My Brother's Keeper
Chapter Six
Kim halted briefly as Steven's head disappeared beneath the level of a crowd near one of the rented alcoves. Steven was tall - nearly 6 feet 3 inches, easily visible in most groups. When he didn't resurface immediately, she started off more quickly toward the group.
"Excuse me! Please. Excuse me!"
Someone brushed roughly against her shoulder as she began to move, knocking her back a step. It was a tall, frantic looking woman with a dark-haired little boy perched against her hip. The woman's emotion obviously hadn't spread to the child. He grinned charmingly in Kim's direction while one chubby hand were clutched a garish cap bearing, of all things, a cactus. The cap, tilted precariously on the child's head, in danger of being lost at the slightest provocation.
As if the thought prompted the action, the woman bumped someone else and the child lost him grip. The hat plopped unceremoniously to the ground. The woman carried on, oblivious to the screech of protest from her young charge and the dusty feet of the shifting crowd that were in imminent danger of trampling the boy's hat.
In a quick movement, Kim scooped up the hat and followed the woman into the crowd, her goal two-fold: To reunite the hat with it's young owner and to find out why she still couldn't see Steven.
She was a few steps behind when the woman reached the center of the crowd. The little boy, catching sight of his hat, reached for her. "Gimme. Mine." Wide, dark-lashed blue-gray eyes were rapidly filling with tears of frustration as the woman merely tightened her grip on his wriggling body.
Kim squeezed moved closer, hoping to ease the child's anxiety, but came to a surprised halt as Steven reappeared above the level of the crowd in front of the woman. Another head appeared alongside his.
"Jerry are you all right?" The woman dashed forward, frantically examining the other man. He turned and Kim immediately recognized him as the man she had come to know as Jeremy Dumas. "What in the world were you. . . "
The woman's words faded to the background as Jeremy's eyes settled in Kim's direction. He flushed an even deeper shade of red than he'd previously worn. It really was of no help that a matching cactus cap sat atop his head clashing vividly with his reddened skin.
She felt a giggle rise in her throat and did not manage to stifle it in time. In the span of a few moments, she watched Jeremy's expression change from embarrassment, to insecurity, to surprise and finally to acknowledged humor. He dragged the hat of his head and laughed, showing off dimples that she was sure had once been identical to those of the little boy who was still, she realized, begging for his hat.
Shooting the child a wryly apologetic look, she moved forward into the apparently no longer interested crowd and returned the child's hat. "I think someone dropped this," she said with a smile.
The boy took the hat and with a delighted laugh placed it crookedly on his head. Kim corrected it and offered the child a wink.
"What do you say, Joey?" Jeremy asked.
"Thank you," was Joey's cheerful response as he renewed his struggled toward the ground. The woman, who Kim assumed to be his mother, obliged, allowing him to move toward Jeremy.
"You're very welcome, Joey." Kim replied, then focused her attention on the adults. The woman was watching Jeremy with interest. Jeremy seemed to be pretending not to notice, resting his hand on the child's head. Steven threw Kim a look, but spoke to Jeremy.
"You sure you're okay?" he questioned. Kim sensed an unspoken question attached.
"I'm fine," Jeremy insisted. "Just feeling a little silly."
"Yeah." Steven chuckled and turned to address everyone. "I'm sorry to be rude, but I've really got to run. Kim, I'll see you later." He turned toward the woman. "I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you. And you," he pointed toward Jeremy. "Take care of yourself, and remember what I said." With that he hurried down the grassy slope toward the parking area.
Silence descended.
"Thanks for getting his hat," the woman spoke up with a tentative smile. "I didn't even realize he'd dropped it. By the way, I'm Amelia Womack."
"Kimbra Davies." They shook hands. "I'm sure you were just worried about Jeremy here."
Amelia's eyes widened with surprised and pleasure. "Oh? You and Jerry know each other?"
Kim gave Jerry a teasing look from the corner of her eye. "Well, sort of. We can't seem to stop running into each other. Then, realizing that she wasn't sure of Amelia and Jerry's relationship, quickly added, "Of course, it's just coincidence."
Amelia shot Jerry another of those contemplative looks. "Maybe it's fate," she suggested. Then, "That or he's stalking you."
"I really haven't been--" Jerry shot Amelia a look that clearly reflected the fact that he couldn't believe she'd just said that.
Amelia cut off his attempted defense. "Listen Jerry, I see Sam and Terry coming. We can handle the cart. I don't want to be late for my date with um. . . you know. The girls and I really appreciate all your help today. Yours too, little man," she stooped to tweak Joey's chin. Then with a cheery "nice to meet you" in Kim's direction, she was gone. Jerry's half-voiced protests were completely ignored.
Kim watched her go. "I take it she's not your girlfriend, then?"
Jerry looked at her sheepishly. "Um, no. A couple years ex. She puts on a puppet show here in the park. I was just helping out."
Kim nodded. That they were still friends spoke of the quality of his friendships. She looked down toward the little boy who moved away from his hovering hand and stooped nearby. "Looks like you and your son had a great time."
"Nephew," Jerry corrected. "I thought my brother and his wife could use a break with the new baby."
"I got lil sister!" Joe chimed up emphatically, then went back to a childish game of fill the hat with rocks.
"Good for you," Kim declared, but Joey never turned back, only continued his play.
"He has that tendency," Jerry said. "He's listening, then he's not."
"Oh? An apt description of the male of the species." She teased, softening the words with a smile.
Jerry feigned hurt, grabbing at his chest. "Ow. So what's your excuse for being in the park? How do I know that you didn't arrange this convenient coincidence of meetings?"
Kim laughed, liking the way humor danced in his eyes. "I happen to be trying, emphasis on the word trying, to coach a soccer team. If you know anything about the game I may just have to accept the fact that it is fate."
"Soccer huh?" Jerry eyed her, pretending to consider the word. "Do I know anything about soccer? How about all of the stuff they taught me in three years of soccer camp, and the fact that my team won the championship two years running?"
Kim's mouth dropped and she actually let out a whoop. "Oh my God, you're kidding me." She grabbed hold of his hand. Was he for real? Surely he was teasing her.
"Not kidding. I promise." He smiled down at her, something in his eyes changing. Kim noted that fact somewhere in the back of her mind, but brushed it aside. Did she dare ask this man that was practically a stranger to help her coach a soccer team full of underprivileged children? Would Roper approve?
"So what are you doing this Wednesday?" she found herself asking.
"Soccer practice?"
"Soccer game," she emphasized. "We'll get to see if you pass muster." A thought occurred to her. "That is, if you're interested," she added, slightly embarrassed. "It doesn't pay anything. It consumes your time, clutters your car with sports stuff, and will probably --"
"I know the risks," Jerry assured her. "Besides, I drive a jeep. Perfect for hauling soccer gear."
"You sure you've got the time," she insisted, beginning to feel a little guilty for coming on so strong.
"Hey. I live alone. I work a job that's surprisingly sane. I'm sure I can find a few hours that need filling." She thought she noticed a slight shadow cross his features, but then the smile was back, reassuringly sincere.
Kim considered him, a silly smile plastered itself over her face. Judging from Jerry's actions with his nephew, he was good with kids. He'd willingly helped his ex-girlfriend with a project, thus suggesting that he was a loyal friend. His brother trusted him with his son. Suddenly she was no longer worried about coaching the team. Everything felt as if it was going to be all right.
"Okay," she said softly. "Thank you."
"So," he reached for Joey's hand as they set off toward the parking area. "What are you doing tomorrow? Any soccer related activities that I should be aware of?"
Kim shook her and sighed resignedly. "No. Unfortunately not. I'm going to try to finish up unpacking."
"I can see how much you're looking forward to it. Want some help?"
"Yeah right. You want to come and help me unpack?" Kim threw a look over her shoulder. "What are you? A knight-in-khaki-armor or something?"
"Works for me," he laughed. "I just don't have anything planned. Was simply offering my knightly services."
"Well, my parents will be there helping me. I'm sure we'll be able to get through what's left. Eventually." She thought of the way her mother had rearranged the livingroom several times before her Dad and Steven had refused to move her sofa again.
"The offer still stands," Jerry said, interrupting the memory.
Kim shook her head. "Thanks, but we can handle it."
Jerry nodded. Then reaching downward, he swung Joey up into his arms. Giggles erupted, immediately followed by pleas for a repeat performance. "Maybe later, rug rat," Jerry replied before focusing on Kim.
"I'll see you here on Wednesday," he told her. "Say goodbye to Kim, Joey."
"'bye." The child waved.
Kim watched them until they disappeared inside of the Jeep.