Page 32 of Her Forever SEAL

Coach let them go early. On her way to the locker room Kayla stopped at the field house door and pushed it open a crack.

Mandy was sitting on a bench with her head in her hands, the team manager crouched in front of her talking quietly. Mandy looked up and saw Kayla in the doorway.

Their eyes met.

Mandy shook her head. Small. Defeated.

Not now. Not you. Please.

Kayla let the door close and walked to the locker room. She got changed and didn't say anything to anyone, because that was what Mandy had asked for, and right now it was the only thing she could give her.

She got home to find her mom at the kitchen island with crab dip and toasted bread in front of her.

“How was practice?” her mom asked without looking up.

“Who’s coming over?” Kayla asked at the same time. She grabbed a piece of bread and scooped up some of the crab dip. “Yummy.”

“Aunt Lydia and Aunt Angie.”

“Cool.”

“So how was practice?”

Kayla dropped her bag. “Bree Bowman isn't at practice. Coach says she's in Temecula for the week. Visiting her grandma.”

Her mom, who had been moving back to the fridge to probably get something else out, turned back to give her a long look.

“And Mandy threw up and had to leave early.” Kayla pulled out a stool and sat. “She won't tell me what's going on. She asked me to leave it alone.” She paused. “Mom. Something is really wrong.”

Her mom pulled out another stool and sat down. She looked at Kayla with the expression that meant she was really listening.

“What do you think is wrong?” she asked.

“I’m not sure, but something. They’re both acting really weird. Nervous. Scared almost. And it’s not something Mandy is willing to share with me, and she always tells me everything.”

“You’re right, honey, I think something is going on, too.”

“You do?”

Before her mom could respond, the doorbell rang. She went to get it and Lydia on the porch with her tablet under her arm. She walked past her mom and headed straight to the island.

“Hey, sweetheart.” She kissed the top of Kayla’s head and set down her laptop, and didn’t even seem to notice the crab dip. Which was just another weird thing in a day of weird things.

“Sophia, we’ve come up with a couple of things,” Lydia said as she fired up her tablet. Then she looked at Kayla. “Sweetheart, maybe you should go up to your room, or watch TV or read a book or something.” Then she winced. “God, that came out wrong. You’re fourteen. I know, go text your boyfriend.”

“Lydia!” Mom called out sharply.

“What? She has a boyfriend, right? I mean Beth’s oldest has a boyfriend. Good-looking boy. He plays guitar. Of course Clint and Jack hate that about him.”

“Kathleen is seventeen, for God’s sake. Kayla is fourteen.”

“Exactly, they’re both in high school.” Lydia turned back to Kayla. “I hate to be so pushy, but really, your mom, Aunt Angie, and I really need to talk about some things privately. And for the record, I think you’re old enough to date.”

There was another knock at the door.

“Thank God!” Mom exclaimed. “Kayla, can you get that?”

Kayla knew she was going to yell at Aunt Lydia and she was going to miss out, but she went to let in Aunt Angie.