I looked at Maya.
“I think we’ve been asking too much of you.”
She gave a small, uncertain smile.
“I thought maybe I was just taking too long.”
I shook my head.
“No. We need a better balance.”
Then she told me something that surprised me.
She hadn’t really wanted to quit soccer.
She’d stopped because her afternoons had become too crowded.
And she’d assumed the family needed her help more than she needed practice. PlanFamily Trips
I sat quietly for a moment.
I’d always believed Maya had simply lost interest in the sport.
I hadn’t realized she’d given up something she enjoyed to make more time for responsibilities at home.
“We’ll figure that out,” I promised.
She looked hopeful.
“Could I play again?”
“Of course. If that’s what you want.”
For the first time that evening, she smiled without hesitation.
Later, I called Kelly.
I told her what I’d
