Field Day by Katy Did

An Atypical Discussion

            Sang

As we started toward the bleachers I noticed Kevin sitting over to the side.

I stopped, and Honey immediately did, too.

"I'll meet up with you. I just want to check on Kevin."

He looked over where Kevin was sitting then back at me. He smiled and nodded. "Sure. I'll be on the field talking with the guys."

I walked up to Kevin sitting on the bench by himself. I didn't know what prompted me to do it, but I felt it would be unkind not to check how he was doing, even though we'd never talked.

His elbows were resting on his knees. He was bent forward, holding bloody tissues to his nose. I noticed his eyebrows raise in surprise as I walked up.

"Um, hi. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Oh... yeah... I'll be alright. Just a busted nose. It's happened before. It'll heal. Just hurts like a b**** at the moment."

"I bet...You were doing great. I mean... well... up until..." Ugh. Way to go Sang.

He chuckled. "Thanks. This is what I get for being distracted." He gestured to his face.

"Oh. What distracted you?"

Why on earth I was pushing this conversation, I hadn't a clue. For all I knew he would tell me it was none of my business and to get lost. Something though in his demeanor told me he wanted someone to talk to, to listen.

"Everything. Everyone. My girlfriend. My team." He was quiet for moment. I let him gather his thoughts.

"Have you ever been in love Sang?"

My eyes widened in surprise at the question. My mouth kept stupidly opening and closing like a fish. I didn't know how I should answer. I knew what the answer was but...

"You don't have to answer that."

I released a breath. Thank the maker.

"I'm in love. Deeply. I'm going to ask her to marry me. I even bought the ring and planned how I want to do it. I haven't told anyone though. No one knows... I'm afraid it'll hurt my team, that my brothers will hate me when I tell them."

He took a deep breath and looked down at the ground.

"I'm going to leave the Academy."

Holy Crow.

"It's what I need to do, what I want to do. I've thought it all out... I just want to live a different kind of life now... Marry the woman of my dreams, build a little house, raise a family. Care for and love and protect them my whole life, but not worry about being called away at any moment for an assignment or getting hurt."

He looked up at me and grinned. "Sounds boring and typical doesn't it?"

I smiled and shook my head. "Not at all. It sounds wonderful."

I bit my bottom lip thinking. "Kevin. If one of the guys came up to you and said that was what they wanted, would you be angry or hate them?"

He just sat still and didn't say anything. Tick... tock... tick... tock... Maybe I shouldn't have asked that.

His shoulders started shaking, and I could hear soft laughter coming from him.

"God Sang. How are you so smart?"

I shrugged. "To some of us it comes naturally," I joked with a smile.

He let out a full belly laugh and threw back his head. He stopped short and sat forward grabbing his nose. "F*** me that hurt"

I winced. "Sorry"

"Don't be." He slowly shook his head while gently cradling his poor nose. "You made me see how stupid I've been to worry... My brothers would want to share in my joy, not squash it. Just as I would for them." He let out a deep breath. "You have no idea how overwhelming it is to hide feelings like that from your family."

I turned and looked over at my boys on the field, they were talking and laughing. My heart skipped just looking at them.

Oh, I had an idea...