a partner self-assured enough that they�re confident that the other person in the relationship has their best interest at heart. I�ll tell you right now that Beth�s not looking for someone to manipulate her emotions.�
�So, do you think I have a chance?� he asked again.
�Look, man, I hardly know you, but ��
�But what?�
�Right now, I�d just be her friend. I think you�ll find she can be a great friend to you. Certainly, I feel lucky to have her friendship. I wouldn�t trade that just to go out with her.�
�You�re just saying that because you want to have sex with her,� he said.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The old David would have just knocked him the hell out. Cassidy had worked with me to take a moment and calm down before I knocked anyone the hell out.
�My sex life is none of your business. If I ever hear you say something like that again, you�ll wish you hadn�t. It also highlights what I�ve been dancing around: you need to grow the hell up. Beth is looking for a man to be her life partner. She doesn�t need a smart-mouthed kid who throws a fit at the drop of a hat.�
�You�re a real asshole,� he said and stormed out of my apartment.
I hoped Beth understood and wouldn�t be mad at me.
◊◊◊
Mom called me down to lunch over the intercom. Our house was full, so Mom and Mrs. A had put everything on the buffet. I helped Kyle and Mac make their plates and grabbed some food for Nate. I gathered the little guys, and we all toddled into the kitchen. Beth joined me. I noticed Carl had gone to the formal dining room with everyone else.
The women had outdone themselves: there was both regular and smoked turkey, ham, and all the fixings. I�d made sourdough rolls, homemade wheat bread, and two types of stuffing. There was everything you would expect at a Thanksgiving meal: cranberry relish, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and more. I was looking forward to the pies because we had four kinds this year: sweet potato, pumpkin, mincemeat, and of course, my favorite, pecan.
When the little ones were done eating, Beth got us cups of hot cider.
�What did you say to Carl? He won�t talk to me.�
�He wanted to know what it would take to win you over. I told him that while he was your type, he needed to grow up. I suggested that he focus on being your friend until he does.�
Beth shook her head.
�I like Carl, but his clingy attitude really has put the brakes on us going further,� she admitted and then got an evil smile. �Why don�t you quit high school and come live with me at Purdue?�
�What would your roommate in the dorm think?� I asked.
�Mom tells me you have money. You could get us an apartment. You could do your modeling gig during the day while I go to school. I�d come home, and you could give me foot massages and feed me.�
�I could do that. What would I get out of this deal?� I asked.
�Me, of course. You know that you can�t resist my charms. And there are some more fantasies I want to fulfill with you. One involves having sex with a movie star. Do you think you might be able to find one for me?�
�What�re you looking for in said movie star?� I teased.
�He would have to be tall and smoking hot. He would also have to have a big package.�
�I�ll ask around when I�m in LA. I�m not sure how I�ll know if they have a big package or not,� I said.
�Who has a big package?� Tami asked, surprising us.
I hadn�t seen Beth blush in a long time.
�Never you mind, Missy,� I said.
�Do you mind if I steal David for a while? I need to talk to him,� Tami said.
�No, we were just goofing around. I need to find Carl and smooth things over,� Beth said.
�Come on. We need some privacy,� Tami said, and I followed her to my apartment.
◊◊◊
I�d planned to sit in my comfy chair, but Tami made me join her on the couch.
�Your Grandma Dawson and I had a long talk. I think I need to apologize for several things,� she said, and then paused. �No, I know I need to apologize.�
I got a nervous feeling in my stomach. My Grandma Dawson wasn�t like my mom was with Tami; Grandma didn�t like Tami more than she did me. It was no contest with her. I was afraid of what she might have said to Tami. My dad and uncle had a similar relationship with her to the one I had with my mom. That meant she knew everything that�d happened with Tami and me.
I�d spent some time reflecting on my mom and Tami�s relationship. I kept forgetting that she and I had been almost inseparable for many years. Just like I consider Tami�s mom and Mrs. A my second moms, I realized that my mom felt that Tami was her daughter. Tami had grown up in my family as much as I had in hers. I never once doubted that her mom cared for me.
Looking back, I�d put my mom in a no-win situation. Logically, Mom knew that I was her son, and if it came down to it, she should take my side. However, there was more to it than that. Tami was the daughter she never had. On some level, I regretted forcing my mom to pick sides.
At the time, I had to. My family told each other everything. I couldn�t help but protect myself where Tami was concerned back then. Oddly enough, my dad�s infidelity coming out actually helped with Tami. From that, I�d found that I no longer needed or even wanted to tell my mother everything about me. If that were the case, then I had no problem with my mom liking Tami more than she did me, even if she wouldn�t admit it.
�I�m almost afraid to ask, but what did my grandma say to you?� I asked.
�She basically told me I was a selfish little girl who needed to grow up, that my actions had probably cost me the man of my dreams. She actually called me a �stupid girl� and said you�d be okay without me.
�Your grandma explained how much I�d hurt you, and how devastating it was when you found Alan and me in bed together. David, you have to believe me, it never would have happened but for my own stupidity. I forced my way into going to campuses with you. Your grandma explained how selfish that was. Your purpose was to find a college that would not only be a fit but had long-range implications to help you make it to the NFL. Two weekends in a row, you had to deal with my friends and me as a distraction.
�I want to talk about Alan, and I promise this�ll be the last time. Is that okay?� she asked.
�Not really, but let�s get this over with,� I said, letting some of the irritation I felt come through.
�I understand this is hard for you to hear, but I need to say it. Alan and I went a little crazy and had too much to drink. Brandon wanted to know how we knew each other so well. We told him about being best friends with you and Jeff. Brandon asked if we used to do any kinky foursomes. Alan said that I only had eyes for you, so neither he nor Jeff ever made a move on me.
�Brandon asked if we ever thought about getting together, and we admitted that we never had. He encouraged us to kiss and see if there was any chemistry. I admit that it felt naughty, and I was a little horny after seeing all those college guys. I didn�t expect that Alan would be such a good kisser. Gina must have taken her time and taught him,� she said.
Those old feelings of rage begin to bubble up in my gut, surprising me. I needed to accept that I would always feel that Tami was mine, even though she�d made it abundantly clear that she wasn�t.
�I didn�t think much more of the kiss at the time. We just had fun and got drunk off our asses. I remember Brandon helping us get to the hotel, and getting into bed with my clothes on. I�ve wondered what happened that night, to the point that I went and talked to Alan yesterday. He remembered it pretty much the same way. Neither one of us knows how we got naked. I have to hope � no, that�s not right � I know that even if Alan were drunk out of his mind, he would never take advantage of me,� Tami said.
�Look, even if it did happen, it was with Alan, someone you care about.�
I ignored the fact that I�d found the condom. Tami wanted to believe that Alan, one of her best friends, hadn�t had sex with her. There was no need to ruin her friendship with him by throwing it in her face.
�I just wanted to tell you I�m sorry it happened. I�m not trying to make excuses, but I thought you needed to know what really happened.�
�Somehow, I doubt we�ll ever know what really happened,� I said.
�You�re probably right. Can you forgive me?� Tami asked.
�I already have.�
�Will you ever be friends with Alan and me like we used to?� she asked.
�I guess anything�s possible.�
Tami�s eyes dropped, and she bit her lower lip. Something I would always be with Tami was honest. I could�ve said yes, everything would go back the way it was before, but too much had happened. And not just with Tami and Alan. I could add my mom and dad, and, of course, what Cal had done to me. The one I didn�t talk about, but that still affected me profoundly, was Angie. Finally, what Candy had done to Flee reminded me of Devin Range and Nancy.
All those events had changed me. I would forever be slightly guarded because I now knew what people were really like. I don�t understand why my string of woman-troubles from Tracy to Harper hadn�t done it, but for some reason, I�d bounced right back. Since this summer, I�d had Devin steal my �assistant.� My best friend had died, and my other best friend had rejected me to explore herself. My dad revealed he had a love child, and my mom went a little nuts. I found my two best friends naked in bed together and a used condom. They couldn�t honestly expect me to believe nothing happened. A good friend of mine�s girlfriend turned out to be a hooker. Finally, I�d gotten Pam pregnant. If all that had happened to someone else, I would expect to find them curled up in a corner, whimpering.
So, the big question was, would our friendship be the same? I really doubted it.
�Your grandma described how you handled Cal. Your mom had said you were becoming a man, but I guess I needed to hear it from your grandmother. She also told me about your trip to LA and what a big deal it might turn into. I believe she was most impressed with how you�re going about buying another farm. Your grandma said you�ve shown a lot of maturity in getting all the facts, and not just jumping in.
�That all sounded fine until I talked to Carl. I knew that you talked to him, and I wanted to know what was going on. I finally got him to tell me what you�d said, and for some reason, I was surprised. If I�d been in your place, I can�t imagine that I would�ve given him better advice. I don�t believe he�ll take it, and I�d bet that he doesn�t make it to Christmas with Beth. Nevertheless, what it showed me was that I underestimated you. If I could go back and change my answer from this summer, I would. Do you believe we can ever be a couple? Do you think we can have our
�I guess anything�s possible.�
�Oh, David,� she sighed. �I guess I deserved that. You�ve said that you�d like us to be friends. Did you really mean that?�
�Yes, I�d like that, but I can�t see us ever being as close as we once were. The best analogy I can give is, I was a wolf and bared my throat to you multiple times. And each time you ripped it out. If anyone else had done that, I�d be done with them, but my mother would never forgive me,� I admitted.
�What does your mother have to do with this?�
�She loves you.�
�What?� Tami asked, aghast.
�Tami, over the years, you were always with me. She liked Jeff and could tolerate Alan, but you became her daughter. So, I guess what I�m saying is that you�re family. Not the weird family I have with my new half brother, but I consider you my sister. If I think of you that way, we can be friends.�
�And that allows you to handle my dating because if we ever got together, it would be like incest,� Tami finished my thought.
�I guess,� I admitted.
�I was wrong. You�re still a �stupid boy� who doesn�t realize that I love you.�
�Please don�t go there. I can�t handle any more of the �I love you but� talks. I�ve moved on, I�ve accepted that
Tears started to stream down Tami�s cheeks, and her bottom lip began to quiver.
�Your grandma was right. I am a �stupid girl,� and I�ve messed up the best thing I ever had and didn�t even realize it. How will I ever fix this?�
�I honestly doubt that you can. If we have a
�My life might be changing once again. I have a feeling movies might be a possible career path. I love football, but I need to see where this�ll take me. Right now, I don�t have time for a serious anything. I�m sure we�ll figure it out. We care about each other too much for us not to have to. Plus, now you�re family,� I teased.
�For now, I�ll take that. It�s better than I had before we talked. Thank you, David.�
We hugged it out and then she left.
◊◊◊
My apartment door opened, and I heard the click of nails as Duke ran up the stairs. He was sure I�d abandoned him. I wondered how he would handle me being gone for two months. I was surprised when Peggy Pratt followed him up. She looked good, especially because her baby had made her boobies bigger.
�How�s it going, Momma?� I asked.
�It could be better. I need to ask you a favor. Things aren�t going well at home. Angie has a place for me to live when school starts, but I need somewhere to live now. Would it be okay if David and I moved in here while you�re gone?� she asked.
�Yes, of course. All I ask is that you take care of Duke for me. He�s set in his ways and likes to sleep in his crate at night. We also need to ask my mom,� I added before I committed to something she might not want.
�She said if it was okay with you, I was good. She also told me I had to run with Duke in the morning to wear him out. I need to get back into shape anyway since having the baby.�
�Where is my namesake, anyway?� I asked.
�I left him at home. He needed a nap.�
�How�s Mitch?� I asked about the baby�s father.
�His parents took one look at Little David and there was no more fighting. They�re helping pay for my schooling and the care of their grandchild. I�m getting more support from them than I am from my own parents. Mitch is still a jerk and doesn�t want to even acknowledge he�s the father. Family Services made him take a DNA test that shows he
I hadn�t really seen her since Homecoming. I�d had to clean my own apartment since the baby was born. For some reason, I thought I could handle it. Not as well as Peggy, but I could run a vacuum.
We went down to the house because Peggy said my mom had mentioned my antisocial behavior. Mom didn�t realize the 270-pound side of beef watching football in the living room would kill me if he knew I�d slept with his girlfriend last night. Honestly, I was more scared of my mom. She could make the rest of my life a living hell. Bigfoot would just snap me in two, and it would be over with.
When I stepped in the back door, Cindy lay in wait. Now I knew how Duke felt when Precious stalked him.
�Aren�t you talking to me?� she asked.
Peggy left me to face her alone. I might have to rethink my offer.
�You and Suzanne tricked me. If he ever found out, he would literally kill me.�
She cupped my package and pinned me to the washing machine. She used her other hand to pull my head down and kissed me. I�m ashamed to say I didn�t fight her off. I was so going to Hell.
�Damn it, Cindy,� I heard Beth hiss. �We agreed to once for old times� sake.�
Cindy let my head go and turned to her friend but kept my family jewels firmly grasped. I wasn�t about to move.
�Did you only do him once?� Cindy asked, and then her eyes got big. �You did him more than that, didn�t you?�
�How do you count it?� Beth asked. �In one session or multiple sessions?�
�His peepee in your hoo-ha,� Cindy said.
�If you count it like that, then Suzanne got two sessions,� I said to help.
�Shut up,� they both said simultaneously.
�What are you talking about?� Cindy�s boyfriend asked.
If Cindy�s grip hadn�t tightened, I would have reenacted the classic Lynyrd Skynyrd song
Beth bailed on me.
�Kevin, David and I had sex last night,� Cindy said.
�Cool. You guys wanna have a threesome?� Kevin asked.
My brain locked. Either that or Mr. Happy seized control. He was worried he would lose his jewels because Cindy kept a firm grip on them. She realized I would bolt at the first chance. When we got into my apartment, Kevin checked out my wall of pictures.
�I told Coach I�d see you this weekend. He said to tell you hello,� Kevin said.
While he talked, Cindy unbuttoned my jeans and pulled them and my boxers off my hips to free my member.
�Whoa, I realize it�s not cool to talk about things like this, but I see why Cindy likes you,� Kevin said.
I was confused until he got undressed. For some reason, I assumed he�d be hung, but he was a little below average. It looked a little strange with his puffed-up chest.
�How�s this supposed to work?� I asked. �Don�t really want our swords to cross.�
�I like you,� Kevin said and gave me a high five.
Cindy took control, and we decided on the same setup as we�d done with Suzanne: she would give oral sex to Kevin while I took her from behind. I decided to go through with it, invoking one of my life goals:
I greased up my condom and put the head against Cindy�s rosebud. Cindy fell against Kevin and moaned.
�She�s never let me in there,� Kevin said.
For about the hundredth time, I wondered if college was really that much different from high school. The rules must not be the same, because I couldn�t imagine that Cindy would be so open-minded. I also didn�t understand why Kevin was okay with my member in his girlfriend�s behind. I couldn�t wait to tell Greg about it. We both agreed that Cindy�s butt was the best we�d ever seen.
It took me awhile finally to get it all in, but Cindy began to enjoy it. I used the same technique I had with Suzanne, where I used two fingers to stimulate her nubbin while I did her backside.
Cindy got Kevin off, so I rolled her over on her back and reentered her bottom. She tried to kiss me, but I turned my head. For once, I knew where her mouth had been. My shower started going, so I assumed Kevin was done. I mentally shook my head that he would leave me alone with his girlfriend while I had sex with her. Apparently, he figured he got off and that was that. If that was the quality of his performance, I could understand why Cindy would want to spend time with me.
Cindy came hard just as Kevin came back out with a towel around his waist.
�Yessss!� she called out.
It felt like she would snap my member off, which almost had me join her. I jerked out to save Mr. Happy from any permanent damage. I pulled off the condom and jerked off until I made a mess on her stomach.
�You two should do porn. That was hot,� Kevin said.
When we got into the shower, and the water covered our voices, I asked Cindy what I�d wanted to since this little episode of
�Is he for real?� I asked.
�Kevin�s different. He�s a great guy, but he�s like your Lab: he just goes along to get along and is loyal as the day is long. That is until he gets onto the football field, where he�s a beast.
�I try not to take advantage of him. I told him I might want to spend some time with you. He was the one who wanted the threesome. Now that he�s seen you do my bottom, he�ll be like a three-year-old who�s gone off his Ritalin until I let him do it too.�
�Was that your first?� I asked.
�Yes, but I�m glad we did it,� she said and kissed my cheek. �Thanks for being my first. I was sure you wouldn�t.�
�You did have hold of my jewels,� I reminded her.
�I figured that was why you took my backside. Was it better than with Suzanne?� she asked.
�You know me better than that. There�s no way I would compare you two. Let�s just say I would do it again anytime you asked. I�d even let Kevin watch,� I teased her.
�Don�t tell Kevin that. He might want to.�
I felt like I was in a bad rendition of
◊◊◊
My brother actually punched me in the package when I told him what Cindy and I had done. I hadn�t seen that one coming. Mom found me on the ground with my brother hovering over me.
�He fell down,� Greg said and then left me to catch my breath.
�I take it you deserved that one?� Mom asked.
�Yeah, I was bragging and being immature.�
�Did you learn your lesson?�
�Yes. Next time I�ll cover up,� I said.
I didn�t realize Grandma Dawson had seen everything. Somehow, mothers just knew when things were going to happen.
�His dad and uncle used to go at it all the time. They�ll grow out of it.�
�When?� Mom asked.
�In about twenty years,� Grandma Dawson said and walked away.
Despite some lingering pain, I decided I could get up and do the same.
◊◊◊
I got even with Greg: I found his hidden pecan pie and took it to my apartment for safekeeping.
Greg and I spent the rest of the day catching up. He told me he and Angie were going to make it. They�d had a long discussion about what they wanted, and agreed they desired to do it together. He was considering getting his nuts snipped to prevent any more accidents. I didn�t offer any advice, because I would be happy with a household full of kids.
Though I admit, I could see where three might be enough. Dad had teased me that he thought about getting a second mortgage just to feed me. If Angie didn�t have the job at the charity, and Greg wasn�t hustling to do massages, money would have been uncomfortably tight for them. The good news was that their housing and school costs were almost nothing, based on their income levels, and the school also subsidized their daycare expenses.
As the day wore on, Mom put out everything anyone would need to make a turkey or ham sandwich, and people ate as they got hungry. Then our guests began to filter out. First to go were Beth and Carl, and then Cindy and Kevin. Tami and her mom were next. Greg and Angie loaded up the munchkins and promised to be at my game on Saturday.
My aunt and uncle, Grandma, Mr. and Mrs. A, and my parents talked me into playing cards with them around the dining room table. I broke out the last bottle of scotch from my trip to the UK. All the women except my grandma drank sangria my mom had made. I had a small glass of scotch.
My grandma got a little drunk and began to tell stories on my dad and uncle. She told one about them being arrested by the county sheriff when they were found naked with the local preacher�s daughters. I said I would have to add that to my list of things to do, and was promptly sent to my apartment.
I had to get up to take my finals tomorrow, so it worked out for the best. Plus, my hound wanted to go to bed.
◊◊◊
Chapter 14 � Sometimes You Just Need to be the Hero Friday November 27
Duke and I wandered into the kitchen to find my dad and uncle nursing their coffee.
�Good morning!� I boomed in a cheerful voice.
�We could bury him somewhere,� Uncle John suggested.
�If his mother wouldn�t have missed him, I�d have done that a long time ago,� Dad said.
�I was going to make breakfast. I just love runny eggs soaked in grease. Would you guys like a plateful?� I asked.
I think Uncle John might have thrown up in his mouth, while Dad flipped me off. They may have had too much scotch last night. Mom waltzed in.
�Did you offer them green eggs and ham?�
�Runny eggs soaked in grease,� I admitted.
�Make me up a batch. They can watch me eat it,� Mom suggested.
That cleared the room. I made bacon and scrambled eggs with toast. Grandma and my aunt joined us.
I didn�t see my dad or uncle again before I left for school.
◊◊◊
My first final was in PE. Coach Diamond spotted me as I worked out. He compared how I did at the start of the semester and now. I�d gotten stronger, so I received an �A.�
My next test was AP Trigonometry with Miss Lowden. Halle had the same class, and they put us in a conference room near the teacher�s lounge. I soon found my preparation had paid off. I didn�t have any trouble with any of my finals.
At lunchtime, I took Halle to my house and introduced her to my grandma, aunt, and uncle. I made grilled cheese with ham sandwiches and tomato soup. When we finished eating, Halle wanted to talk about LA.
�I don�t know how to say this without sounding like a snob, but in LA, you�ll need to dress better,� Halle said.
I just smiled and took her to my apartment. Halle had never been through my closet before. She blushed when she saw my selection of clothes. I had plenty of trendy things from Jade and fancier stuff from Dakora. I�d also gotten lots of clothes from my trips to New York and Chicago. My wardrobe even included dressy clothes from Range Sports. I�d always felt more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt. I�d reverted to wearing more casual clothes this year, so Halle hadn�t really seen me in the clothes I got from photo shoots.
�Why don�t you ever wear this stuff?� Halle asked.
�What do you see everyone else wearing?�
�I guess, but will you be okay dressing up in LA?�
�Of course I will. I want to fit in, and I promise not to embarrass you.�
�Can I pick out what you�ll bring with you?� she asked.
Why do women want to dress us? I just shrugged. We didn�t have time then because we needed to get back to take the rest of our tests. But I promised she could come over after we were done and pick out clothes. I�d learned my lesson and would check everything before I left. Halle would have to do it on her own because I was to talk to Coach Mason and Coach Diamond after I was done with my tests. Then we were all going to State for a quick walk-through practice.
Our last test was Art�Life Drawings II. Halle had her painting to turn in; I hadn�t seen it yet. Even though I knew it was of me, I was shocked to see how good it was. If I hadn�t known that Halle had painted it, I would have thought it was a real piece of art. She�d captured me as I casually sat on the couch with Duke at my feet. I had a little smirk on my face as if I knew a secret of some kind.
�What do you think, David?� Ms. Saunders asked.
�The painting draws me in with the little smile and makes me wonder what he�s thinking. Halle has captured a very lifelike representation of her subject matter. I like how she used the repeating pictures above the subject without making them repetitive by varying their size and subject matter. I�d say this is the best painting I�ve seen by a high school student,� I surmised.
�See how she used shadows here and here,� Ms. Saunders pointed out. �That little extra gives the painting much more depth. I agree with David�s assessment: this is the best painting I�ve seen done by a high school student in any of my classes over the years. You both get �A�s.�
◊◊◊
After practice, we were having our second annual awards banquet for football. Last year, the Booster Club had sponsored the event and unveiled the plans for the Field House. This year it was being held at my dad�s country club again. When I arrived home, there was a note that said my parents would meet me there.
I�d been sent a text that Dakora had started their marketing campaign in which I was featured. It was a tie-in for my movie. The studio had also increased their ad buys. Between the two efforts, my likeness was now in both print and TV ads.
I felt obligated to wear one of my Dakora suits. I picked the most conservative one, found the tie that matched it, and selected a crisp white dress shirt. The sport coat was a dark charcoal gray with a touch of dark red stitching on the breast pocket. The tie was designed so that the knot was the same red as the stitching, and the rest of it was the charcoal color of the suit. Dakora had made the necktie especially for me because the original one was too short. It was a pain in the butt to tie because it required you to do it just right to get the knot to be all red. My belt and shoes were from Louis Vuitton and had an alligator-skin design stamped into the black leather.
When I arrived at the banquet, I looked around the ballroom and found our table. My aunt, uncle, and grandma had joined us tonight. I spotted Rita James and saw she�d drawn a crowd of fans. She�d obviously made a trip back from LA for this so she could see Halle get her cheerleading letter. She must have thought this was a black-tie event because she was in a sleek black gown that must have been custom made to fit her so well. Rita was wearing a diamond necklace and matching earrings. If I didn�t know better, I would guess she was royalty. Then I remembered she really was Hollywood royalty.
I walked up briskly.
�There you are. I need you to meet some people,� I said.
I offered my arm, and she accepted it. Jeff, my favorite reporter, came forward with a photographer.
�Rita James, I would like to introduce Jeff Delahey. Did you want to get a picture of Ms. James?� I asked.
I started to step away, but Rita held onto my arm. Halle saw what was going on and came forward, and Rita insisted that she join us. Halle was similarly decked out, except instead of diamonds, she wore rubies. Rita let them take a few pictures of the three of us, then gracefully stepped away so that Halle and I could share the limelight. I had a moment of clarity and wondered if this was a glimpse into the future when we�d be on the red carpet for our new movie.
�So, do you have anything on Unity you want to share?� Jeff asked.
�Can I make a shameless pitch before we talk about sports?� I asked.
He scratched his head and gave me a lopsided grin.
�Could I stop you?� he asked.
�No, but I was hoping you might pass this along to your entertainment editor.�
�Alright, have at it,� he said, as he turned on the recording app on his phone.
I told him who I was wearing and that the ad campaign for
�Will there be any big announcements tonight?� Jeff asked.
�You know I can�t spoil Mrs. Sullivan or the Booster Club�s big surprise.�
�Can you confirm that Coaches Diamond and Zoon are leaving?�
�On the record?� I asked.
�Yes.�
�Then no, I can�t,� I said.
Jeff turned off the recording app on his phone.
�Did you get the guy from Springfield?� he asked.
�Looks like it. We also have a guy to take Coach Diamond�s place: my quarterback and legendary NFL coach, Bud Mason, is coming out of retirement to run our offense next year.�
�How did you pull that off?�
�I have no idea. I was told during a meeting to discuss all the facility improvements the Booster Club plans to make.�
�Any hints?� Jeff asked.
�No. I want Mrs. Sullivan and the boosters to have their moment. They really have done a lot for us.�
�I understand.�
�We good?� I asked.
�Yes. Thanks, and have fun tonight,� Jeff said, and started to walk away, but turned back. �Beat Unity.�
Mom had absconded with Rita, so I had to settle for Halle. Poor me. Proudly I took her around as I talked to all the parents and told them about how well their sons had done this year. The cheerleaders were all there with their parents. We found Jan with Yuri and his mom and grandma.
�David, you do good. You say encouraging words to families. This good thing,� Yuri�s grandma said.
�Come,� I said, offering her my hand to help her stand. �I want you to meet my grandmother.�
When I made the introductions, they at first sized each other up, and I worried this might not be so good. Both grandmas were strong women.
�Go,� Yuri�s grandma told me and waved her hand to dismiss me.
I looked at Grandma Dawson, and she wore a faint smile. I decided I would rather spend my time with my friends.
Before dinner started, the coaching staff and the Booster Club presented awards. They handed out letters to those who�d earned them. The people who already had letters were each given a pin in the shape of a football to add to their jacket. I would add it to my two other football pins and my baseball one. The cheerleaders also got their letters and/or pins. Alan received a letter, and his pin was in the shape of a football coach�s whistle. His expression showed that it meant a lot to him.
The coaches then announced the All-Conference and All-State selections. I was saved for last.
�David, could you please come onto the stage?� Coach Hope said.
Mrs. Sullivan was standing beside him. I joined them on stage.
�David Dawson has been a busy young man. This summer he was named Co-MVP of Elite 11, an invitation-only competition among the best quarterbacks in the nation. That reinforced his hold on the top spot as the top quarterback prospect in the junior class if not the entire country. He currently has forty-two scholarship offers from many of the top programs in college football.
�David was named Player of the Year for both our conference and State. I was just notified that he has been selected as the Gatorade State Football Player of the Year. Lincoln High has the honor of being the first high school in the state to have back-to-back winners. Bill Callaway won last year and is now starting at wide receiver for USC.
�I was also contacted by Rivals and have been told that David has been named first-team Junior All American,� Coach Hope said.
Mr. Sullivan walked out on stage with a framed poster that showed me in warm-ups before a game, without my helmet on, dropping back to pass. It was from Rivals and proclaimed me an All-American. Jeff�s photographer took several pictures with me, the poster, Coach Hope, and Mrs. Sullivan for the paper.
�Great job, David!� Coach Hope said and hugged me.
�I would now like to present Lincoln High�s own, David Dawson,� Mrs. Sullivan said into the mic.
I didn�t know I was supposed to give a speech. My friends and teammates enjoyed my discomfort. I was usually okay in front of a crowd. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself.
�This is a surprise. I realize I come across as corny when I say that I couldn�t do all this without your help. Most of you know how much I put into this. I�m up almost every morning running, seek out specialized training, and go to the best football camps I can find. I personally dedicated myself to be the best I could be. This summer, I worked with a team of players and my friend Alan Douglas to help make Lincoln High the next state champion. Then, when football started this fall, we all came together. All our hard work has gotten us to this point.
�It�s moments like this that you start to realize what football really means. I play the game because I love it. I like the physical contact, the strategy, and the thrill of a big play. While all that�s fun, what I�ll take away is the friendships I�ve developed with each and every one of you. We�ve bonded under some trying times. I�ve watched each of you, and us as a team, rise to meet challenges I wasn�t sure we were capable of meeting.
�Sometimes, you just have to be a hero. I�ve watched that happen time and again. Being a hero isn�t always recognized, like the heroic block Johan put on a nose tackle to spring Ty for a touchdown. Then there are situations when you�re simply in the right place at the right time like Yuri was when he was handed the ball in the Nazareth game. I guess what I�m saying is, without football, none of us could be a hero or more importantly, a teammate.
�We�ve had the opportunity to create lifelong memories, and I�ve just been lucky enough to be recognized for something I love. We�re not done, though, are we? I want us to create one more memory this year. I want to hold up the trophy that proclaims us this year�s State Champions,� I said, and everyone seemed to agree.
Like last year, Mrs. Sullivan announced the Booster Club�s plans for facility improvements.
We then ate dinner, followed by some dancing. I didn�t leave the dance floor once the music started. I had a great time and looked forward to the big game tomorrow.
◊◊◊ Saturday November 28
When I got up, I went for a short run just to get the blood flowing. I was without my Bo staff this morning because I�d shipped it to LA. I really didn�t see a way I could take it on the plane. After I ate breakfast, I sorted through the clothes that Halle had picked out for me, and was happy with her choices. I guess she wanted to show me off to her friends back home.
Halle had told me that Fritz had gone back to LA on Friday so he could make sure their California homes were ready. That�s right, I said �
Rita and Halle planned to depart for LA tonight, while I would leave Sunday. I was getting more excited about my trip. I checked the weather forecast in LA, and it was supposed to be in the upper 60s to low 70s all week. That sounded much better than the 34 degrees it was supposed to get up to today.
We all met at the high school. We�d learned some things from our previous trip to State University for last year�s State Championship game. The first was that you had to share a locker room. It was a twenty-minute bus ride for us to get to State. Coach Hope decided we would be taped and get dressed in our home locker room and then wait until the game before ours ended. They made sure there was at least an hour between games. That would give us time to ride the bus, warm up, and do our pregame routine before kickoff.
Coach Hope called for us. It was game time.
◊◊◊
We unloaded from the buses and walked straight to the field. As we left the tunnel to go onto the field, the bright sunlight almost blinded me. The air was crisp and cold in my lungs, and there were just wisps of clouds. I flexed my right hand to make sure the cold wasn�t going to be a problem. I�d decided to go without the gloves because it gave me a better feel for the ball that way.
When our fans saw us enter the stadium, the cowbells began to ring. We ran out and lined up to stretch and prepare for the game. We were decked out in our all-blue uniforms with orange numbers and belts. Unity would be in all-white today. I thought we looked sharp.
After we stretched, we began to run drills. All distractions aside, I was nervous. We had a lot on the line. After all, this was the game. This was the one that, when it was done, you would know who the best was. I looked around and spotted two men in Iowa jackets. For some reason, seeing them calmed me. Iowa would regret canceling my visit if I ever played in the Big Ten. I knew that Iowa had only been protecting themselves, and the timing had been awful for them, but I needed my anger for today�s game.
We walked back into the locker room, and Coach Hope had us gather around to hear his pregame speech.
�Repeating as a State Champion is hard. None of last year�s other championship teams even made it to the State Championship game this year,� he said.
Springfield was last year�s champion in the class above ours. They had fallen to Loyola Academy the week before. Loyola was favored to win today against a Marist team that had surprisingly come together at the end of the season.
�I usually don�t like to look ahead, but with the core group coming back, we could possibly be three-time State Champions back-to-back-to-back. There have been a few schools that have two in a row, but we would be the first to win three. I just wanted to tell you that so you can get a feel for your place in history. The key to achieving that history is winning today.
�One of the hardest things to do is to win a game when you�re expected to. Go back to the King game. Think about how you dug just a little deeper to beat a team that everyone said was better than you are. That�s what Unity is doing right now. They�re planning to take away what you�ve worked so hard to accomplish. The difference between the King game and this one is that the winner gets the ultimate prize, the State Championship.
�I don�t know about you, but I don�t plan to just give it to them. I will give everything I have to win this game, and I expect that you will too. No one is going to take what�s ours. Every football field is �Our House�! No one will beat us! No one will be given a chance! Our House!� Coach Hope yelled.
That started the chant as we entered the tunnel. I led the way, and instead of running, we walked out as we chanted. Our fans heard it before we could be seen and began to shout �Our House!� along with us. When we left the tunnel, we strolled out as if we owned the place and congregated near where our fans were.
Unity came storming out and gathered at the 50 yard line in a giant mosh pit of excitement. I stepped away from my teammates and threw up. That sent our fans into a frenzy. Word must have gotten out that if I did that, I�d have a good game.
Yuri and Jim and the rest of the seniors followed me out for the coin toss. It looked like Unity sent out their whole team. Unity won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. We took the ball, and Ty got us out to the 30 yard line on his kickoff return.
We lined up in our usual formation with me in the shotgun and Ty beside me, Roc and Jake on the left, and Ed and Wolf on my right. In front of me was Johan at center, Brock and Bryan Callahan at guard, and Neil Presley and Jim at tackle.
Coach Mason had taken my comment about Unity�s tendency to swarm the ball to heart. He�d planned to use misdirection plays like the counter to exploit their hard pursuit. I�d said that every team they�d beaten this year had done the same thing. Against the run, Unity was only giving up two yards per play.
Coach Mason had had Alan load all of Unity�s games into our football software. One of the features it had was it would report on which plays worked best and worst against an opponent�s defense. What it told us was that we should run quick-hitting plays up the middle. This didn�t give them a chance to get set afterward.
�Shift! Shift!� I called out.
I stepped up under the center, while Wolf sprinted in and became a fullback, with Ty stacked behind him in the �I� formation. Ed shifted out to take Wolf�s spot at wide receiver. Unity looked confused because we rarely had me under center.
�Blue. Set. Hut, HUT!�
I handed the ball off to Ty, and he picked up five yards. Unity never expected that we would play power football. Our strength was with me passing the ball, and that was what they game-planned for. I think they expected us to run this play a couple of times and then spring the play-action pass on them. Instead, play after play, Ty picked up three to five yards.
I had a little smile as I imagined how happy Coach Hope was at seeing his dream offense in action. This was like old-school football where you ate up the clock and wore down the opponent�s defense. I could see my teammates wanted to go for more.
�Hey, until they stop us, we�re going to run it down their throats. Focus on holding your blocks, and Wolf, I want to see you knock someone on their butt. Dive right on two. Break!�
I could see a grim determination from my teammates. They followed my lead, and Wolf ran over the middle linebacker, giving Ty enough room to pick up eight yards. On the next play, he gained eleven, and the one after that, ten. Two plays later, he punched it in from the 3 to give us the lead, 7�0.
Ty already had more yards against Unity than any other back had made this year, with 70. He�d been the only one to touch the ball. I joined him on the sideline to see how he was doing.
�You think you can keep this up?� I asked.
Ty was sweating and out of breath; it took a moment for him to respond.
�I might need a breather, but I love this. Wolf�s a beast.�
I checked on Wolf, and he was doing better than Ty, but neither of them was used to power football. I found Coach Diamond.
�Hey, Ty and Wolf are getting worn out,� I said.
�We know. I�m pulling Ty from special teams and will keep an eye on the guys. I�ll talk to them and have them take themselves out of the game if they get overtired,� he said.
�Like that�ll ever happen.�
�If you think they need to come out, send them to the sideline,� Coach Diamond told me.
Unity had picked up a few first downs but ended up having to punt. Ed stood back as their punter boomed a high, deep ball. Ed signaled fair catch, caught the ball cleanly and was promptly leveled by a Unity defender. Flags flew from all directions, and Ed just lay there. The training staff sprinted onto the field.
I watched as the guy who had hit Ed slunk off to the sidelines and then got high fives from his teammates. I mentally filed his number away. If I caught him in the field of play, there would be payback.
After the fifteen-yard penalty was assessed, we began our drive on the 38 yard line. We continued to drive the ball down their collective throat. Unity finally stopped us inside their 20 yard line, and we kicked a field goal to go up 10�0.
I finally got to watch my Russian friend Yuri on defense. He seemed to have a nose for the ball, and I could tell he was reading their offensive plays better. I couldn�t wait until Tim recovered and the two of them were let loose on defense. They held Unity to a three-and-out.
I�d found Coach Stevens and said that I was supposed to take Ed�s place for punt returns. Of course, I didn�t tell him that I was the one that told me that. I just ran out with the punt return team as though I belonged. I don�t think the other coaches realized it was me until the punt was off.
Unity�s punter had a strong leg, and the ball flew deeper than I�d anticipated. I had to turn and run to the right to catch it. As it happens, that worked in my favor because I was already running when I caught the ball. I turned upfield and spotted the player who�d put the illegal hit on Ed. I also spotted Yuri as he ran downfield to help block, so I ran right at the Unity player and then cut hard right. He turned to chase me, and Yuri blasted him so hard the kid was knocked out of one of his shoes.
Unity now had a problem: they had a six-four, 215-pound guy who was the fastest man on our team in the open field. Ty had more moves than I ever dreamed of having, but if you let me run north and south, I picked up big chunks of real estate in a hurry. Unity might try to swarm me all day, but they had to catch me first. This was one of those times when the kicker outkicked his coverage and had given me a chance to build a full head of steam. Yuri�s block was all I needed to run past Unity�s defenders. Their kicker, and last line of defense, had no chance. I just handed the ball to the back judge and jogged over to Yuri.
He was standing near where the Unity player was lying on the ground.
�Think he�ll try another cheap shot?� I asked loudly enough for most of the Unity players to hear.
Yuri started to tell me that wasn�t his intention, so I grabbed him and pulled him to our sideline.
�I wasn�t trying to hurt him,� Yuri told me.
�I know, but I wanted them to know that if they wanted to play dirty, there would be consequences, even if they were unintended.�
Coach Hope and Coach Stevens found me.
�If this weren�t the last game of the year, I�d bench you,� Coach Hope said.
�Why don�t you wait until I put three more scores on them?� I suggested.
Coach Hope laughed at me and walked away. I had to look around because I wasn�t sure if I�d just been punked. He was getting soft in his old age.
Unity hadn�t made it to the State Championship game without reason. Their offense took possession and began to move the ball on us. Yuri was like the Tasmanian Devil as he flew all over the field, making play after play. He finally stopped their drive when he tipped a pass and Jake intercepted it.
We took the ball back and put together another time-eating drive where Ty ran the ball behind our improved offensive line, with Wolf acting like a battering ram. We kicked a field goal as time ran out in the half to make it 20�0.
At halftime, Coach Hope reminded us that this game wasn�t over and that Unity got the ball to start the second half. The game was on Fox Sports, who was broadcasting all the games from yesterday and today. Coach Mason was able to get a feed of the game and kept Coach Diamond on the phone all through halftime.
Coach Hope�s words seemed to be prophetic as Unity took the ball in the second half and began to drive the ball downfield. When they got inside the 20 yard line, Coach Zoon let Yuri and Jake blitz. Their quarterback saw Yuri and spun away right into Jake, who knocked the ball loose. Yuri fell on the ball to stop their drive.
Coach Diamond had us run the dive play, and we began to move down the field again. He then signaled in the play-action pass. Finally! I hid the ball on my hip as I faked the handoff to Ty. Their linebacker must have thought he finally had stopped Ty because he was able to get past Wolf to make the tackle. As soon as Wolf cleared the pile in the center of the field, I hit him with the pass. He stiff-armed their safety and wasn�t touched from there to make it 27�0.
After that, Unity wasn�t the same team. Coach Hope let me play for two more scores, both on passes. Coach Diamond decided to spread the wealth and get everyone involved. Ty ended up gaining 212 yards and scored one touchdown. I ended up with 198 yards passing, scoring one touchdown on special teams and passing for three more. On defense, Yuri had accounted for fifteen tackles. The final score was 41�0.
On the front page of the Sunday paper would be a picture of Yuri, Ty, and me, holding up the trophy.
◊◊◊
We just climbed on the buses and rode back to the high school to take our showers and change. Our fans were waiting for us, and Coach Hope put together a quick impromptu pep rally in the Lincoln Field House. The local TV station showed up and interviewed everyone. I was glad to see they didn�t just want to talk to me. While I didn�t mind being the center of attention, I was happy that I wasn�t always the focus.
◊◊◊
Mona volunteered her house for our victory party. Coach Hope hadn�t bothered to warn us about drinking. I was confident that I might imbibe, so I talked my dad into giving me a ride. Mona met me at the front door with a shot of Southern Comfort. I slammed it back, and she handed me a beer.
�Welcome to the off-season,� I said with a smile.
Jim walked up and handed me another shot, which I threw back.
�Look out, boys! Our fearless leader is doing shots tonight!�
I knew that my tolerance for alcohol wasn�t high since I hadn�t gotten drunk in a long time. More than anything, I just wanted to cut loose and have a good time, so I slowed down on the shots and stuck to beer. I found a Barcalounger and kicked back, listening to music and sipping my beer, when Tracy parked her butt in my lap.
�I hear you�ve been saying goodbye to everyone. Did you forget about me?� she asked.
�I haven�t said goodbye to Mona or Kim either,� I said as I spotted the two of them talking across the room.
She grabbed my chin and turned my face so I was looking at her.
�How about we grab a room for old times� sake?� Tracy suggested.
I couldn�t imagine any reason why not. Tracy had always been one of my favorite sex partners. I might as well complete my freshman-year homecoming set and spend some quality time with Tracy. It had been a blast from the past to spend time with Cindy, Suzanne, Beth, and now Tracy.
Tracy and I had always been a good match, sexually. I think a little crazy makes sex fun, and Tracy was more than a little crazy. She�d actually been diagnosed. I joke, but her crazy wasn�t really the fun kind.
It had been a while since we�d hooked up. Tracy seemed to step aside to allow Pam to have time with me. At one point, I thought Tracy was into Tim, because of the times we spent at the lake house and then the foursome with Kim. I know Tim took Tracy out a few times, but it never seemed to go anywhere. I thought he would be good for her. My only fear was that he might be too nice of a guy.
We found a bedroom and quickly undressed. Tracy had always had a killer body, the kind of body you wanted to take your time and worship. I slowed my base urges down and rediscovered the sexual being that was Tracy Dole. I reveled in the little shiver she made when I caressed her neck a certain way. Next, I closed my eyes and let all my senses heighten as I smelled, tasted, touched, and listened to her passion. Then I opened my eyes and took in the slight glisten of her breasts as her nipples thickened and extended. There was just a hint of flush to further signal her sexual arousal.
There are times when it�s vital that you take your time and fully experience your partner�s joy. Tracy looked me in the eyes as I began slowly to massage right above her mound. The tugs and twists of her skin caused her button to be gradually stimulated. At first, Tracy had no idea what I was doing to her. Then her lower lips start to swell, and her nubbin became visible.
�David,� Tracy whined.
�Relax. Let me do this,� I said gently.
When she was fully aroused, I put on a condom and entered her effortlessly. It takes time to properly getting a woman fully aroused, but once you did, it�s much more fun. Tracy and I did what we knew pleased each other. I�m all for new sex partners, but there�s something to be said for a partner that you know.
I could tell Tracy was in the mood for fast and hard. Once we started, I laughed because she climaxed almost instantly. Girls tease and vilify men when they come too soon. Well, Miss Tracy Dole hadn�t had sex in a while, and she had a quick trigger. I pulled out, and she gave me a funny look.
�That was quick. How long until you can do it again?� I teased.
Cassidy would have been proud of Tracy; she had me pinned to the bed in record time. I let her take control and ride me. I took the opportunity presented and played with her breasts. Tracy lost her mind when I reached down and started to stimulate her button. When she began to peak, I rolled her over and kept going through her orgasm, which brought her to the brink again. This time I let my hips fly and allowed nature to take its course. I felt that satisfying feeling as my sack tightened against my body, and I began to get off.
Damn, that was a great way to celebrate our victory.
◊◊◊
When we came out of the bedroom, you couldn�t wipe the smile off my friend�s face. All the girls sought Tracy out and seemed to want details. I found the alcohol and slammed another shot of Southern Comfort, then grabbed another beer before finding a comfortable chair to sit in.
I watched Yuri and Jan walking around, with Yuri congratulating his defensive teammates, and Jan just standing at his side, smiling. He noticed me and bent to Jan�s ear, saying something to her in a low voice. She gave him a smoldering look and sashayed out the door as Yuri walked over to me. He bent and shook my hand as I sat in the chair.
�Thanks, David, for everything you�ve done for my family and me. And for Jan,� he added.
I smiled at him.
Yuri had made giant strides this fall. It just made me wonder what more he was capable of. I was confident of one thing: on the defensive side of the ball, Lincoln High would have no worries at all for at least one year after I graduated.
I looked around and found that all the guys were pleasantly drunk. They seemed to feel like a heavy weight had been lifted off their shoulders. I�d said it before, being the underdog was easy. Winning when you were expected to win was hard.
A great example was Ohio State. They�d won the first playoff for National Champion, but their whole season seemed to be one uncomfortable event after another. They had controversy at a position where you never want it: quarterback. Then they had players blaming others and much more. The funny thing was, they were having a hugely successful season. Compare that to the Iowa Hawkeyes. They had been expected to have a good year, but no one thought they could win their division and have a shot at making the playoffs. I would bet my last dollar that it was more fun to play for Iowa this year than Ohio State.
I expect we all wanted to kick back and enjoy what we�d accomplished before the crushing expectations of next year began. For the rest of the night, I was just a high school kid.
◊◊◊
Chapter 15 � I Think I�m Going to Like it Here Sunday November 29
I was up early to say goodbye to my trusty hound. I had to give him enough loving to hold him for the next several weeks. When I stepped out to put my bags in the back of my mom�s car, I was surprised to find Precious at my feet. She meowed, so I bent down, picked her up, and scratched her ears, making her purr. Precious was a typical woman: one minute, she seemed to like you, and the next, she tried to claw your eyes out. I put her down and called Duke into the house.
Mom and Dad were also up early because they were taking me to the airport. I made myself a hot tea and put it in a travel mug. Mom had made breakfast sandwiches, so I grabbed mine, and we left.
On the trip, Dad wanted to talk business.
�The accountant sent over your tax information. I forwarded it all to Caryn for her to review.�
�Good. Hopefully, she can make sense of all that. I realize I need to get a handle on my taxes, at least from a high-level perspective, so I plan to have her explain it all to me. I don�t want to end up letting my people rip me off because I didn�t know what to look for,� I admitted.
�Frank Ingram got Caryn�s background check back. She grew up in San Mateo, just south of San Francisco, and graduated in the top ten percent of her high school. She then attended Berkeley, where she excelled and received her MBA. Range Sports hired Caryn and put her into their entry-level management program, and she was assigned as Devin�s assistant. From everything Frank found, Caryn�s an upstanding citizen. She pays her bills, has never been arrested, and has had only glowing reviews at Range Sports,� Dad said.
�You had her checked out?� Mom asked.
�That wasn�t Dad; I asked for it to be done. You saw what kind of money we�re talking about moving forward. Caryn�s going to be involved with me closely, and if she was shady at all, I could be in a lot of trouble. I have to know I can rely on her. I realized I needed to check on the people who�re going to be close to me when Brook�s parents had me investigated. The whole debacle with Pam�s dad crystalized just how bad things could get. I�d rather ruffle some feathers and at least check up front than find out the hard way later.�
Mom gave me a sad look. I�d used Frank to investigate Cal, so I�d done the same with Caryn. I hoped moving forward Caryn could find someone else because Frank wasn�t cheap.
�My dad was the same way. He even had your mom investigated,� Dad said to me.
�He did not!� Mom growled.
�Oh, he sure did. Were you aware your mother has a juvenile record?� Dad asked me.
How the tables had turned! My mom gave my dad a look that almost caused us to have a car accident. He wasn�t talking, so I pulled my phone out.
�Hey, it�s me,� I said. �What was my mom arrested for?�
�David Allen Dawson! Who are you talking to?� Mom asked.
�I�m talking to Grandma Dawson.�
The phone was snatched out of my hand, and my mom talked to my grandma. She then called my uncle. I could see that I might never know what happened, and then I had an idea. My mom glared at me.
�If you have me investigated, I will end you,� she threatened.
So much for my good idea.
◊◊◊
Caryn had booked me in first class to LA. For a flight that long, it was worth the extra money. My seat was in the last row, next to the window. I put in my earbuds, turned up the music, closed my eyes, and relaxed.
I started when someone touched my hand. The flight attendant leaned over, and I pulled out my earbuds so I could hear her.
�We�re about to take off,� she told me.
I put my seat back up and noticed a girl about my age was seated next to me. She looked totally out of place in first class. The girl had orange, green, blue, and purple streaks in her hair, and she looked like she�d just crawled out of bed. I glanced across the aisle and one row up, and there were three other girls who looked similar to the one next to me. They had to be together.
My view out the window showed we were taxiing to the runway. The girl next to me looked like she was going to be sick.
�Are you okay?� I asked.
She had wild eyes; that concerned me.
�I�ve never flown before.�
�It�ll be fine. I�ve done this a lot,� I reassured her.
It looked like we were third in line for takeoff.
�Why are you going to LA?� I asked to distract her.
�We�re going to sign with a record label,� she said and then leaned over me to peer out of the plane. �What�s taking so long?�
�Amy, settle down,� the girl on the aisle across from us said.
That girl was kind of hot in a messed-up way. She had this deep red hair that was obviously out of a bottle, but she had a cute face. The girl next to her had the blackest hair I�d ever seen. It was so black that when the light from the window hit it, you caught a glimpse of deep purple. Their bandmate one row up had pure white hair that reminded me of Suzanne.
Amy turned to me and latched onto my arm.
�Have you ever been on a flight that had problems?� she asked.
�Only when we didn�t go fast enough,� I said.
�We�re not going very fast now,� Amy whined.
Of course not. We were just moving into takeoff position.
�Yeah, at this speed we�ll never get off the ground,� I said.
�Hey, shut up. You�re freaking her out,� Red said.
That was when we began to accelerate down the runway. If I�d known how scared Amy really was, I would have never teased her. She let out a scream that about made me deaf. I grabbed her hand.
�Look at me,� I ordered her. �We�re fine.�
She took a deep breath, and our eyes locked. That was when we lifted off.
�Look out the window. We went fast enough,� I said and smiled at her.
Amy peeked out, then let out a long breath and began to shake. When we reached altitude, Red switched seats with her and the girl with black hair give her a pill. Whatever it was had her asleep in no time. They should have given that to her before she boarded the plane.
I put my earbuds back in, turned on my music, and settled in for a long flight. When the stewardess brought me a drink, I looked at Red, and she smiled at me.
�You seem familiar,� she said.
�I have a movie coming out. You might have seen an ad for
�I�m Jett,� she said, offering her hand.
�David.�
�We�re going to LA to sign with a label,� she said.
�That�s what Amy said. What�s the name of your band?� I asked.
�That�s Not Toothpaste.�
I wrinkled my nose. Jett threw her hands up.
�It sucks, right? I told them that was a terrible name. I wanted to call us �Stop Laughing!� but they don�t like it.�
�That�s not good either.�
She pulled out a crumpled piece of paper that had a list of band names on it. Most were terrible. Then I saw �Birthrite.�
�I like that one,� I said as I pointed at it.
�Birthrite�s not bad,� she admitted.
Jett told me that the girls in the band had met at a Catholic high school. The group had talked their parents into giving them a year to see if they could make a go of it. If they didn�t make it, they would go to college. Things hadn�t gone as expected, and the band had struggled. Then they�d played at an open-mic night at a local restaurant and were discovered by a talent scout. The next thing they knew, they were offered a trip to LA to sign a development deal. I noticed she didn�t say anything about making a CD.
�So, what do you get with a development deal?� I asked.
�What do you mean?� Jett asked.
�Are they going to have you cut a record and promote it? Or are they going to have you play at some bars to see what you can do?�
Jett looked concerned.
�I don�t really know,� Jett admitted.
I remembered what had happened to Eve Holliday when she made her first try at Nashville. She�d gotten tied into a shady manager who kept her doing bar gigs so he could make money. He never seemed to come up with a record deal. Honestly, the last thing I wanted to do was play the white knight and come to these girls� rescue. After all, I didn�t even know them. But Jett�s eyes showed the same desire to make it that I�d seen in the eyes of my �Country Girl
�Do you have an agent?� I asked. �Someone who knows the business and can advise you?�
�No. Do you think an agent would even talk to us? I thought that was what the record label would do,� Jett said.
I pulled my phone out and scrolled through my numbers. The only music agent I knew worked for Tom Dole.
�Take this number. This is an agent who represents a friend of mine. Her name is Angelina Hargrove; she goes by Angel. Give her my name and ask her to help you. At the very least she can look over your contract and explain what they�ll do for you,� I explained.
�Do you believe she can help us?�
�Angel used to find talent for Stone Mountain Records. She now represents talent, so she�d be someone you could talk to who knows both sides of the business, and she�ll give you good advice. You might even want to hire her to be your agent.�
Jett then wanted to know about me. I explained why I was going to LA. By the time we landed, we�d agreed that when they had their first gig, I�d come and hear them play. I gave her my number and honestly thought I would never see her again.
◊◊◊
Fritz found me at the baggage pickup area. I was embarrassed when we had to get a cart to get all my luggage to the car. Halle had packed for me, and I knew better than to reject anything she put into my garment bags or suitcases. She didn�t pack any of my athletic gear or anything for just goofing off. I ended up having to borrow my parents� luggage to get everything I wanted to bring.
�I don�t believe Halle had this much,� Fritz said.
�Who do you think packed most of this?� I shot back.
We both recognized there was no sense in arguing about it. Fritz insisted on pushing the cart.
�David, we need to get something straight. While you are the guest of Rita James, I need to treat you as if you�re one of the family. I work for them. That means I�ll handle your bags, and when we get to the car, you�ll ride in the back seat. I realize you�re not used to that, but I must insist.�
When we found the car, a large Range Rover SUV, Fritz had me sit in the back while he loaded my luggage. I thought a Range Rover was an alternative to a Jeep. This was nothing like my Jeep. It looked like what I would expect a high-end luxury carmaker like Rolls Royce would put out. Then I remembered that this was Rita James� car. If you were made of money, you would only want the best.
Fritz ignored me as we exited LAX and began our journey to where I�d be staying. I quietly took in the city I�d be living in for the next several weeks. This was certainly not where I grew up. Our destination was the hills that overlooked LA. When we pulled through the gates, I did a double take. This house looked familiar. When we stopped, I got out.
�David,� Fritz said as he came around the car, �when we�re anywhere but at the house, I need you to wait until your driver opens the door. It�s not because we�re trying to put on airs, it�s for your security. The driver won�t open the door if they think there�s a threat. Please let them do their job.�
�Sure,� I said distractedly. �Why does this house seem so familiar?�
�It was rented out to a cable series called
I recognized the media room and the large kitchen from the TV show. When we stepped out back, the view of LA was spectacular. The property was built on a hill, so they had a large patio area right out the back. You then could walk down the stairs to where there was a pool. On the next level down there was a tennis court with a basketball hoop. Turning to Fritz, I smiled.
�I think I�m going to like it here.�
�I�m sure you will.�
He introduced me to the staff. Rita had a cook, maid, and six security people. Usually, Fritz would be with Rita, but she suggested that since we already knew each other, she wanted him to be my driver/body guard. Two of the security people were with Rita and Halle, and another one was with Trip at the beach house. There was always one person at the main house who monitored the security systems. They also kept in contact with each of the other security people. I hoped to never need anything like this.
He and I got my luggage out of the SUV and took it to my room. The maid came in and began to unpack for me, surprising me. I started to say something, but Fritz shook his head, so I let her do her job. I learned her name was Chloe. There were some things I would have to get used to.
Once I was unpacked, I pulled out my schedule for the upcoming week and stepped out to the patio to enjoy the marvelous LA weather. Tomorrow I was at the studio in the morning and then scheduled to have lunch with Saul and Frank. After that, I was free for the rest of the day. I pulled out my script and read my lines for tomorrow.
I was surprised when the cook brought me out a fruit tray and an iced tea.
�Thank you.�
�If there�s anything special that you require, please let me know,� Rosy offered.
I told her what I usually ate in season, but explained that I wasn�t training right now. While I preferred to try to stay on my diet, I didn�t want to cause any problems. I also told her I wanted to experience what LA had to offer, and that included the food, even if it wasn�t good for me.
◊◊◊
Halle came out of the house and sat down next to me, and I looked up from my script. I was a little irritated that they�d sent me the third version in as many weeks. Halle told me that wasn�t unusual, and that I should expect more changes when I arrived.
�What were you and your mom up to?� I asked.
�We had someone drop out last minute, and we need to replace them. We were doing screen tests all day. It seemed we ran through like thirty people today.�
�Did you find anyone?� I asked.
�No. Maybe. I don�t know,� she vacillated. �Mom said one guy might do, but he�s supposed to be my boyfriend, and there was no chemistry. He kissed like a carp out of water.�
She stuck her lips out in a little �O� and made kissing motions. I did the same and tried to kiss her.
�David! Stop!� she giggled. �It was really gross.�
�I wish I could help,� I said and shrugged, not knowing what I could do.
Halle held up a finger that told me to wait and ran inside. She was back a moment later with her mom. Poor Rita looked stressed out, and the movie hadn�t even started shooting. Halle handed me another script.
�Read this, and when you�re ready, we�ll do the scene,� she told me.
I wasn�t a complete idiot; I realized she wanted me to read for one of the leads. Thankfully, it was a short scene. I looked at Rita.
�How do you want me to do it?� I asked.
That got the first hint of a smile from her.
�The character is Adam Conant. He�s dating Diana but finds Cassie attractive. So there�s a repressed undercurrent of longing on his part towards Cassie.�
�Okay. I�m ready,� I said, putting the script down.
Adam: �Diana told me what happened.�
Cassie: �Are they okay?�
Adam: �Uh � Faye�s a little shaken, and Diana�s worried. Faye has always been a little unpredictable. You never know what�s she�s going to do next.�
Cassie: �Is that why you came here? To convince me to join your secret cult?�
Adam: �No. I just wanted to apologize. I�m sorry about earlier.�
Cassie: �Which part?�
Adam: �In the woods.�
Cassie: �Yeah, I know.�
Adam: �It should never have happened. I don�t know how it happened. I love Diana.�
Cassie: �Yeah, I get it.�
Adam: �It can�t happen again.�
Cassie: �It can�t.�
Adam: �Well, I should go. You�re one of us, Cassie. I can�t tell you what to do. But just know you�re not alone.�
Rita held up a finger and left us. It was amazing to watch a mother and daughter have the same mannerisms. A moment later, she returned with Fritz in tow carrying a video camera and tripod.
�Okay, do it again�and David, I need you to be a little more hesitant,� she said.
When Fritz was ready, we reread the scene. When we were done, she grabbed the video camera and without a word walked back into the house.
�How did I do?� I asked in confusion.
Fritz rolled his eyes at me and disappeared back in the house. Halle smiled.
�I think we need a new baseball player.�
I wondered if that really was a good thing or not. The plan was to have a small part in the film and then see what else I could do. I wanted to audition for a few of the roles Saul had sent me. I also had agreed to shoot the Japanese sunglasses commercial. Caryn showed up as I was thinking about everything.
�Hey, boss. Hey, Halle,� Caryn said as she joined us.
�How�re your parents?� I asked.
�Happy I finally left Range Sports, but nervous that I�ll be moving further from them. Just a heads-up: on Monday, Sandy�s telling Devin that I�ve gone to work for you. I expect he might call you,� she said.
Rosy called us in for dinner. I was happy to see Trip and his friends Craig and Kent join us. Craig, of course, had been the lead in
Rosy made us chicken enchiladas and tamales with sliced avocado and tomato as a garnish. It tasted as good as it smelled. Rosy was all smiles when I asked for more. Halle had been right: her LA cook was much better. After a couple of months of this, I would put on thirty pounds. She was evil too because, for dessert, she made fried ice cream. I�ve had it in a restaurant before, but that was laughable compared to what she made. The ice cream was cinnamon-flavored. If I�d been here longer, I might have asked for seconds on that as well.
◊◊◊ Monday November 30
Halle was totally missing her opportunity: I woke up and there was no oral sex waiting for me. I put on my running clothes and stepped out front to stretch. Fritz and three other security people came out to join me. Fritz introduced me to Paul, Jane, and Flo. They were all in their mid- to late 20s and looked to be ex-military.
�Why do you carry a stick around?� Flo teased me.
�David fancies himself a martial artist,� Fritz said.
They all looked at me, and I could tell they weren�t buying it. I just gave them a tight smile.
�I take it you plan to run with me. Is it okay if I set the pace?� I asked.
�By all means; we�ll try to keep up,� Jane said.
We began to run through the neighborhood. I was amazed they packed these luxury homes so close together. My mom always told me that real estate was all about location, location, location, and only so much land had views like this. Each home had been custom-built to take advantage of the cityscape. The homes varied in age and style. Rita�s house was more of a classic Hollywood mansion. As I ran, I saw several similar homes, then I came across more modern ones that were all glass and steel.
I�d asked Fritz to direct me so I didn�t get lost. He had us slowly going down the hill. I suspected he planned to let the terrain give him and his team an advantage. After we had gone the first mile, according to my smartwatch running app, I began to hit my full stride. Being six-four meant I had long legs, and they could cover a lot of ground in a hurry. I noticed that Jane looked worried as she glanced over at Paul. Then I started to do my Bo staff exercises.
When I hit the two-and-a-half-mile mark, I turned around, and we ran back up the hill. I used my speed-work technique of increasing my pace by ten percent and then easing back to my regular cadence, only to repeat. Combine that with now running uphill, and I could start to feel the burn in my thighs and butt.
I will give Fritz�s team credit; they all made it back. I had to cut my warm-down stretching short when Paul puked, or I might have joined him. Fritz was grinning because the old man of the group had bested his charges, with my help.
I took my shower and came downstairs to find Rosy had made me an enormous vegetable omelet with a poached chicken breast on the side. There were also bowls of yogurt and fruit salad in the middle of the table. Caryn, Halle, and Rita all joined me.
�You missed our run,� I told Caryn.
�Are you kidding me? They planned to kill you this morning. I used the gym instead.�
�Who planned to kill David?� Rita asked.
�I guess Fritz wanted to show his people that they weren�t in as good shape as they thought they were. When I left them, they looked a little worn out,� I offered.
�Go easy on them,� Rita commented, and then left with a bowl of yogurt and fruit.
I frowned at Halle, which caused her to be confused.
�What?�
�You have a golden opportunity here,� I said.
Caryn now looked confused.
�David has a �friend,�� Halle said with the added air quotes, �who told him I would, ahem ��
�Wake me up with oral sex,� I said.
I raised my eyebrows when Halle gave me �the look.�
�I wasn�t the one who suggested it,� I said with my hands held up.
�But you were hoping,� Caryn supplied.
I just smiled. From the look Halle gave me, I could probably forget about that kind of wake-up call.
◊◊◊
Caryn and I rode to the studio alone because we had to meet Saul and Frank for lunch. Fritz drove us through the gate and seemed to know where we were going. There was a banner for our movie on the side of a large building. Nine trailers were parked by the front door in a three-by-three square. On the other side of the entrance was a fleet of golf carts.
Fritz took us to a trailer in the back row, and I was surprised to see my name on it. When I entered, I found Rita seated with Jessup Fields. He�d directed
�Hey. What are you doing here?� I asked Jessup.
�Rita asked me to direct this movie.�
�That�s great, but I didn�t know you were going to. What happened to the other guy?� I asked.
I was embarrassed I couldn�t remember his name. Of course, I�d never met him.
�When Josh walked, so did the director. I showed Jessup your video, and he wants you to play Adam,� Rita said.
�Is everything okay?� I asked.
�You�ve every right to be concerned. This is the first movie I�m producing, and my male lead walks off the movie the day before shooting. When the director finds out, he also walks. If I were just acting in this movie, I�d be asking a lot of questions.
�I�m hoping you�re on board. You�ve worked with Jessup before, and he has only good things to say about you. I need you to step up and help me out,� Rita said.
�This sounds like a much more important role and a greater time commitment,� Caryn said.
�I expect we can work that out. What I need to know is if you�ll help us and do it. We need to get started today,� Rita said.
�I�m in. Just tell me what to do.�
Rita and Jessup seemed to relax.
�Let�s get started,� Jessup said.
◊◊◊
We met Saul and Frank at The Ivy for a late lunch. We were delayed because Jessup wanted to make up for lost time, first thing. He�d addressed everyone to explain that everything would be on schedule and any rumors of problems were overstated.
When we arrived, I was surprised to find paparazzi waiting outside the restaurant. Fritz made a show of checking for any threats and then let Caryn and me out of the car so we could go in. Caryn quickly went in, but I paused and let them take my picture. I ignored their questions and stepped inside.
The Ivy looked like an old French house from the outside. It�s one of the places people in the business have been coming to for the last thirty years. I thought we were done with the paparazzi, but I soon found out that Saul had reserved a table in the garden. It was an area in front of the restaurant with an old picket fence. Saul had Caryn and me sit on a wicker couch that had gaudy French-design pillows.
�Quentin Tarantino sits here,� Saul bragged. �Rumor has it that your role in your movie has changed.�
�How did you hear that?� I asked.
�I hear everything,� Saul said as he checked out Caryn.
Exasperated, I snapped my fingers to get his attention, while Frank looked intently at his menu. Caryn was used to men checking her out, but I could tell she didn�t like Saul. Fortunately, our server was a man.
�I brought more scripts for you to read. I�m told these would be perfect for you,� Saul said.
�Screw you, Saul,� Frank said, surprising me. �Have you even read them?�
�I read the first few pages,� he defended himself.
Frank grabbed the stack and flipped through them.
�Okay, this one would have David in a period piece that would only appeal to old women,� Frank said.
�It could be the next
�It�s an independent film with an unknown director. They�ll have to go through Sundance and win a bunch of awards before it�ll even be put out on limited release. They�ll be lucky if it doesn�t go straight to DVD,� Frank complained.
�That may be the case, but they�ve guaranteed one-point-five million if David will do it. It�ll also be filmed in Italy,� Saul said.
�When will it start?� Caryn asked.
�April, and will film for eight months,� Saul said as if that was somehow a positive.
�There�s no way I�ll give up both baseball and football season for any amount of money. My mom would kill me if I worked eight months in Italy and missed school,� I said.
I was glad Frank was there because he knew almost as much as Saul did about what was going on in this town. It turned out that a couple of the scripts were favors Saul owed to someone. We finally found a few that sounded plausible. I�d kept quiet through most of this as Saul battled with Frank and Caryn. Saul wasn�t happy that Caryn stood up to him, and in a profanity-laced tirade, he made that abundantly clear. I guess he was surprised when she wasn�t a shrinking violet and told him to shove it.
While the battle was going on, I enjoyed my lunch. The crab cakes were excellent. I even was able to people-watch. I spotted singer Jennifer Benningfield and talk-show host Billy Stein. Not together, but I was as starstruck as the next person.
When I was done eating, I�d had enough.
�Saul, I appreciate that you decided to be my agent, but don�t waste my time anymore. While I�m fine with reading scripts, I want to know that at least someone in your office has read them. From what I�ve heard, there were only a couple out of this batch that I should�ve been shown,� I said.
�David, that�s not how this works,� Saul began.
�Well, for now, that�s how it�ll work for me. I just got told I have to come up to speed on a new character that I haven�t been preparing for. Right now, I don�t have time to read a script unless it�s important,� I said.
�You could always have the princess read it,� Saul said.
�Screw you, Saul,� Caryn said.
This was going well. What I�d observed was Saul was combative as hell. I think he woke up looking for a fight. If you listened, though, the man knew what he was doing and how to make a buck.
Over dessert, Frank laid out his media strategy. It was all about having a clear, short, continuous, managed message. I was to be that unicorn among actors, �The All-American Boy.� When he laid it out, I had to chuckle. I honestly thought I would never become that perfect role model Frank described. He planned to use my football record and the awards that were starting to come in as part of the campaign.
Saul wondered if the reverse-catfishing show was a step in the wrong direction for the image they wanted me to have. Caryn waded in and told them about the responses I was getting. Apparently she�d hijacked my dating app account with a little help from my mom. She read a few of the more inappropriate messages, and Saul and Frank decided I shouldn�t be involved. Saul said he�d get me out of it. I, of course, agreed but wanted the numbers of the girls who had sent me a couple of the messages.
Saul loved the �All-American� angle, and Caryn felt Frank�s plans might work, so we gave permission to proceed.
I just hoped that future team meetings would be a little less combative.
◊◊◊
Instead of a free afternoon, I had to go back for more scenes. Jessup had only let me go to lunch with my team because it had been set up before the change in my role.
Caryn proved her worth once again. On the ride back to the studio, she gave me some news.
�I did some research on your recruiting and found that if you�d played the baseball player, we might have been in a gray area. It could�ve made you ineligible for college baseball. There�s an NCAA rule that basically says that you can�t use your athletic skill to be in a related movie. For example, you couldn�t play a quarterback in a remake of
�The problem is that it also could be looked at as illegal compensation, especially if a booster were somehow involved. Two factors that I think are in our favor are you�re not yet a college athlete and you haven�t committed to a school. The only issue that might�ve come up was if you picked a school like USC and it turned out that someone associated with the film was a USC booster. At least, that�s the only one that I can foresee, based on my limited knowledge.
�I was going to have your lawyer look into it until I heard your role had been changed,� Caryn said.
�You know, I would�ve never even considered that,� I admitted. �Keep up the good work.�
�I also wanted to apologize,� she said.
�For what?�
�For saying some things that I shouldn�t have in a business setting.�
�I should be the one to apologize. I should�ve never allowed Saul to speak to you, and for that matter, Frank, like that. And Saul should apologize as well,� I said.
�I�ll try to do better,� Caryn said.
�No. If you come across as � what did he call you? � a princess, then he�ll never respect you. I don�t want to tie your hands when dealing with him. I�ll step in the next time he says something he shouldn�t,� I said.
�Believe it or not, I don�t want you to step in. If I can�t stand up to Saul, I shouldn�t be your manager. I just wanted to let you know that I normally don�t use that kind of language in a business setting.�
We arrived at the studio, and it was off to the grind.
◊◊◊
My other love interest in the movie was Diana, who was played by Leah Johansen. Leah was a dark-haired beauty who never smiled. She�d won the role because Diana was supposed to be the serious one. Halle bet me that she was probably a freak in bed, which I couldn�t see. I believe Halle was just yanking my chain.
The other main guy was Zak Verwood, who played Jake Armstrong. Jake was supposed to be the good-looking bad boy. He had golden sun-kissed hair and looked like a Ford model. Zak had grown up close to where the Jameses lived. He�d been a senior when Halle was a freshman, so she kind of knew who he was. I got the impression that Halle didn�t like him, for some reason.
The other two girls were Tanya Hendricks, who played Faye Chamberlain, and Jessica Chase, who had the role of Melisa Glaser. Tanya was a total flirt and had her eyes on Zak. She was tall at about five-eleven and looked athletic. I found out later that she�d been a volleyball player at UCLA until she hurt her knee and then decided to give acting a try. Jessica was the bubbly one of the group and seemed to be the glue that held it all together. She was also the oldest, at twenty-three.
At the end of the day, Rita sat down with each of us individually to give us acting tips. I was left till last because Fritz was taking us all home. It was no surprise when Halle followed her mom into my trailer.
�I have some of the dailies from this morning,� Rita began as she plugged her tablet into my fifty-five-inch TV with an HDMI cable.
She began to play a scene Halle and I had been in together.
�I can tell you�re a model. You�re aware of where the camera is and how you should present yourself for the best effect. I love that you�re comfortable in front of the lens, and you follow Jessup�s direction without any problems. I talked to Jessup, and the only criticism we have is that you need to be more the brooding teenager for this role.
�You�re in love with Diana, who�s been your sweetheart since you were kids. New to the school is Cassie, who for some unknown reason you�re attracted to. While you need Cassie to complete the circle, you�re not sure if it�s a good idea for the two of you to be together. You�re afraid you�ll do something that�ll hurt Diana. I�m not seeing the turmoil that we need. What I�m seeing is that you�d willingly be with either of them,� Rita said.
Halle smirked at the last statement.
I thought about Tami and how I would�ve felt if she and I were dating and Halle came to our school.
�I think I understand what you want. Can I borrow Halle and we do the scene again right here?� I asked.
�Sure,� Rita said.
�Give me just a second.�
I stepped back into the bedroom and opened up my old feelings for Tami and how much I�d loved her. Then I thought about Halle and how special she was to me, and how I would feel if I couldn�t be with her. I was surprised how easy it was to rip that wound open, but I thought I was ready to do the scene.
The first time through, I was a little too emotional. Rita had me dial it back some to a dull ache, and I tried again.
�That was perfect. I could kiss you,� she blurted out and then did.
I guess my mind locked because I was stunned. Halle and Caryn burst out laughing, and Rita turned red.
�David, I didn�t mean to do that,� Rita said.
�Looks like he�s fine with it. You just checked off one of the items on his bucket list,� Halle said.
�Actually �� I started as I held up a finger.
Halle jabbed me in the ribs to keep me from revealing the full extent of my list of things I�d like to do with Rita. I took her direction on this and shut up.
◊◊◊
On the way home, Fritz asked me if I wanted to go to his dojo to work out before we ate. I, of course, agreed, but then I almost bailed on him when I smelled the food Rosy was making. I was quickly falling in love with her. She gave me a couple of empanadas to hold me until dinner.
Fritz had Paul and Jane with him. I was jealous when he let Jane ride shotgun. We pulled into a vast complex that was gym, dojo, and boxing facility, all wrapped up into one. Fritz had already registered me, and they had a membership card waiting.
�Let�s warm up, and then we can spar,� Fritz said.
�I�m not sure I should,� I said.
Cassidy was worried I would hurt someone if I sparred with them. Unlike what was commonly taught, Cassidy wanted me to never pull my punches. She�d taught me to fight for real because she reasoned that I wasn�t learning this to play around. If the time ever came to use my skills, she wanted me to be able to defend myself.
�David�s afraid he�ll hurt you,� Fritz shared.
I was impressed that neither Paul nor Jane laughed at me, but at the same time could tell they didn�t believe they had anything to worry about. I thought they were being silly because, at six-four, I had reach on both of them.
�We should even up the odds and let you use batons against this young buck,� Fritz said to his staff, and then smiled. �Two on one.�
�Don�t you want in on this?� I asked Fritz.
�No, I promised Cassidy that I wouldn�t spar with you while you�re in LA. I�m afraid of what she�d do to me if I broke my promise.�
�Alrighty, then,� I said as I smiled back. �I take it I can make them cry.�
�I�m counting on it,� Fritz said.
Practice batons sting when you�re hit with them. I wasn�t looking forward to this. I knew that Fritz wouldn�t have put me on the mat with these two if he didn�t believe I could hold my own.
Fritz ran us through some forms to warm up. I watched both Paul and Jane move, and I could tell that Jane was better than her male counterpart. Cassidy had taught me not to underestimate a girl. I would be wary of Jane.
When we got on the mat, I made some showy moves that labeled me a complete rookie.
�You about done showing off?� Fritz asked.
I rotated my head back and forth like I was a boxer and started to bounce on my toes. I expected that they would both attack me at the same time. When Fritz signaled for us to start, I exploded towards Paul, dropped down, and slid past him. His baton barely missed clipping my head; I actually felt the breeze from it. I popped up and kicked him in the thigh from behind.
That hurt like crazy. I knew because Cassidy had used that little move on me any number of times. I watched as Paul said some choice words and limped off the mat.
�Get him, Jane!� Paul shouted.
My little maneuver had her reevaluating me as an opponent.
�You wouldn�t hurt a girl, would you?� Jane asked.
�I think you can handle yourself,� I shot back.
Jane launched herself in a controlled attack designed to test my defenses. I surprised her when I took a hit to get under her guard and tossed her cute butt halfway across the mat. Jane tucked, rolled, and popped up, ready to go again. Fritz tossed me two batons, and Jane and I tried to kill each other. You could hear the staccato clap as our batons came together.
It came down to me having the longer reach and better stamina. I tapped Jane�s forehead and then smacked her butt when she lost her concentration. I guess that made her mad because she dropped her batons and attacked me. Silly girl. I still had mine and proceeded to spank her as I fended her off.
�Fight me like a man!� Jane taunted.
I recognized what she wanted to do. Jane had military training and wanted either to get me into a submission hold or to throw me. I bowed my head and tossed Fritz my batons, then waited to see what Jane planned. It was all I could do to hold back when she came into my body and prepared to toss me. This was the same throw that Coach Hope had tried when I pile-drove him into the mat. Jane�s feet were suddenly up over her head. She was light enough that I just held her in the air.
�I give!� she shouted.
I flipped her around so her butt was on my shoulder.
�Do I get to keep her?� I asked Fritz.
�No, you better give her back,� he said.
I put Jane down, and Paul joined us on the mat.
�I�ve been telling you, you need to train harder,� Fritz began.
He had our attention and began to run us through drills. It felt good to be in the gym. Both Paul and Jane had moves to teach me. When we were done for the evening, I was sore and hungry. Where Cassidy was quick and deadly, they got up close and personal. They were much more physical and tried to pound their opponent into submission. Cassidy would just dislocate something and be done.
Before we left, Fritz made everyone promise not to tell Flo about my skills. He planned a similar lesson for tomorrow.
◊◊◊
When we returned to the house, I took a hot shower and then let Rosy feed me. Caryn and Rita were nowhere to be found, which left Halle to keep me company as I ate.
�I think you�re sweet on Rosy,� Halle teased me.
Rosy was at least fifty, short, and plump.
�If you�d learn to cook like she does, I would be sweet on you.�
�Hurry up and eat. I want you to meet some of my friends.�
When I was done eating, we walked out the front gate and down the street to another mansion. Halle knew the security code, and the gate opened to let us in. She walked in the front door like she lived there.
This was a bad episode of
Halle introduced me to most of her so-called friends, and when we�d get a moment, she would tell me the horrible things they did to each other. I wasn�t sure whether they were really anybody�s friends. I suddenly missed home.
After about an hour, Halle turned to me.
�I thought I missed this,� she said.
�It�s okay.�
�You�re such a bad liar,� she said as she hugged me. �Take me home. I have better plans for you.�
�I was just starting to have fun,� I whined.
��Stupid boy�! I offer you sex, and you�d rather stay here?� she asked.
I just grabbed her hand and pulled her out the front door. We went to my room and had naked fun. We had just finished when her phone rang.
�Hello?
�I�m taking advantage of him right now,� Halle said.
�Who is it?� I asked.
�Brook. She�s being nosy.�
I grabbed the phone.
�Hey,� I said.
�Did you get your wake-up this morning?� Brook asked.
�No. She�s not taking full advantage. How was school today?�
�I missed you. Cassidy, Zoe, and Pam told me to tell you hi. Pam chased Yuri down the hall again today. You�ll have to ask Pam what he said. I guess Jan saved him.�
�Yeah, I�ll have to get the story. Halle wants to talk to you,� I said and handed the phone back.
They talked as I took a shower. I�d had a full first day. When I came out, Halle was gone.
◊◊◊
Chapter 16 � This is Going to Hurt Tuesday December 1
I woke up to my phone ringing.
�Hello?�
�When did you plan to call?� Mom asked.
�Uhm.�
�I expect regular updates, or I�ll be on a plane so I can watch your every move,� she threatened.
Mom put me on speaker, and I caught my parents up. I found out that both Rita and Caryn had told them everything I�d done; they just wanted to talk to me. They caught me up on the goings-on at home. Peggy and Little David had moved into my apartment, and Duke was happy for the company.
I told them I missed them. Mom reminded me that we would all be at Devin and Cora�s wedding; it was being held in LA. Rita had offered to put my parents up.
◊◊◊
During a break in filming, Zak Verwood, who played Jake Armstrong, invited me back to his trailer to talk. I noticed he had weed on the table, sitting beside a bong. He loaded a bowl and fired it up. After he exhaled a cloud of smoke, he offered it to me.
�No, thanks.�
�You sure? This is good shit,� Zak said.
�No, I�m good. I quit a couple of years ago.�
�That�s cool. You don�t mind if I have some, do you?�
�As long as you�re good to go for our next scene, I�m fine.�
�I do my best work with a little buzz,� he explained, and then changed the subject. �Are you tapping Halle�s ass?�
I cocked my head while deciding if he and I were about to have a problem. He held up his hands.
�Sorry, man, that came out wrong. I just wanted us to talk so we didn�t confuse things. If you�re not interested in Halle, I was going to make a run at her. Rumor is that she�s a virgin, and if you don�t mind, I�d like to change that for her,� Zak said.
�I�d rather you didn�t. Halle and I�ve been dating for a couple of months, and I don�t share well.�
�Is she good in bed?� he asked eagerly.
�That�s something I don�t talk about,� I said.
�That�s good. I understand. I was just curious. What about the other girls? Should we divide them up or just share them? I�d prefer if we shared so we could have more variety,� he suggested.
�You sound confident that we can get them to go along with it,� I said.
Zak laughed.
�I started having sex when I was thirteen. I don�t believe there have been more than three days go by without me having some kind of sex. Things are different here. I think you�re going to like it. I know for a fact that Leah has her eye on you. She told me that she wanted to see how things work out between you two before she�d spend some time with me. I think it would probably be beneficial for your acting since the two of you have to play like you�re in love. Get that sexual tension taken care of so it seems more real.�
�So you don�t have a girlfriend?� I asked.
�Are you crazy?� he asked, and I could tell he meant it. �Let me explain it to you. Yesterday I got a coffee at the commissary. The girl behind the counter showed some interest, so I took her to the back room, and we had sex. I went to a club last night and invited two other girls back to my place for a threesome. This morning the makeup girl gave me a hummer just to get my day started right. You really should let her do that for you; she�s very good.
�I guess what I�m saying is why would I have a girlfriend? If I remember right, the longest I�ve ever gone out with a girl is three weeks, and I was out of town for one of them,� he explained.
�You�re telling me that you�ve been with four girls since yesterday?� I asked.
He smiled and nodded.
�My young friend, I need to introduce you to the joys of being in the business. I�m going to start by getting you laid right now,� he said.
�How do you plan to do that?� I asked.
�Simple. Go to Leah�s trailer and knock on the door. I expect you can figure it out from there,� he said with confidence.
�Yeah, why not,� I said, invoking the �no regrets� clause in my life goals.
I walked out of Zak�s trailer, followed by another cloud of smoke. I�d have to be careful not to get a contact buzz when I was around him. As I wandered over to Leah�s trailer, I wondered if Zak was full of shit, and this was like what Craig had pulled on me. Was this something to haze the new guy? Mr. Happy weighed in and explained that he didn�t care, if there was a chance at Leah.
I was startled out of my reverie as I came to the door and found one of the writers about to knock.
�Hey, David, I was coming to you next. We have some rewrites for your next scene with Leah. I think you�ll like it,� she said and handed me both scripts. �Jessup said to read through them and be ready in thirty minutes.�
I knocked on Leah�s door.
�Come in.�
�I have scripts hot off the printer for our next scene,� I said as I stepped in and froze.
Leah was in yoga pants and a sports bra. She had her butt pointed at me as she did some yoga pose on a mat in the middle of her living room. She peeked under her arm and smiled at me, I�m sure because she saw my pants tighten. That was the first time I�d seen her smile, and I already knew I wanted her to smile at me again. She got up and grabbed a towel to wipe the perspiration off her brow.
�Have you read them yet?� she asked, getting down to business.
We each took our scripts, sat on her couch, and read them.
�Oh, good,� Leah said and then looked up at me. �I talked to Rita and Jessup and reminded them this wasn�t TV. I felt that if they ramped up the sex, it would work better as a movie. It�s good to see they took my advice.�
I read through the script, and the first half of the scene was us talking about Cassie and what had happened in the woods. The second half just said, �Adam shows Diana that he loves her.�
�I�ve never been in a scene that�s that vague,� I admitted.
�That gives us a chance to ad-lib, and Jessup the opportunity to try different things to see what works,� Leah said.
We read through our lines, and Leah made some suggestions. When we felt we had it down, the two of us went to makeup. The guys had their own small room, while the girls were in a larger room with several stations, each with their name on it. That way if they wanted particular makeup, it was always there, waiting for them. Zak and I had to share, which was really no big deal.
The makeup girl came in and looked down at my bulge.
�That would take a gallon of concealer to cover.�
I blushed and stiffened when she reached down and grasped my member through my pants. I just watched as she unzipped my pants and fished out Mr. Happy. She looked up to make sure I was watching as she plunged down and took most of me into her throat. I grabbed the back of her head and shoved home.
The girl yanked her face off me to catch her breath.
�Do my face.�
I stood up, and she guided me into her mouth, all the way to the back. I looked down at my member wrapped by her lips. She gave me a little nod, and I pushed farther into her. It amazed me that the girl completely trusted me not to take it too far. I could have easily just buried myself, and she would�ve choked or passed out. I took the trust and honored it, making sure she got a chance to catch her breath.
Damn! Zak had been telling me the truth. This was so wrong that it made it hot. I needed to get off, and onto the set, so I didn�t hold back. I let go hard in her throat, and about passed out from pleasure as I felt her swallow.
As I collapsed in my chair, the girl just stood up, pushed my package back into my pants, and checked my makeup. We didn�t say a word as she left me alone to collect my thoughts.
◊◊◊
Scene: Diana and Adam talk in her bedroom.
Diana: �So what happened?�
Adam: �I don�t know. It was different with her there. I could suddenly do magic I�d never even dreamed possible before.�
Diana: �I�m worried. I�m afraid of what will happen if we let Cassie into our circle. Too much power can be dangerous. I need you to support me on this.�
Adam: �Of course I will, but I think we need Cassie. Something tells me it�s important that she join our circle. It just felt right with her next to me.�
Diana: �I saw you.�
Adam: �What do you mean?�
Diana: �I saw how you look at her.�
Adam: �I don�t understand.�
Diana:�Don�t be dense. I can tell you�re attracted to her. I�m afraid she�ll steal you away from me.�
Adam: �Never.�
Action: Kiss.
Diana: �Adam, I�d die if you betrayed me. I won�t risk us just because she may be the missing piece to our circle.�
Adam: �I love you.�
Action: Adam shows Diana that he loves her.
�Cut!� Jessup called and had us do it again.
After the fourth take, he was satisfied.
�Okay, I want to clear the set for the rest of the scene,� Jessup ordered.
Zak had come to watch, and he smirked and then left. I noticed that Rita stayed, while everyone but Jessup and the camera crew left as well.
�I want this to look natural, but we can�t shoot thirty minutes of sex,� Jessup explained. �Leah, I want you to get under the sheet, kiss down his chest, and then simulate oral sex. David, you fumble around, get a condom out of the end table and hand it to Leah, who�ll act like she�s putting it on you. Leah, I want you to then straddle his hips and act like you�re having sex. I�ll raise my hand, and that�s your cue to roll her under you. When I raise my hand again, I want you to climax,� Jessup said, giving us his direction.
We got back into our places, and Jessup checked for continuity. When he had us in place, he told us to begin from my last line.
Adam: �I love you.�
We held each other�s eyes as we stripped to our underwear. Then Leah pulled down the comforter, and we got under the sheet and began to kiss. I reached back, undid her bra, and took it off.
�Cut!� Jessup called. �I need you to cover yourself when he does that. I want the audience to have some anticipation when they�re revealed when you straddle his waist.�
We did it again, and Leah covered herself, then began to kiss her way down my body.
�Cut!� Jessup called. �We need to see you kissing his body. Make sure the sheet slowly pulls down to just under his navel, and then you duck under and take off his boxers.�
This was turning into the equivalent of a modeling gig. It wasn�t as sexy as I had imagined it would be.
Once again, I removed Leah�s bra, and she began to kiss down my stomach. She had me lift my hips and pulled off my boxers. Leah peeked out from under the sheet and hit me in the face with my underwear.
�Why you little � Ahhh,� I said as she took me into her mouth.
My head fell back, and my eyes glazed over as I felt her wonderful mouth work on me. Jessup waved at me; seems I�d forgotten we were filming. Reaching over, I fumbled with the drawer and pulled out the box of condoms. Some idiot had left it sealed. I ripped it open out of frustration and condoms went flying. As I grabbed one, I heard Leah giggle at my antics. I handed her a condom, and she opened the foil wrapper and put it on me.
She pulled the sheet so it kept her butt covered, and the world was treated to the sight of Leah Johansen�s breasts. I was caught entirely off guard when she grasped Mr. Happy and positioned him at her entrance. He wrenched control of the body and pushed forward as our bodies came together. Leah slowly rode me. Jessup let it go on longer than I thought he would. He raised his hand. Sitting up, I grasped the back of Leah�s neck, then rolled her under me. I felt the sheet pull free of my butt as I ignored what was going on around me.
I covered Leah�s body, and we began to go at it in earnest. She clawed my butt to urge me on. I reached back, grabbed both her hands, pinned them above her head, and leaned down and kissed her. All too soon, Jessup raised his hand. Neither of us was there yet, but we faked our orgasms.
�Cut, good job,� Jessup called.
A smirking Rita had robes for us, and we quickly put them on. Then I grabbed Leah�s hand and pulled her to Zak and my dressing room because it was the closest place I could think of. He was in there, getting ready for the next scene.
�Out!� I ordered.
He just grinned and scurried out. I lifted Leah up and put her on our makeup table. I let my robe open and spread her legs. We had wild monkey sex. I expect we both knew that this wouldn�t be the last occasion we spent time together. We got each other off and then giggled like idiots.
�What were you thinking?� I asked.
�That has always been one of my fantasies. When I saw how you looked at my butt, I knew I had to go for it,� Leah said.
�Do you think Jessup and Rita knew we were really doing it?� I worried.
�If they didn�t, they do now,� Leah said as she put on her robe.
She tiptoed over to the door and then opened it quickly, and the rest of the cast almost fell into the room. I didn�t think to grab my robe as I stood naked in the middle of the room. The girls all got an eyeful, then grabbed Leah and hurried off. Zak grinned at me as Rita suddenly came in.
�Put a robe on,� she ordered.
Zak decided he�d better make himself scarce. I covered up and turned back to Rita.
�Don�t you ever do that again,� she said, and then her scowl turned into a grin. �Jessup and I watched the playback, and it looks great. We only have to do some minor edits.�
�So I�m not fired?� I asked.
�No, you�re not fired.�
�We could do it again. I have some ideas,� I teased.
�Don�t push your luck. Get dressed, you�re in the next scene,� Rita said and then left.
Zak came back in.
�Rumor has it you really did it on the set,� he said, fishing.
�Who said that?� I asked.
�Leah.�
He laughed when he saw my face.
�Told you she wanted you.�
Zak didn�t get to tease me any more, because there was a knock. He opened it to find Halle.
�I think I�m needed on the set,� he said and skipped out.
�You�re a slut,� Halle said with a smile to let me know she was okay.
�I didn�t plan for that to happen.�
�I know, Leah explained what she did.�
She sat on my lap, and we kissed.
I no longer thought I�d like it here, I knew it.
◊◊◊ Wednesday December 2
At breakfast, Caryn had copies of all the magazines that I�d done interviews with.
�I checked, and what made it to print was what they sent over. Frank has some more requests he wants you to do. The news of the changes in the film is making the rounds, and they want your comment about stepping in at the last minute. Frank emailed you talking points.�
�Okay, just send me what time,� I said.
�Already on your calendar.�
�Thanks.�
�Also, they had a cancelation for your hitting coach, so you can start today,� Caryn said.
Rita and Halle joined us for breakfast.
�I didn�t expect I�d still get to do that, with the change in my role,� I said.
�I thought you might enjoy it, so I left it in your new contract,� Rita said.
�Thank you, I appreciate that.�
�Trip wants you to stop by the beach house this evening. He said Craig Wild is coming by and would like to see you,� Halle said.
I turned an inquiring eye on Halle.
�You wouldn�t know where my jeans ended up, would you?�
�I didn�t pack those,� she said defiantly. �I thought we agreed that you weren�t going out in public looking like a farm boy.�
�Blue jeans don�t make me a farm boy. If that�s the image I wanted, I�d get out my work boots, John Deere hat, and shit-kicker t-shirt.�
�I bet you�d look good in that,� Caryn weighed in.
�He might, but that�s not the image we want for him right now,� Rita said.
I stood up, turned around, and pointed at my behind.
�Do these pants make my butt look fat?� I simpered.
�Shut up. You look fine,� Halle said.
�No, I think he has a point. His butt does look fat,� Caryn teased.
�Rosy, does my butt look fat?� I called across the kitchen.
�No speak English,� she called back.
I narrowed my eyes at all the women in the room who thought my butt looked fat and stomped off.
◊◊◊
Fritz pulled the SUV into a facility that reminded me of STIC in Chicago. Pro Baseball Instruction (PBI) was geared only for baseball, though, while STIC catered to all athletes. Fritz and I walked into a modern lobby and stepped up to the reception desk where a pretty girl greeted us.
�How may I assist you gentlemen?�
�David Dawson; I have an appointment with a hitting coach,� I said.
She checked her computer.
�Ah, yes. I see this is your first time with us,� the receptionist said. She pulled out a map of the facilities and put it on the counter. �The locker room is here, and you�re in Batting Area One. You�ll be working with Juan Revilla. From what I�ve heard, he�s one of the best in the business.�
�What do you mean?� Fritz asked.
�Juan isn�t really one of our coaches. He took some time off because some of his players live out here and he comes in to coach them during the off-season. Juan�s the hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs,� she said.
I must have gone into shock because Fritz had to grab my arm and start to guide me to the locker room. I�d have to call Tami; she�d be sooooo jealous. After I quickly changed, we walked over to Batting Area One. A man who was in his mid-20s was there taking cuts with an older guy watching.
�Tony, just concentrate on the basics. Remember the five steps I taught you,� Coach Revilla said. �I�ve got a new student today. Go work on what we talked about, and I�ll see you this afternoon.�
�Sure thing, Coach,� the man said, and gathered his gear and left.
�You must be David,� Coach Revilla said.
�Yes, sir.�
�They tell me you�re a pretty good athlete, but need to act like a hitter for a movie,� he said. He didn�t give me a chance to tell him otherwise, just kept going. �Why don�t we have you get into the batter�s box? There�s no better way to learn than doing.�
I�m not sure what I expected, but complete silence wasn�t it. For the first few minutes, I was nervous, and since I hadn�t swung a bat in several months, I was rusty. Then I gradually felt better, and it showed in my results. I felt like I was hitting the ball well when he had me stop.
�You play some ball?� Coach Revilla asked.
�Little League and some high school ball.�
�You have the problem I see most often in young players. The conventional wisdom is that you need backspin on the ball to hit for power. Hence, you need to chop down on the ball to get that spin. The only problem with that is most elite hitters don�t hit that way,� he said.
I guess my confusion showed.
�Here�s the issue. Backspin does, in fact, cause the ball to fly farther. If you want the entire scientific reason, you can Google it. Physics tells us that air resistance and the spin of the baseball have an effect on the baseball�s trajectory. It�s called the Magnus effect, and it�s the reason that a pitcher can throw sinkers, sliders, and curveballs. It�s the same with batting. If you use the chopping method to hit the ball farther, you have to be perfect every time. If you don�t hit it right, you clip it. It�s on the ground, or it�s a foul out, or it�s a backspin fly ball that goes nowhere.
�The opposite is topspin. That will cause the ball to be hit into the ground,� he explained.
�So, what
�A level, slightly uppercut swing path is most desirable. To do that, you need to have good mechanics. A natural byproduct of good mechanics is solid contact, and you�ll achieve backspin.�
Coach Revilla pulled out a batting tee.
�A pitch is going to have a natural downward arc to the ball as it comes to the plate. Your goal is to hit the bottom half of the ball with a very slight upward cut,� he coached as he put the first ball on the tee.
I hadn�t hit off a tee since I was little. Coach Revilla quickly showed me that I�d been foolish in disregarding this tool. He explained that he wasn�t going to change how I hit, just make sure I did all the things a good hitter would do.
By the end of my time, I could already tell the difference in my hitting. Coach Revilla suggested that I practice with a tee and a net. That way, I could do it almost anywhere. On the way to the set, Fritz took me to a sporting-goods store, and I bought everything I needed. I wanted to be ready for our next session on Friday.
◊◊◊
Between scenes, I did interviews with
�Did you have sex on screen?� he asked without preamble.
�You want the honest answer?�
�That�s how this works.�
�The short answer is �yes,�� I admitted.
�Have you seen the dailies? Is it graphic, or could it be misinterpreted?�
�You want me to have Rita show them to you?�
�I think you�d better. I need to see what we�re dealing with,� Frank said.
�Why is this such a big deal? Jessup and Rita both seemed okay with it,� I said.
�Our message has been �All-American Boy.� Having sex on set is not consistent with our message. Rumors have started to slip out about what happened, and I need to construct the narrative we want the public to hear. To do that, I need to know exactly what happened.�
�So this is bad?� I asked.
He chuckled.
�Not necessarily. You being a bit of a bad boy isn�t the end of the world,� he said, and then paused. �Hear me, I said a
I felt better. Surely, if we ended up with a dead hooker, Fritz would know what to do with the body. Maybe I should ask him, to be certain. I didn�t want Frank to worry.
◊◊◊
At the end of the day, Frank showed up with one of his people. We�d arranged to view the dailies with Leah, her publicist, and her manager. Rita and Jessup were also there. We all met in my trailer, so I had Caryn make sure there were drinks and appetizers for our little party. It was amazing what you could get at a movie studio.
�Let me hook up to the TV so we can watch the raw footage,� Rita said.
They ran through the scene for everyone to watch. I was surprised to find myself a little embarrassed. I wasn�t ordinarily body-shy, and certainly wasn�t ashamed about what I�d done with Leah; in fact, I hoped for an encore. I finally figured out it was because Rita and Caryn were watching it. I suspect I would�ve had the same uneasy feeling if my mom was in the room, even though we were open about this sort of stuff.
�As you can see, they really were doing it,� Jessup said. �There are a couple of spots where we�ll need to do a little work to conceal their naughty bits. The good news is the studio is actually excited about it and would like to use this as a teaser to sell tickets. While they�re not Disney, where this would be frowned upon, they don�t want to go over the top, either.�
�What do you think?� I asked Leah.
This would most likely affect her more than me. Women seemed to get the short end of the stick on anything involving sex.
�I agree with Jessup,� her publicist said. �I think it would help her as long as it�s done right. Don�t get me wrong, I�m not suggesting we admit that there was actual sex, but instead play the �we don�t talk about things like that� card.�
�And then tell them a lot of steamy details,� Frank said.
�Exactly. Build the sizzle, but hide the sausage, so to speak.�
Everyone groaned at that one.
�So, what do we do?� I asked.
�I�ve been thinking about this,� Frank began. �Why don�t we take a couple of shots and make them appear like they were taken from a cell phone. I can talk to my contact at
�Could
�You�d need to do that robo-vote thingy; I�d want to win,� I said.
Frank gave me a look, but I could tell he was okay with what I�d proposed.
�Could they do something similar with Leah?� her manager asked.
�We could do the whole �sexiest women I�ve been linked with� bit,� I said.
I thought that was a brilliant idea.
�Just who would you put on this list?� Leah asked.
She wasn�t buying the idea that anyone would be interested.
�There�s you and Halle from this movie. From
�I thought that scene was set with the baseball player,� Rita said.
�I talked to the writers, and they agreed that it should really be with me,� I explained.
Rita looked over at Jessup.
�Yes, he did,� Jessup said, confirming my ingenuity.
�While that sounds good, I think I should have a more prominent role in the media plans. This isn�t just about David,� Leah said.
�We could do a whole campaign on how being in a movie with me makes you more sexy,� I suggested.
�I detect a theme here,� Frank said. �She�s right, not everything�s about you.�
I gave him my best hurt-puppy-dog eyes. Rita had two kids and didn�t buy it.
�Quit goofing around. I�ll talk to the studio and get them to release a couple of frames. I want to see them before they�re given to
�If you�d like, I�ll coordinate with your people and come up with ways to help you,� Frank told Leah.
Jessup took Frank and his gal to go pick out some shots, and Leah�s agent and publicist accompanied them.
There was a knock on the door, and I opened it to find Halle, Zak, Tanya, and Jessica. Halle pushed past me, and the rest of the main cast followed her. None of them were shy about getting themselves drinks and plates of appetizers.
�We heard that you had some dailies from yesterday,� Halle said to explain the invasion.
I turned to Leah.
�It�s going to be in the movie, so I�m fine if they see,� she said.
�Even without the edits?� Rita asked.
While the video was going to be used, it needed to be edited with different camera angles so that you wouldn�t actually see penetration.
�I already told the girls what happened,� Leah admitted.
Everyone looked at Zak.
�David never said a word. I just heard there was free food,� he said as he stuffed a crab puff into his mouth.
I smiled when Halle saved me a seat next to her on one of the couches. She was staking her claim, and I doubt anyone missed her meaning, so I played along. Rita reran the video. Leah told them what we planned to do with
Frank came back and put the shots they were using on the screen. The pictures appeared to have come from a cell phone. He explained that was why he�d brought his tech person with him. She�d Photoshopped it so it was laid out like a typical phone photo and made a little blurry. The first shot showed Leah kissing my stomach, and the next was when I�d grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her close to roll us over. Both shots were PG-13 but showed enough to make people wonder if we were really doing it or not. Rita approved them, and Frank quickly left to get working.
Rita announced that we had to go home. Zak absconded with the rest of my appetizers and a bottle of tequila and invited the rest of the cast back to his trailer. I would have to get the details tomorrow.
When we got home, three paparazzi were waiting by the gate. One tried to step in front of the car to get a picture, but Fritz gunned it and just missed the idiot. The cameramen attempted to follow the SUV through the gate, but Paul and Flo were waiting for them. When they saw Paul and Flo were armed, they turned around and left so the gate could be closed.
I wondered if this was a sign of things to come.
◊◊◊
I�d agreed to go to the beach house and hang out with Trip and Craig Wild, my costar in
I was introduced to how scary paparazzi can be on the way to the beach house. Two motorcycles chased us through traffic on the highway to try to get pictures. I now understood why Rita had security and why the windows were tinted.
�Do you have your seatbelt on?� Fritz asked.
�Yes, sir.�
Fritz used the Bluetooth in the Range Rover to call 911 through his phone.
�911, what�s your emergency?�
Fritz explained the situation and where we planned to go. When we pulled onto the Pacific Coast Highway, two police cars were waiting and turned on their lights. One of the motorcycles decided to make a run for it, while the other was pulled over.
We pulled into the driveway of what appeared to be a one-story house. When I got out of the car, Trip looked down from the roof.
�Go in the front door and come up to the roof. We�re going to barbecue some steaks and then go surfing.�
I entered and discovered this was, in fact, a two-story home. The back of the house was glass from floor to ceiling and looked out over a large patio that overlooked the Pacific Ocean. I walked down the stairs to take in the view. It was easy to understand why people loved this area. From the living room, I could see that over the kitchen was a large bedroom that had a balcony. The rest of the bedrooms were at the front of the house, two downstairs and two more upstairs.
Fritz showed me how to get onto the roof. There was a complete outdoor kitchen, a large fireplace, and a hot tub. A portion was under an awning so you could get out of the sun.
�There he is,� Craig called out.
�Hey, good to see you. Hey, Kent.�
Craig, Kent, and I caught up while Fritz and Trip made dinner. We had steaks and baked potatoes with a salad. After we�d eaten, we decided to go surfing. Well, Fritz taught me to surf while the other three showed they�d been doing this all their lives. I was happy when towards the end, I got up and was able to make a couple of runs without falling off. I�d just discovered another reason I loved it here.
When we were done, we started back to the house. I saw a group of cute girls and walked up to them. Something I�d noticed about LA was there was no shortage of beautiful women. The three looked like they�d been enhanced because natural breasts are not that round and firm.
�We were just going to enjoy the sunset and relax in the hot tub. Would you ladies like to join us?�
The Asian girl tilted her head.
�Do you own the house?� she asked.
�I do,� Trip said, moving forward.
The look she gave him had me worried.
�You�re Craig Wild,� the brown-haired woman said, eyeing Craig with a slightly possessive expression.
�I�m Kent, Craig�s manager,� Kent said to the blonde. She looked him up and down and smiled. We all walked up to the house. There was an outdoor shower on the lower patio, and Trip asked us all to rinse off before going into the house and hot tub. The six of them went upstairs, and Fritz and I relaxed on the downstairs patio to give them some privacy.
�It looks like they stole the girls I found.�
�I think you�re better off. All those girls saw were dollar signs,� Fritz explained.
�Do you think they�ll be okay?�
�Those three have been doing this for years. They�ll be fine.�
�I noticed there was no alcohol. Do you think Trip will make it this time?� I asked.
This rehab had been his third try in five years. Craig had done his stint before shooting our movie. I hoped Kent could keep temptation away.
�One can only hope. I know how much Rita worries about him,� Fritz said.
I was finding I liked Fritz. He was easy to talk to and had a good sense of humor. He also saw more than I realized. Fritz warned me to be careful around Zak. While Zak didn�t have a mean bone in his body, he could easily lead me astray. He enjoyed everything you would imagine an actor would get up to, including drugs, alcohol, and plenty of women.
While I watched the sun go down, I called home and updated my mom about my day. I also called Tami, Yuri, Tim, and Jim. I�d decided that I needed to be sure to rotate calling my friends when I got a chance. Uncle John had mentioned that I needed to be sure not to forget about them and how important their friendships would be in the future.
I also called my old high school friend Bill Callaway. We made plans to get together either Friday or Saturday. He promised to bring Sage, Ridge, and Penny.
I thought of someone else and called Hunter Green. He�d been at the USC and Elite camps with Ridge and me and was now at San Diego State. Hunter said he would call Ridge and get the details. It would be nice to get everyone back together.
◊◊◊
When Fritz and I arrived at the main house, the three women were in the TV room, watching a movie and drinking wine. I sat down next to Halle, and she promptly put her feet into my lap, so I began to massage them.
�What did you and the boys get up to?� Caryn asked.
�We were chased by paparazzi and had to call the police. I discovered why Trip lives at the beach, and Fritz taught me to surf.�
�It is nice there,� Rita said, and then asked what she was worried about. �Were they being good?�
�No drugs or alcohol. Trip did steal the future Mrs. Dawson from me with that fancy house.�
�If she was more interested in the house than you, I�d say you were better off letting Trip have her,� Halle said.
�That�s what Fritz told me.�
�Listen to him. He gives good advice,� Halle said.
We all watched the movie as I slowly massaged Halle�s feet. I surreptitiously began to arouse her, and she was surprised when she suddenly had an orgasm.
�Uh, I have to go read my script for tomorrow,� Halle said and left.
I figured that since I helped her, she might want to return the favor. I was about ready to go discuss this with her when Caryn sat down next to me and put her feet into my lap.
�Me next,� she said with a big smile.
I figured I would goof around with Caryn. I found she had some problem areas.
�Are you in pain?� I asked.
�How did you know?� Caryn asked.
�I think there�s a massage table in the exercise room. Let me give you a full-body massage and see if that helps,� I suggested.
�You know how to give a massage?� Rita asked.
�My brother has a business doing them, and he taught me a few things. Do you want one too?� I asked.
�If you�re giving them out, I wouldn�t say no.�
They paused the movie so they could change into something I could give them a massage in. Caryn was in running shorts and a sports bra, while Rita was in a robe. I looked through their supplies and only found some coconut-scented oil. When I got the chance, I would have to get something different, because this stuff smelled bad.
I took my shirt off because I was afraid I would get this junk on it and it would stain. Caryn looked at me funny, but once I put my hands on her, she forgot about it. Caryn�s back was a mess.
�This is going to hurt, but you�ll thank me in the morning,� I said.
I began to give her a deep tissue massage where I noticed problem areas.
�Ouch! Oh, oh, ooohhh,� she moaned when I would fix one.
I worked her over for an hour. I would have to give her regular follow-ups, so I figured she�d had enough for one night.
�Take some Tylenol or ibuprofen and either a hot bath or shower before you go to bed,� I advised.
Caryn left, and Rita gave me a funny smile.
�When I got ready, I think the wine had gone to my head. I�m not sure this is a good idea,� Rita admitted.
�It�s up to you. I promise to be professional,� I said.
She looked me in the eyes and nodded. I was shocked when she dropped her robe and was naked underneath. Rita James was pushing forty, but I will say that I know some teenagers who�d gladly switch bodies with her without question. I grabbed a towel and placed it over her butt when she lay down. If she hadn�t been Halle�s mom, I would�ve been in trouble.
Rita just had ordinary tension, and it was evident she was tired. I admit I enjoyed giving her a massage. My slacks did tighten when I did her thighs and her legs came apart slightly. She didn�t shave or wax, which made it seem even naughtier, for some reason.
When I was done, I turned my back so Rita could put on her robe.
�Thanks, David, that was nice.�
�Anytime you want another one, just let me know.�
�I might take you up on that,� she said and left.
◊◊◊
I found Halle already in bed, so I stripped off and joined her.
�You smell like coconut,� she mumbled.
I just pulled her to me and held her. It had been a good day.
◊◊◊
Chapter 17 � Damn, David! Thursday December 3
I woke to me getting my wish: Halle was slowly giving me oral. Brook was right: if Halle started every day this way, it would be hard for anyone to compete. I pulled her on top of me so I could eat her at the same time. I beat her to the finish line but made sure she got hers too.
After a quick shower, I got ready to run. When I stepped out front, Fritz and three of his team were waiting for me. Usually one of them stayed with the house.
�Have you looked out the gate?� Fritz asked.
�No.�
�We have several friends waiting for us. You�re not allowed to touch them unless they touch you first. Then you can protect yourself. Paul and Flo are wearing bodycams in case anything happens. That stops the frivolous lawsuits when a camera gets broken.
�Oh, and don�t whack anyone with the Bo staff. That is unless they have a weapon and you have to disarm them,� Fritz said.
�Should we cancel our run?� I asked.
�You can�t let them run your life,� Paul said.
Having to run with four security people seemed like I was letting them do just that.
As we came around the house, we saw that three had grown to eight. As soon as we were in sight, they started to snap pictures. Then they began to shout questions like did I sleep with Leah. As the gates opened, a couple of them tried to block our path, but I still had some moves and was able to dodge them.
We made it about two blocks when a motorcycle with a photographer on the back zoomed up and planted himself in front of me as I ran. I chuckled when there was a police car at the end of the next block. I heard the driver argue, but the police officer said something about not letting your passenger ride backward and without a helmet or eye protection.
When we made it back, there were now fifteen of them. One had a
�Have you had breakfast yet?� I asked.
�No.�
�Here�s the deal: you can come in, but you leave the camera outside. Rita James doesn�t want to be filmed in her house. I�ll give you an interview after we�ve had breakfast and I�m in something other than running clothes.�
�And I get breakfast?�
�Yep.�
He was all smiles. I asked Rosy to make whatever he wanted, within reason. Then I ran upstairs and took a shower. When I came down, he was eating a waffle with fruit and whipped cream on it. It looked good. I was happy when I saw Rosy had made me one.
�So, do you really have naked pictures of your girlfriend on your phone?� I asked.
I�d heard that he�d offered to show pictures for an interview before, so it was no surprise when he pulled his phone out and showed me. His girlfriend must either be brain-damaged or really love him because she was far too hot to be with him.
All the women came down and were a little leery of him, but when I explained who he was, they relaxed. After we ate, I took him out front and gave him ten minutes.
As we drove out of the gate, two motorcycles were waiting. Fritz drove a block and then stopped, and the cycles rushed up and tried to box us in. But they were thwarted when the police car that had helped us earlier pulled up and had them get off their bikes. Fritz waved, and we drove on to the studio.
◊◊◊
I was between scenes, talking to Caryn, when there was a knock at the door. It was Zak.
�Hey, David. You busy?� he asked.
�Come on in, Zak.�
�Hey, Caryn.�
�Morning, Zak. You need me to take a walk?� she asked.
�No, you can stay. I just wanted to see what David was doing this weekend.�
�Either Friday or Saturday night I�m going out with my football friends.�
�That�ll work. I�m having a party Saturday night. If you want to invite them, that would be great. I should have plenty of women there. In fact, I need some guys to even out the numbers.�
�I could invite Craig Wild, Trip James, and Craig�s manager Kent,� I offered.
�I like Kent. They can come too,� he said, and then turned to Caryn. �You�re invited as well.�
�Wish I could, but I have to go home this weekend,� Caryn said.
�Okay, okay, good. Maybe next time,� Zak said and then left.
�Do you think he was high?� Caryn asked.
�I wouldn�t bet against it. You really going home this weekend?� I asked.
�I need to. My parents want to make up for lost time, and when I move, they won�t see me as much.�
�I guess. I think Zak has a thing for you,� I teased.
�Zak has a thing for anything breathing. I�d be afraid of what I�d catch.�
�So you�re saying I should stop letting the makeup lady give me oral?�
�I�ll make you an appointment.�
That took the fun out of it.
◊◊◊
I don�t know why I assumed that
Cole: �On the set of
Action: Cole holds up the two photos we sent them.
Sierra: �He�s cute, but looks young.�
Aaron: �He has a new movie coming out. I hear he�s being considered for some big roles. He may be the next Zac Efron, but he�s going for better roles than Zac ever had. Do you think he can pull it off?�
Jamie: �Let me see the pictures.�
Action: Cole hands the pictures to Jamie.
Jamie: �I�d do him.�
Aaron: �You really think Leah had sex with him on set?�
Jamie: �Yes. I�d do him on set here.�
�They want you and Leah to come on
�
�I made the
Frank smiled.
�They contacted Coach Hope to let him know. You weren�t named the Offensive Player of the Year; that was awarded to a running back who�s committed to USC. You were one of three juniors who made first team, and you�re the first ever junior quarterback.�
I looked at Caryn, and she smiled. She�d known and hadn�t told me. I was too happy to be mad.
�Damn, David. I didn�t know you were such a good athlete,� Leah�s agent said.
Leah and Caryn laughed. I didn�t understand why, so they explained that there was a kid on YouTube who had created videos where they would exclaim, �Damn, Darryl.� He�d created enough of a sensation that he was asked to be on
◊◊◊
Jessup changed the shooting schedule to allow Leah and me to go do
I learned that the show�s name referred to�the historic studio zone, an area where all the major studios were located.
Our interview was the usual jovial fun that�s the trademark of the show. The studio had released a short clip from the movie that showed Leah kissing down my stomach. She had a lot of fun teasing about what had happened without admitting it.
Aaron then switched to talk about my football awards that were coming out, and we spent a minute on that. That was when the fun started.
Aaron: �Someone get Jamie.�
Action: Jamie comes on camera looking irritated and then sees David.
David: �I would do you, too.�
Action: Jamie grabs David�s hand and pulls him out of camera range. Another cameraman with a handheld chases them down the hall. David takes his shirt off and throws it at the cameraman. Jamie runs into an office and slams the door once the couple makes their escape. There�s a lot of noise and thumping to imply something is going on.
Frank had called me beforehand to tell me what Aaron and Jamie had cooked up. The expression on Leah�s face sold it. She even said, �Damn, David,� without being prompted. I liked the little tag line and didn�t feel guilty for stealing it from Darryl.
◊◊◊
It was interesting to see how the paparazzi affected different people. Halle and Rita just took them in stride. I think Rita had actually missed them. Fritz and his colleagues seemed to enjoy the cat-and-mouse games. I was sure it was better than sitting and waiting for me to finish work or driving me around. Caryn wanted nothing to do with them, and I believe if she�d been packing, we might have been down a couple of the more aggressive ones.
I wasn�t really sure what to make of it. I did notice that people started to recognize me more. When we arrived at the dojo to work out, I was even asked to sign autographs by a few of the other club members. I realized this was all part of it, so I decided to embrace it for now.
◊◊◊ Friday December 4
I�d done my homework for batting practice, and the sound of the bat on the ball told the story. Instead of a �dink� sound, there was a satisfying �crack.� Coach Revilla wanted to talk to me about my hitting stance.
�I notice that you have your front foot open. Why�s that?� he asked.
�I see the ball better.�
�Hm,� he grunted.
�Why, is that wrong?� I asked.
�I�m just surprised that someone with your skills would need to cheat like that,� he said. �But I�m not here to change your stance. I just want to make sure you have the mechanics down.�
�Coach, I�m not afraid to change my stance if it�ll make me a better hitter.�
�Okay,� he said with a smile. �I like a kid who�s open to being better. Let me walk you through the five steps for hitting.
�The first one is rhythm. That�s where it all begins. You need to get comfortable in the batter�s box. Some guys like to move their hips, and others circle the bat above their head; I don�t care what you do so long as you do it every time and it helps you settle in and begin your motion.
�The other part of rhythm is timing the pitch. I recommend that you begin when a pitcher brings his knee up and has his hand in the glove. That�s the point when you start to time the pitch and focus on the release point.
�The second step is seeing the ball out of the pitcher�s hand with the timing of the arm. The key is to have your front foot down, which allows you to see what the pitch is and where it is, also known as pitch recognition.
�Third is separation. This requires the hands and front foot to go in opposite directions at the same time. You want to end in a balanced and athletic position. Your weight distribution should be 50/50 in your lower half after separation and as you transfer into the ball.
�The fourth is staying square. Think of it as though you�re facing the plate and you�re standing in a doorway. This position allows you to back the ball up, or let it get deep into the plate, and still be able to hit it soundly. It permits your hands to stay inside the ball for backspin and power.
�The final step is weight shift and transfer. After you separate and stay square with timing, the shift takes place. Learn to control your weight shift or backside through the system. Weight-shifting allows you to transfer your weight into the ball as you make contact. You don�t lunge, you turn your hips, and you end up facing the field. The key is your back leg ends up bent at the knee and looks like an �L.�
�Let�s go through the five steps: rhythm, seeing the ball, separation, staying square, and weight shift and transfer,� Coach Revilla said.
He had me bat against the pitching machine to make sure I had the basics in place, and then he brought in a pitcher and catcher.
�David, this is Ray. He�s here to work on pitching with Coach Boyd. Coach Boyd wants to see Ray pitch against a live batter, and I want you to see what you can do,� Coach Revilla said.
Ray was a few years older than I was. The way they worked it out was that Ray would pitch until he gave up a hit, walked me, or struck me out. The coaches would then talk to us about what we�d done right or could improve on, and we would go again. It turned out that Ray was a pitching prospect for the Dodgers and on their Double-A roster for the Tulsa Drillers. He was much better than anyone I�d faced in high school ball, and I quickly found out I had a long way to go.
Ray owned me early, but I began to hit him. I think Ray just started to tire, so I wasn�t putting much stock into any thoughts that I�d made a vast improvement. After all, it was my first day of seeing live pitching in several months. What I did know was that I looked forward to working with Coach Revilla while he was here.
◊◊◊
When we stopped for the day at the studio, I reflected on surviving my first week. Rita suggested we go to the beach house because Trip had said he planned to go out with Craig and Kent tonight and he was crashing at Craig�s place.
Caryn left to go visit her parents. I was happy that Rosy had several bags and got into the car with us. Fritz and Flo joined us. The paparazzi were out in force after my
Halle and I sat in the third row. I was glad that we didn�t have the crazed motorcyclist chasing us.
�This is a big deal for me,� Halle admitted. �Mom has always shielded me from the press. With this being my first significant movie role, she warned me that I�d have to step up and face them.�
�I hope you brought your tiniest bikini,� I teased.
�Did you bring your speedo?� she asked.
�I�m not some German tourist,� I shot back.
�Even if it�s true, you can�t say something like that in public,� Rita admonished me.
�Rosy, do you think I should wear a speedo?� I asked.
�I no speak English,� she said.
That got us all to laugh. Rosy had been raised in East LA and spoke English just fine. When I teased her, she would drop into Spanish and act like she couldn�t understand me. It was a game that Rita and Halle found amusing.
Rita showed me my room, and I changed into a t-shirt and board shorts. I came out to the patio overlooking the ocean and found Rosy had made me a sandwich. She�d raised two boys of her own and understood that we needed plenty to eat.
The waves seemed to be bigger than the last time I�d been here. Several people were surfing. I was disappointed when Flo, Halle, and Rita came out in spring suits, or shorty wet suits. We all walked out to the surf together, with Flo and Fritz on the outside. The paparazzi captured the moment. I think there�s a cottage industry built around catching celebrities at the beach.
Because the waves were higher, Fritz showed me how to tip the board down and dive through the bigger ones. He taught me the etiquette when there were a group of surfers all wanting to catch a wave. The etiquette isn�t so much �rules
The first rule was the right-of-way. With a wave, there�s a crest, and the person closest to the crest had the right of way. Fritz explained that when a wave begins, you could spot the crest by seeing where the whitecap first appears. Two surfers could take a wave if they were on either side of the whitecap and surfed in different directions.
The biggest no-no was to drop in on another surfer. That was when they had the right-of-way, and you surfed out in front of them. He also told me that when I was done and paddled back, not to go straight through the heart of the lineup where people are surfing. He also told me not to ditch my board. They�re big and heavy and could hurt someone. Finally, accidents happen, of course, and I should just be courteous to others.
I wasn�t too shy to introduce myself and explained I was learning. Some younger guys acted a bit like jerks, but for the most part, everyone just wanted to enjoy themselves.
I did have one misadventure. I�d tried to keep to the smaller waves and somehow misjudged a bigger one. You can pick up a lot of speed on a bigger wave. When you crash, you can get rolled. The wave�s curling action pushes you towards the bottom, and it�s like you�re in the spin cycle of a front-loading washing machine. I later found out Rita bought her house in this location because there weren�t any rocks. This was important because as you�re spinning, if you hit the bottom, it�s much better to be pounded into the sand than rocks. I learned that little lesson the hard way.
The scary thing about being rolled is that it�s hard to figure out which way is up. When I finally surfaced, my lungs were burning. I was grateful when one of the young bucks slid his board to me so I could catch my breath.
�You didn�t happen to see where my board went?� I asked.
�It shot towards shore.�
�Good. I think I�m done for today.�
�You okay? That was a bad one,� he said.
�I�m good.�
�Will I see you again?� he asked.
�Yeah, this is fun.�
�Later,� he said and paddled back out to go again.
When I got to shore, I found my board. It was broken, and I would have to replace it. I decided that while I was at it, I�d get one of my own. I held the damaged board up so the paparazzi could get the shot and then walked back to the house. After a quick shower on the porch, I stripped off my salty suit and wrapped my waist with a towel.
I looked towards the surf and realized I�d just shown my butt to a group of paparazzi. It seemed today would be a learning experience all day long. I should have wrapped the towel around me before the suit came off. This wasn�t the first time my butt had been on display, though. I sent Frank a text to warn him and went inside to change.
◊◊◊
The hot tub felt great. I now understood why the girls had worn spring suits. The high was only in the low 70s, and most of the other surfers had worn something similar.While I soaked, Rosy was on the roof with me, making dinner. I watched as she shucked fresh scallops and cleaned prawns.
When everyone came back, I climbed out of the hot tub and changed into jeans and a sweatshirt. I�d found where Halle had hidden my jeans. Fritz started a fire, and we all sat down and enjoyed a wonderful seafood feast. I fell in love with seared tuna.
After dinner, we sat around the fireplace and watched as the sun set. I was content to watch the riot of oranges and reds flashing through the waves as the sun sank into the Pacific Ocean. I couldn�t imagine a better way to end a day.
◊◊◊
After the sun set, we all went inside. I called my mom and dad and another handful of friends. When I called Cassidy, she handed the phone to her dad. He wanted to congratulate me on the awards I�d garnered. I also called John Phillips at the University of Kentucky. He had good news: he�d been cleared for full participation in football activities. The rehab of his Achilles injury had been long and hard, but he would compete to start at quarterback in spring ball.
Rita had plans to go to a friend�s house, so that left Halle and me alone. I had no idea what we could do. It was a good thing she was there, or it would never have occurred to me we should get naked. Once she had my clothes off, I was all for what she planned. It was much more fun than watching a movie or playing a board game.
◊◊◊ Saturday December 5
I talked Fritz into taking me to a local surf shop so I could replace the broken board. When we entered, there was an older guy and a woman in her early twenties there. I think Fritz was surprised when I stepped up to the older guy. When I say older, I would guess he was my parents� age. I picked him because he just looked like he�d surfed all his life.
�You need a replacement?� he asked when he saw my broken board.
�Yeah, I borrowed a friend�s to learn on and tried to kill myself.�
He looked it over.
�I still have this model in either lime green or pink.�
Neither sounded good to me, so I turned and looked at Fritz, and he just shrugged.
�Can we see them?� I asked.
�Sure, come to the back.�
We made our way to the back room, and there had to be a thousand boards there. At the rear, there was a work area where a young man was making a board. He looked like the man who was helping us. I would guess father and son. He found the two boards and pulled them out.
�At least you wouldn�t lose them,� Fritz said.
�Would Rita like either of these?�
�No,� Fritz finally answered.
�I have something similar, but it�s custom and will cost a little more.�
It was orange-reddish and had been given a weathered appearance, so it looked like a vintage board. In the center was a stylized blazing sun. It looked more like a piece of art than a surfboard. It was the same size and shape. I knew Rita would like it.
�Do you want to get a beginner board for yourself? This one�s too small for you.�
The guy working on shaping a board stopped and looked up.
�You�re an actor,� he said. �I saw some pictures of you surfing. I�ve got a board that�d fit you better, and I�d be willing to give you a deal if you mentioned my dad�s and my shop.�
�What kind of deal?� I asked.
The guy thought about it for a moment.
�How about I give you a board?� he offered.
It turned out that I needed at least a nine-and-a-half-foot board. The rule of thumb was it should be at least three feet longer than you were tall. The guy gave me a ten-footer. This one was white with a burnt orange octopus with orange and yellow tentacles and bright green suction cups. While I was there, I also bought a wetsuit vest. I�d found that if my lower back got cold, I was cold all over. I also bought a pair of surf shoes.
While I paid, Fritz ran next door and bought a couple of breakfast sandwiches. Nearly three grand later, we were on our way to the beach house. I about choked when I saw the price on Rita�s new board, but I bit my tongue because the guy�d given me my board.
We found Rita and Halle sitting on the patio, enjoying another perfect California morning.
�I got this to replace the one I broke,� I said, showing it to Rita.
�Mine!� Halle called.
�This is a much more expensive board than the one you broke,� Rita said.
�They only had it in pink or lime green. I thought this one looked better,� I said.
�This one should be hanging on our wall, not taken surfing,� Rita said.
I showed them the one I�d been given, and Rita�s eyebrows shot up.
�You say he gave you this board?� Rita asked.
�Yeah, he custom makes them in the back of his dad�s shop,� I said. �He just asked that if anyone asked, I tell them where I got it.�
He�d given me a stack of business cards, so I gave one to Rita.
�So, do I get this board?� Halle asked.
�No, you have a perfectly good board. This is too nice for you to be surfing on it,� Rita said.
�MO-om.�
�Don�t �Mom� me. What happened to your last three boards?�
I could guess by Halle�s expression that they�d all been damaged in some way. I�d bet that Halle would have a new board for Christmas because Rita tucked the card away.
We all decided to go surfing again. The young guys loved my new board and wanted to know where I got it. I showed it to the paparazzi when we came out of the water and told them. This time when I changed out of my suit, I put a towel in place. Maybe I was capable of learning.
◊◊◊
Rosy had the day off, so we decided to have lunch at a deli. This time it wasn�t the paparazzi who were the problem, it was the patrons. Rita James was enough to set them off, but my recent antics caused a feeding frenzy. Fans suddenly surrounded our table. That might have been okay, but as more people poured into the deli, it began to get tight in a hurry. I could see how someone might be hurt in the crush, so I stood up and pushed through the crowd to get outside.
I�ll admit that I�d had fantasies of fans groping me and later naughty things occurring. The reality wasn�t even close to my erotic dreams. Fritz and Flo were able to get Rita and Halle out of the deli and into the car. They had to wade into the fans to be able to get me out. When I got into the car, I found my shirt was ripped, and there were several scratches on my arms and neck. That had been a little unsettling.
�That was new,� I said.
�Something like that can get dangerous. We may need to rethink some things,� Fritz said.
�Maybe he shouldn�t be getting naked all the time,� Halle offered.
I stuck my tongue out at her. She just gave me a self-satisfied smirk. My naked butt had made the rounds. I would swear that Hollywood was worse than high school, as far as the gossip mill is concerned. At least I hadn�t given them the full Monty like that singer Blake Seaver had. I still chuckled when I remembered
�Let�s hope this calms down. We don�t want you to have to call ahead and close a store just so you can go shopping,� Rita said.
She was right. I didn�t want to have to be like Beyonc� and Jay Z. That would be nuts.
I think Rita threw that out there just to get my attention. She was right; I needed to reevaluate some things before this got out of hand.
When we arrived home, I was happy when Fritz handed me my sandwich. He was now officially my favorite security person.
◊◊◊
Halle hadn�t just said �No,� but
We first picked up Ridge and Bill from their dorms. Then we met Penny and Sage at Penny�s apartment. Hunter wasn�t able to meet us, so they suggested a restaurant where we could get some good food and then go to the party at Zak�s. We drove to the Food Haus Caf�, and everyone had Blue Burgers and Truffle Fries.
Fritz finally let me ride shotgun as he drove us all to Zak�s house. Zak was in a subdivision called Malibu Colony. The guard at the gate gave us the third degree before he let us in. If we hadn�t been on the list, we would�ve been turned away.
All the houses in the neighborhood were upscale, and when we pulled up in front of Zak�s home, it was no exception. Zak met us at the door.
�Everyone�s excited you�re here,� he said.
I wasn�t sure what that meant, so I introduced him to my friends. Fritz insisted that he�d hang out with the other bodyguards while we had fun. We walked into what looked like a large hallway with a twenty-foot vaulted ceiling and a fireplace at the end. Zak took us to the right, and we found a huge kitchen with food on all the countertops. That led to a dining area and then out back to a large patio where everyone seemed to be. I would later discover a path that led to a pool and tennis court where another group had congregated.
Ridge and Bill hit the bar while Zak took me around to meet everybody. It turned out he�d used my name to entice people to come to the party. I got the impression Zak had a bad reputation as a skirt-chaser. I hadn�t expected to recognize so many people from both film and TV.
There was some emergency with the food, which allowed me to finally ditch Zak. I found myself alone with a cute blonde.
�Sorry about that. I�m David,� I said to excuse Zak�s rude behavior.
�Sasha,� she said as she shook my hand.
�I never know what to say at one of these things,� I said.
�How about you get me another drink, and I coach you on what you need to know to survive these parties?�
She had a hint of an accent I couldn�t place. I got her drink and came back to find her fending off a young actor who was on
�Daniel, this is David. He�s my date tonight,� Sasha said.
�I heard you were single,� Daniel said, and then turned to look up at me.
It was funny to watch his confident demeanor take a hit when he saw who I was.
�You�re that flash-in-the-pan that just hit town,� he snapped.
�You got me,� I said and smiled. �I�ve enjoyed watching you grow up on TV. You�re a funny guy.�
Sasha gave me an appreciative look because I hadn�t reacted to his snide remark. Daniel wasn�t sure if I was being sincere or not.
�Sasha was about to introduce me around. You�re more than welcome to join us,� I offered.
I was surprised when he did. Sasha gave me a dirty look as I made her introduce me to all the celebrities she knew and tell them that I was her date. I�ve never been one to ham it up, so you can imagine how embarrassed she was. Many of these �celebrities� were people I�d never heard of.
I was a little starstruck when I met Forest Graham, who played a werewolf in the
When Daniel took his shot, I had to bite my tongue. I found out he was my age when Danica pointed out their age difference. Sasha rubbed up against me when Danica checked me out; I guess my new girlfriend was staking her claim. Danica found it amusing. I decided we needed to move on before it got ugly.
I introduced my new girlfriend and friend to everyone I brought with me. Daniel was a fan of USC football and latched onto Ridge and Bill. I stole their girlfriends. We discovered the pool area, and I kicked myself for not finding it sooner. There were girls in various states of undress. Apparently, Zak had decided to allow a girl to give him oral in a lounge chair. I was unhappy when Sasha, Penny, and Sage made me go back to the non-naked party. I decided to see if I could change their minds.
�How about this: I�ll strip down to my boxers. You could just take your tops off and fit in,� I offered.
�I�ve already seen you naked. Why would I want to just see you in your boxers?� Sage asked.
I thought back to our photo shoot in Napa Valley. We�d seen each other in various states of undress when we did it; though I didn�t remember being naked, it was possible. I did remember how flexible she was when she had hooked her toe behind my neck in a parking lot. Sage�s background was in ballet.
�Really? So have I,� Penny said.
That was a bad memory. She�d wanted a threesome with Ridge, and I�d said no, but she pushed it.
�What are they talking about? Do you get naked a lot?� Sasha asked.
�I model, and when you need to change outfits, you just do it.�
�Oh. I�ve done some modeling; I can see that happening,� Sasha said.
My expression dared Penny to say anything more. Fortunately, she played nice. When we got back, I took Daniel aside and told him what was down the path we�d just come back from. I never saw him again for the rest of the night.
We all found a table and relaxed. I got to know Sasha. She was originally from Australia but had moved to the States when she was twelve. She had done modeling, cut a record, and was now on a hit TV show. It was one of those chick ones, so I�d never watched it. It turned out she was just a year older than me.
I really enjoyed her company until she got drunk.
�I want to have sex,� she slurred.
�You�ve had too much to drink,� I said. �Let me take you home.�
�No. I want to see if your tool is as big as they say.�
I looked at Penny and Sage, and neither of them would look back at me.
�You�d have sex with me,� she said as she reached for Bill�s lap and rubbed his crotch.
I believe the only two sober people at the table were Sage and myself. Bill, Ridge, and Penny had hit the free bar hard. I looked at Sage as Bill let Sasha rub his dick.
�Why don�t we all find a room and have some fun?� Penny asked.
�Yeah, like a road trip,� Bill said.
I cringed at Sage�s expression. Penny seemed to know all about it because she just giggled.
�Do you think we can use a bedroom?� Ridge asked.
I sighed. I didn�t want this crew running amok in Zak�s house.
�Let me see,� I said and sent Zak a text.
I was surprised when he sent me one right back. There was a guest bedroom on the main floor I could use if no one else was using it. I led them to the room and was stunned when they just started stripping off clothes. Sage and I looked on. I guess I wasn�t surprised when Penny and Bill kissed like they were lovers. Ridge leaned back and let Sasha give him oral.
I wasn�t into watching my friends have sex, so I stepped out the door. Sage followed me.
�Did that just happen?� Sage asked.
I just shrugged. What could I possibly say to make this better?
�How long has this been going on?� she asked.
�I�ve no idea.�
She shook her head.
�Can I get a ride home?� she asked.
I sent a text to Zak to let him know my friends were using his bedroom, and I was leaving. I sent another one to Fritz to let him know we were ready to go. We made our way outside, and Fritz was pulling around. When we were situated and began our ride to Sage�s place, she grabbed my hand. I gave her a weak smile but didn�t pull it away. I couldn�t compound things by encouraging Sage to do anything she wouldn�t normally do.
It turned out that she didn�t live too far away. She had a condo in a modern, upscale building.
�Will you come up? I really don�t want to be alone tonight.�
�No, I�d better not. I want us to be friends after tonight, and friends don�t take advantage of their friends,� I explained.
�This might be a onetime offer,� she said to put the pressure on.
�Take my number. If you want to talk, or more, call me. I�ve always been attracted to you, but I don�t want our first time to be like this,� I said.
�I understand,� she said and then sent me a text to make sure I hadn�t given her a bogus number.
�What are you going to do about your new girlfriend?�
�I think I�m looking for someone who only sleeps with me,� I said with a smile.
Our eyes locked. I couldn�t believe conservative Bill would give up someone like Sage just to sleep with Penny and Sasha. He�d always been the one to hold us back when we wanted to go a little wild. I wondered if Ridge and Penny were the ones who had corrupted my friend. If you�d asked me before tonight if he would ever do something like this, I would�ve said no. Sage looked doubtful.
�I might have a one-night stand, but for a girlfriend, I want it to be just the two of us,� I said.
�Okay, I believe that. Let me get this mess worked out, and then I�ll call you,� Sage said.
�I look forward to it,� I said and kissed her.
�Thanks, David,� she said and got out of the car.
�Rough night?� Fritz asked on the ride home.
�Young people and alcohol,� I said.
Fritz got the message that I didn�t want to talk about it.
◊◊◊
Chapter 18 � Searching for Clarity Monday December 7
Sunday I�d been a complete slug and did nothing but go to church and watch some movies. Rita was convinced my education wasn�t complete and decided there were films I needed to see. I enjoyed
Apparently, the paparazzi were slugs, too, because none of them were waiting for us when we ran. As we came back home, Caryn was pulling into the driveway from her weekend at her mom and dad�s. I showered as she unpacked. I couldn�t believe she�d taken her clothes home to have them washed. After all, if you put them in the hamper, they magically reappeared in your closet a couple of days later. What she did seemed too much like work.
◊◊◊
When we arrived at the set, I found I had one scene first thing in the morning and then another at the end of the day. After I finished my first scene, Caryn, Fritz, and I left to go to my baseball training. I was happy to see Ray warming up and watched until he was ready. It looked like the couple of days of rest had done him some good. His curveball and slider were breaking like crazy.
Coach Revilla came out, took his position, and nodded to Coach Boyd to begin. I mentally ran through the five steps: rhythm, seeing the ball, separation, staying square, and weight shift and transfer. I stepped into the box, and Ray overthrew a fastball. What happened when you did that was they tended to rise. I saw it as soon as it came out of his hand. I concentrated on my mechanics, and from the crack of the bat, I knew I got all of it. If there hadn�t been a net, it might�ve ended up in the parking lot.
�Shake it off! Go again,� Coach Boyd told Ray.
The next pitch was a slider that dipped away for a ball.
�Good eye,� Coach Revilla said.
Then Ray unleashed a curveball that looked like it was coming at my head. I stood in and ripped it right back at him. That was a sure double. Today they weren�t stopping to coach us. You could feel the intensity level amp up. Ray had seen two of his first three pitches get tagged. He seemed ready to show up this high school kid.
The next pitch, he did just that. I misread it, and the curveball had me looking foolish. Coach Revilla didn�t say a word. I felt myself fall into the zone. For the next thirty pitches, I put on a hitting show; I just couldn�t miss. When Ray finally got so frustrated he threw at me, we called it a day.
Coach Revilla didn�t comment on my hitting today. He gave me a new drill to do on the batting tee and said he would see me Wednesday.
◊◊◊
Caryn had come with us because I had a meeting with Laurent Vance, a director. He�d been green-lighted to make a movie called
Saul had called Caryn and said the director wanted to meet with me to see if we could work together. It was supposed to be just a friendly hello.
We arrived at the Soho House in West Hollywood and were whisked to the northeast corner of the upper-level garden. I looked around and saw actress Tansy Williams having lunch with three other people who appeared to be lawyers. Mr. Vance looked like he�d just crawled out of bed.
�Sit and listen,� he began. �I didn�t want you for this role, but the studio has forced you upon me. I have no interest in dealing with the flavor of the month and making him into a star. Why don�t you do everyone a favor and drop out of this picture?
�Order what you want. I have other things to do,� Mr. Vance said and got up and left.
�Well, bite me,� I said when he left.
�I think you should do it,� Caryn said.
�Well, screw you,� I shot back.
�Do you think he meant it when he said lunch was on him?� Caryn asked.
I called over the waiter, and he confirmed that lunch was on Mr. Vance. I stood up and walked over to Tansy Williams� table.
�Excuse me, may I ask you a question?�
Even Tansy could give me �the look.� I held up my hands and mouthed �sorry.�
�What did you want?� Tansy asked.
�Do you come here often?�
�Some.�
�I just had a jerk French director tell me why he didn�t want to work with me. He made the mistake of leaving his credit card to pay for our lunch,� I said, pointing at Caryn.
For some reason, Caryn acted like she didn�t know me.
�I was wondering if you might help me decide what to eat? Possibly even a bottle of wine or two,� I suggested.
Tansy smiled.
�Let me finish up, and I�ll join you,� she said.
I sauntered back to our table, where Caryn looked panic-stricken.
�What did you just do?� she hissed at me.
�I thought we might need help spending Mr. Vance�s money. Tansy looked like she�d been here before and would be able to help,� I said.
When Tansy�s meeting broke up, she came and joined us.
�Tansy, this is Caryn Buckley, my manager,� I said by way of introduction.
Tansy looked at me. I played dumb as if she should know who I was. I thought Caryn was going to have kittens.
�This is David A. Dawson,� Caryn said.
Tansy pulled her phone out and looked me up. I really couldn�t blame her.
�Who was the French director who gave you a hard time?� Tansy asked.
�Laurent Vance. Do you know him?� I asked.
�No, but I�ve heard rumors,� she said and then smiled. �I believe someone mentioned wine.�
It turned out that the Soho House was a members-only club. If I ever lived in LA, I would want to be a member. They served a spicy tuna appetizer that confirmed I loved tuna. I had a barbecued carrot salad and black truffle and goat cheese pizza, two dishes I�d never had before, and loved. I do know that Tansy and Caryn polished off two bottles of a chardonnay that were $240 each.
Tansy was funny after she�d had some wine. She dropped into her Tennessee accent and regaled us with stories. I had to leave Caryn because I had one more scene to shoot. I invited Tansy to dinner at Rita�s house, and to my surprise, she accepted.
◊◊◊
On the way back to the studio, Saul called. I�d told Fritz the story, and he wanted to hear what Saul had to say, so I put it on speaker.
�Hey, what�s up, Saul?�
�Hey, I got some feedback from the frog director.�
�Listen �� I said, starting to explain what happened.
�He loved you.�
�Really?�
�They want to wrap you up in a scarf and give you a baguette.�
I mouthed �He loved me� and then acted like I was blowing my brains out, which caused Fritz to snort.
�They want to throw four million at you.�
�You�re kidding,� I deadpanned.
�You smiling?� he asked.
�Yeah, yeah. I�m smiling,� I said with a frown.
Fritz was having trouble holding in the laughter.
�Can you hear me smiling? You got my balls tingling. Call me.�
�Yeah, I�ll talk to you later.�
Fritz finally burst out laughing, and I joined in. That movie was never happening. Someone was jerking Saul�s chain.
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, I had Halle and Rita with me. Rosy came stomping out of the kitchen.
�You, you,� she huffed and then turned around and stomped back to the kitchen.
�Does she do that often?� I asked.
�I�ve never seen her do that. Something you might want to tell me?� Rita asked.
I heard laughter in the kitchen. Rita and Halle looked at me and decided it would be easier to just go see what was going on.
�Rita, Halle, when did you get back?� Tansy asked.
It was apparent they were friends. I ran upstairs and took a shower. The last scene had me running all over, and the James women wanted to go home before I was able to take one in my trailer. When I was done, I walked downstairs and hugged Rosy to make up. She explained that if I ever invited someone like Tansy over unannounced again, I would be in trouble. I just told her, �I no speak English.�
The women broke out more wine after dinner, so I retreated to my room. I needed to prepare for my commercial tomorrow. I had a couple of lines and had to learn them phonetically. They had emailed me audio bites that I repeated until I sounded like the recording. I had no idea what I was saying; I was trusting they wouldn�t have me say anything too terrible.
◊◊◊
Halle came into my room just as I was about ready to go to bed.
I recited my first line in the commercial.
�Are you the lead in the next Godzilla movie?� she teased.
I gave her the second line and pointed in front of me.
�I see. You�ve discovered a monster and need my help to slay it.�
This game was starting to be fun. I said my last line as sexily as I could, and Halle laughed at me. I grabbed her and roared. She squealed so loud that Rita came bursting in. Halle was over my shoulder, and I was about to spank her butt. I looked at Rita and repeated my first line.
Maybe I misheard, but I think she called me retarded as she left. I swatted Halle�s bottom and gently laid her down on my bed.
�How does your mom know Tansy?� I asked.
�They did
�How big a dork does Tansy think I am?�
�She likes you. She felt bad about lunch and paid for it.�
�You want to hear something funny? They offered me the job even after the director tried to run me off,� I said.
�Saul called Caryn, and she told him what was said. Saul didn�t care. He said let them pay you four million and then kick you off the set.�
�I�m not sure I could do that.�
�It�s only a four-week shoot for you. I could put up with a lot for four million,� Halle said.
I hadn�t thought of it in those terms. Mr. Vance could scream at me the whole time if he wanted. Maybe I�d ask my mom to practice on me so I could handle it.
Halle and I talked for a while, and then she went to her room. There was no need to make things awkward for Rita. We were sure she knew we were having sex, but I respected her too much to toss it in her face.
◊◊◊ Tuesday December 8
It turned out some other celeb had done something stupid, and there were no more paparazzi at our gates. We were just about ready to go to my sunglasses advertisement shoot when my phone rang. I can�t say it was a surprise to see it was Bill, but what did surprise me was it took him so long to call. I answered as Caryn and I got into the car.
�What did you say to Sage?� he asked.
I sighed. I guess I needed to play along.
�What are you talking about, Bill?�
�She won�t answer my calls. I drove over to her condo, and they won�t let me in. Apparently, she left town to take a job. I know you left with her. What did you say?� he asked.
�Bill, do I really need to explain it to you? The last she saw of you was when you crawled into bed with Penny.�
�And you took advantage of it. Sage told me you were interested. Don�t deny it.�
�Of course I was interested.�
�So you did sleep with her,� Bill accused.
�Bill, you know me. When have I ever slept with a girl who�s dating someone, especially a friend�s girl?� I asked.
�That�s just it. You might have thought Sage and I were done. I wanted you to know that isn�t the case.�
�I would probably disagree with you, but I assure you I�ve never slept with Sage,� I said.
�God damn it, David! What am I supposed to do? I love her.�
�I understand, but I don�t see how you can come back from this one. You admitted to sleeping around on her when you go to away games. It was obvious that you and Penny had been together before. If you were going to do that, you needed to talk to Sage before it ever happened. You can�t expect her to take you back after you didn�t man-up and tell her what you either planned to do or did,� I said.
�See, that�s why you�re abnormal. No guy in his right mind would ever tell his girl he planned to have sex with other girls at away games. He most certainly wouldn�t tell her about his threesomes with Ridge and Penny.�
�I don�t know what to tell you then. The reason I�m �abnormal� is that I don�t want something like this happening to me. Let me give you some advice because we�re friends: the best way to get over this is to find someone and spend the day in bed with her. I�m sure Penny would be willing to help you out. Believe me, you�ll feel much better afterward,� I said.
�I call bullshit.�
�Perhaps, but what do you have to lose?� I asked.
He actually laughed.
�Screw you, Dawson,� Bill said and hung up on me.
�What was that about?� Caryn asked.
I told her about the weekend, and my friend getting drunk, and him both revealing secrets and having sex with one of his girlfriend�s friends.
�So, your advice was that he should have told her beforehand?� she asked.
I explained my theory on communication and how you wouldn�t know what you could or couldn�t do unless you talked about it. Caryn didn�t believe me, so I had her call Harper, and let Harper explain about the sorority party we�d gone to.
When they rang off, Caryn turned to me with �the look.� I was beginning to believe it was the one truly devastating weapon every girl in existence had honed to a killing edge.
�Caryn, open communication is everything. While I agree that you need some secrets in a relationship, I believe it�s important that you and your partner agree on what�s acceptable. You�ll never know until you talk.�
�It�s been my experience that anytime someone wanted to �talk,� it was to pressure me into doing something I usually wouldn�t do.�
�Like what?� I asked.
�What do you mean, like what?�
�Like a for-instance.�
�I don�t know. Maybe something like, I don�t want to do anal sex,� Caryn said.
�Have you ever tried it?�
�Shut up! When did this become about me?� she asked.
�I was just trying to find out if you�d had a bad experience. Maybe he didn�t know how to do it right,� I said.
�Screw you, David,� Caryn said and ignored me the rest of the trip.
◊◊◊
I discovered I had an accent. Even though I said the words exactly like on the tape, they told me I had an accent. I spent the first hour on set working with a dialogue coach to get rid of my accent. I�m not joking, I said it precisely the same way, and they were happy. My opinion was they were just messing with me.
I was never really clear on what the ad was about. They had me stand in an alley in a rumpled suit and then put on their sunglasses. They did a close up of me with a goofy grin on my face. The next shot I was in a crisp suit on the beach with a bevy of Japanese babes. It seemed the sunglasses had some kind of magical powers.
Then for some reason, I had to fight off twenty guys. I had a blast with that part. They hooked me up on wires, enabling me to jump and fight through the sky. I guess that was popular in Japan. What I couldn�t believe was that I made as much as four Range Sports week-long modeling gigs, working for just one day making a commercial.
At the end of the day, I met with a representative of the company. He presented me with a briefcase that held six pair of women�s sunglasses and six men�s. They were a combination of platinum and gold and were their high-end signature samples that they only made a handful of each year. It was a gift of thanks. His assistant told Caryn that the sunglasses were the equivalent in status in Japan to wearing a Rolex watch.
◊◊◊
I was out of it for the rest of the day. At the dojo, I couldn�t concentrate and had my head handed to me. Fritz sent me to the showers for fear I�d get hurt. After dinner, Caryn pulled me aside.
�What�s wrong?� she asked.
�I don�t know. This all just seems a little surreal.�
�What do you mean?�
�I don�t know. Looking back to middle school, I was a nerd headed down the wrong path. I understand that I worked hard to get here and made the choice to do all this. What I don�t know is what�s next. I�ve always worked hard to become the best at anything I do. When I started playing football, I got the coaching and trained to become a top-flight quarterback. I�ve worked with tutors and studied my butt off to get good grades. When I was asked to do a movie, I took a college acting class and trained so I wouldn�t embarrass myself. As a model, I�ve worked with some of the best and learned so much from Adrienne. Probably my greatest love is baseball, and I�m getting hitting instruction from a major-league hitting coach. Heck, I�ve even gone to a hooker to learn how to be better in bed.
�I guess I�m searching for clarity. Where�s all this leading to?� I asked.
Caryn gave me a sober, thoughtful look.
�Do you know why I really took this job? It wasn�t because I was pissed at Devin and Cora. Well, that did play a role in it, but it was because of you. Devin Range admires you. He says there are only a handful of people in this world like you. Most people have dreams and plans for their future. Some even partially succeed. Devin told me you were different. He said that if you decided to do something, you�d do whatever it takes to get it done. He marveled at how intelligent you were to seek out and find the right people to help you. Devin said you surround yourself with like-minded people and build relationships to achieve your goals.
�I�ll be honest, I had doubts that a junior in high school could do everything Devin told me you�d done, so I checked you out. The reason I took this job was because of your potential. I could�ve taken a job with a large firm and worked my way up the ladder. I have my MBA from UC Berkeley. My counterparts with whom I graduated are all pulling down high incomes, but they�re just cogs in some big corporate machine.�
�Are you saying you need a raise?� I asked.
�No. In all seriousness, money isn�t what motivates me. What you pay me is more than enough to cover my expenses and allow me to take a nice vacation if I want. What I want to do is help you take that potential and turn it into something truly grand and truly lasting.
�Today was a perfect example. You made a ridiculous amount of money for a day�s work. You�re not stupid. If they want to give you that kind of money to wear their sunglasses, I�m sure you�ll do it. I also know that you�ll want to use that money to do something productive, be it your charity work or possibly buying that farm.
�I understand you feel adrift. Making a large amount of money, and the attention you get in this town, can be overwhelming. You can handle it. You mentioned you were searching for clarity. For me, that means creating a plan,� Caryn said.
That caught my attention. I hadn�t forgotten my life goals, but Uncle John had said that as I got older and things changed, I�d need to revisit them and make adjustments. Caryn and I spent the rest of the evening talking about my goals. At first, she was surprised that I had them, but she began to see how they helped me remain focused and keep my eye on the prize. Caryn explained that I needed to create a new set of goals and a plan for my business. She assured me she would help me do that.
I was discovering that hiring Caryn was a much better decision than I�d initially realized. I knew we had a lot to learn, but I felt we could do it together. After our talk, I better understood how she would fit in and help me. I didn�t exactly have clarity yet, but now felt that I saw a path to getting it.
◊◊◊ Wednesday December 9
Today we met at Dedeaux Field, USC�s home baseball field, for my hitting practice. Coach Revilla wanted me to get some batting practice on a real baseball field. Coach Boyd brought with him a new prospect and one of his Triple-A pitchers who was being evaluated after a rehab.
The prospect was up first, and Coach Revilla told me a little about him before we got started.
�This kid is from Belize, and they thought enough of him to fly him up for a look. He claims to be nineteen, but you can never tell with these guys. The book on him is that he throws hard, so I want you to protect yourself. If you�re going to hit this guy, you�ll need to be aggressive. Remember the five steps and don�t overswing. With his velocity, you should be able to pop it out of the park if you get hold of it like I taught you.�
My first at-bat, he struck me out on three straight pitches. I had a good cut at each one, but he just threw it past me. What had me confused was his ball seemed to move unpredictably. Coach Boyd said all three pitches were in the high 90s.
My next at-bat I swung and missed the first time. I stepped out of the box, visualized success, and took a couple of deep breaths to calm myself. On the next pitch, I saw the ball well as it came out of his hand. When I get into the zone, everything seems to slow down a little, and it gave me the time to see where the ball was going to end up. I was just under it and hit a towering ball that flew almost straight up. They called it an out because it would have been easy to field.
I got all of the ensuing pitch. Coach Revilla was right, I didn�t need to try to crush it to get it out of the park. The following pitch I hit even harder, and the prospect�s head snapped around as he watched it leave the park. The pitch after that, I was clipped in the helmet as he tried to put the ball in my ear. Before I had a chance to pick myself up, Coach Revilla had hold of me so I wouldn�t kick the pitcher�s ass.
Coach Boyd dressed him down in Spanish. The prospect got a determined expression and looked to be focused. My next at-bat I fouled off six straight pitches. He decided to get cute and threw three pitches outside the strike zone to see if I�d chase them. Coach Revilla complimented me for having a good eye and taking those pitches. On the last pitch, everyone knew he had to throw a strike. Thankfully I had focused on the five steps because he threw a changeup. I was still a little ahead of the ball and ended up driving it down the third base line for a hit.
Coach Boyd then brought in his Triple-A pitcher. This guy was a completely different animal. His balls came at different angles, release points, speeds, and broke unexpectedly. Coach Revilla smiled as he tied me up in knots. I did get a couple of hits, but that was all luck. At no point did I feel I was in charge as I had with the other pitchers I faced.
�Was that a little different?� Coach Revilla asked.
�I�ll say. I have a long way to go to be able to compete at that level,� I admitted.
�You see why batting averages aren�t five hundred in the majors. Next time I�ll teach you how to fight off pitches until you get one you like. Given time, you can hit someone like him. You just need to see a lot of pitches.�
He gave me my tee-ball practice notes, and we called it a day.
◊◊◊
We arrived back at the studio in time for lunch. Typically, they had something brought in, but I decided to go to the cafeteria instead when all I saw was rabbit food. Zak and Jessup chose to join me. The cafeteria was almost full. They were doing a Roman gladiator type of show, and there were quite a few extras in costume. The last time I�d been here, there were cowboys and 1920s gangsters.
I was glad I�d brought Jessup because he showed me how to charge my lunch to the movie. We had a pleasant meal, and I apologized to Zak about my friends. He made it sound like it wasn�t a big deal, so I dropped it. When we were about ready to leave, Chubby Feldman sat down with us. Zak suddenly got quiet.
�Just the young man I wanted to talk to. When are we meeting? Have you had a chance to read the script?� he asked.
He was talking about the James Bond script.
�I thought Saul was setting that up,� I said.
�So you�re interested?� he asked, and I was surprised that he seemed nervous.
�Who wouldn�t be? I bet it�ll be a great movie.�
�I hear you had lunch with Laurent Vance. Are they considering you for
�Saul said they wanted me, but I�m not sure Mr. Vance does. He told me he wanted someone with more experience.�
�It doesn�t matter what he wants, the studio wants you. I�d bet they�ll throw money at you to smooth things over. You should do it. If you have a good offer in hand, it�ll show the producers of the other movies you�re exploring that you warrant more money,� Chubby advised.
�I�d decided against it,� I admitted.
�No, no, don�t make that mistake,� Chubby said.
I just nodded. I would have to think hard about doing the movie if he advised that I do it.
�What else are you looking at?� Chubby asked.
�I have an audition for the Disney spinoff, the one from the
�Good. Have Saul call me and confirm a meeting. I want to talk to you about what we plan to do,� Chubby said.
�Is there a role for me?� Zak blurted.
Chubby gave me a look as if to ask if we were a package deal. I gave a slight shrug.
�Have your agent send me over your information,� Chubby said neutrally.
Chubby had somewhere else to be, and we needed to get back to the set.
◊◊◊
Doing magic was hard. Of course, I couldn�t do
The scene was set in a basement of an abandoned house deep in the woods. The group had decided to make it their home base. It had been where their parents had established their circle. Halle�s character Cassie was the missing part that made their magic work to its full potential. On their own, they were able to do minor things, like light a candle or move a book, but with Cassie, they could light a thousand candles.
Leah�s character Diana was their leader and wanted to explore their capabilities before trying anything too elaborate. The problem with magic was that if it got out of control, it could kill you. That was what had happened to their parents� circle: some of them had died when their magic went wild.
In this scene, Tanya�s character Faye was tired of all the rules. She was the wild child of the group, and she and Zak�s character Jake had an on-again/off-again thing for each other.
Jessup�s special-effects people had built a replica of the basement over a wind tunnel. They wanted to have the air circulating so fast that it created a tornado-like effect. The idea was for things to start to move, and before long books and anything loose would begin to fly around the room. They put something down in the center of the room so we would be in a �safe� zone as debris flew around us.
Diana: �The circle is now complete. Concentrate on your wish so that it will come true.�
Action: Everyone closes their eyes and does their spell. A breeze begins to circle around them.
Jake: �What�s happening?�
Action: The wind intensifies. Everyone looks around except Faye. She continues to concentrate.
Diana: �Faye, stop! Faye!�
That was when they turned up the fan. Crap began to fly around the room like they wanted, except if it bounced off a wall, it might zing into the �safe� zone. Zak was the first one to get whacked. I thought he was acting when he slumped over. I guess things weren�t flying around fast enough, because they turned it up even more. That was when the flooring protecting the �safe� zone gave way, and we lifted off the ground. Tanya�s eyes snapped open when she felt her butt leave the floor. That was the cue to stop the mini tornado. Everything, including us, crashed to the floor.
Zak, who played Jake, had a final line, but he looked out of it, so I did it.
Jake: �Is everyone okay?�
Action: Room is plunged into darkness.
�Cut,� Jessup called.
None of us escaped unscathed. I was lucky and only had a couple of scratches on my arms. Leah had the beginnings of a black eye. Zak was taken to medical to be checked out.
They had to stop for the day. I hoped they got what they wanted because I wasn�t sure I would go back into that again.
◊◊◊
Since we had the rest of the day off, Halle decided to go shopping. Rita was busy dealing with what had just happened. I wandered back to my trailer and found Fritz and Caryn there, and we decided to go home.
�Let�s work on our business plan,� Caryn suggested.
We started by looking at my life goals.
Financial Stability
a)��� Comfortable Life
b)��� Good Education
Physically Fit
Solid Moral Foundation
a)��� Religion / Faith
b)��� Man of Integrity (Man of my word)
c)���� No Gossip
d)��� Think before saying �yes�
e)��� Learn to say �no�
Healthy Sex Life
No Regrets
Make a Difference
�Looking at this, how many hookers could I buy for half a million?� I asked.
�I suspect that would go against your first goal of financial stability.�
Caryn got us focused, and it became apparent that I didn�t want to just put my money into a stock portfolio. Something that kept hitting me in the face was the last goal, to make a difference.
�Here�s where I�m having a problem. I want to help people, but I also want to make money. Are the two mutually exclusive?� I asked.
We went around and around about what to do. Something Caryn pointed out was that I needed to spend money before the end of the year or I�d have a huge tax bill. While I believed in paying my fair share, I didn�t believe in giving it away.
We took a break, and I left to find Rosy. She made me a sandwich. Caryn was busy making phone calls, so I decided to go to the exercise room and lift. It felt good to get a serious workout in. When I was done, Caryn was ready for me.
�I called one of my professors and explained what we were working on and the dilemma we had about making money and helping people. He reminded me of an old proverb: �Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.� He suggested that you have a job-training aspect to your business. I told him about the farm you were considering buying and how it was labor-intensive.
�I also told him about the charities you currently support, and he came up with an idea. If you buy the farm, why not allow the pregnant women to earn extra money working there?� she asked.
�Some of them might also need housing. My friend Peggy is staying in my apartment while I�m here. I�m sure other girls might need the same,� I said.
�You�ll need someone to help train them and give them skills they can use in finding a job,� Caryn said.
Ever have one of those moments when everything comes together in your head? I guess you would say I found my clarity.
�There�s a community of Mennonites who live near the farm I�m looking at. There are women in the community who helped homeschool some of my classmates. I bet they�d be willing to help teach the girls we�d be helping, both toward their GED if needed and to learn skills on the farm. The Mennonite Church is active in helping the community. What if we partnered with them?� I suggested.
�You could even start a farm stand where you�d sell produce raised on the farm. For the girls who didn�t want to learn farm activities, they could at least learn about running a retail business,� Caryn said.
�I think we have a start. We need to talk to my mom about buying the farm first. I want to make sure my grandma would help oversee things. I�m sure there�s lots more that�ll need to be done to get the farm back up and running.�
Caryn kicked me out so she could get started. It was exciting to see her get excited about helping me achieve my business goals.
◊◊◊
What better way to enjoy a Southern California afternoon than to go surfing? Fritz and I had a great time. You could tell when school let out; I smiled when the usual guys showed up. One of them had a new board from the surf shop I�d bought mine at. He�d gotten a mermaid with her bare chest on display. His friends teased him that his mom must not have seen it yet.
There were a couple of paparazzi taking our pictures.
�You someone famous?�
�Not really. I�m filming a movie and got the afternoon off,� I said.
�What year are you?�
�I�m a junior in high school.�
�Who�s the old guy? Is he some kind of perv?�
�He�s teaching me to surf,� I said.
Yep. That was all the interrogation I got. I was now one of the guys.
◊◊◊
After surfing, we drove to the dojo to practice. Fritz had me pounding a body bag. Cassidy had taught me mostly open-hand strikes. Fritz explained that there were times when you would need to just beat someone.
We also worked on my core so I could take a punch better. He put boxing gloves on Paul and let him punch me in the gut. Fritz told me that most people would hit you with a closed fist, and there were times you needed to be able to take a punch. Paul was disappointed when I was able to withstand his punches. What he didn�t know was that Cassidy had been teaching me Tai Chi. Those lessons included how to avoid the worst of a blow by twisting my body to lessen the impact.
I wanted my chance to punch Paul, but Fritz had decided he wanted to keep him around and had me pound the bag instead.
Once we warmed up, Fritz worked with us on how to disarm someone. He quickly ran through moves I�d learned. When Fritz would find one I didn�t know, he�d slow down until I had the basics. He promised we would work on them over the next few weeks. I had visions of disarming Cassidy when I got home.
◊◊◊
After dinner, Halle and I watched the movie
Caryn found us when the movie was almost over.
�Would you give me another massage?� she asked.
Halle wanted to get to bed early, so I took Caryn to the exercise room. Greg had express-mailed some oils and a cream with analgesic that the trainers had used on me. For Caryn, I used the cream.
�What did you do to your back to mess it up so much?� I asked.
�I slipped on some black ice. At first, I thought I�d just wrenched it, but it hasn�t been getting better. That is until you gave me that massage.�
�If it doesn�t get better, you might want to get it checked,� I said.
I felt up and down her spine, and nothing seemed to be out of whack. It seemed to be just muscle tightness. I dug in and gave her another hour session.
I was cleaning up when a haggard Rita came in with a robe on.
�Did you just get home?� I asked.
�I got here about a half hour ago and grabbed a quick sandwich. Halle said you were giving massages. Am I in time to get one?� she asked.
�You look like you need the full treatment. Come sit down, and I�ll start with a scalp massage.�
Rita sat down, and I began to work on her head and neck. While I had her like this, I also did her face.
�You�re a genius. I was starting to get a splitting headache, and now it�s gone.�
�Get on the table, and I�ll do your back. Do you want cinnamon, vanilla, or lavender?� I asked.
She came over and smelled them all.
�The cinnamon is different. I�ll try that.�
I hadn�t forgotten the last massage and held my breath to see if she was naked under the robe. When she dropped it, she was facing away from me, and she treated me to her bare bottom and some side boob. I grabbed a towel and covered her butt.
�Aren�t you going to take your shirt off? I�d hate to get it messed up,� Rita reasoned.
My offer to take my pants off as well remained unspoken. I could only foresee bad things happening if I did that. Well, not bad, but I needed to consider Halle. It wasn�t her fault her mom was a MILF.
When I started on her back, it confirmed she�d had a bad day. I worked to help her with her tension. I knew when I was tired and tense, I didn�t sleep very well. A massage worked wonders.
As I massaged Rita, I began to feel a noticeable problem growing in my pants. Boxer shorts and slacks were not the best at hiding it. I was sure Rita had seen my arousal. She moved her hand up from her side to rest under her head, and the back of her hand �accidentally� brushed against my now hard member. So I was certain she was aware. Both Mr. Happy and I were at least 80% sure if we made a move, Rita would be open to it. It was that 20% and Halle that held me back.
I switched from her back to her feet. I noticed that her legs were spread wider than they�d been the last time. The towel did nothing to cover her fuzzy sex. The bonus to this angle was that it allowed me to readjust myself so I was going down a pant leg.
As I worked on her legs and moved up towards her upper thighs, I could smell her arousal over the cinnamon scent of the oil.
�My butt is sore from sitting most of the day,� she told me.
I wasn�t Superman. Well, part of me was made of steel right now. I took a deep breath, removed her towel, and started in. In my mind, I was starting to justify getting on the table so I could straddle her legs to give her a better massage. I mentally slapped myself because I could tell the little head had come up with that brilliant plan. Then again, when Mr. Happy took over, good things happened.
I guess I spaced out working her firm butt over because I was shocked when she rolled over and smiled at me.
�Do I get a happy ending?� she asked.
For a split second, I thought about using my �no regrets� card. Then I remembered I would regret losing Halle as a friend. I saw Rita start when she realized what she�d just said. I tossed her robe to her, but also managed to look her in the eye and say calmly that I�d need to think about that. When had my voice become so husky?
I did manage to grab my shirt and make a dignified exit, rather than just bolting from the room.
A few seconds later, I burst into Halle�s room, but she wasn�t there. Before I panicked and did unspeakable things to Caryn, I went to my room. Halle was on my bed with nothing on but a smile. The poor girl had never experienced �Cave Man� David.
I grunted, and clothes started flying. Halle let out a loud �oomph� as I picked her up and positioned her so her butt was on the side of the bed. I hooked her legs, put them on my shoulders, and began to devour her sex. It was full-mouthed, sloppy, animalistic oral sex. There was no technique or style to it. My only goal was to get her wet enough to stuff her full of my member. I would have done just that, but Halle had ahold of both my ears and was grinding against my mouth.
Ever since I�d taken her virginity, I�d made sure it was always about Halle. She seemed to respond to more gentle lovemaking. Now, though, she obviously loved this change of pace. Halle finally climaxed and let go of me. While she caught her breath, I put on a condom. Then it was game on.
I covered her body and let nature take its course. Halle raised her knees, and the next thing I knew, she�d wrapped her legs around my lower back. I pushed up on my hands so I could see my flat stomach slap against hers as we wildly made love.
�That�s right! Do me with your big tool!� Halle yelled.
So much for us being considerate to Rita.
�Jam that monster into my tiny little tunnel!�
Halle was a woman possessed. She dug her claws into my back as she slammed our hips together. Her tiny little kitty began to milk me, and I climaxed so hard it almost hurt.
When we finally calmed down, I reached down and grabbed the condom. It was good that I was in the habit of doing that because it wanted to slide off. I�d come so hard I almost filled it. I took a hot shower, and Halle joined me. We climbed into bed naked, and both fell asleep right away.
Halle James felt right in my arms. LA and this lifestyle were starting to feel right. I knew my life was changing, and I could see living it with Halle at my side. I was afraid Brook was right. The more time it was just the two of us, the more likely it was that we would end up together.
◊◊◊
Chapter 19 � Release the Hound Thursday December 10
Saul was in a tizzy. Caryn and I�d been summoned to his office. Our set was still shut down while everyone healed up enough that some makeup would cover our injuries. At least, that was the story we were given. Halle told me that the studio shut it down to assure all safety measures were in place. She said that insurance was a huge issue, and if the studio breached their agreement, they might have to shut down all filming because of the exposure to risk.
�We have the final cut of
MGM and Sony had done the last three James Bond movies. Warner Brothers had taken Sony�s spot when their deal was completed. Rumors were flying that Daniel Craig was balking at playing James Bond again, due to his desire to be around his family. The studios were offering to shoot a compressed timeline and do two movies back-to-back. The latest rumor was he�d been offered one hundred million to do the deal.
Disney owned Lucasfilm, and they were responsible for the
�When�s this supposed to happen?� Caryn asked.
�In half an hour.�
�Jesus, Saul,� Caryn complained. �You could�ve given us a little notice.�
�Listen, Princess, they heard it was out and wanted to see it. If they want to see it, we�re showing them the damn film. They just need to be reassured that David can handle a movie of this caliber.�
�You call me �Princess� one more time, and I�m going to hurt you,� Caryn warned.
�I think she likes me,� Saul said to me with a smile.
�So, what do I need to do?� I asked.
�Just be there. If they have any questions, let me handle it,� Saul said.
Caryn and I left his office to wait for the executives from the studios to show up.
�You need a new agent,� Caryn said.
�I agree that he�s a jerk, but let�s see what he does. If he can get me one of these films, he�ll be worth keeping around.�
�Results matter, but he�s representing you, and his actions reflect on you.�
She had a point.
I was happy to see Chubby Feldman. He had people from MGM and Warner Brothers with him. I was surprised to see Halle, Rita, and Jessup in the crowd that was drinking coffee and eating bagels, waiting for the theater to open. Right at ten a.m., the doors opened. Saul�s agency had a small thirty-person theater for the screening of a movie. I sat in the second row, between Chubby and Caryn.
As the lights dimmed, I saw the theater was full. It looked like Saul�s people had been invited to join us. It was my understanding that this was the first showing of the film outside the studio.
I was both amazed and mortified at the same time. What amazed me was how good the final product looked once they�d done all their magic to it. I was mortified because it was hard to see myself on film. Rumor had it that Megan Fox and Robert Pattinson both hated to watch themselves. I finally had to convince myself that it wasn�t me up there on the big screen.
Halfway through the movie, where I navigate the maze of tunnels and have my big sword-fight scene, Chubby touched my arm.
�This is going to be a hit,� he whispered.
When the credits finally rolled, the lights came up. I made my way to the lobby area and found Rita, Jessup, and Halle.
�Tell me what you honestly thought. Don�t sugarcoat it,� I said.
�Your butt looked huge on screen,� Rita said.
�Did you see his head? He looked like a bobble doll,� Halle added.
I looked at them for a moment until my brain caught up to their teasing. I turned to Jessup.
�What about my package? Did it look huge?�
�Well, I can�t honestly say I was checking that out,� Jessup said.
Rita let Jessup in on the joke of me worrying that my butt looked too big. I don�t think he had a sense of humor.
Saul motioned for Caryn and me to join him in his office.
�You�ve been asked to audition for both movies. They believe your movie will be a success and said you�d carried much of the film. Chubby said you shouldn�t accept the package deal with the other actors. Let the movie be released, then cut your own deal for the next two. After seeing the final version, I agree with him.�
�Okay, Saul. Do what you think is best,� I said.
�What about
�Jennifer!� Saul bellowed.
His assistant stuck her head in.
�Did we get anything for
�I put it on your desk while you were watching the movie,� she said.
He stepped over to his desk and opened the packet. Saul glanced through it.
�When does he need to be there?� Caryn asked.
�May 16, like we requested. That�s the week following your finals,� Saul said. �I�ll have my lawyers confirm everything, and then we can sign it. Congratulations! Are you excited?�
The movie was going to be shot in Cuba. The studio was working with the State Department to let us do it and give us access to Cuba.
�I�m excited to see Cuba,� I said as a compromise.
Saul didn�t care, all he saw were dollar signs. I hoped the director and I could work together.
◊◊◊
So, what�s a boy who�s learning to love surfing to do if he has a free day? Take his girlfriend out to lunch. I had Saul call over to the Soho House in West Hollywood so we could have a late lunch there. Halle had heard of it and always wanted to go. When we arrived, there was a handful of paparazzi present. They�re like roaches in a rental house: you just can�t seem to avoid them.
Fritz had some errands to run, so he dropped us off. He was sure we�d be fine once we got inside. I asked that we go to the upper garden again. It was a pleasant, relaxing place.
We sat down, and Halle pointed at someone.
�Do you know who that is? That�s Dana Brunetti, the producer of
�Better looking than me?� I asked.
�David, in a certain light you might be considered handsome,� Halle said as she caressed the back of my hand.
�Is that so?�
�Why else would I let you hang out with me? Your butt�s a bit too big, though,� she grinned.
I just shook my head. We had a good lunch. I tried their fish tacos on our server�s recommendation. After lunch, I had a hot fresh mint tea and cardamom-and-gingersnap sticky toffee pudding.
�So, what did you want to talk about?� Halle asked.
�It�s about your mom and the massages that I�ve been giving her. I think she�s trying to seduce me.�
�Is that wishful thinking, or do you really believe that?� Halle said as she sipped her tea.
�I�m about eighty percent sure.�
She looked down for a moment, then took a deep breath and let it out before looking me in the eyes.
�Do you know who my dad was?� Halle asked.
�I�ve heard rumors,� I admitted.
�Then you�re aware he died of cancer three years ago,� she said.
That confirmed it for me.
�I�m sorry to hear that. Were you close?� I asked.
�He married a nice lady, and I have a half brother and sister. They separated a few months before his death, and he and my mother reconnected, so I was able to get to know him. He was one of the few people who didn�t treat me like a child, and when you�re fourteen, that�s a big deal. The cancer was diagnosed late, and it took him quickly, but it was still devastating.
�At the time they reconnected, my mother was acting in
�Anyway,� she continued, �he had me come in shortly before he died so he could talk to me in private. He told me that when they first met, before she was pregnant with me, she was acting the same way. I guess the best word was she was �bitchy.� He told me one day he�d finally had enough and pulled her over his lap and spanked her hard. I guess she cried and cried, but he told me he was so mad he just kept going, and somehow it seemed to help. She actually came to him on the set later on and thanked him for calling her out for her actions.�
Halle looked nervous, glanced around and licked her lips.
�David, this has to stay between us.�
�Of course.�
�My dad told me that back in the day, she would come to him when she was stressed. She would tell him she�d been bad and needed discipline, and he gave it to her. He eventually came to like it, and he told me he thought she did, too. Over time, they escalated to sex, rough sex. I don�t know what it all means, but he told me those sessions always seemed to calm her down.
�He and my mom spent some private time together before the cancer got bad. I don�t know what went on, but it was easy for me to see she was much better after being alone with him. I�m sure he was still helping her cope with stress, but he didn�t talk about that.
�What he did say was that someone she absolutely trusted needed to know about her needs in times of stress. He said she�d a hard time talking about it at all, so he�d decided to tell me. My dad told me he realized that the knowledge might be a burden to me, but he�d been impressed with how grown-up I�d become. He said he thought I wasn�t just the best candidate, but the
�I came to realize my mom and dad never really loved each other, but they were always good friends. Mom said he was someone she could trust.�
Halle looked at me.
�I think you�re starting to understand how hard it is to find someone like that when you�re in this business. What I do know is they�d spend time together every now and again, and when Mom would come home, she seemed to be a lot better. She was happier, a lot less stressed, and a lot more outgoing. I hate to speculate, but I would guess that they were having sex. I know I feel much better after I�ve had some good sex,� she said and blushed.
�So, you think she�s all but asking me to have sex with her? Well, I guess in a way she did when she asked if I�d give her a �happy ending.� I mean, there�s a bit of an age difference, and I�m seeing you,� I said.
�You�re worried about me, aren�t you?� Halle asked.
�Of course I�m worried about you. I care for you very much, and I�d never do anything to hurt you.�
�And I care about you, but we�re a lot more friends than anything else right now,� she said and saw my worried expression. �When you told me you weren�t ready for a girlfriend, I was hurt at first. But it turns out that you did me a huge favor. I�m too young to be in a serious relationship. And I�m sorry, but Pam reminded me that my own mother had Trip when she was sixteen. I love you to death, but I can�t have a hold on you now. It wouldn�t be fair to you, or to me.
�I love the time we spend together. I know you spend time with other girls, and they all have only good things to say about you. Heck, I expected that you�d be out enjoying the Hollywood lifestyle more than you have. All I�ve heard about is you with Leah and the makeup girl. I�m sure you�ve had other opportunities. Trip told me about those girls at the beach and how you could�ve been with any of them if you�d wanted.
�I guess what I�m saying is, I want you to have no regrets about your time here. While this may sound weird, if you can help my mom, I�d be pleased if you did. I obviously don�t want to know about it, but I love my mom and get worried about her. If she trusts you enough to get her release, then please do,� Halle said.
�I don�t know if I can,� I admitted.
�Look, you�re a lot like my dad, as creepy as that sounds. He was someone to be reckoned with.�
Halle looked down at her hands, then back up at me.
�I watched you at the movie today. There were many influential men in the room. What I�ve seen, though, is that you�re the most dominant male in any room. Everyone is aware of where you stand and seems to defer to you, though it doesn�t seem to be conscious on their part. I saw it again today, even when you were among all those powerful movie people.
�What�s more, whatever it is you do, it isn�t an arrogant thing or something you do to hide any insecurities. You wear it like the jeans and t-shirts you love so much, and I think you�d seem clothed walking around a cocktail party nude. My dad was like that. I know my mom was attracted to him because he was a powerful man. I�m sure she�s attracted to you for the same reasons, and I know she trusts you. Heck, she trusts you with me,� Halle said with a smile.
�So you�re telling me that you�re letting me off the leash to plunder all the beautiful women of LA, including your mom in particular?� I asked.
Halle laughed.
�Yes, I hereby release the hound. Go get up to no good and have fun. Just don�t forget about me. I expect my time as well,� she said and then turned serious. �David, I�m half in love with you. Someday it might be different. For now, I want you to be my friend and lover. Do you think you can do that for me?�
I cringed at the �someday� comment.
�Do you think I�m a slut?� I asked.
�Only the best kind. Like I said earlier, in the right light, you�re even cute. And even though we tease you about it, your butt�s just right!�
Halle laughed delightedly, her eyes crinkling in amusement, and I smiled back at her gently.
�I�m glad we talked about this. I just told a friend he needed to have a conversation with his girlfriend before doing things that might be hurtful otherwise. It makes me feel good to know we can talk about stuff like this and have it work out in the end,� I said.
Halle wasn�t done yet.
�Something else I wanted to ask you. Caryn said you have a briefcase full of fancy sunglasses. Where�s mine?� she asked.
�Caryn has a big mouth. That was supposed to be your Christmas gift.�
�You poor �stupid boy,� you can�t regift like that. You need to go ahead and let me pick out my new sunglasses, and I expect you to buy me a cool surfboard for Christmas. If you want, we can stop by the shop, and I can tell you what I like.�
�That would be helpful. When did you think we should do that?�
�Now would be good.�
I sent a text to Fritz, and he replied that he needed a few more minutes. I paid our bill and walked over to Thelma Yates� table. Halle was reluctant to accompany me, so I just grabbed her hand and dragged her along.
�Ms. Yates, I�m David A. Dawson, and this is Halle James. I was wondering if you might do us a favor,� I said.
�David, Halle, nice to meet you. Are you in need of representation? I hear Saul�s hard to work with,� she said, and I could tell she was serious.
�No, but I might take you up on that one day. What I wanted to ask was if Channing Tatum might be interested in going out on a date with Halle?�
�David!� Halle hissed and turned bright red.
�You�re a funny guy. You do realize that he�s twice her age and married, right?� she asked.
�I didn�t know that, only that Halle thinks he�s hot. Apparently, I myself am just cute, and the light has to be right.�
I decided not to say anything about my butt being too big.
�Maybe I can get you a signed photo,� Ms. Yates offered.
�I know: Halle�s been asking me to find something for her Christmas present. Could you get him to come to a party and dance with her?� I suggested. �Of course, his wife could come too.�
�Have you been drinking?� Ms. Yates asked.
�No, he hasn�t. I�m sorry we interrupted your lunch,� Halle said and forcibly pulled me away from the table.
I looked back, and Ms. Yates had a little smile on her face.
◊◊◊
Halle had a lot of fun picking out her surfboard. She decided she wanted to have a nine-footer custom made. It would look like there was a giant wave breaking the length of the board. I was with her mom on this: I would rather hang it on the wall than surf on it.
When we were done, Halle wanted to go home and call her friends. I let her choose a pair of sunglasses. I decided to go ahead and pick out some for myself. They had a twisted design of gold and platinum intertwined along the top and on the sides. They were nothing if not unique.
I was putting the sunglasses away when I received an email from one of the writers. They were changing the script for tomorrow and had added a long piece of dialogue for me. I decided to go to the set and work with the dialogue coach so I�d be ready.
◊◊◊
When I tracked down our coach, I was happy to see Leah there. She was the one I�d be talking to in the rewritten scene. After the disaster with Faye when she unleashed her magic in the basement and caused the tornado, Adam and Diana had a long discussion about Cassie. It was the same argument: was so much power a bad or good thing?
I was getting better at memorizing my lines. I remembered when I first started, it terrified me that I�d forget them and make a fool out of myself. That was when my college professor had explained about multiple shots and elaborated on how they would work with me to help me learn my lines.
It�s funny what we think before we actually know how something like this works. I just assumed that you did it all in one shot and had to get it right. While that was true, in the sense that you had to get the dialogue on film, what I learned was that you could do the same scene multiple times. Depending on what Jessup wanted, you might have a long shot to establish the scene, one focused on just me, and another on Leah. Then another close-up on both of us, and if he wanted another from a different angle, that would be another shot. Then there might be reaction shots where you had to use your body language and facial expression to show how you felt about something said.
They would then take all those shots and edit them into a coherent scene. When you watch a movie, you�re not really aware of it, if it�s done well. So the more you got the dialogue right, the better. Jessup could work around little mistakes, but it was better if you delivered the lines the same each time. I�m not talking about just saying the words the same. You had to get the same inflection, and the pacing of your words had to be the same.
Then there was your body. That was where being a model turned out to be a big help. I was used to repetitive poses that were precisely the same. With acting, you were just moving. To do it right took a lot of focus and awareness.
The key to making it all work was to do it and make it look natural. I think that�s where football helps me. To pass a football well, you have to do a hundred little things right. What separated the excellent quarterbacks from the good ones was that they made the hundred little things effortless. There are a lot of people who come to Hollywood with the dream of making it big. They may have even been the stars in their high school productions and were told they had what it takes. The same can be said of quarterbacks. I don�t think you can really quantify the difference, but you can see it on the screen.
Like everything that counts, you have to put the time and effort into it to be any good. So, instead of hitting the beach, I was in learning new lines that were just written. The sad part was we could probably expect some more changes right before we shot the scene. That was the last characteristic that made a good actor: the ability to adapt to change.
The good thing about getting better was that it took less time for me to learn my lines. Leah and I were done in a couple of hours.
�What are you doing after this?� Leah asked.
�I wanted to get some surfing in. Then I planned on some dinner.�
�Would you mind if I went with you?� she asked.
�Do you surf?�
�I did grow up here. Do you have a board I might borrow?� Leah asked.
�Yeah. I surf at Rita�s beach house. They have everything you might want. Let me go back to my trailer. I need to get my driver, and we can be on our way.�
�Sure, I�ll get my car and follow you.�
I returned to my trailer to get my sunglasses and collect Fritz. When I got there, Fritz was sound asleep on my couch. I could see he was working hard.
�Freeze, maggot!� I yelled.
Fritz fell off the couch and glared at me.
�You�re lucky I didn�t shoot you,� he grumped.
�Come on, let�s go surfing.�
That woke him up. I pointed out Leah and told Fritz she�d be following us.
While we drove to the beach house, I called my mom. She told me that the bank had come down on their price on the farm and was prepared to finance it. Mom said we could close on it by the end of the year. She told me my grandma would be willing to help get the farm up and running, but wasn�t sure if she wanted to do it full time.
Caryn would be setting up another company separate from my umbrella company, David Dawson LLC, if we did this. She wanted to name it Dawson Farms. The deal I had with my grandma, uncle, and Mr. Hass was under a separate company.
�David, the bank has another plot of land on the other side of the river they want to add to the deal. If you take it, they�d be willing to discount it to forty-five cents on the dollar compared to what it�s valued at. They need to get it off their books,� Mom said.
�The only problem I foresee is that getting equipment to it would be a pain. I would bet it�s nearly ten miles to get from farm to farm,� I commented.
�Actually, it�s twelve,� she said. �I had John and Mr. Hass look at it, and they have both a short-term and a long-term solution. The short-term is to lease it out to a farmer down the road who�d be willing to rent the land from you on a year-to-year basis. The long-term solution would be to put in a bridge to connect the two farms.�
�Did Uncle John run some numbers to see if this will work?� I asked.
�He�s working with Caryn on that. I can make the offer contingent on an inspection. That should give us a couple of weeks to decide if we want to go through with it. We need to get the bank started on the loan if we want to close before year-end.�
That told me why Mom was pushing the deal. She�d even given me an out, if the numbers didn�t make sense.
�Okay, get the ball rolling and let everyone know when we need to have a decision on this. Thanks for everything you�ve done on this,� I said.
�You�re welcome. I�ll advise everyone that we�re moving forward. Your dad will sign the contract.�
I smiled. This was something I didn�t entirely understand and was glad my mom was looking out for me. I wanted to make sure I gained the knowledge myself at some point. My family wouldn�t always be around to look out for me.
◊◊◊
Surfing was fun. A few more high school boys showed up than usual. I also noticed some girls who came to watch us. Leah was a lot of fun. Only one paparazzo was lurking. Leah had worn a skimpy bikini. I expect she knew there�d be someone there to take her picture.
I got to know the surfer who�d purchased the custom board. His name was Al Faulkenburg. He was a good surfer, and all the others seemed to be okay with him. Al was a smaller guy, maybe five-five, with long hair. He obviously thought he was cool. Sometimes smaller guys try to puff themselves up. At least, that was the vibe I�d gotten off him.
�I looked you up on IMDb and told some people that we surfed with you,� Al said.
I had some red flags go up. Al had been a jerk to me when I first started surfing, but now that he had looked me up, he was acting like my friend. My conversation with Uncle John came to the forefront of my mind.
�Do you know the girls on the beach?� I asked to see if they were there for the same reason.
�Yeah. They think my friends and I aren�t very cool. They all think we�re a bunch of clueless surf-bums,� he said and then pointed at a group of cute girls. �The darker-skinned brunette is Maria. She�s who decides who�s �in� at our school. You should get to know her.�
Little Al was trying to become part of the �in� crowd through me. I checked out Maria, and I would guess she had some Middle Eastern blood in her. She was good-looking, but I was with Leah today, so I soon forgot about Maria.
When we were done, Al and his friends made a big show of saying goodbye to me. Al even gave me a one-handed bro hug, which creeped me out even more. Leah smirked at me when she saw my expression.
◊◊◊
As we walked out of the beach house, Leah turned to Fritz.
�I�m taking David to dinner. I�ll drop him off when we�re done.�
�Alright, I�ll follow you,� Fritz said.
�What if we went back to my place and ordered in?� Leah asked.
Fritz smiled and just nodded. Leah tossed me the keys, and I opened her door for her. She had a great car. It was a gold-colored Bentley Continental GT Convertible. It was another example of a celebrity spending more money than they should, but if you had the money, why not enjoy it?
Leah lived in a five-story condominium. She had a well-decorated two-bedroom unit on the fourth floor that overlooked the pool and garden and had a view of the hills.
�You hungry now, or do you want to wait?� Leah asked.
She smiled at me as she cupped my package. I could wait. Leah had me sit on the couch as she spread my legs and ran her hands up and down my thighs.
�Take your top off.�
�My bra, too?� she asked in a sexy voice.
�Of course.�
Leah must have been eager because she just got naked and knelt between my legs. I let her do all the work. She pulled my shirt out of my pants and unbuttoned it so my chest and stomach were exposed. Then Leah undid my belt and the button on my trousers and took off my shoes and socks. By now, I�d become hard.
Leah rubbed her cheek against my bulge as she gave me a sexy look. She unzipped my pants, and I lifted my butt off the couch so she could pull off my slacks and boxers at the same time. I was leaning back, and my member was lying on my stomach at an angle. Leah grasped the base and stood it up. She leaned down and took my jewels into her mouth one at a time. She used her fingernails to scratch me right where my sack attached to my body. I understood why Duke�s leg would thump against the floor when I found the right spot to scratch. I let out a low moan.
�You like that?� Leah said.
�Yes, but I think you need to get back to what you were doing,� I said with intent.
�Yes, sir.�
Leah had some skill. She stopped and pulled off.
�I love eating you.�
�I love you eating me,� I said with a smile.
�Would you eat me?� she asked.
I don�t expect she�d had many guys agree by the way Leah acted.
�Why don�t I do you while you get back to what you love?�
I lay down on the couch, and Leah put her sex over my mouth. When I began to eat her, she redoubled her efforts to pleasure me.
We never got around to eating dinner. We boinked until Leah collapsed in orgasmic bliss. She was worse than a guy: she fell asleep on me. I took a shower and then took the elevator downstairs. The doorman called me a cab to take me home.
When I arrived home, I went straight to bed and found Halle in it. She woke up when I crawled in.
�Did you release the hound?� she teased me.
�Leah took him for a walk,� I admitted.
Halle rolled over and grasped my package.
�Did you save me one?� she asked.
As a matter of fact, I did.
◊◊◊ Friday December 11
Everyone was happy shooting was resuming. Jessup was pleased that Leah and I had taken the time to learn our new lines. Of course, there were some tweaks, but nothing major. He�d budgeted the entire morning to get through our scene, but we were done in less than an hour.
The next scene was between Zak and Tanya. It was supposed to be her character in his bedroom, trying to seduce him. He rejects her, and they have a fight. I returned to my trailer to prepare for my next scene with Leah, Halle, and Jessica. When I got back to the set, I found Zak and Tanya screaming at each other.
�I said, �Cut!�� Jessup yelled.
The two of them looked like they were ready to come to blows. I began to clap.
�Great scene. You two had me believing you were ready to kill each other,� I said.
They glared at each other and disappeared. Zak had looked a little embarrassed. Tanya had the look of a woman who wasn�t soon going to forget whatever he�d done to piss her off. Jessup seemed to be glad the whole incident was over.
The four of us finished off the day by doing scenes together. Zak and Tanya had gone home. I guess Rita had a talk with them, and they�d be back on Monday after they cooled off. No one would tell us what happened, which made us want to know even more.
During a break, I received a text from Jett telling me that her band was playing tonight and inviting me to come. I asked the girls if they wanted to go, but they said they�d planned a girls� night out, and it was made clear that no boys were allowed.
�I bet I can get Jessica to invite me,� I teased Halle and Leah.
Jessica looked at them, and I got an evil grin on my face.
�Come here, my pretty. Let me cast my spell on you � bwahahaha.�
�Begone, demon,� Leah said and made her fingers into a cross.
I acted like it hurt and withered to the floor.
�Help me. A kiss, just a kiss,� I begged in a small voice.
Jessica smiled at me and came to my rescue. I put her into a lip-lock that she wouldn�t soon forget. When I released her, she staggered a little.
�I think David should come with us,� she said.
�Nope, not happening. We�re going to have fun. You don�t need to be distracted as he toys with you all night,� Halle said.
�That might be fun,� Leah admitted.
I almost had them, but Jessup broke my spell and had us do another scene.
◊◊◊
I called Trip to see if he wanted to go with me, but he said Craig was having a party tonight. He invited me to come over after I was done watching the band. Birthrite was doing a short set of four songs on the beach near where Rita�s beach house was. A strip of bars and restaurants collaborated to throw Friday-night concerts to attract customers. Being on the beach meant that younger people could attend.
Fritz and Flo were both going with Halle and the other actresses, at Rita�s insistence, so Jane was assigned to me. We drove to the beach house and walked down to the area where the concert would be held. There were supposed to be three bands playing tonight.
Jane and I had dinner at a little noodle shop. Jett had told me where to meet the band before the show. I saw her before she saw me. I had to grin because the boys I surfed with were trying to pick her and her bandmates up. They weren�t having much success. I stepped up, put my arm around Jett, and gave her a kiss.
Al Faulkenburg had been working on Jett and looked disgusted for a moment, then smiled when he realized it was me. The other girls all greeted me with hugs and kisses on the cheek. Jett kept her arm around my waist the whole time. I expect she wanted to give Al the message to back off.
�When you�re done, do you guys want to come to a party with me? It�s at Craig Wild�s house.�
�Yeah, we can go,� Al said, trying to invite his friends and himself.
�Uh, yeah, sure, why not,� I stammered.
Damn, wasn�t one of my life goals to learn to say �no�?
�Sounds like fun,� Jett said.
The girls and I talked about what had happened since we arrived. They told me that Angel, from Tom�s firm, had helped them a lot and they had signed with her. They�d also signed a contract with the record company that was a lot better than the company�s initial offer, thanks to Angel. This was their first gig to get them a little exposure.
I told them about learning to surf and showed them a picture of my new surfboard. I explained that was where I�d met Al and his friends. My movie stuff I really didn�t talk about because Al was hanging on every word and really starting to creep me out.
Birthrite turned out to be a fun band. They did a cover of
The only problem was that her pointing me out made some people realize who I was. I soon found myself surrounded by people wanting to talk to me or get autographs. Jane had to rescue me and help me out of the crowd and back to the beach house. Al showed up with about twenty people. I met him at the gate at the foot of the stairs.
�You don�t seriously believe all these people can come?� I asked.
�I told them that you could get us into Craig Wild�s party, and they all wanted to come.�
�Here�s the deal: you pick three friends to come, and you have to figure out how to get there,� I said.
�You can�t do that,� Al complained.
�You�re right. I didn�t invite any of you. I�ll catch you later.�
�Wait. I�m sorry. I�ll get rid of the rest of them, and we�ll figure out transportation.�
�Meet me out front in like an hour,� I said, and then went upstairs.
The girls showed up, and I invited them to the roof so they could check out the view. They were excited about their set, as they should have been. I thought they did well.
�Is Al a friend of yours?� Jett asked.
�Not really. He surfs where I do, and we�ve gotten to know each other a little.�
�He looks at you like you�re his ticket to something,� Amy said.
She was the one who had multicolored hair and had freaked out on the plane.
�He made it sound like you were best friends,� Hana, the black-haired girl, said.
�You should watch out around him, he seems like a leech,� Jett added.
We stepped out front, and Al and his usual surfer friends were waiting for us when we came out. Jett told her bandmates she was riding with me. When she got in, she looked around.
�Damn, David. Are you rich or something?� she asked.
The Range Rover was a sharp car. I explained that it belonged to Rita James. That led to an entirely new series of questions. I�d almost forgotten that girls are born detectives. I was soon telling her everything.
◊◊◊
Craig lived in the hills overlooking LA. It was a mansion that was much more modern-looking than the ones around it. Later, I was told that Craig had torn down an older home and built this one. It was undeniably a bachelor pad. In his dining room, he had a pool table. He also had the largest TV I�d ever seen in his media room. Out back, he had what looked like a water park. His pool looked like a lake with a waterfall, and there was a man-made stream that you could leisurely ride inner tubes around.
On his patio, there was an outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven. He even had a gazebo with a monstrous round outdoor bed. My guess was Craig had designed this when he was my age because only a teenager would believe all this was cool. Well, I was a teenager, and I thought it was a little much.
Al and his friends hit the pool. I could see the appeal, as there were lots of young women in swimsuits running around. I introduced the girls to Craig and Trip and told them about their first gig in LA. Craig asked them to play, and the next thing I knew, I was helping to bring in their equipment.
When they began to play, it brought everyone out to the patio. I noticed that Sasha was here with Daniel. I also saw some of the girls from the beach. Trip must have invited them despite my comments. I spotted Maria, the girl Al had pointed out to me while we surfed. I sat back and enjoyed the music.
Jett, the girl with the strange red hair, had something about her. She had a quick smile that made all the guys weak in the knees as they hoped she was smiling at them. Jett was the wild kind of girl who was bursting with energy. After watching their set on the beach, and another here, it was clear why the record label was interested in her. The rest of the girls were holding their own, but even I could tell they weren�t in the same league as their fiery lead singer. Jett had that something that drew the eye, that something you felt deep in your loins as she bounced around with abandon.
I noticed she kept an eye on me. It was still too early to tell if we were going to be friends or more. I was actually okay with not knowing. Either we would be or not. I was guessing that for now, the answer was not. We both were discovering ourselves, and I wouldn�t want to sidetrack either of us with a serious distraction, and she could be just that.
When they wrapped up their set, Jett grabbed a beer and joined me at my table.
�It looked like you had fun up there,� I said.
�I lose myself when I get into it. Today was a great day. Well, any day I get to sing is a great day. I think we may be at the beginning of something big.�
That was all we were able to get in before she was swarmed with well-wishers. She ate up the attention. Before she left, she made sure I had her number and a promise to spend some time together before I left LA.
◊◊◊
After the band departed, I guess I wasn�t surprised when Sasha sought me out.
�I know of a quiet spot. I�d like to talk to you,� she said, taking my hand. �Follow me.�
�Where�s Daniel?� I asked.
�He found some young thing to spend time with.�
�Are you and he �?� I asked.
�No. Daniel just needed a ride. He was pulled over on the way home from the party last week. The cops only gave him a warning, but now his parents won�t let him drive.�
She led me to the gazebo. I didn�t realize it had curtains. She pulled them closed.
�Sasha!� I whispered harshly while she dropped to her knees and began to pull down my zipper. �When you said �quiet spot� I imagined you meant somewhere less open. We�re in the middle of the damn party!�
�Did you really want to talk about what happened at Zak�s party?� Sasha asked as she fished my manhood free.
I looked down and realized I wasn�t even hard. I guess her brazen escapades had my mind on other things, like us being discovered. The benefit of not being hard was that she was able to take my whole length into her mouth. A little suction and the look of satisfaction on her face soon remedied the situation. I felt myself thicken and lengthen to the point her mouth was no longer able to accommodate Mr. Happy. I guess we didn�t need to talk about her running off with Bill and Ridge to have sex.
Though I was nervous, Sasha acted like this was a walk in the park. Even that might have been better. There had to be at least seventy people within sight of the gazebo right now. She had me turn around and sit on the bed. Sasha helped me out of my shoes and socks while I took off my shirt. I helped her off with hers as she removed my pants and boxers. She then grabbed Mr. Happy at the base.
I wasn�t really stupid; I knew what Sasha wanted to do with me. If I remember correctly, she even said so last week. While I didn�t have feelings for her, I couldn�t imagine passing this up. This was one of those memories you might tell your grandsons about someday. She stroked me a few times and opened a compartment under the bed. Sasha had obviously been here before. She pulled out a Costco-size box of condoms and a bottle of lube. Like I said, I wasn�t stupid. I put on the condom and Sasha had me in her in a flash.
Her breasts wobbled, telling me they were real. Zak and I had been playing the game �real or fake
It took some time to get into her; Sasha was tight. I let her set her own pace. I worried because she had a pained expression on her face. It was good she was sopping wet, or it might not have worked. When she had me all the way in, she leaned down and kissed me. I grabbed the back of her neck and kept my mouth on hers. It was good that I did because when I began to move, she moaned.
When I was sure she could take the whole thing, I began to push her hard. I believe her knees came off the mattress a couple of times when I gave my hips just a little extra thrust. There wasn�t much I could do about the sound of our pelvises coming together. There was the unmistakable sound of energetic sex. If anyone were close by, they would also smell it. I gave up worrying and just pounded her.
The thing was, I wasn�t the only one: Sasha pounded me right back. When I felt myself getting close, I stopped, but she twerked her little butt on me so good, Miley Cyrus would have been jealous. I was able to hold off for another ten minutes. It took all my control not to lose it. Sasha was working on her third orgasm, and apparently no longer gave a damn whether anyone knew what we were doing, if she ever did. She slammed down on me as she climaxed.
�AIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!� she screamed.
I decided I�d held out long enough and began to fountain deep inside Sasha. If I hadn�t had a condom on, I was sure I would�ve knocked her up with that effort.
It was no surprise when someone stuck their head in the gazebo. They got an eyeful of the two of us making the beast with two backs.
�Do you think you could handle two women?� a female voice said. �Or are you a one-shot wonder?�
I looked around Sasha and saw Maria.
◊◊◊
�Oh! OH! OHHHMYGAWDDDDD!� Maria cried as I pinned her to the mattress from behind.
I had two handfuls of breast, so I was a little preoccupied.
Maria told me later her parents were from Lebanon. She had dark skin, and she�d shaved. What was different was the area between her legs was a darker color. Not that anything didn�t work the same, but it was just an unusual look. Maria also had a tongue stud and one through the top of her labia. I had already enjoyed her piercings, especially the one in her tongue.
�Mind if I join in?� I heard a guy ask.
�What the hell?� Sasha said.
Maria looked over when she felt the bed move. Al knee-walked up as if he expected her to blow him while I continued doing her.
�Get that baby dick away from me!� Maria yelled.
I stopped in mid thrust and looked at his penis. Al Faulkenburg, forever to be known from this day forward as �Baby Dick,� had the tiniest penis I�d ever seen. Al wasn�t a big guy, but Jesus! It was smaller than my pinky, and that�s with a raging hard-on. It wasn�t like he was thick, either. He looked like a ten-year-old boy.
Notice I called Al�s member a �penis.� You really couldn�t call it by the usual nicknames; those terms had particular meanings that just didn�t apply here.
Craig and Trip burst in to see what the problem was.
�I thought women said that size doesn�t matter,� Al �Baby Dick� Faulkenburg said.
�We want to at least feel it,� Sasha blurted.
I felt bad for creepy Al when everyone laughed, but not bad enough to chase after him when he burst into tears and ran out of the gazebo.
�Ah, while you wait on him, do you want to have some fun with us?� Trip asked Sasha.
I figured Sasha was a big girl. If she wanted to have sex with Trip and Craig, she could have at it. I watched her check the two guys out and smile. I guess she was willing. You had to love LA. It looked like we had gone from a threesome to a fivesome without missing a beat.
�No weird stuff,� I said, and then blushed.
�You don�t know what you�re missing,� Craig teased.
�I mean it. Don�t even want to see guy-on-guy kissing,� I warned them.
�I might,� Maria said.
�Then hang around after we�re done,� I said. �Now, where were we? Oh, yes, now I remember: I was about to stuff myself up your keister.�
I don�t think she believed me. I lubed up the condom, put my little head against her rosebud, and pushed. Maria�s face scrunched up, and I stopped halfway home.
�Holy shit!� she complained.
She would relax a little, and I would stuff more of myself in. It took a while, but I finally had my bone buried. In the meantime, Trip and Craig were double-teaming Sasha. I began to move in and out of Maria.
�Rub yourself,� I told her.
Maria must have liked it.
�That�s it! Do me!� she yelled, telling everyone what was happening.
As they said on
�AHHHH!� Maria shrieked, as I banged her tight ass. �OHGAAAAAWD!�
She came, and I jerked out of her. Her gaping little rosebud made contraction motions as she climaxed. I pulled off my condom and hosed down her back and her cute, tight bottom.
Once I recovered, Trip slapped my hand to tag out. Sasha was on her hands and knees and was blowing Craig. Trip dropped between Maria�s legs and took over, so I put on another condom and lubed it up. Sasha either had more experience, or she�d had it in the backside before because she took me like a champ.
When I finally got off, I was done. I left the other four to continue playing.
◊◊◊
Chapter 20 � Don�t Say It Unless You Mean It Saturday December 12
Fritz found me after I�d had breakfast.
�I�m taking my staff and making sure they�re qualified to remain on my security team. I was wondering if you wanted to come with us.�
�What�re we talking about?�
�We�re going to a gun club to test our skills; we do this about once a month. I hear you�ve had some training. Then we�re going to my favorite taco stand, and if you�re good, we�ll go surfing.�
I gave him my big eyes and nodded.
�I�ll be good, promise,� I said in a little boy voice.
�That means you can�t shoot anybody,� Fritz clarified.
�Not even Paul?�
�Not even Paul.�
The gun club was enormous, with both indoor and outdoor ranges. They also had tactical ranges where they had houses you could clear, and even a city setting.
Since I wasn�t yet eighteen and was from out of state, they made me take a thirty-minute gun-safety class. They taught me which end the bang came out of and that I wasn�t supposed to point that end at anyone, even if I thought the gun was unloaded. That included myself (people must be stupid if they had to add that). I then had to take a written test. When I wrote in that I would probably shoot a terrorist if he or she were in the process of killing people, that got me a lecture. I was told that terrorists were people too, and I wasn�t qualified to determine if they were terrorists.
I�m not sure how I kept from rolling my eyes. Perhaps my acting experience was finally doing me some good in the real world.
I rented a SIG SAUER 1911 .45-caliber pistol, holster, and ear and eye protection. I also bought a box of ammo and left to find Fritz on the range.
Fritz had us practice from ten feet to twenty-five yards. I was rusty, but Paul worked with me so I was at least hitting the target by the time we were done. We then stepped outside. I had to stop to buy another box of ammo before going to the tactical range. Fritz ruined my day when he told me we weren�t going to clear a room or use the street scene. Instead, we were going to use an area where you�d shoot pop-up targets from a standing position.
Paul was first. There were three round pop-ups, and it would randomly have them come up. Paul had his gun holstered and drew when the first one came up. The drill was to get you used to drawing your weapon and engaging multiple targets. It was a lot of fun and reminded me of an arcade game. Turns out I was better at this than I was shooting at paper targets. I attribute that to football. As a quarterback, I had to make quick decisions and release the ball. I�d trained my eye-hand coordination by throwing many thousands of passes over the last three years. That muscle memory translated well to this.
We next worked on a quick draw. This was where you would draw your gun so it was barely clear of the holster, point and shoot all in one motion. Normally you would raise the gun and aim. Fritz admitted that this technique had saved his life at one point when he�d been drawn on. The goal was to get a bullet into your opponent and follow up with two more aimed rounds to finish him off.
This reminded me of what I had thought cowboys were like when I was little, so I took to this with gusto. Fritz explained that this wasn�t how you should normally shoot. But if it was life or death, the first one to put a .45 slug in the other usually won.
Fritz brought out a shotgun.
�David, in the back of each vehicle, you�ll find one of these. This is a Browning Auto-5, and we load it with nonlethal beanbag rounds. Being shot with one of these will put you on your ass. The idea is to shoot for center mass.�
I enjoyed shooting the shotgun until I found out each round cost upwards of ten dollars.
◊◊◊
The �taco stand� turned out to be a food truck that overlooked a beach. I got brave and ordered ceviche, fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices. It was made with lime and seasoned with chopped onions, salt, and cilantro. They served it with sweet potatoes and avocado. I also got a couple of different tacos.
After we ate, we drove to the beach house and surfed. I met up with the usual group of teens, but there was no sign of Al. I wondered if he was embarrassed to be seen in public after last night, so I asked one of them where he was.
�You mean Al �Baby Dick� Faulkenburg?� he asked with a grin.
�I guess that nickname�s going to stick.�
�Oh, yeah. We always wondered why he would never shower after gym.�
�He can�t really help it that he has a tiny penis,� I offered.
�Look, Al isn�t the nicest guy, and wouldn�t hesitate to trash someone. He about ruined Jimmy Medrano�s life when Al thought he saw Jimmy kiss a guy. Al just assumes things and runs with it. He can be a real jerk. We hoped you�d figure it out,� he said.
�I did get the �creepy stalker� vibe.�
�That�s because Al thought you could do something for him. By the way, thanks for inviting us to the party last night.�
�You�re welcome. So, where is he?� I asked.
The kid snorted.
�He and his dad spend their Saturdays signing up illegal aliens for government health care. His dad is a serious left-wing nut, but this is California.�
�If he jumps to conclusions, we could assume he shares his dad�s politics,� I said with a smile.
�He sure would. You need to be careful around him.�
�Thanks for the warning,� I said.
It was my turn, so I paddled for the next wave. Al didn�t sound like anyone I wanted to be associated with. I didn�t need to hang out with someone who was only out to use me. I also didn�t need someone around who made wild-assed assumptions and then acted on them. He needed to grow up and become a man, and in more ways than just maturity.
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, I found that Rita and Halle had a mother-daughter evening together. Since I was at loose ends, I decided to stay in and watch a couple of movies in her video collection. I watched
By the end of the second movie, I wondered if eating ceviche from a food truck was such a good idea when my stomach cramped and bad things happened. I was glad I hadn�t decided to go out. That could�ve been a disaster.
◊◊◊ Sunday December 13
I came downstairs and found Rita drinking coffee. Rosy didn�t work weekends, but she did leave food. She�d prepared a breakfast casserole that only needed to be heated. I pulled it out and put in the oven.
�Did you have fun last night?� I asked.
�We did. One of my good friends was having a mother-daughter event at a hotel downtown. They were raising funds for literacy.�
I made myself some tea, and the timer for the casserole dinged.
�I thought it might be fun to go to Catalina Island today. Would you like to go?�
It was on my to-do list, so I readily agreed. It was a chilly day, so I dug out a jacket to wear. Rita said we�d be walking and suggested I wear comfortable shoes. Flo drew the short straw and had to go with us. I was surprised when we pulled into a heliport in Long Beach adjacent to the Queen Mary. The helicopter ride only took fifteen minutes and was very affordable: it was less than $200 for a round-trip ticket.
Rita wanted to get the full tourist experience. We started with a glass-bottom boat ride in the harbor, followed by a tour of the interior of the island. We saw buffalo, eagles, and the Catalina red fox. Since she�d been so nice to me, I accepted Rita�s offer to spend a few lazy hours shopping. They had some great artsy types of shops. We even made clay tiles at one shop. I found a place that sold different teas and cookies and bought some.
We did have people recognize us, but it was mostly Rita they spotted, and she had to sign some autographs and take pictures. For the most part, people would just stop and stare.
Over a late lunch, Rita said something that had my full attention.
�I�m feeling a little tired. Maybe we could get a room and take a quick, uh, nap.�
I understood what she meant; I�d even spoken to Halle about this. The question was, should I do it? Was I the kind of guy who was into casual sex? I looked back over the fall, and I�d been a little out of control, especially on recruiting trips. The question was, did I regret it? I mean, what teenager hires hookers for his friends, goes to a swingers party, and watches his friends at a gang bang? In under two weeks in LA, I�d let the makeup girl suck me off and had sex on set with one of my costars. And let�s not forget about last night. I even found I had a thing for a rocker girl.
It wasn�t like I wasn�t into older women. My freshman year, I�d spent time with three seniors, though with them there really wasn�t that much of an age difference. Aubrey, the model I�d met in Miami and then again in London, was at least ten years older than me. I would do both Adrienne and Hannah Minacci, and they were both older women.
So, was Rita being twenty years older a big deal? I�d given the woman a massage, and she sure didn�t look that old. The easy answer was that I�d always had fantasies about her. I�m sure most men had.
The only thing stopping me was Halle. Yes, she said we were just friends, but we both knew it was more than that. I�d kind of gotten myself into a situation with her, Brook, Zoe, and Pam. I was finding each one of them held a special place in my heart. The problem was that Tami had messed me up. If it hadn�t been for her, I would probably be serious about one of them right now, though I had no idea which one it would�ve been.
I looked at Rita and smiled.
�I love your daughter. We aren�t
�I thought Halle had talked to you and explained about me,� Rita said and began to tear up. �David, I need someone I can trust. I need someone who can be a little rough with me. God, this is so hard. I hate I just admitted that to you, but I have to, I�m desperate. I need you.�
My heart went out to her, and I felt my resolve weaken, but then thought of a solution.
�I think you�re overlooking someone.�
�Who?� Rita asked hopefully.
�Fritz. He�s with you all the time and protects you. I�d be willing to bet that he�d help you with this issue,� I said.
She smiled sadly.
�I�d thought of that a long time ago, but I rejected that idea. For one, Fritz needs to have a professional distance from me to protect me well. And while he�s a good man, trustworthy, and I like him, Fritz isn�t what I need. He�s not an Alpha Male; he doesn�t have that natural � whatever it is you have.�
Rita took another tack.
�You said the only thing keeping you from doing this was that Halle and I were related. Have you ever been with relatives before?� she asked.
She could see that I had. Missy and Lisa were twins; while not mother-daughter, they were sisters.
�How was it?� Rita asked with a small smile.
I closed my eyes because she knew it had been great. Screw it! I would probably regret this, but then again, maybe not.
�Okay.�
Rita handed me a hotel key, holding it in the palms of both hands and her eyes down. So that was where Flo had gone while we made our clay tiles.
I took it, paid our bill, and had her lead the way, which she did without speaking or looking at me. We were soon in the hotel room.
I held the door for her, and she walked in ahead of me. I closed the door behind me, making sure with my fingers that it was firmly shut as I watched her. Rita slowly turned around to face me, unconsciously wringing her hands. She looked so lost and scared, but somehow, at the same time, looked hopeful.
�You�ve been a bad girl,� I said. �When I gave you massages, you embarrassed me. You went too far when you were naked, and Caryn saw. From now on, you have to ask my permission before you expose your body to anyone else. Is that understood?�
�But �� she began.
�This is not up for debate! Do you understand? Yes or no!� I barked.
I think I surprised myself, but I knew from what Halle had said that this was what Rita needed. I could see her struggle with this and become defiant.
�No,� she challenged me.
I almost backed down, but the Alpha Male in me took over. I grabbed Rita, turned her over my knee, and spanked her. Not playful spanks, but hard. Rita fought me for the first few swats but then began to cry uncontrollably. I pulled her up on the bed and held her. Halle had said that her father had done the same, so I was hoping I wasn�t about to go to jail for manhandling her. Rita cried and cried. It seemed she needed to get everything out.
When she finally stopped, she cuddled up next to me.
�Yes,� she whispered.
�Get undressed.�
Rita didn�t hesitate; then she helped me undress. I checked, and she was wet. I fetched a condom out of my pants and put it on. Rita had a little smile when she saw what I was up to. This was not how my fantasy had played out in my mind, but I was about to have sex with the great Rita James.
�Put me in,� I ordered.
Rita reached down and placed my member at the entrance to her sex. There is a saying about when you �assume� something, it makes an �ass� out of �u� and �me.� Well, I assumed that Rita would be loose after two kids and from being older. I was wrong. I found out later that she hadn�t had sex for nearly three years. How that was even possible boggled my mind.
Mr. Happy found his one true religion once he entered his new holy sanctuary. If Hannah Minacci and Adrienne were even close to this good, I would die a happy man after I experienced all three of my fantasy girls.
�You�re so big!� she exclaimed as I hit bottom.
From massaging her body, I knew what would trigger a response out of her, so making her climax the first time was easy. Rita�s breasts were small, not quite B-cups, but they were hypersensitive.
�Oh, shit,� she moaned as I began to pump into her.
Rita absorbed each thrust. I raised her legs one at a time and put both of them over my shoulders. Folded in half, I pounded her. This was part of my fantasy from my youth that I wanted to live out.
�The rumors are true. I hoped they were, but never thought someone your age had it in him,� Rita cooed. �Yes, please, please do me with that big tool.�
She was made for this. Her hot body had been created for this very purpose: me pounding into her.
�Do me, please! Do me harder! This body is yours! Use it! Use me!� she wailed as she dug her fingernails into my back.
�Uh, uh, uh!� I panted like a tennis player when he hit a good shot.
Rita�s magical mound was doing things to my manhood, and I didn�t have much time left. I ran my lips up her long elegant neck and bit down gently. My right hand grabbed her left breast, and I used my thumb to strum its underside while using two fingers to clamp down on her nipple. Our hips were at an angle such that when we came together, my pelvic bone would grind against her clitoris. I sat up and used my left hand to capture her neck and apply a little pressure. Rita�s face started to darken, and then it happened.
�Ghhhhaaawddd!� she screamed.
I might have to get my hearing checked. I hadn�t counted on her legs being on my shoulders presenting a problem. That was until she clamped them around my neck and began to squeeze the life out of me. I might have been able to fight her off but for the fact that I was in the middle of the best orgasm of my life. I hammered her for another few strokes as my orgasm overcame me. That was when I started to see spots in my vision � and then nothing.
�Ohmygod! Ohmygod!� Rita panicked as I started to come back around.
I shook my head, which was a mistake.
�Damn, woman, I think you tried to kill me,� I complained.
�You�re alive. Oh my God, I thought I�d killed you,� she said and then kissed my face all over.
I held Rita at arm�s length and took a good look at her.
�How are you? Are you feeling better?� I asked.
Rita smiled and bit her lip, apparently even liking me holding her by her shoulders like that.
�If I said no, could we do it again?�
�Even if you said yes, we could do it again.�
�Then, yes. Do you have more condoms?�
�In my pants.�
Almost dying didn�t mean I got to rest. Rita rolled me on my back and used me as a human sex toy, and I, of course, let her. This was much more unhurried, and I worried from her expression that she might be falling for me. I would have to be careful with her emotions and not say anything to lead her on.
◊◊◊
When we were done, we took a shower. The two of us spent the rest of the day exploring what Catalina Island had to offer. At one point, Rita became quiet as we strolled. She still seemed a bit out of it, like she was deep in thought.
�Rita, are you okay?� I asked.
�Yeah, I guess. I�m worried what you think of me. Am I a bad mother, after what we just did?� she asked.
I stopped and looked down as I pinched the bridge of my nose. I slowly let my breath out, then looked up at her.
�Tell me about your ex and what he did that Halle told me about,� I said.
Rita gave me a tight smile.
�I once saw a doctor about this. He prescribed pills that made me feel like shit,� she said and then sighed. �When I get under stress, I get all bound-up inside. I soon become a raving bitch and take it out on everyone around me. Over the years, I�ve learned to control it some, but I did find one cure.
�Sometimes, I just need to get it all out. The doctor I consulted told me that sometimes you simply need what he called �a catharsis,� an emotional cleansing. That�s what Halle�s dad used to help me with. He would help me cry like you did today.
�Thank you, by the way. I could tell that you were unsure when I resisted you at first. I saw when I challenged you that you finally decided to take control. That was exactly what I needed you to do,� Rita said, then leaned into me and gave me a kiss.
I quickly looked around to see if anyone saw.
�Combine a good cry with mind-blowing sex, and I�m cured. The stress, the guilt, the building pressure gets me all twisted up inside. I needed to let out feelings that have been held in too long,� Rita said and looked at me with worry.
�I believe I understand better now. Don�t worry about Halle, she all but sent me to help you. My biggest concern is our age difference,� I said.
�I bet your mom would have a problem with this,� Rita said.
�Let�s not go there,� I said, shaking my head.
�I realize this can never be more than what we had today. I promise I won�t try to seduce you anymore.�
�Thank you.�
�If I get like this again, can I come to you? I might need you to spank me and help me get a good cry. I realize that part bothered you, but it seemed you liked the sex,� Rita said.
A smile crept onto her face, and I pulled her into a hug.
�You�re a special woman, Rita James. Maybe a bit of a freak; but then, I expect we all are. I hope you feel you can come to me if you need anything, even for me to spank you. Let�s just keep this between us,� I suggested.
�So, I�m not a terrible mother?� she asked.
�Well, I�ve not heard any complaints from the children, so I think you�re in the clear,� I said and then changed the subject. �You know, you�re on my list.�
That brought a smile to Rita�s face.
�Even if you think I�m too old.�
�Can I tell you a secret?� I asked, ignoring her comment about being too old. �I enjoyed this afternoon after the crying part.�
�Tell me about this list. Am I one of hundreds?� she asked.
�Believe it or not, I only have three names on my list.�
�Don�t keep me in suspense. Who�s my competition?� Rita asked.
�You, Adrienne, and Hannah Minacci.�
�Wow. Now I understand why you wanted to get Hannah here for the movie. You want to know a secret?� she asked.
�You�ll consider doing a foursome with them?� I asked, hopefully.
�No. Very soon you�ll be on every girl�s list, including mine.�
�Halle says I�m only handsome in a certain light,� I pouted.
�My daughter is just teasing you.�
We caught up to Flo, who gave us an amused look. We chose to ignore her. As far as she knew, we�d just had a nap. I was glad Flo was there because she knew how to keep things to herself. I was also pleased that for once, no one seemed to be paying us much attention. Anyone giving us more than a second�s glance would have known Rita had just gotten her ashes hauled.
On the helicopter ride back, Rita dropped off right away, her head on my shoulder. The helicopter�s route took us parallel to the island for a few brief minutes. I looked over at Catalina as it slowly passed out of view behind us. When my parents came for Devin and Cora�s wedding, I would have to take them here. It was a great place to get away from LA for a day.
◊◊◊ Monday December 14
When I arrived on the set, there was a new trailer on the lot. That could only mean one thing: Hannah Minacci was either here or about to arrive! Fritz looked at me as though I�d lost my mind when I began to dance in the parking lot.
�Hannah Minacci,� I said, pointing at the trailer.
Of course, I ran straight there and knocked. How could they have a trailer for her if she wasn�t even here yet? That didn�t curb my enthusiasm, though. I was a bundle of happy energy all morning. Jessup sent me to makeup, but quick blowjob from the makeup girl didn�t settle me down either. Not that I didn�t appreciate her effort, but some things just put an indelible smile on my face. I was then told to go to baseball practice and that I couldn�t come back until I was back to normal.
◊◊◊
Coach Revilla met me at Dodger Stadium for our practice session. Coach Boyd had called in some of his major-league pitchers to check up on their winter progress. There were also many of the Dodgers in for physicals, and several Triple-A prospects had been invited as well. It wasn�t anything officially sanctioned.
Coach Revilla had two Cubs hitters join us. I watched him work with Tony, who I�d met at my first practice. He was a big man at six-three and 240 pounds. The other player was Kris; he was six-five and weighed 230 pounds. They were both more muscular than I was. Tony was nine years older than me, while Kris was seven years older. Both were penciled in as outfielders with the Cubs.
Coach Revilla had me watch how Tony took batting practice. He stood beside me and pointed out everything Tony did well and anything that was wrong. I was somewhat happy to see that the Dodgers pitchers could confound Tony as they did me.
When it was my turn, Coach Boyd called out what pitch was coming. They started me out on a steady diet of fastballs. In high school, it was rare to see anyone throw over 90 mph, but the man I was facing was consistently in the mid-90s. It took me a dozen pitches to start to tag him. Coach Revilla calmly reminded me to trust the system. When I finally launched one out of the park, I began to get curveballs.
I got lucky and launched the first one. That was when they stopped telling me what pitch was coming. I embarrassed myself several times as I hacked away at some mistaken predictions. I guess I might not be ready for the major leagues. Coach Revilla wasn�t discouraged, so I felt better about myself.
�David, grab a glove and shag a few fly balls,� Coach Boyd suggested.
They sent me to center field, and I began to run down fly balls or back up grounders. On Kris� last at-bat, he hit one through the gap between center and right fields that then rolled to the wall. I�d been tossing the balls back in, but Kris took off around the bases. When I got to the ball, he was rounding second. I didn�t even think; I just threw a rocket to third base. Kris didn�t even bother to slide when he heard the pop of the glove as the guy playing third caught it.
Coach Revilla called me in, and I was done for the day.
◊◊◊
At lunch, she arrived. Halle grabbed my arm to keep me from running over to greet her. I was like Duke when you put a treat on his nose and made him wait to eat it. I think I was actually shaking. But knew I needed to play it cool if I were ever to have a chance with her. I snapped her picture and sent a text to my brother; I was sure he would be happy for me.
Everyone on the set knew of my infatuation. It might have been me continually telling everyone about the future Mrs. Dawson. A boy has to dream. That would explain why everyone seemed to find his or her way over to watch. Hannah was talking to Jessup and Rita. I looked around and didn�t see her baseball boyfriend. That was a good sign.
I saw her notice me and took a deep breath to calm down. I looked down at my phone, and Greg had replied with a rude remark. Too bad he was a hater. Hannah was suddenly there in front of me.
�Sup,� I said.
Hannah struck a gangsta pose, or as close to one as a supermodel can pull off.
�Sup.�
�You want to go chill in my crib?� I asked.
Hannah laughed at me.
�No, I don�t think that would be a good idea. Adrienne will be here in a little while to protect me.�
I know it�s wrong to lust after one woman when you�re in the presence of another. Especially if the other is
I honestly don�t know how Hannah read my mind. What is it with girls and that ability? I knew Tami and my mom could both do it.
�No, I�m not doing a threesome with you and Adrienne.�
I think poor Zak might�ve had a stroke. Not me; I just smiled.
�I was wondering if you wanted to go horseback riding with me after we�re done,� I said.
Of course, I had Googled Hannah and found out that she�d won the American Paint Horse Association World Championships before she turned seventeen. There was also a story about how at the age of fifteen, she developed and shot up to five-ten. Her boobs were reported to be all natural. I bet there were several guys from her old high school who were kicking themselves for not locking her down before she developed.
Hannah wasn�t the typical model; she was much curvier than most. While not fat, she was solid.
�I would like that,� she said.
�We could then have you and Adrienne over to Rita�s for dinner. Her cook Rosy is unreal.�
�Sounds like a date.�
Hannah had said the magic words. Before I spontaneously combusted, I wished her luck and returned to the set to begin my scene. This was more than I could�ve hoped for, and to continue to talk to her would only increase the chance that I might drool or do something else inappropriate.
Zak found me in makeup.
�Do you really know Hannah?� he asked.
�Yeah. Unfortunately, she has a boyfriend who�s a professional baseball player. I keep waiting for them to break up, but it never seems to happen.�
That seemed to ruin Zak�s day. I would have to keep an eye on him around her. Somehow, I had a feeling he didn�t have the same compulsion to not date women attached to another man.
◊◊◊
After my last scene of the day, I sauntered to my trailer and found Caryn talking to Adrienne.
�There he is. I hear you kept the sexual harassment to a minimum,� Adrienne teased me.
�I�m biding my time until she dumps that baseball player. Just let me know when there�s trouble in paradise, and it�ll be game on.�
�So, you�re taking us horseback riding,� Caryn said.
�No, no, no. That�s just for Hannah and me. I thought we could all have dinner afterward,� I explained.
��Stupid boy,� you didn�t imagine we�d let you be alone with her, did you?� Adrienne asked.
�I wish you could come, but I booked the last two horses,� I tried.
�You forget that you had me book the reservations. When I told them who all was coming, they were very accommodating,� Caryn, my ex-business manager, said.
�Just how many people are going?� I asked.
�Let�s see, what was the last count?� Adrienne asked.
�Ten,� Caryn said.
�You both suck,� I pouted.
I had this all planned. There was a horseback-riding place near Topanga State Park that had a sunset ride. You were able to see for miles in all directions from the top of the hills. The trip was supposed to take ninety minutes. I figured that would give me around three hours of alone time with Hannah. Now she might not even ride in my car!
Just as I expected, Hannah rode with Rita and Halle, with Adrienne joining them. I was stuck with Caryn, Zak, and Leah. Flo and Fritz drove us. Caryn refused to sit next to Zak, I guess because he�d hit on her one too many times. I should probably sit him down and explain that there would be bad consequences if he continued his unwanted advances. I needed to add Caryn to my list of girls he wasn�t allowed to go after. At least he never bothered Halle.
◊◊◊
I felt an unexpected emotion when I got on a horse and began riding: I missed Zoe. This was our thing, and I felt like I was cheating on her. Hannah and Caryn were both experienced riders; Caryn had learned when she worked for Range Sports. All I can say is that it was good the horses were docile and followed the lead horse, or the rest of them would�ve been in trouble.
Everyone had a good time. When we got to the top, and the sun began to go down, we had spectacular views. I would do this again. The only bad part was we had to go back to the studio so everyone could get his or her car.
On the way home, I suddenly realized I hadn�t warned Rosy of all the extra guests.
�Rosy�s going to kill me,� I told Caryn.
�Did you forget to tell her you were bringing extra people again?�
�Perhaps,� I confessed.
�It�s a good thing you have a manager, or she might actually have to hurt you,� Caryn said.
She seemed to be shocked when I hugged her. Rosy fed me, and I didn�t want to jeopardize that arrangement.
When we finally arrived, the parking area was full. I came into the house to find the whole cast and Jessup were joining us for dinner.
While we ate, I found out that eating with Adrienne was more embarrassing than eating with my mom. She told the story of my Miami shoot, and how I challenged the young execs to a contest to see who could pick up a woman in a bar. Then she had to tell them about me getting naked to be spray-tanned in front of all the female models for the shoot. I gave Adrienne the eye to remind her I might have a picture of the two of us naked at that shoot.
Then it was Hannah�s turn to relate the story of our meeting on a flight and how excited I�d been. Hannah also told everyone how I�d been sending her tweets for the past two years to get her to go to Prom with me. Only Zak appreciated my determination.
After dinner, Adrienne and Hannah joined me on the patio. The rest of the cast went home.
�I wanted to thank you for thinking of me for this job,� Hannah said.
�Just return the favor. I would love to model with you again.�
�What about me?� Adrienne pouted.
�There she goes again, fishing for compliments. Let�s get this out of the way. Adrienne, I owe you more than you�ll ever know. You�ve taught me so much it isn�t even funny. In my acting, I find that I use skills you showed me on a daily basis. You�re a national treasure, and you know it. You�ve been a fantasy girl of mine for as long as I�ve been interested in girls. If you ever decided that you liked boys, I would move to New York and camp out in your lobby.
�You know that all you have to do is ask, and I would do anything for you. I�m serious; just name it, and I�ll do whatever I can for you,� I said.
Hannah looked at me to see if I was sincere. Adrienne reached across the table and held my hand.
�You came into my life at exactly the right time. I was starting to get burned out and was almost ready to retire, but you reminded me that this could be fun again. Hannah and I�ve talked, and we�ll find some things the three of us can do together.�
�Thanks for horseback riding today,� Hannah said. �If I weren�t in a relationship, this would�ve been the kind of date that really impressed me. You had to do some research to come up with the idea. Some girl is going to be lucky when she finally catches you.�
�I�m right here,� I said and smiled.
�Don�t think I don�t know it. I�m sure you�ll make this a fun experience. I might even go to Prom with you if you keep it up.�
�Don�t say it unless you mean it; he�ll hold you to it,� Adrienne warned.
�Oh, I mean it,� Hannah said.
I was happy to hear that Hannah and Adrienne were staying at Rita�s house while they were here.
◊◊◊
Chapter 21 � To Wish Impossible Things Tuesday December 15
I woke up nervous. This morning I had my meeting with Chubby Feldman for the James Bond movie. We were meeting at the MGM Studios offices. I�d reread the script last night when I�d woken up in a panic. This was the type of movie that I�d been wishing for since I realized that
Saul met us in the parking lot.
�I have a good feeling about this one. Chubby called, and I had Frank send him over all your videos of you doing crazy things,� Saul said as we entered the lobby.
Saul led us past reception and through a maze of halls, finally finding the room he wanted. We were about forty minutes early. Inside there was a waiting area and a receptionist with a clipboard. I recognized two other actors with their people. Logan Morse was on the MTV werewolf TV show
The other actor was Dalton Perry. He was most noted for his role in the
If these two were any indication, I could play a teenager for the next ten years without a problem.
�Hello, David,� the receptionist said with a smile. �We�re running about twenty minutes late, and I see you�re early. Either you can wait, or I can give you passes to the cafeteria.�
�I�ll take the passes,� I said.
When we were out of the room, I turned on Saul.
�I thought you said we had a shot at this.�
Caryn snorted, and I turned my attention to her, wondering what she thought was so funny. Those two guys were much better known than I was and had both been in successful films.
�Sorry, you didn�t see the looks on their faces when she used your name. They�re just as worried about you,� Caryn said.
We found the cafeteria and got something to drink.
�The studio has to do their due diligence for a movie of this magnitude. Every agent in town is trying to get their actors in to audition for this one. Chubby�s also playing it smart because if he gives them his time, he can call in favors later. I�m telling you I believe we have this part. Chubby loved you in
We returned to the waiting room just as Caleb Middleton came out of the interview room. He�d been in
Aw, shit!
Logan entered the room and came out quickly. He didn�t look happy as he exited. Dalton was up next. Unlike Logan, his audition lasted the full 30 minutes. He was all smiles as he left. We were up.
There were three other people in the room with Chubby. One was a cameraman, and another seemed to be an assistant. The third man was older; he smiled when he saw me.
�Saul, sit in the corner and shut the hell up,� the older man said.
�Yes, sir,� Saul said.
I liked this guy already.
�David, I want to introduce Mark Harm, the producer,� Chubby said.
�Hi, I see you�ve met Saul. This is my manager, Caryn Buckley,� I said.
�David, let me get you up to speed. We originally created the concept of introducing a teenage child with the idea that Stephanie Garza would play it. She�s since decided that she has other things to do and doesn�t want to play a supporting role. Of course, who can blame her?� Chubby said.
�So, what made you decide to make it a boy�s role?� I asked.
�The key for this to work is it needs someone to have certain physical abilities. For some of the things we want to do, it was decided it would be more believable if a boy did it. What cinched it in my mind was a discussion I had with Jessup Fields. He told me how you�d handled some of your own stunts on
�I had a chance to see some of your videos. It seems you�ve done everything from skydiving to motocross. I understand you�re also a top athlete. Would you strip down to your underwear so we can videotape your body?� Mark asked.
I just stood up and took my clothes off. I did a slow turn for the camera with my arms straight out.
�Thank you. As you can imagine, we need to be sure you have the physique for the role,� Mark explained.
�Was that why Logan left looking unhappy?� Caryn asked.
�Yes, unfortunately, he didn�t have the body type we want. Frankly, I�m a little concerned that David may be too tall, but he brings other things to the table that we can�t ignore,� Mark said.
�We�ve been given a working title for the movie,
�I want to do something that will outdo him. My idea would have it start in an airplane, and the son would be involved in a fight. Of course, you�d be tossed out of a plane without a chute and have to catch one of the bad guys and steal his.� Chubby said.
�That doesn�t sound safe,� Saul said from his corner.
�Shut up, Saul,� Mark warned.
�You would land and chase the bad guy. You�d end up snowboarding down the side of a mountain and have to jump a ravine. There would be a switch to snowmobiles, and then finally four-wheelers. I want to do it in one continuous shot with a camera on you. We�d have cameras set up all the way down the mountain to take establishment shots and different angles. We�d want you to do the stunts,� Chubby said.
The room was suddenly silent, and Caryn and Saul looked sick. This was the sort of thing that might end my life. My experience on
I was willing to bet that Chubby had glossed over some details. When he said I would jump over a ravine, I could only imagine what that meant. I looked Chubby and Mark both in the eyes, and could tell they were worried I would turn them down.
�Okay, but you have to tell my mom,� I said.
Chubby looked at Mark and smiled.
�We can�t officially offer you the role until we finish our other auditions, but I think we�d like you to play the part,� Mark said. �I�ll be in touch with Saul when I can make an offer. I appreciate you coming in, and I look forward to working with you.�
Saul waited until we were in the parking lot before he did a victory fist-pump.
�Yes!�
�Do you have any idea what David will make on this?� Caryn asked.
�I would guess somewhere in the ten million range. That shot alone is worth a fortune,� Saul said. �It would also be perfect timing. They want to start filming not this summer but next. You should have three movies released by then. Combine that with your two
�Don�t forget the young Han Solo project,� I said.
�My grandmother used to have a saying: �To Wish Impossible Things.� It meant that if you dreamed big, good things could happen. Without wishing for the impossible, it would never happen,� Caryn said.
�You just keep wishing for the impossible, and we�re going to be very rich,� Saul said with a big smile.
Yep, it was all about Saul.
◊◊◊
When we returned to the studio, it was time for our first scene with Hannah. We had an establishment scene that introduced her to the audience. She was teaching us history. The baseball-player character I�d initially been selected for made an ass out of himself hitting on her. He�d also been aggressive with Cassie and Faye. In the film, he would be found hanged in the boiler room by the end of the day. I was glad not to be in that role, now that I saw how he came off in the film.
The one downside to having Hannah Minacci and Adrienne on the set was that the studio execs found an excuse to drop in. When I returned to my trailer after a scene, I found Hannah and Adrienne there, hiding.
�I thought you had a trailer,� I said.
�I couldn�t seem to get a free minute to think in mine,� Hannah said.
�We knew you wouldn�t mind,� Adrienne said.
�You do know that it�s time for naked yoga in my trailer,� I tried.
�Don�t even challenge him. He�ll be naked in an instant if we so much as pretend like we�re interested,� Adrienne warned.
�Guess who�s going to play James Bond�s son in the next movie,� I said to try another angle.
I received a group hug from both Hannah and Adrienne as my reward. If Chubby had known, I might have worked for free.
I was disappointed when the studio pervs figured out Hannah was in my trailer. She and Adrienne left to hide in Halle�s.
◊◊◊
I was done for the day, so I twisted Fritz�s arm to take me surfing. Caryn would get a ride home with either Rita or Halle. She had �things to do.�
A storm had come up in the Pacific, and we were the beneficiaries of some terrific waves. It looked like several people had skipped school to come out this afternoon. Al was in the group and made it a point to ignore me. I was okay with that.
When it was my turn, I began to paddle. I�d just gotten up when I saw that Al had jumped my wave. The little jerk didn�t peel off, as was proper etiquette. I was tempted to run him over, but that was also bad form. What sucked was I had to go to the back of the queue and wait my turn for a wave. When Al did it for the third straight time, I�d had it. I decided to just go in before I had to drown his butt. He wasn�t worth it.
After I showered off, I made myself a sandwich. I wanted to let Fritz enjoy the bigger waves, so I wasn�t in a hurry to leave. I put on my new sunglasses and walked to the car to grab my iPad so I could check my email when I pulled up short. Al was waiting for me with two of his friends. Clearly, this wasn�t a friendly visit, because they all had baseball bats. I contemplated running back to the house, but I wasn�t sure whether I�d make it. No way would I turn my back on them.
�I�m giving you fair warning that if any of you decide to use a bat, I�ll put you down hard,� I said, stepping in front of the car.
The car had a motion-activated camera on the dash. I wanted a clear record that I didn�t start this.
I made the mistake of thinking that Al would puff up and give some speech about how I did him wrong. Instead, he stepped forward and took a swing with the bat. It caught me in the stomach. If he had swung at my head, I might have been done for. Even with what Cassidy had taught me about absorbing a blow, being hit in the gut with a bat hurts, and I dropped down to avoid the worst of it.
I knew if I stayed on the ground, I�d be beaten to a pulp. So I threw my legs up and then down, snapping my back in a quick arch as I hurled myself to my feet. A single stride had me inside of Al�s bat, to his complete surprise. I used a palm strike to the chest to put him on his ass. Done with enough power, you could even kill a man with that strike. I hit Al hard enough that I heard a massive explosion of air leave his lungs and he began to gasp.
His two friends moved in to take their swings. I used what Fritz had taught me about disarming an assailant and soon had the one on the right in a wrist-lock. I spun him in between the other boy and me. The one I was holding onto received a solid hit in the upper back and cried out. He let go of his bat and landed on his face. I now had a bat in my hands to even things out, and I faced a single opponent. He�d recocked and caught me flush under my left arm. Luckily, he hadn�t the chance to take a full swing or I would�ve been in a world of hurt.
I thought again about running for it, but Al had stood up while I doubled over in pain. He took a swing at me; I parried his blow as if we were dueling with swords. My effort was enough to save me from being clocked and possibly at their mercy, but I could see they both saw blood in the water. Al charged me with his bat over his head as if he planned to pummel me. I thrust the end of my bat into his face like I would if I�d had my Bo staff. Al went down again.
The one who�d hit his friend took another swing at me; I was able to stagger back as it whistled by my head. I used the bat like a baton and hit him on the side of the knee. Then I came up across the bridge of his nose before he could recover from his swing. Blood flew from his face, and he dropped at my feet.
I turned in time to see Al climb back up to his feet. Would this idiot just stay down?
�Stop, just stop,� I said as I gave ground as he advanced.
�Screw you! You were supposed to make me popular. Instead, I�m a laughingstock at school. I�m going to kill you!�
He charged me again, and I was just able to get my bat up with my hands on each end of it to intercept his blow. I kept giving ground as he took full swings at me and I blocked each one. My back leg touched the bumper of the car; I had nowhere else to go.
Cassidy would have my head because I�d tried to reason with Al and hoped he would get over his fury. His breathing was labored from swinging the bat. I knew how tiring it could be from my work in the dojo. Cassidy preached to end it and not risk injury. Al left me no choice.
He swung again, and I used my bat to block his swing. Stepping forward, I kicked him in the upper thigh to unbalance his stance. Then I brought my foot up in one fluid motion and planted my heel in his temple. I�d practiced that move with Cassidy holding a pad low and then kicking a speed bag. When done right, it sounded like: �thump POW�!
The reason Cassidy worried about me sparring with other people was that she�d never allowed me to hold back. That was why I sometimes had �accidents,� like when I practiced with Fritz and Coach Hope. Self-defense was only to be used if absolutely necessary. When it did happen, take them out.
Al staggered back and tripped over his friends. He hit the back of his head on the pavement and didn�t move. I quickly checked to see if he was still breathing and was relieved to confirm I hadn�t killed him.
I called 911 and said I�d been attacked and that I�d subdued my three attackers. The first car on the scene was a woman officer, and she had me lay on the ground and handcuffed me. She then put me into the back seat of her car so she could direct traffic. Fritz was alerted to the trouble when he saw all the vehicles with flashing lights stopping in front of the beach house.
I watched as the ambulances came. The boy whose friend hit him in the back was put onto a backboard before they took him away. Al�s other friend was put into a brace for his leg, and the paramedics worked to get his nose to stop bleeding. I watched as Al came around and pointed at me when talking to one of the many police officers who�d quickly showed up. I didn�t like the direction this was going. It would be the three of them claiming I�d assaulted them, if I weren�t careful.
They finally pulled me out of the car and offered me the opportunity to tell my story.
�May I talk to my security?� I asked as I nodded towards Fritz.
They agreed. I made a point of having Fritz take off my sunglasses for safekeeping. I really didn�t want them to disappear while I was in police custody.
�Look, they�re going to say I started this. Call Frank Ingram and get him the video from the car. I need this in the hands of every news outlet in LA in the next hour, or this could get ugly.�
Something I learned from the rape allegations was that you wanted to get ahead of the story. I needed my version of what happened in the hands of the media before a smart lawyer twisted things. The best way to do that was to show the public what happened. If the police seized the video, it might be months before it saw the light of day, if ever. This was the very reason Fritz and his team wore video equipment when working. It eliminated a lot of the bullshit.
I told my story to the detective who showed up.
�Mr. Faulkenburg tells a different story. He said you attacked them and they had to defend themselves. He said it was all over a surfing incident and that you were out for revenge. Did you and Mr. Faulkenburg have an altercation surfing today?� he asked.
�Al jumped three of my waves. Instead of letting things get out of hand, I decided to stop for the day. Was I irritated? Yes,� I admitted. �I would bet that if you interviewed them separately, their stories don�t add up. The three of them were waiting for me when I stepped out the front door. As I said, Al and his two friends attacked me.�
�I�m going to need you to come downtown until we straighten this out,� the detective said.
�You should think long and hard about that. I would hate to see you tarnish my reputation by making it look like I was guilty when I�m the victim.�
Of course, that all was caught on tape from Fritz�s bodycam. They put me in the back of a squad car, and I was taken in.
Frank would later almost kiss Fritz for his foresight. The two videos were on the air before they could question me. The police weren�t happy the footage hadn�t been turned over to them. I missed going to the dojo but made it home in time for Rosy to feed me. The police no longer looked at me as a suspect.
◊◊◊
After dinner, there were a couple of scheduled interviews Frank had set up. Neither of the interviewers had seen the fight video, so we just talked about my movie premiere and the one I was working on. Frank promised me talking points for the fight because he was sure it would come up in the other interviews that had been scheduled.
After I was done, I was told to call home. Luckily, my dad answered.
�Are you okay?� Dad asked.
�Yeah, it could�ve been worse,� I admitted.
�Where was your security? I thought Rita had someone with you at all times.�
�He was here. I just ran out to the car because I forgot my iPad. I never imagined they�d be lying in wait like that. It wasn�t his fault,� I said.
�Your mom wants to talk to you,� he said.
�Tell her I�m in a coma and can�t talk right now,� I begged.
�He says he�s in a coma.�
�Give me that phone.�
�We keep having these discussions. Do I need to give you a lecture?� Mom asked.
�Only if it would make you feel better. I was only protecting myself,� I said.
�How�s your coma?�
�It�s getting better. I�ll be fine,� I said.
I missed my parents.
Then my mom ruined my day.
�Call Cassidy,� she ordered.
I contemplated not doing it but was afraid of what she might do if I didn�t call her.
�Hey, it�s David,� I said with a little cheer in my voice.
�Before we talk, are you all right?� she asked.
�I�m good. My stomach and ribs are tender, but nothing serious. I got off easy,� I admitted.
�Good,� she said and let a long breath out. �I�m embarrassed to let anyone know I�ve been working with you. Have you not listened to a word I�ve said during your training? Do you know how lucky you are to have walked away from that attack?�
I knew this wasn�t good. Cassidy had me pull up the video, and we walked through the fight step by step. All I can say is that she was right. I�d held back and put myself in danger from the beginning. If I�d attacked first, the whole fight would�ve been over quickly. Instead, I let Al get the first shot in, which put me on the ground. Cassidy was impressed that I got my butt up on my feet quickly, but she wasn�t impressed that I only hit him hard enough to knock him down.
Cassidy went to great lengths to explain how I�d knocked Al on his ass multiple times, and each time he got back up. If I�d hit him full strength, he wouldn�t have gotten back up. I knew Cassidy preached over and over again that if you
I could tell I might live the next time I saw her when she commented on my sunglasses never coming off. That made me chuckle. If the Japanese company saw my real fight, they might be excited that their sunglasses worked as advertised.
◊◊◊ Wednesday December 16
I skipped running this morning for two reasons. The first was my side and stomach were feeling the effects of catching a bat. It was no worse than being sacked, but it still hurt. The second was that I was once again the flavor of the week as far as the paparazzi were concerned.
I�d seen the video. Coming off the ground like I had and then right into a palm strike that took Al off his feet was impressive. The final sequence of me fending off Al�s determined attack, and then the two kicks to finish it, were something I would expect to see in a movie. It was almost as if I�d framed the final sequence as I backed up to the car. Sometimes you get lucky.
Instead of running, I went to the studio because we had some more scenes with Hannah. Jessup made me take my shirt off, and I had some noticeable bruising. I think it was all a scam because he decided we didn�t need a love scene with Hannah. The reason I thought it was a scam was that everyone had hung around to hear him tell me. I took it like a man and waited until I got to the privacy of my trailer before I cried. I blamed Al; he was going to die.
If I�d thought it through, I would have realized the love scene was never happening. Just because I�d conned the writers into creating the scene, it never meant that Jessup would use it. It would have made sense if we were shooting a raunchy teen comedy, but this was much darker than the TV show ever tried to be. They took pity on me and let me go to baseball practice.
◊◊◊
We were back to practicing at USC�s field. When we arrived, I was surprised that Coach Boyd and his pitchers weren�t around. When Coach Revilla saw me, he waved me over. He was with another man I�d never met before.
�David, I�d like you to meet Lucas Kite from our scouting department. He happened to be in the area to check out a couple of prospects and is here as a favor to me,� Coach Revilla explained.
�Coach says you have some potential. You�re a junior in high school, correct?�
�Yes, sir.�
�What position do you play?�
�Shortstop, and I pitch.�
�You�ve never played any outfield?� Lucas asked.
�Not really,� I admitted.
�I hear you�re an exceptional athlete and excel at football as a quarterback. Is it true that you�re possibly the best high school quarterback in the nation?�
�I�ve been told that.�
He gave me a little smile.
�What is your long-term interest in baseball? I�m asking about beyond high school. Have you ever considered playing professional baseball someday?� Lucas asked.
�Baseball has always been my favorite sport. When I was growing up, I dreamed of being the Cubs� starting shortstop.�
�That�s good to hear,� Lucas said and then looked at Coach Revilla. �I�d like to see him hit first, then we can move him into the field. I want to see him at shortstop and center field.�
Coach Revilla signaled to someone, and most of the USC baseball team came out onto the field to warm up. I was told that many had skipped class because they�d been told a major-league scout was on campus. While they warmed up, Lucas took my measurements and had me do some timed runs.
He�d seen the video of my fight and wanted to see my injuries. I made sure I was stretched out, especially my torso area, before I stepped up to hit. Coach Revilla reminded me of the five-step system before I took my first pitch.
The pitcher must have been nervous because he uncorked a fastball that got away from him and almost killed me. Luckily, I only had to dust myself off. I turned to the catcher.
�Is he always wild?� I asked.
�No. You should be fine.�
The pitcher nodded to me to let me know he didn�t mean it. I expected another fastball and guessed right. Overthrown fastballs tend to rise in the zone, and this one did just that. Belt-level over the center of the plate is every hitter�s dream, and I drove the ball into left field for a hit. The catcher trotted out and talked to his pitcher. Whatever he said seemed to work. The pitcher calmed down and began to work.
I would compare him to a good Double-A pitcher. I could handle most of his pitches, but he had me guessing bad at times. When I�d cranked three out of the park, Lucas sent me to shortstop. Coach Revilla hit me balls and called out different scenarios. Then it was out to center field.
Toward the end, I was told to throw home. They�d had me play shallow center field. Coach would hit the ball over my head, and I had to run it down at the warning track. I then would pivot, get my feet right, and fire the ball towards home plate. This was exactly like when I scrambled as a quarterback. Footwork and proper technique made the difference in a good throw. They asked me to do that five times before I was called in.
I met with Lucas alone. I tried to figure out why Coach Revilla had packed up and left. Lucas never said anything about it.
�It�s obvious you�re an athlete. You have good speed and excellent arm strength. It�s also evident that you hit for average and for power. You showed you can field the ball. Based on what I�ve observed, we�ll want to see how you develop over the next year. One workout isn�t enough for us to tell if you can produce over an entire season.
�You have a lot of potential, and I�d like to see you play some summer ball against better competition than you can expect in high school. I have some ideas if you�re interested,� Lucas said.
�I have a commitment for June, but have the rest of the summer available.�
He wrote down my information and then had one piece of parting advice.
�I know you said you wanted to play shortstop. I�m going to be brutally honest. As a shortstop, you might have a chance to get to the big leagues, but you�re a much better prospect as a center fielder. I would suggest that you switch and forget about pitching. If you were a pitching prospect, we would have already identified you as one. You�re a better than average high school pitcher, but not as dominant as you would need to be at the next level of competition.�
�Okay. Should I get some coaching?� I asked.
�For now, work with Coach Revilla until he has to leave at the end of the month. He tells me that the place you signed up with also has fielding coaches. After he leaves, you might want to get one of them to work with you,� he suggested.
Once he left, I returned to the studio. This had always been the dream as a kid, to play ball for the Cubs. All I could think of was what Caryn had said her grandmother had taught her: �to wish impossible things.� I remembered there was another saying: �be careful what you wish for.� What would happen if I had to decide between football, baseball, or a career in movies? I guess I would worry about that later. For now, I would wish for playing for the Cubs while working as an actor. Maybe I could figure out how to do all three.
◊◊◊
When I arrived at my trailer, Frank and Caryn were there, talking. It had to be something important for Frank to show up unannounced.
�Sorry, but can you let me take a shower? I need to be on set shortly,� I explained. �Caryn, I hate to ask, but do you think you could get me something to eat?�
She just nodded, and I hurried to the back of the trailer where the master bedroom was. I showered and dug out some of my analgesic cream to rub on my bruises. I came back to find Frank, Fritz, and Caryn eating Reuben sandwiches. Caryn pointed over to where I found mine. I joined them at the table.
�The attack video has gone national, and many of the news organizations around the country have put in requests for interviews. The LA Police Department would like to do a joint press conference this afternoon. I would suggest that you work with them on this. It�ll give their talking heads a chance to shine, and they�ll be saying good things about you. I want to capitalize on the media while your story is hot,� Frank said.
�What do you mean, �while it�s hot�?� I asked.
�A story like this will have its own life cycle. I expect we can use this through Friday, and then it�ll die down. Over the weekend some kitten will fall down a well, and they�ll be off to cover that,� Frank said.
There was a knock at the door. �You�re needed on the set,� I heard through the door.
I felt bad because they�d never had to come and find me until today. That meant everyone was ready, and as Jessup reminded me fifty times a day, time was money.
�Okay, do what you think is right. Keep Caryn in the loop,� I said and hurried off.
◊◊◊
When I was done with my scene, Caryn filled me in. Frank had arranged for me to be downtown at LAPD Headquarters at three-thirty. The national nightly news would begin to air on the East Coast at four, our time. He�d written up a statement for me to make. I had Caryn read it because I had to get back on the set. She then handed me an envelope.
�This was delivered while you were on set.�
I opened it. I shook my head and handed it to Caryn to read. It was from an LA law firm representing the three men who attacked me. It was a shakedown letter that threatened they would sue me for all the damage I�d done to their three clients. They would like me to get an attorney, and we might possibly settle before it got ugly. I found the phone number and called them.
�David, I�m glad you�re taking this seriously,� was the greeting I heard when the phone was answered.
�Listen carefully. Have Al Faulkenburg call me by three o�clock. I believe we can settle this if he does. If I don�t hear from him by then, you can go ahead and sue. I�ll make sure I crucify you and your clients in the press, starting with my three-thirty press conference with the police.�
�Hang on ��
That was all he got out before I hung up.
It was a good thing I was supposed to be a brooding, angry teen in my next scene because that�s exactly what I was.
◊◊◊
On the ride to LAPD Headquarters, I received a call from the law firm with Al, his parents, and everyone else on the line.
�David, I�m sorry you�ve taken such a hard line, but we�re willing to work with you on this,� Al�s lawyer said.
�Al, are you on the line?� I asked.
�Yes.�
�I�m about to arrive at the LAPD Headquarters to do a joint press conference about what happened. I have two options: I can go along with your story about this being about surfing, and things got out of hand, or I can tell them the truth. When I say the truth, I mean I will tell them about every
�What�s he talking about?� a woman I assumed was his mom asked.
�What did you do this time?� a man asked.
The conversation was muted, and I waited for them to decide. When I was put back into the conversation, it was just the lawyer.
�They�ve decided they�d prefer the first option. We�ll send over a letter of agreement and state that all parties will take no civil action against you concerning this matter. Would that satisfy you?� he asked.
�Please contact my attorney, and I�ll have her review it,� I said.
I gave him Ms. Dixon�s information. I would have Caryn call her while I met with the police.
◊◊◊
After that, I did the dog-and-pony show for the police, who wouldn�t tell anyone much because it was �an ongoing investigation� and �the three attackers were minors
After we were done with the police, we drove over to Frank�s office. He had a room set up for my interviews, with large posters from my two movies placed behind me that featured me in the pictures. I�d no idea where he got them, but they were going home with me.
The rest of the day was a blur as I did one interview after another. By the time I arrived home, I was exhausted.
◊◊◊ Thursday December 17
Caryn woke me up at three-thirty in the morning. She had a suit for me to wear today that had been delivered from Dakora. I was impressed that it was very businesslike with only a touch of their creative flair. Caryn told me they had offered me money to wear it on the morning talk shows. We were back at Frank�s studio so we could be on
By now, Ms. Dixon had come to an agreement in principle, and she said it was okay for me to start telling the surfing story. The reason I was okay with telling that version was that it was true�as far as it went. Several people had seen him jump my waves, and it wasn�t uncommon for surfers to fight over that. What made this different was the fight was caught on camera, and they�d used bats, and I�d used my training to protect myself. Added to that, I was a high school football All-American and an up-and-coming movie star.
Saul had called Caryn. The Japanese sunglasses company wanted to buy the rights to the video of the fight, and every time I mentioned them on national TV, they would pay me. If I actually worked-in showing the sunglasses, I made more. Of course I was able to do that. Each morning talk show got to hear about the ad I�d done and the coincidence that I was wearing their product. I even joked about how they gave me the edge I needed to win against my attackers. I hoped the Japanese company execs would be ecstatic and sign me up for more ads involving large and impossibly easy amounts of money.
Later in the day, I was given some relief: there was a mistrial declared in a Baltimore case. The police reportedly had maltreated a suspect on a van ride, and he died three days later. Frank�s assertion that we would get a three-day ride out of this was cut short. I can say I was pleased to have the press focus elsewhere.
Ms. Dixon did catch up with me.
�What do you think you were doing talking to opposing counsel without me at least in the loop?� she asked.
�I stopped it before it became a problem,� I said.
�Don�t get smart with me. You pay me for a reason. You got lucky in this case, and if it�d gone south, I would have had a larger problem to clean up. Next time you call me, or we�re done. Am I making myself clear?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�If I didn�t know you, I�d be shaking in my boots,� I teased.
�David!�
I�d heard that tone of voice before, usually from my mother.
�Look, I admit I need to call you each and every time something like this happens, but there wasn�t time. And before you lecture me about making time, I had this well in hand. I knew this would never move forward,� I said.
�Let me hear your reasoning before I explain how many ways this could�ve gone wrong and how much money I was going to charge you,� she said. That somewhat alarmed me.
�This started before the surfing incident. I was with two nice young women, uh, talking, when Al Faulkenburg exposed himself. The phrase used by one of the women was �Baby Dick.� I expect word got back to him that one of the women had shared her observation of his assets, or in his case, lack of them. I told him that if they continued with their threats of a lawsuit, I would reveal to the world his
�Was it really that small?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�Al Faulkenburg�s penis when erect is probably smaller than your pinky,� I admitted.
I could tell by the laughter that word of Baby Dick�s penis size would be all over her office before the day was out. I would bet his whole high school knew by now. In some ways, I�d felt sorry for him, but later, not so much, after learning about him being a mean-spirited little jerk. To top it off, when it became clear he planned to use his association with me to social-climb, I�d lost all sympathy. Maybe I could host a fundraiser to help him. I could see the posters now: �Help our baby become a boy.� We could raise tens of dollars, I was sure.
◊◊◊
We drove to the studio after I was done with the morning interviews. On the way, Caryn received a call from my mom. When she hung up, she didn�t look happy.
�The farm deal hit a snag. Apparently, the left hand didn�t know what the right hand was doing at the bank. They auctioned off all the farm equipment that was part of the sale.�
We�d made sure it was all included because tractors and the associated implements weren�t cheap.
�And?� I asked.
�I don�t know,� Caryn said. �The good news is that when the inspection was done there, they created a list of equipment.�
�The bad news is buying it new will cost a more than we�re willing to pay,� I said.
�Let me see if I can salvage this deal. Otherwise, we need to scramble and figure out how to spend some money in the next two weeks, or you�re going to owe the government a lot of it.�
There came a knock on the door. I was late again, so I left Caryn to figure it out.
◊◊◊
When I came back to the trailer for our lunch break, Caryn was there, smiling.
�You have an audition at Disney on Friday,� she said.
�
�Yes. Saul just called and confirmed it. They�re messengering over a script for you to learn for the audition.�
The word around Hollywood was it was almost an open casting call. I knew that Zak planned to audition. Saul had warned me that there would be several meetings before a final decision was made. I was just excited I would get a shot at being in a movie for this franchise. Of course, if I were to pick a role, it would be some kind of Jedi Knight part where I could wield a lightsaber. Han Solo only got to shoot a laser gun. What was the fun in that?
�Is there any word on the farm problem?� I asked.
�Still working on it,� Caryn said with a tight smile.
I ran over to the buffet, grabbed some tacos, and was quickly back on set.
◊◊◊
Hannah Minacci and Adrienne left at the end of the day. Hannah still hadn�t really confirmed Prom. I was starting to wonder if the Dawson magic was gone.
Caryn still hadn�t solved the problem with the bank when I was done for the day. She told me she had some ideas, so I left her and Mom to figure out what could be done to save the deal for the farm. I�d started to get excited about the possibilities, so I wasn�t happy that it looked like it might not happen.
Fritz cheered me up when he wanted to go surfing. I think he liked being my security because of that. Caryn said she�d catch a ride home with either Halle or Rita, so we drove to the beach house.
The first clue that something was up was when we started to get close to the house, there were cars parked along the road. One of the reasons Rita had purchased this house was because it didn�t have much parking close to the beach, which meant not many people would be using it. There were much better places to park and get to the beach up the road. Those beaches seemed to be packed.
When we got inside, Fritz and I looked out the back window and saw that the beach was packed with people lying out, and there were several paparazzi. The good news was that the girl-to-guy ratio was about 5 to 1, and the girls were dressed to impress.
�Well, shit,� Fritz said.
Trip, Craig, and Kent must have heard us come in because they came bounding down the stairs to join us.
�Do you think it would be okay to go surfing?� I asked.
�When Mom did her last movie, we had something like this,� Trip said.
Fritz didn�t look happy.
�What�s he talking about?� I asked.
�As soon as they see you, it�ll start to draw a crowd. I can�t let you go out there. Someone might get hurt,� Fritz said.
I looked confused.
�It�s not you he�s worried about so much as a fan getting hurt if the crowd gets out of hand,� Kent supplied.
�I think he�d be fine. Just run out and go straight to surfing,� Craig said with a smile. �If you were to lure six or eight cute girls back with you, that would be good.�
�No,� Fritz said as he pointed at the paparazzi.
�Who appointed him the voice of reason?� I asked.
Fritz arched an eyebrow.
�Do I need to call your mom?� he asked.
�No need for that,� I quickly said.
�Please, you�re worried about your mama?� Craig asked in disbelief.
�
�Trust me, we don�t need her getting involved in this,� I warned them.
Fritz made the call that we couldn�t go surfing, and my side and stomach still hurt, so we skipped the dojo. I changed into workout clothes and hit the gym at Rita�s house, even though I don�t like to run on a treadmill. I needed to burn off some energy, and I didn�t get my run in this morning. When I was done, I did
◊◊◊
After dinner, Halle sat me down.
�I heard what happened at the beach house. I�m glad you listened to Fritz. One of the scary effects of fame can be a crowd. If people in the back start to push forward, people in front can get hurt.�
�They explained it to me,� I said.
�I expect you�re starting to see that fame is a double-edged sword. While it can open doors for you, you also have to be careful. Our ads for
�Whenever you�re in public, you need to start to be conscious of that. People have cell phones that can take pictures and videos. Just assume that everything you do in public will be recorded. The press loves to see someone like you doing something wrong. If you even suspect it might be questionable, reconsider, and then don�t do it,� Halle said.
�What do you mean?� I asked.
�Let�s say you go out to eat and have terrible service. Be sure to overtip your server, or you�ll find yourself on the Internet as being cheap. If I say something to you in jest and you flip me off, imagine it on the front page of the
�You also have to start caring about what you wear in public. I didn�t pick out your clothes because that was what I wanted to see you in. I personally think you look good in jeans and a t-shirt. Instead, I picked out clothing I knew would be neutral. You should never wear something that could be used to make fun of you. People in this town expect you to look a certain way. They already know you�re from the Midwest, and if they dig, will find you�re a part-owner in a farm. Right or wrong, they�ll judge you for that.
�You need to be seen doing good in the community. You noticed Mom and I attended a mother-daughter event for literacy. I know you have a big heart. Find some things to do, donate some money, be seen being a stand-up guy. The little things will begin to define you in the public eye,� she explained.
�I don�t necessarily want to be seen giving money. I�m afraid people will start lining up with their hands out,� I said.
�Think about it for a moment. Do you honestly believe that people don�t know you have money?�
I thought about it and realized I was fooling myself. I would assume I had money; so would everyone else.
�How do I go about doing this? I�m not from here,� I admitted.
�Caryn is. She�s your manager, so use her. She can call Frank or talk to my mom. I�m sure there�s something you can do this weekend.�
She was right. Our family did do things for the community. It all stemmed from my grandpa and his political career. I recognized that if I someday wanted to follow in his footsteps, it would be much easier if people already knew and liked me. Not that this was all about making myself look good, it really was about helping others. It supported my life goal of
�I want for you to get serious,� Halle said with a frown. �The fight needs to be a wake-up call. There are people who target folks like you and my mom. She�s had to learn the hard way what can happen. That�s why her security people wear bodycams, and all her cars have video cameras. That kid targeted you; so will others. You have to be careful with people you meet, because of what they may want from you,
I just nodded. My uncle had given me a similar talk, but now that I was here in LA, it made much more sense. If anything, the hell Pam�s dad Cal had put me through in the name of money and �taking me down a peg� should already have made me a believer. I was glad Halle was a good-enough friend to sit me down and make sure I was aware of what was going on.
◊◊◊
Chapter 22 � You Gave Your Word Friday December 18
Fritz had insisted that we be in a more controlled environment than the baseball field at USC, so I found myself working with Coach Revilla at the baseball training facility. Coach had me work on different hitting drills that didn�t involve a pitching machine or pitcher. He wanted me to learn the exercises I could use when I returned home.
What I liked about my coach was he didn�t get excited like many of my football coaches did. He patiently explained what he wanted and made corrections as needed, but there wasn�t the yelling to get his point across. That didn�t mean that you didn�t hustle. I think he was used to working with professionals, and he didn�t need anything extra to motivate his students.
When we were done, Coach Revilla wanted to talk to me.
�When I took this job, I thought I was going to be working with some actor to try to make him look like he could hit a ball. I�ll be honest: I did it so I could visit my son and his family in LA. I want to ask you something: are you serious about baseball? The reason I ask is that if you plan to play football or act, I don�t want to waste your time or mine. If you�re serious, I�d like to help you.�
Before answering, I had to stop and think for a moment.
�I know what I want to say: I want to play baseball. I�ve always loved the game, and like so many kids, I dreamed of playing in the big leagues. Here�s my problem: right now, it looks like I might end up being very good at playing football. If I stay healthy, which is a big if, and if I go to the right college and we have success, I can write my own ticket.
�As far as movies go, I have no idea how successful I�ll be. I have some things in the works that might set me up for life, and I need to take that seriously. If those go the way I hope, I�d want to pursue them. But both baseball and football have so many unknowns. I could get hurt near the end of college and wind up having spent the next several years pursuing a fantasy and then watch it all go up in smoke.
�But if I had an equal shot at all three? I�d pick baseball. If you could help me get there, I wouldn�t disappoint you; I�d work my butt off to make it happen. But I just can�t promise you that I�ll end up playing baseball. I wouldn�t lie to you, sir,� I said.
�Okay. I understand, and I appreciate you telling me like it is. It�s refreshing to have someone not just tell me what they think I want to hear. I brought Lucas in when I saw you gun down Kris at Dodger Stadium. You have the tools to become a Major League Baseball player, but you need to play against superior competition and get the right coaching.
�I work with USA Baseball to identify talent. In June, they�ll invite 108 of the best baseball players in the nation to their training complex in Cary, North Carolina. Invites will go out starting in February and will continue through the spring. USA Baseball and Major League Baseball cover all costs associated with the event, including the player�s travel, lodging, and uniforms. The lodging is through the USA Baseball Host Family Program. They have a tournament where you�d play on a team with other select players. From that tournament, they�ll select the Under-18 National Team to represent the United States at the COPABE Pan American Championships in Monterrey, Mexico. Is this something you�d like to do?� Coach Revilla asked.
I didn�t need to think about it. I would love a chance to represent our country in international play.
�Yes, sir!�
He shook my hand.
�Let�s get serious then.�
◊◊◊
Saul met Caryn and me at Disney studios. We had been slotted for the late afternoon so I could work on the movie. Fridays seemed to be short days because everyone wanted to get away for the weekend. That was one of the benefits of filming in the LA area. Everyone who lived here got to see their friends and families during production. When I�d been on location for
Walt Disney Studios in Burbank was the headquarters for Disney. In addition to housing the corporate offices, they had a 51-acre studio lot that contained several sound stages and everything needed to make movies. When we reached the gate, Fritz was given a map and directed to where we needed to go.
We found Saul inside; he�d already checked us in. The whole process was designed to see a lot of actors in a day. I was ushered into a room of ten other men vying for the role. Some I recognized. You waited until your name was called, then went into a room with someone with a video camera.
�State your name and age, then recite the lines.�
I did.
�Thanks. We�ll be in touch.�
And that was it. I came out.
�How�d it go?� Saul asked.
�Nailed it. I�m sure they�ll be calling me back,� I said.
I think I made his day.
◊◊◊
On the ride home, I received a text from Jett. Her band was playing tonight at a restaurant in Santa Monica.
�Fritz, you want to see Jett�s band play again? There would even be dinner in it for you,� I said.
�You buying?�
�Of course. It�s in Santa Monica, so we could jump on the Pacific Coast Highway and spend the night at the beach house. I bet it would be safe to go surfing in the morning.�
�Count me in,� he said.
�Can I talk you into going with us?� I asked Caryn.
�No, I�m meeting up with some of my high school and college friends tonight, so I need to hit the road.�
◊◊◊
When we arrived home to drop off Caryn, Rita wanted to know what I was up to tonight.
�We�re going to a restaurant called Harvelle�s to watch a friend�s band play. Then I plan to spend the night at the beach house so that Fritz and I can go surfing in the morning.�
�You know that Harvelle�s is a bar, don�t you? I don�t believe they serve food,� Rita said.
�Oh. That might be a problem,� I admitted.
�You also need reservations. The last time I was there, you could reserve a table for four, and it cost $100. The money was credited towards your bar tab. They don�t open until eight, and you have to be seated by nine for your reservation,� she explained.
�So, you�ve been there?� I asked.
�Harvelle�s has been around forever. They�re one of the oldest live-music venues in the LA area. I�ve always had a good time when I�ve gone.�
�Do you want to go with us?� I asked.
�You buying?�
�Sure.�
�I�ll go in another car because Halle and I are going to a fundraiser for a no-kill animal shelter in the morning. You might want to stop by after you surf. Caryn told me you were looking to do community work. You just have to promise not to rescue a cat or dog.�
I would have no idea where to keep a pet, nor would I have the time for it.
◊◊◊
We had a nice dinner at Santa Monica Seafood. Fritz pointed out they had ceviche as an appetizer; I passed, deciding instead on clam fritters and steamed littleneck clams as a starter. I picked their cioppino for my dinner. It�s an Italian fish stew, and they made theirs with clams, mussels, fish, shrimp, and calamari in a spicy tomato sauce with grilled ciabatta, an Italian bread. For dessert, I decided to keep with the Italian theme and had the tiramisu.
Rita had Flo as her driver for tonight. We met at Harvelle�s, and I had a little smile when Rita just walked to the front of the line, and we were let in. I briefly thought about getting into line, but Fritz and Halle had stressed security, so I entered along with the others.
Harvelle�s had been established in 1931. It was smaller than I expected, and the room was long and narrow with a bar almost its entire length on one side. There was a high-backed upholstered bench down the other, with small tables lined up along it and two chairs at each table.
You could imagine this place when it first opened: a smoky bar packed with a Benny Goodman-type band or Cab Calloway singing
I was busy teasing Flo about a man who�d bought her a drink when someone sat in my lap. I smiled when I realized who it was.
�Angel! Jett told me you were their manager,� I said.
Angelina �Angel� Hargrove worked for Tom and managed Eve Holliday, my ex-girlfriend. Tom had hired Angel from Stone Mountain Records. I honestly couldn�t remember the last time I�d seen her. It had to be over a year ago.
�Thank you for that. I think Birthrite is going places. We just need to get more original songs to record.�
I introduced Angel to everyone. She only stayed a moment because she had to go deal with some emergency that always seems to crop up when you�re doing something like this.
When the band began to play, I pulled Rita onto the dance floor. Jett winked at me because when we started to dance, others joined us. For an older woman, Rita had some moves. She left me and sent Flo out when I began to show her some of my better ones. Rita actually laughed at me. All I know is that Jett and her band were a lot of fun.
◊◊◊
Rita and Flo left around midnight, but I hung around until the music stopped. Jett had come by our table during a break and asked me to stay to the end. I was surprised when she waved goodbye to her bandmates and joined us.
�I�m starved. Take me somewhere where we can get breakfast,� Jett said with her big smile.
Fritz said he knew of a place, and we left.
�You were good tonight,� I said as we ate.
�It�s easy when we have everyone up and dancing. You�ve got some moves for a white boy,� she teased me.
�Tsk, tsk, tsk. You forget we�re in California, the home of political correctness,� I said in my best uppity-white-boy voice.
�Puleeease!� she said in disgust. �I�ve had more sexist things said to me since I�ve been here than I ever heard in Chicago.�
�We�re going to the beach house and surfing in the morning. Want to join us?� I asked.
�That was smooth. Was that your way of asking me to sleep with you?� Jett asked.
Fritz suddenly had to use the restroom.
�I wouldn�t say no, but we do have guest rooms.�
�Let me call Hana. She acts like a den mother. If I plan to be out all night, she wants to know, or she�ll call my mom and tell on me,� Jett said.
I totally understood that. Your best friends could be evil sometimes.
When we finally arrived at the beach house, I showed Jett where the guest room was. I also showed her where Halle�s bedroom was so she could borrow a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. While Jett got settled, I took a shower because I�d been dancing all night and could smell myself. I didn�t want to stink up the sheets. I came out to find Jett in my bed, wearing nothing but a smile.
�Here�s the deal: I like you and want you to be my friend. If this would screw that up, then I�ll go back to my room. On the other hand, it�s been over two weeks since I�ve gotten any. I could really use some loving.�
�Do you have a boyfriend?� I asked.
�No,� she said and smiled. �Do you?�
�No boyfriends. Or girlfriends. I do have some close friends. Halle, Rita�s daughter, is one of them.�
I liked that she thought about it before she committed.
�Drop that towel. I want to see what I have to work with.�
I did.
�Not bad for a white boy,� she purred.
I launched myself onto the bed, and she squealed. That started a tickle fight that suddenly stopped when I nipped her nipple. Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes got big in mock shock. I rolled on top of her and kissed her.
�Roll over,� I told her.
I�d brought the vanilla-scented massage oil to the beach house. You never knew when it would come in handy. She watched me, looking like she was worried about what I had planned. When I poured some oil on her back and then on my hands, she relaxed.
�Oh, my. That feels good. I�ve never had someone give me a massage,� Jett admitted.
After I�d finished her back and legs, I concentrated on her butt and sex. I helped her have her first orgasm before I put on a condom and gave her a deep massage from behind. She arched her butt up to meet my thrusts. I grasped the back of her neck as I set a steady rhythm.
When she finally groaned, and I could feel her shudder, I was already close. I let myself go and came.
�Thanks, I needed that,� Jett said as I rolled off her so I could go dispose of the condom.
She got up and joined me in the bathroom. We both needed a shower to get the excess massage oil off us.
It was late, and we�d both had long days. It didn�t take Jett long to fall asleep on my shoulder. I gazed at her sleeping form, bathed in the light from the window. I wondered if this had been a mistake. Jett was just the kind of talented, driven girl I was attracted to. It didn�t hurt that she had a hot little body. The memory of Eve Holliday intruded into my thoughts of Jett and me being together. Jett was just at the beginning of her dreams. She needed to go after them, and I had to go home in a few weeks. Why was it I always wanted what I couldn�t have?
◊◊◊ Saturday December 19
Jett left before I rolled out of bed. Fritz had made coffee, and I actually drank a cup. Trip came down, looking hungover. He�d been out to a party with Craig last night. I was surprised when he wanted to go surfing with us.
It was a bit on the chilly side when we stepped out carrying our boards. The good news was there weren�t many other surfers catching waves. Towards the end, I took a fall and was rolled underwater by the force of the breaker. This time it wasn�t quite as traumatic as before, because I knew what to expect.
We took a quick shower and left for Rita�s house in the hills. When we arrived there, I made breakfast for Rita and Halle. Fritz went off to his apartment over the garage.
�So, what are we supposed to do today?� I asked.
�They�re having an adoption drive, and we�re volunteering to help. There�ll be some press there to capture the event, and you�ll write a check as a donation,� Halle summarized.
�And how many are you rescuing?� I asked.
�None,� Rita quickly said and glared at me.
Halle bit her bottom lip.
�Mom has never allowed me to have a pet. She let Trip have a goldfish when he was young, and it lasted about a week. My brother is irresponsible and shouldn�t be allowed to be in charge of a pet. He can barely take care of himself.
�I, on the other hand, am more than capable of taking care of a puppy,� Halle said.
�I seem to remember that you�re always losing your backpack,� I offered.
�Thank you,� Rita said.
�Mom, David�s just being a bully. You can�t listen to a word he says,� Halle moaned.
We sniped back and forth to the point where Rita made me sit in the back and Halle rode shotgun to NKLA (No-Kill Los Angeles).
We were greeted and given t-shirts to wear with �NKLA� on them. They had us pose in front of a giant mural with �NKLA� in block letters where they took our pictures. Then they asked us to write a check. One reporter turned out to be an animal-activist blogger who talked more than she listened. She wanted to make sure we were aware of the evils of most animal shelters. I nodded at appropriate times, which seemed to make her happy. The NKLA staff were shocked when I actually wanted to see their dogs and cats. From what I gathered, most celebrities just came in, got the recognition they needed, and left.
Halle and Rita joined me. We started to play a game of �what breed is it?� I was willing to bet that over half the dogs there were either purebred pit bull or pit-bull mixes. What I found amusing was that most of them were listed as some other breed.
I pointed at a puppy.
�Pit bull.�
Halle checked the tag on the cage.
�Nope. This is Madeline, and she�s a beagle/terrier mix.�
�I call bullshit,� I said and checked the tag.
�Do you think it ate Madeline?� Rita asked.
Many of the pit bulls were sweet, but a few were aggressive. Those I stayed far away from. I wished the shelter luck getting those adopted.
Halle fell in love with a little black-and-white Chihuahua named Blackie. I had my doubts because the dog shook the whole time and had crazy eyes. They brought her into an adoption room to see if Blackie and Halle would get along.
All was fine for about two seconds. The adoption lady put Blackie onto the floor, and Blackie began to shake. Halle leaned over to pick her up.
�It�s okay, baby,� she cooed as she bent down.
The little shaking dog suddenly leaped at Halle�s face, and all I saw were snapping teeth. The little beast sounded ferocious. Even the adoption lady was up on a chair as the little terror ran around snapping at anything that moved.
�David! Be careful,� Rita warned.
These people were amateurs. I, on the other hand, had dealt with Precious, the cat from hell. Blackie was no match for me. She did grab hold of my pant leg and shake it. I just reached down and grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. She went limp. This was a natural reaction from when dogs were wild. Their mothers would pick them up by the scruff of the neck when they needed to carry them somewhere.
�Did you hurt her?� Halle asked.
�No, she�s fine. Do you want to hold her?� I asked as I pointed Blackie at her.
She had the same reaction my dad has when I try to hand him Precious. For some reason, Halle passed on getting a dog today. She did get a kitten, though. It looked like a small fuzzy ball of fun.
�This breed is a Ragdoll. They�re nicknamed �puppycats,� because they�re very social. You can even teach them to fetch, and they�ll come if called,� the adoption lady explained.
Even Rita fell in love with the beautiful kitten. He had a gray coloring around his eyes and darker gray on his ears and tail, but the rest of him was white. He was playful and full of energy.
Watching the two of them bond made me miss my trusty hound. Mom told me he had a new fascination: Little David, Peggy�s baby. Whenever the baby made a noise, Duke would go get someone to check on him. He�d taken to sleeping under the crib at night instead of in his crate. I had a bad feeling he might not be my dog anymore if I stayed away from home much longer.
�What are you going to name him?� I asked.
�Bandit,� Halle said, and then looked at her mom.
�Yes, you can get Bandit. We�ll need to get him everything he needs,� Rita said.
Our next stop was the pet store. Halle even bought a kitty purse she could carry him around in. I didn�t have the heart to tell her that Bandit would get big. On the ride to the pet store, I Googled the breed, and he might get up to 20 pounds. I didn�t see a cat that large fitting into a kitty purse.
◊◊◊
When we arrived home, I sent Frank copies of our pictures at the no-kill facility and photos of Halle with Bandit.
Halle had her kitty to entertain her, and Rita had lunch plans with Tansy Williams. They�d rekindled their friendship.
I was left with nothing to do. I did make some phone calls, and Tim updated me on the trainer they�d brought in. The trainer had created a plan to strengthen Tim�s knee. Tim said the trainer worked with each player to develop an off-season plan to make them faster, stronger, and quicker. For the linemen, he was helping them bulk up. I told Tim about baseball and the possible chance to represent the USA on an under-18 team in Mexico. I also told him about my batting coach and what I was learning.
None of the girls were home when I tried to call. Tom told me that Mary and Tracy were Christmas shopping. That reminded me I needed to do that, so I tracked down Paul, who was on weekend duty, and he took me to Two Rodeo Drive. It was an outdoor mall, complete with cobblestone walkways. Paul must have thought I wanted to spend a fortune, because there was Prada, Gucci, Valentino, Armani, Dior, and Cartier. I did buy some Prada purses for my mom and grandma, and a backpack that looked like a robot for Angie. I felt a little guilty when I checked out Jimmy Choo and found a pair of alligator-embossed leather sneakers that I fell in love with. They were only $800. I had to get out of there before I wiped out my bank account.
Paul showed me where he shopped. It was an outlet mall called Beverly Connection. Old Navy and the like at outlet prices made for a much better deal. Poor Paul became my pack mule when I couldn�t carry any more bags. He gave me a dirty look, but I was getting everything out of the way in one trip. I even found the perfect gifts for my niece and nephews.
He became my hero when he pointed out they had a place where you could get everything wrapped and shipped. It was guaranteed to get home before Christmas.
◊◊◊
While I was shopping, I received two texts. One was from Zak, who asked me to go to a party with him. The other was from Maria. She wanted to have dinner so we could talk about something important.
I dressed to go out in my skinny jeans and a black t-shirt. I put on my new $800 sneakers and grabbed a Dakora jacket. When Paul saw me, he went back and changed into something less casual. I�d promised him dinner and an invite to the party.
I met Maria at a neighborhood Italian restaurant, and we found a quiet booth so she could talk to me. Paul took a seat in the bar. I noticed he picked a table where he could keep an eye on me. As we walked to our table, people recognized me, and a couple even asked me to sign napkins or whatever they had handy.
Maria recommended the lasagna, so I tried it. It was vegetarian and surprisingly tasty. We chatted while we ate, but she seemed nervous.
�Just tell me what you want,� I said with a reassuring smile.
�About last week, I hope you don�t think I do that type of thing all the time. I�ve never been involved in something like that before.�
�Did you have a good time?�
�Yeah, I did enjoy it,� Maria said and then shocked me. �What I�m about to tell you will make you think I�m a complete slut: I want to do porn when I graduate high school.�
I tilted my head and thought about what she just said because I wasn�t sure I�d heard her correctly.
�And you�re telling me this because �?� I asked.
�Because you�re the perfect guy to help me,� she said as if that answered everything.
�Back home, they call me a �stupid boy.� I guess I�m missing something. How am I supposed to help you with your desire to do porn? I mean, I can see having sex with you, but if there�s more than that, you need to clue me in,� I said.
�I�m serious about doing porn, and I don�t mean just letting some jerk with a big package do me on video. If I wanted that, we could go to the bathroom, and you could film us with your phone,� Maria said.
I pulled out my phone because I could afford to skip dessert. She shook her head, so I put it away.
�I want to learn how to do it right. I Googled you. You�re both a model and an actor, and I bet you could teach me things like how to best present my body and stuff. I really don�t know where to begin,� she said. At that point, she ran out of steam and looked at me expectantly.
Amazingly enough, I�d seen some porn, so I wasn�t completely clueless about the subject matter. I thought about it and recognized that most porn followed a formula. Sexy babe entices her partner. She takes off her clothes except for her panties and then gives the guy head. He, in turn, eats her when he removes her panties. Then there are the obligatory three or four positions, with the guy ending up in some form of missionary. The guy jerks out, and sexy babe acts like she loves him erupting on her face and breasts. Of course, there are variations, but you�ll find at least 80% of that in just about every video.
I thought about it, and the better productions did show off the girl in a better light. Okay, I might have some ideas as to how to help her. I also thought about her hot little body. Of course I was willing to share my vast knowledge on the subject.
�Okay, I�ll help you,� I said.
Maria was so happy she even paid for dinner because as she explained it, it was a business expense. I just chuckled.
◊◊◊
Maria followed me to Zak�s house and parked there. We picked up Zak, and Paul drove the three of us to the party, which was in Malibu. One of Zak�s friends had bought a new house. The home�s claim to fame was that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston had lived there.
I was a little surprised that Zak hit on Maria the whole way there, but for some reason, my Alpha Male tendencies seemed to be in check. I didn�t feel the need to claim her as my own. It might have been that the first time we were together, she�d also slept with both Trip and Craig. When we got out of the car, Maria slid up beside me and grabbed my hand. She hadn�t seemed to mind that Zak had been making his move, but she made it clear she was there with me.
I just figured it was Zak being Zak. He was a confirmed Hollywood-actor skirt-chaser. I understood why so many of them remained unattached for so long. Actors, I mean. Seriously, if you were George Clooney, why wouldn�t you be single for as long as possible?
I should�ve known that if it were one of Zak�s friend�s parties, it would be a target-rich environment. Zak took Maria�s rejection in stride. I could see why he got laid so much. He was easygoing and just shrugged it off and found another girl to charm. I knew that if my uncle and brother were single, they would love this place. Maria squeezed my hand to remind me she was there.
�Hey, sorry about that. I just know Zak�s type. Even though he�s cute, I didn�t feel like a quickie and then being looked at like a slut the rest of the night,� she said.
I looked over and saw he had culled one from the herd and taken her to a bedroom. The guy had been here less than fifteen minutes and was already getting laid. I realized she was right when several men seemed to take note of whom he had left with.
I wanted to talk more about her being a porn star. That was one of my bucket-list items, to sleep with someone in the industry, and I would count our time together if Maria actually became one.
�How do you see us working together to help you with your career path?� I asked.
�I don�t know, I was hoping you�d have some ideas.�
�Have you had a lot of experience with sex? I guess what I�m asking is have you been with different men?�
�Not really. I�ve had two boyfriends that I�ve had sex with, and then you were there last Saturday.�
�Did you like that?� I asked.
�I had a good time. Why? Are you planning on setting me up with some guys?� Maria asked.
�Do you want me to?�
�I guess if it were part of my training, I�d be okay with it. But I don�t want it to get out that I�m doing something like this. Somehow, I don�t think the kids at school would take it very well. I don�t want to fight off every jock as I walk down the halls,� she admitted.
I could understand that. If we had someone at Lincoln High who�d announced she wanted to be a porn star, she�d be flooded with offers. It would all but be expected that if you dated her, you�d get laid.
�What do you think of Paul?� I asked.
Paul was former military and as such very fit. He was five-eleven, 185 pounds, and in his mid-20s, if I were to guess.
�He seems a little old.�
�From what I�ve seen of porn, it�s normally girls your age and men Paul�s age,� I said.
Maria seemed nervous. The last thing I would ever want to do is to force anyone into doing something sexual if they really didn�t want to, so I dropped it. She hit the bar, and I explored the party. I did my usual and met most of the people there.
I found there were groups of girls who would hang with someone in the business. It was like Craig and his group of friends who followed him around. I understood why he did it because I found that without some wingmen, it would be difficult to get some alone time with someone.
When I came back, I caught sight of Maria as she led Paul upstairs. She was full of mixed messages. Zak had returned and found me.
�I need your help,� he started.
This had to be interesting.
�I�ve been in love from afar with this girl for ages. She was a senior when I was a freshman,� he said.
I did the math in my head and figured she was in her mid-20s. He pointed across the room, and I recognized Bec Carson. Zak filled me in that she�d started in the business when she was young. She�d been in one of his acting classes when he was ten. She�d started out doing a show on Nickelodeon when they were in high school. Since then, Bec had started to get better and better roles in movies.
�So, what did you want me to do?� I asked.
�Maybe we could go talk to her, and you put in a good word for me,� he said hopefully.
As we walked towards Bec, a stunning example of a California girl joined her. She looked to be much younger. I�d already talked to Bec, so she smiled at me.
�Hey, David. I called my cousin to tell her you were here. She has a crush on you,� Bec said.
The vision�s ears got a tinge of pink. Zak nudged my ribs; the cousin and I must have been staring at each other. I remembered why I was there.
�Uh, this is awkward,� I started. �I came over here to reintroduce you to Zak. He says you took acting classes together when you were kids, and he was in love with you in high school.�
I grabbed his arm because he looked like he was going to run away.
�Then I come over here and find you with your cousin. I�m David, by the way,� I said as I offered the cousin my hand.
�Alyssa.�
�You be nice to my boy Zak while Alyssa and I get to know each other better,� I suggested.
I pulled her onto the dance floor, and we lost ourselves in the music. After a couple of songs, our eyes locked, and she grabbed my hand. She pulled me upstairs, and we found a vacant room. I didn�t even know this girl, and she had Mr. Happy out and had him all but swallowed.
The only thing this girl had said to me was her name, and we found ourselves having wild monkey sex. God, I loved Hollywood.
◊◊◊ Monday December 21
After I�d returned from hitting practice and done a couple of scenes, I returned to my trailer and found Caryn with a smile on her face.
�You look happy,� I said.
�I believe I solved our problem with the farm deal. I finally was able to work my way up the food chain at the bank until I reached someone who knew what everyone was doing. She wasn�t happy when she found out what had happened. It also turns out she knew your grandfather; one of her first loans was to him for farm equipment.
�Anyway, she wants to work with us to make this right. She has a John Deere franchise owner they had to foreclose on. He�d been in business for many years and has an inventory that they plan to liquidate. Your mom, uncle, and grandma are going today to see what�s there. If they can find what�s needed, the bank is willing to work it out so you buy the two farms.�
I looked at Caryn in a new light. She hadn�t quit on the deal once it looked like it wasn�t going to work. I suddenly realized that she was much more valuable to me than Kendal had ever been. Kendal was good at keeping me organized and made sure everything ran smoothly. Caryn had just shown me that I was wasting her business talents to babysit me. Then again, Devin had missed it as well, so I didn�t feel too bad.
Her working on one deal and having success didn�t mean she was everything I foresaw her eventually being. But at the same time, I felt it was enough to give her a chance to prove me right. Before I became too excited, I needed to talk to my parents, uncle, and grandma and get their input. I would need their guidance on how best to utilize Caryn.
�That seems like a sound plan. Have them look to the future needs of all the farms. Maybe we can find some equipment we might want to add on if the price is right.�
�I just told your mom the same thing. Sorry if I overstepped,� Caryn said.
�You know what? I don�t really have a handle on this, so there�s no reason for me to get in the middle of it. Take it and run with it. Just keep my family in the loop. My dad has final say anyway, so if he�s fine with it, I am too.�
�Do you want to know what I�m up to?� she asked.
�Well, it
She smiled and nodded.
�I appreciate your trust and the opportunity. I won�t let you down,� she promised.
There was a knock on the door.
�Ten minutes.�
I�d been late getting on the set a couple of times last week, and I felt bad about that. So I�d asked the production assistants to warn me if I wasn�t ten minutes early. It was a Midwest thing. We hated to be late.
�I have to go and make movie magic. You do whatever it is you do,� I said, waving my hands.
I left her with an even bigger smile on her face.
◊◊◊
Both Saul and Kent sent me texts. It looked like Saul had informed my castmates that we would be negotiating on our own, and Kent was pissed. He wanted a meeting after work to discuss it. I quickly realized that I was about to break one of my life goals to be a man of my word. I�d promised them I would negotiate with the group to get the best possible deal. After seeing the movie, Chubby Feldman had advised Saul against it, and I�d agreed.
I called my uncle.
�I think we found some great equipment,� he started.
�That�s nice, but I have a real problem.�
He laughed at me.
�Let�s hear it,� he said.
�Is that David?� Mom asked in the background.
�Yes, and he says he has a problem,� Uncle John said.
�Just put me on speaker,� I said.
�What�s your problem?� Mom asked.
�I�m about to break my word, and before I do, I wanted to get your take on it.�
�I believe we talked about this,� Uncle John said.
�Yes, but this might mean millions of dollars.�
�What is your integrity worth?� Grandma Dawson asked.
�That�s a lot of money,� my mom reasoned.
�It�s a slippery slope. If David�s word is only good until he�s offered money, what does that make him?� Grandma Dawson asked.
�Can I tell you what�s going on and give you an idea what I�m talking about?� I asked.
I explained why we�d originally decided on the group approach, how women were treated differently, and how I�d agreed because I wanted them treated fairly. We�d come to a ballpark figure that we judged both the studio and we would find acceptable. I then explained how Chubby Feldman had seen the movie and felt I�d be viewed as more valuable than even Craig. That was because of my physicality and how I came across in the scenes. Chubby had made some of the largest-grossing action movies in Hollywood, and Saul said that if Chubby thought I was worth more, you could take it to the bank.
I also explained that Chubby thought the movie would gross more than initially projected. Chubby surmised that we had a hit on our hands.
�So, let me understand this,� Uncle John said. �The studio was going to shortchange the women, and you agreed to do this group negotiation so they�d be paid more.�
�It was significant. I was going to be paid twice as much as they were,� I said.
�I think you can work this out without breaking your word,� Grandma Dawson said. �If you can guarantee the women they�ll make at least what they would�ve with the original deal, would they be okay if you ended up making more? I bet they�re worried that without you they�ll take a financial hit. In essence, you�ll keep your word to make sure they�re paid more than without you. If you guarantee them either you�ll make it up out of your own pay, or from the studio, you�ll have satisfied the agreement.�
�The key is you gave your word that you would work with them to make more money,� Mom said.
�Look, where you made your mistake was making this deal before you knew everything,� Uncle John pointed out. �I remember one of your life goals was learning to say �no.� It�s not your responsibility to right the wrongs of the movie industry. I understand why you did it, and I can see you doing it again in the future. What you need to learn to do is to be patient. I would bet that you all talked about how the success of this movie would affect what you might make on the next two. Am I right?�
�Yes.�
�Look, I�m not trying to beat you up. I want you to learn from situations like this. What I will say is that I think my mom is tap-dancing around the issue and finding a loophole for you to get out of your word. I would suggest that you talk to them, and if they insist that you work as a group, then you do it. If they release you from your commitment, you be sure to thank them and remember what you told us. If they take a hit because of you, you better step up and make it right,� Uncle John said.
�Yes, sir. Thank you for letting me talk this through. I think I�ve figured out what I want to do. I�ll let you know how our meeting goes,� I said, and hung up.
◊◊◊
As soon as Caryn and I arrived at Saul�s office, we were sent to a conference room with Craig, Kent, Bree, and Elizabeth. Bree and Elizabeth also had their agents with them.
�Can we talk without our people in here for a minute?� I asked.
They all looked at me like I was crazy.
�Let me talk to you, and I believe we can work this out,� I offered.
Caryn stood up and joined Saul at the door. The other agents got up to leave, as did Kent, but I motioned for him to stay. He�d been selected to represent us in the group negotiations. When the door closed, they all stared at me.
�What are you trying to pull? I thought we had an agreement on how to handle this,� Bree said.
I smiled at her.
�Hello to you too, Bree,� I tried but failed at my humor.
I took a deep breath.
�Look, I�m sorry. There was a screening of the movie, and Chubby Feldman was there. He advised Saul to break ranks and have me cut my own deal. I take my word seriously, and I made a mistake. I told Saul to move forward on Mr. Feldman�s recommendation. It was selfish and immature on my part. I�m sorry,� I said.
�It�s nice you�re sorry, but how does that help us?� Elizabeth asked.
�I never wanted to do this in the first place. I did it because Bree and Elizabeth were getting boned on their offers,� Craig said.
�So you�re saying we should take the hit so you can make more money?� Bree asked.
Craig wouldn�t look at either of them.
�Chubby thinks we have a hit on our hands. If we�re patient, I believe we can make even more money. What if I guaranteed that the two of you would make at least what we agreed to?� I asked Bree and Elizabeth.
�What are you saying?� Bree asked.
�I�m saying that if you let Saul work our deals, I�ll put my own money up if the studio shorts you on your contract,� I said.
�I don�t want Saul negotiating for me,� Craig said.
�Fair enough, then you�d be free to cut your own deal without interference from us,� I said.
�We already have agents,� Bree said.
�And yet you agreed to let Kent lead the negotiations. How would this be different?� I asked.
�You�re serious. You�d guarantee us what we had talked about, even if the movie fails?� Bree asked.
�Look, I gave you my word and didn�t live up to it. If you tell me you�d rather us all do a group deal, I will,� I said.
�I�m out,� Craig said.
�I would still do it with the two of you,� I said.
Bree and Elizabeth left to talk to their agents. Kent smiled at me.
�Actually, I think you did us a favor. We�ve heard similar things about
�Are we good?� I asked Craig.
�Hell, you got me laid last weekend. We�re good.�
�Where was I when all this was happening?� Kent complained.
I just shook my head. Craig and Kent left, and everyone else came back in. Caryn had filled Saul in on what I�d proposed so he wasn�t blindsided.
�We�ll take you up on the offer of a guarantee,� Bree said.
�Saul, I hope you can get them more than that,� I said.
�I have a deal with David that if I make him over what Kent negotiated, I get my fee on the difference. Will you do the same?� he asked.
They negotiated from there. Caryn and I got up and left them to it. Saul was in his element, and I knew they�d work it out. On the way home, I received text messages from Bree and Elizabeth that they weren�t upset with me.
◊◊◊
Chapter 23 � Man of My Word? Tuesday December 22
We had a good day on the set today. Jessup was working us ragged so we�d be able to take a day off from work on Thursday, Christmas Eve day. The only negative during the day happened when Fritz sat me down and told me that Paul was no longer allowed to drive me. His having sex with Maria when he was supposed to be protecting me was a big problem. I told him I was partly responsible, but Fritz wasn�t hearing any of it and told me to stay out of it;
I was glad when we were done and Fritz agreed to take me surfing. There was still a crowd at our beach, so we packed up our gear and drove down the road. A small car park limited the number of people on the water. This beach was also rockier. Fritz warned me that I needed to be careful.
There were some docks down the beach, and they were packed with sea lions. Fritz told me that boaters hated the animals. When we paddled out, I got to watch a few of them playing in the waves. Fritz and I made our way out and joined the four other people surfing. There was a guy a little older than me whom I talked to while I waited my turn.
�Have you ever hit a sea lion before?� I asked.
�No, they tend to avoid us, but that would ruin your day. The males can be 750 pounds.�
�You�re right, that
I liked our new spot to surf. The people here were older, and no one acted as if they would jump a wave. I was more careful, though. I didn�t want to crash and get rolled if the bottom was mainly rock. Everyone also seemed to know each other and accepted us.
I�d just finished a nice run and turned around to paddle back out when a fin broke the water near where we were queuing up to surf. I sat up on my board and began waving my arms to get someone�s attention. Fritz noticed me, and I pointed at the fin that was heading straight toward them. I�d never seen a big shark close up. At twenty yards away, it was already too close. I saw the shadow of a female sea lion race along a wave in front of where everyone was.
Fritz had gotten everyone�s attention. The guy I�d been talking to was up next, and he aborted his run. The shark suddenly flew between us, and we witnessed our own personal version of
�Did you see that?� I asked Fritz.
He was actually shaking. Of course, he�d been within twenty feet of the monster when it made its kill. It was more than a little unsettling to see all its friends show up so quickly. We had literally been swimming with sharks.
�When a big shark attacks, how do you fight him off?� I asked excitedly.
Fritz finally realized I was pulling his chain. I was just glad he hadn�t been eaten. He had the car keys, and I didn�t want to have to explain to Rita how I lost one of her people. I knew for a fact I would �forget� to tell my mom about this.
In all seriousness, it had scared the shit out of me. Fritz would have to pull a gun and force me to come back to this beach to surf again. I�d take my chances with the girls at our beach. They seemed to be slightly less dangerous.
◊◊◊
Fritz took me to the dojo because we needed to burn off some nervous energy after our scare. We spent our time pounding heavy bags. That turned out to be a good idea because we were both a little hopped-up on adrenaline after what we�d seen. It didn�t fully hit me until I was in the shower: I was almost shark food. Holy crap!
◊◊◊ Wednesday December 23
When we prepared to go running, a large contingent of paparazzi greeted us. I�d started to get used to them being around, but I wasn�t prepared for what they shouted.
�Were you scared when you saw the shark?� one of them yelled, which was followed up with variations of the same question.
Fritz and I looked at each other and had one of those �oh, shit� moments. I pulled my cell phone out and Googled myself. Sure enough, there was a new YouTube video of the whole event. Someone with a phone camera had captured the shark as it cut through the water close to us. It was hard to judge distance, but it looked damned close. The video already had close to a hundred thousand views. I called Frank because it was going to be another media circus.
�Check out YouTube,� I said as I stepped back into the house.
�Wow. You were in the water with all those sharks?� Frank asked.
�Yep. It was a good thing they were only after the sea lions, or it could�ve gotten interesting. If I�d known they might be around, there�d have been no way Fritz could have gotten me to surf. The first shark was huge, maybe ten feet long,� I guessed.
Frank called someone at UCLA, and they told him that the first shark was probably a blue shark and the ones that showed up later looked like mako sharks. As far as I was concerned, all that mattered was they were large and had big teeth. Frank arranged an interview during my lunch break with a woman from the State of California who was an expert. I spent two minutes describing what I saw, and then she talked for thirty on how we were probably safe since we weren�t on the menu.
My mom called a few times, but I managed to dodge her. I would see her after Christmas when she came for Devin�s wedding. After the whole fight incident, I really didn�t want to hear what she thought of me swimming with sharks.
◊◊◊
We wrapped up the movie for Christmas. Everyone would be back next Monday. It finally sank in that I would be away from my family for the first time during this holiday. Of course, Rita invited me to their celebration so I�d have somewhere to go. I guess I was feeling a little sorry for myself.
I came back to my trailer, and Caryn was working.
�We worked it out,� she announced.
�The farm deal?� I asked.
�Yes. The bank agreed to kick in tractors and implements to replace what was sold. Your Uncle John said you were getting newer equipment that hadn�t been used; they were mostly display items. He�s getting a mechanic to go over everything and make sure it all works. He and Mr. Hass also bought some equipment for your uncle�s farm.�
�So I�m broke?� I asked.
�No, not even close, but your tax bill will be lower. I have a call in to your accountant to see if he has any further suggestions.�
I just nodded. Caryn seemed to have everything under control. I went to my bedroom and came out with her Christmas gift.
�I wanted to give you this before you go home.�
�Oh, I didn�t think to get you anything,� she said.
�Don�t worry about it. If I see something I want, I usually just buy it. I wanted to get you something as a �thank you� for all you�ve done for me.�
Caryn ripped the paper off the box.
�You could have waited until Christmas,� I teased.
She opened it and smiled. Caryn was always playing tunes on her phone while she worked, so I bought her a pocket speaker system that used Bluetooth. Despite its small size, it sounded great. All she had to do was connect to it with her Bluetooth and hit her playlist. When I ran across it in one of the gadget stores, I knew it would be perfect.
�Thank you, that was very thoughtful,� Caryn said.
�Come on. Let�s get out of here so you can go home.�
◊◊◊
I guess I was moping around because Rita sent me to the beach house. Fritz wished me a Merry Christmas, and I was alone. In the mood I was in, it was in actuality a good thing because it gave me a chance to sit back and reflect. From the outside looking in, I�m sure most anyone would trade places with me. That was until they felt the crushing responsibility. I was supposed to be at home, tossing my big brother into a snowdrift. Instead, I was in LA, all by myself. I suddenly realized what I needed: I called Tami.
�You home yet?� I asked.
�Yeah, Mom came and picked me up. How�s LA?�
�It�s been a learning experience. I can see how people let it go to their heads and get into trouble. It�s also a job. I�m currently on the roof of a beach house, looking at the waves, feeling sorry for myself,� I admitted.
�Missing home?�
�This will be the first Christmas I�ve not been with my family. I guess I�m a little homesick.�
�You could send me a ticket. I�d be willing to suffer with you,� Tami teased.
�I must sound like a real baby, complaining about my lot in life as you freeze your ass off.�
�No, I get it. Remember, I was the one that talked you into sending me a plane ticket last year so I could come home for Christmas. There�s something about this time of year that makes you want to spend time with family and friends. I�m sure you�re feeling left out because everyone else has their own thing to do,� she said.
�Do you think it�s worth it, though?� I asked.
Tami knew what I was thinking; she understood me better than almost anyone. She took a moment to contemplate her answer.
�You�d regret it if you didn�t do it. Remember when I predicted big things for you once you grew up? Well, David, you�re having to grow up sooner than you want to. If you were older, this wouldn�t be a big deal.�
�You�re right. It�s just that it�s so different here. Everything I do seems to be under a magnifying glass. Why do people even care what I do? I�m just a small-town kid who caught some breaks.�
�You�re being a baby,� Tami teased. �It all goes back to that �doer� thing. Most people aren�t like you, they find reasons not to succeed. You, my friend, refuse to be stopped. If you find you don�t know something or can�t do it, you figure out how to overcome. Don�t think I haven�t been watching you. I�m sure you�ll figure this out too. You simply need to find balance.�
�I don�t understand what you just said,� I confessed.
�Consider what�s going to happen moving forward. I bet you�ll look back on a day like today and realize what a gift it is to have some time to yourself. There�s a reason people are starting to know who you are and why it seems like your every move is watched. You�re special. You�ve been special for a while, and people have watched you. This is simply on a larger scale. How did you handle it before?� Tami asked and then laughed.
�I bet you didn�t even realize it, did you?� she asked.
�I�m still confused,� I admitted.
�I�ve seen you. Something that stands out is the time I picked you up at the airport. I watched you walk out and not even notice that everyone was looking at you. It was the same way at home. You need to learn to block it out and live your life,� Tami said.
�Halle said I had to be aware of everything I do.�
�Yes, but if you�re being you, what�s there to worry about? You�re a good man with a huge heart. That�s why people like you. If you�re just being you, you�ll be fine,� Tami explained.
�And if people get the wrong idea about something?� I asked.
�Decide if it really matters. I�d bet that it doesn�t.�
�I dunno. Somehow it seems like I�m moving from one crisis to another, that I have to deal with every little thing.�
�Like the fight or the sharks?� Tami asked.
�Yeah.�
�The fight was one thing. That has consequences I wouldn�t even know about, so I won�t speculate. The sharks were a different story. Why did you even agree to do the interview?�
�Because I thought I was supposed to. Because it�s part of being a celebrity, and the press asked.�
�So?�
This was worse than talking to my uncle. Then I laughed.
�You�re right. Screw it. I can�t live my life as others want me to. If I�m going to be a movie star, there are certain obligations; I understand that. But I�ve been letting that rule everything. I skipped running this morning just because some stupid shark decided to do what it naturally does and eat a poor sea lion in front of me. How dumb is that?� I asked as the light bulb turned on.
�Look, I hate that you�re alone this Christmas. If I had my way, you�d be helping me do last-minute shopping or just being a goof. Seriously, get a grip. I bet you could make a phone call or go do something. Nobody is forcing you to be alone tonight.�
I laughed. Tami was right, but sometimes I needed to feel sorry for myself or I�d have to turn in my teenager card.
�Thanks, I needed you to make fun of me. Now I feel like I�m at home,� I said.
�Any time, �stupid boy.� And you
�No, your mom would kill me.�
�I bet she�d be fine if you sent two tickets.�
�Oh, bite me. You just want to take advantage of my vast wealth.�
�I heard you gave Pam a debit card. I was wondering when I�d be getting one.�
�When you let me get you pregnant,� I reasoned.
�You do realize that I�ll be seeing your mother?�
�Mom�s been trying to track me down, but I bet I can avoid her for the next few days. When she sees me in person, I�ll just bat my eyes at her, and she�ll remember that she loves her youngest child the best.�
It was Tami�s turn to laugh. We both knew that my mom liked her better than me.
◊◊◊
Tami was right. I needed to get out of my funk, so I called Maria, and she came right over.
�You going to teach me some things?� she asked.
�Sure. How was Paul?� I asked.
�He was okay. He just wanted to put it in and hump.�
�Sometimes that�s good.�
�For the guy,� Maria shot back.
�Let�s go up to my room. There�s a full-length mirror we can use.�
I had her stand in front of the mirror with her clothes on.
�I�m going to call out different expressions, and you make me feel that emotion,� I said.
She looked doubtful, but I plowed ahead.
�Happy to see me,� I said.
Maria turned to me.
�Stop. The mirror is the camera. You have to let it know you�re happy to see it,� I said.
She made a weird face and then frowned.
�Let me show you,� I said and then did so.
Maria tried it again and was better, but I pointed out how she ducked her head a little, and that caused her to look like she had a second chin. We worked on that expression until she had it down, and then we were off to the next one.
Maria was a sponge and eager to learn, which made it easy. We eventually had her naked, and I showed her different things, like if she twisted a certain way the skin on her side would wrinkle. I then had Maria give me oral, and she would glance over to the mirror to see how it looked.
�Be careful to keep your hair out of your face. The camera wants to see you, not guess if you�re really giving me head or not,� I coached.
Tami had been right. I could make a phone call and find something to do.
◊◊◊ Thursday December 24
I woke up to find a ball of fur sleeping on my chest and wondered where Bandit�s mom was. I heard the toilet flush, and Halle came out and smiled at me.
�Hold still. I want to get a picture,� she said.
She found her phone and pointed it at me.
�Act like you�re asleep,� she said.
I did as I was told and heard the camera app work as she snapped several pictures. She then pulled the sheets down until I was barely covered; I trusted her not to expose me. She took more pictures. I opened my eyes and saw Bandit looking at me. I blew in his face, and he swatted at me. He was playful; they�d gotten it right when they called this Ragdoll breed �puppycats.� Bandit got up and rubbed against my cheek. Halle caught the whole thing on video with her phone. It would be on her social media pages by breakfast, I was sure.
I handed Bandit to Halle and got up to take my shower. I heard the camera click. Halle had taken a picture of my naked butt.
�What do you plan to do with that?� I asked.
�Brook said she missed you. I wanted to give her a little something more to miss.�
�Don�t be surprised when she kicks your behind when she sees you in person,� I warned her.
Halle rolled her eyes at me. I�d given my warning, so I just stepped into the bathroom and took my shower. They would work it out; I didn�t need to get into the middle of it.
After my shower, I came downstairs and found Bandit killing his squeaky toy mouse. I was glad I didn�t have a hangover because the noise was annoying. Halle was in the kitchen making some scrambled eggs and toast. She sent me off to the patio to take in the sun and listen to the waves. Bandit followed me out and attacked my toes, so I picked him up to save myself. Halle brought out breakfast.
�What�s the plan for the day?� I asked.
�Mom wants us back for dinner. We usually open one gift tonight and do the family routine tomorrow. My grandparents will be in this afternoon, so I want to spend time with them. You pretty much have the day to yourself.�
�What would you suggest?� I asked.
�I would do one of two things. You could go to Venice Beach; I bet you�ll find it entertaining. The other option would be to go to one of the theme parks. You could go visit Mickey Mouse.�
I didn�t want to spend my day standing in line, so I called a car service and had them drop me off at Venice Beach. The driver let me out at Santa Monica Pier, which I checked out first. Of course, I had to try out the roller coaster and giant Ferris wheel. I then made my way along Venice Beach. People told me it was once much wilder, but the city closed down most of the street entertainers and vendors. It was much cleaner, according to one lady. I still found the people fascinating.
Someone pointed me to the canals. I loved this neighborhood. It was tucked away, and if I were from the UK, I would call it posh. I rented a bike and discovered an idyllic scene: arching pedestrian bridges; charming beach houses; and some of what I was told were the city�s best boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and bars. I had lunch in a New York City-inspired deli. They brought in their meats and cheeses from Katz�s Deli in New York. I had their pastrami on rye, and it was as good as advertised.
I made my way back to Venice beach where I bought some touristy t-shirts and even had my fortune told. An old, heavyset woman who smelled of Cheetos told me I was destined for big things. She told me I hadn�t met the love of my life yet, but when I did, I wouldn�t like her at first.
The only downside to the day was that several people recognized me, so I had to stop and let them take pictures with me. A couple wanted me to come hang out with them, but I thought better of it.
When I was done, I called the car and had them take me back to Rita�s house in the hills.
◊◊◊
Christmas Eve dinner was excellent. Halle�s grandmother was a terrific cook, and she made a rack of lamb with a mint sauce. I talked her into giving me the recipe. After dinner, everyone opened a gift. I was stunned when mine was the painting Halle made of Duke and me. She�d had it framed.
We then watched
◊◊◊ Friday December 25
Granny had given me the recipe for her cinnamon rolls, so I got up early and baked a big batch. That and the smell of coffee attracted everyone downstairs.
�You�ll have to give Rosy the recipe,� Rita said.
I was sworn to secrecy, so even Rosy wasn�t getting this recipe. After we ate, Trip played Santa and handed out gifts.
One of my gifts had me confused. It was a bottle of Havana Club Gran Reserva rum from Laurent Vance, the director of
Halle was a good actor. She acted surprised when she opened her surfboard. I mean, what else could it have been? Her mom gave me a look because Rita thought I was spoiling her.
My mom finally tracked me down. She�d just opened her gift�which had a Prada purse in it. I think that, plus the excitement of having family there, made her forget about the whole swimming-with-the-sharks incident. Angie was a little peeved with me because I�d sent electric cars that Kyle and Mac could ride in. They apparently didn�t understand that they were for outside. Angie explained that in the future, all gifts had to be preapproved by her. She made some cryptic threat that I was about to have a baby, and payback could be hell.
◊◊◊
While Halle and her family spent time together, I went for a run, came back and lifted, and practiced hitting a baseball off the batting tee.
Before it got too late, I called Pam.
�Guess what I got?� she asked excitedly.
�I have no idea,� I played along.
�Santa brought me a new smartphone and smartwatch!�
I had no idea how Santa would know that was what she wanted. My watch vibrated and showed a smiley face from Pam. I may have made a mistake in giving it to her.
�I liked your gift too. Halle said you regifted it. She said you have to take us shopping to get our real gift.�
If Halle told Pam where I got the sunglasses, then she�d also told Brook and Zoe. I�d looked online at what they would cost. The first problem was even finding them. There was a pair listed on eBay, and the bidding was unreal. I realized Pam was teasing me; she was aware all she had to do was ask, and I would take her shopping. I acted like I was put out that Halle had ratted me out.
Next, I called Zoe.
�There�s a rumor going around that you know Santa because he spent too much money on me,� she complained.
I�d had her dad pick out a new saddle and all the gear to match. He saved me a lot of money because he knew someone who made them.
�I can have Santa come take it back,� I said.
�No, that�s okay, but you really shouldn�t spend so much money. I love the sunglasses, by the way. They make me look like a high-fashion cowgirl. Roc said he�d take a picture of me riding with all my new stuff. He gave me a new cowboy hat, and Mom and Dad gave me clothes.�
�I can�t wait to see it. I miss you,� I said.
�Brook is ready to catch a flight to see you. Maybe I�ll tag along.�
�I�d like that.�
�Tell Halle she�d better be careful when she gets back.�
�Why�s that?� I asked.
�She sent us pictures of you in bed with Bandit. He�s a cutie, but it was the picture of your bare butt that made me horny. I was doing well until I saw that,� Zoe complained.
Brook was next.
�Santa is evil,� Brook answered, which made me laugh.
�Why�s that?� I asked.
I�d talked to Rita about the premiere of my movie and who I should take. My first inclination was to take Halle. But Rita said that the press was already linking the two of us, and we needed to let them know we were just friends. Going together to the premiere would connect us romantically. Pam was an obvious no; Rita said showing up with a pregnant girlfriend would be terrible publicity. Zoe was also eliminated because we thought she wasn�t ready to face the press. We ran through several faux dates, but Rita didn�t think any of them was right. She even shot down Hannah Minacci.
The logical choice was Brook. Her family had serious money, and she was used to going to charity and political events where there was press coverage. Rita called her mom, they had a long talk, and Ava finally agreed to let me ask Brook. I�d let Santa do my dirty work and had sent her an invitation, airline tickets, and instructions to get a dress. Her mom would send me the bill. Actually, when I called Adrienne, she said the dress would be free, as long as we let everyone know who she was wearing. Rita said she could get Brook jewelry to wear.
�Two weeks is not enough time to buy a dress and have it altered for an event like this,� she complained.
I guess she saw me roll my eyes through the phone.
�David! I�m serious!�
�Your mom is taking you to Chicago tomorrow. Adrienne has called ahead, and a dressmaker will create a custom gown for you for the event. You just have to wear a sign telling everyone who the designer is.�
�Dork.�
I snorted. Brook had actually resorted to name-calling.
She proceeded to explain how it wasn�t only the one dress, we had to get her something for the after-party as well. I surrendered; I had no idea about all this stuff. She started into a litany of needing shoes and matching purse. It sounded like she was just looking for a new wardrobe. I knew Brook had more expensive taste than Pam, so this could result in a significant cash outlay. Then again, I also remembered I would only have one first movie premiere, and I wanted Brook to look nice, so I relented.
Tracy was next on my list of people to call.
�Jerk.�
I broke out laughing. As a gag gift, I�d sent Tracy one of those pillboxes old people used to keep track of what they had to take each day.
�Mom said Santa brought it. You�ll feel bad when I get depressed.�
�Been there, done that. You need to figure out something new to torment me with,� I said.
�Thank you. Your other gift was very thoughtful. Pam will be surprised.�
I�d worried that Pam would get lost in everything this week, and might need her best friend with her. So, I�d arranged for Tracy to fly out with her and stay with Rita. I�ll admit I did it for selfish reasons as well; I missed Tracy. After talking to Tami, I�d almost changed my mind. I didn�t want Tami to feel slighted, but then I wasn�t going to be around all the time. Besides, I wanted Pam to enjoy herself this week. Tami�s mom hadn�t seen her very often, whereas Tom and Mary could probably use a vacation from their daughter. Tracy would be Pam�s plus-one at Devin and Cora�s wedding. I was sure the two of them would have a good time.
�I�m hoping you have fun too. The two of you can explore LA, and I might even get you up on a surfboard.�
�Pam said we�d take you to Sea World where you can pet the sharks in a controlled environment. She said your method had some flaws.�
�No shit. My bodyguard was actually shaking when he got out of the water. We decided we wouldn�t be going back to that beach ever again,� I proclaimed.
I heard her smartwatch beep.
�Oh, and I�m going to kill you. She�s practicing sending text messages with her new watch,� Tracy said.
I knew she was talking about Pam. It was good Tracy was her guinea pig and not me. Seems to me I had the same issue with some girl named Tracy when she got her smartwatch. Karma was a bitch.
I looked forward to the coming week. My parents, Pam, her mom, and Tracy would all be coming to LA for Devin and Cora�s wedding. I wondered how Devin would react to my hiring Caryn. I also looked forward to seeing Sandy. She was supposed to be my date for the big event.
◊◊◊
Chapter 24 � Don�t Take Me For Granted Saturday December 26
Pam, Tracy, and Lacy were flying in today for the wedding. I�d almost forgotten that part of the settlement prohibited Cal from being anywhere near Pam. My dad called to let me know they had worked it out so Cal could go to most of the events as long as he paid for security for her. Rita had volunteered one of her people to accompany Pam and her mom when Cal would be around.
Devin, Cora, and Sandy were also coming in today. They�d coordinated the wedding so it coincided with their annual corporate get-together on New Year�s Eve. Caryn had joked that she was sure that the banquet was a business-expense write-off. I thought it was a clever idea if you could get away with it. I figured I would want advice from my accountant before I tried a similar stunt.
Fritz pulled in, and I bounced out to greet him. He gave me a sideways look and smiled.
�Did you come to help me unload my car?� he asked.
�Uh, sure,� I said.
Fritz made me make three trips as he �organized� things in his apartment. When I was done, he looked around, satisfied everything was where it should be.
�I was thinking about going surfing. Would you want to go with me?� he asked.
�Sure, if it�s no trouble.�
I think Fritz saw through me, or he was getting better at reading me. It might have been the bouncing-around part. Anyway, I was going surfing!
◊◊◊
When we got out on the water, one of the high school guys gave me an update on the �Baby Dick Gang,� as he called them. They�d been charged and would have to face a grand jury after the first of the year. They�d all made bail. The rumor was that their ringleader�s parents had to remortgage their home.
He told me about a couple of parties, one on New Year�s Eve. I told him I had a wedding that night and he perked up.
�You mean Cora Bell�s wedding?� he asked.
�Yeah, do you know her?� I asked.
�I know Pam better. She and I were in the same class.�
�She�s actually going to be in town today,� I said.
He smiled.
�In fact, I used to date her,� he smirked.
No shit. This was the guy she�d pined over. He�d started dating her best friend as soon as Pam left town. The smirk irritated me. I felt my territorial self begin to come to the surface.
�Really,� I said to see if he�d tell me more.
�Pam had it bad for me. I�d like to see her again. Rumor has it she got herself knocked up. I�d like to get another go at her. It�s not like she can get any more pregnant,� he said.
�Maybe you should call Pam and invite her to the party tonight,� I offered.
�I think I will.�
There were too many people around to just drown him right then and there. When I kicked his butt, I would have to be careful there were no cameras around. I also didn�t want to be the one to tell her what a shit her ex was. I�d see if Halle would go with us to help me keep an eye on her. Tracy would help, of course, but I figured the more help, the better. I planned to let him make an ass out of himself before I killed him. Pam needed to get over this jerk once and for all. She was too good for him.
◊◊◊
On the way home, I talked to Fritz about the party tonight, courtesy of a talk he�d had with me after the fight. During that talk, he�d confirmed a lot of what I suspected. He was aware that Halle and I were sexually active. He even knew about me being with Rita. Fritz said it wasn�t his job to pass judgment, it was to keep us secure. He impressed on me that if he wasn�t aware of a potential problem, he couldn�t do his job.
As a result of that last comment, I made sure to talk with him about what might happen at the party. Fritz surprised me when he offered to have a talk with Pam�s ex. I think he understood how I felt about her, and I could tell he was serious. I�d never thought to ask him to do something like that. It might come in handy if I had to deal with Al again.
Fritz also had a new app he thought might be helpful. It was equivalent to a panic button. He wanted to put it on all my devices, including my smartwatch. He reasoned that if I�d had it during the fight, I could have hit the alert and events might have turned out differently. What the app did was send a signal to a distribution list to let everyone know there was a problem. It was customizable, so the message would be unique to the person it was sent from. Fritz would combine that with the �Find Me� app so the device the alert came from could be found. He planned to add both apps to everyone�s devices this week. He would make sure Pam, Tracy, Halle, and I all had them for tonight�s party. Fritz would also bring an extra security person, one of the women, to help him keep an eye on everyone.
I realized Fritz hadn�t tried to talk me out of my plan. Instead, he�d looked at ways to assure everyone�s safety.
◊◊◊
Halle and I drove to the airport to help pick up the arriving guests. Pam spotted me first and almost knocked me down when she ran up and put me into a bear hug.
�I missed you. There�s so much I have to tell you. I had an ultrasound done and brought you a picture. I also found the perfect dress for the wedding, but we�ll have to go shopping for something for the rehearsal dinner ��
Halle and Tracy both smiled at me when I was suddenly overwhelmed with rapid-fire girl-speak. My head was spinning with all the information she could impart in machine-gun succession. Pam finally relented on the ride home. She and I sat in the back together. When she�d gotten it all out, she seemed relieved and hugged me.
�Want to see a picture of our baby?� she asked.
She pulled out her cell phone and showed me a black-and-white image of our baby�s sonogram.
�It�s a boy,� she blurted out.
�Is he okay?� I asked.
�Yes. Everything looks normal, and all the tests tell them everything�s okay. He�s been pretty active today. Want to feel?� Pam asked.
She took my hand and put it on the side of her tummy. I felt the baby move.
�Does it hurt?� I asked.
�No. It was weird at first. All I could think about was that thing that shoots out of your stomach in
�She needed to know what she was getting into,� Tracy said.
�I see he�s hung like a Dawson,� I said with pride.
Lacy shook her head.
�That�s the umbilical cord, �stupid boy,�� Pam said.
I didn�t believe her. My son was hung like a horse.
◊◊◊
I helped them take their luggage to their rooms. Pam wanted to eat and then take a nap. Tracy convinced me I didn�t need to help Pam with her rest. Mr. Happy was disappointed. He�d missed her. I overruled him, and instead, Tracy and I stepped out to the patio where Rosy had left us cinnamon iced tea and snacks.
�How is everything back home?� I asked.
�Good. Cassidy is keeping the boys in shape. They brought in a specialist to help with training. Alan made sure everyone studied and got good grades. Tim, Ty, Yuri, and Johan have taken over for you while you�re gone. Dad said he expects you�ll repeat as State Champs next year. They�re taking everything seriously.�
�How are Brook and Zoe?�
�Zoe is busy with her family and her church. They were involved with �Toys for Tots.� Coach Hope and another Marine reservist collected gifts for needy children. Zoe was busy wrapping gifts. She convinced the cheerleaders to help. It was actually a lot of fun. Her mom is hysterical. Mrs. Pearson had us all in stitches, telling us stories.
�Brook misses you. She needed you to do something like you did. That was very thoughtful to invite her to your premiere,� Tracy said.
�How�re your mom and dad doing?� I asked.
�Dad�s worried about the firm. I realize you didn�t intend it, but he thinks it�s only a matter of time before they fold up shop. Some of the better lawyers have already found other positions. Dad�s been talking to Ms. Dixon about possibly working with her firm, but that would mean he�d have to move. Mom�s not happy about that. She wants to stay where we are, at least until I graduate.
�Speaking of which, I need to know where you�re going to college,� she said.
�Why�s that?� I asked.
�I�ll graduate this time next year because I lost a semester when I was crazy. Even if we�re just friends, I want to stay close to you. I know Pam also wants to keep close. Personally, I need my two best friends to be nearby.�
Tim and Wolf had expressed similar desires. For a moment, I wondered how Alan felt, but then I remembered him and Tami in bed together. It was funny how one decision had changed so much for my two best friends and me. Just a few months ago, I�d be adding them to the equation. I wasn�t yet ready to pick a college, but at some point, we all should get together and at least make a list. If nothing else, we would need to get college applications sent out for the acceptance process. Tracy was right, she would have to start this spring.
Pam joined us, looking refreshed. She wanted to go surfing, but Tracy wanted to lie out and work on her tan. I thought it was a little chilly out, but Tracy said she wasn�t going home without some sun. Lacy, Rita, and Halle decided to join us for the trip to the beach house.
Before we left, Fritz sat the newcomers down and discussed security. He explained practices like not getting out of the car until they opened the door and other common-sense stuff. He also nabbed all our devices and installed his new apps.
Fritz made everyone test the panic button on all their devices. I felt better knowing they could call for help if needed.
We had a blast at the beach house. I was ready to brave the other beach-goers, but they seemed to be intimidated when they saw Rita James with me along with Halle, Lacy, and Pam. I was impressed with the older ladies. They were good surfers. Even at four months pregnant, Pam was in a league of her own. She�d been surfing since she was old enough to walk. I about killed myself trying to duplicate some of her moves.
Tracy decided she�d relax and tan on the roof. She warned everyone about what salt water would do to your hair. She caught me off guard sometimes when she became all girly-girl on me.
Pam and Lacy were exposed to their first taste of paparazzi. I was impressed when they acted like they didn�t know the three of us. I teased Rita, offering to give them something to talk about, but she pointed to Fritz, and I got the idea she could probably get him to ruin my day. Maybe I could take him, but it wouldn�t be fun.
◊◊◊
Trip showed up with barbecue for dinner. We ate on the roof. During our meal, Pam received a phone call. When she came back, she was excited.
�Aly and Dan want us to go to a party tonight,� she announced.
I assumed that Aly and Dan were her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend. The look on Lacy�s face confirmed it for me. She grimaced for a moment and then presented a neutral expression.
�You might want to stay in tonight until you�re used to the time change,� Lacy said.
�Oh, Mom. I haven�t seen them since this summer,� Pam said.
What she was leaving out was how hurt she�d been when she came home.
�Sounds like fun,� Halle said.
Lacy found me as I helped clean up after dinner.
�You do know who Aly and Dan are, don�t you?� she asked.
�I�m sure I do. I�ll make sure Pam�s okay. We�ll also bring Fritz and Flo, just in case,� I said.
�You don�t believe she�d be physically hurt, do you?� Lacy asked with real concern in her voice.
�No, our security will be there in case I decide they all need to die,� I said with a lopsided grin.
I was immediately kicking myself for suggesting anything to her mom. Lacy had been through enough. Well, in fact, she was still going through it. Even though she and Cal were separated, their divorce was still not final. I wondered if I should just kick Dan�s butt and get it over with, but from Pam�s reaction, I needed to let him show his true colors first.
◊◊◊
The party was held at what looked like a typical middle-class home, and the kids at the party looked like normal high school students. It was refreshing not to walk into a mansion and mingle with all the �beautiful people� of Hollywood. The only problem was they all recognized me from my fight with the �Baby Dick Gang.� All that stopped them from mobbing me was that I was with Pam. They all knew her, and I could tell she was enjoying introducing me to her friends, especially Aly.
Dan was an idiot. Let�s be kind and just say that Aly wasn�t Pam, because it wouldn�t be fair to compare the two.
�Pam!� Aly squealed.
Dan hurried over and started to look a little nervous when he saw I was with her.
�Aly, Dan, I would like you to meet my good friend David,� Pam said.
�I actually know Dan. He and I surf together,� I said.
�Let me get you both beers,� Dan offered.
�Sorry, neither of us drink,� I said to give Pam some cover.
�We�ll have one,� Tracy said as she and Halle stepped forward.
I accompanied Dan to get the beers and soft drinks.
�Uhmm, about what I said while we were surfing �� Dan started.
�Is just one more thing you�ve said or done to her,� I said.
His eyes hardened, but I didn�t care. I stared him down, and he looked away. We got the drinks, and he had somewhere else to be once they were delivered. Pam was holding court, with Tracy at her side, so I nodded to Halle, and we made our escape.
That was a mistake. Living in LA, they�d seen much more media coverage about both Halle and me than the folks back home had. I really hadn�t come to the party to have to talk about what it was like to make movies and get pictures taken with everyone. I noticed Fritz had stationed himself just to the side of Halle while Flo was tracking Pam for me. She didn�t seem to be getting the attention we were, plus Tracy was with her.
I guess Halle could see the movie-star routine was getting old for me because she reached over and pinched me hard just behind my elbow. That hurt, and it was accompanied by a look. I got the message, put on a happy face, and sucked it up. I started to crave a real drink, though.
As the party dragged on, the partygoers started to become drunk. Halle was pretty much over it by now, and the guys were getting their beer muscles. Fritz suggested that she go home. He wasn�t as worried about me, but the boys had had enough in them that they were making bold advances towards Halle. If Fritz hadn�t been there, I might have smacked a few of them. I expect that was another reason he wanted her to leave. Fritz drove Halle back to the house in the hills.
I looked for Pam and Tracy and found Tracy talking to Flo.
�Where�s Pam?� I asked.
�Pregnant girls have to use the bathroom all the time,� Tracy said as she rolled her eyes.
�I thought you all did that together,� I teased.
�Aly went with her,� Flo volunteered.
�How is Mr. Popular?� Tracy asked.
�Being this popular kind of sucks.�
�Oh, please, David. What did you expect?� Tracy asked and saw my confusion. �What would it be like if Logan Lerman showed up at one of Mona�s parties?�
Logan played the title role in the fantasy-adventure
Then my smartwatch vibrated, as did Tracy�s. Flo�s phone also chirped. I looked down and saw that Pam had hit her panic button. When I hit the �Find Me� button, it showed me she was in the back of the house.
I bolted toward where she was, with Flo and Tracy following me. We found the hall where there were two bedrooms. I tried one door, and no one was in there. The second was locked, so I stepped back and kicked it, causing the cheap hollow-core door almost to explode. Everyone inside froze when they saw me looming in the doorway.
Dan was with a friend, and they had Pam sitting on the bed. I was caught off guard when I saw Aly in the corner, looking on. I recognized Pam�s expression. It was the same look I�d seen at the bar at State when the frat boy had hit on her. She�d frozen. I�d worried that someday she could get into real trouble. At least she had hit the panic button.
I blocked Flo and Tracy from entering the room.
�Pam!� I boomed. �Come here!�
Her head snapped up, and she quickly came to me.
�You�re mine. Is that clear?� I asked in a much softer voice.
Her whole body relaxed as she looked up at me and nodded. I put my hand on her waist and pushed her into Flo�s care.
As soon as she was behind me, I entered the room, strode over to Dan, and grabbed him. He seemed to think he was tough. Cassidy wasn�t going to be happy with me, but I needed him to learn a lesson. I picked him up by his neck and pinned him to the wall. His friend chose that moment to try to save him. I dropped Dan and punched his little douchebag friend in the nuts. As the friend started to curl up, I planted an elbow in his ear.
I heard a girl cry out in pain. I looked over to where Tracy had hold of Aly by the hair. Tracy threw a huge right hook into the cow�s gut. At that point, Dan decided to make a run for it. I swung around and clotheslined him.
I would have jumped on him and finished him off, but just at that moment, Tracy sprayed Aly with pepper spray. When was that girl going to learn that pepper spray was not meant for the indoors, especially small, enclosed spaces like this bedroom? All I knew was my desire to kick Dan�s butt was cut short as my eyes teared up, and it became hard to breathe.
Tracy and I exited the room as quickly as we could. The commotion had drawn people�s interest, but when Tracy used her pepper spray, everyone started exiting the house. I would have to remember that the next time I needed to clear a party.
We found Pam and Flo on the phone. Pam�s mom had gotten the alert when Pam had gotten into trouble. Flo was talking to Fritz. Tracy was shaking and breathing hard, and I wrapped her up into a �crawl inside me and be safe� hug.
�That was a pretty good punch. Remind me not to piss you off,� I gently teased.
�I knew you wouldn�t do it, and the smug bitch was trying to hurt my friend.�
�I know.�
She was on an adrenaline rush and needed to calm down.
Pam hung up her phone, looking both relieved and perplexed.
�I�m hungry.�
Tracy and I thought that was the funniest thing we�d ever heard. We convinced Flo to take us somewhere where we could get our pregnant girl pancakes. I admit it, I was hungry, too.
While we were eating, Tracy told me it was Fritz who�d given her the pepper spray. I would have to thank him later because I was about to make a mistake with Dan. If he�d done anything to actually hurt Pam, it would have been a different story. Then I would gladly have made a colossal mistake.
Tracy found her way to my room at bedtime. She and I did what we did well together.
◊◊◊ Sunday December 27
I woke up to find that Tracy had left me during the night, and now Pam was in bed with me. I loved how she helped me get my day started. Then I took my morning run. When I came back, Bandit and his mom were in my bed. After she had her way with me, I was worried I might not survive the week to come.
Mom and Dad arrived late afternoon. They were staying at the beach house, so I packed up some of my clothes and moved to be with them. We spent the afternoon catching up. Before dinner, everyone showed up to go surfing. To my surprise, Dad decided to go with us, and Fritz taught him how to get up. He had a nice run.
When we were done, we found that Mom and Tracy had gone to the grocery store and made dinner. I watched in amazement as Pam ate as much as I did, though I was smart enough not to comment on it. After we ate, everyone else went home, leaving me with the chance to finally talk to my parents in private.
�Rita tells me that you�ve been doing well on the set and that you haven�t caused her any problems,� Mom said. �I did get a call from Tami that said you told her you�d give her a debit card if she�d get pregnant.�
Dad actually shot beer out of his nose.
�Yes, ma�am, I did.�
�She also said you�d told her you were my favorite son.�
�Everyone knows that,� I said.
She just smiled at me.
�Caryn seems to be doing well. How�s she working out with you one-on-one?� Dad asked.
�I think she�s overqualified for some of what she does for me. When the deal on the farm closes, I want her to work with Grandma Dawson and Uncle John to get it up and running. I may need to hire someone like Kendal to be my personal assistant down the road.�
�I was talking to Tom about some other matters, and he mentioned that he was worried about the firm. Kendal might be looking for something soon,� Dad said.
�My only concern is whether I�d have enough for her to do,� I admitted.
�Why don�t you talk to Caryn? Angie and I aren�t doing enough with the nonprofits. Caryn might use her for those or other parts of your business,� Mom said.
�Shouldn�t I let Caryn decide? She�ll have to work with whoever is hired,� I said.
�You�re right; I�d be resentful if my boss hired someone to work with me without my input,� Dad admitted.
�David, I was considering opening my own real estate company. I wanted to see if you�d partner with me,� Mom said.
Dad got quiet, which meant Mom was serious.
�What would you need?� I asked.
�We�d need office space for three or four agents. There are a couple of the better performers in the office who aren�t very happy with how things are run. I thought we could get one larger office and share a receptionist and equipment. Maybe Caryn could be the office manager,� Mom suggested.
�You know I�d do anything for you, but you need to talk to Caryn about this. She would need to run the numbers and agree that it makes business sense if you want me to be a part of it. Otherwise, I could just give you some money to help you get started,� I said.
�Well done. I told your mother you were learning a lot about business and wouldn�t just accept her proposal at face value. You�ve been listening,� Dad said.
�I learned a hard lesson,� I admitted.
Dad and I had a brief discussion where I filled him in on me giving my word to my fellow lead actors in
Then my mom wanted to talk about the wedding. Dad and I cut her off and told her to call someone who cared. We both laughed when she made vague and ominous threats. I would be sure to lock my door tonight.
◊◊◊ Monday December 28
Fritz showed up early so we could run. He took me along the beach. Running the hills around Rita�s house, like we had been doing, made my thighs and butt work overtime. Running in the sand made that seem like child�s play. It was good that I brought my Bo staff, or I might have fallen down when we finally made it back. Fritz just collapsed.
�Whose idea was that?� I complained.
He just grunted.
◊◊◊
Mom and Dad wanted to go to the studio with me today and watch me work. I was in the first scene of the day, so we went to makeup and then the set. Dad was going around meeting everyone as usual, with Mom in tow. I was probably going to regret letting them come with me.
Rita showed up with Tracy, Pam, and Lacy. I guess they also wanted to watch. I had several scenes back-to-back. Watching a movie being made is a lot like watching a play rehearsal: after you�ve seen a few scenes, you�ve had enough. When I was done, everybody but Tracy had abandoned me.
�Where is everyone?� I asked.
�Your mom wanted to talk to Caryn about some business idea, and your dad decided to go with her. Cora called, and there�s some wedding emergency, so Pam and her mom left to deal with that.�
�I�m going to hitting practice. You can either go with me or hang out with Halle,� I said.
�Zak offered to show me his trailer.�
�Take your pepper spray. You�ll need it,� I warned.
�Halle said to just tell you, and you�d make him stop his unwanted advances.�
�I changed my mind. You�re going with me.�
◊◊◊
Coach Revilla wanted to meet at USC�s baseball field. Coach Boyd was back with two more pitching prospects. One was a moose of a boy they�d just signed to their Single-A club. The coaches wanted to work on situational plays. Things like two outs, two on, and tied. Then it would be down one or two. Coach Revilla would explain what types of pitches I should look for and where to hit the ball.
The big kid just reared back and threw the heat. His only problem was he didn�t have full command of his pitch. The first one landed a foot in front of home plate.
�Shit! Son of a �!� he cussed.
The second pitch caused me to hit the dirt in self-defense.
�Sorry!� he called out.
The third one he grooved. Coach Revilla had asked that I put it down the first base line. But when the fat fastball sailed right down the center of the plate, I took a healthy rip and put it over the center field fence.
I must have pissed off Coach because he changed it to no outs and made me bunt. Not that I mind bunting, in principle; anything for the team, and all that. But every other pitch I heard �Sorry!� and had to dust myself off. Coach Boyd smirked each time I hit the dirt, which pissed me off. I figured the best way to get even was to focus and send this kid back on whatever bus he�d arrived on.
I stepped out of the box, took a couple of deep breaths, and felt myself drop into the zone. The next pitch was low and inside. I saw it release from the pitcher�s hand and was on it early. I drove it down the first base line. The next pitch was on the outer corner, and I did the same thing.
�Third base line,� Coach Revilla called out.
The kid put everything into the next pitch. He planned to throw it high and inside, but it was right at my head. I don�t know what I was thinking, I just reacted. I threw up the bat and somehow hit the ball down the third base line. Maybe I�d channeled my inner Jedi or something. The look on the kid�s face was priceless. Coach Boyd just shook his head.
Up next was another Single-A pitcher, but he was ready to move up. He�d had two years in the minor leagues and was in control of all his pitches. I had a lot of fun battling him. He had me guessing more than I wanted to admit, but that didn�t mean I didn�t also win sometimes.
Coach Revilla was happy with my progress. Wednesday would be our last day working together. He promised to use that time to prepare me for the upcoming season.
◊◊◊
Tracy teased me all the way back to the studio. She said I looked sexy in my baseball pants. I was just glad there was someone out there who didn�t think my butt was too big!
When we arrived, I had plans to take Tracy to my trailer so she could see how trim my butt really was. I was disappointed when she jumped out of the car and left me to search for Halle�s trailer. I almost followed her there, but I needed to get a shower before it was time to be back on set.
When I opened the door, I found Pam.
�I�m horny,� she pouted.
Damn! Me, too!
Clothes began flying as I chased her to the bedroom. I started to go down on her.
�No,� she whined. �I need it right now.�
I agreed and slotted Mr. Happy and pushed home. She felt perfect. Warm, wet tightness enveloped my member. I leaned down, and we joined in a lip-lock. I began the old in-and-out when I felt a surprise. My sack tightened, and I came hard. What the heck just happened? I rolled off Pam, and she gave me a curious look. She discovered that I�d just gotten off.
�Oh, Baby, that was the best one ever,� Pam cooed.
Yeah, right.
�You�ve never done me better. I�ll be a satisfied woman for a long time after that. The girls are going to be so jealous when they hear how well you did me. God, you were good,� she simpered, looking pleased with herself.
If she was happy, I got mine! I got up to take a shower.
�David?�
�Hmm.�
�Where�re you going?�
�To take a shower,� I said.
�You do, and I�ll never talk to you again.�
Oops. Angry baby-mama was not good. It was a good thing I was a teenager and able to get it back up. I made sure she was satisfied before I got mine again.
◊◊◊
After I was done for the day, Halle, Tracy, and Pam were all waiting for me.
�We got you something for Christmas,� Halle said. �It�s from all of us, including Brook and Zoe.�
They made me get into the car and wouldn�t tell me where we were going. I grinned when we pulled into High Performance Driving School. The moment was almost ruined when Devin and Cora were waiting for us. Pam grabbed my hand.
�You�ll understand in a moment,� she soothed me.
I checked my emotions and realized I was feeling hostile toward Devin. I guess seeing him so unexpectedly hadn�t allowed me to prepare for it. But I could do this. I put on a happy face and got out of the car.
�When I heard what your friends had gotten you for Christmas, I had to tag along,� Devin said as he smiled and held out his hand. �How�ve you been?�
�Good,� I said as I shook his hand. �I�m not quite sure what we�re doing, though.�
�We thought since you had the Charger, you might want to learn what it can really do,� Halle said.
Now
�I hear Caryn is working for you now,� Devin said.
�She�s been exactly what I needed. I was sorry to hear that things didn�t work out for her at Range Sports. When I heard that she was open to possibly move, I had to snatch her up.�
It was fortunate our teacher came in at that moment. Devin didn�t seem happy to have lost Caryn.
�I�m Bill Scott, and you must be Devin Range and David Dawson. They told me that you�re both wanting to improve your driving skills and have security needs,� he said before starting.
�I�m an actor, and Devin owns a sporting goods company,� I said.
�I also understand you both drive Dodge Charger Hellcats. That�s a lot of car,� Bill said.
We both nodded and smiled.
�The average driver only uses about forty percent of a car�s capabilities. We only have three sessions to get you improved. Our goal is to get you to sixty percent or better after three days. We�ll start with a short classroom session and then get you behind the wheel with a personal driving instructor. We believe you�ll learn best by doing. Does that sound good?� Bill asked.
He then showed us a PowerPoint presentation on the Security Driving Triangle. It described the three pillars of driving: the driver, the vehicle, and the environment. Bill talked about how those three aspects of driving are critical in the real world. His presentation highlighted just how technical the act of driving was. Thanks to his talk, Devin and I gained a better understanding of the three components. These were the factors of success or failure in behind-the-wheel emergencies.
After the classroom session, we were taken out to the track. Bill was going to be my one-on-one driving instructor. They had a Charger just like mine. I now understood why Devin was here. He�d provided the cars.
�We talked about several things in the classroom. What we want you to learn is how to handle this car. You�ll see that there are only orange cones on the track. That�s so if you make a mistake, it doesn�t have to be serious,� Bill said.
�I�ll try not to run any of them over.�
�What would be the fun in that?� he asked with a grin.
The first thing he taught me was how to smoke the tires. I was in heaven. The Charger wasn�t designed to be anything but what it was, an American muscle car. It was a throwback to when people wanted to go fast. Bill showed me how to handle the beast and what to expect. He gave me the confidence not to hold back. That�s not to say some of the big orange cones weren�t toast, but Bill made driving fun.
My fear had always been that with as much power as there was under the hood of the Charger Hellcat, I might lose control of it. Bill pushed me until I did and taught me what to do when it happened. It�s one of those situations where knowledge breeds confidence, and that translates to performance. By the end of class, I had us screaming around the course. I could hardly wait for tomorrow�s class.
Fritz met me at the car.
�Let me drive,� I said.
�Not only no, but
We were giving Devin a lift to his hotel. He came out.
�He won�t let me drive,� I complained.
�Thank you,� Devin said to Fritz. �Did you see that maniac?�
�You both suck,� I said and got into the car.
On the ride home, Devin wanted to talk about us.
�I was hoping we could be friends again,� Devin said.
�You have a strange way of being my friend. I bring a girl with me, and you try to snake her from me. I don�t have any friends that would do that,� I snapped.
�Nancy was all wrong for you, and you know it. When you get older, you�ll understand things better. You need to get over your snit. I was doing you a favor. I believe she�s going out with one of your other friends now. It�s not a big deal,� Devin shot back.
�Don�t take me for granted. That �I�m older and wiser� line is just bullshit. I don�t care what age you are, you don�t go after someone else�s woman and expect them to just take it. You didn�t do it only once, did you?�
�David � I�m sorry about Nancy. I shouldn�t have done that,� he admitted.
�Why didn�t you say that at the time? Why did you tap-dance around it and blame her for misunderstanding your intentions? If you�d apologized and manned-up, I�d still trust you.�
�I agree, and I�m sorry. There�s no good excuse for what I did. I felt awful when you left, and Sandy was all over my ass about it. I honestly didn�t know how to fix it. The worst part was Nancy would have been the perfect woman for me, but I messed that up, too.�
�I agree; when you pushed your affections on her, you were never going to win her over. Nancy saw the light and was embarrassed when she realized how you�d played her. There was no coming back from that,� I said.
�I did it again in New Orleans, didn�t I? But we both know you had no feelings for Cora,� he said.
�You know that now, but at the time you thought you could just snake another girl from the dumb high school kid,� I said.
�I never thought of you that way. You�re far from dumb. Truth be known, I was a little jealous. You always seemed to have the perfect girl on your arm. I mishandled the whole thing. There was a near-revolt on my board when they found out I�d fired you. That was an expensive lesson.�
�I bought a farm with that money,� I said.
�Can we talk about Caryn?� he asked. �Did you go after her to hurt me?�
�A little, but I really needed someone. You letting Cora treat her like dirt made it easy.�
He looked out the window, and we watched the traffic.
�I messed that up. Caryn was way overqualified to be doing what I had her do. She has a ton of potential. Do right by her,� Devin said.
�She�s shown that I need her for much more than just to manage me. I plan to put her in charge of everything as soon as she�s up to speed. I have big plans for Caryn,� I admitted.
�So, she�s happy?�
�Yeah, I believe she is.�
�Do you think we can work at being friends again?�
I thought about it. I�d always liked Devin. It was his immaturity when it came to women that caused friction between us. He would be so busy with his divorce from Cora I was sure he would leave my women alone.
�Yeah,� I said. �Do you have an ironclad prenup in place?�
�Why does everyone ask that?�
My eyes got big.
�If everyone�s asking you something, shouldn�t you at least wonder why? Did you at least have her investigated?� I asked.
�You�re just being a jerk,� he pouted.
�If I hadn�t asked, I�d feel responsible if something happened. I really hope that �everyone� is wrong,� I said.
�Yep, jerk,� Devin said.
�Just saying,� I said and held up my hands.
I�d tried. Only time would tell for both Cora and me, as far as Devin was concerned.
◊◊◊
Chapter 25 � Best Christmas Present Ever Tuesday December 29
When I came back from my run, Mom and Dad were sitting on the patio, drinking coffee. The paparazzi had figured out I�d moved to the beach house. I took my shower and met my parents and Fritz for breakfast. Mom had made an enormous Spanish omelet.
�Do you have to deal with that all the time?� Dad asked.
�It�s a daily occurrence. I just assume that someone has a camera on me whenever I�m in public. In retrospect, I should�ve listened to Uncle John�s warning. This really has changed the way I live,� I admitted.
I spotted the goofy guy from
�Want to see how this works?� I asked.
Mom and Dad gave me funny looks. I ran down and let him in.
�Here�s the deal: I feed you breakfast, and you don�t film inside the house or my parents,� I said.
When he saw what we were eating, he put his camera away. Mom and Dad were going to play tourist today. I�d arranged for them to go to Catalina Island with Sandy, Pam, and Tracy. Lacy had to help Cora with wedding stuff. I�d signed Dad up for a fishing trip while the girls were touring and shopping. I was kicking myself because both Pam and my mom had debit cards. Those two might do some serious damage since I�d upped their limits for the trip.
After breakfast, I took the
�I know you�ve modeled and done some love scenes in movies. The big thing now is to do reality shows with people getting naked.�
�I�ve seen those. There�s a dating one I saw, and then something about surviving in the wild,� I said.
�There are also some popular podcasts. Would you be willing to get naked for a role or a reality show?�
�Sure, if it was right for the scene.�
�My girlfriend does a podcast called
�Is your girlfriend naked on it?�
�No.�
�Then probably not,� I said.
�
I laughed.
�If it does, I�ll do your girlfriend�s podcast, no questions asked,� I said.
We�d originally been scheduled to come out the same weekend. It would�ve been a disaster. Jessup told me the studio would be very excited if we did fifty million the first weekend. That would mean we turned a profit.
I had to get to the studio, so I wrapped it up with the
◊◊◊
Today was another heavy shoot day. Everyone wanted to get out early for New Year�s Eve. Caryn took good care of me and brought me lunch on the set.
I received a text from Maria wanting to get together for another learning session. As much as I enjoyed teaching her, I didn�t think my friends would appreciate my efforts. So I begged off until after the New Year when everyone else would be going home.
Dad was irritating me. He kept sending me pictures of the fish he was catching. So far, he�d caught three albacore tuna, a yellowtail amberjack, and two yellowfin tuna.
�What do you keep frowning about?� Zak asked.
I showed him the fish my dad had caught. Zak just shrugged. I guess he wasn�t a fisherman.
�Hey, I got an invite to a party tomorrow night. Have you ever heard of
I shook my head.
�They�re, ah, models that are all natural,� he said, and I just stared at him. �Anyway, they�re having a party to introduce a new group of, ah, models.�
Something was fishy here. Zak was a little too eager and seemed to be leaving some details out.
�I�m supposed to go to a bachelor party tomorrow night,� I said, begging off.
�Invite them,� he said eagerly. �This would be perfect for something like that.�
I looked at Zak, and he broke.
�Okay, here�s the deal. I kind of said I knew you, and that I would get you to come to the party. They told me if you came, I could get in,� he said in a rush.
�I�ll ask tonight and let you know. If it sucks, I�m leaving,� I warned.
�No, you won�t,� Zak said under his breath.
I just ignored him because we were up next and Jessup was calling for us.
◊◊◊
Fritz took me to the High Performance Driving School. Devin was already there, waiting in the classroom. Today Bill taught us common-sense security tips. The one I would go out and do right away was to get a key chain that would separate. That was so when I gave them to a valet, he wouldn�t also have my house key. Others included putting your valuables in the trunk and turning off and locking your car when you�re stopped.
Then we talked about personal safety; Bill gave us a simple set of rules. Always keep your door locked. Leave ample maneuvering space between your vehicle and the one in front of you. If you�re being followed, never lead the person back to your home or stop and get out.
Most of what Bill said was to be aware of your surroundings and to trust your gut. If something didn�t feel right, then don�t talk yourself into getting hurt or robbed.
Next, Bill got more specific about both our situations. He explained that because we were in the public eye, we had to be extra careful. We could become targets of surveillance. People could monitor our movements to identify the security precautions we take, and the most suitable time, location, and method of attack. Surveillance could last for days or weeks. Naturally, the monitoring of a person who had set routines and who took few precautions would take less time.
We had to learn to detect surveillance. That required a relatively constant state of alertness and had to become a habit. A good sense of what�s normal and what�s not in our surroundings could be more important than any other type of security precaution we might take. Above all, we shouldn�t hesitate to report any unusual event.
This part of the class took the longest because Bill wanted to make sure we were aware of the potential risks. He about had a fit when he heard my mom sold real estate. I agreed to have her come in tomorrow so he could sit down with her and talk about personal security. The main reason was that she was now the mom of a potential target, and could be caught in something nasty because of my celebrity. He had my full attention.
Then we went out and drove. Bill was my instructor again. Today was about safety and what to do in certain situations. He had staff in other cars to help with scenarios. We did a lot of exercises on what to do at a traffic light. It was easy to get yourself boxed in. He also had the car behind me bump me and showed me what to do in case of an accident. My first effort had me dead along the side of the road when I got out of the car to check the damage. For most people, that would be what you�d do, but I no longer had that luxury.
He then taught me how to drive out of danger. The bad guys� goal would be to get me either boxed in or stopped somehow. I didn�t need to be going ninety all the time. Even simply rolling forward would make it difficult for them to get me out of the car. Reverse was also an option. If all else failed, I could smash into them to get some room to maneuver. They didn�t have me actually do that. As Bill taught me, I began to see what Fritz did when he drove.
Today hadn�t been nearly the adrenaline rush yesterday had been, but I felt safer when we were done. I was also mentally exhausted. Everything was new, and Bill pointed out many aspects I�d missed entirely. I was also a little warier after hearing his war stories and explanations of why they had us drive particular ways. He assured me that with practice and awareness, I would be much safer.
◊◊◊
We gave Devin a ride to his hotel.
�That was eye-opening,� Devin said.
�How did you do when they staged the accident?�
�I died.�
�Me, too,� I admitted.
He became quiet for a little while.
�I talked to Cora about a prenup. She wasn�t happy, but I had a long talk with my lawyer. Even though everything�s in a trust, I still had exposure if for some reason we don�t work out. I told her we weren�t going to get married if we didn�t have one in place,� Devin said.
�I would bet your Board of Directors and Sandy felt better.�
�Now my problem is Cora�s dad. He�s gotten in the middle of it and is playing hardball. I�m starting to see why you tied him up in knots when he came after you.�
�He
�I hear you. I love Cora�s mom, but I�ve about had enough of him. Cora finally told him to back off because she saw I was about ready to call everything off,� he admitted.
It sucked to be him. My best guess was he�d be happy he had the prenup in place in under a year. Devin changed topics on me.
�I hear you�re taking my sister out tonight,� he said.
�Actually, I have two dates tonight. I�m taking Pam out to dinner, and I�ll meet up with Sandy after that,� I said.
�To be single again. I don�t think I�ve ever had two dates in one night. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.�
�It should be fine. Sandy and Pam were in Catalina all day today. Mom told me that they had a great time together. They�ll be family after the wedding, so let�s hope they remain friendly,� I said.
�Are you still going with us tomorrow night?� Devin asked, referring to his bachelor party.
�Yeah, it sounds like fun. One of the guys I work with invited us all to go to a party with him tomorrow night. It�s some sort of introduction of new models for
�Cora put the nix on going to a strip club. My guys were looking for something to do. This might fit the bill,� he said, and then made a face. �Honestly, I was glad when Cora shut down their plans. I�ve never been one to go to a strip club and have a good time.�
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, I found Rosy in my kitchen, cooking. I snuck up behind her and gave her a hug, which scared her.
�You keep it up, and you�re not getting anything to eat,� she threatened me.
�No English,� I teased, and she chased me out of her domain.
I found everyone on the roof having cocktails or sodas. Sandy Range saw me and got up to give me a hug and a kiss.
�I hear you and Pam are going to miss eating your dad�s catch,� Sandy said.
Pam�s look told me she didn�t want to miss out. I motioned for her to come with me and we walked downstairs to the patio.
�I just wanted to get a chance to talk to you alone,� I said.
�About the party?� Pam asked.
�Yes. I saw you�d frozen up again.�
�That�s true, but when you told me that I was yours, it really helped. I couldn�t believe they�d be so mean to me. Aly and I had been friends for as long as I can remember. I�m just grateful you were there,� Pam said.
�I think you need to talk to someone about it. Tracy has a great doctor she�s been seeing who�s done wonders. This is serious now. It�s not just you I have to worry about anymore,� I said.
�Tracy and I talked, and I�ve decided that it�s time. She said her doctor would probably tell me I should dump you because I would be the second crazy girlfriend of yours the doc would be seeing. Tracy�s worried the doctor will think you might be the common link.�
�She�s worried about that, huh?�
Pam nodded and tried not to grin.
�So, it�s me that�s causing you two to be crazy?� I asked, just to clarify.
�That�s Tracy�s take on it.�
I gave up because Pam was having too much fun with it. When I got upstairs, I was told my plans with Sandy had been hijacked. The girls had had so much fun together today, I was taking them all out to dance tonight. I guess I wasn�t surprised when the moms all said they were also going. I looked at Dad, and he just shrugged.
Rosy outdid herself. We all had some of each of the different fish. I�m not sure which I liked best, and I wasn�t usually a big fish guy, even though I�d had a lot of it lately. It was all good.
After dinner, we drove to a dance club that Halle suggested. I was glad to see it wasn�t like some of the ones I�d been to last year with the cast from
At midnight, we called it, because Halle and I had to work tomorrow. My parents had a great day, so I was happy.
◊◊◊
Wednesday December 30
I was a complete slug in the morning and slept in. I came downstairs to find Caryn and Fritz having coffee with my parents.
�What�re the big plans for today?� I asked as I poured myself a cup.
�Disneyland,� Dad said. �The girls want to go.�
I grinned because he was acting put out. I knew he was a kid at heart and would have fun, so I didn�t feel even a bit sorry for him.
�What about you?� Mom asked.
�David has another busy schedule on the set today. Next week he�ll be off to promote his movie. He has to do a few scenes this morning, then baseball practice, driving school, rehearsal dinner, and finally a bachelor party,� Caryn recited.
�What she said!� I said, pointing at Caryn.
They sent me to make breakfast.
◊◊◊
I had gone to wardrobe and then makeup to get ready for my first scene when Zak ambushed me.
�Are we on for tonight?� he asked.
�I�m not going to regret this, am I?� I asked.
�What do you mean?� Zak asked.
�It isn�t a birthday party for a thirteen-year-old, is it?� I asked.
�No, nothing like that,� Zak laughed. �They�re actually, uh, nude models guaranteed to be 100% natural.�
�And �� I prodded.
�They rarely have parties, but when they do, they�re supposed to be legendary. From what I hear, it�s supposed to put the Playboy parties to shame.�
�How did you get invited to this?� I asked.
�Well, in fact, you did. I noticed the invitation in your studio mailbox and took it before Caryn got your mail. I took it upon myself to have you invite four guests and me.�
Devin had three friends standing up with him. If I thought this through, I�m sure that Zak had planned to invite his own friends. He must really want to go if he was willing to give up the other tickets just so he could attend. I would also have to make sure he couldn�t get into my mail anymore.
�That�s why you needed me. Why was I invited?� I asked.
�I don�t know, maybe it�s because you were born with a horseshoe up your butt,� Zak whined, and then he huffed. �There�s one more thing; well, maybe two.�
�I�m going to regret this, aren�t I?� I asked.
�Trust me, you�ll thank me later. We all have to arrive together, and you have to allow them to photograph you with the models.�
�Have them send over the release and contract to Caryn,� I said.
�So you�ll do it?� he asked eagerly.
�You have to get one more ticket for my security,� I said.
He looked confused.
�Fritz, the beefy guy who follows me around,� I clued him in.
�Let me make a call,� he said and hurried off.
I wondered what �uh, models� meant. I had a good imagination, and if Zak was involved, they were either hookers or porn stars. Hopefully, Devin would be okay if they were.
◊◊◊
Coach Revilla came to me for our last session. I was happy because I didn�t have the time to drive to practice today. He pulled out his laptop and turned it so I could see.
�I spent some time analyzing some of your more recent hitting videos. Compared to where you started almost a month ago, you�ve made great strides. I also received a copy of the scouting report Lucas Kite put together. I�ll be sending both to the Under-18 selection committee with my recommendation that you get a shot at the tournament. From there, it�s up to you.�
�I appreciate your help,� I said.
�It�s obvious why you�re such a highly rated football player. Many times, just being a great athlete isn�t enough. You might not remember, but Michael Jordan retired from the NBA so he could see if he was talented enough to be a professional baseball player. At the time, he was the best basketball player in the world, and he didn�t make it in baseball.
�I guess what I�m saying is, you have the underlying talent to be a good, and maybe even a great baseball player; but as of now, you�re still raw. My concern is with a change of position, you might have a hard time making the Under-18 team, just because you haven�t spent enough time in the field. What makes me want to give you the shot is your hitting.
�You have the frame to add more muscle, which you�ll need if you want to survive the rigors of a major league season. What makes you one of the better hitters I�ve seen at your age is your hand and wrist strength. You�re able to fight off pitches others can�t. You also have excellent eye-hand coordination. I want you to put in the work this off-season to get better. If you were under contract, I�d send you to winter ball,� he said.
�Baseball is a possibility, then,� I said.
�Let�s put it this way: you look like a baseball player; you have all the measurables we�re looking for; and you�re big, strong, and can run like the wind. Add your ability to hit the ball, and you�ll get a shot. Your being a top-rated high school quarterback tells me that you have the work ethic that�s needed. The only thing that�s missing is time playing the game.�
I was told almost the same thing about football my freshman year.
We spent the rest of our time talking about what he wanted me to do to improve my hitting. Just like throwing a football, you had to create the muscle memory, and the only way to do that was to hit, a lot. He promised to keep in touch, and I thanked him.
◊◊◊
Mom showed up with Dad just before my day ended at the set. They both were sunburned from being out and about their first couple of days here. I knew they�d had a good time because Dad sent me photos all day. They�d all gotten their picture taken with Mickey and Minnie as well as Goofy. The girls also had theirs taken with one of the Disney Princesses.
�You ready?� I asked.
Mom was coming with me to my driving class. They wanted to talk to her about personal safety as a realtor.
�Whenever you are,� Mom said.
I packed up a few things I might need next week. I wouldn�t be back until my movie opened next Friday. Caryn had received the final schedule of interviews and appearances earlier today. I would be in New York Monday and make various stops on the way back to LA on Wednesday. The premiere was Thursday night, and then we would hit different places in LA through the weekend. I was a little jealous that Craig Wild would be on
We left the set and drove to the High Performance Driving School. I dropped Mom and Dad off in one of the classrooms where they�d receive safety instruction. Devin and I were sent straight to driving. Devin hadn�t been nearly as aggressive as I was, so they worked with him on the same things they did the first day.
They also taught stunt driving, so they showed me some tricks that were a lot of fun. Of course, if I ever did any of them on a real street, I would at the very least get a ticket. I thought the power-slide into a parking spot might come in handy. I figured I was doing well when Bill grabbed the dash and white-knuckled it on a few of my driving feats. The fun part was learning how to drive the car out of control, and yet still control it, if that makes any sense. The Charger Hellcat was just the car for that type of driving.
Our final task of the day was to run it as fast as it would go on a half-mile course. I was surprised when Bill got out of the car, and my mom got in with me.
�You sure you want to do this?� I asked.
�I trust you. Now show me what this car can do,� Mom ordered.
I was supposed to race Devin, but he decided against it. I smiled when I saw Bill in the car next to me. Dad was in his car.
As we lined up, I took a moment to appreciate what a beast the Charger Hellcat was. You could feel the deep rumble of its massive engine as we idled up to the starting line. I smoked the tires to heat them up for a better grip on the start; Bill did the same. I looked over to Mom, and she gave me a thumbs-up.
On the start, Bill got a slight jump on me and was three-quarters of a car length in front of me. The thrust of the Hellcat�s engine pressed us back into our seats as we rocketed down the track. The unmistakable whine of the supercharger filled the interior of the car. At the quarter-mile mark, I glanced down, and I was doing 123 mph. If the race had ended there, Bill would have gotten me by a half car-length.
Unlike other cars, the Charger Hellcat had plenty more left. I watched the speedometer go higher. Mom was loving it, yelling excitedly.
�Get him, David!�
As we raced down the last quarter mile, I began to overtake Bill and my dad. When I caught him, my mom was yelling and pumping her fist. At the half-mile mark, I was clocked at 187 mph. The full track was a mile, so I continued to push it until I reached 195 mph before I shut it down. I�d read the specs, and they claimed the production model topped out at over 200 mph. Something I would do when I got home was to beef up the brakes. The Charger was a heavy car, and when you had it moving that fast, it took a lot of real estate to slow it down.
I was all smiles when we made it back to the building. I knew I would take more classes. Even with only three days under my belt, I felt much more comfortable behind the wheel. I would have to thank the girls for the best Christmas present ever. Well, the jet water board was pretty awesome, so it might be a tie.
◊◊◊
Devin had to hurry off because he had a rehearsal for his ceremony tomorrow. Mom and Dad planned to go on a date. I didn�t have to meet Sandy until after the rehearsal. They were having the wedding at Saddle Rock Ranch. Since we had some time, Fritz and I went surfing.
The rehearsal dinner was held at the hotel Devin and Cora�s wedding party was staying at, the Huntley Hotel on Santa Monica Beach. They had a restaurant on the eighteenth floor from which you could see the ocean and the lights of the city.
Everyone was in a good mood, and I enjoyed getting to know Devin�s friends. I knew Lou because he was the one who came up with Devin�s toys. Mark and Cliff were high school friends who loved the outdoors as much as Devin did. Cliff was Devin�s best man and gave a brief toast before dinner to the happy couple. Cliff�s best joke was: �If Cora were a Barbie, she would be Divorced Barbie. This doll comes with Ken�s house, Ken�s car, and Ken�s boat.�
Devin was a good sport and flipped his friend off.
�What do you girls have planned for tonight?� I asked Sandy.
�What would you guess?�
She nodded towards Cora�s bridesmaids. Pam had been right when she�d told me that her sister�s friends were on the slutty side. Two of them had obviously been enhanced. I guess if I had gone to the trouble to get giant boobies, I�d want to show them to the world, too. The male waitstaff seemed to think they needed their water filled an awful lot. Sandy must have had a talk with the female staff because they all eyed me, but none of them flirted with me. Devin�s friends were fair game, though, and seemed to enjoy it.
�I�m a bit nervous about what they might plan. Seems a little unfair that Devin couldn�t go to a strip club,� I said.
�He told me what you planned for them. I think that might be worse. He made me promise not to tell Cora.�
�We�re just going to a party,� I said.
�Did you even bother to Google
I suddenly was a little nervous. Sandy pulled out her phone and brought it up. Yep, it was a porn site. Zak was dead.
�Yeah, I vote we don�t tell Cora,� I said.
�If it gets too weird tonight, will you come get me?� she asked.
I saw through her little ruse and was more than happy to come get her. We spent the rest of the meal catching up. I really liked Sandy and could see us being friends for life. She had a good heart and had been there when I needed her two years ago. At the time, we were just getting to know each other when I was trapped in the avalanche. She�d helped out my church youth group and flown my dad out to be with me. At the time, he didn�t know if he was picking up a body or me. Thankfully, I survived. I would never forget her kindness.
After dinner, I received a text that Zak was there with the limo. I found Fritz, who�d had dinner in the lounge, and gathered up Devin and his friends. We were off to see what a party was like that was supposed to be better than going to the Playboy Mansion.
◊◊◊
When we got into the limo, I introduced Zak to everyone. He was so excited I wondered if he was ten and just been told he was getting a dirt bike for his birthday.
�Are there really going to be porn stars at this party?� Cliff asked.
Zak gave me a sheepish look.
�Yes. I hope you guys are good in bed,� Zak said.
�Damn straight, I�m good in bed. I can sleep for days,� Cliff said.
I hid my grin because Zak seemed to be at a loss as to what to say to that. Cliff had said it with a straight face. Apparently, Devin and his friends were used to his sense of humor. Zak wasn�t to be discouraged, though.
�I bought a variety pack of condoms. Which kind do you like best?� he asked as he pulled a Costco-size box out of his bag.
�I like M&M Condoms. They melt in your mouth, not in your hands,� Cliff announced.
Zak blinked.
�I like Bounty Condoms. They�re the quicker picker-upper,� I said, getting into the spirit of things.
�I prefer Chevy Condoms. Like a rock,� Devin added.
�I fancy KFC Condoms. Finger-licking good,� Lou shared.
�I have to have Energizer Condoms. They just keep going and going and going,� Fritz said, shocking all of us.
We all started laughing, and Zak figured out we were just being goofy and lost that deer-in-the-headlights look. He got with the program and came up with his own.
�I�d say I like Star Trek Condoms. To boldly go where no man has gone before!�
I guess none of us knew what to expect. I mean, you can only try to imagine what it might be like. If you imagined half-naked beautiful women everywhere you turned, you would have been right. I was torn as to which was my favorite attire. The choice was between the thong and t-shirt with no bra, the men�s white dress shirt and nothing else, or the yoga pants and sports bra. The guy-to-girl ratio was also seriously in our favor. Zak said they needed to control things so the party didn�t get out of hand.
A woman who seemed to be in charge cornered me.
�David, welcome. Let me get a photographer, and we�ll have pictures taken,� she said.
Several other stars were being led around to get pictures with the girls. I was a little surprised when I recognized a couple of celebrities whom I thought were married. I certainly wouldn�t want photos of me at a party like this to get back to my soon-to-be ex.
Devin and his friends had found the bar. Zak was already missing. Fritz was standing just inside the room, watching me. A young-looking girl with a camera around her neck hurried up to me.
�Hey,� she said, trying to act cool.
�Sup,� I shot back.
She bobbed her head as she tried to act casual, but it was clear she was excited to see me. I would bet she wasn�t much older than I was.
I waited for her to lead the way, but she was too busy acting cool. Leaning down, I whispered in her ear, �Aren�t you supposed to take my picture?�
The poor girl blushed. I just did my usual routine and began to introduce myself to everyone. She became my shadow, and I heard the shutter snap.
It seems to me that when God made women, he gave them a choice: either a big butt and huge breasts, or small butt and itty-bitty titties. I found a young Latina who had Kim Kardashian�s butt and the biggest, softest breasts I�d ever seen. I guess I should explain how I knew they were soft: she made it a point to trap my arm between them when we had our picture taken.
�You�re cute,� she said as she stroked my arm.
Devin and his friends picked that moment to appear out of nowhere. All four of them were almost drooling.
�Devin, I�d like you to meet �� I said and then turned to her. �I�m sorry, what�s your name?�
�Bella,� she said.
Lou stepped forward and smiled.
�That means beautiful. Your parents got it right when they named you,� he said as he took her hand and kissed it.
�
�Bella, it�s Devin�s bachelor party. Do you have some friends he and his buddies might spend some time with?� I asked.
�
She left.
�Are we doing this?� Devin asked.
�It�s up to you, but I think Lou�s in love,� Cliff teased.
She came back with four friends and took Lou�s hand.
�
�She said to come with them,� Lou translated.
I wished them good luck, and Bella stopped and tilted her head.
�You don�t want to join us?�
�Thank you, but no,� I said and then held up a finger. �Devin, do you have a second?�
He really didn�t want to, but he did. His girl waited on him.
�I�m going to take off. Don�t let Zak talk you into anything,� I warned.
�I believe we can figure it out. I�ll see you tomorrow. Thanks for inviting us, and say hello to my sister.�
I shook my head because we both knew he�d just busted me. He left, and I went to find Fritz.
�You didn�t find anyone you liked?� he asked.
�I guess I liked most of them. At some point, I realized that all this is just not me. I can see how someone like Zak can go out and find a new friend almost every day. And I have to admit that LA is full of some of the most beautiful women I�ve ever seen. I don�t know, I guess what I�m saying is that it all just seems too easy. I mean, the last party I was at I met a girl, she told me her name, and then we were naked,� I said.
Fritz laughed at me.
�I sound like a wuss, don�t I?�
That made him laugh even harder.
�Screw you. Let�s go find the bachelorette party so I can save Sandy.�
I took one last look around and remembered my motto lately��no regrets.� Would I regret not going wild at a party with porn stars? I guess it came down to that I knew they made their living having sex. If I wanted someone like that, I would get married. Did I just think that? I would bet any of Cora�s bridesmaids would marry me in a heartbeat, for my money. Maybe Devin and I could have a double wedding.
Honestly, I didn�t have a problem with a casual hookup. The girl at the party had been fun, and we both knew the score. I think part of it was my Alpha Male side; I didn�t want to share my women. While I had no idea how promiscuous the girl at the party was, that was the point, I didn�t know. If I wanted to prove my dominance, I supposed I could have bedded half the women here. Someday I might just do that, but given a choice, I�d rather spend my time with Sandy tonight.
I sent her a text. She sent one back saying where they were. I guess I wasn�t surprised when Paul showed up with the Range Rover. He was in charge of my parents; he said they were out dancing, and told him he had time to pick up Fritz and me. We drove to a shady part of town where there was a strip club, and it was ladies night. I sent a text to Sandy to let her know we were there, and she came out with Pam and Tracy. Pam looked pissed.
I got out, helping them into the car, and Pam rushed into my arms.
�What�s wrong?� I asked.
�My sister and her friends tried to force me to get a lap dance,� she said, and I could feel her shaking.
�She stood up to them,� Tracy clued me in.
�Really?� I asked as I brushed the hair out of Pam�s eyes and smiled at her.
We got into the car, and Sandy was okay with Pam sitting next to me. The Range Rover had individual bucket seats, two to a row, so the three of us couldn�t sit together. On the ride to the beach house, Sandy and Tracy told me what happened.
�As soon as we arrived, they clipped a cheap veil onto Cora�s hair. I think it was so all the dancers knew to put their junk in her face,� Sandy said.
�She had a handful a couple of times,� Tracy admitted.
�Then Cora paid for a private room, and several dancers joined us. I think she thought if she could get Pam to go along with the fun, she�d get a pass.� Sandy said.
�Her bridesmaids weren�t holding back. I believe I actually saw one of them over in the corner giving that Asian guy a blowjob,� Tracy said.
�Your text couldn�t have come at a better time. I was ready to grab a cab back to the hotel,� Sandy said.
�So how was your party?� Tracy asked with a smirk.
�They really were porn stars,� I started, and told them about everyone I saw, and what the party was like.
�And you came back for us? When you could be spending time with them?� Pam asked.
�I�m not always a slut,� I defended myself.
Pam relaxed and giggled. I think she thought I was a slut!
◊◊◊
Fritz and Paul left. Pam and Tracy claimed one of the extra bedrooms. I heard them talking and heard Pam giggle, so I knew she was okay. Sandy and I got naked, and I convinced her to go onto the roof to use the hot tub. I grabbed her a wine cooler and got myself a beer from the fridge under the outdoor kitchen�s countertop.
You could see the reflection of the moon on the waves. I left the jets off so we could soak and enjoy the sound of the surf. Sandy moved close to me, and I felt her hand cover my member.
�Devin knows about us,� I said.
�Did he say something?� she asked.
�He said to tell you hello.�
�Did he cheat on Cora?� she asked.
�I didn�t see anything,� I said.
�That�s not what I asked.�
�Do you really want to know?�
She thought about it, and apparently my answer satisfied her curiosity.
�I got accepted to UC Berkeley. Caryn convinced me they had a great school of business. They have a relatively new MBA program for Executives. It�s ranked eighth nationally.�
�That sounds like a good fit. Devin�s going to miss you.�
�I think that�s what Cora�s for.�
�Oh,� was my witty response.
She squeezed my package.
�Take me to bed and make love to me,� she said.
We climbed out of the hot tub and were drying off when I heard a giggle. I turned toward the noise and saw my parents, naked, as they came up the stairs. Apparently, they planned the same thing I had. I grabbed Sandy and put her behind me.
�All yours,� I said, startling them.
�We could never get him to wear clothes when he was little,� Mom told Sandy.
�Thanks for that tidbit. There�s wine coolers and beer in the fridge,� I said and left my parents to do things no son should ever even imagine.
◊◊◊
��Your dad�s kind of hot,� Sandy teased me.
I made a face.
�Seriously, if I were into older men, I might go for him.�
That comment got her an eye-roll.
�I bet he knows things,� she said, tapping her chin with her index finger.
�I bet if you keep it up, you�ll have to find him if you expect to get any tonight.�
�Why do men have such fragile egos?� Sandy asked.
�Are you just goading me so I�ll bring my �A� game?�
�Yes, please.�
I crawled up on the bed, laid her back, and kissed her. I let my hands explore her body. Sandy wasn�t content to let me drive. She pushed me on my back and kissed her way down my stomach. My breath caught as she took me into her mouth.
�Mmm � I love the taste of you. You always smell like a man,� she said as she sniffed my stomach.
I looked into her brown eyes as she lavished nibbles on Mr. Happy. Sandy wasn�t a beauty in the classic sense. She was the girl-next-door who was fit from riding horses and snowboarding, giving her a firm bottom and muscular thighs. I watched as her head bobbed up and down. Sandy kept looking up to make sure I was watching what she was doing. I groaned when she pulled off and licked my manhood to get it wet, and then attacked my sack. She gave the jewels a thorough tongue-bath, and then took them both into her mouth as she grasped my staff.
Sandy took me back into her mouth and moved up and down slowly with delicate force as she used her tongue to tickle the underside. After the first few bobs, she took a deep breath and then obviously relaxed. I watched in complete rapture as Sandy seemed to focus herself and plunge downward as she swallowed me to the root, using her throat muscles to massage the head. Sandy looked up to see my reaction. I was amazed that she was able to take all of me.
�Yesss,� I hissed between my lips.
I reached down to move her hair so I could see her face better. Sandy jerked off my member, gasped for breath, and smiled at me.
�Do you like that?�
�You have no idea. That was fantastic.�
�I learned that just for you,� she said, obviously pleased with herself.
�I�m impressed.�
Sandy proved to me that her sword-swallowing act was no fluke. She was very determined to make an impression as she worked me over.
�Flip around so I can eat you while you do that,� I suggested.
Sandy straddled my head and then resumed her task. I�d promised her my �A� game, so I devoured her. She tasted a bit like the hot tub, but that was soon replaced with her essence as she became aroused. Sandy was one of those girls who had tight little lips that allowed your tongue to glide over her sex.
When she became aroused, her lips opened up, and I gained deeper access. I used three fingers and began to rub around her nubbin. As soon as I did that, she forgot about what she was doing to me. Sandy made a little whining noise and stiffened.
�Damn, David!�
She wiggled away from me.
�Too much, too much,� she complained as she tried to get out of reach.
I ignored her protests and flipped her on her back. Sandy again tried to escape when I reached to put on a condom, but I was having none of that. She was the one who�d challenged me. Sandy didn�t really fight me, because she actually guided me into her depths. I was on my knees, sitting straight up, so I was able to reach down and use the three-finger technique to stimulate her as I sawed into her.
Sandy wasn�t well endowed, but she had long nipples that were now rock-hard. I watched and recognized the signs of another orgasm as it came on. Sandy�s eyes became unfocused, and her chest and neck began to flush. That little whine was back. I smiled when it reminded me of the Charger when the RPMs spun up.
She made a strangled cry and closed her eyes tight. I waited for her to stop trembling before I rolled her over and entered her from behind. Her tight little butt smacked against my pubic bone as I pushed even deeper. I was close, so I let my hips fly until I felt I was at the breaking point. I pulled out and took off the condom. It only took a couple of strokes, and I glazed her ass and felt myself start to go soft.
�Why do guys think it�s necessary to shoot their stuff all over us?� Sandy huffed.
I quit admiring my work and blushed.
�Come on. Let me wash it off,� I said, offering my hand so we could take a shower.
I made sure she was squeaky-clean and then helped her dry and brush her hair. We were tired, and tomorrow was going to be a big day, so we went to bed. Sandy felt good in my arms as we fell asleep.
◊◊◊
Chapter 26 � I and Love and You Thursday December 31
The girls were all gone when I finally made it up. Dad had walked up the beach to get breakfast. I bet Mom planned it that way.
�Was Sandy okay seeing old folks naked?� Mom asked.
�She thought Dad was okay for an old guy.�
�If I had a dime for every time I heard that,� Mom bemoaned. �He was quite a catch when he was younger.�
I was done with this conversation, so I left to make myself some breakfast. When I came back, Mom gave me a tight smile.
�How�re you doing?� she asked.
Last year we�d had a talk at this time. I now knew for sure why Dad had been sent away.
�We haven�t had one of these talks in a while,� I admitted.
�I guess we�re due.�
�How are you and Dad doing?� I asked.
�There are still days when I want to kill him. I might actually kill your granddad if he was still alive,� she said and then sighed. �If they hadn�t covered it up, and I found out, we probably would have gotten a divorce, so it worked out for the best. I still love him, but it�s changed our relationship. I never wanted to doubt your father. The problem is that I�ve invested over half a lifetime in him, and you and Greg are part of this too. I can�t see any other option but to forgive him and move on.�
�You know, it looks easy from the outside to just give up on someone. But I�m sure that given time, you might find that he loves you, too,� I said.
�That�s what makes all of this so hard,� Mom admitted.
�In some ways, I understand. Tracy did horrible things to me, and many people said I was crazy to ever be friends with her again. It�s amazing to me how someone can break your heart, but you still love them with all the little pieces. Tracy and I can never be more than just friends, but when I gave her a third chance, we became good friends. Heck, Dad�s only working on his second,� I said with a smile.
�So, let�s talk about you,� Mom said.
�Football is starting to get crazy,� I admitted. �Caryn has been notified of several awards I�m up for. I was named to the MaxPreps All-American team and several others. Bo Harrington told me that all the major recruiting sites list me as the top incoming senior prospect. Bo has advised me not to go to any camps this year because I can only go down. Frank received a call from ESPN because they want to follow me around next fall.
�The colleges have been going nuts. Would you believe that Michigan plans to do a summer camp at Lincoln High? Caryn said they made offers to Ty, Wolf, Tim, and Johan. They�ve talked to Alan about being a student assistant. I bet Dad could get a job there without a problem. All I can say is they�re one of many that�ll be coming hard for my services.�
�You haven�t said anything about all this.�
�I�ve been busy with the movie stuff,� I explained.
�Caryn told us that Saul is sure he can get you some serious deals. I don�t see how you can ignore them,� Mom said.
�I can�t. That�s what makes this so hard. How can I turn my back on football? I�ve worked so hard for that. This movie gig just seems too easy. Saul told me that if I were to go full time, I could make as much as forty to fifty million a year. I believe him, because for doing the Royal Palm movie, I�ll make four million for a month�s work, and I�m not even the lead.
�Look at Dwayne �The Rock� Johnson. He was a football player at the University of Miami who then went into professional wrestling. Saul said he made over sixty million this year. He�s in his mid-40s. If I get the James Bond or
�Don�t let Saul fill your head with you being a star. This might just be your fifteen minutes of fame, and then it fades,� Mom said.
�I�m well aware of that. There�re examples all over Hollywood. I�m just telling you what the potential is.�
�Do you like it?� Mom asked.
�That�s just it: I do. There�s so much more to it than I ever realized. I was lucky I modeled first. Spatial awareness and how to present yourself in the best light are important.�
�What about modeling? Are you done with that?� Mom asked.
�Modeling is the one business where women make much more money doing it. My deals with Range Sports, Dakora, and Jade put me towards the top of what a male model can make in a year. I made almost as much doing that one commercial for sunglasses. If I go the acting route, I would cut way back on modeling.�
�Anything else going on?� Mom asked.
�Baseball. My hitting coach plans to recommend me for the Under-18 USA baseball team. From what he says, I have the potential to make a go of it, if I put the time in.�
�You�ve always loved baseball. Do you muddy the waters even more and push for it? It might change how you feel about the game.�
�I know. It was something I did just for fun,� I admitted.
�But �� Mom prodded.
�It has always been the dream.�
�So, what are you going to do?�
�I�m going to go for it and see what happens,� I said and sighed. �So much is up in the air right now. In football, I need to decide where to go to school, and with that comes the responsibility for the other guys. Wolf and Tim want to go where I go.�
�I hope you don�t make your decision based on someone else,� Mom said to interrupt me.
�In an ideal world, that would be true, but I�m starting to see that in my situation, finding real friends is going to be hard. I tried to make a new friend here in LA and ended up being hit with a bat for my trouble. Uncle John warned me that I�d need to be careful because my fame would color how new people would perceive me. Many would seek to take advantage of me.
�It�s not just new people, either. Remember how Cal came after me. If I�d been anyone else, that would have been handled differently. Would he have been mad? Hell, yes, but he wouldn�t have tried to ruin me on a bogus rape charge.
�Then there�s Brandon, who worked for me. He goes out and begins to blog about what a terrible guy I am.
�Let�s not forget Mike. All through grade and middle school, he was always the top guy in our class. Freshman year he steps in as the starting freshman quarterback with a clear path to playing varsity, maybe as soon as his sophomore year. At the time we didn�t know Brad Hope would transfer in, so when Magic graduated, Mike was at the very least in the mix. Suddenly he finds me stepping into his shoes. That�s all fine until I rocket up the summer before junior year starts. He�s firmly in my shadow, and the only way he�ll ever play quarterback is if I get hit by a bus. So he lashed out and took advantage of Mona.
�So, if Wolf and Tim want to go to college with me, I�ll try to make it happen,� I said.
�I hate to tell you this, but very few high school friendships survive. People go off to college. They get married and start families or a million other things. One day you wake up and realize that you have a completely new set of friends. When I was your age, I was going to marry Brad Grace. We didn�t even make it to my senior year. The only real friend I still have from those days is Mrs. A,� Mom shared.
I had to chuckle. I started calling her Mrs. A when I was three or four because I couldn�t say Anderson. Now it was her nickname, and everyone called her that, even my mom.
�Personally, I can�t imagine not having my same friends.�
Mom laughed at me.
�You poor �stupid boy.� Take my word for it. High school can be a wonderful time in your life, but in the grand scheme of things, it�s but a moment. Your dad and I worry that you�re growing up too fast. What teenager has to have a talk with his mom about starting a new business? Even fewer would be here, thousands of miles from home, working over their Christmas break. I want you to still be a kid.�
�I think Brook has that covered,� I smirked.
�If I thought I could get away with it, you and Brook would not be allowed to play with each other. The two of you, with plenty of money to do what you want, worry me.�
�She and Cassidy are becoming friends,� I said as if that would help.
�There are times I�d rather watch you swim with sharks than let you loose with those two. If Brook doesn�t kill you jumping out of a plane, Cassidy will kill you with some ninja move.�
�At least with Cassidy around, she�d protect me,� I teased.
Mom turned serious.
�We can joke about your safety, but I�m worried about you thinking you can handle anything. I watched the video,� she said, referring to the fight with the �Baby Dick Gang.�
�I understand. Fritz has been a big help in making me aware of what can happen. I might be crazy, but I hope things at home will be different. Everyone knows me there.�
�Your dad and I talked after we spent time at the driving school being scared straight. I�m going to approach real estate differently. Anyone I take to show houses has to come to the office and have their driver�s license copied. We learned several things, but I think we�re na�ve if we believe there aren�t additional risks. Something we�re going to do is fence the yard and put a gate across the driveway. We�ll get something temporary for now and then put in one that�s more decorative once the ground thaws.�
�Don�t forget Precious has to be able to visit Duke,� I said.
�I was thinking that would be one of the benefits of a fence.�
�Don�t let Duke hear you say that.�
�Something else we need to do is fix the lock on your apartment,� Mom said.
My head snapped up. I knew it! Girls walked in as if they owned the place, even when I changed the code.
�Tell me.�
�Fire and Rescue had to be able to get in. We set up an oh-nine-one-one code. I might have told Tami about it,� Mom hedged.
I just shook my head.
�Have you thought about what you plan to do after all this?� Mom asked, waving her hand around her head.
�What do you mean?� I asked.
�Is your plan to be a gentleman farmer and raise a bunch of kids, or to, oh, I don�t know, go into politics?�
�Why do you ask?�
�Because I know you have your life goals. John has spent some time with your dad and me working on ours. He showed us yours and Greg�s. You need to figure it out because it�ll influence your college plans.�
�I thought I might retire,� I teased.
�We both know you�d go crazy sitting around the house all day. I can just imagine you playing bingo at the Senior Center.�
I just nodded, because I could picture the gun I�d stick into my mouth to end that nightmare.
�My long-term goal might be politics, but I�m finding I need a better business understanding.�
�I�m glad you mentioned business. In my opinion, the biggest weakness many politicians have is they don�t understand how the real world works. I�m sure many of them have good intentions but don�t realize that if you do A, then B and C will happen. That was one of the reasons your grandma decided to help you start the farm. She wanted you to learn what it means to start and build a business and use your money to create and not just invest it. She wants you to have substance behind you, not become merely a mouthpiece for special interests. Frankly, I couldn�t imagine you letting that happen,� Mom said.
�So, I shouldn�t get a law degree?� I asked.
�No, that�s not what I meant. I would advise you to get a well-rounded business degree and focus on learning to write well. Then, if it feels right, get your law degree.�
�I�ll think about it. Something I learned recently is not to rush a decision if I don�t have to. I realize I need to make one soon, but I don�t see that it has to be today,� I said.
�No, you�re right about that. But if you�re considering it, I just want to be sure you think it through. I�d suggest you talk to some people and see if that�s what you really want to do. Your dad told me your grandpa hated the fundraising part of it. Davey said he had to start raising funds as soon as the last election was done. I understand it�s far worse the higher up you go. That was one of the main reasons he never ran for governor.�
As far as annual talks go, this one was much better than last year�s. Mom sent Dad a text to let him know he could come back. While we waited, she updated me on Greg and his family. She did relate a funny story about Christmas day.
�After we opened our presents, the little ones were going nuts with their new electric cars. Duke wanted no part of it when Kyle ran him over. I later found him taking a nap on my bed.�
�I bet he had no remorse about it, either,� I said.
�No. Duke even gave me some sass when I caught him and made him get off. He decided he�d take his nap with Little David instead.�
Peggy had moved in, and the word was Duke had a new master in her son.
�Where was I?� Mom asked. �Oh, yes. Mac stepped up to John and said, �Unca John has a penis.��
�Oh, my.�
�You should have seen the look on his face. Better yet, you should have seen the look on your brother�s face. You can imagine how that little declaration quieted the room,� Mom said.
�I bet it did.�
��I wonder how she knows that,� I said, and watched your uncle slowly twist under the scrutiny. Your brother must have feared the worst because his face turned red. I had to give him a stern look. Then I was handed a gift. �He showed us,� Kyle said.�
�I�m assuming there was more to it, or I�d be attending my uncle�s funeral.�
�He didn�t know that little ones at that age have no concept of privacy. They burst in on him in the bathroom and apparently were scarred for life. At least, I think that was what I said,� she said and giggled.
What was with my mom and giggling? I couldn�t wait for the next family event and the hell she would put my poor uncle through. I was sure he would see the humor in it�maybe twenty years from now.
◊◊◊
The wedding was held at Saddle Rock Ranch. It was a garden setting, with all the natural beauty that surrounded us, including views of the Santa Monica Mountains. Before the ceremony, we were given a tour of the ranch. I fell in love with the rolling hills lined with vineyards, manicured lawns, ancient oak trees, rose gardens, and white fences.
They�d planned for an early evening wedding that would be followed by dinner and then a New Year�s Eve party. I found Devin and his groomsmen near the stables.
�There he is, our hero,� Cliff said.
�Well, I don�t know about that. I think Lou fell in love last night,� Devin said.
�I take it you boys had some fun,� I said.
�More than we should have, but we�re all sworn to secrecy,� Lou said.
�Don�t worry about me; Cora would hunt me down. I take it Bella caught your interest,� I said.
�Please. Poor Lou was a husk of a man after she was done with him,� Cliff said.
�Shut up,� Lou said as Cliff danced out of reach of his playful punch.
�When was the last time you got laid?� Devin asked.
�Oh, bite me. You couldn�t get laid at all without David�s help,� Lou shot back.
�Whoa, that was a good one,� Cliff said as Devin�s neck colored.
Leave it to friends to know how to push each other�s buttons.
�I hear you got some last night,� Lou said to me to try to change the subject.
�Careful, that�s my sister you�re talking about,� Devin warned.
�Sandy and I are good friends. Devin actually introduced us,� I said.
Devin told them about how he�d met me in Chicago. He had to bring up my kiss with Adrienne. While I no longer bragged about it, I still owned it. It was Adrienne, after all, and every straight guy I knew would kill to have done that.
�So, did you invite Bella to the wedding?� I asked.
Everyone but Lou lost it. Lou�s face turned red, and he nodded. I found myself getting a bear hug from Cliff.
�Now I know why you like him, Devin. Good one, David,� Cliff said.
We returned to where the wedding was going to be held so Devin and his crew could welcome the guests. Devin had combined this with his annual corporate �thank you� party, so he needed to press the flesh with his employees.
I found Sandy with Halle, Tracy, and Pam. They all looked spectacular. Rita had arranged for them to get their makeup and hair done. They all looked like they were ready for a red-carpet event. Sandy had on a frilly, layered white dress that moved in the light breeze. Halle had on a silver dress made with sequins that reminded me of a 1920s flapper dress. Pam was in a blue gown that hid her condition, and Tracy had on a stunning red dress that showed off her considerable assets.
They all turned and saw me at the same time. I was wearing a Dakora formal-wear suit. It was in keeping with their sense of style and targeted for a younger market, which meant it was fitted. I admit it, I loved how it looked on me. My girls were giving me appraising looks, and from their smiles, I could see they approved. I wasn�t allowed to kiss them because it might mess up their makeup, but I did hug them all and tell each one how beautiful she looked.
I then found Rita, Lacy, and my mom. They all looked great. Rita was a classic beauty, while Lacy was the California girl, complete with augmented boobs. My mom more than held her own. My poor dad was the designated man of that group. I was sure he would suffer through, somehow.
I was happy to see Caryn. She�d brought a man who appeared to be older than she was. He was a sales rep with a pharmaceutical company and very sure of himself. He and I probably shouldn�t be left alone, or I�d react badly to his self-aggrandizing comments.
I wasn�t happy when Cora�s friends started to show up. If I hadn�t been with Sandy, it could have gotten out of hand. Even with her there, I was groped a couple of times, just in case I missed the open invitations. If Zak had been here, he�d have been off in a private corner more than once with this group.
The conversation suddenly subsided, and I looked to see what had caused it. Bella had made her entrance, and all eyes were on her. She looked like she was getting nervous from the attention.
�I need to help her,� I told Sandy and pushed through the crowd.
�Bella! Welcome,� I said, kissing both her cheeks.
She smiled. I kept our eye contact because her dress was made to show off her huge breasts and large round butt. She wasn�t a heavy girl, but she had extra padding where women wanted it. Lou rushed up and thanked me. It was obvious to everyone that they belonged together, so the conversation picked back up.
I walked back to Sandy, who gave me a pout.
�Do you wish I was bigger?� she teased.
I hugged her so she could feel my arousal.
�Do you wish I was bigger?� I asked back.
�No, you�re just right,� she said as she went up on her tiptoes so she could kiss me.
I guess she wasn�t that worried about her makeup.
◊◊◊
Sandy and I were seated in the front row on Devin�s side. Lacy and Pam were across the aisle for Cora. They would be saying their vows in front of a 250-year-old weeping willow tree, under a fallen-oak-tree arch entwined with grapevines. The backdrop was the vineyard and the mountains. Everything was perfect.
Devin and his friends looked good in their suits. He looked over to his sister, who was all smiles. I personally didn�t know if I should be happy or sad for him. I knew in my gut that Cora would hurt him at some point, but he was blinded by love.
The music started to signal the procession to the altar. The bridesmaids were in ugly puffy teal dresses made of some cheap, shiny material. It was just like Cora to pick out something that would make her look better. Once they were in front, the music changed, and Cora and Cal came down the aisle. I shudder to imagine how much that dress had cost Cal. I expect she thought she was a princess. The gown was all lace and pearls and had a long train. It came complete with the dressmaker to trail behind to make sure the train was perfectly arranged for all the guests to see.
I held my breath when the preacher asked if anyone objected to them getting married. With that bit of potential drama behind us, the rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch.
Afterward, the dinner and party were exceptional. Cora and Lacy hadn�t spared any expense. Everyone was given a bottle of wine from the vineyard; they�d had labels custom made to commemorate the event. When it began to get dark, twinkling lights that hung in long strands from the trees were turned on. It gave the whole place a magical feel. When Cora and Devin stepped onto the dance floor for the first dance, it was a special moment.
Only one incident marred the evening: Caryn�s date was found with one of the bridesmaids. They had the grace to leave. I promised Caryn I would make sure she had a ride home. She didn�t seem too upset that he�d left and appeared to have a good time anyway.
I, of course, danced every chance I could get. I was surprised when Cora grabbed me for a slow song towards the end of the night.
�My sister cares for you,� she said.
�The feeling�s mutual; I care for her, too.�
�You�ll be a wonderful father. I can�t wait to be an aunt.�
That was something I hadn�t considered. I sure hoped that didn�t make Cora my sister-in-law. If it did, what did that make Devin? Was Sandy now an aunt also? Surely not. I�d better ask my mom later. No, make that my dad; I didn�t need Mom making fun of me.
�It was a perfect wedding,� I said to change the subject. �Congratulations to you both.�
�Remember when you told me not to go after him unless I was serious?�
Who could forget that?
�Yes.�
�He really is a great guy,� Cora said.
�Yes, he is.�
�Mind telling me what happened at the bachelor party?� she asked.
�Tell me what happened at your party first,� I said.
She thought about it for a moment and then smiled.
�I guess it�s best to just let that one go.�
You had to love her penchant for trouble.
�Are you still worried I might hurt him?� she asked.
�Of course I am. Devin�s leading with his heart while you have your eyes wide open. He�d do anything for you. Please don�t abuse his trust in you,� I said.
�I really do love him.�
Hard to say who she was trying to convince. I guess time would tell. Thankfully, the song stopped.
When it got close to midnight, Sandy wanted to go for a walk. We were both deep in thought. I think the New Year does that to you. You get a chance to reset the course of your life. I had a lot to look forward to. By this time next year, I would have a much better idea of what direction my life was going. Heck, I might even be in a serious relationship. Then again, I might embrace my new Hollywood lifestyle and never get serious about another woman. Pam was living proof that you didn�t have to marry them to have a baby. Honestly, I wasn�t sure I could do that again. The good news was that Pam and I were friends, even after her dad had pulled his stunts.
One thing was clear: I would learn more about my life very soon when my movie came out next week.
I saw fireworks go off and checked my watch. It was midnight. Sandy smiled at me, and we kissed.
◊◊◊
Chapter 27 � Three, Two, One � Launch Friday January 1
In the morning, Dad surprised me. He held up two tickets.
�Merry Christmas.�
They were tickets to the Rose Bowl. When I�d seen the pairing for the game�Stanford vs. Iowa�I wasn�t excited. I felt Iowa had been exposed as a paper tiger. Indiana, Minnesota, and Nebraska were all average teams, and Iowa had barely beaten them. Then they lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game. I thought that Ohio State was the next-best team out of the Big Ten and should have gotten the Rose Bowl bid. Ohio State vs. Stanford would have been a game worth watching.
Stanford closed out their season by beating Notre Dame, who had been in the hunt for a National Championship slot and spanked a solid USC team. In my mind, Stanford had the momentum and the better team. But I�d always watched the Rose Bowl on New Year�s Day, and here I was getting a chance to go see it live with my dad.
The Rose Bowl was one of the games that were steeped in history. It was known as the oldest bowl tournament��The Granddaddy of Them All��with the first game having been played in 1902. Twenty-nine times the winner of the game had been named National Champion. In 1946, the Big Nine (now the Big Ten) and Pacific Coast Conference (now the Pac-12) agreed to send their conference champions to the game each year. That held until 2002 when it became part of the Bowl Championship Series and subsequently the College Football Playoff system. This happened to be a year when the Rose Bowl wasn�t a playoff game. That meant the top two rated teams in the Big Ten and Pac-12 that weren�t in the playoffs were selected.
Dad had arranged a car to take us to the game. We entered through the Court of Champions and found ourselves outside the Stanford locker room. I guess I figured out where Dad had gotten the tickets. Dad sent a text, and one of the student managers opened the door to let us in.
�Here, put these on,� he said as he handed us field passes to be worn around our necks. �Coach Pichette has a moment if you�d like to see him.�
�That would be great,� Dad said.
Coach Pichette was Stanford�s quarterback and wide receivers position coach.
�Hey, Coach,� I said and introduced him to my dad.
It was evident the two of them had talked before. This must have happened after I left for LA. He pointed us to the Terry Donahue Pavilion, where a Stanford contingent was getting VIP treatment. They had a buffet which we decided was very good. I was a little starstruck when Andrew Luck and John Elway walked ahead of us down to the field.
�Do you know who that is?� Dad asked.
�Yes,� I said, nodding.
�Did you know that in his senior year, his team was 5�5 and needed to beat Cal to go to a bowl game?� Dad asked, talking about Mr. Elway. �They were behind close to the end of the game, and he put them ahead with only seconds left. That was when �The Play� happened. Cal took the kickoff and lateraled the ball back and forth to score. You�ve probably seen video of the Cal player running over the Stanford band member at the end of the play.�
�That had to be a hundred years ago,� I teased.
�I believe I was seven or eight when it happened,� Dad admitted.
Yep, a hundred years ago.
◊◊◊
Stanford had their way with Iowa. They scored in every phase of the game and won 45�16. The first time Stanford�s Heisman finalist Christian McCaffrey touched the ball, he took it 75 yards for a spectacular touchdown. A few hundred yards later, and Stanford�s sophomore star had smashed the oldest bowl game�s record for all-purpose yards. I think everyone would agree he would be a favorite for the Heisman this coming year.
Dad and I had a great time doing a little father-son bonding.
After the game, we drove back to the beach house. Pam, Lacy, Tracy, Sandy, Halle, and Rita were sunning themselves on the roof while my mom set out steaks for Dad to grill. I found tomatoes and fresh mozzarella that I could slice up and season for an appetizer. Mom had purchased fresh spinach, so I made creamed spinach from one of Mary Dole�s recipes. I also made garlic mashed potatoes. Rita broke out a red wine. I had to laugh when I saw it was the wine given to us at the wedding.
Over dinner, Rita wanted to talk about the press tour I was about to go on.
�You ready to get out there and sell your movie?�
�Caryn gave me the schedule, and I�m not going to have time to think. Is it normally this crazy?� I asked.
�The key is to just have fun. The worst is when they stick you in a room and send one reporter after another in to interview you. Rely on Frank, and stick to the talking points,� Rita said.
�The studio must be worried because they made sure I had someone with me for the first few days.�
�Be grateful. I�ve seen them throw new talent to the wolves, and it isn�t pretty. You need to remember that the reporters are looking to make a story out of your interview. Most of the older ones are so jaded they�ll try to get you to make a mistake. The younger ones are hungry and want to make a name for themselves,� Rita said.
�So, don�t trust any of them.�
�I thought that was what I said,� Rita said and smiled. �The trick is to stand out. Remember Chris Pratt and the things he did?�
�You mean running in high heels and screaming?� I asked.
�Exactly. He showed his fun side and stole the interviews. Everyone was talking about him the next day, not the girl he was on with,� Rita said.
�I honestly can�t remember who he was on with. I do remember liking her in the movie, but I can�t remember her name,� Tracy said.
�My point exactly. Just be your goofy self, and you�ll do fine.�
We spent the rest of the evening enjoying the California weather. Halle, Pam, and Tracy were going sailing tomorrow on one of Halle�s friend�s boats. Mom and Dad planned a trip to Napa Valley. Sandy was going home.
I would be on a plane to New York with Frank and Caryn. Adrienne had called and said I could stay with her and Tyler while I was there. The studio had provided me with two rooms for New York and Chicago, so I would only need to pay for an extra room when we were in Chicago.
When the evening was done, I returned to the main house with Rita. Halle stayed at the beach house with Tracy and Pam. When we returned home, Bandit was waiting by the door, looking for his mom.
�Halle isn�t coming home,� I explained to him as I picked him up.
�Can he sleep with you?� Rita asked.
�Sure,� I said and took him to my room.
Bandit helped me pack for my trip. He�d been alone all day, so he was a little wound up. He brought me his squeaky mouse. I threw it for him, and he would chase it and kill it. At least it should be dead, from all the noise it made. For a kitten, he was a lot of fun.
◊◊◊ Saturday January 2
Caryn and I made the trip to LAX in silence. I was deep in thought about the coming week. My concern was over how it would change my life. I had a stupid idea of just skipping the whole thing because I was afraid of what this coming week would do to my life. I was about to step out onto a much larger stage. Yeah, I�d flirted with it, but in my gut, I knew this was different. If our movie was a hit, and what Saul and Frank were telling me proved correct, I would be famous. Not Rita James famous, but enough so people would recognize me when I walked down the street. I wasn�t just talking about LA either, which was a world in and of itself.
My theory had always been that everyone at home would treat me the same. I�d started to wonder if that was true. I wasn�t worried about my friends. It was everyone else who concerned me.
I was jerked out of my self-contemplation when we pulled up to the curb. Caryn started to get out, but I stopped her. She�d forgotten Fritz�s rules. He came around and let us out. We�d parked next to baggage check. We all had our boarding passes on our cell phones. I had a small bag with my tablet in it that I�d take with me on the plane. I checked a garment bag and a suitcase.
Next stop was TSA. I did the whole �hands up� pose as I was scanned.
�Sir, you�ve been randomly selected to have a full check.�
Great! They took me off behind a screen, and I was told to put my arms out so they could run a hand wand over me. Then I was patted down. I didn�t appreciate being fondled. That was just the beginning of our problems at the airport.
Next, some dimwit left their car running at the passenger pickup area. That caused the airport to go on terror alert and shut down, which only took two hours to straighten out. Then there was even more entertainment. We were all boarded and backing out of the gate when an alarm suddenly rang and there was a commotion in the back of the plane. An elderly woman had thought the latch for the emergency door over the wing was a coat rack, or that was what she decided to use it for. I never realized that if you pulled the latch, the door just falls into the cabin.
They simply shoved it back into the slot and closed the door. Wow. I guess if the alarm quit ringing, we were good to go. There was no reason to check a door that would just fall out like that on a flight from LA to New York. What could possibly go wrong?
◊◊◊
I dropped Frank and Caryn off at the St. Regis Hotel. I received texts from Craig Wild and Bree Steno to let me know they were also staying at the St. Regis. They wanted to get everyone together for dinner to talk about tomorrow�s interviews.
When I arrived at Adrienne and Tyler�s, neither of them was in. They�d left me a key with the doorman and a note saying they�d gone to a shoot that was in trouble. I also had a note from Kara telling me that I was to call her as soon as I arrived. She made the trip up to Adrienne�s condo.
I smiled as I let her in.
�Come here,� I said, pulling her into my arms and kissing her.
I never got over how attractive she was. I think what made her special, other than her incredible body, were her eyes. They seemed to pierce your soul. It was something that put her into a whole different category in comparison to other models.
�I missed you,� she said as she ran her fingers through my hair. �Adrienne told me that you�re doing very well in your new movie. She said she was disappointed, though, that you hadn�t reeled in Hannah yet. I have to agree with her. What�s taking so long?�
�It�s her stupid boyfriend. He seems to be smarter than her last few. I expected him to do something stupid by now, and she could use me as her rebound sex toy,� I pouted.
�That�s what I like. You always have a plan,� Kara said as she kissed me again.
�Speaking of plans, do you have some model friends who�d be willing to go to dinner with some of my movie-star friends?� I asked.
�How many do you need?�
�Three women and two men. Craig Wild is here with his manager Kent, who�s good-looking, according to some girls I know. Bree Steno, who was on that vampire show, and my manager Caryn, and my publicist Frank, who is older, will be joining us for dinner,� I said.
Kara made me get my phone out and show her pictures of everyone. She recognized Craig and Bree when I showed her our group shot for the movie. She got busy making calls while I unpacked. I called Caryn to make reservations for enough people. I had her add two more in case Adrienne and Tyler could get free.
We had a couple of hours before dinner, so Kara and I decided to get reacquainted. She reminded me that if we could ever land in the same area, we would be together.
◊◊◊
Caryn picked Le Bernardin for dinner. She was told they couldn�t accommodate us on such short notice, but she used Craig and Bree�s names to get us a table. It was a Michelin three-star rated restaurant every year since 2005. To make things simple, she preordered the chef�s tasting menu for the group.
Everyone met at the bar in the St. Regis. Kara and I found Craig, Kent, Bree, and Caryn waiting for us, having cocktails.
�I hope it�s okay. I got everyone dates,� I announced.
�Man, I like you more every time I see you,� Craig said.
�I suppose you only lined up dates for the boys,� Bree said as she crossed her arms and glared at me.
Right on cue, the models arrived. It was interesting to see how everyone interacted. Kara grabbed my arm to lay her claim on me. That didn�t seem to slow down a tall blond Scandinavian goddess. She pulled up a chair at our table and bumped into me.
�Excuse me, did you not notice me sitting here?� I asked.
She turned to me and raised an eyebrow.
�Yes, I saw you, but chose to ignore you,� she said, which caused Kara to grin.
�You must like living dangerously,� I said.
�I do, and that�s why I�m talking to you; it�s like playing with fire,� she said and turned away from me.
�There�s nothing wrong with a little casual conversation,� I shot back.
She turned and looked into my eyes.
�What happens when casual conversation turns into serious fun?�
At that, all other conversation around the table stopped, and Kara�s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.
�You�re good,� I admitted.
�I can promise you I�m better than good. Hi, I�m Donna Nilsson,� she said.
�David.�
�Just David?� she teased.
�It�s a name and title all in one.�
Craig choked on something, and Kent had to beat his back to dislodge it.
�I�ve heard of this David character. Kara has been all abuzz about a feisty guy who was gracing our fair city.�
�Sorry, but if you�re trying to charm your way into anything more than dinner tonight, I�m afraid it�s not going to happen,� I said. Kara reached over and squeezed my bicep in approval.
�Uh, no. I�m not trying to charm my way into anything more than dinner
�What were you trying to charm your way into?� I asked.
�Okay, that�s enough. Donna, I think your date is here,� Kara said and then introduced her to Frank.
Donna winked at me and then turned her charm on Frank. I don�t imagine he was used to a nearly six-foot blond goddess who was as aggressive as she was. If Kara hadn�t been there, I would have enjoyed verbally sparring with her and everything that her come-ons promised.
After a couple of drinks, everyone seemed to be getting along. I smiled at Caryn because I could tell she was in lust with the living Ken doll she was with. Bree didn�t look quite as happy because her guy seemed to only be interested in checking himself out in any available mirror. When Adrienne and Tyler finally showed up, it was time to go to the restaurant.
Caryn�s forethought of preordering the chef�s tasting menu was perfect. It was a seven-course meal where each course was paired with a different wine. I skipped the wine, and by the end of the meal, I was glad I did. Even with small glasses of wine, the seven wine-pairings had everyone in fine spirits, considering they�d all had at least two cocktails before we got there.
The tasting had a seafood theme. It started with caviar, followed by lobster, seared langoustine and foie gras, salmon, poached halibut, and a surf-and-turf pairing of tuna and Wagyu beef. For dessert, we had coffee caramel cr�meux roasted almond mousse. When the bill came, Craig had alligator arms as he �tried� to take it from me. I wish he had. Just the meal for everyone was slightly under $5,400. The tip was $1,000. Adrienne peeked and sucked in her breath.
�Sucks to be you,� she teased.
Even with sunglasses money, that was a lot to spend at one time for a meal.
After dinner, everyone wanted to go off in different directions. I was glad when Adrienne and Tyler said they wanted to go home. They�d had a long day. Kara was more than happy to join us. I needed to get some sleep for the interviews tomorrow.
◊◊◊
When we arrived at the condo, the girls were all giggles. I was a little dismayed when someone opened a large bottle of red wine and served each of them a big glassful. Adrienne and Tyler had missed my exchange with Donna, so Kara had to get them up to speed.
�I think she got the best of him,� Kara proclaimed.
�Most interesting,� Tyler said.
�Yes, most,� Adrienne said as she nodded.
�What�s so interesting?� I asked.
�Donna�s my roommate,� Kara said. �She�s been here for about six months, and in that time, she hasn�t shown the least bit of interest in anyone.�
I looked at Adrienne, and she blushed.
�You struck out?� I asked in dismay.
�Shot down in flames big-time,� Tyler said.
�You promised to never talk about that,� Adrienne said, giving her significant other a look.
I didn�t realize it also worked on women.
�You can�t leave me hanging like that. Spill it,� I said, suddenly interested.
�I�m not telling. You�ll have to get it out of her,� Tyler said, indicating Adrienne.
�Fine. I know how to get her to talk,� I said and gave Adrienne an evil grin.
They all looked at me skeptically. I stood up and went to my room for what I needed. I also changed into a tight-fitting t-shirt and my silk boxers. When I came back out, all conversation stopped, so I struck a pose that made them all giggle.
�You�re in trouble,� Kara warned Adrienne.
Adrienne eyed me warily. I had a towel and a bottle of massage oil. I knelt down in front of Adrienne on the couch.
�May I remove your shoes?� I asked.
She just nodded her head as Tyler and Kara looked on. I removed Adrienne�s shoes, and she started when I reached under her skirt and pulled down her thigh-high stockings. She watched, mesmerized, as I began to massage her feet. Then Adrienne leaned her head back and just enjoyed what I was doing. I think we were both surprised when Tyler stood up, bent down to her girlfriend, and kissed her.
�You have fun. I�ll see you in the morning,� Tyler said and took Kara�s hand and led her upstairs.
I knew that Kara had been with them before, so I wasn�t surprised she would spend time with either of them. What surprised me was that she seemed to give Adrienne permission to spend time with me. I had to refocus on what I was doing because my imagination had suddenly run wild. The little head had some very naughty ideas about what to do at that moment. I decided to take a chance.
�Come with me. Let�s do this right,� I said.
Adrienne looked me in the eyes for a moment and then picked up her glass of wine before getting up and walking to the guest bedroom. I about choked on my tongue when I realized this was going to happen. When we stepped into the bedroom, Adrienne seemed to hesitate.
��David, I don�t think �� was all she got out before I kissed her.
It was Chicago all over again, except there wasn�t an audience to stop us. She grasped the back of my head and put a serious lip-lock on me. I tried to be a gentleman and not do anything without her permission. That was until she reached between us and grabbed my unit. She broke our kiss.
�Damn, David!�
�I think we need to lose some clothes,� I suggested.
Adrienne pulled my t-shirt over my head and then pushed down my boxers. I helped her out of her skirt and blouse, revealing her black lace bra-and-panty set. She grabbed Mr. Happy and used him to guide me to the bed. Adrienne pushed me so I lay back with my legs hanging off the side. She nudged my thighs apart, grasped my manhood at the base and checked it out.
�It�s been a long time. You�ll have to be gentle with me.�
�I was worried, because I was thinking you needed to be gentle with me,� I teased.
Adrienne reached for her glass of wine and poured some on Mr. Happy. At first, I wasn�t sure what she planned, but when she began to lick it off, I was more than okay with it. When she started to give me head, I could tell she hadn�t done this in a long time. It was still some of the best oral sex I�d ever had because it was
�You taste good,� she said and giggled.
�Come here,� I said.
Adrienne kissed her way up my stomach and then my chest. When she was straddled over me, I reached behind her and unhooked her bra. She moaned when I got busy making love to her magnificent breasts. I found Adrienne liked a firmer stimulation than some girls. That was fine with me; I loved to maul her breasts. Her big thick nipples were made to be played with roughly.
�Do me,� she begged.
I reached down and pulled her panties down her thighs. I surprised her when I just picked her up and we suddenly had switched positions. Adrienne�s panties were at her knees, so I pushed her legs up, dove down, and covered her sex with my mouth. She was soaking wet as I tried to devour her. Adrienne started to huff like a train as I worked her over.
�Aaahhhh, YES!� she screamed.
I continued to eat her, and the huffing started all over again. Adrienne about lost her mind when I began to finger her. She was hot and slick; I couldn�t wait any longer. I quickly found a condom, put it on, and put myself into her slot. Our eyes locked as I pushed forward. All my adolescent dreams were coming true. I�d had years to anticipate this very moment; images of Adrienne had been used to fuel many of my masturbatory sessions. Adrienne was wasted on women. Her velvet vise was meant to have me in it. I soon began to saw in and out of her depths.
As I pumped into her, her breasts wobbled in the most erotic way. Adrienne was indeed one of a kind. Even at her advanced age�28�she was as fit as any teenage girl. This was even better than I could have imagined�and believe me, I have a very good imagination. Adrienne was every man�s fantasy. I looked down at her big round breasts that sat high on her chest. I smiled as I watched them synchronize in an inward circular motion as she met each thrust. Her flat stomach looked good under my ripped abs. I could see my sex as it plunged into hers.
�So big,� she moaned. �So hard. Do me!�
Once we got started, it was game on. Adrienne was hands down the best sex of my life. It was exactly that, too: sex. This was not love-making, this was two friends giving each other pleasure. She did me as hard as I did her. I pulled out all my skills, and we tried everything. When I say everything, I mean it. I did all the ways possible. We tried about every position we could imagine. This woman was a sexual dynamo. If it weren�t for Tyler, I would�ve been on bended knee. When you found your cosmic sexual match, you hung on with both hands.
All I know is that at some point, we fell asleep with her straddling me and me buried in her. We�d taken a breather, and the next thing I remember was her getting up to use the bathroom. When she came back, she laid her head on my chest, and we went back to sleep.
◊◊◊ Sunday January 3
I woke up to Kara giving me head. I looked up and sort of panicked when Adrienne was nowhere to be found. To my relief, she came out of the bathroom with nothing on but a smile on her face. Tyler walked in with a tray of coffee mugs. Adrienne went to her and gave her a kiss good morning.
�Did you have fun last night?� Adrienne asked.
�You know I did. How was the boy?�
�I had almost forgotten how good it felt with a boy. He�s lucky he�s young because I wore him out,� Adrienne said.
�I know how you get when you�ve had wine,� Tyler said as she kissed her life mate again.
They left the two of us alone.
�Was it as good as you�d hoped?� Kara asked.
�What do you think?�
�She rocked your world, didn�t she?�
I just smiled. I pulled Kara into the shower because I needed to get going. There�s something indescribably sexy about the way a girl�s hair gets swept back and plastered to her scalp when wet. I found myself enjoying the show while I watched Kara soap up her body. That was until she put the soap into my hands and told me to finish lathering her up. Well, if I must. When it was her turn to do me, she nearly got me off, stroking my manhood with her soapy hands.
I figured I could be late, so I led Kara back to bed. She turned and scooted across the mattress on her butt before getting herself settled and lying flat on her back with her legs open. I moved to kneel between her legs, running my hands over her thighs.
�You�re beautiful,� I said.
Kara looked at me and bit her lower lip as I leaned in and began to pleasure her with my tongue.
�No, I had that last night. I want the real thing,� Kara said.
I grabbed a condom, put it on, and checked to make sure she was ready. She was very wet. I smiled at her as I pushed in.
�Hurry,� she ordered.
I looked at the clock and realized I didn�t have much time. It was a good thing Kara was as ready as I was because it wasn�t long until the countdown began. Three, two, one � launch!
I hurried to get dressed. Jade had cut me a deal to wear their clothes during interviews this week, and Dakora was outfitting me for the premiere. Tyler had worked out the details with Caryn. There was a garment bag with my outfit for today. It seemed no one trusted me to put the right clothes together. I was a little offended because I�d been paying attention and no longer mixed and matched plaids and stripes.
I did get to wear my new $800 tennis shoes that were made to resemble alligator hide.
As soon as I was dressed, I hustled downstairs and found a car waiting. I hoped they�d arranged food for us because I didn�t get a chance to eat. My driver navigated traffic, and we arrived at the St. Regis, where they had set up conference rooms for our interviews. They had three rooms set up for Craig, Bree, and myself. Each room had a different wall-sized poster that featured our character in the movie. I wanted mine when we were done. It showed the movie logo and me in full battle gear with a sword held two-handed.
My room had lights and three cameras set up, one to catch both the interviewer and me and then two others to capture each of us individually. Frank was waiting for me when I walked in.
�You have eighteen interviews scheduled today. Please don�t get bored and get off script today,� Frank begged. �I�ve had actors shoot themselves in the foot more than once at one of these.�
�Where are Craig and Bree?� I asked.
�They didn�t have as many interview requests, so they�ll be down later.�
From the expression on Frank�s face, I was a little worried.
�How many did they get?� I asked.
�Craig has six and Bree four.�
�Is that normal?� I asked.
�Um, let�s just say that if I were them, I would feel slighted.�
I thought about it for a minute.
�Can you call them and have them join me? They can slip out when they have their own interviews.�
Frank gave me a funny look.
�Listen, something I learned in football is that it�s a team game. Every chance I get, I make sure the team is part of activities, events, and especially credit. Even if they aren�t in the interview, I will talk them up. I just don�t want them to feel snubbed,� I said.
�Here are your talking points. It�s mostly the same as what I gave you during the week. I added a few items because there are so many interviews I wanted to make sure you had enough material to keep it fresh,� Frank said. He saw I was serious about sharing the limelight. �Okay, I�ll go see if they�ll join you.�
While Frank did that, Caryn showed up with a plate of food.
�Adrienne said you missed breakfast.�
I really didn�t want to know what those two talked about this morning; I was just happy to see Caryn was taking care of me. While I ate, the guy from the studio showed up.
�I have your talking points for you,� he said, handing me thirty pages.
I just smiled and thanked him. Caryn chuckled when I sat them on the floor while I scanned the ones Frank had given me. I was happy when Bree came down and joined us.
�You ready to do this?� I asked as I put my hand up for a high five.
She rolled her eyes and then snagged my last piece of bacon.
�You bitch!� I said.
Frank hurried over.
�David,� he hissed.
I looked around and saw that several of the press contingent had shown up. Oops. We were ushered in, and Bree looked at me funny when she saw my mug on the wall.
�I hope you don�t expect us to do all the interviews in here.�
�Of course I do. I look awesome.�
�We�ll do some in my room,� she said, leaving no room for doubt.
Frank came in.
�Craig declined. I�ll send the first one in,� he said.
�Dick,� Bree said under her breath.
�Shhh,� I said as a young gal came in.
The studio guy hustled in and took a seat behind the camera. Frank and Caryn had to each get themselves a chair.
�Each of these sessions is twenty minutes,� the studio guy said.
�I guess we should get started,� our interviewer said.
�There�s a process I follow with acting,� I said, getting very serious.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. After about a minute, Bree nudged me.
�What are you doing?� she asked.
�You know I have to meditate for twenty minutes before I do a scene,� I said as if I were irritated, and closed my eyes again.
�But I only have like fifteen more minutes,� our interviewer whined.
�Oh, sorry. You should start asking us questions then,� I said and smiled.
Bree turned into my straight man for the rest of the day. I would get bored and say something goofy, or my interviewers would say something so outrageous I would just go with it, and Bree giggled.
�I just did an interview with Mark Ruffalo, and he told me that the Hulk was going to space,� the interviewer said, at which point I showed my confusion. That caused Bree to snort.
�I�m just curious if you would like the Hulk to join you on your next
�Oh, well, hmmm. Uhm, I didn�t, uh, I uh,� I stalled, and then got it together. �I hadn�t heard that. Uh ��
I looked at Bree and could see her shoulders shaking as I tried to come up with an answer.
�I would love to work with Mark Ruffalo. He�s a very believable Hulk,� I said.
�He plays Bruce Banner, not the big green guy,� Bree helped.
�Oh, well, I liked him too. How they would interact with each other, uh, I would guess that would be up to the writers. If I were to guess, Stryker would kick his butt, or maybe I could teach the Hulk how to dance.�
�I can see it now. In the future, you win battles with dance-offs,� Bree shared.
In another interview, I felt like I was in the twilight zone. The guy was weird with a capital �W.�
�Hey, how you doing, I�m Bert Carlson?� he asked and held out his hand to shake.
He hung onto my hand and continued to shake it.
�I�m so excited to meet you, David,� he said.
�Uh, me too.�
Bree had an amused expression when he completely ignored her. I ended up having to jerk my hand out of his.
�Can you do me a really personal favor?� he asked.
�Uh, I�m not sure if I should.�
He pulled his phone out and started to dial.
�Can you talk to my mom and tell her I just came out of the closet?� he asked.
Was this guy serious? I looked at Bree, and she snorted, covered her face, and wouldn�t look at me. That was when I figured out he was pranking me.
�I would love to,� I said.
He handed me the phone, and it really said �Mom,� so I was no longer sure. We got her voicemail.
�Hey, Bert�s mom, this is David. He wanted me to call you and let you know that he�s gay. When you get a chance, give him a call so you two can talk about it,� I said.
�I feel like a great burden has been lifted,� he said.
�That was fun,� I said.
Bree must not have believed my sincerity. We called this one quits after that.
Later, we had this British girl interview us. She was busy asking Bree questions.
�You must get asked to read a lot of scripts. What made you decide on this one?�
Bree�s phone chirped, and she took her time and pulled it out of her bag by her chair, then looked at the text.
�Hey, look, the guy from last night,� she said as she handed me the phone to read it.
She continued the conversation with the interviewer. I texted her date back.
�
�
�
�
That was when the interviewer asked me a question, so I put Bree�s phone down and forgot about it.
◊◊◊
After the marathon session of interviews, Frank and Caryn wanted to talk to me and decompress. Caryn had taken my suite at the hotel. The studio was being generous, and I would have to thank them when I saw them at the premiere.
�Towards the end, you got sloppy,� Frank started.
I took a deep breath and let it out.
�Did I do anything I wasn�t supposed to?� I asked.
�David, that�s not the point, and you know it,� Frank chastised.
He was right. I was doing this for a purpose, and I had gotten sloppy. Suddenly I remembered I�d forgotten to warn Bree about the text messages. I wondered if what I�d done had crossed some line. Surely not. It then struck me that I�d forgotten to tell Frank about the
�Do you know what
Caryn looked at me curiously, while Frank looked confused.
�Google is your friend,� I said as I looked at Caryn.
She pulled her phone out and sucked in her breath.
�I will kill him,� Caryn fumed.
�Care to clue me in?� Frank asked.
I came clean about going to the party and letting them take pictures of me.
�Did you sign a release?� he asked.
�No, but what�s to keep them from saying they were candid shots? I bet they could make them look like they came from a cell phone,� I said, reminding him that he had done that when he released pictures to
�And you�re just telling me about this now?� Frank asked.
�You do know when they�ll release those pictures, don�t you? They�ll get splashed all over the net during the premiere,� Caryn said.
�
They�d had me do a voice-over for my language in one scene in particular. With that, we�d gotten the film rated down from an R to appeal to a broader audience. Frank got a faraway look on his face.
�Let me cogitate on this,� he said and then left.
I then told Caryn what I�d done to Bree. She just laughed.
�Do you remember how they hazed you as the new guy?� she asked.
As part of her education process, Caryn had sat me down and wanted to know all about what I�d done on the set of
�So you don�t think she�ll be mad?� I asked.
�Oh, she�ll be furious, but you can remind her payback is a bitch.�
I liked Caryn more and more as time went on.
◊◊◊
Chapter 28 � Just Enjoy What Comes to You Monday January 4
My morning started early, as I had to be at the studios for
�You ready for this?� Caryn asked.
�Yeah. I could�ve used some more sleep, but let�s get this started.�
�Our first stop is
�Isn�t that where Craig has a long monologue, and I just stand there?� I asked.
�He is the draw,� Frank said.
I tamped down my competitive side. It was all about selling the movie, not me. When we arrived at the studio, we found the guy from our studio with Craig and Kent. Craig ignored us when we came in.
�Tammy Shafer will be interviewing you this morning. She�ll do a brief introduction, show the clip, and then do a five-minute interview,� our studio guy told me.
I stepped up to Craig.
�So, what do you want to talk about?� I asked.
�I�ve done this hundreds of times. Don�t worry, I�ll handle it. Just follow my lead,� Craig said and then walked away from me.
Kent grabbed me before I followed Craig.
�He thinks you�re upstaging him,� Kent said.
�How could I do that? The movie�s already done.� I said.
�It was the interviews yesterday. Everyone who saw Craig asked about you and what it was like to work with you. They had all just been in the interviews with you and Bree before they talked to him. That, and you have more interview requests than he and Bree combined,� Kent said.
�I had nothing to do with that, and in fact invited Craig to join us,� I shot back.
�I know that, but he doesn�t get that you tried to help him. Don�t worry, I�ll get him in line,� Kent said and left to find Craig.
Hearing how Craig was acting made me mad. His ego was about to get him his ass handed to him.
Tammy Shafer stopped in to meet us. She was as nice as she seemed on TV. I was sent to makeup and didn�t see Craig again until we sat down to do the interview. We weren�t on the main set. They�d set up a side set with our large movie poster and a smaller one showing Bree, Elizabeth, Craig, and myself in our full
�You look like a cartoon character,� Craig snorted.
�You look like a nerd,� I said, not missing a beat.
�Up yours,� Craig responded.
�Bite me.�
Frank was suddenly on set and pulled us both apart.
�I don�t know what your problems are, but you better make nice, or you might not like what happens.�
�Yes, sir,� I said.
�Suck-up,� Craig shot my way.
�If you don�t settle down, you�ll be pulled from the interview,� Frank said.
�You know what? I�ve had enough of this shit,� Craig said and stormed out.
Kent and the studio rep ran after him. Frank found the producer to explain that Craig wouldn�t be joining us. When it was time, I was handed an
�This week, a highly anticipated film,
They showed the clip of Craig�s character, Royal, giving his talk, and then it was back to us.
�Alright, we are so excited to have David A. Dawson with us this morning.�
�Thank you for having me. I hope I get to come back to see you again someday,� I said.
�If the reaction of my teenage daughter is any indication, I�m sure you�ll be back. Tell me what it was like ��
I guess I did well because they let me keep the coffee mug. The studio rep and Frank were happy. They must have missed the eighteen interviews I�d done yesterday and the many I�d done playing football.
◊◊◊
Next up was
�Hurry, you�re on in one minute,� he said.
We made a mad dash as I pulled off my winter coat and just dropped it. I could hear the music start to signal my entrance. On
�Every actor who comes on our show has a unique story about how they got discovered or how they got into the business. I think your story about how you were discovered is the most unusual I�ve ever heard. Will you tell the audience your story?� Jillian asked.
�Sure. My freshman year, I attended a football game at the University of Kentucky. The owner of my friend�s dad�s company arranged for me to try out for their opponent, the University of Florida,� I said.
�You�re the top-rated junior quarterback in the nation,� Brian said.
�Yeah, I was named Co-MVP of the Elite 11. It�s a competition to identify who the best quarterback is. I was the first junior ever to win,� I said. �This was before anyone knew I could throw a football. I ended up horning my way into Kentucky�s recruiting weekend. After the football game, the recruits were taken to a mixer at the President�s house where I met Lori Winnick.�
They showed a picture of Lori and me in the movie.
�A few months later, I met her at a fundraiser, and she told me about a movie she was going to be in,
�But you had already been discovered as a model at this point,� Jillian said.
Up popped a picture of me riding a horse, and then there was a series of my sexier poses.
�That was another chance encounter. My best friend was invited to go to a private prep school, and there was a girl there who needed a date for her cousin�s engagement party. She was kind enough to buy me a suit to look good in.�
A picture of Jennie Wesleyan and me at the event was shown.
�You do look good,� Jillian said.
�Thanks. We ended up on a local gossip show, and the sister of the CEO of Range Sports saw me. She thought I would be a good fit for their youth line.�
�That�s incredible, man,� Brian said.
�Lori Winnick is just gorgeous,� Jillian said.
�Yeah, inside and out. Lori�s helped me out in a lot of ways. I really owe her for the help she gave me to get started. She cracked the door open, and I stepped through it.�
�That�s a great story. When we come back, we�ll talk to David about his upcoming movie,
When we came back from break, they showed the clip at the frozen training base where I basically am blown up as Royal and Stryker fight off the bad guys.
�That looks exciting,� Jillian said. �You play Stryker, right?�
�Yeah.�
�You�re the action hero?� Jillian asked.
�Yeah. This movie was so much fun to make. I think everyone in the cast pulled out their inner child, and we were lucky enough to fulfill some of our fantasies. I can�t wait for everyone to see it, because I got to be in awesome sword fights and space battles. It�s an epic space adventure. If you were like, �
�Why�s that?� Brian asked.
�We shot the movie in northern Canada, and it was freezing. In the scene that you just saw, my stuntman was blown up and was actually injured,� I shared.
�Oh, my,� Jillian said.
�He�s fine now, but at the time it was scary. They shot him onto a mattress. The problem was that it was so cold that the cushion froze. He might have been better off landing in a snow bank.�
�What stunts did you have to do yourself?� Brian asked.
�There�s one scene where they dangled me off the side of a cliff. They wanted me to swing over a frozen waterfall. Since my stuntman was hurt, they had me do it myself,� I said.
�I for one can�t wait to see it,� Brian said.
�I think they got this one right. There was recently a screening for execs from various studios that I attended, and I was told they all thought we have a hit on our hands,� I said.
�And they�ve already announced that there will be a sequel,� Jillian said.
�In fact, they�re working on two more
�That�s a great sign. I can�t wait to see it,� Jillian said.
�The movie is
◊◊◊
I didn�t have to be at
�Here�s what I�m thinking. Like I always say, get in front of a problem. While the
�And �� Caryn prompted.
�Oh, yeah, sorry,� he stammered. �Michael Bunting is noted for doing some interviews that are borderline. He did the whole monologue on Bentley Parker�s penis when Bentley was in Italy with Liz Brandon. We think his show is the perfect platform to introduce your pictures with the porn stars.�
�What�s the upside to doing this?� Caryn asked.
�We control when the photos go out. The studio doesn�t want them to be put all over the place the night of the premiere. We control the narrative, which is it was an LA party where you arrived, took a few pictures, and then left,� Frank said, and then gave me a hard look. �That is what happened, right?�
�I did not have sex with those women,� I said in my best Bill Clinton impression.
�Aw, shit,� Frank blurted.
I laughed.
�No, seriously, I only stayed for a few pictures and then left,� I said and switched to my uptight white-boy lawyer voice.
�Now Zak Verwood and Devin Range might have done more, but I have no confirmation of said events.�
�Don�t even joke about that,� Frank said and looked at Caryn like she was supposed to do something.
He left us so he could work on it.
◊◊◊
We arrived early at the studio. Frank had talked to the producer of the show, and she wanted to move us up to be the first guest. We had initially been slotted for third. The studio rep met us there and handed Frank talking points. Caryn and I were sent to my dressing room. They had a waiting room where hangers-on could mingle. The room already had ten people in it. I grinned when Frank told the studio rep that he had to stay out there.
�You have a problem with that guy?� Caryn asked.
�That guy believes because he works at the studio, he knows what he�s doing,� Frank said, tossing all the man�s notes into the trash.
I just shook my head as Frank had his little pissing match. Of course, I would listen to him first, because I paid his fees. But the potential issue was that the studio guy could call and complain about how he was being treated. Frank got a call and left.
�Check those notes,� I told Caryn.
She was reading them when Frank came back.
�These aren�t terrible,� Caryn said.
Frank got a pained expression on his face.
�You�re paying me for a reason,� Frank said.
�And the studio is paying me, and I am paying you,� I said.
Frank sighed.
�Just follow my lead, David. I�ll make sure he�s happy,� Frank said and left.
�You might want to go check on that,� I said to Caryn.
�Yep. The kids don�t seem to be playing well together,� she said and left.
Jade and Dakora had sent over clothes for tonight�s three interviews. Adrienne had been busy making us some extra money. I would be casual on Michael Bunting�s show. For Billy Stein, I would be more dressed-up; and then for my last appearance, with Steve Priest, I would be casual again.
◊◊◊
After they came back from commercial, I was called out.
�Let�s welcome David A. Dawson, star of the upcoming blockbuster,
I walked out, and Michael shook my hand. I smiled at the audience and sat down.
�In a minute we�ll get started and watch a clip from your upcoming movie. But before we do that, I want to again remind everyone that celebrities don�t lead the same lives as the rest of us,� Michael said.
�Why�s that?� I asked, playing the straight man.
They started to flash pictures of me and porn stars.
�Oh, you�re talking about the party I was at last week. It was a lot of fun,� I said.
�Tell us what this party was,� Michael said.
�Well, ah, how do I say this?� I asked.
�That all these women are adult film stars,� Michael suggested.
�Okay. It was a party where I was asked to attend to take some candid photos of adult film stars and myself. They were having an unveiling of some new adult film stars.�
Michael gave the audience a knowing look at the �unveiling� comment.
�I can just imagine,� he said to big laughs.
�No, really. This is an LA thing. They have parties where they want to introduce new talent,� I said.
Frank had written the lines for me in conjunction with the writing staff on the show. Michael was playing it to the hilt as he sadly shook his head.
�What did I tell you, nothing like how we live,� he said to the audience. �Let me tell you how it is for the rest of us. When I was younger, I used to date. Let me describe the process, and you tell me if this happens to you. You�re familiar with rating women one through ten?�
I nodded.
�I would have a 6 ask what we were doing on a Friday night. Only I wouldn�t give her a straight answer because I�d be waiting to see what the 9 was doing, but then the 9 blows me off. So I�d text the 6 back to see if we�re still on, but she�s already made other plans. So instead I go out and get drunk with my buddies and end up with a 3! Happened to me almost every weekend,� he said to laughter.
�I have some questions. Maybe you can help me,� I said.
�Sure.�
�First of all, why would a 9 blow you off?� I asked with my best seriously confused expression on my face, which everyone laughed at. �I mean, I thought all 9s were into guys like us. And then, how is it you would end up with a 3?�
�Different life!� Michael crowed as we went to a commercial break.
He leaned over to talk to me.
�Great job. That was some funny stuff. When we get back, I�ll build you and your movie up,� he said.
◊◊◊
Our next stop was NBC Studios, where they filmed the other two shows. First up was
�Billy will have you come out and talk about your new film. We�ll take a break, and then you�ll do a skit with him called
�Puppies!� I said a little too excitedly.
My entourage looked at me like I was insane.
�Where?� I asked.
�I, uh, they�re in the back,� she told me.
I grabbed her hand.
�Show me,� I ordered.
�I have to see this,� Caryn said, and I soon had everyone following me.
I found the biggest fur-balls I�d ever seen in a huge pile. They were golden retriever puppies, and they were sound asleep. I considered waking them up but was afraid of the chaos that would follow.
◊◊◊
When I was called out, the interview was pretty much like the rest. This time they showed the scene where I take down the barbarian. I told them about how the actor had taken his role a little too seriously.
Then it was on to a break, and they set up the
�Welcome back to the Early Late Show. I am Allen Paul, and we are about to play
They switched cameras to show Allen with a fuzzy puppy in his arms. They had been running this bit for a few months, and the puppies had gotten quite big. I had a feeling they would have to retire this particular sketch soon or get a new litter of puppies.
�This is the first puppy up for grabs, Snuggles,� he announced as he cuddled the puppy which caused the crowd to do a collective, �Awwww.�
�Now here�s how the game works. I will ask each contestant an animal trivia question. If they get the question correct, they get to keep the puppy. A wrong answer and your opponent gets the puppy. Since you are the guest, David, you�re up first,� Allen said.
�This is a tough one. What breed of dog is Snoopy? Is he �A� � a pit bull? Is he �B� � a Jack Russell terrier? Or �C� � a beagle?�
I tried to act like I was thinking before I gave my answer. There was a clock sound ticking away to provide a little drama.
�No help from the audience, please,� Allen called out.
�I�ll go with beagle,� I said.
�Yes, that is correct!� Allen announced and handed me the puppy.
Holy cow, this puppy was happy to see me. I had to laugh when the pup decided he needed to try to lick my face off, which made the audience laugh as well.
�The next question is for you, Mr. Stein. Where do killer whales swim? �A� � cold oceans, �B� � warm oceans, or �C� � all oceans?�
Billy rolled his eyes.
�You ask him a Snoopy question, and I get killer whales,� he complained. �I would guess cold oceans.�
�You would guess � wrong! David gets our lovely Sheela,� Allen proclaimed, as another puppy was put into my lap.
The pups apparently woke up rowdy because Sheela barked at Snuggles. I now had a lap full of puppies. There was a barking sound.
�You know what that means,� Allen said. �It�s time for Double Puppardy. Each question is now worth two puppies. You�re up next, David. A takin is an animal that is neither a goat nor a cow and found only in the following: �A� � Canada, �B� � India, or �C� � Bhutan.�
I showed everyone in the audience my confusion.
�Welcome to my world,� Billy said.
�I was hoping we would do the lip sync challenge,� I complained as Sheela tried to jump off my lap. �Since I don�t even know what a takin is, and I�m a little sketchy on where Bhutan is � I will guess �C.��
There was a dramatic pause, and I was suddenly handed two more puppies. As I said, they were big, so they had to stack them on each other. I now had a wiggling mass of rowdy mutts who either wanted to lick my face, bark, or escape. One of them managed to bail off and make a run for it. Allen had to rescue my wayward pup and put him on top of the rest.
�You�ve fallen behind, Billy. You need this one to keep the game close. What brush should you never use on a horse? �A� � Fitch Curry Comb, �B� � Dandy Brush, or �C� � Mane Brush?�
�A Curry Comb and Mane Brush make sense. I think it�s the Dandy Brush because it sounds made up. But I�m betting they�re trying to trick me. I say �A� � Fitch Curry Comb,� Billy said.
�You are correct!�
They dumped two squirming fuzzy-butts on Billy.
�You guys are getting big,� he said as they both wanted attention.
There was a barking sound again.
�You know what that means. It is time for Final Puppardy! I will ask you each a question. The one closest to the right answer wins all the puppies. How many trees, on average, do beavers cut down for their winter supply of food?�
We had marker boards to write down the answer. Both Billy and I had to contend with squirming puppies while we wrote. I lost two of them as they made their escape. I wrote down 500.
�Billy, what is your answer?� Allen asked.
He turned his board around, and it showed 25.
�Billy, you said 25. David, what is your answer?�
I flipped mine over.
�David, you said 500. The correct answer is 100. Our winner is Billy! Congratulations!�
Damn!
◊◊◊
The trip to the set of
�Congratulations on your new movie, and for a couple of reasons. I heard they plan on doing two more. I read the book, and I would have thought it was impossible to adapt it for the big screen,� Steve said.
�Yeah, I�m sure it had to be a daunting undertaking. But they�ve made so many advances in CGI that when I see the final product, I am simply amazed. Of course, we had an awesome director in Jessup Fields, and our producer was Janice Utley, who was astonishing in how good she was. They assembled a team that brought it home with the support of the studio. They made me and my fellow actors, Craig Wild, Bree Steno, Elizabeth Jenks, Ben Doman, and the always amazing Lori Winnick all look good,� I said.
I seemed to be practicing my awards speech.
�From what I�m hearing, it�s a wonderful movie that may rival the recent
�I do owe Lori for getting my foot in the door. She was the reason I even received an audition. When I walked in, I was surprised to learn who my audition partner was. Bree and I had met before at a photo op for some of the modeling work I do for Range Sports. The script said to seduce her,� I said to some chuckles.
�I�m sure you know who Adrienne is,� I continued.
�The Sports Illustrated and Victoria�s Secret model,� Steve said.
�I�d worked with her and learned to do sexy. I figure if you need to know something, go to the best to have them teach you. So, anyway, Bree was simply not prepared for the moves I put on her. So, if anyone�s looking for career advice in acting, it�s that you just never know how far a good kiss will take you.�
�Too bad you weren�t around when I was getting into the business,� Steve said.
�I�m sure, from what I�ve heard, your wife wouldn�t really go for that, now would she?� I asked.
�You also mentioned being a model. Has that helped open any doors for you?� he asked.
�In fact, it has helped tremendously with my acting, but unfortunately, I still have one huge disappointment from my modeling career.�
�Really, what�s that?� Steve asked.
�I�ve always had a crush on Hannah Minacci. I�ve modeled with her, and she�s in my upcoming movie,
�Hannah, if you�re watching, give the boy a break,� Steve said, playing along.
�It would help if America would get on their social media and send a quick note to Hannah using hashtag David�s Prom Date. I think she just needs a gentle reminder that she might want to get started picking out her dress and all that stuff.�
�She might kill you for that,� Steve said with a big smile.
He then showed a clip of the movie, we talked about it for a minute, and I was done. I was exhausted from doing five shows in one day. It was even harder than I had imagined because I�d expected Craig to be there to help me out.
◊◊◊
On the way back to Adrienne�s, I�d stopped and picked up sandwiches at Katz�s Deli. When I�d stopped for lunch off Venice Beach, they had bragged about getting their meats and cheeses from Katz�s, so I had to try the original. I called Adrienne to get everyone�s order. Frank and the studio rep were going back to the hotel, but Caryn was joining me. Adrienne also invited the models that she had living in the building.
I was instructed to get pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, and to buy a cheesecake. They told me to skip the fries because they were greasy and limp. I was also to bring assorted salads and matzo ball soup.
When we arrived, I was ready to devour every bit of it, sacks and all. Riding in the car with the smell was enough to make my mouth water. Tyler took my bags from me and stepped into the kitchen. She brought out platters of food with the sandwiches cut up into model-size portions, which brought a tear to my eye. That was until I saw one of the massive sandwiches set aside just for me.
I�d had Caryn order a case of wine, just in case we might have a repeat performance of Adrienne drinking vino. People call me a �stupid boy,� but they forget I was in the Boy Scouts, and I was very much like Duke. If something good happened, you kept going back to that again and again with the hope for a repeat performance. For Duke, it was laying under Kyle, Mac, and Nate�s chairs, hoping something would make its way to the floor. I, on the other hand, hoped for sex. So, like a good Boy Scout, I was prepared. I�d bought wine to help Adrienne get into the mood.
Eating a giant sandwich after a mentally draining day was a mistake. It wasn�t long before I was ready to nod off. Everyone else was trying to drink the case of wine. I knew it was a mistake, but I turned in early.
◊◊◊ Tuesday January 5
I�d set my alarm extra early because I had to be at the
The driver put my garment bag into the trunk, and I found it was only the two of us.
�Where are Frank and his new friend?� I asked.
�You don�t know his name, do you?� she teased.
I gave her a sideways glance; she knew I didn�t. She just gave her head a little shake. It seemed she wasn�t about to enlighten me.
�They�ll meet us there. Frank�s getting the overnight numbers, and his office compiled your test results.�
Frank had talked me into paying to have a group of people watch all my appearances to see what they liked and didn�t like. He said that he wanted to have the focus group for at least the first day. If they found problems, Frank would do it again today. He convinced me when he told me that the studio was doing something similar. Over the years, they had determined ways in which they could better predict certain things by an actor�s performance at press events.
When we arrived at CBS, Bree Steno was already there, drinking coffee and talking to one of the staff.
�There you are. My publicist showed me what you said on the
�I guess we�re together today. How was your world tour yesterday?� I asked.
They�d flown her to Miami, and then she hit Tampa, Jacksonville, Atlanta, and DC. At least they hadn�t made me fly all over the country. Elizabeth had worked in San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle yesterday, and she had Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Phoenix today.
�It wasn�t bad. I hear Craig bailed on you.�
�He was still mad that he wasn�t the center of attention the other day. We had a few words, and he took off,� I admitted.
�You think it�ll be a problem?� she asked.
I figured she was worried because we hadn�t signed anything for the next two movies. If the lead character decided not to play nice, it could kill the deal for all of us.
�I expect Kent will get him in line. Plus, he has
�I guess we�ll know if he shows up for the premiere,� Bree said.
Bree and I worked well together doing the interviews. We�d had enough practice two days before. After we did the CBS show, we were off to do
◊◊◊
On
Frank found me before we went on.
�We have the numbers back from your interviews yesterday, and the focus group loved you. They found the Hannah Minacci shtick to be funny.�
�But I was serious,� I said.
�You came across as being sincere. Hannah wasn�t as pleased, though. Her social media accounts blew up. You might have to mend some fences there,� Franks suggested.
Hannah was a big girl; she could handle a few tweets. If anything, it gave her some much-needed publicity. Not enough people were downloading pictures of her. I wasn�t worried she�d be mad about it.
We were called out to do our portion of the show.
◊◊◊
We had done our usual routine�show the clip and talk about how good the movie was going to be�when the interview took a sudden turn.
�I hear you were hazed a little while making the movie,� Lucy Kim said.
This wasn�t in the talking points. I glanced at Bree, and she wore an innocent expression on her face. I suddenly got worried.
�They pulled a trick or two, but it was all in good fun,� I said.
�I believe we have some video of David when we tricked him into thinking he�d be doing a lip-sync battle with Craig Wild,� Bree said, perking up.
They played portions of the video. I noticed that they showed me with my shirt off.
�He was like a little brother to us,� Bree said. �He also wanted to learn to dance.�
They showed me dancing between takes, which made the audience laugh. Of course, I had my shirt off for some of them, because they liked me to show off Stryker�s tattoos.
�He seems to have his shirt off a lot,� LeAnn Michaels commented, picking up on what I�d just been thinking.
�That�s the model in him. If you asked, he�d take it off now,� Bree said.
�Who�d like to see David take his shirt off?� Janelle Morrow asked.
I guess there were a bunch of dirty old ladies in the audience.
�I�m not sure my mom wants me taking my clothes off on national TV,� I said.
�The reason I brought up the hazing is that little David pranked me back,� Bree said, and I blushed, which caused everyone to want to know what I�d done.
�Bree and I were in a marathon interview session, and she received a text from a guy she�d just met. She looked at it while I talked to the person doing the interview. The interviewer asked her a question, and for some unknown reason, she handed me her phone. I helped her out and set up a date for her,� I said.
�Here�s what he added,� Bree said, and handed her phone to Janelle Morrow.
Janelle�s eyes got big, and she covered her mouth. She handed it to Lucy Kim.
�You are a naughty boy,� Janelle Morrow said, giving me a stern look. �What did your date say?�
�It took me a while to calm down, but he showed me the text messages,� Bree said. �I quickly figured out what had happened.�
�I asked him if he wanted to have a good time,� I blurted out.
By now, Bree�s phone had made the rounds, and LeAnn locked my eyes with hers.
�Is that how you plan to play it?� she asked in a stern voice.
�That and buy Bree an expensive gift. I�m thinking it might be jewelry.�
�He got me good. I can�t wait to see what happens when we start making the next
As I was walking off the set, the next guest stopped me.
�Hang around. I need to talk to you,� Jeremy Pike said.
I returned to the green room, and everyone was smiling. Bree had let them in on the secret.
�The look on his face was priceless!� Bree crowed.
�You got me. You�re just lucky they didn�t say what I texted,� I admitted.
Bree handed me her phone. The text read �
�Talk to Caryn, and I�ll have her pick out your gift,� I said as I hugged and kissed Bree goodbye.
Caryn was the only one going with me to Chicago. Frank had had a client do something stupid, and the studio rep planned to remain in New York. He was to make sure Craig didn�t get up to any mischief while he did
◊◊◊
Jeremy Pike was in his mid-20s. I really didn�t know what he wanted, but I waited for him. Caryn returned to the hotel to pack. We didn�t have to leave for nearly four hours, so I had time to meet with him. We found a restaurant where we could grab some lunch.
�David, I don�t think you believe in what I do,� Jeremy said.
�I�m not sure what you do,� I admitted. �I just know it�s some kind of psychic stuff.�
�Let me give you some background. I was raised in a small town, and my parents were very religious. When I told them I knew things, they thought I�d been spying on them and their neighbors. I quickly learned to keep my knowledge to myself. It wasn�t until I left for college and got out from under them that I had the courage to admit that I had a gift. Some of what I do is talk to the dead, and some is just intuition,� Jeremy said.
He looked over his coffee cup to see how I had taken his little speech.
�What does that have to do with me?� I asked.
�When I got near you, I knew I had to talk to you. There�s something about you that draws spiritual energy. I don�t want to alarm you, but I get the sense that your grandfather on your dad�s side is watching over you. He pushed me to talk to you. There are facts that have been hidden he thinks you need to know.�
I tilted my head and dabbed a French fry in some catsup. I felt warning flags start to go up. My first thought was this man was scamming me. Anyone could Google me and find out my granddad was dead.
�My first instinct is to get up and walk out of here,� I admitted.
�I get that. Let me tell you one thing, and you can decide if you want to let me do a full reading or not,� Jeremy offered.
�What�s this going to cost me?� I asked.
�How about you buy lunch?� he asked with a smile.
I just nodded.
�Let�s keep it simple. You�re secretly worried that the Cubs will win the World Series before you can play for them. You want to hit the series-winning home run,� Jeremy said.
I leaned my head back, looked at the ceiling, and laughed. I�d never even thought it before, but when he said it, I knew it was true.
�Okay, I�ll buy your lunch.�
Jeremy closed his eyes and then frowned, which turned into a scowl. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.
�This is going to make you mad. Please just listen to what I say and don�t interrupt. I have to focus, or I�ll lose the thread,� he said, and I nodded.
Jeremy closed his eyes again and began to speak.
�You have three best friends from growing up. One of them has left you. This isn�t about him, but about your other two friends. I�m sensing that there was something that happened to cause the three of you to be torn apart. Wait. That�s not entirely true. One of your best friends is � a girl. There is a special bond there that you feel has somehow been broken,� he said and then sighed, and his eyes fluttered open.
Our eyes locked.
�That bond can never be broken,� Jeremy said and closed his eyes again. �Something happened. Somehow, you�ve been deceived. I�m sensing malice towards you, and that feeling caused someone to deceive you about your friends. The deceiver arranged for you to think unkind thoughts about them. I keep getting the image of a ring that was defiled in some way. It had a special meaning that this act destroyed for you.�
Jeremy opened his eyes as my stomach twisted.
�You will hear a rumor. Pay attention, because it holds the key to you discovering the truth.�
I sat back in my seat. My rational brain tried to figure out how he�d found out so much. The other half of me wanted desperately to believe. I knew that was the power of people like him; they preyed on people�s desires, on their willingness to accept what they wanted to hear. I realized I wanted to believe, and it scared me. What if it were true? Had I damaged two of the most important friendships in my life just because of something someone else did? I knew what I had seen, though�Alan and Tami in bed together.
I noticed Jeremy watching me and gave him a tight smile.
�Why don�t you ask me what you want to know?�
�What should I do? Play football, make movies, or play baseball?� I asked.
�Why not all, for now? Right now, you don�t have enough information to decide. All I can say at this time is that when you finally do decide, the obvious choice might not be the best one for you in the end. If you take your time, you�ll make the right choice,� Jeremy said.
�Will my movie do well?� I asked.
�At first, you might not think so. This is another instance where you should wait. If you do wait, you�ll make a much better financial decision. People will try to force you to decide quickly. Resist that temptation.�
�Love life?� I asked.
�Please! For now, just enjoy what comes to you. There�s no need for you to make a lifelong commitment anytime soon. There will be an opportunity where you�ll think you want to. You�ll be happy for a time, but it will shake your belief in marriage. It will be one of those growing experiences you hate so much, but in the long run, I do see you happily married.�
�My baby? Will he be healthy?� I asked.
Jeremy closed his eyes and shook his head.
�You already are a father, but I feel you don�t know it. In fact, you already have three sons and a daughter. You will have a special boy this spring. All your children will make you very happy.�
I laughed at that one. Maybe Jeremy might be talking about my niece and nephews; that was all I could think of. The only other baby in my life would be Little David, Peggy�s son.
On that note, we said our goodbyes. We exchanged numbers because Jeremy said I would need to talk to him at some point. I just went along with it. He had seemed to be spot-on until the end, which I felt was a good thing. He had me half-believing him until that point.
◊◊◊
Caryn and I were staying at the Silversmith Hotel on Wabash in downtown Chicago. The studio had set up interviews for the evening. It was a mix of radio stations and local TV. I had slogged through four of the five scheduled when I saw my next inquisitor: Ed Spears, the sports director of Chicago�s flagship station WORD. He stepped into the room, and I stood up and shook his hand.
�I didn�t expect to see you here for a movie-premiere press junket,� I said.
�Our entertainment director told me you were in town, so I decided to claim a spot on your schedule. You don�t mind if we talk a little sports, do you?� Ed asked.
�I would love to talk about sports.�
We took our positions, and he began.
�Welcome back to
The interview went well, and it reminded me that I needed to start to get serious about working out again. I�d run, but otherwise, I�d been lax for the last six weeks. It was funny how a random conversation could refocus you.
Bo Harrington had advised that I not go to camps this summer, because I could only go down in the recruiting ratings. The other side of the coin was if you were number one, you couldn�t just sit on your butt and expect to maintain that position. I felt that competitive monster wake up inside of me. Whatever I did, I wanted to be the best. To be the best, I needed to get back home and get serious about working out with my teammates.
◊◊◊
Chapter 29 � The Tale of Two Premieres Wednesday January 6
When I got up and checked my calendar, I saw that I only had a radio interview with Steve Pelton, and then the rest of the day was blocked off. I met Caryn downstairs for breakfast.
�I thought we had more interviews to do today. What happened?� I asked.
�It�s supposed to be a surprise,� Caryn demurred.
�Am I going to have to fire you?� I teased.
�I hope not. Just go along with it. You�ll like this surprise,� Caryn assured me.
◊◊◊
Steve Pelton was a lot of fun. He�s a funny man. I don�t think I stopped laughing. He also did a fantastic job of promoting the movie. When my interview was done, Caryn guided me out to a limo. We�d arrived in a cab, so I was suspicious when the limo pulled up.
We got in and started towards the expressway. I smiled when we exited to go south.
�Are we going home?� I asked.
�Yes. You, Craig, Bree, and Elizabeth each are getting a pre-premiere in your hometowns. We�ve arranged to have it at Lincoln High in the Field House. I�m impressed that no one let the cat out of the bag. We sent out nearly a thousand invitations, and they�ve confirmed thirty-five hundred people will attend,� Caryn told me.
Basically, every student and their family had been invited. School started on Monday, so some people were on vacation. Caryn had set aside fifty tickets that I could send out to people I wanted to invite. Caryn and I ran through the list of local people who had helped me or could be in a position to assist in the future. That list included Mr. Hill, Teddy Wesleyan, Kendal and a few of the staff at her firm. I made sure they could invite their families or friends. I then called Tami, who was in school. She told me she wanted five tickets: one for her, and the others for Harper, Missy, Lisa, and Sarah.
I then called my grandma, and she suggested I invite the governor and a few other local politicos. She reminded me to include the local state�s attorney, Scott Mason, who had treated me right during the mess with Cal. I then invited Detective Kitchens and also asked Ms. Dixon to come.
I called Jeff Delahey to invite him and his granddaughter. He assured me that I would get some good press for making him the best granddad ever.
◊◊◊
I came home to find Peggy playing with Duke and Little David. She was rolling a ball for Duke, and his bouncing around to get it had Little David giggling. When Duke saw me, he froze for a moment, as if he didn�t know who I was.
�You forget who I am?� I asked.
Duke hadn�t seen me in over a month. He flipped out, he was so happy. Peggy had to rescue Little David because Duke was bouncing around without a care for where the baby was.
�Wow, he was happy when your parents came home, but this is nuts,� Peggy said.
I had my hands full loving-up my hound. I hadn�t realized how much I�d missed Duke until now. There�s something special about the unconditional love of your dog.
�I�d give you a hug, but I don�t think he�d understand,� I said.
�Why don�t you take him outside and throw his ball in the snow? It�ll calm him down some,� Peggy suggested.
I did just that. Duke was a year old now, and pretty much done growing. Labs tended to take longer to mature, so he still had a lot of puppy in him. I threw the ball until Duke lay down at my feet and batted it with his paws. Since he�d apparently had enough, I snatched it up, and he happily followed me back into the house. I�d just gotten inside when Mom came home.
�We watched you on TV. We recorded all your interviews so you can watch them when you get home.�
�Thanks. I�m about ready for this part of it to be over,� I said and then smiled. �Can we go to Monical�s for dinner?�
�You�d rather have Monical�s than have your mom cook for you?� Mom asked.
�I�m buying,� I offered.
�Call Greg and have him reserve the banquet room.�
�Good call. That�ll mean free appetizers.�
After calling Greg, I called Zoe.
�Hey, it�s me,� I said.
�Hey me, where are you?�
�I�m home. Tell your family that we�re going to Monical�s for dinner. Greg reserved the banquet room.�
�Does that mean I should start the call tree?�
�Yeah, I want to see everyone,� I said and then glanced over to see if my mom was listening. �I want to see you, too.�
�Can you come over? Maybe you could take me for a ride,� Zoe said.
I chuckled at her double entendre while looking at the clock.
�I�ll be right over,� I said.
Mom shook her head as she gave me a look, but she knew I would make it to Monical�s on time. I gave her a hug and got my Charger out of the garage. It felt good not to have to be driven around. Granted, I didn�t have to deal with LA traffic. I loved to drive my Charger, and after my driving classes, I felt much more comfortable behind the wheel. Of course, I wasn�t about to push it. It was 24 degrees out, and there was always the possibility you would run into black ice.
When I pulled into the Pearson farm, Zoe ran out of the house and jumped into the passenger seat.
�Take me somewhere where we can be alone,� she ordered.
I drove us to my new farm, just down the road from her house. As I pulled into the drive, I saw the limo and my grandma�s car. Caryn and my grandma came out of the barn and waved.
�Sorry,� I offered Zoe, but she just shrugged and got out of the car.
�I was about to call you,� Caryn said.
�Who�s your friend?� Grandma Dawson asked.
�Zoe Pearson, I would like you to meet my grandma, Lorraine Dawson.�
�Nice to meet you, Mrs. Dawson,� Zoe said.
Caryn was in business mode, so she interrupted our discussion.
�Your mom put me in contact with the Ag professor who helped evaluate the property. I contacted him to get an update on the market. I have some bad news about egg production: it seems some of the larger producers have invested heavily into reestablishing the production of eggs after the bird flu problem. He originally predicted the higher prices would hold, but now he�s predicting that by this summer, eggs could fall to as low as a dollar a dozen.
�If that happens, we�d be crazy to reestablish the egg production. My numbers say we�d be in the red for the next five years,� Caryn surmised.
�I think she�s being generous with the numbers,� Grandma Dawson said.
�The professor gave me some alternatives. Of course, you know about cattle. They�re relatively low-maintenance. He says the demand for organically raised beef, milk, and cheese is rapidly increasing. And all of it sells for a premium. The downside is cattle require more space than other options.
�A second option is goats. Seventy percent of the world�s population regularly eats goat meat. Most of the United States� supply of goat meat comes from other countries. There is a demand for locally grown goats. Particular breeds, such as angora and cashmere, are raised for their hair, which can be sheared and sold. Goat�s milk is used in a variety of products, from cheese to soaps to candles. Goats require less land and food, and smaller living quarters, than cattle, meaning that farmers can raise more goats than cattle for the same dollar amount.
�The third option is organically raised chickens. Their meat and eggs command a significant part of the local market, and they are among the easiest forms of livestock to care for. Chickens are the least expensive livestock option to raise and care for. They also require the least amount of space and eat the least amount of food,� Caryn said.
�So, what are you recommending?� I asked.
�For livestock, I would start with goats,� Grandma Dawson said. �It aligns better with your produce-stand idea.�
I looked at Caryn, and she just nodded. Goats sounded like a good option, and I trusted Caryn and Grandma to make it work. I�d been reading about the egg production business, and it was very involved. You had to have your people dress in special suits when they were in with the birds to keep from contaminating them. The more I read, the bigger the hassle it sounded like. In a way, it was a relief.
Grandma Dawson gave us a tour of the farm. When she got to the farmhouse, I saw it was dated. It looked like they hadn�t maintained it for several years. There was no way I was going to have my grandma live in something like this. I pulled Caryn aside and talked to her about it. She assured me she could get some ideas about what could be done. I told her to make sure my grandma was happy because I�d asked her to move back here and help me, even though she was retired.
It pleased me to hear that the local Mennonites had started to come by and introduce themselves. Grandma felt she could find some farm workers to help get the farm running.
Zoe and I were disappointed that we hadn�t gotten a chance to be alone. But she agreed I needed to see my new farm so I�d know what was being talked about when I was called on to make a decision. I took Zoe home so she could get ready to meet me at Monical�s with her family and then go to the premiere.
◊◊◊
I entered my apartment, only to find Peggy and Little David had taken it over. She saw me the same time Duke woke from his nap.
�I wanted to talk to you,� Peggy said.
�What about?�
�I�ve been talking to your mom, but she said I had to talk to you,� she said.
�What about?� I repeated.
�It�s about the money you�re giving me through your charity. I want to earn it, not have it given to me. What I want to do is help your mom with your and Pam�s baby. She told me that she and your dad were going to take custody until you got through college. What I want to do is work as a live-in nanny.�
�I hope you still plan to go to college,� I said.
�Yes. This would be a big help to me. Your mom and dad would help when they could, and I would take care of the kids the other times. It would minimize the time they�d need to be in daycare.�
�Where would you stay?� I asked.
�The upstairs is already set up for Angie, Greg, and their kids when they stay here. Your mom suggested that I move Little David and myself upstairs. When your baby�s born, we�ll put them both in the same room for now.�
�I�ll talk to Caryn and get you on the payroll. I trust you can work this out with my mom and dad. They always tell me their house, their rules. I also expect you to get your college education,� I said.
I was surprised when she fiercely hugged me. Clearly, this meant a lot to her. Single moms struggled just to get by. When I thought about what would happen if Angie and Kyle were on their own, it was easy to put together the charity to help young mothers. Especially when they were at the point of their greatest need. That, and Peggy and I had a history together. Never would I put her out on the street if there were anything I could do to help.
I thought she�d be perfect at helping me raise my son when he was born. I�d been worried it would be too much for my mom and dad. Having Peggy help was a relief.
◊◊◊
I took a shower and got into my closet for clothes for the premiere. I grinned while picking out clothes that I knew Halle wouldn�t approve of for LA attire. My handmade leather boots with the silver zipper on the side and AGed-15 jeans would not have passed muster with her, but I put them on. The jeans had strategically placed rips to show a little skin, which meant I had to go commando. The sacrifices we had to endure for fashion. I found a Henley long-sleeved t-shirt in navy blue with orange trim and buttons that I�d hidden, so the girls hadn�t stolen it.
I was torn between wearing my new leather jacket or my letterman�s jacket. Tomorrow was for the world, but tonight was for my hometown and friends. I decided on the letterman�s jacket. I checked myself in the mirror and noted my letterman�s jacket had started to fill up with pins and patches. You received a pin every time you lettered in a sport. I had three footballs and a baseball, representing my four letters. There were also two patches that showed my state championships.
Caryn sent me a text: the limo was out front. I was the last one to get in. My parents, grandma, Peggy, and Caryn were waiting for me. My mom looked at me and rolled her eyes.
�I thought you were wearing a suit,� Caryn said.
�My peeps would call me a poser if I did that. This is for here, not LA,� I said.
�Your peeps?� Mom asked.
�Sure, why not.�
�We need to get him home before his head swells any more,� Mom told my dad.
We arrived early at Monical�s and found Greg and Angie were already there. Greg had set everything up, and the assistant manager had him cornered. Angie had a smirk on her face as her husband sacrificed himself to get us some free appetizers.
We were only there a few minutes when the place suddenly began to fill up. I was surprised I felt nervous about tonight. It was one thing to walk out on a football field with your teammates; I was about to expose myself to everyone I cared about. What if they didn�t like the movie? I didn�t understand why this felt different. After all, I�d modeled and shown my butt to the world. This just felt more personal, in some way. I expect if I hadn�t already seen the movie and gotten positive feedback, I might have become a basket case.
Then I remembered that these really were my friends. They�d support me even if I crashed and burned.
As people arrived, I made it a point to greet them and spend some time talking to each one. It was good I hadn�t dressed up because no one else had.
I took a break to grab some pizza�it was the reason I picked Monical�s, after all�when someone grabbed my butt. I turned around to find the girls from Wesleyan.
�Didn�t your mother teach you to wear underwear?� Tami asked.
�I�m wearing a thong,� I lied.
�Oh, dear God! What have they done to you in LA? Next, you�ll tell us you had your nails done,� Harper teased.
I blushed and stuffed my hands into my pockets. Our makeup girl on set had trimmed and put a clear coat on my nails. I wasn�t about to argue with her because she gave me some of the best head I�d ever had.
�Does he have eyeliner on?� Lisa asked.
�I think I have that lip gloss,� Missy teased.
It was good to see them again, and with their teasing, I began to feel better about tonight. It felt good to have friends around who treated you the same as always. I had counted on that when my uncle warned me how people would treat me differently.
It was soon time for everyone to go to the Field House. When we arrived at the high school, it was a madhouse. I was glad we had the limo and didn�t have to deal with parking. As soon as I climbed out of the limo, I was swarmed by people wishing me well.
I slowly worked my way inside. The Field House was a large building; it was big enough for half a football field for indoor workouts. At one end, they�d set up a large screen and enormous speakers. They�d brought in bleachers for the back, and then there were folding chairs for people up front. Behind the bleachers, the Booster Club had set up a concession stand as a fundraiser.
They�d also roped off a VIP section. I was happy to see the governor and his wife, and was about to go talk to them when Caryn touched my elbow.
�We�re about to get started. You need to say a few words,� she said, surprising me.
�You can�t be serious,� I said.
�Yep, and just so you don�t get too nervous, they estimate that there are only forty-five hundred people here.�
I groaned. Then I spotted Halle. I hadn�t expected her to make the trip, but she was going up on stage with me. I heard the crowd make a noise and turned to see they had projected me in my Stryker garb on the big screen. That was my signal to go on stage. I walked up to Halle and smiled.
�Come on. It�s time for you to take a bow.�
I looked over at Rita, and she winked at me. Halle seemed to be in a daze as I pulled her on stage. The next few minutes were a blur. I remember introducing Halle, and she took the mic from me. She said some nice words, and then we walked off and sat down to watch the movie.
This time I pretended that wasn�t me in it. I really enjoyed the movie when I wasn�t focused on every little thing I did. When the credits began to run, everyone clapped. In a small town, we support our own, and I could tell that people genuinely did enjoy it.
I didn�t get much time to talk to people because Caryn pulled Halle and me away to speak to the press. As we entered the Field House pressroom, we found Tracy there, holding court.
�I realize many of you are new to how we run these. We do this in an orderly fashion, or the press conference ends. If you don�t believe me, ask Jeff Delahey,� Tracy announced.
�Yep, I watched her send a reporter from ESPN packing. If you allow her to do her job, she�ll make sure everyone gets a chance to ask questions,� Jeff said.
Halle and I sat through an hour and a half of questions. I kept reminding myself that this was for my hometown, so I didn�t get irritated when asked how I felt about things. I was happy to see the governor and other dignitaries stick their heads in and take a few questions. Governor Higgins even called me a �state treasure.� I thought that was over the top, but I wasn�t about to disagree with him in front of a roomful of reporters.
The good news was that since I was now a �state treasure,� I mainly got softball questions. I was happy no one brought up the
When we were done, Halle looked at me.
�I�m glad we did this. Tomorrow night had me worried,� she admitted.
I was happy to hear I wasn�t the only one with some jitters. At least I hadn�t thrown up.
�I wanted to tell you that you did great. Mom�s been doing this for a while, and she�s really impressed. Craig Wild might be the name that�ll pull them in, but they�ll know who you are when they leave.�
�What do you want?� I asked.
��Stupid boy,� learn to take a compliment.�
�You broke your surfboard, didn�t you?� I pressed.
�No, you big dork. I really mean it,� she said.
�Thank you. That means a lot, coming from you,� I admitted.
She looked at her watch.
�You�re taking us to the airport. We need to get moving,� Halle said.
◊◊◊
I never unloaded my bags from the limo, so I didn�t have to go home. When we picked up Brook, she had enough luggage to stay a month. I would have to teach the girl how to pack. She was excited. I was disappointed when she chose to sit next to Halle. Things could have been worse: Rita sat next to me.
�You ready for this weekend?� she asked.
�I�m sure I�m not, but I hope that I have people around me who�ll help me cope. Going back home reminded me that I�m not ready for LA full time yet. I can see how it can change you.�
After this week, I had another week in LA before returning home. I planned to have some fun before going back to my real life. Zak and Craig were the perfect examples of what the LA lifestyle would do to you. Craig was a recovering alcoholic in his twenties, and Zak was a total skirt-chaser. Who could blame Zak? He was good-looking, and women threw themselves at him. I�d be surprised if he ever got married. I could imagine myself falling into that lifestyle. What teenage boy wouldn�t want to? For that matter, what fifty-year-old man wouldn�t want to?
There were stories about what sudden fame and money did to young people. I hoped that football and modeling helped me in that regard. Of course, if I got too out of hand, my mother would straighten me out. I needed to find the right balance between having fun and not getting out of control.
It had been a long few days. I put my earbuds in, leaned back, and fell asleep on the ride to the airport.
◊◊◊ Thursday January 7
I woke up to Bandit swatting my nose.
�Silly cat,� I said and play-swatted him back.
I looked beside me and found Brook watching me.
�Good morning,� I said as I leaned over and kissed her.
�I thought I�d show you what you missed waking up each morning while you were gone,� Brook said as she reached under the sheets to grasp Mr. Happy.
�Yeah, Halle missed the boat on this one,� I said as seriously as I could.
I guess I forgot all about Bandit because he popped my chin to get my attention. Little scamp! I put him on the floor and told him to find his mama. He began to meow because he couldn�t yet get on the bed by himself. Halle strolled in to find out what was wrong with her kitty.
�Brook Davis!� Halle yelled.
�Leave her alone,� I complained. �And take Mr. Crybaby with you.�
Halle gave me a haughty look that told me I would be sorry later for making fun of her cat. When she left, I pulled the sheet back.
�Forget that. I want you,� I said.
Brook took the time to remind me that I needed to get back home.
◊◊◊
We had three interviews to do today. The first was sort of CBS�s version of
The original plan was to have the full cast do the shows, but Craig was stuck in New York, rehearsing for
Saul and Frank were beside themselves that I�d snagged the lion�s share of the most-watched talk shows. All week my �Q� scores had risen, which simply meant that I was becoming recognizable to the public as a whole. They were interested in two numbers: familiarity and positive. The familiarity number was what percentage knew who you were. The positive number centered on those that were familiar with you and thought you were one of their favorite actors.
An example would be Tom Hanks. Seventy-four percent of teens knew who he was, and of those, forty-six percent thought he was one of their favorite actors. I now had thirteen percent who knew who I was, and eighteen percent of those liked me. Saul was confident that once the movie came out, those numbers would go up.
Among my castmates, Craig Wild had the best numbers, because twenty-three percent recognized him, and nineteen percent thought he was one of their favorite actors. He had some high negatives also, though. Nine percent of people didn�t like him. Fortunately, I didn�t have any negative numbers.
My first stop was
�We want to welcome David A. Dawson, whose movie
They began a montage of me dancing, interspersed with me playing football done to a song called
As they brought the music down, I smiled and waved at the crowd. I was seated between Aliyah Jones and Kat Mariner. Aliyah touched my hand when I sat down so I would focus on her.
�You are a wild man,� Aliyah began.
�What are you talking about?� I shot back.
�You�re just wild.�
�I was back there watching you, and you�ve been extra quiet today,� I said.
Of course, that was a lie. Aliyah had an opinion about everything, and when I said it, she cracked up and put her hand on my wrist.
�I think you bring out the beast in women,� Aliyah said.
�Oh, my gawd!� Ashley Munson exclaimed.
�I want to be really naughty with you,� Aliyah said.
I didn�t really know what to say. Aliyah had to be in her sixties. The ladies on set and in the crowd were shocked and started to whoop it up. I looked around, and inside I said, �screw it, two can play this game.�
�Can you see under this table?� I asked and then pointed to a woman in the front row. �Can you see?�
Aliyah shook her head at the woman so she would say �no.� I pumped my fist and said, �yes!� The crowd thought it was funny.
�Anyway,� Aliyah said to get the interview back on track, �I have a very important question for you. We were all talking earlier about if you found the love of your life, would you give up your career? I said,
�So, you�re asking me if the love of my life asked me to give up my career, would I? That�s my plan!�
All I can say is their crowd was rowdy.
�I�m in the market for a sugar-mama,� I added, which caused Aliyah to about fall out of her chair as I gave her a meaningful look.
�You�re obviously a super-honest guy,� Kat Mariner said. �You have social media accounts that you use a lot. Was there ever a time you tweeted something out you wish you could pull back?�
�I sent one out where I said aliens had gotten my friend Adrienne pregnant. I even Photoshopped a picture.�
This part had been prearranged, and they showed the picture.
�Are you hot?� Aliyah asked.
I gave her a funny look because I started to wonder if she had been drinking.
�Why?� I asked.
�Would you take off your jacket?� she asked.
I didn�t know what to do, so I just ignored her.
�Well, ah, someone will be joining David at his premiere tonight,� Jill Ewing said to get us off the awkward conversation. �David, would you pick someone out who will get to go to your premiere tonight?�
I started to scan the audience, and they went wild, like when Oprah had her giveaway shows. You�d think I was handing them the keys to a new car. I spotted a woman in her late twenties jumping up and down, so I pointed to her.
�Congratulations,� Jill said. �You and a guest are going to attend tonight�s premiere of
They cued the music as they cut to a commercial.
�Thanks for being a good sport,� Aliyah said once we were done.
�Thanks for having me,� I said and then beat a hasty retreat.
Caryn was as shocked as I was at Aliyah�s behavior. I made a mental note never to come back.
◊◊◊
Our next stop was
I came out and sat down next to Cameron at his desk.
�You have such great chemistry with Craig Wild in this movie. When you see the poster, you see these two guys, and your costars Bree Steno and Elizabeth Jenks, and you think, I want to see that,� Cameron said.
�First of all, that was what I thought when I saw the poster, even though I was on the poster. I was like, I want to see this. I like these guys, especially the guy with all the tattoos,� I said.
�Yeah, I can see that. The poster just looks like it�ll be fun.�
�You know, Craig�s an amazing guy. He�s like in the top thirty of the most amazing guys I�ve had the opportunity to costar with,� I said.
�But this is your first movie,� Cameron said.
�Oh, yeah. Exactly!� I said. �Craig�s a great guy. He�s down-to-earth. Every day he showed up to work, ready to go. Craig was a great mentor to me. He was cheap as heck, though.�
�Seriously?� Cameron asked.
�Oh, my, yes! Of all the times we�ve gone out, I don�t believe Craig has spent a penny. I think he has alligator arms when it comes to picking up a check,� I said, demonstrating the move.
�It�s funny, because the times I�ve been around him, it seems like he doesn�t spend money on clothes,� Cameron prompted.
�No, no. Craig gets all his clothes from Goodwill or homeless shelters. You know those terrible t-shirts he wears,� I said as if Cameron would know.
�Yeah, sure.�
�Well, trust me. You take one look, and you have to ask him: did you get that for free? Because they�re so bad, no one would spend money on them.�
�I get you,� Cameron said.
We then talked about the movie. As I left the set, I wondered if Craig would have a sense of humor about it.
◊◊◊
The final show of the day was
I was waiting in the green room when one of her production assistants approached me.
�We were wondering if you�d do us a favor. Jeri�s starting her own line of underwear and wondered if you would wear them on set.�
I looked at Caryn, who just nodded like it was no big deal. Heck, I was wearing Dakora for cash, so why not Jeri�s underwear? I agreed and changed. They were a little snug and seemed to put my package out front. When I put my pants on, there was a bulge. Jeri was known for her sense of humor, so I figured I�d go along with it.
A few minutes later, I was called on set.
�If you�ve been paying attention, this young man has been promoting his new movie,
They�d taken one of my scenes where I�m running and slowed it down to put it to techno music. Of course, I didn�t have my shirt on. What was it with me running around with half my clothes on? There was a monitor where I could watch what was on, and I could see Jeri leaning forward in her seat as if she were mesmerized by the clip. The
�Please welcome the star of the upcoming movie
A big smile came on my face when they played
�Hi, David A. Dawson,� Jeri said.
�How are you?� I asked.
�I�m good,� she said and then jumped into the interview. �First of all, this is your very first movie. Are you enjoying it so far?�
�Yes, I�m having a wonderful time,� I said.
�This is a good audience to be with for your first movie.�
�I can see that,� I said.
�So you�ve been making the rounds doing your first press junket. From what I�ve seen of the clip, we�re all undressing you with our eyes right now,� she said, obviously checking me out.
�Well, okay, then,� I said awkwardly.
We then talked about how I had gotten the role and my audition with Bree. They had a clip of it, which I�d only seen once before. They�d added the background, so it looked like I was in the movie. I was a little embarrassed. The day I did the audition with Bree, I�d put on a tight t-shirt and shorts. I�d had to wait my turn, so I�d used the hotel�s gym to work out while I waited. My sweat had made the t-shirt go almost transparent and cling to my body, so the outfit left very little to the imagination. How Jeri�s people had gotten the clip, I didn�t know, but it had to be either Bree or someone from the studio. I would put my money on Bree getting even with me.
�The audience wants me to ask you right now if you�re single,� Jeri said.
�Yes, and I�m looking, but I can�t seem to find anyone to go out with me,� I said.
�Really?�
�I know, right? I�m the face of Range Sports, Jade, and Dakora. Dakora is who I�m wearing right now,� I said and did a quick spin to show off their clothes. �You�d think I could find a woman who�d want to go out with me.�
�What seems to be the problem?� Jeri asked.
�I�ve only been in LA a few weeks, so before coming, I figured I�d see if I could find someone to show me around. I joined this dating app with the hope some girl would take pity on me and spend some time getting to know me,� I said.
�What happened?� Jeri asked.
�They either offered to have sex with me or didn�t believe I was real. I mean, I�m just a small-town boy trying to make my way in the big city,� I said, batting my eyes at Jeri.
�Maybe I can help you out,� Jeri said. �There are people here who�d be willing to take you out.�
�I can see that,� I said, giving them my best smile.
�What�s your type?� she asked.
�She needs to have a pulse,� I started.
�Sorry, I�m taken,� Jeri said.
�She has to be willing to be seen in public with me. That�s a big one,� I said.
�Let me work on it. I bet I can find you someone,� Jeri said and then she shocked me. �Alright, this is the segment of the show where you have to take your shirt off.�
She said it with a straight face in a matter-of-fact way, like it was only natural that I would take my shirt off now. The women in the audience seemed to believe I should.
�I�m not sure my mom would approve of me taking my shirt off in public,� I said.
�Well, then it�s good that we talked to your mom before the show,� Jeri said. Then she played a clip of my mom giving me permission to take my clothes off for Jeri.
My mom was so dead! I stood up and acted as if I were fumbling with my buttons on my shirt.
�Can we get someone to help me?� I asked Jeri.
�Do we have any volunteers?� Jeri asked.
Two women burst onto the stage, startling both Jeri and me. I began to laugh as they worked together to get my sports coat and then shirt off. They soon had me standing bare-chested on national TV. I guess the women realized what they�d done and hurried back to their seats.
�Thank you,� I said and sat back down.
Jeri had her head in her hand as she checked me out.
�Then you take your pants off,� she said.
�I, ah ��
�Don�t make me call your mother,� Jeri warned.
�It�s not that. I think the audience should be rewarded in some way for having to witness it,� I said.
�Okay, if you take them off, the audience will win a prize.�
It looked like another girl was going to bolt onto the stage.
�I got this,� I told her.
I undid my pants and let them fall around my ankles.
�Alright, you�re all going to go home with gift cards from Range Sports, Jade, and Dakora, and tickets to David�s new movie,
◊◊◊
Fritz drove Caryn and me to the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel. I had to be at the TCL Chinese Theatre by six-thirty to meet the paparazzi and entertainment press. The studio had arranged a suite for me at the hotel because there was an after-party in the ballroom there after the premiere. Brook, Halle, and Rita would meet me there so I could change, and then we would take limos to the theater.
When I arrived at the hotel, Caryn got us our keycards, and we went to our rooms. Mine was the Veranda Suite, which was secluded on its own private floor on the highest level of the Wilshire Wing. I entered at the top of a marble and wrought iron stairway into a studio-style hotel suite. The room itself was nice, but what made this suite special was it had its own two-thousand square foot terrace. The terrace was furnished for outdoor living and dining and featured 270-degree views of Rodeo Drive and the Hollywood Hills.
I walked out onto the terrace to find Saul with his wife, Frank, Brook, Halle, and Rita, relaxing and having cocktails. I was happy to see there was food because I was starved and wouldn�t get a chance to eat before the premiere.
�David, you need to change,� Rita said after I�d grabbed a plate of appetizers.
Rita took me into the suite and showed me that Dakora had sent over a tuxedo for me to wear. It had a maroon jacket with black trim, white shirt, and black tie. There was a choice between maroon or black pants.
�Wear the black,� Rita suggested.
When I came out with Rita, it was time to go. I noticed that Halle�s dress was black with maroon accents that matched my tuxedo. When we arrived downstairs, two limos were waiting. There was one for everyone else, and one for Brook and me. Caryn was waiting for us and got everyone organized.
On the ride over, Brook appeared nervous.
�You okay?� I asked.
She gave me a weak smile.
�Yeah, I�m fine.�
�It�s all just a little overwhelming,� I said.
�I was okay until just now. How do you do it?� Brook asked.
�To be honest with you, all this makes me nervous, too. I guess I look at it like another role I have to play for the movie. I figure if I have to do it, I might as well have fun and enjoy it,� I admitted.
�That�s just it. Last night you got up in front all those people like you�d been doing it all your life. I can�t imagine myself doing that,� she said.
�I call bullshit,� I said, which startled her. �Since when are you shy? I�ve watched you strut around in front of crowds bigger than that.�
�That�s different. I�m part of a whole squad.�
�You forget that I know you. You don�t have a shy bone in your body. If you had, you could never pull off those silk sweats. I�ve seen you hold court and tease the male population in front of the school,� I said and saw her flush. �What�s really going on?�
�I had a long talk with Halle today. She told me that you really enjoy it here. I guess I�m worried that you won�t want to come home, and if you do, that you won�t be interested in me.�
�Just because I made a movie doesn�t mean I don�t miss you. Yes, I admit I�ve sampled the Hollywood lifestyle. I�d be crazy not to experience life. One of my personal goals is �no regrets.� Someone told me one time that going to Las Vegas is a lot of fun, but they could only stand to be there for a few days. LA has been fun, but I�m ready to go home. I miss spending time with you, and this week I�ve had a lot of time to think about things. I want to get to know you better.�
�Does that mean you want to be my boyfriend?� Brook asked.
�No,� I laughed. �I�m still not ready for that. But when I am, I want to know if the two of us would be a good match.�
�You do realize that if you�d just said �yes,� you might have gotten lucky tonight,� she teased.
I didn�t get a chance to answer her because we were there.
◊◊◊
The TCL Chinese Theatre is a cinema palace on the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Chinese Theater had been home to the most prominent red-carpet movie premieres and special events since the late 1920s. Recently TCL,
Forty-foot curved walls protected the forecourt, and copper topped the turrets. The entrance featured two gigantic coral-red columns topped by wrought iron masks that held the bronze roof aloft. Between the columns was a 30-foot dragon carved from stone that guarded the theater�s entrance along with two original giant Heaven Dogs brought from China. Of all the places in LA, this was where I would want to have the premiere. It just felt right to have this red-carpet event at such a historic Hollywood icon.
They had it set up so that the red carpet led you past a horde of reporters. I watched as Rita led everyone out of the first car. We were held in place to allow them time to work their way down the carpet and be interviewed. The reporters were on one side of the carpet behind a fence. On the other was a wall with posters of the movie that served as a backdrop for the pictures taken.
It was finally our turn, and our limo pulled forward. I helped Brook out of the car, and the flashes started with shouted questions. I held Brook back a moment before we faced them. She looked up at me and nodded that she was ready, so I led her into the heart of the mass of reporters. Brook took a step back as I engaged them and answered their questions. I probably said I was excited at least fifty times.
Frank had told me to take my time and talk to as many of the reporters as wanted to speak to me. Brook patiently waited as I did the interviews. While I was talking, Bree arrived. She�d brought her mom as her guest. I introduced them to Brook and returned to answering questions. Bree joined me, and we fell into our well-practiced routine. We made a good team.
When the press was done with us, Bree and I walked over and waved to all the fans who had come to see the stars. Bree�s mom and Brook went inside. We finally made our way in and found our groups.
One of the upgrades to the theater was they now had IMAX. It was a totally unique experience in comparison to my previous viewings. You could hear every whisper over your shoulder. You felt every explosion. Every note of the score was crystal clear. It made what had been done in postproduction shine. I watched the reaction of the people who hadn�t seen it before, and I could tell we�d done well. I had no worries this film would make money.
◊◊◊
The post-party was held at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons� ballroom. When we got back to the hotel, all the women went upstairs to change. Frank, Saul, and I hung out and waited. I spotted a buffet, and we decided to eat before the night got away from us.
�You�ve had a good week. I wanted to wait until after the premiere to tell you that the
�Tell him about the James Bond movie,� Frank prompted.
�Yeah, tell me about James Bond,� I said.
�They haven�t announced it yet, but you got it.�
I must have looked stunned because the women came back and wanted to know what was wrong. Up until Saul had just told me that, this whole movie gig felt like it was temporary; something I would do, make a little money, and then move on with my life. Him telling me that I�d made the cut to the next round for the
Let�s be serious.
�This calls for a toast,� I finally said.
�Yes, yes, it does,� Saul said.
�What does?� Caryn asked.
�I got the son of James Bond role,� I said and then did a bad British accent. �Bond, David Bond.�
�I hope they have a dialogue coach for you,� Halle teased.
Brook got to witness firsthand how forward LA women can be. If she hadn�t been on my arm, I might have snuck off for a little fun. When the main after-party was done, we got word that the after-after-party was in the Presidential Suite where Jessup was staying, so we headed there.
The rest of the cast was already there, including Craig, so I walked over to talk to him.
�You mad at me?� I asked.
His neutral expression turned serious, and he let out a deep breath.
�No. None of it was your fault.�
�I wanted you to join Bree and me for the interviews,� I said.
�Kent told me that. I guess I thought of myself as the big dog, and you as some up-and-coming pup. Kent also reminded me that you got me laid,� he said and chuckled.
�Yes, I did.�
�You also told everyone that I�m cheap as heck,� he reminded me.
�If you hadn�t been in New York, you could have defended yourself.�
We were silent for a moment.
�We good?� I asked.
�Yes, we�re good,� Craig said and then got an evil grin. �I will get even Saturday.�
�You forget, I know where you live,� I teased him.
I wasn�t too worried about what they would do on
�David, we�re going to take off,� Halle said.
�Yeah, I have an early flight, and Halle has to work,� Brook said.
So much for my plans for getting laid. Brook came and kissed me.
�Thank you for inviting me. I�ll always remember this night,� she said, then whispered in my ear. �Come home and get to know me better.�
�I will. I wanted to share this with you. You�re a special girl, Brook Davis.�
The crowd cleared out, and I found myself alone with Bree, Jessup, and Janice Utley, the producer. Jessup brought me a scotch.
�Here, you deserve this,� he said.
I sipped it, and it was good.
�You both did well this week on your press tour. The studio thinks the movie will do well,� Janice said.
�How much are they shooting for this weekend?� I asked.
�If they hit fifty million, they�ll be delighted,� Jessup said.
�I received some good news tonight,� I said. �I made the cut for the new
Bree got a big smile on her face, and Jessup and Janice gave each other meaningful looks.
�You should have gotten a martini,� Bree said.
�Who told you?� Janice asked.
�Saul gave me the news after the premiere.�
I�d planted the seed. From talking to Saul, I�d learned casting was like women: if they saw a guy other women wanted, they would want him too. In this case, it was Janice and Jessup wanting me in the next two
I finished my scotch and thanked everyone. I still wasn�t out of the woods yet.
◊◊◊
Chapter 30 � It�s All Fun and Games Until � Friday January 8
I met Caryn in the hotel restaurant for breakfast. For me, it was back to work on my movie. I did have one last interview to do on
Caryn received a text while we were finishing up that told her Fritz would be out front in twenty minutes. I�d brought my bags down and left them with the concierge. Caryn still had to pack, so she left me to finish eating.
�Mind if I join you?� Janice Utley asked.
�Have a seat,� I said, standing up to pull out a chair for her.
The waiter brought her coffee and water, and she ordered.
�I talked to the studio this morning. They�d like to get you under contract, and asked if you�d be willing to talk to them this weekend,� Janice said.
�Have them talk to Saul. He handles all that for me,� I said.
She gave me a tight smile. I could tell she didn�t like dealing with Saul. I wasn�t so green as to fall for letting them talk to me without representation. There was too much money at stake, and I didn�t know all the ins and outs of movie contracts. Saul had hammered that point home when he reviewed my contract for
�The studio has a yacht. I wondered if you wanted to go out on it Sunday. It would give you a chance to have fun and talk a little business,� Janice suggested.
�So, I would need to have Caryn and Saul there?� I asked.
�Yes, and you and they can invite some people to go with you. I�ll have the studio get hold of Caryn and firm it up,� she said.
My phone chirped. Fritz was here.
�Count me in. I�ve gotta run. I want to thank you for everything you did for the movie and me. It looks great,� I said.
◊◊◊
Halle and Caryn had decided to ride with me this morning. On the way to the studio, I told Caryn about what Janice had said and the push from the studio. Caryn said she would call Saul and let him know. She wondered if she could bring her parents since this was our next-to-last weekend in LA. I asked her to find out how many people we each could invite. I had no idea how big this yacht was.
While we fought LA traffic, I called Brook.
�Hey,� I said as hello.
�I was just about to board my plane,� Brook told me. �I had a lot of fun yesterday. Thanks for inviting me.�
�I was wondering if you could stay the weekend,� I said.
�School starts on Monday, and my mom and I are having a girls� weekend in Chicago. We�re going shopping.�
I groaned because the last person who needed more clothes was Brook Davis, followed closely by Halle James.
�Shut up,� Brook complained. �You forget that I�ve seen your closet.�
That was a cheap shot. Most of my stuff was free. I had a good idea that Brook spent some serious money on her clothes if the bill for her dresses and accessories for the premiere was any indication.
�Free model clothes,� I shot back.
�Whatever helps you sleep nights. You�re still a serious clothes-hound.�
We talked a bit, and her flight was called. Since we were just sitting in traffic, I decided to call Pam. She was crying.
�What�s wrong?� I asked.
�Cora is considering separating from Devin,� she said.
Holy cow! I�d guessed six months. It had only been eight days.
�Why are you crying?� I asked.
�Dad put our house up for sale, and it was shown today,� she said.
�I thought he had to pay for you to be there,� I said as I started to get mad at Cal again.
�He does, but Mom doesn�t want it. She says he picked our house to show off, and she doesn�t want this much house, now that it�s just the two of us.�
�Does she want to move back to LA?� I asked.
�No, she plans to stay here until I graduate.�
�That�s good, right?� I asked.
�I guess, but then Tracy told me she may have to move. When she got home, her dad told her he planned to leave his law firm. He�s interviewing with several firms in Chicago, St. Louis, and one in Indianapolis. I might end up losing my best friend,� she said.
�Something I know for a fact is that Tom Dole would never remove Tracy from her support system. If it does happen, I�ll help Tracy stay if she wants,� I assured her. �So can you stop crying now?�
�David, I�m a girl. I can cry if I want to.�
�Does that mean I can if I want to?� I asked.
�No, you�re a boy. You�re not allowed.�
�I see. Are there other rules for boys that I don�t know about?� I asked.
She�d stopped crying, and I assumed was thinking about her answer.
�I don�t know. Do you have any for me?� Pam asked.
�Okay, let me think. When I say �don�t stop,� don�t stop. I�m serious. That means good things are happening for me.�
I heard a giggle.
�Oh, here�s another one: tell me what you�re thinking. Seriously, I�m not a mind-reader. Just assume I don�t know, and I expect everything will work out better,� I said.
��Stupid Boy.��
�Take a compliment. Nothing is a bigger turnoff than when we�re starting to have fun, and I tell you how sexy you are, and you tell me that you�re fat.�
�David!�
�Hey, you can�t help it,� I teased.
�David!�
�What? It happens when you get pregnant. Own it. Pregnant women should stop complaining about how big their butts are. There is a small percentage of guys who�re into that,� I suggested.
�You are so dead,� Pam warned.
�Hey, you stopped crying,� I observed.
�You�re a dick sometimes,� she huffed.
�I love you too.�
�Yeah, me too. Hurry up and get home. I miss you.�
�I miss you too,� I said and then had to go.
◊◊◊
You�d think after all the scotch that Jessup drank last night, we might have a short morning. You would think wrong. Apparently, he must have built up a tolerance for the stuff, because he was ready to go this morning. You�d also expect that a guy who was now a star would be able to have his morning tea and oral sex while getting his makeup done. It�s all fun and games until they decide they�re behind on the shooting schedule and you actually have to get film in the can.
The good part about us being behind schedule was that there were fewer takes. I looked at the shooting schedule for today, and I was in every scene. It was almost as if someone figured out I�d be leaving after this week. The only problem with their genius plan was that I�d not been reading my updated scripts while I traveled. I�d noticed some emails but ignored them.
�Shit!� I said, frustrated.
�Cut!� Jessup called. �Come here.�
He pulled me off to the side.
�David, I realize you were busy last week. I want you to just forget about it, and we�ll consider it a lesson learned. What I want you to do is fake it if you don�t know the exact words. I need to get through these scenes. If you mess up too bad, we�ll cut it and reshoot you saying it correctly. Can you do that for me?� Jessup asked.
�I�m really sorry. I�ll do my best for you.�
�Good. Now, let�s get back to it. Time is money,� he said for the millionth time.
We got back to it and used Jessup�s new strategy. It allowed us to power through the morning scenes. I was happy when we finally took a break for lunch. I grabbed food at the buffet and took it to my trailer. Caryn was deep in conversation on her phone and pointed to a stack of papers where I found the script changes for this afternoon�s scenes. It was like the writers felt like they had to justify their existence.
I was reading them as I ate when my phone rang. It was Maria, my wannabe porn star.
�Hey,� I answered.
�What are you doing tonight?� she asked.
�Going out with you.�
�I swear, if you were a girl, you�d be easy.�
�What are we doing? You do plan to feed me before you take advantage of me,� I said.
�I�m having a party. If you come early, I�ll introduce you to my friends, and we can grill something.�
�You need me to bring anything?� I asked.
�Stuff to grill,� she admitted.
�How many are we feeding?� I asked.
�Can I call you back and let you know?�
�No, I�m on set all day. Call Caryn and tell her,� I said and gave her Caryn�s number.
I wrote Caryn a note and suggested that she have Fritz get everything. She only nodded as she talked on the phone.
◊◊◊
The afternoon was a blur. When I was finally done and returned to my trailer, Caryn and Fritz were nowhere to be found. I heard a knock on the door, and it was Flo.
�Fritz has a date tonight,� Flo said.
�Yeah, right. He just didn�t want to go to a teen party with me,� I said.
Flo blushed because I�d caught her.
�He did say that if I let you get into a fight, I�m fired, so please let me punch them if it comes to that,� she said.
�Are you still in trouble for the Pam incident?� I asked.
�Whenever the shit goes sideways, like it did that night, we�re supposed to be on top of it. That�s what we get paid for. I knew you weren�t in danger because I�ve sparred with you. I did what you wanted me to, which was to get Pam out of the situation. Fritz and the rest of the team walked me through it. We all agreed that I should never have left Tracy and you there. First of all, you could have really hurt someone. I should know better. Part of my job is to protect you from lawsuits, and injuring someone in a drunken brawl is at the top of the list of bad things that can happen.
�Something else they pointed out was that Tracy could�ve been hurt. Finally, the reason we wear the bodycams is to prevent stuff from being made up. When I left the room, I could no longer video the confrontation, and it became a �he said/she said� situation.�
�So you plan on watching me
�In some ways, it might be best if I did, but privacy will be maintained. Otherwise, I might get rich selling your sex tapes in a few years.�
�Just make sure the lighting�s good. I want to be able to watch them and not be embarrassed,� I said with a straight face.
�I�m not watching you have sex,� she said and then realized I was teasing her. �Maybe I�ll let them punch you a couple of times before I break it up.�
�If you do, you better not get in the way of me killing them,� I said in all seriousness.
�Boys! I swear you never grow up. Think of it this way: would it be more embarrassing for someone if you kicked their ass, or if you had a girl kick their ass for you?� she asked.
I thought about Cassidy, and the surprised looks guys had when she took them down. A little grin must have crept onto my face.
�I see you like the idea. Just let me do my job. I don�t want Fritz to have to fire me again.�
�What, he fired you before?� I asked.
�If he says he�ll do something, he has to do it. Of course, he�ll then be short a person. He has all our resumes on file,� she said with a smile.
�And you�re available,� I finished.
�Yep.�
◊◊◊
Maria lived in a regular neighborhood. Fritz had gotten a variety of items to grill and had also bought several side dishes. Maria introduced me to several of the cheerleaders on her team. There was also a group of guys there who were obviously athletes. A couple of them thought they were grill masters, so I let them take care of that task. While everyone else stepped outside to watch, Maria pulled me inside.
�I hope you don�t think I�m acting like Baby Dick. I�ve told some of my friends that we�d hooked up, and I suspect they told people that you�d be here tonight,� she warned me.
�That�s fine. I�m starting to get used to it.�
�Good,� she said and then got a sexy look on her face. �Let me show you my house.�
For some reason, the tour�s only stop was her bedroom. I had to laugh when I saw it was made up like a little princess�s room. It was pink, and someone had painted a castle with a princess in a tower on the wall. A knight was fighting a dragon. Her bedspread was pink with yellow butterflies on it.
She somehow distracted me, and my focus was now on the princess in front of me. She was the perfect before-dinner snack.
◊◊◊
All I can say about the two grill masters is that they were better than Mr. Anderson was. Of course, he could burn a brick. Even though my steak was overcooked, it was enjoyable. The girls cleaned up while the guys tried to figure out how to tap the keg. I had to chuckle when they all got sprayed with beer.
�You think you can do better?� one of them asked.
�You don�t have to force it,� I said.
I took the tap, lined it up into the slots, pushed down, and twisted it into place. They all looked at me and then at the idiot who�d sprayed them. Of course, he was going to hear about this for a long time. What were friends for? It made me miss my guys back home. I decided I�d have a beer or three tonight.
The party was a typical high school bash. The good thing about LA was most of them were used to seeing people in the business. That didn�t mean they didn�t want to talk to me, it just meant they didn�t act goofy about it. I had several offers to sneak off and have some fun. Like any guy, I was tempted, but something stopped me. With the number of available women, I could be fussier. So far, no one compared to Maria.
The party was going well until kids from a rival high school showed up. I watched them come in and immediately knew they were trouble by the way everyone seemed to take a few steps back. What surprised me was a girl led them. Usually, the top guy would�ve walked in first to make his presence known.
This girl was drop-dead gorgeous. She was five-ten and had the body of a model, except she sported large round breasts that were at least a �C� cup. Her dirty-blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, which allowed me to admire her long neck. She had striking blue eyes and kissable lips. If I hadn�t already had a major crush on Hannah Minacci, this girl would�ve been my newest fantasy. While Hannah had the hips of a woman, my latest fascination had a nice firm butt encased in tight jeans.
Maria came out of the kitchen and immediately scowled. She then did the frenemy bit girls do, and a big smile suddenly appeared. If I�d not seen her initial reaction, I would have thought they liked each other.
�Lexi, I had no idea you were coming,� Maria said.
�We heard you were having a party and just had to come. You�ve always been so good to us,� Lexi said.
�Beer�s on the patio. Help yourself,� Maria offered.
�We brought our own. Thanks, though.�
The little tick in the corner of Maria�s eye was the only indication that the slight had hit home. Lexi and her group went out back. Maria was suddenly surrounded by her friends as they made catty remarks about their rivals. Flo slid up beside me.
�You should be careful about that one. That�s Lexi Andon; her dad is Paul Andon.�
�That name sounds familiar.�
�He�s an executive at the studio that did your last movie.�
�So, you�re saying I shouldn�t get his daughter pregnant.�
Flo did have a sense of humor.
�No, that would be one of those things I think Fritz is paying me to prevent.�
�You�re fired,� I teased.
She rolled her eyes and returned to wall duty. I couldn�t help myself: I eased out to the patio to get another beer so I could check out Lexi. It was probably a good thing that I did because the more I watched her, the more I didn�t like her. She was a solid nine-and-a-half to ten in looks. She was maybe a three in personality. If I were drunk and just looking to get laid, I would go for her, but I�d regret it in the morning. Who am I kidding? I�d do her and be okay with it. Maybe if I used a ball gag on her, it would be better.
I watched her and her friends belittle everyone else at the party. It was no surprise when a fight broke out towards the end of the night. I was about to step in to help Maria�s friends when Flo appeared and began to tase their asses.
It all started after Lexi went to the bathroom; as she came back, one of Maria�s friends hit on her. Who could blame the guy? I gave him high marks for having the balls to approach her. She, of course, made a fool of herself and berated the poor guy for his actions. He turned around to leave, and she called him a wuss.
�What did you say, bitch?� he responded.
I cringed when I heard him use the �B� word. It was game on then as the guys she was with came to defend her honor. Three on one didn�t seem right, even though he was getting the better of them. Lexi�s mouth was going the whole time. She�s exactly the type of girl you never want to date because their mouths get you into fights. I wondered why guys would hang out with her if they knew what she was like. That might be a stupid question when you looked at her, but I would bet big money that none of these guys had been in her pants.
I laughed aloud when Flo tased Lexi to shut her mouth, but I quickly stepped over and escorted Flo out. I didn�t need my security person involved in a fight any more than I needed to be in one.
�Give me the keys,� I ordered.
�I can�t. You�ve been drinking,� Flo said.
�How many did I have?�
�Two,� she admitted.
She handed me the keys. I took her to a local diner and bought her pancakes as a reward for being a badass.
◊◊◊ Sunday January 10
After the excitement at Maria�s house, I�d decided to behave the rest of the weekend. Halle and I went surfing and hung out at the beach house. I wore Bandit out playing with him and then did the same with his mom. We all watched
I did receive a surprise call. Sage wanted to get together, so I invited her to go with me on the yacht. I would�ve invited Halle, but she and Rita were having another mother-daughter day.
I did notice that Fritz was my driver for this trip. We picked up Sage and drove to the marina. Rita had made sure I wore the proper attire: white cotton pants and shirt with boat shoes. I did break out my sunglasses. I rolled my eyes when she reminded me to wear sunscreen. It sounded funny when she said stuff like that because you don�t expect a movie star like her to behave so much like a mom at times.
When we arrived, we were introduced to the first mate who gave us a tour of the yacht. I was told that I had a stateroom for my use on our trip. Sage had brought a bag with a swimsuit and wrap in case she wanted to change out of her sundress. We were escorted to the back deck. They served us drinks while we waited for everyone to arrive.
Someone must have told Jessup and Janice that I was here because they came out and joined me. I introduced them to Sage. Then a man in his late 30s joined us.
�David, I�d like you to meet Paul Andon. He�s the one who�ll be negotiating your deals for the next two movies,� Janice said.
I politely listened as Paul told me that they wanted to get me under contract because they needed to solidify their budget for the movie. I noticed that as they talked to me, other people from the film began to arrive. From
That was when Caryn arrived with her parents, and I smirked to see Zak was with her. She came over to introduce her parents to me. When they left us to get a drink, I looked over at Zak, and she gave me a hard look.
�It�s my fault he�s here. I made the mistake of talking about this. He made me an offer I couldn�t refuse,� Caryn said.
�He finally wore you down?�
�Bite me. Zak said that he�d leave me alone and would owe me if he got to come.�
�So, you�re a couple now,� I persisted.
�I bet I can throw you over the side,� she threatened.
�Fritz would protect me,� I said.
�I�d help her,� Fritz said as he came out of nowhere.
I hated it when he did that. And he wouldn�t teach me how. I just threw my hands up in surrender. Since I couldn�t count on my security, I made the rounds and caught up with my fellow actors. Ben introduced me to his girlfriend, whom I recognized as an actress in the new
Suddenly, twenty hot girls showed up. I realized they were party hos. You have to love LA. It was confirmed when they began to talk to the men here. Zak found one and was soon gone. These girls didn�t seem to be too picky because some of the studio guys would never score if the girls weren�t professionals. My smile grew when I spotted Lexi Andon. At least the studio people knew who she was. Our eyes locked, and I made a quick retreat to find Sage.
The yacht pulled out of the marina. There were several boats following us with paparazzi taking pictures. I pointed them out to Sage.
�I think I�ll go change so they can get some good shots,� she said.
Of course, that left me alone to be approached by the party hos. Being a good guy, I made sure I was gracious and spent some time talking to them. Ben came over and sat on my couch; that seemed to attract more of them. I was sure the paparazzi were having a field day. Zak came out and sat in a seat across from us.
�Hey, ladies. Give me fifteen minutes, and we can go have some fun,� he announced.
Ben and I looked at each other and shook our heads. Then Sage came out, followed by Ben�s girlfriend. Sage had a dancer�s body, which means her butt was out of this world. She wore a bikini that showed off her best asset to the fullest. Ben�s girlfriend had the Pamela Anderson-type body, and she looked damned fine in her bikini, even though it covered more. Models aren�t body-shy, so Sage didn�t seem fazed to be walking around almost naked.
Then the day almost ended abruptly.
�Hey, Isabel,� Zak said, and stood up and gave Ben�s girlfriend a full-on kiss.
I was glad Fritz was there. He saw Ben�s expression and grabbed Zak, who squawked, but Fritz marched him off before Ben could end his life. Even though Zak was well built, I knew that Ben worked out almost as much as I did. He also trained, and from my experience with our fight scenes, I would guess Zak would last about two seconds.
Isabel looked confused until she saw Ben�s face. I recognized the guilt for what it was and felt sorry for Ben. She pulled him inside to explain things. I feared that with that body, she might convince him it was all innocent. The problem was I knew Zak. When he�d kissed her, it was the kind of kiss you gave a past lover. I�d seen him kiss other girls like that.
�That was interesting. Do you think �?� Sage asked.
�I would hate to speculate,� I said.
�That bad, huh?�
�I didn�t say anything,� I defended myself.
Sage caught me up on what had been going on since we saw each other last. She�d gone to Europe and did a couple of jobs there. As we talked, our conversation came around to Bill.
�I finally got it through his thick head that we were through,� she said. �I can�t believe he thought I would be okay with him cheating on me on road trips and then with whatever sick games he played with Ridge and Penny. Here I thought she was my friend.�
�She can be persistent. It might not have been Bill�s idea.�
�Why, have you been with her?� Sage said with some heat in her voice. �You have.�
I grabbed her wrist, but she was having none of it, so I followed her to our stateroom. She tried to slam the door in my face, but I pushed in. Usually, when girls try to hit you, they flail at you. Often, you�ll get a wild right that you can catch with your left hand, and then the left will come. Their next move is to knee you in the balls. The trick is to capture both hands and then twist to the side to avoid the knee. You then pull them tight to your chest and lean your head back, because they�ll head-butt you.
Sage surprised me when she landed a double-handed punch to my chest.
�Ouch!� I complained as I wrapped her up into my arms.
She was a hellcat. For a minute there, I was afraid I would have to hurt her to save myself. Out of self-preservation, I picked her up and deposited her on the bed. I quickly landed on her and wormed my legs between hers so she couldn�t knee me. I pinned her hands above her head and jerked back to avoid getting her forehead in my nose.
�Settle down. I told Penny �no� when she approached me.�
�You still did it with that skank,� Sage seethed.
�I didn�t. She molested me while I was asleep. Ridge and I made her stop,� I said.
�What did you do?� she asked.
I told her the whole story. When I finished, Sage wasn�t as mad, but I hadn�t let her go. About halfway through the story, Mr. Happy woke up and realized that hot model lady-bits were rubbing against him. I was a little embarrassed because I knew Sage felt it.
�I suppose you expect you�re going to fuck me now,� she said.
�Screw you!� I said, getting up.
�David!�
I didn�t even look back as I slammed the door behind me.
◊◊◊
Saul gathered everyone together in what I would call the living room of the yacht, but the first mate had called it the saloon.
�Craig Wild signed a contract for the next two movies yesterday. The studio offered you the same amount he�s making as a sign of good faith,� he told Elizabeth and Bree.
He handed them envelopes with a number inside and also handed envelopes to Ben and Lori. I could tell that Elizabeth and Bree were happy. Ben and Lori, I couldn�t read. Part of Ben�s problem could be he was mad at his girlfriend. Saul gave my envelope to Caryn, who looked at the number and then handed it to me.
�I�ll need to have my agent look at this,� Lori said.
�Me too,� Ben added.
I looked inside the envelope. The number was the same as before, with two additions: they would pay me a signing bonus now, regardless of whether the movie got made, and one point. I know that psychic readings should be taken with a grain of salt, but I kept hearing Jeremy Pike say I should wait.
�I think we ought to wait before we accept their offer,� I blurted out.
Everyone in the room turned to look at me, so I felt the need to explain.
�I�ve had two people whose opinions I value tell me this movie is a hit: Chubby Feldman and Rita James. I believe if we wait, we can get a better deal. It just feels like we�re being pushed into something we�ll regret later,� I said.
�David, many times the initial offer is the best,� Saul reasoned.
I�d heard my mom say that when dealing with real estate, but I felt I�d rushed decisions in the past and regretted it. I�d seen how my fellow students reacted to the movie�they�d had a good time. Even if they hadn�t cared for it, they would�ve put on happy faces and told me it was great afterward. But I could tell while they were watching it that they liked it.
�Saul, I might be wrong, and I don�t want to influence any of the rest of you one way or the other, but for me, I want to wait. We should know in two weeks if this is big or not. I�ll make my deal then,� I said.
Saul looked like he wanted to kill me, but he was the one who set this up with everyone else in the room. I suspected it was to pressure everyone into signing.
The opening weekend for a movie was huge. Many films either made it or didn�t based on that first weekend. If a movie did well the second weekend, you had something. I also wanted to let
�What do you think, Saul?� Bree asked.
�If the film does well, we�d be in a better position to get more. If it doesn�t, we could be in trouble. I would lock it down,� he said.
�I�ll wait,� Elizabeth said.
�Me too,� Bree announced.
Ben and Lori would do their own thing.
◊◊◊
�I think you�re making a mistake,� Saul said.
�David has made up his mind,� Caryn said.
�Listen,
�Enough!� I said.
I�d been listening to this for twenty minutes.
�Either wait or walk away and I�ll find a new agent,� I said.
�Oh, come off it. There�s no need to go nuclear on this,� Saul said.
�I mean it. I believe we�ll be better off if we wait. If I�m wrong, I�ll never doubt you again,� I said.
I left Caryn and Saul looking pissed at each other. As soon as I was out of the room, I heard raised voices. Caryn could take care of herself.
◊◊◊
I came back out on the rear deck and found the party was in full swing. Sage was talking to one of the younger studio execs. I either needed to get off this boat and go for a run or get laid. Sage saw me and began to come my way. My eyes landed on Lexi.
�You free?� I asked.
She just nodded, and I turned and walked to my stateroom without a glance back to see if Lexi followed me, or what Sage did. I opened the door, and Lexi stepped in. I could tell she wasn�t sure if I thought she was a party ho or not. No matter; I didn�t really care to talk to her. If Lexi was here, she knew the score.
�You�re David A. Dawson. My dad wants you to do more movies with him,� she said.
Crud! She�d just told me who her dad was, so I couldn�t just bang her. Lexi realized I�d put it together, and a little smirk crept onto her face. She was used to getting her way, but I was in no mood to play games.
�We doing this, or are you leaving?� I asked.
Lexi blinked several times and couldn�t seem to make up her mind. I walked up to her and began to remove her wrap. She looked confused.
�What are you doing?� she asked.
�I plan to have sex with you.�
�But I�m Lexi Andon.�
�Just call me David.�
She looked down and realized that as we�d talked, I�d removed her bikini top. If Lexi had said �stop� or �no,� I would have stopped, but she just seemed dazed. I removed my shirt, and she appeared mesmerized as I undid my pants and let them drop. I shucked my boxers, and Lexi took in a sharp breath.
Her reaction made me wonder if she was a virgin. I reached behind her head with one hand and guided her face up to look me in the eyes. Lexi was beautiful. I blocked out my dislike for her. As I kissed her, I realized this might be the first time I would have sex with someone I didn�t like. Lexi was a good kisser, once she got into it. While kissing her, I played with her breasts. Lexi had large silver-dollar-sized areolas and wide, flat nipples. As I fondled them, they began to grow.
I leaned down, took one into my mouth, and sucked on it. It seemed to pop up and give me something to work with. Lexi let out a little moan of encouragement.
�Who knew?� she groaned as she ran her fingers through my hair and guided me to her other breast.
�Get on the bed,� I ordered her.
Lexi scrambled up and laid back with her legs spread, watching me closely. I think she expected me to just crawl up and take her. While that was appealing, I did have my standards. Even if Lexi only had a three for personality, I still wanted her to have a good time. I reached for her bikini bottom and pulled it off. I liked that she didn�t shave. Lexi had trimmed so she could wear her bikini, but she had a nice little bush.
I completely surprised Lexi when I grabbed her legs under her knees and raised and spread them. Her eyes got big, and I grinned as I dropped my head and began to feast on her sex.
�Oh my, oh God, yes,� she hissed.
I didn�t do anything fancy, just put my whole mouth over her sex and licked, sucked, chewed, and mouthed her. I looked up as I devoured her and saw she had her arms straight out as she gripped the sheets. Lexi was hanging on for dear life. I drooled all over her sex to make it sopping wet. I watched her closely for signs she was close to climax. My tongue told me that Lexi was a virgin. My grand plan was to bring her off and take her virginity at the same time.
I stopped for a moment to put a condom on, while Lexi watched me do it. If she was going to back out, now was her chance. I looked Lexi in the eyes and dropped back between her thighs to continue feasting on her.
I could tell she was close, so I used three fingers to rub over her most sensitive area. That was all it took for her to take in a deep breath and her whole body tense up. I got up on my knees, put myself in her entrance, and pushed. I felt something give as I pushed my length into Lexi�s depths.
�Damn, that hurt!� she bellowed.
I held still while her tunnel contracted and released around my member. She was wet, hot, and tight. Mr. Happy didn�t want to wait; he wanted to plunder her.
�Tell me when you�re ready,� I said.
�Are they all this big?� Lexi whined.
�They�re all different. The wonderful thing is your body is designed to enjoy all sizes.�
Well, maybe not Baby Dick�s.
�Okay, I�m ready,� she said.
�Roll over and lift your butt,� I said, pulling out.
Lexi was eager to please and was soon in position. I wanted to use one of my new tricks. I rose up so my member would rub firmly against the front wall of her tunnel. Then I only pushed two to three inches deep as I began to work against her G-spot.
�Oh, shit, what are you doing?� Lexi whimpered.
The trick to getting a girl off with their G-spot is to not necessarily be gentle. It needs direct, firm, steady stimulation. She began to take deep breaths as she got close. I reached under her and started to stroke her. Lexi began with a steady moan that rose about three octaves when she finally reached her peak.
After she came the first time, I wanted to bring her off again, so I buried myself deep and began to move in earnest. I had hold of her butt-cheeks and held them apart so I could watch myself make her a woman. I smacked her butt, and she moaned in pleasure. Lexi seemed to like it a little rough, and I spanked her butt again and again. It was soon bright red.
I was getting close, so I pulled out and rolled her over. I stuffed her full again and began to pump for all I was worth.
�Yes, yes, yes!� she chanted.
It felt like I�d turned on a fire hose as I climaxed. I pushed in as far as I could while I found my release. This was precisely what I needed. I pulled out and reached for the condom to dispose of it.
Lexi�s poor little sex was all red and puffy. I remembered one of the condom jokes about
Lexi didn�t say anything, so I leaned forward and felt myself pop into her backside. She grunted as her mouth fell open and her head tilted back. Lexi�s eyes closed tightly as I began a little in-and-out motion to work myself into her behind.
Usually, the second time around, I can last for a long time. It wasn�t that I didn�t give a good account of myself, it was that Lexi�s tight butt was too much. This time she took over the job of rubbing her sex. I felt the familiar sensation as my sack tightened up. Lexi had another orgasm, which caused her derri�re to clench down and stop me from climaxing. I jerked out and made a mess on her backside. You would�ve thought she was a porn star by the noise she made as I hosed her down.
◊◊◊
I took a quick shower and left Lexi napping on the bed. I had to chuckle because she was a mess. Her hair was all over the place, she had boy-juice on her butt-cheeks, and she was lying in the huge wet spot. The whole room reeked of sex.
I went back on deck, grabbed a beer, found a spot on a bench, and zoned out while I enjoyed the view.
�Someone got laid,� Sage said as she sat down next to me.
�What do you want?� I asked with a hint of irritation in my voice.
�I wanted to apologize.�
�Don�t bother,� I said.
She looked hurt. I usually get over being mad quickly, but for some reason, it wasn�t happening. I think it all harkened back to our shoot in San Francisco. She�d given off all the signs she wanted to get together with me. When I�d come to football camp at USC, I�d called her and left a message that I�d like to take her out to dinner to reconnect. I didn�t have any expectations; if it happened, great, but I liked her as a friend. She hadn�t bothered to even acknowledge my call.
I then hooked her up with one of my friends. Yeah, he screwed up. I�d been there for her when she needed a shoulder to cry on. Then today happened. I was okay with most of it, but not the last part. I could get laid if I wanted to, and had just proven that. There was no reason for me to take someone who was unwilling. I was deeply offended that she would even think that.
�When we get back, do you need cab fare, or do you have a way to get home?� I asked.
�Look, what I said was hurtful, and I meant to do it. Once I cooled off, I realized that I�d been a bitch. I�m sorry,� she said.
�Me too. Do you think that guy you met would be willing to give you a ride?� I asked.
�Did I just ruin our friendship?� Sage asked.
�Yeah, you did. I didn�t bring you today to have sex with you. I thought you might enjoy going out on the boat. Plus, Bill and I are friends. He would never understand if we did get together. I wouldn�t do that to him.�
She became quiet and looked off into space. Taking a swig of my beer, I just ignored her. I wasn�t going to let her ruin my day. I decided right then if someone invited me to go out on their yacht, the proper response was, �Hell, yes!�
Sage finally got the hint and left me alone. It seemed I must be attracting them today because I next found Isabel seated next to me. She�d changed back into the clothes she came in.
�Ben said I might be able to stay with you for a few days,� she said.
How do you respond to that?
�Uh �� was my brilliant reply.
�I gave up my apartment and moved in with him a few months ago.�
�Before I agree to this, I need to do two things. Where I�m staying is not my place, and I need to see if they�re okay with you coming over. Then I need you to send Ben over and have him talk to me,� I said.
�I�m sorry to be a trouble,� she said.
�No, I�ll help if I can.�
She sent Ben over.
�This is such a mess,� he said.
�So, are you two done?� I asked.
�I want her out of my house,� he said emphatically.
�Let me make a call and see if she can stay with me for now,� I said and gave him a hard look. �She does have money to get an apartment, doesn�t she?�
�Yes, and if she doesn�t, I�ll get her into a place,� he said.
�If I can do this, can you help me out? I need someone to take Sage home. I don�t think I want to ride in a car with her that long, and it doesn�t feel right to just put her into a cab.�
�Sure, I�ll help you out, regardless.�
I called Rita, and she wanted to talk to Isabel. I made sure Rita understood this was totally up to her because I didn�t really know the girl. It wasn�t a surprise when Rita said �no.�
When I gave Ben the bad news and suggested he ask Zak, the look he gave me said it would be a cold day in Hell before that happened. He assured me he would work it out and make sure Sage got home.
When the yacht finally docked, I was ready to get off. I thanked Paul Andon for having me. Lexi appeared and said she enjoyed getting to know me. That seemed to make her father happy.
On the ride home, I got a call from Caryn.
�The preliminary numbers are in.
�Saul does know to wait, right?� I asked.
�He knows, and this time he seems to be on board. You know Saul. It�s all about making Saul money,� she half-joked.
I was relieved that the movie had done so well. This was a significant decision that I�d made on my own, and it had been against the advice of the people I paid to help me with this, too. I was proud that I�d thought it through and made the right decision. I felt it was important to mark milestones in my growth as a businessman.
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, Bandit wasn�t happy. He�d been left alone all day. I grabbed his squeaky mouse out of his toy box and tossed it for him. I was on the floor playing with him when Rita and Halle got home.
�Who�s this girl you wanted to bring home with you?� Halle asked as she got on the floor to say hello to Bandit.
�Her name is Isabel Alexandra. She�s been cast in the new
�How was the yacht?�
�It was great. It was intended as a sales trip, and they wanted us to sign contracts for the next two movies. They made a good offer, but I decided to hold off so we could see how this movie turned out.�
�You should know by tomorrow,� Halle said.
�Actually, we won the weekend. It looks like the movie is going to make money. The studio already sent Saul an updated offer.�
�That�s great news. Do you plan to start doing this full time?� Halle asked.
�I might. I�d like to graduate from high school before I decide.�
�If I had the kind of movie offers you have, I�d get my GED and be done. Getting a role is all about whether you�re a hot product or not. In my opinion, taking a break is a terrible idea. I�ve seen it happen too many times. Hitting it twice is very hard. The only person of note that I can think of who pulled it off was Daniel Day-Lewis. Of course, that doesn�t mean it can�t be done. But you�re not Daniel Day-Lewis yet, either.�
�No, I�m Bond, David Bond.�
�I expect that would be more believable if you didn�t have a kitten sitting on your stomach.�
�Hey, Bandit�s a tough kitty. I don�t lose any street cred with him as my sidekick.�
�I sometimes think he likes you better than me.�
�Not a chance. He loves his mama,� I said and leaned in to kiss her.
Rita ordered what they call pizza in California. It had slices of tomato, goat cheese, basil, and balsamic vinegar on it. It was good, but it wasn�t real pizza. After dinner, I pulled up my emails and found my script changes for tomorrow. I vowed to be ready this time.
◊◊◊
Chapter 31 � My Path in Life Wednesday January 13
The last two days had been nonstop. I would get up and run, then go to the set and do my acting bit. I�d pick up some driving classes, go surf, practice at the dojo, and work with Maria on helping her become a porn star. To blow off steam, I would get out my tee and net to hit baseballs in between scenes.
I�d just finished my first scene of the day when Jessup came to me, looking worried.
�You�ve been summoned to Paul Andon�s office.�
He was the studio executive in charge of the
�What for?� I asked.
�I don�t know, but the direction was to send you over as soon as possible. We�ll rearrange the schedule. Be ready to stay late tonight,� Jessup said.
Something I liked about Jessup was that he didn�t believe in sixteen-hour days like so many directors did. He felt that if you got tired, the product suffered. I�d talked to Zak, and he told me it was more common than I realized. It was also why they didn�t usually hire minors to play teens. California had strict child-labor laws.
I stopped by my trailer and told Caryn where I was going. She wanted to go with me, but I told her if he had wanted her there, he would�ve invited her. I assured her that if she was needed, I would send her a text. I borrowed a golf cart and ran over to the executive building.
When I walked into reception, they told me to wait, and someone would come get me. I was soon escorted to a conference room where Paul and four other men and women were seated. Paul introduced me to each one. They were in charge of different aspects of the movie from the management, financial, sales, and marketing sides of the business.
�We�ve received signed contracts from all the main cast members but you. I�ve been told I need to get you under contract by Friday so we can move forward.�
The whole veiled-sense-of-urgency ploy. My mom was in real estate, and it was a sales technique some realtors tried to employ. Done correctly, it was very effective. Dad was fond of telling me my problem wasn�t his to solve. This was an artificial deadline to force my hand.
�So, why am I here, and not Saul, my agent?� I asked.
�Saul said that you insisted on waiting another week before he could begin negotiating. I thought if we had a talk, maybe we could speed things up. And I wanted to be sure you were aware what our current offer is. I�ve been authorized to give this to you today. At close of business, it will be taken off the table, and we might have to either look elsewhere or write Stryker out of the next two movies,� Paul said.
I was starting to see where his daughter got her personality.
�You are aware that I�m a minor and can�t make these decisions,� I said, glancing at the contract.
It was the same as they�d offered before. Paul was counting on me panicking and doing something without Saul or Caryn�s support.
�David, don�t try to pull the na�ve small-town boy act with me. I know you�re the one who�ll make the decision. I�m just asking that you make the right one now.�
�My decision is to wait and see how the movie does after this weekend,� I said.
�But I have to have you signed by Friday,� Paul said.
�Then you need to do much better than this,� I said, pushing the contract back.
�But that�s more than fair for a new talent. In fact, you�ll be making twice what Craig Wild will,� one of the women said.
�Let�s talk about me being �new talent.� By the time I shoot this next movie, �I�ll have released this one,
�My publicist tells me I�ve tested very well in this movie. I�m sure we all know that it would be a bad idea to break up the group who made this one a success. If this movie does what I believe it will, you�ll have two more serious moneymakers. What are your current profit projections? Seventy-five to a hundred million on this one?� I asked.
The last part was a wild-ass guess, but I noticed Paul�s people look at each other in alarm. I might be closer than I thought. The room became silent, and Paul smiled.
�See, you aren�t just a good ol� boy. What would it take to get you to sign today?�
�Give me an hour, and I�ll let you know. Is there somewhere I can make some calls in private?� I asked.
�You can use my office; we have more to go over. You can just come back here when you�re done,� Paul said.
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Saul had made it here in record time. I also had both Frank and Caryn in Paul�s office. I told them about my wild guess about profits and their reaction.
�If they think they�ll make that kind of money, then foreign sales must have done very well. I�d guess they project the movie will make upwards of five-hundred million,� Saul said.
�You do realize they have a board of directors meeting next Wednesday. Someone needs this movie under wraps before that meeting,� Frank said.
Frank had just earned everything I�d ever paid him to this point with that one comment.
�What is crazy money we could ask for?� Caryn asked.
I�ll give Saul credit, he could think of crazy numbers.
�What would we be happy with?� Caryn asked.
When we met with Paul and his people, I let Saul shock them with the crazy numbers first. We were all surprised when Paul and his team came back with a much better counteroffer than we were willing to settle for. The only stipulation was we couldn�t disclose what I�d be paid. Frank took me aside and told me it would be reported in their annual report because they were a publicly held company. So, I needed to be ready to deal with my fellow cast members.
Something Saul insisted on was a signing bonus that would be guaranteed whether the movies were made or not. With a stroke of a pen, I was suddenly a multimillionaire. I�d just signed a contract that would make me more than the number-one pick in this year�s NFL draft. If I managed my money wisely, I was set for life.
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Upon reflection, this trip to LA had complicated my life.� Before I arrived, I had almost decided my path in life would lead to football. What I�d discovered was that making movies was a real possibility, and it was something I could do for the rest of my life. I was happy that my first love, baseball, might be possible. If I made the USA Under-18 baseball team, I would play with the best players in my age group. That would give me a better idea if I had a real shot or not.
The good news was that I had options now that I didn�t have before this trip. The downside was that in a lot of ways, it had muddied the waters as to what my future held. I vowed not to rush my decision. Heck, the psychic had said that the obvious choice might not be the best. Not that I held a lot of stock in that, but just like my movie contract had proved, it was better to make an informed decision instead of rushing things.
All I really knew at this point was that I wanted to enjoy what was to come.� And that I was ready to get home. In the end, it would all work itself out.
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Junior Year: Spring
Table of Contents:
Interlude
Chapter 1 � It�s Time to Get to Work
Chapter 2 � Unmasked
Chapter 3 � Liars
Chapter 4 � Class Project
Chapter 5 � Amateurism
Chapter 6 � No Need to Suck Up
Chapter 7 � Good Intentions
Chapter 8 � You Eat Pie
Chapter 9 � Valentine�s Day is Overrated
Chapter 10 � Playtime�s Over
Chapter 11 � Nimby
Chapter 12 � Dip My Toe into the Political Pond
Chapter 13 � Code Black
Chapter 14 � I Wonder If He Would Foresee
Chapter 15 � You�re Like a Unicorn
Chapter 16 � I Think You�ll Like This
Chapter 17 � That�s Not How the Force Works!
Chapter 18 � A Slight Miscalculation
Chapter 19 � Star Wars Effect
Chapter 20 � All These Things I�ve Said
Chapter 21 � This is All Your Fault
Chapter 22 � Do You Know Who I Am?
Chapter 23 � Thunderstruck
Chapter 24 � Lists, Plans, Decisions
Chapter 25 � Personal Responsibility and Commitment
Chapter 26 � Three�s A Crowd
Chapter 27 � You�re Just a Goofball
Chapter 28 � Cheeseburger in Paradise
Chapter 29 � Police Escorts Can Be a Lot of Fun
Chapter 30 � Our Town
Chapter 31 � Jacob Jeffrey Dawson
Chapter 32 � Life Goals
Chapter 33 � Goals and Plans
Chapter 34 � How Hard Could It Be?
Chapter 35 � Baseball Playoffs Begin
Chapter 36 � Nut Shots
Chapter 37 � That Got a Reaction
Chapter 38 � Feminazis
Chapter 39 � Banned from Walmart
Chapter 40 � Operation Prom
Chapter 41 � Universe Balanced
Chapter 42 � A Kiss to Build a Dream On
Interlude Halle James
I�ve been in love with David A. Dawson ever since I met him on the set of
I�ve grown up in the business, being the daughter of Rita James, America�s Sweetheart and two-time Academy Award winner. I even went to one of those high schools where all the teen actors go, so I thought myself immune to the draw of a hot actor. Because of who I am, they all seemed to want to go out with me. I was lucky that my mom set me straight when I was young. I�d had firsthand experience watching my mom deal with men who were only interested in our money or what my mom might do for their career.
My brother Trip spotted him first. Fortunately for me, Trip and I rarely have the same taste in men. He goes for the nerdier type, and I prefer mine to have more muscles. My brother had been dating Craig Wild, who typified the former. Trip�s relationship with Craig turned out to be how we�d gotten parts in the movie.
Trip gushed about this new guy who was in makeup getting tattoos put on for his part. I was intrigued to see what had my brother so hot and bothered that he forgot to breathe. Do you ever have a premonition about something? I�m not talking about going to see a psychic or having your palm read. I�m talking about the feeling that washes over you, causes the hair to stand up on your arms, and you get goose bumps. You just
I made it a point to monopolize all his free time while making the movie. When the filming finished, it devastated me to realize David would be going home to some small town in the middle of the country. Trip sat me down to see if this was serious or not. My brother suggested I become a stalker and track David down in New York, where I knew he was going for a weekend.
David was perfect without trying, without even being aware. He helped me realize that our timing wasn�t right. If he�d asked, I would�ve dragged him back to my hotel room and let him have his way with me. But David was too much of a gentleman for that. Trip claimed it was a Midwestern thing. If David had been a Hollywood boy, he�d have used me and forgotten about me. It made me love him even more.
I�d accepted that I might not see him ever again when my brother needed to go into rehab. Trip arranged to get out of LA so there wouldn�t be the usual distractions, or so he explained to my mom. He suggested it would also be good for me to get out of LA. I didn�t figure out until we were packing to move that we were going to be in the same town as David.
I�d been working on my mom from a different angle. She�d found a project she wanted to work on with me called
Mom was smart enough to recognize that both her children had plotted to get David and me together, so she didn�t object when Trip suggested the move.
When we first moved, it left me a little off-balance. You must realize we�d come from the hills overlooking LA to a small five-acre farm in the middle of nowhere. They didn�t even have a Starbucks!
My mom suggested I try out for cheerleading to help me fit in. That�s where I met several of David�s girl friends. What they told me was eye-opening. First, they said he was a loveable slut. David somehow managed to date almost every girl on the cheerleading squad, and to my amazement, they all were okay with it. I also heard that his best friend had just died in a swimming accident and the girl he thought was �the one� had dumped him.
When I first saw David after we moved, his eyes showed it: the poor guy was a mess. Talk about terrible timing. Here I became the ultimate stalker and moved halfway across the country, only to find that the object of my obsession was emotionally unavailable.
To be honest, it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. I�d had this whole fantasy that when David saw me, he�d realize that I was what was missing in his life. We�d get together and go off into the sunset, happily ever after. Seeing his eyes brought me up short; it made me slow down and look around to see where this might go. It allowed me to get to know him better, and we became friends, and eventually, lovers.
David has this little look he gives you that makes you just melt. I don�t think he realizes what a devastating effect he has on the females of our species. Combine that with his looks and his exploits on the football field, and you could understand why every girl around him would drop their panties if he asked. Thank God David wasn�t the type to take advantage. He seemed to need to like the girls he spent time with.
All I can say is that when David was with me, and those lips touched mine, I found it hard to even think. But how could I care about anything when I had David in my arms? His touch was enough to get my heart racing and my pulse pounding, threatening to cause me to faint. He is all male, and when he would push me against a wall and press up against me, it was all I could do to contain myself. He just had that effect on all of us.
I began to understand why a girl would go out with David and put up with him going out with others. He just made it seem like we were all friends, and it was okay.
I�m not just saying that, either. It
Something else I learned was David is a true leader. I�d seen guys who were good at sports try to impose their will upon others. I think that�s part of what creates the stereotype of the bully jock. While David could be a jerk at times�what boy isn�t?�it never seemed mean-spirited. I�d watched him evict a group of freshmen from their lunch table�although, to be honest, he had a good reason. He did it so he could have a private conversation with someone who apparently needed it. Instead of being pissed, they�d been happy to accommodate him. It didn�t hurt that David�s friends had covered for him and let the freshmen hang out with them. You could tell it was a big deal that they got to hang out with us.
◊◊◊
I need to spend a moment on a personal problem he�d had. His friend Pam found herself pregnant. Tracy and Brook were nominated to push them together as a couple. Pam was scared to tell David because she knew he would ask her to marry him. The last thing Pam wanted was to be married and have a baby as a high school junior. I can�t say I blamed her.
What I did blame her for was letting her dad act like an ass. Since then, I found out she had some personal issues standing up to authority figures. But at the time, I wasn�t happy that she allowed the fiction of a rape to go on for as long as it did.
As bad as it was, that debacle forced David to realize what fame would mean. He got his first serious lesson in how to handle the press. He�d been smart and gotten a publicist to help him. Mom had always said it was unavoidable for well-known people to need someone to keep an eye on what the press was saying. David got the full dose of what they were like, which made him more cautious.
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I had to laugh at how quickly David fell into the Hollywood lifestyle. He learned all about the paparazzi, found out about the casual sexual culture, and became a surf bum. All that said, he was still David. Of course, I�d thought about taking advantage of having my guy all to myself, but it was apparent he still wasn�t ready for a girlfriend. I wanted David to get Hollywood out of his system. Deep down, I had faith he would play for a while, but only for a while�he wasn�t the George Clooney type.
I think he found out what I already knew: David could make it in the movies. People took notice of him. I just hoped his new film did well. If it did, I felt I had a shot at making my long-term dream of us being together work. David and I would make a great Hollywood couple.
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Chapter 1 � It�s Time to Get to Work Tuesday January 19
I stepped out of my apartment and all but fell on my ass. Duke looked at me like I�d tried to kill him. It had sleeted yesterday, and everything had frozen overnight. I began to wonder why I hadn�t just stayed in LA.
My part of the filming on
Speaking of money, Caryn was worried. She didn�t think our accountant was the best person to manage the funds I now had; we needed a genuine money manager. I gave her permission to start looking for one. Caryn also wanted to hire people; she seemed to have plans for an empire. She suggested we employ some of the Mennonites to help with the farm. Caryn needed an office person to take care of the bookkeeping, and she needed someone to be her assistant.
She had agreed that my mom�s new real estate company, Dawson Realty, was a good investment. The people she hired for the office would have to work for both my mom and Caryn.
Saul had called Caryn with the numbers from
I tentatively eased my way to the house, wary of any patches that looked particularly slick. Duke found Precious in our backyard. She�d figured out she could slip through the driveway gate, or launch herself over the fence. That was something new: we now had a fence around our property with security cameras to monitor the yard and all entrances.
It surprised me to see Fritz sitting at the kitchen table with Dad, smiling tiredly.
�I decided to make a quick visit to review your home security with your father. With his approval, I�ve arranged for a company to monitor your property. You�ve had the odd fan and a few paparazzi try to visit while you were away,� Fritz explained.
Fritz and my dad had warned me that there would be a camera in the living room of my apartment. Inside the main house, there were to be three more. One would be in the basement and activated by a motion sensor; our basement was a large open room. A second camera would monitor the back door, and another would watch the front door from the inside. There were, of course, also going to be cameras around the house. If someone wanted to enter, they�d have to get in either through the driveway or the front gate, where there already was a camera and intercom. Our cars all had a special infrared attachment that the gate would recognize to allow us to drive in.
Dad and Fritz wandered off to inspect the rest of the house to be sure nothing else was needed. While they did that, I looked around and spotted one of my grandma�s gag gifts waiting to be put up. I decided this was the perfect time to do so. Nothing like embarrassing a parent while they were entertaining company. Now if I could only keep from grinning while explaining it to Fritz.
Fritz came in as I was finishing putting it up. He looked at it, amused.
�Why are you putting up a second clock in your kitchen?�
I gave him a superior look.
�Because Dad always loses track of time, especially when he�s supposed pick Grandma up to take her somewhere. Grandma Dawson said he should have two now so he can�t sit with his back to one and �forget� to do the essentials, like shopping.�
Dad looked up from his paper with an aggrieved expression.
�Why is she picking on me?� he grouched. �I seem to recall a young man who used to be late for everything!�
I showed him my best pious expression, and turned back to Fritz, still trying to appear the misunderstood holy man.
�See what I have to put up with?� I asked in my own aggrieved voice.
Fritz just snorted. Then he gave a speculative gaze at the clock.
�David, you know a lot of the �he said/she said� moments in a famous person�s life happen in the kitchen and the living room, right?�
�Yes. So �?� I responded.
Fritz turned to my dad.
�Will you be okay if we install cameras behind the clock faces? Their feeds would download to a system that stores enough information that it doesn�t have to be changed out for years. No one could view the footage unless an issue came up. We�ll also put cameras up in the living areas of the house.�
My dad looked at me, and I shrugged.
�So, no one can access anything on the system unless there�s an issue, and it would be something passive that wouldn�t affect anything or anyone otherwise?� Dad asked.
�That�s exactly what I�m saying,� Fritz replied.
�Go ahead, then,� Dad said as he nodded, then went upstairs.
With that piece of business out of the way, I opened the back door and called Duke. He raced in with Precious hot on his tail.
�No, you don�t,� I said, scooping her up before she could run loose in our house.
I was happy that the cat from hell decided to let me hold her and give her some loving before putting her down so she could go home. This time last year she would�ve clawed me for sure.
Mom came down and put Little David in his high chair, with Duke immediately sitting next to him, checking him for something. Mom was pouring coffee.
�You want one?� she asked Fritz.
�Please.�
Then she turned to me.
�Your brother and his family will be over tonight, so be home at a reasonable time.�
I looked around and realized that Rosy wasn�t here to cook me breakfast. She had spoiled me the last several weeks while I was living with Rita James in LA. Something smelled good, though. I peeked into the oven, and someone was making a breakfast casserole. The oven timer sounded, and Peggy came downstairs. I pulled the casserole out of the oven and checked it. There is nothing worse than runny eggs. It seemed to be done, so I got out plates and served everyone.
I let the conversation wash over me as we ate. It was nice to get back to normal and be home with my family.
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No one was outside the school when I arrived; it was too cold. It felt good to wear my jeans and a sweatshirt. Mom had picked me up a new one that proclaimed we were once again State Champions. I walked in wearing that and my letterman�s jacket. I had to go to the office to get my class schedule. School had started last week, so I would need to catch up.
When I entered the office, the secretary had my schedule ready for me. Crud, more AP classes. Not that I didn�t believe I could handle them, it was that they were more work. I sure never signed up for them. I considered complaining, but the school had gone out of its way to accommodate me last semester. One way or another, I planned to get to the bottom of this little mystery.
PE � Mr. Rector
Art Appreciation � Ms. Saunders
AP English Composition � Mrs. Comer
Spanish I � Ms. Cruz
Lunch
AP World History I � Mr. Stork
AP Physics I � Mr. Hicks
Principles of Business � Mr. Quiroz
I strolled to my locker to drop off my jacket. As I walked down the hall, people seemed to make way for me, turn, and stare. I checked my fly, but Mr. Happy hadn�t decided to make his presence known, and my fly was closed. When I got to my locker, Pam and Tracy were leaning against it.
�Ladies.�
�I hear I�m moving in with you,� Tracy said.
Oh, really? I looked over at Pam, and she seemed to be most interested in my boots. I�d promised Pam that if Tracy, her best friend, had to move because her dad took a new job, Tracy could move in with me. Pam was having enough personal problems with being pregnant with our son. She didn�t need to worry she might also lose her best friend. Of course, I hadn�t told my parents any of this.
�How�s your dad�s job search going?� I asked.
�He said you should call Kendal. I think he�s worried about her,� Tracy said.
�Can you have him call Caryn? She�ll be doing the hiring. If Kendal needs a reference, I can put in a good word for her.�
The bell rang, so I put my stuff into my locker and grabbed my duffle bag for PE.
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Coach Rector was our new defensive coordinator for football who we�d hired when Coach Zoon left. Coach Rector had come from Springfield. I needed to start sucking up to him now if I wanted to play defense my senior year. He was young, at 24, and had played college ball at Northern Illinois as a linebacker. He looked like he could still play.
Coach Rector saw me and called me into his office.
�I wanted to welcome you back. It�s time to get to work.�
�Yes, sir.�
�Today, just have some fun with open gym. Tomorrow, the trainer will be in, and he�ll get you set up with a training program,� he said, and then it seemed he thought of something. �Do you plan to go out for baseball this year?�
I didn�t promise him one way or the other.
�I�d advise against it. You need to focus on football. I�ve talked to Coach Hope, and we�ll be joining a seven-on-seven league during the spring. It�ll need to take priority over baseball.�
I wondered if he�d run that by Moose. I hated to tell him, but I planned to play baseball.
�Okay,� I said noncommittally.
Damn, why didn�t I just let him know what was in the works?
All the other football players were lifting. I wandered over to the court and played some basketball. Towards the end of gym class, I walked into the weight room. Jill and Becky, our trainers, were there, coaching the guys up. It appeared they had taken the intensity of lifting up a few notches. The guys looked like they had just completed a hard practice.
I was glad to see Tim Foresee working out under the trainers� watchful eyes. He looked like a beast from the waist up, and both his legs seemed okay, even though the one he�d injured last fall was wrapped.
Tim saw me watching and smiled.
�What are you looking at, wuss?� he smirked.
�I was just hoping you don�t sprain your dingus. Obviously, it�s not getting a �regular� workout, unless it�s a Rosy Palm massage,� I retorted.
Tim sat up and did a neck roll. You could hear a lot of popping, but that wasn�t necessarily bad. He scratched his head, looked down for a second, then back up at me.
�You can�t really know how isolated I felt after my injury last fall. After some initial visits, they dropped off pretty quickly. You and Wolf were the only two who kept visiting me no matter what.
�I have some goals, and the big one is competing through college and maybe beyond, hopefully on the same team you�re on. Now I�m doing whatever it takes to be ready for next fall. Fortunately, we now have people who can guide us through a good weight program, and who helped set me up a workable rehab plan. Believe me, I�m gonna take full advantage of it,� Tim explained.
I remembered Tim was the only one who came up to me last summer, asking to work out. He showed initiative, and that meant a lot.
Tim was a good guy; not the most brilliant guy, but a solid �B/C� student who always got his work done and who didn�t want or expect anything to be handed to him. He wasn�t the most socially adept guy, either, and mainly was the �go along, get along� sort. That was except when it came to football, and except when it came to his dream, which was to be an architect.
Most importantly, to me, he was a good friend whom I could trust. It was beginning to sink into me how rare and valuable that was.
Oh, yes. Tim was also an absolute lights-out middle linebacker when he was healthy!
I smiled happily at my friend and comrade, gave him a �bro� handshake, and walked off to see what else was going on.
I ambled over and watched Wolf as he did squats. We had a new squat rack that was designed to hold the bar slightly below shoulder level. You would get under it and then lift the weight, do the squat, and then put it back into the slot. It had a safety feature that wouldn�t allow the bar to go below a certain level.
Wolf would go all the way down and then jump. It wasn�t like he was doing light weights. There had to be two hundred pounds on the bar.
�What are you doing?� I asked when he was done.
�Coach Rector says I need to learn to jump better. He has me doing this exercise so that if someone�s hanging on me, I can handle the weight. It also helps me learn to land correctly so I don�t get injured. You�re going to love this guy. I�ve been working with him for a month and a half and already added two inches to my vertical jump,� Wolf bragged.
�Wow, he doubled your vertical jump in just six weeks?� I asked, acting shocked.
�If I weren�t so tired, I�d kick your ass. Welcome home, I missed you,� Wolf said and tried to hug me.
He was a sweaty mess, so I made a hasty exit to the locker room.
◊◊◊
My next two classes were Art Appreciation and English Composition. Ms. Saunders and Mrs. Comer each gave us a quiz and then had me come to their desks and caught me up on what I�d missed the first week. My next class was Spanish. I really hadn�t wanted to take it, but after living in LA, I realized I needed to be able to at least understand what people were saying about me. I had a clue about what Rosy said, but I wanted to surprise her when I could respond.
I nodded and took my seat. Ms. Cruz was older and had a kind face. I wondered if I�d entered an advanced class because each student answered her in Spanish. When the bell rang, she looked at me.
I was clueless. Lily was sitting beside me.
�She asked who you are.�
�David, David Dawson,� I said.
�
Lily shook her head at my poor attempt at Spanish.
�So you like my cooking and think I�m cute,� she translated.
�
�He�s a bit of a flirt. You should be careful,� Lily said.
I could tell I would like this class.
◊◊◊
Coach Stork taught AP World History, which was followed by the second semester of AP Physics I with Mr. Hicks, our athletic director. Finally, I had Mr. Quiroz and Principles of Business.
I found Alan was in all my afternoon AP classes. The class rankings had come out, and Gina was number one. I was in third place behind Brook, and coming in fourth was Zoe. Alan had dropped to number five because of his �B+� in PE. I felt for him because I�d almost gotten a �B� in PE in swimming my freshman year.
◊◊◊
After school, Cassidy was waiting for me at my locker.
�I thought I might stop by in case you thought you�d sneak out on
That had been my plan.
�I�ll meet you there,� I tried.
She reached into my pants pocket and snagged my keys.
�Hey,� I complained.
�You get these back after you work out,� she said and left me wondering if I should just walk home.
I went and put on my gym clothes to join everyone, but before I made it out of the locker room, Moose, my baseball coach, reached out and snagged me.
�David, I�ve heard Coach Rector wants you to go out for seven-on-seven football this spring,� he said with a watchful expression on his face.
�Coach, it�s a nice offer, but I really want to play baseball this year. I have a chance to make the national Under-18 team as an outfielder, and that�s a dream I just won�t pass up,� I said.
Moose looked relieved.
�You�ll have to tell me about that when you have more time.�
I thought that was it, but he continued.
�I�ve been kind of watching you, and I think you could go far in baseball, with the right coaching. The only problem is you have so many things pulling you in all different directions.
�Now I�m glad to know you�ll be there when formal practice starts in March. But do what you can to keep your skills up and get prepared beforehand if possible. I really want you to be ready to focus on baseball once regular practice starts. Do you think you can do that for me?� Moose asked.
He was already worried about that, and I had to admit he had a good reason to be worried.
�Coach, I�ll do my best, and I�ll try like hell not to let you down.�
He gazed at me for a moment, nodded, and turned to walk down the hall.
Cassidy was frowning at me when I ran to join the group.
�Well, at least you can run fast,� was all she said.
Cassidy must have been feeling extra evil today because she worked us hard. Surely my being late didn�t have anything to do with it!
I was glad to see I wasn�t the only one struggling. I admit to not being as diligent as I should�ve been while in LA, but I was still in good shape. All the work I�d put in the last couple of years didn�t just go away in six weeks.
Cassidy was finally happy when my half brother had to run outside and puke. When we were almost done, Coach Hope, Cassidy�s dad and our head football coach, stuck his head in the gym and motioned for me to join him. Cassidy gave me a dirty look, but I just shrugged as if her dad�s request was out of my control. I happily followed him to his office.
�Welcome back. You ready to get back to it?� he asked.
�I am.�
�That�s good because Coach Mason has sent over the new playbook. From what I see, he plans to minimize you running the ball. You�ll also be under center most of the time.�
Coach Mason had agreed to be our offensive coordinator next year.
�I figured as much, but you can�t argue with his offensive production,� I said.
It was a little disappointing because I felt that my running the ball helped us. But I was aware that I wouldn�t run the ball nearly as much in college, and I�d run it even less in the pros. Everyone wanted a mobile quarterback who could extend plays and pick up first downs with his feet, but the flip side was the danger of his getting hurt. There simply weren�t enough elite quarterbacks, so you had to protect them.
�With that in mind, Coach Rector has suggested that we put together seven-on-seven teams this spring to help learn the new offense,� Coach Hope said.
�He told me it would take precedence over baseball, but I�m not sure I can do that.�
�I know you like baseball, but your senior year is going to be important.�
I thought about it for a second and decided not to throw Moose to the wolves.
�While I was in LA, the movie I was doing originally called for me to be a baseball player. Part of my deal was that I�d get the services of a hitting coach. They sent me to a high-level training facility, and I was lucky enough to get the Cubs� hitting coach. He was impressed enough to call in one of their scouts. They feel I should switch to play center field. My coach is submitting my name for consideration for tryouts for the Under-18 USA baseball team. They invite the top 108 baseball players in the country.
�I guess what I�m saying is that my dream was always to play professional baseball. I love football, but I need to give this a chance, too. You know I�ll do whatever it takes to help us win football games. I just want to have the chance to decide what�s best for me in the end. To do that, I�ll need to focus on baseball in the spring,� I said.
�I�m not really in a position to help you, baseball-wise. If you remember, you roped me into helping last year.
�As far as football goes, I�ve been around you long enough to know that you�ll do whatever it takes to be ready for next year. This might be an opportunity to build some depth. I�ll need players after you graduate,� he reasoned.
�Thanks, Coach.�
He gave me access to the football software so I could start learning the plays. He also told me he would smooth everything over with Coach Rector.
�Oh, one last item,� he said as I turned to go. �National Signing Day for college football recruits is on February third. Try to say something nice about Jim, if anyone asks you.�
Coach and I grinned at each other before I turned and finally made my escape. He knew I�d find something fun to do about it.
He really was my coach and not a fellow prankster. Right?
◊◊◊
Cassidy and Brook were waiting for me. I dreaded what was to come. Cassidy would want to show me what all I�d done wrong when I was in LA, and this was the first chance she would have at me in the dojo. To appease her, I didn�t ask for my keys back. Instead, I just climbed into the back of the jeep and let her and Brook have the front seats. From their conversation, I could tell they had become friends and had spent a lot of time with each other over Christmas break.
When we arrived, Fritz was already there. I was happy to see Coach Hope show up a few minutes later. Brook went off to her class, and I stepped over to talk to the two men.
�She�s going to hand you your ass,� Coach Hope predicted.
�I don�t think so. David�s learned a thing or two while he�s been away. I bet he can hold his own,� Fritz said.
�Sheeeit, you can�t handle me. What makes you believe you could teach him enough to stand up to my daughter?� Coach Hope asked.
�This is practicing in a dojo. If you and I were to really fight, you wouldn�t last two minutes,� Fritz predicted.
�Oh, really?�
�You�re both wusses,� I teased.
That comment made the old men laugh.
�I believe I�m going to enjoy seeing Cassidy teach you a lesson,� Coach Hope said.
�You ready?� Cassidy said to draw my attention from her dad and Fritz.
�They said you were going to teach me a lesson, but I think I can take you now,� I boasted.
I guess Shiggy must have �mom ears� because he cocked his head and turned from his class to see Cassidy launch herself at me.
Something Fritz had taught me was to be more physical when it came to fighting. I was a big guy, and he reasoned I should use that to my advantage. The problem was that Cassidy was lightning fast. Her usual tactic was to strike, move away, and then strike again. She�d learned how to use her small body to whip into her opponent, which multiplied the force with which she hit you.
I knew that she would hit me, but also knew that if I could get hold of her, I could turn it into more of a fight to my liking. What I wasn�t counting on was that Cassidy was genuinely mad at me. Her first move was to kick me in the balls. I realized it was just a feint, but I challenge any guy not to react to Cassidy Hope acting like she�s about donkey-kick you in the nut sack.
As I bent over, she launched herself at me with the plan to put me into a sleeper hold. I snatched her out of the air and let my forward momentum carry us to the floor with Cassidy under me. I heard the air forced out of her lungs as we slammed to the mat. Before I could follow up on my advantage, Shiggy tossed me off her.
�I will have none of that,� he barked.
�I had him right where I wanted him,� Cassidy bluffed.
�If you mean him pounding the stuffing out of you, then I agree,� Shiggy said.
I smirked.
�You,� Shiggy said, and my smirk disappeared. �You can no longer spar in my dojo without me present to supervise. Is that understood?�
�Yes, sir.�
He turned back to Cassidy.
�If you want to spar with him, wait until my beginners class is over,� he ordered.
�Yes, sir.�
Cassidy gave me a tongue-lashing about holding back in an actual fight. She then had me show her everything Fritz had taught me. Cassidy was a sponge when it came to learning stuff like this. She would stop me when she thought I did something wrong and have Fritz show her.
◊◊◊
My uncle, grandmother, Caryn, and Greg�s family were all at our house for dinner. My grandma was vocally admiring the second clock, and Dad was trying not to mutter too obviously. I caught my family up on my trip to LA as we ate. Then I remembered my AP classes. I was sure if Tami or Alan were involved, Mom would know.
�I picked up my class schedule today, and I was signed up for a bunch of AP classes. Do you know how that happened?�
�Yes, your dad and I changed your schedule,� Mom said.
�You did what?� I asked in my teen angst voice.
�We talked to Bo Harrington at your Elite 11 camp. He suggested that if you could handle it, we should sign you up for AP classes because they would count towards college credits. They would also eliminate some of the entry-level classes you would need to take. He reasoned that college football would require much more of your time, and if you needed to lessen your load, it was better to do it in college,� Dad said.
�But why did you sign me up for so many of them?� I asked.
�Because we know you can handle them,� Mom said.
I put my hand over my face and massaged my temples to stave off the oncoming headache. Here I�d assumed it was Alan and Tami. They�d always pushed me to work hard in school. I believe they sometimes thought I really was a �stupid boy.�
I decided not to fight it. Mom was right, in that I could handle it. I would�ve liked to have been consulted about it, though.
After we were done eating, Caryn wanted to talk to us. I wondered why Greg and Angie joined the group while Dad watched the kids.
�Your mom and I looked at office space today,� Caryn said. �We got to talking, and I told her what one of my business professors said. He always encouraged us to increase the bottom line with multiple streams of income. How he explained it was to consider your core business and see where there were opportunities to offer other goods or services that complement it.
�Let�s consider your mom�s business, real estate,� Caryn said and wrote it in the center of a sheet of paper. �In a real estate transaction, there are many services you need to make the transaction work. The first are the initial inspections. The two main ones are the home inspection and the termite or wood-destroying organism inspection.�
She wrote those two on the side.
�Then there�s the mortgage, survey, appraisal, and title company.�
Caryn also wrote those down.
�Each one of these is a potential income stream. There are also opportunities before the sale happens. Your mom pointed out that curb appeal is crucial, so we could add lawn service and repairs as two more lines of business. The home may also need to be decluttered, painted, and staged. Then there�s the marketing that involves video, photos, websites, social media, and print.�
She also wrote down all these.
�Within real estate, there are specialties. The skills to be a good buyer�s agent are not necessarily the same as those for a listing agent, and their needs are different. For example, the listing agent is concerned with staging; the buyer�s agent, not so much. And there is yet a different skill set required for working with investors and commercial clients, each of which has their own needs. Finally, there are rentals. Those are a completely different animal with unique opportunities.
�A realtor is expected to know a little about all of these, but no one could master them all. I can�t see us getting involved in all these. In fact, some would be a serious conflict of interest, like having our appraiser do work for your mortgage company.�
�Caryn�s right. We might go to jail for that one,� Mom said.
�No, I�m not interested in jail time,� I said. �I also am a little leery that we could do all this.�
�I don�t think that�s the point,� Uncle John said. �Caryn has just pointed out how over time you could grow your business. It�s sort of like what we did when we merged the hay farm with my cattle.�
�Yes. John is exactly right,� Caryn said. �I wanted to talk to you about this because if you plan to grow your business to include other services and specialties, we need to consider different office space. For example, we found a nice large home on Main Street that�s next to the downtown area. The downstairs would be perfect for the real estate company, and I could have my office on the second floor. But if we elect to add more agents to handle different parts of the business, or a title company, we�d need more space. Your mom found a strip mall that would be perfect for growing into,� Caryn said.
�We could rent out the extra space to other businesses until we needed it,� Mom said.
�Like a massage studio,� Angie subtly suggested.
It then became clear why Greg and Angie were here. This suddenly all seemed to overwhelm me. I recognized that I needed to invest my money, but wouldn�t it be easier to just put it into a mutual fund and ignore it?
Then I had a horrible thought. There were stories about how friends and family took advantage of young people who came into money. I sure the heck hoped that wasn�t the case here. Two seconds later, I knew that even if I did lose all my money to this, I�d be okay with it, since it was family. All I had to do was look at the farm to see how that was working out. If I could help my mom and Greg achieve their dreams, I would. I turned to Caryn and smiled.
�So, you have a plan, right?� I asked.
�I do, but it requires you to initially spend some money. Plus, I want to hire two people to help me pull all this off.�
Caryn then laid out her plan. She hadn�t been sitting around while I was on set, making my movie. Caryn also tied her proposal in with the charities. She wanted to collaborate with the Mennonites for the farm work, with which my grandmother agreed 100%. Caryn was a little mysterious about the two hires because she wanted to interview them first and see if they were interested or not. I was sure one of them was Kendal.
Finally, we came the big issue: how much was this going to cost me? The initial outlay wasn�t insignificant, but she backed it up with income projections. Everyone seemed to agree she had a solid plan. I asked her to give me some time to think about it. The problem was that everyone in the room had a vested interest in this happening. I also worried that I would be tying up an awful lot of my signing bonus to get this off the ground.
I kicked everyone out of the office except Caryn and asked my dad to join us. Then I had Caryn go through it all again for him. He�d managed the park district and was now in charge of the local country club. Dad asked some insightful questions, including a few Caryn admitted that she hadn�t thought of. What it highlighted for me was this was her first shot at overseeing a business startup. I knew she wouldn�t get it all right, but she was eager to learn and seemed confident.
When she finished, I asked her to help me out with a little surprise for Jim�s signing day. I was quick to ask her to delegate it to one of her minions-to-be before she had a chance to huff about it. Then I asked her to let my dad and me talk for a bit.
�What do you think?� I asked after she left.
�You�re halfway in already, with the purchase of the farm and telling your mom you�d partner with her. I wish Caryn were more experienced, but she�s sharp. If it were me, I�d do it.�
�Can you help her?� I asked.
�Of course I will. I�ll make sure she doesn�t mess up too bad.�
That�s what I loved about my dad. He would look out for me and still have a sense of humor.
�You saw the cash-flow numbers. There�s a lot of money going out with the new farm, and all the setup that will be needed to get Mom�s business started. I�ve also been spending money while I was in LA, recruiting trips, and the like. I�m worried it won�t pay off in the end,� I admitted.
�Your mom and I suggest that you curb your personal spending. I�ve seen your bank statements, and what you spent on your recruiting trips and learning to skydive weren�t insignificant.�
�But we made all the money back from the skydiving lessons,� I explained.
Shooting the ad for the wingboard for Range Sports had more than paid for those lessons. Especially with the hazard pay that was added on after I almost killed myself when the board decided to spin out of control and I was tossed off it.
�And I guess I wanted to reward the guys on the recruiting trips,� I continued.
�David, look at me,� my dad ordered and waited until we made eye contact. �You can�t be buying friendship. I�m sure your friends appreciated you putting them up in a high-class hotel when you made your trip to Georgia. But I would bet they would�ve had just as much fun at a Holiday Inn Express that they paid for. You need to be careful in setting their expectations of your friendship.�
He was right, of course. My goal wasn�t to make the guys reliant on me for what I could buy them. Wolf, Tracy, and Lily were perfect examples. Wolf earned extra money by doing tasks that I either didn�t want to do or didn�t have the time for. Tracy and Lily had volunteered to help me with recruiting and social media with no compensation. I finally had forced Lily to accept a small amount, and recently, Frank, my publicist, had hired her. When I tried to pay Tracy, she�d told me her dad made enough off me and not to bother.
Of my other friends, Brook and Halle had money of their own. I was aware that Brook had spent more on our playdates than I had. Halle�s mom had taken me in when I was in LA, so I didn�t regret buying her things like a custom surfboard. Zoe was very thrifty and never asked for anything.
The only person who was actually taking money from me was Pam. I wasn�t for one second going to begrudge her a cent of what she�d spent. She had a good heart, and I didn�t fear that she�d take advantage of the situation. I guess I could be a cynic and think of it as though I�d gotten off cheap. If her dad hadn�t been so slimy, I could realistically have been on the hook for a lot of child support.
Tami, in her own way, had warned me about this when she joked about me giving her a debit card.
I grinned when I realized my dad had just snuck a life lesson into our discussion about business. My uncle had said pretty much the same, but somehow, Dad had made me think it through.
�I see your point,� I said.
�I hope you do because once people start to figure out you have money, they�ll approach you with their hands out. Not just your friends, either. Every cause and charity will mark you as a soft target. I mean, how could you refuse to give a few bucks for starving puppies?� Dad teased.
�Hey, Rita and Frank suggested I give money to that no-kill shelter,� I huffed.
�I�m not saying not to do good; I expect you to. But I also expect you to figure out how you�ll decide. I suggest you send them all to Caryn and let her check out their organizations to see how much actually goes to feeding puppies,� Dad advised, which made sense.
�Dad, is it wrong of me not to want to get involved in all this right now?� I asked, meaning the business.
�Feeling a little overwhelmed?�
�More like I�m entirely out of my depth. I should be figuring out which party I�m going to or if a girl likes me. I shouldn�t be worrying about multiple streams of income and the best approach to farming. And I�m not sure I want to, either. It�s bad enough I spend time making movies and modeling.
�Now I have to deal with the press stalking me, and I have to assume that someone has a camera on me 24/7. I have fans in my face I have to be nice to. Then there�s football, school, and all that entails. Plus, I have to figure out what college I�m going to. On top of that, I need to work out if I expect to get a scholarship. Oh, and let�s not forget that I�m supposed to be a team captain and set an example.
�How am I supposed to find time to run a business and do all that?� I asked, finally running down.
My dad just looked at me. It took me a moment to realize he was doing the Dawson bit where we go quiet and wait it out. I had embarrassed myself with my tirade.
�Look, I realize it�s not all bad. I�ve gotten to do things most people would kill to do. Having fans does have some nice benefits,� I admitted.
�Don�t tell your mom that,� Dad suggested.
That was a good call. He took a minute to think.
�We wondered how much you�d want to take on. I would�ve folded a long time ago. You have your mother�s stubborn streak, and I�m sure you don�t want to get her cranky gene. If you continue to keep taking on more, you�ll soon get there.
�You�ve been good at listening to your uncle and his advice about getting help. Up to this point, you�ve been able to stay involved in everything, but remember when he told you that you need to delegate. By yourself, you�ll only be able to do so much. You have to let go and let Caryn do her job,� Dad said.
�But she asked me what I thought. I was scared about the next movie negotiations. What if I�d made the wrong decision, even though I ended up making the right one? Saul advised me to take their deal,� I said and looked at my dad, who was smiling at me. �I�m talking in circles, aren�t I?�
�Next time you�re feeling anxious about a decision, call me and talk it through. Not for me to tell you what to do, but to act as a sounding board. I�ve had some experience,� Dad said.
I snorted.
�Listen, I�m not that old.�
�Whatever you say, Dad,� I teased.
I still needed to find other ways to invest my money. I would have Caryn call Harper�s dad. Mr. Mass seemed to know what he was doing. Dad agreed.
I told Caryn the good news and let her tell everyone else. This served to reinforce that they had to go through her for business matters. I didn�t need Angie calling me because their toilet was stopped up.
◊◊◊
Chapter 2 � Unmasked Wednesday January 20
First period with Coach Fletcher was eye-opening. He�d been hired from the outside to get the team�s strength and conditioning program in place and teach our staff how to execute it. Coach Rector made sure we stayed on track when Coach Fletcher wasn�t here. Coach Fletcher planned to stop by periodically to check up on us and tweak our workouts when needed. I might have told him I could go it alone, but he showed me what some of the other football players had accomplished in only six weeks with him.
�My job here is to find out what you want from a workout. I understand you play quarterback.�
�I also need to get ready for baseball. This will be my first time playing center field,� I said.
�Is this for fun, or are you serious about it?� he asked.
�Serious. I want to see how far I can go. My goal is to play professional baseball someday.�
I explained about my trip to LA and what the coaches and scout thought. I told him about my potential opportunity to play for the Under-18 team.
�And you obviously want to play football at a high level?� Coach Fletcher asked.
�Yes, sir.�
I guess my calling him �sir� shocked him, but I�d been brought up a certain way. Coach Fletcher told me about himself. He was in his late 20s and had gone to school at Oklahoma, where he�d worked with their training staff as a grad assistant. He also had gotten a certification with NSCA, the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Once certified, Coach Fletcher had been an assistant trainer for three years at Florida State. He�d just moved to our area to take care of his mother, who wasn�t doing well. He wanted eventually to be the head trainer at a P5 school (Power 5 or top-level university sports program).
�Priority one is to build you up so you don�t get injured. Next will be arm strength, followed closely by working towards explosive speed. Let�s work you out and take some measurements, and we�ll see what we can do for you.�
Coach Fletcher spent the rest of PE watching me. He wanted to see my usual routine. His goal was to put ten to twenty pounds of muscle on me without hurting my speed, flexibility, or endurance. It hadn�t been easy for me to gain the weight I had, even though I�d been pudgy when I was in middle school. The amount of running and other activities I did burned a lot of calories.
I�d also changed my diet dramatically. I ate a lot more protein, fruits, and vegetables than I had before, and didn�t eat as many processed foods. In the good old days, I could polish off a bag of chips or cookies without even thinking. My two guilty pleasures were pizza and cookie butter with ice cream.
◊◊◊
Before our workout with Cassidy, Coach Hope asked to meet with the upcoming seniors. We met in one of the large conference rooms.
�Now that David�s back, I wanted to touch base with you all. I understand you�ve all met with Coach Fletcher, and each of you will be following a strength and conditioning program he created specifically for you.�
We all nodded.
�Good. Next, we need to do some bookkeeping. Saturday is the SAT. You can send your score for free to four universities. The good news is that it�s free. The bad news is they�ll be sent out at the same time it�s sent to you, so you won�t see the score before it goes out. If you decide to go the free route and plan to try to get an athletic scholarship, you need to enter 9999 for the scholarship code. That way it�ll be sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center.
�Of course, you sent in your initial application to the NCAA your freshman year,� Coach Hope said.
�I�m not sure if I did or didn�t, Coach,� I said.
�You would have gone online and submitted your application,� Coach explained.
I was clueless.
�Anyone else not sure if they started their eligibility process?� Coach Hope asked.
Everyone else had.
�I�ll talk to you after this meeting,� he said to me. �Any questions about sending out the test scores?�
Tim raised his hand and Coach pointed at him.
�What do you recommend? Should we go ahead and send out our results?�
�I would take advantage of the free option. If you choose to send them out later, it�s twelve dollars per college, so it�ll save you nearly fifty bucks.�
�Coach, what if we have to retake it?� Jake asked.
�The twelve dollars is a onetime fee. You can send your results multiple times to a college.�
�I hate to imagine what David will have to pay. How many colleges have made you offers?� Wolf asked.
�David, I would only send out the four, well, three, since you have to send one to the NCAA. When you cull your list of schools is when I would send your scores. You can always send them a copy of your score since you�ll get one. But for the official application, you�ll need one sent from the College Board, the organization that administers the SAT,� Coach Hope advised.
�My dad said I have to send them from the College Board,� Tim said.
�Check with each university to see what they require. What I was talking about is if you�re being recruited, you can send a copy to the athletic department to let them know you have a qualifying score. When you make your official application is when you must follow the process,� Coach Hope said.
Coach checked to see if we were okay with what we needed to do Saturday and then moved on.
�We�re going to put together seven-on-seven teams this spring. I need to know who wants to participate,� Coach Hope said.
�I�ll do whatever you want, but I plan to play baseball,� I said, more for the group than Coach Hope.
�David, why don�t you tell them what you may get to do?�
�When I was in LA, I worked with a hitting instructor who turned out to be the Cubs� batting coach. He�s someone who helps recommend players for the Under-18 USA Baseball Team, and he plans to submit my name. If I�m selected, I�ll travel to North Carolina where 108 players from across the country compete in a tournament to see if they can make the team. The team would then compete in an international tournament in Mexico,� I said.
�What do you have planned for the following summer?� Wolf asked.
�Why do you ask?�
�Last summer you went off and came home the best quarterback in the land. This year you plan to take on baseball. I just wondered what�s next.�
�I was thinking of going to comedy school so someone around here is funny,� I shot back.
�Well, I, uh � bite me,� he stammered.
I stuck my tongue out at him. Nope, I wasn�t falling for his stuff today.
After we had our fun, several of the skill players signed up for seven-on-seven. After everyone left, I followed Coach Hope to his office.
�I�m pretty sure you�ve signed up with the NCAA because we send them your transcripts each semester,� Coach said. �Let me get you the website address so you can find out. If you haven�t, you need to do it right away.�
�I�ll check with Tracy and Kendal. One of them may have signed me up.�
�Are you planning on being around this summer to get ready for the fall?�
�I�m gone for a month after school ends to shoot a movie. Then there are the baseball tryouts if I get selected. And then I have the actual games. If everything falls into place, I won�t be around much. If I don�t get picked, I�ll be here after the movie�s done,� I said.
�I hope you don�t get picked, if I�m being honest. We need your leadership.�
�Don�t sell the seniors short, Coach. They got everyone working out while I was in LA, and want to win State as much as you or I do. It might be good to have more leaders step up.�
�I agree, but we both know it would be better if you were here.�
�I understand, but I can�t turn my back on this opportunity,� I said.
He seemed resigned to the fact that I had prioritized baseball in front of football for the spring. He wasn�t happy it might take up my summer as well.
�I want your help with something else of a more personal nature. Cassidy told me at dinner last week that she doesn�t plan to go to college. She plans to join the Marine Corps when she graduates.�
�Is that what she really wants?� I asked cautiously.
�I think she believes that�s what I want her to do,� he admitted.
�You don�t think she�d be a good Marine?�
�Of course she would, but I want her to get a college education first. I joined because I was immature coming out of college and didn�t know what I wanted to do with my life. If she joins before she�s 20, she won�t go in as an officer. What I need your help with is convincing her to wait.�
I understood what he was trying to do and agreed to talk to her.
◊◊◊ Friday January 22
Before school, I had Brook backed up against her locker and was flirting when Lisa Felton came up and stood next to me. Both Brook and I looked at her. Lisa could still get a rise out of me, even though we�d resolved a lot of the sexual tension issues. I glanced over at Brook and saw she wasn�t thrilled with Lisa interrupting our fun. I think if you took a poll as to the girl at Lincoln High you would most want to spend an evening with, these two would come out on top.
�Hey, Lisa. What�s up?� I asked.
�I thought you were dating Halle,� she said.
Brook got an amused look on her face. The
�Uh, well, uh,� I stammered.
�The reason I ask is that everyone thinks the two of you are dating now.�
�Yeah, David. Everyone wants to know,� Brook teased.
�You stay out of this,� I grumbled at Brook.
�Halle says you�re not,� Lisa offered.
�I guess if Halle says it isn�t true, then we�re not.�
Lisa got a big smile.
�Good,� Lisa said and then batted her eyes at me. �Now that you�re a big star, I was wondering if you wanted to spend some time with me.�
I looked at Brook, confused.
�She wants to sleep with you,� Brook explained.
I moaned and rubbed my forehead. Somehow, I kept getting these headaches.
�I thought we�d decided that was a bad idea.�
Lisa gave me a look that had me take a step back. Brook broke out laughing. Mr. Happy liked Lisa�s look and tried to take over the body. Luckily the bell rang before I got myself into trouble.
◊◊◊
By second period, word must have gotten out that Halle and I weren�t dating, because I had two other girls approach me. I�d hoped not to have to deal with this at school. I wanted life to be normal here.
At lunch, I could see that Brook had talked to everyone because when I sat down, the conversation died, and Miss Brook Davis wouldn�t make eye contact. I glanced around the table and saw that the girls were giving me dirty looks, while the guys seemed amused.
�What?� I asked.
�I thought we talked about Lisa Felton,� Tracy said.
�It�s not just her,� I blurted out.
Brook�s shoulders were shaking, and I could tell she was about to burst out laughing. Gina pounced.
�How many were there?�
I looked at Halle.
�If you would�ve just said we were dating, none of this would be happening,� I complained.
Her eyebrows rose into her hairline.
�You�re blaming this on me?� she asked.
�Quit distracting him. How many girls have approached you?� Gina asked.
�Three this morning,� I admitted.
�Way to go,� Yuri said and gave Jan a dirty look when she dug her index finger into his ribs.
�Leave the boy alone,� Wolf said. �It�s not David�s fault women are chasing him.�
�This I have to hear,� Tim said to be his straight man.
I had a bad feeling about this. I would bet the comedy duo had come up with something I wouldn�t like.
�It�s the �Tiger Woods Effect,�� Wolf enlightened us as if everyone would know what he was talking about.
When all he saw was confused faces, he explained.
�When we all first heard that Tiger had taken a nine iron upside the head, the response was split between how women saw it and men did. Women thought he deserved it, and men could understand how it could happen.�
�Cheating is terrible. How could guys think it was okay?� Tim asked, playing the role to the hilt.
�Good question,� Wolf said, warming to the topic.
�This can�t be good,� I mumbled when I saw the glares from the girls.
�I want to hear this,� Gina pronounced.
�At first, when it looked like Tiger had slipped, most guys could understand, and I even heard my dad defend him to my mom. He told her she didn�t know what this guy had been through, and she didn�t know what his home life was like. Dad said you couldn�t judge a guy because he made one mistake. I thought my dad was right.
�Then he gets called out for ten, eleven, twelve � I thought he might have a problem,� Wolf said.
�You�re damn right he had a problem. If he�d been smart, he would�ve hidden his golf clubs,� Tim said.
I had to agree with him on that.
�But it wasn�t Tiger�s fault,� Wolf said.
It was a good thing Wolf wasn�t Lot�s wife, or he would have turned to salt by the looks the girls gave him. The guys were all trying to keep a straight face.
�Think about it. Tiger Woods is on the road, playing golf, and after each match, he�s approached by women.�
�But he should be able to control himself. He was married,� Zoe said.
Wolf just shook his head.
�It all comes down to women wanting Tiger. He has to say no to attractive women who approach him,� Wolf said.
�What about ugly women?� Tracy asked.
�He would either have to put a pillowcase over her head or close his eyes,� Yuri said.
He acted like he didn�t understand why Jan hit him. I swear he would never learn. Wolf was smart and ignored her question.
�Most of us are not Tiger Woods, so we�re never put into the position of having to say �no.� It�s much easier if you�re never asked,� Wolf said, which made me smile.
�I would never cheat,� Phil, my half brother, said.
�He makes my point for me,� Wolf said, which got everyone to chuckle.
�Bite me,� Phil complained.
�Apparently, that�s why you�re still a virgin,� Wolf teased.
�Easy,� I warned before I had to pull Phil off my friend.
�Then consider this. Tiger doesn�t get any credit for the women he turns down. I mean, if he only says �yes� one percent of the time, we need to give him credit for the ninety-nine times he said �no.� I mean, seriously, if he only had sex with one, how is that a problem?�
He had the guys nodding.
�So, you�re saying David is our Tiger Woods?� Halle asked.
�Oh, come on! He said no to Lisa Felton. Shouldn�t he get some credit for that?� Tim asked.
Apparently not.
◊◊◊
Before we left for the day, Tim and Wolf cornered me on my way to my car.
�Did you have any more girls approach you?�
�Yeah, one,� I admitted.
�Okay, first of all, you�re a wuss,� Wolf said. �Second, we have a plan to help you.�
Tim was nodding.
�You need to send them to us.�
�What are you talking about?� I asked.
�Send them to us. We�ll try them out and only send you the ones that�re up to your high standards,� Tim said.
�We could test-drive them. That way you�d only have to deal with the quality talent,� Wolf said. �Plus, think about it. This isn�t LA. We live in a small town where everyone knows each other, and if you cut a wide swath through the female population, there will be consequences. You don�t want parents to start hearing rumors about how you�ve changed and are sleeping your way through Lincoln High.�
�You guys are willing to take that risk?� I asked.
They both nodded.
�What are friends for?� Tim asked.
I just got in my car and left. As much as I hated to admit it, they might have a kernel of a plan, even if it was the product of their own enlightened self-interest. I could let them be the bad guys and get the girls of Lincoln High off my back. Then again, they were dumbasses.
◊◊◊
As I was driving home, Caryn sent me a text saying that she�d hired Kendal and Megan Crowley, aka �Mouse.� That was the image that immediately came to mind when I�d first met her. She was timid and shy. She was the one at Tom�s office who�d gotten me the financial records I needed for the farm loan Uncle John had me get in the fall. Caryn planned to have her do several administrative jobs, including bookkeeping and handling the technical stuff.
Kendal�s focus would be on me. I was sure Caryn took great joy in handing her the recruiting phone. Kendal also had her law degree. She would take over the review of contracts for both my mom�s business and me. I expected that Kendal�s role would evolve as the operation expanded. And once I turned 18, she would no longer need to babysit me at photo shoots and the like.
◊◊◊ Saturday January 23
Today we were taking the SAT. Ms. Jaroslav, the school�s guidance counselor, had arranged for us to take the test. If we needed to retake it, the next date was in March.
I usually used the calculator on my phone when I needed one, but that wasn�t allowed. My mom had to dig a calculator out of a box of her old stuff, and I had to hurry to the drugstore to get a battery for it. I was ready to go with my sharpened number 2 pencils. The proctor came around, pointed at our smartwatches, and made us take them off and put them in our book bags. I guess they were smarter than our high school teachers were.
I looked around the room and saw that almost everyone in my junior class was there. Most everyone at our high school would go to college. They�d brought desks in to the field house. Many students from Washington joined us. We swapped with them as a testing location. If I needed to retake it in March, I would have to travel to Washington to take it. The lead proctor made an announcement.
�If you haven�t signed in, do so now. Let me give you the ground rules so we don�t have any surprises. Turn off all electronic devices. I had better not hear a phone go off during the exams. You aren�t allowed to use your phones or any electronic device that has Wi-Fi during the testing period, including breaks. So, if you have to text your significant other, do so now. You may also not have anything with a camera in it or MP3 players. If you are caught using any such device, it will be confiscated, and you�ll be asked to leave.
�If you need to use the bathroom, do so now. You can only use it during breaks. If you leave the room for any reason, your test will be collected, and it will be assumed you are finished with that portion of the test. If you leave the building, your test will be canceled, and your score will be zero. So smokers, you�ll have to wait until the test is done.
�You are only allowed to have a number 2 pencil on your desk. During the math portion of the test, you may use a calculator, but you must have your own; you may not share a calculator. Only battery-operated, handheld equipment can be used for testing. No power cords are allowed.
�We noticed some of you have smartwatches. Take them off now. If we see you have one on during the test, you�ll be asked to leave and receive a zero.
�The test will begin in ten minutes,� she announced.
I checked my book bag to make sure everything was turned off. It was fortuitous I did because I�d only taken off my smartwatch. To be safe, I powered it down.
The first portion of the test was reading. You read a passage and then answered multiple-choice questions. There were several types of questions. The first was to see if you had a command of the material. They wanted to know if you could find evidence in a passage that best supported the answer and identify how the author used that evidence to support their claims. Other questions focused on word context.
Ms. Jaroslav had warned us about absolutes in answers and said that they were most often wrong. Statements like, �John always or only does this or that� were red flags. The world was rarely absolute, and there were exceptions to most rules. She also taught us to move on if we were stuck. If at the end, we didn�t have time to answer the question, we were to fill in something. You weren�t penalized for a wrong answer, and you had a one in four or five chance of guessing right.
I took my time to read the passages and then turned to the questions. There were a few where none of the answers seemed right, so I marked them and moved on. When I finished, there was about five minutes left, so I turned back and reread the ones I was worried about. On a second reading, most of them made sense. There were only a couple I felt I guessed at, but I could eliminate a few answers to give me a better chance of getting them right.
The second test was the writing and language test. Basically, you read something that had errors in it. Your job was to find the mistakes and fix them. I had to chuckle a couple of times because the sentence was either so poorly written it was funny, or it looked okay to me. The okay-to-me ones I skipped and came back to. I found that if I read the possible mistakes in the multiple-choice answers, I could figure it out. Luckily for me, none of the choices was �it is correct as written.�
The next section was math. They were sneaky because if you made a common error, the answer you would get from the mistake was one of the choices to pick from. It was good that Ms. Jaroslav had hammered that home and told us not to just assume that if our solution matched, it was right. There were several times where I rechecked my work to find I�d almost picked the wrong one.
One technique she taught us was how to work a math question backward. That was what I loved about math. It was logical, and if you followed the rules, you would get it right. There was one problem where I was able to eliminate the other possible answers by working backward.
The final section was the essay. When I first heard this was part of the test, I had decided to skip it because it was optional. Again, Ms. Jaroslav came through for us and showed it wasn�t as scary as we thought. It was similar to the reading portion of the exam in that you were to read a passage and show that you understood it, including the ideas and important details. When you wrote your essay, they wanted you to show the evidence you found in the text.
You had to analyze how the author built his or her argument. Ms. Jaroslav encouraged us to underline the supporting passages so they would be easy to find. We would use excerpts from the text to support our claims.
Finally, you had to write it in such a way that it was in good English and read well. She taught us to outline our thoughts before we wrote. It helped keep our essays structured. Just like a story, it needed a beginning, middle, and end. Once she walked us through a few sample essays, the mystery disappeared, and this section no longer worried me.
When the proctor finally called time, I was mentally exhausted but knew I�d done well. I didn�t expect I would need to retake it.
◊◊◊
When I made it home, my mother informed that tonight was family night. Mom had made reservations at Granny�s, and we would meet Greg and his family there. Peggy and Little David were going with us. When we arrived at the restaurant, Peggy handed me her son. I took him around and introduced him to everyone. When Greg and Angie got there, he joined me with his kids. Mac wanted to see the baby, so I picked her up as I talked to everyone. I was amused to see that my dad wasn�t with us. He just looked on from his seat with a smile on his face as Greg and I worked the crowd.
On Saturday nights, Granny served a prime rib that was to die for. They put a big slab of tender goodness on your plate with Yorkshire pudding, au jus, and horseradish sauce.
I sat between Kyle and Mac, who wanted to tell me all about their day. They asked to try the prime rib, so I cut up little pieces of it to put on their plates. They were having mac and cheese.
I got a little of the horseradish sauce on a piece I gave to Kyle. The look on his face was priceless. What made it even funnier was he didn�t spit it out but ate it because his uncle had given it to him. Angie gave me a dirty look but didn�t say anything. On the next piece, he looked it all over to make sure none of the white stuff was on it.
They then wanted some Yorkshire pudding. I think they ended up eating more of my dinner than they had of the mac and cheese. But that was okay because Granny always gave me more than even I could eat.
After dinner, we returned home to play cards. Granny had handed me a bag as I walked out. It was unbaked cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning. I was happy to see Greg got a similar bag. I wouldn�t have to worry about him stealing mine.
Dad decided it was time he taught us to play poker.
�Texas Hold�em is the game most people are playing now. You�ll find that when you get older, a lot of business is done either on a golf course or playing cards,� he explained.
I didn�t last long. I had an ace-high flush and ran into my mom with four sixes. Mom ended up cleaning everyone out. When I was out of chips, Mom offered to give me some back to continue to play, but there was some mention of odd jobs tied to it. I decided to play with the kids and Peggy instead.
◊◊◊
After Greg and his family left, Duke and I went to my apartment over the garage. There was a knock at the back door, and it opened. When Peggy and Little David appeared at the top of the stairs, I smiled.
�I was wondering, could we do a sleepover?� Peggy asked.
I just nodded. There was a crib in my living room next to Duke�s crate. If Little David was in the room, Duke wanted to be next to him, so it was easier to put the crib where Duke could keep an eye on him. It was no longer necessary to close the door on Duke�s crate at night. He tended to stay in there unless something was wrong, like a thunderstorm. Peggy said he came and got her if Little David woke up, so she�d left it open while I was in LA.
Peggy was as beautiful as I remembered with two exceptions: her breasts were larger, and she had a couple stretch marks on her tummy. I had a twinge of disappointment that Mitch had talked her out of her panties and gotten her pregnant. But then I figured she came to me when she needed an intimate touch, so there was that.
To my knowledge, Mitch hadn�t even bothered to visit his son. I simply couldn�t understand how he could do that. Mitch�s parents visited regularly and even babysat on occasion. They also helped Peggy out financially. Between my charity paying her tuition and books, Mitch�s parents� contributions, and the money I paid her as a nanny, she was doing okay. Yes, I realize she didn�t have any real nanny duties, but I told her she needed to practice on Duke. He, of course, was very social, and when I was gone, and my parents were off working, he liked that Peggy and Little David were there to keep him company.
�Can I be on top?� Peggy asked.
I sighed and sadly nodded. The life of a human sex toy � I guess I could handle that.
She put a condom on me and plenty of lube, then just straddled me and dropped down. I laid back and enjoyed the motion of her breasts as she began to use me. A big smile appeared on my face when she got her cookie.
�That was only like four minutes,� I said.
�You�re just that good,� she teased.
�We�re not done,� I warned her.
She must have been horny because she got off two more times before I did. I disposed of the condom, and she folded herself into my arms. I felt a little disappointment over what could�ve been, but decided that whatever we had now was enough. Her life with a new baby and school didn�t need me to complicate it. Her head was on my chest, and I detected the faint scent of the strawberry shampoo she�d used. I only had happy thoughts as we drifted off to sleep.
◊◊◊ Sunday January 24
I woke up to find myself alone. Even Duke had abandoned me. I needed to run, so I geared up for the weather. Once suitably attired, I grabbed my Bo staff and started my run. There was just a dusting of fresh snow on everything, which made it look new and bright. I felt good and began to increase my pace. When I finished, I showered and went to the house for breakfast.
Peggy had made the cinnamon rolls and was now working on coffee and hot water for my tea. After we finished with breakfast, Mom took me to church, and then I found myself at the Pearson farm for lunch. Mrs. Pearson was in rare form as she served a feast of fried chicken.
�I was down at the Walmart, looking for my Buty Pants.�
�Hang on, Buty Pants?� I asked.
She stood up and pointed at her butt.
�Because sometimes you need a Buty, or so the package says,� Mrs. Pearson said.
�Mo-om,� Roc complained.
�Anyway,� she continued, �I turned my head to look down an aisle, and suddenly, I hit something. My first thought was, �Oh, crud, I�m going to be out tens of dollars.� I was startled when I looked down and saw a midget lying on the floor.�
I glanced around the table to see if this really happened or if she was putting me on. Roc and Zoe�s expressions told me it had happened.
�I�m not up on all the lingo nowadays. Is �midget� politically correct?� Mrs. Pearson asked.
�I believe they want to be called �little people,�� I shared.
�Okay, there was a �little people� lying on the floor,� she said.
�I think the singular is �little person,�� Mr. Pearson offered.
�This �little person� is lying there. I apologize and ask him if he�s okay. He tells me, �Well, I�m not happy!��
�Well, then which one was he?� I asked with a straight face.
�What are you talking about?� Roc asked.
�If he wasn�t Happy, was he Doc, Grumpy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, or Dopey?�
Zoe rolled her eyes at me for encouraging her mom.
�I�ll have to write that down so I can tell it at church,� Mrs. Pearson said.
�Now see what you did,� Mr. Pearson grumped.
Maybe
◊◊◊
After lunch, I helped Zoe with the horses, and we made out some, but it was too cold to expose any body parts. While we were doing that, my mom sent me a text to meet her at the strip mall. Zoe had some reading to do, so we said our goodbyes.
The mall was on the state road that ran through town. It was a two-story structure with a restaurant at one end and a quickie mart at the other. There were four units downstairs and four upstairs in between the quickie mart and restaurant. The only one of the four currently rented was a barbershop. I was happy to see Caryn, Kendal, and Megan talking to my mom. When Mom saw me, she switched into sales mode.
�What I envision is Dawson Realty next door to the restaurant. We could put a big-screen TV in the window to advertise our listings,� she said as she led us into the restaurant.
It had seen better days, and there was only one customer in the place. It did have a full kitchen, and there was an upstairs which was currently used for storage. Mom thought that would make a good banquet room, or could be used as overflow seating if the restaurant got busy.
She then showed me the space she wanted for the real estate office.
�Why isn�t this place rented out?� I asked.
�It�s easier to just show him,� Caryn said.
We climbed the stairs to the office over the unit my mom wanted to use and opened the door. It smelled terrible, and black mold showed along the ceiling and down the back wall.
�The roof has leaked. When the mold started, the county shut down this part of the mall. The owner can�t afford to make the repairs. He can�t get a loan, because he can�t show a decent rental history. He�s in a serious catch-22, and is now at the point where he needs to get out,� Mom explained.
I looked at Caryn.
�What all needs to be done?� I asked.
She pulled out a folder which listed everything with estimates. It was a gut job. The building had been built in the mid-�70s. It had to be rewired to meet the current code and to be able to get the place insured. New roof, mold remediation, insulation, pest control, flooring, paint, and the list seemed endless. The good news was that with us redoing everything, we could offer potential renters an empty shell with the understanding we would configure it to their needs.
Caryn showed me what price we had to buy it at to make it work, in her estimation.
�How quickly could you close this?� I asked Mom.
�By Friday, if there�s clear title.�
�Offer them half and a cash deal to close Friday,� I said.
Mom looked at Caryn and smiled.
�I�ll see if I can make it happen. The owner might counter,� Mom warned.
�Is anyone else even talking to him?� I asked.
�No,� Mom admitted.
�I liked the Victorian on Main Street,� I teased.
Mom and Caryn left to write up the offer. Kendal came up and gave me a hug.
�Thank you for hiring us. Things were looking bad at the law firm,� Kendal admitted.
�Thank Caryn. She hired you.�
�Can I talk to you privately for a moment?� Megan asked.
�Sure, why don�t we get in my car and turn the heat on?� I suggested.
Megan was a tiny girl with big brown eyes and glasses, and her nickname of �Mouse� fit her perfectly. She suddenly became nervous, which made me a little worried something was seriously wrong.
�People tend to ignore me,� she started in a quiet voice. �It�s been that way all my life. Kendal was one of the few people who treated me well at the law firm. She would at least talk to me during breaks.�
�I agree, Kendal�s a nice person. I think you�ll find that Caryn is too.�
�Yes, she will be,� she said with a smile.
Megan seemed to change when she smiled. I wanted to see more of the happy girl than the timid one.
�I�m afraid you�ll be mad at me,� she said.
�Why would I be mad?� I asked.
She seemed to think about it and then sighed.
�I have to tell someone about Brandon,� she said, which made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
�Brandon Rigby?�
�Yes. He and one of the younger lawyers would talk in the break room. They went to school together. I found out Brandon didn�t leave school voluntarily. They gave him a choice to leave quietly or to face what he did. He decided to take off to Europe,� she almost whispered.
�How would you know that?� I asked, perplexed.
That�s not something anyone would bring up about himself in a break room. Megan looked a bit defensive.
�Something else Brandon said led me to do some research. That�s one of the things I did for them, you know. It�s something I can do for you, too.�
I just filed the last comment away for future reference. We�d hired Megan to take care of our technology and bookkeeping. It sounded like she had more skills that might come in handy.
�What did he do to get kicked out of school?� I asked.
�Brandon and his fraternity brothers used date-rape drugs on some girls, one of whom was the daughter of a pretty powerful federal judge. And there was another who was engaged to be married into a prominent family,� she said in a rush.
I felt my stomach tighten, and my mind went into overdrive as I jumped to a conclusion that made me freeze. My brain began to overload as my thoughts raced in circles of could he � did he � why would he � he�d never �
I felt Megan touch my arm.
�Are you okay?� she asked.
Was I okay? No! My mouth was parched like I was hungover, and my head began to pound.
�Tell me,� I croaked out.
�Brandon did it to your friends. I heard him bragging to one of his friends at the firm. He talked about sleeping with your girlfriend while she was completely out of it and pinning it on your other friend. David, he�s evil,� Megan said.
I suddenly felt my mouth fill with saliva, a sure sign my stomach was about to rebel. I opened the car door and leaned out just in time to throw up. Mom saw me and started to come over, but I gave her a tight headshake and held up my hand. Leaning back into the car, I turned to Megan, who looked frightened.
�I�m sorry, but he raped my best friend. I need to know why.�
�Brandon said you needed to be unmasked as the fraud you are. He said no one could be as good as you were; that he stuck it to you. They both thought it was funny that the hometown hero couldn�t figure out he�d slept with your girl. They were joking about how he could so easily destroy your friendship with your other best friend.�
Unmasked? What Brandon didn�t know was that I just might kill him for this. I felt an inner fury I didn�t even know existed. Unmasked? We would see who would be unmasked.
My expression must have been deadly. Megan looked at me and shrank back against the door.
I caught myself and tried to calm down. I spoke softly to her, even though it took everything I had to control my rage.
�Please don�t tell anyone you told me. If you ever need anything, I�m in your debt. I�m sure it was hard for you, and I appreciate you having the courage to share that.�
�Don�t do anything stupid. Brandon�s not worth it,� Megan said.
That was precisely what I wanted to do, but she was right. I needed to be careful, or I�d be doing time.
�Do me a favor. Send me everything you found out about him.�
�What do you plan to do?� she asked.
�Not sure yet, but I agree, I can�t go off half-cocked. I�ll have to be smart about whatever I do.�
She nodded and then gave me a tight-lipped smile, which confused me because this was no laughing matter.
�I was scared to tell you. Thank you for not shooting the messenger.�
I just nodded, and she got out of the car. My mom came and sat in the front seat.
�Are you okay? Are you getting sick?� she asked and felt my forehead.
�No, I�m fine. Megan just told me something that upset me. Can you do me a huge favor and not force me to tell you right now? I want to think about what she said,� I begged.
�My first instinct is to make you tell me. I can tell it�s something bad. All I ask is that before you do something, you come and talk to me.�
I was relieved when she said that, so I just nodded and changed the subject.
�Do you think we�ll get it for what I�m asking?�
�Maybe once or twice a year I find a deal like this where I have a buyer ready to pull the trigger and a seller impatient to get out. I believe you have a chance of him accepting. His realtor sounded desperate when I talked to him. I think the owner�s about to go bankrupt.�
�I trust you and Caryn to do the right thing. If you need to negotiate, do what you have to,� I said.
�Don�t trust me too much!� Mom teased.
�Thanks,� I said. �I�m going to take a drive and think. I�ll get something to eat, so don�t expect me for dinner.�
�You sure you don�t want to talk?� she asked.
�Not now, Mom. You know I will when I�m ready.�
�All right, but remember your dad and I are here for you.�
I just nodded again as my mom gave me one of her soul-searching looks. She started to say something, but decided against it and got out of the car.
�I love you,� she said as she closed the door.
That was what I was counting on.
◊◊◊
Chapter 3 � Liars Monday January 25
Last night had been an emotional roller coaster. The Alpha Male in me wanted to simply find Brandon and end his miserable life, and it had been a close call whether I would. I finally had to force myself to come home because the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to beat the living snot out of him.
What finally stopped me was the thought of what would happen if I were caught. The fallout could lose me my upcoming movies, and I�d already started spending my signing bonus from the next two
Something else that kept me from moving forward with my plan was that both Brandon�s uncle and, if memory served, his dad, were well connected. His uncle was already unhappy with me. I imagined they might make my life difficult in more ways than I was willing to deal with. I�d just gone through a mess for something I hadn�t done and had no need to do it again for something I really did do.
When I arrived home and checked my email, I found that Megan had sent me all her research. The fraternity in question was suspected of inappropriate behavior with their female guests. There had been three complaints lodged by girls over the preceding two years. But there was never any physical evidence, so it became a �he said/she said� thing. Many of the men in the fraternity were well connected, just like Brandon was.
Megan hinted that there might be more to this, since there may have been women who weren�t willing to come forward. That got me thinking: how could Tami accuse him after the fact? Yes, Megan could testify about what she heard, but there was no physical evidence of a crime. I would need to talk to Ms. Dixon to see what our legal remedies might be.
Then my thoughts had turned inward to my role in the whole mess. I�d hired Brandon to be my PA and help with recruiting. Yes, Rigby, Thompson and Associates had sent him to me, but I�d not had a background check done on him. I realized my accusations of Teddy Wesleyan had come back to bite me in the butt. I�d chastised him for thinking everyone was out to get his money; meanwhile, I�d been too trusting. While Brandon wasn�t after my money, he was after me. Some people couldn�t stand my success. I hated that I needed to be on guard for possibilities like this, but I planned to have Caryn check on all our employees, including Kendal and Megan.
It also made sense to investigate the people our charities were giving money to. The headlines almost wrote themselves: �
The realization that I hadn�t done my due diligence, and that Tami really didn�t have a way to punish Brandon, made me take an emotional dive. I was instrumental in my best friend being raped. Add to it that he said the reason he did it was to take me down and �unmask� me.
I thought about my behavior afterward. If I�d known, I would�ve done anything I could for Tami. Instead, I pushed her away and used it to help get over the hurt of her final rejection of me during the summer. The sad part was I realized it had worked: even now, despite knowing she�d been violated, I had no desire to be more than friends with her. It was a measure of self-preservation; I couldn�t risk her being anything more than a friend.
I was finally honest with myself: Tami and I would never have our
Almost as sad as Tami and I was how this had hurt Alan. I felt nearly as bad for how I�d treated him as I had Tami. Jeff, Alan, and I had been friends for as long as I could remember. If you�d told me a year ago that Jeff would be dead and I would hardly be speaking to Alan right now, I would have laughed in your face. Nothing could have caused me to be without my two best male friends.
Sometime around three a.m., I had finally fallen asleep. It was hard to get up and run, but I needed to. The cold air felt good as I dropped into my thinking zone. I set a steady pace and let my mind clear.
I wanted to push all the emotion aside and decide on my course of action. No way was I ready yet to tell Tami or Alan about what happened. I also knew this was bigger than just Brandon, Tami, Alan, and me. If Brandon represented the type of man that fraternity was turning out, then something had to be done about them. I had a bad feeling that Brandon would have skated on his last charge of sexual misconduct if the two women involved had been just regular college students. As much as I wanted to get personal revenge, I wanted to make sure the others involved were punished.
That was when I realized I was glad I hadn�t told my mom. If she found out Brandon had raped Tami, there would�ve been no stopping her. Mom would have reacted like a mama bear protecting one of her cubs. After she killed him, I would be paying for lawyers and putting up bail money this morning. That meant I couldn�t talk to anyone in the family about this, and it also ruled out Kendal and Caryn. Kendal had ratted me out before when she thought it was for my own good, and I didn�t yet have a track record with Caryn. Technically, she worked for my dad, which had always been Kendal�s excuse. My uncle had made it clear where his loyalties were, and I didn�t want to get my grandmother involved in something like this.
Frankly, I needed a third party who didn�t have a dog in this fight to help me figure out what to do.
◊◊◊
As I pounded down the sidewalk towards my house, I dropped out of the zone when there was a woman with two girls and a boy standing by the driveway. When they saw me, they blocked my path down the sidewalk.
I told Duke to sit and stay. I was glad I had my Bo staff with me because something didn�t feel right.
�Hi. Our car is low on gas, and I need to get my kids to school. I was wondering if you could spare some money.�
Yep, I was being scammed. I might have fallen for it if the youngest girl hadn�t giggled. The other two were busy looking somewhere between scared and miserable.
�Mommy, I�m hungry,� the boy complained.
�We�ll figure something out, baby,� their mom said just a little too dramatically.
I was sure it was to reinforce their dire need and to get me to be the white knight I usually was.
�I don�t have any money on me, but if you wait, I�ll go get some,� I said.
The woman�s face showed her relief. I collected Duke, and the two of us entered the house. Mom and Dad were at the kitchen table with Peggy and Little David.
�There�s a woman out front who says she needs money for gas to get her kids to school and that her kids are hungry.�
�Why didn�t you let them in? It�s cold out,� Peggy said.
�Don�t ever let anyone you don�t know in,� Dad said.
�Why not?� Peggy asked.
�We have no idea who they are,� I said. �It�s for all our safety.�
Dad pulled his phone out and called the police. If the woman really were in need, they would make sure she got help. I left to take my shower and get ready for school. When I came back out, Billy had put the mom in the back of his car, and the three kids were sitting up against the fence.
�Hey, Billy, what�s going on?� I asked.
�The mother has an outstanding warrant.�
�What about the little ones?� I asked.
They all glared at me. This was more than I wanted to deal with this morning.
�Child Services. I�m waiting for them before I take the mom in,� he said.
�Are you guys really hungry?� I asked.
The two littlest ones nodded yes, and the oldest girl gave me a look that said she was.
�Is an egg sandwich okay?� I asked.
�I could use one,� Billy said.
Shaking my head, I stepped inside. Mom and Peggy made everyone sandwiches and took them out while I ate breakfast and entertained Little David. I wasn�t terribly surprised when all three kids came back inside with them. Billy let Mom take responsibility for the kids until Child Services arrived.
I had to get to school, so I would have to get the story upon my return home.
◊◊◊
The whole day was kind of a blur. All I could think about was what had happened to Tami and all the surrounding drama. I was so out of it that when I was hip-checked, I actually bounced into the lockers.
�Hey,� I complained.
�Earth to David. What�s been on your mind all day?� Tracy asked.
I guess I hadn�t very well hidden that something was bothering me.
�I�ve had some stuff on my mind is all,� I evaded.
�Like?� she asked.
�How big will Pam�s butt really get?� I asked.
�Oh, really? You want to stick with that?� I heard Pam ask behind me, and then the familiar sound of a Taser snapping.
�You make it sound like a bad thing. Kim Kardashian became famous for her butt. Plus, there�s more of you to love.�
�Nice save,� Tracy whispered.
�Put your toy away and come here,� I said to Pam.
I think she carried her life in that bag, it was so big. How she could reach in and find anything was beyond me, but somehow, she did it with practiced ease. Pam then came to me, and I wrapped her in my arms.
�How�s my baby momma today?� I asked.
�Good, but answer Tracy�s question. We�ve all watched you today, and something�s off,� she said.
I�d promised myself I would never lie to Pam, but that didn�t mean I would tell her the whole truth.
�I heard some bad news about a friend,� I said.
�Is there anything we can do to help?� Tracy asked.
I thought about it for a moment. I might need Tracy there to help comfort Tami when I told her. She knew what it was like to be forced to have sex with someone against her will.
�Maybe later. Right now, I just need to figure out some stuff,� I said with a sigh. �I promise if I need your help, I�ll ask.�
�Is it okay if I come over tonight?� Pam asked.
�You�re always welcome. I have my workout with Cassidy at the dojo tonight. If you want, why don�t you invite your mom and come to dinner? You won�t believe how much Little David has grown. He�s starting to smile when he recognizes someone.�
Little David was three months old and starting to show his personality. He smiled at anyone who made eye contact with him, but he did recognize Peggy and my mom, who spent the most time with him. He also seemed to like Duke.
�Are you sure about dinner?� Pam asked.
I sent a text to my mom, and she sent one back saying we were having stew and there would be plenty. When I showed Mom�s response to Pam, she nodded.
I left my two friends to join everyone for
◊◊◊
At the dojo, I realized who I could talk to. Of course, it was when Cassidy was working with me with the Bo staff, so she cracked me on the head when I was distracted. Damn, that hurt. Shiggy looked over, saw it was me, and returned to teaching his class. What the heck?!
�Pay attention,� Cassidy admonished.
�Bite me, Princess,� I said, patting my butt.
Wow, that got a reaction. I grinned while fending off her furious attack. The only facet of my training I was better at than Cassidy was the Bo staff. I was able to keep up with Cassidy�s quickness because I worked out with a heavier one. My hand, wrist, and forearm strength had improved since I�d begun using it. Those exercises also contributed to my improvement at hitting a baseball.
Shiggy shook his head and slowly walked toward us. I expect he assumed one of us would be whacked soon, but I wasn�t on the offensive; I wanted to see what Cassidy had. Cassidy always had one goal in mind, which was to take down her opponent. It frustrated her that I played defense.
�Get aggressive,� Shiggy barked.
Instantly, I attacked. Cassidy had no choice but to give ground. When she stepped out of the ring, Shiggy called it. We positioned ourselves in the center again, and Shiggy started us. This time I let Cassidy attack. When my little ninja saw me begin to give ground, she gave me a look that said she knew she had me. Cassidy�s dad barked out a laugh when she got too close and I leg-swept her. Shiggy called it.
�I think that�s enough for today. Much improved, David. Would you assist me?� Shiggy asked.
�Sure, just give me a minute, and I�ll be over,� I said.
I stepped over to Fritz.
�Could I talk to you for a second?� I asked.
�Sure,� he said, and we walked away from everyone.
�I need some advice. Could we maybe meet tomorrow night?� I asked.
�No problem. Why don�t you come to Rita�s for dinner and we can talk afterward?�
I let Shiggy use me as a crash test dummy for his beginners class. They were getting better. For some reason, they enjoyed tossing me. I admit I had fun.
◊◊◊
After my shower, I walked into the kitchen and found Little David being cranky. Peggy looked worn out.
�Here,� she said and handed him to me.
�Hey, little man. What ya fussing about?� I asked in a soothing voice.
Our eyes locked, and he seemed to relax as I gently bounced him up and down. He was soon sound asleep.
Pam and Lacy looked at me in awe. They�d just discovered my superpower: I was the baby whisperer.
�We don�t understand why it works, but if you have a fussy baby, hand them to David,� Mom said.
�We tried everything,� Peggy complained.
�It�s like everything else: it works better if a man�s involved,� I explained.
I shushed them so they wouldn�t wake Little David with any rude remarks. We had a crib on the first floor, so I took him and Duke to where it was to lay Little David down.
�Tell us if he wakes up,� I told Duke, and he seemed to understand as he lay down next to the crib.
I wondered what he would do when my baby arrived. Duke would be busy keeping track of everything.
I came back into the kitchen, and Peggy needed a hug.
�Rough day?� I asked.
�He just wouldn�t stop fussing. I felt bad when I had to go to class and left him with your mom. I hope he does better tomorrow.�
�Why don�t you eat something and go take a nap? I�ll watch him for you.�
I started working on dinner and made a salad to go with the meal. Mom had made a tomato-based stew in the slow cooker. Dad was in charge of making drop biscuits while everyone talked. It felt good to be home and have a house full of friends and family. It reminded me of when Greg, Dad, and I would cook together and discuss our day.
◊◊◊
After dinner, Pam, Peggy, and I climbed the stairs up to my apartment. I put Little David in his crib, and Peggy went to my bedroom to take her nap. The little guy must have been exhausted because he didn�t even stir when I carried him upstairs.
While I did that, Pam turned my coffee table into a dining table so we could do our homework. I needed to catch up; it wasn�t often that I would be behind in my reading. I had KIIS-FM streaming as background noise. That was something I�d brought back with me from LA.
After almost two hours, Duke came to me and nudged me.
�You need to go out?� I asked.
He trotted over to the crib.
�Looks like Little David�s up,� Pam said. �I�ll check him.�
Her nose wrinkled when she got close.
�You might as well get in some practice,� I suggested.
�I�ve never done this.�
�Don�t worry, I�ll help you,� I said, and we put him on a blanket on the kitchen counter.
I�d learned the hard way with Kyle that taking a diaper off didn�t mean they were done. You only have to get pee in your face once to figure out it�s good to have something handy to block it if needed. I�d perfected the blanket flip. Pam handled it better than I did my first time. I felt like I might throw up on Kyle when I changed my first poopy diaper.
I heated some formula and let Pam feed him. She was a natural and even figured out how to burp him. He was content on her lap, so she held him.
�What�s going on with you? I could tell you didn�t want to talk in front of Tracy,� Pam said.
I thought for a moment. In the end, if Pam and I were to be connected for the rest of our lives, I would have to accept her as family and everything that entailed. And she�d been there when Mike sexually assaulted Mona.
�On one of my recruiting trips, someone used a date-rape drug on Tami and took advantage of her.�
�That�s awful. I hope you plan to track him down.�
�That may be the easy part. I accused Tami of some things that obviously weren�t true, and I don�t know how to tell her.�
�Be prepared for her to be mad at you, but the two of you have been friends for a long time. She�ll eventually come around,� Pam advised.
�I�ve been sick about it since I found out Sunday. I keep playing the �what if
�Something Dr. Hebert told me might help. Bad things happen. You might even be totally responsible for what happened. The key is to figure out what you�re going to do about it. I believe her direct quote was, �Shit happens. Are you going to let that control your life, or are you going to move on?��
�So, I need to stop beating myself up and take control of the situation,� I said, and then smiled. �Tami once told me about the difference between �doers� and �wanters.� I think Dr. Hebert was saying the same thing, but in a different way.�
�She told me it�s natural for your mind to need to go through the process of understanding what caused it. But at some point, you have to switch to become proactive in your future,� Pam said. �You can�t stay in grief mode forever. It�s like what my dad did to us. We were both angry and had to deal with all the feelings that accompany that. But at some point, we had to move on. I mean, it�s okay for me to still miss my dad, but I can�t let all the emotions surrounding that control my day-to-day life.�
�That must mean I�m mentally healthy because I still get mad when I think of him hitting you and using our baby as a tool for his vengeance. I�m glad you and I moved on.�
�That�s what you have to remember with Tami. I�ve talked to Tracy about her past and some of the horrible stuff that happened to her. She told me you were one of the keys to her recovery. She did some very hurtful things to you. My guess is Tami might react badly. You just need to remember how far you and Tracy have come as friends,� Pam said.
�Thanks for the advice. I�m glad you�re there for me,� I said.
�We�re here for each other. I don�t think I ever said it, but when you said you wanted custody of our baby, I was relieved. Your parents stepping up like they did was a huge relief. When my dad found out I was pregnant, I could only imagine two possible outcomes: he would either make me raise our baby all by myself, or it would be taken away from me.
�I think I knew deep down that you�d fight for our baby. I look at Peggy and what she was facing. And then I think about how you and your family stepped up, first financially and later with more substantial support when it became clear her home life wasn�t stable. If you�d do that for her, I knew you�d be there for me.
�It�s scary for me to think about being a mom at such a young age. What I wanted to say is while I am scared, having you and your family�s support means the world to me,� Pam said.
�You do know that I like you,� I teased.
She gave me a sly grin. Peggy came out of the bedroom.
�I overheard what you two said. David, I agree, you and your family are amazing.�
�Well, I like you too.�
Peggy looked at Pam.
�Trust me, that�s a good thing. I usually get him to either do stuff or give me things once he admits that,� Pam said.
�I wonder what we could get him to do for us?� Peggy asked.
Duke picked that moment to tell me he needed to go outside. Unfortunately, that broke the mood. When Duke and I returned, Peggy had Little David and was walking Pam out of my apartment. Mr. Happy was very confused.
◊◊◊ Tuesday January 26
At lunch, I received a text and pumped my fist in the air.
�Why are you so happy?� Wolf asked.
�We�re number one,� I said.
�Well, duh. Until someone else wins State, we are,� Tim said.
�No, my movie�s number one.
�Is that a big deal?� Gina asked.
�It�s huge. A big studio picture doesn�t guarantee success at the box office. They spent something like a hundred million to make the film. I mean, big movies sometimes lose money. For example,
�What my agent said was that we needed to hit around $400 million in global sales to make money. It looks like we�ll do better than that,� I said.
�So that makes you a big deal?� Tracy asked.
�I thought I already was,� I teased and looked at my groin.
Gina pulled out a cloth tape measure and started to wrap it around my head.
�Checking to see if I have a swelled head?� I asked, both perplexed and amused.
�Exactly!� she said with a smirk. �I think we better measure all the guys to make sure you�re not rubbing off.�
She started doing just that, calling out measurements to Cassidy, who dutifully wrote them down.
Yuri looked excited.
�I have another head you can measure if you want,� he said while batting his eyes.
All it earned him was a disinterested look from Gina and a poke in the ribs from Jan.
I ignored the remaining comments about my swelled head and the disparaging remarks about my manhood.
�It�s important for an actor to be associated with a financial success. It�s especially good if it�s your first movie,� I said.
�So, how rich are you?� Phil asked.
I just shook my head. My half brother was an idiot, sometimes.
�The Internet says he�s worth five million,� Wolf said, checking his phone.
I flipped them all off. It was good that they were all my friends. I was sure they would tease me about my money, but it would be just that, teasing � or so I hoped.
◊◊◊
After school, I came upon Lily, looking upset.
�
�Oh, hey, David.�
�What�s up? Is something wrong?� I asked.
�I know you have your thing with Cassidy. It�s no big deal.�
�Hang on. Let me go tell Cassidy that I�m bailing, and I�ll take you home,� I said.
Cassidy just gave me a look but nodded when I told her I needed to talk to Lily. Lily didn�t seem too excited about me giving her a ride. On the way to her house, she just looked out the passenger window. When we arrived at her home, she jumped out, but I followed her.
�David, it�s nothing, really,� she almost pleaded.
�Come on, Lily, give me a break here. You realize I have to be the knight in shining armor and solve all your problems.�
She tried not to, but I got a little smile and then the patented sigh.
�You�re not going to leave me alone, are you?� Lily asked.
�Nope, so you might as well just tell me what�s going on.�
She let me into her home. It was a small ranch that was a little dated but seemed well taken care of. Lily led me to the kitchen and poured us each a glass of iced tea. I sat down and waited her out. She fussed around, straightening the kitchen, and finally joined me at the table.
�Did you know I don�t have a mom?� Lily asked.
It embarrassed me that I didn�t. After I�d saved her life, she had approached me with more than a little hero worship. At first, I tried to push her away, because she�d run with the same crowd I had in middle school that had gotten me in trouble. At the time, I wanted to put all that behind me, and �all that� included Lily.
Fortunately, she hadn�t been deterred by my aloofness. Her need to pay me back for what I�d done for her had her help me with my websites and social media. Lily had quietly done yeoman work for no pay and little recognition. I�d finally figured out that she was serious about being my friend. I�d also pulled my head out of my butt and started paying her and even worked it out so Frank would hire her. He and Kendal had only good things to say about Lily.
For as much as she�d done for me, I couldn�t believe I didn�t know her family situation.
�I didn�t know that,� I admitted.
�I used to tell people she died, but the truth is she just left us; five years ago today, as a matter of fact.�
�Lily, I�m so sorry. What happened?� I asked.
�They were all liars,� she hissed and began to breathe hard.
I became worried.
�Who were?� I asked gently.
�Everyone. My parents, my brother, my relatives � all of them. Sharon was the one who finally told me.�
She was talking about Sharon Riley. Sharon had been at the party when Lily had stopped breathing, and Sharon was part of the old crowd I no longer hung out with.
�What happened?� I asked.
�I was twelve at the time, and Sharon was my best friend. We�d gone to her house after school like always. Both my parents worked and had made arrangements with the Rileys to let me go home with Sharon until my mom got off work and picked me up. That was fine with Sharon and me because it gave us more time to be together.
�But that day was different. The time for my mother to come to get me came and went. Mrs. Riley called and couldn�t get ahold of anyone, so I stayed for dinner. It was almost ten o�clock before my dad came and got me. He was upset, but he wouldn�t tell me what was wrong.�
Lily looked off into space, lost in her own thoughts. I waited, but it didn�t seem she was going to finish her story, so I�d finally decided to ask when she began again. Lily�s voice was barely above a whisper, and she talked in a weird monotone.
�When I got home, and my brother and my aunt were waiting for me, I realized something had happened to my mom. My dad just left me, stepped into his office, and shut the door. My aunt sat me down and told me that my mom and dad were having some problems, and Mom had decided to go away for a while.�
Lily�s eyes locked with mine, and I read the sadness there. More than anything, I wanted to reach out, pull her into a hug, and do whatever it took to make that look go away.
�I picked up the phone and called my mom�s cell number. I needed to hear it from her. Of course, she didn�t answer, so I left a message. Ben told me everything would be okay, that Mom and Dad just needed to work some things out, and she would be home soon.
�I fell into bed but just stared at the ceiling. The next day, I refused to go to Sharon�s house because I wanted to be home when Mom came back. We had a little hill at the entrance to our subdivision, and I waited there for her. Each night my dad would drive home and find me sitting there, waiting.
�I would go with him and ask him a million questions, but all he would tell me was that she�d be home soon. It made no sense to me that I couldn�t talk to Mom on the phone. I must have left what seemed like a hundred voicemails until it became full. Then, two weeks later, her cell number no longer worked.
�Sharon finally had had enough and made me come over to her house for the weekend. She said I needed to get my mind off my mom leaving and have a little fun. Her parents let us watch HBO until all hours of the night; I fell asleep in their family room with Sharon. She had her arms wrapped around me, and I felt safe and at last got a good night�s sleep. I think they were all relieved that I seemed to be my old self,� she said.
She looked at me a crazed expression.
�I fooled them. This time I was the liar. I stepped out onto their front porch, and when the door closed, I began to scream. I threw a tantrum, stomping my feet and shaking my fist at the sky. And I screamed and screamed and screamed. I couldn�t stop.
�I�d gone out front because my dad was there to pick me up. He ran from the car and tried to wrap me in his arms, but I struggled and kept screaming. No one would tell me where my mom was. Mr. Riley came out and wrapped both my dad and me into a hug to try to hold me.
�Someone called 911, and soon the paramedics were there. I heard one of them tell my dad and Mr. Riley to hold me still. The last thing I remember was looking up as they placed me on the gurney, and then whatever they had stuck me with finally worked and everything went dark.
�I woke up in the hospital and found they�d restrained me. My dad looked like a different person. He was broken, and his face was tear-stained. I called to my dad, but my throat felt like I�d swallowed ground glass. I must have made a croaking sound because he looked up. He told me everything was going to be better. It was just another lie.
�They made me stay in the hospital for three days. The hospital assigned me a counselor who would make home visits, but she just made it worse. When she told my dad she thought I needed to be put on drugs, he ended my sessions.
�It was Sharon who finally told me what happened. My mom had taken off with a man she worked with. Mom had told me how much she loved me the morning she left. They all lied to me.
�I guess it isn�t hard to figure out how I got into drinking and doing drugs. I was confused and hurt, and no one would tell me the truth. To this day, I have no idea where my mom is.�
�Do you want to know?� I asked.
�No. If Mom cared for me, she would�ve contacted me by now. The day you saved me was a turning point. I decided that if I continued, I might not be as lucky the next time. Then you finally came home from the summer, and you and your friends accepted me. You don�t know how much that meant to me,� she said, and then got up and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
And then she smiled.
�I let myself be sad one day a year now. It reminds me I�m lucky to have friends who are honest with me and care about me.�
�I didn�t know you had a brother.�
�Ben is six years older and is finishing up his master�s in engineering at the University of Michigan. He already has a job offer from an auto-parts manufacturer. I guess I�ve seen him eight times since Mom left. I just wish I�d been old enough to leave like he did.�
�Are you going to be okay?� I asked.
�Yeah, I�ll be fine. I love you even more for taking the time to listen to me. It felt good to talk about it and not feel like I was being judged.�
�I love you, too,� I said as we hugged again.
It wasn�t just words; I realized I loved Lily like a sister. It made me feel privileged that she would share her darkest story with me.
◊◊◊
I picked up Cassidy and Brook, and we drove to the dojo to work out. Coach Hope shared some of his knowledge with us. It was interesting to see how he would present the same idea Cassidy did, and yet I would take away a different lesson. It wasn�t that Cassidy was wrong, it was just a different take on how to do something. What I found was it opened up options to attacks that I hadn�t contemplated. While Cassidy�s approach was quickness and redirecting your opponent�s attacks, Fritz�s had been about using your strength and leverage. Coach Hope seemed to blend the two. There were times to pound your opponent, and then there were times for finesse. The key was to learn when to do each.
Coach Hope took Cassidy and Brook home, and I followed Fritz to Rita�s house.
�I�m home!� I called out as I came through the front door.
�We�re in the kitchen,� Halle called.
Stepping into the kitchen, I gave them each a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
�I�m surprised to see you here,� I said to Rita.
�I go back in two days. We needed a little break before we start postproduction.�
�Did Trip stay in LA?�
�Yeah. He had some auditions.�
We spent dinnertime catching up. When we were done, Fritz took me to his rooms.
�I need some advice,� I began, and then told him what I suspected.
Fritz had several questions, and I gave him all the information Megan had come up with. It was quite a lot more than I�d expected she would have.
�What do you want to do about it?� Fritz asked.
�I would love to beat the shit out of him, but I have a bad feeling that would come back to bite me in the ass.�
�No, I�d advise against that. It sounds like what happened to your friend is only a part of what he did. Are you looking for justice or retribution?� Fritz asked.
�I�m not sure if I could get justice. Too much time has passed.�
�He could confess.�
�Would you?� I asked.
�Good point,� Fritz said, and then gave me a hard look. �How far are you willing to take this?�
�I don�t want to go to jail, but I don�t want him getting off scot-free, either.�
�Are you willing to pay some money to make it happen?� he asked.
�Yeah, I could do that.�
�In a past life, I used to work for the
�Know people?�
�People who can get things done. The only problem would be that most of what they do would probably not be admissible in your courts,� he warned.
�I wouldn�t be paying for someone to kill him, would I?�
�God, no. I don�t think you�d want that, anyway. I also don�t expect you want this to come back on you or anyone you know.�
�Could they do that?� I asked.
�They may not even want to get involved, but let me make some calls.�
I must have looked a little sick.
�Don�t worry, it�s not like you ordered a drone strike. What your friend got is a good start. Let me see if they�re willing to get to the bottom of it.�
�I�m trusting you,� I said.
�David, men like Brandon make me sick. Let me see if my friends will help and what it�ll cost. If they can�t help, we�ll find someone who can.�
I had visions of a bunch of men and women with FBI jackets showing up at my house. If it hadn�t been for Tami, I might have backed off.
�Okay, go for it.�
◊◊◊
I went up to Halle�s room, where she was at her desk, studying. I made myself at home, stretched out on her bed, and gave her my best sexy look.
�My mom might catch us,� she warned.
�She�s on a call with Jessup. Fritz said those usually last a couple of hours.�
�You had Fritz spy on us?� she asked.
�Spy is such a strong word.�
�Did you have him turn off the security cameras for my room?�
I waggled my eyebrows.
�Why are you so sexy?� Halle complained. �You talk me into the worst things.�
I stood up and started to get undressed. When I was naked, Halle took me in. She had to be horny; we hadn�t had sex in over a week.
�I�ll never get my homework done,� she huffed and then stood and took off her clothes.
�Damn, you�re sexy. C�mere. Let�s play a little game.�
�What game is that?� Halle asked.
�How many orgasms can I give you?�
�I like it when we play games.�
◊◊◊
�Halle, Bandit�s in the hall � Oh, my,� Rita said.
Bandit bounded into the room, obviously upset�the little tattletale.
�I�m not sure what I�m supposed to do in a situation like this,� Rita said.
�You might close the door,� I suggested.
She did, but she stepped into the room.
�Mom!� Halle complained.
�Oh, right,� Rita said, then walked out and closed the door again.
�You think she suspects something?� I asked.
�Gee, David, do you think I might be homeschooled after this?�
�It�s only at home that bad things happen,� I pointed out. �How many did you have?�
�Six.�
�Next time I�ll do better.�
I picked up Halle�s baby.
�You�re a bad kitty, Bandit,� I scolded.
He wasn�t afraid of me. I took a shower, got dressed, and left to find Rita.
�Sorry about that. I think Halle�s worried you�re mad at her.�
�It�s one thing to know � it�s another to
�Is there anything you want to ask me, or would you rather talk to my mom?�
�Is Halle okay?�
�She�s amazing,� I said, playing dumb.
�You�re not as funny as you think sometimes.�
�I know, but Halle sets the pace. I�ve never pushed her into anything.�
�Have your mom call me,� Rita decided.
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, I told my mom and dad that Rita wanted one of them to call her. I explained why, and my mom turned to my dad.
�Why don�t we ever play that game?�
�TMI! Too Much Information!� I complained as I put my hands over my ears and ran to my apartment.
I trusted my mom to talk Rita through her first encounter at finding a Dawson in bed with her daughter. Mom had done it enough with Greg. I swear he wasn�t very bright. Then again, I had an apartment, and he never did.
◊◊◊ Thursday January 28
At lunch, I found myself in our guidance counselor�s office. Jan, Stacy, Brit, Alan, and Wolf joined me. Ms. Jaroslav had ordered Monical�s, so she must need something from us.
�I want to start a new tradition at Lincoln High, a class project. I want to have the junior class do something that makes a difference,� Ms. Jaroslav said.
�We�re all busy. Why would we want to do a project?� Alan asked.
�You all plan to go to college. Extracurricular activities are an important element to the application process,� Ms. Jaroslav said and held up her hand to slow Alan down. �I realize you all have enough to pad your r�sum�s, but not all the juniors have. You represent different aspects of our culture here at Lincoln and are leaders. I�d hoped that if I could get this group on board, you would convince the rest of the juniors to participate.�
In fact, this was a goal of mine, to make a difference.
�I�m in,� I said.
Alan rolled his eyes to the ceiling. He knew if I wanted to do it, he had to.
�If David wants it done, I�m in,� Brit said, surprising me.
�What sort of projects have been done in the past?� I asked.
�You could organize to help with a home for Habitat for Humanity. You could rehabilitate a park that�s fallen into disrepair. Organize a fundraiser. Find a cause and get involved in some way. Senior living centers, orphanages, and homelessness are all good causes. Did you know the average age of a homeless person is nine? My senior class did a class mural on the side of the school,� Ms. Jaroslav suggested.
�Why don�t we come up with three ideas and send out a survey to all the juniors to see what they want to do?� Wolf suggested.
�How would we do that?� Ms. Jaroslav asked.
�I have all their email addresses and cell phone numbers. We could either do a text poll or email them one,� Alan said.
�How did you get that information?� she asked.
�I have access to the school�s data. I do their websites and maintain the databases.�
�But students shouldn�t have access to that kind of information,� Ms. Jaroslav complained.
�You can trust Alan. He understands what�ll happen if he abuses his privileges,� I said. �Plus, I have stuff to do, and I don�t need to worry about what Alan knows about right now. Everyone take the weekend and come up with ideas, and we�ll meet on Monday to decide which ones to send out.�
Ms. Jaroslav looked a little lost.
�Thanks for the pizza,� I said and stood up, and everyone followed me out.
I was excited about this. I was sure the junior class would do something great.
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, Kendal was there waiting for me.
�We didn�t sign you up with the NCAA. I need you to help me fill out their application. We can do it online.�
�I thought Tracy did it.�
�I got everything that Tracy had. She�d kept it all in boxes. I�ve spent the last two days sorting through it. You get a lot of mail,� Kendal observed.
�That�s why I hired you,� I shot back.
�No, Caryn hired me.�
�Bitch,� I mumbled.
�Dick,� she whispered back.
�I can hear you!� Mom called from the kitchen.
Kendal brought up the website, and we started filling out what the NCAA wanted. The first part was straightforward: name, address, etc. Then there were some questions concerning amateurism, and I started to get nervous.
�Do you know what all the rules are and what I should or shouldn�t tell them?� I asked.
�What do you mean?�
�I don�t know. Is it bad that a Florida booster provided a private plane for me to go to a game? Before the game, I worked out for Florida. Would that be frowned upon? If I told them something like that without the right explanation, would it mess up my chances of playing college ball?�
�Maybe,� Kendal admitted.
�Send all this to Ms. Dixon and have her review it,� I said and then had a thought. �When was this all supposed to be submitted? Freshman year? Am I in trouble for not doing it sooner?�
�I�ll find out,� Kendal said, looking worried.
�Don�t worry. You warned me several times I needed to read this stuff. You and Tracy were thrown in to help and got swamped. This is on me,� I said.
�I should�ve been on top of this,� Kendal said.
�You were an intern. Once you started to work in your field, you were doing entertainment law. I seriously doubt that they talked about amateurism rules in your weekly meetings.�
�You got me there.�
�Ms. Dixon will know someone,� I assured her.
◊◊◊
Chapter 4 � Class Project Friday January 29
On my ride to school, I received a call from Fritz, so I put it through on Bluetooth.
�Hello.�
�They agreed to look into it,� Fritz said and quoted a number that seemed low.
�Why so little?� I asked.
Frank would charge me a fortune for something like this.
�I told them what happened to your friend. They dislike guys like Brandon as much as I do. They agreed to volunteer their time for now. You�re only paying for expenses.�
�Can I pay them a bonus at the end to make this right?� I asked.
�How about you owe them a favor?� Fritz asked.
�I�m not sure I want to do that.�
�They�re not the Mafia. It would be something you would willingly do, I promise.�
�Okay, tell them to go ahead,� I said and hung up.
I hoped I hadn�t just done something terribly wrong.
◊◊◊
At lunch, Wolf was entertaining us all as he explained some sexist remark. If I were his mom, I would�ve killed his dad by now. I just shook my head that Wolf was dumb enough to repeat what his dad said. If he wasn�t so damned funny, I might take issue. I mean, he was setting a bad example for the younger guys. I�d worked hard to get Yuri to back down from some of his ideas. Don�t even get me started about my little dumbass of a half brother.
Cassidy nudged me in the ribs.
�Incoming,� she warned.
I prepared myself for another girl approaching me. I was amazed one of them would face the lunch crowd; typically, they tried to catch me alone. I turned, looked, and smiled. It was Tina, the girl I�d lost my virginity to. I stood up and hugged her. This, of course, stopped Wolf�s story in mid-sentence.
�Can we talk?� she asked.
�Come on, let�s find a table,� I said.
�She can have my seat,� Cassidy offered.
�Yes, join us,� Gina jumped in.
�No, I think we�ll go somewhere more private,� I said.
�Okay, who was that?� I heard Zoe ask as we walked away.
Zoe hadn�t been here freshman year when I asked Tina out. For that matter, neither had Cassidy, Halle, Brook, or the younger guys. I glanced over my shoulder and saw that Alan had taken center stage to explain who she was. Sometimes he just couldn�t help himself.
We found a table off to the side where some freshman football players were goofing off.
�Do you mind if I borrow your table?� I asked.
The freshmen just looked at me, afraid to say or do anything. I debated whether I should tell them to take a hike, but then heard my half brother behind me.
�Come and sit with us,� Phil offered.
The four freshmen scurried to join Phil at our table. I could see the excitement in their eyes. They would be able to tell their friends they sat at the junior and senior table, which was a big deal in high school.
As we sat down, I thought back to my date with Tina. At the time, I�d been disappointed that she couldn�t date until she was sixteen. Later, I�d wished I�d waited for Suzanne to be my first. I remembered promising Tina that I would ask her out once she turned sixteen. That had never happened.
�So, what did you want to talk about?� I asked to get the conversation started.
�I wondered if you would go on a date with me?� she asked.
�When did you want to go out?�
�Tonight.�
I couldn�t keep the smirk off my face.
�You must think I sit around washing my hair Friday nights,� I teased.
�It�s just that there�s a party tonight �� she began.
I held up my hand. I remembered that Tina wasn�t really the leader in her group. When I asked her out, her friends were either jealous or didn�t believe she could get a date. I was sure she wanted to show me off. I sort of owed her for breaking my promise to ask her out. The sad part was I hadn�t made plans for tonight.
�Sure, why not?�
She got up and hugged me, and then took off to tell her friends. I wondered how long it would take her to realize she hadn�t given me any details. I knew where she lived but had no idea when I was supposed to pick her up.
In any case, it appeared our conversation was over, for now, so I returned to my table and ignored everyone staring at me. I resumed eating my lunch.
�I thought we had you trained. Spill it,� Gina demanded.
�I hope you remembered what we offered,� Tim said as he glanced at Wolf.
�What did you offer?� Alan asked.
�They offered to test-drive any girls who hit on me,� I said, and both Tim and Wolf blushed.
�Seriously?! What about the rest of us?� Phil asked.
�You all shut up. We�ll deal with you next. Don�t get him distracted,� Gina said.
�Alan said you lost your virginity to her,� Halle said with a glint in her eye.
�Alan has no idea who I lost my virginity to. Do you, Alan?�
�I, uhm, well, no, not exactly,� he admitted. �David doesn�t really share details, but ��
�Stop while you�re still eating solid food.�
�I couldn�t let you hurt him,� Cassidy said.
�I was hoping you�d do it for me,� I answered.
She gave Alan a calculating look, and he about peed himself.
�I�ll be good,� he promised, and then did the unnatural act (for him) of keeping his mouth shut.
�You still want me to hurt him? I�ve been good all week,� she offered.
�What about you whacking me with the Bo staff?�
�Dad said it was okay to hit you whenever I wanted to.�
�What? When did he say that?� I asked.
�When you called him an �old man.��
I needed to apologize before she decided to follow through.
�If you need to get it out of your system, go ahead. Sorry, buddy, but it�s you or me,� I said, throwing Alan under the bus.
Alan was saved by the bell. Cassidy followed him out of the cafeteria, and I heard her tell him she�d see him after school. It reminded me of middle school all over again. Jeff, Tami, and I�d had to bail him out numerous times from an ass-kicking. Alan�s mouth had been an issue since he first learned to talk. Cassidy winked at me as she walked off to class. I knew if she did decide to give him some pain, she wouldn�t actually injure him.
◊◊◊
I pulled up to the front of Tina�s house and saw her on the porch. As soon as she spotted me, she darted for the car. Apparently, I didn�t have to meet the parents tonight. Tina�s sisters were looking out the picture window.
�You want me to smoke the tires?� I teased.
�Oh, God! Please don�t!�
I gave her a lopsided grin as I pulled out like an old woman driving. Once we were out of sight of her house, she began to talk as only a teenage girl can. I wondered how she could do it without taking a breath.
�I�m so excited about tonight. It�s been all my friends talked about all week. I promised I�d get you to bring me to their party, and it�s made this the social event of the year. They even made sure to have Mountain Dew on hand. They read your interview in
That was when I just tuned out and nodded occasionally. It was interesting that she admitted she promised I�d be at the party early in the week, but only got the nerve up to ask me this afternoon. It was good that I wasn�t a jerk, or she would have had some explaining to do.
When we arrived at the party, Tina made a point to introduce me to everyone. Lincoln High was big; after all, three area middle schools fed into it. But it wasn�t so big that over the past three years, I hadn�t at least learned the names of everyone in the junior class. I occasionally worked the lunchroom to network. Tina acted as if I didn�t know anyone. She was all smiles when the party�s hostess brought us both Mountain Dew. It seemed most of the people at the party were drinking it. I wondered how long that would last. There were some with beer, so I doubted the �be like David� movement would last very long.
When a song I liked came on the radio, I decided to have fun and pulled Tina onto the dance floor. I smiled when I spotted some of the girls I�d had dance class with and motioned for them to join us.
It became fun when the girls got competitive and wanted to show off their best moves. I, of course, joined in. I should have known that someone would have a camera on his or her phone. The next day, Lily had found the video and sent it out on social media for all my friends to make fun of me.
At one of my breaks, I found myself talking to Dana, who had been in my dance class and was involved in theater. She�d been the main girl who�d been with me for Eve�s songs at the talent show.
�Would you be willing to be in the spring play?� she asked.
�I don�t know if I have time for that. If you could figure out something simple, I might be willing to do it. You should ask Halle James if she�d join us. I�m quite comfortable doing scenes with her,� I admitted.
�If I can get her, would you do it?� she asked.
�Sure, why not?�
Tina then claimed me. I had a lot of fun. I think Tina expected we might have more fun, but I slowed that down. No need for my mom to have to talk to a second parent this week. Plus, there was no real spark there. I�d rather spend my time with my other friends.
◊◊◊ Saturday January 30
I got up, excited about two things. First, Moose told me he had a surprise for me. I was to meet him at the Field House, first thing. Second, Brook had sent me a text and scheduled a �play date.� I worried that it was too cold out, but became confused when a subsequent message told me to bring my swimsuit. I was
Mom was alone in the kitchen when I came in.
�Congratulations,� she said as I stuck my head in the refrigerator to figure out what to eat for breakfast.
�What did I do this time?� I asked.
Mom gave me a scowl.
�You know, your latest stunt left Rita traumatized. I thought you were smarter than that. Remember the last parent who caught you with their daughter, and your promise?� she asked.
�Pam,� I said and sighed.
�Let�s just say you owe me one.�
�Put it on my account. Someday, when I�m picking out your nursing home, I might catch up.�
�I want someplace with a view.�
�Of the parking lot,� I mumbled.
She decided to ignore my smart mouth.
�We got the strip mall under contract. The owner finally agreed when I told him about your comment to take the Victorian on Main Street. We just have to pay for all the closing costs.�
�How quick do we close?� I asked.
�Thursday, if we get a clean report from the county. The title company still needs to check on any outstanding open permits or violations. The title search didn�t discover any title issues or liens, and we were able to recertify the survey. Construction will begin next Monday. Caryn hopes that after the roof is done, we�ll get the lower units ready first. I have a tentative tenant in a cell phone provider.�
Dad came downstairs.
�Where are Peggy and Little David?� I asked.
�She took him to her parents� house and stayed last night. They should be home later today,� Mom said.
Her parents seemed to run hot and cold towards her and her son.
◊◊◊
The main door to the Field House was unlocked. I went inside and tracked down Moose, and he took me to the far end of the building. They�d set up a couple of batting cages there. What made me smile was we had a new pitching machine. Moose handed me a manual.
�I figured since you�d probably use it the most, you should set it up.�
Of course I would. Moose left me to it and returned to his office.
They had bought a good-quality machine. The brochure talked about how major league teams used it. According to the manual, it was capable of throwing any type of pitch (fastballs, curves, sliders, drop balls, risers) from either a left- or right-hand delivery. The maximum speed of its throws exceeded 100 miles per hour. It held twenty balls and threw them at seven-second intervals.
I ran over to the equipment room to get balls, bat, and helmet. Once I had all the gear, I set the machine up to throw fastballs as hard as it could. I wanted to see what a 100-mile-an-hour-plus fastball looked like. The settings looked right, so I loaded twenty balls into the hopper.
I used the remote to turn it on. Well, there�s one item I can check off my bucket list. I now knew what it felt like to take a 100-mile-an-hour fastball in your side right under your armpit. My brain recognized the problem as soon as the ball fired from the machine. I have quick reflexes, but holy shit! I actually heard the ball as it shot through the air. While I did jerk to get out of the way, it was already too late. Dang, that hurt.
I almost caught the next one in the head when I sat up. I shut it off and tried to catch my breath. That would leave a mark. Moose must have heard the sound the ball made when it hit me. Think sledgehammer hitting wet cement.
�Are you all right?� Moose asked.
�I need to make a slight adjustment. I probably should have tested it before stepping into the batter�s box.�
�Good tip. Let me see.�
I lifted my shirt, and my side was red. I was going to have a lovely bruise. Moose took me to the training room, filled a bag with ice, and then used an ace bandage to hold it in place. He left me to contemplate what I�d done when Jim came in.
�What happened to you?� he asked.
�I stepped in front of the new pitching machine,� I admitted. �Here�s the remote to start it up, if you want to try it.�
He took it, and I told him my bat and helmet were out there. I hopped off the table to go watch. Jim was smarter than me. He stood back and turned it on to get a feel for the speed, and I watched in disappointment as the ball missed him.
�Jerk!� he called out as he shook his head.
Moose surprised me.
�You really are, sometimes,� he mumbled right behind me.
�He would�ve done the same.�
Moose just stepped back into his office.
◊◊◊
I picked Brook up and pestered her for the entire ride to the YMCA. When we arrived, there was a big sign that announced a SCUBA class. The class offered you a PADI certification for open water diving.
There was a little classroom with a whiteboard and a table on the side with all the different equipment. The instructor looked to be college age. He was a smaller guy, and I grinned when he saw me and puffed up. Brook gave me a sidelong glance and smirked. We found three other students, all men in their twenties, would be in the class with us.
�I see everyone�s here, so let�s get started. My name�s Steve, and my dad owns Fleishman Sporting Goods. I attended the University of Miami and took a SCUBA class as an elective. I expect you�d think there aren�t many places to dive around here, but you�d be amazed. Once you get in the water and experience it, you�ll never want to stop. It�s a whole other world, and a fun activity to do with friends.
�For this class, you will have two days of classroom instruction, followed by time in the pool. To complete the class and get your certification, you�ll need to do an open-water dive,� Steve said.
�Isn�t it a little cold?� one of the other students asked.
�With a full wetsuit, you should be fine. I find I only really get cold around my face area,� Steve explained.
The first part was a classroom session where Steve showed us the equipment and how it all worked. We also learned about dive safety and issues surrounding deeper dives. You could get decompression sickness where air bubbles would form in your bloodstream if you came to the surface too quickly, but that was only for much deeper dives. We wouldn�t have to worry about that. We would get dive computers�they look like wristwatches�that would tell us how quickly we could ascend. A controlled ascent gave the gasses in your blood a chance to reabsorb.
Then it was off to the pool. Brook Davis shouldn�t be allowed to wear that swimsuit around anyone but me. It was a one-piece that covered all the naughty bits, but it was cut so that her hips and side butt were on full display. It was good I wore board shorts, or the effect she had on me would�ve been readily visible. I glanced around, and every guy in the class had their eyes locked on her.
I smirked when she discovered she was attracting attention. She got a determined look, walked up to me, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. You could see the disappointment of her new fan club.
We each had to put on a tank, inflatable vest, fins, mask, regulator, and weight belt. Steve called the vest a �Buoyancy Compensator Device� or �BCD,� and the regulator was an �octopus� or �octo.� We learned different ways of getting into the water without killing ourselves. You didn�t just dive in, or your mask would smash your face. Steve showed us how to roll in backward and how to jump in and use a scissor kick to stop our descent.
They taught us how to use the weight belt and the BCD to help us stay comfortably at certain levels under water. We spent a lot of time learning how to clear our masks of water. The last part of today�s class, we learned what to do if someone ran out of air. It turns out the octo would allow a partner to share their air until they both reached the surface.
The next class was on Sunday. I met Brook out front when class was over.
�What made you want to do this?� I asked.
�I thought we might go somewhere tropical for spring break and go diving,� she said.
�Maybe I can talk Devin into doing a photo shoot in some tropical paradise or something,� I said.
�Or you and I could just go away for a week and get a tan, go diving, and do other relaxing activities for a week.�
She had a point. Devin would make me work, and I wouldn�t have near enough time for the other relaxing activities.
�Want to come to my house?� Brook asked.
�I�m driving you there right now.�
She gave me a flirty look, and I felt like a �stupid boy.�
�Yes, I would love to go to your house,� I said.
�I hear you have a new game.�
I glanced over, and Brook batted her eyes at me.
�Someone has a big mouth.�
�Puleeease. Surely you don�t believe we don�t talk to each other and compare notes.�
I knew they did, but I played along.
�What? I thought our time together was something sacred that was only shared between the two of us.�
Brook cocked her head, not sure if I was serious or not. Then I must have given it away because she punched me in the arm. She pointed to the side road that would take us back to the cabins. When we got inside, Brook stepped over to the fireplace and started a fire.
�So, what do the other girls say about me?� I asked.
�I�m not telling you. It�s just girl talk. I see how your eyes glaze over when we get started. You�re just hoping we don�t say anything mean about you,� Brook teased.
She had me there. While I thought about Halle talking to Brook about our little game, Brook left for a moment and returned with a big fluffy comforter and sheet. She laid the duvet in front of the fireplace, and I helped her spread the sheet over it.
�You lose some clothes, and I�ll be right back,� Brook said.
I took off all my clothes but my boxers, then lay down in front of the fire and just watched the flames. The heat felt good. Brook cleared her throat to get my attention; someone wanted to make a grand entrance, so I turned over to face the bedroom door. I was glad I did. She wore one of my blue-and-white-striped Oxford long-sleeve dress shirts with the sleeves rolled up. It was unbuttoned to her stomach so that when she moved, the shirt would expose her lack of a bra.
�I hope you don�t mind that I borrowed this,� Brook said as she struck a sexy pose.
I patted the spot next to me to get her to join me in front of the fire. She lay down and faced me on her side. Brook got an intense look on her face as she leaned in and our lips met in a first tentative kiss. She tasted of cherry lip gloss. I tilted my head to the side and deepened our kiss.
I found that different girls brought out different behavior in me. Halle, I wanted to please. She was the girly-girl of the bunch, and she was my little princess. Zoe was the rough-and-tumble farm girl who was just learning about her sexuality. Pam and I had a special connection. I had to be careful with her because she had a submissive streak. With her, I wanted to protect her. Brook was a completely different kettle of fish. Brook brought out the sexual animal in me. With her, I didn�t try to be anyone but myself. I didn�t have to play a role.
I rolled her onto her back and began to kiss down her neck. Brook let out a little whimper as she grabbed the back of my head. I pulled myself on top of her, and her legs wrapped around my thighs. While slowly rubbing my hardening member against her sex, I pushed my head under her open shirt and found a breast to worship. Brook was all woman.
�David,� she said, moaning in her need.
I loved how her voice would get all gravelly when she was aroused. My hands were busy caressing her upper leg and just the edge of her perfect butt. Brook took that moment to take control. She put her hands on my shoulders and pushed, so I rolled back until I was on my knees. Brook sat up and looked at my chest and stomach. She ran her hands all over them as she used the Braille method to memorize every inch of me.
I sucked in my breath when one of her hands slipped under the waistband of my boxers. Brook pushed them down and let the waistband hook under my sack. She twisted around so she was lying facing me. She looked up at me and gave me a sexy smirk as she leaned forward and took me into her mouth. I let my head fall back, and my eyes rolled back in utter pleasure. Then Brook giggled and stopped.
�Do you want to try something different?� she asked.
�I can�t imagine it would be better than what you were doing.�
�Trust me. I think you�ll like it.�
I gave her a little nod, and she scurried to the bedroom. She came back with a wand vibrator with a large round head.
�Lie back,� she ordered.
Brook clicked it on, and I jumped when she placed it against Mr. Happy. It felt weird at first, but she had a bottle of lube; she coated my member with it and went to town with the vibrator. I about came out of my skin when Brook ran it around the crown and hit the sensitive spot underneath. When she began to use her mouth on my nut-sack as she used the vibrator, I was in heaven.
Then Brook changed my life. I knew it felt good to have a girl use her fingernails to scratch me under my nuts. When she placed the vibrator on my taint as she gave me head, wow! I completely understood why Duke would stiffen up, and his leg would jerk as if he was trying to scratch himself. Both my legs pulled back to give her better access as the vibrator shot unbelievable sensations deep into my core. It was as if she�d found the itch I never knew I had, and I felt intense relief when it was finally scratched.
I let out a primal grunt that only comes from deep sexual satisfaction. It was almost too much pleasure as I began to squirm under Brook�s ministrations. She had me entirely at her mercy. If she�d asked me to marry her at that moment, it would�ve been a done deal. It was almost as if I�d never had real pleasure before.
My sack tightened, and I held off as long as I could. I made a strangled sound to warn Brook, but she doubled her efforts, stroking me and bobbing her head. I began to go off like a fire hose. Well, I�d warned her.
�Gaaahk!� I shouted.
Brook pulled back the vibrator, and my legs relaxed. In my sexual haze, I watched her pull herself off the head and then drool all over the crown, letting it run down my shaft to my stomach and balls.
�For shit�s sake! What did you just do to me?� I asked.
�You liked that?� she said with a huge grin.
�Hell, yes.�
�I read about it. Now who�s your favorite girlfriend?� she asked.
�You are,� I admitted.
She crawled up my body and kissed me. Any other time it would�ve grossed me out to taste my issue, but right at this moment, I didn�t care. Mr. Happy was still hard and twitching. Brook took advantage of that and mounted me.
�Condom,� I warned.
�I want to feel you get off deep inside of me.�
After what she�d just done for me, I was willing to risk it. I let her use me until she found her release the first time and then asserted myself. I loved how I could manhandle her, and she could take a pounding.
During one of our breaks, I sent my mom a text to let her know I wasn�t coming home and where I was. Brook baked a frozen pizza, and the two of us had that and a bagged salad for our dinner.
After dinner, we curled up next to the fireplace and just talked about anything and everything. In many ways, we were alike. She was smart, funny, and driven. I would bet that most people at school only saw the sexy Brook. If they did that, they were way underestimating her.
She pulled out the vibrator again, and I promised to be her sex slave. She couldn�t quit giggling when she figured out the power she now held over me.
◊◊◊ Sunday January 31
I woke up with Brook draped all over me. It reminded me of when Kendal had slept in my bed. Most girls want to snuggle up to you and spoon. Brook must�ve wanted to make sure I didn�t slip out of bed without her.
We picked up my parents and drove to Granny�s for breakfast. Then it was off to church. Dad wasn�t happy we�d tricked him into going. The congregation took notice that I�d brought a girl to the service. They all seemed to want to ask me about it, but my mom was there, and they knew how she could get. They�d learned their lesson when they tried to talk football with me during the season. Mom was good to have around�at certain times.
I had to call Zoe and explain about my SCUBA class. She made me give Brook the phone. I guess she wasn�t happy that Brook was poaching her Sunday afternoon with me. When class was over, I took Brook home. Her parents were there, back from their weekend trip to Chicago. As I drove home, I decided I would have put this weekend in the top five of all time. I suddenly felt a lot closer to Brook.
◊◊◊ Monday February 1
At lunch, I found myself once again in the guidance counselor�s office with Jan, Stacy, Brit, Alan, and Wolf, to talk about the class project. Ms. Jaroslav had gotten an assorted sub tray. I avoided the turkey because I didn�t want to risk falling asleep in my afternoon classes. When everyone had something to eat, I started the meeting. Ms. Jaroslav seemed a little irritated that I�d taken over.
�So, what ideas do we have?� I asked.
�Brit and I talked to the Director of the Homeless Coalition,� Wolf said. �Did you know that at any given time, between three and five percent of students at Lincoln High are homeless? About 87% stay with friends, the rest are in shelters or on the street. He said there were many different ways we might help, from donations of both money and items to getting involved.�
�I suggest the direct involvement should be an individual decision,� Brit said. �We need to think of ways to get everyone to take part. I thought it might be cool to have everyone bring in stuff they might need. The guy at the Homeless Coalition said they would pick everything up.�
�I think that�s a great idea. Good job,� I said, then turned to the other three. �What do you have?�
�I had an idea that I asked Alan to help me with,� Stacy said.
It was good to see that even though they weren�t going out anymore, they could get along.
�We went in a different direction,� Alan shared. �There are kids who feel like they�re outsiders. I remember in middle school when you, Tami, and Jeff all had the flu. At lunch, I didn�t have anyone to eat with. I look around the lunchroom, and there are kids that either eat alone or skip lunch.�
�Alan said he could make an app where people could find a table where they�d be welcome,� Stacy said. �We thought we would call it �Lunch Buddy.�� She pulled out a diagram she�d made of the lunchroom. �When you go to lunch, you would log in, and it would show you tables where others would host. You just click on the table, and it reserves you a seat.�
�We would want you to host a table a couple of days a week to get it started,� Alan told me.
�Remember, not everyone has a phone,� Ms. Jaroslav said.
We all looked at her like she was crazy. A teen without a phone? She was probably right.
�She has a point. We need a way for both kids who don�t have a phone to join in,� I said. �What do you have, Jan?�
�I thought we could get more outside seating for lunchtime, for when it gets warm.�
�If you got me the materials, I could get some people together and make picnic tables,� Wolf said.
�We would need the school�s approval to do that,� Ms. Jaroslav added.
�What did you come up with?� Alan asked.
�I planned to help you with whatever you all decided. Personally, I think we should do all three, so we don�t need to poll the juniors. The app and tables would only require a few people to get done but would leave a legacy. The homeless project is something all the junior class could do, and we could involve the whole school.
�Jan, Wolf, and Ms. Jaroslav should work on the tables. Ms. Jaroslav, you need to get approval for us, please. Alan and Stacy can work on the app. I�ll work with Brit on the homeless project. Let�s all meet next week with to catch everyone up with our progress and any help we might need.�
Brit and I talked as we walked to our lockers.
�I�ll meet with the homeless guy and get a list of items they need. We can post it, so everyone knows what to bring,� Brit said.
�I believe we can make this bigger than just Lincoln High. I bet we can get some free publicity and get the community involved,� I said.
�You work on that,� Brit said.
The bell rang, so we didn�t have time to finish our conversation.
◊◊◊
Before I had to go to Cassidy�s workout, I had some free time since we hadn�t started baseball practice yet. I typically used it to do my homework or meet with a study group for a class, but today I wanted to use the new batting cages. This time I was smart and let the machine fire off a pitch before I got near the batter�s box. I wouldn�t put it past Jim or one of the other guys to make a small adjustment to try to kill me.
I checked the settings, and it was set to throw ninety-mile-per-hour fastballs. That was the upper limit of what you would usually see in high school unless you ran into someone exceptional. I picked up right where I�d left off in LA. I ran through my five steps and just took a few easy swings at first to get the timing down.
Twenty balls at seven-second intervals didn�t take very long. I spent more time picking up balls and reloading the machine than I did batting. We needed a better system. The easy solution would be to get more balls. I could get a few five-gallon buckets and just pour them in when it ran out.
My side was still a little tender, but I could really tell the difference in my hitting that the five steps had made. The coaching would pay dividends come baseball season.
It startled me when Moose suddenly appeared in my peripheral vision. He silently watched as I crushed twenty sweet fastballs over the center of the plate. We both knew I was taking it easy to get into the rhythm of hitting.
Ignoring my audience, I focused on what I�d learned in LA. Rhythm was the first step. I needed to be relaxed in the batter�s box and do a routine to get ready to hit. I would make a little circular motion with my bat in preparation. The second step was seeing the pitch. My front foot was down, and I watched for the ball coming out of the machine. Third was separation. This required the hands and front foot to go in opposite directions at the same time. You wanted to end in a balanced and athletic position. Your weight distribution should be 50/50 in your lower half after separation and as you transfer your strength into the ball. The fourth was to stay square. You lost power when you deviated from a straight-on approach. The final step was weight shift and transfer.
When done right, my hitting power rose significantly. Baseball is a lot about sounds. You can hear a good pitch. It starts with the whizzing sound as the ball slices through the air, and then there�s the pop as it hits the catcher�s mitt. Hitting a baseball is the same; it just sounds different when you get all of it with speed and power. The satisfying �crack� as you send a line drive four hundred feet over the center-field fence sounds different from the �dink� of a slow roller.
Moose was smarter than I was. He had a bucket of balls, so when they ran out, he stepped into the cage and dumped more in. He also made some adjustments to the machine and stepped out. It was now throwing curveballs.
Moose just nodded as I got all of the first one. My confidence that what had happened in LA wasn�t a fluke took a step up. When my time was up, I started to pick up baseballs.
�Leave them, I�ll get them later. I want to talk to you for a minute before you work out.�
�Yes, sir.�
�I got a call from USA Baseball. Coach Revilla recommended you, as did Lucas Kite, and Coach Boyd of the Dodgers. USA Baseball wanted to confirm a few things with me, but it sounds like you�ll get an invitation in a couple of weeks. I just wanted to let you know that I�ll do whatever I can to help you. It�s a big deal that you�re going to be invited.�
�Thanks, Coach. That means a lot to me,� I said.
I looked at my watch, and it was time for me to let Cassidy abuse me. It felt good to have Moose support me.
◊◊◊
Chapter 5 � Amateurism Wednesday February 3
We�d dropped to fourth place in the box-office race. An animated movie,
Saul was over the moon with the results. They�d upped the estimated box office to $500 million when all was said and done. He said he was getting calls about my availability and wanted me to go full time. I handed the phone to my mom, which ended that conversation.
We�d also started to get strangers hanging out in front of the house. Some were fans who wanted to get a picture taken with me or an autograph. Then there were the ones who wanted something from me. There were a couple of fun ones. One guy wanted me to show up at his wedding as his best man. He said his fianc�e was a big fan. The one I did do was for a girl who asked me to do her voicemail message as Stryker. That one turned out to be fun.
Then there were the awkward ones who wanted money for various purposes. Those we called the police on and let Billy figure out if they were legit or not. If they were, they had to fill out a request and send it to Caryn. When the people wanting money figured out that they would have to talk to the police, it seemed to clear most of them out.
◊◊◊
As I walked into school, Tracy approached me with a grin and handed me a good-sized, beautifully wrapped package.
�Megan asked me to give this to you. It�s Jim�s surprise.�
All I could do was look back at her with an evil grin. Jim was so busted, but he would love this!
◊◊◊
Brit talked me into leaving campus at lunch to visit the local Homeless Coalition. Their director was a Mr. Orange. He looked and acted exactly like I would have cast the role for that position: he was in his early thirties, looked overworked, but still eager to help the needy. If he had to work in the real world, they would eat him alive. The good news was he�d found his calling.
�Mr. Orange wanted a chance to meet you,� Brit explained for the fifth time.
I just nodded.
�I take it you�re David A. Dawson,� he said, using my movie name.
�Just call me David. What can we help you with?� I asked, wanting to get this over with.
�Thank you for coming in. I wanted a chance to share with you some of the projects we�re working on. Hopefully, it will help you better understand the homeless crisis that we�re experiencing in the area,� he explained.
I caught myself being cautious but decided to give the guy a break and hear him out.
�That�s probably a good idea,� I said.
�We classify homelessness into three categories: transitional, episodic, and chronic.
�The transitional homeless used to have a job, car, house, and still have debt. The main provider lost their job or suffered some other misfortune, and they�re suddenly living out of their car, or in a tent. Many are women with children, unfortunately.
�Episodically homeless refers to individuals, often with disabling conditions, who are currently homeless and have experienced three or more episodes of homelessness in the past year.
�The final category is the chronically homeless, which refers to individuals who are currently homeless and have been homeless for six months or more in the past year. Three groups fit into this category. The first we call the adventurers. They�re young and looking for life experiences. Usually, they�re homeless from 6 weeks to 2 years. They�ll hop trains, hitchhike, and do nearly anything except take a shower. They tend to bring dogs with them and smoke weed. These people have chosen this condition, and we don�t try to force them to accept help. We get them sometimes when they�re hungry or need to get out of the elements.
�The next group is our biggest concern. They often suffer from some form of mental illness and are in need of structure and perhaps psychiatric evaluation. There is a large population of military veterans in this group. Giving them a place to sleep, a warm meal, and shelter from the elements isn�t enough. We collaborate with many other organizations that specialize in their support. With most of these, it�s a long-term project to get them back to where they�re useful members of society. In most cases, we fail, because they stop taking their meds or decide they don�t want to move on from their current condition.
�The final group is criminals on the run. We tend to call the police if we find any of these,� Mr. Orange said with a smile.
�So, what can we do to help?� I asked.
�We�re always in need of household items. I think your plan to have a drive to collect those is fantastic. If that�s all you do, I will be eternally grateful, and I�ll work with you to make that happen. I was hoping you might help me out with two other projects as well.
�The first is raising funds. We�re in need of transitional housing. I can obtain grants to pay for rent for houses or apartments, but we run into a common issue. We call it �Not in my backyard,� or NIMBY. People don�t want the homeless living in their neighborhoods. People have this perception of the homeless as the guy on the corner begging for money who�s very weird and scary. I understand why they wouldn�t want a group of these guys running around their neighborhood. What we need it for is the mother with small kids who was kicked out of her home by her husband. She needs a few weeks to find a job and earn enough money to put a down payment on a place to live.
�Our best results, as far as fundraising goes, are when we spotlight this issue. Who wouldn�t want to help a family with children that just fell on hard times?� he asked, and I nodded.
�What I would like to do is have you create a
�I think that makes sense,� I said.
�Good, I hoped it would. The final project involves you personally. We had a tract of land donated to us on which we want to build what are called �Tiny Houses.� The houses are basically the size of a single- to two-car garage, with a kitchenette, bathroom, and a place to sleep. They are designed for transitional housing. The problem we�re having is the neighbors oppose the zoning change that would allow us to build them.
�The location is perfect because it�s close to public transportation and within walking distance of a grocery and drug store,� Mr. Orange said.
�What do you want me to do?� I asked.
�I hoped you could come to the next zoning meeting and say a few words in support of us,� he confessed.
�Do you plan to use them for housing chronic or episodically homeless?� I asked.
He smiled.
�No, we have a place for those right now,� he admitted.
Brit and I were out of time, so we had to go. I promised Mr. Orange I would consider it. We hit a drive-through on the way back to school.
◊◊◊
Right after school, there was something special planned. The guys and I all found Jim in the locker room, awaiting the press conference where he would announce which school he�d signed with. While everyone already knew, they still wanted him to go through the whole rigmarole. He was nervous.
We walked up to him, and I handed him his present.
Jim looked up at me, perplexed.
�What is it?�
I grinned at him.
�We thought you�d want to make a statement, and were pretty sure you didn�t want to go through the whole baseball-hat shtick, so we arranged something better. Now, open it!�
Jim tore the wrapping off, opened the box, and then broke out in a huge grin. He lifted out an elegant, expensive houndstooth hat, looked it over, and then put it on his head at a rakish angle. Legendary Alabama Head Coach Bear Bryant always wore one. When you visited the Alabama campus, they had his portrait displayed, and he wore almost the exact same hat.
Jim�s smile could�ve lit up New York City.
�It fits perfectly! How�d you do it?�
I couldn�t help grinning myself.
�Remember when Gina measured all our heads to see if they were getting swelled?�
We trooped out with him, and Tim whispered something to him and gave him a hug. Jim smiled and nodded, then walked up to the table and removed all the baseball hats from it as he sat down.
�Are there any questions?� he asked the startled media people.
I just grinned to myself and walked out. This was Jim�s day, and I didn�t want anything, including my presence, to take that away from him.
◊◊◊
After practicing at the dojo, I rode with Fritz to the James� house. We found Rita and Halle in the kitchen. Rita gave me a pointed look.
�We need to talk,� she said, leaving Halle and Fritz to finish dinner.
I followed Rita to her office and sat in a chair across from her desk. Rita wouldn�t look at me as she paced back and forth. I reverted to full Dawson mode. I had no idea what she was mad about. She knew that Halle and I had sex; she�d known since the beginning. I knew Fritz had told Rita or shown her the video by the way she looked at me the next time I came to visit. I never let on, because I didn�t want to freak out Halle. Yes, I�d teased her about it, but that was just in fun.
�I talked to your mom,� she finally said.
I knew that and decided it didn�t warrant a comment.
�Dammit!� she barked and stomped her foot.
My eyebrows raised, and Rita�s eyes lowered.
�Come here,� I said with command in my voice.
I knew she needed a firm hand at times, and my Alpha Male was coming out. Rita stood up, and I wrapped my arms around her. At first, she stiffened up, and then she laid her head against my chest and pulled me tight.
�I�m such a terrible mother. When I caught you two, all I could think of was that I was jealous you were with Halle,� Rita said, shocking me.
�Do you need my help?� I asked.
I�d offered to help her when needed. The way we left it was it wouldn�t be a regular occurrence, but I was there if she needed me. Rita pushed back a bit so she could look me in the eyes. I gave her a sexy smirk.
�You�re so full of yourself,� she said and tilted her head.
I leaned down and kissed her. Both our desires ramped up quickly, and the kiss became much deeper. Rita suddenly stiffened and pushed me away.
�We can�t,� she said breathlessly, then caught herself. �I�m sorry, it�s up to you.�
I decided we needed to talk because I could tell Rita was on the verge of going too far. God only knew I wanted her. She was Rita James, after all. She was smart, sexy, and on my list. What stopped me was, so was her daughter. Halle was every bit as intelligent and sexy as her mom. Plus, I had feelings for Halle. I wouldn�t quite call it love, but it was dang close. She�d told me to help her mom out. But no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn�t take advantage of the situation, regardless of what the evidence from the last few minutes showed.
�You�re right, we can�t. I care very much for your daughter. I�m sorry we rubbed our relationship in your face. That wasn�t right, and it was all my fault. That doesn�t mean that she and I won�t be together again, though,� I said.
I wasn�t sure if Rita was relieved or disappointed. She gave me a tight-lipped smile.
�That was what your mom said. She told me I could spank your bare bottom, but that didn�t mean that you and Halle wouldn�t get together. She advised that if I were to forbid Halle from seeing you, it would be a mistake, because of the whole forbidden-fruit aspect. Your mom explained that teenagers had been sneaking around having sex forever, that you and Halle were good kids and were responsible about it.�
I turned to the desk, leaned over it, and gave Rita a smoldering look.
�You want to spank my bare bottom?� I asked.
That made her laugh, and she swatted me. I let out a playful moan, then turned serious.
�I�ll always be there for Halle. You don�t need to worry about the two of us together,� I said.
�I know, I was being silly,� Rita admitted.
�I�ll be there for you, too. Not in the same way as Halle, but when you need another treatment, let me know.�
�God, it�s just so embarrassing.�
�Hey, look at me,� I ordered.
Rita looked into my eyes and then knelt down before me and folded her hands in her lap. I could see her relax. She�d never said she needed a treatment, so I stopped her right there.
�Come on. Let�s go eat,� I said.
When I got back to the kitchen, I walked straight to Halle, hugged her, and whispered in her ear.
�Your mom spanked me.�
Halle wasn�t fazed. She whispered back that I probably deserved it. Bandit came bouncing up. I picked him up and gave him some loving. At least
◊◊◊
After dinner, Fritz and I went to his quarters to talk about Brandon.
�My friends got back to me. They�ve collected some preliminary information about Brandon and his fraternity. From a public records search, they�ve identified eight women who reported being assaulted at their parties over the last five years. I had them dig a little deeper, and according to police records, ten women made initial complaints. Of those ten, seven had rape kits done on them.
�The allegations never went very far. There were no signs of a struggle. The way they explained it to me was that police look for bruising, chipped teeth, and the like. The girls all had similar stories. They�d willingly gone to a fraternity-sponsored party. They�d gotten drunk, and three admitted to taking drugs. None of the women could identify who all had sex with them. When I say �all,� they suspected more than one person was with them.
�The fraternity brothers all circled the wagons. They claimed it was consensual. It became a big �he said/she said� thing, as far as the police were concerned. Two of the women never followed through after the initial complaint. Like I said, seven had rape kits done, but the investigations all stopped once it looked like a woman with buyer�s remorse.
�Where Brandon screwed up was with who the last two victims were. The police started to drag their feet, but the families of the girls had some serious pull at Harvard. Brandon and another boy were given the choice of leaving or facing expulsion. Brandon�s dad brokered the deal and sent him off to Europe. Apparently, he�s pretty influential with the Wall Street higher-ups,� Fritz said.
�How could the police just let it go if there were so many complaints over the last few years?� I asked.
�I don�t know. What I did notice, though, was that different detectives were working the individual cases. I don�t think anyone put together that they might be related.�
�What did the rape kits show?� I asked.
Fritz flipped through the file and then his eyebrows knitted together.
�I don�t know. You want me to ask them to keep digging?�
�Yes. Also, have them find out where the ten women are now.�
�Do you want to have them do their own interviews?� Fritz asked.
�Not yet. Those women have gone through enough. If we can�t tie Brandon to any of this, we�ll go further. Also, see if you can get me the private contact information for the federal judge who was one of the girls� dads. He might be able to get more done than we can.�
�I suspect he�s motivated like you are. I�ll get them working on it.�
◊◊◊
Halle and I made sure Bandit was in the room with us this time. She couldn�t find any marks on my butt where her mom had spanked me. I was a little irritated when she left her own handprint on my butt. Halle�s eyes got big when she saw I planned to leave my mark on hers. Evil woman! She somehow used her feminine wiles to distract me from my revenge.
◊◊◊ Thursday February 4
We closed on the strip mall. Caryn called me at lunchtime to give me the good news.
�There�s something else I need to tell you. We have an appointment at Ms. Dixon�s office to talk about your application to the NCAA. Her firm has outside counsel who specializes in amateurism issues; she said he needs to interview you. I agreed we�d meet him in Chicago on Saturday morning.�
�Yeah, we need to get this done. Did Ms. Dixon say if there were any issues that I should be worried about?� I asked.
�A couple, but you don�t need to concern yourself about that. She said this guy used to work for the NCAA and knows all the ins and outs. She said he wasn�t particularly worried, but wanted you to tell him everything so he could make sure you could play ball.�
�Perfect. I don�t want to deal with any more issues right now. My plate is full, and then some. I want you and Ms. Dixon to just bring me into the loop if there�s a problem. I�ll assume that everything is good unless you tell me otherwise.�
�Sure thing, boss.�
�Careful, I�m sure you can be replaced,� I teased.
�Well, in fact, you can�t fire me. Your dad would have to do it, and he likes me.�
�Hey, if we�re going to be in Chicago, why don�t you see if you can make an appointment to talk to Jack Mass? We need to invest my money,� I said.
�Good plan. I�ll want your dad there for that meeting,� Caryn said.
Then I had a revelation: I could talk to Bev Mass about my Brandon problem. She could at least advise me as to what the proper course of action would be to nail his butt. Trying to do this the right way sucked. Part of me wanted to just drive over to Rigby, Thompson and Associates and kick his ass.
�Could you also see if his wife is available? I need to ask her for some advice.�
�What about?� Caryn asked.
�It�s personal, but I need some legal advice that she�s well suited to help me with.�
Caryn knew that Bev Mass was the Cook County State�s Attorney.
�I�m afraid to ask, but what did you do?�
�It wasn�t me, honest. Just let Bev know it�s serious and I really need her help.�
Thank God, Caryn wasn�t like the other women in my life. She let it go and promised to get everything arranged for this weekend.
◊◊◊
Before going to bed, I checked my emails. Several coaches from around the country touted their recruiting classes. I figured I would go to one of the scouting sites for high school football to get an unbiased opinion on how well they�d done.
What I found was that the blue bloods of football dominated. I looked at 247Sports� composite rating for the 25 best players at each position. I also looked at the 5-Star recruits. The 5-Star recruits could have a profound impact on a team.
I started by conference by division.
Rank
Conference / Division
Avg Rating
Avg
Stars
1
SEC West
0.9800
4.9
2
Big�Ten East
0.9622
4.7
3
SEC East
0.9530
4.65
4
ACC Atlantic
0.9516
4.6
5
Big 12
0.9516
4.6
Then I looked at individual schools and how they rated.
Rank
School
Avg Rating
Avg Stars
5-Star Recruits
1
Alabama
0.9285
4.45
3
2
Florida State
0.9171
4.25
1
3
LSU
0.9160
4.25
2
4
Ohio State
0.9157
4.2
2
5
Georgia
0.9148
4.2
3
6
USC
0.9111
4.2
2
Once I had that data, I had to check out which schools my friends whom I�d made at various camps had signed with.
Player
From
Pos
School
Jim Ball
Lincoln High
OT
Alabama
Dan Berger
Phoenix, AZ
WR
Elite 11
Alabama
Todd Davis
King HS
LB
5-Star Recruit
Alabama
Wes Hunt
Phoenix, AZ
QB
Elite 11
5-Star Recruit
Alabama
Chuck Tess
Greenville, SC
QB
Elite Camp
Clemson
Terry Halstead
Syracuse, NY
WR
Elite 11
Clemson
Justin Dampier
Las�Vegas, NV
WR
Elite 11
Florida State
Kyle Drexler
Ocala, FL
QB
Elite Camp
Florida State
Felix �Flee� Johnson
Miami, FL
QB
Elite 11
Northwestern
Oliver Williams
Phoenix, AZ
OT
Michigan
Ben Luck
Springfield, MO
QB
Missouri
Jim Butler
Dallas, TX
WR
Elite 11
Ohio State
Tim �Cadillac� Rogers
Dallas, TX
QB
Elite 11
Stanford
Roland Thibodaux
Houma, LA
QB
Elite 11
UCLA
Craig Hendricks
San�Diego, CA
WR
Elite 11
USC
I sent them all congratulatory text messages and called a couple before it was time to go to bed. The rest I would call over the next few days.
◊◊◊ Saturday February 6
Dad drove Mom, Caryn, and me to Chicago. Ms. Dixon�s office was on Michigan Avenue, just west of The Art Institute of Chicago. She told us to valet park at the museum and walk across to her building. Her office was in a beautiful older structure that looked out over the park. We were sent to the tenth floor and ushered into a conference room.
The old building had style, with ten-foot ceilings and intricate plasterwork. A 1960s-style oval table with chrome legs dominated the conference room. There were big, comfortable leather chairs to sit in. A 60-inch big-screen TV was on the far wall. It was interesting to see the blend of old and new. A highly attractive woman asked if we wanted anything. We all opted for the restrooms after our long drive. When I got back, there was a coffee and tea station set up on an credenza under the TV.
�David,� Ms. Dixon said as she walked in.
She tried to shake my hand, but I gave her a hug instead. I grinned because I knew she wasn�t a touchy-feely kind of person. But she tolerated me. I was very thankful for what she�d done for me when Cal Bell had come after me.
I introduced her to Caryn. They�d spoken on the phone and instantly started talking to each other. While they got better acquainted, I made myself a cup of tea. They had a wide selection, and I finally settled on a cinnamon sage tea. To be honest, it smelled better than it tasted.
Once everyone had something to drink, Ms. Dixon got started.
�Caryn sent over the link to the registration website. After looking through the questions, I contacted outside counsel to help you through the process. Duane Morris, of Woodford and Morris, is one of the best sports attorneys in the country when it comes to dealing with amateurism status. Mr. Morris worked nearly twenty years for the NCAA, and supervised the group that reviewed cases that were flagged,� Ms. Dixon said.
There was a knock on the door, and an older black man with gray at his temples walked in. He looked around the room and spotted me, then walked up and shook my hand.
�David, it�s a pleasure to meet you. Ms. Dixon told me what a fine young man you are. If you�ll allow me, I would like to help you through the bureaucracy that is the NCAA.�
�Our in-house counsel read the application and had some concerns. That�s why we called Ms. Dixon,� Caryn said.
I liked the sound of that. Of course, I knew Kendal was a lawyer, but when Caryn put it that way, it sounded cool.
�I think you�ll have to thank her for doing that,� Mr. Morris said and then sat down across from me.
Introductions were made for my parents, and Mr. Morris got to it.
�Before we begin, I think it would help if you understood the process. The first step is to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center; you saw the form for that online. When you fill out the form, you must answer a number of sport-specific amateurism questions. These are designed to get a picture of your non-scholastic participation in various sports. The answers to those questions may or may not reveal a potential amateurism violation.
�The system automatically flags any questionnaire that has an answer that could be construed as a violation of the NCAA�s amateurism rules. When I worked for the NCAA, I supervised the case managers who handled flagged applications. I can guarantee you they will flag your application,� Mr. Morris said.
�How do you know that?� Dad asked.
�I called, and they already have a case manager assigned to David. We�re lucky it�s someone I used to work with.�
�Why would they already have someone assigned?� Dad asked.
Mr. Morris smiled.
�David isn�t the average recruit. He�ll be one of the top-ten-rated football players in the country. That alone would get him a case manager. Add to that he�s what we playfully called a �unicorn�: he makes his money doing something else. He only plays the game because he loves it. Because he has outside income, he doesn�t have to worry about the temptations of agents, boosters, and the like. Finally, he�s a high-level academic qualifier,� Mr. Morris said as he used his fingers to count off the four points.
�How did you know about my academics?� I asked.
�Your high school has been sending your transcripts to the NCAA. I expect they assumed you�d already signed up. My friend told me you�re a straight-�A� student.�
Mr. Morris waited to see if there were any other questions. When there weren�t, he continued.
�We know that David�s application will be flagged. Ninety percent are perfectly fine and sail through the process. They already know you made a movie and are aware of your modeling. Either of those would have kicked you out for review.
�What will happen is that once we fill out the application, you�ll receive a scary letter from the NCAA. My guess is that it will say that your status is either �Under Investigation� or possibly �Preliminarily Certified with Conditions.� If I were a betting man, which I am, I would predict the first one.
�At that point, we begin to answer any questions they might have. Our best approach is to both be prepared for what they might ask and answer any obvious questions right away. We want you to come across as 100 percent transparent and forthcoming. Trust me, we do not want to look like we�re hiding anything.
�Once we�ve answered all their questions, and both we and the NCAA are satisfied with your answers, the case is forwarded to the Academic and Membership Affairs staff. They will determine whether the facts presented constitute a violation. At that point, the answers can no longer be changed. That is, of course, unless new information becomes available that could not have been obtained earlier.
�Once they�re done, we should be good,� Mr. Morris said.
�Unless they find against you,� Ms. Dixon chimed in.
�Which they likely won�t, with me working the case,� Mr. Morris said with confidence.
�So, what�s next?� Dad asked.
�I need to interview David. It�ll probably take a couple of hours.�
�I think we should go shopping,� Ms. Dixon told my mom.
Of course, Mom agreed. Dad and Caryn stayed.
Mr. Morris wanted a chronological listing of my activities since freshman year. I pulled out my tablet, brought up the calendar, and began working my way through everything. Mr. Morris had a video camera and put it on a little tripod to record what I said. He didn�t interrupt me unless he needed to clarify something.
I only saw him wince a few times. Receiving a private plane ride to Lexington from a Florida booster wasn�t good. Getting a part in a movie on the recommendation of a known University of Kentucky booster was also a cringe-worthy moment. The final big one was my car.
�Okay, David. Off the top of my head, you�ll have to reimburse Mr. Rigby for the flight to Lexington. Do it as soon as possible and be sure to get a receipt,� Mr. Morris told Caryn.
He took in a deep breath.
�You should be good for the movie role. You ended up getting a much better role based on your talent. The key to it being an issue would have been if the role was given to you because of your athletic skills,� Mr. Morris said.
�A big reason David got the role
�Sorry, let me clarify. When I refer to his athletic skills, I mean his football or baseball skills,� Mr. Morris said and looked at his notepad. �I see he has many athletic skills that don�t impact his amateurism. Those include skiing, snowboarding, waterboarding, parachuting, wing boarding, horseback riding, surfing, jet ski, motocross, four-wheeler, swimming, martial arts, fencing, zip line, and shooting. None of those skills are of concern.�
�Oh, I�m also taking classes for SCUBA diving,� I added.
�You�re what?� Dad asked.
�Oops, I thought I told you,� I admitted.
�You better let me tell your mom.�
Good plan.
�The last biggie is the car you received from Range Sports,� Mr. Morris said. �It was bad enough they gave you a car, but to paint it your school colors and put your number on it might get you into some serious hot water. I�ll need to work on that one. In the meantime, you must give the car back and pay the going lease rate for the time you used it.�
That one hurt. I LOVED that car.
�I�ll need a copy of all of David�s contracts and financials. We�ll have to account for all his income and see what his contracts did and didn�t include,� Mr. Morris told Caryn, and then he turned to me.
�Something else I�ll be doing is going through your website and the one the school maintains for your football and baseball activities. I have to make sure there�s a clear separation between the two, that is between your own and the school�s. The same goes for all your social media accounts.
�There is something we need to address, or you�ll get into trouble for sure. When you do an interview, you should make clear what it�s about. It can be either about football or baseball, or anything else, but it can�t be about both. When I say �anything else,� that means any activity that you get paid for. I need to pull the tape from your WORD interview and see if you crossed the line. You also dodged a for-sure violation when you didn�t get the role as a baseball player in
�When you�re in a football or baseball uniform, you absolutely cannot talk about anything else but those sports. That goes for the times you�re with your team or in a team activity; you cannot talk about anything else but those sports.
�What I want you to do in the future when interviewed is to pull the conversation back if it begins to blur the lines. Simply say that per NCAA rules, you can�t talk about that, or some such,� Mr. Morris said.
I would get Frank to write up some good responses for me.
You can sometimes tell when someone is genuine, and Mr. Morris was one of those people. He warned me I would be dealing with the NCAA for quite some time but to step back and let him work on it. I gave him the same direction I gave Caryn earlier in the week: I didn�t really want to know unless there was a problem. I didn�t want to live my life worrying about one crisis after another. Between my team, my dad, Ms. Dixon, and Mr. Morris, I trusted they could handle it.
He agreed that was a sound approach.
�That�s probably the best way I can think of for you to stay sane through the process,� Mr. Morris said with a chuckle.
◊◊◊
We drove to Lincoln Park to Jack and Bev Mass�s home. I sent Jack a text to let him know when we were close, and he had the gate and garage open when we got there. I directed Dad to park in the garage. We took the stairs to the roof and the bridge to the house. The back door was open, so I made myself at home. Mom and Caryn came to a sudden stop when they saw the kitchen. I had my head in the refrigerator and smiled when I saw they�d gotten me my Mountain Dew. I got everyone one. Bev and Jack appeared.
�Good. I�m glad you feel at home,� Bev said.
�Don�t tell him that,� Mom warned.
�I only have a little time. You wanted to talk to me?� Bev asked.
�Yeah, if we could,� I said.
�Why don�t I talk to your dad and Caryn about investment options?� Jack proposed.
Mom started to follow me up to Bev�s office, but I told her I would talk to her later, as promised.
I gave Bev a general idea of what had happened. When she heard the victims were my best friends, especially Tami, she made a call to cancel her meeting she had to get to. I was glad to see this was a priority for her.
�So, explain to me how you found out.�
�I have a new employee who used to work for Rigby, Thompson and Associates. She�d overheard some conversations and had done some research on Brandon Rigby.�
I pulled out a folder of information and handed it to her. I sat quietly as she read. Bev looked up at me with a serious expression.
�Is this mine?� she asked.
�Yes.�
Bev began to write notes and highlight different items. Something Fritz had found out since we met was that the rape kits had never been processed. Bev looked concerned and then became pissed when she uncovered that piece of information.
�I thought we�d figured that out,� she said.
�What?� I asked.
�A few years ago, they discovered that rape kits weren�t being processed. A TV show,
�A woman has to go through an invasive four- to six-hour procedure just to collect the evidence. It�s a shame that so many weren�t processed. There were several reasons cited. The one that makes my blood boil was money. It isn�t exactly cheap to have a rape kit analyzed; it ranges from a thousand to fifteen hundred dollars. Interestingly enough, since that show, all over the country, they found the money for processing them.
�A good example is New York City. After they processed New York�s 17,000-kit backlog in 2001, the arrest rate for rape cases jumped from 40 percent to 70 percent. The kit is a critical tool in prosecuting these types of crimes,� she said.
Bev returned to reading. When she finished, she took a moment to collect herself.
�Let me give you some disturbing stats, and after you hear them, you decide if we should move forward.�
�Okay,� I said, nodding.
�A little over fifty percent of actual rape victims never come forward. So, if we use those numbers, it looks like at least twenty women have been assaulted by this fraternity. Hang on, that�s unfair. It�s most likely that that only a couple of men are involved, so it isn�t right to tar them all with the same brush,� she said.
�I don�t have a problem with it because they interviewed the whole fraternity. Someone, if not all of them, knew what was going on,� I said.
�I agree,� Bev said with a sigh. �I just hate to think that many men would allow something like this to happen repeatedly.�
We both took a moment to think about it.
�Here are the facts. Of every 100 rape allegations, 46 get reported to the police. Of those, 12 lead to an arrest. Nine will get prosecuted, and five will be convicted. The sad truth is only three will serve any time,� Bev said and let that sink in.
When Mike had raped Mona, that had fallen into the 54 that didn�t get reported.
�The real question is: why the foot-dragging? How did we get to a place where hundreds of thousands of sex-crime puzzle pieces are put into storage lockers and forgotten?
�There�s the easy answer, and the hard one. Easy is that rape kits cost a lot to analyze, which we already talked about. Despite this, I know that murders and other instances of nonsexual violence don�t get pushed aside the way rapes do.
�For a long time, our culture has refused to call rapes what they are: crimes. When there�s a sense of blame or responsibility associated with a victim, it�s easier for the police to ignore her case. The blurred �he said/she said� that surrounds a lot of rape allegations doesn�t inspire much optimism among prosecutors. Let�s be honest: prosecutors need to get convictions to justify taking a case to court. If an office is overworked and underfunded, they don�t even try.
�And it�s not just the prosecutors. Police departments everywhere manipulate crime statistics. They do it by urging street cops to downgrade reports of sexual assault. It makes them look better. And it makes the citizens happier to think their city is safer.
�In a recent study, six percent of the men surveyed admitted to rape or attempted rape. Of the rapists, 63 percent were serial offenders. In all, the serial rapists accounted for 439 of the 483 sexual assaults. We find that the vast majority of sexual assaults on campuses�in fact, over 90 percent�are perpetrated by serial offenders.
�Discussion of campus sex crimes is different in many ways. It involves a lot of gray areas of confused consents, mixed messages, and then there�s the issue of drinking. There are a lot of studies that prove that alcohol is closely associated with serial rapists. It sounds like Brandon may have graduated to date-rape drugs.
�The deeper problem, which applies for courts of law, is that sexual assault on campus often happens in a context that, by its nature, defies easy prosecution. Most campus assaults involve incapacitation, rather than brute force. Most are acquainted in some way. We find that when they know their rapist, they may have had sexual contact before. Add in drinking, and most women assaulted don�t even use the word �rape� to describe what happened,� Bev concluded.
�But you just said it. Brandon has all the earmarks of a serial rapist,� I said.
�I agree. How can I help you?� she asked.
�How do we get the rape kits processed? I would expect they would help show if we�re dealing with the same men; hopefully, Brandon is one of them.�
�I�m really not supposed to do this, but let me call the DA. I would be somewhat offended if a DA from across the country picked up the phone and told me how to do my job. In this instance, though, I believe what you have here shows a pattern that has been missed. Would you be willing to pay for the kits to be processed to get the ball rolling?� she asked.
�If that�s what�s needed, I would.�
�I have to be honest with you, there may not be much of a chance with this. I do have to warn you not to take the law into your own hands,� Bev said.
�Hopefully, I wouldn�t have to.�
�Just know that if anything should happen to Brandon, I am duty-bound as the Cook County State�s Attorney to report you.�
The sad part was she was serious. She was worried about stepping on a fellow DA�s toes, but she would throw me to the wolves. There was something wrong with that.
◊◊◊
When we came back downstairs, Jack and Dad were all smiles.
�We figured out how to spend your money,� Dad said.
�That�s good. I�m sure you have my best interests at heart,� I said.
Dad and Mom both looked at me with concern.
�What�s wrong?� Mom asked.
�I think I said something that made me look like an ass,� Bev said. �I�m sorry, David. That last part sounded bad. I�ll do everything I can.�
�Thank you,� I said and nodded; I would hope so.
She and Harper were my friends. What I realized was that I couldn�t just sit back and let the system do its thing. When I got the results back, I planned to call the judge. Bev, the other DA, and the police force didn�t have a dog in this fight, but the judge sure as hell did.
I was glad she realized how bad she sounded. But I still didn�t get the feeling she would put effort into this to help me get Tami and Alan justice.
◊◊◊
Chapter 6 � No Need to Suck Up Sunday February 7
Zoe explained to me that we were picking up lunch and eating it at my apartment. Someone wasn�t leaving anything to chance today. I was happy when she let me get our lunch at the diner across from the hospital, which was owned by Kim Sun�s aunt and uncle. I ordered us a box of chicken and, of course, a pie. Zoe picked it out, and she did an outstanding job. They had an apple pie with butterscotch sauce. The sauce was in a separate container, and Kim�s aunt told us to heat both up and then pour the sauce over the top right before serving. Yum!
After we ate, she joined me on the couch.
�Next Sunday is Valentine�s Day. I have to go to New York for the weekend. Do you want to come with me?� I asked.
It was Presidents� Day weekend, so we�d be in New York for three days. Adrienne had arranged some jobs for me. She hadn�t told me who they were for or what I�d be doing, but it would be something I�d enjoy. If Adrienne said it would be fun, I was in.
�Let me call my mom and ask,� Zoe said.
It was interesting to see the progression of the conversation from Zoe�s end. She started out excited, then things took a decided turn. She got up and walked into the bedroom, and the discussion seemed to get heated.
�Fine!� I heard as a final retort.
I stepped into the bedroom and found Zoe red-faced and breathing heavily.
�Is everything okay?� I asked.
Of course, I recognized it wasn�t all okay, but I�d learned it�s sometimes best to get the conversation started so a girl can vent. She gave me a look that I didn�t think I deserved.
�I have to go home,� Zoe announced.
She stomped out to the living room and put her coat on. If she was going to be a brat, I was more than happy to drive her home. We got into the Charger and drove off. She didn�t say a word to me the entire way. When we got to her house, she just jumped out and ran inside. Well, I guess that�s what I get for trying to be nice.
I had to turn in the Charger tomorrow, so I decided to go for a drive. I would miss this car. It was every motor-head�s dream. It was heavy enough that it didn�t get all squirrelly when you pushed it into turns. The Charger was quick and powerful. If you wanted something that would outperform it, you�d need to spend twice what you�d pay for the production version of the Charger, or heavily modify something else. The only knock I had on the Charger was its brakes. I�d planned to upgrade them in the spring.
I pushed the pedal down and felt myself being pressed back into my seat as the Charger began to pick up speed. After my driving classes in LA, I was much more comfortable aggressively driving this beast. I had a blast racing through the county park�s ten-mile serpentine road. Hardly anyone ever drove it, so I wasn�t worried I would run into any traffic. The Charger didn�t even twitch when I would throw it into the corners.
When I hit the countryside, I looked for the nearest county road. If I was going to have some fun, I didn�t need a ticket�the county roads weren�t patrolled much, and I loved driving them. They were laid out in a grid that ran north/south and east/west in one-mile increments. Unlike LA, where I wasn�t sure any road was truly straight, you didn�t need a GPS to figure out how to get somewhere. Washington was the nearest town to ours, and it was eight miles north and three miles east. All you had to do was drive north and then turn right at the eighth intersection. Three more and you would be at the edge of town.
With no crops in the fields, I could see for what seemed like miles. I let the Charger have its legs and was soon well past a hundred miles per hour. Even though there was no traffic, I made a point to slow down near a farmhouse. Farm dogs were often territorial, and I didn�t want to hit one just doing its job.
I drove from one end of the county to the other before going home. I needed to get all my stuff out of the car. In the trunk, I had a gun safe and first aid bag. Well, �first aid bag� was probably a misnomer. Tami had bought it for me, and it was more of a paramedic bag. It had anything and everything you would need in an emergency that could be put into such a kit.
◊◊◊
When I got home, I cleaned out the Charger. Getting the gun safe out was a chore; I expect they wanted to discourage people from stealing them. After I was done, I grabbed the chicken and pie and found Dad watching college basketball. State was playing Iowa, and it didn�t look good for the home team.
�I knew you were my favorite son,� Dad said as I put the food on the coffee table.
�What did Jack suggest we do with my money?� I asked, finally ready to hear what was suggested when Dad and Caryn spoke with Jack Mass.
�What did you and Bev talk about?� Dad asked. While he and Caryn had their meeting with Jack, I was meeting with Bev to ask for her help in bringing Brandon to justice.
�I�ll tell you and Mom about it when I get everything figured out.�
Dad just nodded.
�Jack talked to Caryn and me about your financial situation and made several recommendations. The first was to set up an emergency fund. He said we needed to have three to six months� expenses put into savings. Caryn should have that number from the accountant this week. He called this our reserve or rainy-day fund. Jack suggested we put it into CDs that we can cash out when needed.
�He then advised that we reduce the amount of cash we have in the checking account. We only needed to keep enough there to operate for the month. Jack suggested we keep another three months� expenses in short-term investments. Once the new businesses start showing a profit, you can reduce that.
�He liked that you had a house fund and college fund set up. He suggested that we move a onetime payment into those funds from your most recent movie deal,� Dad shared.
�What about the money I get from things like this weekend?� I asked.
�Jack said to put it into your business account, and he�ll talk with Caryn and me, and we�ll decide where it needs to go.�
�I�m thinking I want to replace the Charger,� I admitted.
�In fact, you need to get two cars. The other one would be for Peggy to safely drive your son around.�
�I don�t think I want a minivan, but we might need something bigger that can haul a lot of people.�
Dad smirked at me. I think he was imagining some famous last words had just been said.
�What else did Jack tell you?� I asked, to get back on topic.
�Speaking of cars, he said to lease them. Same goes for boats.�
�What about motorcycles?� I asked and did a little bounce that gave away my excitement.
Dad didn�t take the bait.
�Mass Investments is a full-service wealth management company. Jack asked Caryn to send him over all our current insurance policies. From what he was talking about, we may be underinsured, now that you�re a celebrity.�
I gave Dad an impatient look, which made him smile.
�He suggested some funds that were performing well, and he�d put a portion of your money into a couple of them to diversify your risk. He then suggested that you invest in his company. You�d be a silent partner in Mass Construction and be able to take advantage of their Lincoln Park project. If the numbers he�s projecting are even close to accurate, you�ll do very well,� Dad said.
�What do you think? You saw his home; it�s a model they�re building. The homes are made to look like they�ve been there forever, so they fit in with the neighborhood. How have they done to this point?� I asked.
�Financially, very well. They have a short-term cash-flow problem. Jack said they need your cash to accelerate some projects and help avoid delaying others. Jack will send Caryn contracts people have signed to buy the homes once they�re built to show they have orders in the pipeline.�
�Why didn�t he go to the bank?� I asked.
�He did, but while he waited for their answer, he had to dig into his reserves. On paper, Jack looks cash poor. You know banks, they only want to loan you money if you don�t need it.�
�If he got himself into a bind, why would I invest with him?� I asked.
�Good question. Simple answer is Jack has a solid record. He opened his books to Caryn, and over the long haul, his business has made a lot of money. They had to pull out funds for some other things.�
�What other things?� I asked.
�Bev�s election is the main one. She didn�t expect a challenge but now finds herself in a real dogfight. She has a real problem with a police shooting from two years ago. A young black man with a checkered past had a knife. Add to that a police officer who has a history of excessive-force complaints, at least twenty over the last ten years. During the confrontation, the young black man walked away from the police. The officer shot him, the young man�s body spun around and was then lying on the ground. The police officer then shot him fourteen more times in fifteen seconds, unloading every round in his gun, killing the knife-wielder.
�From the investigation report, which was released in January, the first responder said there was no need to use that level of force. There was a recording where a Taser team was called to deal with the situation. There�ve been bipartisan protests denouncing the young man�s death. They�ve demanded changes in police and judicial procedure as well as the dismissal or resignation of city officials. Bev is one of the ones they want thrown out, even though she had nothing to do with it,� Dad explained.
�It sounds like the perfect storm for something bad to happen: an overaggressive police officer and a kid with a knife. I can understand why people are upset and why they would target the people in charge,� I said and thought for a moment. �Will this blow back on Jack and his business?�
�I�ll have Caryn check into it,� Dad assured me.
◊◊◊
After dinner, I got a call from my grandma.
�I volunteered you for something,� she began.
No one wants to be volunteered and told after the fact. If it had been just about anyone else, I would have had a negative reaction. But my grandma had moved into a farmhouse that was currently under construction and was watching my new farm. I owed her, and I think my response reflected that.
�Anything you want,� I said with forced enthusiasm, which she saw through.
�It�s not really that bad. It�ll give you some life experience,� she offered.
That�s about as appealing as being told you�re going out on a blind date and �she has a great personality��code for ugly or big-boned.
�I didn�t say it was bad. What did I agree to do?� I asked.
�Governor Higgins asked me to make some appearances with him for his campaign. While we talked, he mentioned that he, Senator Dixon, and Bev Mass would be doing rallies at different campuses this weekend. I suggested that you help them. He got excited and said you�d be perfect for something like that.�
�I should call Brook Davis and see if she�d help out as well,� I said.
There was no use fighting it. I�d as much as promised I would help the governor. He had ties to my grandad, and he helped when I had my problem last fall. Our families had been intertwined for many years. My grandad Davey had actually been Kurt�s mentor. It was my turn to step up.
�I�m sure the governor�s staff would welcome any help you can give. I�ll confirm with them, and you can get in contact to work out the details.�
�What are you doing?� I asked.
�Betty Higgins and I are doing the women�s luncheon circuit.�
That made it a slam dunk. I would much rather go to a campus rally than have lunches with women�s groups.
When I got off the phone with my grandma, I called Brook�s dad. I didn�t want to give her a chance to turn me down. I called the house phone.
�Hey, David, what�s up?� Brook answered.
�I need to talk to your dad,� I said.
�Why?�
If it were me, I would have just handed the phone to my dad. I never understood girls and their need to question everything.
�I need his advice on something,� I said.
�What something?� she asked.
I got the feeling Brook didn�t trust me, but I guess I didn�t blame her since I�d never before called and asked to speak to Ian.
When I explained what my grandma had roped me into, Brook agreed that he�d really like to help with something like this. Boy, was he excited. I hit him with the life-experience angle, and I suddenly had an assistant, one Miss Brook Davis. In fact, I put him in charge and suggested that I would do whatever was needed. I could tell from his enthusiasm that neither Brook nor I would have to do much of anything. He agreed to talk to the governor�s staff and provide suggestions. It was the perfect use of delegation: find a motivated person with a passion and point them in the right direction. I felt pretty good about myself.
◊◊◊ Monday February 8
On the way to school, I got a call from Caryn.
�I wanted to let you know that they�ve started construction on the strip mall. I talked to Devin Range, and he didn�t want the car back, so I suggested that they donate it to the Booster Club.�
�That�s a good idea,� I said.
�Mrs. Sullivan is sending someone over to pick it up today. Did you get it cleaned out over the weekend?�
�Yes, and I�m going to miss that car,� I moaned.
�Get over it. You can get almost any car you want to replace it.�
She was right, but did I really need another car? I already had the Jeep. A guy can only drive one car at a time. It was probably best to give it some time and see how I felt in a week or so.
�I do need something bigger that my nanny can drive, something big enough to haul all the kids, including my brother�s kids, if I have to. I want it nice, and I don�t want a minivan.�
�Okay. I�ll call Mrs. Sullivan and see what they have. I�ll text you pictures, and you can decide if you want to go look at any of them,� she offered.
My mind took off in another direction.
�Hey, I talked to the director of the homeless place last week. He mentioned a GoFundMe website for our class project. Do we have them for our other charities?�
�No, but that�s a great idea. I�ll get Megan working on it,� she said. �What�s your project?�
�We have three. One is a find-a-friend-for-lunch app. Another is to build tables for the outdoor area next to the lunchroom. The final project is to collect household items for the homeless. The director suggested that some people might not want to bring things in, but would donate money; that�s why the GoFundMe site,� I shared.
�Can I make a suggestion?�
�Sure.�
�Don�t do a long, drawn-out deal. You don�t want to have to worry about setting up collection boxes. I was involved in a similar project when I was in college, but for toys for kids at Christmastime. It was a huge pain, and we ended up losing a lot of toys because the donation locations weren�t secured. I would suggest you make it an event and do it all at once. Set up a big truck and challenge everyone to fill it. It would make for a nice article for the local paper and help the charity with awareness of the problem,� Caryn suggested.
I knew there was a reason I hired her. That was great advice. I could see how doing a onetime event was better than having to deal with it over a month or longer. I thought it was a worthy cause, but I didn�t want to mess with it more than I had to.
�Oh, I almost forgot. My grandma volunteered me to help with Governor Higgins� campaign. When you talk to Frank next, could you mention I might need some talking points?�
�When is it?� she asked.
�I, uh, don�t know,� I admitted, and she laughed at me.
I explained how I�d gotten Ian Davis to figure it out for me and gave her Ian�s phone number.
�We probably should tell the new lawyer about your plans. He might want to make sure you don�t do anything to damage your status with the NCAA.�
She had a point. Then she shocked me.
�What day do you want the flowers delivered?� she asked.
Valentine�s Day was this Sunday, and I�d seen in the news where a kid gave out a flower to every girl in his school last year. I�d jokingly told Caryn about it and didn�t realize she took me seriously. Guess I needed to be a little clearer when I was goofing around.
�Did you already order them?� I asked, hoping she hadn�t.
�To get that many roses, I had to pay for them up front. They need to know what day so they can get them shipped in the night before and ready for you.�
�What do you mean, �ready for me�?�
�They have to have the cards I ordered tied to each one. Frank also wants to do a press release. Saul got permission from the studio to put your image on the cards.�
�I don�t remember any of this. Did you show me the cards?� I asked.
�Remember when you told me you only needed to know about things if there was a problem? I didn�t think this was a problem,� Caryn said.
She was clearly enjoying my discomfort. But I knew she was also dying to show me the card. I�d played this game with my mom enough times to know that my best revenge was to play like I didn�t care.
�As long as you have it handled.�
�Oookay,� she drawled back at me.
�I�ll probably need to get permission to do this. There�s a meeting with my guidance counselor at lunchtime to discuss the class projects. I�ll ask her to help me figure out which day will work.�
By now, I�d arrived at school and had been sitting in the parking lot as I talked to Caryn. I about jumped out of my skin when Zoe opened the passenger door and got in the Jeep. It appeared that she had been waiting for me to finish my call, but it was cold out. Zoe looked almost frozen. She reached over and turned the heat on high.
�I�ve got to go,� I said, and hung up.
When I looked at Zoe, she didn�t want to meet my eyes.
�I think I overreacted yesterday,� she offered.
Hmmm, let me think. Zoe acted like a brat to her mom, and I was caught in the crossfire. Yeah, I agree, �overreacted� might describe it.
�So you�re talking to me now?� I asked.
�And I�m horny,� she added.
�Well, yes, there is that. Should we try to do something here in the Jeep?� I asked.
�No. I just wanted you to know that I expect I�ll suffer more than you will because of my actions.�
�Tracy had a problem like yours once. We used a music rehearsal room to help her out. They�re soundproof,� I suggested.
We heard the bell ring.
�Lunchtime?� she asked.
�I have a meeting, but I�ll try to get it done early and send you a text.�
We hurried into school. It really was cold outside.
◊◊◊
At lunchtime, we met at Ms. Jaroslav�s office. When everyone was there, I started the meeting.
�Wolf, how goes the picnic tables?� I asked.
�Ms. Jaroslav received permission for us to do it. I talked to the shop teacher, and he�s agreed to supervise us,� Wolf said.
�Mr. Palm wanted a member of the faculty involved for safety�s sake,� Ms. Jaroslav explained.
�What about materials?� I asked.
�We have two options: we can either buy metal frames or make wooden ones. I expect the metal ones would make it easier to build them and would last longer,� Jan said.
�She�s right. The frame is the hard part, but I�m confident we can do it. Doing it ourselves would save us almost $100 per table. That adds up when we plan to build eight tables,� Wolf said.
�That brings us to money. How are we paying for this?� I asked.
�Mr. Palm said the school would donate the materials if we let the shop class participate. He could justify the expenses as a shop-class project,� Ms. Jaroslav said.
�But then it would be a whole-school project, not a junior-class project,� Alan said.
�Not if the junior class painted them. Maybe the shop class could apply a base coat, and then we could put some sort of mural on each of them. You�d help with one, wouldn�t you David?� Stacy asked.
I nodded and wondered when I�d have time. I was really into delegation right now. Maybe I could get Halle to do it for me.
�We could get Halle and some of the other people in Art to help,� Stacy said, crushing my dreams.
�Do you need anything else right now?� I asked Wolf and Jan.
�Did you want to do the metal frames?� Jan asked.
�I think the shop class needs the experience. If it were just a few of us involved, I would vote for easier,� I said.
�I think David�s right,� Ms. Jaroslav decided.
Alan then showed us the app Stacy and he had created. There would be reserved tables in the lunchroom, and someone would host each one. Then people who wanted to join could click on a chair, and the app would book it for them.
�How do we make it fair?� Jan asked.
�What do you mean?� Stacy asked.
�Let�s say, oh, I don�t know, David is a host. We don�t want his friends taking all the slots. The goal is to have everyone meet new people. I could also see that if the tables were the ones near the windows, a group of friends could just host one and everyone join. It would defeat the purpose of what we�re trying to do,� Jan reasoned.
�I guess we could create a database and block you from sitting with the same host each time,� Alan said.
�I�d just have someone else host it each time to get around that,� I said, which caused Alan to scowl.
�You�re right. I would do the same. Let us think about that,� Alan said.
�Did you come up with a low-tech solution for those that don�t have smartphones?� Ms. Jaroslav asked.
Alan rolled his eyes. He�d ignored that request because he thought it was a waste of time.
�We�re working on it,� Stacy offered.
�How about the homeless project?� Ms. Jaroslav asked.
�David and I talked to the director, and he had a good idea: he suggested a GoFundMe website. That way people who don�t have anything to donate can just give money,� Brit said.
�I got a suggestion that we do a onetime event instead of collecting over time. We could get a truck and try to fill it up,� I said.
�Why not a bus?� Alan asked.
�We could make banners and cover the sides,� Stacy said.
�I like the bus idea. That way we don�t have to rent a truck,� Wolf said.
�Let me ask Mr. Palm about the bus,� Ms. Jaroslav said. �When did you want to do the donation drive?�
�I�d think it would need to be a school day,� Brit said.
�We should do it around something at school as well. Like a baseball game, or dance. Maybe people who donate something could get a ticket for an event,� Jan said.
�Most events are free,� I pointed out.
�For a baseball game, we could reserve the best seats for those who donated,� Brit suggested.
She was not going to be deterred. I liked that Brit had found something she was passionate about.
Everyone was happy with what they�d accomplished so far, so we ended the meeting. I stayed to talk to Ms. Jaroslav alone.
�Did you need something?�
�Yes. I plan to give a flower to each girl in school for Valentine�s Day. I was wondering if that would be a problem, and what day would be best.�
�Why would you need permission?� she asked.
�Because there might be press that covers it,� I admitted.
�That rules out Friday. I know several teachers have tests scheduled for that day. Why don�t you plan on Thursday? I�m sure I can get Mr. Palm to sign off on it,� she said.
�Thanks,� I said and left.
◊◊◊
I sent a text to Zoe as I headed to the music practice rooms. She looked nervous as we stepped into the end one.
�This is crazy,� she said. �Did Tracy really let you do her here?�
�I probably shouldn�t have said anything. Let�s just say that I�ve used this particular room before.�
�I didn�t know you played,� she teased.
�C�mere,� I said and pulled her into a kiss.
She broke our kiss, pulled back, and bit her bottom lip.
�What if we get caught?� she whined.
I waggled my eyebrows at her.
�That�s what makes it exciting. Think about a cute freshman boy getting an education as he looks through the window.�
�Oh, my! Someone could see us,� she worried.
�We don�t have much time,� I warned her. �Why don�t you just take off your panties and I�ll do some oral.�
I could see her vacillating, so I took charge. I walked up to her and undid the button and zipper on her jeans. Then I pulled both them and panties to her knees. I spun her around, pushed her across the piano bench, and dropped down and licked her sex.
�This is so wrong,� she moaned.
Poor Zoe was so worked up, it didn�t take her long to get her cookie. I wanted more, but there wasn�t time. She was catching her breath when she turned to look back at me. I waved at the window as if someone was there.
�Ohmygod!� Zoe squawked and had her pants up in record time.
�What about me?� I teased and showed her my bulge.
�Who saw us?� she demanded.
�Uh, no one,� I said hesitantly.
�This was such a bad idea,� she said, and then ran for it.
I just sat on the piano bench and chuckled. I waited a few minutes and then left. A freshman girl was standing there and turned bright red when I came out. Maybe someone
�The room�s free,� I said as I walked away and then turned back to her. �I hope you don�t feel the need to talk about us.�
The girl shook her head, and I smiled at her. She seemed more embarrassed than Zoe was. I�d only tried to help a friend in need. Oops.
◊◊◊
Before going to batting practice, I sent a text to Caryn that I would hand out flowers on Thursday. She sent me one back telling me that my car was gone. There was another text about my movie�s earnings over the weekend.
Sometimes hitting a ball can be therapeutic. I needed to work out my frustration over having to give my car back. Moose watched me bat again and was my official helper when I ran out of balls. He�d also change the settings so I could hit different pitches. I felt good, and my hour was over before I knew it. I noticed Jim was standing next to Moose. The two of them talked quietly as I began to crush the ball. I was in the zone today.
When the machine stopped, because it was empty again, Jim talked to me.
�Can you watch me bat and give me some tips?� he asked.
�Sure,� I said.
Jim had some bad habits that I�d never really paid attention to before. I talked to him about what I�d been taught. By the time I had to leave to work out with Cassidy, he looked better. I promised to help him.
�Sometimes you�re a good guy,� Moose said as I left.
�And sometimes a jerk,� I shot back.
�Yep, that too,� he said with a smile.
◊◊◊ Wednesday February 10
On the ride to the dojo, I received a call from a Chicago number I didn�t recognize.
�David, it�s Bev Mass.�
�What can I do for you?� I asked.
�I�ve been talking to the Middlesex District Attorney over the last few days. She brought up something that I�m wondering about. How did you get the actual case files from the police department?�
The way she asked it made me nervous.
�Do I need to have Ms. Dixon on this call?� I asked.
I heard her take a deep breath and then slowly let it out.
�David, I�m in an awkward position here. I know you�ve done all this with the best of intentions. If it weren�t for that, I would never have helped you. I sometimes have to remember that this is a favor and not me doing my actual job; it isn�t my responsibility to follow up on. I think the best advice I could give you is to not tell me anything I don�t need to know.
�The flip side is I am what I am. I have to follow the law, even if it goes against my personal feelings. If you understand that, we can work together on this. Just don�t tell me anything I would have to take action on. For now, I�ll assume the files somehow were left in a public setting and copied,� she concluded.
�That didn�t answer my question,� I said.
She chuckled.
�No, it didn�t. Here�s the situation: I couldn�t use anything you tell me now because we�re just having a conversation. You�re not a suspect in anything, and we�re just friends talking. Granted, it is about a legal matter, but it isn�t a case I have jurisdiction over. I give you my word that if you make a mistake and tell me something you shouldn�t, I�ll stop the conversation. Let�s treat this as I�m giving you full immunity over anything you say right now.�
�I was the shooter on the grassy knoll,� I teased.
�I suppose you did some kind of time travel,� she said.
�Perhaps. So, did you really want to know how I got the files?� I asked.
�Out of curiosity,� she admitted.
�I hired someone to get me information. And before you ask, I don�t know who they are.�
�How does that work?�
�A friend contacted them. From what you�ve said, I�m better off not knowing.�
�Okay, I won�t press you on that,� she said.
�Just out of curiosity, what would I be looking at if I took the files?�
�Up to a $1,000 fine and 6 months in jail,� she said.
You had to be shitting me. They were worried about something that would result in a slap on the wrist when there was a potential serial rapist on the loose? They would never prosecute something like that. I would get a plea deal and possibly pay a fine. If I ever got in front of a jury � let�s just say it wouldn�t happen. No prosecutor would want me talking nonstop on TV about his or her warped sense of priorities.
Bev continued on as if the penalty had shocked me silent.
�After I got the Middlesex DA focused on the real issue, the serial rapes, she didn�t bring it up again. I�ve talked to her four times since Monday. She did a little investigating on her own before she believed me. I guess the Cambridge and Harvard University police departments never put together that these cases could be related, which we both agreed wasn�t likely.
�What confused the issue is that while Harvard does have fraternities in the traditional sense, they also have what are called �final clubs.� They�re called �final clubs� because at one time Harvard had clubs for students of each class year. As students neared completion of their studies, the �final club� was the last they could join before graduation. There are 14 final clubs; of those, six are for men only, including the one that Brandon belonged to. Unlike a fraternity, where they�d have a house where people live, these clubs are similar to an upper-end gentlemen�s club. Only the cream of the crop, the most sophisticated of the graduates of the prominent New England private schools are members. In some circles, it�s more important what club you�re a member of than what grades you get.
�The problem is that while they involved club members, their parties were never at the club. The club doesn�t admit any undergraduates to their parties unless they�re a member. Even alumni must wait ten to fifteen years before they may be allowed as a guest. The exception, of course, is female guests, who aren�t members. It isn�t uncommon for the final club to rent out a nightclub for the evening.
�What tripped Brandon up was the last party was held on campus. When the allegations were made, the case fell to the university�s police. The university didn�t want any part of it. They gave him the choice of a disciplinary inquiry and possible prosecution, or to withdraw from school. He obviously picked the second option.
�The Middlesex District Attorney suggested that if you wanted to expedite the processing of the rape kits, you could send a check to the lab. She gave me a reference number to attach to the check, and they�d know what to do.�
�Will I be able to get a copy of the results?� I asked.
There was a pause.
�It could be argued that if you pay for it, you own it, but that probably wouldn�t apply to this. We are talking about an open investigation.�
I smiled to myself. Of
�So, I won�t know if they�re following up or not.�
�You aren�t technically in any way involved with the investigation,� Bev said.
�Except that my friend was raped.�
�David, you have to understand �� she began.
�Bev, I understand completely. Because the girls who were raped went to the parties willingly and didn�t remember what actually happened, it�s no big deal. You and I both know that�s bullshit. One of the definitions of consent is being in control of your faculties. Passed out or drugged doesn�t make it possible to give consent.�
�I understand your frustration, but you have no standing in the open cases. Unfortunately, we could never make a case for Tami against Brandon. I know I sound like I�m being an obstacle, but I don�t want to promise something I can�t deliver.
�Can you at least follow up and make sure they process the kits and get any information you can?� I asked.
�Yes, I can do that,� she conceded.
�Bev, I don�t want to sound ungrateful, because I do appreciate what you�ve done. You got the ball rolling on this. When he�s behind bars, you�ll have had a big part in it.�
�Okay, no need to suck up. I won�t let you down.
�Thanks.�
We said our goodbyes, and I looked up. Shit! Cassidy and Brook were staring at me from the front seat.
�There wouldn�t be a chance you didn�t hear all that?� I asked, and from the looks I got, there wasn�t. �I was afraid of that. Can you just let it go for now?�
�If you need me to hurt someone, let me know,� Cassidy offered.
I smiled, thinking of the last guy she said she would hurt. She had threatened Alan, but he ended up being a wuss and wouldn�t take his punishment like a man. Cassidy had given him an offer: she could make him cry like a little girl, or he could start going to her
�You�ll be the first person I ask,� I assured her.
We entered the dojo, and Cassidy showed me I wasn�t as good as I thought I was. Someday!
◊◊◊
I went to Brook�s house for dinner because Ian wanted to talk about the political rallies. He and Brook sat down with me after we�d eaten.
�I talked to Governor Higgins� campaign manager. They plan to hit campuses next weekend. The campaign wanted to have you stand behind the governor on stage. I had some other ideas,� Ian said.
�I look good standing on a stage,� I said.
Both Ian and Brook ignored me.
�I explained to them that we were missing an opportunity. I suggested that they do a voter registration drive. They could allow people who register to meet you and have their picture taken.�
�I�m not sure that would be enough,� Brook said.
Did she just slam me? She caught my evil eye and rolled hers to tell me to quit being a baby.
�We want something that�ll make students want to come. We need to make it an event,� Brook explained.
�Or a concert,� I said. �I met a band from Chicago that�s really good. I saw them in LA and watched the four of them play a couple of times. It would be great exposure for them, and we would create a buzz. It certainly wouldn�t be a boring campaign rally.�
I think Ian was offended by the �boring campaign rally� comment. He certainly didn�t think politics was boring. I gave him my best smile.
�Want me to see if they�ll do it?� I asked.
�Let me call and see if the campaign manager is on board with this.�
Ian left us to make his call. As soon as he left, Brook turned on me.
�I almost forgot. Cassidy will be making you a visit tomorrow. You got my dad all excited about helping you and then suggested that I should be involved.�
�I thought it was a great plan,� I said, holding up my hands. �Think about two nights in hotels in Chicago.�
�I hear you invited Zoe to New York this weekend for a romantic getaway for Valentine�s Day,� Brook said, catching me completely off guard.
�Uh, she can�t go,� I mumbled.
�So, who are you taking?�
�You?�
�What about Halle?� Brook asked.
�Both of you?�
�You really are a �stupid boy.��
Ian stuck his head in the room.
�What kind of music do they play?� he asked.
I directed him to their website, and he returned to talking on the phone.
�It�s a little short notice, don�t you think? I understand that you�ll be hanging out with models. What�ll we wear?� she teased me.
My brain locked, and I just blinked at her. Then I realized she was giving me shit. Brook Davis and Halle James had closets full of clothes.
�We can�t go anyway,� she said, letting me off the hook.
�Why not?� I asked.
�We have parents who talk, too. Did you really get caught in the act at Halle�s house?�
�Jeeezus!�
�Don�t worry. My mom told them about finding you in your underwear, covered in mud and water. You really are a bad influence on me.�
I�d practiced �the look,� and I must have done it right because Brook�s eyes got big. Paybacks were hell. Her dad saved her.
�Give them a call. The campaign manager loved the idea of a band.�
�How many events are we doing?� I asked.
�Oh, sorry. Friday night we�re at Northern. Saturday we�ll be at the University of Chicago, Loyola, and DePaul. On Sunday, the event is at Northwestern.�
I caught the �we�; so did Brook. It sounded like her dad would be going with us.
I called Kendal and got Angel�s number. Angel had questions about promotion and posters, so I gave her Ian�s digits. They could work out the details.
When we were done, Ava, Brook�s mom, appeared.
�Shouldn�t you be getting home? It is a school night.�
�Yes, ma�am.�
I was a good boy and returned home.
◊◊◊
I found Pam and Peggy in the kitchen, drinking hot chocolate. Little David and Duke were nowhere to be found.
�Where are the babies?� I asked.
�I swear he thinks his dog is a child,� Peggy complained.
Pam seemed to agree with her statement.
�So, are you going to ask me?� Pam asked.
�I take it you know what I asked Zoe.�
�And that both Halle and Brook turned you down. I was just wondering where I rate?� she pouted.
I thought asking Zoe had been a good thing. Now it was starting to feel like a mistake. Pam caught my look of irritation, got up, and hugged me.
�You know, I really would like to go. I could use some alone-time with you.�
I left my arms loose around her waist and looked her in the eyes.
�That�s a great idea. I would love to take you with me. Is it okay with your mom?� I asked.
�She said you couldn�t get me any more pregnant.�
Peggy broke out laughing. Pam�s mom did have a point. I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Caryn to add Pam to my trip. I sent another one to Adrienne to let her know I was going to be a plus-one.
The back door opened and Duke bounded in, followed by Mom and Dad with Little David. I loved-up Duke, and then he went to Pam and Peggy for more loving. Mom handed me Little David. I helped him out of his coat.
�Where did you go?� I asked.
�To Greg�s. He and Angie needed some mommy and daddy alone-time, so we volunteered to have dinner with all our grandkids,� Dad said.
I noticed Dad included Little David in his comment. Peggy and her son really were becoming a part of the family. I personally enjoyed spending time with Little David. I marveled at all the changes he was going through. Each day he became more of a little person.
�He needs a bath,� Peggy said, holding out her hands.
I gave him up, then caught Mom and Dad up on today�s events.
�When do the flowers come?� Mom asked.
�What flowers?� Pam asked.
�Give me your phone for a second,� I said.
She looked at me funny but handed it over. Dad just shook his head when he saw me put it in my pocket.
�Hey, give that back,� Pam complained.
�I�ll give it to you tomorrow. I don�t need you spoiling my surprise,� I said.
�What surprise?�
�David is giving out flowers to every girl at Lincoln High for Valentine�s Day,� Mom said.
�I won�t tell,� Pam said, holding out her hand.
�Yeah, right. You�ll tell Tracy and then she�ll tell the world.�
�Okay, keep my phone, but I won�t tell.�
I handed her back her phone, which made her happy. Pam had to go home, and I had homework to do, so I told her I�d see her tomorrow.
◊◊◊
Chapter 7 � Good Intentions Thursday February 11
I was ordered to be at school early. Caryn, Megan, and Kendal met me in the front entryway. There was a long table set up there with an enormous banner of me as Stryker; it said, �Be My Valentine.� There was also a cameraman. Frank had hired him to capture everything with both photos and video. Frank had notified his favorite press outlets that he would give them raw footage of me as I gave out flowers.
The girls had it set up so I�d be in the middle and they�d be along the walls to give out flowers. Each flower had a postcard that had a hole punched in it so it could be tied to the flower with ribbon. The card showed Stryker bare-chested and said, �To My Special Valentine.�
I was a little disappointed they�d taken my idea and turned into a promotional event. I�d planned for this to just be a bit of fun and to make people smile.
�Hey, can we lose the cameraman?� I asked Caryn.
�But Frank said �� she began.
�I know, but this feels a little creepy.�
�Thank goodness, I thought it was just me,� Megan said and then clapped her hand over her mouth.
�Let�s take the banner down, and I�ll just go from class to class and hand them out,� I suggested.
Kendal, Megan, and I broke down the table and took down the banner. Caryn sent the cameraman home with the promise he would get paid. We went to one of the coaches� conference rooms to hang out until the bell rang to start school. We had to hurry, but with the four of us splitting up, we were able to hit all the classes.
It turned out to be a lot of fun. I made a point to give one to each of the teachers as well, even the men. The guys gave me some shit. Word of my good deed got out, naturally. I think Frank forgot that teenagers have cell phones and access to the Internet. By lunchtime, there was online video and pictures of me handing out flowers. I was much happier to have it work that way than to stage it. I�d resigned myself to the fact that almost everything I did seemed to end up on the Internet, now that the movie had come out.
◊◊◊
�There he is. I think we all need to kick his ass,� Wolf announced at lunch.
�Who knew he would need to buy girls� affections?� Tim piled on.
�I wish I�d thought of it,� Phil complained.
�Isn�t David the best?� Gina said, batting her eyes.
�He�s so sexy without his shirt on,� Halle cooed.
Wolf and Tim made barfing faces.
�Okay, bite me. Yes, all of you; bite me,� I said, pointing to everyone at the table.
�I still wish I�d thought of it,� Phil complained.
I never had to worry about my head getting too big.
◊◊◊
Today Moose showed up with Bryan and Brock while I practiced with the pitching machine. We followed the same routine: Moose talked to them as I batted, then after thirty minutes, one of them stepped into the cage. I spent fifteen minutes with each of them. Moose would insert himself if he noticed I�d gotten something wrong, but otherwise let me teach them.
After we were done, I stopped Moose.
�Why are you having me coach them? You obviously have a lot more experience than I do,� I admitted.
�It�s because they need to hear it from someone other than me. I�ve been coaching them and telling them what you�re saying. You�ll figure out that for whatever reason, sometimes it takes someone else to tell you the same thing to get you to believe it. All I�ve done is tell them you received special coaching and came home a better hitter. They all know what you did in football. They want to believe you, so they do,� Moose explained.
�If it makes us better, I�m in.�
◊◊◊
Caryn called me after I got home from the dojo.
�Your dad and I talked at length with Mr. Morris. He�d like to set up a conference call for tomorrow and talk to essentially everyone who�s either involved with you or works for you.�
�Why�s that?� I asked.
�He said that the NCAA will receive your application tomorrow and that they won�t hesitate to call people directly. They would rather get information from the source than have you provide it to them. So, for example, they might call Saul and talk about your movie deals. Mr. Morris also wants to talk about a few matters you need to be careful about moving forward. He said he�d send your dad a letter next week that lays out a few issues that might be concerns and his take on them. We also gave him permission to contact everyone in case he needs to get additional information.�
�Do I have anything to worry about?� I asked.
�Mr. Morris is confident that you�ll be fine. If you�d gotten the wrong case manager, they could have made things difficult. Many of them are volunteers from different member institutions and some even from the general public. Mr. Morris said that you didn�t get a nonpaid case manager because your case is more involved than usual,� she explained.
�Okay. I�ll be interested to hear what he wants to tell everyone.�
�I also have news from Saul. He received the contract for the James Bond movie. You have the part if they make the movie,� she said.
�What do you mean,
�Daniel Craig, the current James Bond, has said he doesn�t want to be away from his family. I hope you�re sitting down. He turned down a hundred million dollars to do back-to-back movies.
�There seem to be some massive things in play for this franchise. EON Productions has been the Bond licensing company since its initial installment in 1962. MGM is the Bond series distribution headquarters. Rumors are flying that Disney, Universal, Warner Bros, and Paramount are all bidding to take the movies away from Sony.
�The good news is that they�ve sent over a contract that specifies the movie to be shot not this summer, but next,� Caryn said.
�Why would Daniel Craig walk away from this?�
�He�s done four of them and is reported to be worth nearly a hundred million now. How much money does he need? The last movie took nearly eight months to shoot. He said his family hates him being away for that long. One of the conditions he�s putting forward is for it to last no longer than three months. He has a five-year-old son whom he wants to spend time with.�
I could see that.
�Saul also got some news from the
�I didn�t think I had a shot at that,� I admitted.
�Saul seems to believe you might since they took the time to contact him about you. He had another actor audition, and they didn�t call Saul about that guy.�
That would be a big deal. I would have my first lead role in a movie.
◊◊◊ Friday February 12
After school, I drove home to load my car for the trip to New York, and then picked up Kendal and Pam. They both must have thought we planned a month�s visit to the Big Apple if the amount of luggage was any indication. I, on the other hand, only brought a garment bag and one of those suitcases on little wheels with a telescoping handle.
I missed the Charger because we ended up having to load some luggage in the back seat of the Jeep with Pam.
Once we were on the road, my phone rang.
�Answer,� I said, and the Bluetooth from the phone connected to the Jeep. �This is David.�
�We�re about to start the conference call,� Ms. Dixon said. �Do you have the number to call and the site to log in?�
Kendal opened her email and found the link and password to the meeting so she could log in. When she got connected, she could see Mr. Morris�s computer screen.
�We�re logged in. I�ll hang up and call the conference number,� I said.
As I called in, there was a tone, and then my dad�s voice came on the line.
�Who just joined us?�
�Hey, Dad, it�s David, Kendal, and Pam.�
Several people were already on. As more joined, Dad, as the lead moderator, greeted each one. I think almost everyone I worked with was on the call. The attendees included Mr. Hill, who�d given me my start by doing newspaper insert ads; Deb Thomas from Ford Models; Devin and Sandy Range; and most recently, Frank, Saul, and Paul Andon, the studio exec for my
There was also all my family, including Grandma Dawson, Uncle John, and Greg and Angie. And there were people from high school like Alan, Lily, Tracy, and Wolf, who either worked for me or helped in some way. As well, Coach Hope, Moose, and Mr. Palm, our vice-principal, were on the call.
When it began, Ms. Dixon introduced Mr. Morris, and he took over from there.
�Thank you for taking the time to join us. I�m Duane Morris with Woodford and Morris. Our specialty is sports law. I personally have a background with the NCAA. For ten years, I supervised the case managers who do the initial evaluation of the amateur status for young men and women who register with the NCAA. For an athlete to participate in intercollegiate football or baseball, as in David�s case, the NCAA must certify that a student-athlete is eligible under NCAA guidelines.
�So why the need for the conference call? Because David isn�t typical of the sort of person who passes through the process. They
Monday was President�s Day, and the NCAA was closed.
�The application will have information that will cause the NCAA to question David�s amateur status. Over the next two weeks, I�ll be in contact with many of you to confirm he hasn�t violated any of the bylaws. Any such violations would jeopardize his ability to play college ball. The NCAA will more than likely also contact you. They like to get their information firsthand.
�The purpose of this call is to make you aware of what they�ll be looking at. I�ll also let you all know about some actions we need to take moving forward,� he said. �Now, ordinarily at the end of a call like this, people can jump in with questions. The call then continues until they�re answered. Unfortunately, we don�t have the time for that today. Accordingly, please save your questions for later in the coming weeks, when I�ll be talking to many of you individually.�
Then he paused. I glanced over and saw that on his screen he�d brought up a presentation so everyone could follow along.
�I�ll start by noting that the basic amateurism rule 12.1.2 focuses on pay for athletics skill and participation. Basically, David cannot get paid for his athletic abilities. Let me clarify that. He cannot be paid for football or baseball if he plans to play those intercollegiate sports in college. He also can�t be paid for or promised any money based on those skills. As of now, I don�t believe David has any serious issues. There were a couple of matters of concern, like the car that was gifted to him by Range Sports. But we�ve taken steps to clear that up by returning it and paying for its use.
�As I�ll explain later, the rules for David now, as opposed to when he�s in college, are different. Let�s focus on where David could run into trouble in the future. The first potential issue is him being paid to model and do movies. This is different from his ownership in the farms, in that it uses his image and name. Rule 12.1.2.1 defines pay in terms of athletics. I expect all his modeling and movie work to date will be called into question and investigated. I am confident they�ll find what I did: David did not garner his modeling or acting jobs based on his skill on a football or baseball field.
�The presumption should be in favor of allowing David to continue whatever nonathletic activities he chooses. When I use the term �athletic,� I�m referring to the intercollegiate sports David plans to play. He�s done a wide range of other sports that would not conform to the NCAA�s definition of athletics. For example, skydiving and SCUBA diving,� he said.
I cringed when he mentioned the SCUBA diving. I hoped like heck that Dad had told Mom, or we were in for a world of hurt.
�Bylaw 12.4.1 specifically allows for employment, which modeling and acting are. Where we start to get into the area where David can get himself in trouble is section 12.5, which deals with promotional activities. I want you to pay particular attention to 12.5.1.3. It deals with modeling and other nonathletically related promotional activities after he enrolls in college. Conditions a, b, and e clearly seem to be met, but all five conditions are required, so c and d have the potential to create a hurdle.�
On the screen, he had the five conditions from the NCAA Bylaws.
�I would suggest that we be careful even now of section d. An example where we could run into trouble is something like the �David Approved� gear at Range Sports. While we can show that Range Sports is no longer using that promotion, we cannot risk his amateur status moving forward. While the rule applies explicitly to when he�s in college, they�ll take a dim view of it even now.
�Something else we need to make sure of is that his athletic activities are separated from everything else. This means that if he does an interview about a movie, he cannot talk about football or baseball. I would go so far as to suggest that he not wear anything that is school- or sports-related for those types of interviews. I�d like to see him start doing that now whenever possible. Once he reaches college is when these rules kick in, and he could put himself at risk.
�As an example, when David did his promotional interview for
�This also means that anything web- or internet-related should also be separated into athletics and nonathletics. Fortunately, David�s high school houses his athletics websites and restricts its discussions and information, as regards David, to his football and baseball activities. That�s good for us. From what I�ve seen, his social media and web pages focus on everything else. I�m hoping it�s always been that way, and I also trust that it will continue in that manner, at least in part as a result of this conversation.
�David�s name appearing in the credits and whatnot related to the movies he does in high school would have no effect on his eligibility. Again, though, to be on the safe side, he should simply ask the NCAA�s membership services group for an interpretation of how the rules might apply to him. Better yet, once he�s chosen a college, it would be more appropriate for the school to ask. The NCAA would gladly provide an answer; they have no interest in trapping him after the fact.
�There�s another difficult matter we still need to work out once he enrolls in college. That issue is the use of his name and image as it applies to promotional and media activities. In my opinion, he should be able to perform any and all promotional activities for his films, even after enrollment. But those activities fit within the rules only if he is not paid explicitly for the promotion. His contracts with the studios need to clearly state that he�s paid for acting and not for separate promotional activities related to the movie. And he can�t be reimbursed for any expenses he incurs due to such activities.
�Bylaw 12.5.2, non-permissible activities, specifically limits eligibility to be paid for the use of one�s name or picture to directly promote any commercial product.
�Bylaw 12.5.3 restricts David�s ability to attend media events as well. We will be seeking clarification from the NCAA on that particular rule and how it applies to David�s acting and modeling. We plan to request a waiver for media events that support or are required for David�s acting career.
�Between now and when he enters college, we�ll be working on getting David appropriate waivers for these activities. There have been instances where a student-athlete has acted in and promoted a movie in the past. I would expect we could get a similar waiver for David.
�As I said at the beginning, I�ll be in contact with many of you over the next two weeks. I don�t want us to have any surprises from the NCAA. If we do find anything that needs to be done differently, we can get it resolved now. We appreciate you all taking the time to meet with us today,� Mr. Morris said, wrapping the call up.
He gave out his contact information in case anyone had questions, and the call ended. After I hung up, my phone rang again. It was Dad telling me to jump back onto the conference call now that everyone else was off.
�Hey, David. I think the call went well,� Mr. Morris said.
�I understand it better now,� I admitted.
�Good. I just wanted to tell you I�m working on a few items for the NCAA, specifically those areas I know they�ll have questions about. I�ll be in contact this weekend and next week with several of the people on the call to make sure we don�t have any significant issues. My goal is to provide you with a letter outlining potential problems and how I see them being resolved. My best guess is that I�ll have it to you by either the end of next week or the first of the following week.
�In the meantime, I�ll submit your application today, and I�ll be in contact with your case manager on Tuesday,� Mr. Morris said.
�I signed documents to allow Mr. Morris to act on your behalf with the NCAA,� Dad said.
�Good, just let me know if there are any problems,� I reiterated.
We said our goodbyes.
�Maybe we should have submitted your information freshman year like we were supposed to,� Kendal said.
�It�s probably lucky we didn�t. Back then, I would have messed up and not had Mr. Morris to help me. I�d be looking for an academic scholarship and going to the local JC.�
◊◊◊
Sunglasses money allowed me to upgrade Kendal to first class with Pam and me. I�d have to talk to Caryn about that in the future.
Pam was looking forward to her trip to New York since she�d never been there. While she wasn�t a novice to a big city, since she lived in LA growing up, New York was a completely different story. LA was spread out over a wide area. New York seemed to go straight up, and the concentration of people was greater. What I loved about New York was that you could walk out your front door and get almost anything you wanted in a couple-of-block radius.
�David?�
�Hmm?�
�Is it really okay that I�m coming on this trip? I mean, you�re supposed to work, and I don�t want Adrienne mad that you brought me along,� Pam said.
�Why would Adrienne be mad?� I asked.
She looked out the window, clearly worried. I took her hand and had her look at me.
�Would I ever put you in a situation where you�d feel uncomfortable?� I asked.
She bit her bottom lip.
�No.�
�Remember, Adrienne�s the one who got you all the nice clothes.�
�Yes, but she�s � she�s � Adrienne.�
�I think she knows that,� I said with a smile.
She got quiet for a moment and then gave me a weird look.
�Is it wrong that I think she looks sexy?� she almost whispered.
I had to bite the inside of my mouth to keep from smiling because I could see Pam was worried about this.
�Can I tell you a secret, and you promise not to tell even Tracy?�
She nodded.
�You need to be careful around Adrienne,� I said solemnly.
�Why?�
�She�s into girls. I suspect she�s a lesbian. And I know she�s tried to turn Kara into one as well. I�m worried she might try to convert you this weekend.�
�Really?�
I waggled my eyebrows.
�You just have to promise me something: if she does try to convert you, you have to let me watch.�
Pam thought about it for a moment and then punched me.
�Jerk!�
Kendal, who was sitting across from us, must have heard me because she chuckled. In fact, several other people seemed to be eavesdropping.
�You�re supposed to be nice to me,� Pam pouted.
�I know. I�m sorry,� I said as I leaned over and kissed her forehead.
She grabbed my hand, and we got comfortable for the long flight. I put in my earbuds and was listening to music when Pam squeezed my hand. She leaned close, so I took out my earbuds, and she whispered in my ear.
�I might like it if Adrienne turned me into a lesbian.�
Mr. Happy must have �mom ears� because he stood up. Pam stuck her tongue out at me and returned to reading her book. The problem was all I could do was visualize Pam and Adrienne in bed together. Then Kara and Tyler would join in. What if Hannah Minacci showed up? Fuuuudge � I was hard for the rest of the flight.
◊◊◊
After we made it out of the secure area and headed towards baggage claim, I noticed paparazzi began to show up. I wondered at first who they were looking for, and then one of them spotted me.
My first reaction was to put my arm around Pam and pull her towards me to protect her. She stopped walking when the first one began to take our picture.
�Keep walking,� I told her.
The paparazzi multiplied from one to three to eight in mere moments.
�Kendal!� I called.
�Don�t worry, I got her. I�ll get the luggage and meet you at Adrienne�s,� Kendal said.
�Hey, guys. What�s going on?� I asked, stepping to the far side of the concourse to allow Pam and Kendal the opportunity to get away.
�You�ve been named one of the twelve finalists for the
�Really? That�s great,� I said as I watched Pam and Kendal disappear into the crowd.
�What do you think your chances are?� another one asked.
�Offhand, I�d say one in twelve.�
�Who was with you?�
�Part of my management team.�
I gave them ten minutes and then told them I had to get going. Of course, the paparazzi had drawn a crowd, and I spent the next fifteen minutes taking pictures with fans and signing stuff. Then
I made it to the cabstand and saw several people try to figure out who I was. I flashed some cash and suddenly jumped the line and was gone.
Being at home had left me with a false sense of security. Yes, we had people show up at the house, and random girls hit on me, but I�d forgotten there was a whole industry built around celebrities. My uncle�s warning seemed to be coming true. Now that it had started, there was no putting the genie back into the bottle.
I also wasn�t stupid. Someone had tipped the paparazzi off that I would be on that flight. My immediate thought was Frank, but that didn�t feel right. This seemed more like something Saul would do. If he were worried I might not make the cut, I could see him leaking that I was on the list to force them to add me. Being around Saul and Frank, I�d heard some of their war stories about getting their talent jobs.
�Caryn,� I said after I speed-dialed her number.
�Yes?�
�Why was I ambushed at the airport?� I asked.
�Hang on � what did you just say?�
�We got to New York, and paparazzi were waiting for me,� I said.
�David, they hang out at the airport.�
I took a deep breath.
�No, they were there specifically looking for me. I made the top twelve for the Han Solo movie.�
�I didn�t know that,� she said, and I waited. �Oh.�
�Do you think it was Saul?� I asked.
�Yes. He called and wanted to know when you were getting into New York. He wanted to call you once you landed,� she said.
�Funny, Saul hasn�t called.�
�I�m going to tear his � I mean, have a talk with him.�
�Oh, and
The �Princess� shot was to remind her what a jerk Saul could be. I wanted her in battle mode when she called him.
�I�ll call Tyler and see if they can help with that,� Caryn said.
�Okay. I�d forgotten what it could be like, and with Pam along, I don�t want to take any chances,� I explained.
�Yeah, I hear you. We should have thought of that,� she said.
�I didn�t either, so don�t sweat it. Being at home has spoiled us.�
After I hung up, I received a text from Kendal saying they were at Adrienne�s. I sent her one back that I was hungry. I looked at my watch, and it had set itself to East Coast time. It was nearly eight o�clock. I hoped Adrienne could get us in somewhere last minute. Everyone met me at the front door of her building.
�I hear you got ambushed,� Adrienne said as she stepped forward and hugged me.
Kara and Tyler both hugged me. Adrienne had anticipated that a teenage boy would be hungry and made reservations. We went to a steak house, and I ordered a bottle of red wine. Adrienne gave me a suspicious look because that was how I�d gotten her into bed the last time. Sue me. It was the best sex of my life.
◊◊◊
Chapter 8 � You Eat Pie Saturday February 13
I woke up to find both Kara and Pam in my bed. When we�d gotten home, I�d gone to my room and made some calls. Well, truth be told, the women had kicked me out of the living room. I was amazed at how quickly Pam bonded with Adrienne. They wanted to talk about the baby. I got the distinct impression that Tyler and Adrienne were thinking about either having one or adopting. If Adrienne ever wanted to have a baby, I would move to New York and stay until the deed was done.
I threw on a pair of boxers and strolled out to the kitchen to see what they had in the way of breakfast.
�Damn,� Tyler said as I found her making coffee.
�Sorry. I have my own apartment. I�ll go throw some clothes on.�
�Don�t bother,� Adrienne said as she walked into the kitchen.
I rolled my eyes at her. Despite her comment, I returned to my room to throw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. When I came back, Tyler had everything set out for lox and bagels. She was also making scrambled eggs. I found a coffee mug and poured myself a cup, then sat down next to Adrienne and watched her make me a bagel. I think she was afraid I wouldn�t know the right way to do it.
�Pam�s a sweetheart. If she lived here, I�d talk to her about being a model,� Adrienne said.
�I think she likes you,� I teased.
�She told us about your fantasy.�
�And?� I asked, hopefully.
�I don�t think I could turn her. For some reason, she likes a certain boy too much to get her thinking bent. Plus, I don�t need you watching from the sideline. You�d be too much of a distraction.�
�Who�d be too much of a distraction?� Kara asked as she and Pam joined us.
�Adrienne is planning on turning Pam into a lesbian and won�t let me watch. Reminds me of when we stayed at the Range Ranch,� I complained.
I�d tried to join Tyler and Adrienne in bed when Kara was there. They let her stay, but I�d been kicked out.
�He�s such a �stupid boy� sometimes,� Tyler said. �If he�d let us turn her, there might be side benefits down the road.�
Pam acted like she was at the US Open as we each talked about her. Her head snapped back and forth as if watching the tennis ball bounce between players. I could tell she was feeling a little unsure of herself, so I put my arms out, and she moved to sit in my lap.
�See. Told you,� Adrienne announced.
�We�re just having fun. I�d never let Adrienne take advantage of you.�
It was Adrienne�s turn to roll her eyes at me. I decided that Pam had been abused enough, especially when she took the other half of my bagel.
�So, who�s on the agenda today?� I asked.
�Today we have Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister. Abercrombie owns the Hollister brand as well as A&F,� Tyler explained.
The Hollister concept was to attract consumers aged 14�18 at a lower price point than Abercrombie. Hollister had a Southern California vibe and was geared toward casual wear. I think everyone recognized Abercrombie & Fitch. They were known for their male models who rarely wore shirts. I wasn�t even sure they sold any.
The main attraction for their stores was many of the models for their ads worked in the stores as what they called �brand representatives.� Abercrombie sold sex the same way Victoria�s Secret did.
�Can I come and watch?� Pam asked.
�No,� said Adrienne. �I think a day of beauty is in order. You�re coming with me today.�
I�d arranged for Adrienne to spend the day with Pam as a Valentine�s present from me.
�I�ll go with David today,� Tyler offered.
�Could Kara and Kendal accompany you?� I asked Adrienne.
�That sounds like fun. I�ve wanted to get ahold of Kendal for a while,� Adrienne said, and then realized how that sounded. �Uh, I mean ��
I just waved a hand.
�Tyler, when do we need to leave?� I asked.
She looked at the clock.
�The car will be downstairs in thirty minutes. Go take your shower. One of our new accounts sent over a present for you. Check out the top drawer in your room.�
I ran off to shower and shave. When I opened the top drawer, there were several pairs of Calvin Klein underwear inside. The first pair I tried on was called �Iron Strength Micro Hip Briefs.� I felt like I had on a Speedo. I next tried on a �Liquid Stretch� pair. Not as bad, but still not my style. I found the next one was what they called �boxer briefs.� It had three buttons on the front, and the legs went down a couple of inches but were snug against your legs.
I had been wearing boxers for a couple of years now. I liked the freedom they provided compared to the traditional tighty-whities. The only complaint I had was that my sack sometimes stuck to my leg when I perspired. When you see a guy adjust himself, it�s often because of that. It can be uncomfortable. What I liked about these was there was a pouch for the jewels that held them away from my thighs. The bonus was it didn�t push my package out and make my bulge more noticeable. I think some guys wanted that for the same reason women wore the Wonder Bra.
I figured I�d give them a shot and see how they worked out.
◊◊◊
Our driver took Tyler and me to a studio on 26th Street, just a block from the Hudson River. It was a great space on the top floor of an old industrial building. The top floor housed five studios, and all of them were being used for this job. I was sent to Studio Five. The space was amazing. All along one wall were eight-foot-high windows that let in a lot of natural light. The studio itself had thirteen-foot ceilings and was 3,000 square feet. The floor was concrete, and the overhead was all exposed wood, ducts, and pipes, which reinforced the industrial feel. Walls and ceiling were painted white to best reflect light. Spaced throughout the room were massive circular concrete support pillars.
The place was a madhouse as models, photographers, and all the support staff were busy in the other studios. Along the wall of windows was a makeup location with two stations set up, and to the side, there were racks of clothes. Through a door that led to a lounge came a young Asian woman. She and Tyler seemed to know each other.
�David, I would like you to meet Jackie Chan. She�s one of the best photographers in New York. Adrienne insisted that she shoot you today.�
�Pleasure to meet you,� I said, shaking her hand.
�I want to get some test shots before we get you done up,� she said as she grabbed one of five cameras she had on a large table.
She took three test shots and then hooked her camera up to a large TV screen. She stared at it for a minute and then left us alone. While she was gone, two guys came in and added some different filters to the lighting and placed additional lights from above. I assumed she�d seen some shadows.
�Do you know what we�re doing today?� I asked Tyler as we waited.
�This morning, you�re working with another male model named Ryan Barlow. The two of you will be doing both web and catalog work for both Abercrombie and Hollister.�
�Why two of us?� I asked.
�Jackie likes to work fast. If you noticed, there are two setups. She�ll switch back and forth between the two as you change clothes.�
�What about the rest of the day?� I asked.
�The afternoon will be geared for group work. They have store employees who do a lot of the modeling. You�ll work with them. Later you�ll work with Melinda Kesh,� Tyler said, which made me smile.
Melinda Kesh did her first modeling job for Victoria�s Secret when she was sixteen. She was now nineteen and one of the most sought-after models in the industry. She wasn�t like Adrienne or Hannah Minacci in that she wasn�t full-figured. Melinda had thick brown hair that flowed down her back and eyebrows that reminded you of Demi Lovato. She had clear blue eyes that set off her flawless face, and a smile that made every guy who saw it feel like it was just for him.
Melinda looked good in anything you put on her. She had one of those bodies that could pull off tight jeans or high fashion. Clothes simply seemed to hang better on her than on most everyone else. I was excited to get to work with her. If nothing else, she would make me look better.
Ryan came in with Jackie, and she took some test shots of him. When she was done, the makeup artists were given their marching orders, and Ryan and I were soon in just our underwear.
�I need to have you take them off,� my guy said, pointing to my boxers.
�Why?� I asked, taking a half step back.
�Some of the shots might expose a lot of skin, and we need to shave you,� he said.
I wasn�t used to a dude doing that, but he was professional about it. Ryan was getting the same treatment. I glanced over and did a double-take. I usually don�t check out other guys, but damn! Ryan was six-two, with brown hair and green eyes. He was fit, but on the skinny side, and compared to me, had little muscle definition. What made me look twice was he was hung like a horse.
I�d never understood that phrase before, but that was all I could think of. Ryan�s little head was the size of a lemon, and the shaft had to be at least two-and-a-half to three inches across. I�d never seen anyone that big in person.
I noticed Tyler standing off to the side with her mouth hanging open. She noticed that I caught her looking, and she turned bright red and fled the room. Believe me, I wanted to do the same. I�d never felt inferior to anyone in that department before. I might not have the biggest equipment, but Ryan was in a class all his own. He saw me looking. Then we began a conversation that reminded me of my very own version of
�It�s not all it�s cracked up to be,� he said.
�What?� I asked startled.
�This package,� he said, motioning towards it.
�Why�s that?� I asked.
�Have you ever been deep-throated?� Ryan asked.
�Sure,� I admitted.
�I�ve never had anyone that can get the head in their throat. A girl�s throat doesn�t stretch. Some have a hard time even giving me head, and you can just forget about anal.�
I just blinked at him. What do you say to another guy when he admits that to you?
�I loved your movie,� Ryan said, changing the subject.
I snapped out of it and began talking to him while we got our junk shaved. Ryan turned out to be a great guy. He was twenty and had moved to New York from a small town in Georgia. His grandparents grew onions, of all things, so we traded farm stories. He�d also played high school baseball.
I discovered something I never knew before: Abercrombie & Fitch did sell shirts. They also carried about twelve different styles of jeans. I was put into a heather-gray long-sleeve t-shirt with their logo on the chest, and then I modeled each type of jeans. They needed front and back views of each for the website. While I did that, Ryan was modeling different styles of shorts. Then we switched, and I did shorts for Hollister while Ryan did their jeans.
I liked how Jackie did the shoot. She was fast enough that I never lost focus. For her, it was a lot of work. She would run back and forth between us. Jackie�s assistants had a different camera at each setup. Between shots, they would download the pictures so that Tyler, the lead assistant, and marketing people from both companies could approve shots right after they were taken. This was much better than finding out later after we�d already changed clothes. When that happened, we�d have to redo those photos at the end of the shoot. We�d have to change back into the outfits that had problems and reshoot them. This way, we fixed them immediately while we were still wearing the clothing.
I was impressed with how professional they all were. Something that became apparent as the morning went on was the light had changed as the sun moved. Jackie stopped the shoot and ordered blackout curtains be brought in to cover the windows, and she added more studio lights.
After that, we began to change into outfits that represented the different lines that each company carried. I found that liked their clothes. I hoped I got to keep some of them from today.
We started with what they called �the Lookbook.� It was meant to give buyers ideas for putting outfits together. For a guy, the concept was brilliant, even though we�d never admit it. They offered a variety of casual, layered looks.
The next series of photos was labeled �Stylist Series� on the shoot sheet. The description said, �The best photographers, models, and clothes are only part of the formula for creating our iconic images. Another crucial collaborator is the stylist. In this ongoing feature, we talk with these tastemakers and discover how they bring the A&F look to life.� When we began, they brought in a woman who was responsible for the way the clothes looked in that section of the website. She was a lot of fun and obviously creative. While I�m not a big sweater guy, she had me willing to wear several different ones.
For Hollister, they had me put on what they called �Match Backs.� It was a fancy way of saying sweats and either sweatshirts or hoodies. I�ll admit they were very comfortable, and I liked the logos and graphics. It was something you�d wear watching a ball game or goofing around the house. There was no way I�d wear them out in public. I�m not big on matching sweats and sweatshirts unless it�s part of my warmup gear for sports. I had visions of Brook making me wear them to school, and we�d match. My guys would make sure I never heard the end of it.
The next campaign was �Epic Flex.� I was their target market. Everything in the line was for someone who needed something with more give to it, for when you did things like skateboarding. They had jeans, shirts, polos, and underwear. Luckily, the underwear portion wasn�t as revealing for Hollister as it would have been for Abercrombie. They simply had me show the waistband as I let my jeans sag down.
The final line they had us model was �Uniform Approved� clothes, their collection of school uniforms. The pitch was you could wear them on the weekend as well. Uniform Approved featured polos, button-down Oxfords, sweaters, and both chino shorts and pants. It was all very well groomed, and I could see the guys at Wesleyan wearing this line. I secretly liked it and planned to sneak some of the clothes into my rotation at school. I was sure Halle would allow me to wear them when I was in LA.
◊◊◊
We broke for lunch, and Jackie told us to be back at one. Ryan asked to tag along. Tyler called our driver, and he was ready for us when we came out. I was glad he was there because when we stepped out of the building, there were ten or more paparazzi. Our driver looked like he played tackle for the New York Giants in his spare time. The paparazzi got one good look at him and backed off to let us get to the car.
I let Ryan and Tyler get into the SUV, then paused before I got in.
�What are you doing?� was shouted.
�I have a modeling job for Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch.�
�When do you go to England to audition for the young Han Solo role?�
�I haven�t heard yet.�
I�d forgotten I would get a trip to England out of that.
�Where are you going?�
�Lunch, and you�re not invited,� I said with a big grin. �I have to be back by one.�
Frank had taught me to set expectations with the press. The last part would ingratiate me with them because it sucked to sit around and wait for a celebrity. At least now they knew they could go to lunch and catch me on my way back.
I craved a hot pastrami on rye, so Tyler took us to a deli she liked.
While we ate, Ryan entertained us with stories about how different life was in New York. He compared it to where he lived in Georgia. Ryan admitted he felt lost without a car, but with the price of parking and the hassle, he found he didn�t need one. I�d never thought about it because we always seemed to have a driver. I will say New York streets scared me. Everything was so narrow. I was amazed at how close cars got to each other. If Mom lived here, we�d go broke with car-repair bills.
�How do you deal with the paparazzi?� Ryan asked.
�It�s different,� I admitted. �Even before the movie came out, I�d get recognized for either modeling jobs or football.�
�What do you mean by football?�
�I�m the top-rated quarterback in the junior class, according to the scouting services.�
�That must be why you�re ripped.�
�I do work out quite a bit.�
�They�ve had me going to the gym to get more definition,� Ryan confided.
�It�ll happen over time.�
�So, is it always like that?� Ryan asked, referring to the press.
�Not at home as much, but when I was in LA, there was always someone lurking. I just assume that I have a camera on me at all times.�
�That has to suck.�
I thought about it.
�The way I see it is there�s no putting the genie back into the bottle, so I�ve learned to live with it. I know the paparazzi are just doing their job. They have to sell photos and stories to make a living. I, in turn, use them to keep my image in front of the public so I can do things like today. There�s a tradeoff.�
I was trying to put the best spin on it I could. I really didn�t like being shouted at and having a camera shoved into my face. Frank told me it only took one instance of me punching one of them to ruin my image.
Tyler reminded us we needed to head back.
◊◊◊
That afternoon, Ryan and I worked with ten other guys who were all employees of Abercrombie & Fitch. They were from all over the country. One was all the way from Honolulu, Hawaii. Others were from Seattle, Dallas, and Atlanta, and three were from New York.
Abercrombie was noted for their long billboard ads that feature multiple guys. Jackie had a specialized lens that would capture all of us. The only problem was it distorted the picture on the edge and made it appear as though the image was bent. She also had three cameras on tripods which would shoot photos simultaneously. She had software that would stitch the three shots together. We did several shots of us in the same clothes. Then they had us take our shirts off and put on bright red zip-up hoodies. Of course, the hoodies were left open to show off skin. Finally, they had us take off our hoodies to finish this portion of the shoot.
Jackie broke us up and brought in girls who worked at the stores, along with Melinda Kesh. They separated us into groups of five: three guys and two girls, or two and three. Blue screens were set up, and they had us act out in front of them. They wanted everyone to look like they were on a beach or in a park, goofing off and having fun. It quickly became apparent who the professionals were. Working in front of a blue screen was hard if you hadn�t done it before. You had no reference point. The problem was the newbies had no idea where to look. The rule of thumb was to know where the camera was at all times. That didn�t mean you had to gaze right into the lens, but your focus should be on something. I found it best to either look parallel to the shot or at someone. It appeared more natural than looking at the floor or ceiling.
After about thirty minutes, the employees were let go, leaving only Ryan, Melinda, and me to model. Ryan did a few things better than I did. He looked terrific in the �Uniform Approved� shots with Melinda. Wearing layers of clothes and a sports jacket hid his body. When the shoot changed to needing to show off more of a physique, Jackie let him go home.
The plan all along had been for Melinda and me to finish out the shoot. Jackie told her staff they could leave. I was surprised when they all congregated in the back of the room to watch. Jackie sat us down and told us what she wanted.
�We�re going to start off with you two in casual poses. The image I want to portray is one where you two are long-time lovers, comfortable with each other. We�ll do some playful things and then some Sunday-morning-reading-a-book shots. All of those will feature the clothes, of course. Then we�ll move into some of the more eye-catching shots that�ll be used in advertising.�
�You mean he takes his shirt off,� Melinda said.
�At some point, you�ll take yours off as well,� Jackie said.
�I think that point should be soon,� I offered.
Melinda hit me with the smile that made her famous, and I was hers. You could have said Hannah Minacci, my ultimate crush, was there and I would have said, �Hannah who?� Jackie saw my reaction and then turned to watch Melinda check me out.
�I think this is going to work. Go to makeup while I change the set and lighting. I�ll see you in twenty,� Jackie said.
I was a little disappointed that Melinda had a lounge for her dressing and makeup area. They had me dress in a t-shirt and jeans. Melinda came out in the same thing. Well, not exactly the same; I think hers fit her better. We met Jackie on the set, and she took some test shots and corrected the lighting. Melinda had to go back and have her makeup redone. Whatever they�d put on her didn�t look natural under the lights and high resolution. I think most models hate high resolution; I know actors do. There was no hiding any blemishes.
Once we were sorted out, we got down to business. Melinda was a lot of fun. To start with, we chased each other around, and I gave her piggyback rides. I was then put into a button-up shirt. When I came back, Melinda gave me a little smirk. I walked up to her, put her into a half headlock, kissed her forehead, and put my chin on top of her head.
Jackie was on her game and had taken pictures of our antics. She called time out and said she loved what we did, but wanted me to turn so more of the clothes could be seen. We reenacted what I�d just done. Jackie had us doing all kinds of stuff that involved long, wanting looks, or simple actions like one of us touching the other�s arm.
Adrienne�s training came in handy. I was able to stay in character and not just grab Melinda and put her into a lip-lock. Some of the looks she was giving me had my full attention. I could tell I had a similar effect on her. You could feel the sexual attraction ramp up.
�Unbutton his shirt,� Jackie called out.
�Finally,� Melinda said under her breath.
They had me in jeans with no underwear. The jeans were a little too big so they would hang down. A&F pushed the limits with wanting to show as much of the �V� below your abdomen as they could get away with. I pulled Melinda under my arm, and she put one hand in my back pocket while the other roamed all over my chest and stomach. She rested her head on my shoulder, looked up at me, and our eyes locked. Jackie was busy taking pictures.
�Pull his jeans down further,� Jackie said.
Melinda gave me a wicked smile. Next thing I knew, my oversized jeans were mid thigh. Thankfully I was in work mode and only semi-hard when Mr. Happy made his brief appearance. I heard Jackie�s assistants giggle, reminding us we weren�t alone, so I quickly pulled my jeans back up.
Melinda kissed my cheek.
�Sorry.�
�They�re a little loose,� I reminded her.
I was a little annoyed when Jackie came up and adjusted my jeans. Most times, a photographer would have you make adjustments to your own clothes, but some were more hands-on. She pulled them down until you could see the base of my package and then pulled them up just a hair.
�Hold still!� Jackie ordered.
I guess Melinda didn�t think that applied to her, as she began to let her hand roam again. I bit the inside of my mouth. Someone was getting awfully low.
�Kiss her.�
Our lips touched, and we sort of fell into each other. Somehow my shirt came off, and Melinda had me doing a small circle so Jackie could catch us at all angles. She waited until I was facing away from Jackie and then reached around with both hands, put them into my back pockets, and pushed down. The back of my jeans dropped enough to expose the top of my butt.
�Hold still.�
I could hear the click of the camera as Jackie must have put it into rapid-fire mode. Melinda decided I hadn�t exposed enough and pushed my jeans down further. I now had half my derri�re hanging out.
�Okay. Take a break. I need to check these photos.�
Melinda pulled back and smiled at me. The little minx squeezed my behind and then darted off set. I was in a daze, so Tyler came and got me.
�She�s good at what she does. Remember, this is just a job and not real,� Tyler said.
Tell that to Mr. Happy! I glanced down, and he�d made his presence known. Tyler rolled her eyes and shook her head.
�I�ll tell them you need a minute,� she said and pointed me toward the bathroom to take care of my problem.
I gave up trying Jedi mind tricks on my junk and finally had to take matters in hand.
Melinda came out in her own button-up shirt for the next photos. Jackie had her unbutton it, and I saw her breasts for the first time. They were bigger than I originally estimated, with tiny nipples. Things heated back up, but I kept reminding myself that this was work.
That seemed to work until Melinda lost her shirt and Jackie had her lay on top of me. Melinda adjusted her breast that was towards the camera so that when she pressed it into my chest, her nipples were covered, but she did show plenty of side-boob. Luckily, the whole process wasn�t as sexy as it could�ve been.
Soon it was over, and I had to go take a shower. Tyler had laid out an outfit from Abercrombie for me to wear. I realized that there were probably paparazzi lurking outside. I was glad she�d picked out a polo and sweater because it was cold out.
When I came out, Tyler found me.
�Jackie wants to take us to dinner. I called Adrienne, and she�ll get everyone else together and meet us there.�
Melinda came out of her dressing room and came over to me.
�I enjoyed working with you. I normally hate these types of things because I get groped or worse,� she said.
�And I didn�t?� I said, as my eyebrows rose.
�Hey, it made for a great shot.�
�That wasn�t what I was talking about.�
�Give me your phone,� Melinda said, ignoring me.
I logged in so she could put her number in it. She sent herself a text so she had my digits.
�I would love to work with you again. Call me and let�s figure something out, or just call me. I�d like to get to know you better.�
I would have asked Melinda to dinner, but my hands were full with Kara and Pam tonight, or so I hoped.
Melinda walked out with me. She wanted to get her picture taken with me. Melinda was wearing a Hollister outfit, so between the two of us, both companies would get some free press.
◊◊◊
Jackie picked what she called an authentic Chinese restaurant. When she came in, the host recognized her and began speaking in their native tongue. He had a large table reserved and took us to it. No sooner had we been seated than Adrienne arrived. She and Kara walked in first. They�d strategically blocked my view of Pam and Kendal.
When I saw them, I stood up and stared. Kendal was in a short tartan skirt with a white button-up men�s shirt. She wore new glasses with black rims, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Kendal looked like a naughty librarian. If she didn�t work for me �
Pam�s hair had been cut and styled. Adrienne had picked the perfect hairstyle for her. There was more body, but it was still long enough to retain her California Girl look. Pam was in an animal-print dress that showed plenty of cleavage and then flared out in an attempt to hide her baby bump.
They both stopped in front of me. I did the little finger spin that had them make a twirl so I could see the whole outfit.
�Adrienne, you outdid yourself,� I said and pulled Pam in for a kiss.
�You like?� Pam asked.
�I love it.�
Kara waited, and when Pam finally let me go, she came over and kissed me. She wanted to remind me she was there. As if I could forget her. The two of them sat on either side of me. When we were all seated, Jackie got our attention.
�I wanted to do something special for Tyler and Adrienne for finding me David for today�s shoot. He was even better than advertised.�
�He only exposed himself twice,� Tyler said.
�Not my fault either time,� I said to defend myself.
�Anyway,� Jackie said, �I�ve been coming to this restaurant all my life. My parents say it�s the most authentic food you can get in the city. Most Americans are used to Cantonese food: sweet and sour pork, lemon chicken, almond chicken, won ton, that sort of thing. But there are 35 provinces in China, each with their own unique cuisine, though of course, there is overlap. I brought you here because I thought you might want to try something different. If you�ll allow me, I�ll order several dishes and have them served family-style. That way if you don�t like something, you can try something else.�
We all agreed, and when our waiter came over, Jackie and he had a long conversation. She seemed to be asking him questions, and he would make suggestions.
�I hear they eat stuff we might not want, like monkey, dog, and donkey,� Kendal said.
�We saw a donkey dick today,� I volunteered.
That even got Jackie to stop her order as everyone looked at me.
�Tyler, why don�t you describe it? I think you got the best angle,� I suggested.
�You are so dead,� she threatened me.
�You were looking at an honest-to-God donkey dick?� Kendal asked.
�I know, who would have guessed? See what you miss out on when you go play with Adrienne instead of working?� I teased.
�Tell it to my boss,� Kendal shot back.
�What did you see?� Adrienne asked Tyler.
Tyler turned bright red. I just rolled my eyes.
�In the morning, we had to get shaved,� I said, pointing south. �Ryan was the other model I was working with, and he had to have the same treatment, so we were both exposed. But Ryan wasn�t normal. How big do you think that thing was?� I asked Tyler.
�Keep me out of this,� she threatened.
�You�d think that someone who�s only interested in girls wouldn�t be so fascinated by boy parts,� I teased.
�Shut
�So, he had a big one?� Adrienne asked.
�You�ve heard the phrase �bigger than a baby�s arm�? This one was thicker. The head looked the same size as a lemon,� I shared.
�He should be in porn, not modeling,� Tyler blurted out and turned red again.
�If I hadn�t seen it, I wouldn�t have believed it,� Jackie added.
I think Tyler was grateful when Jackie returned to ordering food.
When the appetizers came out, Jackie explained what we were having.
�The first dish is Mandarin, they say from Shandong province, called mu xu pork. It�s stir-fried sliced pork tenderloin, cucumber, and scrambled eggs, served with �pancakes� that are used to wrap the mixture; you put some plum sauce inside when you wrap it,� she instructed.
Mu xu pork looked like Chinese fajitas. The plum sauce made the dish. No question, I could eat a whole serving of this by myself.
�This one is Szechuan, called mapo doufu. It�s tofu with shredded pork in garlic sauce. Be careful, it�s spicy, and I would suggest you not eat the little peppers.�
So of course, I had to take a bite out of one. I would listen next time.
�I also got a variety of dumplings,� she said and then pointed at each one as she explained. �Jiaozi are filled with pork, chicken, shrimp, or vegetables. Xiao long bao are called soup dumplings. They have thin wrappers like wonton but are steamed. Xiao long bao are made with either ground pork or pork and crab inside; these have gel pellet placed inside when they�re made. When they�re cooked, the gel melts, so there�s broth as well as filling inside.�
I enjoyed the last one. Soup dumplings were a little messy but tasty; you ate them with a little red vinegar. I liked that Jackie found dishes we would like that most of us hadn�t tried before. I could hardly wait for the main course. Jackie began to point out dishes as they were put on the table.
�The first two are side dishes. I love green beans with garlic. That one is wood ear mushrooms in a vinegar dressing. The next dish is from Xinjiang. My mom calls it �kosher Chinese food.� This is crispy fried wheat-flour dough twists, and next to it is kao baozi. It�s a baked lamb pie. You rarely find these in the US.
�The next two dishes are from Hunan. This one is drunken chicken, which is pretty much chicken cooked in a beer sauce. Then there�s stir-fried duck blood. It�s really not all that different from blood sausage, but stir-fried,� Jackie said.
It looked like I might get to eat that one alone.
�The last dish is yu xiang eggplant, or eggplant in garlic sauce, which is from Szechuan.�
I loved the food Jackie introduced us to.
◊◊◊
When we were done, I was glad that Adrienne suggested that we go back to her place. It had been a long day. When we arrived, several packages were waiting for me. I found they contained clothes from today�s shoot. The girls helped me carry them upstairs.
Everyone changed and put on more comfortable clothes. I put on a pair of the matching Hollister sweats and sweatshirt, then sat on the floor in front of Pam and Kara. Adrienne broke out the wine. Pam and I refrained, each for our own reasons.
It was evident from the conversation that the New York girls had bonded with Pam and Kendal today. They told me all about their day of beauty. I told them about my new crush, Melinda Kesh.
�Funny you should mention that,� Tyler said. �Your prom date, Hannah Minacci, got engaged.�
I flopped on the floor.
�Nooooo! How could she?� I moaned.
�It gets better,� Adrienne said. �I told her about what you did to me, and she said that if you�d gone to prom together, she would�ve rocked your world.�
I curled up in a little ball.
�That was mean,� Kara said.
For some reason, none of them were feeling my pain. How could Hanna Minacci be off the market? It just wasn�t right. Adrienne got me a glass of wine and told me to man-up; I guess I was having wine after all. She promised to get me more gigs with Melinda, which seemed to help. Maybe I should throw a fit more often.
Once the wine started to do its magic, Adrienne wanted to know more about Ryan�s equipment. That was when something came out of left field.
�I think David gives oral better than you do,� Adrienne said to Tyler.
�Bullshit,� Tyler said.
�What say you, Kara? Is our boy good at it?� Adrienne asked.
I was getting a little uncomfortable. If it hadn�t been for the case of wine I�d bought last time I was here, I might have been more worried. We�d made a serious dent in it, and I was feeling mellow, as was everyone else but Pam.
�Prove it,� Tyler challenged.
As much as I loved this idea, I wasn�t sure it was smart. I had Pam to worry about, and was afraid of what might happen if we all started getting naked.
�I�m not sure about this �� I began.
Kendal spoke up.
�My grandpa had a saying that I think fits here. �If you�re at the dinner table, and they�re passing around pie, you eat pie. You never know if there�ll be any later.� So, if it�s fur pie being passed around, you eat fur pie.�
I got the giggles. I couldn�t believe Kendal had just said that. Looking at Pam, I mentally asked her what I should do. She just nodded.
�How are we going to settle this?� I asked.
I think Tyler may have shit herself. Apparently, she never expected I would call her bluff.
�I think it has to be women neither of you has been with who decide,� Adrienne said.
I looked around the room and realized that left Kendal and Jackie.
�You two okay with this?� I asked.
�Do bears shit in the woods? Do ducks take to water? Hell, yes!� Kendal said.
For a moment, I thought Kendal�s outburst might have been the wine talking, but I was shocked when Jackie simply dropped her panties and lifted her skirt. She made a �come hither� motion with her finger. Meanwhile, Tyler dropped to her knees in front of Kendal.
Competitive kitty-eating should be an Olympic sport. The only question was, should it be in the winter or summer games? While I defended the male�s ability to give oral, Pam and Kara went to my room. Unfortunately, what people say about girls knowing what other girls want is true. Tyler was declared the winner.
I was tempted to stay and plunder new kitty but was too curious as to what was going on in my room. What I found almost took my breath away. I�ve always had a thing for Kara. She has a rocking body, and her steel-gray eyes just pierce your soul. The image of her naturally darker skin rubbing up against my California surfer girl�s pregnant body will forever be etched into my brain. I quietly watched as they made love to each other. Unlike what was happening in the living room, this was much more tender and loving.
I watched for several minutes as their sexual passion ramped up. I finally thought, �screw it,� got naked, and put on a condom. When my weight hit the bed, they knew I was there. Kara let out a deep moan as I buried myself. As I got busy, Pam grabbed my face and kissed me.
Both girls appreciated that Melinda had worked me up all afternoon. I was ready for a sexual marathon.
When we were done, we all had to take showers and change the sheets. I would never regret leaving the living room to spend time with Pam and Kara because I cared deeply for them both. I�d always said that if Kara and I were ever in the same city for more than a couple of days at a time, I would lock her down. Pam was about to be the mother of my child. Seeing two women that I cared that much about making love and then joining in was special, even if Adrienne wasn�t in the mix. While she might be the best I�d ever been with, I didn�t care as much for her as I did Pam and Kara. I was finding that made a difference when it came to good sex.
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Chapter 9 � Valentine�s Day is Overrated Sunday February 14
When I woke up Sunday morning, both Pam and Kara were still asleep. I put on my running clothes and hit the streets. Adrienne lived only three blocks from Central Park, and that seemed like a good place to run. I was wearing one of my new hoodies and sunglasses in the hope no one would recognize me.
When I got to the park, I picked a running trail and began to lengthen my stride. It felt good to be able to just zone out and enjoy the morning. It was chilly, but not so cold that it was a distraction. I misjudged the trail I was on and ran farther than I usually did. By the time I got back to Adrienne�s, everyone was already up, except Adrienne.
What I found surprised me.
�Did you see this?� Pam asked, holding up the newspaper.
I looked confused, so she shoved it at me, got up, and ran off to our room.
It was Page Six from the New York Post. I read the headline: �
I followed Pam to our room and found her crying.
�Baby, it�s just a gossip rag. Did you even read the story?� I asked.
�I just want to go home.�
�But I had a really nice day planned for us,� I tried.
�This isn�t me. I don�t want to be in the newspaper. I don�t want to live in a fishbowl. Even if what they said isn�t true, some people will believe it.�
�I can�t convince you to stay?� I asked to try once more.
�No. I just want to go home.�
I sent a text to Kendal, and she soon knocked on the bedroom door. After letting her in, I explained what Pam wanted. I suggested that Kendal take Pam home. Tyler would be with me at work tomorrow. I also wanted to ensure someone was with Pam for the trip because I didn�t think she was in the mood to deal with airports. Nor did she seem up to the hassle of having someone either pick her up or getting a car so she could get home once she landed.
�What about you?� Kendal asked.
�Call a car service to pick me up in Chicago.�
I was confident that I would make enough this weekend to afford it. I went to the kitchen and found the lox and bagels. The bagels were a day old, so I toasted mine. Everyone left me alone as I took my food to the living room and sat in a chair that had a view of the city.
Kendal came back from the other condo with her bags. Pam walked out of the bedroom and came over and sat in my lap.
�I�m sorry �� she began.
�Shhh. I understand.�
�You hate me.�
�No, I still like you.�
�Promise?� she asked.
�Pam, I only want to make you happy. If you need to go home, that�s what I want,� I said.
�David, I�m sorry.�
I kissed her forehead, and she got up and left. I guess Valentine�s Day was overrated.
◊◊◊
�So, feel like working?� Tyler asked.
I just chuckled and shook my head. What the heck. Why not?
�Sure.�
She gave me a smile.
�Good. Go take a shower. We need to get on the road.�
◊◊◊
Tyler had made some calls this morning and found that both Range Sports and Jade were willing to have me work on short notice. I was happy to learn she�d lined up Jackie Chan to be the photographer. It wasn�t hard to understand when Jackie exited the bedroom with Adrienne. That explained why my host wasn�t up when I got back from my run.
The car service took us to Jackie�s building where a couple of her assistants were busy getting a studio set up. The makeup girl showed up right after Jackie had done a couple of test shots. They huddled, and Jackie told her what needed to be done. While the makeup girl started working on me, Jade�s wardrobe arrived along with Michael Reese, Jade�s VP of Marketing.
�There he is. I had to break into one of our stores to get clothes for you on such short notice,� he explained.
�It�s good to see you,� I said as I got out of my chair and shook his hand.
�I hear you�re having a baby,� he said.
He must have read Page Six.
�Yes, it�s a boy. I can hardly wait.�
�Are you planning to get married?� he asked.
�No. Pam and I are too young to get married, and she�s too young to be raising a child. My parents have agreed to be my son�s guardians until I graduate college, and I owe them a lot for doing that. Of course, Pam and I will be involved, but it�s nice to know we have the support we�ll need.�
�She�s a pretty girl. I wish we had a maternity line because I would love to have her model,� Michael said.
�Pam�s not willing to be in the spotlight. In fact, she was upset she made the paper,� I admitted.
�So, I see you hooked up with Tyler. Does her girlfriend know?�
That brought a smile to my face. I would bet that by tomorrow, there would be a story about how Adrienne had caused Tyler to cheat with me. There was no use getting upset about the gossip pages. Frank would just be happy they spelled my name right.
◊◊◊
Michael wanted me to model summer clothes for the website. During the first hour, someone came in with the new clothes that would be featured. Jade�s price point was higher than either Hollister or A&F. They were more creative in their prints than those two. They�d hired an artist to come up with graphics for t-shirts and shorts.
Jackie loved that I was willing to change on the set. It fit her frenetic style. Michael had several outfits laid out, and Jackie�s assistants would hurry out as I stripped down to my boxers and hand me my new clothes to put on. The assembly-line approach meant we could power through many more outfits than usual.
Michael was also there to check photos. Tyler had worked enough with Adrienne that she had developed an eye for detail. It turned out Tyler rejected more photos than Michael did. Thankfully, Jackie was great at what she did, and there were very few that they vetoed.
◊◊◊
When we were done with Jade, it was time for Range Sports. I said goodbye to Michael, and Jackie came back to talk to me.
�I just talked to Abercrombie & Fitch. They loved your work and want to do some additional photos. Do you have plans for tonight?�
�I have reservations for a carriage ride in Central Park, then dinner reservations at The Loeb Boathouse Central Park. Adrienne has made a call to get me into One Step Beyond for after dinner.�
I�d planned to do all this with Pam, but she decided to go home. Kara had her own plans to go out with friends since she didn�t want to be a third wheel. I decided to go by myself and make the best of it. One Step Beyond was a nightclub I was too young to get into, but Adrienne was going and added me to her guest list. She used her magical powers to make it happen, or so she said.
�Do you have a date?� Jackie asked.
�Why, you want to be my date?�
�No, I thought if you�re going alone, we could take candid shots.�
�I�m okay with that. Talk to Tyler about the details,� I said and resumed getting ready for the Range Sports portion of the day.
◊◊◊
We only had one issue with Range Sports: they�d sent over baseball and football jerseys. I called Caryn, and she talked to Mr. Morris, who advised not to do anything for now that would raise any red flags. He said he felt I could wear it, but until they gave me the all-clear on my amateurism, I�d better not.
I loved Tyler. She ordered pizza for lunch. It was the New York-style pizza, which has a thin crust and comes in big slices you folded in half to eat. The only problem was I had grease dripping off my hands. Mmmm, good stuff. I was sure it was good for you, too. Doesn�t it have all the food groups?
When we were done with the Range Sports shoot, Jackie had me shower and change into A&F clothes. Tyler said she trusted me to behave and would see me at the dance club. She had a date with Adrienne tonight. It was late afternoon, so we had to get a move on if I was to catch my horse-drawn carriage ride. Tyler had left us the car and the driver who was my security tonight. He drove Jackie, one of her assistants, and me to Central Park.
When I got out of the car, I had a surprise: Melinda Kesh was waiting for me.
�Wait in the car,� Jackie said as she and her assistant piled out.
They hurried over and talked to Melinda, and she came and got into the car with me.
�I hear you didn�t have a date tonight, so you thought you�d lure me into your car with the offer of a job,� Melinda said.
�Normally, I just offer candy to little girls like you,� I replied, and then wondered why she was in the car with me. �Why aren�t we outside?�
�Jackie needs to set up and wants it to appear like we�re on a date. She said you planned this for someone.�
�Yeah, but she had to go home,� I deflected.
�Sorry about that. Is she your girlfriend?�
Someone was fishing for information.
�No, I don�t actually have a girlfriend. Do you have a boyfriend?� I asked, as two could play this game.
�No. Last one thought he could do better.�
My mouth fell open.
�I dated Blake Seaver for like two minutes,� Melinda shared.
That was even worse. Seaver was a heartthrob singer especially popular with preadolescent girls. He was currently in the press all the time for pulling what many young celebrities did when they first became famous; it was his version of a Lindsay Lohan. I scooted back from her.
�I didn�t catch anything,� she whined.
�You mean you didn�t get �Seaver Fever�?� I asked.
�You have to be under twelve to get that, dumbass.�
�The correct phrase is �stupid boy.��
�What is?�
�My friends say that I�m a �stupid boy� when I make dumb remarks,� I said helpfully.
�Oh. Do they say that a lot?�
�No,� I moaned.
�I bet they do,� she teased. �Hey, we�re supposed to get out.�
Melinda reached for the door.
�Hold on. I need to get out first,� I said.
She gave me �the look.�
�Don�t get your knickers in a knot. A gentleman gets out first for two reasons. The first is to assist his lady as she exits the car. The second is, if she�s wearing a skirt, to block the paparazzi from seeing whether she has any panties on � or not.�
�Well, then, by all means,� she said, putting on her best haughty airs.
I got out and ran around to open Melinda�s door. In a limo, there�s room for the man to get out first, but in an SUV, I would have had to climb over her. I made a big show of assisting her out. Jackie caught it all, as did several paparazzi who had been tipped off. My security guy made sure we didn�t have to deal with the paparazzi in our faces. I helped Melinda into the carriage.
Jackie waited until we were situated, and then she joined us to arrange how she wanted us to sit and to place the blanket across our laps. Who knew that A&F sold blankets? Of course, it had a red, tan, and charcoal tartan design.
�Just act like I�m not here,� Jackie instructed.
Yeah, right.
�So, tell me more about your �Seaver Fever.��
�Is this all we�re going to talk about?�
�No, but I am interested in how he could get a Victoria�s Secret model to date him.�
�His people called mine and set up a date.�
�And that worked?� I asked as my forehead scrunched up.
�Why wouldn�t it?�
�I�ve done everything in my power to get Hannah Minacci to go to Prom with me. I even got her a job in a movie I�m in. She got engaged instead.�
�You got me a job,� Melinda said.
�Will you go to Prom with me?� I asked.
�Yes.�
�Wait, what?�
�Yes, I�ll go to Prom with you. I never got to go to my own. I started modeling full time when I was sixteen,� Melinda explained.
�We�ll talk about that later. I want to hear about you and the Seavs.�
She rolled her eyes at me.
�Are you seriously going to have me talk about another guy when you have me on a romantic carriage ride?�
I looked at Jackie, and she smirked at me. Melinda had me there.
�I, uh, well,� I stammered.
Melinda leaned over and kissed me. For a faux date, this was going well. I couldn�t care less about what�s-his-name.
◊◊◊
The Loeb Boathouse Central Park sits on The Lake. As we rode up, it was starting to get dark, and they had the place lit up with thousands of white Christmas lights. The building sparkled, and the light reflected off the frozen lake, making it resemble something out of a storybook. They had a special Valentine�s event that Adrienne somehow got me an invitation to attend. I imagined how much Pam would have liked this.
I was a little peeved that she�d wanted to go home. It reminded me too much of Tracy and her reaction to the headline that said we�re dating. I had to remind myself that while Pam was going to be the mother of my child, she wasn�t my girlfriend. If she didn�t want to be in the news, I had to respect that. It clarified for me that whomever I ended up with would need to be able to handle the press. I didn�t see any way they could avoid it, at this point.
�You went away for a moment,� Melinda said.
I gave her a half-smile. I needed to keep in mind that I was with her, even though it was a job. There was definitely an attraction between us. What I didn�t know was whether she was simply doing a good job modeling or whether it was for real. I chuckled a little, remembering my argument with Teddy Wesleyan. I�d accused him of not giving people the benefit of the doubt. Boy, I hoped I never turned into him.
�What�s so funny?�
�I just realized that I forgot that this wasn�t really a date,� I said and nodded towards Jackie who had just taken our picture.
�Why don�t we make it as real as we can under the circumstances?� Melinda suggested.
�Let�s,� I agreed.
�You really planned a nice date. I would never have thought of the Boathouse. They�re normally only open for breakfast and lunch.�
�I can�t take credit; Tyler or Adrienne thought of it. It is pretty,� I said.
The setting on the edge of the lake made you forget that you were in the middle of New York. The city really had some fantastic spots. I would bet that being young and single would be fun here. They seated us in the middle by the window. Someone had told them we were on a photo shoot, and they wanted the restaurant to get the best possible exposure. It looked like it would be a great summertime place to eat. They had a big outdoor patio where people could dine and watch the rowboats. The Loeb Boathouse was open only eight months of the year.
They had a special menu for tonight. I chose the crab cakes for an appetizer, and Melinda picked the scallops. We acted like we were longtime lovers out on our special date. I stopped Jackie at one point to make sure that my security and her assistant would get something to eat. She assured me they�d been taken care of. I guess they were in the bar where my security guy at least could see us.
For the entr�e, we both got the lamb chops. That wasn�t something I usually had, but I enjoyed them. For dessert, we had something that was chocolate, on chocolate, on chocolate, made for two. Jackie loved it when we began to feed each other. It was fun, and Melinda was playful and sexy. I found as the night went on that I was starting to really like her.
◊◊◊
One Step Beyond was at the Rose Center for Earth and Space. There was a line to get in, but Adrienne had told me to go to the bouncer and tell them I was with her. A few of the people in line had their phones out; they were taking pictures of and Melinda and me. I guess if you roll up in a big black SUV, have a driver and your own photographer, people might notice.
�We�re with Adrienne,� I said.
�Adrienne who?� he asked.
I just blinked at the guy. In what universe did he NOT know who Adrienne was?
�She�s the supermodel, Dick Chew,� my driver said.
�The hell you said?� the bouncer retorted.
I looked more closely at the bouncer and, like my security guy, he might have played for the New York Giants. I reached out and pulled Jackie and Melinda behind me. If this got ugly, I wanted room to move.
�You heard me!�
They were now nose-to-nose. People in line began to step back. Then the two assholes broke into big grins and hugged each other.
�I think your boy was ready to throw down,� the bouncer said.
�I really didn�t want to hurt you,� I said.
�Well, thank you for being so considerate. Let me get Rachel, and she�ll take you to your table.�
I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly to help calm myself; adrenaline was still coursing through my body. I put my arm around Melinda�s waist, and we followed Rachel to Adrienne�s table. When we arrived, we saw an overconfident man sitting next to Adrienne, making a play. Behind them was her security, and he didn�t seem concerned, so I just ignored the man hitting on her.
�What would you like to drink?� Rachel asked.
I needed a beer, and Melinda took my lead and ordered herself one. Jackie and her assistant were taking reference shots of the club. One Step Beyond had a DJ, and the music was loud. The dance floor was about half full, but I would bet it would be packed soon.
�Want to dance?� I asked.
Melinda just nodded. She turned out to be a terrible dancer. Maybe this was why the Seavs dumped her. Tracy told me once that you could tell if a guy was good in bed by how well he danced. She said that if a man had no rhythm on the dance floor, he had none in bed. I wondered if that held true for girls.
The next song was slow, so I pulled her into my arms to guide her. We had been on the dance floor for about a half hour when Jackie pulled us off.
�Thanks. I got what I needed. You two were great, and I�d love to work with you again. If you ever need a photographer, I hope you�ll call,� she said, ending in a sales pitch.
�Where�re you headed?� Melinda asked.
Jackie told her.
�Care to share a cab?�
�Sure. Let me say goodbye to Adrienne and Tyler, and I�ll meet you out front,� Jackie said.
Melinda got her coat and didn�t even bother to say goodbye.
�Look, Rina, a cute
Was that New York�s version of
�Do you dance?� one of them asked.
I grabbed her hand and led her onto the dance floor. It was more crowded than before, and the music took a more techno turn. Most everyone just bounced around; it was more of a mosh pit than anything else. I had fun until some guy groped the girl I was with. Cassidy had taught me about pressure points. I grabbed the man, and he was soon on his knees, begging her forgiveness. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to their table.
She was breathing hard from all the hopping around, and her sister/cousin gave her a look.
�You wanna get out of here?� my dance partner asked me.
�
�
I held up my hand to stop them.
�Hey, I need to get back to my friends. Thanks for the dance,� I said and turned to go back to our table.
They began to argue with each other in earnest, and I just shook my head.
My driver/security guard had watched the entire event.
�I think you dodged one there,� he offered.
�I think you�re right. It looked like too much drama for tonight.�
Adrienne and Tyler were dancing, and I looked around. This was getting to be a bit much.
�You want to take me home?� I asked.
�Sure. Let me tell someone we�re leaving,� he said and left to find Adrienne�s security.
When he returned, he drove me to her condo.
◊◊◊
When I got back, I found a note from Kara telling me to come down to the models� condo when I returned. I wanted to be comfortable, so I rooted through my bags and found a pair of Hollister sweats and an A&F polo shirt. Going downstairs to where Kara lived, I knocked on her door. I heard some movement, and then everything was quiet. Then I heard a muffled, �It�s open� called out.
I opened the door and found soft music playing and the room lit by candlelight. A small smile lit up my face as I looked around for Kara. I was shocked when I saw Melinda in a sexy purple floral-lace baby doll, which I remembered her wearing in her most recent Victoria�s Secret photo shoot.
�You look surprised,� she said with a coy smile and did a little turn. �You like?�
I nodded numbly, unable to speak due to my confusion.
�I thought when you left ��
�Come sit on the couch and let me explain,� she said, and she sat down and patted the seat next to her.
I sat next to her, and she took my hand with her two and held it in her lap as she told me her story.
�I was discovered in a mall in Dallas by a young man who approached me and told me I should be a model. My girlfriends were with me, and they all warned me it was just a pickup line. He assured me he was genuine and gave me his business card. My mom and dad checked it out, and the company he represented was legitimate, to a point. They charged you to have your headshots done, and then they would send your model card to different agencies. Only a small percentage of the girls �discovered� ever got even a single modeling job.
�I was their big success story. I�d developed early and looked the same at fifteen as I do now. My now manager saw my pictures and sent them to Victoria�s Secret because they were looking for new talent. They wanted to see me, so my manager approached my parents, and they signed a three-year developmental contract,� she explained.
She saw my look of disbelief.
�I know. My parents and I were na�ve. My manager told us she would have to spend a lot of money up front to get me the exposure and training I needed. That was why she would only charge me fifty percent of my earnings.�
I about fell off the couch when I heard that.
�It gets better. I have to pay for my own travel expenses if the client doesn�t pick them up.�
�You need to get out of that deal. You�re getting screwed,� I said.
�We�ve tried, but we signed a contract.�
�I would bet Tyler could do it, or at least that she knows someone who could get you out of it,� I suggested.
�It doesn�t matter now. It expires in six weeks, and I�ve been advised to just wait it out for now.�
�So why all the cloak-and-dagger? Why did you leave suddenly at the club?� I asked.
�My manager has been selling information about me to the tabloids. I discovered that Blake Seaver didn�t contact my people, she contacted his. I was excited that a celebrity would want to go on a date with me. But then I found out he thought it was a booty call. He wasn�t about to turn down a Victoria�s Secret model. Once we figured out we�d been set up, he was nice about it. He took me on a couple of dates, but he still tried to get me into his bed,� she admitted.
�And he succeeded,� I said.
�Yeah,� she admitted.
�You really did catch �Seaver Fever,�� I teased.
�Let�s just say I got a life lesson and have no wish to repeat it anytime soon.�
�So, what happened tonight?� I asked.
�I�ve come to the realization that my manager is only looking out for herself, and everything I do will end up somewhere on the Internet. Tyler told me how upset the girl you planned our date for was about the press she received, and I felt horrible for the role I played in it. The thing is, I like you, and I didn�t want to feed them any more info that might hurt you.�
�Let me think � David A. Dawson seen out on the town with a Victoria�s Secret model. You�re right! That would destroy me in the eyes of the press and my fans,� I said in mock horror.
��Stupid boy,� I was worried about your girlfriend.�
�First of all, Pam and I are good friends. She�s having my baby and will be in my life from now on, but she�s not my girlfriend. She doesn�t want to be in the press herself. I, on the other hand, can�t avoid it, so I would rather it be about something true than made-up stuff.�
�Kara explained that to me, but I guess I didn�t understand,� Melinda said.
�I expected to see Kara here. How do you know her?� I asked.
�We�ve modeled together. I think she secretly loves you, but I begged her to set this up.�
�What is �this�?� I asked.
�You really are a �stupid boy� if you can�t figure that out.�
She was right. I pulled her into my arms and gave her a tender kiss.
�I want to do this right,� she said and led me to Kara�s bedroom.
All the candles around the room reminded me of my attempt at setting a romantic stage for Tami and me. That didn�t work out too well. Maybe Pam had been right when she tried to get me to forget about the bad memories at the lake and how I associated it with Jeff. I needed to replace the memory of Tami and insert a new one with Melinda.
�Someone has too many clothes on,� Melinda said.
I smiled as I got undressed. Her eyes were glued on my Calvin Klein boxers. When my semierect member was exposed, her eyes got big.
�I didn�t know they got that big,� she admitted.
I could tell she meant it. Some girls will throw out a comment like that to stroke your ego, but she was too fascinated with my junk for it to be otherwise. I jumped on the bed and lay back, and Melinda joined me. She grasped my member and gave him a squeeze. Mr. Happy did his imitation of The Hulk as he thickened and got longer. Well, he didn�t turn green.
Melinda was fascinated with my package. Her eyes never left it as she gave it another squeeze.
�Stroke it,� I encouraged.
She looked up at me and then back at my manhood. She tentatively began to run her hand up and down my length.
�Like this?� I asked as I put my hand over hers to show her how to do it.
I had the impression that she wasn�t very experienced. She smiled when I moaned.
�Is it okay if I get a closer look?�
�I was hoping you would get much closer. Please,� I said.
She laid her head on my stomach so she could get a closeup view. She continued to slowly jack me off, which caused me to begin to leak.
�Did you get off?� she asked.
�No, that�s a guy�s lubricant. Just like when you get wet,� I said.
She got some between her fingers and rubbed them together. She looked at her fingers and sniffed them.
�Give it a taste,� I suggested.
She stuck her tongue out, and the tip touched her finger.
�It really doesn�t taste like anything.�
�I�ve been told it tastes better from the source,� I said with a grin.
Melinda thought about it for a moment.
�I�ve never actually done this before,� she confessed.
I switched into coaching mode. First, I gave her an anatomy lesson and pointed out the sensitive parts. Then I told her the best ways to find out what your man liked. I repeated a lot of the things I learned at the sorority house with Harper.
We then jumped to the practical portion of the training. Melinda timidly began to suck me, and I stopped her.
�Why don�t you get on your knees between my thighs? I like a little firmer and varied approach,� I suggested.
I taught her how to use one hand to jack my length as she sucked on the upper third. Then I had her use her other hand to fondle the family jewels and to use her fingernails on my taint. She was a quick learner because I soon got my release.
She looked startled and unsure of what to do with a mouth full of boy-juice. I smiled when she finally decided to swallow it. It made cleanup so much easier.
She surprised me when she resumed sucking me. I�d lost some of my firmness, but she soon had me rock-hard again. She was quickly getting better and better. I could tell she wanted more time doing this, but I wanted to give her some pleasure too, so I directed her to get into a 69 position. I�d guessed right; she didn�t have any panties on.
While she played with her new favorite toy, I dove in and began to feast on her tight little sex. She had a fat little kitty that cried out that it needed to be eaten. It was her turn to moan in appreciation.
As I pleasured her, I noticed that she was taking more and more of my length into her mouth. When she got her cookie, she did something unexpected: she shoved her face down and forced me into her throat. I almost climaxed from the feel of her, crying out in desire. I loved how she had taken to giving head.
Her worship of Mr. Happy put a kinky idea in my brain. I admit that I watch some porn. I�d seen a man do this and had never had anyone I thought might do it.
�Want to try a different way to suck me?� I asked Melinda.
�I think I�m a slut. It never occurred to me I would even want to do that, let alone how much I�d like it,� she said, and then nodded her assent.
�Okay, scoot over to the edge of the bed so your head hangs over the side and pull your knees up,� I ordered.
I stepped off the bed and fed myself into her mouth, then grasped her legs behind the knees and pulled her butt off the bed. I had her almost folded in half. With her butt in the air, I could lean down and give her oral. With her head hanging over the edge of the bed, I could do her face, and her throat was at the right angle to accept me.
I didn�t want to brutally do her face like I�d seen in the video, so I was careful to make sure I never pushed too deep. Melinda grabbed my butt and did it the first few times. I had to stop for a moment, or I would�ve lost it.
�Hang on,� I begged as I pulled out Mr. Happy, and he twitched his need.
While we took a quick break, I checked Kara�s bedside table. Sure enough, she had a seven-inch vibrator.
�What�s that?� Melinda asked.
�Trust me, you�ll like this,� I said.
I got back into position, and Melinda pulled me back into her mouth. I turned on the vibrator and pushed it into her tight little sex. Melinda shrieked and tried to stuff my full length into her gullet. I must have had her on edge for a big one because she started to roll through multiple orgasms. The net effect was Melinda tried to devour me. For someone who had never given oral before, she was turning into a pro.
I�d finally had enough; I needed to do her. Despite the intense sensations, I jerked out of her mouth so I could put on a condom.
�No, I want you,� Melinda moaned.
I flipped her around and grabbed her thighs to lift and separate her legs. I grabbed the vibrator and pulled it out. She whimpered at the loss of her sex toy, but I replaced it with something more substantial. She grunted when I finally had myself buried. Turns out, Tracy was wrong: Melinda�s inability to dance had nothing at all to do with how good she was in bed.
I would rate Melinda an eight for overall oral skills. She was a ten as far as enthusiasm and willingness to try new things; she just needed repeated experience to get better, which I was willing to provide. I would rate her a solid seven in bed. But what did I expect, if only Blake Seaver had been there before me?
When I finally got off, I laughed. Melinda just collapsed and fell asleep. I had to smile when I remembered how she first reacted to seeing Mr. Happy. I guess the Seavs didn�t measure up, but then again, he was only five-eight or nine to my six-four. It really wasn�t fair to compare. It was also a little juvenile, but hey � I was only a teenager. If I were ever to be juvenile, it should be at this age.
◊◊◊
Chapter 10 � Playtime�s Over Monday February 15
Melinda was still sleeping soundly, so I slipped out of bed and ran upstairs to take a shower.
�There he is,� Tyler called from the kitchen.
Adrienne and Kara were both sitting at the dining room table, eating waffles.
�I never thought I would see you doing the �walk of shame,�� Adrienne teased.
I just ignored their giggles and took my shower. When I came back, Melinda was there, giving out details. I had to cook my own omelet because Tyler wanted to hear the whole story.
�� and he asked me to Prom,� Melinda said.
�David, get in here,� Adrienne commanded.
�Yes?� I asked carefully.
�Melinda said you asked her to Prom. What about me?� she asked.
I couldn�t tell if she was serious or not. Then I got a little pissed.
�I think the whole Prom thing has gone far enough. Hannah was just a fun fantasy date, but she�s gotten herself engaged. While I love you to death, Adrienne, you�re in a committed relationship. You also stood me up when we tried this before, and I ended up with that horrible date with the girl Ford Models set me up with,� I said. Then I turned to Melinda. �It would be great for me both publicity- and ego-wise to take a Victoria�s Secret model to Prom. But I just don�t think it�s a good idea.�
�Well, okay then,� Melinda said and stood up to leave.
�Hang on, you didn�t let me finish. As of right now, it�s not a good idea. We�re just starting to get to know each other, and I really don�t want to go to Prom with someone I don�t know very well. Prom is something that you should go to with someone special. I would bet that if you were honest, you couldn�t say if I would ever be anything special to you or not,� I challenged.
Melinda thought about it for a moment.
�You could be if you gave us a chance.�
�I think you could be, too. When I asked last night, I was just goofing around. It surprised me when you said you would go.�
She took a deep breath, then let it out and smiled at me.
�I hope we don�t just have a one-night stand. I would love to see if we could date,� Melinda said. �Unfortunately, I really do have to go. My agent plans to work me to death before my contract is up.�
She came to me and gave me a sweet kiss goodbye.
I was afraid that she would be like Kara. Melinda was in demand now, and she needed to work while they wanted her. Not many models were like Adrienne and able to keep it going at such a high level for as long as she did. Even in retirement, she did a handful of jobs a year, and I was sure she could go full time again if she wanted. Given Melinda�s work schedule, I wouldn�t be surprised if last night did end up being a one-night stand.
I looked at Kara. In so many ways, she and I would be perfect for each other. She was a strong, independent woman who was sexy as hell. She�d actually been on the road by herself since she was fifteen. My parents would never have allowed me to do that. I got the impression that Kara�s folks weren�t happy when she first started to travel, but they both had jobs that prevented them from going with her. They�d trusted her manager to take care of her.
Luckily for her, she now had Adrienne and Tyler to watch out for her. They�d set her up in a condo with other models. Tyler was the one they all called �Mom� because she called them out on bad behavior. Adrienne was a completely different story. She had all their respect because she�d lived the life. She knew what happened at photo shoots and the parties afterward. Adrienne had seen how the industry took advantage of young, inexperienced girls. In many ways, Melinda was a prime example. If it hadn�t been Blake Seaver, it would have been someone else from whom she learned a life lesson.
While Kara and I didn�t see each other nearly enough, she was the perfect girl friend � not girlfriend, but female friend. Yes, we had sex, but that wasn�t why I liked her. We were good-enough friends that if we didn�t see each other for months, when we came back together, it was as if we�d never been apart. There were never any awkward conversations or expectations. We just accepted each other and were happy for the other�s successes or sad for their failures. We both knew that if the other ever needed anything, they could pick up the phone and their friend would be there for them.
�Yes, I�ll go to Prom with you,� Kara said.
I blinked a couple of times, and Adrienne about fell out of her chair laughing at me. The thing was, I would be happy to have Kara as my date.
�Great,� I said as the smoke detector in the kitchen started blaring.
�You better not have ruined my kitchen,� Tyler threatened.
I ran in and saw that my omelet was black. I picked up the skillet, put it in the sink, and ran water over it to cool it off. Tyler kicked me out. It looked like my cooking privileges had just been revoked.
◊◊◊
Kara and I spent some alone time together in the morning. It wasn�t all between the sheets; we caught each other up on what we�d each been up to. She wanted to know what it was like to be in a movie and see yourself on the big screen. I explained that while it was fun, there was a cost. I told her about how I found myself not trusting people as much anymore and why. It really was different from being an athlete or model.
She told me about what she�d been up to. Kara had a unique look. She was part Indian�the country, not Native American�which gave her a darker skin tone. While Kara did well in the States, she was huge in Europe. She�d become a big enough draw that most European companies were willing to allow her to stay in New York to work. Kara was enjoying not having to travel constantly. I had to agree that being able to come home to your own bed had its appeal.
I did confirm that she was serious about Prom. It would give her an excuse to come home. I knew Gina missed her big sister.
Before I left, Adrienne sat me down to talk.
�The Page Six article in the New York Post generated some calls. There have been a few offers for exclusive first pictures with you and your baby when he�s born. I know I told Pam that I would buy maternity clothes for her in exchange for the first pictures, but honestly, I didn�t intend to sell them.�
�What are you thinking?� I asked.
�I�d like to put feelers out and see how serious they are. We might even get a bidding war started.�
�I�m not sure I want to expose my child to that kind of scrutiny. Rita James made sure Trip and Halle were shielded from the press. I know Pam would be against it, or at least I think she would be. Can I think about it?� I asked.
�I hate to tell you this, but the paparazzi
�I would like to have the full story before I talk to Pam. Since my parents will be my son�s guardians, I�d probably also need them to agree. I don�t want to have this conversation with them without some details. For example, who would want the pictures, what do they plan to do with them, and what we would be paid.�
�You would also have blackmail material on your son when he becomes a teen. No one wants their naked baby pictures shown to their dates,� Adrienne said with a gleam in her eye.
She had a point. I knew my mom wouldn�t hesitate to show my baby pictures if she got it in her head to embarrass me. I might need the ammo someday.
◊◊◊
As I arrived at the airport, I received an email from Saul with the numbers from my movie.
Saul�s email said that they would probably see the number of screens showing the movie drop in the next couple of weeks as new movies came out.
◊◊◊
I�d gotten sick of TSA at the airport. They�d again singled me out to go behind the screen and get patted down. This time the man saw my expression and decided he�d better not touch my junk.
So, I was in a pissy mood when I boarded the plane. I�d gotten my usual aisle seat and found the one next to the window empty. The flight attendant introduced herself.
�I�m Bev, I�ll be taking care of you today,� she said.
�How come he gets special treatment?� the older man across the aisle asked.
I cocked my head sideways as I waited to see what she was going to say.
�I�m sorry, sir, I try to treat all my passengers the same. When I�m done with him, I�ll get to you,� she said, and then turned back to me. �Is there anything you need right now?�
�No, I�m good for now.�
She then introduced herself to the man and woman across from me. As she did that, my seatmate arrived. How do I say this without sounding like a complete jackass? The guy who sat next to me didn�t look like he belonged in first class. Something about him just wasn�t right. Uncle John had talked to me about listening to your gut. Too many times, people try to rationalize what they thought of someone. They would find out later that they should have trusted their instinct.
I tried to puzzle out what made me uncomfortable about this man. I didn�t get the terrorist vibe, so it wasn�t that. Surprisingly, the first thought that came to mind was this man was a bully. I thought back, and it was how he�d pushed his way past the flight attendant. Most people waited until they stepped aside. This man put his hand on her hip and moved her.
I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, that he was sizing me up. I turned, and our eyes locked. A smirk came onto his face, which caused the hair on the back of my neck to rise. If I were Duke, I would have growled. I instantly didn�t like this guy.
�You�re David A. Dawson,� he said.
I just stared at him, and his smile got bigger. They closed the front door, and we began to back up from the Jetway. I tried to ignore the man beside me, but he kept watching me. The plane got in line to take off. It was finally our turn, and we were on our way to Chicago.
�How lucky for me that you�re sitting next to me,� he said once we hit cruising altitude.
I looked at him and frowned.
�Why�s that?� I asked.
�He talks!�
I took a closer look. My seatmate was well built, and his face looked like he�d been in a few fights. There was a funny lump on his nose, and there were scars around his eyes. He was either a boxer or maybe an enforcer of some kind. I shook my head to stop my imagination from running away with me.
�What do you want from me?� I asked.
�Pay me to leave you alone. How much do you have in your pocket? Couple hundred bucks?�
�Why would I pay you?� I asked.
�To keep me from making you look like a little bitch. I hate it when people like you cry. Save us both the trouble and just pay me.�
�I hate to say it, but I won�t be the one crying, so behave yourself. I�d hate to see you get embarrassed when a wimpy guy like me takes you down,� I said. Then I put my earbuds in and acted like I was listening to music.
What I actually did was turn on the video recorder on my phone. I sat it on my tray and hoped it would catch the action if it happened. My would-be extortionist shoved my shoulder.
�Don�t ignore me!� he said loud enough to be heard throughout the first-class cabin.
I smiled when my flight attendant hurried up the aisle.
�He shoved me,� I told her.
�What, you need her to protect you?�
�Sir, you need to calm down,� she admonished.
He was seething, but at the same time was looking around and saw that his actions hadn�t gone unnoticed. His eyes squinted as he looked at Bev.
�It�s all good,� he said.
That was when I figured it out. Since his extortion attempt hadn�t worked, he had tried to goad me into hitting him. He first tried to get me to pay him off. This must have been Plan B. I would never have thought someone would try something like this in first class. I needed to be more careful in the future.
Fritz had wanted me to start wearing a bodycam. He also wanted to install cameras in all our cars, both dashcams and ones that would monitor the cars� interiors. I had hesitated because teenage boys don�t want films of some things that happen when they�re alone with a girl in a car. I was sure that I�d been caught on camera with Halle at her place. But now I started to see why it might be a good idea. Hell, we already had passive �just in case� cameras in the living areas of the house and the apartment.
When Bev left, and everything seemed to settle down, my seatmate shoved me again.
�When we land, I�m going to kick your ass. You�ll wish you�d just paid me when I sat down. If you tell your bodyguard anything, I�ll kick her ass too,� he threatened.
I unbuckled my seat belt, grabbed my iPhone, and stepped into the galley where Bev and the other flight attendant were busy filling drink orders.
�I hate to interrupt, but I need you to hear this,� I said, and then played them the last few minutes of the recording.
Bev got on the phone to the cockpit and explained what she�d heard. The copilot opened the door and came out. Bev pointed out the troublemaker. I watched as the copilot approached him, and almost missed the vicious right that took the copilot down. Two women screamed as he got out of his seat and marched up the aisle. Bev was talking to the pilot, describing what she saw.
I centered myself and gave myself as much room as possible. The other flight attendant ran into the bathroom and locked the door.
The first hint I had that I might be in trouble was when he didn�t just charge in and try to pummel me. He recognized my stance for what it was.
�You think you�re a tough guy, do you?� he asked.
He made two quick jabs with his right hand to get my measure; the second one brushed my forehead. He then threw a left hook into my ribs that startled me. I was glad Fritz had worked with me in LA or I would have taken the full brunt of that punch and been gasping for breath as he pummeled me.
My attacker began to load up for an overhand right. I slipped to the side as he threw it, and it clipped my ear. I was now inside his guard. Time to quit dodging and start to administer some of my own punishment. I hit him with an openhanded palm strike in the diaphragm as hard as I could. Unlike with Baby Dick and his gang, I knew I couldn�t hold back.
My tormentor just grunted and stepped back to give himself some room. I noticed a man coming up the aisle behind him.
�Stay back, I don�t want you to get hurt,� I warned.
He just nodded. The last thing I wanted was more people getting in the crossfire from this guy. I already felt guilty for allowing the copilot to get clocked. He at least was coming around, and people were attending to him.
My assailant got a determined look on his face.
�I�ve been gentle to this point. Playtime�s over,� he said and threw a combination at my head.
Something I�d become good at, thanks to Cassidy, was defending myself. The problem was I�d never faced a puncher with as much power as this guy had. Both his punches got through and staggered me. I could tell my nose was bleeding, and I was sure I had a cut under my left eye. If I let this continue as a fistfight, I wasn�t going to win.
He loaded up for another overhand right. As it sailed towards my face, I countered the punch, redirected it, and then used his momentum to hip-toss him. He slammed into the wall behind me. I was on him like a flash, buried my knees in his armpits and began to unleash both fists into his face. I had to hit him nine times to get him to give up.
�Stop,� he begged.
I rolled him over and put him in an arm bar. The man who had come up the aisle pulled off his belt and tied my seatmate�s hands behind his back.
�I got him,� my helper said.
◊◊◊
Our plane was diverted to Detroit, where the local police met us with TSA officers in tow. When my assailant was escorted off the plane, people clapped. The copilot and I were taken off to get treatment. Bev followed us so we could all give statements to the police. It turned out the man who assisted me was a Chicago police officer. He also joined us.
I called Caryn and explained what had happened. Frank called me shortly after I got off the phone. I told him what happened so he could do his job. I then received a call from Ms. Dixon. This asshole was starting to cost me money.
While the police interviewed us, I noticed the plane was no longer at the gate; it had apparently continued on to Chicago. The Detroit police wanted us all to go to a police station to give statements, but the Chicago police officer told them no, that we needed to get home. I was surprised when they let us go.
It seems that if you help a copilot and flight attendant, the airline appreciates your efforts. We were on the next flight to Chicago.
◊◊◊
When we landed in Chicago, the FBI was there to meet us, and we were taken to a meeting room. They said my tormentor was Kevin O�Connell, a professional boxer, and they wanted to see my video. I was pissed when they wanted my phone. I logged off and handed it to them.
�What�s the password?�
I just shook my head. While I didn�t think there was anything on my phone to get me in trouble, why invite it?
I asked for my lawyer, and that pissed everybody off.
�Sorry, I�ll email you the recording, but I�m not giving you access to my phone,� I explained.
�It�s a chain-of-custody matter. We don�t plan to do anything other than examine the video file and confirm it�s legitimate.�
�Sure, you don�t,� I deflected.
Sadly, I don�t think the guy caught the sarcasm.
Ms. Dixon finally showed up. She made them agree to limit the scope of the investigation of my phone and put it in writing. Once that was done, I gave them the password. She talked to them, then came and spoke to me.
�Is there anything on your phone you�re worried about?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�Teenage boy here; who knows?� I said with a grin.
�Good call,� she agreed.
She had more information about Mr. O�Connell. He was a cruiserweight�up to 200 pounds�who was on his way to Chicago for a fight. He grew up in a rough area of New York and had a record of assault and strong-arm robberies. Mr. O�Connell had a boxing record of 18�9 but had lost his last five fights. They�d matched him up with a local kid who was supposed to be an up-and-comer.
Of course, there was a video of the fight. Ms. Dixon showed it to me, and I flinched when I saw the punches I took. I owed Fritz big-time. I hoped Cassidy would be happy with me because I had used my training to subdue him. Ms. Dixon told me that Mr. O�Connell was in a lot of trouble. On top of his possible criminal charges, the FAA could fine him as much as $25,000 for disrupting a flight. That was enough to give anyone a bad day.
The airline had my luggage for me and helped me sneak out a side door. The main entrance was crawling with press who wanted information on the fight. I wasn�t really up for that hassle right now.
◊◊◊
When I got home, I wished I�d stayed and faced the press.
�David Allen Dawson,� my mom intoned, prepared to ream me.
�I love you,� I tried.
�Let me look at you,� she said.
Dad shook his head at us. He was smart and stayed out of it.
�I think I need to take security with me from now on,� I said to try to slow her down.
Fat chance. I was put to the question, and the Detroit police and FBI had nothing on her. She made me walk her through it, and finally, she was satisfied.
�I was ready to ground you for life,� she said.
I just blinked, because if I said anything, it could only get worse.
�But it sounds like you did everything you could to avoid it and asked for help to try to defuse the situation,� she continued.
I glanced over at Dad; he was as shocked as I was and just shrugged. Where was my crazy, illogical mother? Who had replaced her with someone reasonable? I just reached out and hugged her before my real mom returned.
�I should go unpack,� I said to make good my hasty retreat.
Duke followed me to my apartment, and we spent some time making sure he got all the loving he�d missed over the last few days. I really needed some unconditional love after this weekend.
◊◊◊ Tuesday February 16
I looked at myself in the mirror. It wasn�t a pretty sight. My nose wasn�t broken, but it was red and swollen. I had a mouse under my left eye that was turning black. My forehead was also red from where Kevin O�Connell had jabbed me. I was lucky he hadn�t pummeled me more. I think if he�d known I had martial-arts training, he would have been more careful, and the outcome might have been different.
Fritz would be happy because I was now fully on board with his security requests. Now, when I came home, it just seemed as though the fence and cameras around the house weren�t enough. I sent a text to Caryn to contact him and let him put the cameras in my parents� and my cars. She sent me one back telling me I was to meet her at Sullivan�s car dealership after dojo practice.
I skipped running and walked downstairs for breakfast. Duke was wagging his tail big-time when we entered the kitchen and found Little David and Peggy. He trotted over to the little boy and gave him a thorough sniff-test. While Duke gave Little David his puppy-scan, Peggy made a two-handed reach for bowls; it looked like oatmeal for breakfast. She was wearing a nightgown and facing the cabinets. I watched her and noticed something interesting: I didn�t think Peggy was wearing any underwear.
�Here, let me help you,� I offered and walked up behind her.
Instead of reaching for the bowls, I ran my hands up the backs of her thighs to confirm my suspicions. Peggy pushed her butt back as she firmly planted her hands on the countertop. I dropped to my knees and planted my face under her nightgown.
�David!� she hissed.
My mouth found her sex and got busy. I felt Peggy tremble, and her legs slid apart to give me better access. She didn�t make a move to fight me off, so I worked to bring her pleasure.
�Sheeeit, your parents are going to catch us,� she whispered.
I reached into my pocket and found a condom. As I stood up, Peggy tried to stand up straight, but I put my hand on her back to hold her in place. I dropped my pants and underwear around my knees and put on the condom.
�Yes!� she called out when I pushed home.
We were making a lot of noise, and at that moment I didn�t care if my parents heard or not. I was sure Peggy didn�t care because she was the one making the noise. I tried to listen for my mom and dad and held still for a moment. Peggy began to twerk her butt back at me, doing all the work. She must have been horny.
She slammed back into me, and I felt her climax on my member. What was it with this poor girl? It had only been like two minutes.
That was when I heard someone on the stairs. I jerked out and pulled up my jeans, leaving the condom on.
�You know, I tried to talk your dad into going into work late because of you two,� Mom said.
I don�t know who was more embarrassed, Dad, Peggy, or me. My mom thought it was the funniest thing she�d ever said. Let�s just say breakfast was full of awkward moments, and my mom had the time of her life.
I told Peggy she needed to be at the dealership later to help pick out her car and made good my escape for the day.
◊◊◊
My brief encounter with Peggy caused me a serious problem when I got to school. Mr. Happy wasn�t exactly, well, happy. He�d had about three minutes of heaven before he�d been put away. First thing I did when I got to school was hit a bathroom and dispose of the condom. When I made my way to first-period PE, I found he was still hard. You try to stuff him into a jockstrap like that. I was more than a little self-conscious when I went to lift.
�What happened to you?� Wolf asked.
It took me a moment to realize he was talking about my battered face.
�Fight,� I said.
�Did you win?�
�I guess.�
Usually, for guys, that would have been enough, but this was a fight. If it had been an argument with my girlfriend, I would have skated.
�Do I need to go get Gina?� Wolf threatened.
�I got into a fight. No big deal,� I said.
Wolf looked around the weight room and got everyone�s attention.
�David got into a fight, and it looks like he lost. Gather �round; he�s going to tell us what happened.�
I was about to get into another fight. Wolf just gave me a smirk.
�It�s on YouTube,� I said.
�Of course it is,� Wolf said, exasperated. �Go get your tablet.�
Boy, was he bossy. When I got back, Coach Rector was there waiting with the rest of the boys from our PE class. I gave him a curious look.
�They said it had to be either an epic fight or you got beat up by a girl. I�m not missing that,� he said.
There were three videos to choose from. I selected the one taken from the back of first class that included the confrontation between Mr. O�Connell and the copilot. I gave them the setup before I played the video.
�A guy tried to strong-arm money out of me on my flight back from New York. After my last fight, my mom made certain things clear, so I was in no mood to deal with this guy. Turns out he�s a professional boxer, and after the way he hit me, I wish I�d never met him.�
I�d not had a clear view of the actual punch that took down the copilot. It was one of those deals where a guy doesn�t expect it, and the next thing he knows he�s face-first on the ground. It was a brutal shot, and the poor copilot stiffened up for a second and then just collapsed. I stopped the video.
�At this point, I was officially worried,� I admitted.
�I would have run,� Tim said.
�I had nowhere to go, or I would have let him try to catch me,� I said and restarted the video.
The actual fight didn�t take more than ninety seconds. When it was going on, it seemed to last much longer. How I survived the hook to the ribs was all down to Fritz and my training with him. It was a shot that made everyone cringe, me included. I was also lucky I deflected the combination to my face that did all the damage. If I hadn�t at least diverted the shots, I would have been down for the count.
I watched the crowd�s reaction, and to a man, they were all wincing each time I was hit. Then it was like watching TV wrestling when the good guy weathers the storm and comes back. When Kevin threw the overhand right, and I hip-tossed him, they actually cheered. Then they got quiet when they saw me pounce on him and begin to punch his lights out.
�Jesus, man,� Wolf muttered.
�Is that what Cassidy�s teaching you?� Tim asked.
�Yeah,� I admitted.
�Well, it�s settled then. I used to joke around that you were our designated fighter. Now it�s official,� Wolf said, which lightened the mood.
�Everybody back to work!� Coach Rector called out.
I�d forgotten all about Mr. Happy. Watching the fight again reminded me I was lucky I surprised Kevin, or that fight would have been much, much worse. It was evident he could punch through my defenses and inflict damage. My face was proof of that. A couple more combinations and it would have been lights out.
◊◊◊
At lunchtime, we all met to talk about the class project. Alan had come up with a solution for his app for people without phones: Wolf had helped him create a pedestal for a tablet. It had a lock on it so no one could pinch it. I pointed out I would just take the whole thing, which had my two friends scratching their heads. Alan had carried it into the meeting, after all.
We got approval for the picnic tables and the homeless fundraiser. The shop classes would work with Wolf and Jan to build them, while Stacy would organize the painting. She asked Wolf to have them all painted a base color. Once that was done, she would get people like Halle and me to be in charge of developing designs which would be added later.
We had permission to use a school bus for gathering supplies for the homeless. Brit wanted a short bus, but I told them we needed to think bigger. We all decided that it was better to have too much room than not enough. I planned to get the school bus filled. Alan said he would set up the GoFundMe page, and Stacy and Brit volunteered to create the flyer design. I suggested that they send it to Lily to review. What I would do was have her send it to Frank, and he would have his people go over it and provide feedback. I had to pay him anyway; might as well get my money�s worth.
Speaking of Frank � he organized a press conference to be held during the second half of lunch. Caryn had talked to the school, and I was able to do it in the pressroom in the Field House. It wasn�t nearly the zoo LA had been. We had four local TV stations and three newspapers.
Frank had a prepared statement for me which said that Mr. O�Connell had started it and I�d been attacked. There were a few follow-up questions, and it was over. I was becoming an old pro at this.
◊◊◊
After school, I practiced hitting, and we started throwing when I wasn�t helping one of the guys in the batting cage. It looked like all the skill players in football planned to play seven-on-seven football. That meant the linemen were playing baseball with me. We might not be the fastest team, but we would be strong.
Jim had gained fifteen pounds of muscle in the last two-and-a-half months of working out and was now up to 265 pounds. His six-five frame carried the weight well. The good news was it didn�t seem like he�d lost a step. The Callahan twins were also packing on the muscle. I�d talked both Johan and Milo Bauer into joining us as well. Johan was already strong, but he was becoming a beast. He�d played catcher in Little League, and we desperately needed a catcher since Tim wasn�t allowed to play any sports this spring because of his knee.
Moose had had me in to talk about preseason training, and I�d seen his initial lineup.
(Batting Order) Name � Position:
(8) Johan Bauer � Catcher
(4) Jim Ball � 1st Base / Right Field
(5) Brock Callahan � 2nd Base / Pitcher
(3) Bryan Callahan � Shortstop / Pitcher
(2) Yuri Antakov � 3rd Base / Catcher
(6) Milo Bauer � Right Field / 1st Base
(1) David Dawson � Center Field / Shortstop
(7) Nick Rake � Left Field / Infield
Bench:
Neil Presley � Outfield / First Base
Wayne Turk � Infield / Outfield
Ray Quinn � Infield / Outfield
Bert Nelson � Pitcher / Outfield
Justin Tune - Pitcher / Infield
�How come you have me penciled in to lead off?� I asked.
�Two reasons. The first is we don�t have anyone else with your speed. The second is we only play seven innings. I want to maximize your at-bats. If you bat leadoff, you�re guaranteed at least three at-bats a game. With you at cleanup, you�re only guaranteed two,� he said.
I wasn�t sure how that would work out�I felt I held more value as a cleanup hitter than a leadoff man. The mindset was completely different at that position in the batting order. The leadoff hitter�s job was to get on any way he could and then pick up bases. It was up to everyone else to drive him in. But I would leave it to Moose; he�d been doing this longer than I�d been alive. I trusted he knew what he was talking about.
◊◊◊
Before dojo practice, Shiggy took Cassidy, her dad, Fritz, and me to his office. He wanted to talk about my fight on the plane. He played the video for everyone before he spoke. Everyone but Fritz had already seen it.
�First of all, I don�t see how you could have avoided the confrontation,� Shiggy said.
�If I had anywhere to go, I would have run,� I admitted.
Hindsight being 20/20, that would have been the best option.
�I understand Mr. O�Connell is a professional boxer. From watching the video, it was apparent you had no chance going head-to-head with him. I think if he�d had any martial arts training at all, he would have been able to handle your hip-toss and get back into the fight.
�I�ll admit I hadn�t thought you had the killer instinct in you, but you demonstrated at the end of the fight that you do. The last fight you had in LA, you were acting like you were in a practice session,� Shiggy chastised.
�He and I�ve had a talk about that,� Cassidy said. �I�m not sure he should have stopped so soon. He trusted that when he got off, the man would keep his word.�
�I agree,� Fritz said. �O�Connell was a much superior puncher, but I suspect if he�d tried anything funny, David had figured out that he had other skills that would have protected him.�
�As I kept pounding him, I saw the fight go out of his eyes. I believe he came to his senses and realized he�d messed up,� I said.
�I think you got lucky,� Coach Hope said to add his opinion. �You must always remember that there are people out there who are much better fighters than you are. That first punch to the ribs could have staggered you enough to allow him to crowd you and use his superior punching ability. The way it is, he marked you up pretty good.�
�The question is, what are we going to do about it? If David had the room, he could have used his kicks, but he needs to learn to fight in a confined space. We need to teach David to be a better puncher and how to defend himself when someone has the power that guy had,� Shiggy said.
�I used to box when I was in the Corps. I can work with him on that,� Coach Hope said. �We�ll just have to get the right gear.�
It was decided I would get some boxing instruction mixed in with my other martial-arts training. Cassidy spotted the little smile on my face when we were practicing our forms.
�You�re thinking about getting to punch my dad, aren�t you?� she asked.
I just smiled bigger.
◊◊◊
Mom, Dad, Peggy, Little David, and I all met Caryn and Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan at the car dealership. I needed to lease something for Peggy to transport Little David and my son around in.
�Caryn told us you wanted something large enough to take several people in that was nice and not a minivan,� Mr. Sullivan said.
�There will be times I�ll drive it, and I just can�t see myself driving a minivan around,� I admitted.
Over the next hour, we drove several SUVs. We looked at the Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon. Each of them was eliminated for different reasons. That meant our decision came down to the Cadillac Escalade or the Lincoln Navigator. Mr. Sullivan pointed out that although the Lincoln Navigator belongs to the class of luxury SUVs, and was a status symbol, its design was considered obsolete. Ford planned to make many upgrades in next year�s model. So, by process of elimination, we settled on the Escalade.
�We have one more we want to show you,� Mrs. Sullivan said. �I�m not sure if you�d be interested in something used, but we received a call that a dealer in Missouri got something special in. So, we had them ship it over so you could check it out.�
�What makes it special?� Dad asked.
�Well, I think David asked for a vehicle that would seat more than five people. Ford used to have an enormous SUV called the Excursion, but they quit making the three-quarter-ton eight-seater in 2005. For those customers needing the extra pulling capacity and three rows of seating, the 2500-series Suburban and Yukon XL were the only choices. That is until GM cut production of those as well.
�Hennessey Performance has partnered with Ford to take their F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew series pickup truck and turn it into an SUV. The F-150 Raptor was designed by Ford as a great off-road truck. It has six preset modes for the truck, depending on terrain and driving conditions. Normal mode is well-suited for everyday driving, while Sport mode offers higher performance during on-road driving. Weather mode offers confident control in rain, snow, or ice. For muddy and sandy terrain, you can choose Mud and Sand mode. Baja mode is helpful during high-speed desert running, and Rock mode is your go-to for low-speed rock-crawling,� Mrs. Sullivan said.
My mom�s expression seemed to indicate she didn�t like the off-road options.
�What they created was the Ford Hennessey VelociRaptor SUV. The original list price for this vehicle was over $160,000. They�ve only made a little over 400 of these. The one we want to show you is two years old and has been sitting on the lot in Missouri for four months. They sent out a call to see if anyone might have a client who�d buy it. They�re willing to take a bath on it to move it.�
I looked at Mom and Dad, and they both nodded.
�Let�s see it,� I said.
Mr. Sullivan went around back and drove out a beast. The first thing that caught my eye was the large block Ford logo across the front grill. It was black. When I say black, I mean all the trim was black. The only white was on the driver�s door, where it said �VelociRaptor 650� and �Supercharged� in script below that. On the rear side window, the name �Hennessey� was also in white. The wheels and tires were all black, and they�d tinted the windows black to the point you couldn�t see into the back seats. The Cadillac Escalade screamed luxury, while the Ford Hennessey VelociRaptor looked menacing.
�They designed the Raptor pickup trucks to be factory-ready to run Baja,� Mr. Sullivan said as he got out of it.
That earned him a look from my mom.
�Because the suspension is designed to take on the off-road, it�s an extremely comfortable ride. The man who bought this had five children and wanted something he could take his family camping in,� Mr. Sullivan continued.
I smiled when Peggy handed me Little David.
�I think I�d better test-drive this one,� Peggy said and then looked at my mom and Caryn. �You want to go with me?�
�We better test-drive it before David gets ahold of it,� my mom said.
Mrs. Sullivan went with them. Mr. Sullivan continued to run down the stats of the car. Then he said something that caught my attention.
�The previous owner had them put in a twin-turbo supercharger setup. I was told they tuned it so it pushed the 6.2-liter V-8 to 1032 horsepower. It is reported to do 0-to-60 in 4 seconds. Of course, they beefed up the brakes to compensate for that much horsepower. I took it out for a little spin, and it pinned me to the seat when I put the pedal down. It�s a quiet ride, and I found I was doing over 100 miles per hour and didn�t even realize it.
�It�s not your Charger Hellcat, but it can hold its own. I think you�ll like it,� Mr. Sullivan said.
�How much are we talking? David plans to lease it,� Dad said.
�I can get you into it for the same money as the new Cadillac.�
When the girls got back, Mom pointed to the Ford.
�He�ll take that one.�
�Do you want to drive it?� Mr. Sullivan asked.
I looked at Peggy, and she nodded that she wanted the Ford Hennessey VelociRaptor. After all, she was the one who had to drive it on a daily basis. But I glanced at Dad to make sure, and he gave me a little shake of the head. I guess I didn�t need to drive it.
�No, I trust them to decide. Write it up,� I said.
Dad and Caryn went into the office to work out the details. They let me sit in it while they did that. I checked the odometer and saw it had almost thirty thousand miles on it. The interior was equivalent to the pickup truck version, with leather seats and high-end trim. It was comfortable. I climbed into the middle-row bench seat, and there was plenty of legroom, even for me. Even with the back-row seating up, there was a ton of storage area. The back seat could be folded down, and if you did that, there was enough room for me to stretch out at an angle. The back hatch was unique: the rear window could be opened without opening anything else. At the bottom of the hatch were two half-doors that opened outward like an ambulance.
I envisioned loading up the guys and taking some trips, or it had plenty of room for five car seats for little ones.
I walked around the exterior, and it had a couple of minor dings, but I would expect that in a used car. While I would never pay what they wanted for a new one, I could live with the used price. Peggy and the kids would be safe in this car. I worried a little about the additional horsepower, but Peggy wasn�t the irresponsible type. I might take it out and put it through its paces, but never with any of the little ones on board.
When we left, I made a point to thank the Sullivans for taking care of me.
◊◊◊ Wednesday February 17
I skipped the dojo tonight to go on an adventure with Brook. The weather had warmed up for the last several days, and we got a call that the ice was off the local ponds. That meant we would do our first open-water dive. We stopped at the dive shop and were outfitted with wetsuits. We had already each bought a tank, regulator/octo, mask, snorkel, BCD, dive belt, and fins. I think I figured out why the class was so cheap.
I�d balked at buying a wetsuit because I never planned to dive when the water was this cold ever again. Brook, on the other hand, decided she wanted one. It wasn�t like it would break the bank; the one she bought cost her around $400. I just couldn�t see getting into the water when you�d need one.
What sucked was they didn�t have one in stock that would fit my long arms and legs. I either had to pass on the dive or suck it up and leave a couple of inches of skin uncovered.
�You�re a wuss, Dawson,� Brook teased me.
�Yeah, let�s get this over with.�
�Good boy. For spring break, we�re going somewhere warm where we can take advantage of this. How does the Caribbean sound?�
�Better than this,� I agreed. �Okay, deal.�
We loaded everything up and followed everyone to a farm near the highway. In the Midwest, the land is flat. To put in a bridge, they need soil to build the ramps to raise the road. Instead of hauling in dirt, they would make a deal with a farmer to put in what�s called a �borrow pit.� They dug out all the soil in a square hole next to where the bridge would be built. Those holes filled in with groundwater.
If a farmer wanted, the state would give him fish to put into the pond. To provide the fish with cover, many farmers would make artificial reefs out of different objects. For the little lake we were using, the farmer collected Christmas trees. He tied cinder blocks to them and just left them on the ice. When it thawed, the trees would sink to the bottom and give smaller fish cover.
We met the farmer at a gate, and he let us in. He then had us follow him down a dirt road to the borrow pit. When we got out of the cars, he gave us a rundown.
�This end of the pond is shallower. We added gravel and then sand to make a nice beach for the grandkids. As you can see, there�s a levee around the outside of the pond. That prevents any runoff from the fields from getting into the water. The fertilizer can mess up the ecosystem and kill off the fish. We put some Christmas trees on the ice. I was hoping you would check them out and make sure they didn�t stack up on each other.�
Our instructor made sure we had all our equipment on and that it was working. Brook and I were the first two he went out with. He told us to walk backward into the water because you would trip over your flippers if you didn�t.
When we first got in, the water was frickin� cold as it got into your wetsuit, but your body warmed it up so it wasn�t too bad. Around my face, wrists, and ankles, it remained cold, but I gutted it out. The visibility wasn�t high; I could probably see six feet.
Our instructor had us do several of the things he�d taught us in the pool. He knocked our masks off, and we had to show him we could put them back on and use the air from our regulator to force the water out. We had to share a regulator for a few minutes; this was in case a tank ever failed. You could share with your dive buddy using the octo. He then set us free to go explore.
For me, the coolest moment was when we slipped into the deeper part of the pond. With visibility only being six feet, we soon lost sight of the surface. It seemed like we were traveling blind in a green glowing fog bank that got darker as we moved lower. When we reached the bottom, we were in another world. I felt like I was back in New York City where everything�s covered in grime, except we were all alone. The only sound was from our regulators and the bubbles they gave off.
Brook reached down and brushed the bottom, causing a big cloud of silt to form around her. She glided out of it, and we began to work our way up the side of the borrow pit. When we reached about ten feet, we began to see fish. They weren�t moving much because of the cold water. We saw some nice catfish and bass amongst the Christmas trees; it seemed the fish appreciated the cover. While I had a great time, I imagined that diving in warmer water with better visibility would be a lot more fun.
Getting out was an adventure. I quickly peeled off the wetsuit and jumped into the Jeep to get warm. Brook wasn�t far behind me. I had brought blankets we could wrap ourselves in while I had the heat on high.
�Glad you did it?� Brook asked.
�Yeah, this was fun. I really like your idea for spring break. Let�s get that set up,� I said.
◊◊◊
Chapter 11 � Nimby Thursday February 18
I skipped the dojo again tonight. The Zoning Board met the third Thursday of each month. Mr. Orange from the Homeless Coalition had been on me to attend, so I finally agreed. I found my parents had company when I got home: my grandmother and Uncle John were there, along with Caryn and Kendal.
�What brings everyone here?� I asked.
�You don�t think we�d miss your first foray into politics, do you?� Grandma Dawson asked.
�I don�t think it�s that big of a deal,� I said.
�You might be surprised,� Uncle John said.
�I got a letter today from Mr. Morris that you need to read,� Dad said. �It lays out our issues with the NCAA as he sees them. Why don�t you read it, and then we�ll talk.�
Dad handed me what looked to be 25 pages. My mom wanted to read it too, so as I completed a page, I would give it to her. I didn�t notice, but it was passed around to everyone there.
The first document was a letter labeled �privileged client/attorney communication.� Attached were all the affidavits; I chose not to read those. After reading the letter, I could see why I hired Mr. Morris. The letter detailed all the potential problems with my eligibility. There were a few things that I�d done that might get me into trouble, but he seemed to feel he could work it out. I waited for Uncle John to read the last page.
�Did you talk to Mr. Morris?� I asked my dad.
�He seems to be getting ready for the NCAA. He said that he suspects that they won�t grant you eligibility without some clarifications. Mr. Morris did say that if you�d been in college when any of this happened, you would�ve been toast. He said none of this will make them happy, but the way the rules are written, you should be fine.
�What we need to work on is for when you�re in college. Mr. Morris thinks you can still do movies and model because you�ve been doing it now. The problem is that the bylaws state you can�t promote a film. There�s a precedent in your favor where a basketball player from the University of Kansas, Justin Wesley, played a young Wilt Chamberlain. Justin was granted permission to both make the movie and promote it in a limited sense. The difference is he had no acting experience at all.
�Mr. Morris doesn�t know exactly what types of waivers were given for Justin. You would think that the fact that it�s happened before should be enough to get you the same kind of waivers. But the NCAA has been exploring the possibility of obtaining a congressional antitrust exemption, much like the one enjoyed by Major League Baseball. They�re doing this in response to recent lawsuits concerning compensation of athletes. Mr. Morris says they currently enjoy some antitrust exemptions, but this would be more far-reaching and would most likely affect your ability to promote movies.
�In some good news, the NCAA gave a waiver to Little League phenomenon Mo�ne Davis. She received a deal from Chevrolet to do a commercial showing her pitching. An optimist might argue that the NCAA is changing. Slowly. Fitfully. But evolving nonetheless. Mr. Morris feels that because of your unique case, you�ll be fine in the long run. However, we need to focus on getting you eligible first and worry about the other things after that,� Dad concluded.
◊◊◊
During dinner, we talked about the zoning meeting.
�So, how does this work? How am I supposed to help?� I asked.
�What will happen is the Zoning Board will discuss each piece of property that�s under review. What the Homeless Coalition is hoping for is a change in housing density so they can put in ten tiny houses where only four are zoned for currently. It�s on a cul-de-sac over by the new mall,� Grandma Dawson said.
�Why aren�t you talking tonight instead of me?� I asked.
�Because you�re a longtime resident and I�ve just moved back. Plus, this is a good first step into politics for you.�
�But I can�t even vote.�
�But you are Davey Dawson�s grandson. That�s why Mr. Orange has you going last. The Dawson name behind an initiative like this will carry weight,� Grandma Dawson said.
�So, he expects me to save the day?� I asked, getting worried.
�Relax. If you totally mess up, I�ll be in the room to help you.�
That did make me feel better.
◊◊◊
I don�t know what I was expecting. How exciting could a zoning meeting be? I was happy to see Brook and her dad Ian show up. Brit, Wolf, and Alan also came to give me support. I went up to Wolf to see what the deal was.
�Brit told us we had to come. Everyone else should be here shortly.�
�What do you mean by �everyone�?� I asked.
�Relax. Just everyone working on the junior-class projects. We were told you needed some moral support to help get the zoning changed for the Homeless Coalition.�
The room slowly filled up. Then the five members of the Zoning Board came in and sat at a table at the front of the room. They had a podium with a microphone for the public and petitioners to speak into. There was seating for about forty people, but there were probably twenty more standing in the back.
Two more women came in and sat at each end of the front table. My grandma told me one was the county lawyer, and the other would take minutes. There was also a table off to the side where one of the heads of the county�s zoning department had stacks of paper in front of him. He ran the day-to-day operations and took direction from the board.
�Okay, it�s eight o�clock. Let�s get this meeting started,� the chair said. �I see we have a packed house. Please be patient, we have some previous business to get to before we talk about new business. Mary, who do we have first?�
�Thompson Builders,� she said.
�Do we have a representative here?� the chair asked.
This continued for four different projects that needed some kind of variance to the zoning code. Most had building plans, and the county employee would remind the board what had been requested and confirm or deny that his department was satisfied with the paperwork. They would then open it up to the public if they wanted to comment. Once the public discussion was done, the board would talk amongst themselves. Several times the attorney would tell them what laws might apply. They might question the petitioner, and then they would either request more information or vote.
�That concludes old business. Let�s get to what I think everyone�s here for. Who�s up first?� the chairman asked.
�The Homeless Coalition concerning a potential nonconforming-use change to the land located in Holloway Subdivision, Unit 2, Block 4, Lots 1 through 4,� Mary said.
�Is there a representative from the Homeless Coalition?� the chair asked.
�Yes. I�m Hiram Orange, the director of the organization. I�m before you today to request that the housing density for the four lots be increased from four to ten homes. We propose to build small temporary housing for the homeless of the county. I have the plans with me,� Mr. Orange said.
�Has the county had a chance to review the plans?�
�Yes. Everything�s in order,� the county employee said.
�Okay, let�s open this up to questions from the public. If you could remain handy, in case we need your input, it would be appreciated,� the chair told Mr. Orange.
A woman who looked to be in her late twenties came to the podium.
�I�m Phyllis Downton, and I live directly behind where the temporary homes are going to be. I�ve been asked by my neighbors to speak on their behalf,� she said and looked behind her. About ten people nodded to let the board know she represented them.
�We have several concerns. The first is we don�t want to have homeless people camping out literally in our backyards. I have three children, and I don�t want them exposed to vagrants and beggars. You need to reject this based on the safety factor alone. I live in this neighborhood because it�s safe. Who knows what kind of people might end up living there? I�d be concerned there might even be child predators,� she said, and her group made some noise of approval.
�We also have an expectation of protecting our home values. Having homeless people running loose around our homes can�t be good for home values,� she said in conclusion.
�Ms. Downton brings up some good points. What say you, Mr. Orange?� the chair asked.
�I appreciate Ms. Downton�s concerns ��
I�ll give Mr. Orange credit; he had an answer for every one of her concerns. He had an appraiser show a similar project two counties over and how home values weren�t affected. Mr. Orange even had a neighbor tell them that no one even realized the people in the homes were homeless.
He talked about the different types of homeless people, and the kind intended for this type of home was what he called rapid re-housing. Basically, it was for families that had just lost their place to live and needed something for a week to a couple of months. It wasn�t intended for the chronic homeless that seemed to be the biggest concern.
Mr. Orange then explained why he was asking for a nonconforming-use change, and not a straight-up zoning change. If the zoning for the land were changed, it would be possible to put in apartments or even a motel, according to the code. I think he had them ninety percent there, but the neighbors still had that �Not In My Back Yard,� or NIMBY, mentality. It was finally my turn to talk. I wish someone would have told me what to say.
�I�m David Dawson,� I said.
�We know who you are,� Wolf called out, which got a chuckle.
�Boy, I don�t envy the Zoning Board. If this is the kind of problem that comes before you, I wouldn�t want your job. I also appreciate the concerns of the neighbors. Change can be scary. The issue, though, is we do have a homeless problem in our area.
�My first thought when Mr. Orange told me of his plans to put this in a neighborhood was that I was against it. I was like you in thinking it would be better to push it to some other area or out of town. Then Mr. Orange explained that the people needed public transportation to get to work.
�I never thought of homeless people working. I always thought they were bums that bothered you asking for money. The people he�s trying to help are the mothers with children who are escaping an abusive marriage. The family whose principal wage earner was in an accident, that then got behind in their bills and was kicked out of their apartment. It�s the kid who was in foster care until she was 18, and then the system kicked her out on the street. Mr. Orange is trying to prevent them from falling into the chronic homeless category. He�s trying to help these people get into a stable place long enough to get their life back on track.
�I don�t think any of us want to see those types of people suffer. We, as a society, need to have big-enough hearts and compassion to do what we can. I think every one of you would agree with that,� I said as I looked around the room.
�What I would ask you all to do is to get to know Mr. Orange and his staff. He wants to work with you to make this acceptable to you all. I think this is an opportunity for us as a community to do something good,� I concluded.
Ms. Downton talked to her people and came back up front.
�We would like there to be a privacy fence put up.�
�We can do that,� Mr. Orange said.
The measure passed 3�2. Mr. Orange had better not mess this up.
◊◊◊
Chapter 12 � Dip My Toe into the Political Pond Friday February 19
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Lily giggled. She�d been teaching me to cuss in Spanish.
�David!� Ms. Cruz reprimanded.
�Uh �
With Lily�s help, I was picking up Spanish quickly. Rosy, the James� cook, had taught me a little while I was in LA. But between having to speak it in class and Lily tutoring me, my skill with the language was rapidly improving. I attribute a lot of it to my acting and having to learn lines. A lot of what I spouted off was simply memorized. I could still say most of the Japanese lines from my sunglasses commercial, and I had no idea what I was saying for that. Lily made me think about it and understand what the words meant. I would get frustrated because I tended to throw in a lot of �uhms� as I thought about what to say.
◊◊◊
At lunch, one of the theater girls and Halle approached me.
�They say you agreed to be the lead in the play if I would do it as well,� Halle said as she fixed me with a stare.
�Hang on. I never said I�d do the lead; I only said I�d help,� I complained.
�They�ve decided to do
The theater girl thrust a script into my hands.
�Tryouts are Monday after school,� she said and then scampered away.
�Why do I feel like we just got roped into doing more than we planned?� I asked Halle.
�It�ll be fun.�
Halle put her hand on my arm; I just shook my head. If she wanted to do it, I�d go along. I�d already said I would help, so I�d keep my word.
◊◊◊
Brook and I were let off school early so we could drive to Northern Illinois University for the campaign rally for Governor Higgins and Senator Dixon. I took her home with me so we could drive my new car. Mom was home, and she had an envelope for me. It contained my SAT scores. I opened it up and read it, then shook my head and frowned.
�What did you get?� Brook asked.
�I got a 720. Crap, I thought the best I could get was 2400 when I added the essay section. I didn�t even get half. I might have to go to State or even junior college,� I complained.
With the new NCAA guidelines, I might be in trouble because of this score. I would have to really knuckle down and study and then retake it.
�Let me see,� Mom said and took it from me.
She read it and gave me a disgusted look. Way to pile on, Mom!
��Stupid boy,� that�s your Critical Reading score. You received a 695 in Math and 715 for your Writing section. Your total score is 2130 out of 2400. I guess the reading section score was wrong,� Mom said.
Brook had her phone out doing searches to see how good that was. She made a face.
�Ooo, you would barely qualify for Harvard. Their minimum is 2100,� she shared and then checked out some other information. �It says if you�re above 1900, you�re in the 90th percentile. Looks like you did okay.�
Relieved, I let out my breath. I could stop worrying about my score now. Mom said she�d send it to Kendal so she could forward it to whoever wanted to see it for football recruiting.
◊◊◊
Peggy had agreed to swap cars with me for the weekend. She admitted that the Jeep was easier to park than the Ford SUV. We then made the trek to Brook�s house to pick up Ian and Ava, Brook�s parents.
Ian came out of the house, pulling two roller bags and a garment bag. Brook had to go in and get hers. I jumped out to help him load his and Ava�s luggage.
�What kind of car is this?�
�It�s a Ford Hennessey VelociRaptor SUV. I wanted something large enough to carry a big group.�
�I�ve never heard of it before,� Ian said.
�They�ve only been in production a few years, and Hennessey has only built a little over 400 of them. I was lucky that Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan found a used one, or I wouldn�t have bought it. They retail just north of a hundred and sixty thousand when new.�
Brook and Ava came out with a cooler filled with drinks and snacks, along with Brook�s roller and garment bags. Even with all the luggage, there was plenty of room in the storage area in the back. This vehicle was big. My Jeep would have never worked.
�What did you get?� I asked Brook.
�I�m not telling.�
I just raised my eyebrows. Her parents gave her a look, but I kept my mouth shut. I had to remember her parents were around all weekend, and I�d be pissed if she outed me about my scores to my parents.
Ian was my designated copilot as we found our way to the highway. The Ford had a built-in navigation system, but Ian said he knew where we were going. He was excited about helping with the campaign. Ian explained that he was working on a few local campaigns with his college classes, so he hadn�t had time to get involved in anything bigger.
�You did a good job at the zoning meeting. Your grandmother told me that was your first political event, so to speak. She and I agreed you swayed the vote in favor of the homeless shelter,� Ian said.
�I didn�t really feel prepared for it, though. I could�ve done better,� I said.
�What do you think you missed?�
I thought about it for a moment.
�Two things come to mind. I should have prepared talking points to make sure I covered everything that needed to be said. I also didn�t take the time to go around the room and meet everyone. If I had, I might have gotten a better idea of what the key issues were for the local homeowners,� I admitted.
�Why, so you could counter their arguments?�
�No, no, so I could also make sure their needs were met. The only way for something like the homeless shelter to work is if the people living around it are happy. Mr. Orange and the Homeless Coalition�s worst outcome would have been to win and to piss off all the neighbors. In the end, they could make it very difficult for him if they were upset. I think he still has a long way to go to prove that he and his organization can be good neighbors,� I said.
Ian shook his head.
�I sometimes forget that good government isn�t about winning. In the last ten years, everything has really become polarized. No matter what the issue, it�s about winning, and not what�s right for the people who are being governed. I find most of it is raising funds for the next election. Don�t ever lose your point of view, it�s refreshing,� Ian said.
I guess I was a little na�ve. My grandfather had never wanted to move up in office because he felt there would be too many people telling him what to do. From what I�d been told, he was a genuine power broker and seemed to get a lot done for the people he represented.
Then Ian changed the conversation.
�I hear you and Brook want to spend spring break diving.�
I looked in the rearview mirror to see how Brook wanted to handle it. She gave me a reassuring smile.
�Yeah. I guess we should figure something out,� I admitted.
�It�s only five weeks away,� Ava provided.
�Where do you want to go?� I asked Brook.
�Somewhere warm. Somewhere where the diving is better than a local farm pond,� Brook said.
�Do you have your passport?� Ava asked me.
�I had to get one for a photo shoot in the UK, and now I�m getting a visa because I�m filming a movie in Cuba this summer. I guess the studio is still working out some details with the State Department, and part of that was to give them a list of who all was going. They had to confirm that we all had passports. Anyway, my passport should be back before then.�
�Then you could go almost anywhere. You might go to Australia and experience the Great Barrier Reef. I hear some of the Pacific islands are great places to go. If you didn�t want to travel so far, you could do the Caribbean,� Ava suggested.
�Of course, we would go with you,� Ian dropped in.
Well, wasn�t that a kink in my plans to plunder his daughter for a full week. Glancing in the mirror, it was apparent that this was the first Brook had heard of these plans. I decided to be evil and see how committed they were.
�I could ask if my parents wanted to go as well; or, if you wanted to, you could do your own thing, and they could come with us.�
My parents would allow some frolicking, I was sure.
�That�s a great idea. I�d like to get to know your parents better,� Ava said, and she got her cell out and called my mom.
Who knew she had Mom on speed dial? I suspected my mom had been talking to more than Ava. I knew Mom spoke with Rita, Halle�s mom, and there had been some comments that made me suspect that she�d conversed with Ruth Pearson, Zoe�s mother. Brook leaned forward and smacked me in the back of the head. I guess I deserved that.
◊◊◊
Northern Illinois University was home to twenty-two thousand students. NIU was in DeKalb, a city of about forty-three thousand full-time residents. It was 65 miles west of Chicago. The campaign had scheduled the rally at the NIU Convocation Center, a 10,000-seat multipurpose arena on the west side of campus.
Ian directed me to the parking area. Max, a member of the governor�s campaign staff, met us. He and Ian had talked on the phone.
�Max, this is my wife Ava and daughter Brook,� Ian said as an introduction, and then turned to me. �This is David Dawson, Davey Dawson�s grandson.�
�Did you bring photos to hand out?� Max asked.
Caryn had me bring several big boxes of Stryker photos and a handful of Sharpies.
�They�re in the car. Do you need us to bring them in?� I asked.
�I�ll send someone out to get them. We should get inside so I can walk you through everything,� Max said, and he walked into the arena.
They took us to one of the entrances where there were several tables set up with a voter registration sign above them. Behind those was an eight-foot poster of my character, Stryker, with a table in front of it. Next to that was a poster of Birthrite and a similar setup.
�We plan to run everyone through these doors. What I�d like to have you guys do is help with voter registration. If someone signs up or can produce a voter registration card, they can meet either the band or David. Brook, can you help David at his booth tonight?� Max asked.
�Sure, I can keep him in line,� Brook said.
�Great,� Max said and then turned to me. �We�ll have the band go on stage half an hour before the senator and governor go on. The governor has asked if you wouldn�t mind playing MC, introduce the band, and then once they�re done playing, introduce all the guests. I�ll get you the information so you can do that.�
�I can handle that,� I said. �But first, I need to change. Where can I do that? Also, we haven�t eaten yet. Is there somewhere we can get some food?�
�We�re using the locker rooms as a Green Room and changing area. Let�s get you fed first and then you can get changed. Could I have your keys so we can get the photos and any luggage you might need?� Max asked.
�I�ll go out with them and help,� I suggested.
Fritz had someone install both dashcams and internal cameras in the SUV, so I wasn�t worried about anyone stealing anything, but I didn�t need to tempt fate, either. Ava might have some jewelry with her, after all. I walked out with a couple of the volunteers and had them pick up two boxes of photos while I grabbed my garment bag and a pair of dress shoes. Dakora had stepped up and paid for me to wear their clothes this weekend. Tyler seemed to figure out how to make everyone a little cash for things like this.
I found the Davis family stuffing their faces.
�You need to get to the buffet. This food is fantastic,� Brook said.
She was right. I think the governor must have some serious funds for his campaign if the buffet was any indication. There was a full salad bar; beef, pork, turkey, and shrimp; a pasta bar; and ice cream sundaes. I attacked the salad bar and loaded up on peel �n� eat shrimp. While I was eating, Hana, Riley, Amy, and Jett showed up with Angel, their manager.
�I see you found the food,� Jett teased.
�Get some, it�s not bad,� I said as I hugged all the girls.
Brook had finished eating and appeared by my side.
�I want you to meet my friend Brook,� I said.
�As in girlfriend?� Hana, the one with black hair, asked.
�No, we�re just good friends,� Brook said. �Which one of you is Jett?�
I�d never told Brook about Jett and me spending some time together. The only person who might have known was Halle, and even then, either Fritz or Trip would have had to tell her. My money was on Trip. When she figured out which one was Jett, Brook took her away for some girl-talk.
I pointed out Max to Angel so she could get the band�s equipment set up. Then I showed the girls the buffet and made my return trip for ice cream.
I smiled when Ms. Dixon came in. She was here to support her dad. She came over and took my ice cream from me.
�Hey,� I complained.
�Don�t be a baby. Remember, you might need me to like you at some point,� she teased.
It was nice to see her in normal mode as opposed to scary-lawyer mode. I returned to the ice cream station and made another sundae for myself.
�Why are you here so early?� I asked.
�I volunteered to help. They told me I�m to make sure people know where to go.�
�You should be good at that,� I said with a straight face.
�Easy, Tiger. I could tell all the girls that you�re single and looking.�
�I
�To be in high school again. Wait, let me change that. I had way more fun in college,� Ms. Dixon said.
I honestly couldn�t imagine her having fun. She was always focused on her job. Well, I guess I did remember her taking my mom shopping, but I wasn�t with her then. It was good to see her relaxed.
◊◊◊
An hour before the band was to go on, they opened the doors. They had free hot dogs and sodas, which the college students were not going to pass up. The band and I were busy as soon as the people began to pour in. People would get me to sign a photo or three, and then I�d stand up, and they�d get their picture taken with me in front of the poster. Brook was kept busy, as they wanted her to snap the shot with their phones.
The band had just as many fans, except their fans were all guys. Angel also had CDs and t-shirts for sale.
When there was a lull, Angel came over and got her picture taken with me. The next thing I knew, the girls in the band all came over to get a group shot. We did a couple, and then I pulled up Brook and all the volunteers for some photos. Then another group of college students came in, and we were busy again.
Max came out and said they were ready for the band, so we went on stage. Being shy, I grabbed the mic and stepped to the center of the stage.
�You ready to have some fun?!� I called out.
They�d set it up so they were only using half the arena. The stage was pushed back to give people room if they wanted to be in front. I would guess there were probably close to three thousand people there. They seemed ready, by their response.
�I�m David A. Dawson, and I�ll be your host tonight. Some of you might have seen me in the movie
I was a little surprised when I got a few cheers.
�Take your shirt off, Stryker,� a girl called out.
I ignored her and continued.
�I�m sure you didn�t come out to see me. We have a special treat before our governor and Senator Dixon talk. I�ve had the pleasure of seeing this band perform before. You might want to come down and dance a little because they�re a lot of fun. I give you Birthrite!�
The band broke out into the Violent Femmes�
I walked back out front to do my signing and photo job. The girls were killing it; they were the perfect college-crowd band. The only thing missing was several kegs of beer.
◊◊◊
The plan was for the girls to play for thirty minutes, and then the politicians would talk. Word must have gotten out that the band was good because people from all over campus started to show up. Max was ecstatic and let the girls play for an extra fifteen minutes. Governor Higgins found me finishing my job of being photographed and handing out pictures to registered voters. He wanted a picture of the two of us. I convinced him to take one with Ian, Ava, and Brook. I thought Ian would have kittens, he was so happy.
We walked back in as the girls were finishing up. Jett spotted me and winked. The governor worked his way through the crowd, shaking hands. I smiled when I saw him do what I usually did. I wondered if my granddad had taught him that.
Birthrite finished their last song.
�We had a great time, and you were a fantastic crowd,� Jett said. �Now, I want you to put your hands together for someone I consider a friend. He�s a model and actor. Please give a warm Northern Illinois welcome to David A. Dawson!�
The band began to play
I got the crowd swaying. There were a lot of students down on the floor to get close to the band. I have to say the band played a great version of the song. When Jett and the girls finished, I clapped along with everyone else, and she handed me the mic. The students clearly wanted more. Max looked like he wanted to move things along, but he�d sent me out to MC.
I leaned close to Jett so she could hear me.
�You have another song or two?� I asked.
Her smile was worth any grief I would get from Max.
�Do you want to hear them play some more?� I boomed into the mic.
The crowd made their feelings known. I noticed Governor Higgins and Senator Dixon talking in the wings, watching us.
�Governor Higgins and Senator Dixon, come out here for a moment,� I called.
They both gave me a startled look, but this wasn�t their first rodeo. They both came out and waved at the happy crowd.
�What do you think? Should we let Birthrite play a couple more songs?� I asked them.
The governor grabbed the microphone.
�I bet you�d rather listen to them than us. Would you agree?� he asked.
The crowd cheered, and he handed the mic to Jett. They broke out in their version of
I thanked them, and then the music cued for Senator Dixon. He was also running, but his job was to fire up the crowd. I�d been given a page of his accomplishments, which I recited from memory. My acting had really paid off. From there, I was done, because the senator would introduce Governor Higgins.
They had chairs set up behind the speakers, and Max pointed to one next to Betty, the governor�s wife. I was happy to see the Davises and Ms. Dixon were also on stage. They had great seats to hear the senator and the governor give their fiery speeches to encourage everyone to get out and vote in the upcoming primary.
◊◊◊
Max rounded us all up after the rally to tell us what our marching orders were.
�I have a packet for each of you with an itinerary for the rest of the weekend. We�ll be spending two nights in The Peninsula Chicago, located in the River North neighborhood. You�ll be sharing a room when we can, to save money. We�ve covered your room cost plus fifty dollars a day for incidentals. If you go over that amount, it�s your responsibility.
�Please remember that you�re representing the governor and senator, so try not to get arrested,� Max said with a smile.
�What are the plans for the next two days?� Ian asked.
�There are four events planned for tomorrow. Three will be at universities: University of Chicago, Loyola, and DePaul. We plan to follow a similar process to what we did today. Meet-and-greet with voter registration first; second, we�ll have the band play; and then the governor and senator will speak, along with some local candidates. We�ll pack up the band and everyone working the first part of the event, then move on to the next college and repeat the process.
�That evening there will be a fundraiser dinner, which you�re all welcome to contribute to, but it�s not required,� Max said.
�What about Sunday?� Ian followed up.
�Sunday, we�ll put on an event at Northwestern. Same format as the others. We�ll try to get you out by one,� Max said.
Max looked at his notes to see what he�d missed.
�If the press approaches you, please refer them to me if it�s about the campaign. I�m sure you can handle anything else. Oh, and just valet park your cars at the hotel. We�ll have buses for everyone on Saturday. My cell number�s in the packet if you need anything.�
Max let us go at that point. I looked in my packet and saw that I had a room to myself. There was also an invitation for a private get-together tonight in the governor�s suite. I strolled to the locker room to get my things. I was happy to see the campaign team had taken all my boxes of photos. Brook had told me we�d handed out over 500 of them tonight.
I came out and found that Jett and the band were doing an on-camera interview with Channel 9, Chicago�s flagship station. Brook stood beside me.
�I�m rooming with Angel. She said she�d take my parents to the hotel because Jett wanted to ride with us. She�s pretty cool,� Brook admitted.
I had to agree, Jett was pretty cool. I watched her interview and made some mental notes to help her get better. Angel was watching like a hawk but wore a big smile when it was done. This series of shows would be great exposure for the girls and help them sell some CDs or book some gigs.
When they finished, we all hiked out to find my car. Jett claimed shotgun since she claimed to know where The Peninsula Chicago was located. She directed me to the highway, and we started our trek to probably my favorite city. Granted, LA had better weather, and there was a lot to be said for New York. What I liked about Chicago was the people. I know it was stereotyping, but Midwesterners were much more polite than New Yorkers and had a better work ethic than people from LA. That didn�t mean that New Yorkers couldn�t be friendly, or people from LA were a bunch of slackers. It was an in-general type of thing.
The governor�s motorcade blew past us, so I decided to join the parade of big black SUVs. Having a state trooper lead the way with his lights flashing cut our commute time considerably. I noticed that Angel followed our lead, as did the band�s equipment van; they followed right behind us. We came to the entrance of the hotel�s parking garage and were ushered in. They had staff waiting for us to help take our bags to our rooms. I surrendered my car key and followed everyone to the lobby to get our room keys. While everyone else was focused on that task, I slipped my extra key to Brook.
The clock said it was ten. I debated whether to go to the governor�s suite or not, but curiosity got the better of me. They ushered me in, and I noticed the governor was in another room, deep in conversation with his staff and the senator. I was happy to see Jack and Bev Mass there. She would be with us for all the events tomorrow and even the one Sunday. Evanston, where Northwestern was located, was in Cook County.
�Just the two people I wanted to talk to.� I turned to Jack Mass first. �I�ve thought a lot about investing in Mass Construction. But there is one concern I have: will the issues surrounding Bev hurt your business?�
Poor Jack about choked on his scotch while Bev shook her head at me. I waited for him to talk while he cycled from shocked, to unbelieving, to understanding.
�You�re serious?� he asked.
�Yes, he is, and I think he has a point,� Bev said. �We�ve not really talked about this issue ourselves.�
Jack looked at his wife uncomfortably and then answered my question.
�Honestly, I doubt it. Mass Investments and Construction have been around for years, and I believe we�ve built a solid reputation. I don�t do any city, county, or state projects because Bev went into politics and I never wanted there to seem to be any conflict of interest. Even if we were to run into some backlash, I don�t believe it would be significant. Our clientele tends to think in terms of getting the best-built home, not my wife�s politics.�
�What do you think?� I asked Bev.
�I think the police shooting was a travesty and I can understand why people are upset. Heck,
�I understand you can�t paint everyone with the same broad brush, but that�s not how the public is reacting,� I said. �You see it across the country. They�re making claims that if you�re of color, the police treat you differently than if you�re white. I get the same sort of misconceptions for being an athlete. People assume I�m a dumb jock who�s a bully, and I�m sure that at times I fit that stereotype. Based on the reports I�ve seen, I�m confident the police respond differently based on the color of someone�s skin at times as well. I�m even certain that people will react to all police with more concern after an incident like this. I�d bet the press will highlight every single event from now on where there�s a police shooting of a person of color.
�What I want to know is if Bev, being in the position she is, is going to affect your business. I honestly don�t know how it�ll play out, but you�re asking me to invest my money. I believe you think you�ll be fine, but I�d appreciate you letting me know what my actual risks are,� I said.
Jack looked at Bev for some help.
�You bring up some good points, but I believe in my husband. There likely will be some backlash, but with the funds you�re offering, I expect his company will weather any storm that comes from it. I personally would urge you to help him. I�ve known him for almost twenty years, and he�s a man of integrity. Jack will do right by you.�
I smiled.
�That�s what I thought. Contact Caryn on Monday to get it done,� I said and shook Jack�s hand.
Jack offered to get us drinks. I decided to get a scotch. It left me time to talk to Bev about Brandon.
�Have you heard anything about the rape kits?� I asked.
She got a sad look.
�As a matter of fact, I received a call today. It looks like all the rapes are related to three individuals. Now that there�s a link, they�re going to reopen the cases and look at them with fresh eyes. They�ll run the DNA found through the database and hope for a match. The problem is that none of the men they suspect has ever had their DNA tested, so far as they know.�
�So, why don�t they just take Brandon�s DNA and test it?� I asked.
�It�s not that simple. Unless they get more evidence, it�s all just circumstantial. His dad would stop any attempt to take it against his will. I realize it sounds bleak. But now that the police are taking this seriously, I trust they�ll figure things out and get him and his fellow rapists in the end,� Bev predicted.
Jack came back and had Governor Higgins with him.
�David, Max was delighted with you and the band you suggested. We had about double the turnout we expected,� the governor shared.
�Max owes my grandmother. She�s the one who talked me into this.�
�She sent me the video of you at the Zoning Board meeting. You�ve got your grandfather�s flair. If he had your looks, he could have run for president,� Governor Higgins predicted.
�Heck, if you had his looks, you might win this thing,� Bev teased.
He gave her a look and then smiled.
�You might be right,� he admitted.
�I saw you huddled in the other room. Anything happening?� I asked.
�My eventual opponent in the general election is a jerk. There was an incident in California today where a couple entered an office building and shot a bunch of people. It looks like a terrorist attack. He�s all up in arms that I don�t have any plans to combat terror in the state. I think if he had his way, we�d have our National Guard roaming the streets, enforcing an after-dark curfew,� he complained.
�Well, there is the cheesehead issue,� I said, which got me some curious looks. �I think we need a fence to keep them out of the state.�
�Oh, dear God! I can imagine you as governor someday. I just hope I�m dead and buried before that happens,� Governor Higgins said.
About that time, Senator Dixon, and his daughter and my lawyer, Ms. Dixon, came up. The governor told them my plans for a fence to keep the cheeseheads from Wisconsin out of our state.
�If you need any federal money for your plan, let me know. I think I might be able to get the votes for something like that,� Senator Dixon said.
�Dad, don�t encourage him,� Ms. Dixon said.
There seemed to always be one in every crowd who had to be the fun police. My platform for governor was starting to come together. I would have to work in something for the Hawkeyes and the perverted Show-Me-State bunch. And what the heck was a Hoosier, anyway? We might need a really long fence to solve all those problems. I might start local and see what we could do to keep the yahoos from Eastside out of our town.
Brook sent me a text to tell me that her mom had just done the bed check. She suggested I might want to wrap things up.
�Well, I gotta go,� I announced.
I think they all might have suspected something, but at the moment, I didn�t care. Senator Dixon told me he wanted to have breakfast with me as I said my goodbyes.
◊◊◊
�We need to talk,� Brook hit me with when I came into the room.
�Yes, we do,� I fired back, surprising my friend.
�What do you want to talk about?�
�You first,� I said as I flopped on the bed and gave her a smirk.
�What are we going to do about our parents going on spring break with us?�
�My best guess is we�ll suck it up and live with it. I�ve never been able to talk my mom out of anything she really wanted to do. I have a bad feeling she wants a vacation,� I said.
�What if you told her you wouldn�t pay for her to go?� Brook asked.
The poor girl had no idea who she was dealing with.
�Why don�t you try that with your parents?�
She pressed her lips tight together as she realized that was never happening.
�Come here,� I said.
Brook crawled up on the bed and put her head on my shoulder. I put my arm around her.
�When was the last time you took a family vacation?� I asked.
�Three years ago.�
�Did you have fun?�
�Yeah, but that�s not the point. I wanted you and me to have fun,� Brook admitted.
That made me chuckle, and she lifted her head off my shoulder so she could look me in the eyes.
�I�m serious,� she whined.
�When have you and I not had fun?� I asked.
�I meant sexy fun.�
�Brook, they can�t watch us 24/7. Even if they do, I plan to spend a lot of time with you doing fun things. I seriously need a vacation where I�m not working. Since my freshman year, I�ve been away for Christmas and spring break, working. Even at school, I get up early to run, classes all day, practice baseball,
�Now I�ve taken on a school play because I wasn�t smart enough to keep my mouth shut. The sad part is I don�t see it getting any better come summer or next year. If anything, I�ll have even more on my plate, with recruiting heating up.
�I guess what I�m saying is that I chose you to go on probably the last vacation I�ll have for a long time,� I said.
�You really think we can have fun, even without �sexy time�?�
�All things being equal, I would enjoy �sexy time� with you. I hope that�s not the only reason you want to go on vacation with me.�
�You know that�s not the case, David. I guess I was feeling sorry for myself. I think my parents could use a vacation as well. Do you think our parents will get along?�
�Yeah, I don�t see any problems with that.�
We became quiet and got lost in our own thoughts.
�David?�
�Hm?�
�Could we have �sexy time� now?�
I bounced up on all fours and covered her like a kid who found a Playboy Bunny under his Christmas tree. Brook got the giggles as I tried to get her clothes off. She squealed when I licked her neck. Yeah, we would have �sexy time� on our vacation.
◊◊◊
Chapter 13 � Code Black Saturday February 20
I got up early, ran, and then used the hotel gym to work out. I came back to find Brook had gone back to her room. Last night had been fun. Brook was in a goofy mood and had me laughing and feeling playful. I�d started to feel relaxed around Brook. When we first had gotten together, I�d worried a little about measuring up. She�d admitted that she usually went out with guys who were in college. Ken, who she invited to her house and who turned out to be engaged, had been five years older.
Because of that, I probably went overboard with Brook and tried to make her climax harder than she�d ever experienced. Last night had changed our relationship. I think that because I hadn�t tried a bunch of sexual gymnastics, we had a better time together. No, we didn�t get off as hard or as many times, but there was more of a comfortable connection.
It was also the first time we�d fallen asleep together. I enjoyed waking up and finding Brook next to me. For some reason, it just felt right.
If you�d asked me before last night to rate how close I felt to the women in my life, Brook would�ve come in last. Even though I�d had more sex with Brook, both Halle and Zoe meant more to me on an emotional level. Of course, Pam would always be special to me. After Valentine�s weekend, it had crystallized for me that we were not going to be more than close friends. Pam just wasn�t made to handle the attention she�d get if she were with me.
I reflected on all the girls I�d dated and thought about who I might want to make my girlfriend, then stopped myself for a moment. Was I really considering this? It had been six months since Tami made it clear that we weren�t going to be together. Had it really been long enough for me to think about being in a relationship and everything that would entail? Was I ready to commit to one person and try to make it work?
I got a little sidetracked when I thought about LA and how much fun I�d had. The lifestyle of an actor was different from that of a high school kid in the Midwest. Yes, I didn�t have anything to complain about, really. It just felt like I was missing something important. I�d seen how my uncle acted now that he was married. He seemed content. Even Greg and Angie had settled in and were happy. With a baby on the way, did I also want to find someone to love?
I returned to my mental list. As much as I liked the Wesleyan girls, Harper had been the only one who I would have considered taking a relationship to the next level with. I could look back now and see that her infatuation with a guy from her past was all about her insecurities. That didn�t mean that I was ready to take up with her again.
I thought about Kara. Now
If I were thinking pipe dreams, there was always Cindy. I still had very fond memories of how she and Suzanne, as seniors, had taken this poor freshman boy, recently out of dweeb-hood, and seen to my sexual education. All boys should have tutors like those two.
Cindy would be serious arm candy. I realize that Halle was probably better looking, but not by much. My only problem was I wasn�t sure if she and I were compatible. If she would have sex with her boyfriend and me, would she want that with me and someone else? I�m sure I wouldn�t handle it very well. She was also bi. While I thought she�d be fun, I wouldn�t try to force anything with her.
Then there were Beth and Suzanne. Beth was one girl I loved without any hesitation. I�d known her the longest, even longer than Tami. She�d always accepted me for who I was. Our families would be ecstatic if we ended up together. Suzanne was my �Ice Princess.� I�d long had a special place in my heart for both of them.
If I did end up with either of them, I�d want to go to college at the same place. While Purdue and Northwestern were solid schools, their football programs were questionable. I might get them to follow me wherever I ended up. That would be something we would need to work out.
Two girls who were right in front of me, but I�d never seriously considered, were Tracy and Cassidy. I always liked Tracy, but I didn�t believe we�d work anytime soon. I would want to make sure she matured and got control of her issues before I�d ever think of us as more than friends. It seriously surprised me I would consider Tracy, but our friendship had been growing over the last two years.
Cassidy. Now she was someone I could see myself with. While I couldn�t stand her brother, I respected her father enough to not take our friendship to where I believe both Cassidy and I would be happy. I knew she cared about me, and I cared about her. It was a case of becoming good friends before there was romance.
I shook my head. Was I really ready for the next step? No, not yet, but I could see there would be a time when I would be. I had a lot of soul-searching to do before that day came.
◊◊◊
I took the elevator down for breakfast, and the senator wasn�t there yet. He�d reserved a table for six. Ian, Ava, and Brook soon joined me at the table. The server brought me hot water and lemon slices for tea. She also brought coffee and juices in carafes so we could serve ourselves. The senator and his daughter arrived right on time.
�Ian, Ava, so good to see you again. I hear you know David. Have you met my daughter?� Senator Dixon said by way of introduction.
�Yes, we met yesterday at Northern. This is my daughter Brook,� Ian said.
�I may have to leave early. There are still concerns about what happened in California. There are worries it might be the precursor to additional attacks,� the senator shared.
�So, it was a terrorist attack?� Ian asked.
�I don�t believe that�s the language the president is using until we can verify what happened. The FBI has to treat it as such for now. Right now, we have fourteen dead and twenty-two seriously injured. More would have been hurt or killed if they�d been able to detonate their bomb. Unfortunately, they were shot and killed, so we may never know why they did it,� Senator Dixon said.
�Where were they from?� I asked.
�The husband was born right here in Chicago, but his parents had emigrated from Pakistan. He grew up in California. His wife was born in Pakistan but lived most of her life in Saudi Arabia. What simply baffles me is they left a six-month-old daughter behind. I could never do that,� Senator Dixon said.
That put a damper on the conversation. We ordered breakfast and ate. Towards the end, the senator got to the point of our meeting.
�Ian, Ava, I want to thank you for your support over the years. I expect I�ll be fine money-wise for the upcoming election, but if you wanted to send some money my way, that would be great. You know that if you or your family need to be heard, my door will always be open.
�What I�d like to suggest is that you give to targeted campaigns across the country. There are going to be some key battleground elections, and we�ll need your help.�
�Just let us know. I have a couple of checks from various family members for you,� Ava said as she got an envelope out of her purse.
My grandma had given me two envelopes, one for the senator and the other for the governor. The way election laws worked, you could give up to $2,700 per election to a candidate as an individual. The primary would count as one election, and the general would be separate. She�d withdrawn money from my account and gotten money orders for Greg and Angie, Mom and Dad, Uncle John and Aunt Bonnie, herself, and me. Before all was said and done, I�d shelled out $21,600 for each candidate, or $43,200 total for now. Another $43,200 would be donated once they won the primaries. My grandmother told me it was a down payment on my future.
I handed Senator Dixon my envelope.
�Thank you. This is something I hate to do, but it�s the way they�ve set up the system.�
After breakfast, Brook and I grabbed an elevator so we could change for the day�s activities.
�So, did that put a dent in your allowance this week?� I teased.
�Are you trying to figure out if you should date me for my money?�
�I wouldn�t be opposed to a sugar mama. Do you think you can keep me fed and clothed?� I asked.
�Probably not; I�ve seen you eat. I might have to ask for a loan to pay for that.�
We got off the elevator to find an anxious Max.
�Hurry up. We got a call from the University of Chicago saying that there�s already a line to get in.�
I looked at my watch. We weren�t scheduled to even be there for another hour or more. I just shook my head and hurried to change clothes.
◊◊◊
The University of Chicago was a private school and a top research center. They spent nearly four hundred million on research and development each year. They�d been endowed with over seven-and-half billion dollars.
Back in the 1930s, the University of Chicago had been one of the top athletic schools in the country, and actually had the first Heisman Trophy winner in 1935. They�d been one of the founding members of what was now the Big 10 conference but had pulled out when their president deemphasized athletics. Football hadn�t been played at the University of Chicago for thirty years.
The University of Chicago had always been a research facility. Early work on the Manhattan Project to develop the first nuclear weapon was done there. In essence, it was a nerd magnet. It was the place to go if you wanted an advanced degree or doctorate. Only a third of the 15,000 students were undergraduates.
Max was right: when our bus pulled up to the Gerald Ratner Athletics Center, about a hundred people were waiting to get in. I smiled when I figured out why. These were fanboys and girls. Several had dressed up as characters from my movie. They saw me get off the bus and broke out of line. The state troopers weren�t sure what to do, but I held up my hands.
�These are my people!� I boomed in my best Stryker persona.
I waded into the crowd to pull them away from the bus so everyone could get off.
�Give us a few minutes to get set up. I have photos I can autograph, and you can get your picture taken with me.�
The prospect of getting a picture taken with a star in a sci-fi movie was almost more than some of them could handle. I sometimes forgot how much people got into this type of stuff.
When I entered the arena, Max was in a full-on lather.
�Nothing�s set up. I need you all to help with chairs.�
I walked into the gym where the rally would take place and saw it was smaller than our basketball gym. It looked like it would only hold a thousand people in the bleachers. There was a stage at one end. Apparently, the plan was to put rows of folding chairs on the court. I wasn�t in the mood to set up that many chairs. But I had an idea. I walked back outside.
�I need some help. We need people to volunteer to set up chairs. Think you could do that for me so we can get to signing autographs and taking pictures?�
I was almost stampeded with volunteers. Max looked bewildered as everyone poured into the gym, eager to help. I had to laugh when an argument broke out as how to set them up to maximize the seating and the most efficient way they could get the job done. I left it to Max to deal with them. Since I�d had the same argument with Alan many times, I knew to stay out of it until they figured it out.
Jett found me.
��These are my people�?�
�Hey, no making fun of my fans.�
�Aren�t they a little old to be dressed up like Halloween in the middle of February?� she asked.
�Says the girl with weird hair,� I shot back.
�I thought you liked my hair,� she pouted.
�I�m just saying to each his own. They like to dress up as characters in movies. You like to get all sexy and show off your smoking-hot body when you sing.�
She gave me a smile and kissed me. I looked around and saw that several people were watching us.
�Nice save. So, you think I have a smoking-hot body?� Jett asked.
�I may have to see if they have a rod and reel.�
She actually blinked at that one, so I put her out of her misery.
�You seem to be fishing for compliments. Get a mirror, girl. When you put on your �Rocker Girl� garb, you know you look good. Heck, all the girls in your band are hot.�
Of course, they were all standing behind me.
�He says the sweetest things,� Amy, the one with multicolored hair, said.
◊◊◊
I spent extra time talking to the fanboys and girls who had volunteered. They wanted to talk about different scenes in the movie and pick it apart. It was a lot of fun, more than I would have expected.
I suspect Jett was jealous because the band was all but ignored. Later, when my fans had thinned out, college guys figured out that they would rather get their picture taken with the girls. I then introduced them, and they played for a half-hour. After their set, my new theme song,
When they were done, I introduced Senator Dixon, and we were ushered onto the bus to the next event at Loyola.
◊◊◊
Loyola was a Jesuit Catholic university located in the City of Chicago. In fact, they had six campuses. One was in the heart of the city, next to the historic Water Tower, a block west of Michigan Avenue. We were going to the Lake Shore campus at Devon and Sheridan. That was where the Gentile Arena was. It held about two-and-a-half times as many people as the gym at the University of Chicago.
This time Jett and the band were more the center of attention. They�d played some different venues on the north side when they lived here. The band had a following of their own; combine that with the interview on Channel 9, and we had a good turnout.
When it was time for them to play, I got on stage to introduce them.
�Thank you all for coming out today. I�m David A. Dawson, and I�ll be your MC.�
�Take your shirt off,� a girl called out.
�As much fun as that would be, I promised them I wouldn�t do that today.�
I smiled when some more joined in. It sounded like a few of the attendees had had a couple of drinks before they came today. I was worried about what they might say to the candidates.
�Are you ready to have some fun?� I asked.
That got the expected result.
�I want to introduce our band, Birthrite. Many of you might recognize them because they played under a couple of different names right here on the north side. I�m sure you�re in for a special treat. Give a warm Chicago welcome to Birthrite!�
I decided to stay and listen to a few songs this time. Jett had just finished her first song when a fan shouted out, �Show us your tits!�
I started up to the stage to defend her but stopped when she acted as if she were searching the crowd.
�Did you actually say that?� she asked. �Do me a favor and point him out for me.�
It was a young college guy. He was with a group of his buddies, who all sold him out and pointed at him.
�What does your t-shirt say?� Jett asked.
�You�ve been a bad girl, now go to my room!� he called back.
I wanted one of those.
�Nice,� Jett said as she rolled her eyes, which made the audience laugh.
Security was working their way through the crowd towards him.
�Hold on,� she told security. �Let�s give him a chance. What do you do for a living?�
�Freelance sperm donor!� he called back.
I thought Jett was going to drop her mic. That sounded like my job, damn it!
�Ladies � would you like to accept a donation?� Jett called out and received a resounding �
�Since this is an election,� Jett began, �why don�t we vote on it? Who here wants our �sperm donor� to be escorted out?�
The crowd cheered.
�Who wants him to stay?�
I could hear crickets.
�Sorry, dude, you�re gone!� Jett said to cheers.
Security escorted him out as Jett started her next song.
◊◊◊
DePaul University�s campus was in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, not far from where Jack and Bev Mass lived. I loved this area of Chicago. It was popular with young professionals. They could catch the �L� to the Loop for work and go out to all the trendy restaurants and bars when their day was done.
DePaul was the largest Catholic university in the US, and the largest private institution in Chicago, serving nearly 24,000 students. Surprisingly, this was the smallest venue we would use. Their basketball arena was in the suburbs, and Max wanted to keep everything in the city. They had a relatively new theater that held 250 people. This was the only event people had to have tickets to.
It turned out to be a terrible idea. Over half of the ticket-holders didn�t show up. For the band, it was even worse. Going from a rowdy crowd of nearly five thousand to maybe 125 is a big difference. And the audience wasn�t into it like they�d been at Loyola. I expect we were all glad when the day was done.
◊◊◊
Governor and Betty Higgins were hosting a fundraiser tonight at the hotel, The Peninsula Chicago, which was close to Michigan Avenue. I talked Brook into going for a walk with me. I wanted to show her some of my favorite places. Of course, we had to get hot caramel corn. You can�t walk past that place without stopping. They had an exhaust fan that pumped the aroma right out onto the street. Whoever thought of that was a marketing genius.
She talked me into going into the Water Tower Place mall, which was six stories of shopping. Brook had a great time and forced me to be her pack mule. She did let me buy some teas at a specialty tea store. Then I spotted the sporting goods store.
I ended up buying three pairs of baseball shoes; that would probably get me some grief from my teammates for being like a girl with all the footwear. The first pair was a turf shoe. Baseball players will only wear turf shoes during practice or training. If you aren�t practicing on a field, you should be wearing turfs. This was because they�re more comfortable and won�t tear up the training facilities like metal cleats do. The second felt like they were running shoes on spikes. I got those for baserunning. The final pair was an AdiZero 5-Tool series of cleats, which were lightweight and would feel good in the field.
I also bought a Nokona X2 Elite Series 1275 baseball glove. My current gloves were for the infield, and I needed a slightly longer glove for the outfield. I picked the Nokona 12.75 inch because it was made of kangaroo leather. It�s stronger and lighter than cow leather, or so I was told. It had a composite padding system that offered increased protection and comfort, and I picked the H-shaped webbing. I couldn�t wait to break it in.
They talked me into getting a sliding glove that looked like a seal flipper. It covered your fingers and thumb to prevent hand injuries when sliding headfirst into a base. I think they saw me coming because when the afternoon was over, I ended up spending more than Brook.
◊◊◊
The dinner/fundraiser was held in one of the ballrooms. I watched the various politicians to see how they interacted with the donors. Ian Davis and Jack Mass found me.
�Why are you so intense?� Ian asked as he sipped his cocktail.
�I�m watching the politicians work the room. I bet I can predict who wins and who doesn�t, based on what I see,� I said.
The two men were now intrigued.
�I�m not sure what we�d bet, but I�ll bite,� Jack said.
�For you to understand, I think you need me to show you what I do. Do either of you need anything?� I asked.
�What are you talking about?� Ian asked.
�Just that, do you need anything? I�m going to talk to people who have money and are here to give it to Governor Higgins,� I said.
They both looked at me like I�d lost my mind.
�Fine, come with me and learn,� I said with a smirk.
I walked up to the first couple. They both had to be in their seventies.
�I wanted to introduce myself. I�m David Dawson. This is Jack Mass of Mass Investments, and this is Ian Davis, Political Science professor at State,� I said as I shook their hands.
�I�m Bill Carl, and this is my wife Elinor. I�m a retired banker and minority owner of the Chicago Cubs.�
�My plan is to play for the Cubs someday. I just got an acceptance to try out for the Under-18 USA Baseball Team,� I said.
�Dawson?� Bill pondered for a moment, and then said, �I think I recognize that name. Are you related to Davey Dawson?�
�Yes, he was my grandfather. My grandmother has me volunteering for Governor Higgins to help him get reelected. I was with him at his three events today.�
�You�re the actor,� Elinor said.
�Yes, I have a movie out right now.�
�Anything I would watch?� Bill asked.
�Probably not. Hey, I don�t want to monopolize your time, I just wanted to introduce myself,� I said and then paused. �I do have a question for you. Right now, I�m in the process of getting my taxes done, and my accountant keeps telling me I need to donate some money to lessen the bill. Have you had them tell you that?�
�Not yet, but I get it every year,� Bill admitted.
�I have two charities that help cancer patients and unwed mothers. Would it be okay if I had one of my people contact your people to give you some information?�
�Just have them call me,� Elinor said.
I got her contact info and wished them a good night. Then I did it five more times and was told �no� only once. I figured Caryn could make some calls on Monday.
�Okay, I see how you�re building your contacts, but I don�t see how you can tell which politician will be successful and which ones won�t,� Jack said.
I think Ian had started to see the light.
�This morning, Senator Dixon told me the thing he liked doing least was fundraising. This event is a straight-up fundraiser for politicians. Watch Governor Higgins. I can tell he was trained by my grandfather on how to work a room with a purpose. I sometimes do it just to get to know people, other times I do it with a goal in mind.
�If I were a politician, I�d make it a point to talk to each and every person in this room. I�d have a five-minute conversation to either solicit funds or make an appointment to do it later,� I said.
�I understand that money�s important for a campaign, but I don�t understand how you can equate that to success in an election,� Jack said.
�Well, it�s twofold. The first is you need funds to win. The second is you have to be likable. Watch your wife,� I said.
We watched for five minutes while she stood stiffly to the side. Occasionally she�d nod to someone.
�Look, I�m not saying this to be mean, but she�s acting like a DA. She�s holding people at arm�s length like she might have to prosecute them someday. Bev won�t win if people don�t like her, especially with the issues she faces. At the very best, people will be neutral towards her,� I suggested.
�He�s not afraid to share his opinions, is he?� Jack asked.
�No, but he�s righter than you might think. If I were Bev�s campaign manager, that would be the first thing I�d work on. The impression I get is she�s a hell of a State�s Attorney,� Ian said.
�But?� Jack asked.
�David�s right. She�s standoffish in a room full of supporters.�
I think Jack got it, and he made his way across the room to talk to his wife. Her head snapped around, and she gave me the evil eye.
�I don�t think she likes what he�s saying,� Ian said.
�Ya think?�
�Oh, oh. Here they come,� Ian said.
Bev came up and gave me a look.
�Jack says you believe I�ll lose my election,� she said.
�Come with me and let me teach you how to raise money,� I said with a smile.
She was a good sport. I took her around to meet people and gave my fundraiser spiel. Then I switched it up to ask for money for her campaign. All the time, I explained that she needed to make a connection first, ask, and then move on. Bev was terrible at it, but I gave her high marks for trying. She needed someone to raise funds for her. She did loosen up and began to get to know people. For her, that was the most important thing.
◊◊◊ Sunday February 21
I worked out hard this morning. Buying the baseball equipment had refocused me on my athletic goals. I wanted to have a big season. My goal was to prove that I deserved to be one of the 108 baseball players who were invited to represent the USA in a world baseball tournament.
I returned to my room, showered, and packed. We�d be attending the last event at Northwestern today. I had gone to the restaurant for breakfast when I spotted Bev Mass talking to two men whose appearance just screamed �cop,� even though they were dressed in suits. She waved me over.
�David, this is Maxwell Grevy and Michael Lagan; they�re detectives with the Chicago Police Department. They need to ask you some questions.�
Was she really coming after me for my investigation into Brandon? I got out my phone and called Ms. Dixon.
�Hey, I need your help,� I said.
�You get lost or something?�
�No, I�m in the restaurant with Detectives Grevy and Lagan who want to talk to me.�
�Do you know about what?�
�Not yet. I called you first,� I said.
�Good boy. I�ll be right there,� Ms. Dixon said and hung up.
�My lawyer will be here in a minute. She�s in the hotel,� I explained.
�You�re not the focus of our investigation,� Detective Grevy said.
Bev held up her hand.
�He has a right to have his lawyer present, so don�t bully him. He�s also a minor who�s a personal friend of Senator Dixon and Governor Higgins. There�s no need to rush this,� Bev said.
Detective Grevy just nodded and waited for Ms. Dixon to show up.
Bev made the introductions.
�Yes, she�s Senator Dixon�s daughter,� Bev said to answer their unasked question.
�Yesterday afternoon, a University of Chicago student was the victim of what we suspect was an honor killing. We believe that her brother strangled her because of pictures she posted on social media. Specifically, because of an image posted of her meeting with you yesterday morning. We�re trying to piece together the last few hours of her life. We hoped that you might be able to shed some light on her meeting with you,� Detective Grevy said.
�Do you recognize this girl?� Detective Lagan asked.
He showed me a picture of one of the fangirls who had helped us set up chairs and whom I�d later talked to. I blinked a couple of times.
�She�s dead?� I asked in a weak voice.
�Yes, we suspect that her brother killed her. She was dragged out of her dorm, screaming for help. Witnesses identified the brother. The Detroit police talked to her sister, who said that her father and brother were incensed that she would post photos of herself with you. From what her sister said, the victim was warned that if she continued to embarrass the family, there would be consequences. Her father sent the brother to Chicago to deal with the young woman. Both the father and brother have gone missing,� Detective Grevy said.
All this because she dressed up as a character in my movie and took a picture with me. This was just insane. I couldn�t get my head around the notion that this young girl who�d been excited to see me was killed by her own family. It made me almost physically ill. How could you kill your own sister? I mean, Greg and I had gotten mad at each other, enough to want to pound the stuffing out of each other, but to kill him? There was no way.
�What do you need from me?� I asked.
�Just tell us what happened,� Detective Lagan said.
I told them everything that had transpired at the University of Chicago. There wasn�t much I really knew. I still couldn�t get over the fact that a picture with me would get the girl killed.
Detective Lagan then pulled out two photos. They were of the brother and father.
�If you see either of these two men, call 911 and don�t approach them for any reason. Assume they are armed and dangerous,� Detective Lagan said.
�Do you think they would come after my family or me?� I asked.
�We honestly don�t know,� Detective Lagan said.
I got my phone out and called Fritz.
�Code Black,� I said.
�Are you safe?� he asked.
�Yes. I�ll call in a little while and explain,� I said.
My phone had an alarm go off and showed the Code Black alert. This was part of the security measures Fritz had established to protect my family and friends. It was sent to anyone close to me. The alert was for use in extreme cases. If you received the alarm, you were to push a button twice to indicate if you were currently safe and get to a designated secure location as soon as possible. If you tapped only once, you were in danger, and someone was sent to wherever you were. Fritz had been worried about a kidnapping situation. He and his team could track everyone�s cell phone, smartwatch, laptop, and vehicle location. I tapped the button twice so everyone would know I was safe. Then I remembered I could have just used the app to trigger the Code Black. I was still getting used to having it and hadn�t thought about that until now.
I guess I wasn�t surprised when Brook came running into the restaurant, followed by her mom and dad.
After I introduced them to the detectives, I explained what was going on. In the middle of it all, my mom and dad called. They conferenced-in Fritz, so I had to explain everything again. Fritz confirmed the location of everyone and said he�d have security at my house soon. In the meantime, he called our local police to update them on the possible threat. Mom confirmed that a police car was in front of their house.
◊◊◊
I debated whether to cancel on the Northwestern event, but decided that I needed to do it. The governor made sure a state trooper kept an eye on me. I did my best acting job and put on a happy face. When I was done, we packed up and drove home. I let Ian drive because I wasn�t sure it was a good idea for me to drive in my state of mind.
By the time we hit our home city limits, I�d received a call that the brother and father were caught trying to board a plane out of the country. I let Fritz know.
◊◊◊
After dropping off Brook and her family, I found myself at the Pearson farm. Zoe took one look at me and put me to work mucking out stalls and putting down new straw while she did other chores. I wondered why I always seemed to get this job or washing horses. Not that I minded, but she brushed, babied, and fed them, while I did the dirty work.
It turned out to be exactly what I needed. Zoe took me for a walk when we were done, and I told her the horrible thing that had happened. She listened and then stopped.
�Let�s pray about it,� she suggested.
I bowed my head and prayed for the girl�s soul and her family and friends, then asked for forgiveness for whatever my role was in her losing her life. I felt better after the work, talking to Zoe, and praying. Somehow, she always made me feel better, more grounded after we did this. Sometimes you needed to get back to basics, talk to a friend, and put it in God�s hands.
◊◊◊ Monday February 22
Tracy, Pam, and Halle were waiting for me when I got to school.
�Are you all right?� Tracy asked.
I assumed she was talking about the alert Fritz had sent out.
�Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you were all okay. I guess, if nothing else, it was good that we tested it.�
�Did you know the girl?� Halle asked.
�No, not really. I met her for just a few minutes. She seemed nice. It was terrible, what happened,� I said.
Pam wrapped me in a hug and whispered in my ear.
�Are you sure you�re alright?�
�Yes. Like I said, I was more worried about you when the police weren�t sure if the brother and father might come after me, or people I knew.�
�It freaked me out when it went off,� Tracy admitted. �It was sort of like when you get those AMBER Alerts, but this time it was for someone I actually knew.�
�Sorry, I didn�t mean to upset you,� I apologized.
�No, no, I�d rather be safe than sorry. I might have to get more pepper spray,� she said with a wink.
�You could get a Taser, like Pam has,� I offered.
�No, I like that I don�t have to get close to do damage. If Pam had my spray, she could�ve nailed Yuri several times. That boy�s fast.�
I had to laugh because Tracy had sent me a video of Pam chasing Yuri down the hall with her Taser.
�Did you practice your lines?� Halle asked, changing the subject to the school play.
I gave her a disgusted look.
�Did you even see how many lines you have?� she asked.
�How bad could it be?� I shot back.
�You�d better not make me look bad. We�re supposed to know what we�re doing,� Halle said as she put her hand on her hip.
I surrendered.
�Hey, can you take Bandit this weekend? I have to fly out to LA to do some voice-overs. He doesn�t like flying,� she said.
�Sure. Just explain to him that he can�t be a big baby.�
�If you paid him more attention, he�d be just fine.�
�Okay. I�ll make sure I take care of him.�
The bell rang, so we walked inside and off to our classes. I pulled the script out in second-period Art Appreciation. I�d studied ahead, so I decided to take a quick look. The copyright said it was from 1938. I smirked when I read the dialogue. My �good ol� boy� routine with the press had nothing on this. It also seemed that my character George was a dumbass because he let Halle�s character Emily boss him around. I decided this might be fun.
◊◊◊
We had another Junior Class Project meeting. Everything was moving forward just fine. I was surprised when Alan stopped me before I got to my next class.
�Can I ask you something?�
�Sure,� I said tentatively.
He could ask, but I wasn�t sure I would answer. I�d accepted that he hadn�t been responsible for him and Tami waking up naked together. The thing is, I knew Alan. If I acted like I�d forgiven him, Tami would know ten minutes later. I wasn�t ready to explain why just yet.
�What did you get on your SAT?� he asked.
�Worried I did better?� I teased.
�No, of course not,� Alan blurted.
I gave him the stink eye, and he blushed. He always assumed he was smarter than everyone else. I reminded him that I was higher in our class standings than he was. Of course, Alan�s slip had come in PE, which I felt shouldn�t factor into overall grade standings. That was, of course, until I could use it to torment my former best friend.
I told him my score, and of course, he wanted a breakdown. Turns out Alan did a little better than I did, overall. I did better in the Critical Reading and Essay sections, and he did much better than I did in Math. He admitted that Tami did better than both of us. I can�t say I was surprised. What did surprise me was that she did even better than Alan did on the Math section; I could tell that bothered him. I actually beat her in the Critical Reading and Essay portions of the test.
It made me smile that we needed to check to see how each of us did. We�d always been competitive, Tami and me especially. Jeff had been the calming influence and kept everything from getting out of hand. The thing was, I�d bet he would have had a better score than all of us. We were nerds at heart, after all.
Satisfied, Alan left me alone. Tami would have my scores soon if my mom hadn�t already told her.
◊◊◊
I skipped the dojo to try out for the play. I was a good boy and didn�t embarrass Halle. Mr. Dutton, one of the science teachers, was the faculty advisor for the Drama Club. He and a couple of the seniors would decide who won what part. Halle and I rolled our eyes when they told us they�d post their decisions tomorrow. We�d sat through the auditions, and somehow, we were the only ones trying out for our parts. I liked our odds.
�David, before you go,� Mr. Dutton said. �Are you going out for baseball?�
�Yes, and that�ll take priority. I plan to play both football and baseball in college.�
�I�m worried that you might not learn your lines. Do you think you�ll be able to have them ready for the play?� he asked.
�That�s a legitimate question,� I said.
Halle gave me a hard look. She realized I wasn�t above wiggling out of this commitment. I wouldn�t quit, but if they didn�t cast me, I�d be okay with that.
Halle proceeded to quote one of her lines from Act 2, Scene 2. We recited our parts back and forth for a few lines.
I paused and looked at her. She gave me a smile.
�I�ll make sure he learns his lines and that he shows up for dress rehearsals,� Halle told Mr. Dutton.
�Do you know all your lines already?� Mr. Dutton asked.
I gave him a weak smile. I could claim I did, but I knew why Halle had picked that scene: it was the one where she got to tell me off. It seemed my character was a baseball star and had gotten too big for his britches, according to Halle�s character�s opinion. Halle also said that she expected my character to be
�The script isn�t that long,� I said and turned to Halle. �What is it, 119 pages?�
She nodded.
�I�ve got a month or more. It�ll be fine,� I said.
I also knew that Halle would make sure. We were both nervous about doing a
I wasn�t worried about my scenes with Halle. She and I had worked together enough that I was sure we�d do well. What worried me were the other actors. I didn�t really have a lot of time to spend working with them. Play rehearsal was the same time as baseball practice. I�d never known Moose to take a back seat to anything. He certainly wouldn�t let me skip out of practice for a school play. Maybe I could arrange to meet them after baseball or on weekends. We would see.
◊◊◊
When I got home, there were cars parked on the street at our house. I came in and found my dad, uncle, grandma, Caryn, and Fritz eating Monical�s pizza. They had polished off all but one slice.
�Seriously?!� I complained.
�Check the oven,� Grandma Dawson said.
Someone loved me after all: there was a whole pizza in the oven. I made myself a salad so I would eat something besides just pizza. I noticed that Mom and Peggy were missing.
�Where�s Mom?� I asked.
�She took Peggy and Little David shopping with Pam and Lacy. They�re furnishing the baby�s room,� Dad said.
I hated to imagine what that would cost, but it was for my son, so I just kept my mouth shut. I knew if I complained, my dad would tell Mom.
They let me eat before the talk began. I wasn�t surprised when Fritz took the lead.
�I think we should use this weekend as a wake-up call. David needs to have security with him when he leaves the house,� Fritz said.
�I was surrounded by state police all weekend,� I tried.
�Who were there to protect the governor and Senator Dixon,� my grandma said.
�David, this is happening,� Dad said. �I�ll admit I was glad you followed what Fritz told you to do, as far as notification is concerned. But you were two hours away from him being able to be there.�
�It also highlights that even though you didn�t do anything, unexpected things happen,� Uncle John said.
I pointed at Caryn.
�What?� she asked.
�Oh, I thought it was your turn to pile on,� I said.
Dad smacked me on the back of my head, to the amusement of everyone else.
�No, it was my turn,� Fritz said with a grin. �I�ll bring some of my team from California here. They�ll rotate in every couple of weeks until we find someone local. I also want you riding in that giant SUV you just bought.�
�But �� I began.
�We�ll figure out something when your son�s born. For now, Peggy would rather drive your jeep,� Dad said.
�I�ll also need the SUV for the next few days to make some modifications. I�ll pick you up in the morning and drive you to school,� Fritz said.
There was no sense in fighting it, so I just shrugged my acceptance.
�Now we need to talk about the real reason we�re here,� Dad said.
That had my attention. It was now Caryn�s turn.
�Mouse told me what she said to you.�
�That�s not a very nice nickname,� I deflected.
�She answers to it,� Caryn said.
�David�s right, Megan should be treated professionally,� Dad said.
�Well, if we�re done, I have homework,� I said and got up to leave.
�Sit down,� Dad said in a voice not to be denied.
I sat.
�Tell us what�s going on,� Grandma Dawson said.
I debated whether to say anything, but I noticed that Fritz looked uncomfortable. That made me wonder if he�d already told them. I took a deep breath. Now I understood why my mom wasn�t here. If she had been, the jig would�ve been up, and Brandon would have been tipped off that I was coming after him.
�On a recruiting trip, I took Alan and Tami with me. They had separate events for the recruits and their guests for evening entertainment, so we didn�t go to the same parties. When I got back to the hotel, I found them both naked and passed out in my bed.
�Megan told me she suspected Brandon Rigby had slipped something in their drinks and staged them to make it look like the two of them had sex. I honestly thought they had, at the time. What I now suspect happened is much more sinister: I think Brandon raped Tami,� I said.
By everyone�s reaction, Megan and Fritz hadn�t spilled the beans.
�You�ve got to be kidding me. Did you call the police?� Uncle John asked.
�It�s not that simple. I have no proof of what happened to Tami. I got some help and found out more about Brandon. It seems he was in the equivalent of a fraternity at Harvard. Over the last couple of years, there have been multiple complaints of rape made against members of his frat. Somehow, no one ever put together that they might all be related.
�After I obtained that information, I talked to Bev Mass, and she contacted the DA in charge of the area where Harvard is located. They�d taken the investigations far enough to obtain rape kits, but none of them were ever processed, for one reason or another. I paid to get all the kits analyzed. Bev told me this weekend that there is a connection. The only problem is they don�t have DNA from Brandon or the other fraternity members in the system, so they don�t know who did it,� I said.
�Can�t they just take it from him?� Caryn asked.
�You would think so, but apparently you�re innocent until proven guilty. If they had a better case, they could compel Brandon to provide DNA. Bev said that now that they�ve put together the links between the multiple rapes, the police would become more aggressive in their investigation. She said they would build the needed case to get the DNA so it can be compared. She said to give it some time so they could do their job,� I said.
�When do you plan to tell Tami?� Uncle John asked.
�I�ll tell Tami and Alan when either the police do their job, or I�ve dealt with the situation myself,� I said.
�David!� my grandma and dad said at the same time.
�I�ll help him, if it comes to that,� Fritz said.
�You can�t tell Mom,� I said. �If she knew, we�d have to bail her out of jail, and Brandon might do a runner. It�s been all I can do to not confront him, but Fritz and Bev have convinced me that putting him in jail is the better option.�
Everyone agreed. I actually felt a lot better with everyone knowing. Now I could go to them and talk if I needed to.
◊◊◊
The baby-shopping group arrived after I�d gone up to my apartment to study. They all came up to show me what they�d bought, as well as pictures of the furniture that would be delivered. Thank goodness I didn�t have to put it together. Pam had also bought more maternity clothes. She was starting to get bigger.
I admit I nodded and smiled a lot. That seemed to me to be the appropriate response when four women went into baby mode, and all talked at once. I mean, surely they didn�t expect me to follow the conversation. All I knew was that I�d just spent a chunk of money, but they seemed happy about it, so I was too.
◊◊◊
Chapter 14 � I Wonder If He Would Foresee Wednesday February 24
Saul had sent the movie numbers for the week. We�d been pounded by
Both Saul and Caryn were happy.
I�d been given the information for the next audition in London. Mom had gone with me the last time I traveled to the UK. I was surprised when Dad stood his ground and said he was going with me this time. For some reason, Caryn claimed that since she was my manager, she would go instead of Kendal. Saul and his wife also planned to join us.
The James Bond movie was in limbo. I�d been signed, but there was a power play going on. EON (an acronym for Everything or Nothing) Productions had done 24 James Bond movies that altogether grossed over $7 billion. Columbia Pictures, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and MGM had co-distributed the film series since 2006. MGM filed for bankruptcy in 2010; following MGM�s emergence from insolvency, Columbia had been its co-production partner of the series with Danjaq. That was until Sony�s distribution rights to the franchise came to an end with the release of
Since the Sony deal ended, there�d been a fight to see who�d take over, or whether Sony could hang on. Daniel Craig, the lead, decided to play hardball. He had a small child at home and didn�t want to be away for eight months, as he�d been for the filming of
Saul was about to do a happy dance when he told me that. He said that he�d begin to lay the groundwork for future Bond films. If we got the first one done with me as the son of James Bond, he planned to push to have the old James Bond retire. Then his son would take over the family business. I personally thought they might just replace Daniel Craig like they had so many other James Bond leading men. With the success of
Secretly, I would love to be the next Bond. It was the type of part you would be typecast in and never look back. I might do ten films in the next eighteen years and retire a happy man at the ripe old age of 35. I�d then be old enough to run for president. Sometimes my fantasies ran away with me.
◊◊◊
At lunch, I did something I hadn�t done in a long time: I asked someone out on a date. This was the first phase of my plan to get a girlfriend. I needed to know my potential honey better. The girl I hadn�t spent enough time with was Zoe, so she was my selected victim.
Halle cornered me in our Principles of Business class.
�I need some info on your date with Zoe. Where do you plan to take her?�
I cocked my head.
�Look, I was sent because I told them you wouldn�t shoot me. Tracy told us how you reacted to some girl last year who wanted information on her date with you. Zoe needs to know what to wear and the rest,� Halle said.
She seemed to enjoy teasing me way too much.
�I hadn�t really thought about it,� I admitted. �I guess I�d take her out for dinner and a movie.�
�You realize our movie isn�t in theaters anymore.�
I gave her credit for keeping a straight face.
�Really? How will I work my magic if she doesn�t see my impressive package on the big screen?�
�You mean your big butt,� Halle corrected.
If Mr. Quiroz hadn�t been droning on about income statements, she might have been in trouble.
�Okay, wise one, what should I do?� I asked.
�Thank you. I was afraid you might mess this up. Dinner�s a nice idea, but you need to do something where you two can talk. Sitting in a movie won�t accomplish that,� Halle said.
�I could do what I did on our last date. I liked how that went,� I suggested.
How is it that girls can ignore what you say if they don�t like it?
�You could take her to church,� Halle suggested, just to be mean.
�Why don�t I just ask her?� I asked.
�I was only getting started,� Halle said, and then gave me a look. �When is
�You could come over tonight, and we could practice our lines,� I suggested.
�I accept, but I want a real date.�
�Okay.�
�Oh, and I�ll plan it. It�s obvious you don�t know what you�re doing.�
�I suppose I�ll have to take Brook out as well,� I said, trying to think things through.
�No. I don�t think Brook would want a date,� Halle said as she bit her bottom lip, obviously fibbing.
I just rolled my eyes. Halle wouldn�t be my go-to person to plan any of the other girls� dates. I was smart enough to figure that one out.
◊◊◊
I was now skipping
I was lucky we had the Field House. It saved me from the drive to State to practice indoors in bad weather, and the weather at the end of February was hit-or-miss at best. The best part about it for me, though, was it made it easier to keep my focus on baseball. That was important when I found myself in the middle of an increasingly crazy schedule of other things people were piling on me. The Field House was becoming something of a sanctuary for me.
Well, maybe I was helping other people keep the schedule crazy. I thought if it got to be too much, and all else failed, I�d hide in Duke�s cage with him.
I was glad I�d talked to Moose early on. He had found a modification to the pitching machine that would allow it to hold a hundred balls now. It saved a lot of time reloading every couple of minutes. When I wasn�t batting, Moose spent his time showing me how to play the outfield. Center fielders tended to be smaller, fast guys. I was unique in that I had the size you�d expect your right fielder to have. Typically, your right fielder was a guy my size who was just in the lineup for his bat.
Moose wanted me to play a more shallow center field because he knew I could get on my horse and chase down longer fly balls. The advantage of playing a shallower center field was my arm strength. I could, in essence, support the infield up the middle.
The disadvantage was I had to react quickly. A line shot in the gap might get past me and turn into extra bases. Moose didn�t plan to have me play in this unusual position every time, but he wanted it to be in his bag of tricks if it were needed. There were specific situations, like less than two outs with a runner at third, where your infield tightened up to prevent the runner from scoring. He would then shift me up to help cover the ball up the middle. From shallow center field, I had the arm to gun down someone trying to take home.
The other thing Moose had me work on was stealing bases. I worked with the pitchers to get my timing down.
Moose was excited about the coming year. He couldn�t wait to be able to actively coach us. What he was doing now was like open gym. Of course, if you wandered over and talked some baseball, that was okay.
◊◊◊
Fritz picked up Halle, Brook, Cassidy, and me and took us to the dojo. He usually drove Halle to and from school. She and I had been riding together while Fritz did what he needed to my car. So far, he�d had them remove the storage area for the center console and had a gun safe installed in its place. It was both code- and fingerprint-activated. His people didn�t have concealed-carry permits for our state yet. Fritz explained that this way, if things went south, I could get to a gun if needed. I really didn�t want to think that scenario through.
The next step was the electronics, which comprised built-in cameras for both external and internal monitoring purposes, and tracking devices. In the back seat, there was to be a tablet mounted that would allow the backseat occupants to see each camera angle and determine if it was safe to exit. It would double as an entertainment and Internet access device. How I wish I�d had one of these for long trips when I was a kid. I told Fritz to install them in the seatback of each front seat like they had in the Charger, and in the backs of the second-row seats as well. My son was going to be spoiled.
I noticed they�d put the medical bag that Tami had put together for me when we�d been in New Orleans in the back of the VelociRaptor. Fritz had been impressed when he found it. He planned to get a similar setup for all the LA cars that Rita used.
◊◊◊
When we were done at the dojo, Fritz took Cassidy and Brook home. I invited Halle and Fritz to stay for dinner because Rita was in LA, working on the film. We walked in to Little David having a meltdown.
�Oh, thank God,� Dad said.
�What�s wrong, Little Guy?� I asked as I picked him up out of his high chair.
He wouldn�t stop fussing, so I blew in his face. That startled him, and he stiffened up, and his eyes got big.
�What did you just do?� Peggy asked.
�Blew in his face. I do similar things to Duke to get his attention,� I said as I bounced him around and looked into his eyes.
He relaxed and laid his head against my chest.
�What happened?� I asked.
�Little David knocked his bottle off the tray, and it landed on Duke. Duke about knocked over the high chair getting away,� Dad said.
�Is Duke okay?� I asked.
Mom just shook her head. When I was little, if I heard a story where there was an animal involved, my first concern was whether the animal was okay. Dad still shared the story where he told me how a bull had gotten out, and when they tried to catch him, he�d attempted to stomp a farmhand. Dad would use a little boy�s voice��Was the bull okay?��to describe my antics.
I found Duke in the living room with milk all over his back. I used a washcloth to clean him up. As I did that, he gave Little David puppy kisses, which made him giggle. I then had to get another washcloth to clean the dog slobber off Little David. Both of the babies now seemed to be okay.
I tried to put Little David back into the high chair, but he needed me, so I ate my dinner with him in my lap. He was happily babbling up a storm. Then I heard �dada.� Dinner was soon forgotten.
�Did he just say �dada�?� I asked.
�Dada,� Little David said again, clear as day.
�Yeah, I�m your �dada,�� I said and found I had tears in my eyes.
I�d never even thought about how much Little David meant to me. He kept saying, �dada.� I realized it could just as easily have been �yaya� or �baba.� He had no idea what he was saying, only that when he said �dada� to me, I made a big deal out of it. It tugged at my heartstrings to have him call me that. I knew at that moment that he was as much my son as my own would be.
Peggy took him from me so I could eat. She put him on the floor with Duke. We�d given up on the playpen because Duke would hop in with him every chance he got. He was super gentle with Little David, and it was common to find Little David curled up having a nap with his furry friend. I took a lot of pictures of the two of them together.
◊◊◊
After dinner, Halle followed me to my apartment to practice our lines. Acting was her craft, so she took it seriously. I was glad she had a professional approach because it caused me to crack down, too. Memorizing the lines was the easy part. She and I broke down each scene and talked about how it should be done. Typically, the director would do that. Halle told me that Mr. Dutton had let her do pretty much whatever she wanted, so I bowed to her lead and did what I was told.
We were deep into Act I when she got a text.
�Crap,� she mumbled.
�What�s wrong?�
�Look at the time.�
It was 11:30. Where did the last several hours go?
�Send Fritz a text back to bring you clothes in the morning,� I said.
�How did you know it was Fritz?� Halle asked.
�Who else would it be?�
�Oh,� was her witty response.
Then her brain kicked into gear and realized what I�d just suggested.
�Oh, you�re going to get me into trouble.�
�Halle, what do you want to do?� I asked and waggled my eyebrows at her.
She looked down at her phone and sent a text. One came back, and she responded to it.
�Pam, Brook, and Zoe are going to kill me. I feel like you�re corrupting me,� she admitted.
�Hang on. The only way they�ll find out is if you tell them. So if you end up dying, it�s your own fault. Secondly �� I said and then pulled her in for a passionate kiss.
Of course I would corrupt her, but she wanted to be corrupted. Halle became quite a vocal and active participant in her corruption. I took my time to worship her body. She wasn�t like Brook, who was much more athletic and rowdier in bed. Zoe was like a kid in a candy store who had never had any before�she wanted to try every kind. Pam was my surfer-mama who was fun to be with.
Halle was the queen of passion. She took her time and let things build. There were long, lingering kisses and endless little butterfly pecks all over my body. We both simply indulged each other and worked to bring enjoyment. We found ourselves in a sixty-nine position, and she was lavishing my package with licks, kisses and little sucks. Halle never took me in her mouth. She used her fingernails to tease me right where my sack met my body. She about drove me wild.
I finally had had enough and attacked Halle�s sex.
�David! Oh, David! DavID! DAVID!� she screeched as she came.
I was gloating about winning when she took me into her mouth. It was like when Scooby-Doo sees a ghost. �Ruh-roh, Raggy!�
�Halle! Halle! Halleeeee! HALLE!� I howled as Old Faithful erupted.
�Jesus, David,� Halle complained as she got out of bed to go clean up.
She came back and straddled my waist.
�Condom,� I warned.
�Brook said you promised to use one if you weren�t sure. I think you can be sure of me,� she said as she sat down on my member.
Mr. Happy told me not to worry about it, but the big head remembered what had happened with Pam.
�Hang on, we need to talk about this,� I said.
�I�m protected, so what�s to talk about?�
Good point, Mr. Happy assured me. Screw it, I was going to Hell. Halle slowly rode me all the way up and down. Her velvet vise was made for me. I let her drive for now because I couldn�t do it any better. The sensation without the condom made things altogether too short, but we both had an orgasm.
Sex with Halle was better than a sleeping pill. I fell asleep right away.
◊◊◊ Thursday February 25
Tracy found me first thing. She saw Halle and me get out of my car and Fritz drive off. It was apparent Tracy needed to talk.
�You two had sex,� Tracy said.
I just shrugged. Tracy knew I wouldn�t tell her, but I couldn�t figure out how she knew.
�My dad took a job in Chicago. He�s going to work with your lawyer, Ms. Dixon,� she informed me.
�What about his clients?� I asked.
I wasn�t sure how it worked. He was in charge of the Entertainment Division at Rigby, Thompson and Associates, and I�d gotten him several clients. I didn�t want them to fall into the wrong hands.
�I don�t know the details,� she admitted.
Guess I�d have to have Caryn find out. I was sure Tracy was worried she might have to move.
�Your dad�s gonna let you stay here to finish high school, isn�t he?� I asked.
�I don�t know.�
�Look, I know how important Pam is to you. I promise you that you won�t have to move away, even if I have to have you move in with me.�
�It�s not just Pam. I need you as a friend, too,� Tracy reminded me.
The last two days were just full of revelations for me. Tracy had somehow become my best friend. With Alan and Tami out of the picture, Tracy looked out for me. In some mysterious way, after my freshman year and the disaster with the two of us, we�d built a friendship. She never pushed me but was always there for me. When did that happen?
I pulled her into a hug.
�I need you as a friend, too. If you want me to talk to your mom and dad, let me know. I can�t see your dad not looking out for you. If he gets out of hand, I can always marry your mom,� I suggested.
�The funny thing is, she might do it,� Tracy said with a smile.
�You okay for now?� I asked.
�Yes, thanks.�
�Pam and I are here for you. You know, I�ve never thanked you for your help when she found out she was pregnant. Your friendship meant a lot to me when we were going through everything with Cal. I was confident she�d be okay if you were in her life. It gave me the strength to face what happened, knowing Pam would be okay.�
�I know you told me in LA not to worry about my dad getting a job out of the area. I guess I just needed to hear you say it again. If I thought we could be more than friends, I might come after you,� she teased.
�Why mess up a good friendship?�
She nodded sadly.
�I agree. We make better friends.�
I put my arm around her waist, and we found Pam at the front door.
�You okay?� she asked.
�I�m fine, thanks for asking,� I teased.
�Yes, I just needed our David to reassure me,� Tracy said.
When did I become
◊◊◊
During PE, I was called to the office. I tried to think of what I�d done, and nothing came to mind. I found Mr. Palm, our vice principal, waiting for me.
�We�ve received several press requests to talk to you,� he said.
My phone buzzed. It was a text from Frank Ingram to call him ASAP.
�I need to call my publicist,� I said, and Mr. Palm just nodded.
�What�s up?� I asked when Frank came on the line.
�The Chicago Police announced that it was the picture of you and the girl taken at the governor�s rally that was the trigger for her brother to kill her. Robert Newman has made accusations that the governor is soft on terrorism. He also said that you are partly responsible for her death.�
�Is he on drugs?� I asked.
Frank burst out laughing.
�Please don�t say that publicly. Mr. Newman is one of the new-school politicians who think they can say anything and get away with it. Believe me, if he had to face you, he�d be a complete wuss.�
I was glad Frank thought this was funny; that made one of us. I felt guilty enough, and now some ass-hat was spewing his foul opinions without regard as to whom he hurt. Frank had one thing right: if we were face-to-face, I would dare Mr. Newman to repeat himself.
�I�ve been told that the press has called the school to get me to make a comment.�
�Ignore them for now. Give me a couple of hours to do some digging and to craft a response. Do you have a contact number for the governor?�
Max had given us his cell. I gave that to Frank and hung up.
�My publicist said to hold off on the interviews. If you want to give out his number to get them off your back, here it is,� I said. I pulled out one of Frank�s cards and gave it to Mr. Palm.
It wasn�t his direct line, but his people would know what to do. I needed the people at the high school to help me and didn�t want to piss them off by having to play secretary for me.
◊◊◊
In Art Appreciation, Zoe pointed to the chair next to her.
�I hear I get to plan our date.�
�I was just thinking of something where we could spend time together and talk,� I said.
�Could we go dancing? Pam said that if we got to the Thunderbird early and ate, we could stay and dance.�
The last time I�d gone there, Pam had frozen up when the frat boy hit on her. But the time before had been fun. It sounded like a plan.
�Would it be okay if others showed up?� Zoe asked.
I blinked a few times. Didn�t she want to go on a date with me?
�My mom won�t let me go on a date with just a guy. It either has to be a group thing or a double date,� she explained.
It finally sunk in. I was surprisingly okay with that because I understood that Zoe grew up in a religious family. I liked her parents and would abide by their rules. During class, I asked about our first date, and she admitted she told a little white lie that Brook and Halle would be there. I then asked about horseback riding and the car rides we took; we did those alone, how were those different? She explained that we never really left the area, meaning we never drove past the park that was the entrance to their community.
I told her to call my brother. He knew people who worked at the Thunderbird and would help arrange things. I hoped he and Angie could show up. It had been a while since I�d gone out to have fun with him.
◊◊◊
Frank sent me a text to call him when I got a chance.
�I prepared a press release on your behalf and called Caryn, and she shared it with your dad. It just basically says how dismayed you are that the honor killing happened based on an innocent encounter with the girl. Then I added that your prayers and sympathy went out to her family and friends.
�I needed to get it out so the east coast media could make their deadlines,� Frank explained.
He�d sent it out without my approval. I wasn�t sure if I was happy about that, but I was okay with what he�d said. I would talk to Dad and Caryn about it. Between the three of us, we�d figure out how it should be handled in the future. There was no use complaining about it now.
�I don�t have to do an interview?�
�No, but Governor Higgins has asked that you attend a Town Hall meeting on Saturday. He invited you to bring the Davis family as well, as his guests. I�ll create some talking points in case you get pulled into the discussion.�
�What�s the purpose of the meeting?� I asked.
�To discuss the security of the state, and to counter the wild accusations Mr. Newman�s making,� he said.
�Tell me he�ll be there,� I said, getting excited.
�No, it�s not a debate.�
�I never said I wanted to debate him. How could he say the governor or I should have foreseen the death of that poor girl? I don�t understand. I wonder if he would foresee me putting him on his ass,� I said.
�Remind me to never piss you off,� Frank said.
�Never piss me off,� I shot back.
�Jerk.�
�Say that to my face,� I teased.
�Take your ball and go home. I�m not playing today,� he laughed.
�Fine, I�ll talk to you later.�
◊◊◊
It was pleasant out, so I talked Jim into hitting me some fly balls outside. I finally got to try out my new cleats and glove. I was still breaking my glove in. Jim took delight in making me run all over the outfield. Johan had joined us just to shoot the shit and goof off. He caught the balls I threw back in.
You could actually see the difference that Connor Fletcher, our strength and conditioning coach, had made with them. Jim and Johan both had put on weight, and it looked like all muscle. Jim was a big guy who was starting to look like the prototypical tackle. If I were a linebacker, I wouldn�t want to mess with him. Johan wasn�t as tall, but he had become more defined.
My weight was now up to two-twenty, and I honestly felt faster. I continued to do my speed drills that Chris Case had taught me and was also using the weight vest Bo Harrington had given me. I currently had it on as I shagged fly balls.
Yuri stuck his head out the back door of the Field House.
�Moose said to get your butt in here and bat!�
�Teacher�s pet,� Jim teased.
He wasn�t smiling when I swatted him in the balls with my glove. I ran inside with my cleats on and hid behind Moose. I had a bad feeling Jim might get revenge. Moose made me put on my turf shoes, and I stepped into the batting cage. I could hardly wait for our first
◊◊◊
Chapter 15 � You�re Like a Unicorn Friday February 26
After school, Moose sent us all out to the practice field. He gathered us all around to give us his opening speech of the season. I was happy to see some familiar faces.
�Okay, settle down. I�m Moose. Just so we�re clear, I answer to Coach or Moose; either is fine. Coach Haskins is going to work with the outfielders. Coach Herndon will work with the pitchers and catchers. The rest of the infield will be with me. The JV team will go with Coaches Stevens and Hope.
�I also want to clear something up for you freshmen and first-year players. You will not be playing varsity ball. I don�t believe in throwing anyone onto the varsity squad before they have at least a year of high school ball under their belt. This is nonnegotiable. The first one of you that has his momma or daddy call me about it will be running until they either drop or quit, I don�t really care which.
�There will be two teams this year, varsity and JV. Normally I try to put only first-year players on JV. If you�re cut from varsity, I�ll
I think that speech was almost verbatim what he gave every year. Of course, he broke that rule last year, but it looked like it was back in force. I hadn�t expected Mike and Luke�s dad would still be our coach. I assumed he would either help Wesleyan or quit, but I guess he liked the game that much. Coach Haskins had been promoted from JV to varsity. He took Coach Diamond�s place as outfield coach. I was surprised to see Coach Hope had decided to work with the JV again. I thought for sure he would be working with the seven-on-seven football players with Coach Rector. The only new coach was Coach Stevens.
I would find out later that they hadn�t gotten the budget approved for the seven-on-seven coaching positions. This was a new spring sport that hadn�t been planned for. All the football coaches would help Coach Rector out, but they wanted the extra money more. I suspected that Mr. Hicks, our athletic director, was afraid he�d be told to take the seven-on-seven cost out of his existing budget. I couldn�t wait until the Booster Club found out. If I�d been Coach Hope, I would have just picked up the phone and called Mrs. Sullivan. But, as a retired Marine, it was ingrained in him that you followed the chain of command. I�ll give him credit for finding a work-around solution. I just knew that if Mrs. Sullivan and the Boosters had found out, they�d have given the school the money and an even better solution.
One of the poor freshmen raised his hand.
�I think I can win a spot on the varsity. I was the best player in my summer league last year, and I�m sure I could contribute.�
�No,� was Moose�s one-word answer.
�I�m serious. I can beat out whoever you have playing center field.�
Oh, shit. Had someone put this kid up to it, or was he just that stupid? No way would Moose let that one slide. Jim had a big grin on his face. I�d been gentle when I whacked him in the jewels last time, but I would put a little effort into it now.
�I�d like to see a little competition,� Jim said, confirming my suspicions.
�What do you think?� Moose asked Coach Haskins.
�If he really is better, I�d like to see it.�
Moose acted like he was thinking about it. I�d finally had enough.
�Let�s just do this and get it over with,� I said.
It was at that moment the kid figured out who the center fielder was and gave Jim a dirty look. I looked closer, and the kid resembled Jim a bit. He was tall, maybe six-one, and they had the same platinum-blond hair and blue eyes.
�Are you two related?� I asked.
�He�s my cousin. He just moved here from Pennsylvania. If you could teach him some manners, I�d be appreciative,� Jim said.
�What�s your name?� I asked.
�Dan,� he said.
�Dan, I�m David. Don�t worry, Jim�ll get what�s coming to him,� I predicted, which made Dan smile.
�Let�s get this started,� Moose said.
He and the other coaches put their heads together to come up with the challenges.
�The first challenge is to see how fast you are on the basepaths. You�ll start out in the batter�s box, and we�ll time how fast you can get around the bases. Dan, you�re a lefty, so you take the left-hand box and David the right. When you�re ready, Dan, start running, and the clock will begin,� Coach Haskins said.
Dan took off, and I waited my turn.
�You�re running at the same time,� Moose said.
�Bite me,� I mumbled under my breath and began to run.
Of course, the whole timed bit was a setup. Dan was already at first base. Everyone laughed until I began to catch up. Dan stumbled around third base when he saw me flying up behind him. He righted himself and decided to dive for home. I knew I was faster if I ran through the base, so I stayed on my feet. It was either a tie, or I�d edged him out. It was close. Moose pointed to Dan.
�Winner!�
There was no use fighting it. Moose was having too much fun.
�The next competition is gunning down a runner at home. You�ll line up in shallow center, and I�ll hit you a pop-up. The runner has to hold until you catch the ball before he can go home,� Coach Haskins said.
�I think we should be the runners against the other guy. I don�t need someone like Jim on the base path for me,� I said.
�But David�s faster than me,� Dan complained.
�Not according to Moose,� I pointed out.
�That sounds fair,� Moose said.
�I also want a complete infield,� I said.
Moose just rolled his eyes. I stepped up to Johan, who was our catcher.
�You better try, or you�ll be on my list, too,� I warned.
�Oh, believe me, I�ll knock you on your butt if you try to score on me,� he said.
That might�ve been a mistake.
Dan got to go first. He took his place in the outfield, and Moose hit him a high, lazy fly ball. The kid had played some baseball because he set himself up to catch on the run in. As soon as Dan caught the ball, I dug in and ran full-out. He came up throwing. The only problem was he overthrew it to get it there faster. When you did that, your ball tends to rise. Johan had to jump up to catch it. I was safe by a mile, so Moose couldn�t say otherwise.
It was my turn. I knew what was going to happen. As soon as I heard the ball come off the bat, I turned and sprinted to the fence. Coach Haskins had hit it over my head to give Dan a chance. I think everyone assumed I would try to use my big arm to gun it to home. But I knew that in a case like this, it was usually faster to hit the cutoff man. If I hadn�t had to run back, I might have tried a throw to home. Brock was at second base and had trotted out to shallow center like he was trained to do. He was just as surprised as everyone else was when I wheeled and fired the ball at him. I swear Brock caught it out of self-defense. He turned and fired it home on a rope. Johan was a man of his word. He got down and blocked the plate enough to force Dan to reach around to score. It was enough, and Dan was called out.
Coach Haskins was happy to see I�d made the right play. The rest of the team seemed a little deflated. I think they�d seen this before. Dan and I were tied, one to one.
�The last test will be hitting. You�ll each get ten pitches. The one who hits the longest home run wins,� Moose said.
I smelled a rat. Coach Herndon took the mound to warm up. In his prime, he�d been a pitcher in the minor leagues. While he didn�t have the heat anymore, he did have some nasty junk pitches. Dan got to go first. Coach Herndon grooved the first pitch, and Dan jerked it out of the park. The key was he jerked it, so it barely got out. He overswung on every pitch as he tried to kill it. With some work, Dan could be a decent batter. Playing on the JV team would help him for next year.
Dan had seen ten fastballs. My first pitch was a curve that actually hit me.
�Sorry,� Coach Herndon called out.
�Did that even count?� I asked.
�Yep,� Moose said.
Of course it did. The next pitch was also a curve, but Coach Herndon hung it out over the plate. I did as I had been taught and parked it for the win.
Coach Hope stepped up.
�Head to the track. We�re running stairs.�
And so, the first practice began, where they saw who was in shape. Personally, I think they wanted to kill us.
◊◊◊
I was in the shower, letting the hot water do its work on my tired muscles.
�What time are you going to be at the T-Bird?� Wolf asked.
I assumed Zoe had talked.
�7:30. You have to be there before eight, or you can�t get in,� I said.
I�d wanted a get-to-know-you date with Zoe, but she obviously had other plans. When Roc found out we were going on a date, he horned in. He was dating Piper, so it would be fine, or so I thought. Piper�s sister Emma also wanted to go with her boyfriend Neil. I�d taken Roc and Neil aside and explained that I would provide the ride, but they were not sitting with us. Roc almost was told he wasn�t getting a ride when he made a comment about not wanting to hang with old people anyway.
I came out of the locker room and saw that Fritz wasn�t driving.
�Aren�t you getting the door?� I asked.
�No, and you can ride in the front seat,� Paul said.
I was surprised Fritz would allow Paul to take me out after dark. He got into trouble when I got him laid in LA. It�s hard to watch your protection assignment when that�s going on.
�Did Fritz tell you the plans for tonight?� I asked.
�I can hardly wait. He said I was hauling a bunch of teens around. He did say that you had to buy me dinner.�
I knew better. They paid for their own and then billed me. Seeing Paul brought back some good memories of my time in LA.
I heard a pitiful meow in the back. Halle had given him Bandit to bring over. When we stopped at my house so I could change clothes, I introduced Duke to Bandit. I left the two of them so I could get dressed and heard the click of Duke�s toenails as he got rowdy in my living room. I rushed in, afraid I would have to get Halle a new kitten.
Duke had his butt in the air and was bouncing around as Bandit swatted at him. Duke thought it was the most fun ever. Bandit, not so much.
�Gentle,� I commanded Duke.
Duke pounced at Bandit, and Bandit popped him on the nose. I figured they�d work it out. On my way out, I scooped Bandit up and took him to the house. I put Peggy in charge. When I left, she had Little David petting the kitty.
◊◊◊
Paul and I were at the Pearson�s, waiting for Roc and Zoe to get ready. Mr. and Mrs. Pearson were happy that an
�I�m thinking about getting a canoe,� Mr. Pearson said.
�Oh, don�t do that. Those things are death traps,� I warned.
�There has to be a story there,� Mrs. Pearson said.
�I guess I should start at the beginning. My dad bought a canoe, thinking it would be fun. At the time he worked at the park district, and they have an annual father-son canoe race. Of course, my dad thought my older brother would be a better partner, so Mom and I had to �be supportive,�� I said with air quotes.
�Anyway, that isn�t important to the story,� I said.
�Did they win?� Mr. Pearson asked.
�Yes,� I admitted.
�I think that�s something Roc and I should do,� Mr. Pearson told his wife.
She and I both rolled our eyes at him. In fact, Greg and Dad had had a great time. I was sure Roc would, too.
�So, I don�t understand. How is canoeing dangerous?� Mrs. Pearson asked.
�Remember the flooding we had seven or eight years ago?� I asked, and they both nodded.
�After the rain stopped, my dad thought it would be good family outing to canoe at the park. It was more fun than I had expected. The backstops at the baseball field are about twelve feet high. There was only about a foot of fencing above the water; that should give you some idea of how bad the flooding was.
�We decided to go under the old covered bridge and see what things looked like on the other side. The road was high enough that it was dry, and we saw a group of bicyclists checking out the flooding. We said �hi� and tried to go under the bridge, but the water was too high.
�We turned around. Dad wanted to check out another part of the park. Across the river is a wooded area that then opens out into farmland. What we didn�t know was the path of the river had changed with the flooding. Suddenly our canoe was caught in the current, and we shot into the woods.
�Mom started to scream, which frightened me. I think we went from zero to sixty in under a second. We were banging into trees, and I was sure we were dead. That was when my worst nightmare happened: the nose of the canoe hit a massive oak tree square-on. Greg face-planted into the tree. If he hadn�t, he would have been in the water and, I suspect, dead.
�The back end of the canoe swung around and hit another tree. Luckily, Dad was thinking and tilted the canoe to keep the roiling water from swamping us. Mom and I ended up in a pile on the bottom. She decided we might all need to put on our life jackets,� I said and shook my head sadly.
�I know, we probably should have had them on already, but we were all good swimmers. We never imagined we would be caught in the Boiling Caldron of Doom,� I said, and then smiled as Zoe came down the stairs. �Hi.�
�David, what happened next?� Paul asked.
I looked at the three adults, and they were on the edge of their seats.
�Where was I?� I asked.
�Boiling Caldron of Doom,� Mrs. Pearson prompted.
�So, Mom and I are on the floor of the canoe, putting on life jackets. Turns out there were three children�s lifejackets and one adult. I will always remember the look of terror on my mom�s face with a kiddie lifejacket barely covering her neck. If she fell into the water, I guess it might have brought her corpse to the surface,� I said with a big grin.
�David, that�s terrible,� Mrs. Pearson said.
�Hey, at least I can laugh about it now,� I said and then continued the story. �Greg decided to save himself. He started to climb into the oak tree, to hell with the rest of us. Mom told him to get his butt back into the boat. Dad talked him down and convinced him to push the canoe back so the nose wasn�t lodged against the tree.
�That was when it got scary,� I said and paused for dramatic effect. �The canoe shot deeper into the woods, and we had just hit warp speed when we hit another tree head-on. Mom sort of flew over me, and I grabbed her before she could tumble into the water. The universe must have wanted to balance its karma because Greg smashed into the tree and got a bloody nose. Dad had been thrown from his seat and piled onto me.
�The canoe didn�t catch a tree, but it whipped around in the current, and we were now heading backward through the Jungle of Death. We slammed against I don�t know how many trees before we shot out the other side. Dad grabbed his paddle and got us out of the current.
�Dad made Greg get in the middle with Mom, and let me take over with the lead paddle position, as he should�ve in the first place. When we got back to the park, and out of the canoe, we could see the damage. It looked like the canoe had been in a car wreck. The nose had crumpled from the direct hits. The sides looked like a pi�ata that a bunch of ten-year-olds had pounded with a baseball bat but just couldn�t seem to break.
�When Mom got out, she informed everyone that that was the last time she would ever set foot in that thing again,� I said.
�Was everyone okay?� Mrs. Pearson asked.
�Yeah, but there�s more to the story. It seems the bicyclists got worried when they saw a screaming family of four shoot into the woods. When we got home, we were the lead story on the Channel 3 News. Rescue workers were out looking for our bodies. Dad called and straightened it out,� I said.
�So, you were in the news at a young age,� Mr. Pearson stated.
�Yep, I was a legend in my own mind even back then.�
Roc had finally joined us. They say girls take forever to get ready. They had nothing on Roc.
◊◊◊
Paul picked everyone up, and we drove to the Thunderbird for dinner. Zoe and I were seated at a quiet table by ourselves. It seemed the JV cheerleaders were all there with dates, and everyone pulled tables together.
I was happy to see it was both Italian beef and prime rib night. The T-bird made a killer Italian beef with sausage sandwich. Zoe picked the prime rib, so I got the sandwich. They also had an appetizer sampler platter with fried mushrooms, onion rings, jalapeno poppers, and potato skins. All of which was probably off my diet, but then again, how often did I get actual bar food?
We�d just gotten our appetizer when Roc came and sat down with us, looking worried.
�Zoe, I forgot my wallet.�
�Sucks to be you,� Zoe said and winked at me.
Only an older sibling can torment you like that. I sat back and tried not to grin.
�Come on, I know Mom gives you emergency money. Let me borrow enough to pay for at least Piper�s dinner,� he begged.
�What�s she getting?� Zoe asked.
�I don�t know. Whatever she wants, I guess,� Roc said.
�I think she has him wrapped around her little finger,� I offered and was rewarded with a glare from Roc.
�How much was that Kid�s Meal on the menu?� she asked me.
�Like five dollars,� I said.
�I think he needs to learn to be more responsible,� Zoe opined.
�David, can I borrow some money?� Roc asked.
�I�d be glad to lend you some, but Piper isn�t my date.�
�Oh, she�d like to be,� he mumbled.
�What did you say?� Zoe asked as she raised her eyebrows.
�Yep, he needs to learn a lesson,� I agreed.
�You know I have the money. I�ll pay you back when I get home,� Roc said.
�I�m not sure we want money,� I said.
�When did this become �we�?� Roc asked.
�When I hauled your sorry butt here and had to listen to you for the last few minutes while I�m on my date,� I said with a straight face.
�What do we want him to do for us?� Zoe asked me.
�I personally would like to get a few get-out-of-jail-free cards,� I suggested.
�He was a little tattletale when he was younger, but he�s been pretty good since I caught him ��
�Zoe! Remember, I know about ��
�Roc, careful,� Zoe warned.
�Well, that solves that dilemma,� I said with a smile.
�You do something to my sister, and I�ll become Cassidy�s slave-boy and have her kick your ass,� Roc warned.
I would bet she�d do it to have her own personal slave. Maybe we should try something else.
�I�m at a loss,� I admitted.
�I could do your chores for a month,� Roc offered.
�That won�t work. I pay Wolf to do mine,� I said, being deliberately dense.
�I would do them for free,� he said.
Wolf had just come in, so I sent him a text to come over.
�I thought you were on a date. What�s her little brother doing on it?� Wolf asked.
�My point exactly,� I said, raising my eyebrows. �It seems young Mr. Pearson forgot his wallet and needs money to pay for tonight. I offered to give it to him if he�d do something for me. He said he would do the chores I pay you for, for free.�
�That won�t work. I do need some help with some things. Your mom wants all the storm windows taken out, and the screens put in. I�ll also need to prepare the garden and flower beds. I could hire him on at your going rate and make short work of it,� Wolf said.
�That work for you?� I asked Roc.
He just nodded, afraid someone might change the deal. I paid the man, and Zoe and I got back to our date.
�Are you really going to make him work for free?� Zoe asked.
�Wolf will keep track of his hours. Once he�s worked to pay me back for his date, I�ll pay him the difference.�
�How much do you pay?� she asked.
I told her.
�Can I work for you?� she asked.
�Talk to my grandma. She�s busy getting the farm ready. Just don�t shirk your duties at home. I don�t need your mom or dad looking for me.�
◊◊◊
I think most of Lincoln High showed up at the Thunderbird. They let us stay and dance until eleven and then kicked us out. There was a good band, and some college kids bought beer. Plus, they had a line around the block to get in.
Zoe and I never left the table. Usually, I would have been on the dance floor all night, but that wasn�t the purpose of our date. I learned a lot about her. She wanted to become a veterinarian and specialize in large animals. Zoe loved horses, and unfortunately, they sometimes got sick or injured. A career as a large-animal vet sounded perfect for her. It was hard work, but she wasn�t afraid of that. She was also quite smart. I knew she could handle the science.
Zoe admitted that she wanted to live on a farm and raise a large family, both things that had a lot of appeal to me. She seemed to have a knack for grounding me and making me feel at peace. Add all that together with our physical attraction and compatibility � she had everything I wanted in a woman.
I was glad we went on our date.
◊◊◊ Saturday February 27
Now that Moose could officially coach us, he had me come in for more batting practice. Today I was in early because I�d told Moose I had to attend a Town Hall meeting with Governor Higgins. Moose grudgingly agreed to my compromise, but I knew he wasn�t overly happy about it.
�I like what you�ve done to improve your batting. I want to make a few tweaks and add to your skills to make you a more well-rounded batter.�
Moose had been doing this for more than a quarter century, so I would listen to what he had to say.
�Yes, sir.�
I think he secretly hated it when I called him �sir.� Moose was more of a shot-and-beer kind of guy, so he just tolerated my ingrained upbringing.
�What I�m going to suggest is minor stance change. You�re a tall guy. Umpires are used to calling balls and strikes a certain way. If I were an opposing coach, I�d direct my pitchers to feed you a steady diet of low pitches out of the zone. That way I might pick up some calls they would make on shorter boys. What I suggest is that you bend your knees a little more so you can get to the lower pitches better.
�This will also help you with higher pitches. One of the best ways to get a hitter to pop up is to throw above his hands,� Moose said.
�I don�t understand.�
Moose had me make a few practice swings.
�Now stop over the plate,� he ordered.
I swung the bat until it was over the center of the plate and held it there.
�This is your natural swing,� Moose pointed out.
Moose stepped in front of the plate with a baseball and held it an inch over my bat.
�What are you going to do to hit this ball?� he asked.
�I�ll have to adjust my swing,� I said.
�Show me.�
I swung the bat to hit the higher ball.
�Notice how your swing changed?�
�Yeah.�
It had changed from a flat swing to more of an uppercut. I could see how the trajectory of the ball would change, or I would undercut the ball and pop it up.
�What would happen if you originally had your knees bent? Could you stand a little straighter and still have your natural swing?�
�Yes, but I�ll have to make adjustments on almost every ball thrown. Not all of them will be perfect.�
�You�re right,� Moose said, and then smiled. �What I�m trying to show you is a way to expand the zone where you can swing naturally. You�re a coordinated kid. I wouldn�t try this with all my players, because I first want them to find their swing. This adds some complexity to your hitting approach in that your body isn�t just striding and hitting. There may be some movement up or down to get the bat head where you need it.
�Look, I have no worries that you can hit almost any pitch. Your eye-hand coordination is exceptional. You know as well as I do that if you can get a pitch in your sweet spot, you can hit it harder without any extra effort. If you could expand that zone by just a couple of inches, it would make a difference in your long-term power numbers.�
�I�ll try it,� I said.
�Good. Now I want you to learn to bunt.�
I blinked a couple of times. I fancied myself a power hitter. Why would Moose ever want to take the bat out of my hand?
�Why?�
I would never have asked that if there were other players around because it would look like I was challenging Moose. I expect he knew what I was thinking.
�At some point, you�ll play on teams where you�re not the only quality player. I say that meaning no disrespect to your teammates. But bunting is a powerful weapon, and guys like you seldom learn how to do it correctly. If you watch major league baseball, there are only a few hitters on any team who can reliably lay down a bunt when needed. The ones who can�t were always the top guy before they got to the majors. Their previous coaches would rather have them swing away than sacrifice to move the runner over.
�If you learn this skill, it�ll make you even more valuable; just like Coach Haskins is going to teach you how to steal bases. I want you to think about the big picture for a minute. What does the infield do when someone like you comes up to bat?�
�Take a couple of steps back,� I said.
�Correct. They want to give themselves more time to react to a screaming shot. Now, what will happen if that same batter lays down a bunt? You�ll have that many extra steps to beat it out. A hit is a hit. You know what happens if you get burned in football: you adjust. I�ve watched you sucker a defensive back into playing tighter and then hit him with the big one.
�It�s the same thing here. If we can get them to play tighter, they have less time to react. It opens up holes where a hard hit can get through because they weren�t back and couldn�t react to it.� I nodded my understanding.
�Let�s talk about stealing bases. A good base stealer puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the infield and especially the pitcher. Now, to this point, I�ve never been a big proponent of base stealing, because each runner is so valuable. Combine that with the fact that not a lot of high school players are very good at it, and you can see why I�m that way.
�Coach Haskins has opened my eyes about a few things, though,� he said, and I smirked. �Yes, this old dog can be taught new tricks. Coach Haskins pointed out that the pitcher, catcher, and second baseman all have to do their jobs correctly to throw out a runner. Last year proved his assertion that at this level, an active base runner can cause havoc.
�It also forces the pitcher to throw out of the stretch because they have to hold the runner. If they throw to first, there�s always a chance for an error. This gives our batter an advantage. My plan is to get you on first and make the defense worry about what you�re going to do. Coach Haskins is one of these metrics guys, and he assures me that a good base runner will help us win more games.�
�I can get behind that. If it�ll make me a more well-rounded player and help the team, I�ll put in the work,� I said.
He had me go into the batting cage and adjust my stance slightly. Bending my knees more felt funny, but I could still hit without a problem. It would just take time for me to get used to it.
While I finished up, others began to arrive. Moose patted me on the back and actually cracked a smile.
�Go tend to your political stuff. Just remember, baseball season is here now, and I�d kind of like it if you�d start focusing on it.�
◊◊◊
Paul was waiting for me out front. He took me home so I could change. I asked him to go pick up everyone, and I�d be ready by the time he got back. After putting on a Dakora outfit, I ran downstairs to the house to check on Bandit. I didn�t need Halle�s cat traumatized when I returned him. He met me at the back door and meowed. Bandit wasn�t happy about something.
�He�s a bigger tattletale than Duke,� Mom said.
�Have you been abusing him?� I asked.
�No, I think he�s just used to being an only child. Why don�t you take him out back for a bit?� Mom suggested.
Halle had bought Bandit a kitty leash. While he usually came to me, I didn�t want him taking off; I would never hear the end of it. Bandit seemed to understand that Duke didn�t get to go with us because he almost pranced out the back door to the whines of my trusty hound. Duke certainly didn�t understand why his master would take a cat for a walk when he didn�t get to go. If I had more time, I would�ve taken both of them.
Suddenly a blur jumped out from the side of the house.
�Oh, no, no, no, no!�
Precious had Bandit by the back of the neck, and he looked dead. I felt my stomach tighten. If Brit�s cat had just killed Bandit, I might have to end Precious. I got on my knees.
�Bring it here,� I commanded.
Precious cocked her head and then brought me the kitten. She dropped him, and Bandit jumped up into my arms. I�d forgotten that if you picked up a cat by the scruff of the neck, it would go limp. My heart was beating like crazy, and I could feel Bandit trembling in my arms. I checked him all over, and Precious hadn�t left a mark on him.
I stepped inside, handed Bandit to Mom, and told her what had happened. Bandit was happy with all the attention she gave him. She told him stories of the evil cat from next door. I, of course, had to let Duke out. I chuckled when Precious tried the same thing on Duke. He just shook her off and then chased her.
◊◊◊
When the SUV pulled into the gate, I sent Duke inside and called to my mom to let her know I was leaving. Grandma Dawson had claimed shotgun, and Brook�s parents claimed the middle row, so I got in the back with Brook. Today�s Town Hall wasn�t going to be like the �get out the vote� campus events I supported last weekend, despite being held at UIC�s Pavilion.
That was the reason my grandma was going. People across the state knew who she was, and it would be an older crowd.
�What are we supposed to do?� I asked.
�You�ll sit behind the panel in case a question gets directed to you,� Grandma Dawson said.
�So, this is going to be boring,� I said.
Brook hit me in the back of the head. I was sure Paul was with me on the sentiment, though. Everyone else seemed to be excited about going to a Town Hall meeting.
◊◊◊
Once we settled into our drive, Brook jabbed my side to get my attention. She had her tablet out and showed me a sailboat. They offered a one-week cruise that would start in Puerto Rico and end in Aruba. They were equipped to fill dive tanks.
The more I read about the yacht, the more excited I got. It was a luxury catamaran that would comfortably accommodate up to eight guests while covering up to 300 nautical miles per day under sail. It was sixty-nine feet long, but the website said the yacht was still compact enough to fit into most harbors. And its shallow draft allowed it to slip into quiet coves and anchorages that would be off-limits for keelboats of her size.
It had four guest cabins, each with a queen-size bed and private bathroom. That would be perfect for our parents, Brook and I. It came with two crew members who sailed the yacht and cooked gourmet meals. I flipped through the photos, and it looked like a floating five-star hotel. It even had air conditioning so you could get a good night�s sleep.
It said they would customize your cruise to your specific needs. If you wanted to act like a tourist and enjoy what the different islands had to offer, they could do that. For the group who wanted to just relax, they would find beautiful secluded coves. They also had options for the more adventurous.
�What does this cost?� I asked Brook.
She told me, and I calculated it as a per-person price. For that much money, I could buy a yacht.
�Seriously? Eighty-eight thousand in total?� I asked.
�No, it�s eleven thousand total for the week. That includes everything. Of course, it can be more if you do some add-ons.�
�Like what?� I asked.
�If you�re a foodie and want high-end wine, for example.�
�Don�t tell my dad, he�d want some expensive scotch.�
�I think our dads will get along,� Brook said.
�What do we have to do to book it?� I asked.
She blushed.
�I already did,� she said and then asked a question before I could object. �Who are you bringing with you?�
�What do you mean?�
�Your room is big enough to have someone sleep with you.�
�I thought �� I started and then realized the parental units would be with us. So much for that plan.
�I was thinking about inviting Cassidy.�
I ran through the list of guys I knew, but I didn�t want to sleep in the same bed with any of them for a week. Maybe I could convince my parents to allow me to ask Beth. The only problem with that was I wanted to spend time with Brook. It would be a little awkward if Beth were there. This was one of those times where Tami said my first instinct was always wrong. I would be better off going alone.
�Let me think about it.�
�I need to know by Monday so I can order plane tickets.�
�For now, just figure I�ll go solo. If I change my mind, I�ll take care of the tickets later.�
�Call your mom,� Brook ordered.
I knew Ava, Brook�s mom, had been listening to us.
�Ava, you want to call her?� I asked, and she had the grace to act confused about what I was asking.
�Mom will call her,� Brook said.
Ava got her phone out and dialed. I smiled to myself when she didn�t ask who she was supposed to call. She definitely needed to work on her acting skills.
◊◊◊
When we arrived at the University of Illinois at Chicago�s campus, we made the trek to their basketball arena, the UIC Pavilion. They had a stage set up with panel-type seating. There was VIP guest seating on a riser behind the panel. My grandma and I were assigned seats in that area. They set it up so the TV cameras could see the supporters.
Brook and her family were assigned seats on the floor close to the front. I felt a little bad they didn�t rate VIP seats. Bill Carl, the banker and minority owner of the Cubs, brought his wife Elinor over to say hi. It turned out my grandma was good friends with them. They chatted with my grandma while I spaced out.
It was finally time for the event to begin. The governor was on the stage, as were representatives from the FBI, DHS, and State Police, as well as Bev Mass, the State�s Attorney for Cook County. The topic was how the state would deal with terrorists. I rolled my eyes when a university professor got up and talked at length about how we should just all love one another, and the terrorists would leave us alone. While I wasn�t for drone strikes in the suburbs, even I knew that a group hug wasn�t going to stop the violence.
The FBI and DHS representatives talked at length about how they were working to keep us safe. Then it was the State Police�s turn. Bev Mass spoke for both the Chicago Police Department and her office. I hadn�t realized the resources they�d committed to this type of problem.
Then they opened it up to questions. A woman in a hijab came to one of the microphones. They had four set up around the arena, and there was a line at each.
�Peace to you all. I�m a law student at Northwestern University, and I�m here to ask you a simple question. It seems we portray Islam and all Muslims as bad, but there are 1.5 billion Muslim followers of Islam, most of whom are not radical. We have over eight million Muslim-Americans, and I don�t see them represented here on this panel. But my question is, how can we fight an ideological war with the weapons and methods outlined here today? How can we end this war? The Jihadist ideology that you talk about is just that, an ideology. How can you ever win this thing if you don�t address it ideologically?� she asked.
I watched as Brook got up and waved for attention. She stepped up to one of the mics. The people on the panel clearly weren�t comfortable. I was sure they were afraid of looking insensitive and possibly saying something politically incorrect. They happily deferred to Brook.
�Excuse me, let me take this. Great question. I�m so glad you�re here, and I�m happy you brought that up because it gives us an opportunity to answer. What I find so amazing is that since the beginning of this discussion, not one person has even mentioned Muslims, let alone suggest that we are for or against Islam. We�re here to talk about how a young woman died here in Chicago, and to discuss the shootings in California and how to make our people safe.
�We�re not here to bash Muslims. You were the only one who brought up the issue about most Muslims, not us. And since you brought it up, allow me to elaborate on the answer. There are 1.5 billion Muslims in the world today. Of course, not all of them are radicals; the majority of them are peaceful people. The radical Muslims are estimated to be between fifteen and twenty-five percent of the total world Muslim population, according to all the intelligence services around the world. That leaves seventy-five percent who are peaceful people.
�But when you talk about fifteen to twenty-five percent of the worldwide Muslim population, you�re talking about 225 to 375 million people. That�s as big as the population of the United States. And all dedicated to the destruction of Western civilization.
�So why should we worry about the radicals? Because it�s the radicals who kill. Because it�s radicals who strangle a young woman who just wanted to meet and have her picture taken with my friend David. It�s the radicals who kill innocents.
�When you go back through history and the lessons we should learn, you find most Germans were peaceful. Yet during World War II, the Nazis drove the agenda, and as a result, 60 million people died. Almost 14 million died in concentration camps, and six million of them were Jews. The peaceful majority of Germans were irrelevant. They did nothing to stop it.
�When you look at Russia, most Russians were peaceful people. Yet the Russians killed 20 million of their own people in that same war and during the purges that preceded it. The peaceful majority were irrelevant again. When you look at China, for example, most Chinese were peaceful as well. Yet the Chinese government still killed 70 million people during their Cultural Revolution. The peaceful majority were irrelevant.
�When you look at Japan before World War II, you find that most Japanese were peaceful. Yet Japan was able to butcher its way across Southeast Asia. They killed 12 million people, mostly with bayonets and shovels. The peaceful majority were irrelevant.
�On 9-11, in the United States, we had 2.3 million Arab Muslims living here. That doesn�t include non-Arab Muslims from different regions of the world like Indonesia, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Uzbekistan, Xinjian, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. And some are home grown here in the United States. It took 19 hijackers, 19 radicals, to bring America to its knees as they destroyed the World Trade Center and attacked the Pentagon. They killed nearly three thousand people that day. The peaceful majority were irrelevant that day.
�So, for all your reasoning, and us talking about moderate and peaceful Muslims, I�m glad you�re here. But where are the others? Why aren�t they speaking out? You seem to be the only Muslim representative.
�Since you�re the only Muslim representative here, you took the limelight. Yet you didn�t speak about why the young girl died, or about the tragedy in California, or about what our government is doing to address these problems. Instead, you chose to make a point about peaceful, moderate Muslims. You make a good point about ideology; I wish you�d brought ten others with you so they could help us figure this out.
�It�s time we take political correctness and throw it in the garbage where it belongs. As far as I�m concerned, the peaceful Muslims are irrelevant to this discussion,� Brook concluded.
My first thought was, �Oh, shit.� It took a moment for what she said to sink in, and then a smattering of applause started. Then it grew. I was sure I would look back at this moment and be able to point to the time Brook Davis entered politics. What she said wasn�t intended to be politically correct. Rather, she intended to tell some truths. What�s the old saying, �out of the mouths of babes�?
Most Muslims weren�t radical. We needed to focus on the ones that were, the ones that wanted to destroy our way of life. While I could see her point, I might not have said peaceful Muslims were irrelevant. I would bet that if we ever wanted to solve this problem, we would need their help. I felt we needed to be more inclusive instead of an �us against them� type of mentality. But that wasn�t her point. Her point was we spent too much time focused on not hurting anyone�s feelings. How many more had to die before we woke up?
◊◊◊
After the Town Hall meeting, I noticed that Governor Higgins avoided Brook and her family. I pointed it out to my grandmother.
�That�s politics, my boy. He doesn�t know how her comments will be received. You know that it doesn�t matter if she�s right or not. Our political climate is such that people just take sides and they�re ready to fight to the death over it. It saddens me to see that a well-reasoned comment is ignored. No, I take that back. It�s sad to see a well-reasoned comment vilified just because of who said it.
�Your grandfather predicted that partisanship would be our downfall. He said that too often all the infighting and political gridlock resulted in nothing getting done. Davey projected that voters would eventually become disgusted with it all. He expected that if it continued, people would leave the parties. They would seek alternatives. Davey said you�d see it first in local and then state elections. You�d see independent candidates beginning to win. But he felt it would be years before an independent could win a national election. That�s even though a third of the electorate identifies themselves as independent. The two-party system simply has too much money, and the parties have stacked the deck in their favor.
�He said that if the level of hostility continued to escalate, people would start to clamor for an alternative. They would be so disgusted with the choices offered that they would revolt,� Grandma Dawson said.
I could just see my grandpa ranting about the need for everyone to work together instead of bickering with each other. Something I will say was he was known to be a man of the people. He�d built himself into the power broker he was by knowing how to broker fair deals. If I ever went into politics, I wanted to be like Davey Dawson. My fear was I didn�t have the temperament for it. If they started to tell lies about me, I�d just track them down and kick their asses. I had a feeling that would be a bad idea.
◊◊◊
When we got in the car to go home, it was awful quiet. I finally had had enough. It was unnatural for Brook not to be her usual bubbly self.
�Those were some impressive stats,� I ventured.
�Dad�s a history buff and got me interested when I was young. I also heard a YouTube video where Brigitte Gabriel talked about this issue,� she admitted.
�You did a good thing,� I said and reached over and squeezed her hand.
�I shouldn�t have said anything.�
I smiled.
�You wouldn�t be Brook Davis if you didn�t say what you felt.�
She gave me half a smile.
�Max didn�t seem happy with me,� Brook said as her smile left her face.
�Max didn�t know what to think,� I said and then pulled her chin up so she looked me in the eyes. �What you said, what you believed, people heard that. As long as you�re true to yourself, you can wake up in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror and have a clear conscience.�
�David�s right. I was really proud of you,� Ian said.
Brook leaned close to me so only I could hear.
�I didn�t think guys like you really existed. Sweet, sincere, and HOT � you�re like a unicorn.�
I checked, and my wallet was still there. She gave me a smirk, and then the smile fell from her face. I left Brook alone with her own thoughts. If I were her, I would have needed some alone-time to sort out what had happened. I was proud of her and saw her in a completely different light.
◊◊◊
After we got back to town and dropped off Brook and her parents, Grandma asked me to visit the farmhouse with her.
�I want you to see what we�ve been up to.�
She showed me that they�d taken out several walls to open up the floor plan. My grandmother told me that back in the day, homes had many little rooms. They were able to save most of the wood floors, which were black walnut; my grandma speculated that they came from trees on the farm. They�d sanded and put polyurethane on the floors. It would have been criminal to stain them. Black walnut had a natural deep, rich look, darker than pine or oak, but not so dark as to make the space feel smaller. The refinished floors made a huge difference in the feel of the house.
The interior had all new paint, and the kitchen had been updated. They planned to tackle the bathrooms next. Once the interior was done, Grandma would have them work on the exterior. The front porch had some wood rot, and she pointed out that the house needed a new roof and paint.
�I want to show you something special,� she said with a little mischief in her eyes.
Grandma took me to a back room where there were tall and long dressers and an armoire. They were in a shaker style, but whoever made them was a real artisan. The drawer fronts on the dressers all had been made from a single piece of wood. You could tell because the grain matched from drawer to drawer. The long dresser had two columns of three drawers, and the tall dresser had a single column of five.
The armoire was big. Grandma opened it and showed me it was designed to be an entertainment center. The doors had pockets they could slide into so they disappeared.
�You can get a fifty-inch TV in there,� she said. �We had a couple of old trees that needed to come down. I made a deal with a local man to make these in exchange for the trees.�
�Who did you trade with?� I asked.
�The Mennonites have a sawmill, and they make furniture.�
�So this is all black walnut?� I asked.
�Yes, the old trees were big enough they were able to get wood wide enough to make these. He told me it was rare to be able to do it this way anymore.�
�You got yourself some incredible furniture,� I said.
�No, these are yours. They�re making me some other things. I�ve asked them to make a headboard to match.�
�I don�t have room,� I said, disappointed that they wouldn�t fit into my apartment.
�Your mom and I talked about it. I�ll store this here until you get a place of your own.�
�Grandma, I really appreciate that,� I said.
I pulled her into my arms to hug her and looked down at the gray hair on her head. Two things stood out for me like never before. The first was how much she loved her family and me. The second was how incredibly smart and forward-looking she was. When Mom and I clashed, and Grandma stepped in to help us resolve our differences, I�d found that she was someone I could go to for advice and love. This just reconfirmed that belief.
We grabbed some flashlights and then walked the farm. She revealed to me what all the plans were. She already had some goats, and the orchards were being cleaned up. Grandma showed me where the fields for produce would go in. They�d used walnut husks to cover the road back to the river. I�d no idea they could be used for that.
The county had approved a farm bridge so we could get to the fields on the other side. This summer they would put one in. Things were shaping up.
◊◊◊
Chapter 16 � I Think You�ll Like This Sunday February 28
I ran and then drove to church with my mom. Some dimwit college kid got up and said he wanted to go to Canc�n over spring break to do missionary work. I blurted out �bullshit� without thinking. The congregation had a laugh when my mom grabbed my ear and marched me out like I was ten years old. When we got outside, she let go and started to laugh.
�Don�t you ever do that again,� she said through the laughter bubbling up from inside her. �It was all I could do to keep from laughing at that idiot, and then at you calling him on it.�
�So, why did you make me leave? I had questions to ask about which resort he planned to hold his prayer meeting in,� I said.
�You just answered your own question. Come on, let�s go home. Your uncle has that smoker, and he�s bringing over ribs for lunch.�
That sounded like a plan.
When we got home, we had to park on the street. Wolf had Roc hard at work preparing the garden. Somehow Wolf seemed to have a sixth sense about when we�d be serving good food. I came into the house and found the rest of the Pearson family had joined us. Greg and his family were in the living room with Peggy and Little David. Bandit had a new fan in Kyle. That boy loved kittens. Mac saw me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me to Zoe.
�Horsey?� she asked, looking up at me with wide, pleading eyes.
�Did you make someone a promise?� I asked Zoe.
�Yeah, I think your niece needs a horseback ride this afternoon. I didn�t expect you�d mind.�
�I think Zoe just wants you to help her with her chores,� Mr. Pearson said.
�Well, I don�t mind,� I admitted. I really had absolutely no defense against two sets of innocent-seeming female eyes.
I introduced everyone to Paul, my driver and security for the day. Mom invited him to stay for lunch. I�m sure he was happy he did. Uncle John had done beef ribs and a huge brisket. Everyone else had brought something. Grandma Dawson was the star. She made homemade ice cream. I hadn�t had that in forever and had almost forgotten how good it was.
◊◊◊
After lunch, I hooked Zoe up with my grandma. They talked about Zoe working on our farm. I found out later that her dad had told her he�d pay for college, but she had to earn her own spending money. She had some money saved but wanted to make more. I liked that she knew the value of a dollar and was willing to work to get it.
Kyle wanted to stay home and play with Bandit, so I took Mac with me to Zoe�s house. I don�t know how it happened, but I mucked stalls while Zoe and Mac went for a horseback ride.
While I did that, Roc and his dad brought in the horses one at a time and groomed them as a team. Roc used a currycomb and other grooming tools while his dad checked and worked on hooves. The horses were used to the treatment. You had to groom horses daily so you could check on their general health and well-being.
When Mac and Zoe came back, it was apparent Mac needed a nap. She was a happy girl, though. I would have to warn Greg that someone would start working on him for a horse when she got older. I didn�t expect Greg was likely to be able to withstand the long and devastating little-girl siege he was going to encounter.
◊◊◊ Monday February 29
During my run, I realized that Moose was right, something had to give. I�d been pulled in too many directions lately. Baseball practice and the start of the season were the straws threatening to break the camel�s back. I thought about my schedule today, and if I added baseball, I wouldn�t get home until late. I reflected on everything I�d been doing since I came back from LA and realized I was going all day, every day, and it was all my own fault.
Even though I knew my dad could handle everything, I still met with Caryn to talk about business. I�d agreed to do the stupid play. Wasn�t one of my life goals learning to say �no�? They had to make allowances for me because I didn�t have time to make it to play practice. Well that, and Moose would never understand my skipping baseball to rehearse for the play.
Every bit of free time of more than a weekend seemed to be used up, either with a modeling gig or acting. I was glad that Brook had planned our spring break. If she hadn�t, I would�ve wound up doing a photo shoot that Range Sports wanted me for.
It wasn�t only the big things, either. It seemed I didn�t have a minute for myself during the day. I needed to figure out how to make time for fun. I missed hanging out and playing video games, going to the arcade, or lounging around the Andersons� pool.
When I got home, I pulled out my calendar and looked at my commitments. Baseball would be my focus for the next few months. Somewhere in there, Pam would have our baby. If what Greg told me was true, I was really in for it then. Not for the first time, I thanked my lucky stars that my parents, Pam, and Peggy would be there to help. Even if they were, I bet I would have a serious time commitment.
This summer wasn�t much better. My movie,
All of this seemed a little overwhelming. The only bright spot was my spring break plan to travel the Caribbean, diving and catching some rays. I wanted to remember to set some time aside for fun things.
When I looked at my calendar, I shook my head. I planned to sit down with Caryn and Kendal and have them help me really practice some effective time management moving forward. There wasn�t much I could do with my current schedule, because I tried to be a man of my word�another life goal�and I�d committed to doing what was listed. This just highlighted the consequences of giving my word on something.
Why was learning a life lesson always so hard?
◊◊◊
When Paul dropped me off at school, Zoe was waiting for me out front. Paul would be with Fritz most of the day while the two of them reviewed our security, and Paul became more familiar with our area. Two things they would focus on were the farms and the new strip mall.
�Morning,� I said cheerily.
�I wanted to see if we could, uh, get together at lunchtime?� Zoe asked.
�Of course we can,� I said as my day seemed suddenly to get better. �I have my Junior Class Project meeting. Why don�t I just meet you in the same music room afterward?�
She nodded, then looked embarrassed and left me standing in front of the school. Apparently, her parents were keeping a closer eye on her, now that they�d talked to Rita James. I knew that they didn�t believe in sex before marriage, and I was sure they strongly suspected that Zoe and I had been together. I was just grateful they hadn�t decided I was a bad influence and told her she couldn�t see me.
What surprised me was that Zoe had arranged for us to get together at school again. I was impressed with her adventurous side. I knew she wasn�t 100 percent comfortable with this, but if she wanted to, I was okay with it.
Tracy and Pam saw me next.
�Was Zoe trying to get another date?� Pam pouted.
�Sort of. Why, did you want one too?�
�Halle said we all got one, except for Brook, of course. She�s had way too much alone time with you in Chicago for the past two weekends,� Pam explained.
�I think this�ll turn out badly if everyone tries to keep score,� Tracy predicted, making me smile.
�Finally, someone with some common sense,� I said, pointing to Tracy.
�I know what you�re doing, and I suggest you need to take more than your little harem out on dates if you expect to achieve your goal,� Tracy said.
�Hold on �� Pam started.
She didn�t seem to like the idea of me dating outside of Halle, Zoe, Brook, and herself. I had another issue, so I cut Pam off.
�What goal?� I asked.
�You�re finally over Tami. It�s time for you to find a girlfriend.�
I gave her a look as I cocked my head to the side to try to figure out how she�d figured that out. Suddenly it came to me � Tami!
�You�ve been talking to Tami,� I accused.
�Doesn�t mean she�s wrong,� Tracy said.
I sure as hell hoped that Tami didn�t believe she could wiggle her way back into my life like this. I stopped and took a deep breath. It amazed me that the mere mention of her name would cause me to have such an adverse reaction. There were still a lot of unresolved feelings there. Maybe I wasn�t as ready to find a girlfriend as I thought I was.
What had to happen was the Brandon situation had to be resolved. After that, I needed to figure out what type of friendship Tami and I might have. In my mind, I wanted to be just friends with her, much like Tracy had become. There was no way I would consider more than that.
�You think I need to date, play the field,� I said.
�I don�t think that�s what she meant,� Pam said.
�No, that�s exactly what I meant.�
Tracy might have just given Pam a migraine.
�I guess I could start saying �yes� to all the inappropriate offers girls have been making,� I said thoughtfully.
�Now look what you did,� Pam huffed at Tracy.
The bell rang, so I acted as if I�d consider my last statement. I wondered how long it would be before one of my �harem� cornered me and straightened out my thinking.
◊◊◊
At lunchtime, we all met about our Junior Class Projects. I made it a point to take a step back and push the others into the lead. It was decided we�d try to fill the bus for the homeless at our first Saturday home baseball game. Brit was in charge of that project. Alan wanted to test his app, and they planned to roll it out next week. Wolf had arranged everything with the school to build the picnic tables.
The goal had been to get the junior class involved. It was decided to let Alan send out text and email messages asking for volunteers.
◊◊◊
After the meeting broke up, I hurried to the music room. There was no sign of Zoe. The girl who�d caught us last time came up to me.
�Your friend asked me to tell you she had something come up.�
I must have looked disappointed.
�I�d be willing to help you out,� she blurted out.
The poor girl looked mortified she�d just said that. I bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing. I raised my eyebrows and looked her in the eyes.
�Oh, dear lord, did I just say that?� she asked.
�I�ve been extra horny today,� I said to tease her.
Color me confused when she launched herself at me, and I found her legs wrapped around my waist as she mashed her lips against mine. The momentary confusion was all Mr. Happy needed to wrest control of the body away from the big brain. I would later wonder what the hell I�d been thinking, but it was apparent I wasn�t.
I staggered to the door of one of the practice rooms, carried her in, and got the door closed. She ground herself against my now hard member. I reached between us, pushed my hand under her t-shirt, and began to massage her small breast. In the fray, we both ended up bare-chested, and I leaned down and began to suck on her nipples.
I was contemplating what to do next when the big brain kicked back in. Mr. Happy made a mighty effort, but I won. I remembered that while I was up for new things, that didn�t mean I should take every opportunity that came my way, just because I could.
I had a dilemma. There was no way I would bring myself to have full-on sex with her, but I didn�t want her to feel I�d rejected her, either. I had enough experience to remember how I would�ve reacted if a girl had gotten me this worked up and then suddenly stopped. It would be worse if she told me I was too young for her, which was exactly what I was thinking at that moment.
That was when I decided on a compromise. If I were her, I would probably be okay if I at least got off. I ground myself against her sex through her jeans as I continued to play with her breasts. All the signs were there: her breathing began to get more urgent and ragged; her upper chest and neck became pink; her nipples were rock-hard; and there was the distinct aroma of an aroused teen girl.
I grinned when her eyes got big and she stiffened against me. I wondered if girls had the same issues guys did when they came in their pants. Probably not to the extent we did, I guessed. When she began to come down from her orgasmic bliss, she let her legs unwrap themselves from around my waist. It was clear she was embarrassed, having realized what we�d just done.
�We should probably head to class,� I suggested.
The poor girl got her top on and hurried out. I sat on the piano bench for a few minutes and thought about it.
This wasn�t me. I guess that was a lie because my raging hormones had just proven that I was capable of what almost occurred. I mentally slapped myself for letting it happen. That was when I realized I had my own problem trying to rip out of my jeans. I tried to push the length down my pant leg, but I knew it would be evident to everyone who saw me what my condition was.
What I did next reinforced just what a bad idea this had been: I took matters into my own hand. I�d barely gotten myself together when the bell rang.
◊◊◊
Zoe seemed to avoid me all afternoon. I sometimes wondered what was up with her. I figured I�d just be asking for trouble if I went searching for her.
Since I had a few minutes before practice, I called Bev Mass. I got lucky: she was in.
�I planned to call you later,� she said.
�If this isn�t a good time ��
�No, I actually have a few minutes,� she assured me. �I got a call to give me an update on our case.�
I noticed it was now �our� case.
�They�ve been busy with the investigation. The detectives running the case interviewed all the members of the Final Club who are still at Harvard. Most of them agreed to give DNA to eliminate themselves as suspects.�
�That has to be the dumbest thing they could�ve done,� I said.
�If you wanted to prove you didn�t do it ��
�Sure, but now your DNA is in a national database. You have sex with someone, and they cry rape �� I reasoned.
Bev just laughed at me.
�I bet you have an attorney who could cut a deal to provide your DNA for the limited purpose of that one case.�
�They can do that?� I asked.
�We would rather get your DNA on file,� she said.
Every time I talked to her, I got more nervous. I imagined she might somehow be setting me up for something. I was glad I hadn�t done anything she was really interested in.
�Have they talked to Brandon yet?� I asked to refocus her on �our� case.
�Not yet. They�re methodically following the evidence; you don�t want them to only focus on him. Something a good defense lawyer will ask is whether they followed all the leads or just focused on their client. Brandon�s dad is reputed to be an excellent lawyer. We don�t want to give him anything to get his son off with,� Bev explained.
�So how do they get there?� I asked.
�Once they�ve eliminated and interviewed the other people who were around when the rapes happened, they�ll start to build a case with fewer suspects. When they feel they have enough, they�ll interview Brandon.�
�I could punch him and let him bleed all over my shirt if that would help,� I suggested.
�No, that wouldn�t be such a good idea. The key to making it stick is the chain of custody. It would be better if the police gathered the evidence. They�re trained to make sure all the rules are followed,� Bev explained.
�How would they get DNA without tipping him off?� I asked.
�They could get it from utensils or a drinking glass he used while eating out, or from his laundry if he sends it out. Basically, they�d try for anything he�s been in contact with. The key is that you can�t force him to give it up unless you have probable cause. If you had DNA from, say, a fast-food plastic cup that matched the DNA in one of the rape kits, that would be enough. Then they could force him to provide a sample.�
I thought about it and decided I�d waited long enough. It was time I was proactive, or this thing could drag on forever. After I hung up with Bev, I called my dad.
�What�s up?� he asked when he answered.
�Do you remember the detective who investigated me?� I asked.
�Yeah. Why, are you in trouble?� Dad asked.
�No. I just need his help with the Tami thing. Would you call him and ask if we might sit down and talk with him?�
�I�ll have Ms. Dixon call him.�
She�d be pissed if I talked to the police about
◊◊◊
At baseball practice, they had me park myself in center field and just hit fly balls at me. I�d played baseball, but never the outfield. Coach Haskins was out in the field with me.
�Listen to the sound of the bat. It�ll help you tell how well the ball is hit,� he coached.
After I did that for half of practice, they brought out Milo Bauer in right field and Nick Rake in left. Coach Haskins brought us together to explain what he wanted.
�One of the most dangerous plays in baseball is the fly ball in the gap. When that happens, if you think you can get to it, you need to call loudly for the ball and wave off everyone else. If you�re called off, I want you to be sure to get into position to back up your teammate in case he drops it. If multiple people are calling for the ball, David�s the captain in center field, so if he calls you off, get out of the way.�
Coach Haskins was right. The next ball hit was a gap fly ball, and I had to hustle to get to it. Milo and I about ran each other over. He was a big boy, and bad things would happen if we ran full speed and collided.
�I need to hear you call it from the dugout,� Coach Haskins told us.
We practiced that until the end. Coach Haskins wanted to talk to us before we showered and left.
�David, you have to be more aggressive and make most of the plays. You�re the better athlete, and you give us the best chance defensively. That�s especially true if you need to throw the ball in to the correct base. With your arm, you can double up an errant runner.�
�What do you mean, Coach?� Milo asked.
�With a runner on first, if the ball�s caught, they have to tag up before advancing. Base runners normally try to go halfway if they think there�s a chance it might go through. Most runners don�t hustle back to first. With David�s arm, he can snap-throw the ball to the bag to catch the runner before he gets back to first base. The runners are used to the outfielders throwing to second to prevent them from advancing. David gives us a chance to eliminate that runner.�
�And that�s better than letting them get to second,� Milo said, figuring it out.
◊◊◊
I had to bail on the dojo because my dad and I were meeting Detective Kitchens. Paul drove us to the police station, and we were placed in an interview room. We called Ms. Dixon, so she was on the speakerphone for our interview. Dad had brought her up to speed on everything.
�What do you expect to accomplish by this?� she asked.
�I don�t know. I�m just tired of waiting, and I hope that Detective Kitchens has some ideas,� I admitted.
There was a knock on the door, and Detective Kitchens stepped in.
�We have David�s lawyer, Ms. Dixon, on the speakerphone,� Dad said.
�Good afternoon, Juliet.�
�Christopher,� Ms. Dixon said.
�David, this is your show. Your dad gave me the general outline. Why don�t you tell me what you know and how you think I can help?� Detective Kitchens said.
�During the fall, I needed a PA who could also help me with football recruiting. My contacts at Rigby, Thompson and Associates suggested that I hire Brandon Rigby. He�d left Harvard early and taken the summer off to travel around Europe. His uncle is Don Rigby, one of the managing partners. Brandon had been a top-150 football recruit, so we felt he�d be a good fit.
�On a recruiting trip, I had two of my best friends, Tami Glade and Alan Douglas, accompany me. The arrangements were for the recruits to go to a separate party from the one our guests were going to. When I came back to the hotel at the end of the evening, I found someone had puked in my bathroom. As I cleaned it up, I saw a used condom. I came out of the bathroom to find Tami and Alan both naked in my bed.
�I assumed the worst, and it damaged my friendship with them both,� I shared.
�So, the two of them allegedly had sex,� Detective Kitchens said as he took notes.
�That was what I assumed. I found them both passed out in bed, naked, and a used condom in the bathroom trash,� I explained.
�What made you decide that wasn�t what happened?�
�I had a conversation with Megan Crowley, who I recently hired from Rigby, Thompson and Associates. She asked to have a moment with me, and during that discussion, she told me some things about Brandon Rigby. She�d overheard a conversation between Brandon and an associate where he said he�d drugged both Tami and Alan and staged it to look like they�d had sex. He bragged that he�d in fact raped Tami,� I said.
�Why would he do that?� Detective Kitchens asked.
�Megan said he wanted to take me down a notch. I was skeptical, so I had him investigated. That was when I found out first, that he hadn�t been a top-150 recruit, and second, why he left Harvard. There were two instances where classmates accused him of drugging and raping them. I dug further and found that there were several other instances over the last two years where he was a potential suspect.�
�Why didn�t the local police put it together?� Detective Kitchens asked.
�The problem was that all the woman went to their parties willingly. They�d wake up to find they�d had sex. A few agreed to have rape kits taken. Different detectives were handling the different cases. Each case wasn�t pursued for its own reasons. The bottom line was that none of the kits were processed.
�I had help from Bev Mass, a friend and the State�s Attorney for Cook County, who contacted the local DA in Massachusetts. They agreed to expedite the investigation if I would pay to have the rape kits analyzed,� I said.
�And you have no DNA to compare it to.�
�They just finished getting his fraternity brothers to voluntarily give DNA samples to eliminate themselves. I�ve been told that they may need to find a way to get his DNA without him offering to provide it. It was made clear to me that the chain of custody is important. And the best way to do that was to have people who know what they�re doing collect it,� I said.
Detective Kitchens saw our problem but wanted to make sure he had all the facts. He had me go through my story again but drilled down. I was glad that Ms. Dixon was on the phone because I refused to explain how I�d gotten police records.
Bev Mass was called, and soon we had the Middlesex DA on the phone. At that point, Dad and I were kicked out of the room so the others could talk about the status of the case. When they were done, we were invited back in.
�I�ve offered to help them,� was all Detective Kitchens said.
�Thank you.�
I knew better than to ask what he planned to do. Now I would have to wait and see what happened.
◊◊◊ Tuesday March 1
During school, I received a text from Ms. Dixon to call her. I made a quick call between classes.
�Did Detective Kitchens find anything?� I asked when she came onto the line.
�Not yet. I just got a call from Duane Morris, though. He got a heads-up that you�ll receive a letter from the NCAA today and wanted you not to freak out. They�ve determined that you are �Under Investigation� for your amateur status.�
It had been explained to me that there were three possible outcomes from my application. The best would be that I would be �Certified,� which meant I was good to go. Mr. Morris hadn�t felt that one was likely. Next best was �Preliminarily Certified with Conditions.� The worst of the three was �Under Investigation.� Mr. Morris had explained the meaning of �Under Investigation.� It only meant that the first investigator found enough potential problems to pass it on to a committee. That committee would dig deeper into those issues to determine my eligibility. Still, hearing the verdict made my stomach queasy.
�Should I be worried?� I asked.
�Mr. Morris had said this was a distinct possibility, but he is confident he can work through any issues. When you get the official letter, scan it, and send it over. He wants to see what they actually say before he decides whether we should get nervous.�
�Fu � udge,� I said in place of what I wanted to say.
�I have other news,� she said.
�Please tell me this is good. I don�t think I can handle any more bad news right now,� I admitted.
�This is good. I hired Tom Dole, and he�s managed to get his old firm�s Entertainment Division clients to come with him. I heard you were worried about that,� she said.
�How did you hear that?�
�His daughter told him. Speaking of which, she�ll be moving in with you.�
�What the hell?!�
I heard peals of laughter. I�d no idea that Ms. Dixon had a sense of humor. She got me good.
�We set him up in an apartment in the Gold Coast area, just north of the Loop. He plans to spend weekends at home for now.�
�What about Angel Hargrove? Is she part of the deal?� I asked.
She was the manager of both Eve Holliday and Birthrite.
�Yes, she agreed to come with him. We also picked up the contracts with Ford and AT Modeling. I think Tom wants to talk to you about managing your photo portfolio and their secondary sales. He used big words like synergy with the other models and the ability to package deals.�
�Thanks for dumbing it down for me,� I said, rolling my eyes. �Have him talk to Caryn. From what I hear, he might want to let Kendal do all that for him.
�She�s good. I�ve not seen any drop-off in net income since we hired her. I�m not sure Tom would add anything to my bottom line for that,� I said.
�Would you be upset if I tried to hire her?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�I want what�s best for her, but I don�t want to get hurt in the process,� I said and then sighed. �You need to talk to Caryn. She runs the day-to-day and answers to my dad. They would have to make that kind of decision.�
�I promise to get their blessing before I talk to her.�
�Fair enough.�
◊◊◊
Today in baseball practice, Coach Haskins included a base runner and the infield. He�d call out different scenarios, and then they would hit the ball into center field where I had to make the right play. Did I just return the ball to second base, try to throw out a lagging base runner, hit a cutoff man � and it went on from there.
Baseball can be like a game of chess. There�s a lot more strategy than it at first seems. Coach Haskins was teaching me to think ahead and make the play. It wasn�t as complicated as reading a defense in football, but I found it challenging to learn the subtleties of a new position.
After practice, I stopped Moose and Coach Haskins to talk to them.
�Why are you spending so much time with me? I don�t want to short the other guys their chance to get ready for the season,� I worried.
�The whole infield got work today, and we practiced base-running,� Moose pointed out.
I could see his point, but I�d never seen Moose focus regular practices on just one player. Like football, baseball was a team sport.
�I understand, but you know what I mean.�
Moose looked at Coach Haskins, who just scratched his head. It looked like Moose would have to answer me.
�I�ve received several calls about you. Lucas Kite, from the Cubs, has been checking up on you. I had a long talk with him and your hitting coach. They feel you have the tools to make it to the big leagues, and both agreed you need a crash course on playing center field. They want you ready for when you go to the Under-18 tryouts.
�Coach Haskins and I agree that you can help this team ��
�But ��
�No buts, David. I�ve never had a player with your potential. When you go to the tryouts, you�re also representing Lincoln High. You may not know this, but Coach Hope was on cloud nine when you excelled at all those football camps last summer. He knew that your achievements would rub off on everyone back home. Several of your teammates will get scholarships because of you. Coach Diamond was given a head-coaching job because he coached you.
�I�ve never had a player drafted in baseball. I know that if you turn into the player we think you can become, you could be the first. If it looks like that�s going to happen, that means scouts and college recruiters will come to our games to watch you. And if that happens, it gives everyone else a chance.
�I also know you worry about everyone not getting equal coaching. You need to trust us. I�ve been doing this for twenty-seven years, and Coach Haskins longer than that. Let us deal with how we divvy up our time. You also needn�t worry about your teammates feeling slighted. They know the score and are on board,� Moose explained.
�You�re the boss.�
�You finally got that right,� Moose said with an amused grin. �Now go hit the showers!�
◊◊◊
I skipped the dojo again so I could work on the play.
This play is usually performed on a mostly bare stage. In some ways, it made it more challenging for us, because the actors were forced to use their acting skills to get points across instead of relying on props.
Act I was about the daily life of the townspeople in a small New Hampshire hamlet in 1901. The stage manager sets up the story, and then Professor Willard speaks to the audience about the history of the town. The audience was then introduced to the different actors. Joe Crowell delivers the newspaper to Doc Gibbs, Howie Newsome delivers milk, and the Webb and Gibbs households send their children, Emily and George, off to school.
Act II was set three years into the future and was centered on the marriage of Emily and George, played by Halle and myself. It was a stressful day. George was faced with the prospect of squandering his baseball talents in exchange for marrying Emily. He visits his future in-laws and was told he couldn�t see his bride-to-be since it would be bad luck.
The stage manager then takes the audience back a year to a point where Emily had confronted George about his cocky attitude. They had then talked about how they felt about each other. George decided not to go to college, as he�d planned, but to work and eventually take over his uncle�s farm.
The play is then brought back to the present where George and Emily get cold feet. They talk to their parents, are talked off the ledge, and are happily married.
Act III was nine years further into the future. It began with the stage manager in a cemetery, telling the audience about all the people who�ve died since the wedding. The town�s undertaker takes the stage and talks to a young man who�s come to town for his cousin�s funeral. It turns out that it was Emily�s funeral they�re talking about. She died giving birth to her second child.
After the funeral, other dead people from the town join Emily and urge her to move on. She ignores their advice and relives a day when she was twelve. She comes to realize that every moment of life should be treasured.
Emily talks to the stage manager and asks if people realize what a gift life is. He tells her only poets and saints do. She goes back to her grave to find George kneeling over it as he weeps for her. The stage manager then wishes the audience a good night to end the play.
We did a read-through of Act I, and Mr. Dutton wanted to work with us all to be better. I was quite surprised that Halle and I were the only ones who knew most of our lines. Maybe Hollywood had done more for me than just make me money. I might actually be getting professional about it all! No matter. I knew every girl I�d ever been around for any length of time would be more than happy to smack me down if I got a big head.
Mr. Dutton asked if I could come the next two nights after baseball and we�d walk through Acts II and III. Cassidy wouldn�t be happy, but something had to give.
◊◊◊ Thursday March 366
After several rounds of negotiations, my dad won the trip to London with me. I would test for the Han Solo role in the yet-to-be-titled
The young Han Solo movie�s release date was at least two years out. Early buzz had Chris Pratt as a shoo-in for the role with his recent successes in
Saul told me that thousands of actors tested for the role. Once Chris Pratt was out, Disney and Lucasfilm seemed to target actors between the ages of 20 to 25. The only exceptions were Scott Eastwood at 29 and me at 17. The studio execs had cut the list down to about a dozen actors. They released names of those who had made the cut with me, including Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco, Adam Trimble, Scott Eastwood, Logan Lerman, Emory Cohen, Micah Phelps, and Blake Jenner.
We had to sign an NDA (NonDisclosure Agreement) and test deals before we could be flown to London for the second round of auditions. Saul told me I was one of the last to meet with the producers. He said they would probably cut the list to a final three or four.
◊◊◊
I think this was an adventure for Dad because he seemed to take it all in. Though when we boarded the plane, I was the wide-eyed one. I�d flown domestic first class where it was two seats to a side, instead of the three seats in coach. This was a completely different experience. We were on a Boeing 777 that American Airlines had configured to their international first class. Instead of side-by-side seating, you had what can best be described as a cubicle. They�d laid it out so there were single mini-suites on the outside rows and two in the center. Dad and I had seats a couple of rows back and next to each other.
The seats were designed so they would actually lie flat and turn into a bed, which was good because we were taking the red-eye to London. Our flight would take eight hours. We were scheduled to take off from Chicago at 10 p.m. (4 a.m. London time), and we would land in London around noon the next day with the six-hour time difference.
I would miss a day of school, but Lincoln High was supportive of my acting. Moose wasn�t as forgiving, but he understood that this was important to me.
I�d been on the run all week and hadn�t had a chance to talk to my dad about the NCAA letter. I knew that Caryn, Kendal, Ms. Dixon, and he had had several calls with Mr. Morris. After we were airborne and settled in, I asked him about it.
�What did the NCAA have a problem with?� I asked.
�A lot of the things Mr. Morris warned us about. The big ones were the booster flight to Kentucky, which you paid for, and the car Devin gave you. Mr. Morris had the information ready and sent it over. They�re going to review it, but it sounded like they would be okay.
�Their principal hang-ups seem to be your acting and some of the interviews you gave. They specifically pointed to your appearance on
�Mr. Morris said that the NCAA can�t really deny you your amateurism status for something like that. The distinction is you�re not currently in college. They could cause you problems if you received pay based on football or baseball. He said you dodged a bullet when you didn�t get the role as the baseball player in
�He said that because you pose a unique situation for them, they want to look at everything. We talked more about our strategy in dealing with the NCAA. First, we want to get you certified so you can play ball, then we�ll go after them about you doing advertising and movies in college. We don�t want you to not be able to promote the movies. Saul said it would be a problem if that happened. They might even have to remove your name from the credits while you�re playing ball in college,� Dad said.
�And we all know that if someone wants me to do a sunglasses commercial, I�ll need the walking-around money,� I said.
Sunglasses money had become a joke in our family. None of us could believe they�d paid me what they had for the commercial. Whenever I told Caryn or my grandma �no� about spending money on something, they pointed out that we always had that money lying around to use. I knew they did it just to yank my chain, but I would be crazy not to take it if they wanted to give it to me. Saul had told me that if I could find time to go to Japan, he could line up several similar deals. It seems I was a star there.
�The problem is that the NCAA keeps a tight rein on their athletes. They contend that college athletes� fame comes from their opportunity to play for a college team. There�s big money to be made for the universities, and in turn, the NCAA, to have that amateurism requirement in place. Mr. Morris said that he expects that we�ll end up in court over it,� Dad said.
I�d suspected that would be the case. In the back of my mind, I worried that if something big came up, I�d have to choose between playing ball and acting. I might have to decide on one or the other, but if I could get the NCAA to give me a waiver, it would make everything easier.
Then Dad changed the subject.
�Today, I received a call from Detective Kitchens. I think you�ll like this.�
�I hope it�s finally good news.�
�He told me I could tell only you, and you have to promise not to say anything,� Dad said.
�I promise.�
�They think they have Brandon�s DNA.�
�How?�
Dad got a big smile on his face.
�Detective Kitchens contacted the garbage company. Brandon rents a house close to where the new tiny homes for the homeless are going in. Kitchens dressed up as a garbage collector and picked up Brandon�s garbage this morning. They found takeout containers and utensils that they hope he used. They�re getting them tested.�
�Can you see Detective Kitchens dressed up in those overalls?� I asked with a grin.
Every time I�d seen him, he had been dressed in a suit. If what Dad said was true, Brandon was about to have karma balance out for everything I suspected he�d done.
I thanked Dad for telling me and told him we better try to get some sleep. The next few days would be bad enough without the time change playing havoc with us.
◊◊◊
Chapter 17 � That�s Not How the Force Works! Friday March 4
At the airport, we were met by a studio driver who�d been sent to take us to Hertfordshire. This was where they were filming
Our driver dropped us off at the Tewin Bury Farm Hotel. It was an elegant, older hotel that certainly looked like it had been a farm at one point. After we got situated, Dad and I went to the dining room and talked them into making us breakfast, even though it was mid-afternoon. He decided to go for the traditional English breakfast. I knew we�d be eating dinner soon, so I just had tea and scones.
We were almost done when Saul and his wife found us.
�I can�t believe they hid us away in this dump,� Saul complained.
�Hi, I�m David, and this is my dad,� I said to Mrs. Gessler.
�Nice to meet you. I�m Kelly,� she said to my dad.
�This can�t be right,� Dad said and then turned to Saul. �You said you were married to an evil woman who was the bane of your existence.�
�You just met her,� Saul said, deadpan. �She�s on her best behavior this weekend.�
�You better settle down, or I�ll run off with David, and we�ll spend all your money,� Kelly threatened.
She knew exactly how to get Saul in line. I smiled when he made nice. He was a different person when he was around her. I think I could like this Saul. He looked at his watch.
�We have to go,� he announced.
�Where to?� I asked.
�Elstree Studios, where they�re filming
◊◊◊
We met Mark Philpott at the studio. He was responsible for casting the yet-to-be-named Han Solo movie.
�Welcome. Tonight, you�ll meet the team who will make the selection for Han Solo, but Garrett Silas, the director for
Mark took us through the different areas at the studio. This was an entirely different scale of production from anything I�d ever seen before. Disney and Lucasfilm had made a commitment to expanding the
We were able to watch them shoot a scene. It was interesting to watch Garrett work. He had an improvisational style. I watched as he actually held one of the cameras as they filmed the scene. When they were done, Mark let him know we were here.
�This must be the next Han Solo,� Garrett said as he shook my hand.
�If they�ll let me.�
The woman in the current scene came over.
�Hi, I�m Joy. I hear we�ll be shooting a scene today.�
I�d not been told that, but why not?
�Sure. Do I need to get dressed for it?� I asked.
�No, no, we just want to see the two of you on camera together,� Garrett said.
I spent the next hour reading lines with Joy Holmes. She�d started acting when she was twelve, over twenty years ago. She had a knack for putting me at ease and getting a good performance out of me. Garrett figured out that I was an athlete and had some training for fights. Joy had been learning kung fu for her role. He had us do some things on camera at three-quarter speed to see how I moved.
He brought out his stunt coordinator, Edric Hurley, to stand in for Joy.
�Have you ever trained with swords?� Edric asked.
�Yes, and I�ve used batons as well, though I�m better with a Bo staff.�
Edric grabbed a couple of training swords, and we sparred while Garrett filmed us. He then had one of his people bring me a Bo staff so I could show him some of my flashier moves.
�Can you shoot?� Edric asked.
�You mean like Han Solo, or for real?� I asked.
�What do you mean by that?� Garrett asked.
�Harrison Ford has an awkward way of moving when he runs and fires a weapon. I�d be surprised if he could actually hit anything in real life.�
�Show me what you mean,� Garrett said.
Edric gave me a prop they used in the movie. It was a handgun of some kind. I just acted like it was the real thing.
They had me run across the room like I was Harrison Ford and fire my gun. I imitated the way he rolled his shoulders when he ran, and I skidded to a stop and shot it like I was him. Then I turned and ran away, like he always seemed to do, and fired behind me like I was being chased.
I then did it like I would in real life, using a two-hand grip, and killed several imaginary villains. When they were all dead, I blew across the barrel as if blowing away smoke and sauntered off.
Garrett loved it.
�I see exactly what you mean. That�s the best Harrison Ford impression we�ve seen. Thanks for spending time with us today,� Garrett said, and we were done.
◊◊◊
We�d just gotten back to the hotel when my phone rang.
�Hello,� I answered.
�You thought you could sneak back into the UK and not call me?�
I thought about who I knew in the UK. She didn�t have a Russian accent, so it wasn�t Kat. I smiled.
�Now I feel bad, Aubrey. I should have made it a point to call. I�m only in town for a couple of days. Can you get free and see me?� I asked.
I�d met Aubrey in Miami when I did a photo shoot with Adrienne. The Ford Models execs had challenged me to pick up a woman in a nightclub before they could. I�d chosen Aubrey and assumed my pickup skills sufficed to get the job done. Turned out she and Adrienne were friends from the modeling world. Aubrey had retired from modeling and was now working for Ford here in Europe.
Something I would always remember about her was that she gave the best head I�d ever had. If I were ten years older, I would have seriously considered marrying her.
�Where are you?� Aubrey asked.
�I�m in Hertfordshire, staying at the Tewin Bury Farm Hotel. Can you make it here soon? I have a dinner party to go to, and I would love for you to join me.�
�As it happens, I�m just finishing up with a photo shoot not that far from you. Send me the address, and I�ll meet you there,� she said.
I gave Aubrey the information and hung up. I sent Saul a text to tell him I�d be bringing a date to dinner. He replied with a rude comment about actors, and I think he called me a slut. I couldn�t wait to see his face when I showed up with someone in their late 20s.
◊◊◊
I�d just gotten out of the shower when there was a knock at my door. When I answered, I was wearing only a towel. I was disappointed to find my dad there. He looked good in what must have been a new suit. At least, I�d never seen it before. I�d brought my Armani suit for tonight. I�d picked it for two reasons; the first was I loved it and never got to wear it. The second was Dakora, while very sharp looking, wasn�t Armani, and they weren�t paying me to wear them tonight.
�You look good,� I said.
�You look a little underdressed.�
�Give me a few more minutes,� I said and returned to the bathroom to shave and brush my teeth.
There was a knock on the door. I grinned when Dad called out that he would get it.
�Hello, Gorgeous � Oh, sorry, I must have the wrong room,� Aubrey said.
I stuck my head out of the bathroom.
�Aubrey, my dad. Dad, my date tonight, Aubrey.�
�Well, I � uh � come in,� Dad said.
�Not that you�re not gorgeous,� Aubrey stammered.
I laughed.
�Bloody hell, David. You might warn a girl she�s meeting the parents.�
�You�re just lucky my mom�s not here,� I called from the bathroom.
�He�s right,� Dad said. �Have a seat. I need to know your intentions towards my son.�
�Completely impure, I�m afraid,� Aubrey shot back.
Dad just laughed. Aubrey was no shrinking violet, and it sounded like they were getting along well. I slipped in, grabbed my boxers, and put them on under my towel, a nifty trick I�d learned in LA, surfing. I got dressed and brought out three ties.
�Which one?� I asked.
�The red one,� Aubrey said without hesitation.
I put it on and then my jacket. I smiled when I saw Aubrey was wearing a little black dress. She looked stunning. She stood and gave me a chaste kiss.
�How did you know I was in town?� I asked.
�One of the rags said you were here to audition for the new
�Frank,� Dad said.
Frank Ingram was my publicist. I would bet Saul called him and had him leak it. I wasn�t sure the
�Let�s hope not. Saul also signed the NDA. You read it�I�m sure we would get both sued and kicked off the movie,� I said.
�Joy Holmes was the one they quoted,� Aubrey said.
I was relieved.
◊◊◊
We met Saul and Kelly downstairs. I was shocked when Saul didn�t perv out over Aubrey. Kelly�s presence turned him into a human and not a caricature of a Hollywood agent.
There was a limo waiting for us. I�d assumed we would go to a restaurant for dinner, but I was wrong. We drove through the country until we came to something right out of
We drove up a quiet country lane. I was impressed with the wrought-iron gates and magnificent brick pillars, which welcomed you to a lengthy, tree-lined carriageway that led you to the front of the house. The roadway passed an ornamental lake and boathouse before it curved into a circular drive in front of the entrance.
The driver told us that Ayot Place was built on the site of an earlier monastery, but the origins of the present house probably dated to the 15th century. He said that much of what we saw was from the 17th century when a large wing was added. He pointed out a gardener�s cottage and impressive courtyard buildings that dated from about 1890. They were arranged on three sides around a graveled yard with a charming small dovecote and clock tower in the middle. Part of the western side of the courtyard had been converted into a large home gym.
When we came to a stop, the driver insisted that we wait until he could let us out. The front door opened, and a butler waited there for us.
�Good evening. Welcome to Ayot Place. Please follow me,� he said.
Unlike
I�d thought I was the only one auditioning this weekend, but Aden Reich was there with Tilly Abbott. Aden had been acting for the past ten years, and his most recent movie,
Tonight was intended to be strictly a social event. Business would be talked about tomorrow when I auditioned.
Mark and Art had Aden cornered and were plying him with alcohol. Joyce joined our group.
�Saul,� she said with disdain and then turned to me. �You must be David. I�m Joyce Heart.�
I introduced her to everyone, and then Saul explained who I was talking to. Joyce wasn�t just the producer, she was the president of Lucasfilm. In the early �80s, she�d co-founded a company with none other than Stephen Spielberg. Their first movie had been
Joyce had recently become involved in the
�I saw your impersonation of Harrison Ford and about peed myself laughing. You were spot on,� Joyce told me.
�I didn�t do it to make fun of him, it was only to show that I could do his mannerisms,� I defended myself.
�I was actually against having you make the final cut. My feeling was you were too tall and didn�t have the breadth of work experience this role deserves,� she said.
Saul tried to jump in, but I could tell he irritated her, so I held up my hand and smiled at Joyce.
�Harrison Ford is six-one. I�m only three inches taller, while Aden is only five-ten. Mr. Ford did three movies over twelve years before he did
She smiled.
�Yes, I found all that out and have become a convert. I don�t waste people�s time; hence, you are here. More than anything else, I wanted to see what you�re made of. I�m impressed you didn�t hide behind your agent and let him fight your battles.�
�I agree, let�s not waste time. Saul came along so we could sign contracts,� I stated.
That made Joyce laugh and Saul cringe. Mom always said you had to ask for the sale.
�I like you. While I can�t tell you the odds of you getting this role, you�ll find I have a long memory. For you, that�s a good thing, because if you hadn�t noticed, our group likes to use the same actors for our movies. Even if you do well tomorrow, you might not get the role, but that doesn�t mean things won�t come up later that you will get. Just make sure you keep a smile on my face,� she said.
She had to be in her sixties, and I blushed as I took her comment straight to the gutter.
�I think that�s Saul�s job,� I said.
She gave Saul a look, and I think he suddenly had a migraine. Joyce began to laugh, and we all joined in.
◊◊◊
Dinner was enjoyable if a bit too formal for my taste. There was a waitperson for each of us; you couldn�t set a glass down without it being refilled. I lost count of the number of courses and liked that not everything we ate was fancy. With so many courses, if there was something you didn�t like, there was always something new coming out shortly.
There were several dishes I�d never had before. Scotch Eggs with a curry mayo was a surprise. It�s a boiled egg wrapped in sausage and breading. Another was pork pie. It was similar to a potpie in that it was in a crust, but it didn�t have any gravy. The pork and bacon mixture had apples and onions mixed in it with seasonings. I liked the dessert called Eton Mess. It was served in a glass bowl so you could see it was layered. The layers were strawberries and raspberries, followed with meringue and then toasted almonds. It wasn�t overly sweet.
We �retired� to a sitting room for after-dinner drinks or coffee.
It seemed that Aden had continued to drink throughout dinner. Everyone who�d had the wine or alcohol that was offered with each course looked to be feeling no pain. My dad had a persistent smile on his face. Aubrey cuddled up to me on the couch and kept letting her hand wander up my thigh.
The difference was, Aden was obviously drunk, while everyone else was only pleasantly buzzed. Tilly�s expression showed she had become irritated with him. She dragged him into another room, and you could hear voices raised. He said something, and there was the sound of a slap that was soon followed by the front door slamming. This was great, better than dinner theater. Everyone sat in stunned silence until I got the giggles, which turned out to be infectious.
�Should someone go check on them?� I asked.
I think it was a case of �he who smelt it � dealt it�; or better yet, �not me.� I grabbed Aubrey�s hand and made her go with me to see what had happened. We found Tilly sitting on the front steps, crying. I would have assumed that a crying girl would fall within the purview of another girl. Apparently, I would have assumed wrong. Aubrey advised me she would tell everyone that I was taking care of it.
I sat down next to Tilly and did what Dawsons do: stayed quiet.
�I simply don�t understand him sometimes. He�s at a formal dinner party with a job on the line, and he acts like he�s at an open bar at his cousin�s wedding. He�s 26, for Christ�s sake, not 21 ��
And she was off. I did a lot of nodding. From what she told me, they were best friends and not romantically linked. My gaydar hadn�t gone off, but I guess that really didn�t matter. I just couldn�t figure out why he wasn�t interested in Tilly. Then I remembered Tami and felt bad about even going there. I had no idea what their relationship entailed, and frankly, I didn�t exactly care.
She finally wound down and stopped crying. She needed a hug, so I put my arm around her. What surprised me was when she kissed me. Mr. Happy convinced me that if a girl kissed me, she wasn�t crying. In my defense, it made total sense at the time. I heard the door open, and someone clear their throat.
It was Aubrey. I pulled away from Tilly and smiled.
�See? I got her to stop crying,� I said.
�I see that. Just know, while that is a good way to accomplish that, it isn�t the best way when you have a date with you.�
�I�ll remember that, but you bailed on me,� I complained.
She sat down next to Tilly.
�Are you okay?�
�Yeah. David gave me some great advice, and then I kissed him.�
I was puzzled because I hadn�t said a word. I wanted to know what advice I gave because it seemed to work.
�He�s a good kisser,� Aubrey said.
�I hope you don�t mind. I kind of ambushed him,� Tilly admitted.
Aubrey cocked her head and then smiled. I reverted to Dawson mode when she leaned in and kissed Tilly. The gears in my brain came to a grinding halt as their kiss intensified. Then something clicked. While Aubrey gave me the best head of my life, we never had full-on sex. She and Adrienne were �good friends.� I really was a �stupid boy� sometimes. When Aubrey and Tilly stopped kissing, I had a huge smile on my face.
�Oh, oh. I think someone thinks he�s going to get lucky,� Aubrey said.
�Would that be so bad?� Tilly asked.
�From what my friend Adrienne says, no. She said he�s the best she�s ever had who was a man.�
I�d take that.
The front door opened, and my crew came out, ready to go. We said goodbye to everyone, and Tilly joined us in our limo back to the hotel.
◊◊◊
On the ride back to the hotel, Dad kept looking at me and then at Tilly and Aubrey as they had their heads together, whispering. Saul and Kelly ignored us. Dad leaned over so only I could hear him.
�Are you sure you know what you�re getting into?�
�Any advice?� I asked.
�Not really. I just do what I�m told,� he admitted.
I just shrugged. It really wasn�t bad advice. I trusted that Tilly and Aubrey would figure things out. When we arrived at the hotel, Aubrey pulled me aside.
�Give me your room key and wait fifteen minutes before coming up. I want to do something special.�
I followed my dad�s advice and just went with the flow. Aubrey giggled when she saw me set the timer on my watch.
I think the timer was broken. After what seemed like half a day, it chimed to tell me to head up to the room. I knocked and heard Aubrey say to hang on. When she finally opened the door, I found Aubrey in her bra and panties.
Tilly was on the bed, naked. She�d been bound and blindfolded with my ties. Tilly had a good body, but it didn�t compare to Aubrey�s. Even at her age�27�she could easily still be a model. Tilly was shorter but had more curves, on the edge of being pudgy. With skin that was china white with little freckles all over it, she had nipples that were pinkish, a color you only find on redheads. She also had a full bush of blazing red hair.
�Want to play �connect the dots� with her freckles?� Aubrey asked.
I just smiled and pulled Aubrey into a kiss. She helped me get undressed. I really should have hung up such an expensive suit, but I had other things on my mind. For example, Aubrey had grabbed Mr. Happy.
�I love your willy,� she said as she pushed me back against the bed and had me sit down.
She crawled between my legs and began her master class on giving proper oral. If I�d been smart, I would have videoed it so I could share it with the women I spent time with. The only problem with that plan was I would�ve had to stop her from lavishing Mr. Happy with pleasure.
While Aubrey did what she was born to do, I leaned back and kissed Tilly, which startled her. When Aubrey had me so hard I could drive nails, she stopped. I looked down, and she smiled.
�Help me play with her.�
I don�t know how Aubrey figured out that Tilly was into girls. She also seemed to know that Tilly liked to be tied up and made helpless. We attacked the poor girl and began to play �I can do it better.� Tilly had no idea who would do what next, and all of it brought her pleasure. She seemed to have had four big orgasms when the game changed. It was
I straddled Tilly�s chest, pushed her soft breasts together, and pushed my member between them. As I slowly did her chest, she tilted her head down so she could capture the head between her lips. Aubrey scissored her legs between Tilly�s and mashed their mounds together. The sound of sex would have made ideal background noise for a porn video. Both women were vocal sex partners.
�I�m there!� I called out.
Aubrey physically pulled me out of Tilly�s mouth and deep-throated me. I felt my sack tighten.
�Aubrey � AUbrey � AUBREY!� I cried as I shot deep in her throat.
As she swallowed, it brought me yet more pleasure.
When I finally caught my breath, I was still rock-hard. It was going to be one of those nights where I could go forever. I found a condom and put it on, then used my dick-slap move on Tilly that Raven, the hooker in Georgia, had taught me. I smiled when the direct stimulation to her button caused her to climax before I entered her.
Aubrey had untied Tilly�s legs. I took advantage and pulled them up so I could rest her calves on my shoulders. Next, I grabbed her butt and lifted her up; that angled my member to rub against the top of her tunnel. I rubbed myself around until she moaned. Seems I�d found her G-spot. I began to move with a purpose.
�Please. Oh, please � what are you doing? Oh, God!� Tilly cried out and began to grunt each time I thrust forward.
�YEsss!� she hissed.
Aubrey watched in wonder as I destroyed Tilly. Tilly became a little climax machine as orgasms began to start to roll over each other. When an exceptionally big one hit, I gave her a break for a few seconds. Then I untied her arms, rolled her over, and lifted her hips so I could take her doggy style. I began to feed her all of me as our bodies came together. She grunted when I finally pushed myself in all the way.
Her extra padding allowed me to pound her from behind. Aubrey took advantage and pulled Tilly�s face down to her sex. Now that Tilly had been untied completely, she could pleasure Aubrey easily. From the expression on Aubrey�s face, it would seem Tilly knew what she was doing.
I loved how each thrust caused her butt to jiggle and her big soft titties to shake and sway. I slapped her ass, and she gave out a moan of pleasure. It seemed she like it a little rough, so I really swatted her rear.
�YEsss! Spank my butt!� she called out.
Aubrey grabbed her head and put her back to work as my slaps began to cause her derri�re to redden.
I brought Tilly to another crashing orgasm.
�No more, no more,� she begged.
When I pulled out, she curled up in a ball with a glazed look on her face. Aubrey�s eyes locked with mine. It was clear that Tilly had done a number on her sex because it was swollen and wet with lust.
�It�s been a long time since I had a man,� Aubrey admitted.
�I�ll be gentle,� I said, pulling out a new condom and putting it on.
I started out slow and tender with her, but Aubrey soon remembered what a good shagging felt like. She told me what she wanted and how to bring her off. When we both were satisfied, we got Tilly up, and all took a shower together. Tilly climbed under the comforter and fell asleep. Aubrey crawled in bed next to me and half-covered me with her body.
�It�s been a long time since I let a man have me. Adrienne assured me that if I had a craving, I should look you up. You might not be safe if we put the word out to our friends that a night with you is worth their while.�
�If you�re a lesbian, how did you learn to give head so well?� I asked.
�I love both oral sex and the power it gives me. Besides, I like to be in charge, and when I blow a guy, he becomes a babbling fool.�
�I can attest to that. You are by far the best I�ve ever been with,� I said. �But I don�t get it. If you�re a lesbian, I wouldn�t think you would have been with many guys.�
�When I was younger, I didn�t know what I was and had traditional relationships. I dated an older guy who taught me how to do oral.�
�So why did you pick me?� I asked.
�You turned me on with the way you picked me up in Miami. I�ve always had a thing for younger guys. It was a bonus that you were good-looking and confident without being arrogant. I also could tell that Adrienne liked you, which told me a lot. I had a lot of fun with you.
�When you called the last time you were in London, I had to see you again. Yesterday, even before I read the newspaper article, Adrienne called me and told me you were coming. She�s evil. Adrienne went into detail about how you�d rocked her world, which made me wonder. After I read the article, I decided to give you a call. I�m glad I did. Occasionally I miss sex with a man. You caught me at one of those times, or maybe it was Adrienne who got me horny for a willy again.�
�Come home with me, and you can have it whenever you want,� I said seriously.
�I can�t. If there were ever a guy I might do that with, it would be you, but I like girls. Plus, you live in the States, and you�re too young.�
She was right, but I knew that if you found someone that made you feel the way she could, you tried to keep her in your life.
◊◊◊ Saturday March 5
My dad called to wake me up. It was a good thing he did because I would have slept until noon. Tilly and Aubrey said they had to leave, but I think they just didn�t want to do the walk of shame and have breakfast with my father.
�Did you get any sleep?� Dad asked.
�Some,� I said and then changed the subject. �What time do we need to be at the studio?�
He was a terrible assistant. He had to call Caryn. I bit my bottom lip when she told him it was 2 a.m. back at home. He�d forgotten about the six-hour time difference. She made him give me his phone so she could have words with me.
�Show him how to use the calendar. Your schedule is on it.�
�No problem. What were you doing?� I asked.
�Sleeping, and when you get home, there
After I hung up, I had to find the calendar app on his phone. Dad just had his phone, text messaging, and Fritz�s alert app on the main page. I pulled the calendar and a couple of social media apps to the front page so he could use them. Mom was a pro at one app in particular and used it to talk to clients and her customers. Another I moved forward was a messaging app that you could record short videos on; I used it when I needed something longer than a text or tweet. I was actually just learning to use it myself. Lily told me it was part of my social media presence, but she couldn�t do it for me because they had to see me. To me, it was just one more thing I could get into trouble with, so I used it sparingly.
I opened the calendar, and there was our schedule for the day. I showed it to Dad.
�That�s handy.�
I swear, sometimes �
◊◊◊
Saul, Dad, and I drove to the same studio that
�You ready to experience what I have to deal with?� I asked my dad.
�We should make Saul go first,� Dad said.
�Wusses,� Saul mumbled as he got out of the car.
Dad and I chuckled at my movie agent. When I stepped out of the car, the focus changed from Aden to me.
�Are you here to audition for the young Han Solo role?�
�They won�t let me say,� I said.
�So that means you�re here to audition?�
�I can�t say,� I said.
�Why are you here?�
�I cannot say,� I said with a big grin.
�So you won�t tell us why you�re here?�
�I think we�re getting there. Anyone else want to try?� I asked.
�Would it be safe to say you�re not here just to tour the studio?�
�You�re good,� I said, pointing to the one who asked. �I can�t say.�
�What can you tell us?�
�My new movie,
�If you were to get a role in a
�Wow, just wow. I�ve grown up watching the films.�
�So, you would be excited when you win the role of Han Solo?�
I just laughed and entered the studio. Everyone knew why I was there. The studio had leaked my name as one of the people in the running. I didn�t want to violate the NDA and get into trouble before I even did a screen test.
◊◊◊
Aden was taken to do his screen test first, while I was escorted another direction to talk to the key people doing the casting. Mark Philpott introduced me to about ten people. Joyce Heart was watching from the back. She just winked at me to let me know to ignore her.
Mark kicked things off.
�This meeting is to get to know you better as a person. Why don�t you tell us about yourself?�
�In many ways, I�ve been blessed. Not everyone gets to do the things I do, including acting. But I don�t want you to think it hasn�t come from hard work. I�m lucky to have my family support me, and with their guidance, I�ve gotten the right people in place to help me.
�Currently, I�m a junior in high school. I�m in the top five of my class academically and play sports. When I�m not in school or playing football or baseball, I model, with contracts to be the face of Range Sports, Jade, and Dakora. I recently did a shoot with Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch,� I said.
�Isn�t it true that you�re one of the best American football players in the States?�
�Through hard work, coaching, and the help of my teammates and town, I�ve become very good,� I said.
Dad couldn�t stop himself at this point.
�David�s being modest. Last summer he was involved in a competition put on by Nike to determine who was the best quarterback in the nation. They had regional camps and only invited the best-of-the-best to their headquarters in Oregon. David was the first junior to ever make it, and he was declared the Co-MVP.
�He�s also a top-level baseball player. He�s been invited to try out for Team USA�s Under-18 team. I can attest to his work ethic and leadership. If you pick David for this role, no one will outwork him,� Dad assured them.
�I pay my dad to say nice things about me,� I said, a little embarrassed by his praise.
�No, that confirms what we heard. I also understand that you do some extreme-sports-like activities. Tell us about that.�
�It would be easier to show you. Is there some way I can pull up some video and everyone see?� I asked.
Stupid question. Of course a movie studio would be wired to show video. I logged into my Dropbox account. Frank had stitched together a video of me in my different avocations. I brought it up and played it.
�This starts out with my spectacular fails,� I said.
It showed me smack into the water when the jet water board broke. That was followed by the barbarian who tried to take my head off while we were filming
�Now you�ll see the good stuff,� I said.
The next part started with the YouTube Superman video and several of my football plays. It then showed me with the Four Stooges. They were the young wolves that spooked the horses at a photo shoot for Range Sports. I�d been able to chase them off. Next, it showed me doing motocross, skydiving, surfing, and martial arts. Finally, there was the fight scene with Ben Doman from
�Quite impressive,� Mark said.
�Let�s talk about you being charged with rape.�
I gave the girl who asked me the question a sad smile.
�Let me send you a copy of the agreement that was reached between all parties involved. You�ll see that I was never charged with rape, nor did I rape anyone. The father of the girl who�s having my baby orchestrated a smear campaign against me. If you read the agreement, I believe it�ll clear everything up. I also have a copy of an interview done by ESPN with the girl in question, whose name is Pam, that made it clear she was never forced.�
I pulled it up and played it. The girl who had asked the question got red in the face and wouldn�t look at me. That didn�t look good.
�We hear you�re involved in politics.�
�That�s part of my family legacy, service to the community. My grandfather held a political office of some sort for as long as I can remember until he passed. My family name still holds meaning in my state, and my grandmother has asked that I get involved. Most recently I lent my voice to help establish a homeless shelter in our town and took part in a voter registration drive on several college campuses,� I said.
�Was that where the girl was killed?�
�That was sad. At one of the campaign stops, a group of students dressed up as characters in my most recent movie,
�We understand that you might be involved in the next James Bond movie.�
�I guess the bigger question is will it get made? I�ve been tabbed to play the role of James Bond�s son.�
�Do you see that conflicting with the Han Solo role?�
�No more than Harrison Ford had when he did
Joyce got up, and before she left, gave me a thumbs-up. I answered questions for another forty-five minutes. I did find out something that made me worry: if I got the role, I would lose my last semester of senior year. Filming started in January and would end in July. Dad didn�t look happy about that.
◊◊◊
We were given a tour, and then we went to lunch. As soon as we sat down, Dad started in.
�Your mother would kill you if you didn�t finish high school.�
�They would allow him to take classes on set, so he wouldn�t have to sacrifice his education,� Saul said.
�What about baseball?� Dad asked.
�We�ve always known that at some point I will have to make a choice. If I get this role, it might make that choice for me,� I admitted.
�The right choice isn�t always the one that makes you the most money,� Dad said.
Saul wanted to jump in, but he would just make it worse.
�I know that, Dad. We�ll have to talk about it as a family, and all agree. There�s no way I would do it without your and Mom�s blessing. Winning this role and doing the movie would establish me as one of the most marketable actors in Hollywood. It would also signal the end of my dream to either play baseball or football, both in college and professionally, if I get that lucky.
�This isn�t something I can take lightly. However, the rewards might be enough to outweigh the sacrifice I would make,� I admitted.
�What about getting your college degree?� Dad asked.
�That would have to be part of the conversation.�
�Before you get too worked up, why don�t we see if you get the role,� Saul suggested.
I think that was the most sensible thing he�d ever said.
◊◊◊
It was my turn to do my audition. I�d already done one with the
It started with a read-through of scenes on my own, all done on camera. Art Faulk, the director, asked me to read it multiple times in different ways to see how I took direction. Next, I was grouped with other actors for my read-throughs.
I think I must have passed some kind of test because I was next sent to dress up as Han Solo and have my makeup done.
�I need you to remember that Han is a thief and smuggler,� Art coached me.
�He always seemed to have a ready smile, though,� I countered.
�True. But for this scene, I want you to play his darker side. This movie is about how his early years shaped him.�
�I think I have it,� I said.
When I stepped in front of the camera, I noticed Joyce enter the set and take a seat next to Art.
�Sound?� Art called out.
�Ready!�
�Cameras?�
�Ready!�
�Lights?�
�We�re good!�
�Action,� he ordered.
It differed from working with Jessup, but I fell right into it. The actors they had me playing with were professionals and worked to make me come off in the best light. I really appreciated that. It seemed like everyone had one goal in mind: to produce the best possible product. That had a lot of appeal to me.
◊◊◊
After we were done with the audition, I took Joyce aside.
�I realize this is all supposed to be secret, but could we do something fun that would get us both some press?�
I explained my plan, and she just laughed.
◊◊◊
Camera Angle: Bridge of the Millennium Falcon
I burst onto the bridge, decked out in my Han Solo garb. I looked out the window to see what was going on.
�Dad! Get the ramp up and the door shut!� I called towards the back.
�I can�t figure out the controls,� Dad called.
Sitting down in the pilot�s seat, I looked at the camera to talk directly to the audience.
�We�re at the secret base where they�re filming the new
�I figured while I was here, I might as well bring home a souvenir. I thought about getting a lightsaber, but when I saw this, I had to have it,� I said, waving my hands around to indicate the Millennium Falcon.
�David, we have company!� Dad called.
I heard blaster fire as it struck the hull.
�Why don�t you do that Jedi thing where you blow them up?� Dad asked as he poked his head in the door of the bridge.
They�d dressed him up as well for the scene. He wanted to be an Imperial Stormtrooper, so he was wearing the white armor and held a helmet.
�That�s not how the Force works!� I said.
I rolled my eyes to the camera and shook my head sadly, like a disgusted teen who�d just been embarrassed by his dad.
�Things are getting dicey here, so I�d better go. Be on the lookout for both
�Cut!� Art called out.
Dad sat down next to me with a huge smile on his face. We were being total fanboys. I really wanted this role.
◊◊◊
�We�ll get you a video you can �leak,�� Joyce said, making air quotes.
�So, when do I start?� I asked.
Saul choked on something while Dad just shrugged.
�You and Aden were the last two to audition. We�ll cut down to a top three. You�re my dark horse right now. We�ve seen a couple of actors who tested well. I want to get your audition tape run through the process. I have a feeling your test numbers will be high. My issues are that you�re too young, too tall, and too athletic. I think it might be a combination of your modeling and martial arts that make you move so well. Harrison Ford was none of those things, and his acting showed that in the first movie. He did get better as he gained experience.
�All that being said, there�s a reason you were asked to be here. Your work on
�Like I told you last night, you might not get this job. I don�t think that would be the end of the world for you, because you will get roles. There are some other projects I have in mind that might, in fact, be better for you,� Joyce said.
�I hope that wasn�t you just now eliminating me from consideration,� I said.
�No. We had thousands of auditions, and the eleven other actors you�re up against all made it through that process. I�ve told all of them pretty much the same thing I�ve told you. My point is to make sure you have your expectations set so that if you don�t get the job, you won�t think you didn�t measure up.�
I thanked her for her time and waited until we got into the car.
�Did we get it?� I asked Saul.
�I think they have their minds made up, and it isn�t you,� he admitted.
�Why do you say that?� Dad asked.
�I think the video David shot was his parting gift. If he�d won the role, they would have kept it under wraps.�
I�d never seen Saul not believe he could get me a role, but I appreciated him giving an honest opinion. If this kept up, I might start liking him as a person. Of course, I would never admit that to Caryn. She had to work with him, and I think he had too much fun calling her �Princess.� I�d tried it once. Let�s just say I was lucky she didn�t quit on me.
◊◊◊
Dad and I packed up to go back home. Saul and his wife planned to stay for a week for a much-needed vacation. We wanted to get back so we�d have a day to reacclimate to the time change before we had to do anything else at home�like (OMG) school. Our flight would leave London at 7 p.m., which would make it only 1 p.m. in Chicago. With an eight-hour flight, it would only be 9 p.m. when we landed back home. I hoped that since we were only here a short time, we�d be fine.
◊◊◊
Chapter 18 � A Slight Miscalculation Sunday March 6
When we came back from church, it was only the three of us: Mom, Dad, and me. We had a light lunch, and I joined Dad to watch the Bears lose another game. That was when someone buzzed from the front gate. Dad switched the TV to see who it was, and it was Coach Diamond. I met him at the front door.
�Hey, Coach, come in,� I said and took his coat.
While I hung it up, Dad greeted him, and he took a seat to watch the game.
�This isn�t a social call,� he said, getting down to business. �I�ve come to ask for a favor.�
Coach Diamond had been my offensive coordinator last fall before he took the head coaching job at Washington. He�d also coached baseball, and I�d heard he was now their head baseball coach, too. As it happens, our first baseball game was against them this Saturday at Washington.
�You need me to give you some coaching tips,� I teased.
Between Bo Harrington, Coach Mason, and me, Coach Diamond had learned a lot. Of course, he�d also taught me a lot.
�The reason I�m here is I need your help with a fundraiser. Our booster club wants to raise funds to make improvements to our facilities. In particular, we want to raise enough to get a decent weight room, similar to what you have at Lincoln High. We plan to stage a fundraiser before our game on Saturday. I wanted to see if you�d come over early and sign some pictures or whatever you Hollywood-types do.�
�What all are you planning?� Dad asked as Mom joined us.
�We thought we�d have a petting zoo, maybe some pony rides. The high school band would play, and we�d set up a food tent. All that, and David would be there to sign autographs � Oh, and then there�s the baseball game.�
�How many people do you think will show up?� Mom asked.
�We�re hoping for maybe a thousand,� Coach Diamond said.
Dad snorted and then looked mortified that he�d made his feelings known. Coach Diamond gave him a crooked smile.
�I know. Those were my thoughts exactly. When I heard �pony rides� and �high school band,� I figured we might get a couple hundred if we were lucky. You helped raise all the funds for your field house. I hoped I could pick your brains, and maybe you could point us in the right direction.�
�The Sullivans have a car dealership in Washington. I would call them and ask them to help you get organized,� Dad suggested.
�You need to do something like a hog roast and a beer tent,� Mom said. When I raised my eyebrows at a beer tent, she added, �There needs to be something for the adults.�
�I have the number for the guy who did the hog roast for our Alternate Prom last year. He cooked three hogs for three hundred people if I remember right,� I said.
�You had a band help the governor with his campus get-out-the-vote events. Do you think they might help with this?� Dad asked.
�I don�t know. Let me go make a call,� I said.
I stepped into the office and called Angel Hargrove, the manager for Jett and her band Birthrite. I explained what we planned. Unfortunately, or fortunately for Birthrite, they had been booked to play some bars in Chicago.
�There�s someone I think I could convince, though,� Angel said.
�Anything would be welcome,� I admitted.
Nothing against Washington�s high school band, but I couldn�t see them being a big draw. They would attract friends and family, but I was thinking bigger.
�There is someone who you did music videos for � for free � and owes you many favors.�
�Eve,� I said unenthusiastically.
�Still mad about the breakup song?� she asked.
�It was kind of a bush-league move on her part,� I admitted.
�She knows,� Angel said and then sighed. �Tell you what. I�ll deliver Eve Holliday to do your fundraiser, but they have to pay travel costs and for hotel rooms Saturday night.�
We agreed, and my next call was to Frank.
�Have you seen the video Lucasfilm sent us?� Frank blurted out when he answered.
�No. Why, do I look stupid in it?� I asked.
�It�s awesome. I�m meeting with my staff right now to figure out how best to use it. In my business, this is what we dream of.�
Someone was excited.
�Send me the link when you get a chance. Hey, I called you because I wanted your help with another project. One of my old coaches is raising money for his booster club, and I offered to help. I hoped you might have some ideas on how to get people to show up,� I said.
I gave him the rundown of what they planned and how I�d gotten Eve �Country Girl� Holliday, my ex-girlfriend and former classmate, to sing at the fundraiser.
Frank said he�d put together a plan and work with Caryn to make it happen. I also gave him Coach Diamond�s phone number in case he needed to talk to the organizers directly.
When I got off the phone, I turned on the office computer and watched the video. When it was done, I ran to the door.
�Dad, you have to see this!� I called excitedly.
�What is it?� Dad called back.
For some reason, my parents never responded to me when I got excited and called for them. I might�ve �cried wolf� one too many times.
�Our video.�
That was all it took to get my dad off his butt. When everyone was in the office, I just pointed to the screen and hit play.
It started with a female newscaster in the studio. There was a flashing banner with �Breaking News.� Under that was a graphic that said �Millennium Falcon Stolen� and �CTV News London.�
�We have breaking news that there have been explosions at Elstree Studios, where the new Star Wars movie
The screen split, and you could see flames shooting out of the side of the studio. There appeared to be a large gaping hole that looked big enough to get the starship through. The fire department was busy trying to put out the flames.
�What have you been told, Crispin?� the studio anchor asked.
�We�ve had a report that two men stole the Millennium Falcon earlier today. We have footage from a security cam that shows the theft,� Crispin said. Then the newscast switched to a grainy video from a security camera.
It showed the studio side wall explode out into the parking lot. Moments later, the Millennium Falcon roared out of the smoke and flames as it rocketed out of the view of the stationary camera. If I hadn�t known it was fake, I would have believed it. When the last Star Wars movie was about to release, Lucasfilm had shown a similar �leaked� video. It showed starships parked on a runway, droids running around, and an Imperial starfighter flying. It had been a YouTube sensation overnight.
The scene switched to a picture of my dad and me in what looked like mug shots with our names under them. We were dressed up in our costumes, so they must have pulled the photos from the video we shot.
�Be on the lookout for a father-and-son team. David A. Dawson and his father Robert Dawson were on the set. It seems David A. Dawson was at the studio to audition for the role as the young Han Solo in an upcoming movie. He recently starred in
�My sources tell me that after the audition, the duo slipped into the hangar and stole the Millennium Falcon,� Crispin said.
The picture changed to one of the Millennium Falcon. Then the scene switched back to Crispin Maconochie, and he put his finger to his ear as if someone was talking to him through an earpiece.
�Hang on. I�m being told we have a video that David A. Dawson just leaked to the Internet, showing his brazen theft,� Crispin said.
The scene changed to what we�d shot. Mom and Coach Diamond both laughed when I ran onto the bridge. When our part ended, Crispin Maconochie was shown again.
�Police have issued a galaxy-wide request for any information on the whereabouts of the thieves, and a reward has been offered for the safe return of the Millennium Falcon.�
The screen split so the anchor could be seen, too.
�Crispin, any idea where they might have gone?�
�The RAF tracked the Millennium Falcon as it headed over the Atlantic towards the United States, but the fear is that they may have left the planet.�
�Thanks, Crispin. In other news, a kitten was stuck in a storm drain ��
That was where the video ended.
�That�s so cool,� I said.
�When will they release it?� Mom asked.
�Frank and his team are working on it,� I said and turned to Coach. �Frank Ingram is my publicist.�
�That looked like an actual newscast,� Coach Diamond said.
�Lucasfilm is tops at what they do.�
�So, you really are up for the role?� Coach asked.
�Yeah, I should know soon whether I got it or not.�
I told Coach Diamond that I�d arranged for Eve �Country Girl
◊◊◊
I went to my apartment and changed into my cowboy gear because Zoe had invited me over to go horseback riding. I�d been bad and told Fritz I wasn�t due back until tonight, so I planned to drive myself to the Pearson farm in the Jeep.
Having security and a driver was fine sometimes�I was able to actually get things done while I was being driven around�but I missed driving. I�m sure just about every teen would agree with me that it was a rite of passage and represented freedom.
Driving myself in the Jeep would have been fine, but I found that Peggy had taken it to her parents, so I grabbed the keys for the SUV. When I hit the county road and sped up, I discovered this beast was sneaky-fast. What felt like 45 mph turned out to be 60 when I looked down at the speedometer. Peggy had complained that she was sure she would get a ticket driving it, and now I knew why.
There wouldn�t be any traffic or police in the park, so I decided to see how the Ford Hennessey VelociRaptor SUV with a modified supercharged engine would handle. It was every bit as fast as my Charger had been. It didn�t corner like the Charger, but I felt safe taking the winding turns through the park. I vowed to take driving classes with it so I would know all its capabilities.
When I pulled into the farm, Zoe came out of the barn to greet me. She�d already done all her chores so we could go riding. As we finished saddling the horses, I received a call from Frank.
�We�ve had a fun idea. Do you have a warehouse or somewhere big you could hide the Millennium Falcon?�
�I have a barn that might work. Why, what are you planning?� I asked.
�Can you go there and take a picture of you in front of it with the doors opened?�
�Sure, but what did you want it for?�
�We�re not sure yet, but we�ve been kicking around some ideas. Just go take the picture and send it to me,� Frank said.
The shit hung up on me. I had an inkling of what they were planning.
�We need to ride over to my farm and take some pictures.�
Zoe, being a girl, wanted details. I tried to give her the facts but ended up having to tell her everything. I have no idea why stating, �I need to take a fake photo so it looks like I�m hiding a spaceship� wasn�t enough information.
◊◊◊
When we rode up the farm�s driveway, I saw my grandma had several people working. One was on a tractor, pulling a cart full of walnuts. They�d been cleaning up around the trees.
�What brings you out today?� Grandma Dawson asked.
�Zoe wanted to go for a ride, and I need to take some pictures of the barn for my publicist.�
The barn doors were open, so I handed Zoe my phone and stood in front of it.
�You want to be famous?� I asked her.
�Sure, why not?� she said.
I had my grandma take our picture.
�You should film them backing the trailer into the barn,� Zoe suggested.
�Why would you do that?� Grandma Dawson asked.
I had to tell her the whole story.
�That makes sense,� Grandma Dawson said. �You�d want to hide it inside so the satellites couldn�t see it.�
My grandma should be in movies. She had them unhook the wagon so I could come speeding up on the tractor, hook up the wagon, and then back it into the barn. It took me three attempts because backing a wagon wasn�t easy.
When I successfully parked the wagon, I acted like I was looking for satellites. As if you could see them.
�Here in the good old US of A, possession is nine-tenths of the law,� I said, and then closed the barn doors.
I sent the pictures and video to Frank. It would be interesting to see what they could do with them.
◊◊◊
Zoe and I rode to where the bluff overlooked the river. Someday I would want to build a house there. The view of the slow-moving river and forest looked like a scene out of a painting. When we came to the top, we startled three deer. The two females looked pregnant.
Zoe and I got off the horses, walked to the edge, and just took in the sights.
�Why did you not show up the other day?� I asked, referring to our appointment in the music room.
She looked away and blushed.
�I was being too brazen. That wasn�t me; I just couldn�t do it again. I came to tell you, and that girl was there, so I asked her to let you know I couldn�t make it.�
�You know that girl tried to take your place,� I teased.
�David,� she complained and then looked at me. �Did she really?�
I just gave her a cryptic look. Zoe looked shocked.
�I let her show me her boobs,� I said.
�You are such a pervert sometimes. I have no idea what I see in you,� she huffed.
I reached out and took her hand. She came into my arms, and we kissed. She laid her head on my chest.
�I�m conflicted. I was raised a certain way and know my parents would disapprove if they knew what we�d done. When I�m with you, all that goes away. But you can�t just pick and choose what you believe,� she said.
�Why not?� I asked.
�That�s not the way it�s done.�
�I think your belief in God is a personal thing. While I agree with you on most of it, I think some teachings are outdated. I believe man, not God, dictates some things. Of course, I could just be interpreting things to suit me. You need to decide what�s right for yourself,� I said.
�Like what?� Zoe asked.
I got a tight smile. This was one of those things that people believed in deeply. They would usually fall on one side or the other.
�Birth control. Some religions are against it. I use it, not only because I want to keep from having a baby, but also for health reasons. I understand the irony in what I�m saying and agree that were I in a monogamous long-term relationship, I wouldn�t have to worry about the health issues.�
�What about abortion?� she asked.
�You�re not going easy on me, are you?� I asked.
�I guess not, but I would like to know.�
�Okay, this is more complicated. I believe that life begins at conception,� I said.
�Is that why Pam�s having your child?�
�Partially,� I admitted. �Pam and I are too young right now. We both have a year left in high school. That doesn�t mean that couples haven�t faced this very issue and survived.�
�Do you believe in abortion?� she asked again.
�There are cases in which the health of the mother should be considered,� I hedged.
�What about rape or incest?�
�That would fall under the health of the mother. The mother�s mental health should be considered.�
�What if something�s wrong with the baby?�
�I believe the parents should be given all the facts and the support to decide. A child with a severe birth defect could mean a tremendous strain on a family, financially, emotionally, and physically, with the time needed to support the child. Something like that shouldn�t be forced on you without your consent.�
I sighed.
�I don�t have all the answers. That�s why I talk to people I trust and pray. Sometimes you have to leave it in God�s hands. I�m smart enough to know that I shouldn�t just blindly decide what�s right in each and every situation. Honestly, I don�t think it�s my place. We each have to face our decisions in the hereafter. At some point, personal responsibility comes into play.�
�With that logic, I could go down and rob a convenience store, if my moral compass said it was okay.�
�Everything you do in life has consequences. If you�re willing to take the risk, there�s nothing I can do to stop you. That�s one of the things I like about our country. You�re free to be an idiot. If you�re a big enough idiot, we can decide not to put up with your shit and put you in jail.�
�You�re a giant contradiction,� Zoe said.
�I guess I am, but that�s life. Nothing�s black or white. We live in the gray areas, and sometimes that isn�t easy.�
�So, what should I do?�
�About having sex with me? I�m all for it,� I said with a big smile.
�You�re not worried about burning in Hell?�
�If that�s what keeps me out of Heaven, I was the one who decided to do it, and I can live with that.�
�Would you be willing to pray with me?� Zoe asked.
I smiled and bowed my head. I prayed that she would decide what was right for her.
◊◊◊ Monday March 7
My phone rang at five a.m. It was Frank.
�I might have made a slight miscalculation. We released your video from the studio and the one from the farm. It�s blowing up in Europe this morning. You have a hundred thousand new followers on social media, and it was on all the morning shows over there. We�ve been flooded with media requests.�
I sat in silence. Once I got over my shock, I pulled my phone out, and Frank was right, my social media accounts were going nuts. The hashtag
�Okay, now what?� I asked.
�Something like this can build into a huge story. We need to let doubt be the focus of the day. You can�t do anything to put a damper on the story yet. I think we can use it to get people to your fundraiser on Saturday.�
�How many do you think they should plan for?� I asked.
�I wouldn�t be surprised if we doubled the event. If you thought a thousand, then plan for two right now.�
�Do I need to worry about the farm? I don�t want people running all over it; we�re just starting to get it ready,� I said.
�Well, if it were up to me, I would suggest you get some security. I�d also encourage you to keep someone with you today until we know what this turns into,� Frank advised.
After I hung up, I let Duke out and went to the house to wake up my mom and dad. I was no longer their favorite when I told them what was going on; I�d neglected to tell them about the video I�d shot at the farm.
Dad got up and called Caryn, then ordered me to make coffee while Mom took her shower. The noise woke up Little David, so I ran upstairs to get him. Peggy was dead to the world, so I changed him and brought him downstairs with us.
Dad was in the middle of telling us that Caryn would take care of the security when the gate buzzer sounded. Mom turned on the TV, and we could see it was a reporter. This was going to be worse than the fight with the �Baby Dick Gang.�
�When this is all done, we�re going to have a long talk about unintended consequences,� Dad said.
I just gave him a look. He�d been right there with me. How was this all my fault? For once, I was glad my mom was there. She told the reporter what she thought of him ringing the bell at such an early hour. When he persisted, she called the police. Maybe not how I would�ve handled it, but when the local constabulary showed up, the reporters seemed to back off. That�s right, �reporters,� as in more than one. We now had several more littering the street.
Duke looked out the front window and decided he was tough. His announcement woke Peggy up. She freaked out a little when she couldn�t find Little David in his bed. Dad made me explain why she�d been woken up and why there were reporters and police out front.
Dad called Frank to figure out what we should do. It was agreed that I should go out, look nervous, and do the �no comment� routine. When I opened the front door, I was blinded by camera lights. I was dressed in a sweatshirt, sweats, and slippers, and looked like I�d just crawled out of bed.
Ten reporters shouted questions. I did my acting job and ran back into the house. When I came back in, the local station had been doing their usual local farm reports when they broke in with a special report. They acknowledged it was all a prank, but played all the video, and then showed me looking worried and running back into the house.
�Wouldn�t it be funny if he really did have the Millennium Falcon?� the anchor asked and then returned to talking about corn futures.
Mom wasn�t impressed with my acting skills and sent me to my apartment to get ready for school.
◊◊◊
Fritz showed up to drive me. When I got into the car, he turned and stared at me.
�You�re a little shit, you know. We already had to call the police and have them arrest two college kids who tried to break into your barn. The local police have blocked the entrance to the park to keep nonresidents from getting back into the farm area.�
�More unintended consequences,� I said.
�What are you talking about?�
�My dad told me he planned to talk to me about unintended consequences. This was supposed to be a fun thing, but it looks like it may be getting out of control.�
�Well, let�s hope that it doesn�t get worse,� Fritz said.
He dumped me at the back door. We�d gone by the front entrance, and paparazzi and press were waiting there.
◊◊◊
Of course, my antics were the talk of the school. Poor Alan was about to explode. He was smart enough to know it wasn�t real, but he was a
I was happy to see several people had joined us. The one who made the most sense was Sun. She�d been homeless, and when she said she wanted to help, Brit had invited her to the meeting.
�Before we get started, I know you�ve probably seen the news. My little videos have caused quite a stir. On Saturday, we have our first baseball game at Washington. I�ve been asked to help raise funds. Should we ask people to bring things for our homeless cause? I mean, there will be a bus there for the baseball team anyway,� I said.
�The Homeless Coalition also serves the Washington area. I think that would be a good idea,� Brit said.
I left it to Brit and Sun to figure things out. The plan had been to try to fill up a bus the following Saturday when we had our first home game against Wesleyan.
Alan wanted to try out his app this week, and Wolf had his first picnic table built. It looked like everything was moving along nicely.
◊◊◊
As I walked to lunch, I received a text from Caryn. It seemed my dad had been caught at work and talked to a reporter. The link to the interview was attached.
�Do you have the Millennium Falcon hidden in a barn?�
Dad gave the guy a look he�d developed over the years that told either Greg or me that we were idiots. I admit it made me chuckle.
�We had an attempted break-in at the farm, so it had to be moved.�
Good call. We didn�t need people bothering my grandma.
�Sources say that this is just a publicity stunt. Is there any truth in that accusation?�
�Oh, no, it�s totally real,� Dad said as he started to laugh and walked away.
The reporter turned to the camera.
�I think we�ll have to leave it to our viewers to decide if this is a hoax or not.�
You could hear the cameraman laughing, and the reporter smirked. It must have been a slow news day if they were goofing off on fluff pieces like that.
◊◊◊
Lunch was chaos. Cassidy had to threaten me because I was on my last nerve with Alan and his questions. �Yes, I auditioned to be in
◊◊◊
At baseball practice, Coach Haskins showed me how to steal a base while Coach Herndon taught the pitchers the proper way to pitch out of the stretch.
�At first, I want you to go each time the pitcher releases the ball, to get used to breaking at the right time. We�re going to try two different running techniques. I don�t think either is better than the other. We�ll figure out which one works best for you,� Coach Haskins said.
�How will we do that?� I asked.
�We�ll time you and see which gets you to second base the fastest.�
�Usually, I just smile.�
Coach wasn�t impressed with my witty comment and made me run five laps around the field to �adjust my attitude.� While I ran, he worked with some of the other players on base-stealing. When I came back, he made me wait my turn as he coached Brock.
�The two techniques to start your run are the directional step and the crossover. Let�s try the directional step first. Now watch how I have my feet,� Coach said and showed how he had his feet planted just a little wider than shoulder-width. �With the directional step, there�s typically a little hesitation step on the lead leg. That�s to turn your foot so the toe�s pointed to the base you want to steal.�
Coach demonstrated picking up his foot and turning it before he began his run.
�What the directional step does is allow you to shift weight towards the edge of your base of support so you can gain momentum quickly. It is added movement, but it can help create a better mechanical advantage for you to get up to speed faster.�
He had Brock try five runs to second so he felt comfortable doing it. He then timed him for the next five.
�The second is the crossover. You dig in the foot closest to the direction you want to go and then use that lead leg to push off while your trailing leg crosses the lead leg.�
Brock did this several times until he felt good, and then Coach timed him.
�If you�re facing a pitcher who has a weak move to first, what you can do is cheat your lead foot back a bit. That also applies if you have a catcher with a weak arm,� Coach said and then demonstrated.
His lead foot was now a couple of inches further back from his front foot.
�What this does is open your hips more, and there�s less body weight in your way as you turn and run,� Coach explained.
Brock tried it with both techniques, and it did help his time by a little. Brock was faster with the crossover move.
Then it was my turn. Coach had me do both, and my times were surprisingly identical.
�Can I try something?� I asked.
�Tell me what you want to try.�
�In my speed training, I do a drill where I begin with my knee on the ground, my back foot planted, and I�m parallel to the line of scrimmage. What I do is use my planted foot to lift and push myself towards the line. In essence, it�s the same thing as the directional step, except I don�t have that hesitation,� I explained.
�Show me.�
The drill taught you how to change direction with speed. If you thought about it, that was what base-stealing was. You faced home plate and had to turn to run down the baseline. I pushed off my back foot, and instead of doing the directional step to get my body going in the right direction, I took a full step towards second. I�ll admit that if I hadn�t run the speed drill thousands of times, it would have felt awkward compared to the directional step method.
Coach timed me, and I was faster doing it that way. I�d found that placing my front leg slightly behind helped. Then Coach showed me I could turn the toe of my lead leg slightly towards second base to open my hips even more, making it easier to run. What slowed you down was that you had to twist your body ninety degrees to run down the baseline. If I cheated and only had to turn seventy degrees, it cut a fraction of a second off my time. Every bit helped.
The only downside to this was if the pitcher had a good move to first, your lead foot suddenly became your back foot. Then you didn�t have the power to push off as you would with your feet squared up.
�Stealing bases isn�t necessarily about speed, it�s about being smart. Let�s talk about where you want to start out. First, you don�t want to be even with the bag. Instead, I want you to start at the back,� Coach said.
He put his foot against the bag and then moved it back so the toe touched the back corner.
�This is in case they try to pick you off. We train the first baseman to block the bag with his foot. Plus, if you�re further back, he has a longer reach to tag you.�
He had me try it, and I could see what he meant when he acted like a first baseman. It gave me a clear path back to the bag instead of possibly hitting his foot or ankle if I dove back.
�Now when you go to take your lead, I want you to shuffle your feet. Never cross them over to get to your spot, because a good pitcher will pick that moment to throw to first,� Coach said as he demonstrated.
�You want to get a three- or three-and-a-half-step lead, depending on the pitcher and how good his pickoff move is. Once you�re in place, check to make sure you�re still in line with the back edge of both first and second base. You don�t want to be too far forward or back. A straight line is your fastest in either direction.
�When you get in your leadoff stance, your weight should be fifty-fifty on each leg, because you don�t know which direction you�re going,� Coach said.
He had me practice getting into position. When he was happy, he brought in Johan and Justin to catch and pitch. Jim played first, and Brock took second. Coach Herndon talked to the defenders about how to hold me on first, while Coach Haskins coached me on how to steal.
�Watch Justin, and when he begins his move towards home, you need to be off. If you wait until you see the ball�s out of his hand, it�ll be too late.�
Everyone knew I was going, so Justin threw to first the first five times. I think they just wanted to see me eat dirt. I was glad I had my new sliding glove that protected my fingers. It looked like a flipper, but it protected my fingers and kept my thumb in against my hand. I could see myself diving for the bag and my thumb catching the edge of the bag and snapping off.
Coach Haskins stopped play so he could give me a tip.
�Watch the heels of his feet. If the one on the pitching rubber lifts, he�s coming to first. If his lead-foot heel moves, he�s going to home.�
�So my focus is on his front foot,� I said.
�If he lifts it, you go.�
With my new information, I stole second on Justin four straight times. Coach Herndon stepped over to talk to him and gave me an evil grin. Something was up. On the next pitch, I took off, and instead of it being an easy steal, it was a bang-bang play. Coach Herndon called me out, which I felt was bull.
When I got back to first, Coach Haskins pulled me aside to watch what Justin had done.
�I want David to see what you did,� Coach called out.
Justin did a slide-step. Instead of doing his full leg lift, he lifted just enough to get his cleats out of the dirt and then threw. That small change got him to the plate faster by just enough to give Johan a decent chance to gun me down. Justin complained that he couldn�t get as much power on his pitch, but was willing to trade that off to hold me at first. The lesson was I couldn�t just go and then focus on running to second. I had to watch the pitcher to make sure he didn�t use a slide-step. If he did, I would stop, because there was a good chance I�d get thrown out.
I got good at picking up if it was a slide-step or regular pitch. Alan had recorded me, so when we were done, Coach Haskins and I looked at the video. What I observed was that I popped up a little on taking off. Standing up straight was not ideal because it slowed me down. It was an easy fix.
When we were done, Coach told me that tomorrow I would practice against a left-handed pitcher, and then we would practice stealing third and home the following day.
◊◊◊
Coach Hope had agreed to drive Brook and Cassidy to the dojo until this silliness with the press died down. Neither one of them wanted to deal with it. Moose had somehow scared the reporters away from baseball practice. He did allow them to film me to get some B-roll footage.
Dad had called me while I was changing out of my baseball gear. There had been three more people try to break into the barn, one high school girl and two reporters. My grandmother wasn�t happy with our antics and strongly suggested that I make it clear that she didn�t have a spaceship on the property.
Frank had been in touch with Disney and Lucasfilm, and they loved the viral media response. The press was taking it tongue firmly in cheek, and they had started to play it as a filler piece towards the end of their broadcasts. My social media followers had exploded. Frank said I�d added nearly three hundred thousand in a day.
Frank gave me four talking points.
1)��� The Millennium Falcon had been moved.
2)��� I was a finalist for the young Han Solo role, and that was why I was in the UK over the weekend.
3)��� Washington was holding their booster club fundraiser on Saturday, and I would be there.
4)��� I asked that everyone bring something for the homeless. Our goal was to fill up a bus.
Fritz and Paul were both picking me up. Fritz drove, and I was told to wait in the school until Paul came and got me. We planned to allow the press to �catch� me in front of the school. Word had been sent out that I would make a statement at that time, so we had a crowd of reporters and paparazzi.
I think most of the local police force was there to keep order, as word had leaked and several hundred
The press conference went fine. The reporters played it straight, and we all had fun. It reminded me of when they�d track Santa on radar at Christmastime. I thought I was home free until a fanboy shouted a question.
�How did you move the Millennium Falcon?�
�You saw the video. I moved it with the tractor,� I said.
�That�s impossible. There are no wheels on Millennium Falcon�s landing gear.�
All I heard was cameras clicking as my brain locked. Leave it to a geek to punch a hole in our little piece of fiction. Paul stepped up to the mic.
�There�s an undercarriage storage area that has attachments for the landing gear. They hook onto the outside of the feet, and that allows you to move the ship. Otherwise, you�d have to fire up the thrusters every time you needed to move it.�
I cocked my head and thought; it made sense, so I just smiled. Crisis averted.
◊◊◊
At the dojo, Coach Hope had brought boxing gloves and headgear. He and Fritz planned to teach me to box in case I got in a tight spot and didn�t have room to use all my martial-arts skills.
That left Paul to work out with Cassidy. He took one look at her and began to complain.
�What am I supposed to do with the little girl?�
I winked at Cassidy.
�We�re teaching her how to defend herself. Here, let me show you,� I said.
I did my drunken bear imitation and wrapped her up. I almost blew it when I gave her a raspberry on her neck.
�Let me go, you jerk,� she squealed.
�Do me a favor and teach her some things,� I suggested.
I walked back over to Coach Hope and Fritz.
�That was mean,� Fritz said.
We all giggled when Paul tried to attack Cassidy. He even got Shiggy�s attention when he squealed like a little girl.
�I need him for work tomorrow,� Fritz called out, and Cassidy nodded and let the big baby go.
Boxing was fun. It appealed to the rowdy side of me that loves football and offered an excuse to get physical without going to jail. I think Coach Hope enjoyed punching me as much as I enjoyed hitting him. Fritz gave up trying to teach me to slip punches when Coach and I went toe-to-toe. For an old man, he could hit. If we hadn�t had protective gear, he would have knocked me out. I did get in some good licks, though. We both grinned and were breathing hard when we finished.
It was then my turn to work out with Cassidy. Paul had given up attacking her. I�d taught her what I learned training for
◊◊◊
Chapter 19 � Star Wars Effect Friday March 11
We were enjoying dinner when the front gate buzzed. We�d had problems with reporters and fans for the last couple of days. On Tuesday, we had to let the press onto the farm to show that the Millennium Falcon was not in the barn. They knew it was all just in fun, but some people must not have been in touch with reality because we�d had more instances of attempted break-ins. The good news was that Fritz had done an excellent job with security. Each time they were caught before they could do any damage.
I turned on the TV to check the video link to see who was there, and I froze. It was Bev Mass. I let her in and led her into the kitchen. Mom and Peggy looked at her curiously, but Dad and I had worried expressions on our faces, which Mom noticed.
�What have you two done?� she demanded.
�In fact, your son has been a big help. I wanted to deliver some news in person.�
�What�s going on?� Mom asked.
�I suspect Brandon Rigby may have taken advantage of Tami,� I said.
�What do you mean?� Mom said, suddenly getting worried.
I told her the whole story. I could tell she was royally pissed I hadn�t told her any of it until now. When I was done, Bev took over.
�Detective Kitchens executed both a search and arrest warrant for Brandon today. He�s fighting extradition, but that won�t buy him much time. They�ve taken DNA samples, and I�m confident his DNA will match several open cases,� she said, and then smiled for the first time.
�He was dumb enough to keep a journal. I should say �journals,� because we found twenty of them. It�ll take quite a while for us to track down everything he describes in them. I had them check, and in the books, he confirms what we suspected happened with your two friends,� Bev said.
I looked at my mom. She was too much like me. I could see the wheels turning: she was thinking how she could get him alone in a dark alley.
�Mom, we have to focus on Alan and Tami right now. I need your help in figuring out how we should tell them,� I said to get her off thoughts of revenge right now.
She blinked a couple of times and then seemed to shake herself. Mom looked at me and then at Bev.
�When will news of this get out?� she asked Bev.
�They plan to make a statement Monday morning.�
�Then I�ll call Tami�s mom to see when she can get her home this weekend. We can then gather everyone together so you can explain it to them,� Mom decided.
�Why should I be the one to explain?� I asked because there was something in the tone of my mom�s voice that instantly pissed me off.
�Because you need to apologize for what you did.�
�This isn�t helpful,� Dad said, trying to head off whatever this was.
�What do I need to apologize for?� I asked, ignoring Dad.
�I told you they hadn�t done what you suspected. You should have believed your friends. They told you nothing happened.�
�Just like �� I began and then bit my tongue.
I was about to say, �Just like Dad told you he never broke his marriage vows.�
Somehow, I managed to stop myself before it came out. Once said, I could never take it back, and it would profoundly hurt my mom.
�Say it,� Mom challenged.
�Both of you stop right now,� Dad said.
�No. I want to hear what he has to say for himself.�
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Only family could get under your skin like this.
�You know, what pisses me off is that I�m always the one you think needs to apologize. Both Tami and Alan lied to you about the last thing you thought I needed to apologize for. You always take Tami�s side.�
�For good reason; you were wrong. Your friends wouldn�t lie to you about something like that. Instead of acting like a complete ass, you should have taken them at their word.�
�You know what, it�s easy to look at it now and armchair quarterback. You saw how hard I took it when I found out. It made me sick to my stomach,� I said.
Mom had been at the strip mall and saw me throw up when I learned about it. Recognition started to come over her face.
�You act like I�m some kind of unfeeling monster,� I powered on. �I didn�t take the perceived betrayal of my two best friends lightly. I was devastated to find them naked in my bed and a used condom in the bathroom.
�What did you do when you learned what happened? You told me I had to apologize, or I was grounded. I would have thought you, of all people, would know what something like that felt like.�
Aw, shit. Dad gave me a hard look. I knew I�d gone too far. Poor Bev Mass hadn�t come to our home to be a part of something like this. My mom sat there for a moment in stunned silence. She looked at me and then surprised me.
�I�m sorry. I admit, I never thought about it like that. At the time, I was so wrapped up in my own problems, I didn�t see how you must have felt. To me, it was obvious that Alan and Tami would never do something like that. I just assumed you were being stubborn. Yes, I remember how you reacted when Megan told you. I�d always intended to talk to you about what was going on.
�David, I�ve never thought more of Tami than you. I can see how you might think that, but you�re my baby boy. Sometimes I forget that you�re just that, a �stupid boy� and not a man. I don�t mean that to sound the way it came out. You act the adult so much that I forget that you�re just figuring all this stuff out. I don�t always remember that things that seem obvious to me sometimes do so only because of my experience that you don�t have yet.
�I want you to know that even though you decided not to tell me sooner, I�m proud of how you worked within the system to get this resolved. Bev, thank you for helping him,� Mom said.
�I think I pissed him off at times, but he was patient and pushed when it was needed. The arrest would have never happened if it weren�t for David. He�s responsible for getting a monster off the streets,� Bev said.
�Are we good?� I asked my mom.
�We�re good,� she said.
Dad looked like he�d gone ten rounds. He just stared at us and didn�t seem to know what to say. Mom smiled at him, and he chuckled. The poor man should never try to get between Mom and me when we went at it like that.
I felt like the barrier that had been built over the last several months had finally been breached. I felt like Mom and I could move on from this and get back to where we had been. Now all I had to do was tell Alan and Tami. I wondered how bad that would be.
◊◊◊
Tonight was date night with Halle. She�d decided we needed to go to State where they were having a movie festival. They were showing a Japanese movie from 1954,
Unfortunately, we were recognized in the lobby after the movie and had to sign autographs. I watched how Halle handled it. She�d lived with her mom all her life and had watched Rita being approached and how she dealt with fans. I was gracious and spent fifteen minutes doing it. Everyone wanted to know about
I�d done five interviews during the week. The most recent one was on our big country station. They planned to have a live remote at Washington because Eve would be playing a free concert. I just hoped people showed up.
◊◊◊ Saturday March 12
The plan for the day was I would arrive at Washington around noon, and the events would start at one. They planned to have different attractions and activities going on throughout the afternoon. Eve would play for about thirty minutes around two, and the baseball game would start at three.
Coach Diamond had called my dad yesterday and said they expected that maybe a thousand people would show up. Kendal and Megan agreed to help me sign pictures. Frank had had a canvas
Fritz drove us in the SUV and planned to look menacing all day. When we arrived, we found they had set up a stage right behind center field. Washington had a wide-open area behind the baseball field that they used for football practice. Behind right field was a food and beverage tent, and behind left field was the petting zoo and games for children. They had a little carnival-like thing going on.
Our area was beside the stage, and I was happy to see our decorated school bus was next to us. Sun, Brit, and several volunteers were there. I had several duffle bags full of extra clothes that I gave as a donation to kick things off. Mr. Orange was all smiles when he arrived with brochures and some of his staff to help.
Fritz and I set up our stuff, and then he left to park the car. I found Coach Diamond and Mrs. Sullivan in the food tent. As we talked, people started to arrive. Next to the food tent, the country station pulled up a van with huge speakers that blasted out their music and what was on the air.
I moved quickly to my station because there was a line forming. It looked like maybe fifteen people wanted a picture and autograph. I was a pro at this now and figured I could knock this out in no time. While I signed photos, the radio station interviewed me.
�We�re at Washington High where they�re having a fundraiser for the booster club and the Homeless Coalition. There are all kinds of activities for all ages. Later today, a singer who grew up close by here, Eve �Country Girl� Holliday, will give a free concert. Also in attendance is local phenomenon and movie star, David A. Dawson, who is signing pictures and meeting his fans. I have David with me right now.�
�Hey, thanks for having me on. I want to invite everyone out today. Washington High is a rival, but my former offensive coordinator, Coach Diamond, is now their head football coach. He�s a great guy, and when he came to me and asked me to help, I had to show up. They�re raising funds for their sports teams and could really use your support.
�My junior class at Lincoln High took on a project to help the Homeless Coalition. Our goal is to fill a school bus with needed items. Most anything is welcome. Look around your house, and I bet you�ll find some things someone could use. You can either bring them out today or to our first home game next Saturday,� I said to plug the event.
�I hear you auditioned for a new
�I did. They invited me to the UK where I was privileged to watch them film part of their next movie,
�That�s exciting. When will you find out if you got it?�
�I wish I knew because I�m really excited about it. They had thousands of actors audition for the film. I made the final twelve. They plan to cut that down to a final three or four shortly. There are some big names involved. I would be blessed if I were to win the role.�
He announced when Eve would play and when our game was.
◊◊◊
I kept busy signing pictures. When I�d gone through the first stack of 100, and my line was three times longer than when I started, I looked over at Kendal.
�It�s starting to get crowded. Do you think they�ll make their goal of a thousand people?�
�I sure hope so. We brought fifteen hundred photos.�
�You must be crazy if you think I�m signing that many. My hand will fall off,� I complained.
�Don�t worry, most of them are pre-signed. If the lines get too bad, Megan and I will hand those out. Megan is going to get drinks and some food. Do you want anything?�
�Do you even have to ask?�
�I�ll have her tell Mrs. Sullivan it�s for you. Mrs. Sullivan seems to like you,� Kendal teased.
Fritz stepped up behind me.
�David, I think we have a problem,� he said.
I stopped signing the picture I was working on and gave him my full attention.
�I�m monitoring the police band. They estimate that five thousand people are already here. There are cars lined up for miles to get in, and they�re starting to get overwhelmed as it is. They think another five thousand will be here soon.�
I looked out over the open field, and people were everywhere. While they had plenty of room, issues like bathrooms and food would soon become a problem. Large crowds could also get out of control, and people could get hurt.
�Go ask them if they think they need help. If they do, I can call Governor Higgins,� I said.
Fritz took off. While he did that, Megan brought me something to eat. Fritz came back with a troubled police officer.
�David, this is Chief Reynolds.�
I shook his hand.
�We could use some additional manpower. This gentleman told me you could talk directly to the governor.�
�Yeah, I have his cell,� I said, and I got mine out and dialed.
�I almost didn�t answer. I�m about to speak at a VFW close to you,� Governor Higgins said.
�Before you say anything to embarrass yourself, I have you on speakerphone. I�m at the Washington High fundraiser, and we have a crowd issue. Chief Reynolds is here with me,� I said.
I handed my phone to the chief and returned to signing pictures. When he was done, he came back, gave me my phone, and thanked me. Next, Brit found me.
�We need another bus,� she said.
�What do you mean, you need another bus?�
�We filled that one. Stuff is starting to pile up,� she said.
�Okay, call Moose and see if they can get here soon. Also, go tell Mrs. Sullivan. She might be able to get a truck here that we can use.�
I handed Brit my phone so she could call Moose. She came back, looking worried.
�He said they�re in traffic trying to get here. Moose said they�re just stopped on the county road on the way into town. He has no idea when they�ll be here.�
�What did Mrs. Sullivan say?� I asked.
�She said she�d called for more food to be delivered. Once the truck�s unloaded, she�ll send it over, and we can use it,� Brit said.
�What does Mr. Orange think?� I asked.
�That man is worthless. I think he�s about to have a meltdown,� she admitted.
�Who�s having a meltdown?� Mom asked.
I hadn�t seen her come up. As I turned to her, over her shoulder I saw Dad talking with Coach Diamond and several of the Washington boosters.
�Can you go help Brit?� I asked.
�I didn�t come here to work,� Mom complained. But she left with Brit.
I worried about what this would cost me. When I looked up, it seemed my line had tripled again. Kendal and Megan were handing out the pre-signed photos. When I say pre-signed, I mean I�d signed one, and they�d made copies. They roped Dad into helping them.
◊◊◊
My phone began ringing. I ignored it because I was signing autographs like crazy. Then it rang again, so I stopped and checked caller ID. It was Angel, Eve�s agent.
�What�s going on? No one�s answering their phones,� she complained.
�We have a much bigger crowd than we expected. Aren�t you supposed to be here by now?� I asked.
�Well, that�s the problem. We�re stuck in traffic.�
I said a bad word. Who would ever think there would be a traffic jam in Washington?
�Where are you?� I asked.
She told me, and I advised her where to turn and how to cut through the back roads to get to the school. I waved down my dad and told him to tell someone.
I heard a helicopter. When it got closer, it became evident it was a state police chopper. It made a big circle around the high school and then landed in the cornfield across the road. I recognized the governor and his team. He wasn�t about to miss an opportunity to get in front of a crowd this size when the primaries were next Tuesday.
I watched them come to the food tent and find the Washington boosters. I got nervous when they all turned and pointed at me, and the governor shook his head. Coach Diamond came and got me.
�I hear this is all your fault,� Governor Higgins said.
�They said they wanted a bigger event,� I said with a shrug.
�Well, we need to have someone make announcements, and you�ve been elected.�
I walked out on stage and explained that we hadn�t expected so many people and that porta-potties were now set up. The school had also opened so its restrooms could be used. While I talked, Eve showed up, and I brought her on stage.
While they set up, I brought the governor up to say a few words.
Word must have gotten out because there were two news copters taking videos of the crowd. Someone estimated we had twenty thousand people here. I was out of photos, so I left to change into my baseball gear. Moose and the team had arrived, so it was time to warm up.
◊◊◊
Eve played her set, and then it was time for the game.
�Be sure to thank David A. Dawson for the event today. Without his help, none of this would have happened,� Eve said before she got off stage.
I would get even someday. Just not today.
Moose brought us into the dugout before the game.
�Looks like we might have a crowd tonight,� Moose observed.
�You think?� Jim asked.
�Are all our games going to be this well attended?� Yuri asked.
Everyone looked at me. I just flipped them off.
Governor Higgins threw out the first pitch, and then Eve sang the national anthem.
It was finally time for baseball, and I was up first. Out of habit, I looked down to third base. I was shocked when I recognized the bunt sign. Washington�s pitcher was a small kid who looked like a freshman. While he warmed up, I�d timed his pitches, and I had big plans. I took a couple of mighty cuts and settled into the box.
I concentrated on what I�d learned and made a show of acting like I planned to park the first pitch. Coach Diamond moved his infield and outfield back in anticipation. The kid pitching was clearly nervous. I almost cried when he threw a fastball right down the pipe. I squared around and pushed my bunt towards first base.
No one in the park expected I would bunt. The first baseman finally figured out he needed to get the ball. Neither the second baseman nor the pitcher covered first, so I was safe. Coach Diamond was seething on the bench because Moose had put one over on him.
Coach Haskins, from third, signaled for me to steal. He gave the sign for the batter, Yuri, to take the first pitch. I took my lead at first, daring the kid to chase me back. He threw the pitch home instead. As soon as he lifted his lead leg, I was off. The throw from the catcher went high and sailed into center field. Coach Haskins signaled that I could stand up at third and then suddenly signaled for me to go home.
What I hadn�t seen was the center fielder had decided not to hit his cutoff man, but throw to third. He was way off the line and tossed it to the fence by our dugout. I wondered if Yuri got an RBI for standing in the box. Their pitcher settled down and got the side to go down in order.
Justin showed why he was our number-one pitcher. He was able to get Washington out on just seven pitches. Coach Diamond had them aggressive at the plate, and they hacked away at some balls they shouldn�t have. In the top of the second, I found myself at bat with the bases loaded and two outs. Moose grabbed me before I stepped up to the plate.
�Don�t try to kill it, just drive the ball. Oh, and wait for your pitch.�
Baseball was complicated, but Moose made it simple. I just grinned at him.
When I got into the box, I was zoned in. The first pitch was a low fastball.
�Strike one!� the umpire called.
I looked back at him and smiled.
�If you hadn�t noticed, I�m tall. My knees are way up here,� I said.
The catcher was shaking from trying not to laugh. The umpire must have trained with my mom, based on the look he gave me. I guess I shouldn�t joke with him.
The next three pitches were outside. I knew the kid pitching would have to throw me a strike, or he would walk in a run. He threw another outside pitch, but I swung at ball four to bail him out. I looked down to third and Coach Haskins just clapped and yelled for me to get a hit.
When the pitcher released the next pitch, I recognized it was a curveball. If it dropped like it had in the past, it would be low, but I wasn�t counting on the umpire to make the right call. Bless the baseball gods. The curve hung over the plate. The sound of the bat confirmed what I knew: I got all of it. I drove it into the left-center gap. All the runners had taken off on the sound of contact. Because there were two outs, they didn�t have to wait to see if the ball was caught or not. I drove in three runs and had a stand-up double.
The game ended with that score, 4�0.
Not a bad day for me: two for four with three RBIs. I found out I was credited with a stolen base. If a catcher makes a wild throw in an attempt to prevent a stolen base, and the runner is safe, the catcher isn�t charged with an error. He did get an error when the shortstop didn�t back up the second baseman, and the ball went into center field. The center fielder picked up another error when I was able to score. Alan explained the finer points of scoring on the way home on the bus.
◊◊◊
Mom and Dad took me out to dinner for my first win. At dinner, they told me what a success the day had been. It turned out that twenty-three thousand people had attended the game. We collected a bus and four large moving trucks full of items for the Homeless Coalition. Mom had Mr. Orange go rent them from the local U-Haul dealer.
Coach Diamond called Dad and told him they had raised eight times the amount of funds they�d set as a goal. Thanks to that, the Washington Booster Club loved me. The vast majority of the people who showed up said they came to see me because of the
Angel called and thanked me for the opportunity. She told me they were picking up the cost of travel and hotels. Originally, I�d told her there would be a thousand people there. Eve had never sung for that many people, so she was happy.
◊◊◊
Chapter 20 � All These Things I�ve Said Sunday March 13
The day I�d dreaded was finally here. I had to tell my two ex-best friends the truth of what had happened to them that caused our friendships to fall apart. Looking back, a lot of it was my fault. It was me who brought Brandon into our midst. I�d trusted my lawyers when they recommended him to be my PA and help with recruiting. I�d been too trusting and not looked into why he�d left Harvard.
Since then, I�d requested that Caryn make sure everyone had a background check. I even made them check into people and organizations we donated money to. I had a better understanding of Teddy Wesleyan now. As yet, I wasn�t paranoid that everyone was out to get money from me, but I wasn�t far from it. Before I went off the deep end, I was sure someone would give me a reality check.
I rolled over in my bed and heard a tail thumping. I looked down and saw Duke was next to my bed. That made me shake my head. Mom had bought him a fancy bed for his crate, and he�d rather lie on the bare floor.
I got up and looked out the window. It was snowing, which made it easy to skip running today. Flee, my quarterback friend from Miami, had posted on Facebook that it was in the mid-80s yesterday.
I walked out to the living room, stretched, and did my forms to get my blood pumping. As I stepped into the bathroom to take my shower, I felt good. I was ready to face whatever was to come.
◊◊◊
Dad must have gone to Granny�s because there were two platters of cinnamon rolls on the table. She�d introduced a maple-cream-cheese frosting with pecans. Half the rolls had that on it. I would have to thoroughly test both to see which was better. The smell coming from the oven indicated there was some kind of breakfast casserole warming up. Peggy came downstairs with Little David and handed him to me so I could say good morning.
She made herself a cup of coffee and got me a glass of orange juice.
�I hear you had quite the crowd for your game. They interviewed Mr. Hicks, and he said they may move your games to State to accommodate the number of people interested in seeing you play.�
�Surely he didn�t say it was just for me. Eve sang, and the Washington boosters had a fundraiser.�
�I�m afraid so,� she said.
I didn�t get a chance to quiz Peggy any longer because the back door opened and Uncle John walked in. Mom and Dad came downstairs, and we had coffee.
�Shouldn�t we at least have a cinnamon roll?� I suggested.
�You can wait until everyone gets here,� Mom scolded.
It wasn�t long before the rest showed up. Mom and Dad had talked to both Alan�s parents and Tami�s mom. Everyone seemed to agree I was the one who needed to tell them. As far as they knew, we were all here for breakfast. Mom had told Tami she was tired of us not being close friends and that I was ready to make that happen. Of course, Tami told Alan.
Everyone filled up their plates except for me; I would wait until I was done talking. We�d arranged it so Tami was at the head of the table and I was to her right with Alan on her left. Uncle John said psychologically, Tami sitting at the head of the table would give her more control. I thought he was crazy, but I wasn�t about to argue. With them seated like this, I could look at both of them at the same time.
�I wanted to talk to you both about all these things I�ve said over the last few months. Some of my words were hurtful and drove you both away from me. In my defense, I assumed some things I�ve recently discovered to be untrue. You both know what I�m talking about,� I said and then tilted my head to indicate that we weren�t alone. �We�ll leave it at that.�
Tami looked me in the eyes, I felt her reading my soul, and then her eyes narrowed.
�What was untrue?� she asked.
For once, Alan sat quietly as he tried to figure it out.
�Tami, you were raped,� I barely got out.
Alan�s eyes grew wide.
�I didn�t do anything!� he yelled. He started to get up out of his chair.
I held up my hands.
�I didn�t say you did it,� I said and then hurried on before they began to question me. �Brandon drugged you both, raped Tami, and then staged you both to deceive me.�
�You�re saying this was done to get at you,� Tami said, getting mad.
�Partly. Partly, Brandon�s a serial rapist. Before you kill me, let me explain,� I said.
Tami rocked back in her seat and crossed her arms. Her body language wasn�t good; she looked hostile. Alan was simply stunned. I looked around the table, and everyone had a grim expression on their face. I wondered if I�d messed this up.
�Rigby, Thompson and Associates were told I needed a PA and someone to handle my recruiting. They introduced me to Brandon Rigby, Don Rigby�s nephew, and told me he was available. They shared with me he�d decided to quit Harvard and take time off to travel around Europe. Brandon�s dad was said to have given him an ultimatum to either get a job or go back to school. The firm thought being my PA would be good experience for him since Kendal had done so well. It helped her transition into her role as an entertainment agent.
�Brandon said he�d also been a top-150 football recruit in high school. That meant he was familiar with what I would face in the recruiting process,� I said and got out of my chair to pace.
�Over the fall and into the winter, I talked to both of you enough to start to have some suspicions about what happened that night. But I just couldn�t get past what I�d seen,� I said and licked my lips.
Suddenly, I had cottonmouth and had to get a drink. I rubbed my hands together and powered on.
�When I came back from LA, Caryn was put in charge of running my businesses day-to-day. We needed office space and to hire her some help. One hire was Megan Crowley. She�d been in charge of the financials at Rigby, Thompson and Associates, and took care of their computers.
�When we met to see the strip mall we bought, she told me about Brandon. Megan told me she�d overheard Brandon bragging to one of his fraternity buddies who worked at the firm about what he�d done that weekend,� I said.
�Wait a minute, how long ago was that?� Tami asked.
I took a deep breath.
�Let me finish this, and I�ll answer all your questions,� I said, knowing if we got off track, this would turn into a bigger mess.
Tami just nodded. Alan started to ask a question, but Tami gave him a look. At least she hadn�t hit his forehead.
�Before you worry, none of my family knew anything about this until a week or so ago. I didn�t want them to know because I was afraid they�d tell you before I could take care of it.�
I could read Tami�s mind. She thought I was an idiot for trying to be the white knight and fix everything. I was on a short rope before she hanged me.
�I talked to my security head, Fritz, about what Megan had told me. He confirmed that my initial impulse to make Brandon disappear wasn�t a good idea. I�ve held that plan in the back of my mind from the start. If things don�t work out so he�s punished, it still may happen,� I admitted.
�David!� Tami and my mom both said at the same time.
�Sorry, but it�s a fact. I�ll make sure Brandon�s never able to do this again,� I said, looking at the two of them. �Fritz turned out to be the right person to go to. He has experience in security matters and friends who know how to get things done. He and they helped me get background on Brandon.
�Brandon didn�t leave Harvard voluntarily. Two women with connections accused him of rape. They didn�t have enough proof to get him arrested but had enough pull to get him removed. I expect the university didn�t want the scandal.
�We turned up other instances where Brandon was allegedly involved in rapes. No one had connected the dots to see he was a person of interest in multiple cases. In a handful of cases, they collected rape kits, but they never processed them. If they had, his DNA would have shown up, and they would have discovered they had a serial rapist in their midst,� I said.
�Why weren�t they processed? Rape is a serious crime,� Alan said.
�Rape is considered a violent crime. The rape kits didn�t get processed for various reasons. With these girls, they each voluntarily went to a party. At the party, they got drunk, and some took drugs. They woke up and found they�d had sex. Being drunk means no consent, but if that were the rule, then half of all college hookups would be questionable,� I said.
�That sounds familiar,� Tami said.
�Brandon, at some point, figured it out and started to use drugs to get the results he wanted. Serial rapists are responsible for the majority of rapes on college campuses,� I said and then sat back down.
�Once I had the police reports, I reached out to Bev Mass, Harper�s mom. She�s the Cook County State�s Attorney. Once I convinced her that Brandon was a possible serial rapist, she contacted her counterpart in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, where Harvard is located. The Middlesex DA had the Cambridge police look into it.
�I paid to have the rape kits processed to speed things up. I don�t believe they took me seriously until the same DNA from two or three men showed up consistently,� I said.
�Did they take Brandon�s DNA to compare it?� Tami asked.
�Not at first. I figured it should be easy: drag his ass in and take a sample. Unfortunately, it seems that even criminals have rights. The good news was that the police started to investigate and run down leads. Bev explained that they needed to do that so that Brandon couldn�t point the finger at anyone else.
�Honestly, I got tired of waiting. I talked to Bev about how we could get Brandon�s DNA. I even offered to let him bleed on my shirt, but she said that wouldn�t work. They didn�t want him getting off on a technicality, and she told me that the chain of custody was critical.
�That�s when I reached out to Detective Kitchens, who�s local, to see if he could help. He contacted Bev and the people out east and offered his assistance. He collected Brandon�s garbage, and they found matching DNA. That must have been enough for them to issue arrest and search warrants. Brandon is currently in jail, awaiting extradition to Massachusetts.
�During their search, they found twenty journals detailing his activities. I understand he outlined what he did to the two of you in one of them,� I said.
�So, why are you finally telling us this now?� Alan asked.
�Because the press will know he�s arrested and it�ll be in tomorrow�s news. I wanted to tell you before you saw it and put it together,� I said, and then became quiet.
Uncle John took over from there; he was a trained child psychologist. Dad, Peggy, and I were sent to my apartment. I made myself a plate of food, grabbed a platter of cinnamon rolls, and left so everyone could talk. Tami was quietly crying as what Brandon had done to her began to sink in. Alan was strangely silent.
◊◊◊
When we got upstairs, Peggy turned my coffee table into a dining table so I could eat. I heated water for a pot of tea and found plates for the rolls.
�You�ll have to be patient with Tami and Alan. They�re going to be angry and want to lash out. You�re an easy target right now,� Dad said.
�Yes, and all the things I�ve said to both of them don�t help. I have some stuff to atone for,� I admitted.
�I would hope they realize how much you care after all you did to get him arrested,� Peggy said.
�You would think so, but don�t count on it for now,� Dad said.
After I�d eaten and had a cup of tea, I needed to do something.
�I want to go to church,� I said.
�I�ll go with you,� Dad said, just about flooring me.
That�s what we did. We were a few minutes late, so we snuck into the back. I was impressed that Dad didn�t fall asleep.
◊◊◊
When we got home, Tami wanted to talk to me. I was led to my apartment and expected I would have to finally answer for how I�d treated her. I wondered where Alan had gone.
�This was all my fault,� Tami said once we were seated on the couch.
�Uh �� I stammered.
�No. Let me talk,� she said.
�I forced my way onto your recruiting trips. I�ve had a lot of time to ruminate on it since then, and I owe you an apology. Reflecting back, I realize I messed up in August. If I had it to do over again, I would have accepted your promise ring,� she said as she reached over and placed her hand on my knee.
My gut tightened. Only Tami could make me this uneasy. We�d been best friends since the first grade, and I felt it had grown into more over the summer. She was the only person I would�ve let break my heart so many times and forgive. It wasn�t logical, nor something I could help. Sometimes you found that one person who got under your skin and you couldn�t let go. From the outside, I was sure people thought I was a complete wuss. But sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants.
I could probably go on and on about how we�d grown up closer than siblings; how I�d let her run my life, which made her happy. Like I said, from the outside, it made no sense. Here I was the big badass Alpha Male, according to my uncle, and Miss Tami Glade led me around like a puppy. The thing was, if she was the one, it didn�t matter to me. Tami had always had my best interest at heart, or so I believed.
After she rejected me last summer, I�d tried to convince myself that I�d moved on. I recognized that it was what I needed to do if I ever wanted to be happy. Her leaving for the UK had started me on the path to becoming my own man. When she gave me the �someday� bullshit, in my heart, I wanted to believe it. My brain knew better.
My weakness was my heart. I was too trusting and wanted to be loved. My worldview was of settling down with a woman I could give all my heart to and raising a family. When I found Tami and Alan in bed together, the dream of Tami and I had died. Over time, I wasn�t even sure they�d had sex, but the image of them together was what finally did it.
Whatever hold Tami had over me had died that day. That didn�t mean that I didn�t still care; I did. There was too much history. I would equate it to a couple that gets a divorce after years of marriage. Even though you couldn�t live together anymore, and you�d hurt each other, there would always be something that you remembered of the good times. There had to have been something that brought you together in the first place, which meant they still had a piece of your heart. Tami still had a chunk of mine, but at this point, we�d lost that �someday� that fateful day�at least for me.
�You weren�t ready. It would have been a mistake. You saved us both from what would have eventually torn us both up. In the long run, I would have realized I�d forced you to commit to me. You�d told me enough times that you wanted to have a chance to enjoy high school like every other girl. You wanted to date and have your heart broken, not to be tied down to me,� I said.
�When you say it that way, you make it sound like I wouldn�t have enjoyed it.�
�I�m sure you would have, but in the back of your mind, there would always have been doubts. You would�ve missed your chance to grow into your own person. I honestly believe you did me a favor. I�ve gone through a lot in the last few months, and I can tell it has changed me, though in some ways not for the better. For the most part, though, I needed to focus on me,� I admitted.
�David, I never meant to hurt you. I saw that what Alan and I did � supposedly did � devastated you. I also didn�t mean to come between you and your mom. It�s clear now that my actions over the last two years have been nothing but self-centered. I always expected you would do what I wanted and would be there in the end. Now, I think I�ve lost that,� she said as a tear rolled down her cheek.
�We�ve talked about this, and I expect you�re right; I don�t see us as more than friends. But that doesn�t mean that�s a bad thing. I need a best friend,� I said.
�What about Tracy?� Tami asked.
How did she do it? How had she read my mind? I�d only recently begun to consider Tracy my best friend.
�What about her?� I said, playing dumb.
�Don�t even try it. Tracy and I talk, and I�ve watched the two of you since you started dating our freshman year. Once she quit being a �stupid girl� and got out of her head, she�s quietly worked to be your friend. Tracy�s always there to step in and support you when you need it. You could have pushed her away after she broke your heart twice, but you were there for her when she faced her demons. And when she fell into depression. You and Pam were the only two who visited Tracy when she was in the facility.�
�I think Pam is her best friend,� I said to deflect.
�David, you can have more than one best friend.�
�Then why are you asking about Tracy?� I asked.
She smiled.
�Because you needed to know that she�s what I want to be for now. I bet you don�t believe in my �someday,� but I do. I realize now what I lost. Talking to Tracy has brought that home in spades. She also knows what she�s lost and has made the best of the situation. I plan to do the same.�
�Still, I need to make amends for what I said.�
�I talked to your mom. She told me how you reacted when you found out Brandon was behind what happened. She also made me see your point of view, and even though I was sure nothing happened, I know what you saw.
�I also talked to your uncle, and he helped me realize that without you, Brandon would be free and there would be nothing we could do about it,� she said.
�What about you? I can�t imagine what it is like to find out you were � uh � you know,� I faltered.
�Right now, I�m okay. I have no memory of it happening, so it�s like it happened to someone else. Your uncle told me not to expect that feeling to last. He plans to get me in touch with a rape counselor near Wesleyan. To be honest, I expect I�m still in shock at the news.�
�I�m so sorry,� I said.
�Stop that! Brandon�s to blame,� she said, and then took a moment to get her emotions under control. �You can�t take responsibility for everything that goes wrong. Yes, if you�d done a background check, you might have uncovered it, but more than likely not. You don�t imagine that the deal he cut with the university was public record, do you?�
I reflected on it and slumped in my chair. I wanted to believe I could fix anything; after all, I was a guy. It sucked when the women in my life pointed out that I really couldn�t.
�David, we need to get past this. If we play that �what if� game, we�ll all find things we should have done differently. All we�ll do is beat up on each other and ourselves, and this will ruin our lives. I don�t want Brandon to win. His goal was to ruin three almost lifelong friendships. After today, I want to look forward, not back. Can you help me do that?� she asked.
That sounded like my uncle. I just nodded.
�Good. We have to go talk to Alan,� she said, standing up.
�Why?� I asked.
�He�s a mess. He�s sure you hate him,� Tami said with a hint of a smile.
�I do hate him,� I said, smiling back.
�Good, be sure to tell him.�
◊◊◊
�David, I�m so sorry. This was all my fault,� Alan said as we walked into the kitchen.
�I hate you,� I said, which shocked everyone except Alan and Tami.
Tami began to giggle. This was so like us. We had each thought the whole thing was on each of us individually. If we�d only done x, y or z, then none of this would have happened. I could tell that Uncle John and Alan�s parents had been trying to dissuade him from his feelings of responsibility. Brandon had caused the whole thing. Tami was right, we had to stop the �what ifs� if we were ever to get to the part where we became best friends again.
�I hate you more,� Alan said like we were seven again.
�I hate you both to infinity,� Tami said. That was what Jeff had always told us when Alan and I fought.
�We�ve all beaten ourselves up enough about this. It�s time we start the work to mend fences,� I said.
�I know how we can start. David has to take us to Monical�s and buy us pizza,� Tami said.
�Hey, why am I buying?� I asked.
�Because you didn�t believe your two best friends,� Alan said and then saw the shocked expression on my face. �Too soon?�
Tami gave me a hug.
�No. David needs to understand that he has to believe everything we tell him from now on. He also needs to realize that since he�s rich now, he has to buy us stuff,� Tami said with a smirk.
She was pushing it, but I was all for a trip to Monical�s.
◊◊◊
This didn�t turn out precisely like I expected it would. I�d assumed that just Tami, Alan, and I were going to Monical�s. Seems I was mistaken. The three of us did get our own booth, though. Everyone else sat at a couple of tables our server pulled together. Dad made sure that they knew I was buying. Damned sunglasses money!
Tami was quizzing me about the goings-on in my life, while Alan wanted to know all about
�When did he become such a jerk?� Tami asked.
�What do you mean?� Alan asked.
�He walked in like he was already the Big Man on Campus. I admit, he is cute,� Tami said.
�And has a nice butt,� I mumbled.
She got a faraway dreamy look and sighed, to tease me.
�Wait, where was I?� she asked, and then gave me an evil grin.
�Mike being a jerk,� Alan prompted.
�He used to be a good guy, but it�s like he plans to sleep with all the girls at Wesleyan. The problem is he acts like he expects them to just fall at his feet. Mike also seems to be looking to get revenge on you.�
�What makes you say that?� I asked.
Tami contemplated what she�d just said. I suddenly had a good idea of how he would do it.
�Did he try to force you?� I asked.
Alan�s head snapped around, and he looked worried. Mike had gotten a reputation for not caring who he pursued or what the consequences would be. I wouldn�t put it past him to target my friends to sleep with them as an �f-you� to me.
�No, but he has hit on me several times. I told him that if he kept it up, I�d tell you. Unfortunately, I suspect that�s exactly what he wanted. I�ve warned the rest of them to be careful around him,� Tami said.
�The rest of who?� Alan asked.
�Girls who�re friends of mine,� I said to Alan and then turned to Tami. �Jim almost killed him when Mike hit on Jim�s girlfriend. If Mike isn�t careful, he�ll piss people off there, too.�
Tami looked down and then up at me.
�I�ve heard Harper�s gone out with him,� she said and braced herself for the blowup.
I just laughed.
�What�s so funny?� Alan asked.
�Of all my friends at Wesleyan, Harper�s the one who bothers me the least. Maybe he should go after Jennie Wesleyan next,� I suggested.
I�d have to think about this. It was good to hear that Tami and my other friends hadn�t fallen for his charms. I would admit Mike was a good-looking guy. Tami even said at one point that she�d found him attractive. Now that he was out from under my shadow, it sounded like he planned to assert himself. I wished him luck. Wesleyan was nothing like Lincoln High. Girls like Jennie Wesleyan would use him, but he would never be a serious boyfriend. There were too many moms like Jennie�s who would never allow a scholarship boy to interfere in their plans for their daughters.
What Mike didn�t realize was that it was a tight-knit group. If he caused too many problems, Teddy Wesleyan would jerk his scholarship, no matter how much Mike helped improve their football team.
�How�s Damion doing?� I asked.
Tami had a genuine smile when I mentioned his name. Damion Roth was the Randy Moss-clone wide receiver whom I�d met at both Elite 11 and Elite camps. I�d introduced him to Teddy Wesleyan and then somewhat regretted it. Damion had been involved in an incident with Candy and Flee at Elite Camp in Houston. Bo had tried to help him but caught him with the daughter of the woman Bo was spending some time with. Damion had been sent home after his second incident with girls he really shouldn�t have been hanging around.
I wanted to see if he�d mended his ways or not.
�In fact, I�ve been tutoring him when I can. He only has good things to say about how you helped him. Believe it or not, he told Mike to back off when he witnessed him hitting on me. My only concern is that he�s struggling. He has to make up for the poor education he received and bad study habits. I suspect that�s because they gave him passing grades no matter what, to keep him eligible. The good news is he�s working hard.�
If Damion was doing okay, I didn�t need to bring up what Damion had done. Come to think of it, Tami knew all about it because I�d told her at the time.
With Mike and Damion at Wesleyan, they would have a much better team. I�d been told a couple of the guys who had been recruited at Washington had moved to Wesleyan when the whole mess was exposed last fall. Teddy was determined to build a winning team. I was sure they weren�t done recruiting.
I�d have to keep an eye on them. Wesleyan would normally be in a lower classification than us because they were a smaller school. Because as a private school, they didn�t have a defined attendance boundary, the HSAA treated them differently. They had a multiplier that was voted on by the member schools each year. Last year it was 1.65. You took their enrollment, multiplied it by 1.65, and that determined what class they would play in football. They had about 550 students, but with the multiplier, they would compete with other schools as if they had around 900 students. Lincoln High had a little over 800 students and played in class 5A, with 6A being the biggest. Wesleyan was on the verge of moving up to the top class.
We changed the subject. Alan told Tami about our Junior Class Projects and told her I was doing the class play. That was news to her because I�d somehow forgotten to tell my mom about it. For not the first time, I wondered why I was involved in so many things.
After lunch, Tami had to get back to Wesleyan, so we said our goodbyes. I felt we�d made a good first step toward becoming best friends again. We�d made some progress over the last few months, but we�d had a breakthrough today. Alan and I still had some work to do. I�d run hot and cold towards him, and it had hurt his feelings. At the time, I frankly hadn�t cared, because I kept seeing him in bed with Tami. I was confident, though, that we�d get past this.
◊◊◊
I made my weekly trek to the Pearson farm and helped Zoe with the stalls. The snow had stopped and made everything appear shiny and new. Zoe let the horses out, and the juveniles seemed to love it. With them all out of the barn, it was easy to get everything cleaned up, and new straw put down.
�David, I need your help,� Zoe called from the tack room.
I opened the door to find her with her flannel shirt opened to show her cleavage. There was a space heater, so she�d taken her coat off.
�Aren�t you worried about someone catching us?� I asked.
�No. Everyone�s over at the Bauers�.�
�What about what we talked about last week?� I asked.
�I realize that you may not be the one whom I eventually marry, but I know that you�re not just trying to take advantage of me. What you said about it being my decision got me to thinking. It really
�That goes both ways. I�ll also be responsible,� I said.
�I imagine you�re comfortable with your decision,� she said with a smirk.
Obviously, I was.
�I guess I just had some doubts, and when my mom had a fit about you getting caught by Halle�s mom, well � I just wasn�t sure. I hate sneaking around. Besides, I was scared of what people would think if we were caught. That was why I chickened out at school,� she said.
�What have you decided?� I asked, and then added to assure her, �Whatever it is, I�ll abide by it.�
She answered by reaching out and pulling me into her arms. Our lips met in a tentative kiss. Zoe pushed her tongue against my lips, and I opened them so our tongues could duel.
Oh. Dear. God.
I felt it deep inside. There was just something about Zoe that made me feel like I might spontaneously combust. I kissed her back, too far gone to think, just giving myself over to my racing heart. The kiss went on and on, her tongue exploring the shape of my lips, willing them to part again. Zoe�s hands pushed inside my coat so she could press her body against mine. There was a dizzying swirl of pent-up emotions that played through my brain. I felt my knees start to go weak as we clung to each other.
The feel of her full lips against mine was reminding me that Zoe had a special place in my heart. Maybe it was because this was the first kiss where I felt like she�d fully given herself to me. Or perhaps it was me falling into old habits where I fell too fast for someone. It wasn�t like I would figure it out right now.
At this point, I just enjoyed the delicious contact with Zoe�s body as she slid her hand up my neck and played with my hair. She angled her other hand down my back, found my butt and squeezed, while I pressed my hardening Mr. Happy against her stomach. Our hot breaths mingled as we kissed, and it only increased our rapture for one another.
Zoe pulled back just enough to look into my eyes. She looked stunned.
�I was crazy to doubt this,� she murmured.
I think both of us became lost in the moment. At that point, I became an active participant with my hands. Zoe grabbed a handful of hair as she pushed herself against me. Mr. Happy seemed to push back as she rubbed her belly against him, just about driving me crazy with lust. The hand on my butt came in between us and found what was poking her in the stomach. Zoe was reaching for my belt when I heard someone clear their throat. Both our heads turned to see Roc standing there with his face flushed.
�Uh � Mom and Dad are home,� he warned us.
&@^*#!
�Thanks, man,� I said.
He quickly left to allow us to get our clothes back together. Mr. Happy didn�t care when I urged him to relax and wouldn�t cooperate. This had become a theme for me recently, one which needed to stop.
I helped Zoe feed and water the horses. Her dad and Roc came out and groomed them. It was apparent I wouldn�t get any more alone-time with her, so I said my goodbyes.
◊◊◊
On my way home, I sent a text to Pam to see what she was doing. She invited me over to the new condo. She was painting her bedroom before she and her mom moved in. The doorman called and sent me up. I smiled when Tracy opened the door.
�Hello,� she said as I gave her a hug and kissed her cheek.
�You timed it just right. We just finished,� Pam said as she came out of her room.
The two of them showed me around. It was a three-bedroom unit, and they�d painted one room blue for when our son slept over. It was a well-arranged open floor plan.
�Where�s your mom?� I asked.
�At the house, packing.�
I gave both Tracy and Pam a worried look.
�This is going to sound bad, but I�m horny.�
Pam rolled her eyes at me, but Tracy got a big smile on her face.
�Funny you should say that,� Tracy chirped.
�You two are terrible,� Pam huffed.
�You could join us,� I suggested.
�No, thanks. Tracy�s been complaining she might have to get a boyfriend. I don�t know where you can do it. We don�t have any furniture yet.�
�I expect we can manage,� Tracy said.
Pam stepped back as Tracy and I got undressed. I guess Tracy really was horny if she was willing to do it in front of her friend. There was none of what had happened with Zoe. This was just sex and two friends helping each other out. Tracy and I had always been good at this part, and we were again today.
Pam was really showing now, and I think she was shy about her condition. When she saw Tracy climax hard and roll off me, she decided to join in after all. With Pam, I was gentler at first. She wanted to do it doggy-style. That and on her side were her most comfortable positions now. I didn�t last long with her, because I didn�t need a condom. I reached my release first but was hard enough to continue and get Pam off.
This was precisely what I needed.
◊◊◊
Pam had to go home, so I asked Tracy to go to dinner with me.
I felt like fried chicken, so I took her to the diner across from the hospital. I smiled to see that Kim was working. She helped her aunt and uncle out sometimes. We asked to be in her section.
�What are you two up to?� she asked when she came to take our drink orders.
�David�s taking me on one of his dates,� Tracy said.
�When are you going to ask me out?� Kim teased.
�You two need to stop, or I�ll have a real problem,� I said.
Kim sat down to join us; the restaurant wasn�t bustling. She wanted to know why I was worried. I explained to her about random girls offering themselves to me and that I didn�t want to encourage that.
�Well, I hear you spend time in the music room,� Kim said, shocking me.
I just stared at her.
�He does that sometimes,� Tracy said, which made them both laugh.
�If Zoe�s going to bail on you, I think you could take care of that random-hookup problem,� Kim said.
That confirmed the freshman girl had talked. I felt my ears get hot.
�Seriously, David. For a supposed skirt-chaser, you sure do act like a wimp. Girls are offering you no-strings sex, and you act like it�s a bad thing,� Tracy said.
�Isn�t it?� I asked.
�Did you think that in LA?� Tracy asked.
I did the carp-out-of-water routine where my mouth opened and closed, and I blinked my eyes.
�You were a little slut, from what I heard,� Kim added.
I couldn�t tell if they were joking or not. Tracy had encouraged me to date other people besides the ones I was currently seeing. I just didn�t think I had the time or inclination to pull a Zak, my co-star in
�I�m not really up for that,� I said.
�Do you trust me?� Tracy asked.
�Not really,� I answered.
That didn�t seem to slow her down.
�Let me set you up on a date. I promise you�ll have fun.�
I looked at Kim, and she shrugged.
�Okay, why not,� I caved.
Kim stepped into the back and brought us a platter of chicken and all the sides. She joined us, and we had a good time.
◊◊◊
Chapter 21 � This is All Your Fault Monday March 14
I was about ready to go run when the intercom came on.
�Wait for me. I want to run with you,� Peggy said.
�I�m leaving in ten.�
Duke and I ran downstairs so he could do his business and play with Precious. I shook my head when I saw the cat from hell and my pup together. She�d been bigger than him for the first few months. He was now eighty-five pounds and towered over her, but that didn�t mean she was frightened of him. If you heard the two of them go at it, you�d assume someone was about to die. Duke had a deep, playful growl, and Precious � well, let�s just say she was downright scary.
Peggy came out and handed me Little David.
�You�re not planning on carrying him, are you?� I asked.
She ignored me, stepped over to the garage, and entered the code to get the door to go up. Inside was a running stroller, made with large, bicycle-like wheels in the back and a smaller one in the front. I spotted Rachel and Buster coming up the street, so I opened the driveway gate. Rachel let Buster loose so he could join the fun. Precious hissed and popped him on the nose. The big pit bull just shrugged it off. Duke rolled her while she was acting tough, and the chase was on.
Duke figured out that Little David was with us and came over to make sure he was okay. Buster bounded up, and Duke turned and let out a low warning growl that was no longer fun. I grabbed his collar.
�Easy, Big Guy. Buster won�t hurt your baby,� I said and put him on his leash.
Rachel did the same for Buster. Rachel was all smiles when she saw Peggy.
�Peggy, you remember Rachel. You got her interested in cross-country,� I said.
�We talked at the middle school,� Peggy said.
Rachel just nodded. I picked up my Bo staff and began to run. Peggy had been running on her own, so I was surprised she wanted to run with me. She�d stopped doing that when she was in high school because my pace was too fast. Rachel usually peeled off and jogged home when we reached the mile mark, but this time she didn�t. I raised my eyebrows because I typically picked it up at this point. She looked determined, so I followed my usual routine. I�ll give her credit: she lasted another mile. At that point, I stopped, because I wasn�t sure who was going to keel over first, Rachel or Buster. I took them back to my house and brought them inside. Buster and Duke both stuck their heads into his water bowl. I grabbed a Gatorade out of the refrigerator and handed it to Rachel.
�I�m going to finish my run. Be sure to stretch, or you�ll tighten up,� I said.
Mom came down as I was going out the back door. Peggy and Little David had waited for me.
�She okay?�
�Yeah, she just wanted to show off for her heroine,� I said.
�I�ll talk to her and straighten her out,� Peggy said as we picked up the pace.
◊◊◊
I�d just gotten dressed for PE when Coach Rector passed me a note that told me to meet Moose in the coaches� conference room. When I got there, I found him with a handful of reporters.
�Sorry, I didn�t get a chance to warn you,� Moose said.
�What�s this about?�
�They want to know about our plans for the rest of the season and to ask you some questions.�
Jeff Delahey, the local newspaper sports reporter who covered our games, came in. Moose had everyone sit down. Mr. Hicks, our athletic director, took a seat next to Moose.
�That was quite the crowd at Washington on Saturday. I hear you�re planning a similar event for this weekend,� Jeff said.
�We�ve been in touch with State, and they�ve agreed to let us play there this weekend. Their stadium holds 2,500 in bleacher seating behind the dugouts, and an additional 1,500 standing room down the baselines. They plan to bring in temporary bleachers for the outfields to hold another 6,000 fans,� Mr. Hicks said.
�You had over twenty thousand show up at Washington. How will you handle a crowd like that?� Jeff asked.
�It was decided this morning that we�ll have a doubleheader. We�re moving our Wednesday game against Lang Academy to 11 o�clock, and then we�ll play Wesleyan at 2 p.m.,� Mr. Hicks said. �Besides, State can accommodate much larger crowds. They�ll be assisting us with logistics, so we shouldn�t have the problems that Washington experienced.�
Things continued along that vein with either Moose or Mr. Hicks answering questions. Then Jeff brought me out of my daze.
�What do you think about all this attention, David?� Jeff asked.
I gave him a look, and he responded with an innocent smile.
�I think I was just as surprised as you all were when everyone came out to see our team play. That is, I knew we were going to be good, but I figured they�d start to show up once we won a few. I guess it�s a good thing that people get on the bandwagon now. That way they can all say they were there when our run began,� I said with a straight face.
I heard Moose mumble something I probably shouldn�t repeat. That would teach him to take me out of gym class.
�You don�t believe it had anything to do with you?� Jeff asked.
I gave the press my best confused expression. Acting came in handy sometimes.
�I�m part of the team, so I guess some of it�s on me,� I conceded.
�Come on, David. We all know it was mostly on you that everyone showed up,� Jeff pressed.
�I have to disagree. Washington was playing their home opener, they had a huge fundraiser planned, and they even managed to get the governor and had Eve �Country Girl� Holliday there to sing. I can�t imagine why you�d think I had much to do with it,� I said and then batted my eyes.
Jeff chuckled. Moose had seen enough.
�I need to get David back to PE.�
I stuck my tongue out at Jeff to let him know I�d won that round. At some point, I would learn why there was that old saying that you should never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel. I think it was some sort of warning not to piss them off.
◊◊◊
At lunch, we had our weekly Junior Class Projects meeting. They were excited about how the fundraiser had gone. Alan reminded us they would test the lunch-buddy app tomorrow. Wolf told me he had a table for me to paint. Halle and Stacy had both already gotten theirs. Stacy was doing a mural and had chosen the bridge in the park as her subject. Halle was doing mini-scenes to illustrate different groups of people at school. Once they were painted, Wolf planned to put a clear coat of epoxy on to protect the finished art.
◊◊◊
At practice, Moose made it clear he wasn�t happy with the game last Saturday. I�d accounted for half the hits and all the scoring. We�d played defense well enough, and Justin had had a good outing. Moose had both pitching machines and two pitchers doing a mass batting practice. Moose, Coach Haskins, and Coach Herndon took three of the groups of guys hitting, and I was put in charge of coaching the fourth.
Jim was facing the pitching machine. I set it up to just throw slow fastballs to help him work on his timing and build his confidence. Of course, we talked about other things than baseball.
�I received a call from Alabama about you on Sunday. They wanted to know if you planned to play both baseball and football in college. I told them you did. I hope that�s okay,� Jim said.
�Yeah, it�s okay. I thought I might do that. Why were they interested?� I asked.
�Word is out about our game last Saturday and the crowd you pulled. I was told you�re their number-one target and if you wanted to play baseball too, they�d make it happen.�
�This thing about the crowds is getting out of hand. Everyone keeps saying I�m responsible for them,� I said.
�Dumbass, who else is?� Jim asked.
�Home opener, fundraisers, the governor, Eve,� I said as I counted off the reasons we had a crowd.
�Movie star, model,
�You can�t be serious.�
�Think about it. What would happen if Shawn Mendes showed up? This place would be swarmed.�
�I�m not Shawn Mendes,� I complained.
�You might as well be. You�re our Shawn Mendes. People around here are proud of you and want to meet you,� Jim said.
�I�m not buying it,� I said.
�Just saying, Dude. It�s all on you,� Jim said.
I decided to change the subject.
�Mike plays baseball for Wesleyan. What should we do to welcome him back?� I asked.
We played them this weekend as the second half of the doubleheader.
�Maybe we could have our pitcher stick one in his ear.�
It sounded like Jim still held a grudge.
�I�m usually all for that, but I don�t want to piss his dad off. Mr. Herndon is volunteering his time to coach us, after all.�
�I�d like to give Mike a taste of his own medicine. I wish I knew who his girlfriend was,� Jim said.
�Tami told me the jerk hit on her and a few of my friends at Wesleyan. He may, in fact, be dating Harper.�
Jim and the rest of the guys had met Harper when she and I were going out last year.
�What happened between you two, anyway? I thought you made a good couple,� Jim said.
�We went to a party, and she picked an old crush over me,� I admitted.
�That sucks.�
�Tell me about it,� I said, and then looked Jim in the eyes. �If you decide to hit on her, do me a favor and don�t hurt her. I still consider her a friend.�
�You�ve always been more forgiving of exes than I ever would be, but I hear you. Maybe we could plan an after-game party and invite the Wesleyan girls,� Jim suggested.
�Keep me out of it. I don�t really want to deal with Mike and his drama. I don�t even really think about the jerk anymore since he transferred,� I said and then thought about it. �Tell Tami your plan.�
�You think she might get Harper to our party?� he asked.
�You better tell her all of it. If you don�t, she�ll call Cassidy, and Alabama will be down one recruit,� I warned.
�I�m not scared of that little girl,� he boasted.
�Bullshit,� I said, and we both laughed.
◊◊◊
At the dojo, Shiggy pulled me aside.
�I�m ordering some equipment and thought you might want to get some things, like your own Bo staff and batons.�
I�d borrowed the one I ran with from Shiggy, and I�d had it for nearly six months. He showed me the catalog and had a couple of pages marked. Cassidy came over and saw what I was looking at.
�What�re you doing?�
�Shiggy said I had to buy my own Bo staff and batons. Did you want something?� I asked.
I owed her for teaching me, so I was willing to buy her almost anything she wanted.
For myself, I found a practice heavy Bo staff that weighed twice as much as the one I currently used. It also came with a hard-side travel case. It was like a pool cue in that you could unscrew it in the center to break it down to make it easier to pack and carry. Cassidy picked out a few things, and I gave Shiggy our order.
I worked with her dad and Fritz again, boxing. This time I was more willing to listen to Fritz about slipping punches. Coach Hope and Fritz were good teachers. They spent time showing me how I could switch back and forth between martial arts and boxing to be a more effective fighter.
◊◊◊
When I finally got home, Dad wanted to talk to me.
�Mr. Morris wants us to call him.�
We stepped into the office, and Dad dialed his number. When we finally got him on the line, he got to the point.
�There has been a little hiccup. The NCAA was ready to certify your eligibility until they heard about the crowds that showed up for your game and the fundraisers. I�m going to need a list of everyone involved and get them on record.�
�Why�s it a big deal?� I asked.
�You signed autographs for your movie and played baseball. I expect they know you didn�t receive any compensation for the event. I think they simply don�t know what to do with you.�
�Why do I feel nervous about this?� I asked.
�You shouldn�t. I don�t see where you�ve broken any rules in your role in planning or taking part in the event. I just want to do my due diligence and be prepared in case they have questions,� Mr. Morris said.
�Did Dad tell you there�s another one this weekend?� I asked.
�Yes.�
�Did he tell you they�re going to start selling tickets for the car Range Sports gave me?�
�Are you serious? They better not be using your name in relation to any of this,� he ranted.
�Why don�t you call Mrs. Sullivan and talk to her? When I gave the car back to Range Sports, they donated it to the Booster Club to raise funds with,� I said.
�How much do they plan to raise?�
I looked at Dad.
�They�re selling tickets for $100 each, and the plan is to sell a thousand of them,� Dad answered.
�Shit. I�ll call them first thing to make sure you�re not associated with it. It would probably help if they repainted the car.�
�How much longer do you expect the NCAA will take getting David certified?� Dad asked.
�At this point, I don�t know. My fear is that because he�s unique, they might just hold off making a decision. We might not know for several months.�
That just made my day.
◊◊◊ Tuesday March 15
Today was the primary election. Polls showed that the governor and Senator Dixon were well ahead of their challengers. Bev Mass was down a couple of points. A white police officer shooting a young black man with a history of mental illness was too much for the people of Cook County. If the officer had waited for the Taser unit, which had been called, this would have been a nonevent. To shoot the man sixteen times was too much, as far as I was concerned. Bev agreed and had the officer charged with first-degree murder. Unfortunately for Bev, it was a case of �kick them all out� that got her smeared in the primary. I expected that by the end of the day, she would be out of a job come the end of her term.
It could also have been the public perception of how it was all handled. A judge ordered the dashcam recording to be released by November 25 of last year. City officials had argued for months that it couldn�t be made public until the conclusion of several investigations. The fear wasn�t that it might hinder the investigations, it was of what the citizenry would do. There had been recent unrest in other cities when similar events had occurred. Bev had the officer charged; those charges came out on November 24.
The video showed the officer firing sixteen shots into the teen. It took him fifteen seconds to do it, and the video showed the young man face down on the ground for thirteen of those seconds. When people saw the body jerk multiple times as the officer fired, it was game over.
There were eight other officers at the scene when he emptied his gun into the young man. The police union and his lawyers claimed that he was in mortal fear of his life, but that argument didn�t hold water. The police internal investigation disagreed with their assertion that he acted in self-defense. Given the number of policemen present and the call to the Taser unit, they could have waited. When shot, the youth had been pacing back and forth with a knife in his hand. If he�d made a move towards the police, I might have been on board with the officer using lethal force to protect himself. I might even have understood emptying his gun into the kid�under extreme stress, that happened sometimes. But this guy was just pacing; he never made that move.
It didn�t help when one of the local newspapers used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the officer�s police record. He had at least 15 complaints filed against him while working in high-crime neighborhoods. Accusations against him included using racial epithets and pointing a gun at an arrestee without justification. In one instance, he and his partner had made a traffic stop. They were found to have used excessive force on a man with no prior convictions. That led to a $350,000 award for damages in a subsequent civil case.
Once the story broke, a bipartisan protest erupted. On top of that, the officer in question had been reassigned to desk duty and not fired. When that came to light, two local ministers were outraged and rallied the public.
Bev had been put into a no-win situation. Did she come out and condemn the officer loudly, early, and often to save her job, or did she let the process work? I respected Bev for not offering the officer up as a sacrificial lamb for her political ambitions, even though she knew he was guilty. Bev acted as the professional she was. In the end, the process worked. The internal investigation found him responsible, and he was charged.
My only concern had been the timing of the charges. If they�d had enough evidence before, Bev should have charged him earlier. I suspect that the judge had forced her hand. Charging the officer the day before the release of the video just didn�t feel right to me, even though I understood the public safety issues involved.
Today the people would get to express their feelings, and I was afraid Bev would be disappointed. From what everyone said, she was good at her job. Sometimes things happened, though. I was sure she would be fine if she lost the primary. Maybe she would work with Ms. Dixon. It would be good to have a pit bull of an attorney the next time I got myself into trouble. The sad part was, I had a bad feeling I just might have to have her help someday.
◊◊◊
In PE, Wolf and I were lifting together. Tim was in the same room, but working a different set of muscles. Wolf noticed me looking over at Tim, bemused.
�Did you know you and I were the only two people who kept coming to see him regularly after the initial fuss died down?� he asked.
Tim had told me that after he injured his knee, no one else came to visit more than once, except us. I shook my head slowly in disgust. I thought his teammates would�ve shown more support. Guess I was wrong.
�It meant a lot to him,� Wolf said. �He won�t say anything to you, because he doesn�t want to seem like a suck-up, but he appreciated you taking the time.�
�He�s been working hard to get back on the field. Well, we�ll have to make sure he knows we have his back,� I said with a grin.
Unfortunately, I couldn�t do it right then, though. I was here for another reason. Connor Fletcher, the outside training consultant, was here for the next couple of days to monitor our progress. Connor came and got us.
�I need to weigh and measure you,� he said.
Jim and Johan also joined us for our cattle call. Jill and Becky were ready with clipboards and cloth tape measures, and I was sent to Jill.
�Should I strip?� I asked.
Becky giggled as Jill blushed. Connor looked at me curiously, and I looked back at Connor.
�I didn�t know if you wanted
�That explains it. I wondered why they had hair on their palms,� Johan said.
We all looked at him, and I broke out laughing. He was the most straitlaced kid I knew, and it was so unexpected I couldn�t help myself.
�You two keep acting like that, and you won�t get invited to the baseball party Saturday night,� Jim threatened.
�Meh,� I said and shrugged like it wasn�t a big deal.
�I called Tami like you suggested, and she had me call Kevin Goode. He has an apartment with Magic, and Mike�s brother Luke is across the hall. They�ve agreed to have a party for the baseball team,� Jim informed us.
I just shook my head. If Moose found out, we were all dead. He had a zero-tolerance drinking policy. I would enjoy seeing my former teammates who now played football at State. Well, except for Luke.
�You better be careful of who you talk to about it,� I said as my head nodded towards the trainers.
Jim caught my meaning and looked worried as Jill and Becky grinned at him. He was screwed.
�We�ve been wanting to reorganize the storage room. If only there were a volunteer �� Jill suggested.
�Yes, I wonder who would do that for us?� Becky asked.
�I could just have David get naked,� Jim offered.
�Eh, we�ve seen that too many times,� Becky said.
�Speak for yourself,� Jill teased.
�I think we need to get back to work,� Connor said, ruining their fun.
Jim did �volunteer� to help. I was surprised when Johan and Wolf stepped up and said they would, too. I just pulled down my shorts so they got a glimpse of my left butt cheek.
In three and a half months, Connor had made some serious progress with my three friends. Jim was up to 285 pounds. From looking at him, it was mostly muscle. His goal was to put on ten to fifteen more pounds before he left for Alabama this summer. He�d enrolled in summer school so he could get acclimated to college life and take a couple of classes. He would also start working out with his new teammates.
Johan was becoming a beast in the weight room. He and Jim were good for each other, each pushing the other to gain strength, flexibility, speed, and endurance. As a byproduct, they�d both gotten bigger. Johan was almost five inches shorter than Jim, but he was only ten pounds lighter at 275. That was huge for a high school lineman unless they were pudgy or slow. Johan wasn�t as fast as Jim, but if he got into you with a block, you were done. He was a road grader.
Word had started to get out about him. Playing football only one year had hurt his recruiting. The good news was he played at Lincoln, so college scouts who had come to see other players were taking notice. I think Connor had talked to the guys at State because they�d actually made Johan an offer. They�d hired a new football coach, again, and this guy had extensive NFL experience. In fact, he�d surrounded himself with coaches who had either played or coached in the NFL. Their offensive line coach was a State alum who had eight years of experience as an offensive line coach for various NFL teams.
Wolf was a different story. The NFL had been leaning towards bigger receivers who cause mismatches. Defensive backs tended to range from five-ten to six-one. Wolf was six-five and 240 pounds. If he could get faster, he had a legitimate shot at being a wide receiver in the NFL. If not, he could be a tight end and enjoy a long career. Connor had helped him lose ten pounds so far with the goal of making him faster. I lifted with him, and he was in the process of transforming his body. Wolf had lost most of his baby fat, as I called it, while still getting stronger.
Wolf had never really been pudgy like I had been in middle school. From looking at his dad and uncles, it was in his genes. They were all big guys who carried some extra padding. Connor reasoned that in high school, Wolf didn�t need the added weight. If he went up levels in competition, he could always add it if he needed to.
Something else Connor worked with Wolf on was his jumping ability. This would give him one other advantage that would make him the go-to guy close to the end zone. If he could outjump his smaller defenders, I could toss the ball up and let him go get it. The key wasn�t just being able to jump. He had to be able to do it with a defensive back hanging on him and fighting for the football. Connor was working on his hand strength to help him be able to hold on to a contested ball.
For me, Connor worked to help me improve in several areas. The two primary goals were to increase my core strength and explosive speed; both were important to football and baseball. Core strength was my midsection. It helped me with both throwing and batting; I could generate more power. The explosive speed was used much like a sprinter would in track. The quicker you could get up to full speed, the better. For me, that helped with fielding and base stealing in baseball.
�We also were working on eye-hand coordination. I was already good at it, being the athlete that I was. Connor felt, and I agreed, that even a slight improvement could make a difference. In baseball, there were a lot of very good players. Just a few percentage points batting separated the ones that made it from the ones that didn�t. Baseball was filled with explosive moments and hitting was one of them. If I could see a pitch and have my hands react accordingly just a little better, I would see a difference at the plate.
He was impressed with my forearm, wrist, and hand strength. I�d shown him my Bo staff and explained how it had helped me. Connor was a smart guy when it came to improving the human body, and I noticed him file that away. He also approved of the weighted vest Bo Harrington had given me.
I felt that Connor had been a great addition and well worth the money the boosters had paid to have him come help us.
After Connor was done with us, I looked at Wolf and just said, �Tim.� Wolf got a big grin on his face and followed me over to where Tim was lying on a bench-press seat. We ambled over to him and stood on each side, me with my water bottle and Wolf with a towel over his shoulder.
�Here he is, our workout prodigy. Finally, someone who understands our secret to success,� I said.
Wolf nodded sagely.
�Yes, the girls all think he�s smoking-hot now. What did they say the other day? Now I remember: �he�s so buff!�� Wolf said, putting his hands on his cheeks and batting his eyes.
I had to smirk at that. Tim, even on his most social days, was almost terminally shy around girls.
�We can�t have him stealing all our girls!�
With that, I upended my water bottle to douse him as completely as possible. Wolf and I laughed hysterically as he chased us all the way to the locker room. I was sure he would get his revenge at some point.
◊◊◊
At lunch, Pam sat down next to me. She looked like hell.
�Don�t say anything; this is all your fault,� she complained.
Tracy sat on her other side and gave me a dirty look. I was smart enough not to fall into this trap. If I asked what was wrong, I was sure to get an earful. Instead, I scooted my chair away from Pam, causing her to give me a look that said I was about to die. I smiled and patted my lap.
�What?� Pam hissed.
�Give me your feet,� I said.
She turned her chair and put them in my lap. I took off her shoes and socks and began to massage them. You would have thought she was Duke when you gave him a belly rub. Pam let out a low moan that frankly sounded naughty. I guess I wasn�t surprised when Mrs. Comer, my English Lit teacher who had pulled lunch duty, suddenly appeared.
�What are you doing?� she asked.
I found a particularly sore spot, and Pam jerked, but I dug in to make it better.
�Oh,� Mrs. Comer said. �When I was pregnant, my feet hurt all the time towards the end. That, and my back.�
�What helped with your back?� Pam asked.
�I had my husband rub it with one of the analgesic gels that goes on cold and then heats up. I also had him rub my tummy with cream to help prevent stretch marks.�
�Did it help?� Pam asked.
�I think so. I know I slept better,� Mrs. Comer said. �All right, I�ll leave you to it.�
I tried to stop to eat my lunch, but Pam complained, so Tracy fed me while I worked on Pam�s feet. I felt like a fool but dared the guys to say something. For Pam, I was willing to look silly. The girls around the table looked at me like I was Prince Charming.
◊◊◊
Close to bedtime, I got into my car and drove to the drugstore. I bought what I needed and knocked on Pam�s front door. Lacy answered.
�It�s awful late, don�t you think,� she said, blocking the doorway.
I opened my bag and showed her what I had. She just smiled and let me in. I grabbed a towel out of the linen closet and lightly knocked on Pam�s bedroom door.
�It�s open.�
I entered, and she looked at me warily.
�What are you doing here?� she asked.
�I thought I might help you get to sleep,� I said, showing her the cream and analgesic gel.
�You didn�t have to do that.�
�Of course I did. Get undressed and put this towel down,� I said.
I had her lay on her side and gave her back a massage.
�Oh gawd, you have magic hands. I think that was how you got me this way to begin with,� she teased.
�I think it was you who seduced me to give me good memories at the lake,� I shot back.
She suddenly sat up.
�I have to pee,� she said and ran to her bathroom.
Angie had constantly been peeing when she was pregnant because the baby pushed against her bladder. When Pam came out, I went in and washed my hands to get the analgesic gel off them. I came back and opened the cream. Pam read the label.
�Tummy butter? What, do you plan to baste me like a turkey?� she asked.
�This was what the lady at the store told me to get,� I said to defend myself.
I rubbed it on her tummy and sides and then smiled.
�She said I should also put it on your breasts.�
�I bet she did,� Pam said but took off her bra.
I took extra care to make sure they wouldn�t be marred. When she began to breathe hard, I gave her my best lecherous look.
�Why can�t I refuse you?� she asked.
�Because you�re mine.�
I swear that wasn�t my intention when I came over. I also hadn�t planned to fall asleep at Pam�s house, but that�s what happened.
◊◊◊
Chapter 22 � Do You Know Who I Am? Wednesday March 16
When Peggy and I came back from our run, Dad showed me the paper. There was a picture of Brandon Rigby on the front page. A small smile crept onto my face as I began to read.
I stopped reading for a moment and grinned at my parents.
�It says his lawyer is Thomas Fox. He is so screwed,� I said and then returned to my reading.
Thomas Fox was the lawyer Pam�s dad had used. That could only mean that Don Rigby and Brandon�s dad must be calling the shots behind the scenes. They didn�t want to get their hands dirty.
�Does Tami know?� I asked Mom.
�She and Alan were contacted by Detective Kitchens yesterday. They will both be giving statements today. The Cambridge police are sending someone to talk to them.�
I read the election results, and the governor and Senator Dixon had won easily, while Bev Mass had lost in a close one. After breakfast, on the ride to school, I called Tami.
�How are you doing?� I asked.
�It became real yesterday. I�m coming home to talk to a detective and give him my statement today.�
�Do you want to talk?� I asked.
�Maybe. Let me see how today goes. If I need to, I�ll send you a text,� Tami assured me.
◊◊◊
Today was the big test for Alan�s lunch-buddy app. He�d set me up to be a host, and I�d taken care of that first thing this morning. As I walked to lunch, I checked to see if anyone had signed up. I smiled when I saw it was the regular crowd.
Alan was quite good at this stuff. I would never have guessed a high school kid had put this together. It was plain to see that he�d actually listened to Stacy Clute because it, in fact, looked sharp. When you opened the app, our Lincoln High bulldog logo came up. Alan had figured out how to have students sign up via social media or do it manually. He used social media so he could steal their picture.
When I�d gone into the app to host a table, it showed me a layout of our lunchroom, and there�d only been one available table that was green. I tapped on that table and confirmed I would host it. The table icon now showed my picture in one of the seats with my name and the title �Host� under it.
When we were getting dressed after PE, I showed Wolf how to use it. When we logged him in, Alan had already claimed a seat, as had Zoe, Brook, and Cassidy. I wondered what Alan would do if people didn�t sit in their assigned seats. He was just OCD enough to throw a fit.
At lunch, he sat next to me and made me check off everyone as they arrived. If someone didn�t show up, the host could remove them, and it would open up the seat. He�d had Stacy sign up, but she ate at her usual table. Gina had been the odd man out, so I deleted Stacy. Gina was on the waiting list, so her picture popped into the slot, and it sent her a text. She confirmed, and I checked her off.
I found it amusing that Alan had enlisted his ex-girlfriends to help him. He wasn�t amused when I pointed out that little factoid to the table. What are best friends for?
◊◊◊
I had planned to stay out of the whole Brandon situation. That plan flew out the window when I was called to the office during my last period. When I got there, I found Detective Kitchens with another man. One look told me he was also a police detective.
�We were wondering if we might talk to you,� Detective Kitchens said.
�Have I done something?� I asked.
�I don�t know, have you?� Detective Kitchens replied with a straight face.
�Maybe.�
The other detective, who hadn�t been introduced, was suddenly interested.
�Perhaps we�ll talk about it later. This is Detective Dale of the Cambridge Police Department. He wanted to get a better idea of the whole story. I called Ms. Dixon, and she said she would listen in,� he said, addressing one of my concerns.
At my request, they followed me to the Field House, where I told Moose that I would be late for practice. He let us use one of the conference rooms there. I called Ms. Dixon and put her on speakerphone.
�Detective Kitchens gave me a brief outline as to why you want to talk to my client. Before we get started, would you please explain the intent of the interview?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�I want to get a timeline of his involvement in case we need it for the prosecution,� Detective Dale answered. �We�re sure that once this gets started, Mr. Rigby�s lawyers will try to tear down the foundation of the case any way they can.�
�Okay, but I want you to remember that David is not the focus of this investigation and that he is voluntarily helping here. If I get a whiff of ill intent, I�ll pull the plug on this.�
�Yes, ma�am.�
I then recounted what I�d told Detective Kitchens. The only sticking point was who had I hired to investigate Brandon and how they�d gotten the information. Ms. Dixon shut that down, for now. When I talked to her after the call, she told me she hoped they had enough other details to worry about.
She gave me the heads-up that Detective Kitchens had said the journals that were found were a gold mine. He wouldn�t tell her what was in them, but she�d been told that Brandon was in serious trouble if everything proved to be true.
We both hoped that would be the last we would see of Detective Dale.
◊◊◊
Halfway through baseball practice, I spotted Alan. Cassidy had made him start going to her
�How�d it go today?� I asked.
�Fine. Tami wants to grab dinner before she goes back. Can you skip the dojo?� he asked.
�I need to tell Cassidy, but sure.�
�I�ll tell Cassidy,� Alan said.
�Dawson!� Moose bellowed.
�Gotta go,� I said and got back to practice.
◊◊◊
I was surprised when we didn�t end up at Monical�s. Instead, Tami wanted to go to the Chinese place by the park. Since I�d been introduced to more types of Chinese cuisine when I was in New York, I used that knowledge to order for my friends. We started out with mu xu pork as the appetizer. Alan loved fajitas, so I described it as Chinese fajitas to get him to stop whining. He just wanted to get some egg rolls. I think the poor boy had been to too many Chinese buffets.
�The interview went well. There wasn�t much I could tell them since Brandon drugged me,� Tami said.
Alan stiffened up. I think he was afraid of how I might react to a discussion of that night because I�d made it clear I didn�t want to talk about it. I suspect Tami had purposefully brought it up so I could get past it. Still, I felt my stomach tighten at the memory of seeing the two of them in bed together. Rationally, I knew it had been staged, but that didn�t mean I was happy about it. I remembered Tami admitted that she�d kissed Alan. I realized they weren�t in their right minds at the time, and I should cut them some slack. But the old Alpha Male in me didn�t seem to want to let it go.
�It still pisses you off,� Tami stated.
I looked at both of them and nodded. She could always read me; that hadn�t changed. Alan looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.
�David, if I could do it over again �� he began.
�I know, Alan. I understand what happened, and I realize that neither of you intended to hurt me. And I also understand that I have no right to be upset. Tami made it clear she wanted to explore without me.�
There it was, the root of everything. The feelings of betrayal almost overwhelmed me. It was as if I were right back at my apartment after Tami walked out of my life when I gave her the promise ring. I thought I�d gotten past all this, but obviously not.
�David �� Tami said, but I held up my hand.
�Give me a minute,� I warned.
They both knew me. I would flash angrily, but if you gave me time, I calmed down quickly. I just needed to work it out.
So much had happened since that day. I�d become involved with three wonderful girls in Halle, Brook, and Zoe. Pam was having our baby, and Tracy had become a good friend. Jim, Tim, Wolf, and Yuri had become my best guy friends. Alan had been around, and the two of us had come to an uneasy truce. I�d gotten to the point where when I saw him, I didn�t immediately think of that night.
More importantly, I�d come to grips with the fact that Tami wasn�t destined to be my one and only. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
What did I really want? The simple answer was that I missed my best friends. The problem was that Tami had hurt me over and over again. It had started in middle school when she told me she never wanted to see me again. I understood I had been a little jerk, and my drinking and taking drugs were the cause, but it still hurt when she took the tough-love route with me.
I mentally shook myself. No need to go down that rabbit hole again. Tami and I had worked through all this last summer. I pushed all the old hurts down and reminded myself that we�d shared the blame for much of it.
Six months had passed since I�d made my final gesture to get us together. Enough time had gone by that I could look back at it with a fresh set of eyes. If I were honest, Tami had been immature and selfish, as far as I was concerned. God only knows what teenager wasn�t, sometimes. The problem was, in many ways, she was right; we weren�t ready for a serious relationship. How Tami had gone about it, though, had guaranteed that we would never have one.
That thought made me sad, but it freed me. I felt the hurt and anger drain from my body. I looked up at Tami and could see the concern on her face. She recognized that I�d come to a decision, and for once, she had no idea what that was.
�So, Alan�s a good kisser,� I said with a straight face.
�Aw, shit,� Alan moaned as his face turned bright red.
Tami blinked a couple of times to process what I�d just announced and then smiled.
�You�re so mean,� she said, which made me laugh.
Alan looked at me and then at Tami, and she gave him a reassuring smile.
�Jerk,� he mumbled.
�What did you say?� I asked with a mock scowl.
�I didn�t stutter,� Alan shot back.
That made me laugh. When I finally stopped, I looked at them both with a smile on my face.
�Friends?� I asked.
Tami shook her head.
�No, best friends,� she amended.
�Okay,� I said and nodded.
�You�re still a jerk,� Alan said, but I could see a smile creep onto his face.
We all relaxed and just acted like we�d been friends forever, which we, in essence, had been.
�Jim called me,� Tami said.
�I don�t think I want to hear about this,� I said.
�About what?� Alan asked.
�Jim is plotting some payback on Mike,� Tami explained. �He wants me to invite Harper to a party after your game.�
�And Jim thinks Mike will show up because the party�s at his brother�s apartment,� I said.
�What party?� Alan asked.
I let Tami fill him in. My curiosity got the best of me.
�What does Jim plan to do?� I asked.
�Kevin offered to serve Jell-O shots made with Everclear. He calls them �panty droppers.� Jim�s asked him to make some with no alcohol. You know Mike; once he�s had a few, he gets handsy,� Tami said.
I raised an eyebrow to ask how she knew that, but she just ignored me. I guess it wasn�t really my business. That didn�t mean that Mike wouldn�t die, though.
�The plan is to let him get drunk and act the fool. Missy and Lisa have volunteered to help him get falling-down drunk. Jim says that Kevin told him these Jell-O shots will put you on your butt if you�re not careful. When Mike passes out, they plan to strip him and draw with magic markers all over his body.�
I had an evil idea. Mike had sent me a picture of Mona after he�d had sex with her.
�We could have Ray recreate Mike�s picture of Mona.�
�David!� Tami screeched.
�Who�s Ray and what picture?� Alan asked.
�I�m not explaining that to him, and there�s no way I�ll let you do that,� Tami said.
She was right. My first ideas were never the best. If I didn�t already have an enemy for life, that would guarantee it.
�Who�s Ray?� Alan repeated.
I told him, and Alan looked disgusted.
�Don�t worry, she said I couldn�t do it,� I said to defend myself.
�Sometimes I don�t even know you,� Alan said, getting on his high horse.
�Oh, bite me.�
Like he hadn�t had some terrible ideas. He just wrinkled his nose, because the thing with best friends was, we had stuff on each other. He let it go. Tami rolled her eyes at us.
�I have a bunch of colored permanent markers,� I offered.
�Where did you get those?� Alan asked.
�He�s a movie star,� Tami said, guessing correctly.
I used them to sign pictures.
�What are you going to draw on him? Shouldn�t you have a plan?� Alan said, letting his OCD run amuck.
��What the hell, Alan?� I asked.
�If Jim wants to get revenge, he should have a plan,� Alan said.
Tami and I looked at each other. This was too good. I needed to hear what he was thinking.
�What kind of plan?� Tami asked.
�I don�t know, like a bag of dicks. You could draw one on each cheek pointed at his mouth and � uh � other places. Or, you could turn him into a woman. Draw boobs on him,� Alan suggested.
Tami giggled.
�Can you just see him if we did him up in eye shadow and makeup using the markers? We could make him look like Lady Gaga,� Tami said.
�I seriously don�t want to get involved with this. I�ll leave it to Jim to figure out the plan,� I said to end our brainstorming session.
This was another reason I didn�t drink. I could only imagine what my friends would do if I got so drunk they could do stuff to me. Maybe I would wake up with no eyebrows. I figured that they had slim to no hope of Mike getting so drunk he passed out. It was fun to dream, though.
◊◊◊ Friday March 17
Moose had let us out of practice because we had two games tomorrow. I received a text from Tracy, reminding me I had my mystery date tonight. She hadn�t told anyone who it was. I�d let it slip to Alan, and he was on it, but couldn�t get Tracy to reveal her name. I warned him she carried pepper spray, and that seemed to slow him down.
All I knew was that I was supposed to go to Tracy�s house at seven and that she had it all planned. I tried to ditch my security but found Fritz waiting for me in the kitchen before I left. Mom was feeding him a bowl of chili. I�d had some when I got home, and it was spicy.
�Where are you going tonight?� Mom asked.
�Tonight is mystery-date night. Tracy planned it.�
�That�s nice. Tell Tracy thank you. Your dad and I will have the house to ourselves tonight.�
�Where are Peggy and Little David going?� I asked.
�She�s spending the weekend at her folks� house and took Duke with her.�
Last time she�d left for the weekend to her parent�s house, Duke had moped around until she brought Little David home. Evidently, he had a new master.
Dad strolled into the kitchen. It was evident that he�d just showered.
�You�re still here?� he complained.
�I could use some spending money,� I said.
Dad made a big show of searching his pockets. Then it struck me.
�Hey, how come I don�t get an allowance? You give Greg money,� I complained.
�He�s our favorite. Plus, he doesn�t have sunglasses money,� Mom said.
On that note, I decided to leave. I knew when I wasn�t wanted.
◊◊◊
When we arrived at Tracy�s, I invited Fritz in to meet them, but he chose to be professional and stay in the car. When I rang the bell, Tom answered.
�Hey, stranger. My wife was just complaining that you haven�t been over for dinner.�
�I wish I had time. Somehow, I�ve figured out how to use it all during the week. I miss spending time cooking with her,� I admitted.
Tom stopped me in the entryway.
�Where did you meet this girl?� he asked.
That confused me, so I cocked my head to the side.
�What do you mean?�
�She is
�David?� I heard Mary call out, and then she walked out of the kitchen.
She came over, gave me a hug, and kissed my cheek.
�I was just telling Tom that you need to come over more often.�
�How are things with him going to Chicago during the week?� I asked.
�We�re figuring it out. They put him up in a condo close to the office.�
�Did you and Caryn work out what you planned for Kendal? Ms. Dixon said she wanted to hire her,� I said.
�We�re talking about it. Caryn�s a tough negotiator. I can�t blame her, because Kendal is a great asset for you. I think, though, that she needs to work for a good law firm to reach her full potential. She�ll have better opportunities at our new firm than she ever had with our old one,� Tom explained.
�So, she�s going?� I asked.
�Yes, I think so.�
�I�ll miss her.�
I heard someone bound down the stairs; it had to be Tracy. She appeared with a big smile on her face.
�I wanted to see the look on your face,� she said and then looked up the stairs.
I followed her gaze, and my mouth dropped open when I took in the vision that came down the stairs. If you�d have asked me to guess who it was, I wouldn�t have in a million years. It was Melinda Kesh, the model I�d met in New York. When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she stopped and raised an eyebrow. Tom nudged me to get my brain working again.
�Oh, hi,� I said.
She got a concerned look on her face.
�You�re not happy to see me?� she asked.
�No. I mean, yes, I am. It�s just that I never expected it to be you. I can�t even guess how Tracy knew who you are. I guess I�m in shock that you�d take time out to go out with me,� I said.
�So, this wasn�t a mistake?� she asked.
I stepped over to her and hugged her. When I let her go, I kissed the top of her head.
�Thank you. I was afraid he�d gone all �stupid boy� on us,� Tracy said, obviously pleased with herself.
I looked at Tom and smiled. He�d been right: Melinda was hot. I�m not sure what all was said, but next thing I knew, Tracy was literally pushing us out the door on our date. Fritz opened the car door for us. As we got settled, he pulled away. I had no clue where we were going.
�How did all this happen?� I asked.
�You�re really okay that I�m here?� she asked.
�Yes � it�s just � the way we left things in New York, I never expected to see you again,� I admitted.
�I went back to my hotel and thought about it. Then when I watched that
�Sounds like you had to work for it, then,� I said with a smile.
�You have no idea. Tracy grilled me before she�d agree to help me get in touch with you. Did you know that none of them would give me your number? I�d lost my phone and your number. I couldn�t believe they�re so protective of you.�
�Everything I have points to Caryn, my business manager. We set that up when recruiting got bad. My parents now have an unlisted number to keep reporters and the like from calling at all hours. I�ll give you my cell number,� I said as I pulled out my phone.
�Send me a text,� she ordered.
I did, and she sent me one back to make sure I got hers.
�I thought about sending you a tweet, but I didn�t want my manager turning this into a media event,� she said.
�No such luck,� Fritz said from the front seat.
Great, I�d forgotten he was listening. Paparazzi were waiting outside the restaurant that I assumed was our destination. It was a new Italian place that was the �hot new spot,� according to Brook, who knew these things. Melinda looked confused, I guess because there were only three of them. This wasn�t New York or LA.
�That�s a huge turnout for a place like this,� I clued her in.
�Should we just go for it?� she asked.
�Sure,� I said because I really wanted to try this place.
When we made it inside, you would have thought I was with Adrienne. The place was packed, with the lobby full of people waiting to be seated. When we stepped inside, the lobby became quiet, and the crowd parted like the Red Sea to the hostess stand. Standing behind it was Lydia, the girl from State who had gotten her revenge on Ken with me.
�Mr. Dawson, good evening. I see you have a reservation for two. Right this way,� she said.
We followed her to the entrance of the dining room. It was like the scene out of
�I will give them a ten for the execution of the move because it was well choreographed. The net effect was to cause everyone to turn and stare at us. I was sure I was an afterthought when people got a look at Melinda. This was worse than when I went out with Halle and people figured out that she was Rita�s daughter. It wasn�t every day that a Victoria�s Secret model walked into a restaurant in a small Midwestern town.
I pulled out Melinda�s chair, and she sat with a dazed look on her face. I knew what she was thinking � WTF?! Lydia smiled at us.
�Mr. Dawson, I wanted to personally thank you for coming to our restaurant tonight. My father is the chef and owner. I help out on weekends,� she said.
�Lydia, my name is David.�
�Michael, who is my boyfriend, will be your server tonight,� she said as a college-aged man came forward. Lydia then returned to the hostess station.
�Good evening. May I offer you the wine list? I would recommend our house red. It goes nicely with almost everything on the menu,� Michael offered.
�That sounds good,� Melinda said.
�I�ll have iced tea.�
After Michael left, Melinda leaned in so only I could hear her.
�What the heck is this all about? I�ve never gotten this kind of service. Do they owe you money or something?� she asked.
�I�ve met the hostess before and did her a favor, but nothing that would merit this type of treatment.�
I noticed a young man get up from where he was seated with two women. As he came over to our table, I observed that he was thin, with piercing blue eyes. He had style and exhibited a quiet confidence you�d associate with someone who was used to being in charge. He leaned over slightly to talk to me.
�Mr. Dawson, my sincere apologies for interrupting your dinner with this lovely young lady. I�m good friends with a girl who happens to have gone to Harvard and had an encounter with someone who hurt her badly, whom you know. I would appreciate it so very much if I could take a few moments now to talk with you about it privately. And I�d like to express our most sincere appreciation and gratitude for what you�ve done.�
The two girls who had been Brandon�s last victims at Harvard had been well connected, according to Fritz�s friends. One was the daughter of a powerful judge, and the other was the fianc�e of someone �connected.� Evidently, that meant connected to the Mafia.
I looked questioningly to Melinda, and she silently nodded, so I turned back to him.
�I�d like that very much.�
He smiled in relief and held out his hand.
�Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Anthony Giovanni, and my friends call me Tony or �LT� for Little Tony. My grandfather is also named Tony, so my family calls me Little Tony.�
I just smiled as I thought of Little David. For some reason, the name Tony Giovanni sounded familiar.
�If I may,� he continued, �I would like to introduce my wife and my business partner. They are both big fans of yours. I personally am a fan of yours, Miss Kesh. You�re my favorite Victoria�s Secret model.�
He motioned, and the two women came over. The first was a classic Italian beauty with dark brown hair and eyes and the kind of curves I thought all young women should have. I felt an attraction right away. The other had red hair and confident green eyes; she was just my type. Her expression almost dared me. I purposely let my eyes drop and take in her body when I noticed the wedding ring. She wore an amused expression.
�May I introduce my business partner, Kendra Bianco,� he said as I got up, took her hand in mine and kissed it.
Melinda gave me a wink when the Italian beauty blushed.
�I would also like to introduce my wife Nancy,� LT said.
�You�re Senator Wilson�s daughter,� Melinda surmised.
�Yes, I am. We just wanted to say hello,� Nancy said gracefully.
�And get your autographs,� Kendra added with a big smile.
Nancy giggled at her friend�s brazen behavior. They had autograph books. I signed, and while Melinda did hers, LT took me aside. He led me into the kitchen like he owned the place. I was shocked when everyone seemed to disappear.
�I wanted a moment alone. Do you know who I am?� he asked.
�Not exactly,� I admitted.
�My father is Alphonso �The Bull� Giovanni, and Kendra�s father is Nicholas �Nicky� Bianco. They are the heads of our respective families,� he said.
I was out of my depth, so I did the Dawson thing and just nodded. I guess I looked worried.
�Relax. I just wanted to introduce myself and give you a number in case you ever need anything. I�m afraid I don�t carry a cell phone, so don�t be surprised if someone else answers. Just tell them what you need, and I will make it happen.�
�What am I supposed to say to that?� I asked.
�Just say �Thank you,�� Tony said with a big smile.
�Thanks.�
�Come on. Let�s let them get back to work.�
We returned to the table to find the women chatting like old friends. I guess I wasn�t surprised when they brought out another table and Tony and the women joined us. Tony suggested I would like the wine and ordered food for the table.
I found I liked Tony. He was smart as a whip and entirely charming. I caught a glimpse of his other side when Michael spilled wine, but it was gone in an instant when Kendra touched his hand. If I hadn�t seen the ring on Nancy, I would have assumed that he was married to Kendra.
After dinner, Tony leaned over so we could talk and not disturb the women.
�I have to apologize. I didn�t realize this was your first date with Melinda.�
One of his women must have told him.
�I did a photo shoot with her in New York. We had a lot of chemistry on camera, so they wanted to do an additional shoot. We ended up stealing my Valentine�s plans and using them,� I said.
�What do you mean?�
�I�d planned a romantic outing for the girl who�s having my baby, but she had to return home early. I�d arranged for a carriage ride, romantic dinner, and then dancing afterward. Since my intended date wasn�t available, the photographer hijacked my date. That was when I got to know Melinda.�
I was curious.
�How ever did you find me?� I asked.
�We have our sources. When Detective Dale came back, and we found out the effort you�d gone to � well, I had to meet you. We�d actually wanted to introduce ourselves tomorrow at your game. It was just a happy coincidence that you were here tonight. I understand you know Lydia.�
�Yes, I�ve met her a few times.�
�That little show was her idea. She also told my girls she slept with you,� Tony said.
I just bit my tongue. Tony let me off the hook.
�Let�s just say it made them want to meet you even more. I think they�re jealous of Melinda.�
He laughed at me when I wouldn�t comment. Tony, Nancy, and Kendra left us to have our dessert together. This had to be the weirdest blind date ever. The good news was Tony had picked up the tab.
◊◊◊
Fritz shook his head a bit at the antics in the restaurant, but didn�t say a word as he took us to my place after dinner. Tracy had set up this whole thing. That was confirmed when I found Melinda�s suitcase parked at the top of the stairs. She strolled around my apartment and looked at everything, like she thought she could figure me out by how I lived.
While she did that, I heated some water for tea. I looked at the clock and was surprised it was already ten.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Melinda as she conducted her treasure hunt. I really looked at her. She was stunning, and yet had that girl-next-door vibe about her. Unlike Rita James, who seemed unattainable in her beauty, Melinda appeared to be the girl who just didn�t realize how pretty she really was.
When the tea was ready, we sat down on my couch. Melinda curled up next to me, grabbed my arm, and put it around her. She was cute when she made a contented little hum. If she�d been a cat, she would have been purring. I looked down into her blue eyes.
�This didn�t come off weird, did it?� Melinda asked.
�Why do you ask?�
�The last two guys I dated are you and Blake Seaver. I didn�t realize my manager set me up with Blake, and I ended up coming across as just a booty call for him. With you, I sneak into town, we have a blind date, and I don�t even book a hotel room. I think I�m a slut,� she said and wrinkled her nose.
�When you put it like that �� I teased.
�Really?�
�When you put it that way, yeah. I look at it differently. You met a guy, and there was a connection. You ended it in a strange place. Instead of just letting it die, you make this grand gesture to fly halfway across the country to surprise him. You had no idea how I�d react. I would say you were incredibly brave.�
�So, I�m not a slut?�
�The night�s still young. Let�s not rule anything out quite yet.�
Melinda wrinkled her nose again.
�You know what I liked about our time together?�
I shook my head �no.�
�I liked � uh � sucking you,� she whispered, telling me her secret.
�Really? Me too!� I said as gave a happy little bounce, unzipped my pants, and pulled out Mr. Happy.
He was confused because he thought we were just snuggling. It didn�t take her long to convince him to stand up. It took a surprisingly short amount of time for him to reward her efforts. I can�t imagine what Melinda was thinking, but I now had to spend money on dry cleaning her dress.
We moved our fun to the bedroom. I told Melinda to leave the dress on since it was already a casualty and she looked hot in it. We got into a 69 position, and I found she
Melinda moved so that her head hung over the side of the bed. This put her at an angle so I could push into her throat. She frickin� loved it. My Alpha Male side frickin� loved to dominate her. I started lightly spanking her shaved womanhood, timing it to when she had me completely down her throat.
I think Melinda actually climaxed from the abuse she willingly asked me to give her. From there, it was game on. She�d awakened the sexual being that lurked deep inside of me. By the time I was done, Melinda was a quivering, starry-eyed rag doll, content to just lie there, enjoying her sexual trance.
I got up to dispose of the used condoms and cleaned up. When I came back, she was sound asleep. It was probably good we didn�t live in the same area, or I might decide that all the balls I had in the air weren�t all that important. I could see myself falling hard for Melinda. I was 85% sure that was a bad thing.
◊◊◊
Chapter 23 � Thunderstruck Saturday March 19
Melinda getting out of bed woke me up. When the shower started, I followed her into the bathroom. She�d just started to wash her hair when I stepped in behind her.
�Let me,� I said.
She was using a strawberry-scented shampoo-and-conditioner-in-one. I put that away and got out my supplies. Someone needed to educate this poor girl. Mine smelled of ginger. Adrienne had turned me on to Paul Mitchell�s Awapuhi, or Wild Ginger, shampoo and conditioner. I used it during the winter months to help prevent my hair from drying out.
Melinda let me do her hair and wash her, then returned the favor. We finally got out when the water began to cool off. One day, when I bought my own house, it would have one of those instant water heaters like they have in the UK. That way, there would be an endless supply of hot water.
We got dressed and walked downstairs to the house and into the kitchen for breakfast. The look on Dad�s face was priceless when I strolled in with a Victoria�s Secret model. Mom kicked him under the table.
�She�s new,� Mom said to me and then turned to Melinda. �My son has forgotten his manners. I�m David�s mom.�
�Melinda, Melinda Kesh.�
Dad and I made breakfast while Mom got to know Melinda. I guess it wasn�t surprising they got along so well. At least Mom was nice to her. Melinda planned to fly out tomorrow, so it was decided Mom and Dad would take her to the game. I had to ride on the team bus. Moose wanted to keep track of me, for some reason.
◊◊◊
When we got to State, we were early, so we had time to see everything that was set up around the ballpark. It looked like Mrs. Sullivan had replicated her �Taste of Lincoln� theme. There were ten or twelve food stands manned by different local restaurants. I thought this was a smart idea on her part. This way, the boosters didn�t have to mess with cooking and watching everything else. They had a big tent with tables where you could take your food and eat.
They�d also sold booths to a variety of groups. There were ones for the different charities I was involved with: Homeless Coalition, pregnant teens, and cancer support. Caryn had volunteers working the booths for our charities, and Mr. Orange was at the homeless one with Brit and Sun. They had others that had everything from arts and crafts, to a farm stand, to plants. One booth was doing face painting.
I stopped at that one and had them paint black lines under my eyes with the bulldog logo in the center. Of course, everyone wanted them once they saw mine. They did different designs for each guy.
When I came to the end of the booths, I found my car on display. The Booster Club was selling 1,000 $100 tickets. It was good to see they�d painted the car black and put the Range Sports logos back on it. The car looked sharp, and many people were buying tickets. My lawyers would be happy they hadn�t left it orange and blue with my number on it. I pulled my phone out and snapped a photo so I could send it to Mr. Morris.
Moose found us, and we walked back to get ready. There was starting to be a crowd, and people recognized me. My teammates put me in the middle, and we made it to the locker room without any trouble.
◊◊◊
Our first game was against Lang Academy. They were a reform school and always had boys coming and going, so they were never great. It was usually the first game we played each year. Ray, Harper�s best friend, went there because he had a drug problem. His parents had also wanted him �cured� of being gay. I sometimes wondered about people. Luckily, Harper had said they focused on his drug issues and not his sexual orientation at Lang.
I knew what it was like to be persecuted by one�s family. My own mother had just admitted that my older brother was her favorite. No, I wasn�t letting that one go.
They were planning to play two regular games today, instead of the traditional doubleheader, where you got to see two games for the price of one. They�d decided to empty the stadium between games, so that in theory more people got to see us play.
We were in right field warming up when Lang Academy arrived. I spotted Ray and waved. He looked like he�d grown and seemed healthier. We let Lang take the field to warm up. It gave me a chance to check out the crowd that was forming. State had given Lincoln High the seats down the third base line to sell. Tami and the other Wesleyan girls were seated there, with Melinda in the middle. She was all smiles, so I hoped for the best.
The various college scouts were grouped together behind home plate. There was someone there with a Cubs hat; it turned out to be Lucas Kite, the scout I�d met when I was in LA. I walked over to say hi.
�Hey, Lucas. Who you here to see?� I asked.
�I�m here to see the man who drew over twenty thousand to his first baseball game this season. How�ve you been, David?� Lucas asked.
�Good. I�ve been working on what Coach Revilla taught me.�
�Who?� asked the Texas scout.
�Juan Revilla, the Cub�s hitting coach, did some work for Pro Baseball Instruction in LA where I trained this winter,� I said.
�How�s your hitting?� Lucas asked.
�I was hoping you could tell me. Do you plan to be here for both games?� I asked.
�No, I�m here this morning and then off to Batavia to see a pitching prospect. Catch me after the game, and I�ll give you my evaluation.�
Coach Haskins caught my eye. Lang Academy had left the field, so we could finish warming up. We were considered the home team, so Lang would be up to bat first. Bert was our starting pitcher for this game. Justin had had a week off, so he would pitch against the tougher opponent, Wesleyan.
Moose called us in, and we lined up down the third base line for the national anthem. A music major at State sang, and he killed it. Sometimes you got the wannabe singers who thought they sounded good in the shower. That would�ve been me. I was smart enough, though, not to trot my happy butt out in front of people and sing. The worst were the parents who brought their ten- or twelve-year-old who they believed would be the next big thing.
When I ran out onto the field for the game, I was impressed that the stands were three-quarters full. Our game was being broadcast live on the local campus radio station and piped into the farmers market area outside the stadium. You could hear the broadcast in center field.
For the first batter, Moose had me move in to support the infield. From the first pitch, it didn�t look like it was going to be Bert�s day. The batter hit a shot up the middle, which I scooped and threw to first for the first out. Since the second batter looked like a more serious threat, Moose moved me back to my usual position. The kid hit the heck out of the first ball. The only problem was that it flew a mile high, and Brock camped under it for the second out.
Johan trotted out to Bert to explain that he didn�t need to pitch over the center of the plate. Bert struck the next batter out on five pitches.
I ran in, changed shoes, and grabbed my helmet, bat, and hitting gloves. When I stepped out of the dugout, the music began. It was the opening riff to AC/DC�s
�Batting first � David Dawson!� the PA announcer boomed.
I smiled when the fans got on their feet. Moose looked out of the dugout and glared at me. Screw it! Being the not-so-shy type, all you had to give me was a stage, and I�d step onto it without thinking twice. My teammates began to laugh when they saw my best impression of Angus Young, the lead guitarist for AC/DC. He had this funny hop-step where he keeps one leg out straight in front of him as he bounced across the stage. That was actually a channeling of Chuck Berry doing
As the intro refrain of
I had to hustle to get into the batter�s box. It appeared the umpire didn�t know what to do with me. My dad had given me that look before.
Ray was catching.
�Our pitcher�s a hothead. Don�t be surprised if he puts one in your ear,� he warned.
I could see that. After all, I had just showboated, and he might feel I�d disrespected him. I began to laugh when he did just that. If Ray hadn�t been warned me, I might have been hit. The umpire had a pained expression like he didn�t want to deal with this shit today. He warned the pitcher and both benches. If it happened again, both the pitcher and coach would be tossed. He then got into my face.
�No more of your crap, either,� he warned.
The umpire didn�t scare me, but Moose did. He wasn�t known to put up with too much, and I was likely on the cusp of finding a seat on the bench for the rest of the day.
The next pitch, the pitcher probably thought he would try to throw by me. The problem with that was when you�re amped-up with adrenaline, you tend to overthrow the ball. Instead of the pitch being low and on the outside third, it was waist-level. It felt like facing the pitching machine. I could hear I�d gotten all of it before I saw it. The pitcher�s head snapped around as the ball flew into the centerfield bleachers.
I made a point not to flip my bat or do anything else to showboat. Instead, I just put my head down and ran the bases, making sure each one got touched.
Their pitcher soon found he was in for a long day. Moose�s focus on batting paid off. On the other hand, it was also a bad day for our pitchers; Bert, first, and then Brock, who replaced him. Lang Academy put four runs on nine hits on the board. Our response was to score twelve times with thirteen hits. I personally went four for five with five RBIs, including two home runs, a double, and two stolen bases.
After we congratulated Lang Academy, I looked for Lucas Kite. Moose and Coach Haskins joined me behind the plate to listen to what he had to say. So did all the college scouts. Lucas looked uncomfortable.
�Welcome to my world,� I said with a half-smile.
�Did you want to go somewhere more private?�
�I�d like to hear your critique of that performance,� Michigan�s scout said.
The other scouts agreed, so I just smiled at Lucas. I quickly found out that Lucas saw
He also told me to stop trying to hit home runs. With my size and strength, they would come naturally. In high school, he wanted me to keep working to improve my swing. He liked the changes Moose had incorporated, but he had several minor adjustments he wanted me to work on.
Lucas warned me about losing focus when in the field. If it hadn�t been for my superior athletic ability, I would have allowed at least two hits. Baseball is a game where you sometimes might not see a ball hit to you for the whole game. With the circus-like atmosphere, it was easy to get distracted.
When he was done, he wished me the best. Moose handed me a Sharpie and pointed to the line of people near our dugout who wanted autographs. I thought I would never be done, but they finally were all signed.
◊◊◊
Moose and Coach Haskins walked me to the hospitality tent. Mrs. Sullivan had roped off an area for the team and their friends and families. Melinda had joined me, so I introduced her to all of the guys. The players from Lang Academy were in the tent, eating. Rita was there with Trip. The cheerleaders had all gone to a seven-on-seven tournament for the weekend, so Halle wasn�t around. I decided to play matchmaker. I grabbed Trip and took him to where Ray was seated with his teammates.
�Hey, Ray, I want you to meet someone,� I said, pulling him away from the group.
�Trip, this is a friend of mine who�s had some problems similar to those you�ve gone through. I was wondering if you could talk to him about what you�ve learned.�
I expected that if there were something there, they would figure it out.
Dad had gone to the new Mexican place�s booth and gotten me a burrito that was advertised to be as big as my head. Melinda took one look at it and raised her eyebrows.
�You plan to eat that whole thing?� she asked.
�He can eat more than that,� Yuri supplied.
I was able to eat two-thirds of it. It wasn�t a surprise when Johan finished it off�after he�d eaten his own.
◊◊◊
In the second game, Mike was pitching against Justin, and Wesleyan was up first. Mike batted third for Wesleyan. Justin hung a curveball, and Mike got all of it. I thought I had a shot at it but would have to get up to grab it before it left the park. I drifted back and timed it so I could use the fence to jump higher. Mike had done the bat flip, which pissed me off. I planted my left foot and used my right to propel myself up the face of the fence. Then I grabbed the top of it with my right hand to lever myself up even higher.
The crowd had erupted when Mike hit the ball, but the sound level dropped like they collectively held their breath as I climbed up to get it. If he�d hit it just a touch higher, I would never have reached it. When I came down, half the ball was hanging out of my glove. It seemed the crowd didn�t believe their eyes, because it took a second for them to erupt. I cringed when I realized the home-team fans had brought their damned cowbells.
I ran in and got ready to bat. When I stepped out of the dugout, my name was announced, and the music began. This time I stopped and took it in and watched the crowd. They were into it. With a full stadium, it was loud. They would stomp their feet for each syllable. I worried that the bleachers couldn�t handle it.
When I stepped into the box, it was clear Mike planned to throw at me. He had his cocky �FU� smile. If I hadn�t bailed on motion, he would have smacked me good. It was a total dick move to throw your heat at someone�s head. That was how people got hurt. As it was, he clipped my forearm. I just got up and trotted to first base. I had to laugh when Mike threw his glove on the ground, ready to go.
Mike could never be accused of being dumb. He�d been in the top five in our class academically. I wanted to steal on him more than anything. I think Coach Haskins and Moose knew that as well. They signaled that I should stay at first. Mike made me eat dirt four times before going home with his first pitch. It was a good thing I didn�t go because he used his slide step to get the ball to the plate faster.
Yuri hit a screamer straight at Mike. Mike�s a good athlete. He got his glove up and caught it. If I�d run, with the slide step, he would have gotten me, or I would never have made it back in time when Mike made the catch. Mike looked over and smirked to let me know that I�d been lucky.
Next up was Bryan Callahan. Mike concentrated more on his pitching because he knew Bryan was a better batter than Yuri was. Not that Yuri was a weak hitter; he simply didn�t have the experience Bryan did. Mike threw over to first twice. I acted disinterested in stealing and was able to get back without having to dive in the dirt.
That was when I noticed Mike had a tell. If he was going to first, he held his hands further from his body than if he planned to throw to the plate. I watched three pitches to confirm my observation and then signaled to Coach Haskins that I could steal on him. He gave me the green light. When Mike�s hands settled closer, I broke as he began to move. Mike caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and tried to hold back the throw. It would have been a balk if he had, which would�ve meant I took the base anyway. Instead, he threw it into the dirt.
A catcher�s mitt isn�t designed to handle a grounder; that�s why they try to block them like a hockey goalie. The ball caromed off the catcher�s leg pad. Coach Haskins waved me to continue to third. The catcher lunged for the ball and knocked it further towards first base. He finally grabbed it and came up throwing. I reached for the back of the bag. It was a bang-bang play, and the third-base umpire indicated safe.
The Wesleyan coach lost his mind and ran onto the field. I called time before I made a mistake and got called out. The umpire called it and then turned to face their coach. The cocky look had been wiped off Mike�s face. Their coach finally gave up and returned to his dugout. Mike was so shook-up that he walked Bryan.
Bryan took a lead at first. I just stood on third until Mike looked over his shoulder at Bryan. That was when I began to sneak down the third base line. He held his hands in the way that indicated he planned to throw to first. When he twitched, making his move, I broke for home. Mike was instead going to third to try to pick me off. Well, oops.
Bryan had played enough baseball to know to take off towards second. The third baseman caught the ball and fired it home. I stopped on a dime and darted back towards third. Meanwhile, Bryan rounded second and ran for third. The catcher moved to throw it back to third when I whirled and came straight at him, screaming at the top of my lungs and holding my hands up high. The poor kid was sure he was going to be run over; apparently, my reputation from football for hitting hard preceded me. If I could jar the ball loose, I would be safe. The catcher squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for impact. I dove around him, held my hand out, and touched the corner of home plate.
�Safe!� the umpire called.
The catcher turned to complain just as Bryan took his legs out from under him as he dove for home.
�Safe!�
Mike threw his glove into the back of the catcher. I smiled when their teammates had to separate them. It looked like Mike was making new friends. I laughed all the way to the bench. I hadn�t seen that bad a play since Little League. You would think by high school, the catcher would keep track of where everyone was. It was bad enough he let me score, but Bryan, too � that was just insane.
Jim was up next. When Mike threw at him, Mike got a warning from the umpire. His coach had had enough and sent him to play second base.
Their next pitcher got Mike out of the jam and retired the side. Then Justin took down theirs in order. It got interesting in the fifth inning. Mike was up first. Justin earned his way back onto my Christmas card list when he drilled Mike square in the back. That one hurt.
I was at a full run when Mike turned and got ready to charge the mound. He saw me and ran to the dugout. Rather than chase him, I stopped at Justin and shook his hand. Justin was booted, along with Moose, and Bryan came in to pitch. We were up 4�3.
On his first pitch, Bryan gave up a two-run home run to give Wesleyan a 5�4 lead. That�s where it stood until the bottom of the seventh, the last inning. Up to this point I�d been hit and had walked three times. It was time for some heroics. We managed to get a runner on, and there were two outs when I came up again.
The crowd began their chant.
I walked up in the role I�d been born to fulfill. Even my archenemy looked like he was about to be sick. I dug in with my back foot and prepared to go down as a legend in my own mind. Everyone was on their feet like it was game seven of the World Series. Damn, the Cubs needed me for this very situation.
The pitcher ignored the runner. He shook off the catcher twice before he settled on the pitch he wanted. The ball looked good to me as it left his hand. I began my stride, and everything felt like what I�d practiced hundreds of times. My bat was flat through the zone, and I felt the contact. I heard it before I saw it.
Shit!
Instead of the satisfying �crack,� there was a �tink� sound. I�d missed the ball, making contact a bit under, and hit a long high fly ball to center field. As I ran down the baseline, I prayed as the ball seemed to go higher, and the center fielder drifted back. I took a little hop when he reached the fence. The ball seemed to lose power and dropped into the glove of the center fielder. The Wesleyan players rushed the field and swarmed their center fielder.
We weren�t going to win them all. We lined up to shake hands, but Wesleyan ran off the field. Mike apparently wasn�t the only jerk. Coach Haskins handed me a Sharpie, and I wandered over to the stands and signed autographs. The first person in line was Kendra Bianco.
�I gave you an autograph last night.�
�We wanted to know if you were free for dinner tonight.�
I motioned for Melinda to join us and Kendra asked again.
�Tami told me you were all going to a pizza place,� Melinda said.
�It sounds like the team is going to Monical�s. You�re welcome to join us. It�s not fancy, more of a family-oriented place,� I said in case they expected something else.
Kendra said that would work.
◊◊◊
Everyone had waited for me on the bus. Moose had made it clear that I should make sure to sign autographs until there were no more to be signed. Since the
I talked to Jim, and he said the plan was for us all to go to Monical�s, and then to the party at State.
I arrived home to be swarmed by my niece and nephews.
�Unca David, we get kitty,� Kyle told me.
�You got a kitty?� I asked.
�I wuv it,� he told me earnestly.
�So does that mean you get a horse?� I asked Mac.
She squealed and ran to her mom so she could tell her she was getting a horsey��cause Unca David said.
If looks could kill. Maybe I could talk Zoe into letting her think one of their horses was just for Mac to ride.
Mom told me that Melinda was in my apartment. Greg stopped me before I ran up.
�You really do suck,� he told me.
�I was only teasing about the horse,� I said.
He ignored my deflection.
�Where did you find this one?� he asked.
�I did a photo shoot with her. She is kinda cute,� I said, playing it off.
�Dad said she�s a Victoria�s Secret model.�
�Dad better be careful, or Mom will superglue his junk to his leg,� I said. �She
�Tell me she�s terrible in bed,� he persisted.
�I can�t do that,� I said, meaning I wouldn�t tell him about my sex life.
�You�re killing me.�
�You better be careful, or Angie will take care of you, and not in a good way,� I warned.
�I know, I know � it�s just � damn � sometimes I�m jealous of the hot women you spend time with.�
�You had your share. You also get to wake up next to Angie each morning and have three little ones who love you to death. I see what you have, and I�m jealous.�
�Seriously?� Greg asked.
�Only a little. And then I wake up next to a Victoria�s Secret model,� I said with a big shit-eating grin.
�Asshole!�
◊◊◊
I came up the stairs to my apartment to find Melinda lying on her stomach on my couch, playing with her tablet. She was in boy shorts that exposed the bottom half of her butt and wore a tight cropped t-shirt with no bra. Melinda knew exactly the effect her little display would have on me. Frickin� hell, she was hot.
She watched me as I slowly approached the couch and took off my letterman�s jacket. I gave her a crooked smile while pulling my shirt over my head. Two could play this game. Her eyes lost focus, and she absently chewed on her lower lip. Her eyes found mine when I reached for my belt and undid it. I looked down at my obvious boner as it stretched my jeans.
Melinda got off the couch, knelt before me, and took over taking off my jeans. She mouthed the length of my member as it pushed my boxers obscenely out from my body. I just looked down and smiled as she teased me. I so planned to pay her back. She quit toying with me, pulled my boxers down, and began to do what she loved most, give me oral. I reflected that Aubrey and now Melinda had an oral fixation on Mr. Happy that I was more than willing to accommodate.
I just stood there and enjoyed what Melinda offered. My passion increased, and I held back as long as I could. The only warning I gave her was a grunt, and then suddenly rewarded her efforts. She got up and pointed at the clock; I needed to shower and change for dinner. My sexy revenge would have to wait.
◊◊◊
We were in the banquet room at Monical�s. Most of the baseball players were already there. Of the coaches, only Coach Herndon was missing, probably because Mike was having dinner with his family. My family showed up, which made me happy because that meant free appetizers. Greg didn�t even have to be told to go flirt. Mac wanted me to hold her while I walked around and talked to everyone.
All the skill football players were spending the weekend in Springfield where there was a big seven-on-seven football tournament. I thought it might be a good idea to go watch them play tomorrow.
The last player to arrive was Yuri with his mom and grandma. I walked over to say hello, and Mac announced that she was getting a horsey. I looked behind me, and Angie glared at me across the room. Who knew what nonsense she would put into my son�s head when he was Mac�s age?
This reminded me of when Greg and I were probably twelve and ten. Uncle John had bought us PlayStation games for Christmas. Talk about two very excited little boys. That was until it was discovered that signals had gotten crossed and my parents had decided not to buy us the console. Let�s just say that by New Year�s, we had one. Grandma Dawson came through big-time. I needed to make this right.
I handed off Mac to her granddad and cornered Angie.
�What were you thinking?� she hissed.
�I obviously just thought it would be funny.�
�You do realize Mac believes everything you tell her.�
�What if Zoe were convinced to let her claim a horse at her farm? That way she could go visit it and Zoe could give her rides.�
�That�s fine and dandy until she gets old enough to realize the ruse. Then what will you do?� Angie asked.
�Let�s see if this is just a phase. If Mac still wants a horse when she�s older, I�ll buy her one.�
�And where am I supposed to keep a horse? Plus, aren�t they expensive?�
�I�m Unca David. Unca David will take care of it. I�m not having that little girl unhappy with me,� I said.
�You obviously haven�t been around little girls. You have about zero chance of her not being unhappy with you at some point.�
We would see. What were uncles for if it wasn�t to spoil their niece and nephews? Angie gave me a knowing look as if I had no clue. Unfortunately, she might be right.
◊◊◊
Tony, Nancy, and Kendra arrived, and I introduced them to everyone. It turned out that they were younger than I thought. All three of them were in college at Columbia University in New York City. If it weren�t for football, it was one of the schools that would be on my list to check out. Besides being an Ivy League school, it was in the heart of the city. I was sure a single guy could have a lot of fun there.
Melinda was happy to see them. I figured out my friends were all intimidated and hadn�t spoken to her, so she�d been stuck talking to my mom. I was sure that was the last thing she wanted to do. While she chatted with Kendra and Nancy, I had a chance to ask Tony some questions that had bothered me.
�How come you didn�t take care of Brandon yourself?�
�My good friend at Harvard is very close to my cousin, and he didn�t tell me until long after it had happened. Then there�s the problem of our family trying to go legit. Brandon�s father is a well-known attorney. Getting retribution would have drawn attention to my cousin, who is currently having a few problems of his own.�
I let my imagination run with that. I decided it was better that I not know what his cousin was in trouble for or what might have happened to Brandon if Tony had known.
�That, and my family told me not to touch him,� Tony said, and the disappointment showed on his face. �There are some things I simply can�t tolerate; what Brandon did was one of them. The problem is, Kendra and I only run a portion of the businesses. Our fathers run the rest, and my grandfather makes sure everyone plays nice. Something like this has to be okayed,� Tony said.
�So, you had to play the good soldier?� I asked.
�I think you�ve watched too many movies like
That wasn�t a �no,� but I wasn�t comfortable talking about the inner workings of Tony�s family dynamic. It was enough to know that he�d wanted to do something, but was told not to. That would be why he was here personally to thank me. I�d done something, maybe not what he would�ve done, but the end result was that Brandon would pay for what he did.
�How are you trying to go legit?� I asked.
He gave me a smile, and I blushed. Had I just asked that?
�Over the years, Kendra�s family and my family have made some money in unconventional ways. At one point, it looked like the two of us would marry and join the families. Then life happened. Nancy became pregnant, and being who I am, I had to do the right thing,� he said.
I felt my face get a little warm because he did what I would have if I�d been older. The guilt of not asking Pam to marry weighed heavy on me. If she�d even hinted that she would be open to it, I would still do it.
�Do you still earn money the unconventional way?� I asked.
I suddenly felt like Alan when he couldn�t stop asking inappropriate questions.
�We have an escort service and run a sports book. We aren�t into drugs. The price of protecting that business is simply too high. I want to see my son grow up, if you know what I mean.
�We also have a movie studio,� he said.
�Oh, really?� I asked with interest, thinking this could steer the conversation to safer ground.
�Adult films.�
�I see,� I said, knowing it was past time to stop asking questions.
�We�re always looking for actors of your caliber,� he teased.
�My mom is right over there. You should go ask her,� I suggested.
He laughed.
�I might have someone who�s interested,� I said, thinking of Maria. �She�s not 18 yet, but she wants to get into porn.�
�Does she have any talent?�
�Yeah � well, shit. I guess I walked into that one,� I admitted.
Tony must have thought I was a comedian. His laughter brought Nancy, Kendra, and Melinda over to see what was so funny.
�I just stuck my foot in my mouth,� I said to explain it away.
I looked around and realized that the middle of Monical�s wasn�t the best place to have this discussion. Then an Italian woman walked in and stepped up to Tony. She told him something, and the joy left his eyes. It was clear that Tony had a hard edge that was easy to miss if you didn�t know him well. I should have figured that out, but he seemed like such a nice � I don�t know � normal guy. When I saw the look in his eyes, I found myself focusing and getting ready for a fight, like the first time I had met Fritz. Tony was a dangerous man.
�David, this is my sister Pia. She is who you�ll call if you ever need anything. I�m sorry, but something�s come up. It was a pleasure meeting both you and Melinda. Next time you�re in New York, call Pia. I really enjoyed getting to know you,� he said and began to leave, only to turn back. �If your friend wants to get into the business, let us know. We�ll make sure she�s treated right; you have my word on that.�
I felt like this was a man of his word. If he told me something, I could take it to the bank. I filed that away. There weren�t many people who were good for their word nowadays. Most people put their self-interest first. It was a shame, actually.
◊◊◊
Chapter 24 � Lists, Plans, Decisions Saturday March 19
We packed ten people into my SUV to go to the party at State. Jim explained that since I had a driver, namely Paul, it meant they could drink. Jim was a senior who would graduate in two months and already had a full ride to Alabama. He didn�t really care if Moose kicked him off the baseball team for drinking. It would just give him more time to work out and get ready for football.
Melinda was excited to go. She�d gone from being a freshman in high school to full-time modeling. Melinda didn�t go to many parties because of her age, and when she did go, all she found was older men who perved on her. Going to a high school/college party was something Melinda had missed out on.
I was happy she�d borrowed one of my Lincoln High sweatshirts to wear. It hid what a killer body she had. I didn�t want to spend the night in fights. I suspected that most of Kevin, Magic, and Luke�s friends were football players.
The party was at an apartment complex for football players, close to the practice facilities. It would be a pain in the ass to get to campus for classes, but if your focus were football, it would be perfect. When we parked and got out, I waited for the other car to pull up and six guys get out. Seemed Johan was their designated driver. I warned them about their responsibilities.
�You all know what will happen if Moose gets wind of any of you drinking. I�m not your mom, but you should think about what you getting kicked off the team would mean to you, the team, and me personally. I say that not to be selfish, but because I�m trying out for the Under-18 Team for USA Baseball. No offense to the younger guys, but I don�t want to have to play with all freshmen,� I said, smiling at Milo and Dan.
Moose had actually let the two freshmen dress for varsity games because we didn�t have enough players. Milo, Johan�s brother, was our right fielder. Dan was Jim�s cousin, and he was pretty good with his bat. He needed to work on his defense, but the kid could hit.
I thought Moose might just give up his big �line in the sand� talk each year. The last two years had found freshmen and new players on varsity. But Moose was Moose. He had been doing this forever, and it seemed unlikely he would ever change.
�There are going to be players from Wesleyan here. Jim has a score to settle with Mike, and I�m not about to tell him not to do it. He held off in the fall, because of football, but Mike transferred before Jim could get his revenge,� I said.
�What about yours?� Jim asked.
�I don�t need any more revenge; I�ve moved on. You�ve got this,� I said and then continued. �Ignore the Wesleyan players if they get on you about our loss today. We�re Lincoln High, and when you beat us, you�ve beaten the best. They can only dream of being you, so act like the champions you are. If they get out of hand, find Johan or me. Under no circumstances are you to find Yuri,� I said, which made them laugh.
Our crazy Russian had a tendency to shoot his mouth off. Johan, on the other hand, was a Mennonite and nonviolent. If he were both sober and calm, he would talk his way out of whatever the problem was.
�There will also be college men at the party, many of them football players. Don�t embarrass me and make me have to save your butts if you mouth off to them. Yes, we could beat State if we played them, and you can tell any of them I said so.�
�For shit�s sake, Dawson,� Jim said, shaking his head.
We both knew that a high school team, even ours, would never beat a Division I college football team from a Power 5 conference, even if they sucked. We only had a handful of D1 talent, and they had a whole team of players who were at or close to that level. The reason I said it was for my guys. They all seemed to stand a little taller when I showed some swagger.
I wasn�t really worried that bragging about our team would cause any significant trouble. If it went south, Kevin would have my back, and if I knew him, so would State�s whole defense. I wanted to remind the guys that they didn�t just represent themselves, they also represented our team and our school. Hopefully, the guys would think before they did something stupid.
�Finally, there will be college girls here,� I said.
That got their attention, and I heard them bragging about how well they would do tonight in that regard. I let them talk among themselves before continuing.
�You all brought condoms?� I asked.
Apparently, several didn�t, and they were now kicking themselves that they hadn�t brought any.
�If you need one, go with Paul to the car, and he�ll get you what you need,� I said, and turned to Paul. �There are boxes of them in the medical bag in the back.�
Fritz had made the suggestion as a joke. I thought it was a great idea and made him buy a couple of boxes as punishment. He�d gone along with the charade, permitting me my delusion that I was really in charge.
It was surprising when Johan and Milo chose to get condoms as well. I didn�t want to be around if their parents found out about it. But it was disappointing to see Yuri go get one. I thought he and Jan were more committed than that.
�So, what are my rules?� Melinda asked once we were alone.
She was teasing me, but being a leader meant you needed to look out for your charges. While I wasn�t their parent, I was their friend. If nothing else, they could learn from my mistakes to this point.
�There are only two. I brought you, so I plan to take you home,� I said with a mock glare, and then smiled. �Have fun; I plan to.�
�Can I drink, or will that be a problem?�
�Just avoid the Jell-O shots. They�re made with Everclear, and our hosts call them �panty droppers� because they sneak up on you and lower your inhibitions.�
�Would that be so bad?� she asked and rubbed up against me.
�I would think you�d want to be sober enough to enjoy it,� I said, pulling her to me.
She grabbed the back of my neck, kissed me, and gave out a little giggle when she felt my desire press up against her stomach.
�Come on, before I drag you off to the car and have my way with you,� I said.
◊◊◊
When everyone was ready, we walked to the apartments. We�d had to park a few buildings away to find two spots. A small crowd was standing out front, with two bouncers preventing them from going in.
�You have to be on the list,� one of them challenged me when I walked up.
�David, plus 15,� I said with a straight face.
�I don�t think so.�
�Go get Kevin or Magic,� I suggested.
�He�s good,� Kevin said as he stuck his head out the front door.
�What about me?� a cute girl asked as she waved at Kevin.
That had the effect of causing several girls to try the same tactic. Kevin looked them over and pointed to four, including the cute one who had started it. I liked his thinking.
I followed Kevin into his apartment. The first thing that struck me was that this was not at all what I expected. He gave us a quick tour. It was a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath unit, with each bedroom having its own bathroom with shower. The half bath was off the large living room.
Kevin�s room had a California King, a desk to study at, and a small seating area with a love seat and a big, comfortable-looking chair. There was a TV on the wall with a game console attached to it. His room was bigger than my bedroom in my garage apartment. If this was one of the perks for football players, I would have to be sure to ask about that when I was on recruiting trips. I�d just assumed I would either buy a condo or house. Something like this might change my mind.
When we entered the kitchen, we found a keg and several coolers.
�I wasn�t sure what you wanted, so I got both sodas and beer. There are also Jell-O shots in the fridge. Maybe I could get some volunteers to help me hand them out,� Kevin said.
He opened the fridge, and I began to laugh. There were enough Dixie cups of Jell-O to waste three times the number of people that were here. They couldn�t have gotten anything else into that refrigerator.
�I want a red one,� Melinda announced.
Kevin looked at me, and I just shrugged. She�d been warned. She slurped it down and then gave him a funny look.
�You sure there�s alcohol in these?�
�Oh, yes. I wouldn�t recommend doing more than two right away,� Kevin said as he handed her another one.
�If she pukes, you�re cleaning it up,� I warned.
Melinda ignored us and did another one. I smiled when Tami and Alan came in with a contingent of Wesleyan girls. Kevin had told us to stay in his apartment because Mike and the Wesleyan boys were hanging out across the hall at Luke�s place.
Melinda was jostled out of the way as I greeted Tami and her schoolmates, and they all claimed kisses; that was, except for Alan. He�d gone to Springfield to help Coach Rector with the seven-on-seven team. He told me he was here to lend Jim support. I suspected that Tami had ordered him to be here.
The Wesleyan girls were Missy and Lisa Stone, the redheaded identical twins; Jennie Wesleyan; Lilith Prescott; and Elizabeth �Lizzie� Towson. I�d met the last two when they spied on me for Jennie�s mom. Lizzie was sent to get into my pants, which she�d tried but failed to do. I decided to point her at Jim, who was currently single. He could probably use a sure thing.
I was finally done greeting the girls and was able to reintroduce them to Melinda. I gave Tami a look when the girls pulled Melinda into Kevin�s room to get to know each other better. Five minutes later, I was glad they had: Mike and his Wesleyan teammates walked in, including Damion Roth, the Randy Moss-clone whom I�d helped get into the school.
Damion came right over and hugged me.
�They told me you�d be here. I wanted to come and thank you in person for getting me into Wesleyan. I also met your friend Tami. She�s helping me study,� he said in a rush.
�Tami told me. She said you�re working hard,� I said, and he frowned.
�I am, but I�m not sure it�ll be enough. My bad habits hurt me so much more than I realized. I�ll give her credit, though. She kicked my butt and never blew smoke up my rear,� Damion said.
I would bet that people had always told him what a great job he did because of his football skills. The only thing holding him back was his grades.
Talking to Damion made me excited about football again. I was a little jealous of Mike because he would get to throw to this kid next year. Only a handful of players are real difference-makers, and Damion was one of them. Just having him on the field changed what you had to do, and it was hard to imagine trying to defend him one-on-one.
Mike came up while I was talking to Damion and looked like he wanted to make some kind of smart comment. Then he saw Jim heading over. Mike suddenly decided to leave the apartment and go hide behind his brother. Damion noticed his classmates had left, so he told me to keep in touch, and that he would love to play with me someday. I could only imagine the damage the two of us would do on a football field.
I mingled with the partygoers. There were a few who got a little overexcited when they met me, much to the amusement of Kevin, Magic, and my teammates. I was glad when Melinda made good her escape from Tami and her Wesleyan friends. It was amusing that Alan had somehow wormed his way into that little coffee klatch.
�Your friends are funny. They said to ask you why they all call you �stupid boy,�� Melinda said.
I noticed that the coffee klatch wasn�t looking our way.
�What else did they tell you?� I asked.
�Aren�t you going to tell me?� she asked innocently.
I gave her a golf clap for her acting ability.
�And the award goes to � drum roll � Melinda Kesh.�
�I want another Jell-O shot,� she announced when she saw I wasn�t falling for it.
�You�re the one who has to fly back tomorrow,� I warned her.
�I think they gave me the virgin ones.�
�Don�t ask me to hold your hair when you puke. I have a weak stomach and will probably puke on your head if you do.�
�Big baby,� she said with a smile.
�Far be it from me to stop you from learning a valuable life lesson,� I tried.
�You�re no fun,� she pouted.
I stepped over to the refrigerator and got her two more shots. I had a bad feeling about tonight.
Tami came over with Alan and joined me.
�Operation Mike is about to begin,� Alan announced.
Missy and Lisa were talking to Jim and Kevin. Kevin showed them which Jell-O shots had Everclear and which didn�t. Each twin grabbed one of each type and went to the other apartment. Mike was in a lot of trouble. If those two had offered me shots, I would have done them.
I grabbed three more shots and a Coke and gave the shots to my friends and Melinda.
�Where�s Harper?� I asked.
She was supposed to be Mike�s girlfriend. It was hard to imagine that she�d miss a party with the rest of her friends.
�Her grandmother had a birthday party tonight, so she had to go home for that,� Tami told me.
�Does she know what you cooked up for Mike?�
�Yeah, she thought it was funny.�
I wouldn�t count on that but didn�t say anything. Mike was the vengeful sort.
�You better warn her not to tell him she knew,� I said.
�Already taken care of,� Tami shared.
�Let�s dance!� Melinda shouted.
I looked at Tami and leaned in so only she would hear.
�Someone needs to learn to use their indoor voice.�
Tami burst out laughing. That was a common refrain from our moms when we were growing up. I let her explain to Alan how many Jell-O shots Melinda had already had and followed my weekend blind date out onto the dance floor.
Melinda was a lot more fun to dance with when she wasn�t working and had had a few. She was a total free spirit and bounced around. We had a blast. She had me teach her some of the moves I�d learned. Melinda was impressed that I knew how to dance. I guess there was at least one person who hadn�t seen my
When we finally took a break, I got us both bottles of water. The cute girl who Kevin had let in came over to us.
�Hi, I�m Amy Ferguson with the Daily Tattler. I was wondering if I might ask a few questions.�
The Daily Tattler was State�s college newspaper. This was something Frank had warned me about: never give them an interview unless it was scheduled or planned. What he meant by �planned� was if I was to go out and run into paparazzi, he always had me prepared with a few quotes. In the middle of a college party was how people made the news, and not in a good way. Before I could answer her, Melinda jumped in.
�Tell her why they call you �stupid boy.��
I motioned for Paul, and he was startled into action. He was bored, having to watch me all night. I turned to him.
�This is a reporter who�s crashed the party,� I said.
�Are you really going to handle it this way?� she asked with a tone that carried an underlying threat.
�Did you just threaten me?� I asked.
�If you don�t talk to me, there�s no telling what I�ll print,� she said with a smug look.
�So, if I don�t give you a quote or a story, you�ll just make something up?� I asked.
�You betcha, �stupid boy,�� she said.
I turned to Paul.
�Are we good?� I asked.
�We�re good,� he said with a grin.
I was checking to make sure Paul had his bodycam turned on. I turned back to her.
�Look, I have no desire to trade threats. You see the camera sticking out of his pocket?� I asked.
She lost some color and nodded.
�He�s wearing that for a reason. People assume that I�m an easy target. Now if you would�ve asked nicely, you could have gotten my publicist�s number, and he would�ve set up an interview. You should chalk this up as a life lesson and just walk away. What do you say, no harm, no foul?� I asked.
�Can I stay and party?� she asked.
�If you promise to just have fun and forget that you�re a reporter for the rest of the night,� I said.
�Would you dance with me?� she asked.
I had to give it to her, she would someday make a great reporter. Melinda nodded to me because she needed a break. I took Amy out and danced for a couple of songs. When we finished, she apologized, and that was the last we saw of her.
Chalk up another one for Fritz. If the paper showed my face at a party like this, Moose would have me in his office first thing Monday morning. I�d have Paul send me the video. I would send it to Caryn and let my business manager do her job; she�d coordinate with Frank and Ms. Dixon to make sure Amy kept her word.
◊◊◊
About two hours later, Alan came to me, all excited.
�You have to see this,� he blurted as he shoved his phone into my hand.
I wondered what would get him so amped-up. I looked down at the screen and � oh, shit! Who came up with this? I started to flip through the pictures. It was good that they hadn�t done anything X-rated, but Mike was going to kill me. He would be sure this whole thing was my idea.
When Alan said that they needed to make a plan, I never dreamed they would come up with this. They�d shaved Mike�s head. At least they hadn�t shaved his eyebrows. What made it so bad was they�d used permanent markers to draw in my tattoos�the ones from my movie
I will give credit where credit is due. It was a fantastic idea for revenge because it wasn�t over the top. While it was a pain in the ass to get permanent marker off your skin, you could do it. It wasn�t like they�d done something terrible. Okay, shaving his head was bad, but it would grow back.
If it had been me, I would have owned it. The guys did an excellent job of duplicating the tattoos. They�d also not left any messages or drawn anything inappropriate. I would leave it because I wouldn�t want to show it bothered me. That would take a lot of the fun out of it.
I spotted Jim and his coconspirators.
�You about ready to go? Maybe we should stop and get something to eat before we go home,� I suggested.
�I could eat,� he said with a smile.
I spotted Paul and walked over to him.
�Go get the car. We�ll be out in ten,� I said.
I needed to get my date. She was currently leaning against Johan, talking a mile a minute.
�Hey, Sexy,� Melinda said when she saw me.
�Get your crew,� I told Johan. �We�re going to get something to eat before we head home,�
I also invited the Wesleyan girls and Alan. I found Kevin and Magic and thanked them for the party. On the way out, I thanked Luke. He�d babysat his brother and the guys from Wesleyan. Alan saw me and asked to go with us. Tami had room to take him back to school, so he joined us.
◊◊◊
The diner across from the hospital was open 24/7, so I directed Paul to it. I stepped up to the cash register and talked to the manager.
�Drop some chicken in the fryer and just bring it out on platters. Make it enough for this group to eat. Tell them they have to pay for anything else they get,� I said.
He told me what he thought it would take, and I paid him.
We had fun talking about what Jim had done to Mike and funny stories about the party. Paul told them about the reporter. I was glad that he made an effort to fit in. Tami finally explained to Melinda why they called me a �stupid boy.�
I leaned back in my booth and wondered if this was what college was going to be like. I could envision a group going to a party on Saturday night and then meeting up with friends afterward to wind down. Chicken and pie was the perfect combination at the end of the night.
◊◊◊ Sunday March 20
I woke up and was startled. I wasn�t used to someone in my bed, other than my trusty hound. Melinda had been staring at me while I slept.
�I think this weekend was a mistake,� she said.
�Why�s that?�
�It made me realize what I�ve been missing. Watching you with your friends while you�re going to high school and still able to do other things made me wonder if I need to make some changes. My contract is up in about two weeks. It might be time to sit down and evaluate what I want out of life.�
�Do you mind some unsolicited advice?� I asked.
�I should talk to your friend Tami, and she�ll tell me what to do?�
That made me laugh.
�I wouldn�t wish that on you, but I would suggest you talk to both Adrienne and Kara. They�ve both been where you are at some point in their lives. You�re too talented to just walk away.
�I get it,� I sympathized. �I can see where I�d be struggling if I were in your shoes. It would be hard going from job to job, and the only person with me was a manager who I found out didn�t have my best interest at heart. It would be lonely as hell,� I said.
�You would never be lonely,� she teased.
�But at what cost?� I asked. �Would I be happy with a string of one-night stands? How long would it take for that to get old?�
She laughed at me, calling me on my bullshit. It took George Clooney like thirty years to give up the endless opportunities for one-night stands. Heck, now-pudgy Leonardo DiCaprio was still doing it in his early forties. What was the trade-off? Be like my brother with a wife and family? Have sex with only one woman the rest of my life? Were those my only options? No, but I was a romantic at heart. I was sure my uncle would tell me I was too young to worry about it right now, even if it felt like the most important thing to me. He would make some smart remark about teens.
�You need to do what�s right for you. I know Kara�s much happier now that she isn�t constantly traveling and has a home base in New York City. She�s actually making more money, but that�s partly due to Adrienne having the contacts for the better jobs. Adrienne set her up in the condo with other models. They may change, but it offers her a support group, and Tyler acts like a den mother to make sure everyone�s okay.�
�Adrienne talked to me about it, and I know I want her to manage me. I�ve just missed all my friends from home,� she admitted.
I leaned over and kissed her. Melinda rolled me over on my back and found her favorite toy. I put my hands behind my head as she gave me head. I�d be sorry to see her leave today.
◊◊◊
Melinda�s car came for her after I fed her breakfast.
Today�s plan was to go to Springfield and watch our seven-on-seven team play in the tournament on its last day. Alan told me they�d played two games yesterday and would play two more today.
Fritz showed up and told me he had time for breakfast. I just shook my head. Mom had made a breakfast casserole, so I gave him a plate and let him serve himself. I ran back up to my apartment, grabbed my baseball glove and a ball, and changed into sweats in case I got a chance to play a little catch. I didn�t want to do that in my jeans.
Mom and Dad had gone to church. I would have to avoid Dad since the only reason he had to go was that I�d backed out. Fritz was ready, so we got in the car and drove to Springfield.
�Did Paul get you the video from last night?� I asked.
�I�ve already sent it to Caryn. She�ll take it from there,� he said and then glanced over at me. �I think we need to upgrade your security. If Paul had been across the room, he would never have captured the audio last night. Not everyone will be as na�ve as that young woman was. Plus, we aren�t with you 24/7.�
�What are my options?� I asked.
�We could put an app on your phone, but it plays hell with battery life, and if you stick it in your pocket, it�s sketchy at best. They make belts, glasses, pens, and hats. They also had a nice brooch that might work,� he teased.
I thought about what he said. In just the last few weeks, I�d encountered a boxer who�d tried to rob me, and now a student reporter who�d attempted to blackmail me. With the crowds that were showing up, it wouldn�t take much of a leap to realize there might be far worse attempts moving forward. All I had to do was think about Baby Dick and his gang, and how the police first reacted, to realize the benefits of having a camera. Recording the goings-on might go a long way toward keeping me out of trouble.
�Why don�t you get the different options and we�ll try them out?�
Fritz smiled and pointed to the glove box. Inside was a Lincoln High baseball cap, a Cross pen with what looked like a black onyx stone, black-rimmed glasses, and a black leather belt. I tried on the glasses and smiled. I glanced in the mirror, and a certified, card-carrying geek looked back at me. Fritz just smirked. I put on the baseball cap as well for good measure.
◊◊◊
Springfield had four fields set up for games. Our first was against the host school. As I strolled over, I saw a few college scouts wandering around. Alan waved at me.
�David! David, we�re over here!� he called.
Well, so much for my plan just to blend in. Coach Rector smiled when he saw me. Trent, my backup, slumped. I wasn�t here to play, but to lend moral support.
�Trent, you�re the man today. I thought I�d see how you�re coming along,� I said.
Alan told me they�d split yesterday. Bloomington had taken the first game, and they�d beaten Mt. Vernon. Their last game was against Trinity. Coach Rector wanted to win the Springfield game, where he�d coached last year.
Springfield won the toss and deferred, meaning we got the ball first. Trent dropped back and promptly threw the football into the dirt. Coach Rector called a hook to Wolf to help his young quarterback�s confidence. Trent let fly with a ball that sailed over Wolf�s head. That�s hard to do.
�Coach, call time out!� I called.
Coach Rector gave me a look but called time, and the team came over to the sideline. Coach Hope was watching from the stands, and I�d seen him almost jump out of his skin on the last throw. I jumped over a low fence and ran to the huddle. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the referee coming but ignored him.
�Trent, do your drop, plant your feet, and release the ball over your front toe. You�re not setting your feet,� I told him.
�Coach, only players or coaches on the roster can be on the sideline,� the ref said.
�This is David Dawson. He�s on the roster,� Coach Rector said.
The ref pulled out his list.
�Yep. Sorry about that,� he said.
�Okay, let�s all settle down. Same play. Keep running it with tempo until they stop you,� I said.
Everyone looked at Coach Rector.
�You heard him,� he said, sending them out onto the field.
I�d done this with Wolf last year when we played seven-on-seven ball. He was a big target, and it should be an easy pitch and catch. When I said �with tempo,� it meant to hustle and line back up and go again as soon as they could. The hope was that the defense wouldn�t have time to figure out how to stop Trent and Wolf.
Trent seemed to settle down, and Wolf did what he did best: make a big target and catch the ball. Six plays later we were up 7�0. Springfield came right back and scored. You could just tell that this was going to be one of those games where the last team with the ball won.
Trent was getting better. He hit two long ones to Roc, and Ty made a spectacular run on a short pass to make it 28�all. Trent also missed some easy ones. The experience playing in the seven-on-seven games would benefit him greatly.
We had the ball with just a few seconds left. Coach Rector called time out, and the guys came over. Coach looked at me.
�What�s the call, Dawson?� he asked.
I smiled, then put my game face on and called the play.
�Trent, look for Wolf as he drags across the back of the end zone. Put the ball up where only he can get it,� I said and then turned to Wolf. �Catch it and get down. You don�t want them to have a chance to knock it loose.�
I now knew what Coach Hope felt when he called a play and had to watch it unfold. Trent took the snap and pump-faked to Roc in the corner. That was all that was needed to get the defense to react. Wolf got a little separation, and Trent let it fly. The Springfield defender grabbed Wolf as he leaped up. That was what Connor had been working with him for. Wolf had been building up his strength so he could jump with a defensive back hanging on him. Wolf powered up and carried the defender as he caught the ball. He dropped to one knee, and it was called a touchdown.
In the second game, we just outclassed Trinity. They�d lost all their games. It gave us a chance to play some of our younger players to provide them with experience.
◊◊◊
On the way back, I received a text from my mom saying that I was to come home instead of going to dinner at Zoe�s. I called Zoe and gave her the news. She was disappointed but said she would see me at school. When we arrived home, I found Saul Gessler, my agent, in my kitchen, talking to Mom, Dad, and Caryn.
�Good to see you, but why are you here?� I asked.
�I have some good news. You might want to sit down for this,� he said with a smile.
I looked at Caryn, and she shrugged, so I sat. Saul must not have told anyone what his news was.
�I received a contract for you to play the young Han Solo,� Saul said.
That was huge. I thought my face might crack, I smiled so big.
�Wow,� was all I got out. I was stunned.
�Of course, you need to fly out next week to film your cameo in
�We just made plans for a vacation,� Mom said.
�You�ll have to change them. This is the big break every actor looks for. After this movie, you can just print money,� Saul predicted.
�What all is David expected to do?� Caryn asked.
Saul pulled out the contract and started reading.
�You�ll leave to shoot the
That would mean I would miss our vacation and most of the rest of the school year. I could see the lines on my mom�s forehead deepen, a sure sign she wasn�t happy. Saul flipped through a few pages.
�Next fall you�ll go to the UK a couple of times for about a week each so they can map your body for CGI. They also want you to do some voice work for a cartoon based in the
Saul looked up and smiled.
�That would give you about a week before you had to fly to New Zealand to do the two
�They want him to lose the rest of his school year this year and be gone for eight months. That means he wouldn�t graduate,� Caryn said.
That had my mom�s full attention.
�We would get him tutors, and we might look into him graduating early or getting his GED,� Saul suggested, and then he noticed the looks on my parents� faces. �I know this is sudden. Part of the reason I flew in was that I want to stress what this could potentially mean for your son. I also want to be clear what turning it down might mean.�
�What about the James Bond movie?� I asked.
�We only have a letter of commitment because of the problems with Daniel Craig. The tentative shoot schedule is for next summer. All we have to do is give them notice, and they�ll let you out of the agreement.
I felt the enormity of the situation for the first time. I could actually retire before I hit 20 if I did this. It would also mean that I might never play football or baseball. This was happening too fast. I�d planned to have at least a year before I needed to firm up what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
I leaned forward and cupped my face in both of my hands with my elbows on the table. It felt like my heart was about to jump out of my chest.
�David,� my mom said tentatively.
I let my hands slide up as my palms pressed into my eyes. What was I supposed to do? How could I walk away from an opportunity like this? Saul had alluded to the fact that there could be consequences if I did that. Joyce Heart, the president of Lucasfilm, had told me she had a long memory. When she said that, it was in the context of keeping me in mind for other roles if I didn�t get this movie. I imagine that was a double-edged sword. If I disappointed her � well, that wasn�t something I wanted to find out.
�David, are you okay?� Mom asked as she touched my arm.
I pulled my hands away from my face and blinked. Was I okay? Not really. I wasn�t ready to give up on my dreams. The real question was, could I still make it work if I did this? I realized that this was too big for me to decide without help. I looked at my dad.
�This is too big to decide on my own or even on our own. We need to get some help with this,� I said.
�That�s why I�m here,� Saul said.
�We know that, and we want your advice. In fact, we�re counting on it,� Dad said.
�It�s not just the movies. I have to consider football and baseball,� I said.
�Don�t forget what comes after,� Caryn added.
I looked around the table.
�What do we need to do?� I asked.
Caryn smiled and launched into manager mode.
�We should make lists of who we should talk to, create plans for different options, and then reach a decision as to what is best,� she said. She then turned to Saul. �How long do we have to respond?�
�They�d like an answer tonight. I can probably get it delayed a day or two. They want to get David on set in the UK for the
Caryn helped us make a list of who all we should talk to. For football, I wanted to speak with Bud Mason and Bo Harrington. I would call Lucas Kite for baseball. Caryn made a list of Hollywood people from Rita James to Chubby Feldman. We added Ms. Dixon because she would have to look at the contract, and she was a sharp woman. I added Governor Higgins, and of course the rest of my family.
It was decided I would take tomorrow off from school so we could cover all our bases. I wanted to be in the discussions with the key players with Mom and Dad there as well. I was happy when Saul volunteered to make some calls for us.
We went back and forth about one name in particular: Joyce Heart. Dad was for it because he felt she would be more forgiving if she were a part of the process. Saul didn�t want us to show our hand until we decided. Caryn, Mom, and I all were on the fence, and the decision was put on hold until we got more input.
◊◊◊
We finally called it a night, and I took my hound up to my apartment. He�d come home from his weekend at Peggy�s parents� house and was all wiggles when he saw me. I needed some unconditional love. I also wanted something I hadn�t sought in a long time: advice from my best friend, Tami.
Tami jumped onto video chat, and I talked for nearly forty-five minutes. I explained everything as I saw it and what we had planned to do to help me decide. I was surprised when she just listened. Finally, I asked for her opinion.
�What do you think?� I asked.
�I think you have a big decision and you�re working to figure it out,� she said.
�Come on, Tami. You must have an opinion.�
�My opinion is you have a big decision to make,� she said and then held up her hands because she knew that I was frustrated with her nonanswer. �I honestly don�t think I have the right to do more than give you moral support. If I thought you were about to do something rash, I might have a different opinion. You�ve decided to get advice from people in the know, and I can�t see how I would be able to give you anything better.
�I do think you might want to talk to the lady in charge who made the offer, once you�ve got an idea what you want to do. And I wouldn�t just give her an ultimatum or tell her your final decision. From what you�ve told me, you like and respect her, and she seems to feel the same way about you. I wouldn�t want to damage that relationship. Personally, I would want to talk to her directly, face to face,� Tami concluded.
I leaned back in my chair and blinked a few times. I took a moment to wrap my head around the
Tami wasn�t one who liked silence.
�If you want to call and tell me what you�ve decided, or what your options are after you�ve talked to these people, then do so. You�ll figure this out.�
She could tell I didn�t know what to say, so she changed the topic.
�Want to hear about Cue Ball?�
�You make him sound like an evil villain in an Austin Powers or James Bond movie.�
�Well, he is an evil villain, isn�t he?� she asked with a hint of a grin.
I just shrugged.
�He was pissed, as you might have guessed. I heard Damion calmed him down and told him you had nothing to do with it. I�m not sure he believed that, but his brother confirmed you never even came into the apartment, and that Jim was the one who had planned it all.
�Jim left Luke a bottle of rubbing alcohol to give Mike once they�d had their fun with him. I saw him in the cafeteria at lunch, and he�d gotten the permanent marker off his skin. He looks a little goofy bald, though,� Tami said.
�I hope Mike isn�t down wit� O.P.P. anymore,� I said as I gave Tami my gang signs.
�O.P.P.� was a reference to the song the football team had played for him. She must not have thought much of my gangsta rep because she laughed at me.
We talked about a few other topics, and then she needed to get to bed. I would have to think more about how our dynamic had seemed to change. Maybe there was hope for us being best friends again. Certainly, I felt better about it.
◊◊◊
I don�t know why I did it, but something told me I should: I called Jeremy Pike. He was the psychic whom I�d met doing the press tour for
�I was just thinking about you,� Jeremy said when he answered. �You�ve had something suddenly come up.
I smiled. Was he just bullshitting me? He laughed at my silence.
�I get it. That sounded pretty cheesy, even for me.�
�Yeah, it made me think you were putting me on,� I admitted.
�It�s good to be skeptical. How do you prove the unprovable? I could just be a guy who�s luckier than most at guessing. In a lot of ways, it�s like believing in God. Not that I compare myself to God, but I see his hand in what I do,� Jeremy said.
�I may have made a mistake calling. You know I don�t really believe in this stuff,� I said.
�Yes, I understand that, but something made you call. Why don�t you tell me what�s up and I�ll see if I can shed some of my unique light on it?�
�In other words, what do I have to lose?� I asked.
�Exactly.�
I spent thirty minutes explaining what was going on and what my options were as I saw them.
�Remember when I told you that the obvious path might not be the best?� Jeremy asked.
�Yeah.�
�Well, I never saw this as a real possibility. Sometimes in life, an opportunity will come up that�s unexpected. I feel like this is one of those. I see that this could be a life-changing decision. What you must be cautious about is that if you take this path, it will close off other options down the road. Things that you may have done, you won�t be given a chance to do if you do this movie.
�Like I said, I don�t think this is a bad choice, but you need to figure out what you�re giving up if you take it. I do see this as a much easier path for you. The other paths will have more struggles, and you will experience heartbreak. Then again, you�re young, so I think heartbreak is a given,� Jeremy said.
�So, what should I do?� I asked.
�This is going to sound weird. Whatever you decide, you must begin to focus on the people you want to have around you. You need to find out what their desires are and help them achieve those goals. It is only through them that you will truly achieve your destiny,� Jeremy said.
�Should I do the movie, or should I pass?� I asked.
�Look at it this way,� he suggested. �Are you ready to step into adult life, or do you want to wait? You�re capable, and this opportunity will lead to more, much more. Waiting will be more of a struggle, but it will have its own set of rewards.�
�What about my love life?� I asked.
�That�s a whole different discussion. You�ve already met someone who could make you very happy. But there are several someones now and in your future. When the time comes, you�ll know. I�ll just say it�s no time soon, even though you might disagree at some point. You wouldn�t be a teenager if you didn�t think you knew what�s best,� Jeremy said.
�Now you sound like my uncle,� I quipped.
�If that�s the case, you should probably listen to him.�
�Whatev,� I said, playfully dismissing that idea.
�One last thing, and I want you to listen to this if nothing else: have your mom go in for checkups regularly. If, and I stress this,
That sobered me up. Mom would be in for a checkup tomorrow if I had anything to say about it. I knew she saw her doctor periodically to make sure the cancer was gone, but I wasn�t aware of how often. Now I had something else to worry about.
◊◊◊
Chapter 25 � Personal Responsibility and Commitment Monday March 21
How do you tell your mom that a psychic told you she needed to get her cancer checked out? �I called 1-900-Clair[voyant], and she said �� Nope, not happening. I�d get Dad to do it. Armed with my plan, I walked into the kitchen with my bouncy hound.
Mom and Dad both looked tired as they drank their first cups of coffee.
�Dad, Mom has looked a little tired lately. When was the last time she had a checkup? You know � for �� I left it to hang.
Mom slowly turned on me and gave me the �death stare.�
�When was the last time you were checked?� Dad asked.
�I�m perfectly fine. You two can just back off,� Mom announced.
�She should get checked before we go on vacation. Who knows what kind of doctors they�ll have down there?� I suggested helpfully.
�David Allen Dawson!� Mom barked.
�He�s right. I couldn�t go and worry about you the whole trip,� Dad said.
�Looks like it�s time for us to go run,� I said as Peggy came down with Little David.
The argument started as I ran out. I felt bad, but I also loved my mom too much to leave something like this to chance.
◊◊◊
When we got outside, I told Peggy I needed to think. She agreed to take Duke with her and Little David. She had been around me enough to know I�d put my earbuds in and zone out. Peggy knew better than to try to run with me when I did that because I would set too brisk a pace and might run forever.
It felt good to run this morning. The weather had started to warm up, and you could smell the beginning of spring. The grass was greening up, and the crocuses and tulips were pushing up and would soon be blooming. I felt like it was time to make a decision and tie up loose ends. In particular, I was sick of the NCAA dragging their feet about my amateur status.
Then it struck me. Why would I have to worry about the NCAA if I accepted the Star Wars role?
You know how your mind seems to be constantly active? Uncle John once told me of a saying that the mind is a drunken monkey that�s been stung by a scorpion. Well, mine decided to do a Dawson and go silent. Even when I was in the zone and completely focused, I was at least ruminating on the task at hand.
That�s when the torrent began, and the �what ifs� began to flood my brain space. I mean, I wanted to take this role, but what if � I kept going �round and �round and �round in my mind, until I found myself just standing in the middle of the street, staring at the sky. It was lucky for me there was no traffic. I looked around and was surprised to see Coach Haskins sitting on his porch, drinking coffee.
�Hey, Coach,� I said, waving.
�Shouldn�t you be in school?�
I shrugged as I joined him on the porch and sat down next to him. I looked at his view from the front porch and could see he lived in a nice neighborhood. It was all older homes with big trees. Everyone seemed to be keeping them up. Coach Haskins finished his coffee.
�You want one?� he asked.
�No, thanks,� I said, and he stepped inside to get a refill.
When he came back out, he gave me a tight smile.
�Something bothering you?�
�I have to make a decision that could change my life,� I said.
�Really, one of those?�
�Yeah. I just can�t figure out what to do. Either way I go, I�ll be disappointing people in some way.�
�Sounds like a hard one,� he said as he blew on his coffee and then took a sip.
We sat there in silence as I tried to figure out what the deciding factor would be.
�Do you know what you want to do?� he asked.
�If I do it, I�ll have to leave all this,� I said, pointing to the street. �I�ll have to leave home. I�ll leave my friends and family to go make my way in the world.�
�That�s called growing up, David. At some point, you won�t have a choice. High school might seem like it�s everything right now. But when you get to be my age, you�ll look back and realize it was a tiny part of your life. An important part, but small all the same.
�I have fond memories of my high school and the friends I had. To be honest, I haven�t kept in touch. I sometimes wonder what happened to them. Did they get married, have kids � are they happy? I was only a little older than you are when I left to go play baseball, and I never looked back,� Coach Haskins said.
�Do you regret it?� I asked.
�Can�t say I ever even thought about it, so I guess not.�
I bit my lower lip. Was that what was going to happen? Would I go off and never look back? Mom had said almost the same thing, that I put too much emphasis on my high school friends. She was only really still close with Mrs. A. I was sure that I wouldn�t let that happen with my friends, no matter what my decision was.
I nodded and got up.
�Thanks for the talk,� I said and trotted off his porch.
He had a faraway expression on his face. I turned around and ran home.
◊◊◊
When I got back, Uncle John�s truck was in the driveway. I entered the kitchen and found him standing next to the coffee pot as he talked to my mom and dad. I stepped up to him and wrapped him in a big hug. Uncle John hugged me back and just held on as I got my emotions under control. When I finally loosened my grip and gave him an embarrassed smile, he looked me in the eyes.
�Come on, let�s go talk,� Uncle John said, then took me to the office and shut the door.
�I hear you got a huge offer. Congratulations.�
�Thanks.�
�So, what are you worried about? From what I hear, this might be a monumental opportunity.�
�Everything. This will change my life and my family�s lives. But at what cost?� I asked.
�Isn�t that what today is all about? You�re going to talk to people and clear up the unknowns. You can only make a decision like this if you understand all sides. Stop worrying about what you don�t know and go find out. What you�re doing right now isn�t productive, and it�ll drive you crazy,� he said.
�So, I�m crazy now?�
�No, you�re special. I�m not sure if that�s �special� special or �special ed,� but we�ll figure it out.�
He always knew what to say.
�Thanks.�
�Go work with your Dad and Caryn and make your calls. When you�re done, come see me, and I�ll help you think it through,� he said and got up. �I have to take care of my farm. I�ll be back after dinner.�
He gave me another hug.
�You know that I love you. This�ll be okay, I promise,� Uncle John said.
◊◊◊
Dad and I drove to the strip mall where Caryn�s new office was. They�d picked a second-floor unit, and it was the first time I�d been there. Caryn took us to the conference room, where Megan joined us to take notes.
�Looks like you need some art,� I commented, looking at the blank walls.
�We have some possibilities in storage,� Caryn said.
I just nodded.
I lost count of the number of people we called. Saul joined us when we talked to all the movie people. I expect he was still trying to process why I hadn�t just said �yes.� We ordered in and then began to make the football calls. After that, it was baseball, and finally, business and political calls.
Most of what we found out was what I already suspected. The
There was still one more group of people to talk to: my friends.
◊◊◊
Earlier in the day, I�d sent a text out to my closest friends to meet me at Monical�s for dinner. Caryn had reserved the banquet room to give us some privacy. When I arrived, everyone was there: Tim, Wolf, Tracy, Cassidy, Alan, and Tami. I figured I would have separate conversations with Halle, Brook, and Zoe. Pam was a completely different conversation, as well.
I could tell they were eager to hear what I had to say, especially because Tami was here. They were also confused as to why I hadn�t been in school today.
I�d ordered ahead of time, so food and drinks were brought out as soon as we sat down.
�I�ve been offered the young Han Solo role,� I started.
�That�s great, when do you start?� Tracy asked.
�That�s an issue. If I take it, I�ll lose the second half of my senior year. I�d need to be in the UK the first of next year, and they say it�ll take eight months to film.�
�You said,
�That was why I took today off. I�ve been wrestling with my decision because it would send me down the movie path irrevocably. If I take this role, I�ll be gone for a minimum of a year. Right after I would finish the
�My agent tells me he expects there will be more
�Is that bad?� Tim asked.
�Would I ever get to see you?� Cassidy asked at the same time.
�No,� I said to Tim, and then turned to Cassidy. �That�s why I wanted to talk to you.�
Tami leaned back in her seat and looked at Tracy.
�This should be interesting.�
�I hope so,� I said and then began my talk about their part in this. �Have any of you watched the HBO series
�About the actor and his friends,� Alan said.
�That�s the one.�
About half of them had.
�It�s about an actor who moves from New York to LA to become a movie star. It�s focuses on him and his two best friends and his brother.�
�He gets them laid,� Wolf helpfully provided.
�The reason I bring it up is that he�s able to help his friends achieve their dreams. This movie offer made me think about what�s important in my life, and one important part is my friends. Even if I don�t take this job, I�ll probably be gone all this summer with my Cuban movie and playing baseball. Next summer, I could be making the James Bond movie followed by
�So you plan to buy me the pickup truck I�ve always wanted, and Wolf, a tequila company?� Tim asked, referring to the HBO show.
�Not exactly. I don�t need a bunch of moochers and gofers hanging around. What I guess I want is to help you guys realize
�The movie offer has made me realize that I need to grow up and consider what I�m going to do in the future. Most kids don�t really start worrying about that until they�re sophomores or juniors in college.�
�What are you going to do? Have your uncle help us create goals?� Tracy asked.
�You know, that�s not a bad idea,� I admitted.
Wolf did not appear happy. I realized what this looked like to him. His family had struggled financially, and I�d given him jobs to do so he could have some spending money. This seemed like charity to him. I reached across the table to touch his arm, which caused him to look at me.
�Wolf, I consider you family. Family looks out for each other. If your uncle hit the lottery, don�t you think he�d give your dad some money?� I asked.
He thought about it for a moment and then nodded.
�I�m not looking to just give you money. I admit, there may be some of that, but what I want to do is help you achieve your goals. Tracy had a good suggestion about you all talking to my uncle. With the goals he helped me create, I have something to refer to whenever I�m unsure of where I�m going.
�I admit I�m not sure what I�ll be when I finally grow up, but I�m working towards something,� I explained.
�What about us all going to the same college?� Tami asked.
�I�d like that,� I said.
�Wouldn�t college depend on whether you take this role?� Tracy asked.
I smiled and nodded. I suddenly decided. If the
�I just decided: I�m not going to take it.�
�Seriously?� Tami asked, concerned.
�Yeah, seriously. It might be career suicide as an actor, but I don�t want to miss going to college and spending time with you guys,� I said.
�David, we would understand,� Tracy said.
�I�m sure you would, but I�m not ready for this and everything that it entails.�
�You�ll still miss the first semester of college. How will that work for football?� Tim asked.
�I�ll gray-shirt,� I said and saw that they didn�t know what that was. �In college athletics, you have five years to complete four. From what I�ve heard, it looks like most of the big-time programs would want me to redshirt anyway. That�s to give me time to get comfortable with both school and with their system. Gray-shirting means I wouldn�t enroll in college until the spring semester which in effect gives me an extra year of eligibility.�
�What if you get hurt?� Wolf asked.
�You can go to the NCAA and petition for a sixth year. It would depend on whether they would grant it. There have been some athletes who have done that.�
The sixth year was for injuries, typically. God forbid you blow your knee out twice and miss two seasons for medical reasons. In cases like that, they would consider it. I wasn�t sure they would grant me an extra year because I�d voluntarily skipped a semester. I remembered that John Phillips, my quarterback friend at Kentucky, didn�t think they would grant him a sixth season. He�d taken a redshirt his freshman year and then gotten hurt stepping off a curb, of all things. The good news was it wouldn�t affect baseball. They played in the spring.
�How do you see this help working?� Tami asked.
�I�d sit down with each of you, and we�d talk about what you want to be when you grow up. We�d figure out what it would take to get you there and whether I could help in some way,� I said.
�So, if I needed to go back to the UK to gain additional training �� Tami ventured.
�No. I mean, �Hell No!�� I said.
That got them all laughing. I wasn�t paying for her to go hook up with some British guys.
�I need a Mustang,� Tracy said.
�No, you have a car,� I said and then smiled. �This is what I mean about moochers,� I said as I tilted my head towards Tracy and Tami�s end of the table.
�But if I needed book money?� Alan asked.
�I would pay for it,� I admitted. �I would also help you with my contacts.�
�That�s a much bigger deal than you guys probably realize. David and his family know people. His contacts can help you,� Tami said.
�What if I plan to join the Marines right out of high school? How can you help me with that?� Cassidy asked.
�First of all, you�re not doing that,� I said and raised my hands to stop her protests. �Your dad explained to me that if you want to be an officer, you need a college degree. I want you to be the best Marine you can be, and that means you need to be a leader.�
Cassidy blinked a few times, and she started to tear up.
�You think I could be a leader?� she asked.
�Of course I do. Look at what you�ve done with
�David�s right, I would never have stuck it out if you hadn�t gotten me to join and helped me realize how much it would benefit me. It took a leader to get me to do all that,� Alan said.
�We all look up to you,� Wolf added, looking dead serious.
�You mean we�re all scared of her,� Tim mumbled.
That made us smile.
�I�ll think about it,� Cassidy conceded.
�No, you and I will talk about it, just like I expect you all to talk with me. This isn�t a one-way discussion, either. I want to know what you think I should do, and I expect you�ll support me. Think of us as a team of friends who are there for each other,� I said.
�Does that mean we get to go to Cuba with you?� Alan asked.
I considered that for a minute.
�Sorry, but no. It�s not because I wouldn�t want you there, it�s because there isn�t time to get you cleared to go into the country. I had to submit the list of people who would accompanyme to the State Department to get clearance to do the movie some time ago.�
�Okay, then what about New Zealand?� Alan asked.
He was nothing if not persistent.
�If you decide to take a semester off from college, we could discuss it,� I said.
�Let�s talk about you getting us laid,� Wolf suggested.
�Yeah, David. Let�s talk about that,� Cassidy said.
I raised both my eyebrows at Cassidy�s suggestion.
�I saw some of those Abercrombie models,� Tracy said to pile on.
�Dear God, did you see the Victoria�s Secret one he dragged home with him?� Alan asked.
I didn�t like the direction of this conversation. I glared at all the expectant faces that had dreams of me finding them actors and models to have fun with.
�Forget I offered. You bunch of dorks are on your own,� I pouted.
�You said we were a team,� Tracy complained. �I arranged for the Victoria�s Secret model to spend the weekend with you. You could do the same for your friends.�
I simply ignored them as they began to talk about their dream guy or girl. They�d had to listen to me go on and on about Hannah Minacci; it was now my turn to listen to their fantasies. I had a secret smile when I imagined what they would do if I arranged to have their fantasies show up for a date. Prom was coming up.
Before I left, I called my uncle and told him what we�d talked about. He agreed to help each of them create personal goals. I gave them his number, and they promised to set up individual meetings. In fact, I needed to set up one for myself because once I came back from vacation, I wanted to review my goals again. I could see how my outlook on life had changed and how my goals needed to be adjusted to fit my new worldview.
Hmmm � come to think of it, Caryn had talked about me having a plan. She was talking more about career and business planning, but it still made sense to at least consider this. Perhaps after the Cuba trip or after U-18 tryouts, we could have a serious talk about it. I wanted to get with Uncle John first, though. It seemed to me, checking in on my mission statement came first.
I sat back, bemused. As troubling as the
I snorted, still bemused, and then looked up at the sudden silence to see a bunch of expectant faces staring at me.
�What?� I protested.
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, everyone was there: Mom, Dad, Saul, Caryn, and Uncle John. Frank and Ms. Dixon were called. Ms. Dixon had Tom on the line with her. Dad kicked off the meeting.
�We made calls today to seek advice on what the full import of the decision David needs to make may be.�
�Sorry to interrupt, but I�ve made my decision. I�m turning the offer down,� I said.
�Are you fricking kidding me?� Saul asked, visibly trying to keep from exploding.
�Sorry, but no.�
�This is a mistake of epic proportions. You might just as well get arrested with a tranny while you�re snorting cocaine in front of a grade school. This will kill your career,� Saul ranted.
�Unless we play it right,� Frank said, ignoring Saul�s assessment.
�And how are we fricking supposed to do that?� Saul huffed.
�I don�t know yet, but I�ve spun worse scenarios,� Frank said, sounding confident.
�I�d tell them in person,� Uncle John said.
�No, I�ll simply call them and tell them he fell on his head and lost his mind,� Saul said.
�No. It needs to come from David, and it should be in person,� Uncle John said and then explained. �Think about it like you�re breaking up with a girl. What would she think if you sent your best friend to call her and tell her you�d dumped her?�
�I�d want to kill him,� Ms. Dixon said.
�Okay, okay,� Saul said. �Are you sure I can�t change your mind? This is about as good as it gets. Last chance, before you�re no longer on anybody�s list.�
�No. I need to pass on this,� I said.
�You do realize the money you�re walking away from?� Saul asked.
�Speaking of which, David needs more sunglasses money,� Caryn interjected.
That got my attention.
�And David, we need to talk about how you�re blowing through money,� Caryn said.
�Me? Between you and my grandma �� I began.
�Says the boy who�s spending a fortune on a vacation,� Caryn shot back.
�You�re open to doing some commercials?� Saul asked.
�Yes, he is,� Caryn said, and my dad nodded.
I guess they�d been talking without me around. I just shrugged, and Saul smiled for the first time since I told him �no� about
Since I felt I owed them all an explanation, I told them my reasons. When I was done, even Saul acted like he was on board. I suspect he realized I was on the verge of finding a new agent. We spent quite a while talking about what we would want to say to the
�Okay, Princess. Order us some tickets because we need to do this fast. They need an answer,� Saul said.
Caryn about took him out, but my dad grabbed her wrist. Someday she�d get smart and hire Cassidy to teach Saul a lesson.
�I don�t think Saul should go,� Frank said.
Thank God he said it and saved me from doing so. Saul would just throw gas on the fire. I didn�t want him anywhere near those discussions.
�What did you say?� Saul asked, stunned.
�He�s right,� Mom said, and by her expression and tone, there was no way Saul was going.
I think even he realized it. When my mom made a decision, you would have to be suicidal to challenge her. Of course, I tried it regularly, to the horror of my dad.
�Who should go?� Caryn asked.
�You were there with me, so they know you,� I said to dad.
�I can�t. I�ve taken too much time off work the way it is, and we�re going on vacation next week.�
�Sorry, but I can�t either,� Mom said.
I looked at Uncle John, and he shook his head. I could tell Caryn didn�t want it to be only the two of us. Suddenly, inspiration hit. I held up my finger while I made a call.
�Hey, is Ms. James in?� I asked Fritz when he answered.
�Which one?�
�The cute one,� I said.
I heard the phone bang against something, then Halle came on.
I smiled at the others, held my finger to my lips, and put the phone on speaker.
�You think I�m cute?� she asked.
�No, I want to talk to your mom,� I said.
�Do you have a death wish?� Halle asked.
�I want to ask her out on a date,� I said.
Halle giggled, and then you could hear her call her mom. �David wants you to go on a date with him.�
�Hello?� Rita answered.
�Can you go to London with me and help me tell Disney and Lucasfilm that I don�t want to do their
�Are you crazy?� she asked.
�That�s what I want to know,� Saul said.
�Is that Saul?� Rita asked.
�Sorry, you�re on speakerphone,� I said and filled her in.
I�d already talked to her earlier today, and we�d weighed the pros and cons. She was very pro on the issue, so I�m sure she was shocked by my decision to turn it down. My mom finally talked her into going with Caryn and me.
Caryn found we could make a flight to London tonight, but we had to get moving. Saul agreed to set up a meeting. Since I hadn�t officially said no, it was decided to tell them I wanted to discuss some concerns.
Caryn hurried off to her place while I packed. While packing, it occurred to me that Moose would kill me before this was over. It looked like I would miss the next two games. We would play Eastside on Wednesday and Mt. Vernon on Saturday. I�d already told him I was leaving for spring break Friday night, and he�d given me a ration of shit for that. I would be in the doghouse when this was over, I was sure.
Maybe I should have my mom go talk to him. Then again, if I wasn�t in trouble yet, she could get me there in a hurry. Maybe I should ask my dad to call him!
No, I�d just been told how to handle a problem: do it in person. But Moose needed to know ASAP that I wasn�t going to play Wednesday. That, and I wasn�t dating him.
On the way out of town, I thought again about my coach. I made Fritz turn around, and we stopped by Moose�s house so I could tell him I had to do what was right. That was why I would miss a game. I believe in the end that was the best decision, but let�s just say he wasn�t happy. He understood what I needed to do, which was all that kept him from killing me. Moose was big on personal responsibility and commitment. I�d made the right choice to do this myself.
◊◊◊
Chapter 26 � Three�s A Crowd Tuesday March 22
Traveling to London with Rita James was an experience I�ll never forget. When we landed after the seven-hour-plus flight, and with the six-hour time change, it was about 11:00 a.m. local time. All I wanted to do was go to bed and get about eight hours of sleep.
As soon as we got off the plane, Rita made me go to the men�s room to wash my face and change my clothes. She reminded me of her lovely daughter, who had picked out my wardrobe for me when I lived in LA. Jeans and a t-shirt weren�t cutting it if I was to be seen with her.
I put on a dress shirt and slacks so I didn�t look like I�d just been working in a hayloft�Rita�s words. I grabbed my Japanese sunglasses and slipped on a sports jacket, then checked myself in the mirror. Looking back at me was a Hollywood-douche Brad Pitt wannabe. When Rita saw me, she smiled.
We suffered through the gauntlet of immigration, baggage claim, and customs. My sole luggage was my leather garment bag that I�d carried on. Rita had a garment bag and two huge suitcases. We were only going to be here for the night and then meet with the
The exit from the customs area was where the paparazzi descended upon us. Frank had told us he would put the word out that the two of us were in town. To me, the opening night for
When we finally had some breathing room, Rita slowed our walk to a stroll. I caught on quickly that she was using the paparazzi to get the word out that we�d arrived. I pushed my sunglasses up on my head and gave them my million-dollar smile, and Rita slid her arm under mine. When we walked outside, we stopped, and she turned back to the paparazzi.
Frank had given us talking points, and I let the master�or in this case, mistress�do her job. She spoke about the new movie coming out this summer,
Then they asked if we were �together.� Rita laughed and promptly threw her daughter under the bus.
�David dates my daughter. He wouldn�t be interested in an old woman like me.�
�Is that true, David? Is Rita James too old for you?� one of them asked, which caused them all to smirk.
Even I could imagine the headline: �
�I�ve had a crush on her forever. If I hadn�t met her daughter first, I would�ve asked her out,� I said. As soon as it came out, I knew I�d just made the news.
�So, you�d be up for a threesome with Rita and her daughter?� one of the cheeky bastards asked.
Rita gave them all a look that dared them to ask any more questions like that. I just kept a neutral expression on my face as Rita turned to the car and the driver let us in. Caryn couldn�t hear what they�d said.
�It looked like they pissed you off. What did they say?� she asked.
�They wanted to know if we were going to the hotel for a threesome,� I said.
�I told them three�s a crowd,� Rita added with a straight face.
Caryn�s mouth gaped, and she just stared at us until she noticed I was about to break out laughing. Her glare convinced me she�s been taking lessons from my mom.
◊◊◊
Rita had arranged for us to stay in London at the Corinthia Hotel. It was at the corner of Northumberland Avenue and Whitehall Place, on a triangular site between Trafalgar Square and the Thames Embankment. Their brochure said it was a former British government building that was now a luxury hotel. The building itself was an odd shape. At one end, it looked like a triangle with a round point that faced the river.
When we pulled up, there were six doormen, three to a side, stationed to hold back the paparazzi and a small crowd that had gathered. Our driver got out of the car but waited to open the door. Caryn made a move to get out, but I stopped her.
�Hang on. I think they want us to wait,� I told her.
Out of the front entrance came a man dressed in a smart suit, followed by two bellhops.
�Let David and me get out first and wait until we�re in the building before you exit the car. You don�t want them to think you�re with David,� Rita told Caryn.
�What do you mean?� Caryn asked.
I batted my eyes at her.
�Oh. Okay, I�ll wait,� Caryn said, understanding.
When the driver opened the door, I got out first and then helped Rita out. The way she did it took my breath away. All that was missing was a crown on her head. I stepped back and let the paparazzi get their shots of American Hollywood Royalty, Rita James. She waited a moment and then nodded at the man in the suit. He came up and did a little half-bow to her. She motioned me forward.
�David A. Dawson, I would like you to meet Charles Whatley. He is in charge of the Corinthia Hotel.�
We shook hands.
�I�m so glad you both have decided to stay with us. I�ve taken the liberty to put you in the Royal Penthouse. Only the best for our Miss James,� he gushed.
�You always take such good care of me,� Rita praised him.
Once we were inside, Caryn joined us. We were ushered to the �lift,� as he called it, up to our rooms. He opened the door for us, and Rita walked in like she owned the place. Caryn and I gave ourselves away as we gawked at the elegance of the suite.
Mr. Whatley gave us a tour. On the lower level, you entered a double door that put you in a grand vestibule. To the right was a spiral staircase that led to the second floor. In the center of the foyer hung a chandelier that reached from the ceiling of the second level almost to the slate floor of the entry. It looked like an upside-down Christmas tree made of black crystal.
Off to the left was the butler�s pantry where food would be staged and kept warm for serving. That led to a dining room that would seat ten. Next to the pantry was a door to a bedroom where Caryn would stay. Another door close to the entrance was an office that had built-in TVs on the wall tuned to different business channels with the sound off. If you walked down a short hall, it opened to the lower living room.
The suite also had an internal lift you could use to get to the second floor; Rita and Mr. Whatley chose to use it. Caryn and I walked up the staircase to find ourselves in another living area. The master suite had its own spa, complete with a massage table. The walk-in closet was spectacular. If my mom saw it, my dad would be in trouble. There were two large bedrooms off the main suite area. Each had access to a rooftop terrace with a panoramic view of the River Thames, a working gas fire pit, and a separate dining area.
The view was of historic London, and there was a fantastic view of the London Eye, the giant Ferris wheel across the river. We were within walking distance of Buckingham Palace. When Mr. Whatley left, Caryn gave me a dirty look.
�Jesus, David. How much is this costing you?�
�Normally, it�s just under $27,000 a night,� Rita said.
She suddenly got a big smile on her face when she saw I was about to have a stroke.
�They comped me,� she said, letting me off the hook.
�Still,� Caryn said, looking worried.
�Even if David paid for it, it would have been worth it. Tomorrow the
Uncle John had suggested that we get them away from the studio to give us a psychological advantage when we talked. If Rita wanted to impress them, this setting would do that nicely. For me, it was just fun to see how the �ber-rich lived.
◊◊◊
Caryn left to go play tourist, and Rita was talking to the staff about tomorrow�s meeting. I put on a jacket and grabbed my tablet so I could take pictures of the view. It was almost eight a.m. back home, so I sent a text to Halle, and she got on video chat with me.
�I see you and my mom are living it up.�
�I never realized what a big deal she is until I watched the Brits fall all over themselves. She�s like a rock star,� I said.
�Wait until they start making up stuff in the tabloids. They�re notorious for the junk they publish.�
�Your mom said I was your boyfriend,� I teased.
�Just great. I thought we�d snuffed out those rumors,� Halle said, referring to when we came back from LA, and the American tabloids had linked us.
It had taken a little while for our classmates to understand that we were just friends. I decided to change the subject.
Before I could say anything, I heard mewing.
�Bandit! Where are you, Buddy?� I called.
Halle reached down and held him up so I could see him. He was getting big. The Ragdoll breed could get up to twenty pounds. I liked him because, for a cat, he was pretty laid back. Of course, as a kitten, he was a rowdy boy and could challenge Duke for bounciness when he was wound up.
�He heard your voice. I think you need to come visit him.�
�Yeah, I agree. I�ve missed Mr. Tattletale.�
We chatted for a while and caught up. Rita came out when she was done making plans, and I handed her my tablet so she could talk to her daughter. I could feel the trip catching up with me, so I hit the sack for a quick nap.
◊◊◊
The price of the comped room was that Rita had to eat in the restaurant and allow guests to meet her. I was glad when she told me I wasn�t allowed to be seen with her. Turns out I should have said I didn�t want to be seen with Caryn. We went to a local place for some curry. Caryn waited until we ordered before she laid into me.
�You�ve put me in a difficult position.�
�Okay, what did I do?� I asked.
I was wise enough not to fall for this gambit.
�What am I supposed to tell your mother?� she asked.
�Nothing,� I suggested. �That should be the standard policy for most matters.�
She gave me a mock-amused look, but then her expression turned serious.
�David, I understand why you�d want that, and I will try to keep that in mind. That is unless it�s not in your long-term best interest, or your family�s long-term best interest, if it comes to that. But there�s something we really do need to have a serious talk about, and that�s your spending and you paying attention to your finances.�
Now her expression was a bit steadier.
�Do you know how much money you�ve been spending?� she asked.
Caryn�s antics made me chuckle.
�It�s not like I don�t have money,� I deflected.
�Just because you have it, doesn�t mean you have to waste it, and it also doesn�t mean it will last forever without more coming in, either. For example, what did you spend $50 on at the diner and $75 on at Monical�s? I couldn�t spend that much at either of those places if I tried,� Caryn started.
�I bought my friends food,� I said.
�Then there�s the money you spend when you�re with Brook. The various activities you two do together aren�t cheap. Do you know how much you spent on skydiving alone?� she asked.
�You do know that lecturing a teen is the fastest way to get them to ignore you, right?� I offered.
�Sorry. It�s just that I seriously need to get your attention. I think you and Brook need to learn to budget,� Caryn said.
�But we both have money.�
Maybe if I repeated it enough, she would get it. Apparently not.
�I understand Brook. She�s grown up without ever having to worry about finances. You should know better. Buying friends isn�t the guy I know.�
She was starting to irritate me.
�I�ve never bought friends,� I said with a little heat.
�How much did you spend on hookers in Atlanta?� she asked.
�How the hell did �� I started, but she held up her hand.
�It doesn�t matter how I know, what matters is I found out. What would people think if they knew?� she asked.
I sat back in my seat and thought about it for a moment.
�David, answer me this � if you didn�t have money, would you have put them up in a fancy hotel and paid for hookers?� she asked.
She was referring to the weekend we�d gone to Georgia on a recruiting trip. That was not my best moment. It was one of those things that if I�d thought it through, I wouldn�t have done it. But that didn�t mean I wanted to admit that to my business manager.
�I don�t know,� I shot back.
�Yes, you do,� she responded and then took a deep breath. �Why did you do it? Did you think they would be better friends because of it?�
I didn�t pay Caryn to figure me out. That was what my uncle was for, or so I thought. Then again, if my business manager couldn�t be honest with me, and tell me the truth even if it was uncomfortable, what good was she? My inner teen didn�t like to be called out for actions I knew deep down were wrong. I decided I should just be honest with her.
�It wasn�t a matter of buying friends. I wanted to expose them to stuff that they might otherwise never get a chance to do,� I said.
�Okay, I get it. I didn�t bring this up to be a bitch; it�s that I didn�t know any other way to get your attention. Do I have it now?� she asked.
�Maybe,� I hedged.
Caryn laughed.
�I don�t really care what you spend your money on, to be honest. If you decide to blow through all of it, that�s fine with me. I simply think you could use a little education and a little more actual knowledge to help you make better decisions. I know you�re better than you�ve been acting, and I know you�re smart enough to realize it,� Caryn said.
Her comments surprised me. I took another look at Caryn. Clearly, I�d underestimated her powers of observation. Or maybe I was just that transparent. Perhaps that was why Tami could read my mind when we were younger.
�What do you want?� I asked to end this.
�For you someday to be able to run your companies and charities without my help. I understand that you have about a million other things you�d rather be doing and that you trust your dad and me to run the businesses. But I�d suggest that you spend some time each week reviewing what we do. I would also like to see you start to budget,� she said.
�Can you show me why?� I asked.
Caryn reached into her briefcase, pulled out two manila folders, and laid them on the table between us. �I was hoping you�d ask,� she said and smiled.
She showed me the top page of the first folder.
�I looked back through your personal expenses from the start of school last fall through the end of last month. I tried to identify every expense you had, what it was for, and who it was for. Then I put them into categories, summed them up for each category, and then put a per-month total for each one. That�s six months� worth of data.�
Then she pointed to the second stack.
�Next, I put down what seems a fair amount for each expense. Not a bare-bones amount, but a reasonable amount. For example, instead of using The Ritz-Carlton rates, I used the cost of a Holiday Inn with taxes and fees. Rather than putting down The Ritz-Carlton meal prices, I put down a reasonable
�Now, some items I totaled up without putting another price on them because the prices were reasonable even though the activity might have been a bit out there. For example, the skydiving costs are pretty much the same on each sheet. We can likely deduct those because the expenditure helped you get the part in the Bond movie and your attempted commercial with Range Sports. But you still need to see how much you spent.
�Oh, and costs for hookers for you and your friends and expense for a party bus are not reasonable on either set of data.� She smiled sweetly at me.
We went through both stacks, and the numbers were eye-popping. Even though the spur-of-the-moment activities I did and paid for didn�t seem like too much at the time, they added up in a hurry! I could see in one sense how I wasn�t being very responsible.
On the other hand, damn it, it was my money, and I wanted to have fun with it!
�So, what do you want to do?� I asked.
�When you get back from vacation, I want to sit down with you and Brook for a working session. We�ll work out budgets you can live with and still have fun. But the budget will help you learn to keep track of what you�re doing and what it means to your bottom line,� she said. �For you, I�ll use the numbers from these sheets to put together a proposed budget that I consider reasonable. I�ll also include a reasonable amount of money for discretionary spending. But the main thing we need to do is to get a process and discipline in place for you. Those will help you keep better track of what you�re doing with your money. I�ll get Brook�s numbers from her parents and propose a budget along similar lines for her as well.
�Your proposed budget won�t be a final one. It will be something we can discuss and work on, and it�ll likely change over time. But it�ll give you a guide and a way to track what you�re actually spending, which I think you�ll seriously come to appreciate over time.
�Something else I want to do is to sit down with you each Sunday for an hour to update you on the various business ventures you have going. As well, we�ll check where you are in relation to your finances and your goals.�
Then Caryn looked at me almost pleadingly. I was about to make a smart comment but realized in time that she was dead serious about this.
�David, think of it like this. You have a lot of discipline when it comes to modeling, football, baseball, acting � yet you still have fun with each activity. Don�t you think you should exercise a little discipline and forethought when it comes to your money and your businesses as well? I�m not talking about taking the fun out of life at all, I�m just talking about having fun and being smart about it at the same time.�
How do you say no to a girl making serious puppy-dog eyes at you, especially when you realize it�s important to her, and that she�s right?
�Why include Brook?� I asked.
�Because she�s a bad influence on you. I don�t mean she�s evil. What I mean is that when you�re with her, you just
�I hope you don�t expect me to tell her,� I said as my eyes got bigger.
�No, I�m a big girl; I�ll talk to Brook.�
�She�s best friends with Cassidy. I�d be careful,� I warned.
�You�ll protect me,� Caryn said confidently.
�She was right; I would.
�All right. We�ll do this your way,� I conceded.
I thought for a second.
�This is different from what we talked about a few weeks ago about �having a plan,� right?�
�Yes,� she said. �We need to do that too, but I was thinking more about the end of the summer to do that when we might actually have a bit of time.�
I wasn�t sure if I�d have �a bit of time� ever again, the way my life was going.
◊◊◊ Wednesday March 23
A six-hour time difference sucked balls. I decided Saul should die for scheduling a 10 a.m. meeting with Art Faulk (director), Joyce Heart (producer/president of Lucasfilm) and Mark Philpott (casting).
I�d forced myself awake and walked downstairs for coffee. We apparently had a butler today; it was something Rita had set up. He made me tea and ordered me breakfast. Both Caryn and Rita looked rough this morning. I probably didn�t look any better; the time change was playing havoc with all of our sleep patterns. It wasn�t even 4 a.m. at home.
I checked the news while drinking my tea. I�d set up a Google Alert on Brandon Rigby; it was something Frank had taught me. I�d also set one up on me. If there was a story about me, the alert service sent it to me.
It was reported that Brandon had implicated two other guys who were in his club or fraternity or whatever it was. He had also hired a real attorney when he was extradited back to Massachusetts. It seems Thomas Fox was back to chasing ambulances.
His new attorney talked about the goodwill Brandon was building up by cooperating. I imagined that his next move would be to begin to paint a picture that the other two had been the leaders and poor Brandon was a victim. I just shook my head and wondered when people would ever take personal responsibility. It seemed that everyone thought someone else was to blame.
I had to chuckle when I realized I was just as guilty, in a way. Caryn was right, what I�d done in Atlanta was wrong. I�d done it out of a desire to be liked, even though I knew my friends liked me regardless of whether I spent money on them. We would have had just as much fun after the party at State if I hadn�t bought the chicken. Sunglasses money wasn�t a catchall excuse to go out and blow cash.
Personal responsibility sucked.
◊◊◊
Right at ten, the
Rita and Caryn sat on each side of me. Across from me was Joyce Heart, with Art Faulk and Mark Philpott on either side of her. I introduced Caryn to everyone, and we jumped right in.
�I see you decided to leave Saul at home. That was a good call,� Mark said.
�I�ll bring Saul in when it�s time to negotiate money,� I said.
�You�re not happy with the numbers?� Art asked.
�To be honest, that�s what I have Saul for. I have no idea how to value a role in a movie of this stature. I rely on experts to do that for me,� I said.
�May I be so impolite as to ask why Rita James is at this meeting?� Mark asked.
I could see he was the designated bulldog at this meeting. I smiled at Joyce, who�d sat quietly during our opening sparring.
�You seem awfully quiet,� I observed, ignoring Mark�s question.
�I�m trying to figure out what you�re up to,� she said.
�Fair enough. I have some concerns about the timing of the role and how it will impact my life,� I admitted.
�I�m afraid that the schedule has been set. Tell me your concerns and let�s see if we can work them out,� Joyce said.
�The way I see it, there are two major issues. The immediate one is filming the
�We would get tutors and work with your school to complete your coursework,� Joyce countered.
�That�s not the problem. I�m playing baseball and need to practice to prepare myself for this summer. I�ve been invited to try out for the US Under-18 team. If I do well, it will give me the opportunity to play college baseball and possibly professional ball.
�My second issue is that the filming schedule for the movie overlaps that of my James Bond movie. I would have to give that up to do this one,� I said to introduce my second point of contention.
�Both these issues sound like you just need to decide to do our movie,� Joyce said.
I gave her the most honest look I could.
�That was why I wanted to tell you face-to-face.�
�You�re turning us down,� Joyce said and frowned.
I looked her in the eyes.
�I made it through the process, and you were impressed enough to offer me the part. Which, by the way, I didn�t believe I had any realistic chance at, even after the audition. But I can�t take the role, given the schedules that have been set up for you to make the movie work. For one thing, it would require me to break a commitment I�ve already made to do the Bond film. I really do try to keep the promises I make to others. For another, it would mean too many of my other dreams and goals would be stillborn.
�I will be eternally grateful to you for offering me a role in such an exceptional film. From what I�ve seen of how you make movies, I want to be a part of it. You have something special here, and I don�t want you to shut me out if you can get past this,� I said.
�You seem to be reading my mind,� Joyce said, and then became quiet.
Following what my uncle had taught me, I shut up, because in a negotiation, the first one to talk lost. I�d warned Caryn and Rita I would do this, so they both sat beside me with neutral expressions on their faces. Mark, the casting director, looked pissed. I could understand that; it had been a long and arduous process for him. Art had a small smile on his face. Joyce, I couldn�t read.
�I want to thank you for telling us in person,� Joyce said.
�I wouldn�t have done it any other way,� I replied.
�Let�s get going. I need to get to work on selecting his replacement,� Mark said and started to get up.
�You and Art go ahead. I want to talk to David alone,� Joyce said.
They both got up and walked out; their boss had spoken. When they were gone, she finally smiled.
�You both can stay,� Joyce said when Rita began to get up. �It�s obvious that David values your opinions, or he wouldn�t have asked you to be here.�
�They�ve both been invaluable to me,� I admitted.
�I think I need a raise,� Caryn said with a grin.
�I�m sure you merit one,� Joyce added and then turned to me. �
�The first would feature a Grey Jedi. The character would come from the original script for
�The other one we�re looking at is to bring Revan to the big screen. He�s an interesting character. CGN rates him as the twelfth-most-popular character in the
�During the ensuing conflict, Malak defies his Sith leader, and his orders, and betrays his best friend when he fires on Revan�s flagship�s bridge. Though Malak believes he has successfully killed Revan, Revan survives. The injured Revan is captured by the Jedi who successfully bring him back to the light. He is many people wrapped into one: hero, villain, and possible savior. I think you�d make a great Revan.�
�Thank you. I�d love to do either,� I said.
�I�ll keep you in mind. While I�m disappointed this didn�t work out, I�m glad we met. Who knows, we might need you for the next Jurassic movie.�
�I�m also sorry this didn�t work out; I would�ve loved to work with your team. They are top notch.�
�We had some great people audition. We�ll survive not having you. You were right when you said you beat out a stellar field to get the offer. You have what I�m looking for in a lead for one of our movies. I�m sure we�ll work together at some point,� she assured me.
�You could always use someone like Rita,� I suggested.
�I�m sure I could,� Joyce said, and then we said our goodbyes.
�We packed up and headed to the airport. After all, I had school tomorrow.
◊◊◊
Chapter 27 � You�re Just a Goofball Thursday March 24
I sat down for breakfast and pulled out my tablet. I had multiple Google Alerts, so I checked them out. The first were articles in the UK tabloids.
Joyce had done me a tremendous favor by announcing that. I forwarded the article to both Frank, my publicist, and Mr. Morris, my NCAA attorney. I also sent it to Caryn and asked her to schedule a meeting with Mr. Morris. We needed to get a better handle on this NCAA eligibility mess; I was tired of waiting for it to be resolved.
Then came an article from the
I forwarded the article to Tami and Alan and blind-copied everyone who was involved or who knew about it.
◊◊◊
Paul let me out in front of the school. Brook was there, apparently waiting for me with her arms crossed and her toe angrily tapping. Her expression made me turn around and try to wave Paul down as he drove off. Did he not see the danger I was in?
I considered hitting my alert button, but there was no time; Brook was already in my face.
�What were you thinking?� she said as her opening.
Please � this was amateur hour. I knew better than to fall for that one.
�I did not have sex with that woman,� I said in my best Bill Clinton voice.
�What?� Brook asked, confused.
I guess she was right to be confused. That reference was from before we were born.
�Bill Clinton ��
�Oh. So, who
�You have that backward,� Alan said, sticking his nose where it didn�t belong.
�What?� Brook asked again.
�Who hasn�t he had sex with would be an easier question.�
�Run along before I beat the shit out of you,� I suggested.
�Just saying,� Alan said with a smile as he scurried off.
�You look nice,� I said.
�Really?� she asked as she looked down to check out what she was wearing.
She suddenly realized what I was doing and gave me a glare. I gave her an appreciative leer.
�Stop flirting. I�m mad at you,� Brook said.
I just raised my eyebrows, and she realized I wasn�t going to say anything in my defense.
�My mom told me you think I spend too much money and we should take a class on how to budget.�
�Your mom is a big fat liar.�
�What?�
�My business manager is of the opinion that you�re a bad influence on me when it comes to spending money. She talked to your mom, and they agreed that we needed to sit down with Caryn and become fiscally responsible. I never said you spend too much money,� I explained.
�Do you think Cassidy could get us out of it?�
�I like Caryn and your mom. I don�t expect Cassidy is the solution for this, but I do believe she might be the solution to my Alan problem,� I said. An evil plan began to form in my mind.
�Well, what should we do?�
�Tough it out. I bet Caryn can teach us some stuff.�
She just huffed at me and stormed off, but I wasn�t overly worried. In a few days, I had a full week in the tropics with her. I was confident I could talk her into working on budgeting, or at the very least could get her not to be mad at me.
◊◊◊
I followed Brook into the school and noticed everyone had their phone out, looking at it. Some looked at me and frowned, while others were talking excitedly. I started to get an uneasy feeling as more people would look up, see me, and either turn away or let their conversations die. Then I noticed something strange: Lisa Felton was standing by my locker, and she looked nervous.
Usually, Mr. Happy would attempt to wrench away control of the body when Lisa was around, but her expression allowed the big brain to remain in charge.
�Lisa,� I said in greeting.
�I�m really sorry,� Lisa mumbled and turned to leave.
�Hold on. What are you sorry about?� I asked.
She looked around and saw everyone was staring at us. That uneasy feeling suddenly escalated to DEFCON 4. I grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty classroom.
�I�m really sorry,� Lisa said again.
�For?�
�I�ve kept a private blog since middle school. Someone hacked it, and it became public last night,� she said.
�Why are you telling me you�re sorry?� I asked.
�Remember when I had that huge crush on you?� she asked, then paused, waiting for me to nod. �Remember when we finally had sex and how sad I was that you wouldn�t date me afterward?�
I blinked.
�It�s all in my blog,� Lisa said and then hurried on. �I also wrote about how nice you were when my brother was sick and how you thought we were related.�
�I can�t be the only guy featured in your writings,� I said.
�No, but you�re the only guy I�m worried will be mad at me,� she admitted.
�When you wrote your blog, were you honest about how you felt?� I asked.
�Yes, but you didn�t come off in the best light.�
�Are you okay? You must feel terribly violated,� I said.
Lisa looked confused.
�You�re not mad?�
�I just had a couple of tabloids make up stuff about me. It would be nice if what got out was true for a change.�
She gave me a sad look.
�What about you?� I asked.
�Mortified, shocked, relieved.�
�Relieved?�
�In a way, it�s freeing not to have to pretend anymore. People have said some terrible things about me that were untrue. I talked about how hurtful they were, and I don�t have to pretend that it didn�t hurt.�
�Bill Rogers?� I asked.
Lisa�s face darkened. Tracy wasn�t the only one who had been terrorized by that piece of excrement. The rumors of Lisa being promiscuous had started with Bill and his degenerate friends. At one point, I�d gotten sick of the things my friends said. I told them I didn�t want to hear about it again until one of them could name someone who had actually been with her. There had been many claims that she was a slut, but no one had ever come forward.
At that time, I�d asked that question, the one everyone should have been asking. Perhaps I hadn�t asked that question loud enough or as often as I should have.
I�d bet the whole school would be shocked to learn that she was a virgin the night we got together. I�d gotten to know her better once we�d bonded over her little brother having cancer. One thing working against her was that she still dressed like a naughty girl.
I made a decision: Lisa had been labeled the class bike long enough. I was putting an end to this.
�Have lunch with my friends and me. It�s time people meet the real Lisa Felton,� I said.
�But I said some mean things about some of your friends. After you read what�s in there about you, you might not want to talk to me again.�
�Remember when Tracy dumped me at the band auction freshman year?� I asked.
�Yeah, that was brutal,� Lisa admitted.
�Tracy is one of my best friends now. At the time, I told everyone to leave her alone,� I said.
�So you won�t be mad at me?� she asked.
I laughed.
�You should probably count on me getting mad, but the good news is that I�m willing to help you through this. I hold a little sway over public opinion here at Lincoln High,� I suggested.
Lisa grabbed me in a fierce hug, and I could tell she was crying. The bell rang, but I continued to hold her. I�d missed the last three days of school; what was being late compared to that? She finally got her act together and went to the bathroom to wash her face.
◊◊◊
I strolled into PE and Coach Rector glanced at me but then ignored me. I changed and found Wolf so we could lift. When we were alone, he wanted dirt.
�Did you sleep with Lisa Felton?� he asked.
�Did you?� I shot back.
�No, she�s a skank.�
�Really? What makes you say that?� I asked.
�Everyone says it,� he said.
�I�ll tell you right now, you�re wrong. If you don�t believe me, let�s go outside,� I said, getting pissed.
�Whoa, Dude!� Wolf said, holding his hands up.
�The bullying has to stop. Lisa was a victim of Bill Rogers� big, lying, mouth. If you don�t believe me about what an asshole he is, talk to Tracy,� I said.
Wolf wouldn�t meet my eyes. I had a bad feeling that convincing my friends that Lisa wasn�t a �skank� would be an uphill battle. I changed the subject and told him about my trip to London and the hotel we stayed in.
◊◊◊
After PE, Tracy found me and pushed me into an empty classroom.
�Did you read Lisa�s blog?�
�No, I just found out about it. Why?� I asked.
�Do you think she�s telling the truth?�
�No idea. I didn�t read it yet, remember?� I said with a smile.
Tracy�s eyes tightened as if she was trying to figure something out.
�Do you believe what she wrote is true? I know you didn�t read it, but do you think she would lie?� Tracy asked.
�Lisa considered it a private blog, just for her. I doubt she would lie to herself,� I said.
When Tracy didn�t say anything, I continued.
�What�s the problem?�
�One, you had sex with her. Your own cousin,� Tracy said and rolled her eyes.
�We�re not related.�
�Says you,� Tracy said with a smirk. �I assumed the stories were true. Just like everyone else did.�
�I told you I didn�t believe Lisa was as sexually active as everyone said she was.�
�I expected you were just saying that, kind of like you told everyone to back off from me. You�ve always been the white knight. In my case, I deserved people talking about what a crazy witch I was. I figured you were doing the same for Lisa, that she was what we all thought she was, but you tried to protect her.�
�I imagined I was more persuasive than that,� I admitted.
�We let you think you are, but we know you�re just a goofball.�
�Really?� I asked, somewhat hurt.
�No. You�re the leader of the pack,� Tracy said, and from her tone, I could tell she was only placating my male ego.
I decided to let it go, or she would tease me about this forever.
�Can you help me with Lisa? It�s past time we start treating her right. I�ve asked her to join me for lunch,� I said.
�It�s not going to be easy to change people�s minds. It doesn�t help that she dresses like she does,� Tracy added.
�So, will you help?�
�It�s probably best you stay out of this one. Let Pam and me take care of it,� Tracy said.
We were late for class, so I walked Tracy to hers. I stuck my head in and saw Coach Hope.
�She�s late because of me,� I said.
I then jogged to mine. Ms. Saunders looked at me curiously but kept teaching. Sometimes it was good to be Lincoln High�s favorite son.
◊◊◊
At lunch, Pam and Tracy grabbed Lisa, and the three of them ate at a different table. Our conversation was about me turning down the
They�d named the final three, now that I�d turned it down. Aden Reich, the man I�d met in the UK, was on the list, along with Adam Trimble and Micah Phelps. Adam had been in
�You�re going to become one of those trivia questions,� Alan said.
�What do you mean?� I asked.
�It�ll be one of those questions about who turned down a huge role.�
That made me pause for a moment. Had I made a mistake? No. I�d made the right decision.
◊◊◊
We�d lost our baseball game on Wednesday. Jim told me that without me to spark them, the team had seemed to just go through the motions. We were now 2 and 2 for the season. I felt bad that I�d be missing this Saturday�s game for personal reasons. I�d never missed a game for something personal before but really did need a vacation.
Moose wasn�t at all happy about it, but there wasn�t much he could do because I�d told him what was going on in my life. He had understood my need to talk to the movie people face-to-face; he was a huge believer in taking personal responsibility. I�d also warned him about my vacation plans, but it was unfortunate that the athletic department had planned a game during what was essentially spring break.
I found myself working with Yuri and Justin at one of the batting machines when the Lisa Felton matter took an ugly turn.
�Did you read what that bitch said about me?� Justin asked.
I could guess. Justin wasn�t my favorite guy when it came to how he treated girls. Jan, Yuri�s girlfriend, was a prime example. Once she�d slept with him, he�d dumped her. He�d also bragged about what he did to Piper, which got his ass kicked.
�Who?� Yuri asked.
�Lisa Felton. The bitch said I tried to force her to have sex. Everyone knows she wants it,� he suggested.
Yuri was aware of what Justin had done to his girlfriend.
�You�re a real jerk sometimes,� Yuri said.
Justin�s face turned red. I stepped forward to get between them.
�Settle down,� I said.
�Screw you, and screw you,� Justin said, pointing at each of us in turn. �I suppose you enjoy my leftovers,� he said to Yuri, crossing the line.
Yuri tried to take a swing at Justin, but I hit Yuri on the bicep. It�s one of those pressure points that Cassidy had been teaching me; my hit caused Yuri to cry out in pain. Justin must have been brain-damaged because he lifted the bat to use against Yuri.
I punched the back of Justin�s hand with my left and followed up with a right to the underside of his arm, into his triceps. Both of those were pressure points that hurt like crazy. Justin dropped the bat and stumbled back. Moose saw the whole incident and rushed over.
�What do you think you�re doing?�
�Breaking up a fight,� I said.
Yuri was rubbing his arm, and Justin was shaking his own and clenching his fist. I knew he�d have a dead arm for a few minutes as his nerves regrouped. Cassidy was big on teaching by example.
�Okay, you two with me,� Moose said to them before turning to me. �You, go work with Coach Haskins on stealing bases.�
I suspect Moose just wanted to run my butt off. After a while, Yuri and Justin came back to practice, but it was clear they weren�t happy. Justin had better watch himself because I was sure Yuri could take him.
◊◊◊ Friday March 25
My Google Alerts notified me there was an article about Brandon. He�d been found late last night, beaten in an alley. He and his two accomplices had been let out on bail. It was reported they�d been seen at a local Boston restaurant with their attorneys. Brandon had been the last to leave, and his two friends were persons of interest.
I wondered if Tony had arranged it. At least someone got to kick his ass. I forwarded the story to Tami and then called her.
�Hey, I just sent you an article. Someone beat the shit out of Brandon last night,� I said.
�Is he dead?�
�No, they expect he�ll survive,� I said.
�That�s too bad.�
�You okay?� I asked.
�Yeah, I�m fine. I�m just over that jerk and wish he�d die.�
�Did you see Lisa Felton�s blog was exposed?� I said, trying to get her mind off Brandon.
�Yeah, Alan gave me access. You mad?�
�No. Why?� I asked.
�You haven�t read it,� she said as if it was obvious.
Okay, I hadn�t read it. My teachers had piled homework on me because I�d missed the first three days of the week, and they all had threatened quizzes the day before spring break. I called bullshit; surely, they wouldn�t do that to us. I would bet a quarter of the school would take off early to get a jump on our week off.
�I was busy. Why, what did it say?� I asked.
�Hang on. I want to quote Lisa accurately,� Tami said, and I heard her phone hit the desk.
Perhaps I should read it. I heard Tami fumble with the phone, and she was back.
��Call me traditional, but for some weird reason, I like keeping my number as low as possible. Somehow, I expected David would understand that and what losing my virginity meant to me. I�d had a crush on him for what seemed like forever. Well, maybe since he walked into school freshman year all grown up. I�d liked him before because he was funny and one of the best guys I knew, but when he walked into school all buff, oh, come to mama!��
�What the �?� I began.
�Please, let me just read it so I can get through it,� Tami said, giggling.
��I know that Bill Rogers and his group of friends ruined my reputation. It didn�t help that people started spreading rumors that I gave blowjobs for money. I imagined if I became David�s girlfriend, all that would go away. I hate high school and all the petty cliques and hateful things people say. In retrospect, I guess it was too much to expect from him.
��I�d waited until David was finally single. I�d missed my chance before, but wasn�t missing it this time. Looking back, throwing myself at him was probably a mistake. It played right into what everyone thinks of me: that I�m a slut. For David, I was willing to be his slut. I mean, seriously. We�ve all seen him with his shirt off.
��Getting him into bed was no easy feat. Apparently, all his friends warned him off. Then he got it into his head we were related.��
�I wonder if I can get a restraining order or something and have that taken down,� I said out loud, which was a mistake.
�Oh, please. You�d deprive us of having fun at your expense? Let me read you the rest,� she begged.
�Might as well get this over with,� I said.
��I still can�t believe we did it and I�m crying about it. I can�t go into detail right now. Maybe I�ll be able to write about it later, but my plan fell apart. I�m not David�s girlfriend. Now everyone will know I really am a slut, that is, if you consider willingly having actual sex with one guy a slut.
��David was nice but firm that he wasn�t ready to have a relationship. I guess I�m happy he didn�t play any games with me.
��Oh, I almost forgot. He named his penis. He talked to it like it was his best friend Mr. Happy,�� Tami said.
�Laugh it up,� I grumped.
�Oh, settle down. In another blog entry, Lisa tells about the sex being far better than she ever could have imagined.�
�Yeah, like anyone�ll remember that one,� I complained.
�Lighten up, Francis,� Tami said.
Her mom had said that to me one day and had laughed when I had no idea what it meant. She made Tami, Jeff, Alan, and I watch the movie
�I can�t go to school today. All anyone�s going to remember is that I thought we were related, she cried after we had sex, and I call my manhood �Mr. Happy,�� I protested.
�Yes, they�ll tease you. How often does Mr. Perfect show a chink in his armor? You�re man enough to handle it. And remember, we all know she was just venting,� Tami assured me.
�So, this isn�t a big deal?� I asked.
You would think I was a comedian! I hung up on her peals of laughter and took Duke for a run.
◊◊◊
When I got home, I had a message from Tami that literally called me a big baby. I took a shower and ran downstairs to eat breakfast. Dad was making pancakes, so today wasn�t a complete loss. He turned when I came in.
�Seriously � Mr. Happy?� he asked.
�Frick!� I said, and Mom and Peggy burst out laughing.
I couldn�t wait to get out of town.
◊◊◊
When I was dropped off at school, Pam, Tracy, and Lisa were waiting for me. Lisa looked like she was about to cry, so I manned up and gave her a hug.
�Told you he wouldn�t be mad,� Tracy said.
I looked over Lisa�s shoulder, and Pam and Tracy were begging me to be cool about it. I would guess that Lisa was worried. It was a good thing that they caught me early because if I�d had to play nice at the end of the day, it wouldn�t have happened.
My day proceeded about like you�d expect. To top it off, there were quizzes in all my classes.
I called Frank, and he worked his magic. The blog had been posted on the Lincoln High chat board that only students of Lincoln High had access to. I really didn�t care how Frank did it, but he got in and took it down. Could be it was when I gave him
◊◊◊
When I got home, the car was already packed. The plan was to pick up Cassidy, then Brook and her parents. We would fly to Miami and then to San Juan, Puerto Rico and spend the night in a hotel. Tomorrow we would begin our adventure and sail the southern Caribbean.
◊◊◊
Chapter 28 � Cheeseburger in Paradise Saturday March 26
We all welcomed the change in weather. We left fifty degrees to arrive at a high of eighty-five today. I stopped at the hotel gift store, bought sunscreen, and then met everyone for breakfast. A couple of preteens wanting autographs stopped me on the way to our table. The
�I just got a text. All our gear has arrived at the boat,� Brook said.
Brook had arranged for most of our stuff to be shipped ahead of time. Neither of us wanted to lug our dive gear and a week�s worth of clothes. Her forethought had allowed us to pack just enough to get us to the boat today.
�Isn�t it nice when our kids are finally old enough to organize our vacations?� Ava asked Mom.
Mom gave Brook and me a big grin. If my mom had decided to play nice, I wasn�t about to say anything to get her out of her good mood. I was optimistic she would distract Brook�s parents enough that we might get some quality time together.
Cassidy seemed awfully quiet during breakfast. I looked over at Brook, and she shrugged, so on the ride to the boat, I sat by Cassidy to find out what was bothering her.
�What�s up, Buttercup?� I asked and waggled my eyebrows at her.
�I�m not sure I should be here. This seems like it was intended to be a family vacation,� she said.
I knew everyone could hear us, so I decided to take advantage.
�In fact, Brook and I intended this to be a dive vacation for the two of us, but the parental units decided to horn in. Brook wanted her best friend to join us, and I fully agreed that I wanted you to come too. You know that Brook brought some bikinis along. Rumor has it that she�s worried they�ll attract so many men that I won�t be able to fend them all off by myself. I hope you�ll help me protect her,� I teased.
Ava�s eyebrows rose, but my mom shook her head to let Ava know I was goofing around.
�Who�s going to protect me?� Cassidy asked.
�Good question. I�ll have to ponder that. Maybe you both should model all your swimsuits so I can be prepared. If they�re too scandalous, I might have to break out the Bo staff.�
That seemed to satisfy her. I gave her a hug for good measure.
◊◊◊
When we were dropped off at the marina, Ian and Dad went inside to figure out where we needed to go. Dad led the way, and I immediately recognized the yacht from the website. It was a 69-foot catamaran named �Cheeseburger In Paradise.� It held up to eight guests and had two crew, Sophie and Captain Eric.
They looked smart in their matching white shorts and polo shirts. Sophie appeared to be in her early twenties, while Captain Eric had to be around our parents� age. They had tropical music playing to get us in the mood. Captain Eric took the older crowd to show them their rooms while Sophie led us to the other side of the boat to ours. The berths were in the two hulls, so we had to go downstairs to get to our rooms.
�I put you girls in this one, and David, you�re down the hall. David, why don�t you join us so I can tell you all about the amenities together?� Sophie asked as we walked into the girls� stateroom.
Brook and Cassidy had a queen-size berth, and apparently, someone had already unpacked for them. Their stateroom had an en-suite shower and head. I smiled when Sophie used the nautical terms for a bed and toilet. There was music piped into the room, and Sophie showed us how to select different Internet stations. Of course, the yacht had Wi-Fi, or I think we would have all gone insane on this trip.
My room was identical to the girls�. It amused me to find a pair of Speedos laid out with a t-shirt. I think Sophie imagined I might take the hint. Oh, well, we wouldn�t really be out in public, so why not? If I wanted to see Brook and Cassidy in tiny bikinis, I�d best at least play along.
◊◊◊
While we changed, they cast off and began the first leg of our journey. Our first destination was Culebra, a small island off the east coast of Puerto Rico. It offered some great water-based activities: beautiful beaches, great snorkeling and SCUBA diving, and awesome fishing, according to the itinerary. It would take us until about one to get there, so I planned to get some sun.
The main deck was split up into three separate areas. The center, called the salon, had the galley, a lounge, and a folding dining table, plus comfortable weatherproof Italian-style sofas. A separate sailing cockpit with an outside steering station sat forward of the main salon. A covered area in the aft, decked out in teak, was an open space that might be used for lounging, entertaining, or outdoor dining as needed. Forward, the boat had a netting-like material stretched between the two hulls that you could use to lie out. It was a little bouncy, like a trampoline, but when you lay down, you felt you were in a hammock. You could see the water rush by under you.
Brook and Cassidy joined me on the netting. Mom and Ava were in the salon, while Dad and Ian lounged on the aft deck; I suspected they were all having cocktails already.
Sophie came out to check on us.
�I�ve done these trips many times, and something that will ruin your vacation is getting sunburned the first day,� she warned. �We�re closer to the sun than you�re used to, plus the sunlight reflects off the water. I�ve seen more than one person burn their back because the sunshine reflects through the netting.�
�How long should we stay out here?� Brook asked.
�You�re going to be out in it all afternoon, diving and snorkeling. I suggest you come inside until you at least get a base tan,� she said.
I reluctantly gave in.
�Put your shirt on,� Mom said when she saw me walk in with only my Speedos on.
Ava had about choked on her drink. Mom was right; no need to give Brook�s mom a show. I stuck my head outside.
�You guys want to play some poker while we travel?� I asked.
We ended up having a fun morning playing cards. Sophie made us snacks and served us fruity tropical drinks. It turned out no one was drinking alcohol. We followed the coast of the main island of Puerto Rico as we traveled east. We were soon past the island and headed to Culebra. Sophie told us it was part of Puerto Rico, and a regular ferry service brought people from the main island to the beaches for the day. Several small islands dotted the sea around Culebra, and we were going to visit one of those.
◊◊◊
We dropped anchor in the middle of a group of five small islands. The water was crystal clear and smooth as glass. We all decided to go snorkeling because the water wasn�t that deep, and Brook and I decided not to abandon Cassidy just yet. Everyone joined us but Mom. I�d have to ask about that later.
They�d picked the perfect place to snorkel: a protected area only six to twelve feet deep and teeming with different varieties of fish. If you got tired, a leisurely swim would take you to the sandy beach, or you could go back to the boat. Brook and Cassidy wanted to check out the beach, and there they found seashells. The girls sent me back to get them net bags for their shells and flip-flops for their feet.
It was the perfect no-stress day. The girls and I spent our time in and out of the water, goofing off. I worried a little that Brook would push the sexy fun a little too far, but it turned out to be Cassidy who stepped way over the line. I�d pulled Brook to me and gave her a kiss. We were standing in water up to my chest so I wouldn�t embarrass myself if anything came up.
Cassidy swam up behind me and pressed her body to my back. As Brook giggled and kissed me harder, Cassidy reached around and pushed her hand into my Speedos. I suspected they planned this because Brook grabbed my head to keep me from dealing with Cassidy. In a coordinated effort, I found Mr. Happy free and Brook sliding onto my member. I decided they knew best and just went along with it.
Sex in water isn�t the best, but it�s much better than no sex. Once we were joined, Cassidy came to my side, pulled my head to hers, and kissed me. Then I completely lost it when Brook stopped kissing me and kissed Cassidy instead. Were they more than friends? Mr. Happy got overexcited as he tried to wrap his nonexistent brain around what it all meant.
�What was that?� I asked as I stuffed my package back into my Speedos.
�You do realize that Cassidy is into you?� Brook asked.
�Yeah, yeah, and I�m into her. That�s not what I was talking about, and you know it,� I said, and got no answer. They were going to make me say it. �The kiss?�
They both gave me cryptic looks and swam back to the boat before I could ask any more questions.
◊◊◊
Before I had a chance to explore my Brook-and-Cassidy fantasy, my dad grabbed me.
�We need to talk,� he said cryptically.
Had they figured out that we�d just had sex? I followed him down to their cabin.
�We�re not allowed to come down to this side,� I tried as Dad opened the door.
�You do realize we�re going to be doing bed checks,� Mom said.
�I suspected Ava was a perv. She just wants to see me naked, doesn�t she?�
I think Dad would�ve left, but he�d called this meeting.
�Maybe I should get her to help me check my tan lines. She�s a mom, helping, after all,� I continued.
Me and my big mouth. Mom made me go over and let her check.
�If you two are done? We need to talk about your mom�s doctor�s visit,� Dad said, taking all the fun out of the room.
I sat down by Mom, and she took my hand into her lap.
�I had a doctor�s appointment on Monday, and he did a complete checkup. He called Thursday, and my blood work showed that cancer hasn�t come back. He did find some skin spots that concerned him, so he sent me to a dermatologist; I saw him on Friday. That guy found a couple of spots on my back that he removed. He suspects it�s skin cancer, but we won�t know until Tuesday for sure,� she said.
�But skin cancer is no big deal, right?� I hoped.
�People get it all the time and have it removed. Most are okay, some will get it again, but for some, it can become serious,� Dad said.
I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. My mom had been through enough. I was glad I listened to Jeremy Pike�s psychic advice to have her get checked. Coincidence or not, I needed to thank him.
�What�s the plan?� I asked.
�We won�t know until Tuesday, but for now, I stay out of the sun, for the most part.�
I just nodded.
�I need to check your dad�s tan line,� Mom said.
That was my cue to leave.
◊◊◊
I wandered down to my cabin to rinse the salt water off and found Cassidy in my shower. I squeezed in behind her.
�David,� she complained.
�Why are you in my shower?� I asked, grabbing the shampoo and using it on both of us.
�Brook got to ours first, so I figured I�d use yours.�
I opened the bottle of conditioner and used on both our heads. Salt water can be hard on hair if you don�t take care of it. When we finished, I dried her off and then combed her hair out. She had a contented smile and kept her eyes closed as I worked on her. To this point, I�d been the perfect gentleman, and even Mr. Happy had cooperated.
I stopped combing, and Cassidy�s eyes opened and locked with mine.
�Make love to me,� she said.
I let her lead me to the bedroom, and we got on the bed. She pushed me back to check me out. I came to realize that I was in trouble. Cassidy wasn�t just any girl. It seemed like after Tami had broken my heart, I�d been working to create a hard shell around it for protection. While I cared about Halle, Zoe, and Brook, I�d never let them past that shell. Cassidy seemed to understand and touched my chest. The hard shell melted away, and my heart opened to Cassidy Hope.
In the back of my mind, I realized this couldn�t last past this week. Time to invoke vacation rules and just let this happen.
�Come here,� I told Cassidy.
We kissed, and I growled and rolled onto her, pinning her to the mattress. Cassidy spread her legs, and my suddenly hard member was poised at her entrance. With a little push, we were joined.
�I knew it,� Cassidy hissed.
�Knew what?�
�That you would fill me up. Jesus, you feel good.�
I gave my hips a little twitch, and Cassidy almost purred like a satisfied cat. Once we got started, Cassidy was Cassidy. She was vocal and gave as good as she got. When I climaxed, I swear Cassidy emptied me. She left me in a dazed stupor when she hopped out of bed.
When Cassidy opened the door, Brook about fell into the room.
�You dirty little slut,� Brook said.
I heard them both giggling as they left to go to their room. Me, I just nodded off.
◊◊◊
I woke with a start to find Sophie staring at me. Her face turned red when she realized I was awake.
�Uh, Brook said you had gotten some sun and asked me to bring you some cream,� she blurted.
Mr. Happy immediately seized control of the body. I reached over and pulled Sophie into bed with me; she didn�t resist me as I undressed her. Someone didn�t have any tan lines. I flipped her around and got her into a sixty-nine position, and she knew exactly what to do. Sophie had an athletic body with larger breasts than I�d first guessed.
When she�d gotten me fully hard, I grabbed a condom and put it on.
�We have to hurry,� she ordered.
Fine by me. I got her into a doggy-style position and filled her sex. I started to pound her, which seemed to be what Sophie wanted. She got her cookie quickly, which caused me to redouble my efforts. By the time I climaxed, she�d had another.
�Thanks, I needed that,� she said.
Sophie got dressed and left. I took another shower and put on board shorts and a t-shirt.
◊◊◊
Sophie showed off her cooking skills at dinner. She grilled steaks to perfection, made a huge salad, and baked potatoes. A day of swimming, sun, and fun had worn me out. It was a good tired and much needed. I grabbed a big pillow and wandered forward to watch the sun go down as we set sail for our next destination, St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
Dad and Ian had booked a tee time at a golf course on St. Thomas. Mom, Ava, and Cassidy geared up to go shopping, while Brook and I planned to dive a wreck. We would reassemble for lunch and then sail to St. John. They were having a blues festival, and the itinerary called for us to stay and enjoy that. Next, we would sail to the British Virgin Islands, where I would get to go surfing. Sophie told us we could also try kiteboarding. Both Cassidy and Brook were eager to try it, so I agreed to include that on our bucket list of ways we might try to kill ourselves.
Everyone left me alone as I watched the sun go down. They�d all gone aft and were listening to calypso music and drinking fruity concoctions. It gave me a chance to think about Alan.
What he�d done to Lisa was childish and mean. He clearly hadn�t thought through the implications. First, the school wasn�t a hundred percent happy that he and Lily had set up a lot of the school�s new websites and communication tools. By abusing his power, he could get his access shut off. After seeing what he did to Lisa, if it were my decision, I would be inclined to pull it. Second, my image might have been damaged by his stunt. All it would take would be to have it leaked to an unfriendly reporter, and the story could be slanted negatively. I spent a lot of money on Frank and his team to make sure that didn�t happen. Finally, if word got out that Alan had perpetrated the hacks, people might shun him in fear of what he would do to them.
I called Tami to get her advice.
�I don�t want to hear about your trip. They say we might get down to thirty degrees tonight,� Tami said.
�I really should start taking pictures.�
�Don�t worry about it. Between your mom, Brook, and Cassidy, I�ve seen you in your Speedos.�
�As long as I look good,� I teased.
I needed to notify Frank that pictures would be on certain people�s social media accounts.
�I have something serious to talk to you about, and it might affect you,� I said.
�What now?� she asked, getting serious.
�Alan was the one who hacked Lisa�s private blog and posted it on the Lincoln chat board,� I said.
�Are you sure?�
�I had Frank Ingram�s team take it down and track who posted it. He assures me Alan did it.�
�What do you plan to do about it?�
�I�m contemplating whether or not I should distance myself from him. Alan hasn�t really acted like a friend for a while. He�s gotten a mean, snarky edge to him, and I can�t really see a good reason for what he did to Lisa.�
�Without Jeff around to cushion him, I�ve been wondering the same,� Tami admitted.
�I thought it might be just me. What do you think we should do?�
�I don�t have to do anything because I don�t have to deal with him at Wesleyan,� Tami said.
�You�re such a wuss. You�ll be sucked into this as soon as I do anything. Alan is nothing if not a tattletale. You�ll be his first call,� I predicted.
�Okay, �stupid boy,� this is what I would do. First, you need to tell Lisa that Alan�s the culprit. Instead of encouraging her to kick his ass, talk her into reporting it to the school. He used school resources to bully her; there�s no way they can let that slide. Alan won�t stop unless there are consequences.�
I liked the idea of Lisa taking the lead. It would be good for her to be in control. I was confident that with help and support from Tracy, Pam, and me, she could do it.
�What scares me is that Alan might pull out the nuclear option. He was there on the recruiting trips and present for some of the stunts we pulled growing up. While it wouldn�t be the end of the world, I�m not proud of everything that happened,� I admitted.
�That�s your best argument for not getting me involved. I can be the voice of reason and warn you if Alan decides to do anything rash,� Tami said.
I would then show up at his door and bring my mom with me. Alan may not be afraid of me, but my mom scared the shit out of him. She would have a five-minute conversation with his parents, and Alan wouldn�t see the light of day until he moved away for college.
That was when my conversations with my mom and Coach Haskins pushed their way into the front of my brain.
�Does this really matter?� I asked Tami.
�What do you mean?�
�When I dithered over what to do about my future, I had a talk with Coach Haskins. And in fact, I had a similar conversation with my mom.�
�What about?�
�He told me that when he was my age, he got a chance to play baseball professionally. He grabbed that opportunity and never looked back. I asked if he ever regretted leaving all his friends behind, and he told me he honestly hadn�t ever thought about it, so he guessed not. Mom said something similar about her high school friends. She only kept in touch with Mrs. A.
�Coach said that while high school had been an important time in his life, it was only a moment in the larger scheme of things. He did admit that he sometimes wondered how everyone turned out, but I guess his point was that I focused too much on it. That once I put high school behind me and start to live the life I�m supposed to live, that will become my focus.
�When I look at Alan, my first thought is he�s been one of my best friends since we started grade school. But I guess the real question is, why? I look back and realize it was because of Jeff. The longer Jeff is gone, the more it�s evident that he was the glue between Alan and me.
�You and I were different,� I admitted.
�How�s that?�
I smiled.
�When you walked into my class, you looked like you needed a friend. I think I realized that I also needed one. What I found was someone who had my back no matter what. That was why I let you boss me around.�
�So that was it? It had nothing to do with you being a lazy sack?�
�Maybe,� I admitted.
�So, what�s your point?�
�I guess I�m asking, is Alan worth the effort? If ten years from now, my life is completely different, and Alan won�t be in it anyway �� I trailed off.
�That�s kind of a harsh way to view it,� Tami pointed out.
�But is it the wrong way?� I asked.
Tami became silent. I smiled again.
�You know, I almost took the
�What stopped you?�
�Something my uncle taught me. Being a man of your word means something. If you give your word, it doesn�t mean �until something better comes along.� I�d given my word to Chubby Feldman that I would do his movie, and the
�You�re a better man than I deserve,� Tami said.
�You�re only now figuring that out?� I asked with a nervous laugh.
I heard her take a deep breath. Was she crying?
�You okay?� I asked.
�I guess I�m just realizing what a truly terrible decision I made last summer. When you talk like this, it makes me think I�m the one who needs to grow up. I hope you realize that it was never you not being enough. You�ve always been enough if I�d been honest with myself. I see now I was so unfair to you. I just hope there�s a time we can actually have a �someday,�� she said.
�Something I�m starting to see is the long game. If what Mom and Coach Haskins said is true, then we should focus on having fun in high school. If that means you go out and find a boyfriend, so be it. All I can say is if we�re meant to be, it�s not going to happen anytime soon. I look at what you did to me over the summer as a favor. We would never have survived what I�ve gone through the last few months. I�m glad not to have a serious girlfriend right now. I�m still trying to get used to what it means to be famous.�
�What do you mean?�
�A good example happened today. I slept with a girl who has to be six or seven years older than me.�
�Slut.�
�Yeah, that too. The point is most teen boys would never have a twenty-something girl offer to have sex with them.�
�You�re right. We would never have survived all that.�
I laughed.
�Why did I just tell you that? What were we talking about?� I asked.
�Alan,� Tami said and sighed. �I really am trying to not tell you what to do. I need to trust you to make your own decisions.�
�Then do, but that doesn�t mean I don�t want to hear your opinion.�
�Point taken. Look, Alan has changed, and not for the better. The night Brandon drugged us, Alan was all over me. At the time, it felt wrong. Later, I actually thought he might have raped me. Like you, I�ve had my doubts about his friendship. I think we�re both hanging on to the ten-year-old Alan and ignoring who he is now. I don�t plan to not hang out with him now and again, but I also don�t plan to make a point of it.�
�What about the talk I had with everyone at Monical�s? Do I still include him?� I asked.
�I think you care enough to help him achieve his dreams. But I don�t suggest you have to bend over backward to help him get there. Point him in the right direction and set him free.�
�I can do that.�
�Also, he needs to learn shit has consequences. Stop covering for him. He needs to learn to stand on his own.�
�What if he gets his ass kicked?� I asked.
�How long has he had that coming?�
�Wow.�
�Well, don�t let them kill him.�
�Got it.�
�Go have fun. Tell Brook that she needs to take some pictures with your face in them.�
I could only imagine.
◊◊◊ Sunday March 27
�David Allen Dawson!� Mom barked.
Ava jerked her hand back. I�d told Mom I would show Ava my butt.
I�d gotten up early and swam to shore for a run on the beach. When I came back, I noticed Ava checking me out, and no one else was around. I told her I worried I might be getting too much sun and pulled my shorts down on my left buttock so she could see my tan line. I�d asked her if my skin felt hot. That was when Mom showed up.
I decided not to try to explain, based on the look Dad gave me when he came up the stairs. Instead, I walked down to my stateroom and took a long shower. When I came back up, everyone was gone except Brook, who sat at the table, eating an omelet.
�You have to stop teasing my mom,� Brook said.
I simply shrugged and grabbed a glass of orange juice. Sophie brought me a bacon and Swiss omelet. While we ate, Captain Eric sailed us to the dive site. All our gear was laid out and ready for us. I�d brought my surfing wetsuit jacket. The water was eighty degrees, but as you dove deeper, it got colder.
We were diving at Cow and Calf Rocks. With a maximum depth of thirty-five feet, we didn�t have to worry about it being a hard dive, but it was deep enough to cut our teeth on. The attraction of the spot was that there were tunnels and some large caves.
Captain Eric put out a dive flag to indicate we would be in the water. There were a few other boats around because this was one of the prime diving spots around St. Thomas. Brook and I jumped in, made sure everything worked correctly, and then headed down. The first tunnel we found was more of an arch. Being claustrophobic, I�d not really been thrilled about diving tunnels, but Brook seemed excited.
All the fish and colors made up for any discomfort I had. Then Brook spotted another tunnel and shot into it. We�d been taught not to leave your dive-buddy, so I gamely entered the mouth of the tunnel. This one was a little different, though, much narrower and darker. You could barely make out a light at the other end. This passageway reminded me too much of a death trap, and I tried to grab Brook�s fin to stop her, but just missed.
Another problem there was a current flowing through the tunnel that seemed intent on pushing me against the walls. Unlike the rocks on the surface that were smooth, these were rough. I ended up using my hands to keep myself off the ever-closing walls, and I noticed my hands were bleeding. Great! My next big role would be as shark food.
I watched Brook shoot out into the light. The tunnel had narrowed down to the point where I became stuck. I mean, seriously, I was stuck! Ever have your vacuum cleaner suck up a sock? The engine whines and seems to lodge the sock in the tube. In essence, I was the sock that the current suddenly pushed against. Brook saw my dilemma, and her solution was to pull on my arm. That didn�t help, it just hurt.
I calmed my mind and remembered what we�d been taught. If you were in a tight place and got stuck, the first thing you tried was to take off your tank. I pushed back just enough to get room to unlatch my harness, wiggle it over my head, and hand it to Brook. Next, I took off my weighted dive belt. That gave me enough clearance to worm through to freedom.
Brook asked with hand signals if I wanted to head up, but I figured this was just part of the fun, so I put everything back on. We found a group of sea turtles and followed them to another rock grouping that was alive with fish. It made me appreciate the allure of a salt-water aquarium. Out of nowhere, what seemed like a wall of baitfish surrounded us. There had to be thousands of them. It took my breath away as they darted around us; then suddenly, like a cloud front, they passed. I decided right there we had to get an underwater video camera.
We started to get low on air, so we returned to the boat. Captain Eric let us borrow his camera that also took video under water. We dove three more times. We had fun exploring some old wrecks from World War II. Brook respected my fear of tight places and didn�t make me go inside the boats. Soon it was time to go meet our families for lunch.
◊◊◊
�What�s with the glasses?� Ava asked me.
�My security people gave them to me. It�s a bodycam,� I explained, then took them off and showed her the concealed camera.
�Didn�t they have something more attractive?�
�They gave me several different items, but this was the easiest to grab. I�ll show you my other options when we get back to the boat.�
The girls had picked a place on the beach to eat at. Dad and Ian had suggested the country club, which I thought sounded good, but we got outvoted. Later, however, I was glad because I had a grouper jerk sandwich that was out of this world. The grouper held up well to the jerk seasoning.
Cassidy was the wimp of the group and had a hamburger. I did get her to try a bite of my sandwich. That turned out to be a mistake because she wouldn�t give it back. I didn�t feel up to fighting her for it. That, and I didn�t want to be seen in public, getting my ass kicked by a little girl. The burger wasn�t bad, either.
After lunch, we sailed to St. John, the next island over, where they were having a blues festival. Sophie joined us because she wanted to meet some of her friends. We had a blast. They had a main stage with different bands all day. If you got bored or didn�t like the particular group that was playing, some little bars and restaurants had other bands. There were also booths selling anything and everything. I bought a bunch of different souvenirs for people back home.
Brook found a place playing authentic zydeco, and she and Cassidy talked me into dancing with them. The good news was that everyone was pretty lax about the drinking age, so we indulged in a few island beers. We hooked up with the parental units for dinner. I had the best fish tacos of my life. This time I made Cassidy get her own.
We met Sophie at the main stage, and her two friends turned out to be a couple of island guys who seemed nice. Beans & Fatback, the featured band, was good. Next, they had a group that did covers of the greats like Buddy Guy, B.B. King, and Muddy Waters. Then a woman came out of the crowd and did a spot-on Etta James. She slew
When we got back to the yacht, I wasn�t feeling any pain. I was a cheap date since I hadn�t been drinking for some time. This was the most relaxed I�d been in months.
◊◊◊ Monday March 28
Today we visited Tortola, the most populated of the British Virgin Islands. The dads had decided to go on a half-day fishing trip, and the moms had booked time in a day spa for pampering. Cassidy talked me out of surfing and into going with her and Brook to kiteboard. We ambled to a hut on the beach, and a young guy looked us over.
�Have you ever done this before?� he asked.
Brook and Cassidy shook their heads no, as did I.
�Kiteboarding is a mixture of sports. It�s wakeboarding, snowboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, skateboarding, and gymnastics, all wrapped into one extreme sport. We�re going to tie you to a power kite and let it pull you through the water. Let me show you a video, and then you can decide if you want to do it.�
The video showed us how to control the power kite. Most important was how to stop. After that, it showed all the mischief we might get up to. They should never have shown us we could start on top of a building and let the wind sail us to the water. Cassidy distracted the guy by having him help her get everything sorted out while I boosted Brook onto the roof of the hut. I�d just pulled myself up when �
�Crap! You two get down from there!�
Brook let her kite go, and it caught the wind. Suddenly a big gust came along and jerked her off the roof. I was sure she was going to die. I think several people on the beach believed
If Brook could do it, I could, right?
Not quite. I forgot that I weighed a hundred pounds more than Brook. Cassidy and the hut guy both dove out of the way when my big butt got dragged off the roof of the hut and through the sand. I pulled back hard to get some lift and was able to skim over the sand and into the water. I leaned back and put the edge of the board into the water, and it was like I�d been shot out of a cannon. When Cassidy finally joined us, we had the time of our lives. Cassidy was smaller and had more upper-body strength than Brook, so she was able to do more tricks. Pam and Fritz had taught me more moves surfing. Between the three of us, we figured out some really cool stuff to do.
I dropped in as if surfing and was able to sit right in the of the wave�s curl forever. The kiteboard kept my speed up so I wasn�t sucked under. When the wave died, I would just lean over and let the kite pull me along.
Our moms finally found us on the beach and made us come in. I�m afraid I acted like a ten-year-old when I came bouncing up.
�Did you see me?� I asked, a little too overexcited.
Mom and Ava had amused looks as we all seemed to talk at the same time.
It was for the best that they�d brought us in because we were all exhausted and needed to eat. I guessed there might be a nap in my near future, too.
◊◊◊
The dads had come back like big-game hunters and had a mess of red snappers, which made Sophie happy. She�d gone grocery shopping while we had our morning adventures. She made us a lunch of a simple pan-seared red snapper with fresh tomatoes and black olives. With fresh French bread and a salad, Sophie had herself another winner.
Our next destination was Saint Kitts and Nevis. We had about 145 miles to sail, so I had time for my nap. I found out later that Brook had drawn the short straw, so she had to keep the parental units in sight while Cassidy robbed me of my nap. Well, she delayed it.
◊◊◊
We stopped midafternoon at a small island, one of the hidden treasures the crew knew about. Brook and I went SCUBA diving while everyone else either snorkeled or went shell-hunting. We ended up getting back first, took quick showers, and wandered to the aft section to relax and enjoy a late afternoon on a yacht.
�I don�t believe I�ve seen you smile so much.�
�It seems I haven�t had time to just relax in like forever. I really needed this,� I admitted.
�What are your plans for Cassidy?� Brook asked.
�I guess everything will go back the way it was when we get home.�
�You like her a lot, don�t you?�
I just smiled. If it weren�t for all the stuff waiting for me when I got back, I�d love to see where things might go with Cassidy. The problem was I�d made promises to her dad. My life was too crazy right now to put her in the middle of it. He was right; she deserved to enjoy high school. I was sure either Brook or Halle could stand up to the press and the rumors the tabloids would unleash. Cassidy was too trusting, and I expected she might not handle lies about herself very well. I would protect her from all that, even if it meant we were only friends.
�Are you okay with what we�re doing on vacation?� I asked.
�Yeah. I just worry that she might get hurt.�
�I�ll talk to her.�
�No, I�ll take care of it. Cassidy realizes this is only for the week. I need to explain that she needs to share,� she said with a smirk.
�That she does. I want to spend time with you, too.�
We didn�t get to finish our talk as everyone came back. For dinner, we had a pork dish with black beans and rice and fried plantains. I could have done without the plantains.
I rolled my eyes when Mom pulled out my movie. Ava and Ian hadn�t seen it, and it was coming out on DVD soon. I had fun snuggling up between Brook and Cassidy and eating popcorn while we watched
�Being out in the sun and in the water all day meant that by the end of the day, you were tired. After bed check�Dad got the honors tonight�Brook snuck into my bed. Believe it or not, we talked more than we had sex. Finally, at around three, I had to kick her out, or we would have fallen asleep and been caught for sure in the morning.
◊◊◊
Chapter 29 � Police Escorts Can Be a Lot of Fun Tuesday March 29
We decided to take a break from water sports today and played tourist. We anchored at Saint Kitts, which was the first British colony in the Caribbean. For hundreds of years, sugar had been the primary industry of the island. In 2005, the government put a stop to the industry because it was no longer profitable. Their economy now depended on tourism.
They did have one unique way of making money: they offered citizenship. You simply had to pass a background check and invest at least $400,000 in an approved real estate development. If I ever decided to leave the US, this was an option.
Our first stop was one of the old plantations where they now made a decorative cloth called �batik.� The fabric was washed, soaked, and beaten with a large mallet. Patterns were drawn with pencil and later redrawn using a mixture of wax and plant resins, which worked as a dye. Once it dried, they boiled the cloth to remove the wax, leaving the design. It had a tribal look to it, and they made everything from shirts to rugs. Between my mom and Ava, I suspect the two of them bought all the tablecloths they had.
They also had wood carvings and sculptures. An intricately hand-carved wall hanging caught my eye, so I bought it. I also found small hand-carved animals: dolphins, monkeys, dogs, and kittens. I knew some little ones who would like these, so I bought a variety.
For lunch, we stopped at a small place that was packed with locals. One of the natives suggested that we get goat water stew. It was made from goat, breadfruit, green pawpaw, and dumplings in a tomato base. He also had us get droppers. The closest thing I might compare them to was tamales. They were made from cornmeal, grated sweet potato, coconut, and some mystery ingredients, and then wrapped in banana leaves and boiled. I was proud of Cassidy because she was more willing to try new dishes than she had been.
The dads bailed on us because they heard of a golf course they wanted to try. The rest of us went on a nature tour that took us across the island. It was fascinating to see how flora and fauna changed from the beachfront to the valleys where the sugarcane was and up into the mountains where there was a rainforest.
When we got back, we pulled up anchor and sailed to our next stop, Montserrat, a forty-square-mile island that was home to five thousand people. The appeal was it had decent surfing. I convinced everyone to join me, and we were able to get a few runs in as the sun set.
◊◊◊ Friday April 1
For the past few days, we�d island-hopped and now found ourselves in Trinidad, off the coast of Venezuela. At breakfast, Mom and Dad took me aft, and we ate apart from the rest of the group.
�We received your mom�s test results. The biopsy showed cancer,� Dad said.
I got up and hugged Mom.
�Are you going to be okay?� I asked.
�We found it early, and the doctors think I�m okay. I just need to keep an eye on it and get checked to make sure there isn�t any more,� she assured me.
�There are a few other things we need to tell you,� Dad said.
My punishment for teasing Ava had been Dad taking away my tablet and smartphone. What surprised me was I hadn�t missed them.
�I talked to Tami yesterday. What are you going to do about Alan?� Mom asked.
�I plan to tell Lisa and encourage her to tell the school.�
Mom and Dad looked at each other, and that seemed to be along the lines of what they were thinking. Then Mom pulled out my tablet and handed it to me.
�Yesterday�s paper had an article about Brandon,� she said.
I found the link to the article and began to read.
�Frick,� I hissed.
�Tami�s okay with it, and she said Detective Kitchens was nice enough to give her a heads-up that the article would be going out. He was sorry your name was thrown in, but it was bound to happen. Frank put out a statement that you can�t comment on an ongoing investigation and referred them to the police for comment,� Mom said.
�While I�m glad they�ve added to his charges, I�d hoped my name wouldn�t get mentioned. I really didn�t want Tami to have to deal with this.�
�She�s fine,� Mom repeated.
Then she handed me my phone. I scrolled through my phone and saw the usual suspects had called or sent me a text. The one that caught my eye was Yuri. I decided to call him first.
�I see you called.�
�Good, I needed to tell you before you hear it from someone else. Justin and I fought after the game on Saturday. He smarted off about Jan again, and I couldn�t let it go.�
�Did you get suspended?� I asked.
�No. We didn�t do it on school grounds. Moose found out, though, and kicked us off the team.�
�He warned you,� I said.
�Yeah, we knew what would happen if he found out. I�ll just play seven-on-seven football. Justin screwed the pooch because of all the baseball scouts that�ll be coming to our games. He wants to play either minor league or college ball,� Yuri said.
�Did you at least kick Justin�s ass?� I asked the obvious.
�Yeah, I knocked him down a couple of times before he apologized.�
I�d wanted to kick Justin�s ass since middle school and was a little jealous that Yuri got to do it.
�No one got hurt, did they?�
�No. He has a black eye, but nothing permanent.�
�Good.�
�How�s your vacation going?� Yuri asked.
�It�s exactly what I needed. It�s been a lot of fun, and I love all the islands. Speaking of which, I need to get back to it. See you at school.�
I saw that both Tracy and Pam had called and figured I�d better call my baby mama first.
�Why didn�t you call me sooner?� Pam pouted.
�My mom took my phone away. What�s up?� I asked.
�I need you to come home. My back hurts, and my feet ache,� she complained.
�Hang on,� I said, and three-wayed in my brother.
�Hey, Pam�s on the line with us,� I told Greg.
�Okay,� was my brother�s brilliant response.
�She needs a massage, and I was hoping you�d be able to work her in today.�
�Yeah, no problem. You�re paying in babysitting services, I hope.�
�Of course. Did you talk to Mom?� I asked.
�No, why?� Greg asked.
�She had some skin cancer removed last Friday. They say she�s fine, but you should call her,� I said.
There was a pause. I knew what Greg was thinking; I�d thought the same.
�Okay, I will. How�s your trip?�
�I wish you were here. It�s been great stress relief. We should do a guys� week this summer.�
�I could use some guy-time,� Greg said. �I�ll call Mom, and I�ll be over in an hour to see you, Pam.�
Greg hung up.
�Better?� I asked.
�But I won�t get my happy ending.�
I snorted at the little hussy.
�If you ask, you might,� I said.
�Oh � but I want you.�
�I�ll be home on Sunday, and I promise to come see you.�
That seemed to make Pam happy.
I decided to text everyone else back and tell them I�d be home Sunday.
◊◊◊
Sophie had given us a list of activities available in Trinidad. Brook, Cassidy, and I combed through the list to see what we hadn�t done yet on our trip. Four items jumped out at us: jet skis, helicopter ride, pulled behind a boat while attached to a giant parachute, and horseback riding. The dads decided they would join us on the first two, but after that they had a couple of golf courses calling their names. The moms wanted to do the helicopter and horseback riding. They felt another trip to a day spa was in order as well.
We figured out the logistics for the next two days.
We decided to take the helicopter ride first. Sophie arranged for a cab to pick us all up and drop us off. It was kind of fun to be all riding together in the big taxi. Everyone was in high spirits, because our vacation adventure was ending, and everyone had seemed to draw even closer together because of the time we�d spent on the boat.
As the taxi drove off, we were suddenly accosted by five men ranging in age from fifteen to twenty-five. It was as if they appeared out of nowhere. They were dressed nicely enough for natives, but they looked meaner than hell. No, that wasn�t right. They looked like they didn�t care one way or another what happened.
�Give us your money,� the leader ordered.
�You might want to run away while you can,� Cassidy said, stepping forward.
She started that quiver she gets when she�s been given permission to hurt me. I don�t think I�d ever been so glad to see it as now. I took a step to her left so she could see me, but gave her enough room to act if needed. At the same time, I motioned for everyone else to get well behind us.
Ian began to step forward, looking every bit the blustery tourist. Luckily for him, Dad grabbed Ian�s arm, and forcibly pulled him back.
Their leader was visibly pissed that a girl would stand up to him. He motioned for his wingmen to start spreading out, which they did, and then he reached into his pocket. Our training kicked in. Cassidy didn�t give him a chance to pull out whatever it was. And I sure wasn�t going to give them the opportunity to surround us or to get between us and our loved ones. We both attacked at the same time and caught the thugs completely by surprise. Cassidy was a blur.
She stuck the heel of her foot into the leader�s temple. He stiffened with a sharp grunt, then keeled over and began to twitch.
I hooked the knee of my first opponent to unbalance him and then did a front kick to his chin, resulting in a sickening crack as his jaw broke. He didn�t do anything like fall back or stagger; he just dropped as blood gushed out of his mouth.
The other three froze for a moment, then one of them smiled evilly and pulled out a knife. I heard the �snick� as the switchblade flipped open. He started advancing on me, twirling the blade in his hand, clearly thinking he had the upper hand. He also ignored Cassidy, apparently believing her putting his leader down was a fluke. That was a big mistake � BIG mistake!
His eyes might have had time to register a blur coming in on his right, and then there was a crack and two thuds. I was sure he didn�t see the hits, they were so fast; all he did was hear them.
He must have been in shock because he didn�t react until he looked stupidly down at his forearm, which was bent about 30 degrees at an unnatural angle. I would have been screaming my head off. I think he was lucky because when he saw his broken arm, it was as if the lights went out. It was either that or the result of being hit in his temple. He sank into a puddle with a gurgle.
I turned to the other two who looked at their wounded companions as if the world had just ended. They looked up at the two of us and then turned and ran.
Dad and Ian hustled our moms and Brook inside the building, and I called out to him to call the police.
After that, I looked over at Cassidy, who remained on the balls of her feet. All of a sudden, I felt the energy just drain entirely out of me. I leaned against a wall and started shaking. I recognized it for what it was: the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush I�d just experienced. Cassidy, on the other hand, seemed like she was on high-alert guard duty. She was clearly in her element!
We heard a European-style police siren, and an old-fashioned police car pulled up in front of us. Two officers exited the car. The one from the passenger side quickly checked the three men on the ground, as the other pulled his revolver and trained it on us.
Cassidy started to react, still in combat mode. That had to be averted quickly.
�Cassidy, stand down!� I ordered.
She stared the police officer in the eye for a moment. Her sudden relaxed attitude reminded me of a panther as it eyed its prey. I could tell it unnerved the poor guy. My little ninja could do that to you.
The first officer, checking on the downed men, made a motion to the other who visibly relaxed. Even so, he didn�t put his gun away. He just dropped it to his side so it was pointing at the ground.
Fortunately for us, English was the official language of Trinidad and Tobago, although most locals also spoke some sort of creole. So when the first officer calmly asked, �Would you care to tell me what happened here?� it was actually somewhat soothing to our frazzled nerves.
There are times to keep quiet, as any lawyer will tell you, but there are also times when a little information can nip things in the bud. I decided this was one of those latter times.
I walked him through the fight, making sure to include describing the first man reaching for something in his pocket after demanding our money. And the third man pulling a knife on us. It was hard to miss the switchblade lying on the street right next to his unconscious form. The officer stepped over to the leader�s body and patted down his pockets, coming up with a small revolver.
The second police officer was on his radio, and a couple more sirens joined the party as two ambulances and another police car pulled up. In the meantime, our crew had come back out of the helicopter tour building, and a small crowd had started gathering. This could rapidly turn into a shitstorm.
Dad asked the officer if he would interview us somewhere more private.
�Of course. Let�s go to my car.�
Uh, oh! Dad looked pissed.
�This is my son and his friend. They�re both minors, and I don�t want them interviewed without me present.�
The officer looked at Dad.
�Sir, you forget this is not the States. Our laws are different here. I am taking them to the station now, and you can make your way there,� he said with exaggerated politeness and patience.
When Dad started to protest, I held my hand up to him.
�Dad, let�s try not to make this any more complicated. Call Frank, Fritz, Ms. Dixon, and a taxi.�
I turned to the police officer.
�Sir, do you have a business card for my father so he will know where to go and who to call?�
The officer got a thin smile on his face, but it seemed to be a smile of respect more than anything else. He pulled a card case from his shirt pocket, extracted two cards, and handed one to me and one to my dad.
�Sir, we�re reasonable people. We must question these two. I do not plan to charge them. The issue I�m facing is that you will only be here for a short time. I would hate to have to detain them as witnesses if they don�t cooperate. I would much rather get their statements and let you enjoy the rest of your vacation. Let me take them to the station, and we�ll wait for you to arrive. I�ll personally make sure they are taken care of. I have children myself,� he told my dad.
Just before we got into the car, I turned and handed my glasses to Brook.
�Give these to my mom and have her contact Fritz. He�ll walk her through how to download the video from my bodycam. Once she has it, she can upload it to my Dropbox account and text Dad so we can show it to the police.�
She looked perplexed as she took them.
�Okay,� she said, and we were on our way.
◊◊◊
The station house was right out of a 1950s movie set. It had high ceilings and big fans to move the air. The police put Cassidy and I into a holding area and left us by ourselves.
Cassidy finally came down off her rush and started shivering. I pulled her over and sat her sideways with her back to me as we waited. She snuggled up and amazingly, fell asleep. It felt good to know she trusted me to protect her enough to do that.
After about an hour, the police officer came in and unlocked the door. He looked both amused and interested as he led us into a conference room. My dad was there, sitting at the table in front of a speakerphone. The officer had us take our seats and then sat across from us. He studied me for another minute, amused.
�My name is Constable Vincent,� he began. �I thought you looked familiar, and when I received three telephone calls about you within the first fifteen minutes we were here, I realized why. My daughter has your poster on her bedroom wall, Mr. Stryker.�
At that point, two voices came over the speakerphone. Both Frank and Ms. Dixon started talking at once, but Constable Vincent immediately shut them down.
�We will have quiet here for a minute while I explain some things.
�We received a call about a robbery attempt and arrived upon the scene to find three people injured. One of the three has a broken jaw, and the other two are suffering from concussions. One of those two also has a severely broken forearm. Under such circumstances, we do have questions about the two people standing over them, especially when they are both young and unarmed,� he said without seeming to take a breath.
�Fortunately for us, and especially fortunate for you,� he continued, �one of the men had a knife, and I am sure fingerprinting will show only his prints on it. The other did indeed have a revolver in his pocket.
�I need to take into account that you are both young tourists in our country,� he said, and then looked at me. �You�re also famous, which carries with it its own set of issues.
�We pride ourselves on our hospitality as a nation, and we don�t want anything to sully our reputation.
�Nevertheless, I have three unconscious citizens in our hospital, and it doesn�t look as if I will have an opportunity to talk with them for another day, at least. And so you see, I�m faced with a dilemma. What am I to do with you?� he asked no one in particular.
This, of course, brought an immediate burst of voices again from the speaker on the table, but I quickly stopped it.
�Hold on, hold on! One at a time,� I said, and gave an apologetic look to Constable Vincent.
�Constable, this is Juliet Dixon, David�s attorney. It�s my understanding that my client and his friend defended the group they were with, including David�s parents. I guess I�m confused as to why you�re holding them in custody,� she said.
�I apologize for that, but I needed to get some information before I talked to them. We may not be as fast as you are in the United States, but we take pride in the work we do here,� he responded.
�I didn�t mean to say anything to insult you or your fellow officers. My question is, why were they held at all? Couldn�t you simply question them without putting them into a cell?� she asked.
�Ma�am, we had to make sure they weren�t the cause of the mayhem that occurred. I wouldn�t be doing my job if I didn�t look at all sides before making a determination. To be frank, we haven�t gotten a chance to talk to the other three men, and that might take a while since they needed medical attention. You will have to bear with me while we complete our investigation.
�Our other concern is, if we release them, they would be a flight risk. I understand that young Mr. Dawson would face the court of public opinion. But once he left the country, it would be almost impossible to get him back if he had to stand trial,� he explained.
I turned to Dad.
�Did Mom text you?� I asked.
He nodded to me, and I turned back to the constable.
�Do you have a laptop or PC we might use? I can show you a video of what happened.�
He seemed a bit unsure, but left the conference room and returned in a minute with what looked like a relatively new laptop. I logged into my Dropbox account and selected the video.
Constable Vincent looked a bit shocked.
�What is that?�
I smiled at him.
�With everything that�s happened to me�the movie and everything else�many people try to take advantage of me. One way we can stop what are called �he said/she said� moments is to keep a bodycam on me at all times.�
I pulled up the video of the fight. Constable Vincent tried to hide it, but I could tell he was impressed. Finally, after playing it through twice, he turned to me.
�This changes everything. Two of the three men on the ground are known to us, as are the two who ran. We�ve had several incidents reported of a strong-arm operation, but to this point have been unsuccessful in tracking it down. This,� he gestured to the video, �simplifies things for us considerably.�
The constable turned back to me.
�But why didn�t mention this before now?�
I looked at him a bit coolly.
�First, because you didn�t ask. But there was another reason as well.�
I looked at him levelly and continued.
�In the past, I have had dealings with people with whom I was concerned that shared information might be � lost, or misplaced. I must ask your forgiveness, but I didn�t know you or the situation here at all. I couldn�t risk the possibility that such an unfortunate accident might happen today. So, I asked my friend to upload the video to my private storage on the internet so there wouldn�t be any misunderstandings.�
The constable looked like he was about to get pissed off, but then he shook himself visibly.
�Knowing that you were in a strange and unknown environment, I can well understand your desire to be prudent. As I have said, you have helped us considerably, and I believe you have made our small country safer by your actions.�
I sat back abruptly, relieved. I definitely liked this guy much better than the Los Angeles Police Department.
Constable Vincent looked at me intently before continuing.
�I believe strongly that neither you nor we would really want or need to have this unfortunate incident become a matter for the TV, radio, or newspapers. Would you agree with that?�
�We agree that this could have a negative impact on both your country and my client,� Ms. Dixon said.
I nodded my head, still looking at him. I agreed completely.
�You have our word that none of us desire that either, and we�ll not release or mention anything to the media. That is unless we are compelled to respond to questions they may be asked based upon information they get from other sources,� Ms. Dixon continued.
The constable leaned forward a bit.
�I don�t think they will get that information from any other source, do you?� he asked.
I smiled at him.
�No, I don�t believe so either,� I said.
�Are we done? Do you need anything else from us?� Dad asked.
I breathed an inward sigh of relief as we stood and shook hands. The constable ushered us out, all smiles now, and even arranged for a cab to pick us up and take us back to the boat.
◊◊◊
Surprisingly, it was just after lunchtime when we got out. It felt to me like we�d been in there all day, and it should be midnight now.
We made our way back to the boat. There, my mom, dad, Cassidy, and I got on the phone for yet another conference call to Ms. Dixon, Frank, and Fritz. Ms. Dixon chewed me up one side and down the other for taking matters into my own hands. But in the end, even she commended me on turning a potentially difficult to disastrous situation into something that hopefully would continue to be a nonevent.
I hugged an exhausted Cassidy, and an equally exhausted Brook, and shooed them on to their cabin to take a nap. All I really wanted was to crash until at least the end of next week.
I did give my mom and my dad big hugs, shook Ian�s hand, and gave Ava a hug before stumbling off to bed for my own power nap. Ian, in particular, gave me a look I wasn�t sure how to interpret.
The gentle rocking of the boat and my bladder finally forced me out of bed. I came up to the deck to find everyone else having a late afternoon snack that seemed to consist solely of fruit and cocktails.
When Mom finished her snack, she walked up to Cassidy and put her in a bear hug.
�Thank you for protecting my son. I was so worried about you,� she said.
�What about me?� I asked.
�I knew you were fine,� Mom said and then checked Cassidy over. �You�re okay, right?�
Cassidy had a big smile.
�Yes, I�m fine. I wasn�t worried with David at my side.�
�I wanted to kick some ass too,� Brook complained.
�Cassidy did hog the action,� I teased.
Cassidy gave me a look.
�Whoa, you�ve met your quota of hurting boys for this vacation,� I said, which made her laugh.
I had to explain the joke to Ian and Ava. They�d had no clue what a little ninja Cassidy was. She was happy I hadn�t held back.
Our vacation would be over soon, and we weren�t about to let a little thing like an armed robbery keep us from our appointed partying! We decided to go out for dinner, and then we�d go to one of the island�s touted nightclubs for some dancing.
It was amusing to see a police car parked at the entrance to the marina, with the second constable smiling at us as he leaned against the fender, arms folded. He motioned me over, and Dad came with me.
�I have been assigned to ensure the rest of your stay is trouble free and to protect the innocent citizens from you and your friend,� he said with a grin. �Oh, and the remaining two hoodlums have been detained and will be questioned � probably sometime on Monday. We don�t expect you will have any more problems on our fair island, but we want to be sure.�
I laughed and thanked him and suddenly had a thought.
�Wait here, please.�
I dashed back to the boat and grabbed two pictures of me as Stryker and a Sharpie and hustled them back to the marina entrance.
�What is Constable Vincent�s daughter�s name, and is there anyone special you would like to give this second one to?� I asked.
That grin just would not go away.
�His daughter is named Mariella, and if you would sign the other one to Corella, I would be most happy,� he said.
That exercise in government relations attended to, I gave him a wave, and we were off to have some fun.
We had a terrific seafood dinner at a waterfront restaurant, and then a wonderful time dancing at a club. Ian was pretty funny. He got hammered, and his amorous attentions to Ava had her in turn amused, delighted, and embarrassed. Hey, what are vacations for?
The second constable watched from afar, seemingly happy to spend his entire night �on duty� watching the crazy tourists in a nightclub.
At the end, we caught a taxi home, and as we walked down the gangway, I turned and gave a last wave to the constable. He smiled and tipped his billed hat to me, then turned and walked to his car, whistling. Sometimes police escorts can be a lot of fun!
After I climbed in the sack, I reflected a bit before I nodded off. I now understood in my bones that what Fritz and Cassidy were teaching me about unarmed combat being a serious business. If she�d hesitated, I shiver to think what might have happened.
This was yet another lesson in being prepared for anything, including being ready for the �he said/she said� moments. Equipped for those moments, I could and would be. I didn�t like it, but my feelings about it didn�t matter. It was necessary. It would be done.
◊◊◊
The rest of our vacation was uneventful compared to our scare. We got our helicopter tour in the next morning and then tried mightily to finish our vacation �bucket list� before we had to board the plane home.
Cassidy and I had a long talk, and she decided that our relationship had to go back to just being friends. She knew that if she�d said yes to more, I would have stepped up and made her my girlfriend.
Talking about it on the flight home, Brook and I couldn�t think of a single thing we�d missed on our vacation list. I would go on a trip with her anytime. She was up for anything, and the more physical, the better. I thanked Brook for talking me into learning to SCUBA dive. Without that, I would never have seen and experienced so much of what we did. I also thanked her for bringing along Cassidy. Brook really didn�t have to, and she didn�t have to let her share our bed. I never did find out if they did anything naughty together, but I could tell they were even closer friends after the trip. I knew I felt closer to both of them.
The most important thing this week did was make me aware that I needed to take time for myself.
◊◊◊
Chapter 30 � Our Town Sunday April 3
It felt good to get home. I�d loved my vacation, but there is something about sleeping in your own bed. Being gone all week had made Zoe, Halle, and Pam eager to see me, but I�d promised Caryn I would sit down with her and talk about a budget. She wanted Brook and me to come to her new office because she wanted to show me what had been done so far.
They had gotten the office decorated. I was impressed that there were pictures of the farms and a variety of my movie and modeling images. Caryn and Megan joined Brook and me in the conference room. Megan had folders with our names on them.
�When we were in London, I showed David how much money he�s been spending. Now I need to get you up to speed on your spending habits,� Caryn said to Brook.
I hadn�t enjoyed Caryn shining a light on my expenditures. When Brook realized how much she spent on clothes, I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. I was lucky because I got most of mine free. Then Caryn got to the section that showed Brook what she spent on our adventures. I was amused that she had the same reaction as I had: no big deal.
Megan went over Brook�s financials. The majority of her wealth was in L Brands stock, and that generated most of her income. She about had a cow when she learned about dividends and capital gains and how much she was paying in taxes. Megan offered to show her how she might reduce her tax bill.
My assets were split between farms, the strip mall, Mom�s real estate company, my college account and my house fund, Mass Investments, Jack Mass�s construction company, and other smaller ones. Caryn showed me that most of my income had come from my signing the
With these revelations, I now understood why Caryn had said I needed to make some more sunglasses money. I did know one way I could make some quick cash.
�Call Mr. Hill and see if he needs me to do some newspaper-insert ads. I could do some Sunday-afternoon shoots.�
�Before you do that, Saul has some opportunities for you since you�re popular in Japan. He has three ads lined up for your approval. They were impressed that you speak Japanese so well,� Caryn said.
I just blinked at her. Speak Japanese?
�I learned my lines by rote.�
�Saul knows that, but he suggested that you take some conversational classes so that when you go there, you can at least communicate.�
�Wait, when am I going to Japan?� I asked.
She showed me on my calendar. It was during the summer, and I would be gone for my birthday. It was one of the few weeks not already booked. Caryn showed me the three contracts, and I smiled. Each was for a one-day shoot and was for more than I would make in a year doing insert work for Mr. Hill. I was relieved I didn�t have to kill a weekend day each week.
I looked at the names on the contracts: Kisai, Dynamism, and Yohji Yamamoto.
�What do these companies sell?� I asked since I had no idea what they made.
�Watches, electronics, and clothes,� Caryn supplied.
�If I�m going to be there for a week, make sure Saul fills up my time. I would love to play tourist, but papa needs new toys.�
I think Caryn realized her budgeting classes were only going to go so far. She did get us to agree to follow a budget. I was a little pissed when she said she was lowering my debit card limit and would only put more money into it once a month.
I told Megan to sign me up for the American Express Black Card for emergencies. While I was willing to play along, I wanted some backup in case I needed it, especially when I was traveling.
�I want one of those, too,� Brook chimed in.
Caryn said something about having a migraine and kicked us out. I wasn�t sure if we were getting our Amex cards or not. I would have to ask my dad.
Caryn stepped out of the conference room and stopped me before I left. She wanted to give me a tour of the strip mall.
�I talked to the restaurant, and they want out of their lease. They aren�t making it,� Caryn shared.
�How long do they have left?� I asked.
�Eight months. The problem is it�s a big space, and we don�t have enough parking.�
�Are there any lots close by that we could buy and convert into parking?� I asked.
�Your mom said there are three lots behind the strip mall she believes she can get. However, that would require a zoning change from residential use only to a commercial overlay. The extra parking would be something that would help with some of our other potential tenants. I recommend that you give us the go-ahead to make the purchase contingent on the county working with us on zoning.�
�What about the restaurant?� I asked.
�I think we let them out of their lease, but require them to leave the equipment. There was some confusion as to who owned it when we bought the strip mall. It would be cheaper than having to buy new and collecting rent for the next few months.�
�The place looks like crap. What would it cost to redo it?� I asked.
�I don�t know. Frankly, I don�t have experience enough to figure out what needs to be done.�
I smiled.
�That�s why I get help. I can think of two people who�d know what we would need: Granny and Mary Dole. Heck, I would love to partner with those two, if they wanted to open a restaurant,� I said, dreaming.
�Okay, let me work on it.�
Caryn then showed me the rest of the units. Mom had set up shop next to the restaurant and had placed in her window a big-screen TV that showed their listings. Megan had helped set it up. She had also suggested they put some small tables out front so people could relax before going into the restaurant.
Greg and Angie had one of the upstairs units for their business; their suite had a reception area and then two rooms in the back for massages. They were currently only open weekends and a couple of nights a week. A cell-phone provider had leased one of the downstairs units, and a barbershop had another. That left one space downstairs and two upstairs that weren�t rented as yet. Caryn had left the open units as shells with the plan to build them out to meet our renters� needs.
On the far end was the Quickie Mart. It had seen better days. The family that ran the place kept it open 24/7. I worried that it attracted the wrong kinds of people late at night. In an ideal world, it would only be open until ten and not sell alcohol or cigarettes. I would also like to sell our produce and thought we could turn it into a vegetable stand. I told Caryn all this. She worried that alcohol and cigarettes were probably large profit centers. I then had an idea: what if the Mennonites wanted to help us with the vegetable stand? They might also rent one of the other units for furniture sales.
Caryn�s final piece of news was that Kendal had accepted Ms. Dixon�s offer and was moving to Chicago to work with Tom. She�d trained Megan on how to sell my photos to the various websites. We would still work with all the models and Ford to maintain and expand that stream of income. Tom had given that up so he could steal Kendal away. Megan was also working for Adrienne to help her with her back-office bookkeeping needs. Tom would be my lawyer for entertainment matters. Ms. Dixon would be responsible overall, especially if I got myself into trouble. I wasn�t sure how Kendal fit in, but I would be 18 soon and wouldn�t need a chaperone. Caryn or my parents would fill that role for the next few months.
◊◊◊
After I left the offices, I drove to Halle�s. I�m not sure who was happier to see me, Bandit or Halle. I tossed his squeaky mouse while we talked.
�Our play is this weekend,� she reminded me.
�I suppose I have to skip the dojo and come to play practice after baseball.�
�That�s probably a good idea. You also have to be my date for the cast party Saturday night. I plan to have a few drinks and need you to keep me from doing something stupid.�
�What if you do something stupid with me?� I asked.
�Like what?�
�I could show you my tan lines,� I teased.
Halle gave me an exasperated look and then smiled when I waggled my eyebrows.
�Mom! David and I are going to work on our lines!� Halle called out.
�Take your cat with you!� Rita called back.
�Come on, Crybaby,� I said, picking up Bandit.
He showed me he�d killed his mouse. Halle tolerated my praising him for being a big-game hunter. When we got to her room, I became the hunter. Halle squealed when I picked her up, tossed her on the bed, and then pounced on her. I made a big deal of showing her my tan lines.
Halle wiggled out of her clothes, and it was game on. Brook and Cassidy had been fun all week, but there was just something about Halle. I missed the heck out of her, and she showed me she missed me every bit as much. When I finally rolled off her, Bandit climbed up and settled on my chest. The three of us curled up and had a nap.
◊◊◊
My next stop was to see Pam. Lacy met me at the door and invited me to dinner. We spent the evening looking at my vacation photos. Pam told me that Greg had been a perfect gentleman like I knew he would. He offered to let her come to his place and get free massages until she had the baby. He�d explained that I paid him back in babysitting services.
Pam lured me to her bedroom with the plan to give her a massage. One thing led to another, and I fell asleep with her in my arms.
◊◊◊ Monday April 4
I arrived at school and found Tracy, Pam, and to my surprise, Lisa. At first, I didn�t recognize her because she was in jeans and a sweatshirt. I�d never seen her in anything other than a short skirt before.
�You like?� Tracy asked.
�Yeah, you look good,� I said to Lisa. �I thought you couldn�t wear jeans.�
�Turns out pure silk underwear doesn�t irritate me and allows me to wear pants,� Lisa supplied.
It was strange to see Lisa looking like a typical teen. I was sure most of the guys would be disappointed. Brook might be happy that she no longer had competition, though.
�I found out who hacked your blog and posted it: Alan Douglas.�
All three girls got mad. Pam and Tracy worried me because of Pam�s stun gun and Tracy�s pepper spray.
�I suggest you tell Mr. Palm, because Alan posted it on the school�s chat site,� I recommended.
The girls huddled up and then walked off. I wasn�t sure what they planned to do, but so long as they left me out of it, I was happy.
◊◊◊
Famous last words. Lisa threw me under the bus when Alan tried to deny it. I found myself in Mr. Palm�s office with my mom during third period.
�I need your help in clearing up something. Lisa Felton says you told her Alan Douglas stole her personal blog and posted it on the Lincoln Chat Board. This is a serious matter, and Alan has denied any involvement,� Mr. Palm said.
�Get him in here,� my mom said.
I was surprised when Mr. Palm did just that. Alan had a cocky smile on his face until he saw my mom. I just shrugged to let him know that it wasn�t me and he was on his own.
�Tell Mr. Palm the truth,� Mom ordered.
Their eyes locked, and Alan was the first to look away. He knew when he was beaten.
�I did it. I posted Lisa�s blog on the chat board,� he admitted.
�Alan, cyberbullying is taken very seriously at Lincoln High,� Mr. Palm started.
�He�ll never do anything like this again. Isn�t that right, Alan?� Mom asked.
�Yes, ma�am. I�ll never do something like this again, I promise,� Alan said.
�I�m sure you won�t, but there will have to be consequences for your actions,� Mr. Palm said.
�Something that confuses me is how it was taken down. Whoever did it wiped all traces of the post, even those forwarded,� Alan said.
�I don�t believe you need us for the rest of this,� I said and stood up to leave.
Mr. Palm tilted his head and gave me a funny look.
�Alan, go out and sit down in the waiting area. I�ll deal with you in a moment,� Mr. Palm said.
Once Alan left, Mr. Palm turned to me. I decided I�d better come clean, so I told him about Frank and what his people had done. That also explained how I knew Alan was the one who posted the blog. Mr. Palm wasn�t sure what to do about it. On the one hand, I�d solved a lot of his problems by having Frank�s people delete all traces of the blog. On the other, I�d given my password to someone outside of the school. While there were no explicit rules against it, Mr. Palm wasn�t happy about it.
�David has to protect his image. You�re lucky he isn�t looking to take legal action because of what was posted,� Mom said.
�There�s no need for that. Next time, please come to me before you let your people loose on something like this,� Mr. Palm offered as a compromise.
I understood his point of view. He was responsible for the school and didn�t need a student having his PR team deleting posts on a private chat website.
◊◊◊
At lunch, Alan was missing in action, and I wondered if he�d been suspended. It was too bad because today was the first official day of the lunch-buddy program. Wolf, Brit, Gina, and I were picked as hosts. I guess it wasn�t a surprise when the theater group showed up at my table. They were all excited about opening night this Friday. I was a little shocked when they shared they were already sold out. The reason I worried was I hadn�t gotten any tickets for my parents. That was when they explained that cast members had four tickets per performance set aside; those would be handed out tonight at play practice.
The theater group also wanted to make sure I was coming to the cast party on Saturday. They had an inside joke about cast virgins and some ritual. They had another think coming if they thought they could haze me. I would bet that Halle would take a similar stand.
Then they told me they�d never sold out a play before. I admitted that I�d never gone to one. Still, I was astounded they seemed nervous about it. After all, I thought they did this for the attention. They�d done scenes in the quad and at lunch for previous plays. I wasn�t sure why an auditorium full of friends and family would make them nervous, especially after getting pelted with food and garbage at lunch. Of course, I would never toss a dinner roll at an unsuspecting teen acting goofy. Honest!
And I never fib. Not even in jest!
◊◊◊
At baseball practice, Moose announced that Yuri and Justin had been kicked off the team for fighting. That meant that Burt, Brock, and Bryan had to compete to see who our lead pitcher would be. It also meant that Ray Quinn was promoted to starting at third.
I received confirmation that Alan had been suspended for three days for bullying. That was the harshest penalty they usually gave, short of expulsion. Mr. Palm was sending a message with that punishment.
◊◊◊
I was a little rusty at play practice, which sent Mr. Dutton into a tizzy. I hadn�t looked at my lines while on vacation. Halle wasn�t happy with me, which made me realize I�d better buckle down. She reminded me that there weren�t retakes in a play. I took her pointed remarks in stride. It seemed everyone was nervous about the show selling out.
◊◊◊ Wednesday April 6
I skipped out of school again, this time to go to Indianapolis to NCAA headquarters. I�d requested a meeting to get my eligibility cleared up. Mr. Morris, my sports attorney, was going to lead the session for our side. The number of people we were bringing was a little embarrassing. Besides Mr. Morris, Ms. Dixon and Tom Dole were there representing Dixon and Dixon. I was also bringing Caryn, my business manager, and Dad. Fritz was drafted to drive and act as security.
We all met at the Westin, where the Chicago contingent had spent the night. Mr. Morris had arranged for a conference room for us.
�I received a strange message last night. It seems the NCAA has expanded our meeting today. I�d thought we would just be meeting Jackie Davis, the chair for the Initial-Eligibility Waiver Committee, and Steve Anchorage, the chair of the Amateurism Fact-Finding Committee. It sounds like there will be several other chairs and members of the Board of Governors in attendance. And NCAA President Mark Ellison will be joining us,� Mr. Morris said.
�What do you think that means?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�I expect they don�t know what to do with David. He potentially poses some serious problems for them with respect to how they want to protect their use of students� images and names. They�ve gone for a few years with no major challenges. They have to know that David�s fame isn�t derived only from sports. That�s their normal excuse for not allowing student-athletes to make money off it while in college. They may try to make David some sort of deal, like eligibility in exchange for his support in not making waves,� Mr. Morris said.
�Should we address his movies and modeling while in college?� Tom asked.
�I propose we play it by ear. If they want something more than just to confirm David�s eligibility, we pull out the waiver to allow him to fulfill his obligations for promoting movies. I don�t believe they have a leg to stand on, but we need to get him eligible first. My plan all along was to attack that as a separate issue, but if they want David to do something, we need to get this in return,� Mr. Morris said.
The way the NCAA rules read was that you couldn�t engage in the promotion of commercial activities while you were a student-athlete. A strict reading could mean that if I did a movie while in college, I might not be able to have my name added to the credits. And I couldn�t give any interviews about my role in the movie. But by that same token, I was in the clear for everything I did while in high school.
Mr. Morris had suggested that I split sports-related topics and acting so there would be no confusion with the NCAA. They�d gotten worried when I helped Washington with their fundraiser at the same event where we�d also played a baseball game. I didn�t think anyone expected over twenty thousand people to show up. We�d had similar crowds the following weekend at State.
Universities aren�t stupid. Having a student who could draw that many fans and potentially be the face of their program was huge. Even for a school like Michigan, which consistently sold out, it would be a major plus for away games. Places like Northwestern couldn�t sell out when they had a draw like a ranked Stanford team. If my fame could put butts in seats, it would mean big money to the conference as a whole. What had them excited was I was pulling these numbers for high school baseball, which was notorious for drawing mediocre crowds at best.
It would be interesting to see what the NCAA wanted to talk about.
◊◊◊
President Ellison met us at reception. This almost felt like a recruiting trip. The building was new, and it was easy to see they weren�t hurting for money.
�I thought I�d show you around,� President Ellison said to begin the tour. �While I�m doing that, I�ll give you some background on the NCAA.
�The National Collegiate Athletic Association is an organization that�s led by its members. We�re dedicated to the well-being of college athletes and to their lifelong success.
�The NCAA consists of 1,121 colleges and universities, 99 conferences, and 39 affiliated organizations. More than 460,000 student-athletes make up 19,000 teams that take part in the NCAA�s 90 championships. Those are in 24 sports across 3 divisions. We have a staff of 500 employees here in Indianapolis that supports our members,� President Ellison said.
He then gave us a tour of the facility, and I met many of the employees. Several wanted pictures taken. Caryn promised to send over signed photos for anyone who wanted one.
◊◊◊
We were finally ushered into a large conference room with coffee service set up in the back. President Ellison indicated we were to sit on the far side of the long table. There were name tents for the people on their side. We were given a Sharpie and asked to fill out ours so everyone would know each other.
I read the name tents as I scanned down the other side of the table: Mark Ellison, NCAA president; JT Picket, chair of the Board of Governors; Jim Phelps, member of the Board of Governors and athletic director for the University of Michigan; Jackie Davis, chair of the Initial-Eligibility Waiver Committee; Steve Anchorage, chair of the Amateurism Fact-Finding Committee; Lesley Sanchez, chair of the Legislative Relief Committee; and Andy Hill, chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. President Ellison kicked off the meeting.
�David Dawson asked for this meeting to expedite his eligibility. It is my understanding that Mrs. Davis found enough questions to forward his application to Mr. Anchorage�s committee to do some due diligence. Let�s have Mr. Anchorage give us an overview as to where we stand on his amateurism status.�
�Some of you may remember Mr. Morris,� Mr. Anchorage began. �He worked for us a few years back, reviewing applications for initial eligibility. Mr. Morris has been helpful in providing the documentation we needed to conduct our review. I have some grave concerns that Mr. Dawson may cause us problems related to naming rights once he enters college. I believe we need to get an agreement in place to protect our member institutions before we can issue him his letter of amateurism status,� Mr. Anchorage stated.
�Are you worried that David will challenge your control over student-athletes� use of image and name?� Mr. Morris asked.
It seemed that was exactly what they were worried about. This was the heart of what student-athletes had filed lawsuits about in the past. There was a lot of money being made by the NCAA�s member institutions. If the student-athletes ever cracked the door open on receiving compensation, it would be a slippery slope until they were paid what they were worth. Let�s face it, college football and basketball were both big businesses.
I had a problem with how the big shoe companies made deals with each school. You had to wear their gear with logos. Why shouldn�t a student-athlete be compensated for being a walking billboard?
�Why don�t we work out a deal where David agrees to allow you to use his image and name for college football and baseball? In exchange, you give him a waiver to do his movies and modeling,� Mr. Morris floated.
�I have concerns about what his modeling activities might entail. It�s my understanding that he�s right now the face for Range Sports, an athletic equipment company. I would be apprehensive about him doing ads and or commercials involving any type of football- or baseball-related gear. It would more than likely violate agreements with our existing sponsors,� Jim Phelps, the AD for the University of Michigan, said.
�An exception could be added to the waiver to exclude any conflicts. They would need to be spelled out for us to be comfortable,� Mr. Morris added.
�I would like David to consider using his celebrity to help with public service announcements. It would be good if he would also become involved in our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. I think he would bring a unique perspective to our institution,� Andy Hill, the chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, said.
�Any public service announcements would have to be approved by David and his team. David would also have to see how his class loads are before he could commit to joining a committee,� Mr. Morris said to advocate for me.
�I would also like for David to agree to assist us with legislative matters,� Lesley Sanchez, the chair of the Legislative Relief Committee, said.
�That�s a loaded request. Do you want David to be your poster boy supporting NCAA attempts to do something in Congress to get more exemptions?� Mr. Morris asked.
Lesley smiled and nodded.
�I guess that is the thrust of our proposal,� she admitted.
�I think we need to take a break and discuss what you�ve suggested. Can we get back together in an hour?� Mr. Morris asked.
�I think that would be a good idea. If you�d like, I can take you to the executive dining room, and you can have lunch,� President Ellison suggested.
I could eat. We were given ninety minutes to return.
◊◊◊
We ordered lunch, and I voiced my biggest concern.
�I�m not sure I want to carry water for them to get more concessions out of Congress. Frankly, I believe student-athletes deserve to be compensated.�
�What about PSAs and volunteering to be on a committee?� Ms. Dixon asked.
�That fits as part of my charitable work. I would be willing to do some PSAs as long as they made sense. I�m not sure what committees they�re talking about and what value I would bring,� I said.
�Do you have a problem with them using your name and image?� Mr. Morris asked.
�If that�s the price I have to pay to play ball, I�m fine with it. I�ll admit, I think we could fight to get them to back off on modeling and acting, including Range Sports,� I said.
�We could, but I recommend that you not fight that if you don�t have to. What you must realize is the NCAA is a huge bureaucracy, and if they decide to come after you, they will. They think nothing of spending money on lawsuits, and I imagine they might drag their feet until you ran out of eligibility,� Mr. Morris said.
�So, don�t rock the boat. Okay. I�m sure Range Sports will survive without me, once I start college,� I said.
�I promise to get you a huge Nike deal once you graduate,� Tom said to ease the sting.
◊◊◊
Mr. Morris negotiated an agreement with the NCAA. It included the amateurism clearance I needed and a waiver for acting and modeling, including the promotion of movies I acted in. It also included wording about not being able to work for a company who sold either football or baseball gear, even if the ads were not related to either sport. That would, of course, preclude my work with Range Sports
In exchange, I agreed to grant the NCAA, my future school, and their conference the rights to my name and image while I was an eligible athlete in college. But those rights were limited; they applied only insofar as they directly related to football and/or baseball. I stressed, for example, that anything related to my modeling or the movies I acted in, as well as any commercials, were off-limits to them. I didn�t commit to PSAs, committee membership, or being the poster boy for the NCAA. To appease them, we agreed that I would be open to considering requests from the NCAA in each area. To me, �considering� something didn�t mean I had to say yes.
Something Mr. Morris insisted be included was language that if there were ever a dispute over the agreement or any of its terms, standard rules of contract interpretation would apply. Later, he explained he didn�t want the NCAA trying to say their interpretation of any language should have precedence because of their role and experience in regulating college athletics. He also negotiated a �get out of jail free� card for anything I�d done up to this point. The NCAA couldn�t come back later and say that my fundraising for Washington and the subsequent baseball game were found to violate any rules.
Mr. Morris was happy but warned me I needed to be vigilant, and we should prepare for them to break their word. He said that when they did, having the waiver in hand would give us a strong position when we ended up in court. He made it sound like a foregone conclusion. I guess I was na�ve because to me it felt like we�d worked everything out. Mr. Morris said he expected we weren�t out of the woods yet. He hadn�t steered me wrong so far, so I listened to his counsel, and Dad authorized him to prepare for the worst.
Caryn received the happy task of letting all the recruiters know I had my letter of eligibility for amateurism. That, combined with my SAT scores, would allow them to assure my eligibility. They would have to wait until after my fall grades were in to get the final word. But with my current grades and SAT scores, I wasn�t really at risk of not qualifying at most schools.
◊◊◊
We drove to St. Joe for my baseball game. They�d declined to do a doubleheader at State on Saturday. From my perspective, that ended up being a mistake. Fritz had to park three blocks from the high school because of the crowd, which meant that we had to navigate that to get to the athletic facilities. Fritz acted like a fullback to punch a hole in the crowd so I could get to the locker room.
�Glad to see you decided to join us,� Moose said when I walked in.
�Did you know there are people here?� I asked and blinked at Moose.
�Get dressed,� he ordered, unamused.
Everyone else thought I was funny. When we came out to warm up, Moose had to send the autograph-seekers packing. He promised there would be time for signing after the game. Coach Haskins told us that people were upset because they couldn�t get in. The St. Joe police were out in force, but it looked like they had their hands full. The bleachers were full, and it was standing room only around the baselines and outfield. Their bleachers might�ve held a hundred people. I would guess we had at least a couple thousand fans circling the field.
As visitors, we got to bat first. After the national anthem, I smiled when the first notes to AC/DC�s
St. Joe�s team seemed a little shell-shocked when I stepped into the batter�s box. Their pitcher looked around like he wasn�t sure what to do. I had a huge smile when he grooved one right down the center of the plate. That ball jumped out of the park in a hurry. I put my head down and ran around the bases. It was bad enough I had theme music; I didn�t need to show the kid up.
It shook their poor pitcher up because he threw two more pitches that were knocked out of the park before their coach pulled him from the game. I�d hate to calculate how that outing would ruin his ERA.
Their next man up was good. When I came up to face him, he didn�t give me anything to hit, which meant he walked me. He had a good move to first and made me eat dirt. I watched to see what foot he would lift and took off when he lifted his front one. He panicked and balked, which awarded me second base.
I had him flummoxed when I began to dance around at second like I planned to steal third. He balked again, giving me third, and that brought his coach out for a talk. I smiled when Coach Haskins called for the bunt. St. Joe played it well, and it was a bang-bang play at home. I was called out, but my aggression on the base paths was evident, and it fired up our team. We ended up winning 7�2. I went three for three, drove in a run, and scored one.
When I jogged in and had shaken all the St. Joe players� hands, Moose handed me a Sharpie and sent me to sign autographs. Even though it was a colossal pain in the butt, I knew this was part of it. I gave some of the St. Joe guys shit when they got in line for me to sign stuff.
◊◊◊ Friday April 8
I was backstage getting makeup put on when Halle found me.
�There must be two hundred people out there,� she worried.
�Two hundred and fifteen,� I said confidently.
�How do you ��
�That�s how many the theater holds,� I interrupted. �There�s a little placard on the wall by the main entry door that tells you.�
�Oh.�
For an actress who was supposed to be good with words, she worried me sometimes. She seemed more than a little rattled. Then again, this was our first
�In act two, when am I supposed to come in?� I asked.
Halle scrunched her forehead and then told me. I asked her a series of questions about my lines, which irritated her more. But soon she was no longer worried about how bad she would do, she was now concerned I was about to make a fool out of myself. I smiled inside when we heard it was time. We crept to the side of the stage to listen to the Stage Manager deliver his opening monologue.
I didn�t make my appearance until the middle of act 1. Halle was on as Emily before I was. The crowd began to clap when Halle first appeared on stage. She and the others on stage had to wait to say their lines. Finally, Halle and Dana, playing Emily�s mother, got to have their on-stage conversation.
I was on right after that when the scene switched to me speaking to my mom. When the lights turned on us, the crowd began to clap again. It was a little annoying that they would interrupt the play, but we waited until they quieted down. Then it was time for me to say my lines. I think I nailed it.
◊◊◊
Time flew, and I couldn�t believe it when we reached the final scene in act 3, Emily in childbirth. During practice, we�d hammed it up and made light of the final scene.
Emily talks to her fellow dead when George appears. I dropped to my knees, and my shoulders shook. I surprised myself when I was able to create real tears for the scene. The look of sorrow on Halle�s face about did me in. Somehow, she managed to get through her lines, allowing the Stage Manager to come out and do his final monologue.
When it was over, we were both laughing and crying at the same time. We let everyone have their moment of applause, and then we walked out hand-in-hand. From the crowd�s response, we must have done well. I was glad Halle had talked me into this.
◊◊◊
After the play, we all drove to Halle�s house to unwind and eat pizza. Rita was a proud mother.
�You two were wonderful. There wasn�t a dry eye in the house when you were done,� she shared.
�The big goof didn�t tell me he was going to actually cry,� Halle complained.
�That was acting,� I said proudly.
�Whatev � I think you cried like a baby,� Halle said.
I just shrugged it off and wore a big smile on my face. Mr. Dutton arrived and declared our show a resounding success. I ate a few pieces of pizza and loved-up Bandit before calling it a night. I had a baseball game and our play again tomorrow.
◊◊◊
Chapter 31 � Jacob Jeffrey Dawson Saturday April 9
I�d given my tickets for the play to my dad. Last night Greg and Angie had gone with Grandma Dawson and Peggy. Tonight, Mom and Dad were going with Uncle John and Aunt Bonnie. This morning Dad had gone to Granny�s and gotten cinnamon rolls and then stopped at the Quickie Mart and picked up copies of all the newspapers. We�d made the first page of the entertainment section in our local paper, who only had good things to say. The campus paper for State wasn�t as complimentary. Some college student ran down the rest of the cast. He said the performances were uneven, and it was apparent who the professionals were. Even though he was complimentary about Halle and me, he pissed me off. I thought we all did well.
Peggy came down and handed me Little David. He was just the distraction needed to get my mind off the critic. I had to smile when I realized how much his opinion mattered to me. It was silly. It was a high school play, and the audience was entertained and hadn�t fallen asleep. I considered that a win.
◊◊◊
We met at the school and loaded onto the bus to travel to State. They were having an art fair this weekend to coincide with our game. It amused me that State also had a game today, but theirs had been pushed back so we could play at one.
We were early, so Moose let us wander the fair. I was hungry, and among the art booths, I found a stall selling steak sandwiches. Now that I was on a budget, I didn�t offer to buy all the guys sandwiches. I did loan some money to those without any cash on them. Jim offered to act as my collection agent for a percentage, but I didn�t think there would be any problems getting paid back.
While we goofed off, we found ourselves surrounded by sorority girls.
�Hello, boys,� their leader said.
I rolled my eyes when all the guys stepped back and left me to talk to the cute girls.
�Hello, girls,� I said back.
�You�re David A. Dawson.�
�Is that your best pickup line? Surely you can do better than that,� I teased.
�Here we go again,� Jim moaned.
I just ignored him. The leader of the sorority girls was fending off her sisters� comments at her technique.
�Phi Sigs are having a party tonight. You guys should come,� she said.
�Why would they let us in?� I asked.
If I were in a fraternity, I wouldn�t want a bunch of high school boys showing up at my party.
�Because you would be our guests,� she said.
I just shrugged and was about to ask the guys what they thought when she grabbed me and kissed me. I guess she thought I might just walk away and panicked. That was when Moose found us.
�Dawson!� he called.
�It wasn�t his fault this time,� Jim said to defend me.
I didn�t get the girl�s name, but my street cred with the guys raised up a notch. I hated to tell them that strange girls hitting on me was something that was becoming all too familiar. Oh, well. I just shrugged it off.
◊◊◊
When we entered the stadium, State was taking batting practice. Jim and Johan were standing behind the batting cages. They were suddenly in a heated conversation with several of the State players. Moose gave me a look, so I walked over to find out what was going on.
�We may be in high school, but we could kick your butts,� Johan said.
I about fell down when he issued a challenge like that. What I don�t think he realized was State had had a good year last year and returned many of their starters.
�Bring it on. You bunch of wusses couldn�t carry our jocks.�
�Did he just say that?� I asked.
Jim just nodded.
�I think we need to play a game to see who the best really is. We�re free Sunday afternoon unless you�re not man enough to back up your challenge,� I said to Johan�s tormentor.
�You do realize we�re in college. You wouldn�t have a chance,� the State loudmouth said.
�I have five hundred dollars that says we beat you,� I shot back.
That got their attention.
�Make it a thousand, and we�ll even come to Lincoln to play.�
�You better bring your money,� I said.
Moose picked that moment to separate us. He just smirked when he saw I was fired up. Cocky jerks.
◊◊◊
McCarthy didn�t know what hit them. I was in the zone and hit five home runs in five at-bats. Jim and Johan each hit two. We put up 16 runs and blanked them, so the mercy rule kicked in after they were up in the fifth. I was so ready for State tomorrow.
◊◊◊
The play went better tonight. Everyone was more relaxed than they�d been opening night. When we were done, my parents, Uncle John, and Aunt Bonnie came backstage.
�What did you think?� I asked.
�Surprisingly, I enjoyed it. I didn�t expect to,� Dad said.
�High school plays can be pretty bad,� Uncle John agreed.
�Now that I know you can cry on cue, I�m not buying your crocodile tears when you�re in trouble,� Mom piled on.
�You were great!� Aunt Bonnie said.
She just became my favorite aunt. Of course, I only had two aunts, one I never saw, so the bar was set rather low.
Halle, Trip, and Rita came over.
�Good job, man!� Trip said as he gave me a hug.
Halle winked at me. Wolf and Tim worked their way through the crowd.
�You two were awesome,� Wolf said.
�I didn�t realize it had such a sad ending,� Tim added.
�You guys want to go to the cast party with us?� I asked, putting my arm around Halle.
She gave me a look. It was supposed to be just cast members, but I wanted to have some fun with my friends. Trip surprised me when said he also wanted to go. The party was at one of the cast members� house. Their parents had cleared out for the night.
When we arrived, Halle and I were handed homemade necklaces, each with a giant �V� to indicate we were cast virgins. There were three other people there with �V�s on. Halle reminded me I was responsible for her when she did her first shot of tequila for the night.
I liked how she did it. She licked my neck and then sprinkled salt on it. She put a lime in my mouth, licked my neck, did the shot, and then kissed the lime out of my mouth. Tequila shots were fun!
�I�m next!� Trip called, taking it in the wrong direction.
Tim and Wolf thought it hilarious that Halle�s brother wanted to do a body shot on me. I pointed Trip at one of the girls who had a �V� around her neck. She enthusiastically agreed. Trip was devastatingly good looking. I don�t think Rita James was capable of producing ugly kids.
Wolf and Tim soon had girls wanting to do shots with them. I could tell this party was going to get out of hand. As the shots piled up, the kisses became more intense, and hands began to wander. Halle was no help because she kept bringing girls over to do a shot with me. I think Halle liked watching me kiss other girls. She was rewarded with a kiss after each one, as encouragement.
I kept an eye on Halle, and she was having a good time. I got pulled onto the dance floor and found myself between four girls who each tried to out-sexy the others. At first, I would gently push them away if they became too physical�as in grind their butts against Mr. Happy. Mr. Happy seized control of my body when one of them rubbed her backside up against me, grabbed my hands, and put them on her breasts.
I was happy to see Wolf and Tim join us. They were on board with groping and grinding. Halle grabbed me before I bent the girl over and took her on the dance floor. Apparently, I was the one who needed saving.
�I need you,� Halle said with meaning.
I let her lead me to the basement. There were three night-lights plugged into wall sockets to give the room a faint twilight. She pointed me towards a couch and sat me down in the middle. Halle was wearing a skirt. She reached under her hem, and her panties appeared.
�Put these in your pocket,� she ordered.
Halle dropped to her knees and spread my thighs. She unbuckled my belt and unzipped my pants so she could reach in and pull out Mr. Happy. I let my head fall back as she took me into her mouth. I then had a naughty idea. My glasses were in my shirt pocket; I put them on. I�d share the video with Halle to show her how sexy she looked when giving me head.
She got my member wet and then crawled up to straddle my waist. I pulled my jeans down to give her better access. Halle grabbed my package and guided it to the Promised Land. She was sopping wet. We both groaned when our pubic bones collided. I slid my hands up the backs of her thighs so I could grasp her butt to guide her up and down my hard shaft.
I was shocked out of my pleasure when Wolf and Tim sat down on each side of me. My aroused brain focused, and I saw the girls they�d been with on the dance floor were working on getting their jeans undone. I looked at Halle, and she was in her own world as she rode me. I looked next to the couch, and Trip knelt between a girl�s legs, giving her head in the big Barcalounger. When had this turned into an orgy?
Halle came hard on my member. She pulled off and pushed Tim to get him to move. He took his girl and had her sit on the arm as he fed her his junk.
�David, try her,� Wolf said.
I blinked to get my head around what he�d just offered. His girl pulled off him and took me into her mouth. I was in shock when Halle grabbed her by her ponytail and guided her up and down on me. Wolf got naked and removed the girl�s jeans and panties. I was happy to see him put on a condom; I guess one case of clap was enough for him to figure out the dangers of unprotected sex.
The girl, Donna, pulled off me to moan as Wolf stuffed himself into her sex. Tim had gotten naked, as had his girl, Marge, and he was slowly doing her on the armrest. Trip had his girl in a reverse cowgirl as she rode him. I looked at Halle.
�What did we get ourselves into?� I asked.
�You set a bad example,� Halle said.
�Hold on. It was you that pulled me downstairs.�
She just grinned as she grabbed Donna�s ponytail and had her start sucking me again. I leaned over and put Halle into a serious lip-lock. Donna had an orgasm that left her quivering. Wolf pulled out of her, and she curled up on the couch next to me. Wolf took off his condom and offered his package to Halle, but she shook her head no. Wolf then stepped over to Tim and Marge. She eagerly sucked him.
Halle was reenergized, so she straddled my waist again. I loved the feel of her tight little sex as it squeezed me. Donna was a dirty little girl. She had Halle get into a reverse cowgirl position so Donna could lick her as I did her. When I finally approached my climax, I pulled out, and Donna did her best to deep-throat me as I found my release. That was intense.
It turned out the three girls were the other three cast virgins. They said they could get friends to join theater if this were what happened at the cast party. We may have started a new tradition.
◊◊◊ Sunday April 10
The baseball team showed up at noon to get ready for our game with State. The surprise was that our coaches were there waiting for us.
�Go get dressed in your uniforms. You�re representing Lincoln High,� Moose said.
I was stunned when Yuri and Justin also showed up. Justin was our best pitcher, and since this wasn�t an official game, Moose had called both him and Yuri and told them to help us today.
I was even more surprised when the guys all brought money.
�We have your back and don�t expect you to pay for us,� Jim explained.
When we walked out onto the field, the stands were filling up. There were college recruiters and a few scouts who represented professional teams seated behind home plate. Moose had found some men to act as umpires for the game. Jeff Delahey waved me over.
�I hear you decided to take on more than you can handle today,� he said.
�What makes you think we can�t win?� I asked with a smile.
�It might be because they are better at every position.�
�We only have to beat them once.�
�Good point. So, are you going to win?� Jeff asked.
�Hell, yes. They disrespected Lincoln High baseball.�
He shook his head in disbelief. I really couldn�t blame him.
State showed up and looked like they were nervous because of the big crowd. I think the entire high school had come to watch this game. Jeff Delahey was known to both teams and considered neutral, so he held the money.
I couldn�t believe we were playing a college team. I�ll give them credit; they didn�t act like a bunch of ass-hats. My guys followed my lead and showed we also had class. We�d played some games in football we weren�t supposed to win. Wolf and Tim showed some leadership, even though they weren�t playing baseball. They pulled us all together.
�I hear Johan, Jim, and David got us into this,� Wolf said. �I want you all to know that everyone thinks you�re probably not going to win. State is a college team and a good one. What they don�t know is Lincoln High are the Bulldogs. A bulldog can take down a bull that�s several thousand pounds heavier than it is. If you saw the two before the battle, you�d think the bull would crush the bulldog.�
He shook his head, and Tim jumped in.
�You�re about to show State that they might be the better team, but they just ran into bulldogs who don�t give up. When a bulldog gets into you, you have to kill it to get it to let go. Go out there and make us proud!�
We sprinted out onto the field to the sound of those damned cowbells. State was the visitor, so they were up to bat first. I looked around and saw that our guys were all focused and on their toes. That gave me a good feeling.
The first State batter looked confident as he came up to the plate. I guess I would be too if I were in his shoes: used to college ball and about to face a high school pitcher. What he didn�t know was that Justin wasn�t just good, he was one of the best high school pitchers I�d seen. He was still learning, but under the right circumstances, he could get just about anyone out.
I grinned when Moose had me move into short center field so we had essentially an extra infielder. Moose had me standing on the edge of the dirt behind second base. Our other two outfielders cheated towards center field to help cover me deep. The batter got a big smile on his face when he saw our unorthodox defense.
Justin got ready and threw him a high hard one. Their batter couldn�t hold back and hit it a mile high, right to me. I didn�t even have to move. The next hitter was shocked to see Justin throw a nasty slider that tailed away from the left-handed batter. Justin got him to swing at three straight pitches. I grinned when his teammates gave him good-natured shit about being struck out by a high school boy.
Moose had me move back to my regular position. We were now into the heart of State�s order and what should be their best batters. Justin threw a big curve that was smoked. Fortunately, it rocketed right to Yuri who threw his glove up in self-defense and caught the ball. Our guys almost bounced off the field, they were so happy we�d taken them down in order the first inning.
The crowd came to their feet when I stepped out of the dugout, and
I waited for the stomping and singing to stop before stepping into the batter�s box. Moose had warned me they would try to throw a fastball by me to start the game. I�d been practicing with the pitching machines set at maximum. If I could hit those balls, I could hit a college pitcher. I took a deep breath and remembered everything I�d been taught. It gave me a rush when I saw that Moose was right.
I heard it before I saw it�the sound of a ball well hit. The pitcher�s head snapped around as he watched the ball rise out of the park. He was pissed that a kid had just gone yard on him. Our fans acted like we�d just taken the lead in the World Series. I�d never heard so much noise at a baseball game. My entire team waited for me at home plate. The State infield was out at the mound, talking to their pitcher to calm him down.
He did just that and got our next three batters out. State hadn�t scored when I came back up in the third with two outs and no one on. Coach Haskins signaled for me to bunt. State respected my power and played their infield deep. I�d hit six home runs in my last six at-bats, information the announcer so helpfully provided. I think it surprised everyone when I squared around to bunt and laid it down the third base line. The third baseman almost killed the pitcher as they both arrived at the ball at the same time. I was easily safe.
The State pitcher hadn�t had to face a baserunner all game. Coach Haskins wanted me to steal if I got the chance. On the second pitch, I took off. If the catcher hadn�t thrown it high, he would have gotten me. With two outs, I�d be going on the sound of contact. Yuri hit the ball hard up the third base line. Coach Haskins waved me home. The outfielder tracked the ball down and came up throwing to the third baseman. He spun and threw home. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the ball bounce into the catcher�s glove. I didn�t try to sneak in but used my size, strength, and speed to run him over. Something I was really good at was hitting someone on a football field. The ball went sailing to the backstop.
The pitcher ran to get the loose ball as Yuri rounded second. He came up throwing, but Yuri beat the tag. We were now up 2�0.
State complained that I wasn�t allowed to run over the catcher. They were right, of course, but I hadn�t made it obvious what I was doing; I�d reached for the bag. There was also a rule that a fielder couldn�t block the basepath. The umpire pulled in his colleagues, and they talked it over. They decided to let the call stand.
Bryan was up next. He, too, laid down a bunt. Yuri was held at third, but Bryan was able to safely reach first. Jim was now up. He hit one over the head of the first baseman. Because Bryan was running on contact, he was able to score from first. Jim had a stand-up double. We were now up 4�0, and that was how the inning ended when Brock struck out.
State did manage to score three times to make the final 4�3. They were gracious in defeat. Baseball is a funny game. Any given day, you can be beaten; it just wasn�t their day. With our extra pocket money, we celebrated by going to Monical�s for pizza. We invited the State players to join us, and some of them did. They were good guys, even if they did eat a lot of pizza.
◊◊◊ Monday April 11
I got my picnic table to paint; Wolf showed it to me before school. They�d painted the top and seats orange and the supports blue like I�d asked. My idea was to paint our bulldog logo in the center of the table. Stacy said she would pencil it in for me; it made it sort of like paint-by-numbers, which I could handle. When we were done, Wolf would have the shop class seal it to protect the design.
As I walked into the building, I found Pam leaning against the wall in the hall, holding her back. She looked about ready to pop. The doctor had said she would have our baby either this week or the next.
�You need me to rub your back?� I asked.
She looked up and nodded. Pam made happy moaning noises as I massaged her lower back.
�This baby better come soon. I don�t know how much more of this I can take.�
�How�s our boy doing?�
�I think he�s trying to kick his way out,� she said. She grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand to her side so I could feel him kicking.
�Whoa, he�ll probably be a soccer player.�
�Or a swimmer,� Pam said.
One of the reasons Pam and Lacy had moved into their condo was that it had a pool. Pam planned to have our child in the water at an early age. She loved to swim, and I was sure our son would share that love.
We�d also hashed out what we were going to name him. Pam had a friend who had died named Jacob, Jake for short. His nickname had been �Otter� because of his love of water. I added Jeffrey as a middle name to honor my best friend, who had also died while swimming. We were torn as to whether we would call him JJ or Jake. Pam also suggested we call him Ott, short for Otter. She said otters were fast, clever, loveable, and sneaky. Her explanation put a smile on my face. Other suggestions were Coby or Jeb as a nickname for Jacob. I liked Jake, but Pam pointed out that Greg�s youngest was Nate. She was afraid they would get confused. I finally made the call: Coby.
Something we�d decided for sure was his last name would be Dawson and not hyphenated with Pam�s last name. I was willing to do it, but Pam decided he didn�t need two last names.
She and Peggy had finished preparing a bedroom for Little David and our son. We�d set up another bed in the kid�s playroom for when Pam spent the night. I�d also put together another crib in my apartment. I doubted they would let the boys spend the night with me, but was prepared if they did. Dad just shook his head at me. I don�t think he was telling me everything.
◊◊◊
Today was my day to host another lunch-buddy table. I�d agreed to do it once a week. The other hosts were Johan, Jan, Zoe, and Brit. I was happy to see that my table held a mix of people who I didn�t know very well and who didn�t hang out together. It was working out like we intended, in that people met each other and possibly found new friends.
Ms. Jaroslav, our guidance consoler, had given us techniques to facilitate as hosts. The goal was to get people talking to each other. The hard part was drawing out some of the shyer ones. Ms. Jaroslav planned to follow up with the participants and get feedback.
◊◊◊
After baseball practice, I was at the dojo getting the crap beat out of me by Coach Hope. I think he enjoyed teaching me to box. Actually, it was me learning to fight in cramped spaces where I couldn�t move. It forced me to stand toe-to-toe with Coach and punch. Cassidy had taught me to use my superior athletic skills to move in a way to avoid most blows. When I�d been forced to face off with the boxer in the tight confines of the airplane, it highlighted my need to be able to deal with close quarters. I wouldn�t always be able to dance out of danger, as Coach Hope called it.
It wasn�t all bad, though. Coach Hope couldn�t run from me, either. He was a bull of a man and outweighed me by at least twenty pounds. One benefit of using a weighted Bo staff was it had strengthened my wrists and forearms. Combined with quickness, that translated into punching power. I�d watched Coach Hope walk right through punches Fritz had thrown. He�d learned quickly that I had more pop in my punches. The problem was that once he was in range, he could pound my body with devastating effect. It was the classic case of speed and jabbing ability against brute strength.
�Keep him off of you!� Fritz yelled as Coach Hope closed in on me again.
�Jab! Jab! � Throw your hook!� Fritz coached.
The hook staggered Coach Hope, but he shook it off. Frick! He lunged forward and pounded my ribs. I grabbed him and pulled him into me so he couldn�t swing. They�d set up a much smaller ring so I couldn�t really go side-to-side in it. If I�d had a full-sized ring, I could have used my reach and quickness to avoid Coach Hope.
�Break!� Fritz yelled and separated us.
Coach Hope stepped back but came at me again. I dug deep and put all my power into a left-right combination that surprised Coach Hope. He staggered back, and I jumped forward to deal out some of the pain he�d been handing me all afternoon.
�Break!� Fritz yelled.
�I had him,� I complained.
�The purpose of this is not to kill Coach Hope, it�s to learn how to punch your way out of a tight situation. I think you�ve earned an ass-kicking from Cassidy,� Fritz said.
She had a big grin on her face. Double frick!
I met Cassidy on the mat, and she had me go through my forms. She was super-picky about my technique. I didn�t complain, because she was right; I was being a little sloppy and needed to focus. Thankfully, we didn�t get around to sparring. My ribs and stomach were sore from boxing.
Cassidy and Coach Hope took Brook home. I stayed to start my Japanese classes. Caryn had called around, and Shiggy had agreed to teach me his native language. All I had to do was feed him and pay for his time. He took me to a little Italian restaurant, and he began his lessons while we ate.
He wanted me to start learning common words, to begin with. We would worry about putting together sentences once I had some basic knowledge. I actually had a nice time working with him. I figured that if nothing else, I�d be able to order food when I traveled to Japan.
◊◊◊ Tuesday April 12
My phone rang at 2:35 in the morning.
�David, it�s Lacy. Pam�s water has broken, and I�m taking her to the hospital.�
�Thanks, I�ll see you there,� I said and forced myself to get up.
I took a quick shower and took Duke to the house. I went to my parents� room and knocked.
�Hey, I�m headed to the hospital. Pam�s having the baby,� I said as I stuck my head in the door.
�Send us a text when she has it,� Dad said.
After Angie had her two, I guess Pam having another grandbaby wasn�t that big a deal. I let Duke in their room, and he lay down next to their bed. It was too early even for him.
At the hospital, I found Pam in a room with Lacy.
�They say it�ll be a while,� Pam told me.
Boy, was that an understatement. Nine hours later, she had a healthy boy. Jacob Jeffrey Dawson was nine pounds, six ounces, with blond hair and blue eyes that matched his mother�s.
Whoever decided that the father should be in the birthing room when the baby was born should�ve been shot. First, it gives the mother a target for all the pain she�s going through. Pam was the one who wanted a
Looking down into my son�s face was a life-changing moment. This crying little bundle was reliant on me. My eyes misted up, and I instantly understood that I would do absolutely anything for this little guy. I had an enormous smile on my face when I introduced him to Pam.
�Coby, meet your mother,� I said, handing him to her.
�He has your nose and chin,� Pam said.
�He got your eyes and hair color. I think he got the best of both of us.�
�We did good,� Pam said.
We were both in awe of what we�d created. The nurses took him from us to do whatever they needed to do. The doctor had to do some minor repairs on Pam, so they kicked me out. I walked out to the waiting room to find my parents, grandma, Lacy, and Cal waiting. Cal was a surprise, but Mom had coached me not to make things more difficult. I told them all about Coby and what a perfect baby he was, ten fingers and ten toes.
Dad said they would take it from there. I needed to get to school because I�d missed too much as it was. Mom and Dad were designated guardians of Coby and had to do his birth certificate and some other paperwork.
◊◊◊
I made it back in time for lunch to be almost over. I�d taken some pictures so I could show my friends. Lily sent out a tweet with the news, and Adrienne called me as soon as she got it.
�Remember our deal: no baby pictures released. I�ve got a bidding war going to see who gets them first.�
I wasn�t all that impressed until she told me how much money we were talking. Coby�s first picture would be enough to seriously help start his college fund. He was a bigger model than his father, if you calculated it on earnings per photo, and he was just hours old.
Oh. Dear. God! Did I just think that? I was seventeen and worried about college funds for my son.
Adrienne was getting on a plane with her favorite photographer, Jackie Chan, to take the first pictures. I bet that Tyler would be on the flight as well. I had told them we could put them up at the farm. My grandma had three extra bedrooms.
◊◊◊
After school, I skipped baseball practice, with Moose�s blessing. I found Cal in Pam�s hospital room, holding Coby, with Pam smiling. She got a worried look when I came in.
�Not thinking of absconding with our baby, are you?� I asked.
Cal gave me a tight smile.
�I deserved that,� he admitted.
�Daddy was just leaving,� Pam said as a not-so-subtle hint to her father.
I took a deep breath.
�Look, you�re Coby�s grandfather. While I don�t like how you handled Pam�s pregnancy, I expect you will be around now and again. I don�t plan to prevent you from seeing him unless there�s more unpleasantness. That includes you touching Pam again,� I said pointedly.
�I�m not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to see my grandson.�
Mom and Dad came into the room. Cal took one look at my mom and handed Coby to me.
�Thanks. I think I better get going,� Cal said.
Lacy, Grandma Dawson, Greg, and Angie all came in to see Pam and the baby. It didn�t take long for a nurse to come and tell us we had to do this in shifts.
�When do you get out?� Greg asked.
�Thursday,� Pam said.
�Adrienne called. She�s gotten offers for a buttload of money for the first picture, enough for a good start on his college fund. Don�t post any until we can sell the first ones,� I warned everyone.
Greg grabbed Angie�s phone and deleted the picture she�d taken, making me smile. It was a reminder that she wasn�t a Dawson. If Greg didn�t trust her, I wouldn�t, either.
�We have little ones who have to go to college too,� Angie complained.
�They have an uncle who�ll help them out if need be,� Greg reminded her.
Angie gave me a weak smile. She was lucky I loved my niece and nephews. I needed to talk to Caryn to make sure college funds were set up for them. Of course, I would do the same for Little David, Peggy�s son. I already considered him mine, anyway.
Coby got fussy. I checked his diaper. He hadn�t done that, so I handed him to Pam. We hadn�t talked about breastfeeding. Lacy stayed with her to show her what to do. We all left to give her privacy.
Greg and Angie went off, and I could tell they were having a heated discussion. I wondered if they would survive. After she�d told Tami to not get involved with me, and then outed my dad, they�d had a rough patch. It didn�t help that she admitted she�d gotten pregnant with Kyle to get Greg to marry her.
I looked up and saw Devin and Cora Range. I�d forgotten Coby had an aunt and an uncle on Pam�s side of the family.
�There he is! I can�t wait to start spoiling my nephew,� Devin said.
�Careful, he�ll give him a gun or a motorbike,� Cora said.
�Over my dead body,� Mom said with a big smile. �It�s bad enough you try to kill this one. You�re not killing my grandbaby.�
Devin blushed. I wished I�d had an Uncle Devin when I was growing up. Then again, I�d probably have killed myself on a dirt bike.
◊◊◊
Mom and Dad pulled me into an empty room. Neither of them seemed happy.
�How did Cal get into the room? Did you invite him?� Dad asked.
�He was there when I came in. Why, what�s the problem?�
�Remember that settlement we worked out in the fall? In it there was a �no contact� provision between Cal and both Pam and Coby,� Dad reminded me.
At the time, we added the �no contact� because Cal had struck Pam to get her to agree to go after me. Cal probably hadn�t violated the provision by being in the hospital, but he certainly did when he stepped into the room.
�What should we do about it?� I asked.
�Your dad is going to call Ms. Dixon and let her know he has violated the agreement. We�re not sure exactly what we should do, but at the very least we can�t allow him to have contact with no supervision,� Mom said.
My mom made a good point. I�d felt uncomfortable when I saw him alone with both Pam and Coby.
�Until we get legal advice, just keep an eye out. The man made some threats that we certainly took seriously,� Dad said.
Putting my son up for adoption without consent from either Pam or me jumped into my mind. Of course, he was Pam�s father and Coby�s grandfather. I expected that at some point Cal would see the light, or I hoped so. Then again, I would rather err on the side of caution, as far as the safety of my son was concerned.
◊◊◊
Over the next few hours, the waiting room became packed. Beth and Suzanne both took time off from college to see my son. Of course, most of the cheer squad and football team made an appearance. Tracy brought a little football jersey with �Dawson� and the number eleven on it.
I was right: Adrienne and Tyler showed up with bags of upscale baby clothes. Bo Harrington even made an appearance, which meant a lot to me. He�d been on a recruiting trip and was close by. Bo and I�d become more than just coach and player over the past few years. Bo had an Alabama jersey and a football scholarship offer for Coby. I would have to frame them. My son wasn�t even one day old, and he already had his first football offer from a top program.
I received congratulatory wishes from all over the country and even the UK, where Joyce Heart sent me a text.
Caryn and Adrienne put their heads together because everyone clamored to see pictures.
◊◊◊
Chapter 32 � Life Goals Wednesday April 13
After the dojo practice, Shiggy surprised me and invited me to dinner at his house. I�d met his brother one other time, and Akio was there with his daughter. Akio was older than Shiggy and had come to America first. He�d originally set up a dojo in San Francisco. He and his daughter Hana had moved to Washington when she�d been accepted at State, and had opened a dojo there.
�Konnichiwa, David,� Akio said with a smile.
��Hello� to you too. I assume this is your daughter Hana,� I said.
�Yes. Shigehito told me he�s teaching you Japanese. I understand that you plan a trip to Japan this summer.�
�That�s what they tell me. My agent says I�m popular over there. I did an ad for sunglasses that apparently was very well received.�
�You�re a major star,� Hana said and then blushed and looked away.
�Well, I guess so. My agent says that Japanese companies are eager for me to do commercials for them. Shiggy is helping me learn Japanese so I can at least get around when I�m there.�
My stomach growled, which was amusing to Hana. She put her hand over her mouth and giggled.
�Why don�t we talk over dinner?� Shiggy suggested.
Hana hurried to the kitchen as the rest of us sat down. Akio told me that Hana had made the meal. I was fascinated when she brought out small dishes of each item and placed them in front of each seat. There was a bowl of rice, a cup of miso soup, grilled red snapper, and pickled vegetables.
Shiggy explained that everything comes out at once during a typical Japanese meal. There were no appetizers, salads, or soups before the main course. The hardest part was eating rice with chopsticks, but it was sticky enough that I finally figured it out. After we�d eaten, Hana served us hot tea.
�Shigehito tells me you are respected and a man of honor,� Akio said.
I was confused as to where this was going. Shiggy bailed me out.
�What Akio is trying to get at is that I told him I was teaching you Japanese. Hana asked if she could help, but generally, that is not allowed. Hana reminded us that she�s more American than Japanese, which has her father worried.�
I nodded my understanding.
�Hana would also like to travel with you to Japan and serve as your interpreter. It would be an honor for her to help someone like you with our language,� Akio conceded.
Hana sat nervously as her uncle and father offered me the proposal.
�Would it be a problem if she traveled to Japan with me alone?� I asked.
Both men looked at each other. This must be the hang-up. I could tell that Akio was having a hard time accommodating his daughter�s request. She seemed to be 18 or 19, but I got the impression that Japanese fathers were very protective of their daughters. I wondered what her mom would say about this.
�I understood that you normally have a chaperone travel with you,� Shiggy said.
�Yes, but I�ll turn 18 that week. I�d planned to make the trip alone, though my manager might have other ideas,� I said.
�I would have to insist that there be someone else with you,� Akio said.
Hana clearly didn�t like that. She wasn�t hard on the eyes, and I would probably need someone around to help me. It was better to hang out with a cute girl close to my age than with Shiggy; I�d considered asking him to go with me.
�Okay. If Hana wants to go, I�ll make sure there�s a chaperone with us,� I said.
It impressed me that she only had a little smile. Japanese girls were not like American girls.
I think I shocked her dad when I told her she had to contact Caryn and have a background check done. I remembered Shiggy had to go through one when he volunteered to coach baseball. What I didn�t know was if Hana was here legally. If I ever chose to go into politics, I didn�t want someone pointing a finger at me for hiring an illegal. I really wasn�t worried, because if Akio were anything like Shiggy, every detail would have been taken care of.
Once she was hired, it was planned that she would be my tutor. Shiggy would work with me when I went to the dojo, and Hana�s teaching sessions would be done at Shiggy�s house. The bonus would be that she would introduce me to Japanese cuisine. Shiggy thought that was a great idea, but I suspected he just wanted home-cooked meals.
◊◊◊
While I�d been on vacation, Uncle John had met with my �entourage,� as well as Halle, Zoe, Pam, and Peggy. He and Aunt Bonnie were at my house when I made it home. They�d been by the hospital to see Coby. I planned to go after dropping my books off.
�Just the man I wanted to see,� Uncle John said.
�I�m going to go visit Pam and Coby. Why don�t you come with me?� I suggested.
He grabbed his jacket and drove me to the hospital.
�I wanted to talk to you about your friends. I sat down with each of them and helped them set their goals. They told me you wanted to talk to them about achieving them.�
�I think I want to add a new goal: �Helping those close to me realize their dreams,�� I said.
�That sounds like a great goal as long as your help isn�t just financial,� Uncle John cautioned.
�Did you get a feel for what they want to be when they grow up?� I asked, trying to be smart.
�Some. I was a little surprised at the loyalty some of them have towards you.�
�What does that mean?� I asked.
�I used to do this for a living, if you remember. Most people your age are busy finding themselves, and their focus is on them. Now and then, you�ll see someone become focused on another person, but that normally is part of their �winning strategy,�� Uncle John explained.
When I stayed with him the summer before high school to get my head on straight, he�d taught me much about life. One of his lessons was the concept of strategies people used in life to win others over. If you paid attention, you could figure out what those strategies were. An example was the funny person who used humor to get people to like them. Another was the one who made themselves indispensable; they would solve all your problems for you in a quest to tie you to them. Others were bullies; they knew if they were a big enough jerk, they would get their way. Still others were teacher�s pets, and the list went on.
What Uncle John was talking about was the guy or girl who got their first girlfriend or boyfriend and then focused on them. They obsessed about what the other person was doing and how they could get them to like them more. While it sounds great to be on the receiving end at first, you quickly realize that they become clingy.
�So, what are my friends focused on?� I asked.
�They�re still thinking in terms of �what�s in it for me?� That attitude doesn�t really change for some people. Others begin to grow up when they have a life event and realize they�re not the focus of the universe. A good example is you having Coby. I bet when you held him for the first time, he suddenly became a big part of your life�s focus. You might want to add a life goal: I would suggest �Being a good father.��
I could see that.
�So, what point did you want to make?� I asked to get him back on track.
We�d done this more than once, and he just smiled at me.
�Almost all your friends want to go to college with you. Tim and Wolf want to play ball with you. They both want to have you in their life even after football. That could also be said for Cassidy, Tracy, and Tami.�
�What about Alan, Halle, Pam, Peggy, and Zoe?� I asked.
�I don�t want to give the plot away,� he teased. �I want to be with you when you sit down with them.�
�You worried I�ll mess this up?�
�No, I�m sure you�ll do fine. This is what I love to do, though. I believe I can help you construct a plan for each of them, now that they�ve identified their goals. Why don�t I sit in on the first few and we help them figure out how to take those goals and turn them into reality? If you feel you can handle it from there, I�ll step back and let you take it,� Uncle John suggested.
◊◊◊
We went in to see Pam and Coby. Tracy was holding my son when we walked in. It looked like Pam had just fed him, and Tracy was patting his back. I recognized her problem before she even knew she had one.
�You might want to put this on your shoulder,� I suggested, handing her a towel.
I�d had my share of little ones burping up their dinner on my shoulder. It was something that was best not learned the hard way. The first time Kyle did it to me, I about barfed on his head in retaliation. I smiled when she put the towel in place, and Coby rewarded her efforts thirty seconds later.
�Eww,� Tracy complained and handed Coby to me.
�You got her good,� I said, smiling down at my son.
I couldn�t believe that this little creature would grow up into a man someday. He just looked so tiny.
Yep, not done throwing up! I knew better. I took him to the bathroom and cleaned him up. When I came back out, Pam had doe eyes, and I just smiled at her.
�I have no idea what I�m doing,� she admitted.
�You should have seen David�s mom and dad when Greg was born,� Uncle John said. �I�d never seen two such confident people almost crumble with worry. I remember my mom telling them that people had been doing this for thousands of years, and somehow, they�d all figured it out. You won�t get it all right, but if you focus on loving that little guy, you�ll get most of it. The cool part is he has a couple of grandmas who love him to death and will be there to help you through it.�
�That, and if he gets out of control, we can just ship him off to his great-uncle for the summer,� I said.
Uncle John suddenly looked stunned.
�You don�t know how old that just made me feel. My brother has two kids who have kids. Dear Lord, I�m getting ancient.�
�Just think, when Aunt Bonnie has her first, he�ll be younger than all our kids,� I teased.
�There he goes again, being a Dawson �� Tracy smiled, �and just assuming they�ll all have boys. I can�t wait until you have a little girl.�
I gave her a mock look of horror.
�A little girl would run him ragged, and then he�d have a stroke when she started dating,� Pam predicted.
She was probably right. If I had a girl, she could wrap me around her little finger. She could also wait to date until she was thirty.
�I talked to your mom. I�m going to take Coby home until I go back to school if that�s okay with you,� Pam said.
�Of course it is. I want you to be around him as much as you want to be.�
�What about his Aunt Tracy?� Tracy asked.
�She can visit too,� I said. �Whenever she wants.�
The nurse came in and saw that Coby had fallen asleep in my arms.
�All done, I see. Let me put him down until he�s hungry again,� she said, taking him.
�Do you plan to continue to breastfeed him?� I asked.
�They told her that breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day. She wants to lose her baby weight,� Tracy supplied.
Breast milk was better than formula for several reasons. The biggest problem I saw was Pam wouldn�t always be around. She could, of course, get a breast pump and store her milk. I figured I couldn�t force her to do it, but I wouldn�t discourage it either. So I did a Dawson and shut up.
◊◊◊
When we got home, I agreed to meet with my friends with Uncle John. He helped me add to my goals. They now read:
Be a Good Father
Financial Stability
Physically Fit
Solid Moral Foundation
Healthy Sex Life
No Regrets
Make a Difference
Help Those Close To Me Realize Their Dreams
◊◊◊ Thursday April 14
After baseball practice, Fritz picked me up, and we drove to Hill Advertising. Adrienne had rented one of Mr. Hill�s studios for the photos. I walked in to Greg and Angie getting their pictures taken with Kyle, Mac, and Nate. I hadn�t realized everyone would be here for family portraits. While Greg�s family was being photographed, Grandma Felton was sitting with Grandma Dawson, having coffee. I smiled when Sandy Range walked in with her brother and Pam�s sister.
�Hey, stranger,� I said, giving her a hug.
We chatted until Jackie Chan, the photographer, got our attention.
�I told Mrs. Dawson I would take some family portraits. Mrs. Bell would like to get a group picture with everyone,� she announced.
Pam and her family were on the left. I noticed that they�d included Cal. I spotted Peggy and Little David and waved at her to join us. Jackie deserved a lot of credit for getting a good picture out of the mess that followed. It was like herding cats to get everyone in place.
I then wanted one with all the kids and me. Greg, Angie, Pam, and Peggy joined us. Then it was time for Pam, Coby, and me to have our picture taken.
Jackie had us do several traditional poses, and then she did some that were more fun. She put Coby in a football jersey and put black paint under his eyes. Pam and I received the same treatment.
Then we did some art shots. Pam dressed in a Victoria�s Secret pajama set, and I wore white silk pajama bottoms and no shirt. Coby was naked. I smiled when I thought about fifteen years later, when we could pull out his bare bottom and show his dates. Mr. Hill pulled out a bed for us to lie on. That picture made the cover of
Grandma Dawson wanted a picture of Dad, Uncle John, Greg and his kids, and me with Coby. I also added Little David to the group after we did the first few pictures. Peggy wore a big smile on her face, recognizing that I was telling the world that she and Little David were part of my family. I figured that Little David and Coby would grow up together and might as well think of each other as brothers.
Dad came in with Duke, and I had to laugh. I knew a family member had been missing. Duke hadn�t met Coby yet, and he sniffed my son all over. We got a great shot of him with Little David and Coby lying on Duke�s side. When the two little ones were taken off the set, Duke followed Pam and Peggy. He had another baby to look after.
I found Adrienne and Caryn.
�I think the moms are all happy. Jackie did a great job,� I said.
�She wasn�t cheap,� Caryn complained.
Adrienne and I just rolled our eyes. Yes, I could have had Mr. Hill provide a local photographer, and we would have gotten fine pictures. The difference between fine and great might not be much to the untrained eye, but to Adrienne and me, it was worth the expense to have someone of her caliber.
�Have everyone pick out what they want, and I�ll get them printed and framed as gifts,� I said to Caryn.
She gave me a look, but I wanted everyone to be able to remember today. I ended up getting the group shot and the magazine-cover shot for myself. Jackie also made photo albums for everyone with all the best shots. They had a picture of all the little ones as the cover.
◊◊◊ Friday April 15
Tracy ambushed me as I came into school. Apparently, with Pam not being around, she needed someone to harass.
�I�ve set up another blind date for you,� she announced.
That got me a little excited. The last one had been with Melinda Kesh, a Victoria�s Secret model.
�I�m hoping this one was in the
�Who is Bo � what�s her name?�
�Krsmanovic,� I said and pulled out my tablet.
I figured my phone didn�t have a big-enough screen to do her justice. Tracy wasn�t impressed.
�What happened to Hannah Minacci?� Tracy asked.
�She got engaged to some baseball dork,� I huffed.
Tracy didn�t understand the amount of effort I�d put into stalking Hannah. How could she go after some guy who was older and athletic? I was the younger version and just coming into my sexual prime. Hannah had made a colossal mistake.
�Well, you�ll just have to suffer through a date with Brit Callahan.�
I looked at Tracy warily. Her brothers had made it clear that no one was to date their triplet sister. I�d vowed to keep them happy since they blocked for me.
�What about her brothers?�
�I didn�t know you swung that way.�
�Very funny.�
�But seriously, that�s exactly why you have to take her on a date. They won�t kick
I wasn�t so sure of all that.
�You�ll take her to dinner and dancing at the T-Bird,� Tracy continued.
I liked the Thunderbird; they had prime rib on Friday nights. And Brit was a good-looking woman. I say �woman� because she wasn�t built like other girls at Lincoln High. She was six feet tall, and I would guess weighed 160 pounds. The Callahan triplets were of good Norwegian stock. If you�ve ever seen women from there, they�re some of the most beautiful blond-haired blue-eyed women you�ll ever encounter. If Bryan and Brock let their hair grow, you might mistake them for Vikings.
Brit was solidly built, and I think she might have the largest breasts at Lincoln. She wasn�t the least bit fat. I�ve seen her hold her own with her brothers when they got rowdy. While she was no blushing violet, she also was one of the sweetest girls I knew.
I suspected that Tracy was right. The only reason she didn�t date was that her brothers kept a close eye on any guy who looked her way. I�d had them glare at me more than once, and it convinced me to back off.
�I would love to take Brit out,� I finally agreed.
◊◊◊
At lunch, I found Bryan and Brock waiting for me at the entrance to the lunchroom. I was walking with Cassidy, so I wasn�t worried.
�We hear that you plan to take our sister out on a date,� Bryan said.
Cassidy looked at me.
�Why haven�t you asked me out on a date?�
I raised my eyebrows, and she giggled. Did we really have to talk about our promise to her dad?
�We�re going to the T-Bird to eat and then dance,� I explained.
�We don�t think so. You forget, we know what you�re like. You�re not dating our sister,� Brock said.
�Let me throw out a hypothetical or two. The first one is, what do you expect will happen when I cancel my date with her? AND I tell her it was the two of you who talked me out of it?� I asked, and they both flinched, thinking about the repercussions from that.
�The second one I want to throw out there is, is there
They both scowled at me and then looked at each other.
�Okay, you can take her out, but you better treat her right,� Bryan said.
I just nodded. It seems brothers are harder to get past than fathers. They both smiled and walked away, pleased that they had put the fear of God in me.
�Want me to hurt them?� Cassidy asked.
�Maybe a little.�
�Hang on, boys!� Cassidy called out.
Bryan and Brock saw me grin as Cassidy began to stalk them. The smug smiles left their faces, and they ran for it. Cassidy just smiled and joined me in line for lunch.
◊◊◊
Jane had replaced Paul as my driver/security when Fritz wasn�t available. I came down from my apartment and was surprised to find Tracy waiting for me.
�Brit bailed on you, so you get to take me to dinner,� she announced.
I was confused.
�I�d just assumed she wanted to go out with you. Turns out she has her eye on someone else. We�re picking them up,� she explained.
I guess I wasn�t that special after all. I�d take Tracy as a consolation prize any day, though. It turned out I was okay with the guy Brit wanted to date: Tim. On the car ride to the T-Bird, I explained that we�d be eating at different tables. I didn�t want them to feel like Tracy and I were horning in on their date.
I had to smile when we walked into the T-Bird and saw Harper and Mike having dinner. He must have asked her to come home with him for the weekend. Mike didn�t seem happy to see me. I noted his hair was coming back in, but he still looked funny. Fortunately, Jim wasn�t with us, or there might have been a fight before all was said and done.
I ignored him and planned to have a nice dinner with Tracy. The place was packed, so I invited Jane to eat with us since this wasn�t a real date.
�I�d go with the Italian beef or prime rib,� I told the women.
�Fritz told me I only had twenty bucks for dinner,� Jane said.
�Fritz is cheap, and I�m buying. Get what you want,� I said, knowing I was paying anyway.
�Brook said you were poor now and have been put on a budget,� Tracy teased.
It was already halfway through the month, and I hadn�t really spent money on anything. Then I remembered the pictures. I hoped that Caryn hadn�t decided that was part of my monthly budget, or I might be in trouble. Pulling up my bank app, I checked my debit card available balance, and I was golden as long as I didn�t buy beers for the bar.
�We�re good,� I announced.
Both girls smiled and ordered the prime rib. I couldn�t pass it up, either. Tracy got Jane to tell her about what I�d been up to in LA while Tracy told her Lincoln High stories about me. They went back and forth all through dinner. I think the two of them were becoming friends. After dinner, the band started.
I danced with both of them and made a point to dance with Brit. A couple of college guys got brave and asked Jane and Tracy to dance. I came off the dance floor to find Harper at my table.
�Hi,� she said shyly.
�Hey, I see you�re dating Mike.�
I wanted to get this out of the way. It wouldn�t surprise me if the shit were dating her just to rub it in my face. I figured Tami had warned her, but if Harper wanted to date him, it wasn�t up to me to stop her.
�Yeah, you okay with that?� she asked.
�Not really, but I�m in no position to tell you what to do.�
�He�s been nice to me.�
I just shrugged. Mike could be a charming guy when he tried.
�Did you have anything to do with getting him drunk?� she asked.
�I was in another apartment when it happened.�
�That didn�t answer my question. Mike believes you were behind it.�
�Mike should think that through. He tried to snake one of my friends� girlfriend. If he were honest about it, he would know that it was payback for what he did,� I explained.
I wasn�t happy when Mike sat down at my table.
�What�s up, Dawson? Having to recycle your girlfriends?� he asked.
�Harper, you better take your boyfriend and leave,� I said.
I don�t think Harper understood how much I disliked Mike.
�David, that was rude,� Harper said.
Mike gave me a snarky smile that I wanted to wipe off his face.
�I�m serious, unless you want to watch me kick his ass,� I said.
Jane suddenly appeared.
�Is there a problem?� she asked.
�Oh, my. You have a girl do your dirty work,� Mike said.
�I asked them to leave,� I said.
Harper finally came out of her shock and grabbed Mike�s wrist.
�This was a mistake. I�m sorry, David,� she said and dragged him away.
I had a little smile when she made him settle their bill and leave. Harper didn�t look happy.
◊◊◊
Tim and Brit seemed to hit it off. They had us drop them off at Tim�s house. Tracy�s car was at mine, so we drove back to my apartment, and Tracy followed me inside. I wondered what she was up to, but kept my mouth shut�right up to the point she kissed me.
�What do you think you�re doing?� I asked.
�You really are a �stupid boy� sometimes. I�m horny, and I expect you to help me out.�
I pulled her into my arms and smiled down at her. Tracy and I had tried twice, but my mom had been right: we weren�t ready for a relationship. That didn�t mean we hadn�t thought we were. Looking back, I�d been an idiot when I was a freshman. If my mom saw a disaster approaching, I should have listened. Turned out Tracy had a lot of hidden issues.
We�d both changed over the last two years. She�d worked through most of her demons. She would probably always face depression, she was simply much better at coping with it now. While I had worked through my anger towards her, I was a firm believer in forgive, but don�t forget. I would never put myself in a position where Tracy could hurt me again.
What I hadn�t unforeseen was we�d surprisingly become friends. Tracy was one of the few people who never seemed to expect anything from me and gave of herself unselfishly. With how my life had changed, that was something I valued.
There were only a handful of people I trusted as much as Tracy. Outside of my family, the only other people I could think of who I trusted that much would be Cassidy and Beth.
Beth had known me all my life, and I always felt I could tell her anything. Cassidy had slowly grown on me. When I first met her, I thought she was just a goofy little girl. I understood from the beginning that in many ways, Cassidy was na�ve. Then I would remember that she grew up around Marines, and boys would be boys. There wasn�t much that would shock her. What I found was there was an inherent goodness about her and an inner strength that I admired.
What I�d discovered was that Tracy might actually be my best girl friend. Jim, Tim, Wolf, and Yuri were all good guy friends, but I�d always had a female best friend. I still felt Tami was an important friend, but no longer my best friend. Too much had happened in the last couple of years that seemed to put me on guard and keep a bit of distance in place.
So if Tracy needed some sexual relief, I was willing to accommodate her. We were always good together in bed. I gave her a big smile and guided her to my bedroom. We easily fell into a comfortable place. Tracy had always been a vocal lover, and if her cries were any indication, I outdid myself.
◊◊◊ Saturday April 16
Tracy and I came down for breakfast to find my uncle, Tim, and Wolf had joined the family. Tracy blushed, and I gave my two friends looks that dared them to embarrass her. They just got busy eating pancakes. I noticed Coby was in a bassinet next to Little David�s high chair. Pam wandered out of the bathroom and spotted Tracy.
�Slut!� Pam exclaimed.
That seemed to calm Tracy down, and everyone laughed.
�I see you got a t-shirt,� Peggy added.
�You have to work for these,� Tracy said proudly.
I think my dad, uncle, and two guy friends choked on that one. I stepped over to the refrigerator and got Tracy and myself glasses of orange juice.
�What are you two doing here?� I asked Tim and Wolf.
�We�re doing their plan this morning. They wanted to do it together,� Uncle John said.
I guess I had given him permission to work with me.
Tracy told everyone about Mike and Harper. Pam told me she was dropping Coby off for the weekend because she needed to get some sleep. Peggy and Mom seemed up to the task.
◊◊◊
Uncle John took us to the office and showed us each other�s goals. It was interesting to see how they differed. Wolf had grown up in a family where money was tight. His parents had a strong work ethic, but they�d gotten married very young and had never really had a chance to get any kind of education beyond high school. They�d made sure Wolf had grown up with the same values they had, but money was still tight for them.
Wolf�s Goals:
Be the first one in my family to get a college degree.
Play college football and possibly make it to the NFL.
Become a contractor and own my own business with my friends.
Earn enough to stand on my own.
Tim�s family was more like mine. While we weren�t rich, we always had enough money, with both Mom and Dad working. Tim�s mom managed a grocery store and was the primary breadwinner of the family. His dad had gotten a novel published and had decided to try writing full time. His dad was also something of an electrician, and Tim, an only child, had once told me his mom called his dad �my mad-scientist inventor.� They were good people. They had a decent, happy life without having, or needing, a lot of money for what they called �crazy things.�
Tim�s Goals:
Become an architect.
Rehab so I can play football and possibly play college ball.
Enjoy every day and seize opportunities as they come to me.
Learn to be comfortable around girls.
Earn enough money to get a pickup truck.
Go to college with my friends Wolf and David.
Uncle John took each of us through our goals and helped us create a plan or road map. It was actually fun to do it as a team. For each goal, we brainstormed what all the steps were that it would take to reach the desired result. We wrote them down on sticky notes on the wall. There were several that were similar or duplicates that Uncle John helped us condense into either a single step or smaller ones.
He then had us figure out in what order certain steps had to happen and put time frames on them. It was basic Project Management 101.
What it did was get the three of us to buy into each other�s goals and understand how we might help each other achieve them. Uncle John had gone through the same process with me, and it was a good refresher. I felt a lot more confident in my ability to help my other friends do the same.
The one goal that created the most excitement was Wolf�s determination to start his own construction company.
�What�s your vision? You say you want your friends to be part of it,� Uncle John prodded.
�I want to start out small and grow it into something big. I can imagine doing some summer projects and learning all the different trades so I understand how everything works. Tim wants to be an architect, so I hope he would help design what we build. David is good at sales and management. He could handle that end,� Wolf said.
�Are you thinking homes or commercial buildings?� Uncle John asked.
�I�d think we would start with homes and then see where it takes us,� Wolf said.
�I would like to learn about building homes, too,� Tim said. �It can only help me as an architect if I understand how everything goes together.�
�That makes sense. You would want to have the practical knowledge to help you understand the theoretical and help you with the creative. With that foundation, you�d be able to recognize whether your designs could feasibly be built,� Uncle John said.
�You guys would want me to help with sales?� I asked.
�And management,� Tim agreed.
�You do have some leadership skills, and the ability to talk,� Uncle John said with a smirk.
In the back of my mind, I had an idea to jump-start this whole thing. I would make a call to see if I could get some help.
◊◊◊
We played two games at State again and split them. Without Justin�s pitching, we didn�t have enough depth. I also didn�t do nearly as well, going 1 for 9 at the plate. Moose took me aside after the second game and gave me a pointed talk about focusing on baseball for the rest of the year. I promised him I didn�t have any more trips or school projects planned or babies to be born.
◊◊◊
Chapter 33 � Goals and Plans Sunday April 17
I�d started to have weekly meetings with Caryn and Megan. They�d agreed to meet early Sunday afternoons if I gave them Friday afternoons off. I was entertained by their little work of fiction. They really didn�t have to work 40 hours a week yet. They were both on salary, so they were paid the same regardless of how many hours they worked. Mom and Dad told me that the two didn�t take advantage and seemed to get their work done, so I didn�t have any problems with it.
My odd work schedule meant that there were times when they might have to work seven days straight or weird hours. A good example would be when we were in LA and Caryn worked long days as my chaperone on set, in addition to handling her business manager duties. Hiring Caryn was one of the best decisions I�d made, and hiring Megan wasn�t far behind. Mom was extremely pleased with Megan. She seemed to be a wiz at computers and bookkeeping.
What I didn�t expect was that Dad decided to tag along. We sat down in the conference room, and the first thing Caryn did was hand me an envelope. I opened it, and it had an American Express card inside.
�Caryn and I agreed there are times you�ll need to buy something that your debit card won�t cover,� Dad explained.
I frowned.
�It�s not black,� I complained.
�The American Express Black Card is by invitation only. You have to be a member for at least a year and spend $250,000 or more. For the privilege of having one, they require a $7,500 initiation fee and then a $2,500 annual fee,� Caryn said.
That would be a big no. I didn�t need to spend that kind of money on a vanity card.
�Uncle John was thinking about another combine for the farm,� I teased.
Both Caryn and my dad flinched because they ranged from $300,000 on up. Fortunately, I began to laugh. I think if I�d kept my serious face on, they might have taken my new card away from me.
�We decided on the Platinum Card because it allows you to use their Global Lounge Connection at airports and because it provides other cool travel benefits,� Caryn said.
�Did you get Brook one?� I asked.
�Her mom is taking care of that.�
Megan came into the meeting.
�They�re here,� she announced.
I got up when Mary Dole and Granny walked in.
�I take it Caryn talked to you about our restaurant issue,� I said.
Caryn took us all down to the restaurant. The tenant had taken us up on our offer to exchange rent for disputed equipment and had already moved out. Both Mary and Granny wrinkled their noses when they saw the d�cor; it hadn�t been updated in twenty years. They seemed happy with the kitchen, and when we showed them the upstairs, they got excited.
�I see the downstairs as more of a casual dining place, and we can turn the upstairs into a banquet hall for weddings and the like. We can create a Friday and Saturday nightclub atmosphere with dinner and dancing,� Mary said.
Granny seemed to see her vision but was pensive.
�It would cost some money to get it started. This whole place badly needs to be remodeled. I would suggest we take it in steps and see if we can get the downstairs running before we tackle the upstairs.�
�Before we start, I need your help to figure out what all needs to be done and come up with a budget and plan,� Caryn said.
�I�m in if David�s willing to bankroll it,� Mary said.
I looked at Dad, and he nodded. He�d obviously talked to Caryn about it.
�If Dad says yes, I�m in,� I said.
I was in. Dad took me aside while the women walked through and decided what they wanted to be changed.
�We forgot to tell you, but you have to come home after baseball practice tomorrow. Ohio State is doing an in-home baseball recruiting visit.�
I gave him a curious look.
�Sorry, but we�ve been keeping the intensity of your recruiting under wraps,� Dad explained. �The baseball recruiting has gotten hot since you hit six straight home runs and then beat State. I talked to your mom, and we decided that Ohio State could have the first shot.�
I rocked back on my heels. These were the same parents who didn�t come to my first few games my freshman year. They were now deciding whom I should see?
�I thought I�d get a say in all this.�
�We�re working off your list,� Dad said.
�What list?� I asked.
�Your top ten football list,� Dad said.
I couldn�t even remember who that might be. Before I took my dad�s head off, I took a deep breath. Ohio State would always be on my list, so that wasn�t the issue. If I were being honest, this was on me. Since my freshman year, I�d dumped recruiting on Kendal and now Caryn. I�d had a conversation with my dad about my need to hand things off to others because I wanted to focus on school stuff like baseball and the play.
I gave Dad a weak smile.
�Okay, but could we maybe sit down and look at the list you�re working off? There might be some schools I would change,� I said.
�I�ll bring it home, and we can talk about it,� Dad said.
◊◊◊
I drove the Jeep to State and picked up my niece. Someone had opened his big mouth and promised her a horse. I�d had a chance to talk to Zoe, and she agreed to �giving� Mac one until we found out if she was serious or not. Zoe found it funny that I didn�t know that girls loved horses and told me I�d be buying Mac one before this was all over.
Angie had put it off for a couple of weeks, but Mac had remembered that �Unca David promised.� I was afraid that she was going to be like every other woman I knew and would remember everything I said the rest of my life.
When I arrived at married student housing, I was met at the door by Kyle and his new kitten. Nate was sitting in the middle of the floor, playing with his toys, when he saw me. He made the outstretched-arm motion that was the universal sign for me to pick him up. I did and then sat on the floor with Kyle as we petted his kitten.
I about fell over when Mac came out of her bedroom with Angie, all dressed up in western wear, complete with boots and a cowboy hat.
�Horsey!� Mac yelled at the top of her lungs.
Angie laughed when she saw my shocked face. Someone was excited.
We apparently had to leave
◊◊◊
Zoe was fantastic with my niece. She helped her look at all the horses and pick the best one for Mac. It�s funny how you look at girls differently once you�ve had a child. Watching Zoe�s patience and enthusiasm as she talked to Mac made me realize that she would make an excellent mother someday.
Mac picked a big roan horse that had some gray hair starting around his eyes. He was a gentleman who�d been named Bolt because of the markings on his face. I saddled him, and Zoe pointed out another horse that needed exercise so we could go riding.
Mac went from overexcited to leaning back against Zoe and almost falling asleep as we rode. I thanked Zoe for helping me win the Best Uncle of the Year award from Mac. Of course, as far as she was concerned, I was her only uncle�Phil wasn�t in her life at all�but one little girl was happy.
◊◊◊
When I got home from dropping Mac off, both Coby and Little David were being fussy. Peggy and Mom looked worn out.
�Which one needs attention first?� I asked.
�Take Little David, he�s just tired and needs a nap,� Mom said, shoving him into my hands.
He was having none of it, so I pulled up his shirt and blew a raspberry on his tummy. His eyes got big and blinked at me.
�What�s up, Buddy?� I asked him.
Mom threw her hands up in the air and stormed out when he laid his head against my chest and settled down. Coby was hungry, so Peggy warmed up a bottle to feed him. I laughed when I looked back down at Little David and saw the redhead was out for the count.
�Shall we trade?� I asked.
Peggy looked relieved, and we did a little dance until we figured out how to trade kids without dropping one of them. She took Little David upstairs to his crib.
Dad came out of the office and sat down at the kitchen table while I fed my son.
�I looked at the date on your list, and it was from the beginning of last fall. Why don�t we look at who you�re interested in again?� Dad suggested.
�In the Big Ten, my top three are Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State. ACC would be Clemson and Florida State, and SEC is Alabama, Kentucky, and Florida. Big 12, I would think Baylor, Oklahoma, and Texas. Pac 12 has to be USC and Stanford. If all else fails, I could go to State,� I said.
�What about Northwestern, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska in the Big Ten?�
I think he wanted me to stay close to home. Something was apparent to me, though: the Big Ten West could be one of the easier routes to a National Championship. The East division had Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Penn State. It made sense they would beat each other up. On the other hand, the West didn�t have any schools that really stood out.
The reason I said �routes to the National Championship� was because I would almost guarantee you that the SEC and Big Ten would lock up two slots. The other two slots would be split between the ACC, Big 12, and Pac 12. There was an outside shot that either an Independent or someone outside the Power 5 might sneak in, of course.
�Everyone but Iowa could be a backup,� I said, remembering how they�d canceled my visit when I had my problems with Cal. �And not Notre Dame,� I added, remembering their reaction.
�Not every football school has a strong baseball program. Florida and Clemson are strong in both. Alabama and Ohio State aren�t bad,� Dad suggested.
�So why the sudden interest in letting someone have an in-home visit?� I asked.
�Frankly, your mom and I are interested in seeing what they have to say. I figured Ohio State would be a good first step because I knew you were also thinking about them for football.�
�Fair enough.�
�One more thing. Ms. Dixon talked to Cal about his breach of our agreement.�
�How�d that go?� I asked.
�They worked out a deal where the consent decree would be modified to allow Cal supervised visitation only with prior written permission from your mom or me,� Dad explained.
�That makes me feel better.�
�You�re not going to like the final part of the deal,� Dad said with a smirk.
This didn�t sound good.
�You have to call Ms. Dixon and let her yell at you.�
I blanched at that.
�Why?� I asked.
�This is how she explained it to me. Cal�s visit to Pam and Coby, if we�d let it pass, would have been taken as our effectively waiving the �no-contact� provisions of the injunction. A waiver is �the intentional relinquishment of a known right,� and can be done by an action or inaction; in this case, inaction. Ms. Dixon was upset because she assumes Cal knew this and used the birth of Coby to try to break that provision of our agreement,� Dad explained.
�No one ever said Cal wasn�t smart. It�s too bad that we have to assume he�s up to no good.�
�Let�s put it this way: Ms. Dixon said he wasn�t surprised by her call. One more thing: Ms. Dixon said that neither Pam nor you can consent to allow Cal to visit because you�re both minors. If he calls either of you for a visit, have him call me,� Dad said.
�Well, I�m glad Ms. Dixon took care of this. I guess I�ll call her and take my verbal beating.�
Dad reached over and messed up my hair.
�You�re a good kid. She just wants to remind you that you have to be careful and protect yourself, especially from someone like Cal. That�s why you have Ms. Dixon and others like Frank Ingram. I think she wants you to put her number on speed dial.�
�Funny you should say that, she�s number nine,� I admitted.
�You better tell me your mom is number one, or there�ll be hell to pay,� Dad teased.
My eyes got big.
�I need to change that.�
He actually took a swipe at me! When Dad and I were done, I called Pam to get her up to speed. I then bit the bullet and called Ms. Dixon. I�m happy she�s on my side.
◊◊◊ Monday April 18
Stacy Clute was done penciling in the bulldog logo on my picnic table, and I�d brought my lunch today so I could do my painting during lunchtime. When I walked into the school�s shop area, where they were storing the tables, I found Halle and Stacy already painting it.
�Hey,� I complained.
�You know we�re better painters,� Halle said and stuck out her tongue.
�I thought �� Stacy started, looking confused.
�Never mind that,� Halle interrupted. �We didn�t need David messing up your work. The boy doesn�t seem to be able to paint within the lines, anyway.�
I just ignored the shots at my artistic ability and grabbed a paintbrush. I wasn�t worried about the help. More than anything, I just wanted to get this done and off my list of things to do. I was relegated to painting the white circle around the logo. Halle and Stacy did the bulldog. Instead of the graphic one we had for our helmets and jerseys, they made it more lifelike. What took them forty minutes would have taken me a week of lunch periods to produce. I knew I could have eventually done the same, but they had more practice.
When we were done, I stood back and smiled.
�I think he approves,� Halle said.
�Oh, yeah. You two did great,� I admitted.
I sent a text to Wolf for him to come check it out. He knew I was working on my table today, so he came right out.
�That looks good! All that�s missing is for the artist to sign his work,� Wolf said.
I smiled.
�Ladies,� I prompted.
They both smiled and signed their names at the bottom. I started to clean up.
�Aren�t you going to sign, also?� Stacy asked.
�Wolf didn�t sign, and he put the base coat of orange and blue down. I just painted the circle. You two did the actual art and should get the credit.�
�David�s right. You girls did a great job. I�ll let it dry for a couple of days, and then we�ll put a clear coat over it to protect it,� Wolf said.
�Who hosted tables at lunch today?� I asked to change the subject to the other junior project, Lunch Buddies.
�Tim, Brook, Zoe, and I did it. It was a lot of fun, more than I expected. I met some new people, and Ms. Jaroslav joined our table today. She wanted to observe how it was going so she could report the success of our class projects to her bosses,� Wolf filled me in.
Alan had come through with this one. I would have to make a point to tell him. While I didn�t feel as close to him anymore, it didn�t mean that I needed to act like an ass, either.
◊◊◊
During baseball practice, Moose and Coach Haskins had the outfielders working on fielding skills.
�The center fielder is in charge of fly balls. In our last game, we almost had a collision when David called you off, Milo,� Coach Haskins said.
Milo had been in right field when a ball had been hit in between us. I�d called him off, but instead of backing me up, he had just stopped. It might have been an easier catch for him, but I had the better angle to throw the ball after I caught it. The base runner had gone halfway to second, and when he saw it was going to be caught, he had just trotted back to first. I had planned to come up firing and double him up, but I ended having to dance around Milo, which threw off my momentum.
�If you hear David call out either �mine� or a position, follow his directions. Sometimes it�ll be better for an infielder to get the ball,� Moose said.
�If you�re called off, back them up in case they drop it,� Coach Haskins said.
We practiced my making decisions on fly balls. If I didn�t say anything, it was theirs to catch. If I called them off, they moved back to give me room to catch it, but also to keep it from getting through. Letting one roll to the wall was a sure extra-base hit.
We then worked on backing up the infield. An errant throw that wasn�t backed up could mean extra bases. Coach Haskins hated to give up extra bases. He harped that each extra base was equivalent to the other team eventually scoring. That was why he wanted us to be aggressive on the base paths. It was much easier to score from second than it was from first. If you were on third, almost any base hit was an automatic run.
The final thing we worked on was deep fly balls.
�You have to be the eyes of your teammate. If he�s running back to the wall, you need to call it out
�Most high school fields don�t even have that,� Coach Haskins added.
At State and the better baseball fields, there was a cinder track along the outfield wall. This was in place for player protection. If you stepped off the grass and onto the cinders, you knew you were right there. The reason they wanted us to warn each other was that if you were going full out, the cinder track wasn�t enough warning. Hitting the wall was one of the quickest ways to get hurt.
It had been a good practice.
◊◊◊
On the way home, I fielded a call from my publicist, Frank Ingram.
�David, I�ve got a slightly unusual request for an interview for you. It�s a photojournalist from a women�s magazine,
�You know my schedule. No way can I do that,� I complained.
�I already told them that,� he chuckled. �She said she�d come there to interview you.�
�This doesn�t make sense to me, Frank. Why would a women�s fashion magazine want me for a story, even if it�s for their website?�
�I asked her that very question,� he responded. �The way she put it to me was that the demographic
I could just see Frank struggling mightily to hold in the laughter. Hmmm.
�Okay, but I�m not going to put myself out for it. If they want to do it that bad, the woman can interview me at the house.�
�I�ll let her know. We�ll see what happens,� he replied.
◊◊◊
When I finally got home, I found Coach Bail, the head coach of Ohio State�s baseball team, sitting in the living room. He was talking to my parents, Uncle John, and Grandma Dawson. Peggy had taken all the little ones, including Duke, to Pam�s condo. I hadn�t realized that my uncle and grandma would want to meet the coaches.
I recognized Coach Bail as one of the recruiters who�d been behind home plate for the State game.
�David, it�s good to finally meet you,� he said as he got up and shook my hand.
Coach Bail had been coaching baseball for 22 years. He had been the head coach at Western Illinois for eight years before he got the Ohio State job six years ago. He was one game under .500 his first year but had shown improvement since then. Each year after that, they�d consistently been over .500, but not by a lot. Coach Bail�s overall record was 402�325. At Ohio State, he was 159�125, or a little more than 5 games over .500 each year.
What I got out of the discussion was that he was a good hands-on coach. It would be a fine place to play, but I didn�t see any National or Big Ten Championships in their future. Last year,�Ohio State advanced to the Big Ten Tournament for the fifth consecutive year, the only school in the conference to accomplish that feat. They�d posted a 35�20 overall record and 13�11 mark in Big Ten play.
Coach Bail won my mom over when he talked about families, including his personal family, his athletics department family, and the families of the young men he coached. It was apparent this man cared about his job as well as the players, coaches, and everyone else in his life. I liked him personally.
He then talked about how he saw me fitting in. Coach Bail had done his homework on me and knew of my Under-18 invitation and the work I�d done with the Cubs hitting instructor. He was honest and said that there were older players who would probably be ahead of me. But there was a chance I could walk in and start because there would be open tryouts. I liked that he would give me a chance to prove myself.
�David, I�ve talked to Coach Casey, and he wanted me to convey that he wouldn�t have a problem with you playing both football and baseball. I know that there�ll be some overlap between spring football and baseball season. Of course, I�d prefer you just play baseball. But I want you to know that you have the full support of Coach Casey and myself in making it as easy as possible for you to play both sports.
�Coach Casey told me he and his staff hadn�t had their in-home visit yet. But he would be ecstatic if you decided to play both baseball and football at The Ohio State University,� he said to finish his sales pitch.
After our talk, we had dinner, and Coach Bail got to know us all better.
◊◊◊ Tuesday April 19
My phone woke me up. I looked at the caller ID and sighed. Word must already be out about my first in-home recruiting visit.
�I didn�t set it up, my parents did,� I said as soon as I picked it up.
�Someone has a guilty conscience. Our guy can be there for dinner tonight,� Bo Harrington, my former mentor and now quarterback coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide, said.
�I call bullshit. Alabama is not going to let me play both football and baseball. Coach Wilson couldn�t conceive of anyone not being 100% focused on football.�
I heard Bo laugh. Everyone knew that Coach Wilson ran his program almost like a pro team. If they would just wise up and make it so football players didn�t have to waste time in class, he would probably be happy. I would be shocked if he would let baseball interfere with football preparations.
�What if I told you he said that for you, he would make an exception?� Bo asked.
�I�d call you a liar to your face,� I shot back.
�Okay, you got me,� Bo said with a snort. �What if I told you, you could play baseball
Coach Gat was Alabama�s baseball coach.
�Look at you, working your magic to make me happy,� I teased him.
�I�m results-oriented,� Bo retorted.
That sounded like something his boss would say. I decided to test his resolve.
�I�ll believe Alabama is on board with me playing both baseball and football if you can get Coach Gat to dinner at the Dawsons� tonight.�
�Will you commit to Alabama if I make it happen?� Bo asked.
�No. We already discussed this. If I remember correctly, someone advised me not to make a commitment until spring of my senior year,� I said, using his advice against him.
�I told you that before I had the perfect place for college lined up for you,� he replied, and then got serious. �Wanna know a secret? I think we might have to start Wes Hunt as a true freshman.�
That got my interest. Wes might win them some games, but if the pressure was on, I was betting he would fold at the wrong time. I could walk onto campus as their savior. The only problem with my logic was that if Wes had a year�s experience with actual playing time, it would be hard to unseat him. I could end up on the bench for the first three years.
Then again, I knew that every time we�d gone head-to-head, I�d beaten him.
What shocked me was that Coach Wilson might actually consider starting a freshman. Quarterback was, without a doubt, the hardest position to just walk on and play. Coach Wilson must have some real problems if Wes Hunt would need to start. I didn�t say that to take anything away from Wes; he was the best quarterback in the senior class. I could name fifty teams that would beg to have him on campus starting for them. It was just that we were talking about Alabama, probably the best-run football program in college.
�I could actually start as soon as I walk onto campus,� I said in astonishment.
�Sometimes I forget that you�re a �stupid boy� and don�t read your own press clippings. I�ve seen both of you play, and I think you�d have a shot at unseating him,� Bo said.
That gave me pause. I pondered what Bo was telling me.
�I really don�t want to deal with baseball recruiting right now. The Ohio State visit was something my parents set up so they would be familiar with the process,� I admitted.
�Good. I would have had to pull some strings to get Coach Gat there tonight, but I would have if you wanted me to.�
�Thanks.�
�How was it?� Bo asked.
I launched into a five-minute spiel on the virtues of The Ohio State Buckeyes.
�Did you know that it snows there?� Bo threw out.
This time I had to laugh. If he wanted to play the weather card, I might have to tell him what it was like at USC. At least in southern California, it didn�t feel like there was 90% humidity when it got hot. We talked for a little longer, and then I had to get up and go run.
◊◊◊
Tonight, at baseball practice, it was just Moose working with the outfielders. He wanted to work in detail on balls where we had to contend with the wall or fence to catch.
�If a ball looks like it�ll be a home run, I don�t want you to do what David did earlier in the year,� Moose said. �Don�t try to use the wall to boost yourself up to catch it. I say that with one exception: if we�re in the playoffs, and it�s the State Championship in the bottom of the seventh inning, do whatever it takes.� Moose grinned as he said that.
�Why shouldn�t we try to make that catch?� Dan asked.
�Two reasons. The first is that the chance of injury makes it not worth it. The second is that the odds of you making that play are slim. When I played baseball, I think I made five of those plays. On the last one, I tore a ligament in my ankle. I had to have it reattached and was in a cast for six weeks. It still bothers me when the weather changes, almost forty years later.�
�If we do need to do it, what�s the right way?� Milo asked.
Moose trotted over to the fence to demonstrate.
�Even a chain-link fence like this can hurt if you run into it. Hit a pole, and forget about it. I�ve seen players get knocked out, broken arms, bruised ribs, and the like. I�m telling you little dumbasses this so you understand that it�ll mess you up if you aren�t listening for your help,� Moose said. Then he looked each of us in the eye.
�If you don�t call out a warning for your teammate, you�ll be sitting next to me in the dugout. Is that understood?� Moose asked.
�Yes, sir,� we all said in unison.
�The trick to doing it right is to use your non-glove hand to grasp the top of the fence. This is to keep your ribs from smacking into the wall,� he said with a half-smile as he demonstrated what would happen. �Then put your toe against the wall and push yourself up.�
It looked perfectly safe to me.
◊◊◊
After my dojo workout, I drove to Shiggy�s house. Brook and Cassidy were curious about my Japanese lessons, so Shiggy agreed to let them come to dinner. He assured me that Hana had enough to feed everyone. I think Brook wanted to see if she needed to worry about Hana.
We were all hungry, so Shiggy had Hana serve dinner first. Cassidy got excited as she clapped her hands.
�Oh, goody, tonkatsu.�
�You�ve had this before?� Hana asked.
�When I lived in Japan. It was one of my favorite things to eat,� Cassidy said.
Both Brook and I turned and stared at our friend. She waved us off.
�Daddy was posted in Nishiki, Japan, when I was in second grade.�
�The Iwakuni base?� Hana asked.
�Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni,� Cassidy clarified. �Daddy was stationed there for almost a year, and my brother and I were there with him.�
Tonkatsu was a melt-in-your-mouth-tender breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet served with a side of miso soup, rice, and a mountain of shredded cabbage. I had to agree with Cassidy, this was good.
I had my language lesson with Hana and Shiggy. Cassidy was somewhat good at it since she�d lived there, but it had been a number of years, so she was rusty. At the end, Brook had a question.
�I hate to impose, but could we join David in his lessons?�
�No imposition. David pays for the food and the lessons,� Hana said, and then blushed. �That is if it�s okay with him.�
I was okay with them joining in.
�As long as you realize I need to get up to speed before my trip.�
I didn�t want them getting us off track.
�What trip?� Cassidy asked. �Can I go?�
I told them about my plans to go to Japan this summer. Brook gave me a half-smile that dared me not to invite them.
�You do realize I�ll be doing commercials,� I said to try to head this off.
�That�s okay. Brook and I can keep busy when you�re working,� Cassidy said.
�You have to get permission from your parents,� I tried, but as soon as I said it, I knew that wouldn�t be a problem for either of them. They were both daddy�s little girl.
◊◊◊
I came home to find Tami and Uncle John in our kitchen.
�Goals?� I asked.
Uncle John nodded.
I had to deal with Duke as he came tearing down the stairs. He must have been on the third floor with the babies. I opened the back door, and he flew by me to get to the back yard. I smiled to see he had his favorite tennis ball in his mouth.
Fritz had installed floodlights that turned on if they sensed motion, so the backyard was bright enough for us to play ball. Dad had said that Mom had finally picked out the replacement fence. I�d hoped we wouldn�t need it after everyone got used to me doing movies. But we still had people show up, so it was decided to go ahead and remove the chain-link fence and put in something more stylish.
Mom had picked out a fence that had brick posts with wrought iron panels. Fritz had insisted that it had to be at least eight feet high and have what was called �pinch tip� pickets, with the little pointy ends on the top. I hoped it turned out as well as the pictures suggested.
Duke and I came back in when he was winded. I got him fresh water because it looked like his mouth had been full of mud the last time he got a drink. When he was done, he charged back upstairs.
We stepped into the office, and Tami handed me her goals.
Tami�s Goals:
Repair my Friendship with David.
Become a Doctor.
Make a Difference.
Experience Life.
�You don�t expect me to help brainstorm with you on the first one, do you?� I asked.
�Of course I do. Without us working together on it, it�ll never happen,� Tami said.
�That�s exactly what I was going to say,� Uncle John added.
I felt sorry for Aunt Bonnie. She would miss him after I killed him. Turned out, that wasn�t the hard one. The last one was the one that had my insides churning.
�So how many guys do you think I need to have sex with?� Tami asked.
Uncle John choked on something, had a coughing fit, and had to leave.
�How many girls have you had sex with?� Tami asked as a follow-up.
�Like I�m falling for that one. Next, you�ll want me to list them and give you details about each. Nope, not happening.�
�How will I gain any experience if I don�t have guidance? I thought that was what this is all about,� she teased.
I nearly shot back a sharp retort but bit my tongue. My first thought was to offer to just show her, but that would have been a bad idea. Then it dawned on me that that was Tami�s plan all along. That realization helped me harden my resolve. The �Experience Life� line was from our breakup last summer.
�Let�s agree that if you feel you need more sexual experience, you�ll get it without feeling the need to share your exploits with me,� I said.
Tami just nodded. I think she was testing the waters and didn�t like where things stood. For now, that was the best I could do for her.
◊◊◊
After Tami and Uncle John left, I called Jack Mass.
�Well, good evening, Mr. Dawson.�
I smirked. He had been extra nice to me recently after I invested a bunch of money with him. Time for me to test that goodwill.
�Hey, Jack. I was wondering if you could help me out,� I said.
�Anything for you,� he said.
�Great!� I said and hung up.
I giggled when my caller ID said it was Jack calling back.
�Okay, I�m a dumbass. What did you just get me to agree to?� he asked.
�That you would forbid Harper from dating Mike,� I said.
�First, I agree that she shouldn�t be dating him. There�s something I don�t like about him,� he admitted. �The only problem is that she won�t listen to me.�
I sighed. It was worth a shot.
�You need to listen to your instincts. He�ll end up hurting her.�
�Unfortunately, you and I might see it, but you can never convince someone that the person they�re dating is bad for them. Remember, I tried to get rid of you.�
He had.
�Fair enough. The real reason I�m calling is I�ve been working with some of my friends on their life goals. I think you can help me help them achieve their goals,� I said.
�How�s that?�
�You know Tami Glade?� I asked.
�Yes, she�s the smart girl on scholarship at Wesleyan.�
�That�s her. She wants to be a doctor. Apparently, Northwestern has a program geared for gifted high school students to expose them to what they could expect if they were to become a doctor. It�s for the summer. Last year she tried to talk me into sharing an apartment with her. Both our moms rejected the idea of letting us loose on Chicago on our own,� I said.
�Are you suggesting that she stay with us?� Jack asked.
�I figured you might have some room at the inn.�
They had a humongous house. I would bet they had bedrooms that had never even been used.
�I�d need to talk to Bev before I could agree, but I don�t see why not. She and Harper get along.�
�There�s more. I have two friends who want to learn to build homes. One wants to be a contractor and the other an architect. It would be the same sort of deal. They would need to stay with you, and I was hoping you could use them in some way that they could get valuable experience.�
�Are either of them troublemakers?� he asked.
�They�re my best friends. There is something, though, and I hate to bring it up, but I don�t want you to be pissed. One of the guys is black,� I said.
He laughed.
�Thanks for telling me, but we�d be fine with that. It�s funny; my dad�s generation would have had a problem. It�s like having to explain that one of your friends is gay. It�s one of those topics that isn�t politically correct to talk about, but some people would be offended.�
I didn�t think Jack or Bev would care; in fact, I really didn�t ever consider it. But if they were opening their home to my friends, I wanted to make sure it wasn�t an issue.
I heard Bev in the background. Jack ran my idea by her, and she laughed when she heard I�d asked if they would have a problem with a black kid living with them. I felt foolish for asking. Wolf told me once that he sometimes faced racism. I didn�t want to put him in a situation where he might have to face it every day for a summer. I�d rather feel stupid than hurt him like that.
They agreed to my plan but wanted to talk to everyone�s parents. I told Bev to call my mom, and she would coordinate everything.
Before going to bed, I told Mom and Dad my plans for my friends. I told Mom that Teddy Wesleyan had arranged the Northwestern thing last year for Tami. She said she would talk to him and see if they could do it again for this year. Mom agreed with Bev that their parents had to be on board before they were told, so I was instructed to keep my mouth shut. You would think I couldn�t be trusted.
◊◊◊ Wednesday April 20
Tonight, I found Tracy and Uncle John waiting for me. She stood up so I could give her a hug and kiss. We walked into the office, and I read Tracy�s goals while Uncle John explained what we were going to do.
Tracy�s Goals:
Have a Great Senior Year.
Travel
See David Play in the U-18 Baseball Tournament
Go to Dad�s Place in Chicago for a Couple of Weeks
Go to College and get a Degree in Sports Journalism or Public Relations.
Find a Boyfriend.
Tracy had missed a semester because of her depression. She would graduate after the fall semester of my senior year. She told me she wanted to go to college with Pam and me. Tracy planned to go to State for one semester and then transfer to wherever we would end up.
�I�ll miss my first semester of college because I have the
�Do you know where they plan to film them? I hope you don�t have to freeze your butt off in Canada again.�
�Saul, my agent, says it�ll be in New Zealand. That�s where they filmed the
�I would love to visit someday,� Tracy said.
In the back of my mind, a germ of an idea began to form.
When we were done, Tracy hung around after Uncle John left. He seemed to really enjoy helping my friends get a focus to their lives. He pointed out that it would give them a huge advantage because most teens had no idea what they wanted to do. Or, if they did, how to achieve their goals.
What I found interesting was that my friends� goals seemed more specific, like �get a degree in xyz� whereas mine were more general, like �help my friends.� Uncle John told me that was because we�d spent a whole summer early on, developing my goals. And we�d also mapped out how I wanted to live my life. With my friends, he hadn�t spent as much time and tried to focus them on a more immediate time frame.
A good example was my �physically fit� goal. Uncle John had shown me yearbook pictures of people in his high school class and then their photos from his ten-year reunion. Seeing how many of them looked out of shape or carrying too many pounds had made me realize that it was a lifelong goal. It wasn�t just something I would do while I played sports.
�I�ve been put on notice that I can�t send you on a blind date this week. You have to take Zoe,� Tracy said.
I thought about Zoe, and that sounded like a good idea. In my mind, I had slowly been moving her into the �friends� zone. It seemed to link back to our conversation about religion and sex. Since that conversation, we hadn�t been intimate. We needed to decide what kind of relationship we wanted to have. I did know that she had a sexual bucket list. But I wasn�t sure if she and I would work on that list or if she needed to find a nice Mennonite boy to settle down with. I was sure that was her mom�s preference.
Tracy also told me I had to spend time with my baby mama. Pam was feeling fat after having our son and needed to be reassured that she was still attractive. I just snorted at that, because I�d told her she was beautiful every day since she�d had Coby.
Mom had pulled me aside and explained that I had to be extra careful if we had sex when that time came. Apparently, a woman�s body knew it was in baby-making mode right after the birth of a child, and it was easier to get pregnant. I thought it was an urban legend and more likely caused by the woman being in a stable relationship where sex was involved. If you weren�t careful the first time around, you probably weren�t going to be careful the second.
If I hadn�t intended to take my mom�s advice, her follow-up argument had sealed the deal. She had told me she would take both Duke and me to the vet if I got
I�d teased her with her dream grandchild produced from Beth and me, and I think she envisioned the wedding bells for about half a second. Then she gave me a look that sent Duke and me to my apartment.
I kissed Tracy goodnight and thanked her for being a good friend to Pam and me.
◊◊◊
Chapter 34 � How Hard Could It Be? Thursday April 21
Cassidy came home with me after our dinner and Japanese class. Tonight�s culinary treat was a simple soup called ochazuke. It was a bowl of plain white rice and green tea mixed with dashi kelp broth, topped with salmon flakes. When they told me about the kelp broth and salmon flakes, I thought it sounded a little iffy. But Cassidy dove right in, and she wasn�t the most adventurous eater. After trying a bite, I appreciated Hana exposing me to the foods I�d be eating when I traveled to Japan.
When we strode into the kitchen, we found Pam and Peggy there with Little David and Coby. Coby was in Pam�s arms and seemed like a happy boy. I smiled when he reacted to my voice. Little David was chattering away. Uncle John and Cassidy stepped into the office to get started while I played Daddy to two little boys.
Mom came into the kitchen with a stack of magazines that had a picture of Pam, Coby, and me on the cover. They�d interviewed me about my troubles last fall with Cal. I�d kept it generic, but Frank had pointed them to the details in the public records. That got me off the hook for commenting on any specifics, since I didn�t want to violate the agreement. I just talked about my feelings, probably my least favorite subject to be asked about. Then I spoke about how my parents had stepped up to support Pam and me. I freely admitted I was too young to be having babies, but at some point, I wanted a houseful.
Pam had surprised me, though I was careful not to mention it. I remembered the Valentine�s Day fiasco, where she�d gone home from New York because she didn�t want to be in the public eye. So I was stunned that she allowed herself to be in the photo for
I walked into the office, and Uncle John handed me Cassidy�s goals.
Cassidy�s Goals:
Become a Marine.
Physically Fit and Help Others Become Fit Also.
Become a Trainer
Protect People Who Cannot Protect Themselves.
Teach David to Protect Himself.
Learn Security.
Travel.
�When you say �trainer,� do you mean a personal trainer like at a gym, or do you mean a trainer like a football trainer?� Uncle John asked.
Cassidy thought for a moment and seemed confused.
�What would be your perfect job?� I asked.
She didn�t hesitate. Obviously, she�d thought about this before.
�Ideally, I�d like to work with someone like you. I would help them get into shape and stay healthy and protect them from harm. I would help them be the best they could be.�
�When you say �security� and �protect,� are you talking about what Fritz does?� I asked.
�Yes.�
�Do you want to be my trainer and security?� I asked to get clarity.
She smiled. I took that as a �yes.�
�Or someone like you,� she teased.
�Where are you going to find someone like me?� I fired back.
She bit her lower lip.
�I guess I�ll have to settle for you.�
I was glad that Uncle John was with us today. What Cassidy wanted to do would involve specialized training, especially the physical trainer part. He called Cassidy�s dad and had a long talk with him about what her goals were.
While Uncle John was on his call with Coach Hope, I called Fritz and talked to him. I told him I wanted Cassidy to start learning what was involved in doing personal security. He was aware that she could handle herself and was proficient with weapons, including guns. Personally, I could vouch that she was a better shot than I was with a paintball gun. I still woke up in a cold sweat when I thought about her shooting me in the balls. He had an idea that hadn�t occurred to me: with her being my age, she could act as my traveling companion without messing up his security staff assignments. He suggested that she might go with me when I traveled to Cuba, Japan, and Mexico this summer.
I�d been on speakerphone so Cassidy could listen in. In retrospect, it was probably a mistake to do that because her dad was toast. I hadn�t gotten his permission before she found out she might get to go on these trips. If he told her no, I might just stumble upon his dead body. I shook my head as I learned another lesson the hard way.
When I realized that Brook wasn�t going to be happy about not being able to go to Cuba, I cringed. I also wondered if we would have enough time to get Cassidy approved. The State Department had agreed to allow additional people to go if they had legitimate business reasons for accompanying me to Cuba.
Personally, I was happy that Cassidy might be with me. I had a feeling the movie would be stressful since the director didn�t want me. I�d need someone to talk to about other topics besides the film, or I�d focus on the wrong things. Cassidy could also help me continue my Japanese lessons while I was in Cuba.
◊◊◊ Friday April 22
Today, Pam was going back to school. I was told to pick her up, along with Tracy. When Fritz dropped us off, we found Lisa Felton waiting for us. She wasn�t alone; Jan and Piper stood next to Lisa. It made sense they were together since boys had abused each of them in one way or another. I just hoped this didn�t turn into a man-hater club.
It made me happy to see that Lisa was finally accepted. It also helped that she wasn�t wearing her short skirts anymore.
Today was test day. I think our teachers got together and decided they would torture us all on the same day. I was glad we�d put together the study-group system because with all the school I�d been missing, it had really helped me get back up to speed.
At lunch, everyone who helped with the picnic tables was asked to go to the shop so they could take a picture for the yearbook. I was glad they included all the kids in shop class who�d helped Wolf build them. We made sure he was front and center because he�d taken the lead. His shop teacher and Ms. Jaroslav bracketed him in front. They took the picture from atop a ladder so they could show the designs.
◊◊◊
When I finished school and was dressing for some batting practice before baseball, I was summoned to Moose�s office.
I found a man who wore an Alabama polo shirt talking to Moose.
�David, this is Coach Gat. He wanted to get some film on you. What a coincidence that you two would �bump� into each other,� Moose said.
Moose must have liked this guy because he had recruiters stop by regularly and never asked me to meet them.
�Did Bo call you?� I asked.
�He and Coach Wilson both did. I was instructed to see if you would be a fit for Alabama baseball. I understand you�re a fair quarterback,� Coach Gat said.
�Frankly, I think I�m better on defense,� I said to plant the seed.
�Don�t listen to him,� Moose said, not taking the bait.
Coach Haskins walked in.
�Long time no see,� Coach Haskins said.
�You two know each other?� I asked.
�We attended a few coaching clinics over the years,� Coach Haskins offered.
�As I remember, you taught a few of those,� Coach Gat said.
�Maybe. You here to check out our boy?�
�Our football coaches told me I should probably take a serious look,� he admitted.
�He�s everything you want as far as talent and leadership goes. I think he would fit in on your team,� Coach Haskins said.
�Dear Gawd! You know how big his head is going to swell?� Moose complained.
�I have talent, and I�m a leader,� I said with a big grin.
�Get out of here and go lead the team in warm-ups,� Moose ordered.
�You sure he�d fit in?� Coach Gat shot my way as I left.
During practice, Coach Haskins clued me in about Coach Gat. He�d been the head coach at Alabama for 12 years. With him at the helm, they�d had six 40-plus win seasons, four of which were in the last five years. If you compared that to Ohio State, the most they�d won recently was 35. He�d also been named Coach of the Year for the South Central Region last year. It sounded like they had a solid baseball team.
◊◊◊
I don�t know how Zoe pulled it off, but she was able to go on a date with me without her brother tagging along. I�d planned to take her to the Italian place Jim and Suzanne had introduced me to. They had fantastic eggplant parmesan that was calling my name.
�Could we go to your apartment instead?� Zoe asked.
I looked at her funny, but my mind caught up.
�Of course we can. Let�s pick up something to eat, I�m starved.�
On the way home, I called the Italian place and ordered carry-out. I only had Oreo cookies in my apartment and needed more than that. Zoe ordered their meatball lasagna. Everything came with salad and bread.
We sat down and ate. Something I liked about Zoe was she wasn�t one of those girls who pretended she couldn�t eat much. She worked on a farm, which used up plenty of energy, plus her mom was a good cook. We were halfway through our meal when she asked the question on her mind.
�Are you mad at me?�
�Not that I know of. Why do you ask?�
�I get the feeling that you don�t want to spend time with me other than with your niece. Not that I mind spending time with the two of you; I think she�s a cute little girl. What we don�t seem to do is spend time as just the two of us.�
�If I remember correctly, your mom and dad decided that we had to go out with another couple. I also remember that we tried to get together at school, but you decided not to. And I remember you telling me you had doubts that we should be together.�
�David, I�ve told you I�d worked through my concerns, so you�re not taking advantage of me. I also explained that I wasn�t comfortable having sex at school. The double-dating bit was your own fault. You got caught with Halle, and her mom called mine. So, I ask again if you�re mad at me or something? Because if you wanted to, we would have found a way to get together,� Zoe pointed out.
She was right. Cal had punched me over the summer, and Pam and I�d still managed to get together. Why was I treating Zoe any differently? I had no problem balancing my religious beliefs with having premarital sex. I�d also left it up to Zoe to decide if she was okay with it, and she�d told me she was. What it came down to was similar to the situation with Cassidy, where her dad had asked me not to date her. I respected him enough to give him my word that I wouldn�t get into a relationship with his daughter. In the same way, I liked Zoe�s parents enough to respect their beliefs.
�I guess I�m worried what your parents will think of me,� I admitted.
�Who are you on this date with?�
�You.�
�Who do you want to continue to see?�
�You.�
�Not my parents?� Zoe asked.
�It�s not that easy. If we decide to date, I�ll have to look your parents in the eye when I pick you up,� I said.
�You really are a �stupid boy,� aren�t you?�
�What do you mean?�
�You did notice my mom let us go out tonight � alone.�
Zoe�s mom wasn�t na�ve. I could also see Zoe�s point about who I was dating; it wasn�t her parents. Here I was seventeen and acting as if I were an adult. Mr. Happy whispered that we liked Zoe. Wasn�t one of my life goals �no regrets�? I was so going to regret this.
Dinner was soon forgotten as I led Zoe to my bedroom. Once we started and became reacquainted with each other�s bodies, I knew I�d never regret being with her. That was especially the case right now, with her face-down in doggie position, pushing back at me enthusiastically and obviously loving every second.
I would willingly face her parents if it came to it. Even with the wildness, though, tonight was much more about reconnecting. I would have to remind her next time about what remained on her bucket list.
◊◊◊ Saturday April 23
Today was another doubleheader. This time, though, we were playing on our home field. The Booster Club had come through and purchased more bleachers. The plan had been to add them behind each end zone for football games. For baseball, they�d been installed behind the right and left field fences. Each outfield had four sections of 15-row bleachers attached together. Each section could seat 275 people, so with eight sections, we had an additional 2,200 seats. They�d also removed the bleachers behind the first and third base dugouts and replaced them with raised ten-row bleachers that held another 500 fans. The original bleachers that wrapped around the backstop at home plate remained. They held another 150 people. We now had seating for 2,850 fans.
The plan was to take apart the outfield bleachers and move them to the football field this summer. Coach told us we now had the largest high school baseball stadium in the state. The Booster Club decided that center field needed something, so they set up a hospitality tent. The smell of well-grilled meat all through the game was going to be a distraction.
Today�s games were against Lakeview and Mt. Vernon. Coach told us we needed to win both games to have a chance at playing in the Regionals. Seeding would be decided on Monday, and the first games would be played Tuesday night. If we kept winning, we would play three games to make it to Sectionals. Another three games would be played, and then the four Sectionals would each provide a team for the State Playoffs.
I think we were all worried we didn�t have enough pitching to get out of Regionals. We would need to get hot with our bats and have our offense carry us if we went deep. It would have helped immensely if there hadn�t been the seven-on-seven team. Losing all our football skill players to seven-on-seven robbed us of some of our best talent. Certainly, Moose wasn�t happy that we had two freshmen starting in their place.
I was doing long tosses to warm up my arm when Tim and Wolf appeared at the fence, calling me over.
�Just when you think you know someone. I had no idea you were racist,� Wolf said with a scowl on his face.
Clearly, someone in the Mass household had blabbed a bit about our conversation.
�Dude, I�m so sorry. I didn�t mean it that way,� I said, worried I�d damaged our friendship.
Wolf and Tim both laughed.
�Told you he would freak out,� Tim said.
They both took a couple of steps back when I began to come over the fence. I took a deep breath.
�I�m sorry,� I said.
�Don�t be,� Wolf said. �At first, I was a little miffed, but I talked to my dad and uncle about it, and they told me to get over myself. They pointed out that you never treated me any differently because of the color of my skin and that I was lucky I hadn�t grown up when they had. They also said I should thank you for looking out for me. Most people are so PC that they�d be afraid to ask.�
�Yeah, you mentioned before that you�ve experienced racism,� I said.
�A few times. Normally it�s something like a girl will cross the street so she isn�t on the same side as I am. Little things like that bother me,� Wolf said.
�I don�t think it has anything to do with you being black,� Tim said.
We both looked at him, perplexed.
�Look at him. With a face like that, he scares pets and small children. If I saw him coming down the block, I�d run to the other side of the street,� Tim said with a grin.
�Oh, bite me,� Wolf shot back and smiled.
�So, you got us jobs for the summer,� Tim said to change the subject.
�Yes, I did. I hope that�s okay.�
�It�s fricking awesome. We�re going up to Jack�s today with our parents to see where we�ll be living. Jack said we�ll each get our own bedroom and that he has an exercise room. He said he was thinking about getting a set of free weights so we�d have a place to work out,� Wolf said, getting excited.
�He told me that Tami and his daughter Harper would also be there this summer,� Tim said. �When you said you�d help us with your contacts, I didn�t realize what that meant. Thank you.�
�Yeah, thanks,� Wolf added. �I can�t wait until this summer. Jack said he�d rotate us as helpers for different jobs.�
�What are you going to do about your lawn care business?� I asked.
�I talked to Yuri and your brother Phil. They�re going to take it over for me. I�ll rent them my equipment and trailer,� Wolf explained.
�Are you sure? Those two dumbasses don�t know how to take care of lawn equipment. I bet they don�t even know that you have to change the oil or sharpen the blade,� Tim said.
�He has you there,� I joined in.
�My dad�s going to keep an eye on them,� Wolf explained.
I was skeptical, but it was Wolf�s business, so I let it go.
�Is Tami going up with you guys?� I asked.
�She and her mom are driving up. I think all the moms want to check the place out to make sure we aren�t living under a bridge,� Tim said.
I just shook my head. They�d be shocked when they saw Jack and Bev�s home. I hadn�t seen anything that really compared here. Yes, Tracy�s house was nice, but Jack used his house as a showpiece to help sell more homes. Even Halle�s and Brook�s homes didn�t really compare. I expected my friends would have a great summer in Chicago.
◊◊◊
The first game was against Lakeview. They�d had a .500 season so far and had an outside chance of making Regionals, so they took this game as seriously as we did. Brock was pitching against Lakeview�s best pitcher. He was a little guy who was reported to have pinpoint accuracy. If he was on, we would need to keep our bats active because he could eat away at the corners.
We had an early start, 10 a.m. Most of our fans had decided to sleep in on a Saturday morning, so it was mostly scouts and recruiters who were here now. There were professional scouts from the LA Dodgers, Tampa, Atlanta, and the Chicago White Sox. College scouts were there representing almost every Big Ten team, along with Kentucky, Alabama, Clemson, and Florida State. Word of Ohio State�s in-home visit must have encouraged some football coaches to get their baseball guys to see if they would want me to play both sports.
Brock must have been nervous because he walked the first two batters. That was never good, especially in the first inning. Moose got two freshmen up to start throwing in the bullpen. Jim and Johan walked to the mound to reassure their teammate.
The next batter stepped up and hit a towering shot to right-center field.
�Mine!� I called.
I drifted back so that as the ball came down, I could run forward and catch it. That would give me momentum as I threw towards third base to either gun down the runner, or better yet, hold him at second.
I caught the ball and was already coming up throwing, with a plan to showcase my arm, when I saw the Lakeview runners both standing at second. The man on first must not have tagged up and the one on second knew what kind of arm I had. I held up and tossed the ball to Bryan, who then yelled at them to �Run!�
The lead runner made a step toward third, and Bryan tagged him. He then spun and threw the ball to Jim, who tagged the runner headed back to first. He was out anyway because he forgot to tag up when I caught the ball. Brock was excited that we�d gotten him out of the jam.
By now, the stands were filling up, and everyone came to their feet. I glanced over at the scouts and recruiters to see their reaction to what was about to happen. When the first notes of
As the song�s intro wrapped up, I hopped into the batter�s box and smiled at the umpire. He just ignored me.
�Play ball!�
Their pitcher uncorked a changeup that hit me in the middle of my back. At least it hadn�t been his fastball, or at least for his sake, I hoped it wasn�t. I smiled as I trotted down to first base. I knew the kid had too much control to let one get away from him. That had been a message pitch.
Ray Quinn was up since he�d taken Yuri�s old spot at third base. Ray was a sophomore and hadn�t gotten a hit yet. It surprised me that Moose wanted me to hold at first and let Ray bat. He must have decided that Ray needed to focus and not worry about me trying to steal second.
Ray worked the count to full. The Lakeview pitcher was upset because the umpire wasn�t giving him close calls. That meant that he had to hit more of the plate to get a strike. With his slower stuff, that gave us an advantage. Ray fouled off the next six pitches.
�That�s the way to hang in there, Ray!� I called from first.
On the next pitch, Ray hit a weak grounder to short. It was a perfect double-play ball until the shortstop let it roll between his legs. I didn�t hesitate as I rounded second at full speed and saw Coach Haskins signaling to slide. I just beat the throw and was safe.
Ray had been listening to his coaching and had run out the play to first. When it was evident that I was heading to third, he took second.
Next up was Bryan. He, too, worked the count full. I had to agree with the Lakeview pitcher; the last two pitches looked like strikes to me. The key was the umpire was being consistent. So long as that was the case, the Lakeview pitcher needed to adjust to what he was calling. Unfortunately, Bryan struck out.
Jim stepped into the batter�s box and, on the first pitch, hit a golf shot down the first base line that rolled to the fence. Both Ray and I scored, and Jim had a stand-up double. That was where the inning ended.
In the third, they finally got to Brock as he gave up three runs. One of the freshmen came in and promptly gave up a home run. By the time we got out of the top of the third, we were down 7�2.
When I came up in the third, Brock had managed to get a hit. He�d gone back to playing second base when he was pulled from the mound because we needed his bat.
I settled into the batter�s box and ran through my checklist. The first pitch was inside, and I gave the kid a dirty look. If he hit me again, I would kick his ass, and I told the catcher that. Their catcher called time and trotted out to the mound. The umpire acted like he was cleaning home plate.
�I would advise you not to act rashly,� he said under his breath.
Following his example, I acted like I was checking my bat.
�I won�t. I just wanted to let him know that I won�t tolerate him hitting me for sport. If it happens, I�ll let the catcher grab me.�
�Fair enough,� he said and then turned to the mound. �Play ball!�
The kid surprised me with a nasty curve. It must have broken two feet. His next pitch was a fastball that got up into my zone. It was all I could do to not overswing. I concentrated on doing everything correctly. I felt bad when the ball ended up in the hospitality tent, causing people to scramble to get out of the way.
By the top of the seventh, and final, inning, we were tied at 8�8. That was when it got interesting. Three girls jumped the fence and made a beeline for me. The first thought that came to mind was how fans could actually hurt someone. Back in the day, Brock Miller, the former Dodger All-Star shortstop, had been stabbed by a crazy fan and almost lost his life. The second thought was that I didn�t want to reward their bad behavior, or I would have to deal with this at every game. I waited until they were almost to me, then bolted toward our dugout. Two of them gave up because they were winded. The third was more determined.
The Lakeview coach ran out of their dugout, and he looked pissed.
�Young Lady! Get over here � Right � Now!�
From the look on her face, this had to be his daughter. Moose came out of the dugout and grabbed me.
�I�m sure your friends will tease you, but you did the right thing. Don�t let them get near you if you can help it. You never know what kind of whack job will want to take a shot at you.�
�Listen to your coach. I�m going to warn Lakeview about player safety. Wait here while I do that,� the umpire directed me.
When it was our turn to come up in the bottom of the seventh, it was over on the first pitch. Dan Ball, Jim�s cousin, was inserted to bat and hit a home run to win it 9�8.
Coach Haskins handed me a Sharpie and sent me to sign autographs. It wasn�t lost on the scouts and recruiters that I was doing it without an attitude. It was a pain in the butt, but part of baseball at the higher levels. I had Jim grab a small duffle bag I�d brought to the dugout. It held a big stack of my pre-signed Stryker photos. Most people were happy to get them, and it made the line move faster. Jim hung around and gave out pictures for me.
As we wandered back to the dugout, I started talking loud enough for the scouts and recruiters to hear.
�Let�s go to the hospitality tent and grab a few hot dogs,� I said to Jim.
He just smiled when the section behind home plate cleared out. Our next game wasn�t for a couple of hours.
◊◊◊
Bryan pitched the next game and was on from the start. We ended up winning 5�1. I hit two more home runs and had a stolen base. After I was done signing autographs, I decided to just skip my shower and go home. It had been a long day.
And I had guests waiting for me. Greg had called to collect on my pledge to trade Pam�s massages for babysitting. I came out of the shower to find Angie, Peggy, and Pam sitting on my bed.
�You think you can handle all of them?� Pam asked.
How hard could it be to watch five children under the age of three all at once? I had this.
Five hours later, I decided I might have underestimated what babysitting five little ones really meant. Even Duke looked exhausted, even more so than I felt.
When everyone came back, they found all the little ones sound asleep. If I weren�t a high-level athlete, they would have worn me out. I could see the disappointment on the girls� faces when they found me rubbing Duke�s ears as his reward for helping keep track of all of them.
�They�re
�Yeah, no problems. They were all perfect little angels,� I said.
�Bullshit,� Greg said under his breath.
I kept a straight face so they couldn�t be sure if I were telling the truth or not.
�He owes me two more babysitting gigs,� Greg said.
They all smiled at that. If I were to watch all five again, I would either hire help or con someone into helping me. I didn�t know how they did it all the time. The upside was I loved all the little ones, and it really hadn�t been that bad.
◊◊◊ Sunday April 24
After my run, I walked into the kitchen and found Peggy looking worn out.
�Are you okay?� I asked.
�Coby�s waking up every couple of hours, and I�m not getting much sleep.�
�And you have finals coming up and your project. Do you need a break?�
�I wish, but I�ve got a job that puts a roof over David�s and my head. Don�t worry about it. I�m just feeling sorry for myself,� Peggy said.
�Tell you what, I�ll take them today, and you can catch up on your sleep and do whatever you want.�
�I know how much you bitch about people bringing crying babies to church,� she said.
�Think of it as payback time. Maybe they�ll both make a fuss,� I said, and then smiled. �I bet Grandma will be in heaven showing off her grandbabies.�
�I�m too young to be a grandma,� Mom said as she walked in.
�Keep telling yourself that,� Dad said, taking his life into his hands.
�What are you getting payback for?� Mom asked. Apparently, she only heard the last part of our conversation.
�We�re taking the little ones to church,� I said.
�Oh, joy,� she said in a deadpan voice, then turned to my dad. �You�re coming with us to help.�
I just raised my eyebrows when he was about to object. He was the one who called Mom old. He decided it best to ignore us and go make breakfast.
◊◊◊
Mom
Reverend Jackson came out to the lobby to see what the commotion was all about.
�I wondered why no one was in their seats,� he said with a smile. He looked at our little guys and asked, �Who might you be?�
�These are the newest members of your congregation: Jacob Jeffrey Dawson�we call him �Coby��and this is David Pratt, Peggy Pratt�s son,� Mom said, making the introductions.
Reverend Jackson held out his hands and took Coby. He had four children, so he was comfortable with my son. I shook my head when he turned and took Coby into the church with him. I had Little David, and Dad carried the two baby carriers. Reverend Jackson indicated that we were to sit in the first row that was usually empty.
�Come on, David. Let�s introduce our newest members.�
I followed Reverend Jackson up on stage. The choir sang
�Welcome. The choir is right; we have two new members of our congregation who are beautiful ones. Let me introduce you to David Pratt and Jacob Dawson, who they are calling �Coby.��
He handed me Coby so I could take him to our seats. We were lucky there wasn�t any crying during the service. I think the boys liked the singing.
◊◊◊
After lunch, Dad and I drove to Caryn�s office. Dad was great about letting me bring the boys. They�d both eaten, so it was now nap time. Watching them made me sleepy.
Caryn and Megan came in and sat across from us.
�The first thing I want to talk to you about is the local farm. I talked to John and Mrs. Dawson, and they discovered that the acreage across the river has been in corn for the last several years. They plan to rotate crops and plant soybeans this year,� Caryn said.
�I thought we were going to lease that out until we built the bridge to move equipment across the river,� Dad said.
�We were, but I found a company that will plant and harvest. They�ll also spray for bugs and have the beans walked, whatever that means.�
I laughed. Sometimes I forgot that Caryn was a city girl. I think almost every kid I knew from Lincoln had walked beans and/or detasseled corn for some extra cash at one time or another.
�It�s where you hand-weed the rows of soybeans. There was a time when they would just spray for weeds, but some weeds are becoming resistant, so walking them is the better solution,� Dad said.
Caryn showed the numbers for leasing the land versus planting it ourselves. There were risks either way. There was more of a risk with planting because if something happened and we had a bad crop, we could lose money. The lease option seemed to guarantee at least some positive cash flow. Then Dad pointed out that if it flooded, the renter would just skip out. That decided it for me.
For the farm on this side of the river, the orchards and walnut trees had to be looked at by someone knowledgeable about tree health. Caryn had arranged for a professor from State to come out and look at them. Grandma was also preparing the fields to supply our produce stand. She had plans for several different vegetables. She already had some early lettuce started that we were enjoying. Grandma was getting help from her Mennonite farmhands, who had grown up helping with family gardens. She also had a surprise employee: Yuri�s grandmother. My grandma said she was a huge help. It didn�t hurt that the two women liked each other.
Halfway through our meeting, Coby woke up fussing. Megan got up, grabbed his diaper bag, and took him out of the room.
�She has five younger brothers,� Caryn said.
�She might be the solution to one of my problems,� I said. �Peggy is getting into crunch time at college and needs a break. Do you think Megan would be willing to sleep over for a couple of weeks? We have daycare during the day if both Mom and Peggy are tied up and can�t watch them. The problem is that Coby�s waking up every couple of hours,� I explained.
�We could just put them in your apartment, and you could take care of them,� Dad suggested.
�So could you,� I shot back.
�Let�s ask Megan,� Dad said, warming to my idea.
Megan was a champ and agreed so long as it wasn�t more than through Peggy�s finals. I planned to give her some sort of bonus for bailing us out. Heck, I still owed her for pointing out what Brandon had done. It would have to be something special.
Caryn then took us down to the restaurant. I walked in and saw it was gutted. They�d gotten a lot of work done this week. We walked out back, and she showed me the lots we�d bought to expand parking. The county had made us buy an extra lot. Caryn explained that because of the hard surfaces, they were worried about runoff into the neighbors� when it rained. The extra lot was for a runoff pool. It was a dry lake that when it rained would catch the water from our parking lot.
�We should make it look nice,� Megan chimed in.
�What did you have in mind?� I asked.
�We could make it into kind of a wetlands area. We can plant some flowering bushes like lilacs to attract butterflies. I think it would also be nice to attract birds. We could put up some feeders and maybe some birdhouses for swallows and purple martins. They have the added benefit of eating bugs,� Megan said.
�I�ll leave it to you, then,� I said to agree with her plan.
◊◊◊
Chapter 35 � Baseball Playoffs Begin Monday April 25
Prom was in the air. It seemed Tracy was elected to talk to me about it.
�Who are you taking to Prom?� she asked.
�Kara Tasman. Why do you ask?�
�Halle, Brook, Zoe, and Pam wanted to know if they needed dates. Brook said there was a rumor that you might hook us up with your model and movie-actor friends.�
�Really?� I asked incredulously.
�Oh, and Jim, Wolf, and Alan want you to get them dates as well. Cassidy and I wouldn�t turn down a hot guy either.�
�So, I�m supposed to find nine celebrities for you dorks?� I asked.
�We�ve compiled a list of who we want,� Tracy said helpfully, holding up a sheet of paper.
I snatched it out of her hands. I don�t know why they even bothered to ask me. This should be good.
�Did you talk to them about this? Because I see one who�s an absolute
�Which ones?� Tracy asked.
�Craig Wild is the no. I wouldn�t allow him within 500 miles of any of you. Zak Verwood is a complete horndog. Brook can handle his come-ons, I�m sure, but just ask Halle, she can�t stand him. Personally, I like him, but he�s let his Hollywood celeb status rule his sex life, and he�s thrilled with it. I think he was with a new girl at least once a day if not two or three times. If Brook goes to the bathroom while she�s on a date with Zak, he might disappear with a waitress for a quickie.�
Halle and Ben would be okay. He was great to work with on
For the guys, I knew Alan had picked Leah because of the media coverage of
�I want to warn you about something. Have you heard the term �hung like a horse�?�
Tracy rolled her eyes at me.
�Yes, David, you have a big one,� Tracy almost moaned.
�Not me � Ryan,� I shared.
�That sounds nice.�
�I bet you wouldn�t think so if you saw it. I�m not kidding. The boy is huge. He told me about the problems he has with it. Think in terms of a Coke bottle. Instead of using the neck for fun, turn it around, look at the base, and you get an idea of what I�m talking about.�
�I call bullshit,� Tracy said.
I pulled out my phone and called Tyler, Adrienne�s partner. She�d seen it with her own eyes.
�Hey, it�s David. I have a friend who wants to ask Ryan Barlow to our prom,� I said and handed the phone to Tracy.
�David says that Ryan is � uh � hung,� Tracy stammered out.
�No shit!� she exclaimed.
She hung up, and I read the look in her eyes. She planned to get Ryan here and make him show what he had to all the girls. Poor bastard.
�So, who can you get to replace Craig Wild for Pam?� Tracy asked.
�How about Aden Reich? I met him in the UK, and I heard he got the young Han Solo role I tried out for,� I suggested.
�I�ll ask her. You don�t know Blake Seaver, do you?�
�Not just
�Pam thinks he�s cute,� Tracy teased.
I was starting to hate that guy. I just threw my hands up and walked away before I said something rude.
◊◊◊
At lunch, I received a call from Caryn, my business manager.
�I had an interesting call from our local television station. They�re required to show Public Service Announcements to maintain their license. They got a new manager, and he plans to shoot new commercials. He asked if you would do them. I called Frank, and he talked to them. They want to do things that are local in nature. They said they would be willing to let you do three of them to support your causes: the homeless, teen pregnancy, and support for cancer victims and their families.�
�I�d be willing to do it. Ask them to send over scripts and let everyone see them to make sure there isn�t something that�ll bite me in the butt. I don�t want to be the poster child for STI prevention.�
She laughed but said she would take care of it.
◊◊◊
At the end of lunch, I helped Wolf and several of the guys set up the picnic tables. The weather had started to warm up enough that people wanted to spend time outside. Everyone who was part of the junior class projects committee joined us outside.
�You did an amazing job with the three projects. They were all successful,� Ms. Jaroslav said. �Everyone is impressed with your work on this. If you need letters of recommendation for your college applications, let me know.�
�I hate to ask this, but when do we need to send those in?� I asked, suddenly concerned.
�You have time. You should have them completed by the end of October.�
�I�ve already sent a few in,� Brit said proudly.
�Brownnose,� I mumbled.
She tried to hit me, but I grabbed her and tickled her.
�David!� she shrieked.
�Tim is going to kick your ass,� Wolf teased.
�More likely, it�ll be her overprotective brothers,� Alan suggested.
Both were distinct possibilities.
�Cassidy will protect me,� I shot back.
�I can take care of myself,� Brit huffed and then tickled me.
She was strong. I danced away, to the amusement of everyone.
It was nice to get the class projects behind us.
◊◊◊
At baseball practice, Moose had the outfielders gather around for more coaching.
�We watched the film from the past couple of games, and we noticed a big difference in how David is getting to balls compared to the rest of you. At first, I chalked it up to his athletic ability, but Coach Haskins pointed out that it�s how you�re approaching the first step on balls hit behind you.
�Many times, the initial move towards the ball will determine your success in fielding it. David, show them how you take your position in the outfield,� Moose said.
�I square my feet up, so I can go either direction. I assume that each ball will be hit to me. That means I�m on the balls of my feet, ready to go,� I explained.
�He makes an excellent point. If you expect that the ball will be hit to you, you�re always ready,� Moose said. �Now show them what you do if the ball�s hit over your right shoulder.�
�My first step is to whichever direction I�m going,� I explained as I demonstrated.
�Notice he�s taking an almost exaggerated first step. What this does is open up his hips so he can get a better jump on the ball. If you take a half-step,� Moose said, and demonstrated, �it takes you longer to get moving in the right direction. This is called a �drop step.� It also allows you to cross over hard with your trailing leg so you accelerate faster.�
�This is something I learned from my speed coach. What the initial drop step does is get my hips pointed in the right direction. If I�m going right, I drop my right foot back and then cross over to my left. It helps me get a better angle on the ball,� I explained.
�One important point is to turn and run to a spot. What I see some of you doing is looking over your shoulder and drifting almost sideways because you�re trying to watch the ball the entire way. I want you to concentrate on running to a spot. The only thing that should turn is your head as you look back to find the ball,� Moose coached.
�Something else is, don�t put your glove up too soon. Think about how you run,� I said. �You want to have both arms pumping as you sprint, not holding the glove up. You�ll get more speed that way.�
�Good point. Now I want you to watch David as he does it.�
Moose hit me fly balls over each shoulder until everyone felt they understood. The rest of practice was spent with Moose hitting, and me coaching the other outfielders. Some of them got it right away. Others, it took a while, but they all seemed to finally get what Moose was telling them.
◊◊◊
After baseball practice, I slipped into Coach Hope�s office and had a quick talk about Cassidy. He�d asked me earlier to help convince her she should wait until she earned her degree before she joined the Marines. With a degree, she would go in as an officer candidate. That wasn�t possible without it. Coach Hope was aware that Uncle John and I had helped her with her goals. What I wanted him to help with was to allow her to start work with the trainers and possibly learn from Connor Fletcher, our outside strength and conditioning coach.
He thanked me, and we packed up to go work at the dojo.
When I got there, I found they�d brought in a boxer from State who was smaller than I was.
�I wanted you to box against Jes�s. He�s a middleweight or 160 pounds,� Coach Hope said.
Jes�s had a cocky grin on his face as we squared off. He was quick, I�ll give him that. I was used to quick sparring with Cassidy. Coach Hope�s bombs had me cautious, so at first, I tried to out-quick Jes�s. In the first few minutes, I discovered that Jes�s didn�t hit nearly as hard as Coach did, but if we were scoring this as a fight, I would lose. He was very good at weaving in, hitting me with a quick jab, and then dancing out of my reach.
�Don�t let him dictate the fight,� Fritz coached.
I thought about what Fritz was trying to tell me and smiled. I had 45 pounds on the older boy and a reach advantage of at least three inches. Why was I trying to dance around and go speed-on-speed? I stepped forward and let Jes�s hit me, shrugged it off, and then used my power. The cocky grin left his face when I threw a right hook into his ribs that caused him to hunch over. Hunched over, protecting his ribcage, didn�t give him a chance to dance away. Jes�s did try to lunge at me to tie me up, but I stood him up with a straight left. I was about to finish him off with an overhand right when Coach Hope jumped between us.
�Where did that power come from?� Coach Hope asked.
�Cassidy said I couldn�t hurt you. She never said anything about him,� I said with a smile.
Fritz about doubled over laughing at the look on Coach Hope�s face. Cassidy just nodded at her dad to confirm what I said. Coach Hope shook his head as he realized I hadn�t been hitting him with full force. I only hit him hard enough to get the point across or keep him off me.
�Anyway, lesson learned. It�s sometimes okay to be hit. If you�d let Jes�s snipe away at you, he would have cut you up,� Coach Hope said.
I should have let Jes�s out-quick me. Cassidy decided that today, she needed to teach me that she was still light years ahead of me as we sparred. I took my ass-kicking like a man and used it to motivate myself to work harder. Brook�s class always loved to see Cassidy take me down. I guess I would too if I were them.
◊◊◊
Hana made us a hot noodle dish called �soba.� It was a buckwheat noodle in a broth. Cassidy said there was also a cold version that you dipped into a sauce, called �zaru soba.�
Shiggy announced that during dinner, we had to speak Japanese only. What it showed me was I needed more work, because I understood about one in every six words. It looked like today was my day to get my ass kicked. This just made the competitive side of me come out like it did when Cassidy took me down on the dojo mat.
For our lesson after dinner, I was focused.
◊◊◊
When I finally got home, I found Pam and Coby in my apartment. Pam was studying. She needed to make up for the week she was out of school, plus we had finals coming up. I�d gotten my test results from last week back, and I was on track to pull down all �A�s again.
This was really the first time in a while that Pam and I�d been alone. I picked Coby up out of the crib and sat down next to Pam on the couch.
�We need to make some decisions about Coby,� Pam said.
While my parents had the final say on what happened to Coby, they hadn�t stopped us from deciding what was best for him, yet. My parents only asked that we run stuff by them. I liked that we had a safety net, so to speak. We�d decided two things. The first was not to have him circumcised. Both my brother and I�d been circumcised, and Greg had had both his boys done. When we talked to the doctor, there were pluses and minuses both ways.
The other thing we decided to do was delay the first hepatitis B shot. They usually did it within a few days after birth. When we talked to the doctor, she explained that hepatitis B was spread by having sex with an infected partner; by sharing needles; by sharing razors or toothbrushes with an infected person; or by contact with blood or open sores of an infected person. Since we didn�t think Coby was going to have sex or share a needle, our doctor assured us he didn�t need to get the vaccination right away. We planned it for his two-month checkup. Now, if Pam had hepatitis B, our doctor would have told us to do it on the original schedule.
�Have you talked to my parents?�
�I wanted to talk to you first.�
�I�m on board. You better explain it to my mom, because I�m sure she�ll have questions and I won�t have the answers. You�ll end up talking to her anyway,� I said.
�Sometimes, you�re not really a �stupid boy.� I�m an even smarter girl. My mom is having lunch with your mom tomorrow, so I don�t have to be grilled,� she said with a smile.
That was a better idea.
◊◊◊
I was getting ready for bed when I received a group text from Moose. We�d been seeded second for Regionals and would be playing Lakeview. A minute later, my phone rang, and it was Moose.
�Hope it�s not too late,� Moose said.
�No. I was just reading your text.�
�About that � Our first game is tomorrow. Usually, I would pitch Brock or Bryan. My other choices are Bert or a couple of freshmen. Bert told me at practice he has some pain in his shoulder,� Moose told me.
Frick! Justin and his big mouth had really put us in a spot. I thought both freshman pitchers would be good in a year or so, but to start a Regional Playoff game was just too much to ask. The thing was, we needed Bryan and Brock if we got past this game. Moose had a firm rule that a pitcher had to have at least four days� rest. If this were college or the pros, you wouldn�t hesitate to throw them out there on short rest.
�What do you plan to do?� I asked.
�I was thinking about starting you.�
�But I haven�t even thrown batting practice.�
�I know that, but I keep coming back to you�re our best athlete. I know you can pitch; you did it your freshman and sophomore years. Forget the stuff Shiggy taught you and just throw the heat and changeup to give them a variety. Lakeview won�t know what to do with you. If you can give me a couple or three innings, the freshmen can finish it off. I just can�t throw them out there to start,� he admitted.
�If you think I can do it, I�ll give it my best shot.�
�I know you will. Now get some sleep,� Moose ordered.
Before turning out the light, I logged on and tweeted that I was pitching tomorrow, figuring it would give everyone a laugh and help loosen them up for the game.
◊◊◊ Tuesday April 26
They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Announcing I was pitching on social media was probably the worst idea I�d ever had. Tonight�s game was supposed to be a playoff game that featured two high school teams in the first round. Yes, it was a big deal for us, because if we won, we moved on. It was even a big deal for our schools and communities. It wasn�t supposed to be a big deal nationally.
By noon, our high school had been contacted by numerous news organizations to receive access to both the game and me. Moose was about to pull out what was left of his hair. The school had also been told that twelve major league teams were sending scouts; representatives from Under-18 USA Baseball would be here; and at last count, 42 college recruiters from across the country would attend.
Caryn had notified Frank, and he was on the first flight he could get out of LA. His take was this was somewhat like when
Coach Hope grabbed me during last period and escorted me to the coaches� conference room. When I saw two State Police officers standing at the door, I knew who was inside.
I walked into a full room. Governor Higgins stood up, smiled, and shook his head.
�You are a dream come true for my political career.�
�As long as it�s all about you,� I shot back.
Vice Principal Palm and Mr. Hicks, our Athletic Director, both about fainted when they heard me talking like that to the governor of our great state.
I looked around the room, and I guess Moose caught on that I wasn�t sure why this was such a big deal.
�You look confused.�
�Why is everyone making such a fuss about me pitching?� I asked.
�That�s probably my fault,� Coach Haskins said with a weak smile.
�How could that be your fault?� I asked.
�I received a call from one of the baseball writers I used to be friendly with. He just wanted a comment on you hitting the mound for the first time this year. I might have oversold your abilities.�
I suddenly had a bad feeling.
�What did you say?� I asked.
�He said that you�d been asked to make a position change to the outfield so you could represent the USA on their Under-18 national team,� Governor Higgins said. �He added that it was a shame because he thought you were a better pitching prospect than an outfielder.�
�So, I�m about to go out there and pitch for the first time this season and make a complete fool of myself,� I moaned.
�You are such a wuss sometimes,� Coach Hope said. �I�ve seen you throw a football and a baseball. How can you be so confident on a football field and not translate that to baseball?�
I took a deep breath. Sure, I knew for a fact that confidence was one of the biggest reasons I dominated on a football field. Closing my eyes, I took another deep cleansing breath, let it out slowly, and then did it again for good measure. I worked to find my center, my focus, and felt the tension start to leave my body.
�Okay. I have to go get ready,� I said, and strode out of the room.
�He�s going to surprise a lot of people. Many of them are here to see him fail. They�ll be going home disappointed,� Moose said as I walked out.
After leaving the coaches� conference room, I walked to the locker room and got dressed for the game. I put in my earbuds, put on some rock music to help psych me up, closed my eyes, and just zoned out. I had this.
◊◊◊
Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw it was Moose.
�Take them out and get them warmed up,� he ordered.
I looked around the room, and every eye was on me. We had plenty of time before the game started. Moose wanted us to go out early so we could get the jitters out of our systems. He planned to have me throw to Johan and see where I was, pitching-wise.
I took the team out, and we stretched and then did some running drills to get the blood pumping. Next, Jim and I strolled out to the outfield, and we slowly began to loosen up my arm with longer and longer tosses.
While we did that, the press was set up in the hospitality tent filming B-footage that could be used as filler during their report. Some tried to shout questions, but Moose walked out and put a stop to that.
Finally, it was time for me to go get ready with Johan, who would be catching me. In the bullpen, I did some easy tosses from the mound to get a feel for things. Coach Herndon, our pitching coach, stood behind me, out of my line of sight.
�Go ahead and put a little more on it. I want to watch your motion,� he instructed.
I got into my pitching stance and just threw. There was a satisfying pop in Johan�s glove.
�Not full out,� Coach Herndon complained.
�That wasn�t full out,� I said.
�That�s good enough for the game. Throw me ten pitches just like that one.�
So I did. The actual motion of throwing a pitch wasn�t hard. What I found was that my work with the Bo staff and the help from Connor Fletcher had made throwing easier for me. The hard part of pitching was the placement of the ball and changing speed, location, or type of pitch to fool the batter. The reason Moose had hoped that I could get through three innings was that he didn�t want me to have to face the Lakeview batters a second time. If they knew what to expect after seeing me once, they would zone in and rock me.
�Now, give me ten changeups.�
I did that.
�How do you feel?�
�Good. Do you mind if I try some other pitches to see if I still have them?� I asked.
�By all means,� Coach Herndon said.
�I�m going to throw the split-finger. Protect yourself, because I don�t know if it�ll work,� I warned Johan.
The split-finger was thrown with the same motion as the fastball. It just dropped at the last moment if you threw it right. Well, mine dropped, but too soon. It hit the plate, skipped up off it, and hit Johan in the inner thigh. That had to smart.
�Dang it, you warned me.�
�Sorry about that,� I said, watching him try to walk it off.
I tried both my slider and curveball. They were nowhere near ready to use in a game. I went back to the split-finger and tried it a few more times. At least I could get that over the plate. It gave me a pitch that had some more movement.
�Okay, give me one as hard as you can,� Coach Herndon said.
I just reared back and cut loose. You could hear the air as the ball cut through it into Johan�s mitt. When the ball hit the glove, it just sounded different. I smiled to see his look of disbelief.
�Oh, my. We might have a chance tonight. Don�t show that pitch until you need it,� Coach Herndon said.
◊◊◊
Before the game, there was a lot of hoopla. Governor Higgins threw out the first pitch. Our marching band played the National Anthem, and, to my complete surprise, Halle James sang it. After that, I threw some practice pitches from the mound until the umpire was ready. The Lakeview batboy brought him some balls, and I did a double-take: it was the coach�s daughter who�d jumped the fence to chase me our last game. She had a shy smile and gave me a little wave.
As I warmed up, most of the scouts had speed guns pointed at my pitches. It was apparent that most of them were disappointed. I had to keep from smiling because even I knew I wasn�t showing the arm of a pitcher who would be as good as Coach Haskins had reported.
I threw a final pitch, and Johan threw it to second to begin the infield tossing it around the horn. Jim tossed it back to me, and we were ready to start the game.
The first Lakeview batter came up, and he was left-handed. Johan signaled for a fastball low and inside. He set up, giving me a big target. The advantage of not throwing hard was I had a lot of control. Johan didn�t have to move his glove.
�Steeerike!�
Even I could see it was out of the strike zone, but Johan not moving his glove had influenced the umpire�s call.
Johan called for the same pitch, and we got the same results. We set the next pitch up for right down the middle of the plate, except it was my changeup. The Lakeview batter looked foolish when he swung too soon.
The next guy up, I struck out on four pitches. Their third batter was wise to my pitch location. He got a piece of my first pitch and hit a screamer down the first base line that veered just foul. Johan signaled for the same pitch, but I shook him off. He was stubborn and asked for the low outside fastball again. I called time, and he trotted out.
�He�s going to hit that pitch. I want to throw him the split-finger in the same location.�
Moose was giving us looks, and I waved him back to the dugout.
�All right, we�ll do it your way,� Johan said.
As I released the pitch, the batter�s eyes lit up. He had evil intentions, which changed to confusion when he topped the ball as it began to drop. He hit a sharp grounder to Brock, who easily threw him out.
Our fans were on their feet and cheering when we headed to the dugout. They were getting ready for
When the Lakeview pitcher was done warming up, the first notes of the song began. All the seats were filled, and along the fence, the fans were five deep. I pointed to Governor Higgins, and he was bobbing his head to the beat. I about fell down laughing when our batboys ran out in front of the dugout and began to hop-walk to imitate my previous air-guitar-playing antics. The Lakeview coach�s daughter was doing it on the other side.
As the intro to
In the top of the fourth, the score was still 1�0. Lakeview had managed to get two hits, but our defense got me double plays to nip any trouble in the bud. This was the second time through the batting order, and their leadoff man was up. I�d talked to Johan and Coach Herndon between innings, and they agreed that I might have to start throwing harder. I�d also only used my split-finger fastball four times. They felt I�d shown enough control to start throwing that as well.
When their batter got into the box, he looked confident. That confidence was rewarded on my third pitch to him when I caught more of the plate than I intended. He hit a line drive for a base hit to left field. That was when the fun began.
Knowing that one of the main jobs for a leadoff man was to steal bases, I had gone into the stretch to pitch. The two guys who�d gotten on earlier in the game weren�t a threat to steal, so at that time Coach Herndon had told me to pitch with my regular windup. I glanced back at first, and the runner was daring me to throw over to the base. I tossed a weak throw to embolden him.
Johan and Coach Herndon called time and jogged out to the mound.
�Shit, I know we haven�t worked on holding runners,� Coach Herndon said.
�I have practiced stealing, though. I�ll just do the slide step instead of my kick and throw the heat. That should give Johan enough time to gun him down at second,� I said.
Coach Herndon called over Bryan and Brock, and they were clear as to who would cover second. They should have already known, but Coach Herndon wasn�t taking any chances. The umpire came out and broke up our little talk.
I knew that the Lakeview runner had never seen me pitch out of the stretch. If I were him, I�d want to see at least one pitch before I tried it. It was a gamble, but I didn�t want to give anything away, so I shook Johan off when he called for a fastball. He called for a changeup high and outside. This would put him in a better position if he needed to throw.
I glanced back at the runner, and he had a considerable lead. I did my normal leg-kick and threw the changeup where Johan wanted it. If I�d been on first and gone on my slow motion, I would�ve been able to steal second standing up. I�d guessed correctly, and the runner was still on first, looking pissed at himself.
On the second pitch, Johan asked for a high hard fastball. I nodded my agreement. I saw the runner at first creep out even further. There was no reason for him to be greedy, so I made a little better move to first, and it was a bang-bang play. I thought Jim had him, but the first base umpire emphatically called him safe. Moose eased out of the dugout to argue, but Coach Haskins caught him, and the two of them had a discussion. Moose decided to do whatever Coach Haskins had asked of him.
This time, the runner stayed closer to first. I thought about using my best move to first, but I trusted Johan to throw him out. Johan called for the same pitch. This time after I glanced back, I cut loose and threw my best fastball. From the crowd noise, I knew he�d taken off. Their batter made a halfhearted swing at the ball. I crouched down so Johan didn�t have to worry about me when he threw. Johan fired his throw to second, and it beat the runner by a couple of steps. Their base-stealer was shaking his head as he jogged back to the dugout.
Since I hadn�t thrown hard until just now, Coach Herndon signaled I should continue to throw the heat until someone touched it. On my next pitch, the scouts all had their guns up as I rocketed another pitch home. Johan had called for it on the inside half of the plate. The poor batter bailed when he saw it coming. I�d been hit by the pitching machine throwing smoke, and I might have done the same if I hadn�t seen a pitch like that before.
In the top of the seventh, the score was still 1�0. I�d had a good day at bat with a single, a double, and a home run with my three plate appearances. I�d also stolen second once. We�d threatened to add more in the last three innings, but sometimes it just doesn�t work out. So here we were, with two outs in the final inning, and I was pitching to Lakeview�s best batter. He had, in fact, hit my fastball the last time I faced him, but he hit it right at Jim, or it would have gone for extra bases.
Even though I was in great shape, my arm was starting to feel tired. I motioned for Johan to come out to the mound, which brought out Moose.
�How are you feeling?� Moose asked.
�Fine, I�m just worried I don�t have enough for my fastball to work on this guy. I want to break out my slider and curveball.�
�Are you sure? You sucked in warm-ups,� Johan said.
�I just wasn�t loose enough.�
Even Moose didn�t believe that one.
�Trust me,� I said.
�I�d prefer to leave you in if you think you can do it, rather than have to bring in one of the freshmen in a close game,� Moose said.
�I�ve got this,� I said, and they both just nodded.
Lakeview�s cleanup hitter was a big first baseman who was garnering interest for the next level. Word was he wanted to get a minor league contract because he had little interest in playing college ball. He dug in, and I could guess he was focused on my fastball. He planned to get a pitch in his zone that he could drive and hopefully tie the score with one swing.
I set up and threw my curveball. It looked like I was trying to brush him back, but it broke and caught the center of the plate. If he hadn�t hit the dirt, thinking I was sending a message pitch, this game would have been tied. He was pissed that I�d made him look foolish.
I looked behind the plate and could see the scouts checking with each other to see if I really had just thrown a curveball for a strike. That made me wonder what they would think when I followed that up with a slider. I looked at the batter and could see the first little doubt creep into his eyes. Johan asked for my slider to be high and on the outside; he was trying to confuse the batter with location. I just nodded.
This time the ball looked to be outside until it broke for the plate. I�ll give the kid credit; he got the bat on it and fouled it off. If I had complete control over that pitch, I would have come back with it and thrown it low and outside and hoped he would chase it. Instead, I decided to throw the heat by him. I was sure I had at least one more in me.
The ball almost hissed as it flew towards home. The hitter made a mighty swing, and I heard it as it connected with the bat. I smiled when I realized he hadn�t gotten all of it. What he did do was hit a towering shot almost straight up.
�Mine!� I called.
Pitchers rarely field pop-ups in the infield, but I wasn�t a typical pitcher. I wondered if it would ever come down, and then gravity did its thing. I camped out under it, waved my arms, and called out again that it was mine. Everyone backed off and gave me room. I made sure to show the umpires I had it to end the game.
I was proud of my guys because they treated this like any other game and didn�t jump up and down. Lakeview had been a worthy opponent today. Mr. Hicks, our athletic director, came onto the field and talked to the Lakeview coach and Moose as we shook hands with the Lakeview players. The last guy was the one who had just popped up.
�I thought I had you,� he said.
�I was afraid you had. If we had any depth in pitching, I would have let them take over and pitch against you. I didn�t want to face you,� I admitted.
�What the hell was that at the end? You threw me a slider and curveball. I about shit my pants when you threw that curve.�
�If you�d seen how badly I threw it in warm-ups, you would have been right to bail. I just figured it would fool you,� I said.
�Good luck in the playoffs,� he said, and then continued down the line to shake hands.
Moose came over.
�They want to do a press conference. Go sign your autographs and then come into the interview room,� he told me.
Caryn had been busy. She�d realized that I shouldn�t be handing out Stryker photos at a baseball game, so she�d gotten my baseball picture. The whole team had gotten photographs taken for the yearbook. Caryn had had the printer make baseball cards out of mine. I got the batboys to help me hand the cards out. I smiled to see Lakeview�s batgirl help hand them out as well. They�d printed my signature on the cards, so I didn�t have to sign them.
The cards were sharp-looking. On one side, they had my picture, and on the other, instead of stats, was �Lincoln High Baseball / David Dawson� and our school�s logo. It was printed on glossy card stock. I wanted to keep some since this was my first baseball card.
Frank came onto the field and stood behind me to watch me interact with the crowd. I heard his phone chirp, and he came up to me and told me the press was ready for me. My helpers agreed to hand out cards until the crowd thinned. They seemed to be a popular item. Caryn had done well.
◊◊◊
I walked in with a stack of cards and began handing them out to the press. Frank walked up to the front and stood off to the side of the podium. I glanced at him, and he just smiled. He hadn�t given me any talking points, so apparently, he wanted me to just wing it. I put him out of my mind and worked the crowd.
�Are you trying to bribe us?� Jeff Delahey, my favorite reporter, asked.
�Like that would ever work. Now, if I had food, I might get somewhere with that,� I said.
The room was packed with recruiters and scouts in the back, filling up the room. It looked like they wanted to see how I handled myself in this environment. I looked up, and no one was at the podium.
�Are you guys waiting for me?� I asked.
�Take your time; we only have deadlines to meet,� Jeff quipped.
�I�ll put a stack of these on the side of the desk. If you didn�t get one, feel free to grab one after we�re done,� I said and made my way to the podium.
I set them down, and Jeff got up and took a handful.
�What?� he asked as he gave me a look. �I have grandkids.�
�Since he took most of them, could someone go out to the field? The batboys have the rest of them,� I said.
Coach Herndon left the room to get more.
When I was set, I turned to Jeff.
�Mr. Delahey, you have the first question,� I said.
�Is it true you haven�t pitched at all this year?�
�I was focused on changing positions. I�ve always played shortstop but was told that my best shot at the majors was to play outfield. My coaches, Moose and Coach Haskins, have been great. They both have a ton of experience, and they�ve worked with me to get comfortable with my new position,� I said.
�David, have you ever pitched before?�
�Sorry, I didn�t bring my press secretary today. When you ask a question, could you tell me who you are and where you work?� I asked.
�Yeah, Matt Weston with WZIL.�
�Thanks. I pitched my freshman and sophomore years. I never planned to do it this year, so today was the first time I threw.�
�Not even in practice?� Matt followed up.
�No, not even in practice. Luckily, I came through today. My football coach, Coach Hope, pointed out it was just like throwing a football,� I said, and the people who knew baseball chuckled. �I agree with you, but his point was I just needed the confidence to do it. I�d pitched before, so the hope was I could get through three innings. When I survived them, Coach told me to just cut loose and see how far I could go. I have to tell you, I was struggling with that last batter. If he�d placed his bat just half an inch higher, we would�ve been tied,� I said.
�Mark Rose, WCDU. Do you know how fast your fastball was?�
�No idea. I bet if we ask one of the guys in the back, they can help you,� I said.
�You started at 86 miles per hour, but later, you were throwing in the low- to mid-90s.�
�Wow, really?� I asked.
That made everyone laugh.
�I�m told you threw mainly fastballs and changeups. What other pitches did you throw?� Mark asked.
�My out pitch was a split-finger fastball. The movement was enough to fool them. I did throw a curve and a slider to the last batter. In warm-ups, they weren�t breaking, so I didn�t use them until I had to,� I admitted.
The rest of the interview focused on baseball. I admitted to being worried we didn�t have enough pitching to go far in the playoffs. When Coach Herndon came back with the cards, I made sure I grabbed one. I joked that someday, it might be valuable.
I was glad when Moose came in and called a stop after almost forty minutes. They would all have more than enough to write a story.
◊◊◊
After a stop at the trainers to get an ice pack on my arm, Frank took me into a conference room.
�I wanted to see how you do without me to help you. You looked comfortable up there and controlled the interview. I think you�re ready for me to take off the training wheels and set you free for things like this.�
�If I get into trouble, I hope you plan to help me,� I said.
�Of course I will; I have to earn what you pay me. And I�ll also continue to build your brand. I just think you can handle these sorts of interviews.�
�I agree, but I do appreciate you flying out on short notice.�
�All part of the service. If I hurry, I can catch the last flight back to LA,� he said and hustled out.
◊◊◊
When I got back to the locker room, everyone had already left except Moose and Coach Haskins. Moose thanked me for stepping up, and Coach Haskins thanked me for proving him right. Moose suggested that he keep his mouth shut in the future. I didn�t think Coach Haskins much cared what other people thought, which was one of the reasons I liked him.
I drove home still wearing my uniform. When I got there, we had dinner. Afterward, Mom and Dad took me to the office.
�Your mom went to see the doctor last week and got her results back,� Dad said.
I looked at both of them and threw my hands up when neither was talking. They both laughed, and I knew the news was good.
�Thank God!� I said as I gave Mom a hug.
�I just need to be careful, stay out of the sun a little more, and get regular checkups,� Mom said.
�Please do; I don�t know what I�d do without you. And I don�t want to find out,� I said, suddenly getting emotional.
�I know. I love you too,� Mom said.
◊◊◊
Chapter 36 � Nut Shots Wednesday April 27
After our run, Peggy, Duke, and I walked into the kitchen to find Megan feeding Little David. I picked up Coby and kissed his forehead.
�Good morning, Daddy,� Megan said.
�How was he last night?� I asked.
�I could almost set my watch by him waking up and fussing. He�s a good baby, though,� Megan said.
�I can�t tell you how much I appreciate you being here. Getting a good night�s sleep is exactly what I need right now,� Peggy said.
�That reminds me. Megan, I want to get you a thank-you gift, something nice, for giving me the heads-up about Brandon and helping us out through finals. Think about what you want and let me know,� I said.
�Can I go to Japan with you?� she asked.
This was turning into an entourage. First Cassidy, then Brook, and now Megan.
�If that�s what you want, I have no objection. Cassidy and Brook also want to go. Let Caryn know to add the three of you to the list of who�s going,� I said and then remembered one other person. �Oh, and my interpreter, Hana Yamamura, needs to be added as well.�
�She�s the one working with Shiggy to teach you Japanese?� Megan asked.
�Yeah.�
�Okay. I put Hana on the payroll, so her contact information is already in my file. I�ll need the info for the other two.�
�No problem, I�ll text it to you. Brook and Cassidy already have their passports. Make sure Hana has hers. It takes longer than you might expect to get one,� I suggested.
�I have to get mine,� Megan admitted.
�Will this be your first time going out of the country?� I asked.
She nodded.
�I�ve always wanted to go to Japan,� she confessed.
Mom and Dad came down. I handed Coby to Dad and stepped into the kitchen to make breakfast for everyone. I think it was my turn.
◊◊◊
Tracy met me when I was dropped off at school.
�What�s the status on our dates?� she asked.
For about the hundredth time, I wondered why it was my responsibility to set up my high school friends with my friends in the business. Of course, Frank was excited about it. Kara must have told Adrienne because she had started to work on dressmakers to donate their creations for the night. Somehow, Adrienne would make money on this for us, I was sure. I was almost afraid to tell the girls what she�d planned. I knew better than to get in the middle of dress discussions.
When I talked to my celebrity friends, I�d gotten a positive response from everyone, but one: Aden Reich wasn�t willing to listen to me. He was pissed that his friend, Tilly Abbott, had spent the night with me. Both of them claimed they were just friends, but I could see how, if he�d bedded Tami a year ago, I would have had a problem.
�We need to find someone for Pam. Aden wasn�t interested in going to Prom.�
�What about Blake Seaver?� Tracy asked.
That douchebag singer wasn�t going to crash my Prom.
�How about I cancel all this?� I shot back.
�No, no. Just checking to see if he was available.�
�Well, don�t even suggest it in front of her.�
�You mean you�d make the call if she asked.�
I growled at her. Tracy took a tentative step back.
�It would mean the world to her,� Tracy said and then dodged me as I made a grab for her.
She shrieked, which got everyone�s attention, and I began to chase her around the front of the school. I scooped her up and threw her over my shoulder.
�Put me down, or I�ll pee!�
I smacked her butt.
�David!�
Suddenly Cassidy stood in front of me and gave me a curious look. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. Cassidy smiled and walked away. You�d better believe that got filed away for future reference.
�Cassidy! Help!� Tracy called as she saw she wasn�t getting any assistance.
�You ready to behave?� I asked.
�Never!�
Luckily for her, the bell rang.
◊◊◊
At lunch, Pam found me.
�I hear you won�t call Blake Seaver for me.�
�You do realize what a douchebag he is?� I asked.
�I do. We�re just giving you a hard time. What I�m concerned about is no one wants to go with me,� she said with a pout.
I sighed.
�Tell me who you want to go with.�
�I think Ridge Townsend is cute.�
�When did you meet him?� I asked.
�He was with Bill Callaway at the dance.�
I�d forgotten the two of them had come to the Homecoming Dance before their game with Notre Dame.
�Ridge has a girlfriend he�s been seeing since high school.�
�I�m not looking to date him, I just want to have some arm candy for Prom. Plus, I know he can dance,� Pam said.
�How about Bill? He�s planning on coming home for a little while,� I offered.
�I�m starting to get Seaver Fever.�
�Okay, I give up. I�ll call Ridge.�
�David?�
�Yes.�
�I love you.�
�I love you too.�
◊◊◊
Moose introduced new drills for the outfielders. The younger guys were having trouble with their drop step. They were doing a little intermediate step before they did it. It was kind of a nervous shuffle as they figured out which way to go.
�I realize that it�s going to take some time to break you of this habit. But you need to get working on it so you don�t start over learning how to do this next year,� Moose said.
He put a baseball bat on the ground.
�David, put your feet behind the bat. I�m going to say �go� and then point left, right, or straight back, and then toss the ball as if it was hit,� Moose explained.
I nodded my understanding.
Moose said �go,� pointed left, then lofted the ball in that direction. I did my drop step and chased it down.
Milo was up next. On �go,� it became obvious what Moose was talking about. The bat was knocked sideways as Milo made his little dance move before his drop step.
�Now I want to show you the second drill I want you to start doing,� Moose said. �It�s called �concentration.� You�ll pair up and toss balls to each other. Instead of just catching them, you�ll catch it between your legs or around your back. Obviously, if you try this in a game, I�ll bench you.�
For some reason, he looked right at me. Then he continued.
�To up the ante, I want you to catch the ball with the glove behind your back.�
Moose showed that the glove couldn�t be seen looking straight on because it was resting on his back just above his butt. He had me toss him the ball, and he bent at the waist and caught it. This was going to be a fun drill.
�The final drill is the �fence drill.� Again, you�ll partner up, and one of you will toss the ball over the other�s head and hit the fence with the ball. I want the one playing defense to play the baseball off the fence and get into a throwing position. This will help you learn to play deep balls that reach the fence and bounce back into play.�
Moose had the three drills going, and I partnered up with Milo. Of course, I wanted to do the concentration drill. He tossed me the ball, and I caught it around my back. I threw it back to him, and he tried to catch it between his legs. I say �tried� because it hit him in the nuts. This was suddenly my all-time favorite drill.
Moose jogged over to find out why Milo was rolling around on the ground.
�What happened?� he asked, concerned.
�He forgot to wear his cup.�
�Oh. I bet you�ll concentrate harder next time,� Moose said to Milo and left to work with the infield.
�If I weren�t a Mennonite and didn�t believe in nonviolence, I would kick your ass,� Milo said when he got up and caught his breath.
�You could always try to hit me in the nuts. We could make a game of it,� I suggested.
Milo was smart enough to go put his cup on and then came back to play the new drill we�d created. The kid had an arm. Even with a cup, if one got through, it took your breath away. We named our drill
Moose came back twenty minutes later and found us all in a circle about fifteen feet apart, throwing smoke at each other�s crotch. He was in time to see me get hit in the nuts when the ball skipped off the side of my glove. Of course, everyone else thought it was hilarious.
�You okay?� Moose asked.
�Yeah,� I said, gingerly getting up.
�What are you doing?�
�Team-building,� I suggested.
�Carry on,� Moose said, shocking us all, and he headed back to the infield.
It was my turn. Dan�s eyes got big because he�d been the one to hit me in the nuts. It was payback time!
◊◊◊
Tonight, Coach Hope had an older guy, Bud, for me to box against. Bud showed every fight on his face. I mean that literally. This man must have lost a lot. His nose looked like it had been broken repeatedly, he had scars over his eyes, and his ears were deformed. Bud was built like a bull.
When we began, he rushed in, and I stood him up with a right-left combination. He just shook it off and kept coming at me. He wanted to get in close and turn this into a street fight. I wrapped him up, and Fritz told us to break. As I stepped back, Bud threw a big hook to the side of my head that staggered me. Fritz stepped between us to see if I was okay.
I nodded, and Fritz stepped back to let us fight. In our next clash, Bud got in close and tried to punish me with body shots. I twisted and turned to negate most of them until Bud threw an uppercut into my nuts. As my knees gave out, he hit me square in the jaw. Fritz pulled him off before he could get in any more cheap shots.
�Make him stop,� Cassidy told her dad.
�Do you want to stop?� Coach Hope asked me.
I gave him a determined look.
�No,� was my one-word answer.
�How about you, Bud? You want to stop?� Coach Hope asked.
�No, I�m good,� Bud said.
�He�s going to hurt him,� Cassidy pleaded.
I expect Coach Hope thought she was talking about Bud hurting me. She needed to work on her communication skills. I hadn�t been this pissed since I learned Brandon had raped Tami.
This time, when Bud charged in, I hit him with two left jabs that snapped his head back. He shook his head and pressed forward. I hit him with another jab and followed that with an overhand right that slowed his progress. That was when I unleashed a left hook to his ribs, followed by a tremendous right-handed uppercut. Bud staggered back, but I pressed forward and pounded his abs with a left-right-left combination. The punches caused Bud to drop his guard, and I hit him with an overhand right, breaking his nose.
Bud retaliated by throwing an elbow at my face, but I just shifted my head. His momentum caused him to stagger past me. If this guy was going to fight dirty, I wasn�t holding back. I threw a right hook to the side of the head that took him off his feet.
He rolled over onto his back and laughed at me.
�I�m done,� he said.
�I don�t think so,� I said menacingly.
�David, Bud was supposed to fight dirty. I wanted to remind you that in the real world, there are no rules. I think we�re done with boxing lessons,� Coach Hope said.
�You�re done with boxing,� Cassidy said.
�What? You mean for just tonight?� I asked.
�No. I mean forever. You�ve started to act like there�re rules in a fight. The only rule is what?� Cassidy asked.
�Kick their ass first.�
�Before I�m done with you, you�ll quit taking it easy on people. If you�re forced to fight, end it as fast as you can. If you have to pull a gun, shoot to kill. Boxing has a referee and is scored on points. It�s a sport. Boxing is
�I thought this was about self-defense,� I pushed back.
�At no point did I say you needed to start a fight, but if it happens, you�d better end it,� Cassidy said, not backing down.
�Kid, she�s right,� Bud said. �If someone like me would meet you in a dark alley, you�d have to put me down, or I�d do whatever it took to kill you.�
�I just find it hard to hurt someone if I don�t have to,� I said.
�David, we know that. I would hope you could talk your way out of it or even run to avoid it. I look back at when you were attacked by that gang in LA, and how you didn�t finish them off right away,� Coach Hope said.
�They weren�t really a gang. No one can be a gang when your leader�s known as �Baby Dick.� They were just high school kids,� I said.
�Who had baseball bats and used them on you,� Fritz reminded me.
I don�t know why I was arguing with them. When I was on vacation, Cassidy and I had protected my parents, Brook, and her parents. If I had held back, they could have been hurt. What I got out of the dojo was more than just self-defense. I learned to control my body and prevent injuries. It gave me self-confidence. Not that I needed more of that, but it was true. It was also a way for me to work out my frustrations. I�d always said one reason I loved football was because it allowed me to hit people and not get arrested. I didn�t mean that in a negative way. It was a guy thing; it gave me an outlet for my aggression that wasn�t negative. The work with Cassidy helped with that.
I think that was a big reason I never wanted to hurt anyone on purpose. It was because this was supposed to prevent me from getting so frustrated, I ended up pounding someone in a park. Coming full circle, Cassidy and her dad were trying to get me to realize that what I was doing was no joke. I needed to take this as seriously as I took learning to shoot a gun in self-defense. If you pulled the trigger, it was no joke. This was every bit as serious.
�Okay, I get it. Sometimes it takes me a few times to learn my lesson,� I said, and then turned to Bud. �You sure you don�t want to go again?�
�Hell, no!�
�How about you?� I asked Coach Hope.
�Cassidy, you can hurt him,� Coach Hope said.
Aw, shit!
◊◊◊
After Japanese class at Shiggy�s, I called Ridge.
�What�s up?� he answered.
�I need a favor,� I said.
�No, �Hello, how are you doing?� You go straight to, �I need a favor?��
�I�m finding my friends dates to Prom. I need you to take Pam, my baby mama,� I said.
�Are you serious?� Ridge asked.
�No doubt. Pam specifically asked for you. She says you�re cute and can dance, and she thinks you�ll make some fine arm candy,� I shared.
�No shit?�
�No fecal matter involved.�
�What about our boy Bill? Is he going?� Ridge asked.
�No.�
�I think we�re a package deal. If I�m going to have to go to Prom with your baby mama, I want my boy there, too.�
�Okay. I�ll find him a date.�
�I take it I can�t do anything fun with your baby mama,� Ridge teased.
�If she�s unhappy in any way, you�d better hide.�
�I�ve never had them unhappy before.�
�Are you done dating Penny?� I asked.
�No. Why?� he asked.
�If you do anything to Pam, I�ll make it my mission in life to steal Penny away from you.�
�Yeah, I know. I was just giving you shit,� Ridge said.
�I know. But I meant what I said.�
�And I realize that, and I�d feel the same if you went after Penny. Get my boy a date, and I�m in,� Ridge said.
After he hung up, I called Tracy and told her she had to find a date for Bill, and that Ridge was in.
◊◊◊ Thursday April 28
When Peggy and I came back from our run, we found Lacy�s car in the driveway. I ran up to my apartment, got ready for school, and then went to the house. Duke had the habit of abandoning me after our run and going into the house with Peggy. He had a job to do: checking on the little ones. Mom told me he�d do that and then come down and get in bed with my parents for his morning loving.
Mom was also taking him to the hospital with her. He�d been approved as a therapy dog and seemed to love the attention he got from the patients, staff, and families. I�ve yet to meet a Lab that wasn�t an attention-hound. Being around my niece and nephews had taught Duke to be gentle. He no longer jumped up on people. Mom said that when she put Duke in his service coat, he became a different dog. With me, he still got rowdy, and we roughhoused, but when he was at work, he was the perfect gentleman. Mom had posted a video of my hound with a group of sick children during story time. They�d crawled all over him, and the worst that he did was kiss them. Yuck, dog kisses!
Lacy and Megan were feeding babies. Lacy must have wanted some grandma time.
�Morning,� I said as I walked in.
�Can you grab me a cloth diaper?� Lacy asked.
I handed her one, and she put it over her shoulder so she could burp Coby. It was funny. When he barfed on me, I was fine. Anyone else, and I started to gag.
As soon as the coffee was done, I got Megan and Lacy each a cup. Megan had brought a pan of Granny�s cinnamon rolls last night. Granny and Mary Dole had been to the restaurant with Caryn and had sent them to me. I popped them in the oven to heat, and soon the kitchen was filled with the aroma of the rolls.
�I was wondering if I could borrow your house next weekend?� I asked Lacy.
�You�re not planning a big party for Prom, are you?�
�Maybe. But that wasn�t my original intent. I have some acting and modeling friends coming into town. I was hoping they could stay at your house for a few days.�
�Pam mentioned that you arranged to get her a date with Ridge Townsend. Do I need to know anything about him?� Lacy asked.
�Only that I trust him to be with Pam.�
Megan snorted.
�I would bet that means that Pam isn�t getting lucky at Prom,� Megan observed.
I didn�t answer that. Mom, Dad, and Peggy all came down just in time for the rolls to come out of the oven. Mom put the cream cheese icing on them and got us all one. My hot water was ready, so I made myself a cup of tea. Lacy asked my mom what she thought about my request.
�Who all will be here?� she asked.
�I was thinking Ben Doman, Zak Verwood, Ryan Barlow, and John Phillips could stay at Lacy�s house since she and Pam have moved into the condo. Trip James would stay at his house, and Ridge Townsend could stay at Bill Callaway�s home. The girls�Leah Johansen, Maria Dowe, and Sarah Spence�would all stay with Grandma Dawson on the farm. My date, Kara Tasman, could stay with me,� I said.
�Or she could stay at her house. I�m sure her parents want to see her, too,� Mom said.
�Or she could do that,� I conceded.
�What do you think?� Lacy asked.
�Ben and John are fine. Ryan, I don�t know, and Zak can�t keep it in his pants,� Mom announced.
Lacy looked at me.
�He likes women, and they like him,� I said as the best defense I could come up with for him.
�Who�s his date?� Mom asked.
�Brook.�
�That�s good. She can handle him.�
�Who�s Ryan?� Lacy asked.
�He�s a model I met in New York on my Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch photo shoot. He�ll fit in with the group.�
�What about the party?� Lacy asked.
My mom�s head whipped around, and she raised her eyebrows, never a good sign.
�There�s nothing planned. Mona is having an after-party that I planned to take everyone to. If anything, it would be an after-after get-together, and hopefully would just be a handful of people.�
�There isn�t any food in the house. I would also want it cleaned afterward. You know your mom is my listing agent, and she�s a taskmaster about how she wants it to look for showings,� she said with a smile.
�I�ll talk to Caryn about it. She�ll need to do the same for your grandmother,� Mom said.
Megan looked to be taking mental notes. It was nice to have people sometimes.
◊◊◊
I guess it was no surprise when Tracy was waiting for me when Fritz dropped me off.
�Gina Tasman has agreed to be Bill�s date.�
�That works. Did Adrienne call you about dresses?� I asked.
�Tyler did. We�re going to get measured after school. You should let the other girls know.�
�No, I don�t think so,� I said with a smile, and gave Tracy all their contact information.
I was sure she wanted to talk to them all, anyway. I also told her my plan about where everyone would be staying. Tracy agreed she would speak to the girls. Caryn or Megan would contact everyone once flights and housing were in place.
◊◊◊
Tonight was our second game in the Regionals. Our game was part of a doubleheader. St. Joe would play Mt. Vernon, and we would host our hated rival, Eastside. The HSAA had decided we would host the remainder of the Regional games because our field could accommodate the most fans.
There wasn�t nearly as much interest in the Regional games. Only local media had been told the school they normally covered would be here. There would be a few professional scouts and scouts from several colleges here to watch. St. Joe had three seniors who were getting some buzz, and Mt. Vernon had an infielder who was also of interest.
I snuck into the stands behind home plate so I could check out our competition in case we won. Jeff Delahey spotted me and waved for me to sit next to him. Fritz sat down behind me. After the girls had jumped the fence, he�d been a lot more observant. I think they caught both of us by surprise. I would never have thought we would have to worry about something like that at a home game. Fritz had also made me wear my black-rimmed glasses with the bodycam. My classmates let me know I looked like a dork in them.
�How come you�re not camped out at the hospitality tent?� Jeff asked.
�Mom made cornbread and beans, and I filled up on that before coming. What did I miss?�
�They had a taco bar that wasn�t half bad.�
�It�s probably good that I didn�t go. I can eat me some tacos,� I admitted.
�Who do you like in the first game?� Jeff asked.
�I have to go with St. Joe. They may have lost their ace starter to injury, but their offense more than makes up for it. They�ve bludgeoned their opponents by more than five runs a game. St. Joe has played exceptionally well since Richards got hurt. That�s in part due to the success of unheralded pitchers like Matt Maker, who have given this rotation depth that it just didn�t have last year. Their biggest advantage, though, is their offense is just that good. I look up and down their lineup, and they�re solid with only a few holes. Their fielding could use some work. Overall, though, they�re the number one seed for a reason,� I said.
�What about Mt. Vernon?�
�They�ve gotten better as the year has gone along. They don�t quite have the firepower in their lineup, but that kid Millsap is a terror in the field and on the base paths. I would bet more than a few of the scouts are here today to see him. They also have a solid pitcher in Dennison starting tonight. The key will be how he does early. If he can get settled in, it could be a long night for St. Joe. On the other hand, if they get to him in the first, he normally falls apart. If someone would work with him on his preparation, I think he could be as good as Justin Tune was for us before he got kicked off the team.�
�What about Lincoln?� Jeff asked.
�Their biggest concern is pitching depth. They can run out two solid starters, and they need to rely on them to make it to at least the fifth inning to have a chance. Not that the freshman pitching relief isn�t good enough, it�s just they haven�t faced playoff baseball. Their lineup is solid, as far as hitting goes. If Bryan Callahan can hold Eastside in check, they should have enough to advance,� I said.
�Aren�t you forgetting that Dawson kid?� Jeff teased.
�He�s a flash in the pan. He�ll hit two home runs and maybe steal a base tonight.�
�What about Eastside?�
�Eh, they�re okay,� I said and shrugged, then looked around at the other reporters who were listening in.
�Not too high on them? Could it have anything to do with them being Lincoln�s biggest rival?�
�I didn�t even consider it,� I said to some chuckles.
Jeff changed the subject, and we talked a little football. He caught me up on his grandkids and how much they liked their baseball cards. We talked about the game as it went on. St. Joe had gotten to the Mt. Vernon pitcher in the first inning. They were up 5�1 at the bottom of the third when I had to go get ready.
◊◊◊
Sandy Range had sent me some new gear to try out. I usually wore sliding shorts to prevent road rash. What Sandy sent reminded me of the lacrosse pants I wore under my football gear. They had extra protection on your hips, butt, and outer thighs, and had a pouch you could slide your cup into. The shirt was formfitting and had additional padding on my ribs and back. I�d explained to Sandy that those were the two spots that really hurt if you were drilled with a baseball. She assured me this new protective shirt would help. I decided to try them out today because if anyone would throw at me, it was Eastside.
Sandy had also included a new batting helmet with a face guard similar to a football helmet. I wasn�t sold on it until she�d sent me a compilation video of batters getting hit in the face. It only took a couple of cringe-worthy hits to make me a believer. I showed it to Moose and Coach Haskins, and they asked if she could send more. My only complaint at first was it was a little distracting, but once I wore it a few days in batting practice, I was fine.
She had also sent me what she called a �batting sleeve,� an elastic arm sleeve that covered you from wrist to bicep. It had hard plastic inserts to protect your forearm, elbow, and upper arm. When I had it all on, I felt like I was wearing my suit of armor. I worried at first that it would affect my swing, but it was surprisingly comfortable. I was ready for battle.
◊◊◊
Moose let us know it was the top of the seventh, and we needed to get to the field. We were in time to see the final out. If we won, we would play St. Joe on Saturday. I led us out onto the field to warm up.
Bryan Callahan was a little shaky in the first inning. He gave up a single to their leadoff man. Their next batter hit a long fly ball over my head that bounced off the fence. I played it off the wall and threw it to my cutoff man, Brock. The guy on first had to hold up in case I caught it, or he would have scored. Brock chased the batter back to first, so we had the bad guys on first and third. The next batter hit a grounder to Jim. Instead of taking the double play, he threw to home, and Johan tagged out the runner trying to put up the first score. That left runners on first and second. Another grounder and we turned the double play to get out of the inning.
What worried me was that every batter had hit the ball. It was essential that Bryan settle down, or they were going to put up big points for sure.
�Batting first for Lincoln High is � David Dawson!� was announced over the PA.
That was when my song started. Our fans were on their feet cheering and then began singing along with the intro to
Eastside�s pitcher was a tall kid who could really whip the ball. He threw the first two pitches low and away for balls. I made sure my back foot was dug in because this was a hitter�s pitch. I guessed right; he tried to get me to chase a high hard one, but I laid off. Now he had to either walk me or throw me a strike. He should have walked me. He tried to sneak a changeup over the plate, and his head snapped around to watch it leave the park.
That was when I had my �Ruh-roh� Scooby-Doo moment. Whoever was running the PA embarrassed the pitcher. Brian Johnson�s voice rang out, declaring that the pitcher had been � well, you know�Thunderstruck.
Our crowd loved it. The Eastside pitcher�s neck and face turned red. As I ran around the bases, I held up my hands in apology. Moose was just as red-faced and sent Coach Herndon to track down whoever was running the sound for the game.
Luckily, Bryan settled down, and the Eastside pitcher was pitching lights-out. In the bottom of the third, it was still 1�0 when I came up to bat. Nick had had a good eye for the ball and drawn a walk. He�d taken second on a passed ball and then third on a groundout. There was one out, and I expected everyone assumed I would be left to swing away and hopefully put two runs on the board. This was where Coach Haskins� experience came into play.
Nick was quick and seemed to know what he was doing on the base path. Coach Haskins called for the suicide squeeze bunt. That meant that on the motion to the plate by the pitcher, Nick would head for home. It was my job to bunt the ball into play. With the infield playing back, because of my power, it was a good call.
Well, it would have been, if the pitcher hadn�t decided to hit me. If it had been a normal situation, I would have turned away from the pitch, and the pitcher would have plunked me in the back or butt. Since I turned to bunt, the ball hit me in the front. In the nuts.
�Oh, shit!� their catcher exclaimed.
I collapsed more out of muscle memory than any real pain. With the cup and Range Sports� new protective gear, I was fine. Did I know I�d been hit in the nuts? You bet! Anytime the twins are socked, even with a cup on, it stuns you.
I popped up, and their catcher must have thought I planned to charge the mound because he tried to tackle me.
�What the hell?!� I said.
�Stop! I said, STOP!� the umpire yelled.
The catcher had me wrapped up, and that was when I saw their pitcher charging in to hit me with a haymaker while I was being held. Screw that! I did the unexpected: I dropped straight down and basically did the splits. The pitcher hit his catcher square in the nose, which caused him to let go of me to grab his face, which was now a bloody mess. I did what Cassidy always threatened to do to me when she was in this position (thank God she never did): I punched the pitcher in the nuts.
I popped up and jogged to first. I looked over, and Moose had blocked the dugout entrance so our team was still inside it. Eastside had started to clear their bench, expecting a fight. They stood in stunned silence because it was over so fast. Most times, there would have been a lot of wrestling and holding onto each other.
Coach Herndon was the first base coach.
�You okay?� he asked.
�I�m fine.�
All the umpires huddled up to figure out what to do while the Eastside training staff worked on their two players. I was happy when they kicked both the catcher and pitcher out of the game. The umpire warned me, and both coaches, that if anything happened in retaliation, we would also be kicked out. I�d never seen them single out a player like that before, but I wasn�t arguing because I did hit the kid.
The whole incident threw Eastside off their game. Their new pitcher and catcher were not in sync. There were two passed balls in their next three pitches. Nick had scored, and I was now on third. Bryan walked, so we had runners at first and third. Jim came up and hit a double that cleared the bases to make it 4�0. That ended up being the final score.
◊◊◊
On my way home, I received a call from Caryn.
�Congratulations, I heard you won.�
�Thanks. What�s up?� I asked.
�I was talking to Mr. Baum, the owner of the Quickie Mart. He told me he has a handful of customers who come in and ask for food. Staples like bread, peanut butter, and milk for their kids.�
�You can�t be serious. There�s a food bank and government assistance for folks like this. Why aren�t they signed up?� I asked.
�I did a little digging. Some didn�t know what was available to them. Some aren�t here legally and were afraid to ask for help. Others don�t have transportation to go to the food bank or to sign up for the services. I also discovered something else.�
I had images of several terrible scenarios but tamped those images down.
�Tell me.�
�Do you know about the school lunch program for low-income children?� she asked.
�I guess I realized there was one, but none of the details,� I admitted.
�The normal price of a school lunch is three dollars. Sixteen percent of the students in the school system qualify for reduced-price lunches at just fifty cents per meal. Three percent qualify for free meals. Even with the reduced prices, not all the kids can afford lunches. The schools make it a point to feed them all. I�m told that 175 students had lunch debts of over ten dollars. I suggest you could make an anonymous donation to pay off their debt,� Caryn suggested.
�You�re always telling me we need more write-offs,� I said.
�You don�t even want to know how much it is? I was shocked.�
�Sure, how much?�
�It�s over eight thousand dollars.�
�What about the people who need food and are coming to the Quickie Mart?� I asked.
�I talked to Mr. Orange at the Homeless Coalition, since he has the same issues. If they need a roof over their heads, they also need to eat,� she explained. �The county has a department, Health and Family Services, which helps people in need. He says they have a list of organizations and governmental services, like SNAP�the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program�which can help. He said the biggest problem is that once school�s out, the kids getting lunches at school may go without food over the summer.�
�It absolutely astonishes me that there are kids in our area who might be going to sleep hungry each night.�
�Once they get into school, they can get some help. It�s the preschool children that need the most assistance. The first three years of life are important for establishing a good foundation; that has implications for a child�s future physical and mental health, academic achievement, and economic productivity. The woman at the county said they have a special program called WIC, which stands for Women, Infants, and Children, that helps. The problem is getting the word out.�
Fritz pulled into my driveway.
�Hey, I just got home. Let me talk to my parents and see if they have any ideas. Put this on our agenda for our Sunday meeting.�
�Do you want me to go ahead and make the donation to the school?� she asked.
�Let�s hold off until Sunday.�
�You�re right, it isn�t urgent. But I will feel better knowing I�m spending your money on something good.�
Fritz opened my door to let me out of the car. Sometimes having him do that irritated me, but he�d explained it was part of the security protocol. Even in my own driveway, he wanted to make sure the gate was closed, and no one was threatening me. I said goodbye to Caryn and got out.
�Oh, wow! They started the fence,� I noticed.
I didn�t think Fritz was impressed with my powers of observation. My excuse was I�d been talking on the phone.
They�d poured the foundation for the fence. The bottom part was going to be a reinforced concrete barrier, faced with brick. Fritz had made the change so it would prevent a car from driving through. I thought it was a little overboard, but he was doing his job. The top would be a stylish wrought iron. Mom would be happy the giant chain-link fence was going away.
◊◊◊
I walked in, and Mom didn�t look happy.
�They started it,� I said to head her off.
�You do realize that it�s all over the Internet. Frank called and wanted to know when you thought you might get around to telling him about it,� Mom chastised me.
�I talked to Moose to get the full story,� Dad said. �We both agree that your theme music has to stop. I realize you didn�t arrange it, but he thinks the novelty has worn off, and all it�s doing is causing problems like today.�
�It was fun, but I think they took it too far today when they played it while I ran the bases after my home run. It really made their pitcher mad. I tried to apologize, but it embarrassed him and caused him to throw at me to start the unpleasantness.�
Mom let out a long sigh.
�Unpleasantness?� she asked.
Dad chuckled and drew her attention away from me. God love him, but would he ever learn?
�How the heck did you get up after he hit you in the nuts like that?� Dad asked.
�Sandy Range sent me new equipment to try out, which had a cup in the shorts. It also has a gel layer that spreads the impact.�
�Still, that had to hurt.�
�I wouldn�t volunteer to do it again, but it was better than just a regular cup. I bet that pitcher wished he had one on,� I said and smirked.
�David Allen Dawson,� Mom warned.
I put on my puppy-dog face. Dad laughed again, and Mom made him take her to bed as I made myself a bowl of chili. Duke must have figured out I was home because he wandered down from the third floor. I let him out so he could do his business, and he followed me to my apartment.
I turned on SportsCenter to watch while eating my chili and half-concentrating on studying. Then something caught my eye, and I turned up the sound on the TV.
�Have you ever heard of instant karma? In a high school baseball game, David Dawson was up to bat and squared up to bunt. That had to hurt,� the announcer said as it showed me get hit square in the balls by the pitch. �If you watch the replay in slow motion, you can see it hit him where it hurts.�
Even I could see that it was a direct hit, and I can attest that it did indeed hurt.
�He shakes it off, and that�s when the catcher decides to grab him. This looks like a planned attack. Hit him with the baseball, then the catcher holds Dawson so the pitcher can punch him. This is what I call instant karma.�
I was amazed at the splits I did. If I�d thought about it, I would never have tried it, because I didn�t believe a guy�s legs should do that. The punch thrown by the pitcher hit the catcher right on the nose. It instantly began to bleed like crazy. The look on the pitcher�s face was priceless. It went through stages, from pure fury to �oh shit!� to pain. As he sunk down, I just got up and trotted to first base.
Cassidy would be happy about how I dealt with it. I eliminated the threat and then walked away.
After they showed what had happened, they did a Top Ten instant karma segment. My favorite was an oldie. It showed Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, at age 46, throw a ball that hit Robin Ventura. The 26-year-old charged the mound to fight Ryan instead of taking first. The crafty veteran put him in a headlock and got in six good shots before all hell broke loose as both benches clashed in the middle of the diamond. Watching that suddenly made Ryan my all-time favorite pitcher.
◊◊◊
Chapter 37 � That Got a Reaction Friday April 29
�We have to stop meeting like this,� I told Tracy as I got out of my car.
�Two things. One: please thank Adrienne for the dresses. Tyler sent us pictures, and even Halle and Brook are excited. Number two: I have your date lined up for tonight.�
�This is the last one,� I warned her.
�Does that mean that you finally forgive me and want to make me your girlfriend?�
�Why would you want to ruin our friendship like that?� I asked half-seriously.
Tracy sighed.
�Tracy, you�re my best friend, and I care about you an awful lot, but I don�t feel that way about you anymore. I don�t say that to be mean because I would do anything for you. I hope you know that I love you like a sister.�
She began to tear up. I started to say something, but she stopped me.
�You don�t know how happy I am that I�m in your life. You stood by me when I didn�t deserve it. I hope you know that while I understand what you mean, I do love you. Even though I know we�ll probably never be more than friends, I�m okay with that. I guess I just get a little emotional knowing that my screw-ups didn�t completely destroy us. I�ll take you as my friend any day.�
We hugged it out, and she kissed my cheek.
�Tell me about my date?� I asked to change the subject.
I closed my eyes and crossed my fingers. �Supermodel � supermodel � supermodel,� I said under my breath. A boy can wish, right?
�You�re a dork,� Tracy said, giving my shoulder a shove. �I got you a date with your stalker.�
�Which one?� I asked in all seriousness.
The sad part was I�d attracted more than my share of girls who followed me around and made indecent proposals.
�Your baseball fence-jumper,� Tracy informed me.
�You mean the Lakeview coach�s daughter?�
�That�s the one.�
�I�m not so sure that�s a good idea,� I hedged.
�I talked to her. She realizes her initial approach was � let�s just say, ill-advised.�
�Ya think?�
�She and her friends planned to give you their numbers, but in hindsight, she realized that was a bad idea. Especially after her dad was mortified by her behavior.�
�Still not convinced.�
�This is about you trusting me and expanding your horizons,� Tracy pouted.
�Would you be as excited about this if I were the one picking your dates?� I asked.
�Of course. I know you would only send me on dates with people who were right for me.�
I growled at her because she was right. And I�ll have to admit, I�d had a good time on all the dates so far, even if Tracy snuck one in for herself. She took my reaction as acceptance and skipped away from me with a smile.
◊◊◊
I found myself in a subdivision on the edge of Lakeview, located on Weldon Springs Lake. The homes were newer and upscale, which told me that baseball coaches must make good money. When we stopped, Fritz looked in the rearview mirror.
�Want me to just honk, or are you planning to go in?�
�Bite me,� I replied and bailed out before he could get out of the car.
I walked up the paved path to the front door and rang the doorbell, only to hear a running herd, along with, �I�ll get it!�
The door swung open, and two boys looked up at me. They were about ten and twelve. The boys took one look at me, turned around, and ran into the house. �He�s here!�
Tracy had finally filled me in on who my date was. Her name was Lea Swanson, and she was a senior at Lakeview High School. She hustled to the door.
�Sorry about that. My brothers are barely housebroken, and we try not to allow them around company.�
Lea invited me in, and I smelled something good.
�I talked to your friend Tracy. She�s really nice,� Lea said.
�She has her moments,� I admitted.
�Tracy said you had reservations at the Lakeview Inn for dinner. But when my mom heard you were coming, she decided to cook. I hope you don�t mind, but she wants us to have dinner with them,� Lea said.
�That would be fine,� I said as she led me into the kitchen.
I loved their kitchen. It looked out over a deck, and from the window, you could see there was a trail down to the lake. Coach Swanson was helping his wife make dinner.
�Hey, David, I heard you met my sons Ed and Sam. This is my wife Kim.�
�I hear we�re having dinner with you tonight,� I said.
�Sorry about that. I just wanted to get to know you better,� Mrs. Swanson said.
�That�s fine. I just wanted to know if it would be okay if my driver joined us.�
Now that I played that back in my head, I could see how they would do a double-take. How many teen guys had a driver?
�Uh, sure. That would be fine,� Mrs. Swanson said.
I sent Fritz a text and told him to come in. Coach Swanson met him at the door, and they were talking, so I figured everything was fine.
�Do you need any help?� I asked.
�I, uh �� Mrs. Swanson stammered.
�Looks like Coach was making a salad. I can finish that if you want.�
�Sure.�
Coach Swanson and Fritz joined us in the kitchen. I introduced Fritz to everyone while cutting up tomatoes and celery for the salad. Lea was sent to round up her brothers and to make sure they knew that we were guests and to be on their best behavior.
Mrs. Swanson had made lasagna, which was a hit with the boys. Fritz turned into a fountain of information. He kept everyone entertained, telling them stories about what he�d seen in Hollywood while working security. I was glad he didn�t go into detail about my exploits. It was fun to hear some of the funny things celebrities do when they think no one�s watching.
Everyone was excited when they found out that he also worked for Rita James. I noticed how he glossed over anything personal and in general kept to the script of her being as nice in person as she seemed in the movies.
During dinner, Lea acted nervous, so I reached down and held her hand under the table. It had the desired effect, and she smiled at me. When we were done eating, she offered to take me for a walk around the lake.
Fritz followed us out.
�Uhm � what�cha doing?� I asked.
�My job,� Fritz responded.
I looked around the upscale subdivision for any potential threats. I thought about sending him to the car, but he would just tell my mom. He gave me a smirk as if he could read my mind. I decided to ignore him.
�Sorry about that,� Lea said as we got out of sight of the house.
�That was great. I loved that we had a home-cooked meal, and I got to meet your family.�
Not my first choice for a date, but I�d had worse experiences. We walked in silence. I reached over and took Lea�s hand in mine.
�Now that you have me here, what did you want to do with me?� I asked.
Again, playing that back in my head � The poor girl blushed. I decided to have some fun with her.
�You know that people get a certain impression about me, especially about my skills in bed,� I said, and her eyes got bigger. �I�m even better than the rumors.�
We both heard Fritz try not to laugh. Lea closed her eyes and shook her head as I laughed.
�My two best friends are so jealous I�m with you right now,� she said to change the subject.
�Were they the two who jumped the fence with you?�
�Yes.�
�Tell me about yourself,� I urged.
Boy, was it a mistake to tell a teenage girl to talk about herself. I found that Lea was a good person, but there was no spark there. I decided to make the best of it, and we had a good time.
When we walked back, I told her I had to get home and into bed; tomorrow was a game day. She understood. I gave her a kiss so she could brag to her friends. I didn�t regret going on our date. Tracy was right that I needed to expand my horizons and decide what was right for me.
◊◊◊ Saturday April 30
I hadn�t planned to run this morning because we had our game against St. Joe today. That meant I could sleep in, or so I thought. I heard the door open, and Duke bolted to go outside. Peggy told him to hurry up, and for some reason, he minded her.
�What are you still doing in bed? Aren�t you running today?�
�I have a game today and don�t want to tire out my legs.�
�You should probably get some cardio,� she suggested.
I really am a �stupid boy� sometimes. I had no clue what she meant until she began to take her clothes off. Thank God for older women to show us the way.
I suddenly had a question pop into my head.
�Hey, how long before I can sleep with Pam?� I asked.
�You�re seriously asking me about having sex with another woman when I just took my clothes off?�
�When you put it that way � I just thought � never mind,� I stammered.
She lay down next to me, spread her legs, and pointed.
�Make mama happy.�
�Yes, ma�am.�
After we we�d had our fun, Peggy smacked my butt.
�That�s what I call cardio,� she said with a big smile.
I got up to take my shower. When I came back, Peggy and Duke were gone. Some activities put a smile on your face, and this was one. Then I realized something: she never told me when Pam would be ready for sex. I think she got distracted.
◊◊◊
When I ran downstairs to breakfast, Megan gave me a smirk. I guess Mom caught it.
�What�s going on?� Mom asked.
I opened the refrigerator to decide what to make and left Megan to explain herself.
�What did you do, David?� Mom asked my back as I rummaged through the fridge to find what I wanted.
�I have no idea. Megan was the one giving me the look. Ask her.�
I peeked under my arm and saw Megan lean over to my mom and whisper something to her.
�They do that all the time,� Mom said.
�Who does what all the time?� Dad asked as he came into the kitchen.
�David and Peggy had sex this morning,� Mom announced.
�Oh. What are you making for breakfast?� Dad asked.
�I thought I�d make a frittata,� I answered.
Megan sat in stunned silence. I guess the announcement that one of her brothers had just had sex would have been news in her house. She wasn�t used to how open my family was.
�Don�t forget to get the egg-to-dairy ratio correct,� Dad warned.
�I�ve got this,� I said to let my dad know not to be so bossy.
He was the king of frittatas. He made them for dinner when he was tired. A frittata was a great catch-all for leftovers. One of the tricks was to make sure all the ingredients you added were fully cooked before you combined them with the egg mixture.
We had a cast-iron skillet that was perfect for making them in. Dad told me the pan had been his grandmother�s and had been passed down to him. I�d decided on ham, potatoes, onions, and mushrooms, with cheddar cheese. The egg-to-dairy ratio was twelve eggs to half a cup of dairy, which could be whole milk, sour cream, yogurt, or cr�me fra�che. All were great options. I found a container of sour cream, so that was my pick.
I cooked the ham, potatoes, and onions until they were almost done, then added the mushrooms. To the eggs, I added the sour cream, cracked black pepper, and dill weed. I mixed it all up and then added the cheddar cheese. I poured the egg and cheese mixture over what was in the skillet. To top it off, I sprinkled Parmesan to add a sharp hit of salty, nutty flavor.
I put my frittata into a 350-degree oven and set the timer for twenty minutes. Dad watched me like a hawk.
�Remember, a good frittata should have the texture of custard: trembling and barely set,� Dad reminded me.
�Maybe you should watch it,� I shot back.
�You really should. We all remember the last time David made one. It turned out like an old kitchen sponge,� Mom said.
I just threw up my hands and made myself some tea. By the time it was ready, Peggy had joined us.
�Oh good,
You make one mistake!
◊◊◊
For once, the seedings had held. St. Joe was number one, and we were number two. Since they joined our conference, they�d had the best baseball program. They actually fielded three teams during the year. When it came time for postseason play, they pulled together sort of their all-star team.
I judged St. Joe to be the better team, as far as skill set goes. I thought our only advantage was that we�d played as a team all year. That was important in certain situations. You knew what your teammate would do and acted accordingly.
Today, Brock Callahan was pitching. We all hoped he could do as well as his brother. We were having an unseasonably warm day. On the way to school, they said it was 78 degrees. When you were used to the mid-60s, that felt hot during warm-ups. I just leaned my head back and soaked in the sun. I understood why people fled the Midwest during the winter months for more balmy climes. In only a few weeks, I would be in Cuba, where it would be even warmer. It felt good to let the heat help loosen up my muscles.
�What�re you thinking?� Jim asked me to bring me back from my sun worship.
�That you�re going to be sweating your ass off in Alabama in a few weeks. When are you heading out?�
�In about a month. I�ve enrolled in summer school to get a couple of classes under my belt,� he said as he looked around. �I�m going to miss it here.�
�Yeah, I know what you mean. I can�t believe I only have one year left.�
�It�ll be over before you know it,� Jim said.
�You must be nervous. Everything will be new.�
�Suzanne said I�ll love it,� he said, referring to his older sister. �I�ve been talking to a few of the new recruits and getting to know them. It won�t be like I won�t know anyone.�
�Are you excited about going?� I asked.
He gave me a tight smile.
�My dad told me it was part of growing up. I�ve been in the same bedroom all my life. My mom and dad have been there for me. I miss my sister, but she seems happy at Northwestern. It�ll be fine.�
�We�ll miss you. My uncle tells me not to be in such a hurry to grow up. I agree with him. Go and enjoy the heck out of it. All too soon, you�ll have to grow up and get a nine-to-five. I don�t want you to look back and think you didn�t have some fun.�
Jim scoffed at me.
�Says the man who�s constantly working. When are you going to take your own advice?�
I shook my head. He was right. I missed the days when the highlight was going for a bike ride, going swimming, or playing video games. It had been at least three months since I logged onto my gaming account. I just didn�t seem to have the time.
�You know what the saddest part is about that? I have to plan downtime.�
�That�s hardly a surprise; your life is crazy. I hear people say they wished they were you, but I�ve watched you. I don�t think I have it in me to do what you do. What I do know is that watching you makes me work harder,� Jim said.
�I have no doubt you�ll work hard. Just don�t let it consume you.�
Coach Haskins called us in to let St. Joe have the field.
◊◊◊
Because St. Joe was the number one seed, they were technically the home team, even though the game was played on our field. We�d had to offer them almost half the tickets to the game for the High School Athletic Association to agree to this arrangement. Most Regional games were played on local high school baseball fields. Because of the number of people that attended our games, the HSAA wanted all the Regionals to be held at Lincoln. That was because we had the largest seating capacity of any high school in the state.
Next week, for Sectionals, all the games would be played on neutral sites. Somehow, our athletic director, working with the Booster Club, had arranged for our field to be a host site. State was another hosting stadium, as were two other universities. State would eventually host the championship final four.
Something I didn�t like about how our state did high school playoffs was it was one and done. To win state, you had to win eight straight games. In baseball, that was an almost unheard-of feat. That was why even the College World Series was a double-elimination system. The major leagues did have a play-in game, but then after that, they changed to a best-of-five or best-of-seven format.
There were three reasons our state did it this way. The first was it gave almost every team in the state a chance to participate. The second was we didn�t have enough days on the calendar to do a double-elimination tournament. Finally, they worried about young pitchers. In a playoff situation, your best pitcher might become overworked and more susceptible to injury.
My feeling was it put better teams at a disadvantage. One lousy outing, and you were gone. I expected that St. Joe would beat us in a best-of-five series with little trouble. The good news for us was we only had to win today to move on.
It was finally game time, and I stepped out to take some practice swings. The crowd suddenly got eerily quiet. I looked around to see what the problem was and found our fans all sitting down. That was something I�d never seen at the start of a game. Then someone stood up: Alan. He had an old-style boom box that he lifted over his head. I closed my eyes as the first notes of AC/DC�s
When the music started, our fans jumped up and began ringing their damned cowbells, stomping their feet and singing along. I glanced over to the St. Joe side, and they�d joined in.
I looked out at the pitcher, and he was pissed. Instead of going to the batter�s box, I headed to the mound. Well, shit � That got a reaction.
�It�s all good,� I said, holding up my hands as the catcher, all the umpires, St. Joe�s coach, and Moose all ran to the mound.
�What do you want?� their pitcher asked.
�I just wanted to tell you we didn�t play the music. Please don�t think we are trying to disrespect you or your team. We know you�ve got a great team, and no insult is intended,� I explained.
He refused to shake my hand and gave me a menacing look. I figured, what the hell, be an ass. I turned around and walked back to the batter�s box. Everyone else saw it was okay and started back to where they belonged. I stopped, turned, and looked the pitcher in the eyes.
�One more thing,� I said, which froze everyone. �You hit me with a pitch, and I�ll tear your arm off and beat you with it.�
Moose grabbed me, and their pitcher had to be restrained by their coach. Coach Haskins had the dugout blocked as all my guys jumped up. St. Joe�s side rushed the field, and the umpires all put a wall up to keep them off me.
Moose marched me to our dugout and had a boisterous discussion with me while the umpires cleared the field. I caught him half-smiling at my attempt to rile up their pitcher. My guys had seen me play alpha dog before, so they took it in stride.
The umpires finally got St. Joe back on their benches and pulled the two coaches behind the plate. The St. Joe coach about lost his mind when the umpire told him that if his pitcher threw at anyone, he�d be gone, as would the coach. Moose got the same warning. Coach Herndon was talking to Brock, telling him not to retaliate. Our team knew if something went down, to let the coaches or me handle it.
They let St. Joe�s pitcher throw a few balls to try to settle down. I smiled to see he was raring back and throwing as hard as he could. His adrenaline had to be pumping through his veins.
I got into the batter�s box and dug in. I looked for his fastball on the first pitch. That was, of course, assuming he didn�t throw at my head. I guessed right, and it sounded good coming off the bat. The pitcher�s head snapped around, and he watched a towering shot as it drifted just foul.
I was pissed I�d been a little behind on that one. I could tell from the look on the pitcher�s face that he was going to throw at me.
�You better warn him,� I told the umpire.
He seemed to agree, and he motioned St. Joe�s coach out and met him at the mound. All three of them were red-faced when the umpire came back. Their coach said a few words, and a smirk came onto the pitcher�s face. Well, shit!
Sure enough, the next pitch was in the middle of my back. I would have to send Sandy Range flowers because her new protective gear did its job. The umpire behind the plate stepped in front of me, and I just grinned at him.
�You little shit. You wanted to get their pitcher out of the game,� he said so only I could hear him.
�I�d never admit to that,� I said, feigning shock.
�Take your base,� he ordered me.
St. Joe�s coach and pitcher hit the showers. As far as the St. Joe fans were concerned, I was now public enemy number one.
St. Joe was in a bind. They�d gone through their two best pitchers to get to this game, and their third-best one had just been tossed. Granted, they had depth because they played three teams, but in high school, you only had so many top-notch arms. They faced the choice of bringing out their best starter on short rest or a sophomore. I guess I wasn�t surprised when they brought out their best starter.
It wasn�t like he pitched yesterday, but what it did was mess them up for the Sectional games. He would have to slide back into the order, and they might never get to him for the next round of the playoffs. I could see their logic, though. If they didn�t win this one, they were done.
When he was warmed up, the umpire signaled it was time to play ball. No starting pitcher was used to beginning a game with a runner on. Their ace hadn�t really faced that many base runners because he tended to throw a lot of sinking stuff that got hit as ground balls. He counted on his defense to back him up. Having me on first caused him to have to begin by pitching out of the stretch.
Ray Quinn, the sophomore who had taken Yuri�s spot at third, was up. St. Joe�s pitcher was worried about me and had me dive back to first base a couple of times before he threw home with the ball. Ray had been instructed to keep the bat on his shoulder until the pitcher threw a strike. Moose wanted to see what their pitcher had today before he forced Ray to hit. It turned out to be a good strategy because their pitcher tried to throw around the edges and get Ray to chase a pitch. Four pitches later, I was on second base. Five more pitches and I was on third.
Jim came to the plate with the bases loaded. Over the winter and spring, Jim had taken to the training program. He was now up to 275 pounds of muscle, and he�d also lost a few inches on his waist, so he no longer looked boxy. His goal was to put on another ten to fifteen pounds before the start of football. Alabama would get him into their program and more than likely redshirt him. He had the frame to be a beast. At six-five, he already looked the part on the baseball field.
On the first pitch, Jim hit a curveball on the ground up the middle. The second baseman and shortstop charged it so they could turn the double play. This was when the two of them not playing together all year hurt their team. They collided, and the ball rolled into center field. Everyone had run on contact because it was on the ground. Ray and I scored easily, with Bryan ending up at third and Jim at first.
Their pitcher settled down and got Brock to hit into a double play, but Bryan was able to score to make it 3�0.
When I came up in the second, we were still up 3�0 with one out and two on. I shook my head when they hit me again. This time they clipped my forearm, which loaded the bases. That meant they needed a new pitcher, and their assistant coach was also gone. The new pitcher came in and served up a batting-practice ball to Ray, who hit his first home run of the year to make it 7�0.
In the top of the seventh, I came up, and they hit me for the fifth time. St. Joe had come back, but we now led 12�7. The umpire had warned them if they hit me again, they would forfeit the game. I guess they figured, �Why not?� By now, I was ready to kick someone�s ass. Even with the new Range Sports gear, my back was starting to complain.
�David Allen Dawson!� cut through the crowd noise.
The last thing I needed was for my mom to come out on the field. I took a deep breath and let my anger go.
◊◊◊
After I was finally done with handing out baseball cards and showering, I came out to find my mom waiting for me with Alan. He had a guilty look, and he glanced at my mom.
�I�m sorry,� he said.
I heard her let out her breath, and Alan glanced at her again. Mom gave him a pointed look.
�I�m sorry for playing the music before the game. My actions have consequences, and you getting drilled five times was part of those consequences,� Alan said.
Someone had rehearsed their lines and delivered them poorly. I didn�t believe he was sorry for a second. He was just afraid of what my mom might do to him.
�Okay, fine. Just don�t do it again,� I said.
He looked at my mom, and she nodded to him. Alan took off. What a jerk.
�I hate to say this, but I�m starting to not like him very much,� Mom said, shocking me.
�Here, I thought it was just me. In fact, Tami has had about enough of him as well.�
�She told me, but I didn�t believe it until today. How are you?� Mom asked.
I pulled up my shirt. There were some red spots where I was hit, but it didn�t look like there would be any bruising. When she was satisfied, she let me put my shirt back down.
�What are you doing tonight?� Mom asked.
�Boys� night out. Jim�s only here for a few more weeks, so we�re going out,� I said.
◊◊◊
I slipped my security tether, telling Fritz he had the night off, that I planned to stay in. For once, I just wanted to be a teenager and have some fun with Jim and the guys. I had to take the baby seats out of the Jeep. It felt good to actually drive a car.
I�d talked to Fritz about us signing up for a defensive driving class with the Ford Hennessey VelociRaptor SUV. The Raptor pickup was designed by Ford to be an off-road vehicle. Hennessey had taken it apart, turned it into an oversized SUV, and tricked it out. The modifications made it a beast. I�d read that the biggest complaint arose when people treated it as a true off-road vehicle; they�d bent the frame because the wheelbase was so long, longer than the original pickup.
Because of the extra suspension, the Ford Hennessey VelociRaptor SUV ride was very comfortable. You would never guess you were driving something that big. They�d also done work on the engine that made it perform like my Dodge Charger had. Fritz had agreed that we needed to see what it could really do in a
My Jeep was a fun car to drive. It wasn�t very big, but for a teenage guy, it was exactly what he wanted. Well, it could use a larger back seat for a little parking action.
I pulled up to Jim�s house and saw that there were already several cars there. When I walked inside, I found that Wolf, Ty, Jake, Ed, Bryan, and Brock had beaten me there and were watching a baseball game on TV. I found Jim in the back, starting the grill.
�So, what�s the plan for tonight?� I asked.
�Well, I thought about going out but decided it might be more fun to eat some charred meat, drink a few beers, and play poker. I didn�t want to have to find everyone at the end of the night.�
�I agree. On a guy�s night out, there should be a rule like, �Never Leave a Man Behind,�� I offered.
�Can you handle the grill for me?� Jim asked.
�If you get me a beer.�
�You�re not worried about Moose?� Jim asked.
�I�ve been good most of the year. I think we can have a little fun, especially since who knows when we�ll get another chance.�
�Graduation. My parents are letting me throw another party. You�ll be invited.�
�Well, I�ll have beers with you twice, then,� I said with a smile.
While he left to get one, I grabbed the metal brush and began to clean a year�s worth of crud off the grates. Jim came out with my beer and an enormous platter of New York strips. Following him were Tim and his new girlfriend, Brit.
�I have a new rule,� Jim said. �No Girlfriends!�
�What are you talking about?� Brit asked.
�We�re making up rules about a guys� night out,� I said.
�You don�t consider me one of the guys?� Brit asked.
I raised my eyebrows at Tim.
�You need to tell us something?� I asked.
�Bite me, Dawson,� Tim said and took a swig of his beer.
Alan walked out onto the patio.
�Do you have any wine coolers?� he asked.
�No Nancy Boys,� Brit said to add to the list.
I shot beer out my nose. Brit could stay.
�Alan, you�re so weird sometimes,� Jim said.
�What? I just like the taste better,� he whined.
�There�s only beer, so deal with it,� Tim said.
�Okay, okay, I was just asking,� Alan said and stepped back into the house.
I sent Jim into the kitchen to get me seasoning for the steaks and some oil for the grill. Tim and Brit followed Jim into the kitchen to start getting everything else ready. Jim�s mom had made mac and cheese, baked beans, and French fries, and they all were being kept warm in the oven. Brit was put in charge of the mushrooms.
I grilled the steaks, drank some beer, and shot the shit with guys as they rotated out to see what I was doing and grab a steak. Finally, everyone had one, so I plated up the last one, turned off the grill, and joined everyone inside.
By the end of the night, I had two additional rules: �Don�t be Cheap� and �Don�t be a Douche.� The cheap one came from Jake. He apparently didn�t think to bring any money to help pay for the food or play poker. I guess he expected us to cover for him. Fortunately for Jake, Ed stepped up and loaned him some money.
The douche was Alan. We were playing nickel, dime, and quarter poker stakes, just to have some fun. Alan had a good hand against me.
We were playing Texas Hold�em, and the flop had come ace of spades, nine of spades, and three of hearts. My two cards were face-down on the table, and I lifted them just enough to see two threes to give me trip threes. I was guessing Alan had either two pair or a flush draw.
�I bet ten bucks,� he announced.
�Dude, we�re just goofing off. Plus, you can only bet what�s in front of you on the table,� Jim said, stepping in to head Alan off.
�David can afford it,� Alan said.
�Let�s see your money,� I came back, getting irritated with his little shot at me.
Alan reached for his wallet, dug out a ten, and put it on the table. I dug into mine and pulled out a twenty. I thought about it for a moment. Dad had been working with me to not just focus on my hand, but to try to figure out what my opponent might have. My guess was he had two pair and didn�t want me to draw to the flush. Alan could also have something like pocket aces or nines and have me dominated. I expected if he had that, he would have checked. Then again, Alan tended to get excited if he thought he had you beat and pressed his luck. I�d used that against him playing video games. I decided to call, taking his ten and putting the twenty into the pot.
On the turn, the six of clubs came out, or a blank. I couldn�t see it doing either of us any good.
�I bet twenty,� Alan said.
�Alan, seriously. This is just a friendly game,� Jim tried one more time.
�He won�t listen. I call,� I said.
We both put twenty in the middle.
On the river, the three of diamonds came out to give me quads. I knew I was unbeatable since only a higher hand of quads or a straight flush would beat me. The board didn�t give either of those hands a chance. Alan�s eyes lit up, and he pulled out his wallet and counted out sixty dollars.
�Alan, just check it down. I have you beat. I don�t want to take your money,� I said.
�The bet is sixty. If you can�t handle it, just fold,� Alan challenged me.
I pulled out three more twenties and threw them into the pot. Alan rolled over two nines to give him a full house, nines over threes. He had me beat up to the river. When I rolled over the pocket threes, the color drained from his face.
�Just pull your money back,� I offered.
Alan glared at me, got up, and stormed out. It looked like our friendship really had ended. At this point, that didn�t bother me; I was sick of his behavior. I pulled my cash out of the pot and gave Jim the rest for the �beer fund.� No way the ten dollars he�d asked us to chip in had covered all his expenses.
That pretty much ended the poker game. Ty had brought some Swisher Sweet cigars, so several people stepped out onto the deck to try them. I stayed inside, kicked back, and drank a few beers. It was a pleasant, relaxing evening, and great to get the guys together.
Jim�s parents came home at midnight. His dad insisted on driving everyone home in his van. It was going to take a couple of trips, so I helped Jim, Tim, and Brit clean up.
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Chapter 38 � Feminazis Sunday May 1
After church, Mom dropped me off at Jim�s to pick up my Jeep.
Dad and I once again found ourselves in Caryn�s conference room, with Megan sitting in. Caryn got Dad up to speed on the school lunch issue.
�It�s David�s money, and we have a budget for something like that. I don�t have a problem with it,� Dad said.
�Tell him the rest,� I told Caryn.
�The Quickie Mart has had a few people come in and ask for food. There�s also the matter of how the kids will eat when they aren�t in school,� she summarized.
I quickly realized she�d already talked to him about it.
�What did you want to do about the Quickie Mart?� Dad asked me.
�I thought we might put together some bags of food that could be handed out. Sort of like what you see at the grocery stores around Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would want to include a flyer or brochure that would direct them to where to get help. Maybe make them sign up to get the food and give their names to the county,� I brainstormed.
�I�m not sure that we want to collect people�s names and information, but I expect the county has some literature about the programs that are offered,� Caryn said.
The conversation then devolved into what food should be included. It was decided that there would be a half-gallon of milk, eggs, bread, lunch meat, and peanut butter. Caryn would monitor it and see how it worked out.
Caryn had also talked to the TV station about the issue of childhood hunger, and they agreed to add that as one of the PSAs. She had scripts for all the commercials they wanted me to do. She and Frank had reviewed them, and they�d suggested some changes that the TV station had agreed to. I would shoot them this week after school. When Halle found out what I was doing, she insisted on helping me learn my lines and had ideas for how they should film them.
Caryn gave us a rundown of all the other businesses. The investment in Jack Mass�s construction company was starting to pay dividends. They�d been able to complete six homes and had sold them all. He wanted to reinvest the profits into an old candy factory. One of the hot trends was to convert old commercial spaces into big fourteen-foot-ceiling open-air studios. He planned for it to be a high-end venture. The appeal of the building was that the exterior walls were exposed brick, and the studios would have large windows with views of the city.
Caryn showed us the business plan, and Jack projected a nearly fifty percent return on investment. Dad cautioned that was
Before we began our tour of what was happening here, Caryn pulled out a folder.
�Mr. Morris sent over the finalized agreement with the NCAA. I told him about our little mistake with the pictures,� Caryn said.
I�d handed out movie pictures at a sporting event. That was why she�d changed it so I now handed out baseball cards after games. She flipped through to a marked page of the agreement.
�This basically gives us a �get out of jail free� card for that,� Caryn said.
I read the highlighted phrase: �
�When I sign and date the document, that sets the date,� Dad explained.
I noticed that Mr. Morris had highlighted several sections and had put notes in the margin for Caryn. There were also notes from Tom Dole and Ms. Dixon. It rather scared me that I needed three lawyers to read an agreement from the NCAA. I understood them all wanting to earn their fee; I couldn�t remember a time when a lawyer didn�t want to add their two cents� worth. Mom had said some rather unkind words regarding the subject. She dealt with contracts for real estate deals all the time. She said if a lawyer was involved, they always found a way to muck things up. That might explain why it had taken several weeks to get a simple waiver so I could be declared an amateur.
�Hurry up and sign it before they find anything else wrong,� I encouraged dad.
Caryn pulled out a clean copy with the NCAA�s signatures on it. Dad signed and dated it. Megan had her notary stamp, which she affixed to the contract.
�Let�s go on the tour,� Caryn said.
◊◊◊
The restaurant renovation was coming along. The kitchen had been power-washed, and fresh paint was evident. County permits were posted in the front window so the public could see what was going on. Caryn said all the equipment was to be looked at and thoroughly cleaned. She told us that Granny assured her it would be better than new when they were done with it.
The contractor also pulled out the flooring in the back and put in commercial-grade flooring designed for restaurant kitchens. That meant there weren�t cracks or grout where anything might fall in, and it didn�t get slick when wet. It was a slate gray and looked sharp.
Caryn said the walk-ins had been gross. All the shelving was pulled out so it could be cleaned and repaired. Because of what they found, it was decided to do pest control. I appreciated that Caryn didn�t go into detail.
Mary and Granny were working with a designer to figure out the best locations for everything for optimum workflow. The designer was also working out the best seating plan for out front and upstairs. Caryn showed us some concepts for downstairs. They were trying to get it to look and feel a lot like Granny�s current restaurant. We�d half decided to call the place �Granny�s West� to capitalize on her good name. Upstairs they wanted to name �Our House.� Megan joked that you could say you were going to �Our House,� and people would think you were going home. Dad threw in that when people would chant �Our House� at the games, it would be free advertising. I wondered why I was even there.
◊◊◊
I had to be home early today. The woman from
As I was walking to the house, a car pulled up and parked on the street outside the gate, and I waved at it. Two women got out of the vehicle and approached the gate. One, dressed in �New York business� attire, was a medium-height brunette. The second was more casually dressed and had mousy brown hair and glasses. She looked familiar, but I couldn�t place her.
�Have I met you before?�
The videographer smiled at me.
�No, we�ve never actually met.�
She didn�t say any more, so I shook it off and offered to help with the equipment. She accepted, and as soon as I picked up the two cameras she had, I knew why. Those suckers were heavy!
I opened the door, only to be met by Dad.
�Angie and Duke are upstairs with your mom; the babies are fussing right now,� he said.
Then he reached to take one of the cameras from me as I walked by. Duke came bounding down the stairs as I headed towards the living room, but he skidded to a stop. Amazingly, he greeted our guests with a low, menacing growl. I looked up into the mirror in the hallway, startled, and saw the videographer�s look of loathing as she backed away from Duke, who was still growling at her. All of a sudden, it clicked.
�Guys, I�m going to take Duke up to the apartment and get him settled there, and then I need to take a shower. Dad, would you show them to the living room and then help me with something from the car for a second?�
�Sure,� he said as he looked at me, a bit perplexed.
I had to grab Duke by the collar to get him to follow me as I walked out the door with Dad trailing.
�David, what gives?�
�I�m not sure. For now, would you keep them occupied in the living room until I get back? We�ll get everything set up after I do a few things. I just have a bad feeling,� I explained.
He nodded as I ran up to the apartment with my phone already out. I hit the speed dial for Fritz.
◊◊◊
In the next fifteen minutes, I showered and changed into some of the clothes Halle had picked out for my travel to LA. I also made a few preparations in the kitchen.
I emerged into the living room and told them we would set up in the kitchen. The two women conferred a bit and then worked together to get everything arranged. They had one camera pointed at me and the other aimed at Lucy, the woman doing the interview. If I�d been doing it, I would have had a third camera focused on both of us.
At one point, the videographer pointed to the big clock hanging on the wall and asked if she could move it.
�No,� I said. �It�s notorious for not working if I move it. Let�s just leave it alone.�
�But there�s another clock on the opposite wall,� she responded in a huff.
�It�s in case that one stops,� I explained.
She just shook her head and continued on about her business. I noticed she repositioned the cameras so the clockfaces wouldn�t be captured in their view.
Once they were ready, the interview started.
�David, thank you for doing this interview. You�re okay with being videotaped, aren�t you?�
�Yes, that�s fine. You�re okay being videotaped too, I assume,� I said with a smile.
�Of course, I just wanted to check before we got started.�
�Fine,� I said. �What�s this for? I think my publicist told me, but I�m afraid I�ve forgotten.�
She smiled brightly.
�I understand. I work with
�Would it be possible for me to get a copy of the video once we�re done? My publicist likes to see what all I messed up.� I said.
She smiled.
�I�m sure something can be worked out. Of course, we�ll have to edit it down, but you know how it is.�
I smiled back at her, noting the videographer�s grin as well.
�Oh, something else,� I said. �Our security people insist on a copy of your driver�s licenses. It�s a policy, I�m afraid. They require that for all interviews.�
The two women looked doubtful, but the interviewer reached into her purse and the videographer into her backpack, and they handed them to me. Lucy Previse was the woman interviewing me. I gave them to my dad to make copies. He looked a bit perplexed again but left to do as I�d suggested.
�Okay, one last ground rule, and this really is the last,� I promised. �I�ll talk about topics other than sports in an interview, or I�ll talk exclusively about baseball and/or football. But I won�t talk about both in the same interview. I don�t want to get sideways with the NCAA on rules regarding amateurism.�
The interviewer smiled and nodded.
�Is that a �yes,� Lucy?� I asked. �This is something I�ve been told I really have to be careful about.�
�Of course, yes,� she said.
I flipped open my notebook, pulled out my pen, and set it down on the table.
�Okay, let�s get going. I really can only spare about an hour for this.�
Lucy began the interview, and it went on amiably enough at first. But after about a half-hour, her questions started to become a little more personal. She also changed the focus and started to ask my opinions on various women�s-rights issues.
I noticed a pattern to her questions. In response, I started to vary my answers. A positive response might be �absolutely,� �that would be a yes,� �of course,� etc. I tried to vary my negative answers in the same way.
Next, she started getting into sports issues, even after I told her I would talk on one or the other subject, but not both.
Lucy: �I understand you�re also a gifted athlete and have received both football and baseball scholarship offers from a number of colleges throughout the country, is that correct?�
David: �I�m sorry. As we discussed before the interview began, I can�t talk about sports-related subjects during this interview.�
Lucy: �I also understand you�re the top-rated quarterback, and maybe the top-rated player at any position, in your class. Is that right?�
David: �Again, I�m sorry. As we discussed before the interview began, I can�t mix sports-related subjects with other topics in the same interview. We need to move off sports topics, or I�m afraid this interview is over.�
She consented, still smiling, but now her questions started to get confrontational. The gloves seemed to have come off.
Lucy: �David, you�ve been accused of raping and beating the mother of your child. How do you respond to that?�
David: �I don�t, because your accusations are silly. If you�d taken the time to do a little homework, you would have watched the ESPN interview where the baby�s mother put that to rest. Another source would be the records filed with the county clerk on the matter of custody. If there had been even a hint of any abuse, the police would have made a different finding in their investigation. The local district attorney made a statement to the effect that all those allegations were unfounded. That isn�t something they would do if I�d done any of what you suggested.�
Lucy: �How can you say that? There are pictures of her with a black eye and a split lip!�
David: �Whoever hit her, it wasn�t me. If you�d followed that story at all, you�d know that I was never around her alone at any time during the weekend in question. There are many witnesses, including numerous mutual female friends of us both, who can attest to that. I had no reason to even be mad at her, and I wasn�t mad at her. Why are you making these false charges?�
Lucy: �Then who did you get to hit her?�
David: �Ms. Previse, I don�t know what your agenda is, but it�s becoming clear that you�ve got one. To answer your question, I didn�t get anyone to hit her. I was shocked when I was shown that picture of her. Now, I think we�re done here. Before you leave, I would like a copy of the footage from both cameras, as you promised.�
Lucy: �Oh, you�ll see footage of this, I guarantee that. But I never actually promised to make the raw footage available to you.�
I heard a commotion, and unfortunately, the camera picked up Dad holding my mom back. I wished he had let her go. Now
◊◊◊
The two women left in a hurry. I had to keep my mom from throwing their equipment after them. The joy of getting one up on me showed on their faces as they packed. They finally finished loading their gear into their car and left.
I turned to Mom, who had tears of rage and frustration on her face.
�That was ridiculous!� she exploded.
�Mom, don�t worry, I had them figured out before the interview even started,� I told her, and then turned to Dad. �Do you remember when that women�s activist came onto the property and tried to grab my running buddy Rachel? It was back when the whole uproar with Pam had just gotten started, and Rachel came over to go running with me.�
He nodded, and I continued.
�She appeared on
Just then, Fritz came around the corner of the house, accompanied by another man. I recognized Detective Kitchens.
�I asked Detective Kitchens if he�d moonlight a bit with me to see what we could see. We witnessed everything. I also have an added bonus.�
Fritz and Detective Kitchens walked to an electrical box by the curb near where the women�s car had been. He pointed, and Detective Kitchens bent down to retrieve something. The detective put it into an evidence bag. It was a small video �spy-cam.� They did the same at the box across the street. Fritz pointed, and Detective Kitchens bent down and picked up three tiny devices from the pavement. They were near the trunk, the driver�s door, and the passenger door of the car where it had been parked. Each of the items was put into its own bag.
They came back with the devices in Detective Kitchens� possession.
�I put these where they�d pick up sound but weren�t likely to be stepped on or run over. Still, we got lucky,� Fritz explained.
We went into the house, followed by my questioning parents. Once in the kitchen, I pulled my shirt up to reveal my bodycam and picked up the pen I�d placed on the table.
�David, let me take those so I can establish the chain of custody,� Detective Kitchens said.
I explained what all I had to him.
�This is a bodycam I was wearing during a video interview conducted over the past hour by the two women you just saw leaving. We also have a photocopy of their driver�s licenses. This pen is actually a microphone. It was used to preserve an audio record of the interview in its entirety. If you�ll go with Fritz, he�ll retrieve the videos, front and back, from these two clock cameras,� I said, pointing to the two large clocks on opposite walls. �We had them installed for security.�
Detective Kitchens gave me a thin smile.
�I appreciate your helping me catch a rapist, but after this, we�re even. I�m going to open a file on a potential fraud case with this information. While I have to keep them for now, I�ll note the recordings are your property, to be returned to you when appropriate. I�ll also do as Fritz asked earlier and oversee his making copies before the originals are bagged for evidence. After that, I�ll just wait for further developments.�
He and Fritz left with their loot, and I stepped over to hug Mom and Dad. Mom was still shaking.
�Mom, I�m sorry I didn�t tell you what was going on earlier, but I had to have you acting naturally. If I�d told you beforehand what I thought they were up to, those women might not have lived two minutes after coming into the house. Once I knew what was going on, I called Fritz, and he told me what to do. If I hadn�t, they would�ve just found some other way to ambush me.�
�David, don�t ever do anything like that ever again.�
I felt horrible.
I retreated to my apartment to get some much-needed Duke-loving. Then I remembered I had one more thing to do and placed a call to Frank.
�Frank,� I said without preamble, �get with Fritz to get all the footage we took, and the driver�s license copies I made. Then have your people get started on what preliminary magic they can. After that, call Ms. Dixon and Mr. Morris and let them know what�s going on. Ms. Dixon may want to chew me out for not canceling the interview in the first place, and for not calling her right away, and she may be right. But right now, I�m tired, and I�m not in shape to deal with her.
�One of the two women at the interview, the videographer, was the woman who gave
Frank agreed and had some news for me as well.
�I did some more extensive background checks on the reporter who claimed to be from
�We�re going to be changing our process here,� Frank continued. �Unless an interviewer is personally known to me, we�re not going to allow any sit-down interviews until a full background check has been done.�
I agreed. After I hung up with Frank, I took another shower, and I scrubbed hard. I felt unclean.
I stayed up thinking a bit longer than usual before sleep overtook me. There are people in the world who have evil intent. There are people in the world who relish dragging other people down. These were lessons I had to remember. They were lessons I also didn�t
◊◊◊ Monday May 2
Mom was subdued when I entered the kitchen. I just walked up to her and held her. I didn�t say anything; nothing seemed right. She finally pulled back, still in my arms, and looked up at me.
�David, you can�t know how proud of you I am. You account for far more of my gray hairs than you should, and there are times you act like the goofy kid I still want you to be. But you�re growing up.
�Your dad and I talked a lot last night, and I understand why you handled those women the way you did. I hope it turns out okay. I even understand why you didn�t tell me in advance. Just please try not to put me in that position again, okay?�
All I could do was nod. My voice seemed to have gone somewhere else. I pulled Mom gently back into a hug.
�What I hate most is that you have to do something like that. When did it become okay for them to try to set you up like that?� Mom asked.
I shook my head. I only wished I knew.
In the back of my mind, I wondered why I even allowed the interview to go forward when I knew the one gal wasn�t on the up-and-up. In the future, I wouldn�t do that again.
◊◊◊
Last evening�s events left me moody most of the morning. It bothered me that people could be so deliberately uncaring of other people�s lives and that they had no problem at all sacrificing others to their agendas.
Dad told me Ms. Dixon had called him last night, and they�d talked about what happened. She was going to get my brain trust of her, Frank, Fritz, and Mr. Morris together and review the footage we had, and someone would talk to me tonight. Ms. Dixon told him she�d have advised me to cancel the interview then and there. But she also understood it had come up fast, and she appreciated my thinking on the fly. Ms. Dixon complimented me on the way I�d set it up so we�d have an accurate record of what had transpired.
She wasn�t the only one who wondered if it could�ve been handled differently. I kept replaying last night over and over again and wondered how it would have played out if I�d just done
Finally, I remembered what Pam had taught me, and what Zoe was teaching me. I�d done the best I could, and the interview was over, for better or worse. I had people, professionals I relied on, getting us as ready as they could for the likely next steps. There was nothing more I could do at the moment, so it was time to put it behind me and move on.
Easier said than done, but I kept close to my friends. They could see something was bothering me, but when I told them I couldn�t talk about it, they honored that. And then they tried to cheer me up, mainly by telling �stupid boy� stories to each other. I never thought I�d appreciate people so much for making fun of me. Especially my best friends!
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Chapter 39 � Banned from Walmart Monday May 2
Tonight was our first Sectional baseball game. We were playing Waterloo, a school about two hours southwest of us. They were also the Bulldogs. Unfortunately, that was all I knew about them.
At lunch, I was talking to Pam, Tracy, and Cassidy when Tim sat down next to me with a big grin on his face.
�Wolf is banned from Walmart,� he announced.
�Say what?� I asked, not believing my ears.
Other people were coming to join us for lunch, so I held up my hand to hold off Tim having to explain himself a hundred times. Wolf came in, and I made Yuri move so Wolf could sit across from me.
�Let�s hear it. How did you get banned from Walmart?� I asked, catching everyone�s attention.
Wolf shut his eyes. I was sure he was counting to ten before he killed Tim for ratting him out.
�It was all a misunderstanding and an accident. It�s no big deal,� Wolf deflected.
�I have video,� Tim said, bouncing up and down in his seat.
No one wanted to hear Wolf�s side of the story if we had video. It began by showing an aisle with toys, at the end of which was a massive display of multi-colored rubber balls about the size of a basketball. The balls were held in an eight-foot-high wire display bin that had a trough at the bottom where you could pull them out. It was about two-thirds full. The top was open so they could fill it from there.
�So, what�s the bet?� Wolf asked on the video.
�Five dollars says you can�t make it into the top of the basket from here,� Tim replied.
�That�s too easy,� Wolf said.
�Then make it,� Tim prodded.
�Okay.�
�Hang on, I want to get all this,� Tim said.
The camera jiggled as Tim moved back to the end of the aisle. Wolf launched the ball and turned towards Tim, with his back to the display, and with his hands up as if it were a sure thing. At the other end of the aisle, a large black woman stepped in front of the bin. She was there just in time for the ball to smack her on the side of the head. We watched in stunned silence as her front foot went up and she went down in a heap, like she�d slipped on a banana peel. The ball had knocked her wig off!
�Oh, shit!� Tim could be heard saying.
Wolf turned around and froze. The woman got up and came after Wolf with her oversized purse. You could hear Wolf apologizing as Tim cracked up. The older woman was beating the crap out of Wolf. Then he got smart and made a run for it. When the video ended, I looked at Tim.
�You have to send that to me. No one will believe me unless I show it to them.�
�Don�t you dare,� Wolf warned.
He heard my phone ding, and you could see his resignation. I was happy my mind was off other less-pleasant subjects.
◊◊◊
Because we were hosting the Sectionals, basically a tournament, there were four games today. We were scheduled to play in the last game. It was fun to see all the different fans excited about their team�s chances. I walked over to the hospitality tent to eat because I could smell charred meat from the moment I walked out of the Field House. When I poked my head in, I saw there were pork chops on the grill.
�David, come join us,� Mr. Sullivan said.
It looked like several of the boosters had taken a break and were eating. I sat down, and magically, a plate of chops, potato salad, and green beans appeared.
�We finally sold all our tickets and raffled off your car,� Mrs. Sullivan announced.
That meant they�d sold $100,000 in tickets.
�What are your plans for the funds?� I asked.
�We want to work on the baseball field, the wrestling team could use new mats, and the pool has to be drained and worked on. We want to kick off a new round of fundraising and use that money for other projects. Our goal is to have the best high school sports facilities in the state,� Mrs. Sullivan announced.
�When you get started, call Caryn. I�m sure I can help.�
�I�ll call her tomorrow,� Mrs. Sullivan said.
�Who won the car?� I asked.
�A teacher at Washington. It was funny to see a sixty-year-old sporting around in it.�
One of the games must have finished because there was suddenly a rush, and the boosters had to get back to work. That was when Jeff Delahey, my favorite reporter, sat down with a plate of pork chops.
�How come you�re not pitching today?� Jeff asked.
�To be honest, I never even thought of that. Bryan Callahan will start today.�
�I just figured that after your last outing, you�d pitch today.�
�No, I was lucky. I�m not really prepared to pitch.�
�Are you now the �Bad Boy� of baseball?�
I gave him a funny look. Where was this coming from?
�It just seems you must be doing something to piss off the other teams. Why else would they be throwing at you? I mean, St. Joe decided to chuck their season in exchange for plunking you four times,� Jeff said.
�Five,� I corrected.
He raised his eyebrows. He was right; I�d been a cocky jerk. I had to remember there was a fine line between being confident and being an ass. Eastside, who we played before St. Joe, was a bunch of ass-hats. I didn�t really care what they thought.
We had our own history with St. Joe. They�d hit one of our teammates, and I�d charged the mound and tackled their star pitcher, knocking him out. I mean literally knocked unconscious. His dad had stepped up and said it was a fair play. He�d even thanked me for my restraint because I hadn�t pounded his son once I figured out he couldn�t fight back. What added weight to the dad�s assessment was he was the assistant baseball coach at State.
What Jeff had pointed out was that I was in the middle of both incidents. I was just lucky that fights hadn�t broken out. There wasn�t anything I could do to change the past, so I decided to tone everything down, moving forward.
�Off the record, I probably shouldn�t have done it. Between the theme music and my comments, I was partially responsible for it all getting a little dicey.�
�How about on the record?� Jeff asked with a smirk.
�I can�t understand why they were mad at me; it was just baseball.�
�Should I insert how good they were and how God was involved?� Jeff asked.
�It would save us both some time.�
�How bad are you going to beat Waterloo today?�
�I haven�t a clue. I really know nothing about them other than that they�re good enough to have won their regional, and they�re also the Bulldogs.�
�So, does that mean you�re going to win?� Jeff asked.
�Sure, why not?�
◊◊◊
Waterloo had come up in the first inning and scored one run on three hits. It looked like we would need our offense to keep us in this one today. I came out of the dugout, and our crowd became quiet. Dang it! Alan stood up and gave me a dirty look. He had his boom box, and I heard the beginning of
I had my own smirk on my face when Alan suddenly realized my mom was standing next to him. Everyone began to laugh when the music suddenly stopped and he was pulled out of the stands by his ear. He was about to face my mom�s wrath. I reasoned that it couldn�t happen to a better guy.
The Waterloo team didn�t react much. They hadn�t seen our little act of showmanship before.
Their pitcher had a huge windup that I�d watched while they were warming up. He threw all his pitches with the same windup but moved around on the rubber for each type of delivery. When I settled into the batter�s box, I saw him put his foot in position to throw me a curveball. On the release, I saw it was short, and his curve bounced across the plate. If he didn�t get that fixed, it would be a long night for him.
He moved his foot over, and that was his stance for a fastball. The umpire today had done a few of our games, and I remembered he tended to allow high fastballs to be called strikes. So when I saw it was high, I swung and slapped the ball over the third baseman�s head. Coach Herndon, at first, waved me to second. Halfway to second, I looked over at Coach Haskins to see if I needed to slide or if I could stand up for my double. I was shocked when he waved me to third. As I approached third, he put on the brakes and signaled I should slide. I was safe.
�What happened?� I asked.
�It bounced off a fence post, and the outfielder took one in the face. It took him a moment to gather himself,� Coach Haskins related.
That was why we backed each other up in the outfield. The center fielder should have been there to prevent me from taking the extra base. It turned out it would have saved them a run. I scored on a sacrifice fly, which would only have gotten me to third if they�d played defense correctly.
In the next inning, they put two more on us. Before we got up to bat, I told my teammates what to watch for at the plate. Knowing the pitch was a hitter�s dream. Unfortunately, we didn�t capitalize on it. All three of our batters hit the ball at someone.
The game settled down then, and my next two at-bats I�d gotten on. The first was a single, and I died on base. I hit a double my third time up, and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was left stranded again. It was the bottom of the seventh, and we were trailing 3�1. When I came up, there was a runner on first, and Coach Haskins gave me the sign to swing away. At the same time, Waterloo�s coach came out and signaled for their relief pitcher. I expect he�d seen enough of me hitting his pitcher. I was a little disappointed my guys hadn�t hit him as well as I had. Most of that could be attributed to their superior defense. They�d made some outstanding plays to rob us of hits.
I dug in and made sure my stance was right. My first pitch was a ball so far outside I couldn�t have touched it with the end of the bat, but it was called a strike. I didn�t say anything, but even the catcher gave me a look. He knew it was a ball. The second pitch was a very low curveball. I looked at the umpire to dare him to call that a strike. The third pitch was a changeup that found itself right in my sweet spot. I was a little ahead of it, but I launched it down the third base line to tie the score at 3�3.
Waterloo�s relief pitcher loaded the bases but managed to get the last two batters to strike out to get them out of the inning.
In the top of the eighth, one of our freshman pitchers walked the first guy up. That was when Moose called for a pitching change. I was shocked when he called me in.
�David, I just want you to throw the heat. Get us to the bottom of the eighth so we can win this,� Moose encouraged.
I was grateful the umpire gave me a few extra pitches to warm up since I�d come in from the field. Johan trotted out to make sure we had our signals right.
�This guy is being a little loose with his strike zone both high and outside,� Johan said.
�Why don�t we try not to actually throw strikes then? No need to give them anything to hit.�
�Careful with the baserunner,� Johan reminded me.
�I�ll take care of him,� I said with a smile.
The Waterloo batter stepped into the box and made a big show of digging in with his back foot. He was excited to see me throwing fastballs as I warmed up. I got set in the stretch and glanced over my shoulder. The runner had taken a good lead. That seemed awfully brave, considering he�d never seen my move to first. Well, he was going to see it.
I stepped off the rubber and snapped a throw to first. I was sure I got him, but the first base umpire emphatically signaled safe. The runner had eaten dirt to get back in time. Jim made a motion as if he threw the ball back to me. The runner stood up and cleaned the dust off his face and uniform. To do that, he stepped off first base for just a second. Jim tagged him.
The umpire signaled �out,� to the disgust of the runner and his coach. Saturday night, during the baseball game on TV, they�d had a rain delay. During it, they showed trick plays. Jim told me that if he got a chance, he was going to do the hidden-ball trick. They showed one base runner get caught twice in one game. The runner got caught up in the routine of the pitcher tossing the ball and the first baseman throwing it back. He assumed the arm motion meant the ball had been returned to the pitcher. It was a good lesson to always call time if you planned to step off the bag.
With the go-ahead runner off the base path, I could focus on pitching. It also meant I might only have to face two batters and not three. The first batter dug in again to make sure his back foot was planted. Apparently, he saw himself as a power hitter. I threw three straight fastballs outside where he couldn�t possibly hit it. I smiled when, on the last one, he exploded and yelled at the umpire. Everyone could see they were outside, but he was calling them that way against us, too. As a batter, you had to adjust.
Their next batter was a smaller kid. I threw my first pitch in the same spot as my last three, but the umpire called it a ball. I wondered if he adjusted his strike zone based on what he thought someone could hit. The next pitch I inched in a little, and it, too, was called a ball. Well, crud, I might actually have to throw a strike. I decided to throw the high fastball and see how the umpire called that.
The ball was just under the kid�s chin. The crafty little shit did what I would have: he stood up. Moose had been working with me to make adjustments in my swing with my legs. I usually had my knees bent and was on the balls of my feet when I was in my batter�s stance. Moose had shown me how to straighten my knees to move my swing up a few inches. The key was it kept my swing the same so I could hit with power. This was preferable to lifting my hands to reach the ball. When I raised my hands, I tended to change the motion of my swing so it wasn�t as level. That resulted in my swing angle to go upwards, causing pop flies.
With as hard as I was throwing, even a smaller boy, like the one I was facing, could hit a long fly ball. I shook my head in disgust as the ball sailed to center field. Dan Ball had taken my place in center. I watched as he turned and raced back. I thought he might have a chance. Milo Bauer called �fence� to warn Dan that he was close. Dan slowed and prepared to play the ball off the fence. The ball came down and hit him on the head. We all watched in horror as it bounced over the fence for a home run. My first thought was that if it were me, I would have caught it, but Dan did his best.
I tipped my hat to the kid. He had the biggest smile on his face. I knew that feeling, and now I knew what it felt like to be the pitcher on the other side of it. His teammates cleared the bench to congratulate him. The breaks wouldn�t always go your way.
Johan came out to see if I was okay. I sent him back, and we faced the next batter. I struck him out on three pitches.
We couldn�t do anything in the bottom of the eighth and ended up losing 4�3. I stopped our line to shake hands when I found the kid that hit it out on me.
�Hey, great job. I noticed the adjustment you made at the plate to give yourself a chance,� I said.
�Believe it or not, that was my first home run. I hope I don�t face anyone that throws as hard as you do the rest of the tournament.�
�Do me a favor: win this, so I can at least say we lost to the best.�
�Thanks. We�ll see what we can do,� he said, and then we continued shaking hands.
After the game, the whole team signed autographs. The batboys handed out stacks of baseball cards. When we were done, we wandered over to the locker room. Moose had a plaque that he held up.
�In my twenty-seven years of coaching at Lincoln, I�ve only won eight of these. This proclaims this team as Regional Champions. Next year I want to win State,� he said, to our vocal approval.
�I also want to congratulate three players. Jim Ball, Johan Bauer, and David Dawson were named to the All-Conference team.�
That caused more whoops of approval.
�Finally, I just got word that we have an All-State Player in our presence. David is the first player at Lincoln Hight to be All-State in both football and baseball in the same year in our state,� Moose said with a big smile.
I had absolutely no idea that I even had a chance at All-State. Moose showed me my final stats. I�d hit for a .435 average, an on-base percentage of .558, and a slugging percentage of .741. That was accompanied with 17 home runs. I�d only struck out 8 times and had 9 stolen bases.
Moose and Coach Haskins both offered to work with me until I left for my movie to help me get ready for Under-18 USA Baseball tryouts. I really appreciated their offer.
◊◊◊
When I got home, Caryn was there, along with Mom, Dad, and Fritz. They were ambushing me with a conference call with Frank, Ms. Dixon, and Tom. In a way, I was glad for the ambush because I hadn�t spent any time worrying about it before it happened.
�David,� Ms. Dixon started, �we�ve all been through every video and audio recording we have from yesterday, and we walked through it with Fritz and with your parents. We have some ideas, and a couple of ways we can prepare, but a lot of it depends on the strategy we go with.
�Tom and Frank have different ideas on how we set ourselves up to handle this situation. I have my own thoughts, but I want them to present theirs first,� she said.
I sat back with Mom and Dad. We listened as first Tom, then Frank outlined their approaches.
Tom essentially wanted us to sit on the information and let them publish, then take them to court and surprise them with our own recordings. He wanted an airtight judgment against them.
Frank was more concerned with the PR aspects, and with the impact to my image and reputation. He recommended releasing everything right away. Frank wanted to get the media on board with our message, which was that unscrupulous independent journalists were manipulating the facts so they could get a big payday. He wanted to be sure they didn�t close ranks and try to protect these women as members of the press.
Then Ms. Dixon chimed in.
�David, I want to preface this with a little more information. I�ve done some digging and had a comprehensive background check done on the two women involved. The videographer who called herself �Bridget Anderson� is, in reality, Hillary Stamford. She has been very active in the radical wings of the feminist movement for several years. More important, though, is that she has a criminal record. That may account for her using a different name. Specifically, she�s been arrested for two criminal assaults and has one conviction as a result of a plea bargain. She�s currently on probation for one of them. Her latest stunt, if we can turn it into a criminal action, would violate the terms of that probation.
�Stamford also has two restraining orders against her. One of those is on behalf of a rather engaging couple who were targeted because of the wife�s outspoken belief in a strong family structure. I have arranged to get copies of Stamford�s criminal records, as well as her mug shots.
There was the sound of some papers rustling over the phone, and Ms. Dixon cleared her throat.
�I believe our strategy should be based on our overall long-term objective to maintain your good reputation. There will be negative consequences if they misrepresent you or try to manipulate a situation to portray you in a bad light. I can�t see where legal action, or the threat of same, even comes into play. You�re certainly not going to get money out of an independent video journalist. Almost all of them operate on shoestring budgets.
�Our best guess is that they will portray you as someone who denigrates women�s rights and the feminist movement. They�ll want to portray you as abusive to females.
��What I suggest it that we prepare for some contingency plans and have them ready for when they release the video. When Frank is called for comment, we�ll find out for which particular issue the comment is requested. We�ll then reply with a clip showing the question she asked and the answer you actually gave. In addition, we�ll send them the video and audio recording of the women�s conversation by their car. That will clearly show malicious intent to defraud. And next, we�ll send them information on the videographer�s arrest record and mug shot.
�At the same time, they�ll be politely informed that they now know the information in the video is false. Deliberately publishing it with that knowledge would be libel on their part, even if David is deemed a �public figure.� And we�ll politely let them know that we will go after them if our hand is forced,� Ms. Dixon outlined.
Frank piped up at this point.
�David, if you�re okay with the approach Ms. Dixon sketched out, leave it to us to polish it up. We�ll turn the message into �See what some unscrupulous independents will do� and try to get the media on our side. I�m a little leery of threatening lawsuits, and the media tend to circle the wagons to protect their own. But I have some ideas for a few carrots we can offer to get our story out there fairly. Let Ms. Dixon and me work on this. It�s what you pay us for, and we won�t let you down.�
�Give us a second,� I said, then hit the mute button and turned to Mom, Dad, and Caryn.
�I agree with Ms. Dixon about the priorities, and I agree with the strategy. I�m a bit miffed at Frank for not doing some background on these two to begin with, but now�s not the time to say it. He�s got to realize how I feel about this, and I expect he�ll bust his butt to make this turn out right. Are we agreed?� Dad asked.
Mom and I both nodded. I unmuted the speakerphone.
�Ms. Dixon, Frank, go ahead with your planning on this and work together to fine-tune everything and to be prepared to respond quickly to whatever comes up. We agree with the objectives and with the basic strategy. It�s going to be up to you to make it work, and I�m counting on you,� I said to get this moving forward.
�Frank, because the PR concerns are the biggest ones, you have the lead. But we need you and Ms. Dixon to be working closely together on this to craft the best responses possible. If you can�t agree on something, let me know, but please try to work through disagreements or to find a way around them,� Dad added.
Mom piped up, startling me.
�David�s got a lot on his plate and doesn�t need this distraction. Keep me in the loop on what your plans are, and on what�s happening as it happens.�
She turned and saw Dad and my raised eyebrows. In the past, she�d allowed Dad to take the lead for business-like stuff.
�What?� she asked. �You always call me �the mama bear protecting her cubs.� This time I get to act the part.�
We all chuckled at that and ended the call on a high note. Far be it from either Dad or me to stop her if she wanted to take this on.
◊◊◊ Tuesday May 3
I�d forgotten to turn my alarm on since I hadn�t planned to run today. I�d decided to take a break from constantly working out for the remainder of the school year. And after everything that had gone on over the last two days, I badly needed the break. I also had finals next week, and Prom was this weekend. I owed it to myself to relax for a bit.
A girl�s gasp awakened me. Of course, I was naked, since that was how I slept. My bare bottom was on full display. I tried to think who would be shocked, and then realization struck.
�Megan?�
When I turned to look, she was red-faced but made no move to leave.
�You do know there�s an intercom?� I asked.
�Peggy must have forgotten to tell me. Uh, breakfast is almost ready.�
Peggy was a bad girl, and I might have to spank her cute little bottom. Thinking about that caused someone to wake up and begin to stretch out. I jumped out of bed and made a dash to the bathroom before it got interesting. Megan worked for me, and while the little pixie of a girl was cute in her bespectacled, librarian-like way, she was off-limits.
When I came out of the shower, I found that Duke had bailed on me and gone to the house with Megan. As I walked downstairs, the gate opened, and Fritz pulled in. Part of the fence project was additional parking on the side of the garage. Fritz pulled his little Honda to the back spot.
�Breakfast is ready,� I told him as he followed me into the house.
Everyone was seated at the kitchen table. Mom brought Fritz and me each a bowl of cheese grits with sausage crumbled in it. It was something I�d brought back from Georgia, and we had it about twice a month. Little David was flirting with me and held his arms out. I lifted him out of the high chair to hold him. He was about six months old now and was starting to show his personality. He almost always seemed happy.
�What happened with Alan?� I asked.
�I took him home to his parents. He�s getting a little mouthy for my taste. His parents agreed, and he�s grounded until school is out. I told them how I took your debit card, phone, tablet, and car keys. His dad mentioned his gaming account needed to be frozen. By the time I left, he regretted challenging me,� Mom said.
�Does that mean he can�t go to Prom?� I asked.
Funny how this time last year, I would have worried about him, but now I just thought about how it affected me. Not that I was becoming self-centered�though I believe everyone is to some extent�it was just that emotionally, I had no sense of friendship for him anymore.
�That�s exactly what it means. You�ll just have to find another date for Leah,� Mom said.
Mom had met Leah Johansen in LA on set and liked her. By now, I�d half-expected Kara to bail on me. If she had, I would be more than happy to take Leah.
�I�ll put Tracy on it, though I suspect most everyone has a date by now. Believe it or not, I heard even Phil has snagged himself a date,� I said and looked at Dad.
I�d teased him that Mom must be the common denominator in Greg and me being able to attract girls because my half brother had zero skills in that department. Dad gave me a smug �I told you so� look.
Dad resumed reading the paper, and when he got to the sports page, he looked up at me.
�Did you know about this?� he asked.
He had to be talking about Moose�s announcements about individual honors.
�Moose mentioned it last night after the game,� I said.
�Mentioned what?� Mom asked.
�David was named to the All-State team for baseball. He�s also on the All-Conference team. The article says that Gatorade will pick from the State Players of the Year for the twelve sports they name awards for. It goes on to says that David is on the final list for football.
�It then says the twelve National Players of the Year will be evaluated. From that, both a male and female Athlete of the Year will be selected. The article says Gatorade takes into account several factors, including exemplary character.
�Jeff Delahey seems to be having a lot of fun in the article, pointing out that you�re a straight �A� student; the consensus number one prospect in the junior class as judged by the scouting services; and then listing everything you�ve done for the community. He also mentions that you were on the USA Today and Rivals All-American teams. Here�s one I didn�t know about: you�re a finalist for the Joe Montana Award as the nation�s top high school quarterback. This article looks like an open letter from Jeff to Gatorade to promote you for Athlete of the Year,� Dad said.
�When will we find out?� Megan asked.
�It says that the awards will be presented at the ESPY Awards in July. The Athlete of the Year awards will be shown on the show this year along with the Joe Montana Award. If Jeff has any say in it, you�d better book your plane tickets,� Dad said, and then read on. �The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE, which is ESPN�s division for high school sports. Past national winners include Peyton Manning and Emmitt Smith.�
I admit, when it was announced I�d won for football, I�d looked into it to see if a junior had ever before won in football. Matt Barkley had done it in 2007. He�d gone on to win the Athlete of the Year in 2008. He played his college ball at USC and then made the Chicago Bears� roster as a backup quarterback.
Matt was a star at USC and, after his junior year, was projected to be the number one quarterback taken in the draft. Instead, he decided to return to USC for his senior year. Preseason, USC had been rated number one but lost their opening game. In his last game, he injured his shoulder and was unable to play in USC�s bowl game. He was also unable to take part in the NFL Scouting Combine and instead took medical tests on his shoulder. Because of that, he was projected to drop out of the first round. Philadelphia picked him up in the fourth round.
Matt Barkley was the poster child for what I feared most in football. No matter how good you were, you�re always one injury away from your dreams ending. I�m sure if Matt had it to do over again, he would have come out his junior year. Without his injury, he might have had the same kind of career Andrew Luck had had (three-time Pro-Bowler) when he was the first quarterback taken in that draft.
◊◊◊
Tracy was waiting for me when Fritz dropped me off.
�Change of plans,� I announced as she walked up.
Her expression was priceless.
�Alan has been grounded. He can�t take Leah to Prom. We need a replacement guy.�
�You scared me for a minute. I can have that fixed before lunch.�
�No douchebags,� I warned.
��Stupid Boy,� let me handle it,� Tracy assured me.
I smiled at that. Nobody had called me that in a few days, and I missed it. Not that I�d ever admit that to anyone, even when being tortured, of course.
◊◊◊
At lunch, Tracy told me that Johan had been picked to be Leah Johansen�s date. He might not be my first choice, but Johan was a little shy around girls and had been one of the few guys who didn�t have a date. Not that I didn�t like Johan; I did. It was that with his Mennonite upbringing, I didn�t want to make him uncomfortable. With the group that was coming, there was a good chance that there would be drinking and sex. I take that back, there was a dead certainty there would be drinking and sex; Zak would make sure of it.
I wasn�t sure whether Alan was pissed at being grounded, or that we�d found a date for Leah, or both, but he didn�t join us at lunch. I think he expected I would run over and try to make everything right, but he was mistaken. There was only so much backstabbing and snarky remarks I was willing to take from my former best friend.
I was lost in thought when my phone rang. I looked down and saw it was Adrienne.
�What�s up?� I asked.
�I have some bad news. We had a model get hurt in a car accident.�
�It wasn�t Kara, was it?� I asked, suddenly worried.
�No, but I sent Kara to take her place. Kara won�t be able to be your date for Prom.�
�She warned me, I guess,� I said dejectedly.
�I feel bad, but you realize business has to come first,� Adrienne reasoned.
Of course I did. What made it bearable was that Kara hadn�t promised to come; she said she would if she could. I know it didn�t help that I would now be going to my prom stag, but it wasn�t like she�d broken her word to me, either. Kara had made a tough choice to go into modeling full time. I respected that she took it seriously.
�No, that�s fine,� I said to let Adrienne off the hook.
�What do you plan to do?� she asked.
�I�ll just go by myself and have fun. I�m sure I can find some girls willing to dance with me.�
Adrienne chuckled. It didn�t sound like she felt too sorry for me.
�I�ll find you someone. Jackie Chan will be there to take photos, and you need someone like Melinda at your side for Prom,� Adrienne said.
That made me feel better. Melinda would be fun to hang out with again, both during and after Prom. I wasn�t letting Adrienne completely off the hook.
�If you think that would be best,� I said with a sigh.
She chuckled again at my dramatics. I thought I was a better actor than that.
�Cheer up. Kara wasn�t happy with me. She said I had to make it right and call you personally,� Adrienne explained.
�I�m all growed up. I�ll put on my big-boy pants and suffer through. Tell Kara good luck on her shoot and that I�ll miss her.�
�As long as you�re being a big boy, I�ll let her know you�re okay,� Adrienne teased.
After we hung up, I started to daydream about alternative dates. Melinda would be a lot of fun, but maybe Adrienne knew Hailey Clauson, the girl who had been the blonde bombshell on the cover of
I�d just finalized my top-25 wish list when Cassidy jabbed me in the ribs.
�Earth to David.�
I scrunched up my eyebrows and gave her a dirty look.
�What?�
�I asked,� Brook announced to get my attention, �why am I not going to Cuba, and Cassidy is?�
�Rumor has it they�re going to Japan with you,� Halle chimed in.
I didn�t need this. Maybe I could leave for Cuba tomorrow. I turned to Zoe and raised an eyebrow. In the past weeks, I�d been practicing facial expressions, and raising just one eyebrow was harder than you might expect.
�I can�t afford to go,� Zoe said.
�I�ll make you all a deal.
�Wow, thanks, man,� Tim said.
I looked around at the table, and everyone was smiling at me. I�d only meant to invite Zoe, Brook, Halle, and Cassidy. Now it looked like Tim, Wolf, Tracy, Pam, and Lisa thought they were invited, too. I would have to start saving up so my debit card could pay for the trip. If I didn�t, I would have to listen to Caryn about my spending habits again. This might fall right into what she warned me about: spending money on my friends. I gave Tim a tight smile.
Then I remembered my life goals. One of them was to learn to say �no.� I also thought back to a passage from
Vito said you can�t say �no� too often, not to your friends, but when you did, it was always best to make it sound like a �yes.� So now what I had to do was figure out how to do that.
I decided that since I had my closest friends here, I should just tell them how I felt about stuff like this. It would be better than taking one of them aside, and then the message getting messed up.
�I think we need to talk about this,� I said, and everyone looked at me.
I gave them a weak smile. This was harder than I expected because I wanted to be liked, and spending money on people was a strategy Uncle John had pointed out to me. One consequence of knowing about strategies was that once you realized you used them, you could change. I honestly didn�t want to buy my friends. I wanted friends who liked me for who I was and not what I could do for them.
�Remember when I had the chance to take the young Han Solo role and turned it down?� I asked.
They all nodded.
�Turning it down was easy once I realized what I�d be losing. If I�d taken that role, it would have meant I would give up the rest of my junior year of high school and all of my senior year. Yeah, I didn�t want to give up my dream of football. But even more important, I didn�t want to give up my friends, and I didn�t want to have to grow up that fast,� I said.
�I wondered why. That had to have been tough. I�m not sure I would�ve made the same decision,� Halle said.
I smiled at her. Halle was in a different position than I was. She knew she wanted to be a movie star. She also hadn�t yet made walk-away money doing movies.
�I�m not sure I could have turned it down this time last year. The money and potential it offered with other roles down the road would have been too much to give up. If I hadn�t gotten the signing bonus for the two
Halle nodded her understanding.
�The bottom line is there aren�t many people in the world I can really count on as friends, and almost all of them are right here, at Lincoln High.
�Last year, when we all went on those recruiting trips together, I did it because I wanted to keep going to school with all of you, and I still do. A part of that is because I want to keep playing football with you. But the major part is that I want to keep my friends together and with me. In a way, it�s kind of selfish,� I said, and then looked at Wolf before I continued.
�Looking back, we added a lot of extras on those trips. The fancy hotel and the, uh, companionship in Georgia, the wild stuff at a few other schools. They were a lot of fun, but they had consequences. And later, my parents pointed out that it seemed like I was trying to buy your friendship.
�I didn�t want to do that, but you guys are my friends. I always want you to be happy and have the chance to have experiences you might not otherwise be able to. It confuses me sometimes, trying to keep everything in perspective and figuring out what�s right to do. Sometimes, it confuses me a lot,� I said with a sigh.
�I�ve never felt that way about you, and I would be the first to say something if I did,� Wolf said.
�I�m glad to hear that, but let me finish my thought. There�s the other side of the coin. I desperately want friends I know are friends because they just are, not because of my money or what I can do for them. No, I don�t mean like helping you with your goals by helping you get an internship. That doesn�t cost me anything, and it�s something I�m absolutely glad to do for my friends because they�re my friends.
�But let me give you an example. One time, I showed up at a party, and the first thing the hostess said was, �Oh good, you have to buy the pizza.� It turns out I paid for the booze, too. When I pulled some money out of my wallet, she just grabbed it out of my hand, turned, and walked away. I just wondered if I was there because she liked me or because I had a fat wallet. I absolutely hated that feeling.
�So, when everybody suddenly invited themselves along on a couple of trips, it just got to me. I�d love to have everyone along, and I�d love to pay for it all. I have to ask myself, would I be doing it for the right reasons? What would you be expecting of me then and in the future? Would it hurt our friendship if I were honest about how I felt?�
I looked at them helplessly and found more than one who didn�t meet my eyes.
�Guys! I�m not yelling at you,� I said with a weak smile.
�I just feel bad that we would make you feel like that,� Tim said.
�Look, I consider us a team. If a team member needs some help, we rally around them and do what we can. If you see me tossing money around, you stop me. Can we do that?� I asked.
�Before we start this new team arrangement, I need a new Mustang,� Tracy said.
�I saw a purse that Coby had his eyes on,� Pam teased.
The two of them joking around seemed to lighten the mood. I sort of got lost in my own thoughts for a couple of minutes. I was glad I�d talked to them but worried about how everything would turn out. The Alpha Male in me still wanted to control it all, but sometimes you just had to take the best actions you could and leave the rest up to God.
◊◊◊
I received a Google Alert concerning Brandon Rigby. His accomplices had turned on him. With the mounting DNA evidence, and more women coming forward, he�d accepted a plea deal of 25 years in prison with no chance of parole. The article said that the average sentence for rape varied by area, but the average was 9.8 years, with only 5.4 years of it actual jail time. Because of the nature and the number of victims, he could have easily never gotten out of jail. His two accomplices had each received reduced 10-year sentences for their part in drugging and raping their fellow college students.
I forwarded the link to the article to Tami. I hoped this gave her some closure on that chapter of her life. For me personally, I didn�t know how to feel. I guess the best description was relief that he�d actually been punished. I�d been worried his dad, as a well-connected lawyer, would have figured out a way for him to go free.
◊◊◊
After school, Coach Haskins and Moose met me on the baseball field. It seemed a little weird with just the three of us.
�I sent your game film to the people at the Under-18 team. They gave me some ideas on what they want you to work on,� Moose said.
�There are four things: batting, stealing bases, all three outfield positions, and pitching. They want to use you as an emergency pitcher if you make the team,� Coach Haskins shared.
For the next two hours, the two of them worked with me. They�d done a lot of one-on-one coaching throughout the season. But without having to worry about all my teammates, they took their time to make sure I understood the
I smiled when Cassidy came out of the field house, decked out in catcher�s gear.
�What are you doing?� I asked.
�I�m going with you to Cuba. You need to practice pitching,� she said reasonably.
I was a little tentative at first. A fastball can hurt. I had no desire to let my friend get injured trying to catch me. Part of my learning might mean a pitch would get away from me, and an errant ball would hit the catcher. I should have known Cassidy was up to the task. I tried a curveball, and it bounced off the plate and about knocked her mask off. She just readjusted her mask, tracked the ball down, and threw it back.
�You okay?� I asked.
She gave me a look that I was used to seeing. I shut up and tried it again.
◊◊◊
When I got home, Greg was there with his munchkins. Someone must have fed them sugar because they were going wild. Mom sent me out to the backyard with Kyle and Mac to wear them out. I guess Nate was upset he didn�t get to go because Greg soon joined me, carrying him. He found his son and daughter squealing as we played �Unca David, Catch Me!� I took Nate and told him to tag them as I ran after them. He got the giggles, and his brother and sister soon joined him.
�Mom tells me you don�t have a date to Prom. Dad seems to think it�s funny that Phil found a girl, and you lost yours,� Greg said.
�Prom is Saturday. I have plenty of time to get a date,� I said like it was no big deal.
Even Greg wasn�t buying that.
�Well, Adrienne said she�d get me a replacement date,� I admitted.
�Remember that faux one? Did she even make it to Prom?� Greg asked.
�I almost forgot about her. Adrienne is dead if it�s someone like that. She mentioned it might be Melinda,� I said.
�Is that the Victoria�s Secret model?� Greg asked.
I just grinned at him. Kyle and Mac had caught their breath, and it was time for Unca David to chase them again. Greg stood back and let me wear them out for him.
◊◊◊
Finals were next week, so I was reviewing when Tami sent me a text. I jumped onto video chat.
�Hey. Did you get my email?� I asked.
�Yes. I�m glad he�s getting jail time,� she said and sighed. �I�m just happy it�s over.�
�You okay?� I asked.
She just shrugged. I could relate to that.
�I hear you and Alan aren�t talking. Did you really take his date for Prom and give it to someone else?�
�He�s such a baby. He got himself grounded and can�t go to Prom. You�d think he would have the decency to tell me so I could find his date someone else to go with. She�s flying all the way from LA, after all. Kind of shitty on his part to have her make the trip and find out her date couldn�t leave his house,� I ranted.
Tami just laughed at me.
�I talked to your mom, and she�s not happy with him. Was that the last straw?�
I took a deep breath. It was one thing to think it, and another to say it aloud.
�Yeah, I believe we may be done as friends.�
�Good,� she said, surprising me.
�You think so? He and I have been friends since kindergarten.�
�I always thought Alan and Jeff were friends, and you just tolerated Alan because of Jeff.�
�Jeff was the only one who seemed to be able to get him to listen to reason unless you smacked him in the head,� I said.
�It�s funny. I always imagined the four of us would be friends for the rest of our lives. I never realized that Jeff was the one who held us all together. Well, I mean the Alan part. I knew our friendship didn�t rely on the group,� Tami said.
�Yeah, I agree. I miss Jeff.�
We got quiet for a minute, lost in our thoughts of our friend. Tami was right. If it hadn�t been for Jeff, I probably wouldn�t have hung out with Alan.
◊◊◊
Before going to bed, I saw there was an email from Frank Ingram. It was labeled �Car Video,� and there was a note that said he�d gotten all the video Fritz had downloaded from Detective Kitchens. Ms. Dixon wanted there to be a clear chain of custody in case we ever had to go to court. She didn�t want us to open ourselves up to charges of tampering with the videos.
I clicked on it and watched the two women who had interviewed me as they loaded their car.
Interviewer: �Oh my God, did you see the look on his face when I told him he wouldn�t be getting the raw footage? I�d melt my hard drive before I�d let anyone see it!�
Videographer: �By the time we get done editing this, we�ll have turned him into someone no woman would ever want to talk to. He�s going to regret making me look like I was doing anything other than trying to save that poor girl from him last fall.�
Interviewer: �This�ll also be good for us. By the time I�m done editing this, we�ll have a salacious story that�ll fit perfectly with the movement�s primary message. We�ll be able to sell this for some big bucks to a lot of different outlets, and it�ll really boost our cred with the organizations.�
Videographer: �Yeah, but for me, it�s more personal, and I�m going to enjoy watching that backwater jerk squirm. It�ll be all the sweeter because it�ll be his word against ours. Whatever he says, he�ll come across as trying to spin the story. The media will eat him up. That hick won�t have any idea what he�s stepped into.�
Interviewer: �It almost doesn�t seem fair to the poor trusting idiot, but we all have to make sacrifices to further the cause. In this case, we�ll just be sacrificing him!�
From the laughter that followed, they apparently thought it was funny. I didn�t think so. It pissed me off that they thought I was some ignorant kid.
Videographer: �You�ve got that right! Now let�s get the hell out of Smallville. I want to get at least as far as Chicago before we celebrate. I can just about smell the cow dung here, and I want it behind me when the night�s done.�
After I turned it off, I felt myself getting mad. I realized I should just forget it for now, because I knew that my people were working on it. There was simply too much else going on that demanded my attention.
◊◊◊
Chapter 40 � Operation Prom Wednesday May 4
I had to skip baseball, the dojo, and Japanese lessons tonight because I was shooting the Public Service Announcements. Halle had insisted that she go with me. I was curious when I found Fritz out in front of the school and no Halle. With Halle being a California girl, I suspected she would be late for her own funeral, as Uncle John used to tease me when I wasn�t on time. In the front seat, on the floor, there was a cat carrier with Bandit inside, looking put out.
�Hey, Buddy, how come you�re getting a car ride?� I asked him.
�I�ve no idea why he is. Halle told me to bring him,� Fritz said.
�Shouldn�t we let him out?� I asked.
�For safety purposes, he needs to be secured,� Fritz said.
From his response, I could tell he�d had this discussion before. Halle showed up, opened the front door, opened the crate, pulled Bandit out, and then joined me in the back seat. I could almost see the steam coming out of Fritz�s ears.
�Wouldn�t it be safer to put Bandit in his cat carrier?� I asked.
The look Halle gave me made me just stare straight ahead and keep out of it. Fritz didn�t even try to talk her into having Bandit ride anywhere but on her lap.
Bandit was getting big. He was now seven months old, and he�d doubled in size since we were in LA. Halle could no longer put him in her kitty purse. If he kept growing, he might even give Precious a run for her money.
�Why is Bandit coming with us?� I asked.
�One of the ads you�re doing is for the shelter that the Humane Society runs for the county. Bandit is going to be your rescue kitty,� she told me and then turned to Bandit. �You�re going to be a star.�
Dang it. If I�d known that, I would have brought Duke. He could be a star.
They were ready for us when we came in. The TV station wanted to get as much out of me as they could, so I only spent a few minutes in makeup. Then I was taken to stand in front of a blue screen. They would insert the appropriate background later.
I almost started laughing when Halle rushed out and handed me Bandit, then hurried to get behind the cameras. Stephanie, the lady in charge, came to me to tell me what to do.
�I talked to Halle, and she said you�ve already read the scripts. If you don�t remember what to say, just read the teleprompter. Try to look into the camera. If you mess up, don�t worry about it, we can do another take.�
I blinked a couple of times. That was it? She started to leave.
�Excuse me � uh � Stephanie? What are we doing for the first one?� I asked.
�Oh, that might help. The PSA is for pet adoption. We�re shooting a doughnut. Each week we�ll have a �Pet of the Week� featured. We�ll sandwich the featured pet in between your intro and finish.�
�You ready to do this, big guy?� I asked Bandit.
He didn�t seem too sure of all the lights, or the three cameras pointed at him. Frankly, I didn�t feel too sure myself.
David A. Dawson: �Admit it. You like watching pet videos on YouTube and following the furry celebrities on other social media apps. There are dogs that bring the party. Dogs that are real-life fashion icons. And even cats who play the keyboard. Does it surprise you to learn that many of the Internet�s biggest pet celebrities got their start when they were adopted from shelters and rescue groups? Each year, 6 to 8 million dogs and cats will enter shelters and rescue groups, yet only half are adopted.
�This leaves millions of healthy dogs and cats that still need our help to find a home. A good example is my pal Bandit. He was adopted, and I�d like you to meet another friend of mine that�s available for adoption right now.�
Action: Monthly pet video inserted here.
David A. Dawson: �While not every shelter cat or dog will be a social-media star like Bandit, they all will star as someone�s new best friend. To start your own story, you need to find your costar, so contact our adoption specialist at 999-555-2525.
�What do you think, Bandit?�
To everyone�s surprise but mine, when I scratched his chest, he started to purr and rub his face against my chest to love me up. He was a little star in the making.
Caryn was in the back and gave me a thumbs-up. Halle came over, got Bandit, and handed me another shirt. I took mine off and changed to get ready for the next ad.
�While I appreciate the show, we do have dressing rooms,� Stephanie told me.
Good to know.
◊◊◊
I ended up doing eleven ads in under two hours, most of them done in only one take. When Stephanie explained that I had to read the commercials within a certain amount of time, I had her hold up her phone with a time clock. That allowed me to judge my pace and end right on time.
Caryn sent the raw footage to Frank to double-check it. Once he okayed the ads, Caryn gave her first approval. The TV station had agreed to our having a final review and sign-off when the ads were completed. We had more leverage with this studio than most because I had donated my time. I didn�t need a PSA making me look silly for the next ten years in my hometown.
I noticed that Halle was in Stephanie�s ear before each PSA. After Halle would talk to her, Stephanie would make changes, be it lighting, camera angle, or what I was to do. I could tell that Halle had learned a lot working with her mom on our movie.
They let me do four ads I wanted to do. Two were for my charities, that is, teen pregnancy and cancer patient support, and the other two were for the Homeless Coalition and childhood hunger.
When I was finally done, I felt good. This fell right in line with one of my life goals:
◊◊◊ Thursday May 5
People were supposed to start arriving today for Prom. I�d gotten a text from Ridge, from USC, saying that he and Bill were done with their finals and would be at Bill�s house tonight. John Phillips, from Kentucky, called to say he was driving over today. It looked like we would have a football get-together. Leah Johansen and Maria Dowe were on the same flight as Ridge and Bill.
Ben Doman and Zak Verwood had been booked on a flight from LA that would get to Chicago around 1:00 tomorrow afternoon. Ryan Barlow was coming from New York, and his plane landed at 1:25. Fritz or Paul would go up in the SUV and pick up the three of them.
◊◊◊
I was throwing pitches to Cassidy while Coach Herndon, Coach Haskins, and Moose stood back and made smart comments. They tried to say they were analyzing my technique, but comments about Cassidy having a better arm made me wonder.
�Even I could hit that weak stuff,� came a call from the peanut gallery.
Turning around, I saw a smiling Ridge Townsend with Bill Callaway and Maria Dowe. I hugged my two USC friends and gave Maria a kiss. I didn�t look around for Leah Johansen because Maria told me she�d gone to my farm to settle in.
�You just get in?� I asked.
�We talked your driver into coming to see you. Tracy called me on the ride down and said we�re all going to dinner tonight. Bill tells me he has to get his pizza fix,� Ridge said.
�Monical�s,� Cassidy supplied.
�I figured we could do that tonight,� Bill said.
He was as bad as I was about Monical�s.
I got Ridge in the batter�s box and threw him some pitches he could hit. Bill and Maria wanted to have turns, so I grooved them some fastballs at three-quarter speed. Maria surprised us with her skills. She admitted that she�d played softball at her high school.
I let them have their fun, and then Cassidy told me to get serious. Ridge was an excellent all-around athlete and had played baseball in high school. I got him in the box and began throwing him actual pitches. It didn�t help that Bill gave him shit about not being able to touch my stuff. Heck, if I hadn�t picked up a bat in over two years, I wouldn�t have done any better.
Moose was happy and sent me home so I could go out with my California friends.
◊◊◊
When I arrived home, there was a pickup truck in our driveway. I entered the kitchen and found John Phillips, my quarterback friend from Kentucky, talking to Peggy and my boys. Duke was making a pest of himself since he thought John should be his new best friend and rub his ears.
�I need to go change, then we�re going out for dinner,� I said.
�Well, hello to you too,� John teased.
�Whatev. Want to hang out here, or go up to my apartment?� I asked.
John and Duke followed me to my place. While I got ready, he looked at my wall of pictures.
�How many All-American teams did you make?� John called out.
I�d noticed that Caryn, or maybe someone else, had put my football awards in a display frame. It also held my picture and State Champion patches for the last two years. I would bet that I�d see a similar one for baseball shortly.
I walked out of my bedroom, and John spoke before I could answer him.
�Coach told me about all the awards. I guess I didn�t really put it together to realize what you�ve accomplished,� he said.
�It�s sort of embarrassing at times,� I said.
�I call bullshit. I know how hard you work. You actually motivated me to do my rehab.�
�I heard you won the starting job in spring ball.�
Blowing your Achilles was never good; some athletes never came back from that. John had missed the season to rehab. His sister was proud of him and had sent me his press clippings.
John just smiled. We ran downstairs and found Fritz waiting for us.
�How big a deal are you to have your own driver?� John asked on the ride to Monical�s.
�It�s the price of fame. I�ve had a couple of incidents. Fritz is more than my driver, he�s in charge of my security and has become a friend,� I said.
Fritz rolled his eyes at that, but it was true. Heck, the guy taught me to surf.
�I saw when those guys tried to attack you in LA. That had to be scary. I�m just glad that at Kentucky, basketball is king, and it�s those guys who get swarmed, not me,� John said.
�It�s my turn to call bullshit. Nancy complains all the time about the girls who flirt with you,� I reminded him.
Nancy Brock was John�s girlfriend. Before they had started dating, she and I had gone out. I�d invited her on a vacation at Range Ranch, and she ended up in the middle of the troubles between Devin and me when he�d tried to steal her. She showed both of us up: she returned to Kentucky and ended up dating John. All I knew was the boy was in trouble. Nancy would keep him on his toes.
�She knows I would never stray,� John admitted.
When we arrived at Monical�s, there were a few photographers out. I stopped and introduced them to John. While we were doing that, Ridge and Bill came up and joined us. Having Ridge and John here reminded me that I�d made some good friends attending football camps.
We walked in and found their dates were already there. I introduced John to Cassidy. Bill already knew Gina, and Ridge had previously met Pam. Leah and Maria saw me and came over.
�Your dates aren�t here yet. Jim is picking up Johan. They should be here soon.�
�What�s with the name �Johan�?� Leah asked. �Sounds like a character in a Viking movie.�
�It�s a family name. I think you�ll have a good time with him. He�s one of the nicest guys I know,� I assured her.
I guided everyone back to the banquet room. That way I wouldn�t get distracted with people in the restaurant. I wanted everyone to get to know each other.
Jim and Johan showed up and were introduced to their dates. What was funny was that Johan treated Leah just like a regular girl, and they got along great. Jim was the nervous one. If anything, I thought it would be the other way around. I�d never seen Johan with a girl before and had assumed he�d be a little unsettled.
Tracy showed up and acted as my date as well as mother hen to the group. I sat back and had a good time while Tracy made sure everything ran smoothly. When she and I worked together, we did make a good team. I made sure the guys didn�t talk too much football. Overall, the evening was a success.
◊◊◊ Friday May 6
When I came into the kitchen for breakfast, Megan pointed at the newspaper. There was a photo of the four of us from last night and another picture of Leah. The article said we were meeting pre-prom to get acquainted. Someone in our group must have let the cat out of the bag. It went on to talk about who else was coming today.
I had a feeling either Frank or Adrienne was the source of the information.
When I was done reading, Megan handed me Coby because he wanted his breakfast. She knew I liked to do this in the morning and, if he wasn�t too fussy and could wait, she made it a point to let me do it. Little David was wide awake, chattering away. If I didn�t know any better, I would have thought he was a girl.
�I want to thank you again for helping us out during finals. Peggy�s looking like she�s catching up on her sleep.�
�They�re a handful, but I�ve enjoyed taking care of them,� she said and then smiled. �Did you see the pictures of the boys and Pam?�
Pam had been going a little crazy on social media, though I guess I didn�t have much room to talk. I felt a little guilty when I had to admit that I hadn�t looked in a few days. I pulled my phone out and brought up her accounts first. My eyes got big when I looked at the pictures.
Pam and Peggy had taken the boys to Pam�s, and they were all in the pool. What about gave me a heart attack was seeing Little David and Coby with their heads sticking out of inner tube-like flotation devices. Coby didn�t seem too sure about this, but Little David was older, and he looked happy. Pam and I had talked about her desire to teach Coby to swim early, but I guess I hadn�t realized how soon she wanted to start introducing him to water. At this rate, he might be able to swim before he could walk.
Peggy came in the back door with Duke. They�d gone running this morning.
�Slug,� she called me, then gave me a kiss before going upstairs.
Duke ignored me and followed her upstairs to get his morning loving from my parents. I just shook my head because he was such a creature of habit. God forbid you messed up his routine.
◊◊◊
Fritz dropped me off at school along with Halle, who�d ridden with him today. I never really understood why she was able to drive herself to school, and I wasn�t.
Still, every once in a while, she caught a ride with Fritz.
Tracy had waited for me. Before we could say hello, Alan came storming up.
�Screw you, asshole!� he seethed.
�Well, good morning to you too,� I said.
�I didn�t think you�d really do it. You gave my date away to that big oaf Johan.�
�You make it sound like I owe you something,� I said with an edge to my voice.
Tracy reached over and smacked him in the forehead like Tami used to do.
�Ow!�
�You shit �!� he managed before Tracy punched him in the nose. Alan wasn�t afraid to hit a girl. Tami had had to be saved a time or two. I was on the fence as to whether Tracy could take him because she was no shrinking violet. Alan�s face turned dark as he found his nose was bleeding.
�Run away,� Pam said behind him.
Alan was smart enough to figure out that that sound meant Pam had her Taser out. He headed for the school building. I ran and caught him at the door. If I didn�t, he�d head straight to the office and tattle.
�Where do you think you�re going?� I asked.
�Up yours, David. Tracy hit me, and you�re not going to protect her.�
I couldn�t help myself � I laughed at him.
�Screw you,� he said and jerked his arm out of my grip.
�You dumbass. I�m trying to protect you, not her,� I said.
�I don�t need your protection!�
�Alan, you�re your own worst enemy. Can you guess what�ll happen when you go and tell on Tracy?�
�She�ll get suspended.�
�During finals,� I said and looked at him pointedly. �Think about it. What�ll happen when you get a
He stiffened when I said �girl.�
�I don�t care,� he retorted.
I wasn�t convinced.
�Everything that�s happened to you has been your own fault. You know my mom, yet you decided to defy her. Even I�m not that stupid,� I said.
�Bullshit,� Alan shot back.
He had me there. But if Mom had warned me like she did Alan, I would think very hard before doing what he did with the boom box at the baseball game. He knew she�d jerk him out of the stands in front of the whole school without even thinking twice. As a result of his actions, I�d been hit five times in a single game by opposing pitchers. That was a personal best I never wanted to repeat.
Tami was right: without Jeff here, Alan had no one to tell him he was being an idiot. Jeff had curbed his stupid ideas and kept him from being a dick, most of the time.
�You know what? Do what you want. I�ve had enough of your remarks and bad behavior.�
Inside, I cringed. Did I just say �bad behavior�? I sounded like my mom.
�And I�ve had enough of you being Mr. Perfect. No one can live up to your expectations.�
He knew how to push my buttons. I changed from merely mad to a white-hot rage in a flash.
�Is that what you think this is about? If so, it makes not being your friend even easier. We used to be best friends, but I�ve had enough; you�re on your own. I�ve protected you and your smart mouth for the last time. Don�t be surprised if you end up with your head in a toilet by the end of the day. You�ve pissed off a lot more people than just me this year,� I seethed.
Alan looked like he finally understood that he�d gone too far. I pushed the school doors open and stormed past him.
◊◊◊
The morning had been about reviews for finals. When it was time for lunch, I strolled to my locker and put my books in. Alan was nearby, and he glared at me. I was startled when Yuri seemed to come out of nowhere and pinned Alan to the wall. My first instinct was to stop him, but then I remembered this morning.
�Word is you�re no longer protected. You should know that the next time you call me a Russian thug, I�ll kick your ass.�
He let Alan go and walked off. It sounded like people had heard about our dustup this morning, and Alan looked a little shaky. That was when Wolf shoved him into the wall.
�Keep your smart comments to yourself,� Wolf warned.
I hadn�t understood what a jerk he�d been. It looked like he was being put on notice by a few of the guys he�d mouthed off to. I felt bad that I�d protected him if this was what he�d been up to.
◊◊◊
Tracy pointed to the seat next to hers. We hadn�t talked this morning, so I assumed she wanted to update me on �Operation Prom,� as I was now calling it.
�I talked to Caryn. Everyone is on their way. Adrienne and Frank will be here in a little while,� Tracy announced.
�Why are they going to be here?� I asked.
�To organize the interviews. I have them set up to be done before we go out to dinner,� Tracy said.
�I�m almost afraid to ask. What interviews?�
Tracy just rolled her eyes like I was clueless. This was supposed to be fun. I hadn�t planned any big media event. In fact, I was sick of big media events. I guess for Frank and Adrienne�s sake, it was better that Tracy had taken this and run with it. She was having fun, so I just shut up and let her do her thing. Caryn would step in if Tracy needed help. Sometimes it was better that I didn�t know everything.
�Who�s my date?� I asked to change the subject.
�Tonight, your date is Tami.�
I then remembered that we were having lunch on Sunday with everyone going to Chicago for the summer.
�And for Prom?� I prodded.
�I don�t know. Adrienne says she has it handled and if you got all whiny, to tell you to trust her.�
I growled at Tracy.
Cassidy touched my hand. I practiced my one-raised-eyebrow expression.
�Be good. For once, just let us handle it.�
The Alpha Male wanted to raise his head. He didn�t like not being in control. At the same time, I�d begun to trust people like Tracy and Wolf to be in charge of things. Uncle John had pointed out that if I didn�t learn to delegate, I could only accomplish so much. Once I learned to do that, the sky was the limit. That didn�t mean I didn�t want to know who my date was.
�Just tell me,� I said, making sure to sound like a whiny teenager.
�Oh, dear God! You�re such a �stupid boy� sometimes. We�re not ruining the surprise,� Tracy groaned.
I just smirked at her. Cassidy found a pressure point in my armpit that almost brought me to tears. That earned her a glare, but she only batted her eyes as if she were an angel. Evil angel would be a better description.
◊◊◊
I came home and saw Tami�s car in the driveway. Fritz told me he would come back and pick me up in an hour, so I climbed the stairs to my apartment, where I found Tami studying.
�What�s up, stranger?� I asked.
�Not much, just studying. When do we have to leave?�
�We have an hour. Do you need to get ready?� I asked.
She stuck her tongue out at me.
�I suppose I don�t look good enough to be your date.�
Nope, wasn�t touching that one.
�I just wanted to see if I should go first since you take forever to get ready.�
That wasn�t true. Tami was too much of a tomboy to take a long time on makeup and hair. She did get up and head to my bedroom.
�I better go first. You might take forever,� she pointed out.
�Hey, looking this good doesn�t just happen. You have to work at it,� I said while making a goofy model pose.
�I�ve missed you,� Tami said as she came back and gave me a hug.
I�d missed her too.
◊◊◊
We drove to the Henderson, a landmark hotel, for the interviews. The Henderson had one of the best restaurants in our town; I�d taken Beth there for a Thanksgiving date my freshman year. Frank and Adrienne found me when Tami and I entered the lobby.
�You both look nice,� Adrienne said.
When I�d come out of my shower, I�d seen that Tami planned to wear a dress, so I bypassed my jeans idea. Now I was glad I had.
�What�s this about interviews?� I asked.
�This is a PR gold mine,� Frank said a little too excitedly.
�Better than stealing the Millennium Falcon?� I asked.
�No, not even close,� Frank admitted.
At least he didn�t try to lie to me.
�David, this gives your friends in the business a boost of exposure. With you, Halle, Zak, and Leah here, it helps promote your movie coming out. I was able to get a number of clients to donate dresses, so there is also that angle,� Adrienne added to Frank�s excitement.
�So, this is good for you?� I teased.
�Of course it is.�
�Who�s my date?� I asked to change the topic.
�There was a problem with that �� Adrienne sputtered.
I turned to Tami.
�Want to go to Prom with me?� I asked.
�David, I don�t even have a dress,� Tami complained.
�You didn�t let me finish,� Adrienne said. �Someone will be here tomorrow. I just have to confirm they finished their shoot early.�
I wasn�t reassured in the least.
�We can leave early and hit the mall,� I suggested to Tami.
�Like they�re going to have anything left,� Tami complained. �Let Adrienne find you a date.�
That whole �not in control� issue was starting to come to the forefront. Tami read me like a book.
�If she doesn�t find you a date, I�ll go. I have a dress at home that would work,� she said.
�I don�t want you to feel like you�re a backup plan or something,� I said, worried how this looked.
They all laughed at me. Yeah, it was way too late to pull that one off. I just gave up and followed Frank.
I was surprised when Frank pulled me into a small conference room. He shut the door and motioned for me to sit down in one of the chairs, then sat down next to me.
�I have an update for you on our contingency planning for Operation CP,� he said.
I�m sure I looked confused.
�CP, as in counterpunch,� he said. �We figured it was better than �Operation Feminazi.��
I snorted in amusement.
�We�ve put together several short video clips. Each of the clips shows the actual questions and answers relating to the four areas we expect them to attack you on. Those are the feminist movement, rape, abuse, and sports. As soon as we find out which issues they�re reporting on, the appropriate clips will be immediately emailed to the news outlet. We will also send along some additional supporting material.
�Included in that additional material will be a summary of the videographer�s activities and criminal history, complete with mug shots. Next will be a video of the comments they made while they were loading up their car to leave. That clip makes it crystal clear that they plan to heavily edit their footage to make you look as bad as possible.
�The next item in the package will be the stick. Ms. Dixon used her firm�s document drafting system to generate a letter that can be tailored to the particular issues raised by the media with a few simple keystrokes. Once the name and address of the media contact are put in, it takes less than a second for the document to exist. It can be printed out or attached to an email immediately.
�You�ll like this. The letters say, in polite lawyer-ese: �You now have the true facts and are aware that what the two women created is a lie. If you publish or present their information as though it is true, we will be happy to own a large piece of your outlet,�� Frank said, warming to his task.
I thought we didn�t plan to attack the media, but I paid them for a reason. Frank seemed to be in his element; he lived for situations like these. I think he liked the slick system Ms. Dixon�s firm had for creating letters.
�Your lawyers and I have put together a summary document outlining what happened from our perspective. It directs anyone who reads it to your website and other social media. There we will have all the footage, including the raw unedited footage.
�Once we have the clips the two women are using, we�ll have a team ready to put together tailored responses. It should only take an hour, two at most, to have those available to the media and on your website as well,� Frank explained.
Frank leaned back and took a deep breath. It sounded like they�d been busy.
��The problem we face is the media tends to circle the wagons to protect their own. We have to be careful, or they�ll protect these women out of principle. What we�re doing here is showing them a way to distance themselves by saying, �it�s not us, it�s them, and we don�t need to protect them.� Then hopefully, the mainstream outlets will throw the two women to the wolves,� Frank explained.
The last thing I wanted was to go to war with the press. Without creating some allies, this could go south on us.
�Now, we also talked about offering a carrot. If they report fairly, we�ll give them more information down the road. Especially if they include a link to your website in their reporting so the address is readily available to their viewership. For example, if CBS plays it straight, we�ll cooperate if they want to do a 60 Minutes report on malicious reporting,� Frank continued.
�Do you think that�ll really work?� I asked.
�Not everything will go according to plan; it never does. You should expect some station will have a sensation-monger who�ll try to capitalize on this and go after you with the ginned-up videos. Ms. Dixon has already drafted a boilerplate defamation lawsuit, though, and will be able to file on Monday anywhere we need to. That�s to send a message, more than anything else,� he said.
I had an errant thought: �That which doesn�t kill us makes us stronger.� I hoped it wouldn�t be quite like that.
Frank had finally run down, but then he smiled.
�By the way, your mom�s been intimately involved in this. I think she�s better than any field general who ever ran an army.�
If only he knew, I thought, shaking my head.
�What you�re telling me is that you�re as prepared as you can be, you have a plan everybody has agreed to, and my mom is on board.�
�Yep,� he agreed.
It felt good to know that I had people and family that had my back. I extended my hand, and Frank shook it.
�Thank you. Honestly, I would have no idea what to do if it hadn�t been for you, Ms. Dixon, and everyone else. I get how serious this is, and I�m aware that you all have worked hard to get us prepared. And as much as I expect that the press will do the right thing, I realize that�s just wishful thinking. I really hate that I have to go to such lengths to protect my name. Please tell everyone how much this means to me,� I said.
Frank looked a little taken aback, but I could tell that he appreciated that I acknowledged what everyone was doing for me. Like I said, I really did hope that we didn�t have to pull out the stick. If I had to, though, I would. I couldn�t let this kind of attack go unanswered.
Then Frank said something I�d been holding back on saying.
�This caught us flatfooted. I promise it won�t happen again,� he assured me.
�Well, I should have bailed as soon as I recognized the woman. I have some responsibility in all this,� I added to make Frank feel better.
◊◊◊
We exited the conference room and continued to where the interviews were being held. Tami and Adrienne had stayed in the lobby to direct everyone to where they needed to go.
I had a moment of concern when I thought about the two of them comparing notes. Then I smiled again. It was nice to leave things in the hands of capable people so I could instead be concerned over two girls comparing notes on me.
The first conference room was where
◊◊◊
Tracy had set it up so that everyone would be at one large table so they could get to know everyone else. The meal at the Henderson was a good as any I�d had in LA or New York. Tami and I had a good time catching up. Tracy planned for everyone to go back to Pam�s old home, where most of the guys were staying, for a get-together.
When we got there, Pam put on some music. It looked like Zak had bought some booze and was mixing drinks. I grabbed a couple of Crown-and-Cokes and handed one to Tami. She took a sip and scrunched her nose.
�He made them a little strong,� she told me.
I tried mine and realized one would be my limit tonight, or I�d be in trouble. Everyone seemed to be getting along except Jim and Maria. Tami grabbed Maria so I could find out what was going on. Jim was a nervous wreck.
�Don�t you like her?� I asked when we stepped into the kitchen for some privacy.
�Well, I thought I�d be okay with this. But she wants to be a porn star,� he admitted.
�I don�t see your problem.�
�What if she � uh � doesn�t like me?�
�Oh, for shit�s sake. Are you worried you might not measure up or something? Remember, I�ve seen you in the shower,� I teased.
�Screw you, Dawson,� he said and gave my shoulder a shove.
My phone chirped to signal that I had a text message.
�
�Come on. Something�s going on,� I told Jim.
We ran upstairs and found Tracy talking to Ryan with all the other girls in the room. Crud!
�Thank God! They want to see my package,� Ryan complained to me.
�I�m sorry, man, this is all my fault. I told Tracy what you�re packing,� I admitted.
�What would you do?� he asked.
�He�d whip it out and show us,� Tracy said, helpfully.
Ryan looked at me, and I just shrugged. I�d taken my shirt off when requested. Was it too much of a leap to think I wouldn�t let them see Mr. Happy? Heck, he�d been exposed to all of Tami�s friends at Wesleyan when I did �naked dance party� video chats.
�Dude, they won�t leave you alone until they all see it. I would just get it over with so you can enjoy the weekend,� I suggested.
Ryan closed his eyes and sighed. That was when the rest of the guys found us.
�What�s going on?� Zak asked.
Everyone looked at me.
�We�re using peer pressure to get Ryan to show us his equipment,� I said.
Zak just grinned and pulled his out. That caused everyone to take a step back. Zak was such a dumbass sometimes.
�You might wish you hadn�t done that,� I warned Zak.
That was when Ryan pulled his out. There was a collective gasp. It was only half-hard and made Zak seem like a little boy in comparison. Tracy had been confident that I was full of it. When she saw what he was packing, her eyes got big, and she stepped back.
�How big is it?� Tracy blurted.
�A little over twelve inches long and eight inches around,� Ryan said.
�May I?� Maria asked.
We all watched as she began to stroke him to full hardness. He was almost as big around as a baseball bat, which has a circumference of eight and three-quarters inches. We all watched as Maria worked to get the head into her mouth. Ryan leaned back against the wall and moaned. One glance at Jim told me we had a problem. If he felt inadequate before, he was totally screwed now.
I ushered everyone out of the room. Zak wanted to stay and watch, but I made him leave. Jim and Tracy stood with me by the door.
�Why don�t you two go to Prom together?� I suggested.
Jim and Tracy looked stunned by what they�d just seen.
�I think that would be a good idea,� Tracy said.
Jim smiled.
�I�m good with that,� he admitted.
Crisis averted.
◊◊◊
We all walked downstairs and enjoyed getting to know each other. The main topic was whether it was even possible to have sex with equipment that big; this came mainly from the girls. I had a good time as I tried to dance with them all.
That was when the music suddenly stopped and there came Johan�s angry voice.
�You take your hands off her, or we will have words outside.�
Before I even got to the other room, I�d guessed what the problem was. Zak!
Johan wasn�t about to kick Zak�s ass, being Mennonite. He meant what he said, he would have
�I was just talking to her,� Zak complained.
�Zak, you do realize who you�re talking to, right?� I asked.
He just shrugged.
�Let me explain something to you. Here in the Midwest, we don�t take kindly to other guys hitting on our girls. I�ve worked out with Johan. He could literally break you in half with his bare hands. As far as that goes, so could most of the other guys here,� I pointed out.
It wasn�t that Zak wasn�t in shape, but there was a difference between keeping fit and training for football.
�I could take him,� Zak boasted.
I shook my head.
�Dude, don�t even go there. You wouldn�t last two seconds if that boy decided to end your life.�
�I can�t believe none of those girls wants to spend time with me,� he admitted.
I looked at him seriously.
�First of all, those girls are my friends. Second, most of them are underage. You were aware of the rules when you came here. Do you need an ass-kicking?� I asked.
�I�m not scared of you,� Zak said.
The next thing he knew, he was lying on the floor squirming as I tested out one of my favorite pressure points. I finally let him up.
�You were saying?� I prompted.
�Jesus, Dawson. What kind of kung fu was that?�
�Zak, I like you a lot. We had fun in LA. At some point, though, if you don�t figure out that your actions have consequences, you�re going to get yourself hurt, and badly. You seriously need to find a girl and settle down,� I suggested.
�You first.�
�I�m a teenager. You�re eight years older than me,� I pointed out.
He just shrugged.
�I�m not saying that to be a jerk. I really do consider you a friend, and I worry about you. How many times have you had to go to the clinic this year?� I asked.
�Three,� he admitted.
�Dude. Do you really need an explanation of what can happen if you catch the wrong bug?� I asked.
�I hear you, and do appreciate the concern,� he said.
�But?�
�No buts. I�ll go and apologize to Bigfoot.�
�Okay,� I said and followed him upstairs.
When we got back to the party, we couldn�t find Leah and Johan. Tami told me that Leah was impressed with Johan defending her honor, so she dragged him off to a bedroom. I was willing to bet that Johan was a virgin. He would have something to tell his grandchildren. How many guys lose their virginity to a movie star?
◊◊◊
Tami and I returned to my house. She followed me up to my apartment to get her stuff, but she never managed to make it home. I hadn�t planned to do anything with her, but somehow we found ourselves in bed. She teased me about Mr. Happy no longer being the biggest one she�d ever seen. That just about killed the mood. Seeing her naked, though, reminded me why I cared for her so much. She didn�t have the best body I�d ever been with, but she had been my main focus for many years. Tami and I just seemed to fit.
◊◊◊
Chapter 41 � Universe Balanced Saturday May 7
I was studying in my apartment when my mom used the intercom to tell me my date for Prom was here. I was dressed in sweats and a t-shirt. When I came down and saw a stretch limousine parked in the driveway, I wondered if I should go back up and change. Then I figured it was probably Melinda, and she�d seen me dress down.
I walked in the back door and stopped. Sitting at the kitchen table were Adrienne, Peggy, Tracy, my mom, and � wait for it � Hannah Minacci!
�Yes!� I shouted and began to do my Snoopy happy dance in the mudroom.
All my hard work for the past few years had paid off. When Duke saw how excited I was, he began to dance around with me. Then I remembered she was getting married. Crud!
I took a deep breath and composed myself. Of course, they�d all seen my reaction.
�Hi,� was my smooth opening move.
Hannah got up. She was wearing skintight jeans and a white sweater that showed off her impressive assets. She started towards me and then looked down. Had I known Hannah was here, I would have changed. Sweats were not ideal for hiding arousal.
�You happy to see me?� she asked.
My mom burst out laughing. So, it begins.
If Hannah wanted to play games � I was more than willing to give it right back. Hannah stiffened when I wrapped her in my arms and laid a scorching kiss on her. She had seen evidence of my desire, so I made sure she knew I wanted her. Hannah relaxed and began to kiss me back.
I was weighing the option of doing her right there on the kitchen table when she finally pulled her face back.
�You weren�t kidding,� Hannah said to Adrienne.
My mom was going to have material for the rest of her life, but I really didn�t care. I would take the heat for making out with Hannah in front of my mom. Maybe Mom would call my brother so he could eat his heart out.
Hannah Minacci was going to Prom with me!
◊◊◊
I was sent to get ready. I pulled out my Tommy Hilfiger tuxedo to wear tonight and decided on a black bow tie with a white dress shirt. My belt and shoes were from Louis Vuitton and had an alligator-skin design stamped into the black leather. I checked myself in the mirror and decided I looked good enough to have Hannah Minacci on my arm.
I walked down to the kitchen so Mom could approve of my clothes. Though the limo was waiting, Mom made me wait in the living room. She wasn�t letting us run off without pictures. I agreed completely; I wanted proof.
When Hannah walked in, she took my breath away. She was wearing a dark blue custom Victoria Beckham plunge gown that hugged her body. Hannah showed some serious cleavage, and your eyes were drawn to her best asset. Behind her, Adrienne walked in wearing a red Jovani deep V-neck lace dress with fitted mermaid skirt. I�m embarrassed to say I knew on sight who made them. Adrienne had sent Tracy possible dresses for everyone, and these two were noteworthy.
�Surprise! You get to take both of us to Prom,� Adrienne said.
Something terrible had to happen soon to balance out the universe. My day couldn�t get any better, could it?
After the pictures were taken, Mom hugged me.
�Remember the promise you made me.�
There it was. Universe balanced.
◊◊◊
Prom was held at my dad�s country club. When we pulled up, I had to laugh.
�You and Frank have been busy,� I said to Adrienne.
She just smiled. The number of paparazzi reminded me of either LA or New York. The driver came around to open the door. When he did, I touched Hannah�s arm to keep her seated and slid out between my dates so I could get out first. When I stood up, I was almost blinded by the flashes. I took a moment and gave the photographers a wave. Then I reached in and helped Hannah out of the car, followed by Adrienne.
Every straight male in the world would want to be me. To have these two on my arms was going to cause a problem. How would I top this next year? I would set Caryn on that project first thing on Monday.
Out of respect to Frank and Adrienne, we stood out front for several minutes. When we finally walked in, I had to smile. My dad had hired my brother and sister-in-law to help him with our prom. I�d wondered where Peggy had gone with the boys. They must have gone to Greg and Angie�s to watch my niece and nephews.
Greg acted as the host and took us to our seats. Two eight-couple tables had been reserved for my group. Everyone else was already here. It was just like Adrienne to want to make an entrance. First, there were the couples I�d put together: Halle and Ben Doman; Zoe and Trip James; Pam and Ridge Townsend; Tracy and Jim; Maria Dowe and Ryan Barlow; Brook and Zak Verwood; Cassidy and John Phillips; Gina and Bill; Johan and Leah Johansen; Wolf and Sarah Spence. The added couples were Tim and Brit, Yuri and Jan, and Roc and Piper. The final addition was my half brother Phil with a girl I didn�t know.
Angie was our server and took our drink orders. There was a set menu that you had to preselect, so there wasn�t much else for her to do at this point. Your choice of entr�e was vegetarian, beef, or chicken. I�d picked vegetarian because they were serving one of my favorites, eggplant parmesan.
Greg came to our table.
�For those who want a photo to remember tonight by, it�s your table�s turn,� he announced.
Adrienne had arranged for Jackie Chan to take the pictures. I was glad that she did because there wasn�t the traditional arch with plastic flowers. Instead, Jackie used a blue background to which she could add anything later.
It was amusing to have two models there who had been in the business for years. They each had ideas as to what they wanted their Prom picture to be. Jackie bit her bottom lip when I shrugged at her. Whatever they wanted, they could have, as far as I was concerned. When they were finally done, Jackie showed me some possible backdrops. I was impressed when one of the options was the bluff on my farm that overlooked the river.
We got back in time to eat. I then took my dates around to each table and introduced them to my classmates.
We made it back in time for dessert to be served. It was strawberry cheesecake. We�d planted a large plot, but the berries wouldn�t be ready until next year. I loved fresh strawberries.
�You�re on my brother�s list of people he has a �get out of jail free� card for,� I told Hannah.
�He is cute, but I would never do anything to damage a marriage. I�ve heard that line before. While I�ve never done it myself, I know of a few models who have. It never seems to work out like everyone thinks.�
�You should talk to them,� Adrienne advised.
�Yeah, my brother would love that,� I said with a smile.
After dessert, it was time for the band.
�I need David Dawson and his dates to come up here,� I heard.
I recognized that voice. It was Jett with her band Birthrite.
�I had no idea you�d be here,� I said as I got up to the stage.
�We�ll talk at the break,� Jett assured me.
I smiled when they started to play their cover of the Violent Femmes�
I saw that Hannah took a break and had my brother and sister-in-law sitting at our table, deep in conversation. I had to bite my tongue when my brother blushed, and both Angie and Hannah laughed. Greg gave me a dirty look. By the time they were done talking, he wore a big smile. Hannah made sure that he got a picture with her, and then they took one with Angie in it.
I knew how he felt. Spending time with Hannah was a rush and something you would remember the rest of your life. When Greg and Angie had to get back to work, my dad snuck over and got a picture as well. I would bet Uncle John was about to be tormented. It was good to see I wasn�t the only one who had a brother he could give a hard time.
Jett joined us on the break and told us that Caryn had called Angel, their manager, to see if they would play at our prom. Jett had said she wouldn�t miss it.
After the first break, Tracy came over to inform me I was to dance with my friends for the next set. I smiled when Adrienne and Hannah decided to dance with each other, though I waggled my finger at Adrienne for trying to steal my date. I was aware she wished Hannah might swing both ways. It got worse when Jett slowed the second set down so everyone could slow-dance.
One lesson I�d learned was you paid attention to who you were with. While I would have liked to watch my dates dance, I owed my attention to the girls I spent time with.
�This was a good idea,� Halle said as I held her close.
�How so?� I asked.
�This way, none of us are jealous you didn�t ask one of us out.�
�Is everyone having a good time?� I asked.
�Yes. Tracy did a good job of matching us up. Ben is being the perfect gentleman,� she said, and then pulled her head off my shoulder so she could see my face. �What did you say to Zak?�
�What do you mean?� I asked.
�He was behaving in his usual �Hollywood douche� style. After you took him to the basement, he�s acted almost normal. If he was like this all the time, I might like him,� she admitted.
�I just pointed out that either Johan or I might end him. We then talked about him being a little old to be acting like he is.�
�Look at you, being the grown-up.�
�Bite me.�
The little witch bit my earlobe.
◊◊◊
After Prom, I took Adrienne and Hannah to their hotel.
�You sure you don�t want to come up?� Hannah asked.
�No. I made a promise to never get in the middle of someone�s relationship. While I had a great time, you�re both with someone else.�
�Your loss. Tyler gave me a free pass for the weekend,� Adrienne teased.
�She made me promise that the next time, she got to watch,� I shot back.
I kissed them both goodnight and watched them until their elevator came. If the two of them had gotten me inside the hotel, I�m not sure I would�ve had the willpower to resist them.
I told the driver to take me home so I could change, then let him go because I didn�t want to worry about him waiting for me. I grabbed the SUV and drove to Mona�s house for the after-party.
◊◊◊
There was a mix of people dressed casual and formal. I people-watched and observed an ordinary teen party. Couples broke up, and new ones formed. I was amazed at how well Johan and Leah seemed to be doing. I think she took him upstairs twice. My buddy was definitely whipped, and I couldn�t blame him.
Wolf also had hit it off with Sarah. I�d liked her ever since we met at model camp in New York. John and Cassidy seemed to be friends, as well.
Around one, Tracy showed up with all the girls except Sarah, Maria, and Leah.
�Take us to your farm,� she ordered.
It was good that I�d brought the SUV. We all loaded into the car and made the trek to my farmhouse. Grandma Dawson was waiting for us.
�I made some snacks,� she announced.
Turned out, �snacks� were mostly something made with chocolate. I was happy Grandma had everything needed to make a ham sandwich. Everyone gathered around the kitchen table and told my grandma all about the night.
I looked around and felt the joy. I know that sounds silly, but I don�t know what else to call it. Seeing all their smiling faces and listening to them tell each other how much fun they had made me happy. Halle was right, this had been a good idea.
After my sandwich, they kicked me out for serious girl-talk. I arrived home to find my mom and dad talking and drinking coffee.
�Did you have fun?� Mom asked.
�It was almost perfect. Dad�s people treated us well, the band was fun to dance to, my friends had a good time, and I had two lovely dates.�
�You said
�On the way home from Grandma Dawson�s, it occurred to me that in one week�s time, I�ll be in Cuba. It just doesn�t seem like there�s enough time to hang out with my friends. Then I only have a year of high school left.�
�Enjoy it. While I had a great time in college, high school was special,� Dad said.
Duke nudged my arm, and I looked down at him.
�I better get him to bed.�
I left my mom and dad as they remembered their time in high school. It was nice to see them both smiling. Dad reached across the table and held my mom�s hand. I felt my throat catch as I realized that even after the year they�d had, they had found a way to put it behind them and love each other.
◊◊◊
I got undressed, crawled into bed, and fell asleep almost immediately. Something was making a noise, and it finally sank in that it was my phone. I felt like I�d been drinking because it took me a moment to focus while I struggled to wake up. It was Adrienne.
�I know it�s late, but could you come over?�
�Why, what�s up?� I asked.
�Just come over. I need to talk to you face-to-face.�
�Are you planning to try to talk me into something naughty?� I asked.
�Maybe,� she admitted.
�And you thought if you and Hannah were right there, I would fold?�
�Wouldn�t you?�
She had a good point. I�m not sure there�s a man alive who would turn the two of them down if they were looking at him like I knew they could. They were paid to look sexy. Dear Lord, why was I even considering this? Okay, that was simple. Why I was going to turn this down was the better question.
�You know I can�t,� I said.
�Fine, be that way,� she huffed.
�You�re not really mad, are you?�
She softly chuckled.
�No; if anything, it makes me respect you more. Go to sleep and dream about what you�re missing.�
�That is so unfair,� I said and hung up.
I must have been tired because I fell back to sleep.
◊◊◊ Sunday May 8
Slowly I drifted awake in a sea of warmth, feeling both languid and content. I was thinking of the exquisite feelings from last night when I started as I remembered who I�d spent the night with. That is if I hadn�t been dreaming.
I sat up abruptly and looked around me. �Thank God,� I sighed with relief. It had been a dream. The body keeping me warm was Duke.
I picked up my phone and called Adrienne.
�I had the best dream last night. It involved you and Hannah.�
�I wonder about you sometimes. I still can�t believe you passed up the opportunity to spend some quality time with the two of us. We might need to get you checked.�
�I made a promise to my mom after we found out I have a half brother who�s younger than me. I had a front-row seat to the kind of devastation something like that can cause. If it hadn�t been for that, I would have probably broken one of my cardinal rules of not sleeping with someone who�s in a relationship,� I explained.
�No, I totally get it, but it sounds like your dream was telling you something different,� she teased.
�If it were only half as good as the dream,� I said, and then sighed.
�I take it we all had a good time.�
�You�re talking to a teenage boy. We have fertile imaginations. Maybe the next time we�re in New York, we can get Tyler to play the Hannah part, and I can show you what we missed last night.�
�Don�t you dare tell Tyler,� Adrienne said and then laughed. �You know what, do tell her. I think she has a bigger thing for Hannah than you do.�
�Please, she has you,� I said, not believing a word of it.
�She has me all the time. Hannah is one straight girl we dream of turning,� Adrienne shared.
�As long as you only turn her partway; I�d hate to think she�d never want a man in her life. My plan is to wait a few years and then pounce when her divorce is announced.�
�That�s my boy! I�m glad you have a backup plan.�
I hung up with Adrienne and thought about what I�d passed up. Uncle John was right. Sometimes it sucked to be a man of your word.
◊◊◊
I got dressed quickly, let my buddy Duke out, and we left for a run while my thoughts sorted themselves out.
When I got back, I started to make breakfast, and then Mom came down. I was lucky; she didn�t suspect I�d sinned in my mind. She reminded me of our meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Mass and the other families after church. Her comments finally popped me out of my mental bubble and brought me back to the here and now.
◊◊◊
Mom and I came home from church and found that Jack and Bev Mass had already arrived. Dad and Jack were out back, starting the grill. I decided to join the guys.
�What are we having?� I asked.
�Goat. Your grandmother had one that was causing trouble,� Dad said.
�So, she just offed him?� I asked.
�Never piss your grandmother off,� Dad advised.
�What does goat taste like?� I asked.
�Bald eagle,� Jack offered.
�I find that a little more gamey than goat,� Dad said.
I just rolled my eyes and decided the two comedians had this. Then I heard the gate open; Mom must have let someone in. I walked out and found Wolf and his parents, Jared and Tiana.
�Hey, how was last night?� I asked.
�Sarah was a lot of fun. She said that she planned to spend some time at Harper�s over the summer.�
Tim and Tami pulled up with their parents. I stepped over to the gate and used the keypad on this side to open it for them. Tim�s parents were Conner and Wendy. I had to think for a moment for Tami�s mom�s name; I�d always called her Mrs. Glade. It was Melissa.
�Mom and Bev are inside. Dad and Jack are out back, acting like they�re grilling. I think they�re more interested in the cooler of beer,� I announced.
The women went inside, and the guys and Tami followed me to the patio. Mom opened the kitchen window.
�Put the meat on,� Mom told Dad.
Dad had two gallon-size ziplock bags filled with different marinades and slices of goat meat. One looked like a jerk I�d come to love on our vacation to the Caribbean. The other had a lemon and garlic smell.
�Where�s Duke?� Wolf asked.
Duke was his official helper when he did yard work.
�Peggy and the boys are at her parents� house. I think she heard what we�re having and bailed. They took Duke with them.�
�What are we having?� Tami asked suspiciously.
�Dad said Grandma Dawson killed one of the goats.�
�Excuse me?� Tim asked.
�I guess it looked at her funny,� I said with a straight face.
Tami smacked me on the back of the head.
◊◊◊
The jerked goat was delicious. It tasted a little like lamb. Mom had made coconut rice with red beans and fried plantains to go with the jerk. She also made mac and cheese, cornbread, and green beans for the goat with lemon and garlic.
Over lunch, we talked about my friends living with Bev and Jack for the summer.
�We live in Lincoln Park about six blocks from the Fullerton
�How safe is it?� Mrs. Glade asked.
�Where we are in Lincoln Park is mostly young professionals and college kids. Northwestern Hospital is in the Gold Coast, a more affluent area. Oprah lives close to where Tami�ll be working. I would never say anywhere in Chicago is completely safe, but if she pays attention to her surroundings, she should be okay. I wouldn�t have a problem letting Harper take the bus there,� Bev said.
�What about these two?� Jared, Wolf�s dad, asked.
�They�ll be working with my team. We have several projects going, mainly close together in Lincoln Park, but we do have a couple further west, and they can be dicey. I wouldn�t plan on them going there without other employees who understand the risks,� Jack said.
�David says you live in a mansion,� Wolf said.
�I don�t know about that,� Jack said, getting embarrassed.
�Hang on, I have pictures,� I said as I brought them up on my phone.
Jared and Wendy, Tim�s mom, got the first look as my phone was passed around.
�I think I want to take Tim�s place,� Wendy said, obviously impressed with where my friends would be staying.
�If you want to come to visit, we have plenty of room,� Bev said.
�I�d like to come up for a weekend,� Mrs. Glade said.
�Of shopping,� I added under my breath.
Mrs. Glade blushed.
�Why don�t you all come up and I can take you � shopping,� Bev said, giving me the stink eye.
�You don�t have a problem with our kids invading your home for the summer?� Conner, Tim�s dad, asked.
�David told us they had worked at setting life goals, and they�re highly motivated. He wasn�t always my favorite person, but the more I got to know him, the better I liked him. I�ve been impressed with David, and during the recent political campaign, he showed me he was sharp. If David says your kids are special and just need a little help, Bev and I are more than happy to have them,� Jack said.
I kept my smart comments to myself. All the parents sat a little straighter in their chairs at the praise for their children.
�Why didn�t you like him?� Tiana, Wolf�s mom, asked.
�He dated my daughter,� Jack confessed.
�You have our sympathies,� Jared said with a smirk.
�Well, now that I can look back, he was a blessing,� Bev said in my defense.
�She�s dating Mike Herndon now,� Tami explained.
Everyone nodded. Jack looked like he was about to have a migraine. I wished him the best of luck.
Jared wasn�t entirely done, though. He wore a pensive expression and started to speak a couple of times, but finally seemed to find the words he needed.
�Wolf may not appreciate this, but I have to speak as a dad. We�re not wealthy by any means, but we do an honest day�s work, and we�ve tried to raise our kids right. I�m glad to hear about the neighborhood and to learn he�ll be in a safe environment, but what concerns me more is keeping the bad influences away.�
Wolf gave his dad a horrified, �how could you embarrass me like that?!� look, and his dad caught it. He turned to his son.
�Son, I know I just embarrassed you, and I�m sorry about that. But I�d be even sorrier if I didn�t say anything, and you got messed up with drugs or the wrong kind of friends,� he said gently. Then he looked at me. �Bad friends can ruin a man�s life. Good friends are like gold.�
I really hoped he was putting me in the �good friends� category. I didn�t think I�d like to find out what he�d do if he decided I was in the other one.
Tami leaned in, capturing his attention.
�Don�t worry, sir. Tim and I will be there too. We�ll have each other�s backs, and between that and Mr. and Mrs. Mass, we should be fine. I promise to let you know if either of these two big oafs gets out of line,� she said, trying to glare at Tim and Wolf at the same time.
�Can you do the same with Harper?� Mrs. Mass quipped.
The general laughter around the table got us out of the tension of the moment.
◊◊◊
Tami took me out to her car before she left.
�I have something for you,� she said as she opened her trunk.
She handed me a first aid kit. Well, �kit� might not do it justice. First aid duffle?
�I did some reading on Cuba and put this together for you. Everything has to remain sealed to get through customs,� she advised.
Tami had everything from aspirin to jock-itch cream. She explained that with the hot, humid weather, I needed to be prepared.
I gave her a hug and thanked her. She would be home next weekend after her finals were done, so I would see her before I left.
◊◊◊
After everyone left, Dad and I drove to meet with Caryn and Megan. When we tried to pull into the parking lot, it was blocked off.
�Looks like they resurfaced it and painted new lines,� I observed.
We parked on the street. As we walked up, I could see they had power-washed the sidewalks. It looked like twenty years of dirt and grime had been removed. With the new paint, the building looked almost new. Caryn had done an excellent job.
We walked upstairs and found Megan spinning in her chair. When she saw us, she jerked to a stop. I just ignored her. I sometimes did that too, so I was in no position to give her a hard time. Besides, I needed her to watch Coby and Little David for another week during finals.
We stepped into the conference room, where we found new cell phones in boxes.
�What are these for?� I asked.
�Cell phones that will work internationally,� Caryn said.
�His current one won�t?� Dad asked.
�This one offers unlimited international texting with data that�s pay-as-you-go. David�s getting one because of international calling,� Caryn told me.
�This new phone works in both Cuba and Japan?� I asked.
�Yes, and it�s cheaper than setting up an international calling plan with your current carrier,� Megan explained. �As it turns out, your current carrier doesn�t even offer service in Cuba. This isn�t cheap, though, so don�t overdo it. It�s twenty cents per minute. Another carrier charged a monthly fee for their plan, and it was still fifty cents per minute.�
Megan took my current phone and hooked it to my new phone to transfer all my contacts and apps.
�What do you plan to do with this phone once I get back from Japan?� I asked.
�You can keep it for whenever you travel, or we could use it as a corporate phone for someone who only uses it as a phone,� Caryn said.
�You mean like my dad or grandma. Better yet, the recruiting phone,� I suggested.
Dad had been listening. I could tell he liked the idea of saving money on his monthly phone bill. This new phone would never work for my mom or me since we used way too much data.
Now that my phone for Cuba was set up, we could talk about other stuff.
�You couldn�t miss the front parking lot,� Caryn said, and we nodded. �We had them do it this weekend. They also did the Quickie Mart. We�ll walk down there before you leave. The owner was willing to shut down for the weekend while we made the improvements.�
�How�s the food going?� I asked.
We�d started to hand out food to people that needed it.
�We gave out three bags this week. They were also given information about the food programs available. One of the employees at the Quickie Mart had a good idea: she suggested that we add bags of dried beans and rice,� Caryn said.
�It�s inexpensive and filling. I remember when you were a kid, we ate a lot of that sort of thing,� Dad said.
I smiled because cornbread and beans was one of my favorite meals. Mom always complained that Greg and I could eat for an army, and she had to find something that would fill us up.
�Don�t ask me about what to give them. I think you can figure it out,� I said.
�Okay. Field trip time,� Caryn announced.
She took us down to the restaurant. Mary Dole was there, talking to a bunch of people sitting in the new chairs which were lined up in a couple of rows facing her. She smiled and waved at us as we came through the doors.
These folks were obviously the people Mary had hired to form the waitstaff, cooks, and so on. I was surprised to see Jan�s serious, interested face among them.
We walked back towards the kitchen and setup areas, not wanting to disturb Mary. I turned to Caryn.
�Jan Duke?�
�Yuri�s grandma came in with her when we were taking applications, and your grandmother happened to be there. Mrs. Antakov asked if Jan could apply for a waitress-slash-hostess job. She took your grandma aside and explained that she wanted Jan to learn about work, but she wanted her to be supervised by women Jan looked up to. Your mom, Mrs. Dole, and your grandma all fit that category.�
I was bemused.
�My grandma? How does Jan even know her?� I asked.
�Oh, your grandma and Yuri�s have become thick as thieves since they met each other. I think it�s a �kindred spirits finding each other� kind of thing. You just weren�t around enough to notice.
�Anyway, Mrs. Dole was concerned that this was all Yuri�s grandma�s doing, and that Jan would be resentful. It turns out it was Jan who suggested it in the first place when their family was talking about plans for the summer and beyond. Yuri�s grandma just � facilitated.
�And Jan�s qualified. They were looking for a smart, pretty girl from the high school, who was motivated, to work as a waitress and fill-in hostess. Jan fits the bill to a T,� Caryn said.
I nodded, still a bit puzzled, as we continued the tour. You just never knew �
The place looked great. They�d gotten ninety percent of the downstairs done. It looked like an updated version of Granny�s. I was impressed.
�How long until they open?� Dad asked.
�They want to do a test run next week and only open a couple of hours in the mornings to work the bugs out. The grand opening will be either next Friday or Saturday. They�re going to hold an invitation-only event to get the word out, and it�ll be free. Then they�ll open the following Monday,� Caryn said.
I was glad Caryn, my dad, and Megan were taking care of all this because I had no time for it right now. I was proud of what they�d done with Mary and Granny and was sure it would be a success.
◊◊◊
It was a gorgeous day outside, and I really wanted to go see Zoe, as had become my Sunday routine, but I also needed to study. I�d never wanted to sign up for AP classes. Uncle John was right about many things, one of which was that you didn�t need to grow up too fast. Taking AP, or Advanced Placement, classes gave you college equivalency. This meant that I would have college credit towards my graduation.
Something I figured out by reading the college websites was that I was taking way too many AP classes. Students only received credit for two AP classes per subject. That meant that only two of my three AP math classes counted for college credit.
I hadn�t bitched too much, though, because the classes were more of a challenge. My inner nerd got bored if he wasn�t pushed.
Additionally, and more importantly to me, AP classes boosted your class standing. Our grade point average (GPA) was calculated on a 4.0 scale, with each AP course receiving a .22225 bonus added to the grade earned. Currently, I was in third place in our class behind Gina and Alan. I had faith that Alan would do something stupid and knock himself out of the running. I just had to hope that Gina faltered.
That was why I stayed in instead of going horseback riding with Zoe.
◊◊◊ Thursday May 12
Finals had been hard, but I�d been up to the task. With Alan banned from the school computers, Lily had to do more work. She�d sent all the coaches reports on how their charges had done. Once again, the athletes involved in the study program had done better than the previous average. I was heartened to see that over half the school had joined us this semester.
Coach Hope and Moose had identified a couple of junior football and baseball players who were not on track to meet NCAA academic guidelines. With the new system in place, they could nip any problems in the bud, before it was too late. There were also six sophomore boys who were borderline. Cassidy told me that her dad planned to have all the guys who were having academic issues meet with Ms. Jaroslav, our guidance counselor. And they had to bring a parent to the meeting. That didn�t sound like much fun.
I looked up our class ranking, which was on the school�s website. It showed the Top 5, but individual students could log in and see where they ranked. Alan was nowhere in the top five. He must have decided to tank his finals because he was grounded. That was so like him, to think he would punish us all by hurting himself. Gina and I were first and second. The difference was she�d taken more AP classes than I had. Unfortunately, my art classes didn�t have that designation. Zoe and Brook were fourth and fifth on the list, with a girl I didn�t know well in the third slot.
Today was an abbreviated day, where we only spent twenty minutes in each class. We turned our books in and said our goodbyes for the summer. We were let out before lunch; I guess they didn�t want to feed us one more time. Cassidy and I were asked to visit Moose before we left.
�Hey, Moose. You wanted to see us?� I asked as we walked in.
He pointed to two large duffle bags with �Lincoln High Baseball� on the side and �Range Sports� on the end.
�Devin Range sent these for you. I told him what you needed for both Cuba and your trip to baseball camp. However, you need to bring it back to the school in the fall. Devin didn�t want to mess up your eligibility by giving you a gift,� Moose clarified.
I wasn�t sure if it was a problem or not, but I damn well preferred to be cautious. I didn�t want to give the NCAA any excuse to give me a hard time. When I opened the first bag, I found it full of catcher�s gear.
�I think this is yours,� I said as I slid it over to Cassidy.
She pulled out a cup and gave me a dirty look.
�You get hit with a wild pitch, and you�ll be glad you have one,� I said with a straight face.
She just shrugged and put it back in. Mine had everything I would need, from cleats to baseball caps. I even had a first baseman�s glove.
�What�s this for?� I asked Moose.
�Who knows? Better to have it and not need it.�
Of course, Cassidy made me carry everything to the car.
◊◊◊
When we got home, I invited Cassidy and Fritz in for lunch. Everyone else was gone. I was surprised Duke had been left free; he usually was in his crate when we weren�t home. I made us sandwiches and a salad.
Cassidy looked at the food and then at me.
�Don�t you have any chips?� she asked.
�Salad is better for you,� I urged.
�I could go for some chips,� Fritz agreed.
Mom kept them for everyone else, but I tried not to eat them very often. I�d been addicted when I was younger. I walked over to the pantry and came back with a bag. They gave me their salads.
�How are you going to manage both LA and our trip to Cuba?� I asked Fritz.
�Adding you as a client has allowed us to expand. You know Jane and Flo; they�ll work as primaries for Rita and Halle. We�ve added some other people I�ll introduce you to next time we�re in LA. I�ve brought in a longtime friend, Andy Lewis, to manage the LA group.
�For the Cuba trip, I�ll bring Paul and Cassidy,� Fritz shared.
I�d wondered if Rita had been shortchanged in this deal. It sounded like Fritz had everything covered.
�What are your plans for the rest of the day?� Fritz asked.
�Let�s see. No school or athletics � teenager � hmm,� I contemplated.
�Brook has paintball guns. Let�s go there,� Cassidy suggested.
�We could practice protection drills,� Fritz added.
�Paintball guns sound like fun, but I�m not sure I want to do protection drills,� I said.
�Cassidy needs the work for Cuba,� Fritz said to convince me.
She eagerly nodded her head. It seemed I was outnumbered.
�As long as we get to do some other stuff,� I complained.
◊◊◊
It was interesting to see Fritz work with Cassidy. He showed her how he handled me getting in and out of cars, walking through crowds, and various other scenarios. Brook disappeared after about half an hour. I guess she was as bored as I was.
Fritz invited Paul to act as the bad guy. Cassidy shot Paul in the nuts three times in a row.
�Why did you shoot him there?� Fritz asked.
�If he�s wearing a vest, it won�t do him any good,� Cassidy reasoned.
Everyone knew that Cassidy wouldn�t be carrying a gun, but we were just having some fun. I�d been trained to shoot center mass. If you ever pulled the trigger, it wasn�t a game. I think Fritz realized that his young charge had done enough serious stuff for one day.
That was when the ambush happened. Paintballs were whizzing all around us. Fritz pushed me into the SUV while Paul ran for the driver�s door. I watched him get hit several times. Cassidy�s eyes got big as Paul went down. She came up firing, and Brook and Jim both took paintballs in the chest. That attracted the fire of everyone else, and Cassidy was mowed down.
Fritz was next. He peeked around the car, but Tim had snuck up behind him. Fritz must have sensed something because he twirled around and they shot each other at the same time. Then everything got quiet. Wolf came to my door and used his paintball gun to tap on the glass.
�It�s over. You can come out now,� Wolf said.
I just shook my head �no.� Fritz stood up and smiled.
�Good job, everyone. David, you did the right thing by not opening the door,� Fritz said.
I figured out where Brook had gone: she�d gathered my friends for the ambush. I spotted Jane and Flo, Fritz�s other security people. They were in town to do some training before Fritz left for our trip. Fritz admitted he�d set it all up to see what I would do. He�d lost a bet with Cassidy. Fritz wagered I would try to help and get myself shot.
Even if it had been real, I would have gone into the car. In the center console, there was an extra handgun. I couldn�t do much other than get in the way if I were unarmed in a gunfight.
Once the object lesson was over, it was time for fun. Fritz had a paintball game we could play as teams.
�It�s a variation of
Paul and Fritz got to pick teams. They were both jerks: I was picked last. Fritz selected Flo, Jane, Brook, and Cassidy. Paul chose Wolf, Jim, Tim, and me.
Paul pulled us together.
�Fritz is a sneaky bastard who can appear out of nowhere,� Paul warned. �He used to be an expert at infiltration, back in the day.�
�I agree. I�ve always wanted to learn how Fritz moves so quietly. More than once, he�s scared the shit out of me,� I added.
�Flo and Jane are good shots. I�d bet he puts them as guards on their flags. How good are Cassidy and Brook?� Paul asked.
�They�re both good shots. Cassidy is much better, but Brook can hit what she points at,� I offered.
�What about you guys?� Paul asked.
Wolf likened his skills to the Rock, Jim thought he was Vin Diesel, and Tim chose to go with Wolverine. I, of course, was�cue the music�Bond, Ian Bond, the character I would play in the James Bond movie. Paul explained how dead we all were.
It was decided that we would play defense because Paul predicted that Fritz would try to win quickly. Our flag was placed in a small meadow where they would have to cover twenty yards of open ground to capture our flag. Paul was a crafty one. He helped us find hiding places where we could support each other. Paul had Jim, Tim, and Wolf fan out close to the meadow. He climbed a big oak tree so he could get up high. He wanted me to roam through the woods to see if I could spot them as they approached.
At the designated start time for the game, the girls shouted their war cry, and you could hear them running in the woods. It was a little unnerving. I found a spot in a bush where I could hunker down. I could hear paintballs being shot near our flag. When you were shot, you were supposed to call out your name.
�Paul!�
�Wolf!�
�Brook!�
�Flo!�
Names were all shouted out in short order. It reminded me of the
�David! Come out and play!� Cassidy called.
I figured they had our flag, so I had to find theirs. I quietly moved to where I�d heard their war cry to start the game. Their flag had to be in the clearing where Cassidy and Brook had ambushed me when we rode the four-wheelers.
I circled around and glimpsed movement. It was Jane; she was facing the clearing. I didn�t have a clear shot. I heard running and saw Cassidy holding our flag. The little shit wore a huge grin on her face. Her running through the trees made it difficult to shoot her. I decided to wait until she cleared the trees. She burst into the open with victory in sight.
I lined up my shot and smiled when Cassidy realized that she�d been hit. Jane heard the shot and rolled right as I fired off a quick one aimed at where she had just been. She got off a lucky shot that hit the tree next to me.
I needed to move. I figured Jane would never expect me to charge her, so I did. She had rolled into a bush and had nowhere to go. I shot her and sprinted to grab their and our flags. Cassidy gave me an evil look.
�Cassidy!�
�Jane!�
Now all I had to do was either shoot Fritz or get the flags back to our base. My heart was racing, knowing that Fritz was out there looking for me. I decided I should take my time because I was sure Fritz was close. While I scanned the trees, I thought about how Paul tried to get some elevation. I crept back towards our flag, freaking out at every little sound.
Then my phone rang. SHIT! It was unbelievably loud. I felt a paintball hit my ass, followed by a chuckle. Fritz had his phone out. The bastard had called my number to find out where I was.
�That was totally cheating,� I complained.
It was all in good fun.
We spent the rest of the afternoon running around the woods, shooting each other. I think the most fun was when we did a free-for-all where everyone was against � well, everyone. Cassidy won that one. Even Fritz was impressed with her shooting. She had a knack for shooting guys in the nuts.
◊◊◊
After dinner, I took the little ones to Pam�s to go swimming. Duke wanted to go, but Pam said their condo association had banned him from the pool area. They made a big deal about Labs shedding and what it did to pool filters. Labrador retrievers are water dogs. They actually have webbed skin between their toes.
Peggy said that the last time he�d been over, he�d been good until Coby began to fuss. Duke dove into the pool to make sure he was okay. Once Duke figured out what the pool was all about, they�d had a hard time getting him out. One woman on the COA (Condo Owners Association) board wasn�t happy when he got out and shook water everywhere.
Peggy thought we might need to put a pool in so Duke could play. I bought into that just as much as I�d bought into Pam�s claim that Coby needed a $200 purse. Sometimes they made it easy for me to say �no.�
The doorman had announced us, so Lacy and Pam had the door open when I got off the elevator.
�There they are,� Lacy cooed.
Both boys perked up when they heard her. She took Coby from me, and Pam reached for Little David. They were already in their swimsuits, so they sent me to change. When I came back, I was put in charge of all the stuff that had to be carried. They�d gotten the boys ready for the pool.
We took the elevator upstairs to the top floor, where they had a hot tub and an exercise room in addition to the pool. It also had access to the roof where they�d set up a patio area. Pam told me it was where most everyone sunbathed.
I almost had a cow when Pam walked to the edge of the pool and jumped in with Coby in her arms. They both went under, and it took a second for them to break the surface.
�What the heck?� I complained.
Both Lacy and Pam laughed at me.
�He knows to hold his breath,� Pam said.
�It�s a reflex to protect their airway. Most infants do it,� Lacy said.
�Most?� I asked.
Lacy just shrugged like it was no big deal. She did the same with Little David, and I held my breath while they were under the water. Both boys seemed to be okay, so I calmed down. I handed them the flotation devices. The boys enjoyed floating around. I was a little nervous, but the longer I watched, the better I was with it. Something Pam had insisted on was that Coby be comfortable around water. If he ever fell into a pool, she wanted him to be safe.
I got in with them and had fun with the boys. When we were done, I took them into the shower and gave them baths. Playing in the water tuckered them out.
◊◊◊
Chapter 42 � A Kiss to Build a Dream On Friday May 13
I got up and ran with Duke. Peggy had her last final today and needed to study, and my running pal Rachel and her dog Buster were off to visit her grandparents in Wisconsin. So Duke and I were alone. I was glad, in a way, because it gave me a chance to reflect on the school year.
Another one of my closest friends was graduating and going off into the world. Jim had been brought into my life by his sister Suzanne. It was a reminder that I only had one more year of high school left. I could foresee that this time next year, I would be at a crossroads of sorts. I would need to decide what to do after graduation.
Movies were somewhat of a given, in the short term. I had my commitment to the
Football had gone from something I would never have imagined I would do to something I loved. I�d worked hard to become the best, and was fortunate that I had the physical ability. Football also appealed to the guy in me; I liked the physicality of it. I also appreciated that it was a team sport that uses strategy and force of will to win.
Then there was my true love, baseball. The twelve-year-old in me still had dreams of winning a world series with the Cubs. Tami would play second, with me at short. This summer, I would learn a lot about baseball and hopefully find out whether it was a viable option. Like other opportunities in my life, there had been someone who had opened the door to that possibility. When I�d taken hitting instruction in LA, I never dreamed I would get a chance to play with the very best baseball talent in my age group this summer.
Like the Elite 11 opportunity, I planned to take it and see how far I could go. I�d started to think it might be possible to make my baseball dream a reality. All that I was afraid of was that Tami wasn�t going to be my second baseman. That, and the Cubs might be good enough this year to actually win it without me.
So those were my three choices. Did I become a movie star, go to college to play football, or get drafted and play baseball? Uncle John was right. There was no reason to grow up too fast. All I could do was my best. I had faith that whatever I was destined to do would eventually be revealed to me. If all else failed, I could either become a farmer or go into politics. It was good to have a fallback plan.
◊◊◊
Duke and I came home to find Tami�s car in my driveway. She must be home for the summer. I let Duke in the back door so he could get his morning loving and ran up to my apartment to take a shower.
�Honey, I�m home!� I called as I bounded up the stairs.
�You don�t know how many times I�ve dreamed of hearing that,� Tami said as she greeted me with a hug and a kiss.
�Your loss,� I said and stepped into my bedroom.
I stripped off and heard her giggle as I left her sitting on my bed while I showered. I came out with a towel around my waist as I dried my hair.
�When are you going to finally pick a girlfriend?� Tami asked.
�What do you mean? I don�t need no stinkin� girlfriend. That would just cramp my style.�
�Can you be serious for like two seconds?� she asked.
�Oh, come on. You can�t seriously want to talk about my love life the minute you get home for summer vacation,� I huffed.
�I worry about you. Tracy told me she�s concerned that I�ve broken you.�
�Like she has room to talk.�
Tami sighed as only teenage girls could. What makes teenage boys such a problem for them? Could it be that we don�t need them to boss us around, and then they get frustrated when we want to watch baseball and not talk about our feelings? No wonder a beer goes with watching a baseball game. Wait�was it pizza and beer? No matter. Beer goes with both.
�You need a girlfriend,� Tami announced.
�You�ve been here ten minutes, and you�re already trying to run my life. Did I do something to piss you off?� I asked.
�David,� she whined.
�Tami,� I whined back.
�You make me so mad sometimes,� she said as she crossed her arms.
�I know what�ll make you like me,� I said.
I could tell she really was trying to be mad at me, but I knew how to head that off. Walking over to my music docking station for my phone, I put on Pink�
�That�s right � Naked Dance Party!�
I ripped my towel off and began to dance. Tami was now smiling, and her head was bobbing.
�Come on, dance with me,� I encouraged.
I don�t know many girls who don�t like to dance. She got up and showed me she had some new moves.
�Shake it, Baby,� she said.
I gave her what she wanted. Duke was missing out. He was my usual dance partner when I was feeling goofy. Tami bailed on me when a slow song came on. She said she�d see me downstairs for breakfast.
◊◊◊
Mom took the boys to daycare, and Tami drove home to do laundry and spend time with her mom. Duke and I settled in to play some video games. It felt great to do some mindless gaming. Around noon, I was bored, so we walked downstairs to make some lunch. I�d put the tomato soup on and was starting to make the grilled cheese sandwiches when Peggy came home from her last final.
�How�d it go?� I asked.
�Good, but I think my mind is fried,� she admitted, and then saw me making lunch. �I�m starved.�
I made her a cup of soup, gave her my grilled cheese, and put on another sandwich to cook for myself.
�What have you done today?� she asked.
�Played video games. This afternoon I need to box up stuff to ship to Cuba,� I said.
�Want some help?�
�Sure.�
We ate lunch and then grabbed the shipping boxes Caryn had gotten me. The plan was to only carry on a change of clothes and toiletries, in case everything else got lost. Cassidy, Fritz, and Paul were doing the same. Fritz said he�d be by around three to pick everything up, and he would take it to the shipper.
We�d been warned not to take anything flashy or of value. That meant I couldn�t bring my designer sunglasses or my smartwatch. I�d picked up a cheap tablet to take; I would give it to Angie when I returned. Rita James had given me a stack of DVDs of classic movies to pack. I�d gotten a small portable DVD player and a monitor I could hook it up to. I thought about just ripping the DVDs to my laptop, but that sounded like work. It would save the space of carrying the DVDs and player. Then I remembered I was shipping everything and forgot about that plan.
Peggy had a great idea: she suggested I pack cards and poker chips. Dad had a set that I �borrowed.� I figured it would be a good way to get to know the cast and crew. Plus, I was starting to enjoy the game.
I also packed my dojo equipment, including both my weighted Bo staff and a practice one. And I packed batons. Cassidy planned to do the same so we could work out when we had time. With my baseball gear, I also added a bag of balls and a couple of footballs.
When Fritz came, he eyed my four big boxes but didn�t make any comments. I�d be gone for a month, and I didn�t want to worry about finding what I needed.
Peggy drove to daycare to get the boys, so I started dinner. Greg and Angie showed up with their family. They were done with finals too. Greg helped me cook while Angie and Peggy took the kids to the living room. It felt like old times, cooking dinner with my brother.
Mom and Dad came home.
�What are you making?� Mom asked.
�Fried chicken. Greg�s making mashed potatoes and corn,� I said.
�What, no salad?� she teased.
�I think I can survive one night without one,� I said.
It was nice to have everyone home. Kyle and Mac wanted to sit next to their Unca David. Everyone turned to look when they suddenly were spitting out the chicken and wiping their tongues.
�Dirty chickie,� Kyle complained.
Angie gave me a look that didn�t bode well for me.
�What did you give them?� she demanded.
�Liver,� I admitted.
�Unca David, bad!� Mac said, which made everyone laugh.
�Paybacks are hell,� Greg warned.
I just smiled.
◊◊◊
My cell phone buzzed. This was the call I�d been both dreading and expecting.
�David,� Frank said without preamble, �I just got a call for comment from one of the networks. I told them I would comment if they would send me a copy of the full footage they were given and give me a few minutes to review it. I�ve got it, and we predicted it almost perfectly. They edited the video to make you look bad, and they changed it to reflect their narrative that you support a �rape culture.� That�s a hot button for the feminist movement. They also arranged it so it would hit the news on Friday evening so it could marinate with the media over the weekend without a response from us.�
I started to reply, but he stopped me.
�Let me finish. We�ve already done the data dump to your website and sent a tailored response package to the network. And I�ve gone over all the talking-point highlights with the network guy. He tried to hide it, but he was obviously surprised by the information we had, as well as our videos.
�If we�re lucky, he�ll go over this and delay putting it on the six o�clock news, so nobody will see it until the ten o�clock time slot tonight. We�re already working on clips responding directly to their videos and should have them up on the website within the hour, as well.
�Now, all we have to do is follow the plan. Hang in there, and if anyone asks, just say from what you�ve heard, much of the interview footage that�s been made available is a highly edited fabrication. And that your people will have a full response available on your website shortly,� Frank said to ruin my day.
◊◊◊ Saturday May 14
I woke in an unfamiliar bed. Then I remembered that I�d spent the night in Halle�s guest room. I felt my pillow move, so I glanced over to see who it was. It was my buddy Bandit. We got up and strolled downstairs to find something to eat.
Last night had turned into a circus at my house once they ran the doctored video. The neighbors weren�t too happy with the news trucks camped out front, so the local police asked if I could make a show of leaving. Fritz organized it, and there was pandemonium when we tried to leave. The police blocked off our street so none of them could follow me. Rita had graciously allowed me to stay at her house until this blew over. I�m sure my neighbors appreciated her help.
Fritz came in as I was finishing my orange juice and tossed me his phone.
�Your phone is off, so Frank called me instead. Here.�
I fielded the phone in midair and held it to my ear.
�What�s the good word?� I asked Frank.
�We kept working overnight because having a coherent response is critical right now. The goal is for reporters to be lazy and just use what we give them. To that end, we�ve put together one-minute, three-minute, and ten-minute all-point rebuttal clips. We�ve also just finished a half-hour infomercial reply we�re putting on your web page. There�s also a roadmap of every point where they edited their material to change your answers.
�Ms. Dixon�s reviewed what we created and is fully on board with everything,� he assured me.
�The coverage was mixed at the start. But as more time has gone by, more and more of the outlets are going with the story we want to tell. That�s the story of a teenager who was targeted by two unscrupulous women with an agenda.
�When the videographer�s mug shot first appeared on the news last night, I was pretty confident the reactions were going to trend our way. Then when the clip of the women talking by the car was aired, I knew we�d turned a corner and things were looking up. A mug shot and a �gotcha� moment is too much for the media to resist. And as soon as one network showed it, the rest of them almost had to go along, or they�d look like fools.
�If the trend continues, the damage will be minimal, and you may come out of this with a higher Q-Rating,� Frank said.
I felt too guarded to breathe a sigh of relief, although I wanted to.
�How�s my social media trending?�
�They�ve blown up. The best part is, we�re tracking the number of hits on the materials we put up yesterday evening, and you already had a ton of downloads of our videos. Like I said, you took some heat early on, but now it�s all looking pretty damn good,� he explained.
�What�s to stop the outlets from taking our video and doing the same hack the two women did?� I asked.
�None of the mainstream outlets have done that, although a couple of hanger-on sensation rags have. It looks like you might actually survive this one,� he said, which was good news, as far as I was concerned.
I felt like I could breathe again.
�All of this makes me feel better.�
�Something that helped was the two clocks. We could do split screens of their footage and ours to show that the footage was from the same interview. But we could also highlight the time differences between the times a question was asked and the times when you said something.
�Your varied responses sealed the deal. It made it easier for us to highlight precisely when you gave an answer, and where they�d edited the video to change your response. It was absolutely clear their editing was a hack-job.
��That�s the main reason we put the raw footage out there. That, along with the edited versions we made to highlight what those two were doing,� Frank reminded me.
I wasn�t sure if he was ever going to take a breath or let me get a word in edgewise.
�What should I do today?� I asked.
�Just keep doing what you did last night. If you stick to the program and everything continues the way it�s going, this should be done by Monday�except for media follow-up, which I�ll handle.
�Tell them that what you actually said, including unedited videos of the full interview, is on your website. Then just shut up and go about your business.�
◊◊◊
As soon as I turned my phone on, it started ringing. I put it on silent and checked messages. I deleted all but the ones from my friends and listened to those. Then I started making calls. The first one was to Pam.
�Oh. My. God!� she started.
She was about to launch into full girl-babble mode, and I didn�t really have time for it.
�Stop!� I commanded.
Unbelievably, she stopped! Hmmm, gotta figure out how I did that.
�David,� she said hesitantly, �can I please tell you some things? They�re important.�
I sighed. This was my baby-mama, after all.
�Sure, Pam, go ahead.�
�I�ve talked to Tracy, Zoe, Brook, and a bunch of others, both guys and girls. We�ve been going through the material on your website, and we want you to know we support you. If you need anything, anything at all, let us know.�
I had to smile. It was good to have friends you could count on to support you. Right now, it made a world of difference in how I felt.
�Just tell them all to be careful. It wouldn�t be good to pour gas on the fire. The wrong thing said right now could be bad,� I warned her.
�Yes, David. We love you too.�
I ended that call and returned others. It seemed that everyone had questions. Frankly, I did too.
Their responses were the same, too: mingled amounts of shock, disbelief, and anger, along with offers of support. My friends had my back.
When I got home, I said the same to all the reporters that hadn�t left: go to the website. All the information was there.
I was glad when they packed up once they saw I wasn�t going to comment further. I�m sure the local police and neighbors had to be happy.
The only other development today was that reporters started asking my friends in the business about it. The good news was they were, in fact, my friends. Adrienne�s response when she was approached on the street said it all.
�David A. Dawson is a friend, and I only keep good people as friends. I�ve gotten to know him well, both personally and professionally, and I will tell you point-blank he�s pretty much the opposite of the way he was portrayed.
�I�m all for women�s rights and in favor of equality for women. But when individuals try to promote those based on falsehoods, or at the expense of innocents, that�s where I draw the line. What those two women tried to do to David is just plain wrong!�
It was best to let it die down and to chalk it up as another hard lesson in social dynamics. I didn�t want a �been there, done that� t-shirt for this moment, either. I vowed to never make this mistake again.
◊◊◊
So, the day started out better than I�d expected, but I had other, more important stuff to do. Now at least I could do it with some semblance of a real smile!
Today, they would hold graduation in the Field House. I was going to see Jim, Mona, Kim, and Sammie all graduate. Tracy would have been with them, but she�d missed a semester and would graduate in December instead. I�d hinted it was okay that she was slow. That earned me a poke in the ribs and an admonishment to be good.
Mother Nature had given us a gorgeous day. It was supposed to get up to 78 today, and there was just a slight breeze. As I drove down the street, I think every lilac bush was in full bloom. I loved the scent of the flowers. When you saw the lilac bushes come to life, it was like seeing the first robin. You knew that the grip of winter was over.
I was halfway to the door when two girls waylaid me.
�Miss us?� Beth Anderson asked me.
The other girl was Suzanne Ball, Jim�s sister. I hugged them both.
�Of course I missed you two. I hoped I would see you today,� I admitted.
�Come on, my parents saved us seats,� Suzanne said.
Each one grabbed an arm as if they were afraid I would disappear on them and guided me to where Jim and Suzanne�s family was seated.
As I watched the seniors graduate, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I was happy for them. You couldn�t help but see their excitement for moving on to the next step in their lives. On the other hand, I would miss them. Most were off to college. I almost wished I were going with Jim to Alabama this summer.
But only almost. I guess I realized I wasn�t ready to leave yet. I�d watched my other friends and my brother all move on. Greg said in many ways, college was the most exciting time of his life. His experience was a little different from most students because of his family. He said that he loved the campus atmosphere and learning things that he would use for the rest of his life.
I had time to reflect on what I had to look forward to because the ceremony took forever. What kept me engaged was the thought that I would never see many of these people again. So many went off to school, and most would find jobs elsewhere. I wanted to remember them looking happy as they accepted their diplomas.
We all cheered for Jim, Mona, Sammie, and Kim. I felt bad for Jim, who�d planned a party. My guess was that everyone would make a quick appearance and then go to the real party at Mona�s.
Mona, of course, was having the final graduation party. I wondered who the party king or queen would be next year. She joked at lunch last week that her parents promised not to try to drive us out of the house with their alarm system this time.
Try to? They
I�d slipped Mona a donation. I figured it was the last time I would do that for her. She�d heard about my speech at lunch and was gracious enough to apologize and then thank me. She said that, with my contribution, they would have a serious blowout.
◊◊◊
Mona�s party was packed by the time I finally showed up. It was good that it was pleasant out because that allowed us to use the backyard. It was surprising that everyone seemed to be somewhat subdued. I guess the realization that high school was over had started to sink in.
I found Mona behind a table she was using as a bar.
�What�s good?� I asked.
She came out from behind the table and gave me a hug and kiss.
�I am,� she teased.
�Can�t disagree with that. You know, I�m going to miss you. Who are we going to get to throw our parties when you�re off at college?� I complained.
�When do you leave for Cuba?� she asked to change the subject.
�Tomorrow. I�m looking forward to it.�
�I hear Cassidy Hope�s going with you. Is there something there?�
�Cassidy and I are friends. She�s actually going to work. She wants to be a trainer and learn about personal security. It�s possible she�ll take the fun out of the trip by working my butt off,� I admitted.
�I wish I was going.�
�Hey, I got you something,� I said as I fished into my pocket.
I�d bought gift certificates from Greg for massages, and I also had invitations to the restaurant�s grand opening. I handed one of each to Mona.
�Cool. Do you have more?� she asked.
�Yes, but I want to hand them out.�
�Just give them to me. I�ll make sure everyone gets one. I�ll put them away so they don�t lose them tonight,� Mona reasoned.
That sounded suspicious. I looked at her askance.
�I promise,� she said with a smile.
�Just make sure they know it�s from me,� I said.
She had Dewar�s scotch, and I knew my dad drank that, so I had her pour me one over the rocks with just a splash of water. I knew with scotch, I would sip it slowly and stay sober. If I drank beer, I would end up drinking more than I wanted to tonight.
I ran into Yuri and Jan next.
�You have everyone organized for the summer?� I asked.
�Johan and I have it all worked out. With you, Tim, and Wolf leaving us, Coach Hope asked the two of us to lead them,� Yuri said.
�I�ll keep an eye on him,� Jan said.
I noticed she had a Mountain Dew. They really were good for each other.
�You ready to start work?� I asked Jan.
�You�re going to miss the grand opening. From what I�ve seen so far, I think it�ll go well. I might end up gaining weight, though.�
�Why�s that?� I asked.
�We get a discount to eat there, and the cooks have been practicing on us. I�ve yet to find something I don�t like,� Jan explained.
Yuri got pulled away.
�I wanted to thank you,� Jan said.
�Why?� I asked.
�At the King game, I threw myself at you, and you turned me down. At the time, I thought you were the biggest jerk, but then you helped me, even though I�d been a bitch. And then you said that I was �one of us,�� she said, waving her hand around to include everyone. �That made me realize that I wasn�t as alone as I thought I was. I�d never told anyone about my family. If it weren�t for your uncle and Yuri�s grandmother, I hate to think about how things might�ve turned out.�
I gave her a hug.
�Is living with Yuri working out?� I asked.
She laughed.
�He thinks he�s in charge. His grandmother taught me it was important to let men think they�re in control.�
She stopped for a moment, looking perplexed.
�And the truth is, I really
TMI!
�If you ever need anything, let me know. My uncle is also there for you,� I reminded her.
�It�s all good. There�ve been times when I wondered if I made the right decision, but Yuri is really a sweet guy when he isn�t trying to act tough.�
�Good to know.�
�Don�t tease him about it. He looks up to you too much.�
�You�re the boss,� I said, which brought a smile to her face.
Yuri came back, and I wished him luck over the summer. I next found Sammie and Kim.
�Ladies.�
��Stupid Boy,�� Sammie said.
�Can you believe that we�re graduating?� Kim asked.
�Talk to Mona. I got you both something,� I said.
�She told us. Did you know that my aunt and uncle are supplying your pies?� Kim asked.
The little diner next to the hospital had the best pies I�d ever had. Someone was smart to have them make desserts for our new restaurant.
�That�s smart. I love to go there for chicken and pie,� I admitted, and suddenly realized I was hungry.
We talked a little longer, but we wanted to talk to other people tonight. I found Jim, who had bailed on his own party.
�Mona told me you got me a massage,� Jim said.
�Hey, Greg has magic fingers. If you don�t want it, give it to your sister,� I said.
�I�m just giving you shit. How many people can I invite to the grand opening?�
�Just call and tell them how many you want to come, and they�ll make it happen,� I said.
�I was thinking about inviting my family.�
�Perfect,� I said. �Speaking of family ��
Jim rolled his eyes.
�My sister�s around here somewhere.�
�Was it ever a problem that we were getting together?� I asked.
�At first, I wasn�t happy, but that was before I found out how she felt about you,� Jim admitted.
�When do you leave for Alabama?� I asked.
�Classes start on May 31st. Mom and Dad are driving me down over Memorial Day weekend. I think they�re looking forward to me moving out.�
�I screwed that up for mine,� I said.
�You think? At least I�m not leaving a little one behind. You always were a trailblazer,� Jim said.
We both got quiet for a minute, lost in thought. I gave my friend a hug.
�I�m off to corrupt your sister,� I teased.
�Screw you too, Dawson. I�ll miss you.�
All I could do was nod my head in agreement. I was sure I would see him again.
Somehow, I should have known that Suzanne would be with Beth. I snuck up behind Suzanne, wrapped her in a bear hug, and tried to give her a hickey from behind.
�David!� she shrieked.
�Miss me?� I said, not letting her go.
�You are such a pervert,� she complained.
I spun Suzanne around and planted a serious kiss on her. She was no longer struggling to get away.
�Don�t I get one?� Beth pouted.
I reached around her waist and sandwiched Suzanne between us as I kissed Beth.
�David!� Suzanne complained again.
�Come dance with me,� I told them.
The party was on.
◊◊◊
�Can you give me a ride home?� Beth asked as the party started to wind down.
I walked around, saying goodbye to everyone. That took a while. I think Suzanne and Beth must have decided who got to go home with me, and I was happy with their choice. Beth held a special place in my heart. When we got into the Jeep, Beth gave me a shy smile.
�Can we go to your apartment?�
I just nodded �yes.�
When we arrived at my house, the lights were on. I took Beth in with me. Mom was up, waiting for me. When she saw Beth, she smiled.
�Take Duke with you. We�ll talk later,� Mom said.
Duke was sleepy and was quick about doing his business. He beat us upstairs, and when I made it up the stairs, I found him in his crate.
�I�ve missed you. Take me to bed,� Beth said.
She grabbed my hand and led me to my bedroom. What followed was gentle and loving. It was more like we were old lovers who wanted to remind each other how we felt.
When we finished, Beth wanted to talk.
�I�ve been thinking a lot about you lately,� she said.
�What about?�
�About us. I know that the families have wanted an Anderson-Dawson joining. When Greg found Angie, I thought it was something that would never happen. Then you went out and got Pam pregnant ��
�Yeah, that wasn�t really planned. I think we worked it out, though,� I said.
�I�ve always thought your family was special. What your parents did to help you with Coby just confirmed that,� she said, and then got a faraway look.
I was lucky they supported me. Otherwise, I could be in the same boat Peggy was. Beth seemed to come back and smiled at me.
�Are you going to kiss me or what?� she asked.
I leaned over to her and gave her a kiss. When we were done, Beth looked deep into my eyes.
�Now
◊◊◊
Junior Year: Summer
Table of Contents:
Interlude
Chapter 1 � Little Lie
Chapter 2 � Perfected Her Craft
Chapter 3 � Dirty Little Secrets
Chapter 4 � Balancing Act
Chapter 5 � That�s A Wrap
Chapter 6 � You Need A Real Man
Chapter 7 �
Chapter 8 � Too Close to Home
Chapter 9 � Think A Little Less
Chapter 10 � A Total Douche-Nozzle
Chapter 11 � What the Heck is NSA?
Chapter 12 � Twins?
Chapter 13 � Redneck Crazy
Chapter 14 � That Guy
Chapter 15 � Why Would You Need Tackle?
Chapter 16 � Top 40
Chapter 17 � Circles of Trust
Chapter 18 � Trust, Mistrust, And Bonding?
Chapter 19 � Bitch, Please � It�s Your Birthday
Chapter 20 � Master of The Universe
Chapter 21 � I�m Okay with This Now
Chapter 22 � I Might Be A Slut
Chapter 23 � A Piece That Fits
Chapter 24 � And the Winner Is
Chapter 25 � We�re More Than Good
Chapter 26 � Look Me in The Eyes
Chapter 27 � Breakup Song Do-Over
Chapter 28 � Get A Copy of The Mug Shot
Chapter 29 � Camp David
Chapter 30 � Houston, We Have A Problem
Chapter 31 � Capit�n Cojones
Chapter 32 � You�re Not a Jedi
Chapter 33 � Big Cat
Chapter 34 � Girlfriend Tryouts
Chapter 35 � Keep the Twins Safe
Chapter 36 � I�m All Atingle
Chapter 37 � Gold Medal Game
Next Book in The Series
Notes from Author
Interlude Brook Davis
When my dad announced that he�d gotten the job at State, I wasn�t happy. I mean, who wants to move and change high schools just before their junior year? I�d be leaving everything I�d worked for, and I knew how hard it would be to make new friends wherever we moved. The cliques had already formed, and it would be almost impossible to work my way into the �in� group. I should know, because I ran our �in� group, and newcomers need not apply.
Then I did a little research on where we were moving. OMG! We were landing in some backwoods version of
What made the move tolerable was my Grandma Davenport. Mom�s side of the family had founded L Brands, which included stores like The Limited, Bath and Body Works, and Victoria�s Secret. When I was growing up, my grandmother always called me her princess. She made me feel special and told me fairy tales. When we arrived in what I�d taken to calling �Pittsville,� she was waiting for us.
�I�ve added a few things,� Grandma announced.
�What have you done now?� my mom asked.
�I�ve added some walking trails. Come, I want you to see them.�
My mom, dad, and I followed her into the woods behind the house. It was so peaceful. We emerged into an open meadow with a lake. Beside the lake stood three little cabins that looked like they�d come right out of a storybook.
�I had them build three of them so you each could have your own getaway.�
Dad�s log cabin had stone floors and a big window that overlooked the lake. Mom got a light and airy cottage painted in muted pinks and pastel greens. Mine looked like it came out of the pages of the books my grandma used to read to me, with a big fireplace. I could see myself curled up next to a crackling fire while reading a book. On one wall I found a bookcase full of the stories my grandma used to read to me.
�I thought you might want them for when you have children,� she explained.
◊◊◊
I resolved not to let my change in location ruin my junior year. The first step was to join the cheerleading squad. On the first day of tryouts, I discovered I wasn�t the only new girl. Halle James, the daughter of movie star Rita James, had also just moved into the area. The other new girl, Zoe Pearson, had been homeschooled, of all things. The three of us gravitated to one another for support.
During a break the second day, Halle admitted they�d moved here for her brother�s drug rehab. That explained a lot because I couldn�t figure out why they would move here. Then she mentioned she knew Lincoln High�s star quarterback, David Dawson. It wasn�t hard to find out about him because I think he�d dated all the cheerleaders already here at some point. Halle explained that they�d been in a movie together, and they�d gotten close.
Zoe shocked me when she admitted to having a crush on him. David had talked to her parents to get her younger brother out of homeschool hell so he could go out for football. She�d told her parents she wasn�t going to be the only one stuck at home. I admired her spunk.
When cheerleading practice finished, we�d all gone swimming at Tracy Dole�s. In walked Lincoln�s Big Man on Campus with his dog. Every girl there turned to watch him. David had a ready smile that lit up the room. My first thought was, �Please, Lord, don�t let him be gay.� At my old school, all the guys who looked that good were. From the stories I�d heard, he wasn�t.
David, of course, was dating the head cheerleader, Mona Wingman. I mean, how clich�! I hoped he was some empty-headed jock because I had a bad feeling he could be trouble. Then that bitch, Halle, smiled at him and began to flirt. She brazenly invited him to dinner.
I marched up before she could steal him for herself, having already forgotten he belonged to Mona.
�Are you going to introduce us?� I asked.
Our eyes locked, and I heard Mona mumble, �Oh shit!� She walked up and jabbed him in the ribs to get his attention. Inside I was jumping up and down because I�d seen that look in guys� eyes before. It wouldn�t be long before he was mine. Little did I know how wrong I would be about that.
Turned out, David was just a big kid. Mona lured him over by the pool and pushed him in, clothes and all. I expected him to get mad, but he just went into the house and changed into his swimsuit. He came out, grabbed Mona, and they both went into the pool. Soon we had a giant water fight going with him in the middle of it all.
◊◊◊
I quickly found out that David had just broken up with an idiot girl from some private school. That meant that David and Mona�s relationship was new. She could be his rebound girl. Meanwhile, I wanted to find someone to date. Back home, I�d found it easy to get into clubs, which meant college guys were my main focus. They were just more confident and a better time. My mom had a long talk with me and encouraged me to give high school boys a chance.
On the first day of school, I wore the tightest jeans I owned and a man�s dress shirt in hopes of attracting the attention of my next boyfriend. I didn�t expect what happened, though. I was getting my books out of my locker when suddenly, I sensed this big guy behind me. He placed his palms on each side of me, leaning against the lockers.
�Did you wear that for me?� he whispered.
I wasn�t sure if I was being molested. I gave a startled cry and spun around to find David just inches from my face. An amused look came over him as our foreheads touched. My face burned as I flushed because he was so close to me. But I wasn�t about to be intimidated by some backwater beau hunk.
�What if I said �yes�?�
�I would say I�m jealous because you�re not wearing my shirt.�
�Oh, my,� I said, and bit my lower lip.
I�d always been the one in control. They say that no relationship is ever equal. Well, I was always the one in charge. Something about David told me I would never be on top with him. He made me a little weak in the knees when he looked at me with those smoldering eyes.
I decided right then and there that I needed to find someone else. I checked out the crop of guys, and the only one who came close to meeting my criteria was Mike Herndon. What a jerk he turned out to be. The sad part was the whole time we�d been on our date, I was wishing I was with David.
With that in mind, I decided I would date David. The only problem was he didn�t want anything to do with me, even after he broke up with Mona. I realized if I was ever going to get his attention, I had to find a way to set myself apart. I did some research on David and found out he had an adventurous side. Halle showed me a video of him almost killing himself on a jet water board. That looked like fun. I figured David might be up for a little adventure, so I invited him to go skydiving. I imagined it would be a test to see if he really was daring or if the video had been staged. It turned out that he was even more fun than I�d hoped.
◊◊◊
I settled into my new surroundings and happily realized that I liked my new school and the people in it. One of the people I�d gotten to know was Cassidy Hope. When I first met her, I assumed her to be this shy, na�ve little girl. I soon learned that she�d grown up around Marines and was no shrinking violet. She and I hit it off, and slowly we became best friends.
We both had similar tastes in men, specifically David. But her attitude about him amazed me. She was content to be just his friend for now. Apparently, her dad had forbidden her dating him. If it were me, that would make me want to date him even more. My dad would never tell me who I could or could not date.
Through Cassidy, I learned something unexpected about David. She was willing to be just friends with him because she never questioned how he felt about her. She had no doubt that he cared very much. Cassidy also found it amusing to watch him juggle all the girls he dated. She reasoned that at some point, he would figure it out, and they would be together. I had to admit, I would never have the faith she had.
◊◊◊
In the spring, I found out that David and I had something else in common: we both had political ties. His grandfather had been a force in the state government. My family had always been politically active. One of the things my mom found attractive about my dad was that he wanted to teach political science. Growing up, my dad and I had many spirited political discussions.
I�d never told any of my classmates about my ambition to someday go into politics. It was eye-opening to find someone else who shared those aspirations. In David�s case, his grandmother was behind it; she had big plans for him. David talked my dad into helping him with a �get out the vote� campaign, and somehow, I got pulled into it. It gave me an opportunity to see how a campaign worked.
What I found interesting was that David wasn�t a staunch liberal. He�d helped the governor and senator, both Democrats, with their campaigns. David wasn�t a conservative, either. I actually was more conservative than David. My dad was very liberal, as you might expect with him being a college professor. During our discussions, I argued the conservative point of view.
I talked to my dad about David. He told me that David was one of a new breed of people not tied to the beliefs of one party or the other. These people were sick of the �either/or� mentality that pervaded our political environment. So much of politics had become emotional, and you were the enemy if you didn�t believe like the party dictated.
David and I talked about it, and he said his grandma explained what she foresaw coming. She�d said the traditional two-party system was tearing itself apart. There would be a time when both sides alienated enough voters that a third option would become viable. I could see where David might someday be the person to bring people together, instead of the divisiveness that currently ruled the day.
I confess that I thought he�d be good at it, for one reason more than any other. Even though he was perceptive, and a good people-person�as most politicians were�he was also a natural leader. Much of what happened David either started or provided the driving force to make it happen. Many people were presented with opportunities they would never have dreamed of absent David�s presence in their life. People were better off because they knew him. It was like they wanted to be near him because they felt in their bones that by doing so, they could be part of something special.
Those were qualities you didn�t find in someone very often. And the �stupid boy� didn�t even seem to be aware of it�or if he was, he didn�t let it affect him. He just helped others, made the most of any opportunities presented to him, and had fun.
I think the real reason most of the girls called him �Stupid Boy� was simply to keep him real to them.
◊◊◊
David and Cassidy had become important to me. I started to see her point of view about him and found that I wasn�t ready for a serious boyfriend. They were both fun to be around, and our trip to the Caribbean just reinforced that.
I looked forward to the summer and our trip to Japan. Cassidy was excited because she�d spent time there and wanted to go back. She planned to share her love for the country. While I didn�t know what the future held, I hoped the three of us would always be friends. I also hoped Cassidy wouldn�t be too disappointed when I finally won David�s heart. David would make a good partner in whatever came our way.
◊◊◊
Chapter 1 � Little Lie Sunday May 15
School was out for the summer, and the first item on my to-do list was to get on a plane and fly to Miami. From there, we would board a charter flight to Cuba. I would bet the majority of my friends had thoughts of sleeping in, catching some rays, and maybe riding their bikes or hanging out at the mall today.
I had mixed feelings about heading to Cuba. In one respect, it would be good to get out of town. This way, I could get away from the paparazzi who wanted to ask me questions about what I privately thought of as �The Feminazi Interview.� I guessed several of my people were glad I�d be safely away from the US media while in Cuba. I could sure use a break from the stress.
At the same time, I also wasn�t completely sold on making this movie,
Something else that weighed on me was that one of my closest friends, Beth Anderson, had declared her love for me and her desire that we be a serious couple. Of all the women in my life, she was probably the one I would most likely want as a life partner. Our families were close. Our mothers had been best friends since high school. Beth was someone I could tell anything to and feel comfortable.
Ever since I�d made my play for Tami Glade and she�d turned me down, I�d sworn off serious relationships. It had been almost a year since that had happened, and I�d started to think again in terms of a girlfriend. But honestly, I wasn�t sure if I wanted one right now. Still, if I were to choose the ideal girl for me, it would be Beth.
After her pronouncement the previous night, she hadn�t given me a chance to respond. She�d had to get home and spend time with her family. It was probably another benefit of being in Cuba for a month. The trip might give me a chance to figure out what I wanted.
◊◊◊
I think my trusty hound, Duke, knew that something was up. He�d not let me out of his sight all morning. I had my son, Coby, on my lap as I ate breakfast. He also needed a little attention. I would miss them both, along with Little David, for the next month. For about the millionth time, I was grateful my parents had volunteered to help Pam and me out by looking after our son for the next four years or so.
�When does shooting start? Will you get any time to go exploring?� Dad asked.
I was glad no one seemed to want to talk about ambush interviews.
�They�ve already been there for six weeks of filming. From what Saul told me, I�ll only need to be on set for four weeks. They�ll have another six to eight weeks of shooting after I leave. This is a travel day, and we�ll get settled in at the hotel. I guess there are several of us coming in today. Caryn said we�re all meeting for dinner tonight to learn what we need to know about Cuba.�
Caryn Buckley wore many hats for me. She was my PA, manager, and president of my companies. Dad served as CEO and helped Caryn when she needed it. Saul Gessler was my movie agent and known as one of the top sharks in the business.
There was a knock at the back door, and Fritz and Paul, my security team for the trip, walked in. My other security, and personal trainer, was Cassidy Hope. She would get some on-the-job experience this trip, but if it came to it, I would rather have her at my side than the other two. Her dad was my football coach, and a retired Marine. Cassidy had grown up as one of the guys, so to speak, and the Marines had taught her hand-to-hand combat. I think they thought it was funny to watch this wisp of a girl take down recruits. Cassidy had decided to take me on as her student, and four times a week, she kicked my butt.
�You about ready?� Fritz asked.
I shoved a piece of toast into my mouth and handed Coby to my mom. I needed to grab my carry-on bag. We�d already shipped almost everything I wanted to have with me. I met them at the car and threw my bag into the back of the SUV. Dad had agreed to go with us so he could drive it back home.
�Shotgun!� I called.
I dove into the car, buckled up, and waved to the two remaining paparazzi at the front gate. Thank God most paparazzi were city boys. Our town was a lot more inconvenient than they were used to, which meant far fewer felt the itch to camp on my doorstep. Of course, having grown up here had its advantages, too. Neither the police nor the neighbors were very accommodating of strangers trying to stir things up.
�You can have shotgun until the first stop,� Fritz said.
Paul gave me a dirty look but got into the back with Dad. Little did I know we were picking up Cassidy and Caryn; my claim on the front seat didn�t last very long.
After some intense negotiations with my mom, Caryn was my designated adult on this trip. Mom had wanted to go to Cuba, but her real estate business had picked up recently. Mom had said a number of times that you made money when you could in real estate. Caryn had almost not gone either, because we were opening up a new restaurant in the strip mall I�d bought in lieu of stand-alone office space. The strip mall also housed my mom�s real estate office and my brother�s massage business.
I wasn�t worried about the restaurant opening. I�d partnered with Granny, who had one of the best self-named eateries in our area. She�d lent us her name�the place was named Granny�s West. My other partner was Mary Dole. She�d taught me to be a much better cook. Her father had owned several restaurants, so it was in her blood. Mary was in charge of the kitchen while Granny ran the front. My contribution was money, back-office management, and bookkeeping.
The plan was for the restaurant to have a private grand opening this Friday. We would open our doors to the public on Saturday. Caryn and I really hated that we�d miss it. She�d put a lot of work into getting the space remodeled. Mom and Dad had agreed to step in with the help of Megan Crowley, our bookkeeper, tech person, and Girl Friday.
When we arrived at Caryn�s, I was sent to go get her. She lived in a three-story condominium and, of course, had a third-floor unit. I think Paul and Fritz just didn�t want to lug her bag down the stairs. Caryn met me at the door.
�Hang on. I need to set the alarm,� she said.
She had a small suitcase with a telescoping handle and wheels. I picked it up�it must have weighed a hundred pounds.
�What do you have in this � rocks?�
�Shut up. A woman needs things,� she said vaguely.
I just carried her suitcase downstairs while she messed with her alarm. I smiled when it went off and she said some bad words. It must be new. When I got downstairs, Paul had claimed shotgun. He was going to Cuba with me, so I would have a month to get even.
Dad, Caryn, and I sat in the middle seat on the trip to Cassidy�s. She and her dad were on the front porch, waiting for us. I�d gotten smart and sent her a text to let her know we were on the way. I jumped out to get her bag. Her dad gave her a long hug.
Before I could get back in the car, he stopped me.
�Let me give you some money for Cassidy,� he offered.
�They don�t take US dollars in Cuba. Plus, she�s an employee, and all expenses are paid for this trip,� I assured him.
�But she might want something extra,� he said, pressing an envelope into my hands.
I didn�t quite know why he would give me the money and not his daughter but didn�t want to debate it with him.
�And David, look out for her.�
�I will. I�ll see you when we get back,� I said and shook his hand.
Cassidy and I were relegated to the third row with Dad and Caryn in the middle. I was fine sitting with my friend. As soon as I sat down, Cassidy put her hand out.
�Give,� she ordered.
I just handed her the envelope. She could take it away if she wanted to, so I figured this was for the best.
◊◊◊
The horror! Caryn had used the money the studio had sent for my first-class ticket to upgrade everyone to business class. None of them had any sympathy for me. At least I wasn�t jammed into a middle seat. In reality, business class wasn�t all that bad, but I wasn�t going to let Caryn know that.
Cassidy claimed the aisle seat next to me. I usually wanted the aisle for my long legs, but Fritz had made it clear that one of my security people should be between any danger and me. I�d agreed because I had been attacked on a plane before. Something else he�d insisted on was that I had to wear my birth-control, black-rimmed glasses that acted as a bodycam. I�d gotten used to wearing them, so it wasn�t a problem.
Turned out, Cassidy was terrible security. She slept the three hours it took to fly to Miami.
◊◊◊
In Miami, we were directed to customs, where we had to produce our special papers for travel to Cuba. When I�d gone to the UK, I�d only had to show my passport, but for Cuba, you needed a special entry visa. We were sent to a different section where we found the rest of the cast and production crew who were to fly to Havana on our chartered flight. There were twenty of us altogether, and we were the last to arrive. We soon boarded a much smaller plane than we�d come on. This time there was no choice about seating class.
When we arrived at Havana, it was nothing like I expected. London had the feel of history, as did Havana. As we rode in our taxi to the hotel, I caught glimpses of seductive beauty sidled up to spectacular decay. It was obvious that the city had gone through some hard times. While clean, many buildings showed signs of neglect. There was also a unique odor, a combination of papaya mixed with tobacco leaf, gasoline, and a musty, moldy smell.
On top of the odor, you couldn�t help but notice the heat and humidity. It must have been at least 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity. It didn�t help that the taxi was a 1957 Chevy with no air conditioning. The heat and humidity were almost physical, weighing you down. It was hard to get your breath, almost as if you were breathing under water. I was confident that my deodorant wouldn�t survive for long.
The movie was being filmed at the
While everything was top notch, you got the feeling that you�d stepped back in time by about sixty years. I think what gave it such a dated feel was the furniture. It all seemed to be right out of the 1950s. When I got to my room, that feeling was reinforced. There was a French provincial couch that looked as though it had recently been bought at an antique shop.
While unpacking, I found another problem: the electrical outlets were for two-pronged devices with round pins. I couldn�t even plug in my new cell phone to recharge it. I should have discovered that because I�d done my research on Cuba, but never came across that particular piece of information.
While I puzzled out what kind of adapter was needed, I began to worry that it might be a different voltage. It would totally suck if it fried my phone. Caryn would give me a ration of shit about breaking it the first day.
While I finished emptying my carry-on, there was a knock on the door. It was a porter with my boxes that had been shipped. He had some helpers, and they were delivering them to everyone else as well.
�Do you speak English?� I asked.
�
�Can I tip you in dollars?� I asked.
�S�, of course.�
I pulled out a twenty and saw his eyes get big.
�Would this be enough for everyone?� I asked, indicating the two other men.
�More than enough. I am Cedro. If you need anything �� he responded and snatched the twenty.
I got the feeling that for another twenty, I might be able to have someone killed.
◊◊◊
Dinner was in a private dining room that held about thirty people. All the folks who had flown in today were there. Then there was a head table where Laurent Vance sat with a few other people who looked to be important.
When everyone arrived, the waitstaff brought us salads, and a young woman stood up at the head table.
�I�m Anita Haig, the production assistant. I want to introduce a few people if I may. Seated next to me is Laurent Vance, our director. Next to him is Kitty Ellis, assistant director, and Roger Brooks, our producer.
�I also want to point out a couple of people who�ve joined us: David A. Dawson, who will play Rick; Stewart Thatcher, who plays Callum Ascot of MI6; and Heath Rooter, playing Mike Carter of the CIA,� Anita announced.
Stewart looked like he could play James Bond, while Heath was a character actor I�d seen in many movies. He had to be almost sixty.
�While you eat, I�m going to give you the dos and don�ts while you�re in Cuba. First of all, I know some of you have discovered the outlets in your hotel rooms. I have a box of adapters with me. Please see me before you leave, and each of you can have a couple of them.
�Let me give you a little background on Cuba. Until 2011, there was an import ban on cars in Cuba. That means that most of the cars on the road are classics from the �50s. It�s against the law to hire an unlicensed taxi. You can tell if it�s a licensed one if it has a meter in it. Also, make sure they turn the meter on when you begin your trip.
�The average gross national income per capita of Cuba is officially $5,539, but the take-home salary for most Cubans is around $20 a month. There are separate currencies for tourists and nationals. While it�s not illegal to possess American dollars, it is discouraged. The hotel can convert your money for you; just ask for the manager, and he will help you.�
That might have been why Cedro had seemed excited when I tipped him for delivering the boxes. Anita continued after the main course was brought out, a chicken breast with black beans and rice.
�Please remember: safety first. Always have someone with you when you go anywhere. Don�t wear anything flashy or carry a lot of cash. Cuba doesn�t have a high crime rate, but with such low incomes, it can happen. First priority: look out for street hustlers. Don�t fall for the free picture, because there will be a fee.
�Something else you need to be careful of is to never take a picture of the police or military. It�s against the law here. I would also avoid making negative remarks about communism or Fidel Castro,� Anita continued.
I would have to remember to be careful when taking pictures and remember that Cuba wasn�t a free country like the US.
�One strange quirk is it�s considered rude to blow your nose in public. Also, Cuba has suffered from years of embargos. Something you�ll find missing is variety in your food choices. They�re a bit lacking if you�re used to condiments like ketchup, hot sauce, pepper, jams, cinnamon, and peanut butter. They simply don�t have them.�
I might go through withdrawal without hot sauce.
�What about Internet access?� a girl in the back asked.
�There are three considerations to keep in mind: it�s expensive; it�s slow; and realize that your access may be monitored. Only five percent of Cubans have access to the uncensored, open Internet,� Anita answered.
�How should we tip?� I asked.
�Good question. The majority of locals in Cuba working at your hotel�such as your housekeeper, bartender, waiter, and hotel desk staff�have trouble affording hygienic or personal-care items. That�s why many tourists bring along extra toothbrushes, mouthwashes, tubes of toothpaste, floss, pantyhose, etc., to leave for them as gifts. Believe me, locals are incredibly grateful for these items. We have a stockpile of these you can pick up to give as gifts,� Anita suggested.
�Is it safe to drink the water?� someone else asked.
�Cuba is a very clean and hygienic country. However, drinking tap water is not recommended. It might leave you with a nasty case of diarrhea or upset stomach. I recommend you opt for bottled water,� Anita shared.
�I tried to order papaya, but the woman selling it was offended. Did I do something wrong?� a young man asked.
The people at the front table laughed.
�Sorry, but here, papaya is vulgar slang for � a vagina. They�ve renamed it �
She turned to the table she was sitting at.
�Did I forget anything?� she asked.
�Personally, I like the rum here. A rum and coke with lime is normally called a �Cuba Libre� both in the US and in Latin America, except in Cuba. Here, it�s called a �
�Speaking of rum, you�re able to take both that and cigars home with you. In Cuba, cigars are called �
With that done, Anita sat down, and Laurent stood up to talk.
�I have some good news. If you noticed, the actors only received scripts for their part. I usually am not one for secrecy, but we needed to obtain permission to film reenactment of certain events. Our movie is set in the chaotic time after President Fulgencio Batista was ousted on January first, 1959.
�The new government led by Fidel Castro took power. One of their first actions was to confront the American Mafia. The Mafia had been pouring money into Havana and built hotels with casinos. Castro required his people to be present in the counting rooms. The Mafia didn�t like that, because the counting room was where large sums of money disappeared.
�Castro decided to remove the Mafia. Then he shut down the casinos. His own people talked him into reopening them because they thought the loss of tourism dollars would be devastating to the economy,� Laurent told us.
He took a drink and continued.
�Also in play was the revolution. In 1957, the US imposed an embargo on Cuba and withdrew its ambassador in protest over the brutal means President Batista used to subdue insurrection. The US was even less happy when Castro�s revolutionaries took power. The US then attempted to achieve regime change but failed, most notably at the Bay of Pigs in 1961. Because of the US�s hostility, Castro turned to Russia for support.
�The storyline for the script was originally based on Sir Richard Jackson�s accounts of his time in Cuba as a teenager. Lord Jackson has helped us as an advisor. The reason for the secrecy is that some of the events that happened had been classified, and we needed to get permission to show them in our film,� Laurent explained.
I remembered reading the Richard Jackson saga, though I only recalled a brief description of him in Cuba, where he met some Soviet missile soldiers at a hotel in Havana.
�Lord Jackson has allowed us to take great license with his story and expand the role that Rick plays in events. We�ve gone far enough off the original story that it bears little resemblance to what really happened. We did that because we wanted to expand the scope to include much more of the actual history of what occurred during that turbulent time,� Laurent further explained.
�Tomorrow, we�ll get started early. I will need the actors to be on set first thing so we can get costume sizes confirmed and give you all period haircuts,� Kitty announced.
Hearing that someone as successful as Lord Jackson was involved in this project made me happy. He�d actually been a movie star in his youth. I really hoped that I would get to meet him at some point.
◊◊◊
After dinner, I was relaxing in my suite when I heard a knock on the door. I looked out the peephole and saw it was Caryn.
�What are you doing?� she asked.
�I have some DVDs and was deciding what to watch. Rita is determined to educate me on what makes a movie good.�
�Pick something out, and I�ll be right back,� she said and left.
I had the choice down to three when my door opened, and people started to come in. Along with my group were the two other actors who had flown in today, Stewart and Heath. There was also a girl, about my age, who Cassidy had found. It turned out she was Kimberly Fillmore, who would play my love interest.
�What are our choices?� Heath asked.
�I thought something with a little action. I have
�Those are all good,� Heath acknowledged.
I decided that we would watch
Heath browsed through my movies.
�All of these are great.�
�Rita James sent them with me in the hope that I would learn something.�
�I didn�t know you knew her,� Heath said.
�I met her through her daughter, Halle. Halle and I were in
Heath had been in movies for nearly forty years and had great stories about the business. He�d gotten his start in
The movie was soon over, and everyone left because we had to get up and be on set early in the morning.
◊◊◊ Monday May 16
I woke with a start. Sometime during the night, the air conditioning had failed, and I was a hot, dripping mess. I felt trapped in my sheets because they were stuck to me. After I extricated myself from the bedding, my very next action was to open a bottle of water and down it. I needed to buy a fan because the room was stifling even at this time of day. If it was this bad now, I hated to imagine what it would be like by late afternoon.
I took a shower, and even the cold water seemed warm. The other problem was that the water pressure made me think I was back in LA; it barely got me wet. I decided that shorts and a t-shirt would be the dress for the day.
I heard a knock at my door. It was Paul; I guess he was there to walk me to breakfast and then to my fitting.
�Last night was nice,� he told me.
�I think everyone had a good time.�
We took breakfast on a patio that overlooked the ocean. The sun was just coming up, and there was a slight breeze. I asked the waiter to suggest something, and he picked a dish called �
I was told no Cuban meal is complete without a �
�It looks like a shot of coffee, not a cup,� Paul complained.
I gave it a suspicious smell and then took a tentative sip. It was like they�d compressed twelve coffees into half a cup. If it weren�t for the sweetness of the crema, I don�t know if I would have been able to drink it, being more of a tea drinker.
�It packs a punch,� I opined.
Paul took a sip.
�Wow! That�ll take some getting used to.�
�Can you imagine Cassidy after about three of these? We�d have to tie her up just to settle her down,� I said.
�I might get the caffeine shakes after just one.�
It did wake us up. I could see getting addicted to it, but Paul was right. For now, one was my limit.
◊◊◊
About the best that I could say about my haircut was my head wasn�t shaved. When I put on my bodycam glasses, I looked the part. Next, I stepped over to wardrobe, and they had me try on several different outfits for size. For today, I was dressed in black slacks, a white shirt with a tie, and a sweater.
Anita, the production assistant, came to fetch me and pushed a script into my hand.
�We had some rewrites. Laurent�s in a mood, so we need to hurry,� she warned.
We walked in on a scene with Kimberly in it.
�You move like a fucking cow. I need you to convey grace. If you keep this up, we may have to give you gum so you can chew your cud!� Laurent yelled.
Kimberly ran off the set in tears. He then turned and saw me.
�Oh, great! The studio�s golden boy has finally joined us. Get your ass over here and let�s shoot the scene,� he ordered.
I leaned over to Paul.
�Call Caryn and have her get Saul on speed dial. If I decide to kick his ass, take your time pulling me off, but don�t let me kill him.�
�Please don�t,� I heard behind me.
It was Roger Brooks, the producer. He strode onto the set and got right in Laurent�s face. While that was going on, I stepped onto the set and reread my lines. It was surprising that the part of acting I initially feared the most, learning lines, now came easily.
Caryn came onto the set with Fritz and Cassidy. Caryn walked up to Paul, and he gave her the lowdown. She had the phone to her ear, calling Saul.
What happened next was the worst morning of my life. Laurent dialed it back some, to begin with. I had a short speech. It took 96 takes, and after each one, he had a comment that wasn�t helpful. Finally, I�d had enough.
�Do you even know what you want?� I barked.
�I want someone who can act.�
�Well, I want someone who can direct, so I don�t think either one of us is going to be happy. If you would verbalize what you want, I might be able to deliver it. I�m not a mind-reader. Telling me I couldn�t act my way out of a wet paper bag isn�t helpful,� I shot back.
By now, everyone on the set was unhappy. I looked over at the producer, and he just smiled.
�I thought the third one was fine. Laurent, I suggest you move on and stop wasting everyone�s time,� Roger said and then left.
Laurent threw his clipboard on the floor and stormed off the set. I walked over to Caryn.
�This is fun. I think it went well,� I said, loud enough for everyone to hear.
There were a few chuckles, and you could see everyone relax. Inside, I was seething. Thirty minutes later, an embarrassed Kitty Ellis came on set.
�Break for lunch,� she announced. �Be back by one.�
She pointed at Caryn and me, and we accompanied her to a conference room where Roger Brooks was seated. He was talking to someone on speakerphone.
�Hang on, Gabe. David just walked in with his manager, Caryn Buckley. Let me get them up to speed,� Roger said.
We sat down, and Roger pointed at Kitty to indicate she should sit, too.
�This morning, I came on set when Laurent was talking to Kimberly Fillmore about her acting skills. Miss Fillmore was quite upset, and I�ve asked her to file a complaint about the abuse, but she�s afraid of what Laurent might do to her career.
�Then David arrived, and Laurent abused him too. I�ve talked to Laurent, and he has walked off the set until you remove David from the film,� Roger explained.
�I will kill him!� came from the phone.
�Excuse me, but who�s on the line?� Caryn asked.
�Sorry. This is Gabe Francis.�
Gabe was the head of the studio. I was sure he didn�t want to have to deal with this.
�Laurent claims you were abusive to him,� Gabe said.
�If he considers asking for direction after 96 takes abusive, I guess I was,� I said.
�How many takes?� Gabe asked.
�96,� Roger confirmed. �He spent all morning running David through the wringer. I felt he had the shot after a couple of takes.�
�Was it a ten-minute monologue?� Gabe asked.
�I had two lines,� I said.
Gabe uttered a few words and phrases that put a smile on my face. Several of them I�d wanted to say all morning.
�Do you think Kitty Ellis can handle it for now?� Gabe asked.
�I can get more than two scenes done this afternoon,� she assured him.
�Sorry about that, Gabe. I asked Kitty to sit in. She�s more than capable enough to fill in,� Roger assured us.
�David, Laurent is very good at what he does, but he�s a unique personality. If I can get him to agree to stop the bullshit, are you okay to work with him?� Gabe asked.
�I came here to do a job, and I plan to give you my best effort. If Laurent continues to get in my face without constructive criticism, then I can�t guarantee that I won�t say something back to him,� I said.
�Good man. For now, Kitty or Roger will tell you what they need. If it gets too bad, please call me directly. Roger will give you the number,� Gabe said and then hung up.
◊◊◊
We all went to lunch; Kimberly saw us and invited us to join her mother and her. Everyone was introduced. Kimberly�s mother was Phyllis and could have been a dead ringer for her daughter. Both were blond-haired, blue-eyed beauties. Kimberly had her hair done similar to the legendary movie star Marilyn Monroe. She just didn�t have the same curves.
�I hear it got even worse after I left,� Kimberly said.
�He was nothing. You should hear some of the stuff my coaches yell at me.�
�Is it true that he walked?� Phyllis asked.
�I don�t really know. For now, Kitty will step in and direct us,� I said.
�This afternoon, we have several scenes together.�
Kimberly played Rick�s love interest, Cici. I looked forward to working with her.
�Will you be playing another movie tonight?� Phyllis asked.
�I hadn�t really thought about it, but I have a collection of DVDs with me. I could be tempted to do it again. That is assuming people are interested.�
�I think we need to get a table set up and play poker,� Paul said.
Someone had seen I�d brought cards and chips.
�You�re in charge of that,� I told Paul.
It sounded like if I wasn�t careful, my room would turn into party central while we were here.
◊◊◊
In comparison to the morning, the afternoon session was like a dream. Kitty was easy to work with and gave good direction. Laurent was right about Kimberly in that she moved woodenly. I spent some time with her and gave her some tips on how to hold her body in a more natural pose. Adrienne, my modeling mentor, would have been proud of me.
During the filming, Roger was lurking in the back, taking everything in. He seemed satisfied with what Kitty was getting into the can because he never interfered.
At the same time, Cassidy watched everything like a hawk. She seemed to want to know how everything worked, and more than once, I saw her talking to the crew when they weren�t busy.
Finally, Kitty called it quits at nine o�clock. I�d put in a 14-hour day and was starving; I would have to talk to Caryn about getting me food. But today I was more focused on helping Kitty get caught up with the shooting schedule Laurent had messed up this morning.
◊◊◊
I�d just gotten back to my room when people started to show up. I put Caryn and Fritz in charge while I took a shower. The water pressure again reminded me of LA. Southern California is big on conserving water and put flow restrictors on faucets and shower heads. I think the plumbing was just old here. The good news was the air conditioner was working.
Caryn ordered room service for all my people. Paul had gotten Cedro to bring in a round table for poker. We could comfortably sit six people around it. Paul had found the cards and poker chips. When the food arrived, everyone else did too. Stewart brought the booze, and Heath flipped through the videos with Kimberly to decide what we were watching tonight. They picked
More people showed up, including Roger and Kitty, who played poker with us. Cassidy had invited several of the crew, who at first acted nervous. Heath and I made sure they were welcome.
Stewart got busy and made �Little Lies� for everyone. I decided to have a couple to help me relax.
Cassidy claimed a seat on my knee because she wanted to learn to play poker. We were just playing nickel, dime, quarter. Even so, I ended up losing thirty bucks, mostly because someone didn�t have a poker face and would get excited when I had a hand.
It was close to midnight when Cassidy pointed out the window. My room faced downtown Havana.
�Is that a fire?� she asked.
Everyone gathered by the window to see a cloud billowing up between buildings in the distance.
�It looks like it�s moving,� Fritz said.
�You know what that is?� Stewart asked. �They�re spraying for mosquitos.�
Now that he said it, it made sense. That was why the source of the cloud seemed to be moving.
�Can you imagine if they did that at home?� Paul asked.
None of us could.
◊◊◊
Chapter 2 � Perfected Her Craft Wednesday May 18
Laurent was back and as big a jerk as ever. The only difference was he actually gave direction. This reduced the number of takes to fewer than ten per shot, which was still not great, but better than 90-plus. I made a concerted effort to ignore his smart remarks and focus on what he wanted. His suggestions were warranted, which made them more palatable.
The other good news was that someone from the studio was on set. Caryn had pointed him out. Saul had complained, which had precipitated the move. I�m sure it wasn�t just Saul�because when your director walks off the set, it�s a problem�but try to tell that to Saul.
We broke for lunch, and I went to one of the restaurants in the hotel. Caryn and Paul joined me. Fritz and Cassidy had the day off and decided to be tourists.
We�d just ordered when Anita entered the restaurant and looked around. When she spotted me, she hurried over.
�There�ve been some rewrites for this afternoon�s scenes,� she said and handed me a large stack of papers.
I offered her a weak smile as she hurried off to give updates to the other actors. I flipped through the pages and then froze.
�Son of a �� I hissed.
�What is it?� Caryn asked.
I just handed her the page. It was sheet music to
�Saul Gessler�s office.�
�This is David Dawson. I need to speak to Mr. Gessler,� I said.
�I�m sorry, but Mr. Gessler is in a meeting.�
�Look, just get Saul on the phone. I promise that I�ll be quick.�
�Mr. Gessler cannot be disturbed.�
�Can you do me a favor? Can you look up Thelma Yates�s number? I believe she�s with UTA,� I said.
�Oh � uh � yeah, can you hold one moment, please, while I look that up?�
Caryn looked at me with concern, but I held up my hand to fend her off.
�Why the hell would you need Thelma Yates�s number when I�m your agent?� Saul�s voice boomed over the phone.
�She�ll at least take my call when I�m on a movie set and have a problem,� I shot back.
I heard him take a deep breath and then slowly let it out.
�Sorry, what�s wrong?�
�They want me to sing a song. I�m not a singer.�
�But you are an actor,� Saul said.
�Up yours, Saul. I�m not going to embarrass myself like that. I seriously suck at singing.�
�Dammit, David! This is just Laurent�s way of getting you to breach your contract. Unless he asks you to do gay porn, you�re obligated to do it,� Saul reasoned.
I handed the phone to Caryn. When I left, she was red in the face and shouting at Saul. I needed to calm down, or Laurent would win. From what I gathered from Caryn yelling at Saul, I was stuck doing the scene.
I took the elevator up to my room to grab my laptop to see how bad this song was. My search turned up a video showing Lord Jackson on American Bandstand. I had to laugh because he looked awfully young in the video clip. After hearing his version of it, I wasn�t as worried. His voice wasn�t much better than mine.
I gave myself a mental pep talk and reminded myself that I could do this. All I needed was to embrace �shower David,� who thought he was a rock star. I would bet he had better moves than Rick had in the video.
◊◊◊
Scene: The Royal Palm Ballroom. All the players are present: Cuban government and military officials, Russian military, American Mafia, British MI6, and American CIA. The focus in this scene is on Mike Carter (CIA) and Callum Ascot (MI6), as well as Rick Jackson. It�s Carter�s task to distract everyone else while Ascot obtains missile location plans from the Russian and Cuban military staff they�re meeting in the hotel. Carter uses Jackson as a diversion to get the crowd�s attention. Rick sings
Laurent first took an establishing shot to take in the ballroom and give the movie audience a feel for the space. He then did a sequence shot following Rick and Cici as they made their way to their table. Laurent did medium shots to show the different players at their tables as they tracked the young couple entering the room.
He used an over-the-shoulder angle to show Mike talking to the bandleader. As each shot was completed, the time for me to make a fool out of myself was drawing nearer. Laurent was obviously enjoying the hell out of this. He made sure the maximum number of production crew and actors would witness my first attempt at singing.
What totally sucked was Laurent didn�t want us to rehearse the song; he wanted it �to feel spontaneous.� I wanted to throw up.
Laurent decided on three different camera angles to film the scene. That meant I had to sing the song three times. He wanted a low angle so it looked like you were there watching me from your table. He needed a long shot that took in everyone in the ballroom. Finally, he wanted an arc shot, where the camera would circle me as I sang.
Bandleader: �
Cici:
Rick: �
Action: Crowd encourages Rick to take the stage.
Rick: �
Action: Crowd laughs. Rick turns to the orchestra to get the beat, then turns, and sings.
I croaked out the first couple of words and waved the orchestra to stop.
�Let�s try it again,� I said.
Inside, I was about to die. That was as bad as it could have gone. Laurent had a huge smile on his face, and the cameras were still rolling. When they showed the outtakes later, you could see the fear in my eyes. None of that was acting. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and pointed to the band to begin again.
My baritone version of the song was deeper than the original. The conductor had suggested that we slow it down and make it more of a song you could slow-dance to. He also wanted to give it a 1960s treatment called �The Spector Sound,� developed by Phil Spector of Gold Star Studios. It was more commonly called �The Wall of Sound.� The intention was to create a dense aesthetic that came across well on AM radio and jukeboxes popular in the era. The conductor explained that he was looking for a sound so strong that if my singing wasn�t the greatest, the music would carry the soundtrack.
At least the band had my back. It had a �Righteous Brothers� vibe from their song
I think everyone in the cast was hoping to see an epic fail. Instead, when the song ended, they gave me a standing ovation. For Laurent�s plans, that was the exact opposite of what he wanted to have happen. I was no longer scared of how bad it might go, and the subsequent takes were much better.
For Laurent�s part, he didn�t make an ass out of himself in front of everyone just to torment me. I wondered what his next scheme to afflict me would be. It felt good to overcome my fear of singing and to give a credible account of myself. I would never be a singer, but I could play one in a movie.
When they showed the playback later, it was confirmed: I wasn�t a singer. Though I did look like one on film, my untrained voice wasn�t cut out to sing. I hoped they would do a voice-over for my performance. While I had to admit Lord Jackson did a better job than I did, I wouldn�t call him good by any stretch of the imagination.
◊◊◊
�You�ve been slacking off. Get your ass off the couch and come with me,� Cassidy announced when she came into my room.
All my security staff had key cards. The rest of the team at least had the courtesy to knock first.
�I had a long day, and just want to relax.�
�Don�t make me drag you out of this room,� she said in her best �mom� voice.
�Don�t make me drag you out of this room,� I mimicked.
Cassidy took a half step towards me, and I bailed over the back of the couch and ran to my bedroom to change. She had her baseball duffle bag, so I put on my baseball gear. She made me carry her duffle because I�d been a �pain in the ass.�
There was a baseball field five blocks from the hotel. A group of younger kids was playing around in the infield, so we set up in the outfield. Moose had taught her the outfield drills. I was thankful he didn�t show her the �extreme concentration� version of the drill. I didn�t need Cassidy throwing baseballs at my crotch. The kids drifted out to watch me go through my workout.
We then moved to the infield so I could pitch. To warm up, I let the kids each take a turn batting while their friends shagged balls for us. It was funny to watch them choke up on the bat because it was too big. I quickly found out that one semester of Spanish didn�t make me fluent. We were able to communicate with a combination of their broken English and my lackluster Spanish.
When it was time for me to get serious, I asked them to step back. I didn�t want to hurt any of them. After I threw a few balls, a couple of the kids ran off. I figured they had to go home.
About ten minutes later, a car pulled up, and several teen boys and an older man got out with the two younger boys who�d disappeared. The older man looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. They watched me pitch for a few minutes, then the older man walked out to the mound.
�My name is Mario Conde. I coach a local baseball team,� he said in perfect English.
�I�m David, and this is Cassidy,� I said as an introduction.
�Do you mind if some of my players take an at-bat?� he asked.
Just throwing to Cassidy wasn�t going to get me better against live batters, so I welcomed the challenge. Mario indicated a large kid should go first. I could tell he was their power hitter, so I grooved a three-quarter speed fastball to see what he could do. He didn�t disappoint me as he drove it out of the park.
He made a smart comment to his friends; I could tell by the tone of voice and that they all laughed. Their coach wasn�t amused. My next pitch was a full-speed curveball at his head. It looked like my last fastball, and he dove to the dirt as the ball broke for a strike.
His coach barked orders at him, and he was suddenly much more focused when he stepped into the batter�s box. My next pitch was a full-speed fastball he was late on. I then broke out the slider. I will give the kid credit, he was hacking away at everything I threw at him, but I had him guessing. After about ten more pitches, he guessed right on a changeup and whacked a solid base hit.
Their coach then sent up another one of his players. This guy had more patience, but I would have struck him out looking a couple of times before he swung at a pitch. My arm was starting to tire, so I stopped. They all watched as Cassidy did her level best to kill me with
After we were done, Coach Conde came to talk to me.
�We�re getting ready to play some summer ball. Would you be interested in practicing with us?� he asked.
�Are you a professional team?�
�Why?�
�I have to be careful with my amateur status if I want to play ball in college,� I explained.
�You should be fine. I think I could help you with your pitching,� he offered.
�I�m not always free, but I can try to make it to a few practices.�
�Good. Come by whenever you can,� Coach Conde said and gave me a sheet of paper that listed their practice schedule.
◊◊◊
Cassidy and I returned to the hotel to shower and eat dinner. I�d begged off on having a party in my room every night. It wasn�t like people got crazy, but I didn�t want to get a reputation, either. They did borrow a couple of DVDs, the player, and the monitor. Tonight, everyone was going to hang out in Kitty�s suite.
I wanted to stay in and make some calls. The one I�d been dreading was to Beth. She�d dropped her bomb about her feelings for me and then left in the middle of the night. We hadn�t had a chance to talk since then. I considered calling home first, but if Beth told Mrs. A, my mom would know and want details. I needed to speak with Beth, or I�d have to call my mom twice.
�David,� was the enthusiastic answer.
�Hey, Beth.�
�How�s Cuba?�
Okay, this wasn�t awkward.
�Good. How�ve you been?�
�About the other night �� she broached.
�Um, yeah � that was � nice.�
�It was, wasn�t it,� she said and then seemed to hesitate. �Could we maybe put my little declaration under the 24-hour rule?�
I hadn�t realized I�d been holding my breath. The 24-hour rule said that if you said you loved someone within a day of having sex with them, it didn�t count; it was just the sex talking.
�Can I admit something?� I asked.
�You were worried you would have to go out with me!?�
�Quit teasing me,� I chastised her.
I admit it, I sounded like a girl, but Beth was one of my best friends and understood.
�I know. Next, you�ll be telling me it�s you and not me and that I�m a fantastic person,� Beth continued her torment.
�Well ��
�David! I�m telling your mother,� she threatened.
�We both know that�s an empty threat. I�m in Cuba, and she can�t do anything about it,� I said in a haughty voice.
�Live in your fantasy world for now. We both know you have to come home sometime.�
�By then, she�ll have forgotten,� I tried.
She just laughed at me. My mom NEVER forgot anything. Then Beth got serious.
�Hey, I really did mean what I said. I apologize for dumping that on you and running, but I knew it was too much too soon.�
�Beth, let�s be clear. We�re outside the 24-hour rule boundaries right now. I do love you, and when we�re older, I�d love to get serious with you. Maybe we could wait until I at least get out of high school before we make a life commitment,� I suggested.
Believe me, I knew what a hypocrite I was being. Tami had used a similar argument on me more than once.
Beth seemed relieved. She wanted to know all about Cuba. I told her they even got me to sing, and Beth made some rude remarks. I guess I couldn�t blame her because she�d heard me sing before.
We talked for about an hour. I finally had to remind her that phone calls from Cuba weren�t cheap. I figured she was worth it.
My next call was to home. Dad answered, and after he confirmed I was okay, he handed the phone to Mom. I knew I needed to be the one to tell her about Beth. If Mrs. A did, there�d be hell to pay. That discussion took nearly forty-five minutes. There was no way I could leave anything out, so I didn�t try. We were talking, after all, about Beth. She seemed happy that I�d confessed my love for my friend.
So much for the interrogation. We next had the requisite �update� conversation about the ambush interview I�d been subjected to at the hands of a couple of women with an agenda. The upshot of it seemed to be all good.
We�d had a report from Frank, my public relations guru. He said that most of the media seemed surprisingly grateful for the focused information we�d given them. They also appreciated that we�d provided the background videos they could use to fact-check the story. Of course, they�d never admit it, but more than one contact at the more prominent outlets had commented favorably on the professionalism we�d brought to the table.
They even understood our need to send them a �cease and desist� letter from our lawyers. Most times, they�d ignore those letters. But the amount and quality of the information we�d given them made that impossible. When you added in our filing suit against a couple of outlier news outlets on the next business day, they couldn�t ignore the issue of their own potential liability.
Whew! It looked like one of our goals, keeping the media on our side, seemed to be achievable.
There were two more pieces of good news. The first was that
Both outlets then tried to claim they didn�t get it in time. Frank, speaking through Ms. Dixon in a press conference, pointed out our package had been sent to them while they were on the phone with Frank. And our email tracking software showed the message had been opened two hours before they first aired the story.
The second outlet had done its own selective editing. In response to one question, I�d said something about the interviewer�s agenda, and in the next sentence, had answered the question. This particular outlet had kept in the bit about the interviewer�s agenda but left out the actual answer in its reporting. Then, about an hour later, one of their pundits engaged in a lengthy on-air diatribe about how I�d never answered the question and implied I was hiding something.
This was where having my own website helped. That outlet was immediately bombarded by calls and online comments. Viewers pointed out that I
That didn�t stop the lawsuits, though. Ms. Dixon felt we could recover our costs of responding to the whole incident if we got the right settlement from the two outlets.
I sure hoped she was right. I�d been trying hard not to think about what this was costing me. Frank�s scandal escalator could choke a horse, not to mention Ms. Dixon�s team�s hourly rates.
The only downside to it all was that my relations with the feminist organizations, which had been nonexistent before, were now firmly on the �existent but bad� side. After an initial outcry, they were now saying very little. But they couldn�t be happy we�d exposed two of their own to criticism and ridicule, even though the two richly deserved it.
I asked my parents to talk with Frank about brainstorming ways I might be able to rehab relationships with those organizations. I didn�t hold out much hope for our being able to accomplish anything, though.
When I was done with Mom and Dad, I made quick calls to Brook, Zoe, Pam, and Tracy. My conversation with Halle took a little longer because she was about to start her press tour for our movie,
I talked to her about the effects the ambush interview issue might have, but she thought it would actually boost movie sales. Halle seemed to be a true believer in the Hollywood mantra, �any publicity is good publicity as long as they spell your name right!� I hoped she was correct in her assertion. Only time would tell.
I also confided in her that I had a scene where they had me sing. I�d heard Halle sing the National Anthem at one of our games, so I knew she was light years better than I was. She had sympathy for me.
When I was done with our call, it was late. I decided I would call everyone else another evening. I wanted to hear that everyone was okay back home. It was important that I get that reminder of what normal was so I could face Laurent tomorrow. He was starting to wear on me, and it had only been three days.
◊◊◊ Thursday May 19
Cassidy must have friends in high places because she contrived to be my security today. When I got to the set, Kitty and Anita met me and informed me we were shooting scenes on an old yacht. Laurent planned to do other scenes, so I didn�t have to deal with him.
It was an absolutely perfect day to be out on the water. There was a light breeze, which made the heat and humidity bearable. Cassidy looked like she planned to get some sun while I worked. She wore white shorts, a sleeveless blouse, sunglasses, and a straw hat with a scarf to keep it on her head.
The hotel had suggested that we not use their grounds for our workouts, so I�d asked Paul and Fritz to find us a dojo we could work out in. I personally thought they planned to play tourist, which was fine with me. Caryn begged off because she needed to follow up on arrangements for the restaurant grand opening. Megan was a big help, but Caryn was the one who knew the whole plan.
When we arrived at the marina, I was amazed at the effort they�d gone to. All the boats that might be observed in a shot were from the correct period. Floating out in the bay was a big yacht where most of the scenes would be filmed today.
Kitty set up a series of scenes where I walked down the dock and boarded a classic wooden Chris-Craft runabout to take me to the yacht. I fell in love with the boat. It had an inboard motor that made a deep throaty sound as it gained speed. The artisanship and care for this boat were obvious. It simply glistened in the morning sun. It just had so much more style than today�s fiberglass boats had.
The storyline for today was that I would meet with Stewart�s character, Callum Ascot. His job was to recruit my character to help MI6. Cici was the daughter of a key Cuban official. Callum wanted Rick to use his budding relationship with her to gain access to her father�s home office.
We filmed on the sheltered exterior aft deck. By noon, I was ready to die from the heat, as were several of the film crew. Kitty took pity on us after I sweat through my third shirt. As I wiped my brow, I started to wonder about Jim�s sanity for going to school in Alabama. I�d been there in the summer, and it was every bit as hot and humid as it was in Cuba in mid-May. I didn�t necessarily mind the heat; it was the humidity that was the killer.
Kitty let us all take a break to get drinks and cool off. I found Cassidy sitting on a deck chair near the bow. Getting out of the covered aft deck let me get some breeze, which made all the difference. I flopped down in the chair next to her.
�You stink,� was her helpful critique.
�You�re a brat.�
I snatched her hat off her head.
�Give it back,� she complained.
�Or what?�
�Do you really need me to spell it out for you?� she asked.
I tossed her hat high in the air, and the wind caught it. The next thing I knew, it had gotten stuck twenty feet up the aft mast. It had tangled itself in a rope.
�Get it for me,� she said as she shaded her eyes to see where it was stuck.
I practiced my one-eyebrow look and wondered why she would ask me to climb the mast to retrieve her five-dollar hat. This had all the earmarks of something my mom would yell at me for doing.
�I�ll buy you another one,� I offered reasonably.
�I like
She walked me over to the mast and jabbed me in the ribs when she thought I was delaying retrieving her hat. I tried to climb up, but my shoes were too slick. I took them off and was about to go up.
�Stop!� Kitty yelled.
Crud! She was probably worried about insurance or some other stupid thing they usually annoyed me with when I wanted to do something fun.
�Are you going to climb up to get her hat?� Kitty asked.
�Uhm � sure.�
�Let me get a camera,� she said, and then hurried off.
I kept hoping the stupid hat would work its way free and fly off into the Gulf of Mexico, but no such luck. Kitty came back with a camera operator, sound technician, and my makeup guy. They made me put on a dry shirt and fixed my nearly nonexistent hair.
As I was going up the mast, I didn�t even think about what I was doing; I just climbed up like a monkey. I grabbed the hat and showed it to everyone like a trophy. Cassidy looked happy, so I threw it to her like a Frisbee, which she caught. That was when I looked down at the water. I was twenty feet up the mast, but the distance to the sea was another fifteen or more feet. Suddenly, I remembered that I had a fear of heights and clutched the mast for safety.
Cassidy was first to figure out I might be in trouble.
�Just climb down,� was her helpful suggestion.
The girl was on a roll today. First, I stunk, and now all I had to do was climb down. That was easier said than done.
Then inspiration hit. Without thinking, I kicked off the mast and went flying. I windmilled my arms to keep myself from doing a back flop. Cassidy said I screamed like a little girl. I got myself somewhat vertical right before hitting the water. Dropping that far was like jumping off the roof of our three-story house. I swear it took several minutes to plummet into the water from that height. Time seemed to slow down as I leaped to my death.
I plunged into the water and didn�t seem to slow down. When I finally stopped sinking, I became worried, because like most people � I needed to breathe! I felt myself begin to rise and could just make out the bottom of the boat. As I rose, my ascent became more rapid.
When I finally surfaced, I heard, �There he is!� Cassidy received credit for a speaking role in the film when it came out. I looked up, and the film crew had captured everything. I swam to the back of the yacht and pulled myself out of the water.
�Cut!� Kitty yelled. �Get him dried off, and we can set up to get it from another angle.�
I said some bad words, to the amusement of the crew. Kitty rethought her request and left me alone. I couldn�t believe it: I actually thought I�d rather have Laurent verbally abuse me than let Kitty make me jump off the mast again.
◊◊◊
Kitty wrote a quick scenario to tie in the hat scene, and we shot it. When I looked at where the hat got tangled on the mast, it was a miracle toss. I couldn�t duplicate it, so they just shot me tossing the hat. Cassidy wasn�t pleased when it ended up in the drink. She made sure I really would buy her a new one before she allowed us to use it. She cracked me up sometimes; I discovered that she�d only paid a dollar for it. Cassidy said it was a matter of principle.
By the end of our day, I felt good about what I�d done. It was much nicer working with Kitty, but I was starting to realize that Laurent was the better director, technically. He had a knack for getting the right visual for a scene. Kitty�s strength lay in that she got a better performance out of us. It was too bad that they couldn�t work together, but Laurent had too much ego to allow Kitty to help him. I think we were all surprised that he allowed her to shoot these scenes today on her own. But he�d gotten behind with the shoot, so the studio guy had insisted they split up.
I tried to stay out of the film�s politics. I would leave that to Laurent, Kitty, and Roger to work out. The rumor was that Gabe Francis, the studio head, had had an unpleasant discussion with Laurent after he�d walked off the set. Laurent now had a babysitter and had to play nice. I didn�t feel sorry for him, but I kept my opinions to myself.
◊◊◊
The Cuban baseball team had practice today, and I decided to join them. Cassidy was given the afternoon off, and Fritz accompanied me.
Practice with the Cuban team was a lot of fun because they took it so seriously; they kept me on my toes the whole time. I found that Coach Conde knew what he was doing: it turned out that he�d played on the local Havana professional team,
Coach Conde was still associated with Industriales, working as a scout. They sponsored the team I was practicing with today. Coach Conde eventually wanted to manage the parent club. The other professional team close to Havana was
Two players on the team, Luis Tiana and Tony Perez, spoke good English. Somehow, the discussion turned to girls.
�Is that girl who was catching you the other day your girlfriend?� Tony asked.
�Cassidy?� I asked, and they both nodded. �No. She actually works for me as security, like Fritz.�
I nodded to where he was sitting in the stands, catching some rays. I felt safe with him half asleep, relaxing. Of course, I jest. Fritz was ever the professional, and if there was even a hint of trouble, I would have known about it.
�Coach said you were here working. What do you do?� Luis asked.
�I�m in a movie being shot at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, but I�m trying out to be on the US Under-18 National team. That was why Cassidy was catching me the other day.�
�Is she single?� Luis asked.
�Yes, she�s single, but are you sure you�re ready for an American girl?� I asked.
�We enjoy tourist,� Luis stated.
I felt the hair go up on my neck. The way he said it made me think he wasn�t the type of boy Cassidy would like. I was wondering if I liked him, beyond some baseball practices.
�So, where would I meet a girl? Are there clubs or other places I could go?� I asked to change the subject.
�I like you, David, so let me give you some advice,� Tony said. �
�What�s a jineteras?� I asked.
�Whores,� Luis supplied.
I wrinkled my nose because I wasn�t really looking, and if I were, I didn�t want to spend time with a prostitute.
�When we go out to a bar to dance, almost all the girls are jineteras. You have to realize that going out isn�t cheap. The girls call themselves �Cuban girlfriends� for foreigners, and they accompany lonely businessmen on tours of Cuba, escort them to dinner, and then often back to their hotels. You need to watch these girls because they will either steal from you or bleed you dry.
�What you must realize is that these women become prostitutes out of necessity, not by choice. Most of them work to survive and ensure their family�s survival.
�In Cuba, a prostitute can earn in one week the equivalent of a doctor�s annual salary paid by the state in pesos. In the tourism industry, workers make tips in dollars. But all our other jobs are paid in pesos, and salaries come from the Cuban government since the government runs all industries. Government salaries for professionals, such as professors and engineers, total close to $20 a month.
�Many establishments won�t even accept our own national currency because of its minimal value; they only accept US dollars. That makes it impossible for those who don�t work in the tourism industry to buy goods, because they don�t have any way to obtain dollars,� Tony explained.
�Basic necessities are rationed and available at affordable prices. However, the ration amounts generally last just two weeks. Most people either go without or are forced to pay outrageous prices to survive the rest of the month. Food rations have become the norm since Cuba does not produce enough food to feed the nation. And importing food is complex due to high costs and the embargo,� Luis said.
�The average family can live only if it somehow obtains dollars. You can understand why girls turn to prostitution. Even men choose to work in the tourism industry. My cousin quit being a doctor and now works as a bartender at a hotel so he can get dollars as tips,� Tony said.
�So, I need to avoid jineteras. Where would I meet a nice local girl?� I asked, now curious.
�Why would you want one?� Luis asked with a smirk.
�I haven�t had the best luck with prostitutes. Rather than hire a girl, I just want to hang out and experience what your country has to offer. I�d prefer to do it with someone that wanted to hang out and not someone trying to figure out how to get money out of me,� I said.
�I�d recommend you meet a Cuban girl during the day and then take her out at night for dancing. If I were you, I�d go to
�Normal girls in Cuba don�t speak English. And if she does speak English, then she�s likely to be running a scam on you or is a prostitute,� Luis advised.
�What else should I look for to be safe?� I asked.
�Avoid the �Havana Honeymoon Surprise.� That�s where you wake up, and all your belongings are gone! This happens with a sleepover,� Tony said.
�You guys make it sound like I�m either going to find a prostitute or get robbed.�
They both shrugged as if to say it was what it was.
�You need to worry about family members if you meet them. One of my friends got into a lot of trouble. The girl�s mother lied about her age. She turned out to be only fourteen and used her twenty-two-year-old sister�s ID,� Luis said.
�How did he not figure that out?� I asked.
�In Cuba, fourteen-year-old girls can have more piercings and tattoos than a veteran sailor. They can fool you, believe me,� Tony said.
�You need to be careful with the police. Cuba�s not like the US. If a girl is caught in the company of a tourist, even a regular girl, they may arrest her. One of my neighbors was arrested when she was caught just walking down the street with a tourist. The police also regularly raid clubs with undercover operatives to watch who girls are talking to and to question couples. When a girl visits a hotel, she is forced to register by law. That information is then sent to the police,� Luis explained.
◊◊◊
On the way back to the hotel, I asked Fritz about it. I told him about the underage problem.
�Take a picture of her and the ID on your phone. That way, you have proof she lied to you,� Fritz suggested.
I should have thought of that. That was what I�d done when I dealt with the madam in Georgia who wanted to talk to me. Even if they stole my phone, the pictures would still be in the cloud when they were backed up.
�This isn�t the States,� Fritz continued. �These people are struggling. Today when Paul and I were out looking for a dojo, I bet we were approached by thirty women.�
�You have got to be kidding me.�
�Nope. Several were very graphic in their approach, but a few didn�t give off a professional vibe.�
�I was hoping to just meet some nice girl and goof off,� I said.
It seems my definition of �nice girl� and �goof off� made Fritz laugh.
�Think of it as supporting the local economy. Plus, you�re only going to be here for a month,� Fritz said.
I liked my new one-eyebrow-raised look. That made Fritz laugh even harder.
�Okay, for you, I�m sure it wouldn�t take a month. Paul and I decided to just pay for it,� Fritz said and then blushed.
�How much did that cost you?� I asked, not letting him off the hook.
�Twenty bucks for the both of us.�
Ten bucks to get laid? Hell, I�d spent more on Cassidy buying her stuff. She never seemed to have the money her dad gave her handy, so I just paid for it. I might have to explain how she could work it out in trade. Then again, she could make me cry if she wanted to. Tami was right; my first instinct was never correct. Plus, Cassidy never really took advantage of me. I could afford a bottle of water or a dollar hat. If she had Brook�s or Halle�s tastes, I might have pushed back. Those girls knew how to spend money.
◊◊◊
After dinner, I was relaxing in my room when I heard a knock at the door. I opened it to find Kimberly Fillmore, my love interest in the film, standing there. She was wearing her costume from today: a gray wool pencil skirt that fell past her knees, old-style high heels, and a white turtleneck sweater. That sweater clung to her body in the best possible way. Kimberly had been over a couple of times to watch movies, but she�d never come alone.
�Can I come in?� she asked.
I stepped back to give her space to enter the room. She seemed nervous, which confused me. I�d never hit on her or said anything that would make her feel unwelcome.
When I first met her, I assumed that she was older, like most actors or actresses. I�d guessed she was twenty-two. Seeing her now, I thought she might be my age.
She took a deep breath and then turned and smiled at me. I smiled back, not knowing what else to do. My smile seemed to calm her because her smile seemed to touch her eyes now. The original one had appeared to be forced.
Kimberly�s eyes locked on mine, and she closed the gap between us. This had the feel of her seducing me. All rational thought left my mind when she kneeled in front of me and began to undo my pants. My first thought was to stop her and talk about this, but I remembered what Tami always said. Since my first thoughts were always wrong, I went with my second thought, which was just to keep my mouth shut.
Kimberly�s eyes never left mine as she almost dared me to stop her. I raised my eyebrows, which made her smile again. She fished out Mr. Happy and bathed him with her tongue to get him wet. I closed my eyes and enjoyed what she did from there. Kimberly had perfected her craft and did wonderful things to my member. When I got close to my climax, I stopped her.
�Bedroom� was the first word I said.
Kimberly led the way as we both lost our clothes
◊◊◊
Chapter 3 � Dirty Little Secrets Friday May 20
Cassidy smacked my bare bottom to wake me up.
�You are so going to Hell, Mister!� she announced.
I just rolled over to give her a show. She grabbed my pillow and tried to smother me with it. I dodged her, slithered out of bed, and ran for the shower. Cassidy waited for me in the living room. When I came out, she patted the couch to indicate I needed to sit next to her.
�What�s got you up in arms today?� I asked.
�Two things. Did you know that Kimberly�s only fifteen?�
That couldn�t be right.
�Before you doubt me, she and I have become friends. She really is that young.�
�That�s not good,� I admitted.
�You also need to know that she came to you on orders from Laurent.�
WTF did that mean? Cassidy saw the expression on my face and grabbed my head so I was looking at her. When she was sure she had my full attention, she began talking.
�Kimberly told me she�s doing what she has to if she wants to keep her role in the movie. The dirty little secret of Hollywood is sex
I felt a white-hot flame of hate begin to burn in my chest. I would kill Laurent. He had to be fifty, and he�d made a fifteen-year-old have sex with not only him, but with me. I wondered who else she�d had to have sex with on his orders.
I�d heard rumors about this practice, of course. It gave rise to the term �casting couch.� What sickened me was Kimberly was so young. If she�d been older, then it would�ve been her decision. It also made me wonder if her mother knew what was going on. I had a bad feeling she did.
Cassidy touched my arm.
�I want you to think before you act. I warned Kimberly that you wouldn�t take this well. She begged me not to tell you, but I explained that you were both my employer and, more importantly, my best friend.
�I also talked to Caryn last night after Kimberly told me what she�d done. Caryn advised you take measured steps instead of resorting to violence,� Cassidy said.
I knew Cassidy hadn�t come up with the phrasing �measured steps,� which told me she had indeed talked to Caryn.
Someone knocked at the door, and then it opened. Caryn, Paul, and Fritz all walked in.
�You told him?� Caryn asked.
�Yes,� Cassidy said.
It was evident that everyone in the room knew about Kimberly.
�I hope this isn�t an intervention,� I said to try to lighten the mood.
I was not expecting Fritz to take the lead.
�In all my years in Hollywood working for Rita, I�ve heard rumors about things like this, of course. It�s terrible. I�m not saying nothing should be done, because there absolutely should be something done. But what I want you to stop and think about is if you push this, what it will mean to the movie. If word of this should leak out, it will hurt many people. And I�m not just talking about the people here.
�There have been literally millions of dollars spent to this point. One man�s actions have endangered this whole production. Before you go nuclear, I would suggest that you speak to people you trust to help you with this. Worst-case scenario is you get sued for a lot of money if this is handled wrong,� Fritz said.
�Right now, we just have what Kimberly told Cassidy. Let us see if we can gather the proof needed before you do something,� Caryn said.
�You�re all saying that I shouldn�t just kill him. I want to be clear on this. Kimberly told Cassidy that Laurent made her have sex with him to get the role. He then had her have sex with me. You all see that I can�t just let this go, right?� I asked.
�We�re not asking you to. Just like you did with Brandon, get the evidence you need and then take him down. If you want to kick his ass then, I�ll make sure no one stops you,� Fritz said.
�I�m not willing to allow him to continue to abuse her,� I said.
�Agreed,� Caryn said.
�What are we going to do about it?� I asked.
�First, Cassidy�s going to have a talk with Kimberly and will be with her 24/7 to make sure nothing happens to her,� Caryn said.
I looked at Cassidy, and she just nodded to confirm she was willing to take that on. I knew if she were around, Laurent would never touch Kimberly again.
�Cassidy,� I said seriously, �you�re allowed to hurt him if he tries anything.�
�I understand,� she said formally.
�Why does that sound like you just put a hit on someone?� Paul asked.
None of us bothered to answer him. In a way, I had. Cassidy knew that I had her back if she hurt him. I would do whatever it took to protect her. I did hope that she wouldn�t hurt him too badly because I wanted a piece of him when this was done. Men like him made my skin crawl.
◊◊◊
Today was a rough day on set. Laurent kept giving me knowing looks, and Kimberly wouldn�t talk to me except during a scene. I did see Cassidy step between Laurent and Kimberly at one point, but he backed off, and whatever Cassidy said seemed to cause him some concern. Laurent kept his distance from Kimberly after that. That didn�t mean he wasn�t a complete jackass, though.
�Your acting is so bad today, you couldn�t land a role on the Lifetime Network,� Laurent told me.
That was a good one.
�Maybe you could enlighten me as to how you want the scene done,� I shot back.
�You need to show some emotion.�
�Why didn�t I think of that? You�re the best!� I said, with my sarcasm level on eleven.
�That�s exactly what I�m looking for. Places everyone, let�s do it again,� Laurent said.
We did it again with me being a sarcastic teen, and it seemed to work. I hated to admit it, but he did get me in the right frame of mind, and everyone�s performance was better.
The rest of the day was much of the same. I no longer held back on my cutting remarks, but he had it coming. At first, the crew had been tense when it looked like the two of us might come to blows. But towards the end of the day, they even laughed a few times when one of us would get in a good shot. I began to realize that this might be part of his method to get me in the right frame of mind for what he wanted. That might have been giving him too much credit, though, and I certainly wasn�t about to compliment him.
◊◊◊
Fritz and Paul took me to the dojo they�d found. They also introduced me to the two girls they�d brought home. I�d noticed that a lot of Cuban women were shorter than most Americans. These two were maybe five feet tall at the most. Paul arranged something�as if I couldn�t guess what it was�and then we got busy working out.
It was strange to be in a dojo without Cassidy. I�d taken instruction from Fritz before, so it wasn�t entirely new. I was glad he became physical with my workout because I needed to rid myself of thoughts about what I wanted to do to Laurent.
At first, I wasn�t focused, and both Paul and Fritz took turns pounding me. Then Paul made a mistake.
�Your fighting is so bad today, you couldn�t land a role on the Lifetime Network,� he teased.
I gave him a hard look.
�What the hell did you just do?� Fritz wondered aloud.
Paul was soon begging like a baby for me not to hurt him. Fritz, on the other hand, was a cagey veteran. I think if we weren�t pulling our punches, we might have killed each other. Turned out, coming to the dojo was precisely what I needed.
◊◊◊
Caryn was waiting for me in my suite when I came back. I promised Fritz and Paul that I would stay in tonight so they could meet their �dates� for �dinner.�
�Order us some room service, please, while I take a shower,� I said as I walked through the living room.
Cuban food was bland, but they did a pretty good steak with baked potato here at the hotel. Whenever we traveled on vacation, I wanted to try the local cuisine. It had only been a few days, and I was ready for a good burger.
When I came out of the shower, Caryn began to tell me about her day.
�Cassidy talked to Kimberly and her mom, and they don�t want any part of bringing down Laurent. They worry about what it would do to Kimberly�s career. She�s willing to have Cassidy help her, though.�
�What happened this morning?� I asked.
�Laurent wanted to know how last night went with you, and Cassidy told him that that kind of thing was over. He got the message and left Kimberly alone the rest of the day.�
I just nodded my understanding.
�I talked to your dad and filled him in. He called Bev Mass to get some direction. She offered to put out an inquiry to see if he�s been accused of anything like this before,� she said, and then frowned. �I think you need to fire Saul.�
Saul and Caryn didn�t get along. Yes, he was a condescending prick sometimes, but even she agreed he was a good agent. For her to say that, something bad must have happened.
�Why?�
�He said you need to grow up and recognize the realities of the business. He didn�t seem fazed that Kimberly was only fifteen until I reminded him that his daughter was thirteen. His advice was not to rock the boat and to keep your mouth shut,� Caryn said.
There is a famous saying that goes something like �all that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.� It was Saul�s attitude that was the part of Hollywood that had allowed this kind of behavior to be accepted. I wasn�t a prude, but what Laurent had done was wrong, and I just couldn�t let it go. In a way, though, Saul was probably right. For now, I needed to keep my mouth shut. I couldn�t just accuse the man based on what Cassidy had told me. Before I fired Saul, I needed to talk to him.
�Saul Gessler�s office.�
�Yes, may I speak to Saul, please?�
�May I ask who is calling?�
�David A. Dawson.�
�I�m sorry, Mr. Dawson, but Mr. Gessler is unavailable. Would you like to leave a message?�
�Yes. Please let Mr. Gessler know that his services are no longer needed,� I said and hung up.
�What was that all about?� Caryn asked.
�His new guard dog won�t put me through. I�ll let her explain why he was fired,� I said as I looked through my contacts.
I�d warned Saul about me being on set and just ignoring me. If she�d been helpful at all, I might not have been pissed. I found Thelma Yates�s number. I�d met her when I took Halle to Soho House in West Hollywood. Halle had pointed her out as Channing Tatum�s agent.
�UTA, where may I direct your call?�
�Thelma Yates, please.�
�Who, may I ask, is calling?�
�David A. Dawson.�
�One moment, Mr. Dawson.�
�David! So good to hear from you. I can�t say that I�m surprised,� Thelma said.
�Why do you say that?� I asked.
�You haven�t heard? Saul might be out of a job.�
�What do you mean?� I asked.
�He had a fight with his partner, and she was the money behind his venture. Unless he can buy her out, he�s out.�
That might be a good reason not to take my call.
�Okay. Thanks for the information,� I said and hung up.
I couldn�t see myself kicking him while he was down. I told Caryn what Thelma had said and my decision to wait.
Caryn gave me an update on the plans for the grand opening of the restaurant. It sounded like it would be a busy night with the number of confirmations they�d received.
◊◊◊ Saturday May 21
I was not expecting Saul to call me so early in the morning.
�Sorry I didn�t get back to you yesterday. Caryn said you had some concerns about Laurent Vance. I�ve made some calls, and it sounds like this might be an ongoing issue with him, but no one wants to confront it.�
�I understand you have some of your own issues.�
�Let me worry about that. I have a new cell phone. Call me on that,� he said and gave me the number.
�This deal with Laurent has me more than a little freaked out. I understand that shouting from the rooftops is probably not the best tactic, but I can�t let it go, either. I won�t stand by and let him take advantage of others like that.�
�Look, I said some things to Caryn, but she deserved it. Ignore her and me bickering; that�s between us. I have your back on this. I�ll talk to Gabe Francis about it,� Saul assured me.
�Alright, you do what you need to do, and I�ll keep my head down for now.�
�Oh, and tell Thelma Yates to suck my balls the next time you talk to her.�
I about dropped the phone. There was the Saul I was used to.
◊◊◊
Today was a light day for me on set, so I planned to go to the baseball game the guys I practiced with were playing. I drew Paul as my babysitter. Fritz had a �date� with his new Cuban girlfriend. Paul and I joked around about it, and Paul advised that I not knock it until I tried it. I won�t go into details, but it sounded like they were having fun.
We caught a cab to
When we walked into the stadium, it wasn�t even close to being full. But all the same, it had to be a rush for the youth teams to play on this field. Paul and I were making our way to our seats when a police officer stopped us.
�
While I wasn�t expecting to be shaken down in Cuba, I guess I wasn�t shocked, either. I translated for Paul, and he gave me a pained look. I just shrugged. We�d been told not to carry much cash or anything of value. We both pulled out our tourist money and handed it over. Some of the fans yelled at the police officer, but he took our money and left us alone.
�Did you get that?� Paul asked.
�Yes.�
I�d worn my bodycam glasses, but Paul had forgotten his. We would worry about money after the game. I figured it would be more trouble than it was worth to do anything about it.
The game was hard fought. The teams were evenly matched, and there was a lot of emotion from the fans. It reminded me of when we played Eastside. In the end, the good guys lost, but they had nothing to be ashamed of. It was just the way the ball bounces some days. A seeing-eye grounder slipped through to cost them the game.
We made our way to the players� entrance so we could congratulate the team when they left. When they finally came out, Coach Conde, Tony, and Luis came over to say �hi.� Luis wanted to introduce me to his family.
�My sister wants to meet you,� Luis said.
�Didn�t you guys warn me about this?� I asked Tony, who smiled.
I explained to Coach Conde and Paul about the dangers of family and their setting you up with their girls. Luis turned a shade of red I hadn�t seen in a while, but he wasn�t to be deterred.
�It�s not like that. Sarita said you were a big movie star, and I had to introduce you to her,� he explained.
I think even he heard how bad that sounded.
�Okay, you might want to worry about her a little,� Luis admitted.
�Is she here? I�d love to meet her.�
We said goodbye to everyone else, and Luis took us to meet his family. Sarita was a few years older than me. She was currently going to college to study to be a doctor. She was also tongue-tied around me, which amused Luis to no end.
We told them about being robbed by the police, so they gave us a ride to the hotel. As I was getting out, I think Sarita realized she might never see me again.
�David!� she blurted.
I paused.
�Uh � would you like to go to church with me tomorrow?� she asked.
�Should I meet you there, or can you pick me up?� I asked.
�I�ll pick you up.�
Sarita told me the time she�d come by, and I got out of the car and smiled.
�Looks like you have more skills than Fritz and I,� Paul teased.
�It�s just church. How much trouble could I get into there?� I asked.
◊◊◊
After the game, I found Caryn to get a report on the grand opening.
�Mary and Granny thought it went well overall. They had some mix-ups, but that�s to be expected with new staff. They loved Mary�s cooking and liked the comfortable atmosphere. In exchange for their free meal, we had them fill out a survey.�
�How many people showed up?� I asked.
�The final head count was 423.�
�I thought only a couple hundred confirmed.�
�Granny decided that if they confirmed, they�d be treated like a reservation. They didn�t want to turn anyone away, and surprisingly had a few people from the neighborhood show up.� I was told they had people taking reservations as early as 4:00 and as late as 10:30. It was crazy all night, but they kept turning the tables.�
�I hope they didn�t run out of food,� I worried.
Planning for two hundred and four showing up could be a problem.
�Mary had it covered. She�d ordered for the week, so she�ll just have to make another order on Monday.�
�I trust Mary has it handled,� I said.
�Well, she did have some help. Her dad came out of retirement and helped her organize the kitchen.�
Her dad had been in the business for many years and owned several restaurants. I was sure Mary was excited to be able to work with him on opening her first restaurant. Tracy would be happy to see her granddad as well.
�What did you learn from the survey?� I asked.
�There were a couple of menu items that weren�t successful, so we�ll be taking them off. There were some good ideas for additions that could take their place or run as specials. One of the busboys was let go because he was stealing.�
�You�ve got to be kidding me,� I said.
�No. He was stealing tips from the servers. That was even after he was told he would receive a portion of the tips if he did a good job. We wouldn�t have caught him if it hadn�t been for the surveys. A couple of people noted it.�
�Good to know. We might want to continue to ask for customer feedback, even after the opening.�
�I�ll make a note of it,� Caryn said and wrote it down. �People loved the idea of Our House. They�re tired of having to go to State for a meal and entertainment. Most everyone signed up to be on the list for when we open it.�
I snorted. Of course, they wanted another free meal. I could see their point, though; it would be nice not to have to drive somewhere to see a band.
�I talked to Mary this morning, and they had a big breakfast crowd. Granny was grumbling that her business was off a bit at her other restaurant, but she was happy to see we had paying customers.�
�Good job. Get me a list of who I need to call and congratulate.�
�That�s a great idea. That�s much better than a generic attaboy email or text.�
I�d thought I would call key people, but Caryn declared I needed to call everyone. As soon as she said it, I knew she was right. A personal call would mean more than a mass message. I had Caryn get me a list of names and numbers and something they did well with the opening so it was more personal. Granny and Mary loved the idea, and, with Megan�s help, they sent Caryn what I needed. I spent the rest of the day running up my phone bill.
◊◊◊ Sunday May 22
Sarita met me in the lobby, and we took a cab, with my security following at a distance. We pulled up to
Going to a Catholic church when you understand about every third word was difficult. There was an awful lot of standing and kneeling. Dad would never fall asleep at one of these services.
Afterward, we walked out to the plaza where they had an outdoor restaurant and live music. I was not a fan of the food, but I enjoyed the music. We were able to get something to eat and get to know each other.
�Your brother said I should be wary of girls like you.�
Sarita about choked on her drink.
�He said that girls like you would just be after my money and bleed me dry,� I said with a straight face.
�You did bring cash?� she shot back, bringing a smile to my face.
�I learned to keep some in my shoe so I have enough to get home in case I get robbed or hustled.�
�See, now you�ve made a mistake. You told me where your secret stash is. I�ll have to take that as well. I mean, as your �Cuban girlfriend,� I have expenses.�
�Well, I�d hate to be a financial drain on you,� I admitted, warming to her.
�What else did my idiot brother tell you?�
�That you thought I was hot,� I said in all seriousness.
�Did he? I�m sure he had more.�
�That you were a terrible dancer, and if you asked, I should decline because you�d probably break my foot when you stepped on it.�
Sarita grabbed my hand, pulled me up, and we began to dance to the music. I looked around, and several people had amused looks on their faces because we were the only ones dancing. I don�t think Sarita expected I would know how to salsa. The way she moved could best be described as delicate and sensual, and she had this sexy little wiggle. I knew that I would never forget the experience, and was sure the people watching felt the same. Sarita�s hips moved in ways I didn�t think were possible.
She taught me some other Cuban dances like the mambo and cha-cha. I was in heaven. I, in turn, taught her the swing. It was one of the best first dates I�d ever had. Sarita had a good sense of humor and was smart. She could talk about almost anything. I loved that she could break down her brother�s baseball game like a professional. Coach Conde needed to recruit her to help him.
We spent the afternoon dancing and having a good time. When it started to get dark, Sarita became shy again.
�I hate to have today end,� she admitted.
�It doesn�t have to.�
Sarita blushed, which made me smile.
�Your brother was right, you�re a naughty girl.�
She made a rude remark in Spanish. I gave her a haughty look.
�I�m not that kind of boy! You�d need to, at the very least, take me somewhere for dinner and a conversation.�
�I know just where to take you,� Sarita announced.
◊◊◊
I appreciated that she took me off the beaten path. Fritz would have had a cow if he saw the neighborhood, but Paul just followed at a distance. Havana was in dire need of a major facelift. The city was slowly decaying due to a lack of funds to make much-needed repairs. To this point, I�d only seen the tourist areas, which were in better shape.
What it was, though, was clean. I also didn�t feel unsafe. Sarita and I did get some looks, but I got the feeling it was more that they didn�t know who I was. She took me to a jazz place that had a live band. I was impressed when we were whisked to a table on the edge of the dance floor.
�You must be somebody to get us this table,� I commented.
�You have no idea how lucky you are to be out on a date with me.�
�I�m starting to see that.�
I looked up to see a young man weave among the tables towards us. He carried himself with a smooth masculine grace and proprietary air. That told me who he was even before he stopped at our table and soundly thumped Sarita on the back. Without waiting for an introduction, her brother turned and gave me a grave look.
�You don�t know how happy my parents are going to be when they hear that my sister finally found a man. They�ve been after me to provide them with grandchildren because they�d lost all hope with Sarita.�
�It was the least I could do when she paid to get me out on bail,� I shot back.
�She never has had the best taste in men. Sarita always wanted the bad boys, but she was always so painfully shy she could never talk to them. It�s good she finally figured out a way to get one to notice her. I have to warn you, though, my sister is tightfisted. She�ll be getting into your pocket before the night is out.�
I liked this guy.
�Your brother, Luis, already warned me. That�s why I stashed some extra cash in my shoe. I might need it to grab a taxi home.�
�Good plan! I�ll have to remember that the next time she and I go out.�
�Are you two about done?� Sarita asked, acting put out.
�Paz,� he said, sticking out his hand.
�David,� I said as I shook it.
Paz pulled up a chair and joined us, to the dismay of his sister.
�So, you�re the famous movie star she�s been babbling about.�
�Paz!�
�He�s so handsome � Sarita Dawson sounds dreamy � he needs a good Cuban girl,� he said, mimicking his sister.
�I�d be careful. I know a girl who superglued her brother�s balls to his thigh while he was asleep,� I warned.
Sarita got an evil look, Paz gave her one of mock horror, and then both broke down laughing.
�I�d suggest the
◊◊◊ Monday May 23
Cassidy and Kimberly cornered me at breakfast.
�Rumor has it you have a new girlfriend,� Cassidy announced.
�Haven�t had one in over a year. I think the last official girlfriend was Harper, a year ago last spring,� I said. I rubbed my forehead to fend off the headache that was sure was to come on if this line of conversation continued.
�Why don�t you have a girlfriend?� Kimberly asked.
�He has this dumb rule where he only �dates� girls. All his girlfriends call him a �stupid boy� because he doesn�t realize that they�re his girlfriends. They let him believe that they�re �just dating.�� Of course, she had to include the air quotes.
�What do you mean, �girlfriends�? As in more than one?�
�Don�t get me started on how many he has. Let�s just say he has at least one for every day of the week,� Cassidy said, looking satisfied.
�I should go,� I decided.
�No, eat your breakfast,� Cassidy ordered, giving me her best �mom� impression.
�Are you one of his girlfriends?� Kimberly asked.
�He wishes, but my dad won�t let me. Daddy says that David isn�t the right kind of guy for me.�
�He never said that,� I shot back.
She just waved her hand to dismiss me.
�What�s the difference between him dating someone and them being his girlfriend?� Kimberly asked.
�Oh, that�s easy. David gets all territorial with his girlfriends. He�s very protective of them. I don�t think he learned to share his toys when he was little,� Cassidy surmised.
Kimberly smiled.
�Does that mean I�m one of his girlfriends?�
Cassidy thought about it for a moment and nodded. WTF!
�Good!� Kimberly announced.
�Why, good?� I asked, confused.
�I can tell � uhm � someone that you and I are together, so he needs to back off,� Kimberly explained.
�If we�re talking about the same someone, then I would kick his ass if he tried anything with you. Feel free to let him know that if he�s confused, he can talk to me,� I said.
�Yep, you�re his girlfriend,� Cassidy said, and then focused on my date yesterday. �Tell me about your date.�
�I attended church with Sarita.�
They looked at each other and then back at me.
�He�s sometimes short on details,� Cassidy said. �I wish Gina were here. She can get him to talk. Though I can, too, if I decide to hurt him,� she threatened, eyeing me.
I caved and told them all about my day.
�I want to meet her,� Cassidy said.
�Why?�
�Your girlfriends will expect a report,� she said as if it were obvious.
�First of all, I don�t have girlfriends.�
�Keep telling yourself that.�
◊◊◊
Today we were doing location scenes. I told Roger about the church I visited yesterday and the great square they had. He said he would check it out because it sounded perfect for what they planned for later in the week.
We were shooting in the old Partag�s cigar factory. It was fascinating to watch them hand-make them. Everything there smelled of dried tobacco leaves. An older woman was there smoking a cigar while she worked rolling cigars. They used the whole leaves and stacked them up before rolling them tightly. They then cut off each end and put them in a container that looked like an egg crate for cigars. Once they had several full, they stacked them and then used a press to compact the cigars even tighter. Each step was done by hand.
We spent the morning shooting our scenes. Laurent wasn�t as much of an ass as he had been, but he still demanded perfection. At one point, I was forced to do a scene twenty-some times before he was happy. Still, it was better than ninety-something.
Once we were done filming, we all bought cigars. Their special cigar was called �Bolivar Belicoso.� I got several boxes on Heath�s advice; he seemed to know about them. He said I could either save them for special occasions or give them as gifts.
◊◊◊
Our second stop of the day was at Zapata Swamp, which was two hours from Havana. They planned scenes of Kimberly and me running through the swamp to hide from the American Mafia. They were upset with her father and the restrictions the new government was putting on their casinos.
The first scene was set up so that Cici and my character Rick would run through calf-high water towards the camera.
I don�t know if you�ve ever been in a swamp, but it stunk to high heaven. On top of that, it was hot and humid, and I would guess there were about a million mosquitoes that were intent on sucking all the blood out of me. Both Kimberly and Cassidy were whining nonstop. I could have handled all that, but I noticed one small detail that concerned me: there were park employees with rifles watching the water.
They took us out to a little island on a johnboat, and as we stepped out of the boat, I noticed that Kimberly was wearing high heels.
�Are you planning on running in those?� I asked.
�I�ll just run on my toes,� she explained.
�You do realize that we�re running through swamp water, right?�
�Why should that matter?� she asked.
We could hear Laurent on a megaphone call out direction.
�Ready � Action!�
I stepped off the bank into the water. Kimberly must have thought if she leaped, it would be a shorter distance to the other shore. I stepped into muck up to my knee. Kimberly�s momentum caused her to face-plant into about the grossest water imaginable. She lifted her head, and you could see green slime in her hair. When she tried to push herself up, her hands began to sink into the mud. If I hadn�t been there, she might have been in real trouble.
Imagine the reaction of any teenage girl in a dress with heels on who�s now covered in stinky green slime. I expect bursting into tears would be right at the top of the list, which she did. Suddenly trying to climb up my body and shrieking like I was killing her was not something I expected. That was until two crocodiles eased out of the brush and started for us.
In a moment like that, all grace goes out the window. All I can say is it was good that I was an athlete. I might have set a new record for the forty as I pounded to the shore. I ran past the cameras because I figured it was every man or woman for themselves at that point. That was when I figured out why there were men with guns. What baffled me was that the crocodiles stopped short of the shore.
Cassidy ran over to make sure we were all right. She had to pry Kimberly off me, and that was when her stupid hat suddenly was caught in the wind and flew out over the water. I wouldn�t have believed it if I hadn�t seen it: one of the crocodiles jumped out of the water and snatched the hat. Seriously, it jumped out of the water!
�No, I�m not getting it, and that�s final,� I told Cassidy before she asked.
Neither Kimberly nor I could be talked into getting back into the swamp water again. In fact, Kimberly quit on the spot.
I talked to one of the park rangers, and he told me about the Cuban crocodile.
�It is the smartest crocodile in the world. They know not to come ashore because we have trained them not to when people are present. If we�d known they were around, we would have put up nets and kept them out of the area you were working in. They also sometimes hunt in packs. What you observed was them doing that when you ran to the shore. The crocodiles only get to about six to eight feet in length and top out at about 180 pounds, so you would have been a challenge to bring down.
�Something else that makes them unique is they can jump. I�ve seen a crocodile take a duck right out of the air before, so it wasn�t a surprise when that one grabbed the hat. They�re also aggressive. Even though they are trained, we won�t turn our backs on them,� he explained.
That was all I needed to hear to convince me not to volunteer to get back into the water. That, and I would rather be about anywhere else at this point. I stunk, and so just shucked my shoes and pants to get the worst of it off me. I had my gym bag with me, so I put on shorts.
Laurent found me and wanted to talk.
�We need to get more footage. What we got was great, but we need to show other scenes of you in the swamp. I think I can get around not having Kimberly in the rest, but I can�t use this without the other scenes.�
�You�ve been a jerk to me since before this movie even started. Why would I help you out? And even if I wanted to, there�s no way I am going back into the water with those things,� I said.
�What if I could guarantee your safety?�
�If you went in first and proved it was safe, I might consider it, but that still doesn�t solve your being a jerk.�
�Do you really think there�s anything I could do not to be a jerk at this point?� he asked.
�Good point. I might actually enjoy you being gator food, so the only way I do it is if you do it first.�
I knew that Laurent would never go for it. Boy, was I wrong. That guy was crazy.
The park rangers chased off the two crocodiles and then put nets up to keep them out. They called in more rangers to watch the other side of the island, and we were set up again.
Laurent, true to his word, stepped into the muck. I had my phone film him in case one of those crocs decided to snatch his hat with his head in it. He didn�t appreciate me pointing and jumping at every little bubble or ripple in the water. I figured he deserved it.
They had another girl play Cici while planning not to show her face. The new girl wasn�t happy when they slimed her. Even I gagged a bit when she got near me. Laurent got his revenge when we got into the water, and a bunch of bubbles came up. I about peed my pants, but the water wasn�t deep enough to hide a crocodile where we were filming. I felt foolish but figured better safe than sorry.
Once we finished for the day, I put this down as something I would never ever do again.
◊◊◊
I came back to the hotel to find Caryn in my suite, talking on the phone to Megan.
�He�s back. I�ll talk to you tomorrow,� Caryn said and hung up. �How was your day?�
�I almost got eaten by a crocodile.�
�Okay, that sounds like fun. I have some recruiting news. Michigan has stepped up their game: they confirmed having a camp at Lincoln High this summer. Megan needs to send them dates when you�ll be in town and confirm your attendance.�
�Don�t you want to hear about the crocodiles?� I asked, somewhat hurt.
�Not right now. What do you think about the camp?�
�We may need to fire Cassidy. She didn�t even try to protect me.�
Caryn cupped her face in her hands and rubbed her temples. Mom did that sometimes.
�Tell me about the crocodile,� Caryn said.
�It was crocodiles �� I began.
I told her about what happened. They let me see it in playback, and it was dramatic. Watching Kimberly face-plant was priceless. All I can say is you could never get a second shot of that, and we were lucky it came out well. Kimberly might get an Academy Award for her portrayal of a screaming girl who sees live crocodiles coming after her. She was very convincing, and I had claw marks on my neck to prove it. I thought she did a better job than that
I might need to work on my running technique, but my excuse was I had a frightened girl wrapped around me.
Caryn thought I was full of it until she called Cassidy and confirmed my adventure. Then she was concerned, but not about what I would have thought.
�You don�t expect me to call your mom and tell her about this, do you?�
I hadn�t thought of that.
�Maybe she could just see it in the movie,� I suggested.
�You�re the boss.�
I gave her a dubious look because that never seemed to be the case unless it was something she wanted.
◊◊◊
Chapter 4 � Balancing Act Tuesday May 24
Since Kimberly had quit, I got the day off. The writers were frantically working to write her out of the movie.
After I ran for distance, I did my speed work. Paul got the honor of running with me, but he begged off the speed drills. I then had Cassidy work with me on my outfield exercises. I worked up a good sweat in the heat and humidity. The good news was the steam-bath air kept you loose.
When I finished, I decided to relax by the pool. Cassidy joined me because Kimberly had flown out last night, and Cassidy no longer had to help watch her. After our swim, we caught some rays and simply relaxed. I needed some downtime, just doing nothing for a while.
�Do you really think I have girlfriends?� I asked her.
�You�re kidding, right?� Cassidy asked.
�No, I�m trying to be serious. What you said has me worried. I never meant to lead anyone on, and I don�t want to hurt anyone either. I thought we were just dating and hanging out as friends,� I said.
�Be honest with yourself. Do you have feelings for them?� Cassidy asked.
�Well, of course I do. I love each of them in their own way. That doesn�t mean that I�m
�I thought I was in love with you when I first arrived at Lincoln High, but I learned that was more infatuation than love. I really liked both Jim and Wolf. The closest I ever got was with Jeff. I miss him so much sometimes. He was such a sweet boy, and I knew he was totally in love with me,� Cassidy shared.
We were both quiet for a few minutes as we remembered Jeff.
�I thought I loved Tracy, and I was pretty sure I loved Tami, but looking back on it, I�m not so certain. Why don�t I ever have any luck with girls? I can do almost anything else but figure out how to make a relationship work.�
�You really are a �stupid boy.� Since I�ve come to Lincoln High, I�ve watched you do this incredible balancing act as you�ve juggled numerous girls. They all love you, but you can�t seem to get out of your own way to see it.�
�Then why can�t I ever seem to make it work? When I find someone I like, they either go crazy, like someone else, want to change me, or are afraid to commit. What�s wrong with me?� I asked.
�If you ask me, you put too much pressure on it. Your ideal of what a girlfriend is leads to always-and-forever. I don�t know of any girl our age who�s ready for that level of commitment. I expect they all ran because they didn�t feel like they could measure up to what you want. In my case, I know I�m not ready for it,� Cassidy said.
�Is that why you won�t date me?� I asked.
�Why would I want to be one of many?�
�If I ever get a girlfriend, there won�t be any others.�
�Don�t you think Halle, Zoe, Brook, and Pam know that? Why do you think they�ve never tried to pin you down? They all know if you decided on just one of them, it might not be them, and they�d be on the outside looking in.�
�Tracy has been pushing for me to find one,� I admitted.
�Tracy�s a crazy bitch who loves you to death,� she said and saw the shocked look on my face. �I mean crazy in the best possible way. Tracy would do anything for you and seems to believe you�ve finally gotten past your infatuation with Tami and are ready for more in your life.
�I expect if you talked to any of your girls, they�d probably agree that you�re in a much better place now than you were last fall. Believe me, no one wanted to be your rebound girl. Then everything sort of fell into place, and they worked it out so they could all date you. Pam almost screwed it up,� Cassidy said.
�By getting pregnant?� I asked.
�They were all afraid that would be a game-changer. I think if her dad hadn�t gone all psycho on you, the two of you might have locked it down. We all know what Greg did with Angie, and I don�t believe he loved her near as much as you love Pam.�
It was fascinating to hear how Cassidy viewed my world. It was apparent that the girls had talked to her about it. I never realized they were worried about Pam and me getting together. I guess the real question was, did I want anything to change? Did I want to finally pick a girlfriend? Did the romantic in me want an exclusive relationship?
If I asked Mr. Happy, he would tell me absolutely not. Of course, if he were in charge, I would be like Zak and trying to get laid three times a day. The more I thought about it, the more I realized Cassidy was right. I�d been doing a balancing act between commitment and being a horndog. I�d found a middle ground with dating.
�Why don�t we go back to my room and spend the day in bed? I bet I could make you decide that you were my one and only,� I teased Cassidy.
�I�m not sure you could do it, but I�d be willing to give it a try.�
�It sounds like you�re just horny,� I teased.
�Maybe.�
I wasn�t sure if she was serious, so I stood up. Cassidy gave me a little smile and got up as well.
�Are we doing this?� I asked.
�Shut up and take me upstairs,� she ordered.
◊◊◊
It turned out my idea of a day in bed and Cassidy�s were very different. First, I had to talk to her, do her nails, and give her a massage. If this was what girls did on sleepovers, count me out. Then she wanted us to do facials. The sad part was she pointed out I had everything we needed. I tried to defend myself by saying Adrienne made me get the stuff and use it, but Cassidy called me a girl.
After that, we finally got naked and took a lousy shower so we could wash our hair and use my conditioner. I offered a sexier version, but she offered to make me cry, so I behaved.
Cassidy then made me do her makeup. Tracy, who was now dead to me, had told the girls about me doing her makeup when she was depressed. Just because I picked up some skills while modeling, that didn�t give me expert status. But when we were done, Cassidy did look good.
Cassidy told me she was going to her room to put on dressier clothes because I was taking her out. As I finished getting dressed, I got a call on the room phone.
�Mr. Dawson, your car is here,� the front desk said.
�Please tell them I�ll be right down.�
I walked down the hall and knocked on Cassidy�s door. She was ready, and she looked great. When we got downstairs, I was in for a revelation. My date tonight wasn�t Cassidy, it was Sarita. With her was Luis. We took a cab to Paz�s place. Once we were seated, Paz came out to greet us. This time it was Luis�s turn to be made fun of.
�And here we thought my baby brother was scared to come out of the closet. We all love him, but oh, the shame it would bring the family. I can�t tell you what a relief it is that he found himself a beard.�
You have to understand that in Cuba, guys are macho, or so they imagine. His big brother was pushing buttons that only a big brother can get away with. Luis turned bright red, and I was worried he might take a swing at Paz. Thankfully, Cassidy read the situation.
�I think he�s man enough for me.�
Luis puffed up, and his brother laughed.
�You�re surely going to warn her about his drooling problem,� Sarita goaded her older brother.
�I expect she can handle him,� he replied.
�Paz,� he said, putting his hand out to shake Cassidy�s.
�Cassidy,� she responded with a bright smile.
�What�s good tonight?� I asked to save Luis any more grief from his siblings.
�I�ll have them bring out the
Dinner was another hit. Pargo relleno was a stuffed red snapper with lobster, shrimp, and ham ground up and cooked in it. They cooked the fish on a bed of potatoes and had onions and peppers on top.
After dinner, Paz came back out with a bottle of rum and cigars. He sat down with us.
�I want to introduce you to the Cuban practice of
Sarita explained to me that when her uncles came to visit, this was what their family did. When she was younger, she would get a sip of her dad�s rum, and he would let her have a puff or two on his cigar. It brought back fond family memories for her and her brothers.
Sarita said there wasn�t an English translation for sobremesa, that the �over the table� explanation didn�t adequately describe it. She better described it as time spent in conversation, digesting, relaxing, enjoying each other�s company, and certainly not rushing after a meal. Her family added the rum and cigars. I opted out of smoking a cigar, and after I had a small amount of rum, I switched to Cuban coffee. Honestly, the rum might have been better for me, but I was still in training.
Cassidy should have stopped at one as well. Luis wasn�t happy when she climbed into my lap.
�Take me home,� she ordered.
�I think we�d better go. I have a feeling that I�ll have to work tomorrow.�
�Come to practice tomorrow, if you can,� Luis offered.
�And after, we can go do something,� Sarita said.
�I think she wuves you,� Cassidy teased.
�Don�t get my brothers started,� Sarita added.
�Yeah, I was right. Time to get her home,� I said, scooping my little ninja up.
I enjoyed hanging out with Sarita and her brothers. Paz�s little hole-in-the-wall joint had the best food in Havana, as far as I was concerned.
◊◊◊
After I poured Cassidy into my bed, I called Maria Dowe, the girl I�d met in LA who wanted to get into porn. I reckoned she�d be up because of the time difference. She�d sent me a text saying she had big news.
Yes, Cassidy was in my bed. My drunk little ninja insisted, and I wasn�t about to argue with her. It was better that I keep an eye on her, anyway. While she snuggled down under the covers, I got a bottle of water and aspirin and set them on the nightstand. I also got her a garbage can in case she had an emergency during the night.
�Thank you, thank you, thank you!� Maria answered my call.
�Did you get the job?� I asked.
�Yes. Felicia was super nice and explained everything to me. She told me that Kendra Bianco and Tony Giovanni, the owners, said I was one of their VIP girls and would get special treatment at Nubile Productions. She said it was because of you.�
�I seriously doubt that. I barely know the owners.�
�Felicia was a little cryptic about how you met them. There has to be a story behind that,� she pressed.
�It seemed we had the same unpleasant thing we needed to deal with. I happened to be in a position to make it go away. I�m sure that�s what they were talking about.�
Brandon Rigby had been a problem for many people. I was glad he was going to jail.
�You�re no fun, but thanks anyway. They flew me out to New York, and I had my audition. They asked if there was anyone I wanted to do it with, so I told them about Ryan.�
Ryan was the model with the impressive equipment who I set Tracy up with for Prom. Maria and Ryan ended up going to the dance when Jim and Tracy got cold feet. Jim was afraid he wouldn�t measure up in some way. It didn�t help that Ryan showed everyone what he was packing. That was when Tracy finally believed me and chickened out. Jim and Tracy ended up going together, and from all reports had a good time.
�Spare me the details, but I�m assuming it went well,� I said.
�They signed us both. Felicia flew me home to pack my stuff. They have an apartment for me close to the studio. The next time you�re in New York, you need to call me, and I�ll take you out to dinner as a thank you.�
My bedroom door opened.
�I don�t feel good,� Cassidy announced.
�Sorry, I gotta go, my friend is about to get sick,� I told Maria and hung up on her.
I grabbed Cassidy and whisked her into the bathroom. I swear Duke had more common sense. No, I take that back; he would have found a carpet to puke on. He could be on a hard surface that was easy to clean and would head straight for a rug if he had a problem. She puked on my chest and all over herself. I tossed her into the tub and then puked into the toilet. She could have asked me to help her with
The whole time I undressed her, I was gagging. I tossed the t-shirt and shorts I�d dressed her in into the trash, and I threw my shirt in with them. Then I turned the shower on her.
�David! Don�t,� she wailed.
�I�m never taking you drinking again,� I swore.
�But you love me,� she moaned.
�And that is why you�re not stark naked in the hall right now. Now hold still so I can wash your hair.�
Cassidy ended up puking two more times before I got her to bed. She didn�t like that I brushed her teeth, but I didn�t want to smell her breath all night. I didn�t bother putting her in another t-shirt because I�d already lost one.
◊◊◊ Wednesday May 25
�Morning, Sunshine,� I said cheerily.
�Shut up,� Cassidy moaned. �Why am I naked? Did you �?�
�You puked all over yourself.�
�Oh � yeah � I remember now. Sorry about that.�
�You should go run with me.�
Cassidy had, let�s say � other ideas for me. None of them sounded fun, so I left her in my bed.
◊◊◊
This morning, Caryn and Fritz ran with me, so we slowed down to accommodate her pace. Caryn was actually a good runner, and she made it out about three times a week. I just wanted to get the blood pumping, so we didn�t do a long run.
It seemed the movie staff must have known my running schedule because when we made it back to the hotel, Anita, the production assistant, was waiting for me.
�Morning,� I said to greet her.
�They want you to join them in the conference room to discuss what we�re doing moving forward, now that Kimberly has left the movie.�
�Do I have time to shower and get something to eat?� I asked.
�They have a buffet, and Gabe asked for everyone as soon as possible. He�s calling in, and I don�t expect he cares what you look like right now.�
Caryn and Fritz accompanied me. Caryn wanted to hear what the plan was firsthand. Somehow, she didn�t seem to trust me to give her a full report. I was glad to see I wasn�t the last one to arrive. While we waited, I checked out the buffet. I wasn�t impressed with runny scrambled eggs, burned potatoes, and rock-hard bacon. I drained some eggs and made toast. If I ended up going straight to the set, Caryn would have to go to my room to get some energy bars for later this morning.
When everyone arrived, Gabe Francis, the studio head, was called so he could talk to us on speakerphone.
�First of all, I want to say we�re pleased with what we�re seeing with the dailies. It was disturbing when Kimberly Fillmore decided to quit in the middle of filming. That really put us in a bind because she was crucial for several scenes that haven�t been filmed, and that was the reason we halted production for a day.
�I am happy to report that we were able to reorganize the film and write her out of the remainder of the production. You�ll get your new scripts later this morning. Of course, losing an actress at this point in a movie is a problem. But I believe you�ll see that we have tightened up the story, and our hope is that it�ll be better.
�I want to thank you all for stepping up and helping with this moving forward. I want to single out David for agreeing to get back into the water after the scare he had. Believe me, we take all your safety seriously, and what happened shouldn�t have,� Gabe said.
�I�m confident we can get everything back on track,� Laurent predicted.
He would just work us like dogs to get back on track. Gabe gave us more clich�s about teamwork and success and then hung up. Kitty had the day�s schedule and scripts. She gave me mine, and the new schedule said we were headed back on the road this morning. Our destination was the
Most movies did this kind of filming in the dark to add to the creepiness of the scene. The Colon Cemetery was ancient, having been built in 1876. It was big, too, covering 140 acres. Incredibly enough, for some reason, they named it after Christopher Columbus.
The first impression I had was of a seemingly endless succession of tombs that were blinding white in the midday heat. Some of it was gorgeous, but other parts were in complete ruin. It was sad to see the devastation and neglect that had happened over the years.
Laurent wanted to show a sad part of the cemetery. There was a ruined family chapel that served as a backdrop for the scenes with Heath, Stewart, and me. They were worried I�d been found out and were there to collect what I�d found at the Cuban official�s home and to warn me. This was a scene close to the end of the movie that set up my ultimate demise.
It seemed to take forever to do the scenes, and it didn�t help that there were no shade trees or even places to sit. There was nothing but row after row of white headstones. We were all exhausted and thirsty when we finally called it a wrap midafternoon.
◊◊◊
Cassidy still didn�t feel great, so I took Paul with me to baseball practice. Coach Conde had seen that I had a first-baseman�s glove in my bag and asked if I�d ever played the position before. I told him I hadn�t, but my coaches at home suggested I should get in some practice to make myself more versatile for the U-18 tryouts.
�Have you ever played infield?�
�Shortstop was my primary position up until this season.�
�Why don�t we just let you play first base for now so I can see what you need to work on?� Coach Conde suggested.
I found that fielding wasn�t much different except for the glove. A first-baseman�s mitt was designed to give you more of a chance to snag errant throws. It was longer than my shortstop glove, and the ball seemed to get in deeper, so it wasn�t as easy to pull it out and make a throw.
I had to work on my footwork when catching the ball at first base. I quickly found that you didn�t want your foot on top of the bag. All it took was getting my foot stepped on once to discover that even rubber practice cleats hurt. If the runner had been wearing metal cleats, it would have done some real damage to my foot. The trick was to use the edge of the bag. Of course, I knew all that, but getting stepped on was a painful reminder.
Next, I spent some time holding a runner at first. I soon figured out that there was too much for me to learn to be of much use at first base. Coach Conde agreed, but I appreciated that he took the time to let me try.
◊◊◊
After practice, Luis and Tony stopped me.
�How is Cassidy doing?� Luis asked.
�Last I saw her, she was sleeping off her hangover. I haven�t seen her since this morning.�
�What happened?� Tony asked.
�We went to Paz�s place for dinner, and he broke out the good rum and cigars,� Luis said. �Cassidy had one too many, and the next thing I knew, David had stolen my date and taken her home.�
�Careful. I was on a date with your sister. Cassidy and I are friends and have each other�s back. If I�d gotten drunk, she would�ve made sure I got home safely,� I said to Luis.
�You�re dating Sarita? Damn! She won�t give me the time of day,� Tony complained.
�She knows your lines. David has new game, and I�ll bet she dumps him soon,� Luis predicted.
This sounded interesting. I couldn�t help myself.
�Why would she dump me?�
�Sarita is a good Catholic girl. As soon as you press her, she�ll kick you to the curb,� Tony explained.
Not that I was looking for that � wait, who was I kidding? This sounded a lot like Peggy�s declaration of waiting until she was married. But then she didn�t hold out for Mitch. I wondered if Sarita was just waiting for the right guy.
�Where are you two going tonight?� Luis asked.
�I have no idea. She hasn�t told me,� I said.
�You Americans give us a bad name. Be a man and tell her what the plan is. You shouldn�t have a woman telling you what to do in your relationship, or you�ll end up at home watching the kids. They won�t respect a weak man,� Luis said.
Yep, Cassidy was going to kick his ass before this was over.
�How many girlfriends have you had?� I asked.
�He�s got you there,� Tony said, laughing at his friend.
Luis just glowered at both of us. I could tell that he wasn�t willing to listen to any words of wisdom. Then again, I didn�t have the best track record when it came to actual girlfriends.
I had to get going, so I told them I would see them again soon.
◊◊◊
Paul drew the short straw and had to go with me tonight. Cassidy still didn�t feel great, but I was glad to see she had found her own room. Paul and I split a steak because I was starving, and he was scared about eating out. The front desk called to let us know that our ride was here.
Once we got downstairs, I found Sarita had two girls with her, Chari and Risa. Chari and Sarita could be cousins, based on their looks. Chari was a little over five feet tall and light-skinned. What stood out about her was that she had a nice round butt. Risa was a little shorter with a darker complexion and a ready smile.
Sarita wanted to go to a club where a famous dancer was supposed to be tonight. Chari and Risa tagged along because they also wanted to see this celebrity. In Cuba, dancers were more famous than baseball players and actually made more money.
I agreed, and we all climbed into a cab. Paul took shotgun, and Sarita ended up sitting on my lap.
Chari and Risa only spoke broken English, so it was no surprise when they began to talk in Spanish as soon as we got in the cab. I don�t expect they thought I could speak Spanish, and they were a little free in their discussion of Paul and me. While I still had some trouble constructing a sentence, I could now understand quite a bit.
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Well, shit. Tony and Luis had warned me.
◊◊◊
Getting into the Turro Club wasn�t cheap. It cost me the equivalent of $50 per head, and then Sarita wanted a bottle of their best rum for the table. Paul gave me a look as if to say I might want to watch these girls. I had to agree; I was feeling a little put out. If I hadn�t enjoyed Sarita�s company, I might have bailed on the night.
We did get a great table, and the club owner came out shortly after we sat down to see if we were okay.
�Paul and I need to get something to eat. Do you think we could get something from the kitchen?� I asked, and Sarita waved to our waitress.
She was over in a flash. It looked like we were going to get the VIP service tonight. We ended up getting a boiled chicken thigh and leg over rice. Not great, but filling. I also had them bring us bottled water. I sent it back when I saw it had been opened. Tony had warned me that probably meant it was tap water. I didn�t need stomach troubles on top of everything else tonight.
All was forgiven when the band started, and they introduced the dancer. She reminded me of Sage, the former dancer turned model from LA.
This dancer was the best-looking woman I�d seen since I arrived. She was all legs and had the lithe body of a true professional. When she began to move, I was mesmerized. Her movements exuded passion and grace. I�d never seen someone move like she did. I instantly understood why she was a star here.
When the song ended, everyone was on their feet. Her smile lit up the room. She scanned the crowd, and her eyes locked on mine. She walked up to me, took my hand, and pulled me out onto the dance floor.
�Salsa?� she asked.
�S�. David,� I responded with a smile.
�Bianca.�
Dancing the salsa is one of my favorites. It has a lot of movement and, while it follows rules, you�re able to add your own flavor to it. Dancing it with Bianca was, without a doubt, the highlight of my trip so far. She was like a good quarterback: she made our team better�meaning me. I couldn�t wipe the smile off my face as we owned the dance floor.
I was disappointed when the song ended. A photographer rushed out and took our picture. I expected that was part of the deal Paz made to get us our table tonight. Bianca then disappeared into a room behind the bandstand.
Before I could get back to my seat, the band began to play another song. Sarita lunged out of her chair and pulled me onto the floor with her. I expect she wanted to be seen with me. No longer did I have any delusions as to why we were out tonight. I figured if she wanted to be my �Cuban girlfriend,� I was okay with that. But what I expected was the whole experience, not just the �tease and then pay me� version.
A slow song came on, and I pulled Sarita close to me.
�Why don�t we go back to my room later tonight?� I asked.
�Oh � uh � sure. I�d like that,� she said.
She seemed to be calculating what she would have to do to keep me on the hook. I almost called it off, but Mr. Happy reminded me he was lonely.
Bianca came out and did a couple more dances during the evening. She picked different men to dance with each time. It appeared that was part of her act. Sarita and her friends seemed to make the bottle of rum disappear.
Risa and Chari must have decided that Paul wasn�t too old because they�d gotten very friendly with him. He was nervous about being my bodyguard with the advances the two girls were making. I took him aside and told him we�d just take them back to the hotel. I guess they�d each offered to sneak off for a little fun, and he remembered the last time he did that while guarding me. Fritz had not been happy.
On our way back to the table, the club owner stopped me.
�If you have a moment, Miss Cisco would like to have a word.�
He led me behind the bandstand and through the door, which led to a short hall with two more doors. I assumed they were dressing rooms for the acts. He pointed at one of the doors, then left me in the hallway and returned to whatever he�d been doing. I knocked on the door, and an older woman who looked like she might be either Bianca�s mother or aunt answered.
�Come in,� she said, and then turned to Bianca and spoke in Spanish. �
�David, come in. I wanted to thank you for volunteering to be my dance partner,� she said with a smile as I came in and sat down next to her on the couch. �I might not have given you much choice, but if I had to dance with a customer, I was glad it was you. It was fun.�
�I was happy to do it. You�re a wonderful dancer.�
�I appreciate that. I wanted to say thank you.�
�Do you do this often?� I asked.
�Sometimes. Our dance company is on a break right now, so I had some time and could use the money. That brings me to the other reason I wanted to talk to you. My country is loosening travel restrictions, and I want to go to the United States. I wondered if you had any suggestions as to whom I could talk to,� she said.
�Unfortunately, I don�t know anyone involved in dancing,� I admitted.
�I know you do movies and modeling; do you think I might get into something like that? I can�t dance forever. Even though I�m not that old, I already feel it in my knees,� she explained.
�Let me take a quick picture,� I said, getting her to stand up.
I snapped it and sent it to Adrienne with a message to call me. My phone rang.
�Are you trying to pick up some girl and using me to do it?� Adrienne said.
�Does that work? Damn! If I�d known you�d work with me on that, I�d have been using it all the time.�
�Who is this?� Adrienne asked, changing the subject to the reason I called.
�This is Bianca Cisco. She�s a famous dancer in Cuba who wants to come to the States and model. You should see how she moves on the dance floor.�
�Well, what�s your honest opinion?� Adrienne asked.
�From my perspective, she has the look, moves well, and I expect that just as she does to be a high-level dancer, she would put in the work. My only concerns are she may be too old, and she isn�t tall enough. She�s only five-six or five-seven.�
�Hey, I�m only 23,� Bianca complained.
Adrienne heard her and laughed. She made me hand Bianca the phone.
�I�m sorry. You said you are Adrienne. The only model I know named that is � Oh!� Bianca said and gave me a dirty look. �He didn�t tell me who he sent the picture to.�
�No, I don�t mind � That sounds great � I�ll tell him,� she said, and hung up and then handed me back my phone. �She wants you to take some more pictures.�
I about choked on my tongue when Bianca began to undress. When she was down to her bra and panties, she posed for me. I took photos so Adrienne could see her body in detail. When I had about ten pictures, I told her I had enough and sent them to Adrienne.
�She said she would call you if she had any interest,� Bianca said.
She gave me her number, and I couldn�t help but smile. I wasn�t sure if Adrienne really had an interest or had just gotten me Bianca�s number, but either way, I owed her. Bianca�s body was exceptional. I didn�t imagine she would ever be a top model, but I was sure she could make a living modeling.
She gave me her number, then kissed my cheek and thanked me again.
◊◊◊
When I returned to the table, the three girls were in high spirits. I sat back and listened to them rate all the guys who were within eyesight. Being immersed in Spanish had helped me follow conversations better. I still didn�t understand all the words, but I got the general drift of what they were saying.
I was sure if they had any idea I understood their conversation, they would have been embarrassed. Wow, and I thought guys were graphic. They were fascinated with how big they imagined the men�s packages might be. I guess it was no worse than when guys talked about boobs. Speaking of which, they all had more than a handful, of which I approved.
�Let�s take this party back to the hotel,� Sarita announced in English.
I settled the bill and was shocked at the final amount. All told, we�d spent nearly $500 when you included the cover charge. While that wouldn�t break me, I didn�t need to be blowing money like that. That was equivalent to what most Cuban families made in six months or more. If they simply lived off the average wage, then it could be over a year�s worth of money. I was almost positive that Sarita, probably through Paz, was getting a kickback on what I spent. It wasn�t a pleasant feeling to know you were being hustled.
We found a cab and were soon back at the hotel. Paul, doing his job as wingman, took Sarita�s friends to his room. Sarita walked in and looked around.
�This is nice. I�ve never been in a suite before,� she said.
I took that to mean she�d seen other rooms at this hotel. Sarita stepped over to look out the window, and I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her.
�I freaked out, thinking there was a big fire downtown the second night I was here. Turns out, they were spraying for mosquitoes,� I admitted.
Sarita turned in my arms, and our lips met. She gave my chest a little push before things became too heated.
�I�m a good Catholic girl.�
I smiled inside. Time to cut bait and move on.
�That�s okay. I would never push you to do anything you weren�t comfortable doing. Let me get you some money so you can catch a cab home.�
I stepped over to my dresser and found the equivalent of five dollars. I was amazed that they charged tourists about what you�d expect in the States, but Cuban nationals paid pennies on the dollar for the same thing. It was more than enough for her to get home.
�It will be closer to ten dollars to get home,� she said.
I gave her another five.
�Could we go to a concert tomorrow? There�s a band I�ve been wanting to see. Maybe we could invite Cassidy and Luis if she�s feeling better.�
�I think I�m busy. Why don�t I call you or tell your brother when I�m free again?� I asked.
Sarita was a bright girl; she saw her fish wiggling off the hook. She came up to me and pulled my head down for a kiss goodnight. I wasn�t shocked when things heated up. Moments later, Sarita pushed me back onto the couch and climbed into my lap. My hands cupped her firm butt, and she ground herself against me.
Like for every teenage boy, the grinding had a pronounced effect. Sarita couldn�t help but feel my desire. It had been a while since I�d dry-humped someone. I found it amusing that she thought she could play me. I reached down and pulled my shirt over my head. Sarita rocked back and took in my torso, then leaned forward and began kissing my chest.
I leaned back and enjoyed what she was doing. She kissed down to my stomach and stuck her tongue into my belly button. I reached down, undid my pants, and pushed them and my underwear to mid-thigh. I touched the top of her head, and she didn�t resist as she went down on me.
This was just sex. After listening to Sarita and her friends all night, I just wanted to get lucky.
�Take your top off for me,� I said.
Sarita stopped what she was doing, and I could tell she was having second thoughts. I waited to see if she would leave, but she did as I asked. I admired her breasts. They weren�t big, but they looked lovely on her. Sarita had small areolae and tiny nipples. She looked at me for approval, and I smiled at her, so she resumed giving me oral pleasure.
I let her suck my dick for several minutes until I wanted more.
�Come here,� I said.
I lifted her up and then slid her onto the couch so I was above her.
�David, I ��
�Shush. I�ve got this,� I said, pushing her legs apart and lowering my head to her crotch.
Sarita was wearing a short skirt, so all I had to do was move her panties to get to her sex. She seemed stunned that I would go down on her. It didn�t take her long to get aroused enough to get her juices flowing. Sarita had a small orgasm, and I raised my head and shifted up to kiss her.
�Condom,� she ordered.
Such a good Catholic girl � she would have to go to confession and explain the use of birth control. I put one on, and she finished getting naked. Sarita had a nice body.
�You�re big. Let me be on top until I�m used to you,� she said.
�Let�s go to the bedroom so I can lie down,� I suggested.
The couch was only six feet long, so I didn�t fit. Sarita grabbed my hand and made sure I got a good view of her butt as she wiggled it at me. She crawled on top of me and straddled my waist. I reached down, pointed my member to where it needed to be, and let her slowly sink down. Sarita bit her bottom lip as Mr. Happy stretched her. Her head fell to the side as she concentrated on slowly rising and falling on my manhood. Each stroke found just a bit more sliding in. She was finally able to take it all.
Sarita was a small girl, all of five feet nothing. Her size made my member look huge as I watched it split her open. She completely flipped out when I reached down and used three fingers to rub over the top of her sex. Sarita began to shake and shudder, and I felt wetness cover my groin.
When she calmed down, I grabbed her hips and took control. Her tight little body wanted to fight me at first, but it soon accepted my full thrusts. Sarita became an active participant at that point, and we started to have some serious fun.
I must have been horny because we ended up going four rounds. During the last one, she announced her desire to marry me and have lots and lots of babies for me. If I hadn�t heard her earlier in the evening, I might have believed she meant it. I guess I was getting jaded.
I remembered Tony and Luis warning me about the �Cuban Honeymoon,� where I would wake up and find the girl had ripped me off. With that in mind, I gave her another $50 and sent her home. After she left, I shook my head. She hadn�t even offered not to take the money. It was clear where we stood.
Sarita had gotten me to agree to go to the concert tomorrow night. Mr. Happy had made that decision for me. He was used to more regular sex than I�d been getting since I�d arrived. I guessed it was true what women said. The little head made my decisions for me tonight. The big brain was okay with it but was cautious about Sarita and her friends. I hoped Paul had a good time.
◊◊◊
Chapter 5 � That�s A Wrap Thursday May 26
I had another day off today. The writers were still working out the kinks caused by Kimberly, my main love interest in the film, quitting. The press had been all over her about why she left. For now, she was going with the �safety on set� story. Leaping crocodiles were enough to scare anyone. I suspected that if the studio pushed back, she might reveal the whole reason she made her exit, mainly Laurent forcing her to have sex to get the role.
Because I�d been one of the people that Kimberly had slept with at Laurent�s behest, Frank Ingram, my publicity agent, wanted to have a chat.
�Tell me everything,� Frank said.
I noticed that Caryn, Cassidy, Fritz, and Paul all seemed to show up at my suite about the time Frank called. I made a hand motion that they should all leave, but Caryn shook her head �no.� Finally, I gave up and put him on speakerphone.
�You want only the facts? Or do you want me to tell you what happened chronologically?� I asked.
�Let�s do it in order, and if I have questions, we can come back to them.�
�I was born in OW!� I complained when Cassidy jabbed me in the ribs.
�Don�t make me really hurt you,� she warned.
�Yes, ma�am,� I said and then got serious. �Kimberly came to my suite a couple of times with a group in the evenings. We all would watch movies, some cocktails were served, and I played a little poker. There was never much one-on-one interaction between the two of us. I liked her, but it never was going to be anything other than us working together.
�After a few nights, I shut down the after-work get-togethers for two reasons. One was to avoid getting a reputation as the �party guy.� Since then, I�ve lent my DVD collection, player, and monitor to others who want to hold a movie night,� I said.
�What DVDs were played? Please tell me they weren�t porn,� Frank worried.
�No, they weren�t. Rita James wasn�t happy with my movie knowledge. She gave me classic movies that highlighted good acting.�
�That�s a relief. These gatherings never turned into anything other than what you described, correct?� Frank asked.
�No, we were good. If anything was going on, I had my security people with me, and they would have stopped it,� I said hopefully.
�Frank, this is Fritz. David�s right, there wasn�t anything sexual or illegal happening that you need to worry about.�
�Good, good. Not that I expected David would be into anything illegal � the sex �� Frank left hanging.
�Anyway,� I said to get the conversation back on track, �Kimberly showed up after work one night. She seemed nervous, and I thought about sending her away, but � ah � ya know � she went down on me,� I finished in a rush.
�I think I get the picture. Unless you did something kinky, let�s assume I can figure the rest out,� Frank said.
�What do you mean by kinky?� I asked to tease him.
�If you don�t know, have Fritz send you his recent browser history,� Frank said.
�Hey,� Fritz said, sounding aggrieved.
We all just smiled at him, and he took it the way Frank intended instead of getting offended. It was hard to offend an ex-military guy.
�Nothing kinky,� I assured Frank. �Cassidy woke me up in the morning and told me that Kimberly was much younger than I thought she was. I�d guessed she was in her early twenties. It just seems that all the actors playing teens are about that age.�
�So, you had no idea she was younger than you?� Frank asked.
�No, but I probably should�ve asked.�
�How did you find out that Laurent had asked her to come visit you that night?� Frank asked.
�Cassidy told me. She and Kimberly had started to become friends. There aren�t that many people our age here, so they bonded.�
�I won�t even ask why she didn�t warn you ahead of time,� Frank stated. That was an excellent topic I needed to discuss with Cassidy. �What did you do when you found out?�
�I gathered my team, and we came up with a plan. Cassidy was assigned to watch Kimberly to keep Laurent away from her. I called Bev Mass to see if she could find out anything about Laurent and whether he�d done anything like this before. Saul talked to the studio and expressed our concerns.
�There wasn�t much we could do when Kimberly wouldn�t go against him for fear he could damage her career,� I said.
�Now that she�s quit the film, she doesn�t have that same constraint,� Frank reasoned.
�I got the impression that this happened before with other roles she received. As much as I would like to expose the �casting couch� dirty little not-so-secret, I can�t make unfounded accusations.�
�True. I don�t expect she�ll say anything, but if she does, I need to be ready.�
�That sounds expensive,� Caryn chimed in.
�What is peace of mind really worth?� Frank asked.
�But he didn�t do anything wrong,� Caryn said.
�You think the press will care? I thought you had that figured out by now,� Frank shot back.
I sighed. He was right. I�d only recently gotten a graduate-level education in how the press might react.
�Do what you need to,� I said.
�Two more items �� Frank began.
�Yes?� I asked.
�When were you going to tell me about you hooking up with the Cuban dancer?�
I turned to Paul with a confused look on my face.
�The picture,� he reminded me.
The club owner had shot a promotional photo of the two of us.
�I didn�t hook up with her. I just danced with her, and she asked me to get her a job,� I said.
�Doing what?� Frank asked.
�I put her in touch with Adrienne about modeling. I sent Adrienne pictures of Bianca, and she�s supposed to get back to me if she thinks Bianca could do it,� I said.
�What kind of pictures? From the rumors, when you left her dressing room, she was only in her panties and bra,� Frank said.
�How the heck did you know that?� I asked.
�I would assume she or one of her people leaked it. You know how that works,� Frank said.
Yes, I did, unfortunately.
�David, you�ve got to get your head in the game more than you�ve been doing,� Frank said. �Now, our last agenda item. We�ve reached a settlement with the outlets that kept the �anti-feminist� story going after we�d sent them the unedited footage of your interview by the feminist activists. They�re going to run a retraction on their broadcasts, the same ones they published the doctored videos on. They�re also paying all your legal bills, including my fees.�
I was perplexed.
�Why didn�t Ms. Dixon run it by me?�
�Your mom and dad okayed it. You�re still a minor, remember?�
I didn�t even need eyes to see Frank�s smirk.
�Seriously,� he said, �I�m glad it�s done, and it�s time to let that whole issue die a rapid and quiet death.
�From this point forward, you�re going to be vulnerable to people wanting to tag you with this kind of stuff, so at least try to be more careful, okay?� Frank asked.
�Okay, I�ll be more careful,� I said.
Sometimes having a high �Q Rating� really sucked. I consoled myself with the thought that the PR and legal money I�d been hemorrhaging was being replaced, at least.
◊◊◊
I called Coach Conde because I wanted some batting practice today. He suggested that if I would pay a few American dollars, he could organize some decent pitching. I warned him they couldn�t be professionals because I didn�t need trouble from the NCAA. So far, I�d only seen him pitch batting practice, and with all due respect, Cassidy could hit him. I told him to set it up.
Fritz, Paul, and Cassidy joined me for baseball practice. Cassidy was feeling better and told me I wasn�t getting out of
Coach Conde showed up early with two pitchers I�d not met before. One was a big lanky kid who looked to be my age or a little older. He was at least six-six, and as he warmed up, he threw some serious heat. His only problem was he was a one-trick pony whose sole pitch was a fastball. He would be perfect for the closer role, but he needed to learn to throw a changeup. Otherwise, opposing players would just learn to time his pitches and light him up. That was precisely what I did.
After I parked him three straight pitches, the tall kid started to get frustrated. Coach Conde stepped in and reminded both of us that this was batting practice. He changed the focus to situational hitting, which forced me to try to hit the ball to different locations and even to bunt.
When the kid began to tire, the other pitcher was brought in. He was much older; I would guess that he was in his late twenties or early thirties. He had command of all the pitches, a crafty veteran who set you up with his varied pitches and locations. There were times he had me tied up in knots, trying to guess what he would throw next. What he didn�t have was a commanding fastball.
Then he broke out a pitch I had never faced before: the knuckleball. I honestly didn�t think
The reason most pitchers don�t throw the knuckleball is that you really can�t control the pitch. That became evident when a couple of them hit me. He apologized, but I asked him to keep throwing them. As a hitter, the knuckleball forced me to focus. Eye-hand coordination is what separates the average from the better hitters. In baseball, the difference isn�t that much; just a few extra hits could cause your batting average to jump.
I knew that when I tried out for the Under-18 team, everyone there would be top notch. Someone had told me there were 760 high schools in my state alone. If you figured there was an average of fifteen baseball players for each school, then that was over eleven thousand kids. You had to be in the top four or five in a state our size to be invited. I would have to shine to separate myself from the other 107 participants who were already the best-of-the-best.
What I found was that when I focused hard enough, I began to drop into the zone. That was what I called the state of awareness where everything but hitting faded into the background. I did something similar when I played football. My mind would block out everything off the field, and I became hyperaware of my immediate surroundings. When that happened, my performance became much better. I discovered that I quit thinking about what I should do at the plate.
After all, as Yogi Berra purportedly said, you can�t think and hit at the same time. When I was in LA, I was given the foundation I needed for hitting. Since then, my focus was on the proper technique. That meant good base, hands back, track the ball�s release point, level swing, and the other millions of details you needed to have happen to hit the ball.
Batting against a veteran pitcher throwing knuckleballs helped me fall into the zone. It was just me and the pitcher, and I just hit; I didn�t need to think about how. I�d done this enough that the muscle memory was there. It was like throwing a football; after you did it like a bazillion times, you just did it. It was the moment I became a hitter. With the switch flipped, I saw the ball, and my body reacted.
For the next twenty minutes, it was like I couldn�t miss. The crafty veteran threw everything he had at me, and I hit it with authority.
Once we were finally done, you couldn�t wipe the smile off my face. I paid both pitchers the equivalent of $30 each, which made their day. Coach Conde had told them they�d earn $10. I also gave Coach Conde $40. He was much cheaper than Bo Harrington had been. Of course, they wanted to know when I would do this again. I had less than a month until I would be at the tryouts. Coach Conde assured me he could find more pitchers for me to practice with.
During practice, I played center field and rotated with their regular starter. He didn�t seem happy, but Coach Conde told him to settle down. After we were done, Cassidy ran me through
◊◊◊
After baseball, my security team and I went to the dojo. We were in the middle of working on our forms when one of their instructors came over to introduce himself. His name was Carlos, and he had an interesting offer.
�I�ve watched you practice and have noticed that you use a rather conventional approach. I was wondering if you would like to learn some effective ways to protect yourself?� he asked.
�You teach here?� Fritz asked.
�Yes. I was also in the Cuban army and taught hand-to-hand combat. Over the years, I�ve learned a thing or two and thought you might be interested in some backstreet wisdom.�
We agreed, and Carlos began our lesson.
�What is the most powerful strike you can do?� he asked me.
I thought about it for a minute.
�Probably a side kick. My legs are stronger than my arms and can generate a lot more force.�
�Good answer. Show me,� he said.
They had an oversized heavy bag. It touched the ground, which made it harder to move. I found my range, set my base, and then kicked the bag as hard as I could. I was able to move the bag with a strong kick.
Carlos walked up to the bag and swung his arm as if he were throwing a hook, but hit it with his forearm. I watched in amazement as the bag moved more than my kick had achieved.
�How�d you do that?� Cassidy asked as she suddenly paid close attention.
�You can get more force using your torso and hitting the bag with your bone. I believe you can do more damage with a �bone strike� than you can most other ways. Feel your forearm. In the middle, it�s soft with muscle, but on the outsides, it�s hard. You can feel the bone.
�It�s the same with a �palm strike.� You can knock the air out of someone easily, but if you tilt your hand back and strike with the heel of your palm and wrist, it�s bone. You can do some serious damage,� he explained.
I felt my palm and recognized I�d been using the meaty part of my palm when I hit someone. I moved my fingers down just a little, and he was right, I could feel the bone.
�Here�s a tip,� Carlos said. �If you�re in a fight with just one person, go ahead and use your fists and pound his jaw. The trick is to keep your fist tight at all times. Most people tighten their hand right before they hit someone. See this bump,� Carlos said as he showed a bump on the back of his hand.
�I learned that lesson the hard way. My opponent lunged forward as I threw a punch, and because my fist was loose, I ended up breaking a bone in my hand.�
He was right. I usually had my hands loose before I threw a punch.
�What if you�re in a fight with multiple people?� I asked.
�Then use the palm or bone strike. If there are multiple attackers, odds are that you will need to grapple with them, and you don�t want to take time to clench your fists,� Carlos explained.
�It sounds like you used to mix it up,� Fritz said.
�I�ve been in a bar fight or three in my time,� Carlos admitted.
�How would you go about it?� Fritz asked.
He pulled Paul onto the mat.
�Typically, they will get in your face. You want to be in a defensive stance so you can protect yourself without being obvious,� Carlos explained.
He showed us how he would cross his left arm across his chest. He held his right arm so that his elbow was against his side, and his hand was up around his chin as if he were thinking.
�With my arms like this, I can bring up my left to fend off a punch or use my right to push them back if they get too close.� Then Carlos demonstrated with Paul before he continued. �Because they are going to want to get in your face, you strike first by head-butting their nose with your forehead. It will stun them and give you a chance to jump them and pound them.
�If they try to head-butt you, tuck your chin and let their nose hit your forehead. You end up with the same result,� Carlos taught.
�How do you use the forearm strike?� Cassidy asked.
�I�ll show you how to knock someone out with just one strike, and even you can do it,� he said to Cassidy.
�Hang on. She doesn�t need to know something like that,� I worried.
�You be quiet,� Cassidy threatened.
�Would you agree that Mike Tyson was probably the boxer best known for knocking people out?� Carlos asked.
�I�d agree with that,� Paul said.
�If you watch his fights, he is targeting just behind the ear with those massive hooks. I contend that he used palm strikes instead of hitting with his glove. Right in that area, you will feel a soft spot behind the ear, and if you feel a little lower, that�s where the jaw attaches to the skull. If you strike someone there, it�ll rattle their brain, and it will be lights out.
�Who�s the toughest one of you?� Carlos asked.
�David,� Paul, Cassidy, and Fritz all said in unison.
This sounded like a setup.
�Would you volunteer? I promise not to hit you hard,� Carlos said.
�Sure.�
I�m not the brightest guy sometimes.
�Get into a fighting stance with your hands up.
�You can see he has covered up, and getting a punch to his jaw is not going to be easy. If I do a bone strike from the side, I can hit him right behind the ear. Note that I bend my elbow slightly so that when I hit him, I won�t hyperextend it,� he said as he demonstrated in slow motion.
�Are you ready? I�m just going to give you a little love tap,� Carlos told me.
I just nodded. He didn�t hit me hard. I sort of saw a bright flash, and then I was on my butt, and Carlos was holding me up in a seated position and rubbing my neck.
�You�re okay. Just breathe,� Carlos coached.
�Crap. How long was I out?� I asked.
�Just a couple of seconds.�
�I want to try,� Cassidy said.
�Your dad wouldn�t be happy if he heard you got knocked out,� I said.
��Stupid boy,� I want to knock
�No one is knocking anyone out. David has had concussions in the past, and I�m not willing to risk it,� Fritz said to earn himself a bonus.
I was a little unsteady, so Carlos helped me up. We practiced on the heavy bag doing our new strikes.
It looked like you were making a wild swing that would miss. The end result was devastating. You would be at your opponent�s mercy if you were lying on the ground like that.
◊◊◊
Cassidy went with me to the concert with Luis and Sarita. The venue was an outdoor setting, and they charged us $85 per person for a table closer to the front where there was a big band with dancers. I overheard another tourist say it reminded her of a Las Vegas show. It lasted a couple of hours, and I was entertained, but I was tired of feeling like an ATM. I got the impression that Sarita was using me to see things she otherwise couldn�t afford.
After the show was over, Luis wanted to go to a bar.
�I�ve got to work tomorrow, so I think I�ll head back to the hotel.�
He seemed deflated.
�Why don�t you give him some money and I�ll come back with you?� Sarita suggested.
I think Cassidy had figured out I was being hustled. The problem was Mr. Happy reasoned I�d already spent almost $400 for the evening; I might want to just go with the flow. I handed Luis the equivalent of $20, and we left.
�You and I need to talk tomorrow,� Cassidy said once we got off the elevator.
�I look forward to it,� I responded, with my sarcasm level set to 11.
I took Sarita back to my room, and we had a good time. She wanted to spend the night, but I wouldn�t allow it. She was a little upset when I told her I couldn�t see her Friday night. Cassidy was right, this had gotten out of hand. Sarita reminded me I needed to give her �cab money� to get home.
I vowed this would be the last time I saw her.
◊◊◊ Friday May 27
I woke to Cassidy smacking my butt.
�Get up,� she prodded.
I grabbed her and pulled her into bed with me. She let me wrap my arms around her and snuggle.
�What are you thinking?� Cassidy asked.
�That you have too many clothes on,� I teased.
�Slut.�
I kissed her neck.
�Stop that, or I�ll tell Fritz that you sexually harassed me.�
�If I�m going to have to pay you for the lawsuit, I might as well make it worthwhile.�
�Don�t make me knock you out.�
�Fine, be that way,� I complained.
�What�s the deal with Sarita?� she asked, to circle back to why she was there.
�She�s my �Cuban girlfriend.��
Cassidy had heard Fritz and Paul talk, so she knew what the phrase meant.
�You need to stop before this goes too far. I talked to Fritz and Paul, and they�re worried that it might get out. You don�t need to be doing something like that,� Cassidy warned.
�I know. At first, I thought she liked me. She threw me off when she invited me to church. Last evening, I realized that she�s going to bleed me dry if I keep seeing her, so last night was it. If you want to go out with Luis, that�s fine,� I said.
�He�s a sexist pig.�
I had to laugh. It was the Cuban culture, where men were men and women knew their place. I made a note to myself to
�Does that mean I don�t have to go out with him anymore?� Cassidy asked.
�You never did. I hope you know that,� I said, a little worried.
�Yes, I do, I�m just teasing you.�
She pushed me out of bed.
�Now go take your shower. You have to work today,� she ordered.
◊◊◊
Now, this was how every scene should be. I spent the morning as background. My job was to sit in a lounge chair by the pool and watch pretty girls in period swimsuits.
�Dawson!� Laurent yelled to get my attention. �I�m not buying your performance.�
I wanted to flip him off, but instead I put my lounge chair down another notch so I was more reclined.
�Better!� Laurent yelled.
The man irritated me, and I now had to worry about nodding off while I soaked in the rays. I didn�t think it would be right to get paid for sleeping.
◊◊◊
When I got back to my room, Cassidy made me go out to the beach, and we did
Word had gotten around that I wasn�t going out tonight, and Caryn had organized some food and a bar setup. Instead of watching a movie, we had music and soon had a party going. Most of the people were from the crew. The actors all wanted to go to the place I�d been to last night, but none of the crew was willing to spend $85 just to get in.
The suit that the studio sent to watch Laurent had shown up. His name was Bob Trimble. It didn�t take long to figure out he had an agenda.
�What can you tell me about Kimberly leaving?� he asked.
�Crocodiles are scary.�
�Did you hear anything about her relationship with Laurent?� he asked.
I motioned Caryn over, and we took Bob to my bedroom and closed the door. I told Caryn what he�d asked.
�Where�s this coming from?� Caryn asked.
�Your agent talked to some of our studio execs and filled us in. I was asked to confirm what Mr. Gessler said.�
�I can only tell you what was told to me. Kimberly wasn�t willing to come forward with a confirmation,� I warned.
�So, it�s true?� Bob asked.
�If you�re talking about Laurent asking for sex in exchange for a role � that�s what we heard. That the girl is underage, and he�s old enough to be her grandfather, is just creepy,� Caryn said.
�Is that what you heard?� Bob asked me.
I just nodded.
�Shit. This is going to blow up in our faces,� Bob said and then left.
�It sounds like something�s happening behind the scenes. Let�s hope they deal with Laurent. It makes me sick to think about what he did to her,� Caryn said.
�Allegedly.�
�Let�s not play word games. He did it, and he needs to be in jail with all the other pedophiles.�
At least Caryn wasn�t holding back.
We went back out to the party and had a good time. No one got out of control, and there was a lot of laughter. Keeping your crew happy is always a smart move. They could make you look either good or bad. I opted for good.
◊◊◊ Saturday May 28
�Hey, David, great party last night.�
�Thanks for letting me come over.�
�Let me know when you plan to do it again.�
These were some of the greetings I received as I walked onto the set in the morning.
�What�s all that about?� Heath asked.
�While you were out last night, there was a little get-together in my suite. A lot of the production crew showed up,� I said. �How was the show?�
�It was okay. You were right, it was sort of Vegas-lite. We had a good time, though. Thanks for suggesting it,� Heath said.
�There�s my favorite. Come get your makeup done,� offered the makeup gal.
�What about me?� Heath asked.
�Wait your turn.�
�But I was here first,� he complained.
�I think if you want to be first, you need to buy a round of drinks,� I told him.
The crew thought it was funny that all the other actors noticed my special treatment. I knew that the next one to throw a party would then be treated like a king or queen. I sighed. My people�s loyalty was so fickle. It was good that Caryn was around, or all this might go to my head.
If I needed to be brought back to earth, all I had to do was wait for Laurent.
�What was that?� Laurent asked during my first scene.
�I was trying to give you an honest emotion.�
�Honesty isn�t enough for me. Honesty is boring. You�re boring today. If you can convince me your acting is real and bigger than life � now that�s exciting. Excite me.�
I�d found that if I took a deep breath, rejected the insults, and focused on what he was trying to tell me, there was usually something worth learning. Don�t get me wrong, I hated the guy. But I knew that if my goal was to get better at my craft, I could learn from him.
The only problem was that sometimes he just confused me. The next take, I tried to go over the top.
�An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words.�
I took that to mean it needed to be dialed back a little. I tried it again. Laurent just walked off the set. Everyone looked around to figure out if we were done or not. I threw my hands up.
�That�s a wrap,� I said.
◊◊◊
When we took a break for lunch, Caryn came and found me.
�Saul called. They�re starting to get numbers for
I felt a little disconnected from the movie. I�d been in Cuba and hadn�t helped with the promotional tour or done the red-carpet events for this one. Rita had understood that I was working, but it still made me feel bad that I hadn�t been there for Halle. This was her first significant role.
�What does second mean?� I asked.
I knew that the studio would be happy with anything over fifteen.
�They expect they�ll do over twenty million, based on early numbers. Saul said they could even do twenty-five.�
�I need to call Halle,� I said and pulled out my phone.
She answered on the first ring.
�Did you hear?� Halle asked excitedly.
�Saul is saying it might hit twenty-five million this weekend.�
�It�s doing three times that internationally. My mom is out-of-her-mind excited. We�re number one in Japan and China. It seems that someone is big over there,� she teased.
�David!� Rita must have grabbed the phone from Halle.
�Congratulations. It sounds like your first producing credit is going to be a success.�
�Thanks in no small part to you. You stepped up when we needed it.�
We told each other how great we were. Halle finally took the phone back.
�How is everything going there?� she asked.
�I hate my director and my love interest quit. Besides that, I�ve enjoyed Cuba.�
�Hey, I have to go. I know you, you�ll make it work,� Halle said and then was gone.
This film was a big deal for both Rita and Halle. I was glad it was holding its own over the holiday weekend. No one would expect our movie to take down a franchise film like X-Men. But the crowds to watch that movie were big enough over the holiday to help us do better than we would have done on an average weekend.
◊◊◊
When I returned to the set, Anita, our production assistant, met me.
�Two things: one, we have press that would like to speak to you, and two, I hear you have a medical bag.�
�Is someone hurt?� I asked with concern.
�No, but we�ve run out of supplies. We have the usual stuff like upset stomachs, headaches, and the like. Then there�s the issue of what heat and humidity does,� she explained.
I knew about heat and humidity. In fact, I�d gotten a mild case of jock itch. I was thankful Tami had packed some spray that took care of the problem.
�Ask Caryn to get it for you. It�s in my closet in the front hall,� I said and then tackled the other issue. �What do the reporters want?�
One advantage of being in Cuba was there were no paparazzi running around. Although, if the Cubans ever figured out they could sell actors� pictures, I was sure all of us would be swarmed.
�I have no idea,� Anita said and then left.
I wasn�t scheduled to do a scene for a while, so I stepped into the hotel to the front desk. They pointed me to a reporter and cameraman sitting in the lobby. I guess that would account for the plural �reporters.�
�
�
We sat down and talked for quite a while. There were the expected questions about my thoughts about my visit to Cuba. I responded that I�d really enjoyed my stay and getting to know the people. I was careful not to criticize the government in any way. The first day we�d been here, we had a talk about topics to avoid here, and that was one of them.
The conversation turned to my new movie that had come out, and the one I was currently shooting. I explained that I was dressed to do a scene later in the day. Then we got to what Nino really wanted to talk about.
�
�
�
�
He told his cameraman we were done and had him leave. He then got an earnest look on his face and looked around.
�Is there someplace we could speak in private?� he asked in English.
◊◊◊
Nino and I took the elevator up to my suite.
�I�m Bianca�s godfather. I just wanted to make sure that your offer to her was legitimate. Since I heard that you had her strip down, I worried that someone was taking advantage of her,� he said, not looking happy.
�I haven�t made any offers to her. Bianca approached me to see if I could find her a job in the States. I explained that I didn�t have any contacts for dancers, and she suggested something either in the movies or as a model. Her command of English would limit her opportunities in the movies, so I called a friend of mine who has ties to modeling.�
�Adrienne?�
�Yes. She is both my agent and mentor. I trust her to give an honest evaluation of Bianca�s chances in the business. I told Bianca about my concerns,� I admitted.
He gave me a scowl.
�She is a beautiful young woman. How could you not think she is pretty enough to be a model?�
�I agree that Bianca is very attractive. My concern is that she�s too old. Before you get up in arms, I know that the top models are all probably older than she is. But they started much younger than she would and have worked their way into the positions they hold. Bianca is a dancer, so I�m sure she wouldn�t have any problems moving well, but dancing and modeling are not the same.�
�Bianca has worked hard at dancing. She is not afraid to put in the work needed to be successful,� Nino challenged.
�I don�t doubt that, but I don�t want to set unrealistic expectations, either. The other problem is her height. Models tend to be taller for several reasons. The fact is, there are models of all shapes and sizes, but the rule of thumb is they are taller.
�The main reason is clothing fits better on tall models. Bianca is probably five-six. The average female model is at least five-ten. Designers want their clothes to hang properly, and a tall model helps with that. A shorter model may cause the clothing to bunch up or wrinkle.
�Another reason is a preference for taller women. There is a saying in the states where a mother will tell their daughters to find a �tall, dark and handsome man,�� I said.
�That�s not fair. Bianca looks fabulous in anything she wears.�
�I don�t disagree. The problem is that at first glance, a taller model shows off clothes better, and our society prefers that. There are exceptions, of course. You�ll find different types of modeling that don�t have height standards. She could probably be successful modeling lingerie or bikinis or working as a fitness model.
�That was why Adrienne asked her to strip down for pictures. She wanted to get a better idea of her body. I�m not a talent scout and only have a general idea whether or not Bianca would be successful. For Adrienne, that�s her business. If she believes Bianca has a shot, she�ll let us know,� I said.
�You don�t have any pull with her?� Nino asked.
I snorted.
�She took my call,� I said with a smile. �Adrienne is always on the lookout for talent. She knows that I wouldn�t have called her unless I thought Bianca had something. Beyond that, I have zero influence on the outcome.�
�But you can get someone�s foot in the door?� Nino asked.
I used my new one-raised-eyebrow look, which made him blush.
�It�s just that I know of two other girls who would love to be models.�
�So, the interview was just a ploy to make me meet beautiful women? I�m a teenage boy; you should have led with that,� I suggested.
�One is Bianca�s sister, and the other is my daughter,� he warned.
�Fathers love me,� I said, and gave him my most angelic face.
As an actor, I needed to figure out what I did wrong when I made that face. It never seemed to have the desired effect. He seemed to reconsider his plan, but then the idea of going home and telling the girls he�d failed suddenly registered. I recognized the look of a man who was wrapped around his daughter�s little finger.
�I have to get back on set. Just leave a message at the front desk if you want to follow up on this,� I offered and then showed him the door.
We would see if he called.
◊◊◊
�If I wanted a dancing hippo, I would have hired the cameraman to play your part. I thought you were some sort of big-deal athlete. Whoever said that was insane,� Laurent ranted.
I smirked when the cameraman�s face turned red.
�What�s so funny?!� Laurent yelled at me. �You�re killing me.�
I would give him an eight out of ten. I needed to have my niece show him how to do the foot stomp. The more he ranted, the funnier I thought it was.
�Don�t make me wipe that grin off your face,� he seethed.
I turned to the cameraman.
�Is that thing running?� I asked, and he nodded, so I turned back to Laurent. �Make me rich.�
He took a step towards me, and the studio suit cleared his throat. Laurent turned and stormed off the set. Everyone looked around.
�That�s a wrap,� I announced.
◊◊◊
Everyone, production crew and actors, went to the hotel lounge to unwind. They had a special on mojitos, and I�d offered to buy the first round. Something I missed from home was my favorite beverage; they didn�t have Pepsi in Cuba, which meant no Mountain Dew. Someone told me there were only two countries in the world where you couldn�t get Pepsi or Coca-Cola products: here and North Korea. What they passed off as cola here was different. They had this tea-like caffeine-rich drink made with something called �
They�d started a pool on when Laurent would finally punch me and �make me rich.� Everyone was in high spirits because word had come that we had tomorrow off.
Someone had ordered appetizers, and the band was setting up when in walked Bianca Cisco with two girls close to my age. I guessed she had her sister and Nino�s daughter with her. If you were into big brown eyes, dazzling smiles, long brown hair with natural curls, full lips, and long legs, these two were for you.
Bianca came up to me, gave me a hug, and kissed my cheek. I suspect everyone in the lounge was interested in what was happening.
�David, I would like to introduce my sister Eva and our close friend Anabella. Nino said you might be able to help them become models.�
I got a closer look at the girls. The good news was they were taller than Bianca was. Most Cuban women were short, but these two were almost tall enough. The only problem was they�d done their own makeup. I motioned for Galen, my makeup guy, to come over.
�They want to be models, and I need to take their pictures to send to my agent. Do you think you could help them?� I asked.
He shook his head.
�Bless you. Let�s get you both fixed up,� Galen said in his southern drawl and sent them to wash their faces.
The band started to play.
�Dance with me,� I said to Bianca.
She was every bit as good as I remembered. By now, everyone had some mojitos in them, and the dance floor filled up. Bianca kept an eye on her charges as Galen and the girl who did hair worked on them off to the side. When they were finally done, I was amazed at the magic they�d pulled off.
The girls were funny as they vamped it up posing. I snapped a few pictures and sent them off to Adrienne, though I didn�t expect much to come of it. Even though they were both cute, they just didn�t have
I dragged Bianca back onto the dance floor. It took all of five minutes for her sister and their friend to get into trouble. Bianca left me on the dance floor to track them down. It was clear she was mad because her face turned red. The two girls pointed at me. That didn�t look good.
�What�s up?� I asked as I was motioned over.
�Did you buy them drinks?� Bianca asked.
I looked at their hands, and they both had mojitos.
�In a way, I suppose I did. I told the bartender that the first round was on me. But I didn�t intend for them to get drinks,� I explained.
�
�You might as well get one too,� I suggested.
�Are you trying to get me drunk?�
�Do I need to?� I asked.
Cassidy and Caryn showed up, each with a drink in their hand.
�I hear you are to thank for these,� Caryn said.
I needed to shut that down. It looked like the bartender was just handing out drinks if someone new walked into the lounge. I bought one last one for Bianca and closed out my tab. I was sure Caryn would have a talk with me once we got back home about spending money.
Fritz and Paul joined us at a big table. I had a good time dancing with everyone. At some point, someone got smart and had the bartender start making mojitos by the pitcher. I spotted Anabella and Eva sneak some refills, but they didn�t get out of hand. I figured Bianca knew, so I kept my mouth shut.
Bianca and the two girls were good dancers, and soon everyone wanted to dance with them. I took a break and ordered more food since I hadn�t eaten any dinner, and it looked like the mojitos were starting to have an effect on people.
I also ordered another faux Coke. The stuff was weirdly addictive. It was orange-brown with a slight greenish tinge around the edges. Granted, Mountain Dew was the color you would expect radioactive sludge to be, so maybe it wasn�t so strange by comparison. The flavor was, at best, interesting. I would describe it as sweet, with an initial tartness that seemed to fade away to a berry taste. At the end, you had a bit of a medicinal aftertaste that reminded you of herbs and was a touch bitter. Then, about five minutes later, the medicinal aftertaste would come back. I�d never had a drink that did that.
The reason I ordered a second one was the caffeine jolt it gave me. I might have to figure out where I could buy more of this stuff. I could envision a future time in college where I needed the energy to pull an all-nighter or drag my sorry ass to class. Cuban coffee was right up there, but sometimes you just wanted something you could grab and run with.
I was interrupted in my eating by Cassidy sitting down in my lap.
�What can I do for you?� I asked to hide my irritation.
�Rub my shoulders,� she ordered.
We�d been practicing our bone strikes, and they affected our joints differently than our usual workouts. Soon Cassidy was moaning like we were having sex.
�Just like that � uhm � harder ��
�I call next,� Bianca said as she came back to the table.
�You better be careful. If he gets his magic fingers on you, you�re a goner,� Cassidy warned.
�I did something to my hip, and it has been killing me all week.�
�I�m sure that after several sessions, you�ll feel good as new,� I offered.
�Do you really know what you�re doing, or is this just a way to get me to take off my clothes?� Bianca asked.
�He knows what he�s doing. His brother does massages professionally, and David learned from him,� Cassidy said, and then gave me a look. �No one told you to stop.�
�Yes, ma�am,� I said, and began to work on her again.
When Cassidy was happy, she got off my lap.
�If you want, we can go up to my room,� I offered.
�I�m not sure,� Bianca faltered.
�You�ll regret not doing it,� Cassidy assured her.
By then, both Anabella and Eva had returned to the table.
�Would you be willing to look out for them?� she asked Fritz.
�We want to watch,� Eva told her sister.
�That would be a great idea,� Cassidy chipped in, ruining my evil plans.
Maybe I could send her home early. I was sure her dad missed her.
◊◊◊
Caryn ordered pitchers of mojitos to take to my room, and Cassidy, Fritz, and Paul joined Bianca, the girls, and me. I took Bianca to my bedroom and grabbed some towels so I wouldn�t get any massage oils on the bed.
Mr. Happy became half hard when Bianca just took off all her clothes except for her panties. She had perfect little breasts with large nipples. She lay down as I got my oils out. The two girls sat on the far edge of the bed. I warmed the oil in my hands and began to give Bianca a professional massage.
She�d complained about her right hip. When I began to massage the area, it tried to seize up, which caused her to suck in her breath and hold it. I got to work using a deep tissue technique to loosen her muscles. Bianca let out a grateful sigh when the pain subsided.
�That was worse than I expected. Now it feels better,� she told me.
I worked my way down to her feet. A dancer�s feet are critical to their success. She made all kinds of happy noises as I worked on them, which made the two girls giggle.
�Why don�t you girls give her some privacy?� I suggested.
They were speaking a mile a minute in Spanish as they left the room and closed the door.
�Do you want me to relieve all your tension?� I asked.
�Oh, yes,� Bianca almost begged.
I wasn�t sure she knew what I was talking about at first. That was when I began to work on the spot on her foot that would get her off.
�
�I don�t think God had anything to do with that,� I said as I chuckled.
Bianca rolled over and exposed her breasts to me again. I just smiled and began to undress. She didn�t say anything to stop me, but did check out my body. My smile grew when Bianca�s eyes locked on my package once it was finally exposed. That was only fair because I�d checked out her breasts.
I crawled onto the bed and covered her body with mine. She grasped the back of my head and pulled me into a passionate kiss. I soon discovered that I could kiss Bianca all day long. She wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs over my butt. She soon had me hard as she ground her sex against mine.
We�d soon had enough foreplay and wanted to pleasure each other. Instead of fighting to see who got to go down on who first, we compromised and sixty-nined each other. I pushed Bianca�s panties to the side so I could feast on her aroused sex. Her nether lips were puffy and red, and as soon as my tongue pushed between her folds, I found she was wet. Bianca reminded me of Kim Sun because everything I did to her got her off.
I flipped her around, grabbed a condom, and put it on. As I eased into her tightness, she moaned.
�You�re not so bad yourself,� I said.
Bianca wrapped me in a death grip as I began to plunge in and out. We were frantic to climax as our bodies responded to each other. She almost burst my eardrum when she screamed her pleasure. I wasn�t far behind her. I don�t remember getting off that hard before.
Bianca finally let me go so I could roll off her and go to the bathroom to clean up. I put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. When I came back out, she must have gotten cold because she�d covered herself up and fallen asleep. I chuckled because that was supposed to be my job after sex.
When I came out to the living room, all eyes turned to me as the conversation stopped.
�I call next,� Caryn said to break the silence.
She was the last person I expected to say that, and it seemed everyone agreed because it got us all laughing.
Eva and Annabella decided they should go home. They debated waking Bianca up but decided against it. Eva said her sister had been exhausted and hadn�t wanted to come out tonight. Fritz took them downstairs and paid for a cab. I kicked everyone else out so I could sleep. Bianca snuggled up to me when I got into bed. I drifted off a happy boy.
◊◊◊
Chapter 6 � You Need A Real Man Sunday May 29
Bianca nudged me awake.
�Hmm,� I grunted.
�I know this is a completely irresponsible question, but � where are my sister and Anabella?�
�Last I saw them, they were with this older guy. I�m sure they�re okay.�
The protective big sister reared her ugly head.
�Okay, okay, okay � Fritz made sure they were put into cabs and sent home,� I explained.
�I�m so dead,� she moaned.
I pulled her to my chest and kissed her forehead.
�Eva said you�ve been working too hard and needed a good night�s sleep. She and Annabella debated whether to wake you, but she decided to let you get your rest.�
�She must think I�m a terrible role model. I mean, I barely know you, and here I am in your bed. God, I�m stupid,� she moaned.
�I thought it was �
�
�
�Okay, Big Boy. Let�s see if you can duplicate what you did last night,� she challenged.
I clapped my hands, rubbed them together, and did my best evil scientist laugh. I do love a challenge.
◊◊◊
Even though today was supposed to be a day off, Caryn thought it was important to keep up our weekly meetings. She had me call the office where Dad and Megan were in the conference room. Dad kicked the teleconference off with some bad news.
�The Quickie Mart was robbed last night. The owner was hurt, and it�s currently closed. He was beaten when he wouldn�t open the safe. The police told me they only had $75 in change in the safe, and it would have been better for him just to give it up.
�I talked to his wife, and he�ll be okay, but she�s talking about retiring and moving to Florida,� Dad shared.
�Did the video cameras Fritz installed capture who did it?� I asked.
�Yes, and I think you know him. It was Tommy Cox.�
Of all the people I knew, he was in the top three for the biggest ass-hat award. The other two were Bill Rogers, who had tried to kill Tracy, and then there was Mike Herndon. Tommy had first come to my attention when he cyberstalked my family and me. Then he was involved in the steroids scandal that almost cost us the season my sophomore year of football.
�Please tell me they caught him.�
�Not yet, but they�re looking for him. Megan just sent the police the video an hour ago. Let Fritz know that the police were impressed with the quality. There�s no doubt who did it.�
�Any other bad news?� I asked.
�Duke cornered a skunk and was banished to the garage for a night,� Dad shared.
�I have a feeling it�s a good thing I�m in Cuba.�
�You owe me big time,� Dad assured me.
�Is he okay?�
�He wasn�t happy about it. You know how he is. He has the whole house on a schedule. Being stuck in the garage turned his world upside down, and he barked for most of the night. There was talk of sending him to the farm, but your mom finally calmed down.�
�Mom loves him too much. She only sends
It was good I could joke about it now.
�How is everything going there?� Dad asked.
�I hate the director, but everything else is going well. I�ve found a baseball team to work out with and have taken time to do some exploring. All in all, it�s been good,� I said.
�Do you think you could send Caryn home?� Dad asked.
I looked at Caryn, and it was apparent that she and Dad had already discussed this. I was a little irritated that she hadn�t talked to me before now to give me a heads-up.
�Why, what do you need?� I asked.
�The restaurant has taken off. Granny and Mary are being run to the bone, and they need to hire an additional manager. They also need more staff.�
�And Caryn has helped with all that,� I finished Dad�s thought.
�Plus, it sounds like we need to deal with the Quickie Mart,� Dad added.
Megan updated us on the financials, and then Dad had one last item.
�Your grandmother has a new roommate.�
�Did she find herself a man?� I asked.
I could imagine how Dad and Uncle John would take that.
�No, a woman.�
Caryn laughed; I must have made a face.
�Yuri�s grandmother, Yelena, moved in, and she�s helping run the farm,� Dad explained.
In a strange way, that made a lot of sense. Mrs. Antakov was a tough old bird. She would watch the farm like a hawk. I knew my grandmother hadn�t really wanted to come out of retirement but had done so to help me. That, and she wanted to be closer to family. The two grandmothers had bonded. I was sure they would make a good team.
Once we hung up, I looked at Caryn.
�Sorry, I didn�t get a chance to tell you,� she tried.
�Caryn, don�t bullshit me. There were plenty of chances for you to tell me you needed to go back home. In a lot of ways, I envy you. There�s a lot I miss from there.�
�Like a decent shower, and ketchup?� she asked.
�Isn�t it funny that you miss the strangest stuff? Then there are those things you love here.�
�Like that rocket fuel they try to pass off as coffee,� Caryn suggested.
�That�s almost like mainlining caffeine. It tastes horrible, but I can�t wake up without it now. We�ll have to figure out how to make it once we get back.�
�Is there anything I need to take back with me?� she asked.
�If you would take back some of the cigars I bought, that would help me greatly. You can only take $100 worth through customs. The way it is, I�ll have to get several people to take boxes back for me. I plan on using the cigars as special gifts.�
�You�re sure you�re okay with this? In the big scheme of things, your acting career is much more important than hiring some employees,� she admitted.
�I�m good. If I need someone to help me, I�m sure I can count on Fritz. Plus, you�re just a phone call away.�
We talked about the Quickie Mart. My idea had been to turn it into more of a produce stand and not be open as much. Late nights just invited the sort of incident that happened last night. I trusted my dad and Caryn to figure out anything that might come up. She went to her room to pack.
◊◊◊
I spent the afternoon with Coach Conde, doing batting practice. He had a couple of new pitchers for me to try to hit. He confessed that he was using our time to scout prospects. Coach Conde convinced me to pay him, and he would use the money to get them here for tryouts.
Because it was the weekend, he could have two pitchers come in from the eastern part of Cuba. They were from Guantanamo and Las Tunas.
The kid from Guantanamo was a nervous wreck. He was a skinny kid who had a sneaky fastball. It wasn�t overpowering, but it had a lot of movement. It took me a while to figure him out, but once I discovered his tells, I crushed him.
�What just happened?� Coach Conde asked.
�His glove goes up a fraction of an inch higher when he�s throwing the fastball. It causes his nose to disappear. If I can see his nose, he�s either throwing his changeup or curveball.�
He had me call out the next ten pitches as I peppered hits all over the diamond.
After only three pitches, I could tell the kid from Las Tunas was good. I mean, �he should be playing in the major leagues someday� level of good. He had a monster curveball that just fell off the table. If he had only a little more control of it, he would be unhittable. With a decent strength program, his fastball would be good enough to make a rotation. The kid was a raw talent who was on the verge of becoming special, with the right coaching.
I was able to hit him, but I wouldn�t want to face him in a few years. He was just growing into his body, and it was clear he was doing everything solely on his natural gift for throwing the ball. I cornered Coach Conde after our session.
�I hate to tell you what to do, but the last guy is going to be special.�
�What makes you think that?� he asked.
I told him what I thought.
�I just don�t think he�s ready,� he replied.
�If you don�t get him on a strength and conditioning program and the right coaching, he�ll never grow into his talent. You need to get him into a structured program like yesterday.�
�I�m just not sure,� Coach Conde admitted.
I shrugged. It wasn�t up to me to convince him. That didn�t mean I couldn�t help the kid. I got his name and contact information before I left. When I got back to the hotel, I downloaded my bodycam video and emailed it to Lucas Kite, the scout for the Cubs. He would know what to do for the kid.
◊◊◊ Monday May 30
Today was the culmination for my character: it was the day I was killed in the movie. I think every actor dreams about a dramatic death scene. Maybe that�s every little boy. I remember my brother and me playing army guys or cowboys and Indians. Part of the fun was dying in some spectacular way.
We were filming in the Plaza de la Catedral, which was in front of the famous cathedral of San Cristobal de la Habana.
It was a perfect early summer day, with blue skies and just wisps of white clouds. The temperature was supposed to reach 88 degrees with a chance of afternoon showers. The afternoon rain was always welcome because it cooled everything off for the evening.
They had transformed the plaza into an open-air market with booths displaying a variety of wares. It was a major production today; they�d hired hundreds of extras. This was where Laurent was supposed to shine. He�d done an adaption of William Shakespeare�s tragedy
The premise for today�s scene was that Rick was suspected of having stolen documents from a Cuban official�s home. He was in the process of trying to give those documents to MI6 and the CIA. The Cubans and Russians would do anything to prevent this because it would uncover their plans to place nuclear missiles within striking distance of the US. There was a manhunt to find Rick that involved both Cuban police and Russian KGB.
This was the climactic end of my character. Rick was chased into the plaza, then handed off the documents and was told to make for the port. He�d been signed on as a crew member of a tramp steamer headed to South America and then to Africa before returning to Europe. The plan was that by the time he arrived back in Europe, the heat would be off and he�d be safe.
Unfortunately, Rick was spotted. He attempted to use the crowd to lose his pursuers. When he thought he was safe, he made a run for it, only to find a Russian had blocked his escape. Rick was shot. This gave the good guys their chance to leave the plaza with the stolen documents.
Laurent was being a dick, as usual. We ran through a number of scenes leading up to the ending, and we had to shoot each of them multiple times. He wanted to get different camera angles to help build the suspense. The day had been ramping up to the final dash across the plaza.
�Places, everyone! This is it!� Laurent yelled to get everyone�s attention, and then he looked at me. �Don�t screw this up.�
I ignored his jab and got ready. The shot was being filmed from three angles. One was a long shot that showed the whole plaza; the second was from above and behind; and the final one was tighter: it was head-on as I burst out of the crowd. The Russian would step forward, come into the frame on the side, and then would shoot me.
Being tall, I had to duck down so I didn�t stand out in the crowd.
�Action!�
From up high, you could see me force my way through the crowd. In my wake were three Cuban police officers. I pushed into the clear and ran for freedom. A big man in tourist clothes turned and stepped towards me. I looked back, and the police had just come out of the crowd and shouted for me to stop. As I turned forward again, the Russian raised his arm with what looked like a cannon. I skidded to a stop, and that was when I heard the shot.
In the plaza, the sound rang off the walls of the surrounding buildings. The crowd reacted as one as screams erupted and people tried to get away. I looked down, and blood had spurted from the center of my chest as I slumped to the ground. The Russian took two steps towards me and shot me again. This time I collapsed on the ground. The camera closest to me came forward and tilted down to capture a close-up of my body while blood pooled around it. My lifeless eyes stared at the perfect blue sky.
�Cut!�
Laurent, Kitty, and Roger all walked over to where they could watch the playback. I assumed they were done with me, so I got up. The special-effects guys had me take off my shirt so they could remove the blood packs. I was covered in stage blood, which required a shower to get off.
When I came back, I found everyone yelling at each other. The stunt coordinator was livid.
�I won�t be a part of it. What you want to do is too dangerous. Without my sign-off, you won�t have any insurance coverage, and they will shut this movie down,� he threatened.
Roger, the producer, and Kitty, the assistant director, both looked worried. But Bob, the studio watchdog, didn�t seem concerned at all.
�I�m the director, and I don�t think the last scene worked. It needs more drama. The kill shot has to be up close and personal,� Laurent said.
�You can�t use that gun to take the shot, then. David would be seriously hurt if you stick the gun against his head and pull the trigger,� the stunt coordinator said.
�There is no way I�m doing that,� I said, stepping forward.
Gun safety had been hammered into me when I learned to shoot guns for
�Oh, dear God! I didn�t want you from the beginning. I knew that when I needed you for a serious scene, I couldn�t count on you. You just don�t have the experience a role like this needs. I�ve had to hold your hand the whole way, and that has hurt the movie, if you ask me. I�ll never allow them to dictate who will play key roles in one of my films ever again.
�It�s always �poor me.� I have to explain the littlest details just to get through your thick head what needs to be done. I was told that you could do a lot of physical stuff. But you couldn�t even run through a swamp without me doing it first so your delicate sensibilities wouldn�t be ruffled. It�s a shame that America no longer produces
�I don�t think you�re capable of listening,� I started, which surprised everyone.
Up to this point, I might have made a few minor retorts to Laurent, but they could tell that this time, I was pissed. I looked around and saw that several of them seemed eager for me to stand up to him.
�Guns are not toys. Even with blanks, they can hurt you. What he�s trying to explain to you is that your idea is stupid!� I shouted and then took some deep breaths. �I will not put my life in danger for this movie again.�
�Once again, I suppose you need a real man to do it first,� Laurent said.
He suddenly reached his hand out and took the gun from the stunt coordinator. We all took a step back as he raised it to his temple and pulled the trigger. Everyone froze at the sound of the gun going off. Kitty screamed, and we watched in horror as Laurent fell to the ground and the gun clattered across the cobblestones.
I immediately rushed over, and my first aid experience kicked in. First, I checked Laurent�s neck for a pulse; there wasn�t one. I tilted his head back to make sure his airway was clear and immediately started CPR. There was mayhem as everyone became aware of what had just happened.
I focused on the task at hand, so I was unaware of what was happening around me. I might have hated Laurent, but I didn�t want to see him dead. It seemed like I performed CPR forever before an ambulance crew arrived and pushed me out of the way. They worked on him, then put him in the back of the ambulance and whisked him away.
Everyone was in shock. Finally, Roger came out of it enough to send everyone home.
◊◊◊
Fritz didn�t get me back to the hotel. The police took me and most of the crew to the local police station where we were all questioned. It took them several hours before they finally got around to talking to me, and when they did, they treated me as if I�d shot him. It was fortunate that I�d been through this before, or I would have lost my temper, which was what they wanted.
When they couldn�t get me to confess, which was ridiculous, they finally let me go with an instruction not to leave town. They�d gone to the hotel and collected all our passports to ensure we weren�t going anywhere.
It was after midnight when I finally got to the hotel. I was tired and hungry but tired won out, and I went to bed.
◊◊◊ Tuesday May 31
Everyone was required to go to a meeting first thing in the morning. Roger Brooks must have drawn the short straw because he had to talk to us.
�Laurent Vance was declared dead on arrival at the hospital yesterday afternoon. The movie has been put on hold until the police finish their investigation. I would ask that you remain patient while we work this out,� was his short statement.
�Is there a chance they might pull the plug on the movie?� Heath asked.
From Roger�s look, you could tell the answer was �yes.� Bob Trimble, the studio suit, saw this might turn ugly, so he stepped up.
�The studio has sunk a lot of money into the production of this movie so far. I would think it would only make sense to finish it,� he reasoned.
�The problem is insurance. We�ve had the problem with the crocodiles and now a death on set. I would suspect that we�re considered a serious risk, at this point,� the stunt coordinator said.
While that conversation continued, I stepped out the back door of the room and called Caryn.
�I need you to find out something for me. If the studio pulls the movie before it�s done shooting, do I get paid?� I asked.
�I don�t know. Is that even a possibility?� she asked.
�Laurent Vance accidentally shot and killed himself on set yesterday.�
There was silence on the other end except for the sound of her keyboard tapping.
�Oh, my God! He really did.�
Someone had just done an Internet search.
�I know this sounds mercenary, but find out. We might all be packed up and out of here in the next few days.�
I stepped back into the room, and people were upset. Fritz filled me in. They were all complaining about the movie shutting down � or that was what was assumed was going to happen.
�Before we pack up and leave, I have a question? How much of the film is left on the storyboard?� I asked.
�We�re a little over halfway done. The good news is we have a big chunk of b-roll that needs to be shot, so the acted scenes are close to done,� Kitty told us.
B-roll was cutaway or filler shots either to establish a location or to move the story along between scenes with actors in them. A good example would be a couple having dialogue in an outdoor caf�. The b-roll would be the cutaway shot of across the street.
�Did Laurent share with you his remaining shot list?� Bob, the suit, asked.
�Yes,� Kitty admitted.
�I don�t know about the rest of you, but Kitty directed a few of my scenes. I think she could finish this if we all helped her. Personally, I don�t want to walk away from this movie. I think it has a chance of being great,� I admitted.
This was a better movie than either
My comments didn�t stop the bitching, but the tone changed, and people started to talk themselves around to finishing the movie. Kitty�s eyes locked with mine, and she gave me a warm smile. Bob had begun saying they probably wouldn�t need to bring in another director if Kitty took over. This could be a real opportunity for her.
◊◊◊
I couldn�t listen to everyone talk about what would happen with the movie for very long. What we needed was Judge Mom. She had a rule that you could talk as long as you didn�t start to repeat yourself. I�d thought if I repeated a point over and over again, she would see that my brother, Greg, was really wrong, and I would win my court case. There was no point in listening here because the decision wasn�t ours to make. I was sure Bob would make a good case for us because this was his first movie, or so he said.
When I came out of the never-ending meeting, we all went to my suite. I called Caryn back, and she said that Saul told her I was guaranteed some money, but the bulk would be paid when the film hit theaters.
�So, what do you guys want to do today?� I asked.
�In the lobby, they had flyers for vintage car tours. They have old convertibles you ride around in, and the driver takes you to places of interest around Havana,� Cassidy suggested.
Everyone thought playing tourist for the day was a good idea. I�d borrowed my dad�s camera, and this sounded like the perfect opportunity to break it out. Fritz called down to the concierge and booked an afternoon outing.
The front desk called when our driver arrived. His name was Fabio, and he had a red and white 1955 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible. His English was excellent, and he knew what he was doing. He took us to Morro Castle, a fortress guarding the entrance to Havana Bay. We then drove to the
He then took us through Old Havana. Fabio explained that this area was colonized by Spain in 1519, and it was named
Our tour lasted a little over three hours, and we all had a good time. Cassidy even found a hat she liked, which I bought to replace the one the crocodile ate.
◊◊◊ Wednesday June 1
There was still no word on what the studio wanted to do as far as the movie was concerned. The police, on the other hand, had ruled Laurent�s death an accident, so we all got our passports back. Fritz had collected the footage of the incident that he, Paul, and I had from our bodycams. Caryn had talked to Frank and Ms. Dixon about the accident, and they�d advised that we keep it �just in case.� That didn�t sound ominous at all.
My interview with Nino Su�rez had aired last night in conjunction with the news of Laurent�s death. I knew this because Bob Trimble asked me to attend a press conference. The reason he gave was they�d asked for me because my Spanish was passable in the interview that had aired.
The press conference was held in one of the hotel conference rooms. When I came in, Nino introduced me to the other Cuban reporters. He pointedly did not introduce me to a reporter from Miami. I got the impression that the Cubans didn�t like the woman.
They�d set up a table with a podium. At the table, Bob was there to represent the studio along with Kitty, Roger, and myself. Bob got up and read a brief statement about the loss of Laurent Vance. When he was done, Nino stood.
�Mr. Dawson, would you mind if we asked you some questions?�
I walked them through the scene and the accident, leaving out the parts where he�d been a fool and responsible for his own death. I didn�t think it was right to express my opinion on the matter. Then the reporter from Miami got her turn.
�The Cuban community in Miami is upset about the President�s recent trip to Havana,� she said.
I just stared at her. Frank had taught me I shouldn�t be baited into making a comment without thinking it out first. Frankly, she�d made a statement and hadn�t asked a question. Something else that had me a little worried was I wasn�t in the United States right now. I was in Cuba, and I�d been warned not to make negative comments about Castro or Cuba while I was there. So, I waited her out.
�What are your views on that?� she asked, getting frustrated with my silence.
Frank had written me a quick blurb to use if I was asked anything potentially controversial about Cuba. It was time to use it.
�Ma�am, I don�t mean any disrespect, but I can�t answer your question. I�m a guest in this country and working as an actor. When I get home, I�ll be a high school student. I have neither the training nor the understanding of all the issues to be able to give you an informed and reasoned response. So I�m not in a position to answer that.
�I will say that I�ve enjoyed my stay here. The people of Cuba have been nothing but hospitable, and I feel privileged to have received the opportunity to visit this fine country.
�I also hate to say this, but I don�t think this is the time or place for this discussion. We all lost a colleague yesterday, and that should be our focus,� I said and saw Nino nod to me.
I�d argued that it didn�t sound like me; the �reasoned response� line sounded like I was fifty. Frank assured me it was a good nonanswer and would get the interview back to being focused on Laurent and not my opinion. Once again, I was thankful I�d hired him.
Then she hit me with one I wasn�t prepared for.
�In your latest movie,
I just stared at her.
�What do you have to say?� she asked, getting impatient.
�I�m sorry; I thought you were making a statement. What is your question?� I asked, getting a chuckle from the other reporters.
�Did you actually have sex in the film? Is that clear enough for you?� she asked.
Everything in me screamed
�I�m assuming you�re talking about the scene between my character and Diana. Leah Johansen is a fantastic actress who helped me through that difficult scene. After filming it, I understand when actors say that romantic scenes are some of the hardest to do.
�And it�s not like you�re alone. Even if they clear the set, there�s the director, videographers, sound technicians, and in our case, the producer, all of whom remain there. On top of that, I�ve heard horror stories of an actor�s family or significant other being in the room while they shot.
�So you get an idea of how hard a scene like that is. Leah helped me every step of the way. We had to do several takes to get what they wanted on film. I�ve not seen the final product, but people have told me it came off as very realistic. That was all Leah,� I said and then stood up and stepped away from the microphones.
After the interview, Nino stopped me to find out if I�d heard anything from Adrienne. I had to tell him I hadn�t. I assured him I would let them know when she got back to me. Adrienne was either looking for something for them or wasn�t interested. She would let me know when she was ready.
◊◊◊
We took the elevator up to my suite, and I had Paul download his bodycam footage of the last question and response and sent it to Frank. It took him all of five minutes to call me.
�Well, shit. I guess I should have warned you that Leah has been asked about it several times. You�ve not been exposed to the American press, so I wasn�t worried. I suspect that by the time you get back, some other big story will dominate the news rather than whether you had sex.�
�Are we good with the answer I gave?� I asked.
�No, no, I mean, yes. You did great. I�m not sure I would�ve answered the same way, but you put the focus on the process. They�ve heard some of the same stories you have, and they�ll believe you didn�t really have a chance to do it,� Frank said.
�Can you get word to Leah so we keep our story straight?� I asked.
�I already sent it to her people. We�re all good.�
◊◊◊
Coach Conde had two more pitching prospects for this afternoon. It was a good distraction for me while the movie sorted itself out. They were both raw, and I had to eat dirt a few times when pitches got away. But it was good practice for me nonetheless.
I had fun when Coach Conde held practice for the team. He ran them through drills where they had a runner on, and I got to be that runner. I was able to show them that if you kept your head up and paid attention, you could pick up extra bases, and that extra bases turned into scores.
They were not used to my speed. Coach Conde had me show them some speed drills I�d picked up over time. I also showed them the proper footwork to get from point A to point B faster. It was the old story: Coach Conde had taught them how to do it, but it took hearing it from someone else to get them to listen.
After practice, Luis pulled me aside.
�We saw your interview on TV last night. Why didn�t you tell us you could speak Spanish?�
�It never really came up. Plus, you all speak English, and my Spanish isn�t that good,� I explained.
�You need to talk to my sister.�
I just shook my head.
�I know Sarita did something that caused you to quit seeing her, but she has it bad for you. Personally, I don�t see it, but I can�t handle her moping around all the time. Do me a favor and at least sit down with her and tell it�s over,� Luis begged.
�Let me think about it,� was all I could give him.
I really had no desire to �break up� with his sister. Towards the end, I felt it was more of a business arrangement. What was the proper way of not seeing your �Cuban girlfriend� anymore? I was almost positive it didn�t involve a lengthy conversation where you ended up feeling like a jerk.
The other problem was, what would I say? It was probably rude to tell her I didn�t want to date a jinetera. No probably about it, no girl would want to hear that. I�d told Luis that I wasn�t interested in dating a professional. Maybe I read it wrong, but money always seemed to be flying out of my pocket when I �dated� Sarita. Then again, Uncle John always said that if you looked at something hard enough, you would find what you were looking for.
I guess I would�ve felt better about our relationship if I hadn�t heard Sarita talk about me to her friends the way she had. I knew she would never have said what she did if she knew I understood their conversation. The bottom line was she said it. I tried to imagine myself in Sarita�s shoes. For me, it was a character issue. I would never have made those kinds of remarks to my friends about a girl I was out with.
Something else that set off warnings was the �good Catholic girl� image she and Luis had tried to fob off on me. Luis made it sound like she was the Virgin Mary. Maybe it had been Tony who said it, but they made it seem she was a good girl. I�m not the best role model for religion and chastity, but I don�t pretend to be anything I�m not, either.
All of that combined made it pretty clear Sarita had tried to deceive me. Trust was something I had serious issues with. I knew for an absolute fact that if I didn�t trust a girl, I didn�t want to date her. That, more than anything else, was why I didn�t want to see Sarita again.
I believe that if she had been up-front with me about what she wanted out of me, we might still be going out. I had fun at the various places Sarita took me, and I would admit I enjoyed our time in bed. If I didn�t feel taken advantage of, and it was my decision to pay her for her time, I probably wouldn�t have broken it off. Fritz was right, it would be good for the local economy.
◊◊◊
Fritz and I met Cassidy and Paul at the dojo. Carlos took the time to show us more dirty ways to fight. He went into detail how, in a fight, you needed to be creative, and the most unexpected things could become weapons. He must have been a real troublemaker in his misspent youth.
I had a pleasant surprise when we got back to the hotel: Bianca was waiting in the lobby.
�I hope you don�t mind, but I took a chance when I got done early and swung by to see if you�d have dinner with me. My treat.�
�He likes to eat,� Cassidy offered.
I shoved Cassidy into Paul, and she giggled.
�I would very much like you to take me out,� I said to Bianca, and then turned to Cassidy and acted like a girl. �Oh, my God! What should I wear?�
�Ignore him. He�s just a �stupid boy.� Are you sure there isn�t someone else you would rather go out with?� Cassidy asked.
I picked up Cassidy and tossed her over my shoulder so I could smack her butt. Bad plan. With her hanging over my shoulder like that, she could smack my butt in return.
�Hey! Be good,� I told her.
�You both be good,� Fritz said, being responsible.
I put Cassidy down, and Bianca came with me to my room so I could take a shower and change.
◊◊◊
We ended up staying in the hotel. They had one of the better restaurants in the area. The bonus was that Fritz didn�t feel the need to have someone watch us if we didn�t go out.
�This is sort of a �thank you� dinner. Adrienne called, and we had a long talk. She had both good and bad news,� Bianca said.
�Give me the bad first.�
�My sister and Anabella are not model material. I get to go home and tell them.�
�They�re going to be disappointed.�
�They�re young. In fact, they didn�t even know they wanted to be models until they heard about you sending pictures to Adrienne. I�m sure they�ll get over it,� Bianca predicted.
�What�s the good news?� I asked.
�Adrienne says she would like for me to come to New York. She has a place I can stay with other models, and we would try it for six months to see if it will work out. She made the same observations you did about my shortcomings but felt that with my dance experience, she might be able to help me make some money.�
�I predict that you�ll like it, and the place Adrienne has is in her building. She�ll look after you.�
�We talked about you, too,� Bianca said with a little smile.
�Don�t believe a word of whatever she told you.�
�She said that you were discreet and that I could trust you. It sounded like that was a big deal to Adrienne.�
�I have no idea what she�s talking about.�
�Good. That brings me to my next subject of the evening. I was wondering if you would give me another massage. It has really helped me in ways I didn�t even realize I needed help with,� she said demurely.
�It sucks, getting old.�
�You�re a jerk sometimes,� she said with a smirk.
�I can be really nice at others,� I suggested.
�You won�t get that opportunity if you�re too much of a jerk, though.�
�I�ll remember that,� I assured her.
�I do like them young so I can train them,� Bianca teased.
This was going to be fun.
◊◊◊
Bianca ended up going home because she needed to talk to her sister and their friend. We did go up to my room so I could work on her hip that was bothering her. I gave her Caryn�s keycard to my room. I felt good about Bianca. She was older, and what we had was just for now. There were no expectations beyond my stay in Cuba.
Bianca did tell me she�d just gotten out of a long-term relationship with another dancer. They�d come up through the ranks together and had bonded. Dance in Cuba was very competitive. Her ex had injured himself and needed surgery on his ankle. Recently it had become clear that he would never again dance at the highest level. Bianca said that she�d stood by him throughout his injury and rehab, but he�d become resentful and pushed her away when he found out the bad news.
Bianca called me her distraction. In essence, I was her rebound�a guy you used to get over your last boyfriend before you are ready to find Mr. Right.
The breakup had caused her to reevaluate her situation. At 23, Bianca was in the prime of her dancing career, but she�d seen how quickly it all could go away. She�d decided to leave Cuba. While she had a comfortable lifestyle, she was worried about her sister and the rest of her family. Bianca wanted to get them out, eventually. She didn�t like to see her father struggle and have to accept money from her because he was a proud man.
◊◊◊
Chapter 7 �
There was still no word on the movie�s status. I was happy when I saw a call come in from Saul.
�Decided to start working for me again?� I asked.
�I�m really sorry. Some issues came up the last several days and I haven�t been as fully involved as I should have been,� Saul said, sounding subdued.
�What�s going on? Are you having problems with your partner?� I asked.
�She forced me out. I no longer run the company that bears my name.�
�Are you still my agent?� I asked.
�I was going to ask
�Tell you what: you get this movie back on track and get us paid, and you�re my guy.�
�Thanks, David, I needed that,� Saul said, perking up. �You won�t be sorry, I promise you.�
�I�m already sorry. You can be a jerk sometimes. I bet they would at least take my calls,� I complained.
�Whatever. I have a lot to do, kid. Leave me alone,� he said and hung up on me.
I just grinned and felt sorry for the studio. I�d just unleashed the biggest shark in Hollywood on them.
◊◊◊
The next call wasn�t a shock.
�I just got a new contract from Saul. What�s going on?� Caryn asked.
�They booted him from his agency. He�s gone rogue, so I told him he was still my agent. I�m sure it�s paperwork to transfer us over to him.�
�Isn�t this the perfect time to find someone new?� Caryn asked.
�I sent him after the studio to get this movie restarted. I mentioned us getting paid, and that seemed to do the trick. Let�s see if he can get it done or not before we bail on him,� I suggested.
�I�m just saying we should at least shop around.�
�What happened to �you�re the boss�?� I asked.
�Technically, your dad is.�
�Have it your way. You find someone who can get me back to work, and I�ll listen.�
�Sure thing, boss,� Caryn said and hung up on me.
It sounded like Saul needed to stop pissing off women.
◊◊◊
I told Cassidy I wanted to go sightseeing. She suggested we go kayaking in Havana Harbor. One of the crew had gone and said it was fun. We rented a two-seat sea kayak and spent a couple of hours exploring. I�d been canoeing before but found I liked this more.
While we were out, Coach Conde called and wanted to know if I had time for more practice today. Cassidy agreed I needed all the help I could get, so we cut our adventure short.
We returned to the hotel so I could change and get my gear. Coach Conde had another two pitching prospects he wanted to try out. I was stretching and doing some warm-ups when things got interesting.
A classic Chevy pulled up and came to a screeching halt. Out jumped two men with Luis.
�
You could tell that Luis wasn�t happy to be there. He nodded, and they began to stomp over to the field. I looked over, and Cassidy had her headset on, listening to music, and wasn�t paying attention. Well, shit!
As they came toward me, I assumed the stance Carlos suggested for a bar fight. My left arm was across my chest, and my right had the elbow at my side and my right hand close to my face. As they got closer, I could see them better and suspected that the two men were Luis and Sarita�s father and uncle or older cousin.
Luis hung back, but the two men flanked me. I got the impression that they�d done this before. I heard Cassidy scrambling to get on the field to act as my bodyguard.
�You�re the guy who took advantage of my daughter?� the older man asked.
�I�m assuming you�re talking about Sarita?� I asked.
�S�. She tells me you abandoned her,� he said, poking me in the chest.
That was when Cassidy stepped between us and pushed me back to give her room.
Both men looked at each other and then glared at me.
�Maybe she is better off without a ��
Let�s just say what her dad said was rude.
�I�m not sure what the problem is. Your daughter and I went out a few times, and it just didn�t work out,� I tried.
�The problem is, you took her innocence! Now you act like it�s no big deal. I expect you to do what�s right, or I�m going to kick your ass. Just so we�re clear, I will kick this little girl�s ass, too, if I have to.�
�Before you get yourself hurt, I want make you aware of who this �little girl� is. Her father is a retired major in the United States Marines. Not just the Marines, either; he was in their version of Special Forces. This �little girl� learned how to fight from some of the best men they had to offer. If that wasn�t enough, they were stationed in Japan. That was where she learned from a master. This �little girl� knows hundreds of ways to make you cry like a baby without breaking a sweat.
�Heck, if I asked her to � it would be like
I noticed a little quiver go through Cassidy�s body. That meant they had better not make an aggressive move, or she would attack. I was about to call her off when Sarita�s dad made a grab for Cassidy. She�d wanted to knock me out ever since Carlos had shown us how to do it. His right hand grabbed her left shoulder, so she used her right forearm to pop him with a bone strike behind the ear.
The difference was that unlike the love tap Carlos had given me, Cassidy wasn�t playing around. I watched as his eyes rolled up into his head, and he just collapsed. The other man took a step back.
�Cassidy,� I called to stop her. �Let him take care of Sarita�s dad.�
While the other man took care of Luis� dad, I motioned for Luis to come over.
�What the hell just happened?� I asked.
Luis looked over at the two and shook his head.
�Sarita complaining about you finally got my dad�s interest. He sat her down to find out what you�d done, and she admitted that she slept with you. I think she realized what a mistake that was as soon as she said it. Dad became angry. He got my uncle to come with him. Dad planned to make you do the right thing and marry Sarita. I�m sorry, I had to tell him where he could find you,� Luis said.
By that point, Luis�s uncle had gotten his dad to his feet. His dad looked a little unstable and had to be helped back to the car.
�Tell your family that I will meet them at dinner tonight at my hotel. We can talk it out then,� I said.
Luis nodded and left to help get his dad home. I really wished my mom were here. She had talked parents off the ledge before. She�d done it with Cal when he caught Pam and me together, and had bailed Greg out more than once. I would just have to face them on my own.
◊◊◊
Fritz was not a happy man when Cassidy told him what happened. It was made clear I wasn�t going to dinner alone. Not that I�d asked to, but Fritz made sure I knew all three of my security people would be with me tonight.
I received a call from the front desk when they arrived. Somehow, I expected the whole family would be there for dinner. Instead, it was just Sarita and her father. I decided that we didn�t need to outnumber them, so Cassidy and Paul grabbed a table next to ours.
Sarita looked like she might be sick, while her dad had an indelible scowl on his face.
�I don�t think we�ve been formally introduced. I�m David, and this is Fritz,� I said to start the evening off.
�Marco� was his one-word answer.
This wasn�t awkward at all!
�You look nice,� I said to Sarita.
�Don�t talk to her,� Marco growled.
�Okay, fine. Let�s just cut to the chase, because I�m not eating dinner with you if you�re going to act like that. How much is this going to cost me to make you both go away?� I asked.
Fritz and Sarita both flinched at my words, but Marco had pushed me far enough. The man�s face turned a deep shade of red, and Fritz stood up, ready to protect me.
�There is no price that could be paid for my daughter�s virtue,� Marco spat. �You have to do the right thing and marry her.�
�I hate to say this because I�m sure you�re not going to like it, but I didn�t take your daughter�s virtue,� I said.
Then I did my Dawson bit: I shut up.
Marco looked at me like he could somehow decide if I had just told him the truth or not. When he couldn�t read me, he turned to his daughter. She withstood his glare for a minute before she broke.
�He�s telling the truth. David wasn�t my first,� she admitted.
All the fight seemed to drain out of him as he realized the truth of the matter.
�Let�s go. You�ve embarrassed me enough for one night. When we get home, I want you to pack your bags. I expect you to be out of my house by the end of the weekend.�
�But Daddy, where will I go? I can�t afford an apartment as a student,� Sarita said.
�Maybe you could live with Paz. Maybe your American boyfriend will rent you a place. I don�t really care. All I know is your mother will never allow you to stay,� Marco said.
Her expression made it clear that what he said about Sarita�s mother was true. She just nodded and followed her dad out of the restaurant. When they left, Cassidy and Paul joined us.
�Your life is more fun to watch than a soap opera,� Cassidy said.
�Some days it is,� I admitted. �Do you think I should help Sarita find a place?�
�I�d be willing to bet my next paycheck she�ll be back asking for that,� Paul said.
�Unfortunately, I agree with him. I think you�re being hustled,� Cassidy said, adding her two cents.
�Sarita�s dad seemed serious,� I said.
�He may have been, but that doesn�t mean she won�t ask for money,� Fritz said.
�The only good that came out of this was Cassidy got to knock someone out, so I don�t have to worry about her practicing on me.�
�I�m not done with you,� Cassidy warned, and then smiled. �Fritz said I couldn�t do it to you. I�m just waiting for you to piss him off so he�ll give me permission.�
Why did everyone think that was funny?
◊◊◊
Bianca showed up after I�d made my calls for the night. Saul was hard at work on the studio. He admitted that so far, I was the only client who had gone with him when he left. I was shocked Rita James hadn�t. I would have to talk to her to find out why. The good news about being his only client was that I got tremendous customer service. He even had another stack of scripts he wanted to send me.
Mom and Dad were doing well. Little David was now rolling, which had Duke worried. I expected it wouldn�t be long before my hound would have to chase after Little David. My namesake was also sitting up and babbling up a storm. Coby was still at the infant stage, where he would cry when he wanted to be changed or was hungry. He wasn�t sleeping through the night yet, so Peggy was a little worse for wear. I couldn�t imagine getting one through that stage only to have to deal with a second one right away.
Greg had taken Mac to the Pearsons� farm to ride her horse, Bolt. Since they�d been out of school, she�d asked almost daily to go. Angie told her she had to wait for her Uncle David to come home and take her.
Angie, though, was made of sterner stuff than Greg. Mac had him wrapped around her little finger, and he�d made the mistake of taking her once. In the last two weeks, they�d been five times.
Zoe told Greg she was happy that Bolt was being ridden; he needed the exercise. Greg was also learning to ride, so Zoe would take Mac while Greg rode another horse. It seemed like a good father-daughter bonding experience. I hoped he would take over for me with Mac.
Kyle missed daycare, so when Mac would go riding, Nate and Kyle would spend the afternoon there. It gave Angie some much-needed mommy alone-time. Mom had explained the need for that to Greg and me when we were younger. It went something like, �go to your room and don�t come out until I tell you.� What was funny was I still got that every now and then. Dad just told me I should do as I was told.
Grandma Dawson was busy supervising the planting of the vegetable gardens. Her crew had been planting green beans, lima beans, eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini, and had already planted lettuce, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. On a larger scale, they�d planted sweet corn.
The Mennonite girls seemed to have really taken to Yuri�s grandmother. From what I was told, they absolutely loved hearing her tell stories about when she was a young girl in the Soviet Union during the war years. They were hanging on to her words of advice as if she was preaching the gospel.
Our Mennonite helpers were also working on the orchards to cull out old or dead trees and plant new ones. The local furniture maker took all the cherry wood. The black walnut trees were in good shape, and they�d planted a new section of late-harvest apples.
On the goat front, she hadn�t had to off any of them after the one she�d used for our �Chicago� dinner with Wolf, Tim, and Tami�s families. I would think seeing their friend taken out would have snapped them into line. I never did learn what the poor guy had done to deserve his fate.
Yuri�s grandmother talked to me for a minute and told me I had to come visit so she could cook for me. Grandma Dawson warned me that might not be a good idea because she was getting fat. In the background, I heard, �He too skinny.�
◊◊◊
�Uhm � God, yes � right there,� Bianca whimpered as I gave her a massage.
There was a knock at the door.
�Don�t get it,� Bianca pleaded.
I swatted her greedy butt and left her lying on my bed. I looked out the peephole and saw it was Sarita.
�Yes?� I asked as I blocked her entry into the room.
�We need to talk,� she said as she pushed me out of the way.
�What about?� I asked.
�You need to help me get an apartment since you got me kicked out of my home. It�s the least you can do since Cassidy hurt my dad. Did you know he has ringing in his ear now?� Sarita asked.
Paul had been right. As far as Cassidy knocking her dad out, I figured it was either him or me. I was a little selfish when it came to who she�d try her new trick on; I would pick him every time. But I decided to play along.
�How much is it going to cost to get you a new apartment?� I asked.
�Ten grand should cover it,� she started, when Bianca came out of the bedroom.
I�d told her about Sarita, so she was up to speed.
�Are you serious? Most people can support their families on $1200 a year. Are you looking to live in some luxury place just because you think he can afford it?� Bianca asked.
Sarita had the grace to blush. She recognized one of her idols.
�He was able to pay four or five hundred a night when we were going out. I didn�t think it would be a problem,� she admitted.
Bianca gave me a look.
�He made me pay for dinner,� she mock-complained.
�But I�m worth it,� I said.
�
I wasn�t sure what she said, but I thought
I stepped over to my dresser, where I kept some extra money. I counted out a thousand bucks and handed it to her.
�This is it. I don�t want to see you or your dad ever again.�
Sarita nodded, and I let her out. I found Bianca where I originally left her.
�Where were we?� I asked.
�You were making me feel better.�
�Ah, yes. Let�s get back to that, shall we?�
She just moaned her pleasure as I got back to work.
◊◊◊ Friday June 3
�What are you doing?� Bianca asked.
�Sketching you,� I said and showed her my drawing.
The morning light and the image of her lying in my bed had inspired me to get out my sketchpad and pencils.
�Can I have it?� she asked.
I signed it and then tore it off the pad. It wasn�t complete, but you got the broad strokes. For goofing off, it was more than enough, as far as I was concerned.
I heard the door open and wasn�t surprised when Cassidy came in. She took in the scene and gave me a smirk.
�The movie�s back on. You need to get downstairs and eat. They want to get started right away,� she announced.
I shooed Cassidy out and then crawled back into bed with Bianca.
�What are your plans for the day?� I asked.
�I have a show tonight. Is it okay if I stop by after I�m done? It might be late.�
�You have a key.�
I took my shower and got dressed. When I came out, I saw she�d fallen back to sleep. Bianca was used to sleeping until late morning because she didn�t usually get to bed until after midnight. I was more of a morning person now. It hadn�t been that way when I was younger, but my routine of getting up to run for the past three years had changed that.
◊◊◊
The atmosphere on set, while somber, was much better; the tension level was way down from where it had been before. I discovered that the venom Laurent had spewed hadn�t only been at me. He�d also verbally abused the crew who now seemed more focused, and you could tell they wanted to make Kitty look good.
The end result was that my acting was also much better. I�d thought I could put aside the insults that Laurent had thrown my way and still do a good job. What my performance today showed was that I�d been holding back due to fear of what he would say. Kitty Ellis and her directorial technique put me at ease and encouraged me to take chances.
She also wasn�t worried about Laurent�s wrath anymore. Her direction could be summed up in what she told Heath between takes.
�What I try to do is give you, the actor, whatever it is you need from me. Direction to me is about listening, responding, and realizing how much you need to know so you can figure out how to convey the message on screen.
�That goes for everyone,� she said, waving her hand around to include the crew. �Filmmaking is about appreciating the talents of the people you surround yourself with. Give them direction and then let them do their job. The best lesson I ever learned was that you can never make any film by yourself. I think good directing is to set the tone and direction and get out of the way. If need be, I can always step in and guide us back on track.
�I assume you�re all professionals and know your jobs. I want to work with all of you to make sure we create the best possible result,� she said, now talking to everyone.
That little speech was the turning point. Laurent may have been a better director technically, but everyone would do whatever it took to help Kitty. She�d won us over.
We saw that she was open to suggestions. Laurent had a vision, and he would never have strayed from that, but Kitty was more willing to listen. She wasn�t a pushover, though. Kitty seemed to know which ideas to try and which ones not to. I think part of it was she�d been an assistant director for several years. This was Kitty�s chance to be the lead. Her prior experience allowed her to do what was right for the movie and not second-guess herself.
The cast and crew did give me a hard time about my sex scene in
◊◊◊
They let me go shortly after lunch since I wasn�t in any of the afternoon�s scenes. I�d been slacking off on lifting, so I went to the hotel�s gym and used what equipment they had. I talked Paul into spotting for me. Day in, day out, training hard, doing my cardio. Six days on/one off, five days on/two off � Consistency was the key to my exercise program.
I�d learned that your body needed to take a break every now and again. If I planned to work out the rest of my life, I couldn�t let it take over my life. It was the same way with my diet. I knew what I was supposed to eat. If I didn�t give myself a break every now and again, I would be fixated on each meal. That was how you failed.
You also needed to give your body a break every so often to heal completely. Anything that caused pain � well, the pain was your body�s way of saying that you should stop. I realized that running and lifting did damage, but in a good way. The pain led to gaining muscle, stamina, flexibility, and many other benefits.
The physical side wasn�t the only part of it; there was also the mental aspect. Even though I took regular days off from the gym, the week after week pounding that my body took required more time off sometimes.
Baseball was coming up, and I knew easing myself back into lifting was necessary.
After I was done, I had Cassidy go out and run me through my drills. In my mind, I�d started the transition from acting to sports.
This was the last week I would be in Cuba. To be honest, Laurent�s accident had taken the fun out of it. I was ready to go home, see my boys, and focus on football and baseball.
◊◊◊
Bianca showed up after her show. I�d done some thinking and decided that what she and I were doing had to stop. I realize I�m a �stupid boy,� but while I liked her, it just didn�t feel right. My experiences with Sarita and Kimberly had made me examine what had happened since my arrival in Cuba.
Kimberly had traded her body to get a role. It sounded like she�d done it before, but I still couldn�t get past the fact that a fifty-year-old man would go there. Like an onion, I peeled it back and thought about a teenage almost-man. Was I any better? My only defense was that I�d no idea Kimberly was that young. I somehow felt partly responsible for allowing Laurent to send her to my bed.
Logically, I understood that I�d done everything right once I found out, but that didn�t mean I felt good about what had happened before then. I kept wondering who else Kimberly had been sent to spend the night with. But to be honest, I really didn�t want to know the answer. I liked the other actors and crew on this movie, and I didn�t want to think about any of them spending time with an underage girl.
Sarita had turned into a straight �pay for play� deal. I felt silly for falling for it. I�d been warned multiple times to be careful of Cuban women. Not that they were bad people; I understood the realities of living here. When you were paid nothing, and only given rations for half a month, you had to be creative in how you made up the difference. I still thought if she�d been honest with me, I wouldn�t have felt so put out. Then again, how do you tell someone that you�re with them to make money?
In the end, giving her money was my best option. A thousand dollars would go a long way for her if she managed it properly. I worried about the rift this had caused with her dad, but Uncle John always told me that actions have consequences. He also said not to take on other people�s burdens.
My time with Bianca, on the other hand, was amazing. Dancers had unreal body control, which can make sex creative, to say the least. Even though I enjoyed that aspect of her life, the age difference was a problem. I know that I�m not an average teen; I have responsibilities that most people don�t take on until they�re in their thirties. Her being a dancer at the top of her game wasn�t the issue. It was just that we were at different places in our lives.
Bianca had just gotten out of a relationship she expected to lead to marriage, a family, the whole shebang. Heck, I couldn�t even go as far as to have a girlfriend. I understood the need for meaningless sex to get over someone; I�d done it myself. The fact was I was her rebound guy, and there was never going to be a future for us. I liked her and hoped we would be friends, but I didn�t like her enough to be more than that.
What made me decide that it had to end had to do with my change of focus towards getting ready for football and baseball. That reminded me of the girls I had at home. I liked Halle, Brook, Pam, and Zoe just fine, and I realized that I�d rather wait a week to see them than continue to spend time with Bianca.
I felt a shudder go through my body. Was this the first step towards a commitment?
I needed to beat that idea right out of my head.
◊◊◊ Friday June 10
Over the past week, I�d gotten serious about training. My security team had gotten smart and rented a cab to follow me around in while I did my morning run. At six-four, my stride was too long for any of them to keep up when I ran. I was unwilling to slow down to accommodate their pace.
I settled into a good speed and fell into the zone that allowed me to think.
Coach Conde and his team had worked hard with me. He used me as an example of the dedication it took to make it to the top. They even started doing
Coach Conde told me that the Cubs had contacted him about the pitcher I�d sent them video on. Their biggest issue would be getting him to the States. In the meantime, Coach Conde reevaluated him and agreed to get him the coaching and training he needed.
Luis pulled me aside and told me that his sister had moved in with Paz. Sarita wanted me to know that she was sorry for what she�d done. She had no idea I spoke Spanish. She�d been shocked when my interview appeared on local TV. Sarita realized the jig was up because she�d talked to her friends in front of me. I told him I harbored no ill will and that I only wished her the best.
As a treat for the team, I gave Coach Conde some money and asked that he take them to Paz�s restaurant for dinner. It was one of the best places I�d eaten at while I was here.
The movie was doing great, now that Kitty was directing. The plan was for my part to wrap up either today or tomorrow. It all depended on whether they needed to reshoot anything. Our flight left bright and early Sunday morning. I was already planning what I would eat as soon as we landed in Miami. Whatever it was would have hot sauce on it.
I learned how to make Cuban coffee, or �liquid crack� as Paul was now calling it. It was basically espresso with sugar froth. That surely couldn�t be bad for you. I planned to add it to the menu at Granny�s West. I thought if we gave it away to start, we would soon have a legion of coffee addicts begging to pay any price to get it. The good news was it was legal. My only fear was it might kill some decaf drinkers. I considered possibly making customers sign one of those death-thingy documents Devin always had me sign when he wanted me to try out one of his new toys. If we opened a place near State�s campus, Cuban coffee would pull them in in droves.
I had arrived at the entrance to the hotel, so I sprinted to the front door. Even at this time of day, you could feel the heat and humidity. I was drenched and needed about a gallon of water to rehydrate.
�Jesus, Dawson. Have you ever thought about competitive running?� Fritz asked as he got out of the cab.
I ignored him and began to stretch. He knew my routine and handed me a bottle of water. I nodded to him, chugged it, and then returned to stretching. My breathing gradually slowed down to normal.
�Have you figured out who�s going with me to North Carolina?� I asked.
�Cassidy has decided to take some time off until you go to Japan. I was thinking about just sending Paul. Personally, I want to go to LA for a few weeks. With Halle starting to be recognized, we need to add to our staff to give her the same level of security as you and Rita are getting,� he explained.
�I doubt I�ll be doing too much while I�m there. It�ll be mostly baseball 24/7,� I predicted.
�That was what we were thinking. Plus, Paul enjoys working with you. He knows if the situation goes to pot, you can handle yourself. Not that I ever want you to do that,� he scolded.
�I promise,� I said and gave him my best little-angel face.
I was disappointed that it didn�t even faze him. You couldn�t use a look like that too often, or it lost its effect. I would have to perfect a new one. �Lost puppy in a rainstorm� might be a good choice. That would involve big sad eyes and some whimpering. Oh � I knew what would really sell it: add the trembling lower lip. I could nail that!
◊◊◊
�And cut! That�s a wrap, David,� Kitty said.
The crew all clapped, which caused me to blush. I hadn�t expected them to do that.
�Tomorrow night, we�re having a going-away party for David. You�re all invited,� Kitty announced.
I strolled around and talked with each one of them to start to say goodbye. I couldn�t believe it had only been four weeks; it seemed much longer. When I was done, Kitty and Roger pulled me aside.
�You were so much better than I expected,� Kitty said.
�Don�t believe her. We thought you were perfect for this role,� Roger said.
�No, I mean it. I listened to Laurent complain for months as we prepared. I guess I just assumed he knew what he was talking about. You�d only done that space movie,� she explained.
�That �space movie� only made about five times what this movie will make,� Roger reminded her.
�Acting isn�t about making money,� Kitty said.
�It doesn�t hurt,� I shot back.
�No, I guess it doesn�t,� she admitted. �What I wanted to say is I was wrong about you. Even Laurent was happy with your acting, which you will never believe, but he was.�
�I think we�ll just have to agree to disagree on that one,� I said.
�I wanted to say that you�re good at this, and if I were your agent, I�d convince you to go full time. The camera loves you, and you take direction like a dream. When more people in the industry hear how easy you are to work with and what you can deliver, you�ll be set for life.�
�What she�s doing is preparing to lowball you on the next picture she needs to cast,� Roger teased.
�My agent is Saul Gessler. Good luck with that.�
�David, this has been interesting. Thank you for not punching Laurent, even though he deserved it,� Roger said.
�Do you need me for tomorrow?� I asked.
�No. Enjoy your last day in Cuba. The party will be in one of the ballrooms. I expect you to save me a dance,� Kitty said.
It was finally over. Thank God.
◊◊◊
I returned to my room to box up my stuff. Fritz wanted to have it ready to ship home first thing in the morning. The plan was to only keep out what we could carry on. That meant we wouldn�t have to wait at baggage claim once we got home.
Cassidy joined me when she was done with her own packing. This trip had been good for us. She was one of the best people I knew, and I was lucky to call her �friend.�
◊◊◊ Saturday June 11
The key word for today was relaxation. The plan was to take advantage of the pool, catch some rays, and just hang out. Throughout the day, people stopped by to say goodbye. Word must have leaked out to the hotel staff. Cassidy just rolled her eyes at me because I really did talk to almost anyone who would listen.
Soon it was time to take a shower and get ready for the party. Fritz, Paul, and Cassidy all came to my room when they were set. I did a double-take because Cassidy had worn a dress. I was smart enough not to make a wisecrack. It reminded me that she wasn�t just my buddy, but a young woman.
I�d found that someone had left me one of Rick�s costumes that I�d worn in the movie. I put on white skinny-leg pants and a button-up sweater with a white shirt and a bow tie. With my black glasses and period haircut, I looked like I�d stepped through a time machine.
�You need to see if you can land a role on
It was a television series set in the 1960s.
�I would if it were still on the air,� I said.
Mom had been upset when they�d canceled it after eight seasons.
�It�s kind of cool,� Cassidy said, checking me out. �This outfit has a vintage vibe that sets you apart.�
Fritz wasn�t about to be drawn into a fashion discussion.
�I�m hungry. Let�s go and see what they have at the party,� he weighed in.
◊◊◊
It seemed the theme of the party was rum. I broke down and had a mojito or three. Paul told me that in the States, they used peppermint to make the drink. Here, they used spearmint. The combination of sweetness, refreshing citrus, and mint flavors hid the potent kick of the rum. After my third one, I was feeling it.
The good news was I was a happy drunk who wanted to dance. I had a blast at the party.
We�d been there for a couple of hours when Kitty found a microphone to address everyone.
�Since young David is leaving us, I thought it was a good excuse for a party.�
�Like we need an excuse!� someone called out.
�I agree, but this one was better than most. Since David is done with his part, Roger thought we should show a �best of� compilation of his scenes,� Kitty said.
Someone dimmed the lights as a big screen dropped. The video began with my scene on the first day and showed me doing the same two lines over and over again. They only showed seven of the ninety-plus takes, but the funny part was that it was precisely the same each time. Roger must have had someone look through all of them to find the duplicates.
Of course, they shared me jumping off the mast and into the bay. They also showed the crocodiles chasing me out of the swamp, and then they�d caught the one leaping out of the water to grab Cassidy�s hat. I was shown when I didn�t realize the camera was running, making goofy faces at the crew to make them laugh.
Then it got serious and showed some of the scenes that would make the movie. Roger had edited together the different shots. I was never comfortable watching myself on screen, but even my critical eye was happy with what was presented.
When the lights came back up, everyone had smiles on their faces. I had a couple more mojitos, and it was time to go to bed. I would sleep well tonight.
◊◊◊
Chapter 8 � Too Close to Home Sunday June 12
At around two in the morning, my phone made a terrible racket. My alcohol-addled brain took a moment to realize that someone had hit their panic button. I sat up and was groggily trying to find it when the alarm sounded again. That woke me up in a hurry.
I found my phone and picked it up. The app asked if I was okay, and I clicked yes. I saw my dad had done the same, which gave me some relief. I looked to see who had set the alarm off; it was Trip and his bodyguard, Andy. There were two messages that chilled me to the bone.
�
I threw on a pair of shorts, grabbed my key, and ran to Fritz�s room. Paul answered the door, and Fritz was inside on the phone. It sounded like he was talking to Rita.
�I don�t know what�s happened. The app gave me their location, and I used it to call the Orlando police. They assured me they�re aware of the situation and have dispatched people to the scene.�
He listened and then continued.
�I�ll let you know as soon as I hear anything,� Fritz said and then hung up.
Paul had his laptop open.
�Andy�s log shows they planned to go to dinner and then to a nightclub. They were with Craig Wild and Kent Crain, Craig�s manager,� Paul said.
There was a knock on the door, so I got it and found Cassidy.
�Do you know what�s going on?� she asked me.
�It looks like Halle�s brother has been shot at a nightclub in Orlando,� I said.
�Oh, my God! Is he going to be okay?� she asked.
�We don�t know. We can�t get ahold of him or his bodyguard. It sounds like several people were shot.�
�Crap! Look at this,� Paul said.
He had the Facebook page for the nightclub up.
�
Pulse was the name of the nightclub.
Unfortunately, Cuba didn�t have a 24/7 news channel, so we were in the dark about what was going on. That didn�t mean everyone at home didn�t have news. My phone started to ring. I excused myself and returned to my room. Fritz promised to send Cassidy to come to get me if he found anything out.
An initial report was that gunfire erupted in the nightclub shortly before two in the morning. It was thought there were as many as 300 people in the club when the shooting started. It was feared that many people were dead or injured. The problem was that the gunman was still in the club, and the gunshots continued unabated.
◊◊◊
None of us had gotten any sleep, so it was no surprise when I fell asleep on the short flight from Havana to Miami. The plan was for Cassidy and Paul to return home. Fritz and I would fly to Orlando, where we would meet Rita and Halle. Fritz had tried to get me to go home as well, but I knew that Halle and Rita would be a mess and wanted to be there to support them. I hoped that Trip had survived.
When we arrived in Miami, we received an update on the situation in Orlando. After a three-hour standoff with police, the gunman had been shot and killed. Initial reports were that 40-plus were dead and just as many wounded. That would mean nearly a third of the people at the nightclub had been shot.
There were also reports that the gunman had called 911, pledging his allegiance to the Islamic State. I admit it, I had to Google �Islamic State.� Turns out, it�s another name for ISIS. I wish these terrorists would pick a name and stick with it.
Customs was excruciating. They wanted to account for everything we�d purchased in Cuba. I think they were looking for an excuse to confiscate the cigars I bought, but I had receipts for them. Thankfully, Caryn had organized it all before she left.
Once we finally got through customs, we hurried to catch our flight to Orlando. Cassidy and Paul had to rush to make their connection to Chicago, so we didn�t get a chance to talk before we split up.
I was in such a daze that I didn�t even notice when we had to sit in coach. That was before some ten-year-old decided he needed to kick my seat for the entire flight. I�d forgotten that Orlando was the destination for the �Happiest Place on Earth��Disney World. That explained the number of children on the plane.
◊◊◊
When we landed, we grabbed a taxi to Orlando Regional Medical Center. I�d done a Google Earth search for the nearest hospital to the nightclub. When we arrived, we found chaos. The cab had to drop us off a block away. Friends and family were milling around, waiting for information.
Being six-four and determined, I put on my best Adrienne persona and just cut through the crowd. Fritz fell in behind me, and we worked our way to the entrance. When we got to the door, police officers were there to stop us.
�Sorry, only family is allowed in at this time,� one of them announced.
I just walked past him into the lobby and got in line at the front desk. Fritz had been stopped, leaving me on my own. It took me several minutes to get to the front of the line. The woman who waited on me was clearly on her last nerve.
�Has it been a rough morning?� I asked.
That seemed to startle her. I think people had been upset and taken it out on her, up to this point.
�The worst part is we don�t have any information for anyone yet,� she said.
�Why�s that?� I asked.
�We haven�t been able to identify many of the dead.�
I closed my eyes and let that statement sink in. I didn�t even want to think about what that meant. It had been nearly twelve hours since the shooting had started. You would think by now they�d be able to figure out who was who � unless � I didn�t want to think about what that meant.
�Do you know who made it?� I asked.
�Are you a family member?� she asked.
I took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
�I�m David A. Dawson. You might be aware of a movie I was in,
�Yes, the actress. I�ve liked most of her movies.�
�Her son, Trip James, was shot last night, along with his bodyguard. Technically, the bodyguard is one of my employees. I also want to check on Craig Wild, who was my co-star in
She gave me a frown but looked at her list. I gave her Kent and Andy�s names so she could check. When she looked up, her expression told me she didn�t have good news.
�Trip James was brought in at 5:15 this morning. From what I can tell, they were able to stabilize him, and he�s now in surgery. I have no word on Craig or his manager, but I am sorry to tell you that Andy didn�t make it.
�Leave me your number, and I�ll call you when I find out anything,� she said.
I wasn�t allowed to wait for Trip to get out of surgery. They had too many actual family members here to tolerate that. I thanked her and left to find Fritz. He was on the phone with Rita.
�He just came out. Let me put you on speakerphone so you can hear what he has to say,� Fritz said.
�David? David, are you there?� Rita asked.
�Yes.�
�Hang on. Let me put you on speaker so Halle can hear too,� she said.
When she had me on speaker, Halle almost shouted at me.
�How�s Trip? Did you find out anything?�
�He�s alive,� I said.
�How bad is he? What do you know?� Rita asked.
�They didn�t want to tell me anything, but I was able to get some information. Trip was brought to the hospital early this morning. They were able to stabilize him, and he�s in surgery. I have no idea about the extent of his wounds or anything else.�
�Oh my God, I�d hoped he hadn�t been shot. I�d hoped this was just a nightmare,� Rita admitted.
�What about Craig, Kent, and Andy?� Fritz asked.
I looked him in the eyes, and I think he knew.
�Andy didn�t make it.�
Fritz looked like I�d just punched him in the stomach. He handed me the phone and walked away to collect himself.
�What do you mean, he didn�t make it?� Halle asked.
�Honey, he means Andy died protecting your brother,� Rita said.
I�d never met Andy before, but Fritz had known him for years. When my career took off, Fritz hired Andy to manage the LA group so that Fritz could focus on us. Fritz told me that Andy was more of a manager, but with Halle�s recent exposure, they�d had to shuffle some people to give her more protection. He admitted that Trip hadn�t been the highest of security concerns, and that was why Andy had volunteered to come to Orlando with him.
Craig had been asked to come to a comic-book convention as a guest speaker. Trip had come with him to spend time with his friends. Fritz didn�t have any idea why they had gone to the nightclub or why they were there at 2:00 in the morning.
I�d watched many newscasts by now, and they kept emphasizing that the nightclub was a gay bar. I didn�t understand why they thought it important to make that distinction. While I had a good idea why Craig and Trip were there, my gut told me that Craig would face some serious problems when everything came out. He�d been careful not to out himself, and I expected the media not to care and to smear him.
�David, what about Craig and Kent?� Rita asked.
�They didn�t have any information on them,� I admitted. �When will you be here?�
�We have about another hour of flight time. Can you see about getting us hotel reservations and a car?� she asked.
�I�ll get Caryn on it. You might want to call Frank Ingram.�
�I hadn�t thought of that. Can you call him for me? I�m not sure what good I would be for him right now,� Rita admitted.
I wrote down their flight information; Rita had hired a private jet. I called Caryn and told her what I needed. My next call was to Frank.
I spent nearly forty minutes talking to him. He understood the danger for Craig, but there wasn�t much Frank could do for him. His concern was Rita, Halle, Trip, and me. He said that once the press got wind of a celebrity connection, it would be a big deal. He assured me he would get his people working on talking points. Frank threatened to kill me if I did any interviews before he got to Orlando.
◊◊◊
I took Fritz to the hotel Caryn had booked for us. Once we�d checked in, I turned on one of the 24/7 news programs. The death toll was now 50, with 53 injured. This made it the largest terror attack on US soil since 9/11.
The President came on and gave a speech to the nation. Here are the highlights:
�
I don�t think the media could help themselves. They spent the majority of their time trying to guess at the motivation.
When Rita landed, she and Halle were driven straight to the hospital. They had Flo with them, and Fritz met them there. I�d promised not to leave the hotel room so Fritz could go be with Rita.
◊◊◊
While I waited for news, my mom tracked me down.
After I told her what little I knew about Trip and Craig, she wanted to know about Cuba.
�What happened with your director?� she asked.
�He wanted to demonstrate that the stunt director and I were exaggerating the danger of a gun loaded with blanks. It was the same crap he pulled with the crocodiles.�
Did I just say that?
�What crocodiles?� Mom asked. �You haven�t said anything about crocodiles.�
�We did a scene in a swamp, and they spotted a crocodile. We had to make sure they got rid of the crocs before we could continue with the shoot.�
�Hang on, how many were there?� she asked.
�Uhm, two that I saw,� I admitted.
From there, it was game over. I ended up telling Mom the whole story. Believe me, it would have been a hundred times worse if she�d found out from someone else. I also told her about jumping off the mast and the girl who had gotten money out of me.
There was some vague threat about withholding information. I was glad when Mom finally had to go work with a client.
◊◊◊
My hotel room door lock beeped as it was being opened.
�I don�t care if it might be disturbing. I want to see what happened,� Rita was saying to Fritz.
Halle looked pale, and when she saw me, she crawled onto my lap and laid her head against my shoulder. I tuned out Fritz and Rita�s argument and focused on Halle.
�How is he?� I asked her.
�He made it out of surgery, and they think he�ll make a full recovery. They let us see him for just a moment. It was terrible,� Halle said as she buried her head in my chest and began to cry.
I just held her and let her cry it out. She was a mess and emotionally exhausted. She ended up falling asleep in my arms. I picked her up and put her in one of the bedrooms. When I came out, Rita and Fritz were glaring at each other.
�What�s wrong?� I asked.
�Fritz got the bodycam footage from last night and refuses to show it to me,� Rita said.
�Have you seen it yet?�
�Not yet,� Fritz admitted.
�Rita, let him look at it and decide if you should see it. I don�t think you want to watch anything that will scar you for life. Let him do his job and protect you,� I said.
�No! I want to see what happened,� she insisted.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the other bedroom. She fought me every step of the way and called me some names that would have been hurtful if I hadn�t known how much pain she was in. I wrapped her in a bear hug, and she finally calmed down. She began to shudder and then collapsed in my arms. I just held her as she sobbed.
No mother should see her child after he�s been shot. My heart broke for Rita and Halle. Once Rita stopped crying, she began to talk about the hurt of not being able to do anything for him. Trip had been shot twice, once in the head and once in the shoulder. The head shot had just grazed him, and all they did was sew him up. The shoulder was the more serious of the two. They were afraid he would lose some function in his right arm.
When they brought Trip in, he was unconscious. They weren�t sure if it was from the head wound or the loss of blood. He wasn�t entirely out of danger, but the hospital kicked Rita and Halle out because of the sheer volume of people who wanted to be there. They promised to call Rita when he woke up.
When Rita was almost done telling me what happened, Halle came in, and mother and daughter clung to each other. I left them to talk and walked down the hall to see what Fritz knew.
He and Flo were watching the video. By their grim expressions, I could tell it wasn�t good.
�Did you find out what happened to Craig and Kent?� I asked.
�No. But I do know I can�t show this to Rita,� Fritz said.
�Show me.�
If I had a way to roll back time, I would have never had Fritz show me the video.
Andy�s bodycam showed men dancing. It was Latin Night at the Pulse. According to the time stamp on the video, it was 2:02 a.m. when the bartenders announced last call. Moments later, there was gunfire. Everyone took a second to figure out that this was real. You could hear screams, and we saw Andy grab for Trip, but Trip bolted for a door.
I watched as Trip was shot. Andy rushed forward to where he lay, grabbed the back of his shirt, and pulled him towards the door. People were literally pushing others down and jumping over them to get out. Andy could be seen pushing Trip under a table and pulling out his phone to hit the panic button and send his two text messages.
While he did that, the shots continued to ring out.
�Turn it off,� I said, feeling sick.
�Was that an AR-15?� Flo asked.
�No, it was a SIG Sauer MCX,� Fritz responded.
I just shook my head that he could tell what kind of gun it was from that video.
�The police were there fairly quickly, and the first officer in the door exchanged gunfire with the terrorist. The terrorist then retreated to a bathroom, where he found people hiding and took them as hostages,� Flo explained.
�Around five a.m., they set off a controlled explosion to distract the target. SWAT drove an armored vehicle through a wall of the club, and officers swarmed in from behind. Eleven of them engaged the target and eliminated the threat,� Fritz said.
�Trip was found still under the table, with Andy blocking him from further harm with his body,� Flo said.
�I�m so sorry for your loss,� I told Fritz.
�He did his job,� Fritz said.
I could tell he was starting to get emotional, so I left him alone.
◊◊◊
Frank showed up and wanted to talk.
�They keep harping on the gay bar aspect. That shouldn�t be the focus,� I complained. �They�re all people first. It shouldn�t matter if they�re gay or anything else. People are dead, but that seems to be what the media is latching onto.�
�You�re beating a dead horse with that one,� Frank said with a smirk. �Intellectually, everyone would agree with you, but that isn�t the reality. People want to feel safe. If they can point to something and say, �I�m not like them, so it would never happen to me,� they can go home and not worry about it. Think about it. You see that there�s a bombing in the Middle East; does that affect you?�
�No, I guess not.�
�You can tuck it away and sleep at night because it would never happen here.�
�What you�re saying is that because it did happen here, then people need to explain to themselves why it wouldn�t happen to them?� I asked.
�That�s part of it. Bias also plays a role, whether or not we want to admit it. We want to put it into a neat little box. We want to be able to say, �It happened because they were different in some way and the person who did it had a problem with that kind of people.� Then we can forget about it,� Frank explained.
�It just doesn�t seem right to me,� I complained.
�There�s the other side of the coin. You have to be careful about pushing your agenda for political correctness,� Frank said.
�What do you mean?� I asked.
�Don�t repeat this, because many people get funny when you use a phrase like �political correctness.� In this case, the �politically correct� thing to do would be to treat them just like everyone else. What you�re able to do is to suppress other people because you have the moral high ground. If you had your way, they wouldn�t even mention that it happened at a gay club.�
I just nodded.
�Would this not be an opportunity to talk about the issues the LGBTQ community faces and how they are treated? Wouldn�t it be better to acknowledge that a possible reason was the bigoted attitude of the killer? I know there�s no evidence that the killer held those views, but I don�t think you want to suppress discussion about that,� Frank reasoned.
�I guess I was just worried about how it would affect Craig. He�s worked hard not to let it out that he�s bi. It could really hurt him financially and affect the types of roles he�ll be able to play. I know it�s not fair, but it�s the truth,� I said.
�And that, my friend, is why you pay me the big bucks. Image is everything,� he said with a smile.
�I�m not sure I agree,� I admitted.
�Maybe not in the real world, but you�re in the movies now,� Frank said.
◊◊◊
I ordered pizza, and when there was a knock at the door, I got up to go pay for it. I opened it to find Kent, Craig�s manager.
�Wow, am I glad to see you. Is Craig with you?� I asked.
�I don�t know where he is. He went to the club with Trip, and I�ve had no word from him since. I was hoping you might know something.�
I invited him in. He told me he�d talked to Frank, and Frank had told him where we were. Pizza arrived, Flo got Halle and Rita, and everyone came out to hear Kent�s story. I admit I�d missed pizza while I was in Cuba, but no one complained about my indulgence.
�Craig had been invited to appear at a comic-book convention called Hero Hype. It was being held at the Orange County Convention Center. They�re planning to create a
�Why would Craig want to do a comic-book convention?� I asked.
�Craig isn�t doing as well financially as you would think. He spent most of his money on maintaining his lifestyle,� Kent admitted.
That was code for he bought a mansion, luxury cars, women, drugs � you name it. It would be easy to blow through a ton of money in LA in a short time.
�Even his signing bonus for the
Everyone turned and looked at me like I�d lost my mind.
�He
�No, what did you get?� Kent asked.
I told him, and even Rita looked impressed.
�That reminds me, Saul asked that I have you call him Monday,� I told Rita.
�If he can broker me a deal like that, I will. How did you get them to pay you that much up front?� Rita asked.
�Remember, I waited to sign. I tried to get everyone to wait because I thought we had a hit on our hands, based on what Chubby and the others said at the screening. It also helped that they needed our movie on the books for the board of directors meeting.�
What I didn�t mention was that Saul was against waiting. He was happy with how things turned out, though.
�Craig was pissed when he heard what you were making for the two movies. He�ll have a complete fit when he finds out how much you were paid up front. At the time, I was with you, but Craig didn�t want to be shown up by some kid,� Kent said and then got back on track.
�Craig and I went to the convention, and he did what they asked him to for the day. He was on a panel discussion, and then they set him up in a booth to sign pictures. After we were done, we picked up Trip and Andy on our way to Victoria & Albert�s for dinner. They wanted to go to the dance club after dinner. Some of the people Craig met said they would be there. I decided I didn�t want to go since I�d had too much to drink the night before, so I grabbed a cab back to the hotel. That was the last I saw of them.
�I�ve gone to the hospital and gotten nowhere. I talked to the police, and they�re aware that he�s missing. Not knowing what else to do, I called Frank Ingram because he might put me in touch with Rita. He told me you were all here, so I came over,� Kent said.
My phone rang. It was a local number, so I answered.
�Mr. Dawson?�
�Yes.�
�This is Cheryl at the hospital. I have some bad news. Your friend Craig Wild has been identified as one of the dead.�
�Thank you so much for letting me know,� I said and hung up.
I looked at Kent; it must have shown on my face.
�NO!� he cried in anguish.
�What did they say?� Fritz asked.
�That was the woman I talked to at the hospital. She promised to call me if she had news. Craig didn�t make it.�
Kent was inconsolable. He and Craig had been friends for years. Kent�s job was to keep Craig out of trouble. Craig had been in the business since he was younger than I was. He�d gone through his Lindsay Lohan phase and ended up in rehab more than once. Kent had held Craig�s hand through the worst of it and gotten him straightened out.
◊◊◊
Rita got a call that Trip was awake and asking for her. We all drove to the hospital. They�d moved him from recovery to his own room. They were only letting two people in at a time, so Halle and Rita got to go in first. When Halle came out, Fritz was let in. When they came out, Kent and I got our turn.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked wan.
�Did they tell you about Craig and Andy?� I asked.
�Yeah, that was messed up. I heard the shots, and my first thought was just to get out of there. I saw Craig � it was terrible. Then it felt like I�d been hit with a sledgehammer, and the next thing I remember is waking up here.
�I can�t believe they�re gone. Fritz told me that I owe Andy my life. What am I supposed to do with that?� he asked.
Neither Kent nor I had an answer for him.
I�d gotten to know Trip through Halle and Rita and considered him a friend. It was hard to see him with his head wrapped and shoulder patched. He put on a good act, but you could see in his eyes that he was hurting. All I had to do was think of Jeff Rigger, and I understood how Trip felt right now.
Trip started to feel tired, so we said our goodbyes.
◊◊◊
We came out to the waiting room where Rita was talking to someone from the hospital with Frank at her side. When they were done, he motioned Halle and me over.
�Someone leaked to the press that Trip is here and that Rita�s in the building. They want to have her make a statement. I fear the alternative is them hounding you when you come or go,� Frank said.
�Won�t they do that anyway?� Rita asked.
She had a point.
�I imagine so, but I would advise you to give them a brief statement.�
�Okay, let�s do it,� Rita said.
◊◊◊
The hospital had a place for the press to talk to Rita. Frank wanted Halle and me to stand behind her to show support. Rita stepped up to the podium and read her statement.
�I received a frightening message last night that my son Trip had been shot. They say there are five stages of grief. I think I�ve gone through the first two, denial and bargaining. I�m at the third stage, anger.
�How dare someone think they can move their political agenda forward by killing or wounding our youth? My son accompanied his friend out for a night of fun. They were ready to wrap up their night and go home when they were gunned down by this � this �� she got out and then turned to clutch Halle.
I stepped forward.
�I�m David A. Dawson, a close friend of the James family. As you can see, this tragedy has a personal face to it. Trip James was with his friend Craig Wild who was here to appear at the Hero Hype convention for comic books. After Craig had finished for the day, he had dinner with his friends, and then Trip and he went to Pulse. Trip was accompanied by his personal bodyguard, Andy Lewis.
�Unfortunately, both Craig and Andy lost their lives. Trip was shot twice and is now recovering from those wounds. Our sympathy goes out to everyone who was there last night, and to the families and friends who either lost someone or who are related to one of the injured.
�Today, Rita James is just like you. She is grieving that she almost lost her son and praying that he will fully recover. We would ask that you respect that and allow her and her family to deal with this tragedy with dignity. We ask that you keep the James family and all the other families in your prayers. This tragedy strikes too close to home. We need to come together and support each other now more than ever.
�Thank you for allowing Rita to make a statement. When she�s feeling better, she will make herself available for questions. I�m sorry, but she�s not in a state of mind to answer any at this time,� I said and stepped back.
Of course, that didn�t stop the press from yelling their questions. Rita led us out of the room, and Fritz had a car waiting for us. We were safely away before anyone said anything.
�Thank you, David. I almost said some things I could never take back,� Rita said.
�It was almost like he�s done this a time or two,� Frank said.
�I just read what you put in front of me.�
�No, seriously. Good job,� Frank said.
◊◊◊
When we got back to the hotel, Fritz had more information. Someone had sent over a copy of the 911 transcript of the terrorist�s call.
Dispatcher:
Gunman:
Dispatcher:
Gunman:
Dispatcher:
Gunman:
Gunman:
Dispatcher:
Gunman:
Dispatcher:
�Who is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi?� Kent asked.
�I think he just became the world�s most wanted terrorist,� I said, and then Googled him. �He�s the leader of ISIS. It looks like they�ve tried to kill him a couple of times, but no one can confirm if he�s still alive or not.�
◊◊◊
I needed to get home. I had to prepare for my U-18 tryouts and hadn�t seen my family in over a month. Rita and Halle assured me they would be okay, so I grabbed a cab to the airport; Flo accompanied me and then took a taxi back to the hotel. Paul picked me up at the Chicago airport and drove me home.
Duke met me at the back door of my apartment. He bowled me over, licked me to death to show his love for me, and sniffed me all over to assure himself I was okay. Then I let him out to run off some energy. At least he was happy to see me. It was close to three in the morning, so I had to try to keep him quiet. When we walked upstairs, I found two cribs in my living room. Duke making a ruckus had awakened Coby.
I checked him, and he needed his diaper changed. He also acted hungry, so I found a bottle in the refrigerator and heated it up. Peggy came out to see what was going on.
�Oh, I didn�t think you�d be back until tomorrow.�
�I caught the last flight to Chicago. How have the boys been?� I asked.
�Growing like weeds. We took them in for their checkups, and they�re doing great.�
�How about you?� I asked.
�I start summer school tomorrow, so I need to get back to bed.�
�Me too. Care if I join you?� I asked.
�It�s your bed.�
�I could sleep on the couch.�
�As long as we�re just going to go to sleep, then I don�t have a problem,� Peggy said.
I put Coby down, and he fell right back to sleep.
It was good to be home.
◊◊◊
Chapter 9 � Think A Little Less Monday June 13
Peggy woke me up and made me run with her. I was in charge of pushing the boys in their running stroller. Duke must have been growing up because we saw three squirrels, and he decided to let them live. Either that or Peggy had gotten through to him that dragging her across someone�s front lawn while she had the boys was not in his best interest.
We walked into the kitchen for breakfast and found that Mom had made sausage and eggs with hash browns. I was a happy boy because there was hot sauce. It was amusing how little things like water pressure for your shower and hot sauce to add zing to your food made coming home seem like heaven.
�What are your plans for the day?� Dad asked.
�I need to go lift and then get ready for baseball camp.�
�Yuri called to remind you football practice starts at one.�
�Yeah, why not? I�ll call Moose and see if we can do my baseball stuff later.�
�We�re going to your new restaurant for dinner tonight,� Mom told me.
I just let it roll off me. I hadn�t been home even a day and already had too much to do.
The back door opened and in strolled Paul.
�Look what I have,� he said, showing me a bag of Cuban coffee.
He also had a stove-top espresso maker. You put the water in the bottom, and when it got hot, it pushed the water up through the coffee into a reservoir at the top. I poured sugar into a small bowl and added a little coffee to it so it could be beaten into the sugar froth for the topping.
Peggy was the only smart one and didn�t want to try it. Mom and Dad made faces, but I was betting that once they felt the effects, they�d be back for more.
◊◊◊
Coach Hope was there to open the weight room for the football team. I think he wanted to talk to me because he volunteered to be my spotter. Usually, Wolf did it, but he was in Chicago for the summer.
�Cassidy had a good time, and she told me you were a perfect gentleman � with her,� Coach Hope threw in for good measure.
�She has a big mouth if she�s telling you personal information like that.�
�How did she do?�
�Cassidy did great, for the most part. She wouldn�t protect me from the crocodiles, though. With respect to her acting as my trainer, I couldn�t be happier. She didn�t let me slack off very much. If she hadn�t been there, I probably would have been a total slug,� I admitted.
�Is she still going to Japan with you?� Coach Hope asked.
�She seems to be looking forward to showing me where she lived while you were stationed there.�
�It�s a great place. A little crowded, but I have no complaints about my time there. That was the time she got serious about martial arts. You�ll have to get her to take you to her old dojo. They�re amazing.�
That caught my attention. It was definitely going on my to-do list.
�How�s football coming?� I asked.
�Good. Trent has improved with the extra work from seven-on-seven and the summer workouts. He�d be ready to start if he wasn�t behind you,� Coach Hope admitted.
�Make sure he signs up for some camps this summer. The two I would recommend are Kentucky and Ohio State. He�ll learn a lot and get some exposure.�
�Don�t forget, Michigan is coming here to hold a camp. What do you think of that?� he asked.
�Coach Haber isn�t making any friends in the business. I expect the others are just jealous they didn�t think to do it first. I got a tweet that they may go to Rome for spring break during spring practice. It�s not like the football program doesn�t have the money. I read somewhere they averaged $87 million in football revenue over the last three years. That�s $17 million more on average than Ohio State and $40 million more than Wisconsin.
�So, if Coach Haber wants to hold a camp to try to lure me to Michigan, I say go for it. It certainly will give all the football prospects in the area exposure to a big-time football camp,� I said.
�Are you considering going there?�
�They�re on the short list. Right now, I�m also considering Ohio State, Michigan State, Alabama, Kentucky, Clemson, Florida State, Texas, Oklahoma, Stanford, and USC.�
�Three from the Big Ten and then two each from the other Power 5 conferences. I�m surprised you don�t have more from the SEC,� Coach Hope said.
�I have ties to Kentucky and Alabama that I don�t have to the rest. Georgia seems to have gotten their quarterback for the next few years, and who knows what�ll happen at LSU with their new coach? You look at Missouri and how their team walked out over some racial issues, while Ole Miss is one misstep away from a meeting with the NCAA. I guess if I were to expand my list, Florida and Tennessee seem to be making some noise. As of right now, I�m not ruling anyone out, but I need to start getting serious soon,� I said.
�I�d say your list is fine. If it were me, I would probably take Kentucky, Michigan State, Texas, and Stanford off. I just don�t see them competing for a national title anytime soon, and I believe you need to experience that.�
�We�ll see. I have nine months or so to decide.�
◊◊◊
I drove to football practice, and when I got there saw there were some new faces. Guys who had been on the JV team were moving up to varsity. It looked like we would have more depth than we did last year. Yuri and Ty had stepped up and were organizing everything. Alan couldn�t help out this year because he was on the coaching staff, and summer practice was a non-sanctioned event, meaning no coaches.
�Look who decided to show up. Why don�t we show you what the new offense is, and then you can join us in a couple of days?� Trent asked.
�Why don�t we do it like we always do and take turns? I�m sure the JV and freshman quarterbacks would like a chance to show what they can do,� I replied.
Trent�s face turned pink. We both knew he was trying to freeze me out. Good luck with that. Unlike Brad Hope, his daddy wasn�t the head coach. The other players just ignored our byplay and did their jobs.
I had a little rust throwing the ball, and Trent had improved quite a bit. Even so, there was no comparison. I still outthrew him by a wide margin, which didn�t make him happy. I tried to give him some advice, but he wasn�t having any of it. So I gave up and focused my help on the other quarterbacks. They both showed promise and took the coaching well. I predicted that Trent might have his hands full if he weren�t careful, come his senior year.
It felt good to run around in shorts and throw a football. Today was looking up.
◊◊◊
Moose and Coach Haskins showed up, so I quickly changed to practice baseball.
�I have something for you two,� I said and handed them each a box of cigars. They both looked surprised. �I figured a couple of old guys like you would enjoy them.�
�I�ll let the �old guy� comment slide. Are these really Cuban cigars?� Moose asked.
�Yep. I even was able to go to the factory and watch them make some of them. They�re all hand-rolled, and I was told these are the ones that are sought after. I hope you enjoy them.�
�Careful, he�s softening us up for something,� Coach Haskins said.
�Well, I�ve been thinking ��
�Nothing good ever comes from that,� Moose interrupted.
�� that I normally have a personal coach when I go to football camps like the Elite 11. I don�t have anyone going with me to the Under-18 baseball tryouts. I was wondering if I could talk one�or better yet, both�of you into coming with me to North Carolina next week,� I said.
�You paying for the trip?� Moose asked.
�And extra for food and incidentals,� I threw in.
�I haven�t had a vacation in years,� Moose admitted. �I�m in.�
�What if you end up getting through to the next round?� Coach Haskins asked.
�I�d do the same again. And if I go to Monterrey, Mexico, I�d ask you to come along.�
They both smiled at me.
�Set it up,� Coach Haskins said.
The two men had spent a lot of one-on-one time with me, and I couldn�t think of anyone else that I would want there. That is, except for Juan Revilla, the Cubs hitting coach. Well, there was one more: Coach Herndon, our pitching coach.
�Do you think Coach Herndon would want to come?� I asked.
�He just might. I�ll call him and see,� Moose said.
They ran my butt off doing outfield drills. They could tell that I�d been working out, so I told them about Cassidy and Coach Conde. Overall, it was a good workout, and it started to get my head back into baseball.
◊◊◊
Paul had taken the Jeep today so Mom could take Coby and Little David to daycare. She picked up Kyle, Mac, and Nate, along with the boys, for dinner at Granny�s West. That was a lot of car seats. We pulled up in time to help unload all the little rug-rats. It was good that the restaurant was kid-friendly.
�Unca David, Unca David!� Kyle and Mac chanted to be let out first.
Nate was closest to me.
�No!� Mac howled.
I stuck my tongue out at her.
�Mmmm! I�m telling,� Kyle threatened.
�You two know better. Wait your turn.�
I hugged Nate and gave him a kiss on his cheek. He was at the stage where he knew ten times more than he could verbalize, and it frustrated him. He did seem happy that he was gotten out first. At that age, they liked to be made special.
�Are you Uncle David�s good boy? I bet you are,� I said, tickling his tummy.
That produced a screech that about deafened me. Mom gave me a raised-eyebrow look while she dealt with Coby and Little David. I shrugged and put Nate into his stroller, then turned to his siblings.
�Okay, you two, I�m going to set you free, but you have to stay with me. We�re going to go eat, and I don�t need you bothering the other people.�
They agreed, and we all made it into the lobby. Jan was the hostess tonight, and I appreciated that she grabbed Kyle and Mac�s hands to guide them to a back-corner table. If I thought two in our house was a lot, having all five little ones was crazy. We soon had everyone in a high chair.
Mom bailed on me and went back to work for a little while, leaving me with all the babies. I�d gotten Greg�s crew sippy cups of juice and pulled out a toy for Little David. Coby needed to be held.
Our server was pregnant; I would have to ask Angie if we�d started to give girls jobs through the charity. She brought out apple slices for Kyle and Mac, who devoured them. Nate wasn�t a fan, so I gave his to his brother and sister.
Peggy had gone to Greg and Angie�s after her classes, so they all came in together. They had big smiles on their faces when they saw I was in a public place with five children under the age of three. We were lucky that no one complained about the noise they made. Angie and Peggy took over childcare as I took Coby around the restaurant to thank everyone for coming tonight and introduce them to my son. My dad had told me that my granddad had started me off doing this when I was Coby�s age.
I�d expected it was just going to be my family for dinner, but it looked like Mom had let everyone know. Pam and Lacy arrived first, and Coby got some grandma time. Yuri and his mom followed Brook and her family. Tracy showed up about the time Caryn, Megan, and my parents arrived.
It was Little David�s turn to fuss, and Peggy brought him to me to do my magic.
�What�s the matter, Big Guy?� I asked.
There was something about my deep voice that would settle him down. I suspect it broke his concentration on being unhappy. I bounced him around and talked to him while everyone got settled.
�David, have you heard anything more about Trip?� Lacy asked.
I looked at Paul. That reminded me: where had he gone when it was time to take care of babies?
�They�re getting a specialist to look at the injury to his shoulder,� Paul shared. �The docs are worried he might have nerve damage. As far as his prognosis goes, they expect he�ll be fine.�
I told everyone the highlights of my trip to Cuba and making the movie, leaving out the part where Laurent had his accident. At the end of the night, Pam told me she would come over and help me put Coby to bed. Brook said she was seeing me on Wednesday. I gave her a funny look.
�You�re having dinner at your farm tomorrow, and the Pearsons are coming over,� Brook explained.
Sometimes it frustrated me that my women planned my life, but in this instance, I was okay with it. I wanted to see Zoe, Pam, and Brook.
◊◊◊
Tracy joined Pam when she came over. Tracy came up to my apartment while Pam spent time with our son. Mom said Pam had been doing that several times a week. I was pleased that Pam spent as much time with Little David as she did with Coby. It was hard to separate the two boys when they were both there together. Peggy also needed some time on her own. She spent it studying or hanging out with my parents.
Tracy sat next to me on the couch, and I put my arm around her.
�How have you been?� I asked.
�Well, I�ve been contemplating my future. I graduate in December, and then it�s off to college. I don�t even know where you�ll be going.�
�Well, that�s two of us,� I admitted.
�If you had to pick right this second, where would you go?� she asked.
�The University of Pennsylvania�s Wharton School of Business. They have a campus in Beijing.�
Tracy blinked at me a few times and then cocked her head.
�When do you plan to tell your mom this? Because I want to be there when you do.�
I rubbed my chin.
�Yeah, that might not be a good idea. Maybe their San Francisco or Philadelphia campuses,� I reasoned.
�Do you even have the grades to get into Wharton?�
�Straight �A�s. I also have a ton of extracurricular activities, and my SAT was 2130. Their average is 2163.�
�You�ve really thought about this, haven�t you?� Tracy asked.
�Some. If they had a higher-level football or baseball team, I�d be all for it.�
�Okay, let�s accept you�re not getting into your dream school. What football powerhouse are you planning on attending?� Tracy asked.
I gave her the same list I gave Coach Hope earlier today. It made me wonder: if I was asked this question twice in one day, I might want to seriously consider my answer. At the very least, I would need to get applications out soon. That sounded like something Caryn could work on.
�You make my head hurt,� she complained.
�You should kiss me more and think a little less,� I suggested.
Tracy had to shake her head to grasp what I was suggesting.
�Sometimes, you make a lot of sense,� she said and kissed me.
◊◊◊
�Damn it!� we heard from the living room.
That made me giggle, and Tracy clamped her hand over my mouth.
�Shhhhh � she might hear us,� she whispered.
�I hear you just fine,� Pam said as the door to my bedroom opened.
�She said you were still broken down there after having the baby,� I said, throwing Tracy under the bus.
�I never said that. David told me to kiss him and something about not thinking too much. You know what happens when he kisses you. It was his fault,� Tracy retaliated.
�Out!� Pam ordered Tracy.
Tracy scurried out of bed and began to hunt for her clothes. She gave Pam a hug.
�I warmed him up for you,� she told Pam and then turned to me. �Figure it out. We need to know so we can do applications.�
After Tracy left, I held my arms out to Pam. She crawled into bed and let me hug her and give her a kiss.
�It�s good that I love you both, or I might be mad,� Pam said.
�If I thought you�d be mad, I would never have been with her.�
�I know.�
�You okay?� I asked.
�Do you love me?�
�Yes.�
�Show me.�
◊◊◊ Tuesday June 14
I awoke to the feel of someone pressing into my back. I rolled over and got licked in the face.
�Duke!�
His tail just thumped on the bed. Peggy must have allowed him on the bed while I was gone. I rubbed his ears; I�d missed him while I was away. It was time I got up, so I did so and walked down to the house to help Peggy get the boys ready for our run. Duke snuck into my parents� room and didn�t want to come when we left.
My day fell into the routine I�d had yesterday. Coach Hope helped me work out, I practiced football and then baseball. The only difference was, Cassidy showed up with everyone after my baseball practice, and we did
◊◊◊
�Hey, Grandma,� I said as I came in the back door at the farm and gave her a hug. �What smells so good?�
�Yelena is making something and won�t let me in the kitchen. You�ll have to ask her,� Grandma Dawson said.
�You stay out. Ruin surprise,� Yuri�s grandmother ordered me while shaking a big wooden spoon.
My self-preservation instinct was still good, so I decided not to push it. I stepped out the back door with my grandma, and she walked me around the farm. They�d gotten a few chickens, and I commented on that.
�Yelena wanted fresh eggs.�
�Ah. How is it working out?� I asked.
�It�s not too bad. She and I get along, and with Jan around, we have someone to keep us amused.�
�So, Jan moved in?� I asked.
�Yelena thought it was for the best, and I agreed. Jan needs her own life instead of focusing on Yuri 24/7.�
�I bet he hated that.�
�He is typical man,� Grandma Dawson said in a faux Russian accent.
We both had a little chuckle at that. I could imagine Yelena saying just that.
�How are you liking the farm?�
�I�d forgotten how much work it is. I wasn�t sure if I wanted to keep doing it but then thought about the alternative. Honestly, I was bored out of my mind, being retired. Caryn, Megan, and Yelena have been a godsend. Yelena oversees the Mennonites and keeps them busy. Caryn and Megan take care of all the bookkeeping and ordering. Now I only have to worry about the big-picture stuff.
�I was happy when they finally finished working on the house. I was tired of living in the mess. Now that it�s done, I love it.�
I noticed that her smile was softer, more content.
I was impressed with the work that had been done. A lot of the decorative wood (floors, trim, cabinet faces) had come from black walnut trees here on the farm and crafted by a local woodworker. They�d also made furniture with it. Grandma had had them make me a bedroom set for when I got my own place.
�I was approached by someone from the State about the river,� she said to change the subject. �It has slowed and widened over the years. They say it has filled with silt, and that�s causing some problems with flooding. The State wants to dig out several feet of silt but wants us to pay for the work.�
�I�m sure it�s not just us. What do the other farmers think?� I asked.
�They don�t want to spend the money, but I have an idea. I talked to an Ag professor, and he agrees it has merit,� she proposed.
�Let�s hear it.�
�The State wanted a fortune to do the work. I talked to the other farmers, and they said that they could rent equipment and do what�s needed for about a tenth of the cost. What I want to do is use the silt for fertilizing the produce fields. Part of the project would be to put in gravel and sand to make a small beach area for the kids back here.
�I talked to the state agency representative, and he said they�d be willing to let us do it if they supervised. All that�s needed is for you to authorize the funds,� she said.
She told me how much. It didn�t seem like a lot when you compared it to what the State wanted to hit us with if they did it just for our section.
�Tell them they can go ahead if they give us our access bridge at the same time,� I suggested.
◊◊◊
I was glad I spent the time to walk the farm with my grandmother. She and I had gotten closer now that she�d come home, so to speak. I had been pleased when she stepped in to help resolve the rift between my parents over my dad�s infidelity. And I was even happier now, for a lot more reasons.
Once we got back, we found Zoe and her family in the living room. Zoe was helping Jan set the table. When Zoe saw me, she stopped what she was doing to give me a kiss.
�Look at the two lovebirds,� Roc chirped.
�Leave alone. They are good together,� Yelena announced. �Jan, please help.�
Jan stepped into the kitchen, and we all sat down for dinner. Yelena outdid herself. We started out with meat-filled dumplings in a clear broth called �pelmeni.� Then she served us beef stroganoff. She�d made it with a creamy mushroom gravy and served it over egg noodles. For dessert, she made a sweetened cheese dish called �paskha.� Everyone loved it.
During dinner, I told them about my trip to Cuba and how friendly the people were. Mrs. Pearson loved my story about the swamp and the crocodiles.
�Tell them what you did,� she urged her husband.
Typically, she was the one with stories that entertained me. It was a surprise that Mr. Pearson would have one.
�It was just a slight miscalculation,� he said to play it off.
�� that had us picking up stones out of our field for a week,� Grandma Dawson added.
What could they possibly be talking about?
�I think you need to tell your story,� I encouraged.
He looked over at his wife and saw she wasn�t about to let him off the hook. I hoped I was as good a sport when I was old and married like he was.
�I decided that we needed to clear out some stumps. They had the same problem over on the Bauer farm, so we got the boys to help us,� he explained.
�Sorry, man, I know what that can be like,� I told Roc. �My uncle made me dig fencepost holes all one summer. The capper was he had a tractor implement for the job, but chose child labor instead.�
�Between Dad and Mr. Bauer, they had Johan, Milo, and me working like dogs for almost a week,� Roc complained.
�It had to be done,� Mr. Pearson pointed out.
�I know, Dad, but digging out stumps is hard work,� Roc complained.
�We had a couple we couldn�t seem to get out. I remembered that I had some old dynamite lying around.�
�Who has old dynamite? And where did you get it in the first place? Isn�t that illegal?� I asked in rapid-fire fashion.
�All good questions, and the illegal part was why I thought we might want to use it up,� Mr. Pearson admitted.
�It had been around for years. I told him it wasn�t stable,� Mrs. Pearson said, sounding satisfied.
�Anyway � we decided to try it out, and it worked like a dream. One of the stumps flew about ten feet into the air.�
�You would have loved it,� Roc said with a big smile.
I could see how blowing some stuff up could be a good time.
�We thought we knew what we were doing.�
�The key word there is �thought,�� Mrs. Pearson reminded him.
�Well, it did make it all go faster,� he defended himself.
�What went wrong?� I asked.
�We had this big maple-tree stump next to an old shed. After doing a few, we�d gotten the hang of digging the hole to put the dynamite in so it would direct the stump to where we wanted it. But this time, we put a stick in, and when it detonated, it did nothing but blow dirt everywhere. This was the biggest and last stump, so I figured we could use the last three sticks to dislodge it.
�When we set it off, the stump shot a hundred feet into the air. Some of the root system must have been under the stone wall of the shed because it shot rocks everywhere. We had all ducked behind the Bauers� pickup truck, and it was good that we did. It did over three thousand dollars� worth of body and windshield damage.
�We also lost a few windows on the side of the house, which was about 300 yards away. Rock was found in fields almost a quarter-mile from where the stump had been,� he explained.
�Tell him about the police,� Mrs. Pearson urged.
�That was a bit of a problem. They got calls from all over, reporting a bomb going off. We�d used up all the dynamite, so they let me off with a warning.�
�Next time you do something like that, call me,� I said.
It was probably good that my mom wasn�t there, but my grandma had some pointed commentary on the matter. I just winked at Mr. Pearson to let him know that if he wanted a partner in crime, I was in.
◊◊◊
Zoe and I went for a walk after dinner. We ended up on the bluff that overlooked the river. It was the perfect place to build a home once the river was cleaned up and fixed. It was so peaceful back here. I sat down with my back to a walnut tree, and Zoe sat in front of me and leaned back into my arms.
�How�s your summer going?� I asked.
�We sold some horses, so I was able to buy new colts to train. Most of the early training is just spending time with them so they get used to people.�
�I didn�t know you did that,� I admitted.
�Dad decided that I could try it this year. My goal is to get them broken and saddle-trained so I can sell them. The money will go towards college expenses.�
�It seems everyone has college on the brain. Tracy is freaking out about where she�s going. Even Coach Hope was asking me where I plan to attend.�
�Where
�I probably won�t decide until the spring signing period, if I play football.�
�What do you mean, �if�? I thought that was what you planned to do,� Zoe asked as she turned her head so she could look me in the eyes.
�I might skip college, and either do movies or play baseball.�
She laughed at me.
�Your mom will kill you.�
�I could convince her. Don�t you think I could take distance-learning classes? You can get your degree online now. If I play baseball, I could take classes during the offseason,� I said.
�When would that be? Baseball ends in either September or October. Then there�s winter ball if you�re developing, and spring training is after that. You�d play ball almost year-round.�
�When did you get so smart about baseball?� I asked.
�Since you started to get good at it,� Zoe said, and then she smirked. �Tami told me.�
�I believe that.�
�You might do movies?� Zoe asked.
�I don�t know. All that makes my head hurt right now. I guess I�ll find out how good I am next week.�
�Tami says you�ll be just fine.�
�When did you talk to Tami?� I asked.
�We all drove up with her mom for a girls� weekend. Well, everyone except Halle. She was off promoting your movie. She said you were a jerk for shooting your Cuban movie during the release.�
I chuckled.
�Halle didn�t need me for that. I bet she loved it.�
�She did, but we all could tell she missed you. She wanted to share that with her big movie-star boyfriend.�
�I�m not her boyfriend,� I shot back.
Zoe just sighed. I know, I�m a �stupid boy.�
�Have you talked to her since you came back?� Zoe asked.
�Yeah. Halle and her mom are having a rough time of it. Fritz told me that Trip is doing well enough that they can take him back to LA. They want him to see a specialist about his shoulder wound.�
�What about his friend?�
�They�re having the funeral this weekend; same for the bodyguard that was shot.�
�Are you planning on going?� Zoe asked.
�No. I knew Craig, but we weren�t really friends, and I never met Andy. Plus, I need to focus on baseball, and the trip across the country would be too much.�
�Tami said you wouldn�t go,� Zoe said.
I just was quiet for a minute.
�Do you miss him?�
Leave it to Zoe to figure out that my best friend Jeff would be the reason I didn�t want to go to a funeral. My stomach tightened as the memories flooded back. Like Craig, Jeff had been taken much too soon. There was also the sense of helplessness. There was nothing I could have done to prevent either death. Somehow, I felt that if I�d been there, it might have turned out differently. How? I have no idea.
I�d talked to Uncle John after Jeff had died and told him my thoughts. He just shook his head and explained the futility of that line of thinking. Uncle John made some comment about part of it was being young and believing I could do anything. One of life�s lessons was that sometimes, things are just out of your control. All you could do was pray and turn it over to God. That�s not as easy as it sounds, though.
�Do you want to pray about it?� Zoe asked, guessing why I�d gone quiet.
�Do you mind?� I asked.
�Never.�
◊◊◊ Wednesday June 15
Paul was called back to LA for a meeting with Fritz and all his other employees. I was told not to get into any trouble until he got back. I didn�t expect we needed security, but Dad said that someone had tried to scale the fence while I was gone. Paul left after getting my promise to be good, though he seemed skeptical.
Cassidy was put in charge of my security. She decided I had slacked off long enough. After baseball, she took me to the dojo with her dad and Brook. Coach Hope was impressed with what we�d learned in Cuba. Shiggy stopped by to see what we were up to.
�You can stop right there. You�ll end up hurting yourself if you aren�t properly trained. It sounds like he was showing you shortcuts that aren�t allowed in my dojo,� Shiggy said.
�The stuff he taught us seemed to work,� I said.
Shiggy shook his head.
�What he taught you was a part of what is called �Iron Hand� or �Iron Palm.� It was originally part of the 72 arts of the Shaolin temple. That takes years to learn to do right, and many teachers only teach a select few how to do it.
�It is devastating when done correctly,� Shiggy admitted. �The downside is that it can cause you harm learning it. I don�t expect you�re interested in losing flexibility or range of motion. You have too much of your future depending on that arm of yours. I would never risk it just to learn how to hit someone harder. If you want to do that, go buy a gun.�
I was sold. But I didn�t think Cassidy was.
�I want to learn to do it,� she said, confirming my fear.
�I�ll buy you a gun,� I offered.
She looked at her dad. Clearly, I�d stepped in it.
�I told her she couldn�t have a gun,� Coach Hope said.
�I need it to protect David,� Cassidy reasoned.
�How about I buy you each a gun, and you can teach her how to shoot?� I suggested to Coach Hope.
�There are some guys I know who teach shooting for a living. I�ll get them to teach her,� Coach Hope said.
�Will you help me buy a gun?� Cassidy asked her dad.
He just nodded. Now, this was the type of shopping trip I was willing to go on.
◊◊◊
After the dojo, we all drove to Shiggy�s house. Hana was there to give Brook, Cassidy, and me Japanese lessons. She made hamburgers for dinner, which pleased me to no end. I�d been craving one ever since I�d returned to the States.
Of course, Cassidy told Brook about getting a gun, and Brook wanted in on it. That was what I liked about Brook; she was up for just about anything. I would have to see if she enjoyed fishing. I knew she was handy with a shotgun.
Hana spent our session reviewing everything we�d forgotten over the last month. I was glad she�d be there to work as my interpreter. I also planned to have her help me learn my lines for the commercials I was going to be in.
After our language lessons, I dropped off Coach and Cassidy. Brook had me drive in the back entrance so we could go to her cabin. She had me start a fire in the fireplace while she got me a Mountain Dew.
�What have you been up to?� I asked.
�I�ve been taking flying lessons. They offer them at the place we took skydiving lessons.�
�You evil little girl. You did that without me?� I asked.
�It was your decision to take Cassidy with you to Cuba. You didn�t imagine I would just sit around working on my tan, did you?� she asked.
�I worked on my tan for you,� I pouted.
�Cassidy told me. She sent me pictures.�
My eyebrows shot up.
�She did not.�
�Oh, she did. It was part of the deal,� Brook said mysteriously.
I knew she was dying for me to ask about the deal, so I didn�t. Cassidy would tell me.
I waggled my eyebrows at her.
�Want to play �you show me yours, and I�ll show you mine�?� I asked in a husky voice.
The hint of a smile touched Brook�s lips. I scooted closer to her on the couch and leaned in so my mouth was near her ear.
�I think you and I should make a deal. We should agree to do unspeakable things to each other, all in the name of pleasure. I think you want to make this deal with me,� I whispered.
I reached over and ran the back of my fingers up her neck and just behind her ear. Then I turned my hand over and grasped the back of her neck. Brook took a sharp breath and looked a little worried. I suspect all that kept her from running was that I�d never harmed her, and she knew I wasn�t capable of something like that.
�Tell me I can do anything to you, that you desire me and want me to make your body sing. Tell me you want my deal,� I whispered.
I let my hot breath caress her neck. I pulled her closer so our cheeks touched. She tried to kiss me, but I held her in place.
�You know what I want. Do we have a deal?� I asked softly.
�Yes,� she hissed.
�Close your eyes,� I ordered.
Brook did as I asked. I pulled off my t-shirt and used it to make a blindfold.
�Come with me.�
I took her hand and led her to the big fluffy rug in front of the fire. Then I slowly undressed her and paused to take in the vision that was Miss Brook Davis. I leaned down and began to lick and kiss her neck. This always turned her on. She leaned her head back to give me better access. Brook reached for me, so I pulled back.
�Uh-uh. Just stand there.�
I could tell she was a little unnerved. Her hands made little fluttering motions, and then she let them drop to her sides. I walked around her, admiring her form. Brook wasn�t tall enough to be a model, but she had an athletic build. It only made sense, with all the physical activities we did together.
As I circled her, I would randomly reach out and barely touch her. The first few times, she jumped at each unexpected caress.
�Did you miss me?� I asked.
�Yes.�
�Are you ready for me to ravage you?�
I smiled when she quivered like Cassidy did when she thought she was going to get to hurt a boy. It was similar to what Duke did when he spotted a squirrel. The building anticipation was almost too much for her.
I reached for her, scooped her up, carried her to the bedroom, and tossed her on the bed. Brook let out a startled squeak. I made good on my promise and began to try to give Brook as much pleasure as I could. I gave up on the game when her hands reached for me. She then pushed my t-shirt off her head so she could participate.
�Get undressed,� she ordered.
I gave her a crooked smile and did the undressing Olympics. I was soon on my back with her straddling my face in the classic 69 position. It was obvious that we�d missed each other. She didn�t make it easy for me, but I focused and made sure I gave as good as I got. I tapped her thigh to warn her, and she just had enough time to pull off me before Mr. Happy erupted.
I hadn�t quite finished when she turned around and mounted me. When I saw that her eyes were clamped shut, and she shuddered, I smiled. From there, it was game on.
We were both true to our word. We more than fulfilled our deal.
◊◊◊
Chapter 10 � A Total Douche-Nozzle Thursday June 16
I received a Google Alert for Craig Wild. His mother had put out a statement.
I stared at the message on my phone. I forwarded it to Saul with a note asking what the studio planned to do for
My phone rang.
�Beth, I was just thinking of you,� I lied.
�Uh huh, I bet you were. I decided that I would take the bull by the horns and ask you out since you seemed to forget about me.�
�It wasn�t like that. I�ve been busy,� I tried.
�With Tracy, Pam, Zoe, Brook, and Cassidy, I believe.�
Tami! Damn her and her network of spies.
�And tonight I set aside for you,� I tried again.
�I tell you I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you, and then you skip the country. When you come back after a month, you conveniently forget about me.�
I don�t think laughing was the right move, but she was laying it on awfully thick, and I simply couldn�t help it.
�David!�
�Oh, please. You�ve known I was home for the same amount of time.�
�Fine, be that way. What time are you picking me up?� she asked.
�How about we do a late dinner? I promised Cassidy I�d take her shopping. Why don�t I pick you up at 8:00?�
�Tell Caryn I want to go somewhere nice,� she teased.
�Why don�t you just tell her where you want to go and cut out the middleman?� I suggested.
�Fine.�
�Fine,� I shot back and hung up on her.
She sent me a text with a smiley face on it.
◊◊◊
After baseball practice, Paul, who had just made it back, took Coach Hope, Cassidy, Brook, and me to Dave�s Firearms. His store looked like a red barn. On our way there, Coach Hope told us about the man we were going to meet.
�Gunnery Sergeant Hartman was a drill instructor for fifteen years. Drill Instructor duty is considered one of the most honored and valuable positions a Marine can hold; the DI is critical in making young men and women into Marines. He has retired from the Corps and is now a professor at State.
�I want you to show Gunnery Sergeant Hartman the respect that he deserves for his service to this country. He has taken time out of his life to be here tonight to help you. Any questions?� Coach Hope asked.
I just kept my eyes straight ahead. When my mom got this way, it was best to simply shut up and listen.
�Gunny�s a big teddy bear, Daddy,� Cassidy said, ruining everything her father had just told us.
Brook and I got the giggles because he�d been so serious.
�Get that out of your system before we get there,� he warned me.
�Yes, sir,� I said.
Gunny ended up being one of the nicest men I�d ever met. He apparently knew Dave, the owner, and they were talking when we came in.
�Gunny!� Cassidy called out and then leaped into his outstretched arms.
�Hey, Short Stuff, I hear your dad�s getting you a weapon.�
Cassidy introduced us, and he got down to business.
�What�s your need?� he asked.
Cassidy and Paul told him about them working security. Then they walked out to the car, and he looked at the guns in the center console. I�d brought my Range Sports pistol at Coach Hope�s direction; it was in a gun safe in the back.
�Is this what you usually carry?� Gunny asked.
�In LA, we also have tactical shotguns with beanbag rounds,� Paul said.
�Do you carry, other than what you have in the car?� Gunny asked Paul.
�No, but after this week, with what happened in Orlando, we plan to,� Paul admitted.
It sounded like Fritz was going to make some changes. We walked back inside and joined Brook, Coach Hope, and Dave at the counter so Gunny could talk to all of us.
�The mission should dictate the tools, but beyond that, selecting a firearm is a matter of preference. However, you should consider a few variables. The first is reliability. You need a weapon that will stand up to continuous training. You don�t need a gun that will fail after repeated use.
�The second consideration is accuracy. Almost any weapon will shoot a tight grouping from a gun vise. Accuracy is not about the weapon, but about the operator. Most weapons shoot more accurately than you can hold them, so you should select one you can aim and hold steady.
�I�m a firm believer that you should consider shooting the largest caliber and heaviest load of bullet that you can shoot accurately. Accuracy should always trump caliber size. For personal protection, I�m not a fan of any caliber below 9mm. I suggest you start with 9mm and work your way up from there in your selection process.
�The final factor you need to consider is simplicity or ease of operation. On a weapons range, most any firearm seems fine. It�s when you get into a live operation that you�ll appreciate a weapon that�s easy to use,� Gunny explained. �That�s especially so if it will be used infrequently.�
There was a long discussion about gun-barrel lengths. It was decided that the guns in the car were fine for there. Those had five-inch barrels and were more accurate. For a sidearm to carry, it was thought that they would be better off with a three-inch barrel for concealability.
The others tried several guns, and Cassidy decided on a Glock G43. Paul selected the G26 Gen4, a slightly bigger pistol that fit his hand better. Both used 9mm ammo. Brook picked out the G27 Gen4 that fired a .40 round.
I learned what the term EDC meant: EveryDay Carry. With that came accessories like holsters and shooting glasses. Then there was ammunition. Gunny suggested that I buy them each a case. From my questioning look, he explained that a case of ammo was equivalent to 20 boxes, and each box held 50 rounds. He said it would get them a good start on practicing. Dave said he happened to be having a sale on cases. Caryn was going to kill me.
That was when we hit a little snag. I was too young to buy anything, as were both Brook and Cassidy. I remembered that when Devin Range had given me my handguns, rifle, and shotgun set, they were all registered in my dad�s name. At the time, I didn�t even think about it. Coach Hope filled out the paperwork for Cassidy so her gun would be registered to him until she was old enough. Brook�s dad, Ian, would be in tomorrow to do the same for her. We couldn�t take the guns now anyway because of the waiting period built into the law.
Ammo was a different story. Paul had a company credit card, so I had him buy four cases, three of 9mm and one of .40 caliber. I told Paul and Coach Hope that I would have Caryn reimburse them for their guns.
Coach Hope felt bad for me when he saw the price tag and let me off the hook for buying him a gun. He admitted he might have a few at home. I wondered why Cassidy didn�t just use one of his but kept my smart comments to myself.
◊◊◊
Beth wanted to go to the Grill House. It was a steak place where you grilled your own steak. That didn�t excite me, so we had them grill our steaks for us since I felt my time would be better spent talking to Beth.
�Do you still plan on being a pharmacist?� I asked.
�Either that or medical sales. I�ve been told there�s more money in sales. I figure I can just call upon my inner David and flirt with the doctors.�
�Well, I�d buy from you,� I said, waggling my eyebrows.
�You�re getting better at that,� she observed.
�I have two new ones,� I said, and demonstrated the one-eyebrow-arched look and then the new drowned-puppy expression.
�I give you high marks on the lip quiver.�
From her deadpan response, I was afraid it wasn�t any better than my little-angel face.
�What was the deal with your expression of undying love?� I asked.
From Beth�s expression, I wasn�t supposed to ask that. She sighed and decided to talk to me about it.
�Okay, I�ll just put it out there. At some point, I want us to be more than friends. I know that our parents have expectations of us, but that�s not what�s behind this. I�d be saying this even if our moms weren�t pushing us towards each other, now that Greg�s a lost cause.�
�Whatever happened between you two?� I asked.
When Greg was a freshman, something happened between him and Beth. From that point forward, she�d been more my friend than his. Shortly after that, he started to go out with almost every girl at Lincoln High.
She looked sad.
�I�m not sure I want to talk to you about this,� Beth hesitantly said.
�What did he do?� I asked, getting concerned.
�Crap,� she mumbled. �Okay, but remember, I didn�t want to tell you this.�
What the heck did that mean? I just nodded.
�Before I tell you, you need to know that Greg�s not the bad guy here. If anything, we�re both at fault. We�re fine with what happened and have moved on,� she clarified.
�Yada, yada, yada. Quit stalling,� I prompted.
Beth blushed because she realized I�d figured out her tactic.
�I�m not sure you can handle this �� she started, but I held up my hand.
�You�re only making it worse. You realize my imagination will take off, and I�ll pound the crap out of Greg the next time I see him.�
�I�m not sure you could take him,� she tried.
�Please. Everyone knows I can kick his butt,� I said, rolling my eyes. �Now talk.�
�Fine,� she huffed, and then I waited her out.
�I hate it when you do that,� Beth tried one last time to get me on another topic.
�I hate it when you do that,� I mimicked.
�Dick.�
�Hey, just tell me already. Trying to get me to fight with you won�t work.�
Beth thought for a moment and sighed.
�You know how our moms are about wanting to join the families. Greg and I had been brought up knowing that one day, we would fulfill their dream and give them lots of grandbabies to fuss over. It had been so ingrained in us that we never even questioned it.
�He wasn�t quite the nerd you were in middle school, so we went to the school dances together. Everyone knew that we were a couple. I didn�t even consider dating anyone else. I don�t think Greg did, either.
�What you have to understand is that we didn�t do anything other than be friends. He never suggested we play doctor or make out. Looking back on it, it was sweet. I never had the same issues many girls had, where they were worried if a boy liked them or not. I just knew that when the time came, Greg would be the one.
�Everything was fine until high school. Like you, your brother had his growth spurt over the summer. I�d developed earlier, so when his hormones kicked in � it became interesting. Well, that, and your uncle put ideas into his head,� Beth revealed.
�What?� I asked in shock.
�Remember when you and Tami would go to summer camp together?� she asked.
I thought back; we�d gone to camp a few times. She had to be talking about the last trip. Tami�s mom would send her, and I would go too. The first time Tami went to camp, she did it on her own. We�d thrown such a fit about being separated that I�d joined her each year after that. When I would go to camp, Greg would go to either my grandparents� or uncle�s place while we were gone.
�So, what happened?� I asked.
�Your Uncle John taught him how to date,� Beth said with a blush.
I sat back in my chair; I�d been leaning forward until she said that. That cleared up a mystery. I�d always wondered where Greg obtained his knowledge. It pissed me off that Uncle John shared that with Greg but refused to teach me. I guess after seeing Greg go a little nuts dating so many different girls, I could see why my uncle might not want to set me loose with that knowledge. As it was, I�d dated more than my share of girls while in high school. Greg had me by sheer numbers, without a doubt, though, because of his serial dating style.
�Did Greg pressure you into anything?� I asked.
�You know better than that,� Beth chided me.
�Sorry, but I had to ask.�
�When he came back, we talked. Think about how it was with you and Tami. We had a similar relationship.�
I just nodded.
�I told him I wasn�t ready for anything more than what we had right then. Your brother was fine with that, and we�d probably be still dating if it hadn�t been for our first high school party. I�d been invited along with all the other freshman cheerleaders. Of course, I asked Greg to go with me.
�It was our first experience drinking. I think the varsity cheerleaders thought it was funny to watch us get drunk out of our minds on the Everclear punch. Thankfully, Greg stuck to beer, or things could have really gotten bad,� she said, and then gazed off into space.
�What happened?� I asked.
�Greg found a senior making out with me.�
�I take it he wasn�t happy?�
�It was stupid. Greg knew how I felt about him. He made sure I got home. Not all the freshman cheerleaders made it home with their virginity intact. I�m not sure I would�ve if it hadn�t been for Greg. That�s why what happened next was so hard. Your brother really is a good guy,� Beth said, and then faltered.
I could see the pain on her face. I let her relive the moment and didn�t push her to finish. A tear formed in the corner of her eye that she quickly brushed away.
�The party must have been on a Friday night because I remember sleeping most of the next day, experiencing my first hangover. I didn�t see Greg until Sunday afternoon when he came over. It was clear he was hurting. I�d put the brakes on anything physical, and honestly, I wasn�t ready.
�I told Greg how sorry I was, that it was the alcohol, and everything had gotten out of hand. He held me as I cried about nearly losing my innocence in such a clich� way. I told him that when it happened, I wanted it to be him and only him. I kissed him to thank him.
�In retrospect, neither of us was communicating effectively. For myself, I don�t understand how I misread the situation so badly. Apparently, Greg thought I�d given him the go-ahead to advance our relationship. I found myself pinned to the couch as he touched me. God, we were so stupid. We both said things that we shouldn�t have.
�I don�t know what hurt your brother the worst, him seeing me make out with another boy, or him feeling like he�d tried to rape me,� Beth said. When she saw my look, she quickly added, �Not that he did.�
She gave me a moment to take that in.
�Your brother wouldn�t talk to me for weeks after that. Next thing I heard, he was dating someone else, and it hit home that we�d never get together.�
We finished our meal in silence. I didn�t know what to say, and she didn�t seem to be in the mood to talk. I drove her home and stopped her before she got out of the car.
�Beth, you know that I love you. I�m glad you told me what happened. I also want you to know that I�m not concerned about what our moms want. It�s you I like spending time with. I don�t do this out of a sense of duty.�
She smiled for the first time since she told me about Greg.
�I know, and I love you, too. I also realize that before there�s ever a chance for us, we need to get to a time in our lives when it would work. This isn�t that time. But all the same, I want to spend this summer hanging out with you.�
I returned her smile.
�Sounds like a plan.�
Beth kissed my cheek and then got out of the car. She looked back before going in to make sure I was watching her. The Alpha Male in me wanted to claim her as mine, but I pushed the instinct down. I fully expected that Beth would find someone in college; she didn�t need to wait for me. I only wanted what was best for her.
◊◊◊ Friday June 17
In the morning, Duke and I took the boys running. They seemed to enjoy the runs since it got them out of the house. Peggy had to finish writing a paper for one of her summer classes, so she didn�t go with us. I gave her a hard time about being a slacker. That was until she explained how much time the boys took up each day. That shut me up.
I was impressed that she could handle raising the boys and going to school. It seemed I could take off and safely assume everything was being taken care of. I vowed to spend more time with the boys when I could.
With that in mind, I spent the morning with Little David and Coby instead of taking them to daycare. Duke seemed to think I wasn�t doing it right because he kept nudging me. Thankfully, we all survived the morning.
◊◊◊
I�d skipped lifting today but did make it to football practice. Tami�s car pulled up, and she had Wolf and Tim with her.
�Jack fired you already?� I asked.
Tim picked me up in a bear hug as he grinned from ear to ear.
�Easy, big guy. I�m happy to see you too,� I said as he put me down.
�Damn, it�s good to see you,� Tim said.
Wolf just slapped me on the back, but Tami gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
�Jack has been great. He�s worked our butts off, but we�re learning a lot. This week, I helped one of the electricians, while Tim worked with a plumber. In a couple of weeks, we�ll switch,� Wolf explained.
�What about you?� I asked Tami.
�When we have free time, they let us watch surgeries,� she said, smiling.
I held up my hand.
�I don�t need any details. How are you getting along with the Mass family?�
�Good. Mike planned to visit this weekend, so we decided we needed to come see you before you left again,� Tim said.
�He�s an even bigger douche, now that he goes to a private school,� Wolf shared.
�Hey,� Tami complained.
�You know what I mean,� Wolf said, to defend himself.
�She
�David, what did your old PA do to her brother?� Tami asked.
�Superglued his nuts to his thigh.�
�This stuck-up prep-school girl might have to go shopping,� she warned them.
It was good to see that my friends liked each other. I wasn�t all that worried, but you never knew. They seemed to feel comfortable enough to give each other a hard time.
Yuri and Ty came onto the field while Wolf and Tim went to change. Ty handed Tami his tablet with the coaching software so she could call out plays. She had helped coach us last year and didn�t miss a beat.
I liked Coach Mason�s offense. His approach focused on moving the ball downfield in chunks. It was similar to a fast-break offense in basketball, in that it was to be run at a relentless clip with the goal of scoring a lot of points.
Since today was my last day until I came back from baseball, Ty decided to have me run the plays against our defense. It was clear right away that the addition of Tim at middle linebacker made a difference. He�d worked hard to come back from his knee injury, and he moved well in shorts and a t-shirt. He was also becoming a beast. Kevin Goode, our all-state linebacker freshman year, didn�t have Tim�s lateral speed. If once we put pads on, Tim could hit as hard as Kevin, he could write his own ticket to wherever he wanted to play college ball.
The other player who stood out was Roc. He�d grown taller and put on muscle since last year. And he was even faster. He had a long, smooth gait that ate up yardage in a hurry. In many ways, he reminded me of Damion Roth, probably the high school receiver with the highest ceiling I�d ever played with. Damion had enrolled at Wesleyan and would be Mike�s number one target. Damion reminded me of a young Odell Beckham Jr. Granted, Damion had issues, but he was a freak athletically. Roc had sneaky-good speed because it didn�t seem like he was running hard. When he kicked it into overdrive, I would bet he could outrun Bill Callaway. And Bill had gotten himself a scholarship to play at USC and was the Gatorade Player of the Year for our state his senior year. I honestly thought Roc could be special.
What made all the difference in the world was the addition of Wolf to our offense. It made a lot of sense to move him inside to play tight end. He was another one who had taken to the training since last year. Even in shorts and t-shirts, he was disruptive in the middle of the field. I was sure Ty would love to have Wolf block for him when he ran the ball. I certainly loved to throw to Wolf; he was my security blanket. We were comfortable with each other, and I was confident if I got it near him, he�d catch it.
There were two new receivers, Don Crown and Tom Wells, who�d recently moved to town. Don looked to be Wolf�s backup at tight end and would see the field when we were in either a big package or goal-line set. He was big and strong, but he wasn�t speedy.
Tom looked like he would challenge Ed Pine for the other wide receiver position. While Ed was probably a better fit as a slotback because of his smaller size and speed, Tom just looked the part. I�d had a long talk with Tom about catching the football. He was taking advantage of our JUGS machines. I told him I wanted him to catch at least a hundred balls a day. Word must have gotten around because all the skill players had taken up my challenge. It was good that the boosters had bought a couple more machines. We now had four going almost constantly.
I worked up a good sweat after an hour of running the team up and down the field. I think the defense was happy to see me leave to go work on baseball.
◊◊◊
�How do you feel?� Moose asked me.
�I�m ready. Good thing I did Elite 11 last year, or this would be freaking me out.�
�I�m nervous, and I�m not playing,� Coach Haskins shared.
�They were smart in how they calmed us down at Elite 11. We all knew it was a competition, and �everything counted,�� I said, making the appropriate air quotes. �But the coaches told us the real competition was with ourselves. We were receiving world-class coaching, and if we were smart, we would focus on making ourselves better. I plan on doing the same at Under-18.�
�I don�t get you sometimes. If it were me, I�d be checking out all the other players and worried about how I stacked up,� Moose said.
�While you were worrying about me, I�d just be focused and playing ball. I would end up kicking your butt because you would eventually mess up.�
�Why�s that?� Moose asked.
�When you should be 100% focused on baseball, you�d be splitting time seeing what I was doing. The lack of focus would cost you at some point. Why do you think I trash-talk sometimes? It�s to get into the heads of my opponents. I got this,� I said with a smile.
�I�m going to quit worrying about you,� Coach Haskins said.
�No, don�t. If you guys worry and check out the competition, I won�t have to,� I said with a big smile.
�You�re a dick sometimes,� Moose said with a grin.
I just shrugged.
◊◊◊
Tim�s parents had gone to his grandparents� on his dad�s side for the weekend. What�s the rite of passage for every teen who finds they have a home-alone situation? You throw a party. Tim was smart: he called in our local party planner, Mona, to put it together. We would miss her when she left for college in the fall.
I let Paul have the night off since he had to go with me to North Carolina. Cassidy was in charge of me. She insisted that she drive me in my Jeep and that we pick up Brook. I had a feeling I wouldn�t see either of them for most of the night because they were busy talking to each other. I had to remember that I�d stolen Cassidy for my trip to Cuba while Brook stayed home. It seemed that they had some serious catching-up to do. What confused me was that Cassidy had been home since Sunday.
Tim lived in an older neighborhood of small ranch homes. I was glad to see it was a gorgeous night because his house was too small for the crowd that showed up. I had to be honest, I didn�t miss the heat and humidity of Cuba. It felt good to be home, weather-wise.
I made my rounds to say hi to everyone. There were the usual suspects, except Jim was nowhere to be found. Then I remembered he was off to college to work out and take a few summer classes. I�d received a text from Bill when I was in Cuba. He�d done the same and gone back to USC. That would be the case for most of my friends next year.
I did find someone I didn�t expect: Sarah Spence. She was a model I�d worked with and had been Wolf�s prom date. She and I�d attended model camp in New York together. Sarah was one of my favorite people at Wesleyan, besides Tami.
�What brings you here?� I asked.
�Wolf. He and I�ve started dating.�
�When did that happen? He�s been holding out on me.�
�I visited my parents for a few weeks after school got out, but my dad received another project. I just couldn�t see myself spending the summer in Billings, Montana. You know I�ve stayed at Harper�s now and then. She invited me to move in for the summer,� she explained.
�That has to be a little awkward for Bev and Jack with the two of you there.�
�I think Jack purposely works Wolf�s butt off so he has no energy when he gets home,� Sarah admitted.
Tami, Tim, and Wolf found us.
�I hear you�re living in sin in Chicago,� I teased Wolf.
�I wish, but I think Bev would string me up if I did that. Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you I�m dating Sarah,� he said with a big smile.
�She filled me in.� I turned to Tami and Tim. �What�s going on with you two? I mean, Wolf has Sarah, Harper has he who must not be named � are you two getting out?� I asked.
It was funny to watch their polar-opposite reactions: Tim blushed, while Tami looked pissed.
�Harper thinks it�s her job to find me a man this summer. Have you met her stuck-up friends?� Tami asked.
�Ah, yes. The self-entitled group,� I said with a nod.
�If that wasn�t enough, these two,� she said, pointing at Wolf and Tim, �have been pains in the butt.�
They both suddenly looked too innocent.
�What did you do?� I asked the guys.
�Someone has to look out for her,� Tim blurted.
I recognized the problem: they were acting like overprotective big brothers. I snorted while trying not to laugh at the death stare Tami gave them.
�They tossed one of her dates into a dumpster,� Sarah supplied.
�I contend he jumped in,� Wolf said.
�After you two threatened to dismember him,� Tami huffed.
�He was pawing you like a dog hunting for a treat,� Wolf shot back.
�No, he was not,� Tami complained.
�He had his hand inside your shirt,� Tim said, looking annoyed.
�That was an accident. And besides, he was a total douche-nozzle. He wasn�t getting a kiss goodnight,� Tami assured them.
�They did you a favor, then,� I ventured.
�See, even David agrees he needed to hurry home,� Tim said, a little too excitedly.
Tami decided to go somewhere else before she killed us.
��Douche-nozzle�?� I asked with a raised eyebrow.
�He really was. Tami won�t admit it, but she appreciated their help,� Sarah said.
�See, I told you she wasn�t mad,� Wolf told Tim.
�She sure seemed like it to me,� Tim said, looking upset.
Someone put some music on, and Wolf pulled Sarah to the patio so they could dance.
�Hey, uhm, David � uh � I don�t know � I�ll be back,� Tim said and bolted.
Hmm, curious.
◊◊◊
I finished my Mountain Dew and walked into the kitchen to get another one. There I found Yuri talking to Roc and my half brother, Phil.
�Where are we going on our trip?� Phil asked.
Yuri and Roc looked at him curiously.
�We�re going for a guys� week with my dad, uncle, Greg, and David,� Phil explained.
It sounded a little weird when he said it that way, but he was right. His dad was my dad.
�It�s a surprise,� I said.
�What do you mean, it�s a surprise?� Roc asked.
�I mean, even I don�t know,� I said.
�No one will tell me, either. I thought you guys were just playing a joke on me,� Phil whined.
�Didn�t you guys go to a brothel or something on your last trip?� Roc asked, and I about choked on my drink.
�How did you hear about that?� I asked, playing along.
�Everyone knows. You�re Dawsons,� Yuri said like it was common knowledge.
�I was told we can�t do anything like that this time,� I said.
�What? Why not?� Phil asked in a panic.
I just rolled my eyes and ended up looking at my half brother meaningfully. The other two burst out laughing because it wasn�t a secret that the youngest Dawson was a virgin. Poor Phil looked like he might cry. At that moment, I really wished my parents had had another son. Phil was way too much fun to tease. I could�ve been doing this for years. At least I had him now to torment. Being a big brother was more fun than I realized.
�Did your mom buy you condoms? You can�t go without them,� I said with a straight face.
The look of horror was too much. None of us could keep it in any longer.
�You all suck!� Phil said as he stomped off.
�That was kind of mean,� Roc admitted.
�Where did you come up with the brothel story?� I asked.
Roc blushed.
�It was the only thing I could think of.�
Kylie found Roc and pulled him out onto the dance floor. I couldn�t believe that I hadn�t danced yet.
◊◊◊
I found Tami in the house, people-watching, and joined her on the couch.
�Tim�s acting weird,� I said and then told her about what had happened.
�I have no idea,� she said with a shrug.
I think my head almost snapped off when I did a double-take. Had Tami Glade just said she didn�t know what was going on? Was I in some alternate universe?
�Seriously?� I asked.
�Not a clue. Want me to find out?�
�No, no � no, no � I�ll figure it out,� I said.
�How�s Trip?� she asked, getting serious.
�It brought back a lot of memories of Jeff,� I admitted.
�I miss him, too,� she said as she put her hand on mine.
We each sat there in our own thoughts. Finally, I broke the silence.
�You know I want you to be happy. I won�t freak out if you start to date someone,� I said.
�Please. Since when could you ever handle that?� Tami asked.
I just nodded because I deserved that. I didn�t feel like fighting with her tonight; instead, I got up and walked away. Suddenly, I felt tired, so I found Cassidy and told her I was going home. She and Brook decided to stay. They assured me they could get a ride.
◊◊◊
Chapter 11 � What the Heck is NSA? Saturday June 18
I was in my apartment, packing, when there was a knock on the door. When I opened it, I found Tim standing there, looking nervous, so I invited him in.
�I need to talk to you about something personal,� he said.
I wondered if this was what made him so nervous last night.
�What did you say to Tami to make her cry?� he asked out of the blue.
�What are you talking about? When did Tami cry?� I asked.
�Last night, after you left.�
�Did she say I made her cry? Because I don�t remember doing anything that might�ve caused her to,� I said.
�Oh, I just assumed,� Tim said.
�Let�s call her and find out,� I said and started toward my bedroom to grab my phone off the charger.
�No!� Tim said in a panic.
�If she was crying, I want to find out why,� I said.
�Please. I said too much. Don�t.�
I looked at him and decided he looked stressed enough. I could always wait until he left to find out.
�Okay, calm down. Now tell me why you came here this morning,� I said.
�Couldn�t I just be here because we�re friends?� Tim asked.
�You could, but you told me you needed to talk to me.�
�Oh, that.�
�Yeah, that. What�s up?� I asked.
�You see, it�s � uhm � I � ah, shit!�
Something had him tied up in knots.
�Dude, it�s me. Just tell me,� I said.
�I don�t want you getting mad at me, and I�ve tried to tell myself it�s no big deal, that you wouldn�t care. But see,
�Sit!� I ordered, and Tim almost fell back into his seat. �Whatever this is, it�s causing you to act crazy. I thought we were friends. Just tell me.�
�We
I suddenly felt like the Godfather from the movie.
�Tim, I�m gonna make you an offer you can�t refuse,� I said, channeling my best Don Vito Corleone persona. �Tell me, my friend, what bothers you, or I will feed you to the fishes.�
That got a smile out of him.
�It�s no big deal �� he began and then looked at my death stare. �I like Tami.�
At least he looked me in the eyes. There was a twinge from my Alpha Male, but I tamped that down. That train had left the station; no longer was there any claim there. I could handle this.
�I like her, too,� I said to tease him.
It was amusing to see him flush.
�See, that was what I was afraid of. I don�t want anything to hurt our friendship. I realize you two have a history,� Tim said.
�Calm down. So you like, like her?� I asked.
Yes, I was being a jerk, but I wanted him to say it.
�Yeah, I do,� he admitted.
Of all the guys I knew, Tim would be the one I would trust the most with Tami. I did have another slight impulse of wanting to claim her as mine, but again, that boat had sailed. I was over the whole �someday� bullshit and realized I was actually okay with this. At least with Tim, it wasn�t some random dude to be worried about. Tim had a big heart, but he was more than a little inexperienced. Tami would eat him alive.
The other problem was he had to build up the intestinal fortitude to tell
�You�re so screwed.�
�Why?� he asked in a panic.
�First of all, I�m fine with you dating Tami. I�ll give you one piece of advice: don�t tell her you asked me if it was okay to date her. She might not take that in the spirit you did it in,� I suggested.
�Probably not. I just didn�t want this to be a problem between us.�
�We�re good.�
�How do you think I should tell her?� Tim asked.
I chuckled.
�Look, I said I�m good with it, but trust me, Tami doesn�t want me involved in her love life. Talk to Wolf about this one,� I suggested.
�He said I should just show her my junk,� Tim said.
I just blinked as my brain wrapped itself around that.
�Okay,
�Will he tell me the Dawson secrets to dating lots of girls?� he asked.
�Not if you plan to date Tami,� I said as my eyebrows shot up.
He held up his hands in defeat. I kicked him out of my apartment so I could finish getting ready. I wished I could be a fly on the wall when he finally got up the courage to talk to Tami.
◊◊◊
�David! Come help me with the boys,� Peggy called from downstairs as Duke bounded up the stairs to say hello.
I took Little David and the diaper bag while she parked the stroller and carried Coby upstairs. Peggy looked exhausted. The boys were ready for naps, so we put them down.
�They�re getting big, and my back is killing me,� she complained.
�I can fix that,� I offered.
�No funny stuff,� she warned.
I sighed.
�You say that now.�
I took her into my bedroom and had her strip down to her panties. As I gave her a massage, I found that her back was tight. I must have done my magic because she was soon asleep.
I stepped into the living room and found Coby was still awake, so I picked him up and held him. He was such a good baby. Just looking into his blue eyes made me melt. This was my son. I�d imagined what that would mean to me before we had him, but nothing prepared me for how he made me feel.
Having a child really does change you. I hated to be away from him while making movies or playing baseball. I felt selfish for letting my parents and Peggy take on the burden of raising him. Deep down, I realized it was for the best. He was safe and secure with them. But it made me feel like a part-time dad. I guess that was exactly what I would be until after college graduation. It reminded me that most young dads didn�t have that option, and that was why I loved my parents.
Coby drifted off, so I put him in his crib. Duke took advantage of my empty lap and jumped on the couch so he could lay his head on it. I rubbed his ears to assure him that I still loved him too.
◊◊◊
I was watching
�What are you doing?� she asked.
�Watching one of the movies Rita gave me. I never realized some of these old ones were so good. I would�ve loved to act with Katharine Hepburn. She really was bigger than life.�
�When do you leave?� she asked.
�Tomorrow. Moose, Coach Haskins, Coach Herndon, Paul, and I will leave first thing in the morning. I�ll be staying with a host family while I�m there.�
�You�d better be careful if they have daughters,� she teased.
�If I get lonely, I can just update my Tinder account.�
�Didn�t you take that down?�
�I could reactivate it.�
Peggy decided that idea had merit. I got my phone and let her look at the app.
�Where are you going?�
�I�m off to Cary, North Carolina. It�s in the area they call �the Triangle� with Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. It�s close to Duke, the University of North Carolina, and North Carolina State University.�
I was amused that Peggy had the two-thumbs typing down. I struggled with one finger.
�Okay, how�s this? �Only in town for a week. Looking for NSA fun.��
�What the heck is �NSA�?� I asked.
�No strings attached.�
�I don�t even want to know how you knew that.�
She hit enter. Matches began to pop up. It seems girls like picking out dates for you. Peggy started to reject most of them; I thought some of those she rejected looked to be exactly the right amount of slutty. I wondered if you could go back and change them from a �no� to a �yes.�
Duke told me he wanted to go out. After he was done, I walked into the house to get something to eat. I found Tami there, talking to my mom.
�Is Peggy in your apartment?� Mom asked.
�She�s finding me a girl for when I go to baseball camp,� I said like it was no big deal.
That got their attention.
�Tinder,� I explained.
�Oh, I�ll go help her,� Mom said.
Tami laughed at me when she saw my expression. Of course, that wouldn�t stop my mom. She left us as I made myself some soup.
�What were you two up to?� Tami asked.
�Peggy needed a nap, so I watched the boys.�
�Did you figure out what Tim wanted?�
�He stopped by today, and we talked. I took care of it,� I said, unwilling to give her details.
�Well, I�m sorry about last night. I was in a mood.�
�Guess I didn�t notice. Do you feel better today? Tim said you seemed upset about something.�
�No, I�m fine.�
I just nodded.
�You�ll do great, by the way,� Tami said.
�What?�
�Baseball. You�ll do great.�
�Oh, yeah. I�m ready.�
We were silent for a few minutes while I ate.
�I wanted to thank you,� she said.
�For what?� I asked.
�For Chicago. Jack and Bev are great. They like you a lot. I�ve also enjoyed getting to know Tim and Wolf. I can see why you decided to be friends with them. They�re both great guys.�
�Any problems?�
�Besides them being overprotective, no. We�ve gone exploring on the weekends. Chicago has a lot to offer. Last weekend�s excursion was to the zoo.�
�Did the moms come up for their shopping trip?� I asked.
�Yeah, that was fun. Brook, Zoe, Tracy, and Pam joined them. Jack took the dads golfing. Everyone had a great time.�
�That sounds like fun.�
�David?�
�Yeah?�
�I miss you. I love that I get to do the internship, but I miss our time together.�
No way was I getting into that conversation. I gave her a wan smile. It seemed like all my childhood best friends were gone. Alan and I essentially hadn�t spoken in nearly two months. Tami and I simply weren�t as close anymore. Maybe Coach Haskins was right: when you left high school, you left your friends behind. It made me a little sad to think that might happen.
I tried to think of whom my parents still hung out with from high school. The only person that came to mind was Mrs. A. I�d always believed that Tami and I would be forever, but lately could tell that was changing. I needed to decide if I was okay with that or not.
�Are you going out with us tonight?� Tami asked.
�Who all�s going?�
�Wolf, Sarah, Tim, and I.�
�No. I wasn�t invited,� I said, shocking her.
�Well, I�m inviting you.�
�No, you go ahead. Five people is awkward. I�ll be fine.�
�I�m sure they didn�t intend to exclude you,� Tami said with a little concern in her voice.
Wanna bet?
�No, really, I have lots I need to do,� I said.
�If you change your mind �� she left hanging.
I just smiled.
◊◊◊
Peggy and my mom were having way too much fun, so I called Pam and took her to Granny�s West for dinner.
�My dad got a job in LA. He leaves in a couple of weeks. He wants to see Coby before he goes,� Pam said.
�Have him talk to my parents. I don�t want to get in the middle of it.�
�That�s what I told him.�
�I hear you got an offer on the house.�
�Finally. Mom was starting to worry it would never sell.�
�The rumors of wild parties hurt the resale value,� I shot back. �Hey, speaking of wild, how�s your sister doing?�
�She agreed to go to counseling.�
�Holy cow, what did you just say?�
�It was either that, or Devin was sending her packing. Apparently, she finally figured out that the prenup was ironclad, and she wasn�t going to be able to break it.�
�Wait, I missed about twenty steps leading up to this. What happened?� I asked.
�You heard she got herself banned from Range Sports, right?� Pam asked, and I just blinked. �Then the ranch foreman threatened to quit. I think what finally did it was when Sandy moved out.�
I�m sure I looked stunned.
�Didn�t you know that? I was positive I�d told you all about it,� Pam said.
�Hell, no! I want details.�
�My dear sister got it in her head that since she married Devin, she was equal to him as the owner. When they got back from their honeymoon, she started to go to work with him. At first, it was no big deal. Cora would sit in on meetings, and Devin was impressed that she wanted to learn the business.
�Then she began going to meetings without Devin. Cora started making suggestions; still no big deal. You know my sister, she couldn�t stop there. She decided that she knew better than his employees. It took a while before word got back to Devin because everyone assumed he�d sent Cora to the meetings. In a way, he had, but not as the decision-maker.
�What got her caught was when she screwed up the latest catalog. The marketing people had finished it and forwarded it to Devin and the Board of Directors for their final approval. Cora went through it and made several changes, some of them pricing. She felt they were charging too much for certain items.
�When Cora sent it back to marketing, they thought it had been approved by the Board, so they didn�t look at it and forwarded it to the printers. They direct-mailed the catalogs to their existing customers and the stores. The first clue that something was wrong was when their call center was slammed with orders,� Pam shared.
�Oh, dear God! What did they do?� I asked.
�Devin held an emergency meeting with the Board. At that time, they didn�t realize it was Cora; they assumed the printer had made a mistake. They decided to honor the prices and write it off for anyone who had already ordered. Then moving forward, they would explain the error and give them a discount to keep their business.
�Then she did something similar with the fall line. Cora decided she didn�t like the colors for their most popular hunting jacket. They ran five thousand units before the mistake was caught. When that happened, Devin had the errors investigated, and Cora was found out. The Board gave him the choice of resigning or banning her from the company.�
�He couldn�t have been happy about that,� I said.
�No, he wasn�t. There for a while, we all thought he was going to divorce her.�
�I think I had their marriage lasting three months in the pool,� I admitted.
Pam gave me a smirk.
�I said it would last more than a year. I need to check, but I think I won. You underestimate my sister�s greed. I knew when she figured out she�d be broke if they divorced, Cora would straighten up and make Devin a good wife.�
�Why did Sandy move out?� I asked.
�My sister decided to �help� her. Cora thought Sandy could use assistance with how she dressed, who she hung out with, you name it. She nagged her to change into a Cora clone. Sandy had enough. She was going to college anyway, so she flew out early and enrolled in summer school.
�Devin went through the roof. He told Cora either she straightens up and flies right or she�d be gone. Part of the agreement was she had to get counseling to figure out if she was crazy or not. It looks like the jury�s out on the crazy part,� Pam said with a smirk.
�Do I get a vote?�
�No. There�s no question how you�d vote. Just consider us lucky that Cora didn�t end up moving here. I can only imagine what she would want to do to Coby.�
�You forget, my mom would deal with her.�
�Yes, your mom would keep her in line.�
I was proud of Pam. She�d stepped up and spent much more time with our son than I had expected she would. I suspect Pam surprised herself. I could also tell that her therapy had helped her. Pam was no longer as timid if someone confronted her. Part of it was that her dad was no longer around her all the time. When I found out he�d hit her, and she was so scared, I wondered what else was going on.
If Cora was any indication, he�d ruled those girls with an iron fist. As soon as Cora gained some freedom, she became a wild child.
Something I never doubted with Pam was that she loved me. We just didn�t love each enough for us to be more than we were, at least for now.
Pam was also a little needy. She had a way about her where she was hesitant but sought my approval. That was demonstrated best in our discussions about if I liked or loved her. While I found them endearing, I suspected that it related back to her father. Would he show her affection or not? I don�t think she was ever sure.
I was always glad to show or say that I cared because she was so sweet and na�ve. Perhaps the best way to describe her was innocent. It saddened me to know that her father had struck her. It would have been like me hitting Duke when he was a puppy. Cal was one man I�d lost almost all respect for. I knew she still loved him because that was just how she was wired. I would bite my tongue when he came up in conversation, for her benefit.
�David?�
�Yes?�
�Where did you go just then?� she asked.
�I was thinking about you and Coby and how much I love you both.�
�David?�
�Yes?�
�I wanted to thank you.�
�What for?� I asked.
�You saved me and our baby.�
�I could have done nothing else.�
�I know.�
◊◊◊
Chapter 12 � Twins? Sunday June 19
We landed in North Carolina and got our luggage from the baggage carousel. I hadn�t expected press to be waiting for us at the rental-car booth. Luckily, there were only three of them.
�We were wondering if you could give us a moment of your time.�
That had to be the most polite approach I�d ever seen. I gave Moose my American Express so he could get the car Caryn had rented for us. Paul stood off to the side so he could see everything and catch it on his bodycam. I�d switched to the baseball-cap version of bodycam so I wouldn�t have to wear the birth-control glasses this week.
�How can I help you?� I asked.
�The Herald Sun and News & Observer both ran feature articles on you in today�s papers. They were talking about your participation in the Under-18 National Team tryouts. You were touted as one player to watch, even though your primary sport is football.�
�I do okay with football �� I started but was interrupted.
�Is it true that you�re not planning to defend your title at the Elite 11 quarterback competition?�
�My focus this summer is primarily baseball. I�ve been invited by USA Baseball to compete this week for a spot on the Under-18 National Team with 107 other baseball players from across the country. While I love football, baseball was my passion growing up,� I said.
�So you plan to do both, play baseball and football?�
�I�m in high school, and the seasons don�t overlap, making it possible to do both now. Moving forward, we�ll see. I expect after this week, I�ll have a better idea of my baseball potential. In an ideal world, I�d love to do what Deion Sanders did and play in both a World Series and a Super Bowl.�
�Football�s not the only interest you have outside of baseball. Your celebrity as a movie star has caused some issues at your high school baseball games.�
�If you mean that crowd sizes increasing dramatically was a problem, then I guess it was. I suspect wherever I go to play ball, they�ll see that as an asset, not a problem,� I said.
I held up my hands to stop further questions.
�We just got here, and I�m around all week. Let me get settled, and I promise to make myself available for further interviews when it doesn�t interfere with what the folks at USA Baseball have planned.�
With that, we left to find Moose.
◊◊◊
We dropped the coaches off at an Embassy Suites not far from the National Training Complex (NTC). Paul and I drove on to the training complex. It was situated in the 221-acre Thomas Brooks Park. The baseball stadium held 1,800 fans. Next to the stadium were three other fields that were said to be of major-league quality. Next to the press boxes, on a hill overlooking the stadium, there was a large tent. Someone pointed me to where I had go to start the process.
�Welcome to the NTC, David,� a man in his late thirties said. �You�ve given us a little free pub with your presence here. Let me walk you over to where you need to sign in.�
I was taken to a table where I was signed in, and then another young man approached me.
�David, let�s get you geared up,� he said and took me over to where everything was.
�Paul, I expect I�m okay here. Go get settled in, and I�ll call you when I�m done.�
He agreed and left me to take care of all the preliminaries. It was a little unnerving that everyone I met seemed to know who I was. There were other boys who obviously were baseball players being led around as well.
The gear was great. The USA Baseball logo had the letters �U� and �S� wrapped around a star on the hat. T-shirts and jerseys showed �USA� across the chest, with the �S� looking like a stylized flag.
Part of the program for the initial tryouts was that we would be housed through the USA Baseball Host Family Program. If I made it to the next round, held in Houston, Texas, we would stay at hotels. My host family was Melissa and Rob Rivers, and their one son, Bob. Melissa and Bob were there to greet me. He looked like he was eleven, and I think he was a little starstruck.
�Mom! He�s over here!� Bob said as he came bounding up.
�Slow down and use your inside voice,� she chastised him. �Sorry about that. I�m Melissa Rivers, and this is my son Bob. We�re your host family for the week.�
�We won, so we got to pick you,� Bob shared.
�That�s nice. Was everyone able to pick who lived with them?� I asked.
�Not exactly. Why don�t I explain that later?� Melissa said as she looked at her son meaningfully.
�Where�s all your stuff? We should get going,� Melissa said.
�Sorry, I need to call my security slash driver. He�ll want to check out your house,� I said.
�Oh, no one told me. You won�t need me to take you to and from practice then,� she said, looking disappointed.
�No, probably not.�
I�d sent Paul a text when I was done, so he was in the parking lot.
�I want to go with David,� Bob said.
We walked out to our rental car, and I introduced Paul to Melissa. I don�t believe she was too happy that he planned to check her house out. They lived in the Kildaire Farms subdivision. When we pulled up, I was a little taken aback. The home was from the mid-�70s, with vertical wood siding. What was off-putting was that the second story had bump-outs where a second-story room would jut out into the front yard. I was worried that if they had wood rot, it might just fall off.
Once we got inside, it was a different story. It was a four-bedroom home, which meant I wouldn�t have to room with Bob. I was afraid that he might literally talk my arm off if I were trapped in his room all night. At my request, Bob showed Paul around the house.
�Sorry, but I�ve had a few instances when I�ve needed security.�
�We were warned. It�s okay.�
�What was the deal about you winning me?� I asked.
�Several of the host families wanted to have you stay with them. Not wanting to hurt anyone�s feelings, they had a drawing.�
�I hope you aren�t expecting much. I�m just a regular teenager.�
�No, but it�ll be a big deal for Bob. His friends all think Stryker is really cool, and when you did that bit where you stole the spaceship, he got a little excited,� Melissa warned me.
�When he asks, should I tell him none of it was real?�
�I�ll leave that up to you. While you�re at it, could you tell him Santa�s not real? I expect you would make his whole summer,� she said.
I liked her.
�Whatever you think is best,� I deadpanned.
�I hear you have a son.�
�Yes. In fact, it feels like I have two. One of them is my nanny�s son,� I said, getting out my phone to show her pictures.
Bob came bounding into the room with Paul in tow.
�All good,� Paul announced.
�Tonight, they�re throwing a welcome party for the players. Would you and your family like to come?� I asked.
�They already invited the host families. We planned to go,� Melissa said.
�I hate to dash, but I�m meeting with my coaches to work out. What time do you need me to be back?� I asked.
She looked relieved. I would bet she planned to have me join them for dinner tonight. I wanted to meet her husband before we went to the party.
�How many people do you have with you?� Melissa asked.
�Three coaches and Paul.�
�Let them know they�re all invited to dinner tonight.�
�You don�t have to do that.�
�We�re grilling out. Bob has friends coming over,� Melissa admitted.
I nodded.
�Thank you. I�ll see if they want to come. I�ll text you with a firm number,� I assured her.
Paul and I made our exit.
�You realize that Moose and Coach Haskins would never pass up a home-cooked meal,� Paul told me.
�I know, but they�ll have to put up with a bunch of eleven-year-olds.�
�Bob is full of energy,� Paul agreed.
◊◊◊
Dinner was fun. Bob had three of his buddies over, and I told them how I stole the Millennium Falcon off the
Rob rubbed me the wrong way. He was a cocky little bastard, one of those guys who had an even better story, no matter what anyone talked about. Rob told me he was a runner, and that if I wanted to, he would take me on his usual run tomorrow. Moose shook his head �no� because he could tell I planned to run the man into the ground. I told Rob that I wasn�t sure what tomorrow held, so I would wait to run.
It was true, I had no idea what they planned to do with us. If it was like Elite 11, they might try to kill us. I certainly didn�t want to run before that.
When it was time, we all drove to the welcome party. It gave me a chance to meet all the other players. I took Bob with me and introduced him as my host-family brother. He was beaming with pride.
Unlike Elite 11, the players seemed to be wary of not just me, but also each other. I guess everyone had figured out that there would be actual cuts. They all seemed nice enough, but you could tell they�d put on a mask to cover their worries.
The actor in me found it fascinating.
◊◊◊
There were a few girls at the party. One of the players, Dave Gordon, had the best-looking girl there with him. The funny part was that he seemed to think she liked him, but I got the impression that she just tolerated the boy. There was another girl who watched them like a hawk. She was a wallflower who disappeared into the scenery. She would move in the background every time they did, as if she was stalking them.
I eased over and stood behind her.
�Do you think they�re really a couple?� I asked.
The poor girl dropped her drink and jumped back, nearly knocking me down.
�Shit!� she cried.
Suddenly, everyone had turned to stare at us. With the glare of light on her, she scurried off like a cockroach you find in your bathroom sink at 2 a.m. I waited a few minutes and then went to find her. It took a while, but I spotted her sitting on a bench outside.
�You okay?� I asked.
�Why are
I sat down next to her and took a moment to get a closer look. She was one of those girls boys joked about that if you put a sack over their head, you�d do them. The poor girl must have hit every ugly branch when she fell out of the tree. She had a hot body, though. Yes, men are pigs.
�You okay?� I asked again.
Her dramatic sigh had me impressed.
�My brother is such a dick,� Miss Wallflower began.
I had a bad feeling I might have just made a mistake. It was becoming clear she needed to talk, and, for whatever reason, girls seemed to want to tell me their life story.
�He hit the genetic lottery. Meanwhile, I�m this,� she said, waving her hands around theatrically. �Do you remember that movie? The one with Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger?�
It took me a moment.
�
�Exactly. A guy at school had the nerve to tell me that my brother and I reminded him of them.�
I barked out a laugh.
�It�s not funny. My brother got the good looks and athletic build. He thinks everyone loves him. In reality, he�s a self-righteous prick.
�Do you know what he did to me?� she asked.
I shook my head �no.�
�My best friend!� she declared and then gave me the stink eye. �Yes, I actually had a friend. Notice I said �had.� My brother invited her to accompany him tonight. I�m sure the only reason she did it was that everyone puts up with my brother because he�s a good baseball player. Her social status will sharply increase after this.
�What a bitch! I can�t believe she�d do that to me,� Miss Wallflower said.
�Which one is your brother?� I asked.
�Dave Gordon.�
Now it made sense.
�I�m David,� I said, offering her my hand.
�Mr. Ed.�
�Come again?� I asked.
�Everyone calls me �Horse Face� or �Mr. Ed.� I decided to just own it. Screw �em.�
�How about I just call you �M.E.,�� I suggested.
�Whatever,� she said, and then launched off on another tangent. �Did you know that man is the only species who has sex face-to-face? Well, there�s one kind of monkey that does it that way, too.�
�I � uh � guess that�s good to know.�
�Do you think anyone will ever want to have sex with me face-to-face?�
�No, probably not.�
She started to laugh.
�Thanks. I needed that.�
�Are you about ready to go back in there and spy on your brother?� I asked.
She took my hand, and we walked back together. I�d just made my first friend at baseball camp.
◊◊◊
Chapter 13 � Redneck Crazy Monday June 20
We were all told to meet at the Embassy Suites in shorts and t-shirts. I�d put my game uniform and gear into a duffle bag. Most of the guys had done the same, but a few still had their uniforms in the clear plastic bag they�d been given them in yesterday. We were ushered into a large ballroom where we were met by all the coaches and staff. We were then assigned teams. I was put on the team called Pride, along with twelve other boys.
Once the teams were announced, our coach pulled us all together.
�Gentlemen, welcome to Pride.
�Before we get started, I want to introduce myself. I�m Clark Kingwood. I�ve been the head coach at Mainland Community College for the past eighteen years. We�ve averaged 37 wins a season since I�ve been there. I�ve participated in USA Baseball for the past six years, but this is my first year coaching at the Under-18 level.
�Last week, my fellow coaches and I had a draft to select our teams. I think we may have the best team here. Over the next several days, you�ll participate in the Tournament of Stars, and we�ll be in the Gold Medal Game.
�I picked each one of you because I felt you would mesh as a squad. Right now, you don�t know each other, but I want you to get acquainted quickly. I also want you to have fun this week. I can�t think of much I would rather be doing than playing baseball. Over the next week, you�ll get the opportunity to test your skills against the best players in the country.
�Everyone here is good. I want you all to realize that right now. The quicker you figure out that your attitude and effort are the biggest factors that will set you apart, the better off you�ll be. When you walk onto the field, attitude and effort don�t take talent. In fact, it�s the reverse: they are the elements that will let your talent show itself,� he said, and then took a deep breath.
�I�m not going to lie to you. While I want to win the tournament, this is all about finding the right guys to move on to the next level. Scouts and coaches are going to be watching everything you do, and that includes me. 108 men will need to be whittled down to 40 by the end of the week. While you�re bonding together and working to win games, you�re in competition with each other for those roster spots.
�I want to make clear that we�re looking for good teammates and for how you�ll fit into a team. The best way to do that is to just win, baby,� he said with a big smile that had us agreeing.
If we were going to do this, I wanted to win, because that was just the way I was.
�Okay, settle down,� he said with a smile. �Now I want the coaches to introduce themselves.�
The first up was someone who wasn�t much older than we were.
�I�m Dick Mallei, your pitching coach. I�ve been where you are, and I made the team five years ago. Unfortunately, I tore a couple of ligaments in my elbow in the minors. I love the game, so I had to find another way to participate. If you have any questions about how all this works, feel free to ask me.�
Next to stand was a small man in his early thirties.
�Duncan Nautilus,� he introduced himself, with a deep voice that didn�t fit his body. �I�ll be your infield coach this week. I hold the same position with the single-A club for the Phillies.�
A large, older man stood.
�I�m Lewis Short. I�ll be rotating between the teams, working on your batting.�
Finally, another young man, who was about my height, stepped forward.
�Art Way, I�ll be working with the outfielders,� he said and sat back down.
�Now I want you to introduce yourselves,� Coach Kingwood said as he pointed at M.E.�s brother.
�My name is Dave Gordon, and I�ll be your first baseman. I�ve been selected to try out each of the last four years, and I made the final team each time. I take this seriously, so I don�t want to see anyone slacking off, or I�ll call you on it. My goal is to make the Under-18 team so I can be the first to make all the teams, starting with the Under-14 squad.
�I�m sure I�ll make the cut, and I can already tell several of you won�t. To be frank, I�ll be surprised if our celebrity part-timer makes it. I�ll give you all one piece of advice: baseball has to be your primary focus,� he said, looking at me.
I looked around and could tell Dave hadn�t made many friends. It set the tone for the other guys when they introduced themselves. I zoned out. If I wanted to hear about how good each of them was, I�d date them, and I didn�t swing that way. I was picked last to introduce myself.
�Does anyone
I knew they did, and when I smiled, they smiled back.
�Good. Let�s talk baseball, then. If you want to talk about other stuff, we can do that after the coaches are done with us for the day,� I said to set expectations. �My goal is to do whatever it takes to make you all successful. I don�t want to just make the final 40. I want to see all of you come with me. That�ll leave 27 slots for the other teams to figure out who�ll be going to Houston with us.
�If that means I help pitch batting practice, I�m in. If the pitchers need to work on their pickoff move, I�ll be there. And if the coaches need me to play different positions, all they need to do is tell me. I believe that if we work together as a team, there�s no stopping us. We�ll set ourselves apart from all the other groups because we�re focused on winning. I want it to be our goal to win every single game.�
I looked around the room and could see the gears turning. This could be all about individuals, or we could become a team. Coach Kingwood was trying to hide a grin.
�Who�s with me?� I asked.
�Damn, son. You�re right out of central casting,� Joe Demersal, our second basemen from California, said. �I�m with you. I want to win �em all and make the final 40.�
It felt like I�d started to win them over. I like it when a plan comes together.
◊◊◊
There were buses waiting to take us to the training facility. I watched several teams split up and not get onto the same bus. When our team started to do the same, I whistled to get their attention. It was one of those sharp ones that cut through the noise and had everyone turning to see what was up.
�Team Pride � everyone together!� I called out.
Dave gave me a withering look and got onto another bus out of spite. I smiled when the coaches noticed, and Coach Mallei was sent to get him. When he boarded the bus, you could tell he�d been talked to. I don�t think he liked what he�d been told, but he didn�t act like a complete jerk.
I sat next to Luke Cash, a right-handed pitcher from Missouri.
�Looks like Mr. �I�ve been here for four years� got his butt chewed. Do you believe he�ll get with the program?�
�Once we start winning, he will. He knows how this works, and if he can�t be a good teammate, he won�t make the cut. I predict by this afternoon, he�ll be cheering us all on,� I said.
�Do you think he�ll mean it?� Luke asked.
�Oh, hell, no!�
We both laughed at that. Some of the other guys heard us and also chuckled. I wasn�t trying to one-up Dave or anything of the sort. These guys had all played on teams where there was someone like Dave, only out for himself.
When we got to the park, there were reporters and fans waiting. It was funny to see everyone hesitate.
�Hey, Coach!� I called out. �How do you want us to deal with this? Should we wait until after practice to sign autographs and talk to the press?�
When I said �sign autographs,� everyone on the bus turned and stared at me. It was like they�d never had to deal with this before. That was when I grasped that they hadn�t. I felt a little jealous and had a sudden insight into how truly messed-up my life was.
�No press for now. Follow Dawson�s lead,� Coach Kingwood said. �Take us out.�
I got up and walked to the front of the bus.
�Team Pride, on me,� I called out as they scrambled out of their seats.
The other players all stayed where they were. I was glad to see Paul, Moose, Coach Herndon, and Coach Haskins at the door. There was a crowd of about thirty fans and eight reporters. Paul stepped in front, and my Lincoln coaches flanked me. The rest of the team followed us to field four.
I introduced my coaches to everyone. Paul would stick with me, as security, while the three Lincoln coaches would split up and watch practice at each of the other fields. We split the field with Brave, who was our first opponent today.
◊◊◊
I liked that Coach Kingwood got us busy right away. We did some stretching and running to warm up. Then it was like most everywhere else I�d been: they measured us. I don�t think they ever believed our stats when we filled them out on our application.
I was the biggest on our team at six-four-and-a-quarter and 218 pounds. What had them all buzzing was when I smoked everyone in all the speed drills. I�d worked hard for the last few weeks so I would peak now.
When we finally got a break, I looked up and saw M.E. and Bob in batboy uniforms.
�David! David! David!� Bob yelled as he ran to me. �They let me be on Pride because you�re my host-brother.�
�I wouldn�t want it to be any other way,� I said, and then turned to M.E. �Are you in charge?�
�Nope. Bob�s been telling me everything I need to know,� she said with a wink.
Bob puffed up.
�I�ll make sure she doesn�t mess up,� he said solemnly.
�Make sure she pays attention. If you�re around anyone with a bat, don�t get clipped. If she starts to slack off, you let me know,� I told him.
I worried Bob might get a little overexcited and get hurt. I�d feel terrible if that happened. M.E. nodded to let me know she�d look out for him.
◊◊◊
Coach Kingwood posted our lineup when we broke for lunch.
(Batting Order) Name - Position(s), High School, State
(1) Joe Demersal - Second Base, Gilmore Tech HS, California
(2) Mitch Underwood - Shortstop, El Paso Senior HS, Texas
(3) Dave Gordon - First Base / Outfield, Christian Academy, Georgia
(4) David Dawson - Center Field / Pitcher (right) / Shortstop, Lincoln HS, Illinois
(5) Nick Madigan - Right Field / 1st Base, Elk Grove HS, Illinois
(6) Blake Stepford - Left Field, Hillside College Prep, New York
(7) Lucas Smith - Third Base / Outfield, San Clemente HS, California
(8) Trent Black - Catcher, Carver HS, Texas
(9) Daz Whitman - Designated Hitter /Pitcher (left/middle relief) / Outfield, Alsop Academy, Alabama
Pitchers:
Allard Hensley - Pitcher (left), Slippery Rock HS, Arkansas
Luke Cash - Pitcher (right) / First Base, Oak Ridge HS, Missouri
Austin Moran - Pitcher (right) / Infield, Citrus HS, Florida
Kale Cameron - Pitcher (left /closer), Sulphur HS, Louisiana
At lunch, we all sat at a couple of tables. They had a tent set up next to the press box at the stadium. Volunteers served us cafeteria-style. I was going to have to get someone to start bringing me lunch because this was sketchy. They had foil-wrapped pulled pork sandwiches, dry mac & cheese, and salad that had seen better days. It was good that we were all teenage boys, or the food might not have been eaten.
�What�s the deal, Dawson?� Blake, our New Yorker, asked. �Are you some kind of prissy-boy who needs twelve coaches and a personal valet?�
That got a laugh out of everyone. I could see where this might confuse baseball players. In football, I�d seen plenty of other players with personal coaches. Well, never three, but these were my high school coaches, and I imagined this was as much of an adventure for them as it was for me.
�You can�t say that,� Dave said.
I think everyone thought he was joking, but he wasn�t.
�Gay people have feelings too. You should watch what you say, because statistically speaking, one or more of our team is probably a homosexual. You don�t want to create an environment where they might feel uncomfortable. Plus, they can�t help that they�re different. We need to create an environment where everyone feels welcome. �Prissy-boy� is a trigger word, and calling David that could be construed as hostile. We want David to feel safe.�
Did he just call me gay? I gave him one of my quizzical �you�ve got to be kidding me� looks, but he was oblivious, so I let it go for now. God love him. I knew he was trying to do the right thing, but you�re talking about a group of teenage boys who play sports. Dave needed to learn there were times you had to stand up for what you believe in. And then there were others where you should read the situation, put on your big-boy pants, and realize it wasn�t said to really hurt someone. Jocks will say things around each other that in the normal world would be frowned upon in a big way. Let�s just say that I�d heard some comments that would make �prissy-boy� seem tame.
I could only shake my head when Dave kept saying, �You can�t say that!� It quickly became a competition to see who could top the last inappropriate comment to get Dave riled up. I stayed out of it � well, except when I needed to defend myself, at which point I tried to be just as inappropriate. We were all almost in tears from laughing so much. Dave came across as his sister had described him: a self-righteous prick.
◊◊◊
After lunch, the press cornered me on the way to the field. I grabbed Coach Kingwood and made him stand next to me while I gave them the �just glad to be here� routine. I looked around and there seemed to be a lot more spectators. At Elite 11, they�d only allowed family and friends to watch practice.
◊◊◊
We were designated the home team, so we would take the field first. You could tell the whole atmosphere had tensed up. I suspect everyone realized that they were about to play in a game where they were probably not the best player on the field. For many of them, this was a first. It could be intimidating when you play the best-of-the-best. I had a big leg up because of my Elite 11 experience.
Coach Kingwood gathered us around to give us final instructions.
�Remember, I want you to focus on attitude and effort. Keep your head in the game, and just do your best each play. When you make a mistake, shake it off. One play at a time, with attitude and effort. Now let�s go kick some Brave butts!�
�You can�t say that!� someone called out.
Coach Kingwood looked at us like we�d lost our minds. Dave�s face turned red, but it lightened the team�s spirits.
�Indians�I mean, Native Americans�have feelings, Coach,� I explained.
�It�s Brave, not Braves. Like Dave is �brave� to point it out,� Allard Hensley, one of our pitchers, corrected me.
��Kick butt� is a trigger phrase,� Trent Black, our catcher, explained.
�Dave has been teaching us stuff,� Lucas Smith, our third baseman, said, thankfully pointing at the other David.
�Well, I�ll make sure I don�t upset your delicate sensibilities,� Coach Kingwood said.
�Thanks, Coach,� I said with the hint of a smirk and then ran out onto the field.
Allard Hensley was a backwoods good ol� boy from Arkansas, with a wild mop of golden hair that made him look like he belonged in a heavy-metal rock band. I watched him as he warmed up. Allard had a nice fastball. He also had a small case of nerves, which affected his control. Coach Mallei walked out and had a quick talk with him. Allard gave him his easy smile, nodded, and immediately settled down. This wasn�t his first rodeo.
The only place for fans to watch the game was along the outfield fence. I guess I wasn�t surprised when people crowded five or six deep to watch our game. Looking out across the other two diamonds, they didn�t have anyone watching. I just shook my head and decided to forget about it.
I took a deep breath, looked up at the blue sky dotted with big fluffy white clouds, and felt myself relax. This was why I was here, to play the game I loved. I could feel my stomach clench. What the heck? I ran back by the fence and lost my lunch. Talk about a way to make the fans take a step back.
Now I was ready. I took my position, and Allard went home with the first pitch. Brave�s leadoff hitter hit a sharp one up the middle. I realized neither Joe nor Mitch would get it, and I�d been on my toes, so I exploded forward to grab the grounder. Their runner rounded first but had to dive back when I fired the ball to Dave at first. I wanted to let everyone know that they were not picking up extra bases on me.
The next batter worked the count full on Allard. I did a little fist pump when he got a called third strike. The third batter was clipped by a fastball on the wrist. The trainer had to come out and check him. He insisted he was okay and took his base.
We had allowed two on, and Allard now faced their cleanup hitter. It took just one pitch for them to be up 3�0 as he hit a screamer that rocketed down the third base line. I think the best part of the play was the small boy, about Bob�s age, who snagged it out of the crowd. The kid had skills.
I took an instant dislike to Brave when they acted as if they�d won the game. It was okay to celebrate, but you didn�t taunt the other team. Allard�s face turned red. I figured he would either use it to bear down, or he wouldn�t make it out of the first inning. I smiled when he struck out the next two batters.
�We need base runners,� Coach Kingwood called out. �Don�t try to get it all back at once. Just get on base and let your power hitters clear the bases.�
The Brave�s pitcher was even more nervous than Allard. He gave up two base hits and then walked the third batter. It was now up to me to get them home. Coach Kingwood stepped out of the dugout to talk to me before I came up.
�If you can, hit it down the first base line. Their right fielder tweaked his arm this morning.�
How he found that out, I wasn�t sure, but if that was how he wanted it, I was willing to try. Hitting a baseball into a particular place wasn�t that easy, and I�d been working hard to be able to do it. I mentally walked through the five steps to batting: rhythm, seeing the ball, separation, staying square, and weight shift and transfer. I stepped into the box and focused.
The Brave�s pitcher�s body language showed his frustration. That was understandable. His team had given him a three-run lead in his first outing, and he was about to give it all back if he wasn�t careful. Modeling and acting made you aware of body movements and interpreting what they mean. If it hadn�t been for that, he would�ve hit me square in the ear. I called time so I could brush myself off.
�That sent a message!� their first baseman called out.
Boy, they shouldn�t have done that. I felt myself drop into the zone. I was looking for something low and away so I could push it down the first base line. On the next pitch, I guessed right and crushed his fastball. If the first baseman had simply put his glove up, he might have caught it, but it screamed past him, never getting more than six feet off the ground. Their right fielder sprinted to the corner and dove for the ball. I was running full-out as I rounded first and watched the ball smack off the fence. It caught the top bar and came back into the field at a funny angle.
Coach Way was our third base coach, and he was signaling me to round second. He gave me the universal sign to slide as he waved both arms down with his palms down. I hit the dirt and felt the ball catch my shoulder; it popped up and rolled towards home. I jumped up and thought about trying to press my luck when their pitcher grabbed the ball and came up throwing. It felt like we were in Little League when he missed the third baseman by a wide margin.
Coach Way screamed for me to go. Their left fielder had done his job and backed up the throw, and this kid had an arm. Their catcher was down, blocking the plate when the ball sailed a little high, causing their catcher to have to go up to get it. I aimed for between his feet, and suddenly he was on top of me.
�Safe!� the umpire called.
From that point on, it was all us. Our bats came alive, and we scored in every inning to win 14�6.
Coach Kingwood brought us all together after the game.
�Good job! Go take a shower and be back here by five-thirty. We�ll play our second game starting at seven,� he said.
�Who wants ice cream?� I asked Bob and M.E.
�We do!� Luke Cash, one of our pitchers, called out.
I turned around, and the whole team was looking at me expectantly. Hell, I wasn�t beyond buying my way into their hearts if it meant I made the final 40. Even Caryn would understand. She might not even chew me out!
�Fine,� I said, acting put out, and then I looked at the coaches. �You, too.�
�I�m not turning down ice cream,� Coach Way said.
The one who ended up really put out was Paul since I didn�t have my wallet handy. Of course, it would be expensed, so I didn�t take his scowl seriously.
While we were eating ice cream, one of the USA Baseball directors took Coach Kingwood aside. He came back with an announcement.
�Due to crowd concerns, we will play our game in the stadium tonight.�
Everyone turned to look at me.
�Hey, look at it this way: scouts are lazy and would much rather sit and watch you play than stand,� I reasoned.
�I knew having you on our team would pay off,� Allard said. �I bet we get to play in the stadium for the rest of our games.�
�What�s this about you being �Redneck Crazy�?� Coach Mallei, our pitching coach, asked him.
Allard blushed and shook his head.
�Ah, hell � I didn�t expect anyone would hear about that here,� he started, which now had all our attention. �I guess I�m not getting out of telling the story.�
�No, this sounds too good,� Austin agreed.
�Okay. I�d been dating this girl, Kelly-Ann, for about two years. She was a pretty little thing who stole my heart. Almost no one understood it. She was on the Dean�s List, and I was a jock. Kelly-Ann asked me to one of those Sadie Hawkins dances where the girl gets to ask the boy. I�d just broken up with a long-time girlfriend, and no one wanted to ask me for fear she�d be mad.
�Tiffany was sort of the girl everyone expected me to date. She was the mayor�s daughter and one of the rich kids. I, on the other hand, well, my family never had an extra dime between us. But because I was a baseball star, it was okay for Tiffany to date me.
�Anyway, Kelly-Ann asked me to the dance. From that point on, I was smitten. She just had a way about her and was easy to be around. With Tiffany, it had all been about how it made her look, and she worried about what people thought. Kelly-Ann wasn�t like that.
�I was sure I was in love with Kelly-Ann. We both planned to go to the University of Arkansas. She�d get a business degree, and I�d play baseball. But Buddy Daniels happened.
�Buddy was the star quarterback at my school and was dating Tiffany after we broke up. He asked Kelly-Ann to help tutor him in math. I didn�t think nothing of it until my best friend Matt told me that Buddy had been sniffing around where he shouldn�t. I thought Matt was full of shit, but he�s a good guy.
�A couple of Fridays ago, Matt took me out, and we had a few beers. He told me that Buddy had taken Kelly-Ann up to his farm. He�d been bragging that he was going to nail her that night. Matt drove me to the farm, and sure enough, Buddy�s pickup was parked in the driveway.
�I had Matt pull up to the front of the house where I could see the lights on. He turned on his floodlights we sometimes use when night fishing. It�s supposed to attract the catfish. I don�t think it works, but it does make it easier to find your beer.
�We could see the curtains pull back. Matt and I decided to drink the rest of the beer and wait them out. Buddy would have to take Kelly-Ann home at some point. I did toss my empties at the window every now and then to get their attention.
�I guess Buddy wasn�t as dumb as I thought because he called the county sheriff on us. Then again, Buddy was dumb enough to come out of the house before their car even stopped. It was enough time for me to get in a few good licks.
�When the sheriff got us separated, he stuffed me into the back of his car because I wasn�t quite done with Buddy�s backstabbing ass. When he talked to me, I told him what had happened and that I�d gone a little redneck crazy. Unfortunately, the sheriff had a big mouth, and what I said was reported in the papers. I�m thinking that�s where you found out,� Allard said, looking at our pitching coach.
�I did a search on you and the other pitchers,� Coach Mallei confessed.
�What happened after that?� Trent asked.
�It came out that Tiffany had put Buddy up to it. When the mayor found out, I was suddenly a free man with all charges dropped. Little Kelly-Ann got all kinds of pissed. She about jerked all the hair out of Tiffany�s head right there in the middle of the produce section of the Piggly Wiggly,� Allard said.
As he related this part of his story, a grin crept onto his face.
�Did you and Kelly-Ann get back together?� Dave asked.
�Nope. I�m not dating some girl who can have her head turned by the likes of Buddy Daniels.�
◊◊◊
Paul dropped us off at the Rivers� house. I put my gear into the washing machine, and Bob talked me into going swimming with him. Their subdivision had a clubhouse with a pool. Bob wasn�t allowed to go by himself, but Melissa thought it would be okay if he went with me.
Bob and I had a lot of fun roughhousing. He was fearless when I would toss him high into the air. I had visions of Little David and Coby at Bob�s age. I finally wore him out, and we grabbed two of the recliners to catch some rays.
�Coach Kingwood�s not happy with M.E.�s brother. He doesn�t think Dave�s a team player,� Bob told me unexpectedly.
I had an inner smile as I thought that you had to be careful talking around little ears. It was easy to forget that they heard everything and many times would share it when you least wanted them to.
�What else did you hear?� I asked.
Bob gave me a rundown of what the coaches were thinking about each player. It was useful information, and I could see where I could help a few of them. From what Bob told me, if I continued to show leadership and the same level of play on the field, I�d be invited to the final 40.
Melissa had invited Paul and my coaches to eat dinner with them. We ate early because we had to get to the field. I was starving.
�I heard you christened the baseball field today,� Moose said.
�It was either nerves or that terrible lunch they served us. I need to either pack a lunch or have someone go out and get us food, because I don�t think I can handle what they serve us. It wasn�t what I would suggest for a training table. They fed us mostly carbs with a salad that looked to be past its expiration date,� I said.
�Speaking of food, if you expect me to buy ice cream, I need more money,� Paul said.
I pulled out my wallet and gave him cash for the week. Melissa�s eyebrows rose when she saw how much money I had on me. I turned to Bob.
�If you want anything, find Paul.�
�Within reason,� Melissa added.
Good call. My phone rang, so I excused myself. Bob was busy telling them what he�d heard today.
�This is David.�
�Hey, it�s Christen. Is it okay if I bring some of my friends to the game tonight?� she asked.
Christen was the girl my mom had picked out on Tinder. She was a college freshman at Duke. I�d let Mom and Peggy play on Tinder, thinking it was just in fun until my mom sent me a text telling me I had a date tonight. She arranged it so the girl would be at my baseball game.
�That�s fine. I look forward to meeting you.�
I could hear her friends acting goofy in the background. We said goodbye, and I returned to the table.
�Who was that?� Moose asked.
�My Tinder date.�
I waited to see who would be the first to dig deeper into that comment. Melissa seemed the most likely because she was the only woman there, and they always needed to know details. I was a little surprised when it was Coach Herndon, Mike�s dad.
�What�s Tinder?� he asked.
�It�s a dating app. You just tell it where you are and what you�re looking for. So, if you�re looking for a � quick get-together, you just say you want something casual,� I said, remembering Bob was listening.
�You said you were in the area, and it matched you with girls? When did you have the time to do all that?� Coach Herndon asked.
�My mom did it.�
I think that about blew his mind.
�I don�t even know what to say to that,� he stammered.
�The girl my mom picked out is bringing friends, so if you want dates, let me know,� I said and watched my coaches squirm.
�I want a date,� Bob said.
That brought me up short. I didn�t want to corrupt my new host-brother. Then I realized he was just trying to copy what I did. Thankfully, his mom was there to bail me out.
�Bob, you�re a little too young for that. Remember the rule: no girls until you move out of the house,� Melissa said.
Wow, she was strict. Poor Bob would be a virgin when he left for college, at that rate.
�Oh, yeah. Sorry, David, I can�t help you,� Bob said, acting all grown up.
Paul pointed at himself and smiled. The last time I hooked him up, Fritz had taken him off my security. He might fire Paul if I did it again.
◊◊◊
This evening we were playing the Stripes. Moose had watched them play the Stars this afternoon and had given me some tips. They had a speedy center fielder who was all of five-six and maybe 140 pounds. The team that had played them had pulled in the outfield, thinking he was a light hitter. He�d burned them in the final at-bat by hitting over the left fielder�s head. Moose suspected that he was just one of those guys who got more out of his bat than others did. He suggested that I play him straight up and not let his size fool me.
I was glad to see that Coach Mallei and Luke Cash, the right-hander from Missouri, invited Moose to give them a report about each batter. While one game wasn�t enough for a scouting report, it was better than nothing.
While they did that, I was sent to batting practice with Coach Short. Coaches Herndon and Haskins came to watch. Coach Kingwood had gotten them field passes sometime this afternoon. He said they could observe and talk to the coaches, but wanted them not to intrude on what his coaches were saying or doing.
�I just want you to relax and show me your swing,� Coach Short instructed.
Coach Kingwood was throwing the pitches. I got into my stance and focused on the five steps I�d been taught: rhythm, seeing the ball, separation, staying square, and weight shift and transfer.
Batting is an amazing phenomenon, and there�s a reason not everyone can do it at the highest level. Your eyes have to pick up the baseball as it leaves the pitcher�s hand. Within a fraction of a second, your brain has to decide if it�s hittable. If it is, your body has to move in one fluid motion, and your hands have to guide the bat to where the ball is supposed to be. A large part of it is muscle memory and hitting thousands of balls. What can�t be taught is the talent to actually do it.
There were kids here I could tell had put in the time and effort and were good hitters. I could also see they didn�t have the talent to be elite hitters. I had talent, but I hadn�t made baseball my full-time sport. Talent can make up for not hitting every day to create that muscle memory.
I�m also good at blocking out everything and focusing on the task at hand. Coach Kingwood wasn�t really a challenge to hit, but he wasn�t supposed to be. This was about getting all five steps working. I could tell that tonight was going to be good because I was crushing the ball.
Coach Kingwood decided to show me his stuff and tried to throw one by me a little higher in the zone. I made the adjustment Moose had taught me and rose from my crouch to almost standing. This allowed me to have my same swing for the higher pitch. Because the ball was thrown harder, it jumped out of the park in a hurry.
�Stop!� Coach Short called out. �What did you just do?�
�I hit the ball out of the park.�
�Not that. Why did you get out of your normal stance?�
�My high school coach taught me that if I either bend my knees a little more or stand straighter, I can use my natural swing more. It expands my hitting zone up and down by a few inches.�
This was one of those minor things that allowed me to hit a small percentage of balls better. In baseball, a small percentage can mean the world. Most batters my age just focused on hitting a certain way. When a ball was either high or low, they would adjust their swing. That tended to either pop the ball up or drive it into the ground.
The coaches sent me to work in the outfield.
◊◊◊
We had a half-hour to ourselves before the game started, so I sent my Tinder date, Christen, a text. She sent me one back that they were in line to get in. I decided to walk out to see where she was.
�You didn�t think I�d just let you wander off,� Paul said, giving me a heart attack.
�Jesus! Did Fritz teach you how to sneak up on people?� I asked.
He grinned and followed me out to where people were queued up to get in. I could tell they hadn�t planned this well, because there was only one person there to sell tickets. There had to be a line of a couple hundred people, all looking irritated.
I walked up behind the old guy trying to do his best.
�How many of these you normally sell?� I asked.
�Maybe twenty or thirty,� he admitted.
I asked him what that meant in terms of gate sales. The tickets were only three bucks each, so I had Paul give him a couple hundred to let everyone into the park. I waved to get their attention. Seems they already recognized me, and I was glad Paul stepped in front to slow them down.
�Here�s the deal: I just paid for all of you to get in, so you have to cheer for my team tonight.�
I spotted Christen with her friends. I was glad to see they looked like normal girls. What I mean by that was they were in jeans and Duke t-shirts. I was happy to see she hadn�t shown up in a miniskirt and five-inch heels.
�I saved you some seats,� I said.
They�d blocked off the first two rows behind each dugout for friends and family. There really weren�t that many here. I had by far the largest contingent when you counted my Tinder date, her friends, my host family, and coaches. I sat Christen next to Melissa.
�David! David! David!� Bob called from the field.
�Sorry, gotta go,� I said and jumped over the wall to get on the field.
�What�s up?� I asked him.
�M.E. sent me over to save you. She was worried you�d get cooties from that girl.�
M.E. was acting as if she was busy, and the rest of the team was acting a little too casual.
�Thank you, Bob. I have a game tonight and don�t need to get cooties from some girl. You did right to save me.�
To be that young again. I pointed at everyone else and gave them my one-eyebrow-raised look, and they burst out laughing. At least it was all in good fun.
◊◊◊
We were the away team tonight, so we batted first. Their pitcher was much better than the one we faced this morning. He had the first two batters looking at called strikes. Dave was up next and showed why he�d made the previous teams. He had a good eye and fought off five full-count pitches with foul balls before the pitcher made a mistake and walked him.
Coach Kingwood grabbed me before I stepped up to the plate.
�Be patient and wait for your pitch. No one�s going to be able to hit everything he throws up there, so be selective.�
I strolled to the plate and settled into the box. The pitcher looked over at Dave, concluded that he wasn�t a danger to steal, and threw me a big hanging curveball. I usually would have swung at one like that, but the problem was that it was high, and I more than likely would�ve popped up. The umpire called it a ball.
�Sir, how close was that?� I asked.
The umpire looked confused. You don�t usually discuss balls and strikes with them.
�I�m here to learn and am asking if you could help me out some,� I clarified.
He�d walked up to me, and it looked like he and I were arguing. Coach Kingwood came trotting out. I waved him off, but he wasn�t to be deterred.
�It was close, but a little high,� the umpire told me.
�Are you trying to get kicked out?� Coach Kingwood asked.
�No, I�ll wait for you to tell me to do that.�
He mumbled something about it would be frigid in hell before that happened. Or maybe I just heard him wrong.
I stepped back into the box and watched as their pitcher threw two more balls, one low and the other outside. I knew the next pitch was going to be over the plate. Following my routine, I wiggled the bat over my head, and when the pitch left his hand, I had a good feeling. I drove a rocket between third and short. Dave was off like a shot as the ball rolled to the wall. With two outs, he didn�t need to know if it was caught or not, so he just ran. He rounded third as the left fielder got the ball and relayed it to short, who turned and threw home. It was a close play, but Dave was safe, and I had a stand-up double.
Their pitcher got our next batter out, so it was our turn to take the field. After the first, it was tied 1�1.
On the first pitch in the second, their pitcher stepped off the mound and grabbed the back of his arm as if something was wrong. The trainer came out, and it was decided that he was done. It was later found he�d tweaked a nerve and would be alright.
Their next pitcher wasn�t nearly as good. In the third inning, I was up again, and you could kiss that pitch goodbye as it landed over the 300 mark on the left-field wall. We batted around, and I was up once again in the third; we were now up 7�2. The bases were loaded, and we had two outs. It was almost like batting practice. I grooved a ball to straight center field where the sign said 400. I was later told they estimated it traveled 434 feet for my first grand slam; that put us up 11�2.
They could have ended the game on the mercy rule, but the coaches decided to play it out because everyone needed the at-bats and exposure. I had a career night with nine RBIs, three home runs, and six hits. The final score was 23�6.
◊◊◊
After the game, I pulled the team over, and we signed autographs for the fans. They�d announced the attendance, and there were over 500 people there tonight. I talked to Christen, and she suggested we all meet at a local pizza place. The host families agreed that sounded like a plan. Of course, Bob remembered I�d bought ice cream after the first game. I decided that if we won, I�d buy, so Paul took several of the guys with him to get cones for everyone.
Coach Kingwood was talking to some press, so I walked up with his cone and listened in.
�Tell us about David Dawson,� one of them asked.
Coach hadn�t seen me, so I slowed my roll and just smiled at them.
�Character wins. It�s not just his talent, though he has plenty of that. It�s his leadership. I think that was evident at his press conference earlier and demonstrated by how many people showed up tonight. That�s a tremendous trait � not everybody can pull that off. People are drawn to David. He�s got a personality that has people wanting to know him. His teammates all love him. That�s exciting because that�s a young man who�s going to fit in well. We want to build our team around people like David. We�re looking for young men who win off the diamond as much as on it.
�He has strength that you don�t see in a lot of young men. He�s a big boy, and I would bet he�s quicker than anyone else here. David smoked everyone in the speed drills. And tonight � I�ve never seen hitting like that from a young ballplayer,� Coach said and then saw me.
�I told him he�d get a cone if he said nice things about me,� I said to the press, and turned to Coach. �We�re all going for pizza. I just wanted to make sure you�d come with us.�
�What about us?� one of the press guys asked.
�Sure, why not? Just remember it�s our time with our host families, and everything is off the record.�
◊◊◊
I�m sure we made the pizza place�s night. They were about an hour before closing when we descended upon them. I made sure I spent some time with Christen. She chased Bob around and threatened to give him cooties. Her friends were a hit with the other players.
That was until my family walked in. Pam and Peggy had crying boys and handed them to me as soon as they came in. Greg had his three, and Mac and Kyle needed to tell Unca David things. Angie held Nate, and it looked like he was asleep. Coach Haskins about fell out of his chair when I handed him Little David, once I got my namesake calmed down. Coby was being a little more difficult until I figured out he was hungry.
That was the end of Christen. So much for my Tinder date. She did stay and talk to some of the other boys. She spoke to Dave, and M.E.�s ex-best friend wasn�t happy; that made me smile. I gave M.E. a look of disapproval when she seemed a little too pleased about that. I knew they�d hurt her, but she didn�t need to gloat about it.
Mom and Melissa hit it off; Dad and Rob, not so much. We seemed to share the same opinion of the man. Kyle and Mac crawled onto my lap, and Greg sat down next to me.
�Were you surprised?�
�I had no idea everyone was coming out for this. I thought maybe Houston if I made the initial cut, and for certain Monterrey, Mexico if I made the team. What made you all decide to come?� I asked.
�We�re here to support you, dumbass. Dawsons stick together.�
�Well, I appreciate it. I was especially happy to see the boys and your little rug-rats,� I said as I hugged the two on my lap.
�See that? Your unca loves you,� Greg said.
�We know,� Mac said.
I�d already gotten her a horse to ride. I wondered what was next.
�How is everything?� I asked Greg while glancing over at Angie.
�We�re doing better. I think we�re past our rough patch. The business is picking up, and I now actually have some regulars.�
�Do you have someone filling in?�
�I talked Jill Kim and Becky Grimes into helping out during the summer. It allows us to be open longer hours, and they told me you approved of their skills.�
�I bet they did. I think they just like to see me squirm.�
In the tradition of teachers and staff everywhere, they�d picked up summer jobs.
It was getting late, and I needed to hit the little boys� room. When I came out, Pam was waiting for me.
�Hello, Pumpkin,� I said, then kissed her cheek and gave her a hug.
�I�m not fat,� she pouted.
I held her away from me so I could check, then looked at her butt and raised an eyebrow.
�David,� she hissed.
She was still the same as before, but it was fun to tease her every now and again.
�I�m just disappointed you lost your booty.�
That seemed to make her happy.
�You like me just fine,� she proclaimed.
�That I do. Where�s your partner in crime?�
�Tracy will go to Houston. I can�t make it because Mom and I are going to Cora�s place that week. Tracy volunteered to play Aunt Tracy for the boys and help Peggy. Peggy�s doing a fantastic job, by the way. Your mom, too. They let me be as involved as I want to be,� she said and then looked sad.
�David, did we do the right thing?�
�I think the only other choice was for me to marry you and then work full time. I could�ve probably gotten a job at one the big-box stores, stocking shelves at night.�
�Would that have been so bad?�
�Pam, do you want me to marry you?� I asked.
She gave me a slow smile. Oh, shit!
�Did you just ask me to marry you?�
�What did he do?� my mom asked, scaring both of us.
How did she do that?
�He asked me to marry him,� Pam said.
�He does that about once a year. The first was Beth. He got down on his knee and everything. Then he about burned his apartment down, making a grand gesture to Tami. I guess it�s your turn. I would love to have you as my daughter-in-law,� Mom said.
�Is he serious?� Pam asked and started to blink.
�One of my teammates taught me a new term: redneck crazy. Pam Bell, I�m just �redneck crazy� enough to do it. Just say the word, and we can do what�s right,� I said, looking into her eyes.
She bit her bottom lip. Neither one of us had planned this moment. She looked up at me and smiled. Oh, my God! She was going to say �yes.�
�I would love to be your wife, but I just can�t now. It�s enough to know you�re willing to do that for me. You don�t know how much you and Coby mean to me. Why don�t you ask me again on his sixth birthday?� she suggested.
�I love you,� I told her.
�I know.�
�David, you have to quit getting my hopes up,� Mom teased and walked away.
�Did you really mean it?� Pam asked.
I thought about it for a moment.
�You know, I believe I might actually be ready for a more serious relationship,� I admitted.
�I know several girls, including myself, who would welcome that. If you want, I can call everyone and let them know you picked me.�
�I want to be there when you do it. Just be careful of Tracy and Tami. They fight dirty.�
�I�ll get Cassidy to protect me.�
�Dunno about that; I�m not so sure she�d help you out. I think she has a crush on me,� I teased.
�Everyone knows she does.�
She gave me a fierce hug. Peggy came up.
�Do I get one?�
I gave her one too.
It was time to leave. I found Paul, and we rounded up Bob to go home. Melissa and Rob had already left. I found the three youngest ones sound asleep, with Kyle and Mac barely hanging on.
�Did you have fun today?� I asked Bob as we drove to his house.
�Yes. You did really well today.�
�Thanks. Today was what every baseball player dreams about. Just don�t expect me to be able to do that every time.�
�You�ll do fine. Everyone says so,� Bob assured me.
Paul dropped us off. I headed up to my room and checked my messages. Greg had sent Lily my stats for the two games, and she�d sent them out to everyone on the separate sports social media account we�d set up. I was glad to see everyone�s congratulatory responses to the news.
I had a voicemail from Saul. It was still early out west, so I called him.
�I got you booked for another commercial on your Japan trip,� he announced.
�That�s good. Have you heard anything about
�They plan to rewrite the script and have Ben Doman�s character, Roman, move over to lead your team. They felt that after your conflict in the previous movie, it would add some needed tension,� Saul explained.
Ben and I�d had an epic sword fight in the first movie. I liked Ben personally and liked the idea of his character joining the core group. Saul had shared that Ben and I had tested better than Craig had when they broke down the film. I hoped that would translate into the audience liking the change.
�How�s
�They�re about to wrap, and Gabe Francis is singing your praises. Word is getting around about how Laurent Vance treated you and some of the other actors. Gabe is telling everyone that you were professional and turned in a great performance.�
�I never thought I would end up doing that role. But I have to say it was a good experience. I also would never have been able to visit Cuba otherwise.�
�David, I want to thank you. Rita and Halle James called, and I�m representing them now.�
�Saul, you got
�Thank you for sticking with me. I know Caryn shopped around. I appreciate you standing up for me.�
He might not be the most likable guy, but he got results. I could live with that.
◊◊◊
Chapter 14 � That Guy Tuesday June 21
I came downstairs to run and found my mom and Paul drinking coffee with Melissa.
�Sit,� Mom ordered.
�What was last night about, and what the hell is �redneck crazy?� From what I heard, you may very well be more than my �stupid boy,� and we�ll have to get your head examined.�
Oh, boy!
�Pam basically told me she wanted more out of me. I guess it was my ingrained �do the right thing� upbringing that kicked in. If Pam wants to marry me and we bring up Coby as a couple, I�m willing to do it.�
�What the hell happened to you not being sure you wanted to get married?�
Melissa and Paul leaned back, a little afraid to get caught in the crossfire. I did notice that they didn�t get up to leave like I was mentally broadcasting. I guess I really didn�t have any Jedi mind-tricks up my sleeve.
�Back in the fall, Pam wasn�t my favorite person. Looking back, I can see it was her father who clouded my vision, even though I tried not to let him. At the time, I felt manipulated and knew that was no way to start a serious relationship,� I explained.
�How is now any different? Can you honestly tell me that if it weren�t for Coby, you would marry Pam? Or, for that matter, that you�d marry anyone? Good God, David! Sometimes I wonder if you�re even my kid,� she huffed.
�Dad told me that when I was in first grade, they did DNA tests, and he assured me you and I are related,� I shot back.
�You little shit. You wanted proof I was your mother?�
�Wouldn�t you? I mean seriously, talk about redneck crazy. Sometimes you take the cake.�
�Listen here, young man. You are not distracting me from why we�re having this talk,� she said as she glared at me.
It was worth a try.
�To answer your question, I�m still a teenager. I have zero desire to get married other than what is best for Coby and, by extension, Pam. If having her in his life on a daily basis gives him a better life, then so be it.�
�Didn�t your uncle have the free milk and cow talk with you?� Mom asked.
I don�t believe Melissa was used to anyone like my mom, because she choked on her coffee. The story went that if you were receiving free milk, i.e., sex, why buy the cow?
�I � I � I don�t even know what to say to that,� I stammered.
Mom shook her head and sighed.
�David, I love you to death, but you�ve got to get a handle on this need for grand romantic gestures. I know your heart was in the right place last night. You were just lucky Pam has more common sense than you do. What you did last night tells me we have to establish a new rule. Before you make any relationship decisions, you have to come to me and talk about it first.�
I blinked at her. Did she just say that? I did what Dawsons do when confronted with a situation like this: I became quiet.
�Don�t you clam up on me,� she threatened. �I know you think you can make your own decisions and you can tattle to your dad, but I�m serious about this. It�s obvious you�re not talking to Tami enough, so I�m going to have to step in. Last night showed me you have yet to learn to think things through. You�re letting your heart make your decisions, not your head.�
�Is that so bad?� I asked.
Mom�s mouth pinched, and she leaned back, then visibly forced herself to relax. I don�t believe either one of us wanted to argue about last night, so I came clean.
�I realized it was a mistake when I said it � well, �mistake� might be too strong a word. You know that if it came down to it, I would�ve done what Greg did and stepped up and taken responsibility,� I admitted.
�I�m sure you would have, but you�re younger and in a different financial situation than your brother was, and still is. I realize that isn�t fair, but it�s the truth. You also have your father�s and my support,� Mom reminded me.
�Greg also has your support,� I shot back.
�The difference is they decided they wanted to get married. We backed him on that,� Mom said.
�Mom, I don�t want to argue about this. I said what I said, and at the time, I was ready to back those words up. Pam decided that she likes our current arrangement, so nothing has changed.�
�I know, but that doesn�t mean that I don�t worry about you.�
�And Mom �� I began and looked her in the eyes. �I�m not coming to you for relationship advice.�
�I didn�t really expect you would. It was worth a shot, though. I love you,� she said to end the discussion.
�I love you too.�
�Now that that�s settled, anyone up for pancakes?� Melissa asked.
�I could eat,� Paul said with a smile.
◊◊◊
We had morning practice in the stadium. My Lincoln coaches had spread out across the other baseball fields to scout the other teams. Coach Mallei, our pitching coach, called me to join him in the bullpen.
�David, I understand you pitch some. I�d like to see what you have in case we get into a jam.�
I warmed up and showed him what I could do. He didn�t have anything negative to say, but it was clear I wasn�t going to make it to the majors as a pitcher. I didn�t think much about it until I was called over by Coach Nautilus, our infield coach.
�I want to see how you do at different infield positions.�
It seems someone had opened his big mouth and said he was willing to do whatever the coaches needed. Coach Nautilus was surprised when I had infield and first-baseman�s gloves. I�d already figured out that first base wasn�t really the best option for me, but I could play it in a pinch.
I, of course, excelled at shortstop, because that had always been my position up until this year. Somehow, second base felt backward. I was sure I could play it just fine, but I was more comfortable at short.
The position they worked me at the longest was third. I was surprised when I did well there. With my arm strength and reflexes, I was able to do a credible job.
They call it the �hot corner� for a reason. At short and second, you can play a little further back because you don�t need to worry about bunts.
For me, it wasn�t as challenging as short, as far as turning double plays was concerned. The key to third was that you had to react even faster to a hit ball. Since third is played closer to the plate, the ball is on you quicker. Right-handed batters also tend to hit the ball harder towards third than up the middle.
At the end of practice, Coach Kingwood pulled me aside.
�What�s your take on this morning�s practice?�
�It was good. I haven�t really pitched much this year, so I don�t expect Coach Mallei was too impressed. I felt I did best at short and third. But if I needed to, I could fill in at the other two positions.�
�That�s a good assessment, and about what my coaches told me. Are you comfortable at the other outfield positions?� he asked.
�I�d be game to try, but with my range and arm, I think I�d serve you better in center.�
�I agree,� he said and then paused to consider his next words. �Most of the players here have been at one position all their life and can play it well. Someone like you can give a manager versatility in his lineup options. I was talking to your coaches, and they told me you bat leadoff for your high school team. That tells me you�re flexible enough to bat up and down the order.
�There�s a reason I had you work at different positions today. When we finally get down to the twenty-man roster, someone like you can make it feel like a twenty-two-man roster. If you can spot-pitch when needed and play both infield and outfield, it�s like picking up two extra players.
�You caught everyone�s eye with your bat yesterday. That was some of the best hitting I�ve seen in a long time. Moose told me you thrive when the spotlight comes on. That would explain why you excel at football, and I expect you�d agree you�re doing well here. What I need you to do is to trust me,� Coach Kingwood said.
�Why�s that, Coach?�
�I may ask you to take on some roles or tasks that won�t put you in the best light. If you�re uncomfortable with that, you need to tell me. I would understand if you were concerned that you might not make the forty-man cut and wanted to play it safe and just play center field.�
�What I said the first day still holds true: I�m a team player and will do whatever it takes for us to win. If that means I have to play out of position, I�ll do it, even if it costs me a spot. Besides, if this doesn�t work out, I�m sure I would be okay playing football,� I said to convince him.
He gave me a sly smile.
�Don�t worry. You�re doing just fine playing baseball. Now go join the others at lunch.�
◊◊◊
Paul met me before I walked into the tent where lunch was being served. He handed me an insulated bag that had my food in it.
�Your mom dropped this off. I guess Melissa let her use her kitchen.�
�Thanks. What are they serving today?� I asked.
�Pizza and chips.�
�I guess it could be worse,� I said and left him to find my teammates.
�There he is. Looks like you got in trouble today, with having to go talk to Coach Kingwood,� Daz said.
�Yeah, he isn�t sure where to play me,� I said as I opened my bag and started to pull out my lunch.
My mom had poached chicken breasts, steamed broccoli, and made faux potato salad from cauliflower. I also found an apple in the lunch sack.
�Where did you get that?� Dave asked.
�My mom and host mom made it. Last year, I was sent to a sports clinic where they talked to me about the importance of good nutrition and supplements for athletes. Since then, I try to follow their advice and eat a high-protein, low-carb diet for the most part.�
�I thought it was just me. I do the same. Do you think you could talk them into helping out a fellow teammate?� Lucas asked.
To reinforce his plea, he held up his slice of pizza. It was limp and nasty-looking. Our New Yorker, Blake, was particularly unhappy with the soggy slice.
�That looks limper than David�s dick,� Mitch quipped.
�You can�t say that,� Dave said, crying foul.
�Careful, Mitch, or I�ll have to pull out something about your mama,� I teased.
�Your mama� jokes were old but still funny.
�Maybe we can pool our money and talk some of the host moms into cooking for us. I know mine is a great cook,� Nick said.
�I agree. Yes, I realize this is free food, but it makes me a little queasy,� Daz said as he patted the pizza with a napkin to show all the grease. �I�d be willing to pitch in some money for a decent lunch. Nick�s right, my host mom is a great cook. I told my mother that I might just stay because the food is so good.�
�What do the rest of you think?� I asked.
Everyone agreed. We only had three more days of lunches. Somehow, I was put in charge of organizing it and collecting money. Their parents had given them all money for the trip, so they each handed me cash for some decent food.
◊◊◊
We played the Stars in the first game today. My family showed up early, so I pulled Melissa and my mom off to the side and told them what we wanted to do about lunches. Melissa was one of the key members of the host family program for USA Baseball. She was shocked that our lunches were so bad, nutritionally. Melissa and my mom planned to talk to some of the other host parents about the situation. I gave them the money I�d collected, and Mom told me that if nothing else, she would either make something or have tomorrow�s lunch catered.
I went back and told the team we were set for tomorrow�s lunch, which made them happy.
We warmed up and then gave the field to the Stars so they could do the same. By now, the crowd had begun to build. They were playing some good music on the sound system, so I was bopping my head when I slipped over to talk to my family.
�Unca David, dance,� Kyle said.
What are uncles for if not to entertain their niece and nephews? I made a few of the dance moves I�d been teaching them. Mac put her arms up for me to pick her up. I didn�t think about it and just pulled her into my arms as I danced around.
�Mac dance,� she said.
If we were going to do that, I knew Kyle would want to dance as well. I grabbed him and put them onto the field with me. The next song came on, and they began to shake their booties. I looked up, and the crowd was up dancing with us.
�Dance off!� I called.
I pointed at the Stars batboys and motioned them over, then I got M.E. and Bob�s attention. They came over and joined me.
�Let�s get the crowd going. We�re going to see who the best dancers are, Pride or the Stars,� I said, laying down the gauntlet.
We waited for the next song to come on, and Kyle and Mac showed them how it was done. I admit I thought it was hilarious to watch the two of them dance. Kyle was a total free spirit and tended to just bop around. Mac was serious and really took to booty-shaking. Well, as serious as an almost-three-year-old can be.
The batboys had fun, too. Bob wasn�t too sure he wanted to do it until I did. I knew he would want to emulate me. M.E. was a teenage girl; I�d yet to meet one who didn�t like to dance. The other two batboys did it to show they had team spirit.
Coach Kingwood broke up our dance party to remind us we had a baseball game to play. I gave Mac and Kyle back to Greg and ran to the dugout.
�I can�t believe you did that. You�re just weird,� Allard told me.
�You can�t say that,� Dave said, right on cue.
That made everyone laugh even harder.
◊◊◊
Right before the game, Moose gave us his impressions of the Stars. They had a big first baseman who could hit the crap out of a fastball. Everyone thought he might be a first-round pick in next year�s Major League Baseball draft. Austin was pitching for us tonight, and the Florida kid had some nasty breaking stuff.
�I wouldn�t throw him anything straight. Make him prove he can hit your curveball,� Moose coached.
�He�s been their main offense so far. If we can shut him down, we should be good,� Coach Mallei said.
�What about the rest of them?� Austin asked.
�They�re all good, but you would expect that. You can�t take an at-bat off. If you pitch like everyone says you can, then you should be fine,� Moose said, and then he was off to watch our next opponent.
It was our turn to be the home team. They apparently rotated that every other game. That meant we took the field first. I trotted out to center field and inspected the crowd. It seemed like each one got a bit bigger than the last. It looked like the stadium was half full. Dave told us that typically there were maybe fifty people in the stands for a game. I guess the Dawson effect was happening even in North Carolina.
We also had to contend with the weather: they had predicted a shower this afternoon, and we could see clouds starting to form off in the distance. The hope was we would get the game in before it rained.
It was apparent from the start that the Stars manager wanted his hitters to get a first called strike on them before they took a swing. I personally thought that was insane because you might not get a good pitch to hit if you didn�t go up to bat with a hitter�s mentality. Sitting on pitches just reduces the number of chances for you to get on base. You might sit on the first pitch if you had a wild pitcher and wanted to force him to throw strikes. The only other possible reason that occurred to me would be if you had a batter who was overaggressive, and you were trying to teach him patience. Neither reason seemed to be valid in this case, though.
By the second inning, Austin had figured it out and was taking full advantage. If he didn�t have to worry about them swinging until the first called strike, he would be up early in the count with each batter. Our first three batters had gone down in order. Austin took care of their first six without a problem. Their big first baseman looked utterly human when he was faced with a steady diet of curveballs. Moose had come through.
I was up first in the second inning. Before I stepped out of the dugout, Coach Kingwood took me aside.
�I want to see you bunt. Either push it up the first base line or drag it down the third. Force them to quit playing you so deep. Once you�re on, I want to see you continue the pressure and steal second.�
He�d told me to trust him, so I planned to do as he said. The Stars outfielders were playing deep, and both second and short were standing outside the dirt a couple of feet on the outfield grass. Their third baseman was all the way back on the edge. First base was playing at standard depth.
At first, I thought I would drag the ball down third; then I thought again. If I pushed it towards first, the first baseman or pitcher would have to field it. The second baseman would then cover first. If he was playing that far back, I expected I could outrun him.
I looked down at the third-base coach to get the sign. Coach Way clapped his hands without bothering to give me even a fake sign.
�You�re the man! Get a hit!� he called out.
I stepped into the batter�s box and made a show of digging in. I rolled my shoulders to loosen up, held my bat in front of me, and let my finger dance against the grip. It looked like I was gaining my focus. I took a deep breath, let it out, and then faced their pitcher.
I could tell on the release of the ball that it was going to be low and outside. So I let it go, and the umpire called it a ball.
�Good eye!� Coach Way called out from third as he clapped. �You�re the man!�
The next pitch was low and outside again, but this time it was hittable. I slid my right hand up the barrel of the bat and held it with my fingers. This allowed the contact of the bat to push it into my hand, sort of like a shock absorber. This deadened the ball but still gave it enough velocity that it wouldn�t be easy for the catcher to simply run it down and make the play.
I was off like a shot and concentrated on running as I�d been taught. The second baseman about fell on his face when he saw me bunt, so there was no one for the first baseman to throw the ball to.
�Good job,� Coach Nautilus, our first-base coach, said as he patted my butt.
I didn�t take much of a lead because I wanted to watch their pitcher. He hadn�t had to pitch out of the stretch yet, and I sought to see if he used a slide step to home or not. I also wanted to see if he had any tells. The Stars� pitcher looked over his shoulder to see what I was up to and then ignored me. Did he not just see me run to first? He lifted his foot to go home, and I took off. So much for my plans.
Nick, our right fielder, took a mighty swing to protect me. This kept the catcher from starting his throwing motion to second too soon. He had to worry about being hit with a bat. Their catcher knew his business and threw a rocket to second, and I was a split second too slow to the bag and was out. If I�d taken a little more of a lead, I would have won that one.
I dusted myself off and trotted to the dugout. Coach Kingwood stopped me.
�Do you know what you did wrong?� he asked.
�Bigger lead and wait for at least one pitch to see what he does.�
�Yep. Good effort, though. Keep it up.�
In the next inning, their second batter hit a solid ball straight back to our pitcher. Austin caught it with his pitching hand out of reflex. He was able to throw the runner out, but it was apparent he was done for the day. The trainers wanted to err on the side of caution and ice it down and not risk him further injuring it.
Daz was our middle reliever, so I expected him to come in. I was wrong. Coach Kingwood motioned for me to come in to pitch. I trotted in, and he handed me the ball.
�They�ll allow you extra pitches to warm up. I just want you to get us out of this inning. The extra time will give Daz a chance to get fully warmed up and be ready to go next inning,� he explained.
�This is that flexibility that you talked about earlier.�
�Yep. You okay?� Coach Kingwood asked.
�Ask me that when this inning�s over,� I said.
The only upside for me was I faced their ninth batter, hopefully their weakest hitter. While I warmed up, I tried my curveball, and it didn�t curve. I smiled when the poor kid in the on-deck circle winced. His coach had told him I wasn�t one of the regular pitchers. If I were him, I would be worried, too.
�Just throw hard,� Trent, our catcher, called out.
The umpire deemed I�d warmed up enough. I held up my hand.
�Sir, may I speak to my catcher for a moment? I don�t even know what the signs are,� I said.
Trent trotted out and looked like he was trying not to smile. I held my glove up and waved at Bob.
�Get my infield glove,� I yelled to the dugout.
I turned to face center field so they couldn�t read my lips.
�Do you think I should put him in the dirt on the first one?� I asked.
�I think that�s exactly what you should do. They�ll think you�re totally inept at that point.�
Bob traded me gloves, and I got ready to pitch. I threw my non-breaking curveball. Their batter was prepared for it, and I wasn�t worried about hitting him. I decided to throw him some heat because I expected his first thought would be to get out of the way of a wayward pitch. If he was leaning back, he would never have a chance.
I hadn�t really uncorked one yet, either. Several things had combined to improve my arm strength and flexibility: the weight program, my daily runs with the Bo staff, and throwing a baseball or football several thousand times. It caused my fastball to creep up into the low 90s. It also sounded different when it was thrown. You could hear it displace the air, and then when it hit the catcher�s glove, there was a satisfying smack.
I guessed correctly, and the young man swung too late. The only other pitch I had confidence in was my split-finger fastball. For all intents and purposes, it looked like a fastball but would drop at the last moment.
Their batter wasn�t about to let another fastball get by him. I had an inner smile when he zeroed in on the pitch and took a massive cut, only to top the ball as it dropped. It rolled right to Joe at second, and he made an easy play to get us out of the inning.
We picked up three runs the next inning. Daz came in and pitched until the last inning when Kale took over to close it out. We won 3�0, the same as our record after three games. We also beat the rain, so it was a good afternoon.
I could only shake my head when they awarded me the win. They have some funny rules when it came to awarding a win to a pitcher. If you start, you have to go so many innings, which can vary by your level of play or league. They were using a five-inning rule. In my case, I was the reliever who came in and got us out of the inning. Our next at-bat put us up by enough to win the game. At that point, the scorer has the option of awarding that reliever the win or not. It depends on whether they judge the pitcher was effective. Don�t ask me what that means. I guess my one out was enough. I personally would�ve given the win to Daz because he faced the most batters, but what do I know?
◊◊◊
Swimming was out, so I invited my family to my host family�s house so I could spend time with the boys. The only family member missing was Duke. He�d gotten to go to the farm with my grandma. She said he was a little confused about where he was supposed to sleep at night but was good company. I could imagine that horse crawling onto her lap for some loving.
Bob wasn�t interested in babies, so he went to a friend�s house.
Then other people started to show up. It was a group of host parents and representatives of USA Baseball, there to discuss the lunch situation. They talked for a while, and then Melissa came and got me. I smiled as I stepped into the living room where they were all meeting.
�I take it you�re all talking about Team Pride and our lunch request,� I said to try to take the focus away from me.
�We have the lunches catered and have never seemed to have a problem before. What was wrong with today�s lunch?� one of the host moms asked.
�I admit that if you asked a typical group of teens, they would tell you that pizza and chips sounds like a great lunch. I personally could eat pizza three times a day, if I weren�t an athlete. Part of playing any sport at a high level is good nutrition. I�m not sure where pizza and chips fall on the food chart,� I said.
�And here I was always told that pizza hit all the food groups,� one of the host dads said with a smile.
�I�m not trying to make this hard. If they just added some fresh food, it would be a big help. It�s not that hard to make a salad and put out fruit. The salad yesterday looked like it was left over from the weekend,� I explained.
�What would you say to something like a deli tray and let them make their own sandwiches?�
�That would work,� I said.
�Melissa said she helped make your lunch today. What did you have?�
�Poached chicken breast, steamed broccoli, a faux potato salad made with cauliflower, and an apple.�
�No dairy?�
�I�m sure I�ll get some later,� I said to Miss Picky. �I don�t imagine the rest of the team is as stringent about what they eat as I am, but they�re aware of the importance of good nutrition.�
They let me go so they could talk.
◊◊◊
When I got back to the park, I heard, �You can�t say that!� Coach Kingwood frowned, and I decided that even though Dave irritated me, he was still a teammate. I�d made a pledge to try to get all thirteen of us on the final forty list. If I didn�t do something, Dave wouldn�t be one of them.
�Hey, Dave, got a minute?� I asked.
�What do you want?� he asked, a hint of belligerence in his tone.
If I�d been smart, I would�ve said �everyone but Dave� the first day, and I wouldn�t have to deal with this. He may have gotten the looks and athletic ability in his family, but M.E. was a much nicer person once you got to know her.
�I need to talk to you,� I said and led him to the dugout so we could sit down.
I noticed that Bob suddenly needed to rearrange the bats. The little stinker wanted to hear this. I should either kick him out or expect him to tell everyone what was said. For once, I thought it would be best for everyone to know, so I didn�t run Bob off.
�You�re about to mess up your chance to make the final forty.�
�Are you worried I�ll take your spot?� Dave asked, looking at me as if I were beneath him.
Maybe I should just punch him.
�It�s not about how you�re playing. If it were, you�d be a shoo-in. Remember what Coach Kingwood said they were looking for? Team players. You are quickly becoming �that guy,� the one no one wants to be around,� I explained.
�What do you mean by �that guy�? No one has said anything to me,� Dave said.
�How do I explain this? Do you have an uncle or family member that when they show up, everyone wants to avoid them?� I asked.
�No, not really.�
�How about someone at school?�
�There�s this guy who stares at me in the shower after practice. He also seems to show up at parties and stuff. Everyone feels uncomfortable around him,� Dave admitted.
I resisted the urge to say, �You can�t say that.� I was sure stalkers had feelings too.
�Okay, that�s not the example I had in mind, but you may want to get a restraining order,� I suggested.
Dave stared at me, not saying a word, so I decided to just tell him.
�People are sick of you always judging them.�
�What do you mean? I�m only trying to point out that what they�re saying could be hurtful. I go to a Christian school, and many people don�t realize the hurtful stuff they say about Christians. They think we�re just a bunch of ignorant religious fanatics.�
I got a glimpse of why Dave was the way he was. He�d been picked on to the point where he decided he would right all the social injustices of the world. The problem was, he was doing exactly what he was upset about others doing to him. It was one of the biggest issues humans have had throughout history: persecuting people because they didn�t think like you did. While Dave was pointing out hurtful speech and only had the best of intentions, he was quickly becoming someone no one would listen to or want to be around.
�Dave, before our country was even founded, and for a long time after, people fled Europe to avoid persecution. Our constitution gives us the right to free speech, even if we don�t agree with what someone says. I respect that you believe in letting people know how you feel. But just because you have the right to say something doesn�t mean I have to agree or to hang out with you.
�I�m going to give you a piece of advice. You don�t have to prove to everyone that you�re right all the time. To do that, you have to show them they�re wrong. If someone told you that everything you did was wrong, would you want to spend time with them?� I asked.
�You mean like a coach?� Dave asked with a straight face.
I snorted and then began to laugh. He had a point.
�You got me there. Man, pick your battles. The team wants to like you, but you�re pushing them away by always telling them they can�t say something. I would bet they already realize what they said was inappropriate. They�re just being guys and cracking on each other. My guess is that it�s getting worse because they�re starting to do it just so they can see how you�ll react.�
�You really think they�re doing that?� Dave asked.
�I guarantee it. Even I do it sometimes,� I admitted.
�I still think it�s wrong.�
�I know you do, and sometimes I do too. Tell you what, I�ll make you a deal. You slow down on telling them they can�t say stuff, and I�ll have a talk with the team about respecting you and how you feel,� I said.
�That�ll just make it worse. It would be like my mom going to talk to a bully on my behalf.�
That image hit a little too close to home.
�Do you want to talk with them instead? I�ll be there to support you,� I offered.
�Do they really think I�m �that guy�? The one no one wants to be around?� Dave asked.
�I�m afraid so. The problem is, the coaches have noticed. If you don�t turn this around, we�re not getting the team into the final forty, because you won�t be on it,� I predicted.
�Have they said something to you?�
�No, but I�ve had word get back to me that they�re concerned about team chemistry and that they�re worried you won�t fit in. Why don�t we turn that around? I�ve heard some other comments about our teammates that they need to work on. Why don�t you help me get them up to speed, and we work together to get the whole team in the final forty?� I suggested.
�I�d like that. My sister seems to like you, and she�s a good judge of character.�
�Speaking of M.E., why are you dating her only friend?� I asked.
His face suddenly colored.
�I can�t help who I like. It�s not like I started dating Kelly to hurt my sister. I know how socially awkward she is. And, by the way, it means a lot to me that you�ve taken the time to be her friend. It�s just that one day I suddenly realized that Kelly was who I wanted to date.�
�Does Kelly feel the same way?� I asked.
I could see that pissed him off.
�Why wouldn�t she?� he snapped.
I just raised both eyebrows.
�Sounds like you have some doubts. If that�s the case, the two of you need to sit down with your sister and make things right. There are plenty of fish in the sea, but your sister only had the one friend. It�s not fair to her.�
�I�ll think about it,� he conceded.
◊◊◊
Dave and I talked for another ten minutes about everything Bob had shared with me. Some things we couldn�t fix in the short time we had, but others were more awareness and concentration issues. Those we felt we could help with. At the very least, we could tell the players what was thought of them. You couldn�t fix something if you didn�t know you had a problem.
Once we finished our conversation, Dave and I walked over to see Coach Kingwood.
�Would it be okay if we pulled the team together for a quick meeting?� I asked.
I�m sure he was surprised that it was the two of us asking.
�Just don�t take too long.�
I waved everyone in. Dave started us off.
�I want to apologize if I�ve come off sounding like a jerk, telling everyone that they can�t say certain things. It isn�t meant the way David says I sound when saying it.�
�We know, man. It just gets old after a while,� Daz said.
�I�ll try to do better. If I get to be irritating, just tell me,� Dave said.
Everyone looked at me, and I shrugged. Bob would fill them in.
We then talked about what had been overheard. Dave and I switched off when we talked about each player. They took it well and saw that Dave was trying. I expect that would go a long way toward repairing some of the hard feelings he�d started to cause.
�What about you two? What did the coaches say?� Allard asked.
�They thought I wasn�t being a team player, and that if I kept it up, I wouldn�t make the cut. David�s right. I want to see all of us make it, and I plan to follow his lead,� Dave said.
�What about you, big shot?� Trent asked.
�They said I suck at pitching and should leave it to you guys,� I said to get a laugh. �They also said that ice cream is for winners, and they expect us to be eating ice cream after this game.�
That was a cue to get back to work.
◊◊◊
Tonight�s game was against United. They were the only other team that had won all three of their games so far. Moose told us that their first four batters were all very good and that their right fielder was great at the plate, but a poor fielder. He also said their catcher didn�t have a great arm, so he thought we could steal on him.
Coach Kingwood decided to send in our closer, Kale, to start tonight. Of all the pitchers, he�d thrown the fewest number of innings, so he got the honor. The plan for tonight was to see how far Kale could go without tiring him out too much. Coach Kingwood warned the other pitchers that they might each have to come in for an inning or two. That was a problem all the teams would be having, with so many doubleheaders in back-to-back days.
We were the away team and came up to bat first. Joe, our second baseman and a California kid who went to a tech high school, led us off. Joe�s scouting report said he had a good on-base percentage. A lot of that came from him being patient and having a good eye for drawing walks. He waged an epic battle with United�s pitcher. It took fifteen pitches before he finally got ball four and could take first base. Many innings never saw that many pitches thrown in total.
Mitch, our shortstop and one of the two ballplayers from Texas, was up next. He also battled their pitcher and hacked off three pitches that would have been called strikes. The next two were balls intended to get him to chase a bad pitch. Then Mitch was thrown a strike that he swung at and missed, but Joe stole second base to put himself into scoring position.
Dave was up and hit a grounder to first. Their first baseman could only make the play at first, so Dave was out, and Joe found himself at third. I was up next.
Their catcher trotted out and talked to the pitcher. I looked over at third and got the green light to hit. I was shocked when they intentionally walked me to get to Nick, our right fielder. Nick had been hitting well, and if it hadn�t been for my gaudy numbers, he would have led the team in RBIs and power numbers.
I looked at third and got the sign that we would try to hit and run on the first pitch. I would have been running on contact anyway because there were two outs. Coach Kingwood wanted us to put pressure on their catcher by being aggressive.
When the pitcher raised his foot to go home, I broke for second. I didn�t hear the crack of the bat, so I slid. When I didn�t see the shortstop with the ball, I looked to third and Coach Way was waving to take another base. Their catcher had thrown the ball behind me, and it had skipped out to center field. We were now up 1�0.
Nick stepped into the batter�s box and got ready for the pitch. I acted as if I wanted to steal home, probably the hardest play to pull off in baseball. It shook up their pitcher because he called time and had both the catcher and third baseman come out to the mound. Coach Way leaned in so we could talk at third.
�You want to try to steal home?� he asked.
�Why not? It sounds like fun to me,� I said with a big grin.
Tami would�ve loved this. It was like Little League, where you goofed off. I was starting to like Coach Kingwood and his �just trust me� attitude toward me. United would never know what hit them.
I eased out to a big lead again, and their pitcher gave me a confused look. I don�t think he believed I would try to go. He stepped off the bag and tossed the ball to third as I took off towards home. Their catcher jumped up and ran into Nick, causing them to get tangled and fall down, effectively blocking the plate. Nick held his hands up to indicate he wasn�t interfering with the catcher; he had a right to be in the batter�s box.
The catcher jumped up. The third baseman had to hold the ball until the catcher had gotten himself untangled, so the ball and I arrived at the same time. I�d gone in headfirst so I wouldn�t stick my cleats into Nick. Still, I don�t expect he was pleased to have a second player roll him. It reminded me of when Duke would take out Precious.
I slapped my hand on the plate as I felt the tag on my butt.
�Safe!�
�Get off me,� Nick grumped.
He had a big smile on his face, so I knew he wasn�t mad. I helped him up, and he gave me a high five. We were now up 2�0.
Their pitcher didn�t take it well and promptly plunked Nick in the back. Nick had had enough, threw his bat down, and charged the mound.
Oh, shit!
I�d forgotten to tell the team to let me take care of stuff like this. Their pitcher threw his glove at Nick as they came together at the mound. Nick threw a nice hook to the body before the catcher took him down from behind. Our bench jumped up, and soon everyone was on the field. I expected that we were going to do the typical baseball fight/dance where everyone grabbed someone and made it look like they were wrestling.
Their pitcher had other plans. He made a beeline for me, and I only saw him at the last moment as he threw a haymaker at my head from the side. I ducked, but it clipped the top of my head, taking my ball cap off. Now I was pissed. He and I squared off like we were in a hockey fight. He tried to hit me again, but I had other ideas. I deflected his punch, then got inside his guard and pounded him with three body shots that would have put Coach Hope down.
The kid seemed to be confused by the sudden pain and not being able to get his breath. I suspect he must have been used to fighting people who didn�t know what they were doing. I stepped back, and he slumped to the ground. Someone grabbed me from behind, and I just reacted: I tossed their third baseman over my hip. I danced back to make sure no one else had their sights on me. It looked like no one else on United wanted to have a go at me.
I was lucky in that the third base umpire had witnessed my part in the melee. The umpires met and decided that their pitcher and third baseman had instigated our little run-in. Because I hadn�t followed up with either their pitcher or third baseman, my part was deemed self-defense. Both of them were tossed. Nick was also thrown out of the game, along with Coach Kingwood, who got a little too rambunctious in Nick�s defense.
This really was like Little League. Now, all we needed was for a raccoon or a cat to run onto the field, and we would have the perfect game.
After that, everything calmed down, and we settled into a pitching duel. Daz ended up getting the win 3�0 as he threw a three-hitter. We left a ton of base runners stranded. Their long reliever did a phenomenal job of pitching out of trouble. We might have easily had another three or five runs, but just couldn�t get them across for the score.
I did have a couple of defensive plays of note. I ran down two balls that should have been hits. It made me happier to show off my defensive skills tonight than it did to steal home. I wanted to show I wasn�t just a base runner or a bat in the lineup.
◊◊◊
After our ice cream and signing autographs, the press wanted to talk to Coach Kingwood, Nick, and me.
�What happened out there tonight?�
�It was my fault. I wasn�t too happy when their catcher decided to run me over instead of stepping around like he should have,� Nick began. �Then this horse decided to jump on me. He�s much heavier than he looks.�
�If you�d just learn to get out of the way, you wouldn�t get jumped on. I had to get to the bag somehow,� I shot back, smiling.
�You�re lucky he came in headfirst,� Coach Kingwood reminded Nick.
�Yeah, that would have left a mark,� he said with a grin and then got serious. �I was shocked the pitcher would throw at me. This isn�t a rivalry game; he threw at a potential teammate. Then when he tried to sucker-punch David�that was too much. I was glad to see David defend himself.�
�Are both of them okay?� I asked.
�Both are a little bruised, but should be fine,� Coach Kingwood assured me.
◊◊◊
One of our team�s host families invited us to their estate after the game. I say �estate� because that�s what it was. A doctor had purchased fifty acres and built himself a six-thousand square foot eight-bedroom ten-bath monstrosity. He also had a twelve-stall barn for his horses. We all gave Allard a hard time about roughing it.
The food was to die for. The doctor had a cook who made a pork shoulder in a smoker. When it was so tender it fell off the bone, it was shredded, and they made barbecue. They served it on a Kaiser roll with coleslaw on top. It was the best thing I�d eaten since I got here.
M.E. found me.
�Let�s go for a walk,� she suggested.
Mac wanted to go see the horses, so I took her with us to the barn.
Once we were away from everyone, M.E. gave me a look I wasn�t sure how to read.
�Rumor has it you talked to my brother. I don�t need you to get into the middle of what�s going on.�
�I figured while I was saving him from himself, I would also save him from you.�
�While I appreciate that, they did what they did,� she said with a huff.
M.E. was right. I don�t know what I would�ve done in her situation. Well, I sort of did. I hadn�t handled it too well when Tami had dated her first few guys. For a while, freshman year, before I knew about Angie, I�d even suspected that Tami was dating my brother. Even with us being apart for the summer, I�d felt the hurt in the pit of my stomach when I was sure she�d been with Greg.
�I had something very similar happen during my freshman year of high school. I know what it�s like to feel like your best friend picked your brother over you. While you want what�s best for your friend, there�s a special level of betrayal when you believe your brother has taken your best friend from you. For a guy, it may even be worse because there�s that voice in the back of your head that wonders why they picked your brother over you. I always just assumed that we would be together,� I admitted.
�Did you two ever get together?�
�Not in that way. We�re still friends, but I no longer believe we�ll be together. It turned out it was all in my head, but the pain felt the same.�
Of course, being a girl, she wanted the full scoop, so I told her the story of Tami and me.
�I can�t believe you worried that your brother could steal her away from you,� M.E. said.
�My brother is no slouch with the ladies. Angie got her claws into him and never let go; otherwise, he could give me a run for my money. He�s a charming guy.�
�I know, but you�re a movie star.�
�Yes, who was a pudgy nerd in middle school.�
�What should I do?� she asked.
�I don�t know. On the one hand, Dave�s an immature jerk who did what he did without considering the consequences. I guess you could say that�s a boy thing. We let the little head do our thinking sometimes.�
I was getting no disagreement from her.
�Then there�s your friend Kelly. I might have a hard time with what she did. Something I�ve learned is that people make mistakes. I don�t believe she did it intentionally to hurt you. I think you�re right that she saw this as a way to become more popular. Can you really hold that against her?� I asked.
�But we make fun of the popular kids,� she said and then blushed when she surmised I might be one of those.
�Sorry, you�re not that bad,� she added.
�I have my moments.�
It was clear she needed a hug, so I gave her one.
◊◊◊
Mac was starting to get tired, so we returned to the party. I found Angie and gave her back her daughter.
�Did she get her fill of horses?�
�Are you kidding me? I foresee a large cash outlay on my part when she�s old enough,� I said.
�I foresee having to take her for riding lessons,� Angie complained.
�If it wasn�t that, it would be something else,� I assured her.
I was back in time for some homemade ice cream and peach pie. Allard had really hit the jackpot with his host family.
I spied Dave and Kelly talking to M.E. She at least wasn�t running away. I could tell it would take more than one talk, but it was a start. Meanwhile, Pam and Peggy were teasing my teammates. I stood back and watched the players try their best moves on them. It was apparent Pam had had enough, so I strolled up.
Pam and Peggy shot to me, and I put an arm around each of them.
�I hope you two didn�t tease them too much,� I said, giving my teammates a knowing look.
�No, they were fine,� Daz supplied.
�You�re a lucky guy,� Nick added.
�Thanks,� I said to the boys and then looked at the girls. �You about ready to go? I have baseball tomorrow.�
That reminded everyone we needed to get some sleep. We thanked our hosts and went our separate ways.
◊◊◊
Chapter 15 � Why Would You Need Tackle? Wednesday June 22
Today, we had our only night game, against Pony. Tomorrow would be a double-header day versus the Nationals and the Free. On Friday, the top two teams would play a championship game, and then the forty-man roster would be announced.
Our pitching staff needed the rest. If it hadn�t been for Kale stepping in yesterday, their arms would have been doubly tired. No pitcher is used to going on short notice, but that was what would happen for our next four games. Yes, it looked like we would be in the championship game, so we needed to plan accordingly.
To that end, Coach Kingwood wanted to talk to me.
�We�re going to have you start tonight. I want to save our arms for Thursday and Friday. Are you up for that?� he asked.
�Whatever you need, Coach. I might want to work a bit this morning and get my curve and slider working,� I admitted.
�You think that�ll be a problem?�
�Not really. I just haven�t pitched much, and my mechanics are off. I expect I just need to throw a few and it�ll come back,� I said, hoping it would happen.
Coach Kingwood sent me to work with Coach Mallei to fix my pitches.
�Let me see how you�re gripping the ball. The curve relies on two things: the grip and your wrist motion,� Coach Mallei reminded me.
I showed him my middle finger was on the laces, or seam, of the ball with my index finger next to it.
�Have you ever tried to throw a spiked curveball?�
�I�ve never even heard of that type of curve. What makes it different?� I asked.
�The middle finger is straight along the outer seam of the ball and the index finger is tucked underneath. It�s similar to a knuckleball grip,� he said, then demonstrated.
I tried it, and it felt a little weird.
�When I was pitching, I had better success by sticking my fingernail directly into the seam. It helped hold my index finger in place and accelerate the spin of the ball. This creates a hard, biting pitch that �spikes� downward,� Coach Mallei explained, and then threw one so I could see it.
It actually bounced off the plate. I guess that�s where they got the �spike� name. It looked like a volleyball player was smashing it down. This had much more movement than my curve ever had. I liked what I saw.
�The other difference from a regular curveball is hand position at release,� Coach explained. �Instead of snapping your wrist clockwise at the release, your hand stays up and behind the baseball. Without the hand turn, the pitch is even more difficult to pick up. Most hitters are unable to tell the difference between this pitch and a fastball. It takes them longer to recognize the difference, which makes it almost impossible to adjust to hit the ball.�
I fell in love with the spiked curveball. It broke much harder than my split-finger fastball. The only person not happy was Trent because no catcher wants to field pitches that bounce off the plate.
I never got a chance to work on my slider, but figured with a fastball, changeup, and my new spike curveball, I had enough variety for tonight�s game.
◊◊◊
When we finally stopped for lunch, we found my mom and Melissa putting out food on our tables. A man from USA Baseball was checking out the lunch their caterer had provided and comparing it to what we had. Both lunches had salad, but ours didn�t have half the lettuce with brown spots. Their caterer had also provided a make-your-own-sandwich setup with a variety of lunch meats and cheeses that didn�t look bad.
Melissa told us the menu for today.
�We�ve made two salads, one with grilled chicken and the other a tomato and mozzarella. We also have a variety of sandwich wraps. I personally like the roast beef with horseradish. There�s also pasta with turkey meatballs, and finally a fresh fruit salad.�
The man from USA Baseball asked to take a little of each from what the moms made and then got a plate of the catered food. He took it with him to show the other USA Baseball staff.
Everyone on Team Pride was happy with what we were eating.
◊◊◊
At the afternoon practice, they parked me on the mound and had me practice my pickoff move to hold runners at first. About all Coach Mallei would say was I should concentrate on striking them out.
When I was done, Trent, Joe, and Mitch wanted to talk to me.
�We heard what you said to Dave. He seems to at least be trying,� Mitch said.
�He was starting to be really irritating. I take that back. He was a pain in the butt from day one. If he hadn�t been on our team, I wouldn�t have had anything to do with him,� Joe admitted.
�We just wanted to thank you for talking to him. We also wanted to thank you for telling us what the coaches are looking for. I know they�ve made a few comments, but I personally didn�t realize it was such a big deal,� Trent said.
�We all like the idea of winning the tournament and all being picked for the top forty. Do you think it might happen?� Joe asked hopefully.
I could see they were all waiting for my answer. The truth was it would be hard to pull off something like that. Each team had standout players who probably could have displaced some of our players on talent alone. What set us apart was we had jelled as a team, not a group of all-stars.
�Coach Kingwood said they were looking for players who fit in. There might be better players on other teams, but we came together as a group quicker. If everyone gets with the program and focuses on winning, and not on personal glory, I think we have a shot.�
I could see them all thinking.
�I�m in,� Joe said with a look of determination.
�Yeah, I thought you were just grandstanding the first day to put Dave in his place for being self-centered. I believe you now,� Trent said.
I looked at Mitch, and he nodded.
�Okay. Now I want you all to go talk to the other guys. Tonight, we make a commitment to win and get everyone to the next level,� I said and sent them off with their marching orders.
I noticed Bob out of the corner of my eye.
�Come here,� I told him.
He looked like he thought he was in trouble. I smiled to reassure him.
�Do me a favor. If I tell you not to share something, it stays between us.�
�I can do that,� he said, relieved I wasn�t mad.
�Do you think the team could swim at your neighborhood pool this afternoon?� I asked.
�I don�t know. Let me go ask my mom,� he said and ran off to find out.
◊◊◊
Well, we were asked, politely and diffidently, to never come back to the pool. I�d invited thirteen baseball players, my family with Peggy and Pam, Dave�s sister and girlfriend, Bob�s friends, plus almost all the kids in the subdivision. Guess I should have known that it might create a little chaos.
No one was really a problem, and amazingly, no one got hurt. It was just that you could hear the noise �from several blocks away,� or so we were told.
◊◊◊
Moose stopped by before our game with Pony to give us the report my coaches had gathered.
�On paper, Pony is the best team here. The problem is they have too many chiefs or wannabe chiefs and no Indians. It would be amusing to let David loose on their team. I can just imagine the fireworks,� Moose said with a chuckle.
�Hey, I�m not that bad,� I complained.
Moose just shook his head and continued. Even I knew what would happen. It wouldn�t be pretty.
�They�ve managed to win two games on talent alone, but in their last game, they were so busy sniping at each other that they got beaten badly. They�ve lost focus, and it�s starting to show up in their play. I�d be surprised if they win a game the rest of the way,� Moose said, then turned to me. �That doesn�t mean they�ll be an easy win.�
I understood what he was saying. One of the biggest mistakes you could make was to assume you would win. He didn�t have to worry about that. I wasn�t confident in my pitching. It would have been different if I�d pitched more during the season.
◊◊◊
Tonight�s game was going to be hot and muggy. It almost felt like I was back in Cuba. The only good thing about the heat was that it would help keep me loose.
It looked like we might also have our first sellout tonight. This stadium had a unique feature: outside the left field area, they�d built the ground up so it was even with the top of the fence. The berm sloped up slightly so fans could sit on blankets in the grass and watch the game, almost as if they were picnicking. They�d rated the berm for 250 fans, and it looked to be full. The stadium itself held 1,800 people. When we took the field at the top of the first, they made their presence known.
As I warmed up, I practiced my changeup to get the feel of the pitch. I�d planned on throwing all my pitches but wanted to get my off-speed pitch working for strikes or it would be a long night. I didn�t consider how that might look until the first batter came up with a big grin on his face. He apparently expected this was going to be like batting practice.
I figured, why not give him what he expected? But I would throw it high and out of the strike zone to see if he�d chase it. He did and hit the ball high and long. For a moment, I was worried that I�d made a big mistake, but Daz, who�d taken my spot in center field, didn�t even have to move. He just camped out and waited for it to fall to earth for the first out.
I did the same with their second batter, and so did he, but this time it flew to right field where Nick made the out.
I had a bad feeling when the next boy came to the plate. He was big and looked strong. I was afraid he might be able to power the ball out of the park, even if it flew as high as it did long. Fortunately, Trent was of the same mind and called for the fastball. I gave a little inner chuckle when he wanted it in the same location. Rearing back, I used my full six feet four inches of height to act as a whip to send a blistering rocket towards home.
I�ll give the batter credit. He began his swing but held up when the ball blew by him, and the umpire called a ball. But Trent asked for an appeal by the first base umpire who called it a strike because he had put the head of the bat over the plate.
�You�ve got to be kidding me!� the batter screamed and slammed his bat onto the ground.
The home plate umpire didn�t hesitate.
�You�re done for the day, son.�
Even I was shocked at the quick hook. Their manager came out of the dugout, and I was even more surprised when he didn�t challenge the umpire, but grabbed his player and marched him to the dugout. Later, Bob told me he�d overheard that Team Pony had been warned yesterday that they had to stop their outbursts. This was a carryover from that.
The organizers had made our team rosters small for a reason. They wanted to see everyone play, and you couldn�t evaluate a player if he never made it onto the field. That meant that our pitchers had to fill in if someone was either injured or, in this case, kicked out of the game. On our team, that wasn�t really a problem because we had Daz and Austin, each of whom was an everyday player back home in addition to being a pitcher.
For Pony, this was more of a problem. They had to insert a pitcher who didn�t have a good bat, putting a hole right in the middle of the top of their order. Normally a team relies on its third batter to help move the first and second batters around the bases with his bat. I threw two fastballs outside, and the replacement swung at both of them for an easy out.
After the first inning, I was feeling good about getting out of it, having only thrown six pitches.
Joe was up first, and their pitcher walked him on five pitches. Their pitcher took a moment to calm himself and made quick work of Mitch, getting him to swing at three straight offerings. Dave hit a shot down the third base line, but their third baseman made a spectacular play across the infield to throw Dave out at first. Joe was at second when I came up with two outs.
I took a moment to focus and remember each step I needed to do. The first two pitches were low and outside for balls. The third one was in the dirt and scooted loose from the catcher. I frantically waved Joe to take third. Their manager signaled to walk me at that point to take the bat out of my hands.
I trotted down to first and checked the signs; they said not to run. I think the coach wanted to see if this kid would walk Nick or not. It looked like he might when he threw two balls that weren�t even close. Nick had been signaled to take the next pitch to force their pitcher to throw a strike. Nick was sick when it was a fastball right down the gut.
On the next pitch, we were signaled to do the hit and run. I don�t imagine anyone thought we would try something like that this early in the game. You rarely wanted to take the bat out of the hands of a hitter of Nick�s caliber with a runner at third. The pitcher looked over at me and then at the plate. During that moment, I edged away from the bag another half step to give me every advantage I could get. He lifted his foot to go home and I exploded to second. I didn�t hear the crack of a bat, so I slid hard into second. The umpire called me safe.
Unfortunately, Nick struck out on the next pitch to end the inning.
For the next few innings, it was much the same. They were easy outs, and we struggled, leaving base runners in scoring position. This had carried over from that last game. Sometimes you just couldn�t seem to get them across. I began to worry because leaving base runners stranded was a recipe for disaster.
I�d run through their lineup once with just my changeup and fastball. It was time to break out the spike curveball. My normal curveball would break from one to seven on a clock face. The spike curve broke from twelve to six.
I also wanted to begin to move my pitches around in the zone. Up to this point, I�d pretty much dared them to hit my high balls down the center of the plate. I knew they�d be looking for that, and I would be in for a long night if I didn�t change things up.
Their leadoff batter was up again. Trent signaled he wanted the fastball low and inside. I think the pitch startled the batter because he laid off it for a called strike. The next pitch was the new curve. Trent had me throw it where I�d been throwing the fastball. I pumped my fist in the air when the poor kid�s knees buckled, trying to figure out what to do, and the umpire called it a strike.
On the next pitch, I threw the high hard fastball to get him to strike out.
From there, I was golden. I realized in the later innings that the new way of throwing the curveball wasn�t nearly as hard on my joints, especially my elbow. They did get a few hits off me, but no one got past second base.
Trent had hit a solo home run by the time we got to the last inning, so I was replaced by Kale who did what closers are supposed to do. I wasn�t sure there were many players here who could hit his fastball when he was on like he was today. I had my second win, and Kale had the save.
Coach Kingwood grabbed a bag of ice and an ace bandage to hold it on my shoulder. Everyone was tired and satisfied, so after ice cream and signing autographs, we called it a night.
◊◊◊ Thursday June 23
Today was overcast and windy, which made it a hitter�s dream because the wind was going out towards right field in the stadium. The other fields wouldn�t be as lucky as they would either get the wind blowing in towards home or even worse, a crosswind, depending on the field.
For our afternoon game, we were up against the Nationals. Their coach had put together a team of fast single-hitters. They were terrors on the basepaths, and their aggressive play had gotten them to a 4�2 record. Moose suggested that we play me at shallow center field to better support the infield.
Coach Kingwood was worried about the wind today and wondered if it would be better to have me play more of a traditional position. Moose countered that we�d only trailed once since the tournament had begun and that he suspected they would try to jump out early playing small ball. Later, if we had a lead, then the coaches could move me back to my regular place on the field. That was just in case the Nationals might try to get it all back with a single swing of the bat. Coach Kingwood decided to follow Moose�s advice.
In the first, we went down in order. Allard, the wild man from Arkansas, took the mound. I say �wild man� because his mop of hair was blowing everywhere in the wind.
The Nationals� first batter was their shortstop. He�d stolen three bases and only been caught once. He had a good eye at the plate and had earned himself eight walks. Coach Kingwood made sure Allard was aware of this. We�d also worked on defending bunts at practice this morning. While he hadn�t shown it yet, he was reported to be very good at laying one down.
On the first pitch, he squared around to bunt. Dave and Lucas crept forward at first and third while Joe moved a bit towards first to cover the bag in case Dave had to make the play. I was standing behind the second-base bag with my feet on the edge of the grass. I took several steps towards where Joe had been at second. It was good that I did because their batter pulled his bat back and then swatted the ball right to where Joe had moved from. I was already leaning that way and got a good jump on the ball to be able to field it and throw their runner out at first.
Their next batter used a similar ploy but actually did bunt the ball towards first. Trent jumped forward from behind the plate and waved both Dave and Allard off as the ball bounced up the first base line. Joe hustled over to cover first, but Trent was at a bad angle and ended up throwing the ball into the runner�s back. If Trent had taken a couple of steps into the field, he would have had a clean throw.
The ball trickled over towards our dugout and their first-base coach waved the runner to take second. Allard chased the errant ball down, turned, and threw to me by mistake. I was in short center and had planned to back up Mitch as he moved from short to cover second. When I caught it, Mitch�s back was towards me, so I decided to run the ball in and cover the bag. Their runner saw me coming and decided he wouldn�t make it. He turned to run back to first, but he hadn�t counted on my speed. I ran him down just before he reached first.
Their next batter hit a line shot up the middle that I caught on the fly for the third out. Moose�s strategy had paid off with me making all three outs in the first inning.
I was up first in the second. In the first inning, their pitcher had used a combination of sliders and fastballs to work the outer third of the plate to get our first three hitters out. I guessed he would do the same this inning, so I was looking for the slider on the first pitch. All I had to do was get a little lift on the ball and it sailed out of the park.
We held a 1�0 lead when I came back up in the fourth. With me essentially acting as an extra infielder, we had stymied the Nationals. Joe and Mitch were able to spread out some at second and short with my help up the middle. It allowed them both to track down sharply hit balls that normally would�ve been singles.
Dave had managed to get on before me, but up to this point, we�d continued with our pattern of stranding runners. Coach Kingwood motioned me over before I stepped out to bat.
�I don�t normally tell a hitter to do this, but try to hit a home run. We need to get out of this funk. Just use your best judgment, but see if you can�t knock one out.�
I was quickly up 2�0 in the count when I was thrown a slider that just missed and a fastball that was high and outside. The next pitch I thought was a slider, and I took a tremendous cut and missed when it didn�t slide.
�Holy cow, man, that was a serious swing,� their catcher commented.
�Have him throw me another one. I want to see how far it can fly.�
I bit my lower lip when their pitcher got a determined look and shook off his catcher twice. The little dummy wanted to challenge me. When the ball left his hand, I recognized it was a slider, waist high. I almost swung too soon, but I kept my hands back until the last second and then ripped the bat through the strike zone. The ping as the bat and ball collided told me I�d gotten all of it. I�d hit some prodigious home runs before, but this one was in a league all its own. It got up into the wind and sailed out of the park.
I had to laugh as I rounded first and a car alarm sounded when the baseball finally came back to earth. Dave was waiting to high-five me at home plate. I was surprised when their catcher also high-fived me. I�d forgotten that we could all end up on the final team and weren�t really opponents.
That seemed to turn our bats back on. Unlike the Nationals, our players had pop in their bats. We cruised to a 9�2 victory.
◊◊◊
Our last game before the Gold Medal Game was against Free. We�d already locked up our spot with a perfect 7�0 record.
We were in the outfield, supposedly warming up. But we were instead playing intense concentration, a little game of �throw the baseball at someone�s nuts while you�re in a circle.� For some reason, everyone liked this game I�d taught them.
�What�s the deal with tomorrow?� Allard asked Dave.
Dave was the only one who had been on the younger teams, so he was our go-to guy for all things USA Baseball.
�I heard they plan to hold a home-run derby at ten in the morning. The Bronze Medal Game will be at one, and the Gold Medal Game will be played at four.�
I skillfully avoided a backhanded throw from Trent.
�When do we find out who made the cut?� Lucas asked.
�They�ll announce it on their TV show. Last time, I was told before leaving so I could plan to go to the next camp. I suspect they�ll talk to each of us and let us know before we leave. I remember they didn�t want word to get out before they made the announcement official,� Dave explained.
Joe saved the family jewels when I made a wicked underhand toss his way.
�Rumor has it that David had the fastest sixty time. How fast were you?� Nick asked.
�I don�t know, I didn�t ask.� I looked around, spotted Bob, and waved him over. �What was my sixty time?�
�6.37. Coach Kingwood said that a time of 6.7 to 6.9 was average in the big leagues. Last year�s best time was 6.62, but the year before they had someone run a 6.28,� Bob said and kind of shuffled his feet.
�What else you have you got for us?� I asked.
�You�re starting today.�
Luke, who should be starting, didn�t look happy, and I didn�t blame him. Bob saw it.
�You get to start tomorrow in the Gold Medal Game. They just want to use David to keep your arms fresh for the big game. Coach plans to pitch all of you so the scouts and other coaches get to see you on the mound,� Bob shared.
�Sucks to be me,� I said with a faux pout.
Daz took my moment of goofing off as a chance to hit me in the nuts. Damn, that hurt. No one seemed to feel sorry for me. For about the hundredth time, I wondered why boys thought hitting other boys in the nuts was funny. I tossed the ball at Kale and scored. Oh, that�s why.
◊◊◊
Coach Kingwood motioned me to the dugout where Moose was waiting.
�I assume Bob told you.�
�He is handy at doing your dirty work,� I teased.
�You okay with pitching? I know it�s short notice. If your arm is hurting, tell me now and Luke can take the mound.�
�No, I�m good,� I assured him.
�Free hasn�t won a game yet, but you know what that means,� Moose said.
�That they�ll want to win one, and we�re the team to beat,� I said, catching on to what Moose was getting at.
�Free hasn�t caught a break during field play. They seem to get things started, but somehow find a way to shoot themselves in the foot. Just pitch your game and take it easy. If you start to get tired, tell Coach Kingwood,� Moose advised.
◊◊◊
The wind had calmed some by the start of the game. There were still gusts that could make it interesting for any pop-ups. It looked as if the stands would be full again. My coaches were all able to watch me play tonight since this was our last game before the Gold Medal Game.
Coach Herndon had left this afternoon so he could be with his family. I assumed Mike had put up a stink that his dad was here with me. All Moose would say was it was a family matter, but there seemed to be something else going on. If Moose didn�t think it was an issue, then I was fine.
Greg, Angie, Peggy, and Pam had already started home with the kids. They�d been bored and a little fussy at Tuesday�s game; I guess they were a little young to sit through a baseball game, even if Unca David was playing. I was glad they�d come because it felt like I was missing out on Coby growing up. It seemed like he was doing something new every day, and I would miss even more over the summer, as I would be constantly on the go.
The baseball game turned into everything Moose had predicted. I would find myself in a jam, and Free would hit into a double play or make a running error or some other bonehead play. Whatever it was would take them out of the inning. I lasted five innings before I was sent to center field.
In the last inning, Free was up to bat, and we had sent in our closer, Kale, to wrap this up. He was facing the bottom of their order, and we were up 3�0. Kale must not have been feeling it, because the first two batters reached base on singles, which made us a little nervous. Then he bore down and struck the next batter out, only to walk the next one.
Free now had the winning run as well as the top of the order at the plate. The crowd seemed to sense that the underdog had a chance, and the volume in the stadium seemed to double. Coach Kingwood made a trip to the mound, and it looked like Kale was okay.
On the first pitch, I heard the crack of the bat that told me the ball was well hit. I watched it sail down the first base line as Nick worked his way towards the right-field corner. I felt a gust of wind and smiled as it pushed the ball foul. It seemed Mother Nature wasn�t a fan of Free.
Kale and Free�s leadoff hitter locked into a battle of wills. Kale was throwing some of his best stuff, but their hitter seemed to fight the pitches off to keep alive. The count was finally full. I gave their hitter a lot of credit for having a good eye. He�d laid off three pitches that were borderline and could�ve been called third strikes. I just hoped that Kale could keep their hitter from straightening out one of his offerings.
On the next pitch, Kale threw the heat low and away. Their hitter reached out, found the ball, and sent it sailing into the left/center field gap. Both Blake and I were hustling to try to catch the ball to prevent runs from scoring. I felt I could get there, but Blake called me off. That was when Mother Nature decided she wasn�t done with us and decided to balance the scales. There was a gust of wind which suddenly made a good play almost impossible. Blake did the only thing he could and dove for the ball.
I made a move to back him up if he missed it. The ball came down and hit off Blake�s glove. I suddenly had a baseball flying at my face, so I did what anyone would�ve done: I ducked. In that split second, I knew all of Free�s base runners had put their heads down and were sprinting to the next base. This was their chance to right the wrongs of the last few days. Out of habit, I did what Moose had drilled into me: I reached behind me and blindly made a grab for the ball.
Somehow, I found the ball in the web of my glove. I didn�t hesitate; I fired the ball to second to double their runner up and end the game.
Baseball USA filmed the games in order to have highlights for their selection and recap shows. When the highlights were shown later, it looked like I was just hotdogging it. The look on the Free players� faces was priceless. It was like hitting a basket to win the game, only to have the other team hit a three-quarter-length of the floor buzzer shot. The only time I can remember an opponent being more stunned was the Nazareth Academy game. Their quarterback did an �f-you� move after the gun and flipped the ball to Yuri for us to beat them.
I shouldn�t have been surprised when my teammates decided to rush me, knock me down, and all jump on me. It was good they weren�t football players or I might have been crushed.
�Did you see that?! Did you see that?! What the hell, Dawson!� Blake yelled as he helped me up.
�That had disaster written all over it. Thanks, man,� Kale said as he gave me a hug for getting him out of his jam.
I took a deep breath.
�Wow. I guess my coach knew what he was talking about,� I said and looked over at Free. �Come on, guys, let�s go shake their hands.�
Coach Kingwood had us gather around so he could talk to us.
�I�m not sure what that was, but I�ll take it. You boys earned your ice cream tonight. This one�s on me,� he said. He handed M.E. money and sent Bob with her to get it.
�I�ll have to talk to your coaches about that drill,� Coach Way, our outfield coach, said after I�d explained what happened.
�Okay, we need to talk about tomorrow. In the morning, there will be reporters and a crew from USA Baseball doing interviews. They want to feature us, so you will all be here at nine. If you�ve never talked to the press before, get with one of the coaches beforehand.
�I want you all to remember that USA Baseball is sponsoring this event and has paid your way here. Be sure to thank them and don�t say anything that would embarrass them, me, or your teammates. That means no �redneck crazy� stories, Allard,� Coach said, which got a chuckle out of us.
�Don�t worry Coach, I�m done with all that,� Allard assured us.
I�m not sure who he thought bought that. You could tell he was still hurting from his now ex-girlfriend stepping out on him.
�David, you�ll need to be here at 8:30.
�Now that we have that out of the way, we need to pick our two representatives for the home run derby. Each team gets to highlight two players. I�ve always let the team decide who that would be,� Coach Kingwood said.
�Coach, who needs the exposure to help them make the final 40?� I asked.
I think everyone assumed I�d get one of the slots because I led everyone in home runs with nine. A kid on Pony had eight. What was funny was I also led all pitchers with three wins. Several pitchers had two. All eyes turned to Coach Kingwood, who obviously didn�t expect that question. I was glad he took it seriously.
�Without a doubt, I would say Dave. Since you got off to a rough start fitting in, you need to shine. The other person I�m worried about is Trent. If they were picking today, there are probably four catchers with better numbers. Where you have an advantage is your power. You need to remind them of that.�
�Any objections?� I asked, and there were none.
�I�ll put their names in. Now go sign some autographs,� Coach Kingwood said to dismiss us.
M.E. had been smart and gotten us ice cream cookies. That way she and Bob could carry them all and it was easier to eat while you autographed people�s stuff.
It took me forever to get out of there. I think Bob was happy his mom was at the game so he could go home. I talked Paul into taking me somewhere to get something to eat. We stopped at a Greek restaurant where I got a Greek pie. It was an egg dish with zucchini, feta cheese, and ricotta cheese. They�d put in fresh mint and dill to season it. Paul just had an iced tea.
�I know I�m on the road for the next three weeks. Are you coming with me?� I asked.
�It�ll be just me for Canada and Houston. Fritz might go with you to Japan, and obviously, Cassidy will be there too.�
I smiled. Paul knew where we were going for the guys� week. Uncle John and Dad had been keeping it a secret. I hoped that meant we�d be going fishing.
�Do you know what kind of tackle we�ll need for the Canada trip?� I asked casually.
�Why would you need tackle?� Paul asked, acting confused.
He was so bad at this.
�Spill it. Where are we going?� I asked.
�Your dad said that until you�re 18, I work for him,� Paul said.
�In two weeks, you�ll have to come up with another argument,� I said, reminding him of my upcoming birthday.
�Until then ��
I got out my phone and called Cassidy.
�Hey, I�m with Paul. He couldn�t remember what lake we�re going to in Canada.�
�Hang on, let me look,� Cassidy said.
It sounded like she dropped the phone. I heard Brook in the background.
�Who�s on the phone?�
�David.�
I heard the phone get picked up.
�Hey. When will I see you?� Brook asked.
�I�m home this weekend.�
�Halle�s back. You should see her on Saturday night. I�d bet you�ll see Zoe Sunday. That leaves me and Beth.�
�When did you add Beth?� I asked.
�After she declared her undying love for you,� Brook said as if it were obvious.
�Cassidy has a big mouth,� I guessed. �Where is she? She was supposed to be finding out where I�m going for my guys� weekend with my family.�
Brook chuckled.
�She left me a note with the name on it. Want me to read it to you?�
�Yes.�
�Lake None of Your Business.�
�Where did she go?� I asked. �I think I need to talk to her.�
�She�s making us popcorn. We got
I�d made my feelings about that movie known. No guy should have to watch it.
�Tell Miss Smarty-Pants I know where she lives,� I said in my most menacing voice.
�You do remember you bought her a gun.�
�Good point. Just tell her I miss her. I miss you too.�
�Come see me first. I plan to make you useless for all those other girls,� Brook purred.
I looked up at Paul. That stopped me from pursuing that line of conversation.
�I�ll be over Saturday morning,� I promised.
�Until then �� Brook said and then hung up.
I needed to wrap this baseball thing up.
◊◊◊
Chapter 16 � Top 40 Friday June 24
I was impressed.
They�d set up two folding chairs at home plate of the stadium for the interview. As we sat down, I gave him a raised-eyebrow look.
�What are you doing on TV?�
He just smiled.
�We�re live in three � two �� the cameraman said.
We had in earbuds so we could hear the studio announcers.
Studio Announcer:
Jeff Delahey:
David Dawson:
Jeff Delahey:
David Dawson:
Jeff Delahey:
David Dawson:
�And we�re out.�
�That was painless,� I said.
�I�m saving the hard-hitting stuff for later.�
�What�s the deal with TV? I thought you despised those pretty boys.�
�I�m following you around during the football season.�
�And I agreed to that?� I asked, doing my one-eyebrow skeptical look.
�I told them you would. That�s how I got the job. You wouldn�t want to make me homeless, would you? My wife wouldn�t be happy.�
�I want to see the final cut before I�ll sign any releases,� I warned him.
�I could just follow you around. You�re a public figure now,� Jeff tried.
�Who would get a restraining order against some creepy old guy who said he wanted to touch me,� I shot back.
�The school has already agreed,� Jeff tried another tack.
�I guess you could blur me out,� I offered.
�Or I could agree to show you the final cut,� Jeff conceded.
�I�m not trying to be difficult, but I do have an image to protect. You might catch me doing or saying something I shouldn�t. I have other interests that surprisingly pay me very well.�
�Okay, I�ll make you a deal. If I do catch you being human, let�s talk about it before you decide to cut it.�
�I�m not looking to be one of those people on reality TV who makes a fool of themselves just to get ratings. To be honest, if it was anyone else, I wouldn�t even consider doing it. You�ve at least been fair with me. I�ll work with you, but not at the expense of my career.�
�I can�t imagine you doing something that would do that,� Jeff said to appease me.
Unfortunately, I had too much of my mother in me. That meant that at any given time, in the heat of the moment, I might say or do something I would regret later. Caryn had mentioned this documentary to me. But I�d put that away somewhere in my brain as something I didn�t need to deal with right then and had forgotten about it.
The problem was that no matter what they promised you, if they filmed something newsworthy, all bets were off. The only thing that would stop them was if there was some sort of penalty if they breached a contract. I had a feeling that if they found a dead hooker in my trunk, I might have a problem even with that in place.
�Okay, contact my people and get it in writing. I�m trusting you, Jeff.�
�No worries. You�ll be happy when this is done.�
I wouldn�t bet on that.
◊◊◊
The press and the production people from USA Baseball started to filter in with players. I answered questions about my experience here and what I thought about other players. I kept everything light and upbeat. You can�t go wrong complimenting a teammate.
I did get asked a lot about �the catch.� I gave Moose all the credit.
�He has some drills designed to help us concentrate on the ball and use our hand-eye coordination to catch it. One of the drills is to catch it over our head with our glove behind our back. When I saw the ball coming at my face, I did what every player would do: I ducked. It was just blind luck that I remembered the drill and put my hand behind my back. I think no one in the park was more surprised than me when I found the ball in my glove,� I explained.
It turned out I�d had a good week. I led all 108 participants in several categories: home runs, runs batted in, stolen bases, and wins as a pitcher. I was in the top ten in fielding percentage, batting average, and slugging percentage. Of course, this was only over eight games. My one monster game skewed the numbers in my favor. If I was going to have a big game, during the initial camp was the best place to do it.
Next up was the home-run derby. I found a spot in the stands where I could stretch out and watch the action. It didn�t take me long to zone out. I�d seen what amounted to a glorified batting practice enough for several lifetimes.
I felt someone sit down next to me. It was Lucas Kite, scout for the Chicago Cubs.
�Why aren�t you in this?�
�Other teammates needed the exposure for the chance to make the cut, so I gave up my spot.�
�That was nice but foolish. You do realize several of the pro scouts just showed up today. You need to start looking at your long-term future.�
�Let me ask you something: who would you rather have in your clubhouse, a team player, or a prima donna only out for himself?� I asked.
He laughed and shook his head.
�I hear you, but when you get to that level, it�s different. It�s a business that allows you to have the best job on the planet: you get to play baseball every day. But it all comes back to, it�s a business.
�Would I rather have someone that fits the clubhouse? Absolutely. Would I sign a self-centered jerk over a nice guy? If his numbers were better and if having him in the lineup gave us a better chance to win, I would. If you go to the NFL, it�ll be the same. A lot is overlooked if you can deliver the goods,� Lucas explained.
�But being a jerk can hurt your bottom line,� I pointed out.
�All day long, but that doesn�t mean you won�t get paid.
�David, I appreciate that you have a handle on the team play and your image. All I�m saying is, you can take it too far. You realize your spacing out here in the stands tells the scouts you�re not interested. They can more easily twist why you aren�t participating. They�ll say you think you�re a lock and will only put out enough effort to get by,� Lucas said.
I looked at him skeptically, and he held up his hands.
�I know better, but consider the scouts who are seeing you for the first time. What are they thinking?�
�There�s not much I can do about it now,� I complained.
�Sure there is. Help me scout these hitters. What can you tell me about the guy hitting now?� Lucas asked.
�First off, the bat he�s using is too big. He believes he can get more power with it. What he doesn�t realize is it hurts his bat speed, and while mass is important, more force or bat-head speed will get more pop out of the ball. He also holds his hands too low. It causes him to have to move them up before he makes his swing. If he held them higher, he would have his hands in position a split-second sooner. And we both know it�s the little things that make the difference between good and great hitting.
�He�s also slow at recognizing a pitch. That�s likely why he has trouble hitting the curveball. He�s apparently not picking the ball up out of the pitcher�s hand. Either that, or he hasn�t been trained how to tell by the delivery and ball rotation what the pitch is. This causes him to react to a pitch instead of being proactive and having a plan. With proper coaching, I expect his flaws can be fixed. That is if he can learn to see the pitches.
�I expect he�ll make the top 40. The coaches like his size, and he has some power. I just think he could be a lot better,� I concluded.
�Have you ever considered becoming a scout?�
I laughed.
�You mean living out of a suitcase and having to come to games like this every day? Track down rumors of the next big thing and try to decide which raw talent has what it takes to possibly make it to the next level? I�d get to chase dreams with no chance at a personal life, eat bad food at ballparks, and make barely minimum wage?� I asked.
�When you put it that way, it sounds so glamorous.�
�Oh, another batter. Want me to do your job for you on this one, too?� I asked with a grin.
�Please. I suddenly feel underpaid for what I have to put up with.�
It�s easy to sit back and point out flaws. It�s too bad I couldn�t turn that bright light onto myself.
◊◊◊
The Gold Medal Game was between Teams Brave and Pride. We�d played Brave in the first game, and they were the only team we trailed the whole tournament. They�d only lost two games, so we expected a strong challenge.
Luke was taking the mound for us tonight. We all gathered around as Coach Haskins and Moose gave us the rundown on Team Brave before the game.
�In your first game, their leadoff hitter hit a first-pitch fastball. I�ve seen them play a couple of times, and he�s done that in his other two games. With him on base, they�ll try to run on you,� Coach Haskins said.
�Yeah, I remember that at-bat. He ripped one right up the middle,� Allard said. �If I remember right, the next batter, I struck out.�
�You did,� Coach Kingwood agreed.
�He�s gone five for thirty and is either due to break out or is simply a bad hitter. My guess is he�s due. I would be careful throwing to him. I wouldn�t want to give him anything he can hit, if it were up to me,� Moose observed.
A .167 batting average wasn�t going to get him into the final 40. The kid needed to have a heck of a game if he wanted to impress the selection committee. They would televise tonight�s game locally and then put it on their website tomorrow. You wanted to do well in this one.
�Their third batter hit the home run on you,� Coach Haskins reminded Allard.
�He�s the one who showed us up,� Allard said.
�After the top of their order, we should be okay,� Coach Mallei said.
�Their weakest fielder is their third baseman. If you can, make him field as many balls as possible. He has four errors, the most of any player here,� Moose added.
I was glad I wasn�t leading in that stat.
Coach Kingwood gave us a final pep talk.
�When you first came here, I reminded you that everyone here was talented. It was your attitude and effort that would set you apart from everyone else. I also had a secret weapon. See, I talked to Moose and Coach Haskins before I picked David. I was worried about what kind of teammate he would be. He could have been my worst nightmare.
�I suspect all the other coaches thought the same, and that was why they passed on selecting him,� he said with a sheepish grin.
�Do I even want to know where you picked me?� I asked.
�Let�s just say I got the steal of the draft.�
Everyone else thought that was funny.
�The reason I said he was my secret weapon was because of what Moose told me. He said that David was a born leader, not the kind who would just yell and bluster, but one who his teammates naturally followed. I guess I should�ve figured that out from how well David led his football team. I want to personally thank you for stepping up and getting us to mesh as a team so fast,� Coach Kingwood said as he stepped forward and shook my hand.
�Coach, I agree,� Dave said. �I didn�t want to listen and made a fool out of myself. David was the only one who took the time to talk to me, and I didn�t deserve that consideration.�
�You were a piece of work,� Blake said with a big grin to let Dave know he was pulling his chain.
�What else did I tell you that first day?� Coach Kingwood asked.
�To have fun,� Allard answered.
�That�s right. I want to win this, but let�s have fun doing it,� Coach Kingwood said.
◊◊◊
I had an ear-to-ear smile on my face when I recognized who was singing the National Anthem: Halle James. She walked out and didn�t even glance at me, the brat. She killed it, and when she was done, she sauntered right up to me.
�You happy to see me?� she asked.
�You have no idea how much. I have to go win a baseball game. Are you going to be around when I get done?� I asked.
�I might be convinced to hang around,� she said and turned her cheek to me.
Leaning in, I gave her a peck, and she walked off, knowing I was rooted to my spot, watching her walk away. One of my teammates�and I use that term lightly�knocked my hat off to get my head back in the game.
Since we�d won the most games, we were the home team. Brave�s first batter stepped into the batter�s box. Luke had paid attention and threw him a curveball. He took a big swing and topped the ball to hit a grounder right at Joe at second. He scooped it up and made an easy play to first.
Their second batter was the one struggling. As we expected, he wanted to hit his way out of his slump and was overaggressive at the plate. He struck out on four pitches. Their third hitter was the one with some pop in his bat. Luke was feeling good about himself and struck out their power hitter on a nasty slider that just snuck into the strike zone for a called third strike. Luke left the poor guy shaking his head as he walked over to get his glove.
Joe was up first and hit a seeing-eye grounder that snuck past the shortstop. Mitch walked, and the next pitch hit Dave to load the bases.
I think Coach Kingwood could read my mind.
�Just get a hit. We don�t need you to hit a grand slam.�
�Yes, sir,� I said and stepped over to the batter�s box.
I focused on my steps for hitting, took a deep breath, and blocked everything out except the pitcher. It was a warm night, and there was a trickle of sweat running down the side of the pitcher�s face. He was feeling the pressure of the situation. I remembered what Coach had said about the third baseman. If I could, I would try to hit it his way.
Their pitcher stepped onto the mound. He didn�t even bother going into the stretch because the bases were loaded. He nodded to the catcher to confirm the pitch and grunted as he tried to throw one by me. As the baseball left his hand, by the arm action and spin of the ball, I recognized it was a fastball. I expected it would rise in the zone and straightened my knees to allow me to use my normal swing. I heard the satisfying sound of a well-hit ball as it rocketed down the third base line.
Their third baseman lunged for the ball and got the tip of his glove on it, but only managed to knock it toward the fans down the line. I put my head down and sprinted as fast as I could, rounded first and picked up speed as I took second. As I approached second, I looked over at Coach Way at third, and he was waving me on. I took a line to give me the best speed rounding second and ran hard to third. Coach gave the two-handed sign with his palms down to tell me to slide.
While I�d been running around the bases, the ball had bounced off the third base line wall and come off at a funny angle. Their left fielder had played it for the corner, and it bounced off behind him, more towards center field. Their center fielder wasn�t paying attention and never moved from his spot until he saw the ball bounce towards him. He charged the ball once he figured out his mistake. The kid had a cannon for an arm and threw a rocket to third. I was easily safe but was almost able to score when their error-prone third baseman juggled the ball.
Nick was up next and hit a single to left field. I trotted in to score. Blake and Lucas had sharp eyes and earned themselves walks to load the bases again. Trent came up and hit the grand slam I had wanted to. We were up 8�0 when the inning ended.
Their next pitcher was better. I was up first in the next inning and hit a single to get on. I was more than a little shocked when Coach Kingwood put on the steal sign. Maybe this was his �thank you� and gave me a chance to show off my skills on the basepath. No one in the park expected it, and when I took off, the catcher didn�t even try to throw me out.
Coach was true to his word and had each of our pitchers show their stuff. They didn�t disappoint since my pitching yesterday gave them an extra day�s rest. We ended up winning 10�2. I was proud that we acted like we expected to win and didn�t put on any theatrics when the last out was called.
After the game, the Baseball America TV crew wanted to ask Coach Kingwood and me some questions. He wasn�t happy when the team pelted him with their ice cream. Bob, my little spy, had given me the high sign, so I danced out of the way. I personally think they had tried to get me and Coach had just been standing next to me.
◊◊◊
After the game, USA Baseball had ordered pizza for everyone. I invited Halle to join us and was happy to see Fritz was with her. When we walked in, Bob came running up.
�All the coaches are meeting to decide on the top 40. We saved you a seat.�
�Bob, I�d like you to meet Halle James. She�s the star of
�Hi, I�m David�s host-brother,� Bob said.
Halle raised an eyebrow, but I just shrugged, so she smiled at Bob.
�It�s nice to meet you. Do you think you could introduce me to David�s teammates?� Halle asked.
Bob led the way and made the introductions while I grabbed some pizza. I looked around the room and noticed it was quiet for a group of teenagers this large. Then I realized they were all waiting to find out if they made the cut.
Bob ran up.
�Where�s Halle?� I asked to tease him about leaving his charge.
�They�re back,� he said, pointing at the coaches as they came in.
Moose and Coach Haskins grabbed some pizza and joined me. Halle sat across from me while we watched as the USA Baseball coaches would ask someone to join them and then disappear.
�Did I make it?� I asked.
�We can�t tell you,� Moose said.
�Then tell me,� Halle told them.
They looked at each other and then nodded to her. I hadn�t realized that I was worried until I felt the relief of knowing I�d made it.
I was the last one from our team to speak to Coach Kingwood.
�We did pretty well. We had nine make it.�
�Who didn�t make the cut?� I asked.
�Lucas, Blake, Kale, and Joe were cut. I was able to get everyone else from Pride on the Stars, which I�ll be coaching, and I�ve asked all my other coaches to come with us. It�s a good group, and I�d hate to break the team up.�
�I�d hoped we could get them all, but I�m sure you did your best.�
�I did. Allard asked that you be his roommate in Houston. Is that okay with you?�
�Yeah. I think I�d like to hang out with the Wild Man.�
�Good. I�ll be in touch with details. Remember, you can�t say anything to the press before the announcement.�
�No problem, Coach. I�ll see you in Houston.�
◊◊◊
Bob�s family came and picked him up, so I was able to thank them for taking me in. Everyone gathered at the hotel, and then we made our way to the airport. I was sad to see that Halle was on her way back to LA. She wanted to be with her family while her brother recovered from his wounds. I made sure she knew I missed her.
Since I was in a good mood, I went on a spending spree and upgraded everyone to first class for the flight home. Dad drew the short straw and had to sit next to me.
�I wanted to tell you we�re proud of you,� Dad said, catching me by surprise.
That meant a lot to me.
�Thanks. I think I proved to myself that I can play baseball if that�s where things take me.�
�Your mom and I already knew that.�
He smiled as he reached over and squeezed my hand. I didn�t know what to say. Thankfully, he changed the topic.
�Caryn and I talked. She has some news on several fronts. They dredged the river on your farm this week, and the bridge has been put out for bid. Assuming we get bids back quickly, the plan is to have it done before harvest time this fall. The Quickie Mart is now in our hands; the previous owners decided to retire. Caryn hired Mrs. Tams to manage it. The first thing we did was cut back on the hours for safety�s sake,� Dad said.
�What happened to Tommy?� I asked.
�They caught him, and he confessed. I�m not sure what�ll happen to him.�
�What an idiot. I never thought much of him, but never imagined he would resort to robbing convenience stores.�
�Caryn has been hiring people for the restaurant. She decided to hire someone you know for her office: Kent Crain.�
That caught my attention. Kent had been Craig�s manager before he was killed. He�d always been the level-headed one of that group. I�d long thought he would be a good guy to help manage my image if Craig ever let him go. Kent had worked hard to help Craig with his image, which couldn�t have been easy to do at times, and knew the movie business inside and out. I wasn�t quite sure what he�d make of working directly for Caryn, but with his abilities, I could easily see him growing his role into something very special. It would really depend on how motivated he would be to do just that.
�I guess I didn�t realize he might need a job. I�m glad he was available and interested. Kent�s a great guy.�
�Kendal warned us he might be a bit too much fun,� Dad observed.
�Can you really have too much fun?� I asked.
�Don�t get me started on that.�
�What lake are we spending the week at in Canada?� I asked my dad.
�I have no idea. You�ll have to ask your uncle,� Dad said.
It was worth a shot.
Dad and I had a good conversation on the flight home. Mom grabbed me when we arrived in Chicago, and we caught up. It was a good reminder of why I loved my parents.
◊◊◊ Saturday June 25
I stared at the ceiling, happy to be home. There was something to be said for sleeping in your own bed. Something was missing, though: my trusty hound. It had been too late last night to get him from the farm. I glanced at the clock, and it was almost nine. Seemed I�d slept in.
I got dressed and ran downstairs, where I found Precious sunning herself on our driveway.
�Hello, evil cat. Did you miss your buddy?� I asked.
She lifted her head, and our eyes locked. I decided it was best to be on my way. When I got to the kitchen, I made myself a bowl of cereal. I was cleaning up when my mom found me.
�Finally decided to get out of bed?� she asked.
I ignored her jab.
�I�m going to go get Duke.�
�Good, I�ll go with you. Your grandmother said some vegetables are getting ripe. She mentioned some of the early tomatoes are ready. I feel like a BLT.�
I�d given Paul the weekend off because he was going with us to Canada. He needed to do laundry and pay bills. I�d had to agree to stay home, or he would have insisted on having someone accompanying me, but this was just a trip to the farm. I didn�t think Fritz would yell at me � much.
We took the Jeep. When I got out at my grandma�s, I whistled loudly to call Duke. We could hear barking from down by the river and soon saw him tearing up the walnut-hull path we�d put in. He was a total spaz and couldn�t decide who he should say �Hi� to first, Mom or me. Grandma Dawson and Yelena came walking up the path.
My grandmother grabbed me and kissed my cheek.
�If he stayed too much longer, I was going to keep him,� she said as Duke danced around us. �Right now, he needs some energy burned off.�
I�d brought his ball with me, so I grabbed it out of the Jeep while my mom and grandma left to pick vegetables. Yelena stayed, and it was clear she wanted to talk. Duke tore off after a long toss of his ball.
�Your grandmother proud of you. Say you good with baseball.�
�I made the cut to the next round. I�ll have to survive one more round of cuts to make the national team and go to Mexico. Everything being equal, I expect I�d love to play baseball full time, but I�m sure I�d miss the contact of football,� I admitted.
�Yuri said it would be shame if you not play football. He said you have �special talent.��
I felt myself blush. I hadn�t expected Yuri to even think that, let alone say it to his grandmother.
�Though I�ve sort of put it on the back burner this summer to explore baseball, I won�t let Yuri or my teammates down. I plan to win state my senior year.�
She looked perplexed.
�Back burner?�
I remembered how different English was from her native language and explained it to her. She smiled and left Duke and me to our game of catch.
Once Duke finally began to tire out, we walked down to the river. We then climbed to the bluff and sat down under my favorite walnut tree. Duke wanted some serious loving. I think my grandma needed to be trained on ear rubbing and chest scratching.
It was relaxing to sit on the bluff and gaze out over the river. Caryn had sent me an email that said they�d dug out several feet of silt from the riverbed. The next step would be to line the shores with riprap, or stones, to prevent erosion. I�d agreed to have them put smaller gravel in the river�s bed to firm it up. The hope was that cleaning up the river would make it healthier and less likely to flood.
I received a text from my mom saying she was ready to go, so I convinced Duke that we should jog back to the farm. Mom had a plastic tub full of tomatoes, green beans, new potatoes, and lettuce. I was happy to haul it to the Jeep.
Duke claimed shotgun, but Mom boosted his butt and sent him to the back seat. On the ride home, I received a text from Brook to meet her at the small local airport. She wanted to take me flying. I didn�t tell Mom about the flying; I didn�t want her to worry. Anyway, that�s my story, and I was sticking to it.
◊◊◊
�Hello, Brook Davis,� I said as I spotted my friend.
�Why, young Mr. Dawson. So good to see you,� she said, acting regal.
�What�s the plan for today?�
�I�ve got a flying lesson. I told them you�d eventually be joining me, so you get to ride along with me today to see what it�s like. Come with me, and I�ll introduce you to my instructor, Roy Tyro,� Brook said as she grabbed my hand and pulled me along.
I could tell that she enjoyed flying, and I was sure if she liked it, I would too.
�Roy, this is my good friend David,� Brook said by way of introduction.
�I�ve watched you play football and took in both your movies. It�s a pleasure to have you here today. Brook says that you might also want to learn to fly. If you do decide to try it, I would love for you to pick us as your instructors.�
Roy showed me the aircraft they used for training. It was a newer Cessna 172, and he proudly pointed out its advanced G1000 avionics. He shared that the Cessna 172 was a four-seater with a high wing and single engine. The first one flew in 1955, and more of these aircraft were built than any other. He explained that Lincoln Flight School had picked this proven training aircraft with the most up-to-date avionics available with safety in mind. The G1000 Avionics System was state-of-the-art, commercial-level flight instrumentation.
I stood back as Brook had her lesson. She and Roy walked the airplane as part of the preflight checklist. I sat in the back as she took control of the plane and took us up. I could see the joy she experienced as we rose into the blue sky overlooking the area farms. Brook had found another thing we could do together. I would have to wait until after this summer to join her.
After the class, we snuck into the back of her property and to her cabin by the lake.
�Want to go skinny-dipping?� Brook asked with a glint of mischief in her eyes.
I took her up on her challenge and began to lose my clothes. We were soon roughhousing in the lake when Cassidy came walking up.
�You two are terrible. You do realize your parents are up at the house. I think Ava would pay good money to see our boy naked,� Cassidy observed.
�Join us,� Brook dared her friend.
Cassidy looked around and began taking her clothes off. She was soon in the water, and the three of us acted like the teenagers we were. The girls wanted me to toss them into the air so they could splash into the deeper part of the lake. I aimed for where the natural spring was because the water was colder in that spot. The cold water did interesting things to their nipples. Brook finally figured it out.
�You�re such a bad boy. I think he just wants to see these,� Brook accused me, and Cassidy gave me a dirty look.
I raced out of the water to keep Cassidy from doing me harm. She was game, but I was faster than she was. She got Brook to help her, and somehow, I let them catch me. Things heated up, and soon Brook knew fully how much I�d missed her. I offered to have Cassidy join us, but she reminded me that we were at home, and we�d made a promise to her dad.
Brook thought that was just fine and took full advantage.
◊◊◊
I invited Ava and Ian to join Brook, Cassidy, and me for lunch at my house. I�d bragged up my mom�s BLTs. Mom and Dad were happy to see them, as we�d had a family vacation together. I�d bribed Ian to ask a question.
�What lake are you going to for your vacation?�
�Trout Lake. We�ll fly into Winnipeg and then catch a private flight to Red Lake, the closest small town to the fishing camp we�re staying at. It�s a 20-minute flight from there to the lodge on Trout Lake. The only way to get there is to fly in and land on the lake,� Dad said. Then he saw the big grin on my face. �Dammit, David. You can�t tell Greg or Phil.�
�Phil believes we�re going to strip clubs. I can�t wait to see his face when you dump him in the middle of nowhere in Canada,� I said and then switched into planning mode. �Do I need to call Devin and get us gear?�
�Devin wanted to join us, but Sandy talked him out of it. He agreed to ship everything we might need to the lodge. He only asked that we take some pictures of the fish we catch that he can show on his website.
�Now, what did you tell your half brother?� Dad asked.
�It was Roc�s fault. He told Phil that on the last guys� weekend we had, we visited a brothel.�
�Really?� Mom asked.
�Mom, just stop. You know what happens on guys� weekend stays on the guys� weekend, or that was what Uncle John and Dad made me promise. It�s a guy thing,� I said as I gave her a superior look.
I must have said �guy� one too many times. Cassidy found a nerve bundle under my arm. Now that hurt. I don�t think she was even sorry. Mom thanked Cassidy for the assist, and I kept my mouth shut from that point on.
◊◊◊
After everyone had left, I was surprised when Tami showed up.
�Where are Tim and Wolf?� I asked.
�They drove home to see their parents. I wanted to have a talk with you.�
�Oh, man. What did I do now?� I asked as my mom walked in.
�Did David do something he shouldn�t have?� Mom asked.
�No. No one�s done anything wrong. I just need to talk to him,� Tami explained.
�Oh. I thought you already had,� Mom said and then left us alone.
The old irritation about my mom and Tami being too close to each other welled up inside me. I just sighed, knowing this wasn�t good for me.
�Maybe we should go to your apartment to talk so we aren�t interrupted,� Tami suggested.
I gave her an unhappy face but was smiling inside. My guess was that Tim had finally manned-up and told Tami he liked her. I couldn�t let her know that I was happy for her � yet. I thought she might have to work for it a little.
Once we got seated, she suddenly wasn�t as sure of herself, so I took over the conversation and got her up to date on baseball tryouts. I also told her about the release of my new movie,
The film had been in the top three for the last few weeks. Saul told me we should expect this weekend would be the last big one, in terms of earnings. The Fourth of July weekend would introduce the summer blockbuster movies.
When I finally ran down, Tami kissed me.
�You know that I love you,� she began.
I was surprised that even though I knew what she was about to tell me, it still hurt. You don�t go as long as we had knowing that �someday� you would be together for this not to get you in the gut. I had to remind myself of what had transpired in the last two years. I�d given up on my claim on Tami. She�d rejected or hurt me too many times. That didn�t mean that I didn�t want her to be a close friend. I had to convince myself that I didn�t want more than that.
�You found someone,� I said to make it easier on her.
She looked at me curiously.
�He talked to you,� she said, putting it together.
�He didn�t want to hurt our friendship,� I admitted.
�That was why you didn�t want to go out with the four of us last time I was home.�
I nodded.
�Then I take it you�re okay with us going out. I told him we couldn�t until I talked to you.�
�He�s a great guy. I hope you two are happy with each other,� I said.
Tami blinked at me. I�m sure she didn�t expect that.
�Uh � okay. The four of us are going out tonight. Why don�t you get a date and join us?� Tami asked.
�I�m not sure that�s such a good idea.�
�Why? We�re all friends.�
�Think about it. I�ve slept with you and Sarah, plus the two of you are just starting to date. No one wants their girl�s ex to go on a date with them.�
Tami rubbed her forehead.
�I can see your point. Maybe next time,� she suggested.
After she left, I sort of went to a dark place. It was less than a year ago that I�d asked her to be my girlfriend, and now she was dating one of my best friends. I found it hard to believe that he was a better match for her.
◊◊◊
I spent the night in with the boys so Peggy could go out with some of her college friends. Mom and Dad had a date night, too, so it was just Duke, Little David, and Coby with me. It was nice to have daddy-time alone with the boys.
That was great until they all fell asleep on me by nine. I couldn�t remember the last time I�d sat home on a Saturday night and watched streaming video. Apparently, I was more tired than I thought because I nodded off. I woke when I heard a baby cry.
I walked out to my living room and found Tami and Tim sitting there on my couch.
�Sorry, I just woke up. I don�t think I�m ready for a threesome yet,� I teased. �But if you�ll give me a few minutes ��
I think Tim�s brain melted. Tami just gave me a dirty look. I ignored them and found Coby was the one causing a fuss. I picked him up, and he�d started to calm down when I heard the door open, and Peggy came up the stairs. What happened to knocking?
�He�s the worst babysitter ever,� Tami observed.
Peggy rolled her eyes at me.
�Help me take the boys into the house,� Peggy said.
I followed Peggy up to the third floor of the house and put Coby to bed.
�What did I walk into?� Peggy asked.
�Tami wanted to show off her new boyfriend,� I said. �I�d rather not go back.�
Watching Peggy�s butt as she bent over the cribs got me aroused, and she knew how to fix that. I wondered what Tim and Tami would think when I didn�t return.
◊◊◊
Chapter 17 � Circles of Trust Sunday June 26
Duke wasn�t happy. I�d left him in the apartment overnight while I spent time with Peggy. He was okay by the time I ran him and came home, but he was also out of shape. Apparently, Peggy didn�t run him as hard as I did.
When I came home, Dad told me we were flying out today. I�d thought Monday was our travel day. I soon had another person�Zoe�mad at me. We�d planned to be together all afternoon.
I packed my essentials and added a few things I wanted to bring with me. Everyone came to our house at eleven. Phil�s mom, Vickie, brought him. Greg made the mistake of telling Kyle that we were going on a trip. Kyle thought he should get to go. I could foresee that in a few years, it would be a kid�s week.
�Where are you going, and why does Phil need a passport?� Vickie asked.
�It�s a surprise, and we needed to go where Phil�s age wouldn�t be a problem,� I said with a straight face.
It was good that Phil�s head was attached, or it would have fallen off with how fast it snapped around. Vickie saw and just shook her head.
�I guess he�ll come back in one piece,� she reasoned.
�He�ll come back a changed man,� Uncle John offered.
I had no doubt that Uncle John would spend time with him to make him a better person, but Phil didn�t need to know that.
�He�s had all his shots, right?� Greg asked.
�Mo-om,� Phil complained.
It was great not being the little one anymore. Phil was a godsend.
◊◊◊
On the car ride to Chicago, Dad and Uncle John teased Greg and Phil about where we were going. I played dumb.
�Remember last time?� I moaned. �We ended up going to that doctor for all those blood tests. I hope we don�t have to do that again.�
�Did you really have to get blood tests?� Phil asked.
�We weren�t sure David was really a Dawson,� Uncle John teased.
�That was a disappointment. Mr. Thigpen has a pool,� I complained.
�Who�s Mr. Thigpen?� Phil asked.
�The mailman,� Greg explained.
�Do we have to get blood tests this time?� Phil worried.
�Let�s hope not,� was all Dad would say.
I waited until we were in the air before I started to really tease Phil. He got the middle seat between Greg and me. I grumbled about sitting in coach, but to be on a guys� trip, it was worth it. Once we were in the air, I pulled out some stuff I�d printed off the internet.
�Guys, I overheard where we�re going,� I whispered to my two brothers.
�I knew it; I could tell you knew by the way you were acting,� Greg hissed.
�So, where are we going?� Phil asked.
�They rented a cabin at a resort, and it has all kinds of fun activities. This is going to be great,� I shared.
Greg raised an eyebrow because he didn�t believe me. I just ignored him as I sorted out the pages I�d printed off. I handed the top one to Phil.
�CNP, Canada Naturist Park. It says it�s on 80 acres, and they have trails and a swimming pool with a clubhouse. �We maintain our park in its natural state so we may enjoy it in our natural state,�� Phil read aloud. �So, this is some kind of nature trip. That sounds like fun.�
�I need some serious downtime. This sounds like a way to kick back and relax,� I said.
Greg took the paper from Phil and read it. He saw I had pictures.
�Let me see those,� Greg demanded.
I handed over the pictures. The first few showed the resort and all the facilities. Then there were several photos of hiking trails. Greg barked out a laugh when he saw the picture of the nude people playing volleyball. He finally figured out what �naturist� meant. They were all in their fifties or older. I�d made sure all the photos only showed older people.
�What?� Phil asked.
�This is worse than last time,� Greg complained.
He handed the pictures to Phil.
�I plan on getting an all-over tan,� I said.
�But � but � no way!� Phil said, a little too loudly.
�What are you doing to Phil?� Dad asked Greg and me.
�Dad, this can�t be true. David said you told him where we�re going,� Phil said.
�David, you promised not to tell them. This is a surprise your uncle and I came up with,� Dad chastised me.
I grabbed the papers and handed them to Uncle John. We needed to get a new security person because Paul started laughing. Phil gave me a hard look and then wouldn�t talk to me for the rest of the flight. I don�t think he was sure whether we were really going there. I wondered if we could talk him into walking around naked. Somehow, I had my doubts.
◊◊◊
In Winnipeg, we cleared customs and grabbed our bags. We were soon in the air to Red Lake airport, and less than an hour later, we landed.
�We�re going to a fly-in fishing camp about 20 minutes by air from here. The only way in is by air, and they say it�s spectacular fishing. We need to go grocery shopping. Phil, you might want to get some sunscreen,� Dad said.
I grabbed Phil and pulled him aside.
�Want to help me pull a prank on everyone?� I asked.
I figured since we were the youngest, we needed to stick together. He was all for it.
◊◊◊
We bought a couple of big coolers, and I loaded one of them up with meat. I explained to Dad that I didn�t want to rely on his fishing skills to feed us. The real reason was I didn�t want to eat fish for seven straight days. The fish camp offered dinners, but there were full kitchens in the cottages. It was also almost $50 per head for them to cook for you. I had my doubts about the value of that. I was sure that we could fix better meals on our own.
While I worried about food, Greg and Uncle John had wandered off and found a liquor store. They bought several cases of beer.
We were soon back at the airport. The floatplane was a fun adventure. The pilot circled the huge lake and gave us a view of the camp which was located on a small island. They had one side covered in docks next to a large clubhouse, and on the other side of the island were the cottages. Uncle John had rented a three-bedroom.
Once we got to the cottage, we found it was nice and relatively new. It had a green metal roof and wood siding. Inside we found boxes with the Range Sports logo on the side. We let Phil open them and found rods, reels, and other fishing gear. Devin had also sent us clothes to wear on our trip.
Devin had included instructions about the types of fishing we would find and the different rods, lures, and line we would need for each. Greg helped Phil put line on each reel while I unloaded groceries.
The cabin backed up to the lake and had a back door that led onto a balcony overlooking the water. I was sharing a room with Phil. Dad and Uncle John were in one, and Greg was with Paul. I wasn�t sure what Paul was supposed to protect me from, but he walked outside and checked the cabin and the surrounding area.
We were all starved, so I made pasta and a salad. When we sat down to eat, Uncle John laid out the plans for the weekend.
�Last year, we talked about what it means to be an Alpha Male. Certain hormones are predictors for certain behaviors. That was why we had blood tests done.�
�Okay, that explains it,� Phil said.
�If you haven�t guessed, David scored fairly high. What I wanted to show him and everyone else was that the way he acts has a basis in science. It�s also why his parents have done certain things with him to help him develop leadership skills.
�David�s life has gotten more complicated since our last trip. This time, I want to work with him and with the rest of you on getting a handle on trust issues when working with different people. That includes ways to help identify people who you should or shouldn�t trust. I think you could agree that some people just want to get to know David for what he can do for them,� Uncle John explained.
�After dinner, go out and explore the island. We�ll all come back to the cabin and spend time tonight talking about what your uncle has to say,� Dad said.
Greg drew the short straw and had to clean up. While he did that, Dad and Uncle John took Phil to the dock to teach him how to use a spinning reel. I remembered the first time I used one, I ended up with a tangle of line that took me forever to get straightened out. Hopefully, Phil would have better luck. I told Paul I was staying at the cabin, so he tagged along with them.
�I expected you�d go too,� Greg said.
�No, I brought some rum from Cuba and plan to make pitchers of mojitos. I also brought some Cuban cigars. I thought it would remind us of last year and us all drinking scotch.�
Greg agreed I had a plan.
◊◊◊
When everyone came back, Phil was excited.
�I caught a walleye from the dock.�
Dad showed us a picture of it on his phone. It looked to be about twenty inches, a nice eating size.
�What did you do with him?� Greg asked.
�He got away,� Phil admitted.
Phil washed his hands, and we all found seats in the great room.
�I have a treat: I made mojitos and have Cuban cigars,� I announced.
Phil looked at Dad, and he nodded. Greg helped me get everyone a glass and a cigar. I skipped the cigar because I never wanted to get into the habit.
�These are good,� Uncle John said, tasting the drink. �Phil, go easy. They�ll sneak up on you.�
Paul demonstrated the proper way to clip the end off the cigar and how to light it. Paul had become an expert while in Cuba. I helped Phil get his lit, then shook my head when he took a big drag on it and had a coughing fit. I handed him his drink.
�Here, drink this. It�ll help,� I suggested.
Greg smacked me when he downed his drink.
�He has to learn sometime,� I said in my defense.
I got him another drink.
�To really appreciate your cigar, smoke it slowly and don�t draw too frequently, which will heat it and spoil the taste. You should take about a puff a minute and never inhale it. Phil showed you why,� Paul suggested.
All I knew was the cabin now reeked of cigar smoke. I hoped we wouldn�t get in trouble for that.
We all talked for a while, unwinding. Everyone was on their second drink when Uncle John began his talk.
�Thank you, David. Last year it was a scotch tasting, and this year, good rum. I can�t wait to see what you come up with next year.�
�Wait, I thought the youngest had to supply the alcohol,� I said.
�I think I would rather you were in charge. You haven�t steered us wrong yet,� Dad said.
Next year I would have to bring something like Goldschl�ger. I would be off the hook after that. I still remembered having blacked out at Northwestern after drinking that stuff. Everyone said I had a good time.
�This year, I want to talk about circles of trust. With the changes in David�s life, he needs a conceptual framework to help him deal with people he trusts to varying degrees. Trusting the wrong person can have devastating results, as he�s learned the hard way, and as a consequence, we have Paul with us.
�Besides, dealing appropriately with people where trust can be an issue is something that he�ll have to do for the rest of his life. With a little knowledge and some forethought and preparation, though, he can make it easier on himself,� Uncle John said.
�It�s not just David. This is important for all of you to learn,� Dad pointed out.
�I agree that this can help each of us deal with people better, and avoid some pitfalls,� Uncle John said.
�Let me give you an example. Research shows that there are people with self-important personalities who tend to manipulate others for their own gain. They can seem charming on first impression. They�re also likely to have high-status jobs or positions. While being successful doesn�t equate to someone you can�t trust, it is a potential indicator. They�ve learned to use others to get ahead.
�So how do you identify someone who�s out to take advantage of you? You need to look at how your brain is wired,� Uncle John explained.
What I liked about my uncle�s lectures was that he didn�t just give you his opinion; he had data to back it up.
�Remember when I told you that when you feel like you�re in danger, you probably are? Yet we convince ourselves that we should ignore our instincts, and that�s when we get ourselves in trouble. It�s the same way with trust.
�I read a study that showed that our brains take just three-hundredths of a second, much less time than an eyeblink, to decide trustworthiness. Our judgment of how trustworthy someone is occurs even before we know who the person is. The researchers concluded that this ability was important to our ancestors and helped them survive. It�s similar to the danger vibe you might get,� Uncle John said.
�How do you decide who you can trust?� Greg asked.
�Besides your gut, there are ways to help figure it out. Here are a few steps you can take to help you make better decisions.
�The first is to be wary of anyone who gives you the hard sell. Decisions you make on impulse are usually not as good for you as decisions you make after thinking things over. Anyone using a hard sell is counting on that, and he or she will try to push you into a decision. You see this in retail when they give you an artificial deadline or give you the impression of scarcity of a product.
�Recognize if someone is suddenly your best friend. At a minimum, they encourage you to make impulse decisions, which, as I just said, tend not to be as well thought-out. At the worst, they�re trying to ingratiate themselves to you for their own ends. What�s best to do is to tell them to back off so you can get to know them better,� Uncle John explained.
�But what if a cute girl comes up and says she wants to jump my bones?� I asked with a straight face.
�That never happens,� Phil complained.
�It happens to him more than you might imagine,� Paul said.
�Do you normally take advantage of that?� Dad asked.
�No, not really,� I admitted.
�You turn them down?� Phil asked in shock.
�Yeah, he�s a �stupid boy,�� Greg observed.
�Sounds like we need to talk,� Dad said, looking at me.
That wasn�t happening.
�The best advice I can give you is to step back and figure out what they�re trying to get out of you. In David�s case, with the girl who wants to jump his bones, it could be anything from just fun to bragging rights to setting him up for a lawsuit. That�s why he wears a bodycam and has security. Not everyone has your best interests at heart.
�Also, be observant. How do they treat a cab driver or server? Do they tear down others? Do they remember what you tell them? Are they close to their family, and do they have close friends? Do they gossip about others? Because if they gossip to you about other people, they�ll gossip about you to others.
�The same goes for secrets or things spoken in confidence. If someone shares another person�s confidence with you, they�ll share your confidences with others.
�So, ask yourself these sorts of questions. The answers will help you figure out what kind of person they really are,� said Uncle John.
�I agree with not rushing things,� I said. �I learned that for major decisions, you should never hurry things. That has already paid off for me. I can see the same thing applying to making decisions about the people around you.�
Uncle John nodded approvingly at me and then continued.
�I want you to ask yourself: who do you trust? The better question might be, what do you trust them with? The ultimate question, though, is how do you deal with people based on how much you trust them?
�You also need to understand that you can�t make someone trust you. Trust has to be earned. To win someone�s trust, you must be two things: competent and caring. Or put a simpler way, don�t mess up and don�t mess with people,� Uncle John said.
�With that logic, I can�t trust David because he teases me,� Phil pointed out.
�The key is you know he�s teasing you and not really doing anything bad to you. Can you honestly say that David doesn�t have your best interests at heart?� Dad asked.
�He did tattle on me.�
�It was either that, or I was going to end your life,� I shot back and got him another drink.
My little brother was taking to drinking pretty well. I wondered if he�d ever had a hangover.
�Let�s get back on topic. The circles of trust are a framework to help identify how you perceive the trustworthiness of people. I expect you can agree that people are the most important aspects of your life. When you�re on your deathbed, I hope that you don�t wish you�d spent more time making friends or being with friends. I�d hope your goal throughout your life is to surround yourself with people who care for you, who are good for you, and with whom you have meaningful relationships.
�Now, there will be times when you will find that people you thought you could trust might not have your best interest at heart. They might even be family or close friends. I know from personal experience that once trust is lost, it is almost impossible to earn back,� Uncle John said.
I could think of two people right off the top of my head. Angie and Tracy had each broken my trust with them. I did realize that it could be repaired, to a certain extent. Tracy was an example of that. Of all my friends, she was perhaps the one more than anyone else who put me first. She was probably my best friend, if I looked at things closely. But even then, I could never again have a deeper, romantic relationship with her.
Angie was another story. I�d found that she hadn�t been raised the same way I had. When it came down to it, at crunch time, Angie tended to look out for Angie first. The most recent example was Greg stopping her from selling pictures of Coby before Adrienne could do it. While I loved Angie, I didn�t fully trust her.
�I want you to realize something,� Uncle John continued. �The people you let in can go a long way toward determining your happiness.�
He then reached behind him and came up with several clipboards. He passed them out to each of us. Each clipboard had a pen and a few sheets of paper on it. The top page had a bunch of concentric circles at the top, and a smaller group of concentric circles on the bottom, with a heavy black line separating them.
�Okay, these circles represent what I call �circles of trust.� Let�s start with the innermost circle in the top group. That circle represents you.
�That circle is there for a specific reason. Ultimately, at the end of everything, you have to be able to trust and believe in yourself. What it all comes down to is that you are the person who makes decisions regarding your life, or at least you should be. And both the big ones and the little ones count. In fact, it�s the little decisions, like deciding to run in the morning rather than sleep in, that add up to the big ones. Those big ones determine the direction your life will take.
�You can and should get advice from trusted people. Look at what David does. He finds mentors to guide him. There has to be a level of trust to allow them to help him make decisions, but in the end, he has to determine what to do with that advice.
�Not all decisions will warrant a mentor, but if you�re not sure, find someone who you can count on as a sounding board. The key is that ultimately, you have to make the decision. That means you must believe in yourself. There�s a saying by a great NFL quarterback: �If you don�t believe in yourself, why should anyone else believe in you?��
Uncle John looked down at the clipboard, then back up at us.
�The second circle represents the people you can share your deepest feelings and dreams with. These are the people you can tell anything to and know they�ll support you. These are people like your spouse, perhaps parents, children, and family. You can do that because you know they have your best interests at heart.
�Now, keep in mind that not all family members may be a part of your inner circle. And there may�
�The third circle represents people you�ve shared a lot of experiences with and who you trust to have your back in most situations. As a general rule, you won�t trust them quite as much as close family. But you do trust them a lot because you�ve seen over time that they almost always do what they say. And especially because you�ve seen their actions aren�t selfish or completely self-centered. This group can include close friends, best friends, coaches you share a special bond with, people like that. This third group is your core group of people you want to surround yourself with. These are the people who you can trust to lift you up, rather than drag you down.
�The next group includes people you trust to a more limited extent. This fourth circle represents people you probably consider friends, but not close friends. They may have their own agendas. This group represents people you know and get along with well. But the nature of your relationship is more dealing with each other from the perspective of enlightened, generally positive, self-interest. You know them, you may like them, you deal with them pleasantly. But you likely won�t let your boundaries of close trust down around them without a lot more interaction and evaluation, whether you realize you�re doing it or not.
�The fifth circle represents people you trust in specific situations. An example might be your accountant. You might trust them with your books, but you would never share other things with them. As far as you�re concerned, they�re going to deal with you because it benefits them�enlightened self-interest again. But they also tend to value their relationships with you on a more long-term basis. Some long-term business associates and some coaches likely fall into this category.
�Then, outside that circle and above the center line, as a general proposition, you have everyone else. These are people you don�t know well or don�t know at all. It�s not that you have reason to trust or mistrust them, you simply lack sufficient information. You may not have any reason to get more information to make that evaluation,� Uncle John said.
He sat back at this point and looked at us all. He took a deep breath and continued.
�Now, we�re going to be doing more with this over the next few days, but let�s stop for now. Each of you may want to think about trying to put names to the circles. By the end of the week, you�ll all have done that, very likely on your own, just because you�re thinking about it and how it applies to you. For now, sleep on it. If you have questions, we can talk about them together in the morning. Or, if it�s something you�re not ready to talk about in front of everyone, you can ask me privately.�
◊◊◊
Dad cornered me after the talk.
�How many drinks did you feed Phil?�
Uh, oh, I was busted.
�Six,� I confessed.
�If he pukes, you get to clean it up,� he warned.
Now that wasn�t part of the plan to corrupt my little brother. I walked over and took his drink away. It looked like he�d had enough, anyway. I guided him to bed, and he just collapsed with his clothes on and giggled. That probably wasn�t good.
I didn�t feel like sleeping yet, so I stretched and got a drink�a soda, this time. Then I stepped out onto the balcony and sat so I could look out over the lake.
At midsummer in Canada, the sun stays up pretty late, and there was still a glow to the west where the sun had gone down. The lake�heck, everything around us�was beautiful, and oh so peaceful. I could appreciate it even as I ruminated on the things Uncle John had talked about.
The first question that came to mind from Uncle John�s talk was, �Do I believe in myself?� For me, the answer was easy: it was a definite �yes.� I wouldn�t be where I was if I hadn�t. My accomplishments, not just in financial or sports terms, but also in the friends I had made, seemed to justify that belief.
I also started to consider who was in my innermost circle. That seemed pretty straightforward at first blush. Mom. Dad. Greg. Grandma. Uncle John. Definitely not Angie. Not Tami, at least not now. Not Uncle John�s new bride, although she seemed like a wonderful woman. I just didn�t know her well enough.
But then I thought of Mom with Tami. I couldn�t trust Mom regarding information about Tami. Similarly, Uncle John had shared my concerns about Angie with my mom, even when I hadn�t wanted him to. It had gotten back to Dad and Greg as well. It seemed there were exceptions to how much I could trust them, but how could there be exceptions in my innermost circle of trust?
Beyond that, it was too much for one sitting, especially at the end of such a beautiful day. I realized I was now dealing with a large number of people in all sorts of ways. Sorting it out was going to take time and a bit of effort.
I sighed and leaned back in my chair. Later I jerked awake, realizing I�d nodded off. I was okay with that�it was one of the things guys� weekends were for. I stumbled to my bed, and it was immediate lights out for me and my brain.
◊◊◊
Chapter 18 � Trust, Mistrust, And Bonding? Monday June 27
I wasn�t feeling too charitable towards my younger sibling when I crawled out of bed. He snores!
�Wakey, wakey!�
{groan}
�Get up! It�s a gorgeous day!� I said as I bounced on the side of Phil�s bed.
�Go away,� he said as he tried to shove me off the side of his bed.
�We have the breakfast surprise,� I whispered conspiringly.
�Okay � okay, give me a minute,� Phil groaned.
I was an evil genius. I was finally going to get my brother and dad for all the times they�d stolen my favorite doughnut, Boston Cream. It had a chocolate frosting and a creamy vanilla-flavored custard filling. It was the perfect doughnut, in my humble opinion.
The evil men in my family knew it was the superior doughnut and that I would do just about anything to have one. Since Greg had moved out, I only had to contend with my dad stealing them. When we got doughnuts, Mom would make sure to get one for each of us. She limited it to one each because she knew we would each eat a dozen of them if she bought that many. Having just one made it a special treat.
I suspected she secretly liked to watch us fight over them. The last time we had them, Dad had shown his childish side: he�d licked both doughnuts and then ate them in front of me.
Today I would get my revenge, with Phil�s help.
I�d brought him in on the fun so he wouldn�t think we just picked on him. He was the youngest, so I thought it only fair he make up for the years he wasn�t around in which I caught the abuse as the youngest. It was sort of a passing of the torch that had been delayed too many years.
We came out to find Dad and Uncle John sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee.
�I thought I saw Phil bought doughnuts,� Dad observed.
�I hid them because I knew you�d eat all the good ones before anyone else had a chance,� I said with a sense of self-righteousness.
Uncle John and Dad looked at each other, and little smirks touched their faces. Greg and Paul came out of their room.
�What�s for breakfast?� Greg asked.
�Phil got doughnuts, but David hid them,� Dad announced.
I stepped over to my secret hiding place and pulled them out. I�d put them in the cabinet over the refrigerator. Everyone knew that was where I hid things, especially cookies, because my mom was too short to get them from there. I had a sneaking suspicion that either Dad got them down for her or she used a chair because there always seemed to be some missing.
�I had Phil get six Boston Creams so we would each get one,� I announced, to make it clear that Dad and Greg only got one each.
Phil got napkins, and I had him make a big show of each of us getting one.
�Hey, look! Is that a bear?� Uncle John said as he pointed out the big picture window.
Phil and I jumped up to go look.
�I don�t see it,� I said, using all my acting skills.
Phil and I turned around to see Greg and Dad had stolen our doughnuts.
�Hey!� Phil complained.
They made a big show of licking them.
�You two are just not right,� I complained.
The four of them must have worked it out beforehand because they each took a huge bite out of their doughnuts at the same time. The looks of pure joy on their faces slowly changed to ones of concern. Phil was terrible at pranks because he gave it away when he began to giggle. They all spit out their bites.
�What the hell did you put in them?� Greg asked.
�Mayonnaise. I called ahead and had them specially made. I told the baker we were from down south, and it was a special treat. It worked, I got him to make them just for you,� I said with a big smile.
I high-fived Phil. It felt good to finally turn the tables on my tormentors.
�This doesn�t bode well,� Uncle John said. �When did we become the target of pranks?�
�I kept warning everyone that someday, David would get even,� Greg noted.
�They had something different, so I thought we might try them,� Phil said as he got out another box of doughnuts. �Maple-bacon doughnuts.�
They had maple icing and bacon crumbles on top. We all agreed that it sounded weird, but Phil had picked out a winner. Only in Canada would they come up with such a combination.
◊◊◊
It was decided that we would go three to a boat. Paul said he should be in the same boat I was. I wasn�t quite sure what he would protect me from on the water, but I wasn�t about to point that out. Uncle John joined us.
The lake was massive. The area was called the Trout Lake Conservation Reserve and was a protected area in the Red Lake District. On the west coast of the lake was a Provincial Nature Preserve. The man that ran the resort told us that Trout Lake was a cold-water lake with a maximum depth of 150 feet. There were several types of fish: walleye, northern pike, lake trout, lake whitefish, white sucker, red sucker, and ling.
Over 500 islands dotted the lake and, according to the map, it joined up with a chain of other lakes and rivers.
I wanted to catch a few walleyes for eating. Northern pike was my second choice, for the sport. It turned out Paul was something of an expert. His family had regularly gone fishing in Canada as a family vacation while he was growing up. He pointed to a protected bay with a weed bed.
�Let�s have some fun and go after Northern Gators, or that�s what my dad calls them. All fish are predators, but pike are in a league of their own. It will only take a few casts before you find if there are any around. They�ll hit just about anything, but I�d suggest we try a few different lures and figure out what they want. We can then all switch to that,� Paul suggested.
Devin had sent us everything we needed, including two different rods for each of us. Paul had us use the heavier of the two. He showed us how to tie on a twelve-inch steel wire leader. Pike could bite through the fishing line without any trouble, so the wire leaders were pretty much required. Uncle John was given a spoon lure.
�Start by steadily and slowly reeling, just fast enough to keep the spoon wobbling. If that doesn�t produce, try a flutter retrieve. You do that by using a jigging motion as you reel,� Paul advised.
Paul handed me a white spinner lure. After tying it on, I stood up, and he pointed to what looked like a small log on the edge of the weed bed.
�Cast past that point, and when you get close, I want you to pause for a three count and then begin to reel in,� he advised.
Paul picked a big spinner for himself. On the first cast, Uncle John got a big hit, and his pole bent like he had a monster on it. While he fought it, Paul gave him tips.
�Keep your rod tip up; don�t let it drop, or it�ll give him enough slack to either shake off or snap the line. Let him tire out a little before you try to muscle him.�
When Uncle John got it near the boat, we could see it was a big fish.
�David, grab the net. If it were less than ten pounds, we could just grab him behind the head, but he�s too big. Let me take the lure out of his mouth so you can see how it�s done,� Paul said.
Uncle John fought the fish for a few minutes before he could get him close enough that I could use the net. I dipped the net in front of him and scooped the fish into the boat. Northern pike have a slimy, almost mucus-like coating. I got him out of the net and handed him to Uncle John. Paul used a jaw spreader and needle-nose pliers to get the lure out of the fish�s mouth. I�d packed Dad�s camera, the same one I�d taken to Cuba, so I could take photos. I grabbed the camera and took Uncle John�s picture with his catch. Paul weighed it, and it came in at sixteen pounds.
That set the tone for the morning. Paul would work us into a likely spot, we would each catch three or four fish and then move on. Paul had the biggest at twenty-two pounds, but we were consistently catching six- to twelve-pounders.
◊◊◊
We decided to go in for lunch and found that Dad had beaten us back. We hadn�t been able to contact Dad�s group because there was no cell service. Nor, for that matter, was there Internet service. It actually was kind of nice that we could be so out of touch with the rest of the world this week.
The resort office had a satellite phone you could use if you had to. But not being able to use our phones or have any Internet access was one of the big reasons Dad and Uncle John had picked this lake.
The resort also provided a free shore lunch. All you had to do was give them the fish, and they would fry it up for you. Paul went with Phil and Greg to show them how to clean the walleye they�d caught.
Talk about a perfect lunch. Freshly caught fish served with fried potatoes and onions. Of course, if you had this for any length of time, your arteries would clog up, but dump stuff into hot oil and get it crispy � yum.
I even joined everyone in drinking a beer.
◊◊◊
The wind picked up, so we took the afternoon off to kick back and relax, or that was what they told me. I suspected the others needed to sleep off their hangovers. I�d downloaded some e-books before leaving home, so I stepped out on the deck that overlooked the lake, found a chair, and sat down and read. After a while, there was movement inside; it was Uncle John. It looked like his nap was over.
I�d started to get antsy with the questions I had from last night, so I went to talk to him.
�Got a few minutes?�
�I wondered how long it was going to take you,� he said as he smiled up at me.
He followed me back out to the deck and sat beside me.
�I�ve been contemplating my circles of trust. You said that family was normally in the first circle, the one you trusted the most, but then again they may not be. I can see that, and for the most part, I agree that my family will be in my closest circle. What I was wondering was, does that trust have to be for everything, or is it situational?� I asked.
He got a smile on his face that was both thoughtful and sad. Somehow, I knew not to ask about it. So instead, I told him about Mom�s blind spot with Tami and how it affected me and how I felt about it. I also talked about when he wouldn�t keep Angie�s deliberately getting pregnant to himself, and the fallout from that revelation to the rest of the family. I had a real problem with trust, even with my own family, and I realized it bothered me a lot more than I�d ever consciously realized.
When I finished, Uncle John smiled gently.
�I�m not going to get into that situation specifically right now, but let me give you a few more factors to consider,� he said.
�First, everyone�
�You can�t go through life that way. When it happens, you have to recognize that they�re human, and they�ll make mistakes. When it happens, take a deep breath and decide if it was a mistake or if it was done deliberately to harm you. That�s when you have to evaluate what happened, learn from it, change your evaluation of the other person a bit, and move on.
�But you can�t wall yourself off. We�re social beings, and you know better than most that you can do anything, but you can�t do it by yourself. One of your most admirable traits is that you�ve always known to get coaching or help from others when you needed it, while not losing yourself in the shuffle. Keep doing that.
�Looking at it from the perspective of circles of trust, this isn�t about one size fits all. With anybody, there may be hot buttons or blind spots where the trust isn�t as deep, or may not be there at all. That�s normal, and you won�t share your deepest thoughts with someone about those facets of your life, even if you trust them with everything else.
�There also are some things you might not like to have happen, but that those you trust will do for the greater good. For example, if your mom or your dad, or I, believe it�s in the best interests of the family as a whole to share something, we will. And that�s even if it�s been told to us with an expectation of privacy. We won�t do it lightly, but we will always be guided by the thought of what�s best for everyone in the family.
�I want you to view this as a framework for your guidance. It�s not something rigid. There will always be small exceptions or cautions when you apply the perspective you get from it. The number of circles you use and what you call them is up to you. Just make the concept a useful tool for yourself and try to keep it simple so the thoughts don�t overwhelm you,� he explained.
I�d been looking at the circles as an all-or-nothing proposition and consequently was having a hard time figuring out where people fell into them. My mom had my back, and I felt comfortable telling her anything, except when it came to Tami. I even understood that Uncle John would support my dad if there was ever an issue between Dad and me because I would do the same for Greg. That didn�t mean that Uncle John or my mom should be moved into another circle. I simply had to keep aware of what I trusted them with, which was almost everything.
I looked at him and nodded, and then he smiled.
�Well, I expect they�ve slept long enough. Let�s get everyone up and go fishing,� Uncle John said.
◊◊◊
It turned out it really was too windy, and most of the people at the fish camp had stopped fishing for the day. The clubhouse had pool tables and was set up for the evening meals. I challenged my brothers to a game of pool while everyone else found a table to kick back and relax at.
I was whipping my brothers� butts while Dad and Uncle John had gotten up to talk to other anglers spread out around the room. That was when a girl�s voice had us all turning our heads.
�I can do this, Uncle Ethan, just give me another chance.�
�GD nitwit. It was good someone saw us, or we could have been stuck out there overnight,� Uncle Ethan said as he walked off, leaving the girl at the door.
The poor girl looked like she was in middle school, a slim wisp who seemed better suited for a stroll in New York than for fishing. Her uncle was a completely different animal. He looked like he worked with his hands, outdoors. I shook my head when I saw the cigarette dangling from his lips. The girl looked like she might cry.
�Here�s your chance. Go talk to her,� Greg encouraged Phil.
�I bet she�s a virgin, too,� I said with a straight face.
Phil�s face turned bright red, and he said an unkind word about my parentage and stormed off. Greg and I smiled at each other. The girl was still standing in the doorway, not sure what to do.
�Hey, you, come here,� I said.
She looked at me and realized that I was talking to her. She ducked her head and came to me.
�Our stupid brother bailed on playing pool with us. Could you take his place?� I asked.
�I�ve never played,� she admitted.
�You can�t be any worse than Phil. We�ll teach you,� Greg said.
�I�m David, and this is my brother Greg,� I said as an introduction.
�Madison,� she said, and then her eyes got big. �You�re a movie star.�
Greg loved it because Madison would stare at me the whole time we played pool. To distract her, I tried to get her to tell us why her uncle was mad at her.
�Uncle Ethan had to take me on his fishing vacation because I got into trouble at home,� she admitted.
�What did you do?� Greg asked.
�I got stuck in a tree,� she mumbled.
Greg and I looked at each other and then back at her.
�I think we need a little more detail than �I got stuck in a tree,�� Greg said.
Madison put her head in her hands, and I thought she might start crying again. Then she looked at us and shook her head.
�I live with my mom and grandma. Grandma has pretty much raised me since my dad disappeared when I was seven and Mom had to go back to work. Grandma is � different. She hears voices and is very Catholic, and she sometimes scares me. When she gets too bad, I go live with my aunt and uncle for a while until she�s better.
�Jimmy Howard lives down the block and is older than I am. My best friend Kayla lives next door to him. She told me he, uh � can be seen before going to bed. She watches him through her bedroom window. I asked if I could come over, but my grandma had said something nasty to her mom, so I wasn�t allowed. They have a big oak tree in their yard, so I decided I would watch him from there,� she said, and then stopped.
Greg and I looked at each other again.
�I suspect you�re leaving out the good parts,� I prodded.
Madison blushed.
�Come on, spill it,� Greg said with a big smile.
�Okay. I guess I�ll never see you two after I leave,� she said, and then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. �Jimmy got undressed and got into bed. I was getting ready to leave, but he got out his tablet � and � uh � you know ��
�Spanked his monkey,� Greg offered.
She gave us a nervous giggle.
�It would�ve been fine, but I screamed when I saw it. I�ve only seen little ones. He was huge,� she said with big eyes. �That was when he saw me.�
�And �� Greg prodded.
�I sort of almost fell out of the tree. I would have, except my foot got caught and I was hanging upside down and yelling because it hurt. Next I knew, the whole neighborhood was gathered around the tree, and they could see my panties,� Madison said and stopped again.
I could see how that would attract a crowd.
�Then what happened?� I asked.
�Someone called the fire department, and my grandma was down below, screaming at me to cover up. She was the one who made me wear skirts. I had bigger things to worry about than whether the neighbors could see my underwear. When the firemen got me unhooked, I begged them to take me with them because I knew my grandma was in one of her moods.
�My aunt and uncle came and got me. My uncle had planned this trip, so I had to go with him because I wasn�t allowed to be left alone,� she finished.
�Because you were peeping?� Greg asked.
�I don�t think I like your brother,� Madison said to me as she pouted.
�That�s okay. I don�t like him much most of the time, but he can grow on you,� I shared.
�Why is your uncle mad at you?� Greg asked.
�I accidentally let my line out while we were coming back, and it got tangled in the prop. We had to get towed back, and they had to take the prop off to get the line out,� she admitted.
We should never have gotten Madison talking. I admit that she was funny, but by the time we returned to our cabin to eat dinner, I was worn out from listening to her. I was also glad to leave because she stared at me the whole time, to the amusement of everyone there, including her uncle.
◊◊◊
We sat around the fire in the main room of our cabin so Uncle John could continue our �lessons.� He repeated the thoughts he�d shared with me this afternoon and then continued.
�Now that I�ve talked about these circles in generalities, I need to add a few more nuances. The first one is, trust relationships aren�t static. People can move from one circle to another from your perspective, sometimes instantaneously, based on something they�ve done or said, or something they�ve refrained from doing. That�s not necessarily good or bad; it just is.
�You will also find you trust some people implicitly in some areas, but not others. You may trust someone implicitly with everything except one subject, due to their own experience or perspective. That�s okay, but you do have to factor it into how you interact with that person in specific situations.
�A third point to always keep in mind is that trust requires some sort of action. It�s an active verb. You can�t earn trust by words alone, and you can�t give trust purely based on words. If you do, you�re basically not being responsible to yourself,� Uncle John explained.
Then Uncle John held up his clipboard and pointed to the bottom half of the sheet.
�Now, we�re going to talk about the bottom half. This is the area that can get dicey.
�This set of circles represents people whom you believe are not good for you or who you mistrust for whatever reason.
�At the center of that circle is anyone you mistrust completely. Stated another way, these are the people out to cause you harm. Sadly, some people will have enemies who fall into that category,� Uncle John said and looked at me.
�I�ll bet you can think of people you seriously mistrust off the top of your head,� he said.
I gave a snort at that. As soon as he said it, I�d thought of Cal, Mike Herndon, Brandon, and Tommy Cox. Then I added Baby Dick, Brad Hope, Bill Rogers, and the two feminazis. I already had a rather long list for someone my age.
�In the next circle out from the center is another group of people. These are people who don�t necessarily have any malice towards you. However, if something hurts you but helps them, they�re all for it, and they�re indifferent to any harm it causes you. These people seem nice enough. But you can count on them to throw you under a bus at the drop of a hat if they decide it�s beneficial for them to do so.�
This one I had to chew on a bit. The Ford Models people certainly fit this category. At one point, I thought my movie agent, Saul, would fit in this circle. Now, I wasn�t so sure; the jury was still out on him.
�David, do you remember why you don�t have to put a lid on a bucket of crabs?� Uncle John asked.
�Yeah, it�s because if one crab looks like it�s going to succeed in climbing out, the others will pull it back down.
�When you told me about the crab bucket, I looked it up on the Internet. I had to see if you were telling me a story since I didn�t have a bucket of crabs lying around. They call it �crab mentality�: �if I can�t have it, neither can you.�
�Uncle John warned me that when I made changes to my life to make it better, there would be friends who would try to talk me out of it. When I was in middle school, I started to date Jan Duke, who was the head cheerleader at the time. My best friends all told me I shouldn�t because I was reaching too far,� I said.
�You dated Yuri�s girlfriend?� Phil asked.
�For like three minutes, but that�s not the point. The point is that if I�d listened, I might have been happier a few weeks later when she broke up with me. But in the long run, it would have held me back. Uncle John gave me the confidence not to listen to all the people who tell me I can�t do something. What it showed me was they weren�t really trying to hold me back because of me, they were holding me back because of them. They didn�t want me to change because they liked me the way I was. The sad part was that, at the time, they were my best friends, so I �knew� they had my best interests at heart.
�A better example would be the friends I had in middle school who did drugs and drank. After Lily almost died, I was sent to Uncle John�s farm for the summer. I made a choice that I wasn�t going to drink or do drugs anymore. But I�d bet you if I asked any of them if I�d be better off not drinking or doing drugs, they would�ve said �no.� They would tell me to keep drinking and getting high, that there was nothing to worry about. I no longer hang out with any of them because, from their perspective, I�m too straight.
�Uncle John explained that people might not accept that I would be making changes in my life. They would try to pull me back to the way I was before. If I still did drugs and drank, I would likely have that same set of friends.
�Well, I don�t have friends like that anymore. I�ve tried to surround myself with people who want me to succeed,� I finished.
�Exactly,� Uncle John said. �You finally became aware of that. Your awareness helped you make better decisions as to who you wanted to have in your life. You didn�t let their opinions influence the decisions you make any more.�
I nodded, thinking that in a lot of ways, this also described my relationships with Alan and Tami. Tami was more open to how I�d changed. Still, there were times when she said the right words, but her actions told me she didn�t really want me �growing up.�
�In the outermost of that second set of circles are people who give you a bad vibe,� Uncle John said, pointing at the paper. �For David�s purposes, they may wind up being what he sees as potential users. These are people who want to get to know David solely to get something out of him, or out of the relationship, whether that harms David or not. I know David�s already run into that kind of situation.�
Oh, God, had I! I remembered the plane trip where the fighter had sat next to me and tried to rob me. He�d given me a bad vibe as soon as he started talking to me.
I also remembered the party at State where a girl had approached me, and I�d had that bad feeling again. She�d tried to blackmail me into giving her some kind of sensationalistic interview by threatening to make up some bad stuff about me if I didn�t cave.
A more recent example was the girl in Cuba who turned out to be a highly paid escort when all was said and done. I probably should have cut her off as soon as I got that bad vibe. What made me happy was I did recognize what was going on, so I wasn�t completely blindsided. Paying her off, in the end, was, more than anything else, a decision based on my having seen how people in Cuba had to live.
What Uncle John said next didn�t help all that much.
�What you have to keep in mind is, a lot of these bad vibes are instinctive. Even then, you should trust your instincts until you absolutely know your instincts are wrong.�
Now that was a bit confusing. Tami had always told me my first instinct in responding to people was usually wrong, and history had borne her out. So how could I trust my instincts? A little more thought brought clarity. While my instinctive
That recognition made me snort to myself again. I realized those instincts were getting honed rapidly by the school of fame and hard knocks. I just hoped they kept getting better.
�Now look at the area outside the circles in the bottom half. Notice that area is separated from the top half by a line?�
When we nodded, he continued.
�Think of this area as potentially hostile territory. For example, at an away football game, fans might be hostile to you, or they might not be. The point is the possibility exists. Whenever you�re in that situation, it�s perfectly okay to be friendly and outgoing. But you still will want to keep your guard up a bit more, just because everything can turn south quickly,� Uncle John said, and then looked at me.
�Or imagine being in a press conference. The folks there generally are good people, but a handful would love to be able to make you look bad, especially if they get a story out of it. Often, it only takes one, so you may be friendly and outgoing, but you�re more alert for traps or for malice.
�Don�t worry about it and don�t wish it weren�t that way. It is, and it�s a part of the territory, so just deal with it,� Uncle John said, and turned to the others. �For most of you, this won�t really be an issue�but it can be. Keep the thought handy so if you ever need it, it�ll be there for you.�
◊◊◊ Tuesday June 28
The wind had calmed down overnight. I came out of my room to find Dad making breakfast alone. He had heated some water for tea, so I made a cup and stepped out onto the deck to watch the sunrise. Dad was making a breakfast casserole, so he had time to get a cup of coffee and join me.
�What do you think of what your uncle�s telling you?�
�It makes sense. I wish we�d talked about it a little sooner because I can see where it would�ve helped me in a couple of cases.�
Dad just nodded.
�Dad, why doesn�t Uncle John do this full time? He could really help people.�
�There was an accusation made. Nothing could be proven, but he decided to become a farmer instead.�
�Did he do it?� I asked.
Dad got a sad look on his face.
�I honestly don�t know.�
�Did you ever ask?�
Right on cue, my uncle came out with a cup of coffee.
�Why don�t you ask him?� Dad asked.
�Ask me what?� Uncle John asked.
�David wondered if you did what they accused you of. He thought you would make a good therapist.�
�You never asked,� Uncle John said to my dad.
�I didn�t have to, you�re my brother.�
They looked at each other and then turned to look at me. It reminded me of what Greg and I sometimes did.
�No, I didn�t. But it was a he said/she said situation. I had a reputation with some of the teachers, so it wasn�t a stretch to believe I would seduce a student. I suspected that she was being abused at home, and when I tried to help, she protected her family. They say no good deed goes unpunished. In the end, she hurt herself,� Uncle John said, looking out over the lake.
�Is she alright?� I asked.
�No. The blood loss was too much, and she sustained brain damage. She will never be alright.�
�So, you quit?� I asked.
�It was for the best. I was a mess when I found out, and there was no way to prove that I hadn�t done anything. I also learned that people I considered my friends weren�t.�
Knowing what he�d gone through made all this make more sense. He was protecting us.
◊◊◊
Paul and I went fishing with Phil. It was our job to catch walleye for lunch today. I wasn�t as focused today because I was ruminating on everything Uncle John had said to me. Phil, though, showed me he was a good fisherman. He caught four nice ones before I even had a strike.
�David, do you wish I never moved to go to school with you?� Phil asked.
�No, I�m fine with it. Why?� I asked.
�You just seem to be a lot closer to Greg than you are to me.�
I guess we needed to talk about his insecurities this morning.
�Finding out that you were my brother was a little traumatic. I expect you can do the math and figure out why my mom wasn�t happy about the news,� I said.
�I never considered that,� he admitted. �Was that why we�ve never become close?�
�Greg and I grew up in the same house. I�ve known you for less than a year. When I thought my parents might get a divorce, I admit I had some unkind thoughts about you,� I said and saw him stiffen. �But I realize it wasn�t your fault. I was glad when Dad told me you were coming to guys� week. I think it has helped us get closer.�
�Do you think Dad will buy me a car?� he asked.
It still threw me when he called my dad, �Dad.�
�I don�t know. Isn�t that something your mom and stepdad should be doing?� I asked.
He shrugged.
�Better yet. If you really want a car, what are you doing to make it happen?� I asked.
�But he bought Greg one,� Phil whined.
�Greg also mowed the yard, shoveled snow, cooked dinner three to four times a week, and has been my parents� slave labor since he could walk. It�s not fair for you to go to Dad with your hand out like that,� I said, with a touch of irritation in my voice.
�Is that what you think, that all I�m doing is coming to Dad with my hand out? I thought he gave the car to Greg because he was his son,� Phil said.
�Let me ask you something: besides this week, how much time have you spent with him?� I asked.
�It�s a two-way street,� Phil shot back.
�Let me get this right. You think just because he was the sperm donor, he owes you a car?� I asked.
I thought he might swing at me. Then Paul laughed at us. I turned to him to see what was so funny.
�Sorry, but you two are definitely brothers. Why don�t you wait until we�re on shore before you start pounding on each other? I don�t feel like fishing either of you out of the lake,� Paul said.
�When I�m done with him, there won�t be a body to find,� I explained.
�See, I knew you hated me,� Phil said.
�Shut the heck up. If I hated you, I wouldn�t put up with your crap.�
He sat and sulked the whole trip back. Yes, I could see this bonding was going well.
◊◊◊
After lunch, Uncle John started up again.
�Okay, the final part of this is at least as important as the rest of it. Once you�ve got this perspective in place, how are you going to use it? How�s it going to guide you or help you in the future?�
�You have to develop a plan, or plans, for how you will deal with the people in each circle on your page. What those plans are will be unique to each of you. For some people, you may even have to devise a specific strategy for each particular person. Whatever it is, though, your approach to dealing with them will very likely be different from mine or anyone else�s.
�For example, consider people you don�t know or who you meet on the street or at a party. Most of us likely will be perfectly fine with just ignoring them or dealing with them on a friendly level. We�ll do that without letting them into our personal space until we know them better.
�That won�t work for David, though. He�s already had several experiences with people who�ve approached him at parties, or when surfing or wherever. These people have wanted to use him, or even wanted to harm him in some way. Where most of us have nothing to worry about, David has to wear a body camera to keep people honest,� Uncle John said, explaining the reality of fame.
Phil and Greg looked at me like they�d never seen me before. I know they were at least partially aware of some of what I went through, but now it was in their faces.
�In some ways, I guess it really does suck to be you,� Phil finally blurted.
I gave him a sad smile.
�Welcome to my world.�
Uncle John decided it was time to wrap it up.
�I�m not saying you have to come up with a plan or strategy tonight, but I want each of you to think about it over this week. Put names into each circle until you believe you�ve got it covered, especially the innermost ones. Then write out a plan for how you�ll interact with people in each circle. Each of you can come and talk with me at any time about what you�re doing. In fact, I expect you to talk with me privately at least once this week. If you don�t want to go through this exercise and do it right, that�s your business. It makes no difference at all to me and my life. But it could make a huge difference to you and your life, so you might want to take this seriously and give it the effort it deserves.�
Uncle John looked around at us. It was obvious we were all a bit wrung out.
�I�m going to wrap this up for this afternoon, and for the week, by leaving you with just a few sayings I�ve picked up over the years. Think about them. Roll them around in your brain. Talk to me about them or about anything else we�ve talked about if you want. But mainly, consider whether these sayings might have a place in your life. Here�s the list,� he said, handing out another sheet of paper.
�There are times when you�ll find that people you thought you could trust might not have your best interests at heart. Who you let into your circles of trust, and how deeply you let them in, is important. The circles of trust are not all about keeping people out, it�s also about who you let in,� Uncle John said as he stood up. �Now go have a great rest of the week. I�ll be happy to talk with you as questions come up.�
Great! A guys� week and we had homework.
◊◊◊
We decided to wait to go fishing again until later. I was starting to worry that Dad and Uncle John were getting old because they seemed to need naps. Greg took Phil to go play some pool, while Paul did his own thing. I got my tablet out and continued reading one of the novels I�d downloaded. When I was younger, I would read at least one if not two books a week. It was something I missed.
After about an hour of reading, I was bored, so I got out a sheet of paper to do the homework assignment Uncle John had given us. I found my inner circle was a surprisingly short list.
Inner Circle: Mom and Dad / Greg / Uncle John / Grandma Dawson.
I felt that I needed to add some people, but they weren�t quite at the level that included my family. These were people I felt were in my corner, and I could tell them anything, and it would be kept in confidence. They just were my inner circle, like my family was.
Inner Circle / Nonfamily: Peggy / Beth / Mrs. A / Mrs. Glade / Pam / Cassidy / Suzanne / Kara.
My middle circle would be people I trusted and liked, some a lot. With time, they could move up. Maybe one of them might someday work their way into the family level of trust. These people I considered my best friends.
Middle Circle: Tracy / Tami / Wolf / Tim / Zoe / Rita / Halle / Brook / Paul / Fritz / Yuri.
I decided to refine the list and add people I thought I could trust most times but hadn�t quite earned it yet. These were people I imagined would eventually work their way to the Middle.
Middle Circle Level 2: Phil / Roc / Caryn / Sandy Range / Frank Ingram / Adrienne and Tyler / Ms. Dixon / Kendal / Mary Dole / Granny / Johan / Moose / Coach Mason / Coach Haskins / Bo Harrington / Lily / Chuck / Sarah / Kat / Harper / Missy / Megan Crowley / Little Tony.
I admit I struggled a bit with where to place Little Tony. After all, I didn�t really know him that well. But as I thought about him, I realized that Middle Circle 2 was where he belonged, for a variety of reasons. Although he could be scary at times, so could my mom, and all of our interactions to date had been positive. He�d shown up to support me when there was no need for him to do so. While Tony had admitted to being part of a Mafia family, he was working on getting them going straight. And I didn�t know of anything he�d done that was criminal, only that his father had, and Tony was working to fix that. He was on my side against Brandon Rigby, and as the old saying goes, �the enemy of my enemy is my friend.�
In the end, I remembered what Uncle John had told me about trusting my gut. My gut told me I could trust Tony.
The outer circle was made of people who I could trust in certain situations, but who didn�t necessarily have my best interests in mind. They would do what was best for them if our interests ever came into conflict.
Outer Circle: Coach Hope / Teammates like Ty, Jake, and Ed / Classmates like Jan and Lisa / Mona / Chubby Feldman / Eve / Cindy / Tom Dole / Devin Range / Flo / Jane / Kevin Goode.
Business Circle: Mr. Morris / Mr. Hill / Saul (?).
Then there was everyone else.
Outside the Circle�Top Half: Community and acquaintances / Ford Models / Acting colleagues.
The next group was the people I had to have my guard up for, at least a little.
Outside the Circles�Bottom Half: The media / Strangers approaching me at parties.
That one sucked. Who wants to evaluate people approaching them as if they�re potentially hostile? That was a place where I needed to trust my instincts.
Then there were the people who meant me harm.
Not Trusted (Bottom Circles�Innermost): Alan Douglas / Tommy Cox / Bill Rogers / Brandon Rigby / Brad Hope / Luke Herndon / Mike Herndon / Baby Dick / The feminazis.
Finally, there were those people who were nice enough but who likely would throw me to the wolves without thinking twice if it served their interests.
Bottom Circles�Outermost; Under-the-Bus Types: Cal / Angie / Sasha / Thomas Fox / Deb Thomas / Don Rigby / Roy Thompson.
I took a breather and got a soda and then came back to the list. I was finding the exercise enlightening. It helped me see where I felt people fell in my life. I sat back down and got back to work.
Now, for a plan for dealing with them.
Me: Trust myself / Get advice from trusted advisors for blind spots, weaknesses, areas of inexperience.
Innermost Family Circle: Trust them and love them. Be aware of their blind spots or areas where family or others came first to them. Make accommodations for those areas.
Innermost Friends Circle: Be good to them. Keep them close. Let them know I trust them and that I care about them a lot. Let them know they can trust me as well.
Best Friends Circle: Treat them much the same as Innermost Friends Circle. Consider it long and hard before getting them involved with anything inside my boundaries. To do that, I�d almost have to move them up to the Innermost Friends Circle.
Middle Circle 2: Friends who aren�t as close: Treat them like those in my Best Friends Circle. Get to know them better.
Business People: Be friendly, be helpful. Remember that while I�m in it for the long term, it�s still business.
Outside the Circle�Top Half: What are situations where I can just be me? Parties put on by friends? Whenever I�m in school?
Outside the Circle�Bottom Half: Bodycam / Boundaries in place / Guard not up, but ready.
People I have bad feelings about: Trust my instincts / Boundaries up / Guard up / Alert Security
Under-The-Bus People: Be polite but keep my boundaries in place and the bodycam on. Don�t give them access to confidential or sensitive stuff. Don�t give them any ammunition.
People With Malice: Keep them far away from me and the people I care about / Know where they are at all times.
I looked the list over and got up to stretch. Well, that last part was fun!
◊◊◊
When Uncle John got up from his nap, I sat down with him, and we looked at my list.
�How come you put him there?� he asked, pointing at Phil�s name in the Circle of Friends who weren�t Close Friends.
�I�m just getting to know him.�
Then he pointed at Angie, in the �Under-the-Bus� Circle.
�I love her, but these circles are about trust. She tried to sabotage Tami and me last summer. She made some comments to reporters that essentially unveiled that Dad was Phil�s father. Before that, she tricked Greg into marrying her. And finally, she tried to make money off my son�s birth. Angie has broken my trust on several occasions.�
�What about Tami?� he asked.
I just rolled my eyes at him.
�I wish I knew. She�s now dating Tim. I think she�s right where I need her to be on this list.�
�Did this help you?� Uncle John asked.
�It did, actually. It forced me to consider everyone and where they fit and showed me who I can really count on. I see that it�ll be hard to expand the circle without wondering what their intentions are. I got mad at Teddy Wesleyan for assuming that I was playing on his niece�s affection for monetary gain. While I hope I never get that jaded, I can see why he was so cautious.�
John looked it over one more time.
�I�d suggest strongly that you share this with Paul and with Fritz once we�re home and settled down. They may have some thoughts for you on the �how to deal with it� side.�
Uncle John had a point. I agreed immediately.
◊◊◊
We decided to try for some trout. We talked to one of the men who worked at the resort, and he told us where a good spot was. He suggested that we troll for them in deeper water with a 3-way swivel, a 10-ounce weight, and a flashy silver spoon. I was impressed that Devin had the swivels in our tackle box. I wasn�t sure what they were for.
What you did was cut off two lengths of line and tied the swivel to your line. You tied a short line with the 10-ounce weight to the bottom and then tied the line with the lure to the other end of the swivel. The idea was the weight would help pull the lure into deeper water. It was far enough from the lure that it wouldn�t spook the fish.
He also told us that trout were sensitive to sound. He suggested that instead of letting our lure follow the boat, that we should cast sixty to ninety degrees to the side as far as we could. When the lure finally would get straight behind us for a few minutes, we should reel it in and repeat the process. He said that the sound of the boat would scare them off to the sides.
We quickly found out that fishing for lake trout wasn�t as exciting as the pike had been. It was a leisurely way to kick back and drink beer.
�Whoa, hang on. I think I snagged on something,� I shouted to Paul to get him to stop.
The rod tip was bent down, and then it jiggled.
�It looks like you have a fish on,� Uncle John said.
�Trout are just little fish. We caught them fly-fishing,� I said, confused, remembering a trip we took fishing in a river out west.
Whatever this was, it wasn�t a trout. Paul and Uncle John just laughed at me. Maybe I was wrong. About that time, I guess it got pissed off and made a big run. My reel began to scream as it ripped off line.
�Let it run, and when it slows down, begin to reel it in,� Paul said.
Dad, Phil, and Greg had pulled within about ten feet of our boat since we hadn�t gone that far from the resort.
�David hooked a monster,� Uncle John shared.
�You should video this,� Dad suggested.
Paul got my camera out and turned on the video. About ten minutes later, Uncle John got excited.
�Did you see that?� he asked.
The water was clear, so we could see about eight to ten feet down. In the murky depths, there was a huge fish. There was no way a trout could be that big. I eventually got it to the side of the boat, and Uncle John got it into the net. He hauled it into the boat so I could grab it around the tail and lift it up under its huge belly.
�That�s the biggest lake trout I�ve ever seen,� Paul admitted.
It weighed 54 pounds. We were later told that a fish that big could be as much as sixty years old. The fish was stressed out, so after I got my picture, we put it back in the water. Paul hung onto the tail and waited until it decided it was ready to go back to the wild. I was glad everyone was there to see it.
◊◊◊
�I think David won the largest fish prize today,� Greg announced.
We�d all put five dollars into a coffee mug, and the winner got the money. Sweet! I was $25 richer.
That night, we broke out the cards and played some poker. Phil had some serious beginner�s luck and won ten dollars. It was either that or the fact that Dad had limited Phil�s drinking to one beer.
All in all, a good day.
◊◊◊
Chapter 19 � Bitch, Please � It�s Your Birthday Friday July 1
We were sitting in Winnipeg, and everyone was checking their electronic devices because there was a flood of messages. I was a little embarrassed at the number of emails, text messages, and voicemails I received in a week.
Phil came over and sat next to me.
�I had a good time. Thanks for making me feel welcome.�
�I hope we didn�t give you too hard of a time,� I ventured.
Everyone had pulled pranks during the vacation. Greg and Phil got us with fake orange juice. If you mix the powder that�s in discount mac-and-cheese into water, it makes an orange drink that looks like OJ. It�s quite disgusting. One night, Uncle John short-sheeted our beds. Dad shoved me off the dock into the freezing lake. Okay, that wasn�t a prank, but he was walking like an old man when I returned the favor. Paul even got into the fun and rigged a poker hand so we all thought we had huge winning cards, only to have Paul catch a miracle card to win.
�No. It was all in good fun. I�m glad you�re my brother.�
I smiled at him. After our week together, I�d gotten to know him better, and he was a good kid. A little na�ve, but a good kid.
Dad had us rotate boats each day so that Phil spent a day with everyone. I�d gotten him for a morning and then a full day.
Dad told us we had to work it out when Phil tattled on me for calling him out about trying to get a car out of Dad. Greg apparently had sat him down and taken him to task too, so it wasn�t just me.
On our day, he�d caught a ton of fish, with Paul�s help. It was fun to watch the joy on his face when he would hook a nice one.
I came to understand what it meant to be a big brother. That day was a turning point for me as I accepted him. Up until that point, he�d seemed more of a pest than anything else. That, and I�d seen how it hurt my mom when she�d learned how he�d been conceived. That wasn�t his fault, but I�d put some of the blame on him just the same.
I looked over at him as he leaned back on his baggage.
�I am too. When I get back from Japan, we�ll have to hang out,� I said.
�Really?�
�Really.�
◊◊◊
Once we arrived in Chicago, we immediately got our suitcases from baggage claim. The flight to Japan left in two hours, so we took the parking shuttle to the car and dropped off our gear. Paul and I had packed separate bags for Japan, which we grabbed. Paul looked at his phone.
�They�re here,� he said, letting me know that everyone going to Japan had been dropped off.
I gave my family hugs.
�I loved this guys� week. Can�t wait to see what you plan to top it next year,� I said.
�We could go to the nudist place,� Greg ventured.
�I don�t think he should be allowed to plan anything,� Phil quipped.
Once Phil had gotten over being nervous around us, we�d found he had a wicked sense of humor.
�I love you guys,� I said and followed Paul to where we needed to drop our bags off.
Before we checked them, I made sure I had my passport and new cell phone. That phone would save me a ton of money on calls back to the US. I kept my carry-on and checked everything else. The plan was to go to LA and, from there, start our journey to Tokyo.
We found everyone at the gate. I suddenly realized that I might have overdone it a bit. Waiting for us were Cassidy and Brook, who were sitting with my interpreter, Hana Yamamura. I�d also promised Megan Crowley that she could come as a reward for clueing me in about Brandon Rigby. She was our finance, research, and technology person in the office. Finally, my newest employee, Kent Crain, was sitting next to Megan. I shook my head when I realized there were six people with me. It would only get worse when we arrived in Tokyo because Saul was joining us there.
◊◊◊
I wasn�t looking forward to our thirteen-hour flight to Tokyo. Caryn had shopped around and found us business-class seats that were better than most first-class seats I was used to. The seats could be turned into beds, and I took full advantage since we�d had to get up ridiculously early to make it to Chicago in time for the flight. Between all the various connecting flights, I was literally in an airline seat for almost 24 hours by the time we landed in Tokyo.
Saul had been smart to force us to fly in early and give ourselves the weekend to acclimate to the time change before my first job on Monday. It also gave everyone a chance to explore the city before I had to work.
◊◊◊ Sunday July 3
I�d asked the front desk to give me a wake-up call for seven in the morning. Back home, it was five in the evening. I had a bad feeling that when we returned home, my body clock would be completely messed up. Someone knocked on my door, so I grabbed a robe and answered it.
�You�re not going to be happy,� Cassidy said as she and Brook came into my room.
I hadn�t gotten a suite because we would be leaving Tokyo tomorrow after my first advertisement was shot. Before I could hear why I wouldn�t be happy, there was another knock at the door. This time it was Kent.
�I didn�t do it,� he said with raised hands.
�Hang on,� I said to Kent, and then turned back to Cassidy.
�They know you�re here,� Brook said.
�Who knows I�m here?� I asked.
Kent held up a newspaper, and my picture was on the entertainment page.
�What does it say?� I asked.
�How would I know? Didn�t you hire an interpreter?� Kent asked.
�You�re big in Japan. It�s almost impossible to get out of the lobby because your fans and the paparazzi are camped out,� Brook supplied.
�How do you know they�re my fans? There might be someone else famous here,� I hoped.
�They�re dressed up like fanboys and fangirls,� Kent said.
I�d had this happen once at the University of Chicago when we did the �get out the vote� rallies. By now, I expected this would have calmed down some. I mean, in North Carolina, we had people come out to the games, but no one dressed up.
I called Hana and asked her to come to my room. While I waited, Kent ordered room service, and I took a shower. I came out to find everyone in my room.
�What did I tell you? They love you here,� Saul said.
�What�s the deal with everyone out front all dressed up?� Paul asked.
�That�s big here. They are called
�Are they going to be stalking me every time I go out?� I asked.
��#StrykerLocation� is trending on Twitter right now,� Kent told me, staring at his phone.
�I wanted to play tourist today,� I complained.
�Do you know your lines for tomorrow�s commercial?� Saul asked, and he could tell that I didn�t. �Then, you�re staying here until you learn them.�
That was how Hana and I found ourselves stuck in the hotel room while everyone else went out and had fun. Hana was happy when I finally got the lines down to her satisfaction. The only problem was, I�d sent Paul and Cassidy with Kent, Brook, and Megan, so I couldn�t leave. Hana didn�t feel bad enough to stay and keep me company.
◊◊◊ Monday July 4
The hotel had put up a barrier to keep people back from the front of the building. Paul had hired a driver to take Hana, Kent, Saul, and me to Tokyo Animation for today�s commercial. He had everyone else come out and get into the car before I left my room. He and Cassidy then escorted me to the lobby where I suddenly was surrounded by fans.
I figured that since they were paying customers of the hotel, and I was causing them a huge hassle, I would accommodate them. I slowed down, signed some autographs, and let them have their picture taken with me. Paul wasn�t happy, but it was only thirteen people, so I wasn�t worried.
When we exited the hotel, there were about fifty fans and paparazzi on the far side of the barrier. I smiled and waved at them and then slowed down as Cassidy opened the door of the car. That was when someone pushed the barrier aside, and a flow of people rushed us. Paul shoved me into the car and jumped in while Cassidy slammed the door and hurried back into the hotel. The driver eased his way through the throng of people.
�That was fun,� I commented.
�We might need to get more security,� Paul said.
◊◊◊
Tokyo Animation reminded me of pictures I�d seen of Google and how their offices were set up. Their employees all looked to be in their twenties, and everyone had a laptop that seemed to be attached to them. There was a big open area with three rows of wooden desks that ran the length of the room. There didn�t seem to be assigned seating, because, on our tour, you would see people moving from spot to spot to talk and work with each other.
They had a game room with pool tables, pachinko machines (vertical pinball machines), and the like. There were also quiet rooms where they could go sit in big comfortable chairs while they worked. The cafeteria had large vending machines where you could select a free meal and pop it into a microwave. Everything in the cafeteria was free. We were told that some people preferred to work odd hours, and this way, they could get something when they were hungry.
Tokyo Animation had started as a company that printed Japanese comic books called manga. From there, they evolved into doing animated TV shows and movies. They then got into the CGI business.
Today�s commercial was for Dynamism, a technology company that made 3-D printers and 3-D scanners. They also made what they called ultra-mobile PCs and other gadgets. I�d done some research on them, and they made a cool telepresence robot. It was a Segway for your iPad, meant to be used for teleconferencing. What made it so cool was it would follow you around. Sheldon, a character on the
We were taken to a conference room where we were met by an older man, who turned out to be from Dynamism, and three young women.
�Welcome, David. We were excited when we found that you were available to advertise our products. I look forward to much success,� Mr. Goda, the executive from Dynamism, said.
�Let me show you what we plan to do,� one of the women said.
I watched a video that had me wondering why they needed me because it showed a CGI representation that was a dead ringer. It was better than what they�d done for
They also had a voiceover for the ringer which turned out to include the lines I�d spent yesterday learning. Every single one of them was used by the ringer, as �he� showed off their different scanners and printers.
�We�ll have you do it in both English and Japanese,� one of the girls told me.
Their plan was to make thirty-second, forty-five-second, one-minute, and three-minute versions for both the web and television.
�We�ll get you into the CGI studio to get your body mapped this morning. This afternoon you�ll do the voice work.�
They took me to a room that had a smaller, circular room inside it. I was put into a bodysuit that was covered in sensors. They explained that the circular room had cameras and sensors embedded in the walls so I could be seen from all angles, and they could record my movements. They ran me through different poses and then had me make specific movements like sitting, walking, and opening a door.
The next step was to strap my head into something that looked like a medieval torture device so my head wouldn�t move. I then had to go through a series of facial expressions and say my lines as they recorded my facial movements. I was told that natural and believable facial expressions were the key for the CGI to look as �real� as possible.
Then they filmed me doing the commercial as reference points for their CGI work.
◊◊◊
We finally stopped for lunch, and I was able to get out of the bodysuit. Saul was all smiles, but Paul didn�t look happy. I figured out that I was about to do some PR work.
�They want to allow their employees to meet you,� Saul explained.
The only problem was, I hadn�t been fed, and my stomach was growling.
�I�m here to work, I�ve been going nonstop, and I�m starving,� I grumbled. �Can I at least get some food in me first?�
We walked into the cafeteria and saw they�d catered lunch. I almost sank to the floor in relief.
Kent had a box of my headshots and another of me as Stryker. I was happy when Hana stood up and told everyone that I needed to eat first, and then would take time to meet them all. She�d gone through the buffet for me and set up small plates of different foods like she�d done for the traditional meals she�d made me. Hana smiled when I picked the chopsticks instead of the fork she�d also brought. Japanese food looks pretty. They take the time to make everything look appealing.
Kent had a system in place. I would meet each employee, either Hana or they would tell me their name, and I would write it on the photo they picked and sign it. Then I would stand up, and they would come around the table where someone called the �camera boy� would take their picture with me.
I found them all to be very polite, and once they�d met me, they would hurry off to talk excitedly with their workmates. With Kent�s system, we were able to accommodate everyone in a reasonable amount of time. Kent later told me that a few of the girls had slipped him their numbers to give to me.
◊◊◊
The afternoon was spent doing the voice work. I was glad that Hana had spent so much time working with me because there were only a few words I either mispronounced or used with the wrong inflection.
The English version of their final product was very formal in the way it sounded. I thought it likely sounded like the Japanese version would if I tried to translate English into Japanese. Google was my friend for translation, but it was like a friend who didn�t really speak the language.
�Would it be okay if I fixed this?� I asked.
�Is it not correct?�
�No, technically, it�s fine. It�s just not how Americans speak, and I�m assuming that�s your target audience.�
�Which parts would you change?�
�You have no contractions. It makes everything sound stiff and formal. It�s like the difference between a business report and a conversation. For example, in this sentence, you have my avatar saying �we will,� where in normal conversation, I would say �we�ll,�� I explained.
�But our audience is business people.�
�Let�s do this. I�ll do the short one both ways, and we have Saul come in and tell you which he thinks sounds best. He�s a businessperson who�s well aware of what sells.�
They agreed. When he came in, Saul didn�t hesitate to pick my version as sounding more American. It seemed that they usually contracted with another company to write the English translations of their ads and commercials. They were now concerned that they needed to have them reviewed.
I pointed at Hana and explained that she was my interpreter and in college. I suggested they should hire her to review the wording. She could probably use the extra money.
We were done by 3:30. When we got downstairs, I found Paul had been busy: he�d hired a security firm. There were three big black SUVs parked out front with people blocking the sidewalk so we could make it to the car unmolested. Saul and Kent were directed to the first car, while Paul, Hana, and I rode in the second. There was a security person who drove and another who rode shotgun. In the last car, five extra men followed us. I felt like a big-time VIP.
The reason they were needed was that we had a massive crowd of fans and paparazzi waiting for us. Someone at Tokyo Animation must have leaked that we were there.
◊◊◊
Once we got back to the hotel, Brook came to my room.
�We�re going out,� she announced.
�Did you see everyone out front?� I asked.
�It�s your birthday. You aren�t going to let a few fans keep you from going celebrating, are you? It was bad enough you had to work.�
With the time change, and basically losing Saturday, I�d forgotten today was my birthday. I wondered for a moment why no one had sent me birthday wishes, and then it dawned on me. They were either sleeping or just getting up.
I heard my door�s lock click as someone used the keycard. Of course, it was Cassidy.
�How come you�re standing around? Go, get dressed,� she ordered.
There was a knock at my door almost as soon as she closed it. It was Kent. I should have gotten a suite.
�I told Mr. Goda that it was your birthday. He already had a reservation at Ise Sueyoshi, his favorite place to eat in Tokyo, and gave his reservation to you. The only problem is it only seats five people. I thought we should invite Megan as the fifth,� Kent suggested.
�What about Saul, Paul, and Hana?� I asked.
�Bitch, please�it�s your birthday!� Kent said with a big smile.
That statement alone told me that Kent wasn�t going to be anything like Kendal. He might, in fact, corrupt me. I wondered if this was one of those �you can trust some people to do some things� moments.
◊◊◊
Our motorcade, as I was now calling it, took us to a small restaurant. Ise Sueyoshi really did only seat five people. You sat at a sushi bar and watched as they prepared your meal. The meal was served
Yuuki-san, our chef, opened with
We got the sake pairing for each course, and this made it wonderful. Each sake, six in total, was selected from the same region as the course it was paired with, and the sake went perfectly with the whole meal.
Over the course of the meal, Yuuki-san explained the dishes, the preparation techniques he used, and the origins of the ingredients. This conversation helped us understand the sophistication of kaiseki. There was a story behind each ingredient, and he had a book with photos to help show it. As he walked you through this, you felt personally invested in each dish, which took the whole experience to another level.
Chef Yuuki-san offered a set 12-course menu that was seasonally inspired. We had Spanish mackerel with vinegar jelly that was the perfect balance between sweet and sour. The sashimi, roasted venison, and prawn dumpling were all incomparable, as were the bamboo shoots with miso, and conger eel. The tempura and shabu-shabu (where you cooked thinly sliced meat and vegetables in a boiling water) were utterly mouthwatering. Chef Yuuki-san�s steamed rice with yellowtail was a tasty variation of
When dinner was over, I was amazingly full and satisfied. I felt like I�d just had the best meal of my life. That was due in no small part to Yuuki-san�s entertaining explanation of what we were eating and his artistic skill in presenting each dish. I then received a birthday surprise: Mr. Goda had paid for our meal when he gave us the reservation. Before we left, I made sure Yuuki-san got as many pictures with me as he wanted.
◊◊◊
I called Mom on the way to the club Kent had picked for us, and told her about the commercial I�d made today and the dinner we�d had. Mom was waiting with my second birthday present. She walked out of the house and showed me my new car, a Dodge Demon.
They were not due out for at least another year, although Dodge had shown the concept car at the New York Auto Show in April. As soon as I�d seen the promotional ad, I�d called Mr. Sullivan and told him I wanted to be on the list for when the car came out.
For this car, Dodge had taken its Challenger SRT Hellcat 2-door coupe and heavily modified it. It was reported to have an 840-horsepower engine under the hood. In tests, it had done the quarter-mile in 9.65 seconds and accelerated from zero to sixty in 2.1 seconds. If the numbers held up, they would both be records for a production car.
Dodge planned to sell fewer than 3,500 cars for their first production run. This must have been one of their concept cars. I couldn�t imagine how much my family had spent to buy it.
�How did you get it? They aren�t supposed to be out until next year or the year after,� I said.
�Dodge held a drawing, and four dealerships each won a car as a promotional teaser. The Sullivans called Caryn when they learned they were getting it and wanted to know if you still wanted it. Mr. Sullivan said that you had to win state again this year as part of the payment,� Mom said.
�Let me check flights, and I�ll see how soon I can get back.�
�No, you might want to stay so you can afford it,� Mom said with a smile.
�Since when do I have to pay for my birthday presents?� I asked.
�Since this one cost more than some homes I sell.�
She told me how much, and I winced. But then again, I could turn around and sell it tomorrow for much more than that because they�d only released four of them. Thinking back to my last Dodge, I hated to contemplate how much this one would sell for at auction.
�You might want to have Fritz do his security bit on it,� I suggested.
�That, and your dad and uncle are getting some modifications done. It wasn�t set up to be driven every day. They�re having Mr. Sullivan put in a passenger and back seat, and a stereo system. It should be ready for you by the time you get back. Your dad, uncle, and brother have all offered to help break it in.�
�I think Tami broke in the Charger.�
�I�m sure if you asked, she would help,� Mom teased.
We pulled up at the club, so I told Mom I had to go and said my goodbyes to her.
◊◊◊
Paul, Hana, and Saul joined us at the club. They�d gone to a nice Japanese steak house for dinner. Kent had called ahead, and the club seated us in the VIP section for security reasons. In reality, I think they�d set it up so people could take pictures of me in their club. After a half-hour of being in a fishbowl, Kent got us moved to a more private seating arrangement.
Then Paul about ruined my birthday when he told me he and Fritz would have to drive me in my new car. Cassidy reminded me that if I fired them, which I thought was totally justified, I�d be walking funny for the remainder of the week.
To settle Miss Cassidy down, I made her dance with me. I rotated through the rest of the girls and was happy to see Kent dance with them too. I did make a point to tell him that all but Brook were fellow employees, and I didn�t want to have to pay any harassment settlements. He was a big boy, and I figured he could find other women if that were his goal. On the other hand, Kent had also worked for Craig, where I was sure the rules were different. I decided clear expectations were worth a potential scowl from him, but he just nodded his head as if it were no big deal.
When Brook and I took a break, we came back to find another group had been put in the fishbowl. One of the women was a gorgeous Japanese girl with long, silky black hair, everything in the right place, and body proportions that added up to model-quality looks.
Brook must have been a mind-reader because she grabbed my arm and steered me back to the table.
�I should probably introduce myself,� I teased her.
�Maybe you should get your birthday kiss,� she countered.
I�d liked Brook Davis from the first time I ever met her. The Asian hottie had nothing going for her I didn�t already know Brook had in spades. I decided to be naughty and moved my hand up her thigh. Brook shocked me when she put her hand on my package.
�I think we should
Brook waited until they all left and then unzipped my pants. I blinked to figure out what she planned. Before my brain caught up, she�d pulled me out and had gone down on me. How far did she intend to take this? I just enjoyed the gift.
�Hey,� she said to get my attention. �Hurry up.�
I felt the awesome feeling, leaned my head back, and looked at the ceiling as I began to climax.
�Hi, you must be David A. Dawson,� I heard.
My eyes snapped open, and I looked to see who had spoken. It was the stunning Asian girl with two of her friends. Brook sat up, exposing Mr. Happy, and bolted for the bathroom. Of course, he was still full of life, and I had difficulties putting him away. I�m sure I turned fifty shades of red in embarrassment.
Saul came up with a big smile on his face.
�I see you�ve met Haru Doi. She�ll be working with you tomorrow. Her agent called because she wanted to meet you before you do your commercial tomorrow,� Saul said.
�Sorry about that,� I finally got out.
�I�d been warned about American actors. They all seem to be � what�s the word I am looking for?� she asked, looking at her two friends.
�Sluts.�
�Sexy.�
I think I liked one of her friends a lot more than the other.
�Again, sorry about that. My manager said earlier, �Bitch, please�it�s your birthday.� While that probably doesn�t excuse what you just saw, it�s my story, and I�m sticking to it,� I said with a weak smile.
�Why, what happened?� Saul asked.
They all looked at me to explain.
�They saw my dick,� I admitted.
Saul didn�t know what to say, so he decided to just walk away and let me deal with it. For once, I agreed with him. It was probably the best he could do under the circumstances.
�Well � uh � I�ll see you tomorrow,� Haru said.
�I�d ask you to join me, but I think that would give you the wrong message. Plus, I need to go find my friend and make sure she�s okay,� I said as I got up.
I stepped into the VIP women�s restroom and found Brook looking at herself in the mirror over the sink.
�You�re some friend. Leave me to deal with it,� I huffed.
�David, get out. This is the women�s restroom.�
I ignored her and pulled her into a hug.
�You okay?�
Brook just nodded and hugged me back. I looked down at her and smiled. She tilted her head back, and our eyes locked. My grin turned feral when I figured out that Brook was turned on by our little adventure. Who knew she had a little exhibitionist in her? I think everyone knew I was okay with a little exhibitionism.
With that in mind, I kissed her. Not the �glad to see you,� or �you�re my friend� kind of kiss. It was the �let�s get busy� one. I soon had Brook pushed up against the sink with one hand on a bare breast and the other massaging her backside.
�We can�t do this,� she moaned.
In response, I lifted her dress and put her butt on the side of the sink. Brook squeaked when I dropped down and buried my face between her thighs. My goal had been to return the favor of having oral sex in a public venue, just some sexy fun. Brook had other ideas as she got aroused. She pushed me away and then got off the sink.
�Do me,� she ordered as she turned around and lifted her dress.
Mr. Happy wrenched control of the body, and in a flash, our bodies were joined. We were going at it like crazed teenagers (which we were, come to think of it). That was when I met Haru and her friends for the second time. I heard giggles as the door opened and then dead silence as it closed. I looked over and realized they must have decided to stay and watch. By this point, Mr. Happy didn�t care. He was doing his favorite activity with one of his favorite people.
�The hell with it, just do me,� Brook said.
I wondered if girls had a Miss Kitty who was like Mr. Happy and made decisions for them, too. Thank goodness Cassidy showed up and pushed the three girls out. Without the distraction, Brook and I could focus on getting each other off. We soon each had a fantastic orgasm.
When we were cleaning ourselves up, we got the giggles.
�I don�t think we can stay in Tokyo,� Brook said.
�Let�s get out of here,� I suggested.
Once we came out, everyone except Saul was standing outside with a bunch of girls. Kent started clapping.
�In all the time I was with Craig, I don�t think he ever had sex in a club bathroom,� he teased.
�Bitch, please�it�s my birthday,� I said and got everyone to laugh.
Saul urged us to leave. When we got to the front door, there were paparazzi everywhere.
�Paul, get them all in the cars. I�ll come out last,� I ordered.
My motorcade pulled up, and I waited until my security created a corridor for everyone to get through. Paul got everyone in and then came back for me. I felt someone take my arm: it was Haru.
�Consider this payback for me keeping my mouth shut,� she said with a smile.
We walked out to pandemonium. I would find out later that Haru Doi was the next big deal. She had a TV show that was currently airing that everyone watched. The combination of her and Stryker made the paparazzi�s heads explode. I knew a good opportunity when I saw one and stopped us to allow them to scream questions at us and take our picture.
�Yes, yes, we are dating,� I announced in Japanese.
Poor Haru wasn�t sure what to say, so she went along with it.
�Her people reached out to get us together,� I said to explain how we met, which was true.
I led Haru to the car, put her next to Cassidy, and sat down next to her.
�Oh no, she has that look on her face,� Cassidy said, shaking her head.
She turned to Haru.
�
I followed her well enough to know where it was going.
�
Haru turned to look at me, and I leaned over and pretended I was about to lick her face.
�Gross,� she complained, in English no less.
I waggled my eyebrows at her, which made her smile.
�Where do we need to drop you off?� the driver asked.
I was about to suggest my room when Cassidy gave me a look, so I shut up. It was probably not a good idea to try to pick up another girl when I�d just been with Cassidy�s best friend. Haru gave the driver her address.
◊◊◊
Once we returned to the hotel, I went to my room, and Brook joined me. We both needed to return calls. I talked to Halle, Zoe, Tami, and Phil. Phil and I�d worked to get to know each other better. He asked if he got my Jeep when he turned 16, and I told him to talk to his dad. I�d gotten the apartment, and Greg had gotten a car. I wondered what Dad had planned for Phil. Actually, after our talk in Canada, I was surprised Phil had it in him to ask. He must have been kidding, right?
Once we were done calling home, we turned off our phones. Our friends didn�t seem to grasp the 14-hour time difference.
�Halle called me a bad name,� Brook pouted.
�She�s just jealous. Remember what you said about her when I was in LA filming the movie?�
�That was different,� she tried.
�What are you going to do about it?�
I liked her plan. Even though I�d almost forgotten my own birthday, I�d had a great one. Brook decided to make it even better.
◊◊◊ Tuesday July 5
Today was Yohji Yamamoto clothing. They had a rack of clothes waiting in the back area. I sorted through them and cringed. There was actually a jacquard suit, with an olive green, brown, and pink print, which even my grandmother would never make drapes out of. Then there were balloon pants that were cut off at mid-calf. I found another suit that was ivory colored with cartoon graphics under one arm and down the other leg. I didn�t understand Japanese fashion.
Saul rushed in and kissed me.
�Dude, not cool,� I complained.
�You�re a genius! They want you to shoot an episode of
�How can I be on a show that�s currently airing?� I asked.
�J-drama or Japanese dramas are broadcast in three-month seasons, with a new one airing each season. The summer season just started. They shoot the episodes two to three weeks before they�re aired. Since you announced your undying love for Haru, they�re wild about the idea of you doing a cameo,� Saul explained.
�We�re only here for a short time, and I have commitments.�
�Trust me, we can work around them. I can make this work,� Saul said.
I could tell they must have offered a boatload of money, but Saul had learned that wasn�t my first motivation. What he didn�t know was I now had to pay for a new car.
�Go work it out with Kent,� I said, pointing at him.
�So, you�ll do it?�
�If you can work it out with Kent, yes.�
Saul chased down Kent to sweet-talk him as Haru and her entourage swept in. I thought I was bad with my posse of Paul, Saul, Kent, and Hana. But I was a piker, apparently: I counted twelve people following Haru onto the set. I hoped I never got that bad. But who knew, maybe she needed all of them.
I was introduced to something different in the way of cars. In Japan, they have
I wasn�t sure if the tiny car would be legal in America, but I could see getting one to run around on campus when I was in college.
Haru and I had a good time doing the commercial. I ended up in the ivory-colored coat and pants with the graphics. They did her up in a sheer blouse and goofy shorts. They were tight at the waist, then ballooned out, but then were tight on her thighs. It looked like she was wearing a diaper. I had a feeling that in America, teenage girls wouldn�t be caught dead in them.
Haru invited me to dinner, but Kent told me we had to catch a flight to Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport. Coach Hope had been stationed in Iwakuni. Cassidy wanted to show us around, so I�d made a point to have Saul schedule a job for that city.
◊◊◊
Chapter 20 � Master of The Universe Wednesday July 6
Cassidy woke me up.
�Get up, get up, get up!� she said as she poked me in the ribs.
Not my favorite way to wake up.
�Young lady,� I warned.
�I scheduled us a lesson at my old dojo. I want you to meet my sensei, Chuck.�
She had my full attention. I wanted to meet this Chuck; maybe he could help me learn to defeat her. In my sleep-addled mind, it never occurred to me to ask about Chuck. I�d always assumed she�d learned from some ancient master. The name �Chuck� didn�t align with my mental image.
It was early, so Paul just grabbed a taxi, and we drove to the dojo. It was within walking distance of the Marine air base. When we walked in, a woman who appeared to be in her late forties or early fifties greeted us.
�Miiko,� Cassidy said and bowed to the woman.
�I know you, don�t I?� she asked and looked hard at Cassidy.
�Cassidy Hope, Tony Hope�s daughter.�
�Chuck failed to mention that our favorite student would be visiting. I will have to have a talk with him,� she said as she came from behind the counter to give Cassidy a hug.
�This is Paul; he�s just learning and is David�s security and my boss. I would like you to meet David, my
�You decided to advance your training. Good,� Miiko said and then looked me over. �He�s a big one. Is he any good?�
�He thinks he is.�
�I go easy on Cassidy because she�s a girl,� I said.
�Ha, you haven�t broken his spirit yet,� Miiko observed.
�Daddy said I couldn�t hurt him � too much. He�s normally much more respectful and well-behaved. I have a long way to go to get him fully trained,� Cassidy said as if it were a forgone conclusion.
�Go change, and I�ll let Chuck know you�re here. He will want to evaluate your apprentice.�
When we walked to the back, Cassidy grabbed me before I stepped into the locker room.
�I�m sorry I didn�t warn you beforehand, but Chuck may want to test you. If he does, I want you to be careful and protect yourself. Also, don�t hold back. Chuck is skilled enough that I doubt you could do any damage.�
That made me smile.
�I should have kept my mouth shut, shouldn�t I?� Cassidy asked.
�I can�t wait to see this,� Paul added.
Cassidy knew better than to challenge me. It would be on her head when they had to haul Chuck out of here on a stretcher.
◊◊◊
Holy bejesus! Chuck was a retired Marine who�d married a local girl. Turns out, Miiko was a former Olympic silver-medal winner in judo. Chuck had met her when he was stationed at the air base, and they had fallen in love. He was a hand-to-hand combat specialist who had walked into the dojo to brush up on his training. Miiko�s dad owned the place, and now she and Chuck ran it.
Chuck was my size, but as quick as Cassidy. I was perhaps a tad overconfident when we began to spar. Paul sat in stunned silence as Chuck tossed me all over the mat. If Chuck got his big paws on you, it was over. They let me take a break when it looked like I might be having a heart attack.
Cassidy leaned down to see me gasp for breath with a disappointed look on her face.
�You can take him. Do you know what you�re doing wrong?� she asked.
I could only shake my head �no.� Cassidy looked at the ceiling in disgust and then stared me in the eyes.
�You�re treating this like a game,� she said. �I�d hoped that you would avenge my honor. Did you know he abused me as a child?�
I looked over at him and was suddenly mad all over.
�Do you think you can set things right?� she asked.
I willed myself to get my breathing under control and stretched to get the kinks out. Then I concentrated and dropped into the zone where I became utterly focused. My rage was bubbling in the background.
�Are you ready to get your butt whooped again, little boy?� Chuck taunted.
I just nodded.
With his snake-like quickness, he reached out and grabbed my right wrist. I twisted my arm and punched the top of his hand as hard as I could. There�s a bundle of nerves in the back of your hand that Shiggy had taught us was a pressure point. Chuck released my wrist. I followed up with two hard body blows that Fritz and Coach Hope had taught me, boxing.
I danced back because it felt like I�d punched concrete.
Chuck gave me a hard look and flexed his hand to get it working right again. I knew better than to believe he was hurt. Cassidy had played possum too many times for me to fall for that, but he didn�t know that.
He grabbed my wrist again, and I realized he planned to throw me. So, I fell back, and that straightened his arm as my weight dropped towards the floor. When it was straight, I punched him in the triceps, another pressure point. He let go of me, and I could see it had deadened his arm. Even with one arm, Chuck was dangerous.
What he didn�t expect was for me to pop up and explode towards him. This was one of my speed drills. I tackled Chuck and soon had him under me as I rained down punches.
�Release!� Cassidy shouted.
I looked back at her smiling face.
�He abused me by tossing my butt all over the mat. He never hurt me,� Cassidy admitted.
�Oh, shit,� was my brilliant response. �Are you okay?�
Chuck had a bloody lip and a mouse under his left eye. Miiko came out with a wet towel and a bag of ice.
�I see you had no confidence in me,� Chuck told his wife.
�He is Cassidy�s trainee. You didn�t expect he couldn�t hurt an old man like you, now did you?� she asked.
He sat up and let her attend to his wounds.
�Tony warned me. I just figured he�d gotten soft,� Chuck admitted.
�I hate to whoop your butt and run, but I have to get to work,� I said as I looked at the clock on the wall.
Chuck mumbled something that had Miiko grinning. I figured it best I not know what he said.
◊◊◊
Today�s commercial was for Kasia watches. They sold a watch made from wood with a digital face. On the face, you could either have a maze or time display. The maze was what most of the younger people wanted, including me. You had to study the maze to figure out what time it was. I liked the wooden case.
The location was also great. We were shooting the ad at Iwakuni Castle, which overlooked the famous Kintai Bridge.
The bridge was built in 1673 and spanned the Nishiki River in a series of five wooden arches. From the bridge, it was about a five-minute walk to the ropeway, or lift, that took you up to the castle. Iwakuni Castle was built in 1608 on top of Mount Shiroyama, and the site was picked for its defensive advantages. The castle keep is four stories high and looks out onto the city 600 feet below. Both the bridge and the castle were tourist hot spots in Japan.
Today was much more of a photo-shoot type of job where I changed clothes and watches for their print and magazine advertising. I did shoot a commercial. Since the product was the watch, my part was relatively short because they wanted to focus the close-ups without me in them.
◊◊◊
Once we finished the shoot, I found out Cassidy had volunteered me to go to dinner at the Marine air base. I knew that Coach Hope would want me to go if they invited me, so I didn�t have a problem with it. I gave everyone but Cassidy the night off. If she set it up, she was going with me. I figured I would be safe on a military base.
The Marines had arranged transport, and we were whisked in through the gate as if we were VIPs. We were taken to an office building and shown to a conference room. In walked a man who I could tell bothered Cassidy. He introduced himself as Major Duckworth, US Army, from the Public Affairs Office. He�d been brought in just for me. They called him away for a moment, which gave me a chance to talk to Cassidy.
�I take it you don�t like him?�
�He�s the typical idiot my dad hated. He�ll never see any action and is more a political animal than military. It�s a Marine thing,� she said in explanation.
�How do I act? Do I salute?� I teased her.
�That�s only with me. Just treat them like you do my dad; you�re a civilian.�
�So, I yell at him,� I said, nodding.
It�s good that I have catlike reflexes. I suspected Cassidy was worried I�d embarrass her twice in one day.
◊◊◊
Before dinner,
I was then taken to Matthew C. Perry High School, where they were holding an assembly and expecting me to give a speech. I glared at Cassidy, who played innocent. It was a good thing I wasn�t shy.
�I was told about an hour ago I had the privilege of visiting you all today. I bet you had just about as much notice that I�d be here.�
�As a matter of fact, we planned for some students from Noda Gakuen High School in Yamaguchi City to share their experience in their cultural exchange program,� the principal explained. �They�ve had several of their students attend here to learn about American culture. Those students are here to speak to this combined assembly. We thought having an American movie star would help with that exchange.�
�
They were all sitting together.
�How are we supposed to exchange if we don�t sit with them? I want everyone to stand up and get them mixed in. Then I want you to take a minute and introduce yourselves to them,� I said, and everyone stared at me.
I got up and walked to the edge of the stage.
�Get your butts up and move!�
That had the desired effect. They just needed the right attitude adjustment. Once everyone quieted down, I opened it up to questions. They were all ones I�d answered a hundred times. Finally, the principal took pity on me and let me go to dinner.
I did have one question. Why were they in school this time of year? The principal explained that this was an optional summer school session, but that many of the students took it because they moved often and needed to catch up. The other reason was they�d set it up as a summer camp of sorts where they had all kinds of activities. In some ways, it sounded like our voluntary workout program, but with more structure. A popular summer class was flight lessons.
I sat with a group of pilots who were part of a Marine attack squadron. They flew jets that had multiple functions, including jamming and surveillance gathering.
�Would it be possible to get a ride-along? I would love to experience flying in a combat jet.�
If they want you to do some PR, the least they could do was feed my adrenaline junkie. Unfortunately, they said they had a policy. I didn�t buy it, but they weren�t budging.
After we met the officers, we went with Major Duckworth and met with the
Major Duckworth asked if I would be willing to do this at other bases. I told him I would consider it once I got back to the States, but my schedule was packed while I was here.
They took us back to our hotel.
◊◊◊
I�d gotten a suite here so that everyone would have a place to hang out. When I got back, Megan and Hana each grabbed an arm.
�You two have had him long enough. We get him tonight,� Megan announced to Brook and Cassidy.
Brook just rolled her eyes. It looked like they�d discussed this.
�Let me hit the little boys� room, and we�ll go wherever you two want,� I assured them.
I came back out.
�So, what�s it going to be, ladies?� I asked.
�Karaoke,� Hana announced.
Both Cassidy and Brook stifled laughs because they knew how I felt about singing in public. Kent was no help.
�I hear that�s big here. I�d like to go.�
Saul said he had to work, which I didn�t believe for a second. Cassidy wanted to take Brook and show her some of her childhood haunts. Paul hadn�t gotten extra security for Iwakuni because we hadn�t had any problems. He decided he would be enough for tonight.
◊◊◊
Hana had picked out a place called Karaoke-kan, as it was a national chain. She said her cousins had recommended it as being the most fun. I was expecting a bar that offered karaoke as its primary entertainment. We entered a beautiful lobby and found that you rented a room by the hour. You could order food and drink. Hana and Megan also ordered costumes. It seems Japanese people like to get dressed up.
�I think we need to do shots if we�re going to sing,� Kent suggested.
�That is the first sane thing anyone has said since we got here. I think mass quantities of beer are called for,� I suggested.
Once we got to the room, we found it furnished with a couple tables that were close to the floor and padded mats to sit on. In the corner, there were two screens and microphones. Paul pointed out that the girls had paid to have the session recorded, and there were cameras all over the room. This had YouTube written all over it.
Instead of putting up a fuss, I decided that I�d promised Megan a trip, and would fulfill my end of the bargain. She was, after all, the one who pointed out what a dirtbag Brandon was. Kent had a good idea, and I poured myself an Absolute Citron on the rocks. They�d bought a bottle, and I could tell it was in danger of being emptied before too long. Paul was designated the babysitter when I did my second one. Stepping up to the machine, I browsed their song catalog. I figured if I went first, I�d get the first pick. I decided on an old classic,
As much as I might not want to admit it, I was having fun. Kent and Hana did
Knowing we were outclassed, the rest of us did a shot, declaring Megan the winner. If I didn�t have the video to prove it, I couldn�t make the following claim: when I get drunk, I can actually sing. With my deep voice, I killed some Elvis and Barry White songs. I tore up
During the night, everyone tried on the different costumes the girls had picked out. We even got Paul to put on a pimp hat. Things got a little hot when the girls put on schoolgirl uniforms and sang
Thankfully, Paul was there, or we might have done something embarrassing on camera. He rounded us up, made sure he grabbed the video, and then took us back to the hotel.
◊◊◊ Thursday July 7
Cassidy woke me up again.
�Get up, get up, get up!� she said, poking me in the ribs, and then noticed I wasn�t alone.
Megan popped her head up and then scurried off to the bathroom.
�You are a bad, bad boy,� Cassidy scolded.
I cocked my head sideways. The only flaw in Cassidy�s logic was Megan still wore the same clothes she�d had on last night. I tried to remember what had happened. We were drunk; well, I was drunk. Kent and Hana had gone to their rooms, or so I hoped. Megan made sure I got to mine.
I remembered her looking up at me behind those glasses and thinking the cute little girl really did look like a mouse. Then everything sort of became fuzzy as the last vodka shot and beer caught up with me. I doubted anything untoward happened.
�No, she still had her clothes on. I don�t think anything happened.�
Cassidy gave me a doubtful look. It suddenly occurred to me that I was naked as I was talking to her. Megan came out of the bathroom and over to the side of the bed and dropped to her knees with her head bowed and her hands in her lap.
�Does Master require anything else?� Megan asked.
Frick, I didn�t need this. Bad enough that my mouth tasted like a rat had pooped in it, and my head would explode at any moment.
�Oh, this is good. Hang on, I have to get Brook,� Cassidy said and bolted for the door.
�Uhm � did we �?� I asked.
�No. You did get naked and showed me you could do the helicopter,� Megan said, and a vague memory pushed its way forward.
�I � uh � I � uh � sorry,� I stammered.
�Then you announced that you were the Master of the Universe and all your subjects should bow to you. You sort of ruined it when you stumbled over to your bed and passed out,� Megan said as she smiled and patted my cheek.
�Are we good? I didn�t do anything to cause you to want to sue me, did I?� I asked.
�I believe Caryn has a form for that, but no, you didn�t do anything that offended me. But I have to admit, I did think about molesting you,� she said as we heard the key card enter the lock, and Cassidy and Brook burst into the room.
�Take them to breakfast,� I told Megan. �They won�t leave me alone until they know everything, and I need to take some aspirin, take a shower, and catch a flight.�
I think mouthwash was also called for.
◊◊◊
Cassidy, Brook, and Megan decided to remain in Iwakuni and play tourist for another day. Everyone else packed up and flew back to Tokyo. Upon our arrival at Haneda Airport, we were swarmed by paparazzi. I suspected I had a leak in my organization�Saul�because as we walked to baggage claim, one of the paparazzi said they�d meet us at the hotel. Thankfully, Paul had hired the same security as before, and they neatly cleared a path to the cars.
When we reached our hotel, there was a package waiting for me. It contained the script for my part in
�If you�re going to announce my presence, you have to tell Paul,� I chastised Saul.
�I think he needs to face them with you,� Paul suggested.
�Have you thought about possibly staying for another couple of weeks?� Saul pleaded. �There have been some interesting offers sent over. You could make even more money.�
�I�m already staying an extra day. I want to get back and get acclimated to the time change before I go to Houston for USA Baseball.�
�Just saying, you�re big over here.�
Hana and I worked on my lines. J-dramas tended to have between ten and twelve episodes. They already had six done, and it looked like they planned to shoot scenes for the last six episodes today with me here. I didn�t know I was a recurring character.
I�d imagined this was probably like a soap opera, with the name
�You better read the last part,� Hana said, pointing at the last five pages.
�Wow, that might not be good,� I said in shock when I�d read it.
Time to go to the studio. On the ride over, I showed the last five pages to Saul.
�It does leave it open to a sequel,� was his only comment.
◊◊◊
I noticed right away that this wasn�t a movie set like I was used to in LA. First, I didn�t have my own trailer. Not that I was seriously looking for one, but it just highlighted to me there were significant differences in the budget. All the actors for the day were jammed into two rooms to get ready.
I was sent to wardrobe, they did a quick makeup job, and I was rushed to the set. I guess I should have known that it would be very different when they planned to shoot a 45-to-50-minute episode in five days. A typical movie ran about 120 minutes, and it could take four to ten months to shoot.
I wasn�t quite sure who the director was. Someone pointed at a mark on the floor, and I was told to say my lines. Then they sent me back and put me into a different outfit. I was stunned when they didn�t have me do the scene three or four times so they could get different camera angles. That might have explained why I didn�t know who the director was because everyone was pushed back, and there were multiple cameras running.
I was thankful that Hana stayed glued to my hip. While I could pick up the gist of what everyone was saying, if it hadn�t been for her, I would have been lost.
The general outline of the show was that Haru played a young woman whose sister had gone missing at a party. It was written as
I played the sketchy son of one of the higher-ups at the firm. The first several episodes had been about Haru working her way through suspects. Then there was a second party, and another girl went missing. No one knew if the girls had simply gone off somewhere or if something terrible had happened. There was no sign of a struggle or any evidence of foul play.
Haru�s character had found a picture of the four friends who had each gotten a butterfly tattoo. Two of the girls had disappeared. In the most recent episode, a third girl hadn�t come home, and the police had started to get involved. The third girl was the chairman�s niece.
My morning scenes had been establishment acts. They showed me in different settings with the other guys who Haru had been investigating. She noticed I tended to be in the background, but never far from the main characters. Besides being a little sketchy (that reads possible drug dealer), I was also not considered very bright. They made me out to be the affable yes-man who would never fit in because I wasn�t Japanese and hadn�t grown up in the inner circle.
Haru�s character was trying to remember who I was and how I fit in. After a morning of quick takes, it was finally time for me to have my first scene with her. She found me before we went on set.
�There�s my boyfriend,� she said to me, giving me a hug. �My real boyfriend wasn�t amused.�
�Sorry about that. I�ve had a few faux girlfriends for publicity. I assumed you were looking to use me for the publicity,� I said and then blushed. �That just made me sound conceited. What I meant to say is, �I was only trying to help.��
�The show�s producers loved it. You might have guessed that when they offered you a role.�
�I thought it was a quick cameo. I didn�t plan to be in the final six episodes.�
�They tell me that when they got you on board, they rewrote the ending.�
We were called onto the set, and I finally figured out who the director was. I had a bad feeling when he gave me my first direction.
�You can�t help yourself from being arrogant, because you�re an American. But I need you to be timid and come across as a follower. We won�t find the true depth of your evil until the final two episodes. In this scene, I need you to act as if Haru is beneath you, that in your eyes, she is just a girl. You can�t be bothered to give her the time of day. Towards the end, you will somehow show compassion, and you will offer to help her find out what is happening. This will give you your �in� to finding out what the police are doing to find the vile person who has taken the girls.�
The PC police would have him for lunch if he were back home. I just smiled and nodded as Hana translated. I was thankful she took her cue from me and didn�t react to his offensive remarks toward women and Americans.
Haru was quite good, and when we did our scene, I could see why people liked her. I thought I did well as the arrogant American who was timid and considered girls beneath me, but who would help because I was compassionate. This was a more messed up direction than I�d received in Cuba, where I was continually told only that I wasn�t �getting it.�
I don�t expect it would have mattered if I did understand his direction. We were declared perfect in one take and were off to the next one.
◊◊◊
Saul stopped by the set, and I complained about the nonstop pace.
�David, this is how much you�re being paid,� he said, showing me the contract.
�Oh, my! I�m frickin� rich,� I said, dancing around.
�That�s yen,� Kent interjected.
Kent pulled out his phone and converted the currency. Well, that took the fun out of it. 1,000 dollars equaled about 110,000 yen. You could see why I�d gotten a little excited. It was still more than I would�ve made back home. It was almost as good as sunglasses money.
Kent then had pictures to show me.
�Cassidy said you would want to see this.�
I had a moment of complete jealousy. Brook, Megan, and Cassidy were in flight suits. The next picture showed Cassidy in the back of a training jet. Then I got one of Brook, sticking her tongue out at me as a jet took off in the background. A tiny part of me was happy for them, but the majority decided they were dead to me. I didn�t even bother looking at all the pictures.
After seeing those photos, I felt ready to play an arrogant American with a mix of surly teen. And I was right. I nailed the next scene.
◊◊◊
When we were finally done, I was mentally exhausted and starved. Learning lines by rote was harder than I had ever imagined. I was glad that Hana was there to help, or I would never have survived. I owed her a big bonus when we got home.
�Feed me,� I whined as they took my makeup off.
�Come home with me, and I�ll cook for you. It will also give me a chance to introduce you to my boyfriend,� Haru offered.
�I�m not sure meeting your boyfriend is a great idea.�
�If you don�t meet him tonight, you�ll see him tomorrow. He plays the detective you have the final scene with.�
�I have Paul and Hana with me,� I tried.
�Great. I�ll see you there.�
Saul had bailed on us to answer emails. Kent had met one of the actresses on set, and they planned an evening out. I guess you couldn�t take the Hollywood out of the boy.
Paul called our cars. Haru wanted to ride with us. Saul must have leaked where we were going because there was a crowd at Haru�s apartment. She looked a little worried.
�This all new to you,� I observed.
�I�ve had other roles, but
�I suspect that you coming to my apartment will be a big deal,� she admitted.
�Did you call the media?� I asked.
She blushed. Here I�d been blaming Saul, and it was Haru or her people. When we arrived, Paul had us drive past the entrance so we could make a game plan.
�Is there another entrance?� he asked.
�Through the parking garage,� Haru admitted but didn�t seem happy.
I suddenly had an insight I should�ve had much sooner. It was about the circles of trust Uncle John had taught us last week. Haru was being nice, but she was also using me to build her career. While I�d done the same in the past, at least when I did it, everyone was clear that was what was happening. Haru had acted like a friend, and I felt deceived.
�We need to drop Hana off. I�m not risking her walking through that crowd,� Paul said.
I wasn�t sure how this was going to work, but Paul would tell me if it couldn�t be done safely.
After we dropped Hana off, Paul had a talk with the security people, and everyone agreed on a plan. We would pull up, and Haru and I would stay in the car until they created a corridor. Paul would open the car door only if it was safe to get out.
I watched as the protection detail formed a single line and forced their way through the crowd. Once the lead person reached the condo�s front doors, they turned and started pushing everyone back. When they had a five-foot-wide path made, Paul opened the door.
�Let me go first,� I told Haru.
This was just crazy. I was so glad I didn�t live here, or I would end up punching someone. When Haru joined me, there was a surge, and our path shrunk. I heard a child scream in fear and saw a little boy who looked to be four or five sprawled out on the ground. I walked over and looked as menacing as I could. The crowd took a step back as I leaned over and picked up the little boy. He had a terrified sister, so I picked her up too. I wasn�t happy their mother had brought them to something like this.
�
Paul had waded in with me and led me out, with the mother bringing up the rear. When I came out of the crowd, I handed the little girl to Haru. The flashes about blinded us as we carried the two kids inside.
The little boy had scraped-up his hands. I took him to the bathroom to get them clean while the doorman found a first aid kit. The doorman said he had kids of his own and was good with the little boy.
While I dealt with that, Haru was on the phone with her publicist.
Hana was in the lobby and helped me talk to the doorman and the mother. They decided it would be best to take the kids out the back. The mother thanked me profusely for helping her. She had been in a near panic when she heard her boy scream in fear.
�It was amazing. He just walked into the crowd, and the next thing I see, he is carrying two little kids out to safety. He�s a hero,� Haru rattled on.
We said our goodbyes and took the elevator up to Haru�s condominium. I met her boyfriend, Ricky Nagai. He was a thirty-one-year-old actor who�d met Haru on set for a movie. Haru abandoned us because someone called to interview her. I could tell Ricky was irritated.
�She promised us dinner. I would bet we should order out,� I suggested.
�You�re probably right. What did you want?�
I turned him over to Hana. All I cared about was that it had to be filling. While Hana and Ricky talked, Paul and I relaxed in the living room. What jumped out at me was how small the place was. I would guess it was only 400 square feet, or about the size of a one-car garage. My apartment back home was twice this size.
�That wasn�t good,� I said.
�Crowds can be dangerous. I�m sure Fritz is going to kill me. Never, ever, ever go into a crowd like that again. Let me rescue someone if the need arises. If anyone had meant you harm, you were completely exposed to it,� Paul lectured me.
�We don�t need to tell him,� I suggested.
That�s when I received a Twitter alert: #DavidADawson, #SavesChildren. I showed it to Paul.
�You better call your mom, and I need to call my boss,� Paul urged.
He was starting to become a valuable member of the team. Calling my mom was the right choice. She�d also gotten the Twitter messages and seen the videos; it seemed everyone had a camera on their phone. I got the �we will talk when you get home� line. She told me that Little David had started to crawl, and I suddenly felt homesick.
I was glad when the food came, but shocked when it was Indian food. Then I realized I was being silly. Why wouldn�t they have an Indian restaurant in Tokyo? We started with vegetable samosas, then butter chicken was the main course, with garlic naan and saffron rice. I also snagged some tandoori chicken. Ricky took Haru some chicken curry.
Haru kept busy on the phone, so we told Ricky we�d be going. On the way home, Hana warned me about him.
�He doesn�t like you one bit because Haru talks about you nonstop. I have a creepy feeling about him.�
�Do you think he would hurt David?� Paul asked.
�I honestly don�t know.�
I did learn that Ricky was his stage name. His manager thought he needed an Americanized name to possibly get into movies in the states.
◊◊◊
I was finishing making calls back home when my three dead-to-me friends showed up.
�Did you see the pictures?� Brook asked.
I gave them a dirty look.
�He�s just mad that he didn�t know who to ask. He asked a pilot; I asked the base commander,� Cassidy informed me.
�Did you have fun?� I asked.
�OMG! It was the most fun ever,� Brook said with a huge smile. �We need you to get your pilot�s license and then get qualified for jets. Maybe you could do a photo shoot, and they would give you one.�
�I think that�s a little different from clothes.�
�Whatev. Once you try one, you�ll be hooked. I loved how it slammed me into the seat when it accelerated. The only thing that might be more fun is to have them strap a rocket on your butt and launch you into space,� Brook said.
I realized what something like this did to Brook�s libido. I waggled my eyebrows at her.
�C�mon, Megan, I think that�s our signal to leave,� Cassidy said.
�Perhaps Master would want to play with all of us,� Megan said and giggled.
�As much as I would like to play Master of the Universe, Cassidy�s dad would kill me. Plus, you�re an employee. I already showed you my wiener yesterday and traumatized you. I expect Caryn would have some serious misgivings about me taking it any further.�
Brook wasn�t in the mood to reason with them. She just pointed to the door, and they both laughed as they left us alone.
�Maybe I should be the Master,� Brook almost purred.
�What does Mistress have in mind?� I asked.
�I think you should give me one of your massages and make it all about me tonight.�
�Are you sure that�s wise? If I do that, I�ll ruin you for all other men. You might be better off if I�m a selfish jerk. I would hate to set unreasonable expectations down the line.�
�If I don�t have anything to compare it to, how will I know if anyone is better?� she asked.
I gave her a smoldering model look, which made Brook giggle. Then we both had clothes flying.
We fell into bed laughing, and I think I surprised her when I didn�t instantly attack her. Usually, when we had our adrenaline-rush adventures, we followed it with clawing, breathless, animalistic passion that turned into athletic sex. Instead, I took my time to kiss and caress her body as I worked slowly to raise her arousal.
Brook had her eyes open as I initiated foreplay and kissed her over the next hour. I turned her into a quivering mess as I teased her to one orgasm after another. I then began what turned out to be the most tender, connected sex of my life.
We both felt it, and I could tell that from this day forward, our relationship had changed. Brook wrapped her legs around my waist to give me better access as both our arousals hit new territory. My hands roamed her body, and I must have been touching her in all the right places because she responded to everything I did.
This was all about pleasing Brook, and it felt right. We had a syncopated rhythm that I�d never experienced. Comfort and intimacy were immediate and beautiful.
�I feel so safe in your arms,� Brook said breathlessly as she looked me in my eyes.
�I would never let anything happen to you,� I said, and kissed her once again.
While I�d spent time with several girls I had a connection with, I had never felt this, and it scared me. I�d sworn off relationships and promised myself I would never fall for a girl quickly again. I�d led with my heart too many times and been punished for it again and again. After I�d given Tami my promise ring, I thought I�d decided to just enjoy life and be open to experiences. But I was in danger of falling for Brook Davis.
What was there not to like? She was fun, and we had a great time together. Brook wasn�t a shrinking violet or a girly-girl. She was also smart and funny. And the sex �
�I�m close,� Brook announced.
We�d kept each other on edge for almost an hour, and I could tell by her reaction that she was about to have a huge one. We�d spent enough time together that I knew how to get her there. The problem was � would I last long enough? I think Brook sensed my dilemma and reached down and grabbed my butt to urge me on. I simply let nature take its course, and when I erupted, it was that last little push she needed to join me.
As we finally rolled apart, my last thought was: �I love you, Brook Davis.� I then made the typical guy move and fell asleep.
◊◊◊
Chapter 21 � I�m Okay with This Now Friday July 8
I woke from the best night�s sleep I�d had in ages. Good sex�no, wait � probably the best sex of my life�was the best sleeping pill ever. I heard the door open, and Cassidy walked in to wake me. I expect she was disappointed not to able to jab me in the ribs. Cassidy sat on the bed and smiled at me.
�You make her happy,� she said.
�I think I love her,� I admitted.
�You love a lot of girls,� Cassidy countered.
�No, I mean I really do love her. If we were starting our senior year of college and not high school, I might ask Brook to marry me. She and I are right in so many ways.�
�Do you mean that?� Brook asked, sitting up.
I nodded.
�I love you too,� she said, and I suddenly found her on top of me.
Cassidy pushed her off.
�He has to go to work. Let the boy up; you can kiss him later.�
Cassidy jabbed me in the ribs and then jumped back as I lunged for her.
�Fine,� I said and got up to take my shower.
◊◊◊
I�d been in scenes with the three young men that were the core group, mainly in the background. Today, I�d be saying lines with them. Akio Toyoma played the chairman�s son. He was over six feet tall, and Hana told me he was perfect, whatever that meant. Koji Ueda was the jock of the group, and his character played baseball. Jiro Yamashita played sort of a hip nerd. He wore glasses with white frames, was maybe five-eight, and had a small frame.
Koji and Akio pulled in the girls for the parties, Koji with his athletic skills, and Akio with his position. There was only one �butterfly girl� who hadn�t been taken yet. That character was played by Emily Sato. She was another actor who decided she needed an Americanized name.
Our first scene was to explain how the girls had gotten their butterfly tattoos.
Setting: The four boys are sitting at a table in the quad at lunchtime.
David:
Akio:
David:
Jiro:
Koji:
Jiro:
Action: Emily sits down.
David:
Action: Emily ignores him.
Emily:
Koji:
Action: Emily looks around nervously.
Emily:
Jiro:
Emily:
Akio:
Emily:
Action: Cut away to her at the party having fun and coming off the dance floor. David�s character hands her a drink. Later, she begins to feel funny, and someone helps her to leave the party. Cut back to the five friends talking to each other.
Emily:
David:
Emily:
Action: Everyone says they didn�t.
Emily:
Jiro:
Emily:
Action: Emily storms off. The guys look at each other in concern.
Akio:
David:
Akio:
Of course, by the end of the day, Emily goes missing.
I really enjoyed acting with the three guys. Akio had been in several J-dramas and usually played the sophisticated love interest. With his height and good looks, I could see why.
�Hey,� I said. �My interpreter is a big fan. Would you be willing to spend some time and talk to her? It would mean a lot and help me win some brownie points.�
�She�s the college girl � Hana, right?�
�It seems as if she has already caught your interest.�
�Well, it�s Koji who can�t stop talking about her. I�ve been telling him that she and you are together to torment him. If he sees me with her, it will drive him crazy,� Akio said with a smile.
�Are you and Koji rivals?�
�We do try to get cast for the same roles sometimes. It�s a friendly competition,� he admitted.
�Just so you know, I do like Hana as a friend. If you plan to do anything that might hurt her, you�ll have to answer to me,� I said to make my feelings clear.
�No, I�m not like that. I mean, she is cute, but I�m aware you are both leaving after today. I don�t think we have time to get into too much trouble.�
Then I wandered over to Koji.
�Hey, I just wanted to give you a heads-up that Akio was asking about Hana,� I told him.
�Who?� he asked, looking confused.
I just smiled and left to find Hana.
�You�re causing quite the drama.�
�Why, what did I do?� she asked.
�A little birdie told me that both Akio and Koji think you�re cute and would like to get to know you better,� I said with a straight face.
I wandered off and found Jiro.
�I saw what you just did. This should be fun,� he said.
�Oh look, Akio is heading over. Koji doesn�t look happy.�
�Those two are funny. They really are good friends, but they compete for everything. Give it a minute, and Koji will be over, unleashing his charm.�
Jiro was right. Koji couldn�t help himself and was soon flirting with Hana.
�It would be funny if you just strolled over and stole her from them,� I said.
�She would never go for me.�
I found a slip of paper, wrote a note on it, and folded it in half.
�Give this to her,� I said.
I made a point of being close enough to hear the exchange.
�I was wondering if you might have lunch with me,� Akio said.
�He has terrible taste in food. I know this little place that has the best sushi. Why don�t we go there and we can get to know each other better?� Koji offered.
Hana looked back and forth at them, trying to make up her mind, when Jiro walked up and handed her the note. She read it and laughed, and a huge smile lit up her face.
�Sorry, boys, but I just got a much better offer,� she said as she slipped her arm under Jiro�s arm and guided him away.
I almost was caught chuckling as they looked at each other in stunned silence. I hurried to where my note told Hana to take Jiro.
�That felt good. I don�t think they ever imagined I could get the girl,� Jiro said.
�I need to learn my lines. Come to lunch with us so you can honestly say you had lunch with Hana,� I suggested.
Jiro took us to a noodle place, and Hana worked with me for the first half of lunch. Then she turned her attention to Jiro. It became apparent that she really hadn�t seen him before with the other two hunks, as she called them, on set. I could see I was the third wheel, so I returned to the set.
Akio and Koji found me as soon as I walked in.
�Where did Hana go?� Koji asked.
�We went to a noodle house to grab a bite to eat and so she could help me with my lines. I had to get back, but she and Jiro seemed to be hitting it off when I left.�
�Did she say anything about us?� Akio asked.
�No, nothing I can remember.�
When a smiling Jiro and Hana walked onto the set arm-in-arm, I could see Akio and Koji took it well. It wasn�t like they didn�t have girls chasing them. They both made a point to congratulate Jiro and tease him good-naturedly.
◊◊◊
It wasn�t until the last two episodes that my character was revealed as the one taking the girls. The story had me keeping them in a warehouse near the water. I was drugging them and making them dependent on me. I wasn�t ready to take Emily�s character so soon, but I�d had to when she began to look at me suspiciously.
The first girl I�d taken was Miki, Haru�s character�s sister. She suddenly was found wandering the city. Her mind wasn�t all there due to a miscalculation of the dosage on my character�s part. I wasn�t a killer, so I�d let her go, knowing she couldn�t identify me. I showed up at the hospital to make sure.
Setting: Miki�s hospital room. Emiko finds Jason (David�s character) sitting next to Miki�s bed, brushing her hair back.
David:
Haru:
David:
Haru:
David:
Action: The pieces of the puzzle come together for Haru. She realizes that it�s Jason (David) who is taking the girls.
Haru:
David:
Haru:
David:
Action: Haru realizes that she is in danger. David gives her a smile, and she tries to run, but he is too fast. She feels a needle in her neck, and everything fades to black.
That was where they ended the next-to-last episode. I thought the writers were evil, doing a cliffhanger like that. Their writers must just be malevolent to end it with no resolution.
◊◊◊
It was strange to play the bad guy, but I had a blast. Haru played up the frightened damsel in distress to the hilt. The director evidently did not think highly of Americans, because he kept mentioning how terrible we were and making other snide remarks. Hana translated for everyone, and they were appalled.
Cassidy wanted to see me do the final scene, so everyone was on set for it. It was a fight scene with Ricky. In my first movie, I�d spent several months learning all my moves. Granted, there were more fights in that one, but they sprung this on us only a few hours before we were to do it. Ricky had done this type of scene before, so the director was confident we could pull it off.
I remembered what Hana had said about Ricky�s feelings about his girlfriend and me. I�d tried to keep my distance from Haru, but we were in a lot of scenes together, and she was happy with the publicity we�d generated together. When she�d wanted to talk off set, I noticed that Ricky wasn�t far away. I made sure nothing could be construed as inappropriate when we were together, but I didn�t get the feeling it had done any good.
Cassidy found me before the climactic scene.
�Protect yourself. Accidents happen, and I don�t want to have to explain to my dad why we�re not winning state this year because you let him hurt you.�
�I�ll be careful and keep your dad happy,� I replied.
�Don�t be that way, David. You know I care about you deeply. If you get hurt, I might have to hurt everyone involved.�
That was my ninja girl. I gave her a hug and kissed the top of her head.
�I love you, too.�
She gave me a shove that I took as her saying she loved me back.
Ricky and I had choreographed the fight scene. He was to find me with the four girls drugged and in cages. It was right out of one of their manga stories where the mad scientist is experimenting on girls. Haru was to give it away as Ricky snuck up on me by calling for help.
�Action!�
�Help,� Haru moaned.
I turned to find Ricky almost on me.
�You will pay for this,� he said menacingly.
He pulled his service revolver, but before he could get me in his sights, I made two long strides and kicked the gun out of his hand. The look on Ricky�s face seemed to be genuine shock that I�d pulled it off. I fell into a fighting stance.
�I don�t think I will be paying for anything,� I taunted.
�You Americans come here and steal our women and our best jobs,� Ricky seethed.
This wasn�t in the script. Now I was totally on guard.
�I�d heard that. That was why I came,� I joked.
He didn�t seem to think it was funny.
The fight started as planned. Ricky was pulling his punches, so I thought I might get out of this unscathed. He knocked me down and got me into an armbar. If you�ve ever watched mixed martial arts, the armbar is when you have your opponent on their back and your legs over their chest with their arm between them. The idea is you hook your arm around their elbow with yours and pull back with all your might. If done correctly, they will either tap out, or you�ll dislocate their elbow. I was ready to tap out when the rules changed.
�I�m going to end your sports career,� Ricky quietly hissed between his teeth.
Thank God he�d warned me. If he�d just cranked back on my arm without the little speech, he would have injured me severely.
Cassidy had worked with me on what to do if I ever got into this situation. My first action was to grab my hands palm-to-palm to prevent him from easily getting my elbow overextended and breaking my arm.
I used my strength to push against his leg that was closest to my head. At the same time, I rolled away from him and used my legs to help me turn so my head ducked under his thigh. I was able to keep hold of his arm as I rolled him onto his stomach. Then I jerked hard on his arm and heard him cry out. I let him go and bounced up onto the balls of my feet. He got up, and it looked like I�d dislocated his shoulder. I cringed when he popped it back into place. That had to hurt.
I was surprised they hadn�t stopped the scene. I had no doubt Ricky had planned to attack me for real. As hard as it may be to believe, there were batons lying around. We soon had them in our hands.
I�d practiced a lot with Cassidy, who was much quicker than Ricky. I concentrated on defending myself. Ricky quickly tired, and in a last-ditch effort, launched into full attack mode. That left him open to my counters.
The way the scene was supposed to play out was Ricky was going to kick the shit out of me. Before he could make his killing strike, the Police Special Forces would storm the room. I was to dive through the window that overlooked the water where I would disappear. The window was made of breakaway glass, and I would land on a big foam pad, but it would look like I�d gone into the water.
I did as Cassidy had trained me and cracked him across the bridge of the nose to stun him. He dropped his batons and came at me. I decided that I shouldn�t just pound him with batons since that didn�t seem sporting. Cassidy would kill me later, but I dropped them. Blood was now running out of his nose. I don�t know if he imagined he was Rocky, and this was his big comeback scene, but I was having none of it. The man had tried to end my football and baseball careers. I did a bone strike to the side of his head, just behind the ear.
He wasn�t quite sure what was happening and shook his head. I followed it up with a left-right combination that blackened both his eyes as his brain shut down and he collapsed. The police burst in, and I dove through the window. That part was a lot of fun.
When they finally called �cut,� they discovered that Ricky was out cold. Cassidy and Paul grabbed me and hustled me off the set.
�Props man, that looked awful real,� Kent commented.
�It was real,� Cassidy said.
�He tried to hurt me, so things got real from that point forward. Let�s get out of here before they decide they need a second take,� I suggested.
�They haven�t needed one yet,� Hana commented.
◊◊◊
We drove to the hotel so we could check out and I could shower. We were on the red-eye back to LA. As we were getting ready, Hana came and found me.
�I�ve decided to stay for a while. The purpose of the trip was to see what my heritage was about, and we spent most of it working. Caryn said that the ticket can be converted for when I want to come home.�
�Does this have anything to do with a certain cute actor?� I asked.
�Some. I want to take some time getting to know him and see if there�s anything there. Please don�t tell my dad that,� she said, suddenly worried.
�I won�t lie for you, but if he or your uncle don�t ask, they won�t hear it from me,� I assured her.
◊◊◊
We survived the paparazzi gauntlet at the airport and were waiting for our flight when I received a call from Haru.
�I want to apologize for my boyfriend�s behavior. At first, he wanted to accuse you of assaulting him, but they caught what he said in playback. He confessed that he was jealous and tried to hurt you.�
�Is he okay?� I asked.
�For someone who lost a fight, he�s not too bad. He received a concussion, two black eyes, a broken nose, and a dislocated shoulder. Ricky always brags about how good he is at the dojo. I expect I won�t have to listen to that anymore,� Haru said.
�So, you and he are fine?� I asked.
�Unfortunately, I love him. If I didn�t, he would be hitting the curb as I kicked him to it, but I can�t see living without him.�
�Then, I can�t imagine why he would ever be jealous.�
�That is a topic we will be discussing for quite some time. I�m sorry Ricky acted like he did, and I hope you didn�t get hurt.�
�If he had followed through with his plans, I might never have played sports again. Tell him that if I ever see him again, I might do even worse,� I admitted.
She sighed.
�I really don�t know what to say. You helped the show and me so much. The guys all love you, and the director even admitted you weren�t too bad for an American. He didn�t understand how bad that sounded and said he is sorry if he offended you.
�They would all love for you to come back for a sequel,� she said hopefully.
�We�ll see. I honestly don�t know when I would have time to do it.�
She laughed.
�You did six episodes� worth of scenes in two days. I�m sure they could get a full series shot if you came back for a week.�
�I was just a bit player in this one. If they could figure out a way to make it work, I might be able to do it,� I said.
�We�ll make sure Ricky is out of the country,� she said with a laugh.
I still wasn�t happy with him, so that might have to be a requirement. We said our goodbyes, and my plane was called.
◊◊◊
I was sitting next to Brook.
�So, you love me,� she began.
�I do.�
�What exactly does that mean?�
�What do you want it to mean?�
�I�m not sure,� Brook admitted. �I have a feeling that if we become exclusive, things could get serious.�
�Would that be so bad?�
�Are you ready for that?� she countered.
�I think I�m there. Tami did a number on me. I pushed it, and she wasn�t ready. To be honest,
�I had no idea it could be like that. You may very well have ruined me for other men,� Brook teased.
�You don�t think it was the same for me? Lord, woman. What we did makes me want to do it again as soon as possible. If we weren�t flying back tonight, I would have had you in bed by now.�
�I agree, but it can�t just be about sex. I hate to say it, but we may never be that good together again.�
�Don�t say that. I still have some tricks up my sleeve,� I said confidently.
�I�m sure you do, and I would love to see them all. Maybe I would surprise you, too.�
We snuggled up next to each other, deep in thought.
◊◊◊ Friday July 8 (again)
The flight attendant announced that it was Friday again. No, it wasn�t some kind of weird Groundhog Day. We�d flown over the International Date Line.
Brook woke up and looked up at me.
�I�ve been thinking.�
�Every time I hear a woman say that, I know it can�t be good for me,� I said in mock seriousness.
�While I can see your point, I believe I know what I want to do with us.�
I waited for her to tell me. I guess she wasn�t used to Dawson men when confronted.
�Dork,� she said and shoved my shoulder. �You�re going to be gone most of the summer. If we�re going to do this, I don�t want to be sitting around at home while you travel the country and world. I want to start this with us both in the same town at the same time.�
�Okay,� I agreed.
�There�s more.�
I sighed. There always was.
�You must realize I�ve become friends with Zoe and Halle. I want you to spend quality time with both of them. In the end, I�ll be fine if you pick one of them, as they would be for me. I want you to be sure when you choose,� she said.
�What about Pam?� I asked.
�Apparently she got her chance and turned it down,� Brook said, referring to the snap marriage proposal.
�And Beth?� I asked to cover all my bases.
�I know you care for each other, but frankly, I can�t imagine how that would work your senior year in high school. It would be the same issue I have with us over the next few weeks: she would never be able to see you. Think about it. What will you be doing on your weekends?� she asked.
�Mostly going on recruiting trips.�
�And I realize you could bring her, but this decision is too important for you to not be 100% focused, isn�t it? You need to find a place that can give you the education you deserve and prepare you for either the NFL or Major League Baseball,� she said.
�What about movies?� I asked.
�Find a place with a good theater department,� she said as if it were obvious.
I suddenly realized what a monumental decision I was facing. Brook was smart in pointing out that I needed to make this decision myself. That didn�t mean I wouldn�t get feedback and direction from people in my circles of trust, but it had to be my decision.
I smiled at her.
�You�re not just a pretty face.�
She got a glint in her eyes.
�Do we dare?� I asked.
�Follow me in a minute,� Brook said and left to use the bathroom.
I got up, and Cassidy grabbed my arm.
�You treat her right. She loves you.�
I squatted down so we were at eye level and leaned in and kissed Cassidy.
�I love her too.�
�Don�t make too much noise, people are trying to sleep.�
I heard some chuckles from other passengers. I guess we weren�t as stealthy as we thought we were.
Brook pulled me into the lavatory. There was hardly enough room for a guy my size to do his business, let alone have sex, in this cramped space. Fortunately, Brook had figured it out. She dropped her pants and put her hands on the wall over the toilet.
Now was not the time to mess around. I Freed Willy and just got busy. Sometimes you just needed fast and hard. We were almost there when someone knocked on the door.
�Others would like a turn,� came a female voice through the door.
We both laughed and finished what we were doing. It wasn�t the best sex, but it was fun. When I came out, the flight attendants were all standing there and smiling. I would bet we weren�t the first couple to grab a quick one on an international flight. We did the walk of shame back to our seats.
Thankfully, sex makes me sleepy, so I was out for the rest of the flight.
◊◊◊ Sunday July 10
Jet lag is a pain in the rear. It wasn�t nearly this bad flying west. It had taken me a full day to get over the worst of it. When I traveled to Japan, it had lingered until about Wednesday before I�d reset my internal clock. When I got home, I felt exhausted and irritable. They call it circadian rhythm, and it gets disrupted when you travel across multiple time zones. Your body clock, which is set by exposure to light, signals when it�s time to wake up and when it�s time to sleep. Saturday, I ran over to the Andersons� and lay out to speed up getting back to normal. I couldn�t afford to have this mess me up for several more days.
This morning I forced myself to get up by nine and go to church with Mom. I was feeling the effects, but I felt much better than I did yesterday. I wanted to get some exercise in today. A good run always put me in a better mood. I�m sure if I asked Uncle John, he could give me a medical reason why that was.
Today we had a sermon from our youth pastor, Keith. It�s funny, sometimes, how a sermon will speak to you. Pastor Keith�s sermon was about finding the right person.
�I�m 22, and I want to talk to you today about dating. Being single, I�ve dated a few girls who just weren�t right for me. When I was sixteen, I was just happy a girl would go out with me. I had my heart broken a number of times during that time. One I even thought might be the one. I found out at Senior Prom that she was someone else�s one.
�It took me a year to get back into the game. My pastor encouraged me and told me that the right girl was out there. He gave me some advice on dating that I would like to share with you today. What I would suggest is that you need to become more selective before you decide to date someone. If I�d done that with many of my girlfriends in high school, I could have avoided a lot of pain. However, I will warn you that being selective may limit the number of girls or boys you will want to date. Just because he or she makes your heart go pitter-pat does not mean they�re the one. What being selective does is give you a much better chance to find a quality person with whom you can build a relationship.
�I want to be clear to my teen audience, finding the one who will be your lifelong significant other is not going to happen. Dating should be about enjoying each other�s company and respecting them. I�m older, and I still go on dates with young women with fun being the goal. But I am starting to transition into wanting a more meaningful relationship.
�How do you figure out if you should date someone? I�m going to give you some questions I think will help you increase your chances of finding someone who�s a fit. Please recognize that even if they pass all the initial tests, you still might get your heart broken.
�I can see some of the old married folk nodding off because they think this doesn�t pertain to them. I ask you to imagine how, with God�s help, you might want to pass this knowledge on to your children or grandchildren. Don�t you want them to be happy? It�s easy to point out the mistakes our youth make. Wouldn�t it be better to help and/or guide them to a better way?
�Here are the questions I want you to ask yourself about someone you are considering dating.
1) How well do you know them? I would suggest that it�s easier to date someone who you know than someone you just met.
2) How do they treat others? Do they gossip? People who serve them, like waitstaff, ticket takers, or anyone else in the service industry � are they treated with respect? If they gossip, they will gossip about you. If they mistreat others, expect that they will treat you the same.
3) Do they drink? Do drugs? Swear? Whom do they hang out with? This information can give you insight into what you�re in for.
4) Do they like the same things you do? Movies, books, activities, and the like.
5) Do they believe in God? Don�t shy away from this question. It can save you a lot of heartaches later on.
6) When you are with them, is everything about them, or are they interested in you? A relationship has two sides.
7) Do you trust them? If you tell them something in confidence, will it stay that way? If you can�t expect to trust them, I wouldn�t advise going out with them.
8) Do they stand up for others? This tells you they will stand up for you if the need ever arises. Or do they throw people to the wolves? Maybe they just stand back and watch events unfold.
9) They say opposites attract, but not on anything that matters.
10) Is there a physical attraction? If they don�t increase your heart rate, you might want to take a pass.
�Finally, I find it helps to ask for God�s help and pray about it. He will help guide you if you open your heart to him,� Pastor Keith said in summation.
I smiled because this reminded me a lot of what Uncle John had said about the circles of trust.
◊◊◊
After brunch, I finally drove the Demon. The Hellcat had been phenomenal. The Demon was the Hellcat on steroids. I found a country road where I knew I would be alone so I could see what it could do. On launch�it was not just a start, but an actual launch�the front wheels came off the ground, and it popped a wheelie. I understood why they�d installed racing seatbelts and not the regular across-the-chest-and-lap version. I felt I might have to buy a helmet to drive it.
When I reached 150 miles per hour, I shut it down. I could tell that I was nowhere near full speed, but I didn�t need to wreck it on the first day. Dad said that when the production version came out, it would be fast, but they�d pulled out all the stops when creating the prototypes. He also said they typically never sold this kind of car, but someone thought the marketing buzz it would create was worth it. My own opinion was that selling it to an teenager was genius. It was even worth the lecture I received from my parents before they handed me the keys.
As much fun as driving the Demon was, I wanted even more to see Zoe. I�d left for guys� week early and then had my trip to Japan. She might never speak to me again if I skipped out to Houston for USA Baseball without spending time with her.
I had a little fun driving the serpentine road through the park to get to their farm. The Demon must have made some noise because I found Roc and Phil in the drive when I pulled up.
�Can I drive it?� Roc asked.
�You don�t even have your driver�s license.�
�I�ve had it for almost a month.�
�Do I get your Jeep?� Phil asked once again.
�You need to talk to Dad about a car. I paid for the Jeep,� I said.
�You have three cars if you include that huge Ford,� Phil complained.
�I thought you were earning money this summer to buy a car,� I pointed out.
Zoe came out of the barn, having heard the last part of the conversation.
�I think if David was going to buy anyone a car, it would be for me.�
I pulled her into my arms and reminded her that I�d missed her.
�If I have to kiss you, I might be willing to do that,� Phil offered.
�Dude, you better think that one through,� Roc said, and then blushed.
�Uh � never mind. I�ll talk to Dad,� Phil said, and he and Roc made themselves scarce.
�I have some candy in the car, Little Girl,� I said with my best leer.
�Mister, I�ll do anything for candy,� Zoe said in a little girl�s voice.
◊◊◊
Zoe decided that she didn�t want to break the car in since the back seat was more than a bit too small. She decided she wanted her candy in my apartment. I grabbed a couple of waters, and we sat on my couch.
�I�ve barely gotten a chance to see you this summer,� Zoe complained.
�What have you been up to this summer?�
�I�ve been training the two colts I bought. I�m also working for your grandma on the farm. Caryn wants to move me to the produce stand in town. She says I�m good with people.�
�I saw that my half brother was at your place.�
�He, Roc, and Yuri are best friends. Yuri�s usually around when Jan�s working at the restaurant. Dad takes advantage of the free labor when they aren�t mowing lawns. He had them walking beans today.�
�I liked that better than detasseling,� I admitted.
�They started your bridge last week, and they finished the beach. Dad told me the State guy had said they were happy with how it�s turning out. The river is much healthier, and they�re confident that unless we get a big flood, things will be much better in the spring.�
We got quiet for a minute, and then Zoe gave me a serious look.
�I really have missed you. Not just the intimate stuff; I�ve missed you coming out on Sundays and helping me with the horses. Mom asked when you planned to come to dinner. It�s as if a part of me has been missing for the last two months.�
�Zoe, I�ve missed you too,� I said, and I leaned in and gave her a sweet kiss.
�I realize it�s not fair and that you�re off doing what you have to, but I don�t like you not being around. I hope you don�t think I�m pressuring you, but I want to spend more time with you,� she admitted.
�Once baseball�s over, I�ll have more time. Right now, we just need to grab it when we can,� I suggested.
Zoe smiled at me and took control. She reached for my hand and led me to the bedroom. With her, it always seemed like we were doing it in a car, at school, or outside. The only other times I could remember us having sex on a bed was our first time and when we had our date in April. In all those other places, there was the element of possibly getting caught to distract us. It was nice to be able to focus on her.
It turned out that sex with Zoe was better than I remembered. In her daily life, she was more grounded and family-oriented than either Brook or Halle. In the sack, she was the adventurous one. Everything was new, and she wasn�t shy about experimenting. Zoe had told me she had a sexual bucket list she wanted to check off. Mr. Happy wanted me to find that list and help her fulfill it. I tried to make it a policy not to let the little head control the big one, but sometimes he was full of good ideas.
Once we hit the bed, Zoe let me take control. I did mostly the same I�d done with Brook a few nights ago when we had the most amazing sex of our lives. I�m not sure if Zoe was better, but definitely not worse. Different would best be how I would describe it.
The problem with slow, sensual lovemaking was that it kills the whole afternoon. I would never describe Zoe as clingy, but she did not want to let go of me once we were done.
�Brook said you�d upped your game in Japan, but wow, just wow,� Zoe said.
I kept forgetting that Halle, Brook, and Zoe talked about everything. They�d all become good friends. They claimed that the open communication kept them from clawing each other�s eyes out. While I wasn�t comfortable with them sharing what we did in bed, to maintain harmony, I was willing to let it slide. If I finally picked a girlfriend, that would have to stop. Right now, it was the whole �gift horse� saying�you just accepted it.
�While we were in Japan, Brook woke me up each morning with a blowjob. Maybe while I�m home, you could come over,� I suggested.
�You couldn�t get Halle to fall for that, and she�s the gullible one. Do what my brother does: he has Rosy and her five friends help him out.�
I got the giggles because it was clear I�d corrupted Zoe. She would have died this time last year before she would have discussed the fact that her little brother masturbated. I would have to check his palms for hair at the next football practice. What was the other urban legend? Oh, yes, his eyesight needed to be tested, too.
Then I had a better idea: I�d have Phil do it. The guys were teasing him about being a virgin, to the point I was about to hire him a hooker. We Dawsons have a reputation to uphold, after all. Then again, the only hookers I knew were Flee�s ex Candy and her sister Raven. Phil wouldn�t survive either one of them. He needed to find some clueless girl, and the two of them could figure it out together. I had a bad feeling that if a girl ever did sleep with him, he�d be a goner. She would lead him around like a lovesick puppy.
◊◊◊
I took Zoe home and begged off dinner with her family because I wanted to have some quality time with the boys. Duke hadn�t gotten enough love, and Little David and Coby needed some Daddy time. Peggy took full advantage and went to hang out with Beth, Cindy, and Suzanne tonight. There was some chick flick that they wanted to go see, and then there would be coffee with talking afterward. I couldn�t figure out why they couldn�t get any boys to join them.
I�d gotten comfortable. The Cubs game was on, Duke was on one leg getting an ear rub, and Coby sat on my other knee, while Little David showed off his new mobility. Then I heard the my apartment door open. It was Tami and Tim. I�d neatly dodged them last time.
�I decided I�d go off my diet and order a pizza. You want in on it?� I asked Tim.
�Sausage and mushroom.�
�I see you�ve already got him trained. How about we get half meat-lover�s and half sausage and mushroom?� I asked.
Tami always wanted sausage and mushroom, and I knew Tim liked meat without fungus. I could eat either without a problem.
I sent Duke to watch Little David and handed Coby to Tim. Tami took pity on Tim and took my son. Coby wasn�t too sure of her, and I soon had him back after I�d called Monical�s. Little David toddled right over to her, so she didn�t feel left out.
�What was going on with you and Peggy the last time we stopped by?� Tami asked. �You didn�t come back.�
I looked at Tim.
�You�re her boyfriend. You better explain it to her,� I suggested.
�Uh � I don�t think so,� Tim said.
�Wuss,� I said under my breath.
�Bite me,� was his snappy comeback.
�Tami, if you want the scoop, you�ll have to talk to Peggy. I�m not going to say what happened,� I reminded her.
�I just thought that was over,� she said.
�Tim, what did you do with Tami this afternoon?� I asked.
Poor Tim. It wasn�t fair to him, but I wanted to press home the point to Tami to back off. I hoped to God he didn�t feel the need to tell me.
�Okay, okay, you win,� Tami said as she threw up her hands.
�Next, you�ll be giving me advice about Lisa Felton,� I teased.
�I heard your cousin caught an STI,� Tami said with a straight face.
�You slept with your cousin?� Tim asked in disbelief.
�After the deed, we figured out we weren�t related, but it�s kind of sexy sleeping with relatives,� I said in my best Tennessee accent.
�I�m not sure I am ready to hang out with you two,� Tim admitted.
�David�s just being bad. Normally he does whatever I tell him to,� Tami said, smirking at me.
�I�m not getting naked for Tim. It was bad enough you made me do it for everyone in your dorm so they�d like you,� I shot back.
�I�m not sure I want to know what that�s about,� Tim said.
He wasn�t sure about a lot, it seemed.
�You know David. He�ll take his clothes off anywhere. He invented the naked dance party and did it on video chat. It was a great icebreaker to get to know the girls in my dorm. Now that we�re dating, you�ll have to take his place in the fall.�
Tami was evil. I could tell Tim half-believed her.
�I�ll teach you some of my better moves,� I offered.
�Oh, teach him to twerk and to do that helicopter bit,� Tami said.
We both about fell off the couch laughing as Tim turned white and looked like he might throw up. He was saved from further harassment when the pizza came.
When they were ready to leave, I hugged Tami.
�Thanks for forcing the issue. I�m okay with this now,� I whispered in her ear.
She could tell I really was okay. It helped that she was with Tim, a guy I trusted and liked. It also helped that they�d both come to me and talked to me before it happened. I knew he would treat her right, and she would do the same.
◊◊◊
Chapter 22 � I Might Be A Slut Monday July 11
I tried to talk Mom and Dad into letting me drive my car to Houston. I figured if I drove at the speed limit, it would only take me 14 hours, so I could probably get there in 10. They were so unfair sometimes.
I had a talk with my parents about people coming to Houston. It was decided that if I made the team, they would all come to Monterrey, Mexico instead. Mom said that Caryn had already looked into it, and people had been calling to put their names on the list. It might end up being cheaper to charter a flight and fly from here than it would to get airline tickets for everyone.
Moose, Coach Haskins, and Coach Herndon decided not to go either. Moose explained that he was confident in the coaching I was getting, so they wouldn�t add much. The biggest contribution they had made was to scout the other teams for us. This would be head-to-head, so I would see the other team play every day. I left the offer open for Mexico, and he told me they would think about it.
I was getting Fritz as my security person. Paul would rotate back to LA for a while.
Camp opened in Houston tomorrow. The plan was to fly in today and get a good night�s sleep. Bo Harrington was in Houston tonight, so I planned to go out to dinner with him and his new wife. He�d married the woman I introduced him to at Elite Camp. Bo had been shocked when I told him I�d gotten us dates, and that it was with a mother-daughter tandem. It turned out I couldn�t stand the daughter, but he�d hit it off with the mom. They�d gotten married while I was in Cuba, or I would�ve been there.
I heard a knock at the back door and walked over to let Fritz in.
�Hey, stranger,� I said as I hugged him.
We hadn�t really gotten to talk since the Orlando terror attack. He�d gone back to LA to take care of Rita, Trip, and Halle. He�d also lost a friend who he�d just hired. Paul said Fritz had needed some time to get his head back in the game. I was glad to see him.
�Paul said you have pictures from your fishing trip,� Fritz said.
He apparently wasn�t ready to talk about Orlando and the aftermath, so I got my tablet out and showed him the pictures. I told him that Paul had been the key to our success as his family had taken similar trips when he was growing up. I also had some pictures of the wildlife we�d seen. One day there had been a moose swimming across the lake. We�d also spotted a couple of black bears another day.
Dad filled him in on all the pranks. I think Fritz was jealous when he heard about the mojitos and Cuban cigars. He could�ve used a week in Canada as much as I had, and I�d needed it.
I convinced Fritz that we should take the Demon to the airport. Dad rode with us so he could drive it back home. There was no way I would leave it in an airport parking garage while we were gone.
�We�ll see you in LA� was Dad�s parting comment.
ESPN was having their annual awards show Saturday. I was one of six athletes up for the Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year. I�d already been named as one of their twelve National Players of the Year. They named one of each in six male and six female sports. My category was football. I was also up for the Joe Montana Award for the best high school quarterback.
ESPN had given me five tickets to the show, and I�d given two to my parents and one to Greg. I�d also invited Halle to be my date. I wanted my family to be there because this was a big deal. In the past, some Hall of Fame-type athletes had been named as the Male Athlete of the Year. Frank, my PR person, loved it and planned a campaign to promote my achievements that would go out if I won.
I made sure he�d run it by Mr. Morris before he finalized it. I didn�t want any more trouble with the NCAA than I absolutely had to have.
The studios wanted Halle and me to be seen together, but we�d avoided that until now. Paul Andon, the executive who had signed me for the two
My thought was that if Halle was okay with it, I would be more than happy to be seen with her.
◊◊◊
On the three-hour flight to Houston, Fritz finally opened up.
�Trip had microsurgery on his shoulder to repair the nerve damage. He has about 95% of his motion back, and they expect he�ll get more with therapy. The doctors said that if the bullet had been just a little higher, it would have destroyed the nerve bundle, and he might not have any use of his arm.
�Of course, Rita has been a mess. I think if it hadn�t been for the movie�s launch, she would have fallen into depression. She threw herself into her work, and it helped her keep her mind off almost losing her son.
�Halle has been a trouper. She has stepped up and helped both Trip and her mother. I�m not sure if she�s happy in LA, though. She misses her friends,� Fritz said.
�I thought Halle had lots of friends there. I remember she took me to a party on one of the first nights we were there.�
�What did you think of them?�
�That they thought they were in an episode of 90210. They were a bunch of posers.�
�And you wonder why she would rather be back here?� he asked with a tight smile.
�I guess.�
�I realize Halle loves LA and the movie business, but she likes going to school at Lincoln High. There isn�t the gamesmanship and the one-upmanship she had to contend with at her old high school. I do know she�s excited about seeing you on Saturday.�
�How are you doing?� I asked.
I could see Fritz was struggling. He finally gave me a sad look.
�I�ve been lucky. I�ve never lost anyone until the attack on Pulse. And I�ve never had a primary injured before,� he said, and then blushed. �You don�t count. You tried to get eaten by sharks and faced off a gang.�
�No, I get it. If you do your job right, it�s boring. I hope, for my family�s sake, that it stays that way. Your guy died doing his job. He made sure Trip was safe and called for help.�
�I just wish he�d been carrying. It might not have mattered, facing an assault rifle, but I�ll never have my team protecting someone again without at least access to a gun. It was a hard lesson to learn, and frankly, I knew better. I blame myself for not having him armed. We�re also going to start wearing vests.�
�You realize it wasn�t your fault. Trip and Craig just by happenstance found themselves in the middle of all that. There was no way to predict they would be facing someone bent on gunning down a dance club.�
�It only takes once,� Fritz said.
He had me there. I agreed that he needed to reevaluate his security measures. I would suggest a review anytime something went wrong; take a step back and look at what happened. This was a lesson I needed to learn.
◊◊◊
We arrived at the Houston airport, gathered our bags, and found a man with a sign with my last name on it. He led us to the curb where a Bentley Continental Flying Spur was waiting.
�Get in the back,� Fritz ordered.
Fritz signed the man�s tablet and then loaded our bags into the back. I guess he was making other changes in how he handled security and driving duties for me. This car rivaled any I�d ever been in for luxury. I�d found the seat massager and was playing with the different settings when Fritz finally finished loading.
�I take it I don�t get to drive.�
Fritz just ignored me as he put the address for the hotel into the GPS. The team was staying at the Hampton Inn because we could walk to Minute Maid Park if need be. Fritz had arranged to have me in the same room I�d been assigned for the tryouts, so I wouldn�t need to change tomorrow. He�d booked the adjoining room, which had a pass-through door, for security reasons.
He walked into the room first and checked it before he would let me in to unpack.
�I�m installing a few cameras in your room. I�ll have a live feed in my room, and it will record everything in case there�s a he said/she said type of incident.�
�Can we do that? Does Allard need to be told?� I asked.
I�d read about issues with people being secretly taped, especially if anything sexual happened.
�That�s why there�ll be a sign posted on the door, and you�ll need to get anyone who enters to sign this,� Fritz informed me.
I read it, and it informed the signer that both sound and video were being captured, and they agreed to it. It also had a nondisclosure agreement included.
�What�s this all about?� I asked.
�There has been a rash of lawsuits and stories sold to the media involving people with money recently. I talked to Ms. Dixon, and we came up with this as the best plan. She has talked to both the hotel and Baseball USA, and they are aware. I also want you wearing a bodycam at all times when you�re out in public from now on,� Fritz said.
Hmmm. This sounded an awful lot like the �in potentially hostile territory� part of Uncle John�s talks about circles of trust. In that sense, I understood what Fritz was talking about, but still �
�Don�t you think this is a bit much? I mean, I do things in private that I don�t really want anyone else to know about,� I grudgingly admitted.
No teenage boy wants anyone to know what they do alone in their bedroom with access to the Internet.
�I already know what happens. You were at Halle�s long enough that I don�t think you can shock me.�
I felt my face get so hot I thought it might melt. On some level, I realized there were cameras in their home, but I�d made some assumptions that were obviously wrong.
�Don�t worry about it,� Fritz said. �As you might guess, we�re discreet about anything we see or hear. Plus, we�ve all signed nondisclosure agreements. I would never be able to work personal security again if I released information about you.�
�Will I get to see the videos?� I asked as my mind took off in a different direction.
I might want some videos for my personal collection.
�Nope. Not a chance in hell.�
I needed to work on that.
◊◊◊
I took advantage of the pool. The Hampton Inn had a swimming pool on the fourth-floor rooftop. I suspect it was set up that way so people on the higher floors could perv on you. I�d slacked off on exercising for the past two weeks with my trip to Japan and guys� week. So, I decided a nice long swim was just what was needed. When I was finished, I looked around and smiled. M.E., Dave Gordon�s little sister from the first round of tryouts in North Carolina, was sitting poolside with her best friend, Kelly.
�What brings you ladies to town?� I asked like I was trying to pick them up.
There were two other young women sitting around the pool now. I expect they were confused over why I would be trying to pick up high school girls in one-piece swimsuits when they were wearing bikinis. I�ll admit, those two-piece suits did show off their assets.
�You�re the actor,� one of the other women stated.
M.E. rolled her eyes, and Kelly wouldn�t look at me.
I just nodded to acknowledge the woman�s statement and then sat down next to M.E. without drying off. From my modeling, I was aware of what the water did for my body, and I wanted to tease the two girls. I could see Kelly checking me out from the corner of her eye.
�We were thinking about going out tonight and wondered if you might want to go,� the woman who was chatting me up suggested.
�I�m sorry, but I�m meeting friends for dinner. I missed their wedding while on a film location. When that�s done, I need to get to bed, because there�s a baseball tryout tomorrow that I really want to nail,� I politely explained.
�Why don�t you give me your room number so I can tuck you in?� she tried one last time.
Mr. Happy wanted the big brain to reevaluate my plans. On a trip like this, this girl was just my type: willing. I chuckled at my own bad joke.
�What�s so funny?� she asked, getting upset.
�I was just thinking I don�t even know your name. I suddenly realized how crazy my life has become,� I said, and then sighed. �Look, you seem like a great girl who I�d really enjoy getting to know. How long are you here for?�
�We�re leaving tomorrow,� she said, looking unhappy.
�Meet me for breakfast. We�ll spend some time getting to know each other,� I offered.
�Mercedes.�
�Come again?� I asked.
�That�s my name,� she explained.
M.E. and Kelly decided they�d heard enough and laughed as they walked away. I had to bite my tongue not to laugh with them. Of course, she would have a stripper�s name.
�I�ll meet you in the restaurant at eight, Mercedes. I look forward to getting to know you,� I said and made my own hasty retreat.
Kelly and M.E. were waiting for me at the elevator.
�Where does she dance?� M.E. asked.
�You two be good,� I warned them.
�What time are you meeting her?� she asked.
�And why would I tell you that?� I asked.
�Because you like me and wouldn�t make me sit down there all morning. I�m not missing the fireworks,� M.E. admitted.
�Eight,� I told them as we reached their floor.
I could hear gales of laughter as the door closed.
◊◊◊
When it was time to go meet Bo and Tanya, I got dressed in my Adriano Goldschmied, AG, jeans, with my handmade boots with the zippers up the side. I put on a fitted t-shirt from Abercrombie and my new Yohji Yamamoto ivory-colored jacket that had cartoon graphics under one arm. I looked like I was in New York and a model. It would be interesting to see how the people of Houston would take my outfit.
I came down to find Fritz waiting with the Bentley. I smiled a little smile when Mercedes and her friend saw me as they waited in the cab line.
�Sir, do you need a cab?� the doorman asked.
�I have a ride, thanks,� I said as I walked over to Fritz, who opened the back door, and I slid in.
He was in full livery, with a dark suit and tie.
�Hey, I want you to join us for dinner. I want you to meet Bo,� I said on the drive over.
�I can either wait or sit in the bar,� he suggested.
�No. Bo says the steaks at this place are out of this world. You need to try one.�
�You talked me into it. Did you wear your bodycam?�
�I put on the belt one. Do you have your gun and vest on?� I asked.
�Yes,� he admitted.
�Just checking.�
Dinner was at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, not far from the hotel. We were early, so they sent us to the bar until Bo showed up. While we waited, I told Fritz how I introduced Bo to his wife.
�If you decide you want to get married, just let me know. I seem to be good at matchmaking.�
People amaze me. You try to help, and they give you looks like that.
Once we were seated, Bo had something to make clear.
�Either you have to buy, or we need to split the check. I can�t buy your dinner,� Bo said.
�It�s on me. I also got you something,� I said and handed the cigars to Tanya and the rum to Bo. �A little something I picked up in Cuba.�
They switched gifts right in front of me. I introduced them to Fritz, and we ordered an appetizer. Another table had this mound of seafood, so I had to order the chilled seafood tower. It came with oysters, shrimp, stone crab claws, and Maine lobsters.
�I saw where Michigan got the okay to hold a camp at Lincoln High,� Bo complained.
�It�s too bad no one else is as good at recruiting as they are. When they do something like that, it makes you realize that they want you to go to their school. The only thing that might be better would be if someone would arrange for me to go see them play in a National Championship Game.�
�I can just see the NCAA on our doorstep the next day.�
�Please, you know I would pay for the tickets. Maybe I could catch a ride with a booster who has a private jet,� I suggested.
�Son, we�re not Ole Miss,� Bo said, getting his shots in.
�They don�t care about the NCAA. All they care about is they�ve beaten Alabama three times in the last twelve years.�
�One of those didn�t count because we had to vacate one of the victories as part of NCAA penalties.�
�Bo, you better quit while you�re ahead,� Tanya suggested.
I just smirked. He knew I would never do anything to jeopardize my eligibility. He was in the SEC, though, and I was sure he�d seen some questionable stuff, as he would at most every Power 5 school.
I decided to turn my wit towards Tanya.
�Did Bo pay for boarding school for Jordan?� I asked.
It was no secret that I thought her daughter was a little self-centered, to put it kindly.
�No, but there are days I wish he would. I invited her, but she didn�t have kind words to say about you. We thought it would be better that you two not have to suffer through dinner together.�
�For that, I am in your debt,� I said sincerely.
The waiter came and explained about the beef.
�We only use corn-fed beef from one source so we have strict quality control. We only select the highest-quality meat with just the right amount of marbling. This makes the meat very moist and flavorful when prepared properly. We dry age all our beef for at least 28 days. The moisture evaporates, but the beef stays tender and gets a nutty flavor. We think our meat is so good we only season it with kosher salt and cracked black pepper, and then finish it with butter.�
�What�s your best steak?� I asked.
�How hungry are you?� he asked.
�This boy could eat a side of beef by himself,� Bo said.
�We have an award-winning 32-ounce bone-in New York strip that�s normally for two. It�s carved tableside.�
�Bo, let�s get that. We can always take the leftovers home,� Tanya suggested.
Two pounds of meat sounded like it would be just about right. I doubt anyone was surprised when I decided to get one too. Fritz chose the regular-sized New York strip. Our waiter talked us into roasted wild mushrooms. He was right because steak goes with mushrooms. We also selected onion rings, steak fries, and creamed spinach.
The steak was better than advertised. You could cut it with your fork, and it almost melted in your mouth. I would be back for sure.
I almost passed on dessert, but they had a gooey pecan pie served warm with praline ice cream.
Even though the food was to die for, seeing Bo again and talking about weddings, football, and life was the highlight of the evening. We�d become friends over the two-plus years he�d worked to turn me into a quarterback. I owed him a lot. If Bo ever asked me to come to Alabama as a personal favor, I would do it without thinking. What made him such a good friend was he wanted me to go where it was best for me. I respected the hell out of that man.
◊◊◊ Tuesday July 12
Our hotel had a free breakfast, and eight seemed to be the time a lot of businesspeople decided to eat. Dave was sitting with M.E. and Kelly, so I walked up to say good morning.
�What�s good?� I asked.
�The bagel topper�s okay,� Dave said as he pointed at a premade bagel with egg, cheese, and mystery meat.
�I like the waffle,� M.E. said.
Kelly didn�t seem to be very talkative this morning.
�My sister says you�re meeting some girl you met at the pool yesterday,� Dave said.
I looked around but didn�t see Mercedes.
�I may have gotten stood up,� I admitted. �What�s the schedule for today?�
�Sign-in is eleven to one. At one-thirty, we have a team meeting, followed by practice and then a game tonight,� Dave supplied.
I made my way through the food line and loaded up on eggs, bacon, and sausage links. They had tea and juices, so I also got an OJ. A couple of businesspeople were just leaving, so I was able to snag a small table. I was just finishing when Mercedes� friend sat down with me.
�I know you�re going to be devastated, but Mercedes hooked up with some random dude last night, and I haven�t seen her this morning.�
�And here I had such high hopes that she was the one.�
�I bet you did. You handled her very well. Did you have a good dinner last night?�
�Yeah, I sure did. We went to Pappas Brothers Steakhouse,� I said.
�I�ve heard good things about that place. I think I�m jealous,� she said. �Would it be okay if I ate with you?�
�I think I�d enjoy that,� I admitted.
I glanced over at Dave, and he was staring at her. Kelly was obviously unhappy with him. Mercedes� friend joined the breakfast line, and when she came back, she had loaded her plate up almost like I had. I liked a woman who could eat.
�So, what brings you to Houston?� I asked.
�We have cheerleading tryouts.�
�Who with?�
�The Houston Texans.�
�No way. I know some of them. Well, �know� is a little strong. They worked at a football camp I attended for the last two years, and I met them there.�
�You play football, too? I thought you were here for baseball.�
I was startled when someone sat down with us. It was Kaitlyn, the Texans cheerleader I was smitten with.
�Oh, Honey, this one is trouble.�
�Hey, guess who turned 18?� I asked with a big smile.
�Wait, you�re only 18?� the girl who hadn�t given me her name yet asked.
Turned out, her name was Rebecca. Kaitlyn told her what a flirt I was and how I made all the other guys at the football camps jealous, with her help.
�You have new pictures up on the website,� I said and waggled my eyebrows.
�I wish you were older,� Kaitlyn said, ruining my morning.
�Oh, I�d go easy on you. I�d hate to see you break a hip.�
�I�m not that old,� Kaitlyn complained.
�Thank God. I was worried about you. Give me your phone,� I said.
I put my number into it.
�I�ll be here the rest of the week and then through Monday of next. Except for Saturday when I have to fly to LA for the day. Call me, and I�ll take you out.�
Mom said that you had to assume the sale. Kaitlyn at least looked amused. Rebecca suddenly became my newest best friend.
�If you don�t call him, give me his number, and I will.�
�Can I bring my boyfriend?� Kaitlyn asked with a smirk.
�He�d just be a third wheel unless you found him a date. I�d hate for him to feel uncomfortable.�
�Come on, Rebecca. We need to leave before I decide to go out with him.�
�Hang on. We need to take pictures,� I said and waved M.E. over.
She took our picture for me, and I sent Kaitlyn a text with a copy of it. Kaitlyn closed her eyes and shook her head when she realized I had her number. She should learn never to hand her phone to anyone; you might suddenly have a stalker. At least I was upfront about it when I sent the picture to Lily to have her plaster it all over social media.
When they left, M.E. wanted the scoop. So I wouldn�t have to repeat myself, I had her get Dave and her best friend over.
◊◊◊
I was planning to go down and work out when there was a knock on the door. I opened it, and Kelly, M.E.�s best friend, was there.
�What�s with the sign?� she asked.
�Oh, yeah � hang on. You have to sign this before you can come in,� I said, handing her the clipboard with the document Fritz had given me.
She read it, shrugged, and signed it. I wasn�t really sure what I was supposed to do with it once I got it, so I just put the clipboard on the desk.
�What can I do for you?� I asked when she came in.
Kelly looked nervous, which made me nervous. Then she sat down on the side of my bed, and the tears started. Really? I sat at the desk and just became quiet. Honestly, I didn�t know Kelly all that well. She was M.E.�s best friend, which told me she had to be a little weird.
Despite her hot body, M.E. had to be one of the ugliest girls I�d ever met. Kelly wasn�t ugly, but she was a big girl. Not a big girl as in heavy, big girl in that she was six feet tall, and I would guess weighed 180 pounds. She reminded me of an Amazon warrior, big-breasted and sturdy.
A good comparison would be Anna Nicole Smith, a Playboy centerfold who had married a rich old man when I was little. He�d died, and the family was up in arms when he left her his fortune. When I�m old and rich, I plan to do the same. My kids better get theirs before Pops buys his last wife.
�How did you and M.E. meet?� I asked to distract her.
�She moved to our school when I was in third grade, and she was in second. The kids took one look at her and started calling her �Horse Face.� At lunchtime, I found her sitting beside the school, crying. I�d caught a toad at the bus stop in the morning. I pulled it out of my pocket to show her, and it was dead,� she said, and a small smile crept across her face.
�You showed her a dead toad?� I asked. �That couldn�t have been good.�
�I thought I might have messed her up, but she saw how upset I was to find I had killed an animal. She helped me bury it after school. After that, we were inseparable. They call us Mr. Ed and Lurch,� she admitted.
�I so want to go to your school and just beat the snot out of all the kids there,� I said, shaking my head.
�If it weren�t for Caddie, I would have already done it. As you can guess, with a nickname like Lurch, I was a big girl who could clean the clock of any boy in grade and middle school. I can probably still take most of them in high school,� she said, giving me a sly smile.
I had no idea that M.E. was named Caddie.
�What was the deal with you and Dave?� I asked.
�Honestly, I�ve had a crush on him since I first met Caddie. Of course, I never told her. It about killed her when Dave asked me out. I guess I wanted what he offered, a chance to be normal. Dave will be the Homecoming King this year, and as his girlfriend, I would�ve been part of the �in crowd.�
�It was the biggest mistake I ever made. Dave may be popular, but I know him. I�ve been in their home enough to know what a total tool he is. I�m sorry, I don�t mean that �� she stammered. �Yes, I do. He can be a nice guy, but I know too much about him for us ever to be serious.�
�I agreed to go to the party in North Carolina as kind of a test run. I think that was when I realized I couldn�t go through with it,� she said.
�M.E. was upset.�
�I know. I was mad at her for not understanding. Then I talked to her, and she shared that she was afraid she would lose her only friend. She�s aware that she�s different. It broke my heart to think I�d made her that sad. I believe her douche of a brother also realized it.
�That didn�t mean he didn�t try to get into my pants,� Kelly admitted.
I got up out of my chair and sat down next to her. She reached over and hugged me as she began to cry again.
�Do I need to kick his ass?� I asked.
�No, please don�t. I got myself into this.�
�Did he �?�
�No.�
Kelly got herself under control, and I could see she was embarrassed.
�I didn�t come here to tell you my problems,� she admitted.
�What did you come here for?� I asked.
Suddenly, I was in a lip-lock and pushed onto my back. I want to say I was in such shock that she pinned me to the bed. But if I said that, it would have been a lie. Kelly was strong. She finally stopped kissing me and moaned. Not the sexy kind of moan, but the one you make when something is seriously wrong.
She sat up, and I just blinked to clear my head.
�I�m sorry. You must think I�m terrible to attack you like that. It�s just that you�re the most gorgeous man I�ve ever seen in person, and I figured if I ever got the chance ��
Kelly said that as she was pulling down my shorts. When she freed Mr. Happy, she saw he was standing up to say hello. Kelly smiled and looked me in the eyes.
�Would you teach me?� she asked.
I laughed because it reminded me of the line I�d used before about a small-town boy in the big city.
�Only if you�re sure,� I said.
�Please. It would mean a lot to me, and if I could get the video later ��
I could just imagine Fritz laughing aloud at me right now.
�I�m not sure about that, but let me take charge and slow this down some,� I said.
When I unwrapped Kelly, I was in for a treat. I�d never been with a girl her size. What I soon found out was that I�d been missing out on a lot of fun. I never had to worry I might break her, and in many ways, she reminded me of Zoe. Like Zoe, Kelly was a good religious girl who was excited to learn everything about sex.
Something I did learn was that a girl with big thighs could be dangerous to your health. I had devoured her sex to get her ready when she climaxed. Her legs clamped down around my ears, and I was stuck. It might not have been so bad, but I couldn�t breathe. I was lucky that she calmed down enough to let me go.
Kelly was panting and had the biggest smile on her face.
�Make me a woman,� she ordered.
I believed the best way to take a girl�s virginity was to have her be on top and let her control the action. But I was just a little worried about what she would do to me, so I decided to do it from the missionary position. I put on a condom and looked down at her thick bush. She was an all-natural woman. I knee-walked between her magnificent thighs and let the head of my member slide up and down her sex until it parted.
I found her entrance and leaned forward so I could kiss her. She grabbed my butt and pulled me into her. I felt her maidenhead and suddenly was all the way in. I had to stop, not for her, but because I about lost it at the erotic nature of taking her cherry. Kelly had a big tunnel, and I didn�t have to do any sexual gymnastics to help her accommodate my size. Once she got past the initial discomfort, it was game on.
After our first round, she wanted to try other positions. I got her on all fours and took her from behind. I had never before understood why men liked girls with big bottoms. While I was an ass man, I liked mine small and athletic. Kelly decided to help me because I must not have been doing it hard enough. That was when I looked down and watched her big butt-cheeks begin to open as she rocked back, and then come together when she slammed into me. I got a big smile on my face when her rear began to make a clapping noise as they snapped together.
That was when I caught movement out of my peripheral vision and found Allard smiling at me. I hadn�t heard the door open.
�Damn, Dawson! I knew I needed to room with you.�
Kelly looked over at him and just kept going. If she was okay with it �
�Hey, you need to sign one of those sheets on the clipboard,� I said, pointing at the desk.
He read it and shook his head as he signed a copy.
When we finished, Allard got a tentative look.
�Would she mind?� he asked.
�It�s up to her,� I said, surprising myself.
Kelly smiled at him, which was all the invitation he needed. I tossed him a condom and went to take a shower as he did the undressing Olympics. I was impressed. Allard was packing and about as big as I was. Kelly seemed to like it, and she convinced him to let her be on top.
When I came out of the shower, it was almost one.
�I hate to tell you, but it�s time for us to go get signed in,� I told Allard.
He redoubled his efforts, and they both climaxed hard. He jumped out of bed and ran for the shower.
�I think I might be a slut. My first time, and I�m with two boys,� Kelly said.
�Did you have fun?� I asked.
�I did.�
�Well, I can�t speak for Allard, but I had a good time too. If you want to do this again, let me know.�
�How about after the game tonight?� she asked.
Allard came out of the bathroom naked. I guessed that our room might be clothing-optional. I had been wondering how I would handle sleeping because I usually slept
�She wants to stop by after the game,� I said.
�Perfect,� Allard said as he got dressed.
I asked her to lock up when she left. We hurried down to begin tryouts for the Under-18 USA Baseball Team.
◊◊◊
Chapter 23 � A Piece That Fits Tuesday July 12
Allard and I signed in and then ran next door to a deli to grab a quick sandwich. I came back to Fritz giving me the stink eye.
�I know, I know,� I said, holding up my hand.
�Who�s this?� Allard asked.
�This is Fritz, the head of my security, and I�m in trouble for leaving the hotel without him,� I admitted.
�If you�d prefer, I could be with you 24/7,� Fritz threatened.
�I�ll make sure he lets you know,� Allard assured Fritz.
I don�t think he wanted Fritz in our bedroom. What he didn�t know was that Fritz had a key and had probably watched us get our freak on with Kelly.
�What am I supposed to do with the documents I had them sign?� I asked.
�I got them. In the future, I�ll just get them off the clipboard. By the way, I also called housekeeping,� he said, giving us both meaningful looks.
I hadn�t forgotten about him, which I proved by handing him a sandwich. I figured I was probably safe in downtown Houston during the middle of the day. But like Fritz had said before, it only took once. I was spending money to have him there, so I�d make sure he was with me when I went out.
I thought we needed to talk about the elephant in the room.
�What did you think of Kelly?� I asked.
�I thought she was Dave�s girl,� Allard said.
�Well, I think she�s more M.E.�s friend.�
�You might want to tell M.E.,� Allard suggested.
�Are you interested in her coming back?� I asked.
He looked at me as if I�d lost my mind. On the one hand, we had a willing girl. On the other, we had a teenage boy. What did I think he would say?
�I don�t believe she�s the kind of girl you want to just mess around with. My guess is that today just got a little out of hand. I don�t want to sleep with her all week and then pack up and go home. It wouldn�t be fair to her,� I said.
�But I thought this was something you did a lot,� Allard said.
�Far from it,� Fritz weighed in. �I observed David in LA. For an actor, he showed remarkable self-restraint. He�s not a little angel, but I was surprised he slept with this girl.�
�But you had girls coming out of the woodwork at camp. There were the girls from Duke, then you brought a couple from home, and finally, there was that actress,� Allard pointed out.
�I didn�t sleep with any of them at camp,� I said, adding the qualifier.
�I�m confused. Dave said you ate breakfast with Houston Texans cheerleaders, and then when I came into the room � well, you were there.�
�If you want to spend time with Kelly, don�t let me stop you. I just want you to know she�s a nice girl,� I said.
�Do you plan to not see her anymore?� Allard asked.
�I�ll see her, but not for sex. M.E. and I are starting to become friends.�
He threw a face. I understood that M.E. wasn�t attractive, but she was a sweet girl and just weird enough that I liked hanging out with her. I guess I felt she was like an abused puppy that needed some attention. It wasn�t that I felt sorry for her, it was more that I could see someone who needed a friend.
We were eating our lunch in the Hampton Inn breakfast room when we spotted some of the guys from our team in North Carolina. Trent and Mitch pulled up chairs.
�Did you see who else was on our team?� Trent asked.
�No, why?� I asked.
�We got the young kids.�
Of the 40 players taken, all would be seniors or entering college except for three players. One was a sophomore, and there were two juniors. For now, they divided us into two teams of 20�the Stars and the Stripes. Only 20 of us would make the final cut to represent the USA in Monterrey.
�That must mean they�re good,� I said. �Leave it to Coach Kingwood to find us the best players for our team.�
We finished our sandwiches and found the conference room where our team, the Stars, was meeting. Coach Kingwood made us all give up our cell phones so there would be no distractions. We each received a binder that we would use while we were here.
The room was set up with classroom-like seating. Allard and I picked seats next to some of our old teammates on Pride. Coach Kingwood counted noses and started the meeting right on time. I smiled when he walked back and locked the door even though we were two players short. This reminded me of the Elite 11 football camp.
�There are a few items I want to talk about before we head over to Minute Maid Park,� Coach Kingwood started. Then there was a rattling of the door as someone tried to enter.
One of the coaches left to deal with it.
�I shouldn�t need to say this, but I expect you to be on time. That�s my last warning about that, because from now on if you�re late, you don�t play. I think you can figure out that if you don�t play, you won�t be making the team,� he said, making his point.
�Let�s talk baseball. I want you to run to score. Sometimes you might not be aware of other play that�s occurring on the field,� he said as a video began on the screen behind him. �This clip shows you exactly what I�m talking about. I want to reinforce to you to pay attention to your coaches and trust them to get you in position to succeed. I want you aggressive on the basepaths and to put pressure on the defense.�
The video showed the batter hitting the ball to left field with runners on first and second. It was clear the left fielder would catch it on the hop. The lead runner made it home while the play at third was close. The third-base coach was frantically waving his arm to hustle and then slide.
�Did you see how close that play was? W. I. N., win. That�s something I talk about every day. Write that down,� he said.
We got our binders out and wrote out the letters down the page.
�What�s. Important. Now.�W. I. N. or win.�
We wrote the words out before he continued.
�The baserunner on first never looked to the field to see what the left fielder was doing. He was focused on his task in that moment. That task was to pick up as many bases as he could. If he�d done like so many base runners do and slowed down to make sure the ball hadn�t been caught on the fly, he would have been out. Instead, he focused on his third-base coach and trusted him to get him the most bases. He showed good hustle getting around the basepath. Team Pride heard this enough: attitude and effort. If you show those two qualities and play within the moment, we will have success.
�I want you to think about something. If we�re down by a large margin � where does our comeback start?� he asked and paused. �It starts right now. It starts with your head in the game. With each pitch you throw. With a quality at-bat. It starts with you making the proper play in the field or on the basepath. It is locked in the moment. This is how we will win. Attitude and effort, combined with W.I.N.
�This is not about us saying we�re going to score five or six runs to catch up. It�s now � plus the next now � plus the next now. It�s about keeping focused on the task at hand, and we will achieve the outcome we desire. That is about you setting goals. You know you�re at point A, and you want to get to point B. Now, how are you going to get there? What are the steps along the way? Now, what is that? That�s the process. That�s W.I.N., �What�s Important Now,�� Coach Kingwood explained.
He then familiarized us with international play. In high school, most games were seven innings. In international play, we would be playing a full nine. There would also be a designated hitter. This was how we played before in the first tryouts, so it wasn�t a surprise. He warned us that we were representing our country, and good sportsmanship was expected.
�This week, we will play six games, starting tonight and going through Sunday. Do not expect to play all the games. Everyone will get a shot to play, some more than others. The goal is to halve your numbers so we have twenty for the national team. We may not take the best if we feel they aren�t a good fit for the team,� he explained.
We then watched video of past international play so we had a better idea of what to expect. The whole time we watched, he kept coaching us. I liked how Coach Kingwood did things.
Eventually, the two laggards were let into the room. I wasn�t surprised when one of them was Dave. I think the fact that he had to wait to get in, plus the embarrassment of everyone staring at him, got his attention.
�Third row, I need you to follow the equipment manager and help him load everything we need on the bus. We leave in fifteen minutes. Dawson, I need you to stay for a minute,� Coach Kingwood said, and then dismissed us.
He waited until we were alone.
�I understand you won�t be here on Saturday.�
�Yes, sir. I�ll be in LA for the ESPY Awards. I�m one of six who are competing for the Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year award.�
�Do you think that�s more important than this?� he asked.
�If you tell me you need me here, I�ll stay. I�m warning you, though: if you do, you have to tell my mom.�
He smiled.
�No, I was just giving you a hard time. If you go, you�d better win.�
�I wouldn�t be going if I didn�t think I had a chance.�
�Once we get to the park, I want you to lead them in warm-ups. I want them used to you being in charge on the field.�
�Yes, sir.�
◊◊◊
As the bus pulled up to Minute Maid Park, the home of the Houston Astros, I stood up and walked to the front of the aisle.
�When we get off, grab your gear and get it to the dugout. We�ll stretch and do a little running to get the blood flowing. We only have so much practice time today. I know that the majority of the players that will make the final team are on this bus. Let me give you some advice from someone who�s gone through a few camps similar to this. Everything counts. Hustle, support your teammates, and take everything seriously,� I said.
�You heard him. Get moving,� Coach Kingwood said.
I took them out to center field where everyone grabbed a partner and stretched. I grabbed the kid that had been late with Dave to be my partner. His name was Tristan Pratt, and he was the youngest player here. Once we were done stretching, I gathered them around.
�Baseball is not a slow or static sport. When playing baseball, the actions are centered on power, acceleration, explosiveness, and movement. I see too many ballplayers half-ass it because the game can have long periods when you aren�t involved in the action. Coach Kingwood was correct when he talked about �what�s important now.� The point he was trying to get across was that you have to keep your head in the game, and when something happens, you need to react�explosively. That�s one reason warming up your body and stretching out is essential.�
I started them off doing runs of ninety feet, the distance from home to first. Then I had them do exercises that both Shiggy and my speed coach had taught me: high knee lifts, lateral side skips, and fast feet.
We then split up and grabbed our gloves. I went with the outfielders to do drills. We started off with little round cones in a straight line behind me. Coach would toss the ball over my head, and I was supposed to turn and run straight back to catch the ball over my shoulder. This was similar to what Coach Haskins did with me, so I did okay.
Tristan was up next. As the ball flew over his head, the coach called out, �Crossing it.�
That meant he had crossed the cone line and not run straight back. If you crossed the cones, you had to fade back to get into position to catch the ball. It was all in the details. Tristan seemed nervous, but I quietly pointed out it was just baseball, and with my encouragement, he relaxed. I�d guessed right. The younger players had some real talent.
◊◊◊
Before the game, I was able to speak with M.E. She�d been invited to be our batgirl because her brother was on the team. She�d talked her mom into allowing her to bring Kelly with her.
�Has Kelly talked to you?� I asked.
�About her huge crush on you? I told her to tell you about it.�
�We did more than talk,� I said.
It appeared the hamster had fallen off the wheel in her head by the blank look she gave me. I wasn�t sure if she didn�t know what I was talking about or what. I waited for her brain to re-engage as she figured it out. Then I watched as she went from pissed, to curious, to mystified, to finally a blank stare.
�Are you okay?� I asked, concerned.
�If you were just looking to get laid, why not do it with one of those cheerleaders?�
�That would be my normal operating procedure,� I admitted, and then took a deep breath. �Kelly came to my room, and one thing led to another.�
�� one thing led to another,� M.E. mimicked my voice in a snarky way.
I wanted to laugh. She did a good impression of me. I knew that if I did, she would never talk to me again.
�I�m sorry,� I said, and tried my new move � the freezing, wet, sad puppy with a quivering lip.
Maybe the whining-puppy sounds were a bit much.
�Jerk!� she said and gave me a shove.
�You can�t be mad at me,� I said, getting down on my knees by the dugout.
Other players started to notice.
�Get up,� M.E. hissed and attempted to walk away.
I pulled a Cassidy move and wrapped her leg with my arms and legs so she couldn�t leave.
I made more whimpering-puppy sounds, and she looked around. Now everyone was staring at us.
�People are watching!�
{whimpering puppy noises}
�Okay, I�m not mad at you.�
I jumped up, did a little dance, and then licked her face. In my defense, that was what Duke would have done. M.E. tried to swat me, but I dodged her. By now, people were laughing at us, and I could tell she was having a hard time not smiling. When a small smile finally touched her lips, I picked her up in a hug and swung her around.
�I�m going to pee!�
I let her go, and she smacked me.
�If you�re done flirting with the batgirl �� Coach Kingwood said.
�Yes, sir.�
�Take the lineup card to the umpire.�
He�d kept the lineup of the first game under wraps. I think he gave it to me so I could share it with the team. I made a loud whistle to get everyone�s attention and waved them in.
�Coach gave me the lineup,� I told them when they gathered around.
Batting Order / Name / Position
(1) David Dawson � Center Field
(2) Mitch Underwood � Shortstop
(3) Dave Gordon � First Base
(4) Shane Bays � Designated Hitter
(5) Royce Greene � Third Base
(6) Nick Madigan � Right Field
(7) Tristan Pratt � Left Field
(8) Patrick Welch � Catcher
(9) Logan Greene � Second Base
Allard Hensley � Pitcher
I took the lineup card over to the plate umpire. He already had the lineup for the Stripes and gave me a copy. I dutifully returned to Coach Kingwood.
�I take it, I�m your new Bob,� I said to him, referring to my host-brother and batboy in North Carolina who had the scoop on everything.
�You seem to be handling your new duties well.�
◊◊◊
The crowd at Minute Maid Park was disappointing. We drew about as many people as we did in North Carolina, but here, it felt like the park was empty. Two thousand fans didn�t even make a dent in the over forty-thousand-seat ballpark.
The park wasn�t set up for the long ball. To straight center field, it was 435 feet with a 25-foot wall.
We were up first. Coach Kingwood pulled me aside to give me directions before I stepped out there.
�This first game will set the tone for the rest. Expect them to challenge you on the first at-bat, and I want you to show them we�re going to own them.�
I chuckled.
�What�s so funny?�
�I can just hear Dave saying �you can�t say that� about owning the other team.�
�Get your head in the game,� he said, getting serious. �Expect them to throw you fastballs early. If you get one you like, I want you to tear the cover off it.�
I nodded and trotted to the batter�s box.
�You ready for some baseball?� I asked.
Everyone ignored me. I closed my eyes to visualize my five steps for hitting. When I opened them, I felt myself drop into the zone and took my stance. Their pitcher put his toe on the rubber and threw to home. Everything slowed down as I watched him overstride to get as much as he could out of the ball. I knew when it came out of his hand that I was swinging. If I�d waited a split second to decide, it would have been too late. Later I learned that they clocked the pitch at 96 miles per hour, probably the fastest I�d faced in live batting. Fortunately, the Lincoln High Booster Club had bought top-quality pitching machines, so I was prepared.
I knew that if my mechanics were correct, this ball would fly a long way. I admit that I put a little extra in the cut as I swung at the ball. But when I heard that satisfying sound of a well-hit ball, I knew I hadn�t needed to.
�Shit!� was the eloquent response from their catcher.
It was hit to dead center field, so I ran hard to first, thinking that even my best-hit ball might not make it out. The center fielder ran back and then just stopped, turned, and watched it. I made a little hop when it disappeared over the fence.
Our bench was waiting for me when I came home. I received my congratulations and saw Coach Kingwood tip his hat to me.
Our bats didn�t come alive until the fourth inning when we put four on them. I had a weird night at the plate. I batted five times and only got one hit. They walked me four times, which turned out to be a mistake because I stole second three times and accounted for two more runs. We won 6�3 to �set the tone,� as Coach Kingwood put it.
◊◊◊
They�d set up a pizza buffet with salad and soft drinks for both teams. I didn�t feel like eating pizza that late. To tell the truth, it didn�t look all that good. I got permission from Coach Kingwood to go back to the hotel. Fritz pulled the car around, and we drove back.
When he dropped me off, Kelly was sitting in the lobby, reading a book. She saw me and smiled. I�d planned to slow things down, but when she stood up and smiled at me, I had second thoughts. Kelly just looked so happy that I couldn�t find it in me to turn her down.
�Take me upstairs,� she told me.
We stood outside my room while I fished for my key card. I knew it had to be in my duffle bag.
�Are you sure about this?� I asked.
�God, yes, I�m sure about this.�
Kelly grabbed my duffle bag and reached in. As if by magic, she found the key card and pushed it into the slot. She grabbed me, dragged me into the room, and pushed her body against mine as I leaned against the closed door. Kelly pulled my head down to capture my lips. Her hands ran all over my arms and shoulders. I wanted to throw her down right there in the entrance hall and have my way with her on the hotel carpet.
�You�re so good-looking,� Kelly said. �You have the nicest eyes I�ve ever seen.�
She pushed her chest against me, and I felt her nipples drill into my chest.
�Do you feel that?� she asked.
�Yes.�
�Feel how much I need you. How much I want you.�
I felt my desire ratchet up.
�Yes, yes,� I managed to get out.
�Do you want me?� Kelly asked.
�God, yes,� I hissed.
�Say it. Say you want me,� she ordered.
�I want you.�
Kelly�s mouth, reckless and possessive, found mine. I picked her up, took her to bed, and gently laid her down. She watched as I undid my jersey to take it off. I then took off my protective t-shirt so I was bare-chested. I reached down and unbuttoned her shirt with one hand, and I let my fingers of my other hand linger tantalizingly on the top of her breasts. She squirmed as I teased her chest.
Kelly sat up and pulled her shirt and then bra off. When her breasts were finally exposed, I leaned down and lavished them with attention. She groaned and whispered my name.
�Please,� she begged. Her eyes showed her desire.
�Please what?� I asked.
�Please.�
�Do you want me to touch you � here?� I asked as I cupped her big firm breasts and ran my thumbs over her extended nipples.
�Yes,� Kelly hissed.
�Here?� I asked, letting my right hand slide down her belly as she squirmed with passion.
�Oh, yes.�
�Do you want me to go lower?�
�Please.�
I undid her jeans and slid my hand inside her panties. My fingers slid through her bush, and I found her aroused sex.
�Oh, yes,� Kelly groaned.
�Here?� I asked as my voice became gravelly.
I toyed with her delicate folds with my long, thick fingers. She whimpered as I slid a digit inside her. She was ready for me.
�I love your muff,� I announced.
I half-expected that my statement would surprise her, but she just moaned louder as my fingers pushed deeper, filled her, stretched her, and stroked her. When I found the rough little patch at the top of her wall, I began firmly to rub her G-spot. She was losing her mind as she made little yelping noises and said my name over and over again.
�David, David, David � I want you,� she begged.
I worked my magic and helped her reach her first one. Enough with the preliminaries, I decided. She saw me take the rest of my baseball gear off. While I did that, she got naked, and I grabbed a condom and put it on.
When I turned back, I took her in. There was raw lust radiating from her every pore. I crawled on her and felt myself sink into warm, slippery goodness. If I thought the first time was good, I�m not sure what you would call this. I settled on fun. Kelly wasn�t in the same class as my girls back home, but I wouldn�t turn her down. What was it that Kendal�s grandpa said? If they�re passing around pie, you eat pie. If she wanted to have sex with me, I would have sex.
I heard the keycard enter the door, and Allard came in.
�I hoped you two were here,� he said as he began to get undressed.
The Alpha Male in me surfaced.
�Wait your turn,� I said, not interested in sharing at the moment.
He lay back on his bed and stroked himself while Kelly and I had sex. It was distracting, to say the least, and I found I just wanted to get this over with, so I went to pound town. Dear Lord, Kelly liked that. I had to clamp my hand over her mouth before her screams got us in trouble.
I felt the wonderful feeling deep inside, slammed home one more time, and became rigid as nirvana overcame me.
�Damn, that was hot,� Allard observed.
I rolled off Kelly and got up to take care of the condom.
When I came back from the bathroom, I found her in Allard�s bed as she rode him. I noticed he hadn�t put on a condom.
�Dude, condom,� I said, holding one up.
�No, I�m good,� he announced.
�You did meet my son, right?� I asked.
Allard wasn�t happy, but he put it on. I returned to the bathroom and took a long hot shower.
◊◊◊ Wednesday July 13
After breakfast, we had our morning meeting in the conference room. The coaches showed us highlights from yesterday�s game and pointed out what we needed to work on. One of the plays that failed was a rundown between first and second. That�s where a runner is caught in no-man�s-land between bases, and the defense tosses the ball back and forth until they can tag him.
The Stripes base runner took a big lead at first. He must have had a brain cramp when the pitcher tried to pick him off because he didn�t even try to get back to the bag. When Dave caught the ball, he did what he was supposed to: run towards the base runner to either tag him or, when he approached second, toss the ball. Dave ended up hitting the runner in the back, and he was safe at second.
�When we hit the field today, we�ll practice rundowns. I just want to point out that Dave did almost everything right, but he wasn�t in position to make a clean throw. From looking at where Mitch is at short and where Dave ran, it�s clear that we haven�t played enough together to make this play. Both Mitch and Dave should have taken an inside line,� Coach Kingwood observed.
What you didn�t do in a rundown was follow right behind the runner down the basepath. The best approach was to be a couple of steps inside the basepath. That did two things for you. The first was that it gave you an unobstructed throw to the other fielder. It would have prevented Dave from having to either throw over the base runner or hit him with the throw. The second was that if there were other runners on base, you could both see them clearly and have a clean throw if they took off. If you set up outside the basepath, you might have the runner between you and where you wanted to either see or throw.
Coach Kingwood then told everyone that we were mixing up tonight�s lineup. All the players who didn�t get to play last night would start tonight. The only one he would keep in the lineup was me, but I would be the designated hitter and bat fourth. The plan was for everyone to get a chance at playing, and in my case, show off my hitting in the cleanup spot instead of leading off.
◊◊◊
When the meeting was over, we took the bus to Urban Youth Academy, where they had two ball fields for us to practice on. We got one, and the Stripes practiced on the other one. I led our group off the bus and warmed them up.
�Dawson, you�re with the infield today,� Coach Kingwood announced.
When he had the infielders gathered around, he told us what we were going to do.
�I want David to act as the base runner because if you can get him out, everyone else will be easy.�
�He won�t be a problem,� Dave said confidently.
Silly boy, he should never have challenged me like that. I planned to make him eat those words.
The idea behind a rundown is to get the base runner to run towards the other base. The fielder covering the base is supposed to run towards the oncoming runner. You toss the ball to the fielder, and the base runner has to stop to turn around and run back. This gives a considerable advantage to the fielder because he�s already running and doesn�t have to change directions, making it an easy play.
For me, as the base runner, this was a game of tag. In my head, I was hearing MC Hammer singing
�In the first scenario, I want David to get a lead at first. When Allard makes his move to first, David takes off as if to steal second,� Coach Kingwood directed.
I took a decent lead and waited for Allard to make his move. When he did, I made a big show of going to second. Dave wasn�t taking any chances and fired the ball to Mitch at short. I only took one big step towards second and ran back towards first. In my head, fireworks were going off, and they were having a parade in my honor as I did a happy dance on the float. What I showed to the rest of the world was an encouraging look for Dave. I was a team player, after all.
�You have to get the base runner moving. Do it again, but let�s make sure David is actually forced to second,� Coach Kingwood taught.
On the next play, I stood there when the ball got to Dave and smiled at him. Dave got a determined look and began to jog towards me. I ran backward. I was about halfway down the baseline when Dave pulled the ball out of his glove and tossed it to Mitch. As soon as he started to throw, I exploded back towards first where someone was supposed to be covering the bag. No one had thought to cover first, and I beat Mitch by a mile as he tried to run me down.
To his credit, Coach Kingwood kept his cool. He sent me to the outfield to practice while he worked with the infielders on fundamentals. This was basic stuff that they�d all learned in Little League. After thirty minutes, he was satisfied they could catch me, so I was brought back.
They soon learned what my speed coach had been teaching me. I could stop on a dime and be going in a different direction at full speed in the blink of an eye. If they weren�t going full-out, they couldn�t catch me. If they did it right, I really didn�t have a chance. That didn�t mean I was easy on them. Finally, Coach took pity on me when he saw I�d sweat through my jersey and pants in the Houston heat. I think I drank a gallon of water.
◊◊◊
Tonight�s game was at the Urban Youth Academy. This was more like playing a game at the park than at a stadium. It was a nice setup, but there was very little seating for fans. I was glad my family and friends hadn�t made the trip. They might�ve been standing the whole game.
Coach Kingwood sent me out to exchange lineups. When I came back, he wasn�t happy. The Stripes were using the same lineup as they had the night before.
�It looks like they�re determined to get a win,� I observed.
�That wasn�t what we talked about � uh � forget you heard that,� he told me.
�Don�t worry about it. You won�t lose to them until Saturday,� I predicted.
He shook his head and then gave me a curious look.
�You�ve never lost a game with me in the lineup,� I said, smiling.
�Go away and leave me alone,� Coach Kingwood said.
◊◊◊
We huddled up before going to bat in the first inning.
�They want this game bad. I want you to be on your toes and remember W.I.N. Each pitch, each moment, have your head in the game. Focus on good things happening. If something bad does happen � shake it off. And something else to keep in mind: we have a secret weapon. Every time Dawson starts, we win,� Coach Kingwood said.
I just smiled and nodded to my teammates.
The pitcher book said that the kid we�d be facing was their best, on paper. I remembered I�d batted against him in North Carolina, and we had rocked him pretty good, but we did that to everyone. If he gave us his best game, we�d be looking at a low-scoring contest. I didn�t think they would score much off Luke, who had been on our original team.
Our leadoff hitter found a first-pitch curve right over the plate and hit a bloop single over their shortstop. From the dugout, I expected another curveball, but instead, he served up a slider way outside. I was surprised when Coach Way signaled for the bunt. I guess Coach Kingwood thought we needed to move our base runner into scoring position.
For pitchers, the first inning is always dangerous. Your adrenaline is pumping, and you haven�t settled in yet. I found as a pitcher that if I could settle my nerves and survive the first inning, I was good to go. If you had a bad first inning, it could affect your confidence, and minor problems could snowball. With that in mind, I liked the aggression of bunting in this situation.
I knew our batter had a problem as soon as the ball was thrown. There was no way he was getting out of the way of that pitch since it was delivered with some serious heat. The only consolation was it hit him in the thigh. If that pitch had been higher, there could have been real damage. Seeing a pitch like that reminded me of why I wore the protective gear Sandy Range had sent me.
The trainer trotted out to check on our player while the umpire warned both benches. I grabbed my bat and helmet and trotted out to the on-deck circle. I watched as the pitcher threw a wild pitch, and our baserunners both advanced. It didn�t matter, though, when he threw three more balls to walk our batter.
I had a little smile when I realized that they couldn�t walk me in this situation without giving up a run. The Stripes manager walked out to the mound, and they discussed what they wanted to have happen. It was apparent their pitcher was pissed, and I rather agreed with him. It wasn�t usual to have your manager come to the mound in the first inning. If you did see someone, it was usually your pitching coach. This told me they wanted this game.
Their pitcher threw me twelve pitches as I battled to stay alive. He�d done a good job of not giving me anything I could hit. But many of them were too close for me to hold up on and trust the umpire to call them a ball, so I fouled them off. On the thirteenth pitch, he threw his first changeup. When it left his hand, I knew it was a hittable ball. Thankfully, I didn�t guess fastball, or I would have been way ahead of it.
I held back for a split second and pushed it over the first baseman�s head. I was running full-out on contact. Since it was in front of me, I could see it was going to make it to the fence, so I didn�t slow down when I rounded first. I turned my head to Coach Way at third base and ignored what was happening in the outfield. I was sure I could get a stand-up double, but he waved me to third. This was all part of our plan to be aggressive on the basepaths, but this time it bit us in the butt. I was gunned down when their second baseman executed a perfect relay.
I dusted myself off and trotted to the dugout where Coach Kingwood stopped me.
�Good job. You trying to take third allowed another run to score.�
I just nodded and was congratulated by my teammates. We were now up 3�0.
I came up in the third with no one on and two out. The Stripes had manufactured two runs to get within a run. This time I battled their pitcher and lost. He still had to throw me nine pitches before he got me to chase a fastball that wasn�t even close.
In the bottom of the third, the Stripes finally got their bats working and put up two runs to take a 4�3 lead. We loaded the bases in the fourth, but nothing came of it. Leaving that many runners on base was how you lost baseball games. Coach Kingwood reminded us of W.I.N.: do what was needed in the moment.
The Stripes were able to put another two runs across in the fourth. We were now down by three.
When I was up in the fifth, we had managed to get runners at first and third with two outs. I could tell their pitcher was struggling, so I wasn�t surprised when they trotted out a big right-hander to face me. Coach Short, our hitting coach, called me over.
�This kid is a one-trick pony. He throws fastballs. My guess is that he�s been brought in to face you since you represent the tying run. Watch yourself; this kid has a nasty streak and might try to put one in your ear.�
Great!
I was thankful he�d warned me because the first pitch was sent as a message. I just brushed myself off and focused on my hitting. While I knew that I could be injured if I were hit with a fastball, I couldn�t let that stop me. My competitive beast came to the surface as I slipped into the zone.
The next pitch was right at my head. When I got up, I was pissed. I pointed the bat at him.
�Listen, asshole! You hit me, and I�ll break your arm!�
�Whoa, whoa, whoa, we�ll have none of that,� the umpire said.
He then stepped over to both benches and warned them again. I half expected that the next pitch would be in my back, but their pitcher got cute and threw a curve that bounced off home plate. I have to give their catcher credit because he smothered it and prevented the runners from advancing.
Now, I was ahead in the count, 3�0. I looked down to third and was given the green light to swing away. Their pitcher either had to throw a strike or entice me to go after something questionable. I was happy when he tried to smoke one past me. Guess he thought I�d be taking the pitch. I knew it was well hit by the sound of the bat. I might have been a little jacked up because that ball sailed a long way over the left-field fence. With one swing of the bat, we�d tied the game at six-all.
Our next batter got a similar pitch and launched it out of the park. Their pitching coach came out and settled their pitcher down. He struck out our next batter to get out of the inning. We ended up winning 7�6 when our pitching held up. I�d come up two more times but struck out both times.
◊◊◊
Both teams were brought back to the hotel after the game. They�d set up a buffet of sub trays next to the pool. I took the elevator upstairs and put on my swimsuit and a t-shirt. I was filling my plate up with three-inch sections of different subs when the pitcher whom I�d threatened came up to me.
�You�re really a piece of work,� he said, getting in my face.
�Careful, Princess. I have half a mind to stick that million-dollar arm up your ass,� I said.
The coaches were all watching, but no one was coming to stop this. Fritz was talking to them, so I knew he would stop me from doing something stupid. It looked like they wanted this to play out.
�You think you�re better than all of us. I think you need to be put in your place and realize that just because you�re famous, it doesn�t mean shit on the baseball field.�
�First of all, you know nothing about me and the cost of fame. Do you see that big strapping man over there?� I asked as I pointed at Fritz. �I have to have him or someone like him with me everywhere I go. Right now, I have security cameras in my hotel room to prevent some crazy person from trying to sue me because of that fame. I want you to think about that for a moment. As a teenage guy, would you want to have someone watching you 24/7?�
He just blinked at me.
�You talk about deserving? You took it upon yourself to try to injure a teammate,� I said, and he looked startled. �Didn�t think of that, did you? What�s one of the main criteria for making the team? How you fit in. What�s another one? Representing the United States well. Would you want someone on your team who would intentionally throw at a teammate? I sure as hell wouldn�t. Would you want the international sports community to see one of your players get into a fight because he only threw beanballs? I sure as hell wouldn�t.�
He looked around for support and wasn�t finding much. I noted the only ones who seemed to be supporting him were the ones who�d been on the prima-donna team in North Carolina. I wished they were on my team so I could straighten them out.
�As far as me not being good enough, you�re just delusional. I would bet that I work a lot harder than most of you, and that�s the stuff that shows up on the field. If you don�t believe me, look at the numbers I�ve put up. If you got your head out of your butt, you�d realize you really want me on your team when we go to the Pan Am Championships,� I said.
He started to look self-conscious. I think he realized he might have stepped in it, so I bailed him out.
�Why don�t we do this? Let�s everyone agree to a fresh start. What has happened to this point doesn�t matter. I�m David, by the way,� I said as I held out my hand.
�Rich Cousins,� he said as he shook mine.
�I really am a privileged little shit,� I said, showing a big grin. �Fritz, come over here. Show them the Dodge Demon I just got for my birthday.�
Fritz came over and handed me his phone so I could show them pictures. This was something we could all agree upon. I was also proud of myself. My first thought was to put him down in one of Cassidy�s holds that hurt like the dickens. I probably shouldn�t have flaunted my new car, but it was too cool not to show off.
◊◊◊
Kelly and M.E. joined me while I ate my sandwiches.
�You should have punched him,� Kelly said, offering her opinion.
�In the short run, that would be satisfying, but it would just make it worse once we combine teams. If he�d approached me in a dark alley, it might have gone differently,� I said with a wistful smile.
I think everyone got the idea about putting on their swimsuits, and we soon had about thirty boys roughhousing in the pool. I noticed that Rich and his supporters were nowhere to be seen. It was noted by the coaches.
I caught M.E. and Kelly checking the guys out.
�Which ones are you interested in?� I asked, startling them.
�They would never be interested in me,� M.E. quickly said.
Allard came up and gave Kelly a knowing smile. The boy had a lot to learn.
�Hey, would you take M.E. out on a date?� I asked him.
�Of course I would,� he said, redeeming himself in my book.
M.E. sank into her chair and wouldn�t look at either of us. My grandpa used to say that for every puzzle, there is a piece that fits. Of course, that was right after my big brother told me I had a face that would scare small children. I thought my grandpa was being mean to me, but Grandma Dawson explained that looks weren�t everything and that I had a winning personality. At the time, I wasn�t too happy with what she said, either. I won�t even repeat what my mom said when I complained to her. It�s a wonder I survived the abuse.
�Come on, Kelly. Let�s leave these two lovebirds alone,� I said with a huge grin.
I made a mental note to keep my distance from M.E. for the foreseeable future.
◊◊◊
Chapter 24 � And the Winner Is Friday July 15
I woke up to Kelly kissing my face. Once she thought M.E. was interested in Allard, he was history.
I wasn�t proud of myself for continuing to spend time in bed with Kelly. I always said that sex changes things, and I was a sucker for liking a girl if I slept with her. Uncle John could probably make a fortune studying the correlation between having sex with someone and how much you liked them. I knew for a fact that you didn�t have to like someone, or for that matter, know them, to have sex with them. I�d done both. The basis of the study would be whether repeated sex made a difference. I would gladly volunteer to be one of his test subjects.
Allard rolled over and gave us an irritated look.
�You two kept me up half the night,� he complained.
�I can�t help that I attract bad girls. Your girlfriend is more long-term,� I teased.
�I believe back in Arkansas, you two are old enough to get married,� Kelly said to join in my fun.
�Not everyone from Arkansas is a hillbilly,� Allard said as he got up to use the bathroom.
�Just you,� I pointed out.
He flipped me off as we smiled at him.
�So, you think I�m a bad girl,� Kelly said.
�After last night, I do. I think you�ve led me astray.�
�I wish.�
�Not that I�m complaining.�
�I know we only have this morning,� she said as she reached down and found my morning wood.
Allard came out and got dressed so he could go down for breakfast. I looked at the clock and figured I could talk Fritz into getting me something once we got to the baseball field. Kelly was right; this would probably be our last time together. I had to leave after the game to go to LA. When I got back, I would only be in town until the following morning, as everyone would be departing then.
With a plan in place, I made sure our last time was special.
◊◊◊
Last night, we�d pasted the Stripes 10�3. I struck out once and was walked four times. It was becoming obvious who the better players were. At this level, that was a relative term, because this was the best-of-the-best in our age group. Certain players seemed to rise to the occasion. I was happy to see that several of the players from Team Pride were among that group. From tonight�s lineup, it looked like Coach Kingwood was putting his best team on the field.
Batting Order / Name / Position
(1) Logan Greene � Second Base
(2) Mitch Underwood � Shortstop
(3) Dave Gordon � First Base
(4) David Dawson � Center Field
(5) Royce Greene � Third Base
(6) Jerry Peoples � Right Field
(7) Tristan Pratt � Left Field
(8) Patrick Welch � Catcher
(9) Mike Case � Designated Hitter
Shane Bays � Pitcher
Jerry, Mike, and Tristan were our young kids. Tristan especially showed a lot of potential. I�d spent a lot of time with Tristan and Jerry since they were my fellow outfielders. Besides being good baseball players, I found I liked them both quite a bit.
Tonight�s game would be played at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, a suburb of Houston. It�s home to the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. It�s not a development league like the A, AA, and AAA teams. Instead, it�s what�s called an �open� classification of play, the highest level of professional baseball other than Major League Baseball. More than 40% of Atlantic League players had played in the majors. Atlantic League clubs paid players to win baseball games, not to apprentice in baseball�s developmental levels.
Before the game, we were given a tour of the facilities. I wished we had a field like this back home. In foul territory behind left field was a picnic area. Over the fence behind left field was a splash area where kids could run around and get wet. It was everything minor league baseball should be, i.e., family friendly.
They were doing something smart tonight. We were the first game of a doubleheader. Our game was free if you bought a ticket for the Sugar Land team�s game with the Long Island Ducks. After the game, they planned a fireworks display. At the beginning of our game, the stands weren�t very full, but by the time the game ended, nearly 7,500 fans were in attendance.
We were up first. We were facing Hagen Holmes, who had red hair and freckles. He�d told me Hagen was a family name, which originated from Agen, meaning �youthful one� in Gaelic. I�d wanted to know if he had any sisters because I liked redheads.
The coaches had made a point later in the week to mix the teams together in practice, eating, and the like. I think they realized that the competition had gotten out of hand, and we would eventually be teammates with each other. About half the Stripes embraced the idea, while Rich and his group made it a point to stay away from everyone else.
In the first inning, I stood in the on-deck circle watching Dave become Hagen�s latest victim when I was accosted by the Skeeters� mascot. He was a big green mosquito with a baseball cap and team jersey and reminded me of the Phillie Phanatic. The mascot had a giant piece of paper and an equally large black marker. He wanted my autograph, so I made a big show of signing it. That would have been fine, but he became upset when I didn�t want his autograph. It was actually quite funny. I was almost glad that Dave struck out because I wasn�t focused on baseball.
In the second inning, when I was getting ready to bat, the Skeeter was back. This time he was pouting and holding his nose at me. The fans got behind him and booed. I knew when I was beaten. I pantomimed that I was sorry and got on my knees to beg him to sign an autograph for me. That was when the music started. Someone must have Googled me.
AC/DC�s
Hagen had a split-finger fastball with just enough movement that it had our first three batters either topping the ball or missing altogether. It was one of my favorite pitches to throw, so I was familiar with it. Hagen was smart and kept it low in the strike zone. When the ball moved, it would drop down and out of the zone. More times than not, the umpire would call it a strike.
I think Hagen thought my head wasn�t in the game because I watched his first two pitches. What I wanted to see was exactly how his split-finger broke. Throwing three straight was a mistake. He could get away with doing this in a regular high school game, but the players at this level were so much better. Pitching is all about making the batter guess and doubt himself, and the best way to do it was to mix your pitches up. You couldn�t throw the same pitch in the same location three times in a row and expect anything good to happen.
I hit a line shot that almost took his head off. If he hadn�t gotten his glove up to protect his face, he might have been injured. I beat out the throw because it took him a moment to realize he hadn�t died before he could look for the ball.
�Jesus, Dawson. Were you trying to kill me?�
�Just keep throwing that weak stuff, and you�ll find out,� I shot back.
I think I got under his skin a bit because he made me eat dirt three straight times. What that did was let me know what his move to first looked like. Coach Kingwood had given me the green light to steal if I thought I could unless I was signaled not to. I made a point of not looking at Coach Way at third. When I realized that Hagen was going home with the pitch, I broke for second. They had tricked me. Hagen threw a high hard one that allowed the catcher to stand up and begin his throw to second a fraction of a second faster. That little extra was enough for them to get me, except he bounced the ball, and it took a funny hop.
I bounced up and made a run for third. Coach Way waved to let me know that they had me, so I did the unexpected: I stopped five feet from third. The Stripes� third baseman wasn�t sure what to do at first. He became even more confused when he started to run after me, and I ran backward, facing him. As soon as he began his throw to their second baseman, I exploded to third. Their third baseman was so startled that he was in the basepath. I could have run him over but decided to just juke around him. He got tangled with the player chasing me, so they never got a throw off to the pitcher who was now covering third.
�What was that running backward bit?� Hagen asked.
�I also play football. I practice running backward for when I play defense.�
On the next pitch, Royce hit a sharp grounder to the shortstop who had to go to first because I was already at home. We ended up winning 1�0.
After we had shaken hands with the Stripes, Coach Kingwood wanted to talk to us.
�We won that game because David was in the moment and ran the bases with aggression. I don�t know many ballplayers who could have avoided that rundown as well as he did.�
�See, it wasn�t just me,� Dave pointed out.
Everyone laughed because I�d gotten the better of him in practice to begin with. Coach Kingwood had taught them how to neutralize my speed and change of direction. Just for fun, I told them a lot of the shiftiness I learned playing tag with my dog, Duke. He was pretty shifty when he wanted to be.
◊◊◊
Fritz and I had our bags in the car. There was someone from the car-rental company waiting for us at the drop-off curb when we got to George Bush Intercontinental Airport. I hadn�t brought clothes for the award ceremony because Dakora was sending me something from their fall line. Adrienne knew how to earn me a buck when it came to fashion. She�d gotten Halle a dress from Donna Karan, and my mom one from Tom Ford.
When we landed in LA and got past the secure area, I was reminded of the cost of living here. Paparazzi confronted us as soon as we hit the baggage claim area. I don�t believe they were necessarily camped out for me; they lay in wait for any celebrity who wandered through.
�Are you and Halle James dating now?�
I tried to ignore the question as we waited for our luggage. In the future, I would either have someone get my bags, or I would ship them. It wasn�t worth the hassle to have the media in your face as soon as you landed.
�It was reported that Halle came to one of your baseball games to see you. Was that when you started dating?�
�Is it true that you�re taking her to the ESPY awards?�
�Now that you�re eighteen, are you going to do porn?�
That one got my attention. It was the goofy man from
�You�ve met my mom. What do you think?� I asked.
�That�s probably a no. Now, what about you and Halle?� he asked.
Maybe he wasn�t as clueless as I suspected.
�I hate to put a label on what we have,� I tried.
�Is it true that you two were seen buying jewelry?� one of the others asked.
I did my new one-eyebrow-raised expression. Yes, the
�Is she your date to the ESPYs?� the
�Yes. This will be our first public date, so you can see why I don�t want to jinx it and have it blow up in my face,� I pleaded.
Fritz had to step away to clear his throat. I smiled when the buzzer announced that the belt that delivered the bags started up. I noticed an older blond woman and pointed at her.
�Isn�t she the author of the Harry Potter books?� I asked.
Suckers!
◊◊◊
Paul picked us up. I even called shotgun, but Fritz wasn�t having it. Why do the kids have to sit in the back?
Paul drove us to the beach house. I still had my key, so I opened the door before Fritz and Paul had unloaded the car. There was music coming from the roof, so I bounded up the stairs and found my brother Greg, Mom, and Dad talking to Rita, Halle, and Trip. I walked straight to Trip and gave him a gentle hug.
�I was so worried about you. How are you doing?� I asked.
It surprised me when he got a little misty-eyed.
�Better. I�m just lucky it wasn�t worse,� Trip said and took a deep breath. �Word is you hired Kent. I hadn�t realized he needed a job.�
�I figured if he could keep Craig out of trouble, I was golden,� I said and saw him flinch at Craig�s name.
While I admit Craig might not have been my favorite person, he didn�t deserve to die at the hands of a terrorist.
◊◊◊
Sitting on the roof with a gentle breeze coming off the Pacific reminded me of the benefits of living here. I caught up with everyone and told them about what I�d been up to. My internal clock told me it was almost one in the morning, so I told everyone I needed to get to bed.
My family was in the same boat, so everyone decided to call it a night. Halle and Rita were going back to the house in the hills, but Halle promised to go surfing with me in the morning. I pulled her into my arms and gave her a kiss goodbye.
◊◊◊ Saturday July 16
Dad and Greg joined Fritz, Halle, and me surfing. It was funny how Fritz always got the surfing duty.
Bo Harrington and I�d had lunch in Houston so we could talk football. He�d told me I shouldn�t be surprised if I was told I couldn�t do things like surfing once I was on a college team. It was dead certain it would be banned if I made it to either Major League Baseball or the NFL.
Greg was learning, so it was good that the waves were staying small. He had the same gleam in his eyes that I�d likely had when I first got on a surfboard. With the smaller waves, we also didn�t have many other surfers to contend with. The forecast for tomorrow said there would be better waves.
Halle paddled next to me so we could talk.
�Oh, look. We have company,� I said, pointing at the paparazzi lurking on the beach. �You might want to fix your top so your nipple doesn�t show.�
Her head snapped down, and then she gave me an evil glare when she realized I was teasing her.
�I suspect you knew they would be there,� I said.
�Why�s that?� Halle asked.
�Because you�re not wearing your wetsuit. I think you wanted to show off your hot little body to the world,� I said with a big smile. �Are you an exhibitionist, Halle James?�
I found myself pushed off my board. I just laughed as she caught the next wave. Greg paddled up to me.
�Angie�s mad at you.�
�What did I do this time?� I asked.
�You didn�t get her a ticket for the awards show.�
�I had to fight to get an extra one for Halle.�
�Angie knows that,� Greg said with a smile. �She thought you loved her.�
�Yeah, right. She just wanted a trip to LA. Do you know how much damage Mom does to my debit card when she�s alone in LA? Just picture the devastation she and Angie could do. I shudder to imagine how much they would spend on Rodeo Drive. You might have to sell me Kyle just to finance the trip.�
�If you take him, you have to take Mac, too,� Greg said.
�You were the one who wanted a girl. Nature made it so Dawson men only have boys for a reason. We�re not equipped to stand up to daughters. If you think her horse obsession is bad now, wait until she�s sixteen,� I warned him.
He pushed me off my board. He was smart enough to take the next wave so I couldn�t grab him. I decided I was hungry, so I caught the next wave in. Halle joined me, and we did the �frolicking in the water� bit for the press. Halle made me take off my wetsuit jacket for the pictures, confirming the reason for her bikini. I would send Frank a heads-up that there were pictures of us about to hit the media. I also wanted to tell him about my talk with
As I used the outdoor shower to get the salt off me, I appreciated how calculating my thoughts were. This time last year, I would never have imagined calling my publicist to generate some buzz. If I wanted the paparazzi to go nuts, I might accidentally let them get a picture of my butt again.
◊◊◊
Halle went home, and I had Fritz give Dad and Greg a tour of some of the tourist spots in LA. That left me alone with my mother. We first tried to sit on the back patio off the living room to relax and have coffee and tea, but the paparazzi drove us inside. We instead settled on the roof.
�Greg told me that Angie was upset that I didn�t get her a ticket for tonight,� I began.
�Is it because you don�t think you can trust her?�
�I swear to God, I am never telling my uncle anything ever again.�
�I thought we talked about this. You and your brother will talk about your little darlings. I wouldn�t be surprised if you shared those conversations with your wife. You�ll figure out that if you want to keep them in line, you need to have a united front.�
There was no use getting mad. They were going to tell each other everything, whether I wanted them to or not, and it didn�t matter if I complained. This was one of those instances where I�d lost the battle before it even began, so why fight it. It also meant that if I didn�t want them
�You are aware how irritating it is that you all know anything I tell any of you.�
�It saves us having to dig it out of you,� she responded.
It really wasn�t that big of a deal because we talked about almost everything, anyway. I hadn�t started keeping things from my parents until my mom shut me out about what was going on with my dad about Phil.
I just took a sip of my tea.
�Why didn�t you get Angie a ticket?� Mom pressed.
�It never crossed my mind. If she was upset, she could have told me, and I would have seen if we were able to get another ticket. So don�t put all this on me,� I said, getting defensive.
�Calm down. Someone needed to watch your niece and nephews. Angie�s just complaining because Greg got to go to Canada and now LA.�
�Maybe we could send her somewhere �� I thought but apparently said aloud.
�David,� Mom warned me.
�Fine. There�s nothing I can do about it now, anyway.�
�You were right, to begin with. This really isn�t your problem. Let Greg deal with his wife,� Mom said, and then got a big smile. �Tell me about Kelly.�
My head was going to explode.
�How do you know about her?�
�Fritz showed us the videos.�
�What?�
Mom about fell out her chair laughing.
�You should see your face.�
�That�s not funny. He told me that even
�He didn�t. I called your hotel room, looking for you, and she answered. I took a shot that she was there with you. When Fritz called your dad about starting to video in your hotel rooms, we made sure they would never get out. I just was giving you a hard time,� she explained.
�I should have known better,� I said, and then smiled. �Paybacks are hell.�
�You might want to be careful there,� Mom warned me. �So, who is she?�
�You remember M.E., the batgirl?� I asked, and Mom nodded. �Kelly�s her friend.�
�� and?�
�Nothing.�
�So, she�s not the one?� Mom asked.
�I doubt it.�
�Well, then which one are you going to pick?� Mom asked.
�For what?�
�For your girlfriend.�
I blinked at her, and she gave me a disgusted look.
�Listen, Mister, I know you, and I can tell you�re starting to think about it again. I figured you probably need my advice about who it should be.�
In my opinion, my mom enjoyed tormenting me just a little too much. No way in hell would I ever ask her advice about my love life.
�Before you reject my offer of help out of hand, who was it that warned you about Tracy?� Mom asked.
�Who was it who kept saying I would end up with Tami?� I shot back.
�That will happen. I would bet my beach house on it.�
Of course, she didn�t own a beach house, but I just shrugged her prediction off as wishful thinking.
�Just for giggles, who should I date?� I asked.
�Brook Davis,� Mom said confidently.
�I�m sure you�re dying to tell me. Why Brook?�
�The two of you have a lot in common. If you think about it, you�ll agree with me.�
She was right. There was a lot to like about Brook. I just hoped that my mom�s recommendation didn�t ruin her chances. No teenage boy wanted to date the girl his mom picked for him.
I was never so happy to see Greg come up the stairs.
�We�re back,� he announced.
I jumped up and put my hand up for a high five. He looked confused but didn�t leave me hanging.
�I�m tagging out. It�s your turn,� I told him.
You could see him deflate right before my eyes. When Mom got in one of these moods, you had to just grin and bear it. I caught Dad coming up the stairs.
�You don�t want to go up there. Greg is taking one for the team.�
�Oh,� Dad said and followed me downstairs.
Smart man.
◊◊◊
I had Paul take me to Halle�s. I was surprised when she and Bandit were waiting for me at the door.
�How did you know I was here?� I asked.
�Bandit told me. When the car pulled in, he jumped off my lap and ran to the front door. I think that cat likes you better than he does me.�
I was holding him and rubbing his chest, and he rewarded my effort by purring like crazy. For a cat, he was cool. I carried him to the kitchen and smiled.
�Rosy,� I said as I gave her a one-armed hug.
�I just made some pulled pork taquitos if you�re hungry.�
�Yes, please.�
I felt right at home.
◊◊◊
I spent the afternoon with Halle. She�d auditioned for a couple movies. The first was a love story. When she told me it was the next
We were relaxing on the patio when Rita came out and joined us.
�I see your movie wrapped,� Rita told me.
�Really? I didn�t realize that. I�ve been a little busy playing ball.�
�Word on the street is that
�I also heard that they signed Ron Howard to direct the Han Solo movie. You�re going to end up being a trivia question on that one. I just hope your James Bond movie is worth it,� Rita said.
�I would have loved to play Han Solo. But it would have been filming the same time the
I sometimes wondered how my life would�ve changed if I�d taken that job. I wouldn�t be playing baseball or football; instead, I would be doing what Halle was doing, looking for my next movie and cashing in while I was still hot. I knew in my heart I�d made the right decision.
My phone chirped. I had a text from Frank Ingram, my publicist.
�
I clicked on it, and it took me to one of the celeb gossip sites. I read it for Halle and Rita.
�The headline reads, �Halle James Gets Wet With Hottie,�� I said, smiling broadly.
Rita snatched my phone out of my hand.
�Halle James was caught reeling in dream guy David A. Dawson. We think love may be in the air as the new couple spent the morning surfing,� Rita read, and then flipped through the pictures.
�Let me see,� Halle said.
As she flipped through the pictures, it became clear her mom wasn�t happy.
�What�s wrong?� I asked.
�It�s just that I�ve spent eighteen years protecting her from stuff like this. I never wanted her to have to go through what�s coming.�
�Mom, it was my decision. I decided to go into acting. It wasn�t your fault. Besides, I�ve had a lifetime to watch you handle it with grace. I hope I learned a thing or two over the years. I think having David as the guy was a smart move. With him, I don�t have to worry about a sex tape or a tell-all novel,� Halle said.
�I think Fritz would hurt me before he gave up any tapes,� I blurted out.
Both of them looked at me for a moment and then chose to ignore me.
�I know, but I just hate to see you pushed out into the spotlight. At least you have people you can trust helping you. I had to learn that lesson the hard way,� Rita related.
Rita took a deep breath and came to grips with Halle�s career taking off. At least the article didn�t say she was Rita�s daughter. She was starting to be recognized for who she was and not who her mom was.
Rita left us to our own devices.
�You want to go make that tape?� Halle asked me.
She didn�t have to ask me twice.
◊◊◊
Rita�s stylist and her entourage showed up, along with my mom. Halle and Mom were getting their hair and makeup done for tonight. I was made to sit down and get my hair trimmed to get it cleaned up, and then sent to the beach house to get ready. Rosy packed up some food for us guys.
One aspect of LA that sucks is that it�s three hours behind the east coast. That meant that the ESPY awards began at five o�clock in the afternoon, local time, and they asked me to be there by three to do the red-carpet bit. They wanted to prerecord it and then show clips during the awards show.
Mom, Dad, and Greg would drive over separately so they wouldn�t get caught up in the mess of reporters. Gatorade had a room at the hall. They�d asked us to go there before the show so we could meet all the other individual sport winners I would be going up against.
When I got back to the beach house, we ate a quick lunch from the food Rosy had sent with me. Dad told me that my clothes from Dakora had come and were in my room, so I had to go see what they�d sent. I found black skinny-leg dress pants, a white dress shirt, and a black tie. The jacket was pure Dakora, a tuxedo jacket made of dark blue velvet with a black silk collar. I tried on the jacket and confirmed it was fitted for my tall, athletic build.
When I came down, Greg and Dad gave me the once-over to make sure I�d done my tie correctly and hadn�t forgotten to pull up my zipper.
�That�s an interesting getup,� Greg commented.
�You�ll stand out,� Dad offered.
�You think?� I asked.
They had the good grace not to laugh at me because they could tell I was starting to get nervous. I didn�t really care about the flashy jacket. It was beginning to sink in that this was a big deal. After all, I was about to walk into a room with some of the best athletes in the world, many of whom I looked up to. I was also up for the top high school award as male high school athlete of the year. I�d been told two past winners would be there tonight: LeBron James, who�d won the male athlete award, and Peyton Manning, who�d won the football award. They didn�t have an overall winner when Manning won.
Paul came in and told us he was ready to take us to Rita�s.
◊◊◊
Whoever was running this award show knew what they were doing, as far as the red carpet part goes. They had the cars all come to a staging area. We were told the proper procedure. A car would arrive every three to five minutes. You were to exit the car and allow the paparazzi to take your picture. Then you moved to an area with a large background screen covered with ESPY logos where you would be photographed. You were given a card that told you where you were to go to have an on-camera interview. Frank had given Halle and me our talking points, so we were good.
Fritz was driving Halle and me, and he turned back and smiled at us.
�You ready?�
�Let�s do this,� Halle said.
We drove the three blocks to the venue. I could see a pitcher for the Cubs on the red carpet as we pulled up. I hoped I would get to talk to him and maybe get his autograph before the night was over.
We waited until someone came over to open the car door. I got out and then helped Halle out. You would have thought we were in Tokyo. The paparazzi in LA were more geared towards the entertainment industry than they were towards athletics. The teaser at the beach had whetted their appetites with the juicy gossip that a new Hollywood couple was forming.
I glanced over at the Cubs pitcher, who�d stopped to stare, while the paparazzi went nuts, shouting questions and taking our picture. I could tell Halle was losing her nerve, so I put my hand in the middle of her back to steady her. In my head, I counted down the time before we could move to the next station. I wasn�t happy when the ESPY people held us there to feed the frenzy. I made sure that we turned to each side so all the photographers could get our pictures.
�Smile,� I reminded Halle.
She shook off her initial hesitation. One of the men shouted out that we should kiss. I would have to talk to Halle later about not doing everything they asked for. If you did it for one side, you�d better do it for the other.
When they finally motioned us forward, there were three limos backed up. We�d messed up their well-choreographed plans.
At the official photo location, they wanted me alone and with Halle. I also had them take a few photos of her alone. She wore a dress that matched my jacket in color, which made us stand out. I would have to thank Adrienne later for making us look good.
The paparazzi inside knew not to pepper us with questions; they�d be escorted out and banned if they did. Unfortunately, they were permitted to ask one that I hadn�t been prepared for and should have. It was �
�Who are you wearing?�
Uh-oh!
�I�m afraid it�ll have to remain a mystery,� I said with a smile.
We moved to the interview section, and I was happy to see Margaret Chin waiting there. She�d been the sideline reporter who had interviewed me for the King game in Indianapolis and when I visited Northwestern.
�You know how this works. Do you have any questions before we get started?� she asked.
�Do you want Halle to join us?�
�No, this will be sports-related.�
I nodded.
�Please keep in mind that I really don�t want to get crosswise with the NCAA, so we have to limit the topics to just sports.�
Margaret gave me �the look�! Cripes, I was getting it from female reporters now? I immediately changed into Dawson male defensive mode by shutting up and sat down with her to do the interview.
�I�m with David Dawson, the number-one recruit in the upcoming senior class. Elite 11 Co‐MVP last year; winner of multiple awards in football including Gatorade Player of the Year; and also currently trying out for USA Baseball�s Under-18 team that will compete in this year�s Pan Am games. How do you have time to do both football and baseball?�
She did five minutes of similar questions. At least she never asked me how I felt.
◊◊◊
In the hallway, after the interview, I pulled out my cell phone and called Adrienne.
�Hey, could you please call Dakora, ask them the price of the tux, and get them to email Caryn an invoice, today? I just now realized wearing it and not paying for it for a sporting event may be a no-no with the NCAA. So I want to pay for it today if at all possible.�
Adrienne gave me a ration of shit, especially when I told her I hadn�t said who I was wearing on TV. But then she said she�d get on it right away. I told her to get with Frank. Maybe we could salvage it by making the mystery a story in itself while explaining how NCAA rules wouldn�t let me say at this particular event.
I called Caryn and explained what was going on and told her to pay the bill immediately. I also asked her to talk to Mr. Morris about the situation and how I�d handled it, and to let me know what he said.
Then I reflected for a minute. Situation assessed. Damage control efforts put in place immediately. Nothing more I could do now except follow up at the end of the day and make sure everything had been done. Time to move on, at least for now.
God, I hated the crap I had to go through for the NCAA. Technically, I wasn�t enrolled in college yet, so these rules shouldn�t even apply to me. It wasn�t like Dakora was a major donor or anything. In fact, it would be hard to find any relationship between them and sports, for that matter. It was just that Mr. Morris had everyone paranoid that the NCAA would darken our doorstep someday soon and question my amateurism.
I thought about it for a minute and called Caryn again. I�d better pay for my mom�s dress, too.
We found the Gatorade room, and my dad handed me an autograph book. Greg had the camera with him.
�What�s this all about?� I asked.
�My mom told us to do it,� Dad said. �She said that if at some point you go into politics, you�ll want the photos and autographs to display on your office walls. I remember Dad had them displayed in his reception area. It gave people something to look at before they went in to meet him. It was a subtle way of showing he had friends in high places; your grandma said it gave him a psychological advantage. I�m not sure if it was true or not, but I remember looking at them. You�ll want to remember today anyway.�
�Halle, you want to be first?� I asked.
She thought I was a dork, but she was the first to sign my book and have Greg take our picture. From there, I was on the hunt to add to my collection. It wasn�t that I needed an excuse to walk up to a sports star and talk to them, but it was a nice icebreaker. I was taken aback when several wanted Halle�s and my autographs. I soon discovered that many of them were just as much in awe of everyone here as I was.
LeBron James and Peyton Manning were easy because they stopped by the Gatorade room to meet their fellow award winners. We discovered that several sporting goods companies had rooms. I wasn�t surprised when I found my dad in the TaylorMade room, looking at golf clubs.
�Shopping for Christmas already?� I teased him.
�Just looking for the country club,� he said, playing it off.
He had a bag with two boxes of Titleist Pro V1 balls in it. I remembered that he sold them in his golf shop for over $50 a box, so he�d made out if they gave them to him. Greg and I smirked. We knew what he was getting for Christmas from us. He had a set of clubs, but I thought they were at least ten years old and not the best quality. There had been a lot of innovation over the years. We could have our kids get him towels, club covers, and more balls.
Greg had been picking up the game. There was a benefit to having a dad who managed a golf course when you were on a college student�s budget. I personally didn�t have the patience for it. If they had speed golf, where you ran to the ball and hit it right away, I might be interested. Every time I tried it, I wanted to blow my brains out because you inevitably got behind someone slow. I found it funny that golf bothered me, but I would go fishing all day long and had a great time doing so.
◊◊◊
The ESPYs were hosted by professional wrestler John Cena. I give him four out of five stars for his opening monologue. I wasn�t impressed with our seats. We were off to the side and two-thirds of the way back. I would have to make it a goal to move up in the next few years.
Halle got excited because Justin Timberlake was a presenter. I made fun of her because he was almost 40. She reminded me her mom was about the same age, and I shut up.
It wasn�t all about sports. They gave the Jimmy V foundation award for perseverance to Craig Sager. Craig was an NBA announcer who had the same cancer my mom had, acute myeloid leukemia. They showed a video of him getting chemotherapy and then calling a game.
He got up to speak, and there wasn�t a dry eye in the house when he talked about the love he had for his wife. She�d begged him not to leave her, and he said there was no fear in love. Everyone in the place was on his or her feet during the speech. Craig put a face to the terrible disease that cancer is. His impassioned speech about facing the prospect of death made me realize just how lucky we were to still have my mom around.
◊◊◊
My big moment didn�t make it on TV.
During a commercial break, they would run a video showing the nominees for the lesser awards. Some examples of the categories that didn�t make it to air were Best Male College Athlete and Best Male Athlete with a Disability. Later during the telecast, they would say that so and so won, but then move on to the more prominent awards and give those the full treatment.
My closest competition for the Gatorade award was a basketball player out of Texas. How did I know he was my biggest competition? In the last ten years, four basketball and five football players had won. The only other sport to win was baseball.
John Cena came out on stage as they went to commercial.
�The High School Male Athlete of the Year nominees are ��
The video started on the big screen. It showed each one of us doing our sport in which we had won. When the video ended, John stepped up to the mic.
�And the winner is � David Dawson of Lincoln High.�
I didn�t get a chance to go on stage and give a speech. Instead, I was taken out of the theater and back to the Gatorade room, where I was given my award.
It happened the same way for the Joe Montana Quarterback award for the best high school quarterback. At least for that one, I knew who my competition was: Wes Hunt. I had a clue that I�d won when Wes didn�t show up for the awards presentation.
Honestly, I was okay with not getting my moment on stage because, like most award shows, this event seemed to never end. We�d been there for four hours when we called it a night. I wanted to eat something and catch a red-eye flight back to Houston for my last game.
Okay, the real reason I was leaving was that I hadn�t been invited to any of the after-parties.
I called Caryn before I left, to check on what had happened with the Dakora tux.
�Dakora understands, especially after Adrienne explained it to them. She and Frank have gotten together, and Frank used his media contacts to create a minor �Who is David wearing and why won�t he say?� buzz. It�s already gotten a bunch of hits on
�Frank, Adrienne, and I got together with Mr. Morris. He said it definitely would have been a violation without your agreement with the NCAA in place. Mr. Morris said it�s possible you would still have a problem even with the agreement. But you made the right calls, even though someone in your camp should have identified the issue earlier and called him.�
I didn�t buy it. I�d read the rules and our agreement with the NCAA and knew I was golden, but there was no need to poke the bear. Of course, I also realized Mr. Morris earned his money by the hour. I guess I would rather spend some money and have the peace of mind. Caryn had done well to take care of this so quickly, so I thanked her, told her I would see her when I got home, and hung up.
I gave my two awards to my dad for safekeeping. Paul and I then drove to the airport. I was happy my usual sidekick was going with me.
◊◊◊
Chapter 25 � We�re More Than Good Sunday July 17
I had a small smile on my face when Allard told me they�d lost last night and pointed out that it was due to me not playing. It was funny how my goofing around had predicted what would happen. I just hoped the selection committee saw it the same way, and that got me on the team.
Today we were skipping the meetings and practice because we had a late-morning game. Coach Kingwood found me before we got on the bus.
�Did you win?�
�Yeah, I took care of business.�
�Good, because I need your head in the game today. Last night we met and pretty much figured out who�ll be on the team. We only have three spots not locked in, and eight candidates for those spots, four of whom are on our team. I want you to talk to these guys and let them know they need to step it up today.�
He handed me a list. It had on it Dave Gordon, M.E.�s brother (first base); Nick Madigan (right field); Mitch Underwood (shortstop); and Trent Black (catcher). I was surprised to see Dave on the list. But the other three had been on Pride in North Carolina with me and had been displaced in the starting lineup by other players, including the three young ones.
�Why�s Dave on the list?� I asked.
�Attitude. Without you here last night, he acted as if he was in charge. It messed up the team dynamic, and I�m sure that was why we played so badly last night. That boy can be a pain in the behind. I had to sit him down and explain the facts of life to him, or he might have gotten his butt kicked.�
�That�s too bad. Can we keep M.E. if he doesn�t make it?� I asked.
�Sorry, they�re a package deal, I�m afraid. We�ll just have to find some others to take their place.�
I didn�t want to think about that. I guessed since Coach Kingwood was talking to me about it that I�d made the team, but I didn�t want to ask or assume anything. He was at least letting them all play today to show what they had.
◊◊◊
We were at the Urban Youth Academy to play our last game. I was glad we were playing in the morning before it got hot out. At least someone was using their head when they planned this. I pulled the four guys at risk together before the game.
�I talked to Coach, and he said you were all on the bubble. They�re looking at eight guys to fill the last three spots. You�re all going to get one last opportunity to show what you can do today.�
�What, I�m not a lock?� Dave complained.
�From what I heard, you made an ass of yourself last night. Remember when we had the talk about fitting in and being a team player? If I were you, I would be the biggest cheerleader you can be today.�
Dave didn�t look happy.
�Snap out of it,� I ordered. �I want M.E. to be our batgirl in Mexico. I�ll be disappointed if she isn�t there because you couldn�t get with the program.�
That seemed to shock him because he just nodded and walked off to think. When he came back, he was a new man. I hoped it would be enough to get him on the team.
◊◊◊
Austin was getting the start today. He was a right-hander who hailed from Florida. He told us he lived in an area called the Nature Coast, north of Tampa. It was noted for not having the urban sprawl that had taken over south Florida. They had sea cows called manatees that loved the warm water from the springs in the rivers.
I was fired-up to win this game. I felt like I did before a football game, and I actually had to go to the locker room and throw up prior to the start. When I got back, we took the field, and every player had his game face on. At the beginning of the week, it was more about fun. Now? We were ready to dominate since we wanted to get those three remaining slots. Somehow word had gotten out that we needed to support our teammates. Who would ever do something like that?
Austin threw well in warm-ups. Their first man up was their speedy center fielder. Austin hung a curveball, and he slapped it up the middle. On contact, Logan Greene, our second baseman, and Mitch Underwood, our shortstop, exploded out of their stances and made an all-out effort to get to the ball. We�d practiced where Logan would go deep, and Mitch would go in front if they ever crossed. They did that because the shortstop had a better chance to throw out the runner since he was running towards first base. Mitch snagged the ball just behind second base and threw a rocket to Dave, covering first. I think he caught it out of self-defense.
Mitch ended up handling all three balls in the first inning. Two of them would have been base hits if he hadn�t been focused and hustled. Austin swatted him on the butt when he came into the dugout. Coach Kingwood looked at me, and our expressions agreed that the message had been delivered. Mitch planned to be one of the three.
�Way to hustle,� I congratulated him.
I could see him relax some. He was showing he would do what it took, and I knew everyone that mattered had seen it too.
I was up fourth in the first inning. Logan walked, and then both Mitch and Dave hit the ball right at someone and were out. I stepped into the batter�s box and Coach Way signaled for me to take the first pitch. So, I dug in and watched a fastball catch the outside corner for strike one. I stepped out of the box and visualized hitting the ball over the first baseman�s head. On the second pitch, I saw the ball well as it came out of the pitcher�s hand. It was a hanging changeup, right in the zone. I held my hands back to keep from overswinging and then punched the ball over the first baseman.
We�d worked to run full speed to first base because good things happened when you hustled. The right fielder charged in to get the ball. I was surprised when I didn�t see anyone cover second base. I didn�t even look at Coach Nautilus at first, but just rounded the bag, not breaking stride. Their second baseman had gone out to cut off the throw, but the shortstop hadn�t paid attention. I guess he assumed I would settle for a single. When he finally looked up, it was too late.
The only problem was that Logan hadn�t been paying attention and held up at second. Coach Way finally got his attention, and he ran for third. Their second baseman was frustrated with the shortstop and didn�t pay attention to Logan running down the line. When he finally figured it out, it was too late, even though the play was close.
�That�s the way to steal an extra base,� Coach Way boomed from third as he clapped his hands.
Our dugout was on their feet, with Dave leading the cheer. Coach Kingwood had preached W.I.N. to us to keep our heads in the game and to be more aggressive on the basepaths. The more pressure we could put on them, the better we would do.
Nick, another one on the bubble, dug in. Usually, we would allow him to drive us in with his big bat. I could see the catcher was nervous, and I guessed they would try to brush Nick back. At least, that was what I would do. The pitcher looked back at me and then began to throw home. I took off like a shot. The pitcher tried to stop the pitch but ended up throwing it in the dirt. I don�t know what he was thinking I would do, because Logan was standing on third.
Coach Haskins, my coach from home, had taught me to watch the third base coach when I was two-thirds of the way to third. The first part of my run was to keep low and dig to get to maximum speed. Once I was up to speed, I would look for the coach. Nick did his job and stood tall in the box, which caused the catcher to have to first trap the ball, and then look around him to make the throw. Meanwhile, Logan had gotten with the program and snuck down the line towards home. If the catcher had just held the ball, he would have been fine. I was willing to get involved in a rundown because I was sure they couldn�t catch me. Of course, that was a fantasy. Coach Way gave me the slide sign, so I knew a throw was coming. I slid into third and popped up. The catcher had thrown the ball on the outside of the base, and I was safe. The third baseman was more on the ball and came up throwing to home. I�m not sure what the catcher was thinking, because he was looking for his mask. It was good that their pitcher was backing him up, or I would have scored, too.
Their manager lost his mind because they�d made two bonehead mental errors back to back that had cost them a run and left me standing on third. I hoped that their players on the bubble had made some of the errors.
That was where I died. Nick hit a line drive right at the first baseman. By the third inning, the Stripes hadn�t hit a ball out of the infield. It wasn�t that Austin struck them out, it was that the defense behind him had played lights-out. My teammates had taken their cues from the guys on the bubble and were determined we would not let them down.
The Stripes pitcher was having a terrific game. He�d let a base runner on in each inning, but we had only the one run to show for it. Nick led off in the fourth, and I think he surprised them when he laid down a bunt to get on. That was a heck of a team play when he was a bubble boy. Tristan came up and hit a long sacrifice fly ball to right field to advance Nick to second. Trent, our catcher and the last bubble boy, hit a screamer right at the third baseman. He decided to throw out Trent instead of holding Nick at second. Logan came up with two out and a runner at third.
Logan walked and then stray pitches hit both Mitch and Dave to force in a run. We were up 2�0, bases loaded, and me at the plate.
I chanted in my head, �quick hands, quick hands� as I imagined a long fly ball in my near future. Their pitcher looked to the catcher and grinned. That could only mean he wanted to smoke one by me. I tried hard not to smile when a fastball rocketed right down the middle. I concentrated on keeping my swing level, extending my arms, snapping my wrists, and having good bat speed. As soon as I heard the ting of the aluminum bat, I knew I�d gotten all of it.
I ran hard to first base to not show up the pitcher and looked up to see the umpire indicate I�d hit a home run. I made sure to keep good speed around the bases. My teammates, led by Dave, met me at home. We acted like we did this every day and headed to the dugout after we did fist bumps.
We ended up winning 6�0. I was two for five with four RBIs and one stolen base. Austin had faced twenty-five batters over seven innings. He�d struck out three and walked one. Daz came in for the last two innings and finished them off. He had given up only three hits. Mitch was involved in eleven plays, one of which was a double play.
◊◊◊
They had food for us in one of the training rooms. After we�d showered and changed to our street clothes, they came out to announce the team that would represent the USA in the Pan Am games. I was happy that we picked up all the bubble slots, but unfortunately, Dave didn�t get one.
Something else I noticed was that none of the players who hadn�t made an effort to be a part of the larger team were on the final squad. It really was about attitude, because two or three of them were good enough to have taken spots away from guys that made the team.
�Now that we have the final roster, we�ll come back here a week from Wednesday to practice before we fly out to Mexico. I want you to spend some time in a batting cage and get any nagging injuries tended to. I want you fresh and ready to go when you return.
�Now go grab some food, and I want Dawson in my office,� he said to dismiss us.
When we walked to his office, I could see all the coaches were in there, so I stopped him.
�Wait, Master, it might be dangerous � you go first,� I said, quoting Igor�s famous line from that classic,
Coach grabbed me by the back of the neck and pushed me in before him.
What followed was an interesting meeting. Coach Kingwood had been picked to lead the team in international play. The original plan had been for the manager in charge of Stripes to be the coach. It was a little controversial to make a change this late. But they�d decided that since Coach Kingwood had only lost once in field play and then head-to-head, his was the hot hand.
With the change, he was able to bring his coaching staff with him. This meeting was to discuss player personnel and how best to utilize them. I was more than a little surprised they wanted my input as a player.
�David, you�ve earned it. Without your leadership, we would never have jelled so quickly in the beginning. I�ve tried to eliminate all the bad apples so we can focus on what matters: winning. I�ve talked to all the coaches here and those from your high school. And I even had an interesting conversation with Lucas Kite, the Cubs scout. He told me how you could point out the strengths and weaknesses of almost every player you�d ever worked with on the field. If you�re going to lead these young men, we want your input on who you think fits together.�
We spent the next hour creating a starting lineup. There was a big discussion about where to bat me, at either the top of the order or in the cleanup spot. I finally weighed in to help decide the matter.
�The role of the leadoff man seems to have evolved in the last ten years. It�s no longer where you put your small, quick player with a good eye. You should expect more pop out of your leadoff hitter�s bat. Personally, I think I can do you more good from there than at the four spot, for the simple reason we have players who are closer to my power talents.
�With me being the first at bat, it�s easier for me to set the tone for the game. Plus, that�s where I played all season, so I�m used to it. With me kicking off the order, we can put up six batters in a row who could legitimately be number fours on this team without a problem. I would bet that doing it this way, we can win most games in the first inning,� I predicted.
With that settled, the rest of the lineup came together quickly.
(Batting Order) Name � Position
(1) David Dawson � Center Field
(2) Mitch Underwood � Shortstop
(3) Nick Golden � First Base
(4) Shane Bays � Designated Hitter
(5) Royce Greene � Third Base
(6) Jared Cornish � Right Field
(7) Tristan Pratt � Left Field
(8) Patrick Welch � Catcher
(9) Logan Greene � Second Base
Allard Hensley � Pitcher (left)
Daz Whitman � Pitcher (left/middle relief)
Austin Moran � Pitcher (right)
Luke Cash � Pitcher (right)
Hagen Holmes � Pitcher / Closer (right)
Shane Bays � Pitcher (left)
Coach Kingwood and his staff would put the others in the lineup depending on circumstances. He�d said that it felt like a luxury to have a roster of 20, after having had only 13 during the first round in North Carolina.
Paul knocked on the door to remind me we had to go to the airport or miss our flight. I told the coaches goodbye and was looking forward to competing on an international level. Coach Kingwood walked out with me so I could grab my duffle bag.
�Were you serious about finding us a batboy?� he asked.
�How many do you need?�
�Two or three would be nice, but one would be a big help.�
�Let me see. I expect my younger brother might be interested. Maybe I can talk a friend or two of his into helping out,� I offered.
�You would have to get them to Houston. From there, we would provide them with travel, room, and board for the duration. They wouldn�t make any money, so they would have to have spending money for any extras they might need,� Coach Kingwood explained.
�I�ll handle it. Let me find out if they can do it or not,� I said.
�Just let me know if I need to make other arrangements.�
We shook hands, and Paul grabbed my duffle bag.
◊◊◊
Dad picked me up in the Demon. Paul must have been wanting a raise because he let me drive home. I hate the Chicago highways; it seemed every idiot decided they needed to either stop or slow down to see a car being towed. I was glad that the Demon went from 60 to 0 in less than 100 feet.
On the ride home, Dad had news.
�Hennessey Performance called. They�re working on a package to increase the performance of your Demon. They say they can give your car�s 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 a power bump to 1,500 horsepower. Their plans are to add upgraded headers, beef up the engine, and rework the supercharger,� Dad said as I started to get excited. �But your mom says �no.��
I just slumped. Paul looked confused.
�You�re going to let that stop you?� he asked.
I heard Dad chuckle from the back seat.
�Believe me, David knows he�s lucky she lets him have the car at all. He isn�t about to give her a reason to not let him drive it, no matter how cool the upgrades would make it.�
I nodded sadly. I admit I wasn�t sure what almost double the horsepower would really do for me, other than get me killed.
On the ride home, I fell in love with the Demon. The Hellcat had been special, but they had made this more than a dragster. It actually handled better than my old car. I wanted to take it somewhere where I could really put it through its paces. I also thought it would be a good idea to send whoever would be driving it to driving school, me included. This was much more car than the average. A little specialized knowledge would make it safer to drive and allow us to understand its capabilities. I would have to see if there was a local school similar to the one in LA.
◊◊◊
I walked into the house to say hi to Mom.
�Go get changed. We�re having a private party at Our House.�
�I didn�t think they planned to open it until the end of August,� I said.
It sounded like Dad and Caryn had been holding out on me. The upstairs to Granny�s West was planned to be somewhere you could take a date to dinner and dancing on Friday and Saturday nights.
Once we arrived at Our House, we drove around to the entrance, which was in the back of the building, next to where the new parking lot had been completed. You entered a reception area where there was a man who looked like a bouncer standing behind a hotel-like desk. He was wearing a black t-shirt with �Our House� over the pocket.
�May I help you?� he asked.
�Dawson, party of three,� Dad said.
A panel slid back to reveal an elevator. I liked how it was a bit secretive. I noticed that there were no buttons to push. The elevator began to rise, and when it reached the second floor, the back door opened, and you entered the club. It was much bigger than downstairs because there wasn�t space for a kitchen carved out of the floor plan.
On the far wall, there was a stage where a band was setting up. In the back and on the sides, there was seating that was raised four feet above the center section; that center section had smaller tables and a dance floor. I smiled when I noticed that Jan was tonight�s hostess.
�Good evening, you must be the Dawsons. If you will follow me, please,� she said and led us to a large table that would seat eight.
On the wall was the picture they�d taken when I won the Gatorade award, with a label with my name and what award it was for. Looking around the room, there were other pictures of me in this section. I spotted ones that showed me with LeBron James, Peyton Manning, and Halle James from Friday night. There were others of awards I�d won. I got up to check them out.
A side wall was dedicated to Lincoln High Football. There were pictures of us winning state and of Coach Hope and his staff, as well as several other players. On the other side wall, it showed former Lincoln players who were in college in their team uniforms. All the guys who went to State�Kevin, Magic, and Luke�were on display, along with Bill at USC and Jim at Alabama. If you were a supporter of Lincoln High athletics, this was your new place to hang out. I then found a section devoted to other sports winners, and smiled when I saw Peggy was displayed for her third place at State in cross country.
My phone vibrated; it was my mom with a text telling me I needed to come back to the table. I found that Lacy, Pam, and Peggy had joined our table.
�Where are the boys?� I asked.
�They needed some grandma time,� Peggy said, meaning my grandma since my mom and Lacy were here.
The place had started to fill up. I was glad to see Tami, Sarah, Tim, and Wolf with their parents. Halle walked in with her mom and brother, and they were soon followed by the Pearson clan. I started to see a theme.
The next guest shocked me. Governor Higgins and his wife came strolling in, followed by Saul and his wife, and Frank. Before I knew it, everyone that I�d worked with or knew seemed to arrive. My mother must not have been happy with how my award had been handled and decided I needed something better.
Before dinner, Governor Higgins took the stage and got everyone�s attention.
�I received a call Saturday morning from Carol Dawson telling me that her son David had won a couple awards. She thought it might be nice to throw a little party at his new restaurant. Of course, Betty and I wouldn�t miss that for anything, so I readily agreed to help out.
�I understand that Frank Ingram, David�s publicist, has a video he would like to show us,� Kurt Higgins said. Then he stepped back as a screen came down, and the video started.
That was when I realized that this had been planned for longer than just two days. Frank had interviewed Bo Harrington, Bud Mason, Coach Hope, and Moose. Then there were several coaches at Elite 11 who I�d worked with. The one that surprised me the most was a section with Coach Kingwood from USA Baseball, talking about me.
When the video was done, the governor got up, announced my awards, and had me come up. I don�t really know what I said; it was all a little overwhelming. I made it a point to go around and thank everyone while they ate. In a dark corner, I found someone I never expected to be here: Anthony and Nancy Giovanni.
�Congratulations on your awards. When I heard, I simply had to come and offer my support.�
�I�m not sure how to take you,� I admitted.
That got a laugh out of Tony.
�If I were in your place, I would think the same. Why would the son of a �connected� family be interested in me? In fact, it would probably creep me out, if I were honest. Welcome to my world,� Tony said.
Nancy smiled and patted my arm reassuringly.
�I was more than a little nervous about Tony when I first met him. Like you, I have plans for politics someday. My father is Senator Wilson, and believe me, he had concerns about Tony and his family. The thing is, Tony�s a good man. I�m not going to say he�s a saint, but he�s trying hard to keep on the straight and narrow,� Nancy said.
�The days of the Italian crime families are coming to an end. My goal has been to make our family legitimate. Someday I�ll be in charge, and that will happen. I understand your concerns, but I owe you a debt of gratitude for what you did to take down that piece of � of � filth.
�Even if I�m out of the life, so to speak, at some point you might have a need. If I can�t help you, I can probably point you in the right direction,� Tony explained.
�So, if I wanted something to happen to Brandon ��
�They have him buttoned up right now. At some point, he�ll be released or allowed to enter the general population. That�s all I�ll say because I know you�re wired,� Tony said with a small smile.
�I�ll make sure it gets deleted. I have to protect myself,� I explained.
He nodded sadly. Tony more than understood why I would be defending myself.
�I know you will. I just assume if I�m in public, someone�s listening in, and I�m sure you have similar issues. That�s why I have my sister as my go-between for anything � questionable. You would never ask me to do anything shady, would you?�
�Tony, be good. Remember you want David as a friend, not scared of you,� Nancy chided him.
�I think David understands the realities we both face better than you realize. He�s someone who�s going places, and frankly, those are the kinds of people I want to associate with, love,� Tony told Nancy, as if I weren�t there.
�We�re good,� I said and meant it.
I wasn�t sure what to make of Tony being a friend, but I didn�t get the feeling he had any evil plans for me. I had a feeling that at some point, his wife might end up being someone I wanted to work with if, in fact, I moved into politics.
�You know what, we�re more than good,� I admitted. �I don�t know why, but I think we�ll become good friends. Honestly, I don�t know how it�ll work, but I believe we will. I�m glad you made the effort to fly in and join me tonight. I think it�s the start of something.�
Tony got up and hugged me. I sure hoped this hadn�t been a mistake.
◊◊◊
Grandma showed up with my boys. I was glad she had because she was friends with a lot of the people in the room. I took them around so I could show my kids off to the people who hadn�t had a chance to see them yet.
State�s jazz band took the stage and played. I thought it was smart to offer university students the opportunity to practice their craft. I would have to find out who thought of it and thank them.
Coby was cranky, so Peggy took the boys home.
I took my mom to the dance floor when a slow number was played.
�This was a great idea. I�ve had a good time.�
�When Caryn and I were putting this together, it made us realize how many people you�ve touched. It makes me proud to hear how they like you and how they feel you�ve helped them. You�re becoming a fine young man.�
�Someday, I might even be good enough for Tami,� I teased.
�If only,� Mom sighed.
�I hate you sometimes,� I teased.
�You�re not allowed, I�m your mother. You�re stuck loving me.�
�I�ll always be your little boy, won�t I?�
�Yep. You could be fifty, and I would still think of you that way.�
I felt my chest tighten. I really did love this woman.
�That�s okay with me.�
◊◊◊
Chapter 26 � Look Me in The Eyes Wednesday July 20
I�d spent the last few days being a kid. I talked Dad and Greg into going to the lake and breaking out the jet water board. We had a blast. I�d had a small twinge when I remembered this was where Jeff had drowned. Then I remembered this was where Coby was conceived. I chalked it up to the circle of life and pushed all the negative feelings away.
I�d also hit football practice hard. Both Wolf and Tim had taken the week off because football camp with the University of Michigan began today.
I had one bit of work to do that I�d put off because Dad said I had to get their parents� permission first. I was on my way to the Pearson farm for breakfast before football began. Zoe was waiting for me on the front porch when I pulled up in the Demon. She came down the steps and gave me a good-morning kiss.
Yuri pulled up and had my half brother, Phil, with him.
�I should have brought Jan,� Yuri observed.
�Go get her. Mom has enough food to feed everyone,� Zoe said.
�Where�s Roc?� Phil asked.
�He and Dad are mucking stalls. I�m sure they�d like some help,� Zoe urged.
�Thanks, but I�m good. I�ll just hang out with you guys,� Phil said.
We stepped inside and found Mrs. Pearson taking homemade buttermilk biscuits out of the oven.
�Breakfast is ready. Go get the men from the barn,� Mrs. Pearson said. �Where�s Yuri?�
�He went to get Jan,� Zoe said.
She had us set another place at the table. Soon everyone was seated. Mr. Pearson said a short prayer of thanks for the food, and we dug in. Mrs. Pearson had made a cracked black pepper gravy to go with the biscuits, eggs, ham, and hash brown potatoes. I�d get fat if I ate like this every day.
�That was a nice event your family put on for your awards. We had a good time,� Mrs. Pearson said.
�It took me by surprise. I guess we�re having a prelaunch party for the new restaurant this Friday, and we�ll open the doors on Saturday. I was told that Eve Holliday has offered to play both nights. You�re all invited to Friday night. It�s free, but if you have drinks, you have to pay for those,� I said as I handed out invitations. �Just call, text, or email Caryn and let her know how many. The plan is for two seatings, one at six and the other at eight.�
�They will close at ten the first night so the staff can talk about what worked and what didn�t,� Jan said.
She obviously knew more about it than I did.
�Why�d you name it �Our House�?� Mr. Pearson asked.
�Dad said it was because of all the free advertising we would get at our football games when they chanted �Our House.� Mom said it was so people could say they were �going to Our House� and not be obvious they were going out,� I explained.
�Which seating are you going to?� Phil asked.
�Both. Granny said I had to greet everyone.�
�That�s right, you partnered with her,� Mrs. Pearson said.
�With her and Mary Dole, Tracy�s mom. Mary�s dad is a chef and owns several restaurants. He gave her recipes that she brought with her. She�s in charge of the kitchen, and Granny handles the front of the house for us,� I explained.
�I hear you�ve taken cooking lessons from Mrs. Dole,� Jan said.
�She�s taught me a lot about technique and following a recipe so it comes out the same each time.�
�The only time I follow a recipe is for baking,� Mrs. Pearson admitted.
�I was the same. My dad taught me to cook for the family, and I thought I was pretty good, but Mary showed me I had a lot to learn.�
�I might be interested in taking cooking classes from her.�
�Hey, that�s a great idea,� I said, and then blushed when Zoe smacked my arm. �Sorry. I didn�t mean to imply anything. In fact, I think you�re a great cook. I believe I�ve proven that by coming back so many times. What I meant was it would get people to come to the restaurant when they weren�t busy.�
�I was afraid I would never see you again,� Zoe admitted.
�I think on that note, I�d better change the topic as to why I invited you here�besides eating this scrumptious breakfast,� I said, hamming it up.
�This doesn�t sound good. He wants something,� Phil said.
�It�s not what you can do for me � it�s what you can do for your country.�
Even I thought that was a bad line, but how often do you get to say something like that?
�For USA Baseball, we have batboys and girls. Up to this point, they were either local kids or players� siblings�brothers or sisters of the players. Unfortunately, none of those players made the final cut, so they need fill-ins. The coach asked me if I could find some people to take their spots. I wondered if you three would be interested in going with me to Houston and then Mexico?� I asked Phil, Roc, and Yuri.
�You�re asking all three of us?� Yuri asked.
�Yes. They would take care of room and board. You would need to bring some spending money for any extras you might want,� I said.
�What about the farm and yard work?� Roc asked.
I was impressed he thought about it before just saying yes.
�The Bauer brothers have offered to fill in for both jobs,� Mr. Pearson said.
�I take it from that answer you�ve talked to our parents,� Phil said.
�Yes,� I admitted.
The only fly in the ointment was we�d miss the first week of two-a-day football practices. I�d talked to Coach Hope, and he wasn�t happy when I told him I planned to take Roc, Yuri, and Phil with me. He threatened to bench them for the first game.
I�d tried to reason with him, but he was as stubborn as always. He agreed he would review it when we came back, but as of now, they wouldn�t play if they all traveled to Mexico to support me. At least he�d agreed earlier I could go, or I think he would have included me in that threat.
�Before you decide, I need to tell you that you�ll miss the first week of football practice. Because of that, Coach Hope has told me he might sit you for the first game.�
�That�s crazy. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,� Phil said.
�When do you need to know?� Yuri asked.
�Soon. If you decide not to do it, I either have to find someone else or let them know so they can get replacements.�
�Let us talk about it, and we�ll let you know today,� Yuri said.
�I don�t need to think about it. I�m in,� Phil said.
Roc sat in thought for a moment, then looked up at me.
�If we brought a few footballs along, do you think we could make some time to work on routes and timing? At least that way, I could tell Coach Hope that was one of the big reasons I decided to head down there with you.�
Roc was using his brain. I liked that in our soon-to-be sophomore receiving phenom.
�That was my plan all along. I need to get ready for the season, too,� I said.
�I�m in, then.�
Yuri looked at Jan, and she nodded.
He turned to me, looking troubled.
�I really want to go, but I won�t have a real football reason to do it. Don�t get me wrong, I�m going to talk it over with my family, but right now I don�t think it would be a good risk to take.�
I had to respect his thinking. He was growing up.
�I think you�re forgetting something, and that�s that I also plan to play defense. I�ll work with you, too, so you�re ready. In Coach Rector�s scheme, you�ll have coverage responsibilities. If I can teach you to cover Roc one-on-one, you can cover anyone,� I explained.
�I guess we�re all going.�
�Great! I�ll get it set up,� I said.
◊◊◊
As I drove to camp, I realized I had almost decided to accept Michigan�s offer to play ball there. The fact that they were holding their camp here said a lot about their desire for me to go there. It would be nice to get recruiting over with and not have to travel all over the country, checking out schools. I pulled into the parking lot to find Jeff Delahey with his crew from Sports TV. Kill me now. This surely wasn�t starting today.
�I didn�t think I would see you so soon.�
�That was why I wanted to talk to you before we start. Let�s go for a quick ride in your car,� Jeff suggested.
He evidently didn�t want our conversation to be captured on film, so I agreed.
�Nice car,� Jeff said as we left the parking lot.
�So, why the privacy?� I asked.
�Because I wanted to speak with you in private before we get started.�
�I take it you can�t trust your crew?� I asked, half-joking.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as he opened his shirt and unplugged his mic.
�You and I have built up some trust over the last three years, and I don�t want to do anything to damage that. The reason we were asked to film you at camp was that Sports TV arranged to ambush you,� Jeff said.
�Just tell me.�
�Elite 11 just finished. Part of the storyline they pushed was that the winner wasn�t legitimate because you weren�t there. They talked the top three finishers into coming to this camp so those guys could show what they could do against you. When I heard, I put forward that we start the documentary we planned for the fall now. I didn�t want them doing a hit piece on you,� Jeff explained.
�You didn�t want them to shoot the goose who laid the golden egg,� I said.
He smiled.
�That was part of it, I admit, but I�ve seen enough of this sort of sleazy tactic that it makes me sick. It made me mad that they would try something like this with you.�
�So, what�s the plan?� I asked.
�Two-pronged. The first is we play up you playing baseball for your country.�
�Which is true. I�ve probably only thrown a football a handful of days this summer,� I said.
�The second is you do your �aw shucks� routine and talk up the players that are here. That way, you don�t come off as a jerk.�
�Which you know I can become if I�m ambushed. As much as I hate to say this, I haven�t followed the Elite 11 this year. I don�t even know who these guys are.�
�I�ll get you the background I have on them before I talk to you about them.�
�That leaves me with one question: did the University of Michigan have anything to do with this?�
The answer to that would go a long way towards deciding if I wanted to go there or not.
�No, but they were okay with us filming,� Jeff said.
I could understand that and was glad they weren�t involved in setting me up. I just had to remember the circles of trust Uncle John had shown me and recognize that Sports TV was only concerned with their interests and not mine. It was lucky for me that Jeff was involved. He�d flat out said that if I ever did anything wrong, he would report it. But that didn�t mean he�d try to bring me down just for a story. That was what allowed me to be okay with him following me around this fall.
I took Jeff back, and he got out of the car. He asked me to go around the block, and they would film me arriving at camp. I told him I would be a few minutes. Then I drove home, left my car, and brought the Jeep back. I didn�t need the world to see me driving the Demon. To his credit, Jeff never commented on the change of vehicles.
The camera crew captured me as I walked to the locker room to change. I made a point to take my shirt off, just to give Jeff a hard time. I made them shut off the camera when I had to put on my jock. While I got dressed, Jeff asked me about baseball and what I�d been doing this summer. Then he asked me about football.
�This is actually my first chance this summer to really play some football. Of course, I expect I�ll be a little rusty, but I hope it comes back quickly. I want to show the University of Michigan coaching staff that they made a good choice when they made me an offer to play for them. I would hate to let them or Lincoln High down with a poor showing,� I admitted.
�You haven�t participated in any football activities? None at all?� Jeff asked.
�Very few. I�ve thrown the ball a few times in the summer practices that Lincoln has had. But that�s nothing like last year when I attended several football camps and was Co-MVP of Elite 11.�
�Why didn�t you go back and defend your title?�
�I got the USA Baseball opportunity. Very few people get to represent their country against international competition. I also wanted to see how I stacked up against the best baseball has to offer, just like I did last year with football.�
�No one could argue with that,� Jeff said.
That told me people had done exactly that. I was sure they�d questioned my commitment to football. My competitive juices began to flow.
Jeff wrapped up the interview so I could go sign in for the camp.
◊◊◊
They had the registration in the Field House, and it was a zoo. A lot of the area�s better football players were present, along with almost all of Lincoln High�s team. Our coaching staff was manning the desks. There was a sign that said �A-F,� and I assumed that was the first letter of your last name, and so got into that line.
Mike Herndon was in the next line over. I thought he was awful brave to show up for a camp here. Some people here might kick his butt on sight, me included. This day was just getting more fun by the minute.
When I got to the front of the line, Moose was there behind the desk.
�Name?�
�Uhm � David Dawson,� I said, with a little amusement.
He sorted through the packets and then looked up at me.
�I don�t have a David Dawson registered. Did you forget to turn in your application?� he asked.
�I didn�t know I had to,� I admitted. �I�ve been a little busy this summer.�
�This camp is sold out. I�m sorry, but you�ll just have to come back next year.�
I knew he was pulling my chain, but this might be the out I could use to not have to do reality TV all week. Of course, a camera was trained on me, so I wasn�t able to tell Moose what I really thought of his little drama.
�Dumbass,� Mike said from the other line.
Well, now, that put a completely different light on the situation. I ignored Mike and looked at the shirt Moose had on. It was a University of Michigan polo shirt with �Moose� on the left breast.
�Mr. Moose, is there someone I could talk to about possibly getting in?� I asked.
He looked irritated and told me to stand off to the side so he could get everyone else signed in. Mike was right; I looked like a dumbass, standing there clueless. I was sure it would make great TV.
After standing there for five minutes, I stepped back up to Moose.
�Did the TV people put you up to this?� I asked.
Moose had the grace to look embarrassed.
�You do realize they�re doing this to create a little drama by embarrassing the hell out of me, don�t you? You might want to go find Coach Haber because that�s not what I came here for, and it�s not what I�ll stay here for.� I said it softly so the camera wouldn�t pick it up.
�I just wanted to let you know I�m taking off,� I said loud enough for them to hear, and walked away.
The weight room beckoned me. I figured if I was already here, I might as well go work out. A couple of the wrestlers were already there, so I worked out with them. I knew something was up when the camera crew showed up. I turned to them.
�Gentlemen, I�m sorry, but I can�t allow you in here right now,� I said with as much of a smile as I could muster.
�We�re just doing our job,� the cameraman said.
He tried but failed to hide the smirk on his face. The wrestlers who were working out all got up and stepped towards the cameraman.
�They didn�t sign up to be filmed,� I observed.
He must have thought better of it and left.
�While I appreciate the assist, next time, let me handle it,� I told them.
�Sure thing. If you ever need us, we have your back.�
Five minutes later, Coach Haber came in, followed by the cameras.
�Coach Haber!� I called out. �Did you know I�m not allowed to participate in your football camp?�
�Hang on, what�s going on?� Coach Haber said with genuine concern.
I turned to the videographers, who were still filming.
�Alright, I told you before not to film me. I would suggest that you leave now,� I said with a smile.
Coach Haber understood that our conversation didn�t need to be made public and kicked them out.
�I didn�t come to this camp to get jerked around and have the sports media provoke me into making an ass of myself. Nor did I volunteer to be on a reality show where they manufacture drama. If that�s what the rest of the week is going to be about, you can count me out!� I said with a little more heat than I planned.
�I agree,� he said, slowing me up. �Let me get everyone in a room, and we can figure this out.�
We soon had Moose, Jeff, Coach Haber, and me in one of the coaches� meeting rooms.
�When I got my stack of packets, I noticed David didn�t have one. One of the people on the TV crew told me to make him cool his heels for a few minutes. I thought it would be funny, so I went along with it until David clued me into what they were really after. I�m sorry for my part in all of this,� Moose said.
�This was what I was afraid of. David, trust me to get this fixed. I�ll get one of the local TV cameramen and send this group back to New York,� Jeff said.
�I already said I had doubts about this. Do you think you can get them to edit the video so I don�t look bad?� I asked.
�No,� Jeff admitted.
I thought Coach Haber was going to have a fit. A big smile crept onto my face.
�Why are you smiling?� Coach Haber asked.
�David now knows that he can trust Jeff to tell him the truth,� Moose explained. �You better warn those ringers you brought in that it�s game on.�
◊◊◊
In the morning, we did the usual first part of camp stuff: they measured us. I was six-four, 218 pounds, and ran the forty-yard dash in 4.56. I also knew I was stronger and more flexible than I was at this time last year. What I wasn�t in was football shape. I was better than most of the players here, but I hadn�t been running enough to have the stamina I would need in the fourth quarter of a game.
Jeff sent the Sports TV crew home and hired a local team to film. He also gave me information on the three Elite 11 quarterbacks who had come to compete against me. I found myself in the folder as well.
David Dawson was six-four, 220 pounds and ran a 4.6 forty. I was ranked as the number one quarterback and the number one overall recruit in the nation.
Larry Dell was six-six, 209 pounds, and ran a 4.78 forty. He ranked as the number two quarterback and the number two overall recruit in the nation. He hadn�t committed anywhere yet.
Jaylen Kent was six-three, 221 pounds, and ran a 4.51 forty. The scouting services ranked him as the number three quarterback and the nation�s fifth overall recruit. He had committed to the University of Maryland.
Matt Long was six-two, 196 pounds, and ran a 4.8 forty. He was ranked as the number four quarterback, the tenth overall recruit in the country, and had committed to USC.
It sounded like I had my hands full this afternoon.
◊◊◊
They called out that quarterbacks, receivers, and cornerbacks were to go to the main football field. There were sixteen quarterbacks. I was surprised when I wasn�t put with the three Elite 11 quarterbacks, and Mike was. They put me into a group that included my backup, Trent Buchannan; Washington�s starter, Gabe Verity; and St. Joe�s starter, Hack Eaton.
They divided the field up into four sections of twenty yards each. Michigan had us line up on a hash mark and begin throwing easy down-and-outs to the near sideline. I think they wanted everyone to gain a little confidence. They then moved us to the middle of the field to make the throws longer. Finally, we moved to the far hash and had to throw the ball three-quarters of the field to the sideline.
I could tell I had a little rust and was floating the ball. To be honest, I was still more accurate than the other three. The down-and-out to the far side of the field can be a difficult throw; you need to get a little heat on the ball to get it there. Throwing intermediate passes downfield is easier. You had to put some heat on it because the defensive backs were playing the receiver tight. That meant you were at risk of throwing an interception that�s run back for a touchdown.
Coach Title, the offensive coordinator for Michigan, was running our drill. He was just watching, not saying much. I soon forgot about him.
Hack struggled the most, and it was apparent he had a problem with his throwing motion. Between turns, I took him aside.
�Do you mind if I give you a couple of pointers?� I asked.
�Are you kidding? Of course I want help.�
�Throwing a football is an individualized skill, and no two quarterbacks do it exactly the same. With that said, there are a few things we all have to do to throw the ball accurately. The first is grip the ball correctly; you�re doing it wrong,� I said.
I held a ball up as if I were going to throw and slid my index finger between the ball and the palm of my hand.
�You need to have some separation from the ball,� I said, and took the ball out of my hand and held it back up. �You want a comfortable grip with the ball between your thumb and index finger. When you throw, keep the tip up. As you release it, the last part of your hand you want touching the ball is your index finger to give it rotation. If you leave it in your palm, you get the wobble.�
Hack skipped his turn so he could watch me throw. I�d warmed up now and was putting some zip on the ball. Mine were no longer floating out there because I was now throwing with a purpose. Hack said throwing it that way felt weird, but he couldn�t argue with the results. His next three balls were all better than what he�d been throwing earlier.
Over the next hour, I spent time with each of the other quarterbacks, helping them improve. I was happy to see that Trent had gotten over his attitude and accepted my coaching. As I worked with them, I found I was also throwing better because I was focused on setting a good example.
I realized during practice that I missed football. I loved baseball, but it simply wasn�t as fast-paced. In football, as the quarterback, you always had a job on each play. In baseball, you might not even get a ball hit to you all game. What I liked the best in baseball was batting and base running. They were both physical and, if you were going to do them well, you had to use your brain. Quarterbacks had to engage both body and mind on every play.
◊◊◊
The quarterbacks rotated through each of the four stations, but the receivers and defensive backs stayed where they were. It gave us a chance to play with all of them. I grinned when we reached the last station and found Wolf, Roc, and Damion Roth, the Odell Beckham Jr. clone who I�d helped get into Wesleyan. If we had Damion on Lincoln�s team, we would be unstoppable.
I�d heard cheers at this station earlier and saw why: it was set up for end-zone plays. I could see the players at this station were sweating up a storm. The grins told me they were having fun, and I wanted in on the game.
The ball was placed on the 10 yard line, and you got three throws before the next quarterback got a turn. I gathered my receivers together, along with the other three quarterbacks so they could listen, and told them what I wanted them to do.
�Wolf, I want you in the center of the field, and do a buttonhook at the two. Roc, go straight up the field and cut across the back of the end zone. Damion, charge hard and cross the goal line, then cut to the sideline.�
To make it hard on us, the defense had five defensive backs. Three lined up in man-to-man while the other two stood three yards in the end zone and split the field between them. On the snap, the extra defensive back on Damion�s side rushed forward to double-team him. He must have burned them to get that kind of attention.
Roc cut right to where that defensive back would have been if he�d stayed home. It was an easy pitch and catch as two defenders chased him. When he caught the ball, he held it up high to show he scored.
�What do you do when you catch a ball in the end zone?� I barked.
Roc gave me a confused look.
�Get on the ground. I don�t want to count on a back judge making the call when you get the ball knocked out of your hands showing off. Good job, but do it like you were taught,� I said.
�What do you mean?� Damion asked.
�The first lesson you�re taught as a defensive back is if you don�t prevent the reception, punch the ball loose. That�s doubly true in the end zone. If they can punch the ball loose, then one of the referees has to determine if you had possession. Coach Mason taught me at the Elite camp in Houston to have your receivers protect the ball and get on the ground. This prevents the defensive backs from getting a chance to steal a score from you,� I coached.
On the next play, I threw to Wolf, who caught the ball, then just turned and fell forward for the score. Damion was next. It wasn�t really fair that they only had two defending him. He simply outleapt them. I was happy to see he covered up and got on the ground before they could try to strip the ball.
Trent and Hack copied what I did and were both smiling when they finished. Gabe had his own plays from Washington. I recognized them from Coach Diamond�s playbook when he was here at Lincoln.
Once all the quarterbacks were done warming up on the four passing drills, they had us do the different footwork and speed drills. I was surprised when it turned out that Hack and Gabe had never done these exercises before, so I had Trent show them what was expected at each station.
Coach Title was lurking behind us, and I got the feeling he was evaluating me. I�d observed coaches for the other three groups actively working with their charges. Instead of working with us himself, it seemed like he wanted to see how I would coach the three players in my group. I had the feeling that if he disagreed with me, he would say something. When practice ended, he just left with the other coaches. I don�t think he said two words all practice.
◊◊◊
For the most part, the camp participants were local. Unlike other camps I�d gone to, they didn�t have dorm rooms for the campers to stay in. The three Elite 11 quarterbacks were talking, so I joined them.
�I thought we were going to get to go head-to-head with you,� Matt Long, the USC commit, said.
�I thought so too. We have a few more days to see who the best is,� I said with a smile. �What�re you guys doing tonight?�
�We were just discussing that. Personally, I�d like to work out and then eat,� Larry Dell, the Elite 11 winner, said.
�I�ve got just the thing for you,� I said with a big grin.
�Why do I think this is going to be a bad idea?� Jaylen Kent, the Maryland commit, asked.
◊◊◊
I introduced them to Cassidy and
Larry was bent over, dry-heaving.
�Dear God. You do this to get into shape?� he asked as he held his side.
�Five times a week in the offseason,� I admitted as I got to my feet. �Cassidy also teaches me self-defense.�
�Which you�ve been slacking off on,� Cassidy reminded me.
�Dawson!�
I turned to see who�d called me; it was Coach Title. I�d noticed earlier that Jeff�s TV crew was following me around. They�d disappeared for a while, and I�d hoped they were done for the day, but they were back.
�Looks like I�ve been summoned. If you guys want to come to my place for dinner tonight, you�re welcome. Just tell Cassidy, and she�ll give you directions,� I said and jogged off to see what Coach Title wanted.
I followed him into the Field House and into to one of the video rooms. I found Coach Hope, Coach Stevens, Coach Rector, and Alan from Lincoln, seated with Coach Haber, Coach Hightower (passing), and Coach Offutt (defensive coordinator) from Michigan. Sitting in the back of the room were Jeff and his camera crew.
�We were just going over today�s camp. Coach Title told us you helped your group through their drills. I wanted to hear what you thought of them,� Coach Haber said.
I gave them a report on each player, including any observations I had on receivers or cornerbacks. Both Alan and Coach Hightower took notes on what I said. This was the first time I�d seen Alan since school got out. It was a little sad when I discovered I really hadn�t missed him.
�Good report; thanks, David,� Coach Haber said and turned to Coach Title. �Anything to add?�
�From today�s performance, it�s obvious David isn�t taking football seriously enough,� he began.
I looked at Coach Haber and then Jeff to see if this was another stunt. I felt like one episode of
�Look me in the eyes when I�m talking to you! You might learn something,� Coach Title growled.
Suddenly he had my full focus. What he�d just done was try to assert dominance, which awoke the Alpha Male in me. It also brought forward the part of me that was like my mom, which was never good. What saved him was the camera crew that was suddenly front and center.
�Do I have your full attention?� he asked.
I barely nodded. I expect everyone in the room could tell I wasn�t a happy camper for being called out like that in front of everyone there. Who was this guy to question my dedication to football? He�d been with me for maybe three hours today. Fortunately, I remembered something Uncle John had said to me that summer so long ago. He quoted: �Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it, if at all.� So, I gritted my teeth and shut up.
He proceeded to explain what was wrong with me and how, if I would give up baseball, all the ills of my game could be fixed. He may have had some good points; I�ll never know. The teenager in me wasn�t listening to him. It was the exact wrong way to get my buy-in to his coaching. I was too busy thinking about having him coach me for four years and how that would never happen.
�That was informative,� I said once he finally wound down. �If you don�t need me ��
I didn�t wait for them to say one way or another. Either way, I was done.
◊◊◊
I�d warned Mom that we were having guests for dinner. So, she walked next door from her office and had Mary make up food she could just bring home from the restaurant. I smelled fried chicken when I walked in the back door. Duke showed me where it was. I peeked to see what else was warming in the oven and found mashed potatoes, fried green tomatoes, and a sausage and zucchini casserole.
Coby and Little David were in high chairs with Peggy feeding them. Mom walked in while I took over to allow Peggy to escape and do some reading for her summer-school class.
�How was your day?� she asked.
Sometimes it�s therapeutic to unburden yourself. Mom didn�t speak or ask questions, she just listened.
�So, you had a good day?� she asked when I was done.
I rocked back in my chair and took a deep breath.
�Any day I get to play football is a good day,� I admitted.
◊◊◊
Cassidy showed up with her dad and brother in tow. I guess I did invite everyone to dinner. Matt and Jay showed up with their dads, who had come to camp with them. Larry had his high school football coach along.
�Mrs. Dawson, this is great,� Jay said.
My mom�s look dared me to contradict the poor boy about who had prepared the meal.
�Yes, it was nice of you to invite us for dinner on short notice,� Larry said.
�I have to say, David�s not what we expected,� Matt said.
�You better explain that,� his dad chided.
�Oh, sorry. It�s just that we were prepared to hate you. The press was relentless with questions about whether Elite 11 was legitimate without you there to defend your title. The coaches also used you as an example if we did something wrong.�
�That�s why we decided to come to camp. We wanted to meet you and see how we measured up. Then they stick us with that kid Mike who hates your guts,� Jay said.
�I don�t know why. He�s been the cause of all his own problems,� I said.
�It�s sometimes easy to be a target when you�re on top, but you won�t have to worry about that for long,� Larry said with a smile.
�You poor delusional fool, you just poked the bear,� Mom said.
�Never challenge David unless you�re prepared to get his best,� Brad Hope offered. �I�ve watched him play enough to know you never want to do that.�
�Good. I want your best game. We�ll have to lose Mike tomorrow. I want to see what you have,� Larry said.
After dinner, we went out on the back patio and drank iced tea. I had Cassidy tell them about Cuba and Japan while I filled them in on baseball.
�I can�t imagine trying two sports at that level. How do you do it?� Larry asked.
�I�ve always loved baseball. I didn�t start playing football until I was a freshman.�
�Wow. I think I started before I could walk. My dad has always wanted me to be a quarterback. He played at San Diego State,� Matt shared.
�I�ve never gotten a chance to play baseball. I play in seven-on-seven leagues during the spring,� Jay said.
�If possible, I plan to play both in college,� I admitted.
�I would bet they�re not going to like that,� Larry said.
�Yeah, I got a taste of that today,� I said, and then shared with them what the Michigan offensive coordinator had said.
�I wouldn�t worry too much. If they want you, they�ll make sure you can do both,� Matt said.
�It�s not like it�s a secret.�
�I�m actually a little jealous. I keep reading about injuries and concussions playing football. Sometimes I wonder if it�s worth it,� Jay said.
�If you asked my mom, she would rather I not play football, but I love it,� I admitted.
Of the three guys, I liked Matt the best. I teased him about going to USC with my friend Ridge there. He had much the same attitude I did: Ridge would make an excellent valet for carrying his bags. I liked his confidence.
◊◊◊
Chapter 27 � Breakup Song Do-Over Thursday July 21
Today, I was put with the three quarterbacks from this year�s Elite 11. It�s easy to spot high-level talent when you see it. All three of these guys might be playing on Sunday at some point. I realized that I�d upped my game as well. One of the comments in the dossier Jeff gave me said something about me rising to the level of my competition. I understood what that meant today.
Yesterday felt comfortable. I eased into throwing and focused a lot of my time on helping my fellow quarterbacks and players get better. Somehow yesterday reminded me that when I first met Ridge, I thought he was a bit of a jerk. But he wasn�t; he was just focused. It wasn�t about him not being my friend or talking to me. It was about him doing his job and being the best quarterback he could be.
Jay, Matt, and Larry appeared to be friends by the way they talked between plays. Elite 11 does that. You�ve gone through a fairly intense experience together and have come out a better player on the other end.
They taught us at Elite 11 that camp was about you competing against yourself. That helped us avoid some of the pitfalls of competing against each other. There was no doubt that someone would be better than you were at something. It simply couldn�t be helped at that high level of talent. That didn�t mean that I wasn�t aware of the other quarterbacks.
What I saw in practice was that the other three quarterbacks were having a bit of a letdown and enjoying what they were doing. I was sure they were here to see how they measured up against me. Heck, they�d said so. It was just that they should�ve brought their A game.
Something else that was different today was that scouts from the various services were in the stands, along with college recruiters. Neither Larry nor I had picked our school yet. The opportunity to see us go head-to-head was just too good for the top programs to pass up. The rumor was that Larry was a lock to go to Clemson, which was also one of the schools on my list. It looked like they had their whole coaching staff here.
I asked Moose later how they all got into Michigan�s camp, and he said it was because it was at Lincoln High, and Coach Hope had wanted it open. Not for me, but for the other players we had who wanted to play football after high school.
From the get-go, I dropped into the zone and focused on every single throw. I fixated on what Bo Harrington and Bud Mason had taught me about throwing technique, footwork, and football awareness, and could tell I was much better than I was yesterday. I glided in the pocket, and when I made my decision to throw, the ball was out of my hand with a purpose. As well, I followed my read progressions, and if nothing was there, I threw the ball away or dumped it off. I was much more disciplined than I used to be. Coach Mason had to be smiling somewhere.
Towards the end of the morning practice, they sent rushers at us to see us move in the pocket. Jay was very much the run-first type of quarterback. His problem was just that. Instead of using his feet to get free of the rush, he would take off and become a running back.
Matt was the polar opposite. He was the classic pocket passer who hung onto the ball too long. In his dossier, it said he was a tough kid. He would have to be, with how he stood tall in the pocket. Even pocket passers need to be able to move to buy themselves enough time to throw when they had rushers crashing in around them. A little shift or stepping up in the pocket can make all the difference in the world. Moving was the one skill Matt needed to learn.
Larry showed why he was named the top dog out of Elite 11. He was more of a pocket passer than I would ever be�he tended to stay in the pocket, but he moved enough to be effective.
It was evident that I had much more big-play ability when I went all Captain Chaos on them. Coach Mason had taught me that the vertical game destroyed defenses. It probably wasn�t fair, because if you gave me my receivers and running backs with the addition of Damion, I was going to kill you. Roc was sneaky-fast, and Damion was a freak. Wolf was a big, sure-handed target who had caught my passes for the past three years. If you rotated in Jake, Ed, and Ty, I had three more players who could take a short gain and turn it into something long.
I showed Jay, Matt, and Larry why I�d won last year at Elite 11. I still thought it was bullshit they named me Co-MVP because in head-to-head, I beat Wes every time at Elite 11, and after.
In the morning session, I�d gone last. After my demonstration was done, my three rivals were huddled together, talking earnestly. They�d realized their mistake, and when they saw me look over, they just shook their heads. I would bet the competition was going to heat up this afternoon. I�d just laid the gauntlet down, and these three were too much like me. They couldn�t let the challenge go unanswered.
God, I loved this!
◊◊◊
Michigan had gotten smart and had our booster club cook lunch. You had the choice of hamburgers, hot dogs, or barbecued chicken. I decided on the chicken, baked potato, and a big salad, and saw the other quarterbacks do the same. The four of us found a table.
It felt like old times when Jeff pulled up a chair. Well, maybe not exactly, because he had his camera crew following him around.
�How much trouble did you get into for switching camera crews?� I asked.
�They will �talk� to me when we meet next week.�
�What�s the deal, Dawson? Why are they following you around?� Jay asked.
�That�s a good question,� I said, turning to Jeff.
�He�s an attention hound. He begged us to do it so he�d look like a big deal,� Jeff teased.
�I might not be shy, but I didn�t ask for this,� I said to defend myself.
�No, he didn�t. I did an end-run on him and talked to the school about doing a documentary on the football program at Lincoln High. They�ve taken what at best was an average football program and turned it into a winner. David only seems to be the focus because he�s the quarterback. It doesn�t hurt that he�s done other things and is so highly sought-after. I may even get to follow him to Mexico,� Jeff informed me.
�You know, you really should interview some other people. Cassidy Hope comes to mind. Without her, we wouldn�t be in nearly as good shape as we are. I would bet without her working us out over the offseason, we would�ve lost two or three games last year alone.�
�Is that the girl from yesterday who made me puke?� Larry asked.
�Yep. Don�t worry; I did the same thing the first time she worked me out. I kept looking at this little girl and couldn�t believe she could outwork me. She sometimes does that routine twice in a night,� I shared.
�Now that you mention it, a feature on her would be a good idea,� Jeff said, contemplating that.
�I would also suggest doing something on the Sullivans, Tom Dole, and my dad. Along with Coach Hope, they were the driving force behind getting us better equipment and facilities. The trainers helped us learn to use the equipment and enlisted outside help to get us physically ready to play ball. Another group is the guidance counselors who make sure we keep our grades up and prepare us for whatever comes next.
�It�s not just me; the whole team has set a goal to make Lincoln a powerhouse for years to come�not only in football, but in all athletics. And in academics,� I suggested.
�Since you�ve given me some good ideas, I�ll leave you to your lunch and not pester you with questions,� Jeff said and left.
We had a good time at lunch. It was nice to spend time with three guys who were going through a lot of what I had to deal with, being the faces of their programs. When we finished eating, they said they needed to go get ready for the afternoon, because they had some catching-up to do.
◊◊◊
On the way out, Coach Title stopped me.
�Do you have a minute?� he asked.
I was a little wary that I would get another butt-chewing, but accompanied him to a spot where we wouldn�t be overheard.
�I wanted to tell you I�m sorry about yesterday. After seeing you play this morning, I have to admit that I was wrong in my evaluation of your talent. I hope we can put this behind us and have a fresh start from here.�
I thought about letting it go, but the teenager in me just wouldn�t.
�Well, I think you got it backward,� I finally said.
�Why? You don�t owe me an apology,� he said, confused.
�No. You ripped me very publicly. The cameras will show in detail what you thought of my play and my commitment to football. Now, you apologize in private, where the record can�t be set straight.
�Before yesterday, I was probably going to pick Michigan as my football destination. Your program is on the rise; I expect you to be in the mix for a spot in the College Football Playoff for the next few years. You even took the initiative to have a camp here at Lincoln High, where my teammates and area football players could get additional training.
�While there are other schools in serious contention, like Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State, I�d thought Michigan might be the best fit for me. I have to thank you for yesterday. It has prevented me from picking Michigan at the end of camp, which I�d considered doing so I could end this recruiting circus.
�All I could think of while you were questioning my commitment was that you didn�t know me. You haven�t done your homework to find out how hard I work and what an asset I could be at the University of Michigan. What kept running through my mind was, do I need someone like you coaching me for the next four years? You didn�t for one minute consider what your comments would do to my reputation once they played your little drama on national television. All you were focused on was establishing yourself as the one I needed to listen to while tearing me down,� I said, winding down.
�Would it help if I made my apology public? Would you commit if you have my word that this sort of thing will never happen again?� he asked.
�My dad reminds me that my actions have consequences. Honestly, I can�t imagine what you hoped to accomplish, but your actions have affirmed my desire to look at all my options.�
�I really am sorry. I didn�t think about the cameras being in the room,� Coach Title said.
�It wasn�t just that. Several of my coaches were there too,� I said, and sighed. �It wasn�t just you, either. Coach Haber was sitting right there when you did it. He didn�t say a word to stop you. That makes me think the Michigan coaching staff felt I needed to be sent a message that I should forget about baseball and acting if they interfere with football.�
�You�ll have the same issues at any of the top football programs,� he said, not denying it.
�Don�t you think I�m aware of that? Ohio State sent their baseball coach to talk to my parents and me to show us how it would work. While football was the priority, they were willing to make sure I got a shot at playing college baseball.
�You can try to bully me into doing what you want, but it won�t work. If anything, it�ll cause me to dig my heels in. You�ll find that if you talk to me, I can be reasonable. Telling me what to do is disrespectful, especially if you�re trying to get my buy-in. You�re not my mom,� I said.
�Will you still consider Michigan?� he asked.
�I didn�t leave camp, so that should show I haven�t closed the door.�
He nodded and left me to think about what had just happened. I shook my head to focus on football. I had the three best high school quarterbacks in the nation coming after my number one spot, and I wanted to defend that position.
◊◊◊
The afternoon session was one of the best I�d had at any camp. The three other guys had gone through the indoctrination at Elite 11 and were supportive and helpful. It was like we had four extra coaches on the field, working to make each other the best we could be.
�You�re going to die when you get to college,� I told Matt.
�What are you talking about?�
�In high school, you�re the biggest, baddest dude and can take a shot. In college, there�ll be �roided-up freaks of nature who will plant you if you stand there and take a hit. You won�t do USC any good sitting out because you got injured being stupid,� I said, smiling to soften what I was telling him.
I realize it sounded funny coming from me, who�d admitted to everyone how much I loved the contact. That little fact wasn�t lost on my teammates helping out on the drill. They�d heard similar tirades from our coaches over the years.
�If he�s broken free, just go down and cover the ball. If your lineman has him engaged, help him out.�
�What do you mean?�
�The reason you step up in the pocket is to allow your lineman to push him past you. It might even help to take a step towards the rusher while stepping up. That will shorten the space he has to get loose from his block,� I said.
�Show me,� Matt said.
I had Jay play the backside tackle and Larry the rusher while I played quarterback. Once Larry got his shoulders past Jay, I explained that I was in trouble and needed to move. I stepped towards Larry and angled so I would be behind Jay�s backside; that way, he was in a better position to re-engage and make the block. It gave me a little more time to find an open receiver.
�Work on those cone drills where you move a couple of yards, and it�ll save your life,� I suggested.
We all offered each other suggestions to improve our games. I expect it was one of those times where you�d heard the advice before, but when it came from someone else, it sank in. We all knew football and played the position. I�m sure we all learned some good things.
◊◊◊
After practice, I was summoned to the video room again. When I entered the room, I found the same people there as yesterday.
�I asked David here to apologize in public for what I said yesterday,� Coach Title said, and turned to Jeff. �I would hope that you would delete what I said yesterday because it wasn�t fair to David. Since then, I�ve talked to several people, and my evaluation was completely wrong. I�m embarrassed to say I knew better,� he said.
�Okay, I�ll make sure it gets edited out,� Jeff assured everyone.
�I did get a chance to talk to the main evaluation services, and they agree that David is the number one recruit in the country.�
�David, I want you to know that we at the University of Michigan would be happy for you to play baseball. We fully support your efforts with USA Baseball,� Coach Haber said.
Apparently, someone had been talking to his boss. I still wasn�t going to commit this week. My original plan had been to take all my official visits, and I would stick with that. I realized that committing to Michigan now would just be laziness on my part. I was also 99% sure that Michigan was just telling me what I wanted to hear. Unfortunately, they weren�t unique in that regard.
◊◊◊
Cassidy had all our team join us after camp. She didn�t push any harder than usual, so I was okay, even with my weighted vest. The three guests all struggled. It seemed to be eye-opening for them to see how hard we worked out. It gave them a taste of what to expect when they reached college.
Everyone talked and decided that Monical�s was called for.
◊◊◊ Friday July 22
I�d made an appointment to meet with Coach Hope before football camp. I wanted to talk some sense into him concerning Phil, Yuri, and Roc and their desire to come with me to Mexico. He�d said he might suspend them for the first game if they missed the first week of fall football practices.
I thought I might bribe him, so I stopped by Granny�s West and picked up coffee and cinnamon rolls. They always put me in a good mood, so I assumed they would do that for Coach, too.
�If you have what I think is in that bag � yes, you can date Cassidy,� Coach Hope said as a greeting.
�Do me a favor and don�t tell her that. I think we�re too good as friends to date,� I said with a smile.
�Now, you have me nervous. It must be something big if you�re bringing me food and coffee.�
I handed him his roll and coffee and grabbed mine. They�d added Cuban coffee to the menu, so I had a small one. Sales hadn�t picked up yet, but I figured it was only a matter of time. I had to admit, it was an acquired taste. Personally, I preferred tea, but I loved the jolt the Cuban coffee gave me.
�What�s that?� Coach asked, pointing at my coffee.
�Cuban coffee. It might be too much for you,� I teased.
I opened it and handed it to him.
�Stir in the foam, or it�ll about kill you,� I suggested.
They made the foam out of sugar and a little coffee. It helped cut the bitter taste. Coach did as I suggested and tried it. His eyes bulged, and he blinked.
�Are you sure that�s not a controlled substance? I have a funny feeling I might regret drinking this.�
�You should see Cassidy after she�s had one.�
He just shook his head, and then we got serious about eating our rolls. When we had polished off our cinnamon rolls, I decided to broach the topic of the threatened suspensions.
�Phil, Roc, and Yuri want to go with me to Mexico to be batboys for Team USA. I realize you�re planning to suspend them if they go, but I wanted to make a case for not doing that if I can.�
�This should be good. Hang on while I get the rest of the coaching staff in here to listen to your spiel,� Coach Hope said.
He then reached for his phone and sent a text. While we waited, we talked about football.
�Trent tells me you helped him out quite a bit over the last few days. Several of the players have said you taught them skills that will help us this fall. Have you ever considered going into coaching?�
�I try to leave that to the professionals,� I said, playing it off.
�When do you leave for Mexico?�
�Actually, we go to Houston first and then fly to Mexico. I don�t leave for another week.�
�Would you be willing to hold a mini-camp for different positions before you left?� Coach Hope asked.
�As long as I have time to work with Moose and Coach Haskins to keep my baseball skills sharp,� I offered.
Everyone began to arrive, so we agreed to talk about that later. Coach Hope explained why he�d called them in.
�David wants to take Phil, Yuri, and Roc with him to Mexico for his baseball tournament. The issue is that they would all miss the first week of two-a-days. David and I talked when he received the invite to play for the Under-18 Team. I agreed that if he made it, he would be excused for missing the week. It�s a great opportunity, and he�ll be representing his country, two things I�m in favor of.
�He came to me and explained that the batgirl on his team wouldn�t be available for this next round of play because her brother didn�t make the team. They asked David to see if he would try to find someone to fill the role. When he told me who he wanted to ask, I explained that I would have a problem if they missed the week of practice. I told him I would suspend them for the first game.
�David said he wanted to make a case for not suspending them if they didn�t practice,� Coach Hope said.
�I don�t think you should make an exception, even if it is for David,� Alan said.
�Let�s hear him out,� Moose said to shut Alan down.
Of all the people in the room, he was the last I would have imagined would possibly bend a rule.
�Thank you, Mr. Moose.�
So sue me; I�m a teenager. The other coaches made Moose tell them the story of what happened at sign-in.
�� and this smartass calls me �Mr. Moose.��
�Everyone else had Coach this or that on their shirts. His just said, �Moose.� I simply assumed he was mister. I�ve always been told to respect my elders.�
�You�re not helping your case,� Moose warned.
�I guess I�d better get to it. The three teammates that I asked to go to Mexico are Phil, Roc, and Yuri. I told them that if they helped out with Team USA, they might be suspended for the first game, but they want to go anyway. I�m hoping that they won�t be suspended if they do.
�First of all, Phil is my half brother and is family,� I said and was interrupted by Alan.
�I didn�t think you even liked the kid.�
�It turns out he�s a good guy; I just didn�t know him. Something I�ve learned the hard way is I have to pick my friends carefully,� I said, looking Alan in the eyes.
It was clear he was going to be a problem, and I wasn�t going to let his passive-aggressive behavior continue.
�Alan, if you have a problem with me, we�ll talk afterward. This doesn�t have anything to do with you, it�s a team matter.�
�You don�t consider me part of the team?� he asked incredulously.
�Like I said, you and I can talk privately. Now is not the time or place.�
�Are you going to let him talk to a coach like that?� Alan asked Coach Hope.
�Oh, dear God! Are you telling on me?� I asked in mock horror.
�David,� Coach Hope warned.
�Fine � where was I? Phil. Phil joined the rest of the guys in my family on a fishing week, and he and I have gotten to know each other better. We agreed to spend more time together so we could build a relationship. I�m hoping this trip will go a long way toward that end.
�The first week of two-a-days is about weeding out who shouldn�t be there, and then we focus on conditioning. During our independent summer drills, these three guys have been learning the new offense and defense, and they�re all well-conditioned at this point. I�m confident they�ll be up to speed when they get back,� I said.
�It�s not the same as working with the team,� Coach Rector said.
�I agree. I realize that you and Coach Mason will be much better teachers than I will ever be. And I recognize that it�s important that we mesh as a team, but this is an unusual circumstance. Having the three of them with me will help me prepare, and in turn, I can help them.�
�You plan to get them ready?� Coach Rector asked.
�Do you have any doubt that I�ll be ready when I get back?� I asked.
They all knew how hard I worked and that I would quickly get back into the swing of playing at a high level. I�d shown that by going toe-to-toe with three of the best high school quarterbacks this week.
�I have no doubt,� Coach Hope said, coming to my defense. �And I�m sure that if you take on the responsibility for the three players in question, they�ll be ready to play. But I believe they would be even better if they attended two-a-days. Let us talk and get back to you.�
�I�m just asking you to consider what�s best for the team. I sure don�t want to go into the Washington game shorthanded. Like I said, they�ve decided on their own to go, even though they recognize the possible consequences. I understand that you have rules, and I agree with them most of the time.
�I just think you sometimes need to step back and look at the big picture. In this case, I believe we�d be better off with them than having them suspended. I don�t need to remind everyone that our goal is to win state again. If Washington beats us, they may end up running the table, and we might not even get a chance to defend our title,� I said.
�Then you should remind them of that,� Alan said while shooting me evil looks.
I ignored him for the moment, but if this didn�t go my way, I would make sure Yuri heard about it. What he did with that information was up to him. I waggled my eyebrows at Alan and grinned. I had happy thoughts of him stuffed headfirst into a garbage can. It felt good to play the Godfather.
◊◊◊
By day four of camp, it no longer felt like a competition. Everyone realized that everyone else was damned good. They remembered the goal wasn�t to play �I can do that better,� but instead to help each other actually get better. It did make everything more fun.
Coach Haber made my day.
�Dawson, go play defense.�
Michigan had a player named Jabrill Peppers, who played defense, offense, and special teams. His focus was on defense and special teams, but he had serious skills, so he was put in for a few plays a game on offense. Every time Bo Harrington or some other recruiter would try to quash my dream of playing every down, I would point to Jabrill. They also moved him all over the field; he managed to play fifteen different positions.
For the coming year, Coach Rector had talked to me about moving to inside linebacker, where I would be beside Tim. Yuri moved to the outside, with the other outside linebacker spot going to Jake. The plan was to switch from a four-man line to three. Our strength was our speed, and since everyone had gotten stronger, Coach Rector felt we could fend off linemen better.
There was one player I wanted to go up against: Damion. Last year, he�d been a beast but was hit-or-miss as far as catching balls. This year, he was doing much better. There wasn�t a defensive back in high school that I knew of who could handle him one-on-one. I was glad Wesleyan wasn�t on our schedule, because I wasn�t sure we could keep him out of the end zone.
When Damion lined up to catch a pass, I casually strolled over and gave him a five-yard cushion. It got even better: Mike was playing quarterback. Let the fun and games begin.
�What do you think you�re doing?� Damion asked.
�I got tired of playing quarterback, so I thought I�d come over and watch how awesome you are close up,� I said with a big grin.
�It would be my pleasure to give you a demonstration.�
I suspect he believed he would just run by me. He wasn�t a happy camper when I put him on his butt.
�Come on, he can�t do that,� Mike complained.
�Of course he can. He was inside five yards when he engaged Damion,� Coach Haber said, and then turned to me. �Let�s tone it down a couple notches. We�re just in shorts and t-shirts.�
�You�re an asshole,� Damion muttered so only I could hear.
�Wimp,� I shot back.
From there, it was game on. Damion was six-six and weighed 230 pounds. He was fast and, to this point, had relied solely on his athletic ability. He�d never faced a defensive back who was close to him in size and could run with him.
On the next play, he executed a swim move that got his hips past mine, which was a bad thing. I flipped my hips and ran with him. Another defender yelled �ball,� and I got happy when Damion used his right elbow to give himself some room to catch the football. I hooked it under my left arm, which in effect forced him to try to catch the ball with one hand. When he caught the ball, I was ready. As he brought it down to secure it, I punched it loose.
We were almost equal in speed, with Damion having a slight edge. I was quicker off the mark and could get up to full speed faster because of my speed training. Damion was like Roc in that he had long strides that ate up a lot of ground. The downside of having long strides was that you couldn�t accelerate as quickly. He could also outjump me. My advantage was I was stronger and had better eye-hand coordination. Lifting and working with Cassidy had helped. Finally, I had much better stamina.
One advantage he had was that he and Mike played together. I�d never said that Mike was a bad quarterback. He was objectively better than all the other area quarterbacks that had signed up for camp. I was just better than he was, and that was what had caused our problems.
When we were done, I had to admit that Damion got the better of me. Mike finally figured out to loft the ball and let Damion go up for it. In my mind, I knew that if I�d had pads on, I could have jarred the ball loose. I could only shake my head when Mike acted like he�d just won the Super Bowl.
�That was a lot of fun. I wish I could go against you in practice every day. I can tell that I need a lot of work if I�m going to make it to the next level,� Damion said.
�Once you get to college, you�ll be fine. You just need to get into shape.�
We were both drenched with sweat.
�I was sucking air at the end,� he admitted.
�Hey, see that girl over there?� I asked.
�That�s Coach Hope�s daughter.�
�Yeah, Cassidy. I gave her a bunch of invitations to the grand opening of my restaurant. Go tell her I said to give you some tickets. Invite your teammates.�
�Even Mike?�
�If he can act like a human being for a night, he can come,� I said.
�I�ll keep an eye on him,� Damion said, and then got serious. �David, I�ve never really thanked you. I was at the end of my rope when I talked to you in Houston last year. My grades weren�t good enough, and I was out of control. I still might have to go the JC route, but at least now I have a shot at playing college ball.�
�The key is you decided to turn it around.�
�I consider you a friend. If there is ever anything I can do �� Damion offered.
◊◊◊
Cassidy was a brat. I�d put her in charge of handing out invitations for tonight. Tracy called me, wanting to know why none of the girls were invited. It got better: Zoe called me, laughing because Cassidy had made her brother take his shirt off and flex for her before she let him have two tickets. She wanted to make sure only cute boys would be there.
The next call I got was from Coach Hope. He told me that all the coaches were invited except Alan. He wasn�t amused when I laughed, but I told him he had to talk to his daughter.
I drove to the club early to help, and Granny promptly sent me to Mary. She put me to work making different salads. I premade them, wrapped them individually, and put them on big metal serving trays that held eight plates. Then I slid the trays into a big rolling cart that held twelve of them. When I�d made 96 salads, she told me she would take it from there.
When I got upstairs, I found Jan wrapping silverware in napkins.
�The talent would like to talk to you,� she said as she rolled her eyes.
Of course, Jan knew Eve Holliday, since we�d all gone to school together. But Jan was one of the cool kids in middle school, and I doubted that she and Eve had ever hung out. Eve was too much of a tomboy. The band had set up and had claimed a table next to the bar and closest to the stage.
�David! I want you to meet my band,� Eve said with a big smile.
My guard went up because the last few times I�d seen Eve, she hadn�t even acknowledged my presence. This felt like she needed something from me.
I met all her bandmates. I was surprised that they were all in their thirties or early forties, a much different group than I�d met the last time I�d seen her. That group had been in their early twenties. These all seemed like nice guys and gals. They asked if they could invite their families, and I quickly arranged for them to be added to the list. I told them they might have to sit down by the dance floor because I thought we�d given out all the invitations for the upper-level tables.
After I arranged that, Eve grabbed my hand and took me to the other side of the dance floor so we might have a quiet word together.
�I see you changed bands.�
�Yeah. The old band and I had some issues. They expected if they couldn�t pick up someone that I should help them out. They were also a bad influence on me, buying me drinks. Angel found out and fired them all. That has turned out to be the best move for my career. These guys are all married and bring their wives with them. There�s never any drama, and I�m a lot happier,� she admitted.
I started to ask her if she had another record coming out, but she stopped me.
�I�ve been a terrible friend. When I left here, I never looked back; and when I was last here, I treated you poorly. I was ashamed of the breakup song. My mom told me what you said about being in the video for it, and I don�t blame you for not doing it. Recently, I wrote another song about you, and I want to share it with you before I release it,� she said in a rush.
She was clearly nervous.
�I�d love to hear it,� I said.
She pulled out her phone and played a slow ballad with a strong drum rhythm that sounded like a heartbeat. It talked about walking out and not looking back; that she�d gone to find her fame and fortune. Then she got to the chorus �
�I decided that instead of a breakup song, I needed to do one about lost love. I�ve been thinking about you a lot lately. It was the main reason I wanted to be the first band to play at your club. I wanted to show you that I realize what you did for me, and this was the only way I could come up with to repay you.�
�Eve, I understood what you were doing when you left. I�ve always only wanted you to have everything you ever dreamed of. I just couldn�t get behind the lie that song represented.�
�Let�s consider this the breakup song do-over,� she suggested.
Jan interrupted us.
�Granny wants you to be up front when people arrive.�
�Okay, I�ll be right there,� I said, and then turned back to Eve. �Good luck tonight. We�ll talk later.�
◊◊◊
I soon found out that Granny had a system for everything. My job was to greet everyone by name if I knew it. If not, I was to ask so that I could use their name in conversation. Downstairs was the staging area where people waited. Jan had a button to push to tell the person handling the front door when to send the next group up. They weren�t sent up until the server met whoever was talking to me and had taken them to their table. That way, there was no holdup once they were upstairs.
Granny explained it was part of their strategy to increase the size of tips the servers received and to make people feel special when they came here. She had coached the servers on several techniques to help them make more money.
Something she had our female servers do was to touch customers lightly on the shoulder, hand, or arm. Granny said that customers who female servers touched drank more alcohol than customers they didn�t touch. That increased the size of the check, and thus the size of the tip. Touch, when interpreted properly, produces a feeling of friendliness. It predisposes customers to tip more generously. But she warned that the act of touching might have a negative effect if it was perceived as flirtatious. That, in turn, could reduce the amount of the tip rather than increase it. Granny also warned that female servers should be careful when touching male customers who are in the company of romantically involved females. In that situation, touching might produce jealousy, and reduce the size of the tip.
She also had them introduce themselves to the table, and when the server gave them their check, she had them write a personalized thank-you note. Granny gave them the leeway to bring the table an appetizer to share. Tonight�s appetizer giveaway was potato skins. This reminded me of her giving me free cinnamon rolls. I knew for a fact that worked. She also made them repeat the order back before leaving the table. It assured the customer they had it right and that the server cared enough to verify that they�d gotten it right. Finally, she made them aware they needed to provide excellent service. To that end, Granny limited the number of tables a server had until they showed they could handle more.
My job was easy tonight because I knew almost everyone who we�d invited to our test run. The Michigan coaching staff all came at once.
�I don�t believe I�ve ever met a recruit who owned a restaurant,� Coach Haber said.
�It�s not solely mine. I wouldn�t know the first thing about running a restaurant. I have two partners who actually run the operation. My job is to look good and give them money,� I confessed.
�We�ll have to talk about your time management once you get on campus.�
�I have people who take care of that for me,� I said with a grin.
�I stand corrected. You�ll have to show me what you know.�
The next group up was my high school coaches.
�Where are Cassidy and Brad?� I asked Coach Hope.
�Brad is out with friends, and Cassidy�s coming with Brook and her family.�
�She didn�t invite me,� Alan said.
�And yet, here you are.�
�I�m not sure what to do with you two,� Coach Hope admitted.
�You should just let them fight and get it out of their system,� Moose suggested.
I liked his old-school approach.
�Maybe I�ll get Cassidy to be my champion,� Alan said with a smirk.
�Just remember, she didn�t invite you,� I said, which wiped the snarky look off his face.
�I want to see both of you in my office before practice tomorrow,� Coach Hope ordered.
I was glad when it was time to seat them.
Later, Ava, Ian, and Brook showed up with Cassidy.
�Welcome, welcome. I�ve taken the liberty of putting you with my parents if that�s okay,� I said.
�That would be perfect. It�s been almost a week since we�ve seen Rob and Carol,� Ava said.
�And you, young lady, let the power of handing out invitations go to your head,� I said to Cassidy.
She just gave me a dismissive look.
�She didn�t even invite me,� Brook complained.
�You�ll just make cow eyes at him all night. I wanted him to myself for once,� Cassidy said, and then blushed.
I don�t think she intended to admit that little fact in front of me. She was saved when their server came and got them.
Tonight turned out to be a lot more fun for me than the last time here because I didn�t have the awards to worry about. Everyone was either a friend or at least an acquaintance. Mike even remained civil. Damion must have had a talk with him.
Eve had gotten better on stage. She�d learned how to play to an audience and get them involved in her songs. The band was also more polished. I thought that made up for the now-replaced younger guys who would appeal more to the younger girls. Eve no longer had to worry that her band might do something that would come back later to haunt her.
Tomorrow, when we opened for real, would be the test. I walked around and reminded everyone that even though the food was free, they needed to tip their server. I knew some of my high school friends would think the whole night was free and forget.
◊◊◊
When I came home, I found Pam and Tracy eating ice cream with my mom and dad. I got a bowl and joined them.
�That went well tonight,� Dad observed.
�Granny and Mary said there were a few hiccups, but nothing that can�t be fixed.�
�Peggy�s gone out, so Pam�s spending the night,� Mom told me.
That explained Pam. She usually spent a few nights a week here to spend time with our son and Little David. It allowed Peggy some freedom and helped her keep her sanity. I honestly couldn�t imagine how some parents did it when they were with their little ones 24/7.
We caught up on our day. I told them about Cassidy and Alan.
�Do you want me to talk to his parents?� Mom asked.
�While that would make my day, I need to talk to him. He�s just acting out in typical Alan fashion.�
I gathered up everyone�s bowls and put them in the dishwasher. Somehow, it wasn�t a surprise when Tracy followed me up to my apartment.
�I understand that you�ve decided to get a girlfriend,� she announced.
�Who said that?� I asked to play it off.
�Tami told me, and your mom just confirmed it.�
�Jesus,� I hissed, using the Lord�s name in vain.
I need to stop doing that. After all, I was a dad now and wanted to set a better example.
�I was sent to talk to you,� Tracy admitted.
�Tracy, I don�t want to hurt your feelings, but your help isn�t wanted. I�m capable of deciding if, when, and who I date or have as a girlfriend.�
�You poor �stupid boy.� You know it�ll go better if you let us help you out,� Tracy said.
�Sorry, but the days of you girls controlling my life are over. You�ll have to get that notion out of your pretty little head.�
�I wouldn�t call it controlling,� she said, tapping her finger on her chin. �I would describe it as helping you avoid a horrible mistake.�
�Really?� I asked incredulously.
�I suspect even you would admit you don�t have the best track record.�
If I hadn�t seen the twinkle in her eye, she might have ended up turned over on my lap, getting her butt spanked.
�Maybe I should just pick you,� I baited her.
�Now you�re talking,� she said, perking up.
�I think I should take you for a test drive first, though,� I pondered.
�I think you just want to take advantage of me,� Tracy pouted.
�Yep.� I grinned as I grabbed her and pulled her into my bedroom.
Not that she fought me. We did what we always did best together. We also knew that we would never be anything more than friends. Once we�d worn each other out, we continued our conversation. I knew that Tracy had my back.
�Mom is team Brook. Who are you backing?� I asked.
�I�ll always be team Pam, but she isn�t anywhere near ready for a relationship right now. She needs to work on her self-confidence and figure out what she wants before she could ever handle you. I�m sure you would treat her right, but it�s all the other drama around you that would cause her problems.
�Considering the attention you get from fans and the press, I would agree that Brook is a good choice. I would also say that Halle could handle the gossip and spotlight. I think she�s actually your girlfriend if what I read on the net is true.�
�We did that for the movie,� I said.
�Whatever lets you sleep at night,� Tracy said as she gave me a disbelieving look. �What about Beth?�
�I talked to Brook about all this, and she pointed out the long-distance problem. Otherwise, it would be no contest,� I admitted.
�That leaves either Zoe or a dark horse I don�t know about,� Tracy surmised.
�Cassidy,� I threw into the mix.
�What about her dad?�
�I expect he would support it if he knew we were serious. If not, he wouldn�t be the first dad who didn�t approve of me.�
�The last one tried to get you arrested and steal your baby from you.� Tracy said to remind me of what Cal, Pam�s dad, had pulled.
�Coach Hope would be more direct,� I admitted.
�Let�s ignore Cassidy for a minute. Where do you stand regarding Zoe?�
�I like her a lot. She and I have many of the same values, and then there�s the farm. I could see spending the rest of my life with her.�
�I can�t,� Tracy said, and then explained herself. �You�re not going to end up on a farm anytime soon. If you make it to the NFL or Major League Baseball, you�ll be living in a large city. If you make movies, you�ll probably end up in LA. Zoe isn�t going to be happy without her horses.�
�They have horses in big cities. I went horseback riding in LA, Miss Smarty Pants.�
I stuck my tongue out at her.
�Okay. If there were no obstacles, which one would you pick?� Tracy asked.
�I dunno. When I step back and think about it, I realize that I like them all for different reasons, and I can see myself happy with any of them. I just know that for me, I need to pick one. It�s time. I�m ready to have a girlfriend,� I said.
�If I didn�t know you, I would think you were pulling my leg. What guy gives up several willing women to spend time with just one?�
�It�s not like we won�t still be friends,� I said.
�I know that. Despite what some may think, I believe it�ll help because it�ll allow the rest to move on and find someone,� Tracy said.
I�m not sure what I�d been thinking. Did I expect them to remain single and wait for my relationship to die? Shouldn�t they be free to find someone else? I wanted to say �no,� but all I had to do was look at Tami. She and Tim seemed to be happy. To be honest, it was hard for me to see them together, even though they were two of my favorite people. Some part of me still felt a claim on Tami.
My talk with Tracy helped me clarify something. I was okay with Beth and Cassidy finding someone else. The Alpha Male wanted to claim Brook, Halle, Pam, and Zoe. Unless someone appeared unexpectedly, I suspected that I would choose one of those four.
Tracy had to go home. I thanked her for her help, but I needed to decide this. She offered to be a sounding board. Unlike my mom and Tami, I knew I could count on Tracy to keep my confidence. She might actually be my best friend.
◊◊◊
Chapter 28 � Get A Copy of The Mug Shot Saturday July 23
After my run, I walked into Coach Hope�s office and found Alan already there. I could tell from how smug he looked that he�d been flapping his lips last night and probably this morning.
�Have a seat,� Coach Hope said, and then got right to it. �Alan has taken the liberty to inform me that you and he are no longer friends. Would you agree with that?�
�It all came to a head with the stunt he pulled during baseball that caused the opposition to throw at me. He did it even after I�d asked him not to,� I said.
�Moose told me about that,� Coach Hope said.
Alan had played
He�d then been pissed when he was grounded and couldn�t go to Prom. I personally thought it was his own fault because he knew my mom and what she would do if he got out of line. It wasn�t the first time she�d taken him home. If he kept it up, it might not be the last.
�Well, if you two can�t figure this out, I�ll just pull Alan from coaching.�
�What � why me?� Alan sputtered.
�The only reason I�ve allowed a student coach is because David asked me to. The school will no longer allow you access to any student�s information after what you did to Lisa Felton. They take cyberbullying seriously. I admit that you add value, but not at the expense of you locking horns with my best player.�
�But,� Alan sputtered.
�I�m only going to admit this once, so hold your comments. If it were anyone else, I would back you out of principle. Two things that make David different. The first is personal. I�ve gotten to know David and realize he wouldn�t have stopped being your friend without good reason. I�ve watched how he interacts with teammates. He even worked with Mike after he pulled his stunt with Mona. I also know how he treats my daughter and son. Brad deserved his animosity, but David was a stand-up guy through the whole fiasco last fall.
�The second reason is that David is an exceptional athlete. I may never again get to coach anyone with as much talent as he has. It would be easy for him to come in and make demands, but he�s been a team player. David hasn�t once come in and asked me to remove you from coaching. It has only been you who has asked me to suspend him or get him to bend to your will.
�Alan, I say this with the hope that you�ll understand. Don�t force me to choose sides. I don�t think you�ll like the outcome,� Coach Hope said softly, and then turned to me. �Do you have an issue with Alan continuing coaching?�
�Alan seems to have a talent for coaching. I would hate for him to not be allowed to continue. It�s just that I don�t know if he can help himself where I�m concerned.�
�Is he right?�
Alan looked down; we both knew the answer to that.
�Alan, I�m going to give you one more chance, but your responsibilities are going to change. You�ll work with the freshmen and JV. You�ll also be responsible for breaking down game films and loading them to the software. If I hear you making comments about David, you�ll be done. Just so you aren�t surprised, I�ll tell all the other coaches to keep an eye on you. Will that work?� Coach Hope asked.
�I�m good,� I admitted.
Alan just nodded. I really didn�t want to prevent Alan from coaching. But I wasn�t putting up with his crap anymore, either. I was more than a little pissed that he was politicking for me to be suspended. I had no doubt that I might decide to earn the suspension if I ever found out he was responsible for something like that.
◊◊◊
We had a fun last day of practice because you always look like a superstar when you don�t have to worry about being leveled by a defender. It felt good to just cut loose and throw the ball.
�I�m so good, I could switch to defense, and no one could even catch a pass on me,� Damion announced after he made a spectacular grab.
�Care to put your theory to the test?� I challenged.
�You can�t let David challenge your manhood like that,� Mike spoke up.
Damion had just been bragging, but now Mike had called him out after I�d teased him. He thought about it for a minute and got a big smile.
�Yeah, I want to see the great David Dawson go down in flames,� Damion announced.
The Michigan coaching staff felt this would be a good way to end camp. They gathered all the campers and had them sit in the stands. The players were a little rowdy, and the crowd seemed split over who they wanted to get the better of the other.
I talked to Wolf and Roc to decide who would be my receiver. They felt that if I planned to show up Damion, it should be with Roc because he was smaller and younger and might make Damion overconfident.
Larry, Matt, and Jay volunteered to be referees, and Matt decided we needed an MC.
�David will start on the 20 yard line and have to drive the length of the field. If Damion can force a turnover or stop David from getting a first down, he gets a point. If David scores, he gets one. First to five wins,� Matt announced.
Roc had faced me as a defender, so Damion�s size and speed weren�t something he hadn�t seen before. I was confident that he could get open.
On the first play, Damion tried to do what I did to him: put Roc on his butt. Roc had been practicing with Yuri to get off the ball. Damion might be taller than Yuri, but my little Russian hit man was a load when he got into you. Coach Rector had been working with Yuri on how to keep a receiver or back from getting upfield. I almost dropped the ball laughing when Roc made Damion completely whiff. Roc scored easily, putting us up 1�0.
On the next play, Damion was smarter and played off Roc so he could run with him. Damion pushed off and intercepted the ball. Pass interference was called.
�No, give him that one. He�s going to need all the help he can get,� I taunted.
�If you�re dumb enough to give me a point, I�m not turning it down,� Damion said.
On the next series, Roc and I ran simple down-and-outs. Damion was getting frustrated, so I gave Roc the hand signal to do a down, out, and up to burn him. We were up 2�1.
The next series, Roc ran straight up the field, and when Damion flipped his hips early, Roc cut to the center of the field. Damion had to turn to follow him. Damion might be faster, but you give Roc a lead, and you weren�t catching him.
�Hey, Damion. To make it fair, I�ll tell you what play we�re running,� I said with a big grin.
One of the drills we ran was precisely that. You had to be crafty to win when the defender knows what you�re going to do. Damion flipped me off, which got everyone to laugh. I think they saw the handwriting on the wall.
�He�s going long right up the sideline,� I called out.
Roc was off like a flash. I could tell Damion thought he had him. What I knew was that Roc was better at getting 50/50 balls because he had better hands than Damion. I purposely underthrew the pass so Roc would have to slow down to get it. Damion overran the play, and Roc gathered it in and then cut to the center of the field to put us up 4�1.
�Same play, but this time I�ll throw it long to give you a chance,� I announced.
Roc and Damion were running down the field when I uncorked one of my teardrop passes. Damion, even at six-six, would never be able to stop that pass if I threw it accurately, which I did. When Roc gathered it in, Damion just stopped, admitting defeat.
�What the hell was that?� Matt asked.
Oops. I shouldn�t have shown that pass.
�That�s something he learned from Coach Mason,� Coach Haber said. �I�d studied it, but I thought it was a gimmick pass.�
�Yep. It�s a gimmick pass,� I tried.
�Here I thought we were friends,� Jay said.
�Dang it. I didn�t want to show you my best tricks,� I complained.
I ended up demonstrating the pass, and then all the quarterbacks got a chance to try their hand at it. The key was accuracy. If you threw it too far in bounds, it just turned into a jump ball.
◊◊◊
While we did that, the Michigan coaching staff pulled players in to give them an evaluation. I was last to be called.
Coaches Haber and Title were in one of the meeting rooms.
�We wanted to reconfirm our offer to you. I also wanted to clear up the issue of you playing two sports,� Coach Haber started out.
�And I want to apologize again for what I said. I did an interview with the documentary crew to set the record straight,� Coach Title said.
I�d have to get Jeff to show me what he�d said.
�What is your policy?� I asked.
�If you play at a high level, we�ll release you at the end of the football season to go play the other sport. The key is we don�t want bench players wasting their time. If you�re at the level where you can play both, we�ll support it,� Coach Haber explained.
�What about spring ball?� I asked.
�Baseball would take priority,� Coach Haber assured me.
That was better than the deal Alabama had offered me. They wanted football to be the priority year-round. If I decided they were a finalist for where I would go to school, I would have to consider that. The benefits of playing there might make me decide I could live with that condition.
�Our goal is to get you to the NFL. We�ve had two quarterbacks drafted in the last eight years. The talent level at Michigan has increased dramatically over the several years since our coaching staff was put into place. This year as many as twelve players could be drafted. We have two defenders I think could be first-rounders, including Jabrill Peppers.
�I could see you contributing in many of the same ways he has. Does that appeal to you?� Coach Haber asked.
�What do you think?� I asked Coach Title.
�You�re too valuable to play anywhere other than quarterback.�
�At least you�re honest about it,� I said and then turned to the head coach. �I would love to play every down. I would trust you to use me where I would be most effective.�
�That, I can promise you.�
�Did you make any offers today?� I asked.
�Here�s the list,� Coach Title said, as he handed it to me.
�I also wanted to let you know that we talked to Alan Douglas about possibly being a student volunteer. Coach Hope told us what a help he is,� Coach Haber said.
I had to bite my tongue, but I wouldn�t ruin this opportunity for Alan if he wanted it.
�Why did you offer Mike?� I asked.
�We talked to him about possibly playing defense or running back. For now, we�ve offered him a preferred walk-on spot. If he proves himself, he will get a scholarship,� Coach Haber answered.
�We�re also keeping an eye on Roc Pearson and Yuri Antakov,� Coach Title said.
If what they said was true, I would have to seriously consider Michigan. No one, to this point, had said they would make offers to that many of my teammates. This was the dream scenario where I would go to a school that had their eye on national championships and where I could play with my friends. I�d learned, though, not to jump before I had to. A lot could change between now and signing day.
�I admit I�m intrigued. You should know that I�m seriously considering Michigan. I believe we could be a good fit for each other,� I said.
�Is there anything I could do to get you to accept our offer today?� Coach Haber asked.
�No. We have a process we plan to go through. I won�t make a decision until spring.�
�I understand. We�d love for you to come visit us with your family. We�ll be in touch to work that out. I�d also like to schedule an in-home visit.�
�You�ll need to talk to my manager to get it on my schedule,� I said.
�Manager?� Coach Title asked.
�Caryn Buckley manages all my businesses and is the keeper of my schedule. Here�s the office number,� I said, handing them both my business card with the recruiting phone number on it.
I�d rather have Caryn talk to them than Kent, who was just getting his legs under him. He could practice on the schools I wasn�t interested in.
�You were right. He�s going to be unique,� Coach Title said.
◊◊◊
For the official grand opening, I was at Our House to greet people as they came in. The place was packed. I expect one of the reasons was you had to drive twenty minutes to find anywhere else that regularly had live music. The closest places were near State�s campus. Dad�s country club only had music for special events like weddings and our prom.
The crowd tonight was older than the usual clientele at the clubs at State. Most people were in their late twenties or early thirties and had come for dinner and dancing. Jan told me that the downstairs restaurant was packed with people who didn�t want to wait to get in upstairs.
Eve and her band were a big hit. She was local, and her group was better than you would typically see in a venue like this. I appreciated her playing for our opening.
She and I only got to talk for a short while. We both realized our friendship had suffered over the past year, and we were essentially no more than acquaintances now.
◊◊◊
I didn�t get home until almost two in the morning. As I ascended my stairs, I found a light on and soft music playing. When I stepped into my living room, there were Tami and Tim, sitting on my couch. Just what I didn�t need.
�What are you two doing here?� I asked.
�Using your apartment as a love shack,� Tami said.
I suddenly had a headache.
�Did you at least change the sheets?� I asked.
Tim didn�t look comfortable. I expect he picked up on the fact I wasn�t a happy camper.
�Dude, sorry. Tami made it sound like you were okay with this. It�s just that we don�t get any alone time in Chicago since it�s against house rules. Then when we get home, there isn�t anywhere for us to get together,� he rambled.
�Please. Even I could figure out where to go if I couldn�t use my apartment,� I said, giving them a hard look. �You also didn�t answer my question. Did you change the sheets?�
�I�ll take care of it,� Tim said and left Tami to deal with me.
�I don�t think this was a great idea,� she admitted.
It was too late at night to have to deal with this. I stepped over to the refrigerator to get some iced tea. Inside there was a slice of pizza that looked suspiciously like the kind in my freezer, and there was only enough iced tea for about a third of a glass. Their glasses and plates were in the sink.
�Did you use all my condoms too?� I asked.
Tami�s sheepish expression told me they had.
�I think you�d better leave,� I said, not wanting to say what was on my mind at that very instant.
�But �� Tami began.
�Now!� I said with some heat in my voice.
She hurried into the bedroom.
�Don�t say anything to him � just leave it � we have to go now,� Tami said.
Tim looked dazed as she hustled him out of my space. I stepped into the bedroom and found my bed half-made. I had to use my bathroom and found towels on the floor, and it was clear they had used my things to brush their hair and the like.
That was it; enough was enough. I stomped downstairs and into the kitchen. Duke came tearing down the stairs, then followed me back up to my parents� bedroom. I woke them up.
�What�s wrong?� Dad asked.
�I need you both to come with me,� I said.
�What happened?� Mom asked.
�It�ll be easier to show you,� I said.
I took them up to my apartment and let them see the mess Tami and Tim had left me. Dad looked confused, but I could tell Mom knew about them using my apartment.
�I don�t care what it takes, I want my apartment secure. If we have to go back to a key system instead of the code, then I�ll go out tomorrow and buy it,� I said.
I had an evil idea: I should make Tim install it for me.
�What happened?� Dad asked.
�Tami and Tim used my place as a love shack while I was at the restaurant tonight. They acted as if it was their private hotel: ate my food, left their dirty dishes, used my condoms, and trashed my bathroom. They left it all for me to clean up after them.�
�Did you know about this?� Dad asked Mom.
�I did,� she admitted. �Don�t worry, I�ll deal with it.�
I could tell Mom wasn�t happy, either. I was just glad I didn�t walk into a party.
�No, I�ll deal with it,� Dad said.
Oh, crud! That was how I found Tami, her mom, Tim, and his parents in my apartment at three in the morning. Mom gave me a sideways smile and a hip-check as I watched in horror while my dad read them all the riot act. I think she enjoyed it when he took charge like that. Ever since her cancer, he�d done this more often than not. This used to be her job in our house.
I almost laughed aloud when I heard a big sigh from Duke�s crate. He was ready to go to sleep and was letting us know that he wasn�t happy with all the noise. I didn�t blame him. If I knew all this drama would occur, I would�ve waited until the morning to tell my parents.
On the way out, Tami could tell I was over being mad.
�Tattletale.�
�Please. How many times have you told on me?� I asked.
�Once or twice,� she tried.
�I think my daughter has a selective memory,� Mrs. Glade told my mom.
�I don�t think you have any room to point fingers,� Mom told Tami.
�You�re right. I�m sorry, David. It won�t happen again,� she offered.
Tim stepped over and gave me a bear hug.
�I was afraid you�d never talk to me again.�
My back cracked; I hoped he hadn�t done any permanent damage.
�Put him down. If you break him, the whole team will hunt you down,� Tami scolded him.
�We have to figure out how to ground them for life with them living in Chicago,� Tim�s dad said.
�I might have some ideas,� Mom offered.
Tim got worried when he saw Tami�s expression. She decided it was time to leave, and they left my parents and me in my living room.
�Once again, it wasn�t ours,� Dad said with a smile.
�You keep it up, and you might put us out of a job,� Mom said as she ruffled my hair.
�That just means that I�m due,� I said to get my digs in.
�Maybe we should ground him just on principle,� Dad suggested.
�Out! Duke needs his sleep,� I ordered.
The quote Uncle John found was going to haunt me: �Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it, if at all.� I had to start resisting the urge to get the last word in.
◊◊◊ Sunday July 24
Duke nudged me to let me know he needed to go out. I looked at the clock and saw I�d only gotten four hours of sleep. At least he�d let me sleep in a little. When we trudged downstairs, we found Precious had waited for him.
While the two of them ran around the backyard, I returned to my apartment and put on my running gear. When I�d come down again, Duke had found his ball and decided that it had to go with us on our run. I didn�t feel like negotiating with him and let him take it. He led the way, and when we got to the first corner, I about ran him over. Peggy had been working with him to sit at each street crossing because Mom had taken him to the hospital to work with her cancer patients. He�d apparently almost gotten himself hit, so he was relearning a useful skill. I�d become a little lax because where we ran, there was very little traffic.
Duke looked up at me and dropped his ball, which bounced out into the street. We looked both ways, and then I let him chase his ball down and continue on our run. I quickly got tired of stopping at each corner, so I took him to the park where we ran around the lake. They had a big open field, which allowed me to let him off his leash and toss his ball for him.
On the third throw, Duke decided the ducks were taunting him and made a beeline for the lake. He was running full-out when he made a spectacular jump into the water. He all but caught one of the mallards. Duke chased them across the lake to the island where he ran up the bank and through the bushes. I heard a woman shriek.
I sprinted around the end of the lake and to the bridge, then pushed through the bushes. Duke had made a new friend. It was a woman who looked like she was in college and who�d decided to catch some sun. I could see Duke had shaken himself, and she got wet, hence the shriek. The woman must have been trying to get an even tan on her back because she was topless. She heard me push through the bushes and shrieked again.
Our eyes locked, and Mr. Happy stood up. That�s never a good thing when wearing running shorts without a jock. I looked closer and could see she was quite attractive. Her hair was somewhere between blond and brown, and she�d cut it short so it was off her shoulders. Her cute nostrils flared as she bit her lip and her eyebrows rose, which were all signs that she was interested in me.
I think we both knew where this was going. There was an instant sexual attraction that was more than her having her breasts on display. I could tell she wanted this to go further when she dropped her hands from where they�d been covering herself. Mr. Happy suddenly was doing the thinking, and I pulled my shirt off and closed the distance between us.
I told Duke to park it, and he lay down under the picnic table. While I was distracted, she�d reached up, and as I turned around, she caressed my hardness through my shorts. Finding someone to have sex with was not on my mind when I left home this morning. Maybe this was the wild card Tracy had talked about.
My mystery woman brought me back to the moment when she pulled my shorts down and engulfed my growing member. I was so ready for college. I loved confident women who were comfortable in their sexuality. If they wanted you, they simply did what came naturally. I think that was why I had so much fun in LA. I felt the need to reciprocate, and we soon found ourselves in the sixty-nine position.
As much fun as this was, it was less than ideal. I suspect it was the possibility of being caught and how suddenly everything had happened that caused us to reach our satisfaction way too fast. By now, the big brain had figured out that this needed to stop. I didn�t have a condom, and while I loved Coby, he didn�t need a little brother anytime soon. There was also the minor fact that I didn�t even know this girl�s name.
As I dressed, I smiled at her.
�I�ll be here about the same time tomorrow,� I ventured.
Realistically, I gave my chance of seeing her here again at about one in a thousand. I grabbed Duke�s leash and put him on it. We had to go back to the field to find his ball. I wore a smile on my face all the way home while I mentally relived my fun in the sun.
◊◊◊
After church and brunch, Dad and I drove to the office, where we found Caryn, Megan, and Kent in the conference room. Once we all got comfortable, Caryn kicked off the meeting.
�We have all the units rented in the strip mall. The foot traffic the restaurant is creating has caused us to have a waiting list if a unit should become available. We�ve taken over the Quickie Mart, and I have the numbers on alcohol, lottery, and cigarette sales. I�ve also broken down sales by the hour to see if staying open late is a good idea,� Caryn said as she handed Dad and me folders.
The later hours were profitable. The only problem was that the three things I wanted to remove were our biggest sellers later at night. Fritz had come up with a plan where we could put in a drive-through, similar to a bank, for nighttime security.
Another option in the packet was to increase hard liquor if we removed cigarettes. It took me all of two seconds to reject that idea. I had the Mennonites working the farm stand. They would never approve of us selling more alcohol.
�Can we make it without those three items?� I asked.
�It will cut into profits, but we should be fine,� Caryn assured me.
From looking at the numbers, it would hurt, but not everything was about the almighty dollar. Before I made my final decision, I turned to my dad.
�What do you think?� I asked.
�If it were me, I would leave them on the shelves,� Dad said. �I worry that you won�t have the margin you need if you have a bad month. And I worry that you�ll lose customers because of it. Caryn thinks that by making it more family-friendly, and with the addition of the produce stand, you should be fine. I understand your position on this. Though I have the concerns I mentioned, I believe in the long term, you�ll be okay.�
�Pull them.�
�I figured that would be your answer, so I talked to the suppliers. We can have it all out by mid-August,� Caryn said.
�Tell him about the food bank,� Megan suggested.
�You know that we�ve been giving food to people in need who come into the Quickie Mart,� Caryn said.
I nodded.
�We talked to the county about everything they already have in place, and they put us in touch with the food bank. Long story short, they�re going to take over the food giveaways. They�ll also help sign people up for other services that can help them out. We�re setting up a small desk in the back of the store for them.
�We also arranged for any surplus we have to be donated,� Caryn explained.
Then we talked about the restaurants and farms. Next, the conversation turned to Jack Mass and my investments.
�Jack finished up an apartment conversion to condos and sold it to a company that will sell the individual units. That frees up funds we loaned him, and we need to figure out what to do with them. Jack can roll them back into the business or move them somewhere else. We have an idea for the �somewhere else� portion. I�ll let Kent tell you,� Caryn said.
�Two ideas, actually. The first is buying a house in LA. Your dad tells me you have set aside money for a home. What I�d like to suggest is that you pull the trigger now, and I have a specific home in mind. Before Craig Wild was killed, he bought a house for his brother in the Serra Retreat gated community in Malibu. It turns out he�d taken out a loan on it to support his lifestyle, and now that he�s passed, the bank wants their money back.
�Doug doesn�t have the money to buy it from the estate and is afraid that he�ll lose it. He�d like to sell it and possibly rent it from whoever buys it,� Kent explained.
�I�m not sure I would want Craig�s little brother renting my house if he�s anything like Craig. He would have it destroyed in no time,� I said.
�Doug is nothing like Craig. I think you�d like him.�
�How much?� I asked.
�He needs 2.5. It�s an eight-bedroom, seven-and-a-half-bath home, with a two-bedroom pool house, on two-and-a-half acres. There�s currently a vacant lot for sale down the street for 2.5,� Kent said.
Warning bells were going off.
�What�s wrong with it?� I asked.
�It was built in 1960 and hasn�t been renovated. Doug needs a quick cash sale before the bank sues the estate and puts a lien on the property,� Kent explained.
�Have you seen it?� I asked.
�I found it for Craig. He spent quite a bit more for it.�
�What do you think?� I asked everyone.
�Send your mom out to take a look. She can do what she needs to make sure before you spend the money. She can also meet Craig�s brother,� Caryn said.
�I still have the home inspection report from when Craig bought it in February. Doug had an architect draw up plans for the renovation and give estimates as to what it would cost. That should give you an idea of what you�re facing,� Kent said.
�I�ll talk to your mom and get her out there. In the meantime, I�ll have Caryn and your mom work up plans for the home,� Dad said.
�What do you mean?� I asked.
�If we do buy it, you might not move into it for five or more years, if ever. Do you rent it, flip it, or fix it and flip it?� Dad explained.
�We�ll have to think about that. What�s the other idea?� I asked.
�I want to expand the management portion of your business and offer it to other people. Since I�ve been working with you, I�ve had several people call, wanting me to be their manager. When I was with Craig, it was easy because he and I were more friends than anything else. I learned a lot working for Craig because of his hijinks, and I can promise you I never want another client like him.
�Something else I�ve learned is I�m not the guy to run the business. I talked to Frank Ingram at IDC � Public Relations. He and his partners have an interest in collaborating with us. They would buy in, and Frank would run it. They would also be our in-house public relations firm. I�ve talked to Kendal Miller, and she�d be interested in joining us,� Kent said.
�Do you have a business plan?� I asked.
�Not yet. Caryn said you had to approve it before we could spend resources on putting one together.�
�If Kendal and Frank are involved with it, I�m fine with looking into it,� I said.
�Not going to ask your old man what he thinks?� Dad asked.
�If you were against it, you would�ve stopped them from asking me,� I said.
I looked out the window, and it was a perfect summer day. I suspect my wistful look ended the meeting.
�We�re losing him. There�s nothing else that can�t wait till next week,� Caryn said.
�What about the Japanese thing?� Megan asked.
�Oh, yeah. That would make us enough money to pay for some of this,� Caryn said.
�Did Saul get me the TV deal?� I asked.
�Yes and no. They said your character was too scary. Ratings have gone through the roof, but they�ve had to put warnings on some of the episodes. Instead, they want you to do a romance. The good news is that it�ll be filmed in the States. It�s about a girl going off to college; she meets a guy and instantly falls in love with him. Saul said he didn�t think it would be too much of a stretch for someone of your talent,� Caryn said.
�Saul can kiss my ��
�David!� Dad warned. �Do you have any numbers?�
She slid the contract over to Dad.
�Yes. He can do this one.�
�Make sure that�s in dollars and not yen. I got tricked by that once already,� I admitted.
�Nope, dollars,� Megan said.
I was starting to love Japan.
◊◊◊
I sent Zoe a text that I was free of my obligations. She said that she was working with the horses and could use my help. I drove the Demon because � why wouldn�t I? Right before I was at the entrance to the park, something told me to slow down. It was good that I did because there was a speed trap just over the hill that I would�ve blown by.
I made sure I used my turn signal to enter the park. I didn�t want to give them any reason to give me a hard time, or worse, a ticket. Mom had made noises about what would happen if I were reckless when driving the Demon.
I pulled into the Pearson farm and found the three amigos sitting on the porch, drinking iced tea. They were sweaty and had obviously been working.
�Look who shows up once we�re done,� Phil commented.
�You�ll learn that�s the sign of a good leader,� I informed them.
I ignored their catcalls as I strolled to the barn to find Zoe. She had a halter on one of the young horses she was training to sell.
�Take him to the rounding pen while I finish up here,� she told me.
�Hello, big boy. What�s your name?� I asked as I let him smell me.
�That�s Casey. He�s my star pupil,� Zoe said.
�Come on, Casey,� I said and clicked my tongue.
He followed me out of the barn. The gate to the rounding pen was open, so I walked him in and took off his halter. I could tell that Zoe had been working with him because he waited until I�d gotten to the center of the pen and then began to circle it. Uncle John had taught me with cows that they had two pressure points you wanted to focus on. The first was the nose since the cow would follow that. The other was the back hip to get them moving.
With Casey, I used the same pressure points to get him to change directions. I would click my tongue to get his attention and then raise my hand toward his nose to get him to turn towards the fence. As soon as he reacted, I would drop my hand, because you didn�t want to constantly push him. Each time he turned for me, I would praise him.
�That�s a good boy.�
I could tell he was losing connection with me when he was further out from me, so I shortened the distance between us. Zoe came out to find Casey making small circles around me as we got to know each other. Of course, when he saw her, he ignored me and trotted over to the gate.
�You�re going to have to get other people to work with him,� I observed.
�Dad said the same thing. I need to get him to trust me before I�ll let Dad work with him. I see he must like you because he was working with you.�
She wanted me to wash the other horses. They seemed to like the attention, so it wasn�t really a chore. While I did that, Yuri came out.
�We�re going to wash the trucks. Do you want us to wash your car?� he asked.
�Sure.�
�I need your keys so I can move it and clean the inside,� he said reasonably.
I�d just finished washing one of the horses when I heard the rumble of the Demon starting up. Next, I heard the engine rev up, and rocks fly. I chuckled when I imagined Yuri�s surprise at how much punch my car had. My chuckle turned to a frown when I heard it pull out of the driveway and roar down the road.
I put the horse I was washing in her stall and gave her some feed as a reward for being a good girl. Then I stepped out, and sure enough, Yuri, Phil, and Roc were missing.
I debated which one to call. Yuri was probably driving, so he was out. It was a tossup between Roc and Phil. I picked Phil. The phone rang and then went to voicemail.
�Call me right back or prepare to die.�
Phil must have believed me because my phone rang.
�Did you call the police?� he asked.
They must have run through the speed trap. Sometimes God does shine down on us.
�No. I take it you were speeding.�
�He didn�t call them. He said we must have been speeding,� Phil said to Yuri.
�I didn�t think I was going too fast,� I heard Mrs. Pearson say.
Mr. Pearson came out of the house, and I waved him over.
�Your wife took my car and has just been pulled over by the police,� I told him.
A big smile came to his face as he suddenly had a story he could tell on her at church. It looked like he was going to enjoy it.
�Do you think they�ll book her?� he asked, and then his smile got bigger. �Maybe I can get a copy of the mug shot.�
I wanted proof too. Mrs. Pearson was the last person I would�ve imagined would go joyriding in my car. I could hear the police officer, so I put the phone on speaker for Mr. Pearson.
�Do you know how fast you were going?�
I smiled because I recognized the voice: it was Greg�s friend, Billy. Mr. Pearson was loving his wife�s discomfort. Then it got interesting.
�Ma�am, do you have permission to drive this car?� Billy asked.
�Well � uh � not exactly. I�m sure David would be fine with it, though,� Mrs. Pearson tried.
�Phil, hand the phone to Billy,� I said.
�David wants to talk to you,� Phil said.
�Hey, David. Looks like someone stole your car.�
�Listen, can you do me a favor? Can you cuff her and then take a picture of it? I�ll donate some free meals for you and your fellow officers at Granny�s West,� I said, offering him a bribe.
�I can�t really do that,� he hedged.
�Tell her what I offered you,� I suggested.
Not only did Mrs. Pearson go along with it, she did it one better: she had Billy put her in the back of his squad car. I would have to remember the look she had because it was way better than my freezing-wet hound dog face. The woman should be an actress.
Billy sent the picture to me, and I sent it to Mr. Pearson.
�Don�t send it out. I need this one for a later date,� he told me.
A man of experience. I needed to take notes.
It turned out that Roc didn�t think they had the right wax for my car, so he talked everyone into making a quick run to the auto-parts store. His mom happened to overhear their plan and insisted on driving.
◊◊◊
Zoe had brought the other horse she was training to sell in for his bath when her mom and the three bandits came back with my car. Yuri apologized up a storm because he was the one who had asked for the keys. I assured him everything was okay after Mrs. Pearson told me they�d have my car ready for me shortly. I�d learned my lesson, though, and made them give me the keys.
Zoe and I finished up the horses and went to find my car.
�All done,� Mrs. Pearson announced.
I made a big show of inspecting it and then smiled.
�Thanks. It looks great,� I said, which brought smiles to their faces. �I was hoping Zoe and I could go out to dinner if that�s okay with you?�
�That�s fine,� Mrs. Pearson allowed.
�But �� died on Roc�s lips.
The rule had been that for a date, Zoe and Roc had to go with another couple. I�m not sure if it was the thought that he might get the same privilege, or the look Zoe gave him. But whatever it was, he didn�t make his objection.
�I need a shower,� Zoe told me and went into the house.
I decided to go to my farm to talk to my grandma while she did that. Grandma took me on a tour to show me what was going on. She told me to help her pick some vegetables to take home with me. The timing worked out because as I was loading the trunk, Zoe sent me a text that she was ready.
�Where do you want to go?� I asked once we were driving.
�Let�s pick up food and go to your house,� she suggested.
I introduced her to the Mexican place that had burritos as big as your head. Greg and his family would be home with our parents, so I bought a variety of dishes. I had them separate the order for Zoe and me so we could just drop off the food for everyone else.
When we got home, I dropped off the food and produce my grandmother had sent, and the two of us ran up to my apartment. Turned out that Zoe was an evil girl, and her plans didn�t include eating just yet. I did learn something: the burrito was just as good reheated.
◊◊◊
Chapter 29 � Camp David Monday July 25
Peggy wanted to run with me this morning. I offered her cash to take Duke and the boys on a run without me. She made me tell her why, and I explained the mystery woman at the park.
�That just confirms you�re a �stupid boy,�� Peggy stated.
�What? Why?� I asked.
�Think about it. One of two possibilities is going on. Either something�s wrong with her because she�s willing to have sex with a complete stranger ��
�Hang on. I�m not bad looking,� I said and flashed her my abs.
�� or she knows it�s you, and she�s setting you up,� Peggy finished.
�That�s why I�m wearing my bodycam,� I said, pointing at my hat.
�Do you have condoms?� she asked.
I showed her I carried one in each sock. It didn�t please me when she made me pay her cash up front. I thought she trusted me more than that.
◊◊◊
To be honest, I wasn�t sure whether I wanted to find the girl I was calling the �mystery woman� waiting for me or not. While I was a bit disappointed, at the same time I was a little relieved when she wasn�t there.
◊◊◊
I�d agreed to hold a camp for the football team this week. The plan was to work with different groups each day. Today I asked everyone to come in, and over ninety of my teammates showed up. When you think about it, that�s a lot of boys, given our high school had somewhere around 750 pupils. That meant about a third of the boys came out for football. Sports were a big part of Lincoln High, so it didn�t surprise me.
When I walked out to the field to talk to my campers, Jeff Delahey and his camera crew were there waiting. I waved and then ignored them.
�Okay! Gather around!� I called to get everyone�s attention.
As I looked around, I noticed several unfamiliar faces in the crowd. Not all of them were freshmen. Mom had told me she�d had a few families want to move here. Part of her showing a home and the community was a tour of the new facilities we had on campus. We�d started to attract people who had kids who played sports. If we continued to have success, I was sure that trend would continue.
�Welcome to Camp David. Coach Hope asked that I work with you this week before I leave to play baseball for Team USA. I�ve spent time at a number of football camps and had quite a bit of one-on-one coaching. He felt I should share some of my knowledge.�
I then told them what the goals were and who should show up each day. Today I would help them to increase their speed by sharing what my speed coach had taught me. Tomorrow was linemen; Wednesday I would work with the linebackers and defensive backs; Thursday was for the skill players on offense.
�People ask me, �what�s the secret � how do you become successful?� I�ll tell you, I think it�s simple and can be summed up in the word �focus.� It�s being able to go through every day, whether it�s a workout in the weight room, a conditioning run, practice, or in the classroom, with focus. Focus on what it is you�re doing on that day, at that moment. It�s not cheating yourself out of a rep, a play, or a practice. Because you�re going to get tired, you�re going to get sore, and you�re going to get bored. But I can tell you there�s something special about us. We�re tough; bulldogs are tough; we always have been. Physically tough and mentally tough. When other people quit, we keep going. When other people give in, we stand back up. Let�s go out and surprise some people this year. The last two years weren�t flukes. We deserved to win State. Let�s go show them what it means to be a Lincoln Bulldog. Today we recommit to winning State. Today we start to dig deep to set ourselves apart.�
My motivational speech had the desired effect. Everyone was pumped up to learn new skills today. I was happy the older guys stepped up and helped the younger and the new teammates. By the end, I could tell they were tired after I ran them. I expect some of them wanted to sneak off when they saw Cassidy show up. I�d talked to her earlier and asked her to up her game today. Boy, was that a mistake. She about killed us.
◊◊◊
I met with Coach Hope in his office to give him my impressions from today. I wasn�t totally on board with Jeff and his film crew sitting in, but Coach Hope told me we needed to get used to it.
�Da-vid,� Cassidy said in a singsong voice to interrupt our conversation.
�He�s busy,� her dad said.
�David�s done enough football for today. He has to take me to Beth Anderson�s to go swimming,� Cassidy said.
�Just give me ten more minutes,� I suggested.
�Will you and my dad see each other before practice tomorrow?�
�Yes,� I admitted.
�Would you rather talk to my dad or see all the cheerleaders in swimsuits?�
Sometimes Cassidy made a lot of sense.
�Sorry, Coach. I�ll see you tomorrow,� I said and packed up.
Jeff and his crew started to follow me.
�Where do you think you�re going?� I asked.
�To film you interacting with all the high school cheerleaders,� Jeff said with a straight face.
Coach Hope laughed at the face I made. Jeff slowed his roll when he saw the one Cassidy gave him. I suspect he�d heard the rumors of her taking down guys and didn�t want to get added to the list. I thought Jeff made the right call when he suggested a quick interview before practice.
◊◊◊
Cassidy and I just walked in the Andersons� front door.
�I�m home,� I called out.
�In the kitchen,� Mrs. A said.
She was busy making snacks for all the girls. I looked out at the pool area and saw that I would be the only guy.
�Where�s your husband?� I asked.
�Louisville, Kentucky. They�re apparently having some sort of issue, so he flew out today.�
�That means we don�t have anyone to burn everything on the grill,� I observed.
Mr. Anderson always had fire issues when grilling. I was put in charge of the squirt bottle to put them out, or he would burn whatever he was cooking. Tom Dole had shown me that beer also worked to put out flare-ups. I thought his method showed a lot of merit. It motivated you not to burn the food because you got to drink the remaining beer.
�Are you volunteering?�
�No, not really. I�ll kick in some cash for delivery, though,� I said, getting out my money clip.
Mrs. A had no problem taking my money. I don�t expect she felt like cooking for this large a group, anyway.
Cassidy had gone out to talk to Brook and Beth. I wasn�t surprised when the two of them came into the kitchen. They each claimed a hug and a kiss.
�Go get changed. I want you to meet the new cheerleaders,� Brook told me.
I grabbed my duffle bag to get a t-shirt. Luckily, I kept extra swimsuits at the Andersons� for occasions like this. I changed into a pair of board shorts and a Lincoln High football t-shirt.
Four girls who were on varsity last year had decided not to come out this year. Tracy technically had one more semester of high school, but she and her family had decided that she didn�t need the stress. With her out of the way, Brook was named head cheerleader. Pam had also decided not to go out. She was still unhappy about how it had all gone down when Tracy first had problems. Mona had staged a coup and been named head cheerleader.
The other girl that I was sad to see hadn�t come out was Halle. She�d decided that since she might get one of the movie roles she was trying out for, she didn�t want to commit to cheerleading. If she didn�t get it, Halle was okay with just being a senior.
One girl was asked not to come back: Ronda Reyes. She was one of the two cheerleaders that hung around with Jan Duke. The other one missing was Ella Keen, who�d drowned with Jeff. After Jan moved in with the Antakovs, she�d cleaned up her act, as far as drugs were concerned. Ronda hadn�t, so it was decided not to invite her back.
There was one girl that I was happy had joined the team: Lisa Felton. Tracy and Pam had taken her under their wing with the help of Halle, Zoe, and Brook. I couldn�t wait to see her in a cheerleading uniform. My bet was it would be as good as the R-rated version of a Catholic schoolgirl uniform she liked to wear to drive the males of our school crazy.
�I want you to meet some of the new girls,� Brook said, pulling me away from my friends.
She walked me over to the younger girls, and I froze. Oh. Dear. God! April Lacier�s little sister, Jill, was with the group of freshmen. I�d dated April for all of two minutes, and I remembered her little sister practicing her womanly charms on me. When she was in middle school, I could get the big brain to explain that she was jailbait, and Mr. Happy had reluctantly allowed us to run from her. Now she would be in high school. Seniors dated freshmen � right?
The reason April and I had gone out was because she was tall and athletic. She tended to wear baggy clothes that hid her assets. April had a great body. If I were using my superhuman model skills, I would say she was six feet tall and weighed 160 pounds. People got hung up on women who carry a little more weight than the �ideal� 150 pounds for someone that tall. The extra ten pounds was all muscle, which came from playing basketball; April had a muscular bottom and thighs.
Jill was just a tad shorter than her sister at five-eleven and weighed 150 pounds. She was spectacular. Imagine what Adrienne must have looked like as a freshman in high school. Jill might be the best-looking girl at Lincoln once she enrolled. That�s saying a lot when you have a lineup of older girls that includes Jan Duke; Pam Bell (runner-up in the Teen Miss California pageant), Tracy Dole; Brook Davis; and don�t let us forget Halle James, daughter of the legendary Rita James.
What the older girls had over Jill was the confidence and experience to wear appropriate swimwear. You could tell that Jill was trying way too hard to look sexy and had worn a bikini that revealed too much skin. If I can be so bold � leave a little mystery.
�I think you might sunburn,� I offered while looking for some suntan oil.
Cassidy tapped my shoulder, and I turned to see her shaking her head.
�Please!� I whined.
�Part of my job as your security is to protect you from yourself. Go swim until you�re presentable,� she ordered and pointed down.
My eyes traveled south and confirmed I had a problem. I took her advice.
When I came out of the water, I decided I hated Brook. She�d made the executive decision that Jill had to wear my t-shirt as a cover-up. Of course, that left me without a shirt, which seemed to make Cassidy happy.
�I want you to meet one more person,� Brook said, and I turned and froze for the second time today.
There, standing in front of me, was the girl from the park who I�d assumed was in college. Turns out, her name was Destiny Crown. Her family had moved here because her younger brother Don wanted to play both baseball and football at Lincoln High. I�d met Don at practice, and he seemed like a great guy. He was going to try to make the team as either a tight end or wide receiver.
�I thought that was you yesterday. Sorry I couldn�t be there this morning, but I had something come up. I hope you�ll give me another chance tomorrow.�
�Cassidy!� Brook called.
�Oh, shit,� was my witty response as I tried to track the little ninja.
In self-defense, I dove into the pool because I was a much better swimmer than Cassidy. She almost got me. I made this
When I got home, I told my mom she needed to go over the Andersons� and get my clothes and car. My relief was short-lived when she brought back Zoe, Brook, and Cassidy. Cassidy wasn�t happy. I stepped out to the drive and gave her my left hand so she could grab my thumb and take me to my knees. I knew this was better than what the alternative would be.
�Talk,� Brook ordered.
�When I was running yesterday, I met Destiny in the park. I thought she was older. We didn�t really say anything to each other. We � just � uh �� I trailed off as I glanced at my mom.
�Please. Don�t stop on my account,� Mom said.
�We had oral sex, and I told her I expected her to show up this morning,� I blurted out.
Cassidy let go of me.
�I thought he�d done something bad,� she stated.
�He slept with one of my cheerleaders,� Brook complained.
�Actually, three,� I said without thinking.
Zoe slugged me. Cassidy just shrugged.
�You really didn�t have any idea who she was? You just hooked up with a random girl in the park?� Brook asked.
�When you say it like that, it sounds sort of bad. I did stop things before having actual sex,� I said.
�Because he didn�t have a condom,� Mom said under her breath.
Make it stop! Everyone realized that my mom was right.
�I love you all,� I tried.
�If you don�t want him, I�ll take him,� Cassidy offered Brook.
Mom made me go back to Mrs. A�s to face the music. That, and since I�d paid for dinner, I might as well eat. Yuri, Roc, and Phil showed up with the food; Jan must have told them to deliver it from my restaurant. I was glad to have some backup. Mrs. A gave me back my money because they�d put it on my tab. Being an owner did have some benefits.
It didn�t take long for the freshman and JV cheerleaders to figure out that Phil was single. They separated him from his friends, and I watched as they worked their magic on him. Yuri and Roc grabbed recliners on either side of me as we watched my inept brother.
�Do you think we should go save him?� Yuri asked.
�Leave him alone. He has to learn sometime,� Roc said.
I just looked at the two of them and shook my head. I remembered when they both were just as bad around girls as Phil was. Yuri had had the whole female population at Lincoln High avoid him because of the remarks he�d made. Phil seemed to get agitated, and I thought he was about to bolt when Jill stepped forward.
�Uh oh,� Yuri said as he watched Jill talking sweetly to Phil.
�She�ll have him wrapped around her little finger. You should go save him,� Roc suggested.
No relationship was ever completely equal. I�d hoped Phil would find some equally clueless girl, and they would discover the world together. If Jill got her claws into him, he was dead meat. I could imagine him flying off into jealous rages if anyone talked to her, and they would. No girl that good-looking would fail to attract attention. For the most part, it would either be players or douchebags. They wouldn�t care that Jill was dating someone else.
I was about to go save him when I realized what he would think if I did. Phil would hate me for it. I had some insight into what Mom must have felt when she saw I was dating Tracy. She�d tried to dissuade us. Mom even said she knew I wouldn�t listen to her advice. Now that I look back on what Tracy put me through, I should have.
�Let�s see how this plays out,� I said.
�Train wreck,� was Yuri�s prediction.
�Probably, but I�m not going to stop him. He would never talk to me again if I did,� I explained.
We watched as Jill touched Phil�s hand. You could see all the blood drain from his head as it gathered elsewhere. I expect all the other girls realized he�d just been claimed. I wasn�t sure whether he knew it or not, but Jill had decided on her man.
◊◊◊
Brook decided that Cassidy was out of luck. I had to step in front of Brook because I was afraid Cassidy might hurt her.
�When are you going to spank me? I was a bad girl,� Cassidy whined.
�He�s the forgiving type. Plus, you already said your dad wouldn�t allow anything to happen between you two,� Brook said as she stood behind me.
�Don�t provoke her,� I warned.
I hated it when a girl would try to get you into a fight. Cassidy had been acting funny for a couple weeks now. I didn�t want to have to fight to protect Brook.
�Dump them. Dump them all. I�ll talk to my dad and get it worked out. You know you want to,� Cassidy almost pleaded.
�I think she just needs to get laid,� Brook chirped.
�Ow, ow, ow, throwing hand, throwing hand, throwing hand �� I begged.
Cassidy gave us a hard look and stormed off.
�I better go fix this,� I said.
�Yepper. And then you�re taking me out tomorrow somewhere nice to make up for tonight,� Brook said and gave me a kiss to remind me why I liked her.
◊◊◊
I jogged after Cassidy. When I caught up, I scooped her up and ran to my car.
�Get in, woman. I owe you a spanking,� I said, waggling my eyebrows at her.
The Demon got us home in less than a minute. I ran around the car and pulled Cassidy�s door open. She thought I was being a gentleman, but I had other plans. She squeaked when I reached into the car and hauled her out. I tossed her over my shoulder and swatted her butt.
Somehow, I don�t think she was impressed, because she giggled.
I took her upstairs and tossed her on my bed.
�Now, I�m giving you fair warning. I plan to do unspeakable things to you if you stay. This is the time to tuck your tail between your legs and just admit that you�re scared. If you stay, you�re not leaving until I�m done with you,� I warned.
�Bring it on, tough guy.�
I pounced on her and put her into a lip-lock.
Cassidy and I went at it like the crazed teenagers we were. Clothes were flying, and soon we were doing the deed. She was in the best shape of any woman I�d ever been with, so it turned into an athletic event.
�I haven�t been with anyone since our trip,� she admitted.
Cassidy had gone with us on spring break. We treated it like Vegas: what happened on the trip, stayed on the trip. I�d enjoyed our time together, but this was more frantic.
�We can�t do this very often. I made promises to your dad,� I said.
�You promised to never hurt me and to not go out with me. You�re not breaking any promises,� Cassidy assured me.
�He might feel differently,� I worried.
�You plan on telling him?� she asked as she stopped the action.
�God, no. I�m just saying.�
�I want you to do something different for me,� she said and got a funny look on her face. �You might not want to do it.�
�If you say you want to use the strap-on, we�ll have a problem,� I said with a little worry.
�No. I want you to choke me.�
Tami had put a pillow over my face once while I had sex, and I�d had an intense orgasm. So, I knew what Cassidy was looking for, but I didn�t know how safe it was. I�d done this with a few girls, but I must be growing up because I wanted to make sure it wouldn�t hurt Cassidy.
�Keep that thought. I need to make a phone call.�
Cassidy gave me a confused look.
�I want to call Tami and find out if this is safe or not,� I explained.
I grabbed my phone and called her, rather than video chat. No need for her to see I was naked with Cassidy.
�Hey, what�s up?� Tami asked.
I put the call on speakerphone so Cassidy could hear.
�I have some questions about choking someone during sex.�
�You mean erotic asphyxiation?�
�I didn�t know it had a medical-sounding name, but that sounds right.�
�First off, some warnings. Never ever use something around the neck like a plastic bag, belt, or rope, and never do it alone. There�s too much risk that something can go wrong, and it can prevent the exhaling of carbon dioxide. That�s the real killer if you block the airway. As a future doctor, I would also warn that anytime you deprive the brain of oxygen, you could cause brain damage. That said, the way you do it is to press down on the carotid arteries on either side of the neck,� Tami explained.
�I�ve been holding my breath while masturbating. Is that okay to do alone, or do I need David to help me with that?� Cassidy asked.
�Is that Cassidy?� Tami asked.
�No, it was me, acting,� I said in a girl�s voice to try to throw her off.
I gave Cassidy a look, but she didn�t seem to care.
�You should be fine. Your body will automatically begin to breathe if you pass out. I would never try to push it that far because, in a small percentage of cases, you might not.
�What happens is the lack of oxygen can give you an increased amount of pleasure when you orgasm. They call the person being choked �a gasper.� If you�re into it, I would suggest you use David as a spotter, someone to watch over you while you do it,� Tami suggested.
�So, what exactly do I do?� I asked.
�While you�re having sex, grasp her neck. You should be able to feel her heartbeat with your fingers. During the act, you can toy around with pressing and releasing. When she gets close, hold her neck tight right over the arteries on either side where you�ve felt her pulse, and watch for any signs of distress. If she looks like she�s in trouble, let go. And don�t choke her around the voice box. You can cause some real damage.
�Personally, I�ve never had a problem with David giving me a fantastic orgasm. I might pass,� Tami said.
�What about with Tim?� I asked to tease her.
�None of your business.�
I got a big smile on my face. Tami hung up on me. Well, that was rude. I was just about to have even more fun�Cassidy lured me back to bed.
The whole choking bit brought out the Alpha Male in me. I loved the dominance I had over my lover. When she got close, I put her calves on my shoulders and bent her in half. At the same time, I used my hand to hold her down, pressing my fingers against her neck under the back of the jaw on both sides. Cassidy�s face turned beet red, and her mouth and eyes opened wide. Then she exploded. I let her neck go and she instantly took in a huge breath. It looked like her eyes rolled up into her head.
If she hadn�t taken that huge gasp, I might have thought she had died, because she was utterly still, all except for her deep breaths. Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled.
�We�re doing that again. That was the best orgasm I�ve ever had,� Cassidy declared.
I helped her orgasm again and then another time, and I got close myself.
�Do me,� I said.
At first, I was okay, and then it was like my eyesight started to tunnel, and I saw stars. Then I came. It was even better than I remembered, and that scared me. I could see this becoming addictive. No good could come from this.
◊◊◊ Saturday July 30
The past week had been the best I�d had all summer. Camp David was a success. I really enjoyed the lineman day. The coaches helped me prepare for it because I rarely blocked. I understood how to shed a block and make a tackle. I also knew the basic concepts that you kept your hands inside, stayed low for leverage, and pushing the defender to where you wanted them to go. It was easier to redirect them than it was to use brute force. Someone would always be stronger than you were at some point, so you had to learn finesse.
For one of the drills, I had the offensive linemen compete with their defensive counterparts going one-on-one with a tackling dummy set up seven yards deep. The offensive player had seven seconds to hold the defense. We kept score of winners and losers.
Two new kids who were brothers, Howard and Carl Lewis, showed some talent. The Callahan twins also stood out on defense. They had a combination of strength and quickness that made them ideal defensive ends. The surprise was Dan Ball, Jim�s cousin. He was going out as a nose tackle. His job was to occupy the center of the line and force the offense to double-team him. He went up against Johan Bauer and beat him consistently. That was a huge deal because Johan was probably our best offensive lineman.
I got into the act and tried my hand at defensive end. Alan had called me �The Hulk� on more than one occasion. I was both strong and much faster than any of the linemen. Combined with my knowledge of martial arts, no one could block me. If this quarterback gig didn�t work out, I might make a decent collegiate defensive end.
For the other days, I had the knowledge needed to coach the skill positions and also the linebacker and defensive back positions. Don Crown and Tom Wells showed some real skill as receivers. Don and Tom were also new to Lincoln High. They had lived in smaller towns that weren�t noted for football, but they were stars on their teams. They hoped that by playing at Lincoln, they could position themselves to get college scholarships.
On defense, Yuri and Ray Quinn showed me they were going to start at outside linebacker. Nick Rake and Wayne Turk looked to lock down the cornerback positions. It was good to see some of the juniors step up and begin to earn playing time on varsity.
When I was done, I was impressed by how hard everyone had worked this summer. I felt like we had a serious shot at repeating as state champs for a third straight time.
◊◊◊
Destiny Crown was another problem altogether. On Tuesday, I seriously debated whether I should go to the park. I was a teenage male, after all. But too many red flags had gone up while I talked to her Monday night. As I�d guessed, she had an idea who I was. I hate to admit this, but she might be more of a slut than I was. For some reason, when I believed she was in college, I was okay with it. When I found out she was my age, I had a problem. I knew I had no room to talk, but I got the vibe that she might have had sex with anyone who�d shown up. That caused my whole �women I�m with are mine� stance to fly out the window.
Instead, I walked next door and knocked.
�What has Precious done this time? I�ll get Brit,� Brock said and turned to go find his sister.
�Hang on. I wanted to talk to you.�
�That cat�s not around, is it?� he asked as he peeked out the back door.
�Last I saw her, she was tormenting Duke,� I said to calm him down. �I wanted to know if you and your brother would help me out this morning.�
�If Duke takes care of Precious, we�ll be more than happy to hide the evidence,� he said and showed me a fresh scratch mark on his arm.
I didn�t feel sorry for him in the least.
�Do you have condoms?� I asked.
All concerns about the cat from hell left his mind.
�Bryan, get your butt down here. David needs our help,� Brock called.
When I had them both at the back door, I explained.
�You know the new guy, Don Crown?� I asked.
�Yeah, he just moved here. He�s pretty good,� Bryan said.
�He has a sister who�s our age and going to be a cheerleader. I met her Sunday at the park before I knew who she was. Let�s just say that we had some fun. She�s expecting me for an encore performance this morning.
�Brook wasn�t happy when she found out I was spending time with one of her cheerleaders, so I decided that I�d better not go,� I admitted.
I figured that was better than telling them what I really thought. I would also hope that if one of my teammates came across a similar opportunity, they would keep me in mind. The two dorks laughed at me. It seems I might have a reputation for spending time with cheerleaders.
�What exactly did you want from us?� Bryan asked.
�I thought you two might head over to the park and � ah � see if she was in the mood to get to know you better,� I suggested.
�What�s wrong with her?� Brock asked.
�Dude, she�s a cheerleader and has the right moral attitude. You want to help me out, or do I need to find someone who will?� I asked.
�I don�t know about my brother, but I�ll take one for the team,� Bryan said with a big smile.
�Just don�t go blabbing about this. Her brother is one of our teammates,� I reminded them.
Later that day at football practice, two very happy boys tried to hug me to death. All they would say to their teammates was that they should do whatever I asked because they wouldn�t regret it. By the end of the week, they�d broken up with the Hernandez cousins and were now dating Destiny. I�d forgotten they were still dating Carmela and Gabriella. I�d assumed that like most high school romances, they�d broken up by now. Personally, I thought they�d made a serious mistake. I got a bad vibe from Destiny and doubted she�d be faithful to them.
Brook wanted to take me to task when she figured it out, but I think she was just happy that Destiny was off the market. She did recommend that I talk to her before having any other bright ideas. I just shrugged it off. I didn�t need anyone running my life.
◊◊◊
Tonight, I�d volunteered to watch all the little ones so that my parents, Greg, Angie, and Peggy could all have a night off from childcare. I probably should have called Brook about this bright idea beforehand. The kids were either overexcited that their Unca David was watching them or they were cranky. Both Little David and Coby had picked up summer colds. Coby�s had turned into an ear infection, so he was pulling at his ears and fussing.
My magical power to calm fussy babies had no effect if they were sick. It took me an hour to figure out I needed help. I called Aunt Tracy and Mama Pam. They dealt with the fussy littlest ones while Duke and I wore out the other three. I swear that Angie had loaded them up on Hi-C and cookies before she left. Kyle, Mac, and Nate were little demons. I got Kyle and Mac to play ball with Duke while I helped Nate walk. He�d started sooner than either of his siblings. Greg told me that Nate didn�t understand why he couldn�t do what they did.
When it came time for baths and bed, it was like herding cats. I quickly understood why you needed two parents. Tracy was convinced to come to help me while Pam put the two grumpy-butts down.
�You seem to be losing your touch,� Pam observed, once we had them all down for the night.
�Ya think?� I asked sarcastically.
�I bet you were a difficult child,� Tracy said.
�Mom said that when I was little, I figured out how to climb out of anything. She called me her little monkey because I would grab the top rail of my crib, pull myself out, and flip onto the floor. I also did it with my high chair. She said it was a wonder I didn�t kill myself,� I admitted.
�All I can say is thank God for Peggy. I can�t imagine doing this without her,� Pam said.
�That reminds me. You can�t tell anyone that your help was needed tonight. When Angie and Peggy complain, I�ve been giving them a hard time about how easy it is to raise kids. I don�t need to hear the �I told you so� stuff.�
�It�ll cost you,� Tracy said.
I looked at Pam.
�Hey, we agreed to be a team as far as the kids go. You�re on your own with her.�
�What�s it going to cost me?� I asked Tracy.
She just smiled. I guess I�d find out when she decided.
◊◊◊
Peggy and Angie found me asleep on the couch with both Little David and Coby asleep on my chest. It was too much to hope they would sleep through the night when they didn�t feel well.
�Do we wake them?� Angie asked.
�I hear you,� I mumbled. �Let them sleep a bit. I�ll bring them up before I go to my apartment.�
�You could keep them for the night,� Peggy suggested.
�Okay.�
�Wow,� was Greg�s witty response.
�You stay out of it,� Angie warned.
�It�s kind of cool to see my little brother being a dad,� Greg said and then trundled upstairs to check on his three.
Peggy leaned down and kissed my forehead.
�You�re the best,� she said and went upstairs.
�You sure? I�ll watch them,� Angie offered.
�No. They�ve been fussy all evening. She deserves a night off every now and then.�
�You�re a good dad for such a dork,� Angie said and followed Greg upstairs.
I took the two little ones and Duke up to my apartment. Come morning, I regretted my decision since they were both up and down all night. I�d thought we�d gotten past them not sleeping through the night. Being sick and not understanding what was wrong was unsettling to them. I might have had a problem with it if they hadn�t been family.
◊◊◊
Chapter 30 � Houston, We Have A Problem Sunday July 31
I found myself in another meeting about my companies. This was getting old, but my dad insisted that I had to learn this stuff. He�d threatened to step down as CEO (Chief Executive Officer�top dog) if I didn�t take part as the owner. Caryn was already COO (Chief Operating Officer�handled the day-to-day), but Dad wouldn�t allow her to hold both positions.
In an ideal world, Caryn would run the business until we grew to the point where we needed more management she could delegate to. At that time, she would move up to the CEO spot and handle overall high-level management and focus on planning. We would see what the long-term held and what that meant for my role in the company.
We had a special guest today who I was eager to hear from. Mom had flown out to LA on Thursday and returned on Friday. She�d refused to tell me what she found there.
�I�m rearranging the agenda,� I announced because some smarty-pants had put Mom down as �new business� at the end of the meeting. �It seems we forgot that the house issue was talked about last week. That makes it open business. I turn the floor over to Mom.�
�Someone has been paying more attention than we give him credit for,� Dad said.
�This will just mess up what I had planned �� Caryn said and then smiled. �But, I�m flexible.�
�I have pictures,� Mom said and plugged her tablet into the TV that we installed for presentations.
There was a rumor that soap operas and daytime talk shows might be watched on breaks. I honestly didn�t care because I�d never heard anyone say they couldn�t get their work done.
�Malibu is a beach community located 30 miles from downtown LA. This house is in a subdivision called Serra Retreat. It was established in 1942, and many legendary people from the movie industry have lived there over the years. Some past and current residents are Dick Van Dyke, James Cameron, Mel Gibson, Britney Spears, Larry Hagman, and Matthew Perry.
�It�s a gated community with guards at the gates, and the HOA is only around $325 per month,� Mom explained.
�That�s more than half my rent,� Megan complained.
�This is LA. My rent was around five grand when I lived there,� Kent shared.
�What�s this going to cost me?� I asked.
I about fell out of my chair when Mom said what I�d be on the hook for each month once I financed the home. It was a staggering sum when you figured in the principal, interest, HOA, insurance, and taxes.
�What�s Doug willing to pay in rent?� I asked.
�We agreed to a lowered rent during renovations and then higher once they�re done. He�ll be paying below market, but we have someone already moved in and willing to put up with what�s needed to upgrade the home,� Mom said.
�Does this sound like a lot of money, or am I looking at this wrong?� I asked.
�I talked to three local realtors, and they all told me you could sell it for 50% more than you�re paying without doing anything to it; three times purchase price if it�s fixed up. A few years down the road, it could be much more.
�Let me show you pictures, and you can decide,� Mom suggested.
It was built up on a hill and had a wraparound deck on the second floor that looked out over the neighbors so you could see the Pacific Ocean. The problem with the house was how dated it looked. D�cor from the early �60s wasn�t the best. The previous owner had been in her 90s when she sold it to Craig. Her husband had been a studio executive, and they�d had the home built. It looked like over the past twenty or more years, nothing had been done to maintain the house.
Then Mom showed us the renovation plans. An architect had computer-generated pictures that showed what they wanted to do. They planned to open up the second floor where the living area and master bedroom were. The plan was to install floor-to-ceiling windows and sliders to highlight the views of the ocean. If it ended up looking half as good as the drawings, I wanted it.
They also proposed to do a lot of upgrades to the exterior, along with the pool and pool house, and to add an outdoor kitchen and entertainment area. It would make the perfect LA home for my family.
�So, what�s the plan?� I asked.
�I recommend that we buy it. Normally, real estate isn�t a good short-term investment. This is the exception. I believe if we do the upgrades, which it needs, we could triple our money if you wanted to sell it,� Caryn said.
�What about Doug?� I asked.
�We leave him in there for a year and see how it goes,� Dad said.
�If there are no objections, I say we do it,� I said, looking around the table.
There was nothing else pressing, so I was assured I could �go play� for the next month, as Caryn put it.
◊◊◊
When we came home, we found Fritz waiting for us. He wanted to talk about security for the trip to Mexico.
�The games will be held in Monterrey, probably the wealthiest city in Mexico. The average income is almost twice what it is in the US. Ten years ago, it was considered one of the safest cities in Mexico, and it is the most Americanized. Since then, there have been issues with drug wars.
�This all started back in 2011 when the Los Zetas cartel attacked the Casino Royale. They set the casino on fire and killed 52 people. Since then, things have only gotten worse. The US government considers Los Zetas the most dangerous criminal syndicate operating in Mexico. They�re the most technologically advanced, sophisticated, and efficient of the cartels. They�re also the most violent and ruthless. Since the attack, the police and military have moved in to protect the citizens and tourists.
�Los Zetas has expanded beyond drugs, sex trafficking, and gunrunning. Its activities now include protection rackets, assassinations, extortion, kidnappings, carjackings, and more. This group is no joke. The US government has a travel advisory for its personnel in the area. Employees are not allowed outside the city limits after dark and must use only the toll roads when traveling. They have also imposed a curfew from one to six in the morning,� Fritz explained.
�Is it safe to have my friends and family come to watch the games?� I asked.
�I want to hire some extra security to help us out; the extra manpower will keep us from being stretched too thin. However, we�re having problems with the Mexican authorities about carrying guns. You must get a special permit from the Secretariat of National Defense. Without it, you can go to jail for up to five years just for having a bullet in your possession,� Fritz said.
�Mom would know who to call for some help on this,� Dad said.
�I would appreciate any help she can give us. Otherwise, I�ll be forced to hire local security, and frankly, I�m not sure that�s a promising idea. You never know who they�re really working for.�
�What are you most worried about?� Mom asked.
�I�d suggest that you keep extra cash and valuables in your hotel safe. Men shouldn�t put their wallet in their back pocket, and women should watch their purses. I would use a debit card with a low balance or credit card with a low limit that can be canceled if stolen. Don�t walk at night, even if it�s a short distance. We will drive you. For someone like David, there�s a risk of kidnapping,� Fritz explained.
◊◊◊ Tuesday August 2
�Chuck!� I called out in surprise.
He�d been my security when I first got started and there were issues with me being cyberstalked, as well as concerns when I traveled to larger cities. I always teased him because he dressed like he was with the Secret Service.
�Hey, David.�
�Are you one of the people Fritz hired?� I asked.
�Yeah. I was shocked to hear your mom recommended me. I guess I survived her tormenting me, so she thought I�d be a good fit. That�s all I can figure,� he explained.
I took him inside so he could get some coffee. While I ate breakfast, Yuri, Roc, and Phil all showed up with their moms. We planned to leave for the airport from here. I was amused when the mothers cornered Chuck and explained that he was responsible for his charges.
I could tell he was about to step into it when I heard, �I�m not a babysitter.�
�Hey � uh � I think it�s time we go. I�ll make sure Chuck and everyone else knows what�s expected of them,� I said, pulling him out of the living room. �You go make sure the SUV is loaded up.�
I turned back to look at the moms as they eyed me. I could tell they weren�t done giving instructions.
�Look, everything will be fine. They know there�ll be hell to pay if they get out of line. I promise I won�t get them liquored up and buy them hookers,� I said with my best angelic face.
Mom looked like she was getting one of her headaches.
�Just get out of here before none of you can go,� Mom suggested.
I threw in an �I love you,� gave my mom a hug, and kissed her cheek. The other moms took that as the cue that they needed to say goodbye to their sons. Chuck was smart enough to be in the car when they came out.
Yuri called shotgun, but I explained that we had to ride in the back. I wanted them to get used to having security. Phil and I ended up in the middle row, with Roc and Yuri in the rear. Chuck had a little smile when I explained everything about working with security and to let them do their job.
�So, you�re not trying to be a big shot when they open your door to get out of the car?� Roc asked.
�No. They have a routine where they observe the area as they pull up. If it looks safe from the car, they�ll get out and walk around to identify any possible trouble. If all is clear, they�ll open the door and let you out.�
�But we should be safe in Houston, right? It�s not like Mexico,� Yuri observed.
It sounded like my mom had informed their parents about Fritz�s concerns. That might have been why Chuck had been ambushed.
�Houston is not like where you live. Bad things can happen there, just like Mexico. Realistically, bad things can happen to you even in a small town. Just keep your eyes open and listen to me or the other security people,� Chuck said.
◊◊◊
Everyone was flying in today so we could start practice first thing in the morning. The plan was for the team to get together for dinner and get a good night�s rest. It was good to see everyone. Coach Kingwood was happy to see that his new batboys fit in with the team. I did miss seeing M.E. She and I had become friends over the summer.
Everyone wanted to go to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. I would rather have had steak since we were in Houston. Besides, I figured we might get the genuine article in about a week. But that was crazy talk, according to Allard. The restaurant we ended up at was a mom-and-pop joint not too far from the hotel.
I tried something new,
◊◊◊ Wednesday August 3
I suddenly woke to the sound of vomiting in the bathroom. I�d roomed with Phil because both Yuri and Roc refused. Phil still didn�t believe he snored. I planned to get the video proof, as they�d put video cameras in my room again.
I�m not the best when it comes to people barfing. Having a bunch of little ones running around had toughened me up some, but I decided Phil was on his own. That was until suddenly my stomach rolled over, and my mouth fill with saliva. Houston, we have a problem.
I barged into the bathroom and saw that Phil had made a mess in there, which didn�t help.
�Move, or I�m throwing up on you,� I announced.
Phil barely got out of the way in time. When I was done, we both laughed at our predicament.
�I never thought we would have our own vomitorium,� Phil said.
�You think it was something we ate?� I asked.
�I haven�t felt this bad since I was little.�
He was right, this was more than just getting sick. I laid my hand across my forehead, and it was hot. We cleaned up and went back to bed.
◊◊◊
Through the fog of sleep, I heard a knock at the door. I looked at the clock � damn, damn, damn. It was ten, and I was late. Phil and I had been up and down all night. Around six, the diarrhea had started.
�Are you getting that?� Phil groaned.
I just got out of bed and opened the door. Coach Kingwood took a step back at the smell of our room.
�Shit, you too?� he asked.
�What do you mean?� I asked.
�Half the team is sick. We need to get you to see a doctor because we suspect it�s food poisoning.�
�I�d rather just go back to bed,� I said.
�Well, I�d rather we get you back on your feet as soon as possible. Put on a pair of sweats and meet me in the lobby in ten minutes.�
I got Phil up, and we somehow made it to the lobby. There was a minibus waiting, and it was full of my teammates, all of whom looked like death warmed over.
It turned out that we had norovirus, which is behind more than half of the foodborne illnesses in the US. There�s no treatment for norovirus because it�s a viral, not bacterial, infection. As a precaution, some of the players were given an IV to replace the liquids they were spewing if they couldn�t keep water down. Mom had always given us 7 Up when we were little, but I needed Gatorade.
Another problem was that norovirus could be transmitted to others if they touched anything we�d been in contact with. I gave housekeeping a large tip to sanitize the room, and for the stellar job they�d done after our first night.
◊◊◊ Saturday August 6
Let me just say, I would never recommend food poisoning as the best choice for a bonding activity with your half brother. You don�t feel well, and you�re grumpy; not the best conditions for cementing a bond. Phil had the added complication that his snoring bordered on torture. I vowed to get him to an ear, nose, and throat doctor once we got back home. No one should make that much noise when they sleep.
The baseball team struggled while I was laid up. They traveled to Austin and played the University of Texas and gave them a game, but came up short, 5�4. Our next game was against San Jacinto College, a large community college that served the Houston area. We lost another close one, 3�2.
On Saturday, I felt better and made the trip to play against the University of Houston. I was still suffering from the effects of my recent stomach troubles, so Coach Kingwood sat me. It was sheer agony to watch as we got whipped 12�3.
Something happened there that I saw for the first time ever and hope to never see again: two teammates fighting during a game. Royce and Logan Greene were our third baseman and shortstop. During the third inning, we were still in the game with the score knotted up 2�2. A weak ground ball was hit between the two infielders. It was Royce�s play to make, but Logan was focused on the ball and knocked him down. The runner made it to first, and the brothers exchanged words, which had Coach Kingwood out to calm them down. When he came back in, he was shaking his head at the two of them.
On the next play, Logan was hit a sharp grounder that he probably should have gotten. He got a late jump because he�d been jawing at his brother. Houston now had runners at first and second and the top of their order coming up. On the first pitch, their batter laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line. Royce picked the ball up with his throwing hand and fired it to first. Unfortunately, it sailed over the first baseman�s head, allowing a run to score.
When the next batter came up, the two brothers each said something to the other that caused them to both stand straight up and not pay attention. The batter hit a ground ball between them that rolled all the way to the fence, clearing the bases with a stand-up double.
I was watching the ball and consequently didn�t see the first punch. When I looked over, they were rolling around on the ground, trying to kill each other. Coach Kingwood grabbed two sports bottles and raced out onto the field. He used them to hose the two combatants down.
Phil sat down next to me.
�I promise to wait until after a game to kick your butt,� he assured me.
That caused everyone in the dugout to start laughing. The other coaches weren�t amused at our reaction. Coach Way ordered us to remain on the bench, but I had other ideas. In a fight, you�re supposed to storm the field and defend your teammate.
�Team Royce! Ahhhhh!� I yelled as I leaped over the dugout fence and charged the field.
�Team Logan!� Allard yelled and joined me on the field.
We then did what all baseball players do: we grabbed each other and shuffled our feet. Soon the bench cleared. The Houston ballplayers laughed their butts off at our antics. Logan and Royce realized how dumb everyone looked and hung their heads. Coach Kingwood wasn�t happy. The umpires � let�s just say I thought we were all about to be kicked out of the game. Considering the final score, it might have been for the best.
�Get your butts back into the dugout!� Coach Kingwood ordered as he dragged the two real combatants to the locker room.
After the game, he gathered us around him in the locker room.
�I�m not even going to discuss this game. Tomorrow you have a day off. I want you to all think about the last three games. When we get to international play, we�ll be facing teams better than we�ve faced so far. I don�t think any of us wants to be embarrassed in front of our families and the country we represent.
�Take your day off and get refocused. I want everyone back on Monday, ready to go. It looks like we should be at full strength by then, so no more excuses,� Coach Kingwood said.
�We�ll be fine; David will play,� Mitch, our second baseman, said.
That got a laugh out of everyone. Somehow it had just worked out that when I played, we won. I doubted I could�ve prevented the butt-kicking Houston gave us, but baseball players are a superstitious bunch. Coach Kingwood just embraced the coincidence.
�See, no need to worry,� he confirmed. �Dawson, in my office.�
I decided I should probably follow him instead of taking a shower first. Everyone gave me sheepish grins as I held my head high to face the music.
�Sit down,� he barked, and then shut the door.
�Team Royce?!?�
�It seemed like the right thing to do at the time,� I said to show I wasn�t sorry about it.
He rolled his eyes.
�I was totally Team Logan,� he said in his best valley girl impersonation. �It was all I could do to keep from laughing when you jumped over the fence and ran out onto the field. If the guys hadn�t bought into the whole �when David plays� BS, I�d bench you for that little stunt.�
�Team Logan?� I asked.
�Get out of here and tell them I chewed your butt,� he ordered.
◊◊◊ Sunday August 7
At breakfast, everyone wanted to know what my plans were for the day.
�Football� was my one-word answer.
Turns out that high-level high school baseball athletes play football, and they�re pretty good. My three Lincoln teammates agreed that today was all about fun. We�d get serious about getting ready for the season during the upcoming week. I needed something pleasurable after being sick for several days.
There was a park down the street, so we walked over. I was impressed that Chuck showed up in shorts and a t-shirt like the rest of us. I couldn�t blame him. It was only 88 out right now. My phone weather app said it felt like 100. By late afternoon, it was going to get to 96. There wasn�t a cloud in the sky.
We found a large open area that had soccer goals at each end. This looked like a suitable place for us to play some football. Roc had carried the bag of balls I�d brought. He dumped them out so I could grab one and start tossing it around.
I must have shown too much because it was decided that to make it fair, I had to play a receiver position. They also put Roc, Yuri, and Phil on the other team. Chuck even agreed to play to help us fill out our team. He was still in decent shape, though he was getting old.
I did notice that my sweat stunk. I think all the poison left in my body was seeping out through my pores. When we decided we�d had enough, I was tired. It felt good to get in some physical activity after being bedridden for three straight days. Yesterday, I�d felt a little weak, but my appetite started to come back. Today, I began to feel like my old self.
�I�m starved,� I announced.
�I know a little Mexican place,� Yuri announced.
Silly boy. I wasn�t Pam, who he could outrun. I chased him all over the field, and we both knew I was toying with him. He yelped when I wrapped my arm around his waist and picked him up like a bag of dog food. Yuri just went limp, admitting defeat. So I carried him back and deposited him in front of everyone like I�d made a big kill and wanted to show it off.
�Are there any other suggestions?� I asked.
�I hear there�s a steak place with a salad bar next to the hotel,� Allard suggested.
�Good choice. Now, if everyone would have listened to me �� I started with an I-told-you-so grin.
◊◊◊
We returned to the hotel and took showers. I sent a text to Coach Kingwood to tell him our plans for a late lunch, and he sent one out to everyone. I was happy to see the whole team in the lobby when I came down. The upside was that if Coach was with us, he was buying.
When we showed up at the steakhouse, they sent us to the banquet room. I think they were worried we would be a little too rowdy and wanted to separate a large group of teenage boys from their regular patrons. We all ordered the salad bar with our steak, and we demolished it. I didn�t know about the rest of them, but I had several days of not eating to make up for. Coach Kingwood was duly impressed.
�Dear lord! I thought college boys ate a lot,� he observed, and then offered some advice. �Don�t fill up on salad and bread.�
�Don�t worry, I�m sure I�ll figure out some way to choke my steak down,� I said, between shoveling bites of a variety of salad-bar foods into my mouth.
When the main course arrived, he just shook his head as we all ate our steaks and huge baked potatoes. I think we showed some restraint when we skipped dessert. We had to watch our figures, after all. Coach announced, after observing us, that he was sure we were all over the virus that had afflicted us. I was just glad it happened this week instead of when we were in the middle of international play.
After lunch, we were sent to a large metroplex theater where we watched an action movie. I was pleased to see Will Smith in it. It gave me hope that when I was his age, I could be made to look like I still had it.
◊◊◊
The afternoon was spent by the pool.
�Phil has a girlfriend,� Roc said in a singsong voice.
Next, he would be singing that they were kissing in a tree. Where was Zoe when we needed her? Then I grinned when my little brother flushed with embarrassment.
�Who are you dating?� I asked, playing dumb.
�No one,� Phil grumped.
�Everyone knows. You might as well admit it,� Yuri advised.
�Guys,� Phil whined.
Oh, my God! He was so not a Dawson. He�d just opened the door for them to torment him forever. I remembered my freshman year when the team had been taking showers after football practice. Magic had looked down at Luke.
�Is that a hickey on your dick?�
Luke had slapped his hand over his package as everyone pointed and laughed. I hadn�t been there when it happened, so two weeks later, Luke decided that I needed to be tormented. When he asked me the same question, I just looked down and grinned.
�It could be,� I�d said with a straight face.
Greg had taught me to own it if they made fun of me. Poor Luke had been made fun of for looking at my junk, and I was made out as a hero for getting a hickey on Mr. Happy. Clearly, Phil had much to learn, or he�d be the butt of their jokes. I guess it was up to me to teach him. He needed to learn to stand up for himself.
�What are you complaining about? She�s the hottest girl in the freshman class,� I said in his defense.
�But I�m not sure if we�re going out or not,� Phil explained.
�Give me your phone,� I ordered.
I�d seen him sneaking off to talk on it, and I suspected he was calling Jill. I scrolled through his call record, hit the number he called the most, and put it on speaker.
�Hey, Cutie,� Jill answered.
I gave him a look to keep him quiet.
�Hey,� I said, imitating Phil�s voice. �I have a question.�
�Okay. What�s that?�
�Are you my girlfriend?� I asked with a little whine in my voice.
Phil slugged my shoulder.
�You�ve never asked me,� she challenged.
I handed the phone to Phil. He took off so he could talk to her alone. When he came back, he was all smiles. I guess there was hope for him yet.
◊◊◊
Chapter 31 � Capit�n Cojones Monday August 8
I finally had to take Phil�s phone away from him at midnight last night. I needed to get some sleep, and he�d yammered on with his new girlfriend for hours on end. When he came down for breakfast, Roc and Yuri tried to torment him about his new status.
�Have you updated your social media to �In a Relationship�?� Roc asked.
Phil suddenly looked panicked.
�It�s not real unless she does it too,� Yuri counseled.
I looked up Jill�s account.
�Single,� I announced, to Phil�s annoyance. �Are you sure she�s your girlfriend? I mean, let�s get serious for a moment. She�s way out of your league.�
�He is a Dawson,� Yuri said to defend his friend.
�He�s not horrible-looking, according to my sister,� Roc added.
�Nice save. We wouldn�t want you to be the one saying he�s good-looking,� I told Roc and then turned to my brother. �Dude, she�s taller than you are. She needs to be dating someone who�s at least six-two or six-four.�
They all gave me a funny look.
�For when she wants to wear heels. If she dates Phil, she�ll have to wear flats all the time,� I explained.
�You are such the model-boy sometimes,� Roc said, shaking his head.
I pulled out my phone, put it on speaker and dialed.
�Hey, I need your help,� I told Halle.
�Sure.�
�Hypothetically, would you date a guy shorter than you were?� I asked.
�No. He would have to wear lifts if we went anywhere and I wanted to wear heels. Then there�s the whole issue of small hands and feet,� she said, and became suspicious when we all started laughing. �What�s going on?�
�Phil wants to date Jill Lacier, April�s little sister,� I explained.
�She�s cute. I say go for it, Phil,� Halle reassured him.
�Thanks,� he answered.
�Don�t worry about the small hands and feet issue. I�m sure if she likes you, it won�t matter.�
Everyone forgets that Halle has an older brother who torments her now and then. I would have to reward her for helping me put my little brother through the wringer. The howls of laughter from the three of us caught the attention of some of the other guys, and they wanted to know what we were laughing at. It was one thing to tease him within his group of friends, but another to put him up to ridicule from my teammates. He was my brother, after all.
�Halle James was making fun of some guy she knew with small hands and feet.�
�You�re talking to Halle James, the daughter of Rita James?� Patrick Welch, our catcher, asked.
�David�s done two movies with her, and they date,� Phil said as if Patrick lived on Mars.
Patrick not knowing meant he didn�t follow the gossip rags, and that caused him to go up in my estimation.
�Small hands and feet don�t always equate to a small winkie,� Daz Whitman, our left-handed middle reliever, offered as he held up his hand and wiggled his pinkie.
�I think he�s talking from personal experience,� Patrick said with a straight face.
As much fun as making fun of guys with small dicks was, I would rather talk to Halle. I left them to their discussion and spent a half-hour catching up. Trip was scheduled to go in for more microsurgery on the nerves in his shoulder. Getting shot had been a trying experience for him and his family. He was putting the procedure off so he could join his family when they came out to watch me play in Mexico.
She�d also gotten callbacks on the two movies she was up for.
�Hey, there�s a chance I may get the lead in the one that�s a combination of the
It wasn�t lost on me that Ryan Gosling was the leading man in both, and Halle had a huge crush on him. If I was honest with myself, I would love to be Ryan Gosling for Halle.
�Why are they still auditioning if they plan to film in the fall?� I asked.
�Another studio bought the rights, and that studio head has a beef against the leading lady. She was trying to discredit him in some unsavory way and got caught. When they bought the rights, they signed her to a five-movie deal. Word on the street is that he plans to never make those movies, and she can�t make any others until her commitment is complete,� Halle explained.
�Why would you want to work for them?� I asked.
�Saul. He would never let me sign a deal like that. His take is that her agent must have had a brain aneurism and not read the fine print. He also said that her agent has lost most of her clients over the fallout.�
�So, the studio can get away with something like that?� I asked.
�David, grow up. The studios have done worse than that over the years. Unless you want to work for some independent and hope the movie is a success at Sundance or Cannes so it can be released, you have to play their games. You just need to find yourself a shark of an agent and hope for the best. Hollywood is small enough that a few phone calls can make it almost impossible to work in this town. I think that girl made a terrible error in judgment,� Halle said.
�Everyone is just rolling over and letting the studio do something like that?� I asked.
�No. They�ll have to pay me almost double what they were going to pay her if I get the role. Saul is also insisting on guarantees in case they decide not to release it.�
In most contracts, you earned more when certain milestones were reached in the movie�s timeline. They obviously didn�t want to pay your full fee if they never got a chance to recoup their investment.
I didn�t know all the details about what the girl had done, but it would have been smarter to simply fire her. When you took it to a personal level in business, you�d better be willing to face the consequences. In this case, your talent now knew that if they pissed off the boss, he�d be vindictive, even if he was justified. This caused them to have to protect themselves by taking what could be considered hazard pay and guarantees.
�I appreciate you thinking of me, but I�m not sure I would want to get into the middle of that.�
�Mom agrees with you and told me not to take it. She said I didn�t need the negative press that might come from �the sideshow,� as she calls it.�
�I guess it comes down to the role. Is it good enough to move your career forward?�
�Have you and my mom been talking?� she asked.
�No, we haven�t. I take it she asked the same question.�
�Yep. This would be my first film where I was the clear lead.
�No, I agree. I also know Saul isn�t going to sell you out. And I really doubt the studio wants your mom pissed at them,� I said.
I wished her luck and left to get ready for practice.
◊◊◊
After practice, we grabbed a late lunch, and our bus took us to San Jacinto College for our last exhibition game. They�d already beaten us 3�2 last week.
Coach had me take them out and warm up by stretching and running. I could see the difference in the team�s demeanor as soon as they got off the bus. Everyone seemed more focused and confident than they had when I last saw them play Houston.
We had a 3:00 start time, so Coach Kingwood took us back to the locker room to talk to us. This allowed San Jacinto to get warmed up.
�How do they look?� Coach Kingwood asked me.
�We�re ready. I think we win by four runs,� I predicted.
Coach Kingwood was unaware of my special ability to call margins of victory. He just looked at me and smiled.
�I�m not about to doubt him. Are you guys?� he asked the team.
Everyone agreed with me, so he continued.
�We�re going to go easy on our pitchers today. Two innings maximum for everyone. It doesn�t matter how good you feel or if you�re pitching a no-hitter. I want to give four, if not five, of you work today so you�re ready when the games count.
�I want to win this one. So as long as we�re within two runs, either way, the starters will remain on the field. If we get up by four or more, as our captain has said, I�ll make wholesale substitutions. As I said, I want to win, but I also want to be ready for when we play Panama,� Coach Kingwood explained.
Panama was reported to be a weaker opponent. The game after Panama was against the team everyone thought was the favorite, Cuba. I�d seen the roster, and a few of the boys I�d played with were in their lineup. Coach Conde was an assistant for Cuba. I hoped our team didn�t look past Panama.
Coach Kingwood reminded us to play in the moment and to remain focused. He also wanted us to be aggressive on the basepaths. He announced that he was moving me to the top of the order, as the coaches and I had discussed.
�One last detail before we go out,� Coach Kingwood said, and we watched as Coach Way handed him a jersey. �I�ve talked to all of you one-on-one, and we all agree that someone has shown leadership, and I�ve even referred to him as our captain. I want to make it official and announce that David fills that role on this team.�
He handed me a new jersey with a �C� on the left breast above �USA� on the chest. I slipped off my old jersey and put on the new one.
�Take them out, Cap,� Coach Kingwood told me.
�Gather �round and put your hand in,� I said, and we made a big circle. �USA on three. One, two, three ��
�USA!�
As the visitors, we were up first. The game was being played at John Ray Harrison Field at Andy Pettitte Park in Houston, Texas; it was the home of the San Jacinto North Gators. The plan was to play a seven-inning game and then play two extra practice innings. During the practice innings, players could be freely substituted, and batting orders flew out the window. You could even have a batter who struck out remain up to bat if you wanted. The Gators had agreed to let us have a full nine innings to prepare for our tournament.
Right off the bat, it was a pitching duel. Allard got the start on the mound and gave up just two hits with one strikeout over two innings. We�d managed to get three men on in the first two innings, so I led off the third.
Their scouting report must have told them to keep the ball outside on me because I was thrown four straight balls to get on. Mitch was up next. He was probably the weakest batter of our first six hitters. That wasn�t a knock on Mitch; he would be the best hitter on almost every high school team in the country. We just had guys with serious talent.
I looked to third for the sign, and I was signaled to hold so I could get a feel of how the pitcher handled me on base. The pitcher then tried to pick me off and short-hopped the ball. If it hadn�t been for a great save by their first baseman, I would have been at second.
On his first pitch home, he�d guessed I would be running. He threw a fastball high so the catcher would be halfway standing when he caught the ball. I could tell they were worried.
On the second pitch, I was given the green light. The pitcher made me eat dirt twice before finally going home with a pitch. I exploded towards second and could tell by the way the second base umpire got into position that it was going to be close. I concentrated on my form so I wouldn�t lose any speed and slid into second. The second baseman caught the ball and snapped his glove down to tag me.
�Safe!� the umpire called and signaled emphatically.
�No way! I got him,� the San Jacinto second baseman argued.
I knew better, but I wasn�t about to add my comments to this discussion. Their manager trotted out and pushed his player back so he could talk the umpire.
�I hate to say it, but he looked out to me from clear over in the dugout.�
�His foot touched the bag before the tag. He was safe.�
The back-and-forth continued, and I called time so I could step off the bag and knock the dirt off me. When they were done arguing, I stood on second, waiting for the pitcher to step onto the mound. The second baseman threw it in, and we got ready to resume play.
The pitcher was still nervous about me, I guess. He had a pretty good move to second, but neither of his pick-off tries worked.
After the second pick-off attempt, I was standing on second base. As I was brushing the dirt off my uniform, the second baseman motioned like he threw the ball back to the pitcher. I grinned when I saw that he still had the ball.
�Nice try,� I said.
�I�ve fallen for it. They�ll try all kinds of tricks on you.�
He tossed the ball to the pitcher so the game could continue.
On the next pitch, Mitch hit a sharp grounder that split the first and second basemen. I used my speed to round third. I was waved through and saw Nick Golden, our first baseman, in the on-deck circle. He motioned for me to slide. Their right fielder had charged the ball and bypassed the cutoff man to try to throw me out. Their catcher had the basepath blocked, so I slid to the outside. I missed the bag with my foot, so I had to reach and tag it with my hand. This time the catcher would�ve had me, but he missed the tag. We were up 1�0.
Austin Moran pitched two dominant innings in relief of Allard. He struck out five of the six batters he faced and didn�t allow a single base runner. Shane Bays followed with two lights-out innings of his own, sending the batters down in order and striking out four out of six.
In the top of the seventh, we got busy again. Royce Greene led off with a single up the middle before back-to-back bunt singles by Jared Cornish and Tristan Pratt loaded the bases with no outs. Patrick Welch then grounded out to third base, allowing Royce to score, and Jared crossed the plate shortly after on a throwing error by the catcher. Logan Greene followed by singling through the left side to score Tristan for our fourth and final run in regulation.
Hagen Holmes took the mound for the bottom half of the seventh and allowed only one hit, a leadoff single, before retiring the Gators to secure the shutout 4�0.
In the two practice innings, the starters were pulled. Each team scored two runs apiece.
◊◊◊
Coach Kingwood talked to us in the locker room after the game.
�Good job out there. I can see what we�ve been working on showing up on the field. I think if we get that kind of pitching and enough offense, we should be fine in the upcoming tournament.
�Okay, let�s talk about what we have to do between now and tomorrow afternoon. Get yourself packed. If you want to go out to dinner on your own tonight, feel free. Otherwise, we�ll eat in the hotel. I don�t need to see you until noon tomorrow in the lobby when we�ll get on the bus and head to the airport.
�Does anyone have anything for me?� he asked and looked around. �Okay. Stay out of trouble tonight.�
With that parting shot, we were free.
◊◊◊
I invited my guys to our room. When Roc and Yuri joined Phil and me, I told them my plan.
�When I was a freshman, my brother helped me with women. Now that Phil actually has one that isn�t running away, it�s time for some Dawson guidance. If you two will allow me to help you, I�ll include you in his education. The only rule is that you can�t question my methods,� I said, waiting for the first little dumbass to do just that.
�What do you mean?� Yuri asked.
�You�re out.�
�What?� Yuri asked, shocked.
�What part of not questioning me was unclear?� I asked.
�It�s just � uh � never mind. I�m fine with whatever you have planned,� Yuri said, getting with the program.
I could see both Roc and Phil wanted to ask something, but I used my superpower and raised one eyebrow.
�Before we do anything else, we need to get you all to look like someone a girl might actually want to date.�
�But we have girlfriends,� Roc said.
�You�re out,� I said as I pointed to the door.
He laughed and shook his head.
�Sorry. I�ll behave,� Roc assured me.
�You want to give it a go?� I asked Phil.
�No. This is exactly what I hoped you�d do.�
I just nodded.
◊◊◊
Chuck took us to a big mall, and I looked at the map at the entrance. They had Jade, Abercrombie, and a sporting goods store that would carry Range Sports apparel. I first took them to get new haircuts. I was pretty sure Roc and Yuri had their moms cut their hair. If they paid for their haircuts, they were getting robbed. My brother looked like he�d gotten his at a chain store.
There was some whining, but no one said �no� when I told Curtis, who had a crush on Roc, how I wanted them cut. I didn�t want to saddle them with what Cindy, Greg�s girlfriend my freshman year who�d help me become datable, had forced me to wear. While it looked good, I showered at least two times a day and didn�t want to mess with having something that needed styling.
Phil�s hair was cut short on the sides, using a number one guard, all the way to the part, and the top was left longer. Curtis then showed him how to add volume and shine to his hair. Yuri got something similar except the top was cut shorter, and Curtis put some product in his hair to spike it. Roc�s hair was longer, and Curtis did his magic to fix the uneven parts and showed him how to comb it back and keep it out of his face. He looked like he might fit in on one of the werewolf shows. Meanwhile, I went old-school and got a flattop. I figured it would grow out in time for my role in the J-drama that I�d be filming over Christmas break.
Next, I took them to various stores to replace their wardrobes. Roc got most of his new clothes from Range Sports. He was still a farm boy who enjoyed the outdoors. Yuri received the bulk of the Jade clothing, and Phil was done up in Abercrombie. Jill was much more into fashion than Jan, so I didn�t want to push Yuri too far.
There were two items I made sure they all had. Boxers, because I�d seen Phil had either tighty-whities or action-hero underwear. I assumed they all were in the same boat. Finally, we hit a high-end shoe store that carried Epaulet leather tennis shoes. These shoes were a modern-day reinterpretation of the clean leather tennis shoes of the 1960s. They came in navy blue, oxblood red, black, tan, and brown. The guys were wimps and got either black or brown, but I bought a pair of the oxblood red.
Once we got back to the hotel, the three of them all ran to Yuri and Roc�s room so they could try on their clothes and take selfies. The plan was to get their girlfriends� approval on what they should wear. I figured they probably needed the help. After all, I did when I was a freshman. I remembered having to call Tracy or Tami so they could pick out my clothes for me. This was back when I thought stripes and plaids looked fine together.
◊◊◊
I invited Chuck to join me in the hotel restaurant. They had three: a sandwich shop, a bar, and a higher-end place where we�d gotten steak before. We agreed the sandwich shop was okay for our late-night needs. They had some unusual items that you wouldn�t typically see. I ordered the beef tongue, while Chuck wimped out and got the roast beef. When his sandwich came, I almost made him trade. It had thick cuts of roast, not lunch meat. They also did a horseradish mayo. My beef tongue was excellent, so he got to keep his sandwich.
I had two messages, one from Fritz and another from Caryn. I called Fritz first.
�How�s Chuck working out?� I glanced over at Chuck and put the phone on speaker so he could hear.
�I don�t know. He�s been a hard-ass. Yesterday we wanted to play some football, and he wouldn�t let us play in the street. He made us walk a block to the park.�
�Sounds like you�re taking advantage of him.�
�Not really. All we have to do is pay his entrance into the local titty-bar and buy him a lap dance, and he�s more reasonable to work with. When do I get Paul back? Now he�s fun,� I said with gusto.
�I take it, Chuck is there?� Fritz asked.
�Yep. I dragged him out so I could get some food.�
�Has he behaved?� Fritz asked Chuck.
�David�s been fine. If he gets out of hand, I�ll just give him food poisoning again. He was easy to keep track of when he had that,� Chuck said.
�I bet. I�ll add that to his file as a way to control him,� Fritz said.
�Very funny. I hope to never experience that again.�
�I wanted to give you some updates,� Fritz said, turning serious. �Your grandmother came through, so you�ll be fully protected. With the James family joining you in Mexico, I�ll have my full team there, which makes me much more comfortable. Once we get to Monterrey, I�m going to pull Chuck off you and have him with your parents. Paul will be your primary protection, with Cassidy as a backup. Jane will watch the James family, while Flo and I�ll float where needed.�
He told Chuck to call him later when he was back at his room for further discussion.
I next called Caryn. I�d given her free rein as far as who was coming on this trip. She sent me a link with the guest list, and it looked like almost everybody I knew. The plan was they�d charter a jet. It would fly out of my hometown airport and land at Houston, where they would pick up more people. Since we had some spare seats, some of my teammates� parents would be catching a ride. Caryn said some of them had planned to drive down, but after Fritz had explained the risks, they took Caryn up on her offer.
Everyone would be in Mexico on Wednesday with plenty of time to get settled in their hotel and make it to the Panama game. She�d had to pull some strings to get tickets because the tournament was a big deal for many of the visiting teams.
I was just glad that Megan and Caryn would be there to keep everyone organized.
◊◊◊
When I got back to my room, my brother was still missing. I was getting ready for bed when I received a text from Tami to jump onto video chat.
�I�ve been holding off on your birthday present,� she started off.
�And here I thought you just didn�t love me anymore.�
�Whatev. Seriously, though. Your mom asked me to research football equipment to find what was safest. I think I found you a football helmet that will reduce your risk of head injuries.�
That caught my attention. There�d been a lot of reports about the dangers of playing football. Most of it was focused on the NFL, but it was an issue at all levels. One of my concerns about making the NFL a career was the possibility of long-term damage to my brain. I�d already had at least one concussion diagnosed.
�You have my interest,� I admitted.
�Here�s the deal. This will have to be like when I bought you that car ��
�I have to pay for it,� I finished the sentence.
�Sorry, but the helmet costs $1,500. I wish I could just go out and buy you one.�
�What makes it so expensive?� I asked.
�They aren�t officially selling them yet. They�re a startup company. Besides the potential to reduce concussions, the helmet provides better peripheral vision, so players can see more of the field and opponents coming at them. They�re running field tests at the Universities of Washington and Oregon right now. Preliminary reports are good, with two issues. The first is forehead discomfort in a handful of players. The other is the upper chinstrap snaps have come undone. That was something they hadn�t seen in the labs,� Tami explained.
�When do they think they�ll have the bugs worked out?�
�Five to six weeks.�
�What has you so excited?� I asked.
�The helmet you�re currently using is based on 1960s technology. It has a hard outer shell and then internal padding. It protects your skull from cracking, but really does nothing to protect the brain. What happens is your brain presses up against your skull on the initial hit, and then when your head snaps back, it bounces off the other side of your skull.
�There have been some advancements, like air padding where you can add or take out air so the helmet fits better. Another solution was to add padding to the exterior of the helmet to help absorb the impact. This company has taken those ideas a step further,� Tami said.
�Who are they?� I asked.
�Vicis, and the helmet is called Zero1,� she said and continued her explanation. �What makes the helmet safer is that it has four layers. The outside works like the bumper on your car. Instead of it bouncing off an object, it gives to absorb impact. The second layer is also designed to reduce impact force. It�s two layers of a rubber-like product that are sandwiched around what looks like rubber tubes. When this is hit, it�s designed to squish to disperse the force. The third layer is a hard plastic shell to prevent your skull from fracturing. The final layer is adjustable inner padding.
�I�ve seen their test results, and those show that less impact is felt. There haven�t been any definitive tests that show this will reduce brain injury. But I think that�s just because they haven�t put the product on the market widely enough, and it�s brand new. Common sense tells me it can only help,� Tami concluded.
�How do I get one?� I asked.
�I told them who you are, and they got excited. They agreed to sell you one as soon as they get the bugs worked out from the field test.�
�I better make sure the NCAA isn�t going to give me a hard time about it if they�re selling me one because of who I am,� I said.
�Caryn is already looking into that with your lawyers. Your dad put her on it,� Tami said.
I was glad to hear they were looking out for me.
�You�re the best. I can�t wait to get it and try it out.�
�You better not tell your mom that part,� Tami warned.
She did have good points more often than not. I would have to keep that our little secret.
◊◊◊ Tuesday August 9
I smiled when my guys hit the lobby in their new clothes. The three amigos all looked good. We all stood out, compared to the other ballplayers. It wasn�t that the others were dressed poorly; they just looked like regular teenage boys.
I wore the sport coat I�d gotten in Japan with the graphic on it. I also wore an Abercrombie light-blue button-up shirt under the jacket, and cream-colored slacks with my new oxblood-red leather tennis shoes. To finish it off, I wore my Japanese designer sunglasses. I�d been warned that the press had been asking about me in Mexico, so I decided to pull out my inner model.
�Did you guys let David get his hands on you?� Allard asked when he saw us.
�He said we have to look like someone a girl will want to date,� Phil said.
�Uh � okay,� was Allard�s witty comeback.
Other players noticed and soon had the three amigos cornered, asking them questions. Allard, Daz, and Austin pulled me aside.
�How come you didn�t invite us for a makeover?� Daz asked.
I think Austin realized how that sounded, and he scowled for a moment, but then nodded.
�I wouldn�t want to look like I was in a boy band,� Allard worried.
That made me laugh. I had deliberately not gone too far with Phil, Roc, and Yuri; instead, I�d just tried to make them more presentable. I�d remembered how worried I�d been when my freshman-year �sex tutor,� Cindy, had changed my appearance. Even worse was when Ford Models had let their �artist� loose on me. I�d had to remind the agency that if I wore makeup at school, I would get my butt kicked. I knew exactly what these three were worried about. It had taken all this time for me to be sufficiently comfortable to wear the clothes I currently had on in public.
�Do you think they look like that?� I prodded.
�No, but I know you well enough that I could see you making me look goofy just for the fun of it,� Allard admitted.
The other two watched at me suspiciously.
�He has a point,� Daz said.
�What you�re all looking for is a cleaned-up version of yourself that attracts women and makes you appear a little older,� I guessed.
�That would be perfect,� Austin said.
�You also know I live in Arkansas. I can�t be citified,� Allard said with concern.
�So, no eyeliner,� I said with a straight face.
�What? You have eyeliner on?� Daz asked. I looked over, and his eyebrows had disappeared into his bangs.
�Doesn�t it make my eyes pop?� I teased.
�This was a mistake,� Austin said, backing up.
�I�m only teasing. You�re my teammates. Do you really think I would make you look foolish?�
Okay, that was probably the wrong question, but they finally calmed down. I told them to ask around and see who else wanted some help. I made it clear that it might cost them some money because a good haircut wasn�t cheap. It looked like most of them went to Cheap Cuts and got their Wednesday special when the barber school came in for practice.
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Once everyone was downstairs, it was off to Mexico. When we got off the plane, I was happy to see Fritz and Paul in the airport debarkation area. They�d gone down a day early to prepare for everyone else�s arrival. I was glad they were there when we cleared customs and got to the section of the airport where the press could get in.
I was standing next to Coach Kingwood when we saw the paparazzi waiting.
�Let me go first and draw them off. I�ll talk to them until you text me that you have everyone on the bus, and then we�ll join you,� I planned.
I quickly found my security team around me. Poor Chuck looked a little green; he�d never experienced anything like this before. I�d dealt with it in LA, and it was simply crazy in Japan. I soon found out that Mexico loved baseball. Of course, I was American, which made them want to hate me. But I was also in movies. I found that the two conflicting feelings sort of canceled each other out. I think I won some of them over when I could do my interviews in broken Spanish.
The airport police showed up and made us move out through the exit. That was a mistake because there was a large crowd of fans waiting outside.
�What should we do?� I asked Fritz.
We could see the team�s bus was at the far side of the pickup lane, and my teammates were getting on.
�I think it would be safer to just push through and get you on the bus,� Fritz decided.
I was happy when the police helped us navigate through the crowd so I could escape. When I was finally on board, I looked toward the back of the bus and was met with stunned silence.
�That was special,� I announced.
Phil had saved me a seat.
�That totally sucked,� he observed.
�It�s all part of it. This was a little out of control, and you never really get used to it, but it�s the price you have to pay,� I explained.
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Thankfully, there were no crowds at the hotel. I did see Jeff, my favorite reporter, with his camera crew. I had Paul take my bags up to my room so I could talk to Jeff.
�You missed the circus at the airport.�
�No, we caught it. We just decided to stand back and film the craziness. Do you have time for an interview?�
�Sure. I need to get used to you following me around.�
�When you say it that way, it sounds a little creepy,� Jeff said with hooded eyes that made me wonder about him.
USA Baseball had a room for interviews in the hotel. I found a man sitting there that I didn�t recognize.
�Jonathan Stoddard, Major League Baseball dot com,� he said as he shook my hand.
�David Dawson. This is Jeff Delahey and his film crew. You mind if they record this? They�re following me around, doing a documentary.�
�Yeah, I guess. I�ve never had someone film me like this,� Jonathan admitted.
�What can I do for you?� I asked.
�I�m down here to put together a story on potential prep draftees that are here for the COPABE Pan Am �AAA� Championships. My idea is to do one story on the prospects from the US and then another on the international players.�
�Why do you want to talk to me? I plan on going to college and skipping the draft.�
�As the captain of Team USA, you have a lot of potential as a draft pick. Once we get closer to the draft, I�d like to do another story on just you regardless of whether you enter the draft,� Jonathan said.
�I�d love to,� I said with a smile.
Jeff almost blew my cover when he began to chuckle. He knew me too well. I talked to Jonathan for about twenty minutes. I did my best �aw, shucks� shtick, and told him I was truly blessed.
When Jonathan left, Jeff shook his head.
�That never gets old. How you can say all that with a straight face is beyond me.�
�Hey, I see what you�re doing. You�re trying to get me to say something bad for your little docudrama. It won�t work, Buster,� I said, shaking my fist at him with mock indignation.
�All kidding aside, are you going to be ready for Cuba? They have a great team this year,� Jeff prodded.
�Last I looked, we play Panama first. I haven�t even looked at who else is on the schedule,� I said. Then I had a brilliant idea. �I think you�re selling the host country short. I heard they may be the favorites. The current international rankings are USA, Cuba, and then Mexico. Mexico might be a slight favorite because they�re the home team.�
�Do you know any of the Cuban players? I understand that you practiced with some of them,� Jeff said.
�If you know the answer, why are you asking the question?� I asked.
�Because I need to have you respond on tape.�
�Yes.�
�If you�re going to be like this, I�ll interview your mom. She said she has baby pictures,� Jeff threatened.
I decided I�d better play his game for now. I debated whether I should talk to Mom about it. That could go one of two ways: she could give Jeff grief, or she could turn on her youngest son. I figured it was a toss-up between turning on me and her giving us both a hard time.
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After we got settled, the coaches wanted us to loosen up and have a little fun playing baseball, so we strolled over to the practice field. Coach Kingwood left us to our own devices since he and the coaching staff had meetings to attend. First, they had to meet with USA Baseball, and then there was another meeting with the other coaches involved in the tournament.
When he and his staff arrived at the field, the players looked like a truck had run over them. I�d had Yuri run them through
�What happened?� Coach Kingwood asked me.
He was in time to see a few of them dry-heaving as they leaned against a fence.
�I won�t name names,� I said, pointing at the ones who�d started it, �but a few of them mouthed off that they were in great shape. Then someone questioned someone else�s manhood. It devolved into taunts, so I put an end to it. I am now
He looked at Coach Way.
�He thinks he�s Captain Balls.�
I chuckled because I�d played it off like I had no idea what �cojones� meant. It was okay; I let the team think they�d put one over on me. I just figured you had to have real balls to pull off that nickname.
It appeared Coach Kingwood liked what I�d done with the team. He seemed to have plans to use our workout on his ball club back home. I told him that Cassidy would be here tomorrow, and she could tell him how to implement it.
After my teammates were done acting like big babies, I made them play football with me. My plan was to throw for the next few weeks so I was ready when we returned for the end of two-a-days back home. I didn�t want to give Coach Hope any excuse to be mad at us for not getting ready for the season.
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USA Baseball had a buffet prepared for us in the hotel. In the corner of the room, they�d set up an interview set where their in-house reporters could ask us various questions. The plan was to intersperse the interviews in-game during the broadcast when there was a lull in the action.
Logan, Tristan, and Allard pulled me aside.
�I asked around, and there�s a mall not far from here. We want to go after dinner and have you work your magic,� Tristan said.
�How many are going?� I asked.
�Everyone,� Allard said.
I was a little surprised when I could roll my eyes like a teenage girl.
�Come on, man, you promised,� Logan said, sounding worried.
�No, sorry. I just � ah � didn�t think you guys were seriously interested in fashion,� I admitted.
�Yuri and Roc showed us pictures of the girls you date and some of the models you�ve taken out. I mean, seriously, I would kill to go out with that Victoria�s Secret model,� Tristan said as their explanation.
Someday, if they made it to the major leagues, they very well might date a model. I mean, if that goof of a pitcher could be with Hanna Minacci, then they surely had a chance.
�Yeah, me too. I mean, I love my girlfriend, or I�d be right there with Tristan. But Molly says she wishes I dressed better sometimes,� Logan admitted.
I looked at Allard, daring him to throw M.E. under the bus. He just shrugged.
�Fine, but you have to figure out transportation. My security people told us we can�t walk anywhere after dark,� I explained.
�Coach Kingwood and the rest of the coaches are going with us, so we can use the bus,� Allard said with a big smile.
I�d been set up.
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I guess I should have known that Jeff and his camera crew would load onto the bus with us. It was only a few miles to the mall, and once we got there, our first stop was to get haircuts. They had five stylists available. One of them was free, so I asked if they had any books, and he got us a couple. It was much easier to show them what I thought would work.
I had shudders go down my spine when several wanted Blake Seaver�s latest hairstyle. Coach Way pulled me aside once I�d helped them all figure out what they wanted.
�How come you got a flattop and not just a buzz cut?� he asked.
�You know what�s funny? My granddad wore a flattop. I used to make fun of him, but he assured me that once I figured out how easy it was to take care of, I�d want one. I thought he was being old-fashioned. You know how some fashions seem to come back in style? Shorter hair is back now, but with a few twists. Most younger guys are wearing it short on the sides and then doing something creative on the top. Plus, I love that it takes me no time at all after a shower.
�For someone your age, a buzz cut would just seem like you�re avoiding a comb-over,� I teased.
�You must not be planning on ever playing,� he warned me.
�I think a flattop would suit you better than a buzz cut. People see those and instantly think you�re trying to hide the fact you�re going bald. The other problem is a lot of guys simply don�t have the head for a buzz cut. The flattop helps hide the goofy shape of their noggin,� I advised.
�So, I take it you�ve had a buzz cut?� Coach Way asked sardonically.
I dug out my phone and showed him a Stryker picture.
�I�m going to try the flattop,� he said after he saw my bald head.
Then I showed him the hair-wax stick they sold to help your flattop stand up in the front. I was lucky that my hair stood on its own. Coach Way�s hair was finer, and I suspected it would just want to lay down.
Once the first group was done getting their hair cut, I took them to some clothing stores and showed them what went with what. When the next group came out, I shook my head. They�d gotten their hair dyed red, white, and blue. I sure hoped that washed out. Their parents were all coming tomorrow, and I didn�t want to be the one they all pointed at when their sons looked like circus clowns.
It turned into a nice team-building experience as everyone had a good time. I�d helped them pick out some clothes they could wear for both interviews now and then later for dates. I did notice that half the coaching staff had gotten flattops. In this heat and humidity, it was probably a wise decision.
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When we got back to the hotel, I talked Fritz, Paul, and Chuck into playing poker with me and the three amigos, as I was now calling them. We kept it friendly so that Phil, Roc, and Yuri could learn the game. Paul was the big winner when he took home five dollars.
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Chapter 32 � You�re Not a Jedi Wednesday August 10
I made everyone who�d played poker the night before get up and run with me. Out of habit, I brought my Bo staff with me. Chuck hadn�t seen me with it before and was impressed with the drills I did while running. It had made a significant difference in my forearm, wrist, and hand strength.
I had set a decent pace to get the blood pumping when Fritz called out.
�Don�t look back, but we�re being followed. A white van is pacing us.�
�What should we do?� Yuri asked with a tremor in his voice.
�Allow Paul and Chuck to move to the edge of the street, and the rest of you get closer to the buildings. Once we find a spot, we�ll get off the street,� Fritz said.
I made sure I was between the street on one side and Phil, Roc, and Yuri on the other. No way did I want them getting hurt. I at least could do some damage with my Bo staff, if they got close. I debated about breaking it apart so I could use the two halves as batons, but decided I would rather have the length of the Bo staff. And, if it came to a fight, I was better with the staff than I was with batons.
�There�s a restaurant half a block up. Run in there,� Chuck ordered.
�Keep your pace,� Fritz warned as Yuri sped up.
He wanted us to keep together.
�Get down!� Fritz yelled.
I heard the engine of the van speed up. Right before the restaurant, there was an alleyway. Out of it, another van drove in front of us, blocking our intended path. Yuri and Roc dropped down on the sidewalk. My brother, Phil, stood frozen. I tackled him and took him to the pavement.
The side door of the van blocking us slid open, and a man with a mask and a gun began to get out. Fritz, Chuck, and Paul had all drawn their weapons and were facing the street as the white van had sped up and slammed on its brakes next to us.
�Gun!� I yelled.
I heard the three amigos scream out in fear and knew I had to protect them. The van blocking our path was only six feet away, so I didn�t hesitate as I exploded off the sidewalk. I think the gunman was surprised when I used the Bo staff like a spear and drove him back into the van. His arms flailed as he tried to catch himself, and the gun fell back into the van with him. I dropped down into a fighting stance and kept an eye on the driver to make sure he didn�t get out.
The van on the street suddenly took off when they saw my security was armed. It flashed past in my peripheral vision as it left. I looked into the van in front of me, and my blood ran cold. There was a second person in the back who was also armed. He raised his gun and pointed it at me. The driver took his cue from his partner on the street. Just as it looked like I was going to be shot, the van lurched forward, and I heard the explosion of the gun as it went off. Fortunately, he shot just as the driver punched the accelerator. The bullet flew over my head, and I let out a sigh of relief as I watched the van race away.
I turned back and found Yuri and Roc hovering over Phil. I saw blood, and my gut instantly tightened. �God, please let him be okay� ran through my head as I rushed to see what was wrong. His knees, elbows, and forehead all had road rash where he�d slid across the concrete.
�I thought you�d been shot,� I blurted.
�Something worse happened. You knocked me down,� Phil complained.
�We can talk about this later. Let�s head back to the hotel,� Fritz worried.
We picked up the pace as we ran back to the hotel. Once we got back to my room, everyone seemed to collapse into themselves. I was happy to see Paul leave and come back with the first aid satchel Tami had made for my security team. I�m sure she imagined she was a trauma doctor, with all the stuff she had in that bag.
No one said anything as we all tried to process what had just happened. I was now glad I�d listened and hired security. Up until this moment, I�d considered them more as crowd control and someone to hang out with. I shouldn�t have, because of what Trip had gone through, but that had been a terrorist attack. How often would you ever find yourself in the middle of something like that?
The realization was sinking in that someone had just tried to either kidnap me or rob us. With how they seemed to be organized, it wasn�t a simple robbery. It scared me that my friends may have gotten seriously hurt just because they were hanging around me.
I looked around at the group. Fritz had been watching me to see how I�d react. Paul was calm, but Chuck was shaken. I could tell that both Paul and Fritz had both been in situations like this before, just by how they carried themselves. Phil looked to be okay, but Roc and Yuri were breathing hard.
�I don�t even want to be in the room when you have to call my mom and tell her what just happened,� I said to Fritz.
He gave me a pained look, but my teammates burst out laughing. It was the nervous kind of laughter people have once they realize that they just escaped death. As soon as they stopped laughing, their body language was better.
�Chuck, you stay here. Paul, you�re with me,� Fritz said.
I figured he wanted to call the police and give my dad a heads-up. I doubted Fritz had a death wish and would make the mistake of calling my mom. Once they left, I figured I had better talk to the guys.
�How are you doing?� I asked.
�What just happened?� Phil asked.
�Those men had guns,� Yuri stated.
�Are you okay?� Roc asked. �I think they were there to take you.�
�My security team was there to stop that,� I said.
�But that last man in the van shot at you. You�re not a Jedi who can use your big stick to deflect bullets,� Yuri said to remind me I�m human.
I gave him a weak smile.
�As much as I would like to claim that I�m a Jedi, I know I�m not. If he�d gotten off a clean shot, I�d have been in real trouble. I realize I was lucky,� I said softly.
�How can you not be freaking out?� Roc asked.
�Dude, he�s my brother. He might have been scared, but he�d never show it,� Phil said.
If I had a hairline, my eyebrows would have disappeared into it. I could tell that Phil meant every word of what he just said. I wondered if others thought I was some kind of superhero, incapable of being afraid in the face of danger.
�All I could do was watch,� Yuri admitted. �You, on the other hand, jumped up and whacked the guy with your staff and pushed him back into the van. I was completely useless.�
�You did what you were told to do, and that helped a lot! You forget that Cassidy has trained me to defend myself. I did that because I knew you three were safe if the rest of us did our jobs. If I had to worry about you jumping into the middle of it, I would have been terrified. What I saw was that you didn�t jump up and run. You listened to direction under extreme pressure. I know I can count on the three of you,� I said.
�I agree with David. The worst way that could have gone was if the three of you had either tried to help or had gotten separated. That�s when terrible things happen,� Chuck said, to pile on.
�Weren�t you scared when he pointed his gun at you?� Roc asked.
�That did give me pause. I�d be a fool if I said I wasn�t worried. It just happened so fast that I didn�t get a chance to be scared, but if I�d had time to think about it, I would have been. Sometimes you do what you can, and if God decides your number�s up, there�s nothing you can do about it. I believe he still has plans for all of us,� I said seriously.
�Now we have to win State,� Yuri said.
�Can we pray?� Roc asked.
�Absolutely,� I said, and we circled around.
I think we just needed to reassure ourselves that everything was going to be okay.
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We missed morning practice as we had to deal with the police. They were impressed when Fritz was able to provide them with four different bodycam views of the incident. They were able to get the plate numbers off the vans to help them begin their investigation.
Fritz made some phone calls to get more security. He did ask me to make a call of my own.
�Hello,� a woman answered.
�Is this Pia Giovanni?� I asked.
�Yes.�
�This is David Dawson.�
It took her a second to figure out who I was, and then it dawned on her.
�Oh, yes, Tony�s friend. How may I help you?� she asked, sounding much friendlier.
�This morning someone tried to kidnap me in Monterrey, Mexico. I�m here to play for Team USA in a baseball tournament. Later today, my family and friends will be joining me, and I�m more than a little worried about their safety. I�m not sure if you can do anything ��
�Tell me what happened,� she said, suddenly sounding hard.
I could tell this woman was capable. If she was Tony�s go-between, she would have to be. I explained what happened. She wanted copies of the videos and said she would talk to Tony. She thanked me for calling and then hung up on me. I wasn�t sure what I�d just started.
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After we�d dealt with the police, the team returned from practice and joined us in the sandwich shop for lunch. I let the three amigos tell the story. Fritz was pulled away to talk to officials from Team USA. Once we all had food, Coach Kingwood gave us the rundown for the rest of the day.
�Your parents will be here around one. We�ve reserved the
�You have the afternoon off to do what you want. I want you all to be safe. The incident this morning shows that the unexpected can happen. The local police tell us they�ll have a presence in the area to assure that there won�t be any repeats of this morning�s event.
�I want you all back here by five, and we�ll have an early dinner. Then we�ll load onto the bus at six for our seven-thirty game. We�re kicking off the tournament, so I want you to be on your best behavior and show good sportsmanship,� Coach Kingwood said.
We all returned to eating and just being ballplayers.
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At one, the team was waiting in the ballroom when our parents and friends started to show up. Of course, they had all heard about what happened this morning. Phil was soon surrounded, as he was the only one with visible injuries.
My parents and family were on the second bus to arrive. I dutifully allowed my mom and grandmother to check me out.
�What happened?� Mom demanded.
�We went running. I had Fritz, Chuck, and Paul with us,� I said to assure her I hadn�t gone without security. �Fritz spotted a van following us and gave a warning. There was a second van that popped out of an alley ahead of our group to box us in. When they saw that my security was armed, they sped off. Everyone�s fine.�
I�d warned everyone not to talk about the guns the bad guys had. I�d also made them promise not to tell anyone about my role in the incident. Of course, that was a pipe dream, as Mrs. Pearson and Zoe rushed over.
�I heard you were almost shot,� Zoe blurted. Roc was a dead man.
I love my dad. He stepped in front of my mother before she ended my life. I could hear tidbits of their conversation and became worried when my mom stated I was going home �right now!� My grandmother stepped close to me so we were shielded from my parents, and she pointed at my Grandma Felton, who was holding Nate.
�You�re a genius,� I said and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.
I rushed over.
�How�s my big boy?� I asked.
Nate reached for me, so Grandma Felton handed him to me.
�David!� Mom said, right behind me.
I turned around and smiled.
�Don�t scare the little guy,� I said in triumph.
Poor Nate would be scarred for life. I found myself in the middle of the ballroom as all other conversation stopped to listen to my mother do what she does best. That is, explain how I was a �stupid boy� and how I would be on the next plane back to the States. Nate, bless his soul, howled when Mom began to get loud. Greg, the big chicken, left his son to his own fate. Angie switched to mother-bear mode and rescued him.
I had finally had it.
�Okay, I get it. I�m minding my own business while taking every precaution I know of. Because some criminal decides to come after me, I�m the one who must be punished,� I barked.
�Don�t take that tone of voice with me,� she came back.
Several of my teammates flinched when she said that. Apparently, they�d been in similar situations. I took a deep breath and bit back about five excellent comebacks. I closed my eyes, forcing myself to relax. Then I opened them and looked her right in the eyes.
�I love you. I love that you care enough to protect me. And I realize you�re trying to do what you think is best. I wouldn�t want it any other way,� I said as my chest tightened with emotion.
I think my mom could see I was being sincere and not just trying to placate her. Up to this point, our emotions had been running wild, and my taking a step back made her reconsider her position.
�If anything ever happened to you �� she began, but I wrapped her in my arms to hug her.
Dad took that moment to wrap us both in a hug as well. My allergies must have been acting up to cause my runny nose and watery eyes.
�What did he do?� I heard behind me, and I turned and found Tami, looking annoyed.
That seemed to lighten the mood as I let go of my parents and hugged Tami. I heard someone clear his throat. Not that I cared, but it made me aware that I was making a spectacle of myself in front of everyone.
I looked over Tami�s shoulder and saw she was standing with Mr. and Mrs. Mass, their daughter Harper, and, surprisingly, a smiling Tim and Wolf. What was going on?
�What are you guys doing here? I thought you were going to be at two-a-days.�
�The Mass family decided to come down and, lo and behold, all interns got an end-of-summer bonus check. It was enough to cover the group airfare, food, and hotel room, with a little spending money kicked in,� Wolf explained.
Next, Peggy came in with the boys, followed by Tracy and Pam. Coby wanted his mom, and Little David wanted out of the stroller; I�m sure he didn�t care who freed him. I picked him up, and he giggled. That was exactly what I needed right now.
I began my circuit around the room to meet everyone�s parents with Little David as my helper. The first ones I found were Allard�s. I told them what a fantastic job he�d been doing and then got an invitation I might want to decline.
�When you get a chance, stop up at our room. We brought Allard his favorite thing to eat: jars of pickled bologna and red-hot franks,� his dad announced.
�I�m almost afraid to ask what that is,� I said.
�It�s exactly what it sounds like. My mom canned it herself. She pickled bologna in a jar. You haven�t lived until you�ve had a fried pickled-bologna sandwich,� Allard explained.
Apparently, I let my concern about eating something like that come across my face.
�Son, that�s nothing. I grew up in Alabama, and I remember one birthday my mama made me a bologna cake,� his dad said, to add to my discomfort.
�It�s not a real cake,� Allard assured me. �You get thick-cut bologna and sandwich it in between a mixture of cream cheese, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Then you then frost it with the cream cheese mixture to make it look like a cake. You serve it on crackers.�
�I think you�re all nuts,� was my firm opinion.
�Here I thought Allard said you were okay,� his dad said with a grin.
They laughed at me as I made a hasty retreat so I could meet everyone else. I received my share of ribbing from my teammates about being a mama�s boy. It was nice to meet their families. They all commented on their sons� new clothes and hairstyles. I made it clear I had nothing to do with the ones who�d dyed their hair.
Tristan had an older sister who made me nervous. The way she eyed me, I was afraid to be left alone with her. I was happy when her dad saw the look, and she was soon in the hall being talked to.
When I was done with meeting all the new people, I spent time with my friends and family.
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For my free time, I decided I wanted to go to the batting cage at the ballpark we were playing at today.
I found that as the day passed, I was feeling more and more amped-up to play baseball. I�d finally get my chance to play for our national team in international competition. To this point, I�d proven that I was skilled enough to play with some of the elite baseball players in the US. I was sure there were many talented players who had either not been selected to compete or who hadn�t wanted to try out. To me, this was the baseball equivalent of what Elite 11 was for football.
Today marked the beginning of seven games that would determine who would play in the Gold Medal Game. I�m sure everyone expected that we would play Cuba in that game. I�d had a chance to see the talent level playing in Cuba, and I was worried. While we had a much larger pool of players to pull from, which should give us the edge, they were every bit as talented as we were.
That being said, my goal was to dominate the competition here. That was why I was hitting balls in a batting cage while everyone else was visiting with their family and friends. Everyone there for me would understand why I wasn�t spending time with them and wouldn�t complain about me skipping out on family time.
Coach Short, our batting coach, accompanied me.
�Take it easy to start. Nice easy swing. Just see the ball and work on your form.�
I eased myself into the workout. After I warmed up, we switched to a pitching machine, and he cranked it up. The pitcher we were facing today was supposed to have a blazing fastball. We expected that each team would have their best pitcher on the mound against us. They all wanted to be able to say they beat Team USA.
When we finally finished, I found out we�d missed dinner. I sent Fritz a text to see if he could bring us some food. We�d kept to the plan of Paul being my minder. It was expected that at this baseball field, I should be okay because they had security for the ballpark.
The other stadium wasn�t the same. The report was that it wasn�t near as nice and was more open. It was more like a big high school field with covered bleachers to keep the sun off the fans. Fritz was a little worried about security at that location.
I took a shower and got dressed for the game. I was relaxing in the clubhouse when everyone else showed up. Coach Kingwood pulled Coach Short and me into the manager�s office so we could talk.
�How�s he look?� he asked as if I weren�t there.
�He�s ready. I would move him to cleanup for tonight. He was hitting with authority and power. While I love him setting the tone for the game, I like the potential of him racking up RBIs more,� Coach Short said to explain his reasoning.
�What do you think?� Coach Kingwood asked me.
�I�m fine anywhere you put me, but I agree. I feel good and believe I could be effective in the four spot.�
�Okay. We�ll switch it up tonight and then move you back to leadoff for the Cuba game,� Coach Kingwood said, and made sure we agreed. �Take them out, Cap, and get them warmed up.�
�Yes, sir.�
I gathered everyone around, and we trotted out onto the field to warm up. We were designated as the visiting team, so we would be up to bat first. I ran them through the warm-up drills to get their legs loosened up, and then we began doing long tosses.
It was apparent that not everyone was focused. Panama wasn�t supposed to be a challenge, but that didn�t mean that we wouldn�t lose if we goofed off. I pulled the worst offenders aside and talked to them quietly, one-on-one. I hated it when coaches called players out in front of everyone else for something like this. It would be different if it was to make some examples for the team as a whole. All these guys knew what it took to win; I just needed to remind them not to fall into any traps.
We gave the field up to Panama so they could get ready. While they did that, Phil brought me a bag of food. I looked inside and was happy to see it had a nice steak and a big salad. My mom must have helped organize the meal. I walked into the dressing room and ate my dinner. Fortunately, I didn�t have a nervous stomach for this game. I didn�t want to waste the steak.
When I came back out, it was time for the game. They had a big to-do going, and we all lined up and were introduced like it was a real playoff game. Then again, I guess it was. The stadium held nearly 24,000 fans and was about half full. All the USA fans were behind our dugout, while Panama�s were on the other side.
The batboys for each team carried out large American and Panamanian flags, followed by the Mexican flag. All three national anthems were played, and then it was finally time for the game to start.
I watched the kid from Panama warm up and thought his scouting report was overblown. It said that he had three pitches: fastball, changeup, and curve. His fastball was reported to be almost unhittable. Unless he was playing possum, I expected we would have our way with him today.
We had one change in our lineup: Mitch and Logan had moved to short and second, respectively. Coach Kingwood didn�t want the two brothers who�d fought in Houston next to each other. Mitch�s natural position was short, so he was happy.
Mitch was inserted into the leadoff position in the batting order. Coach Kingwood had told us to be patient at the plate since he suspected their pitcher would be nervous. Mitch had a good eye and was walked on four straight pitches.
Up next was Nick Golden, our first baseman. He worked the count to 2�1 and then popped up to the shortstop for the first out. Shane Bays, one of our pitchers and designated hitter who usually hit cleanup, dug in at the plate. After getting Nick to pop up, their pitcher seemed to collect himself. It looked like Shane was going to see the kid�s best stuff.
Coach Kingwood must have seen that as well and decided to try to rattle their pitcher. On the first pitch, Mitch took off to second and made it easily. Two pitches later, Shane drove a ball down the right-field line for a stand-up double. Mitch scored to make it 1�0.
I was up next. Stepping into the batter�s box, I dug in and concentrated on my hitting steps while calming my mind. I felt myself drop into the zone where I blocked out everything except what was happening between the pitcher and me. I watched as the ball fired out of his hand. He had been playing possum. I let the first one go for a strike that just caught the outside corner. He smirked to tell me he�d saved that just for me. His next pitch looked to be the same, so I planned to park it. I realized a split second too late that it was his changeup.
Damn. He�d outsmarted me. I needed to think about what he would do next. If I were him, I would throw outside and see if the batter would chase a bad pitch. That was precisely what he did on the next two offerings.
�Good eye!� Coach Kingwood barked from the dugout. �Put it in play.�
I was sure the next pitch would be another fastball. He wouldn�t want to wait for a full count; then, it would be his best against mine. I knew he didn�t want me knowing what was coming because I had the power to put us up 3�0. He began his motion home, and I�d guessed right. I heard the contact, and it was a solid hit. The ball jumped off the bat and rocketed right up the middle about three feet off the ground.
If the pitcher hadn�t been there, it would have sailed to the outfield for a base hit. Instead, it hit him in the hip. That had to smart. I sprinted to first to beat the throw. Shane had frozen at second when he thought the pitcher might catch it. He decided to take third. The pitcher threw the ball over the first baseman�s head, so I rounded first to go to second. The right fielder did his job and backed up the throw. Shane had rounded third and was headed home. The right fielder�s throw was off the line, so the pitcher caught it and turned to throw Shane out. He put this one in the dirt, and it rolled to the backstop.
I was told to hold at second as the catcher quickly gathered the ball in. I could see the disgust on the pitcher�s face. He�d cost his team a run and an out on two throwing errors. I felt bad for him but was glad we were the beneficiaries of his miscues.
Up next was Royce, Logan�s brother. He hit a single to right-center. I didn�t hesitate and was at full speed when the third base coach signaled me home. We were now up 3�0. The next batter struck out, and the following batter flied out to end the inning.
From there, it was total dominance. Allard had started, and he shut them down. We were up 11�1 at the end of the seventh inning. The game was called at that point due to the mercy rule. That was where if you were up by ten or more runs when the seventh ended, the game would be called.
We behaved like we should and congratulated Panama without acting the fools. Knowing we were the better team and winning by such a large margin seemed to take the excitement out of it. I was glad the first game was out of the way. I felt we�d put the rest of the tournament participants on notice. They would have to make it through us if they wanted to win it all, and we weren�t backing down.
Coach Kingwood gathered us around in the locker room after the game.
�Good job, men. You took care of business tonight. I want to point out the stellar job Allard did pitching. He only allowed four hits and one run; that�s a great performance. Shane was three for three at the plate and pushed across three RBIs. David and Nick each had two hits and two RBIs. Not too shabby an effort from the top of the order. When you add in Mitch, the first four batters accounted for eight of our ten hits.
�I also wanted to point out that David came in on his own and did batting practice before the game. I�m not going to point any fingers, but some of you might want to put in some extra BP.
�Defensively, we played a clean game. I have no complaints about anything I saw on the field. You all did an excellent job.
�Tonight, David has graciously invited all of you and your families to a victory celebration. I heard there will be ice cream. When we were in North Carolina, he started a tradition that winners got ice cream after the game. I understand there�ll be a sundae bar.
�After what happened to David today, I would encourage you all to attend and not leave the hotel. I understand that the police will have more security in place tomorrow. Enjoy today�s win and get to bed at a reasonable time. Tomorrow is a big one: Cuba,� Coach Kingwood said, and let us take our showers.
I had a feeling that my mom was behind the ice cream idea. I was positive she�d done it to make sure we were all safe. This way, she could keep an eye on me. I was glad. Today had opened my eyes a bit to how she felt about me.
◊◊◊
We walked into the ballroom, and everyone clapped. It put smiles on all our faces to have our families and friends support us. I may have gone a little overboard in who I�d brought with me. But I figured this was sort of like if I ever played in a World Series or the Super Bowl. Naturally, I would want everyone to share in my adventure.
It made me happy to see that my friends and family hadn�t all congregated in one spot. Instead, they�d spread out around the room and were talking to other families to make them welcome. Wolf, Sarah, Tami, and Tim were sitting at a table with Nick and his family. I started toward their table when Cassidy grabbed my arm.
�Yes?� I asked.
�Come with me,� she said, and then grabbed my hand in case I decided to bolt.
I smiled when we arrived at a table with Brook, Zoe, Halle, Trip, Pam, and Tracy.
�Hey, sailor,� Trip said with a smirk.
�Behave,� Halle told her big brother.
Cassidy left while I caught up with everyone. They wanted to go to a market tomorrow, but Fritz had us all on lockdown until he had more security here. Cassidy came back and handed me a sundae. I tasted it and blinked. It wasn�t quite what I expected, and it threw me for a minute. It looked like your traditional sundae, with chocolate sauce, toasted coconut, and peanuts; all things I liked. What surprised me was the chocolate sauce had cinnamon, something else I liked. I took a small spoonful of just the sauce and put it in my mouth and smiled.
�This is good,� I announced.
�I know how you like different tastes. They also have crushed cornflakes. One of the waitstaff said that was something his family sometimes puts on ice cream,� Cassidy shared.
I took my time and made sure I had the perfect bite ready. I wanted to be sure it had a bit of everything. As I brought it to my mouth, a hand grabbed my wrist, and someone stole my ice cream.
�Mmmm, good,� Tami said as she sat on my knee.
�Get your own,� I complained.
�I want some,� Beth Anderson said as she claimed my other knee and took my spoon away from me.
I looked around the table and suddenly felt uncomfortable. It was fun to spend time with all these women, but I couldn�t remember the last time they were all in one place. I sure hoped everyone played nice.
�David, since we�re all here, I hope you can help us with a couple of questions,� Tracy said.
I now realized why Beth and Tami had claimed knees. They knew I wouldn�t toss them off and run for it.
�What might those questions be?� I asked.
�We want to know where you plan to go to college,� Tami replied. �Tim said you would plan your five official visits soon, and he and Wolf would like to tag along since they want to go there as well. I realize you don�t want the girls to go on the trips with you after what happened last year. But we�d like to know so we can schedule our own visits.�
�Have Tim and Wolf put together their wish lists. I want my dad and Uncle John to sit down with us when we do this. Caryn sent me a note that the college football forums have been wondering where I might go, and she�s getting calls begging me to set something up. I�ve asked her to tell them I�ll think about it once baseball is done,� I explained.
�Enough about football,� Trip said with a big grin. �Tracy says you�re going to decide which one of us is going to be your girlfriend.�
I guess I looked shocked at Trip�s declaration. He got an even bigger grin on his face.
�Don�t knock it until you�ve tried it,� he taunted me.
Beth slipped her hand up my thigh.
�I call foul,� Zoe announced as she pointed to what Beth was up to.
I don�t believe Beth cared. She found what she was looking for, and Mr. Happy didn�t protest.
�I can eliminate four of you without even trying,� I said, and pointed at Trip, Tracy, Tami, and Cassidy.
Cassidy gave me a look that made me wonder if I should reconsider, but I�d promised her dad, so I stood firm.
�I think Beth currently has the best hand,� I said, making a terrible pun that made everyone groan.
�Caryn found your brother another room. You have a single for the duration of the next two weeks,� Cassidy informed me.
Of course, my security team would want my room monitored. I was impressed that none of my security people ever talked about what they might see. It made me sometimes forget that I was being filmed 24/7. I guess if I were uncomfortable with being seen in public, or had body issues, I might be freaked out.
I think Tami recognized I was having a hard time processing what was going on.
�Come on. Introduce me to everyone,� she said.
Once we were out of earshot, she stopped me.
�Before you dig your heels in, you need to decide if now is the time to make the decision about your love life. Tracy and I have talked, and I was against the ambush. They said you needed to be aware that everyone knows you�re thinking about it. They just want to get their shot at making a case that it might be best if you pick them,� Tami explained.
I just grunted and took her around to meet my teammates.
◊◊◊
�Unca David, Unca David, we got ice cweam,� Mac told me.
Nate looked like he was wearing most of his.
�Did he dump the bowl on his head?� I asked Greg.
�Shut up. I helped Kyle tie his shoes, and when I looked up, Nate had his face buried in his bowl. No way can I keep up with these three alone. I still have no idea how you survived with all five of them when we had our evening out. I owe you big time,� Greg admitted.
�Don�t let him fool you. He had help,� Tami said over my shoulder.
Slowly, I turned toward my former best friend.
�I knew it, I just knew it,� Greg said, pumping his fist in the air. �I told Angie there was no way. She told me you were like a little kid, so they related to you better.�
�Did she?� I asked.
My brother wasn�t apologetic in the least. I grabbed a wet washcloth and used it on Kyle and Mac. Greg was busy trying to hide the evidence of his poor parenting when Angie showed up.
�He had help babysitting,� Greg announced.
�Of course he did,� Angie said, and then saw Nate. �What did you do?�
Nate just smiled at his mom as Greg came clean about not paying attention.
�Someone�s getting a bath,� Angie announced.
I watched as they gathered everything up and had Kyle and Mac hold their hands as they left the ballroom. Nate waved goodbye to me over his father�s shoulder.
I told everyone goodnight and took the elevator upstairs to look in on my boys. Peggy and Pam were sharing a room so they could trade off on watching Coby and Little David. I found Peggy watching the boys, who were both asleep.
�Rumor has it you�re holding girlfriend auditions.�
�I haven�t even decided if having a girlfriend is a good idea or not.�
�Why not? I understand that was what you wanted with me, Harper, and Tami. Tami messed you up, but that doesn�t change the fact that you are really a one-woman man,� Peggy said.
�Do you honestly think that�s still true?�
She sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to her.
�I�ve had the opportunity to watch you since middle school when I dated your brother. You�re basically a traditional man thrust into untraditional circumstances. I mean, I get you going wild, with the opportunities that�ve been presented to you. Actually, in a way, I would�ve been disappointed in you if you hadn�t.
�I�ve also seen you when you�re vulnerable and not hiding behind your mask of the guy who�s always in charge. I know for a fact that you have a big heart. You took in Little David and me, and you treat him like he�s your son. I don�t know many people who would have done that, and I want you to know I�m grateful. After how I dumped you for Mitch, I�m not sure I would�ve been as forgiving.
�That�s what sets you apart. You�re a decent guy, and despite what others may believe, you�ll always do the right thing and not what everyone expects you to do. In this case, the right thing for you is to find a girlfriend, and all that entails,� Peggy told me.
I thought about what she was saying. Even though I�d found a way to date several girls, I knew in my heart I was a one-woman man. I would imagine anyone looking in from the outside would call me on that. But I was raised a certain way, and you couldn�t beat the small-town boy out of me. What I had to decide was if now was the right time to commit to someone. There was a lot to be said for keeping the status quo.
I was reminded of something my uncle had told me. �The best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.� I think he said Teddy Roosevelt was responsible for the quote. What my uncle pointed out was nothing remained the same, no matter how much we wanted it to. He suggested that it was better to embrace change and be in control of it rather than wait for events to unfold.
I agreed with him to a point. I�d found that sometimes it was better to see what would unfold instead of pressing an issue. A good example was my contract negotiations for the two upcoming
When it came to my current relationships, I realized that eventually, circumstances would cause them to change. I wanted to make sure I didn�t blow all of them up by waiting until we all graduated and went our separate ways. That would be contrary to my life goals. I wanted to see if there was someone special who I would try to continue a relationship with after high school. Of course, I realized that odds were stacked against me, but that didn�t mean I shouldn�t try.
�I think you might be right,� I admitted. �Now, the question is, who?�
�If you want my advice, I would say Zoe.�
�I like Zoe and could see us as a good match. Why do you suggest I pick her over everyone else?�
�She has strong family values and a deep religious core that I expect appeals to you. She�s not afraid of hard work and loves the outdoors. I could see the two of you raising a bunch of kids and being happy. Zoe�s very smart and wouldn�t be a pushover. It also doesn�t hurt that she loves you to death and is cute,� Peggy said.
�She is cute,� I admitted.
Peggy rolled her eyes at me. I kissed her cheek and made my way to my room.
◊◊◊
�I bet your ears were burning. Peggy was just pitching for you to be my girlfriend,� I said to Zoe when I found her waiting for me.
She came to me, and I gave her a gentle kiss.
Zoe stepped back and looked at me seriously.
�I want you to know that I want to be your girlfriend. As much as I like the other girls, I know what I want. I�m putting you on notice that in the end, you�ll pick me.�
Wow. I�d never seen this side of Zoe. I liked it. Something I wanted in a girlfriend was a strong woman who knew what she wanted. It was even better that she wanted me.
�I�m thinking maybe everyone should audition for the role of David�s girlfriend.�
�I�m thinking you�re a �stupid boy� and you should kiss me,� Zoe said.
Sometimes she was right.
◊◊◊
Chapter 33 � Big Cat Thursday August 11
Zoe had slipped out during the night. Her declaration that she planned to be my girlfriend had me deep in thought as I rode the elevator down for breakfast. When I reached the lobby, my dad was waiting for me.
�How�s the girlfriend hunt going?�
I showed him my best put-out teenager expression and ignored his barb. I guess it was too much for Tami not to tell my mom. What surprised me was Mom thought it necessary to clue my dad in. I was sure that Uncle John would want to �sit down and talk about it.�
�Come on, we need to talk football,� Dad said to change the topic.
That instantly put me in a better mood. We entered the nice restaurant, and I found Dad had gotten us a big table. I figured that Wolf and Tim would want to talk about this. As soon as we sat down, people began to join us. When the table was finally filled, Tim, Wolf, Uncle John, Caryn, Mom, and Tracy had all taken seats.
�We�ve made an executive decision,� Caryn said. �Your dad will take over your recruiting. Kent wasn�t suited for it, and it was agreed it was too big a decision to leave to someone new. Megan will field the phone calls and sort through them with Tracy�s help. The important ones will be given to your dad to call back.�
All I could think was I was glad it wasn�t me that had to hold the recruiting phone. At least Megan was being paid to put up with the abuse. Mom saw I was hungry and let us order breakfast because she was afraid I �wouldn�t listen.� Wolf and Tim seemed happy with her decision.
While we ate, Wolf and Tim told us about Chicago.
�It was rough at first,� Wolf admitted. �We started out doing all the grunt work. Jack wanted to make sure we appreciated the laborers he hires to pick up and fetch things for the skilled craftsmen. We got to spend a couple weeks helping someone with each of the trades. I found out I never want to blow in insulation again.�
�It had to be two hundred degrees in that attic, and that stuff found its way in
�The last few weeks, we were in the office and learned about scheduling, ordering materials, bookkeeping, and creating bids. There�s a lot more to running a company than I ever realized. I can see where getting a business degree will be a must if I want to ever run my own contracting business. I don�t understand how you do it,� Wolf said.
�If it weren�t for Caryn and my family, I wouldn�t have a clue. I plan to take some business classes so I understand what Caryn tells me,� I confessed.
It sounded like they both worked hard and had confirmed they were on the right track, career-wise. They also got a chance to explore Chicago. From what they shared, I�d missed out on a lot of fun. Tim had bought a truck there. He got a used Ford F-150 that was painted sterling gray. I had to smile when he had almost thirty pictures on his phone. Someone was a proud owner.
After breakfast, we got down to business.
�We�ve talked about your top schools and how you wanted to consider the best of the Power 5 conferences. I wanted to talk to you about the one Independent you may be considering and suggest an alternative,� Dad said.
�Notre Dame?� Tim asked.
�Yes. I realize David took Notre Dame off his list because they pulled their offer after the rape allegations. But I also realize that both Wolf and Tim are interested in Notre Dame, so it may be back on the table,� Dad informed me.
�David�s stated goal is to play for a National Championship. To get there, he has six routes: one of the schools from a Power 5 conference, or an Independent. It would take a miracle for a smaller-conference school to make it to the final four teams. Frankly, two of the Power 5 conferences have a leg up on the other three: the ACC and the SEC. Those two are almost guaranteed to have a team in the Championship Series. The odd man out seems to be the PAC-12,� Dad explained.
I was impressed that Dad had done his homework.
�Getting back to Notre Dame,� Dad said. �I think they and Texas are two of the most overrated teams in the nation. Their ranking is based on history, and people just assume they�ll be good. What I would like to suggest is that you bypass Notre Dame and check out Wisconsin.�
�Seriously?� Wolf asked.
�The Irish get loads more pub than Wisconsin. But in the last 25 years, the Badgers have won 221 games including 13 bowls, while the Irish have won 194 games and six bowls. You tell me which tradition matters most: Rockne-Leahy-Parseghian or the last quarter-century?� Dad asked.
My uncle had a big grin on his face. I was sure he was the one who came up with the stats.
�Why Wisconsin?� I asked.
�They�re in the Big Ten West. Their stiffest competition is Iowa and Nebraska, neither of whom seems ready to challenge them. All Wisconsin has to do is win the Big Ten Championship Game, and they�re in the National Championship hunt. The Big Ten East has Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Penn State beating each other�s brains out,� Dad said.
�That, and I bet your dad that Notre Dame wouldn�t even have a .500 season this year. I�d also be willing to bet they�ll have a new football coach. How long has it been since they had a top guy at the helm?� Uncle John asked.
I just rolled my eyes at him. He was always making cracks about Notre Dame.
�Here�s a list of the schools you said you wanted to visit,� Caryn said, handing everyone a sheet of paper.
�Why these teams for official visits?� I asked.
�Cost. We figured that you could drive to Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin,� Caryn informed me.
�What do you guys think of the list?� I asked, looking at Wolf and Tim.
�I�d play at any of those schools,� Tim said. �Though I�m not sure that Stanford would take me because I don�t have those kinds of grades.�
�My only concern is, will they offer Tim and me?� Wolf asked.
I realized he needed a scholarship to play. I�d make sure he got one.
�Any of them could use a tight end with your skills, in my opinion,� I said.
He just shrugged.
�Anyone I missed?� Caryn asked.
�I�m not sold on Florida or Texas. I�m not sure I would want to spend money on a visit. Neither of them would be toward the top of my list,� Wolf said.
�I agree. I like the rest of the schools, though. There aren�t any others I�d add,� Tim said.
�I think that�s a good list,� I countered.
�Seriously? Texas is a lot like Notre Dame. They�re just running on what they did years ago,� Uncle John said.
�I�d want to see Florida turn things around,� Tim added.
�It is a lot of trips,� I admitted. �Let�s take Florida and Texas off the board for now. If something changes, we can always add them back.�
�Good. I�ll send out a tweet with your final ten,� Caryn said.
�Who�s the extra one?� I asked.
�Kentucky,� Caryn said.
She pulled out her phone and showed us a picture with the three of us in our Lincoln High jerseys, grouped together. Lily must have Photoshopped it. Around us were the logos for the twelve schools. She would have to remove Texas and Florida. I showed it to my two teammates, and they both looked shocked. In essence, I�d just announced we were a package deal. I could see Wolf was a happy boy.
�Fix it and send it out,� I said to Caryn.
◊◊◊
During the morning, we practiced. Today was the big game, and it seemed the coaches didn�t want to leave anything to chance. Once baseball practice was over, I gathered up some of the guys, and we joined my Lincoln teammates to practice some football. I was happy to see Wolf and Tim work out with us.
A front had come through the previous night, so the ground was damp, but it was ten degrees cooler. It was great for running around and honing our skills. What would make it perfect would be having a place to go swimming outside. The hotel had a pool, but it had been overrun with older people here for a seminar.
Finally, Coach Kingwood made us pack up and get on the buses to go back. I was met in the lobby by my dad and Fritz. From their look, I could tell they had good news.
�They caught the men who tried to kidnap you. The bodycams helped point to the owner of the vans, and from there, they found everyone who participated. The police are still going to keep an eye out and provide security. I also have five extra men I�ve brought in. What I want to know is what you did?� Fritz asked.
I looked at Dad for some help, but he just looked at me stone-faced. Fritz pointed to six men who resembled the starting line for the Chicago Bears.
�Tony,� I said. �He must have sent them.�
I waved them over and saw one of them was a little older than the others. When I looked into his eyes, I froze. It reminded me of the first time I met Fritz. This man was dangerous. I was surprised when Fritz did his ninja bit and was suddenly between us. The man got the ghost of a smile on his face as he measured Fritz. I wasn�t sure who would end up on top if they tangled.
�David?� he asked.
�Yes, sir. How can I help you?� I asked.
�I�m Nicki, Little Tony�s cousin. Pia asked that I come down and make sure you and your family are safe. The men I�ve brought have worked security for the Giovanni family for years, and Pia can vouch for each one. I suggest you make a call to confirm it with her. I wouldn�t expect you to just accept my word,� Nicki said as he eyed Fritz.
He had a good point. I pulled out my phone and called.
�David, has help arrived?� Pia asked.
�Yes. He said to call, and you could vouch for him and his men,� I said, never allowing my eyes to leave Nicki.
�Good, Nicki�s there. If anything should go wrong, make sure Nicki�s at your side. He�ll make sure you get out of the situation without any problems.�
�Okay,� I said and hung up.
�Pia says we�re good. This is Fritz. He�s the head of my security and in charge. Please talk to him and tell Pia �thank you.� I feel better knowing you�re here to watch my back,� I said, and then went upstairs.
I left Fritz and Nicki eyeing each other. Dad was smart and followed me.
◊◊◊
Mom planned a trip to an open-air market. We had the afternoon off, so Coach Kingwood thought it would be a good activity now that we had plenty of security. Halle and Brook wanted to go shopping. Pam showed up at my door.
�David, I was thinking Coby needed a few things,� she said as she pulled me out of the room.
I�d decided that shopping wasn�t something I wanted to do, but it seemed that Coby needed things. If these were the usual things he needed, like a new phone or a designer purse, I was sure I should be there to reject them. Maybe when he grew up. I found two buses parked in front of the hotel. When I got on, I saw everyone ready to go.
�Good. I was afraid we�d have to send Cassidy in to get him,� Brook said.
It turned out the open-air market was as much fun as I imagined. While it had been nice this morning, the temperature had soared since then. I was ready to leave after about five minutes. The market wasn�t nearly as nice as the ones I�d seen in Cuba. It was set up in what they called �
What struck me first was the smells. Someone was cooking something that smelled delicious. Thankfully, Phil was the voice of reason.
�Remember the last time you ate Mexican food? These are street vendors. How sick do you think you can get?� he asked.
I felt my stomach roll. Dad had told me that when he was younger, he�d gotten drunk on Southern Comfort. To this day, all he had to do was smell it, and he�d feel woozy. Phil reminded me of being sick, and suddenly the food didn�t have quite the appeal it had a moment ago. That didn�t slow down the other guys, though; they had street tacos. Deep down, I hoped they got sick.
The girls decided they all wanted jewelry, hand-painted bowls, and blankets, so that was my cue to move on. I gave Pam money and told her to make sure Zoe got something as well. I wasn�t worried about Tracy, Halle, or Brook. And I gave Cassidy some cash since I knew she wouldn�t let Pam buy her anything. For some reason, Cassidy wasn�t shy about asking me to buy her stuff. I don�t think she spent a dime of the money her dad gave her for the Cuba trip.
I asked Cassidy to keep an eye on Pam. Not that Pam would overspend, I just worried about her in a crowd. I didn�t want her freezing up and something bad happening.
I gathered my guys, and we wandered off to the sketchy side to see what we could find. Nicki and his team split off with us. It looked like Fritz was sure that we�d be okay with them.
�We have to get those,� Phil said as he excitedly pointed at a booth.
At first, I wasn�t sure what he was talking about, and then I saw them. In Mexico, they have a version of professional wrestling called �
I was getting myself some of these. A young girl was in charge of the stock.
�How much are they?� I asked.
�For you gringos, two hundred each,� she said, puffing up.
�Good luck,� I said and began to walk away.
�Hold on, Mister. These masks are made by my grandfather. All the top wrestlers buy from him. You will only find cheap knock-offs anywhere else.�
�Does your grandfather know you�re selling his masks?� I asked.
�Of course he does. You wouldn�t accuse me of stealing from him, would you?� the girl asked in a huff. �On second thought, I can�t sell to you.�
�That�s just as well. I�m not paying that much for a mask.�
�Have you never negotiated before?� she asked like I had two heads or something.
�I might go ten each,� I offered.
�Good. We�ve established you want to buy masks. Now we just have to come to an agreement on price.�
While I haggled with the girl, the rest of the guys wandered off to search for other treasures. I checked out the masks, and they were all made well. She told me how her grandfather hand-stitched each mask, and it took him almost a week to make each one.
I could tell that most were machine-stitched because the stitches were evenly spaced. The girl wasn�t happy when I pointed out flaws in a few of the masks. There were a handful that looked to be much better quality than the rest. Those I might believe her grandfather had made.
�Some of these aren�t worth more than five bucks,� I pointed out.
�You�re killing me. Either buy something or get moving,� she said.
She had fifteen masks that I would consider buying. I could see down the road giving them as Christmas presents to some little boys and a girl I knew. When I was growing up, I would have killed to have these. I ended up paying twenty bucks each for them. The girl seemed to be happier that she made me work to buy them; getting paid seemed to come in a distant second.
�You look like a man who�s looking for something different. Am I right?� she asked.
�That depends. What did you have in mind?� I asked.
�Come with me,� she said.
I sent a text to let the guys know that I�d gotten the masks and was going with the girl to check out something else. Nicki and his men trailed me, so I wasn�t worried about being robbed. They were also handy at carrying what I bought. Maybe I should have sent them shopping with the girls. I suspect the only reason the girls asked me to go shopping was they wanted me to be their pack mule.
The girl took me to a pickup truck that had what looked like two big boxes with tarps over them. It turned out they were cages.
�I have cats for sale,� she announced.
�I don�t need a cat,� I said.
She pulled back the tarps, and there were two baby tiger cubs inside the cages. They were panting hard, and I was worried she might be killing them. Without thinking, I jumped into the back of the truck and opened their cages. From the look of them, they couldn�t be very old. They were about the size of Precious.
�They need water,� I told her.
The girl had a cooler with bottled water in it. I first poured it over them. They didn�t like that much and began to complain by making high-pitched distressed �rah� (little roar) noises. They were much happier when I put water in my palm, and they could lick it out.
�I want a thousand dollars for both.�
�I�ll give you two hundred.�
�Sold.�
That might have been an impulse buy that my mother wouldn�t be happy with. I reasoned that this girl shouldn�t be in possession of them, anyway. Nicki rolled his eyes at me. I didn�t need that from my security. I was about to face my mother.
◊◊◊
Phil saw me first.
�Is that �? Cool! You�re so dead,� he said in quick succession.
�Did you buy cats?� Yuri asked.
�Big cats. These are tiger cubs,� I clarified.
Roc snapped a picture with his phone.
�What are you doing?� I asked as he tapped away on his phone.
�My sister said I was supposed to keep an eye on you and not let you buy anything stupid.�
�Wrestling masks are okay, but you draw the line at tiger cubs? It�s sometimes hard for us Hollywood types to know when we�ve gone too far,� I said, with my sarcasm meter turned to eleven.
As we walked back to the bus, people stared at me, and not in the normal �we�re fans� way. More the �is that kid brain-damaged?� concerned expression.
My phone chirped, and there was a text from my mom with a crying emoji. I wondered if that was her or what she planned to do to me.
�Hey, Nicki? You�d protect me from my mom, wouldn�t you?� I asked.
Everyone thought that was funny.
�No, seriously,� I said.
Crud! I was on my own. We came around the corner to the aisle that our bus was on.
�David Allen Dawson!�
�Sucks to be you,� Wolf observed.
I put on my excited ten-year-old expression.
�Look what I bought,� I said as I rushed up.
My grandmas Dawson and Felton began to laugh. Mom glared at them.
�Don�t give me that look, Missy,� Grandma Felton said. �This is payback from when you were a little monster.�
�Wherever did you find these?� Grandma Dawson asked as she took one from me, and the little critter rewarded her with a �rah.�
Cassidy snuck up and snatched the other one. I guess the girls wanted to see my new pet.
�Some girl had them in the back of her truck. I�m guessing she thought keeping them under a tarp in this weather was acceptable. I essentially saved them,� I tried, and struck a heroic pose.
�You�re such a good boy,� Grandma Dawson said.
I would bet my mom didn�t believe that.
�Of course, you can�t keep them,� Grandma Dawson added.
My mom�s frown turned upside down.
�Why not? They need me,� I said, reverting to my ten-year-old self.
I forgot to do the foot stomp. Must be out of practice.
�Bless his heart,� Grandma Felton said.
With that declaration, I was screwed. I was marched onto the bus. Phil grabbed the bag of masks, and the guys started to go through them.
�Hey, I get first pick. I paid for those,� I told the guys.
They let me sort through and choose the ones I liked best. I grabbed five for all the little ones for when they got older, and then picked out ones for Greg, Uncle John, Dad, and myself. I let my Lincoln teammates each take one, and there was one left over. Somehow Cassidy ended up with it. I could just see us in the dojo wearing our masks as we sparred. Shiggy would love it.
I got off the bus first and found Dad and Uncle John in the lobby. Somehow, they had gotten to play golf with some of the other dads, while I had to go shopping.
�Mom took my tigers,� I said, telling on her.
I knew no one liked a tattletale, but sometimes you had to do what you had to do.
�Oh, shit, he�s not lying,� Uncle John said as Mom and Grandma Dawson walked in carrying them.
�Look what your son bought,� Mom announced.
�Oh, now he�s
I hate my parents. It seemed everyone had an opinion about my purchase. I remembered my Grandpa Dawson grumbling that opinions were like pie holes � everyone had one.
Turned out, the hotel had a no-pet policy. They did help us find a place to board my acquisitions. A local veterinarian who knew what to do with exotic animals took them in.
◊◊◊
Our game tonight was at the good ballpark, Estadio de Beisbol. This game was sold out and would be televised. We hoped to get it in because there were threats of thunderstorms. We warmed up first, then Cuba because they were the visitors. When we finally got our turn, the stadium was already three-quarters full. It felt like it was going to be a great game.
Luke Cash, a cagey right-hander, was starting for us tonight. I�d been moved back to leadoff so I could get us started. I�d purposefully not talked to any of the guys I knew on the Cuban team before the game because I wanted to stay focused.
The Cuban crowd was great; I loved �em. Before the game even started, they began chanting and blowing whistles. It reminded me more of a soccer game, the way the fans were acting. I suspected this would be fun.
My teammates seemed to be tight. I knew what I needed to do: I sent Phil into the stands to get Wolf. When we got back to the clubhouse for final instructions, Coach Kingwood started to talk.
�Hang on, Coach. I need my friend to tell the team some jokes,� I interrupted.
�By all means. You�re the Captain, after all.�
Somehow, I didn�t quite believe he meant that.
�Last night in the hotel, the cleaning lady saw me naked. I was surprised to see her at midnight,� Wolf started �� in the elevator.�
Everyone groaned. I�d warned him that one wasn�t very good.
�My dad gave me advice as to where to hide Christmas gifts from my mom � in the oven.
�Did you know David�s a hunter? He went turkey hunting last year. So, I decided to try it, and I shot my first turkey last week. Scared the hell out of everyone in the frozen food section.
�Dad told me that the best way to remember your girlfriend�s or wife�s birthday is to forget it once.
�I�m sorry to say I�ve been banned from Target. It was an honest mistake. Turns out, when the cashier said, �Strip down, facing me,� she was talking about my debit card!
�Our house was robbed last week, and my dad wanted to talk to the burglar. The police told him he would have his day in court, but he wasn�t allowed to talk to him before then. My dad begged them and explained that he needed to know how he�d snuck into the house and not wakened my mom. He�d been trying for nearly twenty years and hadn�t figured it out,� Wolf said.
While they weren�t laughing, they did seem more at ease. Wolf needed to work on his material.
�I think we know what we�re supposed to do. Let�s win this,� Coach said. �Dawson, take them out.�
��USA� on three. One, two, three ��
�USA!�
◊◊◊
Chapter 34 � Girlfriend Tryouts Thursday August 11
Luke started out in style and struck out the first Cuban batter. Then it got interesting. The next batter came up and was walked, followed by a single to left field. This was not the way we needed to start the game. Luke got his act together, and the ensuing batter popped up, and then Luke struck out the following one to get us out of the inning.
When I came up to bat, it became clear our fans were outnumbered. Ours began chanting �USA,� and the rest of the stadium would add �Sucks� at the end.
I stepped out to the on-deck circle to watch the Cuban pitcher warm up. He was a big kid with a lot of pop in his pitches. Coach Kingwood had said that he was the best pitching prospect in Cuba right now. There were scouts from many of the major league teams sitting behind home plate. I could tell from the sound of the ball hitting the glove that this kid was different from most young pitchers. That gave me a bad feeling we might have our hands full tonight.
I looked out on the field and saw two of the boys I�d practiced with, Luis and Tony. Luis�s sister, Sarita, had been the girl I�d had problems with when I was in Cuba. As I walked up to the plate, Coach Conde nodded to me, so I tipped my hat to him.
I quickly forgot about them and settled into the batter�s box.
�Come on, David set the tone,� Coach Kingwood called out from the dugout.
I watched their pitcher get settled on the mound. He then took a big windup and released a fastball. He must have felt the pressure of the game because the ball sailed on him and ended up bouncing off the backstop. Adrenaline had to be pumping through his veins, and he had overthrown the ball. He stepped off the mound and paced back and forth, talking to himself.
�Be careful. He crazy,� their catcher said in broken English.
I glanced back at him and took in the information. I wasn�t sure if he meant that as a warning to be careful, or if he was trying to get into my head. So, I decided to ignore him. I settled into my stance, and the pitch was on its way. He�d thrown another fastball, but this time he put it just outside, or so I thought. The umpire called it a strike.
I glanced back, and the umpire stared at me, daring me to say anything. I kept my thoughts to myself. If he was going to call that a strike, I would have to be more aggressive at the plate. The next pitch was just a little further outside, and it was called a ball. He followed that with another one I wasn�t sure of, so I took a cut and fouled it off.
The count was now 2�2. I had a feeling I would see another fastball outside. I took a deep breath because I felt I had the timing down and could handle his fastball. As the ball come out of his hand, I saw I�d guessed right. He�d made a mistake and put it right down the center of the plate. I concentrated on my form so I wouldn�t overswing. But when I heard the contact, I groaned inside. I�d not hit the ball dead center.
I ran hard to first as I watched the ball fly up into the stadium lights. It was a monster shot, but unfortunately, it flew about a mile high. As I rounded first, the left fielder was running full-out, and he was almost at the wall. I cringed when he jumped up to try to catch it as he pounded into the wall. The impact was enough that his hat went flying, and he crumpled to the ground. The third base umpire called me out, and that was when I realized he�d robbed me of a home run. I�d lost the ball in the lights, so I hadn�t seen him make the play.
The kid staggered up, and his left elbow and knee were visibly bleeding. The trainer ran out and checked him out, and after a minute�s examination, decided he was good to go.
That play set the tone for the game. Both teams were in this no matter what it took. Going into the eighth inning, we were down 4�1, and Cuba was up to bat. Daz came in and promptly worked his way into a jam. He walked the first batter. The next one, he got to hit a grounder to third, and the base runner advanced to second when Royce threw out the runner at first.
We needed to get out of this inning without them scoring another run. I hadn�t trailed in a game by more than a run since I was in North Carolina. I certainly hadn�t been down three runs. It made me wonder if I�d lost my magic when the next batter hit a grounder to first that ate up Nick. He bobbled the ball just long enough for the runner to be safe at first, and it advanced the guy from second to third.
We had to stop the run from scoring. Coach Kingwood signaled for me to come in right behind second base. Then he had Tristan and Jared move closer to center field to help cover a deep ball up the middle.
There are times you just know that a big play�s about to happen. I think everyone in the stadium felt it. All the fans rooting for Cuba were up out of their seats. They smelled blood in the water and were on their feet, cheering. Our fans had stood up as well. They were more subdued, but they were showing their support.
Daz threw his next pitch, and I heard the crack of the bat.
�Crud!� I yelled as it rose over my head.
I sprinted back as I�d practiced since the spring. The ball hung up and seemed to hover above me. I had no doubt that I could catch it; my worry was the kid at third who was waiting to tag up and score on the sacrifice fly. I knew I had to do something drastic, so I kept running back.
Tristan looked confused as he suddenly wondered if I�d misread the ball. He began to sprint over to make the play.
�Mine! Mine! Mine!� I screamed.
I�d read about a spectacular fielding play once, and I�d idly imagined trying to do it a few times, but the chance had never come up. It looked like now was the time to try it, if ever there was a time.
I timed the fall of the ball and, when I�d overrun where the landing spot would be, I dropped into a short slide with my feet up. Then I put my feet down and let the cleats pop me back up as I abruptly changed directions and sprinted full-out back towards the ball. I was at full speed when the ball dropped into my glove. I showed why I was the number one quarterback prospect in high school football as I timed my footwork perfectly to launch a screaming ball towards home.
The runner had tagged up and was three-quarters of the way home when Patrick tossed his mask to the side and got into position to block the plate. It was a bang-bang play, and I jumped up and pumped my fist when the plate umpire signaled the runner was out.
For a moment, the stadium became quiet, stunned by what they�d just seen. Ninety-nine out of a hundred times, that would have been a routine run. I�d beaten the odds and gunned him down. Our fans finally had something to cheer about. I think the Cuban team suddenly realized that this might not be over.
�Be in the moment. Do what must be done next. Don�t try to get it all back at once. We need base runners to get back into this game,� Coach Kingwood reminded us.
It seemed like he wasn�t even looking at me when he said it. Maybe he wouldn�t chew me out for the fielding play after all.
The bottom two spots in the order were up first. Coach Short had been working with them on getting to hit again. The bottom half of our lineup had been cold in the first game, and that had continued today. I smiled when they both bunted and were now on first and second with no outs. I was up.
Coach Conde was talking to their manager when he saw I was up again. He must have decided to bring in another pitcher to face me. They trotted out a left-hander, and while he warmed up, Coach Short called me over.
�This kid has a wicked curveball. It�s his go-to pitch for a strikeout.�
�David, get this game tied up,� Coach Kingwood added.
I just nodded, and the plate umpire motioned that it was time to play ball.
When I stepped into the batter�s box, our fans began to chant. �USA � USA � USA!�
The Cuban fans did everything they could to drown ours out. I stepped out of the box to take it all in. This was the most important at-bat I�d had to this point in my career. I needed to get a hit at the very least. If I hit a homer to tie the game, that would be great, but I couldn�t make an out.
I got ready and fell into the zone. Everything around me fell away, and it was just the pitcher and me. The kid didn�t bother pitching out of the stretch. All he�d been brought in to do was strike me out. He went into his windup and threw a sidearm fastball that was sneaky-fast. If I�d not been so focused, his throwing sidearm would have fooled me. I saw the ball as it came out of his hand and stepped into it. From the sound of the contact, I knew I�d gotten all of it.
I started down the first base line and watched the ball rocket out of the park, just foul.
The Cuban fans let out their collective breaths, and ours let out a moan of despair.
�Get the next one,� Coach Kingwood called out.
The next pitch was high and inside, and I hit the dirt. The plate umpire was having none of that. He warned each bench that if it happened again, there would be ejections. They wanted clean games in international play. This was too big a game for it to turn into a bench-clearing brawl.
I took a minute to knock the dirt off my uniform and get my breathing under control. I don�t care who you are, having a fastball thrown at your head will get your heart rate up.
On his ensuing pitch, I got to see his curveball. I�m ashamed to say my knees buckled when I watched it break. It was a thing of beauty that made my inner pitcher envious. The beast inside of me awakened, and I felt the challenge. Throw that weak stuff up here again, I mentally screamed.
I felt a surge go through my body, and suddenly everything seemed to be heightened. An almost uncontrollable desire to crush the next pitch welled up inside me. I knew this was my moment to shine.
Sure enough, he threw me another gorgeous curveball. This time I didn�t worry about my perfect swing. I jerked my bat through the zone and crushed it. There was no doubt. The ball was out of the ballpark before I�d left the batter�s box. I really wasn�t trying to show the kid up, but I was stunned. I�d never had whatever just happened to me happen before. It was almost like an out-of-body experience, where I was just an observer.
As I came back into the moment, I began to run around the bases while the crowd stood and cheered. With one swing of the bat, I�d tied the game 4�4.
From there, we manufactured another run to make the score 5�4 going into the top of the ninth inning. Shane was brought in to close it out. Cuba got a man on, but we weren�t going to lose.
When it was over, we celebrated. Everyone in the park knew this was the game that would probably be repeated in the finals. Cuba had given it their best shot and led most of the game. I wasn�t going to allow that to happen again.
◊◊◊
When we entered the locker room, Team USA had ice cream sandwiches for us. Someone had told them what I did when we won, and they decided it was a good idea. Having the hotel do a sundae bar wasn�t the cheapest way to treat everyone.
I spent some time being interviewed. The fielding play apparently had captured the writers� attention, so I was asked a bunch of questions about it.
Jeff pulled me aside when the interviews were done.
�I want to interview you with your tiger cubs. Can we set something up for tomorrow?�
�If I still have them. They need to go somewhere where they�ll be taken care of safely. They�re cute now, but once they grow up, I�d be nervous about having them around. If someone got hurt, I�d be devastated,� I admitted.
�You could be the next Michael Jackson,� he teased.
I flipped him off.
�Do you think I�ll come off as a spoiled rich kid?� I asked.
�We�ll go with the �you�re saving them� angle. Maybe you could announce you�re donating them to a zoo,� he suggested.
�That�ll probably work. I have a bad feeling that I might get into trouble for buying them, but I couldn�t just leave them,� I reasoned.
�If you were to keep them, you would probably be in trouble. I just can�t believe you found tiger cubs at an open-air market.�
We wrapped it up, and I agreed to meet him in the morning.
◊◊◊
I was settling in for bed when there came a knock at the door. I looked out the peephole and smiled when it was Pam.
�Hey, come in.�
�You were great tonight. People were amazed at the throw you made. One of the scouts talked to your parents and said his team would kill for someone with your arm to play for them.�
�We had to hold that run. It turned out to be the difference in the game,� I explained.
She smiled and pulled my head down to kiss me. I wrapped her in my arms, and things began to heat up. Pam pulled away from me, and gave me the naughty look she got when we were about to have fun.
�I need to talk to you,� she said, throwing water on my parade.
She giggled when she saw the look I always had when a girl said they wanted to talk.
�You�re so funny sometimes.�
�I was hoping our �talks,�� I said with air quotes, �would be few and far between.�
�I want you to do something for me. Believe it or not, I want you to seriously consider Tracy as your girlfriend. Before you give me all your reasons why not, just hear me out. Okay?� she asked.
My knee-jerk reaction was to do what I always did and say, �hell, no.� But if Pam wanted to make her friend�s case, I would hear her out. I nodded to let her know I would listen to what she said.
�First off, Tracy has no idea I�m here making her case. I don�t want you to think she pulled a Tami and sent me to do her bidding,� she said with a little smile.
Pam was playing dirty. I liked that.
�What Tracy did to you was uncalled for. I might consider giving her a pass since she was mentally unstable at the time, but I honestly can�t see doing that. I will say that Tracy knows what she did both times and isn�t proud of herself for doing it. Personally, I think she didn�t know how to handle the situation and blew it up. I believe Tracy�s grown up a lot since then,� Pam reasoned.
�I�ve forgiven her for that, but I�ll never forget,� I clarified.
�Yes, I know you have. She wouldn�t be such a good friend if you hadn�t. I want to focus on the friend part of your relationship. I think if you looked at it, you�d see that she�s one of your best friends. Not once have I seen her try to take advantage of you. She has always been one of your biggest defenders. Believe me, I know. I had to listen to her during the troubles we had with my dad. She never stopped supporting me, but she didn�t back down about how I was mistreating you.
�The sad part was I never wanted to do anything to hurt you. I love you too much. Even then, I was in love with you,� Pam said, and the waterworks started.
�Hey, it�s okay. We�ve talked about this and agreed that we were past that,� I said, pulling her to me.
�I know. That�s part of the reason that I know that Tracy would never hurt you again. She and I�ve talked, and we recognize we both made terrible decisions. I�m just grateful you were willing to put it behind us and help me raise our son. I know that we may never get married, but Coby will always know that his parents love him.�
�You never have to worry about that. You and I are a team. We will make sure that little boy is loved and given every chance parents can give him. Plus, with your mom and my parents and Peggy, we can�t go wrong. They�ll keep us in line so we don�t mess up with him.�
�David.�
�Yes?�
�Promise me you�ll consider Tracy.�
�I will,� I said, meaning it.
Maybe she was the wild card Tracy had been talking about.
�Something else I want you to consider,� Pam said as she ran her hand up my arm.
This had to be big for her to be using her womanly charms on me like this.
�You should consider working things out with Alan. I never liked him, but he was one of your best friends for years. I think you need to sit him down and work it out. It would be a shame if the two of you lost that friendship.�
I just blinked at her.
Pam kissed me again, and Mr. Happy took control of the body. Sadly, Alan was soon forgotten.
◊◊◊ Friday August 12
My mom and dad summoned me for breakfast, just the three of us. This couldn�t be good, especially when they took me somewhere other than the hotel. They didn�t want any interruptions.
�David, we want to talk about the tiger cubs,� Dad said.
�We need to find them a good home,� I said.
Mom and Dad looked at each other in shock. Then Mom�s eyebrows came together.
�I am so disappointed. I had all these plans to bend you to my will, and you just took all the fun out of it. What made you decide to give them up?� Mom asked.
�I know the cubs are cute now, and I would love to keep them, but at some point, they�re going to get big. We need to find a zoo or somewhere we can send them where they would have a good life. I was hoping we would figure that out.�
�I guess my work here is done. He�s starting to sound like he�s growing up,� Mom admitted to Dad.
Dad just laughed and shook his head.
�By noon, he�ll have done something that�ll change your mind. I think we�d better keep on him for a while longer,� Dad suggested.
�Dang it. I was going to go motorcycle shopping when I got home,� I said with a dramatic sigh.
�Thank you. I need to feel useful,� Mom said.
�Anything for you, Mom.�
�I�ll figure out what we have to do to donate the cubs somewhere. I�m sure it�s not as easy as it sounds,� Dad offered.
�Thanks. I�m pretty sure we can�t just put them in a pet carrier and fly them home. We might have a problem at customs.�
�That might get you arrested,� Dad agreed.
I told them about my interview with Jeff this morning. Mom said she would get the cubs and bring them to baseball practice.
�I got a call from Cindy Lewis,� Mom said. �She heard you were buying the house in LA and that it needs to be remodeled. She plans to be an interior designer. Long story short, Cindy has talked with one of her professors, and they would like to tackle your home as a project. It would be an intern type of deal. She said that it would be a tremendous help when she started doing this professionally to be able to say she did your place.�
�I figured you would be involved in that. You and Angie did a wonderful job on my apartment,� I said to remind her that I appreciated what they�d done for me.
�I would have her talk to your mom and you,� Dad said. �If her design doesn�t work, I think you were happy with what the architect suggested.�
�We could ask Mrs. Wesleyan to advise us. She has great taste,� I suggested.
�Let me handle it. I�ll tell Cindy she can give it a shot. I�ll also talk to Abigail and see if she wants to work with Cindy or would rather put something together herself,� Mom said.
�Why don�t you put it out to bid? That way, design firms can create presentations for the project,� Dad suggested.
�I would rather work with someone I know. If neither of them makes Mom happy, we can go that route,� I said.
We wrapped up and returned to the hotel so I could spend time with Coby and Little David.
◊◊◊
I was pulled from baseball practice to talk to Jeff. I smiled when my mom and Cassidy brought in the tiger cubs. They wore dog collars and were on leashes. They�d been bathed and had pink ribbons in their hair. I was surprised when they didn�t try to remove them. I knew that Duke wouldn�t have stood for that.
�Rah.� �Rah.� The two cubs �roared� back and forth to announce their presence.
Baseball practice stopped when my teammates heard them. I picked one of them up and saw there was a name tag on the collar. This one was named Carol, after my mom. I checked the other one, and its name was Cassidy. I knew better than to challenge that.
Jeff and his film crew appeared and began filming us as we loved-up the cubs.
�Back to practice,� Coach Kingwood ordered my teammates.
I did ten minutes with Jeff. I admit that the cubs stole the show. They were wiggle-butts and wanted to play. When I put them down, they were soon rolling around and chasing each other.
�I need to find them a home. I want them to go somewhere that�ll be good for them,� I shared.
◊◊◊
Our game today was against Honduras and was being played at Ciudad Deportiva. The difference between this stadium and the one we�d played at last night was stark. In the street out in front, there was a big stack of discarded car tires. The park itself had seen better days. I was glad we had all the security, or I might have been worried about my family in the stands.
I think baseball fans in the area knew about the stadium�s shortcomings and decided to stay away. There were only our friends and family and a handful of Honduran fans in the stands.
The game wasn�t exciting at all. I hit a home run to lead off, and we pushed across another run in the first to take a 2�0 lead. In the second inning, we put 12 on them. By the end of the fifth, we were up 23�1. Everyone seemed to come out of their hitting slump. They called the game at the end of the fifth. I think if they had let it go seven, we would have scored another ten or more runs. The team as a whole batted at a .647 clip for the game.
It did give Coach Kingwood a chance to play everyone.
◊◊◊
I was happy when tonight�s guest was Halle.
She gave me a quick kiss and then led me to the couch so we could catch up.
�Rumor has it that Busch Gardens is going to take your tigers,� she told me.
�I hadn�t heard that,� I admitted.
�They played your clip with the cubs on the news, and it went national. Busch Gardens contacted the reporter you work with, and he got them in touch with your dad.�
�That�s a relief. I�m sure they�ll take good care of the cubs. They�re set up for this.�
�I still can�t believe you bought them. I didn�t believe it until I saw you trying to convince your mom that you should keep them.�
�That didn�t go very well,� I admitted.
�This will be for the best. I heard you named the tigers after your mom and Cassidy,� Halle said.
�Actually, they named them. I just didn�t object.�
�Smart man.�
�Is there any news about the movies?� I asked.
�Not yet. Saul thinks I�ll get the one you and my mom are worried about.�
�Watch him. I think sometimes he�s more interested in a paycheck than what�s best for you.�
�Mom�s keeping an eye on everything,� Halle assured me.
�Are you really planning on going back to LA?� I asked.
�Why? Would you miss me?� she asked.
�Do you even have to ask that? Of course I would miss you.�
�If I go back to LA for a movie, are you going to pull me from consideration as your girlfriend?�
�No,� I said as I shook my head. �I�d just wait until you came back.�
�What if I stayed in LA?� she asked.
�Would you want us to be together if you were there?� I asked.
�I think we could make the long-distance thing work. You realize that next summer and fall, you�ll be doing movies all over the world. Do you plan to dump whomever you pick?�
I hadn�t really considered that.
�Honey, it�s okay. I understand what a time issue we�ll face if we�re doing movies. 18-hour days for months at a time. If we�re on location, it could be anywhere. If anyone would understand what it takes, it�s us. That�s why I think we�re perfect for each other.
�Plus, we can do movies together. We�re doing the
I liked the sound of that. She was right. Whether it was football, baseball, or movies, I would need someone who understood the time commitments. Halle had watched her mother and had seen everything she had to give up to be a success. I was sure the two of us could take on the world. There weren�t many who would put up with me being gone for months at a time.
The truth was, I could see us making it for the long haul.
�I don�t know about being Ryan Gosling. And I would rather spend time with you than Emma Stone. But I understand what you�re saying. I would be fine with you leaving to do a movie. We would just have to figure out how we could get together.�
She did a little bounce and clapped her hands.
�I was so afraid you�d pick someone else because of that. Come here, you big goof, and let me show you how much I appreciate you.�
There were benefits to this process. The problem was that I was more confused than ever. Halle made a persuasive case that simply couldn�t be ignored, and it had nothing to do with making movies.
◊◊◊ Saturday August 13
Most everyone returned home today. In fact, it would be easier to count the ones who stayed: Mom and Dad, Brook, Halle, Zoe, Pam, Tracy, Beth, and Caryn. Caryn had arranged a charter to take the rest of them back.
Tim and Wolf had called and gotten permission to miss a few days of two-a-days to come to watch me play. They�d get a full week of practice in next week, and then school would start. I�d be back for the first day of school. I really didn�t mind that I would miss the grind of two-a-days.
Speaking of football, Bud Mason had arrived at Lincoln High and was working with the offense. I talked to some of the guys on the team, and they said that Coach Hope had pretty much turned the offense over to him. I thought that was a smart choice since Bud had more coaching experience than probably our whole staff combined.
Bud hadn�t forgotten about me. He sent me new plays and videos of how he wanted them run. I planned to work with my teammates who were here to practice them. I admit I was starting to get the football bug. Baseball was my first love, but I could hardly wait to get back and help defend our State Championship.
After breakfast, I took the elevator down to the lobby so I could load onto the bus for practice. It hadn�t arrived yet, so we were milling around, just goofing off, when in walked a group of twelve girls. They looked like they�d come for walk-on roles in the Spanish version of
I admit they had my full attention for a moment. But the morning�s entertainment, for me anyway, was watching my teammates. Half of them had their tongues hanging out, and the other half tried to hide. If you�ve ever watched a Mexican soap opera, you�ve seen what I was talking about. Gorgeous; long, dark hair; flawless features; ginormous ta-tas, and curvy hips.
I smiled when the coaching staff came out of their meeting to join us and froze where they stood. These girls had to know that every male in the place was staring at them.
I�d drawn Chuck and Nicki as my bodyguards today.
�Would you like me to see if I can get you dates?� I asked.
Nicki actually cracked a smile.
�If I were twenty years younger,� he explained.
�Uh, sure,� Chuck said.
I grabbed his arm and almost had to drag him with me when he figured out I was going to talk to them. He must not have known about my special ability to speak with beautiful women.
�
They all looked at each other, and from their expressions, it seemed they were impressed that I�d come up to talk to them. Either that or I�d butchered my Spanish and said something that didn�t make sense.
�What�s your friend�s name?� one of them asked in English.
�Chuck. He�s a Virgo, likes to dance, and is looking for a no-strings enjoyable time.�
They all looked at me and then Chuck. He really needed to learn how to negotiate. The first rule in a situation like this was the one who talked first lost.
�I, uh � I, uh � I mean � uh �� he stammered, and then promptly turned around and made a hasty retreat.
�What about you? Are you looking for, what did he call it?�
�An enjoyable time,� one of them helped.
�I have enough women to keep me busy; I don�t need to add any right now. But I�m sure I could introduce you to some guys who would like to hang out with you,� I suggested.
Coach Kingwood showed up.
�Come on, Romeo. The bus is here,� he told me.
�Ladies, that�s my cue. I�ll be back at one if you want to hang out,� I said, and then hurried off to the bus.
For some reason, Chuck wouldn�t sit with me.
◊◊◊
When the bus came back at one, someone must have clued-in my girl friends as to what had transpired this morning. How could I tell? They were all waiting for me and dressed to impress. I had to laugh when Roc ducked his head and hurried to the elevators. I�d found my little rat.
As if on cue, the bevy of beauties from this morning strolled out of a conference room.
Yuri sidled up next to me.
�Incoming. I can�t wait to see what happens,� he said.
I ignored them, walked up to Brook, and kissed her.
�David�s giving out kisses,� Cassidy announced, and almost knocked Brook down to get her turn.
After I�d kissed all my girls, I turned to the ones I met this morning.
�Do you girls want a turn?� I asked.
Cassidy chose that moment to find the nerve bundle under my left arm.
�Oof,� I said as all the air left my lungs from the pain.
�We�ll take them to lunch while you go shower,� Tracy informed me.
I watched as they all walked to the sandwich shop.
I suddenly had twenty-plus new best friends, aka teammates, wanting to go to lunch with me.
◊◊◊
It turned out the Mexican beauties were at the hotel because they�d gotten the chance to shoot a calendar of undiscovered women. They all wanted to get into modeling, and some had traveled several hundred miles to get the exposure. The man sponsoring the calendar was just paying for their travel and lodging while they were here. It sounded a little sketchy to me, so I called Adrienne.
�Guess what I found for you?� I asked when Tyler answered.
�I saw your tiger cubs. They�re so cute.�
�That was so yesterday. I found you twelve models.�
I heard Adrienne in the background.
�Hey, David says he found us twelve models,� Tyler told her.
�Have him send over pictures.�
�I heard her,� I told Tyler. �Bra and panties?�
�You know the drill. She�s busy working with a client. It might be a day or so for her to get back to you.�
�No problem,� I said, and hung up.
I guess I didn�t blame these girls for thinking I was just some perv. Halle pulled out her tablet and showed them my modeling pictures and explained who I was. That was when they put together that I�d been in a couple movies. I guess I should have led with that.
◊◊◊
�Let me get this straight: they�re going to come up to your room and strip down to their bra and panties. And then you�re going to take their picture,� Allard said after the girls had all left.
�Yeah. I need to send the pictures to a modeling agency so they can see the girls� bodies better.�
�And you date Halle James?� Shane asked.
�I thought you all knew that,� I said to my teammates.
�I thought they were pulling our legs,� Logan said, tilting his head towards Roc, Yuri, and Phil.
�Can you adopt me?� Tristan asked.
�Better yet, do you need help taking the pictures?� Daz asked.
�How about I invite them to the game and then for ice cream afterward? Maybe you can man-up and talk to them,� I suggested.
They all gave me the stink eye. I just shrugged.
◊◊◊
Tracy ended up taking the pictures with Pam�s help. Fritz had stepped in and nixed my plans. I was surprised my mom hadn�t heard about it. She had gone shopping with several of the moms while Dad was off playing golf. So, the parental units hadn�t heard anything, yet.
While Tracy and Pam were playing amateur photographer, I grabbed a group of guys, and we went to play a little football.
Coach Mason wanted me to work on fade passes. The name of the pass is misleading. The pass is mostly a vertical pass upfield of medium distance. From the name, you would assume that the receiver runs straight up the field and then moves toward, or fades, to the sideline. People mistakenly think the quarterback will throw the ball towards the sideline.
The play is designed to be thrown against press man coverage. That means the defender is one-on-one with the receiver and plays him tightly. The trick to the play is that the receiver wants to basically run at the defender and get him to move out of the way. The receiver wants to have at least six to seven yards between himself and the sideline. As the receiver runs with the defender, the receiver leans into the defender a little. That would seem to be counterintuitive. You, as the receiver, want to be near the defender before breaking away at the last moment, and never too early. This lean will get the defender�s center of gravity and momentum going in the wrong direction.
The �fade� portion of the play comes in once the football has been thrown, but not before. The receiver will �fade� to the ball and catch it at its highest point. Done correctly, it�s all but unstoppable.
This played into Coach Mason�s style of deep vertical strikes. This was just a shorter version of that philosophy. The key was the timing of the play, and I was instructed to throw it to both Phil and Roc until we could do it in our sleep. It seemed he wanted to move up the field in 15- to 20-yard chunks, giving an alternative to always going deep.
The defense for the fade was safety help over the top. Unlike the cornerback, who was focused on the receiver, the safety could see the play develop as he closed. One of my reads had to be on the safety because if he broke on the ball, he might very well intercept the pass.
If we could get Roc or Phil one-on-one with a cornerback, we would eat them up with this play, especially with the threat of the deep ball. I could see it being even more effective with someone like Wolf, who was six-five. His height was already a problem for the average corner. If he could create some separation, it wouldn�t be fair.
Already I�d learned something new from Coach Mason, and I wasn�t even in camp yet. I couldn�t wait to get back. I was hoping that a full season of his coaching would set me apart once I reached college.
When we got back, Tyler called and wanted the contact information for four of the Mexican calendar girls.
◊◊◊
Tonight�s game was against Nicaragua. We were playing at the sketchy stadium, Ciudad Deportiva. This was a big game because we were the only two undefeated teams left in the tournament at 3�0.
The game was being broadcast across Central and South America. I found it amusing that we were getting very little coverage in the US; this tournament was a much bigger deal south of the border. I was also the one getting the most exposure because I could put together a few passable sentences in Spanish.
The biggest bounce had come from the tigers I�d bought. That had made the news back home. On that front, the people from Busch Gardens would be here tomorrow to complete the rescue. They were set up to handle big cats humanely and even had adult tigers.
Nicaragua had nearly twice as many fans at the game as we did. I was amused at their rowdy chants. Hopefully, Brook was taking note because I could see this used to effect during a football game. I realized that my fellow teammates really didn�t know what to think of some of the fans because up north, the games were much more subdued.
Luke Cash started on the mound for us. I got us off to a good start by walking and stealing a base, and ended up scoring on a sacrifice groundout by Nick Golden, our first baseman. The score remained 1�0 into the top of the fourth when Nicaragua earned one back on an RBI double to make it 1�1.
I was up first in the seventh. Both teams had settled into a defensive struggle. The Nicaraguan fielders had made some great plays, and their pitcher had held us down for the most part. Before I stepped out to bat, Coach Kingwood stopped me.
�His pitch count is starting to get up there. I think this is the inning we get to him. If you can get a hit, it might make him start to worry, and we can add some more.�
I nodded and strolled up to the plate with the idea of hitting something. He�d walked me twice and fooled me the last time up. All I wanted was for him to make one mistake. Our fans started the �USA� chant when I came up. I smiled when the Nicaraguans added �Sucks.�
�I think you�re going to strike out,� their catcher said in English as bad as my Spanish.
�S�, could be,� I said with a smile to let him know he wasn�t getting to me. �Then again, he might decide to throw me his weak fastball.�
The umpire snorted at our comments.
�Play ball,� he said in Spanish.
I stepped up to the plate and put a little extra wiggle in my hips. Then I dropped into the zone, and everything began to fade away except the task at hand. I silently thanked the catcher for answering my request for a fastball. I was a little excited and crushed the ball to left-center field. It would have been a stand-up double, but the ball took a funny bounce off the wall which allowed me to make it to third. Mitch followed with a single that scored me. Nick was up next, and on the first pitch, Mitch stole second and was granted a free pass to third on defensive interference by the shortstop. Nick hit a double to score Mitch. That was where the inning ended, giving us a 3�1 lead.
Luke was pulled from the game, and Daz, our middle reliever, was brought in. Daz wasn�t up to his usual standard as he loaded the bases with two outs. I just shook my head when he clipped the next batter to force in a run. He was pulled, and Allard came in to get us out of the inning with a 3�2 lead.
By the time the top of the ninth was through, we were down 5�4. We started the bottom of the ninth with a leadoff walk by Royce Greene, our third baseman. Royce was replaced by a pinch-runner who stole second during the next at-bat. Jared Cornish, our right fielder, had come to the plate with no outs and singled up the middle to score the pinch runner and tie the score at 5�5. Jared was picked off at first, but Tristan Pratt followed with a one-out double down the right-field line. A bunt single by Patrick Welch allowed Tristan to advance to third, and a sacrifice fly by Logan Greene allowed Tristan to cross the plate for the winning run.
It was good to see the bottom of the order come through for us. With the 6�5 win, we�d won our fourth game of the COPABE Pan American �AAA� Championships and were the only undefeated team in the field. We now had a day off on Sunday. Our next game was a Monday-morning start against Columbia.
◊◊◊
Since it was Saturday night, and we had the day off tomorrow, we decided to go out. We were in a cluster of better hotels, and Daz had found a flyer saying that the hotel across the street had a nightclub. Daz also informed us that the drinking age in Mexico was 18.
I made a call to Tracy to invite the girls, and she said she would get it set up. I also called Fritz to let him know of our plans. He, of course, wasn�t happy. I�m sure he would have preferred I�d stayed in my room 24/7, but that wasn�t happening. Fritz did make me wait until he organized the troops. I let Daz know I would meet the team there.
When I came down to the lobby, I smiled. This was what it should look like when a movie star walked into a club. Besides my girls, the twelve ladies from the calendar photo shoot were waiting for me. I thought Fritz had gone a little crazy when he had nine security people, including Nicki and his team. With me, that made almost 30 people. I dared anyone to have a bigger entourage.
Nicki took his team across the street and explained who I was and how many people we had. He then walked through the club to confirm the safety of the seating arrangements. When he stepped out and motioned, Fritz led us across the street. There were a few people waiting to get in who all stared when we were ushered in
An older gentleman was waiting for us.
�Welcome to
�Thank you. I look forward to having an enjoyable time,� I said.
They�d sectioned off an area for us since they didn�t have a VIP area. I was glad to see they had enough tables so my teammates could all sit next to us. I suspect Tracy must have clued the calendar girls in because they found seats at the other tables with my teammates.
We�d just settled in when the DJ started to play
�Let�s dance,� she announced.
It looked like the other girls weren�t going to let Brook monopolize my time on the dance floor, so they all joined me. If that didn�t inflate my ego, I don�t know what would. They all had moves from being cheerleaders. The one who surprised me was Beth. She hadn�t cheered in almost three years, and I�d always considered her kind of the girl next door. She broke out some sexy moves that put the other girls to shame. Either she�d learned a few new tricks at college, or had been holding out on me.
I was happy to see that Yuri and Roc had asked calendar girls to dance with them. Phil was on the sidelines, looking unsure of himself. Some of my other teammates got brave, and soon we pretty much took up half the dance floor.
As the night went on, I was introduced to �real� tequila. You drank it like you would a good scotch or sipping whiskey. It was much better than the stuff I�d done shots with. I was having a great time getting a little drunk, sweaty, and my dance on.
I noticed that Phil was finally on the dance floor. Zoe had gone and pulled him out of his chair. Once he was up and dancing, he got brave and danced with some of the calendar girls.
I thought the night was going to be a success until I heard a yelp and a crash. It seems a local had stumbled over and made a crude comment to Tracy. Pam told me later that he�d told her she was hot and that he wanted her to suck on his
He was begging her not to kill him when two of his friends showed up. That was when it got ugly. Nicki strode forward and chopped one of them in the throat and then punched the other one in the nose. I�ve never seen a nose break so loudly and with as much blood as that. It was almost like Nicki hit him with a two-by-four.
The club�s bouncers decided they needed to break it up. That was when Nicki�s men made their presence known. Two of the bouncers were down before the rest decided they should just contain the crowd.
Fritz grabbed Halle and me and rushed us to the door like we were the President and First Lady, and shots had been fired. Once we reached the hotel lobby, I found Chuck and Paul right behind us.
�Give me your credit card,� Fritz said with his hand out.
I didn�t hesitate and handed it over.
�I�ll go settle up. You two go upstairs to David�s room,� Fritz ordered.
We got to my room, and Halle began to giggle.
�What�s so funny?� I asked.
�Tonight was supposed to be Brook�s night. She�s not going to be happy,� Halle said as she launched herself at me.
I was caught off guard as she pushed me onto the bed and crawled up on me. I was a little drunk, so Mr. Happy had no problem wrenching control of the body from the big brain. Not that the big brain minded. Halle wasn�t wasting any time. She was naked and had my pants undone enough that she could reach her prize. I had a stupid smile on my face as she took advantage of me. Suddenly, the door crashed open.
�You little bitch,� Brook hissed as she stormed in.
Chuck rushed in to see if I was safe and turned beet red.
�I � oh � sorry, Dude,� he said and made a quick retreat.
�Quit being Miss Bossy Pants and join us,� I suggested.
Brook glared at me, but I must have won her over when I gave her a lopsided grin.
�I never dreamed I would do something like this,� she said as she hesitated.
�Please. You�re Brook Davis. You have the male of our species quivering from the sexuality you give off. There�s no way you can tell me you haven�t been with a guy and another girl,� I said incredulously.
�Oh, my God! Brook�s blushing,� Halle said with glee. �Here I thought I was the innocent one.�
�Fine. In the morning, I�ll blame it on the tequila,� Brook said as she began to get undressed.
I realized I�d been doing this tryout phase of the girlfriend search all wrong. I should have two, three, or more of them in bed with me at the same time; that way, it would be easier to compare. Halle must have sensed my mind had wandered because she used her muscle control to remind me of what she was doing.
�Ahhh, man,� I moaned.
�What are you doing to him?� Brook asked.
�If you need to ask �� Halle said with a pleased look.
�Bite me,� Brook said to her friend.
�Sit on our boy�s face, and maybe I�ll kiss you,� Halle offered.
Poor Brook. Halle was tying her in knots. I had to remember that Brook was an only child. She�d never had a brother or sister to torment her.
�Come here,� I said as I reached for her.
Brook got on the bed and let me kiss her.
�I know she�s being a greedy gut, but I promise you�ll have fun,� I said.
�Promise?�
In answer, I pulled her down and kissed her again. Brook got past her fears, and soon she�d taken Halle�s advice, and I began to pleasure her orally. I had to admit that the alcohol probably played a role because the next thing I knew, Brook and Halle were kissing. Mr. Happy shorted out, and I found I had just exploded.
�Did you just get off in me?� Halle asked.
Klaxon warning alarms suddenly sounded in my head. Oh, please don�t be pregnant, I prayed. I was in the moment and hadn�t even thought about a condom. Brook got off me, and when the two of them saw my face, they began to laugh.
�Relax, I�m protected,� Halle said.
�Me, too,� Brook said as she pushed Halle off me so she could take her place.
Halle jumped up to get a washcloth to clean me up so Brook could use me and then did the same for herself. It looked like I might have released pretty hard to have left that mess.
Brook got me back into the game, and we were soon doing the old in-and-out.
The contrast in girls was interesting. Halle was softer and had more curves, and I found I wanted to pleasure her and take my time. With Brook, it was a little different. She was more athletic, and it was more adventurous and physical. The girls seemed to figure it out and asked for me to switch and treat them as I would the other, for a change of pace. I decided to do Halle first.
Halle had the biggest orgasm I�ve ever seen a girl have. Brook and I looked in awe at the quivering mess I�d left. When it was Brook�s turn, she flipped out when I slowly built her to one climax after another. I don�t think she realized she could have multiple orgasms.
When she recovered, they looked at each other and then glared at me.
�What?� I said defensively.
�You�ve been holding out on us,� Halle accused.
�I just did what I thought you wanted.�
�You had tricks you weren�t sharing with us,� Halle said, and then her eyes got big. �What do you do with Zoe?�
I got an evil grin. I wasn�t sure they really wanted to know.
�Backdoor,� I whispered.
Both their eyes got big.
�Seriously?� Brook asked.
�I think he�s setting us up,� Halle decided.
�Ask her,� I suggested. �She loves it. Think about it. Did you like what I just did with each of you? Do you think I would do something that would make her unhappy?�
They both looked at each other, and their eyes got big again. They realized I was telling the truth.
�Me first,� Brook volunteered.
Mr. Happy made a play for the body, but I knew this needed more finesse than he was capable of. I took my time to get her ready. I got plenty of lube and slowly prepared her while I gave her oral sex. When I felt her orgasm, I stood and pushed Mr. Happy home.
�Oh, my God! He�s in your butt,� Halle observed.
�I should have had a guy with a much smaller package do me the first time,� Brook moaned.
�I could go get Phil,� I suggested.
Halle burst out laughing. She then had to tell Brook the joke we�d played on him about being short and how that equated to small hands and other body parts. Brook just didn�t get it. Of course, Phil wasn�t really short and didn�t have any size issues. But he was my half brother, and it was nice that I was able to torment him a bit.
After the initial discomfort, Brook got into it. She never climaxed but decided that she would do it again. Halle was less of a fan. She told me this was the one and only time I would ever do that to her. It wasn�t for everyone, but they�d asked.
◊◊◊
Chapter 35 � Keep the Twins Safe Sunday August 14
When I came down for breakfast, I found my parents sitting with Bev and Jack Mass. Harper, their daughter, had gone home with Tami and that group yesterday. I hadn�t really gotten a chance to spend time with Harper. Tami had told me Mike was jealous that Harper had come to watch me play, and she didn�t want to give him any more reason to act that way. I was okay with it. I couldn�t understand what Harper saw in him and figured at some point he would cheat on her.
Mom handed me my credit card.
�Fritz dropped this off this morning. Sounds like it got a bit rowdy last night.�
Apparently, since I hadn�t been in the middle of it all, and they�d whisked me back to the hotel, Mom was appeased. In any case, I wasn�t about to poke the bear, so I just took it.
She handed me the receipt. Holy crap! It was five grand even. No way did we drink anywhere near that much.
�Fritz said the �tip� was for the injuries. Mr. Garcia took care of his bouncers and the three men your people injured,� Mom explained.
When she put it that way, I might have gotten off cheap. If this had been in the States, there would be lawsuits, and five grand wouldn�t even begin to cover Ms. Dixon and her team.
�Money well spent,� Bev observed.
�So, how are things?� I asked Jack, to change the subject.
�Things are good. I see you made ESPN SportsCenter�s Top Ten Plays list,� he said with a chuckle.
�That�s cool. I take it they showed me reversing direction and gunning down the guy,� I guessed.
�Yep. They also showed you hitting the home run to tie the game,� Jack said.
�We really enjoyed the boys and Tami staying with us,� Bev said to change the topic from sports. �They were the perfect houseguests, and they kept Harper harmlessly occupied.�
�When Mike found out Tim and Wolf were staying with us, he didn�t show up,� Jack said with a smile.
�I doubt they�d put up with him,� I agreed. �I talked to them all, and they only had good things to say about you and their time interning in Chicago. Thank you for everything. I really appreciate that you worked with them this summer.�
�It got me thinking. I want to do this with some college guys next year. I believe it would be better to have them understand the business rather than hire them right out of college without that experience. They would intern for the summer, and we�d get to know them and see if they fit in,� Jack said.
�That makes a lot of sense. A bad hire can be costly,� Dad observed.
�If they�re even half as good workers as those two were, I�d be lucky,� Jack admitted.
�Did the romances cause you any issues?� Mom asked.
�No. They were respectful of our rules. It did bring back some fond memories of first loves,� Bev shared.
My inner Alpha Male jerked awake at hearing about Tami and Tim. All I had to do was remind him of last night, and he calmed down. I guess I would always think of Tami as mine. Honestly, I didn�t ever want to completely push that away. I found there was still a small spark of hope that there very well might be a �someday� in our future. How that would happen, I had no idea.
Then Jack shocked me.
�I want to buy into your business,� he announced.
�Wait, I thought I was loaning you money,� I said with a smile.
�I propose we trade shares in our companies. You have interests in farming, real estate, restaurants, personal management, and public relations. What we would bring to the table is wealth management, investments, and construction. My dad was the master of figuring out how to diversify his business, and this seems to me like something he would approve of.
�To start, I can see the personal management part of your business and our wealth management as combining well. We got into the construction end when my dad wanted to do REITs, or Real Estate Investment Trusts. It provided a way for our investors to buy into trusts that create and manage income-producing real estate.
�I�ve also talked to Bev, and we agree that, with the help of your family, you�ve started something that could really grow. With the right people helping you, I expect we could build your little business into something special,� Jack suggested.
�I would bet my son is open to this. I�d like to talk to him and our management team. Do you have a proposal for what you want to do?� Dad asked.
�We can talk. My long-term goal is to eventually retire. Harper has little to no interest in taking over. I�ve been approached about selling out, but I�d rather partner with someone I like and trust. Maybe down the road, you�d end up buying me out. At least this way, I�d have the backing to keep my business intact,� Jack said.
�Are you having problems?� I asked.
�Not now, but your infusion of cash helped me not to have to make any drastic decisions. With you as part of the business, I would hope not to get myself in that position again. With your backing, I would breathe easier,� Jack said.
�Talk to my dad and to Caryn, who runs the day-to-day operations. My dad�s right, I�m interested. I�ve learned to find people who know what they�re doing and let them do what they do best. You wouldn�t worry about me getting into your business,� I said.
�I wasn�t worried about that. I�ll talk to your dad and to Caryn,� Jack said.
It looked like Caryn would get her chance to use her MBA. To think, she had hired on as my PA.
◊◊◊ Thursday August 18
We�d put impressive back-to-back wins in the books. We�d taken down Colombia 6�0 and then beaten Brazil in a shortened 10�0 game. This put us at 6�0 with only Mexico left to play in pool play. We were one up on Cuba, and three up on Mexico. We could lose our next game and make it into the Gold Medal Game.
Still, there was some pressure to win the last game against Mexico. We�d won five straight COPABE Pan American �AAA� Championships, and I didn�t want to break the streak. We had already secured a spot in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup next year in Thunder Bay, Canada. The top four teams would get to participate. Right now, it looked like that would be USA, Cuba, Mexico, and Nicaragua. The unfortunate part for me was it was next summer, and I would be off doing my James Bond movie.
We didn�t have a game today, and the coaches had decided to give us the day off. I stepped into the shower to get my day started. As I let the hot water do its magic and wake me up, I reflected on some of the other stuff going on in my life.
Baseball would be over on Tuesday. The Gold Medal Game would be played on Monday, but Baseball USA wanted us to meet the press on Tuesday. I�d called Coach Hope to tell him I wouldn�t be back in town until Wednesday. School started on Thursday, so he told me he would see me then. I got the sense that something was up, but I was happy with how it was working out. This schedule would give me a couple of days to get home and back into the swing of things. I�d been on the run for most of the summer, and I welcomed having a couple of days where I didn�t have to worry about sports.
My Lincoln teammates would go home on Tuesday with the rest of the people who were still here.
Brook was a little perturbed. While Brook was here in Mexico, Destiny Crown had made a play for being head cheerleader. Jan Duke had called Yuri to tell her boyfriend the goings-on back home and mentioned it. I just smiled at the drama, because I knew all too well what team strife was like. Even though Brook was out of sight, the other cheerleaders all liked and respected her. They had pushed back on Destiny�s coup attempt. I predicted there would be hell to pay when Brook got back home.
I got out of the shower and dressed for the day. The coaches had given us some choices for activities we might participate in.
Monterrey was the third-largest city in Mexico. It was the capital of the state of Nuevo Le�n. It was a study in contrasts, from its highly industrialized factory districts to its scenic natural setting, and from its modern urban core to its historic colonial architecture. The city was surrounded by mountains, and the view to the east was dominated by saddle-shaped
We�d been offered a tour of the city. When I was in Cuba, I�d done a similar tour and enjoyed myself. One of the stops was at a museum called the
The other choice was to travel to the mountains and rent mountain bikes. They had a park that featured a 22-mile trail that was supposed to have terrific views of the city. Phil, Roc, and Yuri wanted to do the bike ride, so that�s what I signed up for, even though I would have loved to tour the museums.
As I tied my shoes, my mind jumped to my tigers. Their purchase had turned into a giant pain in the butt. The Mexican authorities had become interested in tracking down how I�d been able to buy exotic animals at an open-air market. I got the impression that they had a bigger black market in other animals, like birds and reptiles, than they wanted to admit. Because I had been shown on American TV with them, it had caused a stir. If I were to do it over again, I would have never allowed Jeff to film them until they were safely at Busch Gardens.
Thanks to the cubs� notoriety, the authorities were making sure that all the paperwork got completed to their exacting specifications. The worst part was the US government thought they needed to make everything overly complicated. When my Grandma Dawson heard what was going on, she called Senator Dixon. He, in turn, called the White House. Thankfully, the image of cute, playful tiger cubs being caught in bureaucratic hell wasn�t something they wanted on the nightly news. That cut through the red tape.
They said that tomorrow the cubs would be picked up by a team from Busch Gardens who would supervise their trip to Florida. This wasn�t their first rodeo, so I left it to them, confident they knew what they were doing. They�d already arranged to meet with the proper federal and state authorities in Florida. Better them than me; I had no desire to learn about animal import regulations the hard way.
I�d gone to visit the cubs when I had a chance. Funny how so many people wanted to tag along. I think the cubs had gotten their picture taken with every player and their families. Somehow, Cassidy put herself in charge, and everyone had to schedule their visit through her. I had a sneaking suspicion she might be charging for access. Each time I visited, I noticed the cubs had collected more toys, blankets, and other stuff. Because of that, I assumed she was spending the money on them and left it alone.
I took the elevator down to breakfast and found a booth to semi-hide in. I�d put a stop to the girls coming to my room at night. As much as I enjoyed their visits, I decided it wasn�t right to, in effect, �hold auditions,� as Cassidy called it. I don�t think the girls were happy with Cassidy. I know Mr. Happy wasn�t. She did offer to stand in if I found myself in need. She was getting close to me having to turn her over my knee. Cassidy�s dad was already acting cranky about my delayed return. I didn�t need him mad because I�d spent time with his daughter.
The waitress showed up with a large water and hot mint tea. I might have had breakfast there a time or two.
�You want the usual?� she asked.
I�d discovered
�I want to try something different. What do you suggest?� I asked.
�It�s not on the menu, but I get the cook to make me sweet potato chorizo hash with eggs and avocado crema. My grandmother used to make it for me with leftovers, so it was never the same twice. Our cook makes a version I like.�
�Let�s give that a shot,� I said with a smile.
�You won�t regret it,� she said, and then left me to my thoughts.
I needed to decide: was I going to ask one of the girls to be my girlfriend or not? I had a suspicion that if I returned home without deciding, they might take it into their hands to decide for me. My fear was their decision might be that they would all drop me.
It had been a full year since I�d made the grand gesture, or should I say the �grand jester� because I�d made a fool of myself with Tami. She�d said repeatedly that she wanted to wait for that mythical �someday� for us to become a couple. I, of course, hadn�t listened and tried to force the issue by stinking up my bedroom with scented candles and giving her a promise ring. A ring, I might add, that she still wore on a silver necklace, even though she was dating Tim.
I knew she didn�t wear it to humiliate him; that was something Tami just wouldn�t do. From everything I�d heard and seen, they really liked each other. I know my mom had noticed the promise ring because when she spotted it, she turned and gave me a questioning look. All I could do was shrug. I recognized that in Tami�s mind, there was still a �someday� for us despite what we�d gone through, the last year especially. I still had nightmares about what Brandon had done to her in his sick and twisted effort to get at me.
He was one of two people who if I ever saw them, I would probably beat them within an inch of their lives. The other was Bill Rogers. The last time we�d been around each other, he�d tried to kill Tracy. At least I�d gotten a chance to fight him, but I feared what he would do to Tracy when he finally got out of jail.
I realized I�d decided that it was time for me to settle down and date just one person. Senior year would be filled with enough drama that I didn�t need it in my love life. I hoped it would help settle me and allow me to focus on all I wanted to accomplish. Senior year would be when I put the finishing touches on my preparations for college, both academically and athletically.
Honestly, it was a harder decision than I�d imagined it would be. The other side of the argument was, why bother? I realize that makes me sound callous and awfully like a conceited jerk, but let�s be real. While I really liked, might even love, all the women in my life, why would I possibly force a decision when I didn�t have to?
It wasn�t just about them; it was about all the other girls who I could potentially be with. Let me give you an example. I�d read an excerpt from Heath Ledger�s diary. He talked about how one night he dressed in jeans, hoody, and a ski mask. Then, attired like that, proceeded to go out to a bar and pick up a woman.
I realize it sounds like total bullshit, but I�d seen it in LA. I had no doubt Heath pulled it off in New York. Shit, if I were willing to walk into a bar, I bet I could pull it off. So, from a totally selfish guy�s point of view, why would I not do it? Why would I pass it up?
Was I crazy?
Then I thought about how I�d been brought up. First of all, my mom would nail my hide to the side of the garage. I know I�m too much of a mama�s boy, and at some point, I�ll have to cut the apron strings. But let�s be honest: I care what she thinks of me.
Besides, I�m also a small-town boy from the Midwest where family means something. I also realize I should set an example. Not that I think I should be put up on a pedestal; I�m far from perfect. But I�m totally on board with following in Tom Brady�s footsteps: find and marry a supermodel and have kids.
That was the dream, right? Right?
If I thought about it too long, I�d end up talking myself out of doing it.
Thankfully, at that moment, my waitress brought me breakfast. They served it in an iron skillet, and it had three over-easy eggs sitting on top. I could smell the chorizo, and I smiled.
�Your grandmother made this for you?� I asked.
�S�. I wish my mother would have listened to her and learned to cook. My grandmother is the best.�
Despite having the chorizo, this hash wasn�t spicy�not until I bit into the toppings. They took the dish from good to great, so much so that I would have to have to talk to Mary Dole about adding this to our menu. The cook had topped it with fresh sliced jalape�os, some pico de gallo, minced cilantro, and avocado crema. I cut into an egg, and the rich yellow yolk drizzled down into the hash for perfection. I think breaking the yolk is the most satisfying part of the entire meal. It�s the delicious glue that bound all the flavors together.
Back to my dilemma: if I was going to do this�date just one girl�who would it be?
As I ate my new favorite breakfast, I ran through the candidates in my head.
Beth Anderson. The conversation had to start with her. With Beth, we had the whole matter of family expectations. I already knew I loved Mrs. A. How many guys can say that about their future mother-in-law? Our mothers were best friends. In some ways, that was also a negative. It would be hard to talk to Mom about an issue I might have with Beth and not have it get back to her through her mom. I had no illusions that they wouldn�t talk.
On the plus side, I�d known her all my life, so there was an easy comfort there. I trusted Beth. I could talk to her about anything and absolutely know that she had my best interest at heart. That was why when she said she loved me at the beginning of the summer, it freaked me out. That was something I never wanted to mess up. I even liked the fact that Beth was three years older than me. After my freshman year, I�d come to appreciate the benefits of a woman who had more life experience than I had. Granted, I�d picked up a lot in the last three years.
The only downside was we would be in a long-distance relationship. Much like Halle, I would be willing to work through it.
Tracy Dole. I would keep my word and consider her. In many ways, Tracy and Beth were alike. I�d built a friendship with Tracy despite how spectacularly we had failed in our relationship freshman year. There was a lot to be said for being friends first. Looking back, I should have listened to my mom. She�d advised that we wait and not dive into a relationship. I believe if we had, asking Tracy to be my girlfriend now would be a no-brainer.
But I couldn�t forget what had happened, and that stopped me. This is going to sound terrible, but her mental stability was an issue. Depression wasn�t something where you could just decide one day that you were cured. Tracy very well might have it for the rest of her life. It would kill me if she ever hurt herself. I know myself; I would think of everything I might have done to prevent it, or how it was all my fault.
The obvious conclusion was that Tracy needed to be in the �friends zone.�
Pam Bell. Let me just put this out there so I don�t ignore it: she�s the mother of our son. That right there trumps all other people on my list. If Pam asked, I would marry her tomorrow.
With that aside, Pam was my sweet, innocent, and na�ve California surfer girl. I just loved how she looked at the world with wide-eyed wonder. I just wanted to wrap her up in my arms and hold her close. She made me feel like her big protector, and that�s something my personality seemed to need. I was the fixer who rode in on my white horse to save the day.
I had no doubt that Pam would be in my life until I died. The only problem was she wasn�t ready for a committed relationship, and I loved that she was able to tell me that. Maybe she was my �someday� girl.
If I was totally honest with myself, I would have to say it would come down to one of Brook Davis, Halle James, or Zoe Pearson.
Brook Davis. She was my go-to girl for adventure. She pushed me to do things I would love, but needed a little nudge to do. I was looking forward to learning to fly with her this fall. Her passion for politics set Brook apart from all the other girls. While it wasn�t in my immediate plans, my grandmother was grooming me to follow in my grandfather�s footsteps.
Two other factors made Brook appealing: she had money and she could stand up to the limelight. Those were two things that people don�t really get unless they live it. I still thought Teddy Wesleyan was a jerk in the way he protected himself, but I understood him better.
Clearly, as I stepped further out on the national stage, the press would be a bigger issue. I could just imagine working with an attractive actress for several months. It would take a strong, confident woman to understand that what she might read in the press wasn�t reality. I was sure Brook could handle that.
Brook also understood business. I was starting to find that was going to be something I needed to learn.
On top of that, I really liked her. I felt better when I was around her, and her energy helped revitalize me.
Halle James. First of all, she was gorgeous. She was Rita James�s daughter, after all. Halle appealed to my artistic side, be it movies, drawing, or dancing. I could envision us as a power couple in Hollywood. Setting Hollywood aside, Halle was probably different from me in a lot of ways.
She grew up in LA, and besides it being a big city, it had different attitudes than we had in the Midwest. Halle was much more aware of people, while I tended to be the last one to know when something was going on with someone. I contend that I always had Tami to tell me, so I never worried about it. Halle had to learn early on that some people will use you, so you have to be able to read their intentions. That didn�t mean she didn�t make friends and wouldn�t be someone I could fall deeper in love with. It just meant she took her time.
I�d noticed that in our relationship, she�d never pushed things. I expect it was partly because she was more cautious, but I believe it was also that she was confident. She knew we would be okay, so when I�d gone to live with her in LA, she didn�t throw herself at me. Halle must have known what would happen with me and girls in LA. She had the ability to step back and let it happen without making me feel like a complete heel.
Halle was also able to let me know I was important to her. I thought it was brave of her to fly to New York to come to see me after I�d wrapped up filming
I also knew that between her and her mom, I would learn a lot about the movie business. The money from that had been life-changing. I was smart enough to recognize that making movies was probably more than just an option�not that movies would decide my love life. Nonetheless, movie-making was an important part of my life, and Halle fit into that part nicely.
Zoe Pearson. She represented my small-town family values. She was a farm girl who loved animals, wasn�t afraid to work, was smart, cute, and had strong religious beliefs. Our Sundays were many times the highlight of my week. The simple tasks of working with the horses or doing chores on the farm reminded me of my roots.
Zoe just had an uncomplicated way about her that calmed me. With how crazy my life could get, that outweighed a lot of other considerations. I also didn�t feel like I needed to hide my religious beliefs when I was with her. Neither Brook nor Halle was religious. While I realized they didn�t have an issue with my beliefs, it was something to consider.
I liked that Zoe wasn�t afraid to speak her mind. She had been the only one to flat-out tell me she wanted the position as my girlfriend.
Zoe was also adventurous behind closed doors. If we went out, we could work on her bucket list. I knew Mr. Happy did a little too much of my thinking, but he was all for that. In this case, the big brain was on board as well.
Cassidy Hope. I couldn�t forget my little ninja. But I just felt that for now, we needed to be friends. I suspected that if we ever moved past that, I wouldn�t look back.
Tami Glade. �Someday.�
I thanked my waitress and signed my check. I had a lot to consider.
◊◊◊
Mountain biking was the perfect activity for me today. The whole team decided to go. They gave us a discount because so many of us were renting bikes.
�How does this work?� I asked.
�You ever ride a bike?� Allard asked.
�I have that down, but look at that,� I said, pointing at the hill.
The beginning leg of the trip looked like it went right down the side of the mountain.
�You�re the Captain. You go first,� Yuri said.
�If you die, we�ll reconsider it,� Allard added.
I was used to riding my ten-speed on mostly flat city streets. This was a whole different kettle of fish. Yet I�d survived motocross. How hard could this be?
I was getting psyched up when out of the blue, a ten-year-old girl rocketed past me down the hill. Well, I felt a little foolish�until she wiped out spectacularly. Maybe not so foolish after all. Then she popped up and just got back on. Yeah, right � how hard could this be?
I pointed the nose of the bike down the hill and began to pedal. Gravity is a wonderful thing. I must have been doing Mach 1 before I was halfway down the first section. Well, I learned a valuable lesson: you didn�t want to actually sit on the seat as you were going that fast, pounding over uneven ground. I was almost positive that my days of fathering children were over. I hoped Coby would be happy being an only child.
When I sort of came to a stop at the bottom, I rolled off and curled up into a little ball.
�What�s wrong?� Allard asked, worried, when he finally joined me, followed by Paul, my security for the day.
�Just go on. I�ll just lie here and die,� I moaned.
�Yep. Capitan Cojones,� Phil said, and he laughed as he left me.
�Come on. Walk it off,� Yuri said, thinking he was being helpful.
I growled at him.
◊◊◊
We had a fun time. Once I learned to keep the twins safe, I was tearing down the mountainside with abandon. What I loved about mountain biking was you could go just about anywhere. It was much more fun than the fell running I�d done in the UK. There were some spots where I had to carry my bike up a steep hill, but the reward was you soon were flying down another one.
What made the trip was the views. You would be under a canopy of trees and then break out and see the city below.
I was glad I�d gotten to experience this. It was an excellent way to get my mind off baseball and the other matters that had been weighing me down. Tomorrow I would worry about all that. We would play Mexico in pool play and then Cuba in the Gold Medal game. I felt good with what we�d accomplished to this point. All we had to do was finish.
◊◊◊
Chapter 36 � I�m All Atingle Friday August 19
�You ready to learn something today?� Coach Way asked.
He and I were in center field, and Coach Short was hitting balls to me.
�Of course,� I said with a sideways look.
�Here�s something I bet no one has ever told you,� he said, ready to lay some wisdom on me. �Have you ever been unsure whether a line-drive ball will drop in front of you?�
There were times when that could be tricky. I just nodded in response.
�Use the bill of your cap to help judge it. If the ball�s below the bill of your cap, it isn�t going to be hit over your head. If you see that it�s below the bill, your first step doesn�t have to be back to give yourself room to field it. You can square up and either hold your ground or charge it if it drops.�
As stupid as that sounded, it made sense.
�Okay, wise one. Give me another pearl of wisdom.�
�I�m glad you realize I�m the teacher here,� he said. �As an outfielder, you have to realize you�re the last line of defense. That means you never want to let a ball get behind you. Your first step when a fly ball is hit should always be back to get you moving. If you see it�s off to the side or in front of you, you can always adjust.�
I liked that Coach Way didn�t just assume we knew everything. His little coaching tips always reinforced what we�d learned over the years. It just reminded me that baseball was a simple game, and his little tips would make you a better player. I liked our time together.
He gave me a few more and then sent me in for my batting practice so he might share his words of wisdom with his next victim.
Tonight�s game was against our host country, Mexico. There were basically three tiers of teams at this point. USA and Cuba were in the top tier, as we�d already locked up the Gold Medal Game. The second tier was Nicaragua and Mexico. From what I�d seen and read, they were on equal footing. I expected they would fight it out for third and fourth place. Then there was everyone else.
From watching practice, I had a bad feeling that Mexico might catch us tonight. All the backups were starting and excited to play, but it somehow seemed that Mexico wanted this more than we did. The game would be broadcast live across the country, and I was sure they would want to give us their best game. More than once, I�d been the underdog in football, and knew it was a powerful motivator. Even though everyone seemed to be saying the right things, I was just afraid that they didn�t believe that Mexico was capable of beating us. I sure hoped they were right.
◊◊◊
I appreciated that the coaches said that those who wanted to could stay and practice football. It gave my Lincoln teammates people to practice against. The guy who had taken a giant step forward was my half brother Phil. Last year, he�d assumed that everything would be handed to him because he was related to me. At some point, the light had switched on, and he realized that he had to work to be good.
I believe the smartest move the boosters had made was to hire Connor Fletcher, our outside strength and conditioning trainer. Connor had transformed my teammates� bodies. While Cassidy had helped them become lean and flexible, Connor had added strength and explosiveness. I�d noticed the difference when we�d gone skins versus shirts the other day. Yuri, Roc, and Phil had much better muscle definition than my baseball teammates. Usually, that wouldn�t have surprised me, because most baseball players don�t work that hard in the weight room. These guys who�d made the USA team were different; they�d worked their tails off. My only conclusion was that the difference was Connor.
The Greene twins, Logan and Royce, both played defensive back at their high school. In fact, Logan had been offered a scholarship to Western Kentucky. He was holding out because he wanted his brother to go to college and play ball with him too. Royce had received a baseball scholarship, but like his brother, he wanted to play football as well.
The reason I mention the Greene twins was that they were both going to be seniors in high school and played football at a high level. Roc and Phil would both be sophomores, and they were dominating the twins. Granted, Roc had a couple inches on them, but Phil was an inch shorter. It put a smile on my face when my guys would simply outmuscle the older boys and then outjump them. Roc was taking to the fade routes we were learning. He relished fighting for a reception and was getting good at causing the defensive back to lose his rhythm when he bumped them.
There was a lot of me in Phil. He liked the contact and wasn�t afraid to mix it up with the older boys. I couldn�t wait to see him in pads. I had a feeling he would surprise some people.
Roc hadn�t slacked off, either. Yuri told me Roc had claimed one of our JUGS machines as his own and used it regularly to catch balls. The results of his efforts were showing up in our practices. Bill Callaway, who now played at USC, had the best hands I�d ever seen. He was one of those rare players who made the people around him look better. I can attest to that because I�d thrown him footballs for two years. He rarely dropped a pass. Roc was quickly catching up to Bill in that regard.
During our practices, Roc was my go-to guy for deep balls. It was almost like when I played Madden Football and pulled out Jerry Rice. You just sent him deep and threw him the ball. Alan and Jeff had banned me from picking him after I�d dominated the video game for a few weeks.
Yuri, my little Russian thug, had also improved. I guess I shouldn�t call him that because he was scared of Pam. You couldn�t be a tough guy and be afraid of a girl, even if she carried a Taser. Yuri would be a beast when it came to coverage from the linebacker slot. In most cases, he would either be matched up with a running back or tight end. He more than held his own against Phil and Roc. If he didn�t have hands of stone, I would have begged to have him play offense. Phil and Roc couldn�t outmuscle or outjump him. And on top of that, Yuri was almost as fast as they were.
The reason I loved to have them practice against him was that they couldn�t cheat. They had to run precise routes and trust that I would get them the ball where it was supposed to be. Otherwise, Yuri would either swat it away or knock it loose as they came down with it. It was good that they were friends, or we might have had some problems. When they went head-to-head, tempers would flare because they were competitive.
As we practiced, I felt the rust coming off my football skills. While I�d been good enough to beat out the guys who�d participated in Elite 11 at the Michigan camp, I never thought I was at my best. That was something they�d taught us at Elite 11: the competition wasn�t against the other campers, it was against yourself.
Yes, my inner Alpha Male wanted to take on all challengers and show dominance. I was self-aware enough to admit that. But once the Alpha Male in me was satisfied, I tended to ignore the competition and focus on myself. I was a little afraid to think about what it would be like when I picked a college and stepped onto the field for the first practice. All I could think was that it would be interesting until I proved I was the best.
The part of me that loved contact couldn�t wait until it was time to put my pads on and hit somebody.
◊◊◊
When I got back to the hotel, I checked my phone and found there was a message from Saul to call him back.
�Saul Gessler�s office. How may I direct your call?� a woman�s voice answered.
�I�d like to speak to Saul, please. This is David A. Dawson, returning his call.�
�One moment.�
I was put on hold and had to listen to classical music. Maybe Saul thought this would make him seem more upper-crust.
�David! I have some news that will make your panties wet,� Saul said by way of a greeting.
When he talked like this, I knew he was about to unload a bunch of BS on me.
�I�m all atingle with anticipation,� I said in my fake ten-year-old excited voice.
�As you should be. I just got off the phone with Chubby Feldman about the James Bond movie. They aren�t waiting for Daniel Craig. It looks like they�ll end up signing him for a two-movie deal, but it won�t be for this one. They�ve hired Stewart Thatcher to play Bond,� Saul revealed.
Stewart had played Callum Ascot in
�They�ve changed who plays James Bond before, but I have to wonder, wouldn�t it be better if Daniel Craig was the lead?� I asked.
�I talked to Chubby, and he was fine with who they�ve cast. They planned to pay Craig $50 million. Without him, they can spend more on production and on other talent. Chubby hired Rita James to play your mother, and Mia Hilliard to be your Bond girl.�
Mia was the new Megan Fox, who�d been the love interest in the first two
I knew that Rita had been contacted, but I thought everything was still up in the air. I�d signed a placeholder contract because they weren�t sure if they were going to shoot the film. Daniel Craig had balked at signing because he currently had more money than God and wanted to spend time with his family. He had a son in grade school that he didn�t want to be apart from for the time it took to film one of these.
�Chubby sent over a contract to firm everything up. He asked that you remain at the same salary, but take two points on the back end. If it does anything like the last couple, that will double if not triple what you�re getting paid,� Saul said.
�What does Caryn say?� I asked.
Saul made a rude noise.
�You�re 18 now. You don�t need Caryn or her lackey Kent getting in the middle of this,� Saul said.
I�d forgotten that Kent was now my manager for everything associated with movies. Even so, I paid for a manager for a reason.
�Send it to Kent, and when I get his approval, we�ll sign the deal,� I told Saul, to throw him a bone.
�Fine. I just don�t need them sticking their noses into matters they don�t understand,� Saul said to show his displeasure.
The company he once owned had shown him the door. Still, after talking to me, Rita had decided to keep him as her agent. Someday I would have to get all the gory details on what had happened to cause them to push him out.
Saul had to be over-the-moon excited that he�d placed two of his clients in such a high-profile movie.
After I hung up, I walked over to Rita�s suite.
�Have you heard?� she asked as she opened the door.
�That you�re playing my mother?� I asked.
Even my little dig about her being old enough to be my mother couldn�t dampen her excitement. Trip and Halle caught it and rolled their eyes at me as I hugged a very happy Rita.
She invited me inside and sat me down.
�Tell me what you�re getting,� she ordered.
I knew that they tended to shortchange female cast, so I figured I would give her all the details. I even shared what they had offered to pay Daniel Craig and how Chubby planned to roll the savings into increased production costs and better talent.
Rita gave me a tight smile that I interpreted to mean she hadn�t gotten close to what I was offered.
�I need to go talk to my agent,� Rita decided.
�I still haven�t signed my contract. If you�d like, I�d be willing to enter joint negotiations,� I said.
She was taken aback.
�Thanks, but I don�t think that�ll be necessary. The studio has to know that Saul represents both of us. He should have told me what you just did to help me decide on my offer. Plus, I don�t want you to ever make that offer to anyone again,� she said, scolding me.
�Rita, I won�t, but the offer stands. I consider you to be a mentor and almost family. I wouldn�t do this for anyone else,� I admitted.
We hugged, and I left so she could make her call. I ran off to find my parents and Caryn so she could get Kent on it.
◊◊◊
When I finally made it back to my room, I received a call from Jeff Delahey.
�I got a strange request. My parent company wants me to interview you and Rita James. It was just announced that the two of you will be in the next James Bond movie.�
I should have figured they would release that announcement. That meant I should expect press from the States to start showing up. Jeff and I agreed on a time and place. He then sheepishly asked if I would ask Rita. I just laughed at him, hung up, and dialed a number.
�Frank, it�s David. Something�s come up,� I started.
�Did you get caught with a dead hooker?� he asked.
We�d joked about that in the past. I contended that Fritz could make a dead hooker disappear. I think Frank just relished the payday he expected to help me fight it in the press.
�No, they just announced that Rita James and I will be in the new James Bond movie.�
Frank had me on the phone for the next thirty minutes, going over everything I knew. He planned to crank up his media team so he could control the narrative to my best advantage. He promised to have talking points to Rita and me before we met with Jeff.
After I got off the phone, I shook my head. It seemed like whenever one of my activities wound down, one or two of the others would make their presence known.
◊◊◊
I had a big grin on my face when we sat down with Jeff. I�d heard him on more than one occasion rail against the fashion and entertainment reporters who showed up at sporting events to ask questions.
�Just shut up,� Jeff said, which confused Rita since I hadn�t said anything.
�We better hope they wrote down a bunch of questions for him, or this will be fun,� I said.
�What do you mean?� Rita asked.
�Jeff is a hard sports reporter. I bet the last movie he watched was
�Oh,� Rita said to me, and then turned to Jeff. �Did they give you a list of questions?�
�Yes.�
�Can I see them?� Rita asked.
She began to read them and shook her head.
�Let me help you,� she suggested, and he handed over his pencil so she could mark through the questions. She looked over what she�d done and then added a few more.
Rita even numbered them and marked each one with whom he should ask it of.
�Here, this should help.�
Jeff took them and read what she�d given him.
�Okay, this makes more sense. I think this�ll work,� Jeff agreed.
We did twelve minutes of interview. That later turned into ninety seconds on air, thirty of which was eaten up with Jeff introducing himself and another fifteen of us being introduced. Thankfully, they picked Rita�s response to one of his questions to air. All I had to do was sit there and smile. I wish all my interviews were that easy.
◊◊◊
Mom sent me a text saying the people from Busch Gardens were here. I gathered my parents, Cassidy, and Chuck, and we drove to the veterinarian who was keeping the tiger cubs for us. Someone had tipped Jeff off, and he had his camera crew there to film the handover.
�I bet you�re getting sick of seeing me,� Jeff said.
�For this � no. I�m just glad we found a home for them. I think my Lab, Duke, would have been worried if I brought them home.�
Mom and Cassidy had already gone in to love-up their namesakes. I came in to find the two of them putting ribbons in the cubs� hair. The cubs put up with it, and I had to shake my head at how cute they looked. It was hard to believe that they would grow up into such big cats.
The vet came out and handed me a bill. I just got my debit card out and paid it.
We were soon joined by people from Busch Gardens, the US Fish and Wildlife official, and someone from the Mexican government. They made a big deal of making sure I wasn�t selling the cubs to the park. I had to certify that they were being donated.
Jeff captured the exchange. Mom and Cassidy handed over their little bundles, and the cubs made loud �rah� roars as if they knew what was happening. Poor Cassidy had played tour guide and spent the most time with the cubs. She had tears running down her face as she handed hers over. I think my mom was there to make sure I didn�t back out of it.
When the cubs were loaded into pet carriers, a woman from Busch Gardens pulled me aside.
�Thank you for donating the tigers,� she said and handed me a legal-sized envelope. �Inside, you�ll find direct contact information so you can get updates on the girls. Busch Gardens can�t pay you anything, but as a show of our appreciation, you�ll find inside lifetime VIP passes for access to the park. I hope you take advantage of them. If you let us know ahead of time that you�re coming, we�ll get you behind-the-scenes access.�
�Do you know what type of tiger they are?� I asked.
�They�re Siberian or Amur tigers. The last census that was done estimates there are only 360 of them left in the wild. Stumbling upon two healthy females is a great find. We�ll do everything we can to make sure they�re well taken care of.�
As they drove off, I pulled Cassidy to me and gave her a hug.
�I promise we�ll go see them,� I assured her.
She gave me a fierce hug back, and the ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. I was glad she�d spent time with them.
◊◊◊
Tonight�s game against Mexico rated the better stadium, and the game had been sold out for several weeks before the tournament. Caryn had come through by wrangling tickets for all my security, family, and friends who were still here. Team USA had an allotment of tickets, and we made sure that the families of boys playing tonight got them. The other families understood.
They�d also moved the game back an hour so it would be shown in prime time across Central and South America. The only places it was being shown in the States were on a couple Spanish-speaking stations that carried programming from south of the border. I admit it, I did watch some of the
We were up first, and right from the start, it was clear we were facing their best pitcher. He mowed us down with three strikeouts. Luke started for us, and they put a run across in the first inning. The score stayed 1�0 until the top of the third when we hit a solo home run to tie the game.
In the bottom of the third, they loaded the bases. Coach Kingwood had seen enough and brought in Daz to do his job as our middle reliever. He gave up a run on a fielder�s choice but struck out the next two batters to get us out of the inning.
Coach Kingwood looked down the bench, and his eyes locked on me.
�Go warm up. If Daz gets into trouble, I may want to use you. I want to save our best for Cuba,� he said.
I jogged out to the bullpen with that ringing endorsement bouncing around in my head. Patrick was in the bullpen and smiled when he saw they�d sent me out.
�They must really be in trouble if they think you can help,� he teased.
�I heard that Coach liked what he saw from your replacement. He�s thinking of starting him in the Gold Medal Game,� I shot back.
�I might believe you if he gets a hit,� he complained.
Patrick was one of our bats at the bottom of the order that couldn�t seem to get it going.
�I know there isn�t much time, but if you want, we can go to the batting cage for the next three days. We�ll see if we can figure it out,� I offered.
�At this point, I would try anything.�
I loosened up. In the bottom of the eighth, Daz was tiring. I looked at Patrick, and we decided I needed to get serious about getting ready. Daz got lucky, and his defense saved him with the first batter, but he promptly walked the second. Coach Kingwood trotted out to the mound. Since I was the only one warming up, I figured he wanted me to come into the game.
The stadium began playing music over the PA system. At first, I couldn�t figure out what it was from, but it sounded familiar. I couldn�t understand why the crowd stood up and began clapping. Then the light bulb came on: they were playing the theme song to James Bond. When I got to the mound, I stopped and then dropped into the pose that was shown at the beginning of the movies. That�s the one where they have a shadow of James Bond pointing his gun at a bad guy.
�What the heck are you doing?� Coach Kingwood asked.
�Bond, Ian Bond,� I said, taking the ball.
Coach Kingwood trudged back to the dugout, talking to himself. Something about this not being worth it.
I ignored his hating on me and took a moment to take in all my peeps cheering for me. I took off my cap and bowed. Apparently, the umpire wasn�t a fan.
�It looks like you�re ready. Play ball!�
Well, shit! I should have toned down the dramatics and thrown a few from the mound to get used to it.
I took a moment to collect myself. Daz mainly used the fastball and changeup, so I decided to break out my new curveball. I had to shake off my catcher five times before he called it, making me feel like a total rookie on the mound. I dug my fingernail into the seam of the ball and snapped off my curve. The batter thought it was a high weak fastball and watched as it dropped in for a strike. Next, I threw my split-finger fastball that had more speed, but still had some break to it. I struck him out with a changeup that I threw high in the zone.
I channeled the older Cuban pitcher I�d faced. That man had me tied in knots. His only weakness was he didn�t have much of a fastball anymore. While mine wasn�t the best one here, it was fast enough that you had to respect it. That was what the next batter found out as he guessed curve and I uncorked the heat.
I was up fifth in the top of the ninth. Unfortunately, I never got a shot to either even the score or win the game. We lost 2�1, to the delight of the home team. The Mexican team acted like they�d won the World Series. Well, they could claim that they were the only team to beat us. We waited for them to calm down and then did the whole handshake bit. I was reminded that it sort of sucked being the loser.
After the game, we met with Coach Kingwood in the locker room.
�We got that one out of our system. I don�t think I have to remind you what Monday�s game is all about.
�We�re giving you tomorrow off. I understand that David will probably come in for batting practice. If you want to join him, we can use the facilities in the morning. Sunday is a family day. I�ve talked to your parents, and they have activities planned. Then Monday will be a game day. Practice in the morning and the game at night.
�I just wanted to take a moment and say I�m proud of you all. I might not get a chance to talk to you after we win Monday night. It has been an honor and a joy to get to know each one of you. I�m sure that you will all go on to better things, and I hope that you look back on this journey with fond memories. I know I will.
�The tradition is that ice cream is for winners. Well, I consider you all winners,� he said as Yuri, Roc, and Phil carried out trays of ice cream bars.
That took the sting out of losing.
◊◊◊
Coach Kingwood pulled me aside after my shower.
�I wanted to tell you it has been a pleasure being your coach.�
�Thanks. I�ve had a fun time. I still can�t believe I made the team.�
�You had the perfect attitude and showed a lot of leadership. You�re exactly the kind of guy I want leading my teams. I wish you sucked a little because I could use you at my junior college,� Coach Kingwood said.
�If my plans don�t work out, I might take you up on that.�
�I wanted to give you one piece of news. You�ve been named to the preseason high school All-American Team by Baseball America. The Greene twins and Patrick made the first team with you. Allard and Austin made the second team.�
�I guess that means I�m good enough to make a living playing baseball,� I said.
�Yes. From what I heard, you might be a first-round draft pick out of high school,� Coach Kingwood assured me.
Could I really play the game I loved professionally? It would seem I would have a tough decision when the time came. For now, I would see how it all played out. All it would take would be an injury, and I would have to look at my plans differently. There was no sense in deciding now.
◊◊◊ Saturday August 20
I got up and went to breakfast. My favorite waitress waited on me and introduced me to a new dish, Mexican frittata. I personally liked frittatas. You could put a lot of leftovers into one and make either dinner or breakfast. They made theirs with chorizo, potatoes, tomatoes, scallions, black olives, fresh jalape�o, and pepper jack cheese, topped with a black bean and corn relish.
I�d loved the dishes Rosy had introduced me to when I stayed in LA with Halle, but this just seemed to be better. My waitress confided in me that the cook had found out the meals were for me. She had gone off the menu and prepared it like it was done at home.
◊◊◊
Batting practice found all the starters waiting for turns. The backups were coming in this afternoon. It was good to see my teammates put in the work. I spent a few minutes with each of them and just reminded them of their fundamentals and offered encouragement. There wasn�t much I could do for them with only a couple days left before we played Cuba.
Most of what they needed was to know they were okay. None of the guys in the five through nine slots in the order had any genuine issues with their swing. It was just the simple fact that we had only played seven games, six of which they had batted in. On average, they�d been up to the plate twenty times. We�d all been through slumps longer than twenty at-bats.
It could swing the other way too. My personal batting average was a gaudy .675. All my teammates in the one through four slots were hitting over .500. When you had a short window, your average could easily be skewed. I made it a point to remind everyone of that fact. I did mention that my average was probably about right. Sometimes it�s good that I have security with me.
◊◊◊
I was caught entirely off guard when I found Mia Hilliard and Stewart Thatcher in the lobby with Rita James.
�Go take a shower and put on something decent. The studio has arranged a mini press junket,� Rita explained.
When I got to my room, I found Halle sitting on my bed, waiting for me.
�You be careful of Mia. She looks like trouble,� she announced.
I blinked at her a couple of times and shook my head as I got undressed to take a shower.
�Pick out an outfit that looks like something a young James Bond would wear,� I said over my shoulder.
I caught Halle inspecting my naked bottom. She was such a bad girl. I had to turn the shower on cold to keep Mr. Happy from making an appearance.
When I came out, she�d found my black Dakora jacket with red trim and a skinny red tie to wear with it. I smiled when I noticed my new oxblood-red leather tennis shoes matched the color of the trim and tie.
Halle giggled when I preened like James Bond does in his movies. He was always �dressed to kill,� so to speak.
�I had to do some research for the role,� I said to defend myself.
Frank had told me that he�d dug up a study that showed 98% of women loved James Bond. 95.7% of those had erotic dreams involving him. Those were the kind of numbers I was looking for in this role.
Some was knocking at the door. I found Frank waiting for me.
�I guess this must be a big deal if you showed up,� I said.
He gave me a quick inspection and decided I looked okay.
�Here, read these,� he said, handing me my talking points. �The studio decided to move quickly and start the PR machine, now that the cast is set. They caught me flat-footed when they told me they were sending out Mia and Stewart to kick everything off. They�ve set up interviews with
During the interview, Rita took the lion�s share of the questions. I had no problem with that because let�s be real here, she
Mia Hilliard. What can I say about her? She was the up-and-coming female action star. In her previous movies, she�d been paired with a nerd or wimpy kind of guy. It left you scratching your head, wondering how the heck the guy could have gotten that girl. It very much reminded me of
I caught Mia glancing at me. I almost burst out laughing when the girl from
�So, I take it you think David�s okay?� she asked.
�I � uh � yeah. When I got the part, I was excited that I would be teamed up with him. I can�t wait to see what kind of magic we can make,� she said for the save.
�Are you talking about on screen?�
Even Rita, who�s pretty much unflappable, let out a chuckle when Mia turned beet red.
�That�s not what I meant,� Mia said and then turned to see me with my eyebrows raised. �Sorry, I just got lucky � crud. Did I just say that?�
�This is good. I�m sure our readers want to hear all about that,� the reporter said, to all our amusement.
�Okay, I admit it. I have a little crush on him. Of course, now he�ll run from me because he just realized that his costar is a stalker,� she said, and then relaxed. �It�s a bit liberating to get that off my chest.�
�As long as you�re happy,� I said.
�I can hardly wait to see these two on set,� Stewart added.
�I think I�ll have to let my daughter know that Mia has designs on her boyfriend,� Rita said.
�Maybe I should date them both,� I shot back.
Mia was a good sport about it. I was impressed when she pulled the same shtick for the other interviews. It was a lesson on how good an actress she really was. I totally believed it each time Mia revealed that she had a crush on me. I had a feeling the tabloids would eat this up. They loved nothing more than a male celebrity stepping out on his girlfriend. The sad part was they didn�t really judge him for his poor behavior. The girl was just his latest conquest, as if that were normal.
◊◊◊
Rita invited Mia and Stewart to dinner. I was getting ready when my dad called me.
�Hey, your mom wants to know what she should wear for dinner,� Dad said.
I pulled the phone from my ear and looked at my caller ID to make sure it was my dad on the other end of the line.
�You�re asking me because ��
�Rumor has it you�re a model,� Dad clarified.
�Are you eating with me?� I asked.
�Yes, David. Rita called and asked that we join her for dinner with your other castmates. So, again, what should she wear?�
�Mom should go with that red dress she brought, and I would suggest that she pick comfortable heels. If we go dancing afterward, she will kill you when her feet start to hurt,� I told him. �Oh, and Dad: sport coat with no tie.�
�T-shirt?�
�No, that�s something someone my age can get away with. Wear your Oxford, and you can�t go wrong.�
I hung up on him and wondered when I started to be the person people called about what to wear. I remembered when Cindy and my mom had labeled my clothes so I didn�t mix plaids with stripes.
◊◊◊
The dinner was nice. Stewart recounted stories about me on the set of
Mia shared what it was like to work with Chubby Feldman. She�d done two movies with him and was excited to do a third.
�This is what I know about Chubby. There are a select few directors who virtually every studio has on their short list whenever a blockbuster goes into production. These are the directors whose creative visions are unparalleled by most of Hollywood. All it takes is a quick look at the people responsible for the majority of the biggest films coming up. If you list them, you�ll see that Hollywood is being dominated by a select few. And Chubby Feldman is at the top of the action-film category.
�What I love about him is he knows what he has to get on film so it can go to postproduction and they can do their magic. That�s a lot harder than you think. Chubby has an eye for it, though. He is super-easy to work with. He lets you do your bit and then will point out something, and the next thing you know, the scene is ten times better,� Mia said, getting excited.
�After the last film David and I did, he sounds like a dream. I was ready to walk several times,� Stewart said.
�I never realized that,� I admitted. �It seemed like Laurent was focused on me.�
�I think you were his personal whipping boy. I figured you had enough on your plate that you didn�t need to hear me make the same complaints,� Stewart said.
�What was it like doing a James Bond movie?� Mia asked Rita.
�Something you can count on is they won�t rush, and they�ll do it right. It was one of the best experiences I�ve had making a film. I am happy to do another one, even though they cast me as an old woman,� Rita said.
Halle grabbed my leg under the table to warn me off making any comment.
Over dinner, Halle and I seemed to block everyone else out and talk. Nothing earth-shattering; we just enjoyed each other�s company. Trip and Mia seemed to get along, while my parents got to know Stewart with Rita�s help.
It looked like we would all work well together. There was no drama, and if Chubby was as easy to work with as Mia reported, then I couldn�t wait to get started.
◊◊◊
Chapter 37 � Gold Medal Game Sunday August 21
After breakfast, I gathered my Lincoln teammates, and we ran around in shorts and t-shirts doing football drills. It was enough to get the blood flowing and allow us to say we�d practiced.
Zoe found us and informed us she�d discovered a place where we could go horseback riding. Phil and Yuri had been learning to ride this summer while they hung out at the Pearson farm. We were taken to a ranch at the base of the mountains where they had trail horses.
It was funny as they explained to us how to ride. Well, not us, really, but Zoe and Roc, who�d grown up riding. They required that we go with a group led by one of the hands. The horses were used to the drill and pretty much did what they wanted to. They had a routine, and the humans riding them could just lump it if they didn�t like it.
It reminded me of when I was little, and we went to a farm that had a petting zoo and pony rides. They put you in the saddle, and then a girl would lead you around. This time, my horse simply followed the one in front of it. Zoe was plainly irritated, but I think she realized that this was better than sitting around the hotel. At least these I didn�t have to feed and clean up after we got back.
◊◊◊
I spent the afternoon with Brook. I was surprised when she took me to a museum that featured Chihuly glass. Their creator, Dale Chihuly, was an American blown-glass artist; some of his pieces might be considered glass sculpture. He had a worldwide reputation, and his works were on display in museums around the world. They happened to have an exhibit of his works.
�I thought you might like this,� Brook said.
�I didn�t realize you were into this artsy stuff.�
�A girl can have more than one interest. My grandmother has an extensive art collection. She has a Chihuly chandelier in the grand entranceway to her house.�
I fell in love with a piece called
It was nice to see another side of Brook. I knew she had a creative streak because of her fashion sense. She just didn�t seem to show it much when we were together. Our thing had always been the adrenaline rushes and finding the next fun adventure to go on. There was more to Brook than met the eye.
That was a good lesson for me to learn. I�d been thinking about my potential girlfriends and putting them into neat little categories. If you�d asked me who would be most likely to go with me to a museum, I would have said Halle without a second thought. I would bet that Zoe, Pam, Tracy, and Beth would all enjoy seeing this.
◊◊◊
In my mind, I�d narrowed the girlfriend sweepstakes down to Brook, Halle, and Zoe. Thinking about it any more wasn�t going to solve anything for me, so I decided to take Pam, Tracy, and Beth out to dinner. I didn�t want to make it a hassle for my security people, so I made reservations at the better restaurant in the hotel.
Beth was the last one to join us for dinner, and when she saw who was there, her shoulders slumped. I gave her a curious look.
�You should have been a dick and just sent me a text,� she complained.
�Dick about what?� Pam asked.
�That we didn�t get picked as his girlfriend,� Cassidy said as she grabbed a chair from another table and joined us.
�I was never considered,� Tracy said.
�You were. I made David consider you,� Pam said.
�Hang on. This isn�t a consolation dinner,� I objected.
�Which one of us is in the running?� Beth asked.
I wouldn�t meet her eye.
�You really considered me?� Tracy asked, stunned.
�And you were found wanting,� Pam teased.
�Like you had a chance,� Tracy said to her best friend.
�Da-vid,� Pam said in a sing-song voice. �Would you marry me if I asked?�
�Yes, Pam,� I said dutifully.
Pam stuck her tongue out at Tracy.
�Please. He knows you�re not serious,� she said to Pam, and then turned to me. �I thought we never had a chance for more than friends.�
�Tracy, if you want to talk about this, we can do it after dinner. That goes for all of you,� I said.
�David gave away my tigers,� Cassidy pouted.
I now understood my mom and dad and their sudden onset of migraines. It took a few minutes, but I appreciated that Cassidy had helped change the subject. It segued from me being a dick and dumping all of them to me being a dick and giving away Cassidy�s tiger cubs. I wondered at what point they became hers. Probably best that I not go down that rabbit hole.
I was also grateful that Beth had brought up what the dinner was about because I hadn�t quite figured out how I was going to bring up that topic. I expect they all had realized that they might not get picked. The �consolation� was that at some time down the road, that might change.
We did have an enjoyable conversation about school. This year, Beth would start to get into the meat of her curriculum to get her pharmacy degree. Tracy surprised me when she announced that she had been accepted at State in their journalism program. She planned to take core classes for the spring semester and then figure out what she would do from there.
Pam announced that she�d applied to UCLA, USC, Pepperdine, and San Diego State. I believe that surprised Tracy more than it did me. It looked like they would have a conversation right after dinner. Guess that let me off the hook for talking to Tracy.
�I�m joining the Marine Corps,� Cassidy announced.
�No, you�re not,� I said, and received a scowl in return. �You�re going to be my security and personal trainer. While you�re doing that, you�re going to get your degree. Once you�ve completed your degree, then we�ll talk about the Marines.�
�But ��
I held up my hand.
�This isn�t up for discussion,� I said, shocking everyone.
Beth looked to be about to jump to Cassidy�s defense until I raised an eyebrow.
◊◊◊
After dinner, I asked Cassidy to go for a walk with me.
�You do realize your dad and I only want what�s best for you. You have a ton of potential and show a lot of leadership skill. I�m sure you would make a terrific officer in the Marine Corps.�
�When did you get so bossy?�
�When I began to care about you,� I said, stopping so I could turn and look her in the eyes. �We talked about this. Going in as an officer is your best route. To do that, you have to get your degree.
�I�m not saying not to join when the time comes. If that�s what you want to do, I support you. I�m just saying do it right.�
�You can�t stop me.�
�You�re right, I can�t. If I decide to do something, you can�t stop me, either, but if you talked to me, I would consider what you said. You could probably convince me if it made sense,� I tried.
�I could always just hurt you.�
�Yes, yes, you could.�
�Okay, fine. You win,� Cassidy said, throwing her hands up.
�You know this is for the best. I�m not just being bossy.�
�It�s okay if you are. I like that you care enough to stop me from doing something wrong. Most people aren�t such good friends,� she said and then took my hand.
�So, David. Why didn�t you pick me as your girlfriend?�
�Because you really don�t want me to. You and I have too good a thing going to mess it up,� I said.
�I hadn�t thought of that,� she said and considered it. �Okay.�
�Okay?� I asked, not believing she would be so easy to convince.
�Yeah. I trust you to make a good decision. But know if you don�t pick Brook, I might have to hurt you.�
�I�m sure she appreciates that you would do that for her.�
She just giggled. It completely ruined her badass persona.
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When I came back, I found Nicki and his men in the lobby with their bags.
�You taking off?� I asked.
�Yes. Fritz has everything under control. Pia talked to some people down here, and they now know to leave you and yours alone. You should be fine from here on out.�
�Thanks. I�ll be sure to call Pia and thank her and Tony. I really appreciate your help. We all felt much safer knowing you were here,� I said, shaking his hand.
�I had a good time. If I were at home, I�d be sitting around listening to my wife complain and eating too much of her pasta. I would�ve missed out on tiger cubs and a bar fight. I haven�t been in one of those for at least ten years. It brought back good memories,� he said.
�I wouldn�t expect Tony to get into many bar fights,� I observed.
�No, he�s a good kid, for the most part. When he gets into trouble, it�s a little more serious,� Nicki said cryptically.
We said our goodbyes, and I thanked each of the men who�d accompanied Nicki. They seemed a little uncomfortable with my addressing them directly, but that was just me being me.
When I got back to my room, I called Pia and thanked her. She conveyed Tony�s greeting and that he said he still owed me. I wasn�t sure what to think about that, but I would rather have Tony happy with me than not. I had a feeling he wasn�t someone I ever wanted to cross.
◊◊◊ Monday August 22
Today was the day. The Gold Medal Game for the COPABE Pan Am �AAA� Championships. In the afternoon game, Mexico had won the Bronze Medal by beating Nicaragua 4�0. Even before that game, we now knew which teams would advance to next year�s WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, Canada. That was considered the World Championship of U-18 Baseball.
The Team USA people showed us the list of teams that had qualified so far. From the Americas, there was number 2 United States, number 5 Cuba, number 6 Canada, number 8 Mexico, and number 18 Nicaragua. Asia was sending number 1 Japan, number 3 Korea, and number 4 Chinese Taipei. Finally, Europe was represented by number 9 Italy and number 10 Netherlands. Of the ten teams qualified to this point, nine of them were ranked in the top ten in the world. The Americas had produced the last two winners.
It was nice to know that we�d given next year�s team a leg up, but we still had a game to play. During warm-ups, I took a moment to reflect on baseball this year. It all started with making the movie in December and the opportunity I received to work with a batting coach. Dad was always saying that you never knew where the next opportunity would come from. That was why he had us work a room whenever we got the chance.
I thought our high school season had gone well. We�d gone deeper into the state tournament than we did last year. I suspect if we hadn�t had all our skill players playing seven-on-seven football, we might have done more. I was sure the seniors would go out for baseball this year. It�s possible we would put together a season that would make Moose happy.
I�d come into the Team USA competition without many expectations. I simply wanted to see how I would stack up against the best baseball had to offer. Making Team USA and being named captain had put those worries to rest.
It was appropriate that we would be facing Cuba tonight. Their pitcher was the kid I�d recommended to the Cubs. If he played like I thought he could, we might have our hands full. We were giving the ball to Allard, our ace. I could see from his warm-ups that he was focused and would have a big game.
�You up to giving me a pregame interview?� Jeff asked.
�Why don�t you go bother someone else?� I teased him.
�Because I need your prediction.�
�This is going to go one of two ways. Either the kid from Cuba will step up and give us a game, or he�ll let the moment get the better of him. If he plays to his potential, I predict a close game where we win 2�1. Allard looks like he�s zeroed in, so they may not even score,� I said.
�If he�s not up to the task?�
�You mean the kid from Cuba?� I asked.
�Yes.�
�Then we win something like 7�1. If they get down by more than a couple runs, it�s over.�
�Why�s that?�
�We�ve already beaten them once. They have to have some early success, or they�ll realize what I already know,� I said with a pause and a big grin. �We�re the better team.�
�That�s what I love about you. You don�t lack for confidence,� Jeff said, and he let me finish getting ready.
◊◊◊
Cuba was up first, and Allard showed why he was our ace. He struck out the first two batters and got the third to hit a weak grounder to Mitch at shortstop.
I was up first in the bottom half of the inning. I tipped my hat to their pitcher to acknowledge that I remembered him and then got down to business. He threw me a curve that surprised me for a strike. He followed that with another curve that barely caught the strike zone. I smiled because I was sure he would try to get me to chase bad pitches. He threw a high fastball and another curve that missed badly. With the count 2�2, I expected something I could hit. On his next offering, he went to the curveball again. I got under it a little and hit a high, towering fly ball to left field.
He got both Mitch and Nick to hit infield grounders to get out of the inning.
Allard struck out their leadoff batter in the second inning and got the next two to hit first-pitch fastballs that ended up being easy outs. He was cruising.
Shane ended the Cuban pitcher�s dreams of a no-hitter with a single to left field. I don�t think anyone expected Royce to bunt. Clearly, Cuba didn�t, which allowed Royce to reach, giving us two base runners with no outs. Jared was up next and also laid down a bunt. This time Cuba was ready and threw Jared out at first. He�d done his job, though, because the other two moved into scoring position.
Tristan came up next. He was one of the guys I�d worked with over the weekend in the batting cage. The Cuban pitcher made a mistake on a fastball that ended up waist high over the middle of the plate. I thought he�d hit it out of the park, but the ball dropped at the last second and bounced off the wall. Tristan had a stand-up double that cleared the bases.
That play seemed to deflate the Cuban team. We proceeded to add another run to take a 3�0 lead. The Cuban manager pulled their starter at that point.
Allard ended up pitching seven innings, struck out 11, and walked three for the win. Daz came in and finished the game, putting down six straight. I hit a two-run homer in our half of the seventh to make the final score 6�0.
This time, when we got the last out, we weren�t restrained. We rushed the mound and were met there by our bench players and coaches. Our fans were on their feet, chanting �USA!� Yuri found me, gave me a hug, and handed me an American flag. I held it above my head as I bounced up and down and looked around to find our fans.
Coach Kingwood got us to calm down some so we could do the traditional handshake. I found Coach Conde in line and gave him a big hug.
�I just wanted to thank you for helping me get ready.�
�It was my pleasure. If you�re ever back in Cuba, look me up,� he said.
We had to keep the line moving, so I just shook his hand.
Afterward, they lined both teams up so we all could receive our medals. The president of the COPABE Pan Am �AAA� Championships gave each player their silver or gold medal. After we got them, he asked Coach Kingwood and me to join him on the mound. Someone handed him a microphone.
�I want to congratulate both Cuba and USA on a well-played game,� he said, and then paused for the crowd to settle down. �I would now like to present the MVP award for the tournament to David Dawson of Team USA.�
He handed me a plaque with my name engraved on it. I must have won the award before tonight�s game. The American flag was draped over my shoulder and my gold medal was around my neck as I raised the plaque over my head.
I paused for a moment to look around the stadium and take in the spectacle of nearly twenty-four thousand fans standing and cheering. I spotted my parents and saw my mom had tears running down her cheeks. Next to her were Beth, Tracy, and Pam. On the other side of my dad were Halle, Brook, and Zoe. They all had big smiles on their faces, and I waved to them to let them know I saw them.
At that moment, I knew. I knew who I would ask to be my girlfriend. As I looked into her smiling face, it all just fell into place. This was who I was meant to be with, and I couldn�t be happier.
◊◊◊
Next Book in The Series
Stupid Boy Box Sets (All available on kindleunlimited)
This volume includes the four books of the freshman year of the Stupid Boy series.
This volume includes the three books of the sophomore year of the Stupid Boy series.
Next box set in the series. This volume includes the four books of the senior year of the Stupid Boy series.
A Better Man (Continuation of Stupid Boy)
David has now entered college, and it hasn�t gone as planned.
It�s summertime and David makes plans for the upcoming season.
(Coming Soon!) Book 3
Are you ready for some football?
The Adventures of Jeremy Tucker
Jeremy Tucker thought he lived in the most boring town in the world. This quiet little town was about to change and all because he put an ad on craigslist.
Starbound by Magic
Sexy Warlocks + Paranormal Romance = Happily Ever After � Right?
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Notes from Author
The Stupid Boy and Better Man Series have hit a major milestone. These multi-award-winning series have surpassed 9 million downloads. I want to thank you for being a part of that.
Thank you for reading
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