He nods. “Good. I’ve been hitting the gym every night.”
“I can tell. You’re getting faster off the line.”
He beams at me. “Thanks. I’ve been working hard to be a starter.”
I clap him on the shoulder. “Keep it up and you’ll get there. Now, why don’t you go work with the freshmen to show them your new spin move.”
“You got it.”
There’s a look of pride on his face as he runs back out onto the field to where the freshman team is gathered.
“He’s come a long way this past season,” Ace tells me.
“He has. He’s got potential to go far.”
Ace smiles at me. The sun is beating down on us. “He could maybe even be the next Derek Hollins.”
I wave him off. “Nah. He’s going to be better. Because he’ll be a better person than I was when I was playing.”
“And he can thank you for that.”
A JV coach jogs out to meet me where I’m standing.
“Everything okay?” I ask him.
“Derek. Call on the main line for you. They’ve been trying to call you but can’t get a hold of you.”
I pat my pockets for my phone, but come up empty. “Did they say who it was?”
“A hospital? That’s about all I got before they told me to come get you.”
Shit.
Did something happen to Sutton?
Troy? Or Lydia? My parents?
Fuck.
“Go,” Ace tells me. “I’ll take care of the team.”
“Thanks.” I hand him the clipboard and run toward the locker room. The halls are empty since it’s after school. The red light is blinking on the desk phone when I get into my office.
“This is Derek Hollins.” I waste no time answering.
“Hi. This is Linda from the children’s hospital. Your number is the emergency contact for your son.”
“Is he okay?” I ask. My legs go numb as I drop down into my chair.
“He was found in a car by himself?—”
“He what?” I couldn’t have heard her right. “He’s supposed to be with his mom today.”
“A passerby called it in and the paramedics brought him in.”
“But is he okay?” I ask again. Not thinking, I fish around in my desk for my keys and phone. I need to leave now. I can’t imagine how scared he must be.
“So far, yes.”
