CHAPTER 77

We left the building, got her car and drove across town to a very nice restaurant in the heart of the city. We pulled up in front of the building, where the valet met us, taking her car keys. I followed her to the front door, opened the door and we entered together. We were met in the small front room by the hostess, who immediately had a look of surprise, covering her hand with her mouth quickly.

"You're the guy we just drafted …you're um…", she stuttered.

"Brian Stevens, and yes it's him," Alexis answered.

"Oh wow, the owner is going to be so excited. Please follow me, I will get you seated immediately.", she said.

We followed her into the main room where dozens of people were seated, eating. You could tell immediately this was a really expensive, high class restaurant. I was probably the most under dressed person in the room. We were seated at a large table, near the center of the room. Our hostess told us our waitress would be with us very shortly, then disappeared into the kitchen. She reappeared quickly with a man who appeared to be in his mid thirties, dressed in gray and black, plaid pants, a white chef's jacket, extremely clean cut and shaven.

"Hello, I'm Paul Sheffield, the owner and head chef. I'm very pleased to meet you Mr. Stevens, I'm looking forward to watching you play this year. I have season tickets.", he told me, shaking my hand.

"Call me Brian, and thank you, it's nice to be here.", I answered.

He turned to the waitress and ordered her to bring our order to him personally, he would prepare it himself. I thanked him and we took the two menus from her. I decided to have a quick pasta dish with a salad, while Alexis ordered salmon. It had been a really long day for me, I just wanted to get to my hotel and crash. As we waited for our meal, Alexis interrogated me about my early years, wondering what had gotten me to this point in my life. I could tell she was genuinely sympathetic when I spoke about my Father and how much I missed him. I did so wish he would be here to see me play my first game as a pro. By the time the food came, I had pretty much brought her up to date on my life to this point. The one thing she was really surprised at was that I had no serious relationship going with anyone, in fact that I had never really had one, other than the time I had been on and off again with Courtney. Of course, I didn't let on to her about Ashley and how she was the one I truly wished I could be with.

As we started to eat, I turned the tables on Alexis, and asked her about her childhood and early years. The story she unfolded was incredibly interesting, to say the least. Her grandfather, a U.S. Marine in the early years of the Vietnam War had met her grandmother, a beautiful young girl in Saigon. Over the course of his deployment, they had fallen in love and she had become pregnant with Alexis's mother. After much drama and danger, her grandfather had managed to get her grandmother out of Vietnam and back to the United States, where they led a pretty normal life.

Her mother had married her father, another service man, who had been killed in the First Gulf War. Alexis had only been two years old when her father had died, she barely remembered him. Her mother had never remarried, instead working two full time jobs to send Alexis to the best schools she could. Alexis started playing volleyball in junior high and excelled quickly. Due to her height, she was in fact almost six foot one, she had started all four years in high school and became a consensus all - state player. She was recruited by at least a dozen major colleges across the country; she chose instead to stay close to home and play where her mother could see her.

Although she had been one of the best setter's in the state, as soon as she arrived in college her coach switched her to an outside hitter. She trained religiously on her lower body, and could soon play above the nine foot level as a sophomore. By her junior year, she was considered as one of the best outside attackers in the country. With her height, and a twenty nine inch vertical leap, she was indeed intimidating. Upon her graduation from college, she was offered to play professionally overseas in Europe, but instead chose to start working full time and get her master's degree. She had joined PSA less than a year ago, climbing quickly up the ladder as an associate agent.

As she told me her story, it all made sense. Now looking more closely, you could see the Asian lineage in her facial features. Her body was incredibly fit and athletic from years of intense competition and training. Her mother's fierce desire to succeed, her own demanding will for athletic excellence, had made her a powerful young, aggressive woman. By the time we had finished dinner and talking, it was extremely late.

She dropped me off at my hotel, the agency had kept a room booked for me, about thirty minutes later. My rental SUV was still parked in the lot, so I was set to go. Alexis promised me she would be in touch with me shortly about the contract signing and I could call her if I needed anything else at all. I thanked her for all of her efforts, then made my way to my room.

As I finally climbed into bed that night, I wanted to call Courtney but I knew it was too late. I decided to call her first thing in the morning.

I must have fallen asleep quickly, I sure needed the sleep.

I woke up the next morning at about ten, sat up and grabbed my cell phone. I had one text from Ashley, asking me to call her later and let her know how the contract details were going. I scanned my contacts , then called Courtney's cell phone. It rang several times, then went to voicemail. I hung up, scrolled down and dialed her office. Her secretary told me she was still not feeling well and had stayed home. I then called her house, and her mother answered after several rings.

"Hi Brian, how are you ?", she asked me.

"I'm fine, how is Courtney feeling ?", I asked.

"Not good Brian. She can't get rid of the headache, she has been nauseated for days. She has a few tests scheduled later today, I will call you after they are done.", she offered.

"Thank you Mrs. Timmons, I hope she feels better soon.", I answered, hanging up.

I sat there in the bed for a while just thinking, I had so many things to do. Sooner or later, I was going to have to go out and find a place to live. Either rent something, or buy a condo, maybe a small house. I needed my own car as well. I had to open bank accounts, apply for credit cards, get a new driver's license and meet with investment agents. It was all rather overwhelming to say the least. I decided the only way to tackle this was one thing at a time. I decided to go look at vehicles first, since I didn't need any help with that. I drove to the center of town and visited several dealerships, nothing really standing out. I had a late lunch, then headed back to my room. Sometime after three o'clock my phone rang, it was Courtney's mom.

"Hi Brian, we just arrived back home from the hospital. They admitted Courtney, it's not good.", she said, emotion heavy in her voice.

"What's wrong?", I asked softly.

"She has what appears to be a huge mass on her brain stem, they are going to have to do a biopsy tomorrow morning.", she answered.

I sat there stunned, this was not possible. Courtney was my age, surely there had to be a mistake. I really didn't know what to say, I was speechless.

"Brian, are you there ?", she asked.

"Yes mam, I'm sorry. I just don't know what…..", I started to reply.

"I know.", she answered.

"I am going to fly home right away, as soon as I can get a plane.", I told her.

"Don't you have to be at camp on Wednesday ?", she asked.

"Yes, but I can come home by then.", I replied.

"Brian, there is nothing you can do right now. I will call you tomorrow after the test. We will know more than. You can decide tomorrow what to do.", she urged.

"Will you call me as soon as it's over ?", I pleaded.

"Yes Brian, I will.", she promised.

I hung up the phone and laid back on my bed, I was in a state of disbelief. I looked at the clock but because of the time difference, I knew Ashley was not at home yet. I really needed someone to talk to, but I would have to wait at least three hours. I had to get out of the apartment, the walls were closing in on me. I dialed Coach Reed's cell phone, I was hoping he was available. He answered his phone on the third ring.

"Coach, is it ok if I go to the practice facility and workout ?", I asked.

"I guess so Brian, I'm not sure any of the trainers are downstairs right now though.", he answered.

"I don't care Coach, I have to get out of here.", I replied.

"Something wrong Brian ?", he inquired.

"Yes Coach, but nothing you can help with.", I said, thanking him and hanging up.