“Anyway,” Travis said, not wanting to dwell on things, “Jim and I were putting for bogey on the first playoff hole. I was thirty-eight feet away, and Jim was six feet away with a can-a-corn, straight uphill putt. So I had to make my putt to tie him, most likely. I lined it up, stroked it the way I wanted to roll it, but I left it a foot short, dead in the cup. I putted out for my double. The crowd gave me an enormous ovation, it went on for a while, but I silenced them so Jim could putt.
“Jim bent down to align his ball, but stopped, then glanced at me. I smiled and mouthed, ‘I want your best.’ He shook his head in acknowledgment. Jim lined up his bogey putt, stroked it firmly, and the ball dropped, dead center in the cup. Jim Ambrose won The Houston Open.
“The crowd didn’t cheer at first. It was more of a gasp. I started clapping and urged the crowd to join me. After a few seconds, everyone rose to their feet and cheered for Jim.
“Jim and I finished all the official stuff and the trophy ceremony, then we headed for the reporters’ tent. The winner always got interviewed last, but Jim asked to go before me. I said sure.
“During his whole press conference, all he would talk about was my decision during the playoff to hit my ball in the water. Every time they tried to ask Jim about his win, all he would do was talk about what a gentleman I was and how much I had taught him about golf. The guy was amazing.”
“When I lined up my bogey putt during the playoff,” Jim said, “everything in my body said to miss it intentionally, so Travis and I could play another playoff hole without controversy. But then I realized that no one would remember his great act of kindness if I missed that putt. So all of a sudden, I no longer had the pressure of winning a golf tournament on that putt. Instead, I had the pressure of trying to make that putt so the world would truly know and remember what a great man Travis Hatfield is. Just think, in twenty years, no one will remember that Jim Ambrose won The Houston Open. But everyone will always remember Travis Hatfield. He did more in one weekend to make golf a better sport than I’ll ever do in my whole career. He’s a spectacular addition to the PGA Tour, and I hope to play with him again soon.”
“Anyway,” Travis continued, “Jim left, and I sat down, started answering questions, when I spot Officer Alejandro Villegas, the policeman at Lexi’s house that morning, in the back of the tent. We made eye contact, and I knew something was wrong. I apologized, thanked the reporters and ran to him.”
“Your girls and your friend, Mac Reynolds, are fine,” Officer Villegas said. “But you need to come with me.”
Chapter 27
The Truth
“The scene at Mac’s apartment was horrific. They had already removed Lexi’s body, but blood was still everywhere. There was no doubt in it being a suicide, but the detectives couldn’t figure out the scene. They all wanted to know why she did it at the apartment, in front of the girls, and not at home. I tried to explain it to them, but they couldn’t understand.”
“Why did she kill herself in front of the girls?” Ava asked.
“Because she wanted to show the girls how much she loved them, and me. She was willing to die for us so we could be happy.”
“That makes no sense, Travis.”
“Right,” he said, acknowledging the absurdity of it all. “Lexi was a troubled woman, a control freak, with no idea how to deal with us or others. Her greatest quality was her ability to manipulate others, but it was also her greatest weakness because she couldn’t let anybody in her world, especially the ones she truly loved. We were her greatest weakness, in her mind, and she wanted to be close to us, but she just couldn’t without giving up her soul. So she killed herself so we could be happy.”
“Does what you just said make sense to you?”
“It’s all I have, Ava. It’s all I can come up with to make sense of it all.
“The funeral was on Thursday, and we buried her in an unmarked grave so that it wouldn’t be vandalized. The only thing on her tombstone was a few lines from a poem:
‘Alas, the wretched children!
They are seeking death in life, as best to have!
They are binding up their hearts away from breaking,
With a cerement from the grave.’”
“Is that what she quoted the night you met her at Marcos?” Ava asked. “Is that the poem you guessed?”
“Yeah. Elizabeth Barrett.”
“What does it mean, Travis?”
“It means someone destroyed her in some way as a child and killed her soul, making her feel dead inside for life. It was her excuse for what she was and had become.
“It was why she didn’t want me to play golf. She felt like I was just a child, like she used to be, and would get hurt in the end by others. Lexi truly wanted to protect me from what had happened to her. She just couldn’t love me or be my friend, because she was too far gone. She loved our life together and thought that I didn’t appreciate all that she had done for me, and she couldn’t understand why I was always unhappy. In some ways, she was probably right.”
“What could you have done differently?” Ava asked. “Can you think of anything that would’ve stopped her?”
“Yeah. I could’ve said no to playing in that scramble, the Houston Amateur, and The Houston Open. I could’ve sucked it up, gone home and not endangered my children. We had a good life, and I basically killed Lexi by playing golf again.” Travis took a big swig of his drink. “Who knows? Maybe Lexi would’ve changed over the years and ended up being a great mom, and wife. Now my girls don’t have a mother, and we’ll never know. I never gave Lexi a chance, and it was my job to protect her. I failed her as a husband. I never should’ve played golf again.”
“Oh, my God,” Ava said. “You still love her?”
“She was my wife.”
Chapter 28
The Aftermath
“Lexi left me everything. She amassed a fortune of over twenty million dollars. I had no idea. So the girls and I had a great life together. Or the best that we could under the circumstances.
“We had a tough time being close after Lexi died. Every time we looked at each other, we’d see Lexi, recalling all those memories. Still happens today, even over the phone. I think that’s why we aren’t very close.
“The press hounded me for years, wanting the big scoop on Lexi and the mysterious suicide. I decided just to ignore them and didn’t care what they said about me. But I never realized that they would go after my daughters when they left home. I sincerely regret that and hope this book does help them.
“Your father died about eight months after Lexi. Your mother was a mess, so I became your surrogate dad on the side. Teaching you golf and watching you grow is still one of my greatest gifts in life, Ava. I don’t think I’d be here today if I hadn’t met you. You kept me going in more ways than you will ever know.
“I never played professional golf again. The PGA Tour wasn’t my world. Too many bogus rules and stuff for me. Plus, nothing could live up to that Houston Open experience, and I’d also have to answer a lot of questions about Lexi if I played again. I wasn’t about to do that. In the end, Lexi did make it so I could never play on tour ever again like she wanted. So I just went back to playing at Memorial Park, hanging out with my buddies and being a muni-guy.
“When my girls left for college, I traveled around for a year or so, trying to grieve and figure out who I was now finally, then I came back to Houston and went into the restaurant business with Mac. I’m the ‘T’ in ‘T-Mac Restaurants.’ I converted the upstairs of this restaurant into an apartment, the second floor you asked about earlier. We’re less than half a mile from Memorial Park, so I just walk to play golf in the mornings. At night, I hang out with Mac or just go upstairs. Don’t even have a car anymore. I drink too much now.”
“That’s smart, I guess,” Ava said.
“Shelby married a nice guy, a professor at Rice University.
He doesn’t play golf, but he’s a good egg. Shelby turned into a great mom. Man, she loves those kids. Two boys. They invite me over for holidays and birthdays. She came out ok.”
“How’s Charlotte?”
“She’s had a harder time. That six months I was forced to leave affected her more than I realized. Charlotte protected Shelby from Lexi, and because of that, had a lot more time alone with Lexi over those months. Lexi tried to get in Charlotte’s head, and she did, but my Charlotte is a fighter.
“You wouldn’t believe Charlotte now. She is the spitting image of her mom. Every time I see her, it amazes me. Charlotte even cuts her hair the same way Lexi did. I think she tries to act a little like her mother now.”
“What do you mean?” Ava asked.
“A few months ago, she called to say that a guy had asked her to marry him.”
“That’s great,” Travis said. “Do you love him?”
“Oh, Daddy,” Charlotte answered, laughing. “Love is just a toy a child opens on Christmas morning, that breaks by noon.”
The End
Special Thanks
To all my readers, for their time, feedback, and support:
Scott “RV Boss” Hannen, Mark “The Maestro” Day, Dr. Robert “Magic Fingers” Chapman, Darren “The Godfather” Howard, Michael “The British Invasion” Donald, Bryan “La Machine” Grant, Steve “The Hammer” West, Ben “Sneaky Eagle” Walker, Pastor Jeff “Law and Gospel” Muchow, David “The Chosen One” Ambrose, Jim “The Ninja” Gibson, Raleigh “Evel Knievel” Jenkins, and Jim “Super Fly” Klauck.
To Scott Hannen, for putting up with me and my, well, what comes along with being my friend. You make life fun, let me be me, and for that, I thank you. Always a great time teeing it up with you, my friend. I can’t imagine golf without you. You’ve made me a better dad and taught me how to be a good friend. Thank you. Hug Selma for me.
To Mark Day, for all your insight and wisdom, and for always keeping me going on the right path. You give to me and others, yet you expect nothing in return. You are a fantastic friend, and my life is better for having met you.
To Dr. Robert Chapman, for your passion and ability to heal others, not just as a doctor. You found your calling at a young age, and you work tirelessly to help others reach their goals in life. I’m proud to call you my friend, and I thank you for all you’ve done for me and others.
To Flanny, my good friend and golf buddy. Hope the book surprises you. Get ready for the Member-Guest next year. Thank you for all your help.
To Mattie and Lisa, for your support and friendship. Love you, guys. You are my idea of the perfect couple. I am so blessed by meeting y’all.
To Jenny, for your support and friendship, and for going back to school. You’re going to graduate!
To Darren Howard, for not kicking me out of Houston Oaks and putting up with all my stuff. You are going to heaven, a First-Class Ticket. Love ya, Brother!
To the Scottish Boys, for always checking on how the book was doing and for dealing with all my crap. Thank you, Nick, Callum, and Jamie. Cheers!
To Houston Oaks, for letting me use the Legacy Room to write almost half the book.
To my dog, Shadow, for patiently sitting with me while I typed at home. Yes, he got treats.
About the Author
Bob Killinger is a stay-at-home dad with three great kids and a dynamic wife, who all live in Houston, Texas. He is a Christian, an athlete, and a snappy dresser.
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