Playing For The Other Team [REMAKE]

Chapter 6

To Nathan's surprise and delight, he finds his father sitting in the living room when he returns home. "Hey," he says when he steps into the room. "You're on time."

"And so are you." Aaron smiles at him. "How was school?"

"It was fine," Nathan says. "When are we leaving?"

Jennie appears in the doorway leading into the kitchen. She looks as if she's in a hurry, and she's struggling with a bracelet that she can't seem to latch on by herself. "As soon as I've changed," she says, walking over to Nathan to have him help her get the bracelet on.

"So in about an hour," Aaron clarifies, earning himself a glare from his wife. He chuckles. "I'm joking, of course," he says, but the look on his face says that he's not.

Father and son share a knowing smile as Jennie leaves the room to continue to get ready. Aaron doesn't seem to be in any kind of hurry, and Nathan doesn't feel very pressed for time either, but he wouldn't mind changing his shirt and combing his hair, which is still damp from the shower after practice.

He excuses himself and goes to drop his bags off where they're supposed to be - piling his laundry into the right basket and leaving his shoes out to air out - before heading upstairs to his room. Nathan spends a few minutes deciding between two shirts and combing his hair back into place.

Jonathan wears his hair parted to the side, and the right side is slightly longer than the other. It's sweet, Nathan thinks. Jonathan's hair always looks soft and shiny, and when the sun shines on it, it looks as if it's glowing.

Nathan eyes himself in the mirror, studying his face and his hair for a moment. He's never been one to dress up or put a lot of effort into how he looks. He's not above pampering himself and sticking to some kind of nightly routine, but suddenly he feels the urge to do more. He usually wears his hair combed back, but without any wax or spray, it tends to fall back into his face. He spends a considerable about of time pushing it back into place. Maybe he should get a haircut?

Jennie's wearing a different outfit and is on her way into her and Aaron's bedroom when Nathan stops her. "Jennie," he says when she passes him in the hallway. "Should I get a haircut?"

"Right now?" Jennie asks. She glances down at her watch, which has replaced the bracelet Nathan had helped her put on.

"No. Or well, I mean, in general?" Nathan asks. "Should I cut it?"

Jennie blinks, looking at his hair and stepping up to him to fuss over it for a moment. "Well," she says. "It wouldn't hurt, I suppose. I like your hair, though. Why do you ask?" She smiles at him as she runs her hand over his hair, smoothing it down far too much for Nathan's liking.

He swats her hands away. "No reason, I was just asking," he says, combing his fingers through his hair to fix what his step-mother messed up. "Forget about it, it was just a thought. I'm heading downstairs."

Jennie disappears into the master bedroom, and Nathan descends down the stairs and joins his father in the living room. "Come and have a seat," Aaron says. When Nathan's sat down beside him on the couch, he points to his phone - that he's got in his hand. "Have a look at this."

Nathan glances at the phone, the screen displays a bunch of numbers and lines that don't make any sense to him. His father seems to be thrilled about it, though. "That's nice and all, but what does it mean?" Nathan asks.

"Oh, well." Aaron closes the app and locks the phone, putting it aside on the coffee table. "I suppose it could be a bit confusing. The more steady those lines are, the better, and the less difference in number, the more reason to celebrate," he says with a smile.