Page 88 of Unrivaled

I clear my throat and stare at the baggage claim, but there’s nothing yet.

“You felt good about how you did, though?” she presses. And I’m not sure if it’s genuine curiosity or just that she can’t think of anything else to say.

“Yeah. Pretty good. I mean, there were days that weren’t as good, but that’s part of the gig. Passes that go wide or high when you know you have better aim than that. But the nonstop programming and meetings and media attention on top of the actual physical part adds a layer of stress that’s different from playing the game.”

She nods. “Makes sense.”

After that, conversation stalls out and we stand in silence, Ben still running in circles around me as we wait for my suitcase. It’s a relief when it finally comes because it frees us from this agonizing prison of politeness and stilted conversation.

Things were so easy between us … and now?

I don’t know what happened while I was gone. But as soon as Ben’s distracted or asleep, I mean to find out.

* * *

Tiffany drives me back to my apartment, and for a moment, I’m not sure if she and Ben are going to come inside. She turns off the car and just sits there for a moment staring out the windshield.

I sit in silence as well, not sure if I should ask her to come in. I want her to. I would’ve wanted her to before, just to spend time together. But I especially want her to come in now that she’s acting weird, and I want to figure out what’s going on.

Ben’s the one who asks, saving me the awkwardness and embarrassment. Though, to be fair, it’s more demand than ask. “Go in, Mom! Let’s go!”

With an indulgent chuckle, she removes the key from the ignition, and that unfreezes all of us enough to get out of the car. She pops the trunk for me to get my backpack and suitcase out while she goes to the back and unstraps Ben from his carseat.

He chatters and runs ahead to the door to my apartment while Tiffany and I walk more slowly, her with her arms crossed again, both of us trapped in our own worlds.

Once we’re inside, Ben climbs onto the couch, jumps off, runs around the living room, chattering the whole time and telling me about all the things he did while I was gone.

God, I’ve missed this kid. I got bits and pieces over FaceTime while I was away, but between the three hour time difference and his inability to stay on a call for long, getting more than a few minutes at a time was basically impossible. And despite making multiple suggestions that Tiffany could call me without him, she never did. I tried once after I knew Ben would be in bed, but she told me how tired she was and chastised me for staying up too late when I needed to be rested and focused for the combines. Which was a good point, but by then I didn’t even care. I just wanted to talk to her.

Apparently that had been all me, though, because she didn’t seem too interested in talking to me.

Which again makes me want to know—what happened?

Did she meet someone?

That seems unlikely. Not that she couldn’t, obviously, but just because it seems like it takes her so long to get comfortable with people. The odds of her falling madly in love with someone in less than a week? Virtually nonexistent.

So did Piper find her and tell her how shit I am?

That one’s not outside the realm of possibility. I mean, I wouldn’t think my sister would screw me over like that, but if she’s still mad enough … Or it might even be that she was just talking and everything that happened last semester that she got mad at me for came out and that made Tiffany turn cool toward me.

Which would be super shitty, especially since I’ve talked a little about what happened with her and she knows that I feel bad, that I’ve tried to apologize, and that I’m working on repairing my relationship with my sister. Shouldn’t that count for something?

Or …?

Maybe it’s something else altogether.

Dragging my luggage into my bedroom, I get into my backpack and pull out the plush football I got for Ben. When I bring it out to the living room and toss it to him, he squeals with delight. “Is it for me? Can I keep it?”

“Yeah, bud,” I tell him with a smile. “I got it for you. To make up for not getting to see you this week and pick you up from preschool.”

He pauses his near constant motion. “I was sad you weren’t there to swing me.”

“I’ll swing you tomorrow, I promise.”

“Okay!” And he’s off again. Running, jumping, zooming, a real life perpetual motion machine.

“He really missed you,” Tiffany says quietly watching him bounce off the walls.

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