Chapter 546: Jamlyn
Friday, February 24th, Evening
She strode out of the kitchen, holding a bag of chips and a liter of water. Placing the stuff on the nearby table, she looked around, nodding, and went upstairs. She looked in on a couple of the bedrooms to see her kids were settled into their rooms and their radios on.
Ashlyn walked downstairs and took up her place on the couch. She opened the bag of chips and the bottle of water. Ashlyn reached over, grabbed the remote, and found the channel that the Miami game was on. She set it and watched the pre-game.
As she leaned back, she started to drink her water. After a few minutes, she studied the Atlanta home court, even though she had never played at State Farm Arena, even though her short-lived career was in Atlanta. Ashlyn looked in the back of the TV Image, trying to see James. The camera was pointed to the Atlanta side of the court.
"What are you watching?" Buck asked as he took a seat on the other couch.
"What do you think I'm watching?" Ashlyn asked, a bit annoyed.
"It's time for the Miami-Atlanta game already?" Buck asked.
"Pre-game," Ashlyn said.
"Oh, you watch that?" Buck asked.
"I try to catch a glimpse of James," Ashlyn said.
"Where are the kids?" Buck asked.
"They listen to the game in their room," Ashlyn said.
"Why?" Buck asked.
"They go to bed at halftime," Ashlyn said.
"Even Brett?" Buck asked.
Ashlyn shrugged, "I don't even know if Brett watches the Miami games," Ashlyn said.
"Why wouldn't she? Her dad plays on the team," Buck said.
"Stepdad, but Brett is also seventeen and has a life," Ashlyn said.
"You don't make sure your kids watch or listen to their dad work?" Buck asked.
"Not when they're seventeen, and honestly, I think Maeghan only listens, so she knows when to be in bed," Ashlyn said.
"You know it's important; I remember watching basketball with you when you were Maeghan's age. Drove your mom crazy," Buck said.
"Doesn't ring a bell," Ashlyn said.
"You used to go wild every time the Lakers were on; you liked watching Nathan Scott play," Buck said.
'Okay," Ashlyn said, hiding her eye roll, "Where are Joplin and AB?"
"They are doing bible study," Buck said.
"Okay," Ashlyn said, "You don't watch basketball with them?"
"No," Buck said.
"Why not? You spoke fondly of something I don't remember," Ashlyn said.
"Your mom told me that they won't be exposed o that damn game," Buck said.
Ashlyn nodded, "I see, and do Joplin and AB enjoy the bible study?" she asked.
"I don't know," Buck said.
"Where are they?" Ashlyn asked.
"In the dining room," Buck said.
Ashlyn nodded, "I'll be right back," she said, stood up, and left the room. Ashlyn entered the room and found her niece and nephew at the table with bibles open. "What are y'all doing?" Ashlyn asked.
"We're studying our bible verses, Auntie Ash," AB said.
"Yeah, we're reading the bible," Joplin said dryly.
Ashlyn nodded, "Do you enjoy reading the bible?" she asked.
"It's okay," AB said.
"It's boring," Joplin said.
"How about this? I'll give you an alternative, you come into the living room and watch Uncle James play, but you go to bed at halftime. What do you think?" Ashlyn asked.
"Okay," AB said, unsure.
"It's better than bible study," Joplin said, eager.
Ashlyn smiled, "Okay, now if you're in, get your cousins before joining me in the living room," she said.
"Okay," Joplin said, slamming the bible closed, hopping to her feet, and leaving the room.
AB thought about it for a moment, closed his bible, and followed his sister. Ashlyn nodded and returned to the living room. She returned to her seat and got comfortable.
"What's going on?" Buck asked.
"We're about to have company," Ashlyn said.
The five kids came stampeding into the room. Ashlyn watched as they settled in. The three boys lay down on the floor in front of the TV. Maeghan sat on the floor by Ashlyn, while Joplin sat next to Ashlyn on the couch as the game began.
"Which one is Uncle James?" Joplin asked.
"He's number twelve in black," Ashlyn said.
"So, we're rooting for black number twelve, right?" Joplin asked.
"You can say that," Ashlyn said and smiled.
They watched the first half of the basketball game. The boys made jokes and chatted about the game. Joplin would ask questions here and there about this and that. Maeghan sat silently; Ashlyn would rub her hair to let her know it was okay.
At halftime Buck and Ashlyn shepherd the children upstairs. Buck took AB and Joplin to their wing of Jamlyn. Ashlyn took her three children to their rooms. After putting them to bed, she returned to the living room. Buck eventually joined her.
"Why did you do that?" Buck asked.
"Kids need to know that they can express themselves within limits, of course," Ashlyn said.
"Aren't you scared that they would go wild with the freedom?" Buck asked.
"Aren't you scared that they'll go wild when the lease is off?" Ashlyn asked.
"So, what do we do now?" Buck asked.
"We watch the game," Ashlyn said, "In silence."
"Is that it?" Buck asked.
"Yes, that's it, in silence," Ashlyn said.
"After the game?" Buck asked.
"After the game, James will call, and I'll talk to him," Ashlyn said.
"Okay," Buck said.
The game started again; Buck and Ashlyn watched the game in silence. As the game wound down, Miami beat Atlanta 108-90. James had an average game. Ashlyn smiled, shut off the TV, cleaned up, said goodnight to Buck, and went to her bedroom. Later James would call, and they talked.
