Hayes
You started it.
On my drive home, I listen to a talk show on the radio make their predictions for Sunday’s prime-time game—Detroit at Milwaukee. Who will take home the win?
I tune out their opinions and hot takes and begin running through some of the specialty offensive plays we concocted for this game in my head. I’ve been working on them so much this week I could name them backward and forward.
There have been games in the past where I’ve been worried about mixing up the plays or saying the wrong one—many times, the random words we assign to different plays can get confusing. This game, though, I have no worries. I can’t.
I have to be on my A game on Sunday. There is no other option.
When I get home, the house is dark and quiet, as it always is on a Friday night. In the distance, I hear the familiar jingle of Periwinkle’s dog tags as she moves around her fluffy bed. I set my practice stuff by the front door and head into the kitchen, flipping on the overhead lights.
My phone dings as soon as I do.
Jersey
Are you done with practice?
I tap out a quick response.
Hayes
Yup, just finished.
As soon as I’ve hit send, I walk around the kitchen toward Peri’s little bed on the other side of the fridge. The small dog squints up at me with a disdainful grimace, and I fight off a smile. Tomorrow night I’ll be with the team at our usual hotel we stay in before home games and my housekeeper will take care of Peri for the evening. I’m sure when I get home on Sunday night after the game, Peri will be on the clingy side.
I scratch behind her ears and under the collar of her purple chevron sweater and wait expectantly for Jersey’s text to come through. The three little dots appear on the screen, telling me she’s typing out a reply. Then they disappear, without anything coming through. I narrow my eyes at the screen when they pop up again.
Finally, after the same thing happens two more times, she finally sends the text.
Jersey
Would you want to talk tonight?
I can’t fight off the grin that appears on my face.
Hayes
Like a phone call?
Jersey
Yeah, if that’s okay…
Hell yes, it’s okay.
I don’t hesitate, tapping her contact information and starting up a call as I continue to rub behind Peri’s ears. From her position on her fluffy bed, she starts making a sound I attribute to purring—never thought Shih Tzus purred until Peri came into my life. The call rings twice before Jersey answers.
“Hayes?” Her voice is a bit timid like she’s scared of who will be on the other end of the call.
“The one and only, honey,” I tease her, still grinning from ear to ear.
I can practically hear her audible sigh of relief. “It’s nice to actually talk to you.”
“You too, though I have been enjoying texting you this week. Nice to know you’re real,” I tease.
Her laugh is a light twinkling sound that reminds me of Fourth of July sparklers. “So, what did you do today at practice? What terms do I need to write down to study later?”
