Zenon's Game Chapter 268

"The doctor's just trying to scare you," Jamie's dad replied reassuringly, "Don't worry, your husband and I are taking very good care of Zenon. He's done a mighty fine job of balancing the pressure of the game with his health."

Mrs Albert noticed me first, and stopped talking. The three adults turned around. And I stuttered.

"Is there something else we can help you with, Candace?" Mr Albert asked.

Else? I wasn't aware there was a something he helped me with in the first place.

"Did you speak to my mom, Mr Albert?" I asked plainly.

"You saw her get into her car and leave," Mr Albert answered coldly, "So, no. I didn't. Now please run along-"

"Why do you ask, Candace?" Mrs Albert interrupted, giving me the benefit of the doubt. She glared at her husband, cautioning him not to interrupt again.

Jamie's dad backed away from the conversation and returned to the party, recognizing that his chat with Zenon's parents was likely over. As coach, he was already so involved in Zenon's life.

"No reason, other than my mom mentioned it," I lied.

Half lie.

"Either she's mistaken, or you are," Mr Albert said defensively, looking at his wife instead of me, "I don't have any reason to speak to them. They self-combust every few years."

"I'm standing in front of you, Mr Albert," I said, "I'd appreciate if you didn't demean my family in front of me."

I tried to keep a cool exterior, but my heart was pumping 10000 miles a minute.

As Zenon's girlfriend, I was very focused on leaving a good impression on Mr Albert. But now, I wasn't speaking as Zenon's girlfriend, I was speaking to him as my mom's daughter. He's messing with my family and there was no way I was going to stay quiet.

After confronting my mom, police officers and a f*cking home invader, I've learnt to speak up for myself.

Otherwise, people are going to speak for me – and tell the wrong story.

"I'm not," Mr Albert chuckled, "You do that to yourselves."

"No worries, I'll uh..." I tried to think of what to say, "My mom's boyfriend is coming over tonight and he wanted to sit down and tell us everything. Obviously, Zenon and I were bu-"

"What does Zenon have to do with this?" Mr Albert interrupted me, reacting immediately to the mention of his golden boy.

That's right, I was using his weakness against him.

"He's my boyfriend, Mr Albert," I feigned innocence, "He's very worried about what made my mom leave me alone. The only reason we haven't had the conversation already is because of Zenon's party today. But this evening-"

"Are you threatening me with my own son?" the look that came over Mr Albert's face filled me with dread.

He looked so coldhearted when he was angry, and I didn't really want to be on the receiving end of what that meant.

"What are you hiding? Just tell her because I can tell you're hiding something," Mrs Albert snapped at her husband, "You might as well spit it out."

He didn't want to. "I have nothing to hide."

"Alright," I shrugged, "No problem. My mom's boyfriend is already going to spill the beans..."

Another lie.

In case he had threatened my mom into silence, I had to invent someone willing to share the secret. It seems reasonable that my mom would've told the truth to her boyfriend.

I started to walk away, recognizing that I now had to tell Zenon everything. I hadn't told him the full extent of my mom's abandonment and my financial problems – I just didn't feel like crying to anybody for help. But now, he needed to know, since his dad was involved.

I could hear Zenon's parents arguing between each other until, suddenly, Mr Albert called me back.

"Fine," he drawled, "I spoke to her."

I turned around, shocked that he admitted it. The look his wife gave him was enough to worry me all over again. She knew her husband's ways and it hadn't been worth lying to her over this.

"W- what did you say?" I asked.

"Before you went to Dubai, Zenon... reminded me of your past family problems," he said, and I knew he was talking about calling social services on us when we were kids. "And I realized that things haven't changed much for you."

Did he break into my house? Was he the intruder?

Mrs Albert and I waited with bated breath. "So?" Mrs Albert asked, "What did you do?"

"I called your dad."

I remember when I was the twinkle in my daddy's eyes.

Then he left one day without saying goodbye

– Heidi A. Hopson

"I called your dad."

I watched Mr Albert's lips move in that slow motion, underwater sound type of way:

I caaaaaaaaallllleeeeeeddd youuuuurrrrr daaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddddd

"You what?" I repeated, staring at him like I didn't understand the English language anymore.

At this point, I really don't.

Mrs Albert was there, observing my reaction and realizing what her husband had just done to my reality. He'd transported me into an alternative universe. A universe where my father was reachable.

"You have his number?" I asked, trying to keep the question casual.

I was melting. I couldn't even tell if there was a smile on my face and, if there was, it must've looked like the world's fakest clown smile.

Mr Albert stared at me like I was too slow to understand, "That's what I said. I called him."

He makes it sound so easy.

Like you can just pick up the phone and call my dad. No one can.

In eighth grade I told people my dad was an astronaut on a ten-year mission around the moon. It explained not being able to call back.