“No. Not ready to see them together. Just call me later and tell me what happened.” He sighed, “Love you.”
“Okay.” I clicked off the cell, refusing to give him more than I already had.
“SO, HE’S A REAL LIVEOlympic star like Usain Bolt?” Elle practically bounced in the back seat. “I wish E could be here with me.”
“Another time," I promised. "Mr. Jameson asked to see only you so he can give you tips about running. Besides, E’s just as happy that Grandma is taking him to get Boba tea.”
I didn't explain to my mother where I was taking Elle, but told her we would talk later tonight after the children were asleep. I needed my mother's guidance and understanding, and not her judgment.
Her legs swung back and forth from the booster seat. She was small for her age and hated that Ethyn was so much bigger and taller. “You think he will be my coach? E says I run real fast. So does Daddy.”
“When did he see you run?” I’d just discovered last Saturday that she could run. I hadn’t realized Carter had seen her, too.
“The other night, when you were in the shower. I showed him I could run in the hallway. He looked shocked, Mama.” She giggled.
Probably like I did. “Elle, you’re not supposed to run the house.”
“But it’s so big and has a lot of space. Daddy lets us do it all the time.”
“He does? Well, guess Daddy and I need to have a conversation.” He probably was caught up in ESPN while the children ran rampant.
“No, Mama. No more arguing. I won’t run in the house again. I promise.” I checked the rearview mirror, and her light brown, chubby face had reddened.
“It’s all right, my Evening Star. I’m not mad at you or Daddy.” I glanced through the mirror, gauging her reaction. “Sometimes parents argue. There’s nothing to be worried about.”
She met my concerned gaze through the mirror. “I heard Daddy talking to Grandma, telling her he was afraid you would leave him.”
Fuck. “I was mad with Daddy because we were supposed to take a trip, and he had to go to work instead. I’m not leaving him.”Yet.
“Okay.” Her large brown puff swayed when she nodded with a soft smile.
“Okay. Enough talk about Daddy. Let’s go see if Mr. Jameson wants to coach you.”
She clapped her hands. “Yeah, Mama!”
A few minutes later, we parked and headed to the track toward the back of the beautiful sprawling campus. Just walking to Drake Stadium, where the track was located, was enough exercise for the week.
When we finally arrived at the track, sweaty and tired, I spotted Grey with several runners. He wore a thin red tracksuit as he instructed the two women. He smiled as he demonstrated with his arms how he expected them to run. The two women nodded and started running around the track. Grey looked over his shoulder and waved at us, though his focus was on Elle.
She looked up at me. “Can I, Mama?”
“Yes,” I replied, and she ran to Grey as fast as her legs could carry her, already ready to impress him. I teared up when he raised his hands for her to jump and high-five him. A form of praising that Elle loved the most. I approached them slowly, watching their interaction. Elle talked animatedly, hands flying as she explained whatever he’d asked of her, while Grey stared with an admiring smile.
Elle grabbed my hand and moved me closer to Grey. “Mama, he told me that I probably run faster than he did at my age.”
“That’s a fact because I beat him,” I teased, feeling joyful that Elle and Grey were together in the same space.
Elle’s eyes widened. “You beat him? I never even saw you run.”
Grey chimed in. “We were kids, and it was a lucky break because your mother hated any form of exercise.”
“I learned to like it when I got older.”
Elle’s eyes sparkled. “Daddy makes her exercise. She really hates it, Mr. Jameson.”
He blinked back tears and nodded as I apologized silently. Grey kneeled to be at eye level with Elle, and she squealed. “Mama, his eyes change colors like mine. Isn’t it cool?” She asked Grey.
Grey chuckled. “Never thought about it. I guess it is cool. I think it’s cooler that our eyes are alike,andwe both like to run.” He held his hand out to her. “We didn’t formally introduce ourselves. I’m Grant Jameson, a four-time Olympic Gold Medalist. My friends and family call me Grey. Tell me about who you are?”
