The parents crack up.
Regina pats him on the shoulder. “Of course you can, hon. Anybody else?”
Season’s over. Got a few months before spring ball tryouts. And every last kid who’s been aiming to eat as healthy as possible, especially since we started advancing in the playoffs, wants more dessert.
“Teenagers,” Charlotte says.
She’s sitting next to Maisey, across the room, and I still hear it.
I don’t think Maisey does, though. She’s still watching June like she wants to swoop her up in a hug and take her to get a thousand puppies.
“Hey, now we don’t have to worry about staying up too late for Xavier’s birthday-blowout party next weekend,” one of the kids says.
Most of them are taking it pretty well.
This is as far as we’ve gotten in playoffs inyears.
Possibly since before I was a student myself at Hell’s Bells.
This is a thing to be celebrated.
Unless, I suppose, you’re a kid who’s used to getting all the way to the championship game.
“You gonna give ’em a pep talk?” Kory asks me. He came out to cheer us on today. Even brought one of his cows in homage to Tony bringing Gingersnap the one other year we made it to the playoffs.
Considering we lost that first playoff game, too, pretty sure nobody’s gonna want to bring any more cows after that.
Cows are officially our playoff curse.
If you believe in curses.
I shake my head. “Already did. Lot better watching them all give each other pep talks.”
“Afraid you won’t say anything as intelligent as the teenagers?”
“Pretty much.”
He grins over his glass. “So long as you know your place.”
June shoves up from the table and heads toward the bathrooms.
Maisey watches her the whole way. Charlotte leans over and says something to her, and she nods.
Then Maisey glances across the room.
Our eyes connect, and I know exactly what she’s thinking.
I can’t do this. I can’t do this tonight. Junie needs me.
Takes every ounce of self-control to pretend I don’t see it.
Thing is, Igetit.
Hurts me, too, to send kids home knowing they’re in a bad mood, that they’re disappointed, that they’re disappointed in themselves.
Maisey rises.
Charlotte pulls her back down.
