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“ H ow was the game, darling?” My mum beamed the second I walked into the kitchen. “Come and sit down. You need to rest that ankle as much as possible.”

“I think we all need to sit down,” I replied sternly.

“That sounds serious.” My dad chuckled.

“Dad, now is not the time for jokes. I need to speak to the pair of you.”

They both sat on the sofa. Even though my ankle radiated with pain, I stood in front of them as they watched me with confused faces.

“When were you going to tell me that Emily had a son?” I asked, my eyes darted between them both.

They glanced at one another, taking a deep breath before my mum turned back to me. “There was no need to tell you. It wasn’t yours.” she whispered, wiping her hands on her apron.

“Really, Mum? The love of my life was pregnant just after I left and nobody, not even my parents, thought to tell me?”

“Son, the kid isn’t yours. I don’t see what difference it would have made.” My dad sounded so sure. Little did he know, he was wrong.

“How did you know he wasn’t mine?” I questioned, staring my father down.

“Mike came here once. He claimed he was the father of Emily’s baby. He said it would be best not to tell you. He didn’t want you to ruin your career. We agreed with that since he was one of your best mates.” Even as my dad spoke, I could see things finally clicking into place in his head.

“He was never a best mate. Emily would have never gone there with him!” I was fuming. “I missed seven years of my son’s life because everyone believed Mike?! Fucking Mike?!”

“Calm down, darling, we didn't know. He played a blinder, claiming he only had your best interests at heart.” My mum was beside me in less than a second, her hand gently squeezing my shoulder. “He said the child was his, and we didn’t want to hurt you.”

“I lost seven years with my boy because of that snake? I lost Emily because she thought I didn’t care.” I breathed shakily.

“It’s not too late, Beck. You can build a relationship with him. You can explain everything.” My dad patted my other shoulder.

“Fuck knows what he said to Emily to make her think I didn’t want them both.” I looked at my dad. “Whatever it was, it was enough for her to pretty much hate me.”

“What happens when you return to Spain?” Mum asked, bringing me back to earth with an almighty bang.

“I don’t want to think about that right now. I just need to explain myself to Em before anything else.”

She gasped. “Beckett, what do you mean? That’s your career!”

“He’s my son, and right now, I’m still in a bloody cast. My main focus is him and getting better.”

“Beck is right, this isn’t just about him anymore. Do you want a lift to Emily’s?” Dad asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Please.”

After a twenty minute car journey, my dad dropped me at Emily’s front door.

“Go and explain everything, son.” The old worn leather crunched as he turned to face me. “She’ll understand.”

“Will she? She thinks I abandoned her.”

“Then tell her you didn’t,” he ordered.

“At least I know why everyone hates me now.”

“Fuck everyone else. This is about you building a relationship with your son. Let Emily see you’re the man you always were and that you didn’t leave them for the game.”

“Alright, I’ll call you when I’m done here.” I nodded curtly before making my way to Emily’s door.