Ruben Dias - One Shots (Second edition)

Not Ready Part 7

Readers sister dies in a tragic car accident, leaving reader and her boyfriend Ruben in the urgent custody of her niece and nephew. Readers' life is suddenly flipped upside-down since having children hadn't been the plan for her and Ruben's life together. At least not now, when his football career was reaching great new heights.

Enjoy! 💞

What kind of gift was worth losing your life over?

Liza's package on your desk stared back at you throughout the working week. You left it there as a problem for someone else to deal with and not you, because your biggest fear would be opening the package and coming to find out that Liza's car swirled off the road in the middle of a storm in the pursuit for something worthless like shoes. Or that scarf you once told her that you fancied.

"Hey, you okay?" Laleh poked her head into your office before calling it a day herself. She caught you staring into the ether yet again, with your eyebrows furrowed in a matter of concentration.

"Huh?"

"You're doing that thing again with your face. Is everything alright?"

"Oh, I...." You shook out of your trans, heat flushing your cheeks. "I'm all good."

"Are you?" She stepped into your office. "Like I said, if you need someone to open up the package Liza's husband sent you, I'll happily volunteer."

You smiled, perhaps the first time that day. "I appreciate it L, but I'll bring myself to open it sooner or later. Besides, it wasn't Liza's husband who sent it to me..." You recalled that he wanted nothing to do with it. "It was actually the post office, sending the package to the closest relative of the original recipient."

"I see."

"Yeah."

"Have you been getting a lot of those?"

"What?"

Laleh shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, memos and emails from Liza's former payouts?"

"No, not really. My parents were the ones to close her bank accounts and likewise. I suspect Liza's husband was the one getting notifications for her former subscriptions. It must have been really hard for him dealing with that."

"How is he holding up....in rehab?"

"Good." You nodded, but left out the fact that you often called him to give an update on the kids' life. Although he didn't say much during your brief talks, you knew that deep down those calls meant everything to him, a light in the dark tunnel that his soul had been shoved into following the death of his wife, your sister.

"Tell you what." Laleh shirped, having enough of the sad stuff just as she was clocking out from work. "How about I pull some strings and get us two seats for a pedicure this afternoon?"

"Can't make it. Football tryouts."

"Who's football tryouts?"

"Emmy." You beamed. "I'm picking her and Vale up after school and taking them straight to Man City's training grounds."

"No way, is Ruben going to be there as well?"

"I hope so, but I'm not sure about his training schedule."

"Y/N, that's amazing, I'm so happy for Em."

"Yeah, so am I. Hopefully, she's not as nervous as I am."

"Nervous? What for? Wasn't Liza a football talent when she was young?"

You nodded, the memories of attending your sister's weekly fixtures flooding your heart. "Ruben says Emmy has got a good chance of making the team. All she's gotta do is show for it."

"Well then, I'll be rooting for her from the comfort of my salon chair. Don't forget to text me right after the tryouts."

"I will. I promise."

"Alright then, I'll see you."

"See you tomorrow."

You left work in a hurry to pick up the kids. However, on your way to pick up Vale you were approached by one of his primary teachers, Mrs Jones, who expressed her heartfelt concerns about Vale's "condition" as she carefully referred to it as.

"I assure you, Mrs Jones, Vale has not gone mute. All he needs is time, and he'll be back to speaking just like the other children."

Mrs Jones did not seem the slightest convinced and held you back an additional few minutes to inform you about an after-school program at the community center for children with traumatic upbringings.

"My ass." You mumbled and balled up the flier you had been given. Tossing it over your shoulder in the parking lot.

"Auntie Y/N, are we going to be late?" Emmy asked as you rushed her and Vale out of school towards your car. "Possibly. Most likely." You replied. Honesty was really important to you. You would never lie to your niece and nephew. Not when solemnly relied on you for guidance in life.

"I don't want us to be late." Emmy pouted.

You popped your head through the passenger door, fumbling for Vale's seat belt and then Emmy's. "We won't be, I promise." You leaned forward, pressing a swift kiss to her cheek. "Now, did you remember to put on your lucky shirt?"

"Yes." She mumbled.

"Good." You smiled. "I'm sure it'll bring you luck today during tryouts."

"You think so?"

"I know so, baby." You gave her cheek one last squeeze before shutting the door to the backseat of your car.

You had your way of hiding it, but just like Emmy, you were quite nervous about the afternoon. Nevertheless, you had to go through with it. For Liza. She would've been so proud to have Emmy follow her footsteps, despite it being for the Manchester City Academy.

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