There Comes A Season. Carol Steward

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СКАЧАТЬ making progress, when something else happens. I can’t figure out what makes her act like that.”

      “Try not to let her get you down.”

      “Easy for you to say.”

      Jacob rolled into the next room. Bryan caught him and brought him back. “I think she’s acting pretty normal for a pre-adolescent girl who’s just lost her father.”

      “It just seems I can’t do anything right anymore. She argues with everything I say.”

      “Maybe she’s ready to make a few decisions on her own.”

      “She’s ten years old!”

      “Ten going on twenty, right? I’m suggesting you start with small decisions, nothing monumental. Let the responsibility grow with her.”

      “And what makes you an expert on raising kids suddenly?” Leaning back in her chair, she crossed her arms defiantly.

      He stood up, smiling with satisfaction. “I guess not as much as I thought. I think I’ve overstayed my welcome. See you Monday.”

      As he walked out the door, Bryan overheard her muttering. “Uncomplicated, Bryan. Let’s keep it that way!”

      The next Monday Bryan watched in fury as Kevin pushed the boys, stressing the importance of winning even more than before. After the practice ended and the kids were gone, Bryan pointed out that they should be teaching good sportsmanship, teamwork and skills, not just winning.

      “It’s the reason we play.” Kevin turned and walked off.

      “Where’d you come up with that?” Bryan flung the ball into a duffel bag and zipped it closed.

      Kevin’s eyebrows lifted, and he pointed at Bryan. “You’re not going to tell me winning, at anything, isn’t just as important to you. Are you?”

      Bryan faltered, unable to deny the accusation. “Who are we here for, them, or us? Half of these boys haven’t ever touched a football.”

      “And what about the few, like T.J. Bates, who have the raw talent to go all the way with this? Don’t they deserve more than what this team has to offer?”

      “They all need the basics. Not one of them, including T.J., are so good they can’t strengthen their form.”

      “Winning is the goal, in case you’ve forgotten.”

      “One goal, but not the priority at this level. Didn’t you look at their faces during the game? They were having fun out there whether we were winning or not. Let’s not put that fire out.” Bryan couldn’t believe they were having this argument. For months they’d planned and anticipated the fun of coaching these boys.

      “If you think you can do a better job of it, the position’s yours. No problem.”

      “Oh, no, you don’t! You’re the head coach, I’m just helping.”

      “Not any more. You don’t like the way I’m coaching, you do it. I’ll just sit back and take a few lessons from the pro.”

      Bryan opened the trunk and dropped the bag inside. He slammed the lid, venting his anger on it instead of his friend, who seemed to have changed his coaching philosophy overnight. Sure, they’d both been aggressive players, but Kevin had never talked or reacted like this before. “If you won’t do it right, then I guess I’d better. Another week of your attitude, and we won’t have a team left!”

      “Then maybe they don’t belong here in the first place,” Kevin muttered, as he climbed into his truck and drove away.

      Bryan discovered he’d fallen into another one of Kevin’s schemes. This one was geared to show Bryan that kids were a lot more fun than hassle. It was as if his friend knew exactly what Bryan was thinking.

      He also realized something Kevin didn’t. Being a coach, and being a dad, were not synonymous. Just because he knew how to teach beginners football, didn’t mean he would be able to transfer that talent into teaching his son about life.

       Chapter Six

      Bryan scanned the garage and walked back into the house. “Where’d you put the ladder, Kevin?”

      “Still in the truck. What’re you doing?”

      “Mrs. Richards needs some help picking apples before the frost gets them. She’s going to watch the baby, so don’t worry.”

      Kevin met him at the front door. “Every time she sees me she offers to take care of him for us. Her ladder’s a little rickety, so I’ll run get another one from the warehouse and help.”

      Bryan stopped him. “Fine, but the pie’s mine.”

      “You haven’t seen her pies, bud.” He opened his hands to show several inches. “If she asks, we want the Dutch apple.”

      An elderly woman walked across the driveway and reached for the baby. “It’s such a tragedy about this little one’s mother. I hope you found Jacob a good sitter. He needs a mommy.” Jacob went without a fuss, while Bryan and Kevin smiled at one another.

      “My secretary helped me find a wonderful child care provider. He’s very happy there.”

      “It’s not one of the big places that you see on those scandal reports, is it?”

      Bryan laughed openly. “Not at all. Laura watches a few kids in her home. She’s been doing child care for several years.”

      “You pick a sack of apples for her, too, then. Dutch apple as usual, Kevin?”

      Wrapping his arm around the woman’s shoulders, Kevin gave her a gentle hug. “You make the best, Lil. Need any other jobs done while we’re here?”

      “Bribery. So, one pie’s not enough anymore, huh?”

      Bryan had carried the ladder back to the yard and returned for the boxes to hold the apples, just in time to hear the woman’s remark. He looked to Kevin, silently scolding him for begging for more. “I was joking, Kevin. One’s plenty.”

      “Oh, pshaw. You two could use a few more calories. No wonder Kevy can’t find a nice girl. Nothing to hold on to.” Then pinching Jacob’s cheek, she turned back to her house. “And your daddy shouldn’t have any trouble finding you a suitable mother.”

      Once Lillian Richards was inside the house, Kevin pinched Bryan’s cheek. “No trouble, at all. Bless her for not placing her spell on me!”

      “I take it that means I don’t need the extra calories, huh?”

      The door opened again. “Kevin, I do need the deep freeze moved to clean under it, if you two wouldn’t mind.” The two men looked at each other and grimaced.

      When Kevin returned with the second ladder, the jibing resumed. “Yup, all you need to straighten your life out is СКАЧАТЬ