The Bridge from You to Me

46

Colby

When mrs. Lewis calls me Thursday night, I’m thinking about all the normal things people are doing, while Be

They’re eating pizza. Watching lame reality shows on television. Griping about too much homework. While they go on with their lives like nothing in the world is wrong, some people’s lives will never be the same.

I want to punch something because of the unfairness of it all.

“We had a little bit of good news today,” she tells me.

“Be

I lean back on my bed and breathe a sigh of relief. “Has he said anything?” I ask her.

“No. Not yet.” She pauses. Takes a deep breath. “Colby, the fact of the matter is Be

“Like, how long?”

She doesn’t say anything for a few seconds. I know she’s trying to keep it together, for my sake. “Honey, we’re talking months. Maybe even . . . years. We just don’t know.”

I swallow hard. “Thanks for calling me. I really appreciate it.”

“There’s one more thing I want to tell you,” she says.

“What’s that?”

“You play hard tomorrow night,” she says. “You think of Be

“You know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him,” I tell her, tears in my eyes.

“I know.”

“And we’re go

“I know.”

47

Lauren

48

Colby

It’s an away game in Lansford, about a twenty-minute drive, which means most of our fans will make the trip to watch. As a

In the locker room, Coach passes out the round stickers with Be

I know it’s all about showing that we love and support him, but the thing is, I don’t want to play with a sticker of Be

But of course, I don’t. I told Mrs. Lewis we’d win, and I have to somehow put all my feelings aside and go out there and play.

“I want you to remember something,” Coach says. “Football is about defending what’s ours. Let’s go out there and defend our territory, like we do every game. But tonight, and every night for the rest of this season, let’s defend our friend and teammate Mr. Benjamin Lewis. We will not let our guards down, for him. We will play with confidence, for him. We will play our best, for him. I believe!”

“I believe!” we yell.

“Now go out there and make him proud.”

49

Lauren