“What?” Hollis was staring at Milo.
“I want to talk to him,” he repeated quietly. “When the game ends. I want to go over and introduce myself.”
Noah shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“It wasn’t the plan.”
“Plans change.”
“I think it’s a great idea,” Abby said.
And Hollis said, “You just want writing material.”
“I don’t just want writing material.”
“No one else has to come,” Milo said. “I’ll do it alone if I have to.” And he realized, as he spoke the words, that he meant them. He was feeling a surge of courage—of resolve. Will Bardo was his father. He deserved to meet his father, and he would do it with or without approval.
“Don’t,” Noah said.
“Why not?” Milo persisted. “Give me one good reason.”
“I think it will backfire.”
“How?”
“He said he wasn’t ready.”
“And I quote,” Hollis said, “‘I’m going to let this marinate for a bit.’”
“Yeah,” Abby said, “but he was happy to hear from us.” She scratched quote marks in the air with her fingers. “‘I’m glad that you guys reached out.’”
“We haven’t heard from him in eleven days,” Noah countered. “If he wanted to ‘be in touch,’ he would ‘be in touch.’”
“More ‘family stuff,’ no doubt,” Hollis said.
“We all have family stuff.” Milo kept his voice low but gestured for emphasis. “This is family stuff.”
“Okay,” Noah said. “I’m just saying … what if he gets mad? He could cut ties completely.”
“What if he has a heart attack tomorrow?” Abby said. “This could be our only chance to meet him.”
“He’s not going to have a heart attack,” Hollis said.
“How do you know?” Milo said. “People have heart attacks every day.”
“If we go up and introduce ourselves,” Noah said, “that could give him a heart attack.”
“Guys.” JJ was walking back over, holding his camera. “You might want to see something.”
“A heart attack would be tragic irony,” Abby said.
“Can we stop talking about heart attacks?” Noah said. “My point is—”
“I know what your point is,” Milo said. “And you don’t have to—”
“Why are we arguing?” Hollis said. “We’re supposed to be—”
“Yo!”
Everyone looked at JJ.
“You might want to check out Will’s wife.”