The Odd Ballerz (18 page)

Old habits of looking out for them and of not dumping her problems on them had stood in her way and yes, Aubrey was right in that. She still played the mom to her siblings, and probably always would.

Okay, enough thinking for one night. She turned up the music in her car and tried to relax, to forget about it all until tomorrow, all except for Z. He could stick around in her head for a while, take her home and put her to bed. She smiled at what a nice guy he was turning out to be.

Thursday

L
unchtime found Alex sitting outside relaxing, under the shade of an umbrella, in one of the hospital’s many patios. She had the early morning shift so lunch was at nine this morning; breakfast for most people. She was saving money and watching what she ate, which meant, bringing something from home.

She was still digesting what she’d learned about Memphis last night. There was so much she didn’t know about either of her sisters. Things you realized about your parents after you’d grown up a bit. Things like they were human, with their own set of flaws and strengths. Memphis had been more mother to her than her biological one. So she’d always only viewed Memphis, more than Charlotte, through the prism of an adult. One who was always telling her what to do, trying to control her life, the typical teenage stuff. In their home, things had been a tad more difficult with
those parents
and all that business with them dying. She’d been too busy coping, and not very well, to see that perhaps her sisters were struggling too. She could see that now.

“Is this seat taken?” Aarik said, interrupting her thoughts.

Alex didn’t look up, didn’t need to. She knew who it was. It was the nurse, sweating her again. The dude that introduced himself a week ago, using that I-used-to-play-football story, and the same one she avoided when possible. She’d seen him off and on the past week, coming and going, mostly arriving at the beginning of their shifts. They both seem to prefer the early morning hours to work. He’d smile and she wouldn’t. She wasn’t trying to be rude, just adhering to her no men pledge for a while longer.

“It’s a free world, you can sit where ever you like,” she said.

“Thank you,” he said, placing his tray in the spot directly across from her before sliding his body onto the bench. He was shorter than her, came to about her shoulders. She was six foot two, so most men were shorter. She preferred taller men or at least her height. She hadn’t really done short before; not sure of the strength factor of short men, which was dumb, now that she thought about it. She had met and dated many a tall man whose strength eventually proved illusory. It was stupid to associate traits to something as innocuous as height. It was right up there with skin color, or eye or hair color and, oh, God, she was turning into Charlotte.

“Grace?” he asked.

“If you want,” she said, studying him as he bowed his head, and moved his lips in prayer. He had a pretty smile, white against the smooth dark chocolate color of his skin. He was neatly groomed, wore his afro short on his head, and at the other end of his face, was a mustache and beard combination, that men seemed to prefer these days, also neatly trimmed. Did she say he smelled good? He did. Whatever he wore floated softly and soothingly over her nostrils.

“How’s your day going so far?” he asked when he was done praying.

“Okay,” she said.

“Just okay?”

“Yep.”

“So do you like working here?” he asked.

“I like it enough.”

“That’s good,” he said and paused, waiting for her to inquire after him. She didn’t. “The Austin Ballerz,” he said, after several more seconds of silence. He chuckled at the look of suspicion she gave him. “I looked them up. You’re the starting quarterback.”

She smiled quickly, but otherwise remained quiet.

“How’s football training?”

“Good.”

“Are you from Austin originally?” he asked.

“Yep.”

“You not going to make this easy for me, are you?”

“Make what easier for you?”

“This getting to know you.”

“Oh, so you consider this hard?”

He laughed. “No, but I’m trying here, trying to get to know you better. You could help a brother out,” he said, chuckling.

“For friendship?”

“I’ll take that. It’s a start, I guess,” he said, and smiled. “I was hoping for more, if I’m being honest.”

“I’m in a good space here. You don’t know this about me, but I’m getting my life back on track. I don’t want anything else.”

“Not even friends?”

“Not even friends, but thanks for the offer. Your breakfast is getting cold so I’m going to leave you to it,” she said, and placed her napkin in her lunch box and zipped it up. “See you around,” she said and stood. A few minutes later she was at the door leading back inside.

# # #

Memphis looked up, not surprised to find Aubrey standing outside of her office door. She’d expected something beside the many
I’m sorry, don’t be angry
with me
texts Aubrey had sent after her many phone calls had gone unanswered.

“I didn’t hear you come in. Is Amanda at her desk?” Memphis said, proud at her ability to keep her expression and voice neutral.

“Yes, I told her not to announce me. I knew you were probably angry still. You can hold a grudge longer than anyone I know.”

“So this is my fault?”

“No, but, M, really, what did I say that wasn’t true?”

“Nothing, and that’s not the point. Had I wanted anyone else to know my business, I’d have told them.”

“No, you wouldn’t have. And you know it. No one’s aware of your problems but you.”

“What’s wrong with that? It’s my choice. And you know what? This is just making me angry again, so let’s talk about something else.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” Aubrey said, taking a seat in front of Memphis’s desk.

“Okay, I got it. I heard you. Oh, and before I forget to tell you again, no more setting me up on dates,” Memphis said.

“In my defense, he never said he was married.”

“I know, he told me. It’s not just that. I just need a man break for a while.”

“You won’t find one if you don’t look,” Aubrey said. It was more silence from Memphis. “Fine, suit yourself. Billie’s district manager position is going to be posted by the end of the week. It’s official,” Aubrey said.

“I know. I talked to her.”

“She’s going to hook you up, right? It’s your job now. No reason for the rest of us to apply.”

“She’s not like that, and neither am I. I don’t need a hook-up. I can either compete or I can’t. Can you compete, Aubrey?”

“Of course I can. So you’re going to apply, then?” she asked.

“I am. I just decided. At this very moment,” she said, offering her friend a glare in warning.

“I was only looking out for you. It’s what I’ve always done. We are alike in that way. Looking out for our sisters,” she said.

“We’ll see. Can we talk later? I’ve got an appointment to get ready for,” she said.

“Sure, see you at camp tomorrow.”

“Yep,” she said, and watched her friend disappear through her door. She sat back in her chair, listening to the muffled sounds of Aubrey talking to Amanda, followed by the sound of the front door opening and closing.

# # #

Friday

The last evening of camp found Z standing apart from his fellow coaches in the middle of the field, watching Jones’s car snake its way around his drive. It was headed towards the parking area. It had been nothing but good-natured ribbing and teasing from his coaching buddies since he walked over to talk to her Wednesday evening; not that he had expected anything different.

She was on time, as she’d been the last four times, dressed today in a nice summer sundress, and currently disembarking from her auto. Cinched at her waist was this dress, flowing outward, stopping just above her knees, accompanied by slim high-heeled sandals on her feet. He thought her perfect.

She’d been in and out of his thoughts since she’d left his home Wednesday night. Forty-eight hours had been spent wrestling with a compelling desire to help her, along with another equally compelling and growing need to get to know her, and he’d settled on a way to do both.

He would catch her before she left today and offer to personally train her. A week or two to start, and if things worked well, and he could indeed help her, he would train her for as long as she needed. And while he trained her, he would watch and learn, and take her measure.

He’d have to tamp down this urgency thing he felt. No good came from fast, not for him anymore. Fun, short-term, and all feet first had been his past with women. Quick, and on to the next one before he could think had been his old operating procedure. Luckily he’d done some growing up. Older and so much wiser now, so yes, slow was his way to go.

The restroom door closed behind Jones and he headed over to join the other coaches.

# # #

Memphis was seated on the ground next to Aubrey in the middle of the field along with the rest of the kids, listening to Coach Z give his end of the camp speech. He was almost done with the part where he called up each camper individually, thanked them for their efforts and attendance, and blah, blah, blah, here’s your t-shirt and off you go, which was a cool thing to do, but made for
one
long evening of camp.

Ten minutes later and they’d arrived at the miscellaneous awards part of the program where certificates were given out for such things like who threw up the most, Dexter; who was the most improved camper, Luke; and so on and so forth.

“I’m going to miss this,” Aubrey said, leaning over and whispering into Memphis’s ear.

“Miss what? Camp? Playing with the little boys?”

“Yep, and him. I can say it now. I should have said it sooner or been more honest about my intentions for being here, attending this camp. I do like him.”

“Oh, so it wasn’t all for me?” Memphis said sarcastically. “I figured as much.”

“I know what you’re thinking and no, it’s not the reason I spoke to him about your condition. I still think you could get hurt.”

“Let’s drop it.”

“Plus I’m not sure he’s all that interested in me. I think it you that he likes,” Aubrey said, eyeing her friend for signs that Z’s interest was reciprocated.

“Don’t think so. I’m not his type.”

“And what type would that be?”

“White?”

“That’s not a type.”

“For some people it is,” she said.

“You apply yet?” Aubrey asked, moving on to a different subject, satisfied that Memphis had no clue about Z’s interest in her.

“Yes. You?”

“Yes, and I’m glad you did too. This way, if I’m selected, it’s because I’ve beaten the best. You’re the best, in case you didn’t know,” Aubrey said, laughing, her attention on the coaches at the front.

“Jones and Luke, up to the front,” Z said. He was scanning the crowd for them both.

“See, that’s the thing with you,” Memphis said, turning to face Aubrey. “That’s a compliment, right, and it feels like one on the surface, and before Wednesday night, I’d have thought it
was
one. Now I could go either way, and I don’t know what to think, except that I’m less sure about you.”

“It’s not that serious, M. Again, I was only trying to help,” Aubrey said, exasperation in her tone.

“Jones,” Z said, louder this time.

“He wants you up front, I think. You and Luke,” Aubrey said.

“Who wants who up front?” Memphis asked, meeting Z’s eyes, staring back at her with that expression she’d seen most often from him: impatience of the get-your-ass-in-gear kind, and yes, he wanted her up front. She scanned the group and found Luke making his way toward the front too. Memphis went over to join them.

“Every camp we are blessed with a person, or in the case of this camp, two people, who put into action the traits of perseverance, commitment, and most importantly courage. So when things get tough for us, thanks to them, we now have an image of what the phrase
no quit
looks like. Let’s show them our appreciation,” he said, and handed them each a baseball cap with the camp’s logo on it.

“Thanks, Jones,” he said, shaking her hand before he turned to do the same to Luke.

“That’s it for camp. Thank you all for attending. If you like for us to check out one of your games in the fall, send us your schedules. You have our email addresses, and we’ll promise to make it to at least one,” he said, standing alongside the other coaches as lines of boys started to form in front of them.

She smiled on her way back to Aubrey, pleased with herself for sticking it out and not giving up. She searched around for Luke, found him standing amidst his friends now, all patting him on the back. He caught her gaze and waved. It had been worth it for him too.

# # #

Fifteen minutes later Memphis stepped out of the restroom. Camp was over and all the kids were gone finally, scattered to their homes all over the city. She’d been holed up in the bathroom, waiting for the field to clear before she went in search of Coach Z. She had a plan in mind, one that she’d been toying with since Wednesday night, and she wanted him alone when she approached him to discuss it.

He worked for her on a level she didn’t yet understand, brought out the best in her, at least as far as this football sports thingy was concerned. Of course, a long talk with herself was required, about the need to let go of her crush. What would come of it anyway? Nothing. It was only in the way of what she wanted now, which was to get better, overcome a major childhood hurdle, hell maybe even make the team for real. Goals that were starting to be hugely important personally, and he was the one to help her, she’d decided.

She scanned the football field again for him. It was empty except for her sister and Coach D, clearing the field of equipment. Alex was carrying the ladders in her arms, and D was a few steps behind, dragging in the coolers. She started toward them.

“Have you seen Z?” she asked, coming to a stop in front of Alex.

“He was here a few minutes ago,” Alex said, looking behind her at D. “Have you seen Z?” Alex asked him.

“He was walking toward his house, on his cell, about five minutes ago. Try him there. He won’t mind if it’s you,” D said, smiling at Memphis