The Game Plan (5 page)

Bryon pointed to the stairs as they entered the house and she ran up to her room, giving him her customary door slam.

“
What did you do this time
?”
Glenn asked from the couch.

Bryon sat next to him, sadly telling him of the events.

“
No way!  Man, she is so busted.  Ro
b’
s gonna kill her
.
”

“
She was my responsibility today. 
I’
m thinking I should deal with this.  It certainly scared her when I promised I would if she got nasty
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re ten times larger than Rob. 
I’
d be scared too, if I did
n’
t know you were such a wuss
.”
Glenn punched his brothe
r’
s huge arm, trying to lighten the situation.

“
I need to think about it.  What would you do, little brother
?”
Bryon looked weary.  Of the three brothers, he was the one who was the most contemplative and even-tempered.  He never proceeded with anything without weighing the results.

Glenn looked surprised.
 “
Yo
u’
re asking ME
?
”

“
Yeah,
I’
m asking YOU
.
”

Glenn frowned, glancing upstairs.
 “
Well, even
I
know better than to do drugs.  Pop would kill us
,”
Glenn admitted.

Bryon chuckled, ruffling his younger brothe
r’
s hair.  He had found a way to gain Glen
n’
s reluctant support.
 “
Rob was caught once with a joint.  He was about 14.  Pop gave him a hiding that he whined about for two weeks
.
”

“
Did
n’
t know that.  What about you
?
”

“
Nah, not me.  I learned my lessons watching Rob screw up.  Okay,
I’
ll be back
.
”

“
Bry?  Sh
e’
s a little thing.  Be careful
,”
Glenn requested with concern. 

Bryon nodded, taking the stairs two at a time.  He knocked on Cassi
e’
s door.

“
Go away
.
”

“
Cassandra, open this door immediately
.
”

“
No.  Leave me alone
.
”

Bryon took a deep breath and, with one kick, the door splintered open.  Cassi
e’
s eyes were wide, staring at him.
 “
What the hell do you think yo
u’
re doing?
!”
she yelled, recovering from her shock. 

Bryon strode across the room and, in one sweep, had the girl over his shoulder.  She pounded on his back as he carried her downstairs and dumped her on the couch next to an equally shocked Glenn.

“
Shit...  You busted down her door
?”
Glenn asked, seeing his brother struggling to maintain self-control.  Bry had to be really pissed to be pushed this far.  Yet, he never raised his voice.

“
I will not be tol
d‘
n
o’
when I tell you to do something.  That stops immediately, got me, kid
?
”

Cassie, still stunned, just nodded.

Glenn glanced at her terrified face.  He touched her leg.
 “
Cass,
I’
m usually the first one to defend you, but pot?  I do
n’
t even go down that road
.
”

“
I was seriously just planning to just talk to you about this, but it seems that Rob was right.  I
t’
s past time for talking.  March yourself into the kitchen and bring me a wooden spoon
,”
Bryon ordered firmly.

Cassie just gawked at him in disbelief.

Glenn shook his head.
 “
I think you need to listen, Cass.  He looks pissed
.”
Glenn sounded sad.

Lower lip trembling, Cassie stood to go into the kitchen.  When she did
n’
t return in ten minutes, Glenn went to find her.

“
She escaped through the back door, Bry
.
”

“
Damn it.  Le
t’
s find her and I swear,
I’
m going to cut a switch
!”
Bryon muttered.

Glenn sighed.  Even he could
n’
t argue this time.

* * *

Cassie ran, tears blinding her eyes.  She had no destination, no plan except to escape.  Without looking, she raced across the road and froze as a loud honking assaulted her ears.  The small blue car skidded to a stop, barely missing her.

“
Oh my God!  Are you okay
?”
a man asked, running out of his vehicle.  She dumbly nodded, trembling, and he escorted her off the road and sat her down on the curbside.

“
Here, drink this
,”
he said, handing her a bottle of water.
 “I’
m so sorry, honey.  I did
n’
t see you run out
.
”

“
I
t’
s my fault
.”
Cassie sniffed, wiping her face and drinking the water.
 “
My roommate is mad at me and he... I just started runnin
g
…”

“
Can I take you home
?
”

“
No, I do
n’
t want to go home
,”
she muttered, head hanging low.

He sat next to her.
 “
Running away from your problems is
n’
t going to make things get better.  H
e’
s not going to hurt you, is he
?
”

“
I do
n’
t know
.”
She shuddered, not knowing how to honestly answer the question.  She did
n’
t want Bryon in troubl
e…
but stil
l
…

“
Has he ever hurt you before
?
”

“
No, never.  None of them have
.
”

“
How many roomates do you have
?
”

“
Four.  The Johnson boys
,”
Cassie sighed.  Everyone in town knew them.
 “
Bry is the one wh
o’
s pissed
.
”

“
H
e’
s a big Teddy Bear.  He used to coach my daughte
r’
s soccer team.  How old are you now
?
”

“
Twenty
,”
Cassie whispered.

The man paused.
 “
My daughter still lives at home with me.  If you are
n’
t happy, you could always move out, right
?
”

“
I could
n’
t afford it.  Bill promised my mom that he would take care of me when she died, and pays for everything. Also...well, I do
n’
t know how to live alone
,”
Cassie admitted.

“
I'm sorry about your mom.  It must be so hard for you in so many ways, but it sounds like you have made your choice, hon.  You need to learn how to deal with things and not run from them.  I know i
t’
s hard, but i
t’
s part of growing up
.
”

Cassie silently told herself that she really did
n’
t want to grow up.  It was too much work.  The man patted her arm.
 “
Come on, let me take you home
.
”

“
No, thanks.  I thin
k
…”

“
Cassie!  Are you okay
?”
Bryon shouted, running towards them.  He scooped her into his huge arms and squeezed her tightly against his chest.

“
I…
Ca
n’
t...  Breath
,”
she panted.

He put her onto her feet, surveying the scene.  The blue car was still in the road, facing the wrong direction.
 “
I heard a horn and the sound of car tires screeching.  The worst thing went through my mind.  Yo
u’
re okay
?
”

“
Sh
e’
s shaken up a bit but fine
,”
the man informed.
 “
You probably do
n’
t remember me, bu
t
…”

“
Yo
u’
re Sara Foste
r’
s dad.  How are you doing
?
”

The man looked pleased as he shook Bryo
n’
s hand.
 “
Doing well.  Ho
w’
s the family?  Last I heard was Rob being offered that position for Buffalo and that he had turned it down. Cass told me she moved in with you gentlemen
,”
the man added, stroking Cassi
e’
s hair.

“
She and Marge were like part of our family. We all really miss her and could not fathom having Cass move away from us.  She's been a permanent fixture in our house for twelve years and we adore her
,
”
 
He squeezed Cassi
e’
s hand.
 “
Po
p’
s overseas doing commercials, Ro
b’
s working as an architect for the city, Glen
n’
s in college and
I’
m still coaching and teaching History and English at the University of Miami.  Ho
w’
s Sara
?
”

“
Sh
e’
s a senior now.  Never thought w
e’
d get this far.  Sh
e’
s been a handful
!”
Mr.  Foster chuckled. 

“
It must be hard to raise her alone
.
”

“
It is.  At least you guys have each other. 
I’
ve learned some valuable tricks, though.  If you ever need any help, call me. 
I’
ve become quite the expert in girl things over the years
,”
the man chuckled, handing Bryon his card.  He turned to Cassie, touching her tear-stained cheek.
 “
Think about what I said, ok
?
”

He drove off, leaving Cassie standing silently next to Bryon's huge frame.  He sat her back down on the curb.

“
You scared me
.
”

“
You scared me too.  Sorry I ran off.  I was beyond thinking
,”
Cassie said quietly.

Bryon sighed.
 “
I forget how big I am sometimes. 
I’
m used to being around guys my size, not tiny, little peanuts.  I think we can forget about the spoon this time, yes
?
”

“
Yes.  How about the spanking?  Can we also forget that
?
”

“
I’
ll give you a choice.  Me, with my hand, or Rob.  I can promise he will use a belt on your bottom
.
”