I'm back for chapter 2! Glad you all liked the first one. Please R&R on this on too! Thanx!
"OK boys call it a day, go get changed." Boone says after blowing his whistle "Cheryl you go home with Bertier, your daddy wants you too OK?"
"All right Coach" Cheryl answers
Inside the locker room. Boone hangs up the phone and stops Gerry and Julius before they left.
"Bertier take Cheryl over to the hospital will you? That's where Coach Yoast is now."
"Why is he there? Is Leigh OK? What happened?" Gerry asks
"Bertier I don't know anything, Coach Yoast called and asked if you would take Cheryl over there"
"OK coach, come on lets go Julius" Bertier and Cambell leave the locker room.
"Cheryl come on we're going to take you to Coach now OK?" Bertier calls out to Cheryl
"Where's coach?" She asks bounding down the bleachers
Gerry opens the car door and lets her in "He's at the hospital"
"How come?"
"He'll tell you when we get there." Gerry shuts the door and goes around to the drivers side as Julius climbs in next to him. Gerry starts the car and Sunshine runs over.
"Hey man can I come, I feel like I should be there."
"Yea get in"
Sunshine climbs in and they drive to the hospital
************
"Coach!" Cheryl calls when the four of them walk in the main entrance
"Hey sweetie, thanks Gerry for bringing her over."
"No problem coach, how's Leigh?"
"She'll be fine, they're keeping her overnight, she isn't talking much though, she has two broken ribs and some bruising" He says in a hushed voice so Cheryl can't hear.
"Is Leigh OK coach?" Cheryl asks worried "Can I see her?"
"Cheryl we need to talk before we go in and see Leigh ok?" Cheryl nods her head yes.
"Uh if it's ok with you, can we go on in?" Gerry asks
"Yea sure boys go ahead" Coach Yoast waves them on
***************
"Hey Leigh" Gerry says when as he along with Julius and Sunshine walk in.
She looks over, silent her eyes showing the pain she is in.
"I'm real sorry Leigh, but we had to tell coach and I had to tell the guys, what if you had gotten more hurt?"
She is still silent not really looking at them anymore either.
Julius clears his throat "Uh Leigh, it's hard to go through something like this and it's even worse to live through it afterwards, but talking does help, so does being around people who care about you."
Leigh closes her eyes as though considering the idea, then opens them and says "You guys should all go home, you got a big game tomorrow you need your rest."
"I can take a hint" Sunshine says getting up "I'll be back to see you soon ok? And I expect you to talk to me" He smiles
"Same goes for me" Julius claims
Gerry follows them out "Hey guys do you have a way to get home I want to…"
"Hey sure superman go for it, I'll see you tomorrow bro all right?"
"Yea man no problem" Sunshine adds
"Thanks Julius see ya tomorrow, later Sunshine"
Gerry goes back into her room.
"I though you left" She says quietly
Gerry comes over to her "No I didn't"
"Why not, why bother staying, I'm not the best company"
"Sure you are. Who wouldn't want to sit around in a hospital with a pretty girl who loves football" Leigh smiles " I saw that Leigh, you smiled."
"Yea I guess I did"
"So how are you holding up?"
"Honestly?" She asks
"Yea"
"Not good and I hate how everyone wants me to talk about it" She says a little pointedly
"Ok I can take a hint" Gerry smiles "So what do you want to talk about?"
Leigh looks thoughtful a moment "You know I was thinking if Coach Boone had an extra practice during the week or a longer one every once in a while, the team would be a lot stronger."
"Make sure you don't mention that to coach he may actually take you up on that! How bout something other then football?"
"Other then football? That's my life Gerry" Leigh jokes
"Well what about going out tomorrow after the game? Or maybe Sunday since I don't think you're supposed to rest."
"Yea I am, but Sunday would be nice if coach lets me out, he worries so much about me and Cheryl, now he just going worry more, but it's good to know someone cares bout me"
"Yea coach is good like that, "
"So why don't you have a girlfriend? Captain of the football team, and no girl? It's unheard of" Leigh jokes
"Yea well we broke up, the race thing made it difficult to have a relationships we were going in two different directions."
"I hate the "race thing" it's so messed up we're all people, Although I didn't always feel that way, but I don't even think twice about black or white now"
"Yea, I used to, too. It was camp that changed everything" Gerry admits
"Coach Boone knew what he was doing up there. He is a very smart man" Leigh says
"So you've talked to him before? I still can't believe I never saw you up at camp"
"Yea I have, and I was around a little, Gettysburg college was right by my old house, I was at camp as often as I could."
"So you could be with coach and not your dad?" Gerry asks
"Yea"
Gerry looks down a minute as though searching for words.
"You can ask"
"Ask what?" He questions confused
"What's gonna happen to my daddy. Coach said he is gonna go there to make it all legal for him to be my guardian, then it will be ok"
"Will it work?"
"Course it will, you have to be more optimistic, I'm not worried bout it"
"But what if he does? I mean don't you have to go to court and stuff like that?"
Someone in the door clears there throat, Leigh and Gerry look up, to see a serious Coach Yoast and Cheryl with tears on her face.
"Oh Cheryl don't cry" Leigh says to Cheryl as she goes to her
Cheryl sits on the bed "Does it hurt lots?" She asks quietly
"Not at all, takes a lot more to bring me down" Leigh assures her.
"Gerry can I see you outside?" Coach asks
"Sure" They go outside "Coach what's up?"
"Listen, Leigh is playing this down, so she wont have to show how scared she is, or how much pain she is in. She always tried to be strong, was my brother's fault he always told her to grow up and be strong, I have to leave tomorrow, go to court to get custody of Leigh. I don't want to leave her and Cheryl alone but I can't take them with me either."
"What are you saying coach?" Gerry asks confused
"I talked to your mother, she agreed to let them stay at your house. I'm leaving tomorrow after the game, she'll be at your house by then, I arranged for someone to bring her over, then you'll bring Cheryl home with you."
"It's ok coach, I'll make sure Cheryl is ok" Gerry assures him
"It's not so much Cheryl that I'm worried about. Leigh wont ever tell you if she's hurting or anything, so I have no idea what's going on with her. I may be gone for the weekend maybe more if the case drags out."
"Don't worry coach, it'll be fine"
Yoast thinks a minute "Yea it will ok, why don't you go on home and get rested up. I'll see you tomorrow"
"All right coach, tell Leigh I said good-night"
****************
"Good game boys. Good teamwork, all right let's go shower now" Boone shouts over the cheers of the team as they put away another win.
Coach Yoast is off to the side with Cheryl who looks upset. Then she hugs coach and he heads off to his car.
*************
"Hey Cheryl you ready to go?" Gerry says when he is all showered
"Yea I am" She answers following him to his camaro
"Hey Bertier you coming to celebrate tonight?" Petey shouts
"No man I got to go home" He calls back
"What? You ain't partying tonight?" Louie asks in mock shock
"Nah, Leigh is back at my house, you guys want to come over later?"
"Sure man we'll catch up with you" Rev agrees
******************
"Hey mom? You home?" Gerry asks coming into his house
"In the kitchen" His mom calls back
"Hey mom" he says putting his stuff down. "Where's Leigh?"
"Hello Cheryl, you hungry dear? "
"Yea ma'am" Cheryl answers
She's in the guest room, she might be sleeping, bring this food to her, she needs to eat."
Mrs. Berteir say to Gerry
"All right mom"
*************
"Hey Leigh you awake?"
"Uh huh" She mumbles sitting up
"Hey be careful" he says helping her up
"I'm fine. So how was the game?"
"You really do only think about football huh?"
"I said I did" She smiles coyly "Now tell me about it"
"All right, we were up in the first half…….."
He continues his story, now we go to where Coach Yoast is…
****************
"You cannot give my brother full custody of MY daughter" Seth Yoast (his bro of course) shouts
"Mr. Yoast sit down now" The judge says angrily "Mr. Bill Yoast? You say you will take full care of her and be completely responsible for Leigh Yoast?"
"Yes sir" Coach Yoast answers
"Seth Yoast we have no evidence you physically abused Leigh but we have evidence you ignored her and mistreated her as a person, so Leigh Yoast will be in full custody of Bill Yoast, court is adjourned
TBC"d the rest will be up soon Please R&R
(it will be about Leigh living permanently and adjusting to everything that has happened and romance between Leigh and Gerry)
"OK boys call it a day, go get changed." Boone says after blowing his whistle "Cheryl you go home with Bertier, your daddy wants you too OK?"
"All right Coach" Cheryl answers
Inside the locker room. Boone hangs up the phone and stops Gerry and Julius before they left.
"Bertier take Cheryl over to the hospital will you? That's where Coach Yoast is now."
"Why is he there? Is Leigh OK? What happened?" Gerry asks
"Bertier I don't know anything, Coach Yoast called and asked if you would take Cheryl over there"
"OK coach, come on lets go Julius" Bertier and Cambell leave the locker room.
"Cheryl come on we're going to take you to Coach now OK?" Bertier calls out to Cheryl
"Where's coach?" She asks bounding down the bleachers
Gerry opens the car door and lets her in "He's at the hospital"
"How come?"
"He'll tell you when we get there." Gerry shuts the door and goes around to the drivers side as Julius climbs in next to him. Gerry starts the car and Sunshine runs over.
"Hey man can I come, I feel like I should be there."
"Yea get in"
Sunshine climbs in and they drive to the hospital
************
"Coach!" Cheryl calls when the four of them walk in the main entrance
"Hey sweetie, thanks Gerry for bringing her over."
"No problem coach, how's Leigh?"
"She'll be fine, they're keeping her overnight, she isn't talking much though, she has two broken ribs and some bruising" He says in a hushed voice so Cheryl can't hear.
"Is Leigh OK coach?" Cheryl asks worried "Can I see her?"
"Cheryl we need to talk before we go in and see Leigh ok?" Cheryl nods her head yes.
"Uh if it's ok with you, can we go on in?" Gerry asks
"Yea sure boys go ahead" Coach Yoast waves them on
***************
"Hey Leigh" Gerry says when as he along with Julius and Sunshine walk in.
She looks over, silent her eyes showing the pain she is in.
"I'm real sorry Leigh, but we had to tell coach and I had to tell the guys, what if you had gotten more hurt?"
She is still silent not really looking at them anymore either.
Julius clears his throat "Uh Leigh, it's hard to go through something like this and it's even worse to live through it afterwards, but talking does help, so does being around people who care about you."
Leigh closes her eyes as though considering the idea, then opens them and says "You guys should all go home, you got a big game tomorrow you need your rest."
"I can take a hint" Sunshine says getting up "I'll be back to see you soon ok? And I expect you to talk to me" He smiles
"Same goes for me" Julius claims
Gerry follows them out "Hey guys do you have a way to get home I want to…"
"Hey sure superman go for it, I'll see you tomorrow bro all right?"
"Yea man no problem" Sunshine adds
"Thanks Julius see ya tomorrow, later Sunshine"
Gerry goes back into her room.
"I though you left" She says quietly
Gerry comes over to her "No I didn't"
"Why not, why bother staying, I'm not the best company"
"Sure you are. Who wouldn't want to sit around in a hospital with a pretty girl who loves football" Leigh smiles " I saw that Leigh, you smiled."
"Yea I guess I did"
"So how are you holding up?"
"Honestly?" She asks
"Yea"
"Not good and I hate how everyone wants me to talk about it" She says a little pointedly
"Ok I can take a hint" Gerry smiles "So what do you want to talk about?"
Leigh looks thoughtful a moment "You know I was thinking if Coach Boone had an extra practice during the week or a longer one every once in a while, the team would be a lot stronger."
"Make sure you don't mention that to coach he may actually take you up on that! How bout something other then football?"
"Other then football? That's my life Gerry" Leigh jokes
"Well what about going out tomorrow after the game? Or maybe Sunday since I don't think you're supposed to rest."
"Yea I am, but Sunday would be nice if coach lets me out, he worries so much about me and Cheryl, now he just going worry more, but it's good to know someone cares bout me"
"Yea coach is good like that, "
"So why don't you have a girlfriend? Captain of the football team, and no girl? It's unheard of" Leigh jokes
"Yea well we broke up, the race thing made it difficult to have a relationships we were going in two different directions."
"I hate the "race thing" it's so messed up we're all people, Although I didn't always feel that way, but I don't even think twice about black or white now"
"Yea, I used to, too. It was camp that changed everything" Gerry admits
"Coach Boone knew what he was doing up there. He is a very smart man" Leigh says
"So you've talked to him before? I still can't believe I never saw you up at camp"
"Yea I have, and I was around a little, Gettysburg college was right by my old house, I was at camp as often as I could."
"So you could be with coach and not your dad?" Gerry asks
"Yea"
Gerry looks down a minute as though searching for words.
"You can ask"
"Ask what?" He questions confused
"What's gonna happen to my daddy. Coach said he is gonna go there to make it all legal for him to be my guardian, then it will be ok"
"Will it work?"
"Course it will, you have to be more optimistic, I'm not worried bout it"
"But what if he does? I mean don't you have to go to court and stuff like that?"
Someone in the door clears there throat, Leigh and Gerry look up, to see a serious Coach Yoast and Cheryl with tears on her face.
"Oh Cheryl don't cry" Leigh says to Cheryl as she goes to her
Cheryl sits on the bed "Does it hurt lots?" She asks quietly
"Not at all, takes a lot more to bring me down" Leigh assures her.
"Gerry can I see you outside?" Coach asks
"Sure" They go outside "Coach what's up?"
"Listen, Leigh is playing this down, so she wont have to show how scared she is, or how much pain she is in. She always tried to be strong, was my brother's fault he always told her to grow up and be strong, I have to leave tomorrow, go to court to get custody of Leigh. I don't want to leave her and Cheryl alone but I can't take them with me either."
"What are you saying coach?" Gerry asks confused
"I talked to your mother, she agreed to let them stay at your house. I'm leaving tomorrow after the game, she'll be at your house by then, I arranged for someone to bring her over, then you'll bring Cheryl home with you."
"It's ok coach, I'll make sure Cheryl is ok" Gerry assures him
"It's not so much Cheryl that I'm worried about. Leigh wont ever tell you if she's hurting or anything, so I have no idea what's going on with her. I may be gone for the weekend maybe more if the case drags out."
"Don't worry coach, it'll be fine"
Yoast thinks a minute "Yea it will ok, why don't you go on home and get rested up. I'll see you tomorrow"
"All right coach, tell Leigh I said good-night"
****************
"Good game boys. Good teamwork, all right let's go shower now" Boone shouts over the cheers of the team as they put away another win.
Coach Yoast is off to the side with Cheryl who looks upset. Then she hugs coach and he heads off to his car.
*************
"Hey Cheryl you ready to go?" Gerry says when he is all showered
"Yea I am" She answers following him to his camaro
"Hey Bertier you coming to celebrate tonight?" Petey shouts
"No man I got to go home" He calls back
"What? You ain't partying tonight?" Louie asks in mock shock
"Nah, Leigh is back at my house, you guys want to come over later?"
"Sure man we'll catch up with you" Rev agrees
******************
"Hey mom? You home?" Gerry asks coming into his house
"In the kitchen" His mom calls back
"Hey mom" he says putting his stuff down. "Where's Leigh?"
"Hello Cheryl, you hungry dear? "
"Yea ma'am" Cheryl answers
She's in the guest room, she might be sleeping, bring this food to her, she needs to eat."
Mrs. Berteir say to Gerry
"All right mom"
*************
"Hey Leigh you awake?"
"Uh huh" She mumbles sitting up
"Hey be careful" he says helping her up
"I'm fine. So how was the game?"
"You really do only think about football huh?"
"I said I did" She smiles coyly "Now tell me about it"
"All right, we were up in the first half…….."
He continues his story, now we go to where Coach Yoast is…
****************
"You cannot give my brother full custody of MY daughter" Seth Yoast (his bro of course) shouts
"Mr. Yoast sit down now" The judge says angrily "Mr. Bill Yoast? You say you will take full care of her and be completely responsible for Leigh Yoast?"
"Yes sir" Coach Yoast answers
"Seth Yoast we have no evidence you physically abused Leigh but we have evidence you ignored her and mistreated her as a person, so Leigh Yoast will be in full custody of Bill Yoast, court is adjourned
TBC"d the rest will be up soon Please R&R
(it will be about Leigh living permanently and adjusting to everything that has happened and romance between Leigh and Gerry)