Lily had been an introvert for as long as she could remember. Her mother had even said Lily wouldn’t leave her side as a preschooler and that she raised a fit on the first day of kindergarten. And turning into a chubby elementary school girl as the years went on hadn’t helped the situation. She had been fortunate to make two good friends to help her through those years and beyond. Lily first became close to Steve and Belinda in third grade. All three considered themselves to be misfits, not belonging to any sports teams or clubs as they went through middle and high school.
What they did belong to, however, was a youth group at Field’s Corner Christian Church. The youth group, and the strong faith in God that it gave them, helped them get through their difficult teen years. Lily smiled fondly as she remembered how Steve had stood up to a bully a year older than he was in high school by silently holding up his Bible.
The older boy couldn’t bring himself to use his fists on someone who wouldn’t respond verbally or physically to his taunts. The entire school had a new admiration for Steve from that moment on. Lily had fallen in love with him soon after. The quiet, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy had an inner strength and faith that drew her to him even more.
Belinda thankfully didn’t get jealous. As a junior in high school, she was already focused on going to beauty school to open up her own salon right in Field’s Corner. She didn’t have time for boys. Thanks to keeping her eye on her goal and her hard work, she was still the proud owner of Belinda’s Place 19 years later. That’s where Lily worked now.
Steve and Lily became inseparable right through their senior year. He loved her quiet spirit and thought she was beautiful, despite the extra pounds she so despised. And while her parents had hoped she’d go to college and see the world first, Lily didn’t want to do anything but marry Steve and have his children soon after graduation.
Steve had helped out at a volunteer fire station in nearby Greenwood ever since he was sixteen and was an easy choice to be one of the first ones hired when the growing city started a paid department after their senior year. They were married at the Christian church not long after they both turned 19.
Thanks to Steve having his own landscaping business that he ran on his days off from the fire station, Lily didn’t have to get a job. She spent her time volunteering at the same church that had housed their youth group, feeling more comfortable there than anywhere. Lily also helped Belinda set up her business and fixed up the small old cottage she and Steve bought right after they were married.
When Brian arrived a few years later, Steve and Lily knew they needed more room. They were incredibly excited to build their own two-story house in the town’s new subdivision. Lily was pleased to discover she was pregnant with Melissa soon after they had moved in.
She felt the familiar dull, heavy ache in her heart as she thought about the wonderful years she and Steve had shared while the kids were growing up. They were never rich- in fact, the only time they took a vacation was to drive to see Steve’s parents in Florida, but they had been blessed with all the necessities they needed and with a strong love for each other, for their family, and most of all, for God. Steve and Lily, and later, their children, were always the first ones to volunteer to help others in their community
And that assistance was returned to the Black family three years ago when Steve was diagnosed with lung cancer. Although he had never smoked a day in his life, many of his fellow firefighters smoked often in the station before the practice had finally had been banned. While Lily would never have come out and said it, she knew deep inside that those years of being around second hand smoke probably took their toll.
It had been exactly two years last Sunday since Steve had died. Lily had been grateful that her children were home that day, and while all three went through the motions and even went to see a movie in Greenwood, they still felt hollow and sad. They remembered too well how agonizing it had been to see Steve battle the cancer over and over again, only to finally lose to the insidious disease. They all still missed him.
Steve had taken good care of their finances before his untimely death. Their house and vehicles were already paid for, and he was able to take an early retirement and set Lily up to receive his pension every month for the rest of her life. Their life insurance paid for most of the kids’ college expenses, although Lily took a part-time job at Belinda’s Place as an office manager and sometimes hairdresser to make certain the rest could be covered. Brian and Melissa also had part-time jobs on campus to help pay for their books and day-to-day expenses.
Even without the financial worries, Lily still went through life without Steve in a fog for the first six months. Then, one night, she saw a special show on TLC talking about hoop dancing.
“Mmmm. Mom, this looks great!” Brian exclaimed, finally breaking free from his video game and coming into the kitchen. Lily barely remembered fixing the sandwiches and setting everything on the table for lunch.
“I know it’s your favorite,” Lily replied, smiling as her son came over to give her a kiss. While Melissa had inherited her father’s blonde hair and blue eyes, Brian had his mother’s brown hair and his grandmother’s grey eyes. Both he and Melissa were of medium height and had been blessed with slim builds. Everyone in the family was taller than Lily, who was barely five foot three.
“So, Tim’s brother is cute,” Melissa said, setting her phone to the side.
“Don’t beat around the bush or anything, Melissa,” Lily said with a chuckle. “And, young lady, I think he’s twice your age.”
“So, I can make an observation, can’t I?” Melissa replied. “And he does that hoop stuff, too?” Lily nodded.
“He’s an instructor apparently.”
“Oh, I didn’t know anyone taught that,” Brian said.
“Lots of people do around the country, but I didn’t realize someone did here,” Lily said.
“That’s probably because you never looked for anyone, Mom,” Melissa said. She knew that just the thought of doing hoop dancing in front of another person positively terrified Lily.
“I do just fine from watching my videos,” Lily said dismissively.
“I know, but that’ll only take you so far,” Melissa said, “You should take one of his classes some time and meet some new people. Someone who’s actually not from Field’s Corner.”
“Since when did you get so wise?” Lily asked with a laugh.
“It’s all that higher education she’s getting now,” Brian chimed in with a wink. “Hey, Mom, do you mind if I have some of the guys come over this afternoon?”
“Not at all,” Lily replied. Their house had always been the one where Brian and Melissa’s friends had hung out, which was just the way Lily and Steve had liked it.
“Cool.”
Melissa helped Lily clean up the kitchen and then Lily took some time to straighten up the house so it looked nice before Brian’s friends arrived. Not that they cared, but Lily took pride in keeping her house clean. And today it gave her a chance to think some more about her encounter with James.
She could tell that he was passionate about hooping. That was probably the reason he had been so attentive towards her. And Lily certainly loved it. When Belinda had suggested that she try exercising to help her with depression after Steve’s death, she had almost dismissed the suggestion.
Lily had never been good at any sport she had tried growing up, nor did she enjoy it. She hadn’t been a fan of going to the gym, and running sounded like something that would tear up her body. Lily did enjoy walking, especially on a cool morning, but thoughts and memories of Steve easily overtook her on a