took a big gulp from his bottle. “And you think you’ll be able to get a job doing that and make a decent living?”
“Yeah, Dad, I really do. In fact, I told Coach and he—”
“You told Coach you didn’t want to play?” Dad practically shot off his chair. Red streaks painted his face, and I prepared myself for the worst.
“Relax.” I lifted my hands, telling him to stay calm. “We had a good talk, and he supports my dream. In fact, he encouraged me to talk to you. He said he’d put in a good word with Julian, the team’s athletic trainer. I might be able to work with him once I graduate.”
“Oh.” Dad’s attitude quickly changed. “So, you’re thinking about training the players?”
“Yeah.” A half laugh released. “Why not? I understand baseball and what it takes to succeed. Since PHU was accepted in the South Central Conference, more money will be invested in the team and the facility. That means more jobs.” I smiled and so did Dad.
“I think that’s a great idea, Son.” He lifted his beer. “If that’s what makes you happy, then I support you.”
“Thanks, Dad, that means a lot to me.” I leaned forward and tapped my beer against his. “But do me a favor, and don’t tell Mom, at least not yet.”
We both laughed, and he winked, telling me he completely understood where I was coming from.
***
Delaney
I stared at the flyer I found last night in my backpack. New York summer photography camp sounded right up my ally. At first, I didn’t think much about it, and then it slipped my mind so I forgot to check it out. With the deadline already passed and classes starting in less than a week, I doubted I’d be able to go. Just for the hell of it, though, I emailed the professor coordinating the event. I had him last semester for one of my photography classes, and I hoped he would respond.
As soon as I set the flyer down next to me, I heard a soft knock on the door.
“Delaney, are you awake?” Veronica asked, sticking her head into my room.
“Yeah, come in.” I propped myself up against the pillows, leaning against the headboard. “I was just waking up.”
She sat on the edge of my bed and placed her hand on top of mine. Her long slender fingers were a direct contrast to my short, stubby ones. “Are you doing okay?”
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I nodded. “Yeah, why?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but as I was looking at the pictures we took on the cruise, and you weren’t smiling in any of them. Did you not have a good time?”
I released a silent sigh. Considering Veronica was not my biological mother, she really could read and sense my feelings very well. “I did, I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Thanks.” I ran my hand through my matted hair. “But I think I need to sort through what I’m feeling on my own.” Talking to her about my feelings for Luke wasn’t something I was ready to do. I had already talked to Jordan, but I didn’t like what she had to say. Luke and I weren’t ready to go public with our friends-with-benefits status, and I wasn’t ready to give up the guys I had on the side, either. Deep down, the torment in my mind was all because I was afraid to love him. And I wanted to love him, but I was terrified, too.
“I understand.” She gripped my hand. “If you don’t feel comfortable talking to me or Martin, you can always go see your therapist.”
“I know.” I squeezed her hand. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard this. I’d had countless sessions with my therapist, and although it helped, I was still messed up inside.
She pressed her lips together, and a comforting smile spread across her face. “Don’t hesitate to go if you need to.”
“Thanks, Veronica, I appreciate it.”
Despite my rebellious behavior over the years, Veronica and Martin never gave up on me. They treated me like their own daughter and did everything and anything to help me. I was grateful
“Yeah, Dad, I really do. In fact, I told Coach and he—”
“You told Coach you didn’t want to play?” Dad practically shot off his chair. Red streaks painted his face, and I prepared myself for the worst.
“Relax.” I lifted my hands, telling him to stay calm. “We had a good talk, and he supports my dream. In fact, he encouraged me to talk to you. He said he’d put in a good word with Julian, the team’s athletic trainer. I might be able to work with him once I graduate.”
“Oh.” Dad’s attitude quickly changed. “So, you’re thinking about training the players?”
“Yeah.” A half laugh released. “Why not? I understand baseball and what it takes to succeed. Since PHU was accepted in the South Central Conference, more money will be invested in the team and the facility. That means more jobs.” I smiled and so did Dad.
“I think that’s a great idea, Son.” He lifted his beer. “If that’s what makes you happy, then I support you.”
“Thanks, Dad, that means a lot to me.” I leaned forward and tapped my beer against his. “But do me a favor, and don’t tell Mom, at least not yet.”
We both laughed, and he winked, telling me he completely understood where I was coming from.
***
Delaney
I stared at the flyer I found last night in my backpack. New York summer photography camp sounded right up my ally. At first, I didn’t think much about it, and then it slipped my mind so I forgot to check it out. With the deadline already passed and classes starting in less than a week, I doubted I’d be able to go. Just for the hell of it, though, I emailed the professor coordinating the event. I had him last semester for one of my photography classes, and I hoped he would respond.
As soon as I set the flyer down next to me, I heard a soft knock on the door.
“Delaney, are you awake?” Veronica asked, sticking her head into my room.
“Yeah, come in.” I propped myself up against the pillows, leaning against the headboard. “I was just waking up.”
She sat on the edge of my bed and placed her hand on top of mine. Her long slender fingers were a direct contrast to my short, stubby ones. “Are you doing okay?”
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I nodded. “Yeah, why?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but as I was looking at the pictures we took on the cruise, and you weren’t smiling in any of them. Did you not have a good time?”
I released a silent sigh. Considering Veronica was not my biological mother, she really could read and sense my feelings very well. “I did, I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Thanks.” I ran my hand through my matted hair. “But I think I need to sort through what I’m feeling on my own.” Talking to her about my feelings for Luke wasn’t something I was ready to do. I had already talked to Jordan, but I didn’t like what she had to say. Luke and I weren’t ready to go public with our friends-with-benefits status, and I wasn’t ready to give up the guys I had on the side, either. Deep down, the torment in my mind was all because I was afraid to love him. And I wanted to love him, but I was terrified, too.
“I understand.” She gripped my hand. “If you don’t feel comfortable talking to me or Martin, you can always go see your therapist.”
“I know.” I squeezed her hand. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard this. I’d had countless sessions with my therapist, and although it helped, I was still messed up inside.
She pressed her lips together, and a comforting smile spread across her face. “Don’t hesitate to go if you need to.”
“Thanks, Veronica, I appreciate it.”
Despite my rebellious behavior over the years, Veronica and Martin never gave up on me. They treated me like their own daughter and did everything and anything to help me. I was grateful
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