Page 47 of Chasing Football Dreams

I wiped away a tear falling onto my cheek, my shoulders jerking when I found Coach Shane standing in the doorway, his hand knocking against the door.

I didn't bother to shut the playbook or hide the photo of me. "What are you doing here?" I softly asked, wiping the tears from the corner of my eyes.

"I was told by your boss at the Diner where to find you,"

I smiled. "Brenda,"

He nodded. "She seems like a nice lady,"

"She is. She took care of me and Eliza. She's like a foster mother to us," I explained.

Shane frowned. "You never told me this,"

I shrugged. "We haven't really gotten a chance to talk,"

His eyes drifted to the book on my lap. "Is that my old playbook?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

I nodded. "I think so," I held up the playbook to which he entered my room to take it from me.

I watched him take a seat on my bed as he flipped through each page. "Kelly said that when I arrived at the orphanage, they couldn't get me to let it go, and ever since I had it in my possession,"

I bit my lip when he gasped as he took in the photo of me. Emotions swiveled around in his eyes. "You used to love that green tutu. I couldn't bear throwing it away,"

"All this time you had the proof that you are my daughter. We didn't need blood results for confirmation," He rested the book on the bed and presented me with an envelope.

"The results?" I asked.

He nodded.

"And?"

"I haven't opened it. I thought since you had a lot on your mind that you want to open this when you are ready,"

I push to my feet taking the envelope from him. "What's going to happen if I am your daughter?"

"It's been seventeen years, Zoey. Every birthday, I wish that you were alive. I prayed that they made a mistake and that you are still out there,"

"I will want to get to know you. Learn about your life. Help pay for your tuition fees,"

"You don't have to do that,"

He quirked his shoulders. "I would have done it either way, Zoey. As a father, it is my responsibility to give my daughter the life she deserves,"

"The first thing you will learn of me is that money doesn't mean much to me," I tore the envelope open, finding the proof that I already knew deep down.

"I didn't need the blood tests to confirm it,"

I shifted my gaze to his face seeing the truth reflecting in his eyes.

"The moment I saw you on the field during your first game, I subconsciously knew you were my daughter. You have your mother's natural beauty and my strong-willed mind,"

"This is great and all but what are we going to do,"

Shane raised an eyebrow at my question which has been bothering me since we learned of the suspicion.

"I have been without a family for seventeen years. I can barely remember anything before I was taken. I barely remember the man who took me. For so long, I have been forced to take care of myself. Eliza is my family,"

Did he expect that things would go back like I wasn't kidnapped? How can we move forward after the harsh truth resurfaced and we had to face the consequences? My so-called death was recorded not only by the coroner but every newspaper company that published my case.

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