“Then why didn’t you ever let us have a pet? We begged you for a dog for an entire year when I was around 10.”
“Dogs require work. Training. Time. Who was going to take care of a dog? I worked all day. After school and weekends were filled with football activities. Plus, the real reason was your mother.”
“Don’t blame Mom. She never said we couldn’t have a dog.”
“Your mother never wanted to be the bad guy. She saved that for me, I’m afraid. We had a dog when we first got married.” He looked off to the side, and sadness washed over him. “Sadie. She was a little poodle mix. We loved her something fierce. But, sadly, she got sick and died. We did everything we could and spent money we didn’t have at the time trying to save her. But nothing worked, and she steadily declined. It broke our hearts. Your mother took it especially hard and refused to get another pet. Ever. She said she couldn’t go through that again. I have to agree. I didn’t want to go through that again either.”
Robert sat a little taller as he absorbed this bit of information he never knew about his parents. “I had no idea.”
“I don’t see why this comes as such a shock to you. Remember when you saved that injured bird? I was on the phone for hours trying to find someplace that could help it. I was so worried about the poor thing that I was up all night checking on it to make sure it was OK. And then, the next morning, we drove over two hours to that wildlife rehabilitation center in Suffolk. I even called every few days to check on its progress until they released it.”
The memory barely scratched the surface of Robert’s mind. He’d been young. Maybe six or seven when that happened, and he hadn’t thought about it until just now.
“And, who knows?” his father continued. “If neither of you had shown any interest in football, maybe I would’ve been more involved in your brother’s music. You like music too. Right?”
“Yeah, but . . .” Robert’s brows skyrocketed at his father’s suggestion. “You’d be interested in music? Hard rock music like Tommy used to play?”
His dad scowled and shook his head. “Not that screaming insanity he played with that Psycho band. That’s not music. Music from my generation evoked joy and alleviated stress.” He raised his brows and an index finger. “I’ve always been a fan of Simon and Garfunkle. I even attended a concert once.”
Laughter flew from Robert’s mouth, and he tried to hide it behind his hand.
“Why is that funny? Simon and Garfunkle have produced numerous number-one hits and were very popular when I was young.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I just can’t get the image out of my head of you at a concert.”
“I was young once, Robert. Just because I’m stoic and rigid now doesn’t mean I wasn’t carefree as a teenager. I was a jock.” His dad displayed a smug smile and ran his hand over the side of his thick hair. “And quite dashing in my day, I might add. Where do you think you and your brother get your good looks from? I did some crazy things when I was young. Before I had responsibilities like mortgages and tuition.”
This time Robert laughed openly. But he shook his head and held both hands up. “I don’t even want to know, so please don’t tell me.”
“Fine.” His dad paused. “Look. Maybe I wasn’t the best father. Maybe I didn’t treat my kids fairly, and I regret that. But please don’t think all I cared about was football. I love my boys with all my heart. Equally. Yes, me and you have a stronger bond because of football, but it’s not why I love you.” He threw his arm over Robert’s shoulder and pulled him in for a side hug. “You’re my son. I’ll always love you. There’s a lot more to our relationship than just football. It pains me that you think otherwise. I’ll tell you what. Pick something for us to do that has nothing to do with sports, and we’ll do it. Your brother is included in this too. Although please don’t suggest we attend one of his concerts. I don’t think I can sit through that.”
More genuine laughter bellowed from Robert’s mouth, because there was no way in hell his dad would sit in the audience at an Immortal Angel concert. Robert loved that his father was open-minded now and able to freely verbalize his feelings. Growing up, the man rarely displayed affection. He had been gruff, and I love yous weren’t part of the man’s vocabulary.
“Don’t laugh,” his dad admonished. “I’ve seen Tommy’s band from the side of the stage.” He tugged at his ear. “I think that 20 minutes is responsible for the 10 percent hearing loss in my left ear, but it was worth it to see my eldest son shine in his element.”
“We can find something else to do. It sounds like a great idea. Thanks for suggesting it, Dad.”
His dad exhaled. “That’s a relief.” Then he clapped his hand on Robert’s knee. “Please know that I’m here for more than just football, son.”
Robert nodded, emotion clogging his throat. “I know, Dad. I know.”
“Congratulations!” Amber cradled the phone in both of her hands as she stared lovingly at Robert’s freshly showered face. His hair was still damp, and he was sitting in a car. “Where are you?” As soon as she asked the question, her heart leapt into her throat. What if Robert was in such a good mood about winning the Super Bowl that he told her father about their relationship, and what if they were in the car together? Maybe driving home early? The smile on Robert’s face would mean that her dad was OK with the news, but she knew that would never be the case, and her euphoric high got knocked down a few notches. “Whose car is that?”
“My dad’s rental.” He leaned to the left and moved the phone to include his father in front of the camera. “He surprised me and showed up at the game. We’re going to grab a bite, then go back to the hotel and fly home together tomorrow.”
“Hello, Amber,” Mr. Blade said. “How are you, dear?”
“Hi, Mr. Blade. How nice of you to visit Robert.” She envied the support Robert constantly received from his father, and she wished her father was more like Mr. Blade. Not for the first time either.
“Please call me Martin. There’s no need for formality. We’re family.”
Her heart could burst with affection for this man. “Thank you, Martin. It was a great game. Next time, I’m going to sit right next to you in the stands, and we can both cheer for our golden boy.”
Mr. Blade chuckled heartily. “I would love nothing more. It’s too cold for Barbara most of the time. When we were young, she didn’t mind the cold. But now, her arthritis acts up. Mine too, I’m afraid. But I can handle a few aches and pains to see my son play.” He glanced away from the road and smiled at the phone screen. “And if I had a pretty girl sitting next to me, it would make all the difference in the world.”
“Dad! Stop hitting on my girlfriend!” Robert moved back to his side of the car, so his father was no longer included on the screen. “Can you believe him?” he asked, smiling so bright it could power the entire East Coast.
“I’m just being friendly,” Martin said, in the background. “I’m a married man.”
