5 Years Later

"Hey babe, just wanted to call you and give you the news. Call me back as soon as you get this." I just left Katrina the third voicemail in the last hour. I couldn't hold in my news much longer, I was excited to finally get to go home now that I was able to land a full-time job at El Dorado Union as the assistant coach. It wasn't my high school, but if I put in a few years over there, I'd find my way back to Bear Valley.

Katrina and I had reconnected my third year in college after she dropped out. Her parents said they weren't going to pay for her to flunk out for partying nonstop. Understandable.

We spent a few months just hooking up, then eventually got together. We just started getting serious, and sometimes she hints at getting married. I can't even fathom having to be financially responsible for her lifestyle, even with a full-time job. Coaching a high school football team doesn't even pay enough for her trips to the salon every month or her "refreshers", which, I have learned, are her various therapies. Botox, lasers, and some other things I wish I hadn't learned about what my girlfriend does to keep looking like she does.

The cost of being a woman, today, I guess. Nothing wrong with it. When you love someone, you accept them for their flaws, right? She's definitely not without those. But neither am I.

The head coach at El Dorado Union is Thomas Greenfield. He has been the football and basketball coach for the last twenty years or so. He wasn't looking to retire, but I heard he was looking to give up the football team so he didn't have to travel as much. Something about spending more time with his family.

He barely gave much of an interview when he realized who I was. It wasn't even an interview per se. He called me after he read my resume and wanted to clarify if I was that Lucas Kennedy he knew from Bear Valley.

He was happy to have someone local join the team. He said he remembered when we were the only team to actually beat his when I was playing and how he tried negotiating a trade with my coach at the time, Coach Matheson.

I didn't think that was a thing, but it did make me laugh. I like this guy, though. A lot. We're going to get along great.

After I confirmed who I was, he basically said the job was mine and emailed me the contract they had prepared. For a recent college graduate with fresh teaching credentials, this was a good gig for me to land. Especially since it wasn't like I could be drafted into the NFL. I made my peace with that, though, after my first season in college.

I realized it wasn't really something I wanted to do, but still wanted to encourage others to grow and play a sport they love. Coaching high school is where I want to be. So I worked hard the rest of my way through school, studied, and got the grades needed to finish in an accelerated program. After seeing some of my friends settle down, even during college, I realized I wanted that too. House, family, all that. Kids down the road, but not too far down.

I pulled into the driveway in front of my house. My dad and his wife just sold his mechanic shop a few months ago, then decided to retire early and move to Arizona to spend their retirement doing whatever people do in the desert. Jen, his wife that he met while fixing her car, had a husband who passed away about ten years ago, but he left her a lot of money to make it the rest of her life, so they live comfortably. I'm so glad to see them happy together.

When dad decided to get a house in Arizona, he was happy to leave the house for me so I don't have to worry about renting while I get settled.

I notice Katrina's car in the driveway and quickly realize why she didn't answer my calls. She is either so drunk she couldn't figure out how to answer her phone or she is passed out. I get that she is fun and wants to party all the time, but if she wants to get married, she needs to grow up a bit.

I can't blame her for the way she is, she's been spoiled her entire life and has gotten away with anything and everything. But still, she's one of the most beautiful girls I have known, and when she's not completely wasted, we have a lot of fun. To top it off, she knows exactly how to please me.

Just as I suspected, she's lying on my bed completely sprawled out in one of my shirts and nothing else. I used to just jump her when I walked into the room with her like that, but she used to be awake and would do it to welcome me back from class. Now, it's just her way of sleeping off a hangover.

I put her under the covers and set down a glass of water and some aspirin for when she wakes up and then head into the garage to work on my old Mustang. I left it when I left for college since I wouldn't need it while I lived on campus. Lots of good memories in it.

My phone rings while I am under the car. Sliding out from underneath, I hit my head on the bumper for getting up too quickly. "Fuck!"

Fortunately, I make it to the phone just before it stops ringing and answer it out of breath. "Hello?"

"Hey Lucas, it's Tom. Listen, I'm having some tryouts for the freshmen and sophomores that want to get onto the team this weekend. I know the contract hasn't gone through just yet, but if you'd like, you can come and help out and meet some of the other coaching staff and our players already on the team for next season?"

I could hear what sounded like a kid laughing in the background. He kept hushing it while on the phone.

"Sorry, I have my grandson tonight while my daughter is out."

"That's fine," I chuckle, "and yeah, that sounds great. Just send me the details and I'll be there."

"Sounds good, I'll send it over tonight. It starts at seven tomorrow morning, coaches are usually there about thirty minutes before."

"Grandpa! Look at me!" a little voice yelled in the background.

"Alright, I gotta go, he's about to jump from the fridge to the floor."

He hung up before I even said anything. I heard, back in high school, he had a daughter around my age. Everyone said she was really pretty but that no one was allowed to touch her because of Tom. Apparently he let somebody touch her if she already has a kid.

Not my business, though.

I woke up this morning with a burst of energy. I kissed Katrina on top of her head while she slept before I left her a note on the nightstand letting her know where I would be. I went to bed and woke up at 2:00 am to her drinking and laughing with her friends in the living room. I just stayed in bed instead of going out there. Her friends can get handsy and I just didn't need it today.

Kat crawled into bed around 4:30 am.

I pull out my sunglasses and drive to the school. Summer vacation just started for the students, and the bright morning sun was killer already. It will be hot today, so it's a good thing they're starting early.

I made it to the school and found the other coaches easily. Just gotta find the guys in visors with polo shirts tucked into their track pants under their beer guts. That's what Tom told me in his email, and he was spot on.

Tom shook my hand, happy to finally meet me in person. In comparison to the other coaches, there is about a thirty-year difference between myself and everyone else.

I just looked like some guy standing with the coaches, rather than a coach.

"Here, son," Tom handed me one of the team hats. "Sun's gonna be beating down on us today. This might help a bit."

"Thanks, Tom," I took the hat and was glad I at least looked like I had some actual association here. "So is that your grandson over there?" I pointed over to the little boy a few feet behind us. Tom nodded and started to talk but was interrupted by the little voice.

"Grampa! Mom said I need to wear sun-creen!"

This boy stood in shorts with a shirt that read "Coach Jadon" while holding a clipboard and a water bottle. He looked small, maybe four years old and was adorable for a little kid out with his grandpa. He had on an old team hat and little red kid sunglasses. From what I can tell, Tom will make sure this kid is in football or basketball by the time he is old enough.

"Ugh," Tom sighed. "Hold that thought. If Jadon tells my daughter I didn't do this, she'll have my head."

Snorting, I watch him spray Jadon with sunscreen.

Players and parents fill the field and bleachers. Fondly, I remember going out with my dad to try out for varsity. It was nerve-wracking but was the best feeling to see my name on the camp roster for the quarterback slot.

Tom had the players running drills all morning and we made notes on each player's strengths and weaknesses. Tom asked my opinion of them along with the other two coaches, Don and Barry. Don and Barry were older, looking to retire soon, but wanted to help get a new coaching staff before calling it.

The three of them have really taken this team to a new level. They were national champions three times, and state champions for nine of the last ten years, with one loss against my team my senior year.

Don explained how Tom had multiple offers from some universities but turned them down so he didn't have to move his daughter. And after she apparently got pregnant, Tom made it his mission to be there for the kid since the father was absent.

Guys are dicks. Tom could have done so much more.

By 3:00 pm we were drained, and the players were barely walking. The four of us, and the young Coach Jadon, already knew who we were going to cut and who was ready to play. Once the players and their parents left, we walked to the locker room to go over our notes. Tom led the way while carrying his sleeping grandson in his arms.

"Tom, I thought Allie was going to pick him up after lunch," Barry asked.

"Yeah, she thought, but Ted was taking her to see a mountain or something and she wasn't aware how far it was. I think he just wanted more time with just the two of them."

"You think they're gonna get married anytime soon?" Don asked. "I mean it's been a year already."

Tom shrugged, "I don't know, she doesn't seem to want to rush things. I mean, I get it, she has a kid but he's known Jadon his whole life. But I've already learned my lesson in pushing and trying to manage her life. I'm going to let her make her own decisions."

"Dad!" A rushed voice calls from a distance. Probably his daughter, and yes, the rumors were true. She is beautiful. I mean, she has sunglasses on, but it's obvious she's gorgeous.

We all stop in the basketball courts outside the gym where the locker room was attached, while Tom's daughter sprints toward us. "Sorry I'm late, we didn't realize how long the drive was. Ted just dropped me back at my car and I came as fast as I could."

"It's fine, honey. He was very helpful today," he nodded down at Jadon.

"Oh good, I hope he wasn't too much."

"Allie, he was fine, don't worry. Oh!" he turned and gestured to me. "Allie, this is the new assistant coach, Lucas," I reached my hand out to shake hers and she met mine. I immediately noticed how soft and delicate it was and the way the hairs on my arm stood up at the contact.

"Hi, I'm Allie. Nice to meet you Lucas..."

"Kennedy. Lucas Kennedy." The second I said my name her smile faded and she dropped her hand like I burned her. If she was any more dramatic, she probably would have yanked it away. What the hell is her problem?

"Dad," she turned her entire body to Tom. "We gotta get going, I'll take Jadon and let you get to it."

"Oh, let me help you put him in the car—"

"No! I got it. It's fine. I'll see you tonight for dinner, okay? Oh, Ted is coming. Said he needed to talk to you."

Tom nodded and handed over Jadon to his mother. "Alright, I'll be home in an hour or so." Allie waves goodbye to Don and Barry after kissing her dad on the cheek. She didn't even acknowledge me, but I don't know her and I'm not about to talk shit about my boss' daughter. Maybe she just needed to get home.

When we make it into the locker room, I check my phone for messages before heading into the coaches' office. I have a few from Katrina congratulating me and then telling me we could celebrate tonight and a picture of her posing naked on the bed.

Oh, I can't wait to get home.