I managed to escape without going back through the boys’ locker room

I managed to escape without going back through the boys’ locker room; the coaches’ corridor has its own entrance and exit. Megan was waiting for me, looking crisp and cute in her denim capris and a tied top, Elly May Clampett-style.

I had to grin at her, and when I held my arm up, she snuggled under it. We kissed, just a peck because we were still on school grounds, but it felt nice. It was as it had been for a moment, but then she asked, “You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

“Huh?” My stomach dropped.

She stood on tiptoe to whisper in my ear. “Two p.m. tomorrow, appointment with Aunt Louva.”

“Shh,” I hissed. I hadn’t exactly forgotten, but I had put it out of my mind and not made arrangements with the school office or Coach Wilson to be absent Tuesday afternoon. And Megan’s Aunt Louva was Dr. Verre, a gynecologist.

“I’m not going,” I said.

“Yes, you are,” she replied. We walked, arms around each other, toward the senior parking lot, where I had left Jake’s big red truck.

Jake was already there, with his arm in a sling. He hadn’t gotten sweaty enough to need a shower.

“Hey,” he said, looking glum.

“Hey, big guy,” I said.

“About Garcia,” he began, then stopped, looking at Megan.

“Yeah,” I reminded him. “Disagreements and discussions about team members are not for outside ears.”

Megan rolled her eyes at me.

Jake grunted. Gossip was not something that pleased Coach Wilson, and I felt glad for that fact myself, but everyone has secrets and sensitive information.

I unlocked the driver’s side door and helped Megan climb into the cab while Jake got in through the passenger’s door. “All right if we drop you off first,” he asked her, “so Pete and I can have a more private conversation about team—stuff?”

“I guess,” she replied, glancing at me for confirmation.

I nodded but said nothing, then used the key to twist the big engine to life. Megan lived farthest from the school of us three anyway, but if I had my own choice, I would have dropped Jake off first. Still, it was his truck, so he should get some say. I could kind of guess what he wanted to talk to me about, and no, Megan didn’t need to hear it.

None of us said much as I went first west, then south, to the Star Valley Mobile Home Park, where I took the truck out of gear but left the motor running. Megan and I kissed several times as I helped her out, gave her a squeeze, then watched as some of her younger siblings mobbed her. One of them, a nine-year-old boy called Telford, bounced up and down a few times trying to see into the cab of the truck.

“Call me,” Megan mimed using a telephone, and I nodded back. I had a feeling she was going to harass me until I agreed to go to the doctor tomorrow, but I didn’t see an easy way out.

Jake and I waved as we followed the lane between the big mobile homes back to the entrance.

“Big family,” Jake remarked. I didn’t think that needed a follow-up comment, so we both stayed quiet until I got back on the main drag that would take me toward Jake’s house.

“Garcia,” I mentioned.

Jake made a noise. “The prick thinks this is his opening to replace me on the team.”

I laughed. “He is just that dumb, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, he is.” Jake chuckled. He’d been morose, and now seemed more relaxed.

“You’ll be all right to play next week, and he'll be back warming the bench or coming in for a blowout.”

“Uh, huh,” he agreed.

Well, that didn’t take long, I thought.

But Jake wasn’t done. ‘I’m afraid he’ll get you hurt,” Jake said.

“Not this again,” I grumbled.

“He wants to throw the ball, not pass it off for you to get a piece of glory.”

“Huh,” I said. Jeez, that did sort of sound like Dave’s attitude. We’d run through some handoff plays, and would do some more in other practices before Friday, but yeah, Dave thought of the quarterback as someone who controlled the ball, which is true, but not the sum total of the job.

I took the turn into Jake’s subdivision, but looked over at him, startled, when he said, “If he fumbles a handoff to you, don’t think it’s an accident.”

“What?” I yelped. “He wouldn’t do that!”

Jake looked at me grimly. “If he drops the ball, literally, don’t you cover it. Let him do his own dirty work.”

I pulled into the gravel drive beside Jake’s house. Covering a loose ball is everyone’s job, but it's a good way to get hurt, too.

Jake had to reach across himself to open the door with his good hand, but he didn’t get out right away. “You understand what I’m saying?” he demanded.

I nodded. “I get you.”

“Right now,” Jake went on. “You and I are the stars of the team.” He made a face. “I’ve taken myself out of it for this week. He wants to be the only star. Don’t let him take you out.”

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll watch out.” Jake gave a quick nod and started to slide out the door. “I thought you were going to try to talk me out of playing at all again,” I mentioned. “Because of, you know….”

Jake shook his head. “My Dad reminded me last night that a guy can’t win an argument with a woman.”

“What!?” I yelped. “You didn’t tell him?”

“Gotcha,” he said, grinning. “Nah, it just came up in general conversation, but it’s good advice. For you, too,” he added. “You and Megan have any disagreements; the wise thing to do is let her win.”

“Huh,” I said, bemused. “Oh, I might not make it to practice tomorrow. Doctor’s appointment early afternoon.” Had I just decided I would go see Dr. Verre? I guess so.

Jake stood staring at me for a moment. “Do I want to know what kind of doctor?” he asked finally.

I guess my red face answered his question. “Don’t tell me,” he said, turning away. “I don’t want to know, but you better make sure that Coach has some clue you might not show up.”

“Uh, yeah,” I agreed. He closed the door and moved away.

I drove home thinking things over. I needed to call the coach at home, then have a note ready for the office tomorrow—and also I needed to call Megan.

Things were getting complicated. I made it home without having made any momentous decisions, but climbing down out of the cab, I was seized by a cramp in my left thigh. Charlie horses weren’t unknown after football practice, and I had been in an awkward position for a moment there.

I rubbed the pain with a knuckle and took several long strides to stretch the muscle out. This didn’t have anything to do with the other, did it? I walked around the house twice, making sure I was well stretched out.

Wug followed me the first time around, curious about what I was doing. I found a pinecone and threw it for him, but instead of bringing it back to me, he took it out to the back corner of the yard and buried it in the torn-up spot of ground we called the Bank of Wug.

Laughing at the big dog’s peculiarities, I went inside just in time for Megan to call me. I answered her on the extension in my room, and after we said hello, I announced, “You win, I’ll go.”

“Of course, you will,” she agreed with a giggle, and I had to laugh, too.

“You knew you would win that one, didn’t you?” I accused.

“Uh, huh,” she said. “And you knew it, too.”

“Yeah, well,” I muttered. We talked until Mom called my sisters and me to dinner, and I promised to pick her up at home in the morning so she wouldn't have to ride the bus.

I hung up smiling, pleased that even after my unwanted miracle, I still had a girlfriend.