Angelica
My palms are sweating as I weave my way through all of the people in the stadium for Cody’s Hall of Fame induction. Well, sweating is a term we should use loosely. My hands are like fire hoses gushing with sweat because I am so fucking nervous. Who in the world thought it would be a good idea to declare my undying love for a retired NFL player at his own induction ceremony? In front of millions? Shit, I’m going to have to change my identity when Cody shoots me down. I’ll have to go incognito. Do you think I’ll look okay as a brunette? Maybe a redhead? Oh, fuck. Who am I kidding? There is no possible way to conceal this ass.
I’m on the field with all of the press and the who’s who of the professional football world. I look up, the stands are packed with fans. My heart beats a little faster because this is all for Cody and I want him to have everything possible in life. He already has my heart; Even if he doesn’t want it.
I push my palms flat on my belly hoping to stop the Cirque du Solie act that’s swinging around in my gut. My head is pounding. And I have to pee. I look up from my hiding spot behind some guy who obviously moonlights as a mountain range and see Holt taking the stage. Jim told me the order of speakers when he slipped me my pass and we cooked up this little scheme to humiliate me and my whole family for the rest of my life. I know I have time so I duck into the restroom.
I quickly do my business, which seems to happen more and more frequently these days. I should really have that looked at. I will. I swear. When I get home. Mark was right when he said Nurses make the worst patients. I have no desire to spend my free time in a hospital. Give me some Motrin and call it good.
I place my purse on the counter and turn the taps on to wash my hands. I wet a little paper towel and try to blot some of the sweat from my forehead, then my upper lip, and my pits. This shit is getting out of hand. I’m waving more paper towels around trying to create a breeze to dry my over active sweat glands when the door pushes open and I am greeted with the snarl of a face I will never forget.
“Well well. Look what the cat dragged in?” Kimmy says to the two groupies that followed her in. Her over inflated boobies are bobbing around in a dress with way too many sequins for a daytime event.
“Look how sweet her little pink dress is?” One of the crew mock coos. Honestly, I could give two shits. But they caught me doing my dying bird mating dance to clean up the shit show my nerves are causing on my look.
“Do I know you?” I ask as I pull my compact out of my purse and begin to powder my nose.
“Does she know us?” Kimmy asks and then answers her own question. “I know you know who I am. I remember you from the hospital, that night... so long ago.”
“That was some fun times,” I say off handed. I grab my lip gloss and swipe some on.
“And I see you’ve done pretty well for yourself; Filling in my rightful place at Cody’s side these last few months, but all that is about to end,” she tells me.
“Huh?” I ask. Because honestly, I have no idea.
“Come now,” she laughs and her flying monkeys chime in. “You had to know it wouldn’t last. He would always come back to me. I just can’t wait to get my ring back and buy a new house here in New York,” she babbles.
“New York? What about Texas?” I ask. Cody would never want to leave Tall Pines.
“I’m not living in that shit hole,” she states.
“Well, I for one, like that shit hole,” I say ramping up my mad. I’m pretty sure Kimmy went off the deep end a while ago, but still. I’m mad. “What about his team?” I ask.
“What about them?” Kimmy asks back.
“You’re crazy, aren’t you?” I ask. “Cody has no idea you’re here.”
“Really?” She purrs back. “Because last night we agreed to go to dinner,” she says. And it could happen, but this feels off. Still, my hands are starting to sweat again. I wonder if this is how Carrie felt at the Prom.
“I don’t believe you,” I tell them.
“Who cares what you want because I want him back and nothing, and I mean nothing is going to stand in my way. Do you hear me little girl?” She snaps. “Because who would want a fat ass like you when they could have this perfection?” She asks with a sweeping gesture up and down her skinny body and inflated boobs. But the damage was done.
“Eeeaaarrrppp,” I fling a hand over my mouth. I shake my head back and forth furiously to try and convey the back the fuck off message. Shit’s going down. Mayday!!!! But Kimmy, dumb fuck that she is, just stands there staring at me with her head tipped to the side in the universal sign of what was that?
“What?” She steps closer. Oh no. I tried to warn her. “Whatever. Like you’re a threat to me,” she snaps. I open my mouth to tell her to back the fuck off forgetting the situation for a moment, when I pour the contents of my stomach all over Kimmy’s ugly ass dress.
“Oh, gross,” the other two girls scream.
“You fucking cow!” Kimmy shouts. “Look what you’ve done!”
“Well, this has been fun, but I think my work here is done. I’ll see you around, girlfriends,” I smile and wave. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
I quickly make my way back through the crowds and hear Jim wrapping up his speech to Cody. So much love in that family. I love them all so much. He makes me think of my own dad. We have a long row to hoe to fix that mess, but I’m fairly sure we want to, most days. I even think he’s in the crowd somewhere cheering me on. Or at least I hope so. Cody is it for me and I won’t let anyone stand in my way.
I peek around the last row of press and see him standing there at the podium. God, Cody is handsome. I smile softly as I watch him. I could stare at this man for hours. The way he stands, the way he moves, the way he treats people. The way he always made me feel cherished and loved. I love this man. His eye catches mine and for the first time in a longtime, I see him smile. And I know it has to match my own.
