My Brother's Keeper
"You're really serious about trying to get this gig, aren't ya?"
Jerry turned and accepted the last bundle of soccer equipment from Ray Santucci, occasional part-time assistant coach to the Benton Heights soccer team. There was something about the man that Jerry didn't like. Maybe it was the way that Santucci had looked him over, as if taking his measure. Or maybe it had something to do with the guy's personality. He couldn't put his finger on it exactly, but chalked it up to the fact that the man had an overly friendly manner with Kim. Either way, he was finding it difficult to play nice. He had to shove down his irritation before making a reply.
"Hey, I just like to help. I played a lot of soccer growing up. And I've got some free time. So. . . " He shrugged before shoving the bundle of balls into the back of his Jeep. Santucci had begged off from carrying equipment as he drove a small sports car and insisted that nothing would fit.
"Well, no way I'm putting all this stuff in my ride. It's advertisement. A business machine. I can't have it getting all dirty."
Jerry remembered that the man owned an auto detailing business, but wondered why his excuse changed. He was pulled from his thoughts as Santucci nudged him in the ribs and added with a leer. "I'm sure your sudden interest doesn't have anything to do with the new coach."
He looked off toward the collapsible chairs where Kim and Roper were deep in conversation. The leer was still in evidence. Shaking his head in amazement, he continued with a sleazy chuckle. "I gotta tell ya, she's got a great set on her. And I would not mind having those legs--"
Jerry slammed the back of the Jeep shut, cutting off the rest of Santucci's remark. Then turning, he gestured in the opposite direction, toward the bench where two young boys sat. He figured their ages to be around 8 and 10.
"What's up with those two?" he asked. Where most of the kids had long since left with their parents, the two boys remained. He'd noticed their presence earlier after he'd completed his interview with Roper.
"Kevin and Patrick Dunne." Santucci filled in the names for him. "Their mother is a bit of a scatterbrain, if you know what I mean. She's always late. She'll be here eventually."
Jerry shot him a doubtful look. "She's almost an hour late. You sure she's coming? Maybe someone should call her, or give the kids a ride home."
"Yeah, maybe," was Santucci's distracted reply as he looked off in the distance. "I see a friend of mine. I'll catch up to you later." He moved off toward the parking area.
"See ya." Jerry waved a polite goodbye, glad to be away from the man.
A few steps away, Santucci turned back. "Hey, I know you're a shoe-in. Forget that trial basis BS. Roper likes you. The kids like you too." He looked as if he meant to say something more but then shrugged and continued on his way.
Jerry held back the sarcastic comment that threatened to voice itself. Instead, he moved toward Kevin and Patrick. They were sitting quietly as if they too were worried that there would be no one to pick them up. A last glance at Kim and Roper showed that they were still deeply engrossed in conversation. Santucci was speaking with a man dressed in a flashy exercise outfit near the parking lot.
Jerry did a double-take as Santucci surreptitiously slipped something to the man before giving him a one-armed hug. He frowned, wondering if he'd imagined the whole thing. The man looked up and caught his eye, then turned and said something to Santucci. Santucci looked up, then, saying something that obviously dismissed Jerry's attention, pointedly turned his back.
Jerry looked away. He wasn't sure that he'd actually seen anything. He couldn't bring trouble down on a man over something that could have been a simple trick of the light. Turning back to where the men had been standing, he discovered that Santucci's friend had moved on. Santucci himself was leaning against his car, speaking into his cellular. Jerry had a feeling deep in his bones that the man was up to no good.
His first inclination was to confront the man. But he didn't. He decided instead to go talk to the boys. If he wasn't mistaken, it looked as if Patrick, the younger of the two, was near tears. Kevin, it seemed, was doing everything he could to try to calm his brother.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Kim moved halfheartedly across the field to the bench where Jerry, Kevin and Patrick sat. It seemed that Jerry had won Roper over completely. She'd seen the relief as he'd been able to hand over the responsibilities of the team as he'd originally planned. He was a gruff man, but the kids and parents had a lot of respect for him. A going away party was planned after the next practice.
As she continued to make her way, odd details stood out. Though she was too far away to hear what was being said, she noted the way Jerry was seated on the bench leaning toward the two boys. Warmth and encouragement emanated from him even at a distance. He lifted a hand and ruffled Patrick's hair, bringing a small smile to the child's face. Normally, the action would have caused her to smile in response, but not today. Today she felt removed. Today she simply looked on as she continued toward the small group.
She was half across the field when Jerry smiled, sharing a look with the older brother and then stood. His eyes met hers across the stretch of grass and it was as if some communication passed between the two of them alerting him that something was wrong. She stopped walking, waiting as he directed the boys to wait before offering another reassuring smile toward them.
"What's happened?" There was dread in his lowered tone.
Kim looked up at him and copied his volume in response. "There was an automobile accident," she said. Then, noting the way Jerry paled, she added quickly, "Their mom is okay. She's alive. But she has to stay in the hospital and won't be able to get them. We're to take them to an aunt's home. "
"Oh my God." Jerry blew out a breath. "Was it bad? Do they think she'll recover?"
Kim blinked, shaking off the fog that seemed to have come over her. "Oh, I didn't get very many details. But the impression I got was that she was being kept for observation. The dad lives out of town."
"Oh. Okay." Jerry eyed her strangely, his relief tempered by concern. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn’t I be?" She offered a smile that she knew wasn't entirely convincing. Then giving herself another mental shake, she looked around him to where the boys sat looking worried. "We should go tell them."
Jerry nodded and led the way.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Jerry pulled his truck away from the curb in front of the apartment complex where Kevin and Patrick's Aunt Sara lived. Night had fallen completely, and despite the recent stresses of the evening, his stomach was beginning to complain about his missed dinner.
"Would you like to get something to eat before I take you back to your car?" he asked in Kim's direction. She'd been very quiet since they'd walked the boys to the Aunt's third floor garden apartment. Now that he thought about it, she'd been quiet every since they'd left the park, leaving him to keep Kevin and Patrick distracted.
She appeared lost in thought for several moments, and he wondered if she was going to respond. Then she turned and offered a half smile. "Actually, if you don't mind, I'd really just like to go home."
"No problem," he said quietly. His worried gaze lingered on her for several moments, then he turned back toward the road. He was at a loss to understand her reticence. Maybe she was tired. Or it could have been the situation with the boys that was bothering her. But according to the Aunt, Mrs. Dunne was going to be fine. Her injuries had been fairly minor. She would be released the next morning.
"So Roper called to check on the mother?" Jerry asked.
"Actually, it was Ray. He was the one who found out."
"Oh." Jerry sat stunned for half a second. He never would have seen that one coming. Maybe he was wrong about the guy after all. "He knows the family, then?"
Kim shrugged. "I'm not sure. There's some type of relation there. I don't know what."
Jerry nodded.
Silence settled in the vehicle for several more minutes wherein Kim simply stared out of the passenger window. Jerry pulled to a stop at a traffic light and looked hopefully in her direction. There was no evidence that she even noticed that they'd stopped.
He reached across the seat and touched her shoulder, hoping to draw her attention away from the window. She jerked slightly.
"Sorry," he apologized with a wry half grin. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"Don't worry about it," Kim told him. "I'm a little jumpy is all."
"I'll say." Jerry softened the words with a smile. Then, reaching into his ashtray he drew out some change. "Here you go," he said, handing it to her.
"What's this for?" Her confusion was evident.
Jerry offered a goofy grin. "I was figuring for inflation. Besides, your thoughts are worth way more than a penny to me."
Kim laughed. "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard."
"And it's not even original." Jerry laughed, too, feeling mildly embarrassed. But he had gotten her to smile, so it was worth it. The smile lingered as she replaced the change in his ashtray.
"Does this mean, no deal?" he asked, giving her his best disappointed puppy-dog look.
She smiled and shook her head in the negative.
The light turned, and Jerry pulled into the intersection. They were nearing the park, and he really didn't want to leave her like this. He tried again.
"I know you really don't know me. I'm just some guy who broke your cell phone, spilled his dinner beside your car door, embarrassed himself by getting beat down by a lady with a beaded bag, got caught in public wearing a hat with a giant green cactus on it, is willing to bestow you with a dollar and 27 cents for the honor of your thoughts . . . " She was laughing again. It gave Jerry a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach. He continued. "But behind all that outright clumsiness and poor fashion sense, I think I'm a fairly good judge of character." He thought briefly of Santucci. "Well, usually. Bottom line is that I'm concerned. I know something is bothering you. If talking will help, I'm also a good listener."
She looked at him thoughtfully for several moments. Then she reached for his hand and squeezed it communicating quiet thanks. Her smile remained as she turned back toward the window.
He stifled a sigh as he pulled into the parking lot. She obviously did not want to talk. He wouldn't push anymore. He drove along the deserted spaces until he reached her car and pulled in beside it.
She turned toward him. "Have you ever wondered why Steven and I don't look alike?" she asked.
"Actually, no." Jerry managed, struggling to catch up. Perhaps she'd changed her mind after all. "I figured two parents, two gene pools. But then, biology wasn't my best class."
"I liked biology."
"I'll bet you got all A's." He nonchalantly shifted into park and cut the engine.
"Guilty." She laughed, then sobered. "We don't have the same biological parents. In fact, we're not related biologically at all."
"You were adopted?"
"Sort of." She watched him as if she were waiting for some type of reaction. "They took me in when I was just a kid."
Jerry felt a sinking sensation. He had a horrible feeling that he knew what was coming and he hated himself for bringing it up. He opened his mouth to say that if it upset her, she didn't have to talk about it. But the words didn't come and she continued on.
"Instead of a soccer game, I was at school. My parents were late coming to pick me up, too. Only, they weren't okay. They both died in that accident. I was 8 years old."
"Oh, Kim. I’m so sorry. I.. .I didn't meant to. . . "
"Don't worry about it." She waved his apology off. "It was a long time ago. I should be over it. It's just that sometimes, every now I then, I remember. Kevin and Patrick felt a little too close to home."
"I'm sorry I brought it up." Jerry felt awful.
"You didn't. The situation happened. Besides, the Storms are wonderful people. Better than my aunt ever was to me."
Jerry didn't feel any better. He looked at her, searching for something to say to make it better. But nothing came to mind.
Kim turned more fully in her seat and reached a hand up and smoothed her fingers along his brow. "You were right. Talking did help. Now, stop your frowning. Smile. You have a great smile."
Of course, he then felt it necessary to make every attempt to keep his expression bland. He gazed into Kim's eyes, determined to win what had become a silly battle of wills. Her eyes twinkled up at him as she barely contained the giggles that looked ready to burst forth.
"Come on, show me those dimples," she coaxed. "Come on, I know they're in there." She placed her fingers along the side of face where they would appear. "I'll give you a dollar and 27 cents," she promised.
Jerry couldn't help it. He laughed. He laughed until his eyes watered and Kim laughed with him. They fell all over one another laughing, then they laughed at each other laughing until finally they were spent and settled back against the seat, the occasional chuckle arising every now and then.
Kim leaned up and impulsively hugged him. "Thanks. I can't remember the last time I laughed like that." The demi-hug was chaste, and its intent was sisterly, but Jerry couldn't control the way his body stiffened slightly. He hadn't expected so much of her in his personal space. She was warm and soft and having her so close did funny things to his insides.
His arms tightened about her instinctively, not allowing her to pull away completely. She looked up at him, uncertainty in her gaze. One of her hands remained on him, where his shoulder connected with his neck. The other was on his chest -- not quite over his heart, but close enough that she had to feel it pounding.
Her lips parted slightly, and he whispered her name. Whatever intervening time there was was lost as his next sensation was the spark that ignited when their lips touched. The kiss hadn't been planned, had by no means been his intention, but the sheer emotion of it blew him away.
There was nothing else, just her. Just the feelings that sparked back and forth between the two of them as they met and melded. Her taste, her smell, it was all drowning him. He let it happen. He let her take him under to a world where nothing else existed but the joy of a singularly devastating kiss.