Gerri Hill: One Summer Night

Kelly’s grin was huge and contagious as she crossed home plate and hit hands with the others who had crossed in front of her. Jo watched her with awe all the way to the dugout.

"Wow!" Janis exclaimed.

"Yeah," Betsy agreed.

After it was over, Johanna stood with the others as they talked about the game, going over each play again. Kelly seemed embarrassed at the attention she was getting and once again attributed her hits to sheer luck. Jo was secretly pleased that someone with her obvious talent wasn't conceited or arrogant about it. Then again, maybe if she was 12

a little more stuck-up, it would quell this attraction Jo was feeling for Kelly Sambino.

Everyone was deciding to go for Mexican food, and Jo found herself agreeing to dinner before she even realized it.

"Don't be late this time, Jo," Betsy admonished as they were leaving.

"I won't.” She closed her trunk with a bang and settled inside her car, turning the air conditioning on high as she drove home. She refused to acknowledge that she had agreed to dinner simply because Kelly Sambino was going to be there. It was high time she went out. Like Betsy keeps saying. Right! With that, she shoved a CD in and listened to Elton John on her way home.

13

Chapter Two

Of course she was late. After her shower, she couldn't decide what to wear. It was still so hot out, she couldn't see putting on jeans, but then shorts seemed too casual. After ironing both and laying them on the bed, she decided on the jeans anyway. Tucking in a crisp cotton shirt, refusing to speculate on the extra effort she was making with her appearance, she carefully applied the minimal amount of makeup she normally wore and sprayed perfume lightly on her neck and wrists. Her blonde hair was cut short for the summer and she brushed it away from her face with a few quick strokes.

She stared in the mirror longer than usual. She had been in the sun too long and her cheeks showed it. Peering closer, 14

she rubbed a finger lightly under one eye. Wrinkles! They were starting to show and she stepped back. They were not nearly as evident from this distance. Laughing at herself, she put her hands on her hips and threw back her shoulders, hoping it made her look taller. It didn’t. She wasn’t really short. She just wasn’t tall. She had spent her high school years wishing she were short and petite so that the guys would notice her more. Then she had spent her college years wishing she were taller, especially after she had developed her first crush on a woman, a basketball player, no less! But she was the same average, boring, and middle-of-the-pack size she had been since she turned seventeen. She gave her hair one last brush with her fingers and hurried out.

They had agreed to meet at Bonita’s Cafe on Congress Avenue at seven o'clock, and it was already fifteen past when Johanna drove by slowly, looking for a parking spot. After cruising by twice, she finally parked two blocks away and hurried along the sidewalk, spotting Betsy's car only a few spaces from the front door. Some people have all the luck, she thought.

She heard them before she actually saw them. Before the hostess could ask her, she simply smiled, pointed and made her way through the crowd waiting for tables.

"Jo, I thought maybe you had decided not to come,"

Betsy said. She had saved a place next to her and motioned for her to sit. Johanna thankfully sat down, saying hello to those around her.

"Running late, as usual," she murmured.

"Well, I ordered you a margarita. I hope that's okay."

"That's fine," she said, smiling her thanks. Only then did she look around the table. Most of the players and their girlfriends were there, and Jo knew most of them. Her eyes stopped when they met the glittering dark ones of Kelly Sambino. Kelly smiled at her from across the table, holding 15

her gaze, and Jo felt the heat she thought she had left outside. She flushed and looked away, grabbing the glass of water in front of her. She took a long swallow, avoiding the gaze from across the table.

Her margarita came, and Jo sipped gratefully, feeling the coolness of it slide down her throat. It was just hot out, she told herself. She had been in the sun too long! She ordered her usual enchilada dinner, then munched on the warm tortilla chips and salsa that were placed within her reach.

The conversation around the table centered on the games, and as they enthusiastically rehashed every play and every hit, Jo listened, all the while conscious of the woman sitting across from her. As Kelly told about her hits, how she had just lucked into the home runs, Jo was able to observe her.

Her long, slim fingers held her glass lightly, and she absently rubbed the frost from the side as she spoke. She seemed almost embarrassed about the attention she was getting. Jo noticed how she quickly turned the conversation to Sharon, who had pitched two shutout games.

"Oh, like I didn't have help behind me," Sharon said.

She was sitting next to Mattie, who Jo had only met once before.

"Let's face it, we've got a good team," Deb said, and they all agreed.

Johanna was silent through most of the meal, but she missed little, least of all Kelly Sambino. She watched her constantly when she wasn't looking, lowering her eyes quickly whenever Kelly glanced her way. She spoke quietly to Betsy and Janis, but didn't take part in the conversation around the table. She wasn't quite certain what to make of her attraction to Kelly. It was so out of character for her that she attributed it to the heat of summer. Why else would she be staring at a virtual stranger, wondering if brown eyes could really be that dark?

16

After dinner, they stood on the street, the air having cooled to a tolerable seventy-five degrees. No one was ready to end the evening, and as they stood around talking, Sharon suggested they go dancing.

"Lakers has country music or we could go to Uptown,"

she said.

She was met with groans from the older ones. "Uptown is filled with college students," Janis said.

"Okay, then Lakers. It's still early. Our game isn't until nine tomorrow."

They agreed, and before Johanna could offer a protest, they were splitting up, each hurrying to their cars. She paused beside Betsy's car, watching as Kelly got into Christy's van.

"I won't stay long," she told Betsy pointedly.

"Of course not," Betsy agreed with a smile.

"Really. I'm only going for one drink."

"Okay. Sure.” Betsy and Janis both grinned at her.

"You can wipe those smiles off your faces, too," she called over her shoulder as she walked toward her car. So, she was infatuated with the woman. Big deal! After three years, she was happy to know that that part of her was apparently coming back to life. It wasn’t as if she was going to do anything about it. But still, she wondered if Kelly might ask her to dance. Then she wondered if she would allow herself to accept.

She slammed her door and locked it, then turned the AC

on high. Sitting there for a moment, she caught a glimpse of her bright eyes in the mirror and attributed it to the margarita, nothing else. Hell, for all she knew, Christy and Kelly could be seeing each other. But she doubted it. Christy had been living with the same woman for years now and was very happy. But then again, Johanna would have said the same thing about herself only three years ago.

17

She drove the few blocks to the downtown bar and found a parking space easily, as it was barely nine and the regular Saturday night crowd had not yet arrived. Betsy and Janis were waiting for her at the entrance. Each paid the cover charge and walked into the dark bar. It was already smoky, but thankfully cool. Loud country music blared from the speakers. They had pulled several tables together, and once again, Jo found herself sitting across from Kelly, who already was sipping a drink.