Page 17 of The Ex Next Door
Naomi burst through the screen door and it slapped on its hinges.
“Mommy! I found a little girl that wants to be my friend. Her name is Ruby. Can we play?”
Surprisingly, her least-outgoing child had found the neighborhood friend first. “Sure, but play here until I meet her mother.”
“Her mom’s at work, but her babysitter said okay!” Naomi ran back. “Ruby! My mommy says it’s fine!”
Amy exchanged a smile with her mother, as the two girls bounced in and whizzed by her into Naomi’s room.
“Where’s David?” Amy asked.
He’d been playing a video game when she’d started her online job search.
“He’s outside, too. Kicking around that soccer ball but not looking too happy while doing it,” Mom said, peering out the window to the front yard.
“What do you think? Should I let him quit?” Amy didn’t know what to do here.
On the one hand, he seemed miserable with soccer, and on the other one, Matthew had been bugging him about joining the baseball rec league. David said he’d like to try baseball instead. It seemed the ideal situation.
“I’ve never subscribed to the theory that a child who’s miserable should be forced to finish what he started just for the sake of finishing,” her mother said.
“I should probably go talk to him.”
Amy stopped mid-step when she noticed David having crossed their shared lawn, holding his soccer ball under one arm, engaged in conversation with Declan. Should she interrupt? It appeared so earnest, with Declan lowering himself in a half crouch to meet David’s eyes. The moment made her mind buzz with a sudden remembrance of Declan coaching some of the kids when they’d both volunteered summers with underprivileged kids from inner cities. He’d taught them sports. She’d worked with kids on math skills and science.
She’d often witnessed teenage Declan in that same crouching earnest position giving a kid some inspirational nugget of wisdom. Now it was her own son.
These moments of nostalgia had to stop!
“He’s talking to Declan right now,” Amy said out loud.
Mom looked up but didn’t say a word.
Amy smiled. “Mom? No comment? Should I go stop him from talking to David?”
Mom lowered her head and folded another sheet. “I don’tknow. The other day, I pulled out some old photos of you two and I remembered that your father liked him for one important reason. The way he treated you. Whether or not you two wound up together, I guess I can’t really hate him anymore. He was a good kid.”
“You should have never hated him.”
“I just hated the way I saw you hurting after you broke up. But, as you said, it’s ancient history.”
“He’s been helpful so far. I don’t see why I can’t let him give David some advice about soccer.”
Amy went about her business emptying the dishwasher and organizing her shelf space. Twenty minutes or so later, David walked back inside. He set his soccer ball down and came in the kitchen to join Amy and her mom.
“Can I have a snack?”
“Sure.” Amy whipped up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and set it in front of her son. “Did Mr. Sheridan give you some good advice about soccer?”
“Who’s Mr. Sheridan?”
“Oh, um, our neighbor. Declan. He’s Declan Sheridan.”
“He said his name is Declan and that’s what I should call him.” David took a bite of the sandwich and swallowed it with some milk. “I’m quitting soccer. Declan said it was a good idea.”
“W-what? What do youmeanyou’re quitting soccer? We talked about this.”
“I know, but Dad said I could quit if I wanted to, and now Declan said I should. He said soccer isn’t really a sport anyway, ’cept in England. They call it football over there. Isn’t that funny?” David chuckled.
