Chapter 16
Gabe’s alarm clock went off and he reached for his phone to turn it off. He stretched out for a moment before letting his feet hit the floor. An instant later, the anxiety settled in his stomach. Today was a huge day. There was a lot riding on this game, and a lot on his shoulders. His whole team was counting on him.
He took an extra long shower, hoping the hot water would wash away some of his tension. Didn’t seem to be helping much. He dressed and ate a quiet breakfast of cereal as he stared absently at the blinking Christmas tree lights. He wouldn’t allow himself to wonder about the baby. If it would come before Christmas, or after. Would he be alone to celebrate the holiday with just his parents? Or would it be him and Carolyn and his family all together with a new baby?
He shook his head to clear his thoughts and focused on the feel of the cool milk and the bits of cereal crunching between his teeth. There were a few more media related things the team had today before the game. A team photoshoot and a press conference for Coach Tucker. Then there was warming up, Coach’s final speech, and the game would start.
It seemed like a whirlwind, but in just twelve hours, it’d all be over, for good or bad. Either they’d be champions or the first ever losers. He was going to do all he could to make them champions.
Gabe finished breakfast and dressed, putting on his button down shirt for the media appearances. His uniform was packed in his bag and a brand new jersey awaited him in the locker room. He paused before walking out to his car, took one long breath and said, “Gabe, you can do this. You’re already a star.” Then he walked out and drove over to the arena.
After all the interviews and photoshoots were done, after they’d been fed a protein-filled lunch, it was time for the real fun to begin. The team headed into the locker room to suit up and get ready for warm ups.
They were surprisingly quiet as they pulled on pads and pants. None of the usual pre-game banter went on. They must all be nervous and focused, ready for the biggest game of their lives.
Gabe finished getting ready and took a few minutes to call Carolyn before warm ups.
“Hi,” she answered, yawning.
“Hi. You okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, “Just didn’t sleep well. The bigger I get, the harder it is to be comfortable. I’m so ready to be done.”
“Sorry. Have you seen the doctor today?”
“Yeah. She thinks it might not be quite two weeks, but wasn’t sure how soon.”
“That’s good. The sooner the better.” Then they could get this horrible waiting over with.
“Yeah. You all ready for the game?”
“I guess.” He sighed. “I’ve never been this nervous before.”
“You’re going to be awesome. You’re the star already, so all you have to do now is go out there and shine.”
He smiled at her words. Even this morning when he was leaving the house and told himself he was already a star, he was repeating words she said to him often. “Thank you. Sorry I couldn’t get over to see you today.”
“It’s okay. You had a really busy day.”
“I’ll be there first thing in the morning. You’re going to watch it?”
“Gabe. Are you kidding me? The whole hospital is going to watch it. The nurses even hung up some Grizzlies posters on the floor and in my room. They’re all rooting for you, too. I think they feel special that they sort of know you. They might want autographs.”
“I hope so. I just… I want to win so bad, you know?”
“I know. I want you to, too. But Gabe, if for some reason you don’t, it doesn’t make you a bad player. And I’ll still love you.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re still getting to play in the first Bear Bowl ever. That’s awesome in itself, right?”
“It is.” His smile grew. He loved her enthusiasm. “I love you so much.”
“I know it. Now get out there and win big.”
“I will.”
He put his phone back in his locker and jogged onto the field. Most of the team was already out there, doing little exercises to warm up their muscles. He started with jumping jacks, then did a sprint and sideways sprints to practice his footwork. As a team, they ran practice drills and tackles. When they were good and warm and the stands were starting to fill, Coach Tucker brought them back into the locker room.
“Team, we’ve made it this far.” He stood in front of them as they sat and stood scattered across the benches or shifting foot to foot nervously. “We’ve all worked very hard to get here and we’re making history as we speak. No matter what happens out there tonight, I’m proud of you all. Proud that I have coached the finest athletes in this new shifter league. Proud to say I coached in the first ever Bear Bowl game. Even if we lose the game tonight, we’ve all won.”
He paused for a moment to smile at them. “But I know how hard you’ve worked and how bad you want this. I know we can win. I believe we will win. We know the plays. We’ve gone over them again and again. We’ve won more games than any other team in the league. We’re champs already. Now let’s go win the ring to prove it.”
The team stood and gathered around. They put their hands in the center of the circle and said their pre-game chant, “Goooo Grizzlies!” before grunting at each other and breaking apart.
Gabe stopped to tied his shoelace and when he looked up, Kenny was standing there, watching him.
“Hey,” Gabe said. He’d successfully avoided Kenny in the last weeks and he didn’t want to break that pattern now. Especially when he needed his head clear.
Kenny glared down at him. “You don’t get all three.”
“What are you talking about?” Gabe finished with his shoe and got to his feet, crossing his arms and holding a defensive stance.
“You don’t get to be the star of the team, and have Carolyn, and have the baby. You don’t get all three.”
Gabe glared back. “Stop this. We’re not getting into this now.”
“I know everyone thinks you’re going to win it for us. And that’s fine. I hope you do. But know that I will stop at nothing to make sure it’s all you win.”
Gabe pushed past him, banging hard into his shoulder.
“I will have her, Gabe. And that baby is mine.”
Gabe shook his head and took several deep breaths. Kenny had gone crazy apparently. How in the world did have balls big enough to confront him like that? The anger churned in his stomach. Good. He would this use against the other team. He would take out all his anger and frustration and anxiety on anyone who got in his way. He would win this game. Then he’d go home to his girl and in a few weeks, his baby. Maybe.
No, he couldn’t think about that now. It was time to focus on the game. The coach called them in for a huddle, they went over the list of plays one last time, so no one would forget what was about to happen. They’d won the coin toss, so they’d gotten to select their starting position. Already, it seemed they were off to a good start.
They hit the field, taking their positions. Gabe stared ahead at the other team. He glared as much as he could from inside his helmet, trying to be intimidating. He took in a few deep breaths and reviewed the plays in his mind. First, he’d go left, then right, look for the ball, catch it, and go.
The whistle blew and the game had officially started. The first play went shakily. The guys fell into proper formation, but there was some hesitation as the other team tried to stop them and get in their way. But they managed to get the ball to Gabe, who ran it and got the first down.
This tiny lead seemed to give the Grizzlies some confidence. They scored quickly after that. A touchdown at Gabe’s hand. The first touchdown of the first Bear Bowl. He couldn’t help grinning ear to ear as he regrouped with his team for their chance at the extra point, and then the next round of plays.
“Great work!” Coach Tucker shouted over the roaring crowd. “Keep hustling out there. Let’s score so fast, they don’t know what hit them.”
The team dispersed and Coach smacked Gabe’s shoulder. “Keep it up.”
Gabe nodded and dashed back onto the field. He thought for a moment of all the people who had just seen his touchdown. His parents, Carolyn, a world of viewers. They all had to be so proud of him right then. He was proud, too. Of his team and their hard work, of the way he was able to stay quick on his feet and avoid being sacked. Slamming that ball down in the end zone gave him such a rush, he was still dancing on a cloud.
But he knew, too, that he had to jump off that cloud. If he didn’t stay grounded, it would be too easy to get cocky and lose focus. He couldn’t go around feeling like the star he was. He had to remember that every point on the scoreboard had to be earned and they were each hard work by him and the team. It was still early and the game could easily be lost. The Grizzlies wanted the win badly, but no worse than their opponents, the Growlers. Now that the Grizzlies had pulled ahead, they could be sure the Growlers would be playing harder than ever. Things were starting to feel very serious down on the field.
They earned their extra point, bringing their score up to seven points. The next play started, and before they could all get into position, two of his team were tackled. The play was blown and they had to quickly regroup and move on to their next plan. This time, the wide receiver made it through. Gabe pushed his way through their defense, jumped to avoid being hit, and caught the ball mid-air. He could hear the crowd screaming as he crossed into the end zone again.
He did a little dance and headed back to his team.
“You guys are on fire,” Coach said. “Let’s not lose that heat. I want to make the Growlers whimper with their lack of points. Let’s sweep this game and leave their heads spinning!”
They cracked helmets together, Gabe received several encouraging pats on the bottom, and they took the field again. They got the point, bringing their total to fourteen. The whistle blew again and they were off on the next play. But it seemed that this time, the Growlers had gotten a bit hungry. They pushed through the Grizzlies defense and scored their first touchdown. Gabe had been secretly hoping to shut them out of scoring completely, but that was probably unrealistic. After all, both teams had made it to the Bear Bowl and had worked hard for it. It meant the Growlers were good, even if they were in second place to the Grizzlies.
This time, their huddle was slightly less enthusiastic.
“Okay,” Coach said. “The got one on us. It was nice of us to let them have one so they’re not too embarrassed. But we don’t need to let them have another.”
The quarter ended with neither team scoring again. Both sides were hitting harder than ever. The crowd loved it, according to the cheers he heard every time the game play stopped. The shouting was likely going on the whole time, but he’d gotten very good at tuning that out while he was playing. He had to, or he’d be too distracted. Early on in their training, Coach had produced all sorts of distractions for them—noise, flashing lights, insults, things thrown at them. They’d learned how to shut it all out and focus on the game. That training paid off big time. The crowd was bigger and louder than ever.
When they started the second quarter, almost immediately, the Growlers scored again. Gabe felt the anger rise. Why had Justin let that guy through? Why hadn’t they closed the hole in their defensive line? They were getting sloppy, and when they huddled after the most recent score, Coach saw it, too.
“What, you think two touchdowns gives you the right to relax the rest of the game? Now it’s a tied score. Do you want to lose this game? Because that’s what’s going to happen if you don’t stay focused and tighten it up out there. I expect some more points on that board real fast.”
They did manage to score. A field goal this time, though. Not as good as a touchdown, but at least they were in the lead again. Barely. They managed to pull it together and scored another touchdown before the half time whistle blew.
They left the field and Gabe glanced at the score board. 24 to 14. It was a respectable lead and a decent score. The bear shifter league had a habit of getting highly scoring games, though. It was common to see numbers into the 40s and 50s. They just moved faster and hit harder than their human counterparts and it allowed more points scored overall. The Growlers could easily take the game back at this point. The Grizzlies would need to score again and hold their lead if they still wanted to win this game.
They headed into the locker room to refuel and get in a small rest. On the field, some musician performed the halftime show. They could hear the music in the background, but Gabe was focused on what Coach Tucker was saying.
“We’re in the lead now, but we’re going to have to work to keep it that way. It’s still anyone’s game. We need to make sure it’s ours in the end. We’re going to keep scoring. As many points as we can get on the board. There will be no sitting around and running out the clock this time. I want impressive numbers up there. Record setting numbers.”
Gabe heard his phone ring in his locker. Weird. Who in the world would be calling him now? No one important. All the most important people in his life knew better. They were all sitting in front of their TVs, watching the performance, celebrating the Grizzlies’ lead, and waiting for the game to resume. The ringing stopped, but by the end of Coach’s speech, it rang again.
He tore open his locker door and snatched up his phone. Whoever this was better have a real good reason for interrupting at a time like this. He saw Carolyn’s name and his stomach dropped. The anger vanished. She’d only call if there was an emergency.
“Care?” he said, his heart pounding.
“Gabe,” she breathed. “I’m so sorry. I’m—” there was a pause as she grunted and breathed hard. “I’m in labor. I thought it would be fine, but things are moving really fast.” She groaned again.
He heard doctors and nurses in the background talking. “In labor? Now?”
“Yes.”
“But I—I can’t just leave.”
“I know. They’re trying to slow things down, but this baby wants out right now.”
His mind spun. What could he do? “Did you call my parents?”
“They’re here.”
“Oh.” So how long had she been in labor and not called him? “Are you okay? I mean, is it going okay?”
“Yes,” she said, and her voice was strained, like she was hurting.
“Are you pain?”
“Yes! Of course.”
He blinked at his locker. Everything he had read about this seemed to have left his brain. “I… I don’t know what to do. How close are you?”
“Halfway, but they said it could be an hour or four from this point. It’s hard to tell, but they think it’ll go fast. Win the game, then get here as quickly as possible.”
“Okay. I will. Carolyn? I love you.”
“Love you. Oh, and Gabe?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re doing awesome.”
He smiled. “Thanks. Can I talk to my mom real quick?”
There was a rustling sound and then his mom said, “Hi honey.”
“I’m going to be there as soon as I can. Is she okay?”
“She’s doing great. And so are you. We have the game on in the delivery room. Everyone cheers when you score.”
He chuckled. “Thanks. Can you…?” He wasn’t sure exactly what to ask. He wasn’t sure exactly what to think or say or do.
“We’ll be right here with her the whole time, I promise.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“We love you. Now go win that game! We’ll see you soon.”
“I will. Yes. Thanks!”
He put his phone down with a shaking hand. He must have been talking louder than he thought. He turned around and Coach and several of his teammates were there, staring at him.
“Carolyn is in labor,” he said. He chuckled nervously because he didn’t know what else to do or say.
“Do you need to go?” Coach asked.
Gabe swallowed hard. His heart tore in two. Carolyn and his parents had both said to stay, to win the game, then come. But he didn’t want to miss the birth of his first child. If it was his. What if he did leave? He’d miss the rest of a history-making game. And possibly to attend the birth of Kenny’s baby, not his own. Where was that jerk, anyway? He saw no sign of him. Did he know what was going on? What if he had decided to go?
“I’ll stay as long as I can,” Gabe said. If the baby was an hour from being born, he’d miss it for sure. If it was more like four, he could make it. “Let’s just go win this game as fast as possible.”
Coach nodded. “I like that plan.”
After the team went back on the field, Coach Tucker stopped him to talk to him privately. “If you need to go, let me know. I have the medical helicopter on standby for you to take you as fast as possible. Assuming no one gets badly injured and needs it first.”
“Thanks.” The emotion rushed over him. He was about to be a father, they were winning the biggest game of his life, and Coach was going out of his way to help him. So many conflicting feelings at once.
When his feet hit the field, he purposefully left everything behind. He couldn’t afford to get emotional now. He had one thing to do. Win this game. He’d hit as hard as he had to, run faster than ever, and be the best he’d ever been.
When the play started, he rushed forward as if his life depended on it. He slammed his way through, caught the ball, and ran. He saw a Growler coming out of the corner of his eye. He was going to be hit. He glanced around. No way to outrun him, no where else to go. But luckily, there was Justin, ready and waiting. This possibility was part of the play. If Gabe was cornered, he’d pass the ball to Justin, who would then run it into the end zone.
Gabe turned, caught Justin’s eye and threw the ball hard in a perfect spiral. Justin caught it and took off. In seconds, they had scored again.
The third quarter ended without another score, but Gabe still felt good. The Growlers had come close to scoring again, but they’d manage to block them. Their lead was more secure than ever, but the moment the whistle blew, Gabe’s mind snapped back to Carolyn. He begged Coach to call a time out so he could run into the locker room and call for an update.
His mother answered. “Mom, I only have a few seconds. How’s everything going?”
“She’s really close. Eight centimeters, which means it might only be a half hour or so until she starts pushing.”
“Okay. Is it going good though?”
“Yes. Keep scoring. We’re all cheering you on.”
“Gotta go.”
He tossed his phone back in his locker and sprinted back to the field. He had to move this along faster.
When the whistle blew, this time he didn’t move like his life depended on it. He moved like Carolyn’s life depended on it. Like the baby’s life depended on it. He broke the next play, choosing instead to tackle when he should have waited. It was risky, but when they scored and got the extra point, he knew it was worth it.
“Just don’t lose your head now, Gabe,” Coach said. “It paid off, but you’re going to throw everyone off if you pull that shit again.”
Gabe nodded. “Sorry.”
“Do you need to go?”
He shook his head. “We only have a few minutes on the clock. I just want to win this thing so I can take off.”
“Okay then. Let’s do just that.”
In the huddle, Gabe called for a few new plays. Some moves that should allow them to score as fast as possible.
“We can just run the clock now,” one of his teammates said. “Cruise along and take the win.”
“Not an option,” Gabe said. “We’re not just going to win. We’re going to pummel them. I want us scoring into the 50s on this one.”
They broke and took their places on the field. A score of 31 to 14 was a great score. It would be nearly impossible for the Growlers to recover from that. But it wasn’t enough.
With the new plays he’d put in place, and his fresh determination, Gabe was ready to crush them. The whistle blew and things fell into place like a perfect dance. He could kiss every one of his teammates. Even Kenny, who had made his reappearance, comforting Gabe in knowing that he hadn’t, in fact, taken off to go to the hospital. Hopefully he didn’t even know she was in labor. He didn’t need to know.
The game ended with a mind-blowing score of 51 to 14. Not that he wanted to sound too cocky, but Gabe’s new plays and stronger hunger to win had made a huge difference in the last quarter.
When the final buzzer sounded, the roar from the crowd was deafening. His teammates came and tossed Gabe into the air, carrying him for a victory lap. He wanted to enjoy this moment so badly. It was like nothing else he’d ever experienced. And he deserved every moment of celebration. But he couldn’t stop thinking of Carolyn.