Next he gave each of the boys a chance to throw the ball, making sure all four had an opportunity to catch at least a few times.When he felt they were as comfortable with the ball as they could get today, he lined them up.“We’re not going to play tackle ball, and we didn’t come prepared to play flag ball, so we’re going to play double touch.”
Four faces frowned at him.Whether they were upset they weren’t getting to tackle or didn’t understand, he wasn’t sure.Most of the teens he knew were way more vocal than these kids.They listened carefully to his explanation, processed it, and tried to repeat it.They were great students, even if they weren’t the most coordinated.But instruction only went so far.The best way to learn football was to play football.
And even if it was with three guys he’d never met before and a handful of eager kids, he was here to play.
“Go.Go.Go.”Amy jumped up and down, clapping and screaming.Doug had thrown the ball directly to the young boy who had almost drowned, and the kid ran as if his feet had wings.Though she suspected Matt and Josh weren’t running quite as fast as they could have, they weren’t exactly hanging back either.Another one of the boys caught up and tapped the kid’s arm twice, stopping the play.
“Yes.”Emily pumped her fist in the air.“First down.”
“And you figured that out how?”Amy had no clue what all the players were doing, but, she thought, if someone ran with the ball, then she should yell something encouraging.Gowas about the only thing she could come up with that made any sense.
“In touch, a second completion is a first down.”
“And that was a second completion.”Though she had intentionally made a statement, it might as well have been a question because Amy didn’t even know what a first down was, never mind a completion.
“I’ve always thought, because of his past,” Emily said, “that Doug is exceptional in helping teens sort through challenges in their lives.But your Ray looks like he’s got the knack for working with kids too.”
My Ray?
“What does he do for a living?”Emily asked.
“Oh.”In all the conversations they’d had over the last three days, Amy couldn’t remember him mentioning what he did.“I don’t think I know.”
“You don’t think?”
“He played football in college and blew out his knee before the NFL draft pick, and majored in history.”
“History?”
“Yeah.I remember because he said he’d wished he’d studied something more practical, but we never got around to what he does now.”
“Can’t think of what else besides teaching that a history degree would be good for.”Emily narrowed her gaze and bobbed her head.“I bet he’s a teacher.And probably a good one.That would certainly explain his rapport with the kids.”
“Maybe.”But teaching seemed very practical to Amy.As close as she felt to Ray, her chest actually hurt at the realization of just how little she knew about him.And just how impossible whatever they had was.
“Looks like they changed the rules.”Emily cupped her mouth and yelled, “Run.”
Amy looked up but wasn’t sure what she was looking at.At the end of the makeshift field, Matt and Josh stood to one side laughing, and all four boys were huddled in a pile.Squinting, Amy watched as each of the boys peeled away and stood by one of the men.Then Doug pushed to his feet, which left only Ray at the bottom of the stack.
Air seized in her chest.His words repeated in her head.I went left, and my knee went right.Silently she counted the seconds, not breathing until, still flat on his back, Ray’s arm shot straight up in the air, his hand gripping the ball.
“What’s going on?”Amy’s gaze remained on Ray.
“Looks like it’s the guys against the boys, and somebody decided tackling is okay.”
She couldn’t stand it anymore.“Why is Ray still on the ground?”
Fingers at her lips, Emily let out an ear-piercing whistle and then hollered, “Yea!”really loud before turning to face Amy.“He probably just got the wind knocked out of him.Anyone would with all those kids on him.”
“And Doug.Don’t forget Doug was in that tangle of arms and legs too.”
“You’re worried.”Emily’s smile slipped; her hand settled on Amy’s elbow.“He’s all right.”
“He has a bad knee.”When Ray sat up, Amy let out a relieved breath.When she saw him laughing, like the rest of the guys, she relaxed, chastising herself for overreacting.
“Look at me.”Emily tapped Amy’s arm again and studied her face.“You really do care.”
Amy glanced at the group of men and boys, laughing and backslapping and tripping each other as they resumed playing positions.“Yeah.I really do.”
