Read Something New for Free Online Page A

short.
    “Thanks,” I say, feeling my cheeks flush. “I’ve got to get moving. Still three more extracurricular activities to get to.”
    He releases his hold on my arm. “Three more?” he asks with surprise. “Today?”
    “Three kids, twelve thousand activities,” I joke, and he smiles.
    “Wow. I’m glad I stopped at two kids.”
    I feel that I should say something other than
See you around
or
Welcome to the area
, but I can’t think of anything pithy or humorous, so I just give him a little halfhearted wave as I climb down the bleachers. I pass Maddy and Tina and feel their speculative stares boring into the back of my head as I clamber over to the field to collect my son. Matthewis talking to Liam about something of apparent grave importance, gesticulating madly, and as they approach, I catch the word
Transformer
. Liam’s big brown eyes are wide as Matthew explains something to him about regeneration or transmutation or whatever it is that Transformers do. I call to Matthew, trying to hustle him along, and receive a furrowed-brow look that tells me he’s in the middle of a very important discussion that cannot be rushed. I check my watch again, then put a hand to my hip.
    “Matthew.
Now.
”
    “Looks like Liam and Matthew are already thick as thieves.”
    I turn to Ben, who is suddenly standing next to me. I nod. “Yeah. Transformers.”
    “Maybe we can get them together for, you know, a play date or something.”
    I glance at him and unsuccessfully suppress a grin. “They’re ten. You don’t call them play dates at ten.”
    He shrugs in a self-deprecating fashion. “What do you call them, then? I mean, I should probably get familiar with the current lingo.”
    “Just ‘hanging out’ is sufficient.”
    “I’ll remember that. I don’t want to be the uncool dad.”
    As if
that
would ever be possible.
    “Matthew,” I say again with a fraction more urgency in my tone. Ben comes to my assistance and calls to Liam, who immediately obeys and marches over to his dad. Matthew follows. Introductions are made all around, and I’m impressed by Liam’s manners as he politely puts his hand out to shake mine and tells me that it’s very nice to meet me. (I am happy if my kids manage to utter
Hi
instead of just grunting self-consciously when meeting new people.) I compliment Liam on his soccer skills and earn a toothy, sideways smile.Ben affectionately ruffles Liam’s hair, and we all move toward the parking lot, the boys shuffling ahead and resuming their debate about which is the most awesome Transformer.
    We reach my Flex, and Matthew and Liam do a quick knuckle bump before Matthew jumps into the backseat.
    “Good luck with the rest of your day,” Ben calls to me, then shifts his attention to his son. I get behind the wheel and start the car, watching through the windshield as father and son head for their own car. I think of Ben Campbell’s hand on my arm. Those strong, lean fingers. I shake my head as if to clear it, take a deep breath, then peel out of the parking lot as the next phase of Operation: Thursday Afternoon gets underway.

•   Four   •
    O n “Mad Dash” evenings, Jonah has the good grace to alleviate me of dinner duty, picking up takeout on the way home. Tonight he has opted for Dragon King, the local Chinese place that makes the best scallion pancakes within a hundred miles. Usually, I lay waste to at least four of the eight pancakes, but tonight, the first one I pull from the carton sits uneaten on my plate. I am currently trying to estimate the amount of calories and saturated fat contained in a single wedge of the deep-fried disk. My kids happily munch on their egg rolls (at their age, fat and calorie counting is an alien concept), and I have to remind them, for the four-thousandth time, to chew with their mouths closed. Jonah has reached his scallion pancake quota and is now shoveling chicken lo mein onto his plate with enthusiasm. He offers me the ravaged carton and I