I didn’t see Dax again until several days after the end of training camp. His breakfast insult about my lack of experience in running a football team had stung, and after having let him into my family drama, his criticism had felt even more pointed. However, Val’s advice continued to roll around in my brain as I tried to carefully consider how much of my anger and frustration was really about the situation with my mother.
On Wednesday night, I heard Dax moving around in the living room and decided to go out and talk to him. I quickly ran a brush through my hair and dabbed on a little lipstick as I took stock of myself in the mirror. The previous day, I asked Dax’s secretary to track down all of the files on the creation of the Storm organization and every handbook and playbook she could find. I’d carted them back to the penthouse and had spent the day reading through all the files so that I’d have a concrete understanding of how the Storm organization was run. Now I was ready to engage in a conversation with Dax.
“Hey, how did training camp go?” I asked as I walked into the living room. Dax had his back to me and was staring out the window at the lake as the last light of the day disappeared and the water turned from blue to purple.
“Oh, hey,” he said obviously startled. He turned and looked at me for a moment before turning back to the window adding, “It went as well as expected, I guess.”
“You get everything straightened out with Nick?” I asked, trying to convey sincerity as I worked my way into what I really wanted to say.
“In as much as we’ll ever get things worked out,” he sighed. “Look, Payton—”
“Dax—” I began and then stopped as we both tried to speak. I waited for a moment, and then took a deep breath before saying, “I’m sorry, Dax.”
“Wait, what?” he said turning to look at me. There was confusion in his eyes, but I didn’t want to stop.
“I’m sorry,” I repeated. “I was mad at my mother and I took it out on you.”
“I see,” he said nodding. “I had no idea what had happened.”
“I know, but you really made me feel small,” I said.
“Why?”
“Because you said I don’t know anything about running a football team,” I said.
“But you don’t,” he said looking even more confused. I could feel the familiar anger and resentment rising in my chest, but this time I took a deep breath, swallowed hard and held back.
“I know, but I want to know,” I admitted. “I want to learn.”
“Then why didn’t you say so?”
“I did! You’re just too stubborn to actually listen to me,” I countered, feeling my defensive walls begin to go up. I took another deep breath and remembered Val’s words.
“Payton—” he began as my phone went off. I turned it up and saw my mother’s picture on the screen.
“I need to take this; I’m sorry,” I said, stepping away from the living room and walking toward the kitchen. I answered the phone with a cold, “What do you want, Mother?”
“Is that any way to speak to your own mother?” she asked in a voice full of fake hurt. “It’s so rude, Payton Gale.”
“You’re not exactly the modicum of manners yourself,” I hissed. “What do you want?”
“Fine, if that’s the way you’re going to speak to me, then I’ll just say what I have to say,” she said in a voice as brittle as dry ice. “Regardless of how you feel about me, I expect that once the season starts, you will attend all home games.”
“Why would I do that?” I asked.
“Because this team is our family team and no matter how disrespectful you’ve been to me, you are still part of this family and you have an obligation to behave like it,” she said coldly.
“You’ve cut me out of the family, so I don’t see how the home games are any of my concern,” I said. “Besides, won’t everyone think it’s strange that I show up since you’ve reported me as having been kidnapped and brainwashed by the Storm?”
“Admittedly, my methods of trying to get you back where you belong were a little over the top,” she said.
“Oh, you think so?” I replied.
“Payton, you have an obligation to this family and to the Bears football team,” my mother said. “It’s really as simple as that. I expect you to be at the home games in the skybox.”
“And if I’m not?”
“Do not test me, young lady,” she warned as I pulled the phone away from my ear and hit the disconnect button. I knew I’d pay for my actions, but right now, I didn’t care.