“We’re sorry to wake you two sleeping beauties up, but you can’t believe the atmosphere in town today,” stated Charlotte excitedly. “The guy that owns the Big Boy Burger place insisted on feeding Billy and me for free because he recognized Billy as the guy that dragged Steve up that bank. People were stopping us on the street and raving about the courage and daring you guys displayed. I tried calling, but every phone in this house is turned off, or disconnected, so we stopped in to see how you were doing. It looked like you were doing great, especially Steve, as long as he doesn’t get a stiff neck from being poked like that.”
Just then the doorbell rang. Paula stood and left the room to answer the door. Soon she returned with an obviously excited Amber Stahl. Amber greeted everyone and then got down to business.
“Gwen and Steve, the Channel 5 anchor wants to do a live interview with you tomorrow morning! He’s willing to come here and conduct it from the Anderson’s living room. I don’t have to tell you that this is a great chance to get your story out and promote your cause. Will you do it?”
Gwen’s face lit up, but Steve held a hand up to caution her as he spoke to Amber. “That’s real big of the guy. He’s willing to ‘slum it’ for the story? Get your boss on the phone. I want to talk with him,” stated Steve firmly.
Amber dialed her cell, identified herself to her boss and handed Steve the phone. “Sir, this is Steve Hammer. I understand that you’d like a live interview with Gwen and me tomorrow? We can do that, but there are a couple conditions. We want Billy Marsh and Doctor Laura Masters included, if she’s available. The other condition is that Amber Stahl is the newsperson conducting the interview. She’s become pretty well known and liked in Sparta. She’s been here for us from the start. This is her story, and we want her to have it. If you can live with those conditions, we’ll be ready whenever you want us,” concluded Steve as he handed the phone back to a stunned Amber.
“No, sir, I didn’t put him up to this! I just heard it for the first time. Sure I’ll do a good job. I always do. You won’t regret this, Frank,” promised the obviously excited newswoman as she ended the call.
“Oh, Steve! You’ve given my career a huge boost. This is going network! I’ll be doing the interview on the morning show!” squealed Amber as she wrapped her arms around Steve and hugged him.
The sharp intake of breath from Steve alerted everyone in the room that his injuries were far from healed. Amber released him in a flash and immediately began to apologize. “I’m so sorry! I forgot how badly you were injured! Will you be able to play in the title game on Saturday?”
“This’ll be our little secret,” replied Steve softly as he worked to slow his breathing. “We can’t let the other team know I’m a little tender or they’ll be all over me. As far as anyone’s concerned, I’m doing great and I’m ready to play. That includes you, Amber, okay?”
“I won’t tell, Steve, but I don’t think I’ll have to. Once they tackle you a few times and they see how much it hurts, they’ll be trying twice as hard to knock you down. Plus Coach Watkins will never allow you to play in that kind of pain.”
“You caught me by surprise, Amber. I’ll be ready when we play. You’ll never know that those scrapes even bother me at all,” predicted Steve with an unconvincing smile. “Tell us where this interview will take place.”
That was all it took to get the subject changed, although Gwen maintained a concerned look for some time. It was decided to place a recliner next to the couch so all four people had a comfortable seat. Amber would sit across from them in a kitchen chair, asking the questions. Billy was both pleased and frightened to be included in the interview, claiming he had done very little and deserved no special attention.
“Billy Marsh!” snapped Gwen loudly. “You saved Steve’s life. Does that seem like a small thing? Did you see anyone else jump into that water to help? You’d better get accustomed to being a hero, to being my hero. I was in total despair when I realized I couldn’t get Steve up that bank and suddenly you appeared next to me and took over. If you weren’t so brave and strong, things would have turned out a lot worse. Don’t insult Steve, or me, by telling people it was no big deal, because it was a very big deal!”
Everyone was surprised by Gwen’s vehement defense of Billy’s bravery. Nothing was said for half a minute, until Charlotte began to laugh. She wrapped her arms around Billy and told him, “You are a hero, Billy. You’re my hero, too.”
“Now that we have that settled, I’ve got to call Laura and ask her if she can make it early tomorrow morning for the show,” stated Gwen. “She said she wanted more exposure and Steve’s making sure that she gets it. I wonder what she’ll say when she hears this?”
Gwen spoke to Laura for a couple minutes and then returned to the living room. “She’s in! She was surprised at how quickly we took her up on our promise to include her in more promotions, but really pleased. Mom, I was thinking maybe Steve could sleep in my room tonight so he’d be sure to be here and ready for the interview in the morning. Would that be okay with you?”
Paula turned pale and stuttered as she searched for the words she wanted. “I, your Dad and I, we don’t think, Kate’s just sixteen and shouldn’t see, what about birth control and…”
“Mother!” interrupted Gwen a bit shrilly. “I’ll sleep in Lisa’s room! I wasn’t asking that Steve and I spend the night together. How can you think I’d even suggest that I’d do something like that?”
“I would!” interjected Kate. “No need to mess up so many linens, right?”
“Sorry,” added Gwen with a straight face, “Steve needs his energy for the big game. He has to remain celibate and focused.”
“Actually, the game’s not until Saturday and I could use a little something to pick up my spirits and put me in the right frame of mind,” admitted Steve with a quick smile.
“I bet you could,” laughed Gwen, “but it isn’t happening, unless Billy wants to stay over, too.”
“How could I refuse an offer like that?” quipped Billy. “It’s bad enough being his center. I don’t want Steve to think it’s any more than that; at least not until he buys me a ring!”
“Billy, I honestly appreciate what you’ve done for me, and I love you, Man, but believe me when I say there’ll never be a ring for you, except the championship ring we’ll win Saturday.”
“This makes a great human interest story!” observed Amber. “Stars and star crossed! I can’t wait to interview you two guys tomorrow. Inquiring minds want to know this kind of stuff.”
“I think it would be a good idea if Amber went over the questions she’s going to ask us tomorrow morning,” declared Steve. “It seems wise to have time to prepare our responses, and to be sure she doesn’t reveal Billy’s ‘softer side’ to the public.”
Everyone was assembled in place in the living room by 5 AM the next morning. Gwen and Laura looked fresh and lovely. Steve and Billy appeared slightly less chipper. The local station had decided to air a live interview for the local news before they went national at seven AM.
After Amber introduced everyone she began, “I’m sure most of you have seen the dramatic video of the two children rescued from the submerged SUV by Steve Hammer and the subsequent rescue of the rescuer by Gwen Anderson and Billy Marsh. Billy, let’s start with you. Weren’t you worried about jumping into the freezing waters to help your friends?”
Billy blushed slightly and then collected himself and responded. “I was real scared, to be honest. But after seeing Steve, and then Gwen, risk everything to save those kids, I felt ashamed that I was standing and watching instead of helping. Steve and Gwen are the real heroes. It comes naturally to them, like breathing. I’m not very heroic. I was afraid, but I was even more afraid that they wouldn’t survive without help. I was a little late getting started, but I finally saw my duty and I did it.”
“Gwen, we all saw you jump into the frigid waters when nothing was showing on the surface. How did you know that Steve would surface with those kids, and that he’d need help when he did?” questioned Amber.
“I was concerned that Steve and the children had been under the water for so long. I knew that if there was any chance for them, they had to surface soon and that they’d be in dire straits after such a long time under water. I’ve served as lifeguard and I’m a very good swimmer. I just couldn’t stand by and watch any longer without trying to help. It was just something I felt I had to do. I would like to add that the children were treated at Sparta Memorial Hospital. Our senior class is having a year-long fund raising effort to modernize and add a children’s wing to this valuable community asset. Donations of any kind are gratefully accepted. Help us help the children of the area.”
“Steve, you dove into the waters with the intention of rescuing the children. Why did you feel you could?” asked Amber.