AT LUNCH, I GOT A TEXT from Tami to jump on my video chat.
“I know, I know, I don’t even know how it happened.”
“‘Stupid boy,’ who’s Cassidy?”
“She’s Coach Hope’s daughter, my new football coach. She’s a free spirit. She told me yesterday that she was my girlfriend. I thought she was joking at first. Then I began to realize that she was serious,” I told Tami. “I talked to her dad. He agreed to get her to back off. This morning she broke the news to me that she had to break up with me. Then she informed me that I had a new girlfriend.”
“Do you even know this new girlfriend?” Tami asked.
I shook my head ‘no.’
“Okay, let me do my thing and find out what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
I tried not to laugh but couldn’t help myself.
“Laugh it up, Chuckles,” Tami said with a smirk. “I think Cassidy may have fixed your butt.”
Chapter 2 – Not Right in the Head
Thursday January 9
I WOKE UP STILL ACHING. I was feeling better, but I wasn’t there yet. Tami had arranged to have a video chat this morning. She had done some digging.
“Hey, Gorgeous.”
“Shut up, I’m not falling for that,” Tami told me.
I just shrugged.
“So, what did you find out?”
“Cassidy may have found a diamond in the rough. April’s a freshman who grew seven inches over the last year. She plays point guard on the freshman basketball team. She’s also a straight ‘A’ student. Sounds an awful lot like a ‘stupid boy’ I know. The only difference is that April doesn’t have the same level of self-confidence.”
“What should I do?”
“Take her to lunch and talk to her. Just because Cassidy’s pulling your strings like you’re a marionette, doesn’t mean you have to go out with someone just because she says so.”
“Says the boss of me,” I mumbled.
“I heard that! I’m coming home this weekend, and I can still kick your butt. Better yet, the video Greg sent me could go viral.”
That got my attention. Greg was not making it out of the house alive today. I jumped up and ran out of the room. Tami must have realized what she’d said because Angie met me at the back door and handed me Kyle. That stopped me dead in my tracks.
“We love you,” Angie said, and she kissed my cheek.
Greg gave me a sheepish grin when I spotted him. He handed me his phone. It was on speaker, so everyone could hear Tami.
“I’m not even going to ask how you pulled that off, but Greg owes you his life. How come you got the video?” I asked.
“I called Greg to get more info, and it came up in conversation. He at first thought he could keep it from me. I had to remind him who knew about his little episode in seventh grade. So don’t blame him for sending it to me. I needed it for its content.”
What episode? I think Tami owed me some scoop. Greg could read my mind.
“Don’t even bother trying. She’s sworn to secrecy.”
I bet. I’ll just ask Beth. I gave them both a smirk. Of course, Tami couldn’t see it, but ...
“David, don’t bother. Beth won’t tell you, either.”
Gawd! How does he read my mind? Angie took Kyle back because I wasn’t paying him enough attention. I gave her a tight smile as an apology. I stole Greg’s toast and went back to my room to dress.
AT LUNCH, I MET APRIL, and we found a small table. She was shy, but we started to get to know each other. This was exactly what I needed. With her, I could take it slow. This would potentially be more like a real high school relationship.
I’m not sure who clued her in, but she knew all about Tami, Beth, Cindy and Suzanne. She even knew about Tracy. I guess my life was an open book at Lincoln High. She did want me to get Adrienne, Sunny, and Kara’s autographs.
This was completely new to me. Always before, I felt the girl was in control of the relationship. I never really felt like I deserved to go out with them. I could tell that April was feeling the same way about me. I guess it’s true that no relationship is ever even. I hoped I was a nice-enough guy not to take advantage.
Friday January 10
GREG AND ANGIE PLAYED chauffeur for the night and took April and me to Monical’s. Angie latched onto my arm when she saw Greg’s favorite assistant manager. We both had instructed him to get us free stuff and he needed to do whatever it took. She always asked about him and even sent me home with pizzas for him now and again. The girl had it bad. Angie and I didn’t want to stand in the way of true love, especially if it would give us hours of amusement.
Right on cue, she hustled her cute butt out to the banquet room to make sure everything was okay. Of course, she only talked to Greg. He wrangled us a couple of orders of chicken wings, so I considered his appointed task a success.
April grabbed my other arm and the three of us entered the banquet room together. Greg was still working on getting us more appetizers. Personally, I thought he liked the attention.
I wasn’t surprised when Tami was waiting inside. I ran to her, and before she knew what hit her, had lifted her up and swung her around in my arms, all the while with a huge grin on my face. When she saw it was me, she broke down in tears, confusing the hell out of me.
“You ‘stupid boy!’ You’re never to die on me again! I’m not doing this alone, and we have plans.”
With that said, she sobbed into my chest, which brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t stand to see my best friend hurting. I looked up to see we were circled by our friends. This was the first time she’d seen me in person since I got back.
“Hey, suck it up. We’re starting to draw a crowd,” I whispered in her ear.
Tami fought to get her emotions under control. When she was ready, she pushed me away and ran to the bathroom. I caught Beth’s eye, and she followed her. I knew Tami was safe.
I then got April and we made the rounds. Everyone was having a good time and Greg kept bringing me chicken wings. I guess his admirer was keeping us well supplied. In addition, he was trying to make up with me after leaking the video. I was completely surprised when the parents started showing up. I had a long talk with Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, Beth’s parents, about what I went through, and my mom’s condition. I offered to fly out Mrs. A so she could be with her best friend. Mr. A said they would pay for it.
I was surprised when Mary and Tom Dole showed up with Tracy in tow. Tracy hung back as Tom and Mary came to great me.
“This is a surprise. I’m glad you could make it,” I said, making an effort to ease the obvious tension.
“I hear your mom’s in California. I want you to come over and start your cooking lessons. Bring your brother and Angie. That way if you kill anyone, we’ll keep it in the family,” Mary said.
Mary had given me cooking lessons as a Christmas present. I’d been excited because her dad was a chef. She had all his recipes from when he owned his restaurants.
“I’m not sure that’s such a great idea. A couple of people in your household probably would rather I not come over,” I told her, with a look of concern.
“David, I need to apologize,” Tom responded. “What I said was hurtful, and I have no excuse. I know I’ve damaged our friendship, but I’d like to try to fix it. Mary’s offer was made in good faith, and I hope you’ll accept it as she intended it.”
I decided to be direct with them.
“Tom, I was shocked when you turned on me like that. You and Deb Thomas filled your daughter’s head with a bunch of crap. At some point, you two are going to have to decide if you represent me or are just churning me.”
In investments, this happened when a broker bought and sold more frequently than a client needed to just to make extra commission money off them. After the meeting with Tom’s managing partners, I wasn’t sure if they just wanted to make money off me or really were in my corner.