Taylor’s excitement at the possibility of Chloe working at the school year-round was infectious. Chloe felt some of her nervousness melt away as she related her conversation with Mark Dorman and the interview that had taken place earlier that day. Taylor ate it up.
“This is fantastic. You’re a lock for it. They’re not going to find anyone on such short notice, and they’ve seen your potential with you being here for, what, almost two weeks straight? No question it’s yours. Congratulations, kid. Either way, it’s an honor Mark asked you to apply.”
“Thanks, Taylor. I’m pretty nervous about it. If I get it, that means being a real teacher. If I don’t, that means having to branch out and sub in who knows where.”
“Don’t think that way. This is a killer opportunity to work with me every single day, obviously.”
“Clearly, that’s the only reason I applied. I’m desperate for more time with you.” Both women laughed, grateful for the other. “I’m nervous, but I’ve got to ask. You said you had two favors to ask me?”
“Well, I have something I would like to offer you, though technically I have to ask you if you want it first.” Her tone was more serious now, no longer joking. Chloe waited for her to spit it out.
“Julie, my JV coach—you haven’t met her but you would have loved her… Anyway, she was basically in a position like you, subbing and trying to find permanent phys ed jobs. She called me over the weekend—and I can’t be upset about it because she deserves it—but a position opened up in Virginia. She got the job, and she’s moving there this week. So obviously, I’m in a little bit of a pickle.”
Chloe stared at Taylor, dumbfounded. There was no way this was happening. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words wouldn’t form. Her neural network was fried; a huge surge of emotion had wiped it out, and she was no longer capable of speech. All she could do was sit there as waves of excitement crashed over her.
“Umm, I guess I can put it more plainly. Chloe, I want you to be my JV coach. The pay is lousy, but the company is fantastic. You’ll still have to interview, but the job is yours unofficially.” Taylor’s smile dimmed momentarily as she paused, “I have to say, though, any more of this silent treatment and I might have to reconsider.”
Taylor’s quizzical reaction to Chloe’s odd response was enough to break her silence. Giggles turned into nearly uncontrollable laughter and began pouring out of her as she jumped to her feet and engulfed Taylor in an enormous hug.
Taylor’s muffled response advised Chloe that if she wanted the job she might want to stop suffocating her. Chloe stepped back, beaming. “I think I was in shock. That was so out of the blue it felt like a joke, but then it was real and…I can’t wait. Can we start now?”
“That’s more along the lines of what I had been expecting.” Taylor laughed. “But ease it back. Technically we still have to go through Landon. He’s our athletic director. And I won’t sugarcoat it. He’s a misogynistic asshat. But you can’t have everything in life.”
Chloe thought back to her lone glimpse of the AD so far, his interaction with Madeleine on her first day of subbing. He was very possessive of her. At the time Chloe hadn’t known who either of them was, but the exchange she had seen outside the library that day was one she herself hoped to never have with the man. Since her future as a junior varsity basketball coach rested with him, however, she might have to endure his nonsense as well.
“I’ll follow your lead. I guess I should get used to that if you’re going to be my boss.”
“Damn straight! I’ll never steer you wrong. I’ve already led you to the homo sanctuary every Tuesday and Thursday, haven’t I? Now I’ve got to go get Anne, but I’ll see you at the game!”
Taylor’s offhand comment about leading Chloe to a sanctuary had been closer to the truth than she could ever know. The support she had given her during their first interaction had been far from the last. Last week Chloe vented to her about her encounter going to the restroom and having an older teacher she hadn’t recognized brusquely tell her she was in the women’s bathroom and that the men’s room was down the hall. The disgust in her voice had made it perfectly clear that she didn’t think Chloe was simply lost.
When Taylor heard the story, she made some very creative suggestions about where the woman could put her bigoted head, which thoroughly entertained Chloe. She then went on to lift Chloe’s spirits further by offering to explain to her colleague the nuances of gender expression. When Chloe had wondered aloud whether the administration would be open to offering an introductory level LGBTQ+ Professional Development course for staff, Taylor told her she’d need to find a way to stick around next year as a full-time teacher so she could teach it herself. The thought that that might be an actual possibility now caught Chloe’s attention, but she cautioned herself not to get ahead of herself just yet.
Chloe was glad that Taylor had reminded her of the game today. Somehow she’d forgotten about it, despite the fact that both the morning and afternoon announcements had reminded the entire school about the contest with Boothbay and Molly and Leah, both starters, had worn their jerseys to class. It would be nice to show some support for the girls.
It was time for a change of scenery, she decided after an hour of steady grading. The sun was still large on the horizon, though it was slipping closer to dusk. From her seat in the classroom, she could make out the Wiscasset girls in their white home unis as they began their dynamic warm-up. She checked her watch to see how much time she had. It was 5:48. She had a little over half an hour before the game would start. She decided the quizzes could be finished in the stands while she enjoyed one of the few remaining temperate afternoons.
She was excited to see Stacey and Madeleine in action. They were considered two of the best coaches in the region, and Wiscasset and Boothbay were soccer powerhouses. She hadn’t really been exposed to soccer growing up. She developed an interest in the team as a freshman in high school, but that had been more about one of the captains of the team than about the game itself. She’d gotten a little bit ahead of herself as a result and lived to regret it to this day. Instead, she’d focused her energy on basketball and softball. She had watched a handful of games in college, though, and had started to pay more attention to the sport, especially the national women’s teams. Now that she knew two high school coaches she had even more reason to get to some games.
She gathered up her bag and papers and grabbed her jacket and car keys. The weather was perfect for a night game, though it would be chilly. Putting on her gray, fleece-lined, vintage military jacket, she pulled out her phone and texted Hannah.
The military jacket lives on. Perfect chance to slay and stay warm.
Hannah fervently hated the jacket and had ever since Chloe had first worn it during their sophomore year. Chloe, however, loved it and refused to part with it. She was convinced Hannah hated it because her first serious crush at St. Michael’s had worn a coat nearly identical to it. To her ultimate disappointment, the coat had belonged to the girl’s boyfriend. Hannah had moved on to another crush, but her antipathy to the jacket remained. Now Chloe had a reason to chuckle every time she wore the coat, especially after Hannah had confessed that the jacket did suit her.
Slipping her phone back into one of the jacket’s large front pockets, content that the taunt would make Hannah laugh, Chloe stepped outside into the crisp evening air. The wind hadn’t taken on the full bite of autumn yet, but the sleepy warmth of summer was decidedly absent. The sun, hanging lower in the sky, was still casting brilliant rays around the fields, and she was grateful for the sunglasses she had left in her messenger bag.
Since the science wing had a door that opened directly out to the soccer fields, her walk to the bleachers was a short one. Two large sets of metal bleachers stood on the north sideline. On the opposite sideline sat the team benches, protected from the wind by otherworldly plastic bubble huts that reminded Chloe of the public bus stops in Amherst. The field was in great shape, at least to Chloe’s unt
utored eye. A chain-link fence with Wiscasset red plastic tubing covering its top enclosed it.
Not surprisingly, no spectators had arrived yet, though Chloe imagined eager parents might be arriving shortly. Stacey and Madeleine were busy talking to their squads at opposite ends of the field, she saw, which meant she was free to pick the perfect spot to watch the game and save seats for the rest of the group. She had been unsure whether or not she should say hi to her friends before the game. She decided she didn’t want to interrupt their pre-game routines. She sat down instead and set about finishing the last of her grading.
By the time she next paused, twenty minutes had passed and students and parents had begun trickling in, filling in sections of the bleachers. The scoreboard ticked down the seconds to game time as a trail of fans made their way to the field from cars in the parking lot, and the energy surrounding the teams swelled. Excitement and anxiety hovered around the athletes, feelings Chloe was intimately familiar with and missed with her whole being. Nothing could compare to the sensation of pre-game focus.
The two teams were executing passing drills and taking shots on goal. Chloe found Madeleine on the field; she was standing just outside Wiscasset’s box. Her focus was evident from seventy-five yards away. It was easy to see why she was one of the best coaches in the league. Even Wiscasset’s warm-up was clean and precise.
“I hate to interrupt, but Anne and I were wondering if you saved those seats for us or if you were planning on staring into space alone all night?”
Taylor’s boisterous call interrupted Chloe’s observations of the coaches and players. The couple made their way up the bleachers toward her. Though Chloe hadn’t spent much time with Anne yet, the easy way she carried herself made her feel as though they’d been friends for months instead of days. Taylor held her hand as the pair climbed the bleachers, and Chloe’s heart melted a little. When she stood to greet them, Anne stepped forward.
“Chloe, I want you to know you have to stick around. Taylor complains about you all the time, beating up on her at open gym and whatnot.”
Anne gave Chloe a warm hug. She returned the greeting happily, then stepped back.
“I’ll take that as a compliment?”
“Oh yes, it is. If Taylor takes the time to rag on you, you’ve made it into her circle of trust.”
Taylor reached out and snaked her arm around Anne’s waist, “Except you, sweetheart. I never rag on you.”
“Right, and I never call patients awful names in my head.”
Taylor gasped, as if shocked at Anne’s disclosure. Anne laughed, addressing Chloe again.
“I’m a physical therapist, it’s what we do. And Taylor, she’s a suck-up. She’s lucky she’s cute.” Anne extended her cheek to Taylor for a kiss, something she was more than happy to provide. Laughing, the three of them sat down on the bleachers and got settled in for the game. The bleachers had filled in earnest with a strong showing of fans. The game clock showed ten minutes left before play would begin.
Leaning across Taylor, Anne asked how Chloe was enjoying working at Wiscasset. “Taylor told me you hadn’t had a lot of experience before coming here. Now that you’ve got more than a week under your belt, what do you think?”
“I’m really lucky to have landed here for my first exposure to high school kids. I don’t know if Taylor told you, but I interviewed for the long-term sub position today. I’m excited, but it doesn’t quite seem real yet that I could be here the rest of the year.”
Anne nodded in understanding. “I know what you mean. When I graduated and walked right into the job I’m still working today, signing the paperwork and going to orientation felt like a really vivid dream.”
“That’s exactly it!” Chloe found comfort in Anne’s knowing smile.
“Even if you don’t get the sub position, though Mark would be crazy not to hire you from what I hear, I can at least guarantee you that the JV job will get you unlimited meals and drinks at our house.”
Taylor broke in, aghast. “Babe, am I so impossible to work with that you’re sinking to bribery now?”
“We both know she’ll be over anyway. Assuring her that she’ll be rewarded for her perseverance is the humane thing to do, in my opinion anyway.”
“I know I’ll be taking you up on that offer. She called me agoraphobic today before she even offered me the job. I’m going to need sustenance this season, I think.”
Taylor reached over and smacked Chloe. “Keep it up, I can always offer someone else the job. Hmm, maybe Jaysa wants it. Let me ask her.” Taylor’s voice trailed off as Jaysa joined them, bounding with energy and excitement for the game.
“What do you want to ask me?” she wondered out loud, glancing curiously from Taylor to Anne to Chloe.
“Yes, what was it you wanted from her?” Chloe teased, knowing full well Taylor loved Jaysa but could never coach with her. They were both too high energy to survive a practice without exhausting everyone in the gym.
“Jaysa, I was wondering if you were free this evening after the game. If so, we would be delighted if you would grace us with your presence at a postgame meal courtesy of Anne’s generous PT check that came on Friday.”
“That sounds incredibly formal, but I’m definitely coming. Anne, don’t let Taylor throw your money around like that. I could invest it for you.”
“It’s okay, J. You already set us up nicely. Plus it makes Taylor feel like a high roller when she can pay for everybody.” Anne silenced any retort with a quick kiss on Taylor’s lips to the amusement of everyone.
With Jaysa’s arrival came news that Anna, Robin, and a player named Jess that Chloe had yet to meet couldn’t come for various work-related reasons, though they specifically wanted Jaysa to wish both coaches good luck in person. The group text had been going off all day long with questions about the game time and good wishes to both Madeleine and Stacey. Tonight was an important night in the season; the winner would most likely be seeded first for the conference tournament. Chloe was glad she had kept her phone in her office and on silent during the school day, since Taylor had done her fair share of blowing phones up with her group-wide trash talk about Wiscasset’s superiority. It seemed safe to turn it back on vibrate now that the game was about to start.
Stacey and Madeleine were standing together talking at midfield, both looking confident and excited by the thrill of good competition. Hopping around on the sideline, staying warm, and getting focused, the players reminded Chloe of racehorses at the gate, anxiously awaiting the start. The horn sounded, signaling the end of warm-ups, and as the players ran out to the pitch the scoreboard was set.
The sound of the referee’s whistle set off a cascade of activity as field players spread to their positions. Stacey’s team would be taking the opening possession. Chloe spotted Leah—she was starting at right mid—and Molly, who was oozing excitement at the left forward spot. Another whistle and the game was off and running.
Chloe hadn’t known what to expect out of the pace of the game, considering it was high school soccer, but this was obviously high-level play. A vibration in her pocket pulled her focus from the game. Expecting a text from Hannah, she pulled out her phone. Instantly she frowned. Another text from Nora. Opening it, she was twisted with even more guilt.
Chloe, can we talk? Things are happening here and I’m a little overwhelmed.
Chloe ran her hand through her hair, unsure how to respond or if she should respond at all. As she stared at the tiny message, her guilt grew and the option to ignore it became more alluring. The decision made, she shoved the phone back in her pocket.
As the first half raged, the action was nonstop. Chloe was both informed and entertained by Taylor’s commentary, as well as Jaysa’s insights into Stacey’s personnel. The squads were fairly evenly matched, though Madeleine’s team had an advantage in speed, particularly in their attack. Stacey’s goalie was more than up to the task of containing them, however. She was being recruited by some of the top schools, Jaysa said. Apparentl
y even UNC had sent her some letters. Wiscasset’s white uniforms with red accents covered every inch of the field, but the blue uniforms of Boothbay were never far behind.
There were a string of heart-pounding moments throughout the first half, breakaways and beautiful shots on goal, but no one was able to secure the first goal. When halftime hit, Chloe, Jaysa, Anne, and Taylor began placing small wagers on the outcome of the game.
“There’s no way Stacey’s kids don’t put the ball in the net this half,” Taylor announced. “They’re the highest scoring offense in the area. Hate to say it, but my money’s on them. Final score two nothing. I guarantee it.”
“If you’re right, lunch is on me tomorrow. But when Madeleine’s team pulls it out, you owe me lunch. Deal?” Chloe couldn’t help herself; Taylor was too easy to mess with. She had a strong feeling that Molly was about to break out this half. She had been awfully close a couple of times so far, and there was only so much another team could do against energy and athleticism like hers.
Jaysa piped up. “I don’t know, guys. This thing could end in a draw. They’re as well matched as any two teams I’ve seen.”
“Either way, both teams put up a great first half. This one is going to be a nail-biter for sure.” Everyone nodded in agreement with Anne. The second half promised to be thrilling.
The rest of halftime passed quickly as they all chatted about their weekend plans. Chloe was less than fully engaged in the conversation. She couldn’t stop watching Madeleine and Stacey in action. As their athletes passed back and forth on the sidelines, stretching and staying warm, both coaches moved through the ranks. Stacey, Chloe was sure, was busy reminding her team of their game plan, pumping each girl up as she walked past. She was more curious about Madeleine’s coaching style. From what she had been able to see of her during the first half, she had encouraged the girls, giving them tips but otherwise relying on their preparation to get them through the game. Chloe was impressed that during the halftime huddle she had her three captains address the team. It was evident that the girls respected and valued Madeleine. It was equally clear that she loved her players.
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