One More Second Chance

by Jana Richards

  With a sigh, she rose from her chair, giving up all pretense of working. For the last couple of days she’d been restless, unable to concentrate on her work. What the hell was the matter with her?

  Her parents’ health weighed heavily on her mind. She could hardly wait to meet the hospital social worker the following Monday, but meeting with her meant this thing with her mother was real and none of them could ignore it anymore. She and Ava had visited her parents every day after school, checking to see if they were okay. On the surface, all appeared normal, but Julia had picked up on some things she hadn’t noticed before. Like the way her mother struggled to remember their names, and the way she’d ask the same question over and over. And the tension and sadness on her father’s face. He was even less happy when she told him she was going to talk to a social worker about her mother.

  Had her mother been sleepwalking as her father claimed? She prayed her mother didn’t have Alzheimer’s, and that the incident Alex witnessed had been some sort of aberration.

  Alex. Why couldn’t she get him out of her head? She didn’t want to think about him, didn’t want to remember the tender way he’d wiped the tears from her cheek, or the compassion she’d seen in his dark eyes. Nothing good could come from such remembrances.

  The phone rang, saving her from her thoughts. She resumed her seat, and after exhaling deeply, picked up the receiver. Beth’s voice came on the line.

  “Superintendent Perkins on line one, Boss.”

  “Thanks, Beth.”

  A moment later she heard Rob Perkins’s voice. “Hi, Julia. How’s your day going?”

  Crummy, lousy, depressing. “Very well, thank you. Do you have some news for me?”

  “I do. Which do you want to hear first? The good news or the bad news?”

  She sighed. “Hit me with the bad news.”

  “Okay, here it is. The school board will absolutely not consider any changes to the current health curriculum that includes a unit on sex education. They felt the money that would be needed to amend the curriculum could be better used elsewhere. And aside from the monetary issue, the board didn’t like the message that sex education in the school would send, that it was okay for students to be sexually active. I’m sorry, Julia.”

  She closed her eyes and bowed her head. “It’s not a big surprise. We knew going in it was a long shot.” That didn’t mean she wasn’t disappointed.

  “Yeah, it was. But it was still worth the effort. We can’t win them all.”

  Julia massaged her temple with her index finger, unsure if she was angry at this development or just sad. Was she kidding herself? Would her ideas always be out of step with the community?

  “I suppose not. So what’s the good news?”

  “They agreed to go ahead with setting up the daycare in the fall. It’s going to be a pilot project, with funding for two years. To offset costs, we’re going to allow children from other families in town to have their kids looked after at our daycare. We’ll be setting up shop in two empty classrooms in the high school. So, what do you think?”

  Julia was shocked. “I think that’s amazing. I thought they were going to change their minds and rescind their approval.”

  “Rumor has it Wyatt Stewart argued for the daycare.”

  “Are you sure about that?” she asked incredulously. Why would Wyatt support any of her ideas? Would he soon change his mind and kill the project, just to spite her?

  “I have my sources, and that’s what they tell me. Congratulations, Julia!”

  “Thanks, but I’m not popping any champagne corks until I see babies in my school and their mothers in my classrooms.”

  “Hey, don’t sound so pessimistic. This is a victory.”

  “Some people don’t feel that way.”

  She told Rob about her conversation with Ralph Sykes and how he was planning to start a petition against the daycare. This time she heard him sigh, and she wondered if he had a headache as big as hers.

  “I’ve heard that Sykes has political aspirations. He may use the daycare and any controversy he can work up about it as a springboard to get his name out in the community. A lot of the more conservative people in the area would support a stance like his.”

  “That’s great. Meanwhile, I’ve got kids who don’t have a clue about sex or birth control, and others who have babies and aren’t coming back to school. Am I supposed to sit back and do nothing while they flounder?”

  “We’ll do all we can, Julia, but remember, we’re educators, not parents. There are limits to what we can do.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  Privately, Julia swore she’d fight with everything she had for the daycare. And she wouldn’t stop pushing to have sex education taught in her school. Her kids deserved it.

  ****

  On Monday after school, Julia drove to the hospital to meet the social worker Alex had put her in touch with. Helen Murray was a middle-aged woman whose calm, efficient manner and quiet kindness put Julia immediately at ease. Julia told her about her concerns with her mother, and Helen promised to visit the Dawsons. She would encourage them to have Dora seen by her doctor. Once they had more information about Dora’s health, they would be able to make informed decisions about her care. Maybe there was nothing seriously wrong with Dora, but they needed to know what had caused her bizarre behavior.

  Julia’s relief was profound. After speaking with Helen, she didn’t feel so alone anymore. Someone else was on her side. Julia hoped for the best but prepared herself for the worst.

  Chapter Seven

  After supper, Julia and Ava walked to the ball diamonds at the school. The closer they got, the more Julia’s spirits lifted. Today was the official beginning of softball season. She’d been playing in a co-ed recreational league for the last three years, and she’d been looking forward to this day for weeks. They were only practicing tonight, tossing and hitting a few balls to shake off the rust from a long, cold winter. But damn, it felt good to get her glove out of storage and be out in the early evening sunshine.

  Ava skipped along beside her, as excited as she was. The children of the players attended practices and games, making them something of a family affair. They chased errant balls and played in the nearby park, having nearly as much fun as the adults.

  “When my cast comes off, will you teach me how to pitch?”

  “Sure, I’ll try. But I’m not the greatest pitcher. I play shortstop, remember?”

  “I remember. But I want to pitch.”

  “Okay,” she said, giving Ava’s pigtail a tug. “I’ll give it a try. Maybe you should ask Edie to give you some pointers. She’s the best pitcher on our team.”

  “How long till my cast comes off?”

  “About another week or so. Dr. Willson’s going to take another x-ray to see if your arm is completely healed, and if it is, it’s outta there.”

  “How come I didn’t see Dr. Alex again? I like him.”

  “Because Dr. Willson’s been your doctor since you were a baby.”

  “Yeah, but I really like Dr. Alex. He’s nice.”

  She decided to avoid the subject. “Hey, look. Devon and Tricia are already at the playground. Why don’t you go join them? Remember, no wandering off where I can’t see you. You have to be at either the playground or behind the fence at the ball diamond.”

  “Okay, Mom. See you!” She ran to join her friends.

  Her daughter’s attachment to Alex Campbell made her uneasy. Was Ava so starved for the attention of a father figure in her life that she’d latched on to him? How would she react when he left town in a few months? She couldn’t let her get too close. It would be too painful. For both of them.

  Julia made her way to the diamonds, greeting her friends as they arrived. Edie’s husband Aaron showed up alone.

  “Hey, Aaron. Where’s Edie?”

  He bent over to tie his shoes, avoiding her gaze. “She decided to stay home with the baby tonight. She said she had a headache. I brought Natalie and Michael so s
he could have a little break.”

  “Oh,” Julia said in surprise. “That must be some headache. I don’t think I’ve ever known her to miss a practice before.” In fact, Edie had once completed pitching a game even though she’d had a hairline fracture of the tibia that gave her considerable pain, though she’d never let on at the time. Two seasons ago she’d been pregnant, only quitting at four months when Aaron had forced her to after she slid headfirst into second base on a steal. Edie was competitive to her core.

  “She just needs some rest.”

  It disturbed her that Aaron still hadn’t looked her in the eye. “You’d tell me if something was really wrong, wouldn’t you?”

  Finally Aaron looked into her face and smiled. “Everything’s fine. But with three kids, especially a fussy baby, she needs a break.”

  “I’ll bet she does.” She vowed to give Edie a call when she got home. She’d been neglecting her old friend. Their lives had become so busy lately, that they didn’t spend as much time together as she would have liked.

  She leaned over to tie her spikes, wondering if Tracy would make this practice or if she was working at the hospital tonight. She and Tracy and Edie had been inseparable as teenagers, sharing a love of sports and the outdoors. The three amigas they’d called themselves. Julia smiled at the thought. They were the best friends she’d ever had. Probably the best she’d ever have.

  “Hi, Julia.”

  She hesitated at the sound of the familiar deep, male voice. Slowly, she lifted her head and looked up, her heart beating ridiculously fast.

  “Alex. What are you doing here?”

  He sat on the bench next to her. “I joined the team. Aaron told me about the league last winter, and I swore that if I lived through the cold, I’d join up in the spring. After being stuck indoors for so long, I need to get out.”

  She chuckled, charmed by him despite her reservations. “You poor, sad, California boy. The temperature goes past the freezing point, and you wilt like a delicate flower.”

  He grinned at her, and her breath caught in her throat. “That’s me. A definite hothouse flower. There’s no antifreeze running through my veins. How do you stand the cold?”

  “It’s not that bad,” she said with a shrug. “You get used to it.”

  He shot her a dubious glance. “I doubt I’d ever get used to it.”

  He was probably right. Maine winters were an acquired taste.

  “Have you played softball before?”

  “Well, baseball, actually, but not for a few years. I’m hoping it’s like riding a bike and you never forget.”

  “What position did you play?”

  “Outfield, mostly, but I pitched sometimes, too.”

  “Edie’s usually our pitcher, but she’s not here tonight. Maybe you can show us your stuff.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never pitched softball before. I don’t want to embarrass myself at my first practice. Exactly how competitive is this league?”

  “Perhaps some of us take it a little more seriously than others.”

  He grinned at her again. “By some of us, do you mean you?”

  She couldn’t help smiling back at him. “Maybe. I’ve been known to be a bit intense on occasion.”

  Aaron rallied the troops around home plate. “Listen up, everyone. We’re going to warm up with a little toss and catch, and then we’ll divide into two teams for a mock game so we can all get in some hitting and fielding practice. Let’s go!”

  Players broke off into groups of two to throw the ball to each other and loosen up. Alex approached her. “Care to be my partner?”

  “Sure. Let’s see what you’re made of, California boy.”

  “Be gentle with me. It’s my first time.”

  Julia suppressed her smile as Alex sprinted about ten yards into the outfield to take his place between two other players. When he was ready, she lobbed an easy ball at him.

  “Anyone ever tell you that you throw like a girl?” he said as he easily caught the ball.

  “Not unless they want to lose their teeth,” she said pleasantly.

  “Good to know.”

  She scrambled to catch his return throw, an overhand baseball pitch that dropped like a stone as it reached her. “Not bad, Campbell. Too bad there wasn’t a lot of heat on it.”

  “You want more heat? You got it.”

  She caught his next throw against the palm of her hand instead of in the pocket of her glove, and felt the sting all the way up her arm. She resisted the urge to take her hand out of the glove and rub the sore spot.

  “Nice. That one had a lot more mustard. When did you say you last played?”

  “In college, as an undergrad.”

  She tossed the ball at him, and he caught it with an economical movement of his glove. “Why don’t you try an underhand softball pitch, see how it feels.”

  “Okay. But get ready. I have no idea where this might go.”

  “I’m ready. Go for it.”

  He stood facing her, the ball in his right hand resting against his hip. Then, winding his arm in a windmill motion, he took a step forward at the same time, giving himself the momentum he needed as he released the pitch. The ball sailed high, and Julia had to make a vertical leap to catch it. She felt the speed of the pitch in her glove.

  “Sorry about that,” he said. “Nice snag.”

  “Thanks.” She threw it back to him. “Try it again.”

  She crouched in the classic catcher position, her glove positioned in front of her at the strike zone level, as if there were a batter in place. “Right at the glove, Alex.”

  He wound up and released again. This time the ball hit the dirt about a yard in front of her and took a crazy bounce to the left, and she was unable to field it.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “Not a problem.”

  One of the other players picked up the ball and threw it back to her. She tossed it to Alex and assumed the position once more.

  “In the pocket, Alex.”

  This time the ball moved in a direct line from his hand to her glove. Julia was thrilled with the pitch, but she wasn’t going to let him know. “Nice control,” she said blandly as she threw it back to him. “See if you can add a little more speed.”

  Once more he wound up and let fly. The ball had more speed but sailed high, causing her to jump to her feet. Still, with an indulgent umpire, it might have had a chance to be called a strike.

  By now all the other players had stopped throwing to watch them. Aaron stuck his glove under his arm and clapped his hands.

  “Come on, Alex. You can do it.”

  This time he threw a strike right down the middle. The crowd cheered. Aaron pumped his fist. “Looks like Edie may have some competition as pitcher this year.”

  Next they broke into two teams for an ad hoc game. Alex was put in as pitcher against her team, and he did a credible job, considering it was the first time he’d ever pitched underhand with a softball. He struck out a couple of players, getting them to swing at high strikes, but he also got smacked by Dave, one of the best hitters on their team. Dave cracked the ball into left field, the ball flying over the head of the fielder, who had to chase after it.

  “You can’t win ’em all, Doc,” Dave chortled as he trotted around the bases.

  Then it was her turn at bat. She dug her toe into the dirt next to home plate and raised her bat to shoulder height as she stared Alex down. His first pitch was high and inside, forcing her to jump back to avoid being hit. She saw him cringe.

  “Sorry. That one got away on me.”

  “Not a problem. But do it again and you may find my bat where the sun don’t shine.”

  He grinned. “I’ll take that under consideration.”

  “Please do.”

  She watched his next pitch whiz across her strike zone. Damn. She really hated to lose. She dug her toe a little deeper in the dirt.

  The next pitch was a fat one right down the middle. This time she was ready for it. S
he swung her bat, and with a satisfying crack it connected with the ball, sending it over the shortstop’s outstretched arm to land safely in left field. She raced to first base and rounded the corner, but by then the ball had been thrown to second base. She trotted back to the bag.

  The second base player tossed the ball to Alex. He gave her a look to ensure she wasn’t trying to steal second before facing a new batter at the plate. He whizzed one across the plate. Strike one. Then a swing and a miss. Strike two. Julia started to get nervous. With two out already, she was in danger of being left stranded on base. She wasn’t going down without a fight.

  As Alex concentrated on his batter, she took a few tentative steps off the bag, then as soon as he let go of the ball she took off at full speed for second. She heard shouting, saw the shortstop race to second base. With one last burst of speed, she dove head first to the bag, her arms outstretched and reaching. Just before her hand touched the base, she felt the slap of a leather glove against her backside.

  “Out!” Aaron called from home plate.

  Damn. Julia got to her feet, and brushed the dirt from her clothes.

  “Nice try, Jules. Better luck next time.” Aaron clapped her on the back as she made her way back to the bench to pick up her glove. Alex grinned at her.

  “Yeah, Jules. Better luck next time.”

  “Nobody likes a wiseass, Campbell.”

  She felt better than she had in days.

  When Alex came to the plate, Julia went on full alert at her shortstop position. No way was she going to let a hit of his get past her.

  She needn’t have worried. The ball connected with his bat with a loud crack and flew over her head—and over the left field player’s head. Alex ambled around the bases, taking congratulations from players on both sides as he went.

  Julia smiled. It was going to be a very interesting ball season.

  ****

  Ava held Alex’s hand as they walked home after practice. Julia wondered once more if she should be worried about her daughter’s growing attachment to him. But she pushed the worry from her mind for tonight. For the first time in a very long time she’d had fun. It was springtime, and the sun was finally warm again. Couldn’t she just enjoy the moment?