“Sounds good.” Galen smiled. “Thank you guys for stopping by. Just laying here kind of sucks.”
“You’ll be on your feet in no time,” Moe commented. “The doctors said you won’t miss more than a couple of games.”
“I just hate being out, just laying here.” Galen smacked his hand down on the coverlet. “See you guys.”
The two football players headed out of the hospital room.
Wanting to delay this long awaited moment of confrontation with his son, Tom turned to Ben. “Ben, what are you doing down here in Chicago?”
“I was just coming down to spend the weekend with Galen. I got here Thursday night and I’m heading back to Milwaukee tomorrow.”
“He’s been hanging out here at the hospital with me since yesterday afternoon. So much for a fun weekend together.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” Ben countered. “I’m gonna head back to your apartment. I have some homework to do.” He and Galen exchanged a glance. “G-man, I’ll come and see you tomorrow before I leave.”
“Sounds good,” Galen answered.
“See ya, Ben.” Tom rose to his feet. I feel warm. My heart is pounding. He knows! Somehow he knows!
Then, once the door shut behind Ben, it was just Tom and Galen alone in the hospital room.
“How was your honeymoon?” Galen asked. “Mexico, right? You still look tan.”
“It was great. We, Maggie and me, took her girls with us. We went to a family resort in Cancun. It was a blast.”
“Great.” Galen looked away.
A heavy silence fell in the room.
“So how did this happen?” Tom waved his arm at Galen in the hospital bed.
“Just a hit in practice. A helmet to the chin and collarbone. Marvin said it was a spear. I was knocked out. Don’t remember it. Now the collarbone hurts like hell and I have a headache, but I’m okay. They want me to take it easy for a couple of days.” Galen glanced away from Tom and out the window. “It was my own fault. I wasn’t paying attention. I was thinking about ... other stuff.”
Tom waited. I gotta get the discussion going. I’m the mature adult here. “I’m glad you called me, Galen, but you obviously have something on your mind. What is it?”
Galen’s jaw flexed. He didn’t say anything. He just stared out the window. Finally, he turned his head and met Tom’s glance. There was such naked pain on his face that Tom nearly cringed. “You knew my mom, right?”
The thought ‘in the Biblical sense’ popped into Tom’s head. Crazy. He swallowed. “Yes, I knew Jessica.”
Galen skewered him with his eyes. “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Be man enough to tell me. Don’t make me drag it out of you.”
Tom sighed. Then, he looked directly into the eyes of the young man that he had lied to for nineteen years.
“Yes, I am your father.” It felt rough and awkward to say the words and he didn’t experience the euphoria he’d always anticipated of the acknowledgement. “How did you find out?”
“Cam Fawst told me at your wedding. You couldn’t even tell me yourself. I had to find out from him.” Galen spit the words out like bullets.
“I didn’t want you to find out that way.” How did Cam even know? Who else knows?
“Why didn’t either of you tell me? Why the big secret? Were you embarrassed of me?”
“No. Never. I stayed in Eagle River because of you, because I wanted to be around you.”
“Why did you and Mom break up?”
Tom exhaled. “We got together when your mom and Jim were split up. They were going to get divorced. All of that had happened before I met your mother. But then Jim had that car accident. He was in the hospital for months and then...” Tom tipped his head down.
“What?”
“Well, then your mom ended things between us. She felt that she had to be responsible. He wasn’t able to take care of himself and he was Sandra’s and Kyle’s dad. And, to be fair, I wasn’t the best bet back then. I wasn’t exactly prime dad material, but when I found out that Jessica was pregnant with you, I wanted to be around to watch you grow up, to be a part of your life.”
“I deserved to know that you’re my dad. I had a right to know that.” Galen nearly growled the words.
“You did. You did. And this is going to sound weak, but the opportunity never presented itself. Then, your mom got sick. It didn’t seem like the right time.”
“All of those years, you could have told me sometime.”
“I know. I know, but things were good between us. I didn’t want to mess that up. It was all that I had with you.”
“Coward.”
“That’s fair.” Tom shrugged his shoulders and hung his head. “You’re absolutely right. I didn’t know how to be a dad.”
“Well, you better figure it out quick. I don’t even know what to say to you. God, how could you just lie to me all of these years? The whole thing has been a fucking lie! How could you and Mom do this to me?”
“I deserve this, Galen. I know I do. I’ve had it coming. You should be angry. I know this doesn’t excuse anything, but remember your mother and I both loved you and we both did our best to be there for you no matter what. You don’t have to forgive me or understand what happened or why we didn’t tell you. Your mom didn’t want me to tell you, and so I didn’t. Then, when she got sick, it didn’t feel like the right time.”
“I guess it never was the right time,” Galen snarled.
“I’m not trying to excuse anything, but we both loved you more than anything and you have a family. You have Kyle and Sandra and her kids.”
Galen said nothing. The corner of his jaw twitched. “You and Mom messed up so many things... Like father like son, I guess. Did you love her?”
Tom looked away. He found his eyes filling with tears and he swallowed the lump in his throat. “More than anything. I loved her more than anything. Then, you came along and you changed my life. It may sound corny, but you saved my life... Because of you, Eagle River became my home. I have friends. I belong. I coach. It all happened because of you and Jessica. Then, when your Mom died, I didn’t think you needed anything more on your plate. So was I a coward? I was afraid to fuck up the relationship that we had. I didn’t know how to be a dad.”
“Well, you’re kind of a dad now, to Maggie’s girls. Their dad is out of the picture, right?”
“Yeah, I am. I feel like I’ve been given a second chance with Maggie and the girls. Galen, I’m sorry that we kept this secret. I knew it was wrong then and I know it now. I’m sorry you had to find out the way you did. You are the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Tom hesitated for a moment, then went to his son and awkwardly embraced him, careful not to touch his injured collarbone
Galen remained stiff for a moment, but then softened and accepted his father’s attempt to comfort him.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Predictions
~ Ben ~
“This is Ben Happe of WKBJ, the voice of Great Lakes University. As everyone knows, Saturday is the big game. The Great Lakes University Coyotes versus the Illinois University Bearcats and WKBJ seeks to provide a balanced view of the news and of sports. So today we have two Bearcats with us. Welcome Marvin Richardson and Galen Odgers.”
“Thank you for inviting us,” Marvin countered smoothly. “We appreciate the opportunity to promote the great sport of football.”
“Marvin, the Wolverines have had another fine year. Your record is currently nine and one, an improvement from last year’s eight and three. What do you foresee happening in the near future?”
“Us winning big.”
“Galen?” Ben questioned.
“I’m not going to be making any predictions about the game. I don’t want to tempt fate this close to a big game,” Galen replied stiffly.
Marvin rolled his eyes at his friend. “Listen here, Ben. I’m gonna call this one, just like Namath did his Super Bowl. This game’s in the bag. The
Bearcats are going to roll over the Coyotes.”
“Wow. Those are bold words, but not completely out of hand with the way the Bearcats continue to show improvement. For all of those listeners out there who have just joined us, you just heard those bold words from Marvin Richardson, running back for the Illinois Bearcats.”
“Well, it could happen. But we gotta stay focused. It won’t be easy, but we have a solid team. The Coyotes aren’t going to just give it to us.” Galen swallowed nervously.
“You’re right about that,” Ben commented, nodding at Galen. Calm down, dude. You’re doing fine.
Still, Galen appeared awkward and uncomfortable seated behind the microphone. The table was low and there wasn’t much room under it to accommodate his long legs, so he kept shifting them around, banging the table with his knees. Ben knew that any interview was way out of Galen’s comfort zone but he’d agreed to this one as a favor to Ben.
“Galen, how does it feel to be considered one of the premier up and coming young quarterbacks?”
“I just want to do my best for the team.”
Deciding to give Galen a break, Ben shifted his attention to the tangibly more comfortable Richardson. “Folks, the Bearcats have a great throwing game, a good defensive line, and also a good running game. This combination is what makes them one of the most potent teams in the Midwest today. Marvin, you’re considered to be one of the best running backs playing the college game today. What do you consider your greatest contribution to your team?”
“Ben.” Marvin’s amused baritone was warm caramel over the air waves. “I’ve got happy legs. I’m fast and I’m tough. Yeah, those would be my greatest strengths.”
“We’ve certainly seen evidence of that this season.”
“I think you’re wrong there, Marvin,” Galen interrupted.
“What?” Marvin was a little affronted.
Ben paused, too, surprised that Galen had opened his mouth unprompted.
“Yeah. Marvin’s super-fast, like track star fast. And I’ve seen you stand up from some huge hits and then get back into the game and run twenty or thirty yards. But what Marvin does that is so great is he makes other guys on the team feel like they can do it, too. Marvin pumps his team up.”
“It ain’t hard being pumped up when you got the best QB on the field,” Marvin countered smoothly, smiling at his friend.
“It’s easy to see why this Bearcats team has been so successful this season with such camaraderie between the players. We have a caller.”
“Hi, this is Tania Fred.”
“Just Tania will do,” Ben broke in.
“Okay. I just want to tell Galen Odgers,” the high female voice broke into hysterical giggles, “that he has the cutest butt I’ve ever seen and I want to give him my number.”
“Thank you, Tania,” Ben hastily interrupted once more. “We have another caller on line three. Do things like that happen to you guys a lot?”
Galen blushed and Marvin just shook his head.
“Hello... Hello?” A deep and familiar voice broke in. “You guys know who this is?”
“Sal? Sal, is that you?” Galen queried incredulously.
“Sure is. Hi, kid. Kyle told me that you two boys were gonna be on the radio down there, so I got the number. Galen just about grew up in my bar.” Sal boomed. “Are you kidding? I’m practically a blood relation. Hey there, boys.”
“Hi Sal,” Galen leaned in to his microphone.
“Galen, am I on the air?”
“Yeah, Sal.”
“Your brother told me you were gonna be doing this show. Hear that everyone, I’m live,” Sal shouted out to his bar.
“Gale Odgers is the pride of Eagle River, Wisconsin, and I’m sure that folks in Marvin Richardson’s home town feel the same way about him. Only problem with either of those boys is that neither of them play for the Wisconsin Badgers, don’t ya know. Wait,” Sal spoke away from the receiver again. “I’ll ask them. You coming home to Eagle River any time soon, Galen?”
“I hope to,”
“Thanks for the call, Sal,” Ben said. “Boys, we have another caller.”
“Bye, Sal,” Galen stated.
“Okay, caller, we gotcha. You’re on the air.”
“I’d like to know how you guys think the Bearcats will do against the huge Coyotes offensive line? They steamrolled over you last year, and Cam Fawst is playing well.”
“Not as well as Galen here. Our team is primed and ready to rock and roll,” Marvin responded definitively. “We’re gonna be picking Coyotes out of our cleats.”
Galen leaned close to his microphone. His eyes were narrowed and his expression, fierce. “Cam Fawst and the Coyotes are going down tomorrow.”
“Well, there you have it,” Ben stated. “Bold prediction from these two Bearcats. We are all looking forward to the big game tomorrow.”
* * * *
It was a bitterly cold afternoon and from where he stood at the front of his team, Cam glared at the gray and green hoard filling the stadium. The game was a sellout, and Owen Arena fairly thrummed with excitement. He could feel it in the racing of his own pulse, in the adrenalin coursing through him. It all comes down to today, to this game. I will face Galen Odgers in a football game and I will win. I’ll win in front of all of them. In front of Kjersten, in front of all of Eagle River.
He looked up in the stands at that area of the student section where Kjersten used to sit with her friends. She hadn’t come to a home game since they’d broken up two years before, since she’d cut him out of her life. But now, he glimpsed her distinctive silvery pony tail. She wasn’t wearing Coyote or Bearcat colors. She was dressed all in black, but I’ll bet she came for Odgers. Always Odgers! Cam nearly ground his teeth with frustration. This time, he’d show them all. I am going to kick Odger’s ass one way or another. Fuck them all!
For a while, the game went well for Cam and the Coyotes. They advanced the ball through a combination of runs and short passes and then Wrenshall, the kicker, made a field goal. In contrast, in the first quarter, Galen and his Bearcats appeared out of sync. He got sacked a couple of times and failed to make a first down in several critical possessions of the ball. Cam was just beginning to relax enough to smile and enjoy the moment when the unthinkable happened. Odgers lofted a giant arching pass that somehow ended up in the hands of a Bearcat wide receiver who made it nearly to the end zone before he was taken down by Coyote defenders.
As the Coyote defense set up, Cam shouted out, “Watch Richardson!” Still, the Bearcat running back took the hand-off from Odgers and then cut through the Coyotes defensive line like a knife through butter. Touchdown!
The crowd roared and Cam’s hopes sunk. There’s still time, plenty of time. But the tide had turned and the Bearcats were on fire. Seemingly, Odgers had entered that heightened state that only the best of athletes achieve. He could do no wrong. Richardson was also playing brilliantly. Cam and the Coyotes were having a decent game, but luck and fate were definitely not in their corner. The final score was twenty-one to ten, with the Bearcats triumphant.
After the game, a devastated Cam lingered in the locker room. Not sure how it had all gone wrong again, when he’d held it in his hands. He stared down at those same hands that had betrayed him now.
“What’s up, Cam?” one of the offensive linemen asked. “The press is out there to talk to you.”
“I’m not up for it today.” Cam shook his head. He wasn’t up for it at all. I feel sick, sick about losing in front of everyone, losing to that bastard Odgers. So, he slowly iced his shoulder, showered, and then dressed, not wanting to see or talk with anyone really. The other guys on his team were aware of his mood and left him alone.
Finally, he emerged from the locker room and began to head down the corridor. He heard familiar, throaty, feminine laughter but before he could place it, he’d turned the corner and stood facing Kjersten, Ben Happe, and Galen Odgers.
“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. Why them? N
ow?
Upon seeing him, the group of three broke apart and stared at him.
Ben spoke first. “We came down to see Galen after the game.”
“No shit,” Cam responded. “That’s just what I need, an Eagle River reunion right in my own stadium. The perfect ending to a crappy day.” He shifted his bag on his shoulder and glared first at Kjersten and then at Galen. “So you’re back with him, huh?” He gestured with an elbow. “What the fuck, Kjersten? I don’t get it. I don’t get it at all, any of it.” He dropped his bag to the ground and moved in towards Galen. He was a little shorter than Galen now, but thicker and royally pissed.
Ben and Kjersten automatically stepped back as an enraged Cam confronted Galen. “Goddammit! What is it about you? First Tom, and he’s your dad.” Cam ignored Kjersten’s gasp. “Then Kjersten, and she keeps coming back even when you dump her. Why is it always your turn? Why are you the golden one? I’m so fucking tired of you being in my life, getting everything that I want, that I deserve. You’re always there like a shadow, a fricking nightmare. Why not me? Ever?” Cam had snapped. He reached out and grabbed the front of Galen’s shirt.
“Fawst, I’ve never liked you, but I don’t have any problem with you tonight. It was a good game. It’s over now.” Galen offered, holding his hands up.
“Shut the fuck up,” Cam interrupted. “I don’t give a shit what you think. I’ve spent my whole life looking over my shoulder at you. You bug the crap out of me. I’m fucking done with it and with you.” Then, shaking off Ben, who grabbed him by the shoulders, Cam swung at Galen, striking a glancing blow to his chin.
Galen fell back against the wall, rubbing his chin. “I don’t want to fight you, Cam. You’re not worth it. You’ve always had a problem with me. I’ve never understood why, but I’m done with it.”
“No, you and your slut girlfriend aren’t worth my time... But the truth is you seriously piss me off.” He raised his fists again and moved in on Galen.
“Leave him alone,” Kjersten interjected, jumping between her two former lovers.
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