“I’m sorry. I can see this has really affected you,” the interviewer said.
“It has. I thought he was my best friend, but he was just using me. I’ve learned from this. I’ve got to be more observant and pick who I surround myself with more selectively.”
I didn’t listen to any more. I cut the television off. It was clear what was happening. I was being thrown under the bus while Emmitt and William were going to walk out of this guilt free. I sat back on the couch and yelled out. I just needed that release. Things literally couldn’t have been worse.
Another phone call interrupted my pity party. It was Olivia this time.
“Hey,” I simply said as I answered the phone.
“Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not. I’ve lost almost all of my clients, got into a fight, been put in jail, and then been attacked by three men all in the last twenty-four hours. What’s worse is that Chastity left me. I asked her to marry me just a few minutes before all of this happened. I don’t know if I can take this anymore, Olivia.”
“Come home.”
“I am home. Besides, it doesn’t matter where I go. My life is pretty much over.”
“No, it isn’t. Your aunt and uncle are really worried about you. I know they would love to see you. It might not feel like it because you’ve been gone for so long, but this will always be your real home. There are people here who will love you, no matter what you’ve done. I know. I’m one of them. Come home.”
“I think that’s a good idea.”
“Great. I’ll talk to you soon, right?”
“You’ll be the first person I come see.”
“Eric, even if the rest of the world hates you a little right now, I just want you to know that I’m proud of you. You made something of yourself, and I know in my heart that you’ll pick yourself up from this and do it again. I still believe in you.”
“Thank you for that. I needed to hear someone say that right now.”
After I was off the phone, I packed a bag to go home. I had been searching for relief the night before, and that had landed me in a cell. The only real relief I was going to find was in Green Bay. There was only one person I wanted to talk to after something like that, and it was the girl who would always be my best friend.
Chapter 29
A Stroke of Luck
When my plane landed in Green Bay, the first thing I did was call Olivia. No one else even knew I was there, so it made sense.
“Hello,” she said.
“Hey, I’m here. I know it’s late, but is there any way we could meet?”
“I’m not so sure if that’s a good idea right now. I just got Phillip in bed, and I don’t think Richard is going to like it very much if I leave in the middle of the night. Can I meet you in the morning after I drop Phillip off for school?”
“Sure. Where do you want to meet?”
“You can come to my house. Going out in public when you’ve been all over the news for the last two days probably isn’t a good idea. Do you know where the house is?”
“Mike told me where you lived a few years ago. I’ll be there. Olivia, thanks for taking the time to talk to me about this. I feel like I’m going crazy.”
“You’re going to be fine. You got me through my dad dying, so the least I can do is get you through this. That’s what friends are for, right?”
Yeah . . . friends, I thought. It wasn’t like we were anything more than that, but I had never thought of Olivia as a simple friend. I had only pretended to feel that way to keep Chastity and Richard happy. It gave me a way to keep Olivia in my life without causing problems for anybody. Hearing that friend word still hurt on some level.
After we were done talking, I caught a cab to my aunt and uncle’s house. I felt a little odd about showing up unannounced, but I knew they would welcome me with open arms. As I got out of the cab, I saw my uncle taking the garbage out. He immediately smiled at the sight of me.
“So the prodigal son returns,” he said.
“You don’t mind, do you? I really don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“As long as I’m around, this will always be your home. What happened to your face, though?”
“That’s a long story. It would probably be better to tell it inside.”
We went into the house, and my aunt greeted me with a hug. She was immediately drawn to the same thing that my uncle was. Just why did I look like someone had beaten the crap out of me?
“All right, I’m going to detail my last forty-eight hours for you guys. As you know, my mom and dad got out of prison, but that wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. They’re getting a divorce. Before I found that out, I asked Chastity to marry me. She said yes, but my past caught up to me, and my clients dropped me like a bad habit. If that wasn’t bad enough, Chastity left me after she found out what I used to do,” I said.
“What do you mean she left you? Where did she go?” Aunt Kristen asked.
“I don’t know. I didn’t follow her. I begged her to stay, but it was obvious that she wanted to be away from me. I’m not the person she thought I was.”
“Why didn’t you tell her about this before?” Uncle Gary asked.
“I always meant to, but there was never a good time. In truth, I think I was too scared that she would leave me when she found out how I got my start. I can see now that my fear was justified. It gets even worse, though. After she left, I went across the road to a bar. I ran into a guy named William who used to give Emmitt and me money. You probably know his name from the reports. He tried to steal some of my clients when I first got started, so he taunted me about what was happening. Rich guys like him will be okay. I, on the other hand, was screwed, and he enjoyed that a little too much. I punched him and kicked him while he was down. To make a long story short, I ended up in jail. When I got out, William and two men were waiting on me. That’s where the bruises came from. I think the worst part was when I got home. I had to look at Emmitt’s lying face on television. I can’t believe he’s claiming ignorance on this whole thing.”
“Well, was it worth it?” Uncle Gary asked.
“What are you talking about?”
“A long time ago, I told you that being a man is about meeting the consequences for your actions head on. I also told you that you should never do the wrong thing unless you know you can live with those consequences. Was the payout worth it?”
“Not even close. I’ve lost everyone except for Marcus, and I’m sure he’s going to drop me soon.”
“Don’t throw a pity party. You made millions off this, and you don’t know that he’s going to drop you.”
“Your uncle is right. Have you tried to call him?” Aunt Kristen asked.
“Not yet. I was thinking about meeting with him while I’m in town. Maybe if we talk face to face, it’ll change his mind about me. I can’t blame him if he drops me, though. I probably would in his shoes. You’re both right, though. I did gain a lot out of this. I just don’t know if it was all worth it. I lost Olivia because I left to go back to Miami. Then I lost Chastity because of my past. It gave me money, but what good is that with no future?”
“You have a future. I’m not so sure that losing Chastity wasn’t a good thing,” my aunt said.
“Why would you say that?”
“Because you deserve a woman who will stand with you through the worst of times and not just the best. You never lost Olivia either. She would still be there for you. You two just aren’t what you once were, and that’s okay. You still have us, too. We love you. Everyone here loves you. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve done very well for yourself. You’ve had more success than any of us could hope to have, and you still have a lot of people who care about you. Look at this as a learning experience that’s going to get you where you’re supposed to be one day.”
“You’re right, of course. I’ve had a rough day. Do you mind if I go up to my room and get some sleep?”
“Go ahead,” she said and hugged me.
I wa
lked to my room and laid my bags down. Then I immediately flopped down on the bed. I was so tired. It wasn’t only that my body needed rest. My mind was shot, too. A person can only take so much, and the last two days had been more than I ever thought I could handle. I was still there, though, and the next morning, I was determined to make the only mistake I could never regret. I was surer about the only thing I wanted than ever before. I wasn’t just going over to Olivia’s to talk. I was going there to tell her I still loved her. I had taken so many chances for money and Chastity, but this was the only chance I ever wanted. It was time to take it. Before I could close my eyes, my uncle walked into the room.
“Eric, I just want you to know that I’m proud of you. No matter what any person or report says, I know what kind of man you’ve become. You made mistakes when you were younger, but they’ve made you who you are today. Don’t ever regret them or dwell on it. Just learn and move on. That’s all you can do,” he said.
“Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me right now. It felt like the whole world was against me for a while there.”
“No one here is against you. Besides, I’m sure you’ve got a lot of the cash left from all the deals you’ve been a part of. That’s not what life is about, but you’ve got a future ahead of you, thanks to that. Well, goodnight. You should go see Olivia tomorrow sometime.”
I thought it was odd that my uncle was suggesting that, but he wasn’t wrong. Olivia was the best thing about that place. It was a no-brainer that I would see her. Still, what was he hiding? I remembered when I was twenty-one and he pushed us to be friends. Why did he want us to be close? Before that, he acted like I should keep my distance from her because she was married. Just what had changed?
“I’m meeting with her in the morning. I didn’t want to answer anyone’s calls after everything happened, but I couldn’t resist answering her. I guess I still have a soft spot for her. Maybe it’ll always be that way.”
“Not everyone has a storybook ending, but some people just fit together. I think you and she always will, and you probably always should,” he said before walking out of the room.
I thought his last comment was a little odd, but I shrugged it off. It was past time to get some sleep. I drifted away.
* * * * *
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. It was my mom. I hadn’t answered any of her calls before, and she was concerned. To make a long story short, I ended up talking to my mom and dad within the first few minutes of being awake. I explained everything that was going on and told them not to worry. I was fine now. I just needed to get out of Miami for a while.
I got ready and started to walk out the door to go see Olivia. I got a text message that stopped me, though. It was from Marcus.
“Hey, I need to talk to you,” he said.
“I’m in town. Can we meet?” I asked.
“Yeah. Meet me at the team facility in thirty minutes.”
I quickly texted Olivia and told her what was going on. I didn’t want to be late, but I didn’t have a choice. My last client wanted to meet with me. If I lost him, I had absolutely nothing. I drove over to the team facility and found Marcus waiting on me. He was early, too. As I got out, he nodded for me to get into the car with him.
“Let me explain everything,” I said as I got into the car.
“It better be good. My new deal should be done by now,” he said.
“Wait a minute. You’re not going to fire me like everyone else?”
“Why would I? I knew what went on at that university. I might not have taken any money myself, but I knew what you did before you were my agent. I didn’t choose you because I thought you were perfect. I asked you to represent me because I knew you would always have my back. So far, you always have. You even flew my wife into Green Bay when I had no money. What kind of person would I be if I wasn’t there for you when it mattered?”
“Thank you, Marcus. I roomed with Emmitt, and he was the first person to drop me. I guess I just figured if he would do that, then everyone else would.”
“I saw him on ESPN blaming you for everything. We both know that’s bull, though. He was in as deep as you were. Now, I know things are rough for you, but I didn’t want to talk about the scandal around you and Miami. I want an update on my contract talks. I want to be in Green Bay, and I don’t understand why a deal isn’t done. I had 1,400 rushing yards last year. That should earn me a spot for a while.”
“They offered a five year forty million dollar deal six days ago. I think you deserve fifty, though. I’m making them sweat. We’ll get what we want.”
“I don’t need fifty. Honestly, I don’t know if we can get that, as pushed as they are for cap space this year. You need a win right now, Eric, and so do I. I need to know that my future is here. Do me a favor, and call them as soon as I drop you back off. Tell them that I’m sitting outside of the facility, and I’ll sign a five year forty-two million dollar deal. That way, we get to save a little face in the negotiation process, and they basically get what they want.”
“Why wouldn’t you want more if you could get it?”
“Because it’s not about that. I came from nothing, and I live simply. A lot of these fools go broke right after they get out of the game, but not me. All I care about is if I get to spoil my wife every day of our lives. She’s the only person I ever spend money on. I still have more than I need from my rookie contract. Forty-two million will set me up for life. It’ll give you 4.2 million over the next five years, too. I have a feeling you could use that right about now.”
“You’re right. I’ll make the call,” I said as we pulled back into the facility.
As I was getting out, I couldn’t help but turn back toward Marcus. In college, I had thought much more of Emmitt and Derrick. They had both found success, but there was something about how Marcus approached life that I admired. You could tell that he gave everything he had when he was on the field, and when he was off the field, he gave all of himself to the woman he loved. Where he was drafted or how much money he had didn’t define him. The way he approached life and relationships did.
“I respect you, Marcus. I wish I were more like you. You just became my favorite football player,” I joked.
“You mean I wasn’t always,” he joked back.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret. I hate football. This was just a job for me, but seeing the way you’ve succeeded here makes it a joy. Thanks.”
“I’ll let you in on a secret, too. I don’t even like football. It was a way to please my dad and then a way to get into college. Now, it helps me take care of the people I love. That’s what it all comes down to. Speaking of that, who do you love, Eric?”
“I don’t know. Chastity left me when all of this happened, so I guess I’m back to square one on that front.”
“Figure that one out, and all this scandal business or splitting hairs on a contract will become background noise. Make that call for me, and then concentrate on you for a while. I’ll let you know if I need anything.”
I smiled and got into my car. Then I called the general manager there in Green Bay. He seemed surprised to hear that I was still representing Marcus, but he was thrilled with the deal I was offering. Marcus was a threat as a runner and a receiver, and he could play special teams. They knew that they had a stud in him. I truly did think that we could get the fifty million out of them, but this was how he wanted it, and for the first time, I thought I understood why. Life isn’t all about winning. I could have held out and won that negotiation, but he wanted it done. Marcus wanted the security to know that he was going to be in Green Bay for a long time. I wanted that, too. I would have loved to be in Green Bay permanently. As I was driving, I fantasized about what it would be like to buy the land overlooking the lake that Olivia had always pointed out. I could build her dream house there and grow old with her. It was just a fantasy, though. Odds were that even mentioning it would push her away from me. I might even lose her as a friend p
ermanently. Then again, what if she still fantasized about things like that? Wasn’t it worth the risk? Couldn’t I tell her how I felt? What was stopping me? There was no such thing as a risk that was too big if it gave me a chance at getting the girl of my dreams. I had decided what I was going to do. I would tell Olivia that I loved her, and if that didn’t work, I would show her how much I loved her. She was married, and I knew that it was wrong, but I didn’t care anymore. I had already done so much wrong in my life and taken the punishment for all of it. This was the only thing that no punishment would be too much for. I could live with this guilt. I picked up the phone and called her.
“Hey, are you almost here?” Olivia asked.
“Yeah, I’ll be there in just a few minutes. I’m sorry about being late, but it’s only ten. That will leave us with plenty of time to talk.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Eric?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I know I’m the one who invited you, but I don’t know how Richard would feel about us being here alone. Maybe we should meet somewhere.”
“It’s just me, Olivia. You know I would never do anything you didn’t want me to. Besides, what Richard doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
“I guess you’re right. Come on over. I’ll see you soon,” she said, and we got off the phone.
I smiled as I hung the phone up. My luck was changing. I could just feel it. I had kept Marcus as a client, and soon I was going to be telling the woman who had always been my home that I wanted to spend my life with her. The next few hours would be interesting, and more importantly, they would change everything about the rest of my life in one way or another.
Chapter 30
The Pursuit of Happiness
Destiny Page 27