.neun.
After his conversation with Bastian over the phone, Marco called Jude to let her know what he had found out.
"Hello, Marco." Her voice came from the other end of the phone after a few rings. With just those two words, he could hear the worry in her voice. Her mother was still in bed, refusing to get up, and she didn't want to see anyone.
"I know why your mother is upset." Marco blurted out.
When Jude said nothing from the other end of the phone, he continued, "Basti told me he asked he about your dad, and then she got all defensive." Then he made an attempt to justify his friend. "He didn't know your mum doesn't like to talk about it. And I know he was stupid to meddle in something that wasn't his business. But he's really sorry, and if you would tell your mum that--"
Jude interrupted him with a groan. "Marco, that whole thing with my dad was very traumatic for my mother. Bastian was wrong to bring it up."
"But he didn't know." Marco pointed out.
"I don't want to have an argument with you over Bastian. I'm feeling much better from my cold and I don't want to feel bad about something else." Jude said.
"Alright." Marco sighed. As the news sunk in that she was feeling better, he added with a smile, "Since you're all better now. Can we go out on a date or something?" Marco felt hopeful. With his therapy sessions, and their time at the bakery, they hadn't actually gone on a date yet. He wanted to take her out and show her off to the world.
Jude crinkled up her nose. She was still worried about Grace. "I don't know, liebe. I don't want to leave my mum alone."
"We can do something at your house." He suggested. "Let me call Thomas and Mario, and ask if they want to have an online FIFA tournament."
"That sounds like a great idea." Jude beamed with sudden excitement.
It gave her the chance to spend time with Marco, play her favorite video game against top footballers and still be able to keep an eye on her mother.
"Come by in the afternoon." She said, and they said goodbye before hanging up.
-
That afternoon, Marco wasn't the only one who visited Jude and Grace's house.
Bastian had parked his car out in front of their house. He didn't believe in Marco's warnings that Jude would break his car's windows. According to his other friends from the naitonal team, Jude seemed like a sh and overall nice guy.
The Bayern Munich footballer stood at the gate that surrounded their house and hit the door bell. Inside, Jude peeked out from the living room window. There was a smile on her face that dropped when she saw Bastian standing outside. She thought it was Marco, who would also be arriving soon for their FIFA online tournament.
Thomas and Mario had agreed to play against them, with the condition that the losers would have to wear the jersey of the winning team for a whole day. Jude and Marco quickly agreed. Marco knew that with Jude on his team, there was no way he could lose.
Bastian waited for a minute before hitting the doorbell again. Jude had been hoping he would quickly get tired and go away. Rolling her eyes, she planned to make him understand that she was going to defend her mother. The twenty year old walked towards the back of the house and went outside through the back door that led out to the street. She hid behind a street corner with her sweatshirt hood up and her body down to crouch so as not to be spotted by the waiting footballer outside.
Jude grabbed a nearby rock, about the size of a baseball, and was about to throw it when someone grabbed her wrist, pinning it down to her side.
"What are you doing, Jude?" Marco asked her.
