Thanks again moviemom44. This us Chapter 4. Please read and review.
Chapter 4
Charlie's Gift
Gage smiled as Sydney walked out the door of the HOPE center with Charlie. He had told Sydney his idea and she agreed it might help Charlie. Patience was the key. Sydney opened the door and Charlie got in the back seat. Sydney got in and Gage waited until all seatbelts were fastened before he drove off.
He slowed and turned into the parking spot. "Come on, Shorty, let's go. You, too, Kiddo." He got out and walked to the trunk. Sydney and Charlie followed. He grabbed the bag out of the trunk and handed it to Charlie.
"For you…for us…" The boy hesitated. Nobody had ever given him anything before. He had never had a birthday present, or a Christmas present. Now someone was giving him something. With an unsteady hand he reached for the bag.
Gage smiled as the boy opened it and pulled out the contents, a brand new leather baseball mitt and baseball. Charlie ran his fingers over the first gift he had ever been given. Then looked at Gage with tears in his eyes.
"Why?" he asked in a shaky voice.
Gage took a deep breath and said, "Kiddo, I have been in your shoes. I've felt the bruises. I've cried in my sleep. But the best memory I have from my childhood was before my parents died. I was 8, and my Dad and I would toss the baseball every night." His voice caught on the memory but he refused to cry.
"I remember those moments even now. He taught me how to throw a slider and a curve ball." He slowly placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and smiled when Charlie didn't pull away. "I want to teach you." Gage grabbed his mitt out of the trunk. "So…you wanna play?"
Sydney leaned against the bullpen fence as the patient man she loved and adored showed a frightened, apprehensive little boy how to hold a baseball. Inwardly, she felt sad for the boy that had never felt the understanding hands or heard the encouraging words that helped boys grow into men. He'd known only violent hands and angry words.
Gage cheered for the boy as he threw the ball almost perfectly. "Way to go, Kiddo."
Sydney saw something on the boys face that she hadn't seen since she'd met him. Could it be? Yep, it was. A smile. Gage saw it too and knew his plan was working.
Walker spoke with Alex and got his legal question answered. He picked up Alex's office phone and dialed Sydney's cell phone.
"Sydney, is Gage with you?...Really? That's great. Okay, stay there. I have an idea I want to run by the two of you." Hanging up the phone, he leaned across the desk and kissed his beautiful wife.
"See you later, gorgeous," he said and started to walk out the door. He stopped suddenly and turned back around, walked around Alex's desk, placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her again, deeper and passionately. "Sorry, had to have seconds. Be back later." He winked as he closed her office door behind him, leaving a thoroughly-kissed Alex still trying to catch her breath.
Sydney placed the phone back in her pocket, pushed herself off the fence and walked to where Gage was talking softly to Charlie and demonstrating how to hold the ball to throw a curve.
"Hey Gage, Walker just called and said he had something he wanted to run by us."
Gage stood up and nodded "OK. Did he say what it was?"
Sydney shook her head no. She looked down at Charlie and swore she saw a sparkle in his green eyes. Eyes that once held pain and confusion were now filled with hope. Amazing what a good man could accomplish with a little patience and a baseball.
Walker parked his Dodge Ram truck next to their car. He saw Sydney standing behind Charlie near the pitcher's mound and Gage in front of them at home plate. He walked toward them just as Charlie threw an attempt at a curve ball. The ball fell short of where Gage was, but Gage laughed and tossed it back to the boy who caught it in his mitt. Gage saw Walker and walked toward him.
"Good catch, Charlie," Walker said, commending the boy. Charlie looked at the senior Ranger and gave a half smile and said quietly. "Thank you, sir. Gage taught me."
"Gage, Sydney, I have an idea I need to run by you guys. I've already spoken with Alex about the legal issues. Gage, I know how you feel about foster homes. But we need to find Charlie a permanent place. A stable place..." Walker stated.
Gage put a protective hand on Charlie's shoulder and gently pulled him closer, shaking his head. "He's not going to foster care, Boss..."
Walker raised a hand to stop the junior Ranger. "Let me finish. I was thinking…if it was okay with the two of you..." He glanced at Gage and Sydney then turned to the boy. "Well, actually, the THREE of you..." he corrected with a smile. "That Charlie could stay with you guys." He paused to watch their reactions.
Gage stood with his mouth open, not able to find the words to say. Sydney smiled and patted Charlie on the back as Walker continued.
"He has to keep up with his therapy sessions with Doctor Mathis at the HOPE center. And he has to be enrolled in school. Is that acceptable?" Walker asked, trying to hide a smile.
Gage's shocked expression broke into a wide grin. Finally finding the words, he stuttered a joyful reply.
"Y-yeah, Walker, that is SO acceptable. Thank you so much. " He shook Walker's hand and pulled his 'family' closer to him. He kissed Sydney excitedly on the lips then knelt down to look into Charlie's eyes. "Do you understand what all this means?"
Green eyes looked back at him, then up at Sydney and then over to Walker. "I think so, sir. I'm gonna get to stay with you and Sydney," he answered.
Gage nodded. "Yeah, we're gonna be your parents."
With the word "parents" fear reappeared in the boy's eyes. He shook his head real slow. His bottom lip quivered and a solitary tear rolled down his cheek. He threw the baseball mitt on the ground, and ran off across the field toward the gate in the outfield fence.
"CHARLIE!" Sydney yelled, running after him.
Momentarily stunned, Gage just stood there helplessly looking at Walker. "Did I say something wrong?"
But the senior Ranger didn't answer him. He was already running for his truck. "I'll drive around to the back of the park and try to head him off. You catch up with Sydney."
Gage had never run so fast in his life.