Ever The Same

Week 7 - Secret

I know I don't know you
But I want you so bad
Everyone has a secret
Can they keep it?
Oh, no they can't
——Secret, Maroon 5

Week Seven
Your baby is the size of a blueberry.

September 26, 2021

Grayson woke with an absolutely pounding headache and feeling like he'd been chewing on cotton.  It took a few minutes to orient himself.

Durham.  He was in the bed in their house in Durham.  The one that he loved so much.  But Cait wasn't sleeping beside him.  Why was that weird?

Because she slept a lot lately.  Because she was having a baby.  His baby. 

That made him bolt upright in bed, as memories of the night before crashed back. Cait was probably somewhere plotting his demise.

They'd been at Shooters. And he, Luke, Matt, Amile and Justise had been getting pretty damn hammered. Training camp started in a few days and it was their last chance. And Justise had just dumped his latest fling, which seemed like as good a reason as any to get drunk.

Cait had eventually forgiven Luke on Thursday night, after ripping into him some and then bursting into tears.  Luke had been able to handle her being angry, had expected it.  But he had gone white and started to stutter when she cried.

Grayson had eventually had some compassion for his best friend and intervened, after watching Luke stammer and apologize for a good fifteen minutes.

Then Cait had told all three of them that she still wasn't sure she was ready to tell anyone and everyone about the baby.  That she just needed some more time.  So they'd agreed not to say anything to anyone else.

Grayson had gotten through the workout and meeting with the coaching staff and the current team. He and Cait had hosted a team dinner on Friday evening and new and old players alike had mingled and had a good time.  But Cait had clearly been exhausted by the time it was over.

And she hadn't been able to pull anything over on Coach and Mrs. K the day before at the tailgate at Coach's house before the football game.  Grayson had been enjoying watching Cait with some of the toddlers that belonged to other members of the coaching staff when Mrs. K had put two and two together and whisked Cait away for a private conversation. 

The next thing Grayson knew, he'd felt the familiar hand on his shoulder.  "Congratulations," Coach had said quietly, after making sure no one else was within earshot.  "And thanks.  Jack gave me crap for years about the fact that I was a grandfather and he wasn't.  That old sonovabitch is gettin' a phone call tonight."

Grayson had stifled a laugh at that.  "Happy to help, Coach," he smirked.

"I'll bet," Coach had laughed at him.  But then he was serious.  "You can handle it, G," he'd said, patting his shoulder.  "You two are gonna be great.  And if you need anything, all you have to do is ask."

"I have a feeling that advice is still gonna be key," Grayson had smiled.

"Something I have an abundance of," he'd chuckled in return.

"I know," Grayson had giggled out.  "Man, do I know."  He'd sobered and regarded his mentor.  "But it's always worthwhile, Coach.  And I have a feeling that I'll need it."