I jog over to the stands, well aware I have approximately four seconds for this conversation before I’m holding up kick-off and Clive gets to claim my balls as fine jewellery.
‘Mom?’
‘Ethan, honey.’ She reaches over the sidings to offer up a half hug, as much as she can manage without falling over. She looks tired, and at her feet I see a leather overnight bag. ‘I didn’t want to distract you, go play your game.’
‘How come you’re here?’ I ask, as if I could play on now without knowing.
‘Doesn’t matter, baby, we’ll talk after.’
Her eyes shine with tears and something I haven’t seen in a very long time. Pride. I swallow, my shoulders rolling back and down.
‘He told you.’
‘We’ll talk after,’ she says again. ‘You need to concentrate. I’m just fine here with your friends.’
‘Where’s Dad?’
No answer is the answer I expected. I look to Mia and our friends, surrounding my shivering mother who is not dressed for a British fall.
‘But how did you know—’
‘Your mum talked to Clive, Clive talked to Michael, Michael talked to me, now we have custody of your mother. Now, get your arse out there, Taylor,’ Jenna explains, her impatience devolving into threats as Alice wraps her scarf around Mom’s neck. ‘If we lose, I’m holding you personally responsible.’
‘Got it,’ I say, tapping two fingers to my forehead. ‘Uh, before I go, Mom, this is Mia. Mia, this is my mom.’
They look at each other, Mia blushing furiously as she offers her hand, my mom looking pleasantly curious as she takes it.
‘I’ll mediate the intros, tick fucking tock, captain!’ Jenna yells and I nod feverishly, turning back towards the centre spot before wheeling around to find Mia one more time and catching her face in my hands, kissing her as hard as I dare.
‘I love you,’ I say, more locked in than I ever have been in my life.
Jogging to the centre, I shake hands with the captain of the opposition, all business now. Nothing else matters. If I’m selected for the academy, I’ll tell Harchester everything myself, the official version at least. They do have a morality clause in their contracts, Clive confirmed it, but he also said he’d vouch for me. If they don’t want me, they don’t want me. As long as Mia knows the truth and I can protect Chris, I’m good.
I look back at the stands one more time as we all fall into position and see Mia talking with my mom.
Hold up. Did I … did I tell her I loved her?
‘One life-changing moment at a time,’ I tell myself as the referee blows again and the game begins.
56
Mia
Sitting in a booth at Members is one thousand times better than standing behind the bar. Me, Alice, Jenna and Bryn have been here since right after the final whistle blew, 3-0 to Hemden, two of the goals from Ethan and one from Assad. I keep my eyes on the door but there’s no sign of the team just yet.
‘Give them time to shower,’ Jenna says, placing a hand on my wrist. ‘And whatever else it is they do in there. Dance, sing, conduct satanic rituals.’
‘I assume they’re all eye fucking each other in the showers,’ Alice replies. ‘But then I read a lot of smut.’
‘Maybe I’ll go and get another drink,’ Bryn mutters. ‘I think sometimes you forget I’m not one of the girls.’
‘Oh no,’ Jenna replies brightly. ‘We didn’t forget.’
But it’s not just Ethan I’m looking for. Every time the door opens, I look over, scanning the students to see if he’ll show.
‘Don’t worry, Oliver won’t show his face, Jenna had a polite word,’ Alice says, when a different guy in a black leather jacket strolls in and I almost fly out of my seat.
‘Polite?’ I echo, extremely doubtful.
