“hmm…” Carmen said thinking. “Oh yeah.” She said walking over to the Lizard tank. Herman looked at her and stuck his tongue out. She tapped the glass smiled. Reaching under the tank she pulls out an old cardboard box and kicked it toward Cody. It was heavy. “There.”
Cody pulled the box toward him and with difficultly lifted it onto the couch. He opened the folds and smiled. There on the top was Cody Carson standing with the MVP Trophy, and a football under his arm, his White and Blue Pinetree Timber wolves Uniform making him look like an invincible man. A superhero. “My god… I can’t believe you brought this.”
“Well, I asked if there was anything you really wanted.” She smiled. “You said that you always wanted to play football Well, your not playing but you can relive it.”
“I love you.” Cody said pulling out the picture of himself and setting it on the couch. Under that was his jersey, number 56. His face brighten as he pulled it out and under it was his old game takes, and everything else. His gloves, elbow pads, MVP trophy replica, year books, his high school ring, diploma, little blue cap, three provincial rings, everything that sent Cody Carson back into the days of his high school football years. HE popped off the couch and took the movie out, putting in a movie from the box, it read ‘highlights‘.
“What’s this?”
Cody shrugged and smiled as it started to play. “I remember this game.” The team in white hutted the ball and the Quarterback looked for an open receiver. Finding none, he tucked the ball into his arm and ran toward the line of schrimage, going around the blockers he started toward the end zone, when out of no where Number 56 drills him in the chest, the helmet flew off and the ball popped free at the five yard line, Cody rolls onto the ball and rolled forward coming up on his feet he started down field. One man stood in his way, cody Juked left then spun back right and the defender missed him clean, Cody ran to the end zone for a ninety five yard return and a end zone dance, followed by the worm.
“You where good.” Carmen said.
“YEah, I was…” Cody said still staring at the screen. We fade to a receiver catching the ball in mid air, and getting helicoptered by 63. Then a simple play turned bad, a simple straight pass gets picked off by Carson and he gets rocked, having to be carried off the field.
“Damn.”
“That one hurt. But this next one is a cheep shot.” Cody replied.
The timber wolves are on their own goal line and two big defenders level the back Carrier popping it out to Cody who is in dead run down the field. He gets to the end zone and slams the ball down but the following defender dives and takes Carson hard at the knee.
“That ended my year.” Cody said bowing his head. Then a smile came on his face as the scenes flashed to the final play in the Provincial Finals. SMT Had the ball on the 40 yard line and The timber wolves where down by 3 after a late field goal. With 20 seconds left a kneel down would end the game. The ball was hutted and Carson was in motion before the QB dropped to a knee he was on him, swiping the ball out of his weak hands and on his way to the end zone. After playing the whole game his running was not the same and he was slower. A defend caught him just as he made it to the 20 yard line, but Carson being the bigger man, stiff armed the guy and kept going, ducking under a huge tackle that would have ended him he turned and moon walked into the end zone. As Cody got lifted into the air and the MVP was announced to be him, One man Grabbed him and lifted him onto his shoulder and ran him for a victory lap around the field, Justin Manity.
“Justin…” Cody said under his breath. I lump built in his throat as he thought of his friend. The man he played High school ball with was best friends with. Cody dropped his head and stood up, walking into the kitchen and getting a beer. HE took a couple of swigs from it and sighed.
“You ok Hun?” Carmen asked.
“Yeah…” Cody replied, lying. She didn’t call him on it, but he knew she knew.
“Well, Lets see if this old jersey fits you.”
“Huh?”
“Come here.” She motioned with her finger.
“What…?” he sighed. She pulled the jersey over his head and it surprisingly fit.
“It fits.”
“Snug, but it fits.”
“We should go get a replica made, for me.”
“Yeah, we should.”
“And when we got back to your old high school, you can sign them.”
“Yeah…” Cody said cheering up again. “All the guys back together again.”
“I‘m going out onto the balcony… comin?”
“YEah,” Cody said, walking out with his football uniform on.
As the two walked out Justin Manity lowered the rifle for a shot. He was on a rooftop a few blocks away, but he could see Carson through the scope as if he was standing in front of him. Suddenly something in Justin gave way. Something from his past hit him hard. The sight of the jersey made him think twice. He wanted to jump up and hug Cody for a few second. Then he remembered Cody had betrayed him. HE didn’t help him. They where coming after him and Cody would lead them to him. Cody Carson must die. Justin panned the gun down and seen the cops in front of the building. Cody Carson was getting to him. HE had to die. Traders must be punished… He lowered the gun and put the cross hairs between Cody’s eyes. He closed his eyes and pulled the trigger, and nothing happened. The gun was jammed. Cody smiled and kissed Carmen he didn’t know just how close his life was to ending.
Dos.
Later that night Cody Carson had left to go and get some beer. On his return there was an ambulance in front of his apartment. Cody slammed on the breaks and rushed in to to crowd of people. Two police officer where hurt badly, and one was loaded in a body bag. Officer Glenn was laying on the steps blood pouring from his head. But he seemed ok. Cody rushed past him to his apartment where the door was torn off. Dom sat on the couch holding Carmen in his arms. Dom’s eye was swollen and helooked like heahad a few busted ribs. Cody at the moment didn’t care. Carmen was crying and Cody slid to her on his knees, He grabbed her in his arms and squeezed her close. “What happened?” She couldn‘t speak she was crying and holding her stomach. “Dom, what happened?”
“Man, I head gunshots and then the door being ripped off. I cam down here and this big white boy punched her in the stomach asking where the trader was… I jumped the son of a bitch, but he was a toucgh one. He ran off.”
“SON OF A BITCH.” Cody yelled.
“Cody…” Carmen said. “I need to go to the hospital.”
“OKay hun, just grab on to me.” Cody lifted her up and carried her to the truck. Dom jumped in the back. “You coming too?”
“Yeah. IF he comes back I‘m gonna be ready.”
“Officer Glenn?”
“MR. Carson, can you drive me to the hospital… I don‘t feel like waiting for an ambulance.”
“Jump in.”
Dom helped the man into the truck and glenn looked at the black man. “Dom I suppose?”
“Yeah.”
Glenn offers his hand. “I‘m glenn.”
“Nice to meet you.”
They arrive at the hospital a few minutes later. Everyone goes in but Carmen is first to get checked. Cody sat in the waiting room for about a half an hour. And then the nurse came to get him. Cody walked into the room and Carmen was crying. Before he could comfort him the doctor grabbed him.
“I‘m sorry for you loss sir.”
“Loss? She‘s not gonna die is she…”
“You didn‘t know?”
“Know what?”
“Sir, your wife… She was pregnant.”
Cody’s face went white his stomach tightened and his knees buckled. He hit the floor and the conversations from a couple days ago came back to him. That’s why she wanted to start a family. Cody got sick in the garbage can, then sat against the wall, tears welled up in his eyes and for the first time in almost twenty years Cody Carson cried real tears. Tears that where not of fear or laughter but of true pain. OF Sorrow. Of loss. For the first time Cody Carson felt human again. He wasn’t superman. He was a man who just lost a child. A man that cared so damn much about everyone else that he didn’t acre about himself. Cody cried on the floor, he put his head between his knees and cried. After about and hour he stood up. Carmen was laying in the bed, in pain but sleeping. Cody walked to her bed side and grabbed her hand. The moonlight sawn thought the window onto her sweet loving face as she turned and opened her pain filled Eyes. Cody looked down at her and kissed her on the lips. “I‘m sorry…” She said.
“Don‘t be. Its not your fault. Carmen Dumas, September six of two thousand and six.. That’s our wedding date…” Cody swallowed. “I love you. Never forget that.” Cody closed his eyes but the tears ran through. “I love you more then life its self.”
“I love you too.”
“I will be back in a couple of days. There is no way he can get you in here. Dom is here and waiting for him. You just don‘t worry your pretty little face.”
“Where are you going?”
Cody couldn’t look at her. “I‘ll be back.”
Cody let go of her hand and she looked at him. “Cody…”
“Yeah.”
“Come back to me.”
Tears fell again. “I promise.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too… Waterbug.”
“Jelly bean.”
The two smiled and cody walked out of the room. In his mind Justin Manity was going to feel revenge, if it was the last thing he did.
Fuck off, before I traumatize you for life. If blood, violence, gore, stupid humor,religious jokes, sexist jokes, and a whole lot of fucking sound a little too outrageous for your tastes, then grab your purse, adjust your skirt and get the fuck out of my sight. 