"Games and Meetings"
As if life wasn't complicated for the twelve year-old middle child of the Grabeklis family. The only girl in her family (besides her mom) and the only girl on her league hockey team, she was used to being around boys. She was also used to proving herself to them, and even then, not being accepted entirely.
When her coach asked her to come to the rink on that Saturday for a special practice, she obeyed without thinking, assuming that everyone would be there. Which is why she was shocked when she got there to find no one else present except her coach. Her older brother and her mom went to sit in the stands to wait for her to be done, as they usually did.
She changed slowly, thinking hard, and finally skated out to center ice, to be met a few minutes later by Coach Nelson and another man she'd never seen before. The latter was obviously not a hockey player because he wore shoes on the ice, and was dressed in light clothes.
"Maurae, this is Don Tibbles. He works for Hendrix Hockey, our sponsors. He wants to see you play a bit with me."
She shrugged in response. "Sure, Coach," she said amicably, pulling down the face guard on her helmet and retrieving her stick from the bench.
It all passed in a blur. She played her best, giving it one thousand percent, as she always did, whether practice, game or play. After about thirty minutes of it, Tibbles called a halt and pulled Nelson aside to speak with him while Maurae went over to the bench to grab a drink of water. Soon enough the two men came over to her.
"Maurae, how would you like to play for Team USA at the Junior Goodwill Games this year?" For a minute, she thought he was joking and laughed. Then she realized that he was dead serious.
"You-you're not kidding? You want me to play for Team USA?"
"That's right. Two weeks ago, Don called me to ask me if I would choose a player, the best on my team, for an audition of sorts."
"Me?"
"You have the skill, the determination, and the attitude. My son doesn't have the attitude, and so I chose you," Nelson said, knowing that she was thinking that Ryan Nelson was the best on the team.
"Thanks, Coach. But...I've got to talk to my parents, and Mom will want to think it through..." Nelson was already waving her mother down from the stands. As soon as the older woman entered the box, Maurae jumped up. "Mom, they want me to play for the national team!" she cried. Leon's eyes widened in surprise, as did her mother's.
"The national team? I assume that means these Junior Goodwill Games you've been on about for three weeks," Leon said, sitting next to her on the bench, his eyes proud. She nodded eagerly.
"Can I, Mom? Please, can I?"
"Maurae..."
"There are four weeks left before I would need Maurae at the training camp," Tibbles said. "I know it's a tough decision."
"The decision is clear, in my mind, at least. But I'll have to at least check with my husband," Maureen said, seeing the happiness on her daughter's face at the opportunity that was being offered. "Also, we'll need details; how much it will cost, how long, where she'll be. Things like that."
"Oh, there is no charge. We'll be taking care of all the expenses. And she will spend about a month in training in Minnesota, getting used to the rest of the team, before they fly out to Los Angeles for about three or four months, depending on how well the tournament goes."
"I'll speak with Lauris tonight, and get back to Coach Nelson as soon as I can," Maureen said. Maurae silently cheered. She grinned.
"Go ahead and change, Maurae. I expect you at regular practice tomorrow," Nelson said, smiling at his center forward. She grinned and rushed off to do as she was told.
The wait was agonizing. She'd been lying on Leon's bed, staring at the TV where one of her brothers was trying to beat up the other in some video game or other. "What do you think the rest of the team will be like?" she asked. Leon swung around to look at her, pausing the game.
"That's the fourth time you've asked me a question I have no way of answering," he commented. "Don't worry, princess. Mom will talk him around if he disagrees." She sighed.
"I know. I just-" She bit off the rest of her sentence as the door opened, admitting her parents. "Mom, Dad."
"I'm glad you three are getting along for once," her father commented, smiling. He came over and sat on the bed next to Maurae. Maureen leaned against the bunk beds her younger children shared and struggled to hide her smile. "Maurae, we've decided to let you go." He paused, but she didn't say anything. "You'll leave in a few days, and I have Don Tibbles' word that he will look after you."
Then she screamed and threw her arms around him, leaping up to do the same to her mother before racing from the room. She was gone only a moment before she reappeared, lugging a suitcase, which she tossed onto her neatly made bed.
Maureen grabbed her arm. "Slow down, princess. You have time. Besides, you'll need some new things. You and I are going shopping tomorrow. Coach Nelson has excused you from practice, since you've decided to go." Maurae took a deep breath and smiled.
"Thank you."
"Pack your essentials tonight, honey," her father said as the parentals left the room. Maurae nodded and began packing underwear and socks. She had a list of what to pack, but since she was going to be there longer, she had to pack more personal clothing than they said to.
She didn't sleep at all that night, and was up before sunrise for the first time in her life. Leon chucked a pillow at her when she came bustling out of the bathroom, fully dressed.
"Go back to bed, psycho. It's four thirty."
"Can't sleep," she replied cheerfully, tossing the pillow back at him before leaving the room. She went downstairs and poured herself a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. Once she finished and cleaned off the dishes, she decided that she needed to settle down. So she went back to her room and brushed her teeth and hair, and grabbed her reading book, taking it down to the living room in order to avoid disturbing anyone else.
And at eight forty-two, that's where Leon found her, curled up on the overstuffed armchair, sleeping peacefully. He grinned and covered her up, continuing on to the kitchen to greet his parents and youngest sibling.
"Where's your sister?" Maureen asked. "I wanted to get an early start."
Grinning, he replied, "Sleeping in the armchair. She was bouncing around in her bed last night, and finally gave up on sleep at about four this morning." They all heard a groan from the living room.
"Why didn't somebody wake me up?" she asked. "I didn't realize it was this late."
"Not late. Go brush your hair, and we'll leave." The whole family watched in amusement as Maurae trotted out of the room at high speed to do as she'd been told. A few minutes later, she came back in with her purse. "Okay, let's go."
Neither Maurae nor her mother enjoyed shopping, and they always tried to get it over with as fast as possible. But this time was different. Since she wasn't going to see her child for almost six months, Maureen was determined to spend the whole day with her.
They first went shopping for some clothes, both for the slightly chilly weather in Minnesota and also for the warmer weather of southern California. That took them several hours, and then they went to Red Lobster for lunch. After that, they bought Maurae a camera, a long- distance phone card, and plenty of stationery and stamps.
By the time they stumbled back into the house, the day had turned dark. Maurae went back up to her room and packed all her new acquisitions into the suitcase.
Don Tibbles met them at the airport and took charge of Maurae. The plane ride was relatively short, and a few hours later, she stepped off it. "Now, Maurae. Since you're here so early, I decided to ask some of the in- state team members if they could house you. You'll be spending the next few weeks with Adam Banks, at his home in Edina."
"Okay."
"There he is now. Come on." Maurae followed him, wheeling her suitcase behind her, over to where a boy her own age was sitting with his family. She stared at the ground while Don spoke with the boy's parents. "All right, then. Maurae, this is Mr. and Mrs. Banks. That is their older son Daniel and their younger Adam." Maurae nodded and smiled politely. Don squeezed her shoulder and departed.
"Well, Maurae. It is certainly nice to have you, isn't it, boys?"
"Yes, sir."
"Yes." Maurae sized up Adam.
"Are there any other girls on the team?" she asked frankly. He looked up, blue eyes actually meeting hers for the first time. He smiled.
"Connie. You might like her. I don't know if you're the only girl on the newbies list or not, but you might not be. What position do you play?"
"Center forward. Though I could play left or right as well," she replied honestly. Philip Banks watched in amusement as his youngest son completely forgot his usual reticence and opened up to the girl. He listened to their hockey chatter for a moment before interrupting.
"Continue this in the car, kids. We have to go. Is that all your luggage, Maurae?"
"Yes, sir. I..I can do my own laundry, so I don't usually pack much."
"Nonsense," Kelly Banks replied. "We have someone who will do the laundry for you. Come on." Daniel took possession of her suitcase for her and she walked along with Adam, still discussing their favorite topic, hockey. It wasn't going to be such a long time after all.
...to be continued.
As if life wasn't complicated for the twelve year-old middle child of the Grabeklis family. The only girl in her family (besides her mom) and the only girl on her league hockey team, she was used to being around boys. She was also used to proving herself to them, and even then, not being accepted entirely.
When her coach asked her to come to the rink on that Saturday for a special practice, she obeyed without thinking, assuming that everyone would be there. Which is why she was shocked when she got there to find no one else present except her coach. Her older brother and her mom went to sit in the stands to wait for her to be done, as they usually did.
She changed slowly, thinking hard, and finally skated out to center ice, to be met a few minutes later by Coach Nelson and another man she'd never seen before. The latter was obviously not a hockey player because he wore shoes on the ice, and was dressed in light clothes.
"Maurae, this is Don Tibbles. He works for Hendrix Hockey, our sponsors. He wants to see you play a bit with me."
She shrugged in response. "Sure, Coach," she said amicably, pulling down the face guard on her helmet and retrieving her stick from the bench.
It all passed in a blur. She played her best, giving it one thousand percent, as she always did, whether practice, game or play. After about thirty minutes of it, Tibbles called a halt and pulled Nelson aside to speak with him while Maurae went over to the bench to grab a drink of water. Soon enough the two men came over to her.
"Maurae, how would you like to play for Team USA at the Junior Goodwill Games this year?" For a minute, she thought he was joking and laughed. Then she realized that he was dead serious.
"You-you're not kidding? You want me to play for Team USA?"
"That's right. Two weeks ago, Don called me to ask me if I would choose a player, the best on my team, for an audition of sorts."
"Me?"
"You have the skill, the determination, and the attitude. My son doesn't have the attitude, and so I chose you," Nelson said, knowing that she was thinking that Ryan Nelson was the best on the team.
"Thanks, Coach. But...I've got to talk to my parents, and Mom will want to think it through..." Nelson was already waving her mother down from the stands. As soon as the older woman entered the box, Maurae jumped up. "Mom, they want me to play for the national team!" she cried. Leon's eyes widened in surprise, as did her mother's.
"The national team? I assume that means these Junior Goodwill Games you've been on about for three weeks," Leon said, sitting next to her on the bench, his eyes proud. She nodded eagerly.
"Can I, Mom? Please, can I?"
"Maurae..."
"There are four weeks left before I would need Maurae at the training camp," Tibbles said. "I know it's a tough decision."
"The decision is clear, in my mind, at least. But I'll have to at least check with my husband," Maureen said, seeing the happiness on her daughter's face at the opportunity that was being offered. "Also, we'll need details; how much it will cost, how long, where she'll be. Things like that."
"Oh, there is no charge. We'll be taking care of all the expenses. And she will spend about a month in training in Minnesota, getting used to the rest of the team, before they fly out to Los Angeles for about three or four months, depending on how well the tournament goes."
"I'll speak with Lauris tonight, and get back to Coach Nelson as soon as I can," Maureen said. Maurae silently cheered. She grinned.
"Go ahead and change, Maurae. I expect you at regular practice tomorrow," Nelson said, smiling at his center forward. She grinned and rushed off to do as she was told.
The wait was agonizing. She'd been lying on Leon's bed, staring at the TV where one of her brothers was trying to beat up the other in some video game or other. "What do you think the rest of the team will be like?" she asked. Leon swung around to look at her, pausing the game.
"That's the fourth time you've asked me a question I have no way of answering," he commented. "Don't worry, princess. Mom will talk him around if he disagrees." She sighed.
"I know. I just-" She bit off the rest of her sentence as the door opened, admitting her parents. "Mom, Dad."
"I'm glad you three are getting along for once," her father commented, smiling. He came over and sat on the bed next to Maurae. Maureen leaned against the bunk beds her younger children shared and struggled to hide her smile. "Maurae, we've decided to let you go." He paused, but she didn't say anything. "You'll leave in a few days, and I have Don Tibbles' word that he will look after you."
Then she screamed and threw her arms around him, leaping up to do the same to her mother before racing from the room. She was gone only a moment before she reappeared, lugging a suitcase, which she tossed onto her neatly made bed.
Maureen grabbed her arm. "Slow down, princess. You have time. Besides, you'll need some new things. You and I are going shopping tomorrow. Coach Nelson has excused you from practice, since you've decided to go." Maurae took a deep breath and smiled.
"Thank you."
"Pack your essentials tonight, honey," her father said as the parentals left the room. Maurae nodded and began packing underwear and socks. She had a list of what to pack, but since she was going to be there longer, she had to pack more personal clothing than they said to.
She didn't sleep at all that night, and was up before sunrise for the first time in her life. Leon chucked a pillow at her when she came bustling out of the bathroom, fully dressed.
"Go back to bed, psycho. It's four thirty."
"Can't sleep," she replied cheerfully, tossing the pillow back at him before leaving the room. She went downstairs and poured herself a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. Once she finished and cleaned off the dishes, she decided that she needed to settle down. So she went back to her room and brushed her teeth and hair, and grabbed her reading book, taking it down to the living room in order to avoid disturbing anyone else.
And at eight forty-two, that's where Leon found her, curled up on the overstuffed armchair, sleeping peacefully. He grinned and covered her up, continuing on to the kitchen to greet his parents and youngest sibling.
"Where's your sister?" Maureen asked. "I wanted to get an early start."
Grinning, he replied, "Sleeping in the armchair. She was bouncing around in her bed last night, and finally gave up on sleep at about four this morning." They all heard a groan from the living room.
"Why didn't somebody wake me up?" she asked. "I didn't realize it was this late."
"Not late. Go brush your hair, and we'll leave." The whole family watched in amusement as Maurae trotted out of the room at high speed to do as she'd been told. A few minutes later, she came back in with her purse. "Okay, let's go."
Neither Maurae nor her mother enjoyed shopping, and they always tried to get it over with as fast as possible. But this time was different. Since she wasn't going to see her child for almost six months, Maureen was determined to spend the whole day with her.
They first went shopping for some clothes, both for the slightly chilly weather in Minnesota and also for the warmer weather of southern California. That took them several hours, and then they went to Red Lobster for lunch. After that, they bought Maurae a camera, a long- distance phone card, and plenty of stationery and stamps.
By the time they stumbled back into the house, the day had turned dark. Maurae went back up to her room and packed all her new acquisitions into the suitcase.
Don Tibbles met them at the airport and took charge of Maurae. The plane ride was relatively short, and a few hours later, she stepped off it. "Now, Maurae. Since you're here so early, I decided to ask some of the in- state team members if they could house you. You'll be spending the next few weeks with Adam Banks, at his home in Edina."
"Okay."
"There he is now. Come on." Maurae followed him, wheeling her suitcase behind her, over to where a boy her own age was sitting with his family. She stared at the ground while Don spoke with the boy's parents. "All right, then. Maurae, this is Mr. and Mrs. Banks. That is their older son Daniel and their younger Adam." Maurae nodded and smiled politely. Don squeezed her shoulder and departed.
"Well, Maurae. It is certainly nice to have you, isn't it, boys?"
"Yes, sir."
"Yes." Maurae sized up Adam.
"Are there any other girls on the team?" she asked frankly. He looked up, blue eyes actually meeting hers for the first time. He smiled.
"Connie. You might like her. I don't know if you're the only girl on the newbies list or not, but you might not be. What position do you play?"
"Center forward. Though I could play left or right as well," she replied honestly. Philip Banks watched in amusement as his youngest son completely forgot his usual reticence and opened up to the girl. He listened to their hockey chatter for a moment before interrupting.
"Continue this in the car, kids. We have to go. Is that all your luggage, Maurae?"
"Yes, sir. I..I can do my own laundry, so I don't usually pack much."
"Nonsense," Kelly Banks replied. "We have someone who will do the laundry for you. Come on." Daniel took possession of her suitcase for her and she walked along with Adam, still discussing their favorite topic, hockey. It wasn't going to be such a long time after all.
...to be continued.