“I’m trying to help.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“What if Ryan does?”
“He doesn’t.”
“Jake, you needn’t feel threatened by me. I’m not trying to replace or supplant you. There’s room for us both.”
“No, there isn’t. Butt out.” Jake turned away, strode down the corridor, and turned the corner into the noisy gym just as the Chasers were being introduced. Ryan was second in line, shifting his weight from one sneaker to the other and eyeing the bleachers where they’d told him they’d be sitting. Jake waved at him, but Ryan didn’t see, so he hurried down the sidelines behind the team benches, which were separated from each other by a long metal table that held reporters sitting in front of open laptops.
He reached their bleacher section, which had filled in completely, with parents, kids, and students sitting shoulder-to-shoulder. He scanned the crowd for Deaner, and made his way to Pam, who was standing up with everybody else, clapping. He took his place to stand beside her, and she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Perfect timing!”
“Yes, right.” Jake had to put a stop to her talking to Dr. Dave, game or no game. It was too risky, especially today. “Honey, Dr. Dave found me.”
“Good. Did you talk to him?”
“Why did you tell him that Ryan and I had a fight?”
“He’s worried about Ryan.” Pam kept her eyes on the court, but leaned over and answered, to be heard over the crowd noise.
“Ryan’s sick, that’s all. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Dr. Dave thinks it’s more. He asked me if there was anything that happened recently that could have bothered him, and I told him about the big fight you guys had.”
“It wasn’t that big a fight.”
Pam scoffed, keeping her attention on the court. “You made him cry, Jake. He never cries. So it was a big fight.”
Jake couldn’t believe the irony. He was getting in trouble over a fight he didn’t even have. “Don’t you think that’s something that should be kept between us?”
“No, why?” Pam glanced over, puzzled, then turned back to the court. The Cardinals had been introduced, and the announcer was asking everyone to face the flag for the national anthem.
“It’s our business, not his.”
“Don’t be silly. It doesn’t matter if he knows. Parents fight with kids all the time.” Pam put her hand over her heart when the anthem started playing, and she began to sing loudly, in her characteristically pretty soprano.
“It matters to me.” Jake put his hand on his chest, sang the national anthem, and when everybody burst into applause, he leaned over to Pam. “Honey, do me a favor. Don’t encourage Dr. Dave’s snooping into our personal life.”
“He’s not snooping.” Pam looked at him like he was crazy, then faced the court, where the team captains, referees, and coaches were gathering at the center.
“These things aren’t any of his business.”
“He’s a friend of ours, a friend of our family’s.” Pam stopped clapping, and Jake could see he was getting her attention.
“Please, let’s keep the conversation with him to basketball, not our family life. We already had therapy. We don’t need more.”
Pam frowned. “What did you say to him?”
“I told him Ryan was fine and I could handle it.”
“What does that mean?”
“I told him to butt out.”
“Youdid?” Pam’s lips parted in dismay. “You said that? Jake, how could you? Why?”
