“I’m going to try out for the team,” Aubrey said. She was running backwards now, and not a pant to be found in her voice, while Memphis walked and panted enough for the both of them.
“When did you decide this?” She knew Aubrey was in good shape but had no idea what that looked like until now. It was pretty, all erect posture, and legs moving effortlessly, and backwards, no less.
“Yesterday. Listening to you got me to thinking. I mean, it’s a great chance for me to learn a sport too, and with my good friend here. I know you think I’m such an athlete, that’s the real reason you won’t work out with me. You think I’ll think less of you, or look down at your physical conditioning. But I won’t. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Who said anything about being ashamed?” Memphis said.
She heard a whistle, looked up. It was Z, giving her that sign to get moving. She rolled her eyes, but started jogging again.
“I see what you mean. He is cute,” Aubrey said.
“Is that why you came?” Memphis said, stealing a glance out of the corner of her eye at Coach Z, whose glasses were still turned in her direction.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit curious. And now that I’ve seen him up close, I wouldn’t kick him out of my bed.”
“I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me, so let’s talk later,” Memphis said, her excuse for ending their conversation, but really she didn’t want to discuss Z with her friend. She glanced at him again. He had turned away, apparently satisfied that she was moving again.
“You sure?”
“I’m sure, really,” Memphis said, trying to smile and breathe at the same time.
“See you later, then,” Aubrey said, kicking her jogging into another gear.
Memphis watched her for a few beats—and of course she was fast—before turning her gaze to the coaches, seeking out the reaction of one particular coach. He, along with the other coaches, was watching Aubrey, and why wouldn’t they.
Her heart sank, and she had no idea why. Yes, she did. She was bummed by the arrival of her friend, here for Z. She knew Aubrey well enough to know that, and now she’d have to be a witness to his interest in someone other than her. It was one thing to think you didn’t have a chance, but another thing to know it… to see it play out in real time.
She had the half of a lap remaining, one that required all of her concentration. She could do this, she said to herself, and picked up her pace, moving her thoughts to something slightly less depressing than Aubrey’s arrival, like finishing her laps.
SIX
The first week of camp was almost over. It had proceeded today as it had the previous days, except for the agility drills. Those had been reduced to one—see, the Lord did answer prayers, Memphis thought—to give the coaches time to hand out their assessments and the group assignments. The boys and a few of their parents, along with Memphis and Aubrey, stood waiting for Coach Z to speak.
“Thank you all for spending the week with us. You’ve done an outstanding job of working, and listening, so let’s give yourselves a round of applause,” Coach Z said, clapping along with everyone else. He was dressed in his usual, snug fitting shirt, loose fitting shorts, and that baseball cap with the badger turned backwards on his head.
“As you know, today concludes the first part of our camp,” he continued, scanning the group as he talked. “We are going to split you all into two groups. You will spend next week working in either the linemen or the skilled players’ group. Coaches Harris, Coach Wylie, and Coach Beryl will lead the linemen. Coach D and I will be in charge of the skilled players. Within those groups, you’ll be introduced to both the offensive and defensive positions, and hopefully you’ll find one or two that you feel comfortable playing, both here and on your school’s team.
“Try to learn as much as you can. I can’t stress how important this is. The more you know, the better your chances are in making someone’s team. Now, for those of you, who find yourself in a group different from what you expected or wanted, than a talk to the coach in charge of your group is in order. We will try to accommodate you should you wish to move. Any questions?” Coach Z asked.
“No, sir” was the group’s response in unison.
“Great, then. So when I call your name, move quickly to the coaches in charge of your section,” Z said.
Memphis had already heard all of this, courtesy of her sister with her daily calls.
Thirty minutes later and everyone’s name had been called. Camp was done for the day, unless you wanted to talk your assessment over with one of the coaches, which Memphis didn’t. She and her assessment were going home.
“I think Z got it right about me and where I belong. I’m going to make a good receiver, I think. What about you?” Aubrey asked. Memphis and Aubrey had both been assigned to the skilled players group.
“I guess. I think playing football is more my problem, or I used to. I’ve been considering giving it a try for real,” Memphis said.
“So you were faking it earlier?”
“That’s not what I meant. Oh, forget I said anything,” she said, not wanting to explain her desire to be better, tired of being seen in her old light.
“It never hurts to try, I guess,” Aubrey said, chuckling. “Hey, would you talk to Alex about Z for me?”
“Z?”
“Yes. I need information. You can pretend you’re me and you’re interested in him. Ask her if he’s seeing anyone. Does he date… hang out? Things you would want to know if you were interested. And before you say it, I could ask her myself but I don’t think your sisters like me.”
“They don’t know you,” Memphis said.
“I don’t think that’s our problem, but believe what you like.”
Memphis laughed. “It’s not that bad.”
“It’s whatever. Call me if she tells you anything interesting.”
“And why are you playing football again?” she asked, smiling at her friend.
“Ha ha. He’s cute so why not, since I’m here. Right, and having said that, I think I’ll go over and have a talk with him, since I didn’t get an official assessment like you did. I’d like to hear his thoughts. You?”
“Nope. I have his thoughts right here in writing, to read or not,” she said, waving her paper around.
“Let me see,” Aubrey said, reaching for it.
“Oh no, you don’t. You know enough about my flaws already,” Memphis said, moving her paper to the other side of her body and away from Aubrey’s reach. It was déjà vu all over again and she had traveled back to middle school, receiving a less than satisfactory report about some skill she’d failed to master.
“Fine.”
“Yes, it is,” Memphis said, chuckling. She turned her gaze to Z, checking out the number of boys lined up in front of him and the other coaches.
“I’d better go get in line. We’ll talk later and don’t forget to call me with what you find out from Alex.”
“Okay,” Memphis said, watching as Aubrey walked over to Coach Z, falling in at the end of the line of boys that stood in front of him.
Memphis looked down at the paper in her hand. There was a list of skills football players were expected to possess, she guessed, on the left side, with a scale of one to five on the right, with five being excellent and one being not so much. Her speed had gotten her a five. Everything else was marked with a one: quickness was a one, agility was one, timing—no idea what that was, but it was a one.
He’d written a personal note at the end. Hang in there, you are improving. Which was nice. Her heart lifted. And how sad that it only took one sentence to get it up. She glanced at him once more. Serious and sexy or seriously sexy, take your pick. She’d picked both to describe him as he talked to the parent and a kid standing in front of him. He was moving his hands about as he talked, those glasses of his hanging from the front of his shirt, so his eyes were visible and engaged.
She liked him and it was growing. Even the irr
itation she’d felt earlier had evaporated under the onslaught that was Z, and she was not alone. Aubrey was at the end of his line, admiration in her gaze too. Such a cliché they both were, falling for the handsome quarterback or the handsome coach, who on this occasion was one and the same. She didn’t expect anything to come of her interest, while Aubrey, she thought, had a chance.
#
Saturday evening
Memphis waited beside her car for Alex to catch up to her. Alex drove this truck that she and Memphis had gotten a good deal on—part of helping her sister regain her footing after leaving that jerk of a boyfriend behind. “Everybody needs help sometimes” was Memphis’s motto, and as an insurance agent she saw firsthand all manner of life’s little surprises.
“Hey,” Memphis said.
“Hey,” Alex said, closing her car door behind her. “No date?” she asked, smiling.
“Nope.”
“Me neither. It’s overrated, this dating thing. I’d much rather spend my time with you and Charlotte or working on my game. I brought you a gift,” she said, holding a book out for Memphis to see. “Football for Dummies, not that you’re a dummy or anything. I thought this might help you learn the game faster,” Alex said, laughing.
“Did I tell you how much I dislike football?” Memphis said, headed for Charlotte’s front door with Alex trailing along behind.
“Get to know it before you start hating on it, is all I’m suggesting,” Alex said, watching as Memphis rang the doorbell. It was Joshua, their brother-in-law, who answered. Charlotte had married into the Bell family of engineers, so the life of the stay-at-home mom worked for them.
“My two favorite sisters-in-laws, or should I say my two favorite Ballerz. How are you ladies this evening?” he asked, smiling as he stepped aside. He was dressed in slacks, a shirt, and tie for his date with his wife. A good guy, Charlotte had known him since college. She had stopped being an elementary school teacher after the twins were born. Four kids and one parent working made Memphis a little queasy. However, it was not her life, and she was working to keep her sisterly worries to a minimum.
“Good, and there is only one football player in this family. And it’s not me. I’m only doing any of it under duress,” Memphis said, smiling.
“Well, whatever is driving you to test out your abilities and compete, we are behind you one hundred percent. The boys love it, they’re excited about their aunts playing ball.”
“I think that’s getting way ahead of ourselves. I’m only on the team because they need bodies more than skill,” Memphis said.
“That’s not what I heard,” Joshua said.
“Right?” Memphis asked sarcastically, glancing at Alex, as they both followed Joshua to the family room, the hub of the house.
“I heard you’re kind of fast,” Joshua said.
“Only kind of fast, huh,” Memphis said, laughing.
He laughed too as they entered the family room where their children were. The twins—boys, Josiah and Justin—were deep into a video game, slouched on the couch, and staring at the TV screen. Seven years old and it was the one thing that kept them still and somewhat quiet. They waved to their aunts, but their eyes had remained glued to the screen.
“Hey, it’s Aunt Memphis and Alex,” Alicia said. She was the oldest daughter, recently turned ten. “We have to be quiet, Simone is sleeping,” Alicia said, fitting into her big sister role of taking care of her younger siblings, reminding Memphis of herself way back when. Simone was the newest and final addition to their family, according to Charlotte. Three months old, and slept as much as she was awake. Alicia gave each aunt a hug.
“That’s right and she was hard to put down,” Charlotte said, entering the room. Charlotte was not only the middle kid in age but in height and build. She had more curves than Alex, but not as many as Memphis. Charlotte was the happy medium between the two of them in most things; the middle bear in the three bears children’s story.
“Fancy tonight?” Alex said, taking in Charlotte’s attire of dress and heels.
“Everything is fancy to you of the shorts, warm-ups, and t-shirts. Joshua has a work thing,” Charlotte said.
“Good for you. Something other than kids, kids, and kids,” Memphis added, smiling.
“Adult conversation is what you mean, and yes, something adult is nice,” Charlotte said, her gaze bouncing between her two sisters. She noticed the football book in Alex’s hand and smiled. “Call if you need anything. Kids, behave and listen to your aunts. There are bottles in the fridge for Simone, and I ordered a pizza for everyone else. It should be here in thirty,” she said. Alicia was the only kid listening. The boys and their eyes remained glued to the TV screen.
“Have fun,” Memphis said, closing the door behind them.
#
Later on that night, after the kids had been safely tucked in to bed, Alex and Memphis sat at the kitchen table, talking. It was a glass of wine for Memphis and a glass of water for Alex. It was always water with Alex, in her perpetual training mode, and Memphis wasn’t giving up wine for anybody or anything.
“So why was Aubrey at camp? Why did you tell her, of all people?” Alex asked.
“She’s a friend who said she wants to support me, and she wants to learn a new sport.”
“Okay, Memphis,” she said, although her tone indicated something completely different. “You and I both know the real reason she’s there, right?” She took a breath and continued on, apparently not needing a response. “She’s interested in Z, like so many women before her. I know you know this. No way is she there for you or if she is, you’re not the main reason. Should we tell her about the rule prohibiting coaches and players from dating each other? Or should we can watch her try and fail,” Alex asked, tilting her head right and then left as if this was a serious dilemma. “There is fun in being a spectator, don’t you think?” Alex said.
“There’s a rule against dating players? Not that I’m interested in dating any of the coaches,” Memphis asked.
“I thought I told you. My bad. There is no romantic mixing of players and coaches or the coach has to hit the road. One of the players and a coach’s romance turned ugly last year.”
“Oh,” Memphis said.
“So Z’s off limits for the both of you.”
Memphis waved her hand, brushing her sister’s comments aside. “I’m not interested, I told you that. So he doesn’t date team members, but what about others?”
“Why? If you’re not interested, it doesn’t matter,” Alex said.
“These questions are for Aubrey’s benefit. She’s the one with the interest.”
“I’m not going to put much thought into Aubrey.”
“So is that a yes, then? He dates a lot?”
“I wouldn’t call what he does dating.”
“How do you know so much about him?”
“He’s my coach first, but we are also good friends. He is one of my few, one that takes my desire to be a coach one day seriously. You know me and men, or the old me with men. We train together, or he trains me. I also play flag football with him and a few of his other buddies once a month. I’ve made a lot of contacts through him. So trust me and take my word that I know what I know, and I know you or she will only wind up hurt if you do anything with Z that does not involve playing football.”
“Again, not me, but I got it,” Memphis said.
“You’ve been assigned to the skilled players’ group?” Alex asked, changing the subject, tired of talking about Aubrey.
“Yes.”
“What positions are in that group, do you think?”
“Why?” Memphis asked, looking askance at her sister.
“Just answer the question,” Alex said.
“So what am I in school or something?”
“Yes, you are. I’m trying to further your football education, so don’t be difficult. Now, what position would you like to play… to learn next week?” Alex asked.
“Let’s see,” Memphis said, tak
ing a sip of her wine, pretending to give the question thoughtful consideration, letting go of her Z questions—yes, on Aubrey’s behalf, but also a little bit of hers too. Her sister’s answers mostly confirmed what she’d thought, and maybe that would be enough to put a damper on her preoccupation with him. She was willing to use anything to cut back her interest that was growing by the camp. “Running backs run the ball and quarterbacks throw it? It’s a no for me getting hit, so that eliminates the running back position, and since you’re the quarterback we can exclude that one too. How about the kicker? Is she exempt from getting hit?” Memphis asked.
“Football is a contact sport, Memphis. No one, not even the kicker, is exempt. Do you want to be a kicker? Can you kick a football?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then there’s no use discussing it. What other positions are you familiar with?”
“The guy that passes the ball through his legs to the quarterback?”
“She’s the center, and she’s a part of the line. She has to block and she’s not in your group.”
“Okay then, moving on. Aubrey mentioned being a receiver. So they must be in my group. Can I be one of those?”
“Yes, they are in your group. Maybe. You do have natural speed, a prerequisite for that position. How are you at catching?” Alex asked.
“I know you know the answer to that. I’m sure someone has told you that I can’t catch a cold, so that’s a problem.”
“Yeah, that’s a problem, but don’t get discouraged. Auntie Alex is here to help,” she said, sliding the Football for Dummies book over to Memphis. “There are other positions beside the running back, quarterback and receivers that are lumped into the skill players.”
“Okay, like what?”
“Cornerbacks and safeties,” Alex said.
“Safety sounds good. I’m all for playing things safe.”
“Ha ha. The position is called a safety because it is the last line of defense to stop whatever’s run by the offense.”
The Odd Ballerz Page 9