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Troy looked over at him. "You need to know that you were the best thing I've ever done. I lost so much time. I did so many things wrong. And I have no right to give you parental advice, but I'm going to do it anyway. You think you know nothing about being a dad, but that's not true, son. You've had two men teach you exactly how not to be a father."
Troy leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him. "You already know what not to do. How not to act. You know how you felt when Ethan Donnelley was cruel to you. How you felt when you didn't get a birthday present from me. What it was like to not have a father show up at your games or to help you with your homework. To never get praised for what you did right from men who should have been guiding forces in your life. Now, you have to take those experiences and learn from them. And then you do the exact opposite of what we did. All you have to do is love your kid, Eli. Let them know just how loved they are. If you do that, you're going to be an amazing father. You've got the money to raise a child. You're smart as hell. You've got a girlfriend you love. You're so far ahead of the game, son. I know you can do this."
"How do you know?" he asked, then swallowed. "How can you know that?"
"Look how you've cared for your mother all this time. Looking out for her welfare, her best interests, and going above and beyond every step of the way for her. That's real love. That's caring. And you'll do the same thing for your child. But there's much more joy in that journey than the one you're facing with your mother. And a lot more rewards. You already know how to do this, Eli. I promise. When it comes to the important, big things, you know how to do them. And the little stuff? Well, you'll learn as you go. I have faith in you. You just need to have faith in yourself."
Eli swallowed hard again, then glanced out at the little yard. "When you first saw me... did you love me?"
"I loved you before that." His father stood and walked over to him, then gently put a hand on his shoulder. "I loved you when you took your first breath, and I'll love you when I take my last." Troy shrugged. "All the stuff in between has been my fault, but maybe someday you can forgive me. It doesn't have to be now, but maybe we can figure out how to move forward when you decide the time is right."
Eli drew in a shaky breath. "I think we're figuring that out now. And I'm willing to try."
His father's eyes grew watery, and he squeezed Eli's shoulder. "I'm definitely willing."
They stood silently for a few moments, before his father asked, "So what are you going to do, son?"
He met his father's eyes. "I guess I'm going to be a dad."
Troy smiled. "And your girlfriend?"
"She's not really my girlfriend. Not officially, anyway. It's... complicated." Eli sighed, then gave his father a wry look. "Any advice for that scenario?"
His father chuckled. "Sorry, son. You're going to have to solve that one yourself."
"Yeah, I guess so."
He needed to figure out how to proceed, and fast. And he was damned sure it wasn't going to be easy.
* * *
When he got back to his condo later that night, he stopped to get the mail and found a small package in the box.
"What the hell?" he muttered, glancing down at the address.
It was from Holly.
Once he was inside the elevator, he ripped it open, finding a USB key and a note.
Eli,
I know things are weird between us, but I want you to have this. Just watch the file called "movie." (I learned how to use the video editor on my new computer)
-Holly
After letting himself into the apartment, he got a bottle of water out of the fridge and took his computer into the living room. He settled on the couch and popped in the USB key.
What unfolded on his screen were the final moments of the third period before the Kingsnakes won the Cup and a split screen of his mother's reactions to it all.
Her happiness. Her love. Her cheering him on from her favorite chair—it was all there, as plain as day.
Jessie was next to her, explaining everything as his mother clapped in excitement.
The interview he gave after the win came onto the screen—the one where he'd talked about how he wished his mom was there to see the win, and how he appreciated all the sacrifices she made to get him to this moment. The split video showed her crying and saying how much she loved him.
How proud she was of him.
That's all he had wanted to hear that night—her telling him that she was proud of him.
