“Urgh” I groaned at the sound of the alarm clock. I pulled the blankets over my head and dreaded the thought of getting out of the comfort of my bed. You would think being it holiday and all that I would be only getting up at 12noon. But my dad was on some mission which meant soccer training morning, day and sometimes at night. Coca Cola was having a soccer tournament where the winning team would be sponsored an all expenses paid trip to Brazil to watch the FIFA World Cup. Although I wanted just as much to win as my dad did I was completely drained out and needed the rest. We have been training non stop ever since the tournament began and the team was really tired.
“Rise and shine sleepy head” I heard my dad say as he opened the bedroom door.
“Dad” I groaned “Can’t we rest today. Pleeeease” I begged.
Sitting beside me my dad pulled the covers of my head “If we want to win we’re going to need all the training we can get”
“I know” I said sitting up straight “But what good would it do if we’re too tired to accept the prize?”
“It just goes to show how unfit you girls are”
“No dad. I think it just means we’re human”
“Don’t get smart with me” My dad playfully hit me with one of the pillows.
Blocking my face in defence “You know I’m right dad” I grabbed the pillow from his grasp “Besides one day won’t do any harm”.
“Fine” my dad sighed “You girls can have a day off”
I squealed in excitement. “But” my dad raised a finger “Just for today”
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” I repeated, I pulled my dad in for a hug and placed multiple kisses on his cheek.
All my dad could do was laugh at my crazy behaviour. “I better inform the rest of the girls” he said before placing a soft kiss on my forehead and exiting my room.
“Finally” I sighed in relief and resumed my previous position before my dad came in. I lay awake for a few minutes and fell into a slumber.
I woke up at around 4pm that day. Who would’ve thought that my body craved so much sleep? I headed for the bathroom for a nice hot bubble bath. Since the day was over already, after my bath I put on a clean pair of pyjamas. There was no point in getting all dressed up for nothing.
I entered the kitchen and found my dad zoning on one of the family pictures we had hung up in the kitchen. “One of those days huh” I said
“Yeah. I miss her so much”. Shaking his head back to reality he got up and placed the picture back where it belonged. “I kept your food in the oven. I’m going to lie down a bit”
“Thanks dad” I smiled.
My dad returned my smile and nodded. As I watched him walk out of the kitchen I realised why my dad had been pushing us so hard. Not only was it because he wanted to win but also because besides the soccer team and me he had nothing else to love. When my dad was alone and not busy his mind forced him to remember my mom. My mom died in a car accident last year around March. We were on our way home from church when a bunch of teenagers obviously under the influence of alcohol; came speeding out of nowhere and smashed right into the front passenger side. My mom died instantly. My dad blames himself for her death and claims that it was his fault for not pressing breaks in time. The first couple of months without my mom were tough for both of us, but we managed to pull through. All we had now was each other.
