Page 66 of Tangled with the Tight End

“It was fun,” Winona says. “And I’m glad to help Declan.”

Lynn smiles at me like she knows I got a good one. Trust me, if I didn’t know it before, I do now.

Coach comes back into the room with Andrew. While Andrew looks the cast over, Coach says, “You’re good to go. You can start coming in for film and treatment. We’ll get you back in the weight room with a trainer for upper body work next week. Looking forward to seeing you back here Wednesday, Declan.”

“Yes, Coach,” I say.

The medical team and Coach Griffin leave the room. I pivot so my legs are dangling down from the exam table. Winona hands me my crutches and we head out, passing a few of my teammates along the way. Each one of them greets me and then sizes her up. She’s seemingly oblivious to their scrutiny and appreciation.

The closer we get to the exit, the more aware I become that Winona’s going to drop me back home and drive away.

“You got your cast!” she says, resuming her usual Winona exuberance as we approach the glass doors leading out to the parking lot. “And you get to start coming back here?”

“Yeah. I’ll be here Mondays for film and checkups. Wednesdays through Fridays I’ll watch practice and get treatments. Maybe do a workout those days.”

“Let’s get ice cream to celebrate!”

“Ice cream?”

“Something. We need to celebrate your big day. I like ice cream for celebrating. What do you like?”

“Ice cream’s good,” I agree.

“Ice cream’s great,” she corrects me.

She holds the door open and I swing through past her.

When was the last time I celebrated anything besides a win? Those celebrations usually happen on the road at a hotel bar or party in the town where we won. But getting ice cream to celebrate something? Maybe Mom did that for me when I was ten.

Winona drives us back to Waterford. She drives into downtown and parks in front of Sweetwater Creamery. She grabs my crutches and I get myself out of the passenger seat.

She’s not wrong. It feels good to be out of the house. And the cast does feel like a milestone—one I would definitely not have celebrated without her prompting.

Her phone pings as we’re heading into the ice cream parlor.

She holds the door open for me. Once I’m inside, she pulls out her cell. She types something and pockets it.

“Winona for Hire,” she says by way of explanation.

“Let me guess,” I say. “Giving a cow a haircut?”

“No!” she laughs.

“Decorating a tractor for the Labor Day parade?”

“Nope. Though, if you know anyone looking for that, I’d love to do it.”

“What was it then?” I ask.

“Shawna … She works at the animal shelter? … Well, her teen son Kyle wants to take a girl to Homecoming and he wants to have his license by then. His driving instructor got sick, so Shawna wants me to take Kyle out driving.”

I chuckle. “So you’re going to be a driving instructor?”

“Just to help him get his hours behind the wheel.”

I shake my head. What must it be like to be Winona? She lives life with her arms wide open, embracing whatever unexpected opportunities and people cross her path.

A little boy runs up to us. “Are you Declan O’Connell?” His eyes are wide.