Basketball is Not Life

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I make my way down the stairs to the fabulous kitchen. Everyone was up before me; who didn't sleep in on Christmas break? Parker and his father are both dressed in workout clothes.

"Morning, Ren." Parker greets me. "We are going into the high school to do a few shooting drills you want to tag along?"

I think about it knowing I had brought one change of workout clothes and my running shoes. 

I shrug. "Sure."

I had been around Parker enough that I shouldn't have been shocked that he wouldn't get a few reps in at some point on his break. His father speaks, looking over at us over his coffee mug. "I'm sure Renee might want to have a relaxing day off, Parker."

I shake my head at him. "It sounds like fun. I'll just go change." I still cannot read his dad and wonder if he is upset I am coming along.

The high school was a little bit of a drive, and I am surprised to see that Parker's dad has keys to the school when we get there. "Alumni," his dad says proudly to me. We follow him into the school and walk down a hallway until we get to a brand new gymnasium. The sign on the gym door said: Gym Donated By Jim Baer and Family. I would have to ask Parker what his dad really did.

Parker starts out with his warm-ups as usual, and I follow his lead. He looks over at me, skeptical. I roll my hand in his direction to say "continue" Jim, who is dressed as if he would be playing basketball, leans against the wall as he types into his phone. While we are into our fourth warm-up move, he takes a call and steps out into the hallway.

"Sorry if I tagged along," I say, doing high knees with Parker.

"Why are you sorry? I asked you to come. I would have been sad if you said no. I figured you and Melissa would be on the couch all day binging Hallmark movies all day."

My face falls. "I really should have second thought my life choices today." He laughs and then starts into the rest of his warm-ups.

Jim is just stepping back into the gym when Parker had started his around the three drills.

He finishes the first round and then throws a ball at me. "I bet you, you have to make supper for everyone if I win."

I throw the ball in between my hands back and forth. "Hmmm. And I bet you have to make supper for everyone by yourself; I get to pick the meal, of course." I say back to him.

Jim has put his phone in his pocket, listening to each of us.

Parker smiles. "Deal. I mean, after all, who lost the last bet."

I chuck the ball back at Parker. "Ladies first," I said to him.

Parker goes around the arc. We did a total of six shots, and Parker makes all of them but one.

I step up feeling the old energy that always came when I played basketball. And just like that, the ball falls into the hoop one by one. A total of six shots going in. I jump up and do a fist pump when I am done with a complete and perfect score.

"I'll have to ask Melissa what she wants for supper," I giggle, grabbing the ball and throwing up another shot that went in as well.

"You really are the ringer" Parker smirks at me. He mouths to me, "My Ringer," making my face turn red.

"Let's play a game of one on one, so I can feel manly again." We play a total of four pick-up games. Parker crushed me during every game. He lets up and goes easier on the last round, and I knew it, and he still beat me by four. He rubs my head, probably making my hair look crazy since it was in a ponytail. "That was fun. We should do that more at Michigan State."