OLD FRIENDS REUNITE

August 22nd 2016

Thirty-two-year-old Reid Stone made his way out onto the field for another day of training. It was hot and humid but he was looking forward to a new season. Another season meant another chance to make the playoffs, which they only lost by a hair last season.

As childish and cliché as it sounded Reid wanted to win at least one Superbowl in his professional career. He had been playing for the Steelers for about ten years now and had a feeling that this would be the season that they would finally do so.

"And once you win this Superbowl are you going to finally settle down and give me some grandchildren?" his mother Charlotte teased him very often. Reid knew his mother was proud of him but now that it seemed like he was still a bachelor in his early thirties.

Reid had a few girlfriends but they never seemed to be interested in his passion and love for football so needless to say those relationships were short lived. Besides Reid often found himself wondering whatever happened to Wilhelmina all those years after she left Bloomsburg.

His heart sunk because he never found the bastard that raped her and that asshole probably went on to graduate and live a successful life anyway. For the past ten years there wasn't a day that went by that Reid didn't think of Wilhelmina. Not only did she drop out of Bloomsburg but the Porters just moved from their hometown omitting their membership at their church as well.

Reid hoped that life was treating her well although it was hard to say. They were in college the last time he saw her and now they were in the real world he knew that things weren't easy for a black woman with Tourette's. However he had a feeling that she was beating all odds anyway.

"Hey Reid how it's going?" Harvey Welch greeted fellow alumni from Bloomsburg who also made the team

"How are you doing this morning Harvey?"

"Good" Harvey replied "a bit tired from last night though Blake sure knows how to throw one hell of a party huh?"

"Yeah" Reid agreed, "that would explain why he's late"

Blake McCarthy, thirty-one the cocky quarterback of the Steelers. It was probably the third or fourth party he had this week. Reid hoped that his friend would start maturing there was nothing wrong with partying every once and a while but they weren't college kids anymore. 

Truth be told Reid didn't really see Blake as the marrying type or the family man so perhaps he was comfortable in the carefree bachelor life.

"Speak of the devil there he is right now" Harvey chuckled as Blake made his way onto the field too.

"You alright Blake?" Scott chuckled "damn you never get any headaches from your hangovers huh?"

"You know me fellas" he smirked "alcohol is in my blood the only thing I was missing last night was some pussy speaking of which have you seen the freshman cheerleaders we have this season"

"Damn Blake" Allen spoke up "most of them just turned eighteen at go for the ones that have been a legal adult for more than one year"

"You guys aren't any fun" Blake rolled his eyes laughing, "don't you know eighteen year old virgins are the best?"

Reid really hoped Blake was joking since he was known for his dark twisted sense of humor but some of the things he said were just downright crude.

What made matters worse was that Blake had a lot of young boys who were fans of his and looked up to him but this was the way he carried himself.

"Alright boys huddle in!" Coach Tomlin said as he made his way on the field

"Something wrong Coach?" Jeff asked "we're still having training today right?"

Coach Mike Tomlin laughed "Of course we're still having training the sooner we get done for today the sooner we can get out of the heat"

"Miss Cindy Lash of the Pittsburg Magazine and her guest have announcement to make first" Coach Tomlin said.

Reid had to do both a double and a triple take to make sure that he was sure. The woman who was with Cindy Lash looked pretty familiar

"Good morning boys!" Cindy greeted "you all ready for a good season!"

The players cheered and Cindy smiled while the woman with her looked a little surprised but gave a soft smile. The smile looked familiar too.

"Now I know that the Superbowl was just at the tip of your fingers last season but we certainly do believe that this will be the season that it's yours"

"We at Pittsburg Magazine want to be able to cover every single moment and we've hired the best journalist that we could find" Cindy went on to say "and I'll allow her to introduce herself now"

A blush rose under the woman's honey brown cheeks and Reid knew for a fact that he had seen the blush many, many, times before.

"Hello" the woman greeted in a soft gentle voice "my n-n-name is Wilhelmina Porter b-b-but most people call me Mina"

It was her even before she said her name Reid knew it was her because of the Tourette's

His Mina was back

"I'm very t-t-thankful for t-t-this opportunity and I p-p-promise to use my w-w-writing to put you all in a p-p-positive light and I'm l-l-looking forward to getting to k-k-know all of you" she said "believe it or not t-t-this is my first major j-j-journalist job"

"I a-a-apologize in advance about my c-c-constant stutter" Wilhelmina went on to say "I have Tourette's and it's s-s-something that I r-r-really c-c-can't c-c-control"

"Well we're very happy to have you with us this season Miss Porter" Coach Tomlin said "you're more than welcome to sit in and watch practice today"

"Thanks"

"Alright fellas let's get started"

Reid followed the rest of his teammates onto the field but he had managed to lock eyes with Wilhelmina for a minute and he knew that she recognized him just as much as he had recognized her.

"Is she still out there?" Blake asked some of his teammates after practice in the locker room

"Yeah it looks like she's organizing all of her papers" Scott said "she looks just like she did when we were in college like she hasn't aged a day"

"And still as retarded as ever" Blake said, "she still stutters how the hell did she become a journalist? they could have hired somebody else"

"Really Blake?" Reid said already annoyed "would you grow up already you know Mina has Tourette's and you knew that in college too"

"Oh my bad I forgot you two are friends" Blake smirked "no offense to your little friend but my taste in women include those who can actually talk"

Reid frowned and Blake laughed slapping him on the shoulder

"I'm just fucking with you man but seriously I don't know what you see in her"

"A whole lot more than you can see" Reid said as he gathered his gym bag and exited the locker room.

"Come on Reid it was a joke man!"

Reid made his way over to the stands to where Wilhelmina was seated and Blake watched frowning. What was that bitch really here for? He was hoping that Wilhelmina wasn't going to come between them once again but it sure as hell looked like it.

Wilhelmina managed to scribble notes pretty much all over the place in just one practice. She had a lot of verbs and adjectives to describe the team and even doodles for the graphic designer to use once it was published in three weeks time.

Wilhelmina managed to still have her overachieving trait that she had developed in college and perhaps she was over doing it but she really wanted to make a good impression.

It was a little windy and one of her sheets of paper blew from her grasp luckily her friend that she hadn't seen in over a decade caught it for her.

"Whoa we wouldn't want one of these getting away would we?"

"Reid"

Wilhelmina always knew that Reid was handsome but since she hadn't seen him in ten years he was like a tall glass of cold water. He seemed to be aging pretty well and given his career he obviously kept himself fit and in shape. The boyish grin was still the same.

Wilhelmina swore she felt butterflies take flight when Reid sat down next to her, which surprised her since she never felt that way about Reid before. He was her friend.

"How have you been?" he asked "I really missed you Mina"

"Good" she said simply "I m-m-missed you too I s-s-see life has treated you well Mr. Stone"

"I can say the same for you too Miss Porter" Reid chuckled "so this is really your first journalist job?"

"It is" Wilhelmina admitted "when the market c-c-crashed it was h-h-hard I s-s-still work f-f-full time as a b-b-banker too"

"At least you're not giving up"

"True but t-t-that's because I love it too much"

Reid smiled but he had to ask, "Mina are you okay?"

"Y-y-yes I'm fine"

"You know what I mean"

Perhaps it was selfish on his part to ask her that but Reid really needed to know. The last time Reid saw Wilhelmina she had been in such a vulnerable state given what happened to her. If Reid could turn back time he would have given Wilhelmina a ride home on the same day he asked her.

It was obvious a can of worms had been open as Reid saw a sad look briefly flash across her face

"Mina?"

"It's o-o-okay Reid I'm f-f-fine really"

She didn't sound convincing but Reid figured not to push it any further at least not right now. A few rain drops began to fall which wasn't surprising since it had been a hot day.

"I g-g-guess we should g-g-get going" Wilhelmina said "it looks like it's g-g-going to

p-p-pour"

"Hey you want to grab some dinner?" Reid asked still wanting to catch up with her "I know a great diner in town has the best burgers with every topping you can imagine, sea salt french fries, and hand spun milkshakes"

"T-t-that sounds g-g-good but I don't know"

"It's on me" he insisted "I haven't seen you in ten years Mina let me show you a good time"

"O-o-okay but t-t-this isn't a date is it?" Wilhelmina asked she wasn't ready for something like that right now

"Just two friends grabbing dinner"

Wilhelmina looked at the smile that Reid gave her and she couldn't say no to that and she realized how much she really did how much miss him.

She wished she could tell him the truth. She wished she could tell him about her sweet son Calvin. She wished she could tell him about Blake.