One Last Shot

[22] Look like Cologne

            Iris

It's a day after everything with Liam's mom, and the team has a big game. To show my support, I throw Liam's hoodie on, and we head out. Right before the game starts, I see Mom, Dad, and Aster walk in.

"No fucking way!" Lilly screams, and the team looks over from their warmups.

"What are you guys doing here?" I wrap them in a hug. "And where is Jacob?"

"He's staying with GG, relax," Aster sighs.

"We wanted to see one game with Marcus as the big team captain!" Dad says, before turning to the team and cheering, "Go Marcus! Go Marcus!"

"We are sitting down, and no more cheering from you Mr. Cheerleader," I sigh before taking them to our seats.

"Wow, not only do you smell like cologne, you look like cologne," Aster laughs.

"That's a boy's hoodie," Mom points to my sweatshirt. "Is it the one you refused to sleep with?" Violet snorts and Lilly giggles.

"Can we drop the boy conversation? Look, the game's starting, conversation over." As we're watching, I hear Violet telling my parents and Aster everything, and Lilly laughing next to her.

"So they aren't dating, but totally into each other?" Mom asks.

"They have this mysterious, brooding, 'I hate you' thing with each other, but they're totally in denial," Violet says.

"Oh em gee!"
"Mom, please don't say oh em gee," I say as my eyes don't break from the court. Liam's playing really well, you'd have no idea stuff was going on in his life, until some guy pushes him and he shoves him back. As the referee calls a foul, he turns and looks at me, and we make eye contact for a second. I give him a reassuring nod and he turns his focus back to the court.

"That was so romantic," Mom whispers to me.

"Please stop Mom," this time it's Aster who's begging her to stop. The team wins, and Marcus comes running over after to say hi to my parents.

"Tiffany! Greg! Aster! What are you doing here?"

"We had to see our favorite basketball playing child," Greg smiles.

"Harsh," I mumble. They didn't like that I quit basketball, and tried to tell me accidents happen, but I couldn't get back on that court.

"Who are these lovely people?" Jasper asks, sauntering over.

"This is about to be so bad," I sigh. Lilly snorts.

"These are my second parents, Tiffany and Greg Cara, Iris' parents. Lix! Come here!" Felix jogs over sweaty, but kisses Marcus on the forehead.

"Marcus got a boyfriend?" Aster's mouth gapes open.

"Bet you thought that would never happen," Marcus winks at Aster. "Felix, these are Iris' parents, A.K.A. my second parents, Tiffany and Greg Cara."

"It's so nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Cara," Felix extends his hand.

"Please, you're basically a part of the family, call us Greg and Tiffany," Dad smiles. Mom wraps Felix in a hug and starts crying telling Marcus she's so happy for him.

"Your parents really are quite the characters. I see where your brother gets it from," Liam is standing next to me while I writhe in embarrassment.

"Where do you think I got it from?" I ask him, arms crossed, pouting.

"I was thinking, a demon, or even Satan himself."

"You ass," I sigh, pushing his face away with my palm as he lets out a laugh.

"You must be the boy my daughter hates!" Mom has stopped her crying and lovey dovey shit and turned her attention to me.

"The one and only," Liam smiles.

"Untrue, I have quite a long list." Liam rolls his eyes and nudges my arm playfully, and I see Dad eyeing us.

"We're heading back to the house now," Mom says, "Iris, you're coming with us."

"Okay, bye guys," I wave to everyone as we leave. Back at the house, Mom and Dad sit me down.

"We're here because we're going to a funeral," Mom sighs.

"Why am I just hearing this?"

"Serafina died."

My words are slow, "Why am I just hearing this?"

"We didn't want to tell you during your last visit because you seemed so happy, and you've been so busy we haven't had a chance to call."

"Go back to your hotel. I'll see you tomorrow for the funeral you didn't fucking tell me about." I storm out of the living room and enter my room, slamming my door as tears well. Serafina was my basketball coach through high school for my competitive team, not the high school team. When I came here for college, she moved to a nursing home nearby so I could go visit. Of course, with the ski lodge and all my schoolwork, I haven't visited since the beginning of the school year, and now she's dead.