Between Sundays (11 page)

“Hmmm.” Mr. Bond looked uncomfortable, like he had a rock in his shoe or something. “I hadn’t heard about that.” He frowned in a way that was mean again. “I guess you should come back up after the game. I’m sure your name’s on his list, if he invited you.”

Cory couldn’t wait to be out of the small room and back on the cement walkway toward the elevator. “What a creep!” he whispered to Megan when the guys closed the door to the room. “He didn’t like us.”

Megan laughed. “I don’t think he was expecting us.”

“Still…” Cory took long steps to keep up with her. “He didn’t have to be rude.”

“No. That’s the way some people are when they’re around someone famous. They start to think they’re better than everyone else.”

“That’s stupid.”

“Don’t say stupid.” She kept her eyes straight ahead, ’cause they were almost at the elevator. “It’s not something your mother would want you to say. Me neither.”

Megan was right. “Sorry. It’s just”—he followed her into the elevator—“everyone’s the same. So no one should think they’re better.”

When they were back with the crowds of people, Megan bought them each big, juicy hot dogs and giant cokes, and when they walked to their seats, Cory couldn’t believe it! They were down so close to the field, he could see the looks on the faces of the 49ers. They were warming up on the field, and he could see if they looked frustrated or if they laughed about something. They were so close he felt like he was part of the team, practically.

He scanned the group, and then he pointed. “There he is.” He shaded his eyes, because the baseball cap wasn’t enough in this sun. “It’s Aaron, Megan! Look!”

“I see him.” She sounded calmer than him. But she was a grown-up, so that was okay.

For a minute, he stopped stone still on the steps and watched every move Aaron made. He wanted to jump around and wave until Aaron noticed him, but that probably wouldn’t happen. ’Cause Aaron thought he was sitting up in the box.

“Come on, Cory. People are trying to get to their seats.”

“Sorry.” He followed Megan down one of the rows and they sat down. “Wow!” He pulled his baseball cap low and shaded his eyes again so he could look way up high to the glass windows of the box seats. “This is tons better than up there.” He took a big breath. “You can breathe down here.”

Megan smiled. “I agree.”

Cory grinned. He liked Megan more all the time. Sometimes she was so much like his mom that he almost forgot she wasn’t her.

The stadium was filling up, and Cory sat on the edge of his seat. He didn’t want to miss a single thing, like the marching band, which was coming out onto the field.

Pretty soon the team jogged back to the bench and Aaron and Derrick Anderson moved close to the first row. They put some space between them and threw a pair of balls to a couple of receivers. “They’re warming up!” Cory pointed at them. “Just like in high school.”

“I see that.” Megan asked to borrow the program of the woman sitting beside her. She began looking through it, as if she wasn’t too concerned about the warm-up process.

Loud trumpets filled the stadium, and the marching band took the field. There were drummers and trumpeters and flute players and big horn-type things. Everyone stayed all together, one foot after another, just like on TV. “It looks bigger in person, the whole band out there on the field.” He had to shout so Megan could hear him. “See, don’t you think it looks bigger?”

Megan finished looking at the program book, and she handed it back to the lady. “Yes,” she leaned her head close to his. “It’s all very big and loud. Much more than on TV.”

The band stopped at the middle of the field, and then a big voice told them to stand for the national anthem. A heavy kid in a nice suit and tie came over to a platform and someone gave him a microphone. Cory could see all of it, just as it was happening. The boy didn’t look that old, but he could sing like someone on
American Idol
. Cory put his hand over his heart, and he thought of his mom up in heaven watching this, and suddenly he felt tears in his eyes and he wasn’t even sure why.

No, he did know why. ’Cause this was the happiest day in his whole life.

When the song was almost done, the most amazing thing happened. Streaking jet fighter planes zoomed over the stadium. They were so fast and loud, Cory’s heart skipped a beat, and he gasped. “Wow!” He couldn’t say it enough. When the planes passed and he could hear again, he felt his eyes get perfectly round and he looked at Megan. “Wow! Did you see that? Those were jet fighters. Probably keeping us safe for the game!”

Megan laughed a little, but the loud voice was talking again and Cory couldn’t hear what she said. The coin toss happened, and San Francisco won. “They’ll receive, I know they will.” He bounced in his seat, and he was right. The 49ers would have the ball first!

Aaron was talking to Coach Cameron, nodding his head and looking very serious. After a few seconds, he turned and jogged out to the field where the rest of the offense was waiting for him. From the huddle he looked back at the coaches one more time, and it almost seemed like he was looking straight up at Cory.

Dad,
Cory thought…
You’re really my dad. Thank You, God, for hearing my mom’s prayers all those times. I can’t believe it’s really happening.

Aaron’s first pass was a completion to one of the veteran receivers, the guy who was injured last year. “See!” Cory clapped his hand against Megan’s knee. “I knew he’d be okay this year. I knew it!”

Six more plays, and on third and eight, Aaron threw a pass to the same receiver, right in the corner of the end zone. Cory was on his feet. “Touchdown!” He jumped around and high-fived Megan. “Touchdown, 49ers!”

Once the fans all settled back into their seats, Cory remembered his hot dog. It tasted better than any hot dog ever in his whole life, and by the time he finished it, Aaron had thrown a second touchdown pass. Just like their first preseason game, by halftime San Francisco was so far ahead, Coach Cameron took Aaron out of the game and put in Derrick Anderson. Cory was glad, because Derrick was a great player and a nice guy. Plus, how many teams had two quarterbacks who could win a game? Derrick kept things at a little slower pace, and in the end, the 49ers won 24 to 3. Like the man on the escalator said, the best team definitely won.

It took ten minutes to walk along with the crowd and find their way back to the elevator. This time they went up to the empty walkway, and when they reached the small room, there were four other guys with suits standing around talking. A TV set hung from the ceiling—something Cory hadn’t noticed before.

“Let’s stay out here,” Megan came close so just Cory could hear her. “We might breathe a little better.”

Cory giggled. Just then, one of the guys in the room stepped out and smiled at Megan. “You must be friends of Aaron’s?”

“Yes.” Megan looked uncomfortable, as if maybe they should’ve stayed down in the outside seats a while longer. “New friends.”

Mr. Bond seemed to hear that part. He gave Megan a look, and then turned back to the men he was already talking to.

The friendly guy waved them into the box. “Come on, there’s a tray of hot cookies in here.”

Even with the hot dog and pop, Cory was still hungry. He raised his eyes at Megan, and she waited a few seconds. “Okay. Get a cookie, then come out here.”

He skipped down the stairs, and the man was right. A tray of the biggest chocolate chip cookies ever was waiting right on the counter. They were still warm! He took two and a napkin, then he thought a minute and took a third. In case Megan wanted some. He was still getting the cookies balanced in his hands when someone walked up beside him.

He lifted his eyes and his breath caught in his throat. It was Mr. Bond, and he didn’t look happy. “Hi.” Cory tried a smile, but it didn’t feel very strong.

“Hello.” The man leaned against the counter and stared straight at Cory. “So, uh, how exactly do you know Aaron?”

“We met a few weeks ago.” Cory was never afraid of anything, and right now he had to remind himself about that. He stood straighter and lifted his chin. “At the Mission Youth Center.”

The man looked a little less mean at that information. “So, what…Aaron singled you out of all those kids and asked you to be his guest today? Is that it?”

Cory looked over his shoulder, but he couldn’t see Megan. She was probably up the stairs on the empty cement sidewalk, waiting for him. He turned to the man again. “Not exactly.” Megan didn’t want him to talk about Aaron being his dad. But this guy was getting on his nerves. “I guess I was special to him.”

Mr. Bond narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“Because…” He licked his lower lip and took a step back.
Be brave, Cory, be brave.
He stuck out his chest. “Because I wrote him a letter and Derrick Anderson gave it to him.”

“A fan letter?” The man looked very suspicious this time. Like when his teacher caught Zoe Walters cheating off Cory’s paper in math last week. “You wrote him a fan letter, so he invited you to sit in his box?”

Cory needed air. He took a breath, but it didn’t seem to help. There was only one way to get the guy off his back. He pulled the cookies to his chest. “I think it was more ’cause of what I told Aaron in the letter.”

“What’d you tell him?” The other men were all talking to each other. No one even looked their way or tried to interrupt.

So Cory had no choice this time. He didn’t blink. “I told him he was my dad.”

Until that moment, Mr. Bond had a sort of tan type of face. But now his mouth opened up, and little by little his face turned gray. Like maybe he was going to pass out. “Listen, kid.” He made his words small and tight and angry and threatening. “Don’t ever say that again, you hear me? Aaron Hill has no children.” He hissed the words, quiet so no one else could hear. “Don’t ever tell a lie like that again, do you understand?”

That’s when Cory realized something. He didn’t need to stand here and explain himself to Mr. Bond. He knew the truth and so did his mother, and so did Aaron Hill. That’s why they were his guests today. Instead of saying anything back, he took his cookies and the napkin, and marched past Mr. Bond and out the door. To the place beside Megan, where finally he could do what he hadn’t been able to do once inside the small room.

He could breathe.

M
egan was just about to give up on the idea that Aaron was ever going to meet them, when she heard commotion at the far end of the hall. Trailed by a few of his linemen, Aaron appeared, and she could tell by his expression that he was looking for them.

Cory spotted him at the same time, and he ran to meet him. “Great game!” He gave Aaron a side hug. Aaron gave Cory a quick glance, then did the same, but it didn’t last long.

“Thanks.” He was dressed in dark jeans and a neatly pressed light blue buttoned down shirt. He looked past Cory to Megan. Their eyes met and held for a long instant. “Megan…Did you like the box?”

“Well…”

They were closer now, and Megan crossed her arms. That’s when she saw it. There was a striking resemblance between Aaron and Cory. She dismissed the idea. How could she keep the boy grounded if she allowed herself to fall into his fantasy? She smiled politely at Aaron. “Actually…we took a couple tickets from your agent. Closer to the field.”

“Perfect.” He grinned at Cory. “I like the view better from down there too.”

Three of the linemen stopped, curious looks on their faces. “Come on, Hill, introduce us.” The biggest guy, a black man with a shiny bald head, grinned at her. “You keep all the pretty ones to yourself.”

Cory was still stuck to Aaron’s side, but now Aaron stepped away and put his hand on Megan’s shoulder. “This is Megan Gunn. I met her at the youth center.” Again he held her eyes.

“Hello.” Megan made a subtle move away from Aaron, and he dropped his hand. She wasn’t sure what to make of Aaron’s attention. She smiled at the lineman and shook his hand. But at the same time she spotted Bill Bond, Aaron’s agent. He was standing just outside Aaron’s box, glaring at her, listening to every word. She focused on Aaron’s teammate again. “Great game!”

“Thank you. If I’d known you were watching, I woulda been more nervous.” He looked at Cory. “And who are you?”

Not now, God…please. Make him keep it simple.
She held her breath.

“I’m Cory.” He bit his lip and nodded at Megan. “She’s my mom.”

They made small talk with the three linemen for a few minutes, and then Aaron took gentle hold of Megan’s arm and led her toward the steps to his box. “Okay, guys. Enough. They’re my guests.”

She didn’t like the way he had a hold of her, as if she were his property. But she didn’t pull away, didn’t want to make a scene. Aaron’s teammates made a few more teasing remarks, and then bid goodbye to Megan and Cory. As they left, Aaron put his face near hers. “Now you get to meet the suits. It won’t take more than a few minutes.”

Megan wanted to say that she could pass. She’d already met two of them and she wasn’t impressed. But making an issue out of the moment would only take longer. They spent the next five minutes mingling with the men in suits, and during that time she watched Bill Bond pull Aaron aside. Throughout their whispered conversation, Mr. Bond didn’t look happy.

Whatever. If Aaron’s agent didn’t like him associating with people he’d met at the youth center, so be it. She held her head high and kept her attention on Cory, and whatever person was in front of her. Finally, Aaron broke free of the discussion with his agent, and he motioned to Megan. “Let’s go.”

She was more than ready. On the way out of the stadium, Aaron didn’t act any differently. Whatever his agent had told him, he wasn’t letting it change his plans for the evening. The three of them headed into the players’ parking lot, and Aaron led them to a jet-black Hummer.

“Wow!” Cory ran ahead and then stopped a few feet shy of the vehicle. “Is this really yours?”

“Yep.” Aaron pulled his keys from his pocket. He stopped and admired the vehicle. “It gets me around.”

“I’ve never even been this close to a real Hummer!” Cory waited until Aaron opened the door. Then he climbed into the backseat.

Aaron led the way around to the passenger side. He stood a little too close to Megan. “So you had fun?”

“I did.” She wasn’t impressed by his chivalry, but as he held her door open she couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit attracted. No wonder so many girls fell for him. She stepped into the car, and the smell of leather surrounded her.

On the way to the restaurant, Cory chattered on the whole time, breaking down the game one play at a time. Twice, Aaron looked at her and grinned.

“He’s excited,” she whispered.

“I know.” He kept his eyes on the road. “It’s fine. But later…I hope there’s time to get to know you better.”

The comment dissolved her attraction. She’d been right; he was hitting on her. That’s why the invitation to the game and dinner. He couldn’t care less what Cory said, as long as he had the chance to get to know her.

Megan steeled herself. She’d make her lack of interest known as soon as she had the chance.

They drove to a diner not far from Nob Hill. Megan didn’t have to ask if that’s where Aaron lived. Anyone in the city knew that much. The restaurant was small, only four tables and a drive-thru window, but Aaron seemed to know the older couple who ran it. Megan hadn’t thought about it before, but life as Aaron Hill wasn’t as glamorous as it might seem. He probably ate at small family-run places like this so that he could finish a meal without being asked for an autograph.

Halfway through their burgers, a group of teenage boys came in and almost immediately, recognized Aaron. He spent the next ten minutes signing autographs and posing with one or two of them while the others snapped pictures with their cell phones.

When the boys had their food and were gone, Megan looked at him. “Is it like that often?”

A slight laugh came from him. “All the time.” He gave her a look that said he didn’t mind. “Goes with the territory.”

They talked about the upcoming away game at Denver and the one after that in San Diego. Megan was waiting for him to ask about her personally, but he kept the conversation light. Maybe he already sensed her resistance.

“So.” Cory sucked on his straw, slurping up a mouthful of chocolate shake. “Who stays at your house when you’re on the road?”

Megan felt a wave of panic. Cory would only ask the question for one reason. He was fishing, doing the one thing she’d told him not to do. She shot him a look that ordered him not to take the conversation one step further.

“No one most of the time.” Aaron picked at his french fries. “I have a housekeeper, and she has her own key. That’s about it.”

Cory must’ve caught her message, because he switched topics again, this time talking about Coach Cameron and how important the season was if he wanted to stay with the 49ers.

Megan didn’t mind that the conversation centered mostly around Cory, but she wished the night were over. Where could it possibly lead?

When they finished eating, Aaron drove them back to their apartment. Megan didn’t care if he saw how they lived. She was much too independent to worry what people thought of her or her low-income housing. She was doing the best she could.

“Wanna come up and see Oreo?” Cory’s enthusiasm hadn’t dimmed all night. “He’s our cat. He’s a 49ers fan too.”

“Cory, I’m sure Mr. Hill has to get back home.” She could sense Aaron next to her starting to protest. “Besides, we have to go over your spelling words.” She turned to Aaron and held out her hand. “Thanks for a wonderful day. Cory enjoyed it very much.”

“You can call me Aaron.” He looked disappointed, and slightly dazed. He took her hand, but instead of shaking it, he held it. His eyes lifted to the apartment building outside and then back at her. “And yeah, if Cory has homework, then, sure. You better go.”

Her heart reacted strangely to the feel of her hand in his, especially for so long. A part of her wanted to stay there beside him. But common sense had something to say about the situation, so she eased her fingers from him and uttered a nervous laugh. “Maybe we’ll see you at the youth center.”

“Hey, wait.” He fumbled around the center console until he found a pen. Then he dug into another compartment and pulled out a pad of sticky notes. “Can I get your number? Maybe we can have dinner sometime?”

“You already have it!” Cory poked his head between the two front seats. “Remember? It’s at the bottom of my letter.”

Aaron’s eyes showed his surprise. He hesitated for a second or two. “Of course.” He cast a weak smile at Cory. “I almost forgot.”

Cory put his arm around Aaron’s shoulders. “This was the best day in my whole life. Thanks so much.”

“You’re welcome.” Again Aaron’s expression was slightly uncomfortable. As if he didn’t quite know what to make of Cory’s behavior. Cory slid across the seat and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Aaron turned a sheepish look toward Megan. “I really want to see you again.”

Her, not Cory. A sudden anger consumed her. She lowered her chin and aimed her gaze straight at Aaron. “Well, then…Mr. Hill…I guess you might want to read his letter.”

He did a short laugh. “Wait a minute…I read it a few weeks ago. I already told him back when—”

She held up her hand. “Don’t lie to me, Mr. Hill. And don’t lie to that little boy.” She kept her tone kind and gracious, but she could see her words were hitting him hard. “You can fool him, but you can’t fool me. You haven’t read his letter.” She opened the door and gave him a final look. “I’m pretty sure we’ll all know when you actually do.” She stepped onto the ground. Her smile was the type reserved for annoying customers at Bob’s Diner. “Thanks, again. Cory wasn’t kidding. This was the best day of his life.”

With that, she turned and took Cory’s hand. They were through the apartment door and halfway up the stairs before Megan exhaled. She was right about Aaron Hill, and she couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t interested in Cory at all. For whatever reason, he’d taken a liking to her. Whether he was a banker or a pro football player, it didn’t matter. The feeling wasn’t mutual. Because for all his kindness and manners tonight, he’d broken Megan’s cardinal rule. He’d lied to a child. And not just any child either. Because Cory never belonged to Aaron Hill, no matter what Amy had told the boy, and no matter how much they looked alike. He belonged to her.

The way he always would.