Chapter 78

October 25, 2017

Dear Ms. Diary,

Heather said, “Cera, Brittany, you two are becoming regulars with us. I like that, but is that just chance?”

Brittany glanced at Cera, who responded, “No. Not for me, anyway.” She looked around the lunchroom quickly, leaned in, and, quietly, said, “You guys are just more fun, certainly more fun than ... the other girls I’ve joined for lunch.” Then she looked at Brett, reached across the table, patted him on the shoulder with her right hand, and said, “And your favorite boy, here, is part of that fun. He’s funny and he stands up to Shameka, which I find hilarious.”

Looking at Heather, Brittany said, “Same for me, but a different set of girls.”

“We’re glad,” I said. “You’re both funny – smart funny, and we like that.”

“Budge up,” Shameka said from behind me.

I turned to look and both Katie and she had trays and were looking to sit with us. As we closed ranks more, the two of them sat on either side of the table at that end next to Brittany and Cera, respectively. I could see Brett working himself up to say something, but Shameka beat him to talking.

“Hey, Cuz. Hey, Brett, Brittany, teammates.”

“Wow. Two high-class seniors slumming at our table today! Will wonders never cease?!”

“We couldn’t stand not hanging with you at lunch one more day ... lover boy.”

There was much laughing ... and quite a lot of blushing.

Brett was blushing, but he came right back.

“We’re not worthy,” after which he genuflected while remaining seated.

“That’s it,” Shameka responded. “I’m moving you into the ‘Most Definitely Maybe’ category. You keep it up, you might hear heavy breathing in your phone some night.”

My face almost cracked from grinning so widely, a feature I noted on my sisters and on our other tablemates.

Although his face was even redder, he cracked back, “I willingly grovel at your feet for any tidbits you throw my unworthy way.”

Meka grinned, saying, “You’re definitely getting better. I can sense a swoon coming on. Brittany, I can’t reach him. Please, kiss him on the cheek for me.”

All of us quickly looked at Brittany, whose face was nearly as red as Brett’s when she leaned toward him and pecked him on his left cheek.”

Brett went full scarlet but put his hand to that cheek while Meka said, “You go, girl,” and offered a fist to Brittany.

Despite her red face, she gave Meka a fist bump.

Brett said, “High-Class Senior Offers Fist Bump to Freshman in Lunchroom, Details at 11.”

There was much laughing.

Although Meka looked like she was going to say something, Brittany looked across and to the right at Heather, saying, “This is why I’ve begun eating with you guys more often. This is fun.”

After dinner at the house, Sandy and Kalina took Civia shopping, and Dad took Meka, Katie, Rhee, Heather, and me to visit with Meka’s dad. Dad popped in just to say “hi” to Mr. Johnson and waited for us in the lobby. Mr. Johnson seemed quite happy to see all of us, particularly Katie, who he hugged.

“Hey, Katie girl. It’s been too long.”

“Yeah. I’m ... I’m sorry. It’s been...”

She looked at a loss for words, glancing a couple times at Meka.

“It’s my fault, Dad. As you said, I’ve been trying to ... ignore ... this.” Meka sniffled, then said, “It’s so hard.”

He opened his arms to her, and she collapsed into them, her head on his right shoulder, as he crooned to her, “Oh, my sweet girl.”

After a few minutes, Meka picked her head off his shoulder, stepped out of his arms, and wiped her eyes with her right sleeve. For the next few minutes, he asked questions of Rhee, Heather, and me about school and soccer. He queried Katie for a few minutes. Mr. Johnson turned back to us.

“Thanks for helping my girl. This has been very hard on her, particularly after losing her mother five years back.” He turned back to Meka and said, “I’d like to see those other friends of yours. I miss those times when you filled our house with your friends.”

“I’m sorry, Dad. I ... I just haven’t found ... the strength to tell them.”

She inhaled deeply and gritted her teeth while looking at the ceiling. After 15 seconds or so, she looked back at her dad.

“I’ll try, Dad. Really. It’s just so f-f-f-f ... It’s so very hard.”

Her dad stepped to her and wrapped his arms around her. All of us but Meka exited to leave them alone together. After a while, Meka came out and asked Dad to join them to finalize their deal. The four of us talked quietly, Katie telling us some of the backstory between Meka and her, which involved Hope and Kim, extensively, and Rachel quite a bit. Dad and Meka joined us about 20 minutes after we left Mr. Johnson’s room and told us that Mr. Johnson had asked the three of us to return briefly.

“Again, thanks for all you and your ... extended family have done to help Meka. It’s going to get worse and worse for her unless she can get somewhat past the loss and find acceptance. Your ... father’s offer has helped me in taking care of Meka financially and I greatly appreciate it. In him, I can see at least some of the reasons that you girls have ... waded into this morass for my girl. I’ve tried to provide a similar example for Meka that Charlie must be providing you girls, all five or six of you.” When I raised my eyebrows at him, he smiled and said, “Meka’s told much of you and your family in the past month or so. She’s quite taken with you girls, your maturity, your personalities. She’s said that you girls remind her of herself and her friends, including Katie out there, when they were your age. Your dad’s also told me a little bit about you girls, your Gang of Six, now. He’s like me in that he’s a very proud poppa.”

I said, “Thank you, Mr. Johnson. We...”

“Please, call me Jim.”

“Thanks, Jim. We really like your daughter and look at her as both a friend and as a particularly good role model. You and your wife raised a young woman of which you’re right to be proud.”

“I’m sad that her mother didn’t get to see the spectacular young woman she’s become. Please help Meka keep as positive an attitude as she can. I think she could do great things if she can get through this.”

“We’re trying,” replied Rhee. “Beth convinced her to move into our other house and we’re keeping friends around her as much as she’ll tolerate. We’re prepared to go to the wall with her about it if needs must. My mom’s got a psych degree, and she’s been helping us understand how to help, what to expect. We understand that Meka might lash out at us in pique and sorrow. Hopefully, we’ll let it roll off our backs as Mom suggests.”

“Thanks.”

October 26, 2017

Dear Ms. Diary,

[Written October 27]

New Paris was really good. If it weren’t for our incredible D, we might have been trounced. As it was, we barely managed a draw. Their D kept Rhee in check all game, double-teaming her whenever she was in their half of the pitch, and we just could not seem to find a way to capitalize on us having an open “man.”

We were down 0-1 on the strength of their goal off a corner kick early in the second half and were well upfield in the 86^th minute when Heather timed things perfectly. We had just lost the ball deep on their side of the pitch and Rhee was harrying their center back who had the ball just outside their box. I had gone past them to cover their goalie so she could not receive an outlet; the Brits were keeping their wing backs covered in positions suggesting that they were both hoping to intercept a pass.

Although it seemed to last for minutes, the dogfight between Rhee and their center back probably lasted only 15 to 20 seconds. Rhee couldn’t get the ball from her, but neither could the center back get around Rhee or outlet to a teammate. It was a desperate sort of dogfight. We didn’t know if we’d have the ball that far upfield again and their center back could not afford to lose the ball to Rhee, who could easily score from there with any kind of real chance.

And then it happened.

Rhee had committed a bit too far to her left, and that center back tapped the ball off to Rhee’s right and somewhat upfield and began to follow it. The ball was not six feet from their center back when a blue-and-fuchsia streak came out of seemingly nowhere and Heather’s right foot crushed a rocket just inside the left post.

“Gather ‘round.”

As we quieted and looked to Coach, she slowly scanned the team one by one, looking into our eyes.

“I am incredibly proud of this team. You fought hard, never gave up against a very good opponent, an opponent that had an unblemished record this year, no losses, no draws.” She paused, then said, “No longer. I apologize that we got so few of the backups into the game, but I wanted to push our starters hard against a very good opponent. Attagirls to Lucia and Taylor for their strong efforts when giving Jess and Jules breathers. An attagirl also to Makayla for spelling Rhee and, particularly to Jimena for the breather she gave Heather late in the second half. You both played very well. I’ve stolen some of Civia’s thunder because I wanted to personally thank you four. I’ll let Civia give out the rest of the attagirls.”

Civia stepped forward and said, “Although it might seem like it’s just something that we do every time we’re here after a game, something that is simply required. However, this is not something commonplace ... everyday. Attagirls to all of the defense ... Shameka, Hope, Kim, Rachel, Katie, and Gracey ... for a superb job. You are the first defense to hold New Paris to just a single goal and the first to shut out their offense in fluid play. You guys are the best.”

There was much whistling and stomping.

When it continued a bit too long, Civia, her voice only slightly raised, said, “Settle.” With the nearly instantaneous quiet, she continued with, “Attagirls to Jess and Jules for their exhausting efforts at both defending deep and pushing the ball hard upfield. I add my own attagirls to Lucia and Taylor for giving our favorite Brits the breathers they needed to do their jobs so superbly all game. A hearty attagirl goes to Beth for playing well every minute of the match despite being run ragged and experiencing only her second zero-assist game of the season. Liya.”

As Civia retreated, Liya stepped up, saying, “Tomorrow’s practice will involve a strategy session for Tuesday’s game against Petaluma here at home. Having so many of our games at home at the end of the season now makes all that traveling at the beginning of the season very much worth it.”