“Class, let’s focus, please!” Mrs. Jordan insisted, clapping her hands to gain the attention of her students. “I know you’re all eager to get on with your Christmas vacation, but we won’t be dismissed ‘til noon!”
“I didn’t like this play, Mrs. Jordan,” Paul whined, instantly quieting the chatter around him. “The ending was a total shocker! Prince Harry sold-out his friend! The whole time I thought he was the good guy!”
“Of course he turned on Falstaff,” Grant responded too harshly. “Did you not expect the ship to sink at the end of Titanic either? You had to know the transformation was coming! It was all part of the plan; Shakespeare made that perfectly clear. Heck, the prince told you he was going to do it, so how does that qualify as shocking?”
“That’s funny,” Hailey scoffed. “If I had been a betting girl, Grant, I would have bet my life that you would be leading the charge for Falstaff’s defense team. I mean he’s a shady guy who tricks you into looking past all of his short-comings because he is such a clever and witty charmer. The irreverent wit…the command of language…if he had been six foot and brooding instead of fat and jolly, Shakespeare would have captured you perfectly.”
“Guess you’re lucky you didn’t bet your life on it then, huh?” Grant shrugged easily.
“You’re right,” Hailey nodded, “because it wasn’t until the end of the play that I figured it all out. I had cast you as the wrong character all along…”
Grant’s head snapped toward Hailey. “If we need to talk later, we can,” he frowned. “This is not about me…I’m not in this play.”
Hailey rolled her eyes.
“I agree with Paul,” Misty blurted. “I didn’t think it was right for Prince Harry to disown his friend.”
“The question is not one of whether or not you agree with it; the question is one of whether or not you were shocked by the outcome,” Grant huffed.
“I guess I shouldn’t have been,” Hailey mumbled under her breath.
“I was very surprised by it!” Paul exclaimed.
“Noted, Mason,” Grant snapped, turning quickly back to Hailey.
“Tell them why Prince Harry did what he did,” Hailey said softly. “I fully expect you to have an explanation.”
“I do, as a matter-of-fact,” Grant nodded.
“I figured you did,” Hailey shrugged, refusing to make eye contact with Grant.
“What is with the attitude this morning?” Grant grumbled, tugging at Hailey’s crossed arms, forcing her to look at him.
“Don’t touch me,” Hailey sighed.
Misty’s eyes registered concern and curiosity.
“She said not to touch her, Cohen,” Paul interjected.
Grant’s eyes never moved from Hailey’s as his hand still rested on her arm. “Shocking that he would pipe up now…just shocking!”
Hailey’s throat burned as she refused to let the tears trying to well up in her eyes embarrass her now.
“Grant, why don’t you see if you can explain the play to the class?” Mrs. Jordan urged.
Grant continued to stare at Hailey for a long moment, irritated by the attitude she had adopted that morning ever since he had informed her that he would be leaving to visit his dad in North Carolina for a few days over the break.
“The teacher is talking to you,” Hailey pointed.
Grant took a deep breath, gathering his composure. “Prince Harry spent a considerable amount of time hanging around Falstaff, fraternizing with his gang,” he began, “which led his father and others to question his readiness to be king. Harry’s relationship with Falstaff was a functional one, however, and one that was all a part of Harry’s ultimate life plan. Prince Harry was content to let his rival, Hotspur, gather all the honor and glory while he fooled around with Falstaff and his merry ban of morons. By doing so, Harry intended to catch his public off-guard when he rejected his former way of life and proved himself to be an honorable heir.”
“So he and Falstaff were never really friends?” Misty asked. “He just used him?”
“He used him, and, when it stopped being convenient, he turned on him and walked away,” Paul nodded.
Grant groaned audibly. “The Falstaffs of the world, no matter how charming or witty, simply cannot be allowed to rule the world. Thus, those of you who are indignant over the rejection of Falstaff are either admitting that you desire to see evil triumph over honor, vice champion virtue, or, more than likely, you are merely proving yourselves to be poor analysts of Falstaff’s character, the values he represents, as well as the role he plays in shaping the overriding theme present throughout this tetralogy. If the prince had not rejected Falstaff, the transformation of Prince Harry into the honorable King Henry V would never have come to fruition.”
“You make it really hard to disagree with you,” Misty smiled.
“Can you just write whatever he just said on my test, Mrs. Jordan?” Billy Wayne asked. “I think we are on the same page about this Harry fella.”
“I don’t get it,” Paul grumbled.
“Well, I get it,” Hailey nodded, and anger flashed in her eyes. She stood and took her books in her arms. “So tell me, Grant,” she frowned as she walked toward the door. She spun back to face him. “Who is it that is going to get left behind when my rebellious Prince Harry finally turns into the King Henry he was meant to be?”
“I feel relatively certain I was not Shakespeare’s inspiration here, Hailey,” Grant said calmly. “I mean the least he could have done was slip a dedication in there…”
“I feel sorry for Falstaff,” Hailey blurted. “I know how he must have felt. I may not be a bad influence or provide any comic relief, but I’ll be the one who bought into the legitimacy of this relationship…the friend who is betrayed and ultimately left behind, so you can chase dreams that are bigger than anything this town or anybody in it has to offer.” Hailey slung the classroom door open.
“Stop,” Grant demanded, sliding quickly from his seat and jogging toward her. “I won’t lie to you; I’ve read these plays before, and, more than once, I have seen some of myself in Prince Harry…off fraternizing with the wrong crowd…giving his honorable dad grief…nobody really knowing what to expect from him, though he had a plan all along. Prince Harry, be it rightly or wrongly, used Falstaff for his own convenience and then abandoned him…but that’s because Falstaff was precisely the sort of person the prince had to distance himself from. I’m writing a whole new play here, Hailey…and in my play there is no Falstaff… there is just a beautiful and spirited, little, country girl whom the protagonist befriends in hopes that she’ll teach him the things he needs to know, so that he’s ready for wherever life is destined to take him.”
“And when he gets there?” Hailey asked softly. “Because he will get there, Grant.”
“I don’t know,” Grant said sincerely. “That part has been left unwritten. The pages are blank; the possibilities are endless. I know one thing though. In the play I’m writing, he’ll never turn his back on her because there is nothing about her that he seeks to distance himself from. In fact, she is precisely everything he wants to be.”
“So what happens when she can’t get into Harvard?” Hailey sighed. “What happens then? Does she get left behind anyway? And, more importantly, what makes her think she has any right to stand in the way of everything that he needs to be a part of.” Hailey took a long deep breath. “Let’s just stop this charade, Grant…speaking in the third person seems a little silly when everyone knows exactly who we’re talking about. Grant, you have a gift, and I can’t ask you to sell yourself short for me. You need and deserve to be around people who challenge you, and I never want to stand in the way of that.”
“And who’s to say what my challenge will be?” Grant shrugged.
Hailey’s eyes filled with tears again. “Going to Harvard…studying with the best and the brightest…taking the LSAT…passing the bar exam…those are all things you need to do right now.”
“What if none of that ever challenges me?” Grant was staring at the ground in front of him.
Surprised, Hailey reached for his hand. “You don’t think it will?”
“I don’t know,” Grant responded honestly. “I think those are all things I will enjoy…things I’ll accomplish relatively easily…but when you talk about a challenge…well, Hails, nothing has ever challenged me like you challenge me. You amaze me with your faith and your values and your strength. For some people math is a challenge; for some people public speaking is a challenge; for other people just figuring out how to be happy is the biggest challenge of all. I have such incredible respect for you and everything you believe in. You have enough faith for the both of us, so is it too much to ask for you to have a little faith in me?”
Hailey’s cheeks quivered as the tears she had been holding back trailed down her face. “I have so much faith in you,” she looked deep into Grant’s eyes, “so prove me right… leave this place, and go out there and change the world, Grant Cohen.”
Grant’s reply came softly, lacking the confrontational tone that had been present earlier. “A world without you isn’t a world I want to be a part of.”
“That is the most romantic thing I have ever heard,” Misty sighed, swiping a tear from her own cheek.
“Dang, y’all! This was a play about war!” Paul laughed. “Frankly, I’m scared of what you two might do when we read Romeo and Juliet!”
“Well,” Mrs. Jordan nodded, still frozen behind her podium next to the blackboard, “I can say without a doubt that I have never generated such a passionate debate inside my classroom.”
“May I be excused?” Hailey asked.
Mrs. Jordan nodded hesitantly.
Grant closed his eyes. “May I…”
“Go,” Mrs. Jordan nodded.
“Can I go too?” Billy Wayne called.
“Sit, Billy Wayne!” Mrs. Jordan pointed.
Grant followed Hailey outside the building and into the parking lot.
“Hailey,” Grant demanded, reaching for her arm.
“I just need a minute, Grant,” Hailey cried. “I’m fine.”
“Hailey, you just had a meltdown in front of the entire senior class,” Grant quipped. “You’re not fine.”
“You’re right,” Hailey spun around. “I’m not fine; I’m worried. You and I are different and …”
“Well yeah,” Grant shrugged easily, “if I was interested in a six foot, blond dude, we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation…”
“See,” Hailey pointed, grinning. “You’re joking, and I’m serious.”
“You’re smiling,” Grant added.
“I’m just having a bad day,” Hailey insisted. “Suddenly, I just see my whole life playing out in front of me, and I’m trying to protect myself this time. You’re gonna go to Harvard, and you’re going to meet some young, ambitious, future lawyer who enjoys the same books as you do and is passionate about politics the way you are. She’ll be the type of woman you envision taking to correspondence dinners and press events. She’ll be the type of Ivy League educated woman who could work the campaign trail with confidence, talking proactively about issues that people care about. Your common interests will bring you together; she’ll fall in love with your charm, or maybe she’ll just see you as her ticket into Washington’s inner circle, but she’ll be everything you are looking for in a wife, and you’ll forget all about me.”
“Maybe,” Grant agreed.
“What?” Hailey exclaimed.
“See there,” Grant pointed. “You don’t believe it either.”
Hailey frowned. “I’m an average girl from a middle-of-nowhere sort of town. I get a little nervous just speaking at a school pep rally in front of a few people. I don’t have a clue which fork to use at some fancy dinner, and, frankly, I think it’s pretentious and wasteful to use more than one, anyway! Why can’t rich folks just lick the salad dressing off before the main course and then suck off the excess mashed potatoes before moving on to dessert like the rest of us?”
Grant laughed loudly. “Look there, Babe, you’ve already got causes in mind to champion. I can imagine the impact of our whole forking platform now. It will be a fresh new take that middle America can jump right on board with. The campaign ads will be classic!”
“Are you making fun of me?” Hailey sighed.
“Not at all,” Grant insisted. “I just don’t happen to believe that your lack of political aspirations is a problem.”
“I know that my insecurities are probably not all that attractive to you,” Hailey frowned. “But, I’m scared. I’m scared of having my heart broken. I thought that when you left and never looked back after this summer that I had felt the greatest pain I would ever feel…now I know it could be a lot worse…”
Grant shook his head, and his eyes seemed understanding. “I’m going on a short trip; I’m not leaving you.”
“How do I know that?” Hailey gulped.
“You could trust me,” Grant shrugged.
“I want to,” Hailey nodded.
“I’m coming back,” Grant swallowed. “I promise.”
Hailey shook her head. “Don’t misunderstand me…I don’t doubt your intentions, Grant…”
“This is different than when I left after the summer,” Grant argued.
“How?” Hailey asked.
“Isn’t that obvious?” Grant countered.
“Because we’re so much closer now?” Hailey asked. “That doesn’t mean you won’t leave; it only means it will hurt more…”
“I’m coming back!” Grant shouted, throwing his arms up in mock surrender.
“How can I be sure of that, given your history?” Hailey yelled.
Grant started walking off, clearly frustrated with the conversation.
“You shut down faster than anyone I’ve ever known in my life,” Hailey stomped.
“Oh well,” Grant shrugged. “Take it or leave it.”
“See there! Why should I trust you, Grant?” Hailey demanded.
Grant spun around, his voice booming,“because… I love you!”
Hailey’s mouth fell open. “What did you say?” she gulped. Given the sheer volume with which he had announced his revealing proclamation, Grant assumed Hailey’s question was rhetorical. Her face broke into a smile. “Did you mean that?”
Grant nodded. “I do.”
A peace seemed to fall over Hailey’s features. “I love you too,” she cried.
“I know,” Grant nodded.
Hailey was sitting on the front porch steps of the church that night after Wednesday night Bible study, staring out into the field where the children ran and played under the light of a solitary streetlamp. Principal Jordan had missed the last day of school before Christmas break with the flu, so it was up to Jack to close up the church house after the Wednesday night meal.
Maude, Maybelle and Nora walked from the white, wooden doors that led to the small fellowship hall where the congregation had just enjoyed country fried steaks and white gravy with mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and turnip greens.
“I mean it, Nora Jean, take this leftover cornbread home with you,” Maude was saying. “You’ve got plenty mouths to feed over there at Jack’s.”
Nora heard the insinuation, but she didn’t take the bait. “Well, the kids will sure eat it,” she agreed pleasantly.
“I talked to Dottie before the service,” Maybelle added. “She tells me that boy of yours is headed back to North Carolina.”
Nora paused. “Well,” she said finally, “he’ll only be gone a couple days.”
Hailey let Nora’s words, “he’ll only be gone a couple days…he’ll only be gone a couple days” play over and over in her head. The women had reached Maude’s truck, where they were loading extra jugs of sweet tea into a large ice chest in the back. They were out of earshot, and Hailey stood, ready to head home when she heard the faint sound of a piano playing. It stopped her in her tracks, and she moved slowly toward the sanctuary. The sound was melodic, much more smooth and practiced than anything Donna Simmons had ever played during Sunday service. Drawn toward the sound coming from the piano, Hailey slipped into the church. The lights were down, and she was surprised to see Grant sitting behind the piano hidden in the shadows of the pulpit.
He turned his head when he heard the door creak open, but he didn’t stop playing.
Hailey walked down the aisle and slid easily onto the piano bench next to him.
“I had no idea you could play,” she said softly, as if not to disrupt the music.
“I don’t play often,” Grant shook his head.
Sitting there on that piano bench, Hailey realized she had never before ventured up on stage to sit behind that piano…the piano her mother had sat behind every Sunday during the time she was pregnant with her.
“Who taught you to play?” Hailey gulped.
Grant ran his fingers along the keys, bringing his song to an impressive end. “Jill Scott,” he said, his eyes smiling though his expression didn’t change.
“Who’s Jill Scott?” Hailey asked.
Grant put his arm around Hailey. “The love of my life,” he declared.
Hailey rolled her eyes.
“She was my American tutor in Japan for awhile,” Grant smiled, “until she became too eccentric for my conservative parents, and they abruptly ended our promising relationship.”
Hailey placed her hands on the keys of the piano, and her heart raced as she thought about the moments she had missed with her mother, the moments she would have inevitably spent right here, learning how to play. “Will you teach me how to play?” she heard the words slip from her lips before she could rid her tone of the raw emotion she heard in her own voice.
“Sure,” Grant replied, and he slid his fingers over hers, moving them into place.
Hailey had never felt such emotion rise up in her over moments missed with her mother, and she knew why she felt that pain more tangibly tonight. Tears running over her cheeks, she pulled her hands away from Grant’s.
“What’s wrong?” Grant called as Hailey bolted down the aisle, wishing she had never followed the sound of the piano into the church. She was only halfway down the aisle when Grant caught up with her. He took her hand and pulled her into a pew.
Hailey wiped at her tears, embarrassed to be crying in front of Grant like this for the second time that day. “You don’t deserve my tears,” Hailey forced the bitter words from her mouth. Ashamed of herself for saying such a thing, she began to cry harder. She tried to stand and move from the pew, but Grant pulled her back down, and she let him. “You can’t do this to me,” Hailey cried. “You can’t tell me you love me and a few hours later, tell me you’re extending your trip and aren’t quite sure when you’ll be back.”
Grant crossed his arms, anger showing on his face. “Why did I think you would understand why I need to do this?”
“I understand,” Hailey nodded. “I understand just fine. You scared yourself to death this morning when you said those words, and every moment since then you have wished you could take them back. You let your guard down, and you told me how you feel. It made everything too real, so now you’re running…”
“Hailey, it’s a few days,” Grant scoffed. “It’s exactly what I told you earlier. An unexpected opportunity came up. We’re out of school for the holidays; we don’t have a game during the time I will be gone; I cleared missing practice with your dad. There’s no reason for me not to go.”
Hailey checked her emotions, not wanting to be mistaken for a possessive and pathetically dependant girlfriend. She knew that must be how it looked and sounded, but that wasn’t it at all. It wasn’t the days that Grant would be gone that bothered her; what scared her was the overriding fear in the pit of her stomach convincing her that, despite his intentions, once he was away from Hope Hull, he would quickly remember the world he left behind…and he would never come back.
Hailey dug through a box of ornaments, searching for her favorite…a snowman built of basketballs. Instead, she found an assortment of homemade ornaments that she and Jessica had made in elementary school. They hung on their Christmas tree every year, so Hailey didn’t know why she was surprised to see them; she smiled as she pulled a familiar candy cane reindeer from the box. She reached for the ceramic angel she had painted in Sunday school and laughed out loud at the sight of a wooden scroll on which her teacher had painted the words Santa’s Good List. Below, Hailey had used her best kindergarten handwriting to scribble in bright green print: HAILEY NOT JESS.
Jessica and Emily were helping Jack decorate the Christmas tree as Nora sat on the floor stringing popcorn garland. She loved popcorn garland and all the memories it brought back of Tennessee Christmases long ago, but tonight her thoughts were miles away. She thought of the way she and Randy argued every year as he put up the Christmas decorations. She imagined the scene a few years earlier when she asked him to complete what seemed like a reasonably simple task of putting together the new manger she had purchased for their outdoor nativity scene. Thirty minutes later, he had declared it too Mickey Mouse and tossed a small slip of paper containing what he considered gibberish directions onto the kitchen table. The black plastic slats tucked under his arm, he bolted out the back door, leaving Nora to call after him, “Randy, don’t smoke in front of baby Jesus!”
Visualizing Randy’s inevitable annual battle with a strand of Christmas lights that usually irritated her to pieces, actually made her smile now. She thought of the way he climbed the ladder every year to straighten the angel atop the tree half a dozen times as she complained it was turned too far to the left, then too far to the right. She giggled to herself as she recalled how Grant had come home after his last day of school before Christmas break last year, moments after such a fight, only to quip, “a liberal angel…nice.” Randy had snatched the stepstool and drug it toward the tree, mumbling, “I told you your eyes are screwed up, Nora. He’s right; that thing is leaning way to the left.”
She thought of David, Joanna, Eisenhower and Rachel…all in their Christmas pajamas, sitting below the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. She recalled a picture she had of the four of them, all proudly posing with their favorite Christmas gifts…messy hair, snaggle-toothed grins…childish laughter…a mother’s picture of pure perfection, years before the life she had always envisioned took some very unexpected turns.
Hailey, a big red bow plopped on her head, hurried down the hall toward Grant’s room. When she entered, Grant looked up from the duffle bag he was packing and laughed. He took the red Christmas bow off of her head. “Are you my present?”
Hailey took the bow from Grant’s hand and stretched to sit it atop his head. “And you’re mine!”
“But,” Grant frowned, “you want my presence and not my presents, right?”
Hailey swallowed, purposefully working to keep her tone light. “About that,” she shook her head. “I’m sorry I was so harsh about you leaving. Love is about trust, Grant…and I do trust you.”
“I told you I love you, and I meant it,” Grant said sincerely. “I want you to trust me, Hailey, but I realize that trust is something that is earned.”
“I do trust you,” Hailey nodded. “Don’t misunderstand that…”
“No,” Grant shook his head, “I need to be held accountable…make me earn it.”
Hailey smiled. “Okay,” she laughed admirably. She shook her head, in awe of the man standing before her.
“What is it?” Grant asked. “What is that look?”
Hailey continued shaking her head, a smile stretching wider and wider across her face. “I don’t know,” she laughed. “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever known in my life…or like anyone else I’ll ever know for that matter.”
“What can I say…He broke the mold,” Grant shrugged playfully.
Hailey forced a laugh that came out sounding more like a cry. She knew he was joking, but she couldn’t help but feel that his words could not have been more accurate. She was the luckiest girl in the world. He was everything she had ever dreamed of, everything she had prayed for and so much more that she could never have imagined on her own.
“You could go with me, but you don’t have a passport,” Grant said, zipping his bag.
“It’s fine,” Hailey shook her head. “Like you said, it’s only a few days, and you’re coming back…”
“I’m coming back,” Grant winked. “North Carolina. London. Tennessee.”
“So who is this man you’re so jazzed about having dinner with tomorrow night?” Hailey flopped on the bed.
“Colonel Oliver North, a Naval Academy grad and career marine,” Grant responded with a smile. “I can’t miss the opportunity to benefit from the wealth of knowledge and experience he has to offer, even if I’m fairly certain I’m walking into an ambush orchestrated by General Cohen.”
Hailey laughed. “Well, you know what they say, ‘if at first you don’t succeed…’”
Grant moved his backpack from the bed and sat down next to Hailey. “Yep, if at first you don’t succeed, quit and destroy all evidence of any previous attempts.”
Hailey rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek. “Only you…”
“You love me,” Grant rolled his eyes.
“We’re all in the living room putting up the Christmas decorations, if you want to help,” Hailey suggested.
“How’s Mom?” Grant asked.
“Fine, I think,” Hailey shrugged.
“She loves Christmas,” Grant recalled. “She loves any holiday really, but she loses it every year when she starts decorating the tree because my brother made her this Christmas ornament…” Grant shook his head. “Nevermind…”
“What did he make her?” Hailey asked, her interest so genuine.
“I don’t know. It’s some stupid looking school project,” Grant grumbled.
“Hey,” Hailey sighed, slapping his arm. “She’s a mom! Of course it’s special to her! I’m sure if you ever have kids, anything they make for you will take on a whole new meaning!”
“Whatever,” Grant scoffed. “I’m still operating under the impression that I would maintain some level of objectivity in the instance that any genetic responsibility of mine felt tremendous sense of false accomplishment at creating the most cockeyed, crippled gingerbread man…”
“What?” Hailey exclaimed.
“Oh yeah,” Grant nodded. “I’m talking like one leg is a good three inches longer than the other, and the little beaded eyes that move when you shake them are constantly crossed and looking like something straight out of the Exorcist.”
Hailey slapped Grant’s arm again. “I’m sure you made your share of tacky Christmas ornaments for your mama’s tree.”
“Nope,” Grant grinned.
“Liar,” Hailey pointed. “I’m asking her!”
“My dad’s going to ask me about her, you know,” Grant sighed. “Interrogate may be a more appropriate sentiment.”
“I know he misses her,” Hailey said sympathetically.
“Oh well,” Grant shrugged dismissively. “I guess he should have kept his hands off of the…”
“Grant,” Hailey pointed, preemptively saving him from any trouble his mouth may land him in. “It’s time for forgiveness…he knows he was wrong…you’ve held on to the hurt long enough…it’s Christmas time after all.”
Grant grinned. “And in the spirit of the season, I was simply going to offer a hearty, Ho! Ho! Ho!”
Hailey just rolled her eyes. “Of course you were!”
Dinner with Colonel North had been every bit the enlightening experience Grant had hoped it would be; Grant could have spent days listening to the captivating stories that man had to tell. He learned details of the television project Colonel North and his father were working on and about their efforts to get other key players involved. His steak was amazing; the conversation was truly fascinating; the company was a great honor, and, for the first time in a long time, Grant felt like himself again.
After dinner, Randy drove Grant to David’s house. When Grant walked in, Leah was standing in her nightgown. Her soft, red hair was in precocious pigtails, and her grin was priceless.
She scampered automatically to Grant, grabbed hold of his hand and began tugging him toward the Christmas tree in the corner with its big, colorful bulbs shining bright. As Grant picked her up and squeezed her tight, she pointed toward the tree, squealing with unabashed excitement. Grant walked closer, patiently pointing to and identifying each ornament.
“She loves the Christmas tree,” Melissa smiled, walking up behind Grant and rubbing his back lovingly. Grant shifted Leah in his arms, so he would have a free arm to hug his sister-in-law.
“Leah,” David cooed, too excited to wait another moment. He pointed toward Grant. “Who is this? Who’s got you, Leah?”
“Unta Gant,” came the most beautiful words Grant had ever heard.
Grant could literally feel his heart racing as it filled with pride. His mouth fell open, the words hanging there unable to escape; he was truly speechless. She can? How long? Why didn’t you tell me?
Melissa smiled. “She just started! We wanted to surprise you!”
Grant cuddled Leah close. “That is amazing!”
“Leah, say, Pop,” Randy urged.
“Pop Pop,” Leah repeated, suddenly becoming shy and burying her head in Grant’s shoulder.
“That’s my girl,” Randy clapped. “I’ll tell you, Grant, she’s really doing great.”
“She and Melissa go to therapy four days a week,” David beamed, his pride in both his girls evident. “And the other days, Melissa works with her herself here.”
As Leah stared, mesmerized by the Christmas decorations, Grant stared at her, mesmerized all the same.
“We’ve learned several words,” David said exuberantly, and his excitement brought tears to his little brother’s eyes. “Grant, ask her who that is on her nightgown!”
Leah spun her head around toward her daddy. “Santa!” she exclaimed, pointing.
Grant laughed, and then so did Leah. He bounced her on his hip. “Say Uncle Grant,” he coxed. She stared back at him, her eyes so full of the most pure love he had ever known. “Say Uncle Grant,” he grinned at her.
“Kiss,” Leah declared instead, puckering her lips.
“Leah, don’t give away all Pop’s kisses,” Randy called from the kitchen, where he was helping himself to Christmas cookies, despite the gargantuan meal he had just consumed.
“Kiss,” Grant repeated as he smacked his lips against Leah’s.
“What time do you guys fly out in the morning?” Melissa asked.
“Early,” Randy replied.
Grant looked at his watch. “We better go back to the house, Dad; Hailey’s waiting for my call.”
David poked his brother in the ribs. “Grant and Hailey sitting in a tree…” He stopped singing. “Really, she’s waiting up for your call?”
Grant stared at his brother. “At the risk of joining you in sounding remarkably like a sixth grade girl…she like totally is.”
Melissa laughed and hugged Grant again. “I’m so happy for you, Baby!”
“Thanks,” Grant grinned. “I’m pretty happy for me too.”
David slapped his brother on the back. “Proud of you, man.”
“So it’s getting pretty serious, huh?” Melissa smiled.
“He’s eighteen,” Randy scoffed. “Nothing better be getting too serious except for his decisions regarding the next step in his education.”
“We’re getting married next week,” Grant winked as he handed Leah to her mother.
Randy laughed as he grabbed Grant in a headlock. “Yeah, right!”
“I take it you object?” Grant laughed.
“Let’s get out of here, Soldier,” Randy smiled. “We’ve got an early flight, and I’m not as young as I used to me.”
“I’m exhausted myself,” Grant agreed. He leaned toward Leah and kissed her cheek. “Who loves you, Leah?”
Leah made the letter “G” with her hand and brought it to her heart. “Unta Gant!” she grinned.
As Grant figured would be the case, Randy had been busy since their plane touched down in London, and his schedule had left him little time to spend with Grant. Left to his own devices, Grant, unsurprisingly, found himself inside a used bookstore riffling through the shelves, looking for a hidden treasure.
The sight of shelves and piles of old books, he had expected. The musty smell of an old bookstore, he had become accustomed to. The voice he heard behind him, however, caught him totally off-guard.
“You are bloody joking!” her unmistakable Irish accent declared.
Grant turned slowly to see a tall, slim, blond, with one hand on her hip, staring at him through wire rim glasses.
“Pardon?” Grant grinned.
The woman spoke again, her accent all over the place this time. “I have been searching through piles of mildewed books, looking for one thing because the store owner swore he had a copy somewhere, and you walk in for a grand total of five minutes, and …”
Grant held up the book in his hand. It was obviously new, and he had only picked it up for that reason alone, curious about how it came to live amongst the piles of considerably older material. “Genetic Testimony: A Guide to Forensic DNA Profiling tickles your fancy I’m guessing,” he nodded.
The beautiful stranger snatched at the book. “If you don’t mind…I’ll be on my way,” she huffed.
Grant tucked the book behind his back. “Not so fast.”
“Not much of a charmer, are you?” the blond quipped, undeniably intrigued.
“Not at all,” Grant shook his head.
“What do you need the book for?” the woman countered.
“It’s a gift,” Grant shrugged.
“Is that so?” the blond asked suspiciously.
“Indeed,” Grant replied confidently.
Grant walked to the front of the store and paid for the book, a giant grin stretching across his face as his new friend followed him, evidently indignant over the mockingly insensitive way in which he swung the bag containing his new purchase.
“Are you following me?” he asked after awhile.
“I don’t give up easily…” she paused, as if realizing for the first time that there had been no formal introductions. “What’s your name?”
Grant reached into his pocket and tossed a coin into the fountain at his right, never slowing down. “Grant, what’s yours?”
“Erin,” she declared.
Grant stopped walking. “Nice to meet you, Erin.”
“And you, book thief,” Erin crossed her arms.
“How does lunch sound?” Grant followed up.
“I could eat,” Erin groaned, “but why would I want to dine with you?”
“Because I have something you want,” Grant winked. “Besides, if we break bread together, we seem more like friends than stalker and victim.”
Erin laughed. “Victim? Oh really?”
“Not denying the stalker accusation are we?” Grant rebutted.
“What’s your story Grant?” Erin asked as they were seated at a cozy table for two at a sidewalk café.”
“Army brat. You?” Grant took a sip of his water.
Erin looked up from her menu. “I just finished my master’s in bioengineering at Berkley…where’d you study?”
Grant was flattered that she didn’t seem to notice the age difference between them. “Harvard Law,” the lie slipped effortlessly from his lips.
“Nice,” Erin nodded approvingly.
“Bioengineering,” Grant repeated. He reached into his bag and pulled out the book that had led them there. “So I’m guessing this book would be a bit rudimentary for you?”
“I have a collection,” Erin admitted. “It’s not hard to find; I could get it anywhere, purchase it online…”
“So you’re just cheap?” Grant scoffed.
“Frugal,” Erin corrected.
Grant learned a lot about Erin over lunch. She was an only child who had grown up serving patrons at her parents’ Irish pub. She was fluent in four languages. Dublin was her favorite place on Earth. She had completed an internship in New York where she conducted research in the areas of synthetic blood vessels and cardiac pacemakers. She was currently employed by a medical research institution in California with a special interest in the advancement of computer-assisted surgery. The bag strapped across her chest contained only four things: a wallet, an iPod, lip gloss and a book by the President’s Council on Bioethics titled Beyond Therapy: Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness.
She was beautiful; she was brilliant, and she was rapidly becoming more intrigued by the well-spoken, quick-witted, handsome lawyer sitting across from her.
“Grant,” Erin said, sitting her napkin aside. “I have two tickets back in my room to the Tim McGraw concert tonight. Are you a fan?”
“Absolutely,” Grant nodded, recalling the greatest hits collection that Hailey currently had him hooked on.
“Fantastic!” Erin exclaimed. “You didn’t strike me as a country music fan. My roommate during undergrad was from Georgia, and I fell in love with the genre straight away.”
“I’ll admit, I’m a recent convert,” Grant nodded.
“It’s a date then?” Erin countered.
Grant walked beside Erin as he escorted her back to her hotel room after the concert. “I had a nice time tonight,” he said when they reached the door. “I guess I better be going.”
“Don’t you want to get your book you left in my bag?” Erin inquired.
“Nah,” Grant shrugged. “I told you…it was a gift.”
Erin smiled broadly.
“It’s the least I can do to say thank you for the concert,” he winked. “Merry Christmas, Erin.”
“Happy Christmas, Grant,” Erin smiled, realizing he had intended to give her the book all along.
Grant started to walk away.
“Grant,” Erin called after him. “I’m all alone, and it’s not terribly late; won’t you come in, and we’ll order tea?”
Sitting on the edge of the hotel room bed, Grant felt Erin’s hand on his thigh, her head resting against his shoulder as she giggled at the cartoon that was muted on the television.
She unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and then a second. When Grant felt her lips against the nape of his neck, he cringed. He closed his eyes, trying to shake the image of walking in on his father and the woman who was not his father’s wife. For the first time, he let himself wonder how they had gotten to that point… how long, if at all, his father had resisted, and if he had felt like an absolute cad as he a swept her hair from her bare shoulder, just as Grant was doing to Erin now. The scene played like a movie in his head as Erin brought her lips to his. Grant backed away, shaking his head clear. “What am I doing?”
“Not a lot of anything,” Erin snapped.
Grant stared at Erin, a true vision of picturesque perfection. “I didn’t mention my girlfriend, did I?”
“No!” Erin exclaimed. “You haven’t mentioned any girlfriend all evening!”
“Yeah,” Grant gulped, “that’s what I was afraid of.”
“Is she in London?” Erin asked, shocked.
“No, she’s home in Tennessee,” Grant shook his head.
“There you go,” Erin shrugged. “I’m sure some cowboy is filling her nights while you’re gone.”
Grant shook his head as he buttoned his shirt. “No,” he chuckled, his disappointment in himself evident.
“She would never have to know,” Erin declared matter-of-factly.
“I guess she wouldn’t,” Grant agreed.
Erin smiled as she moved toward him, her delicate hands grazing his chest. “Now you’re talking, Gorgeous.”
Grant put his hands on Erin’s shoulders and held her at a distance. “She’d never know…but that doesn’t change the fact that I can’t do this.”
“Why not?” Erin rolled her eyes, giving up on the idea, straightening her dress and tucking her hair behind her ears.
Grant smiled, Hailey’s voice so pronounced in his mind. “Because,” he nodded, “she trusts me.”
Hailey sat on the kitchen counter twirling the twisty cord of the phone around her finger. “Do you realize that in a couple of months, everything is going to change?”
On the other end of the line, Misty lay stretched across her bed. “Not that much is going to change for me,” Misty replied. “Paul and I have had matching University of Memphis bumper stickers on our trucks since we were sophomores. We’ll drive to town for class, and he’ll have bigger crowds at his basketball games. That’s about it.”
“Have you stopped to really think about what it is you want to do when you get to college?” Hailey asked.
“Not really,” Misty answered honestly. “I mean, they say you really have a couple years to decide what you want to major in while you finish your basics.”
“That’s true,” Hailey conceded. “I guess you have plenty of time.” She paused. “I’ve just been thinking a lot lately. As much as I didn’t want Grant to leave, the last seventy-two hours have been nice. I needed this time to myself to think, and it’s like, all of a sudden, I began to consider that I might want to do something more in my life and, for the first time, I truly believe that I can…that anything is possible. There are so many opportunities out there that have never even crossed my mind before.”
“You don’t sound like the girl I know, Hails,” Misty replied.
“I don’t think I am,” Hailey replied, unashamed of her admission. “I mean, I’m still the same person, obviously…but I’ve spent the last couple days reflecting and evaluating and ultimately realizing that being born and raised in a small town has sheltered me from a lot of things that I’m not sure I don’t want to experience. I think the girl I used to be was content…which is a good thing to some degree, but I had fallen into such an easy contentment that I somehow began believing that my options were limited. Being with Grant has taught me so much. Being around him, I have become aware of my insecurities, and I truly feel like all my insecurities are rooted in the fact that I have never considered that I have a chance to be more than I am. Grant believes in me more than I have ever believed in myself. I owe it to Grant and to myself to be the best me I can be. I want to contribute to our relationship in ways I never imagined. Obviously, I’ll never be as intelligent as he is; he has a rare gift. But, it’s not a competition. I believe that God gave all of us gifts and unique talents that he expects us to use. I want to find mine.”
“So I’m guessing that’s why you were in town at the library when I called earlier?” Misty asked knowingly. “You were off practicing up on four syllable words to impress your man?”
Hailey laughed. “No, but I think I figured out what I’m supposed to do.”
“Really?” Misty seemed surprised.
“Misty, you should have heard Grant’s voice the night he called me to tell me about his niece saying his name. She has Autism, and she’s been completely non-verbal, but they’ve been working really hard, and she’s learned to communicate and engage and say several words. I’ve never heard Grant sound so in awe of anything. So much of what he says is so laced with sarcasm, and all of that is gone when he talks about her. For him, her saying his name was more of an accomplishment than him being elected to government office one day. His eyes light up when he talks about her. He reads a lot about Autism and the medical research going on. I know it’s one of the causes he will champion as a politician. I picked up some books at the library because I wanted to learn more. Mostly, I just wanted to learn more about the issues Leah faces because I know what a special part of Grant’s life she is. But, as I was reading, I began to think. I looked at other books about kids with various special needs, and, without a doubt, that is what I want to do. I want to work with special needs children in some capacity. I want to make a difference in their lives and the lives of their families.”
“You sound like a grown up,” Misty laughed.
“Yeah, I guess I do,” Hailey nodded. “I didn’t realize until now how much I’ve changed since this summer.”
“You sound happy,” Misty commented. “I think I’ll be happy at the University of Memphis. I think I want to stick around here. I love it here.”
“I love it here too,” Hailey agreed. “I would never trade growing up here; I think it has given me such a solid foundation. God has blessed me with so much, and I want to pay it forward and be a blessing to others in return. It’s become really important to me that Grant and I pray together about our future. We prayed on the phone together the other night, Misty, and it was awesome! It was like, in that moment, God was telling me that I was on the right track. I know that if I’m going to be with Grant, there are going to be so many new experiences thrown at me, but, for the first time, I feel like I’m ready.”
Hailey was alone in the empty gym, shooting hoops when Grant walked in. He stood at the door for a moment, just watching her.
“Miss me?” he said after a moment.
Hailey froze at the sound of his voice. He wasn’t due back for another day. A smile stretched across her face; she dropped her basketball and ran to him. He lifted her off the ground as she hugged him tightly.
“I met a woman while I was gone,” Grant confessed instantly.
Hailey laughed, startled by the candidness of his admission. “Okay…this story better end well…”
Grant grinned as he lowered Hailey to her feet. “Her name was Erin. She was probably perfect for me.”
“Okay, not liking how it is starting,” Hailey frowned, her tone still playful.
Grant nodded as he scooped the basketball from the court and nailed a two point jump shot. “She was absolutely beautiful. She was brilliant. Her resume was impressive. She was clearly ambitious. She was intensely passionate about her work. She found me irresistible.”
Hailey wrinkled her nose. “So why aren’t you there with her now?”
“She wasn’t you,” Grant smiled.
“Pretty, smart, ambitious, crazy about you…as opposed to me?” Hailey laughed. “Thanks, Grant!”
“I needed Erin, more than she will ever know,” Grant’s eyes met Hailey’s and intentionally held her gaze, so she wouldn’t miss his point. “I needed to cross paths with her…she was my test…and I let myself play the game…I flirted hard core…really turned on the charm…”
“This speech could use a little work, unless your intention is for it to end with me slapping you across your face,” Hailey declared.
“She was my confirmation,” Grant nodded. “I didn’t go seeking it out; I didn’t even realize that I needed it, but I did. To prove something very personal to myself.
Erin, despite being beautiful and intelligent and driven and intriguing…”
“You’ve covered that,” Hailey motioned for him to move the story along.
Grant smiled. “Despite all of the qualities that seemingly made her such a perfect match for me, she was like everyone else in my life…I could walk away…and I did…I walked right back here…to the one girl I swear I will never walk away from.”
Hailey smiled back at Grant. She had questions about what exactly had gone on with Erin, but those could wait. Grant was a closed book when they first met, so guarded and distant that Hailey wondered if she would ever peel away all the layers that protected his heart. Staring up at him, she felt blessed to know the person that the rest of the world wasn’t lucky enough to know.
It was only days before Christmas, and Hope Hull was playing their last game before the holiday. The Trailblazers from Moore City were in town, and the game had gotten off to an aggressive start even before the two teams stepped on the court. As Hope Hull and Moore City shook hands before the game, number fifteen, one of the two star guards for the Moore City squad, took it upon himself to pop Hailey on the bottom, announcing, “let’s get it on, Baby!”
“What’d you say to her?” Grant asked, stepping into his path.
Number fifteen shoved Grant away. “Take it easy; I was talking about the game.”
Grant was assigned to guard number ten, known to be a super quick guard with a mean outside jumper, while Hailey was in charge of covering number fifteen, who continued to prove himself to be crude and disrespectful.
Grant had half-expected to run into more characters like him throughout the season, but had been pleasantly surprised to learn that most of the guys on the teams they faced treated Hailey just like any other player on the court. They had respect for her ability to play, and any trash talk that went on was strictly basketball related. Two minutes into the game, it was obvious that number fifteen lacked the class and confidence necessary to play against a girl who could match him step for step.
“That guy has his hands all over you!” Grant barked as they ran down the court.
“It’s basketball!” Hailey fired back. “He’s just guarding me! Do you have a problem with that?”
“You’re darn right I have a problem with that!” Grant declared.
Hailey laughed as their opponents won possession of a loose ball. “I sorta like this jealous vibe; it’s oddly attractive on you, but you have to concentrate. We have a game to win. Our playoff berth is on the line here.”
“Well, you’ll just have to pardon me if I’m having a little trouble adjusting to the fact that I’m attracted to my teammate,” Grant scoffed. “That is most certainly not an emotion I have ever experienced before!”
“Grant,” Hailey yelled, trying to communicate with him over the noise of what was a boisterous crowd. “You should be used to me playing with the boys by now!”
“I bet you play with the boys after the game too, don’t you?” number fifteen poked at her.
Hailey swatted his hand away. She could read the anger on the Grant’s face, so she assumed her mouthy opposition had not been talking about flag football at Joe John’s or horseshoes at Billy Wayne’s.
As the end of the first quarter came to a close, number fifteen became aware that his inappropriate comments were not bothering the little girl nearly as much as they were bothering the star point guard who was Hope Hull’s biggest scoring threat, so he became more bold with his sexually explicit comments.
As the second quarter began, the game was close; Hope Hull was up by four. Hailey made a move to the basket and put her team up by six. She high-fived Paul as they ran back down the court. “With moves like that, I’d let you score on me all night long,” number fifteen winked.
Only because Paul knew to act fast and grab hold of his teammate as he charged toward his rival did Grant not get ejected from the game at that moment.
“Let it go, Cohen,” Paul shoved him. “You’re gonna get yourself kicked out of the game, man!”
“I don’t care!” Grant fired back.
Hailey butted in. “Grant!” she yelled. “Out here I’m one of the guys; it’s the way I want it; it’s the way it’s always been… it’s the way it has to be.”
The trash talk intensified to the extent that the referee blew his whistle. “Hope Hull number thirty-three, Moore City number fifteen…tone it down, boys!”
Only a couple plays later, Hailey got loose on a fast break and was about to score an easy lay-up when number fifteen grabbed her in mid air, an obvious flagrant foul that the referee blew his whistle on immediately. He pinned Hailey against the gym wall and pressed his body against hers for a long moment. Paul, Billy Wayne and Joe John all turned at once and grabbed hold of Grant. “We need you in this game; don’t do anything stupid,” Paul warned.
“Cohen, you want me to pound him?” Billy Wayne offered. “I’ll do it; Coach can put somebody else in for me!”
“No,” Grant insisted as he shook free of his teammates. “Thanks, Billy Wayne, but he’s all mine.”
Jack watched from the sidelines, the coach in him praying that his best player would keep his cool, while the father in him would have loved to see Grant lay that punk out.
“That guy’s such a loser,” Jessica declared as she, Emily and Nora watched from the bleachers. “I can’t believe he just did that.”
“I think the referee is threatening to kick him out of the game if he does it again,” Emily pointed. “Look, he’s givin’ him a stern talkin’ to.”
“Grant’s gonna kill him,” Jessica grinned, not really sure why she was grinning ear to ear about such a possibility.
Grant walked toward number fifteen, but the referee met him with a stiff arm. “Thirty-three, get to your side of the court. Now!”
Hailey grabbed Grant’s arm. “Timeout,” she declared, though an official one had already been taken.
“Those two should have their own reality show,” Jessica nodded.
“I’d watch,” Emily shrugged.
“This is a man’s game, Hailey. You don’t have any business being out here,” Grant declared.
As the referee spoke to the opposing coach, presumably about number fifteen’s behavior on the court, Hailey pulled Grant aside. “All I care about is winning this game. You need to stop thinking of me as your girlfriend right now and think of me as your teammate. He’s made it clear that he’s more interested in the fact that I’m female than he is about how competitive I am on the basketball court. Don’t you be guilty of the same thing! I have always played with the boys, and I have as much right to be out here as anybody else.”
“Hailey,” Grant said, his tone calm but stern and serious. “That jerk does exactly what he just did to another guy out here, and it’s just part of the game, but he does it to you, and I feel obligated to defend you. Any gentleman worth his salt was raised to respect women and treat them differently than they would another man. It’s not an equal rights issue or a sexist world view…it is just a fact of life. The rest of us out here are guys, and, like it or not, you are a girl.”
“Out here I’m the same as anyone else,” Hailey declared. “I am not asking you to like seeing me get fouled, in fact, I absolutely love that it’s driving you nuts right now, but we owe it to our team to finish this game strong.”
“You can preach that all you want,” Grant shook his head. “The fact of the matter is I would never shake a woman’s hand the same way I shake a man’s hand. I would never pull a man’s chair out for him at the dinner table. If I saw two guys fighting, depending on the situation, I might be moved to break them up, but if I saw the same guy hit a girl, that is going to ignite a seriously different emotion and illicit an entirely different reaction. It’s not that you’re not capable of playing basketball at a high enough level to play with the boys…obviously you are…but there is just way more to it than that. You’re a girl…and to complicate matters…you’re not just any girl…you’re my girl.”
Hailey smiled as she moved to the free throw line and knocked down her free throws. Despite the referee’s stern warning, number fifteen became increasingly crude as the game raged on. Near the end of the third quarter, Hope Hull trailed by two, until Grant hit a crucial three point jumper that put them up by one with a minute left in the third quarter.
“Ooh, you nailed that,” number fifteen clapped mockingly. “That’s not the only thing out here you’re nailing, is it?”
“He’s just messing with your mind, Cohen,” Paul stepped in. “Nice shot, Bud! Keep it up!”
“Would you please try not to get yourself ejected from this game!” Hailey gulped.
“If he touches you one more time, I might just get myself banned for life,” Grant said confidently.
A few heated threats were exchanged between Grant and number fifteen as the third quarter came to a close.
With Hope Hull up by three as the final quarter of play began, it was obvious that the fourth quarter was going to be the most intense yet.
“Timeout!” Jack yelled from the sideline, just two minutes into the forth quarter.
The referee blew his whistle, granting Jack his timeout, and Jack stormed out onto the court to meet his team as they jogged toward the sideline. “In case you guys have forgotten, this game is critical to our season,” he screamed, his face red.
“We’ve got it under control, Coach,” Paul insisted.
“Is that so?” Jack boomed. “Because from my view on the sideline, these,” he pointed at Grant’s lips, “are running much faster than,” he pointed at Grant’s feet, “these,” he nodded.
“He’s right,” Hailey sighed. “That guy’s guarding me and wrecking your game!”
“Fine,” Grant nodded. “Switch…”
Hailey glanced at her dad, and Jack shrugged. “Fine,” he agreed finally.
Hailey gave her father a quick pat on the shoulder and practically shooed him back to his seat on the sidelines. “Don’t worry, Coach…we’re gonna win this game!” When she was sure her dad’s back was turned, Hailey lifted herself onto the balls of her feet and kissed Grant’s lips. “Take that jerk to school, and I’ll plant one of those on you that will make his head spin.”
Grant stood frozen, and Hailey nudged him with her hip. “I do like a challenge,” he conceded.
Hope Hull ran back onto the court, energized and with a point to prove. Grant and his counterpart sparred verbally back and forth, a battle that Grant seemed to be in command of for the moment. Hailey’s eyes were intense, her determination to keep her new man from scoring evident with every movement.
“You look good sweaty, Baby!” number fifteen winked at Hailey as Grant dribbled the ball down the court. “Just sayin’…”
Hailey rolled her eyes.
“Let’s go, Grant,” she called. “Let’s take this game home!”
Grant took the ball to the basket, brushing shoulders with his defender.
“I’ll take you home,” number fifteen puckered his lips.
“You are disgusting!” Hailey groaned.
“You don’t know what you’re missing, Baby,” he popped Hailey’s bottom again. “Not only can I palm a NBA basketball, I wear a 13 ½ size shoe!”
“What?” Hailey sighed, confused.
“Geez,” Grant rolled his eyes as he glanced at the game clock.
“Why would I care what size shoe he wears?” Hailey wrinkled her nose as they ran the length of the court.
“Don’t worry about it,” Grant shook his head.
“We need a chick on our team,” number fifteen continued running his mouth. “I bet you guys’ victory celebrations are epic!”
“Come-on, Dude, lay off,” Paul shouted.
“Yeah, leave her alone,” Billy Wayne chimed in.
“I’m all for seeing more chicks on the court,” number fifteen laughed, as he popped Hailey on the bottom and let his hand linger. “Especially one as feisty as you! You’re wild in the sack, aren’t you?”
“You wanna see more of her? Is that what you want?” Grant nodded. “Do you see two of her yet?”
The Moore City player seemed baffled.
“How about now?” Grant shrugged, and his fist landed hard between number fifteen’s eyes, laying him out on the court.
The crowd went wild! Rusty Cobb was jumping up and down, pumping both fists in the air as Donny Ray Harper clomped up and down the bleachers in celebration. Dale Munk put his arms around his boys on either side of him, as if telling Jimmy Ray and Ricky Lee that if fightin’ was the only answer, he expected it to be done just like that.
Nora kept an eye on a host of Moore City parents who were restraining an overweight man wearing a Dale Earnhardt hat and a black t-shirt that proudly proclaimed in gold letters: Father of #15.
Jack took a deep breath, sure his best player had just been suspended for the next game, if not the remainder of the season.
“Oh my gosh, what a punch…” Paul gasped.
“Heck yeah, Son,” Billy Wayne laughed. “I reckon you’re glad it wuttin aimed at you this time.”
Joe John looked around wildly, half-expecting a brawl to ensue but finding it hard to spot anyone on Moore City’s team who looked eager to rush to their teammate’s defense.
“What did you do that for?” Hailey exclaimed, shoving Grant.
Grant picked up the basketball and slammed it hard against the wall, figuring he was done for the night, his display of frustration silencing most of the crowd as they waited to see what would happen next. “Because I love you!” he screamed.
Hailey didn’t know what to do but laugh!
“What did he just say?” Emily gasped.
Nora’s face went white, her hands moving to her chest.
“Oh my goodness!” Jessica jumped up and down, shaking Emily with fierce excitement. “Basketball games were never this great before your brother came to town!”
The referees separated both teams, sending them to opposite ends of the court, just incase any one else still had a score to settle.
Hailey grinned at Grant. “Do you have to scream that at me every time you say it?” she laughed. “I mean the first time was sorta romantic, but this is just getting ridiculous, Grant!” She moved easily into his arm. “But, I love you too,” she whispered.
The opposing coach was going crazy, demanding action.
One referee helped number fifteen to his feet, and, for a moment, he seemed unsteady. The referee offered him a towel to catch the blood that flowed from his nose. Hailey strolled past on her way to the sideline. “You look good bloody,” she winked. “Just sayin’…”
The head referee jogged to the sideline to face the coaches, and a smile stretched across Jack’s face when he apologized to the opposing coach, saying no one on his crew had seen exactly what happened, so no call would be made. Jack thought the man would blow a gasket, and, if he was in his situation, he knew he would have too, but he couldn’t stop smiling at the referee now. “Let’s keep the rest of this game clean, coaches,” the referee nodded at Jack.
When the game finally resumed a few minutes later, Jack was sure that there was some health code violation that made it illegal for number fifteen to continue with blood stains on the front of this gold jersey, but, given the fact that Grant was still in the game post his Muhammad Ali impression, Jack didn’t figure it was in his best interest to argue anything.
Number fifteen’s energy was now being expended on Grant, warning him that he better watch his back after the game and guaranteeing his team’s victory in the final seconds.
Hailey had always been an intense competitor, but, suddenly, she had never wanted to win a game more than she wanted to win this one.
Seconds left on the clock, Moore City was up by two. Grant had the ball, and he was demonstrating a repertoire of fancy ball handling skills that made Coach Nelson incredibly nervous. Grant dribbled between his legs. “You dizzy?” he antagonized his opponent. “You ready for this?” Grant stole a quick glance at the clock. “It’s me and you…” he winked at his defender, playfully adding, “winner gets the girl!” He faked right and went left, only to spin around and go back right, sending a three pointer sailing toward the basket as the final buzzer sounded. The crowd watched with anticipation as the shot that would decide the game seemed to move in slow motion, finally swooshing through the hoop…nothin’ but net.
Hailey screamed, running toward Grant and jumping into his arms, planting an open-mouthed kiss on him right in the middle of the court. Giddy and glowing, her legs wrapped around Grant and her arms raised victoriously in the air, Hailey smiled down at her opponent. “Good game,” she offered meekly.
“Oh my gosh, that was like movie star awesome!” Jessica exclaimed as she and Emily bounced up and down with excitement, squealing and hugging.
Jack stood at the edge of the court, his team swarming around Grant and Hailey, celebrating their victory! With his hands covering his eyes, yet not his smile, he peeked through his fingers, making eye contact with Nora, who stood in the bleachers, red faced and completely still. “Well, Hailey Jane,” Jack said to himself as he shook his head and finally raised his arms.
Grant stood at the front window, his finger crooked around the curtain, allowing him just enough visibility to watch the headlights of his mother’s car back from the driveway and start down the street. As he watched the taillights recede further into the distance, he turned to find Hailey staring at him from the couch. Her knees were pulled to her chest; her arms were hugging her bare legs against her, and her chin was resting on her knee, her brown curls falling down around her face. Sitting there with no makeup on in her short, pink running shorts and little, white, ribbed tank top, she didn’t mean to make Grant’s heart skip a beat, but when their eyes met, a lump formed in her throat.
Grant’s hair had not been brushed since he towel dried it after his shower. He was barefoot, wearing blue and white plaid, flannel pajama bottoms, and his deep brown eyes peered at Hailey from behind wire rim glasses.
“I love when you wear those glasses,” she smiled at him.
Grant walked slowly toward her. “Do they make me look smart?” he winked as he reached out his hand to her.
Hailey took his hand, and he seamlessly pulled her to her feet. She was standing on the sofa, her toes sinking into the cushions as she towered over Grant. She ran her fingers along the hair that lined the back of his neck as she felt Grant’s hands running up her back. “I love you,” she whispered as she brushed her lips against his cheek. They stared at each other for a long moment, and Grant seemed resigned to letting Hailey move at her own pace. “This is the first time we have ever really had the house all to ourselves,” she gulped. She took his hand and pulled it to her lips, kissing the tips of his fingers before weaving her fingers in his and gesturing toward the couch. Grant sat down as she eased to her knees next to him. “I want you to kiss me all night.”
“I can do that,” Grant nodded, shifting slightly and moving his hands up her arms and over her shoulders until he held her face cupped in his hands.
Hailey held her hand up. “One second,” she gulped, and she darted from the couch, leaving Grant with his lips parted, watching her retreat down the hall.
She returned quickly, holding a t-shirt in her hand. “Here,” she said, tossing it at Grant.
Grant laughed. “What’s this for?”
“Put it on,” Hailey grinned.
Grant pulled his shirt over his head. “Okay,” he shrugged, “but I gotta warn you…this is one of the sexiest shirts I own.”
Hailey rolled her eyes as she nodded her approval. Beneath the fitted gray t-shirt she could still see the definition of his chest. She wanted to feel his lips on hers, and the way he looked in those glasses sent a shiver down her spine. He tended to only wear his glasses at night, before bed, and something about seeing him in them gave her a sense of security that she couldn’t define. She wanted to snuggle up to him and stay there forever. Staring at him, she couldn’t believe that the boy who had taken her breath away the first time she had ever laid eyes on him was now sitting on her couch, looking irresistibly kissable and drawing her toward him without doing a thing. She crawled onto the couch and straddled Grant’s legs, so they were face-to-face. She slowly slid his glasses from his eyes and eased them onto the end table.
“I love you,” Grant said, his voice making Hailey shiver as she melted into his arms. He tenderly touched her cheek. “You’re so beautiful…”
Their lips came together quickly, and Hailey was surprised that when she felt Grant’s hands running up the back of her thighs, she made no attempt to swat them away. She remembered the first time they kissed and how uncomfortable she had been, how terrified she had been that he wasn’t enjoying it nearly as much as she had been. She no longer feared kissing him; she had become comfortable with the way their mouths seemed to work in perfect unison. She had discovered how it was possible to learn to breathe together, so that coming up for air was unnecessary. She had become so comfortable kissing Grant that she no longer had to think about it; the passion came naturally and her lips seemed to react on their own without her having to focus on their every move. This freedom had felt so liberating recently, but tonight it haunted her.
She wanted her mind consumed with the fear of kissing the one whose kisses overpowered her because when the action had become so natural, it had freed her mind to think about other things…new fears…new insecurities….new wonderment…like the thoughts she was having tonight as she felt herself falling back onto the sofa and Grant’s body falling easily over hers. She heard him say that he loved her. She felt his hands running up her shirt, against her skin. She felt her lips moving with his and her fingers working to pull the shirt she had just put on him, over his head. Their lips parted momentarily as she helped him untangle his arms and tossed the shirt onto the floor.
Their lips came back together quickly, and her heart pounded so hard that she wondered if Grant could feel it. She worried that she wasn’t doing the right things with her hands because, without moving his lips from hers, Grant reached for her hands and drew them toward his body as though guiding her along. She could feel her entire being tremble beneath him, and she hoped he wasn’t turned off by her inexperience.
“Not here,” she heard him say, and he lifted her into his arms. He carried her down the hallway, and, as they eased themselves onto Grant’s bed, their lips never parted. Hailey traced Grant’s arm muscles with her fingers, and she wondered how arms so strong could be so tender. She felt so awkward in her movements, yet his lips, his hands, his body seemed to move so fluidly and effortlessly over hers.
“Grant?” Hailey panted, turning her head to the side.
He waited for her to say something, but when she couldn’t, he responded with the most passionate, mind-numbing kiss Hailey had ever felt.
Though lost in his touch, her thoughts raced. Would he be mad at her when she refused to let him cross a certain line? Did he know that they had to stop? Were they on the same page about that? Had she already let it go too far? Were her panties the sexy kind? Did girls with mothers know these sort of things that she didn’t? Would her father be disappointed in her? Had Misty ever gone this far with Paul? Was she, as Mrs. Jordan had put it during Sunday school, doing something she would want to be doing if Jesus came back at that moment? Oh gosh, what are his hands doing now?
Hailey realized her shirt was being slipped over her head, and she felt the warmth of her skin against Grant’s. No big deal… like a swimsuit, that’s all, she told herself.
As Grant kissed her neck, she could feel the stubble on his chin against her shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled over, catapulting her on top of him. He took her hands, moving them for her, but, this time, she resisted, promising herself that her hands would not venture below his firm, muscular chest. She pulled her lips away, but Grant chased after them with his, and she moved back to him quickly, not wanting him to sense her doubts.
“What’s wrong?” he asked anyway.
“Nothing,” Hailey said softly, and she swept a strand of her hair away from her mouth.
Grant caressed her back and unhooked her bra with one quick snap of his wrists. Hailey’s heart raced, and a part of her wished he had fumbled with the clasp a little longer, the way she had imagined he might. Suddenly, it was though she had been snapped back to reality, and she couldn’t believe how out of hand she had let things get. “Stop,” she gulped, hurrying to cover herself.
“What’s wrong?” Grant breathed between kisses.
“I’m sorry,” Hailey shook her head as she shied away from his touch. She hurried to move away from the bed, gathering his shirt from the floor and using it to cover her body. “I’m sorry,” she cried. “I’m sorry.”
Hailey sat alone, staring out the window in her bedroom, wiping her tears with her fingers, then the entire sleeve of her sweatshirt. Pulling her hair back into a ponytail, she didn’t hear Grant come in, and it startled her when he spoke.
Her eyes moved to his. He was wearing jogging pants and a white t-shirt that said HOPE HULL BASKETBALL in big, green letters. He was wearing his glasses again, and his hair looked damp. He seemed to shiver a bit as he pulled a gray hoodie over his head.
“Did you get another shower?” Hailey asked, hoping he had not noticed her tears.
Grant nodded, his teeth practically chattering.
“Did we not have any hot water?” Hailey sighed.
Grant laughed.
Hailey stared back at him, recognition registering on her face. “Oh my gosh, did you take a cold shower?” she blurted. “I mean, I’ve heard people say that in movies and stuff…but do people really do that? I’m sorry!”
Grant shrugged. “It’s okay, Hails; we don’t have to do anything until you’re ready.”
“That’s just it,” Hailey shook her head. “There won’t be a time when I’m ready.”
“Ever?” Grant gulped.
“No!” Hailey exclaimed. “That’s not what I meant!” She rushed toward him and began rubbing his arms to warm him up. She paused, remembering how badly she had wanted Grant, how right she had felt in his arms. Then she recalled how he had undressed her in one swooping motion with the precision of a man who had been there and done that. She thought about how innocent and inexperienced she must seem to him, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he had picked up on her insecurity the way she had picked up on the fact that he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. “Grant, can I ask you something?” she said almost shyly.
Grant looked back at her, suddenly fearing the question he knew she would ask.
“Well,” Hailey began to stutter, “it’s just that…well, I’ve never…you know…I haven’t…but, I was just wondering if…what I’m trying to ask is…have you ever…?”
“I’ve never made love before either,” Grant said tactfully, easing her anxiety.
Hailey smiled easily as she pondered Grant’s words, and, though she knew what he meant, she found his word choice honest and sweet.
Still, the thought lingered in her head. “How many?” she heard herself ask before she could stop herself.
“It’s not important,” Grant shook his head. He reached for Hailey’s hand and kissed it tenderly. “I wish I could stand here and tell you that I’ve never been with anyone else; I wish I could honestly tell you that I’ve never done anything I regret, but I can’t. What I can tell you is that none of it mattered, and things would have been different if I had known there was ever going to be someone as wonderful as you in my future. Hails, you are the only girl who has ever mattered to me; you are the only girl I want, and I’ll wait as long as I have to.”
“You’re not mad?” Hailey smiled.
“No,” Grant shook his head. “I’m not mad.”
“I feel bad,” Hailey sighed. “I never should have allowed things to get so out of hand tonight. I was just excited that we were finally going to have some time to ourselves, and I got…we got carried away. I know I probably gave you the impression that things were going to go farther than they did, and I’m sorry. I just don’t know what got into me!”
“You don’t have to apologize to me,” Grant smiled.
“I’m just disappointed in myself,” Hailey shook her head. “Daddy has a saying,” she forced a smile. “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? It means…”
“I know what it means,” Grant nodded.
“I have always promised myself that I will wait until my wedding night to make love for the first time,” Hailey said, her voice shaky. “That way, my virginity is like a gift to my new husband. I know that might seem silly to you, but I believe that it’s the way things are supposed to be. It’s important to me to wait…”
“And if something is truly important to you, then it’s important to both of us,” Grant replied without hesitation.
“You’re really not mad?” Hailey marveled.
Grant shook his head. “No,” he smiled back at her. “I’m not mad…not unless you’re planning on spending that wedding night with some other guy.”
Hailey laughed and cried at the same time. “There is only one guy I want, and I’m looking at him.”
Grant glanced over his shoulder, and Hailey popped him, laughing easily now. Grant smiled as Hailey flung her arms around him. “I’m not going anywhere, Hailey,” he said with confidence.
“I love you,” Hailey cried. “I’m sorry,” she shook her head. “I don’t know why I’m crying like a blubbering idiot. It’s just that you’re the answer to the prayers I prayed.”
Grant brushed a strand of fallen hair away from Hailey’s face and rested his lips lovingly against her forehead. “I never knew it was possible to feel this way about another person until I met you,” he whispered. “You not only changed my life…you are my life.” Tears streamed down Hailey’s face, and Grant gently wiped them away with his thumbs. “I love you,” he mouthed as he stared into her eyes.
Hailey leaned into his arms, ready to put the night behind her, but certain that she wanted to hear him say those words to her everyday for the rest of their lives.