August
Warrior Stadium
The summer heat hung over the stadium as Max glared across the field watching Hines, in the first Red v. Gold game in ten years.
“Bring it, Hines. Show me what you got.”
Hines crouched down, his hard gaze aimed for Max. He’s thinking the same thing. “Bring it, Max . . .”
The up-and-coming Warrior fall football team was on the field, duking it out.
Hines whispered to new assistant Carmen Maas, a friend of Haley’s, and yes, a woman. She was a mirror of the defensive coordinator, only on offense.
Beside Max, Haley bent over, hands on her thighs. “He’s going right, Max.”
“You bet he is.”
Max peeked over his shoulder. Jade juked in the bleachers with the new athletic director’s wife, Ilene Maher, a Western Tech professor and mother of two.
Greg Maher was Max’s age. Aggressive, eager to return to Colby’s football tradition. He was the one who resurrected the red and gold game.
Chevy walked the sidelines, proud, a whole new man once he got rid of Bobby.
The pep band drums rolled, rocking and ticking. Hines’s offense executed but ran into Max’s defense.
As the boys ran off the field, Max gazed back at Jade. She was strangely unencumbered. The girls were . . . Max scanned down the row. With Brenda and Bit. They already had more grandparents than any pink, beautiful, melt-their-daddy’s-heart twins should have.
But Max loved that they were loved.
Asa stepped into being a big brother with his usual forthrightness and bravery. Came out the other day trying to carry one of them. Jade moved so fast he considered getting her to sign up for the team.
The hardest part of becoming a head coach was saying good-bye to Benson Law. Dad’s face had reddened and he choked on the emotion of his words, but he was Reb Benson, strong and decisive to the end.
“You have to do what you have to do, son. Your grandfathers never intended for the firm to be a prison.”
But Max still retained his partnership and one day, if Asa chose the law, the firm would go to him. Or, even better, Elaine or Emily.
Four months old, Em already showed signs of being a good litigator. Elaine displayed more of Jade’s refined, tender qualities. And love for clothes.
Max’s parents were coming to Colby for the first game of the season, along with the McClures.
Brenda caught his eye and waved.
Wasn’t she a blessing. Opened a vintage shop and handed it over to Mariah. Belief was a powerful tool.
“Coach . . . Max!” Haley waved her hand in front of him. “Did I lose you?”
“No, no.” Max turned around, pressing his hand to his chest, almost expecting to feel the plump of the love filling his heart. “What’s up?”
“Fourth down. We’re on the fifteen.”
No-brainer. “Send in Tucker.”
“My thoughts exactly. Tuck.” Haley ran down the line, but the kicker was already on the field.
His talent would get him to a major college.
When the whistle blew the end of the game, Max’s Red team had bested the Gold by three. Everyone gathered on the fifty, talking at once. Jade squeezed through to stand by Max.
“Bonfire at our place. Everyone bring something to eat and to share.”
The team scattered. Brenda shoved the twins’ stroller toward them. Bit came along holding Asa’s hand.
“We’d better go or we’ll never get our car up the driveway,” Jade said. “The kids will beat us there.” She grabbed onto the stroller, talking food strategies with Bit and Brenda.
Max swung Asa up on his shoulders as the Channel 13 reporter Chip Mack approached.
“Got a second, Coach?”
Max stopped and faced the camera. Chip held up his microphone.
“They’re already calling you the next great Warrior coach. How’d you rebuild this team, Coach? So fast?”
“We have a saying at my house. We’ve seen what man can do. Let’s see what God can do.” He gave Chip a second for it to sink in but it didn’t, so he headed off. “See you on the sidelines, Chip.”
Max carried Asa to the truck, talking, listening. He buckled him in, then walked around to the driver’s side, tapping his hip pocket with his hand. It was empty.
His hip-pocket dream came true. All it took was complete surrender.