Page 52 of Flashback for the Forward

“Is your homework all done? And have you written that book report that’s due at the end of the week?”

His lips slammed shut, and a guilty expression stole over his face.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

He gestured toward the TV. “Can’t I do it after the game?”

“What would Levi say if he were here?”

“Fine.” Austin stood with a huff before stomping up the stairs.

Maisie leaned over to stage-whisper, “Dad doesn’t play when it comes to homework.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “He sounds like a good dad.”

The girl nodded her agreement. “The best.”

With the game going to intermission, I peeked at the paperwork she had spread out all over the coffee table. “What are you working on? Some kind of school project?”

Maisie lit up before my very eyes. “Oh! This is all for Thorne Tough.”

“What’s Thorne Tough?”

Beaming with pride, she explained, “It’s my adaptive sports camp for kids with disabilities.” She patted her prosthetic leg. “I want kids like me to have a place where they can make friends and have fun in a supportive environment.”

Damn, I was blown away. She’d worked hard to overcome her own physical challenges, then turned around and used that as fuel to make an impact in the lives of others.

“That’s incredible.” Bumping shoulders with her, I said, “I want to be you when I grow up, Maisie.”

The teen’s cheeks turned pink at my praise.

“Back when I was teaching, I had a student with a limb reduction defect. His right hand never fully formed in the womb. I bet he would have loved to go to a camp like the one you’re planning to put on.”

Maisie perked up, shifting through the stack of papers and pulling out one that looked like an application. “Do you have a way to contact his family? We have a lot of interest, but if he’s someone you know personally, I can make sure he ends up on our short list.”

“I could reach out to one of my former colleagues and see if they can pass the info along.” Hopefully, they wouldn’t see my name attached to an email and immediately discard it. My relationship with Aiden ruined most, if not all, of the friendships I’d built with my fellow teachers.

She clapped her hands together. “Oh, yes! Please do!”

Her excitement was infectious, and I found myself laughing. “Okay, I will.”

“Cole’s been one of Thorne Tough’s biggest donors,” Arizona chimed in.

At the mention of his name, my smile flatlined.

To say it was awkward around the house since he’d dropped the ex-wife bombshell would be an understatement. In fact, I was relieved when the Surf headed to the East Coast for eight days. While I still struggled with the severe anxiety of being home alone, it meant I didn’t have to pretend as though everything was okay when it was the furthest thing from it. Old wounds had been ripped back open, and most days it felt as if I were bleeding out.

The other woman clocked my reaction and changed the subject. “Maisie, honey? I bet if you asked her nicely, Bridget would let you braid her hair while she watches the third period.”

Eyes sparkling, the teenage girl bounced in her seat. “Please, please, please! Your hair is amazingly long.”

I toyed with the ends of the tresses that fell to my waist. “I’ve actually been thinking of cutting it.”

“How about this? We let Maisie take a crack at braiding the length you have now. Then after the game and dinner, I can cut your hair,” Arizona suggested.

“Ooh! Great idea!” Maisie chirped.

To her stepdaughter, Arizona said, “When you go up to get your supplies, go ahead and grab my shears. They’re in a blue case, top drawer in my bathroom.”