“You have an appointment Tuesday.”
“Cancel it.”
More laughter.
Then the announcer said, “Ethan has one rule for his league.”
Ray pointed at Ethan.
Ethan shook his head hard.
“Don’t.”
“Ethan has one rule for his league.”
Ray grinned.
The announcer finished anyway.
“Everybody plays.”
The people nearby applauded.
I smiled.
Then I looked at Ethan.
He wasn’t smiling anymore.
He was watching me.
“Everybody plays.”
A stadium staff member soon came over and explained that Ethan could rest in a quieter family room nearby before deciding whether he wanted to return to our seats.
That part I welcomed.
Ethan had begun leaning against Chris.
We followed them inside.
That part I welcomed.
The sudden quiet felt almost strange after the stadium.
Ray put the tabletop football game on a small table.
One plastic player immediately fell over.
“Cheap equipment,” Ray muttered.
“Bad coaching,” Ethan replied.
Cody laughed.
The adults lingered for a minute, but Ray seemed to understand something before I did.
Ray put the tabletop football game on a small table.
He looked toward the door.
“Come on, people. Captain’s got a family meeting.”
Ethan’s head snapped up.
“I do?”
“You do now.”
Ray herded everyone out.
Leo was last.
Chris looked at him.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Leo gave a small nod and followed the others.
“Come on, people. Captain’s got a family meeting.”
The door closed.
Now it was just us.
Ethan sat on the couch with the tabletop game beside him.
Chris pulled a chair closer.
I sat on Ethan’s other side.
“Captain,” I said, “what exactly did you tell Ray?”
“Nothing, Mom.”
“Captain, what exactly did you tell Ray?”
Chris pointed toward the door.
“Nothing? Ray traveled all the way here carrying a dozen plastic football players and one goalpost that hasn’t stood straight since February.”
“They’re players, Dad.”
“Fine. Athletes.”
Ethan tried not to smile.
I waited.
He picked at a loose thread on his jersey.
“They’re players, Dad.”
Finally, I asked, “Why was it so important that they be part of today?”
He shrugged. “Because…”
“Ethan.”
His eyes met mine.
Then moved to my phone, still sitting in my hand.
He said gently, “They’re people from the hospital who still act normal around me.”
Chris blinked. “Weird?”
“Why was it so important that they be part of today?”
Ethan immediately looked sorry he’d said it.
“I didn’t mean bad weird, Dad.”
“What kind of weird, Captain?” I asked.
He stared at the tabletop field.
“Dad pauses games to check if I’m tired.”
Chris started to answer.
Ethan kept going.
“And you take pictures when I’m eating cereal, Mom.”
“Dad pauses games to check if I’m tired.”
I looked down at my phone.
Ethan added, “You saved that hospital bracelet from when I threw up on your shoe.”
“That was a memorable evening, sweetie.”
