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Chapter Two
By Chris
The next morning, she woke up around eight and went to the bathroom, on her way back out she stripped the bed dropping off the sheets in the laundry room before heading to the kitchen to start the coffee brewing. She wasn't a big coffee drinker but she did love that first cup of the day, something that she had gotten from her father. That day she mostly worked around the house, seeing what she might like to change and what things she could afford to start working on. But most things she did want to do would have to wait until after she finished college as that would be where most of her money would have to go to, at least for the next four years. Even if Diane couldn't get her into Millicent College, there were several others within driving distance that she could attend.
Roxy had begun to believe that Diane wouldn't call that evening however a little after nine when Roxy had just put her book down, the phone rang. Roxy thought to herself that she should have known better than to think Diane wouldn't call, she just kept later hours than Junior. Roxy started to answer the phone as she had done with Junior but then she thought about how they were calling for her benefit so she played it cool answering with a "Hi there." After getting past the pleasantries, Roxy told Diane all about how she had mowed the lawn when she got back from dropping her off at the airport as she was proud of herself for mastering the mower and the weed eater. Diane acted surprised by this news yet Roxy sensed that Junior had already passed on this news. Diane did tell her to be careful but other than that she did seemed pleased that Roxy had enjoyed it so much. After telling that story, they went on to what Diane was doing and how busy she was catching up on things she had missed while she was gone. Roxy wanted to ask about Millicent College but she knew she had to give Diane time to figure something out, still it was hard to resist asking.
The next day, Roxy decided that she needed to get out of the house for a while. She wanted to make sure that she didn't become such a homebody that she only left the house when she had to, there was a whole new world out there waiting for her and she wanted to see it and more importantly be a part of this world. She ended up at one of the clothes outlet stores near her home and she allowed herself to buy a few things. For her it was just nice to take her time and not have to worry about getting back home as fast as she could.
And so, her days went, sometimes staying in and working around the house and other days just going out on a drive and see where her car would take her. However, the day she looked forward to the most was mowing day. She couldn't wait for the grass to dry enough from the morning dew to mow and she hated the days it rained and she had to put off her mowing for a day. She even had a man her father had known to come over and work on her mower, changing the oil and putting new blades and belts. By the time he had finished the mower was like it was brand new.
"Guess who has an appointment with the Dean of Admissions at Millicent College on Friday?" Diane asked as soon as Roxy had answered her phone about a month after she had first told Diane and Junior about her dream of attending college there.
"You actually got me an appointment?" Roxy asked not believing what her ears were hearing.
"I said I would, didn't I?" Diane asked and Roxy could just see the big smile on Diane's face.
"Yes you did but how did you do it?" Roxy asked barely able to contain her excitement.
"Let's just say I made the president of the college an offer that they couldn't refuse," Diane told her.
"Oh god you didn't put a horse's head in bed with them did you," Roxy asked.
Diane laughed, "No, nothing that drastic, I promise."
"Thank god," Roxy laughed, "but how did you really do it? They only do interviews in the fall."
"I found out that they were looking for a new law firm to represent them and I offered our services at a greatly reduced price," Diane told her.
"That won't get you in trouble with your firm will it?" Roxy asked not wanting her sister to get herself in hot water for her, she could go to college anywhere for that matter.
"Oh no, I talked to the lead partner and told him what I was doing and why. Plus the fact that we would have as one of our clients an old well respected college would look good." Diane said.
"He knows that you did all of this so your sister could go there?" Roxy asked. "Isn't that a conflict of interest on your part?"
"Last year he asked me to hire his nephew who isn't the sharpest lawyer in the drawer," Diane told her.
"Oh... I guess he couldn't say too much," Roxy said and she thought about that for a second. "You were saving that to use one day wasn't you. I hate that you did so for me."
"Honey, I can't think of any better reason to cash in on a favor than helping my sister," Diane told her.
"Thank you," Roxy said.
"Hey I just got you the interview, you got to convince her that you are worth making an exception to their rules," Diane said.
"What if she doesn't think I am worth it?" Roxy asked feeling a bit of fear crepe into her voice.
"Roxy just be yourself and she will be begging you to attend her college," Diane told her.
"I hope I can," Roxy said meaning to convince the Dean that she was worth taking a chance on.
"I know you can my dear sweet and smart sister," Diane said with her voice oozing confidence that did help Roxy feel a bit more confident.
"I'll try my best, I promise," Roxy said.
"I know you will," Diane replied.
Diane went on to tell her what she would need to take with her on the interview and they talked about what Roxy could and should tell her about what she had been doing the past eight years and also all the books that she had been reading. They talked for another two hours with Roxy losing her fear and growing confident just by talking the Diane.
The next two days, she worked on her application and the essay that the college required her to write. She had been working on that essay for the past eight years but she rewrote it thinking about what she and Diane had talked about. In one way those two days went by so slowly but then before she knew it she was trying to decide what to wear for her interview. She hadn't gone anywhere in years that she had to dress up for and so she really had nothing suitable to wear.
Just when she was getting desperate, she remembered one of her mother's outfits that she had saved. She went to the back of her closet finding the pant suit that she was looking for. She took it out of the garment bag and held it up. The pant suit was coral in color, not one of her favorite colors but her mother had always told her that it matched her complexion. She got it out and tried it on and it fit perfectly. When she went to the mirror and saw how it looked on her, she knew that it was what she needed to wear. The best part about the suit was that it was machine washable and light enough to dry quickly. Her mother never bought anything that had to have special handling, she had always said that such clothes weren't worth the trouble. Roxy didn't always agree with her mother about that but this morning, she readily agreed and was thankful that her mother thought that way. She washed it and then let it air dry as she took her shower.
She finished her shower and dried off, putting on just a touch of makeup before getting all her things together, she then went back to the pant suit that was completely dried putting it on. She looked into the mirror and she thought that she looked the part of a woman ready to take on the world, only the woman in the mirror had butterflies in her stomach.
She had to take a deep breath, letting it out slowly before entering the administrative building at the college. The dean's office was on the third floor so she took the elevator up to that floor. When the doors opened, she was facing the front desk and beyond the desk was lots of cubicles that had women of all ages either talking on the phone or working at their computers. No one paid her any attention as she was escorted back to the dean's office at the far end of the room. Well there was one woman who appeared to be around her own age that did seem to be watching her. She had shoulder length black hair with C sized breasts. Roxy didn't get the feeling that there anything bad about the attention that she was paying to her, it was more like curiosity as to who she was, however, Roxy did get the feeling that this woman did know why she was there.
When she reached the dean's office, she found that she was actually entering the outer office with there being another office within that office. The dean's administrative assistant asked her to take a seat and that the dean would be with her in a couple of minutes. Those couple of minutes soon turned into ten minutes and then fifteen minutes, Roxy figured that the wait was intentional, the dean was wanting to see just how she would react to the long wait. It was almost forty-five minutes before the administrative assistant told her that the dean could see her. The funny thing was that the dean never called her assistant to let her know she was ready. Roxy then knew that she was right, the wait was intentional.
Roxy entered the office seeing the dean sitting behind a large old wood desk. She was an older woman appearing to be in her mid to late sixties, a heavy-set woman with gray hair and reading glasses perched at the end of her nose. To Roxy, she was what you would imagine a dean would look like, someone who wanted to give off the appearance of intimation and she was pulling it off as far as Roxy was concerned.
"I'm Dean Bible, please have a seat," The dean told her not even bothering to ask her name but then again, the Dean knew who she was and why she was there. "Is that your application?"
"Yes ma'am," Roxy said getting back up and handing the Dean the folder that had all her transcripts, application, and essay.
The dean took the file opening it up on her desk, she said nothing as she read each page carefully, paying a lot of attention to her essay, appearing to read it twice. Roxy tried hard not to show how nervous she was feeling. Diane told her how to sit and look calm even when she felt like the world was crashing in around her. It was something that Diane said that she used often when she was in a position of weakness in a legal matter. Roxy kept her hands in her lap and she kept a confident smile upon her lips. It seemed that the Dean was taking forever to go over her file before she finally looked up over her reading glasses at her.
"You know I don't like people playing politics or buying their way in here. We have a set of rules that everyone should have to follow and I mean everyone," The dean told her with a distasteful expression.
Roxy wasn't sure if she was supposed to answer but the Dean seemed to be making a statement rather than asking a question so she remained silent staring back at the Dean with what she hoped was a neutral expression.
"But then I guess some people are above going by the rules or they have sisters who offer up their legal services to bypass my office," The dean said making another dig at her.
These words stung however Roxy tried not to let them show. She just sat there staring back not wanting to let the dean see that she was achieving her objective, that she was cutting through her like a sharp knife.
"I wasn't so lucky, I didn't come from a rich and powerful family, I grew up poor and I worked to get into this college and I had to work hard to stay here. I earned my way in," the dean went on to say.
Roxy so wanted to tell the dean that she didn't feel like her life had been all that privileged and what it was like to watch your mother die when she was in high school and then watch her father slowly die from a series of strokes that took away his ability to earn a living or do anything that he had done before. However, she decided the best course of action was to remain silent until the Dean actually asked her something and not preach to her.
The dean stared intently but Roxy didn't blink, she just stared back until the dean saw that she wasn't going to get a reaction from her, at least one that would cause the Dean to find something concrete to keep her out. The dean sat back and was silent for a very long moment before she seemed to change her tactics going to what Roxy thought the interview would be like.
"You realize that you will be much older than the rest of your freshman class?'' the Dean stated.
"Yes I realize that and I hope that my maturity and past experiences would be of benefit to this college and my fellow students." Roxy stated going back to what she had thought she would say if asked this question. She had gone over every question she thought she would or could be asked and luckily she had an answer for that question.
"They will ask you how or why you're just now attending college," the Dean asked without really asking.
"I had to put off attending college to care for my family," Roxy answered leaving any details out.
"Good, I don't want to hear you telling anyone about how you got in here, if I do you'll be out on your ass before you know what hit you," the Dean stated firmly.
"They won't," Roxy told her and for the first time, the Dean looked at her and let out a sigh, a sigh that indicated the distaste she felt for her.
"You will start in summer school and if you do well, you may stay but the moment your grades drop, you'll be out on your ass before you know what hit you." The dean stated firmly once again.
"I won't fail," Roxy stated.
"We'll see..." the Dean stated which pissed Roxy off that the dean seemed to think she wouldn't be able to cut it or hoped that she wouldn't and either would be fine to the dean.
"You may go, the receptionist has everything you need to start the summer semester including the payment options, I assume that won't be an issue," the dean stated without looking back up at her.
"No ma'am it won't," Roxy stated as she got up.
"We'll see..." the dean stated again without looking up.
Roxy had been able to keep her cool up until that moment, she knew Diane was the one who got her in here and obviously, the Dean resented that but still she felt like she deserved a chance to prove herself. She almost opened her mouth and say what was at the tip of her tongue however she was able to bite her tongue, instead she turned to leave holding it all in. She forced herself to walk calmly out the door and then past the Dean's Administrative Assistant to the general admissions office, stopping only long enough to pick up the packet of material that was waiting for her. She went on out to the elevator glad that it came up quickly and she was able to get out of this building and back out into the fresh air.
She kept walking until she found a bench off to the side, away from the general traffic. She sat down holding it in for as long as she could but then the tears began to flow. She had so wanted to attend here and every time she had stopped to walk the campus and dream about going here everyone had seemed so nice. But now that she was here, she got treated like shit and the dean seemed to want to see her fail.
She cried and her nose began to run so she picked up her handbag for some tissues when a hand appeared in front of her holding one. Roxy looked up to see the young woman that she noticed staring at her in the admissions office. Roxy's immediate thought was that she was here to follow up where the dean had left off so that she would quit the college before she could even start. However, when she looked into the young woman's eyes she just saw kindness and maybe a little sympathy.
"Thank you," Roxy said taking the tissue, wiping her eyes before blowing her nose.
"You're welcome," the woman said softly. "May I sit?"
"Sure," Roxy said though she kept her guard up to whatever this woman was going to say.
"Don't pay much attention to the Dean, she just doesn't like anyone getting in here without it going through her first. You seemed to have bypassed the whole process which isn't a way to get on her good side," the woman said to her.
"I don't think she wants me here and seems like she will do anything to get me kicked out," Roxy said feeling like she wanted to start crying all over again.
"She can't do that, she just controls who gets in and the financial aid to students that need it, once you're in then it goes to the academic side of the administration. It's up to you now," the woman said.
"If you don't mind me asking, then why are you here?" Roxy asked.
"To be honest, I'm not sure. You just seemed upset when you left and I wanted to make sure you were okay," she said pausing for a moment before adding, "And because I'm curious as to how you got around the rules, it doesn't happen often."
"Well at least you are honest," Roxy said with a smile.
"That's what they call me, Honest April," the young woman said with a grin.
"Well Honest April, I'm Roxy," Roxy said.
"Nice to meet you and please call me April, you can leave the honest part off," April told her with a grin.
"So, you're not really Honest?' Roxy had to ask.
"Not always," April said with a laugh.
"Good to know," Roxy said finally able to smile. "And thank you for checking on me, I do appreciate it."
"Well sometimes I do have a soft spot but don't tell anyone, I'd hate to lose my reputation as a bitch," April said grinning again.
"Your secret is safe with me," Roxy told her.
"Thanks," April said as she got up. "I need to get back before the old battle-axe notices that I'm gone."
Roxy laughed, "Thanks again," she said and then she asked, "will I see you around?"
"I hope so," April said and then she gave her a wink before turning and walking away.
Roxy watched April walk away and even though she was wearing loose fitting slacks and blouse, Roxy noticed that April was a very lovely woman. April had a slightly heavier build however she was fit and besides Roxy had always been attracted to women who carried a few extra pounds. Roxy thought for a moment how she would love to see her in a couple of her classes instead of her just working at the college where she wouldn't get to see her around campus. Just before April turned the corner at the end of the sidewalk, Roxy saw her glace back at her. She felt her face go warm at being caught staring at her. She was just glad that April was too far away to notice her blushing.
Roxy sat for a moment more before she got up to head toward the parking lot. She looked around the campus as she walked and she felt good about going there again. April had restored her faith in the school and the people who were there.
She no more than got home than did her cell phone ring. She pulled it out of her purse and she wasn't too surprised that it was Diane. She debated letting it go to her voicemail as she really needed to pee, but she knew that Diane was anxious to hear how her interview went so she went ahead and answered as she went toward her bathroom.
Roxy barely got "Hello" out when Diane asked, "So how did it go?"
"It went great," Roxy said deciding that lying was the best way for her to go.
"That bad, what happened?" Diane asked with her concern showing through the phone.
"I said it went great," Roxy said lying once again as she made it to the bathroom.
"Okay whose ass do I need to come up there and kick," Diane asked sounding like she was ready to do just that.
"No ones," Roxy said, "hold on a second."
Roxy then pulled her slacks and panties down to sit on the toilet. "Okay I'm back." Roxy said as she began to pee hoping that Diane wouldn't hear what she was doing but she really had to go.
"Please tell me you're not peeing as you talk to me," Diane said making Roxy smile.
"Okay I won't tell you that I'm peeing," Roxy said wanting to laugh and trying her best not to.
"You know how I hate it when you do that to me," Diane complained.
"Well it was either that or pee in mom's pant suit and I didn't want to do that," Roxy told her.
"So, tell me what happened and the truth this time," Diane told her.
"Only if you promise not to do or say anything," Roxy told her.
"I can't make that promise," Diane said.
"Okay well I guess this conversation is over," Roxy said hanging up on her sister.
Roxy knew this would piss off her sister but she needed to make a point. Diane didn't immediately call her back which gave her time to get out of her mother's pant suit and put on an old tee shirt however Diane did call back before she could get a pair of clean panties.
"You hang up on me again and I will come there and kick your ass," Diane told her.
"You promise?" Roxy asked not about Diane kicking her ass but about doing anything about what she was about to tell her.
"I promise," Diane replied.
"Well the Dean of Admissions was a bitch from the beginning to end and if I ever have to deal with her again, I will kick her ass," Roxy told Diane.
"Good for you," Diane said sounding proud that she had said that. "So what did she do?"
Roxy began to tell her what had happened and all that the dean had said which she could tell was pissing Diane off and she feared that she would do something despite what she had promised her. But then she told her about how April had come to check on her and how nice she was to her which did seem to calm Diane down.
"This April seems nice..." Diane said.
"She was..." Roxy replied trying not to smile but failing to do so. She was just glad that Diane couldn't see her smiling or rather how she was smiling.
Roxy changed the subject away from April who she didn't figure she would ever see again to what classes she wanted to take in the summer sessions that would begin in just a couple of weeks even though it was just the first week of May. But then again, the names of the semester had never matched the season that they actually began. She talked to Diane until Diane had to leave for a meeting that she couldn't avoid.
Roxy did take time to put on a clean pair of panties before she tore into the packet from the college. She went through the financial part first but she and Diane already had money put away the money to cover her tuition. She then went to the courses that were being offered for the summer sessions. She marked several knowing that there would be a lot that were full with how late that she would be registering. She could only hope that a couple of the courses she wanted to take would be available.
The next couple of weeks went by slowly for her. It took her a day or two to really get the bad taste from meeting with the dean out of her mouth but then she felt the excitement come back with what she was about to begin and that is what made the time go by slowly for her. However, the grass was growing like a weed and she bought enough flowers to fill her mother's flower bed so she was able to spend a lot of her time outside. Since it had begun to really warm up, she got to work on her tan that gave her a healthier glow.
The day did finally arrive and she was there at the door when it opened to pay for her tuition and see what classes were still open. She was glad that she had picked out several to choose from as the ones she really wanted to take were already filled. She was left with an English, literature, history, and a math course. These were all classes that she would need to take but they weren't accounting courses which was what she had hoped to take.
After she had finishing registering, she decided to visit the student union just the look around the book store and see what else was there. She had to get a tee shirt for herself and then she got one for Diane, Junior and Sally. She spent more than she had intended but she wanted to look like a student on her first day of class.
When she left the store, she noticed a bulletin board that students could put things on like roommates wanted or things that they were selling. She then noticed a section about intermural sports. The college didn't have any sports teams but they did some different sports leagues so that the students would still be able to play the games that they played in high school.
None of them really interested her until she happened upon a notice about a women's softball league that played on Saturday mornings during the summer at the local field. She loved softball and played her freshman year in high school but had to quit when her mother got sick. It was open to both students but also the local population. The best part was that they were meeting that Saturday to determine teams and to start the league play. Roxy wrote down where they were playing and she hoped that they would let her play since it had been so long since she had last played and would take all summer to get her game back, if she could at all. Again, she had something to look forward to and that she made her excited all over again. She felt like a kid having to wait for the next exciting thing to happen. The best part was that she finally had something to look forward to again.
Saturday morning, she was up early as the league was meeting at eight in the morning. She put on her old jersey from high school surprised that it still fit though the pants she had no chance getting into. She had bought a new glove that she had been working on the last two days getting it loosened up. She also had a couple of bats and several balls that the bulletin on the board asked for everyone to bring.
She was at the softball field by seven-fifteen figuring that she would be the first one there however there were already several women and more than a few children there. She got her things and went over to were a couple of women were loosening their arms and after introductions, they asked her to join them. Soon several more women arrived and everyone was throwing balls around or talking. The women ranged from their forties and even one in her fifties to girls in their middle to late teens, plus more than a few from the college. Their bodies ranged from those that looked like they had not an ounce of fat on their bodies to others who had more than a few pounds of fat gained over the years. The best part was that they all accepted her and welcomed her with open arms.
Right at eight four women gathered everyone around so that they could pick the teams for the summer. One of the women she had been warming up with had told her that every summer the women were divided up so that they didn't play on the same team every year. Roxy was so busy talking to the woman beside of her that she really didn't notice who the four women were until they began to introduce themselves. The first was Helen, who was the oldest of the women and very heavy set. The next was Jane who had a loud booming voice and then Lucy who was the second oldest but appeared to be very fit for a woman in her fifties. The next introduced herself as April and her voice was very familiar to Roxy so she slipped between the women in front of her to see the women who had befriended her when she got out of interview with the dean. When April glanced around the women, her eyes stopped at Roxy and she smiled. Roxy felt her lips turn upwards and she smiled back. She couldn't take her eyes off of April in her tight softball pants that hugged her wide hips. Roxy would have kept staring but Helen began to talk.
"Okay you all know the rules but for the new ladies, I'll go over the main ones. The first being that the pitchers know the object isn't to strike everyone out but to get the ball into play. That way we all get involved in the game. And for you hitters, the objective isn't to hit everything out of the park but to get on base. Everyone bats until you hit a ball into play, we don't have any umpires so we all have to be good sports women. We do play to win but the main thing is that we have fun." Helen said pausing a second before continuing, "Now since April's team finish in last place last year, she gets to pick first."
"Well we're not finishing last this year; we're going to finish first!" April said enthusiastically.
"We kicked your..." Jane was saying until she was stopped by one of the mothers in the group.
"Jane watch your words," she said pointing down to the toddler at her feet, "She repeats every word she hears."
Jane grinned, "We kicked your tushie's last year and we'll do it again this year."
"Better," the mother said with a appreciated smile.
"Don't worry, Jane will be eating her words by the end of the summer." April said, "anyway I pick Roxy first."
Roxy was shocked that April would pick her first and she saw that everyone else was too. Roxy stood there for a moment not sure what to do but then April waved for her to come and stand by her as the four women had separated out.
Lucy was the next to pick and she went for the young women that was obviously the best player in the league. Helen went next followed by Jane who picked an older heaver set woman. April got to pick next and she made her pick, a girl that looked to be from the college or at least at that age. And so it went until they got about halfway through the women when Jane picked a woman named Ann and a teenaged girl who looked a lot like her went with her to that team. Roxy looked at April who whispered, "they come as a pair, it's sort of a mother daughter thing for Ann and her daughter Jessica."
"That's sweet," Roxy whispered back.
They continued to pick until Lucy picked the last woman left whose name was Rosa, an older lady of Latino decent. Roxy figured that Rosa would be disappointed to be picked last but she seemed to be excited about it. Again, Roxy looked at April for an explanation as to why Rosa seemed to be so happy to be the last picked.
"The last person picked gets to host the league party at the end of the season. She can cook better than all of us combined and she loves doing it so she is always the last picked." April said.
"So, the next to last picked is really the last picked," Roxy stated but was really asking.
"Sort of, but we all try to pick as many good players as bad ones, she is actually pretty good," April told her.
"Oh..." Roxy said wondering just what type of league this was.
"Don't worry once we begin to play, we play to win. It's just that we want to have fun doing so," April said with a smile.
Once the teams were picked, the teams met separately with their captains. April first asked everyone where they wanted to play. April wrote down who wanted to do what and when two wanted to play the same position, she let the players decide. Roxy wanted to play left field but there was another woman who also wanted to play there. Roxy decided that since she was new to the league, she let her have left field and she took first base that she hoped she could play. But then she figured that if she screwed up, she wouldn't be the only one to do so.
April's team would play Jane's team in the first game with Helen and Lucy's teams being the baby sitters and cheering section for both teams. April then made the lineup with them having just enough players to field the team.
"You want to bat first?" April asked her.
"I haven't swung a bat since I was a freshman in high school," Roxy told her.
"Then you're due for a hit," April said with a confident smile.
"I think I'm more likely to get a strike out," Roxy said.
"You can't strike out," April reminded her.
"Oh yea," Roxy said remembering the strange rules that the league had.
Roxy picked out one of her bats and went to the batter's box. She noticed that there was no umpire but then if there were no strike outs why would you need am umpire. She then looked around and saw that there weren't any umpires, it was strictly on the honor system.
"What happens if there is a close play at one of the bases?" Roxy asked the lady that was doing the catching.
The woman smiled, "if it is that close then the runner is safe, that prevents any arguments," the lady stated.
"That makes sense," Roxy said and then she took a couple of practice swings before stepping into the batter's box.
She focused in like she had done in high school and the pitcher threw the ball and it was coming in right over the plate, the perfect pitch to hit however Roxy froze and she couldn't get her arms to swing at the ball.
"You know they don't come in any better than that," the catcher told her.
"I know but it has been about twelve years since I last swung at a softball," Roxy said.
"Well just relax and just swing the bat, if you miss you miss, no big deal," the catcher said.
"What happens if I end up on my ass swinging so wildly," Roxy asked.
"I'll laugh at you before I help you back up," the catcher said.
"Fair enough," Roxy said with a laugh. "By the way I'm Roxy."
"I'm Sasha," the catcher said.
"Are we going to gossip or play ball?" the pitcher yelled.
"Play ball I guess," Sasha yelled back giving a wink to Roxy who could only laugh.
Roxy now felt a little more relaxed so when the next ball came in, it was a little lower than the first and on the outside edge of the plate, just where Roxy loved to be pitched when she played softball. Her instincts took over and she swung her bat, as soon as it her bat made contact, Roxy knew where the ball was going, she remembered that sound well.
Ten years ago, she would have been jumping for joy but today all she could say was "sorry," as the ball went over the center field fence with plenty of room to spare.
Roxy didn't know what else to do but to start running up the first base line, she got even with her dugout when she heard April yell, "what happened to striking out?"
Roxy could only shrug her shoulders as she went on to first base and then circling the rest of the bases.
"Some things you don't forget," Sasha said to her when she got back to home plate.
Roxy smiled at her, "I guess not."
"It felt good to do that again didn't it?" Sasha asked.
"Oh god yes," Roxy replied. "I haven't got to do that since my freshman year of high school."
"Well welcome back," Sasha said. Then she yelled out to the pitcher, "I know, play ball gossip later."
April was the first to greet her and Roxy wasn't sure how she would react since they weren't supposed to be hitting home runs, just make contact. "I didn't mean to hit it out, I was just trying to hit it." Roxy told her before April could say anything.
"Oh I know, it's cool." April assured her. "How does it feel to be playing again?"
"Wonderful," Roxy said smiling from ear to ear now that she knew April wasn't mad at her for hitting it out.
"That's how we all feel, that's why we started this league," April told her.
"I'm glad," Roxy replied.
"Me too," April said but then she turned to get back to the game and Roxy went over to the bench immediately being asked about how much she had played before and how she had hit it so far.
Roxy didn't get to see the other players bat but their half of the inning was quickly over with three popups in the infield. So Roxy grabbed her glove and went out to first base. She felt so excited to be on the field again and to be throwing the ball around, but they didn't get much time as they had to play two games in a short amount of time so they kept the game going along.
Roxy got into position and the batter hit a soft roller to the shortstop who threw the ball to her. Roxy stretched out to get it like she had seen first basemen do and she felt her thigh muscles protesting more than a little. That broke her concentration as the ball went right into her glove and promptly fell out.
"Crap!" Roxy said loudly remembering the mother and colorful language not being wanted with kids around.
"It's okay, you'll get the next one," April told her from behind the plate as she was the catcher for the team.
The next ball she did catch however it was well after the runner had stepped on the bag. She did feel better about at least catching the ball though she didn't stretch out as much. She was going to have to get her legs back into shape before she tried that again.
The other team scored two runs that inning before her team could get three outs. But Roxy did get to see how everyone was batting and how they tried to hit the ball so that it stayed on the ground. This didn't mean that they tried to get called out at first, they were trying to hit the ball where no one could get to it.
They didn't have much luck in batting when it was their turn again though one did get on first but was stranded there. April battered last and it was in the third inning that she got her bat and stepped into the batter's box. Roxy saw that all the infield moved in and the outfield relaxed. Roxy then saw why when April stood in and put her bat into position to bunt the ball. Roxy wondered if April was a faster runner than she appeared to be. The pitcher threw the ball extra easy and April got her bat on the ball. The ball went straight to the woman playing third base who took her time throwing it to first. Roxy saw that April put everything she had in getting to first base and she did run relatively fast but not nearly fast enough to be able to bunt a ball and expect the beat the ball to first. That made Roxy curious as to why April would even try to bunt but she didn't have time to think as it was her turn to bat.
"You going to send this one out too?" Sasha asked but in a good-natured way.
"No I think I'm only allowed one a summer and I already used that one," Roxy said with a laugh.
"If I was you, I'd hit it to Rachel, she's our worse infielder," Sasha told her talking about the woman playing third base. A young and very fit woman who looked and played like she had been playing softball since she was old enough to lift a bat.
"I believe that she is your best infielder," Roxy said looking back at Sasha who was grinning at her.
"Oh is she?" Sasha said with a laugh.
"Yes she is," Roxy said laughing with her.
Roxy then turned to face the pitcher and got her feet set. This time the ball came in a little faster indicating that the pitcher could throw the ball hard if she chose to do so. Roxy swung and was way behind the ball, not coming close to hitting it. Roxy stepped out of the batter's box and took another practice swing before stepping back in ready for another hard throw and she got it. However, she was ready this time and lined one right past the outreached glove of the Rachel. Roxy easily made it to first base and she turned toward Sasha and yelled, "Thanks for the advice, you were right about Rachel."
"What did you tell her about me?" Rachel then yelled at Sasha.
"I told her to hit it to you but you were supposed to catch it," Sasha said with a laugh.
"Thanks a lot," Rachel replied frowning at Sasha.
"Anytime," Sasha said laughing before getting back down to catch the next pitch.
The next batter also got a single and Roxy took off going to second and seeing the outfielder having trouble picking up the ball decided to go on to third base thinking that she could make it easy however the outfielder had a good arm and Roxy barely made it to the base before the throw and tag. Roxy got up dusting the dirt off her jersey loving that she was getting dirty and sweaty. The next batter hit a fly ball to the outfield allowing Roxy to come home to tie the game.
The game went along with both teams getting another run and then they got to the fifth inning which Roxy found out was the last inning as they played only five innings and games could end in a tie. April was the first one to bat in the inning and she of course immediately put her bat out to bunt. The pitch came in slow and April laid down her bunt going straight to Rachel. Much to Roxy's surprise, Rachel took her time getting to the ball and she hesitated before throwing to first thus allowing April to get on base with a bunt single. April was so excited as her jumped for joy at getting a hit.
"That was nice of Rachel," Roxy said when she got up to bat.
"Don't you dare tell April," Sasha warned her.
"Oh I won't, I promise," Roxy immediately replied.
"Everyone deserves to get a hit every once in a while," Sasha explained Roxy's unasked question.
"Yes they do," Roxy said getting ready to bat wanting to get a hit to move April to second.
She got a good pitch to hit however she got under the ball and it went high into the air coming down into the glove of the woman playing second base. Roxy said a real good bad word under her breath as she walked back to the dugout. The next two batters tried just as hard to move April along but they too failed both making outs to end their half of the inning. The other team never got a runner on base and so the game ended in a tie, that neither team liked but that was the rules. They exited the dugout allowing the next team to enter so that the next game could be played.
"That was a good game ladies and I know we all wanted to beat them but at least we didn't lose and by the end of summer, this tie may give us the championship." April said talking like a manager of a real team who wanted to keep her team's sprits up.
Roxy smiled at that but then she thought that this was a real team, at least for the women playing it. April went on talking for a couple of minutes before they went their separate ways, some going on home and some staying around to watch and cheer for the next game. Roxy saw Sasha and Rachel talking and she went over to join them. They were arguing about when they had run into each other trying to catch a popup. Once Roxy heard that they were arguing she decided that maybe she needed to slip away before they saw her but she decided that a moment too late.
"So who should have backed off, me or Rachel?" Sasha asked her.
Roxy didn't want to get into the middle of the argument and she tried to think of a way out without taking sides. "I really didn't get a good look at it," Roxy said hoping that would get her out of the middle of this mess.
"Don't worry about taking sides, Rachel and I have been friends since she moved next door to me when we six," Sasha told her.
"Yea, we're more like sisters than friends," Rachel told her.
"And been arguing like sisters since the day she moved in," Sasha told her.
"Oh," Roxy said. "In that case, it was Sasha's ball, you should have gave way and backed her up in case she lost it in the sun or something."
"Told you!" Sasha said "Now give it to me"
"Oh god I hate your mother," Rachel said as she leaned in and gave Sasha a kiss to her offered cheek.
"My mother got tired of us arguing and fighting so when we got mad at each other, she made us kiss the other to make up," Sasha explained.
"Yea, we eventually learned to argue when we were out of ear shot of our mothers which is probably what they wanted in the first place." Rachel said with a laugh.
They then sat at a picnic table drinking water that Sasha had in a cooler and they watched the game. They told Roxy all about growing up together and about them having a double marriage ceremony. By the time the game ended, Roxy knew all about each of their husbands, their kids and a couple of more arguments in the telling of their lives. Roxy also told them a little about her life but mostly she just listened as both Rachel and Sasha loved to talk.
When the game ended, Sasha and Rachel left together to get back to rescue their husbands from their children. Roxy really didn't have anything to do so she figured that she would stay and watch as a team of young girls came in for a practice.
"Mind if I join you?" Roxy heard a familiar voice say from behind her.
"Sure," Roxy said turning her head to see April standing by the picnic table. Roxy had wanted to talk to her after the game however April had gone to talk to Jane and she had talked to her throughout the next game.
"Did you have fun today?" April asked as she sat next to her.
"It was the best day of my life," Roxy said not bothering to hide her joy.
"I'm glad," April said sincerely.
"I haven't had this much fun in a long, long time," Roxy said and for some reason she felt her eyes begin to water. She tried to stop them but once the tears started, she was powerless to stop them. She felt April slide up against her and her arm going around her shoulders. Roxy was then completely powerless to stop her tears and she let them flow putting her head against April's shoulder as she cried.
It took her a few minutes to get her emotions under control and to stop crying. "I'm sorry, it seems every time you see me, I'm crying."
"It's okay," April said as she wiped the last of her tears away.
"No I'm sorry, I should be stronger," Roxy said embarrassed at the way she was acting.
"You know something tells me that you are a very strong woman and crying is the best way to release emotions that need to come out." April said to her looking her in the eyes.
"I..." Roxy started to say and then she wasn't sure what she wanted to say.
"You know you seemed to be a girl with a story to tell and I am desperate to add a couple of pounds of fat to this chubby body of mine, how about you joining me for lunch," April suggest.
"That sound nice, I am hungry," Roxy said and then the words that followed seemed to come out on their own. "And you're not chubby, you're very pretty."
"Why thank you, for that I'll even treat,' April said standing up and holding out her hand to help Roxy up which she took.
"You don't have to treat," Roxy said holding onto April's soft hand a moment longer than was necessary.
"So you want to ride with me or follow me in your car?" April asked.
"Ah.. I'll ride with you if that is okay," Roxy said.
"Sure, it'll give us more time to talk," April said with a soft smile that got to Roxy.
"Why do you always bunt the ball?" Roxy asked as they got to April's car, an older model Jeep.
April wanted until they both got in and she had the car started. "Unlike most of the women in the league, I had never played sports of any kind until the old battle axe encouraged me to get this league started right after she hired me. I couldn't refuse her or at least I didn't feel I could at the time. Anyway, my intention was to get it started and to make sure things run smoothly but that wasn't to be the case. You see, we were short of players the first year so I was forced to play. I got a couple of the ladies to teach me the easiest things to do and that was be the catcher and to bunt the ball. Four years later I am still catching and bunting the ball." April told her.
"You know I could teach you how to hit," Roxy suggested but she wasn't sure if she wanted to do so to really help April or as an excuse to spend more time with her.
"No I like bunting and besides if I actually hit the ball, the ladies wouldn't get to let me beat out the bunt every once in a while," April said turning her head toward her giving her a knowing smile.
"You know about that?" Roxy asked completely taken by surprise by this confession from April.
April laughed, "Sure I do, I really can't run that fast or bunt that well. I know they are being nice to me and I appreciate it."
"Oh okay," Roxy said not sure what else to say.
"You won't tell them will you, I want it to be our little secret," April instructed her as she glanced over at her again as if ensuring that she would keep her secret.
Roxy let out an involuntary laugh that got a different more intense stare from April so Roxy had to explain. "I promised Sasha that I wouldn't tell you what they were doing and now I have to promise you that I won't tell them that you know what they're doing."
April's frown turned into a smile then a laugh, "It looks like you're making promises to everyone today..." April said. "...but you do promise?"
"Yes I promise, I won't tell them," Roxy told her.
April was silent for a moment and Roxy wasn't sure if April wanted more of a promise from her or what but she did seem to be waiting for something from her. Roxy was about to ask what April was thinking when April saved her the trouble, "So you're not going to offer to teach me how to bunt a little better?"
"I would, however there would be a problem for me to do that," Roxy told her.
"And that would be?" April asked right on cue.
"Let me put it this way, the only time that the coach would pinch hit for me was when he wanted me to bunt." Roxy said with a bit of an embarrassed laugh.
"Oh I see," April said with a big smile.
"Yea, I could hit the ball but when it came to bunting I would either miss it completely or the ball would go straight up in the air and be caught. I just couldn't get the hang of it and I had planned on working all summer on just learning how to bunt and put the ball where I wanted it to go," Roxy said and that brought on a very sad memory.
"I take it that something happened..." April said softly.
"Yes..." Roxy said remembering when her world came crashing down upon her and changed it forever.
"You know you don't have to talk about it but I am a good listener," April said.
"No I want to tell you, I need to explain why I cried like I did for no reason this morning," Roxy told her.
"I have a feeling that those tears were well earned and deserved to be released. And if you like, you can tell me as we eat." April said.
"Sure but don't go anyplace crowded, okay," Roxy told her as she wasn't sure she wouldn't cry again as she seemed to do when she was around April.
"Mmmmm, I believe I know just the place," April said as she immediately turned on her turn signal to make a right turn.
"I take it the place you had intended to go would have been crowded," Roxy said with a smile.
April laughed, "Yea but this will be even better."
"I didn't mean to change your plans," Roxy told her.
"It's cool," April said and then she started to talk about how she was able to get the league started and how it had evolved over the past four years.
Roxy listened as she watched April head right back to where they had started, the park with the softball field along with other fields for baseball, soccer, and a park where people could picnic or have birthday parties for their kids. There was also a couple of food carts there and once they got out of her car, April took her directly over to a hotdog cart that had several people in line. April said that the vendor sold the best hotdogs in the world. April had him fix them four hotdogs instructing him on what to put on them. She carried the hotdogs and Roxy carried their drinks over to a tree to shade them as they ate.
Roxy took a bite of her dog and while she like hotdogs, it wasn't something she ate a lot of however this hotdog changed her mind. "Oh my god, this is great!" she said.
"The best in the world, none better," April said wiping the corner of her mouth to get the chili off.
"We got to get one of these every Saturday after the game," Roxy said taking another bite of her hotdog.
They talk a little but mostly they ate their hotdogs until they had their fill. Roxy had never talked much about her mom and dad to people that she barely knew but for some reason she wanted to tell her story to April.
"The high school that I attended was made up of several middle schools so when I went out for the softball team in fall practice my freshman year, I really didn't think I would good enough to make the team but I did. I actually made the team," Roxy said feeling the excitement in her voice and seeing April smile.
"When mom picked me up after the coach had made her decision as to whom had made the varsity team and who made the B team, I was so excited. I told my mom all about the tryout and I could see how proud of me she was. She took me out for dinner to celebrate, just her and me, even though it was a school night. After that, she would take me to some of my teammate's houses to practice even when there was two feet of snow on the ground, I found a way to practice some part of my game. I couldn't wait for the season to start and when it did, I found out that I was starting, a freshman starting, now that never happened or rarely did." Roxy said and while April was smiling Roxy could see that she was waiting for the "But" that was coming.
"The first game it was like forty degrees outside but I didn't feel it. I was immune to the cold for some reason. Mom came to the game, I saw her all bundled up but even from a distance, I saw the pride in her eyes. Mom always came to every game, even the away games." Roxy said and then she paused for a second and she saw April steeling herself for whatever was to come which wouldn't be good.
"But then my mother started to feel bad, she said it wasn't anything just the flu or something. She made my father come to any game that she couldn't come to. I know I should have been more worried about her but I admit I was selfish, I just saw what my mother wanted me to see and I was so wrapped up with softball and my friends to..." Roxy said stopping for a moment remembering that time.
"Honey, you were a child, I don't think I could see past the end of my nose when I was that age," April told her kindly.
"I know but," Roxy said but before April could say anything she went on with her story. "soon mom stopping coming to the games but she always made sure that my father made time to come and watch and I guess that did bring dad and me a little closer. The season soon ended with us losing to our arch rivals in the playoffs. It was about a week after that, I came home from a friend's house to find my parents waiting for me. My mom sat me down and told me that she had cervical cancer and that she would have to have an operation. Mom tried to tell me that the operation would get rid of the cancer and after few chemotherapy treatments she would be cured. I wanted to believe her but when I saw the fear in my father's eyes I knew it was much more serious than what my mother was telling me."
"I sure that she didn't want to worry you," April told her trying to smile but it was a sad smile all the same.
"I know but she was always very positive minded and so maybe she believed that too," Roxy said. "Anyway a week later, she had the operation with my brother and sister coming home to be there for her. They told us that they got the cancer and after two months of chemotherapy that left her very weak, the doctors said that there was no sign of cancer left. But she was still very weak so I skipped fall softball practice to look after my mom and to take care of house and cleaning. Right before practice was to start for the season, my mother found a lump in her right breast..."
"Oh god..." April said and Roxy said April's eyes getting moist so she looked away not wanting to see her cry lest she also start crying.
"I didn't even think about playing softball then, I knew my mom needed me so that is what I did. I drove to her chemotherapy treatments even though I just had my driver's permit. She fought hard and for a while we all thought that she was going to beat cancer again but this time it had spread too far for even my mother to beat. She lasted until summer then she laid down to take a nap and slipped away from us." Roxy said feeling her own eyes get moist and she saw the tears running down April's cheeks.
"I'm so sorry... losing your mother just when you needed her the most..." April said in something barely above a whisper. "I can't imagine losing my mom when I was your age, even though I fought with her so much, I still needed her."
"I didn't get to fight with her but I got something better," Roxy said with a smile.
"What?" April asked.
"I think my mom knew from the beginning that the cancer would take her so when she was having one of her good days, she made sure that we did something together, even if she had to keep me out of school. It was on those days that my mom and I would talk as we went shopping or go out to eat or just sitting out on the porch on a pretty day. She made sure that she imparted every bit of wisdom that she had to give and every bit of love she had in her. That is what I remember of my mother's sickness, not the times I had to hold a pan or bowl for her to throw up into or clean her up when she had an accident." Roxy said.
"You had a wonderful mother, an angel of a mother," April told her.
"That I did... that I did," Roxy said thinking about her mother and feeling good about the time she did have with her mother but then she frowned as she knew she story was only halfway finished.
"There's more isn't there?" April asked with apprehension in her voice.
"I'm afraid so..." Roxy said. "My father took my mother's death hard, well we all did but I think it hit him especially hard. He was a lawyer and a very good one, one that was in demand so he spent a lot of time away from home and I think over the years he may have strayed a time or two. Losing my mom brought the time away from his kids and my mom home and it ate away at him. His health began to become an issue so I decided to skip playing softball my junior year and then put everything I had into my senior year, I was going to be the best softball player ever. But the fates had other plans for me, my father was in court arguing a big case when he had a massive stroke. When I got to the hospital, I just knew that he was going to die with all the tubes and IV lines going into him. However, he was just as strong as my mother and he pulled through but he was partially paralyzed on his left side and he had trouble talking. So again softball was put on hold my senior year as I had to take care of him."
"You stayed home to take care of him after high school didn't you," April stated.
"My sister Diane and my brother Junior wanted to find a good assisted living home where he could be care for but I knew no one would look after him as well as I could, so I wouldn't let put him anywhere. I was going to be the one caring for him and making sure he got the best care possible. Luckily my father was the senior partner of the law firm he worked at and they had great medical benefits so I could afford to stay home with him." Roxy said.
"He died recently..." April said.
"Yeah, a couple of months ago, he took my mother's cue and slipped away in his sleep," Roxy said.
"I don't what to say... I can't imagine what you have been through and the sacrifices you have made. But why didn't your sister and brother do more to help you?" April asked.
"Oh they did but I made the decision to stay at home, they didn't force me to care for my father like I did. Besides I got to know my father like I never would have before, I got to know him as a father but also the man he was, both the good and bad. I had long talks with him as he told me of his successes but also all of his failings. He also made sure that once he was gone, I would be taken care of as far as getting my life started again." Roxy told her.
"I see but still I think they should have done more..." April stated.
Roxy smiled, "when I needed them the most, they came through for me..."
April looked at her for a moment before she smiled, "They were the ones that pissed the old battle axe off."
"Well my sister did that but I didn't tell you..." Roxy said.
"Tell me what?" April said as she laughed
"So now you know why I said today was the best day of my life and why I was crying. I know this isn't a real league and real fast pitched softball but I never dreamed that I would ever step back on a softball field again. I got to play again and have fun running around the bases, fielding balls and even making an error, even that was fun." Roxy said trying not to cry again.
"And hitting the longest fucking home run I ever saw!" April said.
"Oh god that felt so sweet when I hit it, I knew the second it left my bat that is was long gone," Roxy said and now the tears did come again.
"Now I feel bad about being just a little pissed at you for hitting it right after being told that home runs weren't encouraged," April said sadly.
"It's cool and now that I have hit it and got to have that sweet feeling of watching it sail over the fence, I don't need to do it again, once was enough," Roxy told her.
"May I ask why you came to a college that doesn't have any sports teams, I mean you could have gone to some university that had a softball team and walked on. I bet with some practice you could make any team and play for real?" April asked.
"I wanted to come here where there are only women attending the college and besides I am playing for real." Roxy told her wondering if April understood what she was saying.
"Well I'm glad that you did," April said giving her a sweet soft smile.
"Me too," Roxy replied.
They talked for a while longer as April asked her more questions about her mother and father and what all she had gone through. Roxy answered them trying to make sure that April understood that what she did was out of love more than a sense of duty. But eventually the ground got hard and they decided it was time to go. April drove her back to her car and to Roxy's surprise, she got out with her going over to her car with her.
"Ah... would you like to go out sometime?" April asked her as Roxy was opening her car door.
"Sure I would love to," Roxy said with a big smile forming upon her lips.
"You realize I'm asking you out on a date..." April said seriously.
"I know and yes I would love to go out on a date with you, just let me know when you want to go," Roxy told her.
"I would love to say tonight but for some reason, I feel a great need to go see my parents this afternoon so how about Friday night." April said.
"That sounds good to me." Roxy said and she paused for a second before she seem to have to ask, "would you give your mom a kiss for me?"
April paused for a second before she said, "Oh fuck..." She then came to her giving her a tight hug, she then whispered into her ear, "I promise I will."
When April pulled away from her, she had big tears in her eyes and Roxy knew that April had understood what she was wanting from her and why she was wanting it. Roxy watched as April get back into her car and drive away. She then looked back to the softball field watching the young girls practice. She allowed herself to cry once again, cry not for what she had lost over the years but the joy of seeing these girls having fun and now finding that she too could have fun again.
She wiped the tears from her eyes and watched for another minute or two before she got into her car. She felt physically tired and emotionally drained but somewhere inside of her she also felt more than a little excitement; she had a date to look forward to and she couldn't wait to get back home to call Diane and tell her about her day.
End of Chapter Two
To be continued...
Please let me know what you think of my story. I welcome all comments whether they be positive or negative. You can email me at numlfl@hotmail.com