Chapter 24

“Our cars look so cute next to each other.” Andrew joked as we walked up to his front door. 

“Totally.” I laughed, pushing my hair back from my face. 

“So uh, this is my house I guess.” Andrew shrugged as we walked inside. 

“I know. I’ve been to Coach’s for team dinners and stuff.” I laughed, shutting the door behind me. 

I loved this house. It was small and cute and just adorable. To the right of the front door was a kitchen, and straight was a living room. Down a hallway to the left was a closet, a bathroom, a guest bedroom, an office, and another bedroom. It was a simple, one story house. 

I wasn’t sure if there was a basement though. 

“Aw! Are these baby pictures?” I giggled, looking at the pictures hanging on the walls. “Oh my God is that coach?” I laughed. 

Andrew groaned, walking up next to me. “I always want my mom to move them out of the front hall, but she insists keeping them there.” 

I laughed, observing all of them. “This one is from like, a few months ago at Cedar Point. Uh, that’s my mom and my dad on their wedding day.” 

“Oh my God coach looks so young!” I laughed, my eyes widening. 

“Um, that’s me and my mom when I was like 4, that’s the cousin I was telling you about, the one that I used to spend like every second with.” Andrew laughed. 

I furrowed my eyebrows. 

“That looks like me.” I laughed, nudging his arm. “Maybe that’s why you want to spend time with me.” 

“Nah I mean sorry but you’re pretty lame.” Andrew teased. “Want some food?” 

“Uh, yes please.” I giggled, following him into the kitchen. 

“We’ve got popcorn, apples, cheese, strawberries, chocolate...” Andrew listed off. “Oh hey mom.” 

I looked around Andrew and smiled at the woman sitting at the kitchen counter. 

“You brought a friend?” His mom asked, not looking up from her papers in front of her. “Yea it’s Sam, dad’s favorite QB.” Andrew teased, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “We’re just going to chill and watch movies.” 

Andrew’s mom looked up in shock, her eyes widening when she laid eyes on me. 

I gave her an awkward smile with a small wave, unsure what to say really. 

“Hi, I’m Sam.” I said softly. 

The initial shock was gone and Andrew’s mom composed herself. 

“I’m Marissa. We don’t do any of that Mr. and Mrs. stuff around here.” She smiled. 

“Yea I think it’d be pretty weird to start calling Coach, Mr. Lowellson.” I laughed, leaning against the counter as Andrew rummaged through the fridge. 

He pulled out a jar of cream cheese and tossed it on the counter before bending down to open up the drawer. 

“Where’s dad?” Andrew asked, searching through the drawer. 

“He left something at school so he went back to get it.” Marissa told him, her eyes still on me. She gave me a smile when she noticed me looking at her. 

Something about her looked extremely familiar, but I couldn’t place it at all. 

“Did you straighten your hair?” Marissa asked me. 

“Mom what the hell? What kind of question is that?” Andrew asked, giving his mom a weird look. 

I laughed. “No, no Andrew it’s cool. And yea, actually, I did. I don’t usually, but my sisters insisted they pamper me because I was supposed to be working out with the team yesterday, and according to them, I have to look good in front of guys.” I laughed. “I would’ve been fine with just a bun and a headband but I guess my family doesn’t have the girly, fashion gene.” I teased. 

“Sam’s adopted.” Andrew told his mom, pulling out a box of graham crackers. 

My eyes widened. “You eat that too?!” I exclaimed, watching as he started to spread some cream cheese on a graham cracker. 

“Obviously! It’s the snack in the world!” Andrew laughed. “Want some?” 

“Duh! Everybody else thinks it’s gross when I eat this!” I exclaimed, happily taking a cracker from him. 

“Exactly!” Andrew agreed. 

I moaned. “This is so delicious.” 

“Why is Sam Carson’s car in our driveway?” Coach asked, walking into the kitchen. 

“Hi Coach!” I said happily, giving him a wave. I covered my mouth, as it was filled with graham crackers and cream cheese. 

Coach looked at Marissa, and they shared a look that could only be described as pure shock. I gave Andrew a weird look, but he just shrugged, the same amount of confusion on his face too. 

“I would’ve thought you’d be at Dylan’s this evening.” Coach told me, setting his keys and bag down on the counter next to Marissa’s papers. 

“And deal with all those wedding plans? Yea no thanks. Kate’s probably having a meltdown.” I shook my head, taking another bite of my crackers. 

Coach laughed and nodded. “Dylan has mentioned the insanity of his family.” Coach nodded. “Uh, why are you here?” 

“I made a new friend dad, aren’t you proud?” Andrew teased, handing me another graham cracker with cream. “We have the same car! Did you see how cool that is!” 

Coach just nodded, looking at Marissa with the same look as before. 

“Let’s go to my room now.” Andrew said, giving his dad a weird look. “Is it cool if Sam stays for dinner?” 

“Oh I should probably get home. My dad and I got into a fight earlier and I don’t want to make him any more mad by not showing up.” I shook my head, following him to the hallway. “Bye coach!” I called over my shoulder with a smile. 

“Sorry, my parents are weird sometimes.” 

“Are they back together?” I asked. 

My eyes widened as I realized how weird that sounded. 

“Wait, shit that’s a weird question isn’t it? I mean like, because Coach’s never mentioned anything about-” 

“Yea it’s cool I get it. Um, yea my mom and I moved in with him like a few months ago.” Andrew nodded, pushing open the door to his room. 

“So what movie do you want to watch?” 

“Is it okay if I be totally cliche and suggest that we watch Remember the Titans just because it’s football related?” Andrew laughed, sitting down on one of the bean bags in front of his small television. 

“Can I be totally cliche too and say yes because it’s football related?” I laughed, sitting down in the bean bag next to him. 

“Well obviously.” Andrew grinned, turning on the TV. “I think I have it on DVR.” 

“Awesome sauce.” I giggled. 

“Thank God, someone else who says that!” Andrew laughed. 

“You say it too?!” 

“Like every day!” 

I grinned, leaning back in the bean bag chair as he started the movie. 

******************************

“We’ve got a ping pong table in the basement if you want to play.” Andrew suggested as the movie ended. 

“Totally! But can I pee first?” I laughed, standing up from the bean bag chair. 

“Yea for sure. Uh, it’s two doors down, across the hall.” Andrew told me. 

I nodded, knowing full well where the bathroom was from the times we’d spent here as a team. 

I hummed lightly to myself as I walked to the bathroom. 

I quickly did my business, pausing to check my phone before leaving. 

Dylan had called me 3 times. 

I frowned, making a mental note to call him back later. 

As I was walking back to the room, I heard a voice that sounded extremely familiar. 

“Dammit Tyler!” I heard Andrew’s mom exclaimed. 

“Marissa you can’t push the blame on me! We’ve been over this before! It’s in the contract, we’ve got three more months to wait!” 

I froze. 

That sounded awfully familiar. 

“I don’t give a damn about the contract! How can some idiotic man put a piece of paper in between a mother and her child! 12 years, Tyler! That’s how long it’s been since I’ve held her in my arms!” Marissa yelled. 

“Well what do you want me to do?!” Tyler yelled. “I can’t exactly break the contract! He’s the president of the United States!” 

My heart rate sped up. 

This was getting weird. 

“I don’t care! I will go to his house myself and talk to him about this! I don’t know how you’ve done it for the past 3 years!” Marissa yelled, tears in her voice. “Dammit, Tyler! That’s our daughter! And we’re expected just to sit back and ignore this?!” 

“Yes! How do you think she’d react to this news all of a sudden?! That girl has been through more hell than not with her family. I’ve seen her struggle for the past three years against her father when he doesn’t want her to play football. And the only way she can play football is the reassurance that her father has that I will do anything to watch out for her! How would you react to finding out that your coach is your father and you have a twin brother?!” Coach yelled at Marissa. 

“Well who’s fault is it that she ever left our custody!” Marissa yelled. 

“Marissa! For God sakes that was 12 years ago!” Coach yelled.

“It’s not fair that you get to spend so much time with her while I get nothing!” 

“You got Andy!” Coach said exasperatedly. 

“But I didn’t get Alexandra!” 

“Samantha.” Coach automatically corrected. 

“She will always be Alexandra to me.” Marissa hissed. 

“We can’t say anything, Marissa. Just be glad that her and Andrew are friends.” Coach sighed. 

“Why? Why should I be glad? She’s going back to DC after the wedding or whatever and I won’t see her again!” Marissa exclaimed. 

My heart was racing as I felt myself grow light headed. 

I took a step backwards, letting out a gasp as I ran into somebody. 

Andrew was standing there with a look of shock on his face that mirrored my own. 

Marissa and Coach appeared around the corner, their eyes wide and their faces guilty. 

“Oh shit.” 

******************************

I took a deep breath, looking around at the people at the table. I nervously rubbed my hands across my knees, but stopped abruptly when I noticed Andrew doing the exact same thing. 

Andrew’s eyes met mine, but we both quickly looked away. 

I could feel Marissa’s gaze on me, but I focused my attention on the grooves of the wooden table. 

Coach took a deep breath, leaning forwards on his elbows. 

“Sam, I want you to know that-” 

“Is this why you walked out on Nationals?” I asked quickly, interrupting Coach. 

Coach looked taken aback for a moment. 

“Is it because the guys found out that I was leaving, and I was talking about how I couldn’t just ditch out on my family when they were the ones who took me in? Was it because I said that my biological family didn’t give two shits about me?” I asked quietly. 

Coach nodded once, running his hands down his face. 

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly. 

“And after I told you I was quitting the team, as I was leaving the office, you muttered ‘just like your mother’. Were you referring to my adopted mother or my biological mother?” I asked quietly. 

“Marissa was always very stubborn and did things for the benefit of other people rather than herself.” Coach said softly. 

“Is this why you were at my house the day after the game where I broke my foot? Is that why my dad and you were arguing?” I asked, rubbing my hands against my knees. 

Coach nodded again. “Rick was upset that nobody had noticed that you’d been having pain in your foot, and he blamed it on me for not noticing the stress fractures earlier.” 

I sighed. 

“Is this why I made it on the team?” I whispered. 

Coach looked up at me, a soft look in his eyes. 

“What?” He asked, shocked at the question. 

“Am I on the team because I’m your daughter? Is that why you gave me the spot? Not because I rightfully earned it, but because I’m your daughter and you wanted to make up for lost time or whatever?” I asked, my hands shaking. 

“No... No Sam not at all. You were on the team because you are an excellent Quarterback. You were on my team because of your leadership skills, and your impeccable talent. Sam, if anything, you being my daughter would have made me more reluctant to even play you.” Coach said seriously. 

“I guess the football gene runs in our family then.” I attempted a joke, glancing at Andrew. 

“Yea but obviously I got the better half of it. Duh.” Andrew teased. 

I laughed, and I felt the atmosphere at the table relax a little bit. 

“Okay, I’ve got a question.” Andrew said, leaning forwards on his elbows. “Why the hell was Sam adopted and not me?” 

Marissa and Coach exchanged looks. The same frightened look that I’d seen them exchange in the kitchen earlier. 

“The both of you were four years old when we got a divorce.” Marissa said quietly, a pain behind her eyes that had clearly been there for a while. I felt the urge to reach out and grab her hand, but I kept my hands on my knees. 

“I got full custody of you.” Coach told me. “While your mother got you.” He added to Andrew. 

“Andy, you and I stayed in our house while your father and Sam moved out.” 

Coach took a deep breath. “I used to have a drinking problem. I’ve been sober for 9 years now, but that just wasn’t a good time for me. And there was one period of time when I didn’t come home for a few days while on a bar binge that I deeply deeply regret. I lost custody of Sam.” Coach said quietly, guilt written all over his features. 

Marissa reached for his hand, but judging by the look on her face, she hadn’t completely forgiven him. 

“I was out of a job at the time, and was a few months late on my rent. I tried to get custody of you again, but I lost custody of Andrew in the process.” Marissa added quietly. 

“Excuse me what?” Andrew raised his eyebrows in shock. 

Marissa gave him a look that must be a well-known look around this household because Andrew recoiled, looking down at the table. 

“Both of you were sent to an adoption agency. But Sam, you were adopted within a month of two of arriving there, Andrew, on the other hand, entered the foster care system.” Marissa explained. 

Andrew and I met each other’s gaze. I offered a soft smile and he returned it. 

“How did I get back to you then?” 

“I moved back to America to start over. I couldn’t stand being in Italy without you guys. I grew up in Southfield, just like 6 miles away from here, and got a job here. I bought this house and did my best to turn my life around.” Coach explained. 

“I stayed with my sister for a while until I’d saved up enough money. The adoption agency couldn’t give me any information on Alexandra, sorry, Sam, because hers was a closed, private adoption. But when I found out Andrew was still in foster care, I didn’t everything I could to get my little boy back.” Marissa explained. “Then I got a new job, in Ann Arbor, and we moved here, not knowing that your father was so close.” 

“Then I was at a middle school football game, looking at the 8th graders and the incoming players we’d be getting next year. I saw a group of them playing around after the game, and you were the only girl there. They were all in their pads from the game, but there’s you in some jeans and a t-shirt, roughing around with them like it didn’t matter that you were covered in mud and getting pounded by boys bigger than you.” Coach said. 

I felt my cheeks turn pink. “I remember that day. I got home and my mom yelled at me for about 15 minutes with reasons why I needed to behave like a lady.” I laughed. 

Coach nodded. “I recognized you immediately. Sure, it had been 7 years, but you looked just like your mother had at your age. So of course, me being the idiot that I am, didn’t think, and I approached your dad.” 

“Of course, he was quick to tell me to stay the hell away from you. And then, a few months later, this little, wide eyed, innocent freshman shows up at tryouts, wanting a place on my team. When your father found out that I was the coach, he drew up a contract stating that neither of us could say anything to you about this arrangement until you were 18 and wanted to know for yourself. And he told me that if so much as a hair on your head got hurt, that I’d lose my job in a heart beat.” Coach added. “And for the past three years, I’ve been your coach, nothing more.” 

I just looked between Coach and Marissa, trying to take this all in. 

I felt tears collecting in my eyes as I looked at my parents. 

My real parents. 

The parents who share the same DNA as me. 

“Hi.” I said softly, pushing my hair back from my face. 

“Hello sweat heart.” Marissa said softly, her bottom lip quivering as tears collected in her eyes. 

“Can I... Can I hug you?” I asked, feeling extremely childish as the words came out of my mouth. 

Marissa nodded, standing up. I stood up as well, and felt myself grow even more emotional as she pulled me into a hug. 

She squeezed me tightly, and I hugged her back just as tight, feeling tears collect in my eyes. 

We both pulled back, wiping our cheeks. 

“I have a sister? Sick.” Andrew laughed, pushing his hair back from his face. 

“You need a haircut.” Marissa frowned, looking at him. 

“Do not.” He muttered, frowning. 

The ringing of a telephone interrupted the moment. My eyes widened when I realized it was mine. 

Since when was my phone not on silent?

“I’m so sorry.” I muttered, pulling it out of my waistband.

“Go ahead and take it.” Marissa said with a soft smile. 

“Hello?” I asked, tracing my fingers over the grooves on the table. 

“You were supposed to call us after you saw the guys yesterday!” Jessica said loudly. 

My eyes widened at the volume in her voice. 

“I didn’t even go. I fell asleep.” I laughed. 

“You haven’t even seen them yet?!” Annabelle exclaimed. 

“Nah, I saw them at a party last night.” 

“Did you see Dylan!?” Jessica yelped. 

“Obviously.” 

“Did you have sex?!” Annabelle giggled. 

“Obviously.” I rolled my eyes. 

“Did you-” 

“Girls, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later.” 

“But we have drama to tell you!” Annabelle said excitedly. 

“Well I’ve got drama to tell you too, but I’m kind of in the middle of that drama right now.” 

“You’re having sex with Dylan right now?” Jessica asked stupidly. 

“Yea totally Jess I’m calling you right in the middle.” I rolled my eyes. “No, idiot. I’m doing stuff with my uh, with my family.” 

“Okay, call us later.” 

“Alright.” 

“Promise?” 

“Yes I promise.” I muttered before hanging it up. “Sorry, my friends from DC, kind of crazy.” 

“Whoa you’ve got friends that are girls?” Coach teased. 

Marissa and Andrew both looked shocked at his question. I guess they didn’t expect him to be joking like always with me. 

“I know! Shocker right?” I teased right back. 

“So! Would you guys like to go out for dinner?” Marissa suggested with a smile. 

“I can’t go out.” I shook my head. “If we go out, then secret service has to follow me, and then it turns into a whole big deal and I’d rather not have tomorrow’s headlines be ‘President Carson’s daughter meets real family’.” I said softly. 

“No problem.” Marissa said, giving me a soft smile. “I could make dinner?” 

“You cook? Yea, as if.” Andrew laughed. 

“I can cook!” Marissa protested. 

“Yea if microwave macaroni counts as cooking.” Coach teased her. 

“At least she won’t try making that lasagna dish she tried last month. The oven still smells like smoke.” Andrew laughed, glancing at his dad. 

“That wasn’t my fault! Tyler you said you’d help me watch it!” Marissa laughed, playfully glaring at Coach. 

I felt a small smile cross my face, but a sickening feeling in my stomach. 

I’d missed out on 12 years with these people. They had all of their inside jokes. They had all of their secrets. They knew things about each other. 

And then there was me. 

“You know what, I wouldn’t want to intrude on your dinner. I uh, I really need to shower...” I said softly, attempting to make my excuses to leave. 

“Oh honey, you won’t be intruding on our dinner. We’d love for you to stay.” Marissa said softly. 

I gave her my best smile. “No, it’s fine, honestly. I’ll um, are you guys going tomorrow?” I asked. 

Coach nodded, answering for his family. 

“Great, I’ll see you there then.” I said, backing up towards the door. 

Coach’s gaze met mine and he gave me a look. A look that I’d seen enough times while goofing off during practice. It clearly said to listen and do what I was told. 

“Although, I could always come back after I shower? I’ll bring ice cream?” I suggested. 

Coach gave me a nod and a soft smile. 

“That sounds amazing!” Marissa said excitedly. 

“Great. What time should I be back?” I asked. 

“How about 7?” Marissa suggested. 

“Great. I’ll see you then.” 

******************************

I took a deep breath before raising my hand to knock on the door. 

My hair was still wet from the shower I’d just taken at home, and I had multiple flavors of ice cream in a Kroger bag in my hands. 

Marissa opened the door with a huge grin on her face. 

“Sam! Hi!” She said happily, pulling me into a hug. 

Shocked, I hugged her back. 

“Okay okay Marissa, don’t crush the poor girl.” Coach laughed, appearing behind her. “She needs to be alive to give her boys a proper practice this week.” 

I raised my eyebrows at him as I walked inside. 

“You’ll let me run a practice?” I asked excitedly. 

“Those boys need you, Sam.” Coach laughed. 

“Oh God. I’ve heard about your practices.” Andrew laughed, pretending to be scared. 

“One night without football? Please?” Marissa asked, shooting Coach and Andrew a look. 

“What kind of ice cream did you bring?” Coach asked, changing the subject. 

“Well I didn’t know what kind you guys would like, so I um, I brought uh, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, rocky road, raspberry...” I muttered, handing the bag to Marissa. “Sorry...” 

Marissa laughed. “Sounds like we’ll have some ice cream left over for a few days.” She teased. 

“A few days? Please. If the team comes over it will be gone in a few minutes.” Andrew laughed, taking the ice cream from his mom to carry it into the kitchen. 

“See the thing with those guys is that you can’t let them know that you have food available, or else you’ll have someone calling you at three in the morning asking if there’s any pizza left over and yes that happened you can ask Nate because it was him.” I told Andrew with a laugh. 

Coach just shook his head, following Andrew into the kitchen. 

Marissa and I followed along. 

“So. Sam. We’re going to need to catch up. Because I’ve missed out on the last 12 years of your life, and I’d really like to get to know you.” Marissa told me. 

“Yes please. I need to know what my mom’s like.” I told her with a smile. 

“But first, let’s eat some ice cream.” Andrew smiled, taking four ceramic bowls out of the cupboard. 

As Andrew scooped one scoop of each flavor into each bowl, joking animatedly around with his parents, I found myself easily fitting into the conversation. 

These people were just like me, and it made me feel beyond comfortable. 

I felt really happy being with them. 

I looked around the room as Marissa playfully throw a small drop of ice cream at Coach. A smile crossed my face as Andrew handed me my bowl that was nearly over filling with ice cream. 

I could get used to this family. 

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Drammmaaaaaa ;)

This is a very long chapter so I hope you like it :)

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I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get a comment or vote, otherwise, it will be in TWO days on Wednesday :/

Update: Wednesday (Unless someone comments or votes)

-Panda