Moral Devotions

5| Declan

I'm still standing there in full confusion as Macy walks away.

It's actually her. The girl from the airport.

When I first saw her in the hallway, I thought I was just imagining things. But there she is, walking away from me, with her son in her arms.

My stomach flips as I start to connect some dots. She isn't married. She doesn't have a boyfriend. But she has a son. Which means she's a single mom. And she's a teacher. So she's possibly a struggling single mom. But I don't want to assume anything.

"Feel free to sit this week out. Next week though, the kids will expect you to play." The principal, John Taylor tells me.

I nod and follow Coach to the bleachers where some of the staff are sitting.

Macy is in the third row, and Coach goes to the sixth. I know better than to not sit beside him, so I follow him down the empty row and take a seat.

"So, want to tell me what's been going on with you lately?" Coach asks as the Teachers versus Students volleyball game starts.

"Nothing much." I slide my palms down my khaki-clad thighs.

"Really? Okay, you wanna play that game? When did you sleep with the teacher?" He says and my brows raise.

"What?"

"The one with the kid. Mrs.Roberts, or whatever." He says and my eyes widen in realization.

"Oh, no, no. Coach. You've got it all wrong."

"Do I?" He turns his body to face me.

"Yes. I barely even know her."

"Right... Just like you barely know all the other women you screw?" My eyes grow even wider at his boldness.

"I haven't slept with her."

"Then how did you know her, before five minutes ago?"

I perch forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "Met her at the airport in Fort Wayne earlier this week. She was at some convention."

"So you just happened to meet a young, pretty teacher at the same school you're now headlining for? Interesting."

"It's a coincidence, Coach. I swear." I raise my hands in defense. Peters gives me a skeptical look. "Coach, I may be a pain in the ass, but I'm not a liar."

He stares at me for a moment before nodding. "If you say you didn't sleep with her, then I'll believe you. But if I find out otherwise, oh son, you are in big trouble."

"Okay." Dad.

"What the hell did you just say?"

My ears burn. "I said that out loud?"

"You better not be mouthing off to me, James."

My spine straightens on its own. "No, sir."

"Good." His body visibly relaxes a hair, and I stiffen.

A laugh has my ears perking up like a dog when the mailman arrives. I turn my head to find it coming from Macy as she talks to the little boy sitting on her lap. He rolls the pendant on her necklace between his little fingers before falling forward into her chest. She rubs his back as the game continues.

"Someone's tired." Coach chuckles as he points to... Alex? No, Axel, falling asleep in Macy's arms. "I miss those days."

"Why? Everyone says toddlers are the worst stage."

"You feel like they are at the time until they're too big to sit on your shoulders. Sure, there are tantrums but, nobody talks about all the times they fall asleep in your arms. Or the mornings they come running into your room." I look down at Macy and Axel as he talks. "It's something you'll never understand until you do it yourself." I move my gaze to the volleyball being served to another player. "She is pretty, y'know."