Chapter 41

August 10, 2017

Dear Ms. Diary,

[Written August 13]

Practice today was mostly nominal, except for two items of interest, plus Heather missed practice because of her meeting at the school with Dad. At the initial gathering, during stretching, Coach announced that Alex, our backup left wing, had had her appendix removed yesterday evening (she had missed practice yesterday morning due to a “stomachache.”)

“Padme,” Coach said, “what does that mean for you?”

“Umm, I get to play both right and left wings at the same time?”

There was much chuckling.

Coach smiled, then said, “Maybe not. Care to try again?”

Padme smiled, then answered, “I’m guessing, but on Saturday, I might get to play most of the game at left wing, unless Perrytown is better than expected. I will give one or both starting wings breathers in the second game.”

“Got it in one. Today, you’ll practice at left wing most of the time. Since we won’t have Alex for the tournament,” continued Coach, “we’ll be a little short-handed. Lissa, that could mean that, in our second game, should we reach it, you could see some time spelling Heather. I know that you’ll probably have played most of the first game, but you’ll get a lengthy breather after that game.”

“Okay, Coach.”

“The other item I have is a reminder about Saturday night. We will be going to dinner regardless of success or failure in our games. The restaurant to which we’ll be going is very nice, so bring a very nice outfit to wear. It does not need to be a dress, but dresses, particularly somewhat elegant dresses, would be appropriate. Civia, that invitation extends to you and your parents.”

Coach seemed to look for someone, then found her. “Liya.”

Though obviously surprised by the call, Liya said, “Yes, Coach?”

“Because you have been helpful to the team on quite a few occasions, you and your mother are also invited.

“I am? We are?”

“Yes, you are. Please pass on to your mother the importance of dress for the occasion.”

I cut out of the initial calisthenics to intercept Liya. As I expected, she had pulled her phone out.

“Liya, stop.”

She looked up at me with a questioning look.

“While I doubt that your mother is unaware of the invitation, she may not be aware that you do not need a dress.”

“But Coach just said...”

“Yes, I know. But there is a dress waiting for you, and one for Gracey, at the house.”

“H-howww?”

“My Mom, of course. I suspect the parents of underwriting the dinner. Even if they’re not paying for or contributing to the cost of dinner, they obviously knew about it. We went shopping for clothes for Heather last night because she wasn’t expecting a 10-day stay. While we were there, Mom picked out dresses for each of us.”

Liya, at first, looked somewhat aghast, but then obviously remembered whom we were discussing. “Oh. If it was Sandy, then they’ll be fine. Actually, they’ll probably be really nice.”

I nodded emphatically and said, “I think that Gracey and Heather got the two nicest ones, but all the others are lovely. Well, except for Rhee’s. Rhee’s is ... Rhee will look ... incredibly fucking sexy. I wouldn’t be surprised if she turns all the men’s heads in that restaurant. I’m pretty sure you’ll like yours. It’s very nice. You could call your mom just to make sure that she’s aware of the dress ... code and that you’ve got a dress waiting.”

When she nodded, I returned to calisthenics, sidling over to Gracey’s vicinity to make sure that she was not panicking. Practice ran long, so the five of us didn’t arrive at the back door until shortly after noon. We went through the mud room, divesting ourselves of footwear. In the enclosed space, I could smell that four of us were in dire need of showers. We then walked into a living room that I did not recognize.

Firstly, that living room held Dad and Heather, which was not a surprise. It also held my mom who, I thought, was supposed to be at work today. Secondly, there was old and new furniture placed willy-nilly; obviously, my parents were not done with their apparent re-arranging task.

“Hi girls, welcome home,” exclaimed Mom. “Civia, it’s nice to have you visit, again.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Williams.”

“Civia, this may seem forward of me, but all the other girls call me ‘Mom’ or call me by my first name. It seems silly to have six girls here, but only one being so formal. My name is Sandy. Do you think that you could use that rather than ‘Mrs. Williams?’”

Civia’s chin had dropped at the beginning, but she pulled herself together by the end. “My parents would object, but I see your point. For today, I will try to honor your request, but I’ve been taught very differently; I will probably forget at times. I’ll have to talk with my parents about this, and they may wish me not to be so ... familiar.”

“Thank you, Civia; I understand. My husband’s name is ‘Charlie,’ but you will probably hear the other girls calling him, ‘Dad.’”

I said, “Hi, Mom, Dad. It’s hot and practice was grueling; we’re heading for the shower.”

“Okay. We will probably need a few of your backs to help us deal with one of the new pieces, but not until this evening.”

“Dad, Mom,” Liya said, “After I put my bag upstairs, I can start working on lunch. Did you have any particular plan, or will sandwiches do?”

“We’d appreciate that, Liya,” responded Dad, “and sandwiches are fine. There is quite a variety of sandwich fixings. Feel free to pull them all out.”

Once we’d all taken our respective bags upstairs, Liya headed to the kitchen.

“I’m hungry,” I said, “and I imagine that all of you are, too. How are we going to expedite showers?”

“I could use the ... master shower.”

I held up the “wait” sign to Gracey and turned to Civia.

“What do you want to do? We can all fit in the upstairs shower. It would be a little snug, but not bad. Or two of us could use my parents’ shower.”

“You would all shower together if I weren’t here, right?” When I nodded, she said, “I would still feel uncomfortable using your parents’ shower, particularly by myself.”

“I fully understand.”

Civia obviously was heading somewhere, but I wasn’t quite sure where. She clenched her jaw, then relaxed it.

“Would you consider me to be not a friend, not a good friend if I showered by myself?”

“Oh, not at all, Civia,” Rhee answered. “You’re our friend. Period. If you’re uncomfortable showering with any of us here at the house, that’s fine, as long as you don’t mind us showering together.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s ... I just ... I really appreciate all of you being willing to spend time with a girl who’s so much younger than you. I really appreciate you five being my friends. Since the last time I was here, I’ve thought a bit about you girls showering together here. It’s ... it’s a ... something of a bonding thing, isn’t it?”

“I hadn’t thought about it in just that way,” I said, “but it is one way, one of many ways, that we express our friendship with each other. You don’t need to shower with us. We can express our friendship with you in other ways, like inviting you to spend the day with us.”

“No. No. I really want to be part of this group. I want to do what you girls do. I ... I want to be comfortable with you; all of you.”

Civia was sniffling by the end of that.

“We want you to be comfortable with us, too, but you’re obviously not comfortable, and we don’t want you to feel pressure to do anything about which you’re uncomfortable,” Rhee said.

“No ... I’m sorry, Rhee.” She inhaled deeply, exhaled, and continued. “Thank you, Rhee, Beth, Gracey, but comfort starts with acceptance and becomes possible with experience. May I shower with you three?”

Her request surprised me, but I recovered and said, “Sure. You should know that we usually wash each other’s backs.”

Civia looked wide-eyed at me, collected herself, then said, “That’s fine. I ... I ... That’s fine. I will be fine.”

“Okay,” I said as I began divesting myself of clothing.

Rhee and Gracey quickly followed suit. We studiously kept our eyes from Civia so that she might feel less self-conscious as she started disrobing.

“Oh,” she suddenly said in a surprised manner. Before I could ask her about that, she said, “Oh. There’s no one else on this floor, so you’re fine with walking across the hall naked. But, what about the return? We won’t be able to know that no one else is up here, then.”

“Dad and Mom treat this floor as mine ... actually, as ours. We jokingly refer to it as our gang headquarters. They don’t come up here very often and they certainly won’t do so when there are guests and showers are being taken.”

“Oh. Okay. Thanks, Beth. I’m a bit nervous, but I’ll get over it.”

“I’m glad, Civia. We really like you and we’d like you to be comfortable here.”

“Thanks, all of you. I will get there.”

I slid my panty down my legs, then busied myself with setting out clothing to climb into when we got out of the shower so that I wouldn’t make Civia nervous ... more nervous by watching her disrobe. When we were all naked, I led us to the shower, opened the door, and turned on both shower heads, letting the water get up to temp.

Gracey said, “You’re doing fine, Civia. I note that you didn’t bring the clothes that you’re going to wear with you.”

“Yes. I’m doing ... going to do exactly what you girls do. I want to have your comfort level with ... all this. While I’m nervous, I also find it amazing that you five are so comfortable being ... uh ... naked with each other. I will get there.”

That made me think of loofahs, of which there were only two in the shower. I grabbed two from the closet. Rhee led us into the shower. Civia watched as Rhee and Gracey began wetting their hair preparatory to washing it. I put a bunch of shampoo in my hand and when Rhee’s hair was all wet, I began washing it.

“Oh,” Civia said loudly to be heard over the two shower heads, “I ... I can do that for you, Gracey, if that would be okay.”

“I’d like that, Civia. It feels wonderful when someone else, someone I care about, washes my hair.”

“Y ... you care ... No, I know you care about me. I appreciate that. I’m sorry, Gracey, I’m not used to having real friends. I’ll wash your hair.”

While Civia was putting shampoo in her hand, Gracey said, “We can trade once mine is washed and rinsed.”

Though I was washing Rhee’s hair, I was paying attention to that conversation. Civia looked at the back of Gracey’s head for a while, then a smile crept across her face.

“I think I’d like that. Thanks, Gracey.”

“No prob. No problem at all.”

After finishing the lathering process, I pulled Rhee backward and into the water stream in which I’d been standing. When my back smacked softly into the wall, I began the long, thorough rinsing process. When completed, Rhee and I switched places and she washed my hair.

When Civia got to the mirror image of my position, I asked her, “What do you think about someone else washing your hair?”

With Gracey’s hands scratching in her hair and with her eyes closed, Civia responded, “It feels really nice. I understand, now. This really helps in ... my comfort level with all this. You all ... you are really good friends, aren’t you? I’ve never heard of friends doing this for each other. But I wonder why. Now that it’s happening with me, it seems like something really good friends would share.”

“That’s exactly right,” Gracey answered. “However, the five of us didn’t get to this stage of friendship until this spring. Beth and Rhee shared this before then, as did Liya and I. Heather joining our gang provided much of the impetus to share ... all around, so to speak. I really like having friendships this ... strong, this deep.”

“I think I understand that. I hope that I can be considered part of your ‘gang’ someday. I like the idea of friendships like that.”

“We’ll keep inviting you, Civia. In fact, Liya and I need to invite you to join us when it’s just the two of us since you live so close.”

“I’d really like that, Gracey, particularly with even my extended soccer season nearly over. I’m going to miss hanging with the team. This team is so much more ... dedicated. I guess that’s what you get with select or premier teams. It’s been so much more fulfilling, so much fun!”

Rhee finished rinsing my hair and handed me a loofah, already lathered. She and I began our usual body-washing method. I saw Gracey finish with Civia’s hair and she copied Rhee’s actions, handing a soaped-up loofah to Civia.

“Civia, if you’re okay with it, I can wash your back while you wash your front. If you’re not, we can wash ourselves,” Gracey said.

Civia looked at Rhee and me, then turned to look at Gracey.

“I will do whatever you girls do. I don’t want to be a drag and I want to be comfortable like you are.”

“Okay. I’ll do your back. When you’re finished with your front, we’ll both turn around so I can do my front and you can do my back.”

Civia looked at me and had to see that Rhee was also washing the backs of my legs. I bent over, avoiding Civia, who was right in front of me, and washed the fronts of my legs.

Civia spoke over her shoulder at Gracey, “We’ll do it just like Beth and Rhee, right?”

“If you’re okay with that,” came back over her shoulder.

“Yes. Yes, Gracey. We’ll do it right.”

Upon completion of showering, we exited and each of us dried our own bodies and performed a quick-and-dirty towel drying of our hair. After that, Civia volunteered to help me with the long, long process of getting Rhee’s hair dry, with Civia using a second hair dryer and brush. While Civia helped, Gracey dried her own, much-shorter hair and then began drying Civia’s hair. After we got Rhee’s hair to the barely damp stage, I left Civia to finish it up while I dried my hair, which takes much less time because of its thinness.

When all hair was as dry as we were going to get it – and we left Rhee’s hair free, unbraided, we returned to the bedroom. As I was climbing into my panty, I noticed that Civia was just standing there. I pulled my panty on, made adjustments, and was reaching for my shirt when Civia looked at the three of us in turn.

“Thanks, Gracey, Rhee, Beth. I ... I enjoyed that. I haven’t had anyone wash my back in years. It felt good like it did when Mom washed my back. Thanks, Gracey, for drying my hair. That was also enjoyable, and I really liked doing Rhee’s hair. It’s so beautiful.”

“Thanks, Civia. It’s such a pain to keep clean, but I have to say it’s very pleasurable when two of my friends help me with it. Thanks for helping”

“You’re welcome. I’d be happy to help anytime I’m here after ... Oh. There’s only one more practice day. That’s ... um ... sad. I’ve greatly enjoyed having another few weeks’ practices after my season was over. I always miss soccer so much when the season is over. It’s just me in the backyard after that.”

I glanced at Rhee, who looked at me. Obviously, Coach still had not broached the high-school team with Civia. Also obviously, it wasn’t our task to do that. Coach better hurry.

“There might be other opportunities. We’ll certainly have you over again. Perhaps you can spend the night some time.”

Civia looked at me, then said, “I’d like that. Oh. Here you three are getting dressed and I’m just standing around in ... in my skin.”

“So, hanging around naked must not be too bad for you,” Gracey commented.

“Yeah, I guess not. At least, when something else takes my attention away from it. Maybe I’ll practice in my room.”

I smiled at her. She proceeded to begin dressing. After we were all dressed, we galumphed downstairs for lunch. The six of us had a good time joking around, Civia getting to know us better, and us getting to know her better. Civia seems like Heather might have been had she had two dedicated parents, though a bit more constrained. Of course, Heather was much more ... constrained at the beginning, too, so...

At one point when we were playing a multi-player game on our phones, I got a text from Coach. That caused me to pause, wondering what that might be about.

“If okay, will be at your house when Civia’s parents arrive.”

When I kept staring at my phone, Rhee asked what was going on.

“Coach wants to visit when Civia’s parents are here.”

While Rhee got an understanding look on her face, Civia asked, “Why? What’s up?”

“I’m not ... sure,” I answered. “Although I have a suspicion or two, I’m not sure.”

“What are your suspicions?”

“I don’t think I should say, as I could be very wrong. Either way, it’s obviously Coach’s idea, so we’ll just have to wait for her to say what she’ll say.”

Civia looked at me hard for a bit, then nodded her head. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“No need at all to apologize. Let’s get back to the game as soon as I respond to Coach. I think that we should go back a couple of rooms and try that door we didn’t open.”

We kept at the game, though a piece of my brain kept working at what Coach’s plan was. We played for another half-hour, then quit as Civia’s parents and Coach, were due in about ten minutes. Civia ran upstairs and grabbed her bag and met us back in the kitchen.

“Everyone, thanks for today. I’ve never had so much fun with other girls ... with ... friends. Thanks for being so nice to a young girl.”

“You’re not a young girl, you’re our friend. Age doesn’t matter with friends.”

“Th-thanks, Liya. I particularly value that coming from you, because you’re not just putting up with me because I’m your teammate. Just ... thanks.”

The doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it, Beth,” said Dad as he walked by us. Obviously, Dad was in the know.

Civia’s parents and Coach were walking in the door as we girls entered the living room.

“It’s good to see you, again, Kalina, Jeff.”

“Thank you for hosting this impromptu meeting.”

“Hi, Dad. Hi, Mom. Hi, Coach. Today was great! Practice was so fun, and I had a great time here with ... with my friends.”

That last bit was said with quite a bit more solemnity than the first part. Civia is a lot like Heather. The Gang was her first set of real friends, too.

“Please, all, come sit. I’m afraid that we’ve just had a couple of pieces of furniture delivered today and we’ve not had a chance to get things organized in here, but the seating should be comfortable enough.”

Rhee and Gracey turned toward the kitchen, with Liya and Heather catching on and following them.

I said, “I assume, Coach, that your presence means that we’ll be discussing soccer and Civia’s future. Yes?”

“Indeed.” As she sat on the loveseat and the Paleceks sat on the new couch, she continued, speaking to Civia. “I appreciate all the help you’ve been to the team during games and practices. I’ve been working on something that involves you and that process has finally been completed. I wanted to talk to both you and your parents about it, hence this surprise meeting.” To her parents, she said, “I thank you for this opportunity to meet you and discuss your incredible daughter.”

The Gang came in with kitchen chairs enough to seat them. I sat with Dad on the old couch.

Coach retained the floor. “First off, I want to ask you, Civia, and you, Mr. and Mrs. Palecek...”

“Please,” said Mr. Palecek, “We’re Kalina and Jeff.”

“Thank you. I wish to ask you three if you are okay with discussing Civia’s soccer future with, essentially, strangers.”

Mr. Palecek looked down at Civia, who nodded, then over at his wife, who also nodded.

“Since these people are not strangers to Civia and since she and her mother are willing, please continue.

“The next task is to be sure that you, Kalina and Jeff, know who these young women are. I know that you two know Beth and her father and Gracey, at least, but I’d like to go a little formal and introduce everyone. Actually, why don’t we have Civia introduce them? Would that be okay, Civia?”

She stood immediately, saying, “Yes. Mom, Dad, you recall Beth Williams and her father, Mr. Williams...”

“Please,” Dad interrupted, “Everyone else here knows me as ‘Charlie’ or ‘Dad,’ and I’m not very formal. I understand that Civia was hesitant to use either term to address me, but I assure you, that I am more than comfortable with such informality from both very bright girls and soccer stars. Since Civia is both...”

“We are both from the Old World, though Jeff’s family has been here a generation longer than mine. My parents are the emigres and they are quite formal outside the family and that is what I have learned. Jeff has said that most Americans are much less formal, and I am slowly becoming accustomed to that. While Civia’s grandmother would be displeased with such informality for people she’s known for such a short time, I am very aware that this family and ... the team have been very good to and for our Civia. If you are comfortable with informal address from her in private situations like this, I will not object ... nor tell her grandmother.” Mrs. Palecek then smiled brightly. “Thank you for being so nice to our girl. All of you. Civia, please continue.”

“You recall Beth Williams and her father Charlie Williams. Beth’s mom, Sandy Williams, is running errands. Charlie is a Mathematics professor at the university, Sandy is a manager of a bank branch. Beth is the captain of the team and the starting offensive sweeper, the quarterback of the offense. At the left end of the chairs, Heather Wilkerson is the starting right wing. Heather just finished taking the summer-session Introduction to Calculus class at the university.”

With that, I quickly looked up from Civia to her parents, seeing raised eyebrows on both.

“To Heather’s left is Rhee Devlin, the starting center forward. At the right end, you may recall Gracey García. She is the starting right fullback. On Gracey’s right is everyone’s friend, Liya Nadhi, who does not play soccer, but who occasionally helps out at practice and is something of a software expert.”

Liya blushed at that one. Dad backed her up.

“She is. She and Gracey, who is more of a hardware expert, set up our home’s wireless and security systems. I’m working with both of them to install some new hardware and upgrade our security system. They’re both quite talented. In fact, the lot of them, even Rhee, who doesn’t have a ... specialization, are quite bright and all have multiple talents. I consider all five as daughters, natural or otherwise, and am very proud of all of them.

“Civia seems to fit well with this Gang of Five, as we call them. Certainly, her love of soccer doesn’t hurt with most of the gang, but the main connector, I think, is that Civia seems incredibly bright, herself. I know that that level of intelligence can be off-putting for other children. She seems happy and ... relieved to be in a situation in which she can be intelligent with like-minded girls.

“I’m sorry, Pam. I’ve just highjacked your meeting. I’ll shut up, now.”

Coach chuckled and said, “That’s not a problem. In fact, I’m glad that you elaborated on that subject, as it is a minor point in my explanation of what I am bringing to the table.”

Coach turned back to the Paleceks.

“Thank you, Civia, for providing the introductions, and for doing a good job of it.”

Civia returned to her seat between her parents.

“Kalina and Jeff, I and the whole team have been very impressed with Civia, both with her skill set and, particularly, her work ethic. I’ve never seen a girl of her age this far along in both her understanding of the game and technical ability on the field. I would really have liked to have had her on the team all season.”

Mr. Palecek looked down at Civia, then back at Coach.

“You sound like you mean that, that you’d have liked for her to be on your team this season.”

“Absolutely. She would have been good for the team and the team would have been good for her. I don’t know if she’s told you, but Civia has been teaching a number of our players a particular dribbling move. In fact, three of her students are in this room.”

Mr. Palecek looked back down at Civia in amazement.

“You didn’t say anything, Civia.”

“Dad ... I didn’t want to be seen as bragging. Besides, unlike all the other teams I’ve been on, this team often has players teaching other players various skills. Heather has been teaching the whole team how to shoot and pass with the outside of the foot, both left and right. I’ve learned a lot from her. Rhee has taught a couple of moves to many of us, and Gracey showed some of us younger offense players some basics about defense. My teaching a skill to others just seemed ... for this team ... normal, not exceptional, certainly nothing about which to brag.”

“But you weren’t actually on the team.”

“But, Dad, don’t you see? I am on the team. I just don’t get to play in the games. This team...”

Civia started to lose it but inhaled and bucked up.

“This team likes me. They all help me. They’ve been so nice to me. I had to help them.”

She then hid her face on her dad’s chest, his arms immediately wrapping around her, while she quietly sobbed.

“I’m sorry for this,” Mrs. Palecek said.

“No, Mrs. Palecek. There’s no reason to apologize. Civia is like I was the first few times I was in this house, and that was only a couple of months ago. I, too, had had little experience with friends or friendship. This team, particularly this gang of girls here, a gang that I am incredibly proud to be part of, were the first real friends that I’d ever had. The first girls with whom I could exercise my intelligence and knowledge without fear of ridicule. Over the many, many wonderful days that I’ve spent in this house, the happiness, the ... elation that I’ve felt because I was accepted, accepted for who I am, caused me to cry on Beth’s or Rhee’s or the others’ shoulders a dozen times or more. Like me, Civia is happy to have peers, both in soccer skills and intelligence, peers that like her, appreciate her, that treat her as the friend she is. Unless she were a lot more stoic than I am, she cannot help but cry. The relief at finally having friends is too much to hold in.”

No one said anything for quite a while, some of us waiting for Civia to attain control, some not really knowing what to say. Mrs. Palecek simply stared at Heather, until she turned and looked down at Civia.

“Oh, Civia,” she said, then rubbed her daughter’s back around her husband’s arms.

Liya stood and went to the bathroom, returning with a wet washcloth, presumably wet with cold water. She carried it to the new couch, squatted, and got Civia to sit up and take the washcloth from her. Civia, no longer crying, wiped her face, particularly her eyes. Liya said something to her that I couldn’t quite make out, but they both stood, Civia following her to the bathroom.

“Okay, I’m about to cry, now,” Mrs. Palecek said.

“Kalina, Jeff,” Coach said. “The team members in this house are most of the heart and soul of the team. As soon as Civia began spending time with the team, this group of girls took it upon themselves to take her under their wings, figuring correctly that such a young girl with exceptional field skills might well have little experience with friendship unless there was at least one other girl that had learned those skills along with Civia. As we got to know her, it became apparent that she had learned most of what she knows on her own, and the time required would have virtually negated any chance of serious friendships.

“Civia spoke truthfully. The whole team likes her. Yesterday, she stood in front of the team and thanked them for being so helpful, and so friendly to her. She has impressed the team, and this is a team with no real peers in our local league. This team is the cream of this level’s crop in our corner of the state. Civia could have challenged for a starting job this year had she been on the team. As I said, she would have been good for this team, though we wouldn’t really have needed her to win the local tournament. We would, however, have a real use for her in the state tournament, if only she were a playing member. Regardless, it’s obvious that the team has been very good for Civia. She has many friends on the team and those not friends are, at least, friendly acquaintances.”

Civia and Liya returned then. Once Civia was seated with her parents, Coach continued.

“Civia. Kalina. Jeff. I am the new girls’ soccer coach at Central High. All the older girls in this room will be starting there next month. That team’s offense last year was comprised almost entirely of seniors. Beth, Rhee, and Heather will probably make up most of the starting offense this fall on the school team, as there is almost no one else. However, despite their relative youth for a varsity high school team, I still expect the team to be competitive. This is why I have asked to speak to you three today.”

Civia’s eyes went very wide in surprise; her parents’ foreheads both furrowed in concern.