Getting Back Up

"Brad, that's...I'm sorry." Rebecca said as she instantly regretted being so harsh with him earlier. "What type of cancer is it?"

"Lung cancer." Brad answered. "The doctors have said it is advancing quickly despite the chemotherapy and that they can't guarantee that the treatment will work. That's why I wanted to get in touch with you. I wanted to apologize for how I left. It wasn't fair to you and Tyler."

Rebecca could feel the tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "You're right. It wasn't fair. But I worked my ass off and raised our son. I'm sorry that you're sick, but you weren't sick when you chose to leave."

"Rebecca, I can't apologize enough. And you're right, it doesn't change what happened. Nothing can. I've regretted my decision for a long time but I didn't know how to apologize."

"You could have called before now." Rebecca felt bad for being so unrelenting with her sternness, but she didn't want to forgive him easily. He needed to know that just because he's fighting for his life, he didn't get to walk back into theirs unscathed.

"I wanted to. Please, Rebecca. I'd like to see you so that I can explain in person. There's so much more I need to tell you." Brad pleaded.

Rebecca hesitated while she contemplated her answer. "Fine."

"Thank you. How's Saturday? Maybe lunch?" Brad asked, a promising tone in his voice.

"Ok." Rebecca agreed. "Devil's Den? 11th and Ellsworth. 12:30."

"Perfect. Thank you. I'll see you then."

**********************************************************

"You're too nice of a person Becks. I don't care if he is sick, I wouldn't have agreed to meet him," Erica said while Lindsey nodded her head in agreement.

Rebecca had called the girls immediately following her phone call with Brad. They had both rushed to her house to check on her. Rebecca warned them both that if Tyler came home they were not to mention anything about Brad. Tyler didn't want to have anything to do with him, and she didn't want to tell him about the cancer until she got the whole story from Brad.

"He's the father of my son. I wouldn't have Tyler without him. I feel like I need to know where he's been for the last fifteen years. It will give me closure." Rebecca said as she poured her friends a glass of wine.

"I guess," Lindsey said as she took the glass from Rebecca, "now I almost feel bad for all the times I wished him dead."

"Same here," Erica said. All three put the glasses to their lips and took a sip. They were silent for what seemed like an eternity.

"Ok, let's focus on something better...Becks' date with Hartnell. I still can't believe he called!" Lindsey exclaimed. "I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the restaurant."

"I don't know anything about him. How am I going to talk to him?" Rebecca questioned agreeing to the date every day since Scott had called. Especially with everything going on with Brad, how was she going to handle being out with a local celebrity? She barely remembered him from the bar that night, how did she make such an impression on him?

"Ask questions. Like, a normal person Becks," Erica chided her.

"Thanks Er. I appreciate that. You know what I mean. He's famous, he's probably either really arrogant or he's a complete mess. Neither of which I'm fond of," Rebecca said.

"I know he tends to be the jokester of the team, but from what I've seen he doesn't seem like he would be pompous." Lindsey reassured her.

"I hope not. I'm really not ready for this. I hope it's over quick." Rebecca said as she took a gulp of her wine.

"Well you better get ready. 'Cause it's tomorrow night. Make sure to shave your legs," Lindsey let out a hearty laugh, "cause there's nothing worse than wanting to get it on with someone and realizing you forgot to shave."

"Oh my God Linds. There is no chance of any of that happpening. I only agreed to one date with him. I'm not having sex with him." Rebecca said as her face began to blush.

"There's always a chance, Becks. Just make sure you're prepared," said Erica, "I sure wouldn't mind sleeping with him. He's probably got a great body...all nice and toned..." Erica's voice trailed off imagining her hands all over Scott's muscular body. She fanned her face with her hand as she took a large gulp of wine.

"The minute you get home you better call us with details. I don't care what time it is." Lindsey said with a glare.

"Sure. I'll probably be home by nine," Rebecca retorted.

"You better not be home any earlier than midnight," Lindsey scolded her friend for even contemplating ending the date early.

"We'll see."

**********************************************************

"So what do you have planned for your big date tomorrow Hartsy?" Claude asked as he got into the passenger side of Scott's SUV.

"I'm taking her to dinner...and then I don't know what," Scott answered, "I don't know anything about her so I don't know what she likes to do."

"Well you better figure something out. You're running out of time," Claude joked.

"I know. But I've been out of the dating scene for the last five years or so. I'm rusty," Scott laughed.

"You'll be fine. Just be your normal self. On second thought...don't do that," Claude roared as Scott punched him in the arm.

"You're a big help. Why do I talk to you? You're not a friend." Scott said as he fiddled with his long, curly red hair. "I need a haircut. I should have done it before the season. Now I can't."

"Why not? Afraid you'll mess up your mojo?" Claude asked.

"Yes. And don't say it like you don't think the same way."

"You're right. Guilty as charged." Claude chuckled. "But it doesn't mean that it's right. It's just a silly superstition."

Scott made a sharp turn that caught Claude off-guard. "Woah, where are we going?"

"To make a change," Scott said as he drove to his favorite barbershop.

Twenty minutes later Claude sat in awe at the amount of hair that was landing on the barbershop floor. "I can't believe that all came off of one person."

"Believe it my friend. What do you think?" Scott asked as he ran his fingers through the remaining hair on his head.

"I think...I hope it doesn't affect your game...otherwise we're in trouble," Claude joked as he snapped a picture of Scott's new 'do.

"I know. Chief is gonna be pissed." Scott laughed.