Nobody said a word for a long moment. Neymar was frozen in his crouch in front of Tamira and didn't dare turn around to gaze at his father and Tamira's mother, who were standing in the doorway that led into the kitchen. Both their chins were hanging to the ground.
Tamira's eyes were wide as she slowly tilted her head enough to throw her mother a heartbreaking look.
"Tami? What is going on here?" Emilia managed to utter, confusion all too visible in her features. She kept looking from Tamira to Neymar and back again, doing her best to process what she'd just witnessed. Her daughter and the boy she'd argued with so much over the past few months. Kissing?
Where the hell had that come from?
"Well? Are you going to explain this to us?" Neymar pai demanded in a fierce voice.
Neymar closed his eyes and took a deep breath, finally waking up from the shock of being busted. He stood up, but not without giving Tamira's hand one last gentle and reassuring squeeze. Then he cleared his throat and turned his attention to his father. "What sort of explanation do you need anymore?"
Pai scowled at his son, anger barely contained. "The sort that tells me why my son and my girlfriend's daughter are making out in her kitchen! When, not too long ago, they made us believe they couldn't get along long enough to be around each other to enjoy a family dinner?" He was furious after having witnessed what they'd just walked into. "The sort of explanation that tells me why you would think that it was okay for you to go behind our backs about this for... how long has this been going on anyways? And what is this? A relationship? Or entertainment? Boredom? I'd really like to know!"
"Neymar," Emilia interrupted him when she saw just how much the words cut at Neymar and her daughter – Tamira was practically shaking in her seat, eyes wide and horror-stricken, and Neymar had balled his hands into fists, visibly biting his lip to keep himself from lashing out the same way his father was doing.
"Have you even thought about what this could do to your careers?" Pai continued, ignoring Emilia and the reactions his words were causing. "If this comes out–"
"So what if this comes out?!" Neymar finally called out. "You think we haven't thought about this? Talked about this? Did you think we planned all this? It's not like I said to myself one day, 'hey, how about I fall in love with my co-striker from the mixed gender team! That'll definitely promote the equality thought of the campaign! A frikking romance on the team! Best marketing ever, right?!'"
That exclamation got several reactions: the question "You're in love with her?" from Emilia and Pai both and a whispered "What did you just say?" from Tamira.
Neymar cleared his throat, struck by the admission he hadn't planned on. Of course, he'd felt like this for a while now, but hadn't dared to even think the words, much less say them. Especially not here, not now.
But there they were anyhow, out in the open.
He scratched his neck, sighing as he turned his attention to Tamira. She was glancing up at him, still wide eyed. But there was something other than the fear of what the consequences were going to be in them. There was a look of cautious hope – like she couldn't believe what she was hearing, but was fascinated by it nevertheless, wanting the words to be true and not just spoken out of anger towards his father.
He stuttered, looking for words. Their eyes locked and for a moment it didn't matter that their parents were standing right there, watching them. "I'm... uhm. You know. That. I mean... are you?"
He looked bashfully at her, unsure of what to do now. Then – after what felt like an eternity to him – she smiled at him and he felt... relieved, delighted, lucky and just so damn happy and unstoppable; like he could lift the world and play a round of football with it, heart soaring and blood rushing.
"Me too," Tamira whispered.
"That's... great," Neymar replied, returning the smiling and feeling like an idiot for it.
No one said a word for the length of a heartbeat. Then the world came crashing back at him when he heard someone clear their throat. It was Emilia. "Okay, how about we start from the start," she said, having overcome the initial shock and surprise. "God, suddenly I'm so glad we didn't make that photo. Anyways, I suggest we sit down and... you tell us how this happened?"
Tamira nodded at her mother, grateful for the other woman's level head.
Unfortunately, the same could not be said about Pai.
"I don't care how this happened!" he said, clearly outraged. "Am I the only one concerned for what will happen if this got out?"
"Neymar!" Emilia exclaimed with a sudden sharpness in her voice that dared anyone to speak back. Tamira knew that tone; she'd been subject to eat growing up. Her mom had found her countenance again and was about to take things over. She wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad thing for her and Neymar.
Pai opened his mouth to retaliate. He glared at Emilia, irritated by being told off with the mere mention of his name. Tamira tried not to look too smug when she could see the staring battle going on between them. When Emilia added, "Go and get some fresh air. Now.", Tamira knew her mom had won.
Neymar's father threw Emilia a look that had the potential to kill, shook his head in pent up anger and, without even one last glance at his son and Tamira, stormed out of the house, muttering "unbelievable" before he forcefully threw the door shut.
Emilia heaved a heavy sigh of relief. One problem at a time. She turned to her daughter and the remaining Neymar. "Alright. From the start?"
—-
"So," Emilia summarized. She was still processing everything she'd just heard – the full story, unfiltered, much to Neymar's wonderment, but the Singer girls were usually always open toward one another. Tamira's mom was nursing a mug of already grown cold tea between her palms. "I take it the being in love part is new?"
Tamira didn't know how to answer that, so she just nodded.
Emilia sighed. "And... this is serious?"
Seeing her daughter glance across the table and find Neymar's reassuring gaze was all she needed.
"Well," she continued, leaning back in her seat and looking between the two football players.
After the initial shock and surprise had worn off they'd sat next to each other on the couch in the living room. Emilia still had a hard time watching his hand come to rest upon her daughter's knee during their explanation; but that was more due to the fact that it was all so new to her than anything else. She couldn't help but see how weirdly fitting the sight was. As if the two were never meant to do anything else with anyone else. It appeared natural. Like breathing. Tamira's hand had even come to rest on Neymar's, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Emilia took a sip of her cold tea. "I hate to say it but your father is right, Neymar. Have you two thought about what this might mean for you?"
Neymar sighed. "Trust me, we have. We even tried to ignore our feelings. Kind of backfired, obviously. I'm not even surprised by dad's reaction. He's always taken care of me and my football career, that everything's okay and I don't have to worry about the business side of things too much. He means well!" he added upon receiving nonplussed looks from both women.
Tamira pat his hand reassuringly. "If you say so."
"What? Come on, that's a bit unfair, don't you think?" Neymar retorted. "He just needs time to deal with this. Just because he's not sitting here and patting our backs like your mom doesn't mean he wishes us ill! No offence."
"None taken," Emilia said before Tamira could reply. Her daughter had looked about to argue the fact. "But I'm gonna have to disagree, Neymar. Your father doesn't need time to deal with this. He's angry and upset not because of you two being in a relationship or you not telling us – even though you had just planned to do so before we walked in on you. He's angry and upset because he's already thinking two steps ahead and you kind of jumped him with the news."
Tamira frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Look. I'm sure he took some time to take a breather, but I'm convinced he's already on the phone with your managers to get things sorted out with the club."
Right, Tamira realized, blinking. There'd been that little info about Duda and Richie informing the club about their new 'family relations', so to speak. "You think he'll reach them on time to stop them?"
Emilia tilted her head. "Sweetie, they've gone in the afternoon to tell the club about Neymar and I's relationship. Way before you made your dramatic exit earlier. Which I can now actually understand," she added with a sense of realization. "We can only hope Neymar will speak to the club and convince them not to go public with the knowledge of our relationship, not to mention yours."
Tamira pursed her lips. "What are we gonna do if it doesn't work? If he can't get to them?"
"He will," Neymar said, fully convinced of his father's objective. His father would do anything to make his children's life better; even if he couldn't understand their motives and decisions half the time. Like Neymar choosing Barcelona over Madrid. Or Rafaella's wish to study design in London two years ago – alone in a completely different city and culture, naturally.
"But what if the club–" Tamira started, thoughts tumbling over one another as her mind conjured up one scenario after another.
Neymar simply slung his arm around her, pulling her close to him. He kissed her on the temple. "They won't."
"But what if he–"
"He will." Another kiss on the temple and Tamira finally shut up, leaning into Neymar, who only pulled her even closer.
Emilia gazed at the couple in front of her and hid her smile behind the mug. There was such a deep level of understanding going on between them. It made her wonder why they'd ever fought at the beginning.
"We'll figure something out," she said when the troubled look on both their faces wouldn't leave. "If that's what both of you want–" Two nods. "–then we'll figure it out."
—-
Neymar pai was angry.
Furious even. Which was why he'd opted to take a stroll through the neighborhood to clear his head.
What had he done to deserve this situation? What was he going to do now? What were the repercussions of this relationship? What would it do for his son's career? If news got out about the double relationships in the two families, he could already hear, see and read the billboards and yellow press gossip about it, trying to taint his son's image as a professional athlete.
He did want his son to be as happy. Truly, he did. He just had no idea what to do with the decision the young man had made to get said happiness. Tamira and Neymar. What a weird twist of events.
His son was dating the daughter of his girlfriend. His mind was officially blown.
"I don't know what else to tell you," Duda explained to him on the phone. "The club seems pretty much indifferent to the news. They did appreciate the information, but I'm sure they won't do anything with it. Other than react if something pops up in the public that affects the club and its image in any way. Small chance, I think."
Think again, Pai thought darkly. "Nevertheless, I'm gonna talk to Albert Roura, the club's head of communication. First thing in the morning. This matter can't go out to the public. At least, not for now."
He could hear Duda sigh heavily into the phone. "I'm afraid to ask. So I won't. But I'll talk to Tamira's manager, give him the update."
Pai sighed. "Thanks. And you don't even want to know, trust me. But you can already look forward to all the work you're gonna have to do when it's time." He shook his head. "'Best marketing ever'," he quoted his son to himself, fully aware of the irony the words brought along.
Duda chuckled. "Best what? Okay, now I'm just curious about what Neymar's done this time! Anyways, now that we're talking. It seems we're pretty much helpless regarding the 'Neymira' talks right now. The fans and the media alike just love the idea too much to have a juicy hidden romance going on in the mixed gender team. I'm not sure any statement of either Ney or Tamira will do anything to sort out this mess anymore."
Neymar pai came to halt right underneath a street lamp. He looked around the area, but seeing as it was later in the evening, there really weren't any more people strolling around apart from himself. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind. "Hm. I think that's actually not a bad thing anymore," he said cryptically.
—-
Unbeknownst to Neymar pai, on the other side of town, the men's first and the mixed gender team trainer Luis Enrique was sitting on his terrace, having just hung up the phone after having had a conversation with Albert Roura, the FC Barcelona's head of communications.
Just got the news about a Singer da Silva Santos family union. The mom and the dad apparently. So I'm gonna have to ask you to keep an eye on your two star players, Roura had told him, his opinion on this topic abundantly clear by his exasperated tone. He'd had much to do regarding 'Neymira' over the past few months already, and couldn't wait for the moment this wasn't interesting anymore. Board wants to use the romance rumors for as long as possible, I'm afraid.
Enrique had only scoffed. That opinion had been voiced by Bartomeu just before Albert had finally reached him. See to it that the romance won't be snuffed out by them acting too brotherly or sisterly, the club's president had "kindly" asked.
Enrique sighed, feeling the relaxed evening entirely ruined by his work. Brotherly or sisterly. What the heck was that even supposed to mean anyways? He shook his head, dialling Llorens' number. "Let's see what the old man has to say about this," he mumbled.
As it turned out, it was "What the hell?"
Followed by a bit cursing he honestly hadn't expected from the usually good-natured man.
Followed by presumably the most unconventional training method Enrique had ever heard of.
But training a mixed gender football team was, if nothing else, unconventional anyways.
----
Wow, who'd have thought?! :) So, what do you think? The parents finally know. Wasn't the easiest part to write in this story, their reactions were soo difficult to decide on...
Anyways, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, so please, feel free to coment/vote. :)
Thanks in advance!
All the best!
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Published on: 19 April 2016