“Thank you, sir.” My heart ramped up about fifty extra beats per minute with each breath I took. A track coach from a division one university was calling my parents. A freaking track coach.
“We’d like to offer you a full ride to UW-Madison and a spot on our team.”
“What?” I yelled, then slapped my free hand over my mouth.
He chuckled, then said, “We had someone relinquish her scholarship last week, so we were reviewing the high school stats. I saw your name and remembered we’d talked before, but you were enlisting early for the Air Force. I took a chance and reached out to your coach to check your status. He indicated your circumstances had recently changed.”
My heart stopped.
Literally freaking stopped.
Only this time it wasn’t in response to an anxiety or panic attack, it was from shock. From disbelief of what was happening right now. Goose bumps prickled my bare arms.
College hadn’t ever been on my radar since I was going right into the Air Force. But now…oh crap, my grades weren’t super awesome. Could I even get accepted to UW-Madison?
“We’d like to offer you that spot.”
“Yes!” I shouted in joy, then looked at my dad. He was nodding. So was Mom. “Yes, sir!”
Tears streamed down Mom’s face, and Dad’s chin quivered.
“It’d be an honor to run for you and your team, Coach Stewart,” I said, releasing my hold on Sam. I needed Dad’s hug. Mom’s, too. “My grades, though. Are they—”
“You’re fine, Grace. You meet the requirements for acceptance to the college on a probationary basis,” Coach said. “That means you’ll have a tutor and mentor from day one to walk you through your freshman year and help you stay on top of your grades.”
That was totally fine by me. I knew I could make the grades. I just never tried a ton in school since I wasn’t planning on heading to college.
OMG!
This was happening!
I couldn’t believe it.
This was actually happening!
Dad kissed the top of my head, then held up the phone. “Thank you, Coach, for taking the time to call us on a Saturday like this.”
“You bet. We’ll give you a call Monday to hammer out the details. Welcome to the team, Grace Milner!”
Dad clicked the speaker off, tossed the phone onto the couch, then wrapped both of his arms around Mom and me. Kiara and Kenna jumped into the group hug, squealing. They were young enough that they didn’t really have a clue what was happening, but they knew we were celebrating something special.
I was going to college. I was going to run track. On a full ride scholarship!
I took a step back, completely stunned at what had just happened.
“I’m so proud of you, Grace,” Mom whispered into my ear. “Emmett would be, too.”
I sobbed, sobs of happiness, into her shoulder and squeezed her tight. She was right, Emmett would be so proud of me. So happy. I could almost feel his arms around me right now.
Around us all.
“I love you, Speedy,” Dad said. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
Eventually I pulled away from them and wiped my tears. Finally, tears of joy and not grief. Well, if I were being totally honest, there were a few sad tears mixed in there for Emmett, but only because he wasn’t here to celebrate with me.
But I didn’t think that’d ever change. I missed my big brother. I always would. But now, instead of honoring him in the Air Force, I’d be honoring him on the track. Doing what I loved to do. Making him proud.
“Grace! I’m so happy for you!” Sam clapped and jumped up and down.