We Come Alive 4

Ultimatum

The following morning after a whirlwind of emotions and issues over the last 12 hours, Mateo was sitting in his office looking at Sam, Victor, and Danny. They barely had time to settle in when Mateo called this meeting since he wanted to settle this once and for all quickly.

Sam and Victor were eating fruit casually while Danny was sitting in his chair fidgeting his fingers around with a broken nose. His nose was red and bruised that he said he was going to have Manny cover up with makeup before he went in for work at the school.

"Alright, let's talk about this." Mateo sighed. "We gotta have a talk on if Ricky should be allowed to still work here or not. Cause I'm about to just fire him but I know that will cause a big riot around here so...." Mateo tapped his pen against his desk. "What do y'all think?"

Sam bit in his apple as he shrugged his shoulders. "They'll get over it. He does intern work anyway. Could last without him or just hire Manny since she's always running around here."

Victor nodded agreeing with him as he was eating grapes out of a bowl. "Yeah. Do what you gotta do, boss man."

Mateo rubbed his hand over his hair and back over his hair to rub it down to his ponytail as he heard Danny didn't say a word and just sat there silently. "Neither of y'all are helping. Get out. Go do something useful."

Sam and Victor chuckled and snickered as they got up and left the room. Sam closed the door behind them leaving Mateo and Danny in silence.

"Listen," Mateo sighed, looking Danny in the eyes, "It's you over him. I don't need him to work here, but I need you. You're a big asset to this team. Honestly, if he's gonna act like that, he's gotta go. But I'm here to hear you out."

Danny stayed silent for a moment, like a child getting scolded. He looked up at Mateo and shrugged his shoulders, clearly torn. "It's your choice at the end of the day, so I kinda don't have a say here. But its public knowledge that Ricky hates me with a passion. Shit, he broke my nose the first chance he got. But I understand he was going through something. I'm not a father, I've never had the opportunity to be one, but I can imagine that hearing that can mess with anyone. So if it's up to me, I say keep him. The kid's gone through a lot. Plus he just got shot, hospital bills cost. He's only 19, he's a kid. He don't know anything else other than the Jaguars. Let him hold onto that for a little longer."

Mateo let Danny's words internalize before nodding his head and hitting his hands against the desk top as a signal that they were done. "Thanks. I'll take that to heart."

Danny nodded his head once than got up to go meet Manny in the trainer's room so she could cover up his bruising on his face.

~**~

During his lunch break, Mateo left the athletic building and got in his car for a drive. He drove away from the school and to Ricky's house to talk to him about where his job stood and about where Ricky had to go from here on.

Mateo knocked on the front door and waited a couple moments for the door to open. When it did, Mateo was face to face with a visibly exhausted Ricky. His hair was up, he was in a sweatshirt and basketball shorts, and he looked like he had the life taken out of him.

"See you're hungover." Mateo commented, walking inside the home when Ricky let him in.

Ricky just scoffed. "Who you telling? I got a raging headache."

He lead Mateo into the living room where his two younger brothers were sitting playing with their toys on the floor.

"Nick, Mike, go play in your room for a bit." Ricky said, shooing them away. "I gotta talk for a second."

The two little boys reluctantly got up and went off with their toys. Ricky sat down on the couch and watched Mateo sit down next to him. The second Ricky was settled down in a comfortable position with his body sat up straight with his back pressed against the back of the couch, he looked at his former coach and, hopeful, boss.

"You called my probation officer." Ricky stated, playing with the loose thread of the pillows on the couch.

Mateo nodded staring at Ricky who was avoiding eye contact. "Yeah. You came into work and broke Danny's nose. When you're on probation for assault, battery, and assaulting a police officer among other little things, I might have to mention that. My job is on the line if I don't."

Ricky nodded understanding. "I didn't mean to break his nose." He whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Tell that to him." Mateo snorted. "I should've called the cops right then and there. Ricky, you're 19. Nineteen years old and you disappear for three hours and when you come back you're drunk, belligerent, yelling out accusations, and than assault one of my workers? Anyone else would've had you arrested right there. Sam and Victor had to hold you down to the ground. Than on top of it, you just hopped into your car and disappeared. Drunk."

Ricky stared at the pillows as he listened to Mateo talk. He listened to his mistakes that he made. He wanted to come up with the excuse that Alyssa had a miscarriage, but he knew that Mateo wouldn't let him pass with that. He knew Mateo wanted them to always act respectable no matter the situation.

"I'm sorry." He finally said.

"You're suspended without pay." Mateo stated. "When or if you're gonna work again, I don't know. And if, and only if, you're a good help with the team trip, you'll have a job Monday morning."

Ricky nodded his head and for the first time in the conversation, met Mateo's stare. "Thank you."

Mateo sighed as he looked away from Ricky for a moment. "What's your probationary consequences?"

"License revoked for 30 days, mandatory anger management, I have to do a alcohol test three times a day, and the usual threat to be thrown into prison." Ricky shrugged. "So the usual conversation with my probation officer whenever I see her. She was disappointed, but who isn't nowadays."

Mateo checked his phone for the time and saw he needed to get back to the field since he promised Manny he'd bring her something to eat. "If you wanna come to the practice tomorrow, shoot me a text beforehand. You don't have to come to the game Friday, but if you still want your job, you're working the team trip. You make it through those two days with no problems whatsoever, you'll have a job Monday."

"Yes, sir."

Mateo got up and started walking towards the front door. Ricky got up and walked him to the door. When Ricky unlocked it and held the door open for Mateo, he leaned against it to stabilize himself. Before Mateo could get far, Ricky called out after him,

"What'd Sam and Victor say?" He wondered.

Mateo stopped on the steps and looked back at the young man. "Told me to fire you. Said we don't need an assistant coach but we need a trainer. I agreed with them. I'm not risking my money and my family life along with theirs for you. I got a family to feed just like Victor's got a wife at home and Sam got bills to pay. Only reason I'm allowing you to have a job is cause Danny convinced me. When I set up this meaning, I wanted to give you the respect of firing you in person. So you better thank the guy, who's nose you broke and who's reputation you tried to damage, for your job."

Ricky felt his heart drop while watching Mateo leave. When he was at his car, Ricky closed the door and locked the front door as he heard his brothers' child shrieks as they played in their room. Ricky knew he better kiss Danny's feet for saving him, but without him he'd have to explain to his mom how he messed up again.