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"Mr. Shore? Your car is here. "
"Thanks, Billy. Ill be right down," he said, going back to Jamie. "My car is here, honey. Ive got to run. "
"But I need to talk to you. "
He looked around for his coat. Where had he left it? "What is it?" he asked, checking under the bed. It wasnt there. He kept looking. For a small apartment, he seemed to lose an awful lot of stuff in it.
"Im quitting the swim team. "
Ah, there it was. He grabbed the black lambskin blazer off the kitchen table. Then it hit him. He stopped. "Youre what?"
She sighed again; her favorite form of communication lately. "Im quitting the swim team. "
He glanced at the clock again: 6:43. The movie would start in seventeen minutes. If he left right now, hed be on time. Any later . . . "Youre just having a rough time, honey. Youve had them before, but you know how much you love the sport. Back when I was playing for the--"
"Not another football anecdote, please. And I dont like swimming. I never did. "
It was 6:46.
He sat down on the end of the bed. "Youre exaggerating, as usual. Believe me, its hard to be the best. I know. And sometimes the--"
"--training rips your guts out. I know, Dad. Ive heard it all before. But youre not listening. IM QUITTING! At the end of this season, Im done. Over, finished, wet no more. If I never see another nose plug, itll be too soon. I would have discussed it with you last week, but you never called me back. Im going to tell coach tomorrow. "
"Dont do that. " He didnt know what to say and he didnt have time to think about it now. "Look, honey, I have to run. Honest. Ive got important business tonight. People are counting on me. Ill call you back tomorrow, and well talk about this. I promise. "
"You do that. " She paused. "And, Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Strangers arent the only people who count on you. How come theyre the only ones that matter?" Before he could respond, she hung up.
What in the hell did she mean by that?
Then he remembered what Elizabeth had said to him on the phone. Something like, I cant keep you and your daughters on track anymore. Your relationship with Jamie is up to you.
They both acted like hed been distant, unaware of what was going on in his own family. But that was ridiculous. Hed known what was important--to give his girls all the opportunities hed never had. Hed worked sixty to seventy hours a week to make a good living, and then hed coached every sports team Jamie had joined.
He slammed the phone onto its cradle and left the apartment. By the time he reached the lobby, he was pissed off. He slid into the town cars backseat and shut the door.
Strangers arent the only people who count on you.
He flipped open his cell phone and punched in his daughters number.
Stephanie answered. "Hello?"
"Hi, honey, is Jamie there?" He realized a second too late that hed been abrupt. Stephanie wore her fragile emotions on her sleeve; her feelings needed Woolite care. Unfortunately, he always seemed to remember that a split second too late. "Im sorry, babe. Your sister just called. She threw me a real curve ball. I didnt mean to be rude. "
"I understand. No one can make you crazier than Jamie. "
"Is the princess at home?"
"She just left with her boyfriend. "
"Keith?"
"Keith is so yesterday, Dad. Youll have to call more often if you want to keep up with Jamies love life. "
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror. "Here we are, Mr. Shore. "
