Page 142 of Keeping Score

That was the thing about my job that I never really got. People screamed my name, wanted pictures of me, wore my name on their backs.

And I was just, me.

It never really made any sense to me.

“We’re sorry to bother you,” Mr. Reilly said, profusely apologetic. “We saw the chaos that happened back there. That wasn’t right.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I told him. “Not your fault.”

But I knew for sure, I was never going to walk past any kid again who wanted to say to me again. No matter how shitty a day was, what was a minute of my time compared to a moment they might cherish forever.

Just because I played a silly game.

I got it. Believe me I got it. I’d had heroes of my own back as a kid. It wasn’t until a few years into my career that I realized—they were just normal people, who happened to make their livelihood off of a game that for some reason was a multi-billion-dollar enterprise.

“I just wanted to give them a great night.” I heard him tell Maggie. “They love hockey. And I—well, I just wanted them to have a good night with me.”

“Hey, do you guys want to take a picture?” I asked, trying to give them something they might really remember.

“Yes!” They both bounced in unison.

I grinned at their excitement, feeling it wash away the sour mood I’d been in. It was impossible to be upset when there were kids in the world who got so excited over the most mundane of things, even when the circumstances in their lives were undoubtedly shitty.

Maggie and Liam had been just like these two kids, I thought.

“Hey Mags,” I called out, “will you take a picture of the four of us?”

“You sure you want an old eyesore like me in the photo?” Mr. Reilly laughed.

“Yes, Daddy!” The little girl said, dragging his hand to come stand beside us.

“Yeah, Dad.” The older brother agreed. “You gotta!”

Maggie grinned, staring at the family with a sense of contentment as she slipped her phone out to snap the photo.

“Here,” she said, “I’m going to take a few.”

She clicked away, calling out, “now do a silly face!”

We all did, the kids giggling as they stuck their tongues out, faces scrunched up in amusement.

“Thank you, Mr. Callahan.” The man said, and then turned to Maggie with something akin to admiration in his eyes. I knew because I looked at her like that, myself. “And thank you, Ms. Brynn. For everything you do.”

Maggie waved it off, but I saw her eyes getting misty.

This client meant something to her. His case, his kids. They were important. Which meant they were important to me by extension, because there wasn’t a thing Maggie Brynn cared about that I didn’t.

That’s just what happened when you loved someone.

And I knew that these people were lucky, because once Maggie decided to go to bat for someone, there wasn’t a force in the world that could stop her.

“I’ll see you for our meeting next week?” She said to Mr. Reilly, and he confirmed with a nod.

“Kids, say thank you.” He instructed, and once they did, they set off, the kids skipping all the way out.

“Thanks for that.” She said, coming to stand beside me.

“For?” I smirked down at her.