Nets and Lies(39)

Obediently like a child, I lifted the knife and cut into my steak. After three bites, I glanced up at her. “Satisfied?”

She nodded. She’d only been toying with her food anyway. “If you’re not going to go to therapy, what change are you going to make?”

It was at that moment that something bizarrely divine happened. Something I could have almost blown off if it hadn’t happened before my eyes. Two nuns walked in the door with their arms loaded down with packages. I’d never seen shopping nuns before, but it was all the sign I needed.

“I want to go to school at Saint Catherine’s.”

Mom gasped. “That all girls school?”

“Yes.”

“That Catholic school?”

“Yes!” I continued looking at the nuns. One of them caught my eye, and she smiled. I returned her smile. Mom glanced over her shoulder. “Are you trying to tell me you want to become a nun? Because if you are, I’m taking you to the f**king hospital right now!”

I fought not to laugh in her face since her outrage was quite humorous. But I decided I’d better reassure her instead. “No, Mom, I don’t want to become a nun. But I do want to change, and school is part of that. I just think the best thing for me would be to go to an all girls’ school. Away from guys—including teachers.”

Our to-go boxes arrived, and Mom started shoveling her food inside. “Want me to do yours?” she asked, when I still held my fork in midair.

“Aren’t you going to tell me what you think?”

Mom responded by sliding my plate over and dumping it into the box. Then she dug in her purse for her debit card. After she slid it into the leather envelope, she finally looked up at me. She sighed. “Whatever you want to do, JoJo, I’m behind you.”

I smiled. “Really?”

“Of course. For better or worse, I’m your mother. So, if you want to go to school with a bunch of chicks and nuns, then I’m all for it.”

“Thanks Mom.”

And for the first time all week, I actually felt good. I’d had a near death experience, and I wasn’t going to waste it. I was going to change, and I was going to come clean about Coach T.

Chapter Twelve: Melanie

It was Friday afternoon, and I had a couple of hours to kill until my game. Thinking of it brought a twinge of sadness to my heart. Not only was it the first game without Coach T, but it was also the first one without us doing our ‘Grizzly Den’ layover. Instead of going home before the games, we would hole up in the field house. We’d order in dinner and spend the next few hours eating, laughing, texting, and talking. Coach T loved that we did it. He said it was team building.

Now our team scattered to their own corners. Maybe as team captain I should have done something about keeping the tradition, but I just didn’t have it in me.

So, for the last thirty minutes, I’d reclined on my couch, watching Coach T’s protest rally that I’d TiVoed. I took in every aspect: the size of the crowd, the messages on the signs, the comments from some of the players, parents, and Coach T’s attorney. Of course, I searched for Will each time. He was only shown briefly as the reporter commented that Coach T’s son had also turned out to support him.

Finally, I made myself turn it off. I flipped through the channels until I landed on something to cheer me up. Just as I settled down under my cozy fleece throw, the doorbell rang. I hopped up and padded down the hall. “Who is it?” I asked.

“It’s Will.”

My heard thudded in my chest. With shaking hands, I undid the locks and threw open the door. “Hey,” I said.

“Hey,” he murmured.

We both stood there, staring at each other. Finally, I stepped forward. “Wanna come in?”

He nodded. I held the door open, letting him step inside. Once he stood in the foyer, he held back, shifting nervously on his feet. When I walked back into the living room, he followed me.

I picked up the remote to turn off the TV. “Mansfield Park,” he said.

“What?”

He pointed to the TV. “You’re watching Mansfield Park.”

“Oh, yeah,” I said, color flooding my face.

A smile tugged at his lips. “You’re such a sap with your romance movies.”

I didn’t say anything. Instead, I motioned for him to have a seat. He moved the blanket and sat down beside me. “Mel, I came over here to tell you I’m sorry.”

My eyes widened in surprise. “You are?”

He nodded. “Yes, I really am. I was so stupid and such a jerk to you.”

I didn’t respond. After all, what could I say? He’d been more than stupid and a jerk. He’d been a mega-sized ass**le.

In my hesitation, Will reached over and grabbed my hand. “Will you forgive, Mel? I promise I’ll never be so stupid ever again.”

I stared down at his hand intertwined with mine. “I never thought you’d be that stupid to begin with. So how do I know you aren’t just making promises you won’t keep?”

“But I will! I swear to you I will!” he argued.

His eyes burned into me, but I couldn’t meet his gaze. “You really hurt me. I was just doing what I had to do—what my lawyer and parents said I needed to.”

“I know,” he murmured, his dark head hanging in shame.