Wilder Dreams

Chapter 28

I'm only here for 2 days. I leave tomorrow, Carli is going to be here a day extra. So she'll be taking my sister and I to the Airport tomorrow. I'm so excited honestly. Right now I'm getting ready for dinner with my family. I invited Carli and Brian but they didn't want to intrude on a family dinner. I dress nicely. My kind of dress nicely. My mom isn't against me being lesbian she just hates that she never got the chance to go dress shopping with me or go to the Spa and get pedicures. So she's not a big fan of my Tomboy style but fuck it. Carli is letting me take her car. After I'm ready I head down stairs.

"You look very nice" Brian compliments me

"Thanks, don't usually dress out but this is a good occasion for it. Where's Carlos?" I ask him, he laughs cause I called Carli, Carlos. He also knows I'm the only one she let's.

"Visiting her parents" he tells me as he's eating his salad.

"That's good! Hope they're doing well" I tell him. I grab the keys and I'm heading out the door.

"Be safe and don't come home to late!" He yells from the kitchen.

"Alright Pops, tell Mom I'll be home in a few" I playfully say back. I shut the door behind me and lock it. I get in the car and drive to the restaurant.

Finally at the restaurant, I get off. I make my way inside. I walk to the waitress

"Sage Wilder?" I nod, I never met this girl in my life. How does she know my name?

"Do I know you?" I ask her concerned.

"Your sister walked in here and showed me a picture of your face" she tells me smiling. Sounds like something my sister would do.

"Follow me, I'll show you to the table" she tells me turning to the room full of Tables and seats, and people. I follow her. We get to the table, and everyones here.

"Ready to Celebrate?" I ask my family as I sit in my seat.

"Yeah let's order honey" My mom says. She picks up her menu. I look through it. A lot of fried food ughhh. I'll just get steak and salad as side. The waitress comes back and takes our orders.

"We didn't get to see the Denmark game, how was it?" My dad asks. I'm actually taken back because my dad literally never misses one of my games.

"Uh we won. It was a good game" I told him. The waitress comes back with our food.

"She scored twice dad!" My sister tells my dad. She said happily.

"They were alright" I tell them, as I start to cut my steak.

"You held your finger up, why?" My brother asked me. Wait hold up, he watches me play?

"To remind everyone I'm #1" I tell them. I just want to be #1. I don't have to score the most goals, I don't have to have the most caps. I just want to be #1 being just me. Being different. I'm not Abby Wambach, I'm not Kristine Lilly. I'm Sage Wilder.

My brother looks at me weird. My sister on the other hand is looking at me with such admiration.

"The world has not seen the real you just yet, it would be so amazing if you played in the world cup!" My dad says excitedly. I just smile. I would love that more then anything.

"M-kay if Jill sees potential in you, in 2 years, she could call you up. Imagine that. That's why this is a good opportunity to get better. Don't settle for good enough okay? Settle for more" I tell my sister. My dad gives me a weird look, but a good weird look?

After we all finish, I pay for everyone. We walk outside all together. My dad has his arm wrapped around my shoulder

"What you told your sister backed there, she needed that. Your the one she's dying to impress." My dad tells me quietly away from the others. Making me stop and look at him

"I'm proud of her though" I tell him

"Are you though?" My dad questions  me very seriously. Ok what kind of question is that. I'm not going to start anything. I look away from him.

"I had a good time, M-kay start packing as soon as you get home." I tell my sister. I walk over to my little brother

"You take care of yourself, and keep working hard. Alright?" I tell him. He nods and we hug.

"Can you score a goal for me?" My brother asks me.

"I will, and when I do. I'll hold both my fingers up. When you know, you know" I tell him, pulling apart. I walk to my mom

"I'm really proud of you Sage, I'm sorry I don't tell you enough" my mother tells me with tears running down her cheek. I wipe them away

"It's okay Mom, I know you are." I give her a a hug. We pull apart. I walk to my dad

"I'll see you later Dad, and just so you know. I'm very proud of her whether you believe it or not. I may not be the best sister, but I've done things for her that she doesn't even know I've done. You and I both know what thinks I've done to make sure she didn't grow up as fucked up as I have. Like you, I wouldn't lay a finger on her." I tell him. He is speechless. I haven't talk to him in that way in such a long time. There's nothing but silence. My dad's great but no dads perfect. There was a time where my dad would drink constantly, and he was abusive. He would hit me or my mom. When my sister was born, he got better. Although eventually he started over again. My sister was 4 when my dad was close to hitting her. In that moment, I cracked. There would be times, where he would step up to hit my sister and mom. I would get in the way, and he'd hit me. I don't care if my sister ever knows this, but I did it so that she didn't have to go through it. I called the cops on my father that day. He went to jail for a year, and then went into rehab. Now he's been better then ever. I forgive him but that's the thing about forgiveness. I didn't forgive him for his sake, I forgave him for the sake of my heart. I'm tough as hell, because I had to be. For everyone and myself.

"I - uh" My dad gives out. He's so speechless I literally want to just scream at him

"Don't ever question how I feel about my sister" I tell him my final response.

"I'll see you later" I tell my mom, brother and my sister. My sister looks like she wants to cry.

"Hey M-kay come with me, I'll take you
home and we'll pack tonight. You'll be staying with me and Carli" I tell her, as I offer her my hand. She takes it.

"I'll see you at home Mom and scotty" I tell them, and I walk with my sister to the car.