Team Manager COACH!
Chapter 38
“9-1-1. STATE YOUR EMERGENCY.” The voice was all too familiar from Dennis’s call nearly a year ago.
“This is Dennis Enders. I’m currently inside the HomeMart Grocery store in Bartley. Someone shot at my car just outside of town. The back passenger window is broken and I’m sure I heard two more shots, but I don’t know if anything else hit.”
“Are you injured?”
“I think… I mean, I don’t think so. My heart’s beating a million miles an hour. And I think I might throw up. Please send Sheriff Moran. It might have been Les Steinman.”
“I’ve notified the sheriff and a deputy is on his way. Find a place where you can sit that is out of line of sight from the front of the store. Stay on the line and tell me about anything that seems out of the ordinary, especially if you hear someone strange come into the store.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The fifteen minutes Dennis sat in the back of the grocery store were tense. He managed not to throw up, but it was a near thing. It seemed like forever before he heard the sirens showing up at the front of the store.
No one else in the store had any idea what was going on when Sheriff Moran burst through the door and yelled for Dennis.
It ended up being a late night for all involved. Dennis called his mother, who arrived with Drake Vining a few minutes later. The store manager was upset because he wasn’t warned about a threat or a person hiding in his store. After checking and photographing the car, the state investigator found a bullet buried several layers deep in the uniforms. The eighteen warmups and uniforms had stopped the bullet from passing through the driver’s side window. Dennis went with Drake and the sheriff out to where he thought he was when the shot was fired about a mile from town.
Ardith showed up and as soon as the investigator released the car, she collected all the uniforms and told Dennis not to worry about them. The state investigator agreed that based on the evidence, it was a definite attempt on Dennis’s life. If they captured Les Steinman in possession of the firearm, the bullet could be matched to it.
The statewide dragnet was reactivated and roads all the way around Bartley were patrolled. And once again, Les Steinman disappeared. It didn’t help that they didn’t have any idea what he was driving, but the patrol was alerted to watch for Kansas plates.
The girls were all jumpy Saturday. They all gathered in Dennis’s house and did what they could to take their mind off the ambush the previous night. Brenda had to leave for Boone for her 1:00 game against the Eagles. Gransy stepped up and went with her so she wasn’t traveling alone. Amy’s grandmother would miss the Angelines’ game but everyone felt it was important that no one travel alone.
About that time, the parents of the crew all stepped up to escort them to the school to get ready for their game. There was something comforting about having so many guarding them. They even patrolled the halls of the school while the girls got taped and dressed for the game. Their white uniforms were all hung in the locker room waiting for them. Ardith brought their warmups in. Each had a decorative basketball patch sewn onto the breast. They weren’t all in exactly the same location and if the girls had known to line them all up, they’d have seen the trajectory of the bullet and the holes the patches covered.
The Angelines boarded their bus to Des Moines for the State Championship against the Lynx. And their families followed closely. They tried to relax, knowing that all their fans would be at the game instead of the paltry groups that had attended the first two.
It didn’t help. The Lynx didn’t look at all like the team that had stumbled through the first half in the semifinal. At the end of the first quarter, they led 17-10. By the half it had stretched to 38-18 and the Angelines were looking at the largest deficit they’d had all year. They didn’t give up and played hard, but the Lynx won the game, 66-42.
They tried to put a good face on it. They were the State Class 2A Runners-Up. But it stung to think that the previous year they’d been the Class 3A State Champions. As they boarded the bus home, Amy’s phone rang. Brenda’s team had lost to the Eagles for the third time this season in the Region semifinal. Brenda was the game’s high-scorer, but her team wasn’t up there with her. Donna had been limited to one three-pointer. It was the end of both the Bears’ and the Angelines’ basketball season.
The celebration of Natalie’s seventeenth birthday got started late and was a little muted. After the greeting of the fans at PJ’s—accompanied by the sheriff and two deputies—the crew gathered at Natalie’s house and cut a birthday cake with candles. The parents breathed a sigh of relief, promising they would be back in the morning to escort the teens to church.
Later, Natalie got a deep and soulful kiss from each of her girlfriends. Then she grabbed Dennis’s hand and dragged him off to her bedroom as the rest of the girlfriends laughed.
“I shouldn’t be so addicted to you,” Natalie sighed. Dennis looked at her, alarmed.
“Nat? Are you okay? Are you saying we should break up?” he asked.
“No, silly. I don’t want to break up. Ever. That’s the whole thing. We lost a huge game this evening and I don’t even care because you are kissing me and I know we’re going to make love and I can’t think of anything else. It’s not that I don’t care about the game, but now that it’s over, I can’t be bothered to think about it because I have you,” she said. “And because Les Steinman didn’t show up with a gun.” She pulled her powder blue T-shirt off and went back to kissing her boyfriend, as he managed to unhook her bra and let it slip from her beautiful breasts.
“I’m glad I can take your mind off it. It’s past. Maybe next season we’ll review it and see if we can learn anything from it. Until then, it’s just an experience we had and is past,” he said. “This, however, is an experience we are having right now.” He bent to suck on her left nipple and Natalie gasped as she held him more tightly and backed toward the bed. When the back of her knees hit the bed and she collapsed back onto it, Dennis unfastened her burgundy skirt and pulled it over her hips and down her legs. He kissed all over her tummy as he pulled the tiny pair of panties off, then started kissing and licking her pussy.
“That’s so good! It’s so different than when one of our girlfriends does it.”
“Am I too rough?”
“No. In fact, girls tend to be a little more aggressive when we’re making love. Brenda would have three fingers in me by now. I love how gentle and slow you are.”
“Why do you suppose girls are rougher?” Dennis asked between licks.
“Probably because they instinctively know exactly where the hot buttons are and go straight for them. Please don’t change what you’re doing to be more like a girl. I like both,” Nat said as she put her heels on the edge of the bed so she could get leverage to thrust against his mouth. “Yes! There. Just a little more.”
Dennis pressed more firmly and was rewarded by a flood of Natalie’s juices as she froze in her orgasm and her pussy pulsed open and closed. Dennis gave one more lick and she jerked in aftershock. He stood and dropped his slacks. He noticed Natalie had a fresh box of condoms on her nightstand and grabbed one. She took it from him and rolled it onto his erection.
“It’s our one-year anniversary,” she whispered, looking at the clock. It was just past midnight. “A year ago, we were both still virgins and could hardly wait to make love.”
“I can still hardly wait,” he said. She pulled him onto the bed and between her legs.
“Then don’t wait. After that licking you just gave me, I’m sure I’m ready to receive you. Put your cock in me, lover. Let me feel you fill me.”
Dennis moved slowly in and out, but with Natalie still riding the high of her orgasm it wasn’t long before the two of them were vigorously pounding against each other. They came together in only a couple of minutes and lay with Dennis’s full weight on her as she held him tightly.
“I love to feel you on top of me, weighing me down like one of those weighted blankets. I feel secure and loved. But you know what? I want to get on top of you now. Let’s get another condom on!” she said.
After church the next morning, moms accompanied the girls to the grocery store and then to Dennis’s house to make Sunday dinner. They stopped on the porch to discuss how long they felt they’d need to guard their children. No one wanted to stifle them, but each was concerned about their safety.
There was quite a flurry of activity in the kitchen as every girl wanted to do something to help. Dot was ushered out to her chair and given a cup of tea. Peg was right in the middle of the activity, giggling along with her sisters. Dennis retreated with a cup of coffee to join his mother.
“They sure take up a lot of space in the kitchen, don’t they?” he asked his mother.
“I feel like a queen, treated to luxury and prevented from soiling my fingers to prepare food. Perhaps you’d file my nails for me and give me a manicure,” Dot laughed, wiggling her fingers at her son.
“If I had any idea what I was doing, I would obey, your highness.”
Their attention was drawn by the doorbell and both got up to look out Dot stood by the china cupboard where the gun was in easy reach. Dennis relaxed.
“It’s okay. It’s the sheriff.” He opened the door and his mother approached to greet him.
“Sheriff Moran, how nice to see you. You’re in uniform. Should we assume you are here on official business?” she asked.
“I’m on duty today, but I’m just checking on you all,” he said.
A few minutes later, the girls confirmed that Sunday dinner was served. There wasn’t enough room in the kitchen for all sixteen of them to sit at the table, but they served buffet-style and Dennis sat with Peg and Lana in the kitchen to eat while the girls found places on the sofa, the floor, or at the table.
“I hope you don’t need an emergency or official business to feel like you can stop by, Tom,” Dot said as she bid their guest goodbye at the door. The sheriff begged off staying for movies and popcorn because he wanted to get out of his uniform and relax in something less weighted down by equipment and responsibility.
“I’d like that, Dot. I… Well, I know it might be too soon, but maybe we can get together… you know… for coffee sometimes. Or dinner,” he said.
“Um… I’ve never dated anyone except Will in all my life. He’s gone now and I’m feeling the loss as keenly now as I did a year ago. It’s… Well, if I’m not too damaged to be good company, I would like to get to know you better. Maybe we could have dinner one evening soon,” Dot said.
“I have your number. I’ll give you a call as soon as I know we’re all safe again. Good night, Dot.” He shifted a little and then turned to walk out to his patrol car and leave.
Dot stood for a minute watching him go. She should probably talk to Dennis before she made arrangements to go out with anyone.
The girls spent the night, feeling safer together than apart. Tomorrow they’d be back in school. It was going to be a challenge to be calm.
Ardith and Dennis looked at the group of girls who had come out for track Monday afternoon and sighed. Last year, they’d had thirty girls at the first track practice. This year, they were facing half that number. Most of the girls had been on the basketball team, with a couple who were on last year’s track team. She wondered what they’d do with such a limited group.
“Where is everyone?” she asked.
“Um… Coach?” Corinne said. She’d been a shot putter on last year’s team and had done well on the wrestling team this winter. “I kind of talked to a few girls and I think we’re seeing Bartley Boy Syndrome among the them. You know, the guys are pretty ho hum about their sports and are still in shock that they had a winning season this year. But they all have something else on their minds. I know that’s true among some of the seniors, at least.”
“Some think Dennis’s workouts are too hard, and some figure all they really need are his workouts and aren’t interested in sports,” Rita said. She’d also been with the team last year and was doing well with the discus.
“I guess I could back off,” Dennis said.
“No!” shouted the girls. The cheerleaders were at the end of the court and came running, ready for the workout. They joined in expressing their desire to continue the strenuous workouts.
“Coach, it’s the whole shooting thing,” Bobbie said. The young freshman had made tremendous strides during the basketball season and was determined to find something she could do in track.
“I… uh… What have you heard?”
“Everybody was too freaked out at the game Saturday to play well. We all figured out on the bus that you’d put patches on our warmups to cover the holes. It worked fine for the fronts, but we all had a hole in the back of our jackets as well. You know how the rumor mill is here at Bartley. None of us know exactly what happened, but kids are saying the girls’ sports teams are a target. They’re staying away,” Bobbie explained.
“I see. I want you all to know the girls’ sports teams are not a target.”
“Why did everybody’s father escort them to school this morning?” Jaydyn asked. This was not going well. Ardith shook her head.
“Everybody, I’m the target. I need to leave so you all don’t feel in danger,” Dennis said. “I’m sorry I brought this all down on you. The gunshot that put a hole in your uniforms was fired at me. Police are looking for the guy and I’m sure they’ll find him soon.”
“Don’t you dare leave! It’s that Les Steinman, isn’t it?” Rae asked. She’d been a classmate of Les and subjected to his sexual comments for years. She was sure he’d have shot her if he’d seen her last spring.
“Yes,” Natalie answered. “Look, if anyone was in danger from hanging around Dennis, it would be us, who are his girlfriends. You can all quit and walk away if you want to, but we’re staying and we’re going to be Angelines giving all we’ve got in whatever sport we play. And we’ll have Dennis training us.”
“I’m staying,” Jaydyn said.
“Me, too,” Bobbie affirmed. No one made a move to leave.
“So, we’ll get started with who we have now. Let’s get warmed up and then we’ll do the SPARQ evaluations.” Ardith was disappointed with the numbers, but not with the quality. She was pretty sure she could win meets with these girls, but it would require some careful planning and allocation of resources. She didn’t want to repeat the Armor girls running in every event and not have enough chances for other girls to compete. In fact, she’d give up some wins to get more girls involved.
After warmups, the girls ran through the tests and Janet Mills joined them for measurements. She pressed all the cheerleaders to go through the tests and measurements, as well. A couple were surprised at how well they did. No one seemed to mind having Dennis around while she was measured, either.
“I don’t know, Dennis,” Ardith said after the practice. “I had big hopes for the team this year. We have the talent in the school, but right now, I don’t think we have enough team members to participate in all events.”
“One of the things, though, is the girls we have all really want to be here. And there are four freshmen!” Dennis said, trying to console his coach over the poor turnout.
“That’s a positive sign, I admit. I want you to train them hard for the next week. Coach Andy and I have decided to make Friday next week our open trials day. We’re going to issue timing devices and all the athletes who want to compete can run in however many races they want. We’ll run girls and boys at the same time, since we’re looking for best times, not place in a given race.”
“There are a couple of girls out there who will want to run in every race,” Dennis laughed.
“And a couple who will beat most if not all the boys,” Ardith agreed. “Well, sharpen your pencil, assistant. And don’t even think about not being with us. We are going to have to figure out what our optimum team is. I’m not worried about anything that comes before the Drake Relays. It will all be experimental. After the Relays, we’ll be looking at our experience and assessing performance to see who should run in what races. Remember, no more than three per event and no more than four events per person. This will be interesting.”
“Don’t worry coach, we’ll all do our best.”
“You and your girlfriends are who I worry about least. Thank you for being ready to go for a new season.”
Dennis started working the girls hard the next day and every day that week. In the wake of the shooting rumors, the after-school workout attendance dwindled to the cheerleaders, track teams, and a few other hardy souls who weren’t giving up on their endorphin highs. After the general workout, the boys went outside to run and practice. The cheerleaders and workout-only kids used the showers and locker rooms before clearing out. But the Angelines stayed in the gym. Ardith and Dennis worked with them on weights and running form. Ardith had decided to just stay inside for the week and not put any of the girls out on the track. She hoped that would encourage others to join them, but no others came. Coaches Griffith, Fisher, Mills, and Lambert were conspicuous around the gym and track, keeping an eye on things even though they had no direct responsibilities for track.
Dennis headed to the coaches’ locker room after practice to be met by a squealing Sara. She jumped up and kissed Dennis, almost dragging him to the floor as she hung from his neck.
“Whoa! What’s up, girl?”
“You did it! You told Lonnie to ask me out and he did! Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“Well, you’d better be careful who you’re kissing then,” Dennis laughed. “You know he’s one of the track managers.”
“I know. I was just out at the track, sort of hanging around, you know, when he came up and just asked me out. He was so sweet! He said he’d wanted to ask me out for a long time, but knew I needed to stay focused on the games and cheering. He asked if now that the season was over, I would consider going out with him.”
“And, of course, you said, ‘Yes!’ Congratulations.”
“Not at first.”
“What? Why not? That’s what you wanted.”
“I didn’t want to act desperate, you know. I said I’d watch the track practice and see how dedicated he was. If he’d ask me again after practice I’d give him an answer then.”
“For Pete’s sake, Sara! Why can’t you be more direct? Why make the guy suffer? At least when the Angelines teased me, I knew they were having fun with me and not being mean.”
“I told him yes after practice. It’s just the way it’s done.”
“I didn’t know that. I have twelve girlfriends and none of them ever treated me like that. Which is why I’ll love them forever.”
“Don’t get all preachy, Dennis. Lonnie isn’t going to have a dozen girlfriends. He’s going to have me. I need to know that he really wants me, not that I’m just the first girl on a long list he plans to ask out,” Sara said.
“I will never understand women,” Dennis sighed.
“Of course not. That would defeat the whole point!”
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