Page 93 of Anti Player

“Holy shit, do you know who this is?” he says to Mom excitedly. “This is Kaleb Bardot. He’s a famous hockey player.”

Mom pinches her lips, giving the man a sheepish smile.

When Mom remains silent, he apologizes. “I’m David Melrose, nice to meet you. This is my wife, Susy,” he says. “How can we help you, son?”

I’m still frozen as I wait for my mom to react. She doesn’t and then my blood begins to boil. Anger seeps inside my veins and I know it isn’t healthy, but I want her to be a regular mom and just embrace me, love me. I don’t understand what is wrong with this woman.

“She knows who I am, Mr. Melrose, because I am her son. I grew up in this house,” I inform him.

“Susy?” He gives Mom a questioning look.

“I haven’t seen him in years. He went off to the NHL and hasn’t been in touch since,” she says to him.

The man gives me an assessing look.

“I just wanted to come by and say hi. I would ask if you’ve seen Jack or Jane, but I’m guessing I know the answer.”

“Who are Jack and Jane?” Mr. Melrose asks her.

When Mom doesn’t answer, I do. “Those are her two other children.”

“What?” he asks, looking stunned.

“David, I can explain,” Mom says, giving me a terse look.

“I should go,” I say.

“No, you shouldn’t go,” David says. “I think it’s me who needs to go.”

“See what you’ve done now,” Mom says to me. “You make all of them go.”

I take a step back, feeling like I’ve been slapped. I don’t know what I was looking for coming here, but I guess I got the closure I needed. This woman isn’t going to change.

I turn and walk away then I begin to run, and I jog all the way over to a park on the next block. My head is spinning as I take a seat on one of the swings.

What was I thinking going over there? Maddie came home for closure, and it seemed like a good idea, but my mom didn’t reach out to me. She didn’t ask to see me.

I hear Maddie’s voice in the distance and when I look up, I see Asher running toward me.

“Get back here, Asher Noble!” she is screaming. I don’t think she’s spotted me, but Asher has and he comes straight toward me.

He doesn’t say anything when he runs up to me and hugs me.

Maddie finally catches up and she’s out of breath, panting hard and holding her center.

“He said he was going to play out front and I left him for literally a minute to use the bathroom, and then I saw him sprinting down the street after you,” she explains, and she leans forward bracing her hands on her knees.

“I heard what she said to you,” Asher says, and he’s still holding on to me.

“What?” I ask, feeling confused.

“Your mom,” he says. “She’s mean. Nathan was mean too, but he wasn’t my daddy. My daddy didn’t want me.”

Maddie straightens and looks at me, tears filling her eyes. I wrap my arms around Asher. He heard what transpired with my mom and David and he ran after me.

“Asher, you’re wanted and loved. Your mom loves you so much. So do Henry and Brett, and I love you too. The mean people in the world don’t matter, buddy. Trust me, we need to stick to the ones who love us, and you are surrounded by love.”

“We love you too,” he says to me. I know he thinks he’s speaking for Maddie, but he isn’t. He is speaking for himself, and it means the world.

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