The text from Javier arrived at 6:17 AM, and Leo read it standing in his kitchen, coffee in one hand, toast in the other, his knee aching from the cold weather.
"Coach, I made the starting lineup. I'm playing opposite hitter. I'm the shortest guy on the court. Just like you taught me."
Leo stared at the screen. His heart swelled. His eyes were wet. He typed back: "That's my captain. Now go prove them wrong."
Javier: "I will, Coach. I promise."
Leo: "I know you will."
He put the phone down and looked out the window. The sun was rising. The sky was orange and red. Somewhere, across the state, Javier was warming up for his first college match. The kid who'd walked into the ghost gym with a secondhand ball and no idea what he was doing was now a starting opposite hitter for a collegiate p
