Disclaimer: We don't own the Ducks and probably never will because they belong to Disney. However, Emaliar Malfoy does own Bella, Emily, Alex and Johnson. Bobcatwriter owns Annie, Mike, Travon and all the characters at Lakeshore Academy.
A/N: This is the sequel to the other Mighty Ducks stories "The Way Things Are" and "The Way Things Were". We recommend you read those two first. However, this can also be read as a stand-alone story. Please read and review.
Chapter 3
February 15, 1998
Adam's POV
I still hadn't heard from anyone other than Michele and Gordon. I had written countless letters to the Ducks and not one of them has the balls to write me back. I knew I had lost them. What hurt the most was that Gunnar never replied to my apology letter. Yesterday was valentine's day. It's supposed to be about love and I never felt so alone. I cried a lot yesterday. All the guys got something from somebody, a card, a gift. Travon even got flowers from Molly.
After services this morning, I needed to get out of there. This was mine and Travon's week to feed the animals and muck out the horse barn. Which was not the most pleasant thing to experience. Since we were dealing with horse poop. I agreed to lead the 10 horses out of the barn to the pasture and then go and feed the ducks. I gave each of the wild ducks some of the duck feed each, Henry was a little slow behind me, so I put some down for him to feed on when he got to where I was at. I had just gotten finished with the last of the ducks when I turned around and saw a big goose came and ate all that was for Henry.
"You, big stupid goose that wasn't for you. That was for Henry, he is just a baby. How dare you take food from a baby?" The goose didn't seem to care, he just went on his way trying to get more food from the ducks. Luckily, they all ate there's quickly.
"Here Henry take some more, but eat it quick,' I said as I put down some more feed down. Henry ate it quickly and I smiled at him. 'You know your quite the duck. Probably my friend, my only friend." After Henry was finished eating, he quacked at me and I reached out a gloved hand to him, he brought his body toward my hand and let me pet his back. It was a cool and neat experience.
I was in an awfully bad funk the next day until after school, "Hey Adam you received a letter today," Georgia said. I was excited to read the return address was from Minneapolis. I thought that maybe Gunnar finally returned one of the countless letters that I sent to him. I quickly took the letter from my mailbox that I received when I checked in and headed down to my room to read my letter.
Dear Cake Eater
How are you doing? I had tried for almost a month to get a hold of you to see how you were doing. But for some reason the phone was disconnected. Last week I went to the Eden Hall Ducks vs the Blake Bears hockey game and ran into Mrs. Conway. Anyway, she told me what happened. You having to go to a special school and Coach, Ms. MacKay moving back out to Cali THAT SUCKS!
I was sad to see your name not even mentioned on the roaster. I guess you're officially off the team. I am sorry that happened to you. Anyway, things are still the same in good ole Minnesota. Eden Hall is making a run for a 13th state championship, it's cold as heck here and I am looking at maybe going to colleges in the deep south, I have yet to make up my mind. I heard that Charlie and Bella are still as thick as thieves. I guess the Hawks aren't doing too bad with Ace now coaching them. Not in first place but also definitely not in last place.
Southwest High is the same, Terry and I are on the varsity basketball team, which makes mom happy since she doesn't have to worry so much about us getting hurt in basketball versus playing hockey. Terry has had a couple of Division 1 schools come and look at him, Duke and University of Kentucky. This is going to be some interesting circus Terry is going to be on, the next couple of years. We both have girlfriends as seen in the enclosed picture. Twins, Terry is seeing Sarah and I am with Melinda. They are both alright although Melinda is the quieter one. Whereas Sarah will tell you her opinion about everything and doesn't give a shit that you think the opposite. You would think that I would be more into Sarah then Melinda, but I guess opposites attract. They are both cheerleaders, so you know where that leads.
"I wish," I said to Jessie and Terry's picture before I continued to read the letter.
Anyway, I hope you are doing better. I want you to know that I am thinking about you. Enclosed you will find a phone card from Terry and I, it's not much but I thought it would help open the lines of communication between you and the ducks. I miss you dude; I am trying to find Basketball camps out in Northern Cali this summer so I can come and see you. Even if it's for 5 minutes. Well I better go; Melinda is looking at me like I had done something wrong. I don't think that I had, since I am writing this in Study Hall.
Take care of yourself Cake Eater. I want to go one on one with you when I do see you again.
Your Best Friend,
Jesse M. Hall
I smiled at the letter; at least I had one friend that cared for me. I tucked the phone card in my wallet. I couldn't wait until next Sunday, when my section of the house could make and receive calls from family and friends. We could get a phone call at any time from our parents and guardians. But Sunday was the only day of the week that we could make phone calls to other people. I only had a half an hour slot, but I knew who I was going to make my phone call to Gunnar, we needed to talk.
February 22nd, 1998
Sunday could not come fast enough, I had periodically throughout the day and the week check my wallet to make sure that my phone card was still there. I had remembered the phone number to mine, I mean Charlie and Gunnar's room. The phone rang once, twice, three times and was finally picked up.
"Hello" came the familiar Icelandic voice, also known as Gunnar.
"Hey Gunnar, its Adam," I said.
"Adam, how are vou are vou feeling better?" Gunnar asked.
"Yes, so much better. I miss you; you miss me?" I asked.
"Ves, I do miss vou, very much," Gunnar said.
"Did you get my letters, I sent?" I asked.
"Veah, I sorry. I hadn't had time to reply. It's been busy, have piles and piles of vork to get done before mid-terms." Gunnar said.
"Mid-terms are this week?" I asked with a start.
"No, next week, and then there's this thing called spring break? But it's not spring, I don't understand," Gunnar said.
"Well they call it spring break, because it goes from winter to spring during the break," I said with a smile.
"Oh, okay. I guess," Gunnar said.
"Where is Charlie, I thought he would be studying with you," I asked.
"Charlie is with Bella studying, at least I hope he is studying his books and not Bella," Gunnar said.
"Me too, I don't want what happened to Bella last year happen again," I said.
"Vhat do you mean?" Gunnar asked.
"What I mean is, never mind it's hard to explain over the phone," I said.
"So, vou doing better?" Gunnar asked.
"Yeah, so much better. Look what are your plans for spring break? Because I am so ready to come home. No one is nice to me and no one cares for me here," I said.
"Vell I don't know, ve have the playoffs but after that I don't know. I'd probably go stay at Charlie's. Or maybe Goldberg's I don't know," Gunnar said.
"What if you came and saw me in California and we take me home?" I asked.
"Vell, I don't know. I have no idea vhere this place is," Gunnar said.
"You have the computer and internet. I would pay I have some left-over money in my savings account. Please Gunnar, Please?" I asked.
"Vhat would you do? You can't afford to re-enroll at Eden," Gunnar asked.
"Yeah, I figured that I would either stay at Charlie's or Jesse's house. If they said no, then there's Grandma Bank's or Grandma Lebrie's. Go to public school for the next 24 months. Then I would try out for Junior's you only have to be 17. Unfortunately, I won't make the deadline because I wasn't born by August 31st. But that is okay, I am going to need the next 30 months to get me back into hockey shape. I have love handles now, I am starting to look like Goldberg," I said as I pinched my love handles that was getting lovelier by the day. I was putting on weight and not able to take it off.
"Vhat are love handles?" Gunnar asked.
"Oi vey," I said.
"Oi vey?" Gunnar asked.
I took a very deep breath before I said, "Love handles is extra fat around my mid-section and lower back. It sucks because I am not supposed to be fat, I am supposed to be a star. Right now, I look disgusting. If you were to see me right now, I guarantee you would dump me in a heartbeat."
"Come on Adam, you cannot possibly be that bad," Gunnar said.
"I am. What's worse is I am getting bat wings and a double chin. I AM FAT! I AM A PORKER!" I yelled at him.
"So vhat are you going to have to do," Gunnar asked.
"Well I am going to have to restrict my calories, train in the gym and hit the ice, a lot," I said.
"You can't do this there?" Gunnar asked.
"No, they only have two treadmills and a couple of stationary bikes. Great for a cardio workout, not great to lose fat. It will stick to me like rice on water. The cook here wouldn't know what a healthy diet is if it hit her on the head," I said.
I then heard a door open and closed and Gunnar said "Vah," to the person who just walked into the room. "Charlie says hello," Gunnar said.
"Tell him hi back," I said. Gunnar then turned to Charlie and relayed the message.
"Who's Grandma Lebrie?" Gunnar asked.
"My mom's mom. I think she would take me in. I only saw her once in Lowry Hill East, when Bertie was taking me to Jessie's, I would be going to school with Jessie and Terry. Luckily, Southwest High has a top-notch strength and conditioning program," I said.
"How did your maid Bertie know your Grandma Lebrie? Gunnar asked.
"I don't know, church or something, I guess," I said.
"What about Grandma Banks?" Gunnar asked.
"Ugh, Hopkins school district. A little too close to my parents in Edina," I said.
"So, you would go to your Grandma Banks…" Gunnar started to say
"If I didn't have a choice," I interrupted.
"I don't know, I've never dealt vith this before," Gunnar said.
"Please Gunnar, Please I am begging you. I am all better I swear I won't cut again I promise," I said, I started to get tears coming out of my eyes.
"How vould ve get vou out of there?" Gunnar asked.
"Maybe you could pretend to be my long-lost cousin and you have come to overtake my care at home. Say that I am really needed at home. Then they would have to release me," I said.
"I don't know I don't want to get into trouble that vould make me lose my spot and send me on the next plane flight home," Gunnar said.
"You won't be losing your spot and you wouldn't be sent home. I am telling you this will work you would have to trust in the plan," I said.
"Are vou even sure vou could make Juniors. It sounds really hard," Gunnar asked.
"I am positive that I could make juniors. You could try out too and we would be together," I said.
"Being together sounds nice, because I really miss vou," Gunnar said.
"I miss you too, so much," I said.
"Vhat about Coach Bombay. Doesn't he get a say in this?" Gunnar asked.
"No, Coach Bombay and Michele haven't seen me in 5 weeks. They don't care about me anymore. They have too much going on with the new baby coming," I said.
"I see," Gunnar said.
"So, can you help me out? I want to be with you and kiss you and make love to you," I said.
"I vould like that too.' The phone was silent for a moment all I could hear was his breathing and Charlie in the background digging through what I assumed was his desk, 'Alright I vill see vhat I can do," Gunner said.
I smiled as I said, "That's great Gunner thank you."
"Veah, so what else is going on?"
We spend the next 23 minutes on the phone, talking and figuring out the plan. I knew that I had enough to get Gunnar to Reno, Nevada. Once Gunnar was in Reno, he would get a cab here which was a 2-hour car ride. Then after we got me checked out of this place, we would thumb a ride back to Sacramento and take the train home. Nobody would ever think to look at for us on the train. We would get on the train in Sacramento at 11:59 pm and ride the rails until 3:32 pm the next day. We would spend an hour in Portland, Oregon waiting for our next train and be on the 4:45pm Empire for that day, with any luck we would be home by the 19th of March. Then I would have 2 weeks to establish residency and get me enrolled for school for the last of the term. It would suck more than anything else when my high school would face Eden Hall, but we will deal with that as it came.
Charlie's POV
I waited for Gunnar to get off the phone with Adam. Something that was bothering me about what he said to Adam, "Alright, I vill see vhat I can do." What did he mean? This was more important than getting my stuff for the Biology midterm that I was going to study with Bella. I had to come back to the dorm and get my notecards and I was going to go back to the library. When he finally got off the phone I asked; "So what is going on with Adam?"
"Vhat do you mean?" Gunnar asked.
"Gunnar did Adam,' I gulped, 'Did Adam ask you do something. Because I am bothered by what you said," I said.
"Vhat did I say?" Gunnar asked.
"You said that you will see what you can do. Tell me Gunnar what is going on?" I asked.
"Alright Charlie, sit down,' After I sat down at my desk, Gunnar continued; 'Adam vants to come home, he says that he is all better. That he von't cut again."
"What do you mean he wants to come home? You didn't just promise him you would bring him home, did you?" I said.
"No, I don't know how to get out to him, I vould have to research it," Gunnar said.
"How would you get out to California?" I asked.
"Probably by plane, Adam said that he vould take care of the other end once I got out to him," Gunnar said.
"How was Adam going to do this?" I asked.
"I don't know, really Charlie. He said that he vould figure it out," Gunnar said.
"Gunnar, I don't believe you what exactly did Adam say?" I asked.
"He said something about how the group was taking a trip into Redding next week and he was going into Wells Fargo to withdraw all of the money from his savings account and sent me the plane money via vestern union. I vould need to research vhat kind of plane flights I could get to get to a place called Veno, Nevada. I think and then I vas to take a taxi to get up to Eagle Lake and be his long-lost cousin and insist that I take him home to recover at home. Adam said that he vould take care of everything from there," Gunnar said.
"Veno, veno…. Do you mean Reno, Nevada?" I asked.
"Veah," Gunnar said.
"Gunnar how can you be so stupid! He's not ready to come home, he's playing you for a fool," I said.
"But I miss him, and he misses me. He says he's all better," Gunnar said.
"No, he is not better. Even his last letter to the ducks said that. Oh my God I can't believe this," I said.
"I'm going to get into trouble?" Gunnar asked.
"I don't know, but if you go through with this that's aiding and abetting. That will get you sent home," I said.
"I don't vant to go home. Charlie, vhat do I do?" Gunnar asked.
"Well one, don't help Adam in this plan. Two, I need to talk to Coach about this, he's going to need to know. Third you need to come with me," I said and then we left the room.
I and Gunnar ran all the way to the library, I was glad to see Bella still there.
"What took you so long, Charlie?" Bella asked.
"Ace Ads is in trouble," I said.
"Trouble what are you talking about?" Bella asked.
"Do you want to tell her or shall I?" I asked Gunnar, he just raised his shoulders.
"What's going on guys?" Bella asked.
"Alright Long story short: Adam called here this afternoon and made plans with Gunnar to come and get him over spring break. Pretending to be a long-lost cousin and check Ads out of rehab and bring him home," I said.
Bella's mouth dropped before she said out loud, "GUNNAR HOW COULD YOU?"
Julie, Fulton, Portman, Connie and Guy all turned from there table where they were studying for their American History Midterm to look at what was going on.
"Shush, Bella this is a library. You need to be quiet." Mrs. Rosco the librarian reminded us.
"Sorry Mrs. Rosco,' Bella then turned to Gunnar and said in a quiet angry voice, 'I don't believe this Gunnar, how could you?"
"Adam said he vas better. I think he's ready to come home," Gunnar said.
"No, he is not. Even his last letter said that he wasn't better. I know my brother; he is not ready to come home. Oh my God, he is going to kill himself," Bella said and then she started to bawl. I grabbed my girlfriend and let her hang on to me. She was crying hard into my shirt. "Shh, shh it's going to be okay," I said to her, Julie and Connie came over to us.
"Bella are you okay?" Julie asked with her hand on Bella's back rubbing it up and down. "What's going on, Spazway?" Connie asked.
"It's nothing to worry about its between Adam and us," I said.
"Bella?" Julie and Connie asked together.
Bella just nodded her head. "See I told you everything is going to be fine," I said.
"I don't believe you, Charles Alexander Conway," Connie said and then she and Julie walked away.
"Does Coach know about this?" Bella asked once she stopped crying.
"Not yet, I hope he will take a collect phone call," I said as I, Bella and Gunnar started to walk to the entrance of the Library to make that phone call.
Gordon's POV
I was rubbing Michele's feet like a good husband when the phone rang. We had just gotten back from doing some baby shopping for the baby. I was hoping to get some of the nursery painted a neutral color other than off white to match the birch-colored crib, changing table, dresser we bought and brought home today. However, Michele said that her feet hurt from all the shopping we had done today. I had yet to pull the stuff out of our 1998 Volvo 960 sedan.
"Hello?" I said.
"This is a collect call from…" I heard a computer voice tell me.
"Charlie Conway," Charlie said.
"To accept charges, say yes," the computer voice continued.
"Yeah I will accept," I said.
Once Charlie was connected, I said, "Hey Charlie what's up?"
All I heard was Charlie talking fast, Gunnar trying to butt in and Bella bawling on the phone.
"Whoa, slow down and freeze. Adam did what?" I said.
A/N: What do you think of Adam's plan? The reactions? What should happen next? We'll tell you this much it involves a shopping trip, a viewing of the Breakfast Club, a runaway and a plan gone wrong.