Passion In The Game 2

Don't Need Him

Rayna was up bright and early, making a nice healthy breakfast for her kids. Football was a big thing in Texas. Summer practice was to be taken seriously. This time of year it was all about the boys and trying to get to state championships.

She was putting plates at the table when her kids came down to eat.

"Good morning, babies." Rayna said.

"Good morning." They said in unison.

"Excited about today?" she asked.

"Yes," all three of them said.

"Is Dad going to come back tonight?" Ivy asked.

"He might." Rayna said pouring herself some coffee.

"Do you think he'll come to practice one day?" Sawyer asked.

"Why should we care? We don't need him here." Anthony Jr. said. "Tell him to go back to Seattle."

"Junior, stop it. Look, he seems like he is going through a midlife crisis. He's retired and he's a little lonely. He came here to meet you guys and get know his family." Rayna said.

"So, I'm supposed to feel sorry for him." Anthony Jr. said.

"Anthony, please. Get to know him." she said. "Talk to him about being a quarterback. He can give you some good advice."

Junior rolled his eyes and shoveled more food into his mouth. Rayna sighed and hoped for her son's sake that he would realize that this grudge would not last forever.

Anthony and Sawyer walked into the boys locker room. They dabbed up their teammates.

"What's going on?" Junior asked their friend, Rashad.

"Nothing much. How's that fine ass mama of y'alls?" Rashad asked.

"Stop." Sawyer said removing his glasses and putting them in his athletic bag.

"Hey, man. I'm serious. I will be your stepdaddy by the end of this school year." Rashad said.

"Good luck. Our father popped up." Sawyer said.

"What?" Rashad said confused.

"Yeah, our deadbeat ass daddy finally came last night." Junior said.

"Your dad? Damn." Rashad said. "How y'all feel about that?"

"I mean, he's here. Might as well make the best of it. See what he is like." Sawyer said.

"I say, fuck him." Junior said.

"Really?" Rashad said.

"Yes. He actually told him 'fuck you'." Sawyer said.

"Aye, that's cold man. I get you mad and all but cut the man some slack." Rashad said.

"Man, shut up. I don't care if he pays for the rest of my life. I don't want nor need him in my life. We don't. We've survived without him and we can keep surviving without him." Anthony said.

"How your moms feel?" Rashad asked as he started to change clothes.

"She wants us to have a relationship with him." Sawyer said.

"Do you think she'll want to get back with him?" Rashad said.

"That's when I rather you be my stepdad than she get back with him." Junior said.

"I don't know. Watch, y'all go walk in on them tryna give y'all another sibling." Rashad said.

"Fuck that. I don't care if I have to fight him myself. He and my mom are not getting back together. Not after what he did to her." Junior said. "I mean he just pops back up all of a sudden after he gets divorced. He wants something. If he thinks he can get my mother then, he's out of his mind."

"Didn't he cheat on her?" Rashad said.

"Yes! And then said she was lying when my mom said she was pregnant! I can't respect him!" Junior said.

"That was a while ago, though." Sawyer said. "If my mother is not upset, then I do not see a reason to be."

"Speak for yourself" Anthony Jr. said opening his gym locker.

Rayna and Ivy sat in the John Deere Gator and watched the boys practice. The other student trainers moved bottles and stood among themselves.

"So, do you like that Dad is back?" Ivy said tearing athletic tape.

"For you and your brothers' sake, yes. Hopefully, this will change Junior's ways." Rayna said chewing on sunflower seeds.

"What about you?" Ivy asked.

"What about me?" Rayna said spitting some of it out.

"I mean do you like him being here?" Ivy asked.

"Yeah, I guess." Rayna said. "It's good to see him and that he is doing well."

"Do you think he can really make a difference in Junior?" Ivy said.

"Definitely. It will take some time but, he'll get there." Rayna said.

Ivy thought about having her family together. She really wanted her parents to remarry and they all could live together under one roof. Ivy pictured a beautiful family vacation. Her mom and dad holding hands and cuddled together. Her brothers tossing a ball around by the beach and her getting to sit back and watch it all in pure happiness. That was the one thing that she always prayed for. 

Living in what is defined as a broken household, took a toll on Ivy. She saw how it affected everyone. Ivy remained hopefully all these years. Kissing that old wedding picture every night hoping her father would make an appearance and now he had. All that was left was to mend the broken fences and for her parents to confess their love.