surgery in the next thirty minutes. How
does that sound?”
True to his word, it wasn’t long before they
were ready to roll me back. There was a flurry of people helping as
they started to push the gurney out the door. Brittney had such a
sad forlorn look on her face.
“Wait,” I said. “I didn’t get to kiss my
wife goodbye.”
She brightened and stepped forward, leaning
to place a soft short kiss against my lips.
“I love you, Brittney.”
She smiled. “I love you too, Chasers.”
I continued to stare at her until I couldn’t
see her anymore and then I closed my eyes. I wanted her image to be
the last one, the one that stayed with me.
I started counting when the anesthesiologist
prompted me to, my eyes growing heavy. The next thing I knew, I was
standing on a football field with my best childhood friend, Ray,
next to me in shoulder pads and his game day uniform.
Was I dreaming again?
Confused, I looked up into the stands and
saw Nikki sitting next to Brett and Brittney. Further scrutiny
revealed my mom and Greg sitting up there and sitting next to them
was my real dad. They were all smiling and waving at me.
I couldn’t stop staring at my dad. It had
been so long since I’d seen him. I wanted to run to him—hug
him—tell him how much I missed him. He stood and gestured for me to
come to where he was. The closer I got, the more everyone else
faded away, until only he and I were standing there together. I
couldn’t help myself, I burst into tears.
“Stop crying, son. I’m proud of you, and the
man you’ve become.” He smiled and reached out to stroke my face,
pride shining in his eyes. “Always remember to keep your head above
your shoulders, no matter where life may take you. You’re my son
and you’re a Walker. We always fight until the end. I love
you.”
“No! No!” I screamed out as his image began
to fade away. The tears flooded my eyes until I couldn’t see
anything anymore.
Suddenly, I heard music blaring loudly, the
beat thumping hard. I wiped my wet face and glanced toward the
sound, finding Nikki sitting in my truck in front of the barn. She
was totally jamming out to some girly dance music. I couldn’t help
but smile when I saw her there, even though I couldn’t figure out
what was going on.
I went over and turned the music down. She
whipped around to stare at me and started laughing.
“What’s the matter, Chase? Can’t manage to
listen to my techno dance music?”
I couldn’t stop staring at her smile—the one
I’d fallen in love with. I was so confused right now. I felt like
the tears would never stop. “I miss you.” They were the only three
words I could mutter.
She got out and stepped forward, slipping
her hands into mine, gripping them tightly. “I miss you too, but
you’ll see me again, one day. I’ve been so proud of you.” Her eyes
were warm and compassionate as she stared at me.
It was hard for me to look at her and admit
my weaknesses. I glanced toward the ground. “Nikki, I’m scared. I
don’t know where life is taking me,” I managed to mumble.
She gave a slight chuckle. “You’re something
else.” She released one hand and grabbed me by the chin, forcing me
to look at her. “Don’t you remember who you are? You’re Chase
Walker—the guy who can get anything he wants, if he sets his mind
to it. You stole my heart when I had no plans to let you do any
such thing. Now you have this beautiful life—one that’s amazing.
You need to be happy with what you have.”
“I wish you could stay,” I said softly.
She continued to smile sweetly. “I’ll always
be with you, Chase. Right here.” She pointed to my chest. “And
you’ve always had my heart. I love you and I know you’ll
succeed in anything you do—not just football.” She stepped away and
sorrow flickered briefly in her eyes. “I have to go now. Your
surgery is over.”
It seemed as if her voice continued to echo
in my head until she disappeared, completely.
I felt
does that sound?”
True to his word, it wasn’t long before they
were ready to roll me back. There was a flurry of people helping as
they started to push the gurney out the door. Brittney had such a
sad forlorn look on her face.
“Wait,” I said. “I didn’t get to kiss my
wife goodbye.”
She brightened and stepped forward, leaning
to place a soft short kiss against my lips.
“I love you, Brittney.”
She smiled. “I love you too, Chasers.”
I continued to stare at her until I couldn’t
see her anymore and then I closed my eyes. I wanted her image to be
the last one, the one that stayed with me.
I started counting when the anesthesiologist
prompted me to, my eyes growing heavy. The next thing I knew, I was
standing on a football field with my best childhood friend, Ray,
next to me in shoulder pads and his game day uniform.
Was I dreaming again?
Confused, I looked up into the stands and
saw Nikki sitting next to Brett and Brittney. Further scrutiny
revealed my mom and Greg sitting up there and sitting next to them
was my real dad. They were all smiling and waving at me.
I couldn’t stop staring at my dad. It had
been so long since I’d seen him. I wanted to run to him—hug
him—tell him how much I missed him. He stood and gestured for me to
come to where he was. The closer I got, the more everyone else
faded away, until only he and I were standing there together. I
couldn’t help myself, I burst into tears.
“Stop crying, son. I’m proud of you, and the
man you’ve become.” He smiled and reached out to stroke my face,
pride shining in his eyes. “Always remember to keep your head above
your shoulders, no matter where life may take you. You’re my son
and you’re a Walker. We always fight until the end. I love
you.”
“No! No!” I screamed out as his image began
to fade away. The tears flooded my eyes until I couldn’t see
anything anymore.
Suddenly, I heard music blaring loudly, the
beat thumping hard. I wiped my wet face and glanced toward the
sound, finding Nikki sitting in my truck in front of the barn. She
was totally jamming out to some girly dance music. I couldn’t help
but smile when I saw her there, even though I couldn’t figure out
what was going on.
I went over and turned the music down. She
whipped around to stare at me and started laughing.
“What’s the matter, Chase? Can’t manage to
listen to my techno dance music?”
I couldn’t stop staring at her smile—the one
I’d fallen in love with. I was so confused right now. I felt like
the tears would never stop. “I miss you.” They were the only three
words I could mutter.
She got out and stepped forward, slipping
her hands into mine, gripping them tightly. “I miss you too, but
you’ll see me again, one day. I’ve been so proud of you.” Her eyes
were warm and compassionate as she stared at me.
It was hard for me to look at her and admit
my weaknesses. I glanced toward the ground. “Nikki, I’m scared. I
don’t know where life is taking me,” I managed to mumble.
She gave a slight chuckle. “You’re something
else.” She released one hand and grabbed me by the chin, forcing me
to look at her. “Don’t you remember who you are? You’re Chase
Walker—the guy who can get anything he wants, if he sets his mind
to it. You stole my heart when I had no plans to let you do any
such thing. Now you have this beautiful life—one that’s amazing.
You need to be happy with what you have.”
“I wish you could stay,” I said softly.
She continued to smile sweetly. “I’ll always
be with you, Chase. Right here.” She pointed to my chest. “And
you’ve always had my heart. I love you and I know you’ll
succeed in anything you do—not just football.” She stepped away and
sorrow flickered briefly in her eyes. “I have to go now. Your
surgery is over.”
It seemed as if her voice continued to echo
in my head until she disappeared, completely.
I felt
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