The Game Plan (7 page)

“
Nope.  Every time I scored, I started to giggle uncontrollably.  They never let me live it down.  That was one reason I stopped playing.  The other was I could
n’
t live in the shadow of the famous Johnson boys.  I did
n’
t have what it took to be recruited
.
”

“
But both Rob and Bry turned it down
.
”

“
They still got through college on athletic scholarships.  Tha
t’
s why Pop gets on my case about the cost of school.  Eat
.”
He held the pizza to her lips.  She slowly took a bite.
 “
Good girl.  Forgive me, please?  I promise not to tease you again
.
”

“
You better not.  It really hurts.  The teasing, I mean
.
”

“
I’
m sure tha
t’
s not the only thing
.”
He tried to look sympathetic, and then started giggling. 

Cassie rolled her eyes.
 “
Go Away
.
”

“
Not without you.  I need you to protect me from Bry.  H
e’
s getting all parental about you
,”
Glenn said, standing and holding out his hand.  Sighing, Cassie let him pull her to her feet.  He hugged her tightly, feeling her slowly and hesitantly return it.
 “
We good
?”
he asked.

She nodded and slowly followed him downstairs where she was greeted with kisses and cuddling and more laps to perch upon than she knew what to do with.

Two weeks later, Rob announced that he had to go out of town for work on the same weekend that Bryon would be gone to play up at Penn State with his team.  He glared at his youngest brother, who had his feet up on the couch, munching on chips.

“
You better be listening to me, Glenn.  No parties
.
”

“
I got studying to do anyway, so do
n’
t worry
.
”

“
Take care of Cass and make sure she eats well.  That does not mean McDs every night
.
”

“
Yeah, yeah..
.
”

“
And see if she has homework this weekend and that she does it if she has it
,”
Bryon added firmly. 

Glenn rolled his eyes.
 “
I got it. 
I’
ll call if there are any problems
.
”

“
Sh
e’
s still grounded.  Do
not
let her out of your sight for a minute. 
I’
m dead serious
,”
Rob added.

“
W
e’
re trusting you.  Do
n’
t screw it up
,”
Bryon warned.  Glenn waved him off.

The two were gone by the time Cassie returned home from class.  She dumped her backpack on the coffee table and plopped next to Glenn, grabbing his chips.

“
Whatcha planning on doing this weekend, G
?
”

“
I gotta hit the library to make copies of some diagrams for my phys class and then stay home babysitting.  Althoug
h…
I was thinking about taking your friend Judy on a date," he teased.

“
Fuck you, asshole.  Sh
e’
d castrate you.  But I do
n’
t need a babysitter.  Go out and do whatever you want
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re still supposed to be grounded, remember
?”
he asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

“
But if yo
u’
re not home, how will you know when
I’
m out
?
”

“
The Boss Man ordered me to not let you out of my sight
.
”

“
Bossy Jerk, you mean.  Does he expect you to follow me into the bathroom and sleep in my doorway
?
”

“
Good point.  Of course, you would be here when I got back because you would know when I was expected home, right
?
”

“
I suppose I would be.  And, out of courtesy, you would never leave and not tell me when yo
u’
d be back
,”
she giggled.
 “
But what if Rob calls here
?
”

“
We ca
n’
t hear the phone when the TV is blasting.  He knows how loud I play it
,”
Glenn giggled back.

Cassie grinned as Glenn left several hours later, telling her with a stern-but-false look to behave herself.  After a few minutes, she called Gina and quickly made her way down the street.

Bored, the two girls roamed the quiet neighborhood.

“
Too bad we ca
n’
t go to play mini-golf.  Tha
t’
s always fun and I like to watch the boys in the batting cages flexing their muscles as they try to show off
,”
Gina said, sitting on the curb.

Cassie elbowed her.
 “
Who says we ca
n’
t?  Bil
l’
s car is here.  W
e’
ll take that
.
”

“
But you are
n’
t supposed to be driving
,”
Gina commented, although she followed readily.

Cassie shrugged.
 “
So?  Glenn wo
n’
t care.  H
e’
s the one who hinted for me to break my restriction.  See?  Spare keys
!
”

Giggling, the two girls took off to Happy Harr
y’
s Mini Golf which was about ten miles from home.  Cassie ha
d‘
appropriate
d’
some money that Bill had left for them for an emergency and the two girls proceeded to have the time of their lives as they tried to outdo one another with cheating in mini-golf.  They met a couple of sailors on home for leave, and the four drove in Bil
l’
s car to a local park where one of the guys produced a six pack of Bud light and a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20.

“
This is nasty
!”
Gina grimaced, tasting it. 

Cassie coughed after taking a swig.
 “
Ditto that.  Gag.  It tastes like grape sewer water
.
”

“
Pussies
,”
one the young men laughed, holding the bottle to his lips and taking a big swig. 

Gina pulled out her stash, shaking her head as she lit the joint and then handed it to Cassie.  Cassie hesitated, and then took a hit. 
Mmmm, good stuff
.  Gina knew how to find the best sweet Cush in the county...

By 1 AM, the alcohol was gone and all four were well-stoned.  They did
n’
t notice the police car pull up to the parking lot, or the two officers that stood over them.  One cleared his throat.

“
So, what do we have here?  Oh, no, yo
u’
re not going anywhere, mister
!”
the cop said, blocking the escape of one of the sailors.  The young man laughed, sprawling happily to the ground.

“
Wh
o’
s car is that in the lot
?”
the officer asked as the other called in the plates.

“
M-mine
.”
Cassie whispered, suddenly feeling very sober.

“
Drive
r’
s license, please. 
I’
m seriously hoping you were
n’
t planning to drive under the influence, young woman
,”
the cop scolded, eyeing her pretty face sternly.

“
I, um, seem to have left it in my other jeans
,”
Cassie said, pretending to search for the wallet she apparently (and conveniently) left at home.

The officer shook his head.
 “
I think we all need to take a little trip to the station.  Into the squad car, all of you
.
”

“
But, my car
!
”

“
W
e’
ll have it towed to the yard
.
”

“
No!  I mean, ca
n’
t you just take it to my house?  Please?  My roommate will need it in the morning for school
!”
Cassie lied, hoping that Glenn would
n’
t tell Rob or Bryon about Bil
l’
s missing car.

“
Do
n’
t make such a fuss.  Wha
t’
s your name and where do you live
?”
the officer asked, considering her request.  It was a small town and her statement did not surprise him.  Cassie gave him her information and his eyes widened.

“
Big Billy Johnson?  The Dolphi
n’
s quarterback?  H
e’
s your father
?
”

“
No, more like a landlord. He took me in after my mom died..  Please..
.
”

“
My brother played with BJ when he was in college.  The guy was a bulldozer.  Ho
w’
s he doing?  I see him on TV all the time
.
”

“
H
e’
s in Japan.  Please?  Ca
n’
t we just take the car home
?”
Cassie repeated. 

The officer shook his head.
 “
Sorry, dear.  The most I can do is to have the car towed to the station so your friend can drive it home when he comes and gets you.  It will have to be enough.  In you go.  Watch your head, please
.
”

Gina looked at her friend worriedly as they sat in the cell.
 “
Dad is going to ground me for life for this
.
”

“
I do
n’
t even want to think what Ro
b’
s gonna do when he finds out.  Your da
d’
s gonna have to drive Glenn to pick up his car, too.  We wo
n’
t be able to hide anything.  Damn and double damn
.
”

“
Those assholes do
n’
t even care.  How come w
e’
re so stupid
?”
Gina asked, glaring at the laughing sailors.

“
I dunno.  God, I am so dead
!”
Cassie groaned.
 “
I just wanna go to sleep
.
”

The two girls waited silently for the tell-tale sound of their doom.  Gina bit her lip, hearing her fathe
r’
s voice booming in the other room.  She grabbed Cassi
e’
s hand.
 “
He is royally pissed.  I guess we wo
n’
t see much of the great outdoors for the next few months
,”
Gina whispered, standing as her red-faced father appeared at the bars.

“
Gina Louise Todd, I am so going to blister your ass for this!  What the hell were you thinking?  No, do
n’
t answer me; I do
n’
t even want to hear your excuses
!”
Mr. Todd bellowed, making everyone in hearing range wince.  Gina shrunk on the bench, suddenly changing her mind about leaving the safety of the little cell.

“
Cassandra,
I’
m sorry, but you girls wo
n’
t be seeing each other outside of classes for a while.  Yo
u—
get out
!”
He pointed to Gina.  She yelped loudly as his hand landed squarely on her backside.  She stared at him incredulously.  He merely pointed to the doorway and she scrambled to obey. 

Cassie leaned against the wall, waiting her turn.  Glenn walked in slowly, his eyes locking onto her as he approached the bars.
 “
I ca
n’
t believe this
,”
he said, shaking his head.
 “
I leave you alone for a couple of hours and
this
happens?  You realize that
I’
m never going to hear the end of it with the bros.  Damn it, Cass
!
”

“
Ca
n’
t you just get me out of here and then w
e’
ll figure out something
?
”

“
Yeah,
I’
m waiting for the card to clear.  We wo
n’
t be able to hide it.  Your bail was 3 grand and yo
u’
ll have a court date in four weeks
.
”

“
But the cop said he was
n’
t going to press charges on me
!”
Cassie panicked. 

Glenn chuckled, moving aside for the jailer.
 ”
You have to testify against those fools you were with and then the charges will be dropped.  Yo
u’
re under the drinking age so they are being busted.  The officer said nothing about charges for smoking weed.  Tha
t’
s the deal.  Shit, Cass, Ro
b’
s gonna kill both of us, then Bry is going to make us into puddin
g
…
”
Glenn sighed, hugging her tightly.  Cassie remained silent as they went outside and got into Bil
l’
s car.  The drive back to the house seemed to last forever.