Even though Mike ate, he remained tight lipped as everyone talked and ate.
"Greg, can you pass me the mashed potatoes?" Bobby asked.
Mike sat back, put his finger on his cheek, thumb under his chin and watched Greg pick up the bowl with his left hand and gave it to Bobby.
"Can you pass me the chicken?" Mike asked.
Greg picked up the plate of chicken with his left hand at first but had to use his right as the plate was a bit heavy. Mike took the fork that was in the plate and took the chicken on his plate as he watched Greg carefully put it back.
"Mike, would you please pass me the gravy?" Carol asked as Mike noticed a concerned expression on her face.
He picked up the gravy bowl, gave it to Greg who used his left hand to pass it to Carol while Mike watched.
"Mom, did you talk to Dad yet?" Bobby asked as it had been a few hours since he first told her.
"No, I haven't." Carol told him as she swallowed her food.
"MOM!" Bobby said in impatience.
"Don't yell at your mother!" Mike yelled as everyone looked at him.
"Mike…" Carol looked at him with concern.
"Finish eating, all of you," Mike sternly said.
Everyone looked at him shocked then they finished eating quietly.
After dinner-
Carol helped Alice with the dishes, Mike went back in the den with the shutters closed as he sat on the chair and thought. Bobby and Marcia watched TV in the family room, in the girls' room, Peter helped Cindy with her homework while Jan wrote a paper for school.
Greg lay on his bed, thought about when he got hurt last year and after his ribs healed.
[Flashback]
Greg sat on the bench as the coach looked at his ribs.
"It doesn't really hurt, I'll be fine," he told the coach.
"To be sure, I want you to get your doctor to look at it and we need to call your folks.
Greg moaned, "Oh, no, my folks." He started to take his jersey off.
"See, you are hurt," the coach said.
"Telling my mother is worse than this pain, call my dad," Greg said as the coach got up to make the call.
Once Greg's ribs healed and the doctor gave him the okay to play, Greg went to talk to Mike in the den.
"Dad, I have something important to ask you." He walked in and stood next to the sketching table as Mike turned and looked at him. Mike knew what was coming.
"What is it?"
"I want to play again this year."
"No, Greg," Mike got up and walked towards the steps then back.
"Come on, Dad! We don't have to tell mom that I'm playing," Greg looked at his dad, and then continued, "could just say I am the team photographer still or something like that."
"That's not happening!" he admonished his son.
"It's only a few more weeks til the end of the season," Greg complained as he sat on the couch.
"No," Mike said.
"Why not, Dad? The doctor said I'm fine." Greg stood up while Mike walked to the stool.
"I want to make sure of that and you can play next year." Mike said as he slid on the stool.
"Oh!" Greg yelled in frustration as he walked up the steps, opened the door and closing it once he left.
[End Flashback]
Greg snapped out of his daydream, got up, and left his room, headed to the top of the stairs when he noticed Carol walking up the steps then to the den. Greg walked back to his room, sat on his bed and pondered while his shoulder was still hurting.
Bobby came in while Greg was walking to the stairs; he sat down to read a book. He continued reading the book when Greg came in, sat on his bed, picked up a book to read and he quietly sighed about what to do.
"Greg, why is Dad so steamed?" Bobby asked.
"I'm not sure," Greg said as he heard Mike calling him then answered, "Yeah Dad?" He heard his father ask to come in the den then answered, "I'll be there."
"You must be in so much trouble because he sounds angry still," Bobby said as Greg got up, went to the door then slamming it as he walked out.
In the den-
Mike and Carol sat in the chairs; Greg walked in as they watched him stand before them and he noticed they looked angry.
"Greg, the gig is up. I'm taking you to the doctor tomorrow and you call this friend of yours and tell him not to show up! Do you understand me?" Mike said sternly with some antagonism in his voice.
Greg taken aback with a shocked look on his face, "Okay, Dad. I will call him. How did you know?"
"I'm not telling you how I found out. Do you really think it's a good idea to see a doctor who might not even be qualified or even licensed?" Mike angrily asked him.
"I figured he was licensed," Greg said.
"If anything were to happen to you, we could sue him," Carol said as she folded her arms.
"Why did you hide your injury?" Mike asked.
"I was worried that you would not let me play this year, like you did last year."
"I know you didn't like our decision but we are thinking about what is best for you. Don't ever do this again, do you hear?" Mike said angrily then snapped, "You are grounded for three weeks. Call that friend, now!"
"Okay," Greg walked out, went to the phone on the table next to the chairs and made the call as Mike quietly opened the shutter to watch then closed the shutter after Greg made the call and hung up.
Greg walked upstairs to his room as it was empty and he closed the door as well as the sliding door to the bathroom and laid on his bed thinking about who ratted him out but at the same time glad, he would see the doctor. He saw the door open, Bobby walked in, slammed the door, went over to his bed and laid on it with his arms folded.
"Why can't I have some fun," Bobby asked as Greg wondered what his issue was.
"What's wrong?" Greg asked as he lay on his back turned his head towards the bunk beds.
"I can't spend the night at Joe's because he has company."
"Bobby…" Greg started but decided not to say anything more.
Thursday October 19th after school at the Brady home—
Carol was in the kitchen knitting when the Greg, Marcia and Cindy came home, got some milk and cookies and sat around the table and talked.
"How did your appointment go, Greg?" Carol asked as she poured milk in Marcia, Cindy's and Greg's glasses.
"Good. It was a bruise and it will take a while for it to heal," Greg said then took a sip of his milk.
Mike came home as Greg took his plate to the sink then Mike sat down on the chair where Greg used to sit. Greg then went upstairs while Carol sat next to Mike as they gave each other a kiss and Cindy put her plate and glass away and went to watch TV in the family room.
"Will you guys let Greg play when his shoulder heals?" Marcia asked nervously.
"We don't know yet and it depends on how well his shoulder heals," Mike said then continued, "Why?"
"Well, I know he became the team photographer but there are some kids at school who think Greg was a wimp for not going back out there to play and they don't expect to see him this year since he got hurt," Marcia told them concerned.
"Your mother and I will talk about it after the doctor gives him the okay," Mike said then continued, "I understand why he hid the injury and I think the shoulder will be fine."
Friday December 15th at Fairview High stadium-
Greg was allowed to play the since the last week in November and today was the last game for him as a junior. He also had a chance to help his team knock out Fairview from getting in the playoffs.
It was the last minute of a tie game; Fairview had the ball in Westdale's 25-yard line. The defensive player smacked the ball out of the Jerry Rogers' hands and got the ball back for Greg and the rest of Westdale's offense. They got the ball at Westdale's 30-yard line after that fumble, a play was made, Greg was handed the football and ran 20 yards to the 50-yard line and went down then called time out.
The next play, the quarterback threw the ball to the wide receiver who then stepped out of bounds near the 20-yard line of Fairview. Once they broke the huddle, the quarterback threw the ball to Greg who caught it at the five-yard line and a time out was called.
Five seconds to go, the players assumed their positions, the quarterback hiked the ball, gave it to Greg who ran to the right, broke tackles and score the touchdown.
"GO HOME JERRY ROGERS AND STAY HOME!" Greg shouted as he ran to the sidelines while getting high fives.
After the game Greg changed to his casual clothes then met Mike, Carol and Marcia at the parking lot.
"Great game, big brother."
"Thanks. I'm sorry for hiding my injury."
"Don't do it again," Mike said sternly as they headed for the car to go home.
The End