Head Over Heels by Gail Sattler Read Free Book Online Page A

on Jason’s shoulder. “How’s it going, Jason?”
    Jason turned and smiled up at him. “It would go better if you helped.” He motioned with his head toward the one empty chair. “We’ve got to have lots of stuff ready for the little kids to make sure they’re good and busy.”
    Russ stared in disbelief as the girls shuffled out of the way, making room for him at the last empty chair, and worse, obligating him to join them.
    One of the girls sighed as she slid one of the piles toward him. “I can’t believe that I’m spending Friday night cutting out colored paper.”
    â€œIt’s for a good cause,” Russ replied before anyone else could. If he had had someone to make him cut out paper circles on Friday nights, his youth would have been a lot different.
    To his surprise, the rest of the boys filtered over to the table and began cutting out shapes, though they remained standing. When they finished, Russ figured they had the biggest pile of shapes, miscellaneous circles, squares, rectangles and triangles, he’d ever seen, and they’d finished in record time.
    Marielle stood to address the group. “We did great.I think I’ll order pizza for those of you who are allowed to stay.”
    In any other group, Russ would have expected all the teens to cheer, or at least show some enthusiasm, but in this group, showing appreciation was probably a sign of weakness. All they did was shrug, and no one said a word. At that age he’d had exactly the same bad attitude, until he saw that appreciating someone’s extra effort was a way to get noticed by the right people, which ultimately helped him accomplish what he had to do. Still, he couldn’t help but feel that these kids should have been more appreciative—after all, they were being rewarded.
    â€œDo we get beer? It’s Friday night,” said a boy whose name Russ couldn’t remember.
    Marielle crossed her arms. “You know better than to ask that. First, you’re underage, and second, this is a church.”
    The boy grinned. “I had to try.”
    â€œNo, you didn’t. Now clean up and I’ll order. How many are staying?”
    Not a single teen raised a hand, which of course Russ had expected. Marielle made a count just on slight nods or head shakes, then stopped and looked straight at him. “What about you, Russ? You helped cut the shapes, so you’re invited to stay, too.”
    â€œMe?” He pressed one hand over his chest. “But…” He glanced around. The boys wouldn’t look at him, but a couple of the girls did, and he could see by their imploring expressions that they wanted him to stay. “Yes, but only under the condition that you let me help pay.”
    Her relief couldn’t have been more pronounced if she had a neon sign above her head. “That would be great. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back.”
    One of the girls approached him. “My brother once got his nose broken, except he couldn’t go to the doctor. He’s got a big bump now. Are you going to have a bump?”
    Russ raised one hand to the bandage still covering his nose. “Probably, but the doctor told me it would be minimal.” The bump he could handle. The doctor told him that while he was still out cold, they’d surgically straightened his nose, and because they’d done it right away, any permanent damage aside from the bump wouldn’t be noticeable. He was just required to keep the bandage on for ten days to brace his nose until it healed sufficiently. While the bandage was ugly, he knew the bruise beneath it was worse—plus his nose was still quite tender.
    If he had to say prayers, the one thing he was thankful for was the company’s extensive medical insurance, something he hadn’t had before he started working for Grant.
    While the pizza was being ordered, Russ returned to the computers, but