Team Manager COACH!
Chapter 34
FRIDAY NIGHT, Amy sat out the game. Ardith put in Bobbie instead and the freshman scored six points against the Bearcats. At the end of the third quarter, with the Angelines leading 44-20, Ardith called the freshmen girls together.
“I’m putting the four of you in with Roberta. Follow her and do what she says. I want to see what you can do out there. We have a twenty-four-point lead. Don’t blow it.”
The freshmen Angelines followed Roberta onto the floor and listened to her instructions. Even though they were a 2A team, the Bearcats only had eight players and they were exhausted by the earlier running. Daphne took the tip and Roberta guided the girls effortlessly. You couldn’t really tell the difference between the way the youngest Angelines played and the way their older mentors had played. They outscored the Bearcats 19-5 in the last quarter.
When they got back to Bartley, the locker room was a playground for the girls. Even the younger girls stripped and planted themselves in front of Dennis and Lana to have their tape removed. Liz, sporting a full bush of bright red pubic curls, blushed so hard, her freckles seemed to all join together. Daphne showed a freshly shaved pudenda, puffy lips tightly closed. Jaydyn was the real surprise as her pussy lips were open and glistening with moisture.
“Did you see?” she husked.
“I… um… can see…”
“I mean on the floor! I sank a three-pointer! I know it was the only shot I made, but a three!”
“I’m really proud of you, Jaydyn. You’re really developing.” He couldn’t help but look up to her blossoming bosom. Jaydyn was a fourteen-year-old who was in the process of full-fledged growth. Her birthday would be during track season, so she and Daphne were the youngest members of the team.
“Yeah. I’ve got real tits now. I can hardly wait to try them out on a guy. Does it really excite a guy as much as a girl?” she asked.
“In a different way, perhaps, but yeah. Guys find girls’ breasts really exciting,” he answered.
“Did you, like, um… get hard when you saw me?”
“Jaydyn, I’m sure you’d have been enough, but I’ve been hard ever since we started stripping the tape off you naked girls.”
“Oh, okay.” The subject seemed to have passed as quickly as it came up and Jaydyn bounced off to join her teammates in the shower.
“As long as you’re hard anyway, I guess it doesn’t matter how I dress to get my tape off,” Rae said. “Or don’t dress.” The sophomore cheerleader sat in front of him in all her naked glory. Dennis finally figured out that all his girlfriends had gone into the next aisle to have Lana remove their tape and had left the younger teammates and cheerleaders to him.
Rae was nearly as beautiful as her classmate, Lana. Her breasts were a little larger and overall, her skin tone was not as pale as Dennis’s girlfriend. Like all the cheerleaders, she was shaved smooth. Even Doc and Fred had taken to shaving off their pubic hair. Rae put a foot on his knee and idly stroked her pussy.
“I understand Amy used to tease you by having you check to be sure her hymen was intact. Mine isn’t, but you can look anyway.” She spread her lips open with two fingers. “I don’t even remember when I ripped it. Must have been a long time ago. I was a real tomboy until these grew.” She used her other hand to stroke her breasts and pinch her nipples. “Could you do me a favor?”
Dennis was cautious about agreeing before he found out what the girl displaying herself in front of him wanted.
“If I can.”
“Well, you’ve seen everything I’ve got to offer and you seem to like it. Could you, like, keep an eye out around school and see if you can find me a guy? You know, kind of like you, but not you. I know that I can sit here naked in front of you and play with myself and you won’t make a pass. I’m safe. I’d like to find a guy I’m just a little less safe with, but who’s just as nice and considerate as you. I turned sixteen in November and I’ve been a good girl. But cheerleading season pretty much wraps up after basketball and wrestling end. I’m thinking I’d like a boyfriend this spring.”
“Gosh, Rae. That’s a tall order. There are a hundred guys in our school who’d like what you have to offer. And you’re right: I like it, too. I’ll have to think, though, if I know anyone who’s worthy of it.”
“You’re sweet,” Rae said as he finished removing the last of the tape. She pushed her fingers into her pussy and then pressed them against his lips. “Oh, yeah. The guy who dates me needs to be willing to date only me. I can share myself around with the other girls and tease you, but I don’t want to share my guy.” Rae moved slowly and sensuously off the bench and strutted to the showers.
“I’m glad we all got to you before she did,” Lana whispered. Dennis’s girlfriends were all returning to their lockers. “The boy Rae gets hold of won’t have the energy left to tend to anyone else.”
The game Monday night at home was always under control and the Angelines dominated the Huskies 62-21. They got back to the gym in time to see the last half of the Wolverines game as the boys got their third loss of the season 45-74. It was a quick goodnight for everyone as the next night they had to travel to the Timberwolves for a 71-45 victory. Unfortunately, the boys dropped another one and were beginning to remind people of the good old days.
Dennis and Lana had to hustle to get uniforms laundered and back to school as Thursday, the team traveled to the Panthers. The Panthers gave the girls a better challenge, but couldn’t stand up to the Angelines. The game ended at 56-30.
Friday night they were back at home for the game against the Chiefs. One of the things playing so many games had done for them this week was allow every girl on the team to get good playing experience. Every freshman and sophomore got to play in at least three games during the week. They were keyed up and ready to roll when the game started at 6:00 and they didn’t let up, even when the thirty-five-point continuous clock went into effect halfway through the second quarter. The score was 58-7 at the end of the half and the girls finished with their highest score of the season, 84-18.
The crew went to Natalie’s house for the night, but discovered that even hormone driven teens could be worn out beyond caring about sex. At the same time, they slept even closer to each other, bare limbs entangled.
“Happy birthday, lover,” the girls chimed to Dennis as they paraded naked in front of him. Frankly, he was happy this birthday party was quieter and less eventful than his sixteenth. It was hard to think of his birthday without thinking of the night his father was drugged and was never the same again.
“Everything a guy could ask for on his birthday is in front of me,” he said. “I love you all.” Even though none of the girls had the energy for sex after the game, they weren’t about to let Dennis go to sleep on his birthday with a hard on. In the press of the girls crowding in on him as they lay down, he was never quite sure whose hand had stroked him to completion.
The next day, Brenda left early to join her team for a home game. The rest managed to get their chores done in time to caravan up to Boone for the one o’clock game against the Wildcats. The Bears won, 68-54. All the girls did well, and the scoring and stats were evenly balanced, though Brenda sat out the last quarter. What’s more, it was their fourth win in a row and put the Bears into a winning season for the first time this year with twelve wins and eleven losses. The party that night promised to be more exuberant.
“You’re limping!” Dennis said when Amy and Brenda reached his house. “Is this why you sat out the fourth quarter?”
“Yeah. Somehow, I twisted my left ankle right at the buzzer. I didn’t even think anything about it until I’d been sitting there a couple of minutes. Our trainer got an ice pack on it right away, but it’s still a little swollen and tender,” Brenda said.
She screeched as Dennis swept her up in his arms and carried her to the sofa. He grabbed an instant ice pack out of his red emergency kit and pressed it to her ankle, wrapping it in elastic bandage. The girls ran to get her a cup of cocoa and a cookie. Then they made up cups for everyone else. Brenda kept laughing as different girls took her pulse, felt her forehead, put their ear against her chest to listen to her heart, and generally played at being nurses.
“You guys! I have a twisted ankle, not pneumonia!” she giggled. Tori turned her head from listening to Brenda’s heart and bit at her nipple. Brenda squealed again, but held Tori’s head to her breast. “Hey! Where’s Peg?” Brenda asked, suddenly remembering rule number three.
“She and Mom are over at the church to practice her solo for tomorrow,” Dennis said as they all settled down with their cocoa and cookies.
“What’s she singing tomorrow?” Lana asked.
“She says it’s a big surprise. I hope you’ll all go with me to hear her.”
“I don’t think we’d still be sisters if we didn’t,” Natalie said. “Of course we’ll go.”
“She needs to do a concert,” Diane said. “People at my church are still talking about her solo a couple of weeks ago.”
“It’s a touchy subject,” Dennis said. “Peg doesn’t sing to be a commercial success. Mom’s afraid that if she starts performing instead of singing in church, she might lose something inside that’s very important to her.”
“I don’t know why we measure everyone’s worth by how much they earn for their efforts,” Rosie said. “I think it’s wonderful that she sings what’s in her heart. We just want to be sure she and your whole family are cared for and never in want again.”
“Rosie, you’re such a sweetheart.”
The big surprise Sunday morning was stunning. First, Peg spoke before she sang.
“Pastor said I could say something before I sing,” she started. She closed her eyes, remembering her words as she’d practiced. “I have the best big brother in the world. Happy birthday, Den. And I have lots of big sisters!” she blurted out as she looked at the crew gathered in their usual two pews. She took a deep breath and looked skyward. Without even a piano note accompanying her, she sang.
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
There was not a dry eye in the church as the final tones echoed in the sanctuary.
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Silence and sniffles were the only sounds that greeted the conclusion. Before they fully recovered their composure, the piano began playing and the choir moved up behind Peg. Her crystal voice led out with the choir harmonizing in the background.
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere.
Go tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
Before the end of the song, everyone in the congregation was singing along and clapping with the joyous music. This time, the clapping continued after the song ended, but the choir did not move from their spot. The congregation eventually got the hint and shut up. A single note sounded from the piano and Peg opened up again.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now I’m found;
Was blind but now I see.
The choir blended their voices with hers on the second verse. By the last verse, Mrs. Thompson had turned to face the congregation and invited them to join Peg in singing. The little Lutheran church had seldom heard a more vigorous congregational hymn. When they finished the verse, Mrs. Thompson motioned everyone to silence as Peg’s gentle voice repeated the first verse.
“As you might assume, I have very little to add to the testimony we’ve received this morning,” Pastor Donnelly said as he stood to deliver the sermon. “Peg came to Mrs. Thompson a few weeks ago and laid out these three songs as her favorites in the world. She asked, in her usual humble way, if she might sing them all one Sunday. Our choir happily agreed to rehearse these pieces and sing with her this morning. Thank you all again for your heartfelt contribution to our worship service.” Some light applause accompanied the thanks but most people were still too moved by the performance to respond more than that.
“The church calendar calls this time of year ‘Ordinary Time.’ It comprises the Sundays between Epiphany and Lent. But this is anything but ordinary time, biblically. This represents Jesus’s ministry. I’ve chosen a passage from Matthew, chapter 19 that is not often used during this season, but I find most appropriate.”
13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.
“Why this passage? I think you can tell from the music we’ve heard this morning. Peg is childlike in her understanding and in her enthusiasm. I asked Peg during one of her rehearsals, why she sings. And she answered with the chorus of this morning’s first song:”
I sing because I’m happy. I sing because I’m free.
For his eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.
“This message was brought to us by a precious child of God.”
Of course, the pastor stretched the simple message out to fifteen minutes, but it was clear that Peg had found her place, and her song.
The girlfriends did the weekly grocery shopping for all their families and spent the afternoon cooking so food would be quick and easy, both for Dennis’s family and for their own. They were facing another week with three games—Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The latter two were away games and many of the players’ families ate without them when they were traveling an hour or more away. The girls had decided to pack dinners for on the bus.
They’d been eating as much as they were cooking, so the thought of popcorn and a movie almost sounded like too much food. They were beginning to get things organized, though, and were giggling with Peg over the choice of the Sunday night movie when the doorbell interrupted their preparations and Dot rose to answer it.
“Yes?”
“Ah… Mrs. Enders, I’m Sheriff Tom Moran. You might not remember me.”
“Not remember you? That would be difficult. I was just thrown by seeing you not in uniform. One forgets our public servants have civilian clothes,” Dot said. “How can we help you today?”
“I’m not in uniform because I wanted this to be an unofficial visit. I hope I can help you. At the very least, I want to make sure you are informed.”
“That sounds ominous. Won’t you come in. I’m afraid all Dennis’s girlfriends are here. I hope what you have to say can be heard by them, too.”
“Hmm. Well, I was kind of hoping at least some of you would be here,” Moran said.
“Can we get you a cup of coffee, Sheriff?” Dennis asked. “We have fresh, and if it’s not an official visit, you could certainly have a sociable cup, couldn’t you?”
“Dennis, I’m glad to join you sociably. Since we’ve established that, let me invite you all to call me Tom when I’m not in uniform.”
He sat in the armchair where Dot directed him. Not many people sat in Will’s chair, but the couch and most of the floor was occupied. Dennis brought him coffee and sat with his girlfriends.
“I think you know everyone, Tom. Just point if you can’t remember a name. I’m Dot.”
“I’m going to get right to the hard part, Dot,” Moran said. “Les Steinman is being released to his father’s custody tomorrow. It’s his sixteenth birthday and the State can’t continue to hold him unless they charge him as an adult and incarcerate him at the penitentiary. The psychiatrist at DHS believes he is no longer a threat.”
Everyone in the room sat in stunned silence at the news Les Steinman, the shooter at Bartley High, would be free tomorrow.
“That means he’ll be coming after me,” Dennis whispered.
“Maybe. Maybe not. I wanted you to be forewarned, though. He won’t be back in school at Bartley. He is on probation and will be bused to Des Moines each morning before people head to school here. His father has agreed to be home in the evening before the bus returns him. He’s not to be left unsupervised for the immediate future,” Tom said.
“Tom, why are you telling us all this? No one bothered to tell us anything last year. Except Amy. We had no idea what was being planned or how to protect ourselves. And Will…” Dot was getting worked up and cut herself off so she wouldn’t start crying.
“A year ago, we were coordinating four different law enforcement groups and when that’s done, I’m afraid secrecy is an important element in getting the gang taken out. And the sheriff here in Bartley County was part of the problem. I hope that he—me—is part of the solution this year,” Tom said. “As a State Patrol Trooper, I considered this whole county to be a huge problem with a nest of redneck vipers that needed to be wiped out. But, Dot, your husband and your son taught me something important. They taught me that there were real people here who needed the support of law enforcement to both protect and defend them against the kind of people who were causing problems. I’m sorry, Amy, that includes your brother.”
“Might as well include my parents,” she said bitterly.
“Perhaps. The staunch believers in the infallibility of their children can be just as big a problem as the delinquent children. I’m afraid that’s what happened with Les Steinman, as well. I had to interview his father when Les was arrested. The man was convinced his son couldn’t have meant to hurt anyone when he started shooting up the high school,” Tom said. “I don’t know what we can do. I intend to have a deputy drive by the Steinman place behind the school bus each morning to confirm that Les gets on the bus, and we’ll monitor to see when he gets home. I plan to stop there tomorrow evening as a… um… let’s say it’s a courtesy call, but I’ll be in uniform and on official business to make sure father and son both know the rules.”
“Tom, is there anything I can do to be safer?” Dennis asked. “And the girls?”
“The number one thing is to increase your awareness of what’s going on around you. I’ve watched you all play basketball. Yes, when I can, I come to the games. One thing that has always impressed me is how you all seem to know where your teammates are and where the ball is at all times. I’m going to suggest that you apply some of the same awareness to your daily lives. Know where each other is and what is around you. And I’m going to give you all my direct phone number. If you see something suspicious, let me know. I decided to leave the Patrol and run for Sheriff because I discovered I really care about this community. I care about you.”
“You’ve given us a lot to think about, Tom. Girls, you should probably all have a serious chat with your parents. Or guardians. I think that right now, we should have Sunday popcorn and a movie. I know Peg’s getting a little anxious. Tom, since we’re being sociable this evening, would you like to join us for popcorn and a movie? Of course, I know you must be very busy, but you’re welcome,” Dot said.
“Um… If you all don’t consider my presence to be an intrusion, I’d enjoy relaxing with people for a change. I live alone and would just heat a microwave meal anyway,” Tom said. He looked over at Dot and she smiled at him. He was going to need to think about this some more. Tomorrow.
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