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James wasn’t a big fan of sports. The occasional soccer or basketball, but he wasn’t really an avid kind of fan. It was Monday, around 4 p.m., and here he was now, being a parent volunteer for Skeeter’s volleyball team.
Standing near the benches outside the football field, he watches as Skeeter practices with Ricky and Emily on the grass. He knows that Ricky didn’t play any sports, but he does know that Emily, Skeeter’s girlfriend, did cheerleading. So in the end, he was happy that he ended up having time to come here. And spending his time with his kids. Yes, ‘his’ kids. He knows that Ricky’s and Emily’s home wasn't the best, Ricky’s father being an alcoholic, and god knows what he’s been doing with that poor kid, and with Emily’s over-controlling parents — he's been attached at the hip with them, so yeah, his kids.
It’s becoming hotter here recently, he realized, as he wiped sweat off his forehead. Shit, why was he, today, wearing his collared shirt from work? He quickly picks up a cool water bottle off the ice and slides it towards his neck. Ah, that’s more like it, he sighs in relief from the cold.
There were other parents who came along for the volleyball and football games happening today (volleyball was happening inside the gym, but the coach had let the players practice outside as they tried to fix the air conditioning), but they hadn’t started, so there weren’t that many parents, but enough so you could make small talk. Which James, admittedly, didn’t want to because, as of right now, a major headache was throbbing, and the bright sunlight wasn’t helping either. He closed his eyes, listening to people running, chatting, and yelling.
He relaxed his shoulders and opened his eyes to see the scenery that the field conveyed. It must be nice always being here, the grass was always nicely cut, so it always smelled like it, and it was watered also, freshness and all. And unlike his job, working inside an office, you could actually smell the fresh air and bake in the sun. That was one thing James needed: a suntan, because he was pale as hell.
“Hey there,”
James looks up, making eye contact with the man. And the first thing that James noticed was the rather navy blue and yellow-colored scheme that the school had proudly displayed for their school pride. It wasn’t hard to miss from every football game or volleyball game, actually — every activity that the school had involved itself in always had those almost obnoxious colors packed together. And this man wore its colors nicely, as it went nicely with his skin tone, his hair, his beard, and his eyes. And he was proud enough to think that. James wasn’t afraid to compliment another man, he wasn’t like those insecure, “oh that’s gay” kind of people. Hell, he could say it right now.
“Nice hat,” James said. Okay, maybe he was kind of embarrassed, but, hey? A compliment is a compliment.
“Thank you, I used to have this — like a ‘lucky hat,’ that I bring along for good luck for the kiddos during the games,” he begins, sitting closer towards James, inviting himself in. “But this hat was the only one that my kiddo could find, so I just hope it works just as well.”
James laughs, that was adorable. “You have a lucky hat?”
“Who wouldn’t?” He gave James a charmed smile.
“I’m Markus Andrews. Coach Andrews, I, uh, well, I coach for the football games here. And I work here…the P.E. teacher?”
“Are you questioning, or are you confirming?” James said, lighthearted. “James Malark, I’m just here for my daughter’s game.”
“Oh, yeah, for volleyball? Right? I have a daughter as well, but she’s becoming a freshman next year, so we’re going to have to wait for that, unless she doesn’t want to play sports… but it is nice having such an active sports kid. I have a son who plays lead quarterback, so it’s nice seeing him help his team, you know.”
“Yeah, she wasn’t really fond of the idea of playing at first until her girlfriend made her. She wanted her to be with her in cheer, but she declined and said that she could be in volleyball to compensate. She ended up really liking it in the end. And she would always show me her Polaroid pictures after she was done with her practice, and it warms me that she’s found another hobby.”
After he was done talking, he may have realized that he must have said too much. Seriously, he wasn’t afraid of saying that his daughter had a girlfriend, but he’d forgotten that people weren’t exactly comfortable with the idea. Sigh, it didn’t matter, if this guy knew better, he wouldn’t say anything about it. He didn’t want to hear another disrespectful comment about Skeeter. That was his daughter they were talking about. The man’s eyes were wide before they softened.
“She does photography?” he questioned. And James looks at him, surprised.
“Yes, she likes quite a lot,” James muttered.
“Do you mind if she takes a photo of the football team after we finish the game?”
“I will have to go and ask.” He realized that his face was becoming hotter.
They’d really hit it off, the conversation started to flow, and he must have forgotten that he was supposedly needed to help the other parents around him, but they hadn’t even bothered him once they saw Coach Andrews was chatting him up. James couldn’t remember the last time he had a nice conversation like this, with another adult, not since, well, not since Skeeter’s mother. James had divorced her a long while back, when Skeeter was in middle school. She had gone through religious psychosis after Skeeter came out to them, and it didn’t end up very well. Their marriage was already falling apart then, and he guessed that was the last straw. He’s happy that he kept Skeeter in the end. Not that her mother would’ve kept her, anyway.
“Is that Dad?” Brady squints, hiding behind Betty as a way to cover his body, although it was definitely not effective.
“Isn’t he always here? You know, he’s the coach and all?” Betty responded.
“Yeah, but like… he’s cooped up by the benches and talking to a parent over there…”
“Oh, yeah.”
“He’s talking to my dad.” Skeeter pops up behind them, like an uncalled-for ghost.
“Is that a good thing?”
“No,” she replies.
“Has our dad always been that touchy?” Betty muses, finding it sort of funny that their father was definitely trying to flirt with someone right now. With a parent. Oh, he’s definitely getting fired.
“Betty… no… don’t do this to me.” Brady’s face went pale. “I have to call Donna.” He grabs his sister’s shoulders and swings them side to side in a sudden exacerbation.
Markus, who was now clutching his hand on his neck, was now asking him for his phone number. “It would be nice to chat with someone after the game is done.” He said sheepishly, trying to grin away the hot flushes that were now spreading towards his cheeks.
“What, your wife doesn’t call?”
“Ah, well, my wife is no longer with us.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that- ah, I should really stop talking, actually.”
“No, no, no! It’s fine, it’s been years, and my family has been doing well so far. They miss their mom, and I really wished that there’s something I could do to help them with that, you know. Speaking of which, does little Skeeter have a mom?” He speaks, voice sort of cracking. And James relaxed and smiled, looking away.
“Why would you wanna know, huh?” It fluttered inside his stomach, the warmness and churning that is. “Divorced, it’s been 4 years.” He confirms.
“Four years? It must have been hard. Do you think she will mind another dad and step-siblings?” Now his face was really red, and he couldn’t really blame the weather for it. And he wasn’t really looking at James either.
All that James could do was smile. His heart was beating faster, like it hadn’t been in years, and now, because of a very, might he add, handsome, well-built, sort of naïve, and in a way James could tell pure-hearted, he would’ve melted right then and there.
“Phone number, you say?” James took out his phone. He watched as Markus widened his eyes and fumbled to take out his own phone as well.
“Heh…” They both got their contacts in each other's phones. Markus’ displayed name on James’s phone was “Lucky Hat 💛💙”.
“Lucky Hat?” he grins.
“What, is it not? You got my phone number, didn’t you?” James laughed.
“Can’t argue with that logic. But, my name is just right there…” He points it out, sort of pouting, which makes James amused.
There was a sudden announcement that came from one of the volleyball coaches that said that the coast is clear and they can head back inside into the pavilion and into the gym for their game. Skeeter waved goodbye to Brady, by proximity, to Ricky, and then to Ben; they were basically - friends to a boyfriend’s friend - kinda friends. So it would seem that they would see each other again if her dad entertained the thought of ‘his’ dad, by which Skeeter didn’t really want to think about, not that she hates Brady, were highly in those odds. James looks at Markus, and waves his goodbye, and parted before Markus could say anything. Not that he could, as speechless as he was right now, quickly shouted goodbye as well.
Ricky and Emily found their way into the gym first and questioned where Skeeter was at. “Stalking my dad.” Was all she could say before James spooked her from behind.
Brady was calling Donna, and Betty found her way towards her dad. “I have been waiting for you, you know?” She taps her dad’s shoulder.
“Kiddo!!!” He says, quickly lifting her up into the air.
“Hey! Let me go! I’m not a little girl anymore.” She tried to kick him away, then suddenly, gravitational pull had befallen on them, and brought both her and her dad onto the hard concrete. He took most of the damage, but Betty wasn’t sure what was happening anymore. She was concerned and confused for her father, and his sudden adrenaline burst.
“Okay, what’s going on?"
“Nothing.”
“Huh.” She looks at the gym, then back at Markus. “Who was he?”
“Nuthin’…”
She gives her dad a look.
“We’re just talking!!!”
“Ew…”