Page 36 of Bound and Blitzed

I’m about to put my phone away when a text comes through on my sibling thread. Carla and Ale message in rapid Spanish.

Carla

Countdown to Christmas is on. Mami and Papi booked their flights. They arrive in Chicago on December 27.

Ale

Papá told me. I’ll see if I can book something too. I won’t be able to stay as long as them. I have a game on January 9.

Carla

YAY! If you come, I’ll get extra tickets to the Charity Gala the Tornadoes are sponsoring to promote and celebrate Girls Soccer in the city.

Ale

It’s fútbol, Carla. Don’t go all American on us now.

Carla

It’s December 28. Can you come?

Ale

Yep. Count me in.

Carla

Plus one?

Ale

jajaja

Carla

Vale?

I take a sip of my mocha and let the mixture of peppermint and chocolate run over my taste buds. I can do this. I can tell my family that I’m a married woman.

The fact that I haven’t told them yet is alarming. It’s something Raia swore not to share with Carla until I made the announcement to my parents and siblings. It’s something Avery believes I’ve already told them, and it wasn’t well-received.

But the truth is, when I called my parents up to tell them my visa was approved, and I would be staying in Knoxville to complete my research, they were angry and disappointed.

They didn’t understand why it’s important for my career to be here when there are tons of research opportunities available in Spain. In Europe. Why did I have to come all the way to America?

After their disappointment over news that brought me such joy, I knew telling them about Avery would be a mistake.

Instead, I’ve said nothing. I’ve allowed Avery to think my parents know the truth about our marriage. And I’ve allowed my parents to think that I’ve been too busy with work to call them.

Now, I don’t know how to share the news. Three weeks is way too long to sit on such life-changing information. But with Raia home in Knoxville for the off-season and deep into her own wedding plans, she hasn’t questioned it much. Especially since she knows, via Carla, how strict and uncompromising Papá can be, she seemed understanding when I said I needed to break the news in time, on my own terms.

What’s more surprising is why Avery hasn’t questioned things. Doesn’t he wonder why he hasn’t spoken to my parents yet? On some level, it must bother him that he has no connection to them, not even an acknowledgement of their new relation, especially when his family welcomed me with open arms.

Unless he truly doesn’t care.

My stomach twists painfully at the realization that that’s most likely the truth. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Avery forgot all about it. Some days, it feels like he’s somehow forgotten about me too.

Ale

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