Ted jammed his own towel in his duffel bag. “Your concentration was way off. What’s up?”
“Nothing. I just had a bad night.”
“Yeah, right. That excuse might work for mere mortals, but you, my friend—” David braced himself for the solid thump that hit his shoulder “—you need a better reason. Anything I can help with?”
“Nope.” David pulled his T-shirt on and stuffed it into his jeans. “Not unless you’ve turned into an expert on women.”
“Oh?” Ted’s eyebrows raised, a grin spread across his face. “You’re asking me for advice about women? How the mighty are fallen!” He rubbed his hands together. “I’m going to enjoy this! So spill it. Just what is the difficulty between you and the illustrious model?”
David shot him a look. “Her name is Brandee. And she’s not the problem. I met a woman I can’t get out of my mind, that’s all. Hence my lack of concentration—” he thumped Ted back “—and your bogus win.”
“That’s as good an excuse as any.” Ted’s grin slipped into a frown. “I thought you and Brandee only dated for mutual professional benefit—that you were each free to see others.”
“True.”
“So what’s the problem?” Ted leveled his “lawyer look” on him. “Why don’t you just call this other woman? Is she married?”
“No.” David scowled. “She’s religious.”
“Ouch!”
He nodded. “My feelings exactly. Now it’s time for me to go home and put the finishing touches on tomorrow’s column. Why don’t you go chase an ambulance and drum up some legal business? Unless you want to get a pizza or something?”
Ted’s grin returned. “No can do, Tiger. I’m booked for the night. And believe me, when I leave here, it isn’t an ambulance I’ll be chasing after.”
David laughed and crammed his playing clothes in his gym bag along with his damp towel. “How is Darlene?”
Ted zipped his bag. “Fantastic! I proposed last Saturday.”
“Wow! I didn’t see that one coming.” David lifted out his shoes and slammed his locker door. He turned and stared at his lifelong friend. “What happened to ‘Mr. Confirmed Bachelor’?”
Ted laughed. “He took one look at Darlene and died a sudden death. When it’s right—it’s right.” He sobered. “There’s no way I can fight what I feel for her, Dave. I don’t even want to try.”
“That’s great, Ted.” David stuck out his hand. “Congratulations.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Ted shook hands, then shifted his stance. “Looks like it’s going to be a no-holds-barred wedding. Will you be best man?”
David gave him a crooked grin. “What do you mean, ‘will I be’? I always have been.”
Ted snorted. “Not in Darlene’s eyes—and that’s all that matters.” He picked up his bag and headed for the door. “I’ll tell her you said yes and she can scratch you off the ‘things to be done for the wedding’ list.” He pulled open the door, stepped outside, then hesitated. “See you next Wednesday. And make sure the ‘Tiger’ shows up, okay? I like a little competition.”
David threw his shoe at him. He wasn’t quick enough. The shoe crashed against the closed door. He grinned, grabbed his other shoe and cocked his arm. He didn’t have long to wait. The door eased open and Ted stuck his head through the crack. David let the shoe fly.
“Whoa!”
Ted’s head disappeared behind the door. The shoe sailed through the narrow opening into the hallway. David laughed. Not a bad shot.
A moment later the door opened wide and a grinning Ted tossed his shoe back to him. “Told you you’re off your game tonight, pal. That woman must really be something!” The door closed on his laughter.
David shook his head, retrieved his other shoe and sat on the bench to put them on. Erin Kelly was “really something,” but not for him. He frowned and shifted his thoughts to his friend. Ted married!
David gave a disbelieving snort, zipped his bag and left the locker room. He might have been off his game, but he’d worked up an appetite just the same.
“The penny glee…aaams.”
“Not quite, Amber.” Erin smiled at the teenager sitting beside her. “Remember the rule. When there are two vowels, the first vowel says its own name and the second vowel is silent.”
The girl nodded her head, then bent forward over the children’s reading book. Her forehead furrowed in concentration. “The penny glee…mmms. Gleems!”
“That’s right! Good job, Amber.” Erin’s heart swelled as the teenager lifted her head and smiled. “Friday night we’ll start a new book.” Erin smiled encouragement. “You’ll be reading and writing with the best of us in no time. I promise.”
The tension in the girl’s face eased. She nodded, and rose to her feet. “I hope so. I need to learn to read so I can get a better job. Doing dishes in a restaurant doesn’t pay enough to live on, and I’ll be on my own when I graduate this month. I don’t know what good school did me!” She shrugged and tugged her purse strap over her shoulder. “Thanks for your help, Miss Kelly. I’ll see you Friday.”
“You’re welcome, Amber. Good night.” Erin picked up the child’s reading book they’d been using and carried it to the cupboard.
“Miss Kelly? Will you help me with this word? I don’t think it obeys the rules you taught me.”
Erin turned and smiled at the frustrated fourteen-year-old. “Sometimes words don’t obey rules, Janine. Let me see. Oh. You can do this one.” She put her hand on the teenager’s shoulder urging her forward. “Let’s go sit at the table and I’ll help you figure it out.”
Almost ten o’clock. Another long day. And she still had papers to correct. Erin dropped her shoulder bag on the couch, slid her feet out of her pumps and wiggled her toes into the carpet. Wonderful! What was it about taking your shoes off? She could almost purr.
Erin reached for the TV remote resting on the coffee table beside the framed picture of Alayne she’d requested for her birthday a few weeks ago. She picked up the picture and studied her sister’s face. Alayne was smiling in the photograph, but there was unhappiness in her eyes. Did she know about Jerry’s affair?
Erin frowned. If only she could talk with Alayne about it. If only she could talk to their mom and dad about it! But that was out of the question. The familiar sadness swept through her. Erin sighed, put down the picture, picked up the remote and clicked on the TV. All she could do was wait and make herself available.
Piano music filled the room. Erin sank down onto the couch closing her eyes as a voice started touting a concert in the city. What would it feel like to play like that?
“A Channel Four News exclusive! This is Robert Sheffield reporting live. Only minutes ago there was a shooting here on Humbard Street—”
