Game On

by Barbara Oliverio

  “I know, but this situation calls for serious comfort food.” Phyllis took a break from eating only long enough to re-braid her hair.

  “Oh, oh, oh! I completely forgot. You did a great job at the baseball opening.” She jumped up to grab the TV remote.

  “Oh, yeah. That.” I had forgotten.

  “Come on, Maisie. You need to keep your eye on the ball here, no pun intended.” She found the recording from earlier in the day and ran through it. The station had chosen not to cover the entire event, but had broadcast enough of it to satisfy the Aggies.

  “See. You were awesome,” Phyllis said.

  “You know, I was out there for a lot longer than that, and Alek shot so much video. I just don’t understand why the station uses so little of what we do.” I shook my head, taking a big bite of my peanut butter–slathered cookie.

  “Look at the bright side. You have a lot for your portfolio.”

  “That’s what Alek says at the lacrosse games.” I shrugged, then I slumped.

  “Oh, Phyllis. I don’t know what I’m going to do. He and I are going to have to cover the next lacrosse game on Monday. Talk about uncomfortable!”

  “Two days away, Mais. Don’t borrow trouble.”

  “That sounds easy, but it’s not going to be. You know I’m going to agonize over it. It’s just how I am.”

  “How well I know.”

  We ate in silence for a moment.

  “Look, Maisie, you’re going to have to get over this and be strong.”

  “Hey, hey! How did you just morph into my father? ” I gave her a glare and jumped up to pace the length of our living room.

  “I’m serious here. You’re going to have to look at this logically and not let it take you over.”

  “And what do you suggest?”

  “Well, I think you need to figure out why you are so agitated.”

  “Wow. Have you thought about doing this for a living? Great insight,” I said sarcastically.

  “I TOLD you. I got into that big fight with Alek, who is my best friend—not counting you—and I don’t like that I hurt him, and we have to work together, and—”

  “Maisie!” Phyllis interrupted my monologue by grabbing me by the shoulders.

  “Are you hearing yourself, Mais? Would you be this agitated if you got into a fight with me?”

  “Well, yeah …” My voice trailed off and I moved to the couch, clutching a pillow.

  She grabbed the pillow and hit me with it, then plopped down next to me.

  “You would not and you know it. You’re upset because you have romantic feelings for Alek. It’s not just that you got into a fight. It’s that you don’t want to admit you just figured out your feelings and you think you’ve blown it with him.”

  I pulled my pillow back and sat in silence.

  “Well, you might be right.”

  “Auugh! You’re driving me crazy. I know I’m right. I watched him moon after you all through school. I’ve heard you talk about him now that you’ve reconnected. You two idiots are in love!”

  I burst into tears.

  “No, no, no. I didn’t mean to make you cry!” She pulled my head to her shoulder.

  “It’s just that you’re right, Phyllis. I think I figured it out today, and just when I figured it out, I blew it! He hates me now.” She let me sob for a moment.

  “No, he doesn’t. Come on, Maisie. Alek is a solid guy. One argument isn’t going to change his feelings. This can be fixed.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course I’m sure. Haven’t you ever watched a rom-com?” she teased.

  “My life isn’t a rom com, Phyllis. Right now it’s more of a tragedy.” I pulled back and reached for a tissue from the end table.

  “No, I don’t think so. Maybe a melodrama?” she laughed.

  “In a minute, it’s going to be a murder mystery!” I shook my fist at her.

  “Seriously, Phyllis. He’s seen a bad side of me. I’m sure that his opinion has changed.”

  “Has your opinion of him changed?”

  “Other than the fact that I have finally realized I have these feelings for him, no. He’s a great guy.”

  “See?”

  I blew my bangs out of my face.

  “Why is it that I am a confident, self-reliant person—especially at my job—but in the area of guys and feelings, I’m such a puddle of goo?”

  “If you can figure that one out for you, you can figure it out for everyone and make a million dollars.”

  “You’re right.”

  “So. What are you going to do?” Phyllis nudged me with her toe.

  “You think I should let him know how I feel?”

  “Of course!”

  “What if—”

  “No what-ifs.”

  “Bear with me here. What if he DOES turn me down?”

  “All right. I’ll play your game. Even though I don’t think it will happen. IF he does turn you down, I’ll … take you on an all-expense-paid spa week.”

  “Wow. You must have confidence in me.”

  “Well, no. But I do in him.” She grinned.

  It was late, so we bustled about cleaning the rubbish in the kitchen and went to bed.

  As I lay there, trying to sleep, I rolled my new feelings for Alek in my mind, trying not to fall into negative thoughts. I had an entire Sunday before I saw him. I couldn’t afford to worry myself sick.

  On Monday morning, I took special care in picking out my outfit for work. I chose my jauntiest blouse in a shade of green that pulled the violet from my eyes and paired it with my favorite vintage black linen pants. I spent more time in front of the mirror getting my bouncy bob to look just-so-careless, and took even more time with my eye and lip makeup than normal.

  “You look gorgeous. He won’t be able to resist,” Phyllis said as she leaned on my doorway.

  “Do you think so?” I did a version of a catwalk that I knew wouldn’t be up to her modeling standards, but that was the best I could pull off.

  “Honey, you are a knockout. You know that,” she said.

  “I don’t know about that, but I just want to look my best.”

  “Mission accomplished.”

  I gave her an air kiss on each cheek, gathered my things, and made a dash for the office.

  As I exited the elevator to my floor, I had further confirmation that I looked good when Rachel the receptionist gave me the once over and I saw grudging appreciation in her face.

  I bounced back to my area, where a couple of my colleagues were already at their desks. They swiveled to greet me and also gave approving glances. I was on a high!

  Oh. How quickly things change sometimes.

  Shaggy-haired Logan Traynor ambled over and leaned on my desk.

  “Yo, Maisie,” he said.

  “Yo, Logan.” We rarely interacted, so I wondered what he needed.

  “I’ll be running the camera for your lacrosse game tonight.”

  “What? Where’s Alek?” I tried not to sound panicky.

  “Dunno. I just got a note that he’ll be out and that I need to cover his assignments.” Logan shrugged and searched my desk for anything edible. Geesh, these guys were all scavengers.

  “You don’t know where he went or why he took time? Is he sick?” My heart started pounding faster.

  “I don’t know, Maisie. I told you. All I know is I have to cover for him for you.” He gave me a puzzled look.

  I pulled myself together.

  “Right, right, right. Well, um, I’ll swing by your desk a bit later and we’ll get ready, okay? I’ve got some things to do right now.”

  “Sure, no prob.” He ambled out of the area, no doubt moving toward the kitchen and the giant jar of Twizzlers.

  I stared at my screen, not moving for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, I jumped up and headed toward Addison’s office. As I passed the giant mirrored artwork in the hallway, I caught sight of myself. Odd. My face was not as bright as earlier, and I could swear tha
t my hair and outfit were drooping.

  “Addison,” I tapped silently on her open door.

  She looked up, and her straight face turned into a genuine smile.

  “Come in Maisie!”

  I entered and moved closer to her desk.

  “We missed you at lunch at your mother’s yesterday,” she said quietly.

  “Oh. I didn’t know Anthony was in town. I went to a later Mass and had some things around the apartment to take care of.” Hmm. I forgot my own issue for a minute. This relationship must be getting serious if my brother had come in on the weekend yet again.

  “How can I help you?” Her voice resumed its normal volume.

  “Just a quick question. Logan Traynor said he’s covering for Alek Markovich for my lacrosse game tonight. Does HR know, um, if Alek is out for a while? I just want to know if I need to plan ahead.” I didn’t even believe my lame excuse for the question.

  Addison moved around her desk to close her door and gestured for me to sit down as she returned to her chair.

  “His supervisor said he got a call from Alek requesting several days off, but he didn’t say why. Do you know if something is wrong? Should we try to find him?”

  Great. I came straight to HR, the one department that didn’t need to find out an employee could be missing, or looking for another job because he’s trying to get away from someone he hates, or …

  Wait. I was spinning out of control.

  “No. Nothing like that.”

  Addison looking at me searchingly.

  “Ah,” she said.

  “What?”

  “I think I understand.”

  My face colored.

  “It’s nothing, Addison. I was just trying to plan my assignments, that’s all.”

  I hopped up in an attempt to make my way out of her office with a shred of dignity.

  “Maisie, wait,” she said.

  I turned around slowly.

  “Whatever it is, it will sort out,” she said with a kind smile.

  I nodded, trying to avoid more embarrassment.

  “Thank you Addison. And … if it’s okay, could you—”

  “I’ll keep this between us.”

  I dashed out of her office.

  28

  I went into a small conference room, moving my phone from one hand to the other nervously. Finally, I closed the door and dialed Alek’s number.

  “Hey, you’ve reached Alek Markovich. I can’t take your call right now, but I do check messages and I hope yours is one of them.”

  I clicked off after his brief, upbeat message.

  After a minute, I punched in another number.

  “Hello. This is Phyllis Hathaway—”

  I cut off Phyllis’s message in the middle of her sentence. I tapped my phone on my forehead, then punched in again.

  “Hey, you’ve reached Alek—”

  I cut him off. What was I doing? What would I say?

  I walked over to look out the window. The phone jangled with Phyllis’s ringtone, startling me.

  “Phyllis, thank goodness you called.”

  “Sorry I couldn’t get to my phone when you called. What’s up? Did you have a chance to talk to Alek yet?” Her tone was positively chipper.

  “He’s not here.”

  “Not there yet?”

  “No, Phyllis, not here at all. Won’t be here for the next few days,” I moaned.

  I dropped down in the nearest chair and swiveled morosely.

  “I don’t get it,” she said. “Where is he?” I visualized her head tilted to one side.

  “If I knew that, would I sound like this?”

  “Calm down.”

  Easy for her to say.

  “Tell me exactly what happened, Maisie.”

  I explained the brief events of the morning.

  “So call him.” So practical. Always.

  “I did. All I got was his message.”

  “Then leave a message for him. Honestly, Mais, you’re blowing this out of proportion, don’t you think?”

  “Well—”

  “Stop it. You don’t honestly think he took time off his lucrative job because of a fight with you? Wow. You think awfully highly of yourself.”

  I slapped myself on the forehead. She was right. There had to be a better reason than just a spat with me. We’ve known each other a long time and bickered on and off. I brightened.

  But … this was a different fight.

  “But Phyllis—”

  “Don’t ‘but’ me. You’re a smart woman.”

  “I guess,” I allowed.

  “I know, honey. Your heart is a little bruised, and you want to make sure you haven’t ruined anything. You just need to be patient, okay?”

  She was right. I needed to exercise patience. I knew that, but sometimes it takes someone else saying it out loud to make it real. I was so glad we were able to talk each other out of situations, both real and imagined.

  “You’re the best, Phyl.”

  “I know,” she sniffed.

  We laughed and hung up.

  I took a deep breath and punched in Alek’s number again. After his message, I left a voicemail.

  “Hey, Markovich, it’s Maisie. What a slacker! Where are you? Give me a call when you have a minute.”

  There. Breezy and bright. I shook the cobwebs out and stepped out of the room to return to my desk and to my work. If Logan was going to be my cameraman, I was going to need to do a completely different prep. One thing I never worried about was my ability to do my job. My mind swiftly switched from worrying about Alek to prepping for the game.

  Later that evening, after the game, however, I was wiped. Logan was a serviceable cameraman, but Alek and I had developed an efficient working relationship. The game was just one beat off the whole evening, and I felt that I was playing catch-up the whole time. The thing I missed most, though, was Alek’s ability to stick by my side to catch opportunities at the end of the game for interviews from the coaches or players that normally don’t get in the limelight. I can’t even imagine how much video he had that would never see the light of day but that he always made sure we had “just in case.”

  Logan was packed up and ready to go a nanosecond after the game buzzer.

  And he was impatient to leave. I was chatting with the sideline reporter from the opposing team when I heard the horn of our van and saw Logan’s exasperated face at the wheel.

  All evening, I tried to tell myself it would just be one game. Then Alek would be back. But now I knew I needed Alek back. All romantic thoughts aside, I needed the best cameraman on the job.

  I couldn’t imagine why he hadn’t returned my call. As I walked back to the van, I took out my phone and punched his number again. “Alek, thanks for putting me in this position. There better have been a real emergency, like a death or something. You owe me!” I joked.

  By the time I got home, soaked in a bubble bath, and slipped into bed, I was more relaxed. Phyllis had taken off for a week for a photo shoot, so I was alone in the apartment. After two days of worrisome tossing and turning, I fell into a needed deep sleep. Finally.

  I didn’t know just how much I would need it.

  Tuesday arrived bright and sunny, and I managed to be similarly bright as I entered the office. Rachel greeted me at the desk with strict orders to report to Mathis “immediately!”

  Whatever, Rachel. I wasn’t going to let her ruin my mood.

  I knocked on Mathis’s door, and his directive to enter seemed a bit odd.

  “Hey, boss!” I grinned, then stopped in my tracks.

  Mathis. Daniel. Campbell.

  What was up with this triumvirate? And what was with these faces? I couldn’t tell if they were happy, grumpy, or … well, choose any of the Seven Dwarfs.

  “Have a seat, Maisie,” Mathis pointed to the only open chair.

  “What’s up?” I looked from one to another. I really couldn’t discern anything from their looks. Was I in trouble? I couldn’t think o
f anything I had done that was wrong. Was I getting a raise or a plum assignment? If so, why did this particular group need to be there?

  “We have been presented with an opportunity.”

  “Uh-huh,” I said, warily. Opportunity was one of those words that could mean anything.

  “We have a great breaking story that we don’t think anyone else has, not even the big boys,” Mathis said.

  Campbell’s eyes widened. So they thought this was a good thing.

  “Okay?” I still needed context.

  “You know Nelson Humbert?”

  “Last year’s Heisman winner? Won by a landslide? Number one draft choice? First quarterback to—”

  “Obviously you know him.” Daniel cut me off.

  “What about him?” I asked.

  “We’ve received a tip that he was involved in a bank robbery last week.”

  “What?! Impossible!”

  Humbert was one of the cleanest living kids in sports throughout all of high school and college. He was a four-sport athlete in his tiny Colorado high school and passed up going to a big university to play football at a smaller college that had a degree program he was interested in. His college got national attention just from the fact that he played there—and when he won the Heisman from a Division 2 school rather than from one of the big boys, it was HUGE news. My brother scouted him heavily for the Steelers, as did everyone else in the NFL before he was drafted by the Denver Broncos and was able to play for his childhood favorite team. My discriminating father had nothing but good to say about him.

  I pointed all of this out to Mathis, Daniel, and Campbell, but they would hear none of it.

  “None of that means anything, Maisie. Even Boy Scouts make mistakes,” said Mathis.

  “I didn’t say anything about Boy Scouts, Mathis. I’m talking about this kid. I just don’t see it.”

  “Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen,” snapped Daniel.

  I thought for a minute. Could it be true? No, I concluded. This kid had too much to lose. I tried another line of discussion.

  “Mathis, what makes you think this is true? Who was the source?” I continued, appealing to the only person in the room who I thought had a level head.

  “Maisie, we can’t reveal the source. You understand, don’t you?” Campbell’s 1,000-watt smile gleamed as he butted in and answered me in an overly exaggerated patient voice. Wow. I don’t know how I ever found him attractive. Right now, he seemed like a condescending snake.