A Wedding In The Family. Kathryn Alexander

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      “Well, she’s doing fine—basically—but I’m concerned about her not moving up to the next class.”

      “She’s been stuck at this level too long, hasn’t she?”

      Adam shrugged. “I don’t have a problem with children repeating lessons. That’s necessary sometimes. But Heather really needs only one thing more before she can move on.”

      Angela nodded. “The dive.”

      “Exactly,” Adam agreed. “She needs to go off the board into twelve feet of water. There will be an instructor in the pool waiting for her, but she just doesn’t want to do it.”

      “That’s odd. She hasn’t said anything about it this time. During the summer session she was very anxious about that part. Then she decided she wasn’t ready to dive and just didn’t do it. I told her that was fine…to wait until she felt ready,” Angela explained and glanced around the reception area until she glimpsed her daughter.

      “And it’s basically the same situation this fall,” said Adam. “I know she can do this. I think even she knows she can, too…but she won’t. And she’ll only get another certificate of participation instead of the certificate of completion she needs to go on. If she repeats this level again, she’ll be the oldest kid in the group, and I’m worried about what that will do to her self-esteem, Mrs. Sanders—”

      “My name is Angela,” she corrected. “And I’ll speak to Heather about it again and encourage her, but I won’t tell her she has to dive. The whole learning-to-swim issue has been difficult enough.”

      “She didn’t want to learn?” Adam asked.

      “Not really. We finally talked her into it, but she was very ‘iffy’ about the idea.”

      “Are you afraid of water, Angela?”

      “No, I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of it, but I’m not a swimmer either, so I have a healthy respect for it.”

      Adam smiled and looked over at some children playing by the front door. “So that’s where Heather’s fear comes from.” Then his gaze returned to Angela’s face. This woman didn’t look as if she’d be afraid of anything. No, she seemed determined, set in her ways possibly. And she looked far more attractive in this stylish green suit than she had in a sweat suit.

      “As a parent, I’d prefer to be thought of in some way other than the source of my child’s fears,” Angela stated bluntly. She looked straight into the charcoal-gray eyes that seemed to be amused by her—although his grin had faded.

      “I wasn’t being critical. Just logical. Lots of kids’ insecurities can be traced back to the things their mothers are afraid of.”

      “Or fathers, I would assume?” she added.

      “Or fathers,” he agreed. “I stand corrected.” He knew they needed a change in conversation. “So, have you and your children used the rec center much over the years?” he asked, sliding one hand into the pocket of his dark slacks. “I’ve only been here about a year. I’m not really familiar with who the longstanding members are.”

      “Heather has taken a number of classes here. My two sons also come occasionally.”

      “Two? I thought Nathan was Heather’s only brother. I remember him from the summer session. He took karate, didn’t he?”

      “Yes, and there’s David, too. He’s more into studying than anything right now. He wants to earn a college scholarship so he can go to law school and make a lot of money like his Uncle Rob used to do.”

      “Used to do? Why? What happened to Uncle Rob?” Adam asked in sudden curiosity.

      “He left the legal profession to enter the ministry.” Angela smiled. “I’ve never seen him happier.”

      “The change agrees with him that much?”

      “It probably feels good to stop running from God. He spent about a decade doing that. And it also helps that he now has the wife of his dreams and twins on the way.”

      “The twins may be a bigger adjustment than the loss of income was,” Adam remarked, his eyes twinkling.

      “Rob’s always been good with kids. Mine, especially. He’ll do fine.”

      Adam nodded. “When it comes to dealing with children, you’re either good at it or you’re not. There’s not much gray area there, in my opinion. At least, that’s been my experience over the years—both at work and in real life.”

      Angela was curious about his comment, but didn’t want to pry. “You work around kids here all day long. You must be very good with them.”

      “Not having any of my own probably makes it easier to be with them so much here at the center.”

      “You don’t have any of your own?” Angela repeated, surprised. He certainly looked like the family type.

      Adam didn’t answer immediately, which puzzled Angela.

      “No,” he said after a moment’s hesitation. “The only family I have is my brother, his wife and their daughter.” Abruptly, he looked toward the refreshment table. “Could I get you some coffee?”

      “I’d like that,” she responded, and watched him leave to get their drinks. She glanced around the room to check on Heather, Nathan and David, all of whom she caught sight of over by the bleachers talking with friends.

      Then Adam returned. She smiled as she accepted the foam cup. “Thanks.”

      “It’s black. I didn’t know—”

      “That’s fine…really,” she answered a little nervously. She would never have guessed that it would be so awkward—and yet so pleasant—to share a conversation with this man. She almost wished that it wasn’t pleasant.

      “So…what do you think about Heather?” Adam continued, obviously not intending to return to the subject of his life. “Would you be willing to talk to her about going off the board? This session ends in mid-November. That’s not a lot of time.”

      “I’ll discuss it with her. I’d like to see her advance in the series.”

      “She could probably be on the swim team if she wanted to try,” Adam added.

      Angela shook her head. “I don’t think she’d do that. She’s not as competitive as her brothers. Team sports haven’t interested her at all.”

      “It was just a thought. You know, if you could come to a lesson or two and watch her, it might be just the encouragement she needs.”

      “I’ll try. It’s difficult sometimes with my schedule to do little things like that, although I know it would mean a lot to her.” A familiar pang of guilt tugged at Angela. How would she ever have the time to do all the little things that would mean a lot to her kids?

      “Where do you work?”

      “I’m principal of a СКАЧАТЬ