Page 61 of Inside the Penalty Box

“No doubt. Talk soon.”

I’d just pocketed my phone and was about to head back into the boardroom when I felt it vibrate again. Pulling it from my pocket, I answered it immediately.

“Hello!”

“Dylan, it’s your mother. How are you doing, darling?”

My mother had been living in Italy for the better part of the year, and it was rare I ever heard from her. She probably heard the gossip about me and wanted to know if it was true. That was usually the only time she ever called.

“Hey, Mom. How’s Italy?”

“Wonderful. You really should plan to come over soon and see me. You are on a break now.”

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. I hadn’t seen my mother since my parents separated ten years ago. She’d packed up, moved on, and left me with my father. We kept in touch through text messages, the occasional phone call, and sometimes an email. Aside from that, our relationship was pretty much non-existent. The last time I’d heard from her had been when things went crazy with Carlie and I was all over the news. The time before that was over three years ago when my father broke it off with his last girlfriend.

“I’ll have to see, Mom. We just got our new contracts today.”

“Does that mean you won’t get vacation time?”

I hated to break it to her, but I wasn’t all that keen on going to see her. She was practically a stranger, and with everything that had gone on over the last few weeks, I needed a break, not a vacation. Plus, with the contracts coming out, it meant that practices could start early, and I wanted to make sure I got to spend as much time with Aurora as I could before the season started.

“Let me guess, Dylan, you’re too busy to see your mother. That’s fine, I understand. Now, what is this I heard about your father? His latest marriage has fallen through the cracks.”

I almost choked on the water I’d gotten from the vending machine a few moments ago. She lived on the other side of the world, with zero communication with either of us, and yet she knew things.

“Where did you hear that?” I questioned.

“Minga, your father’s neighbour. She called right away when she saw, oh goodness, I forget whatever her name is, run out on him.”

“Penelope, and that can’t be true. They are very much in love,” I replied.

When I’d left the other night, my father was in a mood. He was angry at me. I knew he had a temper, but I doubted he’d ruin a good relationship due to me.

“That might be what you think, Dylan, but let me tell you this. Your father is a completely different man on the relationship side of things. He has a very cruel side to him, and he never stops to think about what he might do to the other person. Perhaps she saw what was in front of her and decided she didn’t want that anymore.”

“Mom, I’m sure I don’t know.”

I didn’t want to believe what it was she was saying about him. I knew he wasn’t always the best he could be. I mean, look how angry he was over the newscast about me. He spewed at me like he didn’t believe me. I knew how my father could be toward me, but I really didn’t want to think that he could be that way to a woman, so much so that she wouldn’t want to be with him. Plus, I really liked Penelope and had hoped that maybe this one would be it.

“Dylan, it would be so nice to see you. I miss my son.”

She may miss me, but she certainly had not tried to communicate. “Well, Mom, I’ll see what I can do and try to make it over there. I’ll let you know.”

“That would be wonderful. We could visit the sites and I could show you some of my favourite places. It would be nice to get to know my son again.”

Even though she couldn’t see me, I nodded.

“That sounds great, Mom. I have to run. I’m going to be late for a meeting.”

“Go get them, sweetie. Remember, I love you.”

“Love you too.”

I hung up the phone and walked back into the boardroom to find the guys talking about the past season and where we’d gone wrong. I sat down, feeling relieved that I’d heard from Thomas and that things finally seemed to be coming to a close.

“Everything good?” Knox asked quietly.

“Everything is great,” I said.

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