Note: Thanks to allie, crazy4nc128, katie, and anne918 for taking the time
to review chapter 10. Nice to know I'm still stirring up emotions. Here is
Chapter 11. It's another longer one but I hope you still enjoy it.
Guy's POV:
Two days after Christmas I was talking on the phone with Connie when my sister came into the living room.
"Guy," she said leaning against the doorway.
"Hold on," I told Connie. "What?" I asked Abby putting my hand over the receiver.
"Mom and Dad want you in the kitchen for a family meeting," she told me.
"Okay, I'll be right there," I told her. 'So they're finally going to tell everyone' I thought to myself. It was about time. I had spent the last couple of days waiting for this meeting hoping I didn't let anything slip. Hoping that they would just get it over with.
"Hey, Connie," I said uncovering the receiver and speaking into it. "I got to go. Family meeting. I'll see you at the pond in a few hours though okay," I told her. My friends and I were getting together to attempt another game of hockey at the pond. Hopefully there would be no fights this time.
"Okay," Connie said over the phone, " but if you need to talk before that just call me back or come on over."
"I will, bye."
"Bye Guy," she said and then hung up.
I hung up my phone and with a sigh headed toward the kitchen. I had been wanting for this for the last couple of days. Now that it had actually come I was starting to wish we could go on pretending to be a family a little longer.
As I walked into the kitchen I found my parents, Abby, Mark, and Eric were all seated around the table. As I entered the kitchen they all turned and looked at me. I slowly walked over and took the empty seat between Eric and Abby. Alexis was down for her afternoon nap.
"Okay, your mother and I have something very important tell all of you," my Dad started. Before he could say anything else though Abby spoke up.
"You two are getting a divorce aren't you?" she asked. My mother looked immediately at me.
"Hey, I didn't say anything," I said putting my hands up. The only two people I had told was Connie and Charlie and I knew they wouldn't have said anything. Especially not to Abby.
"I figured it out on my own," Abby said. "I've heard the whispered arguments, I know you've been sleeping on the couch Mom. Do you think I'm stupid? I live here. I know you two have been pretending to get along here lately."
To tell you the truth that was as animated as I have ever seen my sister get. She had always been the quiet and dependable child out of the family. I had never thought I would see an outburst like that from her.
"No, honey we don't think you're stupid," my mom said trying to smooth things over. "We hadn't wanted to ruin Christmas for everyone."
"Well you failed at that. This was the worst Christmas ever. I envy Guy. At least he got to spend some time with his friends and get out of this house."
"I'm sorry," my mom said quietly looking down at the table.
Meanwhile I was keeping my mouth shut. In actuality I was surprised at how calm I was still taking all this. Abby's reaction I think is what my mom had expected out of me when she had told me before Christmas. By this time I think I was passed the shock of it all and just wanted to get it over with. To move on. For me to get away from my family and back to Eden Hall.
"What's a divorce?" Eric asked quietly looking around the table from one of us to another. Beside him Mark looked just as confused as Eric sounded.
"It means that Mom and Dad can't be adults and work there problems out so they're giving up on each other and splitting up," Abby said bitterly.
"Honey, we've tried to work things out but we can't," my dad said calmly.
"You could if you actually loved us," Abby told him. She then got up and headed for the stairs.
"Abby, come back and lets talk this out," my mom called after her.
Abby paused and for a second I thought she would come back to the table but instead she started walking toward the stairs again. We listened to her stomp up the steps and slam her bedroom door behind her.
"That went worst then expected," Dad commented.
"I still don't know what is going on?" Eric said.
"Me neither," Mark said.
My parents looked at each other. I don't think this was going as they had planned. It seemed as if Abby's reaction to this had them preoccupied so I took a stab at explaining things to my two younger brothers.
"You know how you two fight sometimes and don't want to share a room anymore," I started. When the twins nodded there heads I continued. "Well, Mom and Dad aren't getting along and can't live in the same house anymore so they are going to live in separate places."
"But why can't they make up. Everyone always tells us to work out our differences," Mark said.
"I know and you should always do that. But when you get older you'll find out that sometimes it hard to work out your differences with other people and after you've tried everything else its better to just go your separate ways. Do you understand now."
Mark nodded but Eric just asked, "So where will we live?"
I looked to my parents on that one. Before Christmas my mom had said they hadn't discussed that yet. I was curious myself who we all would live with.
"You and Mark, will be staying here with your mother," my Dad said.
"When will we see you?" Mark asked.
"Anytime you want. If you want to come spend some time with me just let your mom know and we'll work something out. I'm going to get an apartment close by so I can still be near all of you," my dad told him.
"What about me?" I asked.
"Guy, we figured you and Abby are both old enough to make your own decision," he told me.
"So I have to decide between you and Mom," I said. I almost wished I was younger so that they would have decided for me.
"You don't have to make up your mind right away," my mom said. "We know this isn't going to be easy on any of you kids."
"Can I be excused?" I asked. "I was planning on meeting my friends in a little bit."
"Yeah," go ahead my Mom said.
I got up and headed up to my room. I thought about seeing if Abby wanted to talk but decided to give her a little space right now. After all I already had a few days to get use to the news that had just been sprung on her. So, I just went to my room and picked up my hockey bag and stick. It was still to early to meet the others at the pond but I figured I would go over to Connie's for awhile.
Gordon's POV:
I was sitting at the kitchen table in my apartment looking through the want ads. Now that the fall semester was over at Eden Hall I had to find something else to do as Eden Hall had brought me in as a hockey coach. Now that the hockey season was over there was nothing for me to do at Eden Hall. I wasn't even sure I would have a position there in the fall. If Ted O'rion wanted the position he would be the JV coach next year.
I was writing down a phone number for a potential law firm when the phone rang. I got up and picked it up.
"Hello," I said.
"Yeah, is Gordon Bombay there," a voice said. I couldn't quite place it but the voice sounded familiar.
"Your talking to him."
"Ah, Gordon. Dean Buckley here. I was wondering if you could stop by so we could discuss something."
"Sure, when?" I said curious as to what was going on.
"Right now, if its convenient. I have a meeting with one of the parents at three but I'd like to get our business squared away before that," he said. I looked at the clock it was almost two. It would be close to two thirty by the time I could get to Eden Hall.
"Even if I left now I wouldn't be there till about two thirty," I told him. "Is that going to be enough time."
"If things go well it will be."
"Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Great," Dean Buckley said hanging up the phone.
I hung my phone up and it immediately rang again. I picked it up quickly and said hello again.
"Gordon, its Angela Banks. I got a call from Dean Buckley a little while ago. I'm meeting with him at three because he said he needs to discuss with me something about Adam's grades. Since Adam is staying with you I thought you should be there too."
"Yeah, of course. I'm actually going to meet with Dean Buckley about something right now so I'll meet you there."
"Okay," she said.
"And Angela relax. I'm sure its nothing too serious," I told her. I knew Adam was a good student which made me curious about what was going on.
"I'm sure you're right," Angela said. "I'll let you go now. See you at three."
"Okay, bye," I told her hanging up the phone.
I left the newspaper where it was and headed into the living room. Adam and Charlie were watching a movie. Adam was feeling much better lately though I could still tell that his glands were slightly swollen and he still got tired easily.
"I've got to go over to Eden Hall to meet with Dean Buckley," I told them as I put my coat on. "If you need to get a hold of me just call my cell phone."
"Okay," Adam said.
The drive over to Eden Hall seemed to take longer than usual. I guess I was just anxious to figure out what was going on.
I parked outside of the administration office and headed inside to Dean Buckley's office. His secretary was sitting at her desk typing something onto the computer when I walked in. She looked up as I entered and spoke up before I had a chance to say anything.
"Ah, Mr. Bombay. Please go right in. They're waiting for you," she told me.
"Thanks," I told her wondering who the they were. As soon as I walked into the office I found out. Along with Buckley, Tom Riley and Angeline Sounders, two members of the Board of Directors, were waiting in the office.
"Ah Gordon," have seat Dean Buckley told me. I sat down in the empty chair.
"So, what's this about?" I asked wanting to get right to it. I always did like getting right down to business.
"We were hoping you could help us out, Gordon," Dean Buckley began.
"See we got a call from Mr. Marvin Gubine, one of our physical education teachers, yesterday afternoon. Seems he won't be returning after the holiday break. He was offered a position at Sutton Academy which is closer to his home," Tom Riley said.
"The short of it," Angeline Sounders said, "is that we are in a bind here. We have less than a week to find a PE teacher. We were hoping you would consider the position at least for the semester. If everything works out for all concerned then we could talk about you staying on for next year to."
"What do you say, Gordon?" Dean Buckley asked.
"I don't know. I mean it is all kind of sudden,"I told them. I was thrilled at the opportunity. It would solve my problem of finding a job and keep me in the area.
"Like I said," Angeline said. "We need to find a teacher in less than a week. Classes resume next Tuesday."
"Well, what are the terms of employment," I asked the lawyer in me coming out.
Dean Buckley smiled and handed me some papers. "Here's the contract. Basically we're offering you exactly what we were paying Mr. Gubine."
I took the papers from him and glanced at him. As I looked at the salary I realized that it was definitely a decent offer. However I wasn't going to sign anything without having a chance to read through everything.
"I'm definitely interested," I told them. "However, I'd like some time to read this through and think about it."
"Of course," Buckley said.
"Do you think you could give us an answer by tomorrow at three?" Angeline asked. "I know it is rushing things but if you don't take the job we need to consider other possibilities."
"Of course, I understand I told them. You'll have my answer by three tomorrow," I told them.
"Great, just call Dean Buckley and he'll let us know your answer," Tom Riley said standing up and holding out his hand which I took. "I got to be going now. Thank you for coming by," he said as we shook hands. After saying good-bye to the other two Tom Riley left the office followed by Angeline Sounders leaving me alone in the office with Dean Buckley.
"Adam Banks, isn't he staying with you right now?" Buckley asked.
"Ah, yes he is. In fact Angela called me right before I came over here. She told me about her meeting with you and wanted me to come. I told her I'd meet her here."
"How has he adjusted to being at your place, Gordon?" Dean Buckley asked.
"Pretty well considering everything he's gone through."
Before anything else could be said Buckley's secretary's voice came over the speaker phone. "Sir, Angela Banks is here to see you."
"Go ahead and send her in," Buckley said.
A few moments later the door to the office opened again and Angela Banks walked in. Dean Buckley greeted her and offered her the seat next to mine. She sat down and Dean Buckley began.
"Gordon's already told me that you asked him to be here so I'll get right down to what I wanted to discuss with you. The grades from last semester have been sent in but several of Adam's teachers have expressed concern with the grades he got on a few of his finals. The two of most concern are the math and history finals," Buckley said as he handed Angela the two test papers. "The other ones, while lower than what would be expected from how he did in the class throughout the semester won't affect the final grade to much. Those however will."
After Angela looked at them she handed them over to me. The math final was a 68 and the history final a 50. As I glanced through the test paper I noticed that the math final wasn't even finished. Of the questions he had answered in the math final I didn't see any that were marked wrong.
"Did he say anything to you about this?" Angela asked me.
"No," I told her. "If he had I would have said something to you," I said as I handed the test papers back to Dean Buckley.
"Gordon tells me that Adam has been adjusting to being with him pretty well which is what his teachers and I first thought might be the problem. But his grades were steady right up until the finals. Has he maybe had another argument with his Dad recently?"
"No, he hasn't even seen his father since Thanksgiving," Angela said. " I just can't understand this. Adam has always been a good student."
At this point though I wasn't really paying attention to what Angela was saying though. Something that Dean Buckley had said had caught my attention.
"When did you say the drop in the grades became apparent?"
"Only the finals. Up till the finals he grades were fine."
"And he was probably sick when he took the finals," I said. I explained to Dean Buckley how I had taken Adam to the ER the day after he had come home from Eden Hall. "At this point it doesn't even appear as if he'll be able to return to school next Tuesday."
"Having mono could definitely explain things," Dean Buckley said. "I'll tell you what, I'm going to talk to Adam's math and history teachers and we'll work something out. It will probably mean Adam will have to retake the two exams when he returns to school."
"What about his other classes," Angela said.
"Like, I said, he did well enough on those finals that it won't effect the grade for the semester. Most of the other classes he'll still have A's in except for one which is a B. I don't think its necessary to make he repeat those finals. Those two finals though would drop him to a C in both classes though but like I said we'll work something out. For right now he'll have incomplete's in the classes."
We all stood up and started to say our good-byes. "I'm glad this was easy to straighten out. Tell Adam I hope he is feeling better soon."
"I will," I told him as I headed out of the office with Angela.
We didn't speak until we were out in the parking lot and then Angela asked me, "do you really think Adam being sick is the only reason he did bad on those finals?"
"Yes I do," I told her. "That math final didn't look like he didn't know the material it looks like he didn't get around to finish it. Every question he answered is right."
"I just don't understand why he didn't say something to one of us," she said.
"Angela, he's been sick. I think finals were the last thing on his mind when he came home and since he's been feeling well it hasn't really come up. I meant it when I told Dean Buckley that I think he is adjusting well to everything."
"I can't help but wonder if I did the right thing," Angela told me as I walked with her over to her car. "This has been hard on everyone. I know Phil is wrong in this but I still love him. I love my sons too, don't get me wrong but Phil and I have been together since high school which was a long time ago. I just don't want Adam to think I don't love him though."
"I don't think he does," I told her. "Can I be candid."
"Yeah sure."
"I think that Phil has pushed Adam too hard to be perfect. When it comes to hockey I don't think that he is considering Adam as a person. All he sees is what Adam might become. He's forgetting that right now Adam is still a kid. He looked at Adam going back to JV from a career stand point not as what was best for his son."
"Have you ever gone down to the pond and watch the kids play," I asked her. When she shook her head no I continued. "I have a few times and I make sure they don't know that I'm there because that's their time. They're just being themselves. Doing something that they love. None of them are worrying about trying to impress anyone. Watching those games I've seen Adam at his best. I've seen the natural talent he has without the pressure he faces to be perfect to try and make his dad proud, or impress some scout. He has the talent to go all the way. I've seen it. Hans saw it. O'rion saw it. However, if things keep going the way they have been Adam is going to be pushed away from the sport. From something that he loves."
"Like you were," Angela said. "Something I overheard when Phil was talking to Coach Reilly. Reilly said you could have gone all the way but you quit. I saw how Reilly pushes those kids. I have the feeling from the way you were talking that maybe it was Reilly that pushed you away from the game."
"Yeah, it was but you know looking back I don't regret it. I love how my life has turned out. I love coaching these kids."
"Thanks Gordon," Angela said then.
"For what?" I asked her trying to figure out where she was coming from.
"For showing me that I have made the right decision. As much as it hurts to have to let go this soon I think that Adam is better off with you at this point in his life. I haven't told many people this but my parents, the ones that Adam and Anthony know as their grandparents, aren't my real parents. They adopted me as a baby. When I was thirteen I finally meet my birth mother and I asked her how she could give me up. She told me that even though she loved me she knew that the best thing for me was for her to give me up for adoption. That she was too young at the time and couldn't provide for me the way I deserved. I couldn't understand that. To me it still seemed that she just gave me up. She didn't want me. I finally understand now that it wasn't that she didn't want me it was that she wanted the best for me and me having a stable family with two parents who could give me anything I needed was the best for me. I just hope that Adam comes to understand that."
"He will, maybe not right away but eventually he will. I know he loves you and he knows that you love him," I told her. "And no matter what happens he always has a home with me."
Angela nodded. "Let's go talk to him about those two finals. He'll need to know that he may have to retake them."
Guy's POV:
Two days after Christmas I was talking on the phone with Connie when my sister came into the living room.
"Guy," she said leaning against the doorway.
"Hold on," I told Connie. "What?" I asked Abby putting my hand over the receiver.
"Mom and Dad want you in the kitchen for a family meeting," she told me.
"Okay, I'll be right there," I told her. 'So they're finally going to tell everyone' I thought to myself. It was about time. I had spent the last couple of days waiting for this meeting hoping I didn't let anything slip. Hoping that they would just get it over with.
"Hey, Connie," I said uncovering the receiver and speaking into it. "I got to go. Family meeting. I'll see you at the pond in a few hours though okay," I told her. My friends and I were getting together to attempt another game of hockey at the pond. Hopefully there would be no fights this time.
"Okay," Connie said over the phone, " but if you need to talk before that just call me back or come on over."
"I will, bye."
"Bye Guy," she said and then hung up.
I hung up my phone and with a sigh headed toward the kitchen. I had been wanting for this for the last couple of days. Now that it had actually come I was starting to wish we could go on pretending to be a family a little longer.
As I walked into the kitchen I found my parents, Abby, Mark, and Eric were all seated around the table. As I entered the kitchen they all turned and looked at me. I slowly walked over and took the empty seat between Eric and Abby. Alexis was down for her afternoon nap.
"Okay, your mother and I have something very important tell all of you," my Dad started. Before he could say anything else though Abby spoke up.
"You two are getting a divorce aren't you?" she asked. My mother looked immediately at me.
"Hey, I didn't say anything," I said putting my hands up. The only two people I had told was Connie and Charlie and I knew they wouldn't have said anything. Especially not to Abby.
"I figured it out on my own," Abby said. "I've heard the whispered arguments, I know you've been sleeping on the couch Mom. Do you think I'm stupid? I live here. I know you two have been pretending to get along here lately."
To tell you the truth that was as animated as I have ever seen my sister get. She had always been the quiet and dependable child out of the family. I had never thought I would see an outburst like that from her.
"No, honey we don't think you're stupid," my mom said trying to smooth things over. "We hadn't wanted to ruin Christmas for everyone."
"Well you failed at that. This was the worst Christmas ever. I envy Guy. At least he got to spend some time with his friends and get out of this house."
"I'm sorry," my mom said quietly looking down at the table.
Meanwhile I was keeping my mouth shut. In actuality I was surprised at how calm I was still taking all this. Abby's reaction I think is what my mom had expected out of me when she had told me before Christmas. By this time I think I was passed the shock of it all and just wanted to get it over with. To move on. For me to get away from my family and back to Eden Hall.
"What's a divorce?" Eric asked quietly looking around the table from one of us to another. Beside him Mark looked just as confused as Eric sounded.
"It means that Mom and Dad can't be adults and work there problems out so they're giving up on each other and splitting up," Abby said bitterly.
"Honey, we've tried to work things out but we can't," my dad said calmly.
"You could if you actually loved us," Abby told him. She then got up and headed for the stairs.
"Abby, come back and lets talk this out," my mom called after her.
Abby paused and for a second I thought she would come back to the table but instead she started walking toward the stairs again. We listened to her stomp up the steps and slam her bedroom door behind her.
"That went worst then expected," Dad commented.
"I still don't know what is going on?" Eric said.
"Me neither," Mark said.
My parents looked at each other. I don't think this was going as they had planned. It seemed as if Abby's reaction to this had them preoccupied so I took a stab at explaining things to my two younger brothers.
"You know how you two fight sometimes and don't want to share a room anymore," I started. When the twins nodded there heads I continued. "Well, Mom and Dad aren't getting along and can't live in the same house anymore so they are going to live in separate places."
"But why can't they make up. Everyone always tells us to work out our differences," Mark said.
"I know and you should always do that. But when you get older you'll find out that sometimes it hard to work out your differences with other people and after you've tried everything else its better to just go your separate ways. Do you understand now."
Mark nodded but Eric just asked, "So where will we live?"
I looked to my parents on that one. Before Christmas my mom had said they hadn't discussed that yet. I was curious myself who we all would live with.
"You and Mark, will be staying here with your mother," my Dad said.
"When will we see you?" Mark asked.
"Anytime you want. If you want to come spend some time with me just let your mom know and we'll work something out. I'm going to get an apartment close by so I can still be near all of you," my dad told him.
"What about me?" I asked.
"Guy, we figured you and Abby are both old enough to make your own decision," he told me.
"So I have to decide between you and Mom," I said. I almost wished I was younger so that they would have decided for me.
"You don't have to make up your mind right away," my mom said. "We know this isn't going to be easy on any of you kids."
"Can I be excused?" I asked. "I was planning on meeting my friends in a little bit."
"Yeah," go ahead my Mom said.
I got up and headed up to my room. I thought about seeing if Abby wanted to talk but decided to give her a little space right now. After all I already had a few days to get use to the news that had just been sprung on her. So, I just went to my room and picked up my hockey bag and stick. It was still to early to meet the others at the pond but I figured I would go over to Connie's for awhile.
Gordon's POV:
I was sitting at the kitchen table in my apartment looking through the want ads. Now that the fall semester was over at Eden Hall I had to find something else to do as Eden Hall had brought me in as a hockey coach. Now that the hockey season was over there was nothing for me to do at Eden Hall. I wasn't even sure I would have a position there in the fall. If Ted O'rion wanted the position he would be the JV coach next year.
I was writing down a phone number for a potential law firm when the phone rang. I got up and picked it up.
"Hello," I said.
"Yeah, is Gordon Bombay there," a voice said. I couldn't quite place it but the voice sounded familiar.
"Your talking to him."
"Ah, Gordon. Dean Buckley here. I was wondering if you could stop by so we could discuss something."
"Sure, when?" I said curious as to what was going on.
"Right now, if its convenient. I have a meeting with one of the parents at three but I'd like to get our business squared away before that," he said. I looked at the clock it was almost two. It would be close to two thirty by the time I could get to Eden Hall.
"Even if I left now I wouldn't be there till about two thirty," I told him. "Is that going to be enough time."
"If things go well it will be."
"Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Great," Dean Buckley said hanging up the phone.
I hung my phone up and it immediately rang again. I picked it up quickly and said hello again.
"Gordon, its Angela Banks. I got a call from Dean Buckley a little while ago. I'm meeting with him at three because he said he needs to discuss with me something about Adam's grades. Since Adam is staying with you I thought you should be there too."
"Yeah, of course. I'm actually going to meet with Dean Buckley about something right now so I'll meet you there."
"Okay," she said.
"And Angela relax. I'm sure its nothing too serious," I told her. I knew Adam was a good student which made me curious about what was going on.
"I'm sure you're right," Angela said. "I'll let you go now. See you at three."
"Okay, bye," I told her hanging up the phone.
I left the newspaper where it was and headed into the living room. Adam and Charlie were watching a movie. Adam was feeling much better lately though I could still tell that his glands were slightly swollen and he still got tired easily.
"I've got to go over to Eden Hall to meet with Dean Buckley," I told them as I put my coat on. "If you need to get a hold of me just call my cell phone."
"Okay," Adam said.
The drive over to Eden Hall seemed to take longer than usual. I guess I was just anxious to figure out what was going on.
I parked outside of the administration office and headed inside to Dean Buckley's office. His secretary was sitting at her desk typing something onto the computer when I walked in. She looked up as I entered and spoke up before I had a chance to say anything.
"Ah, Mr. Bombay. Please go right in. They're waiting for you," she told me.
"Thanks," I told her wondering who the they were. As soon as I walked into the office I found out. Along with Buckley, Tom Riley and Angeline Sounders, two members of the Board of Directors, were waiting in the office.
"Ah Gordon," have seat Dean Buckley told me. I sat down in the empty chair.
"So, what's this about?" I asked wanting to get right to it. I always did like getting right down to business.
"We were hoping you could help us out, Gordon," Dean Buckley began.
"See we got a call from Mr. Marvin Gubine, one of our physical education teachers, yesterday afternoon. Seems he won't be returning after the holiday break. He was offered a position at Sutton Academy which is closer to his home," Tom Riley said.
"The short of it," Angeline Sounders said, "is that we are in a bind here. We have less than a week to find a PE teacher. We were hoping you would consider the position at least for the semester. If everything works out for all concerned then we could talk about you staying on for next year to."
"What do you say, Gordon?" Dean Buckley asked.
"I don't know. I mean it is all kind of sudden,"I told them. I was thrilled at the opportunity. It would solve my problem of finding a job and keep me in the area.
"Like I said," Angeline said. "We need to find a teacher in less than a week. Classes resume next Tuesday."
"Well, what are the terms of employment," I asked the lawyer in me coming out.
Dean Buckley smiled and handed me some papers. "Here's the contract. Basically we're offering you exactly what we were paying Mr. Gubine."
I took the papers from him and glanced at him. As I looked at the salary I realized that it was definitely a decent offer. However I wasn't going to sign anything without having a chance to read through everything.
"I'm definitely interested," I told them. "However, I'd like some time to read this through and think about it."
"Of course," Buckley said.
"Do you think you could give us an answer by tomorrow at three?" Angeline asked. "I know it is rushing things but if you don't take the job we need to consider other possibilities."
"Of course, I understand I told them. You'll have my answer by three tomorrow," I told them.
"Great, just call Dean Buckley and he'll let us know your answer," Tom Riley said standing up and holding out his hand which I took. "I got to be going now. Thank you for coming by," he said as we shook hands. After saying good-bye to the other two Tom Riley left the office followed by Angeline Sounders leaving me alone in the office with Dean Buckley.
"Adam Banks, isn't he staying with you right now?" Buckley asked.
"Ah, yes he is. In fact Angela called me right before I came over here. She told me about her meeting with you and wanted me to come. I told her I'd meet her here."
"How has he adjusted to being at your place, Gordon?" Dean Buckley asked.
"Pretty well considering everything he's gone through."
Before anything else could be said Buckley's secretary's voice came over the speaker phone. "Sir, Angela Banks is here to see you."
"Go ahead and send her in," Buckley said.
A few moments later the door to the office opened again and Angela Banks walked in. Dean Buckley greeted her and offered her the seat next to mine. She sat down and Dean Buckley began.
"Gordon's already told me that you asked him to be here so I'll get right down to what I wanted to discuss with you. The grades from last semester have been sent in but several of Adam's teachers have expressed concern with the grades he got on a few of his finals. The two of most concern are the math and history finals," Buckley said as he handed Angela the two test papers. "The other ones, while lower than what would be expected from how he did in the class throughout the semester won't affect the final grade to much. Those however will."
After Angela looked at them she handed them over to me. The math final was a 68 and the history final a 50. As I glanced through the test paper I noticed that the math final wasn't even finished. Of the questions he had answered in the math final I didn't see any that were marked wrong.
"Did he say anything to you about this?" Angela asked me.
"No," I told her. "If he had I would have said something to you," I said as I handed the test papers back to Dean Buckley.
"Gordon tells me that Adam has been adjusting to being with him pretty well which is what his teachers and I first thought might be the problem. But his grades were steady right up until the finals. Has he maybe had another argument with his Dad recently?"
"No, he hasn't even seen his father since Thanksgiving," Angela said. " I just can't understand this. Adam has always been a good student."
At this point though I wasn't really paying attention to what Angela was saying though. Something that Dean Buckley had said had caught my attention.
"When did you say the drop in the grades became apparent?"
"Only the finals. Up till the finals he grades were fine."
"And he was probably sick when he took the finals," I said. I explained to Dean Buckley how I had taken Adam to the ER the day after he had come home from Eden Hall. "At this point it doesn't even appear as if he'll be able to return to school next Tuesday."
"Having mono could definitely explain things," Dean Buckley said. "I'll tell you what, I'm going to talk to Adam's math and history teachers and we'll work something out. It will probably mean Adam will have to retake the two exams when he returns to school."
"What about his other classes," Angela said.
"Like, I said, he did well enough on those finals that it won't effect the grade for the semester. Most of the other classes he'll still have A's in except for one which is a B. I don't think its necessary to make he repeat those finals. Those two finals though would drop him to a C in both classes though but like I said we'll work something out. For right now he'll have incomplete's in the classes."
We all stood up and started to say our good-byes. "I'm glad this was easy to straighten out. Tell Adam I hope he is feeling better soon."
"I will," I told him as I headed out of the office with Angela.
We didn't speak until we were out in the parking lot and then Angela asked me, "do you really think Adam being sick is the only reason he did bad on those finals?"
"Yes I do," I told her. "That math final didn't look like he didn't know the material it looks like he didn't get around to finish it. Every question he answered is right."
"I just don't understand why he didn't say something to one of us," she said.
"Angela, he's been sick. I think finals were the last thing on his mind when he came home and since he's been feeling well it hasn't really come up. I meant it when I told Dean Buckley that I think he is adjusting well to everything."
"I can't help but wonder if I did the right thing," Angela told me as I walked with her over to her car. "This has been hard on everyone. I know Phil is wrong in this but I still love him. I love my sons too, don't get me wrong but Phil and I have been together since high school which was a long time ago. I just don't want Adam to think I don't love him though."
"I don't think he does," I told her. "Can I be candid."
"Yeah sure."
"I think that Phil has pushed Adam too hard to be perfect. When it comes to hockey I don't think that he is considering Adam as a person. All he sees is what Adam might become. He's forgetting that right now Adam is still a kid. He looked at Adam going back to JV from a career stand point not as what was best for his son."
"Have you ever gone down to the pond and watch the kids play," I asked her. When she shook her head no I continued. "I have a few times and I make sure they don't know that I'm there because that's their time. They're just being themselves. Doing something that they love. None of them are worrying about trying to impress anyone. Watching those games I've seen Adam at his best. I've seen the natural talent he has without the pressure he faces to be perfect to try and make his dad proud, or impress some scout. He has the talent to go all the way. I've seen it. Hans saw it. O'rion saw it. However, if things keep going the way they have been Adam is going to be pushed away from the sport. From something that he loves."
"Like you were," Angela said. "Something I overheard when Phil was talking to Coach Reilly. Reilly said you could have gone all the way but you quit. I saw how Reilly pushes those kids. I have the feeling from the way you were talking that maybe it was Reilly that pushed you away from the game."
"Yeah, it was but you know looking back I don't regret it. I love how my life has turned out. I love coaching these kids."
"Thanks Gordon," Angela said then.
"For what?" I asked her trying to figure out where she was coming from.
"For showing me that I have made the right decision. As much as it hurts to have to let go this soon I think that Adam is better off with you at this point in his life. I haven't told many people this but my parents, the ones that Adam and Anthony know as their grandparents, aren't my real parents. They adopted me as a baby. When I was thirteen I finally meet my birth mother and I asked her how she could give me up. She told me that even though she loved me she knew that the best thing for me was for her to give me up for adoption. That she was too young at the time and couldn't provide for me the way I deserved. I couldn't understand that. To me it still seemed that she just gave me up. She didn't want me. I finally understand now that it wasn't that she didn't want me it was that she wanted the best for me and me having a stable family with two parents who could give me anything I needed was the best for me. I just hope that Adam comes to understand that."
"He will, maybe not right away but eventually he will. I know he loves you and he knows that you love him," I told her. "And no matter what happens he always has a home with me."
Angela nodded. "Let's go talk to him about those two finals. He'll need to know that he may have to retake them."