Chapter 2: Together Again

Charlie looked around the crowded restaurant for a large booth. He was early and clearly the first to arrive. He spotted a booth big enough to fit 11 people near the back and went and sat down. Two of them would be missing. Averman was in the Marines and was stationed overseas and Dwayne sadly had been killed by a drunk driver in a head on car crash three years earlier. Charlie and Linda had attended his funeral in Texas.

"Can I get you anything?" asked a blonde teenage waitress.

"Not just yet." Charlie told her. "I am waiting on a group."

The waitress smiled politely and walked away. The restaurant door chimed as it was opened and Adam Banks walked in. He quickly spotted Charlie and walked over to the booth.

"Hey Charlie, it's good to see you." he said shaking Charlie's hand and sitting down.

Once again the door chimed and in walked the Ducks' only married team members, Connie and Guy. After a quick hand shake from Guy and a hug from Connie they sat down. They had been talking for about five minutes when a familiar sight greeted them. It was Portman. He had been big as a teenager but now he was massive. Now almost 6'7" he weighed nearly 250 lbs. Charlie doubted he would be as graceful on the ice as he had once been but knew that he could probably sell a house with no problems at all. The rest of the Ducks arrived within the next 15 minutes.

"I can't believe you became a history teacher, Charlie." Fulton said.

"What about you?" said Goldberg. "Who would have thought big bad bash brother Fulton Reed would own his own bakery."

"Hey I watch Ace Of Cakes and Cake Boss.... I learn a thing or two from them."

Out of the 12 of them three became teachers, three owned their own businesses, two were stay at home parents, two were in real estate, one enlisted in the military and only one became professional athlete.

"What about you Adam?" asked Kenny. "I heard the Sharks had a good season last year.

"Good enough to get to the playoffs." he replied. "Goldberg, I heard you took over the family deli."

"Yup. Business is doing well."

"It just does not seem the same to be here without Dwayne." Guy said sadly. "Averman too. Has anyone heard from him?"

"He's being sent to Iraq." Charlie said.

There was a silence among the group for they knew that the chance that they wouldn't see Averman alive again was very real, but for now the 11 of them were together again and they were happy.