Eagle River (10 page)

“I love you, Mom.”

“Honey, I love you, too.”

They’d held each other and cried until there were no tears left.

That still open, gaping wound deep inside him ached at the memory. But it was a familiar sort of ache.
I feel close to her out here still.

Mom. Mom, I need you. We all do. Pop’s drinking himself to death. Kyle’s all torn up inside. Sandra and Joe seem okay, because they have the kids and she’s always been strong. I wish you were here. We’re all falling apart without you. I miss you.

Galen closed his eyes and pictured her as she’d been before the cancer: her tall, athletic form, the laughing eyes, the dazzling smile. She had always been moving, never still. Everything she had touched had seemed so full of life.

Mom, help me. I don’t know what to do or even if I am making the right decisions. This thing with Kjersten is eating me up inside. I want it to stop hurting.
But I just don’t know how to fix things, after how I treated her. I cut her out of my life. I was hurting so much. I don’t know how things got so screwed up. But how could she hook up with him?

Chapter Eleven

Fight

~ Cam ~

Cam groaned as he turned over on his bed. His whole body still ached from a particularly rigorous work out in the weight room on the day before.  Half awake and half asleep, Cam’s mind drifted over people and events from his life.
Cat! Bitch! What a bad deal. She should have known that it was just sex. I never pretended otherwise
. He repressed the slightest twinge of guilt he always felt when he considered his own mother and guys who had used her.
Kjersten... don’t want to go there. Don’t want to deal with all of the emotional bullshit. If she had been easier going, I wouldn’t have hooked up with Cat. So this bullshit is sort of her fault.
Football, yes. That’s a good thing to think about.
His mind drifted back over the years of football, college and then back to high school, back to Eagle River, to being a Warrior.

It was a cool April afternoon with a bite of frost in the air.
Tight.
A seventeen-year-old junior, Cam Fawst felt tight with the cold. Spring Captain’s practice had started after school just the week before, and it felt good to be out tossing the pigskin again, to be in charge of the Warrior offence.

“Nice job, today,” Coach Murray patted his back as he passed through the locker room.

“Thanks, Coach,” Cam accepted the compliment. “You gonna come out and help tomorrow?”

“You know I can’t,” Coach protested. “The summer contact days will be here soon enough. We should have a decent team next year. A lot of players are coming back.”

“Yes,” Cam agreed, wanting to prolong the conversation. Coach treated him like he was special on the team and like he cared. Cam liked to think that there was more to it than that he was the starting quarterback.

“How are the freshmen looking?” Coach asked.

Immediately, the image of the tall, lanky freshman, Galen Odgers, popped into his head. The kid had talent. He could really throw the ball and he was patient. Cam shrugged his shoulders noncommittally. “They’ll be all right.”

“What about Odgers? The kid has an arm, don’t you think? And he can see the plays developing. You can’t coach that.”

Cam tasted bile in his mouth. “Odgers is okay. But he’s a pussy.”

“You think so? I haven’t seen it, and I watched him play middle school ball. I think the kid is one cool customer in the pocket. Too bad there aren’t any decent receivers in that class.”

“Odgers may look decent against other freshman, but he’d get eaten up in a varsity game.”

Murray eyed him. “I’m not so sure about that. But don’t be worried about him taking your job. He’ll back you up in the varsity games this year, and he’ll play JV. He just needs some reps now. I want you to look out for him, sort of mentor him. Okay?”

Cam nearly ground his teeth in frustration. “Sure.”

Coach Murray headed off.

Cam was still taking his gear off when he heard Galen and the other freshmen come in. Except for Galen, they all gave him a wide berth. Because they were both quarterbacks, Cam’s and Galen’s lockers were located right by each other.

“Hey,” Galen offered as he passed by Cam in the narrow space.

Cam just nodded in acknowledgment.

Galen started to take off his pads and hang them up in his locker.

Cam bit his cheek in annoyance. The kid bugged the crap out of him. Why did everyone, even Coach Murray, have to like him?

“Move your stuff over,” he barked at Galen. “This is my spot.”

The kid said nothing, but he did as he was told, sliding down the bench as he bent down to take off his cleats.

Cam glanced at him in annoyance. “You know how it works on this football team. It’s the upperclassmen’s job to teach you freshmen the ropes.”

Galen eyed him warily.

“Since you think that you’re a quarterback, let me explain your job. You will help bring in the equipment at the end of every Captain’s practice. You got that?”

Galen nodded his head, but didn’t look at him.

“And you will carry my bag to the locker room at all games and practices.”

Galen glanced down and kicked his cleats off. “No.” He shook his head.

“What?”

“I said ‘no.’” He looked right at Cam. “That’s bullshit.”

Cam took an aggressive step closer. “What did you just say to me, Odgers?”

“I said,” Galen’s voice was calm, but his stance was ready. He leaned forward slightly, as if braced to take a hit or throw a punch. “Carry your own bag.”

The kid was obviously spoiling for a fight, was angry about something. I’m in the mood to make his day. Cam took another step forward and glowered down at Galen. He drew his hand back and pushed Galen’s shoulder hard.

Galen was ready for him. He launched himself up at Cam, tackling him at the waist. They crashed into the lockers.

Cam heard someone yell, “Fight! Fight!” But his vision was filled with red heat and all he wanted to do was kill this kid. He grabbed him by the neck and slammed his head into the ground. Then, he took a punch to the side of the head and fell back.

“Coach!”

“Fight!” someone yelled.

Vaguely, as Cam fought, he was aware of people gathering around of shouting and pushing. Galen was strong and quick, and the contest was proving tougher than he’d anticipated. Then, he felt a strong hand gripping his shoulder, pulling him off, holding him back.

“That’s enough!” Coach Murray held Cam up against the wall. “What’s wrong with you, two? For Chrissakes, you are on the same team!”

Cam stood there panting. He glared over at Galen. The kid’s mouth is bleeding. Good. Serves him right.

Still, Galen didn’t look cowed. In fact, he looked defiant. And furious. He also looked ready to go again.

“The rest of you, get out of here.” Coach waved his arms. “Get out now! Now!”

The other players were clearly reluctant to leave, but they followed Coach’s orders. Cam and Galen were left alone in the locker room with a clearly irate Coach Murray.

“Cam. Galen. Sit on the bench now. Let me make myself clear.” Coach was so upset, he was spitting. He gesticulated, throwing his arms wide. “Cam, I’ve never seen you pull something like this before. He’s a freshman. You could get into trouble for bullying.”

“He didn’t bully me,” Galen wiped at his bleeding lip. “No one’s going to bully me.”

“What is this about?” Coach demanded.

Cam glared over at Galen, but the ninth grader didn’t say a word.

“What is the problem, Cam? You’re the junior here. Next year, you’re the team captain. You should know better.”

Cam just shook his head. If Galen wasn’t going to say anything, he wouldn’t either.

Coach frowned as he looked from Galen to Cam and back again. “All right, if that’s how it’s going to be, let me make myself clear, neither of you are more important than this team. Any more problems like this and you are out. Off the team. Period. No discussion. Do you understand me?”

“Yes sir,” Cam ground out.

Galen nodded.

“Now Galen, go hit the showers. I want a word with you, Cam.”

Cam glanced down at the ground, waiting for Galen to get up and leave.

Once they heard the door to the showers swing shut, Coach stood square in front of Cam. “What was that all about, Cam?”

“Coach,” Cam help his hands wide. “I don’t know what his problem is.”

“Leave him alone, Cam. I don’t care if you don’t like him, he has a lot on his plate right now. Do you know his story?”

I don’t give a shit about his story. My mother is a town joke and I don’t have a father. For a moment, Cam was silent as he ruminated. Why do you give a shit about that kid, Coach? What about me? I’ve run through walls for you, Coach! Cam swallowed a lump which lodged in his throat. He didn’t trust himself to speak. Get a grip. It’s not like he’s your dad or anything. But that was the problem. Sometimes he wished Coach Murray was his dad. Heck when he’d been younger, he may even have pretended that was the case.

“His mom is dying of cancer.”

“That sucks,” Cam admitted. “But that doesn’t mean he gets to be a little shit and mouth off to me.”

“Cam, I would think that you of all people would understand how a boy feels about his mom.”

“Don’t bring my mom into this.”

“Like you, Galen has been mostly raised by his mother.”

“He has a father. I know he does.”

“His father,” Coach seemed to choke on the word, “is an alcoholic. He had a car accident years ago and hasn’t been worth a damn since.”

“At least he has a father.”

“Come on, Cam. Quit feeling sorry for yourself. A lot of us have been there for you and this kid needs help now.”

Cam felt the anger rise up in him. Why is he defending that little shit? What about me? I didn’t have an easy time of it. Coach, why don’t you care about me? I’m not just another one of your players. I thought I was special to you.

“Look, I’m not asking you to be best friends with Galen, just don’t go after him. He’s hanging by a thread right now.”

“Yeah,” Cam said and glanced away. “Whatever.”

“I want your word that you’ll leave him alone,”

“Coach, I don’t give a shit. I’m outta here after one more year anyway.” He relished the hurt he saw on Murray’s face. He rose to his feet.

“Cam...” Murray appeared to be struggling to find words. “You know that I’m here for you too, right?”

“Sure,” He spat the word flatly. Why do you treat that kid like you care about him? I’m so done with this place. I’m done with being the town slut’s son. I’m just done with it all.

“Cam?” Murray asked.

“I got stuff I gotta do tonight.”

“All right. We’ll talk another time.”

Cam awoke abruptly, flinching against the pain which swept through his body.
Odgers.
The guy had haunted him for years. Coach loved the kid and even his girlfriend couldn’t seem to get over him. It was a nightmare.
When’s it going to be about me? Just me?

Chapter Twelve

New Friends

~ Galen ~

Galen stared down the field, trying to find an open receiver, but no one was open. He danced back to avoid a lineman coming right for him. He shimmied left. Still, there was no one open. He started to run. Just out of the corner of his eye, he made out a body hurtling towards him, then he hit the ground hard and lay there sucking air. Thankfully, this was the final play of the game.

He rose to his feet. For once, he was relieved that the game was over. This Wisconsin High School All Star football game had been rather one sided. His team had been smaller, weaker and slower. It hadn’t even been a good battle. Galen loved football, loved to play the game, but this had proven to be something of a disappointment, and not even one member of his family had been able to come, though Ben had come. Pulling off his helmet, he wiped his dripping brow on his jersey as he made his way to the sidelines.

“Yo, Odgers,” an unfamiliar voice called out to him.

He spun to face Marvin Richardson, the highly recruited defensive back from Madison Memorial. Richardson had sacked him several times in the game.

“Yes?”

“Damn! The Bearcats are going to be pretty fierce with the two of us next year.” Marvin grabbed Galen by the shoulder pads and hugged him.

Why is this guy hugging me? Where do I put my arms? Weird?

“Just think, me, Marvelous Marvin Richardson and Galen Odgers on the same team. No one is going to be able to touch us.”

“What?”

“I’m going to Illinois U, too.” The immaculate white grin flashing in that chiseled, black face was contagious. Galen felt himself grin back. Marvin kept his arm around Galen’s shoulders as they continued down the tunnel towards the locker rooms.

“The way I see it, you and I got to get to know each other. ‘Cause we’re like brothers now. We gotta stick together”

As they made their way down to the locker rooms, Marvin did all of the talking and Galen just listened. He saw that Ben stood waiting for him just outside the door.

Ben glanced curiously at Marvin, but addressed himself to Galen. “Tough game, huh?”

“Yup. Some good players out there.”

“You got that right,” Marvin broke in.

Ben was nonplussed, unsure of how to respond to the presence of Richardson, Galen’s nemesis in the state championship game and now in this all-star game. “How long do you think you’ll be, Galen?”

“Probably be a while yet. We have to talk to the reporters. The whole nine yards. I wish I could pass on it.”

“What are you talking about,” Marvin admonished. “This stuff is just as important as how you play. From now on, the scouts are going to be looking at us to see if we are potential pros. You gotta play the game... What’s the name of your boy here?” Marvin held out his hand to Ben. “I’m Marvin Richardson.”

“I’m Ben Happe.”

“You going to Illinois U, too?

“No,” Ben shook his head.

“That’s too bad. Cause you’re going to miss out on going to a school with a National Championship football team. Well, it was sweet meeting you guys. Galen, be seeing you in Chicago. Take care of that arm.” With that, he sauntered out through the opposing team’s locker room door.

Both Galen and Ben stared after him.

Ben was the first to recover his composure. “What was that all about?”

“I guess we’re going to be teammates next year.”

“Wow. That guy is certainly not lacking confidence.”

Galen nodded, chuckling. “We’re bonding, I guess.” Then, he caught sight of a group of journalists moving as one body towards them. “I’ll see you in a little bit,” he said to Ben. “Let me get some of this gear off and talk to them.”

Ben nodded in understanding. “I’ll be here.”

* * * *

Kjersten picked up the phone, then set it down on the receiver. She picked it up once and stared fiercely down at the numbers. Slowly, hesitantly, she dialed the eleven digits. The phone rang once, twice, three times.

“Odgers.”

Kjersten recognized Kyle Odger’s voice. “Hello. Is Galen there?”

“One minute... Ga-len,” she heard him shout. She heard some distant incoherent answer and then Kyle said, “You have a phone call.”

“Hi, this is Galen.”

“Hi Galen... It’s me. Kjersten.” Her hands felt clammy and her heart was racing.

“Kjersten?”

“Yeah, um hi. How are you?”

For a moment, he didn’t answer.

“Well, uh, I didn’t mean to bother you... I mean, if you’re busy.”

“No, I’m not busy... Don’t go, Kjersten. I wanted to talk to you, too. I stopped by your house that day after the fair, but you’d already left.”

“I left early that morning.”

“How come?”

“There were ... reasons. You really came to see me that morning?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.”

“Your dad didn’t tell you?”

“No, he didn’t.”

“Why?”

“Why what?” Galen asked.

“Why did you come by?”

“When I saw you at the fair, I wanted to talk to you. But you were with Cam.”

“Yes.”

“Are you still with Cam?”

She hesitated for a moment. “We broke up.”

“Oh,” he paused for a moment. “Really?”

“Yeah, it just wasn’t working.”

“So, how come you called today?”

Kjersten shook her head. I’m done chasing after you. If you want to get back together, you are going to have to come after me. “I was just calling because you’re one of my oldest and closest friends. I want us to still be friends.” The words cascaded out of her.

“Friends?” Galen’s response sounded cold even to him.

“Yeah. Do you agree?”

“Sure.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” The silence dragged. “I heard that you are going to be playing football next year at Illinois University.”

“Yeah.”

The silence dragged on awkwardly. “Um, I’m sorry that you won’t be coming to Great Lakes. It would have been great to see you around.”

“The Coyotes already have a quarterback.”

“Well, maybe we’ll run into each other in Eagle River some time. I’m planning on going home more often now.” The line went silent once more. How do I get through to him? Nothing came to mind. Galen obviously doesn’t care about me. Say something, her heart silently screamed.

“So, we’re friends then?” He interrupted her musings with the blunt question.

“I was always your friend, Galen. You’re the one who didn’t want me in your life anymore.”

“I know,” he hesitated, but couldn’t resist adding, “but things were messed up then and I never thought you would get together with him. We made fun of him in high school. Remember?”

“It’s not like you haven’t dated other people,” Kjersten protested.

“Yeah, but he’s such a jerk. He’s the Cam Fawst, and he’s his own biggest fan. He is all he thinks about.”

“I agree with you.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

“Then, why were you with him?”

“Galen, I was a mess when you just cut me out of your life. I was lonely and miserable, and he can be charming. He seemed to care about me when you obviously didn’t... Look, I already told you, I don’t want to talk about Cam. I just called to make sure that you and I were still friends.”

“Sure. We’re friends.”

“Well, see you.”

“Bye.”

Feeling immensely dissatisfied, Kjersten set the phone back down. That didn’t go at all the way I wanted it to. I’m totally over Cam, but clearly Galen isn’t.

* * * *

Galen heard the click of the receiver being set down. Why had Kjersten called him? Did she really think that he would simply forget it all, sweep it under the carpet? Let’s be friends. If that wasn’t a crock of shit. There was no way they could ever be “just friends,” but he’d used those same words on her when he had cut her out of his life after his mother died.

He waited for it to come, the satisfaction that she’d called, that he had real evidence that he still mattered to her some. But it never did. He felt even more hollow and empty than before. He stared down at the receiver desperately wanting to take back his coldness, wanting to really talk to her, the way they had before everything had gone so wrong. Should I call her back? But what could I say? That I still love her? That I cannot stop thinking about her.

Suddenly, the phone rang. He snatched it up.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is this Galen Odgers?” It was a female voice, but not the right one.

“Yes?” His pounding heart began to slow. He swallowed disappointment.

There was a feminine giggle. “I don’t know if you remember me. We met the other night at Sal’s. In Eagle River.”

“Oh yeah, Sally. Right?”

“You did remember.” She sounded pleased. “I was just wondering if you want to get together on Saturday night? I’ll be in Eagle River, staying at my Aunt’s.”

Even though Kjersten and Cam were broken up, she’d said she wanted to be `friends’ with me. I am not sure that she wants anything else. She certainly hadn’t said so. Friends?

“Well? Are you available?” the girl asked again, sounding nervous.

“Yeah. Sure... What?” Still, she called me. Obviously, friend or not, Kjersten still thinks about me.

“What do you want to do? Wanna go to the drive in Saturday night?”

“Yeah.” Maybe Ben knew what was going on with Kjersten. I’ll call Ben.

“That’d be great,” the girl had tittered. “I’ll see you Saturday. Around seven?”

“What?” Galen finally tuned into the conversation.

“The drive in, Saturday, right? Or did you just remember you have something going on?”

He nearly groaned into the receiver. Hearing the disappointment in her voice and aware of his own part in it, he said: “No, Saturday sounds good. Where can I pick you up?”

As Sally rambled on, he tuned out. Kjersten. How do we get back to where we were? Can we ever go back? Has too much happened already? Is it too late?

When the conversation with Sally was finally over, Galen placed the receiver down. Damn. He hated himself for his deliberate cruelty to Kjersten. I don’t want to go out with Sally. I want Kjersten. But there’s no way to go back and fix things. Is there? It was like he couldn’t help himself. The pile of shit just kept getting bigger and the mosquitoes swarmed. How had it all come to this? Now I have a date with one girl while I can’t stop thinking about another girl.