Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game(29)

Well, I guess he wasn’t too sick because he came hurtling down the hall to us. He peered up at me. “Hi, I’m Josh!” he exclaimed, thrusting out a pale hand.

“Hey there, I’m Noah,” I replied. I took his hand gingerly into mine, afraid one hardened shake might rip it completely off.

“Nice to meet ya,” he said. He didn’t release my hand. Instead, he started dragging me down the hall towards his room. “I wanna show you somethin’,” he said.

“Josh,” Maddie’s voice warned.

He whirled me into his room. I did a double take. “Jes-” I began before I quickly looked down at Josh. “I mean, geez,” I replied.

My dad’s face was plastered all over Josh’s room. His rookie poster hung over the bed, and then his MVP poster was over the closet door. It was intense. “Wow, you sure do like Joe Preston.”

Josh rolled his eyes and grinned. “Duh, he’s like the most awesome baseball player ever!”

“Yeah, I guess.”

He stared at me. “Don’t you like him?”

“Uh….” I didn’t know what to say. “No, Josh, I don’t like him. He’s a major asshat who knocked up my mother and ran off. I’ve had little contact with the prick.” Nope, that wouldn’t work. Josh would probably pass out.

Maddie joined us in the doorway. I glanced from her to Josh who was waiting for my response. “You see, Joe Preston is my…” I choked on the words a little, “my dad.”

Josh’s hollow eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “Nun-uh,” he protested.

“No, it’s true.” I swept my hand over my chest. “Scout’s Honor.”

“Wow…” he shook his head slowly. Then when the realization finally sunk in, he started bouncing around. “Wow, I can’t believe this! You’re Joe Preston’s son. That is so cool!” He then ran across the room to his desk and grabbed up an autograph book. “Can I have your autograph?”

“Josh,” Maddie scolded.

“What?” he questioned.

“Maybe Noah doesn’t want to sign your autograph book.”

“No, it’s fine,” I said.

The doorbell rang. “Pizza’s here!” Josh cried and then ran out of the bedroom.

Maddie smiled at me. “I’m sorry about that.”

“No, he’s fine.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“If Joe Preston is your father, why do you go by Sullivan?”

Oh Jesus. She just had to ask that question. I didn’t know what I was going to tell her since she had no realm of understanding. I mean, her parents were the ideal couple. But, she wanted an answer, so I drew in a deep breath. “Because I don’t really have a relationship with my father. He was twenty-one when he got my mom pregnant, and he really hasn’t had much to do with us. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not a total deadbeat. He does pay a little child support.”

“Oh, I see.” Her face flushed the color of the red spread covering Josh’s bed. It made me feel like an ass. “Then I’m really sorry for what Josh did—and for all this,” she said, gesturing around the room.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize.” I cleared my throat. “Um, can I ask you something?”

“He has leukemia,” she replied anticipating my question.

I grimaced. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.” Maddie stared at the door. “It’s been really rough on him. He’s had two rounds of incredibly aggressive treatment. The doctors say his prognosis is pretty good.”

Pretty good? I didn’t want to say that I didn’t like odds that were pretty good. You might as well say you had a shot in hell.

“Did Jake…?”

“Yes, Jake met him, and he was really good to Josh. He even skipped basketball practice to sit with Josh during one of his treatments.”

I tried not to let the surprise show on my face. I did remember Jake bitching about having to run suicides until he puked because he’d cut out on a practice. Of course, he never told me why he skipped out.

“Was he at the funeral the other day?” I asked.

“Yeah. Mom and Dad weren’t sure about him going, but he finally wore them down.”

We were interrupted by Josh’s voice. “Guys, come on!”

I followed Maddie down the stairs. Mrs. Parker was setting the dining room table while Pastor Dan was putting ice in glasses. Maddie ushered me to the table, and before I could sit next to her, Josh shook his head. “No, I want Noah to sit here,” he insisted. Maybe there was some kinda religious hoodoo hanging over the house. Normally, I would’ve recoiled at the very idea of Josh. But instead, I smiled at Maddie and moved to sit next to Josh.

The Parker’s were the real deal. After we bowed our heads over paper plates, Pastor Dan gave thanks. I started to feel like I was in an episode of that old show 7th Heaven. Then we started making a dent in the two large pizzas they’d ordered from Dominos.

For a sick kid, Josh sure could put the food away. I mean, he seriously could’ve put Blaine and some of the other football players to shame with the way he devoured his pizza. For dessert, Mrs. Parker had homemade chocolate pound cake. I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven.