The Fumble Of A Quarterback

Chapter 6: When the Team isn't a Team

Song for the start of the chapter!

The ride to the stadium the next day is quiet as I mull over what Mom said the other day. She had a point about me not knowing for sure if Everett causes Dad stress. There is only one way to find out.

"What stresses you?" I ask Dad as he drives to practice.

He lifts his finger in the air as he raises his eyebrows. "Oh, that's an easy one. When I'm hungry, or when the cap on the toothpaste is lost, or when you don't hang your coat on a hanger, or..."

I laugh as I shake my head. I have to stop him or he will keep going. "As useful as this information is, I wanted to know about work. What stresses you about that?"

He frowns as he strokes his mustache. "When the team isn't a team."

During the first practice, he talked about teamwork and why it was so important. But over the fall camp, I have seen that our team isn't a team. They are cliquish and they bully each other. They are not unified. "Our team has issues. Why is that happening?"

He gives a long sigh. "Oh that's a long story but it involved kicking a player off the team at the end of last year."

This must be what Melissa was talking about the other day. This was the information I was missing. I catch myself holding my breath, wanting to know more. "What was his name?"

He shakes his head. "I don't want to jinx anything, so I better not say."

So close to answers but yet so far. I want more but decide not to push it. The thing is, I will find out one way or another. I don't really need his help. A simple Google search will solve so many questions. "Fine. Why did he get kicked off?"

"Oh, because some rules were broken, and trust shattered so on and so forth. We're still dealing with the fallout, and I think that is why the team is having problems."

"And one person caused all this damage?" I ask in disbelief. I was so quick to blame Everett, but it appears I could have been wrong. Was he just part of the burning wreckage of a bomb that exploded the year before?

Dad turns into the parking lot of the athletic center. "One person is capable of more than you know," he says, his tone turning serious.

I cannot help myself. I need more information. "Is there any team member that stresses you currently?"

He laughs as he gets out of the car. "This sounds like an interrogation, Nora."

I merely shrug. "Figured if I know about the players, I can better help you."

"That's real sweet Nojo." He sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose. "The short answer? All of them caused stress at different times."

The vague response causes me to frown. It isn't what I am expecting or wanting, and it makes me feel as empty as a house after a Christmas party. Even if Everett isn't the entire issue, he is still part of the problem. Dad worked too hard to have one kid mess it all up. I couldn't prevent what happened last year, but I can at least stop any player from making a major mistake this year. My eyes are on Everett.

"But great talk, Nora. I'm happy you're going headfirst into this stuff like a diver into a sea." He places his hand on my shoulder and gives me a squeeze. "It makes me prouder than I could even say. Anyhow, enough talk, let's get this day started. It's supposed to be hotter than the south today so I'm calling this fall camp day inside. I think we all need some A/C in our lives."

I follow Dad into the center as the sun rises above us, already beating down with strength. With fall camp almost over, I wonder what is on our plate for afterwards. Is there more training? Is there a break? I don't even know when the first game is. Just when I feel as if I'm getting my footing, I am thrown back into the deep end. I feel like I am drowning.