LSSU jerseys popped up on my TV screen. I made it just in time to watch the team burst onto the court at the start of the first game, radiating with confidence and joy. My eyes searched the players for the jersey that matched the one I had been wearing all day. It didn’t take me long.
There he was with his arm around Carson, likely hyping each other up before the match. Number nine. My boyfriend.
Anna was still pondering beside me, her expression pinched in confusion. “Mills never told me that happened.”
“You aren’t with her often enough for her to tell you anything,” I muttered before I could stop myself.
I looked away from the screen, about to apologize for what I’d said, but Anna raised a hand. “Don’t apologize. You’re right.”
As a twenty-five-year-old single mom, Anna did everything she could to give Millie the life she had as a kid. My niece wouldn’t enjoy half of her current luxuries if my sister didn’t work so hard. It was unfair that the price was less time with her mom.
“Her dad called me.”
My lip curled in dismay. “The asshole who abandoned his daughter?”
She waved a hand at me to keep my voice down, as Millie was still in the next room. “Yes. He says he wants to meet her.”
“Castrate him,” I fumed, dead serious.
“If only.” Anna snorted. He chose the church’s perception of him over his daughter, who came from an affair.
My head tilted, puzzled. She never told me the story of her and Millie’s dad because she didn’t believe he deserved to be spoken about.
“But if my child has the opportunity to have her father in her life, I don’t think I should take that away from her.” Anna rested her chin on her hand as she sighed. “She met him a few days ago.”
The starting five were lined up and ready when the whistle blew. Number three lunged for the ball, and River dashed to an opening at lightning speed. He was determined in every game, but his clenched jaw and focused eyes proved that this wasthegame.
After faking out an opponent, River was wide open, and the basketball flew to him. He caught it with ease and dribbled to the net, weaving in and out of the aggressive players gunning for him. I clutched the sofa while watching him on the court, feeling like I was in the match.
“She was happy to meet him and his wife, but I think she was a little confused.” Anna continued, invested in the game herself. “Millie was most excited to meet her brother, though.”
Pride swelled in me when River scored the first point of the game. Even with a hurt arm and minimal play time, he was still the best. It was killing me that I wasn’t there with him in the stands, but he knew I was watching at home, still wearing his jersey, of course.
“I hope her dad means well.” I put a comforting hand on Anna’s shoulder.
“Me too.” Tired, she reclined on the couch. “I think… I think I put a lot of pressure on you with Millie, and I’m sorry. You’re the only one who’s ever willing to help me, but if you being in therapy now tells me anything, it’s that I rely too much.”
“I’m your brother. You can count on me.”
“I know, but not like this.” She smiled sadly. “Please don’t wait so long to tell me things, okay? No secrets.”
No secrets.
My eyes were locked on the screen as I watched Carson bounce-pass the ball to River, but this time he wasn’t wide open. It was too late to take it back. River caught the ball, and with three defenders running toward him, he shot the ball from near half court.
And it went in. I leaped off the couch the second River jumped in, cheering on TV, like we were connected even thousands of miles apart. The camera zoomed in on him, and not only did he flash an award-winning smile, but he blew a kiss. A kiss to me.
I rubbed the back of my neck with a sheepish grin and turned to Anna. “Then I guess now’s the time to tell you that River is my boyfriend.”
“River’s your boyfriend!” squeaked a voice from beside me.
My niece’s curly pigtails bounced as she jumped up and down, her blue eyes locked on me. Meanwhile, her mom was staring me down with a skeptical eyebrow raise.
Where was I supposed to start with this story?
“Is the bed at least comfortable?”
I propped my phone against the wall and centered myself in the video call camera. River held the phone above his head with it pointed at his face as he let out a huff.
