Redemption by Jessica Ashe

brother. 
    I decided to tell them the truth straight away.
    “Shaun is my son.”

“I… I don’t understand,” I said slowly. “He’s your son?” 
    I glanced at Shaun again and noticed him looking down at his feet. He’d obviously heard reactions like mine before and was used to it, but that didn’t make my question any less inappropriate. The poor kid looked haunted by something and I was acting like he wasn’t there.
    “Yes,” Oliver responded.
    Maisie looked a little taken aback as well, although in typical fashion, she came right out and asked the obvious question. “Unless my biology teacher made a mess of the genetics lessons,” Maisie said, “I’m going to assume you’re adopted, Shaun?”
    Shaun nodded and smiled at Maisie. She’d managed to put him at ease whereas I’d had the opposite effect. What was it about being around Oliver that turned me into such a bad person?
    “I didn’t know you’d adopted anyone,” I said, stating the obvious.
    “It happened after you left in 2007,” Oliver said. “Shaun’s dad was a friend of mine. He… passed away, so Shaun came to live with me. I officially adopted him a few years later.”
    “I’m sorry, Shaun,” I said, although he still wouldn’t look at me. 
    “Do you want to go wait in the car?” Oliver asked Shaun. Shaun quickly nodded and took the keys from Oliver. No doubt he was eager to get away from me and my stupid comments. 
    “He doesn’t speak a lot,” Oliver said, once Shaun was out of earshot.
    “He doesn’t have to when he looks that good,” Maisie said. “Sometimes the body can communicate everything it needs to.”
    I went to scold Maisie, but Oliver laughed and I couldn’t help but join in.
    “He’s cute,” she added. “That’s all.”
    “Well, you’ll be seeing plenty more of him over the summer,” Oliver said.
    How could Oliver have a son? And how could I not know about it? I know I’d been out of his life for eight years, but I just assumed that kind of news would get out. I guess they made an effort to keep it out of the press, and Oliver hadn’t told Maisie either judging by her reaction. 
    Oliver having a son was going to make it so much harder to hate him. It had been hard enough not to look at him every ten seconds today, while he stood there in full view wearing those tight shorts and crossing his arms to reveal his toned biceps. Now I had to factor in that he was a father to a kid whose parents had died. Oliver wasn’t making it easy on me. 
    Perhaps he really had changed? He’d only been eighteen when I last saw him. He was old enough to play for England, but still immature enough to take his mistakes out on me. But Oliver was twenty-six now and he looked every bit the grownup he hadn’t been before. 
    “We should be going,” I said. “It’s hard enough driving on the wrong side of the road. I don’t want to be tired while I’m doing it.”
    “I can drive you to the hotel,” Oliver offered. “Or you can stay at my place.”
    Maisie looked at me excitedly. I didn’t need to be fully awake to figure out what she wanted to do and why, but I rejected the offer anyway.
    “My team’s playing at the weekend,” Oliver said, just as I was about to turn and head back to the car. “It’s a top of the table clash, so the game’s sold out, but I can get you VIP tickets if you want them.”
    “That’s really not—” I began, before Oliver interrupted.
    “You’ve already rejected dinner and a ride home. I do hope you’re not going to reject this offer as well. Maisie, tell your sister it’s rude to reject a polite invitation.”
    “Okay, okay,” I said quickly, not wanting Maisie on my case as well. “Thank you Oliver, we’d love to watch you play.” 
    “Excellent. I’ll give you all the details tomorrow.” 
    Oliver walked off and Maisie and I headed back to the car, although we both walked to the wrong door on the first attempt.
    “You’re in a weird mood,” Maisie