Page 87 of Rebound

“You’re right. He’s doing better. He had a breakthrough.”

“So, you have a family. You have a wife and daughter, and what sounds like a very functional and reciprocal marriage. What’s the issue?” he asks, but from the way he grins, I know he’s laughing at me.

“She hasn’t said those three little words,” I whisper. “Aren’t you paying attention?”

“Well, why don’t you say them first?” he asks as if that’s the most natural thing in the world. My head rolls back as if he slapped me.

“The plan was forherto fall in love withme, not the other way around. Talking to you is like talking to a wall sometimes.” I toss my hands in the air in defeat. “It’s like you don’t listen anymore, Coach.”

“I heard you. Have you listened to yourself?” he asks.

“That sounds like some psycho mumbo jumbo. You of all people should know how much I hate that stuff.”

“Tell your wife you love her, Seth. It’s not rocket science. Stop circling the simp life and land.”

“What the hell does a guy like me know about loving someone? And I wish this was rocket science. I’m sure that’s easier than relationships.”

“What the hell did you know about being a father? You’re crushing that. What did you know about being a responsible adult? You’re doing it every day. What did you know about—”

“Yeah, I’m awesome, but love—”

“Love will kick you right in the teeth whether you’re ready for it or not. Whether you want it or not. The good news is, Seth, you made a good choice in Layla, and that’s something I never thought I’d say. You saw something in her, and she probably saw the same thing in you.”

“But what if she doesn’t feel the same way? What if it’s just an arrangement to her still?” The questions fly out of my mouth before I can think them through. I never thought I’d want what Coach is saying I can have. I never wanted it. I planned to do right by her, but the idea of having it all does something to me. Why can’t I? I’ve had enough misery in my life, and one thing I’ve learned is that, if I want something, I have to go out and get it myself. No one is going to give it to me.

“Remember when you came over for dinner last week?” he asks, and I nod. He pulls out his phone. “Jeannie sent me these.”

I take the phone and look at several pictures. In them, Layla is close to me, and she’s looking at me in a way no one has ever looked at me before. There’s something in her eyes I can’t decipher. There are a few when she leans over and kisses my cheek. I remember that moment. She just did it for no reason. There’s one of me in the middle and she and Jasmine both kiss my cheeks.

“You don’t think—” I begin, totally bewildered.

“I do,” he says. “And maybe she’s scared too.”

“What? What do you mean scared? I ain’t scared.” I stand taller, but I can feel my heart beating against my chest harder than ever before.

A text comes through from Jeannie on his phone.

Jeannie: It’s time. Get in position.

She ends the text with a string of kiss and heart emojis. He snatches it from me, takes my elbow and nearly drags me back to the living room. I try to pull away, but his grip is like a shackle.

“You must do some serious weightlifting,” I say as I try to get away from him again.

He steers me to the living room, and that’s when I notice we’re under an arch of flowers. There are white chairs and everyone is now seated.

“What is happening? I thought this was a shower?”

“Just stand here and shut up.” At the end of the aisle is a camera, and when Chastain steps away, my dad’s on the screen, also dressed in a suit. It’s the same one I got for him for Jasmine’s christening. He waves at the camera like an excited little boy.

“Hey, Son,” he says, much too loud. I only wave at him, unsure of what the hell is going on.

The same minister who baptized Jasmine has now donned his robes and is standing next to me smiling much too wide. Chastain jogs up the aisle and stands on the other side of me.

“Have you told him yet?” he asks Coach.

“I thought I’d let you do the honors,” Coach says.

“What the hell are you two talking about?”

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