The Winning Side

by C. M. Doporto

  ***

  Raven and I slept for what seemed like eternity, trying to rejuvenate our bodies and minds. Being wrapped in his arms restored everything, eroding the doubt, fear, and pain that taunted my mind. I gave him everything he needed and more, even though he asked for nothing. I love him and I wanted to him know it.

  Feel it.

  Never doubt it.

  Slowly, I began to open my heart, exposing myself to him and praying that he wouldn’t break my heart again. I had been through so much, I wasn’t sure my heart would mend the next time. I had to take that leap of faith. Even though I had no idea how it would turn out, I knew Raven Davenport was worth it.

  I didn’t push him to watch the bowl game, but, to my surprise, he wanted to. I think he did it mainly to support Josh and Shawn. We even invited Luke and Delaney to come over. At first, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but we had a good time. Raven and Luke seemed to be fine, and I was excited to hear that my brother agreed to train with him later that week. It reaffirmed that he was on his way to recovery — not only physically, but mentally. Having a good attitude and owning up to your mistakes are part of the battle and Raven faced them head on with determination.

  PHU beat their opponent by a Hail Mary pass thrown by the second string quarterback, Kyle Reeves, in the last fifteen seconds of the game. Josh caught the ball and ran it in for the winning touchdown after Shawn hurt his ankle in the third quarter. We were all relieved to hear it was just a bad sprain. The game was so exciting. I never realized how much I enjoyed football over baseball. It made me happy that he supported his teammates, even though he didn’t get to play. It was hard for him, but he did it. And I was so proud of him.

  Wednesday arrived quicker than we expected and Raven was faced with his next challenge — meeting with the academic dean and the ethics committee. The fate of his career was in the hands of these people. Coach Anderson informed him that he would be present and not only would they decide if Raven would remain on the football team, but also if he would be allowed to remain enrolled at PHU. If they kicked him out of school, then he couldn’t play. The situation was more serious than I had thought.

  Raven had met with Mr. Marshall on Monday for advice on the situation. I was slightly disappointed when I found out that he refused to press charges against Jared. When I asked him why, he told me that he had done some things in the past for Jared that he wasn’t proud of and if he brought him down, he’d go down, too. He said Mr. Marshall advised him to leave Jared out of it and move forward. It bothered me, but I did press him further for details. I just did everything to keep him in good spirits. We had to stay positive and believe that they would give him one more chance.

  “Everything is going to be all right, man. Trust me.” Josh hooked an arm around Raven’s neck. “Just be honest with them. They’ll see that it was a slip and that you’re going to keep on the right track.”

  Raven stared at the floor, his face tense and body stiff. “I know. Your uncle feels that they will believe me and I’ll get another chance.”

  Josh patted Raven on the chest and squeezed him in a tight hug. “That’s right. You’re going to be back on the field for spring training. Mark my words.”

  Shelby flashed me a wide-eyed look and I shot her a meek smile. I hoped Josh was right. Rumors were flying sky-high, but we did our best to ignore them. Some were in favor of PHU keeping Raven while others felt he’d had his chance. It was fifty-fifty and only God knew what would be decided.

  I handed Raven his suit jacket. “We better go. You don’t want to be late.”

  He glanced at his watch. “Yeah, that wouldn’t be good.”

  Josh grabbed his keys from the coffee table.

  “What are you doing?” Raven asked as he put his jacket on.

  “I’m driving you up there. We’re going to wait with Lexi and your mom. Is that’s okay?”

  “I think that’s a good idea.” Trish adjusted Raven’s tie and then straightened his collar, making sure her son looked acceptable.

  “Sure. I guess I need all the support I can get.”

  “It never hurts.” Trish leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Raven’s cheek. He embraced her and we all stood in silence. The love they shared was obvious. A part of me was a little envious that he had that type of relationship with his mother. It was something I longed for, but doubted I would ever have.

  Josh dropped us off at the Wilson building where the admission’s offices were located. We entered the renovated building and took the stairs to the second floor. Raven held on to my hand the entire way, gripping it tightly for support. I felt the nervous vibe through the tiny tremors of his hand and the sweat that lined his palm, but I didn’t care. He needed me and I wasn’t letting go. I wanted to hold him in my arms, stroke his hair, and tell him not to worry about anything.

  Our heels hit the granite-tiled floor, slicing through the dead silence. It sent shivers down my spine, and I imagined what Raven felt like walking to the chamber of doom. I shook my head, not allowing my own demons to take over.

  Mr. Marshall and Steve were waiting in the hallway along with Shaw, Luke, and Delaney.

  Shawn hooked an arm around Raven and patted him on the chest. “Don’t worry, man. I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Raven cracked a half-smile.

  “Good morning,” Mr. Marshall said in his deep, southern accent.

  “Hello.” Trish extended her hand. “Thank you so much for helping my son. It means a lot to me… to us.” Her voice squeaked and she quickly wiped the area under her eyes.

  “No worries.” Mr. Marshall gave her a hefty shake. “I care about your son. He’s a good kid and I want to see him succeed. He has a bright future ahead of him.”

  “We will pay you back. It might take me a while to do it, but I promise I will pay you for every penny of your time.”

  “Nonsense.” The attorney waved off her comment. “You owe me nothing. I believe in giving back to the community and those in need. God always seems to reward me more when I do that. Besides, this is my Alma Mater. We need this guy.” He patted Raven on the back.

  Ahh... so the attorney did have an agenda. Lucky for us, he was on Raven’s side.

  “Well, I don’t know what to say…thank you.” She hugged the big man and he hugged her back. Turning to Steve, she shook his hand. “Thank you so much. I appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome.” Steve adjusted his glasses and his eyes glazed over. “Raven’s a good guy.”

  “Well, son, you ready to get this show on the road?” Mr. Marshall adjusted his purple and white bow tie, sporting the school colors.

  Turning toward Raven, I said, “Good luck, babe. I know everything is going to work out for the best.” I placed a soft kiss on his lips.

  “Thanks, baby. Thank you for everything.” He hugged me and then gave me a long kiss. Every emotion rolled from that kiss to me, and I took it all in. This guy really loved me. And he needed me more than he knew. My heart swelled, overfilled with my emotions and his. I swallowed hard, determined not to cry in front of him.

  He released me and then faced his mom. “Thanks, Mom, for being here. I love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  They hugged for a moment and Raven kissed her forehead.

  Trish patted his chest and pulled away. “Stay strong, son.”

  “I will.”

  “Good luck.” Luke shook Raven’s hand.

  “Thanks for being here,” Raven replied in a sincere tone. It brought a smile to my face. Having my brother’s support meant a lot to me. Maybe because he was the only family I had that was truly on my side.

  With a deep breath, Raven rolled his shoulders. “Let’s do this.”

  Steve opened the door and they walked into the boardroom.

  The heavy oak door shut and I backed against the wall, plopping into a chair. I closed my eyes and prayed for the best.

  Σ

  Chapter 6

&nb
sp; The door opened and a bellow of chattering resonated from inside the stately room. My heart thundered with a vengeance as I stood, my shaky legs threatening to plant me back in the chair. Trish grabbed my arm as she pulled herself up from the bench next to me, nearly pulling me down. Delaney stepped beside me, with one hand supporting my back as Luke, Josh, Shelby, and Shawn gathered in the hallway. We waited for the verdict.

  Mr. Marshall and Steve exited the room first, there expression seeming positive. It gave my heart a bit of relief. I stood on the tips of my toes, looking past the gentleman for Raven. Slowly, he descended from the meeting. He met my gaze and I immediately knew the outcome — the expression on his face said it all. I ran to him and he lifted me in his arms.

  “They’re giving me another chance.” The words echoed in my ears as he spun me around.

  “Oh, babe, that’s wonderful!” I squealed as I planted kisses all over his face. “What about the team?”

  He steadied himself and then placed me back on my feet. “I can still play.”

  “You can?” Excitement bubbled inside of me.

  “Yep!”

  “Oh, Raven, I’m so happy for you!” I kissed him again and then our family and friends bombarded us with hugs and cheers. It was definitely the news we needed to hear and the third chance he needed. Despite all of Raven’s faults, he did deserve another chance.

  “Thank you, Mr. Marshall.” Raven shook the attorney’s hand. “For everything.”

  Mr. Marshall patted Raven on the back with his other hand. “Don’t worry about it, son. Just stay clean, follow the rules I told you and Lexi about, and use your common sense for Pete’s sake.”

  “Yes, sir.” Raven nodded. “Got them embedded right here,” he said, tapping the side of his head.

  “We appreciate your help.” I smiled, giving the attorney my heartfelt gratitude. Even though I didn’t care for his rawness, I couldn’t detest his genuine care for Raven’s wellbeing.

  Mr. Marshall’s eyes softened. “My pleasure. Just keep this boy in line. I need his ass on that field come fall.”

  I pressed my hand to Raven’s chest while looking him in the eyes. “Don’t worry, I will.”

  “I know you will.” Raven kissed my forehead. “Hey, I think this calls for a celebration!”

  “It better be food and sodas.” The attorney eyed Raven with a cocked brow. “I just got you out of this mess, I don’t need you in another one.”

  “Speaking of the mess, is it true? Will Raven remain on the team?” The same school reporter that demanded answers outside of the athletics office last week was stalking us again.

  Raven looked at Mr. Marshall and then Steve, as if waiting for their advice. Steve turned to the attorney with raised brows and a knowing stare. The attorney gave a slight nod.

  The reporter inched her phone closer to Raven, obviously not giving up. “What were the results from the meeting?”

  “If we give you an exclusive press release with some detailed information, privy only to you, will you leave Mr. Davenport alone?” Mr. Marshall lowered the girl’s hand.

  “Will it be different than what is sent to the general media?” The cute blonde retrieved her hand and rested it on her hip. For a small, petite girl, she was ballsy.

  “Yes.”

  “How soon can I get it?” She kept a straight face, not faltering from her request.

  Mr. Marshall cast a glance at Steve. “What do you think?”

  Steve stuffed some brown folders into his briefcase and then rolled the sleeves of his shirt back. “Is two hours sufficient?”

  “Yes. That will work.” The journalist’s hard expression turned into a smile and her blue eyes sparkled with content. “Here’s my card with my email address.” She handed it to Steve.

  “Thank you, Miss Presley.” He tucked the card in the pocket of his shirt. “I’ll make sure to send it to you.”

  “Thank you.” She gave us a quick onceover and then turned on her heels and walked down the hall.

  “Lunch anyone?” Raven asked, apparently keeping Mr. Marshall’s rules in mind.

  “Yeah, I’m starving.” Shawn rubbed his stomach in a circle for emphasis while keeping an eye on the journalist as she descended the stairs. By the hunger in his eyes, I was willing to bet he wanted more than just food. I waited for him to sprint after her, but he didn’t.

  “You kids go ahead.” Mr. Marshall pulled off his bowtie, followed by his suit jacket. “Steve and I have some catching up to do at the office.” He folded his coat over his forearm and handed Steve his tie. “Raven, I’ll touch base with you later in the week.”

  “Okay.” Raven laced his fingers through mine and guided us toward the stairs.

  “Thank you again, Mr. Marshall.” Trish shook his hand as they walked beside us. “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for all that you’ve done.”

  “Like I said, no need to.” Mr. Marshall chuckled. “Just take care of your son and keep him on that field. That’s the best way to pay me back.”

  “I’m more than happy to do that,” Trish said in a high-pitched voice that indicated signs of happy tears. She latched on to Raven’s other arm and we descended the stairs.

  We walked out of the building and into the bright sunlight and chilly air.

  “Where do you guys want to eat?” Raven shielded his eyes with his hand.

  “It doesn’t matter to me.” Luke pulled his keys from his pocket and turned to Delaney. “What about you?”

  “Whatever y’all decide is fine with me.”

  “There’s an Italian restaurant over by the soccer fields.” Josh hooked his arm around Shelby. “We ate there a few weeks ago and it was good.”

  Raven looked at me and then at his mom. “How does that sound?”

  Trish nodded, giving her approval, while I said, “Works for me.”

  “We’ll go get the car and pick you guys up,” Josh said.

  “We can walk.” Trish took a step forward.

  “Are you sure? I had to park several buildings away,” Josh said, motioning with his hand. “It’s a little chilly.”

  Trish wrapped her jacket around her thin frame. “I guess we can wait here.”

  “It won’t take long.” Josh started to jog off when Shelby said, “Wait up, I’m coming with you.”

  “We’ll meet you guys there.” Luke tossed his keys in the air and caught them singlehandedly. “Come on, let’s go.” He grabbed Delaney by the hand and she waved bye. The mischief in her eyes told me they might be arriving late.

  Trish sat on a bench and motioned for us to join her. Raven slid next to her and I sat next to him. “I couldn’t have asked for a better turnout.” Raven extended his arms behind us and squeezed us simultaneously.

  “Me either.” I pressed my lips to his for a quick kiss.

  “Son, I’m really happy for you.” Trish placed her hand on his leg and gave him a soothing pat. “But, I’d like to know what they said. I’m sure they laid down some stipulations.”

  Raven pulled his arms back and dropped his hands in his lap. He exhaled and his shoulders curved inward, making his head align in height with his mom’s and mine. “Yeah, they did.”

  Trish leaned closer to her son. “Well, what did they say?”

  Raven twiddled his thumbs and his right leg shook, tapping against my thigh. I’d never seen Raven react in this manner. Either he didn’t want to tell his mom what had been decided or he was having some serious reservations about it.

  “Is everything okay?” I placed my hand on his arm. “You don’t have to be afraid or embarrassed to tell us.”

  “Please don’t shut us out, Raven.” Trish patted his leg repeatedly. “We’re here to support you.”

  “I know that,” he responded in a curt tone.

  Trish raised her head and motioned for me to stay calm behind his back. We had to be careful about what we said and how we said it. The last thing we wanted was for him to close down and wind up right back where he used to be. We ha
d to keep those inner demons on a leash until he could get rid of them for good.

  I moved my hand to his back and rubbed up and down gently, showing my support in a small gesture.

  He covered his face with his hands and slid them down slowly. He straightened his body and took a deep breath. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bite your heads off. It’s not easy admitting to your mom and your girlfriend that you can’t get your shit together without a shrink helping you.”

  It made sense and I completely understood why he was embarrassed to tell us. Not everyone likes to seek professional advice to overcome a problem or addiction. But Raven honestly needed it; his demons were too much for him to handle on his own. I moved my hand to his arm. “It’s okay, Raven, many people—”

  “Oh, that’s great, honey.” Trish sounded enthusiastically ecstatic about his revelation, cutting me off mid-sentence. “Do you have to pay for it?”

  “What?” Raven turned toward her, not sounding as happy.

  “Seeing a therapist is very expensive.” She clutched her purse close to her body. “I know.”

  Raven’s head jutted back. “What do you mean you know? Have you seen a therapist?”

  She nodded, not making eye contact with him. “Several times.”

  “And did it help?”

  She pursed her lips together, as though withholding information. Based on what I knew about her, I knew why she had seen a therapist. I felt for her and Raven. My life was not perfect and I definitely had my own issues, but when you think you have it bad, someone else always has it worse.

  Turning toward him, she said, “It did and it still does. When I have a little extra money, I go see my therapist. She’s helped me deal with my problems.”

  Raven leaned against the bench and rolled his shoulders a few times, as if trying to shake off his mother’s confession. “You never told me.”

  “It’s not something you want to tell your kids, especially when you’re their sole provider and the head of the house.”

  His head snapped in her direction. “Then you know how I feel. Being a guy, I should be able to deal with my problems and learn how to overcome them, not have someone solve them for me.”