“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 sixty minutes of hell class. I looked at the clock and saw that it had taken my mom over six hours to come find her youngest son in the hospital. Dad had yet to make an appearance.
“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.