Page 81 of Shot Taker

“I fucked up,” I say.

Miles shifts forward, glancing around the plane. The rest of the team is locked in one-on-one conversations, or sleeping, or watching videos, or listening to music.

“The guys will give you another chance,” he says.

“It’s not the guys I’m worried about,” I admit.

* * *

We’re practicing the next day, running plays with the assistant, when Miles calls out, “Where’s Coach?”

I glance at the clock in the corner of the gym. It’s not like him to be late.

I head to the bleachers and grab my phone from my bag. No messages. I punch in his contact.

It rings.

Again.

Voicemail picks up.

“Get your ass here, old man, I’m doing your job and mine. You’re gonna want to take a picture because it’s not happening again.” I click off and rejoin practice.

It’s not an apology, but it’s halfway there.

I crossed a line with Coach. Took shit out on him that wasn’t his fault.

I’ll make it up to him today.

Jayden and the assistant coaches run the team through some drills while I watch.

A few minutes later, Rookie pulls up, looking past me.

“Clay.”

The voice at my back is familiar, but the name isn’t. Harlan never calls me Clay.

I straighten, immediately alert.Something’s wrong.

“What happened?”

* * *

The hospital is a mass of hallways and hurrying staff and beeping equipment. My steps overtake the nurse leading us in.

Jay and Miles and Atlas look at me with hollow eyes. Behind them is a row of assistant coaches.

I hate hospitals. My little sister spent too much time in one, and I couldn’t do anything for her. I threw myself into my game because living with the idea that I had no impact was insufferable.

We all wait for an hour.

Two.

Harlan arrives looking tired already. “Thank you all for coming. We don’t have the full details, but we understand Coach’s car went off the road and hit a tree late this afternoon. The doctors believe it may have resulted from a cardiac incident, but as a result, he’s sustained significant trauma to multiple systems. I understand how much Coach means to you. He’d appreciate knowing you were here.”

“He’ll know once he’s out,” Jay insists.

“That won’t be for some time. In the interim, you should go home and rest,” Harlan says.

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