CHAPTER 2
“Great spike. Sorry I was in your way,” Katryn told Paul while she scrambled to get up off the floor.
“Are you ok?” he asked quickly, reaching to help her up. Then he added, a little sheepishly, “I guess I forgot to call for the ball.”
“I’m ok, honest,” Katryn smiled, stepping backwards, causing Paul to release his grip on her arm. “That was a good spike...” The rest of the team came over to congratulate Paul on his hit, and Katryn moved out of the way, hoping no-one would notice the effect Paul had on her. Tom walked over towards Katryn and asked how she was.
“Only my ego’s hurt. I think I spent more time on the floor than on my feet tonight,” she answered lightly, relaxing. Tom’s face grew taut and he quickly apologized.
“Listen, I’m sorry about hitting you earlier. I ...”
“Tom, you don’t have to apologize. I knew it was an accident. No problem. Besides, you ought to know you can’t hurt me by hitting me in the head. It’s entirely too hard. Now, how about helping me get the net down? It’s almost nine.” They started to take down the nearest side of the net, and soon the others were helping, too.
When she started to fold up the net, Katryn glanced around to see where Paul was. He was with Julie. Before she could think about that, Tom drew her attention.
“Are we going to Denny’s for a coke?” he asked as everyone gathered up coats and volleyballs.
“I hope,” she told him. Then, to the others she said, “Everyone’s going to Denny’s for a quick coke, right?” Katryn heard Julie ask Paul if he were going to join them, but she was unable to hear his answer because Anne came over to talk to her.
“You are going to ask him to join the team, aren’t you?” Anne asked sharply.
“Tom and Ed want him on, too. He plays pretty well,” Katryn answered honestly, surprised at Anne’s attitude.
“I’d be happy to work with him on his sets,” Anne continued. “His spikes are fairly good.” She quickly added, “He has his bumps down.”
Anne knew Katryn usually only helped new players with bumping and let Anne work with them on their setting. By adding that Paul was ok with his bumping, Anne was saying, in effect, that Katryn would not need to help Paul at all. Katryn wondered if she were just imagining the testy tone in Anne’s voice.
Ken joined them, then, and added his favorable assessment of Paul’s skills. Katryn assured them both she would ask Paul to join the team, and then Ken and Anne walked out of the gym. Soon Tom, Ed, and Mary walked over to where she was standing. When Mary told Katryn she was all for Paul, Tom and Ed reminded Katryn that they would like him to stay, too. Then the three of them headed out to their cars.
Katryn was waiting for Julie and Paul to stop talking so she would not have to interrupt them. When the janitor walked into the gym, Katryn gave up being polite.
“Hey, you two, the janitor’s waiting for us to leave. You’ll have to talk outside or at Denny’s”
Katryn turned and left the gym. She tried not to look cold, waiting by the car door. Paul walked Julie to the car. He held the door for her while she got in, and closed it when she was settled. Julie reached across the front seat and unlocked Katryn’s door. By the time Katryn was inside, Paul was there to close her door for her.
“Sorry we kept you waiting out in the cold. I didn’t realize you rode together,” he apologized before the door slammed shut.
Katryn rolled the window down and told him it was all right, she hadn’t minded at all. The cold fresh air felt good after the heat and stale rank air of the gym, and volleyball, she explained. He waved while Julie backed out of their parking space, and Katryn waved back.
“Is he is coming to Denny’s?” Katryn asked her friend while she cranked the window back up.
“He said he was,” Julie answered. Then she added, “I can’t believe I told Dave I didn’t want to meet this guy before. Katryn, he’s perfect. He’s so good-looking, he’s a sweetheart, and what a gentleman! I really like him. He even plays volleyball well. You are going to ask him to join the team, aren’t you?” Julie wanted to know.
Katryn suddenly felt very cold. She knew it had nothing to do with the freezing February air that was seeping in her window. It went way too deep for that. She was unable to answer, so she pretended not to hear. She was relieved she was turned away from her friend while she concentrated on getting her window rolled up. She did not want Julie to see her face. She knew it would mirror the pain she was feeling.
‘Of course she likes him’, Katryn told herself. ‘Wake up. There’s no such thing as love at first sight anyway’. She tried to push her feelings for Paul from her mind.
“Katryn,” Julie repeated, “You are going to ask Paul to join the team, aren’t you?”
“I am,” Katryn answered, recovering slightly. “Everyone wants him. Even Anne. She’s never said one way or the other before!” The warmth of the car was suddenly becoming almost claustrophobic.
“I think she kinda’ likes Paul,” Julie offered. Of course, Katryn thought wryly. Doesn’t everyone? When Katryn didn’t answer, Julie asked, “Don’t you think so?”
“I suppose. He does seem nice.” Katryn kept her voice light when she answered.
“He is nice. He was pretty worried about you, by the way. He even asked if I knew you well enough to know if you were really ok, what with being knocked around a couple times. I told him you were fine. You are, aren’t you?”
Katryn nodded. Of course she was fine. Physically she was only bruised. Emotionally she would just put herself on hold. No big deal anyway, she told herself. After all, she barely knew the guy. She could not quite explain to herself why she felt so cold and so numb, though.
Julie pulled into Denny’s parking lot. She and Katryn got out of the car, and headed towards the restaurant. Katryn was about half way there when she realized she had forgotten her purse.
“Shoot. How about lending me the car keys?” she asked, turning towards her friend. “My purse is still locked in the trunk. Oh and there’s Paul waiting at the door for you. Go on ahead, I’ll be right there.” Julie went on towards the restaurant and Katryn went back to get her purse, glad to have a moment to think things through.
She and Julie were best friends, for heaven’s sake. How had she not noticed sooner that Julie liked Paul? She thought back over the evening, and, in retrospect, saw all the signs.
Julie had immediately taken over introducing Paul to everyone. Katryn remembered how Julie had taken Paul for the bumping drill. She looked back over the night, and she even saw all the flirting she had missed before. In the end she remembered that Julie and Paul had been talking together well after everyone else had left the gym. It appeared to Katryn that Paul must like Julie, too.
Katryn realized, then, that she had not seen the signs because she had been too wrapped up in Paul, herself. And maybe, she admitted, just maybe, she had chosen not to see the signs because they were not exactly to her liking.
Well, it was much too late now. Julie had staked her claim. Katryn would have to back away and get used to the numb feeling that now enveloped her. She got her purse from the trunk, and headed back towards the restaurant. She was surprised to find Paul waiting at the door to Denny’s when she got there.
“Thank you,” she told him when he held the outer door open.
“Wait a minute, Katryn,” he said while they stood between the two sets of doors. He reached for her arm and turned her towards him. “Julie says you want me on the team. Is that correct?”
“It is,” she answered; glad her heavy winter coat prevented him from touching her. “It was unanimous, and that’s a first,” she admitted.
“Even you?” he asked, teasing.
“You passed every test. Didn’t even get upset when you were on the weaker team. I have no reason NOT to take you.”
“Were you looking for one?” he wanted to know.
“No,” she answered, a little too quickly. Once she said it, th
ough, she realized it was a lie. She knew she had been attracted to him right from the start. She saw clearly now that she had tried to come up with reasons to get him off the team.
It explained why she had made the teams uneven. She had been hoping he would get upset and quit. It was really because she was a little afraid of her feelings for him, and not because he had tried to help her after she had been hit! What a fool she was. Well, she would have to think about it later. For now, maybe she should be glad he liked Julie; maybe it would be a whole lot easier for her!
She shook herself to clear her thoughts. Paul, misunderstanding, apologized for keeping her out in the cold. Katryn went through the inner door that Paul opened and headed to the back of the restaurant where her team always sat. She smiled ruefully when she saw where Julie was sitting.
Two round booths were now joined with a table in the middle. Along the back were Ken, Ed, Mary and Tom. On the right side were Anne and Julie. That meant Paul and Katryn had to sit in the left circle. Katryn guessed that Julie had purposely sat next to Anne so that Paul would be between Julie and Katryn.
Katryn knew that Julie considered her no threat. They had decided years ago that no man was worth breaking up their friendship. It had always been first come, first serve. Whoever met the guy first had first choice. They trusted each other completely. In ten years they had never argued over a man.
‘And we’ll not argue now,’ Katryn told herself. She hoped a pep talk would help, so she continued. ‘Julie said she liked Paul first, so he’s hers, period. You’ll only talk to Paul to make sure he spends less time with Anne. You’ll bring up Julie’s name whenever you can. You’ll be the ‘safe’ friend Julie can count on even if it kills you! Remember, friends don’t ever fight over men.’
She had to smile as she slid in next to Ed. ‘A little melodramatic, don’t you think?’ she asked herself. ‘After all, if the time he spent with Julie in the gym is any indication, your attraction for Paul is only one-sided anyway’.
Paul sat down next to Katryn, and while he was plenty close enough to Julie to keep Julie happy, he was far too close to Katryn to make her happy. She wondered if anyone would notice she wasn’t taking off her coat. The waitress was at the table to take their orders shortly after Katryn and Paul were seated.
“The usual?” she asked, and Katryn nodded. “I don’t know your friend,” the waitress then mentioned to Katryn. “Is he new?” She winked, knowing he was. She knew the team well, having waited on them after their volleyball practices for the last year. She had known they were looking for a new guy.
“He is. This is Paul. Paul, this is Denise.” Katryn introduced the waitress to him before adding, “And, if he’ll accept, we’re hoping he’ll join our team.”
“That’s right, Paul. We’d like to have you on our team,” Tom added. Paul looked at Tom, wondering what that cost him, only half listening while the rest of the team asked him to stay, too.
“Thanks. I’ll be glad to stay. By the way, what’s our team’s name?”
“The EVER READYs,” Julie said, laughing. “Like the battery that never quits.”
“It really means we need re-charged after every game,” Ed told him. “Some of us are too old for this.” They laughed at Ed’s joke. Ed, at 28, was the youngest person on the team. The others ranged in age from Ken, who was 30, to Tom, who was 42.
“We really only need re-charged after practice,” Tom amended. “Katryn’s quite the slave driver, you’ll soon find out.” When the laughter died down, the waitress took their orders then left.
“How long has this team been together?” Paul asked.
“I joined about five years ago,” Tom answered. “Same time you did, right Ken?” Ken nodded and Tom continued. “Mary and Anne joined a while after that. Ed’s been here a year, now. Julie, you started when Ken and I did, and then quit for awhile, right? And you’ve been back for about a year this time?”
“That’s right,” Julie agreed.
“And you, Katryn, how long have you been an EVER READY?” Paul wanted to know.
“Forever, I think,” Katryn told him, hoping to change the subject.
“Katryn started this team,” Tom told Paul. “She quit the team she was on at the time and started this one.” Paul appeared surprised to hear that.
“You quit a team?” he turned to ask her. “Why?” Katryn did not want to go into why she had left the previous team, so she just shrugged.
“No one wanted me?” she teased, shrugging her shoulders.
The waitress saved her, interrupting when she handed them their drinks. Then the conversation changed quickly. Julie wanted to know more about Paul. Katryn was quite sure most of the others, wanted to, too, and he readily obliged.
They found out he was in upper management at the transit center, having worked his way up from driver. He admitted to being 38 and still single, and when Anne asked how he managed that, he laughed and told her he had never found anyone who would have him. Though not one person at the table could quite believe that, everyone laughed anyway.
When Paul’s third degree was over, he turned the tables on the others and found out more about his new teammates. Katryn was able to find out little things she had not known before. She had known that Ed was a disc jockey, Tom was the director of the museum, Ken drove 18 wheelers, Anne and Mary were nurses, Julie was a teacher, and Katryn owned her own book store.
Now they all knew that Mary, the only one on the team who was married had two boys who were six and four. They found out that Anne, like Katryn and Julie, was divorced, Ed was a bachelor and Ken had a three year old son who lived with his ex-girlfriend.
Katryn did not know a lot about the personal lives of her team-mates. She had always felt it was prying to ask certain questions, believing that others would offer what information they wanted to share. She really only knew Julie and Tom very well, considering them both to be close friends.
Sports had drawn the team together, and usually they discussed sports, or life in general, when they went for a coke. She enjoyed getting those personal glimpses of the rest of the team, and wondered if they, too, felt just a little closer to each other now.
“And you, Katryn?” Paul interrupted her thoughts. “What about you?” She should not have been caught off-guard. It was just that she forgot he might want to know a little more about her.
“Oh, there’s not much to tell,” Katryn answered.
“All right. Name, rank, and serial number,” he ordered with a smile.
“Katryn Delaney, coach, 9911625.”
“I give,” Paul conceded. “What’s 9911625?”
“No, don’t encourage her,” Tom’s warning came too late. He groaned with the others when Katryn answered.
“UPC code for Cheerios. My Cereal Number.”
“Now you’ve done it, Paul. We’ll probably get nothing but sick jokes the rest of the night,” Ed chastised him.
“I’m crushed. I think I’ll just make like a tree and LEAF,” Katryn said pretending to be offended. The others groaned again.
“Better stay,” Tom offered, “so we can get to the ROOT of your problem.”
“No, it’s probably time for me to be BRANCHING OUT into other sports,” Katryn rejoined amid continued moans from her team-mates.
“I think you’d be BARKING up the wrong tree, there,” Paul answered, joining in the fun.
“Oh, no! Not you, too?” Julie said, smiling coquettishly at Paul. “Now see what you’ve done, Katryn, you’ve corrupted him already!”
“He seemed a bit SHADY from the start,” Katryn offered.
“Stop. Have you no mercy?” Mary asked, and the tree puns slowly died down.
Though Paul had immediately noticed that Katryn had managed to not give out much information about her, he ignored it. He decided to let it go for now. Instead, he found Julie was trying fairly hard to keep his attention on her.
He concentrated on Julie and Anne who vied for his attenti
on, and was still able to overhear bits and pieces of Katryn’s conversation. With the little he caught, he knew Katryn, Tom and Ken were discussing volleyball strategy. At one point he overheard Tom reminding Katryn that she should be working with the newest member of the team. He was unable to hear more, however, because Anne asked him still another question. Knowing that Katryn, Tom, and Ken must be discussing him, he never-the-less regretfully turned his attention to Anne.
“Tom,” Katryn said quietly, hoping Paul wouldn’t hear, “I just think someone else would work better with him.”
“But you worked with John,” Ken interjected. “And, since John left, you need to take the new man. If you don’t work with Paul, it’ll mean two teams start over.”
“Oh, come on, Ken. I’ve worked with all of you before, so it wouldn’t be that bad.” Turning to Tom she asked lightly, “You wouldn’t mind giving up Anne for me, would you?”
“Of course not,” Tom answered, smiling wryly and shaking his head. “But Ken’s right, Katryn, you could work with me, and there’d be no problem with us. Paul’s new, though, and he needs to learn to work with the whole team. You’re the coach, and you need to break him in right. Then trade off next season, if you want,” he added knowingly.
“You sure it isn’t just that you don’t want to give up Anne’s great sets for mine?” she asked, realizing she had lost, but trying to keep it light.
“She is one fine setter...” Tom answered, smiling.
“I’m crushed yet again. Maybe I should make like a tree...”
“No,” Ken begged, “Not again.” The three of them shared a laugh, and were soon discussing how they would do in the league. After all, the ‘new man’ was fitting in much better than they had ever expected.
At about ten thirty, Katryn signaled Julie that she wanted to go. Julie nodded that she, too, was ready to leave.
After they said their goodbyes, Tom offered to walk them to their car. Katryn saw the look that crossed Julie’s face and guessed her friend was disappointed that Paul had not offered. Katryn knew Julie well enough to know she was probably also a little bothered because not only was Paul staying, but Anne was staying with him.
When they got to Julie’s light gray Dodge 600, Katryn realized she still had Julie’s keys. She carried the keys to Julie’s side, and then she and Tom walked to the passenger side. When Julie got in and quickly shut the door against a cold February wind, Tom and Katryn started around the back of the car. Tom stopped Katryn when they got near her door.
“Katryn, if you need a friend to talk to, ever, you can ask anytime. Ok?”
“What makes you think ...” she stammered, startled. “I mean, I’m ok ...” she stopped herself. Then, looking at Tom quizzically, she answered, “Thanks. I might just take you up on that.”
“Anytime, Katryn. I mean it.” She nodded. Tom reached for the door and held it open for her. Saying goodbye to both of the women, he closed the door, waiting until Julie began to back out of her parking space before he walked away.
Paul, watching through the huge restaurant windows, wondered idly what Tom had said to Katryn that he obviously had not wanted Julie to hear. Then Anne brought him back into the conversation at the table. Paul took the opportunity to get to know his teammates a little better.
All the way home, Katryn heard how wonderful Paul was. It was obvious that Julie was more than a little taken with him.
“Katryn, about Saturday...”
“No problem, Julie. If you get another offer, the boys and I will understand. We’ll be going roller-skating either way, so, if you can join us fine. Otherwise, have a really good time with Paul ... or whoever,” Katryn teased.
“Thanks. You know I enjoy our nights out roller-skating ...”
“But Paul might be a more fun date? I’m sure I can’t see how anyone would prefer Paul to the boys and me, but I guess I’ll get over it,” Katryn remarked. Julie thanked her again as they pulled in the driveway. Katryn went into the house and was relieved the boys were asleep and Audrey had her own car to drive home in.
Katryn lay quietly in bed re-hashing the events of the evening. Giving herself another pep talk, she reminded herself, again, that she and Julie were too close to let a man come between them. ‘Friends don’t fight over men,’ she reminded herself.
While acknowledging the physical attraction she felt for Paul, she decided her best bet was to try to forget any feelings she was beginning to have for him. Julie had said she was interested in Paul first, and Katryn would back out. After all, there had been men she had been attracted to before that were not available to her. Granted, none had ever affected her this strongly before, but she would get over this one, too.
‘Besides,’ she reminded herself, ‘Julie’s average is about three months with a guy. Surely I can put up with the situation that long. And, hopefully, after they die down, Paul will quit the team. Then all would be fine,’ she assured herself.
Before she finally fell asleep, resolving not to allow Paul to get to her at all, she fleetingly wondered if, and then how, Tom could have so easily figured out her predicament. ‘Good old Tom,’ she thought, drifting off to sleep. ‘He’s been a pretty good friend these past few years. I can really consider myself lucky to have both Tom and Julie for friends.’
Katryn got up at six. No matter how late her evenings were, or what day of the week it was, she invariably awoke at 6:00.
She stood surveying herself in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. The dark blue slacks fit her slender frame nicely. She tucked in the baby blue silk blouse and shrugged on a dark blue blazer. She pulled her long thick blonde hair out and over her collar to fall softly curled around her shoulders.
Katryn again thought of Paul and Julie. Thinking of Paul with Julie was not easy, however. Rehashing last night did not seem to lighten the sting at all, Katryn realized. She stared at her reflection in the mirror.
While Katryn would have been hard pressed to find an extra three pounds anywhere on her slender, well-rounded frame, Julie was very small and very petite. Often Katryn, at 5’7”, found herself feeling huge in comparison, wondering how any man could ever even notice her with Julie around.
While critiquing the figure in the mirror, she started to smile. ‘No, Katryn Delaney, you’ve really nothing to be embarrassed about,’ she decided. ‘But neither do you have enough to be conceited about. And it did seem that Paul liked petite better!’ Glancing at her watch, she was surprised at how late it was. She gave her hair a final brush through and went downstairs to fix breakfast.
“Hi, mom,” Ryan greeted her. “You’re late this morning.”
“Maybe you’re just a bit early,” she teased. “Is Timmy up, yet?”
“He just got in the tub. How was your practice? Did the new guy show up? What’s he like?”
“He plays really well, and it looks like he’ll fit in fine. I even think Julie kinda’ likes him.”
“Oh. Then he’s not someone you’ll date,” Ryan said dejectedly.
“‘Fraid not, buster. But then, I only wanted a teammate anyway! Now, how about setting the table?”
Katryn had the grapefruit sectioned, the marmalade on the table, and was almost finished with the hot cereal when Timmy finally joined them. Two pieces of toast popped up from the toaster, and Ryan buttered them while he waited for his mom to serve the oatmeal.
“What’s the new guy like?”
“A good player. We’ll keep him,” she told her other son. She watched Ryan slowly shake his head, and his brother nodded that he understood.