One of the guys behind him says, “It’s really, really good.” His voice is quiet.
“Noted. Then that’s where we’re going for dinner. Does itmake you feel better about the situation now that you’ve been involved in that discussion?”
“No,” Jeff grits out.
“We were talking about my degree in science,” Oscar says. “I can give you a recap if you’d like.”
“No, thank you,” Jeff mutters.
“After we have lunch together as a family, Oscar’s going home, Roux will go to class, and I’m going to be studying videos of our games against Martinview California from last year. Would you like to be included in any of those activities?”
This time, no one answers. I turn away to take a bite of my sandwich in an attempt to hide my amusement.
“What do you hope to accomplish, Jeff? The only outcome that this show of defiance is going to get is that I’ll step down as coach until Roux graduates, but it seems to me that what you’re actually hoping to accomplish is to have Roux removed from the team. Is that it?” Alka says.
Jeff doesn’t answer. He determinedly doesn’t look at me.
“No…” one of the other guys says, though he doesn’t sound so sure.
“You’re all on second line, no?” There’s some uncomfortable shifting in response. “Seems to me like you want to be rewarded for not busting your ass like those who made the starting line, but instead of doing so, you’re looking for an easy way out. So let me assure you thateven if you got your way, none of you would take Roux’s spot. I’d make sure of that.”
“You can’t do that,” Jeff says.
“You’re pretty insistent that I made the list, so why can’t I? You can’t have it both ways. Either you believe I influenced the list and put Roux starting, or you know I didn’t so I can’t determine who gets put into this hypothetical opening.”
Again, no answer.
“You can stop this now,” Alka says. “I’ve had enough of this bullshit. Dr. Weaver’s right; you’re adults. Stop acting like children who didn’t get picked first for a team.”
“Sorry, Coach,” the one who gave us the dinner rec says.
I watch them leave. Alka shuts the door a little harder than necessary, and he doesn’t say anything as he retakes his seat. The remainder of lunch is quiet. We talk, but there’s a subdued atmosphere now.
We share a three-way kiss that ends in me laughing because it always does, and I walk out with Oscar. I don’t walk him to staff parking, where he has to park because his vehicle has a sticker so Alka can drive it if he needs to.
I don’t have a class right now, so I call my brother and word vomit everything that’s going on. When I got back from Kala and saw that I was accepted to RDU, our sole focus was getting everything in order—changing my student loan awards, getting my books, shopping for what I’d need.
It was a constant go, go, go. We talked about Kala, but it was in passing. Abstract. I didn’t have a chance to tell him about Alka and Oscar, so I begin with that then plow straight onto what’s happening right now.
When I’m caught up, including the situation ten minutes ago with Jeff and his band of baboons at the door, I take a breath. “I don’t know what to do. Suggestions?”
“I don’t think you’re going to like my suggestion.”
“I’m not going to stop seeing them.”
“No,” Lix says. “Not even in my top ten ideas.”
I sigh. “Then what?”
“I think you need to do exactly what you’re doing.”
“But… I’m not doing anything.”
“Exactly. You’re going to hate this comparison, but sometimes a kid needs to let adults handle it. In this case, you’re not the person with power. That’s Alka. It’s up to him to navigate and mitigate. You need to continue to give your game every ounce of energy you have and not engage with them.”
I groan. “That’s crap.”
Lix laughs. “It is. I agree.”
