Fourth Down Baby: A May-December Romance (4 page)

Troy and I bump fists before he goes back to his place in line, and I find my spot. The little parade starts, some wiseass doing the mandatory “Oooooooh yeaaahhhh!” Macho Man style as
Pomp & Circumstance
starts and the senior class enters the stadium. I'm looking in the stands for Mom and Dad. They said they'd be close to the thirty-yard-line. A flash of auburn hair catches my attention. I look, stumbling a little bit as I see Patricia, wearing a blue Silver Lake High t-shirt and jeans, standing in the non-ticketed area of the stadium reserved for the people who don't have sons or daughters graduating. She notices, covering her mouth a little bit to hide her laugh, and I have to laugh too as I recover. Walking past that area, she waves to me a little and I wave back.

I sit through the speeches. Thankfully, the district superintendent realizes it's hot as fuck and keeps his comments short, although Cindy Snelling, our valedictorian, seems to have decided this is her moment to level the world's most epically long-winded speech on us, so that takes forever and a fucking day before it's time to take the Big Walk.

“Cory Hamilton Dunham,” the announcer says, and I cross the stage that's been set up in the middle of the field to a lot of applause. The sun's in the wrong place as I shake hands with the principal and vice principal to look into the stands, but I try anyway, straining to see if Patricia is one of the voices I hear cheering for me. I go back to my chair and sit through the other four hundred and twenty-two names, and then the alma mater's played one more time, we throw our caps, and it's all done. I've gone from student of Silver Lake High School to alumnus.

After exchanging hugs with some of the guys, and even some of the girls, I'm looking around, hoping that maybe, just maybe, Patricia is still around. I see Mom and Dad, but they're not who I'm trying to find, and I walk away, making my way over to where I saw her last. However, when I get there, she's not around, and I feel my cellphone buzz in my pocket. Taking it out, I see it's from her.

Congratulations. You looked good up there today. Have a good summer, and remember . . . you are a pretty special guy.

I close the message and put my phone back in my pocket, smiling. I won't forget her.

And I promise, I'll make her proud of me.

F
rom
: Cory Dunham

To: Patricia Nelson

Subject: Hello from San Fran!

Dear Patricia,

Well, I made it here to San Francisco without a problem. Mom was crying more than I've ever seen her when she and Dad pulled away after helping me unload, and even Dad looked a little misty-eyed. I've never seen that before in my entire life. It's just crazy.

I've settled into the dorms here at BAC, and to be honest, I'm liking college life. Classes are a lot more interesting than what I did at SLHS, and I'm already learning a lot. I’m still working my account during my down time, but I think what I'll learn here is going to make my trading even better.

It was a lot more difficult leaving Silver Lake Falls behind than I thought it would be, but I think you know why. I rode by your house a few times, but maybe you're right, it would have made things even harder.

I heard from Dani. She said that Whitney's decided to do college in Europe. It's good to know those two are staying in touch.

Well, tell me what you're up to in Silver Lake Falls.

Yours truly,

Cory

* * *

F
rom
: Patricia Nelson

To: Cory Dunham

Subject: RE: Hello from San Fran!

Dear Cory,

It was nice to get your note. Yes, it was hard to find out that Whitney's decided to do her university work in Europe, but after talking with her, I understand her decision.

Right now, I'm very busy with work, so much so that I miss your cooking. Mr. Bana's gotten a lot of new contracts in, and there's talk of a new housing subdivision being started just past the city limits between Silver Lake Falls and Seattle. Of course, Trevor's more than happy to leave the paperwork to you know who, so I've been getting home really late the past two weeks, sometimes even past eight or nine.

I’m glad to hear that you're adjusting to college life. I didn't have the typical college experience, as you'd expect, with trying to raise Whitney at the same time. Still, I understand what you mean about the classes being more interesting and applicable to what you want to do.

Of course, I could fill pages with warnings about things like avoiding parties or staying focused, but I also know I'd be wasting my time, so I guess I'll just say try and be careful.

With affection,

Patricia

* * *

F
rom
: Troy Wood

To: Cory Dunham

Subject: Hey Bro!

Yo Cory!

Hey man, college ball's a lot different from high school, but I'm liking it. I gotta give a shout out to Coach Jackson though. If it wasn't for that last semester, I'd be struggling big time. Juggling classes with football is a lot tougher than I thought it'd be.

I didn't forget my promise to you either. Actually, I'm going to be up in the San Fran area next Saturday. You can guess who I get to unleash hell on. We're playing at the Coliseum, if you can make it. If you can, tell me, and I'll leave your name with the team trainers. They might be able to get you down in the locker room area. Coach says we're going to take a Sunday afternoon flight back down to LA, so I was wondering if maybe you'd like to chill out for a little bit after the game?

Actually, I had another question. You said you opened your first online account with five hundred bucks. Well, I've got five hundred now, and I was wondering if we could set something up?

Think about it and tell me if you can make it Saturday.

Troy

* * *

F
rom
: Cory Dunham

To: Patricia Nelson

Subject: Happy Valentine's Day!

Dear Patricia,

I just wanted to send you a quick note to tell you Happy Valentine's Day, and hopefully, it’s not the crappy day it once was.

So far, I've kept your advice and not gone too crazy here at BAC this past semester and a half. I'm actually going to take a summer semester course too, mainly because I've really got a feeling I need to finish school early. Troy's account is going gangbusters, and I'll be honest . . . I feel weird with the hokey setup we've got going now. I really shouldn't have his account login info, you know?

But back to you. I did wake up this morning wishing that I could catch a rom-com with someone special and take them to a seafood restaurant. It's a good memory of Valentine's Day for me, and maybe some year, we could do it again.

How's Whitney doing? When you talk to her next time, pass along my good wishes.

Happy Valentine's Day,

Cory

* * *

F
rom
: Patricia Nelson

To: Cory Dunham

Subject: Summer Vacation

Dear Cory,

Sorry it took me so long to reply to your last email. It wasn't that I didn't want to, it's that I've been really working hard these past few weeks. Bana Construction got the contract for the new subdivision, and while you think that would mean I'd get a bit of slack time, it's the exact opposite. Now that we've got the contract, we've got to do subcontractors, inspections, hiring new workers, the whole works. It's gotten so bad that I've even been picking up drive-through burgers, and you know I hate those. I'm adding some weight because of it, but it seems to be mostly going on in the right places. Still, as soon as I get the spare time, I'm getting back on my bike and getting my workouts back in shape.

I have some sad news about your short summer vacation. I won't be able to be in town those days. Trevor, my boss, really needs my help later in the summer, so back in January, I booked myself on a cruise up to Alaska during that week. It's nonrefundable, so I can't really break it.

I can hear you now—a cruise to Alaska is something an old lady does. But I've always wanted to go to Alaska, and the price is right, since it's through a corporate friend of Trevor's. I'll probably be the youngest person on the cruise.

I heard from Whitney. She's also doing an accelerated program in her university studies, but I still don't understand it all. She's going for her art degree, not as a painter, but on the business side. Who knows? Maybe you two can get together?

Best of luck this summer, and maybe there's a chance that over the long weekends this fall, you might be able to come back up to Silver Lake Falls.

Yours,

Patricia

* * *

F
rom
: Troy Wood

To: Cory Dunham

Subject: Yes, I Am!

You heard it right, bro, I'm entering the Draft. I know, I know, I've still got a year of eligibility left, but let's be honest. I came to Clement to get my ILB, not my MBA like you, or whatever it is you're going for. Besides, they're bringing in a new coaching staff, and they want to put in a new defense. I'd rather take the jump now, because I don't see a good future for me in this new system they're talking about.

Not like you're far behind me. I mean, you've been loading up for the entire two years. You really that worried that I'm gonna break my promise to you just because you don't have your license when I sign my rookie contract? Damn, I'm not that cold.

I've decided that I'm going to hire Coach J to be my agent for my contract talks. I'm not going to be greedy, and the agent's percentage is something he's more than earned. Did you know he still keeps my room at his house clean for when I want to crash there? Not that I have a lot of free time, but it's nice to take Spring Break at a good place and not in Cancun or going nuts.

Don't be a stranger.

Troy

* * *

F
rom
: Cory Dunham

To: Patricia Nelson

Subject: Coming back to visit

Dear Patricia,