It was after eleven when the Andersons pulled into their driveway. Laura had been dropped off at her car in the hospital parking lot, and Steve had agreed to spend another night in Gwen's bed, without the pleasure of Gwen's presence. Steve had just nicely crawled into bed when he felt someone sit on the mattress near his head.
"Gwen? Is something wrong? Your dad wouldn't like you being in here. What is it?" asked Steve with concern.
"You're my boyfriend and I don't know anything about you. I just learned that you were in Afghanistan, and in a shootout with Taliban. I never dreamed you could've been in anything like that. I need you to tell me everything about your life. Will you be totally honest with me from now on?" asked Gwen quietly.
"Yes, I will. I realize that I've kept things to myself. It's a habit I've gotten into the past year or so. I've been alone a lot. I didn't know how you'd feel about that war story and kept putting off telling you, replied Steve. "I don't think this is a good time, or place to go into my life story. Your dad has some strong feelings about my behavior toward you. Having you alone in a bedroom with me, in the dark, at midnight sure doesn't fit with what he expects."
"You're not really afraid of my dad! You're way bigger and stronger than he is. That night he socked you, it looked like you hardly felt it. Why do you pretend to worry so about my father?"
"I don't pretend to worry. I do worry. He's your father. That means he deserves my respect. I would never go against him physically, no matter how many times he struck me. I like him, his way of caring for his family, and his love for his wife and kids. Your dad is the head of the family, even if you girls run all over him. That's because he allows it. If something serious came up, your father would take full control of the situation. You have a wonderful family, Gwen. Your mom and sisters are the best, but never sell your dad short. He's a man that takes his responsibilities seriously. I fear his anger, as well as respect his authority."
"Wow! I wouldn't have ever guessed that you thought my dad was such a good guy," admitted Gwen. "He sure put you through the wringer that first time you came to pick me up. Mom said later that if a boy is serious, he'll put up with almost anything the girl's father throws at him. I guess you must be very serious. I'll just give my boyfriend a goodnight kiss and leave. It's hard to believe that I'm really your girlfriend."
"It's hard for me to get my head around it, too. You're amazing. Give me that kiss and go dream about me; like I will about you."
Gwen leaned down and held her lips to Steve's for a few tantalizing seconds. "Time for bed, Young Lady," came Paula's voice from the dark doorway. "And that means Lisa's bed tonight. Good night, Steve."
Gwen drove Steve to the hospital the next morning and assisted Laura in preparing Steve for the needed stitches. Then she watched as Laura carefully sewed Steve's cuts closed. "You both understand that this really should have been done a couple days ago? However, having the state title in Sparta required that we postpone it. That was a great game. People are still all excited about it.
"Notice how close together I'm making the sutures. We don't want Steve to walk around like Frankenstein or something out of the 'Walking Dead', do we?" asked Laura rhetorically. "He should be totally healed in a few weeks with very little scarring, if any. Compared to the bullet holes here in his arm and hip, they'll look great.
"You kids have done a wonderful job promoting the hospital fund. We're getting calls about it now. We're setting up an account for the donations, and we'll acknowledge that they are a result of the senior class' efforts. You'll be able to add them to your class total. I'm becoming a minor celebrity just from being near you two. Do you think Coach Watkins would go to the Governor's Ball with me?" blurted Laura.
"You need to ask him, but I'd think he'd be delighted to attend an important even with a beautiful, single doctor on his arm," replied Gwen. "You're an M.D. Don't tell me that you're shy?"
"I'm not shy, but I've had some less than successful relationships. I want to do better than I did and I worry that asking the guy out will make me look desperate. It's not good for a woman to look too needy. Can you help me, Steve?"
"Sure, I'll see him today and plant the seed. He'll think it was his idea and be delighted when you accept his request for a date. I'll get him to ask you out on a date and let it take its natural course from there to a romantic night in the state capitol after the Inaugural Ball," grinned Steve.
"Do you think yelling at him to get his head out of his ass will make a difference," questioned Laura. "I was a bit harsh."
"Are you kidding? He's a football coach. You were speaking his language. If anything, it'll help your cause!" laughed Steve.
Sparta decided to hold a victory rally Sunday in the relatively safe confines of the school gym. When all the bleachers were extended and folding chairs set up on the floor, there was seating for several thousand. By noon Sunday, the gym was packed. Upon their arrival, Steve and Gwen were ushered to a small stage set up at center court. Most of the football team was already there and those they weren't, soon filed in. The festivities began shortly after noon with the principal leading the Pledge of Allegiance. He then turned the microphone over to Coach Watkins.
"Thank you everyone for coming out to show your support for the State Champions! The first order of business; however is to give the microphone to Edward and Barbara Tucker. They have something they'd like to tell us," stated Coach Watkins as Ed and Barbara Tucker worked their way to the stage.
"Everyone here knows what happened the other day," began an emotional Ed Tucker. "Our two kids were in a car submerged in the icy waters of Emerson River. They could have died. They would have died if not for the heroic efforts of Steve Hammer and Gwen Anderson. What they did was incredible! We have no wish to embarrass them with all kinds of praise and promises, but we, my wife and I, are indebted to them. We will never forget that. If our kids grow up to be like them, we'll be the happiest couple on the planet. Thanks, guys!"
The couple then walked over to Steve and Gwen and embraced them as the crowd cheered and whistled. Gwen and both Tuckers frequently wiped tears from their cheeks as they waved to the crowd. Steve somehow managed to keep his composure.
"Thank you, Ed and Barbara Tucker! That was an afternoon that none of us in attendance will ever forget. Now I want to introduce to you the person that was awarded the game ball for the Sparta State Championship game. This is awarded to the person the team feels did the most to help the team win the game. This vote was unanimous. The game ball goes to Gwen Anderson!" announced Coach Watkins as he held the ball in the air and waved Gwen to the microphone as the assembled fans hollered their approval.
"Thank you!" shouted Gwen to the wildly cheering crowd. She repeated it several times until the crowd began to quiet. "I've been given this tremendous honor because I helped the real hero of the game out of a tough situation last Thursday. He's the guy that led the team on 'The Drive', and threw 'The Pass' in the last seconds of the game. I'm just a girl that wasn't willing to give up her first boyfriend without a struggle."
The crowd roared with laughter at Gwen's remark. "Thanks so much for this honor. I realize how much it means to the team. Believe me when I tell you it means a great deal to me as well. What's most important is that those kids are okay, and that Steve is doing fine. Winning the state title is icing on the cake. Way to go, Sparta!!"
It took a few minutes for the coach to quiet the crowd down. He called each team member's name and asked if they wanted to speak. Several players advanced to the microphone to say a few words. Many were intimidated by the size of the crowd and said very little. Tyler Smith was a different story. When asked if he wanted to speak to the crowd, he strode forward to the front of the stage. Then he slowly raised his shirt so all could see his stomach. Just above his navel was a round purple looking bruise about as big around as a baseball. It took a few seconds for the crowd to realize what they were looking at before cheers and whistles erupted anew.
"Don't try to tell me that was an easy play!" hollered Tyler to the crowd. "If anyone here ever wants to try catching a Steve Hammer bullet pass, I'll help set it up for you!"
Finally, Coach Watkins asked Steve to come to the front and say a few words. Steve grinned and waved as the fans once again sounded their approval. He gathered his thoughts for a few seconds and then began.
"When I came to Sparta last summer, my goal was simply to get to play football on a regular team. I never had that chance before. I've played a lot with friends of my father's, and other service kids, but never in a real game with uniforms and equipment," admitted Steve as he considered his past. "Eventually, I came to realize that I was really hoping to find here was something entirely different. I wanted a hometown, a place I can tell people that I'm from. I wanted to be able to know kids, teachers, and parents. I wanted to be a normal kid with a normal life. I especially wanted to make some friends, some people with families that would accept me and make me part of their families. I didn't want to be alone anymore. This town, this school, these guys on the team, these teachers, and these students have been great to me. I feel like I've finally come home! Thank you Sparta! Thank you Billy and Gwen for pulling me out of that river Thursday. Thanks to everyone that's allowed me into their lives, and into their families. It means more to me than I can ever say."
Steve quickly wiped his cheeks with the back of his hands and moved to go back and stand beside Gwen. Gwen rushed into his arms and hugged him as the crowd once again cheered loudly. More than a few players on the stage found their eyes watering. Most of the ladies in the crowd and more than a few of the men had to blow their noses and dab at their eyes.
"That pretty well concludes our festivities here today," announce Coach Watkins once the din had lessened. "I'm proud of these kids and this school. No one thought we had a chance to even win the league, but we went all the way! Thanks everyone for all of the support throughout the season, and especially in the championship game. You're the reason we were able to do it! Thanks, and as you leave, check out the trophy case in the lobby!"
As the crowd began to leave and the players climbed down from the small stage, Steve approached his coach. "I have it from some pretty reliable sources that the single, and very attractive, Dr. Laura Masters would love for you to repay her efforts for the team with an expensive dinner at a nice romantic restaurant. If you want her to help next year, you'd better treat her right, Coach. Here's her phone number," added Steve as he handed a small slip of paper to his coach. "Call her soon, or she'll be all over my case."
