“You never notice my failures.” Smiling at him, she wrapped her arms around him for an actual hug.
“You never fail in my eyes, Natalie.” He hugged her back.
Looking down at her dad, she told herself not to cry. Coaches didn’t cry.
“Where’s the camera?” she asked. He wasn’t carrying the camcorder that was always with him.
“I did that because she wasn’t in your life. Now she is, and it’s up to her to come to your big events. I can’t keep recording them for her.” It seemed his job was suddenly over.
“It’s a long way, and this isn’t a big event, Dad.”
“Every event is a big event to me.” Turning, he looked at the seats behind her.
Following his lead, she turned to see what he was looking at—Faith and the boys sitting with Sam in the stands right behind her. “Go sit down with your girlfriend, old man. Keep your hands to yourself, too. Don’t embarrass me.” She bumped his hip with hers and laughed. It was still a little weird that he had a girlfriend and that she lived with him. Maybe that was why he didn’t say anything about her living with Sam.
“Good luck.” He walked away.
Looking at the clock, she called the girls into a huddle. When all the girls were there, she heard Mia let out another wolf whistle and yell out her name. Looking up in the stands, she looked right at Mia and touched her finger to the side of her nose, the sign during recording to be quiet. She saw Mia laugh at the sign and then sit down.
“I think you have more fans here than we do, Coach Beckett,” Olivia said, and Natalie laughed.
Since that day in the gym, she had gotten to know the girls pretty well. In fact, she liked them a lot. They were a great group, and she was happy she got to be their coach. “Maybe this time, but next time they’ll be here for you,” she admitted.
“Yeah, right,” Kylie said with a smile.
“Remember, have fun first, win second. No telling someone that they made a mistake. They already know and don’t need to hear it from you. Right?” All the girls nodded. Natalie looked at Hazel sitting in the stands. The rule was for her, but since they hadn’t talked alone since the library, Hazel didn’t know about it yet.
The girls all agreed and yelled ‘Tigers!’ as the huddle broke and went back to stretching. Turning to grab her clipboard, she caught something out of the corner of her eye and looked quickly back to the entry door. Her mouth went agape when Della, Max, and the girls walked into the gym, all wearing Tiger wear. Della saw her and waved as Faith’s youngest led them to where her dad and Sam were sitting.
As Max and the girls went and sat down, Della came over to where Natalie was standing. Her mother was in black tailored pants, four-inch heels and a white sweatshirt with a tiger head on it, and she was rocking it.
They hugged, and Mia let out another wolf whistle, and this time, Tess yelled her name. Again, she looked at them only to touch her nose, and they quieted down.
Turning back to her mom, she said, “You didn’t have to come.”
“Of course, I did. I never got to see you play, but I will get to see you coach,” Della said.
“But it’s a long way for a few minutes,” Natalie argued.
“Natalie, I would drive across the country to watch you do nothing. I missed twenty-four years of your life, and I don’t plan to miss anymore.” Della hugged her again.
The announcer started to say the game was starting, so Della left her side and went to sit down.
Natalie noticed she went right to her dad, and they hugged before she sat and then just started to talk, but both were looking at her.
Her players hurried over, and her starting group stood beside her as the announcer, who was the same announcer who had announced all her games when she was in high school, announced the girls. Lance Kelley had always loved to tease her. When all the starting girls were announced for both teams, he announced the coach from the opposing team, and as she walked over to shake the woman’s hand, she heard, “The coach for the Landstad Tigers is our very own Natalie Beckett, who is coaching her first game tonight.”
Heart pumping like she was sixteen again, her name rolled through the gym and reminded her of all the nights her name had been said years ago. Natalie couldn’t hear what the woman said to her as the crowd started to yell. She knew Mia was behind the yelling frenzy. Biting her lip, she turned around so she could see Sam, who was standing and clapping with her family beside him.
Had he realized how this would affect her?
Quickly the game got underway, and she forgot everyone was there and focused on the game—just like she had in high school, calling plays and paying attention to what the other team was doing. She noticed nothing around her, just the action in front of her. Did Mia whistle again? She didn’t even know.
Their team lost at the end of the game, but not by much, and it was a promising sign for the year to come. Though she was sad they had lost, she was relieved that her first coaching game was over. Her girls were perfect, even if they didn’t win. The win would have been great, but having fun was more important. Glancing up at Hazel, she saw her friend give her a thumbs up. It was a sign she didn’t know she needed until she saw it. Hazel thought she had done well. Somehow, that was better than any win tonight would have been.
Hazel was still haunted by the accident, but Natalie was finally breaking away from the emotions of it. It would always be a part of her life, and those who were lost would always be in her mind. But like today, Natalie was able to get through a day without them constantly on her mind.
Natalie watched the girls walk off the court but not toward her. They just went to the end of the court, and the girls on the bench left to stand with them. Giving them a quizzical look, they all looked away from her gaze.