Charles Sherman stood outside the Coaches' office and knocked on the door.
Bill looked up and smiled. "Hey, Charles, come on in."
Charles shook hands with the man who had once been his son-in-law. "How are you, Bill?"
"Good. Have a seat," Bill motioned to the chair across from his desk. "I'd offer you some coffee, but the way Hinds makes it, it'll strangle you." He laughed, happy that the other Coaches were out just then.
"No thanks, I haven't got long. Listen, Eva and I are headed down to William and Mary so I can attend some alumni thing, and we were hoping you'd let us take the girls with us. It's for two days, and I know they'll be missing school if they go with us but we haven't seen them for quite some time and, well, we were hoping you'd let them go anyway. I'd have called and talked to you about it sooner, but, I didn't know until yesterday." He smiled like a hopefully little boy instead of the highly intelligent, successful corporate attorney he was.
Bill laughed to himself. No matter how Arleane treated or rather didn't treat her girls, they had the power to turn Charles into jelly. Then he turned serious again. He thought about Charles's request, and shifted uncomfortably under the man's unwavering stare. It wasn't accusing or even showing any emotion at all, but it made him edgy anyway. He was a very successful football coach who had made a good life for himself and for his girls, so why was it that Charles still had the power to make him feel like a dirt poor nineteen year old farmboy with nothing but a football scholarship standing between him and staying a dirt poor farmboy.
Charles stared back at Bill, praying he would let the girls go. When he had met him, eighteen years before, the man sitting in front of him had been a shy kid, in worn jeans and a Hammond high letterman's jacket that had been taken immaculate care of. Though he was clean and well mannered, it was easy to see the boy didn't have two nickels to rub together. Mistaking not having money, for not having knowledge and the drive and desire to better himself, he immediately decide the boy wasn't good enough for his precious little girl and did everything he could to alienate him. Now the tables had turned and he wasn't so sure it wasn't Arleane who wasn't good enough for Bill.
It was Bill who had put up with Arleane's junk. With her disapproval of him encouraging Sheri to be so tomboyish, with her constantly starting fights about the amount of time he spent at work, or any little small thing, with her jealousy, even with her running around on him but the one thing he couldn't put up with the nasty way she sometimes treated Sheridan. Charles couldn't blame him for that. Anyone could see those little girls meant the world to Bill, and he was a wonderful father. He was the one who had bandaged Bo-Bo's, wiped away tears, kissed away hurts, tucked them in at night, brushed tangles out of blonde curls, and helped with homework, even before Arleane walked out. It wasn't that she didn't love her girls, she just didn't know how to do those things. He had managed to raise those girls better than most kids with a mother and a father and Charles admired him for that. Not that he could tell him that. It wasn't their way. Maybe if he had treated him better eighteen years ago, or even while he was still married to Arleane, they might have had more than a relationship of begrudging respect built on the love for two little girls and the pain caused by another one. Since he hadn't and they didn't, he was left sitting here, asking for permission to see his granddaughters and thanking the good Lord that Bill wasn't petty enough to hold his past sins against him and take them away from him and Eva.
"You know I don't mind you and Mrs. Sherman spending time with the girls," Bill said. "In fact, I wish they could spend more time with you two, but, they do have school. When would you have them back?"
"Thursday evening, Friday morning at the latest."
He thought for minute more before saying, "Sheri has to be in school Friday, so she can cheer at the game Friday night."
"I'll have her here before school," Charles promised.
"Then, I guess I really don't see a problem. Let me call up to the front office and get them to tell Sheri to get her assignments for the next two days and come on out here. Then ya'll can run to the house and get they're things and I'll go to Lakeshore and check Sheryl out so all you'll have to do is stop back by here."
"Sounds good," Charles said, smiling. "But, don't worry about having to get their things. Eva would love to take them shopping to buy some clothes for the next two days."
Bill's smile was polite but forced. The one thing he and Charles had always fought over was him spending too much on Sheri and Sheryl. He believed it shouldn't cost them to see their grandchildren. "That's a nice offer, Charles, but Sheri would have to go get some insulin, anyway. I know she don't have anymore than she needs for today with her."
"Of course." One thing Charles had learned, dealing with Bill as a single parent these last eight almost nine years, was to back off of an idea when it didn't take with the first suggestion. While Bill talked to the secretary in the front office, he sat there trying to figure out how to tell him what else he needed to say.
After a minute, Bill hung up. "She should be out here in just a minute."
Charles nodded. If he knew Sheri, 'a minute' could take anywhere from one to twenty minutes. "There's something else you need to know, Bill." He started. "I heard from Arleane a few days ago."
"Really," Bill tried to keep his voice even, flat, hiding his feelings on that subject, but he couldn't quite cover his anger in the next few words. "Her daughters haven't heard from her in over two years. Next time you hear from her, maybe you could tell her to let them know she's still alive."
"She's in Viet Nam."
"What?" Last time they had heard, she was working at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
"She's in Viet Nam, working as a nurse in Army EVAC hospital. Apparently, just before the last time you, or I, heard from her, a recruiter had come in to get trained medical personnel to join up. So she did. Said she felt it was her duty to her country. I guess her duty to her daughters isn't as important as that. She wasn't sure how to tell us that she was leaving so, she decided it would just be easier if she didn't say anything at all. Thought we'd all worry less if she just disappeared, again. I suppose that's better than telling us she was in the Army now." There was a bitter pain in his voice. "Anyway, the reason I'm telling you all this, because she still doesn't really want the girls knowing until she's home safe and sound is, her tour of duty is almost up and she wants to come home, back here to Alexandria. Says she wants to be a part of the girls' lives again." He left out her wanting her husband back in the deal.
"She's still their mother," Bill answered. "Nothing that's happened between us will change that. She's welcome to come back and have as much to do with them as they want her to have. But after this length of time, I'm not going to force them to accept her back into their lives."
"No, and I wouldn't expect you to. She made her own bed, but I just thought you should have the head's up, before she just reappeared one day."
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
Just then Sheri appeared in the doorway. "GrandDad!!" She exclaimed, setting her books down and hugging him. "What are you doing here?"
"Honey and I wanted to see our girls" He answered, returning her enthusiastic hug. "And guess what? Your Daddy is letting you skip school to go to Williamsburg with us."
"Really? Sheryl, too?"
"Of course Sheryl too."
"Cool." It was too much to hope Sheryl would still be deemed to young to go, so she could go by herself, especially since she was going to see them in Boston, by herself, when she was nine and half. "For how long?"
"You'll be back before school on Friday. But we got to get going if you're going to go."
"Okay." She went around the desk to hug her Daddy. "Tell Mrs. Moncrief that I'm legally checked and not just skipping practice so she won't give me any demerits."
"You have a practice this evening?"
"No, tomorrow," She replied. "But, we're just paining signs, cause Mrs. Moncrief won't be here for us to do it Thursday."
He nodded. "I will. I'm going to go get Sheryl while you go with your grandparents out to the house to get ya'll some clothes, and your medicine. I'll see you when you come pick her up."
"Okay, Coach, see ya in a few minutes." She left with Charles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Run and go get your sister, won't you, Sweetheart?" Charles said to Sheri as they pulled up in front of the school a second time. He would have gone himself, but he knew Sheri wanted to say good-bye to Bill and he wanted to give the girls time to say good-bye without feeling like they were being rushed.
"Yes, sir," She hopped out of the car and walked into the building just as classes were changing between second and third period.
She was working her way through the crowd when someone grabbed her from behind. She whirled around and nearly fell into Gerry's arms. "You jerk," She laughed, as he caught her. "You scared me."
"Sorry," He grinned.
"Yeah," She was smiling back at him. "I believe that."
He shrugged. "I waited for you, after first period."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about that. Coach checked me out."
"Yeah, Jenn told me. Its no problem, I was just worried that you had gotten sick or something."
"No, nothing like that," She assured him. "My grandparents just came down. They want to take Sheryl and me to Williamsburg with them."
"Then what are you doing back?"
"Oh, Coach went to get Sheryl from Lakeshore, and now I'm going to go get her, and we'll be gone."
"I'll walk with you," he said. With his arm still around her waist, he led her up to the Coaches' office.
Sheryl jumped up from her seat as soon as she saw Sheri. She ran to her, but was looking past her. "Where's GrandDaddy and Honey?"
"Waiting for us," Sheri answered. They said their good-byes to Coach. "Love you." Sheri hugged him.
"Love you, too, Precious." He returned her hug. "You two behave for your grandparents."
"We will," she promised. "See you Friday."
"All right. Remember..."
"I know," She interrupted. "Call if we need anything and take my insulin. Got it."
"Right." He kissed her cheek. Then he lifted Sheryl up. "You mind GrandDaddy and Honey, and you better mind your big sister too."
"Yes, sir." She smiled, hugging him tightly. "Love you."
"Love you, too." He kissed her as well, then set her down.
As soon as he did, Sheri said, "Let's go, Squirt." She held out her hands to pick up her 'little' sister who almost as big as she was. Sheryl jumped at the chance to have her big sister baby her. She wrapped her arms around Sheri's neck and her long legs around her sister's waist.
"Sheridan, put her down," Coach scolded. "She's half as big as you are, and she can walk."
Herman, who was sitting at his desk grading some papers, laughed to himself, knowing he said the same thing to Nikki about Karen at least a hundred times a day.
"She don't weigh hardly anything," Sheri protested. "I can tote her." Sheryl laid her head down against Sheri's shoulder and smiled at him, happily playing the baby.
"Well, don't keep your grandparents waiting." He knew it wasn't worth arguing about. Then he noticed Gerry leaning against the wall. "Gerry, son, aren't you supposed to be in class somewhere?"
"Um.., yes sir, study hall. I was just...talking to Sheri." He answered nervously.
"Well, I think you'd better just be getting on to class, don't you?"
"Yes, sir. I'm going, sir."
Coach nodded. "Bye, girls."
"Bye." They echoed. They smiled at Herman, who nodded back at them, then walked out. The two men could hear them talking in the hall.
"Want me to tote you, Shortcakes?" Gerry offered.
"Tell him he's got Gerry Bertier-germs and you don't want them," was Sheri's replied.
"You got Gerry Bertier-germs and I don't want 'em," Sheryl repeated, then stuck her tongue out for added emphasis.
Herman laughed. "You know, Coach, that boy is trying awful hard to get your daughter's attention. You shouldn't be so hard on him."
"Keep laughing" Coach smiled. "But just remember, one day your girls will be in high school too, and then some Petey-type boy is going to be following them around, knocking on your door wanting to take them out. Then I'll be the one laughing at you."
Herman just smiled. "No, they'll all be too afraid of me."
"Yeah. You just keep believing that," Coach laughed, neither man realizing that they were slowly paving the way for their friendship to grow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gerry walked Sheri all the way out the way out to where her grandparents were waiting. Sheryl immediately wanted down so she could get in the car and hug them.
"So, I'll see you Friday?" He asked. He was holding her hand, again.
"Yeah. We'll either be back late Thursday night or before school Friday."
"Well, see you then, I guess."
She nodded. "Bye, Gerry."
Before she knew what to think or to enforce her 'just friends' idea, Gerry leaned over and kissed her quickly. Just a peck on the lips, but enough to leave her stunned for a moment. "Bye, Sheridan." He let go of her hand and walked off back towards the building.
Sheri stood there watching him, until Sheryl opened the car door. "Let's go, Sissie!"
"Oh! Right!" She shook herself out of her thoughts and got in the car.
"Is that your beau?" Eva Sherman asked her grand daughter/
"Gerry?" She replied with a cool she didn't feel. "No ma'am, he's just a friend."
"Sweetheart," Charles smirked. "No boy would kiss you in front any male relative, unless he was more than a friend, or at least wanted to be."
"GrandDad!!" She blushed.
"Yeah, Grand-Daddy," Sheryl said, thinking she should take up for her sister. Then she started giggling.
"What?" Sheri asked her.
"You got Gerry Bertier-germs now," Sheryl giggled. Then in a sing song voice she started chanting, "Sheri's got Gerry-germs, Sheri's got Gerry- germs."
Sheri sighed and looked out the window. It was going to be a long drive to Williamsburg if Sheryl didn't find something else to catch her attention.
Charles shook hands with the man who had once been his son-in-law. "How are you, Bill?"
"Good. Have a seat," Bill motioned to the chair across from his desk. "I'd offer you some coffee, but the way Hinds makes it, it'll strangle you." He laughed, happy that the other Coaches were out just then.
"No thanks, I haven't got long. Listen, Eva and I are headed down to William and Mary so I can attend some alumni thing, and we were hoping you'd let us take the girls with us. It's for two days, and I know they'll be missing school if they go with us but we haven't seen them for quite some time and, well, we were hoping you'd let them go anyway. I'd have called and talked to you about it sooner, but, I didn't know until yesterday." He smiled like a hopefully little boy instead of the highly intelligent, successful corporate attorney he was.
Bill laughed to himself. No matter how Arleane treated or rather didn't treat her girls, they had the power to turn Charles into jelly. Then he turned serious again. He thought about Charles's request, and shifted uncomfortably under the man's unwavering stare. It wasn't accusing or even showing any emotion at all, but it made him edgy anyway. He was a very successful football coach who had made a good life for himself and for his girls, so why was it that Charles still had the power to make him feel like a dirt poor nineteen year old farmboy with nothing but a football scholarship standing between him and staying a dirt poor farmboy.
Charles stared back at Bill, praying he would let the girls go. When he had met him, eighteen years before, the man sitting in front of him had been a shy kid, in worn jeans and a Hammond high letterman's jacket that had been taken immaculate care of. Though he was clean and well mannered, it was easy to see the boy didn't have two nickels to rub together. Mistaking not having money, for not having knowledge and the drive and desire to better himself, he immediately decide the boy wasn't good enough for his precious little girl and did everything he could to alienate him. Now the tables had turned and he wasn't so sure it wasn't Arleane who wasn't good enough for Bill.
It was Bill who had put up with Arleane's junk. With her disapproval of him encouraging Sheri to be so tomboyish, with her constantly starting fights about the amount of time he spent at work, or any little small thing, with her jealousy, even with her running around on him but the one thing he couldn't put up with the nasty way she sometimes treated Sheridan. Charles couldn't blame him for that. Anyone could see those little girls meant the world to Bill, and he was a wonderful father. He was the one who had bandaged Bo-Bo's, wiped away tears, kissed away hurts, tucked them in at night, brushed tangles out of blonde curls, and helped with homework, even before Arleane walked out. It wasn't that she didn't love her girls, she just didn't know how to do those things. He had managed to raise those girls better than most kids with a mother and a father and Charles admired him for that. Not that he could tell him that. It wasn't their way. Maybe if he had treated him better eighteen years ago, or even while he was still married to Arleane, they might have had more than a relationship of begrudging respect built on the love for two little girls and the pain caused by another one. Since he hadn't and they didn't, he was left sitting here, asking for permission to see his granddaughters and thanking the good Lord that Bill wasn't petty enough to hold his past sins against him and take them away from him and Eva.
"You know I don't mind you and Mrs. Sherman spending time with the girls," Bill said. "In fact, I wish they could spend more time with you two, but, they do have school. When would you have them back?"
"Thursday evening, Friday morning at the latest."
He thought for minute more before saying, "Sheri has to be in school Friday, so she can cheer at the game Friday night."
"I'll have her here before school," Charles promised.
"Then, I guess I really don't see a problem. Let me call up to the front office and get them to tell Sheri to get her assignments for the next two days and come on out here. Then ya'll can run to the house and get they're things and I'll go to Lakeshore and check Sheryl out so all you'll have to do is stop back by here."
"Sounds good," Charles said, smiling. "But, don't worry about having to get their things. Eva would love to take them shopping to buy some clothes for the next two days."
Bill's smile was polite but forced. The one thing he and Charles had always fought over was him spending too much on Sheri and Sheryl. He believed it shouldn't cost them to see their grandchildren. "That's a nice offer, Charles, but Sheri would have to go get some insulin, anyway. I know she don't have anymore than she needs for today with her."
"Of course." One thing Charles had learned, dealing with Bill as a single parent these last eight almost nine years, was to back off of an idea when it didn't take with the first suggestion. While Bill talked to the secretary in the front office, he sat there trying to figure out how to tell him what else he needed to say.
After a minute, Bill hung up. "She should be out here in just a minute."
Charles nodded. If he knew Sheri, 'a minute' could take anywhere from one to twenty minutes. "There's something else you need to know, Bill." He started. "I heard from Arleane a few days ago."
"Really," Bill tried to keep his voice even, flat, hiding his feelings on that subject, but he couldn't quite cover his anger in the next few words. "Her daughters haven't heard from her in over two years. Next time you hear from her, maybe you could tell her to let them know she's still alive."
"She's in Viet Nam."
"What?" Last time they had heard, she was working at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
"She's in Viet Nam, working as a nurse in Army EVAC hospital. Apparently, just before the last time you, or I, heard from her, a recruiter had come in to get trained medical personnel to join up. So she did. Said she felt it was her duty to her country. I guess her duty to her daughters isn't as important as that. She wasn't sure how to tell us that she was leaving so, she decided it would just be easier if she didn't say anything at all. Thought we'd all worry less if she just disappeared, again. I suppose that's better than telling us she was in the Army now." There was a bitter pain in his voice. "Anyway, the reason I'm telling you all this, because she still doesn't really want the girls knowing until she's home safe and sound is, her tour of duty is almost up and she wants to come home, back here to Alexandria. Says she wants to be a part of the girls' lives again." He left out her wanting her husband back in the deal.
"She's still their mother," Bill answered. "Nothing that's happened between us will change that. She's welcome to come back and have as much to do with them as they want her to have. But after this length of time, I'm not going to force them to accept her back into their lives."
"No, and I wouldn't expect you to. She made her own bed, but I just thought you should have the head's up, before she just reappeared one day."
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
Just then Sheri appeared in the doorway. "GrandDad!!" She exclaimed, setting her books down and hugging him. "What are you doing here?"
"Honey and I wanted to see our girls" He answered, returning her enthusiastic hug. "And guess what? Your Daddy is letting you skip school to go to Williamsburg with us."
"Really? Sheryl, too?"
"Of course Sheryl too."
"Cool." It was too much to hope Sheryl would still be deemed to young to go, so she could go by herself, especially since she was going to see them in Boston, by herself, when she was nine and half. "For how long?"
"You'll be back before school on Friday. But we got to get going if you're going to go."
"Okay." She went around the desk to hug her Daddy. "Tell Mrs. Moncrief that I'm legally checked and not just skipping practice so she won't give me any demerits."
"You have a practice this evening?"
"No, tomorrow," She replied. "But, we're just paining signs, cause Mrs. Moncrief won't be here for us to do it Thursday."
He nodded. "I will. I'm going to go get Sheryl while you go with your grandparents out to the house to get ya'll some clothes, and your medicine. I'll see you when you come pick her up."
"Okay, Coach, see ya in a few minutes." She left with Charles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Run and go get your sister, won't you, Sweetheart?" Charles said to Sheri as they pulled up in front of the school a second time. He would have gone himself, but he knew Sheri wanted to say good-bye to Bill and he wanted to give the girls time to say good-bye without feeling like they were being rushed.
"Yes, sir," She hopped out of the car and walked into the building just as classes were changing between second and third period.
She was working her way through the crowd when someone grabbed her from behind. She whirled around and nearly fell into Gerry's arms. "You jerk," She laughed, as he caught her. "You scared me."
"Sorry," He grinned.
"Yeah," She was smiling back at him. "I believe that."
He shrugged. "I waited for you, after first period."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about that. Coach checked me out."
"Yeah, Jenn told me. Its no problem, I was just worried that you had gotten sick or something."
"No, nothing like that," She assured him. "My grandparents just came down. They want to take Sheryl and me to Williamsburg with them."
"Then what are you doing back?"
"Oh, Coach went to get Sheryl from Lakeshore, and now I'm going to go get her, and we'll be gone."
"I'll walk with you," he said. With his arm still around her waist, he led her up to the Coaches' office.
Sheryl jumped up from her seat as soon as she saw Sheri. She ran to her, but was looking past her. "Where's GrandDaddy and Honey?"
"Waiting for us," Sheri answered. They said their good-byes to Coach. "Love you." Sheri hugged him.
"Love you, too, Precious." He returned her hug. "You two behave for your grandparents."
"We will," she promised. "See you Friday."
"All right. Remember..."
"I know," She interrupted. "Call if we need anything and take my insulin. Got it."
"Right." He kissed her cheek. Then he lifted Sheryl up. "You mind GrandDaddy and Honey, and you better mind your big sister too."
"Yes, sir." She smiled, hugging him tightly. "Love you."
"Love you, too." He kissed her as well, then set her down.
As soon as he did, Sheri said, "Let's go, Squirt." She held out her hands to pick up her 'little' sister who almost as big as she was. Sheryl jumped at the chance to have her big sister baby her. She wrapped her arms around Sheri's neck and her long legs around her sister's waist.
"Sheridan, put her down," Coach scolded. "She's half as big as you are, and she can walk."
Herman, who was sitting at his desk grading some papers, laughed to himself, knowing he said the same thing to Nikki about Karen at least a hundred times a day.
"She don't weigh hardly anything," Sheri protested. "I can tote her." Sheryl laid her head down against Sheri's shoulder and smiled at him, happily playing the baby.
"Well, don't keep your grandparents waiting." He knew it wasn't worth arguing about. Then he noticed Gerry leaning against the wall. "Gerry, son, aren't you supposed to be in class somewhere?"
"Um.., yes sir, study hall. I was just...talking to Sheri." He answered nervously.
"Well, I think you'd better just be getting on to class, don't you?"
"Yes, sir. I'm going, sir."
Coach nodded. "Bye, girls."
"Bye." They echoed. They smiled at Herman, who nodded back at them, then walked out. The two men could hear them talking in the hall.
"Want me to tote you, Shortcakes?" Gerry offered.
"Tell him he's got Gerry Bertier-germs and you don't want them," was Sheri's replied.
"You got Gerry Bertier-germs and I don't want 'em," Sheryl repeated, then stuck her tongue out for added emphasis.
Herman laughed. "You know, Coach, that boy is trying awful hard to get your daughter's attention. You shouldn't be so hard on him."
"Keep laughing" Coach smiled. "But just remember, one day your girls will be in high school too, and then some Petey-type boy is going to be following them around, knocking on your door wanting to take them out. Then I'll be the one laughing at you."
Herman just smiled. "No, they'll all be too afraid of me."
"Yeah. You just keep believing that," Coach laughed, neither man realizing that they were slowly paving the way for their friendship to grow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gerry walked Sheri all the way out the way out to where her grandparents were waiting. Sheryl immediately wanted down so she could get in the car and hug them.
"So, I'll see you Friday?" He asked. He was holding her hand, again.
"Yeah. We'll either be back late Thursday night or before school Friday."
"Well, see you then, I guess."
She nodded. "Bye, Gerry."
Before she knew what to think or to enforce her 'just friends' idea, Gerry leaned over and kissed her quickly. Just a peck on the lips, but enough to leave her stunned for a moment. "Bye, Sheridan." He let go of her hand and walked off back towards the building.
Sheri stood there watching him, until Sheryl opened the car door. "Let's go, Sissie!"
"Oh! Right!" She shook herself out of her thoughts and got in the car.
"Is that your beau?" Eva Sherman asked her grand daughter/
"Gerry?" She replied with a cool she didn't feel. "No ma'am, he's just a friend."
"Sweetheart," Charles smirked. "No boy would kiss you in front any male relative, unless he was more than a friend, or at least wanted to be."
"GrandDad!!" She blushed.
"Yeah, Grand-Daddy," Sheryl said, thinking she should take up for her sister. Then she started giggling.
"What?" Sheri asked her.
"You got Gerry Bertier-germs now," Sheryl giggled. Then in a sing song voice she started chanting, "Sheri's got Gerry-germs, Sheri's got Gerry- germs."
Sheri sighed and looked out the window. It was going to be a long drive to Williamsburg if Sheryl didn't find something else to catch her attention.