“I think I did. In case you didn’t hear it, she agrees with you.”

  Linda took his arm, and they followed the Durants to the complex. He breathed deeply of the early summer air, living in the moment, gathering memories of the day that would warm him later. He went to cheer on his son.

  * * *

  Larry looked around, seeing bleachers full of people – maybe three thousand – all waiting for the game to begin. This game would see the winner crowned regional champion, and would send them on their way to the state level. From there? Who knew? Sports like volleyball had become big in the last century after their more violent counterparts like football and hockey had lost favour due to the injuries they inflicted upon children – and adults. Larry thought of the possibilities. Might be a spot opening up on the national team.

  Cheers cut that thought off. He needed to concentrate. The school’s bandmaster led the band in a rousing rendition of the national anthem, with all the attendees rising to their feet to belt out the patriotic hymn.

  Then came the coin-flip, and the referee tossed the ball to the Felson side of the net. Wall grabbed it, spun and fired it to him in the server’s position. He bounced it twice. The whistle blew and he lofted the ball in the air, jumped and punched it, hard, towards the Pelton Falls side of the net.

  Just before it hit the floor, a dive from Cavendish, Pelton Falls’s star player, recovered it. Pelton Falls set it up and, Cavendish, now back on his feet, jumped and smashed it down. Wall, for all that Larry hated him, could play the game. He found the ball with an outstretched hand, tipping it up, though well back. Larry drifted back, bunted it up, and Kevin Newman tapped it just over the net, forcing Pelton Falls to scramble.

  Pelton Falls had a formidable team. They made Felson fight for every point, and every time Felson scored, they scored in return. The game came down to a brutal struggle, each side trying to wear the other down, to force a mistake.

  Sweat dripped down Larry’s face. He jumped and served the ball with minimum force, catching Pelton Falls by surprise. They fumbled and Felson scored. Their side of the bleachers erupted, but Pelton Falls recovered. After a long series of volleys, Felson lost service.

  Larry wiped at his face. He took a few seconds to scan the crowd, looking for Sandra’s face – and received the shock of his life. His father sat next to his mother, who sat with the Durants. He had known his mother would come to the game, but his father never had before, and he found it difficult to credit his eyes.

  “Look sharp,” Kevin snapped, and Larry returned his attention to the game.

  Now he had something to prove, and he gave everything he had. Even Wall looked at him in awe after one save.

  And they went on to win the first game, elation banishing the ache from dives to the floor.

  But Pelton Falls returned with a ferocious second game that left Felson on its heels. Coach Johnson subbed player after player, but nothing worked against the powerhouse.

  Panting at the end of the second game, Larry looked again to the stands, where his father watched with seeming equanimity. Sandra caught his gaze and waved, but her bright look couldn’t hold his attention. He had to show the Old Man what he could do.

  His teammates looked dispirited – about the same way he felt.

  “Listen up,” he said to the others at the bench. “They really took it to us, there. If we let that get us down, they’ll mop the floor with us in the third. And if that happens, we will have lost our last game badly. And it will be our last game as a team. A few of you will be here next year, but most of us won’t.” He looked at each team member in turn. “I don’t know about you guys, but if we have to lose our last game, I want to go down fighting. They’re good, and they showed us just how good. But we’re good, too, and we didn’t show it … yet. We have one last chance to prove we didn’t get here by accident. So let’s show them that.”

  No one said anything, but he felt he had awakened them from the pummeling they had received. He nodded, and then he grinned. “But me, I’m going for the win and the State Finals after that.”

  The referee blew his whistle, and they returned to the floor.

  Pelton Falls looked cocky, but the first serve wiped the smugness from their faces. Felson rallied around him, and they fought as he had never seen them fight before. A tricky smash put them up one. Then a light tap caught Cavendish off guard, putting them up two.

  After that, every point became a battle, with players on both sides making incredible moves, diving for saves, never giving up. Cavendish smashed one to the floor on their side, and tied the game.

  Breathing hard, Larry waited for the serve. The ball traveled at speed for the spot between him and Kevin. They mixed signals and collided, but put the ball up. A great sigh came from the crowd.

  Kevin, though hurting, recovered in time to make another save, and Larry grinned at him. “Keep it up!”

  Kevin laughed.

  The volley seemed to last forever, but Pelton Falls dropped one just inside the line that everyone thought was going out. Then they scored again, putting them up two. After that, no matter how hard Larry and his team played, they could not gain on their opponents.

  Leading 24-21, the ball went back to Cavendish to serve.

  Battered and bruised, Felson players lined up to stop him. If Pelton Falls scored, that would end it.

  The ball sailed over the net. Jason Wall set it up, and Leonard Fandell drove it down just inside the line to make it 24-22.

  Taking the ball, Larry bounced it twice. The whistle blew and he tossed it up, looking at the left side of the court, but firing it to the right. Another two inches to the right, and he might have scored, but Pelton Falls recovered and a long volley ensued, neither side being able to capitalize on their chances.

  Exhausted, Wall misplayed a tricky shot, sending the ball out instead of up … and that finished it. The Pelton Falls fans and team shouted out their joy, while he and his teammates felt the staggering loss of energy that followed a defeat. Larry hung his head.

  Now, he had to wish the Pelton Falls team good luck, just as Wilson from Carterville had done for him. They shook hands with the other team, stood by while Mayor McGriffen presented the trophy, and then headed, despondent, to the showers.

  “You should have had that last one, Jason,” Jeff said.

  Wall clenched his jaw, but said nothing.

  “I can’t believe you missed it,” Kevin added.

  “I can,” Larry put in, causing Wall to look at him in anger. “They played better than we did – though we played our best. Every shot they took went right where they wanted it; every save we had to make, we made only just. So, yeah, I can believe Jason missed it – just like I can believe that they saved against at least three serves I made which I felt were sure things. They were that good. Perhaps, if I had hit a fraction left or right or harder, they might have missed and we might have won.”

  Kevin turned to him in astonishment. “But you played so well, better than any of us; you can’t fault yourself.”

  Larry smiled his appreciation. “And I can’t fault Jason. What I find hard to believe is that we came so close, what with them being so good. And that was due to each and every one of us – Jason included – finding that little something extra.” He shrugged. “And now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to enjoy my shower.” He stripped off.

  In the shower, he thought of how his father would react to their loss, to his loss. He could well imagine the comments about how he wasted his time playing – time better spent on things that he should consider important, but apparently didn’t.

  He dried off, not having enjoyed the shower at all. Dressed again in his street clothes, he had it in mind to leave – no party following the loss – but Coach Johnson beckoned him over.

  “Come into the office, Larry,” he said.

  Larry steeled himself for the critique to come, how if he’d done this or that they might have won. He frowned to himself. It was over. Ended. The game, the season, his participation in the school’s sports program. Why not just let him go to do his own analysis of the loss, to brood over mistakes made?

  “Close the door.”

  Larry complied.

  “Larry, I heard your little speech.”

  His speech?

  “I wish I had you for another year. That’s the kind of leadership that a coach wants for his team. Had you exhibited it at the start of the year, you would have made Team Captain.” He waved Larry to a seat, not seeing the astonishment that Larry felt must have shown on his face.

  Team Captain? Larry knew that he would have wanted nothing less than that. He already resented Jeff, the present captain, for his exhortations to do better for the team, for the school. A year from now and no one would remember any of it. Besides, who was he to tell anyone to do anything?

  “And I know that you and Jason Wall don’t get on. You couldn’t have found defending him easy. But we both know you were right. and that someone had to say it. Jason will probably be kicking himself for a long time, but he’ll remember that we all know that he didn’t lose the game. The team lost – but not for lack of trying. You did well, extremely well. You all did.”

  “Uh, thank you, Coach.” He didn’t know how to react to the praise, wished the coach had torn a strip off him for his play instead. That, at least, he knew how to deal with.

  Coach Johnson smiled. “Now, I hope you’re coming to the party. We don’t cancel just because we’re not going any further. We had a great season.”

  Larry shook his head. “I have chores at first light.”

  The coach took a deep breath. “Come anyway. One night’s loss of sleep won’t do lasting damage.”

  Right. As if his father would countenance such a thing. A party to celebrate a loss; coming home late at night; not being at his best in the morning. He’d understand. Right.

  “I’ll consider it, Coach,” he lied, figuring that might get him out with the least grief.

  “You do that. Okay, Larry, that’s all. Oh, and if you go out for the team in university, I’ll be happy to write a letter of recommendation to their sports department if you want to try for a scholarship.”

  University. He couldn’t afford it and his father certainly wouldn’t pay. He wanted to keep his slave. Not only that, he’d miss the first semester even if he could get a full-tuition scholarship. Parents had control over their children’s lives until age nineteen, and he couldn’t imagine his father allowing him to get away without putting in that last erg of work. Hell, he probably had the time of birth written down, so he could keep his son working up until the last second of the last minute.

  “Thank you, Coach. I’ll keep that in mind.” He got up and returned to the locker room. Everyone had dressed.

  “Pick up your girls, and let’s go party,” Jeff called out, to cheers.

  It seemed that the others had forgotten the loss already. He couldn’t. He followed them out, nonetheless, to see Sandra waiting. He went to hug her, but stopped short. His father stood nearby, and he’d be damned if he’d show what he really felt for Sandra in front of him. Besides, he felt a headache coming on. His father just couldn’t wait to lay into him.

  “Lawrence,” his father said, and led him to the side, away from the remaining spectators and players. “Good game.”

  Shocked, Larry could only say, “We lost.”

  “No, they beat you; you didn’t lose. You never gave up, you kept fighting to the last; you gave everything you had. That’s not losing. The better team won the game, but neither team lost. You, particularly, did well. I’m proud of you.”

  Larry felt his throat constrict. For so long he had wanted to force his father to recognize his worth, and now he had – even though his team had lost. He didn’t even say that it was just a game, not real life, as he usually did.

  “Are you attending the party?”

  “No, Dad, I have chores in the morning.”

  “No, you don’t. I’ll take care of them.” The old man reached in his pocket and pulled out some currency. “Here, take Sandra, and the two of you have a good time.” He smiled, and added, “Not too good a time. Come home when it’s over and sleep until you wake; it’s Saturday. I’ll look after all the chores until then.”

  Larry couldn’t believe it. He didn’t know what to say. Then his father made that unnecessary.

  “Sunday, I’ll expect you to work extra hard.”

  “Yes, Father.” He accepted the money, and stuffed it into his pocket. His father turned away, and he received his mother’s hug and her commiserations. Then, duty done, he took Sandra’s hand and went to have the best party of his life.

  * * *

  They sat together on her parent’s porch swing, looking out at a night sky filled with stars – and the lights from orbiting stations and ships.

  “We’ll both get up there someday,” Larry said, voice soft. He held her hand in his, enjoying the feeling of connection. She remained silent. “What is it?”

  “I’m going to university in the fall.”

  “I know. But we were meant to be together – and we will. I’ll see you every chance I get, Sandra, you have to believe that.”

  His words came with such sincerity. She wondered if he knew the odds against something like that working. She had heard too many stories from schoolmates with older siblings. Something seemed to change when they went to university – or simply graduated from school. Would Larry change, too? She hoped not, and she kept silent about her misgivings. To bring them up would ruin a perfect night. Instead, she squeezed his fingers. “I know you will. But, wherever you go, don’t stop learning. Take whatever tele-courses you can. You’re smart, too smart to give up. I know you’ll make it. And, after I graduate, I’ll join you if we’re not already together.”

  He leaned over and kissed her. She felt all funny inside as she kissed him back. The term from her literature class came to her: soulmates.

  “We’re soulmates, Larry. No matter how far apart we are physically, we’ll always be together.”

  She hoped that would remain true, then his next kiss tore all her thoughts away. When she recovered, she realized that he had drawn back.

  “I think it’s time I went home,” he said, voice husky. “Tonight was … it was … just perfect. I don’t want to ruin it.”

  “You couldn’t.”

  He smiled ruefully. “Yeah, I think maybe I could And I don’t want to. I’ll remember this forever; we’ll remember it forever.”

  And she knew what he meant. Something had changed. They had exchanged promises, without speaking any words.

  “I love you, Larry.” She stood up with him, and turned to face him.

  He drew her in for a last hug. “I love you, Sandra.”

  She shuddered under his last kiss, then heard, somewhere far off, his voice. “Tell your parents goodnight for me.”

  He stepped off the porch, and walked purposefully towards his own home. She watched him until she lost his figure in the darkness, took one last look at the stars, and then went inside.

  Her mother gave her a knowing smile.

  “He loves me, Mom.”

  “I know.” And she didn’t even say anything about young love, or how it might change when circumstances changed.

  “I don’t want to go to university if I have to leave him.”

  Her mother chuckled. “I know that, too. But you will go. You graduate in two weeks. You’ll have the summer to prepare, and then you go. He’ll find you.”

  Sandra smiled. “Thanks, Mom. And didn’t he play great tonight?”

  This time her mother laughed. “Yesterday,” she corrected.

  Sandra looked at the chrono, eyes widening. “It’s almost one in the morning.”

  “I know. You should go to bed. You’ve had a long day. Go, dream your way to sleep.”

  And that, Sandra thought, was the most poetic way of putting it. And, yes, she would do just that. She would dream her way to sleep.

  * * *

  Tuesday, Jun 15th

  Robert Clement sat on the barrel in Ernest Tucker’s store. He had just come from Tucker’s office, where he had used the merchant’s computer to access the information he required. He had done his usual excellent job of hiding his tracks, so that only a few with the technical ability and insider knowledge would be capable of sussing out that his meandering searches had some intent in mind, and fewer still might stumble onto that intent.

  “I fear that I may soon need to become aware that Lawrence works here.”

  “Sorry to hear that,” Tucker replied. “He works hard, does his job well, and saves me a lot of needless back-pain. I’ve not grown any younger since he started.”

  Robert shrugged, palms up. “I don’t want it either. But I have to push him a little harder.”

  Tucker looked interested. “As bad as all that?”

  “I don’t know, but fear so. I want him gone, the sooner the better.”

  “So, you’re going to take away the hope that The Lottery gives him.” Tucker shook his head. “You might regret that. When a man explodes, you can’t always control the direction of that explosion.”

  He passed Robert a mint. Robert popped it into his mouth. “I know. But I’ve planned for that, too.” Tucker shook his head again.

  “He’s a good boy, Robert. Honest as the day is long, works hard, polite, doesn’t run around, and has found and kept young Sandra Durant. Were he my son, I couldn’t be more proud of him. He’ll make a fine man. You’re going…” he let his voice fade as Robert lifted his hand.

  “I know all that. And I want to see him have his chance. He won’t get it if I don’t intervene.”

  “So you say.”

  “So I know.”

  “You believe, but don’t know. You can’t.”

  Robert clenched his jaw, then unclenched it. “You may have the right of it, my friend. But I’m his father; under the law, I get to decide what’s best for him – at least for a few more months.”

  “The fools who made those laws didn’t do us any favours.”

 

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