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

by Carla Kincaid

  "Not that we've done anything to be ashamed of," Joy clarified. "But I'm not sure you've had the talk with Dana yet."

  "Thanks," Kate said. Relief washed over her face. "And no, Dana and I haven't even had the talk about her sex life more-less any of the particularities of mine."

  Kate put on her bra and pulled Joy's t-shirt over her head. Once she put on the shorts she did her best to pull her hair into a manageable ponytail and dashed out the door. She tried to keep her face neutral as she watched Sam unfold from his shiny red sports car. With each step down the stairs, Kate reminded herself that she didn't owe Sam an explanation regarding why she was coming out of her guest's room at 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning but the look in his eyes told her that he was already making up his own story about what was going on.

  "Did Dana forget something?" she asked as she breezed by Sam's car heading toward her front door.

  Sam cocked his head and looked up at Joy's window but Kate pretended not to notice.

  "She brought the wrong color socks," he said answering her question. "She needs blue today, not white."

  Kate just nodded and ducked into the house before Sam could ask any questions of his own.

  "Dana!" she called out knowing her child was probably head first into the dirty clothes basket in her room looking for a clean pair of blue socks.

  Kate went into the laundry room and pulled out the load of now clean clothes she'd been intending to fold and put away after she got home from dinner. At the time she wouldn't allow herself to think that anything was going to happen between her and Joy last night -- even though she desperately wanted it to.

  "Mom! Do you know where my...?" Dana started to ask as she walked down the hallway. When she reached the living room Kate was holding out the clean socks.

  "Thanks, Mom," Dana said. She shoved the socks in the pocket of her hoodie and was about to run out the door when she stopped. "Nice shirt," Dana said nodding toward Kate's chest.

  Kate looked down but it took a moment before she was able to read the upside-down letters that stretched across her chest. Did her t-shirt say something inappropriate? Was she broadcasting some I'm a proud lesbian slogan to the world?

  "Rocky Road Never Smooth!" were the words she mouthed slowly. The shirt was an advertisement for a brand of gourmet ice cream."Oh. This. Um. It's Joy's," was all Kate managed to say.

  "No duh, Mom." Dana rolled her eyes. "You hate chocolate ice cream," she said as she headed to the door. "See you at 2!"

  Kate didn't quite exhale until she heard Sam's car pull out of the driveway. But even then she knew this little encounter had put something into the atmosphere that she was going to have to address sooner than later.

  Chapter 13

  Joy breezed along the road with Mr. Warner sitting in the passenger's seat beside her and Kate squeezed into the cubby hole behind them. The top was down and the warm Sunday afternoon air blew over all of the car's inhabitants.

  "Maybe we should get one of these instead of another truck," Mr. Warner teased as the trio headed to the softball field. "I've heard sports cars are real babe magnets."

  Mr. Warner chortled with laughter but when Joy glanced into the rearview mirror Kate's face looked more terrified than amused.

  "Daddy!" she said with a scolding voice.

  "What?" the older man replied with a still jovial tone. "I just might want to find a nice lady friend to ride around with. Is there anything wrong with that?"

  Joy saw Kate's face relax as she realized her father was speaking of his own dating life and not hers.

  "I think you'd look good behind the wheel of one of these," Joy interjected. "If you want to take her for a spin one day to test it out just let me know."

  "Thank you, Joy. I just might take you up on that but I don't think my daughter will let me actually buy one. She probably thinks it isn't practical." Mr. Warner turned and winked at his daughter playfully.

  "Do whatever you want to, Daddy," Kate said in a sarcastic response. "But I'd give you a week before the interior smelled like a mixture of plant manure and weed killer."

  "Hey! Some women like outdoor aromas," Mr. Warner retorted unwilling to let go of the joke.

  The pleasant family banter put Joy in an even better mood than she already was. After the night she'd spent with Kate she felt even closer to the woman than she'd hoped for and now all of them were on their way to Dana's softball game laughing and joking like a little family. A family very unlike Joy's own.

  The parking lot at the softball field was already pretty full with cars. Joy was glad her sport was so popular in Hersh Falls. She knew the more fans that were cultivated at the high school level the better chance women's pro softball had of expanding its reach.

  "I promised Coach Thompson that I'd stop by the dugout before the game," Joy said as the three of them walked toward the field.

  "We'll save you a seat," Kate said with a smile. "The good spots are almost gone already."

  "Do either of you want anything from the concession stand?" Joy asked.

  "Popcorn for me!" Mr. Warner said with his usual enthusiasm.

  "I guess I'll take some popcorn too," Kate said. "And maybe a Coke.

  Mr. Warner began digging into his pocket but Joy waved him away.

  'Snacks are on me," she said with a smile.

  As Joy approached the team warm-up area she could already see Dana practicing her pitch with one of the other players. Her form was improving even with the slight adjustments Joy had helped her make the few times they worked together and it was looking like she might get some pitching time in today. She wondered if Kate really understood how much potential her daughter had. No doubt the college scouts would begin circling as soon as Dana was officially in high school

  "Joy! Over here!" Coach Thompson waved.

  The Coach was standing next to a woman she hadn't seen around before.

  "Joy, I'd like you to meet one of my oldest friends. Felicia Mason," Coach Thompson said.

  The woman stepped forward and extended her hand to Joy. "It's nice to meet you Joy. I'm a big fan."

  Joy blushed at the compliment. It wasn't like she usually had tons of fans who recognized her so running into a third person in the past two weeks who knew of her career was really flattering.

  "Thanks," Joy said.

  "Felicia and I used to play college ball together," Coach Thompson explained. "But now she's a big real estate mogul in Charlotte and one of our county's summer softball tournament's biggest supporters. Felicia likes hanging around during the summer so the two of us can reminisce about our glory days while watching the young people do what were both too old to do anymore."

  Coach Thompson let out a hearty laugh.

  "Speak for yourself, Rita. I can still make it at least to second base without an oxygen tank," Felicia said with a laugh.

  As the two women joked back and forth Joy couldn't help but appreciate how they'd both remained active in the sport even after their playing days were over. That would probably be Joy in a few years -- sooner if her Japan contract didn't get renewed.

  "Well, I promised I'd get snacks before the game started," Joy said. "It was nice meeting you, Felicia. Good luck with the game Coach Thompson."

  "Joy, before you go," Coach Thompson began. "The weekend after the girls and I get back from Florida we'll be having our big end of summer softball championship tournament. I could sure use some help if you're available."

  "Wow, Coach. Thanks for the invitation but I'm actually supposed to be leaving town in two weeks." Joy paused and thought about how much she was enjoying her stay in Hersh Falls. "But if my plans change and I'm still around I'd be happy to help you out."

  "Great!" Coach Thompson replied. "Here's hoping your plans change!"

  Joy's mind was still preoccupied with the thought of possibly staying in Hersh Falls for an additional week as she strode over to the concessions stand. She couldn't believe she was actually thinking about staying longer when for the previous week all she
'd thought about was renewing her overseas contract and getting back to Japan. It wasn't like she was ready to give up playing professional softball but the idea of returning to a life so far away was beginning to lose its appeal -- in large part because of the time she'd been spending with Kate.

  "Well, we meet again," a deep voice said interrupting Joy's thoughts.

  Before she even turned around she already knew who was speaking.

  "Hello, Sam," she said trying to make her voice sound as pleasant as possible. Something about this man bugged her but for Dana and Kate's sake, she was going to do her best not to let that show.

  "It seems like you're really making yourself a fixture in our little town."

  The tone in Sam's voice made the hair on the back of Joy's neck stand up on end.

  "I'm really enjoying my stay," she said continuing with the fake pleasant small talk.

  "Uh huh," Sam intoned.

  He stepped closer to Joy and leaned in so no one around them could hear him.

  "Too bad your living accommodations are only temporary."

  Sam tilted his head like an animal facing off with a predator. Joy felt her jaw -- and her fists -- tighten.

  "Next!" the man behind the concession stand shouted.

  Joy turned.

  "What can I get for you, Miss?"

  Before Joy gave him her snack order she turned back around. She didn't know what she was going to say to Sam but she wasn't going to let his snide remark go unaddressed. Unfortunately -- or maybe fortunately -- Sam had already walked away.

  Joy paid for the snack everyone wanted and then walked over to the stands where Kate and Mr. Warner were sitting. She caught a glimpse of Sam seated a few rows away but now he seemed to be ignoring both Joy and the Warners. Joy just shook her head and decided to brush off the whole encounter but she knew her patience was wearing a little thin. If Sam was rude to her the next time she saw him she might not decide to be so polite.

  ❤️❤️❤️

  Kate gazed out the window as she stood at the kitchen sink peeling fresh carrots to go in the stew she was making for Sunday dinner. She could see Joy and Dana at the batting cage no doubt going over some things that happened at yesterday's game. Even though Dana's team won it had been a close game. Proudly, Dana's contribution toward the end of the last inning had cinched the win and the teen had been floating on air ever since. Kate had hoped to slip up to Joy's room last night but every time she'd started to get up from the couch and tip out the door Dana had come back into the living room to comment on some highlight from the game.

  Last night it had been a little frustrating but now watching Dana and Joy outside she felt nothing but gratitude that Joy was there to go over the whole game play-by-play with Dana. Kate couldn't hear their conversation but she could tell from their body movement that they were both invested in whatever they were talking about.

  It was nice to have Joy around, she thought to herself. For a lot of reasons. Acknowledging that made Kate remember something she'd seen yesterday. Before the game started Kate saw Sam approach Joy at the concession stand. She'd been able to tell from Joy's body language that Sam had said something irritating but by the time Joy got back to the stands with the snacks her mood was as cheerful as it had been on their drive to the ball field. Kate decided not to bring it up unless Joy did. No use in bringing up a distasteful subject unless it was absolutely necessary. Joy would be leaving Hersh Falls in two weeks and Kate didn't want to waste a minute of that time talking about Sam Kensington.

  Thinking about the fast-moving calendar made Kate wonder what Joy's plans were after her vacation in Hersh Falls was over. By now she knew that the pre-season in Japan would get started in mid-September but she hadn't heard Joy mention anything about returning to her old team. What would happen if her contract didn't get renewed, Kate wondered. Was there any chance that Joy might remain in the states and maybe spend a little more time in Hersh Falls?

  "Penny for your thoughts," Mr. Warner said startling Kate as he walked into the kitchen.

  "Oh, I was just thinking about how fast the summer is going by," Kate said without revealing the more specific nature of her thoughts.

  "Yeah. It's about time for me to get the ground ready to plant the Fall perennials," her father said.

  He'd joined Kate at the kitchen window and was staring out at Dana and Joy too.

  "It sure has been nice having her around," he said. "I think each of us has appreciated her company in our own special way."

  Kate didn't dare turn to look at her father. She knew he was fishing for some comment from her but she didn't know what to say. After Friday night she was clear that the attraction she felt for Joy was mutual but she wasn't quite ready to talk about it yet. Maybe it was her way of protecting herself from the inevitable end of summer departure.

  "Well, I'm going to take a walk up the road and make a list of things I need to do next week," Mr. Warner said. "I'll be back in about an hour."

  "Okay, Daddy. Dinner should be ready by then."

  Kate felt a little bad. She could tell her father wanted to talk about what he'd been witnessing between her and Joy but she also knew he was wise enough to be patient and let her tell her side of the story when she was ready.

  "Oh, I think I've settled on the used truck I want," he said before walking out the door. "There's a nice one at a used car dealership in Charlotte. Maybe you and Joy can drive down together and pick it up next week."

  "Sure, Daddy. I'll ask Joy if she's free to make the trip."

  "Great," he said with a smile. "It sure is nice to have someone around to help out isn't it." Mr. Warner smiled at his daughter but didn't say anything else.

  As he walked out of the kitchen Kate glanced back outside. Yeah, it sure is nice, she thought to herself as she tried unsuccessfully to keep her thoughts from drifting into a fantasy future where Joy's presence was a little more permanent.

  Chapter 14

  "Joy, you said something in our last session that I'd like to revisit," Dr. Turner said as she flipped through some pages in her notebook.

  Joy's eyes dropped to the maze pattern in the rug as she began searching her memory. Over the past few days she'd been on such a high she hadn't even thought about her session with Dr. Turner about authenticity. Now all she could do was rack her brain. What did she say in her last session? Most of the time Joy left Dr. Turner's office feeling like she'd rambled on for an hour without really saying much of anything.

  She still wasn't sure how any of this talk therapy was supposed to help her with her drinking problem but she did have to admit after each session she felt a little better just because she had someone to share honestly with. The question was did she feel better enough not to find alcohol a temptation in times of stress?

  "You said it was your father who'd first encouraged you to play softball and he'd been your biggest supporter."

  Joy shook her head.

  "But you also said you thought your life would be better if you'd been born into a different kind of family. What did you mean by that?"

  Joy felt her face twist into a frown. The statement was true but she didn't remember sharing that particular detail with Dr. Turner. She had a bad habit of blocking unpleasant memories from her mind. Joy sunk back into her chair and let her eyes fall into her favorite maze in the carpet. She let herself imagine what her life would have been like if she'd been born into a family like the Warner's. With all that love and support her life would definitely be different. Joy lifted her head and met Dr. Turner eye to eye. She couldn't exactly tell her what she'd been experiencing while hanging out with Kate's family but maybe she could explain it another way.