Page 20 of 40-Yard Line

“Are you an angel too?” he asked.

“No, honey. Ask my Jake. I’m no angel,” she said with a wink. “But there is another Claudette who is one of our ghosts. Don’t confuse us.” Claudette left them, and Trevon just shook his head.

“Man, I love your family,” he smiled. “I’ve never met a more interesting group of people, more loving and helpful in all my life. My family was good. My dad died when I was in middle school, so my mom was a single mother raising four boys, two of whom ended up in prison. My youngest brother and I got lucky, I guess. Or maybe we just listened more. But your family is awesome.”

“Most people feel that way,” laughed Alec.

“Hey, big stud,” called Noelle. “We got work to do. Did you fill your belly?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Then let’s go. Santa waits for no one.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Cait, Trak, Noah, and Ashley sat before the senior leaders, shaking their heads, unsure of what to say.

“I realize that meditative yoga might have been new for them,” said Cait, “but that was the most stressed group of men I’ve ever been around, and I’ve lived with all of you for decades.”

“Was it pressure around the game?” asked Ian.

“I don’t think so. I do think we should ask to see a contract if we could. Maybe Trevon would let us see his,” said Cait.

“Funny, I heard my name and contract in the same sentence,” said Trevon, walking into the room. “I’m sorry to bother y’all, but Noelle said I should come right over here.”

“What’s going on? Is everything okay?” asked Ghost.

“No, sir, everything is not okay. I was just told I would not be receiving the payout of my contract or any medical benefits from the league. They said my contract says when I am released due to injury, they don’t have to pay me anything.”

“That can’t be legal,” frowned Nine. “Didn’t the NFL change their rules decades ago about that? They were in a lot of deep shit for the way they paid disabilities. Aren’t you all connected?”

“No. That’s the problem. We’re not unionized like the others. We don’t have the same benefits, nothing. I just don’t know what to do. I’m not desperate for money, but I know for sure some of those guys would be if this happened to them. Is there anything we can do to help them? I’ve got savings. I’ll pay y’all.”

“You won’t pay us a damn thing,” said Gaspar. “You’re one of ours now, Trevon.”

“Hey,” said Georgie, coming into the room. “Noelle called and said there was something I needed to look at. A contract or something.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Trevon. “My contract.” He explained the situation to Georgie again as she casually perused the contract information. Occasionally, she’d hold up a finger to silence him, then wave him to go on again.

“Well, Georgie?” asked Nine.

“I’m not sure how this is legal. Did you have an attorney read this before you signed it?” she asked.

“Miss Georgie, I was a kid, twenty-two, when I signed that. I didn’t know any better, and I thought I was getting a great start to my future life as a professional player. When it would come up for renewal, they told me it was all the same, and I believed them.”

“This contract gives all the rights to the owners. All. They can end your contract without notice, without reason, and stop your pay immediately, with no options to get any bonuses. In fact, you could have led them to the championship game, which, according to this, has a bonus payout of fifty grand, but if you were released before game time, you don’t get a dime.”

“So, I can’t do a thing about any of this? I won’t get paid for the remainder of my contract. I have no health benefits for injuries received while playing, and I get no bonuses, nothing?”

“I’m afraid not. At least not as of right now. If you give me permission, Trevon, I’ll review as many of the contracts as allowed. But yours? I will definitely fight yours.”

“How can they get away with this?” asked Nine.

“It’s as he said. They’re not unionized. The league executives almost seem like a dummy board. If I had to guess, there is no set relationship with the NFL, although they like to make their players believe that there is. The NFL is a behemoth. They probably just brushed it all away as an annoyance.”

“What about Butch’s contract? What about everything he was owed? For his daughter,” asked Trevon.

“I don’t know, honey. But I’ll find out. He deserves that. She deserves that. Do you have a copy of his contract?”

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