Page 74 of Racking Up Penalties
“Hey,” he says softly, the music now a soft backdrop to this intimate moment. “You’ll love her. And she’s going to love you.”
I muster a smile, squeezing his hand back, letting the affection and support wash over me. “Thanks, Liam,” I whisper.
We pull into the driveway, the car coming to a stop, and I take another deep breath, ready to face whatever comes next, knowing that no matter what, I’m not alone.
Chapter 33
The car rolls to a stop on the gravel driveway, and I’m out the door before it fully sinks in that we’re here. Liam’s mom’s house stands quaintly before us, its compact structure radiating a welcoming charm that contrasts sharply with the sprawling, sterile mansion I grew up in. The white paint, a little faded at the edges, gives off a sense of lived-in love that my own home always lacked.
“Wow,” Tessa breathes out next to me, her hazel eyes scanning the small porch adorned with hanging plants swaying gently in the breeze. Her appreciation is palpable, and I can’t help but feel a twinge of envy at the simplicity and warmth this place exudes.
“Home sweet home,” Liam says with a grin, stretching his arms above his head. His gray eyes carry a spark that seems to ignite even brighter as the front door swings open.
“Liam!” The voice is like a melody, and the figure that emerges matches it perfectly. Debbie, Liam’s mom, is small but full of life, her face lighting up with the kind of joy that can only come from a mother’s love. She bounds down the porch steps, her excitement unconstrained.
“Mom!” Liam meets her halfway, wrapping her in an embrace that lifts her feet off the ground for a moment. Tristan chuckles beside me, and I catch his eye, sharing a smile that acknowledges the heartwarming scene unfolding before us.
“Look at you, my boy,” Debbie exclaims, holding Liam at arm’s length before pulling him back into another hug. “I’ve missed you so much!”
Liam’s arm slips around Tessa’s slender shoulders, guiding her forward. “Mom, this is Tessa,” he says, his voice threaded with pride. Debbie’s smile grows wider, if that’s even possible, and she wraps Tessa in a hug that lifts her feet slightly off the ground.
“Any friend of Liam’s is a friend of mine,” Debbie exclaims, and I see Tessa’s body visibly relax as she returns the embrace. Her initial nervousness, that subtle tension I noticed from the car ride over, ebbs away under Debbie’s maternal warmth.
Watching them, something stirs in my chest—a twinge of something like envy. In my world introductions were stiff affairs, full of judgment and expectation. Here, it’s an open-hearted welcome, no strings attached. It’s foreign to me, this easy show of affection.
“Welcome to our home, Tessa,” Debbie continues, holding onto her hand as they break apart. Tessa’s hazel eyes dance with gratitude, her usual vivacity returning in full force now that she feels accepted.
I stand there, hands in my pockets, the anxious knot in my stomach tightening. The fear of rejection claws at me. This woman has probably hated me since she had Liam and now I’m on her doorstep looking for hospitality.
I’m debating getting back in the car and hiding but then, her gaze lands on me, and the warmth in her eyes doesn’t falter. “And you must be Ethan,” she says, striding toward me with open arms.
Before I can react, I’m enveloped in a hug so fierce it knocks the breath out of me. It’s an embrace that speaks of acceptance, of no questions asked, of being welcomed just because I’m here, part of her son’s life.
“Thank you for coming,” she murmurs, and the sincerity in her voice chips away at the inadequacy I feel.
“Of course,” I mumble, the words clumsy in my throat as I try to convey gratitude without betraying the vulnerability I feel in this unfamiliar territory of unconditional warmth.
Next, she hugs Tristan who doesn’t look nearly as uncomfortable as I did.
“Let’s all go inside. I’ve baked cookies!” Debbie announces, releasing him from her grip but not from the newfound feeling of belonging her embrace has instilled in me.
As we follow her into the house, I take a deep breath, allowing myself to relax just a little bit more with each step. Maybe, just maybe, I can find a place here among these people who seem to give so freely what I’ve been unknowingly craving all my life.
“Thanks, Ms. Johnson,” My voice is tentative as I step over the threshold, bracing for a coldness that never comes.
“Debbie, please!” She corrects me, her smile wide and welcoming. Before I can process what’s happening, I’m enveloped in another hug that squeezes the breath out of me. It’s not the stiff, formal embraces I’m accustomed to. This is a hug that says ‘you matter.’
“Ethan, you’re family here,” she beams, pulling back just enough to look at me, her eyes sparkling with genuine affection.
The fear of rejection evaporates, replaced by a warmth that blooms in my chest, spreading through me like the heat from a fireplace on a winter’s night. I’m stunned, caught off guard by the sincerity of her embrace, by the acceptance that flows so freely from this woman I’ve only just met.
“Thank you, Debbie,” I manage, the words feeling small compared to the gratitude swelling within me. Tristan claps a hand on my shoulder, a silent cheer for a hurdle crossed, and I realize that maybe, just maybe, I’m starting to understand what being part of a real family might mean.
The walls around my heart, walls that took years to build, crumble in an instant under Debbie’s unwavering affection. She steps back, her arms still loosely draped around me, and I’m swimming in the tide of emotions washing over me. It’s a love so tangible, I can almost grasp it, something pure and unmeasured that whispers promises of belonging.
Liam’s grin is as wide, his eyes reflecting the pride of bringing us here.
Tristan nudges me from behind, a gesture that says, ‘See? Not so scary.’ I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat, because while fear dissolves, a new longing takes root, one for this very brand of familial warmth that’s been foreign to me until now to continue.
