NOT NOW. NOT EVER.

FREDDY

I rolled my eyes at the plate of snacks in front of me, sighing at how messy my relationship with my family had become, but having no regrets whatsoever concerning my decision.

"Everything is wrong here," I muttered, grabbing my glass of water and pouring every single drop down my throat.

My father grunted beside me, and Eddy made a tired sound, letting his cutlery slip through his fingers to the plate noisily.

I swallowed, pushing the words I had to say back down my throat.

My eyes wandered over to where Lola sat, unsettled as usual, her face void of any real emotion. It was almost like she was checking her breathing too, careful not to sniff in the wrong direction.

Letting my guards down, I allowed my gaze linger longer on her face, and for some reason, I couldn't help but notice how much of the wrong piece she appeared as on the table — not because I think she wasn't family which was sad enough giving that it had to be Eddy, but because her demeanor made her appear so in every sense of it.

I couldn't help but wonder if she was sick or bothered about something, but I couldn't even think so much about it before my father's voice broke through the space, pushing out the dead beat silence that initially had us all soaked up.

"I'm sure you must be wondering why I had asked to see you all," he started, looking from me to Eddy, then Lola.

"Dad, we are here and we're listening." I couldn't stop the words. I was already feeling itchy about sitting together like this, like they cared about me.

"I hope it's not about a problem someone probably caused. We're grown now. Everyone should learn how to take responsibility," Eddy said, his words obviously thrown at me.

I waited for my father's reaction.

Not satisfied with his final decision of giving him a warning look and clearing his throat to continue, I stood up from my chair.

"Freddy!" 

Of course, it was my father, calling me to stay put and take whatever sh*t Eddy fed me because he is older and I am just some family outcast that neglected their responsibilities for years.

"I didn't call you to be here. I do not want to associate with you. I do not even want to be seated at a table with you. Read the room and act right, as*hole," I dropped, hard and fine, serving him a taste of his broth without a single hesitation.

I noticed how Lola's jaw dropped in shocking surprise, and caught sight of the expression of a knowing disappointment that lined my father's face, but I didn't care about things like that anymore — I stopped caring a long time ago.

From where he sat, Eddy grinded his teeth, an angry smile playing small against his lips. 

He wasn't the type to let anything go, so I was ready to give him right back whatever bullet he throws at me next.

"Don't you dare say a word more, Eddy!" my father barked, causing Lola to jump.

I held my gaze on her face, hoping she would look back at me, but she didn't. Hands folded, body tensed uncomfortably, she just stared through the space in front of her.

I felt sorry for her. Maybe, she didn't deserve to witness tonight at this table, but it was good she is up to date about matters like this. It was her family too after all.

Eddy swallowed, a mere show of withdrawal, so I guessed, but I knew very well that Eddy wasn't that type of person.

"I had called us together as a family, not rivals or indecisive beings," my father spoke with a tense voice, the type he uses only in the boardroom, when he needed the audience to listen.

I sighed, taking my seat and running my fingers through my hair, an expected impatience suddenly taking over me.

"As a result, we have to fly for Freddy's game," my father dropped, leaving me totally awe-struck.

"How did you even know about that?" I bursted, unable to imagine the awkwardness of a family I had cut off for years travelling to watch a game that would become one of the major stories of my career.

"What do you mean? You're still my son. Norway and Boston? Going head on in less than a week? Isn't that why your coach is on your neck for your too-long break?"

My father sounded confident, and scary enough, serious.

I sighed.

"It is not possible. I did not expect you to plan a whole flight because you just wanted to watch me. It doesn't even make any sense." I didn't know how to stop myself from overthinking the absurdity of it all.

"That's it! You heard him. He doesn't need us there. We don't have to make it look all grand," Eddy spoke. "Lad os spare på kræfterne," he added, his words somewhat sounding like Dutch jargon.

"Let it be then," I bounced right back before even noticing how the smile that tugged discreetly at Lola's cheeks slowly faded into something that looked like confusion.

"I am not telling you, because I wanted your opinion or because I needed you to decide," my father barked through our voices, his throat bubbling up and down as he pushed hard on the part of the surface of the table in front of him.

I swallowed.

"He started it," Eddy spoke, glaring hard at me like his eyes were about to shoot out lasers.

"You're too petty, and it's sad," I returned.

"Fredmon Langford!" My father barked again, his voice bouncing off the walls and evening the ceilings.

"I forbid you from speaking until you are being spoken to," he finished.

Looking away, I sighed.

"We will all be leaving together, including Lola," my father continued again when he was convinced everyone was finally listening to him.

Lola was coming? Maybe, I could dwell on that and not think about the bad sides of my cover getting blown after years of hiding my identity from my team members and my friends in Norway.

I weighed my losses against my gains under my father's sudden decision. I thought about all the ways things could go wrong, and of course, I found myself flat on the losing end.

I might not be able to convince my father to consider his decision at the moment, but I knew I had to do something to stop them. I had a bad gut feeling about it, and my instincts were rarely incorrect.