Giselle groaned.“I’m usually in a hurry to work, practice, or games.So what?”She scooted into the kitchen, and both of them put the food items away.
“Hey, I’m not judging,” he replied, setting a jug of milk inside the fridge.“It’s past noon and neither of us have eaten.We missed the Jello at the hospital.Why don’t I cook something?”
“Yeah, that’d be fun,” Giselle remarked.“But I’ll help.And not a word about me taking it easy, okay?”
“Sounds fair.”
They prepared a simple dish of oven chicken, brown rice, and baby potatoes.They chatted over the meal while sipping ice cold Gatorade.
“I heard the Rapids talking after the game,” Tony began, wiping his mouth on a napkin.“Several teammates are willing to help you over the next few weeks.Do you also have family nearby?”
Giselle shook her head.“My mom lives a few hours away by car.Long story, but after I graduated high school, I couldn’t wait to get out of the house.Mom spent most of her time fawning over her new idiot boyfriend and pretty much forgot I existed.So I moved out here to Wood Hollow to start school for marketing.But as you saw for yourself, I’m stuck at the auto dealership until I save up some cash.”
“And I’m stuck at home with my parents at twenty years of age,” he said, his mouth twisting in a scowl.“It’s humiliating.”
“Yeah, but you have a future in physical therapy to look forward to,” she commented.
Tony’s eyes widened in surprise.“How did you know that?”
Giselle stiffened at her mistake—she had spoken without thinking.Her stomach flip-flopped beneath his gaze.I’m caught, and also a terrible liar.He’s done too much for me to try and deceive him now.I’ll have to confess and hope he doesn’t storm out of here.
She squirmed in the chair, then leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table.“I…I was at your house, Tony.I followed you home hoping to plant the mud ball in a good place as revenge for the package you delivered.”She paused, gauging his reaction.His face appeared calm, but she hadn’t delivered the main point yet.
“I snuck into your backyard,” she continued, her voice quiet and somehow thundering in the silent apartment.“I ducked beneath a window, which happened to be your bedroom.And I…I heard you and your father.”
Tears stung Giselle’s eyes.She leaned back and covered her mouth, then shook her head.“He said some terrible things to you.I’m so sorry, Tony.I watched everything.”She cried into her hands, reliving his wounded expression as he sat on the bed surrounded by his posters and trophies.
Tony pushed his chair back.He walked around the table and knelt by Giselle’s chair.Warm arms wrapped her in a hug, and she leaned into his body.
“I’m sorry you had to witness that,” he said softly.“It’s pathetic, really.Me getting yelled at by my father as if I’m eight.”
She shook her head, holding him tight.“Your feelings don’t grow a steel barrier around them when you get older.Words still hurt, and you’re human.”
“Thank you, but don’t worry about it,” he remarked.“I actually wanted you to come to my house, that’s why I set the package on your porch as bait.I had hoped you would sneak over to my place or something.”He chuckled.“It worked, just bad timing.”
Giselle couldn’t stop sniffling as she held him.“You looked so upset that day.I can’t imagine what you were going through.And here I am whining about my mom ignoring me.”
Tony pulled back and grabbed a napkin from the table.He held it out, and she took it to wipe her eyes and nose.
“In a lot of ways, a parent ignoring you can be worse,” he observed.“I understand why you left.As for my old man, he’s not always that way.He got hurt on the job doing what he loved—construction.Faulty machinery tore his shoulder up pretty good, and he can barely use his arm now.He received a good settlement out of it, but not working is what has him so depressed.That, and the chronic pain, are what drove him to the bottle.My mom and I do our best around him until he sleeps it off.He’s really not a bad guy, and recently mentioned getting help.”
“I hope it works out for you and your family,” she responded, dabbing at the corner of her eye.“How’s it going with your studies?”
Tony moved back to his chair.He spoke after swallowing some of the sports drink.“Good.I’m knocking out some courses for my DPT program.Anatomy, physiology, exercise physiology, and biomechanics for now.Later, I’ll have to undergo a truckload of clinical hours under the supervision of a certified physical therapist.”
Giselle grabbed a cookie from the plate between them, the only thing she had available for dessert.“You must be terribly busy.Reffing for the soccer season and university classes?I’m impressed.”
Tony also chomped on a cookie.“It’s a struggle sometimes, that’s for sure.I’m saving every penny from my ref duties to get my own place.After I receive my DPT certification, I’ll be set.”
They spoke a bit more.The mood lightened, and a laugh or two passed between them during various topics.Eventually, Tony rose from the table to say goodbye.
“Take your meds, and try to sleep early tonight,” he instructed.
“Yes, doctor,” Giselle replied.Holding the edge of the table, she hobbled forward to hug him.“Thank you for everything.”
“Anytime,” he said, holding her tight.
They remained that way for several moments, arms wrapped around each other, breathing softly.He felt so warm.Giselle snuggled against him, grateful for his presence and all the help.A lifetime seemed to have passed today.The action-packed game, the horrible injury, trip to the ER, confessions over a meal, emotional conversation, and now a satisfying embrace in the arms of a handsome man.
