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“No, no. It’s not that. It’s something else.”
Reid tilts his head at me.
“If I leave right now, I can be back before the game tomorrow.”
“But morning session?”
“Cover for me? I’ll tell Coach I’m feeling a little under the weather. Stomach bug or something. Something that can go away so I can start the game.”
“You’ll get fined,” Levi protests.
I look at him like he’s speaking a different language.
Davis shakes his head. “Look at him, dude. He doesn’t give a shit.” To me, he says, “Keep us updated. Hope everything is okay.”
I don’t bother showering. The only thing I grab is my wallet and cell phone after texting Joey to find me a flight back to Nashville ASAP. I don’t care if I have to take a puddle jumper. Luckily, we’re just in North Carolina, so getting back to Nashville shouldn’t take that long.
Joey: Is Raeann okay?
Me: She needs me.
The text isn’t actually accurate. I need her is more like it.
While Joey searches for flights, I call a rideshare and spend most of the time offering him more tip to wait with me in the car because Joey hasn’t given us a direction to go in yet.
As soon as the address comes through, I rattle it off to the driver before sitting back and reading the texts Raeann sent again. It isn’t until the car stops that I peer up to find us on a small airstrip.
Jesus.
I wait in the car long enough for the ridiculous tip to show up on the driver’s phone before exiting and then follow the directions Joey left. After meeting the pilot who is dressed more like my dad than a proper pilot in uniform, he gets me in a plane that barely appears airworthy. It’s a small two-seater.
Once we get up in the air, though, I can see the appeal. It’s different than being in a bigger plane. This one feels like you’re actually flying through the air. You’re one with the sky. If it was any other time, I’d probably enjoy the hell out of this more, but I just keep thinking about getting back to Raeann.
As soon as we land a couple of hours later, I shake the pilot’s hand and see a black SUV waiting nearby, which I assume is my ride. I go to get in the back seat, but a voice bellows through from the front. “Really? This isn’tDriving Miss Daisy.”
“Joey?”
“Congratulations, you get me. Now get in. The front,” he clarifies.
We’re about twenty minutes outside of town, and Joey drives like I want him to without asking. He understands something is up because I’ve never left an away game early before. No one could’ve taken me away from a game. It was my only love.
Not anymore.
We’re only a couple of minutes out from Raeann’s apartment when he asks, “Should I arrange transportation back?”
“Yes. Hopefully in the morning, but I’ll let you know for sure.”
“And if not?”
“I’ll be too broken to care.”
Joey peers over at me wearily. I glance away to find the store on the next block. Joey double-parks so I can get out amid a chorus of horns going off. With the store dark, there’s no need to wonder where Raeann is. I pull open the door that leads up to the second floor and then knock on the inner door.
“That would be—” Tab whips the door open but looks at me curiously when I’m not whoever they expected. “Hey. Don’t you have a game?”
“I need to see Raeann.”
“Micah?” My name comes out like a question, and I look up to find Raeann kneeling on the couch, her arms resting on the back. “What are you doing? You’re supposed to be in North Carolina.”