LILY, Chapter 7
the softball game
Chapter 7/ The Softball Game
Lily was certain that Raven would never have joined June Mae’s stupid softball team except she felt sorry for June Mae because Mr. Hart was no longer living with Mrs. Hart. Like divorce was the end of the world. Besides, they weren’t even divorced, not yet. June Mae’s parents were just separated. For all anyone knew, they might get back together. June Mae gained even more sympathy by describing her visit to Uncle Val’s to see her dad. According to June Mae, her dad had been drinking nonstop since he left her mom and was not even going to work. He would probably get fired. This was the kind of thing that won June Mae tons of sympathy from Raven. She and Raven were now best friends. It was sickening. All they wanted to talk about anymore was their stupid softball team.
Lily did not play softball. She was not that kind of girl, which was why this afternoon she was sitting in the bleachers with the adults, her Gramma Grace, her mom Janet, Raven’s dad Steve, and June Mae’s mom Charlene. Lily had brought a book to read, but her mom said she was not allowed to read it. Her mom actually took the book from her and stuck it in her purse.
Lily was supposed to watch the game.
It wasn’t as if her mom and June Mae’s mom Charlene were paying much attention to the game. Lily had to listen to them talking about hairstyles. Lily’s mom had a simple hairstyle. Too simple, said Charlene, who was a professional hairstylist. Charlene said what Janet needed was a Side-Swept Bang & Bob. According to Charlene, this look was fantastic for softening facial features.
Lily did not think her mother’s facial features needed to be softened.
Charlene grabbed hold of Janet’s wrist. “Honey, you’re still experiencing negative thoughts about yourself because you got dumped for a younger woman.” Charlene said getting dumped like that will traumatize a woman’s self-confidence unless she gets back out there. A new hairstyle was going to be the first step in getting Janet back out there.
Lily hoped her mom would never get back out there.
Lily tried to focus on the game, but it was boring. In the eighth inning, June Mae and Raven’s team was one run down. They had been one run down for four innings in a row.
Lily wondered if maybe she could sneak her book out of Mom’s purse without Mom noticing. The book was titled Matilda. It was a wonderful and exciting story about a girl who loved to read but was neglected by her parents and bullied by her school principal. The great thing was that this girl had powers. Magical powers. She could move things with her mind.
That’s what girls need, Lily thought, magical powers. Who needs a new haircut?
Lily rested her chin on the heel of her hand and pretended to watch the game. Really, she was imagining how nice it would be to have powers. She imagined that a mean witch invaded the softball game. This witch was the kind of person who hated softball players for some reason. Probably there are witches like that out there. The witch suddenly appeared at the edge of the softball diamond, cackled in that evil way witches cackle, jabbed her wand at the girls playing ball, and cast a spell. Just like that, all the softball players started floating into the air like balloons.
All the parents in the stands stood up, screaming, horrified at seeing their daughters sailing higher and higher into the sky. The parents were helpless to save them.
Of all the people in the bleachers, only one, a girl named Lily, had powers. She calmly stood to her feet, extracted a wand of her own, and waved it at the helpless softball players who were floating farther and farther into the sky, screaming, kicking their feet, waving their arms.
“Help us! Save us!”
First, Lily jabbed her wand at the evil witch. The witch sprouted fur and her nose lengthened and she began to shrink. She shrank and shrank until she turned into a little mouse. That took care of her. Lily waved her wand at the ascending softball girls. One by one, she drew them gently back to earth, saving the entire team. Their moms and dads ran out into the field and embraced their daughters.
“Thank you, thank you, Lily!”
Afterward, everyone, even her mom, even June Mae’s mom loved and appreciated her. Her mom hugged her and told Lily she could read as much as she wanted. Best of all, Raven ran up to her and yelled, “You are my best friend forever!”
In the bottom of the ninth, a girl on June Mae’s team got a walk. Then, Raven got a hit. Her dad Steve stood up. The other girl was on second and Raven was on first. June Mae came to bat.
Charlene stood up. Janet and Gramma stood up too. Lily sighed and stood up as well. Lots of yelling.
Strike one. Strike two.
Less yelling.
Then June Mae whacked the ball so hard, it flew far out into leftfield. No one caught it. The adults screamed and waved their arms and yelled, “Go, go, go!”
The other girl scored. Raven scored. June Mae wound up on third base. She had knocked in two runs, including the winning one.
Lots more yelling.
“We won! We won! We won!”
After the game, everyone returned to Park Street in two cars. Lily had to ride with her mother and grandmother. Raven, June Mae, and Charlene got to ride home with Steve, Raven’s dad.
June Mae decided she didn’t care but she did care. Her friends were always leaving her out. It was plain wrong. Just because she was one year younger than them and didn’t like softball.
Their landlord, Joe was hosting a backyard barbecue for them. He did all the barbecuing. Burgers and hotdogs for the girls, steak for the grownups, and watermelon for everyone. Gramma Grace brought over a giant container of potato salad. Charlene brought an ice chest full of pop and beer. Lily’s mom provided buns, paper plates, plastic utensils, cups, and napkins.
The adults sat at one table. Lily sat at a smaller table with Raven and June Mae, who ignored her and talked about the game. Then they talked about the other girls on their team. Then they talked about the girls on the other team.
Lily made the mistake of saying they should change the subject, and June Mae said, “Sometimes, Lily, you are so immature. Why don’t you go home and play with dolls or something?”
As if June Mae didn’t still play with dolls.
Lily wished she was home in her room, reading a book. That would be lots better than having to sit here and listen to her friends talking about stupid stuff. Then she heard June Mae say something shocking.
“It is so obvious Gramma Grace has the hots for Joe. Look at her!”
Lily said, “That is so Not True!”
June Mae said, “Not only that. Your mom has the hots for Steve!”
Gramma Grace was seated right beside Joe and was talking to him, leaning in his direction, touching his arm. Raven’s dad Steve was sitting with Lily’s mom on one side of him and Charlene on the other. Both women were leaning toward him. Steve said something and Lily’s mom and Charlene laughed really loud as if it was the funniest thing they ever heard.
Raven looked uncomfortable and Lily was just about to say that obviously it was June Mae’s mom Charlene who had the hots for the professor, when everyone stopped talking.
Two large men had appeared, were entering Joe’s backyard.
Raven said, “June Mae, isn’t that your dad and your uncle?”
Joe and Steve stood up when they saw the two men approaching and acted as if they thought it might be necessary to protect Charlene.
Charlene did not look as if she needed any protection. She jumped up and ran toward her husband.
“Who invited you, you drunken fool?”
Mel did appear to be somewhat inebriated. His face was red and sweaty.
Lily said, “For Pete’s sake, is he crying?”
June Mae said, “Shut up, Lily!”
Mel staggered toward Charlene, with his arms out.
While Mr. and Mrs. Hart decided (in front of everyone) they were still in love and would get back together, Uncle Val walked over to where the cooler was and helped himself to a can of beer.
That night before she went to bed, Lily asked her mom, “You and Raven’s dad. Anything I should know about?”
“No!” her mom said, but she turned red.
“Yeah, right,” Lily said.
In bed, looking at her ceiling, Lily decided it would not be so bad if Gramma Grace did marry Joe Molto. That would be OK. And if her mom married the professor, Raven would be like her sister. That wouldn’t be so terrible, either.
The next morning, Lily, her mom, and Gramma Grace found out something horrible had happened. It was as if the entire world had turned upside down while everyone was sleeping. In the middle of the night, someone had entered Joe Molto’s house and shot him dead.