29. Shane

FIRST YEAR IN THE LEAGUE

As the evening settles,my childhood home is filled with the rich, savory scents of Mom”s cooking—baked chicken and homemade mashed potatoes, a comfort meal that has always signified more than just dinner. It”s her way of setting the stage for heart-to-hearts, the kind we used to have when I was younger, especially after Dad died.

“You look beautiful, Mom,” I say, leaning against the kitchen counter as she bustles about. Her hair is styled differently, and her face has an inner glow. “Are you excited about tomorrow?”

The very event responsible for keeping Kennedy and I apart is happening. Mom is finally getting married to Mr. Bing, and I don’t remember seeing her this happy in a long time, which means that I can only be happy too.

”Thanks, darling. Yes, I’m really happy.” She glances over her shoulder, smiling, but there”s a hint of something serious in her expression. ”Sit down for a moment. I feel like I haven”t had a normal conversation with you in months.”

”What are you talking about, Ma?” I say, pulling out a chair. “We talk all the time. I tell you everything.”

“You used to tell me everything, but you’re growing into your own man now, Shane. I can see it. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks, Ma.”

I sit, taking in the meticulously set table and the feast that”s clearly been prepared with care. I add, ”What”s the special occasion?”

The curiosity must be evident in my voice, mingled with gratitude for the meal. She joins me at the table, serving the chicken and potatoes with a practiced hand.

“This is the last meal we’ll probably have together in this house. I wanted it to be special. Your father and I were so excited when we moved to Pineboro to start a family. We didn’t have a lot of money back then, but we loved the town, this house, and we loved you. You were baking in my belly at the time.” Her face lights up at the memory.

“You know you can keep the house, Ma. I make a shit ton of money now playing for the Vegas Heat. You don’t have to sell.”

“You’ve already done enough, baby. You paid for my wedding. Paid off my credit card debt. I can’t ask you for anything else.”

“But it’s our house.”

“And I built many beautiful memories here, but it’s time to let go, move on, and start new ones. Let’s maybe let another family buy it, and it becomes their starter home.”

“Okay, if that’s what you really want.” I feel a little melancholy about it, but I understand that there are both good and painful memories tied to this house. My father took his last breath in their bedroom.

“Why don’t you tell me more about the team? Do you like your teammates?”

”They”re great. We”re headed for the division championships, and it’s good to have Bass on the team with me.”

“And you still like Vegas?”

“I love Vegas. There’s always something to do if I’m not playing hockey. The weather’s great. The only issue is you have to be careful for scorpions and stuff.”

“Oh, would you please be quiet about all the critters in that town!”

I laugh, knowing that would give her the ick.

”I wish your father could see how much you”ve achieved, Shane... he”d be so proud.” There”s a wistfulness in her voice that catches me slightly off guard, a soft longing for the past.

”I hope so,” I respond, digging into the meal, letting the familiar flavors wrap around me like a warm blanket.

“My wish for you is that you’ll find a nice girl to share all those wonderful achievements with one day. There’s no rush, of course. But sometimes I think your generation is filled with boys who want to live like Peter Pan and never grow up.”

“That’s not me.”

“You didn’t bring home a single girl to meet me while you were at VCU.”

“There were lots of girls, Ma,” I joke, but really, I’m thinking about the only girl for me–and Mom has already met her.

As we continue to eat, the conversation flows easily at first, filled with mundane updates and a rundown of the wedding. My mom seems genuinely excited and in love with Kennedy’s father, and I couldn’t be happier for her. She deserves it.

”You want to watch ”Wheel of Fortune” or ”Family Feud” after this?” I ask, trying to keep the mood light. I’m sure she’s also a little nervous about the big day, hoping everything goes off without a hitch.

”Actually, Shane, I want to talk to you about Kennedy,” she says abruptly, her tone shifting.

”Kennedy?” I pause, my fork mid-air. ”What about her?”

”I love her father, and there”s nothing more I”d like than to have a meaningful relationship with her, but she”s blocked me at every turn. I”m at my wits” end. I was hoping you could give me some advice.”

”Me?”

The request takes me by surprise, not just because it”s about Kennedy, but because of the depth of concern in Mom”s voice. She really wants this.

“You spent more time with her than I have. You know her. You have a rapport with her. You convinced her that taking Violet on as a roommate was a good idea during her junior year, didn”t you?”

“I seriously doubt anything I said had anything to do with it, Mom.” I try to keep my tone neutral because little does she know that Kennedy and I were barely speaking that year.

Sure, I mentioned to Kennedy that it would “be good for her” to take on a roommate, knowing that her father was having some financial struggles, but I don’t think anything I said made a difference. In fact, she might have thrown a sneaker at my face that day. Yeah, she made that decision on her own, and it was a good one. Violet is a great girl, not to mention that Neo is desperately in love with her.

”I know you must have said something, Shane, and we’re so appreciative that you did. Her father didn”t want to have to tell her about the tough time the business was going through. He told her as much as he could without freaking her out. He didn’t want her to worry.”

“How’s the business now?” The question slips out, tinged with concern for Kennedy’s father and what this might mean for Kennedy if she eventually decides to join the family business. Right now, I know she’s taken a job at some posh investment firm in Vegas and apparently enjoys it. All this is second-hand information through Neo and Violet, of course.

“It’s doing much better,” Mom assures me. “Everyone loves pizza, right?”

“Yeah, that’s very true.”

“So, back to Kennedy. Will you talk to her?”

“Honestly, Ma, I don”t know if I can help you with your step-mommy quest.”

”Why not?” Her gaze sharpens, and I realize that she senses something is off—seeing the hesitation that has less to do with an inability to complete the task and more with personal stakes.

”Because,” I start, my voice slowing as I choose my words carefully, ”it”s not just about what I can say or do. Kennedy”s... complicated. She has a lot of walls up, especially about her family. And her dad is getting married again, so it”s a lot for her to handle.”

”But you could try, Shane. For me?” Her eyes are pleading, and a part of me weakens at the sight.

“Mom, I really don’t want to get involved. It would only make things worse.”

“Wait a minute, Shane Sullivan, is there something I’m missing here?”

“No,” I say too quickly.

She places her fork down on the table.

“Do you care about Kennedy for more than just as a friend?”

The question hangs in the air, heavy and loaded with implications. My pause is too long, my silence too telling. Mom watches me, her expression shifting from concern to a dawning realization.

“Oh my God,” she states.

It”s not an accusation, but it stirs a mix of anxiety and relief within me. Finally, it’s out. She knows. I’ve never kept a secret from my mother like this in my life. I hated that I had to.

“I love her, Ma.”

“Like in love with her?”

“Unequivocally.”

“You’re telling me this the day before I marry her father?”

“We’re not together. There was no need to tell you at all.”

“Have you been together? I mean intimately? Is this a one-way thing, or does she feel the same way?” The questions are flying out of her mouth one after the other so fast I can barely keep up.

“It is mutual, but it can never happen.”

“Because of me and her father?”

“Among other things.”

My mom reaches out to clasp my hand.

“Do you want me to call off the wedding, Shane?” Her face is sullen.

“Absolutely not, Mom. No way!”

But my protest seems to fall on deaf ears because within the hour there’s a ring at our doorbell and it’s Kennedy’s father.

Holy shit.

I may have just actually Parent-Trapped this wedding away all on my own.

* * *

After a few minutes alone, the two of them return from another room in the house and announce that they’re ready to speak with me.

Kennedy’s dad doesn’t pull any punches and gets right to the heart of the matter.

“Are you in love with my daughter?” he asks point blank with a stern look.

“I am, sir.”

“After tomorrow, will you still be?”

“I will. That will never change.”

“Just so you know, I’m not comfortable with this at all, Shane.”

“To be fair, Mr. Bing, you and Mom kept your relationship from us for five months. We had no idea what was going on. By the time we found out, it was too late. I’d already fallen hard for your daughter, and nothing was going to change that.”

“So this is our fault?” he elevates his voice.

My mom places a soothing hand on his chest. “That’s not what Shane is saying, hon’.”

“If I’d found this out even two years ago, maybe things would have played out differently, but you’re both adults and can make your own decisions.”

Ooh, good, so he’s not going to kill me.

“I just want it on the record that I don’t approve,” he continues. “It’s not a good look for any of us.”

“I respect your right to your opinion, Mr. Bing.”

“And I want you to know that I’m going to speak to my daughter about this and let her know how I feel as well.”

“Just so you know, Kennedy and I haven’t communicated with each other in a long time. You don’t have to worry about my feelings being a problem. She doesn’t reciprocate them.”

At least not anymore.

“Oh,” he says, sounding relieved. “Well, there’s going to be a lot of eyes on us tomorrow at the wedding. Can you two be on your best behavior and stay out of each other’s way?”

“No problem, Mr. Bing. We always do.”