Training

BROOKE

When I reach the beach, Colin’s mom is standing tall, holding her arm out with her palm in front of Luna’s face. Luna sits at attention, waiting for Denise’s next move.

Then Denise brings her palm down to the sand. “Down,” she says in a firm but calm tone. Luna obeys, lying on her belly, head still focused on Denise’s hand. “Good girl,” Denise coos, taking a piece of bacon out of a baggie and giving it to Luna.

“Wow! That was impressive!” I say, making myself known.

“Oh, hi honey!” Denise greets me warmly. “Why don’t you try?” She hands me the bag of bacon treats, and I stick my hand out like I saw her do.

“Down, Luna,” I say, and just like the flick of a magic wand, my dog obeys me.

“Good!” Denise says. “Now, hold your hand out again and tell her to sit and stay.”

I do as she says. “Sit.” Luna obeys. “Stay.” Luna stays, though she looks poised to spring up at a moment’s notice.

“Now, I want you to turn around and walk away from her. Don’t look back, just stop a little ways down the beach,” Denise directs me.

I followed her directions, but I have my doubts as to what Luna will do. I still can’t believe she’s obeyed me even this much.

A couple paces down the beach, I finally turn around, and I’m shocked to see Luna still sitting there obediently, waiting for my command.

Denise taps her thigh, indicating that she wants me to call Luna.

“Come here, girl!” I call Luna like I usually do. It doesn’t sound as firm as the commands Denise used, but Luna darts at me. Without me even saying sit, she sits at my feet, looking up at me wanting to be rewarded.

“Wow! Good girl, Luna!” I sink to my knees with a crunch of sand and give her a treat, rewarding her even more with a rub of her head and ears.

“She’s a good little pup!” Denise says, coming up next to me.

“I don’t know how you did it, but thank you! Really!”

“Oh, I didn’t do anything, honey. Luna just needed a few simple pointers.”

“Well, now I know firsthand how amazing you are with dogs. Colin told me about your animal shelter business, and also the sweet story of how you and Roger met.

“You don’t need Colin’s help at the shelter, right? His brothers are helping run it?”

She laughed. “Of course Colin would say that. We could always use more help at the shelter, but I couldn’t get that boy away from football even if I tried.”

“I was afraid you might say that.” I sigh. “I—I don’t know if I should be telling you this. I hope I’m not overstepping or interfering. I mean, he should be telling you this himself…” I start reluctantly.

“You don’t think he should return to playing,” Denise says, finishing my thought.

My jaw drops. “He told you that?”

Denise laughs kindly. “Of course not. He would never! But he told his brother Markus, and that boy can’t keep his mouth shut.”

Denise calls for Luna to heel, and to my continuing shock she does so without even begging a treat. We start walking along the beach. “He’d never forgive me for saying this,” Denise confesses, “but I think Colin’s injury is a blessing.”

“How so?” I’m shocked. How could any mother find career-shattering pain for her own son to be a blessing?

Denise explains, “I know my boy. Colin loves football, always has, always will. But he also has the sweetest heart anyone could have.”

My stomach tightens, and I start to sweat.

“Truth be told,” Denise continues, “I’m surprised he’s made it this far, what with all the fame and attention. He’s a private person, and those camera folks just don’t give a damn. I know it eats him up inside.

“And lord, that girlfriend of his, they never liked each other. They’re from opposite ends of the planet. She fed off of his fame. I’m sure it was all just a career boost for her.”

She stops walking and turns toward me. “You don’t see her crying begging for him to take her back, do you?”

Is she really asking my opinion, or is she just off on her own little rant? I’m honestly not sure. “I—I only met her once, I wouldn’t know.”

“You may not know it, but my boy is a hopeless romantic. Always has been.” She smiles and laughs at her own thoughts before speaking them.

“I remember him chasing after his first crush with a handful of daisies. She ran away because he was covered in hives from climbing through bushels of poison ivy to get to them.” I can’t help but laugh, trying to picture it.

“I know Colin idolizes Roger and me, and the love we have for each other. Is it wrong for a mother to want him to find a love like ours? Someone to grow old with?

“I want him to have the career he loves, but one day that will all be over, and I don’t want him to miss out on the chance for a family in the meantime.”

I want to cry for her and hug her all at the same time. Finally, someone understands me. But I’m sure she’s been saying this to her son for years now, and it still hasn’t changed his mind.

I feel sorry for Colin in this moment. He loves the love his parents have, and he sounded sad when he first told me about them. Sad that he didn’t have a love like that.

Yet he also loves football, and it seems the only way forward is for him to choose which love is more important.

“Well,” I say hesitantly, “I’m sorry to say this, Denise, but I think it’s clear he made his decision. He’s insisted every time we’ve talked about it: he’s going back to playing after he’s done with me.”

“Oh, we’ll see about that, honey. I have faith in you.” She gives me a side squeeze and walks ahead to meet Roger, who’s waiting for her with his hand out.

Me? She has faith in me? Why? I’m the one who’s supposed to make Colin stronger and heal him so he can return to football.

Colin made his decision, and I’ve made mine. Even though I’m against it, it’s only right to help him get back to the love he chooses, the love he wants. I will do whatever it takes to help him heal and get back on the field.