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“I’m so proud of you girls,” Mama said when we drove away from the café. “Your dad is smiling down on you right now.”

We made it home as Lance was backing away from the house.

I was excited to share the news about my outing with Dr. Yvonne, but I was even more excited to share it with Lance.

It amazed me that after all these years and after everything we’d gone through, our friendship felt as strong now as it did when we were kids.

Now that he was back in my life again, I couldn’t imagine him not being there.

The Nova I was today could never end a friendship so strong and so important.

“Hey, there,” Lance said when Mama and I got out of the car. “I was coming to see if you wanted to get out today, but I see I’m too late.”

I looked at Mama, who was waiting by the front door. “You go ahead, I’m about to take a walk with Lance.”

“Into town?” Lance asked.

“No, right down the lane. I want to tell you what happened today.”

As we walked, I shared everything from Mama’s suggestion that we go to lunch to my embrace with Leah. Lance listened intently, nodding and smiling at all the right moments.

“Nova, that’s so good,” he said when we made it to the end of the lane and the end of my story. “That explains that big smile on your mom’s face,” Lance said, as we turned and made our way back to the house.

“Yeah, she’s the main reason why I’m trying so hard to be okay.”

Lance stopped walking. “I understand why you want to fix your relationship with Leah for your mom, but you’re also doing it for yourself, right?”

“Yes. Of course I’m doing it for myself too. I missed Leah.”

“Good.” He started walking again. “Sounds like everything is working out the way it was meant to.”

“Almost.” The pain in my heart stretched when I thought of Skye and the little time I got to see her. It all felt so unfair, but the more I thought about it, I knew Mama was right. That was her home, and I couldn’t disrupt her life like that, no matter how bad I wanted to.

“You’re quiet. What’s up?”

“Nothing. Just thinking about Skye and how much I miss her when she’s not here.”

“It’s not because she doesn’t want to spend time with you, though. Basketball season is demanding with all the practices and games. You remember how it was.”

“Doesn’t mean I like it.” I folded my arms and pouted like a baby.

“Aw.” Lance pulled me into him and draped his arm over my shoulder. “I bet I have an idea that’ll make you feel better.”

“Is it Skye coming to spend more time with me? If not, I doubt it’ll make me feel better.”

“No, it’s not that, but trust me. You’re going to love it,” Lance said when we made it to the front porch.

I did trust him, so when he told me to tell Mama we’d be right back, I didn’t ask any more questions. Lance and I drove through town, past the park, and kept going until he pulled up to a big beige building.

“What’s this?” I asked, looking at the building that looked to be new.

“It’s a recreation center. I built it a few years ago.” He pointed up to the sign on the building.

“The Frank Lefleur Athletic Center,” I read aloud. “You named it after my dad?” My throat tightened.

“Of course. In a way, your parents are the ones who made this possible. Your mom sold me this land, and I was able to build the center.”

I pointed at him. “You’re the one who bought the land?”

“She told you about it?”

“She told me she’d sold some land, but she didn’t say who she sold it to. I wonder why she didn’t tell me it was you?”

“I don’t know.” Lance pulled another set of keys from his jacket pocket and unlocked the door.

The building was huge—much bigger than it looked from the outside. Lance gave me the grand tour, which ended in the gymnasium. In my world, there were two places that made me feel at home, and one of them was the basketball court.

“Stay right there.” Lance jogged across the court and into a room. He came out bouncing a basketball back across the court. “In the mood for a little one on one?”

I laughed, my voice echoing through the empty court. “You can’t be serious.”

“Why not?” He bounced the ball through his legs.

“Because I haven’t touched a basketball in years. I probably don’t even know what to do with it anymore.”

“Oh, come on, you know that’s not true.” He ran toward the basket and attempted a layup but failed.

“That’s so pathetic,” a voice said from the doorway.

Lance and I both turned, and my day went from good to great when I saw Skye standing there laughing.

“Skye!” I said louder than I intended. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I forgot to mention that Skye helps out here from time to time.”

Skye pressed her hands together like she was praying. “But please don’t tell my dad or Teeah. They don’t know, but I love helping with the youth basketball team. If Dad finds out, he’ll make me stop coming.”

I looked at Lance. “Let me guess, because of you.”

“Bingo.” Lance aimed his finger at me and then glanced over at Skye. “Wait, what are you doing here? Don’t y’all have a game tonight?”

“Yeah, I just need to get my knee brace. I forgot it the other day.” She looked around. “I don’t see it out here, though. Can I check the back office?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Skye jogged to the back of the building.

Lance tucked the basketball underneath his arm.

“Just so you know, I rarely see Skye when she’s here.

I make it a point to stay away during the youth-league practices.

Quinton can’t stand me, and I’m trying to be respectful of that when it comes to Skye.

She’s a child, and I don’t want her in the middle of this mess. ”

“I still don’t understand why he hates you so much. It’s not like we were together anymore.”

Lance furrowed his brows. “You think you’re the reason he hates me?”

“Well, isn’t it?”

“Not hardly. Quinton’s dislike for me goes back to high school. Remember the practice that ended his football career?”

My mouth flew open. I’d completely forgotten about that. “He still blames you for his injury?”

“He’s convinced that I did it on purpose. It didn’t help that the coach put me in his position for the last few games. You know, the ones with the scouts that recruited me on the spot.”

“Found it.” Skye came back, holding her knee brace. “Can I talk with you for a minute?” she asked me.

“You two go ahead. I have some things I need to handle in the office before we leave,” Lance said before tossing me the basketball.

“Everything okay?” I asked, tucking the ball underneath my arm.

“Dad said you’d talked with him about me moving in with you and Gran,” she said.

I held my breath. Was she upset that I’d done that? Did I overstep? “I did, but I was just talking. I knew you wouldn’t want to come and live with us.”

“But I do. Want to come, I mean,” she said, lowering her head.

“You do?” I nearly dropped the ball.

“Dad won’t be happy about it. He made that clear, but I can’t take it anymore. Do you know how it feels to go to school on Monday and listen to your friends talk about all the fun they had when you know the only thing you did was sit in your room or hang out with your dad and aunt?”

“No, I can’t say that I know how that feels, but it doesn’t sound too fun.”

“It’s not. Do you think you could go with me and talk to Dad? Maybe the two of us can get him to agree to let me move in with you and Gran.”

I wanted Skye to move in with Mama and me more than I wanted to breathe. “Okay. When do you want to talk with them?”

“Tonight. After the game? Are you coming to the game?”

“Umm ...” I swallowed. “I’m going to try to come, but ...”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

I didn’t think she did, but she did a good job of pretending that it was okay.

Knowing that Skye wanted me at her game made me want to be there even more.

I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but somehow, I was going to go and watch her play.

The only problem was that blocking out the negative thoughts was a lot easier than blocking out a crowd of people.

If the basketball games were anything like they used to be, then the whole town would be in one space.

Packed into the gym. The thought of being in there with them made my heart race with anxiety.

“It may be too late to do it tonight, but how about tomorrow?”

Skye looked at her watch. “I have to get back to the school, but do you promise we can talk with him tomorrow?”

“I promise.”

I was still wrapped in my happy bubble when Lance came back out. “What’s that smile about?”

I filled him in on my conversation with Skye, but instead of being excited for me, his face showed something totally different.

“What?” I asked, already on the defense.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked, his voice low and cautious.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because we both know how Quinton’s going to react to that request. Plus, you just fixed things between you and Leah. And”—he held his hands out toward me—“hear me out. Skye’s a teenager. That’s a huge responsibility. Are you sure you’re up for that?”

I turned his question around in my head. “Am I sure I’m up for being with my daughter? Is that the question?”

“Yes, but only because I know how dedicated you’ve been this week to meeting your goals. If you’re taking care of Skye full time, then it may pull you away from that, don’t you think?”

“No, actually, I don’t think so. First of all, Skye’s not an infant.

She doesn’t need me to take care of her full time.

Most of the time she’ll be at school anyway.

And whether she’s there or not, I’m still committed to meeting my goals.

She’s the whole reason I want to meet those goals. If anything, she’ll motivate me more.”

“Okay, I can tell you’re getting upset, and I don’t want to do that.”

“Too late.” I threw the ball down. “Take me home.”

How did I go from happy to happier, then make a swift left to angry and annoyed? I was sick and tired of people telling me what I should and shouldn’t do as Skye’s mom. At some point, they needed to understand that I was perfectly capable of taking care of my teenage daughter.