Chapter 5: Bittersweet Goodbyes

The month of July passed quickly for Dave. He went out with John a couple of times but, other than that, he did very little besides golf and go to the beach with his family or friends from the campground. The first time he went out with John, they talked about the hockey draft and John was truly excited about going to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks' rookie camp. John fully expected he would be playing with the Missiles again but he maintained a small dream of actually making the Ducks' team as an eighteen year old. Dave didn't talk much about his own high draft. He knew that hockey was John's passion so he let his friend enjoy all the talk about hockey. Dave was happy for his best friend.

The one month anniversary of his breakup with Rebecca came and went without any further contact. Dave thought about calling her but he decided to leave it a few more weeks.

Dave's highlight for July was when Jennifer came to QAI for a weekend - he was very happy to spend a few days with her. They spent a lot of time together, just talking. On Sunday afternoon, just before Jennifer went home, she and Dave went for a walk to their love hut. During the long walk, they talked about their upcoming school years. Jennifer was going to the University of New Dominion to study engineering - she still dreamed of being an architect. They were laughing and joking as they reached the hut. Suddenly they heard voices from inside and they instantly knew it was two young kids. As they listened, they could hear the innocent laughing of a young boy and girl.

Dave gently knocked on the door and the voices immediately stopped. Dave nodded to Jennifer and pushed the door open. He and Jennifer walked inside. The two kids, who appeared to be about twelve, were sitting at the table looking very nervous. Dave looked at them and said, "Hello, how are you?"

The boy seemed to become the protector and moved to stand in front of the girl. He said, "We're sorry, mister; we didn't know anyone owned this hideout. We will leave."

Dave and Jennifer chuckled at the boy calling Dave mister. Dave replied, "You don't have to leave. We built this when we were about your age. We don't actually own it, but we have used it every summer." Dave looked at Jennifer questioningly and she seemed to know what he was thinking and simply nodded. Dave continued, "The farmer who owns this land helped us build and furnish this private place and we would be very happy to turn it over to you. We were actually just coming here to say goodbye to the old shack, as we will probably never come back here again. You two are very welcome to enjoy the hideout but, you have to make one promise - always respect the farmer's land and he will not mind you using it."

A huge smile came across both their faces and the boy asked excitedly, "Really, mister? You're giving this place to us?"

Dave laughed again at being called mister but replied, "We aren't giving you this place because we don't own it - the farmer does. But we are giving you the privilege of making it your private place just the way it was for us."

The boy nodded, "Thank you. I promise we'll look after it, sir." The girl was nodding happily and Dave and Jennifer said their goodbyes and left.

They walked out of the hut and started down the hill together. Dave was thinking about how he and Jennifer had been the same age as those two kids, when they had built their private place. He was reflecting on the years he and Jennifer spent together and he felt a tear in his eye as he realized those days were gone forever. He suddenly felt her hand take hold of his and he turned to face Jennifer as he smiled warmly.

She squeezed his hand as she said, "Thinking about all the good years we spent together?" Dave simply nodded before she continued, "We had some unbelievable years here, Dave. You are my best friend and that will never change. I love you, Dave."

He hugged her affectionately as he replied, "I love you too, Jennifer. If you ever need anything, please call. No matter where I am, I will come to you immediately."

She kissed him on the forehead, "That goes for you too - just call." He nodded and they continued back to the campground holding hands silently; both were in deep thought.

Shortly after returning, Dave watched Jennifer drive up the red clay lane of the campground. He knew he was watching his best friend driving out of his life and he considered running to her but he simply waved goodbye. She had a new life and he was getting ready to start his own new life. She waved into the rearview mirror; then she was gone.

Dave had been talking to Mike Fornier who had also earned a spot on the Island amateur team and they arranged to go to St. Andrew's, New Dominion together for the East Coast Amateur. They agreed to share a room to save costs and to split Dave's car expenses. Dave's father had wanted to go to caddy but he had to save his vacation time for the national amateur and driving Dave to college.

Mike and Dave left early Friday morning for the four and a half hour drive. Dave had never played the Algonquin Golf Course before but he was looking forward to the challenge. The course was considered a very good test of golf and Dave was anxious to see how his game matched up against the best amateurs in the Maritimes.

During the drive, Mike told Dave about playing US collegiate golf and the challenges of the travel and different golf courses. Mike played for LSU and he told Dave that the Wake Forest team was very young which should allow Dave to qualify for most of the tournaments. Mike explained that each college team played in various tournaments, usually about four in the fall and four to six in the spring, with between eight and fifteen different teams in each tournament. The teams were ranked nationally based on the results of the tournaments. Mike further explained that, while most teams had between ten and twelve golfers, normally only five went to the tournaments. Most coaches would have the team play a qualifying round of golf just before leaving for a tournament. He would select the final five-member team based on the players' results at previous tournaments plus their performance in the qualifying round.

Dave was very happy to hear how the US program worked and he was now even more anxious to get to Winston-Salem but he had the East Coast and Canadian Amateur tourneys to deal with first. They arrived at the hotel and checked in. After stowing their clothes, they immediately drove to the course and hit some practice balls. Warmed up, Dave and Mike went to the first tee. For their practice round, they were in a group with two players from Nova Scotia.

Dave and Mike both played well on the long tough par seventy-one course. Dave shot seventy-three and Mike shot seventy-two. The two Nova Scotia players shot seventy-one and seventy-five. Dave and Mike went out for a late supper before returning to the hotel.

Mike had an early tee time at eight o'clock while Dave didn't play until ten-thirty. Dave woke early and, after a quick breakfast, he and Mike drove to the course at seven o'clock. They practiced together until Mike left to tee-off. Dave continued practicing until his tee time.

Dave was playing with the New Dominion champion and a Nova Scotia amateur who hadn't made their provincial team but had been invited to the East Coast Amateur. Dave hit a great drive on the first hole but, as he stood over his approach shot from the fairway, he somehow couldn't get comfortable. He finally settled over the ball but hit the shot long over the green into some deep rough. His lob shot from the rough came out of the long grass hot and rolled well past the hole. Dave two-putted for an opening bogey.

The next hole, Dave again hit a good drive but still couldn't get comfortable over his approach shot. This time he pulled his second shot left and again his ball finished with a bad lie. The green slopped hard away from his position and his ball was on hard downhill slope. Dave made a decent shot but his ball rolled twelve feet past the hole. He missed the putt and carded his second straight bogey.

Dave's poor play continued on the front nine - he made two more bogeys, one birdie, and four pars. He was three over par on the front. The start of the back nine continued the way the front had; but Dave scrambled better and made seven straight pars. When he reached the seventeenth tee he knew he had to get a handle on his game so he momentarily walked away from the seventeenth tee and got refocused. When it was his turn to tee off, he was ready and hammered a huge drive down the left side of the long par-five hole. He only had two-hundred and ten yards to the green and selected his five-iron. He put a smooth swing on the ball and hit it very well. The ball bounced and rolled fifteen feet from the pin. Dave rolled his eagle putt over the corner of the hole but it didn't drop. He tapped in for birdie.

Dave stood on the eighteenth tee confident after making a birdie. He hit a solid three-wood to the one-hundred yard marker. He then hit a good wedge to five feet and knocked the birdie putt solidly into the middle of the hole. His birdie-birdie finish gave him a one over par seventy-two. He was not overly happy with his score but he was happy with his finish and he was confident he could build on that. Mike was waiting for him and asked how he did. Dave shrugged and told Mike he shot seventy-two. Dave asked Mike how he played and Mike said he played really well and shot sixty-nine.

Dave asked what the best score was and Mike said the Nova Scotia champion shot sixty-six. Dave explained that the two players with him shot seventy and seventy-four.

Mike and Dave went out for supper and talked more about US collegiate golf. They returned to the room and watched television. Dave called his father just before they went to sleep.

Both had later tee-times on Sunday, so they left for the course at eight-thirty. Dave teed off at ten o'clock while Mike had an eleven-fifteen tee-time. Dave again hit a solid drive on the first hole but this time hit a great approach shot to eight feet. He knocked the putt in then carried the momentum through the rest of the round. By the time he birdied eighteen, he had carded a course record sixty-three. Dave strode off the green proud of his great round of golf.

He was the clubhouse leader but the Nova Scotia champion was playing well again and with three holes to play the NS champion was two under par for the round and tied with Dave at seven under par for the tournament. Dave sat in the clubhouse waiting for the results to filter in. He heard the NS champion made par on sixteen. Dave was hoping to get into a playoff but he soon heard that the NS champion birdied seventeen. Dave knew a playoff was now unlikely but he stood and watched the NS champion stroll up eighteen. Dave watched him hit a good approach shot onto the final green then make a solid two-putt par and the one stroke victory.

Dave was disappointed to lose but he was happy with his great round and he was confident that he was ready for the National Amateur. Mike shot a seventy and finished tenth in the tournament. The drive back to QAI passed quickly as Dave thought about the last full week he would spend on the Island. He was leaving the following Sunday for the nationals, then, after a week at the nationals, he would only be on QAI for one day before leaving for North Carolina. He decided he would call Rebecca during the week and see if she wanted to go out as friends before he left.

Dave practiced and played all week. He was working even harder on his game if that were possible. On Wednesday evening he called Rebecca. Her father, Paul, answered the phone and immediately congratulated Dave for winning the Island Amateur and finishing second in the East Coast Amateur. Dave thanked him and they chatted; eventually he agreed to play a round of golf with Paul on Friday afternoon at Hornsby. Paul then told Dave that Rebecca was out with a friend but he would have her call him when she arrived home. Dave thanked Paul and said he would see him on Friday. After he hung up the phone, Dave wondered if she was out with another guy.

An hour later the phone rang and Dave was happy to hear her voice. He said "Hi, 'Becca, how are you doing?"

She replied, "Great. Dave, how are you?"

He answered, "Good, I was wondering if you would like to go to a movie on Saturday night? That is, if you're not dating someone else?" Dave didn't say the last line with any malice in his voice but simply as a question.

Rebecca didn't seem to take offense to his question and quickly replied, "I'd love to go to a movie - and no, I am not dating anyone."

Dave's spirits lifted immediately and he replied, "Great, how does five o'clock sound? We can go to supper if you like."

Rebecca answered, "That sounds nice, Dave. See you Saturday."

Dave echoed, "See you then."

On Saturday, Dave went to Rebecca's house to pick her up. Paul answered the door and Dave shook his hand. Paul said, "Thank you again for playing with my group yesterday. It was a true pleasure to watch your incredible talent. We were all talking in the bar after about how amazingly consistent your swing is. You shot sixty-eight and made it look easy."

Dave just shrugged as he replied, "Thank you, I have really been striking the ball well lately. But you and your two friends all have games. You shot seventy-four didn't you? And one of your friends shot seventy-one, right?"

Paul smiled, "Yes, it was both our best rounds in several years. We seemed to get motivated by your great play."

Suddenly two young boys ran into the living room where Dave and Paul were waiting for Rebecca. Riley and Robbie jumped into Dave's arms. Dave immediately wrestled them to the floor as Paul growled, "Boys, leave Dave alone, he is going out to supper with your sister."

Dave laughed, "I don't mind, Paul. I haven't seen anyone this tough since I played against the Mooseheads."

The boys laughed at being compared to major junior hockey players and fought with Dave briefly before Riley asked, "Dave, are you going to play in the NHL and fight with Tie Domi?"

Dave laughed even louder as he thought about Riley's reference to the Toronto Maple Leaf's tough guy. He replied, "Sorry, Riley, Tie Domi will have to find someone else to fight next year. I'm going to be golfing."

Robbie retorted, "I wish you were at least playing with the Missiles. I'm going to miss watching you score beautiful goals and set up awesome plays. You were the best player on the team."

Dave was about to reply when Rebecca came into the room. She shooed the two boys from the room. They were sticking their tongues out at their sister as they left. Dave simply nodded hello as she walked into the room - she looked gorgeous in a green skirt and a light green spaghetti strap top. She hugged her father and said, "I'll see you later, Dad."

Rebecca took Dave's hand and they walked out of the house as if they had never broken up. Dave waved at Paul as he left. Paul called out, "Good luck at the Canadian Amateur."

Dave thanked him just before the door closed. Dave opened the door of the car for Rebecca before he sprinted around to his door. His heart was pitter-patting with excitement.

When he sat behind the wheel, Rebecca immediately said, "So you're trying to win me back by charming my father and brothers, eh?" He must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he started to stammer an excuse, she started laughing as she added, "I'm just teasing you, Dave. Dad told me he coerced you into playing with him and his buddies. Thank you for doing that. Dad has been talking about you non-stop since you won the Island Amateur and he really enjoyed playing with you yesterday." She laughed again. "I can't believe how easy I can fluster you."

Dave was relieved when he realized she had been only teasing him. He confessed, "That's because my heart is racing from just being near you. The last thing I want to do is risk losing any time with you."

Rebecca took Dave's hand and squeezed it, "You're sweet, Dave; I feel the same way."

Dave felt as if a huge weight, the ton of bricks, had been lifted off him and his whole body immediately relaxed - she still loved him too.

They went to supper and, while they ate, they talked about their summers. Dave said he was golfing all the time and he was really looking forward to going to Wake Forest. He wasn't exactly prepared when Rebecca asked, "Did you have a good time with Sarah and Roxanne?"

He felt uncomfortable when he said, "We had fun - but I wish you could have been with us."

She smiled, "By the way they were attached to you on Canada Day, I don't think they would have shared you."

Dave wasn't sure if she was attacking them and he replied sharply, "They knew my heart was broken and were just comforting me."

Rebecca looked at Dave with surprise, then shook her head, "I guess I deserved that. I'm sorry to talk about them but I have to confess - I was very jealous when I saw them with you."

Dave looked directly in the eyes, "It could have been you under my arm. I wanted it to be you."

She squeezed his hands, "I know it could have been me but we both know that if we had spent the last month together, your leaving for Wake Forest would have been very, very difficult." Dave simply shrugged as if not to believe her feelings for him. She immediately realized he doubted her feelings and defensively she asked, "Don't you think it hurt me to break up with you?"