Chapter 324: Serenity
Tuesday, January 31st, Evening
Kelly found herself alone with just the coaches and the current girls' basketball team. She rubbed her chin and looked over the rest of her teammates. Funny how she always seemed to be the last. When they formed the team, she was a replacement. When they did the show about the team, she was the last player profiled. Now tonight, they brought the players out by jersey number; she had the highest number.
For whatever reason, someone thought it was funny and gave her the number sixty-nine. Kelly asked why she got sixty-nine, and one of the A's said because she was proud of her Irish heritage. The sixty-nine came from the Sixty-ninth New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the famous New York Irish, or the Fighting Sixty-ninth. Still, Kelly didn't like being known by the number sixty-nine.
Kelly looked over the current team, and caught the eye of her niece, Brett. Brett smiled a bit and then let it fade; Kelly knew she wasn't the closest with her oldest niece. Brett was closer with Bobbi-Lee, for whatever reason. Maybe, Bobbi-Lee was the cool aunt, where Kelly was the boring dutiful aunt. Again, Kelly knew as much, so Brett probably thought Bobbi-Lee wouldn't tell on Brett to her parents.
With a sigh, Kelly looked over the gym. She caught sight of some of the all-state banners. Her brother's name was on three. Kelly knew her name appeared on one of them, just not for basketball but soccer. Having Huck as an older brother was fun and stressful, as he was good at so many things. What Kelly had to work at, Huck seemed to do well at.
Kelly looked towards the two coaches, Coach Scott and Coach Sinclair. The parents of the team, and in some ways, Kelly's role models. Kelly was closer to Coach Scott since she is friends with his son Keith and knew him the longest. Coach Sinclair, in many, was Kelly's surrogate mom. Some important lessons that helped Kelly as her role model for running the Murphy lands and the informal title Mistress of Murphy House.
Finally, Kelly looked out to Center Court and watched as they finished up with Anna. With a sigh, Kelly wondered which cheerleader would bring out her flowers. It could be any of the girls, but it seemed they lined up with some form of personal relationship that existed when they could.
Nathan walked back to Center Court. "The final player for the night, though last, shouldn't be forgotten, at guard, number sixty-nine, Kelly McMichael," he said.
Kelly stepped out of the shadows and walked across the court. About halfway to Center Court, Kelly paused and waved to the crowd for a cheer from the bleachers. During the pause and after the cheers, Kelly let a small smile light up her face. After a moment, she started back across the court.
Finally, she arrived at Center Court and stood next to Anna. Kelly looked down the line and greeted the fellow women being honored. Kelly smiled because she had many fond memories with many of them, most of these women she played another season of basketball with them.
Kelly looked forward; she saw Nathan walked over to Kelly. Nathan smiled at Kelly, and she returned it.
"Congratulations Kelly, hard to believe how far we've come," Nathan said.
"Yes, it's been one interesting ride," Kelly said.
"Well, enjoy," Nathan said.
Kelly nodded, "I will," she said.
Nathan offered his hand to Kelly, "Well, enjoy as I said before," he said.
Kelly took Nathan's hand shook it. "I will since remember all glory is fleeting," she said.
"And though are mortal," Nathan said, laughed, and dropped her hand. Nathan walked away, leaving Kelly standing at the end of the line as always.
Kelly shook her head and looked over the sideline. Out of the shadows came the cheerleader, the one who had auburn hair, like Kelly. Kelly took in a sharp breath and knew that there is only one redheaded cheerleader.
Kelly steeled herself for what was about to come. The cheerleader paused in front of Jaslyn, Kelly noted she took a breath, and once the cheerleader let it out. Finally, the cheerleader stepped up to Kelly.
"Hello, Kelly," The Cheerleader said.
"Raegan," Kelly said.
Raegan nodded and offered her the flowers. "Please accept on behalf of a grateful city," she said.
"Thank you," Kelly said and took the flowers.
Raegan Sheridan nodded and retreated from Kelly. After a long stunned moment, Kelly took the bouquet and sniffed the flowers. The pleasant scent filled her nose and gave her a moment of bliss.
The flowers' scent reminded her of outside Murphy House in early Spring when the flowers in the small garden of the house bloom, and the wildflowers on the edge of the nearby woods would join in the scent.
Kelly remembers playing along the tree line and picking wildflowers. She would pick enough flowers to fashion onto a floral crown. Those were simpler times; her dad always called her his wood sprite or his Faye folk. Maybe, it was her love of the woods why her dad picked her to maintain the family legacy.
In the Spring Time, while Kelly enjoyed her morning coffee on the porch and greeted the sun rising over the inlet, the flowers' scent was amazing. Those moments were something Kelly looked forward to throughout the years. Another favorite time of hers was when it rained in the Summer; the scent of the rain from her back porch as it fell on the grass, the trees, the flowers, and the inlet was magical.
After taking a few deep breaths, Kelly returned her mind to the present and the field house. She could hear the crowd, her teammates, the basketball team waiting in the wings to play their game; all these sounds didn't and couldn't drown out the sounds of her heart beating and her breathing in her ears.
Kelly looked over to Anna; the younger woman turned to look at Kelly. They played the part of one and half seasons together and shared a backcourt. However, Anna lived locally neither saw each other often enough to consider the other a friend.
Looking across Center Court, Kelly followed Nathan around. He was getting ready to announce the next person as his role as MC. Kelly smiled and looked over to the crowd. Andrew looked back at her and smiled, their young children beside them, looking at their mom. Kelly knew Fi would love the flowers; her daughter was as much a Faye folk as her mom. Phelan, on the other hand, never saw a tree he didn't want to climb. This difference was grand in Kelly's eyes and often made her wonder what Rian would be like when he got out into the woods.
Kelly looked over to Nathan. He held up the simple microphone.
"What's a team without its coaches? Ask a player, better, but this assistant coach is known as the team's mom; please welcome Coach Kiera Sinclair," Nathan said.
The crowd got loud, and all the players being honored turned to the corner of the field house. Out of the shadows, Kiera Sinclair emerged, carrying herself with her usual dignity and grace.
As one of the architects of this team, the town recognized what she had helped accomplish. Slowly, Coach Sinclair walked out to Center Court, and just before getting there, she stopped. Kiera looked to the bleachers and acknowledged them with a wave. The crowd volume picked up.
Kelly wondered what would happen when they called Coach Scott forth. Coach Sinclair arrived at Center Court and took the spot next to Kelly. Coach Sinclair looked down the line and smiled.
Nathan walked over to Coach Sinclair. They looked at each other.
"Congratulations, Kiera, it's a well-deserved honor," Nathan said.
"Thank you, Nathan," Coach Sinclair said.
"You're welcome," Nathan said and offered his hand, which Coach Sinclair accepted and shook.
Nathan walked away, and almost on queue, the cheerleader, this time it's Keni, walked out of the shadows and walked to Coach Sinclair. Keni looked at Coach Sinclair.
"Coach Sinclair, please accept these flowers on behalf of a grateful city," Keni said.
Coach Sinclair took the flowers and looked at Keni. "Thank you, Kendall," she said.
"You're welcome," Keni said and left.
Kelly looked at Coach Sinclair as she took in the scent of the flowers. The two women looked at each other and knew the pandemonium that would follow in the next few moments.
