"I will be flying back next Monday," my mom yelled to me front the front porch as I entered the passenger side of my so-called father. I waved my hand to her slightly and closed the door quickly putting my seatbelt on as soon as I got comfortable. I was only spending about a week with him, my stuff was pack in the back seat. He entered the driver's side and started the car.

We did not bother speaking a word to each other since he came to pick me up, "so, what station should I play?" He asked as he got out of the parking lot. I looked over at him and at the radio, I grabbed my headphones from my pocket inserting them in my ear. "I guess no station," I heard him say before my music started blasting in my ear. 

He tapped my shoulders after a while and took my headphones away from my ear, "you decided to come so you will be playing nice," he ordered. He grabbed the phone, "no phones, we will be having a normal conversation like old people used to do before they had technology," I looked at him, he sure as hell did not pay my phone bills and he could not take it. 

He threw the phone into the glove compartment, we stopped at a red light and he locked it making sure I would not have access to it. "Now are you ready to talk?" He asked, "it's a long drive," he added after a while.

"I have nothing to talk to you about," I said crossing my hands over my chest. I turned and looked out the window. 

"That's fine because I have plenty for us both, what's your favorite food?" He asked me, I did not answer him, "do you like to go fishing?"

"These are things parents already know about their kids before they are almost an adult," I told him. "Parents do not have to ask their kids those type of questions because they learn them through their behavior."

"Bianca, I am sorry that I do not know anything about you, but I am trying right now and that's what matters," he said. 

"Really?" I questioned him, I snickered shaking my head. "You shouldn't be trying right now, you should have tried a long time ago," I said. 

He shook his head, I suddenly felt the car stop. I look out the window and saw that we were on the side of the road. "Look, Bianca, I am sorry," he said putting his hands up in defense. I turned and ignored his apology, it was way too late for that.

"I don't need nor want your apology," I told him, "just stop trying to fix something you can't," I watched as he let out a deep sigh and started up the car again. The road seemed empty and peaceful as he drove out of town. 

"Let's talk about something else, your mom said you got a chance to go play at the Olympics. That's really cool," he said. I rolled my eyes, I remembered when the lady repeated the words. I was so excited, despite my excitement, I still have no not given her a decision. Accepting would only mean that I would be leaving a few weeks after graduation. The team is stationed in California where they do all their practices. Even though our next Olympic is not for four more years. 

Apparently, we would have to practice and play against each other, that would determine who actually got a chance to play in the big game. And not to forget the friendly games we often times have against Canada. This was complicated, I was afraid of my future because I did not know what to do and now I know what to do and it seems like I fear it more. I fear how much I want to play professionally and stay here. I knew the only reason I wanted to stay was because of CJ; the thing I was trying to avoid was happening in front of my eyes.

I think my feelings for him were more serious than I thought. The thought of leaving him only gave me a stomach ache. What hurts most was the fact CJ sounded so supportive of it, I shook the thought out. Today was me making John's life hell, not me thinking about my hard life decisions. "You know my daughter and one of my sons play soccer. They play at the university," John said. It was the first time I heard him talk about his kids. "I guess soccer runs in the family,"  he chuckled. I did not answer him. "Or not, my youngest can't even shoot a ball," I felt like laughing.

"He's the brain of the family."

"Can you stop?" I asked him. I knew he was attempting of distracting me of what really mattered right now. He turned to raise his eyebrows, "talking about your kids won't make it better. It just shows how much you love them and know about them. What, I wasn't good enough for you?" I asked him, "you didn't care about me, but you had no problem raising them," I was now getting really angry. He knew nothing about me besides what my mom told him and he seemed like he knew the lives of his other kids pretty well. 

"Bianca," he groaned, "it was not simple and I regret it every day for the way I reacted. But, you cannot keep holding a mistake I made over a decade over my head. I was young and I was not thinking straight."

"That's what they all say, you were not a teenager, you were a grown man and you were married."

"Just because I was older does not mean I was wise. Despite popular belief, wisdom does not come from age. It comes from experiences, I was a newlywed and my marriage was important to me."

"So, it's not important to you now?" I asked him, he nodded his head. 

"Look, I love my wife and I always did. Your mom was a mistake and I am not saying you are a mistake because I truly believe that if you were not meant to be here you wouldn't be here. However, cheating on my wife was the biggest mistake I ever made and I guess I should have told your mom that in a better way. I was going to take responsibility for everything, I told my wife about it and she got mad, but after we sat down and talked about it. She agreed we should invite your mom over so we could talk about it, we came up with a plan and how it would be. I thought it would be simple like a business deal or something."

"I was a business deal," I murmured under my breath. I did not know how that was supposed to make me feel better.

"No," he answered, "I-I just mean that you-" he paused. "Nevermind," he said shaking his head. "The point is I did not realize how serious your mom's feelings towards me was. I was married, I love my wife, I had kids and I saw it nothing more than a fling. But, your mom was a young vulnerable girl, she wanted us to elope and we would be a cute taboo couple or something. Your mom left," he said.

"So, my mom left?" I questioned getting interested. My mom never got to that part of the story.

"Yeah," he said, "but I should have gone after her and I did not. I just saw her as getting rid of a problem. I knew no matter how hard my wife tried to be okay with it, she would never be and with your mom gone it would mean that it would give me a chance to fix our marriage. I'm sorry Bianca," he finished. I felt like yelling, but I did not know at who. Why did my mom leave and why would she not tell me about this? And why couldn't he just go get her? My mom was just a stupid college girl. 

He turned into a neighboorhood, it was definitely the street he mentioned he lived in. He parked the car in a parking lot not too long after. These houses were bigger than mine. It looked nice at least, "I am so sorry for my past mistakes and if I could go back to fix it, I would. Just give me a chance and my family. My kids have been dying to meet you and I promise you'll love them," I nodded my head. I decided to give him the chance. I knew my mom and I would need to have a good chat after this.

His door opened and out came a young lady. She looked around my age, her hair was dark and curly. She looked like him, from the car, I could see the number of freckles she had on her dark skin. John took the key out of the ignition, "come on," he told me. He exited the car and I did the same looking around awkwardly. 

"Daddy, what took you so long?" She said, "mom made cupcakes so I ate yours," she said.

"Of course you did," John said to her. She giggled and jumped turning her direction towards me. 

"It's so nice to meet you," she said giving me a big hug. She almost stopped me from breathing, she pulled away her curly hair bouncing on her back. "I'm Charlene, I always wanted a sister. We are going to have so much fun." The door opened again and a boy came out. "She's here Charles," she said with too much enthusiasm. "This is Charles," she said pointing at him. 

"Hi," he said waving his hands to me awkwardly. He was the exact replica of Charlene, I guess they were the twins. 

"Well," John said making me turn my attention back to him. "We should get inside," I nodded my head. "I'll get your bags." Charlene grabbed my hand and walked inside with me. She walked into the kitchen. 

The older woman turned around looking at me. I gave her an awkward smile, I did not know if she would like me, I was her husband's mistake after all. Unlike the other members of the family, she had golden blonde hair and the whole cliche blue eyes thing. "Hi, I'm Victoria, but everyone just calls me Vicky," she said handing me her hand to shake. I took her hand and shook it. "It's okay," she said, "I don't hate you, I barely know you. Let's form an opinion about each other after we've spent some time together." She said. I nodded my head agreeing. "I truly believe in that, but I will have to hate you if you are not a foodie," she said.

"I am sorry, but I will hate it," she said putting her hand up. I couldn't help, but let out a chuckle. "Charles," I heard her call behind her, I turned around, "call your brother, he should be home by now. I told him we were having a guest."

Charles nodded his head and left the kitchen, "where did Blondie go?" Charlene asked taking a seat on the counter.

"Chess meeting," Vicky replied.

"Mhmm," Charlene said.

"His name is Blondie?" I asked getting interested. 

Charlene laughed, "no, he's the only one of us that has blonde hair so it's his nickname. He looks like mom and Charles and I looks like daddy. I promise you will love him," she assured me. "Now come on, let's sit and watch mom cook so we could steal the food without her looking."