She came to Newhope for that very reason—hope, and I felt something shift at her very first smile. It triggered something primal in me. I wanted to put my hands on her and tell her she’d been brave for so long, but she didn’t have to do it alone anymore.
Even when I’m asleep, I can see her blue eyes and sweet smile. I imagine threading my fingers in both sides of her hair.I imagine curling them and pulling her head back so I can cover her mouth with mine. I imagine bending her over and…
“Do you want to read another book, Daddy?” Kimmie sits up in her bed, blinking at me.
“Ah, no.” I pat her shoulder, holding the blankets so she can slide down again. “Let’s get some sleep.”
I turn off her lamp, and the base of it glows like a pale moon.
Kimmie rolls onto her side, cuddling her stuffed turtles to her chest. “Tell Snappy, Happy, and Earl goodnight!”
“Night, boys.” I give the stuffed cooters pats on the head. “Night, baby. Sweet dreams.”
Going to the door, I leave it open a crack before continuing to my bedroom.
I’m in my bare feet, a T-shirt, and joggers, and I only manage to put one knee on the bed before I let go and fall onto my stomach. I don’t even get under the blankets before I’m sound asleep.
5
Allie
My alarm goes off just as I hear the door close behind Austin. With a groan, I pick up my phone to see it’s 6:45 a.m. I’d meant to get up in time to make him breakfast, but he leaves so dang early during camp.
Rolling out of bed, I grab my thick terry cloth robe off the chair before running to the door. He’s in my small car when I open the door, waving frantically.
“What?” Austin frowns when he sees me, sticking his head out of the open window.
A laugh huffs through my nose, and I tiptoe on bare feet to the car. “Just wanted to tell you bye, I love you, have a good day. Did you get any breakfast?”
“Coach Outlaw always brings Krispy Kreme.”
My lips twist. “Will that hold you?”
Krispy Kremes are fried yeast donuts dipped in sugar glaze. They’re incredibly delicious, but I know how hard they work on the field. Donuts have zero protein.
He exhales, leaning his head against the seat. “I’ll get a hamburger for lunch. I gotta go, Mom.I’m going to be late.”
“Okay.” Reaching out, I give his forearm a squeeze, wondering when my little boy turned into this grumpy, muscled teenager. “I love you.”
His hazel eyes soften, and he nods, giving me the tiniest flash of how he used to be three short years ago. “Love you.”
“I’ll be in the library all day, but maybe I’ll walk over and watch you practice this afternoon?”
He nods, but his face tightens. “Okay.”
That response bothers me. Austin is usually excited for me to watch him play, and I’m worried this is about Levi Powell.
I don’t want to make him late, so I let it go for now, stepping away from the car so he can back out of the driveway.
Dylan will pick me up in an hour or so after she picks up Kimmie from Jack’s house. Then my little helper and I will go on to the library.
No maybes about it, I’m going to see what’s up this afternoon.
“How doyou feel about poetry, Edward?” I stand behind the circulation desk examining the contents of a box of books donated from an estate sale.
He walks over and takes a thin volume from the stack of new books and reads the cover. “The Collected Works of Mary Oliver.”
“Oh, let me see that one!” He hands it to me, and I open the cover, quickly scanning the table of contents. “They have it! Tell me what you think of this.”
