Chapter 21: The Nationals

Dave was happy that he was leaving for the nationals on Monday; he kept so busy preparing for the Canadian Championships that he didn't have time to mope about what was going on with his relationship with Jennifer and Ann. He practiced six hours a day then played a round each day as well.

Sunday night he was packing his clothes and thinking about Jennifer and Ann. He had decided that he and Ann were definitely finished. He thought that Jennifer would not have acted the way she had unless Ann was influencing her and twisting facts to make Dave the villain. Ann was sexy-looking and the sex with her was very exciting but he now knew she was too volatile to maintain a long-term relationship with. He thought that, had she come to him or called him and tried to work out the problem, he would probably have been willing to try some sort of reconciliation. But the blowup happened six days ago now, and she never called once. Ann was history.

When Dave heard the trailer door open, he turned to see his mother walk into the trailer. She could see Dave was deep in thought so she asked, "How are you doing, Dave?"

Dave turned to her, "I should be more excited than I have ever been in my life. I have dreamed about going to the nationals for almost a year now -- but I can't get Jennifer out of my head." He cleared a section of the clothing-strewn couch and sat down while looking at his mother. "I really miss her, Mom. At first I missed Ann too, but I've come to realize that, although I liked Ann and she was exciting to be with, Jennifer is my best friend and my true love. I now know I can live without Ann but I have a huge empty space in my heart where Jennifer belongs."

Hearing this, Carol moved more clothing from the couch, sat beside Dave, and hugged him tenderly. Tears were running down Dave's face as he confessed, "I miss my best friend. I know I made a mistake but Jennifer won't even listen to me. What should I do?"

Carol tried to think of a comforting answer but she didn't want to make any empty promises. She couldn't tell him everything would be all right because she didn't know whether it would or would not work out. She hadn't talked to Jennifer's mother Heather since the first night after Heather and Jennifer suddenly left QAI. Carol decided it was now time to get more involved. She had always promised herself that she would not interfere in her children's love lives but she couldn't bear to see Dave so upset and so in the dark as to what was going on.

She finally whispered, "I don't know, Dave. I wish I could magically make everything better -- but I can't. Relationships are complicated and the more people involved in the relationships the more complicated they get. Julie told me you called Jennifer on Friday and was able to tell her your side of the story. I know it's hard to wait; but, if you think Jennifer is worth waiting for, then a week in BC should give her enough time to come to her senses. Enjoy your trip to BC and think about your golf - that should make the time pass quickly."

Dave nodded, "Thanks, Mom; I know I don't say this enough, but I love you." Dave hugged his mother tightly, wiped his streaked cheeks, then stood up and resumed packing clothes into his suitcase.

Carol's eyes were filled with tears. Her son was so mature. Her baby was a young man - a very mature young man. She suddenly got angry. Heather and Ron had become their family's very very good friends and they should be responsible enough to deal with this better. She was going to call Heather and give her hell.

Carol stood up and walked to the fridge. She picked up the cell phone and walked outside for some privacy. It was just getting dark so she walked through the trees behind the trailer and onto the golf course where she could call Heather without anyone overhearing her.

She dialed Heather's number and the phone rang five times before she finally heard Heather say hello. Carol's tone was very stern and she started right in on her without preliminaries, "Heather, what the hell is going on? We have been friends for a long time and I was hoping the kids could work this out themselves -- but that just isn't happening. There has to be more to this. Why haven't you called me?"

Heather sounded shaky on the phone and Carol could hear her breaking into tears, "I'm sorry, Carol, but all hell has broken loose over here. We never should have left QAI so quickly - we are caught in a real hornet's nest now."

Carol's tone quickly moderated as she realized her friend Heather was also in need. She softly asked, "What is going on?"

Heather launched into the details of everything that happened since Dave arrived home the previous Tuesday. "After Jennifer and Dave had their fight, Jennifer called Ann. Ann was distraught, she had told her father what had happened and her parents, George and Cindy, were themselves fighting like cats and dogs, shouting and breaking things. Ann begged Jennifer to come to Charlestown to help her. I tried to talk Jennifer out of going home; but she insisted, so we left early that Wednesday.

"When we got home, Ann was waiting on our doorstep with a suitcase. She moved into our house to get away from the fighting. At first I thought she was just an innocent by-stander. She told Jennifer some awful things about Dave, including how he had ripped Cindy's bathing suit off while they were swimming on Monday. She had Jennifer convinced that Dave had initiated the whole incident with her mother Cindy.

"When Dave called on Friday, I didn't want him to talk to Jennifer then because Ann was still here. I knew Ann would influence what Jennifer said and thought. She did and turned the whole story back against Dave as soon as he hung up.

"Carol, we are like you; Ron and I promised ourselves to stay out of our daughter's lovelife -- but we finally stepped in today. I called Cindy directly and, after some strong persuasion, she candidly told me the whole story.

"I learned Cindy and George were earlier having marital problems in Toronto. Specifically, George had a mistress and Cindy started cheating on him for revenge. George found out about that and went wild. They agreed to move to the Maritimes, try to leave all their problems behind them, and start over with clean slates.

"Things had been going very well and Cindy was settling into her new life here in Charlestown. Ann's visit with us for the summer on QAI had given both her and George a lot of free time. She got very involved in her volunteer activities while George immersed himself in his work. He was traveling all over New Dominion and often gone for three to four days at a time.

"The week after Ann was in the hospital, Cindy got a spiteful call from George's old mistress in Toronto. The mistress said that she had George back and was going to keep him this time. Cindy went crazy with jealousy and dreamed up a plan of revenge. She went out and bought a skimpy thong bikini - you remember the one she was wearing at the beach that day, the one that you and I talked about. Anyway, Cindy thought that seducing Dave would drive George crazy; but in her rage-driven scheming she never thought about any affect it could have on Ann.

"She initiated the pool incident by talking Ann into sunbathing nude most of the week before Dave arrived. Then, when he got there, Ann had become comfortable enough with the nudity that she allowed the whole pool situation to happen. That night Cindy attacked Dave in his bed. Cindy said he did resist when he found out her true identity -- but she kept at him until she was able to do what she wanted. She had hoped that George would hear them or come looking for her although he was so self-absorbed that he never even noticed her antics.

"Cindy was surprised and shocked when Ann figured out the next day what she had done to Dave -- and that is when all hell broke loose. Jennifer and Dave have been two innocent pawns caught in the middle of a messy major marital fight. I feel badly for Ann -- but now she has made this whole situation even worse by dragging Jennifer into it with a series of distortions and lies.

"I finally had a long talk with both Ann and Jennifer this afternoon. Ann knew the whole story about Toronto and figured out most of the rest of it Tuesday after her blowout with Dave. She tried to play innocent victim and I almost fell for her act, until she let slip that she thought Dave was just a typical man who could be controlled by sex. Jennifer missed that little statement -- but I got the meaning clearly. I think she has been manipulating Jennifer in hopes she could get control of Dave.

"Ann expected Dave to phone her, begging her to come back to him; but he only called Jennifer. That made Ann even more angry; so she has been pushing Jennifer farther and farther away from Dave. I put an end to that right then and sent Ann home with her suitcase. Right now Jennifer is outraged and totally pissed at me for sending Ann home. I think it will take a day or two for Jennifer to see what has really been happening; but I hope, now that Ann is out of our house, things will slowly return to normal. When she calms down some more, Jennifer and I will have a lot of talking to do.

"I'm really sorry for not calling you sooner, Carol; but we have been through a lot and I totally forgot about letting you or Dave know what has happened. I'm sorry; can you possibly forgive me?"

Carol was now crying too, as the shock of what Heather had been through the past week sunk in and how she had been ready to give Heather shit for not calling. She replied in a soft, concerned voice, "I never imagined the situation was that bad. I'm sorry I didn't call earlier to offer my assistance. Is there anything we can do?"

Heather answered, "No, thanks for the offer; but I think Ron and I finally have a handle on the true problem. Please give Dave our love and wish him luck in BC. I hope this doesn't hurt his golf too much."

Carol replied, "I'm not sure how much I will tell Dave before he leaves tomorrow. He has been working hard at his golf game which has really been a good distraction. I just spoke to him and he has pretty well written Ann off. The main thing is, he really misses Jennifer. He really wants her back in his life. I would bet if she called him and asked him to come see her tomorrow, he would even give up his golf trip without a second thought."

Heather answered, "I'm glad to hear Dave hasn't given up on Jennifer. But I won't let Jennifer near a phone until Dave is safely on the plane. I don't think she would ever ask him to miss his golf; but she is pretty upset right now and he might feel a need to come to her side. Thanks for calling, Carol. I want to go check on Jennifer. We are planning to come back to QAI tomorrow - but, based on our talk, we definitely won't arrive until after Dave is gone. "

Carol wished her friend well, "Thank you, Heather. Thanks for all the information. If you need anything, please call. See you tomorrow."

Carol hung up the phone and shook her head in disbelief. Ann had seemed like such a sweet girl - a little wild and adventuresome - but sweet. She had obviously been significantly and negatively influenced by her home life. Carol decided to tell Roger and Julie everything -- but not tell Dave and set him off.

When she returned to the trailer she was happy to see Julie and Roger sitting on lawn chairs outside the trailer. She positioned a chair between their seats and quietly told them the whole story. Both Julie and Roger were shocked initially but then relieved that Heather had finally figured out the problem before it got worse.

They discussed what to tell Dave. They wanted to tell Dave very little -- except that Ann had been with Jennifer when he called there Friday and he was right about Ann influencing her. They also agreed to tell him that Jennifer was coming back to the island later in the week and he would see her when he returned from BC.

Dave was very happy to hear Jennifer was coming back to QAI. He had imagined Heather and Ron selling the trailer and he would never see her again. The thoughts had haunted him; but now he knew Jennifer was returning and he was convinced he could win her trust back somehow. Dave slept well, dreaming of seeing Jennifer again.

Dave woke at seven-thirty, well rested and ready for the long day of travel. He showered before going outside to eat. His whole family was waiting for him and they shared a boisterous breakfast together. Carol could see a huge difference in Dave's attitude and she was pleased they had clearly chosen the right information to tell him.

Julie and Beth had packed Dave's suitcase and golf bag into the van while he was in the shower so, after they finished eating, the whole family loaded into the family van. The drive to town passed quickly. Dave was surprised to see the airport terminal come into view so soon and he had a sudden case of butterflies. The realization that he would not see his family for an entire week crashed down on him and he suddenly felt a little anxious.

Carol noticed the change in his facial expression immediately and suspected what caused it. She looked around the parking lot to make sure none of Dave's teammates were in sight then she walked to Dave and hugged him tenderly. She whispered, "We're only a phone call away. Here, take my cell phone; it holds a charge really well. If you need us for anything, don't hesitate to call and we will call you back on a landline."

Roger walked up to him as well and shook his hand. He repeated Carol's words, "Call anytime."

Dave nodded; he felt better as he gripped the cell phone as if it were a life jacket for a drowning man. Dave carried his clubs and bag into the terminal while talking to his family as they strolled casually beside him. Dave checked his golf bag one final time to make sure he had all his clubs and other golf requirements; he had packed it well for the trip. He gave the airline the suitcase and golf bag at the check-in counter before they started walking to the waiting area.

John appeared, walked up to Dave, and said, "We're going. We're finally going. Can you believe it? I'm so excited."

Dave felt better in John's company and the one hour wait for boarding passed quickly. Dave hugged his family and kissed them goodbye. Dave looked over at John and saw his father also hug him proudly. Dave had never seen John's father hug his son before and realized how much golf had brought them together. He looked at his own smiling father and was reminded how spoiled he was to have a father who supported and gave him love all the time. Secretly, he hoped that John's father would continue his newfound affectionate side even after the golf season was over.

Dave followed John through security and joined the rest of his teammates and coaches; they were the last to arrive at the gate. The flight boarded soon afterward. Dave and John climbed up the stairs of the plane. When they reached the top, they turned and waved goodbye to their families -- then walked into the airplane. They found their seats and settled in for the short first leg, a thirty-minute flight to Halifax.

The day seemed very long. They had changed planes in Halifax and again in Toronto. When they finally landed in Vancouver, it was still only three-thirty in the afternoon local time -- but it was ten hours since they first boarded in Edwardton. The four-hour time difference would take some adjustment as both John and Dave felt tired even though it was still the afternoon.

The coaches corralled the golfers and got everyone and their bags loaded into the rented passenger van. The drive to the hotel took a half hour and everyone was very tired when they arrived. The coaches informed everyone that they planned to have an early group supper, then retire to their rooms for a good nights sleep. A practice round was booked for one o'clock the next day, but the team was going to the course at nine o'clock to allow several hours of practice time. A team breakfast was planned for eight o'clock to meet that schedule.

Dave and John were pleased to find out they were roomed together. After a big supper, they went to their room to relax. They watched a movie on the hotel television before going to sleep.

Dave woke early; he looked at the clock and was surprised to see it was only five-thirty. He tried to roll over and go back to sleep, but couldn't. After tossing and turning for an hour, Dave finally crawled out of bed and quietly got dressed. He took his room keycard before leaving the room.

Dave remembered the coaches' warnings the previous night - the coaches had reminded the team that they were not in QAI anymore and to stay on the main streets of Vancouver. They expressly warned all players not to venture up any small side streets. Dave had seen a Tim Horton's coffee shop several blocks up the main street. He wasn't much of a coffee drinker but he thought a hot chocolate and donut would be nice so he walked out of the hotel and strolled up the street. The Tim's was actually five blocks away and the fresh morning air was refreshing.

Dave said hello to people as they walked past. Although this was a common thing to do on QAI, most people here looked at him as if he had horns growing out of his head. But a few people smiled and said hello back. At Tim's, Dave sat and enjoyed his drink and snack as the huge city seemed to come to life before his eyes.

At seven-thirty Dave decided to walk back to the hotel. As he was strolling towards the hotel, he noticed a very pretty girl walking towards him. She looked about his age and was dressed very formally in a bright flowered dress. As Dave walked passed her, he smiled and said hello. The girl blushed and lowered her head but didn't reply. Dave smiled to himself at her shyness and continued along the street to the hotel.

John was just waking as Dave returned to the room. Dave showered while John got up, then, while Dave got dressed and ready for the golf course, John showered. After a filling breakfast the team drove forty minutes to the golf course. Dave had visited the website for Morgan Creek Golf Course, so he was slightly familiar with the layout and yardage.

The course was beautiful and the practice facilities were great. Dave spent an hour on the range hitting balls -- then an hour on the putting green. Dave was very pleased to have his old putter back. It took some special gauze tape to get the grip exactly the same as it was before but his confidence had clearly returned as he rolled putt after putt into the hole.

Dave practiced some chipping as he anxiously waited to tee off. Finally, the coaches called him to the tee. He was playing the practice round with Randy, John, and Tim Henry.

Dave spent the practice round learning the course. The four players worked together and talked among themselves as they learned the good and bad parts of Morgan Creek. At the end of the day Dave had shot seventy-four, Randy shot seventy-six, John shot eighty, and Tim shot eighty-one; the scores were not as important as getting a god feel for the course.

Dave was pleased with what he learned the first day and hoped he could take advantage of the new knowledge to get a better score the next day.

When he reached the hotel with the team, they immediately went for a team supper. Dave ordered his supper then walked out into the lobby, found a landline number, and rang home on the cell phone. Roger answered the phone and immediately arranged to call back. Dave excitedly told him about the trip and then went into full detail about his practice round. After talking and listening for about fifteen minutes, Roger wished Dave good luck and said goodbye.

After supper, Dave and John went for a walk. Half way to the Tim's and across the street was a large public park. The park had huge old oak trees and all kinds of small flowerbeds. There were large areas of green foliage and well-manicured lawns. Dave and John were walking around the park when Dave spotted the pretty girl from that morning walking with a woman Dave assumed to be her mother. She walked past them and Dave again said hello. She blushed again but this time smiled and nodded at Dave. John looked at Dave and asked, "Who is that gorgeous creature?"