“But why? You still haven’t answered my question, Mr. Lucas,” Genelle says, staring daggers my way. “Why did you punch a man wearing a Gators jersey?”
Feeling the heat, I clench my fist and continue, “Look, Mae is special to a lot of people, including myself. It was a dangerous situation for her.” I stared at the floor for a moment. It was a situation I put her in. “I felt the need to protect her when things got out of hand.” When no one in the room moved, I continued, “I will never apologize for defending a woman.”
I lean back into my chair as Genelle smiles with a satisfied nod. Robert rushes to the front of the room to end the conference as other reporters desperately call out the questions they didn’t have answered.
Coach flicks off the replay, and I finally get to stop reliving the longest day of my life. He puts a hand on my shoulder and addresses those in attendance.
“That’s the last I want any of us to dwell on this matter. The consequences have been set. All that outside noise has no place inside these walls while we’re here working.” He turns to me with determination and says, “We’re gonna get you through this, son. This whole team is going to rise so far above this that it will merely be a footnote at the end of the season.”
A weight feels as if it’s lifted off my shoulders. “Thanks, Coach.”
I didn’t expect to be treated lightly or with favoritism. Coach Lamback is easily the best coach I’ve ever had the honor to play for. He’s never afraid to dole out a punishment, and never for a second would dare show favoritism for the sake of a win, but he has my back at the end of the day. He’s got all our backs. Which is why this whole situation finally feels somewhat manageable.
Coach pats me on the shoulder and takes his leave, followed by the rest of the crowd. Well, all except for one.
Ben.
He’s the one person I’m most intimidated to face, but I shouldn’t be. He’s met Mae, and he knows how truly phenomenal she is. I know he’d do the same thing I did to defend Hannah or his kids. I stop the comparisons when I think again about the events that led up to the altercation. No, Ben never would have let it come to that.
“I know you’ve been through the wringer,” he starts. “I don’t want to add anything to it. I just want you to know that, like Coach said, I got your back. This whole situation sucks, and I know you’re beating yourself up over how it happened, but if I’d been there, I would have been right beside you. Please know that.”
I huff out a laugh. “I know you would have.”
“She really is good for you. Despite what happened, I believe that.”
It’s a breath of fresh air after hearing nothing but the opposite on the news the past two days. “I’m glad you approve.”
“Is she doing alright?”
“Man, I wish I knew. She's hiding in Nashville right now. I texted her last night after I found out she was nominated for a whole bunch of awards, but she didn’t seem too talkative.”
Ben rubs the back of his neck. “Well, I hope she hasn’t been seeing what people have been saying about her.”
My back straightens. Journalists and analysts I’d considered acquaintances and friends had gone after her. It made me sick to my stomach whenever I caught an unruly headline. “I hope the conference yesterday helped the narrative a little bit.” Ben just nods; we both know that’s not the case. “She’s tough,” I say, swallowing. She may be the toughest woman I’ve ever met, butshe also doesn’t have a team of 50 behind her ready to tackle and block for her.
“You gonna go visit her? Make sure everything is okay between the two of you?”
I tense up at his question. I desperately want to see her and to be with her while the heat dies down, but I know that the first step to regaining the trust and respect of those around me is to be here, even when I don’t have to be. “She’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.”
“So, you’re doing okay with all of this?” Ben asks, gathering his things so he won’t be late for practice. “I know how extra attention can affect you sometimes. I just want you to be okay.”
“I’m actually oddly at peace with it.” I hate being this far away from Mae now that I know what being with her feels like but taking things slower is what she wants, and for now, that seems to be what’s right for both of us.
Just as Coach Lamback had done before, Ben pats me on the shoulder before heading to the locker room. Knowing I won’t be able to follow him, I take out my phone and find my way to my recent conversations. Mae had messaged me during that last meeting.
Mae:I just heard about the suspension… Wyatt, I am so so sorry!
Oh great, the news has officially broken free. I sigh and plot out a reply. There’s nothing I want more than to make her feel better.
Wyatt:It’s alright, Mae, I promise.
She messages me back immediately.
Mae:I wish there was something I could do to make this better. You did NOTHING wrong.
I can almost feel her fire through the words on my screen, and it bolsters me a bit.
Wyatt:Coach didn’t suspend me because of the fight. He suspended me because of my behavior after being benched for the loss.
