Posters of basketball players used to don the walls. Now gone, they were replaced with a large white sheet with scribbles and a rough sketch of what had turned out to be Matthew and Aidan’s science project. The only other thing up was a picture of the New Zealand rugby team…with Mano’s fierce, unreadable face staring back.
He said he’d call her tonight.
Once she reached the office, she switched on “admin-mode.” A large pile of paperwork kept her at her desk for most of the day, a much-needed retreat from her life as a parent and as a swimmer.
Jordan had sent her a message about joining the rest of the team for an informal social at Ashley’s. “To build team spirit,” he’d typed. She said she couldn’t and was skipping the gym today. She wasn’t sure if it was regret or relief that she didn’t hear from him again that afternoon.
Aidan was surprised to see her at home when he returned from school. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the gym?
“Not today,” Eden began. “We need to talk.”
Aidan narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “About what?”
“How about you get a snack first then get your bag ready for your dad’s?”
The silence stretched between them. He’d glance at her occasionally as he put a sandwich together. She smiled whenever they made eye-contact, but he’d turn away in response. After finishing his sandwich, he disappeared into his bedroom, reappearing with a duffle bag ten minutes later.
“Are you ready, bud?” she asked.
He sat opposite her.
“I heard something this morning from Mrs. Yuan. And she reminded me that it’s been awhile since I’ve checked your phone.”
Aidan sighed, rolling his eyes. He reached inside the front of his jacket. “Is that it? I thought someone was dying. Here. There’s nothing on there. Well, Mason Watson from my geography class does like using the f-bomb a lot when he texts me. But I don’t use it.”
She scrolled through his phone. “Have you deleted anything?”
“Oh, mom, come on.” Arms crossed; Aidan’s face screwed up in disgust. “It wasn’t like I knew you were going to check it today.”
She returned the phone, contemplating whether to bring up the topic Patty had raised with her that morning. But it was Aidan who decided where the conversation was going. “Matt’s mom told you about the porn, didn’t she?”
“What do you know about that?”
“He didn’t download it. Some of the kids took his phone and did it. They know how to get past all sorts of firewalls. Matt’s account is synched with his mom’s. She knew right away. He didn’t get a chance to delete it.”
“Okay.”
“You don’t believe me, do you? I told dad about it. You can ask him.”
“Dad knew? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Aidan rolled his eyes. “He was the parent that was around that weekend, mom.”
“You know you can talk to me about anything, right? Anything. I might get angry if I don’t like what I’m hearing but it’s because I care.”
“Yeah, I know.” Disinterest laced his voice. “Can I go now?”
Eden nodded. Emotional fatigue rather than physical lethargy kept her in the living room alone. A message popped up on her phone:
* * *
Jordan: Any more thoughts about Mesa?
* * *
She swiped at the screen to clear the message.
“No,” she muttered angrily. “None.”
She stared at her laptop on the coffee table, grabbed it then turned it on. Clicking on the icon for her weekly schedule, a bright, multi-colored spreadsheet appeared. Green for work; blue for pool time; yellow for gym time; pink for the non-physical part of her training like the sports psychologist, the masseuse….
But there was nothing on her spreadsheet that showed time set aside for Aidan.
CHAPTER TWELVE
St Anne’s Men’s rugby team beat the higher-ranked Utah by one point.
Mano watched the matches from the stands; his absence from the sidelines made Brett more relaxed. A relaxed-Brett was better for the team.
Brett was a good coach. He knew his rugby; he liked the players; the players liked him. And even though Mano’s notes still ended up in the recycling bin, most of his suggestions continued to find their way to the field. Jackson probably memorized them.
This first victory for St. Anne’s must have been especially sweet. Mano learned—from Jackson, of course— that the head coach for Utah was Brett’s nemesis from his college playing days. “Even made the Eagles before Brett,” Jackson had said, grinning.
Winning must have also given Brett a reason to reassess his attitude toward Mano. On the bus to the airport, Brett found his way to the back and sat next to him.
“We needed this,” Brett said. “They really took everything we talked about this week and applied it. It couldn’t have happened without your input, especially the idea of having Holmes play as an openside flanker. That completely changed our attacking line. And he’s only going to get better in the position.”
“Just doing my job. This is a talented team.”
“Yeah, and lucky. Not many people have insights from someone who played top level rugby.”
“Not many will be able to say they’re getting feedback from two people who played top level rugby.”
Brett gave a little laugh. “That’s a very generous statement.”
“Test rugby is test rugby.”
“It is,” Brett said thoughtfully. “Listen, I know I haven’t been…uh…friendly. But I don’t trust people easily. Especially when they’re forced on me. Alistair didn’t ask. Just said you’re going to be here. It’s my bad. And I take full responsibility for any bad blood between us.”
“You don’t owe me an apology,” Mano said. “This is your team. I’m just a visitor.”
Brett held out his hand. “Well, I hope you visit often.”
They were never going to be friends, but they were colleagues with the same goal. Seconds after Brett vacated his seat, Jackson took it. “I knew you two were meant to be BFFs!”
“If I see this is the newsletter, I know who to blame.”
Jackson grinned and handed Mano a brown paper bag. “Thought you might like this. Just a bagel. They’re not feeding us on the plane.”
“Thanks. Have you eaten?”
“Yeah. But after we land, I know of an all-night diner in Oakland that is incredible. Do they have country biscuits in New Zealand? With real thick gravy?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Then we’re on! A little bagel isn’t going to cut it for me…or do you have other late-night plans with a certain swimmer?”
“Jackson—”
“Aww. Don’t go shy on me, Mano Palua! We all know the two of you have picnics under the trees on campus.”
“Jackson—”
“Very romantic.”
“Shut up.”
“Holmes thinks we should have a team picnic one day. You’ve showed us how much bonding can happen when meals are shared under trees.”
The snickering that came from across the aisle indicated this was far from a private conversation.
“I’ll bond with you anytime, Jackson. Just say the word,” Mano said.
Laughter erupted around them.
An hour later, they were on the plane headed back to the Bay Area. As soon as they reached cruising altitude, Jackson turned his head and closed his eyes.
If he were to follow his seatmate’s lead, Mano wondered who would wander into his dreams.
It was the memory of Eden’s touch that followed him all of Saturday. It was Eden’s last smile before she drove away that occupied his mind. She had sent him a message to wish him “good luck” minutes before the match began. A simple message that he returned to whenever there was a moment that didn’t need his attention.
Mano shut his eyes and tightened his hold on the armrests, preparing for the bolts of rage coupled with grief whenever he thought of Margot.
/> Instead, Eden’s face appeared.
His body relaxed. She had welcomed his touch so eagerly and given so openly. When desire was replaced with soft laughter and gentle words, she watched him tenderly. Her touch then would warm rather than inflame. He would see her tomorrow. Lunch. With Aidan.
His eyes flew open and he swallowed hard. A shaking hand reached for the water bottle he had shoved in the seat pocket in front of him. He wasn’t supposed to care for anyone again…not after loving someone else so fully.
Jackson continued to snore softly next to him. Around him, heads were focused elsewhere. Nobody had noticed his sudden movement. There was a stillness on a night flight that contrasted with the power of a jet streaking through the dark. The ease in which tons of metal stayed up miles about the ground was no longer regarded as much of a miracle. People slept; movies were watched. The extraordinary was now ordinary.
Like his life.
He took one last look at a view of nothing before lowering the shades.
The plan was for him to wait until Eden sent him a message once they were home from Mass. He would then walk the ten minutes from his house to her apartment building. It was going to be a casual lunch. Nothing more.
Instead, he found himself standing outside the chapel about fifteen minutes before the service was over.
His heart quickened when he spotted her lone figure coming out of the chapel. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a soft white turtleneck, she suddenly stopped and raised her face to the sunshine that had broken through the morning fog. Inch by inch, she moved her face slowly, as if savoring, second-by-second, the feel of warmth.
Though she didn’t see him, her being beckoned him, and he couldn’t resist the lure of her peacefulness. When he was just steps away, she opened her eyes. Surprise followed by immediate joy spread through her face. “You’re here!”
She didn’t hesitate to go into his arms, her hands reaching to cradle his face. She must have liked what she saw as her smile widened. “You were supposed to wait for my call,” she teased.
“I didn’t want to wait.”
“Oh.”
“You’re turning pink, Eden,” he said softly. Her hands slipped towards his neck, pulling him down for soft lips to meet his. Any question of whether she wanted anyone to know of their relationship was quelled.
“Oh god. Mom!”
“Aidan O’Callaghan! You just had Communion.”
Aidan looked over his shoulder. “Sorry, Father!”
Mano moved, relaxing his hold on Eden, who remained pleasantly pink. He schooled his face to prevent a smile. He placed a light kiss on Eden’s forehead before turning to face the duo that was now within arm’s reach.
Aidan glanced sheepishly at the priest before looking at Mano. “Just no tongue-kissing in front of me, please,” Aidan said. “Are you done? Please be done.”
“Yes, bud,” Eden said grinning. “We’re done.”
“And we need to be introduced,” said the priest, extending his hand out to Mano. “I’m Father Brian, but I know who you are. Aidan has mentioned your name several times.” Father Brian looked Eden. “Eden, however, not so much.”
“Isn’t discretion considered a virtue, Father?” Eden asked.
“It is,” Father Brian conceded. “But when you hear someone’s name so often, discretion can be a hindrance. Anyway, it’s good to put a face to a name. Are you a church-goer, Mano? No? Come in for the music then. The acoustics in the chapel are very good!”
“I may. Thank you for the invitation, Father,” Mano said.
A small grimace crossed Father Brian’s face before it was replaced by a wide smile. He waved at a fast-approaching couple. “I better get going. Eula is headed straight to me, which only means she didn’t like my homily today. Have a blessed day, you three.”
They began to leave the steps of the church when Aidan pulled on Eden’s arm. “Did you tell him? About granddad and Pop coming over too?”
“No,” she said as Mano draped his arm casually over Eden’s shoulders.
“It’s my fault,” Aidan explained. “I told grandad you were coming, and he wants to meet you. You don’t have to stay when they get here, though mom did make curry. It’s really good. Even Matthew likes this one.”
“I thought you said it was just going to be hot dogs,” Mano said.
“It was and still is. But my dad hates hotdogs, so you know… it’s hot dogs and curry for lunch.”
“Why not?” Mano said.
“Why not!” Her laugh prompted his own smile and he pulled her closer into his body. Kissing her on the temple, Mano inhaled deeply, contentment filling his body with the now familiar scent that was just hers.
There were no awkward introductions at lunch. Robert Pak basically launched himself into Mano’s line of sight and cornered him. Donald barely got in a handshake before Robert pulled out his phone and played various videos of matches Mano hadn’t seen in years.
“This one was incredible! How did you see the gap there? There were three Pumas in front of you!”
Mano glanced over Robert’s shoulder into the small screen. “Well, that was ten years ago…”
Robert pulled his phone back to study the video. “Now, I know Argentina isn’t New Zealand, but there were still three of them! Wait, I definitely want your opinion about this one! 2014 in Ellis Park.”
Mano crossed his arms. “The one we lost?”
Robert Pak paused then met Mano’s gaze through the top of his glasses. “Uh…nevermind.”
Eden laughed. He glanced over his shoulder to see amusement dancing in her eyes; they exchanged smiles. A little corner of his heart mended.
Aidan and Robert controlled the conversation over lunch: school; rugby; holiday plans; rugby. Curry, hot dogs, potato salad, and rice crowded the table. These odd combinations were familiar. Such a mix of interests, cultures, and cuisines dictated the family gatherings he grew up with. Missing were the familiar faces of his childhood, but present were the family ties being strengthened between Eden, her fathers, and her son.
Soon enough, dishes were cleared so that the salt and pepper shakers, condiment bottles, and glasses could become substitutes for props, second-rows, flankers, fly-halves, locks, hookers….
Aidan stared at the bottle of relish. “And it’s the same name for that position in the women’s team, Mano?”
“Which one? Hooker? Yes.”
Aidan pointed to Donald’s wine glass. “And there’s no other name for a ‘Number 8’?”
“No,” Mano said.
Donald looked at Eden. “I think Aidan’s getting serious about this. I’m married to a rugby fan. I wish you well.”
Eden tilted her head. “Ah, but it’s different raising one, Pop. You can feed the passion without needing to share it. Considering you hate the water, you did a pretty good job raising a swimmer. Parental love is different.”
“Not sure if I’d agree with that,” Donald said. “Your losses were my losses.”
She reached to cover his hand on the table. “I know.”
Eden’s phone buzzed. She frowned when she read the ID. “Excuse me, I have to take this. Won’t be long.” She walked toward her bedroom quickly.
The two dads exchange a look that Aidan picked up on. “It’s probably Tommy.”
Donald glanced at Robert before looking back at Aidan. “Her coach?”
Aidan nodded. “It’s because she won’t commit to Mesa.”
Mano crossed his arms. “I’m missing something.”
Donald looked at Mano. “Tommy doesn’t call unless it’s serious. He’s the type of coach that prefers to tell you things in-person. A bit old fashion but it’s respectful. I’ve always liked him. Hands-on.”
“Mom’s worried about the costs of going to Mesa,” Aidan chimed in.
The three adults turned to the youngest member there.
“Aidan Pak O’Callaghan, this better be based on fact and not something you’re making up,” Donald said.
&nbs
p; “Fact,” Aidan said confidently. “She left her laptop open last week. I saw the spreadsheet she was working on. The Mesa trip’s going to cost her a few thousand dollars. Tommy wants her to get there three days early, and to fly in the masseuse she’s been using. That’s almost a whole week of hotel costs for somebody extra. She’d have to take time off from work. And she’s using up her savings because she’s working part-time this semester. But she’ll do it. I know she will. She’s that close.”
“Wait. When did she switch to part-time?” Donald asked.
Robert stared at Donald. “You’ve been a swim-dad for decades. Do you think she was going to make qualifying times for Nationals working forty hours a week?”
“Robert, we could lend her the money,” Donald said. “She deserves one more shot.”
Robert shook his head, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “I’ve already suggested it. She knows what the costs for Grandma Mattie’s caregiver are. She helped you find the lady.”
“Am I right to assume Eden doesn’t like to ask for help? That she just likes to give it” Mano asked slowly.
“Yup.” “Yes.” “Sounds right.”
“Been like that since she was a teenager,” Robert said. “When she became pregnant, Don and I had to call in the troops to make her realize she needed to move back in with us.”
“The troops?” Mano asked.
“My mother and my sister,” Donald replied. “They had her packing in ten minutes.”
The bedroom door opened, and they all stared at her expectantly when she reappeared in front of them.
She scanned their faces one by one. “What?”
“What’s going on Eden?” Donald’s tone was clear he wasn’t interested in half-a-story.
“Just letting him know I’m quitting the team,” Eden said as she sat down at the table again. “No biggie. He just called to make sure I had thought it through. Very nice of him. Coffee, anyone?”
Always and Forever: Rugby Brothers, Book 3 Page 16
