Best Family Ever

by Karen Kingsbury

  Kari seemed to shrivel up, like she was shrinking a bit more with every name the coach said. And then the woman took a big breath. “That’s it. If I didn’t read your name, you’ll be getting a call from Coach Brown in the Two-A Division. He’ll tell you when your practices start.”

  Her words blended together and landed like rain over Ashley. What had just happened? Kari wasn’t on the team? Ashley stared at the grass and then real fast she looked at Kari.

  Tears were swimming down her sister’s face.

  “Oh, Kari.” Lydia put her hand on Kari’s shoulder. “There must be a mistake. You played great today.”

  Ashley couldn’t believe it. She looked from Kari to the front of the group of girls. Only five players hadn’t made the team. None of them were crying. They were laughing and playing tag. Like they didn’t care what team they played on.

  But it actually mattered to Kari.

  Ashley had something to say about this. Without checking with Lydia or Kari, Ashley stood and walked up to Coach Kelly. “Excuse me.”

  The coach looked at her. “Ashley!” She smiled. “Congratulations! You played very well today. You definitely have a boot.”

  “Yes, well. Thank you.” She lifted her chin. Someone had to fight for Kari. “But I have a question. Or a situation . . .”

  “Okay . . .” Coach Kelly set the bag of soccer balls down. The sun was hot on their shoulders now, and the coach looked ready to leave.

  “It’s about my sister.” Ashley stood as tall as she could. “I think Kari should be on our team. She played very good.” Ashley gave the coach a curious look. “Could you give her another chance?”

  For a few seconds Coach Kelly said nothing. Then she nodded slow and sure. “I’ll think about that.” She patted Ashley’s shoulder. “For now, though, she’s on the other team.”

  Before Ashley could say anything else, the coach picked up the bag of balls and walked toward the parking lot.

  By then Ashley’s dad was coming across the field to get them. His smile looked full of hope. He clearly had no idea what had just happened. But right then he looked at Kari and his smile melted away in the hot afternoon.

  He could clearly tell she was upset.

  Ashley walked back to Kari just as their dad reached them both. Kari wasn’t crying as hard now. Ashley understood. Her sister was trying to be brave.

  “What happened?” Their dad looked from Kari to Ashley.

  “Let’s talk about it in the car.” Ashley took her father’s hand. “Okay?”

  “Sure.” Their dad looked at Kari. “Honey . . . are you okay?”

  “Dad.” Ashley put her finger to her lips. “In the car. Please.”

  On the drive home Kari explained what had happened. She had more tears as she talked about it. Ashley felt so sorry for her sister, she hoped the coach would change her mind and let Kari be a Mighty Dolphin. The whole thing seemed so unfair. “You had the best goal of the day.” Ashley sat in the backseat so Kari could be up front with Dad.

  “Yeah. Because of you.” Kari glanced back at her. She sounded thankful and frustrated at the same time. She did a loud outbreath. “I don’t know what happened. I used to be really good.”

  Their dad reached for Kari’s hand. “I’m so sorry.” Ashley watched him wrap his fingers around Kari’s, the way he used to do when the girls were little. “I wish I could make things better. But I can tell you this . . .” He turned nice eyes to Kari. “God has good plans for you. That’s a promise from the Bible. Even if His plans might not be for you to play on this soccer team.”

  They came in the house like a black rain cloud. Right away Mom met them near the door with curious eyes. “What happened?”

  Between Ashley and Kari, the story spilled out. Their mom asked Kari to help her in the kitchen. So they could talk. That’s when Ashley realized how sad she felt. Kari had always been on her soccer team. Ever since they were five and six.

  Without Kari they wouldn’t be the same team. They’d have to change their name, even. The Mighty Dolphins was a name that meant Kari was on the team. Kari helped make them mighty. Now they would have to be something else.

  The Almost Mighty Dolphins.

  19

  The Awful Tower

  ASHLEY

  Saturday was fading. Brooke and Erin and Luke were playing basketball in the driveway, so Dad went outside to join them.

  Ashley looked around. She spotted her journal on the kitchen counter. It was the perfect something to get her mind off the trouble of the day. She grabbed a pencil and the book and found a seat on the sofa, right near the window. Her view also included Mom and Kari.

  Ashley liked knowing they were nearby.

  She stared at a blank page and a whole lot of dreams danced through her mind. A mountain? No, she had drawn that a week ago. A birthday cake? No, too easy. Then she had an idea.

  “Paris!” She couldn’t stop the word from slipping out.

  From the kitchen, her mom looked her way. “What?”

  “Nothing.” Ashley smiled. She really had to work on her words just jumping ahead of her. She waved to her mom. “I’m fine.”

  She turned her attention back to the empty page. Yes, Paris was perfect. Lydia had gone last spring and just Friday she had brought her photo album to class for show-and-tell.

  Ashley couldn’t believe the flowers and the river and the buildings. But most of all she was amazed at the Awful Tower. She remembered seeing it in a movie and also on the key chain Lydia had bought her.

  She drew some grass, little tiny lines in different directions. Because like people, grass didn’t grow straight and perfect every time. Then she sketched trees. Five skinny trunks with big tops, lots of leaves and springtime flowers.

  Last she worked on the Awful Tower. Two lines starting a ways apart and meeting up in the middle.

  Ashley was just about to start filling in the tower beams when Brooke came inside. She was breathing hard from basketball. She looked at Ashley. “Doing your math?”

  For a quick moment Ashley didn’t know what to say.

  Their mom looked at Ashley. “That’s a good question. Is your homework done, Ash?”

  Ashley stared at Brooke. Why did she have to ruin a perfectly good drawing hour? She cleared her throat and tried to look proper. “I plan to do my homework after dinner.” She gave a single nod. “Because good nutrition is a part of any successful homework plan.”

  “Ashley.” Her mom made a serious face. “You know our deal.”

  The deal was that Ashley didn’t get punished for lying the other day, so long as she did her homework first before drawing or playing . . . the rest of the school year. Ashley tapped her pencil on the page. She was so close to finishing.

  “Ashley?” Mom was waiting.

  “Okay.” Ashley shot Brooke a mean look. “I’ll get right to it.”

  Kari sent Ashley a sad look. Yes, Kari understood.

  Ashley turned to Brooke. If her oldest sister could tell Ashley was frustrated with her, she didn’t act like it. Instead she walked into the living room right up to Ashley. “You’re drawing again?”

  “Brooke, you know I like drawing. I draw every day.”

  “Sure. Making pictures is fun.” Brooke gave her a sympathy smile. “Just don’t let a hobby distract you from the important things.” Brooke looked back at their mother. “Right, Mom?”

  “Right.” Their mom was making bean soup. Ashley’s absolute worst dinner. “You need to focus on your studies, Ashley.”

  Again Kari sent a look at Ashley that said she would do something to help if she could.

  All motherly, Brooke nodded. “Without good grades, you’ll never get into college.” She smiled again. “You need to think about that, Ashley.”

  What Ashley didn’t need at this very moment was two moms. Now she felt trapped. “College?” Ashley looked at her drawing and then past Brooke to their mom. “Someone give me a break. I’m only ten years old. College is a hundred years away.”


  “But you’re behind,” Brooke added. She seemed concerned but Ashley knew better. Her sister was causing trouble just because that’s what thirteen-year-old sisters sometimes do. Ashley pressed her lips together and stared at Brooke. “You may think I’m behind. But I am smart, Brooke. I am.”

  “I never said you weren’t smart.” Brooke’s tone was like she was trying to argue.

  Their mom wiped her hands on a towel and joined them in the living room. “I agree that you’re smart, Ash. Definitely. All we’re saying is that you need to apply yourself to schoolwork the way you apply yourself to your art.”

  “And soccer.” Ashley stuck out her chin. “I applied myself to soccer today.”

  “Exactly.” Brooke sounded just like Mom. “All of which will get you nowhere in life.”

  As soon as her words were out, Brooke looked like she felt bad for saying them. But she couldn’t take a single one back.

  “That’s not very nice.” Kari was washing pans at the kitchen sink.

  “We’re not talking to you.” Brooke raised her eyes at Kari.

  “Brooke!” Mom finally seemed to catch on to the meanness happening here. “Watch your tone.”

  “Sorry.” Brooke looked at Ashley. “I’m just trying to help.”

  “Me, too.” Kari spoke louder than the sound of the pans in the sink.

  Ashley appreciated the support. She flipped her journal around to Brooke. “Look at this!” She was mad now. “It’s Paris! The beautiful Awful Tower.” Her eyes narrowed. “You’re telling me that’s a waste?”

  “Eiffel Tower.” Brooke was calmer now. Like she was smarter and older in every possible way. “In Paris. It’s the Eiffel Tower.”

  Heat was pushing into Ashley’s face. “Okay. So what? I’m still learning.”

  “Girls.” Their mom’s voice was kind. She gave Brooke a warning look. Then she smiled at Ashley. “Your artwork matters. So does soccer.”

  “Thank you.” Ashley nodded. It was about time someone said so.

  “Yes, Mom.” Brooke wouldn’t give up. “I was just saying . . . there are more important things when you’re in school.”

  Mom nodded. She gave Ashley a kind smile. “Brooke’s right about that. I remember when I was . . .” Their mom started talking about school and teachers and math. But her words seemed kind of underwater.

  Suddenly Ashley’s anger pushed away every other feeling. Everyone was right and she was wrong. Brooke knew better than her. Brooke always knew better. Why was Ashley drawing Paris when she had math problems waiting for her upstairs?

  Again.

  She stared at her artwork.

  If no one wanted her to create sketches, she would forget the whole thing. Making pictures was a waste of time. That’s what Brooke said. Their mom was still talking when Ashley stood and marched past both her and Brooke.

  “Ashley?” Mom followed her. “I’m still talking. What are you doing?”

  “This picture is garbage. It needs to go where it belongs.” She walked straight to the trash can and dropped her entire journal inside.

  Her mom was at her side in a blink. “Ashley! Don’t you dare throw that away!”

  “You can have it if you want.” She glared at Brooke. “I have math to do.”

  “Wait.” Brooke looked hurt. “I was only saying—”

  The phone rang.

  Her mom snatched the journal from the trash. She gave Ashley a frustrated look and then she answered it. “Hello? Yes, this is Kari’s mother.” She looked at Kari, who was still by the sink. “Sure. Definitely.” She paused. “Just a minute.”

  Mom held the phone out for Kari. “It’s your coach.”

  Their coach? Ashley turned and leaned against the refrigerator. She didn’t want to miss whatever this was.

  Kari took the phone. “Hello?”

  Ashley watched. After a few heartbeats a smile moved up Kari’s face. She nodded. “Yes. I’d like that very much.” She laughed a little. “Thank you. Okay.” She waited. “Yes, Saturday morning. Just like today.”

  Suddenly Ashley knew what had happened. Kari had made the team, after all! Coach Kelly had thought about Ashley’s request and now Kari was going to play with them like before.

  Ashley moved to Kari’s side and held out her hand. “I need to talk to her. Please.”

  Kari looked like she was ready to hang up the phone. “One more thing.” She said it quickly. “Ashley wants to talk to you.”

  Ashley had no choice. But she never thought she would hear the words coming out of her mouth.

  “Coach?” She squeezed her eyes shut for a second or two. Get it over with, Ashley. Just say it. “Yes, this is Ashley. So, what I need to say is I’m quitting the team. I can’t play this year.”

  “What?” Kari was standing close by. She threw her hands up. “Ashley, don’t!”

  “Ashley.” Her mom came up on the other side of her.

  Ashley didn’t care what they thought. There was no going back. “I can’t do this, Coach. I can’t play.” She took a deep breath. “Truth is, I have to focus on my studies.” She had made up her mind. “Yes, I’m sure. I will cheer from the bleachers.”

  It was a hard decision, and when the call ended, Ashley realized something. In one afternoon, she had ended everything she was good at. And she’d given up her very last soccer season before the move to Indiana. Her mom’s eyes got wide.

  “Are you kidding me, Ashley?” Her mom sounded really worried this time. “You just quit soccer?”

  “You said I needed to get serious.” Ashley tossed her head. “That’s what I’m going to do.”

  Kari looked like she was going to cry again. “Someone else left the team. That’s why Coach Kelly put me on the roster. And now you quit?” She hurried off into the other room. “This is the worst day ever.”

  Her eyes didn’t feel happy, but Ashley smiled at her mom anyway. “I’ll go do my math.”

  Wasn’t this what her parents wanted? And now Brooke had just reminded her of the thing she had already promised she would do. It was time to be serious. Time to focus on her studies.

  Even if she wasn’t going to be a Mighty Dolphin after all.

  Ashley ran upstairs and shut her bedroom door behind her. As she grabbed her math book she decided that this wasn’t her room and it wasn’t Ann Arbor. It was Paris. Maybe homework was better overseas.

  And if this was Paris, that meant her room could only be one place. No matter what Brooke called it.

  The Awful Tower.

  20

  The Soup Kitchen

  KARI

  Kari couldn’t think about soccer practice without her sister. Now it was Saturday and the unthinkable was about to happen.

  All week Kari couldn’t believe Ashley was really off the team. But her dad was taking her to the field by herself. Ashley was stuck in her math book and everything felt upside down.

  Her dad gave her a weak smile. “Missing Ashley?”

  “Yeah.” She didn’t feel like smiling. “I just wish she didn’t quit.”

  “I understand.” Her father sighed. People were doing that a lot around the Baxter house lately. “Ashley needs time to think about what she’s supposed to do. I have a feeling she’ll get it right. Eventually.”

  Kari shifted to face him better. “Brooke made her quit.”

  “No one made her quit.” Dad gave a slight nod. “This is all Ashley.”

  Fifteen minutes later, when Kari was out on the field, she was still thinking about that. And of course every player came running up to her with the same question.

  “Where’s Ashley?”

  “Did your sister really quit?”

  “How are we supposed to win now?”

  Lydia joined her and waved the other girls away. “Ashley is just taking some time,” she told them. Then she smiled at Kari. “Glad you’re on the team!”

  It was the nicest thing Lydia could’ve said. Kari grinned, and with that she was ready to play some soccer. The m
ost wonderful thing happened over the next two hours.

  Kari got better at the game.

  She ran faster than she did last time. She even passed the ball better. Her confidence was back.

  She was starting to feel like she was really truly part of the team.

  A Mighty Dolphin!

  Two weeks of Saturday soccer practices went by and Kari couldn’t believe that Ashley still hadn’t changed her mind about being on the team. If she just asked, she could play with them again. Kari was sure.

  Today Kari’s mom and the other parents had a plan to take the girls to the Ann Arbor soup kitchen.

  They were going to serve dinner to people who didn’t have a home or a job. People who needed help. Kari was a little nervous about it. She had never done anything like this.

  Before they went to the soup kitchen, Kari’s mom offered to have the team over for an early dinner of enchilada casserole. Kari was glad. Enchilada casserole was her mother’s best dinner. But of course this dinner was going to be sad and awkward for Ashley.

  Sure enough, it was.

  All the girls and their parents were eating off paper plates in the Baxter kitchen, everyone talking and laughing and saying what a great season the Mighty Dolphins were going to have.

  And just then Ashley walked down the stairs.

  No one seemed to notice her. No one except Kari. Probably because Ashley was so quiet and Kari was already nervous about seeing Ashley and hurting her feelings. Their eyes met for a second, and Ashley looked down at the ground. Then she looked at the team for a quick minute, and without saying anything she walked back upstairs.

  Ashley was clearly not in the mood to visit.

  This was terrible. Ashley should be downstairs with them. Talking and laughing and eating. Getting ready to go to the soup kitchen. Kari kept watching for her sister to return. But she stayed in her room, and there was nothing Kari could do to fix the problem.

  Finally it came time to leave, and even then Ashley stayed away.

  The soup kitchen was a place where people could eat a warm meal without paying any money. The man in charge told them that sometimes a soup kitchen served spaghetti or hamburgers or taco salad.