Between Sundays (8 page)

“I saw it too.” The voice was familiar.

Cory looked up and his mouth hung open. It was Aaron Hill. His father had left his seat up front and come to his rescue!

“Those bigger guys cut in front.” Aaron looked at the older guys. He smiled, but his voice was serious. “You shouldn’t pick on kids smaller than you. Didn’t anyone teach you that?”

The boys looked stunned too. Cory wanted to laugh. They probably never figured they’d be getting a talking-to from Aaron Hill before the night was over. The director had no choice now. She took a step back and pointed the older kids to the back of the gym. When they were gone, she looked at Cory. “Next time someone upsets you, tell a volunteer.”

Cory wanted to say that telling a volunteer would never have worked. Because he woulda had to get out of line to tell someone, and then he wouldn’t get his place back. Even if he was right. But he had the sense this wasn’t the time to say that. Instead, he gulped and gave a quick nod. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Very well.” The director smiled at Aaron. “Thank you for stepping in.”

The kids who had been in front of Cory were talking with Derrick and Jay Ryder. Megan put her hand on Cory’s back and looked at Aaron. “Thank you.” She sounded very professional. Not fun like usual. “Cory’s waited…a long time to talk to you.”

“I know.” Aaron put his hand on Cory’s shoulder. “Last week he sent me a letter through my teammate Derrick.”

If Cory could’ve frozen time, if he could’ve blinked and made all of life stop right at this very point, he would’ve. Because all his life he wondered what it would be like to feel his dad’s touch. And now…with all the kids racing through the gym and grabbing slices of pizza, he finally knew. Suddenly he realized what Aaron had said and he gasped. “You mean, you read it? I knew it!” He grinned at Megan. “I knew that’s why he was here.”

Aaron laughed, but not the sort of laugh like when something was funny. He faced Cory and held out his hand. “I’m Aaron Hill, Cory. Nice to meet you. Officially.”

Officially. Cory liked that. He shook the man’s hand and again he felt the connection, the feeling only a father could give. He returned the shake. “Nice to meet you.” He wasn’t sure what to call him. Maybe it was a little soon for “Dad.” “Aaron” didn’t sound exactly right either. Because no one called a father by his first name, right? So he didn’t use any name at all, and that felt like a good decision.

Then, before he could ask Aaron what he thought of the letter or whether all the stuff inside was a total surprise or how long he had loved Cory’s mother, Aaron Hill did a funny thing. He turned to Megan and held out his hand again. “You must be Cory’s foster mom.”

She took his hand, but she took a step back at the same time. And she released his fingers right away. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Hill.”

“Aaron.” He smiled. “You can call me Aaron.”

“Very well.” She angled her head. “Kicker, right?”

Cory couldn’t believe his ears. Megan knew every player at every position on the 49ers. She’d been a fan even before Cory was born, that’s what she said. So how come she was acting like she didn’t know? Just then she gave him a look that was fast and clear. Whatever she was doing, he wasn’t allowed to ask her about it. Not here and now.

“Uh…” Aaron did another soft laugh. “Actually, I’m the quarterback.”

“Oh, right.” Megan nodded. “You back up Derrick Anderson, right?”

Cory watched the conversation through wide eyes.

Aaron opened his mouth, probably to explain that it was the other way around. Because he was the starter, not Derrick. Then he smiled and nodded, real slow like. “Okay…yeah.”

Neither of them was making sense. Cory tapped on Aaron’s arm, real polite like. “You coulda called me. I gave you the number at the bottom of the letter.”

For a few seconds, Aaron looked confused. Then he crouched down so he was more at Cory’s level. “I figured I’d see you here.” He held up his hands. “And now it all worked out.”

It all worked out? The room started to spin and Cory’s whole mind raced like the hundred-yard dash. So he read the letter and he believed every word? It all worked out, meaning he was here to claim his role as Cory’s father? Was that what he was saying?

The line was just about finished, and the remaining kids were all around Derrick and Jay. Cory had Aaron all to himself, but just then, the director asked for quiet because she had to do the drawings.

Aaron held up his finger. “Just a minute. This is my part.” He jogged over to the director, and one at a time he picked five names. Five lucky kids. But Cory’s name wasn’t one of them. When Aaron was done, he came back and looked right at Cory. “You didn’t win, huh?”

“No.” Cory didn’t want to sound sad. No one liked a spoilsport. That’s what Megan always said. “I’ll win one of these days.” He said that because it was the right thing to say. But inside, he was hoping Aaron would have a different idea. Because he was Cory’s dad, after all.

Aaron smiled at Megan. “How ’bout you two come to the next game as my guests? We’re home against the Raiders a week from tomorrow.”

“The Raiders?” Now Cory was sure he must’ve died and gone to heaven. Three weeks ago if someone would’ve told him he’d be standing in the youth center getting invited to the 49ers game against the Raiders by none other than Aaron Hill, he wouldn’t have believed it. Not for a minute. His throat was dry, and he tried to swallow. “We’d love to.” He turned a quick look to Megan. “Right?”

Megan looked only mildly interested. “I’m off that day.” She shifted her attention to Aaron. “Thank you, Mr. Hill. How should we get the tickets?”

Cory couldn’t understand why Megan wasn’t being nice to Aaron. Maybe it was because of the adoption thing. She couldn’t adopt him unless Aaron said it was okay. But all that was too much to think about right now. All that mattered was Aaron, here, right here where he was always supposed to be! He’d read the letter and now he wanted Cory and Megan to go to a game as his guests!

Aaron found one of the raffle tickets and turned it over. “Give me your address. I’ll send the package overnight. You’ll have it by Monday.”

Megan didn’t look happy, but she gave him their address. “We’ll do our best to make it, Mr. Hill. Your offer’s very kind.”

Cory waited for Aaron to correct her. He already asked Megan to call him Aaron. But he only smiled at her. “After the game maybe we can go out for burgers.”

Her look got a little stronger. “All this because you read Cory’s letter?”

He looked a little embarrassed. “I guess it really touched me.”

“Yeah.” She thought about that for a few seconds. “That’s what I figured.” She nodded at him the way she looked at the cat when he missed the litter box. Then she took a step back. As she did, she took hold of Cory’s arm and gently led him away from Aaron. “Cory has to help with cleanup.”

For an instant, Cory thought Aaron was going to offer to help too, but just then Derrick and Jay Ryder came up. Aaron seemed to realize he wasn’t here by himself, and that Cory and Megan weren’t the only people in the room.

“Time to go.” Derrick patted Aaron on the back. Then he waved at Cory. “Good to see you again.”

“Thanks.” Cory smiled at him and then at Jay. “I’m Cory.” He held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too.” Jay shook his hand. “Fun night, huh?”

Cory’s heart was still doing somersaults. “The best ever!”

Aaron was looking at Megan and there was something funny in his eyes. “I’ll be seeing you.” He held one hand up toward Cory. “High five?”

Even though Megan still had hold of his arm, Cory stretched and high-fived Aaron. “See you next Saturday.”

“See you then.” Aaron smiled at him, but once more he looked at Megan. “I’m looking forward to it.”

She nodded, more at Derrick and Jay than at Aaron. Then she turned Cory around and walked him to the kitchen. Cory waited until they were behind the swinging door before he tugged on her sleeve. “Megan?”

She groaned and he heard the tiredness in her voice. “What?”

“Why’d you ask if he was the kicker?” Cory was worried about her. If she was having trouble remembering that detail, maybe something was wrong with her brain.

She looked a little angry at first, but then that look went away and her face was soft again. “I was just playing around.” She leaned in and kissed Cory’s cheek. “It’s good for big shots to be humbled once in a while.” Megan kept on toward the double sinks. There weren’t many dishes; pizza wasn’t that messy. A few cutters and the salad forks and bowls from the serving table. That was all.

Cory tagged along behind, but he was confused. Making Aaron feel humble didn’t seem like a very nice thing for Megan to do. “So, are you, like, you know, mad at Aaron for some reason?”

“No.” She rolled up her sleeves and turned on the water. Then she looked at him. “I have my doubts about him, okay? That’s all.”

“Why would you have doubts?” Cory took his place next to her at the sink. He scooped up a handful of forks and put them in a bowl of sudsy hot water. “Aaron read my letter, he came here to meet me. And now he wants us to go to the Raiders game as his guests.”

“I know.” She sounded tired again. “I’m sorry, Cory. You’re happy, I know that. I don’t want to spoil your night.”

“Good.” He swished the forks around in the water. His voice got a little quieter. “My mom prayed about this night all my life. Ever since I was born.” He stopped swishing. “That’s what she told me.”

Megan smiled. “Then I guess God answered her prayers.”

Cory stared at the soapy water. He liked the way that sounded, and even more, he liked how it felt inside him. Because that’s exactly what had happened. Two years after she died, God answered the prayer that mattered most in his mother’s whole life. Now he only hoped that wherever she was in heaven, his mother was watching.

Because Cory had a feeling the answers had only just begun.

H
e hadn’t read the letter; Megan was sure of that much. The nerve of the guy to show up and lie to Cory, and for what reason? If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was hitting on her, that the whole invitation was more about that. Whatever it was, the lie made Megan furious.

That Monday she made sure she left with enough time to walk the whole way to Bob’s Diner. She needed the fresh air to clear her head. The conflict between her real thoughts about Aaron Hill and the sheer adoration Cory had assigned the guy was driving her crazy. When Cory was home, all she could do was smile and nod and agree that Aaron was the greatest man ever. Why else would he have come to the pizza party?

But Megan saw through the guy from the beginning. If Aaron had read Cory’s letter, if he knew Cory thought that Aaron was his father, he wouldn’t have made a casual appearance at a pizza party, talking about how Cory’s letter had touched him. Rather, he’d be panicking. He would’ve either ripped up the letter and never given it another thought. Or he would’ve called and tried to clear up the whole mess. At the very least, he would’ve pulled Megan aside and explained how Cory’s beliefs were mistaken. Instead, he said nothing about it, which could only mean one thing. He hadn’t read the letter.

Megan dodged a group of people gathered outside a liquor store.

“Hey pretty lady,” one of them called out.

Megan ignored the comment. The city didn’t scare her. She delivered papers before dawn. She knew her way around every bad alley and gang territory. A couple of catcalls from a bunch of winos weren’t going to make her skip a step.

So had Aaron actually been interested in her? The idea was ridiculous, but why else would he pick the two of them to be his guests? She slowed her pace. Guilt maybe. He might’ve been feeling badly about not reading Cory’s letter. Still, the way he’d watched her all night made her suspicious. Then, when Cory had the run-in with the older kids, Aaron stepped up and seized the moment. Rescuing Cory from punishment and meeting her all at the same time.

Now Cory was absolutely certain that the invitation meant Aaron was claiming his role as Cory’s father.

Megan had ten minutes and only two blocks left. She stared up between the buildings toward the blue sky beyond.
God, I don’t get it. If Amy prayed about Cory meeting Aaron Hill, why didn’t she tell me? Cory must have his facts wrong. He must. He was only six when Amy died.

She kept to the outer edge of the sidewalk. Fewer pedestrians to veer around.
So we go to the game and then what? Should I pull Aaron aside and tell him the content of the letter? Or just let him stumble along until Cory says something?

Her heart felt a wave of peace as she silently voiced her concerns to God. He was her Savior and her friend. He listened whenever she had things to work through.
Thanks for being there, God. I need Your help on this one. I can’t stand by and watch Cory get hurt.

There was no answer this time, no Scripture that came to mind. But a sense of God’s bigness came over her. She would stay quiet and let the details play out at this week’s game. God would take care of the details because He cared deeply for each child.

Including Cory Briggs.

Megan’s work at the youth center that afternoon put her emotions on a rollercoaster. There was the success of helping Rudy Booker study for his math test retake, and knowing he was ready to ace it first thing tomorrow morning. Then came the breakdown by the bruised teenage girl, as she told Megan about the difficulty in transitioning to her new foster home.

“I don’t want to be a boarder,” she admitted, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I want someone to love me.”

“God loves you, sweetheart. He has plans for you, even if they’re hard to see right now.” Megan whispered her response. If the legislators could see this, foster reform would be a cinch. Megan sighed. She pulled the girl into an embrace and let her cry.

On the way home, Cory was quieter than usual, and even now with dinner over and the dishes nearly done, Megan could feel a tension between them. Normally Cory would help with the cleanup, but he had homework. Megan didn’t mind. She was still thinking about Aaron Hill and his motives. She wasn’t interested in Aaron Hill, no matter what he had in mind. In high school she’d dated a guy from a wealthy family, and in the end she’d walked away more jaded and independent than before. Society had drawn lines and Megan understood her place. Pro football players didn’t date women on food stamps.

Not that it mattered. Megan had no interest in committing her heart to a quality guy, let alone a playboy like Aaron Hill. Even if he lived in Nob Hill.

Bottom line, on Saturday the delusions Cory was carrying around were going to come crashing down around him. Because Aaron Hill wasn’t Cory’s father, and she wasn’t interested in dating him. So this Saturday would likely be the last time Aaron would invite the two of them to be his guests at a 49ers game.

She thought about her high-school romance again. Her life had never been normal, not in the way it was for other girls her age. Now she was twenty-five, and nothing scared her more than the idea of relying on someone else.

Even the right guy.

The dishes were finished, so Megan dried her hands. She wandered into Cory’s room and found him sitting on the floor near his bed, working on math. He didn’t look up as she approached, and Megan was worried. Maybe her skepticism was seeping through, troubling Cory more than she’d realized.

“Hey, buddy.” She sat on the edge of his twin bed. “Whatcha doing?”

“Times tables. Fours and fives.”

Oreo walked into the room, meowed, and came to Cory. “Good boy.” Cory patted his black and gray face. “You’re a good friend.” The cat curled up on the other side of Cory.

Megan smiled at the picture they made together. She pointed to the math paper. “You can count by fives, right?” She put her hand on his head and softly twirled a piece of his hair.

“Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty…” Cory looked up at her. “Yeah, I can do that.”

“Then you know your fives times tables. Five times three, count three fives. Five, ten, fifteen.” She held up her hands and smiled. “See? Three times five is fifteen.”

The corners of his lips lifted a little. “Hey, that’s cool. I get it.” He thought for a bit. “Six times five, count it six times. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty! Six times five is thirty.”

“Right.” She brought her hand back to her side. “You’re a good boy, Cory. I’m happy for you. About the game this Saturday.”

“Really?” He wrinkled his nose and looked at her. “You don’t seem like it.”

She slid down onto the floor beside him. “I’m sorry.” She took hold of his hand. “I don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all.”

“I won’t get hurt. I can’t.” Cory smiled at her as if he were the caring parent, trying to comfort
her
. “Aaron asked us to be his guests so he could talk to us about what happens next.”

Megan kept herself from any show of disbelief. “And what do you think will happen next?”

“Well, that’s what I’m thinking about.” He drew a small football on the corner of his math paper. “’Cause if he wants me to come live with him”—Cory looked up, his eyes glistening—“then what about you, Megan? You’re all the family I have.”

Never mind that the idea of Aaron Hill asking Cory to live with him would never happen. The dilemma was a real one for Cory. Megan squeezed his hands twice, their sign for “Love you.” She kept her tone even. “Don’t you think Aaron would know that? How I’m the only family you have?”

“Yeah, but…” Cory bit his lip. “I always wanted my dad too. So I don’t know what to do or who to live with. You know?”

Megan closed her eyes.
God, are You catching this?
She held her breath and then let it out slowly through her tight lips. All of a sudden she remembered the verse from the last time she didn’t know how to answer Cory. She opened her eyes. “Remember how we talked about not worrying about anything more than we can handle in any one day?”

“Yeah.” Cory didn’t sound sure. “What does that mean for today?”

“Well…” Megan pulled Cory’s math paper a little closer. “It means today we work on times tables. And Aaron Hill can wait till Saturday.”

Cory nodded. He still had his hand in hers. “Can I tell you something, Megan?”

“What?” She felt her heart breaking over the child’s angst.

“I love you.”

Megan understood. This was his way of saying he was still worried about whatever might happen Saturday, but for her sake, he wouldn’t talk about it right now. Not more than to simply let her know what was in his heart. “I love you too.”

For now, that was all that mattered.