Second Chance: A Military Football Romance

by Claire Adams

  Or maybe, in a way, I wasn’t, and she sensed that. I didn’t feel entirely different, but I did feel as though I was more aware of a way of life that had always been there but that I’d never been fully conscious of before. And that way of life wasn’t something extreme; it wasn’t like renouncing technology or going vegan, or deciding to live at a nudist colony or something. What it was, I realized, was the knowledge that I could be who I wanted.

  Who I wanted on my terms, not my parents’. And for so long, I’d done what my parents had wanted, gone along with what they thought was best. I’d never really questioned it, until now. Why had I waited so long? In high school, when my fellow classmates were experimenting with drinking and dyeing their hair or staying out past curfew, I was dutifully completing my homework, studying at the library, doing extra credit assignments. Up until now, my greatest act of dissent had been going to art school.

  But Graham liked my hair. When I showed up at his work, he’d done a double take, not recognizing me at first and then let out a low whistle. Even if he hadn’t liked my hair though, it wouldn’t have bothered me that much, because I liked my hair.

  Now, though, my mother was doing her best to look at me without wincing. “Your father and I talked,” Mom said. “We’ve been quite troubled by all of this, Chloe, we really have. I know you might not believe that, but it’s the truth.”

  “I haven’t been enjoying myself, either, Mom. I don’t like fighting with you guys. I also don’t like feeling as though you’re trying to control me.”

  “We just want what’s best—”

  “Yes, I know, you just want what’s best for me, you keep saying that, but the thing is, I don’t think you actually know what is best for me. Because we don’t necessarily want the same things, and that’s okay. Can’t you accept that?”

  My mother took a deep breath. “Sweetie, I don’t want to fight with you anymore, okay? Neither does your father. We both feel like this is escalating and we want it to stop. I mean, look what you’ve done to your hair. Would you have done that if we hadn’t been fighting? If this whole thing hadn’t taken place? I highly doubt it. I don’t like this conflict. We are not that kind of family. We love each other and we care about each other. So ... so we’d like to meet this person that you’re seeing. The one with the beard and the tattoos. We were thinking he ... he might like to come over here for dinner some night. What kind of food does he like to eat?”

  I could tell how difficult this was for her. I smiled. “I appreciate you saying that, Mom. And ... Graham likes most things; I don’t think he’s that picky. Whatever we had would be fine, I’m sure.”

  *****

  Before I went down to visit him, though, I had to stop by Tara’s because she had something very important she wanted to talk about.

  I drove over to her house and found her out back, tanning by the pool.

  “So, what was so important that you couldn’t actually tell me over the phone?” I asked, stretching out in one of the lounge chairs next to her.

  She pushed her big sunglasses to the top of her head and looked at me. “Guess who’s here,” she said.

  I sat up and looked over my shoulder toward the house. “Here? As in right now?”

  “No, here as in on the Cape.”

  I groaned. “Michael.”

  “You got it. And guess who wants to get together?”

  “I think I already know the answer to this.”

  She grinned. “Got any plans Friday?”

  “I don’t know. Please tell me you’re not meeting him on Friday?”

  “He messaged me and wanted to know if I was free, because he said he really wanted to see me. So I said yes.”

  “I’m not going with you, if that’s what you’re thinking.” I paused. “Or maybe I should go with you, but sit at a nearby table or something. Just to make sure that everything is okay.”

  She widened her eyes. “He’s not going to do anything. At least, I don’t think he is.”

  “It just seems strange to me that all of the sudden he wants to see you.”

  “It shouldn’t seem that strange,” Tara sniffed. “He now realizes what he’s missing out on, and that he shouldn’t have left me for that chick, whatever the hell her name is. I can’t even remember. But ...” Her brow furrowed. “Maybe you coming along but being incognito would be a good idea. It’d be fun at least. And with your hair, he won’t even recognize you!”

  I doubted he’d recognize me anyway; he’d always struck me as one of those people who didn’t really see others, unless he was getting something from them.

  *****

  When I got to Graham’s work, a customer was just leaving, a woman my mom’s age. I tried to imagine my mother coming down here to get a tattoo. She smiled at me as she left.

  “Graham here’s the best!” she said. “Can’t go wrong with anything he does!”

  “That’s very kind of you, Linda,” he said as the door swung shut. He looked at me with a smile. “I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”

  “Well, I thought of texting you but then I figured I’d just stop by. I’m here to extend an invitation.”

  “Oh yeah? What for?”

  “My parents would like to have you over to the house for lunch.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “They would?”

  “Yes. I’m looking at it as though they’re trying to extend the olive branch. It’s a start. Do you remember the other night, when I told you about how my dad basically bribed Parker into taking me out? I think he—I think they feel bad after this whole thing. Which they should feel bad about, because that was completely messed up.”

  “Then it sounds like I should take them up on the offer. Yeah, sure, that’s fine. Just tell me when and where.”

  There was a part of me that wanted to put it off indefinitely, just because I knew the potential there was for things to go badly. But maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe my parents really were going to try to step out of their comfort zones and be welcoming. There was only one way to find out.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Graham

  All right, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit nervous about this whole thing at Chloe’s parents’ house. Lame, I know, but I found myself actually wanting to make a good first impression. Granted, her father kind of sounded like an ass and from that one interaction, I knew her mother was stuck up and pretentious, but I was willing to overlook all that. I had my preconceived notions about them, and they no doubt had their own about me, but maybe, just maybe, we could all get past that.

  This time, when I went up to the front door, I was granted entrance. It was Chloe who opened the door. She wore a navy blue, sleeveless romper with a vintage floral print and these leather strappy sandals that laced halfway up her calves. I still couldn’t get over how hot she looked with the hair; it was like seeing her for the first time every time I saw her.

  “Hey,” she said with a smile. We kissed, briefly, though I would’ve liked it to last much longer.

  “You look great,” I said.

  “So do you.”

  I hadn’t been sure what to wear; the usual jeans and T-shirt was not going to fly, I knew. I eventually settled on a short-sleeve, plaid button-down and a black pair of shorts. I looked respectable, I thought.

  “Hi there, I’m John Singer,” Chloe’s dad said, holding his hand out. I reached to shake it, but we ended up mistiming it and I ended up enclosing his fingertips in my palm.

  “Graham,” I said as we both let go. “Nice to meet you.” Jesus. Talk about awkward.

  It wasn’t much better with her mother. “Claire,” she said. “I know we’ve already met, but we got off on the wrong foot. So, let’s just pretend that never happened.”

  “Sure,” I said. “Why not.”

  They looked about as uncomfortable as I felt, so I guessed we were all just going to have to try to grin and bear it. Alcohol would help. As if reading my mind, Claire’s dad suddenly said, “Would you like a beer?
Wine?”

  “Beer would be great.”

  “Why don’t we go out onto the deck,” Claire said. “Chloe and I will get the drinks; Alicia’s made some delicious appetizers, so the two of you can get started on those and we’ll join you shortly.”

  “Sure,” I said, though I had no clue who the hell Alicia was. A sister? I didn’t think Chloe had mentioned having any siblings.

  I followed her father outside. The deck was huge, overlooking an even bigger green lawn, broken up by several garden plots overflowing with all types of flowers. “Have a seat,” he said, and we sat down at the teak wood table, which was laden with several trays of food.

  “So,” John said. He didn’t say anything else after that, though, and just looked increasingly uncomfortable. He didn’t strike me as the sort of person who was usually at a loss for words. He looked over at the food and cleared his throat. “It looks like Alicia has put together a fine spread.” He blanched at the potential innuendo that could be deduced from “Alicia’s fine spread,” but neither of us said anything. Under other circumstances, we might’ve shared a laugh, but that was clearly not going to happen.

  “And Alicia is ...?” I looked around, not seeing this Alicia or any signs of her. I really had no recollection to Chloe ever mentioning her name.

  “Our chef,” he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Today’s usually one of her days off, but we asked that she come in and prepare something since you were coming by.”

  I smiled. “I gave my chef the day off today.”

  He returned my smile, though I could tell it was mostly to cover up his confusion as to whether or not I actually had a chef.

  “Anyway,” he said. “These are the appetizers here, and it looks like we’ve got some grilled portabellas, bacon-wrapped scallops, and some crab cakes, which are one of Alicia’s specialties.”

  “Everything looks great.”

  I imagined Alicia, trapped in the hot kitchen, a huge ball and chain attached to her leg, being forced to make hundreds and hundreds of crab cakes ....

  I laughed, just a little, but enough that I couldn’t cover it up with a cough or something.

  Chloe’s dad looked at me. “Something funny?”

  “Oh, uh ...”

  Luckily, Chloe and her mother appeared with the drinks, saving me from trying to think up an excuse for my laughter.

  “Here we go!” her mother said cheerfully.

  “So, Graham, tell us about your childhood. Did you grow up here?”

  “Afraid so,” I said, intending it to be a joke—yes, a bad one, I know—but realizing that neither of Chloe’s parents were going to take it that way.

  “Oh.” They exchanged glances. “Is something wrong with the Cape?” her mother asked.

  “No, I don’t mean it that way. Although, winters here can be kind of rough. That was just my attempt at a lame joke.”

  There was some forced laughter and then some more silence.

  There was absolutely no cohesion, no meshing, no middle ground for us to meet on. To combat the complete awkwardness, I drank more beer. Drinking more beer made me more affable. I laughed louder, longer. Was that thing Chloe’s dad said even that funny? Questionable, but I laughed anyway. And here was her mother, trying to reignite the conversation, asking me what my parents did for a living.

  Under normal circumstances, I would have said that my mother was a waitress and I didn’t have contact with my father. But not today. Today I chugged the rest of my beer. I looked at Chloe’s mother.

  “My mother works in the service industry. And by service industry I mean The Finery. Know of that place?”

  Claire had no idea, but for a second, I swear, John blanched. And the reason he did so was because he did know the place. Whether that was just because he’d driven by there or actually had personal experience, I had no idea, but finally! Common ground. I seized the opportunity.

  “Yes!” I exclaimed. I leaned over and clapped him on the back. He nearly jumped out of his seat. “You know The Finery!”

  “What? No, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” But the look on his face said he knew exactly what I was talking about.

  “What is it? What’s The Finery?” Claire asked, looking first to John, then to me.

  Chloe nudged me. I had no idea if she knew what The Finery was, but from the expression on her face, I had a feeling she’d at least heard about it.

  “Is it some place I’d like to go?” Claire asked after no one answered her previous question. She fixed her gaze back on me. “So, your mother works there, Graham?”

  “It’s basically been the only job she’s ever had. Started right out of high school. A dancer, back then, but now she’s waitressing. That’s where she met my dad! Allegedly.” I took another sip of beer.

  It wasn’t quite registering for Claire, yet. I could see her trying to process what I’d just said, figuring out if by “dancer” I met New York City Ballet or ... the other kind of dancer.

  “This risotto’s really good,” Chloe said.

  “What ... what kind of dancing did she do?” Claire asked.

  It was like there were two parts of me: the rational part that knew I should just shut the hell up, there was no reason to keep going with this, and then the other part was enjoying this, that wanted to see where this was going to go. That enjoyed seeing John squirm a little, because he’d probably never had to squirm in his life, because he was the sort of guy who was used to giving the orders and being in charge and never having anyone question him. It felt good, to that part of me that was having fun, yet the rational part of me knew it wasn’t fair because I didn’t really know Chloe’s dad. Yes, it was easy enough to just group him in with all the other wealthy summer residents, with his salmon pink, Lacoste golf shirt and his pressed, cream-colored shorts, but did I personally know the guy? No, I did not. Not yet anyway, though from the look on his face, I probably wasn’t going to have the chance to get to know him. At least not today.

  Claire looked at John. “What kind of place is this?” she demanded.

  “Honey ...” He rubbed his eyes. “It’s nowhere, okay? Let’s just drop it.”

  “No, I want to know.”

  “Maybe we should just drop it, Mom,” Chloe said.

  But Claire acted as though she hadn’t even heard Chloe, and John was looking more agitated by the second, and suddenly the air had a very electric feel to it, kind of the way it does right before a big lightning storm.

  “Yeah, I’m not staying here to witness this,” Chloe said. She stood up and reached for my hand. “Come on, let’s go.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chloe

  I had been hopeful that our get-together might go smoothly. I had prepared myself and accepted the fact that there was bound to be some awkwardness, but that if my dad had a drink or two, and Graham had a beer, then eventually the conversation would gel, everyone would find something to talk about, maybe there’d even be a couple laughs.

  But then, Graham ended up having a few more beers than I thought he would, and while he wasn’t drunk, he was definitely a little tipsy. And then the whole thing with The Finery came up, and it was like I was watching a car crash in slow motion and there was nothing I could do about it.

  So we left.

  We took my car and Graham sat there in the passenger seat, hands on his knees, looking out the windshield.

  “Shit,” he said as I pulled out from the driveway. “What the hell just happened?”

  “I think you just started World War Three.”

  He winced. “Was it that bad? I’m not even drunk, you know. I don’t know why I brought that shit up. Fuck, I’m sorry.”

  I shrugged. “It’ll blow over.”

  “You’re not mad?”

  “Why would I be?”

  “Well, I’m not trying to make your home life any more complicated, you know. Your mother didn’t look happy.”

  “I’m sure my father will have some s
ort of explanation for her.”

  Graham gave me a sidelong look. “You do know what The Finery is, right?”

  “Everyone knows what it is. Except maybe my mom. I’ve never been there before, but I know it’s a strip club. My parents have been coming to the Cape every summer for a long time now; it wouldn’t surprise me if at some point before I came along my dad and his buddies went there some night.” We came to a red light and I stopped. “Or maybe even after I was born. Who knows? Obviously that’s not something I talk to him about.”

  “Wow,” Graham said, sounding surprised. “You’re being pretty nonchalant about the whole thing.”

  Was I? I’d always assumed my parents had a good relationship, but I’d also seen the way my mother flirted with the landscapers, who were always young and handsome and often took their shirts off while they mowed the lawn or trimmed the hedges.

  “I mean, if it comes out that he goes there all the time and has fathered a dozen illegitimate children or something, then I might care, but if we’re talking about him going there just to watch or whatever, I don’t see what the big deal is. My mom probably has more of a problem with it not being a four-star establishment than anything else.”

  The light changed and I started to drive again. I didn’t know where I was going, so I just ended up driving around for a while until I finally ended up back near my parents’ house.

  “I’m fine to drive,” Graham said. “I should at least get my truck out of there.”

  So I drove back down the driveway, hoping that neither of them would come out of the house, which they didn’t. “You want to come back to my place for a little bit?” Graham asked.

  “Sure,” I said, because I sure as hell did not want to stay here right now.

  *****

  It was dark when I got home, and the front light wasn’t on, so I didn’t see that my mother was sitting outside in the Adirondack until I almost walked past her.

  “Hi, Chloe,” she said. I heard the ice clink in her glass as she took a sip of whatever it was she was drinking. “I’m sorry about earlier today.”