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“No,” Zach said. “Don’t put the pressure on him. Don’t you want your son to have a good education in life? A basketball scholarship will pay for his college.”
The man growled. “You’re like your mother. Useless.”
Zach remembered the days when it did no good to argue with his father. The man would never admit he was wrong.
“There is a place in town that can help you learn to stop hitting your children. If I see another bruise on Jayden, I won’t hesitate to call CPS. Do you understand? Now, you can sit on the bleachers while we finish our practice. Then your son can help you.”
With a sigh, he walked over to the stands and Zach knew for certain that this wasn’t over. But hopefully it was the first step for the man to see he couldn’t continue to abuse his children.
Jayden was nervous and Zach tried to coach him out of his stiffness. They were going to finish today.
At the end of the practice, he walked Jayden over to his father. Zach reached into his pocket and gave Jayden a business card.
“Here. If you can get your family to go here, they can help you. Don’t wait. My brother died from my father beating him. Don’t let that happen to your family.”
Walking away, he felt the rush of tears. How many kids experienced what Jayden and he experienced? How many families were destroyed by an abusive parent?
CHAPTER15
Emily was exhausted. She had not gotten in until almost one o’clock and when she arrived at her apartment, there were reporters everywhere. She almost turned around, but then she decided that she needed her bed.
As she pushed through them, her neighbors were not very happy that there was so much noise at that time of the night. But what could she do?
Walking into the apartment, she sighed and sank down in her chair until she saw a very nosy reporter trying to peek through her blinds.
“Get away from the window or I will call the sheriff,” she yelled.
The man scrambled to get away, and she knew for the next week, her life would be hell.
Walking into the bedroom, she saw the rumpled sheets. She had not even made the bed before she ran out the door. That was so unlike her and she remembered what she’d been doing before she left.
With a sigh, she got into bed and breathed the smell of Zach.
Where did they go from here?
Now he knew the truth. She’d told him that she didn’t choose basketball over him. They had been playing games since she’d moved to Cupid.
Time for the games to end and for them to decide if they had a future. And she knew what she wanted, but did he?
The next morning, she had a call from the superintendent’s secretary. “Miss Martin, before you go to school, the superintendent would like to see you in his office.”
Crimany! She was being fired. For the second time in her life, she would be without a job, insurance, or anyone backing her. She knew she should’ve expected this, but she had hoped they would give her a break since none of this was her fault.
Getting ready, she took two big bags to bring all her things home from the school office. She would miss her team, the girls, the challenges, even the pranks she and Zach had played on each other.
Dressing professionally, she pushed through the reporters to reach her car. “Please get back, so I don’t run over you. I’m not saying anything else on the advice of my lawyer, so you’re wasting your time. Have a great day.”
She pushed a man who had his phone in her face out of the way and climbed into her car. She started the engine and revved the motor hoping to warn them before she put the car into drive.
The reporters scattered, but she knew they wouldn’t give up easily. When she returned home, they would be waiting.
When she arrived at the superintendent’s office, there were more reporters. She bent her head down and hurried into the building where the secretary was waiting. She unlocked the door and then quickly locked it behind her.
“Vultures,” she said. “They’re vultures waiting to pounce on you.”
Emily smiled. “I had to deal with them when I got home at one o’clock this morning.”
“Oh dear,” she said, gazing at her sadly. “They’re waiting for you inside.”
