Passion In The Game 2

Why Are You Here?

It was after summer practice and Rayna and the kids were all a little worn out from that day. The kids went to go shower and nap before dinner. Rayna sat for a minute to rest before getting up to start dinner. 

Junior came down the stairs looking at his Mom cooking their next meal.

"Do you love him?" Junior asked.

"What?" Rayna said confused.

"Do you still love that man after all he did to you?" he asked.

Rayna sighed and leaned against the counter. "Why?" 

"I see the way he looks at you. I see the way you look at him. Constantly telling him it'll be okay. Trying to cheer him up. I see how he watches your every move. You always smiling at him." Anthony Jr. said. "Why? For what?"

"Anthony, we and your dad loved each other. We loved each other so much. When you love someone like that, that kind of love never really dies. It just...goes dormant and something might reawaken." Rayna said.

"Why him though? Can't you just move on?" Junior asked.

"It wouldn't be the same with anyone else." Rayna said.

"Someone else wouldn't cheat on you though. Someone else wouldn't leave you with three kids." he said.

"Yeah and someone else wouldn't be able to really love me like he did. Your father was my first and so far my only. You never forget your first love. Your first love is what really sets the tone for how the rest of your love life is supposed to go." Rayna said. "Me and your father had a type of love that ran through our veins."

"Don't say that. You can find someone else. There is always someone else." Anthony Junior said. "Plus, he's not here for us. He's only here to get back into your pants and that's it."

"No, he isn't." Rayna said. "You just don't give him a chance. Ivy has talked to him. Sawyer has spent a little time with him. You could too. Ask him about being a quarterback, talk football." 

"No. I want nothing to do with him, same way he wanted nothing to do with us." he said.

"It's not like that. When are you going to get that through your head. He wants to love you. He wants to be a father to you. All you have to do is open up and let him in, son." Rayna said. "What if the tables were turned? What if when I had you guys I dumped you on a door step and I came back at the same time he did? You'd hate me too for leaving you."

Anthony shook his head and went outside to play with the family dogs.

The family had dinner together. Ivy and Sawyer cleaned up while Junior went outside to get away from Anthony.

"Go talk to him." Rayna said.

"Huh?" Anthony said.

"Your, technically,  youngest son. Go out there and talk to him." Rayna said.

Anthony took a deep breath and went to the sliding glass door. He opened the door and stepped out. Ivy and Sawyer dropped the dishes in the drying rack and ran up the stairs. They went into Ivy's room and opened the window.

Junior was sitting at the pool with his feet in the water. Anthony rolled up his pants legs and took off his shoes and socks. He got in right next to him. Junior smacked his lips and scooted over.

"How's football going?" Anthony asked.

"Peachy." Junior said blandly.

"Good. How do you feel about starting as quarterback?" Anthony asked.

"I got it in the bag. I'm putting my team on my back this year." Junior said. "We are going all the way."

"That's a pretty big task. You ready to take on something like that?" Anthony said.

Junior turned his look towards his father. "You did it before. Anything you can do I can do better."

"You have confidence in yourself?" Anthony asked.

"More than I know what to do with." Junior said getting cocky.

"What about school?" Anthony asked. "Any subjects you have a hard time with? I know I had a problem with math."

"Who doesn't? Ugh, I hate math." Junior said agreeing.

"Yeah, all the unnecessary variables. X equals M Y minus 7. I never got the hang of that." Anthony said laughing.

"Just too much. All I need is to add and subtract!" Junior said.

Anthony and Junior shared a laugh together. This was their first time communicating and being on the same page and it was going great. They talked so more and they actually connected. Junior was really a copy of Anthony. They were the same expect for the anger issues.

"I want to ask a question." Junior said. He had this on his mind for a while. He had popped up out of the blue and for what? This man had been missing all of his life and now he was here getting close with his siblings and was close to his mother. He needed to know why. "Why are you really here?"

"What?" Anthony said confused.

"Why are you here?" Junior said.

Anthony sighed. "I had been living a life that I was not happy with. Since I divorced your mother...I just did not feel whole. I thought the grass was greener on the other side. Well, I got to that other side and the grass was really nice but, it cost too much to keep it green. I will wholeheartedly admit I cheated on her mother thinking that this other woman loved me when she really just out for money."

"Then what?" Junior asked actually feeling sympathetic for his father.

"I got low. I just didn't feel good around her. If I was on the field or away, I had some relief. Just sometimes, I felt like she didn't love me. There was a part of me that wanted your mother back but, I just had to settle with what I had." Anthony said. "After I divorced the other woman, I was utterly out of it and out of options. I needed something and I missed love. I missed your mother. Then I finally found out about you guys. Junior believe me when I say I had no idea about you guys."

"How did you find out about us?" Junior asked.

"I saw a picture. It was all four of you. I couldn't believe it that I almost sent myself into a heart attack. You all looked so happy. I couldn't believe I had missed out all of this. Here I was longing to be a father and here were three children that needed me. You guys are 15. 15! I missed out on 15 years and I'll never get that back." Anthony said. "I'm sorry. I wasn't there. I'm sorry for you guys growing up without me. There is no real way to make up for that. If I could turn back the clock and spend all of my life with you guys, I would. All I can do now is stick around for the rest of your lives."

Junior had nothing to say. He had nothing touch his heart as much as Anthony just did. He heard the pain in his voice and could not imagine being that unhappy ever in his life. Anthony Junior felt bad for his dad. His dad had actually been hurting for years. Junior figured the least he could do is cut his dad some slack. All Anthony wanted was his family and all Junior really needed was a real father figure. Junior came to the realization that he shouldn't let his stubbornness be the reason he can't call Anthony dad. This was the one thing he needed all his life and he wasn't going to let pride get in the way anymore.

"Look, I know I've been stubborn and... not so open to you. I apologize for that." Junior said scratching his head trying to choose his words correctly. "I guess...Well, I know it wasn't fair to you for me to act like that. You are my father and I should be more respectful."

"Hey. If I was in your shoes, I'd be a little angry too." Anthony said. "You and your siblings didn't deserve to grow up without me. No one deserves to grow up without a father. So, to you, I'm sorry I wasn't there. If you give me the chance, I'll make it up to you for the rest of my life."

"It's cool...Dad." Junior said. "Hey...That felt kinda good...actually calling you Dad." Junior smiled at Anthony before they hugged. They pulled away enjoying the moment.