The kids all showed back up, and even multiplied by the end of the week. Rusty spent every day from nine in the morning until sundown with them, finding out that it was, in fact, Spring Break. He realized that meant Sunday would be Easter, and also, that he wasn't looking forward to it.

Rusty was raised in the church by a preacher and his devout wife. They never missed a Sunday worship and holy days were even more important. It had been months since Rusty was in church, but that had been easy, because he'd mostly been drunk, and when he drank, he didn't give a shit about anything. The guilt only hit him when he was sober...and it was suddenly hitting him hard right then. He fingered the cross around his neck and wondered if God really forgives people who have a tendency to keep screwing up, every chance they get. He also wondered if you do good things, if that eventually cancels out the shit you've put people through in the meantime.

That entire week while he'd been helping out the kids, he hadn't drunk...at least not until he was home alone at night. He knew it wasn't a good idea, medically, to just stop. But, he had cut way down, limiting himself to only a beer...or two...and maybe a shot. He had given up the prescription pain killers too...washing them down the garbage disposal. He found a bottle of over the counter pain medicine in the cabinet in his parent's bathroom, and he'd been taking those when he needed them. What he had discovered was that the endorphins his body was making seemed to be taking care of most of the pain. He'd been eating good all week too, real food that he cooked himself. He forgot how much he liked to cook, and how much exercise, fresh air and a full belly could lead to the type of sleep at night that he'd been missing. Overall, he was feeling great by the end of the week and he was sad to think it was coming to an end when the kids went back to school.

Saturday afternoon was bittersweet for him as their football session began breaking up. They all said they'd be back the following weekend for more lessons...but it was going to be a long week. Isaac and his crew had just left when Rusty heard the sounds of motorcycle engines. He watched as a group of Harley Davidson's pulling up next to the black van that the prospect had delivered the ranch kids in. When the handful of men in leather, and on the backs of some of the nicest Harleys he'd ever seen, parked, a few of the kids ran over to talk to them. Rusty's eyes were on their leader, however. He'd always been curious about Dax Marshall and it looked like he was about to have the opportunity to meet him.

Dax was a mountain, as tall as Rusty but even broader in the shoulders and with bigger arms. He wore a black leather Skulls kutte over a sleeveless white t-shirt, with jeans and boots. His blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail that hung down to the top of his collar in back, and before he even got close to Rusty, he could see that the guy had the most intensely blue eyes he'd ever seen. They were focused on Rusty's face as he said,

“Well, I'll be damned...it is you.” Dax had a big smile on his face as he held out his hand and Rusty took it.

“Rusty Daniels,” he said.

“I see that. Man, I watched every game you played. It was so cool to know you grew up right here on the Southside. You were fucking awesome too.”

“Well thank you. Can I assume you're Dax Marshall?”

“Oh fuck, yeah...sorry. I was star struck there for a second.”

Rusty chuckled. It had been quite some time since anyone was “star struck” by him. It felt good, especially coming from the famous in his own rite, Dax Marshall. “Well thanks,” he said.

“The kids and the prospects told me what you've been doing for them. I just wanted to come out and meet you myself, and tell you thanks, in person.”

“It's been my pleasure,” Rusty said. “I probably needed this more than they did.”

“Oh yeah? Why's that? I'm sorry, I would just think a retired NFL player would have all kinds of stuff going on.” Dax was completely cool, but Rusty got the feeling that he was still feeling him out, making sure he was legit and not some weirdo or pervert out to hurt the kids. Or maybe he had heard the same rumors everyone else had, and he already knew the answer.

“You know, I might think that myself, if I didn't know me,” Rusty said with a little laugh. He looked around to make sure none of the kids were within hearing range and then he said, “I've had some issues this past year, my family are all miles away and I left the bulk of my friends in Pennsylvania. So, things have gotten boring and lonely around here. It's been great, being out here with the kids. Although I wish they had a nicer place to play. This park has really gone to hell.”

Dax nodded. “Yeah. There's a community project going on right now, trying to get the city to put some money into it. It's actually why the kids are coming out here to play instead of staying on the ranch. One of the women in charge of the project set up some cameras to show the city council that the park is used for something other than the junkies and the homeless...are you okay?” Rusty had stopped listening when Dax said, “Cameras.” He suddenly pictured himself that day, passing out while he was riding his bike...wrecking, and God only knows, coming how close to mowing down a bunch of kids at play. He realized Dax must have seen the anxiety on his face and he cleared his throat and said,

“Um, yeah...I'm good. Cameras, huh? Is that even legal?”

Dax raised an eyebrow but said, “Well, yeah...I suppose. As long as it's posted and there are a couple of signs over near the pond.”

“Oh, okay, good.” He knew he sounded fake, and ridiculous. His mouth was suddenly completely dry and his body was shaking...all over.

“Well anyways,” Dax said, “we should be getting on, I just wanted to stop and say hello.”

“Well it was nice meeting you.”

“You too, and thanks again.” They shook hands once more and Dax started to head back to his bike. He was almost there when he turned back around and said,

“You mentioned your family was all out of town. We're having a big barbecue and Easter egg hunt out at the ranch this weekend. You're welcome to join us, if you don't have any other plans.”

“Um...wow, that's really nice of you...”

“Just think about it,” Dax said. “Oh, and Rusty...”

“Yeah?”

“If you come out we can watch the videos of you and the kids out here...it's a shame that the one from last Monday seems to be so scrambled you can't see a thing on it, but I think the rest of the week looks good. Might even sway the city council and get them to open up their tight pocketbooks.”

Rusty thought he could actually feel his guts shaking. Did Dax just tell him he destroyed the tape of him passing out drunk while he was driving? Dax was still looking at him, waiting for him to respond. Rusty cleared his throat and in a shaky voice he said, “Good, that would be good. The kids need a nice place to play. I think I might just come out to the ranch for that barbecue tomorrow too. Thanks.” And maybe find out what it is that the Southside Skulls...and Dax Marshall in particular, wanted in exchange for their silence. So far, the deal Rusty made with Isaac had been nothing but a good idea...but making a deal with an MC, that would be a whole different ball game.

Rusty sat in the pew closest to the door, just in case he wanted to make a quick exit. He'd gotten there late, on purpose so that everyone would already be in their seats and he wouldn't have to make conversation on his way in. The preacher was giving the sermon and he was only half-listening as he watched the children in the choir fidget and whisper, waiting for it to be time to sing the song they'd probably been practicing all week. Their antics were met by exasperated, or stern looks from the older folks, but Rusty enjoyed it. He had been in that choir as a kid and he'd been the recipient of many of his mother's “stern” looks for acting silly in front of the entire congregation. But what he remembered the most about it all was that after the sermon was heard and the songs were sung, they all came together in the meeting hall out back to share food, laughs and stories, and everything that happened earlier in God's house had been forgiven. He touched his cross and he wondered despite everything he'd been taught his entire life...was there really such a thing as forgiveness and second chances, or had he already lived his “good life,” and there was nothing else to look forward to from here on out?

He shifted his focus back to the preacher who was telling a story that Rusty heard his father tell many times throughout the years. It was a “Tale of Two Stones” and as he listened, it suddenly dawned on Rusty that he'd never really listened to the words...or the message. For some reason at that moment, maybe because he needed it, he wasn't sure...but, he not only heard the message, he felt like it was being spoken directly to him. It was Easter Sunday and their faith believed that was the day that Jesus rose from the dead. He was given a second chance at life because God believed he deserved it. As the preacher spoke the most powerful sentence in the story, Rusty began moving his lips, mouthing the words and he realized something else...he had been listening to his father all these years. “Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, despised, rejected, crucified, died and was buried...has been raised up...and is our hope and our promise...” Rusty looked up at the stained glass ceiling over his head and he felt like someone was looking back down at him, watching over him and trying like hell to lead him in the right direction.