Memoir | Klay Thompson

32 // Maybe Again

5 weeks later....

"Son, I beg you to come out of this room." Julie was outside of his door, Klay's locked door. He's finally going through the stage of depression in his stages of grief.

She sighed walking back to the living room to hear Rocco whimpering. It was driving her crazy that the overgrown man child and the dog were acting helpless.

Calling Delia, Julie was in desperate need to fix her son.

"Hello Mrs. Thompson, what can I do for you today?" Delia was walking into the office for an important board meeting that she was slightly behind for.

"Can you put me in touch with Cameron? I always seem to miss her when I come to check in on Alexander. He won't come out of his room."

Delia also knew Klay wasn't responding to anyone, but at the same time the season was soon to wrap if they team had no encouragement. They were dropping seeds every other game.

"I'll talk to her after our meeting and have her come over." She offered.

Cameron didn't want to be in contact with Julie outside of the notes they left for one another in the kitchen when they switched shifts of looking over Klay. Cameron knew the Thompson family wanted nothing to do with her. They hadn't been kind and would tolerate her for the sake of Klay who demanded she be around.

It wasn't that they wanted nothing to do with her, it was stressful for them all. This family being terrible at expressing themselves and communication nonexistent.

Julie sighed understanding why Delia wouldn't give her Cameron's number. "Okay, thank you." The feeling of regret washed over her as she heard Klay groan from his room. He would be in better spirits if the Thompsons and Cameron could work out a better schedule. Unbeknownst to Klay, they severed that tie with the only person who kept him afloat.

••••

"Cameron, you are kind. Thank you." Nathan smiled at the care package Cameron made for him. He helped her a lot during time as acting Editor and Chief. She wanted to show her appreciation.

"You helped me in a big way. I'm in debt to you. We've got a meeting so, let's make our way."

Nathan walked a little closer to Cameron than usual but she didn't mind it. She began to like his company over the course of the last month. When Delia watched Cameron and Nathan walk into the board room, she rolled her eyes. She didn't like how much time Nathan spent with Cameron. She didn't trust it.

"Morning bestie." Cameron smiled leaning onto Delia's shoulder. "Hey girly. How you feeling today?"

"Good, what's to complain about?" Cameron shrugged opening her folder to today's agenda. "I love how you color coded this."

"Thank you." Delia always appreciated a good compliment. "You know your mother in law called me today trying to get in touch with you."

"She's far from my mother in law... but what does she want?"

One thing that Delia did like about Cameron's change was her sassiness. She was letting loose and not caring who heard what she had to say.

"Klay is stuck in that room again. Doing his usual." Her face softened as Delia updated her on his progress. She felt bad because although she took care of him, talked to his doctors and trainers, they had been more distant than ever.

"You gonna tell me what happened?"

"With the devil family?" She joked. Delia laughed but she wanted to know what had Cameron on edge with Klay. "Sure, what did my alternate family do?"