Page 40 of Time for Change

“I won’t. Gotta go, bye!” she hollers, turning and taking off up the stairs to join her friends in the upper seating section. “No soda!” I bellow, but I’m certain it falls on deaf ears.

I watch from my vantage point, waving to Emmaleigh’s mom when she sees Gianna approaching.

Christian sighs beside me. “Kids.”

I glance down and chuckle, shaking my head as I pull another five out of my wallet. “Ready for some popcorn?”

“Yep!” he hollers, grabbing my hand and dragging me toward the concession stand beneath the bleachers. “Can I have some nemmie nems to put in my popcorn? That’s how Unca Caden does it.”

“Sure,” I reply, stepping up to the counter when it’s our turn. “Two popcorns, a bag of M&M’s, and two bottles of water.”

“I not like water,” Christian tells me, clearly trying to get some soda out of the deal.

“You do like water, and that’s what you’re getting at this time of the evening,” I point out, knowing we probably won’t make it to the end of the game on a school night.

The high school girl sets our items on the counter and takes the money. “Fine, I’ll drink it, but I won’t like it,” Christian grumbles, taking his popcorn and M&M’s, while I’m left to grab the bottles of water and my own popcorn.

“Come on, little man. Let’s go find Caden.”

We find him easily, considering he’s sitting in the spot he’s usually in. Former players always have their superstitions, and one of his includes making sure he’s in the same spot for every home game he watches.

“There’s my little man,” Caden greets with a grin as we make our way down the bleachers toward him.

The moment I have Christian’s coat off, he holds up his treats. “I gots popcorn and nemmie nems too!”

Caden smiles proudly. “Good man. You’ll have hair on your chest before you know it.”

Christian pulls a disgusted face. “Really?” He turns to me and looks horrified. “Daddy, I don’t want a hairy chest like you. It tickles.”

“You’ve got a few years before you have to worry about that,” I assure him, opening up my bottle of water and taking a drink. The other one, I place behind my legs for when Christian is ready.

“I don’t gots no hairs yet,” Christian tells his pseudo-uncle. “See?” he declares, pulling up his long-sleeved T-shirt and showing off his smooth chest.

Caden barks out a laugh, while I reach for my son’s shirt. “Put your shirt down. We’re in public.”

“You start flexing, the chicks will be flocking, my man. Be careful with those guns.”

I glance over to my friend. “You’re not helping.”

“I’m always helpful,” he reassures me with a wide grin, popping a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

“I gots guns, Daddy!” Christian bellows, holding up his arm and flexing.

“Yeah, you do,” Caden encourages, holding out his fist for a bump.

“Shake and bake, baby!”

All I can do is shake my head at their antics. They are two of a kind, that’s for sure.

The home team runs out to the cheers of their fans and some rock song I’m unfamiliar with, and as they start their warm-ups, I lean back against the bleacher seat behind me and eat some popcorn. “Joshua’s having a great year,” I state unnecessarily. Caden attends most games, including several of the away ones.

He nods. “He is. Starting as a sophomore takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but he’s been committed to the game since he was seven.”

I watch the boy move through his warmups, his shots on target. He does it with a hint of concentration, but there’s no missing the smile on his face as he passes to teammates and compliments them on their shots.

“Where’s your sister?” I ask, glancing around the section we’re sitting in.

“Down with her douchey husband,” Caden grumbles.

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