“Just one question.”
I shook my head as someone tugged on my arm. It was Virginia.
“Ms. Hubbard, we need to go now.”
My pulse was rapid as she walked me off the field down the tunnel toward the locker rooms. We didn’t stop until she walked me past the locker room and other reporters. They shouted questions, but my ears were buzzing too loudly to hear their words.
When we came to a stop, I tried to hide the fact that I was trembling. “Thank you. I wasn’t expecting that.”
“It’s my job,” she said with a smile. “Let’s get you up to the suite. Someone from the Raiders’ organization showed me a back elevator.”
The giant void Dad left came back with gut-wrenching speed. I hadn’t thought about him during the game. Now it was as if I’d just learned of his death. I shook my head. I didn’t want to face the family, not yet. “I’d like to go to the plane.”
“I’ll call for a car.”
Once we were in the car, I sent a text message to Leigh.
* * *
“I’M HEADED TO THE PLANE. WE’LL LEAVE AS SOON AS EVERYONE GETS THERE. THANKS FOR PASSING ON THIS MESSAGE.”
* * *
Leigh replied with a thumbs-up emoji.
My temples throbbed and my skin felt tight as I worked to contain the sudden onset of emotion. After thanking Virginia again for her help, I climbed the steps to the Gulfstream and was met by Susan and our pilot, Tony.
“Welcome, Ms. Hubbard. Congratulations on the win. Will the others be arriving soon?”
The win. I was losing my mind. I’d forgotten about the win. “Others? Oh, coming. I hope so.” Carrying my leather bag, I made my way back to the four-person table.
Susan came closer. “I was about to convert the table into a bed for Mrs. Hubbard. We won’t arrive in Lexington until about one in the morning. She likes to sleep.”
“You know what? The recliners recline. There’s no sense in having one passenger monopolize seating for four. We have eight passengers on this trip.”
Her eyes opened wider. “Are you sure?”
I pulled my laptop from my bag and placed it on the table. “I’m certain. I’d also like a cosmo, please.”
“Right away.”
Since Fin’s relaxation methods couldn’t help me through this flight, I chose alcohol. It wouldn’t clear my head, but it just might keep me sane. Anyway, it was more than likely the rest of the family had been imbibing throughout the game. I’d only swallowed my first sip of the tart, fruity cocktail when through the window I watched two cars approaching the plane on the tarmac. “Susan, may I have a second before takeoff?”
“Sure thing, Ms. Hubbard.”
The stem of the second cocktail glass was in my fingers as the clangor of voices filled the cabin. Daphne stopped in her tracks. “Susan, where’s the bed?”
I lifted my glass in a toasting motion. “Good game. Daphne, we have eight people on this flight. I decided a four-person space didn’t need to be reserved for only one person. Enjoy a recliner.”
“Ah. I…” She stammered as she looked around, truly puzzled.
Leigh, Hayden, and Lip were all smiles as they joined me at the table. “What did you think of the game?” I asked, my bout of mourning safely subdued.
“It was great,” Lip replied. “We not only won, but we also beat the spread.”
Hayden said, “The most any team has scored on the Raiders this season was seven points. The Coopers scored sixteen.”
Leigh tilted her head. “Will that be Fin’s last game?”
