Swimming Upstream

Chapter 20

When I walked into Dan's office the next morning I saw him packing up everything on his desk into a box.

"What happened?" I asked.

"They fired me."

"They can't discriminate you for being gay."

"Ryan, they didn't fire me for being gay," he said, looking straight at me. "They fired me for my relationship with you."

"But who....?" I questioned, then slowly feeling it dawn on my face, "Your wife?"

"We had a long talk last night where I told her. It was time," he said. "She didn't take it very well. Dean Schmidt called me in asking me point blank and was honest about everything."

I let out an audible gasp feeling my mouth drop open dumbfounded.

"I don't expect anything from you but to thank you for helping me do the right thing for once in my life."

"I'm...." I said, squeezing my eyes shut as I buried my face into my hands.

"Ryan," Dan said, slowly lowering my hands.

I couldn't look up at him at all feeling frozen in place with my eyes starting to water.

"Look at me."

He gently cupped the palm of his left hand under my chin and raised it so him and I were at eye level.

"I knew what I was getting into when we first met," he said. "None of this is your fault. Do you understand?"

"But your job I mean?"

"I know."

He leaned giving me a deep hug slowly stroking my back where I rested my head on his shoulders.

"There is always going to be other schools out there looking for someone like me. You want to come along with me as I drop off my keys to the dean?"

"Okay."

We both walked out hand in hand not caring who saw us because the secret was now finally out. We made our way to the administration building walking inside down the hall to the dean's office. I stood off to the side just inside of his door.

"Dean Schmidt," Dan said, holding up his keys. "Here are my keys to my office and thank you for the coaching opportunity."

Then when we both turned to leave I could see all of the swim team members coming inside holding in their hands their Speedos. I soon spotted Eric who came up to me.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We are protesting," Eric replied smiling. "Once the word got out this morning about the coach being fired we decided to mobilize."

"Doesn't matter to any of you that he's gay?"

"Why would it?" he said, scrunching his face.

From inside the dean's office one by one all of the members of the swim team dropped their Speedos on his desk.

"What is all this about?"

"Dean Schmidt, on behalf of myself and all of the other athletes we are formerly renouncing our participation unless Coach Butler is hired back as head coach," Eric announced.

In that moment my mouth literally dropped leaving me speechless.

"Yes, he is gay but so what and yes he can be a task master often times but he has made us a better team. We all feel it would be wise if he were fully reinstated."

The dean sat silently for a moment looking around the room seeing everyone standing together in solidarity.

"Guess this means I have no choice in the matter."

He turned his head back to Dan looking defeated.

"You can have your job back."

The whole team hollered filing out of the dean's office retrieving their swimsuits on the way out. Dan and I followed everyone outside where I saw the whole fraternity standing together in a group and approached them wondering what everyone was doing here.

"Why is everyone here?" I asked.

"We are showing our support for you and the coach," Christian said smiling. "What does it look like to you?"

"The team's idea worked," Eric said. "Coach Butler is rehired."

I looked around noticing Andrew was missing.

"Where's Andrew?"

"After what happened we held a vote and kicked his ass out of the frat house," Christian said, taking a look at the other brothers who were all nodding in approval. "We don't let a brother get treated the way Jake was and we don't discriminate based on sexual orientation."

Christian held out his hand to me shaking it.

"I also confronted Anna and she told me everything," Eric said. "I'm sorry that I should of believed you the first time. She and I are on a break now."

"I'm so sorry."

"Ah," he said smiling, waving his hand up. "It's nothing. Plenty of others girls around campus."

"I am going to go talk to my parents this summer," Jake said. "I am going to come out."

I looked at Jake raising my eyebrows surprised that I made a difference in his decision.

"I know it won't be an easy conversation to have," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "but gotta start somewhere you know."

"I sincerely hope it works out for you."

"Thank you all for your support," Dan said. "I want you all back next season but for now...."

"Time to party?" I asked.

"Time to party," he said, giving an approving nod.

Everyone from the swim team let out a resounding "Yeah!!"