AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. It involves both real and fictional people and organizations. It is not necessarily an accurate depiction of how the real people depicted are in real life. The real people used are mainly background characters there for context. The central characters to the story are primarily fictional. Any portrayal of a real person has an element of fiction to it and is in no way meant to be an accurate representation of that person.
This story plays out similarly to a sports movie, and sports movies are my primary inspiration. I set the story around an NFL team, specifically the Miami Dolphins. I am basing the team loosely off the 2015 team, including the roster and list of opponents, but some players and coaches - and the schedule itself - will be fictional.
Also, this story depicts very rough sex and a lot of crass language. If you are offended by that or do not wish to read about such topics, I suggest you stop reading now.
Furthermore, this is the third installment of a four-part story. I will get the stories out as quickly as I can. Enjoy.
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(November 10, lunchtime, Beacon Hill Elementary, Miami Gardens, FL)
I half expect my phone to ring while I'm eating lunch - today it's from a taco truck that's surprisingly close to my daughter's school - but the call I get today catches me way off guard. That's because it's not from a coach or even a player - I guess the good news is that my starting left guard didn't break his ankle slipping on an oil slick or something.
It's much worse - it's the secretary at Isabelle's school. I recognize the number.
"Mr. Garrett?" she begins - no one I ever want to speak to addresses me as Mr. Garrett. Even Isabelle's friends all call me Coach. So right away, my mind goes straight to oh-shit mode. "I'm sorry; I know you're busy, but I need you to come get Isabelle. She's been extremely disruptive."
I'm not an emotional guy, but as I drive over to the school, every emotion overcomes me - sadness that my daughter's acting up, occasionally overcome with anger, a sense of revenge to whatever little bastard put her up to it, but above all else, just a profound sense of confusion.
I know Isabelle's in a bad mood - and I think I can trace it to yesterday. Gretchen and Crystal seemed pretty happy that Aisha's a part of my life now. Isabelle? She's barely said three words to me since then. She didn't eat any pizza, instead picking at the same piece of garlic bread the whole evening. I know the whole Aisha thing is bothering her. I'm just not sure why - or what it has to do with this.
So I sign in and make my way to the office - go figure; she's waiting, her head slumping, while the principal awaits. I take a seat, a little unsure of why I'm here. Isabelle doesn't even look up.
"Thank you for coming in, Mr. Garrett," the principal begins - again, a reminder that I don't want to be here any more than Isabelle does. "Normally Isabelle's a great student, but today something's wrong. She's been talking back to her teacher all day, and she got into a shouting match with a few other children on the playground. From what I heard, she used some inappropriate words to describe another child."
I guess I have to put on my dad hat. I turn my chair toward my daughter. "Isabelle, can you tell me what you said?" No really, I need to know.
She doesn't answer me, just angling her head even more. I repeat my request - nothing. Now I'm mad. "Isabelle Lurleen Garrett, you tell me right now what-"
"I called her a fucking bitch, OK?" she shouts - middle name works every time. Granted, she hates her middle name - to be honest, I hate it too, seeing as how Andrea insisted on it when she was born - but whatever works. "I called her a fucking bitch because she is one!"
The principal tries to interject - I put up my hand to stop him. It actually works - may have to do with the fact that I'm 6'5" and ripped. "Can you tell me why she's a bitch?"
"Because she threw a banana peel at me and told me to give it to your girlfriend." Wow, good news travels fast. I look over at the principal - clearly he's unaware of that part of the story, and if he has any sense, he'll agree that this girl got off easy just being called a bitch. He wastes no time - that girl's in the office within minutes.
She knows exactly why she's in the office right away - and it seems to be everything she can do not to piss herself. I'm not here to make mincemeat out of a fifth-grade girl, though, but I admire Isabelle's restraint in not doing so.
I'll try not to act like I'm in some kind of after-school special here, but the last time I had to deal with a racist shithead, it ended up just being a matter of calling the front office, cutting his racist ass, and letting him self-destruct on his own. But Ronnie Vickers is probably beyond help.
She sits down - turns out her name is Brooke. "Brooke, Isabelle told me what you said to her-"
"Look, I'm sorry, OK?" she snaps. "I didn't mean it. Some kids put me up to it." And with that, I let the principal handle it from there because this is a much bigger issue than just one girl and a banana peel. "And Isabelle spit at me." I give Isabelle a hard look - turns out the spit didn't land and Brooke retaliated in kind. Yeah, they're both getting detention - and Isabelle's getting a talking-to.
I ask the principal to excuse us to what appears to be a small conference room - Isabelle follows, slightly less angry.
"Look, sweetheart," I exasperate, "I know you're upset. And I know Aisha has something to do with that. What's going on?"
At least she doesn't expect me to get back with Andrea. "I don't need another stepparent who doesn't care about me," she blurts. "I thought I was the most important girl to you."
"You are," I immediately reply. "And I don't want to bring just anybody around you."
"She's like a princess, Dad," she seethes. "What happens when she expects me to wear dresses and paint my nails like Eddie does? Mom was cool until she started dating Eddie."
And there it is - Isabelle sees Aisha and thinks Eddie. Thankfully I don't - Aisha's far more attractive, for one. And smarter. And classier. And more steadily employed. And she doesn't smell bad. And she's-never mind.
I sigh, a little unsure how to answer. "I get it," I open - I only kind of get it, but let's go with it. "But I promise, Aisha's not like Eddie. She won't expect you to wear dresses or paint your nails or stop playing basketball." And if she does. well, she can stop dating me. "I wouldn't date her if I didn't trust her."