Christmas All Around Us ; The Perfect Time for Love ; Playing for Keeps

by Carla Kincaid

  Kate made herself a ham and cheese sandwich and joined Dana on the living room couch. As usual, her daughter was watching ESPN+. The sportscaster was going over the stats for one sport after another. Golf. Tennis. Basketball. All of it was gibberish to Kate. She wasn't much of a sports fan but she loved spending time with her daughter so she let the sports chatter drift past her like white noise as she ate her sandwich and then settled back into the couch to read a book.

  According to Kate's father, her love of reading was something she'd inherited from her mother. For as long as Kate could remember, she'd occupied her time by pulling dusty copies of the romance novels off the bookshelf where her mother's collection lived. That was until she'd started her own collection of novels stored digitally on her phone. Of course, the protagonists in Kate's digital collection of novels were same gendered, unlike the books her mother collected.

  Kate tapped the screen on her phone and swiped pasts several book covers with women gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. If only life were like fiction and attractive strangers walked into people's lives out of nowhere, Kate thought. Sadly, Kate would just have to settle for the happy endings she read in books. It wasn't a very exciting life for a thirty-year-old woman but Kate was content -- for the most part.

  She settled back into the couch and let her imagination carry her into the book she'd chosen. She became so engrossed in the story she hadn't even heard her father when he came into the house.

  "I think our Airbnb guest has arrived," Kate's father's voice rang out from the kitchen.

  Kate had forgotten all about the AirBnB reservation. What was the woman's name she'd seen in the email notification her father showed her a few days ago? Josephine something?

  Renting out the small room over the garage had been Kate's father's idea and he was the one who managed their account on the site. Most of the tourists coming to Hersh Falls during the summer were families who rented one of the many cabins or larger homes bordering the lake or dotting the mountainside but Kate's father was convinced that they could make a few extra dollars renting out the small studio apartment if they just fixed it up a little. So far the idea had paid off. Each summer they'd booked two or three guests -- usually for a week at a time -- but this reservation was for almost a month and the extra cash had already been spent on a much-needed roof repair well in advance of the winter snow.

  Kate set her cell phone on the coffee table and glanced over at Dana who was flipping pages on her iPad looking at sports equipment. Making a Christmas list no doubt. Kate got up from the couch and headed to the front door. As soon as she saw the statuesque driver unfold from the low riding convertible her breath caught in her throat.

  "Hey, it's you," she said unable to stifle the wide grin that spread across her face.

  "Yep, it's me!" Joy replied with an equally enthusiastic expression. "I'm glad to see you're no longer stranded on the side of the road," she joked.

  "Nope, I'm fine," Kate said with a laugh. "But that's more than I can say for my truck."

  Before Kate could say anything else, Dana appeared at the front door.

  "Mom, the glove I've been wanting is on sale online. Look!" Dana lifted her tablet toward Kate but stopped in mid-air when she saw Joy.

  Kate looked over at her daughter's frozen expression.

  "Dana, what's gotten into you? You know it's not polite to stare."

  Dana turned to her mother with a dazed look on her face and then turned back to Joy.

  "Are you... Josephine Sizemore?" she asked timidly.

  Sizemore. That was it, Kate thought but how did Dana know the woman's name?

  "Yep, that's me. But my friends call me Joy." She reached out to shake the teen's hand but Dana was too excited to respond to the gesture.

  "Oh MY GOD! Mom, that's Joy Sizemore!" Dana shouted as she bounced up and down on her toes. She tugged at her mother's arm as if shaking her would help Kate understand why she was so excited.

  "Oh, Mother!" Dana exclaimed, rolling her eyes in that way only teenagers seem to perfect. "She's like my favorite softball player of all time!"

  Kate looked at Joy and caught the faint signs of the woman blushing from the attention.

  "Do you play?" Joy asked Dana.

  "Yeah, I'm a pitcher, just like you!" Dana said enthusiastically, then she paused and her eyes dropped to Joy's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

  Kate saw Joy's smile dim slightly.

  "Yeah, I'm okay. The doctor says I should be back in game shape in no time." Joy then turned her attention to Kate. "I hurt my shoulder in a game earlier this season and had to have surgery."

  "Oh. I'm so sorry to hear that, Joy," Kate uttered while at the same time resisting the urge to reach out and offer a comforting touch. "I'm glad to hear you're feeling better though."

  There was a moment of awkward silence. Dana was still too fanned out to say much and Kate was dealing with her own speechlessness for a totally different reason.

  "Well, enough talk about sports," Kate finally interjected. "I'm sure Joy would like to get settled into her room."

  "Yeah, I've been on the road all day. I could use a shower." She glanced at Kate but then quickly looked away. "But, maybe sometime while I'm here you could show me that pitch of yours?" she said to Dana.

  Dana's eyes lit up at the offer.

  "That would be great!" she said suddenly finding her voice again. "I'm in a summer softball league. Maybe you could come to a game while you're here?" Dana paused and shuffled her feet in the gravel. "I'm only a rising freshman, so I usually don't get much playing time, but it would still be cool to have you there."

  "Dana," Kate interrupted. "Joy came here on vacation, I'm sure she's got other things planned for her time."

  Dana's face dropped into a pout.

  "Actually, I don't have anything much planned while I'm here," Joy said looking at the teen and raising her slumped posture with her words. "I'd love to come to one of your games, Dana. And maybe I can show you a few pointers so we can increase that playing time of yours."

  "Oh wow! That would be so cool!" Dana said as she bounced on her toes with excitement.

  Joy grasped the handle of her wheeled suitcase and pointed the key fob in her hand toward the convertible.

  Dana let out a gasp as the car's leather top unfolded from behind the seats to cover the vehicle.

  "Nice, huh?" Joy said noticing the teen's excitement. "Maybe we can go for a ride and you can show me around Hersh Falls?"

  "OMG! That would be awesome!" Dana exclaimed and the toe bouncing started again.

  Great, Kate thought with a laugh. Yet another car to impress the picky teen. Now even a dent free truck was going to disappoint her.

  "Alright, let's let our guest get settled upstairs," Kate said taking Dana by the shoulders and turning her toward the door of the house. Dana unwillingly went inside but even through the closed front door, the teenager's voice could be heard.

  "Grandpa! You're not going to believe who's renting the Airbnb room!"

  The two women glanced at each other, smiling.

  "To be young again," Kate said with a laugh.

  "You still look pretty young to me," Joy said with a wink "In fact, I never would have imagined you were the mother of a teenager when we met."

  Kate blinked and swallowed. She wasn't used to getting compliments -- especially from attractive women -- and she didn't know how to respond.

  "Do you need some help with your bags?" she asked changing the subject.

  "No, I think I can manage. I'm a pretty light packer." Joy lifted her second bag up to her good shoulder. "Lead the way."

  Kate turned and started walking toward the stairs leading up the side of the garage to the apartment. For some reason, she was uncomfortable with the silence as Joy walked behind her.

  "I hope you don't feel obligated to entertain Dana's request," Kate said turning over her shoulder.

  Joy just shrugged. "It's okay," she said. "Usually I run into more girls who are WN
BA fans so meeting someone who knows about the National Fast Pitch league is a welcome change."

  Kate let out a big laugh. "Dana's been obsessed with softball for as long as I can remember. I'm not much of an athlete myself," Kate said self-consciously. "Cooking is my thing as you can see." She patted her stomach.

  "You look great to me. Plus, you know what they say. Food is the way to a woman's heart."

  Kate felt her face go flush. There it was again. One of those could-be flirtatious comments. Kate didn't know what to make of it but she was grateful that she was walking ahead of Joy so the woman couldn't see her expression.

  "Here we are," Kate said opening the door to the small above garage apartment. She handed Joy a key attached to a purple rubber scrunchy and stepped inside. Kate quickly scurried to the far side of the room. She needed to put some distance between her and Joy before her hormones totally betrayed her interest. "It's not the Ritz but I think you'll find it comfortable enough."

  Kate looked around the small space and was suddenly conscious of how plain it really was. They'd rented it out to plenty of people coming to the area to fish or hike but none of those guests were world travelers like Joy.

  "It's perfect," Joy said with a smile that put all of Kate's worries to rest. "It feels more like home than anywhere I've been in months."

  Chapter 4

  Yesterday's travel must have taken more out of Joy than she'd realized. After taking a shower she crawled into bed with the intention of taking a nap. The next thing she knew it was morning.

  Now well rested, Joy was eager to get out into the fresh mountain air. Her feet pounded the ground rhythmically as she pushed herself up an ever increasing incline. She'd already made it once around the lake behind the Warner property and now she was following the private road that started at the Warner's cabin and wound its way up the mountainside past the other nearby residences.

  The homes Joy strode past had the same rustic log exteriors as the Warner's small place but their high peaked roofs, expansive wraparound balconies, and looming windows made them too big to truly be called cabins. The acreage around each home was equally impressive.

  Woods dense with trees surrounded each house and blocked a view of even the closest neighbor. The residents must have felt like they were sitting on their own private piece of the mountainside. Joy was pretty sure that the houses at the very top of the hill must include spectacular views of the valley below.

  The strain of the increasing elevation caused Joy to heave air from her lungs like she was blowing up a balloon. She inhaled in small gulps but she didn't allow herself to slow down. Joy was convinced that if she kept her pace up she would outrun the thoughts that had been haunting her for the past few weeks -- or months. Thoughts about the mess she'd made of her life miles away in Richmond. Thoughts that took her even further away to the life in Tokyo that she wasn't even sure she wanted to return to even if her shoulder healed enough for her to pitch again.

  As Joy pumped her arms to help propel her body forward she barely noticed the beauty around her. The fresh air, the peacefulness and the quiet were doing battle with her still jittery nerves. No matter how hard she pounded her feet into the ground she couldn't seem to shake the thoughts that tormented her.

  Even though the throbbing sensation that started when she banged her hand against the dashboard yesterday was gone the familiar tension that seemed to live in her shoulders was still there. That tension that never seemed to leave. At least not without some liquid assistance.

  Joy followed the road around a curve digging her steps into the ground as the hilly path became even steeper. At some point, she wanted to walk around and explore the area but right now she needed to push her body. She needed the challenge of running -- of conquering something. Maybe that would help her to feel a little more prepared for her afternoon appointment with Dr. Turner.

  The thought of sharing her feelings with a stranger made Joy curl her hands into locked fists. If only she could just work things out on the field. That was her normal way. Just focus on her game and let the rest work itself out.

  Joy was sweat-drenched and exhausted as she approached the Warner's house. She was also frustrated over not being able to still her mind after more than an hour of physical exertion. If she was still tense now her session with Dr. Turner was going to be torture.

  "Good morning," a soft voice called out breaking into Joy's thoughts.

  Joy looked over to find Kate sitting in an Adirondack chair in front of her house. Even though the cup of coffee she raised to her lips after she spoke was now blocking Joy's view of Kate's mouth, her eyes sparkled in a way that betrayed the smile hidden behind the coffee mug. Joy didn't have anything to mask the pleasure she felt upon seeing her host this morning so she just let her smile beam.

  When none of her semi-flirtatious comments seemed to get a reaction from Kate yesterday Joy just figured she'd read the vibe she felt wrong. Gaydar wasn't always reliable and Joy had just chalked what she thought she felt up to road weariness and driving fatigue. But now. Now there seemed to be something more than just Southern friendliness behind those sparkling eyes.

  "How was your run?"

  "It was great," Joy said immediately forgiving herself for the lie.

  She was enjoying the exchange too much to be honest. Besides there was no need to talk about her failed efforts to relax now that she finally found some of the tension in her body beginning to subside. Sure, maybe it was just the attraction-filled dopamine rush but Joy didn't care. If a little flirting could make her feel this good maybe she wouldn't have to see Dr. Turner three times a week for the 21 days after all.

  "I'd offer you some coffee," Kate said but I think my dad drank the last of it. "I could make some more if you'd like."

  "Thanks, but I don't want you to go out of your way." Joy smiled at her host and was about to sit down in the chair next to her when a bright red Kia turned off the main road and into the Warner's driveway.

  "That's my ride to work," Kate said.

  Something in her tone made Joy think she wasn't the only one who wished their morning chat could continue.

  "Have a good day," Joy said with a smile, wondering when she'd have an opportunity to get to know her new host better.

  Joy had made it halfway up the stairs to her new home when a UPS truck turned into the driveway.

  "Are you Joy Sizemore?" the young driver asked when he got out of the truck looking at his clipboard.

  "Yeah. That's me," Joy answered as she started descending the stairs. She'd ordered a batting cage online and had it shipped to the Warner's address. She figured if the therapy didn't work at least she could get some of her frustration out by pitching a few in between sessions.

  Joy instructed the driver to put the large box inside the garage under her sleeping quarters. As much as she wanted to put the cage together right now she knew she didn't have time. After all, she didn't want to be late for her first session with Dr. Turner.

  ***

  Joy let her eyes roam around the doctor's office taking in the strangely cozy environment -- while subconsciously searching for an escape route. The small office felt like a den in someone's home -- which in actuality was exactly what it was. Joy couldn't hear the footsteps of Dr. Turner's family roaming about the house but she knew they were there. Outside this room. Free from the inspecting eyes of the fifty-something woman sitting in front of her. Joy looked away from Dr. Turner's stare and over to a spot on the wall where a landscape painting hung. It would have been a nice place to put a big screen television. Then Joy could be sitting here watching ESPN+ instead of avoiding the doctor's questions.

  Joy plunged her hands deep into the pockets of her hoodie and let her body sink into the plush cushions of the over-stuffed leather office chair. The tension in her body was back. She would rather be almost anywhere other than where she was right now. Joy tried to keep her bouncing knee still -- a habit she'd had since childhood -- as if not moving her leg would render her invis
ible. But she could be seen -- at least her exterior could. Her interior was somewhere halfway across the globe in a place that was safe and only required of her what she wanted to share.