I'll Find You

Sympathy

It's hard to lead the life you choose
All I wanted
And all your luck's run out on you
All I wanted
And you can't see when all your dreams are coming true

----Sympathy, Goo Goo Dolls

March 23, 2018

Cait arrived in Omaha and was surprised to find her father waiting for her at the airport.  He hugged her close, but then frowned.  "You look awful," he said.

"Gee, thanks, Dad," Cait grumbled.  "Nice to see you too."

Jack shook his head at her.  "That came out wrong," he sighed.  "But I'm worried about you, Caitlin.  How much weight have you lost?  And are you sleeping at all?"

"I'm just not that hungry lately.  Probably because I can't work out the way I'm used to," she huffed.  "Which is probably why I can't sleep much either. And it's not like I couldn't stand to lose a few pounds, especially since I'm not training anymore."

"Grayson says you're tired all the time," Jack was still frowning. 

"Nice to know that my father and my boyfriend compare notes about me behind my back," Cait snapped.  "Grayson should concentrate on beating Syracuse."

Jack sighed again.  "He is.  But he's concerned about you."

"I'm-"

"Fine, I know," Jack interrupted her.  "That's what you keep saying.  But I'll be the judge of that for the next few days."

*****

Cait settled into her hotel room with a sigh.  Grayson had only had a quick minute to say hello and kiss her, which she'd known would be the case when she'd decided not to travel to Omaha until this morning.  But as much as she loved to see him, it was getting harder to deflect his questions and concerns and so she'd pleaded school work to delay her trip here. 

It was easier to persuade him that she was okay when she was talking to him on the phone.  And now he was focused on the game.  Which was as it should be. 

She'd suffered through the inquisition of not only her father, but Grayson's parents too, over a late lunch.  And now, she'd been banished to her room with instructions to take a nap before they went over for the game tonight. 

She gritted her teeth in frustration.  The pressure to keep quiet was overwhelming, but she'd had a couple of days to pull herself together and think it through. Since Grayson wasn't ready to get married anyhow, there was no rush. She had time to have the conversation with him after the season. Resolving that in her mind had allowed her to put her fears aside for now. Maybe it was the equivalent of impersonating an ostrich, but she told herself it was temporary.

And she needed to forget everything else and focus on tonight's game.  She wanted to enjoy watching him play, not knowing how long she'd be able to do that.

*****

The game started off tight.  Syracuse was playing pretty physical and Cait was silently hoping Grayson could keep his composure. Then he went to the floor and came up obviously in pain and Cait's stomach knotted.

He got fouled on a break away and she let out a breath. This game wasn't going according to plan. But he hit both free throws and gave them a lead. And then he hit a three with a minute left in the half.