by Nikki Duncan
As the truth sank in, so did the memory of dumping water down him. She’d soaked the man she was relying on for a job. Not just any job though. The job that would establish her as a front-runner in the event planning business.
Fan-stinkin-tastic.
“Ryland.” She wanted to close her eyes and drown herself in the small pool of water nearby. Instead, she forced her head higher and met his gaze directly. “I’m sorry about the water.”
He shrugged as if it didn’t matter. Beneath the makeup his face muscles never twitched, which made her wonder if he was really relaxed and uncaring about his wet clothes, or if he was just good at hiding his anger.
Hopefully the former.
“You made the act better.” He motioned with his head toward the administration offices.
She took it as a sign to follow, so she grabbed her bag from where she’d dropped it earlier and went with him.
“Luckily I keep a change of clothes here.” He talked casually as they headed past his assistant and into his office. “I just need to rethink my undergarments in the future.”
“If I’d realized it was you—”
“You would have held back.” Shaking a finger at her, he headed into a bathroom attached to his office. He was silent for several minutes. When he spoke his voice was muffled. “If you’d done that the kids wouldn’t have enjoyed the act near as much. For me, hearing their laughter is like thunderclouds parting after a storm.”
An image of the sun cracking through darkness blinked in her mind. It was a beautiful thought and it had been exactly how she felt when Bria and the kids laughed. “You’re right. I still shouldn’t have pushed as far as I did.”
Ryland came to the door with his makeup smeared. He’d stepped out of his clown suit so all he wore were his wet pants. There was something improper about having a business meeting with a half-dressed man, though it proved one thing. Sabrina had been wrong about her not noticing how hot he was. The man was…divine.
“You were perfect, Jennalyn.”
Trying not to focus on his naked torso, thinking his half-painted face was safer territory to study, Jennalyn locked her stare with his. Amid the splotches of color she found a complete calm. And honesty. And generosity.
The pain of a thaw moved through her again. She rubbed her chest.
Could he really be that okay with her soaking him? Or was he simply being nice because he felt sorry for her? “Pouring water down the pants of a prospective client isn’t what I would consider a sound business move.”
“The only business being transacted at the time was fun.” He leaned against the doorjamb and wiped the rag over his face. “And you, Jennalyn James, were having fun.”
I was! “That is not the point.”
He didn’t argue or respond as he went back to the bathroom. Jennalyn walked to the breakfront cabinet along one wall. Twenty-one picture frames, all sterling silver with a small red wagon in the bottom left corner, held pictures of kids. No two pictures were the same, but they all showed signs of the kids being ill. An infant’s photograph was the center point of the pictures.
A few minutes later he returned with his face clean and a fresh change of clothes on. With each button of his shirt he buttoned she felt the propriety of the meeting slip back into place. His next words shattered her hope that he would shift gears to straight business.
“Fun is exactly the point when a clown’s around.” He motioned her to the guest chair in front of his desk. When she sat he lowered himself into the one beside her. “Fun and forgetting all the sadness life slaps us with is exactly the point. Even if it’s only for a little bit. “
“Of your act, or of my presence here?”
“Both.”
“Are you asking for my help because of Sabrina?”
“No.”
“Really?” She didn’t know why she was arguing with him. His act had carried her beyond sadness many times. She’d never realized it was Ryland who eased the misery of so many. Including her. And now he was asking her to help do the same.
“Really.”
“But Sabrina’s DVD—”
“Got me thinking more seriously about the idea.” He reached out and grabbed a red file folder from his desk. “I’ve made some notes on what I would like to see happen with A Month of Miracles.”
She flipped the folder open and was surprised to only find a short list of names. By each name was their illness, a hobby and a number. She almost asked about the details of the family, but as quick as the thought occurred it was dismissed. The outing wasn’t being planned for the family. It was being planned for the kids.
“The patients on that list, and their families, have waited too long for the happiness and healing they’re finally getting.”
“And the numbers?”
“Those indicate how many people will be going on the outing, not including you and me.”
“Wait. You intend for you and me to attend all of these events?” If the idea was to provide the family with a dream day they didn’t need her shadowing them. She was the least fun person in Indianapolis these days.
“You have to make sure things go perfectly.” He shrugged as a smile curled the left side of his mouth. “I have to pay the tabs.”
She wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of hanging out with Riley patients. Who was she kidding? She was entirely uncomfortable with the idea. She would just have to find a way out of them.
“You said twelve events. There are only ten names here.”
“Yes.” He watched her carefully, as if he was gauging her reaction to each word. The scrutiny was a bit disconcerting, but she wouldn’t be intimidated by it.
“I’m open to ideas on the outings,” he continued, “with a few more specific requests.”
“Okay.”
“A few families of the listed kids have become largely involved in Ronald McDonald House. I would like to do something amazing for the house in their names.”
With Christmas on the horizon and visions of the big house during the holidays fresh in her memory, she practically saw plans unfolding into fruition. “Sounds doable.”
He nodded. “My final request is that we close out December with a truly special party. The kids on that list and their immediate families will be invited.”
“That could be a pretty big party.” Ideas whirled in bright strands of grandeur in her mind. From the small and intimate to the big and rowdy.
“Which is part of what makes it special.”
Emphasis hung on the word part. It was there only for a breath, yet it was unmistakable. He had something up the sleeve of his perfectly tailored shirt.
“How do you know I’m the right person for this job?”
“I saw the work you put into the zoo fundraiser.”
“That was one job.”
“You’ve done others.”
“Have you been watching me?”
He nodded. Once. “A Month of Miracles is yours to plan if you want the job.”
The lack of answer had her stubborn side pushing her to demand more. Her professional side won. “You aren’t going to check out other planners or price shop? Or quiz me on how I work?”
Was she trying to talk him out of using her?
“No.” He angled his head so his chin was slightly down with his eyes remaining up and on hers. “Are you trying to talk me or yourself out of this?”
“Aside from that not being smart business, I don’t like the idea that you’re showing me favoritism because of Sabrina.” She didn’t like the idea at all.
“A little of both then.” Ryland answered his own question, tapped the file she still held and stood. “You can keep that, and when you decide to take the job let me know.”
Chapter Four
“Mr. Davids, thank you again for…” Gavin’s voice trailed off as he indicated the stadium filled with shades of Colts blue and Cowboys silver.
“Call me Ryland, and again, you’re welcome.” Ryland looked around the stadi
um much like Gavin, but he looked for Jennalyn. She’d been secretive about today’s event and refused to ride with him. She wouldn’t always win that fight. “You deserve this.”
Fans were heading to and from the bathrooms and concession stands while the players returned to the locker rooms for a break and pep talk. Nachos and hot dogs, soda and beer. Curses and screams, laughter and cheers. It had all filled the sunny but fall-chilled air for the last hour and a half.
Lung capacities were tested with each interception of the ball. Friendships were made. Memories were treasured.
No fan, though, would remember the day as vividly as Gavin Ross.
One touchdown in one PeeWee football game was all Gavin would have the pleasure of making. He’d collapsed in the end zone when a damaged heart valve gave way, and with it a dream of playing ball. Practices and his undiagnosed heart murmur had proven too much for his body. By the time he was admitted to Riley, he had advanced endocarditis and was in need of a transplant.
Too weak to do much of anything, the last five years of Gavin’s life had become a series of hospital stays, home seclusion and several failed attempts at valve replacements. The boy, now seventeen, had never lost his love of football. No matter how sick he’d been, if the Colts were playing he watched the game. Even his room at the hospital, from the door to the interior, had been transformed into a miniature stadium during his stays.
Rubbing a hand over his chest, where he likely had a gnarly scar from his multiple surgeries, Gavin watched two large groups of people form on the sidelines of the field. As guarded as he’d always been in the hospital, afraid to hope for the best, the smile he’d shown off all day never faltered. “I’d given up on the idea of getting to ever see a game.”
“Some dreams are worth the wait. I hope this one was.”
“It is.” The teen nodded. “And this… This makes me want to work at Camp Riley. I want to help other kids learn that they’re not defined by their physical situations. That there’s hope for something better.”
Before Ryland could respond, a woman stepped away from the sideline and walked along the fifty yard line to center field. Her more recently red streaks had been turned Colts blue to match her scarf and the jersey that hugged her subtle curves. Jennalyn had changed her hair for the occasion, and it only made her more charming.
“What’s going on?”
Ryland shrugged and studied Jennalyn.
His blood coursed a little faster. Anticipation was only part of the cause. Jennalyn, despite the distance, made an impression. What is she up to?
At center field, she stopped. When the crowd of people who’d been at the sidelines with her had marched out and assumed their spot, she turned and looked directly at Ryland and Gavin. The camera zoomed in on her face so anyone looking at the big screen might think she looked directly at them.
A proud smile curved her lips but it was the one that didn’t fully penetrate the grief in her eyes. He found himself missing it as she raised the microphone she held. Without a word from her or the announcers, the crowd felt something coming. A pulsing hush fell over the stadium.
After a small swallow that rippled along her throat, Jennalyn spoke. “Thanksgiving is only a few days away. In the stands today is a young man who has a reason to be truly thankful for the first time in five years.”
The big screen’s view shifted.
Gavin’s face filled it.
Shock registered for a flash before his smile became more stunning. He looked at Ryland who simply pointed to the field and shrugged. Jennalyn continued as the groups of people on either side of the field walked out, obliterating the yard lines with their bodies.
“Gavin. You’ve fought to survive the last five years. You’ve seen your dreams suffer and you’ve missed out on some big experiences.” The emotion in Jennalyn’s voice was ripe in the speakers. That, more than her chosen words, captivated everyone.
Some of the people who’d marched on the field with her turned. “You’ve missed attending school with your friends.”
Gavin’s jaw dropped as he leaned against the rail to study the faces of the people on the field. Looking around as if he couldn’t decide where to look or how to act, he laughed.
“Your friends and their families have missed you.” A second portion of the group turned. “Even your teachers.” And a third. “They’ve never forgotten you or given up hope that you’d get better. To show their support and happiness for your recovery, they’ve arranged a little something for you.”
Jennalyn walked off the field, and from somewhere among the lines of people a bass voice boomed. “Hut. Hut.”
Rhythmic claps and “huts” resounded as the group moved and reshaped their lines into letters. L-O-O-K L-E-F-T.
Gavin followed their direction to find himself looking at Blue the Mascot, and Jim Irsay, the team’s owner. Laughter was replaced by a slack jaw as the kid slowly rose to his feet. He looked back and down to Ryland. “You knew about this.”
Ryland shrugged. He’d only known about the game, but he could play along. “I believe they have something for you.”
The camera followed Gavin as he edged in front of Ryland and moved toward Blue and Jim standing at the end of the row. Jim shook Gavin’s hand and passed him an envelope. The game’s announcer took over the speech.
“Gavin, you’ve just been handed Colts season tickets and locker room access for life. We’re thrilled to have you as a fan.”
“Seriously?”
Blue nodded, shaking his whole head. Jim shook Gavin’s hand and smiled. “We’re serious. Your story reminded our team how fragile life is and we wanted to celebrate that. Congratulations on your health.”
“Thank you. I…”
Gavin’s mouth formed words that wouldn’t come.
“Hut. Hut.” The unseen bass voice came from the field, saving Gavin from his thoughts as a shuffle of activity caught his attention.
Gavin’s friends moved into a new set of words that had several people in the crowd wiping their eyes. W-E L-O-V-E Y-O-U.
Gavin was still grinning twenty minutes later when the football game resumed. The time passed quickly with nearby fans coming over to congratulate Gavin. Each time he responded with “Thanks, I can’t believe it.” Ryland didn’t time it, but he doubted sixty seconds went by without Gavin stating his disbelief.
“I can’t believe you organized this for me.”
Ryland shrugged again, in part because he didn’t want the attention on him. And partly because he’d only known about the seats for today’s game. “The woman from the field did the heavy lifting.”
He’d witnessed the kind of moment he’d heard about from the kids and families who’d benefitted from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The magnitude of what Gavin had just been given was proof that Ryland had hired the right woman to organize A Month of Miracles. His idea for Gavin had been to get him season tickets to the Colts. Jennalyn had apparently tracked down the owner and not only talked him into letting her use the field, but she’d convinced him to gift the boy with a lifetime of awesome days.
Her vision for Gavin’s day had been motivated by her understanding of what the boy had faced during his illness. No other event coordinator could’ve added such a personal touch to the job. Ryland couldn’t help but wonder how she would top it.
“Are we having a good time?” The feminine query broke him from his thoughts as Jennalyn dropped into the seat beside him. He’d hoped she would join them but each minute she was gone was a minute longer for doubt to set in.
Ryland smiled. His chest expanded, made room for his pleasure.
Gavin realized who she was and whatever guard he might still have vanished as he stepped over Ryland and pulled Jennalyn up and into a hug that Ryland was sure would crush her. “Thank you. Thank you for all the work you put into this.”
Jennalyn’s hands fluttered for a moment in the air before she patted Gavin’s shoulders. After two pats she relaxed in his arms and returned the hug. “Your f
ace lighting up the big screen reminded me of my sister when I surprised her with something. That was all the thanks I needed.”
Ryland had only talked via phone with Jennalyn since she’d left his office two weeks before. It had surprised him to discover how much he had missed her. With her so close, his arms ached to be the ones holding her. He wanted to pull her in and tell her how proud and amazed she made him feel, yet her hesitation to return Gavin’s affection was enough to know that she wouldn’t want the touch. She wasn’t ready.
And just when Ryland thought the moment would grow heavier, Gavin pulled back and asked, “So if you can get my schoolmates to do this for me, do you think you could talk them into doing all my schoolwork too?”
Jennalyn laughed and nudged the boy back toward his chair. “You sound like my younger sister trying to get out of math. She only loved reading. Used to say it was like watching a movie unfold from the pages.”
“Now see, I’d rather do the math. Equations make more sense to me than sparkly vampires.”
Again Jennalyn laughed. It was a spunky and fun sound that gave Ryland’s heart a buoyant lift. The three of them spent the rest of the game talking and laughing and cheering the Colts to victory. Each minute that ticked off the scoreboard, Ryland saw a little more of the weight on Jennalyn’s shoulders slip away. Sadness and seriousness lingered below the surface, it always would, but her smile was reaching her eyes a little more deeply. That alone made the day a victory.
Jennalyn fought the urge to strip and wrap herself in her robe for a long night of sulking. The day had been a great success. Gavin’s friends had been amazing and needed little direction. The staff at Lucas Oil Stadium had been wonderful and easygoing about having an extra hundred people tromping around the private areas during the game. The players had been beyond gracious with their time.
She hadn’t lied when she told Gavin that his smile had been thanks enough. That and his laughter had taken her back to the night she’d raced through the halls with Sabrina in the wagon. Like Sabrina had always been able to do, Gavin drove the darkness in her world away. But now he had gone home. The light of the day had faded and all Jennalyn saw was the empty home that should be filled with her family.
