Chapter 63

September 15, 2017

Dear Ms. Diary,

[Written September 17]

Shortly after I woke, I remembered that this was a special day, that there would be a party this evening.

“What caused that smile,” Heather asked quietly.

“I often smile when I wake up with you two, as that makes me happy. I’m so very glad that I chanced my friendship with Rhee, as so much wonderfulness has resulted from going out on that limb.”

“Yeah. I’ve occasionally wondered what my life would be like without that change in your relationship with her. If you two were not lovers, then I would probably not be either for either of you; that might have meant that I would not be living here now.”

Perhaps ten seconds after that, the alarm went off. I quickly turned it off and Heather and I helped Rhee wake up. The three of us rose and padded downstairs to see what was happening with breakfast, which became obvious halfway down the stairs as odor outriders reached our olfactory nerves.

“Ooooh,” Heather exclaimed, “French toast! Yummy!”

As we entered the kitchen, Heather asked, “What can we do to help?”

Carol answered, “Sit your cute little butt down and prepare to dig in. We have two juice options, orange-pineapple and mango. What’s your pleasure?”

“Ooh, this day is starting wonderfully. Mango, please.”

We ate a hearty breakfast, with good conversation that ranged all over, Heather’s eyes sparkling, her face often in a smile or grin. She was one happy camper.

As Heather was finishing, Carol slid an official-looking form to her along with a pen and said, “We want to cover the bases, so please fill out this passport application.”

“Wow. Where are we going?”

“Nowhere that we know of, but I often get opportunities to travel and if an international option comes up, we don’t want to have to be scrambling to get you a passport. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this a while ago.”

I was already on the move when Carol began answering the question, having predicted Heather’s response. I had my arms around her from behind when she broke down. She began sobbing quietly, but turned in my arms, then stood, squeezing me tightly. Her response of “I love this life” was quite liquid. When she got more in control, she went around the table, beginning with Carol who sat to her left, hugging and thanking all of us for taking her in and making her life so much better. Eventually, we got dressed and Dad drove us to school. Liya and Gracey were waiting for us at the door to the first-bell class we all shared.

Liya pulled me out of the doorway and asked, “What do you know about a 3-2-3-2?

“The formation?” When she nodded, I said, “Umm, almost nothing. I think that’s what ... Rhee, do you remember our first year in soccer? Is that what that coach tried to have us play?”

“I have no idea. That year was only barely better than everyone in a knot around the ball.”

“So, little, then. Is that what Coach sent you?”

Liya nodded and said, “Gracey didn’t know anything.”

“The only thing that rings a bell is, maybe, Barça using it ... umm ... two years ago for a game or two.”

I stood there thinking about it and was about to say something when Heather reacted.

“Ohhh. That might be perfect. Think about it, Beth. Wicked good back line, two really good defensive midfielders, playmaker, talented wing midfielders, Rhee, and me.”

“That’s what I see, too. Hmm. That could be ... uhh ... really good. Yeah, the Brits enable spreading the field, Rachel can still do runs, so long as Katie and Gracey stay home. Oooh, I think I like it. I should have thought of that, if not two weeks ago, certainly yesterday when I was thinking so hard. Of course, Jess and Jules are going to get a workout, as, if I’m right, that’s an offense-oriented formation. We’ll need to get some backup midfielders up to snuff quickly.”

Mr. Pavletic walked in then, so we trooped in behind him and began our school day.

After we ran two laps, Coach said, “Gather ‘round!” Once we were set, she said, “What does anyone know about the 3-2-3-2? Other than Liya, who got advance notice, and anyone she told.”

No one raised a hand until Shameka put hers up. Coach called on her.

“It’s a formation often used with beginners because, as one of my early coaches said, there are triangles all over the place. I know that Barcelona used it briefly a couple of years ago. I haven’t played in that formation since I was... 10, maybe.”

“Oh,” Katie interrupted, “back in the dark ages.”

There was some chuckling and snickering.

I looked at Katie and Shameka standing together and grinned at them. Shameka continued.

“That’s quite an offense-focused formation, at least when run well.”

“As I expected, Shameka is right on all points. After I started looking into it online, I remembered playing it as a kid. I’ve never coached that age group, so I’ve never used it. We’re going to try it today, skipping rondo to give us more time. Jess, Jules, you’ll be the wing midfielders, but that means you’re going to have to run, as you two will have the most encompassing set of tasks. You’ll be playing box-to-box, supporting the O, and being an important part of the D. For you backup midfielders, we’ll need at least two of you to know the job of the wing midfielders. The position requires good D skills, passing skills, speed, and a brain.

“Katie, Gracey ... Oh. Particularly if we decide to go with the 3-2-3-2, Gracey will be the 11^th starter, as we’ll need her very strong defensive skills. Anyway, you two will have two tasks, as I outlined yesterday. You are the pivots. Gracey, I’m putting you on the left side, so that you can cover for Rachel if she goes on a run. Katie’s ball-handling skills are better, so she’ll have a somewhat larger focus on O than you will. Katie, think of yourself as Busquets, being the primary connection from D to O and the main stopper before our back line. Gracey, you and Katie are the first line of D against counters. Break them up, push them to the sidelines, slow them down; whatever. Back lines, starting and backup, if Katie is not available to you for outlet going forward, look for Gracey, then the goalie, or a long pass to the O midfielders.”

Coach then placed us, starters and backups together, into the formation, but on a scale much smaller than a pitch. She hesitated often on placing the backups for O and the wing midfielder slots, as the two were now being inextricably linked with the O by this formation. We talked about duties and options for each position, and everyone getting to learn about all positions. Then we scrimmaged, starting O and midfield against starting D and backup midfield. Coach stopped play many times so that she could ask questions or make comments. It really chopped the flow, so we were far, far from polished. However, I found it enjoyable because I was learning new things about the game I loved. Not earth-shakingly new things, but I’ve always liked learning.

Coach whistled practice over a bit early and, after gathering us around, said, “That was good. This might work. We’ll skip rondo again on Monday and scrimmage after laps. I also want to nail down a couple of corner-kick set plays. Thankfully, we’re at home on Tuesday so we won’t be rolling out a new formation in a place we don’t know. Everyone, you did very well. I’m proud of you. Before you leave or go to the showers, I want everyone – each one of you – to fill in an electronic form that Liya has. You will be voting for our three captains. Once Liya tabulates the votes, then each of you will go through and vote among the three captains for the Team Captain. In the first round, you mayyyyy vote for yourself. I’m sorry, Liya, Civia, and Crewe, you don’t get to vote.”

We all cycled through, Liya having set up an interconnected spreadsheet for this. It was pretty slick and enabled us to vote in private. When we’d all been through, she tapped a couple of times on the tablet, handed it to Emma Crewe to hold, then conferred with Coach. That was slick of Liya, showing that, though she was conferring with Coach, she was making it obvious that Coach was not manipulating the actual votes.

When Coach nodded at her, she stepped into the rough middle of the team and said, “Crewe, please wake the tablet.”

Emma, looking surprised, did that, then looked at the tablet again, and was surprised again.

“Emma,” Liya said, “Please read off the top three names, and only those three names. You may use first names only. However, first, read the average number of votes cast for those three names.”

Emma said, “Twenty-two point seven.”

“And the names,” said Liya.

“Shameka, Katie, and Beth.”

Coach said, “Congratulations to you three. You have just won the right to do more work with zero additional pay.”

There was much smiling and chuckling.

“Once Liya is ready for you, you will all go through and vote for one of those three for Team Captain. This time, the three contestants may not vote for themselves.”

Katie inserted, “Is this where I offer bribes for voting for me?”

There was much laughing.

We trooped through the voting process again, after which Liya made a couple of taps, then put the tablet to sleep and handed it to Civia.

The Go6, I guess I have to call it, had discussed this previously and were of the unanimous opinion that Shameka was the Team Captain, even if she weren’t voted that distinction.

“Civia,” Liya said, “Please read the number of votes cast for the captain receiving the highest number of votes.”

In a strong, but slightly excited voice, Civia said, “Twenty-four.” After a brief pause, she added, “It’s essentially unanimous.”

Liya said, “Civia, please inform our Team Captain of her honor and duty.”

Obviously shaking a bit, Civia walked up to Shameka and said, “The Central High School girls’ soccer team has voted you, Shameka Johnson, to be its Team Captain. Do you accept the honor and duties inherent in that position?”

Shameka smiled broadly down at Civia and said, “I do so accept.”

Shameka then picked Civia up and hugged her. Civia responded in the only appropriate way; she hugged her right back.

There was much laughing and clapping, along with some whistling.

Coach called out, “Settle!” When she had our attention, she said, “I want to thank Liya for putting the voting system together for us on little notice. Even more importantly, I want to thank Shameka for, again, agreeing to be the Team Captain. Although I had nothing to do with the selection, I would have made the same choice. Practice is over. Head for the showers or home.”

We all used the showers at school, even Civia and Liya, although Rhee did not wash her hair. Dad picked us up to take us home, though we had to make a grocery stop on the way.

When he parked in the driveway near the front door, Dad said, “Gracey, Heather, Liya, please take all six of your personal bags upstairs, the rest of us will take the groceries in. You could also inspect the new bedroom while you’re up there.”

When we got to the kitchen, the Moms grinned at all of us and I quietly said, “Nice decoration job, Moms. I particularly like the banner.”

The six of us quickly put all the groceries away, hoping that the new bedroom would keep them upstairs for a bit. We had been standing around waiting for only a couple of minutes when we heard them coming down the stairs.

As the three of them, Heather in the lead, hit the kitchen entry, all of us but Heather yelled, “Surprise!”

Heather stopped in her tracks, looked around, and noticed the banner – on which was written “Happy ≈0.085 anniversary, Heather!” She managed two words, “You guys...” before she broke down. Liya and Gracey immediately wrapped her up, holding her while she struggled for control of her emotions.

Once she quit sobbing, for the most part, she said, “You guys ... Thanks so much for the best month of my life. Thanks for taking me in. Thanks for being my friends and parents. I’m so incredibly happy. This, all of this, is too much, but I greatly appreciate it. I love you all.”

Starting with Gracey, she then went around the room kissing each of us briefly on the lips and saying, “Thank you. I love you.”

Civia’s eyes went wide when Heather did it to her but didn’t say anything. When she looked at me, I nodded at her.