He started the car and drove them off the church grounds. "You sure do have a lot of questions. You're supposed to be putting yourself in my hands this afternoon. Or did you change your mind?"
Shay shook her head, sliding closer to him. "I didn't change my mind, and I'm not asking any more questions."
"Good," he said, his attention focused back on the road. The smooth throbbing of the rain lulled Shay into a state of total relaxation. She turned to look at her husband when he pulled up in front of the grocery store. She fought to keep the question out of her eyes and was rewarded with yet another kiss. "You wait here," he said. "I'll be back in about ten minutes."
Shay thought it was more like fifteen minutes before he returned with a large picnic basket. She lifted a questioning brow, but she didn't say a word.
"Good girl," he said, as if recognizing the effort it took for her not to voice her question.
She leaned close to him while he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street. She looked up at him when he didn't turn down the street for their house, but she still didn't say anything. When he turned into the small park about four blocks beyond Courthouse Square, she smiled because she thought she knew his plans.
He pulled the car to a stop under a large oak tree next to a small, covered pavilion. "Have you figured it out yet?" he asked.
She nodded. "A picnic?"
He rewarded her with another kiss. "Not just any picnic. A picnic in the rain with my favorite girl. Ready?"
She waited while he took the umbrella, the basket, and a blanket from the backseat. He helped her out of the car, and then he gave her the umbrella. "You're a sneaky one," she said, holding the umbrella so that neither of them would get wet on the short walk to the gazebo.
"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."
She chuckled as she followed him up the two steps to the gazebo and watched him spread the blanket. "I hadn't planned on the rain," he said, offering his hand to her, "but I think it adds a certain ambiance to the afternoon. Wouldn't you agree?"
"I definitely agree." She took his hand and sat down on the blanket. Then she slipped off her shoes and folded her legs under herself. The fresh smell of rain and green grass and her husband hypnotized her.
She watched him pull a bottle of sparkling cider, a bowl of potato salad, a platter of chicken, a fruit plate, and some hot rolls from the basket.
He winked at her. "It was the best I could do."
She leaned over and kissed him. "It's perfect."
He twisted open the cider. "You're perfect. Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
She nodded as tears filled her eyes. "A wife can always stand to hear those words again," she said, her voice wobbly with emotion.
Marvin pulled two plates and two goblets from the basket. He poured the cider into the glasses. "I love you, Mrs. Taylor," he said, gazing into her eyes. "So much that it scares me sometimes."
"No more than I love you," she pledged. "We're in this together."
He handed her a glass of cider. "We've had a rough time of it, though, haven't we?"
"We're still together," she said. "That's all that matters."
He nodded, and she thought he was going to speak, to tell her what else was on his heart. Instead, he began to prepare plates for both of them. He placed one in front of her and the other in front of himself. As they ate, she studied him from across the blanket.
"We should do this more often," he said.
Shay sipped from her glass. "Have picnics in the rain? I think I could get used to that."
He stretched out, facing her, and rested his head on his hand. "Not the picnics. The quiet times together. We haven't done much of that lately, and I miss it. I've always enjoyed being with you. Not doing anything special. Just being with you. Let's plan to do more of that."
Her eyes filled with tears as she nodded.
He leaned over and wiped her tears with her fingers. "Don't," he said. "I promised myself I would never make you cry again."
"They aren't sad tears," she told him.
"You'd tell me if they were?"
She nodded, and he studied her eyes before accepting her words. "Are you comfortable enough out here or do you want to go home?"
"I want to be where you are."
Grinning again, he said, "You sure do give the best answers." He reached for her. "Come here, woman." He pulled her into his arms so that she rested back against his chest. Squeezing her close, he listened to the steady beat of the late summer rain, thinking about the goodness of God that she represented in his life.
Chapter 17
"They're killing us," Marcus said, out of breath. "I thought I was in shape, but..."
Daniel inhaled deeply. "I did, too, but we're not doing too badly."
Marvin cocked a brow at his two teammates. "I don't know what game you're playing, Daniel, but Marcus is right. They're wiping the court with us."
"Look, it's not about winning," Daniel said. Marvin recognized the words as the ones he'd used to convince his friends that they'd put off Bo and his crew long enough. If they were going to play them, they had to do it while the boys were still interested. "It's about building relationships."
"Well," Marcus said, "the relationship is going to be over as fast as this game if we don't do something."
Marvin shook his head, determined not to acknowledge that Daniel had thrown his words back in his face. "I'm with Daniel on this one. We don't have to win, but we do have to keep playing hard. Do you think you can hold out for another five baskets?"
Both men nodded, and then all three made their way back on the court. If Marvin hadn't been a basketball fan who kept up with team rosters, he would have wondered if Bo's boys were professional players. As he lined up against the fellow he'd secretly nicknamed Tower One, he wondered if perhaps they played college ball somewhere. He didn't have much time to ponder the thought, since Tower One took the ball straight to him. I can't let this boy intimidate me, Lord. They may beat us, but they can't intimidate us. Armed with that prayer, Marvin held his ground and drew the charge.
At the free-throw line, Marvin easily sank his two baskets, to the delight of his cheering section. He turned and gave Shay, who was laughing with a woman he hadn't met, a thumbs-up as thanks for her support. He was pleased that what had been planned as a pretty loose and informal game had turned into a community event. Quite a few people from the church and from the neighborhood had come out to see them play. He thanked the Lord for this opportunity to interact with the neighborhood, to get to know people and have them get to know him and Shay.
Daniel got a fortunate break and was able to steal the ball from Bo and pass it off to Marcus, who went in for a very pretty layup. "Way to go, man," Marvin called.
"Don't get too cocky," came Bo's deep voice from behind him. Marvin turned and was pleased to see that the twinkle in the boy's eyes belied the sternness of his words. If Bo was having fun—and he assumed the boy was—then the game was a success. "It was a lucky steal and a lucky shot."
Marvin came back at him with the same tone. "Still counts two points, though."
Bo laughed outright, and both men took up their positions on the court. The game ended about fifteen minutes later. No one was surprised Bo and the Towers won. Marvin felt he and his boys had made a good showing with their five-point loss. As the people from the neighborhood came up and congratulated him, he gave a silent Thank you, Lord.
"You've got more guts than I do, man," a male about his age said to Marvin. The man was flanked by two little girls, both looking to be about six or seven.
Marvin grinned. "Thanks," he said. "They were a tough crew, but I think we did a good job."
"You did better than good," another man said. The second man was much older than the first, and he walked with a cane. "Don't you know who those boys are?"
Marvin shrugged, and a feeling of unease settled over him. "I thought they were too good to be true. Don't tell me—"
When Bo joine
d the group, the men gathering around Marvin began to laugh. "Good one, Bo," the man with the two girls said. He clapped the boy on his back.
Bo's face twitched with barely restrained laughter. "Hey, they're just boys from the hood."
"And I'm from Alaska." Marvin was sure now Bo had set them up.
Bo exploded with laughter, and both Towers came over. "He doesn't believe you guys are from the hood," Bo said to the two.
The Towers laughed. "We are," they said.
Tower Two added, "I live about two blocks over."
"Where do you go to school?" Marvin asked, knowing he'd been tricked.
The Towers looked at Bo. "It's all right," Bo told them. "I was going to tell him anyway." He turned to Marvin, a satisfied grin on his face. "They're second-year players on the Alcorn State basketball team."
"I knew it," Marvin said, feeling much better about his age and his game-playing ability. He called over Daniel and Marcus, and Bo introduced them to the college players, Stewart Hill and Ted Williams.
"You guys had us going," Marcus said. "I was having thoughts of retirement homes and Geritol." He clapped Tower One, Stewart, on his back. "You guys are good. We'll have to make it to one of your games."
"I already have," Daniel said with a grin. "I knew who they were. I've seen them play before. You're good," he said to the boys. "Very good."
"And you let us go through that torture?" Marvin chastised his friend with a playful shove.
"Hey," Daniel said, laughing. "It's not about winning."
Marcus and Marvin both slapped Daniel on the head in good-natured fun. They chatted with the boys and then led them over to meet their cheering squad. Shay, Vickie, and the other women sufficiently gushed over all six players.
"Thank you for not killing my husband," Shay said to Bo, a teasing glint in her eyes. "I'm not ready to give him up yet."
Marvin noticed that Bo didn't return his wife's teasing smile. "Not a biggie," he said—a bit stiffly, in Marvin's opinion.
Shay's look told Marvin she too detected the hostility in Bo. "Is something wrong?" she asked the teen.
Bo backed away, shaking his head. "Nah, we gotta roll." He looked around at his crew. "Let's roll, guys."
Marvin watched after them, wondering what had happened.
"Something's wrong, Marvin," Shay said. "Maybe you ought to go after them."
Marvin thought she was right. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked.
She nodded, but Marvin knew her mind was full of concern for Bo. "I can wait for you here, or I can get Vickie to give me a ride home," she said.
He pressed a kiss against her forehead and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "Get a lift from Vickie. I may need the car later."
"Okay," she said, squeezing his hand. "I hope everything is all right with Bo, but I'm worried. I'll be praying for you."
Marvin nodded and trotted off in the direction Bo and the boys had taken.
* * *
After getting Vickie to drive her home, Shay invited her hungry friend to stay for an early evening snack since Shay didn't feel up to going out. She quickly threw together a Caesar salad, complete with cubes of cold chicken, and mixed water with lime for them to drink. They ate at the kitchen table.
"How are things with you and Marvin?" Vickie asked, popping a crouton in her mouth.
Shay lifted her shoulders slightly. '"Bout the same," she said, "maybe a little better."
"I heard about the rainy-day picnic at the gazebo."
Shay raised wide eyes to her friend. "How'd you hear that?"
"This town is only that—" Vickie snapped her fingers—"big. There are no secrets."
Laughing, Shay shook her head. "Somebody must be pretty bored to spy on me and Marvin."
"They weren't spying," Vickie said in defense. "Small towns are like that. Everybody knows everybody else's business. People are saying that Marvin must be trying to win his wife back. They're also trying to figure out why he needs to win you back."
Shay's mouth dropped open.
"Close your mouth," Vickie said. "So what if you've got people speculating about problems between you and Marvin?"
"This town is too small."
"You're telling me."
Shay studied her salad, her mind on the talk going around in the community. Had she and Marvin become a source of gossip?
"So how are you and Marvin doing?" Vickie asked again. "Is his courting working?"
Shay's smile was full of the wonderful moments she and Marvin had shared recently. "Let's just say it's not ineffective."
Vickie wiped her mouth with a paper towel. "Does that mean you've forgiven him?"
"Forgiven him for what?" Shay asked, though she knew what her friend meant. She didn't want to think about it now though. Too much was going on as it was. Bo. The gossip about her and Marvin.
"For the way he reacted when you told him about the baby? For the way he acted until you got the green light from the doctor?"
Shay looked away. "There's nothing to forgive."
"Then I guess that means you no longer need me to be your labor coach."
Shay fixed her eyes on Vickie. "I didn't say that. I'm still not ready to make that decision."
Vickie studied her for so long that Shay became uncomfortable. "What?" Shay asked her friend.
Vickie breathed deeply before answering. "I don't get you," she said, enunciating each word distinctly, slowly. "I really don't get you."
"What do you mean?"
Suddenly, Vickie pushed herself out of her chair and stood. "I mean, your husband is trying to win back your love and trust. What more does he have to do to make you understand that he loves you and the baby?"
Vickie's words seared Shay's heart. "I know he loves us."
"You certainly don't act like it," Vickie said, pacing around the table. "Love is more than words. How can you say you love him when you refuse to give him your trust?"
Shay turned her head, trying to follow Vickie's movements. "You don't understand. He—"
Vickie stopped when she stood directly across from Shay. "I think I understand well enough. I think it's you who doesn't understand." She gave a weary sigh. "Marvin's not you, Shay, and you can't expect him to react to things the way you do. So the brother suffered a lapse in faith. Are you going to hold it against him forever? When are you going to stop punishing him?"
"I'm not punishing him."
Vickie gave an inelegant snort. "Sure, you aren't." She went back to her chair and sat down. "I can't be your coach, Shay," Vickie said. "I'm sorry, but I can't do it."
Shay leaned forward and pressed her hand against Vickie's. "What do you mean, you can't? I need you. I told you I need you."
Vickie shook her head, and Shay thought she saw tears in her eyes. "I thought this was going to be my chance to go all the way through a pregnancy, but I can't do it, knowing that you're using me to get back at your husband."
Shay shook her head, denying her friend's words. "I'm not using you. Surely, you can't believe that. I'd never use you."
"I know you wouldn't intentionally use me," Vickie said, a sad smile on her face, "but you're using me all the same. You're using me as a weapon against Marvin. If your marriage is going to survive, you're going to have to forgive him. You can't expect him to do penance forever."
"Forever?" Shay fought for control even as her temper rose. "It's only been a few days."
"By whose calendar?" Vickie challenged. "How would you feel if something happened to Marvin tonight and things weren't right between the two of you?"
Shay shrank back in her chair at the question.
"I see you're getting it," Vickie said. She stood up again. "I'm going home," she said. "I know I'm not married, Shay, and I don't have the experience with a husband that you do, but I do know that Marvin loves you. Give him a chance. I believe he's ready to be the man you want him to be, or better yet, the man, husband, and father God wants him to be. But you have to give him a chance."
Sh
ay didn't speak.
Vickie leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "You're still my best friend, and I love you dearly. I hope you believe that." She turned then and let herself out of the house.
* * *
Marvin glimpsed Bo and his friends as the boys got into the back of a dark sedan. He called out to them, but either they didn't hear him or they chose to ignore him. Listening to the cautionary alarms that were going off inside his head, Marvin rushed back to his car, planning to track down Bo and his crew.
The first place that came to his mind was Jo-Jo's, so he headed over there. He found no trace of Bo or the sedan in the vicinity. He then cruised the downtown area. Still no sign of Bo. "Give me some direction, Lord," he murmured as he kept driving. He drove through Bo's neighborhood, thinking the boy may have decided to stay close to home. Not finding him there, the thought occurred to him that Bo might be at Genesis House. "No way," he said aloud, but he headed off in that direction anyway.
He found the dark sedan parked in front of the basketball court where they'd finished their game only thirty minutes ago. Marvin pulled his Altima in behind the sedan and hopped out of the car.
"Looks like you could use some competition," he said, strolling onto the court. Bo was there, but there was no sight of the Towers or the driver of the sedan.
Bo arched his wrists for another shot. "One game a day is probably enough for both of us."
Marvin dropped down on the concrete and looked up at Bo. "What's up with you?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" Bo asked, his eyes on the net.
"Have Shay or I done anything to offend you? I thought we were friends, but now I'm not so sure."
"We're friends," Bo said without conviction. "Really good friends."
Marvin easily read the sarcasm in the words. "Don't play games with me. Tell me what's on your mind."
Bo stared down at him, his eyes full of hurt. "I heard what she said."
Marvin held his breath, needing to hear but dreading it all the same. "What did she say?"
Bo looked away, his gaze on some point beyond Marvin's left shoulder. "I heard you and your lady arguing. I heard what she said about you and me and your baby."
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