Page 148 of The Path to Loving Him
“Are you serious?” I ask. “Please don’t lie to me.”
“Gabby, I swore to you I’d never joke about this. It’s happening. Tomorrow, I’m starting at third.”
“Oh my God,” I say as tears are now streaming down my face. Full-on sobs wrack my body.
“Fuck, is everything okay?” Ryland asks, taking one of my hands.
“Are you with someone?” Bennett asks.
“It’s . . . it’s Coach Rowley.”
I look up at Ryland, and his face is full of concern.
“Put him on speaker,” Bennett says.
I pull the phone from my ear and put it on speaker. “Go ahead,” I say.
“Coach Rowley?” Bennett says, making Ryland more confused than ever.
“Bennett?” he says.
“Coach . . . I got called up. I’m going to the show tomorrow. Starting.”
“What?” Ryland yells and leaps to his feet, stealing the phone from me. He then takes my hand and helps me up as well. “Holy fuck, man. That’s incredible. Fuck, I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Coach. I’m stoked. I’m on my way to San Francisco now. Can I ask you a favor?”
“Sure, anything,” Ryland says.
“Can you make sure my sister gets to the game? I have two tickets with her name on them. I need her there, and I know she’s going to be a crying mess. I need her there safely.”
Ryland looks me in the eyes. “You can count on it, man.”
“Thank you,” Bennett says and Ryland hands me the phone.
I take it off speaker and walk farther into the apartment. “Bennett, I . . . I’m so proud of you.” More tears fall from my eyes. “You did it.”
“We did it, Gab,” he says softly. “We fucking did it.”
I nod even though he can’t see me. “You soak in this moment, you hear me?” I say, my voice getting choked up. “You soak in every second when you walk out on that field, and you warm up, but the moment that game starts . . .”
“I clock in.”
“Exactly. You show them why you deserve to be there. Got it?”
“Got it,” he says.
I wipe my eyes. “Text me the info, and I’ll be there, and after, I’m taking you to dinner.”
“You better.”
“I love you, Bennett. Drive safe. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Gabby. I love you too.”
And then we both hang up. I set my phone on the counter and then cover my face as I slowly lower to the floor again and cry some more.
I cry for everything we’ve been through.
