Sequel: Standing Tall
Status: To make a sequel or not...that is the question...

Getting Back Up

Weakness

Tyler had fallen asleep on the couch after their conversation last night so Rebecca was extra careful not to make a lot of noise in the kitchen making breakfast. He had told her not to call Brad back, that it wasn't worth disrupting their lives for a man that didn't want either of them. He wanted her to focus on her date with Scott because he knew that she really would like him if she gave him a shot.

She made herself a cup of coffee and went into the living room. She checked her email then read the headlines of recent events on Philly.com. One of the headlines was about the previous night's Flyers game, a comeback win against the New Jersey Devils, Flyers comeback against Devils as Scott Hartnell nets game-winning goal. For reasons that Rebecca could not explain, she clicked on the link to read the story.

She didn't know why she did it, she couldn't understand any of the sports lingo filled article. All she could figure out was that the Flyers were losing, scored a few times to tie, and then Scott scored the winning goal. There was a link to a video with the caption Hartnell post-game. She pressed the play button and Scott's voice came through the speaker on her cell phone. The volume was way too loud and she fumbled with the phone to turn it down so Tyler would not be awakened.

She didn't succeed. "Morning mom," Tyler said as he stretched his arms into the air. "Sorry hun, I was trying to turn it down so I didn't wake you up. I failed," Rebecca said as she placed her phone on the table and took a sip of her coffee.

"That's alright. What were you trying to watch?"

"Something about last night's Flyers game. Apparently Scott scored a goal," Rebecca said.

"Wow, you haven't even gone out with him and you're already checking game stats?" Tyler smirked at his mother and picked up her phone to watch the video.

"No, I don't even know why I tried to watch it, it's not like I understand anything about the sport," Rebecca said as she walked into the kitchen, "do you want something to eat?"

"I could teach you...or Scott could. He is the expert," Tyler joked. "Thanks but I'm not hungry yet. I'll get something later. So when's your date?"

"Friday." Rebecca felt a rush of nervousness as she realized that she was going on a date for the first time in over a year. What had she agreed to? What were they going to say to each other? What was she going to wear? She placed the coffee cup in the sink, returned to the living room, took her phone out of Tyler's hand and called Lindsey.

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

"So where is he taking you?" Lindsey asked with giddy excitement.

"He said an Italian place called Vetri I think."

"Wow. Nice. Small, intimate...and expensive." Lindsey laughed as she rubbed her thumb against her index and middle fingers.

"I've never been there so I wouldn't know," Rebecca laughed, "what about this one?" She held up a gold and black knee-length dress for approval.

"Oh I like that. Go try it on," Lindsey said motioning towards the fitting room.

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

"Hartsy was flying high last night, eh? Gets himself a date and scores the game winner," Claude Giroux says as he pats Scott on the back while he's lacing up his skates in the locker room of the Flyers SkateZone before the morning practice.

"Thanks for airing that G." Scott said as he felt his face get flushed.

"We're proud of you old boy," Claude laughed. "When's the big day?"

"Friday." Scott said as the others would walk by and shake his hand or pat him on the head. "Can we focus on practice please?"

"Have it your way, but if you play every game like last night, you're going to have to marry that girl."

"Woah G. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's one date. Who knows if there will be a second." Scott said as he pulled his practice jersey over his head, put his arms through each sleeve, and down to his waist.

"If I know you...there will be a second." Claude laughed as they fastened their helmets, picked up their sticks, and walked out of the locker room to the rink.

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

Rebecca hung up the dress in her closet and sat on her bed. Tyler had left a note saying that he had gone to Jay's house for a couple of hours. She's thankful that he's such an honest kid, that they never had fights and he always respected her. He was going to grow up to be a fine human being.

Rebecca listened to the voicemail again. She rubbed her forehead with her hand and then ran her fingers through her hair. Even though Tyler asked her not to call Brad back, she couldn't ignore the curiosity she was feeling. She needed to know why he would call after all this time.

She dialed the number.

"Rebecca." Brad answered excitedly, "I didn't think you'd actually call me back."

"I wasn't going to. What do you want?" She said harshly.

"I want to see you and Tyler," Brad said, "I've missed you both."

"Good for you. What makes you think we would want to see you?" she asked.

"Becky, I'm sorry I've been away for so long. I know that I hurt you and I'm sorry."

"Don't call me Becky. You don't get to call me that. And there is no amount of 'I'm sorry's' that could make up for the last fifteen years. So why don't you just tell me where you've been and why I should allow you to see my son." Rebecca's face started to feel hot as the anger she has felt for him boiled within her as she waited for his response.

"I know that I was an asshole all those years ago. You didn't deserve what I did to you. But I'm a different person now. I want to make ammends for how I left and being gone for so long." Brad's voice sounded like he meant what he was saying, but Rebecca still wasn't convinced.

"You're going to have to do better than that. Give me the reason. Give me the reason or I'm hanging up." Rebecca threatened.

"I...I have cancer."