My college goals had become my mid-forties goals.
Halfway through my shower, I heard a noise in the house.Evie wasn’t supposed to be home that night, so I was more than a little worried.
“Hello?”I called out.The bathroom and bedroom doors were open.
“It’s me,” Christy replied.
“I’ll be out soon.”
“Take your time,” she said.
Her voice sounded weird, so I hurried through the rest of my shower.If she was at my house, who was with Coach?
With my skin clean and my hair no longer caked with grease and dirt, I dried off and wrapped a towel around my waist.I dressed in the first clothes I touched, still tugging a shirt on as I walked out to see Christy.
She was curled up in the corner of my couch, staring at the water.Crying.
“What’s wrong?”
“He’s gone.”
“What?”
She lifted her eyes to mine.“My dad died a few hours ago.”
“Oh, fuck, Chris.”My heart squeezed.I rushed to the couch and wrapped her in my arms.
She turned to me, and the floodgates opened.She sobbed, letting out all her grief and pain as I held her tight and let her cry.
My eyes welled up and tears slid down my cheeks.Coach was like a second father to me.Even more after my parents died.He’d been there for me through everything.He was the first person I told that I didn’t want to go to college.He was one of the first people I told when I met Hannah, and when Hannah got pregnant with Evie.Coach was family.
And he was gone.
“I’m sorry for crying all over you,” Christy said, pulling back and wiping her tears.
“Don’t apologize for that,” I said, my voice rough and broken.“You know I’m feeling the same way you are.”
Christy nodded.“I didn’t want to be home.I saw you pull in and couldn’t sit in my house any longer.”
“You are always welcome here.Did you call Oscar?”
She shook her head.“I don’t even know where my phone is.”
I reached for my phone and pulled up Oscar’s number.
“Hey.I just got off work.”
“Christy’s here.She needs us.”
“I’ll be there in five,” Oscar said, his voice heavy with understanding.He hung up without another word.
“He’ll be here soon.”
Christy curled into herself, feet on the couch and arms wrapped around her shins, and rested her chin on her knee.“You guys probably had plans.”
“No plans, Chris.We’re here for you.Food?”
She shrugged and shook her head.
