Page 53 of Cross-Check

Fuck, I hate being bad at anything.

It doesn’t take long for the rest of the guys to get set up, and before I know it, we are playing. At some point, the girls come back and start talking. Cora takes her place on the couch behind me once more and starts running her hands through my hair. It feels so good.

I am not very good, but none of the guys say anything. They all joke around but never make me feel bad for being the obvious worst player.

When Brett finally emerges from the bathroom, I stand, handing him my controller.

“Take over for me. I’m going to get a drink.” Looking at Cora, I ask her, “You need anything?”

“Nope,” she murmurs, a look in her eye I can’t describe.

I pick up her hand, kissing the back of it before heading into the kitchen. When I close the fridge, I jump when Wyatt is standing there.

“Dude, make some noise or something.”

He shakes his head. “Nah, more fun this way.”

I step out of his way. “Give a man a heart attack.”

“You look at her differently than you did Grace.”

I feel my eyes widen. “What do you mean?”

“Cora, you look at her like the sun rises and sets with her. You never looked at Grace like that.”

I mean, I’m glad he noticed the difference, but at the same time, why was he watching me? How did I miss him watching me?

I nod. “I know. I made a mistake thinking Grace was more to me than a friend.”

“Good. Glad you admit it. You need to make that clear to her and to Clay. It’s time for you to put the water under the bridge and leave that shit behind.”

“When did you become a guru and all that?”

He shakes his head. “I didn’t, but I don’t like seeing Grace hurting. She misses having you as her friend. Clay is struggling to hold the team together with the douchebag while he is also still worried about what a wild card you will be. Then there’s Cora. She deserves to be able to hang out with her family without worrying about what it will do to you. Make it right.”

With that, he heads back into the living room, and I’m left realizing I need to get on that list of amends sooner rather than later.

My future depends on it.

thirteen

Most days I love coming to the center and mediating visits between children and their family members, but some days it’s rough. Earlier a little boy bawled when his parents had to leave him behind. His parents are young and made a mistake and are trying to make amends so they can get him back. It broke my heart watching all three of them crying for each other. I wish I could just give them my blessing and tell them to go home and to have a happy life, but I can’t do that.

After they left and the child calmed down, I was ushered into the next mediation.

Carol isn’t exactly what I would call maternal. She doesn’t know how to talk to her ten-year-old daughter, and it’s obvious that Shelby wants nothing to do with her. In fact, the way that Shelby flinches every time her mother moves makes me wonder if this is much more than a case of neglect. As much as I want to usher Shelby away from the woman, I can’t. I have to make sure they have their time and then report my findings to the courts so they can make their decision.

I clear my throat. “Shelby, did you tell your mom about the play?”

Carol’s eyes narrow. “What play? We don’t have no money for a play.”

Shelby wilts into herself, and it takes everything in me not to reach out and smack her mom against the back of her head.

“Don’t worry, Miss Carol, it’s just a school play. No fees,” I say as cheerfully as I can.

Carol makes a noise in the back of her throat but keeps her mouth shut. For now. Lord knows it’s only a matter of time.

“Go on, Shelby. Tell her about it,” I prod.

---