Page 36 of Break Points and Face Offs

I ready myself for his mother’s cold, disappointed glare.

Instead, she looks affronted. “What? Why?”

“We weren’t synchronized enough. That’s why we need to get some practice in over this weekend.”

“Well …” she says, patting his hand. “You’re a hard worker. I’m sure you’ll get up there.”

What? That’s how she reacts to being told her son is a failure? How on earth has Will come this far without some serious reinforcement? What did he ever have to lose if the response to failure was ‘oh well, better luck next time’? That type of attitude does not breed winners.

Will’s mother announces that she has to pick the kids up from their respective sports practices and leaves us alone in the house.

“We should get started on our project,” I say.

“Let’s make lunch first. When the kids get back, there’ll be no point doing anything, anyway.”

“I thought the whole point of me coming here this weekend was to get work done, not to act as a maid to your siblings.”

He still has that calm smile on his face when he talks. “Relax, we can get some work done later. And you’re the one who invited yourself here.”

He looks down at the dog with a goofy smile, shaking his head. “Maid,” he mumbles under his breath.

11

WILL

Iam not gonna let Priestley Rosenthal ruin this time with my family.

When the kids get back, they fly at me like lunatics. I have to work not to squeeze them too hard.

Ally’s covered in mud from soccer practice and Chase’s cheeks are bright red and his baseball jersey’s all rumpled.

“Good game?” I ask them both.

Chase nods enthusiastically but Ally launches into a tirade about the ref being blind and how some of her teammates can’t even see the damn ball before Ma warns her not to curse.

Through it all, Priestley stands against the wall like he’s waiting to face a firing squad—or like we all have lice and he’s trying not to catch them.

Finally, there’s a pause in Ally’s story and I jump in. “Guys, I want you to meet my friend from school. This is Priestley.”

The kids turn around and stare at him, as kids do.

Priestley holds his hand out for them to shake.

They stare at it.

“Shake hands,” Ma tells them.

Ally steps forward first, wiping her muddy hands down on her shorts. Priestley’s nostrils flare before taking it. Chase giggles when it’s his turn. Priestley squints at him like he’s wondering what he’s laughing at. Jesus Christ, hasn’t he ever seen kids before?

Ma makes the kids wash up and change before they can eat lunch. I know she probably gave them snacks in the car, but they listen anyway and head upstairs.

“Those kids, I swear, they’re exhausting,” Ma says, but I catch the big smile on her face. She loves it.

The house is gonna be mad for a while, so I offer to go to the store while Ma gets Ally and Chase settled with their lunch and some activity to calm them down—or rile them up, you can never be sure.

I take Priestley with me. I’m not sure he’d survive if I left him here.

He visibly relaxes as soon as the front door closes behind us.