THAT RING

by Dodd, Jillian

  “I do! I put them in my purse this morning so that I wouldn’t forget.”

  “Thank goodness. All right then, say good-bye to Troy and get your ass here, where you belong!” he says and then hangs up.

  I rush to the nurses’ station with Phillip’s words ringing in my ears. “Say good-bye to Troy.”

  I’ve gotten to know the staff, and they seem to appreciate the food I keep having delivered to their station.

  “Huge favor,” I say to one of my favorite nurses.

  “Whatcha need?”

  “Do any of you have any makeup I can borrow? Today’s the Super Bowl. I’m supposed to be there.”

  “And you’re dating that hot quarterback Danny Diamond.”

  “Yes, I am,” I say, praying it’s still true. “I need to get to the game, but I look like a mess.”

  The nurse surveys me. “You’ve cried a lot today, as would be expected. It was a big day for you and Troy.”

  “Say good-bye to Troy.”

  “I’m just going on break. Come to the restroom with me, and I’ll have you fixed up in a jiffy.”

  I follow her. When we get in the bathroom, she pulls out a bag full of makeup and brushes. In less than five minutes, she smiles at me and lets me look at myself in the mirror.

  “You’re a genius,” I say, standing up and giving her a hug. “Thank you so much.”

  “My husband and I have a bet,” she confides. “Two hundred dollars to spend any way we want and some sexual favors. Of course, I put my money on the hottie QB. Maybe this will give me a leg up on winning.”

  “He has to win,” I mumble, remembering that day.

  “You know how people make dream boards to motivate themselves?” he asked.

  “Like, with stuff they want to buy or places they want to visit?”

  “Exactly. This is my dream wall,” he explained.

  “But there’s nothing on it.”

  “That’s because I visualize what I want it to hold. A third mural like the ones over there with confetti raining down, my children by my side, the fans cheering, the team going crazy, the pride and years of playing and practices, the injuries and pain, the pushing my body, the travel, and the missing my family—all culminated in one humbling, thrilling moment of victory. But, when I just closed my eyes, I saw something different.”

  “What did you see?”

  “You in the picture,” he said, resting his chin on my shoulder.

  I clutched my chest, my heart racing, and then turned around to face him. “I’d love to be in that picture, Danny.”

  “Do you know how I get to the helipad?”

  “Sure,” she says, giving me directions. “Are you going to tell Troy you’re leaving, or do you want me to let him know?”

  “Say good-bye to Troy.”

  I glance at my watch, noting that I have just enough time to do what I need to do.

  “Troy, I have to go,” I say, returning to his room. “It’s been forty-four long days since I dropped everything and flew here. I’ve been by your side since then. Watched you have strokes, seizures, procedures. I’ve considered taking you off life support. I’ve stressed, cried, cared, and loved.

  “For one of the most talented men I’ve ever met, you’re an idiot. You’re an addict. But, for some unknown reason, you’re alive. Your brain isn’t fried. Your body still mostly works. I’m going to give you one piece of parting advice that I’m going to take myself from this day forward. We have one life, Troy, and I’m going to start living the life I’ve always dreamed of. You should, too, because I sure as hell know you didn’t dream of this.”

  “E-uh-ie,” he stutters.

  “Yeah?”

  “Th-ak ooh.”

  “You’re welcome. Your rehabilitation is going to be tough because you’re going to go through it alone. You’ve alienated everyone. You haven’t had one single visitor besides me and Jason. To the party friends, you’re a reminder of what they could become. The prostitutes you were partying with were afraid of getting into trouble, so they left you unconscious for a while before deciding to call for help. But if it wasn’t for them, you’d be dead. Maybe you wish you were, but I don’t think so. You had it all. Your fans love you. They left trinkets and posters and candles and flowers for you in front of the hospital. If you stay clean and get your life in order, they will support you.” I kiss him on the forehead. “Take care of yourself, Troy. But know that our relationship and whatever friendship we might have had is over.”

  “Lub ooh.”

  “You always say that, but please, be honest with yourself from here on out. You loved alcohol and drugs more than you loved me. I’m so incredibly glad you are alive. Glad you woke up. And glad you’re going to get better. I just have nothing more to give. You made it this far. Find wherever inside of you that your will to live is coming from and use it to get better. Good-bye, Troy.”

  I rush out of his room, down the hall to the elevators, and then up to the top floor. I get lost but quickly backtrack and find where I need to be.

  A few moments later, a policeman comes through a locked door with his hand held out. “Jennifer Edwards. I’m Denny Martin. Let’s get you to that game!”

  Denny leads me to the police helicopter, I get buckled in, and we’re off, flying over the city.

  We touch down a few minutes later, on the outskirts of the stadium parking lot in a space reserved for police.

  Denny looks at his watch. “We’re cutting it close! Hurry!”

  We jump out of the chopper, run to a police golf cart, and take off again.

  We’re met at a side door to the stadium by an officer and Phillip, who, even though he arranged for me to get here in time, doesn’t really look happy with me.

  “You’ve got to be all in,” he says, shaking his head at me as he rushes me down a tunnel.

  “I told Troy it was the last time I’d see him. That chapter is over.”

  He takes a lanyard from his back pocket that will allow me to get on the field and throws it over my neck.

  “Go,” he says, pointing to the door. “Carter will meet you inside and take you to Danny.”

  Danny

  Warm-ups are over, we’ve gotten pumped up in the locker room, and we are now back on the field, waiting for the national anthem to begin.

  After that, it will be game time.

  In what could be the defining game of my career.

  My third ring.

  I’ve played games while experiencing a range of emotions in my personal life, but the fact that Jennifer isn’t here, well, I can’t say that it doesn’t hurt. I get why she needed to be with Troy, and I’ve been supportive.

  But I definitely have my game face on.

  I used our time apart to prepare for every aspect of this game.

  “Danny!” I hear my agent’s voice from somewhere behind me, and I turn in his direction.

  He’s standing on the sidelines.

  With Jennifer.

  She rushes toward me. “I’m here,” she says. “And I’m so sorry if I distracted you. It wasn’t my intention. The good news is that Troy woke up and it was just crazy with all the tests and I lost track—”

  I don’t let her finish her sentence. I just kiss her. Hard.

  “The even better news is that I told him good-bye,” she says, pulling her lips away. “I know I barely got here. But that doesn’t matter now. You supported me, and it’s my turn to start doing the right thing for us. And that’s living our life together. Like, if you still want to.”

  “Remember my empty wall?” I ask, my face mere inches from hers.

  “That’s all I thought about on the way over here.”

  “You’re here now.” I kiss her again. “That’s all that matters. And you can be sure I plan on impressing my girl today.”

  “Oh,” she says with a sexy grin. “I mean, I’m pretty knowledgeable about the game of football. And I’m not easily impressed.”

  “Just you wait,” I say, letting go of
her as the singer of the national anthem takes her place on the field. “Just you wait.”

  “That almost sounds like a threat, Danny Diamond.”

  “Oh, it is. Next time I see you, it will be back on this field,” I say, pointing down, “with confetti raining down on our heads in victory.”

  Jennifer

  The game is a defensive battle. At the half, the score is tied six to six, the result of a couple of field goals for each team.

  The skybox we’re in is filled with family and friends.

  Other than greeting everyone and a few high fives after good plays, I haven’t been super social. I’m nervous. A wreck, really. And I’m pacing.

  I’ve never felt like this before. Like everything is riding on one game. One event.

  The halftime entertainment annoys me. It seems like it lasts too long, although Damon, Chase, and Devaney seem to love it. Phillip and Jadyn are as calm and collected as usual.

  Maybe it’s because they are used to it.

  Maybe it’s because they love Danny whatever the outcome.

  Maybe it’s because it’s not the first championship game he’s played in.

  Maybe they don’t think it’s that big of a deal.

  Like it is to me.

  I want to be in the picture on his wall. I want to be out there with confetti raining down on us.

  But, so far, the offense is just not delivering on the field. Danny’s being rushed in the box. When he rolls out, it’s a hurry-up situation, or he’s getting sacked. The offensive line doesn’t seem to be opening up holes for his running backs. The receivers are either well covered or dropping passes.

  Jadyn stands in front of me, holding out a beer. “You look like you could use this.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t worry. Danny’s going to win.”

  “How can you be so sure? The offense is sputtering. They just can’t get anything going.”

  She smiles at me. “Danny is incredibly driven.”

  “So’s the other quarterback,” I counter.

  “He wants the picture. He wants you. You need to believe in it up here,” she says, pointing first to me and then to the suite we’re in, “as much as he does down there.” She points to the field. “Seriously, Jennifer, you need to enjoy this. Win or lose, it’s probably the last time we’ll all get to see him play.” Her lips move into a smile, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “You’re right.” I nod my head. “Plus, they’re bound to make some adjustments at the half, right?”

  “This is a big game. Guys who play brilliantly all year can get a little shell-shocked by it. I’m expecting a much more exciting second half. And make sure you have your pass on and ready to go; you’re going to need it.”

  “What do we do?” I ask, realizing I don’t even know.

  “When the game is almost over, the winning team’s family will go to their designated area,” she says. “We’re lucky because it’s just straight down from the box.”

  “Will you be going down there?”

  “We haven’t before, but Danny managed to get the three of us passes this year, so yes.”

  “They’re back on the field!”

  And Jadyn was right; the second half is more exciting, but it’s exciting in a nail-biting way. The offenses for both teams get going, and it’s back-and-forth scoring. With only four minutes left in the game, Kansas City is down by twelve. A score of twenty-four to thirty-six.

  Dani is chewing on the sleeve of her sweater, watching every play with anticipation. I have the urge to pace, but I stay in my seat between the kids.

  Danny goes three and out, so we punt to the opposing team. Fortunately, the kick is good, and they have to start deep at the seven-yard line.

  The play starts, and the quarterback drops back into the end zone to throw a pass. There’s a player wide open downfield, and my heart drops into my stomach.

  The quarterback releases the ball, but then one of our defensive linemen leaps up and tips it. Somehow, the ball then drops down into his arms.

  “Ahhh!” everyone in the box yells.

  Then, it’s, “Run. Go. Go!”

  Then, more cheering as he takes a few steps into the end zone for the score. After an extra point, the score is now thirty-one to thirty-six.

  “A field goal won’t win it,” Damon says, biting his lip.

  “We’ve got to hold them on this drive,” Chase agrees. “Make them punt and get the ball back with enough time to score.”

  “That’s what we’ll do,” I say. “Danny’s got this. Kansas City’s got this.”

  “Look,” Devaney says, pointing. “The other team’s families are going to the spot we’re supposed to go to for the celebration ceremony after the game. They must be pretty confident.”

  “Well, there isn’t much time left,” Damon counters. “I’d be going down there now, too, if Dad’s team were winning.”

  “Not to sound catty,” I say, “but we’ll be making them move.”

  “You’re awfully confident,” Phillip says.

  He and Jadyn have been sitting in the row behind us.

  I turn around and smile at them. “Oh, come on, you guys. You know Danny’s going to win.”

  And while I’m feeling confident up here in the suite, what happens on the field isn’t very reassuring. The opposing team gets a first down on their second play. And even with time-outs, it’s going to be tight if we don’t stop them. Fast.

  “They just keep running the ball,” Damon says. “We could use another interception.”

  The quarterback does the same play again, seemingly just trying to run time off the clock by handing off again to his tailback, who runs … straight into one of our linemen. The defender punches the ball out of the runner’s hands as he’s going down, causing a pileup and for everyone to scramble for the ball. We’re all out of our seats, watching the instant replay.

  “I think we got it,” Damon says, but then the opposing team starts signaling that they recovered.

  The referees continue to pull players off the pile until there’s only one left.

  Our team.

  With the ball.

  The crowd goes crazy. The suite goes crazy.

  “Twelve seconds and one time-out. Ball at the twenty,” Phillip says. “No problem.”

  But then the opposing teams throws down the red flag, challenging the play. Saying their player’s knee was down before the ball came out.

  We watch the replay again. It’s close, but he definitely fumbled the ball, and the call stands.

  We all cheer again.

  Danny takes the field with his offense.

  Chase grabs Devaney’s hand. She grabs mine, and I take Damon’s. I feel Jadyn’s hand on my shoulder.

  “He’s got this,” she says. “I know he does.”

  Danny lines up. The ball is snapped.

  And is promptly sacked.

  A time-out is called to stop the clock. Danny gets up, and you’d think he’d be pissed, but the camera shows him in the huddle, talking calmly with his men. I wonder what he’s saying to them.

  And if it will matter.

  They take the field again.

  “This is it,” Jadyn says, “the last play.”

  And I know what she says is meaningful. Not only is it the last play of the game, but it’s also probably the last play of his storied career.

  Danny lines up on the field.

  The ball is snapped.

  He drops back to pass.

  “He’s open in the end zone!” Damon yells, jumping up and down. “Throw it, Dad! Throw it!”

  And Danny does just that.

  If you didn’t know it was the championship game, you’d think he was tossing the ball to Damon in the backyard. It looks effortless and lands right in the receiver’s waiting arms.

  “Touchdown!” we all yell as time runs off the clock.

  Oh my gosh. He did it.

  We tear out of the suite and race down toward th
e field. It’s a little awkward since the other family is trying to get back up, but we don’t care.

  Moments later, confetti flies as we rush onto the field.

  Danny’s surrounded by reporters. He moves them aside and opens his arms as we rush into them. I’m crying. He’s crying. The kids are cheering. Championship ball caps are slapped on our heads.

  Devaney whispers into her dad’s ear and then slips something into his palm.

  His look is one of astonishment, and I’m dying to know what she just gave him.

  Devaney and Damon step back in some choreographed championship winning dance that I don’t seem to know.

  I watch as Danny gets down on one knee.

  And I wonder what he’s doing.

  Is he picking up some of the confetti to save it?

  I look at the kids to see if they are doing the same, but they are just standing there, grinning.

  Danny looks up at me and takes my hand. “Jennifer Edwards, the love of my life, the woman who has had my heart and soul since the day I met her, will you make me even happier than I am after winning my third championship game and marry me?”

  I cover my mouth and nose with my hands, barely able to grasp the beauty of what is happening.

  Danny Diamond is asking me to marry him.

  At the championship game.

  With confetti raining down on us. His picture is going to be better than either of us imagined.

  I take a deep breath, letting it out with a shudder as he shows me what is in his palm.

  A little pink velvet box.

  He opens it, revealing the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen—a big, fat heart solitaire ringed with halos of diamonds that glitter like crazy under the stadium lights.

  “Holy shit!” I say, jumping up and down. “Yes!”

  Danny places the ring on my finger and then picks me up, twirls me around, and kisses me.

  “Jadyn, you’d better order a whole truckload of fried chicken and champagne. We’ve got some celebrating to do,” I yell out even though I know she probably has Danny’s hotel tub already full of ice and chilled bottles.