For The Love Of The Game

BOSS BATTLE ROUND 2: DAD

"It's not something that I am proud of. I want to bury it in my past and forget."

"I have never told Noah about my father?"

"Never? Didn't he ever wonder about his grandfather?"

"He died before Noah was old enough to remember. I would tell him stories about how he would play with his grandfather in our house. How his grandfather loved to hold him. So all he knows is the lies I have told him."

"Do you ever regret not telling him the truth?"

"No. His face would always light up when I spoke of my father—a false treasured memory in his mind. I do not want to tarnish the image he has of him. Some things are better left in the past." A tear dripped down her face. Ms. Jane's eyes looked longingly to her left. At that moment she was in a different space... at a different time.

I looked at the tissue box which sat at the edge of the table, plucked one, and held it in her direction. The action snapped her back into reality. She gave a gentle smile before taking the tissue from my hand. Ms. Jane dabbed it against her face as if applying powder to delicate skin. Any trace of sadness was dried away.

"I don't care what Noah thinks," she chuckled. Yet, the semblance of sadness was still present in her voice. "I would rather have a glass of wine, would you join me?"

"I think this is a time for wine."

Ms.Jane walked over to the glass door and opened it. Her finger perused through the wine, before finally landing on a choice. "It's a little sweet, but this one is quite a delicacy." She placed two glasses in front of us, and gracefully poured the wine.

"That got a little more personal than I expected. I hope my secret is safe with you." She held her glass out.

"Of course, Ms. Jane." I said, gently tapping mines against hers in cheers. We both smiled and took a sip.

"Thank you." We both sipped on the wine and enjoyed the momentary silence before she spoke once again, "I hope you don't find me dragging you off to have this conversation. I just want to make sure you hold no ill intentions towards my son. He is the only one I have, after all."

"I don't know if there is anything that I can say to calm your nerves. At the end of the day, actions speak louder than words. You don't really know me, so I think it's only reasonable for you to be concerned. All I can ask is that you trust your son's judgment."

"Well, that's the problem, isn't it?"- She chuckled- "Noah used to be quite the troublemaker." There was no harshness behind her words this time—just mild amusement.

"I'm not sure how Noah was in the past, so you may have your reasons to be cautious. But so far, I have seen someone who is extremely hardworking, caring, and compassionate. Surely, you must have done an amazing job raising him because he is a wonderful man. Everyone, at some point, makes mistakes. I think you should see him for the man he is today and not who he was."

"You seem to think very highly of him?"

"I do." A confident smile unconsciously overtook my face.

"Perhaps you are right, and I don't give him enough credit. Yet, I find myself hoping he would let me help him out more."

"I'm sure he would appreciate some help with his startup." This was great. I knew how much that startup meant to Noah.

"That knucklehead won't even let me near it. Ugh." Ms. Jane grunted in annoyance, she held her forehead as if a headache was taking over. "I mean, I get that he wants to do it on his own. But even I had help."