Page 20 of Not How I Saw That Going

“Yes.” Whatever it is, the answer is yes. I don’t want to go to jail. I’m nothing like my ex and I’ve tried every day for the last five years to prove that to myself. I tuck my shaky hands beneath the desk and wait for him to go on.

“We just hit peak fire season and our crews are swamped, which means they’ve been neglecting the household duties around here.” The chief plays with the edge of his handlebar mustache. “If you are willing to come in and help clean once a week for the next month, two hours each time, I will take care of this debt with the court.”

My body relaxes with its first solid breath of fresh air in the last five minutes. He wants me to clean? That’s it?

“Yes. I can do that.” I nod a little too eagerly.

“Great.” The chief leans back in his seat, satisfied. My worries, for the moment, are satisfied as well. What else am I neglecting? Are police officers going to show up at my home and arrest me for the sucker Crew stole from the store last week?

“Can you start next week?”

“Yes.”

Crash!

I scream and look at Crew. Glass shards, which used to be a very nice crystal globe, now cover the tile around my child’s feet.

I bite my bottom lip and look at the chief. “Do you think you could add that to my tab?”

Seven

Ward

“Areyoucoming?”Mysister’s voice carries through my headphones over my heavy breathing.

“Yes. Five minutes away. I’m running there.”

Collins groans, and I hear her yell at one of the girls before returning to the phone. “Please tell me you’re wearing a shirt.”

I glance down at my bare chest and swallow. I always run shirtless. “Nudity isn’t allowed at youth sports anymore?”

“Ward!” she screeches, then silences herself. “There are like fifty moms here.”

My mind flashes to Lyndi. In a matter of one week, she managed to both intrigue me and humiliate me. Almost simultaneously. Everyone at the fire station has been having a field day teasing me about the ‘knockout mom.’ It only got worse when she showed up two days ago with churros.

Churros. Who does that? Apparently, I mentioned them at some point when I was being wheeled from her apartment, but I don’t recall.

“Really?” I ask. “Any single ones?”

Not that I’m interested.

“No!” she yells again. “Just run faster. Mollee refuses to touch the field until you get here. I think Jeremy has an extra shirt in the car.”

“No, thank you.” There are at least four sizes between her husband and me, and I don’t feel like wearing a bodysuit in this heat. “I’ll be there soon.”

I can see the fields up ahead, hundreds of little humans running around in all colors. The Arizona heat reminds me of the Middle East, but nothing else does. It’s too hopeful here. There’s potential and freedom. Something I fought and longed for so hard while back there.

These kids don’t know how good they’ve got it.

I scan the fields for number eleven. Halfway across the grassy park, I spot my sister and nieces and run straight for them. I pick up Mollee, tossing her high over my head.

“Ward!” Collins yells. “She’s just a baby.”

“She’s almost five.” I throw my giggling niece into the air again.

“My turn.” Hallee, my other niece, tugs on my shorts.

I toss her into the air next.