Chapter 37, enjoy! This chapter is a whole new storyline to add to the multitude of storylines already. It's also kind of an odd ball chapter (but will eventually tie in), so I posted it by its self.
Jess Merriweather rode in the elevator of the AT&T stadium with a handful of strangers. She huddled into her own little corner away from the other people riding, who she guessed to be suite occupants. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open revealing the suite floor.
She waited for everyone else to exit the elevator before she too exited. She walked down the hallway searching for the suite reserved for player's wives and families. Jess entered the room and suddenly felt out of place, as usual.
Jess was wearing a simple Dallas Cowboys t-shirt and denim capri pants with her hair wavy black hair pulled up in a cute ponytail. She wasn't out of place necessarily for her outfit, but more for her accessories. Jess had a simple wristlet filled with her drivers license and some cash, the other women had fancy Coach or Louis Vuitton purses and sported flashy diamond rings.
She loved that Vince was getting to live his dream of being an NFL star, but Jess hated sitting with the other wives who boasted about being stay at home moms and getting to spend all their time with their kids.
Jess scanned the room for an empty seat and found one beside a bleach blonde woman she hadn't seen in the suite during previous seasons.
"Hello," The woman greeted Jess when she sat down beside her.
"Hi," Jess replied with her signature smile. "Mind if I sit here?"
"Not at all! I'm Hallie Miller," The woman introduced herself. "The new trade, Mike Miller's wife."
"I am Jess Merriwether," Jess replied.
"And which player are you related toto?" Hallie curiously asked.
"I am Vince Howard's girlfriend," Jess responded.
"Oh, ok!" Hallie replied. "I hadn't seen you at any games so far, so I wasn't sure who you were connected to," Hallie explained.
"Yeah, I work here in Dallas so I haven't been able to go to any away games, and this is just the first home game," Jess informed. Most Sunday nights this season, Jess had been able to watch from the comfort of her own home in her pjs as she worked on scouting reports for her players.
"That's cool, what do you do for a living?" Hallie asked. Jess knew this question would be coming. Jess loves and is proud of what she does, but other people didn't always react politely about Jess being a female pursuing a man's career.
"I am the assistant defensive coordinator at North Dallas High," Jess answered.
"Wow, so you are a football coach?"
"Yes," Jess confirmed.
"That is.. wow.. that is really cool. I have never heard of a female football coach." There it was, there was the punch to Jess's gut that happened every time she told someone about her career.
"Yeah, I always loved the game of football and the football coach at my high school let me on as an equipment manager and later let me help with the team some," Jess replied.
"So where did you go to high school?" Hallie questioned, Jess got the feeling that she picked a very nosey person to sit by.
"Dillon."
"Texas?"
"Yes."
"Like THE Dillon, Texas. The one that won so many high school football championships?"
"Yeah, that Dillon," Jess chuckled.
"Mike always talks about how his agent tells him how amazing that football program is in Dillon. His agent, Jason Street, went to high school there, did you two go to high school together?" Hallie asked.
"No, Jason was a couple years older than me. I did hear an awful lot about him though, he was a huge star in Dillon before he broke his neck."
"That is what I've heard. It's devastating that his whole career ended, because I'm sure he would have had a really bright future."
"Yes, he would have."
"So, where did you and Vince meet?"
"High school."
"Oh, so you and Vince both went to Dillon High?"
"Technically East Dillon. They divided the town into two my freshman year and we both got zoned to East Dillon, but later the two football teams combined because of budget cuts."
"Wow, cool," Hallie replied. "I fee like I've really gotten to know you." Well you should really know me know because you asked me every question under the sun, Jess thought.
"Oh look! The game is starting," Jess stated, noticing the players making their way onto the field, hoping to draw the attention away from her personal life.
Nearly every TV in Dillon and several more across the nation tuned in to watch the Dallas Cowboys play on Sunday nights, and tonight was no different.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, we'll see how this storyline plays into the rest of the story ;)