This Way Home by Wes Moore

Author:Wes Moore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2015-11-09T16:00:00+00:00

IT TOOK DYLAN a full minute to pick the bits of gravel from his knees and elbows. But he toed the foul line with a big smile, waving and blowing kisses to his new and adoring fans.

Elijah patted him on the back. “You got this.”

“I know.” Dylan bounced the ball once and then buried his free throw. The final score at the ten-minute mark: sixteen to fourteen.

Elijah leaned back against the fence as Dylan and Michael were practically swallowed up by dozens waiting to shake hands and congratulate them. One man stepped from the crowd and waved to Elijah. He wore a white polo shirt with an orange Syracuse cap.

“Elijah,” he said. “I’m Sam Lehigh, from Syracuse University.”

“Hi.” Elijah didn’t believe it, but he shook the man’s hand anyway. It had to be a joke.

“Your coach, Bernie Walters, has been talking a lot about you.” Sam pointed to a nearby bench. “Can we sit for a minute?”

“Yes,” said Elijah. “I mean, yes, sir.”

—

THE WHOLE WAY HOME, Elijah studied Sam Lehigh’s business card. He turned it over and over, trying to find the flaw that would reveal it as a fake. But it was real enough. Across the front, orange-and-blue lettering said: Sam Lehigh, Recruiting, Syracuse University, Carmelo K. Anthony Center, Syracuse NY 13244. And on the back, a personal cell number.

“We’ll talk more after your game tomorrow,” Sam had said. “But call that number in the meantime if you or your mother have any questions I can answer.”

Elijah was nearly delirious with excitement when he burst through the front door. Syracuse University. His mother wouldn’t believe it. But he’d show her the business card, and she’d see. What she really wouldn’t believe was the fantasy he’d built up around his father coming to watch him play in the finals. A part of him knew it was childish, but hadn’t his mother said dreams were important? Well, this was his dream, and he was ready to make it come true.

—

HIS MOTHER SAT rigid at the kitchen table, hands folded primly on top of each other. She did not get up or look at him.

“What’s wrong?” Elijah dropped into a chair.

But she didn’t say anything. Instead, she shook her head from side to side.

“What’s the matter?” he said. “We won all three of our games today! That means we’re in the finals tomorrow.”

“You are not playing in any game tomorrow.”

“What are you talking about?” he said. “We won, Mom.”

“Oh, Elijah. How could you?”

He studied her face, trying to piece together what was wrong, what he’d done to disappoint her so much.

“I went with Dylan’s and Michael’s mother to watch you play,” she began. “We couldn’t get close enough because there were so many people, but they had a big TV set up by one of those news vans.”

His mind raced to find a connection—Dylan’s mother, one of the ESPN vans. Nothing. There was no connection.

“We got to see you and your friends on TV, playing. I was so proud, of course.”

She pulled a tissue from one of her pockets and dabbed at the corner of her eye.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.