Chapter Thirty-One
Dax
I made a couple of calls and a few hours later, Payton and I were in the backseat of the Navigator headed west to Gram’s house. The whole ride toward my old stomping grounds, Payton had simply stared out the window, watching the scenery change from skyscrapers to three-flat apartment buildings to the two-story houses that lined Gram’s street. She twisted her hand in her lap as she silently took in the landscape of the Back of the Yards. I wondered if she’d ever been out this way before, but I didn’t want to break the silence by asking, so I kept my thoughts to myself.
As we drove down 47th Street, she turned and looked at me for a moment, but said nothing. I turned away before she could ask, not wanting her to see the mixture of pride and shame that spun inside my brain. I was proud of the fact that I’d grown up in a tight-knit community that looked out for its own, even as it subjected its members to the brutality that came with belonging, and I was ashamed of what the neighborhood had become.
“This is it,” I said, gesturing to the small stone house flanked by larger, newer buildings. I ushered a silent Payton up the front stairs and knocked loudly as I called, “Gram, we’re here!”
“Good Lord, David, no need to shout,” Gram laughed as she came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. She had dressed up for the visit, and was wearing a carefully pressed apron over her good Sunday dress. I smiled as I took in all of the details that might otherwise go unnoticed, and wondered if Payton would be able to see the care with which Gram had prepared for her visit.
“Hello, Mrs. Connor,” Payton said with a smile as she held out a bouquet of lilies. “It’s so good of you to invite me to visit your home.”
“Oh, aren’t you sweet!” Gram exclaimed as she took the flowers from Payton and pulled her in for a hug. “Please, call me Sally — or Gram. Mrs. Connor was Bull’s mother and she never liked me very much.”
“Okay, Sally, but only if you’ll call me Payton,” she said as she smiled warmly at my small grandmother. I felt relief flow through my body as Gram took Payton’s arm and led her to the kitchen.
“Are you two hungry?” Gram asked as she bustled around the room, stirring a pot on the stove before cracking the oven to check on what was inside. The kitchen was full of delicious smells, and I could feel my stomach rumbling knowing that Gram had probably made most of my favorite dishes.
“I’m starving, Gram!” I interjected.
“Oh, you sit down and be good,” Gram chuckled as she threw a potholder at my head. “When are you ever not hungry?”
Payton laughed aloud at this, making both Gram and I grin. I could feel Payton relaxing and I followed suit as I sunk down into one of the dinette chairs. I nodded as I gestured toward the chair across from me as Gram swiftly smacked the back of my head with her hand.
“Ouch! What’d you do that for?” I protested holding a hand to where she’d hit me.
“Get your ass up and pull out her chair, you lazy bastard!” Gram scolded. “I love you more than life itself, but I’ll not tolerate rudeness in my home! It’s as if your grandfather and I never taught you any manners.”
“Jeez, Gram,” I pouted as I got up and pulled out a chair for Payton and waited for her to sit down. The wide smile she wore made me resentful about being scolded in front of her, but I didn’t want to let her know so I leaned over toward Gram and said in a loud whisper, “Is that better now? You happy with how your trick pony performs?’
“Oh, get over yourself,” Gram laughed as she reached up and pulled my face down so she could kiss me on both cheeks before smacking my head, lightly this time.
I grinned at Payton as Gram sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. Payton giggled as she watched the two of us.
“He’s always been such a dramatic one,” Gram said as she lifted a lid on one of the pots and stuck a long, wooden spoon into it so she could stir the contents. “God bless him, don’t get me wrong. I don’t know what we would have done without him, but Lord, he’s always been a handful.”
“Has he really?” Payton asked as she perched on the edge of her chair and waited for Gram to continue. She’d taken a great deal of care in dressing to come visit, though by all accounts she didn’t look much different than she normally did. Her long, blonde hair had been carefully gathered into a low ponytail as the nape of her neck and she’d used a minimal amount of makeup on her pretty face. Her cornflower-blue dress had a modest scoop neck and flared out from her hips, giving her a retro look that I hadn’t seen any woman pull off quite as well as she did.
“Oh Lord, yes!” Gram said as she spooned up a bit of the sauce in the pot and tasted it before adding a pinch of salt and a dash of something that looked like hot sauce. My mouth watered knowing that she was making cabbage rolls, one of my favorites. “He was a handful from the time he could walk! And before that, if my memory serves me right. He was scooting around on his bottom looking for trouble, and then one day he discovered that he could pull himself up with help from our dog, George. From then on, it was the two of them off and running together.”
“You had a dog named George?” Payton asked excitedly.
“Yep, he had big floppy ears and a tongue that never stopped coating me in spit,” I grumbled.
“Oh, stop it,” Gram laughed as she aimed another potholder at my head. “That dog was your best friend for the first eight years of your life. I knew that if I couldn’t find you, all I had to do was call George’s name and I’d have your whereabouts in a jiffy.”
“What happened to George?” Payton asked. The mood turned dark as Gram and I exchanged a look.
“Oh, you know, dog stuff,” I said, waving a hand as if to erase the memory of George’s demise and hoping that Payton would accept the answer without probing further.
“Dog stuff?” she asked looking back and forth between Gram and I.
“He escaped from the fence one morning and met a sad end,” Gram said, neatly wrapping up the narrative so that no more questions would be asked.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Payton said covering her mouth with her hand. “That must have been awful for you.”
“It wasn’t easy,” I admitted, shooting Gram and grateful look. “But we survived.”
“Let’s talk about something happier,” Gram interjected. “Tell me about your family, Payton.”
“Well, I’m not sure that’s much happier than losing your dog,” Payton said as she cast me a look asking for help in steering the conversation to lighter topics.
“Gram, Payton’s mother is Joanna Lasky,” I said knowing that Gram would get the message.
“I see,” Gram nodded before turning and looking right at Payton as she added, “She’s quite a bitch, isn’t she?”
I froze. Afraid to look over at Payton, I swung around ready to scold Gram when I heard laughter coming from the other side of the table. I turned and found Payton with her head tilted back laughing open mouthed with her arms wrapped around her stomach.
“Oh my God,” she laughed. “You know my mother!”
“I met her at the franchise ceremony,” Gram chuckled. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me to say. Your mother is a beautiful woman, but she’s not entirely pleasant.”
“No, you were right the first time,” Payton laughed and then quietly said, “She’s pretty awful.”
“Well, sweetheart, don’t despair,” Gram said as she moved around the table and patted Payton’s shoulder. “Everyone’s got a cross to bear, and yours just happens to be your mother. At least you know what you’re up against!”
Payton nodded, but said nothing. I shot Gram a look that tried to convey just how much I wanted her to steer the conversation to any other topic, but she just shook her head and said, “David, could you go out to the garage and get me the big boiling pot, please? It’s on the top shelf over your Pop’s tool wall.”
“What do you—” I began.
“Just go get it,” Gram said sternly. I pushed my chair back and reluctantly stood up. Gram repeated, “Go get it.”
It took me ten minutes to haul out the ladder and locate the exact place where Gram had had Pop store her boiling pot. I pulled it down and blew off the dust, wondering why she suddenly needed this now and not before when she’d been cooking for all the neighborhood kids. I put the ladder away and carried the pot into the kitchen where I found Payton helping Gram set the table and put out all of the food.
“Go wash up, David,” Gram said cheerfully. “We’re almost ready to eat.”
“I thought you needed this. Why did you have me get it down?” I asked, feeling confused about what was happening and pissed that I’d gotten myself covered in dust and dirt for no good reason.
“Oh, that old thing?” Gram said. “I need to lend it to Mrs. Polaski for the church supper. Thank you for getting it down for me, David. Now go wash up!”
I set the pot down and headed toward the back bathroom where I washed up and did my best to get the dirt off of my shirt. As I scrubbed my hands, I wondered what Gram had said to Payton in my absence, but as I dried them, I decided that it was probably better that I didn’t know.
Dinner was a lively affair as we sat around the table eating Gram’s borscht, cabbage rolls and fresh bread. I loved the tangy beet soup and the thick tomato sauce covering the soft cabbage rolls filled with ground beef, peppers, and all the spices that Gram used. I scoop everything up with slice after slice of the warm, crusty bread, and even when my stomach told me I’d had enough, I kept eating.
Gram spent the meal quizzing Payton about the Bears, their history, and their chances of winning the championship this season, stopping only when I protested that she wasn’t allowed to root for opponents of the Storm.
“Pshaw,” Gram scoffed. “I can root for whoever I choose. I’m a Chicago native and the Bears are my team!”
“What about family? Blood loyalty?” I protested loudly. “What about supporting your grandson?”
“It’s the Bears!” Gram and Payton cried in unison.
“You two are useless,” I laughed as I helped myself to another slice of bread. “However, I expect you both to come to the game on Sunday.”
“I’ll be there,” Gram said. “I wouldn’t miss the opening game for the world!”
“And you?” I asked turning to Payton.
“Of course, I’ll be there,” she smiled warmly. There was something about the way she was looking at me that told me her talk with Gram had helped ease at least part of her burden, and that made me feel relieved.
We stayed for dessert: a rich chocolate silk pie covered in thick whipped cream, and dark Turkish coffee, and by the time we headed for the door, we were groaning because we were so full. Gram smiled as she handed Payton a bag with some leftovers tucked inside, and then pulled her down for a hug and a quick peck on the cheek.
“I’ll see you on Sunday, dear,” Gram said before turning to me and giving me a big hug and a kiss. “And you, too, David.”
Gram stood on the porch waving until we were out of view, and when I looked over at Payton, I saw she was smiling as she looked out the window. I wanted to ask what she was thinking, but instead I reached out and took her hand. When she squeezed my hand, I knew, at least for now, things were going to be okay.
#
Four days later, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, I stood staring out at the Storm’s brand new stadium ready to be put to use for the first time. It was a magnificent venue that offered all kinds of modern touches that Soldier Field, even with its high-priced renovations, could not. The seats were all padded and were equipped with warming devices that would make winter games in Chicago more tolerable. The concession stands were spaced so that every section had plenty of access to food and drinks, and there were twice as many bathrooms as any other stadium in the country. It had been a tough order to fill, but the bathrooms had been the deal breaker for many design firms.
As I looked out into the stadium, I could see people filling the stands and I was happy to see that many of them were wearing the Storm navy home jersey with the Kelly-green lettering and white numbers. I hoped that we’d manage to fill the stands for this first game against the Detroit Lions, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath. We were just starting and I couldn’t afford to be overly optimistic about attendance.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Finn said as he slipped into the skybox through the side door. He was wearing a navy polo shirt and Levi jeans with green Jordan sneakers. I shook my head. He grinned, “That good, eh?”
“What the fuck were we thinking?” I asked as I kept staring out at the stadium. “I mean, seriously.”
“We rolled the dice and decided to see how far we could go,” Finn said. “That’s all we were thinking.”
“I’m sick of it already,” I sighed as I turned and faced him. “What’s happening with the project?”
“It’s moving along nicely,” he said as he ran his hand over the leather seats that occupied several raised rows on the far side of the room. The suite had been outfitted with every luxury we could think of, and had everything from its own fully stocked bar to a full kitchen off to one side where a chef and several staff members would cook throughout the game. There were two full bathrooms complete with showers, and a staff on duty to press clothing or shine shoes should the need arise. I hadn’t created this suite for me, but rather as a selling point for the next potential owner. Personally, I found all of the amenities pompous, and even tacky.
“What’s going on?” I asked, eyeing Finn. He looked like he was hiding something.
“Nothing, why?”
“You want to say something, but you’re holding back,” I observed. I had known Finn my whole life, and as a result, I sometimes knew him better than he knew himself. And as my business partner, I cut him no slack.
“Just something I found out that I’m not sure you want to know,” he shrugged.
“When have I ever not wanted to know something?” I asked.
“When it involves women,” he said bluntly. “You hate it when I burst your bubble.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Finn?” I demanded.
“That chick you’re in bed with,” he said, waiting to see if I wanted to hear more. When I said nothing, he continued, “There’s some rumors going around that she’s playing you.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” I said, trying to stay calm.
“Dunno yet,” he said. “I’m just telling you what I’ve been hearing.”
“Well, until you have something solid, don’t waste my time with stupid rumors,” I growled.
“See, this is why I don’t tell you shit,” he said accusingly. “You get all worked up and pissy.”
“I’m not pissy, I’m trying to make sure this goddamn game goes off without a hitch,” I said feeling irritated that he’d even brought Payton up. “I’m wondering if we’ve got enough security for this one. The Lions fans are Detroit all the way, and I’m thinking we may have some trouble on our hands.”
“So, stop selling beer during the third quarter,” Finn shrugged. “Ninety percent of the bullshit is connected to beer sales, and you know it.”
“If I tell them to stop selling beer during the third, we’ll have a fucking riot on our hands,” I said. “And not the fans, the vendors.”
“Just a suggestion,” Finn said without emotion before adding. “I’ve got a meeting with the CAA people on Tuesday, I’ll keep you posted.”
“You aren’t staying for the game?” I asked.
“Nah, I don’t give a shit about how they win the game,” Finn said. “I just want them to kick some ass. Catch ya later, man.”
Finn was gone before I could say another word. I turned back toward the stadium and thought about what he’d said. I didn’t like the fact that there were rumors about Payton floating around, but I was fairly sure it was nothing more than speculative gossip. I quickly pushed it to the back of my mind as I considered what Finn had said about alcohol sales. I didn’t want to stir up the crowds, but I also didn’t want to fuel the drunken brawls that had become part of the stadium culture. And I definitely didn’t want to piss off the vendors.
“Dammit,” I muttered as a door opened and Payton entered.
“What’s the dammit for?” she asked. I turned away from the window and found myself speechless for a moment. Payton was wearing a V-neck, navy sweater that clung to her curves with the tightest pair of jeans I’d ever seen. I swallowed hard and smiled.
“Just a few challenges in the new stadium,” I said as I crossed the room. “Do you want a drink?”
“Maybe a beer?” she said. “If you’ve got a cold one.”
“Where have you been?” I asked as I pulled a bottle from the fridge and popped the cap, holding it out and pointing to a glass.
“Bottle’s fine,” she said taking it from me. “I was at the office going through a few more scouting reports. You know that Cal McKenzie is a free agent?”
“Should I know who that is?” I asked as I popped the top on a second bottle and took a long drink.
“Only one of the top-rated second-tier quarterbacks in the league,” she said shaking her head. “You really don’t give a shit about this team, do you?”
“Lady, I have ninety-nine problems, and a new quarterback isn’t one of them right now,” I said grinning as I tried to lighten the mood.
“You’re hopeless,” Payton chuckled as she shook her head. The door opened and several young men dressed in black entered with Gram following close behind. I gestured to the door that led to the kitchen and the servers quickly disappeared.
“David, I’m so excited to watch the Storm play their first game,” she said as she looked around the room. “My God, this is the epitome of tricked out!”
“Gram!” I laughed. “Where did you learn that?”
“What? Did I say it wrong?” she asked in a voice so earnest that both Payton and I burst into laughter.
“No, you got it right, Sally,” Payton said. “It’s just funny to hear you using such a term.”
“The kids in the neighborhood have been teaching me their lingo,” she said proudly. “I’m picking up on some of it, but other things I just don’t understand.”
“Well, we can go over it later if you like,” I offered. “Can I get you a drink, Gram?”
“I’ll take a Manhattan,” she said. I stepped behind the bar and got to work mixing. “This really is quite beautiful, David.”
“Thank you; I tried my best,” I said as I measured the liquids and mixed. When I had it right, I brought the glass to her and said, “A toast. To our first win in the new stadium!”
“To the first win!” Payton and Gram chimed in smiling.
The game started out slowly with the Lions taking the lead at the end of the first quarter. The fans were vocal and the team Storm responded to their cheers with a touchdown pass from Johnny Riggs to the outstretched arms of Jamal Williams, just minutes into the second quarter. Payton and Gram sat in the front row of the skybox seats and cheered loudly every time the Storm made it close to the end zone. I chatted with a few of the honored guests and kept the drinks flowing and the food moving in and out of the kitchen. I was happy when the team scored, but my heart wasn’t in the game, and now that the stadium was finished and the team was playing, I was ready to let go and start my new adventure. The problem was that I had to keep acting interested until I could get all the pieces in place for Finn and me to start the management company.
At halftime, I sat down next to Payton and took her hand. She understood that we needed to perform for the audience in the skybox, so she leaned over and kissed me as the rest of the guests watched. I smiled and pushed a piece of hair away from her face as I asked her if she wanted another beer, but to an observer it would look like we were whispering sweet nothings to one another. I chafed under the need to do these things, but I knew it was necessary.
At the start of the third quarter, the Storm scored another touchdown and took the lead. Gram and Payton were cheering loudly and celebrating with the other skybox guests as I stood in the back and thought about whether to shut down beer sales at the end of the quarter. I wasn’t certain that it would make a difference in what would happen after the game, so I decided to let it go and see what would come of it. I hoped there were enough security guards monitoring the parking lots and stadium to handle anything that got out of hand. At the end of the quarter, the Lions scored a touchdown and tied the game.
By the middle of the fourth quarter, the Storm managed to make a field goal from the 30-yard line and that sent the crowd in to a frenzy as they cheered their team on. The Lions seemed deflated as their offense took the field after the kick, and I crossed my fingers hoping that the Storm could hold on to their lead. As the minutes ticked off the clock, the Lions moved closer to the goal line, and I held my breath. If they went for the field goal, they’d tie it up again, but if they pushed harder, they’d score and win.
As I stood stock still watching the Lions offense line up on the 48-yard line, I realized I was crossing my fingers and hoping for a win. As they drove down the field, the Storm defense covered every receiver as closely as possible and when the Lions quarterback threw the ball, it hung in the air for a long time before descending downward in a spiral right into the hands of the waiting…defensive lineman!
“Holy shit!” I shouted.
The crowd went wild as Theo Cook tore up the field as fast as his bulk would allow and made it to the 35-yard line before he was taken down by the Lions offense. When Cook jumped up from under the pile of players, he was surrounded by his teammates high-fiving him and slapping his back. There was pandemonium in the stadium as the crowd cheered and the Storm set up for what would be one of the final plays. I could see Riggs pumping the team up in the circle as he called the play, they lined up and Riggs began calling out play numbers as the offense tried to hold themselves to the line. Riggs dropped back, searching the field for a receiver. He scrambled to the left as the Lions defense broke through the line and chased him down, and in an instant, he launched the ball and as it spiraled through the air, Jamal Williams popped up out of nowhere and grabbed it. Williams turned and ran for the goal, but was flattened by the Lions defense at the 5-yard line.
I smiled as I realized that the clock was down to less than fifteen seconds and that this would be the last play of the game. The Storm would win its first league game on its home field in its new stadium, and as Riggs called the play, the clock ticked down and the fans began celebrating. Riggs handed the ball off and the running back made his best attempt to plow through the center, but was held at the 2-yard line and the game ended with the Storm beating the Lions 17-14.
Gram and Payton were cheering and hugging as they watched the team leave the field. I smiled and shook the hands of all the guests, anxious to get them out and on their way so that I could go home and get away from the noise. Payton turned and smiled at me, and I waved as she and Gram excitedly discussed the most important plays and then evaluated how they could have been better.
I rubbed my forehead as I tried to stave off what I knew would be a whopper of a headache as I thanked the last of the guests, and shut the door behind them.
“Ready to go home?” I asked Payton before turning to Gram. “Did you have fun?”
“Did I ever! You’ve done a wonderful job, David,” she smiled as she patted my cheek. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Gram,” I said, hugging her and kissing her cheek. “Get ready for the Packers in two weeks!”
“We’re gonna kill ‘em,” Gram growled as she headed out the door and down to the waiting hired car. “Come for dinner this week, you two.”
“We’ll see,” I said, cutting Payton off before she could promise that we would.
In the Navigator, Payton ran through the details of the game again as I sat silently resting my head against the back seat. She threw out statistics and plays that I’d never heard of, nor did I care about, but I nodded my head and acted like I knew what she was talking about.
“What’s wrong? You don’t seem to excited about all of this,” she asked as she squeezed my hand.
“No, I’m excited. Go team,” I said unconvincingly. “Just a lot on my mind.”
“Well, if you don’t want to listen to me talk about your team, then just say so,” she huffed.
I didn’t know how to respond to that without starting an argument, so we spent the rest of the ride home in silence.