Quarterback Sneak (17 page)

“Don’t bother. He’s your best friend. You think I don’t know that he would lie for you? Thanks for your help in biochem. I will see you around.” Galynn wrenched free of his grip and grabbed the doorknob.

“Are you fucking kidding me? This stupid bitch prints out an old picture and you eat it hook line and sinker?” He was angry now. Galynn had never seen Alceo truly pissed off, and she didn’t want to stick around for it.

“A photo tells a thousand words right? Well I didn’t need the thousand, just four. You cheated with Jasmine.”

Galynn left Alceo standing in the door of the bedroom calling her name. She pretended like she didn’t hear it as she began to wind her way through the party.

“Hey, wait up.” It was Will. “Everything cool?”

“Yep, I’m fine.” He gave her a strange look but nodded anyway.

“Good, because Jasmine would do anything to break you two up.” That gave her pause, but she didn’t stop to think about it.

“She didn’t have to do a thing. This was all Alceo. Hey, can I use your cell phone?”

Will pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Sure.”

“Thanks.” Galynn dialed the number from memory and listened to the ringing on the other side. It was late, she knew, but she hoped it wouldn’t be too late to get an answer.

“Hello?” The voice was groggy, as if they were just shaking off sleep.

“Mom, its me. I wanna come home.”

Chapter 9

The drive home had taken forever. One thing she had done right in the last few days, was to go to campus security and have them pry open her car door. After the party, she had run back to the dorm she had shared with Jasmine grabbed her spare key, a change of clothes, and headed for her car. As she drove, the frigid night air tangling her curls, Galynn liked to believe that she was doing the right thing.
At least it was fun while it lasted.

Pulling into her familiar neighborhood, and into her parent’s familiar driveway, Galynn could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She hadn’t been home in a while, partly because she had nothing to say to her mother, and partly because she just didn’t want to. Her relationship with her mother was tenuous at best, but she did miss her father. For a long time, her weekly calls with her father had been the only thing to get her through her lonely nights on campus. She was the first one of her family to go to college, and she never wanted to let them know how hard it was for her.

When she slipped her key into the front door, and stepped into the living room with one small bag on her shoulder her father’s voice greeted her.

“It’s about time.”

Her father was a big man. Six foot even, but his presence always seemed much larger than that. As a girl she could remember being terrified of his booming voice. Strangely enough, it was a voice that he never raised toward her. He was like a gentle giant, until you pissed him off.

“Hey Pops,” Galynn said with a smile in her voice. “Isn’t past your bedtime?”

Her father laughed. “Of course it’s past my bedtime. If you didn’t drive so slow, I would be asleep by now.”

Galynn dropped her things at the door and moved into the living room to give her father a hug. He stood when she got closer, and his arms enveloped her.

“You look nice. Is everything all right?”

Alan shook her head into her father’s chest. “No daddy it’s not. Where’s mommy?”

She’s upstairs.

“I was surprised when she answered the phone.”

“She still surprises me too, kiddo.”

Her father flopped down on the couch, and patted the cushion next to him. “Tell me what’s wrong, so we can get this all sorted out. I’m sure you have classes tomorrow, don’t you?”

“Dad, it’s almost four in the morning. I think this can wait until tomorrow.” Galynn loved her father with all her heart, but sometimes she could do without his directness.

“So, what do I care? I’ve got nothing to do tomorrow.” Her father had been retired for the better part of ten years already. To say that he missed working would be a lie, but while Galynn was still home, he filled his days keeping up with her. Now that she was out of the house, he had nothing to do but his crossword puzzles and go for breakfast with the guys. “Let me have it, I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think.”

“It’s about a boy.”

“Isn’t it always?” He said with a grin. “What happened?”

“I thought that he really liked me, and it turns out that he didn’t.” Galynn stared at her hands. When her father didn’t say anything, she looked up. He had a warm smile on his face. “Don’t look at me like that, I thought it was for real. Like the stuff movies and happily-ever-after’s are made of.”

“Honey,” he said as he patted her knee. “Do you remember Jacob Mills?”

Galynn nodded her head. How could she forget? She was four when she met Jacob. She was convinced that they were going to get married and have babies and do nothing but kiss all day. She smiled at the memory.

“Remember how, at the tender age of four and a half, you found him behind your play house in the back yard kissing Melissa George from down the street?” Galynn laughed and nodded her head again. “Remember how you thought the world was going to end?”

“Yea, until you told me to go kick him. That made me feel much better.” Galynn and her father sat on the couch at four in the morning laughing at the memory.

“Exactly.” Her father let out a heavy sigh. “The idea of happily ever after changes as you get older. When you were four, it was kissing Jacob. When I was younger, it was nice cars and a big house and a beautiful wife who I could share my life with. It was to be happy. As I got older, I had to adjust my ideas a little bit and be happy with the hand I was dealt and the choices I made.”

It was no secret her parents weren’t happy in their marriage. Neither of them spoke of it, but everyone knew, even her mother’s pet bird. It was pretty obvious. “My point is, if you love this guy, or think you love him, then give him some time. Guys are assholes. We don’t know what we’re doing. We tend to think with our dicks. If he can’t figure out that he’s an asshole and apologize, then fuck him. You don’t need that. Trust me. If I had listened to my father and realized that your mother was too much of an asshole to admit when she’s wrong, I could have saved myself and you a lot of heartache.”

“But I’m your favorite, most expensive mistake aren’t I?” Her father laughed and ruffled her hair.

“You know it kid. Now, go upstairs and tell your mother you’re here.”

“Dad,” Galynn whined.

“Go, you know it’s the right thing to do even if she won’t remember it in the morning. I love you. Now go.”

Galynn kissed her father on the cheek and trudged up the stairs and he disappeared into the basement. Her parents hadn’t slept in the same room in over three years. It still pained her to see her father suffering like this. He loved her mother; she just didn’t have the capacity to love him back. She only had room in her life for one love, and that was the bottle.

Galynn stood outside the door to her mother’s room and sighed. She hated talking to her mother, but her father was right. Just because her mother couldn’t get her shit together didn’t mean that she had to be a shitty daughter.

Galynn was thirteen when her mother let the story slip. She had met her father through a mutual friend. He had a nice car, looked good, and had an excellent job. Her mother hooked him with an unplanned pregnancy. Never one to run away from his responsibilities, her father did the only respectable thing he could do. He married her and made sure that his baby girl never wanted for anything. It always saddened Galynn to think about where she would be without her father constantly looking after her. He went to the PTA meetings, he went to her basketball games, and drove her around when she was younger. Her mother was never around.

“Mom?” Galynn said as she cracked the door. The smell of liquor hit her hard. She tried not to scrunch up her nose at the smell. “Mom, I’m home. I’m going to bed.”

“What time is it?” Her mother was slumped over in the bed.

“About 4:15 in the morning.”

“You’re not pregnant are you? Is that why you came home?”

“No, it’s not. I’m not pregnant.”

“Good,” her mother said squinting at her through the darkness. “You still need to loose weight.”

“Yep. Working on it.”

Her mother’s words rarely had any effect on her anymore, but tonight they brought tears to her eyes. “Good night, mom.”

--

The next few mornings progressed as she expected. Her father woke up at an ungodly hour to make coffee and fix himself breakfast, and her mother remained shut in her room. It was Saturday today, and it was a ritual for Galynn and her father to plant themselves in front of the television for college sports day, and of course, it was time for football.

“You’re school must be going nuts, ‘Lynn.” Her father commented as he motioned toward the television. The Celt football team was coming out of the tunnel.

“Yep, everyone is in love with the Celts,” she responded dryly.

“Why shouldn’t they be? They’ve got that kid Will, who is a monster. Have you seen the way that kid runs through defenders? And Russell, he puts the ball exactly where it needs to be. It’s amazing. Good hands, good eyes.”

Good hands is right.

Galynn smiled and nodded. She promised herself she wouldn’t spend this time at her parent’s house moping and thinking about Alceo. She tried, she really, really did, but this was just cruel. She couldn’t tell her father she didn’t want to watch his favorite football team play; he would know something was up. So, Galynn would just have to sit, grin and bear it.

She disappeared into the kitchen to grab her and her father a beer. Luckily, her mother didn’t drink beer, so there were still a few left in the fridge from the last time Galynn visited home. If she’d be forced to watch Alceo, she could at least be drunk for it.

Let the games begin.

Chapter 10

Alceo didn’t want to be here. This was the last game of the regular season. It wouldn’t matter one way or the other if they lost the game. The fans were cheering and his team was pumped, but he just couldn’t get himself there.

After Galynn left him standing alone in that bedroom, he gave her a few minutes then walked out to find her. He never did. He never should have waited. As soon as she walked away, he should have made her stay, and made her listen to him. Now it was too late. No one had seen her, no one had heard from her. It was as if she just disappeared.

Will sensed something was wrong and told him that she had used his cell phone to call someone before she left the party. It had to be her family, right? Alceo didn’t have the guts to call the number.

He showed Will the picture Jasmine had given to Galynn and Will smiled – he had a good time that night too, but Will confirmed what he had been trying to tell Galynn. The picture was taken about eight months ago, and to his surprise, Will pointed out that the lockers and the locker room walls were a completely different color than they are now. They painted the locker room more than three months ago.

“C’mon man, get your head in the game.” Alceo hadn’t even realized Will was standing next to him.

“I miss her,” Alceo responded as he pulled on his helmet. I didn’t think it would be this bad, but I really miss her, man.”

“Yea well, think about it after we win.” Alceo nodded his head and took the field.

He had to do something drastic.

--

Galynn couldn’t watch, and her father was going insane on the couch next to her. The first half had been murder. Never, had Galynn, or her father for that matter seen anything so terrible. Alceo had three interceptions, two fumbles, a safety, and two sacks because he wasn’t scrambling in the pocket. She felt herself cringing whenever Alceo got the ball. Luckily, it was half time and both her and her father could take a breather. Her father was red in the face from shouting at the television, and Galynn was thoroughly drunk.

As the players were filing off the field, Heather Cox, an ESPN correspondent, grabbed Alceo. Galynn watched as Alceo had to stoop to hear the reporter’s questions.

“Alceo, what’s happening out there? Two fumbles, three interceptions, a safety and two sacks; your team is down by twenty-eight at the half. That’s never been seen before for this team what do you see is the problem?”

“The problem, Heather, is that I’ve got somebody on my mind, and it’s messing with my game.”

Galynn’s ears perked up.

“Well, okay.” Clearly the seasoned analyst had never had anyone admit this to her before, and she wasn’t sure what to do.

“Who is it? Is it a loved one? Is a family member sick?”

He smiled, and ran his fingers through his hair. Galynn could tell by the look on his face that he was trying to decide something. God, he looked good.

“Hey, do you have a cell phone on you?”

Heather was taken aback. “Uh, yea.”

“Can I use it? It’s important.” Heather looked at the camera for a split second trying to decide if she should. After another second, and Alceo looking at her expectantly, she fished the phone from her pocket and handed it to him.

“Well, this is unprecedented.”

Alceo looked at his arm, read something from the play card on his wrist, then began dialing a number.

“Who are you calling?” Heather shoved her mic into Alceo’s face. He shushed her. Galynn couldn’t help but laugh.

Who could he be calling?
Galynn had never seen anything like this either, and was glued to the television just like her father.

The house phone began to ring as she cracked open another beer.
He was probably calling Jasmine to propose. Well good, she could have him.
Heather Cox was talking into the camera trying to explain to anyone that was listening that Alceo Russell had her cell phone and was making a call. She didn’t know whom he was calling, but based on what he was saying, someone must have answered the phone.

“Lynn, its for you.” Her father handed her the phone, while not taking his eyes from the television screen.

“Who is it?” No one called her here. No one had the number. He father said nothing as she took the phone from him. “Hello?”

“Hey.” She knew who it was. Her stomach tightened and her heart caught in her throat. She turned back toward the television and watched as a smile spread across Alceo’s face just for her.

“Hey.” A second before she got her hopes up, she snapped back to reality. This was Alceo and he was calling her during a game. This was the same guy that had gotten head from Jasmine in the locker room after spending the morning with her. This was Alceo Russell. “Why are you calling me?”

She watched as he hesitated a second before beginning. “I’m sorry. You told me the girl was nuts, and I didn’t listen. I promise you that I didn’t do the things you think I did – when you think I did them. I swear, and I can prove it. I miss you. It’s not the same without you here. Tell me you’ll give me another chance.”

Galynn wanted to believe.
I mean really, who would call during a nationally televised football game? This had to count for something didn’t it?

“Okay.” She was at a loss for words.

“Okay? That’s it? Will you come back to me? I will call you every morning and every night until you do. I will make it up to you, I promise. I will prove it to you.”

Galynn could feel her father’s eyes boring into her as he listened along with the whole world as Alceo spoke to her on the phone.

“Okay.” She truly didn’t know what else to say.