Page 98 of Untouchable Player

“No, it’s only a power play if one guy from the other team is sent off, giving the other team a one man advantage.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Why the sudden interest in the rules?”

“Does he need a reason?” Mom butts in.

“No, I was just asking.”

She winks at me and I sink further into the couch, hoping Dad didn’t see.

Harvard beats us 2-1.

“We’ll do this, won’t we Nate?” Dad says when Mom gets up to clear the plates away.

“Uh, yeah.”

I help him carry plates half-full with food we weren’t able to finish out into the kitchen and start scraping hot dog buns and stale pretzels into the trash.

We work in silence, moving around each other while we scrape, wash and dry, and when everything is tidy, Dad stops me as I’m about to leave.

“I wanted to talk to you about everything that’s been going on between me and your mom.”

“I thought it wasn’t my business.”

Dad rubs the back of his neck, “it is your business. You’re a grown man now, and you live here, so of course it is.”

“Did you cheat on Mom?”

“Yes. It was a mistake, the biggest mistake of my life.”

“Why did you do it?”

“That’s something your mom and I have been working out in therapy. The fault is all on me, not your mom.”

“I know that.”

He nods. “I’m not perfect Nate, but I’m sure you know that already.”

I drop my eyes.

“And I hope you know how proud I am of you and your brother and how much I love you both.”

I can feel him watching me, but I don’t want to look at him or reply. I don’t know what to say. It’s easier to be mad at him than whatever this is.

“Nate?”

“Yeah?” I look up. I’ve never seen him so vulnerable before.

“Will you give me a chance?”

I shrug, “yeah. What about Harrison?”

“We’ve talked. Don’t worry about your brother, I want to know what you think.”

“I’ll do whatever’s best for Mom.”

He nods. “Okay. Nate?”

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