Her coffee was cold by now, but she was used to it. Whenever she goes to the café in the morning, she hardly ever finishes the drinks she buys. It's not because she doesn't like them, but it's because she's simply too busy to even remember having the coffee. Her name was in high demand in the writing industry and she had a deadline for her next highly anticipated book. Cassie Edgerton was deemed 'the female Stephen King' and even Stephen King himself approved of that.
At the moment, though, she wasn't focused on deadlines and didn't care about her cold coffee. There was something in her life that was much more important than her books and money and pretty great labels. That something was running towards her with a wide grin just a few minutes after the school bell rang. That something was her eleven year old son, Ethan.
"Hi, mom!" He shouted as he ran over to her. "Hey, troublemaker," she said as he hugged her. "How was school?" Just as she opened the car door for him, he backed up a bit with a shy look on his face. Cassie sighed and put her hands on her hips. "What?" She asked.
"Don't be mad," he told her, "but I kind of forgot that basketball tryouts were today..." Cassie sighed with a smile and shook her head. "Let me guess," she said, "you don't have your shorts, shirt or a basketball?" The smile he gave her was one he's given her a million times. "I'll go get them and meet you in the gym."
He happily jumped and thanked her, before running to the gym. She made her way home and found his basketball attire in a few minutes. She was back at the school in no time and made her way into the gym where the boys were talking and practicing shooting the ball. Thankfully, the actual tryouts hadn't started yet. Ethan got his stuff from her and ran to go change.
There were very few parents in the gym, which made Cassie a bit sad. It was probably because she was so involved with her son and his activities and interests that she couldn't imagine not being there to support him. So, she found a spot on in the bleachers and pulled out a book she smartly grabbed on the way out.
By the time Ethan was done changing and handed his school clothes over to his mom, tryouts were starting. Every once in a while, Cassie would look up and see Ethan being the natural athlete he is. He was great at every sport and made it look easy to play. There hasn't been a single team who's denied him. They'd be stupid to.
About half an hour into the tryouts, the gym doors opened loudly and disrupted Cassie from her reading. She looked to see a man guiding his scared looking son inside. The kid kept shaking his head and was making the dad basically push him. They eventually got to the bleachers and Cassie could hear the man say in a British accent, "This will be good for you. Go out there and have some fun, alright? I love you."
He kissed his son's head, then tied the boy's shoes before watching him go out on the court. Cassie averted her eyes back to her book and got into the story again, but then felt like someone was looking at her. She glanced over to see the man slowly making his way over to her. "Um, hi," he shyly said. "Sorry, I don't mean to disrupt your reading. You just seem like the only approachable parent here."
Cassie looked to the few other parents who were either engrossed in their phones or looked like they really could not be bothered. "You're not disrupting," she kindly told him. "My son forgot to tell me tryouts were today and this is all I could think of that might entertain me. I'm Cassie." She held out her hand and he gently took it as he sat down next to her.
"Benedict, but please call me Ben," he introduced. "I'm in a similar situation with my son. He forgot to tell me that this was today because he didn't want me to find out. We just moved here from London and he's been having a difficult time making friends. The wife and I agreed he should join sports to change that."
By now, Cassie had put her book away and was giving her complete attention to this man. "That's how mine made all of his friends. That and with joining clubs. Was your son into this kind of stuff in London?" Ben quickly nodded his head and told her, "Oh, yes. He was in rugby, cricket, football, all of it. He's just adjusting. He's also never been to a public school so he was petrified that he didn't have to wear a uniform." They both laughed at that.
Ben pointed to his son and said, "I guess my diabolical plan is working." Cassie smiled as she said, "He's talking to Ethan, my son. He loves talking to the new kids." Both parents watched as Ethan helped Ben's son with dribbling and shooting the ball. "That's sweet of him," Ben chuckled. "He's obviously been raised by great parents."
Cassie blushed at that, then told him, "Honestly, he just developed that on his own. I've always told him to be kind and treat others with respect, but that real effort was all him. He's a great kid." Ben let out a light laugh when both boys messed up and laughed about it. "Cillian has always been shy, but once those walls of his get knocked down, he can be the biggest goof on the planet."
They watched as Cillian dribbled the ball over to the net, then attempted to jump and make a shot. The basketball bounced from the backboard and into the net! Ben and Cassie cheered as they watched Ethan and Cillian high five. The rest of the tryouts continued that way and if Cillian had any issues, Ethan would help him.
By the time the hour was up, all the sweaty kids either made their way to their parents or had to wait outside for them. Ethan and Cillian walked slowly to Ben and Cassie because they were so engrossed in talking. "Hey, mom!" Ethan excitedly called. "This is Cillian! He just moved from England and he's so cool!"
Ben and Cassie glanced at each other with knowing smirks. "This is Cillian's father," she introduced. Ethan extended his hand and Ben seemed a bit brought back, but shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. C.. I'm Ethan." Ben chuckled at this kid's firm handshake and said, "Pleasure to meet you, Ethan."
Cassie looked to Cillian and gave him a kind smile. "Hi, Cillian, I'm Ethan's mom," she sweetly introduced. He gave her a shy smile and timidly held out his hand. She gently shook it as he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Edgerton." She waved him off and said, "Please, call me Cassie. You were both doing a really great job out there!" Ethan looked to Cillian with a smug smile and held up his fist to him. Cillian seemed confused.
Than took Cillian's hand, made it into a fist and bumped it with his own. When Cassie looked to Ben, trying to suppress her giggles, he was rubbing the back of his neck in near embarrassment. "Cillian, you know what a fist bump is, buddy," he chuckled. Ethan put his arm around his new friend and said, "Don't worry, Mr. C., I'll show 'em all he needs to know."
Both parents looked at each other and laughed. "Alright, well, we should get going," Cassie announced. "You've got homework and I've got to figure out dinner." She then turned to Ben and said, "It was really nice meeting you, Ben. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow after school?" He laughed a bit at that and told her, "Yes, I'm sure you will. Have a great night, Cassie."
After Ethan said goodbye to his new friend, they were on their way home. "Homework before video games," Cassie called as Ethan ran up to his room. "Yes, mom!" He called back. She rolled her eyes with a smile, then got to working on dinner. She didn't feel like doing anything too complicated, so she just threw some spaghetti into boiling water and made her special clam sauce.
By the time it was almost done, she could hear her husband, Joel, walk through the door and call, "Hey, hey, hey! I'm home!" She called back, "In here, babe!" He came in a few moments later and said, "I smell some good ol' fashion Italian cooking." Cassie turned to him as he came up and kissed her. When he looked at what she was making, he said, "Than again, it also smells like what we had last week."
She sighed when she realized she had, in fact, made this last week. "Shit, sorry," she told him, "it's been quite the day and with my book just a few weeks from deadline, I—." He gently shushed her and said, "Babe, it's fine, I get it. Besides, it's not like this is the worst thing you've ever made." While he laughed at that joke, she grimaced.
"I'm going to take a shower," he told her. "Get me a beer ready, will ya?" Before she could say anything, he walked away and went upstairs. "Jackass," she muttered. She finished dinner a few minutes later and called down Ethan.
"Finish your homework?" She asked. He nodded and told her, "Didn't have much since school just started last week. Hey, mom?" She 'hm'd' as she dished up his plate. He asked, "Why am I in those special classes, this year?" She set his plate down in front of him and said, "Because you're too smart. You remember how far ahead you were of everyone last year. By the way, these aren't special classes. They're just advanced."
Just as she sat down, Joel came in and said, "They can be one of the same." She gave him a pointed look while Ethan seemed confused. She explained to him, "They are not the same. Ignore your father and eat your dinner." Joel took a beer out of the fridge as he said, "Seems a lot of people are ignoring me today."
He gestured to the beer he had asked her to set out for him. She smiled sweetly at him, then said, "You're a big boy, you can get your own beers." She then looked to her son who seemed to be scared as to what fight would come out of this. She gently brushed his semi-long hair out of his face and gave him a soft smile.
"How were tryouts?" Joel asked as he sat down with his plate. Ethan perked up a bit and said, "They were awesome! I made a new friend, his name is Cillian and he's from England!" Joel slurped up some spaghetti, then asked, "Did you make the team?" Ethan's face fell a bit, as he was hoping to talk about his new friend.
Cassie then said, "I was very proud of you today. Cillian was obviously struggling and you stepped up and helped him. That was so sweet and I am so proud." Ethan smiled bashfully, but then Joel had to go and say, "You helped out a kid who's trying to take your spot on the team?" Cassie dropped her fork loudly on the plate and gave her husband a pointed look.
"Don't start," she warned. "He made a new friend, that's what matters. Not basketball, not baseball, not any sports he decides to try for. It's not all about winning, Joel." She could tell he was going to retort something, so she quickly said, "Ethan, why don't you go finish your dinner in your room? Take a shower when you're done and I'll come and get your plate."
He looked to his father, who was angrily twirling his spaghetti, then said, "Okay, mom." He collected his plate and made his way to his room. Once he was gone, she pointed at her husband and sternly told him, "Don't start. For being a jackass tonight, you can do this dishes." She got up and threw her plate into the sink.
Before she could leave the room, however, she turned to him and said, "Also, don't bother coming to bed. Again."