Expect The Unexpected

Chapter 11

I wake up to an empty bed and my body on Kyle's side of the bed. I roll out of bed and slowly walk into the bathroom. When I look into the mirror I see that my face is all red and blotchy. I grab a washcloth to wash my face and hopefully get rid of these red spots. 

When I finish washing my face I start to smell bacon cooking in the kitchen; immediately knowing Kyle is in there cooking breakfast for me. I put my hair up and head out of our room to the family room which the kitchen opens up to. Kyle has his back towards me, he's standing in front of the stove with nothing but workout shorts on. I walk up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. 

"Well isn't this a sight to wake up to in the morning" He laughs.

"Anything for my beautiful fiancé" He says as he turns around and pulls me into a hug and kisses the top of my head. "I made you some blueberry pancakes and bacon? I know that's your go to before morning practices."

"That sounds amazing. Did you start the coffee?"

"Yep. About 5 minutes ago so it should be done soon."

"Perfect." I say as I walk to the fridge to grab the containers of strawberries and raspberries. 

"Already cut them up" Kyle says with a smile. 

"Well you're thinking of everything aren't you." I say as he hands me a cup of coffee, just the way I like it. 

"Why don't you relax and watch the Today show or something. Everything will be done in like 5 minutes."

I reach up on my tippy toes and give him a kiss on the cheek and walk out to the family room and turn on the tv. I flip to NBC to watch the Today Show. On screen Thomas Rhett, singing "Crash and Burn". From the kitchen I hear Kyle singing along to the lyrics

"Do you hear that?

It's where I'm at

It's the sound of teardrops falling down, down

A slamming door and a lesson learned"

"Hey baby, don't quit playin baseball, you'll never make it as a singer"

Kyle makes hurt face and covers his heart with his hand. 

"Wow that really hurts." I laugh and he throws a pillow at me. "Breakfast is done but you can only eat after you tell me that I'm an amazing singer." 

I stand up and wrap my arms around him and say "You are one hell of a singer Kyle Jacobs." 

****

The drive to practice feels longer than it normally does; probably since I'm dreading to go today. I love playing soccer, the passion I have for the game is like nothing else. And the fact that my father taught the game he loved, and taught me to love, to his "other daughter" makes me sick. I pull into the parking lot at the same time Ash and Ali are arriving. Ali gives me a huge hug as I fight off the tears.

"Everything is going to be okay, you know that right?"

"Yeah I do, thanks Al."

"I got your back R Tay." Ashlyn says as she pulls me into a bear hug.

"Thanks A Har."

We are one of the first ones to arrive to practice, so the locker room only has about 3 girls in it getting ready. I walk to my seat and my face falls knowing that Emma is the number in between Christine Nairn and I, number 6. 

Emma walks into the room and sits on the chair next to me with a smile on her face. I keep staring at the wall in front of me with my Beats headphones on listening to my pregame music. Out of the corners of my eyes, I see Ashlyn and Ali stiffen. Emma taps me on the shoulder and my whole body stiffens; my teammates know not to disturb me with my headphones on.