Martha Kennerson - An Unexpected Holiday Gift

“Here’s what you’re going to do. Wait, how many of you know how to dribble a basketball? Hold up your hands.” Every hand flew up except Colby’s. “With one hand,” Keylan specified, bouncing the ball with his right hand.

Several hands lowered.

“Okay, everyone put your hands down. Before we do anything, I want you to practice dribbling.” He held a basketball in his left hand and raised his right. “You’ll use your fingertips to control the ball as you bounce it.” Keylan walked around, showing each child his technique.

“Nice job,” Coach Hooper cheered.

Keylan looked over his shoulders. “Thanks, Coach Hooper. I’ve done this a time or two. Do you have a whistle I can borrow?”

“Sure, you can have mine,” she offered, smiling as she removed the whistle that hung around her neck and handed it to him.

“Thank you,” he said. The corner of his mouth rose. Keylan was just as excited about the game he was about to teach the kids as he would be when he played himself. “Please toss me a couple more basketballs.”

Keylan caught the additional balls before turning his attention back to the kids. “Now, you’ll all practice dribbling...” he started to explain as he handed each child at the head of the line a ball “...until you hear me blow the whistle. When you do, pass the ball to the person behind you so everyone will have a chance to practice. Everyone understand?”

“Yes,” they all said in unison.

“Ready.” Keylan blew the whistle. “Go.”

The first three children started bouncing their balls, two with their right hand and one with his left. Keylan smiled as he walked up to each child, offering assistance on their form.

Colby was the only one that didn’t need assistance; his focus and ball handling surprised Keylan. But the bigger surprise was the connection he’d made with the child. He wasn’t sure what it was exactly but he knew there was something special about the boy. “Good job, Colby.” The boy smiled but kept his eyes on the ball as he continued to bounce it. After two rounds of practice, Keylan blew his whistle.

“Looks like we’re ready to go. Here’s how the game is played.” Keylan picked up a ball and demonstrated. “You’ll dribble the ball down to the tubs. Go as fast as you can while controlling it. Circle the tub and dribble back. Hand the ball to the next person in line and they’ll do the same. The first team back wins. Does everyone understand?”

“Yes,” all the kids replied—everyone except Colby.

“Here we go.” Keylan brought the whistle to his mouth.

“My team will win,” the boy declared loudly and with a confident smile.

* * *

Mia sat at her desk, staring at the computer screen, reading the same paragraph she’d read three times within the last forty-five minutes and still couldn’t comprehend. Her mind kept traveling to the extremely sexy but annoying man with his perfectly trimmed goatee and a smile that did crazy things to her body. She shook her head. Mia still couldn’t believe she had been so rude to the boss’s nephew. “Stop it.” Mia removed her eyeglasses, placed them on the desk and rubbed her eyes.

“Talking to yourself again, boss lady?” Sandra asked, walking into the office carrying two large cups of tea. “Time for a break...sweet tea with lemon.” She handed Mia a cup and a straw.

“Thanks, and I told you to stop calling me that,” she reminded, accepting the drink. Mia placed the straw in the cup and took a big pull. “Mmm, that’s good.”

Sandra took one of the seats in front of her desk. “So...” She took a drink of her tea, staring at Mia.

“So what?”

“You know what. What’s up with you and Mister Tall, Sexy and I’d Do Anything He Wants?” she asked, her eyebrows dancing.

Mia scowled. “Nothing’s up. He’s here for community service hours. That’s it.”

“If you ask me—”

“I didn’t,” she said, placing her tea on a coaster near her computer. “Now, where are we with finalizing the contract with the toy company? Their commitment to donating a hundred bikes is a critical part of our giveaway.”

“Okay, I’ll drop it, but you’ll have to tell me where we are with the contract.”

“Excuse me?” Mia’s brows snapped together.

“You’re the one still reviewing the contract,” she noted, pointing at Mia’s computer.

“Oh...” Mia glanced over her shoulder and looked at her computer. Is that what that is? “I guess I forgot.”

“I bet you did.” Sandra smirked and drained the last of her drink. “I’ll wait.” She placed her empty cup on the edge of Mia’s desk and sat back with her arms folded.

Mia turned to fully face her computer. She put her glasses on and quickly read through the paragraphs on the screen. “Looks good.” Mia hit a few keys before pushing the send button. “I just sent the electronically signed version back to you. Please send it out right away.”

“I’m on it, boss lady.” Mia glared at her. “Sorry.” Sandra stood, picked up her cup and turned to leave.

“Sandra, can you wait a minute?” Mia removed her glasses. She picked up her pen and started tapping it on the top of her desk.

Sandra stood in front of Mia’s desk. “What’s up?”

“Do you know how things are going?”

Sandra frowned. “With what?”

“You know what—Keylan and Coach Wanda’s class.”

Sandra’s frown deepened. “KJ’s not with Coach Wanda’s class. He’s with Coach Hooper’s class in the small gym. He’s helping out with ball time.”

“What!” Mia yelled, getting to her feet. She rounded her desk, heading out the door and down the hall.

Chapter 3

Mia stood just inside the doorway of the small gym, blinking to clear tears from her eyes. She wasn’t sure if what she was seeing and hearing was real. “What’s up?” Sandra asked, trying to catch her breath. “You ran out of the office so fast, I—”

Mia held up her index finger to stop her friend from speaking. Sandra turned toward the sounds and sights that held Mia’s attention. “Are they playing some kind of basketball game?” she asked, her eyebrows standing at attention.

“Looks that way,” Mia replied, slowly nodding. “Colby is actually talking to the other children.”

“Talking? It looks like he’s cheering his team on. I thought Coach Hooper said these guys weren’t ready for organized sports yet.”

“She did. I guess she was wrong...so was I, for that matter,” Mia admitted.

“Yes!” both women screamed, jumping up and down as they watched the last child on Colby’s team finish the task before anyone else, winning the game. Everyone cheered with excitement, even those children who were not on the winning team. Mia and Sandra walked over to where the children had gathered around Keylan. Sandra started giving high-fives to all the children. “That was great, you guys,” Mia said, smiling at all the excited faces staring up at her.

Colby ran over to Mia and threw his arms around her waist. “Mommy, I won.”

Mia knelt down and gave Colby a big hug as she fought back a fresh batch of tears. “I see that.” She kissed him on the forehead. “I’m so proud of my little man.”

Colby gave his mother another hug and a toothy grin before returning to his friends, who were now standing next to Coach Hooper and Sandra. “So Colby’s your son.”

Mia rose, wiped at her tears and looked up at Keylan. “Yes, he is.”

Keylan stood with his feet slightly apart, rolling a basketball between his hands. “What are you doing with these kids?”

“Playing basketball.” Keylan looked over his shoulder at the kids, who were now dribbling balls all over the court, and smirked. “Our version of it, anyway. Colby...that’s a great kid you got there.”