doors of the rec center and am immediately transported back to a time when my world was anything but stable. I breathe through the flash of anxiety that was my life until I went to college. Once the panic passes, a warm bubble blooms in my chest. This place was my safe haven, it’s where I learned to play football, and I can save it. It’s a real full-circle moment and it helps to chase away the momentary panic.
“Can I help you?” a teenage girl with a name tag that reads Wendy asks from the other side of the dingy counter.
“Um … I’m here for the meeting.”
She loops a piece of long, straight blonde hair behind her ear and smacks her gum, then sucks it between her teeth causing it to pop. “Okay.” She gives me a bored stare, still chewing her gum.
Smack.
Smack.
Pop.
Smack.
Smack.
Pop.
“Can you tell me where it is?”
“Oh.” She seems to snap out of her bubble gum coma and points. “It’s in the Landry room, end of the hall.”
“Thanks.”
“It’s already started,” she yells after me as I make my way to the meeting.
I raise my hand, but don’t turn around. “That’s alright.”
The door to the room is open, and I hear Tiger speaking. “I know we’re all disappointed, but I promise, we’ll find a way to get the money. Remember what this rec center stands for—family, community, and unity. I know we can solve this problem if we all work together.”
That’s my cue. I’m a little embarrassed at how satisfying it is to be the hero in this situation. I’d like to say it’s altruistic, but I do like that I’m the one who can fix this and no one else. But before I can show myself to the room, a woman I can’t see shouts, “How could he turn us down like that?”
A heavy sigh comes from Tiger. “Carol, I don’t pretend to know the mind of Cash King. All I know is that we got an email from his foundation two days ago stating that they didn’t approve our grant application.”
What? Suddenly my interaction with Tiger from earlier makes so much more sense. They applied for a grant from my foundation, and it was declined? That can’t be right. Not that I would know firsthand. I leave the running of the charity up to Carlton Hastings. Oh, I don’t let him go off without supervision, I have my accountant go over the books every month, but I can’t be bothered to deal with the day-to-day business. Football takes 100 percent of my focus and time. I do what any good businessman does—I surround myself with smart, trustworthy people, and I delegate.
“Hang on a minute.” It’s my mom. Now I’m hiding behind the door and eavesdropping. “There has to be some kind of mistake. Cash wouldn’t dismiss our request without any explanation.” At least my mother is defending me. “I don’t think he would, anyway.”
“And has he given you a reason, Gracie?” some man asked.
“Well, no. I haven’t been able to talk to him about it.”
Shit. Why hadn’t I answered my mom’s calls? I peek into the room and am struck dumb. The place is full of upset and angry people, and a lot of them are holding signs that say Down with Cash, Cash Sucks, and Cash Who?
“Sonny, this isn’t Gracie’s fault. She’s not to blame for what her son has done, and I don’t want to hear anyone else insinuating that.” Tiger’s red-faced, and I can at least be happy that she’s defending my mother.
Sonny hangs his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Gracie.”
The homecoming queen clears her throat. “Thank you, Sonny. Now, if we could get back to the subject at hand. We have to come up with the money for the lease on the rec center and to make repairs, because the mayor and city council have made it clear that they don’t intend to continue funding the center.” She smiles and it’s like the sun after a spring thunderstorm. “We’ve had a setback, but I know we can solve this if we work together.” Her fingers shuffle through a stack of papers. “I have some ideas—”
“Excuse me.” A woman in the back jumps to her feet. “We should have someone else fill out the grant application and try to resubmit.” The insult to the woman in charge is clear as a bell.
Maggie Lewis, Donny’s wife, stands and points her finger straight at the lady with the suggestion. “There was nothing wrong with the application,