From his spot high up in the bleachers, James keeps one eye on June Robin as she twists in the air, her body subtly turning mid-flip so she lands facing the beam. She bends down into her knees and only bounces an inch or two, better than her last attempt. She will be sticking the landing by the end of the week, if he had to guess. His other eye keeps watch over the happy family sitting in the front row. Wren claps once, overcome with pride at her daughter’s accomplishment. Jimmy pulls little Ava closer to him as June hits the mat, both of them letting out long sighs of relief. Rhea lifts her eyes from her phone only long enough to roll them in her younger sister’s direction.
The coach gives June a few notes on her landing before sending her around to practice one last time. It’s getting late on a school night and none of the girls have eaten dinner yet. Jimmy mentioned stopping for pizza on the way home and his suggestion was met with cheers from Ava and Rhea. Naturally, June groaned but agreed as long as she could get a salad. James chuckled at just how similar she was to her mother at that age.
Little Ava scoots to the edge of her seat, studying her big sister. She envies June’s fearlessness. As much as she wants to follow in her footsteps, the prospect of leaping off the beam filled her with dread. Noting the girl’s nervousness, James often wonders what Ava and Rhea’s birth mother was like. The girls had been part of the Knight family since Rhea was four and Ava only two. Nature versus nurture was an interesting thing to witness and James was curious to see them each blossom into their own talents. Rhea clearly had a way with animals and Ava would no doubt find her own calling. All three girls were lucky to have parents supportive of all their separate dreams.
June sticks the landing and Wren stands, holding a hand to her heart before blowing a kiss at her daughter. A vision of another Karen blowing kisses at him in another gym- in another life- causes James to smile sadly.
The family begins to pack up their belongings as June retreats to the locker room. James debates following them to the pizzeria or heading straight home to the yellow house he calls home. As he makes the decision to retreat and leave the family to their dinner, a cold breeze causes the hairs on his arm to stand at attention. For the first time in so long his heart thumps in his chest and he swears he can hear the sound of the blood rushing through his veins. He lifts his head, afraid to move even one muscle lest the feelings fade.
A hand, with the fingernails painted pastel yellow, gently rests on his shoulder and he feels her warm breath in his ear before she even speaks. “I’ve been looking for you,” she whispers, her sweet voice a balm for his restless soul.
Turning to face her, his mouth turns up in a half smile. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
Sometime, Somewhere Page 26
