exactly qualified to determine their ages, I guessed that they were between eight and twelve years old.
“Is she your girlfriend?” one of the boys asked, sounding a little awed.
A few of the others snickered, and Tristin gave me a smile that bordered on mischievous. He reminded me of Leo so much right then that I double-blinked, certain I was imagining things. “Maybe someday, if I’m lucky.”
The words hung between us, the air thick with a promise I didn’t understand. Before I had a chance to react, he turned back to the boys. “What are we playing today?” A chorus of “football,” “basketball,” and “soccer” rang out, and Tristin chuckled. “Sounds like we need to take a vote.”
After a few minutes of discussion on the topic, the boys decided on basketball and ran off to grab the appropriate gear.
“How much do you know about basketball?” Tristin asked me.
“I know the point is for the ball to go through the hoop.”
He smirked. “I guess I can’t make you the referee, then.”
“I’m probably better off as a spectator.”
He tapped one of my crutches. “Next time, you can play.” Then, he joined the boys, and I made my way over to the bleachers and took a seat.
Tristin was already planning a “next time”? And he’d said that thing about “maybe someday.” I wanted to ask him what the hell was going on with him. On the other hand, I wasn’t sure knowing was such a good idea.
A few minutes later, the boys took the court, their red or blue mesh jerseys indicating their teams. Tristin stood to the side, ready to play referee, but the three boys on the red team immediately began tugging on his arms. “Play with us,” they insisted.
He shook his head, but he gave in so quickly after that, I had a feeling they’d gone through this enough times for it to become a ritual.
I couldn’t help but smile to myself as the game started. Tristin looked like a giant next to the much smaller boys. He moved fluidly across the court, his usual toy soldier posture nowhere in sight.
Although his team had a clear advantage, it was obvious that he made an effort to pass the ball instead of shooting. After fifteen minutes, he changed the teams up and they started over. The games were fun to watch, because the boys were having so much fun. Including Tristin. I hadn’t seen him smile and laugh this much since he was their age.
When they gave up on basketball and started throwing a football around, I decided to check out more of the facility. Down the hall, I found a room filled with round tables and chairs. Children of all ages were working on homework, making crafts, or reading. Several adults were scattered throughout the room, helping out.
The woman Tristin had called Jane approached with a smile. “Is this your first time volunteering?”
“Yes, but I’m really just observing.”
“Well, feel free to join in, if you’d like.” She pointed to a girl who sat by herself in the far corner of the room. “I bet Maria would like some company.”
I nodded and started that way, though I had no idea what I would say to the girl. I hadn’t been kidding when I told Tristin that I hadn’t spent much time around children. Even when I’d been one myself, I’d been a loner. Until I’d met the Sharpe brothers, that was.
When I found Maria hunched over a drawing of a unicorn, I breathed a sigh of relief. This, I could do. “Hi, Maria,” I said gently. “My name is Thea. May I join you?”
She looked up, eyes wide, and nodded.
Taking the chair across from hers, I picked up a blank piece of construction paper and a package of colored pencils from the middle of the table. “I like your unicorn. Does she have a name?”
She shook her head.
Okay, so, she wasn’t much of a talker. I could relate.
Since most of the pencils were dull, I selected the untouched brown and black ones from the package and got to work. We drew in silence for about ten minutes before Maria’s soft voice drifted to me. “How did you do that?”
I glanced down at my paper, where the adorable face of a dog with long, silky hair was taking shape. “Lots of practice, mostly.” When she stared at me blankly, I offered, “Do you want me to show you?”
Maria nodded, so I maneuvered to the chair next to hers and picked up a new