Page 65 of Embers of Torment

"No, I didn't. I couldn't face coming back. But it was time to change that, face it head-on, and end the stranglehold my memories seem to have on me. Maybe then I can put it behind me and move forward."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize how deep the scars were from all those years of your father's bullying." Ree hugged me, her expression pained when she pulled away. "I'll help you in any way I can. And since you're so adamant about locating that girl, I'll go through the box James dropped off when I get home."

"Thanks, Ree. You've always been my life savor. Now that I've spoiled the mood, we should switch to something more enjoyable like the game."

"You didn't spoil the mood, and I'm glad you told me." Ree turned back to the game and shrieked. She grabbed my arm and pointed to the field. "Look! The coach is putting Lily in the game." She jumped to her feet as one of the girls ran toward the sideline, and Lily ran across the field to take her place.

The game resumed with Lily playing defense. The other team passed the ball back and forth while moving it up the field toward the goal. One of Lily's teammates stole the ball and kicked it to her. Lily tried to dribble it but stumbled and hit the ground. An opposing player got the ball and passed it to a teammate. The other team scored.

"Shoot! At least Lily tried." Ree sighed as she retook her seat. "Remember how I was telling you Lily's last growth spurt made her awkward and clumsy? Well, that's one of its consequences. Lily tends to trip over her feet when she hurries."

"Hey, it's all part of growing up. I don't recall you being very graceful."

"I guess I wasn't." Ree nudged my arm and motioned toward the parking lot. "A woman is walking this way."

I turned, and the woman waved. "That's Della. I'll be back." I jogged over, met her halfway, and kissed her. "You made it. How'd your appointment go?" I held her hand as we walked toward Ree.

"As I expected. No issues. So what did I miss since I'm late?"

"Lily's team is down by two, and she's in the game right now. She's the ginger-haired girl with glasses, wearing the number four jersey."

"Cool. So Lily gets to play."

"At this age, all the kids get a turn on the field. That way, they learn about teamwork and the game's mechanics." I led Della to our seats, thrilled to have her join me. "Ree, this is Della Nash. Della, this is my cousin Ree."

"I'm glad to meet you," Della said, shaking Ree's hand.

"Me too." Ree motioned to the two empty chairs. "Go ahead and sit."

"Thanks." Della sat in the chair on the end.

Hearing a burst of excited comments from the group of parents nearest us, I swung my attention back to the game. The other team was near the goal and trying to score. Their player kicked the ball, and it bounced off the goalkeeper toward Lily. She got control of it and gave the ball a massive kick down the field to one of her teammates. After several passes and some jostling for the ball, Lily's team scored a goal.

Ree and Della had flown from their chairs, jumping and screaming during the play. When it was over, Della gave Ree an exuberant high-five, and the two did a cute little jig. Della's expression changed once she retook her seat. She peered at Ree, the space between her brows filling with deep creases.

I leaned toward Della's chair. "Hey, is everything all right?"

"Yeah. It's just… I don't know. Your cousin seems familiar, but I can't place her."

"Maybe you ran into her somewhere?"

"I guess."

We watched the game for a few more minutes, and then the girls took a break for halftime. I was chatting with Ree when I caught Della waving at someone. Turning, I spotted Lily wavingback. She bounced around, wearing a massive grin as her hand frantically flapped.

I leaned toward Della. "Lily's been excited to meet you. Don't be surprised if she runs up and gives you a monster hug after the game's over."

"I won't mind. Lily's adorable." Della shifted and pulled on the hem of her bright flower-patterned blouse. "I used to wear glasses like Lily."

"Really? You don't have contacts, so what changed?"

"I couldn't stand the darn things, so I had surgery to correct my vision. I was farsighted."

I reached for Della's hand and held it, my thumb lightly caressing. "I'm sure getting rid of the glasses made it more comfortable and convenient. Plus, you no longer have to worry about breaking or misplacing them. Lily has that problem. Ree's had to replace them a few times. Not to mention, Lily gets picked on sometimes for wearing them."

"Yeah, that was another one of my issues as a kid. Having eyeglasses made me a target."

"Some kids can be jerks." I squeezed Della's hand and smiled, although deep down, I cringed. I was one of those jerky kids, picking on others because I hated the world and they were different.

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