We all watch as the woman does the walk of shame out of the library. She mumbles something under her breath, but lucky for her, she doesn’t say it out loud.
Chapter 9
Comment on April’s Sweet Secrets YouTube video:
You can see April’s dark roots showing. Her hair is a lie. Just like everything else about her.
I never thought I would be a soccer mom, but that’s what I am.
It’s not as big a deal as you think. At the second grade level, soccer is not that intense. We meet every Saturday morning at eight at the middle school athletic field （parking is extremely competitive）。 The kids practice for thirty minutes while the parents gossip, then they play for another thirty minutes against another team while the parents cheer them on.
Bobby is on the uncreatively named Team B, which is coached by Mark Tanner, who is fortunately much more pleasant than his wife, Kathy. Mark coached Bobby’s team last year too and did an amazing job, so I was pretty excited to have him again. And I was so sure I could convince Mark to let Owen Cooper join the team that I told Maria to bring him this morning.
Julie’s son, Leo, is also on Team B, which I don’t think is any coincidence. Sometimes we trade off who brings the boys to soccer, especially when the weather gets nippy. Okay, it’s not so much a trade-off as Julie asks me to bring both boys in. But I don’t mind. I like to watch Bobby play.
Bobby is less than excited to be here. He was moaning when I dragged him out of bed and wasn’t thrilled about putting on his shin guards and his knee-length soccer socks. Yes, I had to buy soccer socks. They’re like regular socks, but more… soccer-y? I don’t know—I just buy what they tell me. Anyway, he usually has a great time playing, even though it’s hard to get him here.
“What’s with the Tupperware?” Julie asks as she looks down at the plastic tub in my hand.
“Oh!” I shake the Tupperware container. “I made cookies for Mark. I’m hoping he’ll let Owen Cooper join the team, even though it’s after registration.”
Julie mumbles something skeptical under her breath, but I make the most amazing chocolate chip cookies. Nobody can say no to my cookies. Ever. Here’s my secret in case you missed the episode: I use two tablespoons of milk powder, which makes the cookies extra chewy. Oh, and a sprinkling of sea salt on top. But I think everything can benefit from a sprinkling of sea salt. I tell my viewers that they need to throw away their regular salt and only use sea salt. Toss it in the trash right now! I told them on one episode, then I stood there and waited patiently for them to throw away the salt.
I see Maria heading down on the field with Sean and Owen just behind her. I guess the whole family decided to come. Gosh, I hope Mark says yes. I would hate to disappoint them.
Maria waves to me and sprints the rest of the way over to join us. “Did you talk to the coach yet?”
“Not yet,” I say. “I wanted to wait until you got here.” I hold up the Tupperware. “But I brought cookies.”
Maria looks just as skeptical as Julie did, but she’s never tried my cookies.
Now that she’s here, I stride across the field to where Mark is talking to another parent. Mark has been coaching soccer for years. He’s in his mid-forties with mostly silver hair and light blue eyes that crinkle when he smiles. When he sees me, he gives me that eye-crinkle.
“April!” he says. “Are those for me? Dare I hope?”
I hold out the Tupperware for him. “I made them with just a touch of sea salt on top. Like you like them.”
“Yum.”
I glance over at the Cooper family, waiting anxiously at the sidelines. “I was wondering if I could ask for a favor, Mark.”
His brows bunch together. “Yes…？”
“My friend Maria’s son Owen is an incredible soccer player.” Well, I assume so. “But they just moved here and were too late to register for soccer. I was just wondering if he could join Team B.”
Mark hesitates. “I don’t know if I’m allowed to…”
“I know,” I say quickly. “But maybe he could be on the team… you know, unofficially. He could step in for kids who are out sick. You know as the weather gets colder, there are more and more no-shows.”
“Right.” Mark is nodding as he looks over at Owen Cooper. “Well, let’s see how things go today. I think it should be okay, unless some of the other parents complain.”
The only other parent who might complain is Julie—she’s such a stickler for the rules. I wonder if a discounted dress from Helena’s might be enough to win her over. Because cookies sure won’t.
“Thanks, Mark!” I say. “You’re the best. And don’t worry about the Tupperware. We’ve got tons of it.”
I go back to the sidelines, flashing an enthusiastic thumbs up. I can’t tell who looks happier about it between the three of them. Probably Sean.
“So that’s it?” Maria says. “Owen is on the team? Just like that?”
I bob my head up and down. “Just like that! I told you I make good cookies.”
Julie rolls her eyes dramatically.
Owen races onto the field, excited to get to play. Practice will be starting in a couple of minutes, but some of the kids are already kicking the ball around. Right away, I can tell how good Owen is. Even though I only barely grasp all the rules of the game, I’ve noticed there are always a couple of kids on each team that stand out as being particularly good. Owen is one of those kids. Of course, that’s what happens when your dad coaches the team.
I had worried Sean might be an awkward addition to our group, but he couldn’t seem less interested in talking to us. He is watching the practice intently, giving Owen silent instructions with his hands. It’s obvious he’s barely restraining himself from leaping onto the field.
“Sean should volunteer to coach next year,” I tell Maria.
“Oh, he definitely will,” she says. “He loves it. Even after the sports season ends, he and Owen go to the park every day to practice. Football, soccer, whatever.”
“How nice,” Julie says vaguely.
What’s that like? I wonder.
“Leo is very good too,” Maria observes. She’s not just being nice. Leo is probably the best kid on the team. Well, he was until Owen showed up. “Does your husband work with him a lot?”
Julie bursts out laughing. It is sort of funny if you know Keith. First of all, he spends most of his waking hours at work in the city. And even if he didn’t, he looks like ten minutes of soccer practice would give him a heart attack.
“No,” she says dryly. “We hired a professional soccer teacher to work with Leo.”
“Oh.” Maria blinks. “Well, that’s great.”
She seems shocked, but she shouldn’t be. That’s how things are in this town. I might have tried to hire a coach for Bobby, but I was hoping Elliot would pick up the slack. I’m starting to realize that’s not going to be the case though.
With only ten minutes left of practice, Carrie Schaeffer shows up with her son James. That’s the Carrie whose husband left her for the babysitter, which is all anyone can think of when we see her these days. It’s courageous of her to still show up for sports practice. Especially at eight in the morning on a Saturday.