Disclaimer: I don't own the Ducks. Only Bella, Jonson, Emily and Alex, bobcatwriter owns Treban, Ms Gables, Steven and most of the people from Lakeside
August 28th, 1998 Adam's POV
Today was the day, I was being released from the psychiatric hospital. I was afraid that I would have been bounced to another facility in another state, to finish my recovery from both the Bulimia and the Cutting. I haven't done either since I went into the hospital. Actually I haven't cut in over 6 months. And I haven't made myself sick since July 3rd, 8 weeks today. I had learned from Coach and Ms. MacKay that I would be returning to Lakeside Academy once I was released from the hospital.
I had put on a good 15 pounds again and I was scared that I was going to balloon back up to 229 or more. But after the MRI Imagineing both Dr. Jobman and Dr. Caseman said that I was regrowing my kidney and liver that had been ate away from me being stupid. I asked them about my heart and they said that they did not know, if it would regrow back and I was rebuilding the muscle tone in my arms and legs. Once I build enough muscle I would be able to burn some of the remaining fat that is bad for me and yet keep the fat that I need to keep me healthy and alive. I would need to make changes to my diet and exercise program which meant start working out with weights.
I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to do this back at Lakeside because of there lack of weight equipment in there gym. Luckily the physical therapist gave me lots of ideas of what I could do to lift "weights" without buying real weights. I would have to borrow a couple of full gallons of milk to use them to pump iron. I would start with one full gallon of milk which weighed about 8 pounds and work my way up to lifting a hay bail which weighed about 50 to 60 pounds. I could have also used a container of milk that was used and about to be tossed out and put water in it and reseal the gallon up.
I was ready to go home, I mean back to Lakeside. Coach had managed to get me out of the hospital that morning. I needed to see the dentist to find out what kind of damage I had done to my teeth from when I was stupid and to get my tux from the tux shop. Because get this Coach was getting married to Michele MacKay, tomorrow. Eleanor Bombay and Mr. and Mrs. MacKay had made the trip to California to witness this occasion. I was going to be coach's best man, Hans was going to be a cute ring boy. Mr. Tibbles was even coming to the wedding.
"Coach, what about the ducks? Aren't they coming?" I asked while we were on our way to the dentist office.
"Unfortunately, no. Because they started school on Monday and Eden Hall would not let them come. But don't worry about it, Michelle and I have plans to really make it official when we move back to Minneapolis next summer. Actually it will probably not be next summer but the summer after you kids graduate from Eden Hall. We are going to throw as Portman calls one kick ass party," Coach said.
"Wait, we are moving back to Minneapolis next summer? I thought we were moving back in January?" I asked.
"Well because of your hospitalitization's your stay at Lakeside has been extended 6 months. Dr. Freeman didn't feel comfortable with releasing you in January with only 9 months of continuous therapy with them. They wanted to make sure that you were really ready to get out into the real world, since you would be dealing with senior year and the rest of your life. I hope your not mad," Coach said.
"So I will graduate from Lakeside when?" I asked.
"July 6th, 1999, and then we will have a week here in California to pack up and then we are moving back to Minneapolis the following week. You will start at Eden Hall as a senior," Gordon said.
"I will be a senior? Meaning they are going to be taking my credits from Lakeside Academy? I will get to graduate with Bella and the Ducks?" I asked.
"Yep you might have a little more homework then the rest of the students at Lakeside to get you caught up to Eden Hall's Standards. But that will be okay, Right?" Coach asked.
"Yeah, that would be okay. As long as I graduate with my sister at the end," I said.
"Good, then comes the one thing that' he shuddered, 'you would have to learn," Coach said.
"What's that Coach?" I asked.
"Teaching you how to drive," Coach said.
"That's right, I turn 16 in less than a month. Bella will have a driver's license before I will," I said.
"I know that's a scary thought you kids out on the road," Coach said.
"You know what is going to be even scarier, when Hans is driving," I said.
"Oh GOD, I'm going to be an old man at that point. I am going to be older than my father was," Coach said.
"What happened to your dad?" I asked.
Coach hesitated before he said, "Car accident, He was driving home from work in a blizzard, a semi-tractor trailer side swiped him, and the car hit a tree. He died instantly, a snow plough driver found him about an hour after he died. He didn't believe in seat belts. Does it make sense as to why I insist you kids have your seatbelt on in the car?"
"Yeah," I said as I was tightening my seatbelt.
"God, I will never forget that night," Coach said as he was pulling into a parking spot at the dentist.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Well we had been released from school at noon for a snow day, my mom came and picked me up. I had begged and begged her to let me go out onto the ice behind our house let me play hockey in snow. She finally gave in at about 4 o'clock and said fine go! It was snowing great big huge flakes. I was called into the house at 5:30 for dinner. Dad hadn't come home yet. He called and said that he was on his way an hour earlier mom said. So, we ate dinner without him. I sat down and did my homework in living room after dinner that night. Then I noticed a cop car pulling into the driveway, with its lights flashing. The police officer comes to the door. I of course answer it, he says I need to speak to Mrs. Eleanor Bombay. I invited him in from the cold. Mom asks him to come to into the living room. He tells us that Gregory Bombay, my dad, was in an accident that evening. My mom asks is he okay? The cop says no, Mrs. Bombay. Your husband has died. That crumpled mom like that," Coach said as he snapped his fingers.
"Wow," I said.
"I had taken off to Han's shop, mom didn't even know I was gone. I was crying when I walked into the back door of the shop. Jan was working in the front while Han's was in the back, sharpening skates. I told Han's what had happened. He and Jan closed the shop early for the evening. They took me back home. Hans was comforting mom and Jan put me to bed. Both of them were rocks for mom and I during those first six months after dad died. Everyone came dad's funeral, even Jack Reilly," Coach said.
"Wow," I said.
Coach gulped before he said, " I quit hockey, the year dad died. Mom had to sell the house before Christmas that year. That was hard moving out of the house I spent 10 years in on Thanksgiving weekend. She said she couldn't bear to live in the house, much longer. We rented homes for the rest of my growing up years. I started working in Hans and Jan's shop at age 12. At fourteen I got enrolled to Eden Hall Academy, fell in love with debate, was captain my senior year. I didn't even want anything to do with hockey,' Coach laughed, 'Your not even going to believe this, but when I was going there I even debated with the school board to terminate the hockey program at Eden Hall."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because of my bad memories with it, I couldn't stand to be around it. That and Eden Hall Varsity Hockey Team was not very good in those days. That was before Coach Wilson took over and the team became what it is today," Coach said.
"Wow," I said.
"Yeah, I still can't listen to Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay, without thinking of my dad. Well let's go find out about your teeth. Shall we?" Coach said. We got out of the car and walked into the dentist's office.
I was scared about what the dentist would say so I had Coach come back with me. He even made me smile when the dental hygienist left when he said, "Hey Adam look a drill." Then he started to make a drill noise, while poking the side of me. How I would have given anything for coach to be my dad. As much as I loved Ollie and Bella, I wished that Coach was our dad. I think we would have had a lot more fun growing up. At least I would have known what it would have been like to wrestle with a dad. My father would not want to wrestle, said it was beneath the Banks family to be doing something so barbaric. The dentist said that I was lucky, I only had 1 cavity and the enamel was wearing away from my teeth. I would have to return to the dentist the next week to get that cavity filled. As long as I didn't throw up anymore, continually I should have no problems, After that I was to return to the dentist every 3 months to have a check-up for the next two years.
After the dentist and getting our tuxes it was time to go home for dinner that night, I was glad to have my freedom back. I called Bella and the Ducks, and we talked for a long time that night. They were going to throw their annual house party the next night, after Coach and Michele tied the knot.
A/N: What did you think? Credit of course to bobcatwriter. What would you like to see in the Banks' future? Let me know and we'll see.
