“You thought by moving around no one would figure out what was really going on. But you forgot that as the GM of the Blaze, I have access to all of HR’s records, whether they were fully investigated or not. Once I saw a pattern of behavior that quite frankly shocked and horrified me, I made sure to call every program you worked for previously and found out that luckily for us, you made the mistake of not having a single one of them sign an NDA.”
At this point, I’m not sure if Eric is breathing because he’s so still right now.
“So, to sum it all up, you have been harassing the women here, both verbally and sexually and you threatened the staff who works at HR to tell you who filed the charges and then paid them off to dismiss your case so that no one was the wiser. How am I doing?”
Eric is still as ice, no movement coming from him as he stares blankly ahead. “I don’t need you to answer me to know that I have everything right.” He waves over theofficers who walk over and grab Eric, standing him up as they cuff him behind his back.
“Eric Daniels, you’re under arrest for multiple counts of harassment, stalking, bribery, intimidation, and sexual harassment.” The officers continue to read him his rights as they start to drag him from the room.
“Oh, and Eric.” The officers stop as they turn Eric to face his uncle. “I want you to know one thing before you go. You see those two women over there.” He points at Hannah and I, his voice taking on a more whispered tone. “You are right, they’re the reason you’re going down for everything. And you wanna know why? Because those two are much smarter than you in every way. So maybe, when you accuse someone of using their family name or ask them if they’re sleeping around to earn their spot, maybe take a look in the mirror first.”
And with that, the officers take him away in handcuffs out of the room.
We all sit in silence as we take in the events of the past twenty minutes. It feels surreal to know that we might have actually gotten what we came here for, that Eric is gone and is being held accountable for his actions.
“I want to address you all if that's okay?” Mr. Preston asks as he walks over to the table and sits down again, a worn out expression on his face.
We all nod, not really sure what he might say.
“Firstly, I’d like to apologize for my role in all of this. It was my decision to hire Eric.” Sighing, he wipes his hand across his face and leans back in his chair. “I think I wanted to believe so badly that he had changed, that he was finally growing up and putting the work in, but I was so wrong and as a result, he was able to do those awful things to who knows how many people here. If there’s anything you allneed, please let me know. I know nothing can make up for what you’ve been through.”
“Mr. Preston,” Hannah says, her tone soft but powerful as she sits up in her chair, her back straightening. “I can’t speak for Kailyn, but I don’t blame you in any way for what happened.”
His eyes grow a little wide, not expecting her statement.
“You trusted someone who is good at manipulating and getting what he wants from others. You wanted to believe him because you see the good in people and thought that maybe this time was different. His actions are not on you. He made the choices that he did by hurting us. You did everything you could, and when it came down to it, you didn’t let his behavior slide. Because of you he will now be held accountable for everything he’s ever done. You believed us when it felt like no one ever would, and I’m proud to be part of a team that is an actual family like this.”
Even from here I can see the tears pooling behind his eyes, so I decide to jump in as well. “When you hired me, I remember how excited I was to finally be on a team where even from the top I was treated with kindness and respect. I’ve worked on countless teams and with so many programs with guys like Eric who think that women are inferior or that we don’t deserve a seat at the table. Besides Eric’s behavior, I haven’t felt that from a single person here. I feel like part of a family with the Blaze. So Hannah’s right. None of this is on you, sir.”
“Thank you, both. I hate that any of this happened, but I’m glad that you were able to go to John here and feel that he would have your back.” He gestures to Coach. “With that said, Josh, did you want to tell them the news?”
Dr. Sanders walks over from where he’s standing and takes a seat next to them. “As you all know, I’ve been out ofcommission basically since the start of the season. I’ve been going through some health problems and as a result it’s taken a lot out of me. Long story short, I won’t be returning to the team after this.” He then turns all of his focus to me. “Kailyn, when we hired you, it was because I sought you out. I knew at the end of last year that I was going to be retiring soon and I wanted someone that I trusted. I spoke with many of my colleagues and friends for recommendations and the only person that stood out to me was you by a landslide. And you proved my instincts right on your first day. So no, it wasn’t just random that I asked Coach Davenport to have you fill in for me. I wanted to see what you were capable of, and you didn’t disappoint me or this team in any way.”
“That means a lot to me. Thank you, sir.”
“You’ve done all the hard work, and I think it’s only fair that if John and Tom are okay with it, the spot becomes permanently yours once the season's over. Wouldn’t you boys agree?” He asks, a cheeky grin appearing on his face.
“I’d say there’s no one better suited for the job.” Coach beams, a proud smile lighting up his face.
“I would be honored if you chose to stay with the team, Kailyn. Would that be something that you’re interested in?”
Looking around at everyone in this room, my heart feels so full.
After everything that I’ve been through, either by my own doing or other’s, I can say with full certainty that this is where I’m meant to be. My family, both blood and found are all here with me, and I’ve finally gotten a second chance with Jake. He’s the love of my life, and despite how messy and broken we both were, I know that despite the false start we had, I was always meant to be led back to him.
“I’d really like that.”
Epilogue - Kailyn
One Month Later
Standing across the lawn and watching as Jake laughs with my parents about something I can’t hear, I know that this year is going to be filled with so much love and happiness.
Smiling to myself, I wander around the backyard of Jake’s, saying hi to various groups of people as I make my way inside for a breather. We decided to hold a small get-together at Jake’s to get to know the rest of the team and their families more and just connect better.
It’s been nice to get to know some of the guys and make new friends. I’m also just grateful for the reminder of how in just five months my life has significantly changed for the better.
I make my way inside and down the hall toward our bedroom when I hear some sniffling coming from the ensuite bathroom. At first I think I’m hearing things, so I brush it off. But when I hear what sounds like a sob and then more sniffling, I decide to investigate.
