Page 16 of Payback
A Couple of Months Later
VI GRABS MY HAND ANDyanks me onto the pitch of Old Trafford with the rest of the Harris clan to support Gareth during his farewell speech to Manchester United. When I first agreed to come, I thought I’d be watching the game from the stands with the rest of the commoners. I didn’t know I’d be involved in the final send-off.
The stadium lights are blinding as we approach centre field, where Gareth is standing with a microphone. He’s covered in sweat and is decked out in his Red Devils gear as his spikes dig into the electric green grass below his feet.
He smiles an easy smile and lifts the mic to his mouth. “Tonight I bid a fond farewell to this stadium and the wonderful game of football.” A swell of emotion catches him off guard as he looks up at the seventy-five thousand screaming fans stuffed in the stands just for him.
I look around at the Harris family standing beside him, who are all equally as emotional regardless of the spotlights shining down on them. This isn’t just a final game for Gareth, it’s a milestone for their family. Gareth’s career in professional soccer is known around the world, and watching him say goodbye to it in favour of spending more time with his growing family is special in more ways than one.
I glance around at the rest of the brothers and wonder how much longer they’ll stick with the sport since their families seem to be growing, too. I once suspected all the Harris Brothers would end up as eternal bachelors, but here they stand with wives under their arms and smiles on their faces.
Shockingly, the twins were the first to commit. The two of them landed brilliant female doctors who also happen to be best friends. Camden’s wife, Indie, is currently the team doctor for Uncle Vaughn’s club, and Tanner’s wife, Belle, is a prenatal surgeon who saves babies while they’re still in the womb.
The youngest, Booker, married his childhood best friend, Poppy, about six months ago. I’ve only seen photos of their one-year-old surprise twin boys, Oliver and Teddy, and I can already tell those two adorable devils are going to grow up to be just as naughty as their uncles.
Gareth and Sloan’s wedding was small since it was Sloan’s second marriage. But they’ve clearly been busy as Sloan clutches their four-week-old little boy, Milo, to her chest. Gareth reaches down and lifts Sloan’s ten-year-old daughter, Sophia, up into his arms. Sophia is from Sloan’s first marriage, but she has the name HARRIS printed loud and proud across her back.
Vi and Hayden had a destination wedding with immediate family that was planned last minute. Their little daughter, whom they all call Rocky, was said to have been a perfect flower girl.
The group of them amaze me as they stand together with their new spouses and new babies. The Harris Brothers are mega, worldwide superstars, yet they are all still able to come together for this moment. This is what family should be about. Blood, commitment, loyalty, support. Not concealed invitations and ignored emotional reactions.
“I’ve been playing defence for over a decade, and it’s time for me to play some other positions in life. A fan, a friend, a brother, an uncle, a husband…a father.” Gareth’s voice breaks at the end as he looks at his son in Sloan’s arms. He gives Sophia an extra squeeze and finds strength in her beaming smile to go on.
“…there comes a point in your life when you have to start thinking with your heart instead of your head. And my heart is calling me home. To my family.” Gareth finishes his speech to riotous cheers from the fans and wraps his family in his arms for a group hug. Vi pulls me over to her, laughing as Vaughn hoists Rocky up onto his shoulders for a victory lap around the pitch.
Tears find their way into my eyes as well. The inspiration behind why I’m here may be somewhat selfish, but I’m grateful those reasons made it possible for me to witness this up close. It helps me realise that there are still genuine examples of family in the world.
After we file out of the stadium, we head to Gareth’s Manchester home just outside of Astbury. It’s an incredible architectural, glass structure nestled in the stunning English countryside. He’s in the process of putting it on the market now that he’s retired from Man U. He, Sloan, Sophia, and Milo plan to live in their Hampstead house full-time so Sloan can be closer to the fashion boutique she runs with her best friend, Freya, and Hayden’s sister-in-law, Leslie.
Dinner is a loud, typical Harris-style family meal, complete with arguments,footballchatter, and loads of teasing. I laugh along with everyone as they catch me up on their lives, and I’m over-the-moon happy when Tanner informs me that his wife, Belle, is four months pregnant.
“Do you know what you’re having yet?” I ask as I gaze over at Belle, who’s a dark-haired, dark-eyed, bombshell with curves to match.
Belle smiles a secretive smile. “I do, but only because we did a scan at the hospital last week. Tanner doesn’t want to know, though.”
“Bloody well right I don’t,” Tanner crows. “I want to be surprised on the big day.”
“Do you know?” I ask, glancing over at Camden’s wife, Indie. I figured since she is best friends with Belle, she might have an inside scoop.
Indie shakes her head, her red curls falling into her face as she fiddles with her cheetah-print glasses. She is so adorable, and the fact that Camden’s pet name for her is “Specs” makes me swoon a little at how cute they are together. “I’m crap at keeping secrets, so I can’t know. If I know, Camden will get it out of me. Then he’ll let it slip to Tanner. It’s a horrid domino effect.”
Camden turns to his wife with a wounded look on his face. “That’s not fair! I’d say I’m pretty good at keeping secrets as of late, Specs!”
Indie’s eyes narrow behind her glasses as everyone at the table quiets down and turns their attention to them. “Camden!” Indie hisses a warning under her breath and then offers us all a nervous smile.
“No. I’m offended that you think I’m a horrible secret keeper.” Camden tosses his napkin onto his plate and sits back to drape an arm over Indie’s chair. “We snuck off to get married in Scotland without me spilling the beans. And you’ve been up the duff for two months now and I haven’t told a soul.”
“Camden!” Indie peals, her cheeks flaming red.
“You’re pregnant?” Belle shrieks, her voice rising to a pitch that would send dogs running for the hills.
After a short, pregnant pause, Indie turns her attention to look past Tanner, who’s sitting between her and Belle, and replies, “We were going to tell everyone after Gareth’s big night. I’m only eight weeks—”
“Ahhh!” Belle screams and darts across Tanner to wrap her arms around Indie. “We’re pregnant together! I can’t believe we actually bloody-well pulled it off!” They continue screaming over top of Tanner as the rest of the table offers their congratulations.
Booker’s wife, Poppy, fluffs her short blonde hair and mumbles to her husband, “They’d better ask for extra scans so they aren’t surprised like we were.”
He laughs heartily, but his eyes soften as they land on his sister. My gaze follows his to Vi, and I see that her eyes are full of tears she’s trying to hide. It’s no use, though. They escape down her cheeks and she lets out a garbled laugh as she waves away our attention.
