Standard disclaimers applied. See Chapter 1 for further details.
Author's Note: Another chapter ... enjoy!
CHAPTER 9: Nothing and Everything
"So what does it mean, from tracks zero to six?" Jason asked.
The two cousins were to be discharged home the following day, so they were enjoying their last night by lounging and playing cards in the family room, rather than sleeping.
Ray acted nonchalantly as he mindlessly shuffled the deck. Jason rolled his eyes as his cousin's poor attempt to ignore him.
"C'mon, don't keep your favourite cousin in the dark."
Ray snorted and shot the younger teen a look, "You're my only cousin, QB."
"All the more reason for you to tell me, Doc."
Ray stopped shuffling the cards and leaned back in his seats. His face broke out in a knowing smile but it quickly disappeared. If Jason wasn't observing the myriad of emotions that crossed his cousin's face, he would have missed it.
"It's so obvious that you still love her. Why do you keep lying to yourself?"
"I didn't think it will make much of a difference," Ray confessed.
"But it matters to you, so it must be important."
"I started recording some stuff on my own just before ... well ... before everything happened. I burnt her a CD filled with songs that we both listened to when we were roomies and then some new ones. Some of them were for her especially but I left it up to her to figure out which ones."
"I'm assuming that she figured out which ones."
More mindless shuffling of the cards and Jason took it the hint to lay off this topic for now. "You know, Coach came by today."
"Oh yeah?" Though Ray was looking down at the table where he was dealing out the pre-shuffled deck, there was something in his cousin's tone that caused Ray to look up, "So, what did he say?"
"He asked me to go to Friday's game. No pressure or anything, he just asked me to think about it." This time, it was Jason who focused on the table, his hands rearranging the cards in his possession.
"Are you done thinking about it?"
A shrug came from the teen who answered, "Mom thinks it's too soon; dad thinks that it'll be good to get back get it. I think he got it into his head this is liked falling off the bike or something."
"And Lyla?"
At Jason's unresponsiveness, Ray waited. His patience was awarded when the younger teen asked, "How did you know?"
"About what?"
"You know about your girl... how did you know?"
Despite the vagueness of the question, Ray knew the 'what' that Jason was referring to and he didn't correcting the 'my girl' reference. "Neela didn't necessarily flaunt it in my face, but they weren't exactly discrete about it when I saw them making out in one of the conference rooms"
Jason nodded and replied softly, "I think there may be something going between Lyla and Riggs."
"Your best friend? The one who hasn't been to see you? Why do you think that ... "
"That she was cheating? Riggs did come to see me when I suddenly got fed up and called him on it. He came with Lyla, both of them were acting all chummy. I didn't think anything of it but then I caught them hugging in the parking lot. It wasn't just the usual friendship hug ... it was just different, you know."
"Yeah, the kind that comes with a gut feeling when you know that everything is spinning out of control and you are right smack in the middle of it."
It seemed that currently, cards were much easier to shuffle and rearrange than their present lives. Their conversation came to a draw and none of them were closer to finding a solution than when they began. Yet, somehow it was comforting to know that they weren't alone with their problems.
"Maybe you can come on Friday. I bet you never been to a Dillon game before."
The nonchalance wasn't fooling Ray but he didn't comment on it. "Well considering the fact that I'm already moving in semi-permanently, it would be a crime for me not to uphold the Texan tradition of going to Friday night football games."
"So you're game, Doc?"
"I'm game, QB."
-o-o-
When Ray mentioned that he was moving in with the Streets, he couldn't help the feeling that he had reverted back to his teens. It was kind of awkward moving in to live with his relatives after moving out of his mom's after so many years. Even though the arrangement wasn't permanent, both his aunt and uncle had reassured him that he was welcome for as long as it took without them looking over his shoulder. Ray appreciated their thoughtfulness. Still, he knew that even though he wasn't living by their rules, he wouldn't have the same kind of freedom as he did when he was living by himself.
The Streets lived in a one-storey ranch-style bungalow, with a fully furnished basement, two-car garage and a back yard. His uncle and aunt had rearranged some things around the house to accommodate himself and Jason. "Ray, there is a spare room in the basement with a half bathroom. There is a plenty of space and there aren't many steps. Will you be able to manage?"
Ray nodded and turned as Jason wheeled himself into the house. There was a moment of silence as the teen pushed himself through the doors. He looked up; his eyes took a survey of the walls, the doorframe, focusing on nothing but taking in every insignificant detail. Jason let out a breath, something akin to relief and nostalgia before turning to his parents and said, "It's good to be home, really good. I missed you guys."
-o-o-
Friday night caused a slight uproar in the Street household. Ray wisely stayed out of the conversation. Jason had made his decision to attend the Dillon game but of course, his mother was decidedly unhappy with the decision. "Jason, are you it isn't too soon? I mean it's only been ..."
"Joanne, I think Jason is old enough to decide. Besides, it will be good to have some things back to normal for a change."
"What's that supposed to mean, Mitch? Is it so bad for a mother to be concerned for her son?"
"So are you saying that I am not concerned? Let me tell you something, I care very much."
"You know what? Just stopped it! I'm not doing this because I want to hurt you or to win your affection. I don't know if I am ready for this and frankly, I don't know if I ever will but it's something that I have to see for myself. Coach left it up to me. It doesn't have to be this game or the next one. Please, all I'm saying is that I love you, both of you, just stop fighting."
Jason wheeled himself outside and found Ray playing his guitar out in the yard. "Did I manage to avoid world war three?"
"Oh shut up." Jason felt his frustrations ebbing away as he listened to his cousin's playing.
"Wrote something interesting today," Ray suddenly blurted out.
"Oh?"
"To Pratt." At seeing his cousin's confusion, Ray elaborated, "He's the Attending at County, kinda like my boss, except not."
"Oh," This time the one word response conveyed Jason's understanding, "And, what exactly did you write?"
"I told him everything ... well ... most things... well I guess, it's everything."
Jason didn't comment on the fact that Ray was tripping over his own words and that Ray conveniently left out whether or not he responded to Neela's message. Instead, Jason offered a easy out of the conversation, "I get it. So, why don't you come with me today?"
"I thought we already established this," was Ray's reply.
"I was thinking of going a little bit earlier, so you can meet Coach."
"If you want me to."
"If I didn't, then I wouldn't ask."
-o-o-
Ray felt self conscious when walking on his two limbs, though he was wearing a pair of loose fitting pants. He still couldn't use them for extended period of time, so he was thankful when the Streets dropped them off at the parking lot behind Dillon High. "This way," Jason indicated, "it's the fastest way and I betcha Coach is already on the field."
Coach Eric Taylor was in his usual attire of the blue golf shirt with the khaki pants - the Dillon logo clearly visible on the left chest. He was obviously absorbed by the last minute plays that he was running in his head, as he periodically looked up from the clipboard to the football field in front of him. Jason observed from a distance, after pushing himself as long to the field as he could without actually rolling onto the grass. Off to the side, Ray surveyed the tableau.
It didn't take long for Eric to realize that he had an audience. "Coach."
Ray looked away, giving Jason the privacy that he needed. It was liked watching someone coming home after a long absence and in a way, it was. Ray tried to envision the entire playing field with its freshly painted lines, illuminated by the overhead spotlights; dynamic energy emitted from the hundreds of anxious fans. Then, there were the Dillon Panthers, dressed in full gear of gleaming blue and gray jerseys. Though Ray wasn't football material back in high school, he didn't take much for him to realize how much it meant for Jason to come back to the place that held so much meaning and memories.
Ray was shook out of his reverie when Jason introduced him to Coach Taylor. "Coach, this's my cousin, Ray Barnett. Ray, this's Coach."
"How y'all doin'? I'm Coach Taylor."
The two shook hands but there was a moment of understanding that passed between them when Coach said, "Ray, glad to have you here."