Passion In The Game 2

What He Was Supposed To Have

Anthony had been spending a lot of time with friends and family. He went home to Virginia to spend time with his family. He worried a lot now. Calling them four or five times a day. Anthony became a restless soul. He was no longer playing ball and had no one at home to occupy him. He felt like his house was too big for person and contemplated on selling it and just buying a penthouse or a nice condo.

Aside from that, Anthony's mind was on Rayna and the future they were supposed to have. What would've happened if Anthony had never met Ariane and had fixed his problems with Rayna? Would they have actually had children? Anthony never said it out loud but, he missed his old life with her. He missed her as a whole.

"He's having a mid-life crisis." Alexis said.

Anthony had coming to visit one day. Terrence and Alyssa were out with Alexis's mother. Plus, Terry thought he could just get Anthony for some one on one time and talk to his friend about what was going on.

"He's depressed. Anthony's all alone and he just needs someone to lean on right now." Terry said.

"He wouldn't be all alone if his dumb ass never got with that bitch." Alexis said.

"Relax." he said. "Let's just get Anthony through this right here. Once we get him in a better place, we'll figure out what is next."

"Alright. You talk to him. I'll be painting in the studio." Alexis said.

"You know he misses her." Terry said.

"Misses who?" Alexis said.

"Rayna."

Alexis turned around and looked at Terry. She looked at the honesty in his eyes.

"Should we tell him?" Alexis asked.

"I don't know. A part of me says we should. Another part..." Terry said.

Alexis sighed. "I'd tell him." She left the room without another word and left Terry thinking if Anthony really should know.

Anthony arrived, used the key to Terry's house and let himself in.

"Knock, knock." he said. Terry came down the stairs and met him halfway into the entre way.

"What's going on?" Terry said.

"Everything's fine." Anthony said giving him the man hug.

"What have you been up to lately?" Terry said. "What's next for you?"

"I don't know. Aside from Children of Steele, I have nothing else to do. Unless, I decide to coach." Anthony said.

"You could. I don't see why you shouldn't." Terry said. "Hell, I'll do it with you."

"Really?" Anthony asked.

"You know what? Can I show you this playbook I made up?" Terry said.

"Let's go." Anthony said. Terry took him upstairs to his office.

"Give me a second. I'm going to have to go through all the kids files. We're going to have to get Terrence and Alyssa their own laptops because the amount of stuff on my computer is nuts." Terry said.

"I've got nothing else to do. Take your time." Anthony said.

Terry started searching through his documents as Anthony looked around the room. Anthony's eyes fell on a picture collage that clearly Alyssa made. He studied the pictures and it was apparent that this was from a trip they took recently. One picture caught his eye, it had a very familiar face in it.

Rayna.

Anthony felt his heart stop. It was her. It really was her. Age had barely touched her. She still looked the exact same as the day he last saw her. Except for having tears run down her face while signing an agreement for a divorce, she had big smile and was glowing looking like the queen she was. He scanned the other pictures and was ready to have a heart attack when he saw another picture of her with three teenagers. One girl and two boys.

The girl was nothing but a younger Rayna with big, puffy natural hair. She smiled just the same as her mother. It was as if Rayna had spit her out. The two boys looked the exact same. They had an uncanny resemblance to Anthony. One of the boys was bigger than the other but other than that they were the same. They looked the same age and Anthony was shocked. Well, really shocked was an understatement in this case.

Anthony thought back to that day were Rayna was on the floor crying and pleading not to file the divorce. The day she tried to tell him he was pregnant. Rayna wasn't lying. Not one bit and there she was. A beautiful woman with three beautiful children. And it struck him then and there, Anthony was a father.

"Terry." he said hoarsely. Anthony almost couldn't find his voice.

"Yeah. I just found it. Take a look." Terry said. He turned to Anthony and saw him glaring at the collage. "What are you looking at?"

Anthony turned to Terry and put his finger on the picture. Terry's heart stopped. Just when they were talking about telling him. Here they were having to explain to him 16 years of keeping a secret.

Terry and Alexis were outside with Anthony explaining to him all these years that his past love had bore him three children and was living comfortably in Texas.

"All this time..." Anthony said.

"She always wished for the sake of the kids you'd at least reach out." Alexis said. "To realize that you actually are a father and you'd step up and play a part."

"They really are some great kids, Anthony" Terry said. "We wanted to tell you but, once it was apparent that you were so wrapped up in Ariane...we left it alone."

"What are they like? How is she?" Anthony asked. "Is she seeing anyone?" Anthony had all these questions he needed answers for. Did she remarry? How was she living? How were the kids? Where did they want to go for college? He needed answers and he was going to get them.

"Why don't you book a plane ticket and a nice suite at a Hilton or the Four Seasons and go find out for yourself?" Alexis said writing something on the back of the picture and passing it to Anthony. Anthony looked at the writing. It had a couple of addresses on it. One for her house and another for the school she worked at. "Go get her."

"Would she even look at me?" Anthony said.

"Anthony, forget all your insecurities and get down to Houston and meet your kids. Get to know them. Read them a damn bedtime story. Buy them a giraffe." Alexis said. "Either way, pack your things. You have to go."

Anthony looked at Terry and Alexis. He took a deep breath. He had the opportunity to make it right and gain his family that he was supposed to have from the beginning.

And he was going to take it.