An Unexpected Holiday Gift - Martha Kennerson

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her hand and accepted the tablet. “Th-thank you.”

      “You’re welcome.”

      Mia cleared her throat. “So, you want to work the toy drive and the charity bowling tournament. If you work the whole time, for both of these events, you will earn sixteen hours.” She ran her fingers across the keys, making note of his request. “That leaves sixty-four hours that you’ll still need to earn.”

      “I realize that, which is why I’d like to earn the rest of those hours working here.”

      “Here.” Mia waved her hand in the air.

      “Yes, here. It is my family’s foundation, remember. I’m thinking—” Keylan rubbed his hands together “—twenty hours a week.”

      “Twenty...a week...here? Doing what exactly?” Other than making me crazy.

      Keylan turned in his chair and looked at the whiteboard. “I was thinking I’d help out with the kids’ round-up.” He turned back to Mia and smiled.

      “The kids’ round-up? Do you have any idea what that is...what’s required?”

      Keylan sighed. “Believe it or not, I used to spend a lot of time here. Unless things have changed, this is helping with just about every activity you can think of with the kids. Helping with homework, story time for the little ones, sports—you name it.”

      “No, nothing’s changed, that’s it. And how do you plan to make such a commitment with your busy professional and personal schedule?” No, you didn’t just say that out loud, Mia.

      Keylan’s left eyebrow quirked and he smirked. “Why don’t you let me worry about my schedule?”

      “Fine. When would you like to get started?”

      “Well, according to the schedule, you have a group of kids about to have a basketball game in twenty minutes.”

      “Those are the kids in our after-school Latch Key program. Coach Wanda and her kids would love having a NBA star in their midst.”

      “Great.” Keylan raised his right hand and used his thumb to point behind him. “I’ll just go get changed.”

      Mia checked her watch. “Will you be able to get back in time? It’s important to stay on schedule with these kids.”

      Keylan frowned. “Where am I going?”

      “You’ll want to go change.”

      “The last time I checked, the locker rooms were on the other side of the gym,” he said, smiling. “I keep a change of clothes in my car.”

      Mia smirked. “I bet you do.”

      Keylan scratched his chin with his left thumb. “You’re determined to think the worst of me, aren’t you?” He shook his head. “Between my rehab and ever-changing practice schedule, I have to stay prepared.”

      “Oh...” Nice going, Mia.

      Keylan stood. “Should I go change?”

      “Please.” Mia rose from her chair. “I know Coach Wanda will appreciate the help and I’m sure you’ll do a great job.”

      “I’m not sure you really believe that but I guess we’ll see,” he said, heading out of the office.

      Yes, we will.

       Chapter 2

      Keylan quickly changed into a pair of black-and-blue knee-length shorts, a blue T-shirt and his own branded black-and-blue sneakers. He passed a much smaller gym that had been retrofitted to accommodate young children with disabilities. The walls were padded from the floor halfway up the wall and half the floors were padded, as well. The basketball hoop had been lowered to five feet and the court was halved. Keylan remembered how proud he’d felt when his aunt decided to use all the recommendations he’d made for the specialized gym. He’d always known how important it was for all kids to have a safe place to play. The pictures he’d seen didn’t do the final project justice.

      The sound of children’s laughter and a whistle being blown captured his attention. Keylan stood at the wood Dutch door, its top half open, and watched ten young children playing. Their laughter and exaggerated expressions of excitement stopped him short.

      “May I help you, sir?” questioned a pretty young blonde holding a bright yellow ball.

      “Hi, I’m Keylan Kingsley—”

      “KJ, what are you doing over here?” Sandra asked. “I thought you were working with Coach Wanda.”

      “I was until I ran across these cool kids,” he replied to an approaching Sandra before turning back to the laughing children. One little boy with a head full of curly brown hair caught his attention. He was trying to maneuver a ball twice his size and Keylan was impressed by his determination.

      “Yes, they are. This is the Down’s class from our special needs school,” Sandra explained.

      “I didn’t realize the Down’s class had gotten so big. I knew our foundation school was growing, but I had no idea just how much.”

      “Yep, and that’s due in large part to the efforts of this wonderful lady,” she proudly proclaimed. “Coach Cathy Hooper, this is KJ. He plays for the Houston Carriers.”

      “Yes, I know. Nice to meet you,” Coach Hooper said, her face flushed.

      “The pleasure is mine,” he replied.

      “KJ will be helping out here from time to time.” Sandra turned back to KJ. “Follow me. I’ll take you to Coach Wanda. She’s in the big gym.”

      “Actually, I think I’d like to spend some time with these guys right now. Can you see if it’ll be okay for me to come by later this afternoon?”

      “Sure.”

      He turned to Coach Hooper and gifted her with a megawatt smile. “That is, if you don’t mind a little help?”

      “Of course not. But are you sure you want to work with my kids?” She looked over her shoulder and laughed as several of the kids chased her assistant. Coach Hooper returned her attention to Keylan. “They’re beautiful, sweet and a whole lot of fun, but I’m not sure they’ll be interested in basketball.”

      “They don’t have to be,” Keylan assured her. He reached across the door, unlocked it and let himself in. “We can do whatever they want, but I might surprise you with what I have in mind.”

      “Well, welcome...”

      “I guess I’ll go talk to Coach Wanda,” Sandra informed him as she turned to leave.

      Keylan stood back and watched as six little boys, no more than six or seven years old, played their version of dodgeball. Three girls, roughly the same age as the boys, chased each other on large bouncy balls with handles. They all wore white foundation T-shirts, khaki shorts and tennis shoes, and laughed and played together as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

      In the corner of the room Keylan spotted the small, curly-haired boy he’d noticed earlier. He couldn’t have been more than five years old. The boy stood with a ball nearly as big as he was, bouncing it against the wall. It was a game of catch that Keylan remembered playing often himself; only he’d used two basketballs.

      Keylan tilted his head and smiled whenever the little boy lost control of the ball and would fall backward on the matted floor. The look of determination on the boy’s face made Keylan’s heart expand and he was filled with a sense of pride for the child whenever he caught the ball and stayed upright.

      He walked over to the area where they played, knelt down on one knee and introduced himself to all of the children. The boys that had been tossing the ball back and forth were excited to meet him, as were the three girls. Keylan figured

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