Chapter 51

A/N—My unfinished Partridge Family stories (one here on Woemcat and one on Woemcat's Mature Stories) are still in process (not on hiatus). I will update them as I get the muse, but right now, I'm concentrating on this one.

It's the day before Julie moves. Peter goes over to her house for one last goodbye before she leaves for Oregon. They sit on the back porch swing.

Peter: Maybe you can come back for Homecoming, or the Christmas Dance, or Prom.

Julie: Sighs. Maybe... I don't think I'd be able to come for Homecoming, but perhaps the Christmas Dance, but I don't know. I'm gonna miss you. I wish we didn't have to go.

Peter: Me too.

Julie: I wish my dad didn't take that new job. Looks downcast.

Peter: Mulling a thought over. Can I ask you something?

Julie: Sure.

Peter: This move doesn't have anything to do with Caryn, does it?

Julie: I asked my dad that same question, and he said no. It really is a promotion of sorts... more money, better hours.

Peter: Good. Sighs. I was just wondering.

Carla Dunham: Opens the back door. Julie, it's getting late. We're leaving early in the morning.

Julie: Yes, ma'am.

Carla: I'll give you two five more minutes.

Julie: Thanks, mom.

They couple rises and embraces, ending with a soft kiss.

Peter: I love you.

Julie: I love you too.

After another embrace, Peter reluctantly leaves.

At the Brady house.

Peter walks into the family room, surprised to see Carol still up, reading a book.

Carol: How's Julie?

Peter: I didn't think you'd still be up.

Carol: I got into my book and didn't realize the time. Pats beside her on the couch. Come, have a seat.

Peter: Sits. She's okay, I guess.

Carol: Did you guys get to talk about homecoming or prom?

Peter: We did. Sighs. She doesn't think she'll be able to come for homecoming, but maybe for prom or the Christmas Dance.

Carol: That's good.

Peter: I did ask her if the move was because of Caryn.

Carol: Oh?

Peter: I just wanted to know.

Carol: And?

Peter: It's not. I... it's more like a promotion, like she told me at school Monday.

Carol: Breathes a sigh of relief. I wondered about that.

Peter: Stands up. I'm going to bed. I've got to work tomorrow morning.

Carol: Goodnight.

Peter goes to his suite and dresses for bed. He spies the ornament that Julie gave him and sighs.

At Filmore's Opening Game the next week.

Cindy and the squad warm up in the gym. She gathers the girls.

Cindy: Tonight's our opening game, and we've got a pretty difficult routine. Are you ready?

Squad: YES!

Cindy: Liliana, how's your arm?

Liliana: It's good.

Cindy: Jennifer, how's the knee?

Jennifer: Tests it out. It's sore, but I think I'll be okay.

Cindy: Mulls things over. Tell you what. We're going to take out those last twists and cradles. With Jennifer's knee being injured, I don't want to risk anyone getting hurt.

Jennifer: I can do it.

Cindy: That was a nasty fall you took on that tumbling run at practice Tuesday. I just don't want to take any chances. Jennifer's face falls, so she tries to cheer her up. Besides, it'll give us something neat to debut in a few weeks. I want our team feeling their best.

Jennifer: Okay.

Cindy: Is our sign ready?

Millicent: Retrieves the sign. Got it right here.

Cindy: Millicent will carry out the sign and she and I will unroll it. I want Marisela, Lori, Sarah and Amanda to follow Millicent. Liliana, Cassie, Jennifer, Lynne, and Christine to follow me. Now, are we ready?

Squad: YES!

Cindy: Great! Let's go!

The squad takes their positions at the corner of the field. As soon as the announcer begins, they march in formation to their positions. Cindy and Millicent unroll the banner. The announcer welcomes everyone to the game, and announces first the visiting and then the home team lineup. The first half quickly winds up with Fillmore with a solid lead. The band performs their halftime show, and then Cindy leads the squad in their routine. At first, the squad is performing the routine flawlessly. Then at the end, Julie's knee gives way on a pyramid, sending Lynne crashing to the ground. Cindy rushes to her teammate, in horror.

Cindy: Lynne! Are you okay?

Lynne: I... I... I can't feel my right arm or my legs!

Cindy: Horrified. What? Millicent, go get Coach Muncie and the medics, NOW!

Millicent runs off the field, summons the coach, who, along with two medics, run to the squad. The medics examine the girl while the Coach talks to Cindy and Jennifer, and Millicent brings the rest of the squad to the sidelines.

Medic 1: Where does it hurt?

Lynne: My neck and right shoulder.

Jennifer: Crying. I didn't mean to drop her! My knee gave way.

Medic 1: Where did you land?

Lynne: On my neck.

Medic 2: We're going to put a brace on your neck and put you on a backboard, so we can get you to the hospital.

Lynne: Hospital?

Medic 2: We need to get you checked out.

They get her on the backboard, carry her off the field and load her into the ambulance. Her parents join her in the vehicle. The audience stands in respectful silence. Coach Muncie leads Cindy and a limping Jennifer off the field.

Coach Muncie: Millicent, you take over for this quarter while I talk to Cindy and Jennifer in my office. No advanced stunts. Stick with the basics right now.

Millicent: Yes, ma'am.

Coach Muncie, Cindy and Jennifer walk into her office. Jennifer is crying.

Coach Muncie: What happened? I saw Lynne fall, but what happened?

Jennifer: Sniffing. My knee. It gave way! I felt her slip and I tried to catch her.

Cindy: I modified the routines and took out some of the harder moves at the end because I was afraid her knee might not be healed up.

Jennifer: My knee was feeling fine. I thought I had her and I heard a pop and my knee buckled. I'm sorry.

Coach Muncie: We'll have the medics look at your knee too.

Cindy: Should I call Caroline Monday and put her on the team?

Jennifer sighs.

Coach Muncie: Let's see what the medic says about the knee first. She leaves the office and summons one of the field medics. Can you take a look at Jennifer's knee?

They return to the coach's office. Jennifer's in tears; Cindy's trying to console her.

Medic: Let's see this knee. He examines it. It's really swollen. You may have a torn meniscus. Your folks should go ahead and take you to the ER this evening.

Jennifer: Can I cheer for the rest of the game?

Coach Muncie: I'm sorry. Until I get a note from your doctor clearing you to cheer, I'll have to sideline you.

Cindy finds Jennifer's parents and escort them to Coach Muncie's office. They take their daughter to the local ER. Then, Cindy starts to cry.

Coach Muncie: I warned you the routine might be too difficult.

Cindy: That's why I modified it before the game.

Coach Muncie: You're a really good captain, but I'm going to suspend you from the team for a week.

Cindy: Solemn. Yes, ma'am.

Coach Muncie: It'll depend on how Lynne's doing whether or not it's permanent. Millicent will lead the team next week and at the next game.

Cindy: Yes, ma'am.

At the Brady house.

Cindy comes home from the game, in tears. Mike and Carol relax in the living room, and see their daughter distraught.

Carol: Concerned. Cindy, what's wrong?

Cindy: Crying. Lynne got hurt at the game during our halftime routine and I got suspended from cheerleading until after the game next week.

Carol: Oh Cindy!

Cindy cries into her mother's arms and fills them in on the details.

Cindy: And that's why I did the modifications.

Mike: I'm sorry about this, but it sounds like your coach is trying to sort things out. You'd told us that she said the routine may be too hard for them.

Cindy: I am disappointed about being suspended, but I feel really awful about Jennifer and Lynne. I just want them to be okay.

Carol: Maybe by Monday the coach will know more about how they're doing.

Cindy: Can I call them tomorrow?

Mike: Let them rest up over the weekend. Wait to give them a call until after school Monday.

Cindy: Yes, sir.

Carol: Hugs her daughter. Go on to bed. I'm sorry about this.

The following Monday

Cindy meets with Coach Muncie after school.

Coach Muncie: Have a seat.

Cindy closes the door behind her and sits in the chair facing the coach.

Coach Muncie: I've talked to both Lynne and Jennifer's parents.

Cindy: How are they?

Coach Muncie: Lynne was in the hospital over the weekend.

Cindy: Horrified. The hospital?

Coach Muncie: Yes. She had a severe stinger.

Cindy: What's that?

Coach Muncie: The fall dislocated one of her vertebrae and put pressure on her spinal cord.

Cindy: Frightened. Is she gonna be okay?

Coach Muncie: Yes, but her folks are pulling her out of cheerleading for this fall. She'll need physical therapy to get movement back in her arm.

Cindy: So, what kept her in the hospital so long?

Coach Muncie: They had a hard time getting her pain under control. The doctor wanted to make extra sure she was okay.

Cindy: How's Jennifer?

Coach Muncie: Jennifer has a torn meniscus and will require surgery. Her parents told me they should've taken her to the doctor Wednesday. The doctor said it was probably torn or starting to tear then.

Cindy is pained.

Coach Muncie: Assuring. Both sets of parents understand that it was an awful accident.

Cindy: Breathes a sigh of relief. Ho... how long are they out? Not recalling the coach told her already how long Lynne would be out.

Coach Muncie: Lynne's out until after Christmas and Jennifer's out for at least six weeks.

Cindy: So, we'll need to bring in Caroline?

Coach Muncie: Yes. Pauses. I think in light of the situation, that your suspension stands, but I won't be taking any additional action against you. You can return to the team next Monday. You'll be allowed to dress out for the game, but you can not cheer.

Cindy: That's fine. Maybe by watching everyone, I can figure out where to place Christine and Caroline. Pauses. Will I still be captain, or will Millicent become captain?

Coach Muncie: You'll remain captain. Lynne and Jennifer's parents understand, and they both asked for me not to remove you as captain.

Cindy: Relieved. Thank you.

Coach Muncie: Rises. Well, I've got to go to practice. I'll see you next week. We'll go over that routine at practice. I'll notify Caroline that she needs to report to practice next week too.

Cindy: Thank you.

Cindy, with the weight lifted off her shoulders, leaves the office and goes home.

At the Brady House.

Cindy bounds into the family room. She sees her mother and the twins playing with a pull toy each.

Carol: Notices the spring in her daughter's step. So, how did it go?

Cindy: I'm still captain of the squad, but the suspension stands.

Carol: That's wonderful news!

Cindy: Yeah, it really is. Brushes a stray hair out of her face. I was really worried.

She tells her mother what she and the coach discussed.

Carol: You've got a great coach. She seems to be very understanding.

Cindy: She is. We'll go over the routine next week to make it better and safer.

Carol: Good thinking. She retrieves her son, who is playing with the stereo's cord. No! Don't touch!

Ryan: No! He tries to hit his mother.

Carol: Don't hit me.

Cindy: Sees her mother has her hands full. Is it all right if I call Lynne and Jennifer?

Carol: Sure. Sits Ryan in her lap. I'm really glad everything worked out.

Cindy: Me too.

Carolyn raises her hands, motioning for her sister to hold her.

Cindy: Picks Carolyn up. C'mere, sis.

She uses the family room phone and phones each of the injured teammates.

Cindy: Dials Lynne first. Mrs. McHenry, can I speak to Lynne?... Oh, she's asleep?... I just wanted to call to see how she's doing... That's good... I'm sorry about the accident... Breathes a sigh of relief. Thanks, Mrs. McHenry, that means a lot.

Carol smiles.

Cindy: Tell her I called and said to feel better soon. She hangs up and dials Jennifer's number. Hi, Jennifer! How are you feeling?... That's a relief... You're having surgery at the end of the week? I'm sorry... Yeah, Coach Muncie suspended me for a week... No, this wasn't your fault at all... Your mom's right. It was just an awful accident... Well, I don't want to keep you. I just wanted to call and see how you're doing... Bye.

She hangs up.

Carol: So, how's Jennifer?

Cindy: She's got a torn meniscus and will have surgery on it later this week. Mrs. McHenry said Lynne's doing better. She's finally got feeling in her arm and legs, and can move her legs. Her arm's sore, but she's got some movement in it.

Carol: That's a relief.

Cindy: Yes. If Carolyn will let me set her down, I need to go start on my homework.

Ryan: Down! Begins squirming.

Carol: Ryan, I'll let you down. Will you play nicely?

Ryan: Nieswee!

Carol: Lets Ryan resume playing. Bring her here. Speaks and signs. C'mere, Carolyn. Let's play.

Cindy brings Carolyn to their mother and goes to her room to do her homework.

-End of Chapter 51-