((Sorry for the delay! ))

Coach James got in the driver’s side and closed the door behind him. He put his hands on the wheel and sat silently for a moment to steady himself before putting the key in the ignition and turning it. The car’s engine roared to life and he reached over to adjust the heat. ”Don’t mention it,” he said quietly, ”I was planning on heading there myself.” With Ellie’s dad not answering, someone would need to be there to help with the paperwork.

Putting the car in reverse, he backing out of the space and turned out onto the road. The car was unnaturally silent without the noise of the radio and after a few moments of awkward silence, Coach glanced over at Kevin. ”You really care about her, don’t you?” he asked, curious about the boy. Ellie almost never talked about her home life or school or friends with her. Usually the ice was the only place where she could put those worries to rest and he respected that but it didn’t stop him from wondering.