Love's Sporting Chance: Volume 1: 6 Romantic sporting novellas

by Janice Thompson

  Rose was sent home to rest for a week; not to do anything strenuous and definitely not to go to the ball field.

  Rose’s father had come home early from work and looked concerned as he helped her up the stairs. “Thanks for bringing her home.” He smiled at Baxter. “I’m sure she’ll be all right.”

  “Glad I was there,” Baxter said.

  Dorothy stood in the background, her face looking grim.

  Rose felt happy as her father tucked her in and gave her two plump pillows to rest on. “Here is a bell to ring if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, Daddy.”

  Baxter came to the house the next day and brought Rose a bouquet of carnations. “You’re looking good, except for that nasty bump.”

  It seemed strange to see Rose in her home. He was used to the stadium, the bleachers, watching while she urged the players on. Here she was quiet as she lay against the pillow.

  “So glad you came, Baxter. I didn’t expect it, but it’s nice to see your smiling face.”

  He laughed. “My smiling face? That’s funny.”

  “It means a lot to me.”

  Rose was not a good patient. If she could just do something besides read or watch TV. All boring. Dorothy brought huge trays of food, insisting she eat every bite of the Shepherd Pie.

  “I’m going to come downstairs and get my own food,” Rose said the third morning.

  “Whatever.”

  Rose hated the living room. One of the first things Dorothy did was buy a new flowered sofa. She’d also brought a dining room table and chairs so the set that had been in the dining room were given away. Rose didn’t like the straight back chairs.

  Finally Rose could leave the house. When she got to the ball field, she saw Coach Andrews who directed her team.

  “Hey, how are you, Rose? Your head looks better.”

  “I’m fine, Coach. Really.”

  He put his foot up on the first row of the bleacher. “Been thinking and want to pose this to you. Think before you answer.”

  Rose nodded. What was he talking about?

  “You know the Black Cats?”

  “Of course.”

  “Their coach is moving. You’d be a natural for that job. Whatcha think?”

  Her breath came out in short gasps. A coaching job? She’d never even dreamed

  about it.

  “I think I could do it.”

  “Oh, I know you could, but can you take the time? I heard you were going back to school.”

  “No, sir. Going to get a job, but I want to do this. If you need me, I’ll be here.”

  “Good. Now where is that guy who is our groundskeeper?”

  Baxter works out of town a lot. I can probably do his job while he’s gone.”

  “Such a nice young man.”

  “I know.” She felt her cheeks flush.

  After coach left, Rose sat on the bleachers. She felt like jumping up and dancing around.. She believed that God answered prayers that hadn’t even be spoken. This was one such example. If only she could tell her mother. Rose looked skyward. “Mom, I’m going to be a coach. If you were here, you’d probably come to see how I do.”

  She could tell her dad, but he’d probably say, no, that he didn’t want her anywhere near the ball field. She wouldn’t say anything - not yet. Rose couldn’t wait to tell Baxter. He’d be happy for her.

  Rose started walking home and then remembered she’d brought the car. Feeling silly, she walked back. Maybe she’d go down to the ice cream place. This was certainly an occasion to celebrate. A double malt would do nicely. So what if it was close to dinnertime? She’d make herself eat when she got home.

  Rose sipped the malt, again wishing Baxter was here. As if an answer to her wish, the door opened and Baxter waved. He ordered something from the counter and then came to sit.

  “You’ll never guess what happened,” Rose said.

  “No. So just tell me.”

  “I was asked to coach the Black Cats.”

  “Really?”

  Rose nodded. “ Their coach is moving, so they need someone right away.”

  “You’ll do a great job.” Baxter held up his hand for a high five. “That’s the best news.”

  “I start next week, but I’m going to get the team together before that.”

  Chapter Four

  That next Monday Rose met the players at the field. She’d called the night before and only one - Lolly - couldn’t come. It was funny, because Lolly needed the practice the most. Rose would find a way to help her. She had to.

  The first baseman was up to bat and Rose hollered out. “Take your time! Look at the ball!”

  It seemed to be the most important. Some batters were impatient and swung at anything.

  “I know, I know,” Cindy said. “I’ll take my time.”

  “I know this is a practice game, but we’re pretending it’s the real thing.”

  Cindy sent the third pitch swimming out over the left fielder. Rose was on her feet.

  “Run, Cindy! You can make it to second base.” Even as she said it she was remembering the time she didn’t make it.

  Baxter leaned over and patted her back. “You are going to be the top coach. I can see it now.”

  “Well thanks, Baxter.”

  “When is the game?”

  “Next Saturday at two. But we’ll practice again. They know me, so that’ll be an easy transition.”

  He nodded. “I’ll be here.”

  Two days later Lolly came to the practice. She stood at the plate, lifting her bat high, her eye focused on the ball coming. She used to get strikes immediately, but now she got an occasional hit. Running to first base seemed to be difficult and Rose didn’t understand that. Was she fearful of being put out and didn’t even want to try? She had asked her father about it. Even though he never came to the games, she knew he had a lot of knowledge from going to her mother’s games over the years.

  “I think it is fear that rules her,” her father said. “If you could get her beyond that, it might work. Of course,” he hesitated, “knowing how to do that is the difficult part. I suggest you work with her before games or after, if she has time to stay.”

  “If we’re the last team to play, that would work. I could even drive her home.”

  Rose thought there was more to Lolly than she would ever know. She lacked confidence, and that was hard to deal with. Rose had to be positive. No looking back at the past, but forging ahead to a brighter future for the tall, thin girl. Lolly was the tallest girl on the team, but she slumped over, as if trying to hide the fact.

  At the end of the practice, and every girl had hit at least one ball and made it to first base, Rose approached Lolly who just happened to be the last one to leave the dugout.

  “Lolly, can you stay longer, or must you be at home?”

  Lolly shrugged. “Mama works until eight.”

  “Your Daddy ?”

  Lolly’s face twisted into a frown. “He’s gone. And my little sister goes to a friend’s house, so I’m on my own.”

  “Good. We’re going to get ice cream and talk a bit, if that’s okay.”

  Her eyes lit up.” I love ice cream, Miss Rose.”

  Rose had to laugh. She had gone from being called “Coach” to “Rose,” and now “Miss Rose.”

  Five minutes later they were at the ice cream shack and Rose told Lolly to pick her favorite flavor.

  “It’s chocolate!”

  “That makes two double chocolate cones,” Rose told don, the cashier.

  “How’s the team doing?” he asked.

  Rose put a hand up. “We just got started, but I’m looking for a win on Saturday. And this is Lolly one of my star players.” It was a stretch of the imagination, but she saw Lolly smile and it made her day.

  Rose decided to hit the subject immediately. She watched Lolly attack the ice cream as it if were the first time she’d had one.

  “I’d like to work with you on the field, Lolly. Maybe only five minu
tes, but if you could come early, it would be enough time.”

  Rose already knew what she was aiming for. If Lolly struck out or didn’t make it to first base. It ruined the whole game for her. She seemed to be able to catch the ball in left field, but it was the time at bat and running the bases that Rose would work on.

  “It’s not about what you can’t do, but what you can,” her coach used to say.. This is going to take time, “Hang in there. Repeat things several times. We all have potential. That’s how God made us. It just takes more time for some to know that.”

  Lolly finished her cone quickly. Rose still had half of hers, as they headed back to the field “So, the one thing I want you to say before you come up to bat. When you’re in the batting circle, say repeatedly, I’m going to hit the ball, I’m going to hit the ball. Can you do that?

  Lolly wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I say that sometimes.”

  “Good.” Lolly pitched a few balls, making comments. Was this enough for one day? It seemed like one thing at a time was the answer.

  “I’ll take you home now.”

  Lolly stood. “No, Miss Rose. I can go home by myself. Honest.” “I don’t mind.”

  “No.” Lolly was insistent.

  Rose watched as she walked eastward. She could have followed her, but that wouldn’t have been good. She thought about it as she headed home. Was she ashamed of her house? Maybe it was rundown. There were a few homes in the area like that. One had a yard that was never mowed and there was all kinds of junk everywhere.

  Rose headed for home. Dinner was almost ready to put on the table. Dorothy looked up. “You’re later than usual. I decided to wait a few more minutes.”

  “Not necessary,” Rose said. But it didn’t matter. Dorothy had her way of doing things. Always would.

  Rose set the table, her mind rehashing Lolly and the short time they’d had together. She hoped it helped.

  Later as Rose was in her bedroom, she wondered what sort of bedroom Lolly had. Maybe she shared it with her sister. That would be okay. Rose had always wanted a sister. She lay back on the fluffed up pillow and thought of her life. How fortunate she had been to have parents who loved her, how she’d attended Sunday school since she could remember and later the Youth group. You couldn’t have it much better than she had. She knew Lolly did not have it easy. they must be poor. Her clothes showed that. The softball uniform looked good, much better than what she usually wore. Some kids had it tough. Rose had problems now. It was as if her house wasn’t hers anymore. For that reason she was going to move out. It seemed to be the only way. She’d put off college classes for another year, get a job and share an apartment with someone.

  Chapter Five

  Baxter returned the next day. He’d been out of town again. He came to her house - only the second time he’d done that. She knew it must make him uncomfortable, though he never said so. She had things to tell him and was eager to spend time with him, but not here. Not with Dorothy in the background listening to everything said. Going to her bedroom was the biggest no-no ever.

  She stepped out onto the porch. “Do you have time to go get lunch?”

  He took her hand and she felt the pressure. “Yes. Lunch sounds good. My treat.”

  “Of course. Let me get my jacket.”

  She rushed to the coat rack and out the door, telling Dorothy they were going out to eat.

  “Missed you,” he said as she got into the car.

  “That’s nice to know.” She touched his shoulder. “I have lots of thing to tell you.”

  “And I to you.”

  He headed toward the small downtown area. There weren’t many choices and neither really liked fast food. You felt like you had to eat fast and this wasn’t the day for that.

  After finding a booth in the back and ordering, Baxter pointed at Rose. “Girls first.”

  She laughed. “Well, I am definitely moving out. I heard of an apartment that will be vacant in three weeks.”

  “That was quick.”

  “Yes. Just can’t handle it at home anymore. Dorothy thinks it’s my road to destruction.”

  “Ha! That’s a good one.”

  “Waiting a year for college, or maybe go at mid-term. Just depends.”

  “You have a job?”

  “Not yet, but I’m looking. Thank goodness for my savings account.”

  Rose pointed. “Your turn”

  “Looks like I might be moving. My company is opening a branch in Southern California and they want me to head it up.”

  Her heart took a turn. “Really?”

  “Either that or find a new job.”

  “I can see why you feel that way.” She wanted to say how much she’d miss him, but held back. Rose used to talk and then think. She’d turned that around after getting the coaching job.

  “I don’t know how to say this, Rose, but I don’t want to leave here - leave you.”

  There it was out. He said what she wanted to say.

  “I don’t want you to leave, but understand. What about Lenny?”

  “He’ll go with.”

  Rose stirred her chicken noodle soup. Somehow she didn’t care about eating now.

  “Was thinking about softball in California. It’s a long ways to go, but you could play most of the year. Wouldn’t that be good?” Baxter asked. “Especially if you’re going to move anyway.”

  “I don’t think I want to move that far away.”

  “Eight hundred miles isn’t that far, yet I understand your hesitation.”

  Rose nodded. She had a huge lump in her throat and was afraid she’d choke if she tried to answer.

  “I can come back here to see you.”

  “That’s too far to come often.” Not as often as I’d want to see you, she wanted to say.

  “I know.” He reached across the table. “We have a few weeks to think about it.”

  Rose nodded. “Right now I can only think about the Saturday game coming up. Hope you understand.”

  “Of course.”

  Saturday there would be two games playing, with Rose’s being the first.

  “I’ll see you before ten?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Rose had never had a serious boyfriend before and she couldn’t say this was serious, yet it was beginning to feel that way.

  Rose sighed. “I’d rather be playing, but since I can’t catch, this is the next best thing.”

  Baxter paused and tilted her chin just a little. “I like being with you, Rose. I think you know that.”

  She smiled. “I do. And the feeling is mutual.”

  Rose lingered at her car, already knowing she would be late to dinner. But being with Baxter was important.

  “Hey,” Baxter said. “You want to go to Ducky’s to get a drink or a bite to eat? We could share an order of French fries.”

  “Yeah, that sounds great.” She might as well be a lot late; it wouldn’t matter to Dorothy. She’d be mad no matter what.

  Rose drove the five blocks to the popular drive-in. It was the only drive-in here in town.

  “Shall we share a hamburger, too?”

  Baxter nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

  They talked and ate and talked some more. Rose looked at her watch. Six o’clock. That meant double trouble. Dinner would be over and Dorothy just might have to clear the table. Still she didn’t want to push her luck. If Dorothy had her way, Rose would be grounded.

  “Hey, I gotta get home. I mean there is mad and then there’s MAD.” You know how my stepmom is.”

  “Sorry about that.”

  Rose shrugged. “There’s not a lot I can do about it. Everything Dorothy does is fine with my dad. I know the apartment is the solution. If you’d ever lived with a stepmother, you’d understand.”

  He smiled as he reached for her hand. “No, can’t say that I have, but I can imagine it.”

  Baxter wished he could help. Who wouldn’t want to help a girl like Rose? She put her heart into softball; that was obvious. Wh
y hadn’t the foul ball hit him? Hadn’t Rose gone through enough with the ankle injury and now this head problem? He’d never been one to go out for sports, though he’d wanted to. He was needed at home. Here he was now watching softball games every chance he had. And then volunteering to be groundskeeper. Why not? It gave him pleasure to know he could help in this way.

  Baxter wondered how Rose would explain the coaching job. It was definitely safer, but would her father approve? He already knew that Dorothy wouldn’t. Lots of people had to put up with such things. He admired Rose for keeping her head held high, her spirits up.

  He would be a positive force in her life. It was the one thing he could do. He had to do.

  Rose found it hard to believe that Baxter had not gone out for sports, but when duty calls, a big brother must go straight home from school to care for a younger sibling.

  ~

  Rose watched the Black Cats file into the dugout. This would be their first game after she started coaching.

  “I know you will possibly miss Coach Peterson as I’m sure he will miss all of you. I will keep in touch with him, if possible, to let him know how you are doing.”

  Rose looked from one end of the bench to the other. “Winning is what it’s all about. It’s what we reach for. So put forth your best effort to win, but if you lose, you can hold your head high and know you did your best. If I see someone not paying attention, I’ll call them on it.”

  The girls all looked so serious, Rose laughed then. “I meant what I said, and I know you realize that, but sometimes it’s beyond our means.” She held her hands up and they all grabbed the person next to them.

  “Ooh rah!” Rose said.

  “What does that mean? one girl asked.

  It was a Marine saying, but one she’d remembered from the days an uncle had been in the service. There were lots of Oorah occasions. She knew she needed to explain. “My uncle died in combat, but I can still hear him saying, “Oorah “

  The team held their hands high and repeated the saying.

  “You’re ready to play. You’re ready to win.”

  “And win you will!” a voice shouted from the stands.

  Baxter. Rose laughed. She hadn’t seen him come, but the good feeling swept over her. And if she remembered right. Aunt Bee would come to this game.