Their Family Legacy

Ryan nodded with a big grin. “I am ’cause I got the biggest room since I’m the oldest.”

Tyler made a face. “Only by four minutes. I like my room ’cause I can see the whole backyard. I can see the moon at night from my bed.”

“Good. Then let’s get the old junk cleared out of this other room so Ryan can move in.”

They worked into the afternoon, cleaning out Bobby Lee’s old room for Ryan. She’d been stunned to find her cousin’s room untouched since the day he had died. She’d known that her aunt and uncle had taken their son’s death hard, but she’d never dreamed they’d turn his room into a shrine.

The boys had run out of interest and gone back outside. It was nice to be able to let them play without constantly watching over them. Tyler and Ryan had hardly been in the house since they moved in. The large backyard with great climbing trees, wide grassy lawn and old shed had provided endless hours of entertainment and exploration. Their life up until now had been confined to small apartments and concrete playgrounds in not-so-safe neighborhoods, where she’d had to be with them all the time.This neighborhood was right out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Stately old homes with welcoming front porches lining the street and full-grown trees adding a sense of permanence and peace. It did her heart good to see them so carefree and happy.

Annie tied up the trash bag and then stood and surveyed the room. All evidence of her cousin had been removed, leaving a strange kind of sadness behind. She’d loved him, but from now on this room would belong to her son Ryan. A warm bubble of pleasure rose inside her chest. Finally she was able to give her sons their own rooms and the security they deserved.

Her next objective was to clean and paint the room and pull up the stinky old carpet. Not sure how she’d do that yet. But it had to go.

Pounding footsteps on the stairs alerted her to the approach of her boys. “What’s the matter?”

Ryan spoke up. “There’s a bunch of kids playing football across the street. They want us to play. Can we? Please?”

She found these requests difficult since her initial response was to say no. She’d spent most of the twins’ lives keeping them away from danger and away from other rougher kids. But this was a new neighborhood with kids to play with and safe streets to walk on. Ryan vibrated with excitement. Tyler stood perfectly still, only his dark eyes revealing his desire to join in. “All right. Go ahead but watch out for each other and be careful.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “It’s football, Mom. You aren’t supposed to be careful. You’re supposed to be tough.”

There were times when she wished the Lord had given her girls. She felt so inadequate to raise two rough-and-tumble boys. There was so much she didn’t understand about them and so many things they were missing by not having a dad to teach them. Lately, she’d been praying for a male influence in their lives. Someone in this new neighborhood or at their new church who would stand in the gap left by their dad.

They needed someone to look up to and admire.

That would be the final touch to the perfect future she was going to create here in Hastings.

* * *

Jake drew back his arm and let the pigskin fly, watching as the half dozen neighborhood kids ran across the grass to try to catch it. He loved playing sports with these kids. It’s one of the reasons he’d wanted to be a coach. Two people in his life had set him on a path to becoming a productive member of society: his sixth-grade teacher, who’d seen ability and determination in him and encouraged him to pursue sports, and Mrs. Elliot, the foster mother he’d landed with the summer before his senior year in high school. She’d taught him about manners and responsibility, and brought him to the Lord. He’d backslid for a couple of years after the accident, but he’d eventually found his way again.

He’d started this game with the kids partly because he enjoyed it and partly because he hoped the physical activity would ease the tension from his encounter with Mrs. Shepherd this morning.

Joey Mitchell caught the ball and started to run. David Clements grabbed him and knocked him to the ground.

“David. No tackling, remember? Your parents would not be happy if anyone got hurt.”

“Hey, coach.” Steve and Johnny Sanderson ran across the lawn, stopping in front of him. “I got the two new kids to come. They’re twins.”

Jake stared at the boys. The Shepherd twins. He’d seen them coming and going from the Owens house. He had a sick feeling that this wouldn’t be a good arrangement. But he couldn’t turn them away. “Hey, fellas.” Maybe avoiding the niece wasn’t going to be as simple as he’d expected.

Steve’s brother Johnny spoke up. “This one’s Ryan and that’s Tyler. Most people can’t tell them apart, but I figured it out right away.”

“Welcome to the game. Glad you could join us.”

“What are the rules?”

Tyler met his gaze as he waited for the answer. His twin had already dashed off to join the others. “No tackling. Fair play and no calling names.” The boy considered that a moment and then nodded.

“Okay.”

Jake picked up the ball and strode across the lawn. He glanced at the Shepherd house but saw no sign of their mother. Did she know they were here? How did she feel about her boys playing ball with the enemy?

He felt sorry for the twins because once she found out he was involved, they’d probably be forbidden to come again. It was out of his hands, but he hoped she wouldn’t deny her boys some fun because of something that happened years ago. Harley was the only one who knew the whole truth about the accident and he’d take that to his grave.

“Okay, kids, we have enough now to make two teams. Let’s divide up.” He tossed the ball into the eager hands of the team.

Maybe, God willing, someday the truth would come out, and then he’d be able to forgive himself at last.

Until then, he’d stick with his plan and mind his own business. He had enough to keep him busy with teaching, coaching and working with the youth at church in hopes of keeping them from making the same dumb mistakes he had.

* * *

Annie straightened the collar of her blouse and inhaled a deep breath the next morning. Today was her first faculty meeting at her new school. She’d be teaching fifth grade and she’d made arrangements for the twins to attend the same school instead of the neighborhood school to which they’d normally be assigned. As a single mom, having the boys in the same building would simplify her life tremendously by cutting down on commute time and after-school care.

Downstairs she picked up her purse and keys, and then pulled the front door behind her as she left. The twins were staying with Denise today so she could concentrate on her meeting. Butterflies took flight in her stomach. Her career as a teacher had kept food on the table and a roof over their heads after her husband Rick had died, but starting a new job was always nerve-racking.

As she stepped onto the front porch she caught sight of Jake’s car backing out of his drive. She wondered where he was going so early and then quickly shut down that line of thought. Her mind had developed a nasty habit of presenting images of Jake Langford, accompanied with a growing list of questions. How long had he been in foster care? What happened to his parents? Why was he single? What had he been doing since the accident? What did he do for a living? There was no denying he was an attractive man. With his dark coloring and his athletically toned physique, he was the kind of man who turned women’s heads.

Annie slid behind the wheel of her car and started the engine. Thankfully, now that school was starting next week, she’d have too much on her mind to entertain thoughts of Jake. There’d be homework and chores in the evenings and earlier bedtimes. Weekends would be spent working on the house and maybe, now that she had a little extra money, she could take the twins to the zoo or to the beach. All the things they’d been unable to enjoy before.

Her spirits lifted as she drove across Hastings to Jefferson Elementary. Her gaze scanned the facility as she parked her car in a faculty slot. An old two-story brick building anchored the school, with two awkwardly placed additions jutting out behind. Despite the haphazard design, the structure had a certain charm about it.

Annie made her way to the principal’s office, her spirits rising. She was starting another new phase of her life today. It felt good. Principal Winters was a robust black man with a bright smile and a deep voice that rumbled when he spoke. He greeted her with a warm handshake, and then she sat down to go over last-minutes details.

“You’ll be in room 20C. That’s the last room at the end of the long corridor, where the fifth and sixth graders are located. You should have time to take a quick peek before the meeting starts. We’ll all meet in the library, which is right next door. I’d like to take you around myself but I’ve got some urgent things to do before the meeting.”

“I can wander around on my own.”

“But I don’t want you to get lost. It seems like a simple layout but it has some twists and turns that can be confusing.”

He looked up and smiled, waving to someone outside the room. “Come in here. I want you to meet someone.”

Annie glanced over her shoulder and froze. Jake Langford strode into the office. What was he doing here?

Principal Winters shook hands with Jake and then turned to her. “Annie, I’d like you to meet Coach Langford. Jake, this is our newest faculty member, Annie Shepherd. She’ll be teaching fifth grade in your part of the school.”

Stunned, she could only offer a slight nod. It was clear from the tight expression on his face that Langford was none too pleased to see her here either.

“Jake, why don’t you give Mrs. Shepherd a tour, then show her to her room while I get ready for the meeting? In fact, why don’t you be her partner for the year? Show her the ropes. Mrs. Shepherd, we’re glad you’re with us. I hope you’ll be happy here.”

She muttered an appropriate response and then followed him out into the hall. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a coach here?”

“Why would I? I didn’t know you’d be teaching here.” He started down the hall, forcing her to catch up. “The cafeteria is down that way. The gym is at the end of the south corridor over there.”

She grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. “What are we going to do about this?”

“Nothing.”