“Come on, God. I don’t want to believe that you hate me, but some days are really hard to swallow. Just saying…” Time was running out on the day, and my phone battery. The problem was I had no idea who to call. Everyone I knew was at least six hours away, and I couldn’t justify worrying friends and family who really couldn’t help me.
A laugh released with my sob. I had to laugh. “Really, Lake? Are you going to be stubborn to your own demise?”
9-1-1 seemed to be the wisest choice, but I didn’t want the news camera that could accompany that call. I needed someone who would know how to handle my epically stupid predicament.
“Please don’t die,” I begged my battery to holdout while I made my call.
“Flint,” he answered.
“It’s Lake and my battery is going to die so just listen andthen respond as fast as you can. I’m stranded on Reef Beach in L.A. with probably second-degree burns from the sun and someone stole my leg. I’m by myself, and I don’t want to attract media attention by calling 9-1-1, but honestly I don’t think I have a choice.” I tried to stifle a sob, but I knew he heard it. “I’m in pain.” I gave up hiding my sobs. Truth? I was scared and my pulse could be felt along my skin and it hurt so damn bad.
“I’ve got you. Fifteen minutes. Someone will be there.”
The lump in my throat was hard to speak past. “Th-thank you,” I whispered.
Just before my phone died, I noticed a missed text from Cage he sent while I was frying myself.
Cage:I love you too.
It made me cry even more as my body shook with chills and my stomach roiled with nausea.
CAGE
Four hoursof game footage later, I still couldn’t get Lake off my mind. I was such an asshole to her. Everyone said, “You really should talk to someone about your dad.” Nope, not me. I didn’t need a shrink to analyze my feelings over my father’s death and the events that led up to it. All I needed was to focus on the game. That’s what he would have wanted.
Three. Fucking. Years of pent-up emotions and out of everyone, I chose to let them explode on Lake. I should have chased her. I should have been on the next plane to L.A. to beg for her forgiveness, but I needed to get things right in my headfirst. Her text shot a bullet right to my heart. Of course she’d forgive me before I ever asked her to. That was just one of the million reasons I loved her. I kept my reply simple because what I wanted to say could not be said in a text.
As I shut down my computer, surrendering to my lack of focus, my phone rang. I wanted it to be her. It wasn’t.
“Flint, what’s up?”
“Hey, buddy. I really hate calling you about this, and I know it’s a mistake, but I have this feeling that if I don’t tell you, you’ll find out I knew and that threat you always make about firing me… it will become my reality.”
“Word efficiency, Flint. You never use this many words without making an actual point. What the hell is it?”
“Lake called me about thirty minutes ago.”
I sat up straight as an unsettling feeling slithered along my spine. “Why?”
“She’s in L.A.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“She got herself into a predicament.”
“Words, Flint! Out with it!”
“She was stranded on a beach with second-degree burns and someone stole her prosthetic leg. I’m calling you because she sounded scared.”
“Fuck! Are you serious?” I was halfway to my room to throw the rest of my shit into my bag before he answered. My bag was basically full because I already knew I was going to get my girl and make it right. I just didn’t think it would be in a rush to a hospital. Life was good at packing a solid fuck-you punch to the gut when least expected.
“Sadly, yes.”
“Why the hell did she call you instead of me?”
“Because her cellphone battery was about dead and she’s smart… well, I think. I’m reserving judgment on that until I hear the full details of her predicament. I’m guessing she knew if she called you, you’d ask too many questions and ultimately have to call yours truly to do what I do best.”
Fix. That’s what he did. I couldn’t even refute anything he said because it was the truth.
