CHAPTER ELEVEN - STEPHANIE
Stephanie ordered Denise to hold her stuff. "Now, this is how to talk to a boy," she said casually.
She waited for Zack. He finally came off the bus. "Thanks for finding them."
"No problem. I recognized Michelle," he said. "I guess she got home safe?"
"Yeah, she was going to play with her friends today, and…" She saw Michelle coming up behind her with their dad and Uncle Jesse. What is she doing here?
"Steph," Michelle interrupted. "I told Dad I changed my mind and wanted to come. I had to make sure Denise was here." She rubbed her chin. "I guess I have to tell him she was trying to see Rico, huh?" She turned to Denise. "Did you talk to him?"
Stephanie rolled her eyes. Even when she tried to show Michelle's friend how to talk to boys, Michelle still got in the way. "Michelle, instead of getting all excited like you do trying to help Samantha, let me handle things! Denise, watch me," Stephanie mumbled under her breath.
She turned toward Zack, hoping Michelle and Denise saw how easily they talked.
"Any younger brothers or sisters?"
"Nope. Just a sister a year older."
"It's an experience. Believe me."
Stephanie waved to Danny in the high school parking lot. She turned to Michelle and Denise. She glared at her. "There's your wave of mercy. But, before we drop Denise off, we are all are going to have a talk."
"Gotta be kind of parental, huh," Zack said as he Stephanie walked into the locker room.
"Yeah. Our mom died when I was five. And, there are times when I feel like I have to teach her. I remember this time when she was two. D.J. and I showed her what would happen if she didn't hold our hands crossing the street. We dropped a brick on a banana. To show her what would happen if a car hit her. Boy, was it squished. She always held on really tight after that."
"It must have been hard to lose your mom so young. Sounds like you do a good job with Michelle."
She nodded. "Normally, we're not just sisters. We're great friends. But, there are times when you have to tell your friends, with love, that they're messing up."
Their faces moved closer. "You've got quite a nice family."
"Thanks. I'd love to meet yours." She looked lovingly into his eyes. She enjoyed hanging around him so much. Maybe it was a blessing that Michelle got her back on the team.
Zack's teammates beckoned him to get her out of there so they could start getting dressed. He lovingly touched her cheek. "Well, guess you better get to your locker room."
Stephanie sighed contentedly. She didn't want this moment to end. Michelle couldn't understand it. But, there was something special about times like this. "Right," she finally muttered. She dreamed about him as she walked into the girls' locker room.
"It's a good thing he wears that mask when he plays," she muttered to herself. "Or I'd be so starry-eyed looking at him I couldn't pitch."
John Muir led 8-4, in the bottom of the sixth. Coach Miller wanted to get to the seventh before using his bullpen. But, Jake Middleton was having problems. He'd pitched longer than he had all year. "He has to be getting tired," Stephanie told herself.
The bullpen phone rang just as she thought this. "Message for Stephanie Tanner," the pitching coach joked. "You're going in to finish this inning."
Stephanie warmed up as several players got hits. When she entered the game, a run had scored. It was now 8-5.
She wouldn't have felt nervous this time. Except Zack Browning stood on the mound. And, he mask was raised. "Ready to get 'em, Stephanie?"
"Uh...yeah," she stammered. Zack patted her on the shoulder and walked back to home plate. When he got there, she just kept staring at him. She blushed slightly. "I usually don't gaze at a boy for this long. Not in front of all these people. I hope I'm not too red."
She tried to force herself to think about the game. But, unlike Friday, there wasn't as much to ponder. What Darcy had called "muscle memory" had returned. She didn't have to think about how to field, where to throw if the ball was hit to her, or even how to pitch. With her mind clear, she could focus on other things. Like that great guy behind the catchers' mask.
"Oh, no, Zack must think I turned to stone. Here he comes." "Uh...hi, Zack."
The catcher dutifully went over the signs. She was grateful she didn't have to tell him why she really froze. Although, part of her though she should. If only for the good of the team.
Finally, she pitched. The batter hit a ball that bounced over her head. She leaped, but it was too high. "Good thing, too. I never could have thrown home thinking about Zack."
The shortstop charged in and threw to first base. A run scored, but now, there were two outs.
Stephanie took the ball again. Suddenly, she lost her control. This wasn't too bad. A walk brought the lead run to the plate. But, it was a smart play. First base had been open.
Now, could she concentrate? She wasn't sure. She threw another pitch, and the ball was lined right at her. She instinctively stuck out her glove and caught it.
Oh, no, what do I do?" She threw to third base, then put her hands over her eyes. The third baseman was running into the dugout. "Oh, no, at least one run will score. What a stupid error. I should have been watching him."
Zack smiled as he ran to the mound. "Stephanie, it's okay." He patted her on the back. "That was the third out that you caught. You didn't have to throw." He winked at her as they walked off the field. The Raccoons wound up winning the game.
Stephanie couldn't stop thinking about Zack on the way home. What would it be like it she had to pitch again? She didn't know if she could stand it without saying something.
And yet, she couldn't bring herself to say she liked him. It might feel weird for him to hear it from a teammate. And, it would seem strange to her, too. Why couldn't he play in the outfield? Then, she wouldn't have to look at him whenever she pitched.
She forced that out of her mind as they got ready to go home. "Great game, hon," he dad remarked as they embraced. "I was proud of you out there."
Jesse nodded. "Yeah, and don't worry about trying to get more outs. You know, your dad says you can never be too careful. Sometimes it's good to try to get four or five, just in case. Right, Danny?" He looked at Danny.
"Jess, there are always three outs in an inning. You can't save outs for later."
Jesse looked smug. "I knew that."
"Don't worry, Uncle Jesse." Stephanie chuckled. "We know music's your life, not sports." She shook her head. She figured he was just joking. But, one could never tell. She recalled how little he and Joey had known about babies at first.
That reminded her of something important. "Say, before we drop Denise off, can I have a moment with her and Michelle?"
Danny sensed that maybe Stephanie wanted to talk to them about the bus. "Okay, come on, Jess." They left, and Stephanie put on her most serious face.
"I know. We shouldn't have even gotten on that bus," Denise spoke sadly.
"You're right. It's a good thing you figured out which was ours, and tried to find me right away."
"You can say that again," Michelle agreed.
"Denise, you could have been stranded somewhere without a phone, or been around a bunch of kids who would have been mean., or who knows what else!"
Denise lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Stephanie."
She bit her lip. Stephanie could tell she was remorseful. "I know you want to help your friend, Michelle." She made herself lower her voice before continuing; she often got too excited, it seemed. "You're great at helping your friends." Still, she really wanted to get this point across to her. "And, this is mostly for Denise's benefit, because at least you got off when it was time to go."
"You know I would, Steph," Michelle protested.
"I know. But, I'm just saying this because of my experience with the Flamingoes, and I'm a little concerned because of your having contact with Kathy Santoni's younger sister. It's not just younger kids, especially Smantha, you have to look out for. Sometimes, kids in your grade will mess up, too. And, you need to be willing to try to lovingly guide them away from danger. Just like when Denise thought about getting on the bus, you should have just told her 'no.'" She turned back to Denise. "Whatever it is, you think about whether it's right, and whether it's safe. And even if it is right, unless you're the only hope for saving someone's life, you never go doing something dangerous."
She realized she was being really loud again. A lump formed in her throat. Michelle was sniffling a little. She never cried. And, she was staring at the floor.
She sat beside Michelle and put an arm around her. "I'm sorry, Michelle. It's just that if I can keep someone from getting hurt, I will. I love you very much, and I never want to see you hurt." They talked a little more about the need to keep safe and think about the consequences of what she was doing.
Denise promised to think better next time. Michelle asked, "Can you go back to being my sister again now?"
She hugged Michelle. "Sure. I sounded like a mother, huh?"
"You'll make a good one."
Stephanie beamed as they, and Denise, continued to talk about what happened. She felt badly about hollering. But, hearing a compliment like that made it worthwhile.