Forget Me Not

by Crystal B. Bright

  If Queen Elizabeth knew about Thane’s penchant for loving and leaving women, she would pull the young player back home by his earlobe like she used to do when they’d misbehaved as children.

  Gideon disconnected the call. Before he could resume with his team, he had one more quick call to make. He had to hear from Thane. He could go in this game with a clearer mind if he knew his entire family had his back. He knew he wouldn’t hear from Hilary.

  After the first ring, Gideon heard a click before he heard a voice.

  “Gid! How the hell are you?” Thane’s light voice seemed in conflict with the impression Gunnar had given of their brother.

  Gunnar had told Gideon that each time he’d tried calling Thane, he hadn’t gotten an answer. Gideon didn’t know if Gunnar had exaggerated or if Gideon had gotten lucky with scoring a conversation with their youngest brother.

  “Wound tight, Thane. But in a good way.” Gideon shook out his free arm when he started to feel some tingling in it. He couldn’t wait to start this game. It had been twenty-seven years in the making.

  “I hear you. Thanks again for the tickets. With spring training coming up, I couldn’t go. You understand, right?”

  Gideon nodded. “I get it.”

  Like Gideon had his pro-football training, Thane had to prepare for his whole Major League Baseball season starting soon. Then Gideon heard a strange voice behind Thane. The tone and content of the statement didn’t sound like any trainer Gideon had ever encountered.

  “Come back over here, baby.”

  Gideon’s shoulders tightened. Had his brother actually pushed him aside so he could lay up with some woman?

  “Who’s that?” Gideon balled his hand into a fist, stretching the tape across his knuckles.

  “I’m not sure of her name yet, but believe me, she has the lungs of a cheerleader.” Thane laughed.

  Gideon found no amusement in it. Since Thane hadn’t gone back home to help Gunnar with their mother, he would have thought his baby brother would have come to California to cheer him on his most important day ever.

  “I got off the phone with Mom. She sounds good today.” Gideon hoped his message got through to his younger brother.

  “Yeah, I talked to her earlier. She told me she’s having a Super Bowl party at her house.” Thane laughed and then said something that sounded muffled.

  Gideon assumed his attentions had been diverted by the stranger in his room.

  “Didn’t mean to interrupt your special day.” Sarcasm dripped from every word Gideon uttered. “I’ll talk to you later. Love you, man.”

  “Yeah, later.” Thane disconnected the call.

  Even at Thane’s age, Gideon didn’t remember being that self-centered. He had bigger things to worry about now. If his mother read in some magazine or saw on TV that he may be hurt, it wouldn’t take long for his coaches to say something to him. It also meant he had to watch his back out on the field. The opposing team would love to take him out of the game, preferably on a stretcher.

  Time. Gideon had to play in this one game. Then he could heal and move on with more training. Today, he would have to be faster against the other team. They’d probably be gunning for his leg to take him out of the sport, not only the game.

  As he turned to go back into the main locker room, he ran into Dennis, the receiver who’d tried getting Gideon’s attention earlier. Dennis had become like a third brother to Gideon. They had gone to University of North Carolina together. They’d been drafted together. They had even ended up on the same NFL team.

  The big man with dreadlocks that went down to his shoulders smiled wide enough to express his happiness and the team’s. “Come on, man. You ready?” He held up his hand to Gideon.

  Gideon slapped his hand against Dennis’s and pulled him in for a half hug. “We got this. Like back in the day as a Tar Heel.”

  “Were you talking to your mama?” Dennis paced as Gideon strolled to the main locker-room area.

  Gideon nodded.

  Dennis smiled harder and shook his head as he let out a low whistle. “Your fine-ass mama needs me in her life.”

  Gideon laughed. “Hey, watch your mouth when you talk about her.”

  “I hear you. I hear you.” Dennis chuckled. “When we first met back in college, I used to think it was weird for a white dude to have a black mama. After meeting her, I wanted to marry that woman.” He pounded Gideon on his shoulder with his fist. “I’d even let you call me Daddy.”

  Gideon pushed his friend’s shoulder. “Oh, you have jokes, right?” He shook his head. “Sorry. Mom doesn’t go for young men. She said they remind her too much of her sons.”

  “Fine. Be sure to tell her I said hi.” Dennis lowered his head to Gideon and in a hushed tone asked, “I know this is part of the QB duty, but can I do the rally speech?”

  The electric current that had been flowing through Gideon’s body defused with Dennis’s request. Long before the first hair had sprouted on his upper lip or down below his belt, he’d dreamed of being the quarterback in the Super Bowl and being able to bring his team to a win. Part of that dream included giving the speech to his team that would inspire them to annihilate the opposing team. He couldn’t give up any part of his dream, even to his friend, even if that friend had played as quarterback in college.

  He stared at Dennis for a moment. “It’s the Super Bowl, Den. It’s my first one.”

  “Yeah, mine too.” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “Remember back in the day, you and I would do this kind of thing together all the time.”

  Gideon nodded. “I remember. And I know you want to make MVP. I get it.” He pointed to himself with his thumb. “I’m responsible for this team.”

  “That’s cool.” Disappointment laced Dennis’s statement. “Make sure you keep throwing me the ball, okay? I’ll make sure to get it in the end zone every time.” In Dennis’s dramatic fashion, he took a big step to the side to illustrate his point.

  “Maybe for the new season we can share the motivation duties. The guys are already hyped up. We need to go into this game in control.” Gideon wanted to set a tone for his team. Acting out of control would kill their synergy.

  Dennis’s smile softened. Gideon saw his shoulders slump under the shoulder pads.

  Gideon turned away from his disappointed friend and glanced into the bustling locker room. Dennis didn’t understand the importance of leading a team in the Super Bowl, not merely playing in the game. Gideon had to be the puppet master. If a play failed, it would be on him. He couldn’t let his team down, not today.

  “Sure. You’re the boss.” Dennis offered his neon smile again.

  “I promise I won’t let you all down.” Gideon wrapped his arm around Dennis’s shoulders as they headed toward the team.

  “Hey, now that you and Hil are over and this is our last game of the season, are you going to try and hit up that cheerleader?” Dennis winked and licked his lips.

  Gideon didn't have to guess which cheerleader his friend wanted him to hit up as he called it. Brittany or Tiffany or Brandy. Something with an E sound at the end of her name. The bouncy, bubbly brunette had made it known she wanted Gideon. At practices where cheerleaders weren’t needed, she popped up and managed to run into him. When he worked out at the team gym, she would be waiting for him outside. One time after practice, as he’d soaked in an ice bath, she’d shown up in her bikini ready to join him.

  Gideon had never liked a desperate woman. This cheerleader reeked of neediness.

  “Man, I don’t want any part of her.” Gideon shook his head. “For one, it’s against the rules. Players can’t date the She-Wolves.”

  “During the season.” Dennis pounded his fist on Gideon’s shoulder. “After the season…”

  “I still don’t want her.” Gideon shook his head. “But you, you have at her. Be sure you treat her right.” No matter what Gideon did, his mama’s words always crept into his mind and out of his mouth.
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  “She only has eyes for you, brother. Bet you five big ones that when you come out of the tunnel, she’ll run into you.”

  Gideon snickered. “No way. The cheerleaders know not to interfere with our entrances, especially for this game.”

  Dennis held up his large hand with his long digits splayed. “Five big ones.”

  Gideon nodded. “You’re on.” He glanced at the team. “Hey, everyone! Listen up!” He waited until the team members stopped their actions and moved around him and Dennis.

  He couldn’t keep his mind on what he would have to do in these next few hours while he knew his mother would have to have heart surgery soon. The phone call home to talk to his mother and his brothers hadn’t calmed his nerves. His team didn’t need to know about his worry.

  “Friends,” Gideon began, “we didn’t get to this position by luck.” He strolled around the locker room, making sure to look each one of his teammates in their eyes. “We got here with heart. We got here because we’re all dedicated. We trained our asses off. We ran drills until we dropped. Hell, I think even Thumper put on a clean jock one time.” He pointed to the large lineman standing behind the group.

  “Nope!” Thumper responded and moved in closer to the group to share his stench.

  “Damn, dude! Get the hell back.” Stephen, a running back, covered his nose and waved his hand in front of his face. “Offensive lineman is right. Your smell is brutal.”

  Gideon and his teammates laughed but also made space around Thumper. Since training camp, Thumper had convinced himself that wearing the same cup and jock strap without washing the duo kept him in high playing form. As a result, he reeked. Coaches had to keep him away from the press and charity events.

  Not Gideon. It didn’t escape his attention that as quarterback, he’d become the face of the team. The press ate up his boy-next-door look, as one magazine described him.

  He could care less about his appearance or what the female fans thought of him. He had a job to do, a game to play, a chance to be taken seriously as an athlete.

  “To win, we’re going to have to remember our training.” Gideon didn’t raise his voice, a trait he’d learned from his mother. If spoken with conviction, people will listen. “We’re going to remember how we got here. We’re going to play like this could be the very last time we will ever play this sport we love again.” Gideon peered over his teammates’ heads when he saw the locker-room door opening. He focused on his team. “Play hard, men. Play with integrity. Win for Virginia.”

  “Do it for the Gipper, man?” Dennis asked and then laughed.

  Gideon smiled. “I don’t know what your girl’s name is now.”

  The group of men around them laughed.

  Dennis put his hand on Gideon’s shoulder and pulled him back. “I got this.”

  “Got what?” Gideon felt his eyebrows knit together as he watched his friend move to the center of the room.

  “We are Wolves!” Dennis shouted the encouraging words in the middle of the crowded locker room. He illustrated his exclamation by howling like a wolf, something their fans did on a regular basis for the team.

  Gideon shook his head. He should have known Dennis would kick up the guys into a frenzy. He would have to be that calming voice of reason, even if his insides screamed along with Dennis.

  The team, dressed in their standard red-black-and-gold uniforms, cheered while pumping their fists in the air.

  “Fuck ‘Sharknado’! We all know a shark can’t beat a wolf, am I right?”

  The team laughed and cheered at the same time.

  “The Maui Sharks are going down!” Dennis raised his fists in the air.

  Gideon put his hand on Dennis’s chest and faced him. “That’s enough.” As the quarterback, he had to be the leader. He had to set the mood for how the team played during this important game.

  “Okay, guys. Huddle up.” Coach Brick, who must have walked into the locker-room area, waved his hands in the air signal the men to come together. “Christ, I can’t wait until this game is done so that you can take a damn bath, Thumper.”

  The team laughed again.

  “I bathe. It’s my jock that’s fragrant.” The big man cupped his crotch and grinned through his big, bushy red beard.

  “Serious time, guys. Don’t think about this being the Super Bowl. Think about this as the game of your lives. Like Gid said, you’ve all trained for this. Stay smart. Stay sharp. Think two steps ahead of the other team. We can win this together. All in.” Brick put his hand palm down in the center of the circle.

  The team put their hands on top of his.

  Without prompting, the team shouted in unison, “Wolves rule!” Then they howled, leaning their heads back to project to the ceiling.

  “Line up in the tunnel.” Brick pointed to the doorway.

  The team all filtered out in a line with Gideon bringing up the rear. He picked up his shoulder pads and secured them onto his shoulders. One more thing he had to carry. He grabbed the collar portion of the weighted plastic protection to occupy his hands until he got onto the field.

  “Uh, hold on, Gid.” Brick put a hand on Gideon’s chest.

  Gideon peered down at his coach’s hand and took a step back as the rest of his team filed out of the room.

  His coach epitomized his name. The former Hall of Famer stood about a foot shorter than Gideon’s six-foot-three height. His width nearly matched his height, and looking at the man from behind, it didn’t look like he had a neck. Topped off with his crew-cut hair, his coach looked like a pale brick.

  Seeing the coach accelerated Gideon’s heartbeat. Gideon already had a hard time corralling his feelings about living out his dream at such a young age. Too bad he knew why he had arrived. His left knee throbbed as though it wanted to give its two cents about his situation.

  “How are you feeling? You know all the plays?” Brick’s expression became somber.

  Gideon tapped his temple. “Got them all. And I studied the Sharks’ previous games. They rely on their size to steamroll over their competition. It won’t happen to us.”

  “And you’re doing okay?” His coach scanned Gideon from head to toe, purposefully stopping at Gideon’s knee area.

  To refute his coach’s assumption, Gideon paced in his spot as he kept his gaze on Brick’s eyes. He couldn’t be seen as weak. No way could he miss this game.

  “I’ve got a lot of pent-up energy. I can’t wait to get on the field.” Gideon pointed to the door to give his coach a hint to end this conversation.

  “Okay. You got it.” Brick pointed to Gideon. “You know if you have any problems, you can tell me. We have Joshua waiting in the wings to fill in as quarterback. Push comes to shove, we can use Dennis.”

  Gideon shook his head. “Why are you talking to me about contingency plans like I’m not going to play?”

  Determination filled Gideon’s head and heart. He wouldn’t get himself to this point without seeing this game to the end.

  Brick held up his hand to Gideon. “You’re right. If there’s nothing for anyone to worry about, I won’t press the issue.”

  “Good.” He tried walking by Brick when the coach put his hand on Gideon’s shoulder.

  “Did you get the shot?”

  Gideon didn’t know what bothered him more, the fact that his coach knew Gideon had problems with his knee or the fact that he wanted him to push his body until he broke. He couldn’t put all the blame on Brick’s nonplussed reaction. Gideon had made it clear he would need to be dragged off the field for him to miss this game.

  Gideon dropped his gaze and shook his head. “I don’t need it.” He wanted to do this win on his own head of steam, without chemical assistance.

  Brick held up his electronic tablet. “The team doctor said—”

  “He said they didn’t find anything wrong with my knee, not on the X-rays, not in the physical exam. Nothing.” He stared into his coach’s eyes when he spoke. “But I’
m sure the doctor wrote down I mentioned my knee had been bothering me. I took a hard hit the last game.”

  “That was two weeks ago.” Brick scratched his head under his Wolves baseball cap.

  Gideon didn’t need a reminder. He’d worked his knee out harder, trying to strengthen it for the game. His big mouth had gotten him in trouble. “I’m fine. I was fine through training. I was fine for our last game. I’m going to get us that championship.” Speaking with conviction had to help him now.

  Brick stared at him for a moment. “Lord knows, I want this championship. It’s been fifteen years since I led a team to a Super Bowl win. I want you to bring that home to me.” He pointed in Gideon’s face. “One time. Mess up once, and I’m pulling you. Got that?”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Gideon smiled to assure his coach. “And sorry for interrupting you earlier. I’m passionate about playing. I can’t get this far only to be benched.”

  “Understood. But know that if I know, the other guys know.” He patted Gideon. “Watch yourself.”

  Gideon nodded. “Understood.” He grabbed his jersey from his assigned locker. He slipped it over his head but kept his cell phone. Win or lose, the first people he wanted to talk to after the game would be his family.

  “Play hard, son.” Brick patted Gideon on his back.

  Gideon grabbed his helmet and ran out of the locker room. He reached the rest of his team at the end of the hall. Through the double doors, he heard the full stadium of fans screaming. He listened to the stadium announcer.

  “Introducing the Virginia Beach Wolves!”

  The double doors opened. Fireworks shot off, white and blue sparklers erupting on either side of the doors. The screams and howls from the crowd blanketed the entire place until it sounded like late night in the middle of a rain forest. When Gideon looked into the stands, he saw a mixture of fans wearing the colors of his team and fans wearing the Sharks’ traditional blue and gold colors. In his mind, more fans wore his team’s colors.

  The She-Wolves cheerleaders jumped around, waving their pompoms as the team rushed through the hallway.