Page 41 of Sporty Girls Don't Fall For Loners

“Thanks, Zoey. I try my best.”

“I kind of feel…I don’t know, guilty.”

“What for?” he asks.

“I’ve been born into a good life, with parents who love me and have provided me with everything I need. There are so many kids out there who are going through tough situations…”

He squeezes my hand. “Please don’t feel that way. Everyone has something they’re struggling with and I don’t think it’s healthy to compare one person’s problem to another’s. You’re a good kid, Zoey. And you volunteer for your mom’s charity organization! You’re already doing good in the world.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Good people will contribute good things to the world,” he tells me as he drains his cup. “All we can do is strive to do our best.”

The door opens and Aunt Ally walks in with bags of groceries. Both Uncle Zack and I hurry to help her.

“Thanks,” she says with a huff. “I went to the grocery store to buy only a couple of things and look what I came home with.” She laughs lightly, but then looks at her husband with creased brows. “Zack, why are you home so early?”

He closes his arm around her waist and buries his face between her neck and shoulder. With a shocked and confused look, she rubs his back. “What’s wrong?”

“Hard day at work,” his muffled voice says. “I’ll be okay,” he assures her. “I just want to hold you for a minute.”

“Of course.” She presses her lips to his temple as she squeezes him to her chest. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Maybe later, thanks. I think I want to relax with a book.”

“Okay. Just tell me if you need anything.”

“It’s enough just holding you.” He raises his head and presses his forehead to hers. They remain like that for a short while before Uncle Zack leaves to their bedroom.

“I hope he’s okay,” Aunt Ally says as she starts putting away the groceries. “Zack takes everything to heart. And I know he gets triggered a lot. But he pushes away his own feelings so he can focus on the kids.”

I help my aunt put everything in the right place. “He found out a caseworker has been treating a kid badly.”

Aunt Ally stares at me with shocked eyes. “That’s terrible.”

“Yeah…Uncle Zack’s been trying to help.”

“I’ll check on him in a minute. I need to get started on dinner.”

“I can help,” I offer.

“Would you, sweetie? I would really appreciate it.”

“Sure. I used to cook with my mom all the time. Just tell me what to do and I’ll hopefully not burn the house down.”

She grabs her recipe book and turns to the correct page. “This is Liam’s recipe. He wrote it in shorthand, but I added my notes to make it clearer. You can get started on the vegetables and I’ll join you in a second.”

“Okay. No problem.”

As I chop some carrots, I try not to think about the poor kid, but it’s hard to get him out of my head. I hope Uncle Zack is right and things will work out for him. I hope every kid in the system has a happily ever after.

My thoughts shift to Kade. I wonder what kind of hardships he’s been through. I don’t know what his situation is, whether he’s an orphan or if his parents are incapable of caring for him, or if he has other family who haven’t stepped up. All I know is that he had a hard time in the system and that my uncle is trying to find him a good home.

“He seems okay for now,” Aunt Ally tells me when she returns to the kitchen and reaches for the chicken she just bought. “He’s reading one of his favorite books, which always lifts his spirits.”

“I believe that he’ll do whatever he can to help the kid,” I say.

Ally smiles. “I agree. My Zack never gives up.” She nods at my knife work. “I think Liam would be proud of you.”

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