Mr. Basketball Ch. 16

"God, he's embarrassing sometimes," she giggled.

"That's what they do," I smiled.

I refocused on the game now as Jamie brought the ball up the floor.

"Jamie," I called. "Spread!"

"Spread," Jamie repeated.

They let it go for a little while before they started using fouls to slow the game down. It ended with us winning by twelve and ending their winning streak of two plus seasons.

"I'm sure we will be seeing you again sometime this year," their coach offered.

"If all goes as planned," I offered.

"State championship game?" he questioned.

"You set the date and we will be there."

"Good job out there tonight coach," he said.

"You too," I smiled.

"Tonight's game was exactly what I have been waiting for from all of you this season," I said as we stood in the locker room. "You two played beautifully and complimented Taylor perfectly. My only complaint would be defense...but you did play a very high powered offense tonight so I'm not too worried about it."

"Tomorrow," I continued. "The gym will be open. If you want to come down and shoot around you are more than welcome too. If not, I'll see all of you at our regular time Monday afternoon."

*

We played very well and very steady over the next few games. Lane was a permanent starter now taking Jamie's place. Eva started when they had two good ball handlers to share the work load with Taylor. If they had good post players, Tracy got the start. We went into the Christmas break still undefeated but the second half of the season would test us. As long as we won the district games we would be just fine.

*

"You ready, Tea?" I asked.

"Dad is waiting on us," she smiled.

"Let's go then."

We climbed into the car with Thom and drove towards the airport. We were heading to Texas for my interview then we were going to see mom and dad for Christmas. They had no idea we were coming so it was going to be another big surprise when we showed up at the door.

"Hey Jake?" Thom asked.

"Yes sir."

"I'm going to be out of town for the New Year. Can I trust you two to run the place while I'm gone?"

"I'm sure I can hold the fort down until you get back," I offered.

"If you need anything just give me a call."

"It isn't the first time you've gone away daddy," Teagan said.

"But it's the first time I'm leaving you guys in charge."

"I can handle it, dad. I'll make sure I don't give too many cars away."

"You've been on a roll," he chuckled. "Twenty two since you started, that's pretty impressive if you ask me."

"Just doing my job," I smiled.

"Here I thought you were research and development," he chuckled again.

"I do it all."

"And you were hesitant to come to work for me."

"It's fun," I smiled. "I enjoy it."

"What the hell did you wait so long for then?" he chuckled again.

"I had to make you sweat a little."

He chuckled before he asked the next question. "Is it ok that Taylor and Tessa stay with you two?"

"We will stay over there," I said quickly.

"You don't have to do that," he said.

"You have a bigger TV," I offered. "I will feel like I'm there when I watch the Duke games."

He laughed again before changing lanes. The real reason we didn't want the girls at the house was the baby. We hadn't said anything still since it wasn't quite past the three month mark yet. If the two of them stayed over there they would see the rooms had been painted and the cat would be out of the bag. We would tell them once we had the ultrasound at the three month mark.

"I heard Cali is moving," he said changing the subject.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Her mom wants to move back to Indiana so she is going. I'm going to miss her."

"It's not going to change anything with the team is it? You guys will still be pretty damn good without her."

"We will be fine."

"Who are you planning to call up from JV?" Teagan asked.

"I don't know? Maybe I will run with what I have. It's time for April to step up and play some. It's her last season so maybe she deserves some time in there."

"True," Teagan said.

"What are you going to tell all of them when you get back?" Thom asked.

"About what?"

"About this job offer."

"The truth," I said. "I'm not going anywhere until the season is over. Nobody makes a coaching change in the middle of the season."

"Aren't they kind of doing that now?" he asked.

"Not really. The assistant is running things for now."

"That's kind of a coaching change isn't it?" he asked.

"It would be like if I left the job and Teagan had to take over. She knows what I run and what the players are used to doing. You would make a few small changes but you don't throw a completely different system at them. Like when I took over for Sam, I didn't change that much. We still ran her pick and roll and her hi low. I added Georgia throughout the year but I never really went to it until we got deep into the playoffs. The following season I threw a completely different system at them but I had the time to get it in place."

"Who is going to coach with you? Don't you need some assistant coaches?"

"That's a long ways away," I sighed. "If I get the job then I have to headhunt and find a staff."

"What about Teagan?" he asked.

"She's going to be..." I had to stop myself and not let the cat out of the bag.

"She's going to be what?" Thom asked.

"I don't know," I said trying to recover. "I don't know if she would want to do it."

"She's sitting in the car Jake," Thom chuckled. "You could just ask her."

I glanced back at her. She had this look on her face that said, 'idiot, you almost let the cat out of the bag.'

"Do you want to coach?" I asked.

"No," she said quickly. "If...you get the job, I'm going to use my business degree to get a job down there. I coach because I like coaching girls and I like coaching my sisters."

"So...if I don't get the job, are you going to quit after Tessa graduates?"

"No," she said sarcastically. "I just said I like coaching girls. Guys are boneheads."

Thom and I both glanced at her as she said that.

"Hello?" she sassed. "Both of you are hardheaded sometimes. Imagine fifteen college kids away from home."

"That's because you girls drive us up a wall sometimes," Thom chuckled.

"We keep you inline," she corrected him.

"Yeah," he chuckled. "If you say so. Right Jake?"

"I plead the fifth," I joked. "You don't have to get on a plane with her, I do."

He laughed hard before he changed lanes. We continued talking until we got to the airport.

"See you in a few days dad."

"I'll be here to get you guys. Have fun and be safe."

"Love you daddy."

"I love you too baby."

We pulled our bags towards the ticket counter.

"Geez Jake," she hissed as we headed inside. "You almost let the cat out of the bag."

"I know, sorry, shish."

We headed for the ticket counter and stood in line. "You know...we are going to have to tell Sammy and Randy."

"We will," she said. "After we tell everyone else and after I make it past the three months."

"We kind of have to tell them while we are down there."

"Did you already tell her?" she asked.

"No...but Randy bought us tickets to a concert in Dallas. We will probably have a few drinks while we are there, you won't be drinking anything... Sammy isn't an idiot."

"Who are we going to see?" she asked.

"I think he said it was Luke."

"Nice," she smiled. "I've always wanted to see him. Well...if we have to tell them then we have to tell them. But...we don't tell anyone else and they have to swear to secrecy. If they don't..."

"There's no way Randy is going to want a pissed off mama after his ass," I chuckled. "He won't say nothing."

"What about Sam?"

"Really?" I questioned. "It's Sam, she won't say nothing."

"Next please," the lady at the ticket counter called.

We checked in then got on the plane. Teagan was always a nervous flier so she was silent until we reach altitude before she settled down and relaxed. I sat there thinking about the upcoming interview. I wasn't nervous about it at all. If the job was there and they offered it to me then I would most likely accept it. If it wasn't, I would go back home and continue on with my life as if nothing had ever happened. I was happy either way.

Then I started thinking about the last time I was on a plane and heading home, or so I had thought. It was ironic that it was just about the same time of year. The only thing different this time around was the fact that I wasn't single and I wasn't starting over. I glanced at Teagan before taking her hand into mine and holding it.

"What's the matter?" she asked softly. "You nervous?"

"Naw," I sighed and shook my head.

"What's on your mind then?"

"Ahh, nothing. It kind of feels like I've done this before."

She looked at me and gave a questioning look.

"Just my dream," I sighed.

"Oh," she said and rolled her eyes a little.

I hadn't given her many details from my dream other than we had been in a car accident together and she didn't make it. She had asked about it a couple of times but I always brushed it off and didn't give much away. Maybe it was time to open up a little more.

"I was a drunken fool," I offered.

"You were just...restless," Teagan replied. "You've turned over a new leaf though. I've never been happier with you right now."

"No, in my dream."

"Oh, that," she said.

"I remember heading to Texas for Christmas by myself," I started. Teagan looked at me with interest now. "Dad had taken me to the airport and we had just had a serious talk about the way my life was going since the accident. He was not very happy with me."

She sat there listening with interest but was hesitant to ask questions. I would let little details come out before she would ask questions, the wrong questions, ones that I had the answers for but I couldn't tell her. I would stop talking about it and quickly change the subject when she asked them. She sat there with a questioning look but didn't ask for fear I would change the subject.

"I had been drinking a lot," I continued. "And getting into fights with random people too. I remember the one night I fought somebody at a bar, then I was so drunk I couldn't find my way home. He had to come get me after the cops found me."

I took a pause to think about it for a second before I continued. She was just about to ask a question when I started again. "Come to think of it, the park where I hit the tree after I got slammed into at the intersection was the same park that the cops stopped me. That's kind of odd."

"That is pretty odd," Teagan offered.

"No shit," I croaked.

"The...ah...plane didn't crash when you flew to Texas, did it?" she questioned.

"No. What made you think of that?"

"I don't know?" she quipped. "The cop thing at the park and your accident at the same park. I don't know where this is going."

"The plane didn't go down," I said trying to calm her down. "A lot of stuff happened after that."

"Ok," she sighed in relief.

"I just find it odd that it's a few days before Christmas and I'm, once again, flying to Texas. I'm with you this time so it's completely different but all the same at the same time."

"Should I ask what happened in Texas?" she questioned hesitantly. "Or are you not willing to talk about it?"

I chuckled a little. "Missy and I made up."

"Like, made up or made up?" She put the quotations on the last made up.

"Oh, hell no, not like that. We made up as in she said she was sorry for being a bitch about everything. Then she said she was sorry that you had passed away. You were perfect for me and I didn't deserve to have life take you away from me."

"Well, that was awfully nice of her," Teagan said in her sarcastic way. "Even if it was just a dream."

"Yeah," I chuckled a little. "I should have known something was off when that happened."

"It doesn't hurt to be optimistic," she offered.

I smirked as she smiled at me.

"Oh, excuse me, ma'am?" she said as the flight attendant walked by.

"Yes?" she smiled.

"Can I get another diet pop? I'm a nervous flier and my stomach is flipping right now."

"Not a problem," she said. "Let me finish the last few rows and I will bring you something in just a minute."

"Thank you."

"We should have flown first class," I teased. "We could be sipping on champagne right now."

"That sounds awful," she groaned. "I hate champagne."

"Wine, Jack or Jim, something other than flat soda in a plastic cup."

"Get something if you want," she offered.

"No thanks baby."

"You don't have to stop drinking for me. I'm happy you have but I'm not forcing you to stop."

"I know," I sighed. "It's not even that. I don't feel the desire to drink right at the moment."

"Does it have something to do with the dream?" she asked carefully.

"Yeah," I answered honestly. "And when we were on the rocks. I'll drink again, I just have to do it in a social setting and not in a depressed setting. Does that make sense?"

"You don't want to use alcohol to cover up your feelings. You want to drink to have a good time."

"Damn you are smart. How did I get so lucky to convince you to marry me?"

"I don't know," she smiled. "It was the best stupid mistake I ever made though."

"Here you go miss," the attendant said.

"Oh," Teagan smiled as she got her drink. "Thank you, that didn't take long at all."

"Anything else?"

"Just a safe landing," she offered with her smile.

"That shouldn't be a problem."

Teagan took a sip before looking back at me. I was lost in thought again as she spoke. "Can I ask a little more about the dream? I don't want to push you."

"Sure baby," I smiled.

"What happened after Texas?"

"Well," I said. "A lot of things."

"Like?"

"Hopefully losing Cali was the worst thing that will happen. I got back from Texas and got myself into some hot water with the school. I got fired from coaching. I had to fight to get my job back and luckily I did."

"What happened that you lost your coaching job?" Teagan asked.

I scratched my head and pretended to think for a minute. Of course I was lying at this point but I couldn't tell her the truth. That was the guilt I would have to live with even if it never happened. I explained the whole thing to Jenny one night on the phone and even she didn't have the answer for this one. I decided, for now, to carry the burden with me and deal with it. Maybe way down the road I would say something, but for now I would remain silent.

"I don't remember," I lied. "But that wasn't even the worst of it."

"No, what was?"

"Remember when I said that I was at the gym and Taylor had fallen?"

"I do," she said as she thought. "I think I do anyway."

"It was weird," I started before I stopped to sort out my thoughts. "I saw her again in one of my dreams when I was coming in and out of a coma. She was on crutches and looked very depressed. She said she blew out her Achilles tendon. The fall I saw was her blowing out her Achilles."

"Somehow I knew the rest without actually seeing it," I said after some more thought. "We lost districts but worst of all she lost all of her big scholarship offers. All that was left was one D2 school in North Dakota. She was not thrilled with that."

"I can't imagine she would be," Teagan offered.

"She had her heart set on going to Duke."

"What did she do?"

"She blew out her Achilles," I repeated.

"No, I mean, what did Taylor do after that?"

"I honestly don't know," I replied. "I woke up again and then the dream never continued."

"Hummm," Teagan sighed in thought.

"That's why I get upset with the girls though," I said after some silence. "She's working so hard this season and carrying the team. I don't want her to over work herself and injure herself. I need the rest of them to take some of the burden off of her."

"Maybe," Teagan started. "Maybe that part of the dream was more geared towards your life and what happened to you. You hurt yourself and had your scholarship pulled."

"Well...maybe," I said agreeing with her. "I hope so. I really want to see her play as the next level. The experience will be something she will remember for the rest of her life. Despite how my career ended I'm still glad I got the chance to experience college."

"Let's hope that's all that is then."

We fell silent again as she took a sip of her drink and snacked on some crackers. She didn't ask me anymore about the dream and I was glad for that. I was ready to stop talking about it before she asked more questions that I didn't want to answer. We talked about other things until we landed and headed to the meeting.

We arrived at a quiet restaurant and met with Brian and a few board members for the informal interview. They asked a bunch of questions about me and my life and my experiences in my life. All I could do was answer honestly and be myself. They would let me know in a few weeks if they wanted me to return for a formal meeting. All I could do now was wait.

*

"What the hell took so long?" Sam asked as we left lunch. "I've been waiting for like an hour."

"It's nice to see you too by the way," I chuckled.

"Sorry," she laughed. She opened her arms and gave me a big hug. It felt good to hug her standing on my own two feet. The last time I saw her I was stuck in bed still.

"I see basketball is in full swing," she giggled. "The beard is back and is that...some gray in there too I see?"

"Damn," I hissed. "You ain't wasting no time busting my balls are you?"

"You shouldn't have made we wait for so long," she giggled.

"I told you to take your time getting here," I offered. "I knew it would take a while but I didn't expect it to be that long."

"It's all good," she giggled again. "And the gray looks good on you. Makes you look seasoned and smarter."

"It's not gray," I hissed a little. "It's probably just some food stuck in it."

"That probably made a good impression on them," she teased still.

I laughed and shook my head. She turned to Teagan now and gave her a hug.

"You look good like always," Sam offered.

"So do you," Teagan smiled.

"You look thin," I teased Sam. "If you turn sideways I wouldn't be able to see you."

"I'm slimming down so I can fit into my dress," she giggled.

"You are a size zero as it is. What are you trying to fit into, a sock?"

"I put on a little over the summer," she offered.

"Where?" I asked. "Maybe your head? It does look a little bigger."

"Shut up," she sassed. "Get in the damn car, it's a long ride home and I'm tired of waiting."

We threw our stuff into the car and headed towards home.

"Thanks for coming to pick us up," I offered.

"How else were you going to get home?"

"A rental car."

"True," she said. "But I'm saving you some money. Plus I get to spend some time with my two favorite cousins."

"Are you excited about the wedding?" Teagan asked.

"Time is flying by. But yes, I'm so excited about it. I got the dresses picked out. You can try it on while you are here. I can't see you changing that much over a few months."

"Well," Teagan paused. "I might be a few sizes bigger come April."

"Why... Oh my god, are you?"

"Yes!" she smiled.

"How far along?"

"Ten weeks."

"Congratulations you guys. That's awesome."

"Please do not say anything," I begged.

"Why?"

"Because," Teagan said. "We have tried for so long now. I don't want to get overly excited until I make further along."

"I understand," Sam smiled. "I know you guys have been trying for a long time."

"You are the only one who knows. Not even her mom and dad know."

"My lips are sealed. Have I ever told on you before?"

"We trust you," Teagan cheered.

"Have you thought of any names?"

"Evan," I said quickly. "It's going to be a boy."

"So you think," Teagan giggled. "I've got a list just in case. I really like Raelynn for a girl."