Page 39 of Heartbeat Harmony (Hearts in Hawthorne #2)
Chapter
Twenty-Three
E li finished the last bite of his burger and dabbed his mouth with a paper napkin. “I better head over to the field,” he told Autumn.
“Okay,” she said brightly, giving him a smile. “Will you be down on the track or in the stands?”
“I think West wants me close by. I’ll let you know.” He gave her a quick kiss and then looked at Summer and Darby. “See you later.”
He tossed his empty plate in a nearby garbage can and strode from the pre-game tailgate in the parking lot next to Hawks Field, medical bag in hand.
Talk around town said that the stadium might be renamed for Coach Markham, longtime coach of the high school’s football team and West’s predecessor.
It was something the school board would take up at their next monthly session.
Slipping his lanyard from his pocket, he placed it around his neck and showed it to the person at the turnstile, who waved Eli through.
Even though the weather was still warm in Texas this early September night, Autumn said it was officially football weather since the season had started.
He caught the excitement in the air, as well as a whiff of popcorn coming from the concession stand being run by band parents.
Autumn had taken him to last week’s away game, the first of the season, patiently explaining each play as it unfolded. Thanks to West and her tutoring him, Eli had a decent grasp of the game. At least he didn’t think he would embarrass himself and cheer at the wrong time.
He entered the stands and went down the concrete steps to a gate.
Opening it, he walked down a few more steps until he reached the bottom.
The red track surrounded the lush green turf, and players from both teams had taken to the field, going through warmups.
Eli joined West, who stood on the sidelines, watching his captains lead the team in group exercises.
“Ready for tonight?” West asked. “Anything can happen.”
“I’m overprepared,” he joked. “I got online and went down numerous rabbit holes, researching the usual types of injuries seen at a football game. I’m ready for everything from sprains, strains, and tears such as ACL and MCL knee injuries, to concussions.
I’ve also met with your trainer and his student assistants.
Those kids are sharp. They’ve asked me a million questions, all of them on point.
Your athletes will be taken care of. How about you? First home game as the new head coach.”
West nodded, his eyes still moving across the field.
“Last week’s win against the Panthers helped calm some of my jitters and those of the team.
We’ve got a solid bunch of kids playing this season.
I’m hoping I’ve created the culture I’ve wanted, from the locker room to on and off the playing field.
I want these kids to care about one another.
Play their hearts out. Learn from their mistakes and take joy in when they perform well. ”
“Is it odd being back here where you played all those Friday nights years ago?” he asked. “I ran cross country. No one ever came to our meets.” He glanced into the stands. “This is way different. You can feel how charged the air is.”
West smiled. “It’s great to come home. To Hawthorne. This field. This job. I feel I was meant to coach.” He looked over his shoulder and smiled. “Kelby’s made all the difference in my life. But I guess you know something about that.”
“I feel like I’ve finally become the person I was supposed to be. As if I were a butterfly who’s emerged from its cocoon. I know my purpose. I see life sharper now. It’s richer. And I’m a better person than I ever have been, all because of Autumn.”
West chuckled. “I’d say you have it bad for my sister, Doc. Talk later.”
Eli watched West trot out onto the field as players broke up into smaller groups, their group stretches complete now.
He knew they were dividing up by position, based upon what he’d learned at practice.
He watched the athletes run through a different kind of warmup now, related to their positions.
The punter was taking snaps and kicking downfield as far as he could.
Receivers were running quick routes, allowing the quarterback to warm up his arm.
Others did short sprints down the field.
He let his gaze roam the stadium. Cheerleaders with pompoms and megaphones were setting up on the track.
The band and drill team had taken their places in the stands.
Fans were beginning to pour into the stadium.
Eli walked the sidelines, talking to the student trainers, watching the action.
He made his way to the other side, introducing himself to the head coach of the Warriors, tonight’s opponent, and circling back around.
By now, the Hawks were leaving the field.
He decided to join them to see West in action in the locker room, curious as to what he would say to his team before the start of tonight’s game.
The players gathered alongside the coaching staff, and West spoke from his heart, telling the young men they were prepared.
Talented. Ready to play this game with both minds and hearts.
He praised their work habits and told them now was their time to shine on the field.
Eli ran out with the team, which tore through a large banner held up by the cheerleaders.
The band was on the field, playing the school fight song, with the drill team shaking their pompoms alongside them.
It was a natural high, feeling the strong emotions.
He’d seen a little of this last week, but a home game changed everything.
No wonder they referred to home field advantage, because it was palpable.
He turned, skimming the crowd, finding Autumn and waving at her.
She had Kelby on one side and Darby and Sawyer on the other.
Her parents sat in front of her on the next row.
It had worked out well, with Darby flying in from Kansas City this weekend for a quick visit before she attended meetings in Dallas right after Labor Day.
The national cheer finals would be held in Dallas early next year, and Darby was meeting with the head of the venue where the competition would take place.
Fortunately, her visit now coincided with their wedding.
He only wished Buddy could be here for it.
Eli had requested kits from two different registries and sent off his DNA to be placed in their databases.
The waiting game now began, with him hoping that Buddy either had already submitted his own DNA sample to one or both places or would in the near future.
His gut told him his little brother was out there, and Eli would do whatever he could to reunite with him.
Suddenly, a chill came over him, the proverbial someone walking over your grave goose bumps. He looked around, puzzled by the odd feeling. It left as quickly as it had come upon him, and he shrugged it off, returning his focus to the game.
At the end of the first half, the score was tied, ten-all.
Eli opted to stay on the sidelines and watch the halftime show put on by the band and drill team.
He had seen one for the first time last week and been amazed at the level of talent and precision on display.
The Hawthorne Hawks didn’t let him down.
The band performed a medley of Beach Boys’ tunes, while the drill team did a disc routine to a song most of the crowd seemed to know because they were singing along.
He had missed out on a lot of pop culture, but Autumn would help catch him up.
The second half started with the Hawks receiving the ball.
The kick returner fielded the ball and ran it back for a touchdown, causing the fans to go wild.
The extra point was good, and from that point on, Hawthorne couldn’t seem to do anything wrong.
By the end of the third quarter, the score was 31-10.
Eli, who now stood next to the high school’s principal on the sidelines, said, “Fred is really looking good out there.”
Her son was the starting quarterback for the Hawks, a senior who had a strong arm on him. West had said Fred was one of the most accurate passers he’d seen at any age, and Eli assumed that meant Fred Biggerstaff had a future playing football beyond the high school level.
“Fred lives for football,” Blanche said, smiling. “And girls. I hear you and Autumn are taking the plunge this weekend.”
“We are. Tomorrow afternoon. I couldn’t be happier about it.”
“The town thinks a lot of Joe and Meg Sutherland and their three children. You, too, Dr. Carson. We couldn’t be more pleased to have Triple H here in Hawthorne.”
His eyes returned to the field for the first play of the fourth quarter. Fred dropped back to pass, and Eli shouted at the teenager, who didn’t see the defensive player barreling toward him from Fred’s right. Just as Fred released the ball, he was hit hard, going down and hitting the ground.
He did not move.
Immediately, Eli sprinted onto the field, medical bag in hand, closely followed by the Hawks’ athletic trainer and his cadre of student assistants. As Eli knelt at Fred’s side, he heard the fans erupting in cheers, but he blocked out the noise, focusing solely on his patient.
“Can you hear me, Fred?”
The teenager opened his eyes and looked at Eli. “Did we score?” he asked.
“I have no idea. You’ve likely had a concussion, Fred. We need to get you off the field and talk to you and your parents about what happens next. First, let me ask. Do you have a headache?”
“A big one. I also feel like I’m going to barf.”
“Barfing is allowed,” Eli said good-naturedly. “A double vision? Ears ringing? Dizziness?”
Fred frowned, thinking. “A little bit of dizziness. I can see and hear fine, though.”
“Did you lose consciousness?”
“I don’t think so. I just went down hard. I closed my eyes. That’s all. The lights feel kinda bright.”