Reincarnated As A Wonderkid-Chapter 559: Waiting for Leo.

Alex sat on the floor of the living room. He was trying to build a Lego castle.

Sitting opposite him was Leo. He was four years old now. He was wearing a full Arsenal kit (including shin pads, for some reason) and a cape.

"Daddy," Leo said seriously. "The castle needs a garage."

"Castles don't have garages, Leo," Alex explained, clicking a grey brick into place. "They have stables for horses."

"But where does the Batmobile park?" Leo asked.

"Batman lives in a cave, not a castle."

"Batman lives wherever he wants," Leo stated. "He is rich."

Alex laughed. "Fair point."

The doorbell rang.

"UNCLE MARK!" Leo screamed, abandoning the castle and running to the door.

Mark burst in. He was carrying a cardboard box that smelled of heaven (pizza) and a bag of toys.

"I HAVE ARRIVED!" Mark shouted. "THE PIZZA KING IS HERE! AND I BROUGHT SUPPLIES!"

He dumped the bag on the floor. It was full of foam swords, plastic crowns, and a whoopee cushion.

"Mark," Alex sighed. "You are spoiling him."

"I am educating him!" Mark said, high-fiving Leo. "Lesson one: Always have a sword. Lesson two: Always have pizza."

"Lesson three," Rico said, walking in behind Mark. He was holding a small guitar. "Always have rhythm."

"Uncle Rico!" Leo cheered.

Maya walked in last. She was holding a tablet.

"Statistical analysis of toddler energy levels," Maya said. "Leo is currently at 98% capacity. Expect a crash in approximately 45 minutes after sugar consumption."

"We have 45 minutes of chaos!" Mark yelled. "Let's go to the garden!"

They went outside. The rain had stopped, leaving the grass wet and shiny.

Alex set up the small goalposts.

"Okay," Alex said. "Leo, show me your shooting."

Leo placed the ball. He stepped back. He looked very serious.

He ran up.

He didn't kick it. He did a stepover. Then another. Then he fell over the ball.

"PENALTY!" Leo screamed from the grass.

"Who fouled you?" Alex asked. "The wind?"

"The grass pushed me!" Leo insisted.

Mark blew a whistle (he always carried one). "PENALTY TO ARSENAL! THE GRASS IS SENT OFF!"

Mark ran to a patch of grass and showed it a red card.

"Bad grass!" Mark shouted. "Go to the changing room!"

Rico picked up the guitar. "Penalty music!"

He started playing a dramatic flamenco tune.

Leo stood up. He placed the ball again.

Alex stood in the goal. "Okay, give me your best shot."

Leo ran up. He kicked the ball.

It rolled slowly towards the goal.

Alex pretended to dive. He flailed his arms. He fell dramatically to the left.

The ball rolled into the right corner.

"GOAL!" Leo shouted, running around the garden with his shirt over his head.

"He has the celebration down," Rico laughed.

"He learned from the best," Mark said, posing like a statue.

After the game, they sat on the patio eating pizza.

Leo was covered in tomato sauce. He looked like a happy little monster.

"Daddy," Leo said, chewing on a crust.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"Can I play in the big stadium one day?"

Alex looked at his son. He saw the spark in his eyes. The same spark he had felt as Danein Blake. The same spark he had as Leon Fischer.

"If you want to," Alex said. "But you have to practice. And eat your vegetables."

"And listen to Uncle Mark!" Mark added. "I will teach you how to run so fast your socks catch fire!"

"Please don't set his socks on fire," Maya said.

"Metaphorical fire!" Mark clarified.

Suddenly, Milo appeared over the garden fence. He was wearing a camouflage suit and holding a pair of binoculars.

"THE SCOUT!" Milo whispered loudly. "I AM WATCHING THE TALENT! ALEX! I AM SIGNING HIM UP! TEN YEAR CONTRACT! I WILL PAY HIM IN GUMMY BEARS!"

"Milo, get down from the fence," Alex laughed. "You are scaring the neighbors."

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL!" Milo yelled, falling off the fence into a bush.

Leo laughed hysterically. "Uncle Milo is funny!"

"He is a cartoon character," Alex agreed.

Later that evening, after the chaos had subsided and the "uncles" had gone home, Alex tucked Leo into bed.

The room was filled with soft light from a nightlight shaped like a football.

"Daddy," Leo whispered sleepily.

"Yes, Leo?"

"Did you win all the trophies?"

"Most of them," Alex said.

"Even the space trophy?"

"Not yet," Alex smiled. "Maybe you can win that one."

Leo yawned. "Okay. I will win the space trophy. For you."

Alex kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, champion."

"Night, Daddy."

Alex walked out of the room. He left the door open a crack.

He walked into the living room. Maya was sitting on the sofa, reading a book.

"He is asleep," Alex said.

"Crash predicted at 8:00 PM. Actual time 8:03 PM. Variance within acceptable limits," Maya smiled.

Alex sat next to her.

"He wants to play," Alex said.

"Of course he does," Maya said. "It is in his DNA. Or maybe he just likes kicking things."

"Probably the kicking," Alex laughed.

He looked at the shelf of trophies. The Ballon d'Or. The World Cup.

They were just metal. Cold, hard metal.

But the sound of Leo laughing in the garden? The sight of Mark showing a red card to the grass?

That was real. That was warm.

"I think I'm done," Alex said suddenly.

Maya looked up. "Done with what?"

"Chasing," Alex said. "I have chased ghosts. I have chased records. I have chased perfection."

He looked at the open door of Leo's room.

"I think I just want to enjoy it now. The game. The life."

Maya put her book down. She took his hand.

"Statistically," she said. "Contentment increases life expectancy by 15 percent. It is a logical choice."

"Logic," Alex smiled. "My favorite subject."

He leaned back.

The rain started to tap against the window again. A gentle, London rhythm.

He wasn't Danein Blake anymore. The regret was gone. He wasn't Leon Fischer anymore. The pressure was gone.

He was Alex Finch. Father. Friend. Footballer.

And for the first time in three lifetimes, he didn't need to calculate the next move.

He was exactly where he was meant to be.

"Class dismissed," he whispered to the rain.

But this time, he knew the school would always be there.

Waiting for the next student.

Waiting for Leo.