“Don’t worry about it.”
Her gaze swept over the group, or he should saygroupsof kids before blinking up at him. “Where do you want me, Coach?”
“You’re fine where you are,Maus.”
Her nose scrunched. “Mouse?”
“Don’t like it? I think you’re a perfect little church mouse.” He winked.
She groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
He shook his head and then clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. After a stilted round of introductions, he paired kids from different clusters together and gave each pair a ball to practice passing. After promising Orhan that nothing would happen to her, he took Yara by the hand and led her over to Amber.
“Do you think you can look after Yara for a bit? She’s younger than the program’s minimal age, and her mum is at work right now.”
Amber extended her hand to the little girl with a smile. “We’re going to have so much fun, you and I.” She lowered her voice and looked up at Seth. “If her mom is at work, who’s looking after her the rest of the day?”
Seth pointed to Orhan. “Her older brother is right over there. He takes care of her while their mum works a double shift downtown at the manufacturing plant to pay for rent and food.”
“What about their dad?”
He glanced over his shoulder to check on the kids passing their balls back and forth. “Casualty of a corrupt government.”
Amber hugged the preschooler to her side. She bent down to the girl’s level. “I saw some wild daisies over there. Why don’t we make a crown of them and you can be a pretty princess?” She led the girl over to the side while Seth jogged back to the other kids.
He put them through some drills and then counted them off into teams to play a scrimmage game. He needed to see what he was working with—in regard to skill as well as personal and group challenges. He blew the whistle, and kids ran into action.
They shouted to each other in different languages, passing the ball to kids on their team who had come from the same region they had. Seth shook his head. They were going to experience enough ostracism from people outside who didn’t think they belonged here in Germany. They didn’t need to be treating each other that way as well. At half time he blew his whistle in disgust. First thing he’d have to do is get these kids to work together as a team, to see their teammates as an extended family.
But just how was he supposed to do that?
Movement out of the corner of his eyes caught his attention. Amber had Yara on her back, and she trotted across the sidelines like a horse. The girl squealed in delight, a white daisy chain circling the top of her head.
Amber stopped by one of the older boys and pointed at his feet. What was she doing? She stuck her foot out and the boy looked at her in confusion. She pointed to his feet again. Finally, she bent down and reached over, dragging his leg beside hers. With a quick nod, she set Yara down and then knelt on the grass. She untied her shoes and slipped off her socks, handing both to the boy while pointing again to his bare feet.
Seth swept his gaze around the other kids, then lowered his focus to their feet. Most wore shoes, but a few didn’t. Those barefoot watched as the lucky kid tied on Amber’s trainers.
She couldn’t help them all, but she could help one. If only more people would adopt that philosophy. His heart went out to her, and he almost hated himself for what he was about to do.
But it would be better for them all in the long run.
He hoped.
Trotting over to the group, he told them in German for everyone to take their shoes off. Twenty pairs of eyes stared back at him strangely. He bent down and untied his own trainers then toed them off. He repeated his desire that everyone be barefoot. Slowly, understanding lit faces, and kids pulled off their shoes.
First step in becoming a team, a family? Having a shared experience. Whether good or bad.
From the thunderous look on Amber’s face, she thought this one very bad.
Chapter Ten
Holy Roman Empire, 1527
Christyne paused and leaned on the door behind her, letting her eyes adjust to the shadowed light of the undercroft while her pulse slowed to a normal beat. Ever since the Duke of Schlestein had graced her hall with his presence she had been as fidgety as Hette. No matter that the great lord had departed the castle walls more than two hours past, his band of soldiers with him. She had watched the plumes of dust the horses’ hooves had kicked up, her own prayers rising and disappearing into the heavens in the same manner.
Whose prayers did the Lord answer? For surely men in the Vatican prayed for the recantation of men like Luther and Zwingli just as piously as the reformers prayed for a change in the Church. Did the Lord bend his ear to one group and not the other? What of her, who knew not which side held the arm of truth and righteousness? Did God heed her own whispered words though her heart straddled a fence so weak she felt it would crumble beneath her weight?
She made the sign of the cross and kissed the back of her fingers before descending the rickety steps into the undercroft’s belly. Though Hette had brought Lorenz a midday meal, the scholar needed to be made aware of the danger nipping yet at his heels. Her eyes scanned the damp room and fixed on the form in the far corner. She’d expected the invalid to be resting, but he knelt, head bowed, palms pressed together.
