Rookie Playing For Keeps #Wattys2015 #NewAdult

Chapter 7 Part 2

I am startled when I hear a knock at my door and I set my phone aside to answer it. I look through the peephole and see Greg outside. It's been a while since we've talked and it's not like him to show up unannounced. 

"Hey Madeline." He stands up a bit straighter as I pull the door open.

"Hi, Greg. Is everything okay?" I step back when I see the sad look in his eyes. He shakes his head.

"I need to talk." His somber voice tells me that he's serious.

"Of course. Come in." I move out of the way but he hesitates.

"Is Jackson home?" He peers into the room behind me.

"No, he's out of town." Greg nods and then takes a tentative step inside.

"It's fine, Greg. Come in." It doesn't make sense that he and I managed to get out of our relationship with our friendship still intact, but somehow we did and I'm thankful for it. We both sit down on the couch and I pull my feet under me, grabbing a throw pillow and setting it in my lap as he runs a hand over his face.

"Emily and I had a fight and I don't know how to fix it. I'm sorry to bother you with it, but I don't know who else to ask." Greg has given me a lot of support and understanding in the past and I'm happy to return it now. We sit for over an hour as he tells me the story of their fight and the days that have passed without her accepting any of his calls. I give him advice and help him think through a few options, but mostly he just needs to vent.

The conversation eventually turns to Jackson and me. I tell Greg about my insecurities and fears and he listens like the good friend that he is. "Do you trust him?" he asks.

"Yes. I do. I know he was a bit of a player in the past, but he hasn't given me any reason not to trust him now. It's not even about the reporter, really. It's about this whole experience. What good is all this hard work if we're going to spend years apart?"

"It's going to be rough while you're apart, but you have to let him do this, Madeline. He's out there chasing his dream, yes, but it's not just about that. He's doing what he loves, but he's also laying the foundation for your future together. I know, I know—you can take care of yourself, and your future is secure with or without Jackson. But as a guy, I totally get what he's doing. He wants to play football and he wants to provide for you. He needs to show your family that he can take care of you and, at the same time, let you succeed in your own career. It's a balancing act, and it's no easier on him than it is on you. He doesn't want to let anybody down."

I hadn't thought of it that way. I've been so busy worrying about missing him I haven't thought about how hard it might be to be in his position. It doesn't take away the sting of missing him, but it makes me feel ridiculous for being jealous. Greg's phone rings and he answers it, his face relaxing as he says Emily's name into the receiver. His eyes meet mine and I nod reassuringly, encouraging him to share his feelings with her.

I hear my own phone ringing from the bedroom and I jump up, eager to talk to Jackson again. "Hi," I say, breathless as I sit down on the edge of our mattress.

"Hey, Rookie. I'm back from dinner. I'm sorry about all the noise earlier."

"It's fine. This is just all new to us. We'll get better at it." I lie back on my pillow and absently play with my necklace, my guest forgotten at the sound of Jackson's voice.

"How are things going at work?" Jackson has encouraged me to take more responsibility with my mother's charity. My father and brothers happily turned control of it over to me and I'm beginning to get my feet wet in revamping her projects.

"It's good. I love finishing what she started. It makes me feel close to her." Greg peeks into my room and waves goodbye. Smiling, I sit up and motion for him to give me a hug.

"Night Greg." I let him fold me into his arms.

"Goodnight. Thanks for everything."

"Of course, any time."  

"I'll let myself out," he says, turning and heading for the front door. I watch him leave before sitting back down on the bed.

"Madeline?" Jackson's voice rings in my ear.

"Yes, I'm here."

"Was that Greg, as in your ex-boyfriend Greg?" He sounds angry and distant.

"Yeah, he stopped by needing some advice." Irritation creeps into my voice. I refuse to feel guilty. How can Jackson be mad at me for spending time with Greg while he was out to dinner with other women?

"I didn't expect that." His tone turns from anger to hurt. We sit in silence, and I picture a tiny crack in a windshield, the path spreading until more cracks are created in the weakening surface. Being away from each other makes everything about our relationship seem so fragile. Finally, he speaks. "Maddy, I can't stand him being around you when I'm in another state."

"That's not fair—I can't put my friendships on hold because you aren't here to supervise. I heard the girls in the background last time you called and I read the article that female reporter wrote almost exclusively about you. If I have to trust you and tolerate you being around members of the opposite sex, then you have to do the same." My stomach knots with rage and determination. I am not going to give in on this because it will only lead to more problems.

"It's different. You have a history with Greg."

"Are we bringing up histories now?" I ask, my words dripping with sarcasm.

"Maddy, don't use my past against me. I'm trying to be honest here. I know it makes me sound jealous and like I don't trust you, but it isn't about that. It's about how it feels knowing he's spending time alone with you when I can't. It might be irrational, I'll give you that, but it is what it is and I'm telling you I can't take it. Do what you want with that information." A long sigh is audible over the line. "I'm going to bed. I have practice early in the morning. Oh, and that reporter? Before you read too much into it, I met her wife at dinner tonight."

I close my eyes and imagine the windshield again, the crack splintering off in various directions. I say nothing, not trusting myself to contain this argument instead of making it bigger. Jackson's words feel forced and distant as he says, "Goodnight, Madeline." I stay on the line for a while after the call cuts off, wondering how many tiny cracks it would take to make the whole thing cave in.

**Please remember to vote and comment***