Chapter 23

THE COACHES didn’t want their teams to lose their edge over the long holiday weekend, so they practiced Friday afternoon. Dennis and the cheerleaders led a full conditioning workout with both dribbling and shooting drills before the coaches took the teams to their respective courts to work on plays. All three teams were looking strong and were back on Saturday afternoon to repeat the practice.

“Is it true you guys suggested no dress code for practice?” Shelby asked Dennis after Saturday practice.

“Old news,” Dennis chuckled. “That was a week ago.”

“So, it’s true?”

“Not exactly. We made a statement that indicated the least rules were the best rules and most clothing decisions should be left to the individual wearing the clothes. We did not, however, attempt or suggest changing the school dress code. It’s worked pretty well for a few years and any change would start people trying to challenge the boundaries.”

“That’s what it’s really all about,” Debbie said. “As soon as a new rule is made, people will try to push the boundaries to see how hard and fast the rules are and whether they’ll be enforced. Dennis was pretty brilliant in getting the athletic wear rules simplified.”

“I think Rick was a big part of that. He was asking if all the rules we suggested were things we were willing to live by and force the next however many years of students at Bartley to live by. It works,” Dennis said.

“Well, I think what we wear for basketball practice is both cool and comfortable. I’m glad the Angelines set the standard last year,” Shelby said. “I thought it was all just to attract Dennis’s attention, but he hardly notices.”

“That’s a fallacy,” Dennis said. “Not responding to how people dress is different than not noticing. And when my attention is called to it, I notice a lot.”

“You notice what I’m wearing?” Shelby teased.

“Absolutely,” Dennis responded. “And if you’re interested in what I think, I think you look incredibly sexy—in addition to looking comfortable and athletic.”

“Well, I am comfortable and it’s nice to know that you notice. Now you can go back to not responding,” Shelby giggled. She quickly ducked into the locker room. Debbie paused to give Dennis a kiss before she went in.

“She’ll be the first to undress if you are in the locker room taping or cutting tape off. She wants to be sexy but still know she’s safe,” Debbie said. “I guess we all do.”

Dennis and his girlfriends, accompanied by his mother and several other members of the Angelines, sat in awed silence Sunday morning as Peg joined her voice to the choir for the first Sunday of Advent. Peg’s voice rang out above the choir singing:

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

It took all of them by surprise. Dennis had always thought his sister had a sweet voice, but assumed she just sang the melody of songs she’d heard a thousand times and sang along with on the radio. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel was a rather complex hymn and the words were not at all easy either. Yet Peg had the words and music nailed as she sang out blissfully with neither words nor music in front of her. She had truly found a means of expression that transcended her disability.

Lana and Natalie gripped Dennis’s arms as they listened to the rapturous singing. When the song finished, Dennis discovered he’d been holding his breath through the last verse. Both girls gasped for air at the same time. The rest of the service had nothing so riveting as Peg’s singing.

“Mom, when did Peg start singing such complicated music?” Dennis whispered as they stood to leave after the service.

“I’m not sure,” Dot said. “Mrs. Thompson has been working with her two or three times a week. Peg just loves singing the hymns, but I didn’t know she was preparing anything like this.”

“It was so beautiful!” Lana said. “I could just listen to her sing all day.”

“Here she comes!” Natalie whispered. Peg, having shed her choir robe, bounded down the aisle toward her sisters. Dennis caught her in a big hug.

“You sing so beautifully, Peg. I just love to listen to you,” he said.

“Jesus listens,” was all Peg responded. She was busy hugging the rest of the sisters.

It was a different experience to load the bus for Tuesday night’s opening game against the Knights than travel had been the year before. They were trying out riding a single bus with Angelines and Wolverines together. With thirty-three players, three coaches, ten cheerleaders, and four managers, the school bus was full to capacity. The Angelines claimed the front of the bus with cheerleaders separating the two teams and Wolverines in the back. Dennis and Lana were still working on taping ankles for the girls, watched closely by Jaydyn, Bobbie, and Laura, the three Angelines who were not dressed for this game. They’d been assured that they would dress for the next game and a different three girls would sit out.

If anything, the bus was quieter than when only one team traveled. The players seemed more reserved with players of the opposite sex on board. The coaches occupied the front row, observing the interactions. None of them was sure this was a good idea.

“Dennis, could you tape a cheerleader?” Tori asked, passing a message forward.

“Sure, I guess so.” He checked around quickly and stayed low as he slipped back four rows to where the cheerleaders were seated. Rae passed him in the aisle and took his seat. “Who needs tape?” he asked when he was with the cheerleaders.

“Me, I’m afraid,” Sara said. “Remember when we did the new lunge routine for the video Friday? I think I went too far. It’s been tender ever since.”

“I wish you’d let me know earlier. We’ve been leading workouts and you should have been taped up for them,” he said while examining her foot and ankle. “Have you been icing?”

“Yes. And I’ve been wearing a compression sock. I thought that would be enough,” Sara sighed.

“Hey, I’m not reprimanding you,” Dennis said, rubbing her foot to get her to relax. “I just want you to know you can come to me anytime you need to. I want you healthy and injury free.”

“Thank you. You know, last year when Debbie started chasing after you, I thought it was just weird. Stripping the color out of her hair and going blonde again, and then running on the track team seemed like she was making huge changes to impress a boy we hardly ever noticed before. But now that we’ve worked with you for a few months and do exercises with you, it seems so logical that she’d fall in love with you. It would be so easy to do.”

“Don’t,” Dennis responded. “Please, don’t.”

“I won’t. It would be easy, but I don’t want to be one of many. I’d rather date Fred, knowing he’s gay. And while I appreciate girls and like to spend time with them, more than a cheek kiss grosses me out,” Sara said, while Dennis efficiently wrapped her ankle and smoothed out the tape. He tested the flexibility and slid her sock on over the tape, then her shoe. She leaned forward to tie her shoe and patted his hand. “Thanks, Dennis. You really were a hidden gem.”

The bus pulled up at the Knights and the teams filed off the bus.

It might have been because the Angelines were so charged up they were about to burst. It might have been that the Knights were a class 1A school with only 130 students in the high school. It might have been the gods of basketball smiling at them for their first game of the season. The Angelines rolled over the Knights in a 67-11 victory. Ardith regretted having dressed some of her top starters instead of playing Bobbie, Jaydyn, and Laura. As it was, few of last year’s Angelines played more than two quarters.

When the boys took the floor, it looked like the Knights would have their revenge for the loss to the Angelines. It was close and by some miracle, Donnie Oswald sank a three-pointer just before the final buzzer to give the Wolverines the victory, 68-66. It was the first time in anyone’s memory that the Wolverines carried more victories than losses with 1-0.

The bus ride back was considerably more exuberant. Noisy chatter filled the air as they relived high points of the game. Dennis got some tape off, but once they were back at Bartley, he was pulled into the locker room.

“I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable,” Dennis said. “I can take off tape in the hallway or something.”

“We worked out a new system,” Natalie said. “You’ll work in this aisle. All the new girls will be in the next aisle over toward the showers. They can come over here to get taped or untaped. And the cheerleaders are in the next one over on the other side, including Doc and Fred. They’ve all been naked with you and are fine with it. So, we have a good understanding. You won’t try to peek in the first aisle and will only work in these two.”

“Oh. Um, sure.” He set to work on Daniella to get her tape off.

“Everybody, listen up!” Lana called out. “We’ll wash all the uniforms. Make sure they go in this bag, not the towel bag. You’re responsible for your own underwear and socks. If you toss them in the laundry, Dennis is going to have to play Cinderella with you and come around trying the bra on each girl to see who it belongs to. I know some of you think that would be great, but it slows things down. Okay? Be sure no personal items go in the towel bag. It’s going out to the loading dock.”

“Thank you, Team Manager,” several girls chimed.

“Assistant Team Manager,” Lana laughed. “I’m not yet qualified to wash uniforms.”

“You can wash ours if you want,” Claudia said. Team A cheerleaders had cheered the Angelines and Team B cheerleaders cheered the Wolverines. Both teams had worked up quite a sweat.

“Hmm. When I cheered, we had to wash our own uniforms. Are they still just cold water wash?” Lana asked.