Chapter 4: Too Much
Gordon rubbed the back of his neck at her question, he didn't know what to say. "There has to be a reason why you didn't tell. What is it?" Ava asked. He sighed and motioned for her to leave the office, he didn't want to discuss it in front of everyone in the office. It was the last thing that he wanted to do was discuss what happened in front of everyone at her school. "It was complicated Ava.'
"Complicated my ass." She snapped, "He came up to me after the game and told me that I was his granddaughter. Of the 4 times you visited me when I was younger you could have told me about my mother and her family and not just leave me with Hans and Jan when you were done."
"Ava." He started again as he yanked open the back door to the limo. "Gordon.' She returned sliding into the backseat of the car, her father followed her. "I wish you wouldn't call me that.'
"Why? It's your name. Why should I call you dad when you haven't been around long enough to be your father." "And I want to try and change that." "Because I am becoming friend with the kids on your hockey team?" "Not just that, Ducksworth made a comment that I need to get to know you." "Because your boss said something. You are going to do it."
"Let me ask you this. Did you even really want me or did you keep me because that's what your dad would've wanted."
Gordon glanced up and meet his driver's eyes and the driver gave him a look. He could already see the similarities between the duo and he wanted to see where this was going to go.
"At first I did want you Ava. Other than hockey you were the one thing that made sense. But then your mother left and I was struggling to raise you on my own. My ambition to be a lawyer and make something of myself took over and I realized I couldn't raise you and do that. So Hans and Jan offered to help out and raise you. And then I got so caught up in that. That I forgot about you."
Sudden tears rose up in Ava's eyes and she looked out of the window quickly. She didn't want to cry in front of him. She didn't want him to have the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Gordon reached his hand out and covered her hand. "Ava. I didn't mean to forget about you. I am back now and I want to be involved in your life." Ava sniffed back a few tears and nodded her head.
"Okay." "Now about Coach Riley." He said. "He is your grandfather and I didn't think it would be good for you to be around. He is too intense on kids." "I saw that at the hockey game. Is that how you meet my mom?" "It is. Coach Riley kind of took me in after my dad died. And when we got older we got together and then things happen." "I don't need to know about that yet." She said holding her hands up, her cheeks turning pink. "We don't get that until our freshman year and even then I don't know if I am ready for it."
Gordon breathed a sigh of relief, he was glad that his daughter wouldn't be interested in sex for a long time. "Do I have to get to know Coach Riley?" "No, you don't have too. But I would like for you to come to practices more often." "I don't play hockey." "I know but it's a way for us to spend time together." "Okay, I can try and come. Hans wants to go to the games too."
"Good." Gordon smiled, as much as he wanted to run away from hockey and stay how he was, he was finding himself wanting to have a relationship with Ava and be there for like Coach Riley, Hans and Jan were for him.
She deserved at least that.