Chapter 325: Emptiness

Tuesday, January 31st, Evening

Lucas watched as his past players were called out to Center Court from the corner of the gym. It started with his daughter, Kay. Silently, he stood in the dark and watched. Pride, that's what he should be feeling, but he wasn't. He felt empty, but he shouldn't, everyone he cared about, well, almost everyone was on the court or in the stands, but he felt empty. Many of his past players from other teams came to see him honored, but he felt hollow inside.

One by one, he watched his girls; he couldn't help but think of them that way, march out to Center Court. Lucas knew they were all women now, young women, the oldest only being in their early thirties, but it's a hard habit to break. Politically incorrect as it is, he just couldn't break it.

Lucas looked into the bleachers and longingly looked for familiar faces. Of course, the one he looked for wasn't there. If you find this, remember what I said was what was on the note he found. It was something he promised, but he wasn't sure if he could pull off. Lucas liked to keep his promises, but he wasn't sure if he could with this one.

Lucas's eyes found Brooke, who sat near many of her children. They locked eyes for a moment with one of his oldest friends, and she nodded. Brooke gave Lucas a reassuring smile, a moment of strength; Lucas clenched his fist, rested it against his heart, and thumped his chest lightly.

He looked at the alumni that dwindled as they were called to Center Court. Another emotion filled him beside the empty feeling, loneliness. They all went out, one by one, leaving him standing there, progressively more alone.

Finally, when Kiera was called out, he was alone. Looking over his shoulder, Lucas saw his current group, and they watched him. He could show what was getting to him, nor would he want them to know.

That added a third emotion to the collection of negative emotions he was collecting. Fear now joined them, fear he would be found out as a fraud. That this mastermind they thought he was only made it up as he went along.

People considered him a gambler, but he was probably out of aces. Lucas wonder was his bluff game that strong that he consistently won on a pair of deuces? Maybe that's the truth, but you play the hand you're dealt. Perhaps he should cash out his chips while he's ahead.

Lucas had heard that his reputation for producing players had gotten out. Someone told him families moved to Tree Hill so their daughters could play for Lucas. Parents have been changing since he started to coach. Now it's about turning young girls into pro-athletes before they even entered high school. It made a lot of them un-coachable, and every year Lucas found it harder and harder to find the right girls.

One benefit has been Nathan. Once his attempt at coaching ended, he started teaching basketball. Nathan taught few students, mostly family, and those that weren't were very exclusive. Lucas looked at his girls and knew four of them learned the game on his half-court at Leighton.

Lucas turned and looked at his current group of girls. Three of them, the three seniors and team leaders, grew up together. They learned to play the game together on the full court at Raven Hill and in the gym at Jamlyn. Lucas would say, but Nathan would never admit it; he had a knack for teaching girls when it came to basketball.

"Finally, the man that not only made this possible but in many of your hearts made this necessary. Please welcome my older brother and the coach of this illustrious team, Coach Lucas Scott," Nathan said.

Where his heart should've surged, it stayed steady. Lucas turned to look at his current team, and they gestured for him to take the court. Slowly, Lucas turned and looked over the bleachers. He could see the crowd wanting to stand, but they were waiting for him. Next, Lucas looked to Center Court, and they stood there watching, waiting for him.

In a moment, another note he found four years ago flashed in his head. The fact that you count something that's lost is all of the incentives that you'll ever need to love again as opposed to becoming comfortably numb. Empty was the correct term, Lucas reflected. Comfortably numb, that's been his exist for the last four years and detached. Maybe he was a high-functioning depressive and should seek help.

Lucas took a deep breath, settled his mind, and released the breath. Now steeled, he stepped out of the shadow onto the court. As almost on queue, the crowd stood up and started cheering him. Slowly, Lucas walked across the court; near Center Court, Lucas stopped. He raised his right hand and waved to the crowd.

Finally, Lucas reached Center Court. Starting with Kiera, Lucas went to each woman. He greeted each woman warmly and exchanged a few words. He came to the end of the line and stood next to Kay.

They didn't know what to get him instead of flowers. Lucas laughed and said, just give him flowers. They agreed, and as Lucas stood at the end of the line, Sawyer came out and looked at her dad.

"Please accept these from a grateful city," Sawyer said.

Lucas took the flowers and hugged Sawyer in silence. He could hear the clicks of some cameras and see the flashes; he didn't care. Once he released Sawyer, she retreated to the sideline.

Nathan walked over to Lucas. The two brothers looked at each other. Nathan offered Lucas his hand, which Lucas took and shook firmly.

"Congratulations, Big Brother," Nathan said.

Lucas nodded, "Thanks, Little Brother," he said.

Nathan walked away, and Lucas looked around. Lucas let out a deep breath; still, he felt numb. None of what was happening around him got an emotional rise out of him. Lucas knew that he should be feeling something, but alas, he felt nothing.

Walking over to the easel, Nathan looked over the crowded bleachers. One thought popped into Lucas's head, Are you not entertained. Finally, Lucas looked over to the easel. Nathan stood by the easel and slowly turned to Lucas. Taking a deep breath, Lucas let it out and nodded to Nathan.

"The school, athletic department, and supporters wanted to remember the accomplishments of this unique group of people. This plaque will be permanently mounted outside the field house doors," Nathan said, and the crowd clapped.

Lucas looked at the easel and nodded. Nathan looked at Lucas and thought he was given the go-ahead. "I would like Coach Scott and Mister Matthews to step forward," Nathan said.

Lucas stepped forward and met Dex. The young man seemed nervous. In a fatherly way, Lucas guided him to the easel; they each took hold of the cloth and looked at Nathan. Nathan nodded; Lucas looked to Dex and gave him a nod.

Together Dex and Lucas pulled the cloth off the plaque. It was a simple affair with the team's image on it, the people's names in the image, and the list of the games and scores from that season.

Lucas looked it over and saw the younger versions of everyone. He looked over to Dex, who was looking at the plaque as well. Lucas knew that Dex was looking at the image of his mom. Lucas slowly panned his gaze over the team and studied them.

Each one of the women walked over to the plaque and looked it over. Some of them had the look of looking back into their past. Others had a look of sadness. Some even had the look of indifference.

The required pictures were taken with the plaque. Several different photos were taken. Lucas had to stand for quite a few of them. Once they were finished with the photos, some of the players started to leave.

Cara was the first to leave. She had her own game to coach. Slowly, the other woman left the court, and many took seats in the bleachers.

Lucas walked off the court, soon Kiera and Ashlyn flanked him on his walk. Lucas watched as they cleared away the plaque and easel.

Only as he approached the current team and the knowledge of a new game did the emptiness drained. The gambler/chess master in him came out.

"Thank god that's over with," Ashlyn said.

"I looked horrible in that picture," Kiera said, trying to make things light.

"Now the distraction over with, we could get down to business," Lucas said.

"From your lips to god's ears," Kiera said.

"Let's do this," Ashlyn said as the three coaches crossed over the sideline to collect the current team.