Chapter 175: The River Court

Saturday, January 14th, Late Morning

As he was oft to do, on Saturday, he would pack up the grandkids and head to the River Court. It got him and them outside, and if he could shoot around with them. It was his time to spend with them, and it was a way to get away from their parents, even now with them elsewhere.

Lucas parked his veteran SUV and looked in the back seat. Instead of his usual two grandkids, he had two other kids with him, his daughter Sawyer, and Brooke's daughter Keni. He also wanted to get them up and away from their computers or tablets. With a sigh, he looked them over.

"Don't cause trouble," Lucas said.

"We won't," Sawyer said, who was sitting next to Lucas.

"We won't, Uncle Lucas," Keni said.

"Alright, when I say it's time to go, it's time to go," Lucas said.

"Grandpa, we've done this before," Sawyer said.

"Well then, do it," Lucas said, "Let's go."

Everyone got out of the SUV and headed towards the court. Lucas started to bounce the basketball, as he watched Ellis and Nomi begin on the court. He watched as Nomi began to stretch out, Nomi was already developing good habits.

Keni found a place to sit down and started doing something on her smartphone. Sawyer was sitting next to her and had her smartphone out as well.

This past Christmas was the first one for Lucas. Sawyer asked for a specific type of smartphone; she justified it for her blogging and streaming. That didn't make sense to Lucas, but then again, he was from a different time.

Taking his attention away from the teenagers, he turned it to Nomi and Ellis. Lucas smiled as he watched his two grandchildren just having fun with the basketballs they each had. Usually, he would be here with them and let them play. Lucas would only step in to adjust what they were doing. He wanted them to have fun and enjoy basketball. Most of his work with the kids was involved with Nomi, but he would work with Ellis.

He turned his attention back to the two teenagers. Lucas noticed it looked like they were doing one of those things with a smartphone. He shrugged; he didn't understand the whole concept of followers.

Looking back to his grandkids, and noticed that Nomi was improving. It's interesting to see which way she would go, which path she would choose. Lucas had seen her basketball play with her cousins. Nomi could keep her own with the two oldest Burke children. Nomi isn't short for a ten-year-old girl, but she was shorter than PJ and Key.

Lucas noticed a limo pull up and stop. Out of the back, Nomi and Ellis's Mom climbed out and walked onto the court. Lucas saw that Izzy was carrying her heels in her hand, and wore sneakers on her feet.

Once Izzy had arrived at his side, she pushed her sunglasses, her signature style called Bellas, off her eyes. Once Nomi and Ellis noticed Izzy, they stopped playing with their respective basketballs and ran to Izzy. The two young kids hugged their Mom. Izzy had to go to one knee to embrace them.

After they finished, the kids quickly went back to their basketballs. Izzy stood up and looked over to Lucas. She smiled at him; Lucas noted she had her Mom's smile.

"Hi, Izzy," Lucas said.

"Uncle Lucas," Izzy said, "So, this is what you do on Saturdays?"

Lucas nodded, "Yeah," he said, "They enjoy it and gives you and Keith time to yourselves. I'm surprised you've never asked before."

Izzy shrugged, "Usually by the time I get home on Saturday; I just want to spend time with them. I'm burned out; too burned out even to wonder," she said.

Lucas nodded, "I know what you mean," she said.

Izzy nodded. They watched Nomi and Ellie as they played with their basketballs.

"I'm surprised you're not working with them," Izzy said.

"I am, but mostly this about them having fun," Lucas said, "They don't even have to play basketball if they don't want to. I only step in when they need adjusting."

"I'd figure you'd be more hands-on like Nathan," Izzy said.

Lucas chuckled a bit, "Well, all the older Scott men are walking wounded," he said.

"I know about Nathan's knee," Izzy said, "What's wrong with you?"

Lucas sighed, "I've been keeping it quiet, but I need surgery," he said.

"It's that bad?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah, it is," Lucas said.

"So, why are you putting it off?" Izzy asked.

"To finish the season and school year," Lucas said.

Izzy nodded, "Is that all?" she asked, "Uncle Lucas, that's insane, you should put things off like that."

"I also want Keith to be home when I go under the knife," Lucas said, "I want all my kids home, to say goodbye, just in case."

Izzy nodded, "Keith would want you healthy and alive, not risking your life waiting for him to get back," she said.

"I just want them all to get closure, we know that's important," Lucas said.

Izzy nodded, knowing than turned to look over to the opposite end of the court. She watched what her sister and sister-in-law were doing. "What are those two doing?" Izzy asked.

"I think they're streaming or vlogging, or god knows what they call these things, I'm not entirely sure," Lucas said.

Izzy nodded and looked towards her children again. "Why does life seem so much easier when I was their age?" she asked.

Lucas laughed, "You're asking the wrong person," he said.

Izzy laughed, "I forget you put all of your life out there," she said.

"Not all of it, remember, I've not written in the last few years," Lucas said, "And I've selectively left out things."

"I know, are you handing the series over?" Izzy asked.

Lucas shook his head, "I don't like the idea of ghosting writing my life, and who would I hand my life over to anyway?"

"True," Izzy said.

"Dad," Sawyer said. Lucas turned around to see Sawyer and Keni standing there.

Izzy also turned around. "Hi Sawyer, Keni," she said.

"Yes, Sawyer," Lucas said.

"Can we leave?" Sawyer asked.

"Why?" Lucas asked.

"Creepy Noah is here, Uncle Lucas," Keni said.

"Creepy, Noah?" Lucas asked.

Sawyer nodded, "He's a guy from school that all he does is staring at Keni or me," she said.

"Do you know his last name?" Lucas asked.

"No," Sawyer said.

"Where is he?" Izzy asked.

"Over by the river," Keni said.

Izzy nodded and looked over at the figure by the river. Her eyes narrowed, and her face lost her usually cheerful expression.

"I see," Izzy said, her voice cold.

"So, what do you think, Izzy?" Lucas asked.

"I think we should go," Izzy said.

"Okay," Lucas said, "Alright, it's time to go."

The grandkids stopped what they were doing. Nomi tucked her basketball under her arm, and Ellis just held it. The small family group walked to Lucas' veteran SUV; Izzy got into the front seat, forcing Sawyer into the back. Lucas started the SUV and left The River Court.