Page 85 of Savage for You

Everything turns out great. I only gag twice because of the chicken but I don’t think Rocky notices.

I don’t want to tell him I’m pregnant since I’ve got a surprise set up. I’m so nervous to tell him, but I think everything will be okay. Another curveball thrown to us. Gosh, can't we just catch a break?

I have so many thoughts running through my mind, I totally space out. I don’t even want to eat dinner anymore. I was craving it, but thinking about it now makes me want to gag.

This baby is already giving me a hard time. I love them anyway.

Just a few more weeks and Rocky will know. It can't come fast enough.

thirty-six

Rocky

Today’s the day that we play Ohio State in the Las Vegas Bowl game. The Buckeyes are a great team, but we’re better. Montana and Autumn are coming with my parents. Montana’s been acting strange for the last couple of weeks, but I know with Christmas coming up, and not being able to celebrate with her parents, is hard for her. I need to focus on the game but it's really hard not to think about her all the time.

This game means a lot to us, and I don’t want to let my team down. I could have opted out, but that isn't what I wanted to do. We’ve played so well this season. We were almost undefeated. This team is like my family and even though I graduate this year, and this is the last game of our season, we’re going to play with everything we have.

“Alright, guys, listen up! We are up against an undefeated team today. We’re the underdogs and you know what hungry dogs do right? We run faster. They don’t believe in us! We got here because we wanted it. Let’s show them who we are!”

“Did you just quote Jason Kelce?” Xander asks.

“Fuck yeah, I did, he’s the GOAT, a great player and leader. Someone I have always looked up to.”

The guys laugh. “Let’s beat Ohio State and bring this win home!”

Everyone starts yelling and cheering and I yell out, “Let’s get it, boys!”

We run through the tunnel and the chants and cheers are deafening.

I see Montana with my parents and Autumn, right where I knew she would be. She looks damn good wearing my jersey with my last name on her back. Fuck, she’s gorgeous. I point at her and wink.

She points to her eye, then to her heart and then she points to me. I point to my eye, then to my heart and I hold up two fingers and she smiles.

I love you; I love you too.

Ohios defense has been playing very rough. Thank goodness for my team having my back. Theo, their quarterback who’s also friends with Talon and Montana, he gave Talon a heads up for the team to protect me.

Dylan has been trying to get me hurt. My boys have my back. It’s almost halftime and I’m pulled out of the game so Ryder can play. I look up at Montana and she’s smiling at me.

“Don’t let some girl hold you back, son.”

A voice I was hoping I didn’t ever have to hear again is behind me. I search for my family in the crowd and see dad's face morphs into straight up anger, while my mom is trying to come down the stairs. Have you seen a Puerto Rican mama pissed off? Well, this stadium is about to if they don’t calm her down. And Autumn is just really confused about it all. Fuck.

I turn around and see him. Johnny fucking Henry.

“Did I ask you for your opinion? No. Go back under the rock where you came from.”

I start to walk away from him when he pulls my elbow.

“Get your fucking hands off me before I punch you like my dad should have done years ago. Why are you even here? No one wants you here. I sure as fuck don’t. You don’t get to come here and try to act like my dad when you aren’t.” I pull away from him and head to the locker room.

I see my mom and dad coming down the steps, but Montana is staying with Autumn. Montana is biting her lip nervously and Autumn’s brows furrow because she’s still in the dark. I never wanted her to know about any of this.

It’s halftime now and I’m called into the coach’s office again. I open the door and see my mom and dad on one side, Coach at his desk and Johnny on the other side. I walk over to my parents and kiss my mom's cheek while my dad and I bump fists.

It’s my mom who’s the first to talk.

“Johnny, so help me god, you have no rights to Rocky. You didn’t want to be in his life and I accepted that. Christopher has been his father for his whole life. You have some fucking nerve thinking that you can show up here and try and take any fucking credit for any of his success. Fuck you. Fuck you for not wanting to be a part of our”—she waves her thumb between her and my dad as she continues— “sons life. You didn’t want to be around, remember? So go away. He didn’t need you then and he damn sure doesn’t need you now.”

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