Team Manager COACH!
Chapter 40
SEVENTEEN TEAMS participated at the Cardinals’ Coed Invitational. The teams took two buses for the two-hour trip to southwestern Iowa. Even though the meet was for both boys and girls, only thirteen boys’ teams participated. Some schools had sent only girls’ teams.
For the most part, everyone was sacked out on the way to the meet. Girlfriends and non-girlfriends alike leaned against each other to find a comfy place to sleep. Dennis and Ardith went over the entry list once again. There was only one more meet before the Drake relays and Ardith was trying to get as many girls qualified as possible. The standard was high, though, and it didn’t look like many would make the meet.
Daniella and Roberta missed qualifying in the 100 with a third and eighth place finish. Jaydyn ran all out on the 400 and won the race with her third qualifying time so far. Even with second and third place finishes, Daniella and Roberta failed to qualify in the 800. Janice’s second place finish in the 1500 was not fast enough to qualify, nor was Natalie’s second in the 100 hurdles. Lana placed first in the high jump at 5'2.5", her career best, but there were no field events in the Drake Relays. The teams did rack up first and second place finishes in the 4x800 and 4x400 relays. That would definitely qualify them for an appearance. Overall, the girls finished third of the seventeen teams. The boys, in typical fashion placed eleventh out of thirteen. So far, they had no one qualified for the Drake Relays. When they went through the score sheets, Dennis and Ardith discovered the boys had been in a three-way tie for last with 0 points for the meet. No one had scored in the top ten in any event.
“What is wrong with our school’s boys?” Ardith asked, shaking her head. They did okay in basketball this year and again not bad in football. But with the way they performed in cross country and track, you’d think we had no athletes in our school.”
“I don’t get it,” Dennis said. “They work out hard. Or else I’m lousy at spotting freeloaders. They’re keeping up with the girls in the workouts. I really don’t understand why they don’t ever place in a meet.”
“I think I’ll talk to Andy and see what he thinks is happening.”
Thirteen girls’ teams met Thursday at the Lady Chargers invitational. Ardith juggled runners around to focus on the relays and the girls won both the 4x400 and the Distance Medley. They knocked nearly ten seconds off their best time in the 4x400 and qualified. Jayden also took first in the 100 and Lana got second in the high jump. The team placed third overall.
Some of the girls were missing because Thursday was the beginning of spring break with Easter coming on Sunday. The rest felt like they lost a day of vacation for the poor performance. And it wasn’t that the team didn’t have good runners, but third seemed the best they could muster. As Ardith and Dennis looked at the qualifiers for the Relays, it quickly became obvious that there were really four very fast runners and a lot of girls who were pretty good but were seldom in the top three places. Predictably, the Armors were all in the top category in every race. Jaydyn seemed to win any event she participated in. It would be only those four runners who went to Drake.
Friday afternoon, Dennis ran an errand to the grocery store to pick up cloves for the ham his mother was preparing for Easter dinner. She’d invited all the girls over Sunday for dinner that she would prepare and serve them for a change. She’d been cooking much less since the girls took charge, but she wanted to show she hadn’t lost her touch in the kitchen. Specifically, she wanted to show Tom, who was also invited for Easter dinner.
Friday at 1:00, they’d all attended the Good Friday service and heard Peg sing another ancient hymn called “Calvary.” It was so gentle that the entire church was filled with a sense of peace and calm.
Rest, rest to the weary,
Peace, peace to the soul.
Though life may be dreary,
Earth is not thy goal.
Oh, lay down thy burden
Oh, come unto me.
I will not forsake thee.
I will not forsake thee.
Though all else should flee.
Dennis thought his mother had given him an errand just to get him out of the house for a while. Half his girlfriends were out of town for the duration of spring break and the other half all seemed to have things to do this afternoon. He wandered through the grocery store looking for the spice, still feeling calm after the service when he spotted Donnie Oswald selecting a pop.
“Hey, Donnie. How you doing, man?” Dennis asked.
“Oh, hey, Dennis. Things are great. Just, uh, grabbing a pop for my exciting spring break,” he laughed.
“Say, since you’re here, mind if I ask you something about track?” Dennis asked.
“Oh. Um… sure. I guess.”
“How come you guys seem to be falling apart at meets? I’m sure I’ve seen you run the 1600 in five flat. You did that during cross country. Are you having trouble with something? Anything I can work with you on?” Dennis asked.
“No, we’re fine. I’m fine. I’m good. Really.”
“That doesn’t sound good. What’s up?”
“Look, man. You aren’t the only guy at Bartley who has a girlfriend or who would do anything to… Look! You’ve got to let other guys do what they have to do and not put your nose in it. Understand? We work out. We work hard. Don’t bug us about the meets.” Donnie abruptly turned and left the store without paying for his pop. Dennis stepped up to the cash register and handed the cashier the bottle of cloves.
“Um… My friend had to run. I told him I’d pay for his pop. Can you ring it up?” Dennis asked.
“Oh, sure. That’s good of you. I didn’t think he’d run out without paying like that. He’s a good kid,” the cashier said. She was an older woman—older than Dennis’s mom, at least. He smiled and gave her the money, unsure what Donnie’s abrupt message and departure meant. No boys from Bartley had qualified for the Drake Relays and Dennis was sure at least a couple could have. It just didn’t seem right that they all fell apart at meets. And after posting the first winning basketball season in memory, the team had suddenly dropped four games straight, including the first game of the regionals. It didn’t make sense.
Lana, Amy, Brenda, and Natalie joined Dennis in front of Trinity Lutheran at 6:30 Easter morning. It was cold, but the sky was clear and the sun was just rising. Easter sunrise service was a tradition at Trinity and always started outside if the weather cooperated. This Easter morning, Peg stepped up to the top step in front of the doors and turned to face the thirty or so gathered there.
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world
It was not a usual Easter song, but as the tones washed over the people, it seemed every bit as appropriate. When she finished singing, she turned and led the congregation into the church where they all joined in singing “When Morning Gilds the Skies.” After a short message, Peg sang again.
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
They were all back for the eleven o’clock service. The music was considerably livelier, being the regular service and not the quiet sunrise service. Everyone sang old favorites like “He lives,” “Christ the Lord is risen today,” and “Up from the grave He arose!” Peg led the choir in a lively concluding arrangement of “Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee.”
Dot rushed out of the service as soon as she could and went to put the finishing touches on the special dinner. With only four girlfriends available to join them, she’d managed to set the table for all eight guests rather than the usual Sunday buffet.
Dennis, Peg, and the girls got home a bit later, after walking through the park as Peg chattered excitedly about what fun it was to sing with the choir. When they arrived, Dot got them all organized with little tasks that ranged from vacuuming the living room carpet to making sure fresh towels were in the bathroom.
“Your mom is acting like I do when my boyfriend comes over,” Lana whispered as she and Dennis helped make Peg’s bed.
“Well, it’s kind of like that,” Dennis admitted as they moved on to his room to continue making beds. “I guess the experience is kind of new for her. She’s been out with Tom twice and he’s been over here with all of us on Sunday afternoon a few times. I don’t think it’s just making sure we are all safe and sound anymore.”
“That’s sweet. Are you okay with it?”
“Yeah. I like Tom and he isn’t trying to be more than a good friend to me. I think Peg is still a little confused. It’s surprising what she seems to remember. She didn’t seem to miss Dad that much when he was in the hospital or after he was killed. Then once during Christmas while we were making a big batch of Amish cookies, she just said, ‘I’ll put Daddy’s cookies in the jar.’ And she did. We weren’t sure we could eat them, but it was fine. They were just Daddy’s cookies.”
The bell rang and the girls joined Dennis and Lana while Dot and Peg answered the door. Once Tom had been greeted, Peg called the teens to the table.
When they were seated, Dot asked Dennis to carve the ham. He noted that it was a little nod to his position as man of the house and that he hadn’t been replaced. He figured that would change when he went to college but thought it was a nice gesture.
The food was good, of course, and conversations ranged from the basketball season to Peg’s singing to what kind of cases Tom was working on to college plans. It could have been any family with mother, father, daughter, son, and son’s four girlfriends. When Dennis thought that, he almost spit milk out his nose.
“Hey, Tom,” Dennis said as they stepped out on the front porch after dinner. “Do you think a whole team could be on the take to throw a game?”
“There have been some pretty strange things happen on the college and professional scene over the years. If you look at the biggest scandals, though, it seems you don’t need the whole team. You just need a key player or two.”
“Yeah, I see. We’ve been consistently placing third in track meets with the Angelines, but that would probably be sixth or seventh without Jaydyn. She’s running all four races we’ll participate in at the Drake Relays this week.”
“What team do you suspect?” he asked.
“The Wolverines,” Dennis sighed. Tom stopped and looked at him.
“High school has a lot of pressure that people underestimate, and your school has had more than its share of unusual pressure with the drug gang activity and shooting last year. I know that shot through your window affected the girls’ state championship performance. There doesn’t seem to be a lot riding on the Wolverines performance, though. That would be a lot harder to fix,” Tom said.
“It’s weird, but I know they’re capable of more than they’re doing. And it happened all at once. They had a fourteen and four season going and then tanked on the last four games. Badly. So far, during track, they’ve placed last or next to last in every meet. And I know a couple of the guys have the ability to win. I watch them in workouts. They work hard. Maybe even angrily, as if they were determined to show someone something.”
“You haven’t detected any new drug presence around the school, have you? A new gang arising? New cliques forming? A group of guys who always wear the same color?”
“No. I can’t think of anything that would be strange other than their performance. I got along really well with a guy during cross country and I asked him if something was going on. It was weird. He started by denying anything was wrong. Then he got kind of flustered and said I wasn’t the only one at Bartley with a girlfriend or who would do… then he cut it off and said other guys did what they had to and keep my nose out of it. He ran off. I’ve never had many friends around here, but he and I were really supportive of each other during cross country.”
“Let me think about it a little. It sounds strange but, like I said, teen years include some unpredictable behavior. It doesn’t all come out in things like the gang of three or Les Steinman. Listen to your girlfriends and see if they mention any strange behavior among their friends. Don’t mention your suspicion or what you just told me. Just listen and see if there is anything else that points in the same direction,” Tom said. “I’ll keep an eye out, too.”
“Thanks, Tom. I feel better having talked about it. I didn’t feel like I could go to one of the girls’ parents. Parents tend to freak out after all we’ve been through in the past year and a half.”
“All too true.”
The boys’ track meet scheduled on Tuesday was cancelled because of rain. No one complained.
Natalie, Daniella, Roberta, and Jaydyn ran in the Drake Relays on Thursday. The Relays had no division between the various classes in the state competitions. There were scattered class 1A and 2A competitors, but most came from the big 3A and 4A schools. Jaydyn’s times in the 100 and 400 would have won any meet they’d had, but she settled for fifth and sixth at the relays. In the last events of the day, the four girls came in twenty-second in the 4x100 relay and sixth in the 4x400 relay. Once again, winning times in any of the meets they’d run to date. They were all pretty pleased at the performance of their little team.
“Explain to me again how this is working?” Dot said as she straightened the bowtie on her son’s shirt. He reflexively pulled at the collar. She scowled at him.
“We’re going to the school for photos and the grand parade for parents and everyone,” Dennis explained again. “Then we’re all headed for the country club at the golf course in County Seat.”
“How?”
“I’m driving and Diane is driving. I get to take Daniella, Roberta and Natalie. Diane is taking Leanne, Tori, and Debbie. We may switch cars coming back for the after prom at the school. It’s just the juniors and seniors attending, so Lana is having a party for the sophomores out at her house. Brenda is going there, too.”
“You bought your own flower and not one for your dates?” Dot said as she took the boutonniere from him and pinned it to his lapel.
“That was part of our agreement. With so many of us, everyone is paying his or her own way and not being a burden on anyone else. It wasn’t my choice. You know how the girls can be when they decide something,” Dennis laughed.
“Are they walking all over you and not paying attention to what you want?”
“No, Mom. If anything, they work harder to see that what I want is provided. I make an effort to do the same for them.”
“Two years ago, you couldn’t have convinced me that you would ever go to the prom, let alone with seven girlfriends.” Dot turned to call down the hall. “Peg, it’s time to go see your brother on parade.”
The girls were all stunning, as far as Dennis was concerned. Keeping with the tradition they established in basketball with jersey numbers as far apart as they could get, Daniella and Roberta had chosen very different dresses. Daniella’s was red and Roberta’s was green. All the girls had chosen long dresses with variations in the neckline from high collar to off the shoulder. The common factor among all of them seemed to be that they were all slit up the front or side as high as decency would allow. Dennis was certain that he could reach through the slit in Tori’s gown and cup her cheeks. She assured him she had no panties on. And invited him to try his idea later on.
During the grand parade, they made quite a spectacle with all seven girls lined up on either side of Dennis. They had to rotate positions several times for multiple group photos. Then they went to the cars for the short drive to the country club. It was decorated along the theme of ‘Light up the Night,’ which proved to be mostly Hollywood schtick with names in lights and fake search lights scanning the sky. There were more pictures to be taken, of course, and everyone had reserved tables. The eight lovers took one table by themselves.
And then there was dancing. Dennis took one or two at a time to the dance floor and the others paired or tripled up. They had a good and carefree time, right up to midnight when the official prom was over and the after-prom at the school was to begin.
The girlfriends had a different idea. It didn’t take long to convince Dennis. They drove into Des Moines and checked into a large hotel with a suite. Of course, they all had a change of clothes with them because no one wanted to be overdressed for the after-prom, but for the party they had in mind, no dress was required at all.
For the first hour or so, the twins were the center of attention for everyone. This was their senior night and the girls wanted to make the most of it. That included having Dennis’s cock plunging into each of the twins, switching back and forth between them as the girlfriends kept them at a high frenzy. Six juniors on two seniors made sure they each had multiple orgasms.
None of the junior girls wanted to be left out, though Debbie, Diane, and Leanne still didn’t want to go all the way. The rest made sure the three of them still had multiple orgasms and they shared one of Dennis’s orally.
Tori and Natalie each got her own. Dennis was fully inside Tori as Natalie rode her face and kissed him.
“Go ahead and come in her,” Natalie whispered to him. “I’ll get mine in the morning after we’ve had a little sleep.”
“I should be almost recharged by then,” Dennis panted. He slammed into Tori and began the weak spurts that were all that was left for an orgasm. Natalie twisted Tori’s nipples, causing Tori to bite Nat’s clit. Both girls came hard.
They collapsed together, all lying on each other in the king size bed. Dennis woke in the morning to Natalie posting on his cock. They didn’t worry about whether they had a condom. Dennis felt every ripple of her vagina as he pulsed his meagre load into it.
Comments
Please feel free to send comments to the author at devon@devonlayne.com.
