Impossible Dreams Chapter 3 "Hey!" "Hey!" "Is this 411?" "Yeah, ma'am," Rick said, laughing. "How may I help you?" Lauren was laughing so hard she couldn't talk for a while. She took a couple deep breaths before she spoke through the phone again. "Do you know you've got a new head coach now? "Yeah," Rick said. "George Lamont." "Is he good?" "He has a reputation with new players and building up teams." "So that's good for the team and for you?" "Definitely good for the team. Not sure about me." "What about the playoffs?" "I don't think so," Rick said. "Too late, it's already March. We have only fifteen games left. We'll have to win at least twelve to have a chance, and still have to see how the other teams do." "Play the best you can!" "I'll try," Rick said. "Actually I've been trying. Do I get any reward for playing my best?" "Like what?" Lauren said. "Oh, No. Not again. Stop it, you jerk." She laughed. "Why am I a jerk?" Rick said, laughing. "Because," Lauren said. "Never mind, you jerk." She covered the phone as she laughed. "I've an idea," Rick said. "What is it?" Lauren said. "And watch your mouth." "Nah," Rick said. "Not like that. Anyway, if I can make five double-doubles in a row, you'll take my loan." "Double-double is easy. Make it triple-double and I'll think about it." "Come on," Rick said. "I'm only 5'10. How do you expect me to grab ten rebounds a game?" "Well," Lauren said. "Make impossible things happen." "For that," Rick said. "You'll have to offer more." "More?" Lauren said. "I'm not going to benefit from it. You want to become a star player and also have me in your bed? How nice!" "Did I say the bed?" "Oh my goodness," Lauren said, as she felt her face heating up. "You really are a jerk. Jerk! Jerk! Jerk!" "Okay," Rick said, laughing. "Let's not get carried away. You know triple-double is impossible. I'll make ten double-doubles before the end of this season, and you'll take the loan. Otherwise, I'll donate fifty grand to charity. That's a win-win situation. How's that?" "Triple-Double, and you'll donate fifty grand to the charity, no matter what, then we have a deal." "Know what?" "What?" Lauren said. "I'm tired of this." "Me too." "You'll be there tonight, won't you?" "Of course," Lauren said. "It's home game." "I'll make a triple-double tonight. I'll donate fifty grand." Lauren thought it over briefly. "I'll think about it," she said. "I'll let you know before the game." "Okay." "Actually," Lauren said slowly. "Let's have a deal. You'll have a triple-double tonight. You'll donate fifty thousand to charity whether you make it or not. I'll pay you back the money if you win. I'm not going to owe you anything, no matter what. This is the last time you'll ever talk about it, no matter what." "Man," Ricky said. "You make harsh terms. But okay, we have a deal." ------------------------------------------------------------ "Was Rick winking at you?" Candy whispered to Laura at the courtside during the game. "Yeah," Lauren said, after a sigh. "He was." "What's it about?" "He's just won the bet," Lauren said. "Goodness, he really can make impossible thing happen. How can he grab ten rebounds when he's not even to the chest of the other guys?" "So you're going to sleep with him?" Candy said, giggling. "No," Lauren said, laughing, and slapping Candy in the arm. "He's going to give me a loan for me to go back to school." "What?" Candy said. "He needs to win a bet to lend you money? Are you alright?" "Yeah," Lauren said, laughing. ------------------------------------------------------------ "We won," Lauren said, kicking off her shoes, when she went into her flat. "I know," Vanessa said, covering the mouthpiece of the phone with her hand. "And your guy had just scored his first career triple-double." "He's not my guy," Lauren said. "Whatever," Vanessa said. "I'm going to take a shower," Lauren said. "Say hi to Jim for me." When Lauren came out of the bathroom after her shower, Vanessa waved at her. She covered the mouthpiece. "Your guy called you on your mobile while you were in the shower," she said. "Told you he's not my guy." "Whatever," Vanessa said, and returned to her phone chat. Lauren went into her room and closed the door. She went to her bed and made a call on her mobile phone. "Hey!" "Hey!" "I thought you're going to the night club for a celebration," Lauren said. "Nah. I want to talk to you." "I should have known," Lauren said. "It's another setup. You had everything planned." "Nah," Rick said. "I was just trying to do the best. I nearly failed, you know. Jerry was at the courtside waiting to come in when I grabbed the last rebound." "Whatever." "So how much do I owe you?" "I don't know," Lauren said. "I'll have to figure it out." "Are you going to quit the instructor job?" Rick said. "Or do it part-time?" "I haven't thought about it yet," Lauren said. "But I think part-time. I don't want to start it all over when school is done. Which charity are you going to give the money to." "What do you say?" "It's your money," Lauren said. "Silly." "What do you say?" "Child care?" "Sounds great. Hey." "What?" "What's next?" Lauren laughed. "No next," she said. "I know what you're thinking." "What am I thinking?" "You're a jerk." "Whatever. Hey!' "What?" Lauren said, and laughed again. "I'm having breakfast with Coach Frazier tomorrow. Why don't you come join us?" Rick said. "You ain't working tomorrow, are you?" "No, I'm not working," Lauren said. "But I have an appearance in the afternoon." "Breakfast doesn't last that long." "Well," Lauren said. "No, I can't. I can't go out with you." "We're going to Uncle Frazier's place," Rick said. "That's not going out. Bring your mom if you don't feel alright." "Well," Lauren said. "I'll think about it." "You don't have a lot of time to think about it." "I know," Lauren said, giggling. "Alright. What time?" "I'll come pick you up at seven." "Okay," Lauren said. "Hey, I'm starving like hell. I need to go grab a sandwich. I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?" "Okay," Rick said. "See you tomorrow." Vanessa was still on the phone when Lauren went to the kitchen. Lauren made herself a sandwich, and began eating her meal at the dining table. Vanessa came over a little later. "Is that the last sandwich?" Vanessa said. "Yeah," Lauren said. "You're hungry, too?" "Yeah," Vanessa said. She went to the kitchen to get herself a bowl of cornflakes and then sat with Lauren at the table. "I watched the news," Vanessa said. "They said your guy was superhuman today. They said he was everywhere, doing everything, playing like MJ and AI combined." Lauren swallowed the food in her mouth in a gulp. "He's not my guy," she said. "I've told you a million times. I'm not dating him, I'm not sleeping with him, and I haven't even been to a dinner with him alone." "Well," Vanessa said. "That's indeed platonic." "Huh?" "Do you talk to him on the phone?" "Yeah, of course. I just did. We are friends." "Do you talk to him everyday?" "Well, I talk to you everyday. I'm not your girl." Vanessa laughed. "We live together," she said. "That's why we talk everyday. Tell me, how much time do you spend talking with him everyday?" Lauren knew she was blushing. "Depends," she said. "Like an hour or two, or even three?" "It doesn't mean anything." "Whatever," Vanessa said, snickering. ------------------------------------------------------------ "Tell me something," Lauren said in Rick's car, while they were on their way to Uncle Frazier's apartment. "What?" "Do you think I'm your date or girlfriend?" "Why?" "Just tell me." "Well," Rick said. "I wish. But, no." "Why not?" "Why why not?" "Damn it," Lauren said. "Just answer me, you jerk!" "It's obvious," Rick said. "We've never gone out, we've never kissed, and we've never been to the bed. Actually, I've never touched you except the hugs. What's wrong?" Lauren let out a long sigh. "Nothing," she said. "Come on." "I said nothing." "Do you know you're impossible to deal with?" Rick said. "I know," Lauren said. "And you don't have to deal with me." "Nah," Rick said. "I didn't mean that." "Then stop whining," Lauren said, smiling. She then thought of something and changed the topic. "Are you always like this?" "Like what?" "Being," Lauren said. "I mean, consenting, until you have the girls in your bed." "Nah." "Nah?" "Well," Rick said slowly. "You know I was a star player at school, both at P278 and at NC. I've never had problems getting girls to sleep with me. Well, not all of them would, but I was, like, I mean, I never had to worry. You know what I mean?" "Yeah," Lauren said, giggling. "You jerk." Rick laughed, too, and then went on. "I've never been a star in the NBA, but once you're in the NBA, you don't have to worry about women." "So you've been having women all the time?" "Well," Rick said, laughing. "Not always. But, anyway, no, I ain't consenting to anyone because I want to sleep with them. And I ain't consenting to you, for anything, although, yeah, I won't deny it, I'd dreamed about it." Lauren almost felt tears in her eyes as she laughed. "You goddamned jerk!" She said. "Anyway," Rick said. "I bought Coach Frazier some Iberian ham. I though your mom might like it, so I bought a little more. Will you give them to her?" "Okay, thanks," Lauren said. "I'll tell her it's from you." "Nah," Rick said. "Tell her it's from you." "She knows I wouldn't," Lauren said, giggling. "Did you buy some for your folks, too?" "Yeah," Rick said. "I'm having dinner with them tonight." "Okay," Lauren said. "By the way, how did you get divorced?" "Well," Rick said. "She found out I cheated on her." "Damn it," Lauren said. "Don't you feel ashamed?" "Well," Rick said. "Yeah, when I saw her face after she found out." "Not when you were doing it?" Lauren said. "Not afterward?" "Nah," Rick said. "You're right in that I'm a jerk." Lauren sighed. "Yeah," she said. "You really are a jerk." "I've also learned one thing," Rick said. "From the brief marriage." "What's it?" "It's easy to say 'I love you'," Rick said. "It's very hard to do it." "Yeah," Lauren said. "You're right this time." "Yeah." "So," Lauren said. "Do you mean if you really love someone, you won't cheat on her?" "I don't know," Rick said. "I hope so." "You hope?" "Yeah," Rick said. "I hope. You know, I've never been there yet. So, I don't know. I can't tell. It's a mouthful of shit to say something I don't know shit about." "So you're saying you didn't love her?" "Like you said, I didn't feel shameful when I was cheating on her, and I mean, it wasn't just once, it wasn't just twice..." Lauren laughed as she shook her head. "My goodness," she said. Rick laughed before he went on slowly. "I'd thought about it after the divorce. I couldn't have been giving her my whole heart. Doesn't sound right, does it?" "I guess so," Lauren said. "Did she get a great deal out of you?" "Well," Rick said. "I guess. But I'd never made big bucks from the NBA, so it's not huge." Lauren went to her mom's apartment, gave her Rick's ham, and chatted with her for a while before she went over to Uncle Frazier's flat. "Mom says thanks," Lauren told Rick when he opened the door for her. "She had already had her breakfast, and she's not interested in basketball talks, so she's not coming." "Alright," Uncle Frazier said, holding the coffee Carafe in his hand. "Milk or black?" "Black, please," Lauren said. "So, what's the topic?" "We're talking about my head coach," Rick said. "What about him?" "How things turned around so drastically," Rick said. "Coach Lamont didn't even make it to the NBA as a player, but is now a NBA head coach." "Oh," Lauren said. "That's interesting." "And guess what?" "What?" "He coached Coach Lamont," Rick said, pointing at Uncle Frazier. "Wow!" Lauren said, turning over to Uncle Frazier. "In high school?" "No," the old man said slowly. "At Arizona State." "You'd coached at Arizona State?" Lauren said. "I didn't know you had coached in college." "It was a long time ago." "Why, why, I mean, why did you come to coach high school, then?" "It's not something I'm proud of," Coach Frazier said. "About what happened at Arizona State." "Oh, I'm sorry," Lauren said, and switched topic. "So did you watch the game last night?" "Of course," Mr. Frazier said, smiling. "I was there. He gave me a ticket. I saw you dance, too. You were adorable." "Thanks," Lauren said, smiling. "He can really make impossible thing happen, huh?" "The triple-double? That's nowhere near impossible." "Come on," Lauren said, giggling. "Don't be too hard on him. He's only 5'10." "Earl Boyce is only 5'5," Uncle Frazier said. "That's two inches shorter than you, and he's grabbing about two rebounds off the bench." "Wow," Lauren said. "That's amazing. So, what do you think is impossible for him?" She glanced at Rick, who was watching them attentively. "Not much." "Like, forty 3-pointers in a row?" "That is impossible," Uncle Frazier said. "But you don't make forty 3-point attempts in a game." Lauren glanced at Rick again. He was smiling slyly at her. "What will he get if he makes forty?" Uncle Frazier said, smiling at Lauren. "Nothing," Lauren said, blushing a little. "It's just an example." "My advice," Uncle Frazier said, looking at Rick, then at Lauren. "Is that you don't bet anything you can't lose. I'm not going to be held responsible for anything." "Well," Lauren said, switching topic again. "So is there any improvement he needs to make?" "Of course. Lots of them. Rick, do you know you made two lousy shot selections? They went in, but were more about luck. The down-the-lane pass to Big Mac was an awful one. You forgot he's a big man and is bound to have problem grabbing a pass below his knees. And..." "Wow," Lauren said to Rick on their way back. "I'd have committed suicide everyday if he's my coach. How long has he been lecturing you?" "Not that long," Rick said, glancing at the clock on the dashboard. "But know what?" "What?" "I ain't a great player," Rick said. "But if I hadn't had him, I'd have been a much worse player. You ain't going to believe how much impact he has on my development." "That's why you love him." "Yeah," Rick said. "I love him. But it's not just about his coaching. He's like, you know, my dad. I think he cares for me more than my dad." "Yeah," Lauren said. "I can kind of feel that, too. The way he looks at you." "Yeah," Rick said. "What are you laughing at?" "Nothing," Lauren said, still snickering. "Come on." "It's funny he said it's impossible, and then told me not to bet anything." "Just anything you can't lose," Rick said. "You can bet your clothes." Lauren slapped Ricky on his arm as she laughed. "Stop it," she struggled to say. "You jerk." "I didn't mean those you're wearing," Rick said, holding his laughter. "I said stop it. Hey, where's your earring?" "At home." "Oh, okay," Lauren said. "I thought you left it at Uncle Frazier's apartment. Hey, wait, you haven't been wearing it lately, have you?" "No." "Why?" "You said I look gay with it." "Does it matter?" "Yeah," Rick said. "I ain't gay." Lauren laughed again. "I didn't mean that," she said. "You idiot. I mean what I think doesn't matter." "Of course it does." Lauren took a deep breath. "Let's talk about something else," she said. "Has anyone from the team talked with you about a contract extension yet?" "Nah," Rick said. "But I had a talk with my agent last week. He said if I had confidence I could play at this level, I should wait until the season is over when I can be contacted by more teams. You know, competition means better price." "Okay, yeah," Lauren said. "But I really hope you'll stay at New York." "Why?" "It's my team," Lauren said. "I thought it's because we can talk." "Nah," Lauren said. "It's not about that. Next topic." She giggled. "Alright," Rick said, chuckling. He then went silent briefly before he continued slowly. "Do you mind if I ask you something?" "Yes," Lauren said, giggling. "I do mind. What's it?" Rick laughed. "Alright," he said, glancing at Lauren. "Don't get mad, okay?" "Well," Lauren said. "May be you shouldn't ask, then." "Alright." "What's it?" "You said don't ask." "Shut up," Lauren said, and slapped his arm before she continued. "And ask!" "Well," Rick said, with a choking expression on his face. He paused a little before he went on. "Coach Frazier said your mom had expressed concern about us being together." "We're not together." "I know." Rick said after a long awkward moment of silence. "Where's your appearance in the afternoon?" "I have two cousins I have never seen," Lauren said slowly. "Oh." "They were from my aunt and a jerk, a black guy," Lauren went on, even slower. "They went to foster care while still in infancy." "I'm sorry to know about that." "Shut the fuck up and listen," Lauren said sternly. "My aunt resisted a lot of pressure to go with that jerk, but the jerk ran away while my aunt was pregnant the second time. She nearly killed herself." Rick pulled out a few sheets of tissues from the box and handed them to Lauren. "We will not talk about this anymore," Lauren said, as she wiped tears off her eyes. "Get it?" "Yeah." After an extended moment of silence, Lauren said. "I want a drink." "It's still early," Rick said. "And I don't think you're in the right mood for a drink." "I don't care," Lauren said, raising her tone. "I want a drink." "You ain't getting no drink," Rick said. "So shut up and let me take you home." "Drop me off here," Lauren said, nearly screaming. "I'm going home myself." Rick pulled his car to the curb with a loud squeaking sound. "Wait here," he said and went into a store. He brought with him a six pack of beer when he came out of the store. He opened the passenger side door and put the chilled beer on Lauren's lap. Rick went back to the driver seat and pulled his car into the traffic. "You're at home now," Rick said, and looked over at Lauren. The six pack was still on her lap. They had not exchanged a word since coming off the store. "This is a fire hydrant space," Lauren said. "You can't park here." "I'm not parking," Rick said. "I'm dropping you off." "Yes, you are parking," Lauren said. "You're going up with me." "Why?" "To sleep with me." "Huh?" "To sleep with me." Rick looked at Lauren's rather emotionless face. "No," he said. "I thought you said you had wanted to sleep with me." "Yeah," Rick said, breathing a little heavily. "But not now. Not like this. You ain't in the right mood. This, this is not what I mean." "Listen," Lauren said, looking at Rick's eyes. "You want to sleep with me, and I want to sleep with you. So, shut the fuck up, go with me, and get over with it, hopefully once and for all." "That's why I don't want..." "Shut the fuck up!" Lauren said. "Either we do it now, or we never will." ------------------------------------------------------------ Rick broke the kiss. He stepped back, almost bumped into the closet door, breathing heavily. He dropped his head, like he was studying his track shirt on the carpet. Lauren was also breathing heavily. "What's the matter?" she said. "I can't," Rick said, looking down at his hands. He gripped his hands into tight fists. "I can't do it." "What's wrong with you?" Lauren said, frustratingly. "Let's get over with it." "That's why I can't," Rick said, his face twitching. "I don't want it to get over. I'm sorry." He looked like he went limp, sliding down against the wall, and sank onto the floor. He sat on the carpet, with his hands on his head, and muttering to himself. Lauren reached behind herself, and clipped her bra, which was undone a little earlier. She went over to Rick, and sat beside him. She stroked his hand and shoulder, until he stopped his muttering. Then she slid her head down to his shoulder. They didn't say a word. The apartment door nearly hit Rick when it was pushed open. Vanessa jigged as she came in, and the couple jolted. "What're you doing here?" Vanessa asked. Lauren felt her face heating up. She instinctively put her arms across her chest, and looked around for her sweater. "Oh," Vanessa said, smiling slyly and waving to Rick. "Hi, Mr. Superhuman. Nice broad chest you have." Rick smiled embarrassingly. "Hi," he said. "She's," Lauren said in a flushed face. "She's my roommate Vanessa." She crawled over to grab her sweater from the floor. "You guys coming in or going out?" Vanessa said. "We, uh," Lauren said. "We just came in." "Okay," Vanessa said. "Don't worry. I'll get dressed and will be gone in a minute. Go on with your business." She carefully stepped around them and went into her room. "Where is he?" Vanessa said, when she came out of her room and saw Lauren sitting in the couch staring at the blank TV. "He left." "What happened?" Vanessa said. "Did I screw up anything?" "No," Lauren said. "We weren't doing it." "You weren't?" Vanessa said. "Then who tossed your sweater on to the floor?" Lauren was feeling so bad she would rather cry, but she couldn't help. She laughed. "Well," she said, a little embarrassingly. "He, uh... We, uh, changed our mind." "Oh my God," Vanessa said, giggling, and went to sit beside Lauren. "You took off your clothes and he changed his mind? Is he gay?" "No," Lauren said. "You won't understand." She let out a long sigh. "Are you alright?" "Yeah," Lauren said. "I'm alright." "Okay," Vanessa said. "I have to go now. I'll be here tonight if you want to talk with me." "Okay. Enjoy the day, Nessa." Lauren went to her bed after Vanessa had left. She stared at the ceiling until it was about time for her dance team appearance. She got up and made a phone call. "Donna?" "Who's that?" "This is Lauren. I need to talk to you. Do you have time?" "Now?" "Yeah." "What's it about?" "Well," Lauren said into her phone, after taking a deep breath. "I'm quitting." "Something about Rick Hart?" "Yes." "I thought you said there's nothing between you and him." "There was nothing. But things have changed." "You're dating him now?" "Well," Lauren said. "No, not exactly. Not yet. But I think I'm about to." Lauren could hear Donna giggling on the other end. "Come see me tomorrow afternoon at the studio," she said. "Okay," Lauren said. "But I have to let you know about it now. Do I still go to the Girl Scout Reach of Home event at four?" "Have you violated the policy? Have you slept with him?" "I don't think so," Lauren said. "No, I haven't slept with him." "Then get your ass over there, now." "What?" Candy said, with an unbelievable expression on her face. "You're quitting? Do you know you're the most popular City Dancer?" "I am?" Lauren said. "Yeah," Candy said. "According to the latest online poll. Go check NBA.com if you don't believe me. What happened? Oh my God, you've slept with him." Lauren giggled. "No," she said. "Then why?" "I have not," Lauren said, and lowered her voice. "But I know it's going to be just a matter of time." Candy giggled, and then poked Lauren in her waist. "Damn," she said. "I'm going to miss you badly." "Me too," Lauren said. "We'll go out together." "And I hope I'll replace you to be the most popular City Dancer," Candy added. "Me too," Lauren said, laughing. "Hey, where are you going after the event?" "Home," Candy said. "You're not going out?" "No," Lauren said. "Feel like dining together?" "Okay," Candy said. "Shall we ask Leta and Rosanne?" "Why not?" Lauren said. "I'll go ask them now." Lauren went home after the dinner. She took her shower, went through her bills and mails, and then went to her bed to wait for the phone call. "Hey." "Hey." "Well," Rick said. "Lauren, I, uh, I'm sorry." "Sorry for what?" "You know what." "Don't worry about it," Lauren said. "And don't ever talk about it again. Don't ever. Get it?" She heard deep breaths coming through the phone. "Okay," Rick said. "I've also registered for the classes starting this summer." "That's great," Rick said. "How much?" "How much what?" "How much should I write the check for?" "I'll let you know when I have it figured out." "Okay," Rick said. "I thought you would register after the audition." "I'm not going to audition," Lauren said. "I quit." "What?" "I quit." "Why?" Rick said. "You can't." "Why not?" "You love it, don't you?" "I don't like it when you wink at me after you've made a basket." Lauren heard him laughed. "Why?" he said. "Do I need a reason to hate that?" Lauren said, covering the phone as she struggled not to laugh. "No," Rick said, laughing. "Why quit." "I'll never make it," Lauren said. "The school, I mean. I can't quit my job. It's even more important, and I love it even more." "Well," Rick said. "Wait, you will quit? Or, you have quit?" "Does it matter?" "I, uh," Rick said. "I don't know." Lauren giggled. "Next," she said. "Next what?" "Next topic." Lauren heard a banging sound. She knew Rick was banging his head against something. She covered the phone again and laughed. "Hey," Lauren said. "What?" "What are you doing after the Sunday game?" "I don't know yet," Rick said. "Maybe to the club with Diesel." Lauren made up a sigh. "What?" "Nothing." "Come on." "I haven't been to dancing for at least six months," Lauren said, lying. "You want me to take you dancing?" "No, no," Lauren said. "I was just saying that. I think I'll ask Candy." There was a momentary silence. "If I ask you," Rick said. "Will you?" "Are you asking?" "I am." "I'll think about it." Lauren heard deep breaths on the phone. "Will you?" Rick asked again. "I'll think about it," Lauren said. "Actually, I will think about it after we win." Lauren heard deep breaths again. "Do you know I've never hated a woman so much in my life?" he said. "Well," Lauren said, smiling. "You don't have to talk with me." "Okay," Rick said, very slowly, almost spelling each letter. "We will win it." "Call me after the win."