Explosions

First day of practice for the Houston Texans came, and Charlie took her laptop with her to sit in the stands and observe over the top of the screen. J.J. moved this way. Ryan moved that way. They chatted a bit on the sidelines. By the end of the day, they were laughing and giving each other bro-hugs. She could barely get any work done, and she would have to take it home with her tonight.

There was a lot to get done before their home opener and only a couple months left to do it. In a week, the marketing teams from all 32 NFL teams would meet in Seattle. It was held in a different place every year, and this year, Charlie’d kept it a secret so as to surprise June.

Her eyes were fixed on her computer screen when a large figure sat down next to her. She jumped, startled slightly, and looked up to see Ryan drinking from a water bottle.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” replied Charlie.

“What are you working on?” he asked.

“Marketing strategies for selling out our home opener,” she said.

“How’s it going?”

“Not great. Not really sure how to promote the Texans against the Redskins without being mind-blowingly racist.”

Ryan chuckled, “I don’t envy you.”

“Mhm.”

He sat quietly next to her while she typed out a few more things. She took a deep breath and looked over at him.

“Can I help you with something?” she asked.

“No, I was just distracting you,” said Ryan.

“Distracting me?” said Charlie. “From wha”-

“CHARLIE!” A pair of arms grabbed her shoulders.

Charlie screamed and nearly dropped her laptop. J.J. almost fell down the seats laughing, but he stabilized himself on the back of a chair. He and Ryan high-fived, and she punched J.J.’s shoulder.

“Goddammit!” she snapped. “That’s not funny!”

“It’s pretty fuckin’ funny,” laughed Ryan.

Tears were beginning to form in the corners of J.J.’s eyes as his laughter continued. She snapped her laptop shut and crossed her arms. J.J. sat down next to her.

“You should have seen the look on your face,” he laughed.

He put a hand on her knee, and she stood up harshly.

“I still don’t think it’s funny,” she said.

She grabbed her laptop and began walking away. J.J. tried to stop laughing, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Ryan glanced back at her, then shook his head at J.J.

“She’ll get over it,” he said.

“I know,” replied J.J., finally calming down. “She always does. That was good, man. It’s the little things in life.”

“It really is,” said Ryan. He scratched his chin and said, “Hey, man. I don’t know if she’s said anything to you, but…uh, this might get awkward”-

“She told me about you two,” J.J. said, understanding the direction he was going. “Not a whole lot, but I understood.”

Ryan nodded and said, “I just didn’t want things to be weird. I’m really looking forward to being here, and I don’t want any unsaid words to screw up me being here or anything else.”

“Nah, you’ve got nothing to worry about,” J.J. said. “I trust her, and I trust you until you give me a reason not to.”

“Thanks,” said Ryan.

He took a drink out of his water bottle. J.J. sat back in his seat and put his feet up on the seat in front of him.

“Can I ask you something?” he said.

“Sure, anything,” Ryan replied.

“What happened with you two?”

Ryan was silent, thumbing over his water bottle. He looked down at his shoes and nodded silently.

“My second year in the NFL was pretty rough,” Ryan said, “and I took a lot of it out on Charlie. I never hit her, but I probably said some really shitty stuff. We worked through it, and she stayed with me when I was in training camp before I was traded to the Bengals. But after my first season with them was over, she was tired of waiting. We got into a really huge fight after New Year’s. I said some things I shouldn’t have, and she told me she didn’t want me around anymore.”

J.J. looked at him and nodded.

“You know what the last thing I said to her was before I left?” said Ryan, shaking his head. “I told her that I didn’t want her anyway, and she should have considered herself lucky I ever even looked at her.” He crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling. “I never meant a goddamn word of it.”

---

“He told me he needed some time,” Charlie sighed. “And I haven’t had a call from him since. I mean it’s been two months. Do you think he’s that pissed? He can’t be.”

“Maybe it’s just been tough on him,” suggested June. “He hasn’t played at all this year.”

“But how is that my fault?” said Charlie. “I’ve tried being there for him. I try to understand what he’s going through, but I don’t play football. I don’t even know it as well as I know basketball. I’m trying.”

She and June walked back down the hallway, their hands wrapped around their warm coffee cups. It was November at Harvard, and it was starting to get too cold for the two juniors. June freed up one hand and touched Charlie’s arm sympathetically.

“Wish I could help you, boo,” she said.

Charlie smiled at her and said, “Thanks.”

She held June’s coffee as they reached their dorm room door. June unlocked the door for them, and they were back inside their cozy nest quickly. Charlie set their coffees down on the desk and turned to take her coat off. She stopped.

Next to her bed was a vase of flowers and a small card. She glanced over at June.

“I don’t know,” said June. “Wasn’t here when we left this morning.”

Charlie tossed her coat onto her bed and picked up the card.

Charlotte, it read. I couldn’t remember if you liked lilies or daisies, so I got you both. Sorry I’ve been an asshole lately. I love you, and I hope everything is going well. I will call you later. Promise. –Ryan

June read the note over her shoulder and smiled.

“That is very convincing,” she said.

Charlie sat down on her bed, staring at the flowers. She smiled lightly and put the card back down next to her.

---

There was a light knock on Charlie’s office door, and she looked up. J.J. waved at her as he stepped over the threshold.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hi,” said Charlie. “Can I help you, Mr. Watt?”

“Oof, ‘Mr. Watt’, huh?” he replied. “Come on, you’re not really mad about that.”

“Well…I don’t know why I’m mad, Justin,” she said. “You know I don’t like that shit.”

“That can’t be all.” He sat down across from her desk.

Charlie crossed her hands over one another and looked into J.J.’s eyes. He suddenly felt as if he was interviewing for a job, and he shrunk back a little bit.

“I just don’t know how comfortable I am with Ryan being here yet,” she said. “I like that you two are getting along, and I don’t have to mediate anything. But that doesn’t mean that I want him telling you what I like or don’t like, or what I do or don’t do. I haven’t talked to him in four years, and it’s been longer since I’ve…been with him. If anyone knows me now, it’s you.”

“I think you’re blowing this out of proportion a little bit, Char,” J.J. replied.

“Am I?” asked Charlie. “Probably. Do I tend to do that about my personal life? Occasionally. But right now, I think I just need to adjust to this.”

J.J. sat forward and took her hands. He nodded and said, “You know how close I am with my teammates. I don’t want new guys to ever feel like they’re not welcome, so I’m trying to forget that you guys were a thing. I would suggest you do the same, but I can’t tell you what to do.”

Charlie leaned across the desk and kissed him. He smiled and kissed her back.

“I’m trying,” she said. “I just think you could back off the bro-ness at my expense thing. You know?”

J.J. chuckled, “It’s only been one time.”

“Let’s keep it at that number then, shall we?” She scrunched up her nose.

He poked the tip of her nose and said, “Can’t promise it.”