Sliding into Home (16 page)

J
oelle knew she had to talk to Coach Carlyle. She couldn’t just let him assume she’d changed her mind about playing for the Hawks. She had to tell him the truth. Face to face. And that wasn’t going to be easy.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Elizabeth asked her before school on Tuesday morning.

“No.” Joelle took a deep breath. “This is something I have to do on my own. Will you wait for me outside his office, though?”

“Sure.” Elizabeth squeezed Joelle’s hand, then walked a little way down the hall.

Joelle knocked on Coach Carlyle’s door.

“It’s open,” he called.

Joelle swallowed hard, then went inside. The coach was entering stats into his computer. He didn’t even look up.

Joelle cleared her throat.

“Yes?” Finally the coach turned around. There was no expression on his face whatsoever.

Joelle had gone over what she wanted to say again and again in her mind. But somehow she couldn’t remember how her little speech was supposed to begin.

“Can I help you?” Coach Carlyle asked.

“Um …” Joelle fidgeted with the strap on her backpack. “I just wanted to say … it was nice of you to give me a chance to play for the Hawks, but … I don’t think I’m going to play. Not this year, anyway …”

“Okay,” Coach Carlyle replied. He turned back to his computer.

Okay?
Wait a minute! Didn’t he at least want to know
why
she wasn’t going to play? Was he that mad at her for not showing up yesterday? Ryan had warned her that his dad didn’t give second chances.

But Coach Carlyle didn’t look angry. He didn’t look glad, either. He just looked … like he didn’t care.

“Was there something else?” Coach Carlyle asked when he realized Joelle was still standing there.

Joelle frowned. Maybe none of this was ever about
her.
Maybe Coach Carlyle was just following the rules when he told her she couldn’t play. And then again when he said she could play. Maybe he personally didn’t care one way or the other whether she was on the team or not. She’d never even considered that possibility.

“No. I guess not.” Joelle turned around and left. What more was there to say?

She saw Elizabeth at the end of the hall surrounded by a group of kids. Ian, Caitlyn, and Stephanie. And they were all talking about her.
Again.
None of them had seen her yet.

“So, she’s not going to play for the Hawks at all?” Ian asked. He actually looked disappointed.

“I think maybe she wants to concentrate on the girls’ baseball league,” Elizabeth explained.

Joelle stopped and leaned against the wall. Should she just walk up to them? Or stay put and listen?

“I saw the Green Sox on TV,” Stephanie said. “They got kicked off the field at their first game.”

“Yeah, that was so unfair!” Caitlyn put in.

“Well, we haven’t given up yet,” Elizabeth said. “Joelle and Brooke are still trying to find us a place to play.”

“Are
you
on the Green Sox, Elizabeth?” Caitlyn asked, sounding surprised.

“Actually,” Elizabeth said, “I am.”

Joelle smiled to herself.
Way to go, Elizabeth,
she told her friend silently.

“But you’re not really a jock,” Caitlyn said.

Joelle opened her mouth to protest. It was one thing for kids to say stuff to her, but she wasn’t going to let anyone put Elizabeth down.

But before Joelle got a single word out, Elizabeth spoke up on her own. “You don’t have to be a jock to play in our league. You just have to like baseball.”

Joelle stopped short again. She’d never heard Elizabeth sound so confident.

“Well, that’s great! Good for you!” Stephanie said to Elizabeth. Caitlyn nodded.

“I hope you guys find a field,” Ian said. Then he, Stephanie, and Caitlyn moved on.

Elizabeth stayed behind. “Hey,” she said when she noticed Joelle. “How did it go with Coach Carlyle?”

“Okay. No big deal,” Joelle answered. “I heard what you said just now. Does that mean you’re going to stick with the Green Sox?”

“Yeah,” Elizabeth said as they started down the hall together. “I guess it does. I know I’m never going to be the best player on the team, Joelle. But I like playing. And I like hanging out with you guys. So as long as nobody expects any miracles, I’m in.”

“Excellent!” Joelle turned to her friend. “And you know what, Elizabeth? You just might surprise yourself out there on the field sometime.”

Yeah, right,” Elizabeth said, blushing. “Like I said, no miracles, okay?”

“Okay,” Joelle said. But as far as she was concerned, miracles were always possible. Especially when you worked hard and believed in yourself.

To Joelle’s disappointment, there was still no word from Mrs. Holmes a few days later. How long did it take to talk to a lawyer, anyway?

“I almost wish she’d just tell us no so we can move on and figure something else out,” Joelle grumbled as she poured her cereal on Tuesday morning.

“Be patient, honey,” Mom said as she kissed the top of Joelle’s head. She was heading off to work. “These things take time.”

Joelle reached for the milk carton. Patience had never been one of her virtues.

The good news was, last Saturday’s TV coverage had created a lot of interest in their league. People were calling and asking how they could get involved. Others were sending cards and letters offering support. Some even sent money.

“Don’t give up,” Dad said. “Something will work out.”

“Hey, do I ever give up?” Joelle asked as she spooned cereal into her mouth.

That night after supper, Joelle was carrying her dishes back to the kitchen when she saw Elizabeth charging through the backyard. Before Joelle could even set her plate on the counter, Elizabeth had hopped up onto the Cunningham’s deck and started pounding frantically on their sliding glass door.

Joelle’s dad came into the kitchen behind Joelle. “Where’s the fire?” he asked with a chuckle as he let Elizabeth in.

Joelle had never seen Elizabeth so excited. “You’re never going to believe this!” her friend gasped. “My dad just got off the phone with some lawyer guy. He has to sign some papers, but we can use that field near Brooke’s house. The lady you guys went to see said
yes!
”

“She did?” Joelle rushed to give Elizabeth a hug. The two of them danced around the kitchen, nearly knocking the dishes off the counter.

“All right!” Joelle’s dad said.

“That’s wonderful news!” her mom exclaimed, coming to the door.

“And guess what else?” Elizabeth said. “Our game with the Kernels is rescheduled. For this coming Saturday!”

“Yes!” Joelle cried, punching one fist in the air. She and Elizabeth started spinning through the kitchen again.

“Well, girls, maybe this league of yours is finally a go,” Joelle’s dad said.

Maybe?
Joelle thought.
No way.
There was no stopping the Eastern Iowa Girls’ Baseball League now!

On Friday after the Hoover softball practice, the Green Sox got together for one last time before the big game. Elizabeth’s dad led them through endless drills. Hitting. Running. Catching. Fielding.

“Take it easy,” he warned Brooke and Elizabeth. “We can’t have you too tired to play tomorrow.”

“No problem,” Brooke assured him. “We’ll be going on adrenaline anyway.”

Coach Shaw had been trying all the girls in different positions, but he seemed to prefer Mandi as pitcher, Nikki as catcher, and the twins as outfielders. Everyone else moved around a lot.

Brooke and Joelle took turns playing first and third.

Joelle was dying to know whether she’d get to play first base in tomorrow’s game. A few times she almost asked Coach Shaw straight out, but she didn’t want to be too pushy.

“Keep your weight on your back foot,” Coach Shaw called to Elizabeth as she came up to bat.

“Get your glove all the way to the ground,” he told Tara.

“Take a strike first,” he instructed Leah.

When practice was over, Coach Shaw called everyone over for a team meeting. There was a big brown box sitting on the bench behind the dugout.

“Hey, Coach! What’s in the box?” Mandi asked as all the Green Sox dropped down on the grass.

Coach Shaw smiled. He opened up the carton and pulled out a pair of white pants, which he threw to Mandi. Then he handed Brooke a green shirt with three-quarter sleeves and tossed a yellow overshirt with green trim to Joelle. Finally, he produced a pair of green socks and a green cap with yellow trim.

“What’s all this?” Joelle asked as she held the shirt up to her chest. It had a green number three on the back.

“Uniforms?” Leah leaned over to get a closer look inside the box. “For all of us?”

“Yeah, but where did they come from?” Joelle wanted to know.

Coach Shaw just kept smiling—and pulling out more shirts, pants, socks, and caps.

“There’s a card,” he said when everything had been handed out. He pulled a white envelope from the bottom of the box and gave it to Tara. She opened the envelope and read the card inside. “‘To the girls of the Green Sox: I’ve been trying to figure out a way that I could help ever since I first heard about you. When I saw you on TV last week, the answer came to me. I hope you like the uniforms. And I hope they fit! Good luck.’” Tara looked up. “It’s signed ‘Claire Fenner’.”

“Ms. Fenner?” Joelle said, confused. “What’s she talking about? But she’s already helping. She said she’d help coach this summer.”

“No, not
Ms.
Fenner.” Elizabeth shook her head. “Ms. Fenner’s
mom.
”

“Wow, that’s really nice of her,” Brooke said.

“It sure is,” Joelle said. She traced the number three on her shirt with her fingers.

Coach Shaw closed up the empty box. “I talked to Coach Kennedy earlier today. Her girls received a similar package from another person who saw us on TV last week. A friend of Mrs. Fenner’s, I believe.”

“So not everybody thinks our league is a terrible idea,” Joelle said.

“There are plenty of folks who think it’s a terrific idea,” Coach Shaw said. “Let’s just see what happens at the game tomorrow.” He checked his watch. “Right now, I have to get to the library. I’m meeting with the other league coaches and sponsors. See you at home, honey.” He ruffled Elizabeth’s hair.

Joelle, Elizabeth, and Brooke headed out of the park together.

“So, are you guys ready for tomorrow?” Brooke asked cheerfully as she hoisted her backpack onto her back.

“Yeah,” Joelle replied. “Except I wish Coach Shaw had given us our positions.”

“Me, too,” Brooke replied. “I’m really hoping he’ll put me on first base.”

Joelle stopped walking. “You want to play first base?”

“Sure, I play first in softball.”

Great,
Joelle thought. But she didn’t say anything.

Brooke flipped her hair over her shoulder and peered at Joelle. “Why? Do you want first base, too?”

“Sort of.”
I’ve only played that position my whole life,
Joelle thought.

“Well, I guess it’s up to Coach Shaw to decide,” Brooke said. “See you guys tomorrow.” She waved as she turned down Park Ridge Road.

Joelle and Elizabeth kept walking on E Avenue. “Why didn’t you tell me Brooke played first, too?” Joelle muttered.

Elizabeth grinned. “One more thing you have in common, huh?”

“Very funny.” Joelle elbowed Elizabeth and tried not to smile back. At least she and Brooke had come to some sort of truce now. And Joelle really didn’t want to keep butting heads with that girl. She just … wanted to play first base.

“Oh come on, Joelle. Would it be the end of the world if Brooke plays first base and you play … third base this time? It’s good to play lots of different positions, you know.”

“I guess,” Joelle said. “I’m sure it’ll work out. Your dad’s a good coach. He’ll do what’s best for the team.”

And that’s the way Joelle wanted it.

As they turned onto her street, Joelle gasped. A familiar blue car was parked in their driveway.

“What’s the matter?” Elizabeth asked.

“That’s my brother’s car!” Joelle said excitedly. “I’ve got to go, okay? I’ll call you later.”

“Okay,” Elizabeth said, but Joelle was already bolting for home.

Jason was sitting on the porch out front. He had bleached the top part of his hair, but other than that he looked like the same old Jason. Tall and stick-figure thin with a smile that lit up his whole face. When he saw Joelle coming, he stood up.

“JASON!” Joelle screamed, throwing herself into his wiry arms.

Jason laughed as he hugged her back. “Hey, Jojo,” he said. “Take it easy, okay?”

“What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? Do Mom and Dad know you’re here?” Joelle asked, finally pulling away from him. But she couldn’t let go of him completely. She clung to his arm with both hands.

Jason tugged on Joelle’s ponytail. “Well, my chem lab was cancelled this afternoon, so I thought I’d come check out the new place. It was only a five-hour drive.”

“So how long are you here for?” Joelle asked. “Can you stay the whole weekend?”

“Well, I have to work Sunday morning, so I’ll head back late tomorrow afternoon,” Jason replied.

Joelle frowned. She knew her brother had to work at Rocky’s Pizza to help pay for college. But she hated that he had to leave so soon.

“You’ll at least stay for our game tomorrow, won’t you?” she asked. “It’s in the morning.”

“Game? What game?” Jason asked.

“It’s a long story,” Joelle said. As she showed her brother around their new house, she filled him in on everything that had been going on.

Jason flopped down on the familiar oversized couch in the family room. “Look at all this,” he said, his glance taking in the large paneled room. “You’ve got a bigger house, new friends, and a whole new girls’ baseball league.”

Joelle sat down next to her brother and plopped her feet on the coffee table. “Yeah. And guess what? I’m doing some other stuff, too.”

“Like what?” Jason raised his eyebrows.

“Well, I made second clarinet. And I might join the
Echo
next year. Can you believe it?
Me
on the newspaper staff? I never even
read
the school paper back in Minneapolis.”