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Inspired by True Events
(Details and Names have been changed - any similarity to actual names is purely coincidental.)
The daily letters, phone calls, and text messages wasn’t the only source of pressure Allie felt about choosing a school where she would play softball beyond high school.
One day, when Mary heard her daughter crying behind a closed bedroom door, she wondered if the madness was finally getting to Allie.
As she stood with her ear to the door, listening, she too felt like crying.
Later that night, Allie had put it all aside and had helped her team to a critical win with two key hits and her usual stellar defense at shortstop.
After the game, she answered a few questions from the local media as a small crowed gathered around to hear her thoughts.
A reporter asked, “Any timetable for making a decision?”
Allie faked a smile, hiding her annoyance, and acted shyly about the process, “I’m still sorting through my options.” She then glanced at her parents and boyfriend who stood behind the reporter. “I hope to make a decision as soon as the season is over.”
The post-game dinner included burgers and lots of questions from her parents as she sat across from them in the booth with her boyfriend, Tommy.
Allie’s father, Mark, got the conversation started.
“Your mother said she heard you crying in your room this afternoon.”
The statement lingered without a response as Allie stared at her plate and picked at fries.
“Allie, if this process is getting too hard, we can just tell everyone to slow down,” Mark said.
Tommy looked at his girlfriend who continued to stare at her food and then he spoke on her behalf.
“… Mr. Nix, if I may, I think Allie’s made a decision, but she’s been afraid to tell you.”
Mark and Mary Nix both rushed to respond to Tommy’s assertion before Mark gave way to his wife.
“Allie, you know we’ll support you in whatever you choose,” she said.
“Absolutely,” Mark emphasized.
Allie looked up from her food and studied her boyfriend’s face, who seemingly gave permission with a nod.
Allie took a deep breath and looked downward as she spoke to her parents.
“I’ve decided not to play college softball.”
The statement nearly knocked her parents from their seats.
Then, It took longer than it should have before Mark reached across the table and took his daughter’s hand in his.
“Look, Allie, if that’s your choice – we’ll support you.”
“It is,” she said, murmuring with downcast eyes.
Mary shook her head and took a different approach.
“Why, Allie? Why?” she asked sternly.
Allie took a moment before looking up at her mother.
“It’s my choice, Mom. I’m sick of it. I don’t like it, anymore.”
“Since when? Allie, you’re making no sense at all,” her mother countered.
Tommy put his arm around Allie, comforting her.
“It’s my life. I’ve been playing softball since first-grade and I’m a senior now. That’s a lot of years. I’ve had enough.”
Mary shook her head with disbelief.
Mark tried to breath some levity into the situation.
“Maybe we can talk about this later,” he suggested.
Allie responded sharply, “I’m done talking about it. I’ve made my decision.” Allie pushed against Tommy and they slid from the booth.
“Allie, please sit, let’s finish eating,” Mark pleaded with his daughter.
“No, Dad. I’m leaving.” She turned and started to walk away with Tommy before she swung back to her parents with a parting shot. “Just so you know, I’m not going to college, either.”
Later that evening, Mark and Mary Nix sat alone in their living room as they waited for their daughter to come home.
Mary expressed concerns.
“I just don’t understand it. All she’s ever wanted to do was play softball,” she said.
“Mary, maybe all the pressure has finally gotten to her,” he reasoned.
“I don’t buy it, Mark. Something else is going on. In the last semester her grades have slipped, she’s been spending more and more time away from home and when she is here, she locks herself in her room.”
“She’s a teenage girl with a lot on her plate,” Mark explained.
Mary shook her head.
“No, Mark, she’s got more than twenty offers to top schools. Six weeks ago, she was beaming about the possibilities. Why the change?”
Mark Nix didn’t have an answer.
“Mark, I’m going to ask Faith. If anyone in this world would know what Allie might be thinking it’s going to be her… I might even do a phone check.”
“Mary,” he protested. “You’re going to just make her even more upset.”
“So be it,” Mary stated.
Mary pulled out her cell and dialed Allie’s best friend, Faith.
Faith answered right away and after brief pleasantries, Mary got right to the point.
“Can you tell me what’s going on with Allie?”
“Mrs. Nix, no ma’am, I have no idea. She hasn’t really talked to me in weeks.”
“What?” Mary seemed aghast.
“She’s changed – that’s all I got to say.”
“But, why the change?”
Faith hesitated before offering a bit of information in a quiet voice.
“…Maybe ask her about Tommy – I’m sorry but I gotta go, Mrs. Nix.”
Mary hung up looking puzzled.
“What is it?” Mark asked.
“Tommy,” she said.
The next morning, Mary caught her daughter as she was darting out the door to head to school.
“Allie, stop, I need to talk with you.”
“No Mom, you’ll make me late for school,” Allie responded with agitation.
Mary grabbed Allie by the elbow as she tried to turn away.
“Don’t touch me,” Allie shouted, jerking her elbow from her mother’s grip.
“Give me your phone,” Mary demanded as she held out a hand.
But Allie scoffed at the request and marched from the house.
Mary tried to yell after her, but it was no use, the girl was gone.
Undeterred and angered by the show of disrespect, Mary Nix stomped down the hallway and straight into her daughter’s bedroom, where she started searching for anything that might explain Allie’s irrational behavior.
Hearing the commotion, Mark peeked his head in the room on his way to work.
“Mary, what are you doing?”
“I’m looking for anything that might explain all this,” she said defensively.
Mark shook his head and left.
Mary had almost given up when she decided to open her daughter’s laptop. She remembered the password because she had helped with the setup.
As the screen lit up, her daughter’s social media had been left open. As Mary scrolled through the Messenger, she was instantly sickened by the conversations between Allie and her boyfriend, Tommy.
Mary highlighted weeks of conversations, copied them, and printed the dialogue.
She then called Mark at work and suggested a course of action. He agreed to meet her at Allie’s school.
Per Mary’s request, the school principal agreed to arrange a meeting with all requested parties in his office.
When Allie was called to the office, she assumed it was to meet with another coach who had stopped by, but her face indicated her surprise when she saw multiple people sitting around a long table with her parents.
“What’s this about?” Allie asked with annoyance.
Principal James eased her in the room and shut the door behind her. Both Mark and Mary tearfully stood and hugged their daughter, who continued to express confusion.
Allie slowly took a seat at the table, with her parents at each side.
Principal James opened the meeting with a statement.
“Allie, everyone here loves you and has your best interests in mind. We aren’t here to tell you what to do. Your life is your life. However, your parents have asked for our help in intervening in what we all believe to be a concerning situation.”
Allie looked around the room trying to read the faces of her softball coach, athletic director, guidance counselor, and the local sheriff.
Mary then explained.
“Allie, you're going to be upset with me because I found something on your computer.”
Allie furrowed her eyebrows and scrunched her face.
“You were on my computer?”
Mary then dropped a stack of printed papers in front of Allie.
Immediately, Allie knew.
She covered her face with her hands and began to weep.
The Sheriff then spoke.
“Allie, you don’t have to agree to press charges. The actions are chargeable without your consent. We’re going to have to talk to Tommy about this.”
Allie shook her head.
“No, I love him.”
Mark consoled his daughter.
“Baby, he’s brainwashed you. Nobody who threatens to harm you or your parents if you don’t do as he says is someone who really cares about you.”
“But he wants to marry me after graduation,” she said as she sobbed.
Mary interjected, “Allie, he’s asked you to give up everything for him. He has pressured you into doing things you wouldn’t dream of doing.”
“I can’t leave him. He said he would…” she stopped short, regained her composure and finished, “…shoot himself if I ever left him.”
Others in the room expressed support, with the guidance counselor offering some strategies for Allie.
“Allie, this isn’t terribly uncommon with an extremely controlling personality. Perhaps, we can help Tommy. But the best thing for you right now is to trust those who care about you and let us all help you get through this.”
Allie cried even harder but eventually conceded to help with a nod.
Four years later, Allie served as the guest speaker for her former high school’s athletic banquet. She did so in front of a packed auditorium.
A four-time All-Conference selection, Allie Nix had just completed a distinguished career at her dream school and had a story to tell.
“I owe everything to my parents,” her voice cracked as she spoke into the microphone.
“Without their persistence in my life, I might have thrown away everything.”
“Looking back, the simple fact that they cared enough to be involved was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Even though at the time, I was annoyed and maybe even hated them for being in my business, I am now thankful that they never gave up on me.”
“Many of you – if not all of you – have been mad at your parents about something.”
“I get it, I was there once. I thought I knew better, thought I was all grown up.”
“But what happened to me four years ago taught me a very important lesson.”
“My parents always had my best interests in mind. Their intentions were selfless, concerning, and soaked in unconditional love. They looked past my mistakes, picked me up when I was down, and never stopped loving me.”
“I only wish I had shown them my appreciation.”
Allie Nix broke down at the podium and struggled to hold back tears. As she continued, she did so with a strained voice.
“… My parents tried to stop me from making a terrible mistake… But instead of accepting their help, I lied… I pretended to go along with their plan but instead I plotted against them by telling my boyfriend at the time that they were trying to keep us apart… I never believed he would do it, but he did. My boyfriend shot and killed my parents.”
Allie shook with emotion as she finished.
“Now, all I have is their memory and a hard-earned perspective to help guide me as I tread through the rest of my life without them.”
“I’ll finish with some important advice.”
“Never stop saying I love you to your parents.”
“Give them the benefit of the doubt when you disagree.”
“Know that nobody will ever, ever love you more than they do.”
“Your parents aren’t guaranteed – you need to appreciate them before they’re gone.”
“And lastly, if given the chance, always be truthful with your parents. Never mislead them. Never listen to others who lead you away from your parents. Doing so might just leave you with regrets you’ll have to deal with for the rest of your life.”
Jerrad Hardin is the author of The Stepper - one of Amazon's best new books. To view a sample, please Click Here.
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