Page 94 of Flawless
I don’t see my daddy move from his seat. I just feel his arms around me. And when he speaks, I know that he’s crying too.
“Danica, I cherished you, and I always did. You were too good for that world, and I didn’t want you damaged the way that so many others have been. That’s why I tried to stop you. When I first told you about how dangerous that world was, you didn’t want to hear what I had to say.
“So, I did the only thing that I knew how to do. I used my power to try to influence your path. From what you’re telling me, it seems that I screwed that up big time. I know that it won’t happen overnight, but Dani, I want my daughter back. Please, can we work on healing our relationship?”
His tears dampen my hair, and while he was wrong for what he did, I know that my daddy loves me. I’ve done so much wrong to so many people. How can I expect them to forgive me when I can’t forgive my own father?
I lean further into his hug and squeeze him tightly.
“Yes, Daddy.”
It won’t happen overnight, and it will require a lot of work. There may be some heartache and anger involved, but I will work with him on our healing. My daddy was my first love.
How can I love anyone else if I can’t make it right with the very first man who loved me and taught me about love?
24 – ZENON – 14 Months Later
“Go! Go, baby, go!” one of the mothers in the stands screams just as the seven-year-old little boy kicks the ball into the goal.
“Keep your eye on the ball!” I call out to Jeremiah.
When the ball hits the back of the goal, all the parents in the stand to my left stand and shout. A sea of yellow t-shirts storms the field to either high-five, hug, or kiss their little ones.
“Wait, parents!” I shout as they approach the two groups.
The parents stop when I blow the whistle and hold my hands out. The little ones are easier to coach than the adults are to train. The adults seem to struggle with remembering the rules of the game on and off-field and need constant reminders.
“Great job, guys!” I say, giving both teams high-fives as I walk through the line that they’ve formed.
Once I’ve finished, the kids high-five the player opposite them on the opposing team. Once they’ve finished, the parents collect their little ones and take them off to the sidelines to get some refreshments.
When everyone is finished, I gather players, coaches, and parents from both teams to go over some reminders, such as practices, rules, refreshments, etiquette, and next weekend’s game.
We have recreational, academy, and select soccer leagues now to ensure that children at every level can participate. This morning’s group was the rec group. Our academy and select leagues will play at a different field this afternoon.
This will be my first weekend not overseeing their games, as I have something special planned for Dani and me. Marc Summers is one of our coaches, and he’s overseeing those games with another coach that I’ve hired, Martin Strickland.
After the conclusion of my speech, the parents gather their chairs, coolers, bags, and their children and pack them away in their separate vehicles.
My coaches grab their gear and head out, as well.
I start at one end of the field collecting the remaining equipment, and Dani works on the other end of the field. Slowly, we move to one another before we meet midfield.
“Tired?” she asks.
“Yeah,” I say, wiping sweat from my forehead with my forearm.
“I’ve got something that’s going to be very refreshing for you,” she says, dropping the items that she’s collected at her feet.
“Oh, yeah? What would that be?”
“We’ve got to keep it PG,” she says teasingly as she licks her lips.
“You’ve already got me thinking X-rated thoughts,” I share.
“Mm, I like that,” I groan, pulling her against me.
“You’re hard.”