Chapter 61

For the postgame press conference, Quinn dressed carefully, sharply in a black suit with a black turtleneck and black boots. The look matched his mood. Must keep it together, though, he kept willing himself.

Difficult. The questions were interminable, dumber and more unrelenting than on Media Day.

“Is there anyone in particular you’d like to thank?”

“Yes,” he said, “I’d like to thank my teammates. And one more person, who is no longer with us—my Aunt Lena. She delivered me into a brilliant life and I’d like to dedicate my MVP trophy to her.”

There was, however, always one Wicked Fairy at the party.

“Quinn, do you think this championship and your MVP go a long way to dispelling the rumors that the team may still deal you once Lance returns?”

Nothing was ever enough, was it? It wasn’t for his parents. It wasn’t for his surrogate football daddies. It wasn’t for Mal or even Tam. I will never be able to do enough, be enough for anyone, Quinn thought.