Page 112 of Irreplaceable
“Lorenzo?” Val placed her hand on my back. “What’s going on?”
I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. I almost wished Harper had hung up on me because this was so much worse.
“Harper…seizure.” I could barely form a coherent sentence, I was so gripped with fear. “The baby.” I stood. “I need to—” I couldn’t breathe, my heart was pounding so hard. “I have to—”
“Breathe, Lorenzo.” Val took my hands and lifted them above my head. “Breathe.”
“I can’t—” Spots danced before my eyes. “I—”
“You can,” she said, forcing me to look at her. “You must.”
When I’d finally calmed down enough to speak, I hung my head and said, “What am I going to do?”
Even if we won the World Cup, it might cost me the love of my life. There was no question in my mind that I needed to go home to Harper, but it would mean giving up a dream I’d worked a lifetime to accomplish. “Papà would be so disappointed in me.”
“I think you should call Mamma.”
I considered it a moment then nodded, dialing Mamma’s number. It rang twice before she answered. I explained the situation, and then she said, “Of course you must go to Harper.”
“But Papà…”
“Lorenzo, he’d be so proud of you. You know that, surely?”
I lifted a shoulder. I didn’t know anything right now.
“The only thing more important to your dad than soccer was family,” Mamma said.
I nodded. “I know, but the World Cup…” I sighed. “It was his dream.”
“Yes, his dream. And you’ve honored his memory in so many incredible ways. But he’s no longer here. Harper is, and she needs you.”
I nodded, knowing she was right. We exchanged I love yous and disconnected the call.
I turned to Val. “What do you think?”
Val slid a piece of paper over to me. On it was the symbol Papàhad often drawn. The symbol like Harper’s bracelet. Papà. Harper.
“Remember this?” she asked, and I nodded. “Do you remember what he always used to say?”
“Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco.”I smiled, though it was tinged with sadness, memories of my dad mixing with those of Harper.
Sometimes it was difficult to think that two of the most important people in my life would never meet. And my father would never meet my son. Would I even get to meet Aiden?
“He was right. Things don’t always turn out as planned,” Val said. “And sometimes that’s okay.”
I rubbed a hand over my chin. “I can’t believe you’re siding with Harper.”
“I’m siding with you.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulder. “You love Harper, and you need to go to her. Be with your family.”
The moment she said that, I allowed myself to believe it. “I need to talk to Coach. Can you tell Nico what’s going on and ask him to book me a flight? I don’t care how much it costs. I want to leave as soon as possible.”
“Of course.”
The next hour passed in a blur. Fortunately, I’d already packed, but I had to talk to the coaches. Sign some documents. And then we were off to the airport. I still hadn’t heard from Dr. Fulton, and I tried not to read too much into her silence. I’d texted with Harper’s mom. And I was anxious for news.
While we waited to board, I couldn’t stop thinking about our argument. About what Harper must have been thinking and feeling. What if she died, and her last thoughts about me were that I was a liar and a cheater? What if she didn’t realize how much I loved her?
Giada, Crew, all of it, seemed so trivial. And I hoped, I prayed, that Harper and Aiden would be all right. It didn’t matter if she wanted to move to the Alondra Valley; we’d find a way to make it work. But that was the least of my worries now.