Dad tried to smile, the edges of his eyes crinkling just a bit. Those eyes were just like mine — dark and endlessly brown. “We’re going to stay a few days, all right? We can rent a house, take you there to care for you until we need to head back.”
For a moment, I let the warmth of his offer wash over me like waves over my feet on a tropical beach. I imagined nodding and sayingthat would be lovely. I thought of what it would be like for him to hug me and load me up in their rental car and drive me somewhere where we could be together as a family, where I could face my reality with people who loved me.
But it was just a moment.
Because in the next breath, I remembered who my parents were, who I was, and that spending more than an hour with them in any capacity would make all of us uncomfortable.
I saw it even now as my dad made the offer, how his face was tight with discomfort. I’d registered him on his phone earlier, likely looking at his calendar and trying to figure out what he’d have to move and how to make it all work.
That was Mom now. The second the words were out of Dad’s mouth, she was on her phone, her brows pinched and mouth in a tight line. Maybe she was looking at her own calendar. Maybe she was wondering how much of a pain it would be to change flights. Maybe she was looking up rental houses where the twobedrooms were spaced out enough, where there was enough to do nearby that she and Dad could get away when they needed to.
They didn’t actually want to stay.
It was all out of obligation — parental guilt.
Just like always.
I swallowed, readying myself to perform as I picked at my nail polish and shook my head. “No, Dad, don’t do that. You guys need to get back to the city.”
“We can move things around,” Dad said, but I already heard it, the way he was leaving it open for me to keep arguing, to convince him.
“It’s really not necessary. I’m glad you came and I appreciate it, but you don’t need to wreck your calendars for this.” I gestured to my arm. “I’ll be fine.”
Mom and Dad shared a look — the Huxley Pause. They were having a whole conversation inside that look.
My stomach roiled.
“Honey, I think it might be nice to be surrounded by family right now,” Mom tried gently, but she’d already tucked her phone away, like she knew she didn’t need to change anything. I thought I saw the relief in her eyes, but didn’t trust my senses enough to be sure.
“I will be,” I said, and this time my smile was better acted. “I’ve got my teammates.”
As if I’d cued her, Darcy perked up from where she’d been in our kitchen brewing a pot of tea for all of us. She was still in her hair and makeup from the game. So was I.
For the last time.
An anchor settled deep in my gut at the thought, tears stinging my eyes.
“Of course,” Darcy said, bounding over to me with a smile. She looped her arm through my good one and rested her handon top of mine. “We’ve got her. She will be well taken care of. And the team trainers said they’d be checking in on her, too.”
I nodded, bile in my throat as I managed another smile. “See? All good. I know you guys need to get back. I mean, it’s why you flew in this morning and have red eye tickets tonight, right?” I swallowed the hurt in that statement, that they’d flown all this way but hadn’t even committed to one full night in town.
They didn’t want to have to pretend any longer than I did.
“I’m sure there’s a lot waiting for you when you get back. And I’m okay. Really,” I promised.
Mom sighed, her hand resting on my father’s shoulder. “Well… all right. If you really think so.”
I nodded. “I do. It’s all good. You can still make your flight if you head to the airport soon.”
Mom was already in action, but Dad stayed put, his eyes searching mine. He looked like he wanted to say more but didn’t know what.
Me either, Dad.
After a long moment, he tried a smile again, but it was weak. “We’re just a call away.”
“I know.”
He paused, like he wasn’t sure I did know it, before he stood and went to help Mom gather their belongings.
