That Boy (45 page)

“Uh, yeah,” I admit sheepishly.

Shit.

“
FINALLY!
It's about time!
Phillip, how did you finally talk her into it? I told you it would work out. She is just so stubborn.”

“Hey! You're on speakerphone. I can
hear
you.”

Phillip kisses me and says teasingly, “I didn't have to do anything, Lori. She just couldn't resist me any longer and begged for me.”

Uh, that's not exactly right.

So I stand up for myself and say, “I probably shouldn't bring this up now that you're pregnant and stuck with him, but you should know your
wonderful
husband is a
manipulative liar
.”

An evil laugh fills my room. “You mean the little Monica
exaggeration
? Oh, Jadyn, honey, that was all
me
.”

Phillip laughs. He thinks this is just hysterical.

I shake my head. “So you're both liars. It's no wonder you're perfect for each other.”

I see I'm not going to win this one. It's a rare thing, but I know when I'm beat.

I give up.

Where's the white flag?

Lori sighs peacefully, “This is almost the perfect day. I'm pregnant. You guys are together. Now if Mark Conway could just get bonked on the head again, Danny could…..Oh. My. Gosh. I can't even believe I just said that, or even thought it! I'm so awful. That is just AWFUL!”

She sounds like she's going to cry.

And then she does.

She's an emotional wreck. She's never like this.

“I would never want that to happen to anyone. Oh my God, what is wrong with me? Can hormones mess with your brain like this? Please forget I said that.” She takes a big loud breath. She is in control and businesslike again.

Man, pregnancy must be an emotional roller coaster ride because she has gone through like four moods in less than two minutes.

“Anyway, so does this mean you two can share a room next Monday night after the game? That would be great because then I'll only have to get
one
guest room done. These construction workers are just moving so slow.”

“Sure,” I say, “and if we're not still together by then, Phillip will gladly sleep on the floor.”

“You guys are going to watch the game today, aren't you?” she asks.

“Yeah, you know we wouldn't miss it. And you know Phillip, he always spoils me, so we're going to Hooters.” I laugh.

Phillip grabs me because he thinks I am a naughty girl for saying that. And when he starts kissing my stomach, I have a hard time thinking, but I do hear Lori say, “Cool. Maybe you'll see me on TV. I'll wave to you. And when Danny calls to tell you the good news…”

“
We'll act surprised
,” Phillip and I say at the same time.

Phillip and I go to Hooters and get a table right in front of the big screen. We order a bucket of beers and drummies, hot and extra crispy.

I know, most women hate Hooters, but they
really
do have good wings.

The Chiefs aren't playing very well, even though they have most of their starting players in for this last preseason game.

About three minutes into the second quarter, the Chiefs' defense intercepts a Broncos' pass, and the offense rushes back out onto the field. On the first down, the play gets totally blown up and the quarterback, Mark Conway, gets sacked.

He goes down, hard.

And doesn't get up.

Lori must be going crazy. She'll be convinced that she somehow caused this.

While the trainers are out on the field, the camera shows Danny warming up on the sideline. They go back to the picture of the quarterback on the field. He tries to sit up, looks like he doesn't know where he is, and is laid back down.

The game announcers say it looks like
he got his bell rung. Again
.

Evidently, he has a history of concussions.

Danny runs out onto the field and stands with the rest of the team.

It takes a few minutes for the trainers to look at the quarterback and get him carted off the field.

During this time, the commentators talk about Danny's career at Nebraska, and then they flash on Lori.
His wife
, they announce.

Lori waves.

At us, I know!

I stand up and wave back.

On TV, we see her grab a sign from a lady next to her, flip it over, and furiously write on it.

The commentator starts to say, “I wonder…..”

But before he can finish, she holds up the sign. It says,
I'M PREGNANT!

The announcers love this, and you can see that she is now up on the jumbo screen in the stadium.

The crowd is clapping and screaming.

The TV cameras flash back to Danny in the huddle, and we watch as one of the big linemen pats Danny on the back and points up to the screen. Danny looks up at it.

Unfortunately, we can't see the look on his face, but I just
know
he is smiling at that!

The ref blows the whistle and play resumes. Danny claps his hands once, and everyone takes their formation. Danny immediately throws a beautiful, deep, 52-yard pass straight into the end zone.

Touchdown, Chiefs!

The crowd goes wild. So do Phillip and I, and pretty much everyone in Hooters. All of a sudden, many Husker fans are now Chiefs fans.

Everyone loves a winner.

The Chiefs' defense is pumped and is feeding off the noisy crowd, who feel hopeful about the 17-7 score. They cause a fumble, and Danny is back on the field. He leads the team 60 yards straight down the field, where the running back takes it in from the 6-yard line.

Broncos 17. Chiefs 14.

The game is very exciting and ends with the Chiefs winning, 17-28.

Danny played brilliantly.

After the game, the media is all over him. They tell him what a great game he had and want him to speculate on whether
he
should be the starting quarterback.

Danny takes it all in stride and says very appropriately, “Mark Conway is the Chiefs' starting quarterback. He's our team leader, and I just went out there today and tried my best to fill his shoes. I really have to give all the credit to the offensive line. They took care of me and made my job very easy. I had all day to throw the ball.”

“
So how do you like KC so far?
” a reporter asks.

“Well, I came here from the University of Nebraska, home of the greatest fans in college football. So I feel right at home here in KC, home of the greatest fans in the NFL.”

What a suck up, I think. Of course, I know he's serious.

Another reporter says, “
And this is quite a day for you personally, as well. Congratulations. So what did you think when you saw your wife on the big screen?
”

“Well, it certainly took my mind off how nervous I was,” Danny replies simply.

Now there's an understatement if I ever heard one.

Phillip has been staying at my house all week. We've been getting along very well and managed to keep things under the radar, except for Danny, Lori, and Phillip's parents. I mean, I've always been comfortable around him, but Danny's right. This way has many benefits, and I am
really
liking the benefits. Phillip has been good and hasn't told me he loves me, and I haven't been letting my mind screw things up.

So far, so good.

We're sitting on the floor in front of the TV on Wednesday night when Phillip says, “Princess, let's go on a
real
date this Saturday. You free?”

“I don't know,” I say, but then he grabs me and tickles, so I scream, “Yes! Yes! I'm free!”

When he finally lets me up from tickling and kissing me, I say, “So where are you taking me?”

“Somewhere nice,” he says, not really answering. “Well, a little nicer than Hooters anyways.”

“Phillip,” I whine.

But he just sits there with his arms crossed in front of him.

“Fine. No more kisses for you until you tell me.”

“Oh, okay. I thought The View Room. So do I get a kiss now?”

The View Room is our city's nicest and most romantic restaurant. It sits at the top of a local hotel and overlooks Omaha and the Missouri River, which from that far up actually looks pretty instead of yucky and muddy.

“Yes, that sounds perfect,” I say and kiss him, “and romantic.”

“That's kind of the idea.”

When I wake up Saturday morning, Phillip's not in bed, but there's a little note laying on my nightstand.

I can't wait either!

I should also mention that I'm very proud of the fact that I don't freak out and try to analyze or interpret all the possible meanings of the heart.

Because it just doesn't matter.