with them in person. Where’s your next away game?”
“Chicago.”
“Maybe you could fly them up to watch you play.”
“I don’t know.”
“When was the last time they watched a game?”
“I’m not sure exactly.”
“Really?” She is unable to mask her surprise. “Not even on TV?”
“I don’t expect them to be super fans, sometimes I just thought they would have more than a passing interest in my success. Anyway, so they come up, we have a nice weekend, and I talk to them about how their lack of interest disappoints and affects me?”
“If you’re not comfortable going that far, then maybe you can aim for establishing or restarting a good relationship.”
“Should Dani be there?”
“If you think she’ll support you.”
“She will.”
“How is your relationship with her parents?”
“That’s the funny thing – they couldn’t be prouder. My father-in-law doesn’t understand basketball, but I can see how hard he tries.”
“Did they approve of you marrying their daughter?”
Oscar considers the question and answers, “Yes, I really think they did. They can see past all that ‘baller’ stuff. They know I am honestly in love with their daughter.” “Are you happy with them?” “Yes.”
“Good, you have an established relationship in your life for how you would like things to be – that’s a great place to start.”
“I guess.”
“Listen, Oscar, change has to come from you. Ultimately, you’re the only person who can take control over your life.”
“It sounds easy when you say it.”
“I know the reality is much more difficult. However, you made the choice to call me last month and now you can start to do things to push away your disconnected feelings. I know sometimes it would be easier just to continue living your life the way you have, but think about how you feel now and what your future could be like on this current path.”
“I see what you’re getting at.”
Nancy closes her notes and says, “Thank you for your time and honesty – that’s all I ask for.”
CHAPTER NINE
February 11, 1:37 A.M.
“How is there anything left in my stomach?” Danny groans from the tiled bathroom floor, his home for the past four miserable hours. His boyfriend, Matt, lies in the fetal position in the nearby shower. “I don’t know. We didn’t eat that much for the farewell dinner.” “Goddamn you norovirus!” Danny tries to joke, but lacks the energy to put up a fight. Several hours previously, their ship docked in Long Beach, the end of a fantastic cruise to Mexico. For their first real vacation together as a couple, Danny had surprised Matt by building in an extra night in Los Angeles at the Winchester. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a combination romantic pre-Valentine’s night and birthday present for his boyfriend, morphed into an all out sick fest. Having shared a small cabin together on the ship over the past week had put them in close quarters, but in a romantic, can’t keep our hands off each other kind of way. When the norovirus arrived, the forced intimacy had been on another level entirely.
“Honey?” “Yes?”
“Can you roll me the water? I think I want to try and wash my mouth out.” Matt sends the plastic bottle rolling and Danny tries to rinse the taste of vomit from his system. Lying back down on the cool tile, he says, “You know what I’ve heard?” “What’s that?”
“The couple that poops together stays together.” Laughing, Matt says, “Stop – please – my stomach is already dead.” The sounds of MTV filter around them, an earlier and not quite complete fix to drown out the sound of their being sick. They both zone out for a few minutes to an old episode of Cribs before Danny laughs to himself.
“What’s cracking you up? I fail to find any humor in this situation.” “I was just thinking of that horrible couple
“Chicago.”
“Maybe you could fly them up to watch you play.”
“I don’t know.”
“When was the last time they watched a game?”
“I’m not sure exactly.”
“Really?” She is unable to mask her surprise. “Not even on TV?”
“I don’t expect them to be super fans, sometimes I just thought they would have more than a passing interest in my success. Anyway, so they come up, we have a nice weekend, and I talk to them about how their lack of interest disappoints and affects me?”
“If you’re not comfortable going that far, then maybe you can aim for establishing or restarting a good relationship.”
“Should Dani be there?”
“If you think she’ll support you.”
“She will.”
“How is your relationship with her parents?”
“That’s the funny thing – they couldn’t be prouder. My father-in-law doesn’t understand basketball, but I can see how hard he tries.”
“Did they approve of you marrying their daughter?”
Oscar considers the question and answers, “Yes, I really think they did. They can see past all that ‘baller’ stuff. They know I am honestly in love with their daughter.” “Are you happy with them?” “Yes.”
“Good, you have an established relationship in your life for how you would like things to be – that’s a great place to start.”
“I guess.”
“Listen, Oscar, change has to come from you. Ultimately, you’re the only person who can take control over your life.”
“It sounds easy when you say it.”
“I know the reality is much more difficult. However, you made the choice to call me last month and now you can start to do things to push away your disconnected feelings. I know sometimes it would be easier just to continue living your life the way you have, but think about how you feel now and what your future could be like on this current path.”
“I see what you’re getting at.”
Nancy closes her notes and says, “Thank you for your time and honesty – that’s all I ask for.”
CHAPTER NINE
February 11, 1:37 A.M.
“How is there anything left in my stomach?” Danny groans from the tiled bathroom floor, his home for the past four miserable hours. His boyfriend, Matt, lies in the fetal position in the nearby shower. “I don’t know. We didn’t eat that much for the farewell dinner.” “Goddamn you norovirus!” Danny tries to joke, but lacks the energy to put up a fight. Several hours previously, their ship docked in Long Beach, the end of a fantastic cruise to Mexico. For their first real vacation together as a couple, Danny had surprised Matt by building in an extra night in Los Angeles at the Winchester. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a combination romantic pre-Valentine’s night and birthday present for his boyfriend, morphed into an all out sick fest. Having shared a small cabin together on the ship over the past week had put them in close quarters, but in a romantic, can’t keep our hands off each other kind of way. When the norovirus arrived, the forced intimacy had been on another level entirely.
“Honey?” “Yes?”
“Can you roll me the water? I think I want to try and wash my mouth out.” Matt sends the plastic bottle rolling and Danny tries to rinse the taste of vomit from his system. Lying back down on the cool tile, he says, “You know what I’ve heard?” “What’s that?”
“The couple that poops together stays together.” Laughing, Matt says, “Stop – please – my stomach is already dead.” The sounds of MTV filter around them, an earlier and not quite complete fix to drown out the sound of their being sick. They both zone out for a few minutes to an old episode of Cribs before Danny laughs to himself.
“What’s cracking you up? I fail to find any humor in this situation.” “I was just thinking of that horrible couple
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