AUTHOR'S NOTES: I must admit that I do not know much about Baltimore, just that it's located in the center of Maryland and it's HOT in the summer. So I'm just reconstructing it from what I remember of my last visit…oh…(counts on fingers) nigh on eight years ago now.
A NEW LIFE – CHAPTER ONE – THE CALL
Gordon Bombay felt a small lump in his throat as he boarded the bus that would take him to try for minor league hockey team the Minnesota Waves. The Ducks, the peewee hockey team that he had coached for the season, stood on the sidewalk cheering him on.
A few months ago, Gordon had been a hotshot lawyer who'd never lost. He played hard, he played dirty, and he'd do absolutely anything to win a case. But, when arrested for drunk driving and slapped with a community service assignment, he had to coach a misfit group of peewee hockey players who'd never won. The team, known as District 5, was bad. They could not skate, they could not score, they could not win. Reluctantly, Gordon took the assignment and discovered there were more important things in life than winning. But District 5 couldn't do anything until they at least had decent equipment. Most of the kids were using bike or football helmets, they were all wearing old newspapers for shin pads, and they sure as heck didn't have uniforms. So Gordon had gone back to his firm and spoken with his boss, Mr. Ducksworth. Using his negotiating skills, he had convinced the firm to sponsor the team, and the team would be named after the firm.
So District 5 became the Ducks. And they became actual hockey players. Before they knew it, the team made the playoffs, where they had to battle the Hawks. Gordon had played for the Hawks when he was a kid, but he'd stopped after blowing the state championship game. Gordon still counted 1973 as the worst year of his life-his father had died of a heart attack just before Gordon's birthday, and Gordon had lost the state championship for his team. Since then, the Hawks were undefeated. But Gordon had a chance to end their championship streak, and he was going to. The Ducks flew through the playoffs, making it to second place behind the Hawks. Meaning that they would have to face the Hawks in the championship game.
Looking back on that game, Gordon thought it was great. But while the game was actually happening, his heart had been in his throat. The game had even come down to a penalty shot, just as Gordon's had twenty years ago. Gordon chose Charlie Conway to take the shot, and it went in. As soon as that puck hit the back of the net, he felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Now, thinking about the months he had spent with the Ducks, Gordon realized it was the best time of his life. He'd gotten his old love of the game back, aand he'd gotten to know a great bunch of kids. Charlie had become like a son to him, and in Charlie's mother Gordon had found his one shot at true love that hadn't ended in heartbreak. His last shot…well…he didn't want to think about that right now.
Gordon's pager vibrated, breaking him out of his reverie. Unclipping the small gray piece of plastic from his belt, he squinted to read the number. He didn't recognize it.
Hm…wonder who that could be. Gordon thought, putting the pager back on his belt. He'd have to call as soon as he got home.
Three hours later, Gordon stumbled into his apartment. What a test of endurance! He thought. Of course, he hadn't done any strenuous exercise in a long time. Every muscle in his body ached. He made his way to the couch and flopped down. No sooner had he made contact with the couch than his pager went off again. Groaning, Gordon checked the number. It was the same one he'd seen earlier. Pressing the "review" button, Gordon discovered that the number had also shown up on his pager four times while he was at tryouts.
Whoever this is must really want me to call him. He thought, forcing his body to the telephone and dialing the number. After one ring, a deep male voice answered, "Baltimore General Hospital Intensive Car Unit, this is Dr. Philip Dantzscher, may I help you?"
Huh? Gordon thought, looking at the number again. Baltimore?
"Hello?" The doctor on the other end asked.
"My name is Gordon Bombay." Gordon quickly identified himself. "Your number just showed up on my pager."
"Oh, Mr. Bombay." The doctor said. "I'm Dr. Philip Dantzscher, I work in the ICU at Baltimore General Hospital."
"Yes, you already mentioned that." Gordon said. "Dr. Dantzscher, are you sure you have the right number? I don't know anyone who lives in Baltimore."
"Please, call me Phil." Dr. Dantzscher said. "I have some…interesting…news to deliver. Did you ever know a young woman by the name of Ashley Heller?"
The name stabbed at Gordon like a sword, but he didn't let on. "I know an Ashley Heller in college." He said evenly. "Why?"
Phil cleared his throat. "How…well…did you know her?"
"We dated." Gordon said flatly.
"Did it ever go beyond that?" Phil continued the interrogation.
"You mean did I ever sleep with her?" Gordon asked testily.
"Well…yes." Phil said.
"Why are you asking me this?" Gordon asked. "What does it matter to you? Who are you?"
"I am Phil Dantzscher, a doctor in the ICU at Baltimore General Hospital." Phil said. "And I know it's embarrassing, but you need to answer the question."
Gordon could feel himself blushing to his hairline. "Yes, OK?" He said. "Now will you please tell me what is going on here?"
"Mr. Bombay, are you aware that Miss Heller had a daughter by you?" Phil asked.
"Yes." Gordon responded. Then suddenly it struck him. Had. "Had a daughter?" He asked. "What happened?"
"Miss Heller and her daughter, Kaley, were in a car accident last night." Phil said. "They were both brought here with very severe injuries. Miss Heller died just hours ago, right before I paged you the first time. Kaley is severely injured but will survive. Miss Heller had no living relatives and never made arrangements for Kaley should something like this happen, so you are Kaley's legal guardian by default."
Gordon took a moment to process the information. "You mean…I have to raise her?" He asked.
"Correct." Phil said. "Unless you refuse the guardianship, at which point Kaley will go to a foster home."
"No, no." Gordon said. "Doctor, are you sure you have the right Gordon Bombay?"
"There aren't many of you." Phil said. "Let's see here…is your full name Gordon Andrew Bombay?"
"It is." Gordon confirmed.
"Date of birth May 12, 1962 in Minneapolis, Minnesota?"
"Correct." Gordon said.
"Father Jeffrey Andrew Bombay, mother Janet Elizabeth Plank-Bombay?"
"Where did you get all this?" Gordon asked.
"Your birth certificate." Phil said.
"It's all true." Gordon said. "Is this a sick joke?"
"Far from it." Phil said. "Mr. Bombay, this is gravely serious. I need you out to Baltimore as fast as you can get here. You're still located in Minneapolis?"
"Yes, yes I am." Gordon said. "I can be on the next flight out, if you want."
"Good." Phil said. "In that case, I'll see you in about four hours."
"Right." Gordon said, hanging up the phone. His entire life had just been turned upside down. He was about to be reunited with the daughter he'd been estranged from for eleven years. And he had no idea what he was going to say to her.
On the three-hour flight to Baltimore, Gordon did some thinking. Part of him still thought this was one of his college buddies playing a sick prank on him. But he hadn't kept in touch with any of his college buddies, and none of them knew about this part of his life anyway. In fact, Gordon had never told anyone. He had avoided thinking about it for the past eleven years. It was just too painful.
Gordon and Ashley had met as freshmen in college. Looking back now, Gordon realized he'd never really loved her. It had just been a relationship, empty of anything real. But nevertheless, one night he convinced Ashley to sleep with him. One month later, he got the biggest surprise of his life.
"Gordon, I'm pregnant."
Eighteen-year-old Gordon Bombay looked up at his girlfriend, Ashley Heller. "You're what?" He asked in disbelief.
"I'm pregnant." Ashley repeated.
Gordon swallowed. "Is it…?"
"Yes, it's yours." Ashley said.
"It's mine." Gordon said, shaking his head in amazement. "I'm going to be a father."
Ashley cleared her throat. "Gordon," she said, "I don't want you to be a part of my baby's life."
Gordon felt like he'd just been kicked in the stomach. "What?"
"I don't want you to help me raise this baby." Ashley repeated.
"But…it's my baby!" Gordon said. "You can't stop me from seeing my own child!"
"Yes, I can." Ashley said. "I'll put a restraining order against you if I have to."
"Why?" Gordon demanded. "It's my baby!"
"Because you don't love me." Ashley said. "If you loved me, you never would have made me sleep with you."
"I thought you wanted to!" Gordon defended himself. "I did it because I love you!"
"If you loved me you would never have even brought up the subject." Ashley said. "You would have respected me enough to see that I didn't want to sleep with you!"
"I love you, Ashley." Gordon forced himself to say the words.
Ashley stood up. "I'll call you when the baby is born." She said. "You can come see it then." With that she left the room.
"Hey, buddy, the plane just landed." Gordon glanced up to see an unkempt young man leaning over his seat.
"Huh?" Gordon said, coming back to reality. "Oh…right. Thanks."
After claiming his bag, Gordon went to the curb and hailed a taxi.
"Where to, sir?" The cabbie asked.
"Baltimore General Hospital." Gordon said.
The cabby nodded and sped off. The hospital was only about five minutes' drive from the airport, which felt like an eternity for Gordon. When they finally stopped at the airport, the cabby said, "That'll be seven bucks."
"Here." Gordon said, handing the cabby seven dollars.
"Thanks." The cabby said. "Have a good one."
"I'll do my best." Gordon said. He didn't know what to do with his luggage, so he dragged it into the hospital with him. It attracted more than a few stares as he tried to find the ICU on the directory. As he stepped onto the elevator, Gordon heard a woman say, "Goodness, I've heard of men who pack a lot when their wives come in here to have a baby, but never like that!"
When he arrived at the ICU, Gordon stopped at the nurse's station. "I'm looking for a Dr. Philip Dantzscher." He said.
"Right here." A deep male voice said. Gordon turned to see a dignified man in his early forties with graying black hair. "Mr. Bombay?"
"That's me." Gordon said, returning the doctor's handshake. "So I guess this wasn't a sick joke after all."
Phil shook his head. "No, it's not."
"So, uh…how is she?" Gordon asked.
"Well, she's pretty banged up." Phil said. "The only reason Kaley is still alive is because the other vehicle struck her mother's side of the car."
"What are her injuries?" Gordon asked.
"Her most serious injury is a fractured sternum." Phil said. "After that, she's got a broken collarbone, left wrist, and right ankle. She's also got a mild concussion. When she came here, Kaley was bleeding internally, but we were able to stop it. She also has multiple scrapes and bruises.
Gordon gave a low whistle. "How long will she be here?"
"She won't be going home anytime soon." Phil said. "Her wrist will take about six weeks to heal. She'll need to stay here for at least that long-"
"In Intensive Care?" Gordon interrupted.
"No, no." Phil said quickly. "Provided that all goes well, she'll be here for two more weeks. After that, she'll be moved to the pediatric ward for observation."
"And how exactly will all this be paid for?" Gordon asked. There was no way he could pay for it.
"Miss Heller had insurance, this should be covered." Phil said.
It better be. Gordon thought. Then it struck him. "Miss Heller?" He asked. "So she never got married?"
Phil shrugged. "I'd assume so." He said. "Her name is Ashley Heller on her license, and she wasn't wearing a wedding band."
Gordon nodded. "Right." He said.
Phil dug into his pocket. "Here." He said. "You might want these."
Gordon took the set of keys Phil held out to him. "Keys?"
"They were in the ignition when the car crashed." Phil said. "I'd guess the keys to her apartment are on their somewhere."
"Why would I want the keys to her apartment?" Gordon asked.
"So you can stay there." Phil said.
"At Ashley's apartment?" Gordon asked. "Why would I stay there? I was going to stay at a hotel."
"You should stay at her apartment." Phil insisted. "Mr. Bombay, I don't mean to frighten you, but her part of Baltimore is noted for its crime rate."
Forty-five minutes and two taxi rides later, Gordon was at Ashley's apartment. He tried every key on her keyring until the door opened. Upon entering the apartment, her immediately felt a sense of claustrophobia set in. Straight ahead of him was a small living area. To his left was a tiny kitchen, and to his right was a little "hallway." Walking into the hallway, Gordon saw a bedroom on his right, a bathroom on his left, and a laundry room\linen closet straight ahead. This section of Baltimore was definitely low-income, but clearly Ashley was even lower-income than everyone else. Where did Kaley sleep? There was only one bedroom.
Flicking on a light, Gordon walked into the kitchenette. Ashley and Kaley had obviously expected to return from wherever they were going very soon. Papers were everywhere, dirty dishes were piled high in the sink, and the entire place was generally in shambles. Gordon searched through the papers, hoping to fin a picture of Kaley. When he didn't find one, he turned to the fridge. On the freezer door was a picture of a young girl with shoulder-length blond hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a very sharp-looking blue-and-silver hockey jersey with ROYALS written on the front. This has to be Kaley. Gordon thought. Turning the picture around, he discovered he was right.
Hockey! She plays hockey! He thought. The back of the picture listed vital facts. On the top was written BALTIMORE ROYALS in silver with KALEY HELLER #50 written below it in blue. The rest of it was all stats. Her full name was Kaley Lynne Heller. Her birthday was June 11th, 1981. That Gordon knew. Her position was left or right defense. She had been playing hockey since she was seven, and she had been with the Royals for two seasons. Her favorite team to play was the Annapolis Hornets because "they give us a real challenge." She went to Abraham Lincoln Elementary School and was in fifth grade. She was the same age as the Ducks. Her favorite moment on the team was "when Gary won the state championship for us on the shootout last year."
So this is my daughter. Gordon thought. The whole situation still seemed so unreal. He had almost put this part of his past out of his mind and resigned himself to the fact that it was a closed door that could never be reopened. Now it had been opened and was closed behind him. In a very short time, Gordon Bombay would be staring his estranged daughter right in the face. What in the world was he going to tell her?