“I think you need to decide what you can live with. And whether this relationship cansurvive what’s coming.”
“What if it can’t?”
“Then you make the hard choice. Like adults do.” He moves toward the door. “I love you, Noah. But I’m angry and disappointed right now. And I need some time to process this.”
“How much time?”
“I don’t know. But we’ll get through it. We’re family. That doesn’t change.”
He pauses. “We should get back. Marshall’s waiting.”
We walk back to his office in silence.
When we enter, Danny’s still sitting there, looking like he’s been tortured for the last twenty minutes. His eyes flicker to mine.
I look away.
Marshall glances between us. “Everything sorted?”
“Noah knows what he needs to do,” my father says quietly.
“Good.” Marshall looks at me. “I need a statement. Can you have that drafted in an hour?”
“And Masterson.” Marshall turns to Danny. “You’re on administrative leave until the league makes their decision. Don’t come to practice. Don’t come to games. Stay away from the arena and away from media.”
“For how long?” Danny asks.
“However long it takes.”
Danny stands. “Am I allowed to talk to Noah?”
Marshall and my father exchange looks.
“That’s probably not a good idea right now,” Dad says. “Until this gets sorted out.”
“You’re telling me I can’t see him?”
“I’m telling you that every interaction you two have is going to be scrutinized. So yes. For now, stay away from each other.”
Danny looks at me. I force myself to meet his eyes.
He sees something there. Understanding maybe. Or resignation.
“Fine,” he says.
He leaves without another word.
Marshall turns to me. “Get that statement drafted. I want to see it before it goes out.”
I leave and go to my office. I sink into my desk chair and open a blank document.
I think about what my father said. What I can live with.
I can’t live with my father spending the next month defending himself against questions about whether he knew, whether he covered for me, whether he compromised team integrity.
I can’t live with Danny’s teammates resenting him for a suspension that costs them playoffs.
I can’t live with Marshall’s faith in me being proven wrong.
