She'd never seen anything quite like it. But they were all cute. Especially Ash in all his Goth glory.
Sunshine dug out a bag of cinnamon flavored oatcakes. "Want some?"
"Thanks," she said, taking one from the small bag.
As they snacked, a mother and a small boy in a wheelchair came in and parked beside them so that the boy could watch the game. The boy who had short black hair and bright blue eyes grimaced as if he were in pain while his mother gently stroked his back. He was an almost exact physical duplicate of his mother, except the boy had a smattering of freckles over the bridge of his nose.
Tory scooted down to sit closer to him. "Hi," she said, holding her hand out to him. "My name's Tory."
He looked at his mother to make sure it was okay to talk to her.
"His name's Toby."
"Toby?" Tory grinned at him. "Really? My friend Ash was playing a boy named Toby this morning on the Xbox."
Toby smiled through his tears. "That was me! I kicked his butt!"
"Toby," his mother chided, "such language. What have I told you about that?"
He sat taller in his chair. "Well, I did."
Tory introduced herself and Sunshine to Toby's mother. "So are you two here to watch Ash?"
Toby shook his head. "My brother Zack is number seven on the blue team."
"Oh," she said, spotting the boy with brown hair, "he's the best player on his team."
The buzzer sounded for halftime. Ash came running over. His cheeks were mottled with red from his exertion. He held his hand out for Toby to high five him. "Hey Tobinator. How you doing?"
Toby squealed in glee. "Can we play?" he asked Ash.
Ash looked at Trish. "Is it okay?"
She frowned in apprehension. "Be gentle. He had a hard session with his therapist today."
"Will do." Ash picked him up and cradled him against his chest before he returned to the court where the teams were practicing again.
Zack passed his brother the ball. Laughing, Toby caught it and Ash ran him at the basket so that he could slam dunk it in to the basket that had been lowered to accommodate their smaller size. He held Toby over his head and twisted him back and forth, making the boy squeal in delight.
Trish's eyes misted at the sight of Ash with her son. "I don't know what I'd do without that man."
Tory frowned. "What do you mean?"
Trish wiped at her eyes. "Toby and my husband were in a bad car wreck a year ago. Barry was killed instantly and Toby was partially paralyzed. For weeks in the hospital, Toby was unresponsive to everyone. He wouldn't eat or speak. And then one day Ash and a friend of his came in and were singing with the kids on Toby's floor, handing out gifts. When he saw Toby, he went over and the next thing I knew, he had Toby laughing again." She sniffed. "Just look at them out there . . . God love that man."
Ash was holding Toby low to the ground so he could dribble the ball while his brother tried to block him. Lifting him up, Ash feigned to the right and ran at the basket so Toby could slam dunk it again. The boy lifted his arms up and whooped in triumph. Ash tickled him before he cradled him in his arms and ran him back over to his mother.
He set Toby back in his wheelchair and wiped his arm over his sweaty face. "All right, Tobe, we have to get back to the game. But Zack wants a rematch afterwards."
"He's on!"
Ash ruffled his hair before he glanced to Tory. "You doing okay?"
"Fine."
"Cool. But stay away from Sunshine's oatcakes. Talon says they're disgusting."
"Hey!" Sunshine shouted indignantly. "I'll get you for that, Ash."
Laughing, he stood up and returned to the center of the court.
"How are you doing, Toby?" Trish asked, her voice full of concern. "Did that make you hurt more?"
He beamed. "Nope. I feel great. Ash says I'll be walking again this time next year."
His mother winced as if the thought made her ache. "Oh baby . . . you know what the doctors think."
Toby lifted his chin. "I believe Ash. He says I'll be walking and I will. Just watch and see."
Tory smiled at the little guy. "That's the spirit."
Toby took her hand while they watched the rest of the game and cheered for his brother Zack.
When the game ended, Talon grabbed a ball to shoot again.
Ash scoffed at him. "Stop embarrassing the gene pool, Celt."
"Shut-up, T-Rex." He shot and missed.
Ash came to stand in front of Toby, arms akimbo. "Ready, squirt?"
"Ready."
Ash picked him up and looked at Tory. "You know how to play?"
"It's been a while, but yeah."
His grin taunted her. "Want to join us for a game?"
"Love to."
Talon handed her the ball as he came to sit beside Sunshine and drink some water. "I'm tired of being laughed at. Go avenge me."
Tory took her jacket off before she bounced the ball on the floor. Ash held Toby to his chest. "All right, Toby, let's annihilate the kyria."
Toby frowned. "Kyria?"
"Lady."
"Oh. Okay."
Tory feigned left and twisted around them as she ran at a basket. She was almost to it when Toby grabbed the ball and Ash put him up on his shoulders. Shouting in glory, Toby shot it at the basket and scored.
"And the crowd goes wild. Ahhhhh," Ash mocked the sound of cheering fans.
"Hey Ash?" Zack asked, running up to them. "Can I dunk one too?"
"Sure." He held Toby out to Tory who took the boy. He wrapped his little arms around her neck and made her melt while Ash grabbed his brother and put him up on his shoulders.
Zack dunked the ball and held his hands up in triumph while he bounced on Ash's shoulders.
Trish came forward, shaking her head at them. "Okay boys, tell Ash thank you, but it's time for us to go and let the next team have the court."
Toby pouted like a pro.
"Aw, mom," Zack whined as Ash set him on his feet.
Then Ash took Toby from her arms and carried him back to his wheelchair. "Don't worry, squirt. We'll beat Zack in a couple of weeks when I'm back in town."