The Game

Wonder (Ben's POV)

The first game of the league season was a success.

After I got into my car, I checked my phone to see I got a text from Alex.

Hey I was wondering if you wanted to be my dorm mate for college next year.

I sighed a breath of relief, I was hoping he'd want to dorm with me too.

Yes of course, once the papers come out, I'll put your name down.

Once I got home I saw a car in the driveway I didn't recognize, which could only mean one thing. My dad was back in town.

I took a minute to collect my thoughts before I stepped into the house.

Once I do, I heard conversation in the sun room.

I traveled across the living room, across the kitchen, and opened the door into the sun room.

It was like stepping back in time, my mother was sitting in the rocking chair, Emma was coloring on the floor and my dad was sitting on the other rocking chair with the newspaper in his hands.

I didn't even acknowledge my father, I looked straight at my mom. "Where is Mary?"

She met my gaze, "I gave her the weekend off, I think she's out visiting her daughter."

I nodded as I tried to swallow the knot that formed in my throat, I looked over to see my dad looking at me.

He stood up and reached out a hand, "Pleasure to see you again son, I heard you had a game tonight. How was that."

I laughed, it's funny. My father was gone for almost a year and he just pretends everything is normal.

I turned around without saying a word and headed to my room.

I used to admire my father so much, he was a successful lawyer, he had a perfect family and life but now I couldn't look at him as anything more than a coward.

I understand mental illness but he left. He made a new life by himself, he showed that he could live without us. I think that's what hurt the most, I grew up thinking that my father loved me more than anything in the world, that he wouldn't be able to function living without me but he proved me wrong.