Page 24 of The Golden Goalie

I meet her eyes. “How do you know?”

“Because you’re strong.” I huff at that; if only she knew how weak I really was. “You are. I’ve only known you for a little bit, and I can already tell that. And you’re going to make it. This little one growing in your belly isn’t a mistake, Amber. Oh, the circumstances surrounding the birth I’m sure feel like a mistake; but it’s not. There are plenty of women out there who want to get pregnant and can’t. What you have in your belly is a miracle.”

Her words make me stop and think. “I never thought about it like that before. Even if I made a mistake in getting pregnant in the first place? I should have never been with him in that way. I wanted to wait like Brielle. I just...I don’t know. I guess I got carried away in what I thought we had. I thought maybe if I gave in, he would want me more.” I shake my head. “Even I can hear the idiocy in my words.” I shake my head in disgust. “I am such an idiot.”

“What’s done is done. All the self-loathing won’t change it. Now, it’s time to focus on your baby. But—” she pauses. “You do know what went wrong, so you don’t end up in this predicament again, right?”

Tears immediately well up. “I do. I’m pretty sure I’m never going to date another guy again,” I say trying to lighten the mood.

“No, don’t say that. You just have to wait for the right man for the next time, Amber—a man who will love you and worship the ground you walk on, who will want to be with you and have you at all his games.”

I huff out a laugh. “Oh, I’m not dating another hockey player again or any other sports player for that matter. I learned my lesson the first time. Whew. No professional athletes for me.”

Maria gives me a small smile. “Never say never.”

I lean forward and put my other hand over her hand that’s covering mine. “Thank you for talking to me. I can’t tell you how much better I feel.”

“It’s the soup; it works wonders,” she says with a smile.

“Yeah, that too; but seriously, thank you for talking to me.”

“Of course. Anytime you want to talk, you make my son bring you here. I loved talking to you, and it gets lonely in my empty house.”

I look around. “You don’t live here?”

“No. I have a small house on the back of this property. Rico built it for me before he moved in here.”

“He wouldn’t allow you to live here?” I ask, trying to piece together the nice-guy I know with what she’s saying.

“Oh, he offered so many times. But someday, he’s going to bring home a wife and then fill this house with babies. He doesn’t need his mother in the way.”

“Oh, okay. Well, as long as he was being kind to you and didn’t kick you out. Otherwise, I would have to talk to him,” I tell her.

Her eyebrows raise and her eyes twinkle. “Would you now?”

“Of course.”

“I think we are going to get along just fine. You tell my Rico to bring you over again soon, okay? When you do, just walk on the path on the side of the house. It will take you to my house. Or better yet, come on a Tuesday night. That’s when Rico and I have dinner together if he’s not playing that night.”

“I will; thank you.” I stand up and stretch. “I need to head to the bathroom and then I’ll head out.”

“Give me a hug, Dear.” She gives me a tight squeeze, one I can’t help but return. “Don’t be a stranger.” She heads towards the door.

“Do you need me to walk you over?”

She waves me off. “No. I’m perfectly capable. Bye, Amber.”

“Bye, Mrs. Garcia.”

“Oh, none of that Mrs. Stuff. It’s Maria.”

A door opens behind us, and I turn and stop. Rico comes into the living room with his shirt thrown over his shoulder instead of wearing it. He’s sweaty from his workout and...I whirl around, feeling my face heat up. “Are you leaving?” he asks his mom, and I step away to give them privacy.

“Bye, Amber,” she calls out one last time.

I turn around and regret it immediately. “Bye.”

“Go take a shower,” his mom says, pushing him away. She leaves, and he closes the door behind her.

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