Homecourt Advantage

by Rita Ewing

  Now her life had taken another unexpected turn. Much to her surprise, she had begun to feel a sense of gratification and renewed purpose since Nikki came into her life. And Brent loved Nikki’s being there, a part of them. He relished his role as father and was eating it up with delight. She was seeing on a constant basis a side of Brent she had glimpsed only rarely when Brent Jr. was in town. The daddy side of Brent. The nurturer, mentor—a man she liked.

  “Casey, this for you too,” Nikki said, handing her another work of art.

  “Thank you, sweetheart. This is so pretty.”

  “You want me make you another, Casey?” Nikki hopefully asked.

  “I’d love that.”

  “You would?” Nikki said as her eyes widened.

  “I sure would,” Casey said, beginning to feel morose.

  Casey watched as Nikki worked, an intent look on her face, the crayon held tightly between her tiny fingers. She was a special little girl. There was no doubt about that.

  As she stared at the child who adored her, Casey wondered if she could overcome the circumstances of Nikki’s conception enough to love her with an unencumbered heart. Casey wished she had the overflowing capacity to completely love this child as her own, but she just didn’t know if she was capable. When would God grant her a forgiving heart?

  Chapter 46

  Steve was ringing Kelly’s doorbell. She’d moved to a modest suburban town in New Jersey, outside of Philadelphia. The town-house rental she had found so fast was beautiful: a long, airy contemporary three-story unit with a connecting two-car garage. As usual, he marveled how quickly she’d pulled it all together, found a place to live and all. Kelly has landed on her feet, again, Steve thought.

  He was about to press the bell again and then Kelly was standing before him. She was wearing a sleek black knit outfit, which hugged the contours of her beautiful body. She wore a row of thin gold bangles on her right arm, and Steve noticed a beautiful new diamond solitaire ring flashing on Kelly’s left hand. Another unknowing victim, he mused.

  “Hi, Steve, why don’t you come in.” Kelly stood aside and motioned Steve inside.

  “Is Diamond here?”

  “No, a friend of mine is watching her. I thought it might be too confusing for her to see you.”

  Steve was ready to jump, but resisted. There was something about Kelly’s calm demeanor that made him think she was actually being straight with him. He looked around the comfortably furnished house. She had decorated in typical Kelly style. A leopard-print couch sat in the middle of the living room, flanked by two large black leather chairs. He walked into the room and noticed a trophy sitting on the fireplace mantel. Curious, he moved closer and read the engraving: 2002 NCAA BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

  “Is he a friend of yours or did this just come with the house?” Steve asked, turning toward Kelly.

  “Actually, both,” Kelly said with a smirk on her face.

  Some things never change, Steve thought.

  “So what did you do with all the furniture from the other house?”

  “Left it—I assumed you’d want to deal with it. Keep it—sell it, whatever. Anyway, I wanted a clean break. Why, don’t you like it?”

  “No, no,” Steve said apologetically. “It’s just that I was surprised …”

  “At?” Kelly was smiling now.

  “I don’t know. I guess all you’ve done. So …”

  “So I’m assuming you’re here about the assault charges.” Kelly paused and looked down. “Well, let’s put it this way; I think I’ve changed my mind.”

  Was she going to be this easy? Steve thought. No way, not Kelly. She must have something up her sleeve. “Like I said to you on the phone, I thought we could work this out between us.”

  “I know, I know. Truthfully, Steve, I don’t want to go over that whole mess again. What I’ve got to say won’t take long.”

  “What you’ve got to say?” Steve was on red alert.

  “Yeah, what I’ve got to say,” Kelly said flatly.

  “Why the hell you’d do it, Kelly? How about startin’ there?”

  “Listen, Steve, I told you, I’m not interested in going backward … Sometimes in life you have to … to do things, to make choices … even if they don’t seem totally right at the time, but maybe under the circumstances, the choices seem a little right …”

  “There was nothing right about any of the choices you made withme,” Steve said, not believing that she was trying to justify her lies once again.

  “They didn’t only concern me, all right?” Kelly began, raising her voice. “I was thinking about Diamond’s future … and you were so cold to us. You just turned your back on us, like we weren’t your family—”

  “J turned my back on you all?” Steve asked, incredulously. It was just like Kelly to switch the situation around and make herself a victim. The nerve of her. Steve forced himself to be calm. He came here to get Kelly to drop the charges, not get her angry.

  “And I didn’t know what else to do and … and they made … I … couldn’t refuse …” Kelly sputtered.

  “Whoa! What do you mean you couldn’t refuse?” Steve said, wondering if she was trying to shift the blame to someone else.

  “I did what I had to do, and what’s done is done. Now … now I …”

  “What you had to do? Kelly, what are you talking about?” Steve wondered what Kelly had gotten herself into this time. He just wished she would keep him out of it.

  “Steve, that’s over, that’s water under the bridge.”

  “For you maybe. My whole career could be on the line. My reputation is already ruined. Why’d you do it, Kelly? Why?”

  “I said it’s over, Steve.”

  “What’s over, Kelly? What?”

  “Look, I want to get on with my life,” Kelly resolutely said.

  “You and me both.”

  “I’m willing to make a deal with you,” she quickly said, casting her eyes down.

  “What kind of deal?” Steve asked warily, seeing Kelly’s wheels spin. She knew she had him by the balls.

  “I paid for this house with the last of my savings.”

  “Savings?” Steve said. “Don’t you mean the funds you emptied out of our joint account, Kelly?”

  “Whatever, Steve. Look, I needed the money. What was I supposed to do? You abandoned us.”

  “Slow your roll, Kelly. How about getting a job, or going back to school? Do something productive with your life.”

  “That’s easy for you to say. I have a child to raise, and right now I’mworking hard at being a single parent. After all the fuss Daryl made in the papers, he flew the coop. I guess he thought you’d give him money. Anyway, I need some help for Diamond’s school. I’ll drop the charges if—well, not if—I’ll drop the charges and—”

  “And I will help support Diamond?” Steve paused and then said, “Of course. But, Kelly, you’ve got to know that I never changed the account I had set up for Diamond. I promised I would always take care of her, and I meant it.”

  As Steve watched the tears roll down Kelly’s face, he knew there was more behind them than gratitude. He was seeing something else in her face that her words had almost revealed minutes before. But what?

  “Steve, can I ask you one thing?”

  He nodded his head.

  “What’s happened to us? I was so … so …”

  “Kelly,” Steve said. “Let’s not even go there. Please don’t start playing that role with me. We both know why things didn’t work out between us, and it’s not even necessary to retrace our steps on that subject.”

  Steve continued to study Kelly’s face, thinking about what she’d said to him, or maybe more to herself, today.

  “Let me ask you something, Kelly. What couldn’t you refuse?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “A few minutes ago you said you couldn’t refuse something. What were you talking about?”

  “Steve … don’t …”

 
; “You said you did what you had to do. Was it what you had to do, or was it something else?”

  “What’s the use going over this? I’m gonna drop the charges now anyway.”

  “Going over what? Tell me what there is to go over.”

  “Steve, there’s no point. I can’t … They’d … I just can’t …”

  “Kelly, did someone put you up to this? I think I have a right to know.”

  “Steve, just leave well enough alone. I told you it’s over now.”

  Steve couldn’t imagine why anyone would want him behind barsor to ruin his reputation, but he did know that whatever Kelly did, money was usually the motivating force behind it. And if he had any chance of getting her to talk, he’d have to speak her language.

  “Kelly, you said you wanted my financial assistance. Well, right now I need your help.”

  “Steve …” Kelly began, as she turned away from him, probably so he couldn’t see her smile.

  “Kelly, cut it. What’ll it cost me to find out?”

  “Steve! It’s not only about that anymore … I would tell you … I know I should tell you … but you say you’d give me some extra financial assistance?” Kelly looked like her mouth was watering as she turned back around.

  “When you drop the charges and publicly retract your allegations.”

  “But then they wouldn’t—”

  “And,” Steve cut her off, “when you tell me who’s behind this.”

  “But, Steve …”

  “Damn it, Kelly!” Steve’s patience was just about used up, but he still had to get through to her. “That’s the least you could do after turning my life upside down, not that you would care. You don’t ever care about anyone except yourself.”

  For a flicker of a second, Steve could have sworn that he saw a look that could only be described as remorse pass over Kelly’s face.

  “Kelly, please. I’ll hold up my end. I’ve been more than fair with you. Please, Kelly.”

  “I don’t know if you really want to know.”

  “Who, Kelly?”

  “All of them, they’re all in it together.”

  Steve stared at Kelly, totally baffled as she slowly approached him and leaned her head forward next to his. In hushed tones, Kelly spilled out the whole story, and Steve could scarcely believe what he was hearing.

  Chapter 47

  “What the …!” Lorraine screamed, and dropped the iron to the floor, spilling water in the process.

  Paul looked at Lorraine in con usion. “Baby, it’s just me,” he said, troubled by the look of terror in her eyes as she turned around to face him.

  “Damn, Paul! Don’t sneak up on me like that. You scared the hell out of me,” Lorraine said as she kneeled on the ground and wiped up the spilled water.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Paul said as he leaned down to help her.

  He had just returned from Los Angeles, and the Flyers were in an uphill battle struggling to win the championship. The Lakers were ahead three games to two in the best-of-seven championship series. They were going to have to win the next two games at the Mecca. But Paul’s faith was shaken. Coach still had not put Steve in the lineup, no matter how many times they explained to him that Kelly planned on dropping the charges. Surprisingly, Paul and Brenthad even gotten some of the sports-beat writers to plant stories stating that the bogus charges against Steve Tucker were soon to be dropped. Hell, Steve was practically a hero out there—yet he was benched. And Collin also remained out of the rotation. Paul felt as if he had aged twenty years over the past week. He watched in silence as his wife continued to iron her nursing scrubs. After the Flyers’ disastrous road trip, all he wanted was for her to turn and pull him into her warm embrace. She shrugged him away.

  “You shouldn’t walk up on people like that.”

  “I wasn’t walking up on people, I was trying to give my wife, who I haven’t seen for a week, a hug,” Paul said. “But I guess that’s too much to ask for these days.”

  “Look, just drop it, Paul. How was your road trip?” Lorraine asked, brushing off her uniform.

  “You know what, Lorraine?” Paul began, feeling as if his last ounce of patience was just about to break. “Don’t even worry about it. I’m going to take a nap.”

  Lorraine stared back. “A nap? I was trying to ask you about your trip, but you go on and take your nap.”

  “Fine,” Paul said.

  “Fine.”

  This is ridiculous, Paul thought. He turned back and retraced his steps into the laundry room where Lorraine was standing massaging her temples.

  “Lorraine, what’s going on between us? Why all the attitude with me?” Paul said.

  “Paul, I don’t have an attitude. You just scared me when you walked up on me like that.”

  “Come on, Lorraine. I know you better than that. What’s wrong with you? Is it me?”

  “No, Paul, it’s not you.”

  “Is it work? Are you just stressed out from work? Is that it?”

  Lorraine did not respond as she continued to rub her head.

  “I know you’ve been working a lot of hours lately and it can’t be easy. Maybe you can use some of your vacation time right now and give yourself a break for the week. Two more games and my season willbe over. I won’t have to go out of town anytime soon. What do you think?” Paul said, stepping in closer to Lorraine.

  Lorraine seemed to grow anxious as he neared her. “Paul, I don’t need a vacation,” she said, backing away from him.

  “Well, you need something, because you’re jumping out of your skin right now.”

  “I need my work. I’d go crazy if I didn’t go to the hospital,” Lorraine said as she nervously fiddled with her hair.

  “I think you need a break.” Paul continued to move forward to touch his wife.

  “Paul, I’m fine. You’re making a big deal out of nothing. Now, would you just back off?”

  It was plain she was far from fine. Her entire body language was screaming that something was wrong.

  “No. I won’t just back off. Something’s wrong with you. You have dark circles under your eyes … you’ve lost weight … you’re jumping at your own shadow … and you won’t even let me near you. Something’s not right. Baby, please tell me what’s wrong,” Paul gently asked.

  Lorraine shook her head, but she still did not meet Paul’s eyes. He felt at a loss. Why couldn’t he get through to her?

  The phone rang and Paul saw a look of horror register across Lorraine’s face.

  “One second,” Paul worriedly said to his wife as he turned to answer the phone.

  “Don’t answer it!” Lorraine said with such urgency that it startled Paul.

  “Why don’t you want me to answer the phone?”

  “Just don’t pick it up. Please,” Lorraine said, moving toward Paul and grasping his arms. “Just stay right here with me.”

  Paul stared at his wife with mounting confusion and apprehension. “Or is there someone you don’t want me to talk to?”

  “No one, Paul. It’s no one.” As much as she had avoided him before, she clutched him to her now, squeezing his arms more tightly with each ring of the phone.

  “I’m answering it since you won’t tell me anything. Maybe I’ll ask whoever’s calling what’s going on,” Paul said, pulling away from Lorraine, suddenly angry. Just as he reached the receiver, she ran up behind him.

  “No, Paul. Don’t answer it.” Lorraine tried to pull the phone from his hand.

  Paul ignored her and knocked her arm away as he lifted the phone to his ear. “Hello!”

  “Paul? You all right?” Brent said on the other end of the line.

  Paul felt the tension release from his body at the sound of his teammate’s voice.

  “I’m fine, man; what’s up?” Paul said, turning his back on Lorraine. It looked like she was trying to figure out who was on the phone.

  “Look, we need to talk sometime before the game. You wouldn’t believe what Ste
ve just told me. I’m trippin’ out here. I think I might know what’s up with Coach now.”

  “All right,” Paul began. He desperately wanted to know what was going on with his team, but right now his mind was on his wife. “Let’s do that, but I can’t right now.”

  “Hey … wait,” Brent said into Paul’s ear.

  “I’ll hit you back.”

  “Okay, man. Later,” Brent said, sounding disappointed as he hung up.

  Paul abruptly turned toward Lorraine and looked at her pointedly. “Lorraine, are you having an affair?”

  A look of shock appeared on her face. “Absolutely not! Paul, it’s not that. It’s nothing like that. Baby, I promise, I would never cheat on you.”

  “Then what is it? Can’t anybody tell the truth around here?”

  Lorraine did not respond.

  “My God. What is going on?” Paul began, more to himself than to Lorraine. “I can’t get the truth from my agent. I don’t know what the hell is going on with Coach and the whole damn team! Can’t I at least count on some honesty from my wife? Like for starters, who did you think was on the phone?” Paul said as his voice began to involuntarily rise to the point of hollering. “Who did you think was calling here? And while we’re at it, who was on the phone that day in the bathroom when you looked like you had seen a ghost? Lorraine, I’m telling you,

  I can’t take this anymore! I want the truth!” Paul said, banging his fist against the wall.

  Lorraine’s whole body began to shake as the tears rolled like a waterfall.

  “Is it that bad, Lorraine?”

  “Paul … it wasn’t my …” Lorraine began in between sobs. “It wasn’t my fault. I tried to help.”

  “What wasn’t your fault?” Paul said, fearing the anguished expression on his wife’s face.

  “I didn’t kill her. I know her mother blames me … but they said they would kill my mother and me if I said … if I said anything to the police,” Lorraine cried.

  Paul could not believe the words coming out of Lorraine’s mouth. She was acting delusional. He walked over to the corner his wife was cowering in and cupped her face with both of his hands.