I dried off and got ready for practice. I did feel slightly better and more refreshed. It still hurt to move but livable. My movements were stiff and slow as I joined everyone downstairs.
Mrs. Atkins handed me a plastic container filled with fruits, a bagel, scrambled eggs, and some slices of toast. "Eat in the car and be sure to finish it." She hurried all of us to the car and waved as Zeke pulled the car out of the driveway.
I ate on the way to school and was still finishing as Zeke parked by the field. The twins were quick to grab their bags and head to the fields.
Noah pulled his bag and mine out of the trunk, while watching them take off. "In a hurry? Suspicious."
"It's because we're late." Zeke joined us by the trunk, grabbing his bag out too. "You best hurry as well. Who knows how many laps Coach will give you."
Noah's eyes widen. He twisted his head to check the watch on Zeke's wrist. "Oh, crud!" He looked at me. "We've gotta run too."
I didn't even have the strength to shake my head. "No thanks."
"Jake." Noah gave me a stern look.
I looked up at Zeke. "Will I have to do the laps today or can I make them up tomorrow when I feel better?"
Zeke's lips twitched to fight off a smile. "You can make them up tomorrow. No need to push yourself and actually get injured." He looked down at Noah. "But, you're fine. So no making up for you."
Noah pouted. "You'll be okay, right?" He checked with me, while giving the side eye to his brother.
Zeke rolled his eyes. "Of course he'll be fine. Go. Now."
"What about you?" Noah asked, squinting.
Zeke lifted my bag. "I'll carry Jake's bag and drop him off with Drew. And, I'm the captain. I'm never late. By the time I get there, you better have your cleats on and be on that line with the team."
Noah looked to me and I gave a nod to show that I was okay. It was just a short walk with Zeke. After a month of being around him and his stoic expression, I was used to him. Not completely comfortable, but not exactly uncomfortable. Noah turned on his heel and took off for the field.
"He's like a mother hen." Zeke said under his breath before tightening his grip on our bags and started to walk to the field as well. He kept a slow pace so we could walk side by side.
"Noah's not like a mom." I frowned. I would say Noah's more like a protective older brother that I never had. Or maybe used to have.
"I just meant that he takes care of you in a weird way like you're a child. Even though he's a child." Zeke explained.
"Do most older brothers see their younger sibling as a child?" I asked.
Zeke let a moment of silence go by as he thought about his answer. "Maybe. At least for now. And for me. Noah is only a freshman. He still has three years of high school to do before he catches up to me."
I looked up even though my stiff neck made it difficult. "But he'll never really catch up. By the time he's a senior in high school like you, you would be in college."
Zeke chuckled. "Perks of being older I guess." He glanced at me. "Another perk, is knowing more than you kids."
Ok? I didn't know what to say that. Was that a humble-brag? Or just a statement of fact?
"So if there's anything you want to ask, go ahead." He continued as if he suggested that I had something to ask him.
It took me almost the whole walk down to the field to realize what he was saying. We stopped at the gate just a few yards from the dugout. I fumbled to find the way to phrase my question before settling on: "Did Kyle tell you?"
"Did Kyle tell me what?" He raised an eyebrow.
I swallowed a little harder than normal. "That Noah and I were bugging him?"
"Not necessarily 'bugging' him." Zeke answered. "But if there's something you want to ask him, then why not ask me? I'm older. Perhaps I know more."
I started to feel shy at the undivided attention. I kicked at the grass. "It's just-Noah and I-we think-" Zeke waited patiently as I tried to find the words. "We heard that-um, are you guys hiding anything from us?" I held my breath.
"Yes, quite a bit actually."
My jaw dropped and I looked him in the eyes. "Why?"
"Lots of reasons. 'You don't need to know'. 'It doesn't pertain to you'. 'It's irrelevant.'"
"But it does pertain to me..." I mumbled, holding eye contact. "You guys are worried that I'll get upset."
Zeke's corner of his mouth lifted. "You? Upset? That could be a lot of things. Like Mother's Day in May...we could be planning a few months early and there's no reason to upset you with the action of honoring moms. Or, maybe it's something we want to plan like a social gathering. You wouldn't be okay with surprise parties, would you?"
I shook my head. Definitely not. No surprises. And no parties. Too many people. I tilted my head at him. "Is that really it?"
Zeke hesitated. Then he surprised me by taking a knee so he had to look up to me. I've never been so close to his face before. "Jake, there's something that Mom did without telling you. Do you want to know?"
Is this a trick question? "Do you think I should know?"
Zeke nodded. He then glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then he looked me in the eyes. "Mom went looking for your father when we were in Southern California."
I froze. I felt cold all over from my body to my brain. What. What? What did he say? They looked for my dad? Back home?
