The Talk of the Town

Chapter Sixteen

Quinton was setting up his classroom for the first day of school when someone knocked on the door. He turned away from hanging a poster of famous mathematicians and nodded when he saw Principal Heyward.

“Jeremiah, what’s up?” Quinton turned back to his poster.

Jeremiah came into the classroom. “Nothing much, just checking in to see how things are going.”

Quinton pressed the corners of the poster into the wall, before stepping back to make sure it wasn’t crooked. Nodding, he turned back to Jeremiah. The older man had been principal at Peachtree Cove High School for the past seven years. He was shorter than Quinton, with pale skin, thinning red hair and clear brown eyes. He always dressed professionally in a button-up shirt, tie and slacks, and today was no different.

“Things are good with me.” Quinton crossed over and sat on the edge of his desk. “Just getting the classroom set up.”

Jeremiah nodded and grinned. He ran a hand over his head. A familiar move he made when he was nervous. “I remember when you first started coaching,” Jeremiah said. “I didn’t believe you really wanted to teach.”

He’d known. They’d hired him to turn the football program around. When they’d learned he also wanted to help educate the kids off the field he’d been met with skepticism. “No need to waste the education degree I worked hard to get.”

Quinton hadn’t made it to college on a football scholarship like many assumed. He’d known he wanted to give back, and that football shouldn’t be his only plan for his future. He’d majored in childhood education and minored in math, a subject he’d loved in school.

“I understand but you know it was hard for people to believe. You are a Pro Bowl player. You could coach anywhere. Without the hassle of lesson plans and setting up classrooms.” Jeremiah indicated the organized classroom.

“I could, but doing that isn’t what I want. I enjoy teaching. It’s just another form of coaching.”

Jeremiah nodded and gave Quinton an appreciative look. “That’s admirable. You know, a lot of people thought you had an ulterior motive to come here. When you had the choice of so many other places.”

“I have no other motive. Football and helping kids. That’s it.” He crossed his arms and waited. He liked Jeremiah. They got along well and rarely bumped heads, but Jeremiah didn’t ever come and hang out in Quinton’s office. They’d gotten the reasons why Quinton was here out of the way in his first year and he’d proven that he meant what he said. This conversation was about something else.

Jeremiah shifted his stance. He glanced around the room before focusing on Quinton with a concerned gaze. “I know you said that. I even believed you.”

Quinton’s chin lifted and he crossed his arms. “What changed?”

“I wanted to believe you were just here to give back and teach.” A hint of disappointment drifted into Jeremiah’s voice.

Quinton scowled. “That is the only reasons I’m here.”

Jeremiah pursed his lips before asking. “Is it?”

“You’ve beat around the bush long enough. Say what you need to say.” Though Quinton was starting to get an idea of what Jeremiah was getting at. Though he hoped this was not about Shania.

“Your daughter playing on your team. You came to Peachtree Cove because of her.”

Quinton took a long, steadying breath. He waited three seconds to let the initial frustration that jumped on his back from taking control of this conversation. Getting frustrated and defensive wasn’t going to help him with this situation.

“That’s not the reason I came to Peachtree Cove. I told you that I wanted to start over. To get away from professional football and the expectations of my hometown. That’s why I came here.”

Jeremiah’s brows lifted and his expression turned doubtful. “But you have to admit that your daughter also being one of your players is quite a coincidence.”

“It is a coincidence.”

“You know I don’t try to get into the personal lives of my teachers.”

Quinton uncrossed his arms and leaned forward. “Then don’t start getting into mine.”

Jeremiah lifted a hand but he didn’t back down. “But I do step in if I think that a teacher’s...personal issues may affect the way they do their work.”

“How is this going to affect my work? This is between me, Shania and her mom.”

Jeremiah waved a finger. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. You’re our football coach and your success at this school is important. We were okay with letting Shania continue to play football, but—”

“But what?”

“But if your relationship is going to make it harder for you to focus on what you need to do to help the team win, then that’s a problem.”

“This isn’t going to change the way I coach the team.” Quinton heard the defensiveness in his voice and didn’t care.

“Don’t get upset with me. Some of the other coaches have expressed concern about your favoritism with Shania.”

Quinton scowled. “Favoritism? What favoritism?”

“I understand that there would need to be some changes to accommodate a female on the team.”

Quinton snapped his finger. “It was Clyde Tucker, wasn’t it?”

Jeremiah paused long enough to confirm Quinton’s suspicions. “Despite the accommodations we still want to win. I hope that you don’t force Shania into a starting position just because you want to make up for the years you lost.”

Quinton shook his head and scoffed. He should have known Clyde would be the first one to run to the administration and complain once he found out about Shania and his relationship. The guy hadn’t wanted her on the team in the first place. He’d deal with him later today at practice; right now he had to get Jeremiah straight.

Quinton didn’t stand. He didn’t like to use his height to try and tower over and intimidate his principal. But he did stare Jeremiah straight in the eye and kept his voice firm. “First of all, never once have I given you a reason to question my integrity, so you and anyone else who thinks I’m showing favoritism instead of just asking everyone on the team to treat a player like the rest of the players on the team can kiss my—”

“But she’s not like every other player on the team,” Jeremiah cut in with a raised finger. “She’s a female and therefore she’s going to need adjustments made in order to accommodate her. Now, the district is okay with that, but you need to remember that these parents and the rest of the community already are judging you and every move you make with this team. I want you to remain our football coach. Doing so means you can’t stick your head in the sand and pretend like you don’t know what you and Shania will be facing. You can get mad all you want, but it’s reality. If I didn’t warn you, then I wouldn’t be a good principal or a good friend.”

“You call this being my friend?”

“I call it not being your enemy,” Jeremiah said. “Just think about what I said. Your situation is unique to say the least. I support you, but don’t give me a reason not to.”

Quinton glowered but nodded stiffly. Jeremiah patted him on the shoulder. The supposedly reassuring move he used after having any type of course-correcting conversation with a teacher. Quinton frowned as he watched Jeremiah leave the classroom. As much as he wanted to finish his sentence and tell Jeremiah, Coach Clyde and anyone else in town who questioned his coaching ability to kiss his ass and mind their business, Jeremiah had made a point. Quinton couldn’t pretend as if every move he made wouldn’t be scrutinized even more. He was already being scrutinized and was just beginning to earn the respect and trust of the people in this small town. Of course, people would judge him and his abilities more as word got out about Shania being his biological daughter. Even worse, Shania would be under the microscope. Judged. Possibly bullied.

The situation gave him flashbacks of his high school days. When he was judged on where he came from and what he had to offer instead of what he could accomplish. He thought about the mayor’s request. Not only would he have to deal with this, but he’d be dealing with it when Khris Simmons showed up with TravelMagazine to judge the town. All of the stuff Quinton had walked away from would be back in his face. How could he pretend as if he had everything together when the person who’d tormented him the most was going to be in town with the sole purpose of judging him and his involvement?

The shadow of an ache started in his shin. Quinton closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The break had happened years ago and no longer bothered him. But when he thought about how it happened, he could still feel the pain of that moment.

He shook his head and opened his eyes, letting go of the past before it overwhelmed him. Football practice would start soon. He could focus on that. He stood and shook out his shoulders. He needed to let go of the irritation coursing through him like a raging river before he dealt with his coaches and the rest of the team.

He left the classroom and headed for the gym. He could go through the equipment and make sure everything looked good before the kids started arriving for practice. He entered the hallway leading to the locker room just in time to overhear, “My mom said she’s a test tube baby.”

Quinton stopped in his tracks. At the end of the hall Deandre, one of the players on the team, spoke to another player, Malachiah.

Malachiah let out a surprised laugh. “What?”

“Something they used to say back in the day,” Deandre continued. “Kids not born the regular way.”

“Test tube baby.” Malachiah laughed harder. “That’s crazy.”

Quinton cleared his throat. The two jumped and faced him. Their eyes widened as they exchanged worried glances. “Um... Coach, hey,” Deandre said, waving stiffly.

“What was that you were saying?” Quinton pointed between the two.

Deandre shook his head. “Nothing.”

Quinton came farther down the hall. “Nah, sounded like you two were having a fun time. I like laughing. Go ahead. Tell me what you were saying.”

Malachiah held up a hand. “My bad, Coach. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Quinton placed his hands on his hips and eyed both boys. “That’s right. You shouldn’t have. Shania is a member of this team. My business and how she got here doesn’t have anything to do with how she plays or how I coach. But I never have and never will stand for bullying and talking about each other. You got me?”

“Yes, sir,” they both said.

“Now leave, and don’t let me hear you saying anything like this again.”

They nodded and then scrambled down the hall into the locker room. Quinton watched them go. His stomach twisted in knots. He’d caught them, but how was he going to stop this from creating problems on his team?

Halle looked at the pile of decorations in front of her on the table in Tracey’s kitchen. “Tell me why we’re doing this again?”

Tracey sighed and pointed at the mountain of artificial flowers, tulle and rhinestones. “We have to make a good impression when TravelMagazine is in town. Homemade decorations give my place a spot over others.”

“But you aren’t craftsy,” Halle said, not to be insulting, but because it was true. Tracey was not into the arts-and-crafts life.

“They don’t have to know that I learned recently.” Tracey tapped the screen of her phone and a video about ways to make a wreath for the door played. Her braids were piled on top of her head in a bun and she wore black leggings with a green Fresh Place Inn T-shirt.

Halle fingered the tulle. She was just as bad at crafts as her friend. “You really can just have someone make these for you. They’ll still be homemade.”

“But I want it made from my hands. The Fresh Place Inn is about the down-home touches. That’s what makes it the place to stay in Peachtree Cove.”

“It’s the place to stay because you have great food, and your service is impeccable. You making the wreath on the door has nothing to do with it.”

“I just feel like I need something else. Some sort of umph to make it stand out. It’s not just about Peachtree Cove being named Best Small Town, but about me getting named best place to stay in Peachtree Cove. Maybe even my own separate feature.”

“Then why am I helping?”

Tracey gave her an isn’t-it-obvious look. “So I don’t have to make them all myself.”

Halle narrowed her eyes and Tracey laughed. “You are not funny.”

Tracey shrugged. “What? I need help learning this. Imani is working and let’s admit it, you’re fantastic at everything you touch. So, you can help me figure this out.”

Halle snorted even though the compliment warmed her heart. “Hardly fantastic at everything.”

“Well, you’re fantastic enough to help me get this win. I need a win.”

The defeated tone in her friend’s voice made Halle stop watching the instruction on how to twist the vines of the flower into a wreath. “Hey, what’s going on? Are things still weird between you and Bernard?”

She glanced around the kitchen. They were alone, but Bernard was upstairs in his man cave. He hadn’t even come down to greet Halle when she arrived.

Tracey shrugged. “Weird doesn’t describe it. He won’t say it, but I think he might be cheating.”

Halle dropped the flowers in her hand and leaned toward Tracey. “What?” she hissed. “Are you serious?” And how could she sound so matter-of-fact about it? Halle couldn’t understand why Tracey didn’t sound more upset.

“I don’t have proof, but I watched my mom cheat on my dad enough to know the signs.”

“Are you sure you aren’t projecting?”

Tracey’s parents had an unusual relationship. Her dad was an alcoholic and her mom frequently stepped out on him with other men. Though the family had their issues, Tracey always stood up to anyone who had anything to say about her parents. She defended her family, even though the rumors and the situation had wounded her.

Tracey shook her head. “No. I know the signs, and he’s giving the signs.”

“What are you going to do? Do we need to bust the windows out in his car?”

Tracey laughed but Halle was dead serious. No way could she sit back and watch her friend be mistreated. Tracey was as close to her as any of her cousins. Closer, in fact. If her friend was ready to ride out, then Halle would be right there with her.

Tracey raised a brow. “Bust a window? Girl, we’re too old to be doing that mess.”

“I never would have thought I’d hear you say we were too old for anything.”

Tracey sighed and twisted one of the plastic vines into a circle. “Well, I’m too old for this. If he is, and if I find out, then he’s gone. I’m not sticking around to be embarrassed.”

“Have you asked him?”

Tracey cocked her head to the side. “For him to lie about it? No. He’s slipping up because I haven’t been on his ass about things. If he is, the truth will come to light.”

“Wouldn’t you rather know than wait and see? What if he doesn’t mess up and you never know?”

Tracey sighed and looked back at the video. “I don’t think that’ll happen. He’s going to slip up. Just wait and see.”

Halle’s cell phone rang. Shania’s number showed on screen. Frowning, she picked up the phone. “Shania, is practice over already?”

“Yeah, but Kayla is here to pick up Nadia for band and she’s done. Can they bring me home?” The question was innocent enough, but Shania sounded eager for Halle to agree.

Halle checked her watch and then the pile of decorations on the table. It would take her a while to finish this. “I’m at Tracey’s house helping her out. Go on to Kayla’s house and I’ll pick you up from there.”

“Great, thanks, Mom.” Shania’s relief from Halle’s answer was clear in her voice. “See you later.”

“Shania done?” Tracey asked.

Halle put her phone down and nodded. “Yeah, practice usually doesn’t end this early, but I guess since school starts next week they’re wrapping up.”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

She looked at the phone. “Because she sounds... I don’t know. Like she didn’t want me to pick her up. I hope everything is good.”

“Don’t go borrowing trouble.”

Halle gave her friend a pointed look. “I’d say the same to you.”

Bernard came down the stairs before Tracey could reply. Bernard was tall with chestnut-brown skin and a slim build. He and Halle had been cool in high school. He’d been the high school salutatorian; Halle had been valedictorian. He’d been quiet, and studious and a tad bit judgmental about kids who weren’t on the same academic standing as him. She’d been surprised when he and Tracey had hooked up. Tracey was brash, bold and more toward the middle of the class standings. She’d assumed opposites attracted because they’d stayed together this long.

Halle couldn’t believe he would cheat. Even now he was dressed in a pressed button-up shirt and slacks that weren’t particularly fashionable or stylish. He didn’t look the part of cheating husband.

Tracey frowned at him. “Where are you going?”

He ran a hand over his low-cut fade before he pointed over his shoulder. “My cousin needs me to go with him to check on something.”

Tracey’s eyes narrowed. “Oh really?”

Bernard sighed and threw up his hands. “Come on, Tracey, why you got to say it like that?”

Tracey pointed to his outfit. “Because of this. That’s how you’re going out? Come on, Bernard. Really?”

He pressed a hand to his chest. “What? Are you accusing me of lying?”

“I’m saying you don’t look like you’re going to help your cousin. Does he, Halle?”

Halle looked Bernard up and down. She tended to stay out of other people’s business, but this was her best friend. “Help him with what?”

Bernard shook his head. “You two are ganging up on me, and I’m not doing this.”

He walked toward the door. Tracey jumped up and followed him. “Hold up one second.”

Tracey followed him out the door. Halle heard them arguing on the porch. Tracey would be better off confronting him than playing this game of back-and-forth. Halle’s cell phone chimed. A text message from Shania.

What does test tube baby mean?

Halle’s insides sank to the floor. Where the hell did that come from? If someone at that school had used those words, then Halle was going on a rampage.

Who said that?

Calm down. Eye roll emoji.

Halle rolled her eyes in response.

No, tell me now.

It’s cool. Coach Q handled it. I just want to know.

Coach Q handled it? What was that supposed to mean? She called Shania while also keeping an ear out for Tracey’s argument with Bernard to make sure neither of them got out of hand.

“Mom, you didn’t have to call. I’m with Kayla and Nadia.” She could hear the please don’t do this in front of family plea in her daughter’s voice.

Halle took a deep breath and placed a hand over her racing heart. Shania was right. This didn’t need to play out in front of her cousin. “Just say yes or no. Did someone say that to you?”

“No.”

“Did someone say it in reference to you?”

A pause. “Maybe.”

“And Coach Q heard it and handled it.”

“Yes. Now, can we please go over this later? It’s not a big deal,” Shania pleaded.

“If it wasn’t a big deal, you wouldn’t have texted me.”

“Mom,” Shania said, almost in a whine.

“Fine, we’ll talk about it when we get home. In fact, tell Kayla to take you home.”

“Why?”

“Tracey has some stuff she’s taking care of here. I’ll meet you at home and we can talk about it.”

The argument ended with Bernard storming out and Tracey cursing at the door. Halle sighed. She’d make sure her friend was okay and then she’d find out who she had to go off on for daring to insult her daughter.