This is a fictional story dealing with love and consensual sexual activities between males. If you are not of legal age, reside in an area where viewing such material is illegal, or are offended by homosexuality and/or homosexual themes, leave this site now.

The author retains all rights to this story. No reproductions or links to other sites are allowed without the permission of the author.

Note: I owe a special thanks to Robb for doing the final proofreading and catching all those silly little errors that I missed.

LOVE ON THE COURT

CHAPTER 14

WITT’S PERSPECTIVE:

Aaron explained his plan for escaping the mob of reporters outside our front door. It was a good one.

As Joe and I packed clothes for the next day into a couple of bags Reggie headed out the door and down the street to his house to be ready for his part of the plan. When Reggie’d had time to get home and get ready, we all headed out the front door. The reporters mobbed us tossing rapid-fire questions at me. The TV lights just about blinded me so I had to keep my head down as Joe and I bulled our way through the crowd of reporters to Father Mac’s car. By the time Joe and I were safely inside Father Mac’s car Rhonda and Aaron had driven down the street in Aaron’s car, and Antwon and Jean-Marc were parked a couple of houses up the street in Antwon’s big SUV.

Father Mac slowly pulled away from the curb through the crowd of reporters surrounding the car, and they went into a mad race to get back to their mobile vans with intentions of following us and setting up camp at our new destination.

As Father Mac’s little Corolla passed by Reggie’s driveway Reggie pulled his dad’s truck halfway out into the street while Antwon pulled his SUV across the other half forming an effective roadblock. We were free, and the reporters with their microphones and kleg lights were sitting fuming inside their trucks as Reggie, Jean-Marc, and Antwon laughed their heads off.

We drove about five blocks in the direction of St. Elizabeth’s before Father Mac pulled up behind Aaron’s car which was parked on the side of the road. Joe and I quickly transferred ourselves and our gear into Aaron’s car. Aaron pulled back on to the road as soon as we were inside with the doors closed.

In half an hour we were sitting in the living room of Andrew Cole’s apartment. No one could miss the fact that Aaron and Andrew were brothers. Both had the same broad features and easy smile although Andrew looked like he was slightly taller and heavier than Aaron. Since it was almost one in the morning by the time we arrived at Andrew’s apartment, we didn’t spend a lot of time in small talk. Rhonda got the bed in the spare room, Aaron slept with his brother in Andrew’s king sized bed, and Joe and I got the sleeper sofa in the living room.

We brushed our teeth, stripped to our underwear, and climbed into the sofa bed. Joe spooned up against my back and wrapped his arms around me. I was asleep within seconds.

The next morning Aaron went out for breakfast biscuits while we cycled through the shower. We called Father Mac who reported that one of the TV vans had shown up at the rectory but left as soon as they realized Joe and I weren’t there. Father Mac laughed as he described the obvious frustration of the reporter who had tried mightily not to swear at a priest after finding out he’d been hoodwinked. Over breakfast Andrew asked me several questions about what happened between me and Coach Melton and then promised to talk my situation over his superiors at the ACLU because he thought there might be a legal case since Alberts College had a non-discrimination clause in its mission statement.

While Andrew and I were talking, Joe checked in with Antwon and Jean-Marc. He got off the phone and sat down at the table.

“It sounds like it was a short night for Antwon and Jean-Marc also. The phone lines have been in constant use since we took off last night. Seems that almost everyone on the team called them trying to find you. Jean-Marc said that everyone wants you to come back on to the team. Coach Melton also called looking for you late last night, and then he called Jean-Marc again this morning to tell them that there’s a team meeting at nine this morning. He told Jean-Marc to let you and me know about the meeting if we called in.”

“What’s up?”

“I don’t know. Jean-Marc just said that Coach was very insistent that you be at the meeting if possible. It’s almost 8:30 now. We need to get a move on if we’re gonna make the meeting at nine.”

Aaron said he needed to go back to his house for a change of clothes so Andrew drove us over to campus. There was a mobile unit from Channel 6 parked outside the front entrance to the gym so Joe and I ducked around the back of the building and entered the team room just a minute or so after nine. The entire team plus the assistant coaches were there, and they almost mobbed us patting our backs and telling us how much they wanted Joe and me to stay on the team.

About ten after nine, everyone in the room was starting to wonder where Coach Melton was. Coach was a real stickler for starting meetings and practices on time. The fact that he was so late getting to this meeting made us all wonder what he was going to say once he arrived.

It was almost nine thirty when a very serious looking Coach Melton walked into the room. He was followed by Aaron Cole! Joe and I looked at each other and then back up to Coach Cole. He avoided our eyes and kept a neutral expression on his face. I noticed he was still wearing the same clothes as when we’d left Andrew’s apartment so I figured he hadn’t been back to his place yet.

Coach Melton walked up to the podium at the front of the room. That was our signal to find seats. The room became so quiet you could have heard a feather hit the floor.

Coach cleared his throat and began, “Gentlemen, we all make mistakes in our lives. Yesterday I made several. A sports reporter named Rod Small called me yesterday around noon and told me he had information that Witt Sadler was gay. He told me that he would go public with the story just before our first game if Witt was still on the team at that time. I believed him when he said nothing would be made public if Witt was not on the team. Believing him was mistake number one.

“I considered what to do, and I came to the conclusion that, even though Witt was one of the team leaders, the team as a whole would not be able to handle the idea that one of their teammates was gay. I decided the only thing I could do to protect the team was to ask Witt to leave. I did that yesterday afternoon. That was mistake number two.

“Coach Cole pointed that mistake out to me in a very strong terms at practice, but I wasn’t ready yet to admit my mistake, and that led Coach Cole to resign from the staff. Accepting his resignation in the heat of our discussion was mistake number three.

“After practice yesterday, I told all of you that Witt and Coach Cole had left the team for personal reasons. That wasn’t true, and I realize now that I should have told you up front what was going on. If I had, I’m sure you all would have straightened me out at that point. I thought I was protecting Witt and the team. In reality, I was trying to protect myself. That was mistake number four.

“I began to realize my mistakes last night. When my wife found out what I’d done she let me know in no uncertain terms what a jackass I was. When I heard the story about Witt’s sexuality broadcast on TV last night, I knew I’d been set up. Rod Small lied to me, and I bought it. I’ve since learned that Rod Small’s brother is a former boyfriend of Witt’s sister, and he has been harassing her. Creating this embarrassing situation for Witt and his family is just one more method of harassment.

“Witt, I need to apologize to you for my actions. I thought I was saving you some embarrassment, but my actions have led to a public airing of what should be a very private part of anyone’s life. I should have listened to you when you asked me to let the team decide if you should stay on. I misjudged you, and I misjudged the character of the entire team.

“I need to apologize to all of you on the team for believing that my old fashioned and narrow ideas would be shared by you. Your support and acceptance of Witt in this crisis has been a lesson to me. I’m proud of you. You guys are more than a team, you’re a family that cares for and values every member of the family.

“Last of all, I need to apologize publicly to Coach Cole for my actions yesterday that caused him to feel he had no other moral choice but to resign. I tried all night to get in touch with Coach Cole and Witt, but they were avoiding the reporters and weren’t at home. I finally managed to get Coach Cole at his apartment just before this meeting. He agreed to come right over, and we talked. That’s why the meeting started late. I’ve expressed my apologies to him in private, and I’m pleased to tell all of you that he has agreed to rejoin the coaching staff.”

The team and assistant coaches had been listening to Coach Melton in total silence, but when he announced that Aaron Cole was back on the coaching staff there was wild applause and shouting. Aaron smiled and nodded his head. He looked over at me, smiled, and winked. Coach Melton went over and shook his hand. They were quickly joined by the other assistant coaches and several of the players.

When the noise quieted down a little, Coach Melton went back to the podium. “Witt, my mistakes have put you in a very uncomfortable position. I truly think the Small brothers intended all along to try to publicly embarrass you as a way of getting back at your sister, but if I’d had the guts to do what I should have done in the first place you wouldn’t have had to face that publicity by yourself. Can you forgive me, and will you come back on the team?”

Every eye in the room turned to me. I was still pretty pissed at Coach Melton for asking me to leave the team, but I knew what I had to do. I nodded my head. “Yes to both questions.”

There was another round of wild applause and black slapping.

########################################

JOE’S PERSPECTIVE:

When the commotion began to die down after Witt told everyone he would come back to the team I gathered up my courage and walked to the front of the room.

“Coach...guys...I need to say something.” My voice was loud enough to be heard above the background noise. It got quiet.

“I’m really relieved that all of you respect Witt for his athletic ability and what he can contribute to the team, and you realize that his sexuality has nothing to do with that athletic ability. You all know that Witt and I have been friends since our freshman year. You all know that we live together. You all also need to know that I’m gay and that Witt and I are partners.”

LeVan Child was the first to speak, “Joe, you guys are the heart and soul of this team, and you’re two of the most intelligent guys I’ve ever met, but give the rest of us a little credit in the brains department as well. When I talked with you last night, you told me that you and Witt are a couple. I told you I wanted to make some phone calls to other guys on the team, and you said you had no problem if I told them about you and Witt. Well let me tell you, man, most of them had it figured out already! We may be dumb jocks, but we can put two and two together. And you know what, Joe? None of us care. You’re still the two best players on the team, and two of the finest people I’ve ever known.”

The rest of the guys nodded agreement of murmured their agreement with LeVan’s words. I felt my eyes growing moist and my face growing hot.

LeVan turned slightly and looked at Antwon and Jean-Marc. “Coach’s right. We’re a team. We’re a family. Some of us are black, some are white, some come from wealthy families, and others come from more modest roots. We’ve all grown to respect each other as players. Now it’s time for us to learn to respect each other as people. Joe and Witt have come out to us demonstrating their trust and respect for the team. There may be some others here who want to do the same.”

Jean-Marc reddened, but at the same time he reached out and took Antwon’s hand in his. “I guess you’re talking about Antwon and me. We’re just like Joe and Witt.”

LeVan walked over and gathered both Jean-Marc and Antwon into a hug. “Thanks, guys. That took guts. After thinking about Joe and Witt, I started wondering about you two, and again I wasn’t the only one.”

Reggie cleared his throat. “Well, hell. I’m gay too. I came out to my parents just last night, and it went pretty well so I might as well go ahead and come out to all of you also.”

The whole room erupted in laughter.

**********

The first couple of weeks afterwards were tough. Not everyone was as accepting of our gayness as our teammates. We took some shit on campus and on the court. The first two games were out of town. We were greeted with catcalls and mocking limp wristed gestures from the home teams’ fans. We won both games. In fact, we won all our games that year except for the quarterfinal game in the NCAA tournament. By the third game of the season most of the cat calls and faggy wrist gestures had disappeared, and when they did occur it seemed to spur our teammates to play even harder and pile more points up on the scoreboard.

Last month Witt and I along with the rest of our classmates walked across the stage and got our diplomas from Alberts College. The whole team and coaching staff was there cheering for us as we made our last appearance in the gym as students.

Witt’s parents had a huge open house for us at their place. Of course the entire team was there as well as the coaching staff. Dad Sadler fixed more of his “secret family recipe” ribs. They were a big hit, but he still wasn’t giving out the “secret” recipe.

Aaron Cole took the opportunity to ask Witt’s sister, Rhonda, for a date. Aaron told her he’d wanted to ask her out since that night when the story broke about Witt, but he didn’t think it would be ethical for him to be romantically involved with the sister of one of the players. Rhonda played cool, but she’d been dying for a date with the big man and had about given up hope that he had any interest in her.

They had their date two days later. When they returned to Rhonda’s apartment from the restaurant Jeremy Small was waiting outside. Aaron had a little “talk” with Jeremy. He hasn’t bothered Rhonda since.

Rod Small got his comeuppance also. The managing editor of the newspaper was not happy that the paper’s exclusive on Witt’s sexuality was scooped by the TV. He began asking questions. He found out about the connection between Rod’s brother and Witt’s sister, and he found out that Rod had been the “confidential” source for the TV news story. Rod Small was standing in the unemployment line the next day.

Witt and I have decided to take the summer off and do a little traveling before we start medical school in the fall. I know the next few years are going to be rough, but we’ll make it through...after all...we’re best friends...we’re lovers...we’re partners...forever.

The End