Collision  Course, Chapter 24
 
 

Chad was riding through the streets of Harmony on his bike. How dare Eve Russell give her sob story to Father Lonigan. And, just like a priest, he 'understood' her. Chad didn't want to hear about Eve's sob story, He had lived a hell all of his own, and someone should be paying for it.

And, since Eve has stepped up to the plate, she is the one that is going to pay. Chad thinks of how Eve looked down on him when he first got to town. How she made him feel like garbage, and made it quite clear that he was not, nor would he ever be, good enough for her daughters. Her Princesses, just like their mother, The Queen.

Queen Eve. Looking her nose down at the rest of the world. Well, she was about to take a fall. A big one. By the time Chad was finished with her, the nice folks of Harmony were going to find out that 'Saint Eve' is FAR from that. And, he knew just where to start.
 

Theresa was in her room, when she heard a knock on the door.

" Come in."

The door opened to a very sympathetic Whitney.

" Whit? What are you doing here?"

" I just got back in town from a tennis tournament. I heard about Ethan and Gwen. Oh, honey, I'm so sorry.", Whitney said, giving Theresa a big hug.

Theresa was struck. She hadn't thought about the ramifications of her sleeping with Chad. She definitely hadn't thought about Whitney, and how she would react. Wait!, Theresa thought, as her eyes bugged out. Whitney can't care about her and Chad, because she and Chad are siblings.

Siblings!

" Oh my God!", Theresa let slip.

" What is it, Theresa?"

" I….I just didn't expect to see you here."

" Why not? Where else would I be but here with you? You must be devastated. "

Theresa got up off the bed, and went over to the window and looked out of it. She couldn't exactly deal with all the confusion that she felt right now with regards to Whitney. She had betrayed her best friend by sleeping with her 'man'. But, she didn't betray her, because he can't be her man - he's her brother. And, she can't tell Whitney that, because she can't betray Chad's confidence. And, Whitney wouldn't be in this kind of trouble, if Theresa hadn't of been pushing her together with Chad every moment that they were together. Theresa began to cry.

Seeing Theresa crying, Whitney went over to her, and held her in her arms. " It'll be alright. You'll bounce back from this. I promise. I'll help you."

Theresa didn't say anything, but, just thought about who would help Whitney when her world fell apart. They had been friends for forever. And, there was a huge wall between them, one that Whitney just didn't see.
 
 

Chad burst into TC's office at the High School.

" Coach Russell?"

But, TC was nowhere to be found. Chad took a seat in  front of TC's desk. He could wait. He was going to expose Eve for the liar that she is.

As he sat there, Chad thought about his life. He thought about all the times he had been beaten. The foster homes. When he was homeless. And, now, he has a face to associate with how he got there. She was clearly lying to save her own skin. She had to be. Someone who lied as well as Eve Russell wouldn't have wasted their time with a bastard child.

But, those thoughts, were in conflict, with his remembrance of her eyes. The pain in them. He told himself that it was just another lie of Eve's. She was playing him for a patsy, because she didn't want her quaint suburban life to  blow up.

Well, she was shit out of luck, cause that's EXACTLY what was about to happen.

" Chad, what are you doing here?", TC says, entering his office.

" Coach Russell, I have something to tell you."

" Ok, I'm listening. ", TC says, as he goes to take a seat at his desk.

" Coach Rusell, I have something to tell you."

" You said that, already."

" Yes, well this is difficult for me to say. So, I guess I'll just have to let it out. I am.."

" Wait Chad, I think I know what you're going to tell me. "

" I doubt it, Coach."

" Well, before you say anything, I want you to have this." TC goes into his desk, and pulls out a gift box with a bow. He pushes it across the desk to Chad.

" For me?"

" Yep. Open it."

Chad opens the box, and there is a smaller gift box inside, along with some books, and an envelope.

" I don't understand.", Chad says confused.

" I belong to the State Chapter of 100 Black Men. Before you say anything, I know the joke. I didn't know that there were 100 Black Men in this state. But, there are. At our retreat, the guest speaker was Earl Graves."

" Publisher of Black Enterprise?"

" Yes. He was a classmate of one of our members. He asked all of us to take and sign the Financial Responsibility Pledge. "

" I think I remember seeing it in his magazine."

" Yes. Well, I realized that I had been following these practices for years. All except one: the one about reaching back. We've come a long way, Chad. We had a few rough initial minutes when our relationship began, but, I think we've progressed a great deal."

" Yeah, we have."

" I admire what you've done with your life, Chad. You didn't have anything when you came here, and yet, you didn't let that stop you. You worked hard and persevered. And, I'm not trying to take anything from you as a man, because I know how important it is for a man to make his OWN way in the world. But, no man is an island, and all of us have needed help along the way.

I thought about my feelings for you. After all, you've been through a lot with my family. I….I…I've come to care for you like a son, Chad. The son Eve and I never had."

Chad was in shock.

" And, it came to me, on this retreat, the phrase, ' reach one, teach one.' You've never had a man take a positive interest in your life. I think I've been a mentor to you, but, it's time for me truly to 'walk the walk'."

" I don't understand, Coach."

" Open the envelope."

Chad did, and saw that there was an acceptance letter for him from Castleton College. He would be enrolled there as a full-time student.

" Coach, I don't get it."

" I know someone in admissions. You're now a full-time student at Castleton College, when the new semester begins."

" But, Coach. I can't .."

" Afford it? No, but, I can."

" You….You're paying for me?"

" Yes. The first semester. You don't have to worry about room and board, because you live at the house. "

" Coach, I can't accept this."

" Yes, Chad, you can. It's not charity. It's an investment. Chad, you have the brains to go far. But, more importantly, you are fine young man. You know right from wrong, you try to do the right thing; you comport yourself with a sense of dignity and honor; you respect women. You are the kind of young man that a father wants to see around his daughters. "

" What are you saying?"

TC laughs. " I guess I should be more clear. If you want to date Whitney, it's ok with me. "

Chad felt the air go out of  his lungs. It must have been obvious, because TC looked at Chad concerned. " Is there something wrong?"

" Uh….no, Coach. I'm just stunned, that's all. "

" Chad, I was lucky. I had my father – a man who believed in me always. And, though my tennis dream died with the accident, my father’s faith in me didn’t. I don’t talk about it much, Chad, but, after the accident, my life sort of went into a tailspin. I wasn’t a good person back then. But, my father kept the faith, and I found my way out of the darkness. I thought I appreciated it back then, but, it’s not until now, years later, as I look at Whitney and Simone on the cusp of adulthood, that I know the depth of what my father’s love really meant to me. I know I’m not your father, Son, but, I would like to be there for you. I want you to know that you can count on me. "

Chad looked into TC’s eyes, which were full of sincerity. He could feel the tears begin to well up in his eyes.

" You and Dr. Russell must have had some discussion about this.", Chad said.

" Eve has no idea. This is my idea, Chad. Sometimes, you do things for yourself, even if you are married. You hope that your partner loves you enough to understand why you need to do something, and that they respect you. I can’t see how Eve could have a problem with this, Chad. You and my wife have had rough times, but, I know she cares for you, Chad."

" Yeah, she cares for me."

" So, you accept my offer?", TC says, extending his hand to Chad.

" You REALLY have that kind of faith in me?", Chad asks.

" Yes."

" I won’t let you down. I promise.", Chad says, accepting the hand in a handshake. TC pulls him into a hug, which Chad enjoys more than he could say. As TC broke away from him, and looked  at Chad with a smile, a sense of regret washed over Chad.

‘ Why couldn’t YOU be my parent?’, Chad is asking in his mind.

" Well, now that we’ve got that settled, you can tell me what you came to tell me."

Chad had to think. His entire reason for coming had just evaporated. Before Chad had time to say anything, the door swung open.

" TC, we have to talk about….", Eve said, leaving the sentence undone upon seeing Chad in his office.