Go Baby Grow
Chapter 46 – What Now?
Thursday, June 11th
After the basketball game, Ryder drove Julie home. Their conversation focused mostly on the trash talk during the game until only three blocks of the drive remained.
Honing in on her face, Ryder asked seriously, "Are you going to be ok tonight?"
Julie looked down at her feet as her smile faded rapidly. "Yeah… I'll have to be," she admitted. "Dad's inside. I'm sure he'll want to catch up. We haven't really seen each other much lately."
"Do you want me to come in for a few? I could try to lighten the mood and keep the topic off anything too intense," Ryder suggested.
Glancing up at her friend, Julie nodded and said softly, "Please."
Ryder drove into the driveway and parked the car. He walked around and opened Julie's door for her and accompanied her to the house.
"Hey, Strangers!" Adam called from sofa. He set down a print version of Stars and Stripes and glanced up with a grin.
With a softness bordering a sigh, Julie walked over and hugged Adam. She offered a brief, "Hi, Dad," then sat beside him. "What's the news today?"
"Nothing too exciting, Itsy," Adam nodded, somewhat surprised by the hug. Hugs happened in the Caldwell house but not at each hello and goodbye. The fact that Julie approached him with an embrace stood out and caused his curiosity to pique. Standing and extending his hand, Adam greeted Ryder, "Hunt, I hear your workout numbers are steadily increasing. Bravo Zulu."
"Thanks, Sir. I've had great coaches all along," Ryder grinned. All three sat and Ryder tried to keep the conversation alive but harmless. "You should've seen JJ on the court tonight, Sir. She had my brother gasping for breath. Fun game of 2-on-2 after dinner."
With a smile, Adam responded with a celebratory voice, "Itsy! That reminds me. Coach Rourke from the Academy called today. I had a great chat with her."
"Who's that? I don't recognize the name," Julie responded with minimal interest.
"She's the new head coach for women's basketball. She wants you on the team," Adam announced proudly.
"Umm… I thought we'd already gone through all that…" Julie muttered with confusion. Earlier in the year, she and Adam had flown out and met with the team. After running through a few practices and interviewing with the coaching staff, Julie was not extended an offer for varsity ball. At the time, she had been devastated. The more she considered the situation, though, the more relief she felt. Attempting to make her way through her first year with the addition of a varsity sport would have been a challenge.
"With the former coach," Adam clarified. "Rourke wants you on the team. New coach, new plan, new players." With an ear-to-ear grin, Adam patted Julie's back and added, "I couldn't be prouder, Itsy Kit. I'm so damn proud of you."
Unsure she was interested in the offer, Julie didn't know how to respond to Adam's joy. "Wow, Dad… that's some big news."
"My baby the Navy basketball star!" he laughed as he grabbed a cigarette, lit it, and stepped onto the porch. As he proceeded outside, he called out, "I'm proud of my girl, Itsy!"
Once Adam was out of range, Ryder noted, "You don't seem too happy."
"I'm not sure I want the added pressure," Julie admitted after looking over her shoulder and double checking to make sure Adam wouldn't hear her. "The way Dad's talking about it, I'm already signed up."
"He seems pretty sure you're on board," Ryder acknowledged. "Today's been f #$ed up enough, JJ. You don't have to sort all this out right now. Tell him you're tired and hitting your rack."
"I suppose I will," Julie replied, stunned and emotionally overwrought. "Thanks for coming inside. Well, and for talking at the treehouse… and for everything today."
"Always," Ryder smiled as he hugged his friend. "Call me if you need to talk."
"Will do," Julie promised as she saw Ryder to the door.
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Friday, June 12th
"Ryder is that you in the hall?" Amelia called out from bed mid-morning on Friday.
"Yes, indeed. Need something?" Ryder hollered back.
"Come on in, Baby Bear," Amelia suggested. When he came in, wearing only boxers and obviously fresh out of bed, Amelia checked, "Have you bought the items on the Naval Academy list?"
"Nah," Ryder admitted as he yawned. "The Captain told me that you can show up to Plebe Summer naked and you'll get everything you need."
"Please don't take him at face value," Amelia groaned as Ryder grinned. "Seriously, though, Ry… there's a list in the Parent book and I think there's one in your handbook too. You need to get on that.
"We aren't leaving for 16 days, Mom. There's time," Ryder assured her.
"Doesn't hurt to start now," she pushed.
Ryder made eye contact and offered a half-smile. "I'll see what I can do," he promised weakly. "I'm surprising Julie this morning. I'll probably have time later this afternoon."
"Maybe you two can go together – she needs to do the same thing," Amelia pointed out.
Ryder laughed, "As long as we don't get my boxer-briefs mixed up with her lacy panties. That'd be awkward, don't you think?"
He slipped out of the room and headed to the shower, but not before Amelia yelled, "Hey! How do you know that she wears lacy panties?"
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After showering, Ryder sent Julie a text, I have the perfect surprise for you today. I'm coming to pick you up in 45 minutes. Wear PE clothes.
Julie chuckled when she read his words and wrote back, I suppose there's no chance of a hint?
No chance. Bring your gumption, he replied.
WTF – where'd that word come from? She laughed.
Grandma Evelyn. Wise woman, Ryder explained. Wear a sports bra you can wear without a shirt…not flirting. Totally serious.
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When Ryder picked Julie up, she was eager to know their destination. He wouldn't offer a clue. Instead, he drove with a Cheshire Cat smile plastered to his face.
After a short drive, he parked the car on the street and prodded, "C'mon."
"Where the hell are we and why?" she laughed nervously.
"Your brother made me promise that you and I would take a few boxing lessons before Plebe Summer," Ryder shared.
"No way," she scoffed.
"Seriously," he nodded. "He said it's much better to learn during the summer if you come in having boxed even just a time or two."
"What the hell…," Julie laughed.
They entered the gym and Julie felt as though she'd entered the gym from the Rocky movies. The place was dim. The lights and wires were hung from the open rafters. Punching bags were littered throughout the space, and three boxing rings dotted the landscape. An inspirational phrase was spray painted on the back wall. Without a doubt, both Julie and Ryder were fish out of water.
"You Ryder?" Tony asked as he approached.
"Yes, Tony. We spoke on the phone," Ryder answered.
"So you're both joining the Navy huh? Going big leagues – all the way to the Academy. Wow, impressive," Tony praised. "Sam told me to beat the crap out of you and go gentle on his little sister here."
Laughing uncomfortably, Ryder offered, "Great… I'll be sure to thank Sam next time I talk to him."
Tony laughed and slapped Ryder on the back, causing Ryder to lunge forward slightly. "Here's the deal," Tony explained. "We'll split you two up – Ryder, you and I will run through some basics while Diane works with Julie." Tony turned and called for Diane, "Lady Di! Your new champion is here!"
Diane sauntered over, not taking Tony too seriously, and introduced herself to Julie. "You must be Sam's sister," she offered. Julie nodded and followed her teacher past the first ring.
For the next two hours, Tony and Diane ran Ryder and Julie through the basics. They put on gloves and protective gear, learned the basic stances, and walked through why foot placement was important. While the ladies played in the ring, Tony taught Ryder how to dodge a punch, how to throw four basic punches, and how to jab, pivot and undercut. Once Julie and Diane were finished in the ring, Ryder sparred with another boxer who knew how to challenge the beginner without pummeling him.
"Lower your hips and you'll improve the force of a punch," Tony coached as he watched Ryder punch his opponent. "Remember your feet!"
Diane started out gently then increased the intensity. She told Julie that she was a natural, which made Julie roar with laughter.
"I'm not kidding," Diane emphasized. "You have fire in your eyes. Did you just break up with a boyfriend?"
"Actually, yes," Julie replied with a surprised laugh.
"I can always tell. Here's the secret, pretend that anything or anyone you touch is that son of a bitch. Get some anger out, grieve, do what you need to do to let him know how he hurt you," Diane encouraged. "What's his name?"
"Nate," Julie stated plainly.
"Allison, got a minute?" Diane called out.
"Sure, what's up?" Allison inquired.
"Julie here is having her first boxing lesson but she already looks like a pro. Can you spar with her?" Diane requested. "By the way, your name is now Nate."
"Got it," Allison smiled as she led Julie to the ring.
From the sidelines, Diane hollered instructions such as, "Keep your eyes focused straight ahead." "Look for openings!" "Block and jump back in – don't let her distract you. Stay focused on opportunities!"
By the end of the lesson, both Ryder and Julie couldn't wait for the next one. They left the gym dripping with sweat. Laughing and talking about various moves and unconsciously displaying the movements to one another as they walked, the two were on endorphin highs. Sam had been right, boxing before Plebe Summer was essential. For Julie, however, the reason Sam's advice rang true had little to do with preparing for Plebe Summer and everything to do with one guy whose touch and smile she was attempting to forget.
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While Ryder and Julie learned an entirely new form of 'dancing,' Olivia held a handful of her favorite treats and stared at them. Usually, she only swallowed one pill at a time. As she dealt with the boredom of being grounded, she figured trying one and a half pills would be an adventure and would entertain her.
Love, love, love you, G, she wrote in a text to Gwen as she waited for the pills to absorb into her bloodstream.
Gwen wrote back quickly, Living the high life?
Finally…after days without it. Thanks for taking care of me, Sweetness, Livs responded as she breathed deep and let her eyelids flutter.
I miss you. Miss holding you, touching you, kissing you, Gwen typed out.
Olivia giggled as she read the message. Setting the burner phone over her heart, she smiled and sighed. The wave of relief was beginning to wash over her stressed psyche. She could let go of the angst and pain. The pills let her lean back and relax so she could forget her anger and deny her sadness.
Sleepy and happy, Olivia wrote in a text as she forced herself to respond before hiding her phone. She knew that once the pills surged, she'd forget to take care of details that involved covering her tracks.
Hide the stash and turn off the phone, Sweet Girl. Love you, Gwen responded with a series of XXX and OOO.
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Readers: So sorry for the huge delay between chapters! I ended up with food poisoning on Thursday morning and I'm just now feeling human again. This chapter doesn't offer much depth, but hopefully it will do the trick until I have a chance to pen more words. Happy reading!