Best Family Ever

by Karen Kingsbury

  Today was baked chicken and mashed potatoes.

  “But we can’t do it without your help!” He smiled at them. “So thank you, Mighty Dolphins, for helping out tonight!”

  He told them that every night different groups from the city took turns making dinner and giving it to the people. Anyone could eat at the soup kitchen, but Kari’s mom told her that most of the people in line for food couldn’t find a meal anywhere else.

  The thought of that made Kari sad. She looked at Lydia and their teammates. They seemed sad, too. It didn’t seem right. How did a person become homeless? Couldn’t they just go back home again? Kari would have to ask her mom and dad later about it all.

  At six o’clock the people started to come. They looked a lot like any other people. Except their clothes were dirty and older. Some of them had ripped shirts and pants. Kari was in charge of putting a dinner roll on every plate.

  The people were all different types. Men and women, old and young. Some looked like families. One woman came up and smiled at her.

  “Hello.” The woman seemed nice.

  “Hi.” Kari handed her a roll. “Here you go.”

  The woman smiled. She had thick hair, sort of smushed together. “I’m Clarice.” She held out her hand.

  Kari shook it. “I’m Kari.”

  “Our names sound the same!” The lady’s eyes looked a little happier. “Nice to meet you.” Clarice didn’t leave right away.

  Kari’s mother was working beside her. She was serving salad, but now she stopped and turned to the woman. “I’m Elizabeth.” Her mother shook the woman’s hand, too.

  “You know”—Clarice’s eyes looked like she was thinking of something far away—“last spring I had a house and a job. I never thought . . . I’d wind up here.”

  “I’m sorry.” Kari’s mom took hold of Clarice’s hand again. “My family and I . . . we will pray for you.”

  “Thanks.” Clarice lifted her tray of food. “That’s real nice of you.”

  That night back at home, Kari was still thinking about the woman when her mom came in and sat on the edge of the bed. Ashley was already asleep. “I’m proud of you, for helping tonight.”

  “I want to do it again.” Kari sat up in bed, her voice quiet. “Our whole family should help.”

  “Yes. I’d like that.” Her mom looked at her. “Want to pray with me? For Clarice?”

  “I do.” Kari was glad her mom had remembered. “What do you think happened to her?”

  Her mom shook her head. “Hard to tell.” She smiled at Kari. “The important thing is, God knows. And He knows what she needs to find her way back again.”

  Kari nodded.

  With that, her mom talked to God about Clarice. She asked God to work in the woman’s life and keep her safe, and for her to find a job and a home again.

  All of that.

  Later, when her mom was gone, and Kari was trying to fall asleep, she thought about soccer and how hard it was to be part of the team without Ashley. But then she pictured Clarice. And Kari thought of something she hadn’t before.

  Soccer really wasn’t that big of a problem, after all.

  21

  The Return of Ashley Baxter

  ASHLEY

  Ashley was miserable.

  She had made a terrible decision throwing away her journal and an even worse choice quitting the soccer team. Now it was Friday after school and tomorrow was soccer practice again.

  The Mighty Dolphins’ first game was Tuesday after school.

  Also she was tired of trying to be perfect. It wasn’t working. A quick review of the last week filled Ashley’s brain. When she was at home she felt like a prisoner. Captive in her math book and spelling homework.

  Rapunzel locked in her tower.

  At school she barely remembered to look for Samson the butterfly. She was too busy trying to listen to Miss Wilson. Today Lydia even told her the whole thing was getting annoying.

  “I liked you better before.” Lydia patted her on the shoulder. “See if you can find that girl again.”

  Ashley lay spread out on her bed. She was more miserable now than she had been five minutes ago. Maybe if she got a snack.

  Downstairs she saw the rest of her family. Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. Something else she was missing out on. Ashley watched for a bit.

  Luke and Erin were on the floor playing Memory, gathered around a bunch of turned-over cards. They were laughing. Having too much fun to notice Ashley standing there.

  Great, Ashley thought. She was invisible again.

  Kari was at Brittany’s house for the rest of the night. And Brooke was at the movies with her friend Heather.

  Ashley’s parents were sitting at the dining room table. They each had a cup of coffee and they were talking, smiling. It took a minute for Ashley’s mom to look her way. “Ashley. What are you doing, honey?”

  In a swirling whirlwind, three weeks of trying and failing and missing out and hating her life came crashing in around her. Tears fell like a waterfall. Her words got stuck in her throat.

  Mom and Dad both came closer. “Ashley, what is it?” Her mother pulled her close and held her. “Let’s go upstairs and talk.”

  All Ashley could do was nod her head.

  Her parents followed her to the room and shut the door. “Tell us, sweetheart. What is it?” Her dad sat at the desk. Mom took the edge of Ashley’s bed.

  “Your father and I wanted to let you live in your decisions.” Mom’s voice was kind. Like she felt sorry for Ashley. “We figured you’d let us know if you weren’t handling it well.”

  So that’s what had been happening? Ashley found her voice. “I’ve been trying so hard.”

  “Trying to do what?” Her dad’s words came slow and steady. “Think about it, honey. What did you want out of this?”

  Ashley stared at the pink blossoms on the tree outside the window. Then she looked at her math book on the bed. “I want to be perfect like Brooke.” She shrugged. “That’s what you told me to do.”

  “Oh, honey.” Her mom spoke first. “That’s not what we want. We asked you to care about your studies the way Brooke does. Not to be Brooke.”

  “Not at all.” Dad angled his head. “You can only be you, sweetheart. There’s only one Ashley Baxter. Remember that?”

  Something about his statement made her worry start to lift. “I’m so bad at being Brooke.” She sniffed, but her tears started up anyway. “I want to draw and play soccer and chase Samson at recess.”

  “Samson?” Her dad looked from Mom back to Ashley. “Who?”

  “My butterfly.” Ashley shook her head. “It’s a long story.” She took a quick breath. “I want to go to practice with Kari tomorrow and work at the soup kitchen next time the team goes and I want to be a Mighty Dolphin before it’s too late.”

  She stood and put her hands on her hips. “I want to be me. Ashley Baxter. No one else.”

  Her parents didn’t say anything, but they looked at each other and then at her. Ashley could tell they were trying to help and it made her feel better.

  “The thing is . . .” Ashley flopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. “I miss being Ashley.” She sat up again. “That’s the truth.”

  Her breathing was heavy and she climbed off her bed once more. She pointed at her math book. “Sometimes I want to scream at that book.” She paced a few steps toward the door and then back. “And I want someone to invent a math robot who could do the work for you while you’re playing soccer or laughing with friends or drawing flower blossoms.”

  Her dad chuckled. “You have strong feelings on this topic.”

  “I do.” Ashley wasn’t finished. “I want to shout at that book, ‘I will defeat you!’ Then I would be Ashley Baxter again!” She pretended to fight invisible math problems with her pencil. “Take that . . . and that!” Even though it was a pencil, it felt like a sword to her.

  Her parents watched as she waved her pencil sword through the air. Math w
as the dragon and she was the princess saving the kingdom.

  Princess Ashley.

  At that moment there was a knock at her door. Ashley dropped her arms to her sides and opened it. She was out of breath.

  Luke looked up at her. “What are you doing?”

  Ashley glanced over her shoulder at the math book on her bed. “Homework.”

  “Oh.” He looked past her to their parents. “Sounded like someone was fighting up here.”

  “Well.” Ashley leaned to one side, thinking it over. “A little of that, too.”

  Luke folded his hands and looked at their dad. “Can we have ice cream? Erin and me?”

  Their dad grinned. “Sure. It’s Friday.”

  “Just one scoop.” Their mom smiled. “Okay?”

  “Thanks!” Luke ran off. That’s all it took to make him happy.

  Ashley shook her head. “He doesn’t have a care in the world.”

  Her dad smiled. “He will. One day.”

  Ashley dropped to the bed next to her mother. “All of that drama to tell you . . . I can’t be Brooke, Mom.” She looked at her father. “Dad, I can’t do it.”

  She felt tears coming. But they weren’t angry like they had been these past few weeks. This time, her tears were sad. Ashley put her pencil down and stared at her book. “I think I’m done.” A tear fell on her jeans. She looked up at her parents.

  They looked upset, too.

  “Come here.” Dad held his arms out, and Ashley walked straight to him. He held her for a few minutes while she cried. “Is it the move?”

  Ashley thought about that for five seconds. “No . . .” She wiped a tear. “Well, yes. I don’t want to move. But it’s everything.” She took a deep breath. “I hate not being myself.”

  Her dad was still holding on to her. “Was that you slaying imaginary dragons with a pencil a minute ago?”

  A little sniff and Ashley pictured herself. “Yes.” Her smile started all on its own. “I guess maybe that whole thing was very Ashley Baxter of me.”

  “Very.” Her mom’s laugh was kind and quiet. “Ashley, we’ve told you before. No one is just like you.”

  Pain cramped her heart. “But you told me to be perfect.”

  “No.” Her mom took hold of her hand. “I told you to care about your schoolwork. Like Brooke cares about hers.” She ran her thumb over Ashley’s hand. “Do you understand? That’s all we wanted, honey.”

  “Sweetie.” Her dad put his hands on her shoulders. So he could look right into her eyes. “Your mother and I love you for you. We just want you to do what’s right. Do homework when you’re supposed to. Be serious when it’s time to be serious. Focus when you need to focus.”

  “So you don’t want me to be another little Brooke?”

  Her parents both laughed this time. “Are you kidding? This family wouldn’t be the same without Ashley. Without you—just the way you are.”

  And right then her mom pulled something from behind her back. “Here. I believe this is yours.”

  Ashley gasped and jumped to her feet. Her precious journal! Her mom had saved it from the trash that terrible Saturday. Even though Ashley hadn’t seen it since. “You saved it!”

  “Of course.” Mom handed her the book. “God made you to be an artist. And artists have to draw.”

  Yes! Yes, they did have to draw!

  And then Ashley thought of something else. “Can we call Coach Kelly?” She looked from her mom to her dad. “So maybe I can be back on the team?” Ashley watched them share a glance. “Please. Please let me!” She’d made a big mistake quitting the Mighty Dolphins. But maybe it wasn’t too late.

  “They might not take you back.” Her mom’s words were gentle. She was just telling the truth.

  “I know.” Ashley nodded. “But I have to ask.”

  “Let’s ask God about it first.” Dad put his arms around her and Mom did the same thing. And then her daddy asked God for Ashley to find a way to do it all. Homework and artwork and butterflies and soccer.

  It was the best prayer Ashley ever heard.

  When they were done, they went downstairs and Mom called Coach Kelly. The coach asked to talk to Ashley apparently, because her mother gave her the phone. Ashley had nerves snapping at her arms and legs, but she pressed on.

  She explained the situation to Coach Kelly and she apologized for quitting.

  “Well . . . the season hasn’t officially started.” Coach thought for a minute. “Our first game is Tuesday.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Ashley gulped. The answer just might be no.

  Coach Kelly seemed like she was thinking hard about Ashley’s question. But then all the sudden she had a smile in her voice. “The other girls would want you to play soccer with them.” She waited a single heartbeat. “You really want to be on the team?”

  “I do.” Ashley jumped in place. “Absolutely I do.”

  “Okay, then.” Coach Kelly laughed. “Looks like you’re a Mighty Dolphin once more! Welcome back!”

  “Thank you! Thank you!” Ashley thanked her coach ten more times, and when she hung up she ran to her parents and hugged them both. “I think I got carried away.”

  Her dad smiled down at her. “You might be right about that.”

  “Definitely carried away.” Mom patted her head. “But that’s all behind you, Ashley. It’s up to you, honey. Find the balance in life. Homework and the things you love.”

  “Like you!” Ashley hugged her mom again. “Thank you.” She grinned at her dad. “You, too, Daddy.”

  She went up to her room for her journal.

  For a quick minute she took her pencil and pretended to fight the dragon again. The math dragon. And this time she knocked him to the ground.

  “Take that!” She felt the thrill of victory. She didn’t have to battle her math book anymore. She would do her homework first thing each afternoon, and she would have all the time in the world for drawing and soccer and playing with her siblings. Because she was a little wiser and because something had changed.

  Ashley Baxter was back.

  22

  Best Sisters

  ASHLEY

  Soccer practice the next day made Ashley a little worried. She didn’t fit in with the other girls as much as before. Lydia tried to pass her the ball three times, but twice Ashley missed it.

  Which was completely not like her. Work harder, she told herself. Run faster.

  But still she wasn’t as good as before. She needed practice.

  After they finished, Coach Kelly talked to her before the parents came. “There’s a price for quitting something without thinking it through.” She gave a sympathy look to Ashley. “You’ll get better in time. Keep trying.”

  On the way home, Kari had an idea. “How about if I help you?”

  Ashley tried to get her thoughts around the change here. Now it was Kari helping her. Not exactly how Ashley had pictured the season going.

  But her sister only wanted to help.

  So Ashley and Kari made a deal. After church the next day and after doing her homework on Monday, Ashley and Kari went out back and passed the ball a hundred times to each other.

  Finally, when Tuesday’s game came, Ashley felt a little more ready. The whole family loaded into the car for the big game. Their dad had even gotten the afternoon off from the hospital.

  Excitement was in every breath Ashley took.

  But even as she was feeling that, Brooke walked right past her without saying a single word. Ashley had a twinge of guilt. She needed to make peace with Brooke. But not now. Now it was game time.

  On the ride to the field, Erin and Luke sat in the back as usual. And Kari and Brooke and Ashley sat in the middle row. But no one said a word.

  “Music please, Mother.” Ashley leaned forward. “Something jumpy. To get our energy up.”

  Their mom turned the music on and found a song with a good beat. It was the perfect energy music!

  On the field before the game, as she laced up her cleats and
got ready to play, Ashley couldn’t stop thinking about the situation with Brooke. Her mother’s words kept coming back. Your best friends are the people around the dinner table.

  Your best friends.

  Maybe if she talked to God. Ashley let the words fill her soul. God, please help me and Brooke find our way back to being friends. I think maybe it’s my fault. Or at least it is now. Your friend, Ashley Baxter.

  The game started off fast and furious.

  Lydia scored a goal and then the other team scored. They were only a few minutes into the action. Parents and siblings and friends cheered and clapped and stomped their feet from the sidelines. “Might-y . . . Dol-phins . . . Might-y . . . Dol-phins.”

  Ashley passed the ball to Kari, and she passed it to Lydia. Three other girls took a turn with the ball, but still the Mighty Dolphins couldn’t score. Same with the other team.

  Halftime came and went and finally there were only a few minutes left to play. The score was still tied, one to one. Ashley just didn’t feel like her old self on the field. She’d had three chances to score, but none of them had worked out.

  Now Ashley was on the bench—just her and one other girl. They could do nothing to help their team from here. So Ashley did the one thing she could do.

  “Go, Mighty Dolphins!” Ashley shouted. “Come on, Lydia . . . Go, Kari! Get the goal!”

  Then Ashley heard something. She looked over at the stands. Brooke was on her feet cheering on the team, too. She felt a soft spot in the middle of her heart. Someone was calling her name, but all Ashley could think about was her sister.

  Just then Brooke looked her way and the two of them did something they hadn’t done in days. They shared a little smile.

  That’s when Ashley realized something. Brooke wasn’t Ashley. She was Brooke. They were different, and that was actually a good thing.

  Her sister was the only Brooke Baxter the world would ever have. They both were special in their own ways. They both had their own talents.

  “Ashley.” Coach Kelly ran down and took her by the hand. “Didn’t you hear me? Go in for Rachel! We need your boot. Come on!”