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“How…does…someone…go through…that much…money…so quickly?” I ask, pushing through my last two reps in the set.
Once I’m done, we switch places. “It’s not as hard as you might think,” he says. “If she wanted to maintain her lifestyle, a house in this area would cost her at least half of that. If you add in a new car, clothes, jewelry, or groceries; it would be gone in a nanosecond. Have you seen the cost of a loaf of bread or a jar of peanut butter lately? It’s highway robbery!”
“Will you two stop your yappin’ and show these boys how it’s done?” Coach Dorn yells from across the room. Our teammates’ eyes go wide because we are benching at least 50 pounds more than the rest of them on a good day.
“We’re multi-tasking, Sir!” Swank shouts back.
Not taking any lip from my friend, he screams, “Multi-task in your free time! If you’ve got the energy to talk, then you aren’t working hard enough!”
We do as he demands and halt our conversation, holding our tongues for the rest of the day. By the time I leave the arena to head home, I’m positively beat, and my muscles are tight. I plan to soak in the tub as soon as I can, even before grabbing something to eat from the fridge.
Tomorrow is a home game against the Jacksonville Jackals, and I want to be recovered enough not to embarrass myself while I’m playing. I may have overdone it today, and I feel like I’m 80 as I head to my truck. A small groan of pain escapes me as I pull myself in. Swank laughs, but he’s walking to his car with stiff legs, too.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Rest up and eat something healthy. No drinking tonight or going out late,” I warn.
“Yes, Dad. I’ll be in bed by eight o’clock and won’t break curfew. I’ll make sure to eat all my green beans, too!” He salutes me like I’m his drill sergeant. “Oh, and say ‘Hi’ to Anna for me!”
I ignore him and head home. When I get there, I’m greeted with a pleasant scent of lemon-roasted chicken. I’m surprised to see my mom and dad cozied up on the couch and watching ESPN without a care in the world.
They must not have heard me when I came in, engrossed in the game between Atlanta and Baltimore. I should watch it with them since we play Atlanta in two days, but I’m burnt out.
They both jump when I ask, “Did you guys already have dinner? Whatever you cooked smells delicious!”
The sound of laughter comes from the kitchen, and I turn in that direction. My mom touches my hand to get my attention. “I’m not cooking tonight. Penny wanted to cook dinner for you, so Anna has been in the kitchen helping her. Well, Anna’s been doing most of the work, but don’t tell Penny I said that.” More laughter draws my attention, along with the faint sound of music.
“Thanks for the heads-up.” I silently walk toward the kitchen and peek around the corner, only to find Penny and Anna dancing to the music. They start singing along with the song coming through the speakers, and I can’t help but smile, seeing my daughter so happy. Penny is covered in flour and having the time of her life. She’s still wearing that hideous outfit from this morning, but the makeup is all gone.
Anna’s beautiful voice fills the air as she sings Penny’s favorite song, “This is the Stuff” by Francesca Battistelli. I’m humming along, familiar with the words that I’ve heard countless times before. The song is a constant reminder that we should remember how blessed we are when the little stuff grinds away at us.
I’m still humming when I finally realize they have stopped singing and are both staring at me. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“Dad, you’re home! Look, I’m making dinner for you! Anna said that you would have had a hard day of practice if you plan to make the playoffs! Nutrition is key to recovery!”
Penny jumps into my arms, and I swing her around. “She did, did she?” I wonder how Anna knew that today would be grueling and that we need to win the next few games for a playoff spot. If I had to guess, I would say my mom had something to do with it. Mom loves to brag about me, no matter how often I ask her not to.
“And do you know what else we did?” Penny asks excitedly.
“What’s that, Sweetheart?”
“We made you an ice bath! Anna said that it would help your muscles feel better. Is that true?”
I nod. “It is. That was very thoughtful of you both. Thank you. Do I have time to soak before dinner?”
Anna answers, “Dinner should be ready in 20 minutes. The longest you should soak in an ice bath is ten minutes max, depending on your body’s tolerance to the cold. That should give you plenty of time.”
“Did my mom tell you that?” I’m going to have to talk with my mom about her meddling. I don’t need Anna to do nice things to try and win me over, not when I need to keep her at a distance.
“No. Amazingly enough, I was able to figure that out all on my own,” she says derisively.
And with that, she turns her back to me, leaving me to wonder what I had said wrong.
Chapter five
Savannah
After Aiden left this morning for practice, Martha called Penny down from her room so that I could get to know the little girl I would be protecting. While Penny and I talked about her likes and dislikes, Martha stepped away to make a phone call. I wish she had gone further because I was able to hear her side of the conversation. When she suggested I’d be perfect for Aiden, I almost laughed out loud. She couldn’t have been more wrong. Aiden and I are like fire and ice.
Martha returned with two cups of coffee, for which I was immensely grateful. I had gotten up early this morning to ensure I wasn’t late. I don’t usually wear a lot of make-up, and styling my hair in a French braid didn’t take much time or effort. I wanted to look the part of a nanny, which is sweet and wholesome—something I am most definitely not. I’m all sass with a tongue that gets me in trouble quite often.
