Olivia drops her head slightly and lets out a small sigh. “Yeah, I guess.”

“That didn’t sound convincing. What’s wrong?”

“I’m just nervous is all.” She shrugs.

“About starting at a new school?” Po Po asks.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just my dad is putting all this pressure on me for soccer tryouts when the school year starts. He wants me to make varsity. I just feel like my chances of that are low. I’m just a freshman.”

I reach under the table and grab her knee. She puts her hand on top of mine and squeezes but never takes her eyes off Po Po.

“Hmm. And do you want to make varsity?” she asks.

Olivia’s brows furrow and she shifts uncomfortably in her seat before she bites down on her bottom lip the way she does when she’s deep in thought. She’s been pushing herself and her body to the limit to keep up with her dad’s demands, but I don’t think she’s ever stopped to consider what it is she wants.

“I…I think I do.” She pauses to reconsider. “Yeah, I do. It would be so cool to make varsity, and I think it would help me get noticed by college scouts. But still, the chances of making it—”

I cut her off, saying, “Hey.”

Her eyes fly to mine, shocked at my interruption and my tone. I give her knee another squeeze to reassure her. “Do we need the mirror again?” I start to hold up my hand but she grabs it and holds it in her lap with a laugh. “If making varsity is what you want then you’ll do that because you’re just that good. One of these days you’re gonna have to accept how ridiculously talented you are. And if you change your mind and you don’t want it then that’s fine too. Do what makes you happy and forget everyone else.”

“Even you?”

“I’m always gonna root for the thing that makes you happy so we’ll never be at odds, but if we ever are then I stand by what I said, yes.”

She doesn’t say anything but she doesn’t have to. The look on her face tells me how much she needed my words, how much she appreciates them and me. Nothing I said is new. I’ve told her before how talented she is and how hard I ride for her, but she needs reminders and I get that. When the two people who are supposed to be your first source of unconditional love and support deprive you of that, it’s easy to forget your worth. So I’ll remind her as much as I need to until my love outweighs their neglect.

Kylie blows out a raspberry with her lips. “Ugh, eew. They’re about to do that nasty kissy stuff.”

Po Po snickers and winks at me before taking Kylie to the kitchen to start cooking, and Olivia and I do the nasty kissy stuff for a minute before we join them.