Dreaming of His Pen Pal's Kiss - Jessie Gussman Page 0,10

lift our mood. Maybe that’s what he intended.

If it is, it worked.

Thanks for hanging in there with me.

I think whitewater rafting sounds like fun.

Gratefully,

Computer Geek

DEAR COMPUTER GEEK,

The best time to go whitewater rafting is in the spring, when the rivers are high.

I’m just telling you what I found out, because I’ve never actually been whitewater rafting. Before you say anything, I know I said that I would be a whitewater rafting guide.

But that was just whimsical thinking. Because obviously, my life didn’t go that way, and it will not happen. Ever.

I’m not against going though. In fact, I’d like to. But my best friend has five kids, and she’s actually expecting her sixth with her new husband. I know she isn’t going to be going rafting anytime soon.

While I’m happy for her, it makes me sad sometimes to be around her. Because she has a great marriage with my brother, the kind of marriage I’d like to have.

I watch her kids sometimes. I’ve also been spending a lot of time with my foster siblings. I like kids. You?

I’m glad things are working out with your app. Makes me happy to have helped.

How is your leg? Is it being too probing if I ask how you broke it?

Part of the reason I wanted to be a nurse was because I wanted to help people get better. Thanks for letting me know I’ve made you smile.

That made me smile.

I’m grateful too,

The Healing Pen

Chapter 5

Dante stared at the letter in his hand, thinking.

Not about answering her. He could. There were no rules against what he was going to tell her about his leg. He didn’t have to give details.

But just thinking. He’d seen the car accident as nothing but a bad thing.

He wasn’t so sure anymore that was true. Funny how a little distance could shift a person’s perspective.

“You’re spacing out on me again. We need to talk about the minicamp.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Dante looked at the Zoom app on his computer screen where his agent was speed walking on a treadmill. “I’m not in any shape to go. I talked to The Big Dude, and he knows where I’m at. He actually suggested I head out to some town his buddy preaches in, to get away for a little bit.”

“Get away? Get away from what? All you’ve done is sit at your house and do nothing since the car accident. You need to start getting back in shape.”

“I’ve been doing the upper body exercises prescribed to me specifically by the team trainer,” Dante said, careful not to let any of his irritation enter into his voice.

He had the best agent in the league in Dan Green. He definitely didn’t want to lose him. Especially after the way his life had been going this year. He needed all the leverage he could get. Even with four years left on his contract.

Contracts didn’t seem to mean anything anymore.

“And I’ve been working with my physical therapist on the lower body strength. The leg’s mostly healed, I just want to make sure I’m smart with how I recondition.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get that. But get away?”

“Maybe just get away from my head. I think that’s what he’s thinking. Who knows? The Big Dude doesn’t always make sense, but usually whatever he has us doing works out.”

Dan couldn’t argue with that. “He’s the best around. He really lucked out when you landed on his team.”

Dante wasn’t entirely sure it was luck, but he had to admit, because of Coach’s unconventional approach to conditioning, which dovetailed beautifully with his own personal work ethic, he’d been able to excel, and most professionals agreed he was the best ever to play the tight end position in pro ball. He wouldn’t mind leaving that as his legacy.

“My career would look a lot different with a different coach, for sure.” He probably wouldn’t have seen nearly the playing time, wouldn’t have had whole plays designed around him and his strengths.

Just the thought made him long to throw some clothes in a shoulder bag and head out to the hill country where they always had minicamp at a small college in the hot Texas sun.

To see his buddies again.

Men weren’t exactly known for their caring bedside manner, but he would have thought he’d have gotten more visits than what he had.

His quarterback and his running back had both been in several times, but his real lifeline through all of this had been The Healing Pen.

He supposed he owed her another thank you...it