Strong and Steady

“Thanks.” He took the plastic cup and drank half the water, handed it back.

“Do you want to put the Band-Aids on yourself or do you want me to do it?” I knew boys pretty well. They had their own little egos and pride just like the bigger versions. I had to be careful not to mother him too much. Or at least let him think he wasn’t being mothered. “Just so you know, I’m a nurse and work at the emergency room, so I see cuts like these all the time. I probably won’t throw up.”

His face crinkled again. “Gross. You won’t throw up cause you’re a mom.”

I nodded. “Especially because I’m a mom.”

“Then you can do them.”

“Okay, but this first part might sting a little.” I used a wet paper towel to dab at the cuts, then covered one scrape after another, making sure no blood or sore spot was exposed, just as Chris used to want. He flinched at first, but Jackson acted very brave.

“Do you want to call your mom or dad to come pick you up?”

“I live with my uncle and grandfather. So no. I can ride home now.”

“Is your front tire damaged?”

He shook his head, dark curls bouncing. “Thank you for the Band-Aids, Miss Emory.”

“You’re welcome.”

He gave me an awkward side hug then dashed down the steps to his bike.

“Jackson,” I called out.

He looked up at me, all chubby cheeked and happy once again. I’d forgotten that Chris was ever his size.

I held up one finger. “Can you wait just a minute? I have something for you. For riding your bike.”

“Sure.”

I ran inside then to the covered back porch and dug into the basket filled with a variety of sports equipment.

“Here,” I said to Jackson when I returned, going down the front steps. I handed him a bike helmet. “This belonged to my son, but his head’s too big for it now. It’s really important you wear a helmet when you ride a bike. Okay?”

He looked at the blue helmet with a Colorado flag sticker on the side of it. “Wow, cool! Thanks.”

I helped him adjust the straps, so it fit him. It was a little big, but it was better than nothing, and he’d quickly grow into it. “There. If you ever get into trouble again, you can always knock on my door. You can remember it because the door’s red. Okay?” Since the block had about twenty houses and all were identical brick and white trim, I used the colored door as an easy way to indicate to people which one was mine.

He gave me a big grin, a tooth missing on the bottom. “Thanks, Miss Emory!”

I watched him ride off and around the corner, wounds forgotten.

5

EMORY

* * *

Simon and I showed up at the park a little before noon. I didn’t want to seem too eager, and I had to do some serious psyching

up at home to actually go. I'd even chickened out twice. Committing Simon yesterday had been a smart move; I hadn’t been able to back out. There was no way he was going to miss seeing the guy who’d gotten me all flustered. When we’d met on the sidewalk out front, Simon had given me a once over as usual.

I looked down at myself. Because it was hot and we'd be out in the sun, I wore black shorts and a racer-back tank top that was black-and-white stripe on the front and solid red on the back. A pedicure had been my Saturday night excitement, but at least my toes looked good in my flip-flops. I’d pulled my hair back into a ponytail, the shorter curls framing my face. I wore sunglasses and a thick layer of sunscreen. “It’s a flag football game in a park. I can dress myself for that.”

My slight grumbling tone made Simon’s eyebrows go up, but he didn’t push. I could only assume he could tell how out of sorts I was and didn’t want to either make me run back inside and lock the door or start to cry. Not that I had plans for either, but he didn’t know that.

When we got to the park, guys were out on the field running around, the game already started. I didn’t follow football all that much but knew the basics of the game. There was no scoreboard or time clock though, and it looked like a complete free-for-all to me. There were about twenty other spectators along the sidelines, some in folding chairs, others on blankets. Kids ran around chasing each other on the sides of the field, and babies took naps in their strollers, worn out from the heat.