One True Theory of Love

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Authors: Laura Fitzgerald
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winced in worry. She had a feeling things would not end well.
    “All the way, Henry!” Ahmed shouted. “Take it all the way!”
    “Pass it!” yelled Coach Debbie. “Pass to Bradley!”
    Meg could see Henry’s confusion.
    “Pass to Bradley.”
    Henry passed to Bradley. Meg flinched as Bradley blocked the ball with his arms. Would this kid never learn?
    “What’s he doing ?” Ahmed said. “What’s he touching the ball for?” He shook his head. “This is crazy. He’s old enough to know better.”
    Henry’s face had turned cold white. He ducked his head as he tried and failed to shake off his anger. And then the moment turned slow motion in the most horrible of ways as he charged across the field.
    Toward Bradley.
    While Meg froze in absolute horror, Ahmed jumped up and waved wildly to get Henry’s attention. “Henry, no! Stop! Henry!”
    There was a horrible thud when Henry knocked Bradley to the ground.
    Catherine reached the boys first, grabbed Henry’s arm, and hauled him off her son. “What’s wrong with you? Don’t you have any self-control?”
    The referee raced to intervene, as did Coach Debbie and Meg and Ahmed. Ahmed arrived first.
    “Your kid’s out of control!” Catherine hissed and shoved Henry to him.
    Meanwhile, Meg arrived and pulled Henry close. The poor kid was shaking. Ahmed let Catherine’s incorrect assumption about his relationship to Henry stand and instead of answering her turned to Bradley, who remained sitting on the ground, flanked by a half-circle of players. Bradley was watching his mother in frightened awe.
    Ahmed offered a hand to help Bradley to his feet. “Are you okay?”
    “Yeah.” Bradley brushed himself off. “He shouldn’t’ve done that, though.” He walked over to Henry and abruptly punched him in the arm. That set Henry off again.
    “Why do you keep messing up?” Henry yelled. “You’re not supposed to catch the ball!”
    “I didn’t mean to!” Bradley said. “I can’t help it!”
    “Yes, you can!” Henry yelled. “You need to get it right!”
    “Enough, boys! Henry, enough.” Meg turned to the referee. “What happens now?”
    “He should be kicked out of the league!” Catherine said.
    “That’s enough from you, too,” Meg snapped at her. “Try being decent for a change.” She sensed Ahmed’s discomfort, but he remained silent beside her.
    The referee ejected Henry from the game and asked that they leave the park. The three of them left the field together, with Henry in the middle and Meg hugely embarrassed. They paused to collect their things and then continued on their conspicuous walk of shame. After they were a good distance from the rest of the team, Ahmed stopped and turned Henry by the shoulders so they faced each other. “Are you okay?” he asked.
    Henry’s eyes glistened as he nodded.
    “There’s this Persian saying I want to tell you,” Ahmed said. “ ‘If you want a rose, you’ve got to respect the thorns.’ Do you know what that means?”
    Henry sniffed and shook his head.
    “It means that if you want Bradley to be a good player and someone you can pass to, you should respect the fact that he needs help to get better,” Ahmed said. “I was on the sidelines getting really upset with him myself, but then when I was over by him, I felt bad for him, because it sounds like he really wants to get better but doesn’t have anyone to help him. Did you have that same sense?”
    As Henry nodded, Meg was delighted to see actual sympathy in his eyes.
    “Maybe you can be the one who helps Bradley,” Ahmed suggested.
    “Could you help him, too?” Henry’s voice came out raspy, as if he were afraid Ahmed would say no.
    Ahmed glanced at Meg before answering. “How about I give you some tips and tricks that you can then use to help him? Would that work?”
    Henry nodded and latched on gratefully to the decency in Ahmed’s eyes. Ahmed’s return look was fatherly, and seeing it, Meg was struck with a longing she thought

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