Parking in front of the community center, I opened my phone’s web browser and did a quick search. Finding the name of the lawyer I needed, I called and made an appointment to meet with him. I was in love with Sophie, so I needed to do this. Once I hung up, I set my watch’s alarm to go off in four hours. This morning when I had left Sophie’s house, I ran to Publix to grab steaks for dinner and then took them back to her house so I could let them marinate. Before meeting her for lunch, I swung by my condo and picked up my grill. At the rate I was going, there wouldn’t be much stuff left in my condo by the end of the month.

Getting out of my Jeep, I saw several of the kids on the swings, but it was three boys that were trying to hide behind a giant oak tree that drew my attention. They thought they were being inconspicuous, but in all actuality, they were triggering my deputy instincts. So, I did what any good deputy would do—I snuck up on them. 

All three of them were too focused on a phone to notice me. Shit. They were probably watching porn on the internet, damn it. They were way too young for that shit, about nine years old. Quietly gliding up behind them, I said, “What you doing, boys?” TJ, the one with the phone, shoved it behind his back. Really, dude? Like that wasn’t obvious.

“Nothing, Carter. Just talking.” Shit, I can’t remember that kid’s name. 

Holding out my hand to them. “Hand me the phone. What were you looking at?”

“Nothing,” TJ said. The other two shook their heads.

“Nothing? The three of you boys were looking at a blank screen on a phone? Whose phone is this anyway?”

“My brother’s.” TJ raised his hand.

“Does he know you have it?”

“No. Please don’t tell him.”

“Then I suggest you tell me what you were doing.” I rested my hands on my hips in total full-on deputy mode.

“Please, Coach Carter, we were just trying to help TJ get even with his brother. He keeps pulling mean tricks on him, and TJ’s dad just laughs it off and tells TJ to toughen up, so we were just helping him come up with ideas.”

“What kind of pranks has your brother been pulling?”

“He super glued all my underwear closed. You know, that opening I use when I go pee?”

“Yeah, I know the opening.” I fought to hold back my laugh.

“And he filled my bed with those white things that come in boxes, those things to keep stuff from breaking when the mailman drops it.”

“Styrofoam peanuts?” Or as I liked to call it, ghost shit.

“Yeah, those. There were thousands. I had them sticking everywhere. I couldn’t get them off me.”

“So, what are you boys trying to do with the phone?”

“I asked my sister what she would do,” Matt, the oldest of the three said. “She told me to change all the names in his phone contact list. So, that’s what we were doing.”

“That’s genius. Your brother is how old, TJ?”

“He’s thirteen. Please don’t tell him.”

“I won’t say a thing. But a word of advice, the three of you sneaking behind this tree made it pretty obvious that you were up to something. If your brother sees you, he might come over to find out what you’re up to.” I handed him back the phone. “Oh, and if he keeps pulling pranks on you, try gluing the caps to his shampoo, deodorant, and cologne shut. My sister did that to me once, and it drove me crazy.”

“Thanks, Carter.” TJ held out his fist, and I gave him a bump.

After checking in with Denise, I headed for the center of the playground, where the grass was most lush and green. It was Bee's favorite spot. Spying her at a distance, lost in her daydreams. 

“So, what do you see today?” I asked as I squatted down beside her.

“Hey, Carter. I see a castle.”

“A big castle?” 

“A pretty castle. There are enough bedrooms for me, my mommy, a daddy, and brothers and sisters. There is also a ginormous pool and a dog.”

What she called a castle most kids called a home, wow, the things we take for granted. I made a mental note to talk to Denise and learn more about Bee.

“What kind of dog, can you tell?”

“Yep. A small one, it has long floppy ears. It looks like Lady from the movie Lady and the Tramp.”

“Oh, a Cocker Spaniel.”

“I guess so. Her name is Cricket.”

“Cricket? Why Cricket?”

“Because I'm Bee, my mom is Katy Bug, so the dog needs a bug name.”

“Ahh, that makes perfect sense. You are absolutely adorable.” I said as I stood up, ready to head to the basketball courts. It was at that moment; I decided that I didn't want a daughter like Bee. She was going to be a heartbreaker. My words had made her blush, and now she was peeking at me while keeping her lashes resting against her cheek. 

Something in Bee’s reaction made the whole situation hit me; I had officially lost it. I was thinking about my future kids with a woman, who I had just reconnected with.

I moved to the courts where I picked up a game of basketball with some of the older kids.

“What’s up? Who wants to play?”

We divided into two teams, and I appointed TJ’s older brother as the other team’s captain. The game was close. TJ’s words that his dad kept telling him to toughen up’ rolled around in my head. 

“Okay, we need to distract the other team, does the captain have a girlfriend?” I asked my teammates. 

“No,” one of his friends on my team answered. “He likes Stacy but she won’t give him the time of day.”

“Stacy who comes here?” I asked for clarification.

“Yep. She only comes here when she’s visiting her dad and won’t give him her number.”

“Jordan—” I said to one of my teammates, “—you take the ball and pass it to Gavin. When Gavin gets ready to throw it, you say Stacy’s name. Don’t point, don’t say hi, just say her name. It’s all we need to win the game. Ready?” We brought our hands in to the center. “On three. One, two, break.” Just like clockwork, Jordan dribbled, took one step forward, and passed to Gavin. Just as Gavin was getting ready to shoot, Jordan called, “Stacy,” and TJ’s brother turned his head, missing the block, the ball swished right into the hoop. 

“No fair!” He shouted.

“Why not?” I wrapped my arm around his shoulder.

“He said Stacy.”

“You’ve got to learn to toughen up.” The kid glared at me. “By the way, I spent some time with your brother. He and I made a list of pranks. Some of them we’ll hold on to for when Stacy comes back. She should be here next week, isn’t that when she’s at her dad’s again?” His face turned redder. “If I were you, I’d be nice to my little brother. Most girls find it hot when guys are nice to young kids. Believe me, I used to get all the girls just by being sweet to my sister, and she was a brat. Girls eat that stuff up.” I handed him back the basketball when my alarm went off. “Sorry, guys, gotta go.”

“Hot date, Coach?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Ahhh, come on, tell us something.”

“I’ll tell you that she’s beautiful.” I smiled and headed out. Honestly, Sophie was more than just beautiful, she was . . . everything.