CHASING GOLD: World Cup

Chapter 9

"So. It all started one night in high school. I was with some friends at a party. I wasn't drinking. But no one could have predicted or prevented what happened next." Tobin started, Andy next to her intently listening. "Um. The brother of one of my friends was always mean to me. Because he knew I..." Tobin hesitated. Andy looked at her idol.

"Knew what?" Andy hesitantly asked.

"Because he knew I was gay and threatened to tell everyone." Tobin wiped a tear away. "He said if I didn't let him have his way with me, he would tell my family and everyone at the school. And where I grew up, it was really conservative. I had never brought up anything with my family about anyone being gay. I just never asked what their opinions were about someone being gay." Tobin looked down at her hands. She looked up towards Alex's direction and smiled. "Um but. I let him do what he wanted. I was really young. I didn't want to be kicked out. I was really scared." Tobin took a deep breath before continuing. "A few weeks go by, then a few months and when I finally told my parents what had happened, they sent him to jail for...well I think that's kind of obvious why. My parents told me that I had no choice but to give up the baby." Andy looked down at her hands and wiped her own tears. "Uh so. When I had the baby, the doctors asked me if I wanted to know anything and if I wanted to name the baby. I said I wanted to know as I had told my family to leave so I could be alone for a bit. They told me the baby was a girl. I had always loved the name Andy so I named her Anderson." Andy looked at Tobin at the mention of her own full name. "Anderson Levi Heath." Tobin didn't dare look at Andy.

"That...that's my full name." Andy stated in shock.

"Ever since then, I have looked for her. Alex has helped me. The team has helped me." Tobin said.

Andy hesitantly asked her next question, nervous about the answer. "Did you ever find her?"

"Well. A few days ago, at a game, there were these two girls in the crowd. I heard one trying to help the other..." Tobin hesitated, "with a panic attack." Andy inhaled sharply. "I helped her and as I was about to leave, she said thank you and I recognized the voice because it's mine." Tobin looked down again and then back up. The sun hitting her face in just the right way. "When I turned around, I saw you. And then everything clicked. Theo had told me the girl I was helping, was named Andy. And...everything just...clicked." Tobin inhaled sharply. "I want you to know this because you have the right to know. And because I hope you will let me get to know you. Obviously you have a family and I can't just take you away from that just because you're my daughter. But you have the right to know." Tobin finally finished, keeping her gaze out towards the world.

"Thank you. For telling me. I'm really sorry about what you went through. I'd never wish that upon anyone especially someone I consider my idol. Someone who works hard day and night. Someone who I don't think notices how much her best friend is crushing on her..." Tobin's eyes shot to Andy who was sporting a big grin. "But uh as for my family, I don't have one really. I've been in foster care my whole life. Every time I think I'm getting somewhere with a family, they turn right around and take me back. I've accepted it." Andy said sadly. Tobin looked confused and mad. "And-" Andy is cut off by her phone ringing. "Uh hang on." She says, noticing the caller ID. She walked a few feet away from Tobin and answered the phone. "Uh hi Susan." Andy's face fell immediately. "Uh yeah. I understand. I'll get ready as soon as I get home." Andy shuffled her feet on the ground. "Yeah. Ok bye." Andy stood frozen for a few seconds before turning and walking back to Tobin. She sat down and silent tears began falling.

"Andy?" Tobin asked.

"Uh well. I'm going back. To the uh group home." Andy said. Tobin looked at her daughter. She pondered a minute until she finally spoke up.

"Hang on. Stay here. I'll be right back." Tobin said, jogging over to Alex who was still talking to Theo and Kelley. "Alex." At the mention of her name, she turned and faced her best friend.

"Toby? What's wrong?" Alex said, ignoring the comment Theo makes to Kelley about the pet name Alex has for Tobin.

"Well. I told her." Tobin said forgetting who they were around, immediately regretting it.

"Told her what?" Theo asks. Moving around to get a better view of Tobin. "Told. Her. What."

"Ah fuck." Tobin looked around trying to gather her words before deciding to just outright tell her. "Andy's my daughter." Theo's eyes widened in shock.

"WHAT?!" Theo practically yelled. She quickly relaxed though after remembering the resemblance between her midfielder and Tobin. "Oh. Actually that makes a lot of sense." Theo states. Tobin, Alex and Kelley shoot her a look and Theo just shrugs. "What? You do know you look exactly alike right?" Tobin moves her head in agreement at the thought but then quickly focuses back on Alex.

"They're taking her back Alex." Tobin tried to explain. "The family she's with right now is taking her back to the group home." Theo started listening intently as the girl she was crushing on was being sent back yet again.

"So what are we going to do Tobin?" Alex asked. Tobin put her hands on her head and walked around, pacing slightly. She put her arms back to her sides, swinging them as she finally decides on what to say.

The next words out of Tobin's mouth are shocking but not shocking at all. The little girl she was forced to give up, was here. Right in front of her. Being forced to go somewhere again. So Tobin's decision doesn't actually shock anyone. What shocks everyone, is how fast and confident Tobin is about her answer.

"I'm adopting her."