Page 53 of The Home Game

Smiling, they stood side by side and Matty watched the pizza puff up and brown, the cheese melting. He thought that maybe life was finally coming together.

He had a house full of happy people and hope for the upcoming season. It was a warm, sunny day and the future for the team looked bright.

After the food had been decimated, the party wound down. The kids were yawning and well, so were the hockey players, all of them ready for naps.

Matty was looking forward to spending a lazy afternoon at home.

When the last person had left the house, Matty closed the door behind them and walked back into the main living area.

Antoni was in the dining room, staring at the table. He looked confused. “I thought there would be some left. What … how is it all gone already? We made like a dozen pizzas, I swear.”

“Not quite that many,” Matty said with a laugh. “But I told you hockey players eat a lot.”

“I only got two pieces!” Antoni protested. “I was trying to be polite.”

Matty laughed and nudged him with his elbow. “Yeah, we’ll cure you of that real quick.”

“Huh. Not even a little bit of consideration that I’m a guest?” Antoni asked, loading his plate with salad.

Matty shook his head. “Nope. You live here. That means you’re one of us now.”

The slow, sweet smile that lit up Antoni’s face made Matty want to pull him in for a hug.

“That’s what Charlie said earlier.”

“That okay?” Matty asked. He knew this team could feel a little overwhelming to people who weren’t used to it.

“Yeah. I think I’m going to like being around here,” Antoni said softly, like he wasn’t sure he was supposed to admit it.

“I think I’m gonna like having you here,” Matty said, beaming.

But that was a lie. He already did.

After the team left, River and Reese went down for their naps, Eli went to read, and Alexis disappeared into her bedroom.

Antoni got to work cleaning the kitchen. Matty tried to protest but Antoni wouldn’t hear of it.

“You cooked, I’ll clean,” he insisted. “Besides, it’ll help me get familiar with the space.”

Matty had finally, grudgingly, gone to take his own nap.

“It’s just habit,” he’d said sheepishly before he left to go to his bedroom in the guest house. “After a couple of decades of doing pregame naps, my body’s just kind of used to it.”

A nap sounded amazing to Antoni too but there was a kitchen to clean so he cued up an audiobook from the library to listen to while he got to work scrubbing.

There was a mountain of dishes to wash but a good number of them fit in the dishwasher and he tackled the rest by hand.

When everything was done and the roomy kitchen was spotless, Antoni went to check on the kids.

The two youngest were just waking up so Antoni helped them pick out some toys and set them up in the main living area. River chose wooden trains to play with and Reese got some sensory toys for fine motor development.

Alexis did some drawing on her tablet and Eli stayed in their room reading. It made Antoni smile to see them. He’d been like that as a kid too, happier to be left alone in his own little world.

He was able to do some lesson planning at the dining room table and then they had an easy dinner of grilled cheese and tomato soup. Antoni assumed Matty made his own dinner in the kitchen in the guest house.

He deserved some peace and quiet.

They watched a kids’ movie after that and then it was time for bed for the younger ones.

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