It was the second inning when Rose heard the familiar voice.
Rose felt confident she was a good coach. The team had the spirit and went out to win.
She pulled her hair back and tied it with a rubber band. She noticed the bleachers were all but deserted. Softball – even fast pitch - wasn’t the one people chose to watch. The field had four diamonds – one was for Little League baseball team. Another baseball team was boys in senior high.
The ump waved from his position behind home plate.
The Coasters had the bases loaded in the second inning. It didn’t look good.
Even though her ankle throbbed, Rose jumped up when the throw was close; jumped when three strikes were called. She’d never have softball out of her system. she could see herself coaching when she had silver hair.
Rose sat back down, nearly knocking over her bottle of water. Why was her team losing? Rose still cheered the team on. Baxter was cheering also and she was glad he was here. She liked everything about him. Rose’s ankle was puffy and more swollen than usual. If Rose stood on it too long, she had a problem. She soaked it at night and often wore an Ace bandage during the day. She’d forgotten to wear it this afternoon. Somehow she wondered if she’d ever get over the fact that she would never run on it again, nor could she bend down as catchers did. This part of her life was over.
The Black Cats were up to bat. The team huddled before the inning started. “We can win.” Rose said. “Keep your mind and eye on the ball.” The best hitter was up to bat first. She would set the whole inning. Get a good hit and the rest would do likewise. Rose had seen it happen more than once.
“Let’s go now!” Rose shouted. “You can do it.”
A few of the girls on the Coaster team glanced at her and one shook her head.
The Black Cats had the bases loaded, but all it would take would be a ground ball to first
base and there would be two outs. End of game. She hoped Marly would hit it out to the fence. A homerun would be the answer. But the ball went right to the short stop and the inning was over. They’d lost. How crushing.
Rose began wondering about the coaching job. She was young. Inexperienced. Not in the game of softball, but in how to handle situations. How to keep the morale and team spirit high. So they lost. They had to put that behind them and forge on. She had to convey that. Surely she could.
Rose thought about Lolly and her reluctance to play. Rose had never experienced that. Her mother played and she knew she would play as soon as she could. There’d never been a doubt. She could hit, catch the ball, run like someone was after her. Now to keep the team going. The one regret was that her mother couldn’t be here to see it. She was there in spirit, though. Rose knew that from the bottom of her heart.
“Mom, I did it for you.”
If only her father would come to the next game.
Then one late afternoon Rose saw him jaunting across the field. She waved and ran to greet him.
“Dad! You came to see me coach?”
He smiled. “That I did.”
Rose hugged him hard. “I’m so glad. We’ll be up and playing in ten minutes.”
“I can’t stay. Dorothy is off shopping. Usually takes her an hour. I begged off, saying I didn’t feel like going, so have to get back to the house before she gets there.”
So it was the same. It wouldn’t change. What made her think it ever would? Still he was here and she had to be happy about that.
Rose got the high sign from her father. Three more hits; two runners made it to home to put them ahead. She was so busy coaching she didn’t notice that her father hadn’t left. That was strange. At the end of the 5th he was still watching. By then Baxter came over and she introduced them.
“Baxter is my cheerleading team,” she said proudly. “And this is my father.”
The two men shook and sat back down. Her father had gone to buy a hot dog and came back with popcorn, too.
Ten minutes later Rose’s father left. “Good coaching job!” he called out.
Rose was so happy he’d come for part of the game. Maybe he’d come again.
Chapter Six
“Baxter!”
He jumped. Nobody but Rose knew his name. It was Baxter’s brother Lenny. Standing at the bottom of the bleachers, his arms crossed. “At least I know where to find you these days.”
“What’s wrong?” He could envision the kitchen on fire or some other ridiculous
“Your boss called. Aren’t you answering your cell phone?”
Baxter laughed. “Think I left it in my jacket in the car. So how did you know?”
“Apparently you gave him my cell phone number.” Baxter hurried down the rows of aluminum seats.
“Hey, Rose, be back in a second.”
“Not hardly,” Lenny said. “He might want you to go to work.”
“Not at 6pm.”
“Who is this Rose?”
“A good friend.”
“Yeah, I could see that.”
They arrived at the driveway. “Did Candy find you?”
“Oh, yeah, she sure did.”
“And?” His brother punched his arm. “Details, please.”
Baxter shook his head. He didn’t want to think about it.
“I said we were through. It was her decision, if you recall.”
“I know, but she is pretty insistent.”
Baxter unlocked his driver’s door and grabbed his jacket. Two calls from the boss. “Candy thinks she is going to change my mind.”
“She just might.”
Baxter decided to ignore his brother. He could be a real pain sometime. He turned away and dialed the number.
“We need you to go to Boise next week,” Mr. Weathers said. “The regular guy that covers that area is in the hospital – heart trouble of some kind.”
“Oh, no.”
“So, if you can get over there tomorrow early, that would be great.”
“How about my regular schedule?”
I’ve postponed; they were fine with that.”
Baxter hung up. So much for spending time with Rose. He’d have to pack tonight and leave at o-dark thirty.
“Have to go to Boise, so you’re on your own.”
Lenny just shrugged. “I’ve got some spaghetti sauce cooking, in case you’re interested?”
Baxter laughed. “As if you didn’t know the answer to that question. Say, could I invite Rose to join us?”
“Sure, bro. It’ll be ready in an hour or so.”
“Good. I can get stuff packed. I’ll run over and see if she can come. He knew how her mother was about dinner, but it sounded like they were not speaking, anyway.
Rose was cheering the runner as she ran to third base. The Black Cats were ahead.
“Have an invitation for you for tonight’s dinner.”
“And the call?”
“Have to leave for work super early. Will be gone all week doing someone else’s job. It’s okay. I’ve done it more than once.”
“I’ll call Dorothy. She won’t be happy, but she’s angry with me right now, as I already told you.”
“I do want to stay until the end of the game.”
“What inning is it?”
“Two more to go; shouldn’t take long.”
“Perfect.” He sat down for a minute. “It’s spaghetti, my brother’s specialty. Do you like it?”
“Are you kidding? Who doesn’t like spaghetti?”
“I’ve got to go pack. Just come over when the game is finished.”
She nodded as she was talking to her step mom.
Rose was happy that Baxter had invited her over to his house. It would be a fun evening. Her step mom would have to understand about dinner.
Just when Rose thought the game was won, the Lady Eagles got a homerun with a runner on base. There went the lead. With one more up, they didn’t have a chance. They got one hit and then strike-outs. The game was over. One loss. Rose couldn’t be down. Next game would be better. She spoke t
o the team, telling them the good points. “We did our best, Next game we win!”
Rose went home to put on something dressy. When she entered the house, she smelled barbecue. Probably burgers tonight.
“Hi,” she said, looking into the kitchen.
“Hi, yourself.” The tone was clipped, meaning she was still annoyed.
“I don’t like it when you call at the last minute—”
“I know, but Baxter invited me over for spaghetti. Would have told you sooner, if I’d known.”
Dorothy said nothing. The silent treatment.
“I looked at some apartments this afternoon. “I’d like your opinion.”
Her stepmother shook her head. “It’s a big mistake and you know it.”
“I’m not a little kid anymore. I’m 18. Please understand that.”
When Dorothy didn’t respond, Rose left the kitchen and hurried up the stairs. This, too, would pass. But it would be bad for a few days.
She slipped into a pair of fancy jeans and a yellow top. She was looking forward to tonight and getting to know Baxter better and Lenny, too.
Rose turned and saw the bed covers on the floor. Oh, no.
Rose’s stepmother would tear the bed apart if she didn’t make it before going to school. She was angry. And Rose would have to smile and bear it. She had no other choice. She was so ready to move out.
Rose paused for a moment, looking at the photo of last year’s softball team. She was proud of the team and they had won the championship. Then the final game is when she had run to second base and somehow turned her ankle. If she could only take it all back and just stay at first base. But one can’t change things that have happened. She’d learned that a long time ago.
Rose had all kinds of softball mementoes for the past six years. Rose enjoyed sports; all sports. Her junior and senior year she’d played water polo and the school had won the competition. Before that it had been volleyball and way back in grade school days, she’d played soccer. Various photos covered her walls. She used to think she should take the photos down, but one day she would marry, have children and she’d want to encourage them to go out for sports and maybe her pictures would help them with the decision.
Rose’s father entered the house as she came down the steps.
“Hey, you look like you’re going somewhere.”
“She’s going to that fella’s house that was at the hospital,” her mother called from the kitchen.
“His brother will be there, too. He’s the one cooking the spaghetti.”
“Ah, spaghetti,” her father said. “I might come along.”
It was the wrong thing to say. Dorothy came into the living room, hands on her hips.
“We’re having barbecue tonight and you know how you like that!”
“I’m leaving now,” Rose said, opening the door and slipping out while her father tried to defend himself. It was times like this that she knew she was making the right decision to leave.
Rose hopped into her car and tried to smile. Why did Dorothy make things so difficult? She’d never understand it.
~
Candy arrived early. She breezed in as if nothing was wrong, as if she and Baxter were still dating. He thought of the conversation they’d had last week, how she wanted to see him again. He had reminded her that it was her idea to break up. Now she wanted to forget that. But he couldn’t and now he liked Rose.
“Baxter thank you for having me over for dinner.” Candy leaned over and kissed his cheek.
“It was Lenny who invited you, not me.”
“You can be his date tonight.”
“What!” Candy shrieked. “That isn’t even funny.”
Lenny came out of the kitchen. “Will you two get along tonight – as friends would?”
Candy laughed at that. “We’re just discussing things. Now, what can I do, little bro?”
“Set the table. Baxter’s doing the French bread.”
“Say,” Candy said, “what’s with the softball games? Are you going to play?”
“No, I help as groundskeeper, which reminds me, I’m supposed to be doing that when the game is over. Just noticed the kids were coming in from the field.”
“Here.” He handed the knife and butter to Candy. “Get this in and I’ll be back in less than thirty minutes.”
“Well, you can’t do that,” Candy started to say, but Lenny said it was fine. He’d do whatever needed to be done while the spaghetti sauce simmered.
Chapter Seven
Rose drove by the ball field and was surprised to see some kids practicing. Then she saw Baxter racing across the field. Had he forgotten his job? Maybe she could go help.
“Hey,” she called out, hurrying over to the dugout. “I’ll get the base bags.”
“Do I have to pay you?” Baxter called out.
“You are already by having me over for dinner.”
“Okay, it’s a deal.”
Soon everything was put away and the door locked.
“Let’s go get some spaghetti,” he said, taking her hand suddenly. “You got all dressed up. Didn’t need to do that..”
She smiled. “Just wanted to.”
“There’s an old friend of mine at dinner tonight. Lenny invited her. I sure wouldn’t have. Her name is Candy. Let me warn you ahead of time, she’ll ask you a thousand questions about who you are and what you do and why you are there tonight.”
Rose laughed. “I don’t mind. Really I don’t.”
As they walked up the sidewalk, the front door opened and Candy stepped out “Hey, you must be Rose. Heard all about you.”
Baxter held his sigh in, but knew his face showed his disgust. “Yeah, well, now you’ll know even more. Did you get the bread in the oven?”
“Of course. And Lenny set the table.”
“I have to do something,” Rose said then. “I always help.”
“You can do the dishes,” Candy said. “That’s the worst part.”
“We’ll both do them,” Baxter said. “No problem.”
The table was set with the best china, cloth napkins and a bouquet of daisies sat in the middle.
“That’s Lenny,” Baxter explained. “He’s always been the cook of the family and he’s particular about everything when we have company.”
“I like to have company and set a nice table,” Rose said.
“How did you get into baseball?” Candy asked as they sat across from each other.
“It’s softball,” Rose said.
“And that’s how you got that huge bruise on your forehead?”
Rose nodded. “Yes. The ball came right into the stands and got me.”
Small concussion,” Baxter said. “That’s the good part.”
Just as Lenny started to pass the pasta, Rose held her hand up. “I hope you don’t mind if I say the blessing.”
Silence entered the room, and finally Lenny spoke. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
Candy had a smirky smile on her face.
“Well, that was different.”
“And nice,” Baxter said. “We used to always have a blessing when Mom was alive.”
Rose “I’m sorry about your mother.”
“Yes, well, these things happen.”
“Let’s talk about something pleasant,” Candy said. “I’m just so glad to be back in the fold again.”
“The fold?” Rose asked.
Baxter wanted to pound the table, but what good would that do?
“You know,” Candy gestured with her fork. “Part of Baxter’s life again.”
“Now just a minute, Candy. We had a talk earlier today. Guess you forgot.”
Lenny banked his knife on the table. “This food is to be enjoyed and problems can be discussed later.”
“Oh, I couldn’t agree more,” Baxter said. “By the way, Bro, the sauce is better than ever.”
All agreed on that. Lenny just beamed. “Been making spaghetti for the past ten years. Don’t make anything else special. Suppose I
could learn.”
“I cook, too,” Baxter said. “Guess my specialty is the famous Hamburger Casserole.”
“And it’s good,” Candy said.
“Let’s play a game tonight,” Lenny suggested. “Maybe Scrabble or Monopoly.”
“It’s a deal after we do the dishes,” Rose said. “I like games.”
Baxter smiled. At least she’d be staying longer than he’d expected. Now if Candy would just behave and not say anything insulting. She was so good at it
After the dishes were done and the game was set up to play, Candy asked Rose how long she’d known Baxter.
“Just a few weeks,” Rose answered. “We met at a softball game.”
“Yeah, I understood that.” She shrugged. “I’ve known him for two years.”
“Good for you,” Rose said.
“Let’s play,” Lenny said.
Candy talked the whole time they played. Everyone else was concentrating on the game. Baxter wished, oh, how he wished she’d not come. It was ending up to be an
unpleasant evening.
Candy was the first to leave.
“Have to get up early for my job,” she explained. “Of course you didn’t even ask me about it, Baxter. Quite obviously you don’t care anymore. And then she was out the door.
“She didn’t even thank you for the spaghetti,” Baxter said.
Lenny pushed his chair back. “That’s okay. That’s just how Candy is.”
Lenny went off to his bedroom.
Rose looked at her watch. “I suppose I should go, too.”
Baxter stood in front of her. “Don’t go yet. We can play Boggle, or I have a couple of movies you might be interested in.”
Rose sat back down. “A movie might be nice, but didn’t you say you have to leave early in the morning?”
Baxter looked at his watch. “Up at six and out the door. I have two hours at least.
“Do you have anything about softball?”
“No, but I do about baseball. A League of Their Own did you ever see that?”
Rose nodded and smiled. “Many years ago now when it first came out. It helped me make the decision to play ball.”
An hour later, Baxter put the movie on pause and went to the kitchen to get some drinks.
Love's Sporting Chance: Volume 1: 6 Romantic sporting novellas Page 26
