First & Forever

Chapter 16: Eloise

FEBRUARY

"Ready, Weeze?" Dad smiles, popping his head in my room. "Let's go for a drive."

We get into his car to meet the rest of our family at the Middlebury College game. He starts the car, turning on none other than, Free Bird. I throw my head back and laugh. The nine minute 70s rock hit quickly became my favorite drive-to-practice-with-Dad song back in middle school, the day that he randomly pulled a pair of drum sticks out from under the driver's seat and began playing them on the steering wheel.

Even though it's a cool day, we roll down the windows and turn the volume up as loud as it will go. I lean against the window, letting one hand bob up and down in the wind while I feel the cool air on my face. I've missed riding shotgun with my dad. In all of the excitement and freedom of turning sixteen, that's something you don't think about. You're excited to finally be able to drive yourself everywhere, but you never think about the time stolen from moments like these.

I look over at him as the song dies down. "Is this a total waste of time? I mean, I already know Middlebury doesn't give athletic scholarships. What if I actually like it?"

"They don't, but there are other scholarships," he assures, rolling the windows back up as we pull onto campus. He puts the car in park and turns to face me. "MC is my alma mater and because of that, I never wanted to push it on you. But since today was your idea, I have to say... It's a special place. I loved my years here. If you were to decide this is where you want to be, we can make it work. If I'm not mistaken, you would actually get a legacy scholarship since I went here. With that and your grades, it's a great option, Weeze."

I perk up at this new information. Information that I wish I'd known sooner.

"Can we walk through campus before we go in?" I ask, buttoning up my peacoat.

"Sure thing. I haven't walked through here in years," he says nostalgically.

We follow the sidewalks, Dad pointing out what each building is and telling stories about where he lived and what classes he took in his time here.

I look through the trees and brick buildings as we walk, remembering the day I walked through with Will before the fall festival. We stop in front of Thaw Hall and I immediately recognize it as the building I had stopped at that day. Dad starts telling a new story, but my eyes gravitate towards the sidewalk under the canopy of large oak trees. The place where I asked Will to kiss me and sweet heaven and earth, had he.

Everything is a little grayer than that day, whether that be due to the winter weather or the void of him. But even in the gray, I still love how cozy and picturesque the campus feels. I loved it that day too, I just hadn't wanted to if it wasn't an option.

We walk into the lobby of the athletic center and I follow Dad through the hallway where he stops to show me his name on the wall before crossing into the coach's offices.

He stops to say hello to his former coach and I quickly pick up on the fact that he comes here often to catch up and give talks to the team. I can't help but smile watching him walk through the halls, saying hi to coaches and old teammates. It's obvious how much he loves this place. I mean, the man is beaming and that makes me love it even more.

Walking into the gym, I see the rest of my family already in the stands with our grandpa who hardly ever misses a men's game. His precious self came early to watch the women's game with us when he found out we were coming.

We stop at the door as Dad talks with someone else and looking at them in the stands, my little brothers in their matching Middlebury College sweatshirts passing a bag of popcorn back and forth, I get a peculiar feeling that this is where I'm supposed to be.