by T. K. Chapin
Chelsea turned to the group, beaming with a glowing smile as she stood by the gate that led into the courts.
“Let’s pray before we go in there. Let’s gather up.”
Everyone came together in a circle and locked hands.
“Lord, please guide our steps and words as we speak with these kids today. We don’t know them, but You do. May You, Lord, shine through and speak life into them. Use us for Your glory.”
Everyone said “Amen,” and then we proceeded through the gate.
Jonathan broke the ice right away. “You guys should come to this,” he said as he handed out a flyer.
They all stopped playing and came over to us, more specifically, Jonathan. He handed each of the four boys a flyer.
“It’s going to be a blast,” Jonathan added.
The translator spoke his words to the teenagers. It was easy to see the boys’ disinterest in the flyer. They said something in Spanish and the translator turned to the group. “They want to know if you play basketball.”
Jonathan shook his head and took a step back. Remembering Winston’s words on the phone the night prior as I looked into the eyes of the young men, I knew what I had to do.
I stepped up to the front of the group. “I always love a good game of ball.”
Chelsea took a step forward, up beside me. “I’ll play too.”
A few of the youth joined us also.
Jonathan and Valorie, along with the rest of the youth, went over to the shade and bleachers to talk to the kids on the stands. Not long after that, Rick and his group joined the others under the tree.
Though a language barrier sat between us and the kids we were playing with, we were still able to enjoy the time on the court. Every score we made, we high-fived, and every time the other team scored, we frowned. There was a bond there between us playing that was understood and felt and where language wasn’t needed.
We were closely approaching the end of the game after a grueling hour of play in the sun. I had just done a lay up to make the score us—49, Chelsea’s team—47. The score we were playing to was fifty. Diego passed the ball inbounds to Chelsea and I was head-to-head with her.
As she dribbled and stared me down, I backpedaled. Determination dripped from her brow. I couldn’t help but find it cute how hard she had played.
“It’s over, Chels. It’s over.”
She shook her head, biting her lip. “We’re only three away from winning. We got this.”
“Three-pointer? You haven’t made one of those this whole game!”
“True,” she said nonchalantly. Suddenly, she passed it to Martin, catching me off guard. I turned but was too late. He jumped and shot from the three-point line.
Nothing but net. It was a clean shot.
The game was over.
Looking back at Chelsea, she let out a laugh as she tossed her head back and shot up her arms in her victory. Seeing the sweat glisten along her neckline sent a surge of strong attraction coursing through me in the moment. She high-fived her teammates and made her way over to me.
“Maybe next time there, Jaxy boo.”
“You did good.” Smiling, I looked to the tree and the shade and spotted Rick unloading water bottles from one of the backpacks. Chelsea’s teammates came over to celebrate some more and I said, “I’m going to get a drink. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”
She nodded, turning to her teammates.
Chapter 10 - Chelsea
“BUENO, BUENO!” I EXCLAIMED WITH thumbs up to my fellow teammates. We had done the unthinkable, beating Jax who’d shown dominance on the court at the beginning.
“You were awesome,” Martin said, patting me on the shoulder. “Thanks for helping us.”
Shortly thereafter, I headed over to join the others and get a much-needed water bottle. On my way over to the backpack full of waters at the end of the bleachers, I saw Jax on a knee talking to a boy in a wheelchair. He was speaking in Spanish with him but then had switched to English. Smiling, I continued walking.
“Chelsea,” Rick said as I pulled out a bottle of water from the backpack. He jogged up to me.
“Yeah?” I said, undoing the cap.
He led me away from the others. His gaze glanced over my shoulder toward Jax, then back to me. “Something going on with you and Jax? You two seem rather comfortable with each other.”
I took a step back, overly offended at the idea that my feelings for Jax were so easily seen. “No. We just played basketball. It is a pretty physical sport, Rick. We had to be close to each other like that purely because of the game. Why are you acting so weird?”
Raising his hands, he shook his head. “Sorry, no, I was just wondering. I saw you guys getting pretty close out there on the court, and the way you’ve been looking at him … I just thought …”
“He’s my bodyguard, and I’m here for one reason—Jesus.”
He nodded, acknowledging what I said. “All right. Again, I’m sorry. Just be aware of how it looks. It wasn’t me who saw it. It was Jonathan who had brought up the concern.”
As he walked away, my eyebrows furrowed and my anger waxed hot. That slime ball had concern over me and Jax? Really? I shot a quick look over at Jonathan as he was talking with his Valorie. My eyes must have seared a hole in his awareness as he turned and looked at me. I glared. He had some nerve.
Furious, I took a moment to breathe and walk. Walking beyond the tree, I entered the school yard and prayed. God, please help me not to be distracted. Strengthen me to focus on my mission here. Then I thought of Jax. Help me not to be thinking of him either. Just let my heart focus on Your will for these people in this town. Amen.
As I walked back over to the shade and bleachers, I noticed the wheelchair was now empty and Jax was missing too. Peering over at the basketball court, I saw Jax with the little boy up on his shoulder. With a basketball in hand, the boy radiated a smile from ear to ear. My heart melted into a puddle as I watched Jax lifting him up to the hoop.
The ball tumbled out of the boy’s hands and into the net.
Everyone on the court erupted in a cheer.
My eyes watered as I peered up at the sky. Really? How do I not let my heart desire this man? I couldn’t help but be filled to the brim with joy seeing such a man as Jax. A man so gentle, so loving, and yet strong. Jax might have been my bodyguard and hired by my father, but I couldn’t help but find myself more and more drawn to everything about him. Each moment that passed was like a tug on my heart, pulling me closer, pulling me deeper.
Chapter 11 - Jax
EZEKIEL. THE BOY’S NAME STUCK in my mind like the way a diamond catches the light and shimmers. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. He would stay with me long after we had left the basketball courts that day. His situation at home was heart-wrenching. He had just lost his parents only a few months ago, and now his grandma was quickly fading too. There was too much heartache in that boy’s life. He had been through more at the ripe age of eight and a half than most adults go through in an entire lifetime.
“Jax?” Chelsea’s voice invaded my thoughts, but the sound of her voice was a welcome intrusion.
“What’s up?”
“I asked if you were all right. You seem shaken up.”
Fixing my gaze straight ahead, I looked narrowly at the broken sidewalks in front of us. “I’m fine.”
“You can be honest with me.”
I hesitated. My job was to protect her, to keep my mind clear. Delving into the issues of the heart never bodes well in the long run. Opening up in this line of work could be dangerous. Feelings can grow and people can get hurt. I remained silent.
“It’s the boy, isn’t it?” She saw right through me, through the facade I so desperately wanted to keep up, especially right now. A pretty girl like her could get me into a lot of hot water, both with my boss and with my heart. I couldn’t resist, though. I stopped and turned to her.
“Is it that obvious?”
“I don’t know. Just a guess, I sup
pose. You’ve been pretty quiet since we left the courts.”
“Well you’re right. It’s him. I keep thinking about all the pain he has been through.” Glancing over my shoulder, I let out a sigh. My heart felt heavy with his burden, grieved in the innermost depths of my soul. “He lost his parents, is losing his grandma, and on top of it, he struggles to even have a friend.”
She was quiet for a moment. Then she came closer and touched my arm. The softness of her fingers sent a warmth crashing into my soul, surging throughout my body. I knew right then that my feelings for her went beyond her sheer beauty. “Is Ezekiel coming to the park?”
Reining in my swirling thoughts and feelings about Chelsea, I tried to focus on the topic at hand. “He wants to. We’ll see.”
As we continued down the sidewalk and caught up with the others, I prayed. Not only for the boy, but for myself. I felt my fortress walls weakening for this woman, and I barely understood the reason behind it.
Chapter 12 - Chelsea
AFTER A TIRESOME BUT FRUITFUL day out on the streets, we all reconvened back at the church that evening for dinner, prayer, and much-needed sleep. The women in the church made us a special Mexican soup and rolls to go along with it. As I went through the meal line, I glanced back at Jax as I saw him grab two dinner rolls.
I couldn’t help my curiosity.
“You can eat that and keep your great figure?” Immediately, I regretted the forwardness of my question. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Eating is all about balance,” he replied, a chuckle to his voice as he grabbed for a few vanilla wafers. “The more carbs I intake, the harder my workouts have to be. Which isn’t a bad thing.”
“Lucky. I swear, I eat a roll and gain like five pounds.”
We laughed.
With my bowl of soup in hand, I was walking toward one of the tables when I spotted Jonathan walking out the back door—without Valorie by his side. Taking advantage of the moment, I veered my direction away from the table and pursued him, following him outside as I thought about his non-cool move earlier, telling Rick his concerns about Jax and myself.
Coming out into the cool of the night, I found him sitting on the cement steps.
I stood beside him as the door shut behind me, and he looked back at me.
“Is this spot taken?”
He looked at the church door behind me, then back to his food. “Depends. Is your muscle coming?”
How I’d ever had interest in this immature boy, I had no idea. Sitting down beside him, I set my soup on the step and turned to him. “What is going on with you, Jonathan?”
“I’ve seen you with him and—”
“Jonathan, are you just forgetting about the fact that you’re dating Valorie or … what? You made that choice, not me.”
His lips tightened, forming a thin line. His gaze caught the stars hanging in the wide-open skies above Mexico. After a moment, he turned to me and said, “I know I made that choice, and I love Valorie. I just … I just don’t like seeing you with him. Is that also love?”
Shaking my head, I desired to encourage him in the Lord. “No, Jonathan, it’s not. Remember Romans 12:11.”
He nodded. “‘Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.’ You’re right, Chelsea. I need to keep my spiritual fervor and focus on serving Christ, not distractions. Can we pray?”
I agreed, and we bowed our heads. He led prayer.
“Lord, renew our hearts for You. For Your will here in Mexico. Help us, strengthen us, and lead us. Amen.”
Just as we lifted our heads, the door opened. Jax stuck his head out. “Chelsea, you’re needed.”
Standing up, I looked at him as the door shut. Sticking out a hand, I said, “Friends?”
He nodded, shaking my hand. “Friends.”
Hurrying inside, Jax led me to Makayla. Wrapped tightly in a sheet on her cot, she lay shivering as a washcloth was draped across her forehead.
“How high is the fever? When was the last time she had something?” Bending down on a knee, I flipped the cloth for her.
“It’s at 102.5. She just had Tylenol about an hour ago.” Jax crossed his arms as he looked at Makayla with furrowed eyebrows. “Just so strange how it came out of nowhere. She was fine.”
Standing up, I turned to him. “Is there any Ibuprofen here?”
Shaking his head, he looked at her. “That’s a negative. We need to go get something?”
“Yes. Let’s go, and hurry.” Turning to Makayla, I leaned over and touched her cheek with my hand as I softly said, “I’ll be right back with some more medicine.”
Jax and I quickly got in the van and headed to the nearest store. As we drove, we talked about the fever and how suddenly it came on for Makayla.
Eventually, we ran out of ‘fever’ related talk and it went silent between us in the van. A few minutes out from the store, I glanced over at Jax. I wanted to say something, anything, but I froze. He looked at me. Becoming increasingly nervous, I brought my gaze in front of me.
We hit a massive pot hole and it jolted the whole van. It was annoying, but I was thankful for the new conversation topic.
Chapter 13 - Jax
AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL DRIVE TO the store to get medicine for Makayla, Chelsea and I were on our way back to the church. About ten miles from the church, the van suddenly started to smoke.
“Oh, my goodness! What do I do?” Chelsea exclaimed from the driver’s seat.
Laughing, I pointed to the side of the road. “Pull over.”
She pulled over to the side of the road the best she could, then shut the van off. Letting a heavy sigh escape her lips, she brought a hand up to her forehead.
“It’ll be okay, Chelsea. Stay calm. Pop the hood and I’ll take a look.” I opened my door.
Getting out of the van, I went around to the front and began to inspect under the hood. Using my phone’s flashlight, I determined the source of the issue was simply low coolant. I heard Chelsea’s door open.
Raising my eyes to her as she appeared, I smiled. “The engine is just overheated. There could be a bigger issue, but it’s a simple fix for right now. We can wait a few minutes and dump a bottle of water in and then go the rest of the way to the church.”
Nodding, she sat on the front bumper, her gaze finding the starry night sky. The sound of crickets could be heard in the distance. Sitting down beside her on the bumper, I joined her in gazing upward.
Crossing my arms, I smiled as I recounted the day in my mind, playing it back like a video. “Today was good.”
She broke into a grin. “It was. That smile Ezekiel had on his face when you helped him make a basket was priceless.”
Elated I could be a part of something so good, I was joyful, but my heart was also hurting. “Ezekiel is a special kid. I hope he ends up coming out to the park.” Recalling how she got down on her knees and spoke to that little girl in the trailer park, I said, “You with that little girl today was touching. There’s a real impact for Christ going on already after one day down here.”
“Yeah, there is.” She nodded and looked at me as if she hadn’t realized it. “I need to focus more on the good that is being done.”
“You have a heart for this stuff, Chels. It’s admirable and this world would be a lot better off with more people like you in it.” Turning to her fully, I asked, “I’m down here because of you. But what made you come here? I’m curious. Did God call you or something?”
“In a way, He did. I was touched by a missionary woman’s story years ago. But the reality is that the Bible says we are to go out and proclaim the Gospel to all nations. Not some, but all of us.” She paused for a second before continuing. Adjusting on the bumper, she turned toward me. “I know this isn’t some remote country in the middle of Africa, but it’s a start, you know? I just pray we really do have an impact for God on this community by the end of it.”
“I can tell you one thing. It’s already had an impact on my life and we’re only one
day in.”
Her gaze returned to the stars. The following few minutes we shared in silence, and then she asked, “Is there someone special back home?”
I shook my head. “No, there’s nobody back home.”
Her eyes widened, but she turned the conversation right back to the mission trip and the days ahead. She didn’t give me a chance to process what she had asked.
Eventually, the van cooled down and I was able to open the radiator cap. Dumping in a bottle of water we’d found in the back of the van, we were back in business.
Chapter 14 - Chelsea
FINALLY PULLING BACK INTO THE church parking lot, my gaze caught the door leading inside and I thought of Makayla. I hoped it hadn’t been too long. Her fever was over 102 when we left the church almost two hours ago, and they were trying to control it with cold washcloths.
I parked and turned off the van. The medicine was sitting in a plastic sack on the seat behind us so I turned to grab it, but Jax did too.
Our faces were less than an inch away from each other and we paused. The light in the van was low, just a faint hint cascading across our faces. I looked into Jax’s eyes and he into mine. My heart pounded.
Suddenly, my lips were pressed against his.
Sparks flew and flames sizzled all the way from my lips down to my toes.
Frantic, I pulled away.
“What was that?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Why’d you kiss me?” He appeared as bewildered as I was.
I shook my head. “I didn’t. You kissed me!”
“I would never do that. It’d be unprofessional.” He grabbed the door and got out of the van and our conversation.
Jumping out of the driver seat with the medicine in hand, my heart leapt as I got out and circled the front of the van to confront him. I came right up to his face. “You kissed me! I did not kiss you.”